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 Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:52 pm
 Wacheza was waiting for Akai. The butterflies were scattered around him, lazing in the sun like he was. Strange how different it was... to have a friend around him all the time. Enjoyable really. He felt so much better, having a friend who he could be around all the time... someone who didn't frighten them.
All of the butterflies had become accustomed too her now. She had a good soul. That was nice to know... so many others frightened the delicate creatures. Akai was different though. She wasn't like anyone he had ever known. Not even like his own family.
"I wonder where she is..." He mused, Akai's old butterfly coming and landing on his nose, "Surely she can't be far if you're here." He grinned a little, tilting his head to the side. Then he gazed out at the ocean. It looked just as beautiful as it ever had.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:02 pm
It wasn't always common for the lioness to wander around on the sands so close to the water, but she was training herself to get used to it. She knew that it was an important part of living near the ocean, and once she could get used to the water dancing just around her toes, she would be able to feel comfortable anywhere.
Her butterfly had left her for a moment. Why was that? She worried at times for her butterfly, but it seemed to be pulling through so far. Pushing her worries aside, she trotted forward to notice that Wacheza was whom her butterfly had left to see. With a bright smile on her face, the lioness picked up her pace to meet him. "Wacheza! Heeey, how are you doing?"
She skidded to a half just shy of him, pleased to see him. She had been trying to catch him lately, but knowing herself her timing was probably al off. She noticed her butterfly tickling his nose, and she couldn't help but laugh a bit herself. "I see you're keeping busy as always."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:10 pm
Wacheza smiled upon seeing her, "Ah! There you are. I thought that you two wouldn't be far away from each other." He stood up and lifted his head, blowing lightly on the butterfly's wings, allowing it to take off and fly back to Akai. "I think he might have found a lady-butterfly he's rather fond of while he was here with me."
His nose twitched a little, "Assuming your butterfly is a he that is... I'm still not entirely sure how to tell the difference between them. Which seemed a little unfair, since with lions it's so easy..." He smiled, tilting his head to the side, "Sorry. I was being off topic..."
Though, he supposed they didn't have a topic yet. "How are you feeling? About starting to live so close to us? And the ocean... I imagine it's much different than living in a place without so much water."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:17 pm
She laughed at Wacheza, amused by his thoughts. "Perhaps male! Maybe that's why it...he gives me a hard time sometimes, and certainly loves to fly off to your group once we get close enough! I guess I should act like he is my calling card, so you know I'm always around..." She ended her comment with a bit of a tease before letting herself settle down a bit. Akai didn't want to get too riled up.
"I'm slowly getting used to it." She looked upwards towards the ocean, watching the smooth surface that seemed to appear on the horizon. "Though I admit it's taking its time in getting used to seeing this every day. As well as the water reaching even remotely near near my toes." She paused for a moment to sigh. "We didn't live too far inland, but with my family going off and doing their own thing, I like it better here. Not so many memories, at least." It did hurt a bit to even think about staying where she grew up, since things did change, and it was pretty quiet now.
"I do enjoy everything the ocean brings to shore though. So many weird trinkets!"
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:27 pm
"He is like your calling card. I always know you're near when he is." Wacheza smiled, his own butterflies landing in his mane, "Perhaps I should find one to be my envoy... some way to find you as well." He liked that idea. It was always nice to know he could find Akai.
"I suppose it does take some getting used too..." Wacheza whispered, looking back at the ocean, "I've always been so close to it. I never thought of living away... maybe that's why my sisters and my brother left. They wanted to see more... but I just couldn't get away. I'm glad you like it here." He smiled at her, looking over, "In a way, you're helping me have happy memories here now, instead of just missing my sisters and my brother."
He was suprised that he missed his brother. He had never liked him as he had his other two siblings... but now he did want him back. Just like he wanted his sisters to return... he had always been so close to them. He didn't want to think of Akai as their replacemen though, she was something new. Someone completely different than his family. He was happy for her.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:40 pm
Akai took the moment to settle herself down to sit, getting comfortable on the sand. She felt that it would be more comfortable to sit, and that way she could relax better. She was so used to the butterflies now, but she still took the time to make sure that they were relaxed and not skittish of her. Old habits were hard to break, especially when they developed from something you wanted so badly.
