Zarie relaxed her breathing, her posture non threatening as she awaited Khalima to give her a head to toe look over, she knew she was being scrutinized and would be until Khalima was done "entertaining" herself. She knew how wiley this female was. She had to be for those under her protection needed her.
Her father had warned her in advance about how Khalima would be, her words, her movements, her mind game if she chose to do that. Khalima was the protector of those thrown away, discarded and thought to be worthless. She was fiercely protective of each and every creature in her lands and those who dared to tread here was either an ally or an enemy. Zarie wanted to be an ally, she was once a cub here being protected by Khalima and the Jungle.
She took in the dark earthy scent and relaxed fully, she felt free. Her mind was clear as if she just had renewed herself in some way.
The words floated to her on the humid slight breeze and Zarie tilted her head and let the words sink in before she spoke.
The question rung in her ears, she was very young when she was here. She did have fleeting memories of the dark, the hard, dank earth she felt as she ran in the jungle, the sounds, the silence whenever Khalima was about and most of all her roar.
Looking directly into those memorizing green eyes she answered as honestly as she could "I have fleeting memories of this place and you. The feel of the hard, dank earth beneath my feet, the smell of the air and how it differs in certain parts of the jungle, the sounds and most frightening your roar: she finished in a rush. "My memories those I can recall are precious to me, my adoptive parents never tried to make me forget my time here, but embrace it as I was one of the lucky ones. I was saved then adopted."
Nefarious Muse
Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2025 7:23 pm
Nefarious Muse
Khalima could feel something... Something familiar in the roars she heard from what sounded like a male lion headed her way, but she didn't quite know why. His voice was not familiar and he was not close enough for his scent to reach through the thick and heavy air. His travels had brought his big paws to familiar ground finally, the clearing opened up it's dark maw before him and there sat Kahlima wearing her rich green shawl. SHe was.. a rather small Lioness, The Emerald shimmered in the dim light that was upon her clasp, the same defused light he possibly could remember, now he knows why she blended so well. Those striking green eyes started at him, almost like looking at a ghost... Ghost...His colorations strike the clear memory of his mother Serket, the one who walks with ghosts, Serket the Pale. Strange how unpredictable Khalima can be and never stops surprising others, she recalls her little nickname she had for the once nosy little cub and that is how she addresses him still. Her voice is scratchy but.. Excited? "Daark Waterssz? Well if it isn't the nosy little scamp I cared for moons ago! By the Kingszs you have grown! Taaallll like the trees! How is the little Ghost? uhrm... Serket I believe." She actually for once used someones name, but isn't likely to use it again. She was proud of that frail white lioness that came to her for a cub, what felt like ages ago, she was impressed by the lion he had became. Now to see what kind of lion he truly was, now to see his heart and why he is here.
As the clearing opened up before him, he could see, finally, the owner of that other roar. It was Kahlima, and it would seem that some of his memory flashed before him. Her huge paws, her long and winding tail. Her ears, so difficult to reach (and then tug at as cubs often do). But wait, this was a different lion. Where was she. Tau looked around him, peeking under large leaves, around tree branches, fallen logs. "Where is she? Where is Kahlima. I have come to see her."
Dark Waters. He remembered that name! And spoken in a familiar voice. He stared at her blankly for a moment. It really was her! "You're so small. Like my mother is small. She used to be huge like you used to be huge." Perhaps he wasn't the sharpest thorn on the rose, but at least he caught on quickly. Sort of.
He drove right into his purpose: "I am here to adopt a cub, just as my mother Serket did for me."
Zarie relaxed her breathing, her posture non threatening as she awaited Khalima to give her a head to toe look over, she knew she was being scrutinized and would be until Khalima was done "entertaining" herself. She knew how wiley this female was. She had to be for those under her protection needed her.
