He was alone in the crowd, as he was always meant to be, until he was not. Warmth welled up in his chest as a familiar and beloved feline shape alit at his side, joining him in his show of respect for the celebrants and their ways and finishing the work Jyoti had begun to chase away the lingering shadows in his heart. As the litter passed by he straightened and bumped his shoulder into Amalia ‘s side, a moment’s lean of gratitude and affection even as Isuma eeled around her companion’s legs to wend between her big sister’s paws in joyful greeting.
Then they were once more caught, entranced, as the ceremony continued and the young woman – Noble? Priestess? Sacrifice? – descended to the sands. Jigano froze, though Isuma only looked curiously between fox and leopard, too small to understand what was happening. Not that Jigano understood, but he found himself tensing as silence fell over the crowd, a hushed sense of waiting, though for what he did not know.
Into the water the young woman went, into the song and the power of a river that had taunted and rewarded him once before. She danced with joy and wild abandon, grace and strength, and Jigano’s ears perked forward, nose quivering with delight and a professional interest in the dance. He nosed Isuma to remain on the bank, where her feathers would stay dry, but lolled a canine grin at Amalia and gave a foxy wink before bounding into the waters on delicate paws to dance to the rhythms set by the Naiad and the Stonesong, splashing playfully in the shallows as he joined the party.
Then they were once more caught, entranced, as the ceremony continued and the young woman – Noble? Priestess? Sacrifice? – descended to the sands. Jigano froze, though Isuma only looked curiously between fox and leopard, too small to understand what was happening. Not that Jigano understood, but he found himself tensing as silence fell over the crowd, a hushed sense of waiting, though for what he did not know.
Into the water the young woman went, into the song and the power of a river that had taunted and rewarded him once before. She danced with joy and wild abandon, grace and strength, and Jigano’s ears perked forward, nose quivering with delight and a professional interest in the dance. He nosed Isuma to remain on the bank, where her feathers would stay dry, but lolled a canine grin at Amalia and gave a foxy wink before bounding into the waters on delicate paws to dance to the rhythms set by the Naiad and the Stonesong, splashing playfully in the shallows as he joined the party.
