#leopara

Many times, he has seen a kingdom known as Thundera, which arises long after the Book of Omens is stolen from him, falls to Mumm-Ra's heavy-handed machinations and use of violence- that child never changes. He's seen the rise and fall of an order of Thunderan sorcerers, the MagiCats, and he has seen their last descendant possessed of their magic at the side of the king, fighting to banish evil from their world.

His world, but they don't know that.

Amun has seen the night their kingdom falls many times. It is inevitable, and it must happen to set the young king Lion-O on the path to meet his destiny head-on and stronger for the conflict he's risen above.

But what if it could happen differently? 

With this thought in mind, he opens the Book again, and it answers him.

~~~~~~

The day quickly approached that Jaga would bring her, once again, to the palace. This time, Leopara knew he intended for her to begin carrying responsibilities and duties towards the royal family, not just her studies.

Thinking about it made her anxious. Her progress with magic was not what she wanted it to be. What if the king were disappointed with her? Or Prince Tygra?

He was well loved by the people for the rumors of his combat prowess, mastery of all forms of weaponry, and for being the dutiful, responsible prince. But by those who interacted with him more frequently, he was known to be snarky and quick to notice flaws, for better or worse. There were many who liked this about him, but others who disliked it.

"You are worrying your cloak, Leopara." Jaga's voice gently interrupted her thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, apologies, Jaga." She let go of her poor cloak, which was starting to felt a little from the scraping of her claws over the fabric. "I'm just considering the upcoming introduction."

His blue eyes lingered on her for a moment. Then, he walked to stand beside her, staring out the window's arch at the palace grounds. 

It's strange to think I've grown up so close to it, but only been there a handful of times… 

"Yes, I have been considering it as well." Jaga finally said in a thoughtful voice. "Perhaps it is better we make reintroductions sooner."

A jolt lanced through her. "Sooner?"

Jaga stroked his beard, turned towards her, and nodded. "Come. You will join me for today."

She opened her mouth to protest- and then thought better of it. "May I change, first?" 

With a chuckle, he asked, "And what is wrong with the clothes you wear now?"

"I wore them yesterday! They have wrinkles…" she tugged at her skirt, trying to find one.

"I very much doubt that, Leopara, but very well. If it pleases you, you may go change your attire."

Leopara gave a half-bow. "Thank you, Jaga."

He didn't reply, instead watching her with amusement as she hurried away. It was true that she wore this dress yesterday. As long as the outer layer remained clean, she mostly just changed the slip beneath. It was, however, false that it had a stray wrinkle.

She just wanted to look nicer when presenting herself to the king.

The last time she saw him was… not the best. Uncio had convinced her to keep Jaga occupied while he stole the Sword of Omens, for what end, she didn't know. The sword had rejected him, anyway. His transgressions were not easily overlooked- and Jaga did consider involving her one- and he had been banished. Jaga always told her that it was to protect her from Uncio's increasingly delinquent ways and the consequences of his own actions.

Secretly, Leopara wondered if it was also to assuage Claudus's fury and keep it from being directed at her, Uncio's accomplice. If so, was it successful? What if it wasn't?

Feeling the jitters of her nerves again, Leopara shook her head hard and pushed open the door to her bedroom. 

Focus. Clothes.

Leopara had a lovely two layer dress that she'd been waiting until the summer festival to wear… but it was the nicest thing she had, and it had its own set of accessories. Would a cloak look silly with it? Should she change her hair?

She pondered this while changing, taking the dress behind the partition in her room. 

Her ears flicked.

A cleric was approaching. But it wasn't any cleric, it was Jaga's other apprentice, Cheetara. Leopara recognised her by the feel of her… well, she wasn't sure what it was. She could sense her emotions, and there was a particular feeling that accompanied it that was just uniquely Cheetara.

Sure enough, Cheetara stopped at her door and rapped on the wood.

"Leopara? Jaga asked me to check in on you."

Leopara understood that meant Jaga had the foresight to predict she would get into her head about the sudden introduction.

"Come in! I'm getting changed."

The door opened and closed quickly. Cheetara approached the partition, lingering near the edge. "Do you need help?"

"No, I think I've got it." Leopara took a moment to stand straight and smooth out her skirts. Then, she stepped out to show Cheetara. 

The first layer of the dress was a simple, ankle length dress in dark blue. Over that, she wore a light blue layer that stopped just short of her knees. A golden belt-sash around her waist gave the dresses form, and possessed the red jewel that marked any cat of the ThunderCat clan. Unlike her usual dresses, this dress had an off the shoulder look, exposing the pale fur of her throat and the spots on her shoulders, as well as part of the markings on her back.

Leopara had to admit that her back being so exposed made her nervous. "What do you think? Should I wear a shawl or take down my hair?"

Cheetara smiled kindly at her. "You look wonderful." Seeing Leopara fuss in the mirror, she added, "Hm… your hair could be down in a braid. Let me help you."

Together they undid her braided ponytail. Her hair cascaded in waves around her shoulder and down her back. She quite liked the look, but knew her hair would loose the waves in an hour or so of being free from their braid.

Cheetara began to brush them out, starting from the ends and working her way up. There weren't many tangles, as Leopara had brushed her hair in the morning before putting her hair up. Quickly, she was able to weave her hair in a large, somewhat loose braid.

"Thank you." Leopara said.

"You best not keep Jaga waiting much longer. He'll come check on you himself, you know." Cheetara said, amused and smiling.

Leopara let out a little chuckle. "Yeah, I know. Thank you, really." She gave the cheetah a quick hug, and then hurried out of the room and down the corridors of the Cleric's Hall.

Jaga was waiting near the main doors of the Cleric's Hall. "I see you changed your hair as well." he observed.

"A ponytail didn't suit the dress." she explained.

"And you don't have your cloak."

Whiskers. I even thought about it, and still forgot.

It took everything in Leopara's power not to slap herself with her palm. Instead, she played it off with a shrug. "I think it looks nice without."

He raised his brow, skeptical of her excuse. "Well yes, I suppose it does. Come, let us not keep the king waiting any longer."

Leopara gulped, but did not protest as they began the walk to the palace.

It was a short distance, but it felt so long.

~~~~~

"So," Amun said aloud, as he often did just to hear a human's voice, "-this is where change begins?"

The scene playing out on the book's pages rippled and shifted, moving from his future pupil's perspective to that of the future king's.