[PRP] Singin' Under The Stars (Kweu x Zuka)

[Kijani]

There was so much on his mind lately! He wasn't sure what to do or how to settle all of this. Even the mere thought of it all made him cringe slightly as his paws shifted from the outside to the inside, tail swaying to and fro as the creamy, yellow lion meandered through the plains of the Prideland. Thankfully the day had already passed away with the sun long retreating with the pure light vanquished and obliterated as night set the stage. A crescent moon hung within the skies against a deep, navy blue canvas- along with the moon it seemed as it countless stars like glistening diamonds dotted the sky with a sort of breathtaking appearance. Of course Kweu never quite took the time to admire such a thing but tonight seemed a perfect night for him to sort out the things which had caused him to fee a little confused lately.

The young adult exhaled, breathing deeply as he ventured up towards the lone ridge which overlooked the plains as well as Pride Rock. For once he was greatful for the silence- it gave him time to think and clear out his cluttered mind. Yet, at the same time, he wished he had some company or even wished that his brothers or family were around but even more he wished that Isabis was near but, as of lately, he hadn't seen her. He understand that she had 'goddess' duties to attend to and respected that. She was busy! She had to help those who believed in her and make appearances which the young adult understood fully.

But it seemed as if tonight the pang of loneliness infiltrated his heart. Such emotions like fear, sadness, loneliness and many other of the likes never did hold him back but it seemed as if one of two of them had managed to slip into his consciousness and create a rather solemn silence.

Being one who never liked the silence even if he was alone, Kweu'Chaka began to sing to himself softly.

"Do you know where your heart is?
Do you think you can find it?
Or did you trade it for something,
somewhere, better just to have it?
Do you know where your love is?
Do you think that you lost it?
You felt it so strong but nothing's
turned out how you want it

Well bless my soul
You're a lonely soul
Cause you wont let go
Of anything you hold

Do you know what your fate is?
And now you're trying to shake it?
You're doing youre best dance,
your best look, you're praying
that you'll make it

Well bless my soul
You're a lonely soul
Cause you wont let go
Of anything you hold"

It wasn't the most cheery, uplifting or positive songs he could choose but, for the moment, it was the song of his worries and the thoughts of what plauged his mind. They were the unseen, invisble invalids that haunted him- the ones that he fought so hard to keep away, which he did quite a job at, but often seemed to cause him to loose focus. The young adult felt- lost. So lost within his own thoughts but he was trying to keep himself together, trying to find something meaningful or something that he could let go of.

Even so such emotion seemed to cause him to tremble slightly, his lip quivering as his pools of purest cerulean blue became glassy with tears he tried so desperately to fight back. Kweu intook a deep breath, sniffling slightly as he continued.

"Say all I need, is the air I breathe,
and a place, to rest my head
Say all I need, is the air I breathe,
and a place, to rest my head"

His gaze drifted upwards, teeth clenching with a rush of mixed emotions. Tears were begining to fall heavily, trailing down his cheeks as his posture stiffened. For once in his life Kweu'Chaka felt angry- he felt alone within a large pride where already he felt alienated. How could he talk to his own mother when she already had more cubs with another male- cubs that he didn't even know? He shook his head, teeth baring up towards the moon as his vocals became louder, almost shouting up at those who he was told were 'looking down on him'.

"Do you think I can find it?
Do you think you can find it?
Do you think you can find it,
better than you had it?"

Kweu snorted, falling into a heap on his stomach as he curled slightly. Wasn't there anyone? Was anyone listening? Or was his voice falling upon deaf ears? His paws seemed to flop over his eyes, tail curling around his body as he whispered the song to himself- trying to gather himself together.

"Do you know where the end is
Do you think you can see it
Until you get there
Go on
Go ahead
and scream it
Just say.."  

[Tristan Thorne]

Everything was changing lately, and Zuka wasn't sure she liked it at all. Her siblings were growing faster than she was ready for (she was growing too fast too!), and she missed the days when nothing mattered but the sun, the sky, and the warm grass beneath their paws. Now suddenly they were all... themselves. They weren't 'Ruffian's Litter' - they were Mkaa, and Zuka, and Teahr, and...

Zuka sighed. How much longer would they all stay together? How soon would she be left alone, like so much driftwood on an empty sea? Her heart was heavy at the thought of utter independence.

Her soft brown eyes drifted skyward, staring into the depths of the inky darkness. Stars glimmered there, so far away from the concerns of mortals roaming across the wide earth. She wished she could summon such an unconcern, wished she could just banish the fear in her soul that made her tremble at night as she lay next to her siblings.

Someday they wouldn't be there anymore - and she knew this to be the undeniable truth.

Around her the world was dark and solitary, enhancing her own sense of bereft wandering. Her senses told her she was surrounded by life - there a herd of zebra settled down for the night, and beneath that towering acacia two giraffes folded their legs and slept - but her mind told her she was alone.

Her pawfalls were silent in the thick grass, and so it was she was able to hear the faint singing of a distraught creature nearby. The voice was decidedly male, but there was such a note of desperate sorrow in it... She hesitated, raised her muzzle to the air a too a deep breath. A lion, like her. For a moment she backed away, her ears folding in fear, her limbs trembling...

But he sounded so sad! How could he be dangerous?

Zuka took a shakey breath and ventured forwards, purposefully making noise to warn the other of her approach.  

[Kijani]

The large, creamy hued lion tilted his head slightly as he shited it upon his paws. He intook a shakey, unsteady breath as he attempted to paw away the tears that clung to his fur while his ears flickered and his eyes seemed to capture a slightly pink hue. He had never quite cried before- of course there had been incidents where he had fallen or got hurt after roughhousing but the feelings were never quite like this. For a moment he squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as he bit his lower lip and glanced out towards the somber landscape.

There were few animals that congregated below, standing together and some resting upon the ground as it was evident that night, along with its possible dangers, had come. Being something that was even hardly a threat, Kweu remained lying on his stomach as his eyes seemed to stare at Pride Rock.

For the first time in his life he wanted out; Kweu wanted out of the Pridelands. He was simply an unknown face in a large pride and at the same time he could be an unknown traveler who roamed wherever he pleased and did what he wanted. But his family was here- well, at least his mother was and she was the only one left it seemed besides Ayato and Tui and where ever the other countless others were. The pale, creamy lion was flustered and frustrated, wanting to leave but the ties to the land seeming to pull him back in yet another tug of war.

Stay. Go. Stay. Go!

Where would he go? How would he get there? What would he find? Would he survive? There were so many unanswered questions that bombarded him from both sides that it only made him grumble with an irritated growl, ears flicking backwards as he yet again buried his face beneath his paws.

But suddenly something seemed to catch his attention.

Pale, white streaked ears perked upwards as an unfamiliar scent seemed to linger upon the passing breeze. It was someone unknown- of course, since when did he ever run into a familiar face or the same lion twice? His body tensed slightly as he seemed to feel rather vulnerable, forlorn and too emotional. Kweu curled his body tighter as the footfall and noises stirred were enough to alert him of the oncoming, unseen individual. Slowly the male turned around, brows knitting as he tried to see the one who was proceeding towards him even though his eyes were rather blurry.

"I- I'm sorry if I..I awoke you," he announced with a shakey, nervous voice. Kweu'Chaka bit his lower lip, eyes diverting to the ground as his tail curled around him. "Sometimes I...just have to sing....though I do at night so others can't here me."

The yound adult rose to his paws slowly, his tired and weary body lumbering as he managed to sit bach upon his haunches. Being at a slight loss of words and not quite in his typical persona, Kweu sighed softly.

"Are you alone as well this night?"