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 Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:57 am
It had been a few days and Koy had found herself more alive than every before. At first she thought that maybe she would grow tired of this…traveling and would want to go back to her so called life, but- it was very much the other way around. She ended up adoring her time out in the world and took every second of it to heart. This was something she had only dreamt of doing as a cub, and now… here she was doing it.
She had him to thank, most of all, though she never thanked him personally, she hoped he knew somehow how happy she was out here, with him, seeing the world.
Koy’s paws stopped as she shifted her weight from side to side and took in a breath of air.
“God, this is what I’ve been missing my whole life.”
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:04 pm
See? She was a natural adventurer. It had only been a few days since they had met and Chardon had invited her along with his exploring. And she had accepted. But since then, they had become fast friends, and she looked more alive than she had those few days ago at the watering hole.
He laughed at her statement.
"Whole life? Seems like you should have done this a long time ago, then."
Chardon eyed the rock's height with a careful glance. It was a decent height. It wouldn't hurt too much if he decided to switch positions mid-way through his jump. And the pool looked deep enough anyway. It was a perfect place for some diving and swimming. They had traveled a long ways, after all. A little bit of rest and fun wouldn't hurt either of them.
"Would the lady like to go first, or shall I?" He asked, very gentlemanly.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:18 pm
She was one step ahead of him and before he knew it had plunged herself out and leaped off of the rock; her front paws pushed forward as she hit the clear waters with a splash. Her body went under water for a long second but koy soon emerged with a laugh and pulled back ears.
She must have looked like a seal or something; that was so much fun, she could hardly contain it.
“Come on!”
She motioned for him to join her with a splashing paw.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:39 pm
Chardon winced at the splash (it would be tough to beat, after all) and peered over the side of the rock to see her swimming around happily. The water she splashed at him landed on his nose, and he wiggled it off with a funny face.
"Alright, you asked for it!"
He backed up to the very edge of where the tall rock began, and took a running start. When he got to the very edge, he pushed himself up as far as he would go, let out a whoop, and landed in the water with a huge splash.
Instantly, he was soaked. His mane was plastered to his body when he rose out of the water. His bangs covered his eyes, and he grinned at Koy (or at least hopefully in the direction that he thought she was in) and shook his head to free his vision.
"I do believe I beat you," he smoothly said with a grin.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:20 pm
She couldn’t stop laughing, he looked so silly with his mane the way it was, the two were a mess, that was for sure, two lions swimming out in the middle of the day? They must have been loons; had to be.
Her paws pushed forward as Koy swam circles around him, purring with delight.
“You should see yourself right now, you look so funny.”
She batted water at him playfully and mused.
“Catch me if you can!”
With that the brown lioness started to swim (Doggy paddle!) As fast as she could, trying to get away from him. A game of cat and mouse--! She often played this way with Vi when she was small.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:48 pm
"Are you laughing at me?" he asked her with a gasp and a hurt look on his face. "I don't think you're my friend any more." He sniffed. But then she teased that he couldn't catch her, and oh...
Well, now he had to prove her wrong.
With a growl he launched himself after her, mane out of the way so he could see where she was going, and started swimming as hard and as fast as he could.
"Oh, I'll catch you. Just...you...wait!"
He had caught up to her a little bit, and with his paw outstretched, patted her shoulder. But the momentum from him swimming, and finally pushing himself out to tag her, also pushed him into her. The water flowed around them both as he accidentally bumped her. Chuckling, he apologized and scooted away a little.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:56 pm
Koy’s ears pinned backwards as he tagged her and moved away; she didn’t mind his little bump into her, in fact it only seemed to make the game more fun- her eyes narrowed as she jumped at him and laughed, nuzzling her head along his once before pushing away.
“I got you back!”
She made sure he knew—before she started to paddle to dry land again. Her paws worked fast and soon she pulled herself to land, far away from him. Standing now the lioness smirked and cocked her head back, kicking her paws out to dry.
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:29 pm
Chardon kind of paused when he was suddenly--very quickly, actually; she could move faster than he had thought--tagged back with a head nuzzle. He grinned, beginning to swim after her. She reached dry land before he could tag her back, though.
"Aw, no fair. Cheater," he pouted playfully, splashing a paw a foot or two away from where she stood on dry land. His eyes lighted on the limb and a grin spread across his face. With a powerful swing, he hit his arm and paw across the surface of the water, creating a wave that splashed pu and out of the water hole and over Koy. He laughed, swimming away towards the middle of the pool.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:08 pm
“I’m not cheating—I’m just going to get dry.”
She smiled and sat down, licking a paw in her pause. After cleaning she turned and eyed at him as he swam.
“So tell me about yourself.”
She called out to him, licking at her other paw.
“Where do you come from?”
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:56 pm
About himself? Where he came from? As Chardon walked out from the pool of water, he thought about what to say.
"Well, to begin with, my name is Chardon. My pride is in the desert, quite a ways from here. I was a prince, and my sister the heir to the throne. I was well-liked while she was under suspicion from our pride members. They were scared that she wouldn't be strong enough to rule." He gave a tight smile. "I had to reassure her every time they said something negative. I loved my sister. Her name was Calabaza."
