Nightime-- again. Funny, she hadn't usually snuck in at night anymore.. But this time she really didn't want to distress anyone. Since she'd agreed to stay, she'd been comming about.. once every two or three days, if only so the 'kids' could get used to her-- after all, she didn't want to barge in on their life! Besides, she had best get used to it too.
But this time she'd stayed away.. 'oddly' long. Actually, she'd perhaps stayed away for two weeks. She hadn't counted the days, though. She'd been thinking. Just thinking. See, that couple of weeks ago, she ran into Khajag. She'd never found the need to mention the lion to anyone-- she'd wanted to forget. It'd been such a turn-pont in her life.. Avani sighed, walking through the swamp and deciding not to go to Gharadi's den right now. They might be asleep.. And if he woke up, he might make a fuss. Along her right shoulderblade and the left side of her neck were.. rather recent claw-marks. Another lovely little memory from her recent meeting with Khajag.
It was strange, though. Looking back on it, he had seemed that he'd honestly been helping her. But no-- he'd decieved her before. She couldn't trust him-- no. Especially not after he'd.. sort of /attacked/ her. Perhaps she'd poked the bear, yes. But how else should she have reacted?!
Looking around the dark swamplands, she managed to find her way to that special place Gharadi had taken her, and with a sigh, plopped herslelf ontop of the pebbles next to the pool. Maybe she'd just.. go find him tomorrow, or something.
Gharadi had had trouble trying to explain to Moyo'abu where her friend Avani had gone off to, for he wasn't sure of the answer either. Sighing he trudged along from the den, sky lit b stars that glowed dimly through hte canopy of vines in this area. They had grown, all of them, juveniles now, time was passing him by, and Amadet had not returned, he wondered what some of them would say, what Amadet wuld say about him and Avani. Truly though, he knew what his heart told him, knew he cared, knew that, perhaps, he could have something just as his family had once, but in one place, not leaving at one point or another.
So he walked on, towards his place, his, Moyo'abu hadnt even seen it yet, adn she usually followed him everywhere. He loved his, 'his' children so, but Avani was different, made his heart and soul feel alive and lit aflame, glow like the moon. Flicking his tail he weaved through hte vines, taking another way to his spot, hidding away by the underbrush, his paws crackling twgs, the mud squishing beneath his weight. But at least he could remember when they had both been here together.
An ear flicked backwards at the noise approaching. Something approaching like that didn't usually startle Avani, but for a moment, her fur prickled and her eyes went wide, she promptly jumped over the pool away from where the sound had come from, ears back and shoulders tense. Had he /dared/ come back..? And how had he found this place?!
But then Gharadi stepped out.
"Gha.. Gharadi! " she gaped, relaxing her lips, though at first she remained a little tense, moreso because of surprise than actual anger. "I.. I thought you were.. " She paused, deciding it best not to name him. That'd get quetions.. then, how would her scratched up not get them?
".. Someone else. " She sighed, lying down again on the cold, moist pebbles.
Gharadi stopped short, raised his eyes and smiled when he saw Avani, and he immediately ran over to her, and rubbed his cheek against hers and purred lowly, then puled back. He just..couldn't help doing what...he just did, and it was nice, least to him. Someone ese though? He quirked a brow, who else would be around her? He got angry at the thought, but let it pass, though his eyes settled onto her shoulder, and even in the dim light, he could see the marks, but they didn't seem terrible, but not good either, "Avani, are you alright, what happened?" his voice full of concern, taking a step closer again. Who had dared to hurt her. who?!
She blinked, surprised, but actually pleased at his attention, burrying her face in his mane and smiling. She hadn't realized how much she missed him! She blniked as he pulled away, but slightly expected it. Sitting up, she twitched her tailtip, curling it around her paws and concentrating on one of Gharadi's spots rather than looking at him face to face.
"I'm fine-- they're not deep. " She shrugged, wincind slightly at the sting, but it had eased a lot by now. "Just. .ran into someone I'd rather not have.. er, from my past. " She hadn't really talked much about her past to Gharadi. It had been rather.. good, despite that one orange blot in the middle screwing everything up.
