Growing up, some would say Sabbia had a fairytale like childhood. In all honesty, she did. She had a best friend she could talk to about anything, who left her little gifts every day. As the months passed along, Sabbia kept growing. She grew with love from her parents, support from her siblings and from Kai. She grew taller, she grew a bit wider, muscular from swimming all the time. Even her fur curled like everyone else's in the pride.
Today she was in her usual spot, wearing a pink and blue shell necklace she strung together, at the tide pools. She was looking at all the different communities again, like she normally did. If Kai didn't get here soon, Sabbia would move to collecting shells for more necklaces for offerings. But for now, she was batting at hermit crabs and starfish, just watching their reaction. Truly, she didn't notice if she'd gotten bigger or older. She was the same old little girl she'd always been.
Kai's mind had lately been filled with thoughts of his best friend, Sabbia. He remembered what she looked like as a cub; sometimes he couldn't believe how fast she'd grown. More and more beautiful each day, she'd gotten, and it warmed his heart to see her grow into her own independant lioness.
Of course, he'd never told her that he'd nurtured feelings for her that went beyond friendship; Kai had never felt these feelings for any other lioness before, and he could only guess at what it meant, or what they'd lead to. All he knew was that Sabbia was usually on his mind, even while he was asleep he found himself dreaming of her and the easy friendship that had, in his heart, grown into something more.
As it was, Kai didn't want to reveal too much too soon. She was still young, far younger than he himself, and he didn't want her to grow into adulthood without experiencing things that all adolescents should experience.
As he made his way to their usual meeting spot, Kai had a lightness in his heart and a smile on his muzzle that only grew when he saw Sabbia sitting at her tidepool batting at whatever creatures lived within. "Sabbia!"
Her ears turned toward the voice she knew so well before her head did. For a moment, she continued to stare at the pool, but she looked up at him, through thick lashes and then burst into a smile. While she wasn't like this around other lions; she knew Kai as well as she knew her siblings. Or so she thought. With grace that befitted any lioness in this pride, she rose from her rock and moved toward him. It was a good day, she could already tell that much. "Hello, Kai! I was wondering when you would.... get here today." Still ever hesitant with picking words. She feared she always would be.
Her toes curled in the sand as she nuzzled her head under his chin, a greeting she grew so comfortable with lately. It just made her feel like she was still just a young cub.
Sometimes, she noticed the stares she got from other males, and that made her feel completely uncomfortable. Sabbia didn't like the way those stares made her feel. So, she shied away from males all together and hid away here at the tide pools. "It's... a very warm day today. Still... very much summer."
Nohokai purred softly at her customary greeting. He felt such peace in her presence. "I am sorry to have kept you waiting. I had to.. make a small detour." He chuckled softly, his gaze warm on her face. "I found something special for you, Sabbia." He used a rather large paw to dig around in a small pouch he'd taken to carrying around his neck for such purposes.
Changing the subject, obviously not wanting to reveal her gift just yet, he continued speaking, "I agree. Very, very much summer. The ocean is cool during the heat of midday, thankfully." He had a teasing look in his eyes, one that dared her to ask for her gift. Always playful, Kai loved Sabbia's laughter and used any opportunity he could to hear it.
Her eyes lit up when he mentioned a gift and she gave a soft, almost bell like laugh. When she watched him dig around in his pouch, she looked even more excited. Sabbia couldn't begin to imagine what was so special for her. Something she hadn't seen before? In her thought, her smile grew just a tad more relaxed.
Then he changed the subject and she clicked her tongue before sitting down. "While that is true, I want to know what you've got for me!" She made her voice sound innocent, or what she hoped was innocent. It was lower with an unintentional purr in it. She'd picked it up from her mom when she was acting coy with her father.
Kai chuckled at her peal of laughter, watching her closely. A huge, almost indulgent grin rested on his muzzle, and her coy tone only made his grin bigger. Ahh, his little Sabbia. "Ahh, ahh, ahh!" He taunted, laughter in his voice. "Can you guess what it is I might've found for you, my impatient Sabbia?"
Not wanting to tease her further, he wanted to see what she thought it was before revealing it to her. This gift was something special, something he'd crafted himself, and while the handiwork was lacking, the meaning behind the gift would be unmistakable. He only hoped that making his intentions clear while she was still young didn't send her fleeing in terror. She avoided other males in the pride almost like the plague; he felt special, different, that they were so close to one another.
"Make one guess, Sabbia. Then I will show you what it is."
His laughter caused Sabbia to snort and laugh again. It was contagious! She couldn't help it. While the girl thought about what it was, she looked toward the ocean, tail thumping into the fine sand. Half of her wanted to go swimming right now, and drag Kai with her. But the other half wanted to talk to him more instead of play. Which side should she give into? She supposedit all depended on what he was going to give her!