Her father had warned her in advance about how Khalima would be, her words, her movements, her mind game if she chose to do that. Khalima was the protector of those thrown away, discarded and thought to be worthless. She was fiercely protective of each and every creature in her lands and those who dared to tread here was either an ally or an enemy. Zarie wanted to be an ally, she was once a cub here being protected by Khalima and the Jungle.
She took in the dark earthy scent and relaxed fully, she felt free. Her mind was clear as if she just had renewed herself in some way.
The words floated to her on the humid slight breeze and Zarie tilted her head and let the words sink in before she spoke.
The question rung in her ears, she was very young when she was here. She did have fleeting memories of the dark, the hard, dank earth she felt as she ran in the jungle, the sounds, the silence whenever Khalima was about and most of all her roar.
Looking directly into those memorizing green eyes she answered as honestly as she could "I have fleeting memories of this place and you. The feel of the hard, dank earth beneath my feet, the smell of the air and how it differs in certain parts of the jungle, the sounds and most frightening your roar: she finished in a rush. "My memories those I can recall are precious to me, my adoptive parents never tried to make me forget my time here, but embrace it as I was one of the lucky ones. I was saved then adopted."
Khalima smiled, albeit bitter sweetly, but then again Small Story was very young while she was in Khalimas care, but at least she remembered some things. She stopped in front of the lines before her with a pleased expression, very approving of what she sees within Her and how healthy she was to boot. Khalima smiles up at her, something allot more relaxed, though her eyes seem so wild looking in color and shape, there wasn’t any tension in their green depths, she had made her decision. With a rattling tone she spoke “ it is good this one remembers some of her tiiime here, the Jungle of Secrets knows Small Story, knows those paws and will offer a path to them more than others. As for this one having a cub, I would be deeeelighted to see you take one home. This one is not only fit in body , but Small Story’s mind and heart are good, strong and this one has grown to be a smart young lioness no less! “Khalima bowed her head a moment , then lifted to back up, looking upward at Zaire.” Now one must take the oath! Before me and the eyes of the Jungle, this one must swear to provide for and to protect the cub. To never abandon the cub, and to teach it to value life, to teach it of the circle of life and its place within. Never try to bring the cub back here to me later, unless it’s just for a visit, otherwise I will let the jungle feed.” With that see waits for her oath, a deeply eerie silence had fallen through the jungle, even clear out to where her father stood. He heard the jungle go completely silent. Not a single scratch, scurry, or grunt could be heard not anywhere. They are too familiar of the jungle, holding its breath, silencing it inhabitants with some strange invisible force, it’s always strangely mystical the way the jungle response to Khalima.. or is it just Khalima responding to the jungle? Two small sets of eyes, one set blue like deep water, the other set more green tinted watched them cautiously and curiously, small rustles moving closer to them are the only sounds left with flashes of black and white, dark periwinkle and bright aquamarine, barely visible under the ferns just behind Khalima.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2025 5:42 am
Melomar
As the clearing opened up before him, he could see, finally, the owner of that other roar. It was Kahlima, and it would seem that some of his memory flashed before him. Her huge paws, her long and winding tail. Her ears, so difficult to reach (and then tug at as cubs often do). But wait, this was a different lion. Where was she. Tau looked around him, peeking under large leaves, around tree branches, fallen logs. "Where is she? Where is Kahlima. I have come to see her."
Dark Waters. He remembered that name! And spoken in a familiar voice. He stared at her blankly for a moment. It really was her! "You're so small. Like my mother is small. She used to be huge like you used to be huge." Perhaps he wasn't the sharpest thorn on the rose, but at least he caught on quickly. Sort of.
He drove right into his purpose: "I am here to adopt a cub, just as my mother Serket did for me."
