After stopping for a cat nap at about midday, when africa sun was way too annoying to bear (even for light creamy lions like him), Mteremo was happy to wake up and stretch out in the afternoon sun (much more bearable).
He got to his paws, shaking out his mane. Time to get moving! .. Oh, right, there was Mii'ah, yes. He should locate her. Yawning, still a bit dull from sleeping, the lion glanced around, looking for his recent traveling companion.
They'd stopped near a small pond, tohugh, and that was somewhat distracting. Ah, the temptation to just.. jump in there right now. Hmm...
--
Mii'ah had also taken a light catnap when they had stopped but found herself still waking up before her new companion. So, while she had a bit of free time on her hands (well paws but it's all the same really) she decided to wander around and get a good look around the area. When she had wandered back to where she had left him she had found he had moved. Surely he hadn't gone on without her had he? She shook her head, no. No male in their right mind would leave a beauty like herself behind. That would be ridiculous! (Conceited her? No!)
Then she saw him staring at the pond they had settled near. She tilted her head as she watched him unsure of what he planned to do. Would he just stand there or would he take a drink? Then an idea formed in her head and she skipped (well as much as a lion can at least) towards him and stopped just slightly behind him, but still close. "I'll race you to the water." She whispered to his ear.
--
He was a bit surprised by the sudden presence at his ear, but he didn't jump, and instead absently glance to the side then back at the water, smirking. "Oh? I didn't know you liked losing. " He flicked his tail, ears folding back.
Without much of a warning, the creamy lion shot off towards the water; surely Mii'ah would get going with the game too.
--
A chuckle slipped from her lips at his words. So he thought he could beat her. How amusing. "I was going to say the same thing." She replied before she too was running. Her paws thudded against the ground as she let out a ring of laughter glancing over at the male she was catching up to. It seemed like his paw had healed, well somewhat. That was good. It meant no lasting damage. "Is that all you got?" She asked smiling brightly at the other as she turned her head away from him focusing upon the body of water that was coming up quickly.
--
He blinked, glancing back at the lioness as she caught up. Damn, speedy girl. "Is that all you've got? " He replied, speeding up. Though, now his attention was on the water, and once he was close enough, he shot into the air, happy to just drop in, not paying particular attention to see if he'd won or lost.
Water felt good.
Sadly, the pond wasn't all that deep, it barely just went over his head, and he had to recoil his paws to make sure they didn't hit the bottom and get hurt.
--
"My grandmother could run faster than you." She teased slowing just a bit as he threw himself into the water. She let the water splash her on before taking a step back and lightly jumping at him. She didn't jump on him hard, just enough to possibly send them both back into the water.
"You win this time."
--
Mteremo did -not- expect that, so as he was gathered up, floating in the water, and someone landed on him, he yelped in surprise (well, tried to, but water was everywhere. ) and flailed his paws, before managing to swim away and peek out again.
He smirked, though. "I'll always win. "
--
"Nuh-uh." She replied sticking her tongue at him as she swam away from him. "I let you win, cause I wanted to do -that-." Which was true but as for letting him win, well she probably could have caught up with him, but she didn't. Now didn't that say something in itself?
"I always win when I want to win." She told him a grin spreading across her lips as she swam towards him.
--
"Of coourse you did, " He purred in amusement, paddling around in the water, enjoying how cool it was in the hot savanna sun. "You lost because I kicked your a**, deal with it. " He smirked, flicking his tail.
As she approached, though, his glance turned somewhat suspicious. She had just jumped on him, what do you figure she'd do now?
--
When he spoke she frowned just a bit, pouting as though 'kicking her a**' had really hurt her. She lowered her eyes and paused in her swim just waiting, wanting to see just how he might react. Slowly she lifted her head, still pouting and inched towards him.
"Do you want to play a game?" Ooooh she was up to something. (8O!)
He frowned, not completely believing she was hurt. Come on, this was a smart girl; she knew he was kidding! ... Right? Though, if Remo planned on saying anything, it was forgotten when she spoke up again.
"What.. kind of game? " He blinked, tilting his head slightly.
--
"A special kind of game." She replied as she came to be just a few inches away. She swam in one circle around him. "Maybe you can guess of the game that I'm thinking of?" She offered when she came full circle, resting on her side as she floated. "I'll give you a prize if you can."
Oh she was up to something that was clear but what kind of something? Hmmm....
--
"Well.. " He began, but was a bit distracted by the swimming, a brow raised slightly above the other. How was he supposed to guess exactly what it was? But, at the same time.. he didn't want to say no.
