Kuhesh didn't reall know why it was so important to go out and do this today, but they'd been part of the pride long enough. The lions of the Ela'Wadiyi (and he was one of them, he reminded himself, now) wore feathers attached to their ears, and Amu had felt it was time they got theirs. He'd inspected how they were attached, and it was something that held quite fast - something hard that went through the ear entirely. It...probably would hurt when they put it on...not that he minded a little pain. "Coming?"
Amu had pestered and bothered her gruff lump of a mate for days to get this over with. He really was being a bit of a baby about it. So they had to get feathers attached to their ears, no big deal. It's hurt a heck of a lot less than having an ear torn off, or getting into a fight. Not that anyone ever fought in the Ela lands. It was like a paradise. She was ready to be a permanent part of it, and that meant feathers for each of them. "It was my idea wasn't it? Of course I'm coming."
The teal male just grunted and rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the small smirk of a smile that spread over his maw. It HAD been her idea, he supposed. He made mo further comments as she pulled abreast of him, and he let her lead them further towards a strand of scraggly savannah trees that they hoped would house several bird nests, and feathers if they were even luckier. "...We couldn't just use regular feathers?" Getting a special one for his Amu was one thing - he really could have made do with any old feather though.
Amu flicked her tail, neatly whapping her mate across the nose with the tuft. "Shut it. We'll find you one. If it's got to be attached to your head for the rest of forever, it may as well be a nice one." It really was a good point. She wanted something for herself that she'd like, and he should have one too. It was still a huge effort to get the male to think anything good about himself; he'd probably still belly ache about the feather later, but if it was one he liked she'd know he was just keeping his grumpy personality, not really unhappy.
The male sighed but agreed when he thought about it. If he had to see it in his reflection in every pond and river forever, and out of the corner of his eye... Huh. He wondered if it flapping about would make it harder to hunt. It must make some noise, and if it flew into his eyes...No. the Ela had been wearing them forever it seemed. Surely no one would bother if it made any real difficulties in hunting. He grumbled under his breath as they reached the trees, then huffed when several birds took wing in response. Well. If they were going to find any feathers this would be the spot to do it.
She was first up the tree, claws hooking into the bark and dragging herself upwards. Once over a branch it was easier. She could stalk along the thick limb to peer through the leaves. Nothing, nothing...aha! "A nest!" She crept over to peer at the woven bowl of mud and twigs. It was within reach, but not close enough to see into. One plan would be to smack it down, but then the bird would be homeless...she knew what losing your home was like. She dug a claw into the branch instead and pawed at it until she felt something soft inside. "How's this one?" she pulled the curled up feather free and let it drift down.
Ku watched his mate scramble up the tree with pride. He was too bulky to imitate her acrobatics, but it made his heart thud somewhat harder to see her so good at something. She wasn't a leopard, but then again, neither was he. He rounded the trunk to stare up at the feather as it fell. It seemed plain, just brown. That is, until a shaft of light peeking through the branches lit upon it. Illuminated, it glittered with a golden shine, giving it an amber twist. It almost perfectly matched his Xia's eyes. "I'tll be perfect for you, I think." If there was a matching one for him he'd not mind at all. He did love the color of her eyes.
Amu nodded in approval and let her male gather up the feather. There weren't any more that could be easily pulled free in this nest, so it was on to the next. She caught his slight frown as she scrambled into the next tree's limbs. This nest at least she could look into and see what she was doing, and she smiled when she did. "Got one for you. Take a look!" She let it drift down - a feather the same color of her mate's fur.
He snorted as he spotted the feather. That WOULD be perfect, wouldn't it? It wasn't exactly the same as wearing his twin's pelt all his life, but it was still sort of...symbolic. He appreciated that. Maybe it was a sign. The spirits had forgiven his transgression of giving up on finding his brother. That's what Amu'd want him to think anyways. He gathered it up, delicately holding it between his teeth with the brown one, and watched her descend the tree.
"That didn't take very long at all," She quipped as she dropped heavily to the dirt. "I guess that was the easy part. They still have to bite the holes in our ears," She shrugged at her sighing mate and began the march back to the dens. Maybe she should give him the brown feather and take the green? Well either way, it'd be nice to finally match the pride a bit more!