Tau didn't speak of how his mother was, only that he was following in her pawprints, and coming for a cub of his own. He seemed bewildered by her size enough to not seem to realize he was asked a question, it made Khalima chuckle at his somewhat thick-headedness, especially with the way he didn't fully recognize her at first and how he peered around as if looking for her still. " Hahahahahaa! Yeeess I am small, and so is The Pale, but we both were once bigger than Dark Waters some time ago." Her voice was jagged and to some, grating, just as he remembered, with that same strange draw. She stood and walked closer to him, her shoulder blades rolling under her spotted pelt and somehow her green shawl never hangs on anything. She smoothly walked right up to him,Honestly a bit smaller than his mother but not by much. Her deeply herbal scent slipping through the dense air like a whisper from the past, Her green gaze staring up into his eyes with a strangeness like they look deeper than just what others see on the surface. She was fit but lean, some would say a bit too lean but her compact size carries it a little less noticeably. "A cub is it then? Dark Waters was a nosey little creature as a cub, always disobeying me." She smirked playfully and continued " Tell meeeee, did The Pale teach this one of the Circle of Life?"
The air was eerily still and felt heavy all around her. The words Khalima had spoked washed over her. She had a sudden recollection of similar words spoken to her adoptive father when he was here.
Realizing Khalima had asked her to take the oath. The words were spoken with deliberate care as to make sure Zarie understood each one. The words rattled around in her ears and head for a few moments before she found the voice to speak.
"I hear the words you have spoken, the oath of the jungle shall be agreed to and obeyed. I will not abandon the precious cub, I will care and love it with everything I have, it will know what a family is. My parents taught me everything I needed to know and now I will pass that knowledge down to another". "My word is my oath and my oath is my words" "I understand the implications if I break them" "I will not return with the cub unless dire circumstances call for it" with that she finished speaking.
Zarie had picked up on the silence it was eerie and quite frankly intimidating in alot of ways. She cautiously took a quick glance around, not wanting to offend Khalima but she needed to be sure nothing was near that shouldn't be. She trusted Khalima and respected her but she wanted to check for herself. Sniffing cautiously as her eyes scanned the jungle, some areas were darker then others. She swore she spotted eyes of differing colors not to far off from where she stood but she knew better then to let her eyes linger there. Khalima may be offended so she moved her gaze onward until she came full circle and was back to looking at Khalima.
Nefarious Muse
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2025 1:01 pm
irishgirl1017
The air was eerily still and felt heavy all around her. The words Khalima had spoked washed over her. She had a sudden recollection of similar words spoken to her adoptive father when he was here.
Realizing Khalima had asked her to take the oath. The words were spoken with deliberate care as to make sure Zarie understood each one. The words rattled around in her ears and head for a few moments before she found the voice to speak.
"I hear the words you have spoken, the oath of the jungle shall be agreed to and obeyed. I will not abandon the precious cub, I will care and love it with everything I have, it will know what a family is. My parents taught me everything I needed to know and now I will pass that knowledge down to another". "My word is my oath and my oath is my words" "I understand the implications if I break them" "I will not return with the cub unless dire circumstances call for it" with that she finished speaking.
Zarie had picked up on the silence it was eerie and quite frankly intimidating in alot of ways. She cautiously took a quick glance around, not wanting to offend Khalima but she needed to be sure nothing was near that shouldn't be. She trusted Khalima and respected her but she wanted to check for herself. Sniffing cautiously as her eyes scanned the jungle, some areas were darker then others. She swore she spotted eyes of differing colors not to far off from where she stood but she knew better then to let her eyes linger there. Khalima may be offended so she moved her gaze onward until she came full circle and was back to looking at Khalima.
Khalima tilted her speckled head, one eye brow quirked at the part "I will not return with the cub unless dire circumstances call for it" That Zarie had spoken. Khalima stood and leaned forward, rubbing her exotic face on the lioness' chest after she was done checking their surroundings again, however the Jungle stayed quiet still, Khalima turned away and spoke, her tone sharper. "Theeere are no dire circumstances, other than a visit, which I do not see lions usually do, Any attempt to bring them back will put them in even mooore Dire Circumstancessss... Do not misunderstand that., for I will leave them to the Jungle." With that she turned away and Strolled past the ferns where the cubs hid. twin boys didn't need Khalima to do anything to make them move. The twins came bounding out in unisen to their new mother's feet without hesitation. Khalima's final words were all that was left of her here now as she slipped away... somewhere... "Congratulations, Small Story is noooww a mother." The words slowly faded away into a Jungle that began to Irrupt with sound, birds of all sorts of colors and tongues and insects lit the Jungle up to life as though it had never been silenced.
