Zanarah, Starbane, & Dima

The long and lanky Zanarah made her way through the temple grounds, stopping here and there to note any areas of importance to the adolescents following her. She stopped at the edge of the artificial pond, with her claws clutching at the cement perch just inches from the algae-lined waters. The area was warmer here, just enough so to ward off the formation of ice, but not enough to make the waters terribly comfortable in these winter months. "Tophee, Zaphren, come here." She called, and then sat back on her haunches. "I want to introduce you to our primary guardian, and our eldest water monster."

Lacking the formality and air of importance that Zanara seemed to be radiating, Starbane took a more casual stance a few feet from her. His yellow gaze jumped across the water, trying to locate the big reptile that his friend was about to introduce, or perhaps his even larger comrade, Bluescale.

Tophee & Zaphren

Tophee had listened with rapt attention to the tour Zanarah gave, even bring up a question or two along the way She then did as instructed, padding over to the edge of the water with the kind of fearless naivety of one who knows nothing of the kind of dangerous that can lurk in water. Turning her inquisitive gaze away from the water, she looked up at Zanah, "Brother Dima, right?"

Zaphren had paid some attention to the teachings, but he was more interested in emulating Starbane. He tried to match the liger's posture, and admired the muscles that rippled ever so faintly beneath the cat's dense winter coat. When Starbane approached the water, Zaphren did too, and rather than sitting back on his haunches like his sister, he gave Star a look up and down and then adjusted his stance to be like his.

Zanarah, Leomar, Dima, & Bluescale

"That's right." Zanarah smiled down at Tophee with pride, impressed by the youngster's memory and eagerness to learn. "Brother Bluescale is here somewhere as well. He's a little younger than Dima, but much larger." The ligeress looked out across the waters and chuffed lightly, calling to the pair of reptilians, while hoping that Dima was in a decent mood. While waiting, and still watching the languid waters, she went on, "Can either of you tell me why this Temple is so important, and what happens here?"

It took Starbane a minute to notice, but the big cat eventually caught on to what Zaphren was doing. He finally sat back on his haunches and tilted his head up just a little, striking as noble a pose as he could. He then leaned his head to the side, lowering it down to Zaph with a quiet whisper, "Stick near me, kid. I'll teach you all the best things about being a Haunter." Star gave a wink before straightening back up and joining Zanah in searching the water for the two crocodillians.

Soon enough, a soft splash of water announced Bluescale's location as the giant, sixteen foot saltwater crocodile slide off his perch in the Temple and eased into the chilly waters. He drifted, more than swam, to the opposite shore where the cats were waiting, using just a few sluggish swings of his spotted tail.

Dima also responded, though the darkly hued alligator had to make use of his hind paws to aid his swimming, since most of his tail was gone. He bumped into the shore next to Bluescale, with little more than a grunt of sound to greet the four. During the dead of winter, neither of the big reptiles were particularly active or chatty.

Tophee & Zaphren

'Bluescale' Tophee rolled the name about in her head as she tried to conjure an image of what this river monster looked like. Greenish-brownish, and kind of like a log with teeth... that's what Leomar had described, and no matter how much the young liger thought about it, she just couldn't come up with toothy log that seemed as scary as the old lion tried to make them out to be. A little distracted, she answered Zanarah's question, "Umm... for safety! If we get attacked by our enemies, the Mothers and Young come here."

Of course Zaphren was doing his level best to mimic Starbane's new posture. Paws planted, chin angled up, and a few side glances at his mentor to get it just right. A grin snuck across his beige and white mug when Star leaned in with an offer, and his mocha eyes lit with eager excitement. "Really?" Cooool!' But soon enough something else caught his attention and he and his sister both were looking back at the waters.

"Guardian Dima." Tophee greeted in breathy surprise. Now she could see what Leo was talking about. "Guardian Bluescale." The second greeting came with a bit more strength, and a respectful dip of her head. "It's good to meet you both."

Zanarah, Leomar, Dima, & Bluescale

"Brother Dima, Bluescale." Zanarah purred, "Thank you for answering us. I called you both to introduce you to our newest younglings; this is Tophee, and her brother Zaphren."

Dima's golden orbs roved from the sister to the brother, "Been a while since we've had cubs here." He muttered, making this observation rather than offering an official greeting.

Bluescale was a little more diplomatic, "Wel-come to the Haun-ters, kidsss." His drawn-out voice rasped, with the cold sapping so much of his energy. His eyes were wide and bright though, and his enthusiasm to meet new members brought some life to his sluggish tongue, "Ever need pro-tection, we ha-ve you cov'red."

"Don't worry-" Starbane pitched in, giving Zaphren a nudge with his paw, "These two are a lot more lively in the summer. They don't do much during the cold months."

Zana shot her comrade a pointed look, to which he cheekily ignored. The ligeress cleared her throat, "What Starbane meant is that River Monsters slow down in the winter, but they're every bit as dangerous. Their jaws are very powerful, and they can clamp down on our enemies like a steel trap, and drag them underwater. They are your protectors should enemies every make it into the Temple - just swim across this moat and seek shelter in the small Temple there, and they will do the rest."

Tophee & Zaphren

Tophee marveled at the sight of the pair. She crouched down, chest brushing the mossy stone of the shoreline as she put herself at a more leveled position with the river monsters. "I've never seen anything like you two before. I..." She frowned slightly, recalling an old and very faint memory of her mother, and the warning she had given her children about the reptiles of the Lake. Picking her words carefully, the young liger continued, "I heard river monsters like you live in the big Lake, too. Is that where you came from?"

Zaphren looked up at Starbane at his nudge, then back at the reptiles with a cocked head, "I wondered, cause.. well, they do look a lot like logs, like Leo said. And they don't seem to move very fast."

Zanarah, Leomar, Dima, & Bluescale

"The Marsh." Dima murmured in simple answer to Tophee. Bluescale was, again, a little more vocal, "I think my parr-ents were from the big Lake. But I hhhatched he-re." His bright yellow eyes blinked, for the first time since emerging from the waters, "Li-ved there a bit thhhhough, during the tur-moil."

Zana's ears perked as Blue mentioned the 'turmoil', something she'd not taught the cubs about yet. The ligeress moved a paw, shifting her body to the side as she prepared to turn away from the Temple, "Ahh, the great turmoil is something we still need to talk about. Dima, Bluescale- thank you again for answering the young ones. We'll be back later to talk once the waters have warmed and you have more energy to spare." A few more steps had her turned fully around, and she looked back over her shoulder, "Come along, Tophee and Zaphren, we're going to the main Temple now to continue the tour."

Starbane chuckled at Zaphren, "During the winter, they may as well be logs. They don't even eat anything. But trust me, once they get a hold of something with all those teeth of theirs, it's over." Zanarah's announcement had Star looking up, and then grinning with cub-like delight, "Ohh, have you met Quili yet? Ever seen a deer with fangs?" He moved away from the water, following in Zana's direction, but like her glanced back to make sure his new mini-shadow was following, "She's usually in the Temple, especially right now when we have pups."