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 Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:47 pm
Ihlo almost felt guilty for feeling apprehensive, especially when Njozi was a true and honest soul. Deep down, she knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen, but she'd still let fear take over. Not anymore, and never again. Not in Njozi's presence anyway. She returned an earnest smile to him, already less tense and moving gracefully, unhindered by fear, once more.
It wasn't long until curiosity made her movements slower again. Oh, she didn't want to fall too far behind, but at every new turn she just had to look at the surroundings, absorb everything like her mind was a sponge. She'd never been here before. And she wnated to remember it. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the everything. It no longer felt like an unknown forets she was delving into, it was more like some secret passageway to something truly special.
And it was.
Ihlo cocked an eyebrow as she watched Njozi leap through a veritable wall of foliage, chuckling a little to herself, but equally curious. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that hit her. She was stunned into silence for a while, looking around, again and again to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The feathers even fell from her mouth.
"Its...its like the stars...have come down from the Heavens..." she whispered in awe.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:21 pm
The awed look that dawned and spread across the beautiful face of his companion made his own smile deeper, his eyes shining a little brighter for his accomplishment. This had been days in the making, and he had worried over all the little things that could have ruined the surprise. To finally be here, to finally see the joy lingering in the depths of her eyes, was enough to make him feel entirely at peace. He had done something right, he had shown her something that made her happy, and the look on her face was all he really needed in return.
"Fallen stars that have come down to be with the fallen angel," he said quietly, walking forward to stand before the pool and gaze down at the dark reflection of his own form. It was almost a mirror, that still, cool liquid filling the small basin below them. He smiled, turning back to beckon her to come look, while those 'fallen stars' twinkled and danced in their own glory around their pale forms.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:29 pm
Ihlo blushed brightly, and even had to look away a moment to hide the somewhat goofy-but-adorable grin on her maw. Which gave her chance to see more of this secluded piece of heaven. The willow trees softly swaying, and each firefly hovering around, moving like sparkling fluid. Oh how she wanted to catch one! She knew they weren't actual stars, but who cared? This was close as she was gonna get to paradise.
It was throuhg this wonderful curiosity that she caught Njozi's eye and padded over oh-so-softly, fearing that any kind of loud noise would just shatter the serenity.
"This wouldn't be a piece of heaven without a knight in shining armour," she said as she approached him.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:32 pm
As she turned away from him, letting him get only a fraction of a glimpse of the scarlet blush creeping onto her pale cheeks, he couldn't help the small smile that lingered on his handsome facial mask. He had found it rather cute, especially not a reaction he had entirely expected. Still, as she turned away, he looked away as well - not wanting to draw attention to something quite so tender, he certainly didn't want to embarrass her. Instead, he watched the reflection before him, where the dark, deluded images of both their forms stood here side by side - matched to an almost uncanny perfection. The thought made him smile even wider, and his mind lingered in that bliss.
As such, he hadn't noticed Ihlo getting closer to him until she was simply there. He glanced up in time to meet the depths of her beautiful eyes with his own, and instantly felt that vital organ in his chest come to an abrupt halt at the height of it's beat. His voice eluded him, fluttering away from his grasp like a dream - the harder he reached for it, the further it slipped away. Just as well, he supposed, for his breath had lodged itself in the center of his windpipe, refusing to budge for the moment. By the time he regained the function of both, a small silence had risen between them.
"I'm.. not.." he muttered feebly, glancing away suddenly as he realized that for the first time in his life, he was flustered. How was it possible, the great and mighty Njozi, unable to talk properly or even think straight for that matter? He tossed his nearly full-grown mane in an attempt to fill the silence growing between them, but found that it only made his heart pound a bit faster. He thought he almost preferred when it had stopped.
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:08 am
Ihlo was certainly surprised at Njozi's sudden lack of confidence. She'd expected another comment to follow on, whereby he praised himself for this wonderful place he'd just found and fashioned for her. But it was quite amusing to see him struggle for words. Had she humbled him a little?
"Don't be modest," she leaned against him. "Who else would bring the stars from the skies but a shining knight."
