Ramiz paced the sands. Ever since he had come to the Bahari the lion had been dealing with a mental debate. Naiya had been so content to stay here and live since the “ocean song” was so strong in the pride for her. It was like magic watching how happy and content she had been to find this pride. It was a perfect place where she could blend in and live her life with others who shared similar beliefs and love for the ocean that she had always adored. As he looked over the ocean with the evening sun dancing across the waves the lion felt a rush in his heart. Every time he saw the beauty of the water he couldn’t help but to think of the lovely lioness who had spent so much time with him.
While finding Zaid had made his decision to stay here even easier what the lion had never gotten to tell her was that…even without finding his brother his heart had already been set. I guess I did fall in love with the ocean after all. But it wasn’t the one that he was looking at currently. He loved the ocean that was living and breathing always next to him, the one that danced in the rain and always cast a smile at every trouble. The female who sang lovely songs while he was sick and sad…the one who chastised him yet would lightly rub a healing ointment on his torn paws. His heart had been set on finding his brother, but without her he wouldn’t have a heart. She had taken it all.
The thought made Ramiz flush even more. How was he even supposed to tell her that? Coming from a pride where females would do their best to please a male and try to be with him it was a strange feeling to have to woo the female instead. How was he supposed to even try? She was from a different world entirely. He knew that and saw it every time she entered the waters and disappeared like a spirit. The gaze that other males had given her made it obvious that he wasn’t alone in his admiration of her either.
I’m so far below her. Ramiz sighed at the thought and kicked the sands. How could someone that she had taken so much time to heal and comfort ever appear as a strong protector to her? But that was what he wanted to do. Hold her close and keep her safe from everything. When he would see those tears in her eyes as she thought about the past that haunted her and her lost sisters the lion wanted to just embrace her. Yet she would just wander away into the waters and let them wash away her tears instead.
But she had wanted to leave for him…
Surely she just felt responsible for me. Honestly he wondered if she would ever think that he could survive without her. The lioness probably just pitied him for his sorry state now…but before he knew Zaid was here Naiya had nearly tried leaving to continue helping him on his quest. Even though she had a home here. What a silly lioness. Always thinking of others before herself.
Ramiz was so caught up in his thoughts that when a paw smacked him on his back the lion rolled over in surprise, “He-hey!” Swatting back in protest Ramiz froze to see the familiar pair of violet eyes laughing at him.
“You’re so easy to scare.” Naiya laughed softly as she settled on the sand next to him, “It really is beautiful out here….did you get lost in thought?” She peered towards him through her mane, “I was worried since you hadn’t returned to the den yet.”
Ramiz shook his head to hide the small smile lingering on his maw, “I’m fine. You really shouldn’t act like I’m going to die on you any second…but I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
He swore that her gaze was even more intense now, “Things.” Ramiz turned his gaze away and back towards the ocean to calm his dancing heart, “You don’t need to know everything that goes through my head now.”
Naiya frowned, “But you looked so torn…” Leaning forward the lioness rest her head on her paws, “I’ve got a curiousity problem, okay? Sometimes I just have to know what’s making ya look so gloomy. Especially after you found Zaid…” She swallowed, “Is it…the ocean?” The lioness peered back up towards him sheepishly, “I know you weren’t always fond of it, but is it that you don’t want to live here even with Zaid?”
“No – no.” Ramiz shook his head, “I actually…like the ocean now. It’s just…a lot of changes, you know?”
“Mmm…that’s true.” Suddenly she was bouncing up next to him and pushing against his side, “Let’s get rid of those worries though. Come on! The water is still warm and there’s some light~”
Splashing forward Ramiz found himself going in after the lioness who was bouncing through the shallow waters. It was amazing still seeing how easily she moved along the sands…almost like she was a part of the ocean itself. The lion flushed at the thought before getting wacked in the fact with a pawful of sea water.
“Hey!”
Laughing Naiya began to run away from him and the race began. Hearts betting in unision both lions began to play a game of chase as the ocean began to move away with the tides. Tackling her Ramiz finally landed a good pounce and had the lioness squirming playfully beneath him, “How are you going to splash me now, hmm?”
Sticking her tongue out Naiya wigged, “Just wait until I’m free then you’re in trouble!” Taking a moment she shoved against him and with a splash both lions found themselves rolling in the shallow waters.
But when they finally stopped moving…
Ramiz found that his face was right against her’s….he couldn’t move though. She’s beautiful… It took all his willpower to try to stop staring, but Naiya moved before him. Quick as a light wind the lioness licked his maw, “Ramiz…thank you for staying.” Flushing Naiya looked away as the lion hovered over her, “I mean…before you found Zaid…”
“Naiya…I would always stay with you. Forever if you would let me.”
Hearts racing the lioness looked up at him in surprise, “You…want to?”
“Stay with you?”
“Mmmhmm…I…would really like that.”
“Naiya…I love you of course I want to.”
“You…you do?”
“I can’t imagine a day without you.”
“Ramiz…I…” She trailed off and just reached her paws out to him and happily both lions tumbled to the sands in a long deserved embrace.
