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 Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:51 pm
Morning came and with it Altair roused from his dreams to find himself not alone, not under the stars. He was in a den, warm, safe and sound, curled with a female he knew - though not that well if he was going to admit it. Strange really. There was something about her that was familiar. It was as if they had been friends for eternity.
His eyes cast over her sleeping face and he purred a little. Such a sweet, kind heart. He was glad she had found a place to call home. A place where she belonged. It was something he could only dream of. Maybe one day he'd be able to feel safe enough to settle. But until then...
No, don't think about that just yet. No reason to. A couple of days in one place would be fine. Think about leaving when the time came, not before.
Then, trying not to disturb her, he uncurled himself from her and moved towards the entrance of the den, enjoying the kiss of the sun on his face. He hesitated there, then sat at the entrance, glaring out across the landscape.
What a beautiful morning.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:15 pm
Mercury eyes drifted open slowly a few moments after she lost that warmth, staring at the cave wall a long moment, before her head tilted to look up to his form in the mouth of the cave. She smiled once she spotted him, slowly rolling onto her back to watch him, content and silent a moment as her tail swished about against the ground.
He looked so much more rested, and relaxed today... And she herself had slept so well... It was kind of nice.
" Altair... Good morning. " She said in a soft tone, still laying there for now, contently watching the large male. " Did you sleep well? " Despite his promise... She had been a little afraid that she would wake to find him gone. Seeing him there, she couldn't help but be in a wonderful mood. She wasn't entirely sure why. If she was honest with herself, she barely knew the male... It just didn't feel that way at all. She felt close to him, for some reason... He would probably find that silly.
Her eyes half-shut as the sun finally shifted fully into her home, casting the warm light across her golden fur. Another lovely day out.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:22 pm
He turned his head to look over his shoulder at her, purring a greeting as she neared. "I did. Very well, thank you. I'm sorry if I woke you."
He shifted aside to give her room and swung his head back out to face the lands outside of her den. "You have a very beautiful home, Makhi. I've seen more than a few lands now, and I must say this is one of the most enchanting. The sun is beautiful."
He stood and stretched his dark pelt beneath the warming rays. "Do you have anywhere to be, today?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:46 pm
" No, not at all. I'm very used to waking around this time. " She smiled, looking out to the bright sky, and sands, shifting to lean against his side with a slow yawn. " Mmm, thank you. It is one of the reason's I could not bring myself to leave... It's just so beautiful, and warm here. Storms, and rain are very rare. "
She leaned back away when he stood, looking up to him. " The next three days I'm not on the guard location. I am free to do as I please during the day... I would be happy if you may want to spend that time with me..? " She asked him hesitantly, almost shyly, though her smile remained as always.
There was just so much she wanted to show him, and tell him... It occurred to her that it was probably unwanted attention, on his part, but she wasn't really the type to hold herself back, and shy away.
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:47 am
A purr chirped up in his throat and he nodded, accepting. He couldn't think of anything he'd like better than to spend some more time with her. It was very good, he realised, having friends. Especially friends he felt comfortable with.
A twinge of guilt pulled at his heart strings but he shook it away. It would only hurt her to tell her who he really was. Why do that? Why hurt her and leave? It wasn't fair. Some lies, like this one, were for the best.
"Perhaps we'll find your brother, too." He continued, standing. "Are we okay to walk, now? I never was one for sitting in one place for too long." He laughed. Perhaps whilst they walked he'd tell her some of his tales of adventures since they had last met. Yes, some of them were fine stories!
"You can lead the way, Makhi." He replied, stepping aside and dipping his head.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:05 pm
She held back an unhappy sound when she lost the warm form she'd been leaned up against, offering him a bright smile instead as she too got to her paws. "Of course. I can show you the temple, first. It is one of my favorite places. Of Ilori is not there working, then he is off at home dozing while the cubs play on top of him" She said with a bit of soft, fond laughter.
Stepping forward, out in to the warm sun she began leading the male west, away from the mountain base she lived at, and toward the large, human built structure. " I find it funny, you know... Humans, the two-legged creatures I told you of... They held me captive almost my entire life... And now I live within a pride that makes use of things they left behind... " Still smiling, she shook her head a bit, walking close to him, without her bangles and armor and the like, which she had left behind in her den.
" Altiar... Tell me some of the places you've been? " She asked, tone hopeful. She was curious to know if they had ended up in any of the same place while he ran, and she searched.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:31 pm
"Irony is a sweet thing, is it not?" He smiled, showing white fangs in those dark jaws of his. He was eager to see this place, this temple that the humans had once made use of. It aroused in him a sense of fear and curiosity that he could not describe. And as they walked he kept close to her, knowing he would treasure this time and think back on it with a glad heart.
"Some of the places I have been..." He thought on them, turning them over in his mind, mulling on what best to tell her.
"I travelled upon a cliff that edged the sea. The sea, under the sun, was aglow like fire. We had a saying, once, that when the sea reflects the red of the sun, a terrible crime was to be committed at the coming of the shadows." He shook his head. "Even still, it was a beautiful sight, and I was the only lion for miles around. Just me and that red sunset and the sea. The endless sea. I truly wonder if any lion lives across it, if there is more land like that which we tread upon now."
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:44 pm
She couldn't help but smile at that, looking up to him a long moment, before her eyes turned to the sandy path ahead of them. Already the large temple could be seen in the distance. It was a truly magnificent home.
