Painted Moose
It was dusk before Kimya felt like moving. He’d been awake for some time now, snugged up beside his mate and son, but had stubbornly just shoved his face into the sand. Now, however, he felt like doing something. Anything. His paws itched for an adventure, and what better kind of adventure was there than to look for a watering hole.

He stretched and turned, wriggling away from the two while trying in vain not to wake them.


Keantha
Zhak grumbled and just rolled back over, but Zana's lavender eyes popped open to pin him with a sweet, tender smile. Stretching lazily, she got to her feet, bumping her shoulder against his "Where you going handsome?"


Painted Moose
Kimya licked her cheek affectionately, his azure eyes crinkling with mirth. He pointed to his throat and made a motion like one would when they were drinking. Then he made a great show of demonstrating bathing/swimming. It was one thing to dwell in sand, but another to indulge in water. Lately he’d been hoarding the water for his family, but now he felt like having some fun.


Keantha
She immediately perked right up beaming. Zana was one of those rare lions that loved the water and was just as much at home in a lake or pool as she was on land. Actually that was a lie, she was better in the water, able to swim like a fish and strike like a snake where as on land she could be abit..uh...well to put it nicely, klutzy.


Painted Moose
After mentally patting himself on the back for a job well done, Kimya led the way to the smaller watering hole he knew to be close by. It wouldn't have been large enough to support a pride, but was more than plenty for a small family. He trotted beside her, bumping up against her as he felt the need, before the water came into view.


Keantha
Zana was purring happily as she rubbed back against him licking his cheek when he was close enough. When the water came into view, she made a happy babbling noise and bolted for the water.


Painted Moose
Kimya gave a throaty chuckle before chasing after her. He made it as far as the back of her heels before deciding a dunk sounded better than a drink. In a rare change, he set himself into a determined run and at the last minute he jumped into the air, landing with a great splash in the water.


Keantha
"There's my badass baby!" Zana laughed as she slipped into the water with much lesss fanfare, crooning happily as the cool liquid covered her white fur.


Painted Moose
The azure lion swam under water until he saw his mate slip in and when he breached the surface he was at her side. His heat frazzled mane was once again slick, though this time it was plastered to his face and neck.


Keantha
"You look like a drowned rat" she giggled spitting a mouthful of water at him.


Painted Moose
Taking that as an invitation for trouble, Kimya pushed back away from his mate and kicked a spray of water at her with his hind legs. The water felt so nice that he almost thought the Gods put this out here specifically for them.


Keantha
Zana laughed again slapping her paws on the water to splash him. It was so nice and refreshing after the stress of the last few months to be able to cut loose and play with her mate so carefree



Painted Moose
Kimya rolled around in the spray and tossed another attack towards her before diving back under the water. Even though the pool wasn’t very deep, it felt nice to be completely submerged. He’d never been much of a swimmer, but being around Zana changed his mind. In a devious moment, he closed in on her and pulled his legs under.


Keantha
Going down, she yelped getting a mouthful of water and ended up flailing trying to get away, coughing and choking on the water she had inhaled. Scrambling up the bank, Zana coughed and wheezed panting faintly trying to get her breath back.


Painted Moose
Kimya panicked. As soon as he realized what he’d done, he had let Zana go and stomped up the bank to her side. He reached up to rub her back with his paw, dipped his face down closer to hers to see if she was alright.


Keantha
Only to get a paw in the face as she pushed him back into the water with an evil smirk "sucker." Yes she had inhaled water, but really why did he keep forgetting how devious his little mate was?


Painted Moose
Kimya flailed and sputtered before breaching the surface. At first he was shocked, and then he slapped his own face. How could he have fallen for something like that? He really was too concerned around her. But then, why shouldn’t he be? With a mighty kick, he shot off to the other side.


Keantha
Zana giggled shaking the water from her fur and stretched out on her side to enjoy the warm sun on her wet fur "hey Kim, I got a question."


Painted Moose
He splashed around in the water a bit more before reclining on his back, floating a long without a current to guide. When she spoke, he turned his head towards her, motioning for Zana to go on.


Keantha
"What would you think of adding to our family?" Zana smiled up at him lovingly. "Not right this second of course but..well I would like to have a daughter."


Painted Moose
Kimya panicked and fell under the water. When he breached, his face was still as shocked as it was before he went under. It took him a while to make it to land, and when he did he sat at her side. A daughter? Daughters were females, and while he trusted Zana, he had less faith for his own kin. His paw immediately went to his throat. After all, his own mother had made him mute.


Keantha
Like everything about her mate, Zana immediately noticed his panic and sighed sitting up to lean against him. "sweetheart, do you really thing our daughters would be horrible monsters...or like me? We would raise them and teach them."


Painted Moose
He wanted to believe her, but Kimya couldn't meet her gaze. He just couldn't. There were too many risks, too many “what ifs”; it was all too much, too soon for him. Kimya took a deep, albeit shaky breath. If Zana had any say in it they would grow to be like her, but now they were rogues without any others to help raise the cubs, so….


Keantha
"I don't mean right this moment Kim," Zana spoke softly dipping her head to try and catch his gaze. "We will wait till we are both ready sweetheart and we have Zhak."


Painted Moose
He knew she was trying to comfort him, but the last bit just made him feel worse. The loss of his other sons still weighed on him, and the whole thing made him flop down onto the sand, burying his face in his sopping mane.


Keantha
"Baby? Kim honey I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Zana crooned worriedly curling around her bigger mate nuzzling his shoulder sweetly.


Painted Moose
Kimya sighed and rolled his head over to nuzzle against his mate. He didn't want to discuss it anymore, but he also didn't want to worry her. It was just...ugh. The blue male motioned up the hill, to where their son would be no doubt waiting, and started to rise. Might as well let the boy know there was water near by.


Keantha
She knew he was avoiding the issue but rather than push, she just nodded with a sweet smile "I am sure he would like to take a dip too before we leave out tonight."


Painted Moose
He nodded and started to walk up the embankment, his mind a whirl with thoughts. Right now he just needed to take a break to concentrate on his family. The thought already calmed him, and surely that would be enough to get him through the next couple of days.


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