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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:12 pm
With a successful hunt lying in her belly, Haba didn't think she'd felt so content in a long time. The sun was dipping, casting the sky into a fantastical picture that seemed for them alone. She sighed dreamily and flicked her tail in the dust.
She was lying by the trees they had found for their shade, cuddled against Kemu's warm, strong side.
"I love the sky." She whispered.
Strange, the day had started with a beautiful sky and it seemed it was going to end with one too. It was all so perfect all so...romantic. She had never been much for romantic notions. She had deemed herself a simple child, content with having her family near her. She had always wanted to be a mother eventually; she was the motherly type, but there had been thoughts only for cubs, not for a mate. Being raised mainly by her father growing up, she assumed that most cubs grew up with one parent.
She blinked contentedly and looked up into Kemu's face. "The sunset makes your face glow." She smiled.
The large male was feeling content and lazy with a full stomach and the gentle warmth of a setting sun bathing his fur. It had been a fine and perfect day for the time that he'd been with Haba, and he was about ready to dive into a fine and perfect sleep to end the day nicely. But Haba apparently wanted to talk, and since he would freely admit that he loved talking with her, he had no problems putting it off for a while to indulge her.
"Mm, yes. It's beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured quietly, his eyes drooping half-closed as he looked at the reds and oranges scattered across the sky like a watercolour painting. It really was a beautiful thing to him, and it did even strike him as romantic, in a way, even though he wasn't as emotional in that particular way as Haba happened to be. He was just easily able to recognise the kind of mood a view like that could create around two lions in love. He had seen it often enough with friends in his past. And he remembered that his parents had loved to sit and watch the sunset together.
He chuckled, letting a lazy grin spread over his face. "That's just because I'm big and orange as well."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:41 pm
She nudged him with a paw, laughing. "You are silly." She replied, rubbing the side of her face against his shoulder. She liked his shoulders, they were big and shaped perfectly for nuzzling. She rested her chin across them then and stared upwards towards that sky.
"Kemu..." She paused, flicking her tail. Then, when she thought about it she wasn't really sure what she wanted to say to him.
"I don't know what to say," She admitted after a moment. "All I know is that I'm not ready to sleep yet. I'm afraid that come morning something might tear us apart." News, she thought grimly, of her brother's whereabouts. And as much as she wanted that news, she knew it would mean the end of their journey together.
"It feels as if we've been friends forever. I can't explain it. But...it makes me sad to think of waking up without your smiling face."
Kemmy purred gently as Haba rubbed her face against him and laid her head over his shoulders. He let his own head settle comfortably on his paws, holding back a yawn so that Haba wouldn't have to stop talking. He could sleep any time, and talking with her was more entertaining. As the only solid company he'd had for a while, he took great interest in everything she said.
He frowned, though, at the thought of their time together coming to an end so soon. Of course, he knew the day would come eventually, for all good things must come to an end at some point. He just... didn't think it would be this soon. "Tear us apart...? Whatever do you mean?"
He was quiet for the space of a couple brief moments before he spoke again. "Whether or not you're right about that, we will be friends forever. I like you a lot, Haba. I'll always treasure your friendship. I like being with you, and I hope... one day... we can travel around together again. Reminisce on what's happened since we last saw each other." He smiled, even though she couldn't see. "I can tell you about the different sunrises and sunsets I'll have seen."
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:39 am
She huddled close to him, sharing warmth, sharing closeness and something else - the beat of her heart. It thrummed so loudy she could have sworn that his ears could hear it too. What was wrong with her? Was she sick? Her stomach was twisting, fluttering, Her chest was tight, her heart loud.
She pushed herself tighter to his side, like one would cling to the edge of a cliff that was keeping them from falling to their death. She had lost her brother, she didn't want to lose a friend too. So much loss in this world. So much sadness and not enough love. That was the problem with this land!
"I would love that." She whispered, trembling as the words rattled free from her throat. She knew it wasn't, but this conversation sounded like it was leading to a goodbye. She couldn't say goodbye. Not yet. Then, realising she was being silly, worrying about things that certainly were not going to happen when the sun was setting, she forced herself to relax, though the nerves remained.