"I give, what is it? "
--
Mii'ah watched was he watched her trying to think of the game she might of had in mind. Then again was there really a game or did she just want to give him a prize? When he told her he gave she frown slightly disappointed. "Aw come now not even one guess? Not one?" Him giving up so quickly was just no fun. No fun at all.
He furrowed his brows slightly, swishing his tail. "Well, it could be something.. completely ah.. different, than what I'm thinking. " He was growing increasingly distracted by how close she was to him, and idly paddled to shallower waters so he could at least get some ground beneath his paws.
"There's.. hide and seek, but that's cubbish.. tag.. " He went on with a few other cubbish games, all of which he didn't really believe where what she meant, something the tone of his voice showed.
--
As he moved back she followed noticing how when she was close, that he had difficulty thinking. How delightful. It was proving to her that men couldn't resist a pretty woman. "We're already playing it." She told him as she also let her paws touch the ground. Just a little more and he should be able to guess, after all it was the game.
--
"We.. are? " He blinked, moving to inch further, but somehow he actually got himself closer, damn. He attempted to act oblivious for a little while longer, though.
"Swimming, you mean? " He asked casually, glancing away.
--
"Swimming isn't a game silly." She teased with a shake of her head. Now he was playing along, at least that's what she thought. "One more guess or you'll have to give me a prize." She told him smiling as he accidentally moved closer instead of moving away like he had intended. "It's not terribly hard is it?" She asked looking up at him.
--
"I'll have to give you a prize? " He blinked innocently, tail swishing underwater. "I suppose you'll get to pick what that prize is, then.. " He paused, pondering whether to make a completely dumb guess just o see what she'd ask of him.
That won. "Racing? "
--
Now she was sure he was just playing along. What a silly little boy. She liked him, if that wasn't already obvious, she really liked him. "I suppose I'll have to." She replied with a shake of her head as she smiled. Racing had just been a silly little guess, of course it couldn't be racing, they weren't doing it. "Well then for my prize, I want a kiss." How straight forward of the dark brown female. As for where, she'd let him decide. "It was a guessing game, which I'm sure you eventually figured out." She told him with a soft laugh. She loved it when others played along with her.
--
He quirked his brows. A kiss?'That was... interesting, for lack of a better word. "I may have figured it out. " He said, for a minute pretending to ignore the request for a kiss, looking innocently away for a bit. "But, I thought it was fair to lose this time, since I won the race. " He smirked, glancing back at her. For now, he'd just pull the strings a bit and withhold her prize A little waiting never hurt aanyone, right?
--
"Trying to use my own tricks against me huh? What happened to 'I always win'?" She teased scooting around him to pull herself out of the water. She took a minute to shake some of it out before plopping herself upon the grass a few feet away. "Now, if you're going to make me wait I'm going to make you fetch." She'd get her prize one way or another. Even if she had to make him think that it was what he wanted to do. "Now don't you want to reward me for being so clever?" She asked with a pout wondering how long he planned to try and keep her waiting for.
--
"Well, I learned from you. " He smirked, watching her. He felt a bit like he'd turned the tables now, at least somewhat. "Fetch? " What could she possibly make him fetch, anyway? Though, no, not time to get curious. At her question, he smiled, following her out of the water and leaning closer to her. "Do I, now? " He leaned just a bit closer, almost as if to actually give her the prize, then stepped around her and flopped onto his side. "I don't know. Like I said, I let you win. Do you really deserve a prize? "
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"You're a quick learn dear." She replied turning her head towards him as he leaned in before flopping down by her side. "I think you do." She replied shifting so she was on her side, head turned his way. "What do you think your prize would have been if you had won?" She asked knowing the answer was obvious. It would have been the same with only a different deliverer. "Humor me dear,humor me."
--
"Oh? What makes you say that? " So, he did, actually, want to do it, but that would make the fun end too quickly. He blinked at her next question, then smirked slightly. He did have an idea what it would have been, actually, he was almost one hundred percent sure he knew what it would have been, but.. Once again, direct answers are never fun. "I don't think anything, " He said nonchalantly, tail curling over one of his hind paws.
--
"Well, you seemed to have picked up my pretty way of speaking. Dancing around things while giving so many clues." She stated with a grin. It was fun to play with someone all to willing to play her games with her. Most of the times the males she tried to play games with either gave up to quickly or rushed towards...that which she never gave. She had standards after all. If they didn't entertain her, well they weren't worth her time. Simple as that. "Don't think anything? Then are you to imply that you have no thoughts, no brain?" Oh yes, she'd keep teasing him until she gave in. This was a game she would never lose.
