Things... had not worked out with Cit. He was too detached from everything, including her and Feana felt she deserved better. With as much crap as she's taken in her life, she felt she deserved someone... who would actually treat her like a mate. She wanted something like her mother had. Or Sabbia. Or all her other siblings. They all seemed to find their own happiness and their groove of life so easily. She was the odd one out. She'd shamed the family when she came here pregnant at such a young age. Then she'd broken up with their father because the love she felt was more of a brotherly type.
She'd been in and out of her parents den since she'd gotten to the pride. She moved in with her other mate, Cit when they were together. The happiness she felt with him was dashed when she realized he was never around anymore. So, she had moved back in with her parents again. Then Sabbia had her cubs and that's what she usually did in the day. She helped her sister take care of her huge litter.
On nights like tonight, she sat on a fossilized tree trunk staring at the ocean while the breeze gave her chills. She needed a life. Really bad.
After giving up his post to another guard, Are'nui was tired. The sun had set and the stars were twinkling brightly above him. A cool breeze whipped through his mane as he made his way towards the shore. So much had happened, so much was going on. The pride was blooming greatly, but here he was, still by himself. Sure, he had his great-aunt's family to be with. But there was just something different about having a companion like he thought might happen but didn't fall through.
As he came to the shore, it didn't take him long to spot a figure off in the distance. By those pink markings, he knew exactly who she was. Afterall, there weren't many lions here with pink, and who were related to his cousin's mate. Feana, if he remembered his name correctly. Not wanting to be rude, he made his way towards her and called out a greeting, "Did the sea steal your sleep?"
She was lost in her thoughts of how she used to be happy when a voice caught her attention. Her head turned slowly, blue eyes lingering on the water until she flicked them over to look at... a male who looked like the ocean she was just looking at. She blinked once, twice and then nodded to acknowledge that she'd heard him. "Not the seat. My brain is working overtime on things since the explosion of cubs." Which was true. She was thinking about her own adult children now. They didn't need her, but a few of them still stayed around.. It made her feel really good about herself.
Names and faces came to her mind as she looked at him, yet she couldn't remember who he was. She'd seen him around, sure, but did she ever talk to him? "I'm sorry. I can't seem to remember if we've ever talked or anything before. ...Have we?" She got up off the log and stretched out before walking over toward him. Maybe she could play with him.
With a nod, he could fully understand about that. "Ah, a good reason then." He loved cubs, which helped coming from such a large family that he is from.
A large smile flitted across his face as he replied, "We have not, but since the night is still young we can change that!" He chuckled softly before introducing himself, "I am Are'nui, a pleasure to finally become acquainted with you."
A grin spread across her face as she chuckled. Oh, a sense of humor was always a good quality in a male. No. She couldn't think like that. Men were't her favorite thing in the world right now. "...What do you mean by finally?" It didn't occur to her that he'd seen her about and probably heard her name.
She eyed him then, looking him up and down and not hiding it.
He tilted his head slightly as she looked him over. He replied with mirth, "But of course! How could I not! With my family, it's not hard to know who's who and who's mated to who. And I for one, know that you are sister to my cousin's mate, Jesenya." As for any other gossip that he's heard others talk about, they were nothing more than mere hot air expressed between lions. He'd rather meet and make his own judgement.
Aaah, so related by marriage. Not a big deal, then. Stretching herself out again and chuckled. "Aah. That's how you know me. And here you had me thinking you were stalking me. " A joke to somehow make her feel more comfortable. "I haven't seen her well, since she came to visit her nieces and nephews."
She looked back out to the ocean and shook her head. "Sabbia, my sister, just had a litter of ten. Can you believe it?" Ok, she was excited about that many playthings to play with. After all, she loved running around and playing tricks on people. She was going to dye one of them purple if she could find enough berries.
At her remark he couldn't help but laugh, "I'm sure I'd stick out if I was stalking you...unless it was in the water." He winked at her, to help ease any tension that was there between them.
His eyes widen slightly, "Is that so? That's a pawful she has there!" Such a large litter, more for the pride. "But lots of little ones to play with!"
She snorted at that comment. He had a point, but the way he said it that made it a little dorky and kind of cute. "Well if you watched me from the water I'd notice anyway. I'm always here at this time of night."
"Just wait until you see one running around purple or blue." She grinned deviously and returned his wink. "They won't know what hit them when I'm done with them."
He narrowed his eyes in a playful manner, "Maybe you would, but you'd never know!" He then laughed softly at the idea of trying to stalk her in the water. Of course it wouldn't work, but was still comical, nevertheless!
