[PRP] Under Your Skin [Bjort x Heldig]

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

In the dark, the lion's form was practically invisible. If it weren't for the splash of color on his chest and the whites of his eyes and his toothy smile, it would be near impossible to pick out Bjort's form as he made his way back from the forests towards the dens. It was an unexpectedly clear evening, the stars starting to brighten in the darkening sky. The lion figured it to be a fine evening to a stroll; he was most apt to the night and found an excursion under the starts to be quite relaxing.

It had been a while, now, since Bjort had won his way into the Stormborn ranks. The lion had done well enough to settle into the pride. It was a fine enough place to call a home. Sure, other pridemembers could be a little rough around the edges, but there was some sort of appeal about that.

A hum left the lion's shut jaw as he made his way through and around the living quarters, headed towards the cliffs. Bright eyes scanned the area, making eye contact with everyone he passed, greeting them with a smile and a bob of the head. Bjort may have been considered rather peculiar, with a bit too much pep in his step, but her certainly didn't seem to mind.  

[bipolar bee]

Heldig loved the cliffs. She went there near nightly, just so that the moon (or the sun, when she visited during the day) could gleam off of her rich chocolate pelt - just so. Or show off her pretty eyes, either by starlight or sunlight. She really was one of the most beautiful lionesses in the pride, no matter what anyone else might say, and if there was one thing that Heldig knew how to do perfectly, it was arranging herself prettily so that she might show off her best features.

All of her features were her best features, and so such a task was not a simple one.

It was good practice, then, and wise of her to spend as much time as she could practicing.

Practice, after all, makes perfect.  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

The gleam of the chocolatey brown color caught the lion's eye. Bjort recalled seeing the lioness around here, before. He had spotted her on occasion by the cliffs around this time, though never really approached. But it was a quiet day and he hadn't had the pleasure of company yet, and she happened to be directly in his path...

There was a bounce in his step as he approached the lioness. "Good evening!" he called once he was in hearing distance. If he was going to be met with the typical gruffness of the pride, then he didn't seem at all prepared. She seemed nice enough (though admittedly he had never spoken to her or seen her do anything other than stand), but what could possibly go wrong?

Bjort didn't stop moving after he became within hearing distance. The gap closed, and it wasn't until the distance between them was one typical of people to actually knew each other that his happy steps came to a stop.  

[bipolar bee]

oo DeD

Ugh, that one.

"You're blocking the starlight from shining on my fur," Heldig grumbled in accusation, sending Bjort A Look from the corner of her eye. He'd gotten entirely too close, and it was irritating Heldig almost as much as the fact that he was blocking the light of the stars from gleaming down upon her most magnificent pelt.

"It would be a good evening if you would be so kind as to step back." Heldig snorted softly.

"What are you even doing out here on the cliffs, bothering me," Heldig continued to fuss. She was being a little rude, and she knew it; it would be difficult to find a husband acting like she was. Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the pride, but at this point Heldig couldn't be bothered to care.  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

...oh.

Bjort's ears flicked backwards at the gruff welcome that the lioness gave. He wasn't expecting this. His brow furrowed and his expression was verging on something that resembled a pout. The lion took a few awkward steps back from her, his head drooping a little. The spring had very clearly left his step.

"I, uhm." His nose wrinkled and he shook his head. It took a minute of the awkward fumbling before he perked right back up. Like a giant, fluffy, bouncy punching bag. The smile perked back on his features. "You just looked so lovely in the light. I just thought I would come say hello! I've seen you around here, before. But I've never really come to say hi."

The lion glanced back over his shoulder, looking thoughtfully back at the living quarters for a brief moment. This one had a big family in the pride, he believed. He had been warned of the attitude of some of the old blood. But it didn't seem to bring him down any.  

[bipolar bee]

oo DeD

Oh.

Well then.

"You think I'm lovely, do you?" Heldig's tone had taken a complete one-eighty, and she very blatantly preened before Bjort. Her tail gave a coquettish flick, and her lashes fluttered like a dying butterfly. A very painfully dying butterfly.

Brutally painful. Almost looked like she had something in her eyes.

"I've never seen you before, handsome," the rainbow crap all over him wasn't really handsome, but he was paying attention to her, and Heldig would take it. His flattery was nice, and he had a welcoming smile, and that was good enough.

For now.

"What's your name? I'm Heldig, daughter of Tazira, and niece of Taraxa the Reaver."

It was important to mention.  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

"Well, uh, yes! I do!"

What was he getting himself into. Bjort raised his eyebrows at her with a smile. His tail brushed and his nose twitched when she called him handsome. No one had said that, before. So this one was rather nice, it turned out. The lion brightened. "Why yes, you look very nice in the moonlight, you know." He had suspicions that she knew.

