[SRP] Dreaming of you (Gopala x Parokakari)

[Puhterodactyl]

"I won't stay long… I just had to see you." Gopala hung her head low, her pink eyes downcast, her body haggard, fur unkempt and looking coarse. She looked awful. Ever since she'd drank at the spring to find her true love, her dreams had all been possessed by Parokakari, her orange savior. But in her dreams always ended with him turning and walking away from her. It'd been a few weeks since that encounter, and her dreams were only getting more vivid, more twisted. Sometimes his gentle slapping to rouse her turned into him tearing at her face with his claws extended. Wasn't he supposed to be her true love? Why would he hurt her? But they were just dreams… right? She took in a ragged breath.

Her infatuation had disabled her. She hadn't been able to hunt for herself, and if someone shared their food, she couldn't keep it down. Not seeing Parokakari was killing her like poison. It was making her mad.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Parokakari had been only barely trying to avoid Gopala. His heart raced whenever he thought about her. How close she'd been to death only to come back to join the living right before his eyes. The Jini-msemi had a close bond to the spirits and their ancestors. Had they sent her back? Did she have a greater purpose? And what were her intentions for him? It made him nervous. But… It wasn't the same kind of nervous he got when he was an adolescent, roving through the rogue lands and when he stumbled across some great dominant male lion's territory who was all too eager to defend his land and his females. Not the kind of nervous he was before starting a hunt or before trying to join the Jini-msemi. Instead it was a kind of hopeful nervousness. The kind his father had told him he got when he saw his mother (well… before Parokakari's father left his new family, presumably to start another).

Here she was now, in front of him. And she looked… well, terrible. There was no way to be nice about it. He had been laying in the shade on a bed of fallen leaves and chewing a bone for the marrow, but at the sight of her, he leapt to his feet.

"Gopala!" He shouted, running over to her, then stopping abruptly, afraid to touch her, almost as if he feared she was just a mirage, and would disappear. He didn't want her to go. But he didn't know what to do.

"A-are you hurt?" His face was full of concern. He reached out a paw and stroked her face, relieved to find she was made of flesh and blood. Sure, he had been uncertain when she'd been forward at their last meeting, but she was captivating. She'd consumed his thoughts as he had consumed her dreams. His orange eyes looked her over. She seemed to shrink when she sighed at his touch. Oh no, had he done something wrong?!  

[Puhterodactyl]

Gopala leaned in to his touch, his paw felt warm, even on her hot face. His concern was reassuring. Of course her true love would want to see her! Of course he'd be wracked with concern! Her sigh had been one of relief. She'd gone to her mother and her father, seeking aide, but they told her that that's what love is sometimes. All consuming. And who could she possibly trust more besides her parents?! Their relationship was perfect. Rim had only become kinder and happier since he met his mate. Gopala just wondered what possibly could be wrong with her. One of her siblings had had cubs and she even thought maybe some of her niblings had had offspring.

"I- I've been dreaming of you…" She trailed off. How was she supposed to explain the twisted, nightmarish qualities of her dreams. To avoid them, she'd been staying awake as much as possible. Leaping into frigid mountain streams and running to the point of exhaustion, endangering herself so the adrenaline would prevail. It had worked for about a day. Now she was scrawny, un-groomed and scared.  

[Puhterodactyl]

"You… have?" He tilted his large head, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Is that a good thing, or…?" His eyes searched hers for answers. Instead all he got was a shrug as she leaned her body into his. Parokakari stroked her face again with his paw.

"Let me get you something to eat. Wait here." The lion eased gently out from under Gopala's weight and took off.


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Gopala was much too sad and tired to do anything when she saw him turn and leave. She laid down and curled herself into a ball. Her stomach ached, like it was tearing her in two. It was rending her apart. In her sorrow she gave way to the nightmares, Parokakari this time was feasting on her belly like a parasite while he confessed his love. The uncertainty made her heart ache, too. In her dream her flesh smelled like a fresh hare. How strange. She'd never imagined herself smelling so good. Maybe it made sense Parokakari was eating her. Now the earth in her dream shook. No, it was Parokakari trying to rouse her, a rabbit hanging from his jaws and no lust for her meat in his eyes, only concern. He dropped it in front of her.

"Please, eat."

She hoisted herself to a sitting position. Her stomach still turned but she couldn't refuse this generosity. She took small bites, but couldn't keep it down. How awful, to let him down, after he made this gesture. She kept her eyes on the ground.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Parokakari knew this wasn't right. What seemed like "lovesickness" seemed like something much more harmful. He tilted his head.

"Gopala… you should see a healer."


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The lioness shook her head. No, no. This wasn't something like a carcass scavenged too late on a hot day. It was love sickness. But maybe that potion had an adverse effect. How could she really be sure? She looked at him reluctantly. Clearly he only had her best interest in heart, but how could he be so wrong? But she loved him, so…

"I will. If you go with me." He nodded, so she nodded. It was decided.

[the end : 1041 words]