She hadn't attended the meteor shower, well not directly. Sure she had seen them streaking across the starry sky, but she hadn't gathered around High Moon Point. Not closely anyways. There was still something about being in the pack that made her feel like an outsider. Maybe it was the lack of relatives in the pack when everyone else seemed to have some.
In the shadow of the cuesta, the outsider sat with her head tilted upward to peak where the Baraza had stood less than a moon ago. Where she currently sat, the entire pack and part of another had basked in the light of the full moon and watched the lights streak across the stars. Nungal's ears fell back with shame. For the moment, the Point was empty, but it would be used soon enough, what with the news that Baraza Alnilam had shared with Karoma and her, but the next time won't be for a celebration.
"There you are!"
The voice belonged to the only son of Alnilam and the eldest of the Baraza's children. He was starry pelted, just like his mother, so were his three sisters. There was something...almost commanding about how he walked. Maybe it was how his posture, but for whatever reason Nungal found herself staring over her shoulder at him.
"I've been looking for you since the shower. I didn't see you there. Were you ill?" There was genuine concern in his voice as he made it through the dark to stand beside her. While she wasn't his mate, he did still feel something for her and so no seeing her at such a large even caused the son of Alnilam to worry immensely for her. "Are you alright? Should I go get a Night?"
Now he was just being adorable. The corners of Nungal's mouth pulled upward to form a smile as she leaned over to give the other canine a gentle lick on the side of his muzzle. "I'm okay. I'm sorry that I worried you." Her attention turned back to the Point as she sighed. "I was there I just...wasn't with the crowd." Maybe it was still odd to think herself an outsider, she had been a member of the pack for some time now after all. There were others who were more on the outside than she was.
"Well...I couldn't give you this."
Before Nungal could even react, Endymion had placed a set of simple bracelets in front of her.
"Where were you...?"
The male only responded with a sheepish grin. Of course Nungal did not see the silhouette of a bird flying above the two.
"I would have given it to you sooner, but I just couldn't seem to find you. Someone told me that they had seen you coming this way before sunset so I thought I might find you here." He was immensely proud of the gift he had made, now it was only the waiting to see if she's accept it. "There was something else though...They also mentioned something odd..." There was a pause as he saw Nungal flinch." That Karoma was walking with you and that my mother had left for the Point before that too..." The concern was still present as he finally sat down beside her. His nose briefly pressed against her neck. "Is everything alright?" He knew his mother to be secretive at times, but the fact the meeting seemed to have taken place before sunset what was worrisome to him.
"Everything's alright. Your mother was just worried about you and Dyanna, she just wanted to ask Karoma and I about you two." It was a half-truth, but it was good enough for now. Endymion didn't need to know the whole truth at this point. It was better that way, in case anything did happen. Nungal's head lowered to nose the bracelets before her. They were simple, but beautiful. They were just simple bangles made of wood, but they were carved to have intricate designs on them...
"Are those constellations?" She asked, quickly raising her head to look at him.
"Our constellations." Was the reply she got.
Her head lowered again to examine them again. Her constellation was of a umbrella thorn tree that had sheltered her while she had been travelling. On the other side of the same bangle was a bird, no..a falcon flaying towards it. It never did seem to be able to roost in the tree though. The other two remaining bangles were much simpler, only basic things on them, such as the moons and the mountains.
Her blank expression slowly became one of happiness and sadness, it was odd. She didn't know how to feel. Her mouth showed happiness but her heart felt sad for some reason. Maybe it was because of this show of affection happened so soon after Alnilam asked her to keep an eye on him in case something were to happen after the news of Mintaka's death spreads.
"Is...something the matter? Do you not like them?"
His voice pulled her out. Quickly she raised her head and smiled at him, dismissing any negative thoughts to replace them with happy ones. "I love them!" Nungal exclaimed as she turned to jump on him, pushing him to ground with her forepaws.
That was not the reaction Endymion had been expecting. Sure he had been expecting something, but being pushed down by her wasn't one of them. As he laid on the cool grass, he looked up into her red eyes with the light of the moon behind her, silhouetting her. "I'm glad." His voice was much softer, as if he was worried about someone hearing him, but in truth it was because he could hardly get words out with his heart in his throat. Raising his head up, he gave her a gentle lick on her chin. "Then if you would agree, would you be my mate?"
Those same red eyes widened as she looked down at the canine that had stolen her heart so long ago. His mate?! "Are you sure? I mean you're the Baraza's son, you could have any-"
"I want you, not someone else. You know me better than I know myself. No one can even compare to you, so don't go belittling yourself just because of my birth."
"Then yes, I'd love to be your mate, so long as you can put up with me!"
"For eternity."
[word count: 1075]