Taraxa, so that was the relative. He did sound familiar, yes. "My name is Bjort. The pleasure is mine, miss Heldig!" His tail waved back and forth, like an excited cub. "Do you come out here often, to the cliffs?" He knew the answer, but found himself asking anyways.  

[bipolar bee]

oo DeD

Well, he wasn't particularly handsome, really, and he didn't seem as intelligent as she'd have liked - nor was he old blood, but she was getting older and she would be Gods damned if she'd let Dyrebar marry before she did. Well, maybe not even marry. She'd be Gods damned if she let Dyrebar have cubs before she did.

"Of course I do, Bjort," her tone intimated that she thought him rather stupid for even asking, despite the musical quality of her voice. "It is the best place to show off my beautiful pelt and lovely eyes, wouldn't you agree?"

He'd better agree. If he didn't, she'd pop him in the face or push him off the Gods damned cliff.

"Do you know Dyrebar, Bjort?"  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

"Yes, yes of course I agree! Though, uh, your pelt would be beautiful no matter where it was shown off!" Flattery certainly wasn't his thing.

Bjort's ears pinned back. A smile stayed on his face, though he couldn't help feeling like he was just saying what he had to. But still, he didn't want to make her feel bad, or anything. And she probably had pretty good intentions. He couldn't imagine how she could not.

But then again, he had been called a fool on more than one occasion, now.

"Dy...rebar. Uh, no, I can't say I have." His brow furrowed and he lowered his head again. "Should I?" Bjort couldn't help feeling as though he was getting in to something bigger than he expected.  

[bipolar bee]

oo DeDx

Heldig preened more, if that were even possible, and pinned her ears back at the talk of Dyrebar.

"No. She is awful and terrible, and should I ever see you talking with her I will never forgive you. Never. She is a witch," Heldig was being blatant about the lies she was telling at that point, but she didn't care. She'd finally found a male that thought her lovely and was bold enough to speak words of flattery, and there was no way she was giving that up.

"I like feathers," Heldig continued abruptly, "and hares for breakfast. Flowers, too, though not too many or else I cannot stop sneezing."  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

"R...ight.... Yeah, uh, okay." Bjort followed after the lioness finished. How she managed to do that in one breath was beyond him. He furrowed his brow at her words, trying to pick out what exactly she was trying to do. Talking foul of another lioness, telling her about breakfast?

What, exactly, had he gotten himself into?

Bjort leaned in a little, his nose wrinkled and a look that almost seemed like concern playing on his face. His voice dropped to a murmur. "I hope you don't mind my asking, miss Heldig, but what exactly is going on, here...?"  

[bipolar bee]

oo DeD

Heldig looked a little incredulous, a little offended.

"Why, you're my suitor, aren't you? You'll be courting me? I'm only telling you the things I like, so you don't bring me things I don't fancy."

She gave a little sniff and immediately continued.

"I like pelts and necklaces, pretty rocks and also fish. If you truly wish to win my affections, you'll bring me a God, but I won't think less of you if you can't," Heldig added graciously.  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

..Courting?

Admittedly, that wasn't Bjort's first intention (he wasn't sure it even made the list, as far as intentions go...) but something told him that he'd might as well be tossed over the cliff side if he were to tell the lioness such. So... courting it was. The dark lion gave a small cough and shuffled his paws in the dirt, an action hidden in the blanket of night.

"Appropriately extravagant tastes, I see." He tried his best to be suave, but he was no natural. He hoped it wouldn't matter, too much. Heldig seemed occupied enough with herself. "I will keep your preferences in mind for future gifts, miss Heldig." Bjort puffed out his chest, despite himself.
 

[bipolar bee]

oo DeD

Yes. Yes, he might just work. If he wasn't a great reaver or a captain, surely he could be trained to be. It was a task that Heldig was quite prepared for. It would be good to get her paws dirty, really. He would make a suitable husband, even if he wasn't the most handsome of lions. He was handsome enough.

"Very wise of you, Bjort," Heldig purred, reaching out with a paw to fluff his mane coquettishly. He wasn't the suavest lion, or the most gallant, but he had potential.

"Now, won't you walk me back to my den, then?"  

[oo Ded]

pinchmonster

Bjort let his ears perk and his brow raise when her paw met his mane, his head lowering in a subconscious movement to allow her to do so. He hadn't realized that Stormborn women could be so... forward. Really, the lion thought inwardly, he should have realized. "Oh, of course, my lady."

His nose crinkled and he nodded, his mane puffing around his face. The smile of his teeth shone in the limited light, giving away his position where he would otherwise be difficult to spot.

Still, he couldn't help but feel nervous as he moved awkwardly to walk beside the lioness to her den. The question of what exactly he had gotten himself into lingered through the night.