Down the rabbit hole

Holding on was a whole new experience as the lion began to walk, and Motif felt each rise and fall of that movement. For a while, she wasn’t doing much except learning to balance. It must be what riding a wave felt like, and soon enough she got the hang of it, rising and falling with the lions gait. She was laughing freely, giddy with excitement and learning this new thing with her new friend.

Seeing nothing but bright things in their future, the girl would start to give direction to the lion, mostly telling her to go straight, right or left, and occasionally getting two of those directions mixed up. Being this high up allowed her to see where she needed to go. She spoke as they walked, explaining herself to the lion.
‘He’s my Uncle, Taf.” she explained, which.. Told the lion so much more than she already knew. “He’s been in Abaven all my life, but I don’t think he’s been here all that long.” she paused at that, considering the implications. “But my whole life is a really long time, right?’ she wondered, curious, before pushing on. “He helped raise us when mumma was busy, he lives in our den and tells us all wonderful stories. He walks with a limp because he got so badly beat up by those bad guys. I think Daddy and his family killed them all.” she said, falling quiet once more as she contemplated that “but no one will tell me, except that they are all gone and can’t hurt anyone anymore.”

“Oh, there’s the rapids!” she said, pointing out the obvious source of water in front of them.