And then his eyes widen in surprise, "You'd do that to a cub?! Oh my, we need to team up then! Sounds like it could be a lot of fun! Just imagine all of them running around all colorful and whatnot. It'd be a party!" He could only be amused at the mental images of colorful cubs.
"That'd be nice though, I wish I had some nieces and nephews to play with. All of my siblings don't live here though, so I just have to make due with other members of the pride."
Feana cackled at the mental image. She could have a regular rainbow! Something the pride colors needed, honestly. They were all green and blue and brown and yellow. She stood out like a sore thumb. She was pink and gray. All of her sister's cubs were green! Every single one of them. None of them got the gray coat of their mother, or had much brown on them. But, she wouldn't change them.
"You can play with mine. I'm sure Sabbia would consider you like... part time help so she can rest. Her and her mate are always welcoming family and friends to help take care of cubs." Sabbia made a wonderful mother. Just like their own mother; but she didn't argue with Sabbia often.
"....You've got to help me get enough berries or something to dye at least two of them, now that you said you'd like to do it."
At the news of "part time help" he couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. Now this would be fun! All of his distant family here were grown and didn't have cubs, or the cubs had already grown, and therefore had little to actually play with.
"Is that so? I'll have to make sure I introduce myself then, as I'd gladly help watch any cubs when I'm not on duty watching the borders." And that was true.
He looked left and right before he replied, "Oh? I know just the spot where there are plenty of berries. That's no problem!"
Feana bobbed her head in a nod and grinned from ear to ear. Now here was a guy after her own heart. He seemed to enjoy all the things she did, and that was fairly rare amongst adult males. Most thought her tricks cub qualities and told her that she shouldn't be doing that because she's an adult. Well, she pulled her weight around here! She was a hunter and hunted quite often. She deserved a bit of fun.
"What, you've no mate to give you your own cubs?" Though she played it off as teasing, she really had a curiosity about that.
With a slight chuckle, he shook his head while replying, "Unfortunately no. It seems that I just haven't found the right one yet. I thought I had, but the female had other ideas. No matter! That day will come." His tail flicked slightly.
"Until that time, I shall enjoy every day with other cubs."
"I know that feeling." It was said more to herself, but she didn't try to tone her voice down or anything. So she elaborated. "I thought I found a couple of guys who I thought were 'the one'. One turned out to be more of a brother and the other.... Well, he was distant." She shrugged. No need to get into the details of coming to the pride pregnant so young. That was something she was still living with.
"I have children. They're all adults now, though..."
He replied, "I can imagine....but you'll find someone when you least expect it! I know that just by looking at my family here, especially my great aunt and when she tells me her story of meeting her mate for the first time."
His ears perked up curiously, "Is that so? I might have seen some of them then. At least here, its easy to see who's related to who, for the most part. Since there seems to be a few reoccurring colors."
She nodded. "I have five. I think a couple might have left the pride, though." Of course a couple of them did. That's why she didn't see them about the pride. Her ears drooped as she thought about how her cubs had taken to the news that she had split with their dad. What they didn't know is that the feeling was completely mutual on both their parts. But no, she looked like the bad guy.
"You've probably seen a pink male running about here and there."
Oh, he knew which one she was referring to. There were only so many pink males in the pride....at least of only one that he knew of! "Yes, I have seen him around."
At the motion of her drooping ears, he reached forward and nudged her gently. "Life's too short to be sad, we much enjoy each and every moment to the fullest. And besides, the past is only there to help pave the way for our future!" He winked, "And to unleash some dyed cubs on the pride."
At the nudge, she looked up at him and then nodded. He was right, naturally. But she was often either sad or frustrated lately. "Maybe we can find some nice red to dye cubs. Or a nice aqua. Something besides green." She was trying to pull herself out of the funk she was in suddenly.
"But.. Seeing how it's only getting later, I should probably go. I'm helping with the cubs again tomorrow after my hunt. It's a pawful, I tell you."
He would have to look for those colors then. Something that'd definitely stand out amongst the rest of the pride. If not for him, but for her. "I will be on a look-out for some berries that can make those colors, or something that can make different colors."
It wasn't until she spoke again, did he realize how late it was. Wow, time sure does fly by! "Didn't realize how late it was getting. Don't let me keep you from your beauty sleep much longer then!" He teased playfully before he pushed himself up to get ready to head back to his den. "But really, take care until next time. I'll make sure to have a surprise for you, Feana." He said as he was bading her farewell.
With a grin, she gave him a wink and started toward her own den. it brought her to his side and she bumped up against him before nodding. "I'm afraid beauty sleep would take too long." No self esteem about her looks, but she had plenty of confidence. "See you around, Are'nui.."
With that almost purr, the flirty female walked up the path to her den, a smile wide on her face. So maybe there were still decent males left in the pride, after all.
