[PRP] Heartfelt

[Lisirra]

Safiya knew that the desert was supposed to be hot. She had heard some of the others mention it - and to be sure, she shared their opinion. But it didn't bother her, as stifling as it could sometimes be, she never suffered under the desert sun. The heat was like a warm and comforting embrace - the glaring sun, a cheerful beacon to welcome the day. It was the exact opposite of the dark and cheerless graveyard; this felt like home.

She welcomed the days gladly now, moreso than ever before. Having someone to love was the greatest feeling in the world, and as the days passed she grew more and more thankful of having Moyenda in her life.

When she wasn't spending time with him, she was socializing with the others or speaking with Muroki about the traditions of the pride. And now, having just come from such a talk, she was looking for Moyenda. Her paws tingled like she wanted to dance, but her body just wasn't willing. Lately she had felt quite slow. Maybe it was just her desire to calm down, her long-standing desire of becoming more ladylike. (Sometimes she felt like the others looked down on her childishness.)

But that didn't bother Safiya right now - there was something she had just heard about from Muroki that she wanted to discuss with the most important lion in her life.  

[Asparegus]

Moyenda was never far from other lions. Since being chased out of his pride by the plague itself and then losing all social interaction for much of his young life, he was doing his best to make up for that. And there was that feeling deep inside of him ...ok, not hidden that deep- that he was happy here and he wanted to take advantage of having a place to be, a place to call his own where he had family, friends, and ...someone who meant the world to him.

Her white pelt stood out against the golden-brown sand and the green oasis, seeming to almost glow in the sunlight. She came towards him but he could not move towards her least he damage something he had been working on for her. The vultures were rather greedy but they were also careless in their taunting. So needless to say pegging things at Moyenda and otherwise being filthy houseguests at the temple had given him the opportunity to slowly collect them. He didn't really know why he was collecting them at first, probably just the instinct not to waste what you were given, but when the idea came together ogling his little horde of baubles, he had set right to work. Admiring the finished jewerly, briefly, he looked back up at her and smiled, anxious for her to finally reach him.

((just talking about the necklace. I know I suggested that he give her the necklace xD;; but if you don't want that to be the case, I can take it out))  

[Lisirra]

((I still love the idea of him giving her the necklace <3))

Spotting his unmistakable form, Safiya's mouth broke out into a happy smile and she picked up her pace until she came face to face with him. She greeted him with her usual nuzzling, then sat beside him.

"Hello, darling," she said cheerily. "How have you been today? Muroki says that many more have come to join the pride, and I've been busy visiting with some of them..." she began to trail off as she spotted something unfamiliar. Completely forgetting what she was going to say, she looked quizzically at him, questioning with her eyes. There were a few moments where she couldn't find words.


((just giving you some room if Moyenda wants to jump in before Safi can react ^^ ))  

[Asparegus]

He could barely hide the smile desperate to display itself on his maw as he danced from foot to foot with excitement. Like any craftsmen, he was proud of his work. And he was sure that she would like it. Or at least he strongly hoped she would. Seeing her expression made him swell with enjoyment and he nosed the jewelry spread out on the rock closer to her to confirm her unstated question.

"There are so many things I want to say to you but I hope this can say those that I cannot find the words to express. It can never measure the depths of my feelings for you but I hope that you will except it as a token of my affection for you." He stopped to nuzzle her briefly before pulling back to let her admire the jewelry again.  

[Lisirra]

Safiya breathed out slowly to calm her heartbeat as she looked at the beautiful beaded necklace. "Moy, it's...so beautiful..." She looked up at him with shining eyes. "You..made this? For me?"

Within a moment, she had embraced him. "Oh, it's lovely! That was so sweet of you!" Not one to tone down her emotions, she gushed, "I love you, Mo, I really really do! You are the sweetest lion alive! Help me put it on?"

Still murmuring "it's lovely, it's so pretty" like a mantra, she gazed at Moyenda and smiled. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about, Mo...I was talking to Muroki and he was telling me about the traditions of the pride, and there's this ceremony...that two lions...if they love each other..." Suddenly Safiya became flustered and could do no more than shake her head at her inability to speak, and smile, hoping to convey more meaning with actions than with words.
 

