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 Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:14 am
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Jeshi had been very nervous, and he realized he was not sure why. How could he be nervous all the time when he did not really know if he was ever going to see that female again? She said she wanted to, but he had not managed to meet up with her again and he wondered if that was because she was not looking for him, or if he was trying not to be found.
He was very shy. Something he had not learned about himself until he met her, because it had never mattered before.
The rabbit was doing very well, and Jeshi was sure it was because of all the care she had taken with it. He owed her a lot, helping that little baby rabbit back to health when she could have just laughed at him for being so soft and left, or just eaten the thing like any sensible lion would do.
And she sure was pretty.
He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her, and he shuffled his paws now as thoughts struck again. He had even gotten into a fight with a stranger, just because he was worried she might find out about it and he wanted to appear tough and cool. He felt like a cub with a crush, which was very new for him.
This was all very far outside his realm of experience.
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Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 2:17 pm
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 Esona had been a bit busy since her encounter with Jeshi and the little bunny. There were some changes going around in the pride and she was eager to change to a full-blown medic. She had spoken with the appropriate lions to see that the change would be made, but it would take a bit of time. Still, she was just playing a waiting game and her rank was as good as changed. That was good, since she really wasn't that great of a huntress. She was good at flushing prey out, but chasing them down? Not so easy.
She strolled through the grassy plains after her chat about changing her rank, a little grin on her face. She wondered how her most recent patient was doing, the little bunny that Jeshi had guarded so faithfully. She was of the firm belief that no news was good news, but since it was just a tiny bunny, she wondered if any news would reach her.
It was a rather amusing coincidence that as she came into a clearing, Jeshi was there. She realized she wasn't far from his den, where they had first met, and wondered if her paws had subconsciously carried her here. Her ears perked up as she trotted forward, grinning at the male.
"Well hello there," she called out. "I haven't heard anything about your little bunny friend. How did it do?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 12:47 pm
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Jeshi had heard about the new ranks, but he was not sure what he could contribute to the pride, or where he should turn his attention. As a hunter, like everyone else had been, things were fairly even footed. Now he had to find something worthy in himself before he could even ask someone to give him a new title.
But what could he do? He hadn't even been able to protect a little bunny. He needed help to do it, though that bunny was well on the road to health now. He could not really take the credit for that.
He looked up when he heard a familiar voice, his blood running a little cold, or at least he thought so as a shudder moved down his spine. He smiled at her, though, without even thinking about it, ears drooping forward and a fairly soft expression coming over his generally serious face.
"Hey. I mean. Hello. The bunny is doing very well, thank you! I think she's going to make a full recovery, but now I'm facing the problem of... not being able to get rid of her. So... I guess I have a rabbit friend now..." he sighed, shaking his head. He was a little goofy, he supposed, but he was actually glad to be able to protect the bunny. He wouldn't want to let it go free and then find it half eaten a few days later.
"You look very happy today," he said, noting how light her expression was, and how she seemed to be in a very good mood. "Did something happen?" |
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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 1:26 pm
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Esona snickered softly as Jeshi stumbled over his words a bit. Aw, how cute. When she got the news about the bunny her ears perked up, a delighted look on her face.
"Ah, that's great! I'm glad. And now you have a little friend," she added with a wink. "Bunnies are good eating but they make great partners, too. Nice and quick and in a pride like this, you don't have to worry about someone snacking on a friend if you let everyone know they're yours."
The question made her laugh a bit, and she moved forward towards Jeshi, circling around him slowly. "Oh, well at first it was because of the new rank system. I just got approved to become a healer," she said, bumping against the male's shoulder as she walked by. "But the fact that I bumped into you just made the day even better."
Looking up at Jeshi with another grin, Esona gave him a little tap under his chin with her tail as she walked off. "We should go see about that antelope date. My sister and I brought down a fresh one this morning that was a little extra than what we needed, so there's lots left."
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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 3:04 pm
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"Yeah, I'm going to do my best to not let my bunny get eaten... I've promised to be her protector now, and I'm determined to at least do that. Hopefully she'll just stick close to me when she's fully better, and she'll be safe."
He shuffled his paws when he bumped her, watching and smiling as she did so. She was very flirtatious, and it made him feel more comfortable than uncomfortable, in an odd way. He relaxed a bit into that feeling, which he was not used to but could be, he thought, easily.
