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 Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 1:14 pm
 
Other questions buzzed through Kamaria's mind, but she found that the answers were not coming to her. The Gods had given her strength and many had offered advice that pushed her along, but the one thing they all said was that she needed to follow her own instincts. She could not expect someone else to give her all of the answers. Kamaria needed to follow her heart and her heart was telling her that Jethro was the one.
Before she had come to her den, she heard the male say that he would remin in the Bahari'mtoto lands. Perhaps he had not seen enough, or wished to meet the rest of the family? Whatever the answer was, Jethro had chose to stay once again and in the morning Kamaria would be eager to meet with him.
On that note, the lioness curled tightly, wearing a brilliant smile, and fell asleep.
The morning came not soon enough and though weary from her short rest, Kamaria shook the sleep from her eyes and left her den in order to find the grey male she found herself fancying. Her footsteps in the sand were light and jovial as she scanned the area around her. Just where had he decided would be best to sleep?
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:03 pm
Jethro hadn’t wandered far from where they had met near the dens the day before, sleeping in the warm sand. He had to admit, it was a hell of a lot more comfortable than lying on rock or savanna, even with the drawback of getting the little particles off his fur. That prospect wasn’t a bright one, but he didn’t mind. After all, he was already dirty from rolling around with the cub he had met that day.
A smile moved over his features, his eyes staying closed.
Though he was indeed still asleep, he was thinking about meeting Kam’s extended family. How nice it had been to spend time with a cub and how much he wanted ones of his own. In his dreams he could almost picture them, looking so innocent and adorable. How nice it would be to watch their mother teach them how to hunt. Even help out with the lessons from time to time. Hell, even before they were born he could see it being a great experience. Trying, but great all the same. Bringing food home to an expecting mate. Keeping an eye on her while she sleep. Waiting in painful anticipation for his children to be born. Even putting up with rage and mood swings sounded like something he wanted to do.
That night was spent with his mind conjuring ideas of family, including the various ways he could mess things up as a father. All-in-all, it was a good night’s sleep.
The next morning he was flat on his back, his paws sitting on top of his chest, which still moved slowly up and down in the rhythm of rest. His back legs would twitch every now and again, his dreams sparking inconsistent motions throughout his large frame. Even his tail twitched back and forth. The smile was still glued to his face, his mane a mess and coated in sand. The night had come with some mild tossing and turning.
Proof was in the sand.
He didn’t know that Kam was looking for him, though he wasn’t exactly in hiding. The male had decided to sleep right out in the open, regardless of the prospect towards danger. It wouldn’t be difficult to spot him.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:38 pm
As Kamaria made her way across the beach, she stumbled across the area that they had met. A hopeful smile spread across the lioness' face and she was not surprised to see the dark grey lion breathing peacefully, still asleep. It was nice to know that he felt safe enough in the lands to simply sleep out on the beach. Surely there were various dens vacant and the Bahari members were so open to visitors and relaxed that Kamaria could not imagine anyone having a problem with Jethro sneaking in. She would have to let him know that the den's were welcome to him as well.
Taking a seat a few feet away, the lioness was unsure as to just what she should do. He seemed so tranquil, pleased to be asleep. A part of Kamaria was eager to start the day and thought that Jethro was so good natured, he would not mind if she simply pounced on him and showed him how glad she was to see him. The more timid part of Kamaria still understood that Jethro was new to her and that she did not want to scare him away.
Releasing a short sigh, the spotted female simply watched him for a moment and then returned to her feet. If he woke to her simply sitting and gazing in his direction, surely that would be an awkward situation. Preparing to return to the den, the lioness turned away and walked rather slowly. Every step she took showed her reluctance. It was so difficult to have Jethro be so close and yet so far away.
Turning her head to look back, as though to make sure he was still asleep, the lioness released a short laugh. Jethro had her behaving like a love sick cub, getting caught up in its first real emotions. To Kamaria, however, these were her first true emotions towards another. While there were others that could have had the potential, Jethro was the only one who really left an impression on her.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:03 pm
Luckily for her, it was getting around the time Jethro woke up normally, his internal alarm clock going off in the back of his mind. Stirred from his dreams, the gray male gave a grunt, opening his eyes slowly. With a massive yawn he stretched all four paws up into the air, unaware that someone was watching him. If he had known that Kam was so nearby, he probably wouldn’t have looked like such a dork waking up. Taking a short moment to look up at the morning sky, Jethro heaved a content sigh, rolling his body over to one side and hoisting himself to his feet slowly. Tails batting against his sides, knocking loose the sand from his fur, he looked around, his purple eyes finally finding Kamaria’s frame a short ways in the distance.
