Once the sun had fallen, the shadows overtook the lands. As the earth laid in the path of the sun's rays, the night was nothing but shadows.

The moon's light was thin this evening, just enough for Jicho's pale eyes to glow softly. It was with these eyes he located his sister, waiting patiently for him near an old tree stump, rotted over to be nothing more than a small hollow.

"Big brother," she said quietly, offering a bow. "Thank....you for doing this. I don't know what's come over me, but it would be best to speak about it with you, I think. Since....a lot has to do with you." She looked away for a moment as she said this.

Jicho's ears twitched at this comment, intrigued. "Please, little sister, lead the way. I'm sure you've figured out a place for us to go since we spoke this afternoon." His tail swayed behind him as he tried to read the expression on her face. He had little luck, with how dark it had grown. Her coat, while lighter than his, was still a deep red that absorbed the shadows of the night.

Nudging her brother, she guided him slowly to an area that was a bit away from the cave, as she didn't want anyone to come across them. While what she had to say wasn't mortifying, it was to her. She had always thought that she was happy with life, but it only hit her recently that she wasn't completely happy. Jicho might be able to help her with it a bit.

After he had followed her to a secluded spot, he flopped down onto the cool ground, fatigue beginning to curl around his mind. He hoped he would stay alert for this, but knowing himself he'd be half asleep once she got around to asking her important question.

Nyuni curled close to her brother in the cool night. Half the reason she did this was so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye. It was hard to be honest with yourself and whom you're speaking with if you lost all nerve once eyes met.

"Okay...well...,y'see..."

Jicho was mildly surprised when she curled up to him like she did when she was still a child. He nuzzled the top of her head softly, encouraging her to go on with what she needed to say.

"Well...I've been a bit. Jealous. Since Siri came." She felt him shift, so she quickly tried to express her feelings. "W-well, you're always just so busy. I thought I was so lucky to find you alone today, so I could keep you all to myself. I know it's not right big brother, but with Ntombi gone, and Shabaha not really an older sibiling, I'm getting worried.

Jicho nodded. "Yes, her whole family too. It seems that it hit you more than I had thought so. Ny, you should show your emotions more. We don't always need you to be happy when you're upset."

Nyuni pouted again. "But, then there's one more for someone to worry about. I don't want that."

"I'm worrying about you now. If it's later rather than sooner, you should just get it over with to start."

"Hmph." She wasn't going to lose this one again, no way. "I'm just worried that you'll go away, too. I wouldn't want that." She felt her body curl a little tighter, a defense against what she knew was the inevitable.

The black lion chuckled, his pale eyes looking down at the back of Nyuni's head. "I'm not going anywhere, silly. I'm the next Akida, remember? Father will still be around for a while anyway, so nothing drastic will really change." Silly girl.

Nyuni shifted. "Really? You know I'm going to hold you to that. You'll really hear it from me if you change your mind!"

His only reply was that of a chuckle. He laid back now, letting his eyes shift to the blanket of stars in the sky.

Nyuni released a shallow sigh, feeling that at least something was past them. She shifted her eyes to the starts for a moment letting a long pause pass between them.

Enough so that Jicho was starting to nod off.

Nyuni jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, just enough to startle him. Giggling, she finally felt like she could say what she wanted to say.

"Oof!" What was that for? Ugh girls. He still couldn't understand them.

"Okay, so....I mean...Ugh I don't know how to ask!" she exclaimed, burying her head between her paws. After she calmed her speeding heart, she raised her head again so he would be able to hear her. "What...was it like, when you first met Siri?"

Jicho blinked. This was unexpected. "Well, honestly it wasn't anything big. When she asked to see home I thought a little differently, but it didn't really hit me until later."

"So...you wouldn't call it something silly like love at first sight?" Nyuni had always assumed that that was how it went...but she was unknowledgeable in the ways like that.

Jicho laughed. "Well...not quite? Close enough, because it didn't take too long until I felt something. I'm still a little unsure of it all myself, though."

The red lioness huffed. "Why? It's so obvious, there shouldn't be anything that you're unsure of!"

Jicho sighed. If he could, he would rub the back of his head in fatigue. And not just sleepy fatigue. "Things can change, Ny. We've both seen that, even in our own family. We just need to be careful, that's all. If we do, then I'm sure Siri will be around for quite a while." And hopefully Ny will accept her as something of an older sister as well.

"Oh....okay." That wasn't really what she wanted to hear. She wanted faith in the future, glittery eyes, the whole deal. She should have known better from her older brother, though. A playful snort escaped her lungs as she thought about it. Jicho was a little too nice about everything.

"Disappointing? You'll get it someday, Nyuni. You should stay close to home, though. The world out there isn't as safe as it is here." He would always worry about her, but especially if she was getting it in her head that she needed someone else in her life to make her happy. That wasn't the complete truth. Nyuni would do anything for that, including change herself. He'd have to keep an eye on her.

"No! No....I'll be okay." Her head was swirling with ideas, ones that Jicho had unwillingly put within her mind. "I'll figure it all out somehow." She just had to do this well so she wouldn't get herself into trouble. Nyuni was never a good planner, but she was going to have to do her best with this. Only...how would she even do it? Doubts began to swirl as well, but she fought them off.

The black lion yawned. "What that all you needed, beloved sister?" He was growing tired, and he knew that his days were becoming more busy as he continued to keep himself strong for his pride.

The lioness nodded, only then realizing that he might not be able to see. "Yes, that is all. My worries are too silly for you to be concerned with, I'm sorry."

"Never, Nyuni. You're my little sister, of course I'm going to worry. Never feel like you have to hide things from me. I would be more worried if you did hide things than tell me everything." He reached out and ruffled the top of her head, knowing that it would irritate the lioness.

Grunting, the lioness remained quiet. Ugh, brothers. "Well, I think I'll let you sleep now," she said with a bit of irritation. He always had to mess her fur up, didn't he?

"Oh?" he asked with a hint of playfulness. "Sleep would be wonderful if you'll allow me the pleasure of doing so."

Nyuni hopped up, her tail tickling his face before she ran off back to the cave. "You can make it there yourself, can't you?"

Jicho, laughing, chased after her, knowing that the both of them would be a little too energized when they got there to sleep immediately. Hopefully they wouldn't wake anyone else up, though, as Jicho didn't need that on his shoulders, no matter how much he offered to help Nyuni. That would be all her fault!