She leaned over the pool alittle bit, admiring the way the fire-flies were reflected in its surface. Then, he lightly padded her paw to create ripples, laughing softly as their reflections and those of the fire-flies began to dance on the water's surface.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:58 pm
As she leaned against him, her lithe little form pressed against his larger, bulkier one, he felt his legs begin to morph into some gelatinous goo. He managed to remain upright, though for the moment he was rendered immobile. His eyes widened into large white discs, their centers perfect circles of ruby. He tried once more to speak, but words eluded him, flittering away like butterflies in the wind. It was rather like having an outer body experience - for his mind worked perfectly, and he could sort of see himself, at least enough to yell at himself. You git, he screamed inside his own head, say something back! Of course, the thought was much easier than the actual action, and somewhere between brain function and body movement, it was getting lost in translation.
He opened his mouth, but at first, all he managed to get out was a little splutter. Clearing his throat and shaking his head a little, he glanced back towards her - confident now that he could handle speaking with her. "Maybe we should start heading home now, Ihlo? It's getting late and I don't want to keep you out too long." He smiled, weakly, his heart still hammering out beats at a hundred miles an hour. He glanced back in the direction of the entrance to the hidden little cove, his tail flickering behind him in his nervous little habit. "If you want, I can walk you home?" His eyes glimmered with the reflections of the fireflies, falling down to meet her own in the pool below them.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:17 pm
Poor Njozi. If only she knew how she made him feel. But if she did know, she'd probably fall over herself trying to apologise, maybe not quite sure of her femininity. She was just too innocent for her own good sometimes, totally forgetting she was a grown lioness now. That was part of her charm though, and needless to say, he had a very similar effect on her only she didnt know it.
That fluttery feeling. That exhilirated feeling. The bright-eyed look. She thought it was the beautiful surroundings, that little piece of heaven plucked straight from her dreams. It might take a while to realise it was only felt around Njozi.
Ihlo looked up from their dancing ghosts on the water, giggling as she heard Njozi splutter.
"You didn't swallow a fire-fly, did you?" she teased, gently nudging him with her shoulder.
When he'd composed himself and suggested it was time to go, she seemed a little crushed. Had she done something wrong perhaps? Or maybe it was just getting late? If he was upset, he wouldn't offer to walk her home...
"Oh, okay," she said, sounding a little disappointed, but smiled brightly all the same. "I don't live too far from here."
She waited for him to start moving before she shuffled over to pick up what remained of her feathers.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:23 pm
In time, perhaps Njozi would realize exactly what it was that was beginning to develop in his little heart. The jittery feeling, the inability to talk properly, the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about the pretty angel when she wasn't around. He had never faltered or spluttered with anyone before, not even older lionesses like Ihlo. He couldn't explain it now or even begin to guess what was wrong with him, but sooner or later he was going to have to figure it out. It was really starting to interfere with his duties as Usare'Wasii, and his Bibi would never forgive him if he faltered in those responsibilities when he needed to be diligent.
"I just don't want you out in the middle of the night," he said with a smile, realizing that she suddenly seemed a little disappointed in him. "I mean, as long as I'm with you, I think you'd be OK - but you never know what can happen when you're not expecting it." What he said was the truth, but in such a calm pride, it was very unlikely for something bad to happen. Of course, it was just the beginning of a protectiveness that he hadn't even begun to connect with the adoration forming in his young heart. He probably would have attacked a horde of rabid lions at that point to protect her, but he wouldn't know that until he had looked into what he was feeling properly.
"Well, that's good, it means that you won't have to be out in the middle of the night for very long," he said with a small nod, beginning to walk back towards the area through which they had come. He stopped, though, and glanced back at her with a little smile on his maw. "I'll bring you back, soon, if you want?" He waited, however, for her to start following him again before he leaped through the thin barrier.
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 2:07 pm
The disappointment soon ebbed away to a much warmer feeling inside. It was sweet that he thought so much of her and her safety, and it quickly chased away any fears she had that she might have upset him somehow. She smiled back at him, mouth full of feathers again and padded towards the entrance in his wake.
Ihlo took one last long look over her shoulder at the dreamscape she was leaving behind.
"Oh, you'll definitely have to bring me back," she said with a wistful longing to stay. "I fear you've stolen my herat and put it in this place."
With a soft smile and twinkle in her eye, she walked behind him as they travelled the path back and then walked closely beside him in the coolness of the night, feeling reassured by his warmth, by his breathing, by his presence.
It was a bittersweet parting for her, but as he waved Njozi off before entering her family's den, that childish smile played upon her maw. She was looking forward to seeing him again.
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