It had been almost two weeks since the last time Nima'baha had talked with Dogo. He'd done his best since then not to do anything that would make her nervous. Though he couldn't help but watch her from across the den area, or perhaps just 'happen' to walk by the areas where he knew she stayed a lot. He hoped that she didn't think he was ... stalking her or something.


Dogo had noticed Nima out of the corner of her eyes. He was always just there...just outside her range...And that was fine. She'd...she'd started getting used to seeing him, and there was one day when something just...clicked. An idea in her head. The gruff leopardess rose up from where she'd settled by Luta during the early hours of the day, and started towards where she knew the white lion would be. Perhaps it was a plan not well-thought out...but Dogo knew Nima would at least listen to her.


Nima had been relaxing atop a large flat rock that still held some of the leftover coolness from the night. He could see Dogo and Luta from his perch, and raised his head a little when the leopardess got up and started toward him. Trying to get his heart to slow down a bit, the white lion attempted to not look -too- hopeful. Surely it was too soon for her to have decided something already..


Dogo stopped in front of Nima and smiled a bit awkwardly. It was as if she'd never really loose all the awkwardness in the expression. "Nima...I haven't really decided anything yet...but..." She sighed. "You know that I care a great deal for Luta, right? And...that she loves the cubs she watches over with all her heart..." But she could see the sadness in the leopon's eyes sometimes...


Nima blinked at that, tilting his head a bit to one side. "Yes...?" he prompted softly, not sitting up so that he wouldn't end up towering over her.


The leopard felt a little strange but...oh screw it! If she didn't say it now, she'd never say it. "I want to give her cubs that may not be hers by blood...but are hers nonetheless. And...the best way to do that is...to have cubs myself, I think." There. That part was out. Now...the hard part. She could get through the hard part...right? "But...I...I want the father to be someone I know, and trust...and, well..." Her voice lowered a bit. "Care about." It wasn't quite the words she had PLANNED on saying...but it was close enough, for now.


Another blink at that, and then Nima's ears perked toward her as she went on. Cubs...? Was she ...saying what he thought she was? "So you ... want to have cubs with ... me? Is that what you're saying..?" he asked slowly, eyes widening a bit. It wasn't quite what he'd been hoping for but... he rather thought it was a step toward that.


Dogo nodded. "I do." She took a breath, feeling a little light headed. "You would have as much a part of their lives as Luta and I. Just because...I can't say those words yet, doesn't mean you shouldn't have a part...if you want. I mean..." She drooped a bit. "I'm not very good with words." Actions were her forte.


Nima smiled and moved forward a bit to breathe in her scent. "It's all right. I'd like that... to be a part of their life. And I can be patient... on the other."


Dogo's heart soared a little. And she realized something...even though Nima made her feel floaty and other such things...they were different from the way Luta made her feel the same things. A paradox, perhaps...but Dogo didn't care. "I'll be able to say it one day. Until then...thank you Nima. And..." She chuckled a bit nervously. "How does one go about this cub-making business? Moto explained it to me once...but she was rather..." She wrinkled her nose. "Mechanical about it..."


Nima laughed softly at that, and stood up then, stretching a bit and jumping down to the ground to join her. "Well, any explanation is going to be a little ... impersonal probably. The only real way to figure this kind of thing out is to ah ... do it," he pointed out with a bit of a flush.


Dogo nodded. "Ah...well..." She thought a moment. "Maybe we should figure out a good time to...figure this out?" She shared Nima's flush, still feeling awkward. But...she certainly wasn't going to back out now. Especially since this would be not only good for Luta...but good for her as well. A step in the right direction. And Dogo was very tired of going in the wrong direction.


Nima nodded at that and thought for a moment or two. "I ... actually have a session to train one of my apprentices later on this afternoon... but ... tonight? Are you ah. Busy then?"


Dogo shook her head. "I am not busy. So...tonight sounds good." She wanted to say perfect, but in her experience that word tended to jinx things badly. "Should...we meet here?"


Nima smiled at her. "That would be good. We can just, ah ... find some private place then." He'd started to say 'go to my den' but he didn't know if she would think that was too big a step right now or not.


"Alright then." A private place...his den would probably be best. If not...well, there were plenty of places they could find. "I'll...see you later, then?" She felt a bit more confident now. For once, things were going well. And...she'd taken a step forward. She hadn't gotten annoyed at him at all! Not once!


He nodded at that, purring a little and nudging her shoulder just lightly. If they were to do this... she'd have to get used to him touching her as well. After all, that was ... sort of necessary.


Before, Dogo would have growled and backed off. But now...she welcomed the touch, if a bit tentatively. And she returned it with her own light nudge back. It was still something strange to her, but it wasn't unwelcome now. At least...not from Nima. Dogo was pretty sure any other male would have gotten clawed.