[Asparegus]

He swelled with pride and joy at her comments and was fairly sure he had a foolish grin smacked across his face. However, her embrace and askance for assistance hid it greatly from her. His smile was perhaps a bit too wide and a bit too foolish for tears ran from his eyes even though he knew he was not sad. Moyenda fiddled with the clasp of the necklace, so dainty for his giant paws. Finally finished, he pulled away.

She had been speaking as he had put it on but the words, while they had been absorbed, they had not connected with the neurons in his brain to translate into a meaning he could understand. Now facing her, they were free to swirl around his cranium until they could ring a bell.

He blinked rapidly and then let out several short breaths of surprise or maybe a bit of disbelief. "Oh wait... you mean...." He smiled and shook his head, moving in to embrace her. He didn't know what to say.  

[Lisirra]

The foreign weight around Safiya's neck was both strange and pleasing. She ran her paw along the smooth stones tentatively, then turned her eyes back on her love. "How does it look?" she asked with a smile.

Then she got an idea. "I want to see what it looks like, Mo. Can we go to the oasis so I can see my reflection?" There was a small pool there, if she remembered correctly. Safiya hadn't been vain since cubhood, but this was something special and important; she wanted to see how she looked wearing a necklace that the love of her life had made for her. It was like...a visible sign of his love that everyone could see.

Her heart thumped in her chest as she remembered what it was she was going to ask him. "This ceremony, it's like...two lions that want to be together forever, they make a promise to each other to love only that lion. And I wanted to know...if you...would like to do that. With me." Suddenly and strangely shy, Safiya had to drop her eyes for a moment to recollect herself.  

[Asparegus]

Mo nodded curtly. Yes they could go to the Oasis. He had no problem bringing her there. But as he turned to lead the way - not that she didn't know how to get there or anything - she finished her question. He smiled and let out a chuckle. "You don't have to say anything. You know I'd do it, no matter what. You gave my life meaning. I'd do anything to keep you as close to me as I can. Always."

His eyes looked upon her warmly, a kind and gentle love shinning through them. "I know that our relationship progressed so much faster than the norm. But even if it had had years to develop, I don't think I could have loved you any more than I do now." There was always something about her for him to notice and observe. And even when he thought he knew an aspect of her, he always found out just a little more or saw it in a different light. But he always loved whatever he saw about her.  

[Lisirra]

"Moyenda, I love you!" Safiya burst out jubilantly. Never having quite mastered the art of subtlety, she was unable to keep her emotions from spilling out. She licked the side of his cheek and then said, "Once we get back from the Oasis, do you think we could...go talk to Muroki about when we could have our...our..."

What did he call it again? Oh, darn it all! Why couldn't she remember the name of that ceremony?

"Wedding?" Safiya's mouth found the word before her brain did, and it escaped her lips quite unexpectedly. She felt her face and ears grew hot, and it was not from the desert sun; yet she did not look away from him. Safiya had felt ashamed of herself many times before, when others didn't seem to like her very much. But she wasn't afraid of that happening anymore.  

[Asparegus]

He laughed at her shyness but also her sweetness. She was such a beautiful thing and her actions only made her shine brighter. The gods be damned if she ever had to leave him. He swore right then that he'd follow her to the ends of the earth and beyond if ever it came to that. He didn't ever want to leave her. Ever. So strong were his thoughts that he couldn't bare not to touch her. Leaning forward, he licked her on the nose and purred. "Of course we will," he replied. "If you like, I'll be the one to ask him." Yes. Yes, he definitely loved her. More than he could possibly express.

"Don't. Don't be embarrassed," he said laughing lightly at her cuteness. "You should never be embarrassed by anything you have to say to me. Trust me. Whatever you may say to me I would say to you. You just beat me to them."  

[Lisirra]

Safiya was beaming. She couldn't think of anything to say except to repeat all the professions of love she had already made, and they felt unnecessary.

Safiya gazed at him, eyes shining. Her embarrassment was gone now that she was assured that Moyenda wasn't going to reject her, no matter what. She nestled her head into his mane and sighed with contentment. The whirlwind emotions made her tired, but in a delicious and sweet way.

At his words she looked up at him again, the smile in her face making her eyes light up. "Let's both go ask him."