VoK Prompts

Prompt S7 - Choose a song, and write or draw an in-depth breakdown of how it applies to your lion and their life, story, relationship,ect. Lyrics do not count towards word minimum.
Word Count - 1000/1000 + 504/500
Points: 4 + 2

Song: Ocean by Lady A

The first time Amanzi laid eyes on the strange celestial refugee, something changed inside her. A tingling, numbing sensation as small as it was large and as unknown as it was familiar. He was just a stranger, an isihambi, but she suddenly wanted to know everything about him. Just another lion, but she wanted his eyes on her, his body beside hers, his presence with her forever. She was so confused but at the same time had never felt something so right. Could this be love? 
Never before had she been so glad and proud to stand at King Kuth's side, for this beautiful lion would have to see her without any effort from her. Even so, this lion seemed to not have a care in the world who he was standing before. His eyes wondered, deep in thought, and he paid neither of them any mind. Even in the days that followed, whenever Amanzi would seek him out he seemed to have his mind in the clouds. She couldn't hold his attention, and his mumbled answers never quite fit with the questions asked. Amanzi was frustrated, but that feeling inside her held steady.

How can someone stand so damn close
And feel like they're worlds away?

A few days later, Isihambi (as the pride had begun to call him) sat down beside Amanzi where she was watching the cubs play. She greeted him and asked him how his day had been, but even now he hardly responded and didn't meet her eyes. Eventually, Amanzi took his cue and grew silent. Defeated, she sighed and hung her head. As she did, Isihambi slightly turned his gaze in her direction, and for the first time, their eyes met. It was just for a second, but Amanzi's heart fluttered and the fire inside her flared brighter.

I can see your sad story eyes
So how do you have no words to say?

This is how every meetup went, Amanzi pouring out her heart with all her effort, being vulnerable like never before, and Isihambi seemingly resisting even if he was the one to seek her out. He was distant, and it made Amanzi want to scream. But even still she held steady for him, one of his only friends in the pride, ready if he ever gave in.

All I want is to fall in deeper
Than I've ever been, why won't you let me?
I can handle your heart, so help me

Every time she felt as if she was making progress, he seemed to push further away. Pushing and pulling, she felt deserted on dry land, the alluring waters refusing to be calmed. She had never felt so helpless and so persistent at the same time. His sadness felt so dangerous, the currents so unruly, but she knew she could handle whatever he said, she knew she could tame the waves. Her every being pleaded for him to open up to her, let her in, but again, the tides of his sorrow and hurt would push her back.

Here you are, next to me
So much beauty at my feet
All I wanna do is swim
But the waves keep crashin' in
No, I'm not afraid to drown
Take me out, take me down
I'm so tired of the shore
Let me in, baby
You're an ocean, beautiful and blue
I wanna swim in you

It continued this way for quite some time, Isihambi staying shut off from the pride that was caring for him, including Amanzi, no matter how much she tried to help. A month after his arrival, the pride was growing agitated and not as forgiving as Amanzi. The matter was presented before the Council of Elders, and Amanzi was on pins and needles. She couldn't lose him, her heart couldn't take it, but how much could her heart take of this?  Due to her special position as heiress, Amanzi was allowed to sit in on Council meetings for experience as long as she stayed quiet. Now, though, she simply couldn't. As the Elders debated the fate of her first real friend, Amanzi knew what had to be done, no matter the consequences. Before she could stop herself, she was standing before the Council, their faces a mix of shock, confusion, and anger. Ignoring them, though, she poured her heart out. She told them of his intense sorrow, filling in details of what she could only infer. In her fit of passion, water sprayed with her wild gestures, and the tears flowing down her face turned into rivers around her. Soon her water was suspending her in the air, high above where the Elders sat dumbfounded. Amanzi had only ever used her ability when necessary, and only as much as necessary, nothing ever this extravagant. When she was out of things to say, she gently lowered herself to the ground and let the water that had been floating return to normal and flow out through the door.¹ With a month of pent-up emotion released, a completely dry and composed Amanzi stood before the Chamber, challenging the Elders to oppose her.
Needless to say, the vote was unanimous that Isihambi could stay, as long as Amanzi was to blame for any issues that caused. Amanzi was elated, that is, until a quietly seething King Kuth pulled her aside once the Council was adjourned.
"Would you like to explain to me what happened in there?" He growled, his expression firm.
"I fought for what was right, as a ruler should," Amanzi lifted her chin and stood her ground.
"Need I remind you that you are not the ruler?"
"Yet,"
"Try 'never' if you keep up this behavior. That was disgraceful and unlike any ruler. There is order to be followed, and you need to respect all those above you, is that clear?" Although he didn't raise his voice, his words cut deep regardless. Without waiting for her response, he continued, "Your little fit of passion made me look bad in front of my superiors, and I will not have it. Go against my will again, and you will be on trial, understood? This is your only warning. Do not disappoint me, Amanzi," With this last sentence, the anger left him, and he shook his head sadly before turning and walking away.