Gasping slightly, his head shot towards the ground, scanning the dirt as embarrassment swarmed through his frame. She must have seen him waking up!
Clearing his throat, he looked again at her, sheepishly grinning as he sprinted to catch up to her.
“Good morning!” he said happily, coming beside her, “you’re up early! Did you have a nice sleep?” He honestly hoped so. There hadn’t been a time in his life where he could remember himself having such a happy slumber. Not even when he was young and every day brought a new adventure. The land was certainly peaceful. Though he hadn’t been there for very long, he still felt like it was much safer than being in his own home. Maybe it was just because the waters made everything seem so call and serene, but Jethro had a sneaking suspicion it was something more than that.
Knowing Kamaria was near, for example.
Smiling at her, Jethro couldn’t wait to spend more time with her. As nice as it had been meeting her family, he wanted to spend some alone time with the lady. Just to find out if he was the only one feeling a connection between them.
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:06 pm
Kamaria was still looking over in Jethro's direction when the male began to stir. Immedietly the lioness' cheeks brightened and she became aware of just how absurd it was that she waited, standing beside him, for him to wake. Turning away as though to act as if she hadn't noticed him, the lioness took a few steps away. She couldn't, however, bring herself to really leave knowing that the whole reason she came out to the beach was to find him.
Turning back, with hear ears lowered and a shy smile on her face, she decided to simply wait out the awkward silence and hope that they could adventure soon enough. As Jethro woke, Kamaria's amethyst eyes looked him over carefully. He reminded her so much of her little neices and nephews when they woke. They were always so exaggerated in their actions. It only added to their adoring nature.
Kamaria turned her head the instant Jethro's eyes met hers. And though she wasn't planning on pretending to have interest in something else, she couldn't help but find the sand beneath her absolutely fascinating. But quickly the male made his way to her side and his voice was enough to allow the lioness to relax and enjoy herself. "Nice sleep?" She repeated with a smile. In truth, her sleep was always restless when she was filled with thoughts of Jethro, but now that she was awake, she was happier than ever. Kamaria nodded to his question, not being bold enough to say the truth.
Glancing away again, as though she was fighting the urge to say something, the lioness thought hard onto the right words to spark a lively conversation. Glancing back shyly, she made a suggestion, "Would you like to explore more? Or perhaps-" Kamaria hesitated. She knew how much the rogue adored finding new things, but Kamaria found herself longing for deep conversation and learning more about the male. Taking a breath, she thought it wouldn't hurt to offer a second suggestion, "-a walk on the beach?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:30 pm
Well at least she had slept well too.
“That’s great,” he said brightly, “I slept like a baby…. As you… probably noticed.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head. He needed to sleep like an adult and not a goon. Maybe one day.
At the two suggestions Jethro needed a moment to contemplate, weighing the pros and cons of each one. He found that more exploring would just make it all the more awkward between them. On his side, anyway. There was this growing attraction he felt for her inside his chest. Every time he looked at the small shell tied to his front paw he was reminded of that. Just thinking about her was enough to make butterflies flutter about in his stomach. (Metaphorically speaking, of course.) There had to be something going on between them.
Of course, that raised questions. Like, what if there wasn’t? What if he was just imagining it all? Bringing it up might ruin everything and push her away. Maybe he was moving too fast. The good thing about exploring would be that they would get to distract themselves with plants and creatures and he wouldn’t have to deal with the odd sensations playing tricks on his mind and in his stomach.
No, he needed to know. Even with the threat of upsetting her, he wanted to figure things out. At least then he wouldn’t have to fool himself anymore. And, on the off chance she was attracted to him, it would put his mind at great ease. Plus, if he did end up failing to find the courage to mention anything to her, he would at least have the rather shiny consolation prize of knowing more about her. Indeed, exploring came in second place to talking with her.
“I think,” he mused after a few extended seconds, “that a walk might be nice. If you don’t mind, I mean.” He moved towards the beach, though stopped after a few steps to wait for her. Smiling, he knew deep down this conversation would perhaps become his greatest adventure yet.
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Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:21 pm
Kamaria, entirely surprised by the male's response, followed after him rather quickly. Her paws kicked up sand behind her from excitement and soon she was walking along at the male's side. Little did the lioness know that Jethro's mind was also racing with similar thoughts and that his intentions for the walk were the same as hers.
