Soali had met Ketu not too long ago, and since then they had become close traveling partners. In fact, the little lioness could probably very well have a crush on her protector. Guard. Friend. Thing.
She wasn't about to tell him that, of course. Girls just didn't do that. But she couldn't help but smile when he was helping her, or blush when he was doing something for her. He was a gallant lion, and she was especially lucky to have him there for her.
Also considering the fact that she didn't know too much about the world, he was a good guide.
Right now they were resting by a watering hole, relaxing for a bit while the sun was on her downward slope to the horizon. They had walked quite a distance since they had met, all in any direction they chose. She had to find her true name, and finding that was a big task.
Deep red eyes fell on the young lioness and he smiled quietly, the little lioness needed his help, but he couldn't help but think she was beautiful and gentle, a kind little creature that needed to be protected and cared for.
As they rested by the water he pursed his lips and flickered his tail, a very thoughtful look crossing his face "I thought of something while I slept last night" He whispers, looking down at the little lioness with kind eyes. "I thought of a name you might like." He smiles bashfully, almost afraid he might insult her if he offered her a name.
She blushed at first, but became curious as to what name he could have thought about last night. That was the main part that had made her blush, really, when he said he had dreamed about it. No one had ever said they had had a dream about her, or something that concerned her. The second part was that he had even thought of a name for her. To help.
"What?" she asked quietly, a little smile curling up on her face. "I'd like to hear it. Maybe it would help me."
The big males smile widened across his maw, she wasn't upset that he had thought of a name for her. He completely missed the blush, he had never been with a female before and didn't know the signs of embarressment very well.
Clearing his throat he flickered his tail and smiles, lowering his head so his dark mane touched her shoulder, he felt the pretty name needed to be whispered, because it was just for her. "I remember a flower that smelled sweet as you walked past it, it would leave pale white petals all over your coat, it was called Jasmine, I dreamt of it and i thought of you beneath the flowers, a sweet smelling flower so beautiful and soft." he clears his throat and smiles gently "Do you like it?"
He was so big; when Ketu put his head down near her shoulder, the size of it almost overwhelmed Soali. It wasn't that she was small for her age, oh no: he was just a giant.
Her blush only darkened when he told her of this dream, with these pretty white flowers that smelled so sweet, and of the image of her beneath such pretty things..Jasmine. It was pretty. "I do like it. I can almost see the flowers," she whispered back, just as quietly.
Ketu puured quietly, a deep rumbling sound that echoed through his chest. "I'm glad, you like it." He smiles and nudges her gently "Come, I have something to show you." He chuckles quietly getting to his paws his sleek form rippling with mucles, the wings across his back moving as he shifted his weight form his belly to his paws.
"I don't think the flowers would mind too much if you used it for a name, I'm sure in fact they would be flattered to have a beautiful maiden with their name."
Interested to the point of trusting him completely, Soali rose as well to follow Ketu. "I would be honored to share a name with such pretty flowers," she replied, though she smiled and blushed again all the same at his compliments.
Ketu looked back and smiled leading her around the waterhole and towards a small copse of trees, his tail held at a jaunty angle. "Come on, not too far to go." He whispers making a beeline and stepping in to the undergrowth of the trees.
The little copse was very green due to the watering hole and the smell of green and flowers filled the air in between the tightly packed trees.
She had no idea where they were going, but it didn't really matter to her. She knew that what he would be showing her would be worth the wait, and all the mystery. Soali carefully followed his footprints in the undergrowth, not wanting to get lost or caught or tangled in any of the free-standing vines or really tall grasses there. His big feet helped to shoo them away for her.
Ketu glances back once more and pads in to a small clearing, the sunlight was dappled here, the green of the leaves casting a soft golden glow. and draped from every branch was thousands upon thousands of tiny white flowers growing from deep green vines. The scent of them filled the air and as he walked past them his dark fur became covered in tiny white petals.
"It's beautiful, just like you." He smiles standing tall his mane and fur becoming full of the petals that floated aimlessly through the air around him.
Soali was a bit busy trying to watch where she was stepping (and making sure she stepped in his footprints), and almost ran into Ketu when he stopped. But once she realized that he had led her to some place new, the place he wanted to show her, Soali's head rose and froze in place as her eyes slowly took in the beautiful sight before her.
"This is amazing," she said after a moment, glancing at him with a growing smile on her face. "Are these the jasmine flowers?" The little lioness walked forward a few paces, the white petals swirling downward gently to land and tangle into her small tuft of hair and on her fur.
The dark lion smiled lightly and touched his nose to the little lionesses head "Yes, they are beautiful arn't they?" He smiles a quiet smile, his deep red eyes casting over the little female. "I think you need to go home Soali, your name will be there for you when you get back." He lifts his head his dark mane falling around his cheeks.
"They are," she agreed quietly, looking around a bit more before he touched his nose to her head. She didn't even realize or bother to blush gracefully when he did; she just nuzzled him back on instinct.
"Come back with me?" The request was sudden, spontaneous. It made sense. Why would he just leave once he dropped her off at the border of her pride's lands? Why should he have to go? "Please?"
Ketu's ears perked under his mane, his deep, bloody red eyes seemed to melt, he changed from strong protector to something gentle and romantic in that moment, the moment she told him she wanted him by her side. "I will."
He lowers his nose and grooms her cheek gently. "I'll protect you forever, I promise, I'll always be at your side." He smiles softly and flickers his tail, "I'll take you home safely."
"And stay." Stay with her after he took her home safely, as he had promised. That's what she wanted.
She realized, standing there with the white petals falling around them, softly nuzzling her newfound-permanent protector in return, what her true name was. It came as a sudden jolt, but she found it. And it took her a moment to realize how to pronounce it, too. But it wasn't too different. It just held a new meaning for her. A better meaning.
"You've helped me find my new name, just like you said you would," she told him with a soft smile. "I just thought of it."
The bat wing marked lion wrapped his neck around her shoulders. "I'll stay, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." He lets a soft rumble of a puur roll over his chest as he listens to her words.
"It's the least I could do for what you have given me Soali." He lifts his head and tilts her head with a paw looking in to her eyes. "Tell me so I can have your name with me no matter what." He smiles and lays down on the ground resting amonst the fragrent flower petals. "Rest with me and when we wake I will return you home and we will be in that place, forever."
She couldn't even explain how happy she was at that moment. Soali thought that it would have taken a long time to figure out her name, let alone to find someone to spend the rest of her life with. She knew that her pride would have open arms for Ketu.
The lioness laid beside him, propping her head up on his paws, curling up against his warmth. But before she closed her eyes, she told him her true name. "Salima. It means 'to be safe.' Which is what I will be from now on, with you."
Ketu smiles lightly, resting his head over her shoulders, holding her against his body. "I'll keep you safe, I promise, Salima." He whispers closing his deep red eyes and sighing happily. "I'll keep you safe forever, I promise." he smiles andwraps his tail over her body, curling her in to a big soft furry cocoon as he fell asleep, safe in the knowlege that she would always be safe as long as he was around.