Heart soaring Ramiz realized how complete he really felt now.
A family, love, and a home….he really was blessed.
And he would make certain that Naiya would never forget that. Every day the lion would always show her just how much he loved and cared for her. That was a promise he would never, ever break. Not for the ocean spirit who had won his heart.
While finding Zaid had made his decision to stay here even easier what the lion had never gotten to tell her was that…even without finding his brother his heart had already been set. I guess I did fall in love with the ocean after all. But it wasn’t the one that he was looking at currently. He loved the ocean that was living and breathing always next to him, the one that danced in the rain and always cast a smile at every trouble. The female who sang lovely songs while he was sick and sad…the one who chastised him yet would lightly rub a healing ointment on his torn paws. His heart had been set on finding his brother, but without her he wouldn’t have a heart. She had taken it all.
The thought made Ramiz flush even more. How was he even supposed to tell her that? Coming from a pride where females would do their best to please a male and try to be with him it was a strange feeling to have to woo the female instead. How was he supposed to even try? She was from a different world entirely. He knew that and saw it every time she entered the waters and disappeared like a spirit. The gaze that other males had given her made it obvious that he wasn’t alone in his admiration of her either.
I’m so far below her. Ramiz sighed at the thought and kicked the sands. How could someone that she had taken so much time to heal and comfort ever appear as a strong protector to her? But that was what he wanted to do. Hold her close and keep her safe from everything. When he would see those tears in her eyes as she thought about the past that haunted her and her lost sisters the lion wanted to just embrace her. Yet she would just wander away into the waters and let them wash away her tears instead.
But she had wanted to leave for him…
Surely she just felt responsible for me. Honestly he wondered if she would ever think that he could survive without her. The lioness probably just pitied him for his sorry state now…but before he knew Zaid was here Naiya had nearly tried leaving to continue helping him on his quest. Even though she had a home here. What a silly lioness. Always thinking of others before herself.
Ramiz was so caught up in his thoughts that when a paw smacked him on his back the lion rolled over in surprise, “He-hey!” Swatting back in protest Ramiz froze to see the familiar pair of violet eyes laughing at him.
“You’re so easy to scare.” Naiya laughed softly as she settled on the sand next to him, “It really is beautiful out here….did you get lost in thought?” She peered towards him through her mane, “I was worried since you hadn’t returned to the den yet.”
Ramiz shook his head to hide the small smile lingering on his maw, “I’m fine. You really shouldn’t act like I’m going to die on you any second…but I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
He swore that her gaze was even more intense now, “Things.” Ramiz turned his gaze away and back towards the ocean to calm his dancing heart, “You don’t need to know everything that goes through my head now.”
Naiya frowned, “But you looked so torn…” Leaning forward the lioness rest her head on her paws, “I’ve got a curiousity problem, okay? Sometimes I just have to know what’s making ya look so gloomy. Especially after you found Zaid…” She swallowed, “Is it…the ocean?” The lioness peered back up towards him sheepishly, “I know you weren’t always fond of it, but is it that you don’t want to live here even with Zaid?”
“No – no.” Ramiz shook his head, “I actually…like the ocean now. It’s just…a lot of changes, you know?”
“Mmm…that’s true.” Suddenly she was bouncing up next to him and pushing against his side, “Let’s get rid of those worries though. Come on! The water is still warm and there’s some light~”
Splashing forward Ramiz found himself going in after the lioness who was bouncing through the shallow waters. It was amazing still seeing how easily she moved along the sands…almost like she was a part of the ocean itself. The lion flushed at the thought before getting wacked in the fact with a pawful of sea water.
“Hey!”
Laughing Naiya began to run away from him and the race began. Hearts betting in unision both lions began to play a game of chase as the ocean began to move away with the tides. Tackling her Ramiz finally landed a good pounce and had the lioness squirming playfully beneath him, “How are you going to splash me now, hmm?”
Sticking her tongue out Naiya wigged, “Just wait until I’m free then you’re in trouble!” Taking a moment she shoved against him and with a splash both lions found themselves rolling in the shallow waters.
But when they finally stopped moving…
Ramiz found that his face was right against her’s….he couldn’t move though. She’s beautiful… It took all his willpower to try to stop staring, but Naiya moved before him. Quick as a light wind the lioness licked his maw, “Ramiz…thank you for staying.” Flushing Naiya looked away as the lion hovered over her, “I mean…before you found Zaid…”
“Naiya…I would always stay with you. Forever if you would let me.”
Hearts racing the lioness looked up at him in surprise, “You…want to?”
“Stay with you?”
“Mmmhmm…I…would really like that.”
“Naiya…I love you of course I want to.”
“You…you do?”
“I can’t imagine a day without you.”
“Ramiz…I…” She trailed off and just reached her paws out to him and happily both lions tumbled to the sands in a long deserved embrace.
Heart soaring Ramiz realized how complete he really felt now.
A family, love, and a home….he really was blessed.
And he would make certain that Naiya would never forget that. Every day the lion would always show her just how much he loved and cared for her. That was a promise he would never, ever break. Not for the ocean spirit who had won his heart.
(1180 WC)