As the two lions walked along the beach, Kamaria was reminded of the male's fear of water. In her attempt to protect him, the lioness made her way to the side in which the water was closest; if she could ease some of his fear, then her move would be beneficial. The lioness actually grew to adore water and allowed the waves to come up and reach her paws. She was curious as to whether or not Jethro's fear had subsided since he had been introduced to the beach, but Kamaria felt that wasn't the best question to start their conversation.
Thinking to herself and glancing from Jethro to the waves, Kamaria felt her heart racing within her chest. In truth, only a few days had passed since their meeting and the pair had spent even fewer in one another's company. Despite this, Kamaria felt as though she had known Jethro for far longer. With every passing moment, she felt her feelings swell inside her and like Jethro, she was curious to find whether the male was feeling the same. Fearful of rejection, Kamaria began their conversation simply.
"I'll have you know that i've since returned to the jungle to find that those little bright little croaking things are all over the place! They come in orange, yellow, blue and green!" While not exactly the start of anything romantic, Kamaria couldn't help but relive one of her fondest recent memories.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:06 am
Jethro watched the water somewhat wearily. He didn’t mind waves. So long as he wasn’t in a large body of water, unable to feel the bottom than he was more or less fine. Still, the sight of so much liquid congregated into one area made him nervous. There was always the chance that something could happen, leaving him to be rushed out to sea and never seen again. That would be highly troublesome. Luckily, Kam moved to his other side. The male was unsure if she did it just to be closer to the water, or if she remembered his disinterest in drowning. Either way, he was glad to have her there.
Even if the water could easily claim them both should it decide to.
Silence ate at him. Each step they took without speaking seemed to drain years from his life. And, already being a grown male, he didn’t have too many of those to spare. It needed to end. The silence couldn’t draw on much longer, or he would be consumed by it. That much he was certain of. Thankfully, Kamaria seemed to have a cure for that too, speaking up at just the right moment.
Laughing, Jethro nodded. “Have you now? That’s good to know! I wonder what they are and, more importantly, if they’re good to eat. They look yummy,” he mused. Like little bite-sized snacks. But he hadn’t seen them anywhere else during his travels. Probably because he hadn’t seen anything like this land from the travels either. Sighing, he let his tail sway back and forth, dancing around in his excitement.
“I’ve been to a few places,” he said, also dodging the issue he strongly desired to speak of, “when I was away that time, but none are as lovely as this place. And I like the lions here more too,” he added with a smile.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:10 pm
When Jethro brought up the question as to what the small frogs tasted like, Kamaria lifted a paw with a fake snarl and batted at him. "You can't eat them! They're special!" Of course, the frogs themselves weren't anything that Kamaria was neccessary attached to, but the memories that went along with them. Maybe at a later time, the two could return and examine them more closely.
Once the conversation of frogs died down, silence again overcame the two lions. It seemed that both Jethro and Kamaria were deep in thought and not paying full mind to the conversation between them. Unable to speak up about her true thoughts, Kamaria remained silent when Jethro sparked something up again. Curious, the lioness decided to ask a few questions. "Oh! That sounds wonderful though! Did you get to explore their actual prides? Which prides did you visit?"
During her travels with Roho, Aten and Senatla, the group had ventured along the borders of various prides and had been able to speak with some members outside. Never had they actually explored the lands of the pride, but the stories and sites they were able to become a part of were always worth it. Kamaria wondered if the pride members were more welcoming to Jethro, or if he learned anything new from them.
In the back of her mind, however, Kamaria hoped that he didn't find anything worth leaving for. When he commented on his stronger interest in the Bahari and their lions, the spotted lioness blushed.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:52 pm
“Of course they are!” remarked Jethro quickly, laughing at her protest, “but…. They still –look- good to eat, don’t they? I don’t know. I think with my stomach most of the time.” As any male, really. The way to a man’s heart and whatnot.
At her question, the awkward male took a moment to ponder. He hadn’t really asked the names of the various places he had visited. “Well…. One was by a swamp,” he said after a moment, “but I didn’t go in it. I just walked this female who was a member of the pride there to make sure she got there safely. She had just come back from some kind of pride ritual and was telling me all about it. Pride stuff is really interesting. I don’t have to do anything for a group… living in the rogue lands as I do.” More and more he wondered if settling down in a pride was something for him. Before he had hated the idea of settling down. Now, though, it didn’t seem so bad.
Not at all.
“It was nice, hearing stories about other places,” he said softly, “though I found all I could think about while I listened to her was this place. And… well… and you.” He smiled faintly, keeping his eyes off of her just because he had embarrassed himself with his line of talk. There didn’t seem to be any avoiding it now. Jethro just had to know what she thought of him.