"You're helping me get used to this, silly. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have tried, and wandered off aimlessly somewhere with my family. I like being here, and it had given me a reason to stay." Her tail flopped behind her, creating a very small dip on the surface of the sand.
She peered over her shoulder to look at Wacheza. "Plus, sometimes we have to take one step back before we can take two forward. I won't forget them, but I also want to get on with my own like too, y'know?" She laughed. "Of course, that's one of those things that is always much easier said than done. I still miss them, especially my only sister." It was weird, having no other girl to confide to. She started to talk to her butterfly instead, but it just wasn't the same. She couldn't get a response back from him, even though she was sure he's reply if he could.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:48 pm
"I wish you could talk to my sisters." Wacheza smiled a little, "They were always very... wild. Too wild for me sometimes, but they always understood me. I miss them as well." Hetilted his head to the other side, his eyes a little sad, "I know how it can feel to lose a best friend... but I am glad I met you."
He was, really. She filled a void he hadn't really noticed before. The need for a real friend who would always be with him. "I'm glad that I'm helping you get used to the ocean though. It is well worth it when you get used to it. Like the butterflies."
He liked the way she phrased it though... oe step back, two steps forwad. They were certainly working on taking their two steps forward. "I know what you mean... about moving on. Sometimes you have to realize that not everything will always be the same." He looked at her, "I hope you and I can stay friends together though."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:00 pm
"Oh? Did they all leave, too?" She was curious about that. "It seems like the wandering bug bit everyone else but us." It was kind of weird, but it did make her a bit happily, if guiltily. That meant that she could spend even more time with Wacheza, more than she had been able too when they were younger. Was that a bad thing, to think that way? She wasn't sure, so she decided to keep it to herself. She didn't want to worry him (or freak him out!) by mentioning it.
"Like the butterflies?" She loved the butterflies, more than she could probably put in words to Wacheza. "Well, then I know I'll certainly like it!"
Akai couldn't help but reach out and tap Wacheza lightly on the nose. He was just so funny sometimes! "Things might change, but that doesn't mean we can't always be friends. Not everything has to change." And them being friends was something that she was confident about.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:09 pm
"I think everything changes..." Wacheza said quietly, "But I don't think that the change always has to be bad." He admitted, grinning when Akai tapped his nose, "But I'd be very glad if we could stay here together. I don't want that to change."
He nodded, "And yes... butterflies are very like the sea. Both very calm... but when they get irritated, they can be quite wild." He laughed a little, "But... butterflies cannot be dangerous. On occasion the sea can. So it's good to know that what is beautiful can be very dangerous."
He hung his head a little, "And yes... my brother left when I was very young. My sisters left... a little before you came to live with us." He admitted, "My two brothers still live here. But... I was never as close to them as I was to my sisters. And my mother misses them as well... So I know what it menas to have your family move on without you." He grinned a little, "But I'm still glad that it means I can spend more time with you."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:29 pm
"I'm sorry to hear that." Family is something that never changed, even if the space between you and them did. She just kept onto that fact for now. "Hopefully they'll come back once in a while to say hello, let you know that they are okay." She was trying to encourage him to keep his head up, since that was what he needed. Especially with his family.
"The sea...wild?" This was something that unnerved her a bit. If it ever acted like it was going to get a little crazy, she was certainly going to keep away from it. She assumed it would be something like a storm, and if so, she'd be hiding away somewhere, hopefully with someone so she wouldn't have to deal with it alone.
She paused for a moment, thinking about everything that they were talking about. It seemed like there was just one real important thing mixed in between everything else that was somewhat important. She just hoped that she picked out the right subject.
"I don't want that to change either. I'd like to stay here. And I'll certainly do my best to, too."
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:44 pm
"I hope they'll come back too." Wacheza smiled, brightening up a little, "You would like them, if you met them... but they're... well, they are a bit loud." He cringed a little about that, "They scare the butterflies sometimes. But I miss them. They're... well, they're fun."
"Don't worry." Wacheza smiled, "I'll teach you how to tell whether or not the sea is dangerous. Most of the time it isn't as long as you know the area well enough. You can even swim in it a little... though... only a little, really. I don't like getting too wet... most lions don't." He admitted.
