"Papa?" Ramiel didn't even look up from what he was doing. Slowly, methodically he whittled a shape out of wood. It was one of the few talents he had, besides absent-mindedness, and it was a great way to trade other creatures for the stones he collected. Even though he didn't look up, he did hum slightly, the inflection making it obvious that he had indeed heard his younger daughter and wanted her to continue speaking her thoughts.
Encouraged by her father's questioning sound, Kibsaiel approached and sat down beside him. Or, well, if not beside him fairly close. Not that she didn't like being close to her father, it was just easier to talk with space. And, for that matter, this was a delicate subject and she wanted the room.
"What was it like when you met Mother?" Well, that certainly got his attention, for her father turned away from his work, eyebrows up so high they almost got lost in his mane.
"What do you mean, Kibi?" he asked, his surprised look dipping into a thoughtful frown. She didn't want to be too obvious, vague was a good course of action for this. If her father knew she was sneaking off to visit with a male that was too charming for his own good, well, he'd be concerned to say the least. To know exactly where she was sneaking off to... She'd never get to leave the den ever again no doubt.
So she just shrugged a bit.
"You've never told me that story. How you met, how you, um... What it was like between you two, how you interacted with one another." How it all got carried away between you two. Oh, but she couldn't say that! That was much too personal. And, frankly, she didn't want to know how her estranged parents got so caught up that she and her sister would come to be. Too much information, that.
Ramiel's face drew into a thoughtful, somewhat pinched look as he considered how to answer his daughter. More like, figuring out what she was really asking him.
"It was a bit of a whirlwind, meeting your mother. I'd never met anyone like her, and really haven't since," he explained with a quirked little smile.
"Did you love her?" Now that made Ramiel's mind come to a screeching halt.
"Kibi, is everything okay?"
Kibsa sighed and rubbed her paw against one temple."I figured I'm getting old enough, I figured it'd be useful to know what that feels like, in case I ever come across it... That makes sense, doesn't it?" She watched her father nod slowly, accepting her reason.
"Well... I can't say if we did or not. I care about her, and I'm fairly certain she cares for me, but I can't tell you if what we have is love. From what I've heard of love... It's a bit stronger than what she and I shared."
"Then you can't tell me what it feels like?"
"No, my little lamb, I can't. Even if I knew it, I don't think I could tell you. I think it's different for all of us. But..." He paused, looking as if he was trying to gather his thoughts together. He was taking forever, though; she shouldn't help but prod him forward a little.
"But...?"
"But I suppose I know how I love you and your sister. I'd be devastated if something were to happen to you. Love is something like that, needing to be with that other soul, maybe even a connection you can't seem to explain. Someone you care so much about, you'll do whatever you can just to make them smile." He paused there, reaching out a paw to nudge a smile onto her face.
While she was happy to know that her father truly loved her and all that, it was a little disheartening to know that he couldn't really give her the advice that she wanted. It all just made her predicament worse than it had been. What did it mean that she was intrigued be another lion, that he made her want to run to the jungle's edge every night so that she could spend some time with him? She was attracted to him, she knew that much, but she certainly wouldn't be acting on it any time soon. And, honestly, a part of her was afraid. The more she learned about those who shared his home, even if it was difficult to get the information out of Jahn, the more that part of her became nervous. Why should she put her faith and trust in him when she couldn't with the rest of his... group? Pride?
It was a puzzle, one she wasn't sure how to deal with.
"Does that help?" Ah, but she wasn't going to tell her father any of that.
"Mmhmm, I think it does. I... I hope I find someone someday." And she hoped she could figure out what was going on with her in regards to Jahn. Not to mention figure it and him out before something bad happened to her. But that was for another time. Today was a time to hug her father and forget about her problems so that he wouldn't figure out her worries.
Ramiel's heart ached as his wrapped her paws around him and squeezed. Much as she thought she was clever and that he was a bit blind at times, he knew there was something more bothering her. There was more to this story than she was telling him, but what could he do? He wasn't about to force her to tell him anything. He had her trust, she would tell him when she was ready.
"I do love you, my little lamb."
"And I love you, Papa."
(WC: 1,161)