Leaving it to silence was murdering him.
“Forgive me,” he started slowly, “If I come across as kind of… blunt… but I have a question for you. If you don’t want to answer, you really don’t have to. I don’t mean to put you on the spot or anything..” he needed to get it out before he made her think he was going to ask her something horrible. “What… do you think of me? I mean, now that you know me a bit better? Because I think... uh... well, I'll let you answer first.”
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:52 am
Kamaria listened carefully as Jethro spoke, taking in his adventures and trying to recollect as to whether or not she had ever ventured into those same lands. "A swamp?" Kamaria asked, making an awkward face. Having spent so much of her life in the savannah and only just coming to learn and love the ocean, the lioness couldn't imagine living in such an environment. How comfortable would it be to relax in mud? What types of things did they eat there? Both curious and somewhat surprised, Kamaria longed for a moment to have been alongside Jethro learning about the other prides.
With a laugh, she shook the thought away and continued to listen to the story. When he mentioned the girl that he walked alongside, Kamaria felt a sudden weight drop to the bottom of her stomach. Her familiar warm blush seemed to die away and she swallowed, unsure of what to say next. While Jethro quickly passed by the fact that she was female and seemed to hold a greater interest in her rituals, Kamaria couldn't believe herself. She was absolutely jealous.
As though Jethro knew what was on Kamaria's mind, the grey colored male explained that despite his pleasant adventure, he had only thought of her. Smiling slowly, Kamaria nodded. It was such a pleasure to hear Jethro's thoughts.
And then before she was able to respond, Jethro asked it. The male broke the silence and questioned Kamaria about all her silent thoughts that she was too frightened to ask. With an instant blush and surprised expression, the lioness took a few steps back and bit gently on her lip. Was it alright if she let him know? Certainly he wouldn't have asked if he hadn't any feelings in return? Before gathering her courage, Kamaria tried to study the male, as though to make sure that he wasn't asking in order to turn her down.
Stepping forward, Kamaria found that simply starting was the most difficult part. Releasing a breath, she finally responded, to the best of her ability, "Well.. I.. I really like you Jethro. I mean. I think I more than like you, but.. I'm scared that since we only met that maybe I don't really know you. But I feel like i've known you forever and you've been so open and honest and-" Kamaria stopped. By her words and the manner in which she spoke, it was clear that all Kamaria feared was becoming hurt and turned away. With a nervous smile and ears slightly lowered in anticipation, the lioness asked, "W-what about you?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:23 pm
Pausing, Jethro looked back at Kamaria, fearing the worst as he watched her back up from him. Perhaps he had been too blunt with his question. It wouldn’t have been the first time he had been too forward about something. Although the last time it had not been about love as it had been about wandering into another lion’s supposed “territory”. Jethro had merely mentioned that the male had no real claim on the place and everything went to hell in an instant. It wasn’t a fond memory for the male and had almost been enough to keep him from exploring. Luckily he had been young enough at that time to put it behind him, his adventures continuing despite his misfortune. A good thing, too, as if he had given it up and stayed in the rogue lands he never would have met the lovely lioness who looked so shocked before him.
But he was letting his mind wander.
As she watched him, he felt his heart pound deep within his chest, the thick fur around his body not enough to hide the thumping from his ears. At least it helped keep the horrible silence from closing in around him. The longer he stood watching her the more he felt like he had been wrong to ask her anything. Too soon. It had been too soon to ask such a thing! Idiot.
Boy, was he an idiot. Now he had ruined a wonderful thing.
Then she took a breath, and he felt his vanish. No longer was he able to breathe, waiting anxiously for what she would say. Good or bad, he just had to know. Limbo sucked.
As the words flooded from her mouth he wasn’t sure what to think. Maybe he was just replacing what she was actually saying with the words he wanted to hear. Everything just seemed too wonderful to be true. It had to be in his mind. Another good dream. Soon he would wake up back in the rogue lands to the disappointment of reality. It didn’t come. Reality didn’t come. Before he knew it the turn to speak was his and he wasn’t snapping out of things at the most important part.
It was real. And he really needed to speak, or risk ruining the moment.