He paused, thinking of all that had happened. In reality, it had been fairly recent. But it felt like ages ago that Ama had wandered into the pride and set her sights on Chardon as her mate.
"That's in the past now, though," he sighed, a tired but true smile forming on his muzzle. "What about you?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:56 pm
With every word he spoke Koy listened and listened well; she wanted to understand him, one could say. Her brown eyes narrowed as she nodded slowly.
“I was born in the pride lands, and I have two siblings, a brother and sister. I regret that I’m not in anyway close to them, and in the end I fear I never will be. I feel as if we all came from different worlds, though I adore them al the same.”
Her lower lip quivered as she paused and looked at her paws, water from her forehead trickled down her nose as she spoke out in a very soft tone.
“I feel I must tell you this, and if it changes how you feel toward me or think of me I’ll understand—really.”
Her heart would be broken though.
“I have a son. I have not seen him in a very long time. I had him when I was young, too young I was told, and at the time I had no idea… of how to take care of another life; so one day he just… up and left; went to live with my friend and her cubs… and that was the last I heard of him.”
She sighed and looked away.
“I often wonder how he is doing; if he still thinks of me.”
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:46 pm
With the same courtesy she had given him, Char listened to her story. He had never been to the Pridelands, but if it caused her pain, he would be sure to try to avoid them on their travels together.
Although he wasn't quite sure what to think when she told him that she had a son. Especially that she had...abandoned him? Granted, Chardon could understand her side of the story. But he felt pity for her son.
Instead, he gave her a smile.
"I'm sure he thinks of you and wishes he had known you longer," he tried to be reassuring. "I don't think any different of you, or less of you. I try not to judge others on actions that they couldn't help."
It might be a bit forward, but he did it anyway. His head bumped hers gently in a friendly nuzzle of comfort. He debated sharing more of his past, but decided to wait until the right time. She might not take it the right way, or it would change how she thought of him.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:53 pm
“At least I know where he ran off to… I guess.”
She sighed again deeply and looked away as he nuzzled her.
“You must hate me now.”
She spoke out slowly, her expression slightly dull, somewhat sorrow filled. She stood up and slowly brushed herself off, walking a little ways away from him, as if to regain herself in thought.
“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to cross a line in telling you this, I just- you are the first male I’ve met that’s been this way to me, toward me. Perhaps I shouldn’t grow attached. Sorry.”
Her eyes narrowed. She felt like an a**.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:14 pm
He gentled his smile and rose to stand as well.
"I don't hate you. I respect you for knowing when to say no and understand your limits. I could never hate you."
Chardon glanced down to the ground, wondering how to word what he was about to say.
"I didn't...tell you everything about me," he confessed, avoiding her eyes. "My sister and I had a special relationship together. We...loved each other. More than just the sibling kind of love. And it was wrong, but I loved her. And she loved me.
"Problem was that someone came along to the pride and found out about us. A girl called Ama. She's a conniving, manipulative little thing." He sneered. "We had kept our secret safe for a long time before she came into our lives. And for some reason, she had her sights set on me as her mate. Which wasn't going to happen.
"But then she found out about Cala and I, and blackmailed me. If I didn't become her mate officially, by the pride's rules, then she would tell everyone about us. Or I could kill Cala and take the throne and rule with Ama by my side.
"I took the third option and ran away with Ama instead. I saved my sister." His gaze hardened and it appeared that he was glaring at the ground. The feelings he had bottled up were spilling out; his anger at Ama was enormous. "I slept with Ama for one night, to make sure she slept, and then I ran away from her. I tricked her, and now I wouldn't doubt it if she wants my blood." His chuckle was harsh, but he gave a sigh and finally sat down again, glancing up at her almost shyly.
"If this changes your opinion of me, I don't blame you. I'd understand. If you crossed a line in telling me about your son, then I certainly crossed on as well telling you about my love for my sister."
And although he would never see Cala again, the love that he had for her had dimmed to the simple sibling love and yearning to see her face again. The romantic side had been swept away with her lost.
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:13 pm
Her eyes went wide at the words he spoke. She at fist didn’t know how to react to it, but soon found herself moving closer to him, her paws pushing outward slowly. She gazed at him hard, shifting her stance every now and then. Stopping right in front of him she gazed up at his face with a rather perplexed look and spoke out.
“I once loved my best friend, who was a lioness I grew up with. Because she mated with a male I forced myself to forget her and move on. That’s how my son was born—I didn’t even know his father.”
She explained. If they were going to be THAT opened… she may as well tell him everything.
“I don’t talk to Vi anymore. My son ran off to be with her—I guess she turned out to be the better mother…”
Koy sighed and closed her eyes, moving in closer- so close her head nuzzled against his mane softly.
“I couldn’t think of you any other way—you know. You have opened my mind again to what life really is. Thank you for that…”
She paused and stood very still, her cheek still pressed up against his mane.
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