The older sisters had long since moved into the immediate outer dens around their parents den since the cubs were born, but sometimes Soa still felt stifled, even just being so close. It wasn't something she minded, simply sometimes she'd wake up in the middle of the night to the imaginary press of bodies all around or close by. Honestly she suspected that it was more because she missed having extra bodies around more than being unable to escape it.

Carefully she inched from Ukilia's side, rising quietly. Her bonded had had a busy day helping to entertain the cubs today, she was tuckered out and needed the rest. As the maned wolf, her best friend, laid there she didn't even seem to notice except to snort softly and inch into the warm spot left behind. Soa made up her mind and eased silently into the halls. She glanced towards the entry ways of the other dens, recognizing sleeping forms in the dim light cast from the moon and stars outside, at least in what rooms had openings to allow it in.

She couldn't go up to the Eyrie, no one was allowed there except for their patron and patronesses, but she had an urge to be closer to the stars. Even though it was cold in the desert at night she left the temple walls anyway, silently trekking down to the line of statues outside the temple entrance, but hesitated, stopped, then deviated completely from that path, instead going to the garden's lake. After taking a brief drink she settled to lay down right at the water's edge where Peribsen had brought her before (Albeit unknowingly.) and looked up towards the sky above.
*
It wasn’t long before the voices rang out softly in the darkness and abruptly turned to laughter as two shapes came bursting out of the shadows by the far enterence that led to the desert. By the light of the stars and moon, it wasn’t hard to make out Peribsen, running with great strides and energy. He paused a moment, only a moment, before Bennunakht was shoulder to shoulder with him again and he bounded into action once more. His companion ran too, but with much softer footfalls and in a more steady pacing fashion. He like a cub playing tag (stopping only to make sure she was keeping up, keeping the game more interesting) while she was like a huntress keeping up with her fellows. But they clearly running together.
The brown lion ran straight off the wall into the water with a laugh and a huge splash, the brown lioness smoothly jumping in from the steps. From out here those in the outer dens wouldn’t hear them and the inner dens barely. Soa wasn’t seen in her shadowy spot, not scented because of the heady perfume that still hung around even when the day lilies were closed. So they weren’t worried about talking.
“When did we last play like this?” Peribsen said, floating on his back.
“Did we ever? I think the vultures would rather have choked on a fish bone than let us – PLAY.” Bennu had swam over to the floating lion and pounced at him suddenly with her last word.
*
She looked away from the heavens, suddenly no longer alone under the shadow of the trees and the wild grass. She thought she recognized Peribsen's voice and felt her heart still a moment, especially when she heard him joined by another female's laughter. When she got a decent glimpse she thought she recognized Ben.

... Well, duh, Soa, just because she's not his wife doesn't mean that he couldn't be courting her. She wasn't sure why that suddenly came to mind, or why she felt like she should be giving them privacy all of a sudden, but she didn't want to be noticed and interrupt them either so she simply sat tense there and tried not to overhear.

That's right, tried was the keyword. She felt like an eavesdropping cub, her ears flattening to her skull with shame, but if she went now she'd just make a fool of herself, and even Soa didn't want to embarrass herself, for as much as she took things in stride.
*
The pair, unknowing that the princess was there still, found their own resting place. Ben stretched out on a step of her own and began to clean her fur as they chattered about everything and nothing – how their days had been, that sort of thing. Peribsen however laid on his back in the shallows next to her and looked up at the stars. He didn’t care that this was not the most dignified position. It was comfy and he had a lot on his mind.
He sighed.
“Boring you am I, Per?” Ben said, halting in their talk about breaktime snacks, and smirking down at him.
“No, Ben, no. It’s just…I don’t understand what’s happened to me. We’ve been planning to go for a run for ages and I’m having fun, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I tried, I did, but my heart actually aches. In my chest. I always thought that was an expression but I can actually feel it.”
*
They didn't seem to be ready to stop talking anytime soon, meaning that Soa might be in a bit of a spot. Silently resigning herself she settled her head down on her paws, further obscuring her from view should they look, but more importantly giving her some comfort for the possibly long wait. Her eyes, which she'd closed some time ago while listening but not listening, slowly parted open a bit at Perib's last confession. She really shouldn't, but Soa couldn't stop her curiosity. Who was it that his heart pined for?
*
“You know, this has stopped being funny.”
The lioness bellied forward a little to look down into her friends eyes. Bennu was a tomboy, she was tough, and she wasn’t used to all this feelings talk. There’d hardly been anyone for Peribsen to crush on back when they were slaves, save her, and they were too like siblings for that nonsense. And quite right too. It was bad enough he was moping about over Soa like this.
“She hasn’t given any signs she likes you Per. Not in any special way.”
“You’re right, I know…but I’ll try one last time. If she doesn’t understand it’ll be a sort of goodbye.” He turned over on his stomach and stood up, stepping up onto the dry step with her.
*
Soa wasn't sure what the first part meant, maybe he'd been feeling that way for a long time, maybe it wasn't even love they were talking about. Who knew? But her? Her who? He was going to give up? Why did her chest suddenly start hurting when she heard that? She didn't even know who was the subject of the conversation, but she suddenly felt that it was painfully important that she was there now, eavesdropping however unintentionally.
*
“Hey, you’be had better luck than me so far. I don’t even like anyone.” Ben stretched and got up herself, looking up at the dripping Peribsen. She might not be speaking softly and cooing at him, but in her way she was being sympathetic.
“Not at all? Not even that handsome prince from the other day?” Her brand of comfort was working in it’s own way. Peribsen was smiling again, though not as brightly as usual.
“Oh please. He’s a fraction of my age and thought that his joke about my name was /witty/. I’d rather end up marrying you!”
“Ratherjumpinariver.”
“RatheritwasSoamorelike.” She snapped back so fast, it was near impossible to work out whose name she’d just said.
“I'd settle for making her smile. You're just jealous anyway. You so wish I’d ask you. It's a pity.”
Bennu twacked him and staggered a little, with a laugh before rubbing his shoulder with his other forepaw.
*
She really couldn't make out what had been said by Ben last, but as she shouldn't have even been listening in in the first place it seemed fair enough. She kept low in the grass and flowers as she waited for them to go, more than ready to retreat back to the privacy of her own den again, chilled by the night air and warring with the uneasy tightness in her chest.
She didn't get who they were talking about, but for the first time since Tesni got her bonded she felt so...
(End)