Like a lighthouse, I've been shinin' bright
Through the dark for the both of us
And, "I've done it outta love" is not enough
But God, how I wish it was

Amanzi's face burned with anger at both Kuth and Isihambi and shame at her foolishness, any elation she had gotten inside the Chamber long gone. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she just wanted to curl into a ball and forget all this hurt. Without knowing where else to go, she let a stream of water carry her back to her childhood hideout, a quiet nook where she wouldn't have to see anyone and could cry in private. Little did she know how wrong she was. Immediately inside the hidden cave, she washed to a stop. Sitting before her in this place that should have been empty was the one lion she wanted to see least of all, looking just as shocked as Amanzi felt.
"Isihambi?" Amanzi asked, the surprise temporarily replacing her shame.
"How did you find me?" He asked in his quiet way.
"How did you find this place?"
"I always come here during the day." He mumbled, neither of them answering the other's question.
"This was my hideout as a child," The memories of being bullied and coming here to cry reminded her of why she had returned, and she stiffened. "I'm going to go, then," Isihambi didn't respond, didn't ask any more questions. As every possible emotion fought inside Amanzi, Isihambi had already returned to his own world.

And I don't wanna find out
How much lonely I can take, before you lose me
Baby, look at me and swear you won't lose me 

All she wanted was for him to let her in, to show that he cared like she cared for him. A war between her heart and pride was raging inside her, and she didn't know which side was winning. Looking at this distant lion, she remembered the times he had met her eyes, the times she could see the warmth he was shutting away. She remembered the smile that was there and gone in the blink of an eye, the playful teasing that you could miss if you weren't listening for it, always hoping. But then, for every undertow pulling her in, there was a cold moment like this, a wave pushing her back to dry land. How easy it would be to give up, walk away, but could she really ever forget the draw of the water, the allure, those moments of undertow? Would she even be able to?

I can't let it go
From moments in your arms
But they come back again
The waves, the waves, the waves, the waves
The waves, the waves, the waves, the waves

What could she say to make him see her, really see her, make him understand what she was feeling, make him open up? Did he really think she would hurt him?Why was he so afraid? Why was he holding back?  Was she afraid? Was she holding back? And why? In that moment, gazing longingly at this hurt lion just as conflicted as she was, she was met by a revelation. She knew the answer, for the answer was in her questions all along. Like water from a broken dam, she let everything flow free. Her hurt, her fear, her resistance, she let it all go, and told him everything.

Here you are, next to me
So much beauty at my feet
All I wanna do is swim
But the waves keep crashin' in
No, I'm not afraid to drown
Take me out, take me down
I'm so tired of the shore
Let me in, baby
You're an ocean beautiful and blue
I wanna swim in you

One look at him, and she knew. The tide was finally going out, and she was going with it.

---

1 To those outside the Chamber, this spectacle grew into a legend that parents and grandparents told to their children, of the day Queen Amanzi flooded the chamber to free her love. Of course, it was never recorded what exactly Amanzi said to convince that selfish council or how it really went down, but no one would ever forget it regardless.