At her offer, and tail flick, he smiled and turned to follow her.
"I would like that a lot. You can tell me about your new rank. I have heard about them, but I haven't... pursued anything yet. What does a Healer do? Just go around and see if anyone is hurt? It seems like you would be really good with that, you knew how to help the bunny." |
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:00 am
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Esona felt something warm in her chest as she listened to Jeshi speak about the bunny. He was so sweet and gentle with something so tiny and helpless that it got her all...swoony. It really wasn't something she ever expected to feel, but the steadfast and sweet lion had quickly worked his way into her mind and stuck there. It was hard to find a lion these days that was strong, protective, and adorable all rolled into one big fluffy package. She found him, though, and wasn't about to be shaken off. This was her last hunt as a huntress and she was sure she'd go in for the 'kill' before too long.
"Pretty much," she said as she led the way down to where what remained of the antelope lay. "See if anyone has any injuries from hunting or fighting, patch them up. If someone is sick, take care of them. Little bunnies get a boo-boo, be there to help it back on its feet," she said, adding the last one for his benefit.
"And don't worry too much about all these ranks! We still need hunters, after all. They're no less important than anything else," she said with a nod. "We all have to eat. I'd say it's the most important role there is!"
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:38 am
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"Well, at least you have experience with rabbits, and know what to do," he said, chuckling a bit. He imagined she would likely not be spending much time with rabbits and familiars, but more with the regular members of the pride. He had just been lucky, and got a free sample of her skills.
He considered himself honored because of that. He knew her before she became a pride-wide known healer, which he was sure she would. At least he could always claim that, when it did happen!
"Well, I'll keep hunting, then, and I'll make sure to catch you food to keep you up and about, and helping the pride. I can sort of be a healer vicariously... by keeping you fed."
He smiled sheepishly at her, but he thought it was a pretty good idea, all told. What else could he do? As a hunter, it was a lot easier to do his job when he had lions to hunt for specifically. He hoped she didn't hate the idea, though, looking hopeful. |
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 1:35 pm
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Esona circled the kill as they reached it, leading Jeshi to the side with the most meat still. She settled down and leaned in, grabbing a bite right off the bat. She lifted her head to look at the male with a little grin as he spoke and ended up laughing.
"Oh, a personal hunter just for me? Be still my beating heart," she said, batting her eyes at the lion. "I can't think of a better idea." And honestly, she couldn't. Having Jeshi as her personal hunter would not only ensure she got fresh meat, but would also give her an excuse to hang around him more. Hopefully that was a good sign of things to come. He wouldn't offer to be her hunter if he didn't want to be around her, and the hopeful look on his face really did make her heart beat a bit faster.
"I'll make sure to keep you nice and healthy in return," she said with a little wink. "No sniffles and every little scrape you get will get my undivided attention."
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 7:30 pm
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Jeshi's stomach grumbled as he looked over the kill, smiling ear to ear at the sight of it. He was very hungry, as the hunter had not actually gone out to do any hunting in the last couple of days, though it had been on his schedule for the next day. Now that his little bunny friend was up and about, his schedule was shifting to accommodate. He was figuring it out slowly.
He was even happier when Esona said she wouldn't mind him being a hunter for her. He nodded his head, standing tall and looking very proud, all but purring in contentment at the idea. It would make him work harder, that was for sure. Not to flood her with more food than she needed, but to make sure to catch the best meals he could for her when he did go hunting.
"That sounds fair. If I get hurt hunting, I'll know where to turn to. And you'll get practice!"
He might just get hurt on purpose, if that was the case. Especially if she was being honest about the undivided attention part. He smiled at her and then bent to have some of the meal she had offered him. He could not remember the last time he felt so happy, and he was pretty glad about that.
It probably was not as great as this moment, anyway. |
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:22 pm
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Esona nodded with a grin on her face before returning to their meal. She ate her fill in silence, too focused on gulping down meat. She certainly wasn't the most 'girly' or graceful out of her siblings, but that didn't bother her at all. It wasn't as if she was a slob, but she certainly wasn't a delicate little flower.
Finally full, she sat back with a content look on her face and began to clean herself up. "So, did you come up with a name for your little friend?" she asked as she wiped at her muzzle with a paw. "Or did she have one already?"