"Do you think it's unusual for rogues to...share moments like this?" She wasn't sure where her whispered words were leading to. It was something in her heart, niggling to get free.
She lifted her head, gazed at him again. A smile touched her maw, faint but there all the same. "Kemu, I..." She hesitated, a breeze fluttered her whiskers but no more words came.
He went quiet again as Haba pressed tightly against him. In that perceptive way of his, he realised instantly that something was unsettling Haba - and it didn't take a genius to guestimate that it was to do with this apparently imminent goodbye they were to share. The thought of it disquieted him as well, but the need to comfort her outweighed his own needs. She was the one with the fragile heart right now, not he himself.
Though, before he could, she spoke up again. Kemmy lifted his head to look at his younger friend, and a small smile blossomed on his face. "Not at all... if those two rogues care about each other as we do, if there is a strong and true relationship between them, as we have. To be close to another in this wide and empty space is a luxury some find too little."
His head tilted gently to the side, watching the lioness he had grown so fond of with his familiarly gentle eyes. "Yes...?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:25 am
She listened to him attentively, feeling suddenly nervous and embarrased. What was her heart trying to tell her? Or deep down did she understand it's words and instead chose to ignore them?
She looked into his warm eyes and found comfort there, though she saw sadness too. So he would miss her too? Her eyes glossed over. It didn't matter now that the tragedy with her brother occured. The tragedy had been a blessing in some respects. Her eyes had opened to the kindness of rogues, it had given her friendship. It had given her Kemmy.
She knew then what she would do. She would seek out her brother and when she found him she would seek out Kemmy, she would tell him that she was returning to the Kusini, that he could visit her any time he passed by.
Yes, saying goodbye wouldn't be the end.
"I was lucky..." She whispered, "to have found you when there are so many others out there I could have bumped into." She cleared her throat and turned away, feeling her face burning.
Then she opened her mouth and spoke again. "Kemmy..." Dammit, what was wrong with her? If Damu was here he'd be laughing, telling her she was a fool.
She turned her face back to the orange-maned boy and leaned forward, giving him a small lick on the nose. It was tender, innocent, but it was enough to have her heart lurching in her chest.
Of all the things Kemmy could have expected Haba to do, that display of affection wasn't on the top of his list. In fact, his lower jaw fell down to leave his mouth hanging agape, and his bright eyes widened almost comically. Though this sort of thing wasn't unusual for him, not really, it still left him feeling rather stunned and speechless. He just hadn't expected the... innocent Haba to think of him that way.
He cleared his throat quietly and gave her a little smile, struggling to find his voice for a few moments before managing to speak again. "Haba... I didn't... I had no idea..." Well, even if he had managed to find his voice, he still couldn't speak very coherently. Not well enough to say how... flattered and emotional he was, at least. He had a very deep affection for Haba. To have it returned was a priceless thing to him.
Giving up on speaking to express himself, the big male simply leaned forward to nuzzle gently against Haba's cheek, letting a soft purr vibrate in the back of his throat.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:34 am
She was innocent. Haba had know idea what she was doing or what she was feeling. She had no idea what these sort of advances could lead to. All she knew was that the sadness in her heart faded under the rays of those comforting eyes.
She smiled shyly at his sudden awkwardness, understanding how he felt. Her words had been difficult to form too. That was why she was thankful for actions. They could speak more clearly than any words in these sorts of situations.
She purred in return, leaning into his affectionate gesture eagerly. Friends, that was what they were and possibly what they always would be. Yet at this moment in time that friendship had seemed to glow just like the stars now glittering above them.
"Let's just forget about the goodbyes for tonight." She whispered into his ear. She licked the side of his face, nuzzed her cheek against it and with a contented sigh, snuggled closer. There was a look in her eyes that expressed her feelings, her emotions all too well. And no doubt, Kemu would read the silent message inside of them.
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:33 am
The brightly coloured male knew there was no need for a reply to Haba's words. The underlying messages being passed between them were more important now, the undercurrent of emotions that were coming into play as the words died down. Tonight was not going to be a night like any other, he knew that already.
With a low, deep purr of meaning, he leaned his head into Haba's.
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