Tau didn't speak of how his mother was, only that he was following in her pawprints, and coming for a cub of his own. He seemed bewildered by her size enough to not seem to realize he was asked a question, it made Khalima chuckle at his somewhat thick-headedness, especially with the way he didn't fully recognize her at first and how he peered around as if looking for her still. " Hahahahahaa! Yeeess I am small, and so is The Pale, but we both were once bigger than Dark Waters some time ago." Her voice was jagged and to some, grating, just as he remembered, with that same strange draw. She stood and walked closer to him, her shoulder blades rolling under her spotted pelt and somehow her green shawl never hangs on anything. She smoothly walked right up to him,Honestly a bit smaller than his mother but not by much. Her deeply herbal scent slipping through the dense air like a whisper from the past, Her green gaze staring up into his eyes with a strangeness like they look deeper than just what others see on the surface. She was fit but lean, some would say a bit too lean but her compact size carries it a little less noticeably. "A cub is it then? Dark Waters was a nosey little creature as a cub, always disobeying me." She smirked playfully and continued " Tell meeeee, did The Pale teach this one of the Circle of Life?"
Hearing Khalima's laughter, her herbal scent, her sleek movements, her grating voice. His NAME. Dark Waters. Serket never knew that name, so she named him something new to go with his new life. All these things felt like home. He had spent most of his life with Serket, but a long time with Khalima as well. It gave him a cozy feeling even though he had lived in such a dangerous place as a cub. He wore a (probably stupid) smile.
"The world is still full of new things to learn. New things to see and do. Mother, The Pale, taught me many things about the Bright World. She taught me about the Circle of Life, and more." She taught him that Death is only one end, and a beginning of a something New. Did Khalima know of it? He did have much more to learn about this Other, mostly because he did not see all that Serket saw. "Perhaps another cub could learn about After Death. I understand enough of what it means to die. But I do not understand the spirit and other things I cannot see."
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:49 am
Melomar
Hearing Khalima's laughter, her herbal scent, her sleek movements, her grating voice. His NAME. Dark Waters. Serket never knew that name, so she named him something new to go with his new life. All these things felt like home. He had spent most of his life with Serket, but a long time with Khalima as well. It gave him a cozy feeling even though he had lived in such a dangerous place as a cub. He wore a (probably stupid) smile.
"The world is still full of new things to learn. New things to see and do. Mother, The Pale, taught me many things about the Bright World. She taught me about the Circle of Life, and more." She taught him that Death is only one end, and a beginning of a something New. Did Khalima know of it? He did have much more to learn about this Other, mostly because he did not see all that Serket saw. "Perhaps another cub could learn about After Death. I understand enough of what it means to die. But I do not understand the spirit and other things I cannot see."
To see what is unseen, it is the foundation of Khalima's path and something that she too learns every day. She walks a thin line between life and death quite often, many of the herbs she chews and deals with are poisonous at first and some would say that it has warped her mind, but Those that know her, know better. She sat in front of him, still looking up at him with those piercing green orbs and started to speak again. "The unseen is still veeerrryy mysterious, but The Pale sees some of what I seeeee. After death, some walk the lands, some go to where the Great Kings of the past hunt, then... There are the daaarrrkkk oonneeesss.. I have spent most of my life edging death and crossing it's path and Dark Waterszsz' mother is correct, it is all a steady journey, not the end, just unknown. It has been a long time sense I found this one, washed up half drown on a river bank unconscious... Dark Waters has brushed shoulders with death himself as a cub, sooo very young, one of the youngest I had taken in. As this one grows older, the Spirit will make more and more sense. " She gets a strange smile up at him, his goofy smile makes her smile and she doesn't exactly know why, perhaps it is one of his gifts, his ability to spread happiness. She reaches up a small paw and puts it in the middle of his mane covered chest, no claws, just pad "That is if he stills himself and looks for the answers." She smirks playfully " iiiff he can." She adds, making a comment at his goofy side, still a big cub in her eyes and may always will be. Her presence feels so calm, and even the Jungle feels calm around them, though little silvery moths have fluttered about them, dancing in the air with shimmering wings in the dark.