He smiled at Akai's answer, clearly beaming now, "I'm glad. I would miss you a lot, I think... if you weren't around anymore. I've gotten used to having you here... It's so much fun to have a friend. Someone I can count on." Yes. Someone he could count on... outside his family, he had never had that. Most of his friends left him. Most of his family left him... it did make him feel a little... lonely.
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:24 pm
She noted away the information that Wacheza had offered her about his sisters. She hoped that she would meet them, but if they were away the chances were slim. She felt a small need to meet his family, but if it wasn't possible, than she would simply have to deal with it.
"Really? Would you?" She jumped on the chance to learn more about the ocean from Wacheza. She didn't know anything about it, other than it was yucky tasting and really big. She hadn't spent enough time near it to know anything. "I can deal with it tickling my toes, but otherwise I don't really want to go near it." She laughed at that, digging the tips of her right paw into the soft sand underneath.
"And you don't have to miss me if I never leave," she said boldly, doing her best to keep her composure. She hoped he might get the hint, but Akai never was good at saying things the way she meant it. "Plus it gives me a great excuse to bug you if you teach me about more things, like the sea for one."
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:33 pm
Wacheza liked the idea of having Akai meet his family. His mother... his father perhaps, and his two remaining brothers. But still... he had a feeling she would get along well with his sisters, wherever they were.
"I would absolutely!" Wacheza chuckled happily. He would teach her everything he knew and more if he could! He had spent so much time alone with the ocean... he likely knew about it just as well as the nobility of his pride. He had never been the most social, having a preference to the quiet, but he was never opposed to sharing what he knew. Besides... Akai was... different than the others. "You don't have to go all the way in, but I'll teach you anyway, just in case you do decide to go further." He promised.
Her last words made him stand up, and almost startle the butterflies he moved so fast, clearly excited, "Really? You'd never leave? You'd stay here with me forever?" He seemed very pleased by the idea... more than pleased. Genuinly happy. Akai would stay with him... him and the sea. He would be able to teach her everything! He would... "I'll do whatever you want. As long as you're here with me, I'll do everything you want me too." He promised, positively beaming, "Nothing you could do would ever bother me. All you need to do is ask."
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:12 pm
Akai could feel her white cheeks flush lightly. To hide this, she looked over to the side, as if something else had pulled her attention away. Instead, she was actually trying to calm herself down a bit, so she wouldn't act so flustered and silly. That would be embarassing to her, especially since this felt like something important. She was saying how she wanted to stay here, for him, and perhaps even be in his home as well. That would take some getting used to, as well as acceptance. If she was even allowed. That thought helped her somber up a bit. She'd find out, once she had the nerve to ask Wacheza.
Turning back towards him, she flashed a bright smile on her face. "If you're sure about that." She couldn't help but giggle as he had jumped up so much. That was the reason that her own heart fluttered a bit. She caught sight of her butterfly making it's way back over to the group, watching them settle down a bit.
"Well, mayb not everything, but I'm sure we could have some fun together, especially while you're teaching me everything. I almost feel like a cub again! But....but if I want to live here, I should learn about it more." That way she hopefully wouldn't get into any harm or in the way of anything if she knew about it. Unknown things were unsettling, but it seemed like Wacheza knew about everything.
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:25 pm
Wacheza felt himself blush, though it was more easily hidden by his darker coat. He couldn't believe he had responded like that... he didn't generaly get so over-excited. And he had startled the butterflies. That was no good at all... but still... Akai could stay with him. He just needed to find out how. He had never been so excited or happy about anything before. It made his heart flutter... and though in his head he disliked the pun: It sort of gave him... butterflies.
"I'm completely positive. I want you to stay. I-" Well, he wasn't entirely sure what the proper wording he sought was. He really, really wanted her to stay, that was all. He would miss her if she was gone... just as much now, if not more, than he missed his sisters.
"I'll try and find out how I can ask about you staying with us..." Wacheza said thoughtfully, "I'll tell you what I can though." He grinned, "I've never met anyone who actually wanted to stay with us before. But... our leaders are quite kind. I'm sure that you'll fit in."
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