Chapter 97 A Special Lioness: The Shift

• Mayi’s POV
• The day that we had been preparing for was finally at hand. I was both nervous and excited for my little girl. She gave me a big present yesterday by finally calling me father and I couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling I was getting. I wasn’t ready for that one. I prolly thought it would take ages for her to adjust and see me as her father. My heart used to ache when she addressed me as Priest Mayi until I made her promise never to call me that but just Mayi. For now I was content that she didn’t address me like everyone else but more intimately like the family she is. We were finally going to see my little girl’s lioness. It was more like she was going to be born again in some way. My mate and I solved our issues and we mated and she had to go and say goodbye to her clients then come back to stay. I couldn’t abandon the Kingdom to go stay with her, so it was only fair that she came to stay in Badosa. We woke up early in the morning to do the cleansing rituals. I must admit that doing it with your mate made everything so much easier and fast. We went around the territory to fortify it and prevent any kind of intrusion into the event that was meant for a few eyes only. When my little girl finally came, we went to the location selected by goddess Seline in the woods. We laid down everything needed and waited for the arrival of the royal family. “Mayi!” I heard the King’s voice call while still a bit far and we all rose up and bowed. “Leo!” I greeted back and we exchanged pleasantries while the girls hugged Katty for moral support I guess. “It’s time up!” I said when I knew the right time had struck. In Badosa there are no watches, we do not have technology like on earth where everything is regulated by a small machine that tick tocks. When one begins to assimilate with the place, it becomes easier for them to know time. Everyone gathered around for the Instruction. The Leo’s presence is pivotal to this shifting ceremony because he acts as the main contact for the lion that will be under his authority and again for control’s purpose so that if by chance the lion becomes uncontrollable, he may use his authority on it and subdue it. “All the royals and Turner should shift and encircle around Katty. I and Lena will coax Katty’s lion but I will later shift to mark her too,” I explained everything and we went ahead to get ready for the ritual of calling forth Katty’s lioness. Everybody went behind the tree line to shift and I gave Katty the sacred cloth and asked her to go behind a tree and change her clothes. She came out looking all nervous and scared. “You will be okay my baby, it will only hurt for today, afterwards you will be fine and can control your shifting as well,” I assured her, trying to calm her nerves. I could hear her heart beating inside her ribcage and I felt sorry for her. I wish I could take that away from her but it was impossible. She needed to face this one and pass through it. She got into the circle made by the royals and her mate. The King, the King’s mate, the Prince, and the two Princesses and her mate. Lena and I stood at the end of the circle and began to chant. “Get on all fours my girl!” I commanded her and she did as asked. We continued chanting and just when it seemed as if it would go on and on I began to hear bones cracking. I braced myself to hear her screams but that never came. I was surprised to see right in front of me a beautiful greenish lioness suspended in the air and flanked on the sides by goddess Hecate and goddess Seline, transfigured as if they were on flames. We all bowed before the goddesses, including the Leo. The scene before us was breathtaking. We could not even raise our heads to look at our little girl as we remained bowed. “Raise your heads! Your eyes have been made to behold the glory!” goddess Seline said to everybody. “A jade lioness! She is called Salma, she has both our qualities and she is a healer and peace maker. She is fierce as well and won’t spare any injustice, she is a rare Jade lioness, one of its kind. There hasn’t been any in a long time. This one came for a purpose as such! The battle ahead of you, she will be a key towards winning it, for it is fierce. She is well equipped and ready to take over the forces of the dark that are already aware of her existence. Prepare for the battle to try and take her out,” both goddesses said in unison. Their voices were all in sinc as if they practiced coordinating their words together. It was overwhelming. We all hummed in agreement. My baby was as well transfigured along with the goddesses and she was glowing. The goddesses disappeared and Katty gently stood on the ground. The King first went to her, scented her and everybody did the same as I went behind the tree to shift and did the same. Salma then encircled Lena, scented her by rubbing herself all over her, recognising her as her mother. She trotted towards her mate and licked him all over. “Mate!” Everybody heard that as clear as that and froze. ‘What? She can speak in lion form?’ I was puzzled. This was sure going to be one interesting journey.