To see what is unseen, it is the foundation of Khalima's path and something that she too learns every day. She walks a thin line between life and death quite often, many of the herbs she chews and deals with are poisonous at first and some would say that it has warped her mind, but Those that know her, know better. She sat in front of him, still looking up at him with those piercing green orbs and started to speak again. "The unseen is still veeerrryy mysterious, but The Pale sees some of what I seeeee. After death, some walk the lands, some go to where the Great Kings of the past hunt, then... There are the daaarrrkkk oonneeesss.. I have spent most of my life edging death and crossing it's path and Dark Waterszsz' mother is correct, it is all a steady journey, not the end, just unknown. It has been a long time sense I found this one, washed up half drown on a river bank unconscious... Dark Waters has brushed shoulders with death himself as a cub, sooo very young, one of the youngest I had taken in. As this one grows older, the Spirit will make more and more sense. " She gets a strange smile up at him, his goofy smile makes her smile and she doesn't exactly know why, perhaps it is one of his gifts, his ability to spread happiness. She reaches up a small paw and puts it in the middle of his mane covered chest, no claws, just pad "That is if he stills himself and looks for the answers." She smirks playfully " iiiff he can." She adds, making a comment at his goofy side, still a big cub in her eyes and may always will be. Her presence feels so calm, and even the Jungle feels calm around them, though little silvery moths have fluttered about them, dancing in the air with shimmering wings in the dark.
These lionesses certainly walked a path so close to death. Serket the Pale had told him many times that he needed to calm his mind and his heart to see, feel and even speak with those who had Crossed Over. It was not something he was good at. There were just so many things to investigate. But as an adult, he was expected to Know Things and behave with Dignity. He did not believe he could learn it. Serket knew it, Khalima knew it. But he... usually he started out looking dignified and confident, then something would distract him, like those moths circling Khalima and Tau right now. He swatted at one (and playfully missed) before catching himself, and Khalima's paw upon his chest. It anchored him.
Tau listened as Khalima told him about his brush with death. Had she spoken about it before? Perhaps if he had seen Death as a cub he should have seen those spirits, right? Perhaps they were those things at the edges of his vision, dark smoky things that could have been lions. "Maybe I have seen them. But it is not clear to me." And how could he say that they gave him a shiver and a quiet terror that he tried to shrug away. "I think I can do that! No, I know I can."
He should ask Khalima. He should not wait. "I have seen things," he admitted, feeling some sense of guilt. "But I was afraid to look at them."
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 4:37 am
Melomar
These lionesses certainly walked a path so close to death. Serket the Pale had told him many times that he needed to calm his mind and his heart to see, feel and even speak with those who had Crossed Over. It was not something he was good at. There were just so many things to investigate. But as an adult, he was expected to Know Things and behave with Dignity. He did not believe he could learn it. Serket knew it, Khalima knew it. But he... usually he started out looking dignified and confident, then something would distract him, like those moths circling Khalima and Tau right now. He swatted at one (and playfully missed) before catching himself, and Khalima's paw upon his chest. It anchored him.
Tau listened as Khalima told him about his brush with death. Had she spoken about it before? Perhaps if he had seen Death as a cub he should have seen those spirits, right? Perhaps they were those things at the edges of his vision, dark smoky things that could have been lions. "Maybe I have seen them. But it is not clear to me." And how could he say that they gave him a shiver and a quiet terror that he tried to shrug away. "I think I can do that! No, I know I can."