Someone from her past? Mentally he snarled at whoever had harmed her, and if he EVER saw who it was, oh, they'd be in for it, deep. No one would hurt his family or friends, no one. Absolutely no one. But he had to focus, he took a step closer, peeked at them, and made a motion to the pool, "Let me help so it doesn't get infected, okay? And you can tell me wha happened...er, if you want....I'm sorry...that I wasn't there to protect you..." he said afterward, walking to the pool, waiting for her t coe closer. He'd help clean it, make sure they would be alright, she didn't need to get sick or anything, and she needed to be safe. She'd be safe here, he'd make sure of it. "What had happened?"
She hesitated, biting her lower lip. She didn't want Gharadi to go after Khajag-- he could get injured. And despite her anger with Khajag.. she didn't wish him death. She'd never wished anyone(besides food) death. "Its not your fault, " She frowned, folding an ear backwards. Typical, for him to blame himself! That was her job!
She didn't complain to his offer to help, though, and obediently lay down closer to the pool. "I already handled them mostly-- but they're not all dry yet. " It had been a few weeks ago, but they were stil lfrail and easy to open back up again. "When I was..er, younger, " Avani was still pretty darn far from being old, and she was kind-of glad. "I met this lion.. His name was Khajag. I was so stupid.. He used me, and I thought he.. " She looked away. "Then he left. " She sighed. "I ran into him that day-- he helped me get mud out of my eyes. Then when I saw him, I told him to leave. " She folded her ears back. "He.. didn't. "
Gharadi took a closer look at the marks, they were drying, but at east he could clean the fur a bit more, he lapped at hte clear water and gently ran his tongue over the fur that was still somewhat tainted by blood, careful to not touch the wound itself, seemed to be doing well, but havin it clean all the way around might make her feel better. Least, thats what he supposed. As he listened though, this other stranger, this male...he wanted ot hur him , make him pay. If he ever saw him...things would be settled. "He...what?" he asked, somewhat pressing but he tried to be gentle about it, his tone low, and he understood the rest. "He should have left, I'm sorry, that he hurt you Avani, I promise, I'll do everything I can to protect you here, I swear it." he took a pause, kept on cleaning, saying softly, "you're important to me..."
She shook her head-- she didn't want to talk about her and Khajag's little.. 'adventure'. "So I went towards the outside-- I didn't want him to find out about you and the kids, " What could a lion like him have done with lions so young as Gharadi's kids? afterall, neither of them were with them 24-7. "It was funny, he didn't seem to remember who I was. " She twitched her tail tip, curling it around her paws. "So I started to run-- and he pounced me. Kept asking what his name was, and hhow I knew him. "
She presser her cheek against his for a moment, closing her eyes. "You're important to me too-- I love you. "She sighed, pulling her head away. "I stayed away for a while-- I didn't want him to follow me. " Or at least she hoped thats what she'd been thinking.
So thats why she had been gone so long. But his eyes softened, and he smiled at her, sat next to her and let his side brush her own, and he purred low in his throat, nuzzling his cheek against hers, "You thought of everyone, with such a kind heart," her words touched him, and he felt hi heart warm, and he wore an ear to ear smile, nestling his tail next to hers, touching only just slightly. "I love you to Avani, don't ever go again...stay here, with us, we can be a big family...and we'll be with eachother always, and I'll always protect you," he would, he swore it to himself. Avani was so special to him, he never wanted to lose that.
Avani blinked, she hadn't expected that. It was always odd to be complimented when you were Avani, but she smiled, nuzzling against him and curling her paws beneath her, face half buried in his orangeish mane. It was orange-- like Khajag's. But it was a good orange. She didn't love Khajag-- she loved Gharadi.
"I won't leave again, I promise, " She said softly, feeling right now like she didn't even want to leave anymore. She'd be happy, staying here with him.. "I love so, so much. " The lioness whispered, happy to just be here with him, despite what had happened not so long ago..
This wa shappiness.
Gharadi didn't utter another word, they could go back to the den, but he just wanted to stay, just a few more moments with his Avani in such tender and perfect bliss. They'd head home, their hme, to the family's home soon enough. But this, was perfect, and he just wanted to hang onto this moment a little longer while the sky was star kissed, moon smiled down, and the fireflies continued to play. This was life, this was love...this, was true happiness.