--
"Maybe, but you started it. " A perhaps childish argument, but if it was childish, it was every bit intentional. "If you want to kiss me so badly, just say so! " He teased slightly, resting his head on one of his paws and looking at her with a smirk, tail flicking. "No, I mean to imply that I was, and still am, completely oblivious to your intentions. "
--
"Maybe but you're playing along love." She retorted with perhaps just as childish of an argument. "If you want to kiss me so badly why don't you say so?" She knew he had to be at least interested in doing so. She'd just pull him along until he caved. She could wait. And she would. "Are you now? Because if you were I wouldn't think you to say that you would my dear." She paused smirking. "If you were wouldn't you simply say 'I don't know'?" Ah questions. How fun.
--
He liked this girl, yes. She was fun. "Perhaps. But it'd be rude to do otherwise, wouldn't it? " Remo shrugged nonchalantly, stretching a bit. "I want to kiss you? What makes you think that? " He purred. Yes, she was right, he was definitely interested. But a part of him liked this game too much to just end it. "'I don't know' is too boring an answer. "
--
"Now isn't it rude to deny someone the prize they won whether you let them win or not?" She challenged with a shake of her head. "Your logic is so backwards deary." Mii'ah told him faking a sigh as she hung her head a bit. "And to think I decided to stick around a bit longer." She paused wondering if her little taunt would work.
"Now tell me, do you wish for me to stay?"
Oooooh sneaky sneaky.
--
He blinked at the the taunt, almost losing the entire cool and aloof exterior he'd put up til now. Still, he pretended to be somewhat careless. Mteremo didn't want her to leave, he was rather.. liking the company. And she hadn't even gotten to the swamp yet! "I'm not denying the prize, I'm.. Delaying, yes. " He nodded, glancing at her.
"Its better when you're not expecting it. "
--
"Are you now, because it seems like you're too chicken at this point to go through with it." She replied rolling back over to her belly and pushing herself up to stand. She stretched her limbs and shook her head. She was going to make it seem like she was all too serious about leaving. "Perhaps but what's to say that I'd be expecting it at all?"
--
"Chicken?! Ha! " He scoffed, rolling to his paws too, but not moving otherwise. Was she.. serious about leaving? Naaaw.. not buying it, lady. "Well, you asked for it. You're expecting it by proxy, " He shrugged, raising his brows at her and tilting his head slightly. .. But, seriously, was she leaving?
--
"Prove that you aren't and I'll take it back. If not, I'll leave." She told him playing the part of the 'ice queen' nicely. If she made it seem like she was serious about leaving he'd cave. He didn't want her to leave. Right? And if her plan didn't work, well she'd be the one out of luck. After all she really did enjoy his company. If she didn't she wouldn't have asked for the kiss. "What do you want to do?"
--
He frowned. Daamn, she was so backing him up against a wall now. Mteremo flicked his tail, furrowing his brow, he inched closer. "Well, I guess I'll have to kiss you, " He sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Pucker up. "
--
Wasn't she just so clever. He was going it the exact direction she wanted him to. "You don't have to do anything." She pointed out, it was true he didn't have to kiss her but if he wanted her to 'stay' he would have to. It just depended on what he wanted to do. "You want it to be unexpected. Surprise me." Darn that girl and her making him do all the work.
--
He snorted. He knew he didn't haave to do anything. Girl, you are so pushing your luck here! "How is it supposed to be unexpected now? You ruined it! " He complained dramatically, stepping closer to the lioness with his ears flat and making a somewhat pouty face. Then, he simply leaned forward and gave her an exaggerated lick across the muzzle, pulling back with a dopey, self-satisfactory grin. "There, happy? "
--
She couldn't help but smile at his sentence before he gave her a lick across the muzzle. Pulling away she pretended to look disgusted before finding herself laugh. "A little bit." She replied smiling as she stepped forward and pressed her nose into his neck and mane. "You're too fun to tease."
--
He smirked, but it faded at the unexpected attention on his neck, causing Remo to lean back slightly, but ultimately freeze. "Yeah, you too. " He said, but was still a bit off guard on the whole situation. Of course, this meant he had to break the "moment". "I'm hungry. Lets go hunt. "
--
She felt him pull back a bit and she chuckled before pulling away. So he wasn't ready for physical affection yet, she could deal with that. It'd just be another way to tease him. "I'll race you." She stated grinning. They had just come full circle with their little game.