He should ask Khalima. He should not wait. "I have seen things," he admitted, feeling some sense of guilt. "But I was afraid to look at them."
She watched him with a never ending patience as he pawed at moths then refocused, her gaze was an unwavering sea of piercing green that almost seemed to glow against the shroud of darkness that surrounded them. When he admitted he can in fact see things or has, and that he was afraid of them she lowered her paw slowly, allowing the thick locks of his mane to run between her toes as she kept that so very insightful gaze up at him. " It is understandable to be afraid of what can be seeeen. It is different for every lion, some seee more of the light, others catch glimpses of the daarrrkk ones on the edge of vision, or the moment just before sleep. If Dark Waters fears them, they must be dark onesss. This one has a good reason to have a fear for them, they usuuaaalllyy belong to lions who have had.... an unclean death or an unclean liiffee, thus they themselves aaarree... unclean... Dark Waters is still young, and distractions are going to happen... but... If this one wants me to teach, seek me out in the roguelands around the Boabab trees, and I will try to help guide." She tilts her head, a small smile curling her muzzle and her gaze releasing its coils on what she sees within him, to be more lucid to what is in from of her. She saw a good heart in him, she sees strength and no small amount of dedication. He would raise a fine cub, even if it's path veered away from Serket's and her own. "So... now to talk about a cub, Dark waters would make an good father, perhaps it will help this one land a girlfriend " She said wryly, a little twinkle of fun in those wild eyes. The Jungle grew dead quiet all the sudden, even if she didn't act like anything had changed, it did. The only sound was the slow creeping of something in the brush near by, shrouded colors of slate blues and whites. "This one must take an oath before me and the watchful eyes of the Jungle of Seecrets, just as The Pale had before you. This One must protect and provide for the cub. Must nneeevveerr abandon the cub and to teach it of the Circle of Life, to appreciate it's place in it. To value life... and death. Dark Waters must not try to bring the cub back to me unless its just to visit, for if he does, he seals it's place in the Circle of Life and I will let the jungle have it." She stares up at him, much more serious than before and there is a twisted truth in her words.
She watched him with a never ending patience as he pawed at moths then refocused, her gaze was an unwavering sea of piercing green that almost seemed to glow against the shroud of darkness that surrounded them. When he admitted he can in fact see things or has, and that he was afraid of them she lowered her paw slowly, allowing the thick locks of his mane to run between her toes as she kept that so very insightful gaze up at him. " It is understandable to be afraid of what can be seeeen. It is different for every lion, some seee more of the light, others catch glimpses of the daarrrkk ones on the edge of vision, or the moment just before sleep. If Dark Waters fears them, they must be dark onesss. This one has a good reason to have a fear for them, they usuuaaalllyy belong to lions who have had.... an unclean death or an unclean liiffee, thus they themselves aaarree... unclean... Dark Waters is still young, and distractions are going to happen... but... If this one wants me to teach, seek me out in the roguelands around the Boabab trees, and I will try to help guide." She tilts her head, a small smile curling her muzzle and her gaze releasing its coils on what she sees within him, to be more lucid to what is in from of her. She saw a good heart in him, she sees strength and no small amount of dedication. He would raise a fine cub, even if it's path veered away from Serket's and her own. "So... now to talk about a cub, Dark waters would make an good father, perhaps it will help this one land a girlfriend " She said wryly, a little twinkle of fun in those wild eyes. The Jungle grew dead quiet all the sudden, even if she didn't act like anything had changed, it did. The only sound was the slow creeping of something in the brush near by, shrouded colors of slate blues and whites. "This one must take an oath before me and the watchful eyes of the Jungle of Seecrets, just as The Pale had before you. This One must protect and provide for the cub. Must nneeevveerr abandon the cub and to teach it of the Circle of Life, to appreciate it's place in it. To value life... and death. Dark Waters must not try to bring the cub back to me unless its just to visit, for if he does, he seals it's place in the Circle of Life and I will let the jungle have it." She stares up at him, much more serious than before and there is a twisted truth in her words.
