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 Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:00 pm
Magebari-gura had returned to her den and happened upon a lovely surprise. A small bouquet of flowers, purple ones that she instantly recognized, where laying across the opening of her small den. And they could only be from one lion. She smiled to herself as she nosed through the flowers, admiring both the small and the larger buds. Odijo sure knew his flowers. They were beautiful.
So, like any other day when she found the pretty plants, Bari decided to take them over to their secret pool. But because he had given these explicably to her, she figured it would be okay to just use them in decorating their place. She would save another bouquet for her grandmother's another time.
The lioness easily gathered the stems in her mouth and turned to trot away towards the pool.
Odijo had watched Bari leave her den earlier in the day, and that was when he left the flowers on her front ‘step’. He would wait to see her reaction, but decided to go hunt for a bit before. He was hungry, and finding food near the swamps was a slightly difficult challenge.
He returned to her den, noticing the flowers were gone. He hadn’t been away /that/ long. Perhaps Bari had returned right after he left. Figuring there was only one other place for the female to be, Odijo headed left, going towards their secret spot. He was sure she would be there, she seemed to love that little pool so.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:06 pm
Bari happily padded around the big part of rock that was on one side of the pool, easily hopping over some of the smaller boulders surrounding it, sprinkled around the outside edges. She placed the flowers on one of them, turned around, and took out one at a time from the little bouquet, and then placed it strategically around the big clump of rocks. Once there was a flower in every pretty place possible, she took the remaining ones and managed to braid them into a little crown that she placed upon her head.
She giggled and looked into the water to see her reflection.
Upon arriving at the pool, Odijo couldn’t help but smirk at Bari’s actions. Their spot was covered in the small milkweed flowers in which he had given her this morning. He smiled, it didn’t matter what the use of the flowers he gave her were for, as long as it made her happy. When she placed a ‘crown’ on her head, he chuckled quietly, sneaking up on the female.
“Fit for a queen,” he crooned, his reflection appearing in the water right next to hers. “I see you enjoyed the flowers.” He hoped one day he could find something else to give the female. He thought maybe she would grow tired of the flora-esque gift.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:14 pm
He almost scared her, but she managed to hide her surprise (the second one from him, today) at his sudden appearance and struck a regal pose.
"Why thank you, good King," she returned calmly, bowing to him. And that almost made her little flower crown fall off and into the water; she felt it slipping and reached up with a paw to save it while she giggled. "I did--and still am--enjoy the flowers. Thank you." She turned to the side and nuzzled his shoulder in welcome.
"So what have you been up to today, besides surprising me?"
“I hoped you would enjoy those,” though, he knew she would. At he nuzzling gesture, a small purr arose from his chest.
“What, do you not like my surprises?” he feigned hurt, giving a big pouty look towards Bari. He couldn’t keep it up as his lip twitched before breaking out into a louder chuckle. “I just went on a little hunt is all. I saw a path that looked untouched for years it seemed.” He watched her for a moment. “Maybe we can find another secret place there.” Not that he didn’t like this place. He loved the pool, but it would be nice to have two homes, right. Two where no one would ever find!
“What have you’ve been up to today?”
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:26 pm
"I do! No, I do like your surprises," she began to insist and reassure him, but then she saw the smirk on his face grow wider and then break out into a chuckle and accompanying grin. Bari frowned at him playfully and shook her head. Meanie. "That would be nice, to have another little secret place." And the second one would totally be unknown. Not even her grandmother would have access to that one...
"Nothing much, really. I woke up late because I was so tired. I'm not sure why, though," she laughed. "It just felt like a good day to sleep in, so I did. And then I was super lazy and went to lay in the sun for a while. After that I came back to my den, and found your sweet surprise laying at the entrance." She beamed at him. "Although after all that sun, I'm thinking a swim is in order. It looks cool enough."
“I’ll show you the path one of these days. I’ll come to your den when the moon is just above the trees, and will be guided by that light only. This way, we can assure no one else will follow, because everyone should be asleep!” He smiled at his statement.
“Ladies first,” he held out a paw as regular gentlemen would do. “It sounds as if you had a long day.”
Once she was in the water, he followed in pursuit, feeling the cool water on his fur.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:56 pm
Bari laughed and nodded eagerly. "Yes! And then, once we find a good spot, maybe there'll even be a clearing so we can lay down and look at the stars. Do you know of many constellations, Odijo?"
With ease, the water-loving lioness slipped into the water at his outstretched paw. "I have, it's just been so stressful. One day it's wondering where to go, the next is cleaning up this place. And now it was just trying to find a good spot to sunbathe and find good places to decorate the rocks with my new flowers..." she sighed and shook her head. "It was just too much."
“When I wandered as a rogue, there were a few stars I thought that made an image…” he thought for a moment. “One time, I saw what looked like…a lion up in the sky. It’s strange, I’ve heard stories from other prides about the Kings of the past going up there, but never really believed it until I saw that in the sky.” He nodded, wading quietly in the water, feeling the slippery surface beneath him.
“Hmm, well the flowers can go over there,” he pointed to the rocks, in which a little flat area was just before it. “We can use those rocks to build a den,” he then pointed to the trees behind him, “and get the netting like for the roof from there!”
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:04 pm
A lion? She had also heard of stories like that before, how the stars in the sky would form images while also being a symbol of past kings. "Hm. Well, how about we try that out now? I know it won't be the perfect spot, but it's a bit clear over there. Hopefully enough for some stargazing?" She nodded her head towards the opposite end of the pool, where sure enough, a small opening in the trees above them made way to show the quickly-darkening sky.
"Either that, or I'd like to lie down in general. Today did wear me out." She easily padded around in a circle once, near him, before leading the way over to the spot she mentioned. Bari yawned, and giggled. "That's a great idea! I'd love to do that." He said den. He didn't call it a shelter again. But he called it a den. Again. It warmed her heart.
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He followed the female out of the water, heading towards the small opening in the canopy above. “It’s a rare sight sometimes to see these stars shine to brightly,” he murmured, beginning to stargaze. “Bright and Beautiful,” he purred, walking towards Bari and purring. He lied down, patting the ground next to him for her to follow suit.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:10 pm
Bari obeyed and shifted her weight around to find a comfy spot once she pushed herself down onto the soft earth beside him. "Sometimes I wonder what it is that makes them shine brighter one night and not so much the other," she confessed, leaning her head to rest on his shoulder while her eyes gazed far above their heads. "Then I laugh at myself and know that in time, I'll know the answer. For now I enjoy wondering."
“I bet they shine more brighter when they are with a person you like…” Odijo was quiet, almost inaudible when speaking this line. His ears perked, speaking a little louder, to cover his last sentence. “It’ll come to us I bet in the most intriguing of time. One day will find out,” he crooned, “but for now, let the unknown stay just that.” He gave a small lick on her head, watching as the stars above twinkled in the darkening night.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:12 pm
She smiled softly and burrowed her head into his shoulder and the soft fur of his mane billowing over her cheek. "Either when you're someone you like, or when you're thinking about them," she whispered just as softly. But then Bari hushed, and closed her eyes to just feel so comfortably...safe in his company. So protected and she trusted him entirely. Enough to fall asleep, for a second after her eyes shut, her breathing slowed and to dreamland she went
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