Prince Koda POV
"Again sorry for that. My sister and I always act like that. I'll make sure she understands it's not appropriate in front of others." Sunny apologizes.
"She's young. She seems to have a good relationship with you." What's wrong with me? Am I really getting jealous of her brothers? She is still a cub, what am I thinking? I shake my head to rid myself of those thoughts.
"Yes from what she has told me I'm her third favorite brother. That little cub has some nerve making me, the oldest brother, the third favorite." Sunny says playfully.
I can't help but smile a little at his words. She's playful and caring. What would I do with her?
"Ryker is her favorite. They're hardly apart and when they are it won't be for long. Lyria is his whole world. She may never get a mate with him around sadly." He smiles mournfully at that.
I can't help but be upset with his words too.
"Anyways let's get going so we can make it back in time." We take off our fur skirts and change into our beast forms. So he's a jaguar as well. I'm proud of my tiger form greatly.
It doesn't take long to get to a small hut in between the village and the path to the temple.
Lyria will have to pass through here to visit her family. This is a perfect spot.
"You'll be staying here as long as you're in the valley. I'll get you tomorrow for training. For now lets head back." I nod my head to him and we race back.
We get back to the entrance of the temple and it's quiet inside. They must have started already. We transform again and run up the steps and push to the front of the crowd.
Priests are gathering up all the offerings and taking them down a hallway. There's a priest smaller than the rest who picked up a basket of purple flowers. I watched her walk down the hallway where the rest of the ceremony will be held.
The only reason I'm here is to learn fighting techniques from General Lex. The ceremony is the only time they let anyone into the village, so I have to participate. I never would have thought I would see a goddess arise from the sacred water. The whole scene was captivating and for the first time since I can remember I wanted a female mate. If not for the warning growls from her family I too may have lost myself to her. Then when she bumped into me I could tell it was her and my entire body stiffened at her touch. Her voice, even when she was in pain, was pleasing to the ear. I could listen to her all day and night. I wished we had more time to talk.
After the last offering was taken we all followed the head priest to the Ancestral Tree. When we enter, the offerings are put around the pool of water. The priest are standing off to the side closest to the tree.
I don't hear what the Head priest is saying. All I can see is her now. She stands confidently to the side with the others.
She then walks to stand in front of everyone. I beat is heard from all around. I don't understand what's going on but then Lyria starts to move. She starts with her hands and arms moving to the beat. It was hypnotic. Her body started to move and everyone was quiet as she moved faster and every move stayed with the beat. Every move was fluent and precise. No one could take their eyes off her as she swayed, bend, and spinned. And then it ended with her bowing to the great tree. I didn't do anything and yet I felt breathless and my chest was hammering like crazy.
"What a beautiful ceremonial dance Lyria." She gets up and bows to the priest. Out of nowhere, there was a strike of thunder across the skies like the gods themself approved as well. I look back at Lyria and see her smile.
The ceremony ends with the Priest's final sacrifice and everyone leaves. I to go back after one final look at Lyria with her family.