Clouds and Currents - VoK & HW 2021 Event Prompts

   "So," Tamaya asked, shifting awkwardly and kneading at the ground, "where should we... uh, start?"
   Bora watched her for a minute. "You're clearly uncomfortable on land," he stated. "We should start there, before anything else. You need to get accustomed to living and moving around on the ground before you can hope to have any further training."
   Of course, what she really rather least wanted to hear. "R-Right," she mumbled. "So, how should I... you know, start? With that? Just... walk around, or...?"
   "That should be a good enough place to start, yes," he agreed. "Why don't you take until..." He squinted up at the sky. "...Until sunset. Walk around, familiarize yourself with the land and its features. Let yourself adjust to it. I will await your return here."
   "Right, I will. Thank you," she said, and, with a bit of an awkward start, she set off into the distance.
   It was a few minutes later when the other blue lioness strode up next to her, easily catching up despite Tamaya's head start. "Yeesh, that took forever," she complained. "'Blah blah blah, can't just go running off, blah blah blah lucky I don't grab you by the scruff of the neck and toss you back through that portal myself, blah blah blah grumble grumble grrr.' I honestly think he just hates fun."
   Tamaya laughed. "He let you get away from him, though?"
   "Hah, I told him I had to go scavenger hunt with that bird guy or he'd be real sad that his new clumbate wasn't showing up for the next meeting. Got all fake weepy and everything!" She bumped Tamaya's shoulder, and the hero stumbled a bit before catching herself. "So, he really just sent you on a walk, huh? Laaaaame."
   She gave a sheepish half-smile. "He's... not wrong, though. I really don't know how any of this works. I should get used to it." Her ears drooped. "I don't know how you live like this. It's all so... hard. In a literal sense."
   Nahia shrugged. "Swimming's more fun, definitely. But, uh, I also can't breathe underwater." She paused. "Hey, can you breathe underwater? You look like a normal lion - Well, a blue one, like me, but still - but you were, like, born in the water, right? Or you were raised there? Do you have gills under your fur like a fish or something?"
   "Yes? I guess?" Tamaya shrugged herself. "I don't really, uh, know how it works," she admitted. Then she sighed. "I don't really know how any of this works..." She stopped in her tracks and pawed at the ground. "I'm supposed to be a hero, right? So I should be learning to fight. But instead I'm just wandering around like a lost little cub. Ugh... I feel like a lost little cub." She scrunched up her mouth. "Hey, once I get used to this whole land business, do you think Bora's gonna give me some way of... you know, actually physically fighting? I don't think I can take down a titan by myself. All I've really got are my fangs and my claws. I don't think they're gonna really put a dent in the thing, you know? Think he's gonna give me powers?"
   Nahia shook her head. "Right, I wish. 'Not my jurisdiction,' he says. 'I can't give you powers, I'm just here to teach you!' What a load of crap." She snorted. "I don't know how I'm supposed to train as a god with no domain and no abilities." She sighed. "Then again, maybe it's just me. Or he'll make an exception for you, or something." She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Godhood is overrated, anyway. All that responsibility? Who needs it? Sounds like a real goddamn chore."
   Tamaya chuckled sympathetically. "Yeah, it must be a lot," she agreed. Being a hero was bad enough, but a god? She could hardly imagine it.
   The two stood together in silence for a minute, and then Nahia chimed in again.
   "You know something, though? I don't see why you have to do this whole land thing, anyway? I mean, from what I've heard, this is like, a rock and ground and earth titan, right? So, like, why not take advantage of that? You're good in the water, yeah? And the air too, right?"
   "Well, yes, but I'm not quite sure I follow-"
   "So, fight it there! Like, the land is its home turf, yeah? But the sea and the sky are yours! So, like, take the home field advantage! Why should you have to fight it where it's most comfortable, anyway? There's ground under the water, it can pop its rocky little head up from under there and fight you on your level, instead of being a coward!" she yelled at the ground.
   Tamaya laughed nervously. "Oh, god, please don't make it angry, I don't know if it can hear us but I am so not ready to fight it if it takes that as a challenge right now," she said, only half-joking. "But... that's a fair point. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." She smiled softly. "Um, I should probably still adjust to this whole land thing anyway, though. In case I need to, you know, drive it into the sea from the land or something. Just in case, right?"
   "Hah, fair! Mind if I come with, then? Beats hanging out with grumpy back there," Nahia said, nodding back in the direction they'd come from.
   "Of course! I'd be happy to have you."