In the surrounding darkness, Lion continued to embrace me in silence. He nuzzled my hair and told me gently that Puma had shared some fragments of what I'd told her.
Apparently, I'd had a nightmare shortly after our heartfelt conversation.
Puma told him she couldn't share the sensitive details, only a brief description of the pain I had suffered back on Earth.
Lion magically summoned floating lights and rugs, gesturing for me to sit. He knelt in front of me, cupping my face gently. He looked at me with such kindness that I soon began to cry.
I felt a surge of shame, but remembering Puma's words, I knew I had to start forgiving myself. I had to be honest with him.
Lion sat beside me and held me tight.
Once my tears subsided, I hesitantly recounted everything I had shared with Puma.
I talked for a long time.
......
When I finally finished, he stayed silent. I started to tremble, terrified that I might have disgusted him.
I was about to stand up when I realized he was crying. He apologized for not being there to protect me back then.
He gave me a sweet, gentle kiss on my forehead, then my nose and finally my lips.
He gazed at me lovingly while stroking my hair. Then, he took my hand and kissed it tenderly.
Softly, he kissed my wrist, my arms and my cheeks before intertwining his fingers with mine. He rested his head on my shoulder for a while, silently squeezing my hand while his tail brushed against my cheek.
We stayed like that until we heard Sly's voice calling to us.
.....
We stepped outside the tent to find a peaceful sea.
Ghost had transformed into his other form, flying about with excitement. Sly shifted into his dragon form and soared toward the water, landing with a splash that sent huge waves toward the shore.
I laughed at the sight. Orm challenged Lion to a mini magic duel. Lion scoffed, threatening to bury him in the sand if he lost.
Orm winked at me and began hurl magic ice shards. Lion activated a shimmering shield and, with a wicked grin, fired a magic missile that sent Orm flying through the air.
I laughed until my sides ached.
......
Eventually, feeling hot and sticky, I excused myself and headed inside the tent while the duel continued.
With a cunning smile, I changed into one of my latest designs: a bikini.
Not just any bikini BUT a string bikini. Once I put it on, I realized the fabric barely covered my breasts or my bottom.
Oh gosh. I had made it much too small.
Hmmm...
I decided, with a naughty thought, that I would tease Lion. I didn't intend to tease the others, but Lion was right there, and all they could do was look.
I let my hair flow freely and walked out onto the sand barefoot.
While looking at the sea, I felt a wave of nostalgia. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, remembering the first time my family visited the ocean.
My sister and I were so fascinated. I remembered building sandcastles with her and how we'd try to negotiate with our mother when it was time to go home.
I opened my eyes with a twinge of sadness, accepting the fact that I might never see her again. Then I walked silently toward the water, gazing at the sky.
....
The moons had a beautiful glow tonight. The wet sand felt soft beneath my feet as I waded in until the water reached my waist.
The seabed was clean. No seaweed, only strange, beautiful sea creatures swimming around me.
A ray of moonlight caught me and in that moment, I felt beautiful.
I happily splashed around and tasted the water... it was sweet. I played with the sea creatures, who seemed entirely unafraid of me.
I dove under the surface, observing them in their world. I held out my hand, and some brushed against my skin before darting away.
When I ran out of air, I surfaced, water streaming down my skin. I arched my neck and flipped my hair back with a shake, droplets flying everywhere.
If only I could take a photo. I felt like a sultry magazine model.
Shaking my head, I opened my eyes and looked toward the tents.
All four of them were staring at me.
Blushing hard, I submerged myself in the water, trying to ignore them.
This was a bad idea. Or perhaps it worked a little too well.
I heard Sly and Ghost transforming back to their regular forms.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Orm watching me with a lingering gaze.
Lion suddenly appeared by my side, looking mesmerized. Sly and Ghost soon joined us.
Ghost pointed at the creatures and tried to tell me about them. Fascinated, I tried to poke one, giggling when it splashed water back into my face.
I felt young, alive, happy and loved. I wished the moment would last forever.
.....
Soon, hunger struck and we headed back to shore.
Orm managed to prepare food for us while Sly cooked his own meal.
Afterward, Sly spread blankets on the sand.
We sat in a circle under the stars, the moons and the gigantic planet above. Orm asked me to point to where I was from and I sadly explained that I wasn't from this universe.
Lion gave a brief explanation, leaving Orm stunned. Even he realized how unexpected my situation was.
We talked late into the night. It wasn't cold, the air was strangely warm. We had deep conversations that seemed to draw us all closer.
I learned that Orm had lived an unhappy life, bullied since he is the youngest. Sly had left his clan because he was shunned as a bastard offspring. Ghost spoke of the loneliness of his work and how he'd never had companions to have fun with.
Lion shared stories of the forest and the couple who took him in and trained him in magic.
When it was my turn, I told them about my family on Earth and my favorite memories of my sister. I missed my old home, but as I looked at the laughing faces of my companions, I felt comforted.
I knew, for a fact, that I wasn't alone this time.