One guess was all she had to make? Well, lately he'd been leaving large shells, feathers, some random washed up things that were shiny and she could use in her crafting. "I think.... I-is it... a big clam shell with.. sea gull feathers?" That was all she could come up with! She did know he crafted a little bit. Sabbia remembered the couple of times they sat and crafted together.
Kai shook his head, eyes gleeful, though a small trace of uncertainty lingered deep in his gaze. Uncertainty, so unusual for the ever-confident and easy-going Nohokai. He didn't enjoy the feeling, but he recognized it for what it was, and embraced it. This was an important moment for him, one that had weighed heavy on his mind for quite some time. As she grew older, a primal part of him wanted to put his mark on her. There was an eternal war inside of him: he wanted to let her be free and embrace her coming of age, and he wanted to make it understood that Sabbia meant more to him than just a friend.
Clearing his throat almost nervously, he opened his large, steady paw. Therein was a simple stone; pink quartz. However, there was nothing else simple about it. It was obvious that Kai had painstakingly carved the stone into a rough heart-shape; it almost gleamed with an inner glow, and it was apparent that he'd spent a long time polishing the stone. It was laced through with a piece of leather, the perfect length for a bracelet.
"For you, Sabbia."
He waited, watching her ever-so-carefully.
She watched oh-so carefully. Something about the way he looked unsure made her chest ache. What was he going to give her that made his smile run away? Somehow, she managed to bite down on her bottom lip when he revealed his gift. It was... It was stunning! She could see the time he put into, hear the mutterings to himself when he tried to polish the stone. Her eyes went wide and then watered slightly before looking up at him, her face completely red. She didn't know what to say, truthfully. She opened her mouth a few times and closed it when nothing came out.
Oh, she knew what it meant; one look at it and anyone knew what it meant. But she wasn't scared by it. It made her heart pick up and put that hot blush on her face. Instead of talking, she held out her paw so he could secure it on her. She did, however, manage a big, toothy smile with her watery eyes squinting as she did.
Nohokai's smile returned only when she lifted her paw so that he could secure the bracelet around her wrist. Until that point what little smile he had wavered until it disappeared completely. He'd messed up, he moved too fast, it was too quick.
And then she lifted her paw, and his world righted itself. The smile on her face encouraged him to lean forward, clumsily using both teeth and paws to secure the bracelet around her wrist. The stone gleamed warmly against her fur, and it made her heart sing with happiness. She brought him so much joy.
He sat back and admired the jewelry, feeling no need to speak in this moment. His world was perfect.
When it was secured on her wrist, Sabbia nudged it gently with her nose to get it in the right spot. Out front so everyone could see it. She looked down at it as she set it down and then gave a happy laugh. That's when her eyes looked up at him and she moved foreward to nuzzle under his chin.
"I-it's beautiful, Nohokai..." she whispered softly, knowing he would be able to hear it. Her chest was bursting with giddiness and such joy, nothing could touch her right now.
Kai purred so loud he was sure the lions far off in the pride could hear him. Nothing could bring him down. Nothing could pop this little bubble of perfection that he was in right now. He watched her move it so that the stone was sitting in plain sight, beaming when she laughed. "I spent a long time on it. I worked on it at night, the ocean guiding me. The stone, I found the stone washed up on shore one morning. It was almost as if She was telling me that this was what I was meant to do."
He pulled back the slightest, bumping his nose against hers. "I know that you are the one for me, Sabbia. And you are young yet, and have some growing to do still. This is my promise to you that I will wait for you, and I have eyes for no other."
She bumped noses back with him and listened. Indeed the ocean had guided the two together. This only confirmed it for her. She couldn't smile any wider at his words, she was smiling so much already! Instead, Sabbia made a very bold move. For her, anyway. She licked his nose and down the side of his muzzle before tucking herself back under his chin.
"I.. I might have growing to do... But I'll.... I'll be yours through... all that." Her words weren't eloquent as his own, but she hoped that got her feelings across. It came naturally to her, her realizing her feelings for her best friend. Why question it?
Life felt complete. There was nothing else he needed in life, for now, at least. The only thing that would make him feel utterly whole would be cubs, but there was time for that in the future. There was no rush, not anymore.
He purred loudly again at her lick, nuzzling her ear as she dipped back under his chin. His heart was full, and life could never be better than it was at this moment. He was home, the ocean was here, and so was his love. His best friend, his Sabbia.
"Life is good, is it not, Sabbia?"
Cubs would be far into her future. She knew that, but if he didn't, well, he would quickly learn. Her mother taught her that she should be older when she had cubs, not to repeat the mistakes of her elder sister, Feana. Not that her nieces and nephews weren't wonderful. Either way, she wouldn't be like Feana, who was on her second mate in the pride. No, Sabbia knew for a fact that Kai was the only one for her. Like her mother knew her father was.
"Life is perfect," she whispered. Sabbia was far to relaxed to come up with anything else to say.