" If the humans drawings are to be trusted, then there are actually many other shores. I've no idea, though, if any other lions roam them. " She hummed out in thought, moving to carefully slide down a steep, sandy rise in their path. She squeaked out in shock as he paw caught a rock, sending her rolling the rest of the way down it... No. She really hadn't changed much at all, had she?
She was still the sweet, clumsy, naive little lioness he had met over a year ago.
Mercury eyes blinked slowly in confusion as she lay on her back, staring up to the sky, a bit disoriented from her sudden tumble. She didn't seem to be hurt at all, at the list. Just a bit dazed there.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:58 pm
"Makhi!" He called after her, hurrying to her side, fretting she may have hurt herself. However, upon reaching her side it seemed all was well and he allowed the worry to turn into an affectionate smile. What was it about this female that drew him in so easily?
With a laugh he flopped down on the sand beside her and then rolled onto his back so that he, too, could look up into the sky.
"That's what I love about the sky." He said after a moment. "It's always different, ever changing." A random comment, but one he felt deeply passionate about.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:08 pm
Her ears twitched at the sound of his laugh, a slow smile spreading across her maw once more as she continue to lay there, letting her body relax. " Yes... with every movement of the sun, which every new locations, the sky is always different... Yet is is always the same sky. I like it here the most. " She said softly, tilting her head to look over to him. It seemed both silly, and endearing, seeing the large, powerful male sprawled out like that beside her... No, he wasn't the only one being easily drawn in.
" No matter what time of day it is... As long as the sun is out, the sky is threaded with beautiful gold. " She smiled, letting her eyes turn back up to the sky above them. She loved how the color looked, spread out over the land. The night sky lost the gold, sadly, but it was still very much beautiful as well.
" I don't think that I'll ever get tired of watching it. " She murmured out, finally rolling over onto her stomach, putting herself closer to him as she leaned over the male, an amused expression on her face. " It will take forever to get the sand out of that mane of yours... "
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:15 pm
Taken by the moment he felt calm and somewhat whole for the first time in a long while, then she stirred and he followed in pursuit, laughing at her declaration.
He wished he had forever.
"It'll shake out eventually." He continued, moving close and then finally catching sight of the temple, the grand spectacle looming with its odd, unnatural edges so straight and bold.
He paused, mouth agape, and stared. "It's...it's...different." And that was the only word he could conjure to describe it.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:24 pm
She laughed out at his words, and his shocked appearance, moving to nudge him forward to continue on. " The inside of it is even more impressive. It's like a cave, almost, why many connecting caverns. Most of the pride lives, and works within it. " She explained to him as she moved on. They passed a few guards, but Altair got nothing more than a friendly smile, or a good morning from them. The pride, though strong, was also very kind, easily welcoming outsiders there for a rest, or even to join their style of life.
It did not take them long to reach the massive doors of the temple, and she paused to point them out to the male. " With enough force pushing them, these slabs will close over the entrance... If there were ever an attack, it is a very safe shelter. There is no other way in to the temple. "
She explained, before leading him on. " It's one of the reason almost all young are never to leave the temple, until they come of age. Usually the land is safe, but no land is completely free of evil. "
Though she was playing the part of tour guide, she was loving every moment she got to spend with the male. His presence alone was enough to lift her mood, and put a smile on her face, though she wouldn't be admitting so any time soon. Since Ilori was so busy with his new family lately, she had been feeling lonely.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:50 pm
If the temple was as good and safe as she said, then why did he suddenly feel afraid of going near it? The thought of going inside was terrifying. Enclosed space. Only one way out. If that exit was blocked then...there was no escape. The thought choked him and he stumbled to a halt, throwing hesitant glances between Makhi and the building.
"An amazing thing indeed." He replied, trying not to sound nervous. "The pride have something of a treasure, here, I must say."
His eyes fell to her, and her beautiful eyes and he cleared his throat. "I'm sure no one would dream of attacking such a place. It would be foolish."
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:58 pm
She blinked in surprise at the male's sudden, obvious hesitation, no matter how he tried to hide it. She had stopped walking, staring a moment, before giving him a soft smile.
She easily padded back to where he stood, frozen, nudging him playfully to turn around as she padded past him to head away from the temple. " Oh yes, it is. They've been living with in the temple since the humans abandoned it. It is a true treasure of this land. "
" There are some who attacked before.. But they met their ends. " Stopping, she looked back to him expectantly, still smiling. " Come! We can go to see the oasis next. I'm sure you must be thirsty anyway. "
She had picked up on his reluctance to enter the temple, for whatever reason. And she did not want to do anything that would make him feel uncomfortable. So she decided to continue on with the tour instead, getting him away from the place that distressed him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 3:05 pm
Moving smoothly at her side he felt more comfortable now that they were moving away from the shadow of the place. He was sure, once he was used to it he wouldn't mind going inside. But...what was he saying? How was he going to get the chance to get used to it? He wasn't a pride member and he couldn't stay here.
Could he?
He cast a longing gaze at the female at his side but held his tongue. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger her by staying here. No, he had to move on.
And yet...
"Now that you mention it I am quite thirsty. This land seems to have a knack of it, if you know what I mean." That and his dark pelt. He sure did feel the heat.
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