The day was golden and bright as almost all days were in this spot of Africa. Despite the heat, Farli sat sphinx-link on a rock looking out across the dusty grass plains and enjoyed the blue sky – not a single cloud all the way to the horizon. Her fur was warmed by the hot sun overhead and the breeze was refreshing…Oh but she was bored.
Zibuka had slipped off to find them some food. Something small and easy, since he would have to drag it back. He wasn’t much for hunting, but he got the job done and hauled the fair sized kill to his waiting friend. Friend with benefits! It was weird, trying to think what title to give her. So he just called her Farli and ignored the subject in his head altogether.
The hunt was a nice way to relieve some of the tension that was beginning to build up in him, at least. He was beginning to feel that wanderlust, stronger than it had been before. He would have to get on his way soon, and he knew Farli would understand. Still, he didn’t want to just up and leave. Though he was a wanderer, he wasn’t a bad guy. He came into lives and he left them, but he tried not to leave a mess behind him.
Sometimes that effort didn’t work out, but at least he tried.
“I got you food!” he called to her, though with the fur and meat in his mouth as he hauled the carcass closer none of the words were coherent, and all came out as muffled syllables.
“Hey!” She got up, so pleased to see him – something other than cloudless sky and endless grass, huzzah! Zibuka was always a welcome sight but when she was bored there was no one better. He was the kind of friend who kept your spirits up, for his cheerfulness was infectious.
“Let me help you with that.” She got up and leapt down from her rocky perch with effortless grace, slinking through the grass to join her lover in dragging the kill somewhere more comfortable to eat.
See, labeling him was easy in her head. They were friends and mates and cared for each other – that meant he was her lover. Now the only thing was she unlike some didn’t add the clause ‘forever’ to that term. They were lovers now. Didn’t matter that they’d part one day soon.
Zibuka nodded as she helped him, tired from killing it and dragging it this far. He sighed and collapsed into a sit when they were settled. Drawing a deep breath to calm himself, he tilted his head at her, smiling. She was as pretty as she always was. Maybe prettier, just because every passing moment seemed to add that much more allure to her. Even if he was being pulled away by other feelings, he knew he wouldn’t soon forget this lovely lady.It was rare to find a kindred spirit, someone to have such a free, wild time with without any real strings attached. Yeah, they’d probably miss each other, but that was a good thing, wasn’t it? It would make a reunion, if that was slated for them, that much more rewarding.
He let out a terrific yawn and then indicated with his paw that she had first dibs on the meal.
“Ladies first, of course,” he said with a smirk, “you looked pretty pensive just now. Things on your mind?”
“Such a gentleman.” She leaned over to give his cheek a quick lick of affection before laying down to grip the kill’s haunch between her front claws, hold it steady so she could eat easily. She delicately tore at it a moment before sighing and adjusting her hold. Picking at her food was NOT like Farli. She was usually brighter than this. Still she looked up to smile at him. The same smile just…off a bit.
“Oh I don’t know. I was a bit bored and it’s got me oddly down. I feel a bit off. But can only get better now you’re here.”
The male watched her, blinking. He could tell something was different about her, even before she spoke. Maybe she was feeling what he was, in her own way. It must have been harder for her, though, because she couldn’t leave. Zibuka had a free pass: nothing and no one tying him down anywhere at all. But she had family to care for and, more importantly, care about. He smiled, moving to sit near her.
Or rather, almost on top of her.
He lounged languidly, sitting as close to her side as he could, rolling and flopping his paws over her back. He tucked his head between her forepaws on the carcass and her chest, looking up at her like a child might when they were in trouble. Since he was on his side, mostly on his back, he was looking up at her with his chin on his fluffy chest.
“I’ve been feeling a bit funny recently, too. I think…” he sighed, almost hesitant but not quite, “I think I might have to get a move on soon.”
“I know you might. You need to, you should follow your nature…and it’s okay. I love you as you are.” She relaxed her claws and pulled her paws off the kill to cradle underneath his head instead. Farli licked her lips to get rid of any stray blood her brief nipping at the food may have stained them with and smiled down at him. There was not any resentment in her gaze or her voice, even if she seemed more down than usual.
“I think maybe I have just caught a bug. Cubs you know…they catch things from playmates so easily and we adults pick it up from them. Litltle lovable disease spreaders.“ She tried to turn the conversation on to something else. Tried to inject the usual spark and humor into her voice.
“You should probably stay away. Can’t have you getting sick too.”
Zibuka smiled at her. There was still something weird. He couldn’t put his paw on it. She didn’t seem sick, but maybe that’s what it was. He didn’t know much about illness, save when he got the sniffles, so maybe it affected the ladies differently. Maybe it was a lady disease, that made them sadder. He had heard things like that from other males around the watering holes, but they were always laughing.
He was a bit more naïve than he let on at times.
“Aw, I’d be honored to get a bug you had,” he grinned. Lifting his head, he licked at her chin dotingly, just to make her laugh. He tried nibbling at her neck, too, to tickle her. “Besides, I have the fortitude of a warthog. I don’t do ‘bugs’. I hope you’re not ill, though. That’d really put a drag on things, if I do leave soon.” He sighed.
Farli couldn’t help but be cheered after a while, with all of Zibuka’s doting and nibbling. He amused her even when she was in a good mood, so he was a great cure for being down in the dumps. She shouldn’t let a little bug get her under the weather – especially when the weather was so fine, her lover was here and there was food and fun to be had.
“Well, it just means you’ll have to stick around until I’m better.” She reached down to return his affection, taking advantage of their familiarity to n** at a spot by his ear she knew got a reaction, and nuzzled back and smiled.
“So I can give you a proper send off.”
He purred and wiggled when she found the right spot, looking at her with a big grin on his face. He turned and flopped his legs down onto the earth, kicking up a little dust cloud, then freed himself from resting on her forepaws and stood. He tilted his head at her, still smiling. Only now it was a bit devious.
“Well I wouldn’t dream of leaving you when you’re under the weather,” he said, his tone affecting seriousness but his eyes destroying any hope he had at actually appearing so. They were bright and playful, not to mention mischievous.
“I’ll have to nurse you back to health, won’t I? Fulfill your every desire. I mean, of course, in a completely innocent kind of way,” he didn’t entirely, but he did mean both. So he wasn’t exactly lying. He moved to sit next to her again, this time not sprawling himself all over her. He nuzzled her affectionately, still purring.
“Well, you being here is making me feel better…” Farli sat up again and returned his nuzzles, the food forgotton in favour of the cheetah who brought it. When he left she was not going to forget him. She’d miss him and the times like his with him. But like Zibuka that didn’t upset her. It just made her look forward to them meeting again, if they were destined to, and to cherish what time they had. Bah to feeling unwell! This was their time.
“But you know, I think I will need some special attention to get over this. Better safe than sorry, as they say.”
Zibuka nodded.
Whatever it was that was making her sad, he wanted to make it go away. He didn’t know, exactly, when his feet would start to walk away on their own, but he had to make sure they were still having fun when that happened. So they were on the best of terms for when they met up again. He didn’t believe his life was one way. That’s why he was so keen on making so many friends, even if they were fleeting: he knew he’d probably find them again. He wanted to, for better or worse, because seeing how people change was just one more fascinating part of living.
He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded again for good measure.
“I think I can do that.”
End!