“I think I’m really glad to hear you say that,” Jethro responded happily, his eyes never leaving hers so long as he had control in the matter, “I feel the same! That I’ve known you much longer than I really have. Whenever I’m away from you all I want to do is find my way back. I miss you way too much, I think, for the time we’ve spent together. So I’m happy to know you feel the same way. I… I really like you too.” He smiled faintly, letting his tail sway back and forth as he continued to watch her. Thinking about it made him happy. He knew, though, that he didn’t just like her. Was it alright to say it though? Already he felt like he had stepped into dangerous waters. And though he had survived, he wondered if diving back in was really the best idea so soon.
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:21 am
While Kamaria's words slowly sunk into Jethro's mind, the male remained silent. It was the female's turn to become anxious, awaiting whatever it was that he would say. Was she wrong to say that maybe she did not know him? Would he hold that against her? The female's ears remained flat on her head and her tail clung close to a back leg. How could such a potentially happy time be filled with so much fear?
And then Jethro spoke. He did not think so hard about his words, but simply let them flow out. Kamaria admired that about the male - in fact, it was one of the many adoring traits that she absolutely loved about him!
But love was such a sensitive topic and having never really experienced it before, Kamaria was not sure how to explain herself. While Jethro spoke, his eyes seemingly locked on the female, the lioness listened carefully to his words, as well as observed his body language and expressions.
He was happy, he was smiling, he felt the same!
The small, spotted female, could no longer contain herself. As she had hoped for, there was nothing to fear from him! Jumping towards him, Kamaria's cheeks regained their familiar color and she wrapped her paws around his neck in a playful manner. As far as she was concerned they need not concern themselves with anymore words at that moment. With a loving nuzzle, Kamaria offered a reassurance that all she said was true and that Jethro was the only one she cared so strongly for.
But like Jethro, in the back of Kamaria's mind, she knew it was something more. She had never felt so strongly for another. Since their meeting, Kamaria had hoped that he would be the one and perhaps someday soon, she could explain the conical shell.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:14 am
Jethro was taken by surprise, her loving attack nearly enough to make him jump. But he was able to process things just fast enough to save himself the embarrassment. Instead of looking like a totally unprepared dork, he let out a laugh, raising one paw to move around her while the other stayed near his back legs for a bit more stability. Not that rolling with her wouldn’t have been adorable.
He just felt like it had somehow been done before.
When she nuzzled him, he was quick to return the gesture, hoping not to drown her in all the fluff around his neck. But other males cuddled with their mates, and they didn’t end up killing them, right? So he should be fine. Just because it was new didn’t mean he had to panic over every little thing. Knowing that, though, wouldn’t keep him from doing it. That was another heart-stopping thought. Mates. Was it possible that was what they were really becoming?
Even as he expressed his fondness by giving her cheek a light lick, it seemed a foreign concept to him. But in a good way. Like when one finally achieved a dream and it turned out to be everything they had hoped for. No disappointment, no delusion leading them there- just pure bliss and the satisfaction of knowing they hadn’t been wrong.
Awesome.
Still, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that kind of love. He wanted to be. Boy howdy did he want to be. The concerns, though, struck him repeatedly like canon fire from an enemy ship. What if they started spending more time together and she grew to hate his faults? That would crush him. Maybe he would do something to make her upset. So many things could go wrong. How did anyone in a relationship sleep at night with so much to worry about?
Still, when looking into her eyes, none of it really seemed that important. Just being next to her was enough. Bridges could be crossed when met. “I guess you’ll be seeing more of me,” he chuckled mildly, not sure what to say now.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:57 pm
With her paws still around the male's neck, Kamaria accepted his nuzzle eagerly, burying her face into his thick mane and taking in his scent as though she never wanted to forget it. This was entirely new to the female and so caught up in her excitement now, the female was beginning to forget all of her fears. She had taken the longest steps and now it seemed she was in a new place. While there potential worries and problems that would arise, Kamaria was glad to have come this far.
Unaware of all the thoughts racing through Jethro's mind, Kamaria simply smiled at him, entirely at ease in her mind and comfortable in his company. When he offered a lick, the female's face lit up and her smile widened almost in a silly manner. Certainly this was all her mother had told her about when she learned of her father and their love for one another. This was something she had only hoped for, never actually expecting it to come true.
After a few moments had passed, Kamaria finally released her playful hold on the male, almost reluctantly. First to break the short silence, Jethro spoke, announcing that Kamaria would be seeing more of him. With a flirty grin, the female began farther down the beach. With a wave of her tail, the lioness called for Jethro to follow, "I can only hope so!" was her response.
Making a gesture to indicate that they should move along, Kamaria added, "So, how about we spend the rest of the day exploring the farthest regions of the beach?" And before the male could answer, the lioness took off, eager to begin more of their adventures together.
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