He wasn't sure what he had expected Khalima to say or do when he admitted his fear. Shame was a very private feeling for him and she said he was right to be afraid of the Dark Ones. "Unclean..." He mulled that over just long enough to hear her offer to teach. If what he saw was real, then he had a duty to do what he can do for them, for the better. Right? Or perhaps that was just a naive way to think and messing with them would bring him nothing but horror. "I think I will take you up on that offer. I do not wish to do harm to the cub, though. So if seeking you out will destroy my family, I will have to decline."
The subject of the cub returned to their reunion's conversation. The cub. This was what he came for. And who he came for. And a girlfriend--! His goofy smile and his blush at the mere thought preceded a shake of the head. "I hadn't. Hadn't thought of that."
He heard a rustle in the underbrush. It was so faint that it came down to a vibration in the air rippling across his back and spine. Step by step.
Did Serket promise never to bring Dark Waters back to the jungle? Would Khalima have left him for dead, then? What about the time she saved him? Did that mean nothing after all? But it never happened. Khalima had not needed to fulfil her part of the oath. "I would rather starve than allow harm or hunger to befall this cub. I will not abandon, nor return the cub back to you." His eyes are deep and serious, more serious than he has ever been, perhaps.
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 3:40 pm
Melomar
He wasn't sure what he had expected Khalima to say or do when he admitted his fear. Shame was a very private feeling for him and she said he was right to be afraid of the Dark Ones. "Unclean..." He mulled that over just long enough to hear her offer to teach. If what he saw was real, then he had a duty to do what he can do for them, for the better. Right? Or perhaps that was just a naive way to think and messing with them would bring him nothing but horror. "I think I will take you up on that offer. I do not wish to do harm to the cub, though. So if seeking you out will destroy my family, I will have to decline."
The subject of the cub returned to their reunion's conversation. The cub. This was what he came for. And who he came for. And a girlfriend--! His goofy smile and his blush at the mere thought preceded a shake of the head. "I hadn't. Hadn't thought of that."
He heard a rustle in the underbrush. It was so faint that it came down to a vibration in the air rippling across his back and spine. Step by step.
Did Serket promise never to bring Dark Waters back to the jungle? Would Khalima have left him for dead, then? What about the time she saved him? Did that mean nothing after all? But it never happened. Khalima had not needed to fulfil her part of the oath. "I would rather starve than allow harm or hunger to befall this cub. I will not abandon, nor return the cub back to you." His eyes are deep and serious, more serious than he has ever been, perhaps.
With all due respect, most do not know what Khalima will say, pretty much ever. She is so cryptic and speaks so strangely and is so unpredictable that it is no surprise. She untilted her head with a small smile " Nooo, getting lessons will not break this ones family, he also has The Pale to look after the cub for a lesson here and there. but I understand. Dark Waters knows where to find old Khalima."
She paused, he began to blush at the mention of a Girlfriend, it made her grin a most wild looking and entertained smile across her maw. He would make a good protector once he wasn't so green, and this cub would hopefully help him keep growing as a lion. He Began his oath after thinking a moment, about what she didn't know but she figures it was possibly about his very own adoption or her choice of words. Many find it hard to believe that she would save cubs just to let them die if they were brought back later, but then again many would believe it, she did come across with something dark about her. His oath was good, even if his air headedness did miss the Circle of life part, but Serket will more than likely take care of it. She looked up at him and chuckled out rigid words " Congraaaatulations, Dark Waters is now a faaaather. " The Jungle eased back into sounds, monkeys howled and birds sang in the canopy and the moths scattered away with little glints of light off of their wings in the spotty shadows. Khalima turned away and began to leave at the same time a female cub ran/tripped/fell out of the brush right next to them, plopping right in front of Tau's big strong paws. Khalima used the distraction to slip away like a spirit in this deep and humid jungle of green.