Esona doubted the bunny could remember her name if she had one, since she had been so tiny when she had last seen her. She'd be surprised if she had ever actually seen her mother, since her eyes had looked as if they were still closed from birth. It amused her to think of Jeshi, as large and imposing as he was, taking care of a little bunny. A sly grin crept over her face as she pulled the bunny out of the picture and replaced it with a cub. Yes, she could see him being a very diligent and protective father.
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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:58 am
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Jeshi did his best not to let himself stare at her too often during their meal. He could not help a few glances, though. She was not like anyone he had met before, and she made him feel in a new way that he did not really understand. He had never had a crush on anyone before, and he wanted to somehow earn her noticing him.
Somehow it might make sense, but he did not know how to do it. She seemed happy enough to spend time with him and talk to him, but he did not think he was doing enough to show her he was interested.
Flirting was beyond him.
"I asked her name, but she didn't have one. She doesn't speak very much, but I offered to pick one for her and she seemed to like the idea. I am not sure what to name her, though. I don't want to call her something she doesn't like."
It was a lot of responsibility, picking someones name. How did parents do it? He would be so worried about doing everything wrong, from picking a name to not paying enough attention to not teaching them right. Though he would certainly do his best. He wondered why he was thinking about that, though, looking at Esona and smiling sheepishly.
"You don't know a good name for a baby, do you?" She was kind of the rabbits mom, if he was the dad, right? Maybe he shouldn't think of it like that... |
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Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 1:09 pm
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Esona licked her lips and watched Jeshi as he spoke. It was amusing to think he had stood guard, serious and stern, not a few weeks ago over a baby bunny, and now here he was, shy and sweet. She liked his two sides, if she had to be honest. Esona wasn't the type of lioness to get pushed around, of course, but having a strong male to stand up for her was always something that had made her go weak in the knees. The fact that Jeshi was both strong and sweet was perfection.
"How about annoying?" she said with a snort of laughter. Wanting to let him know she was just joking, she leaned in and pressed her head against his fluffy mane, rubbing just a bit against his neck. "Oh, I don't know...she's tiny, right? And she was lucky to escape with her life...maybe something like that...Nafasi might be nice." Chance, since it was chance that Jeshi had found her and taken her instead of eating her.
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 6:06 pm
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"Annoying?"
He frowned at the joke, as if considering it a real suggestion. He did realize she was kidding quickly enough but he did not manage to stop himself from repeating it. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head in a hopefully exaggerated way, to make it look like he had been joking right back. Nice safe.
"Nafasi sounds very nice," he said, thinking it over. It seemed to fit the little bunny, whose fur was taking a green color now that she was getting older and her permanent fur was growing in. She had been a random chance for him, but not just because he had saved her and given her another chance at... surviving. Rather, she had given him a chance at something he had not even been looking for.
He smiled a Esona, long, soft wisps of his mane falling in front of his face in a messy, but fluffy, way. He looked young, which he technically was, still growing into the role he was trying to build for himself.
Taking a breath, he decided to take a plunge and moved forward, bumping his head lightly against hers and giving her an affection nuzzle.
"I'm really glad I met you, Esona," he said, sheepishly. |
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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:48 pm
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"Then Nafasi she shall be," Esona said with a nod. It was a nice name if she did say so herself, and the fact that she had thought it up didn't have anything to do with it. Or so she would say.
As Jeshi smiled at her, her outgoing nature shrunk back just a bit. The way his mane was flopping in front of his eyes and the look on his face were a one-two combo hit straight to her gut. Dang it...why did he have to be so handsome! His words and the nuzzle that went with them were the final straw, though. She knew she had him right where she wanted him now!
"Aw...you're so sweet, Jeshi," she said, her normally loud and boisterous voice soft for once. "I'm really glad I met you, too." She remained in the position they had taken for just a bit before leaning up to lick his cheek, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Come on, let's go exploring! I heard there's some interesting things to see in the little caves at the base of pride rock. Old bones and sometimes little creatures make their homes there. Maybe we can find more bunnies for you." With that she hopped up and darted off through the grass, knowing the male would follow. Yes, this was the start of something very, very good. Who would have thought a little bunny would bring two lions together?
FIN
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