Anippe did laps around her to-be-boyfriend, long tail waving in the air like a banner. "C'mon, Kaume!" she yipped, prancing ahead. They passed the territory line as the sun began to sink, pregnant in the horizon line. Sunset streaked the sky in pinks and golds and cast a glow on their coats. Anippe looked like a sun goddess. She blew bangs out of her eyes as she dropped into a pounce. "Hurry uppp, slowpoke!"
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Kaume didn’t look like much of a goddess but the sun did light up his coat turning almost into a golden armor. One that any knight should have when escorting a princess. He caught up with her and strutted next to her side by side. He was rather worried about meeting the young ladies father. He was terrible when it came to meeting new people. Even worse more so when it came to parents of people he intended to have a long term relationship with. “I’m sorry I’m just thinking about meeting your parents. Got the jitters.” He wagged his tail anxiously behind him.
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Anippe offered a sweet smile, bumping her shoulder playfully against his bigger one. She was small compared to him, a little princess-midget in a dark pelt. She did notice Sir-Knight's golden armor; it fit, the time of day... The sun was beautiful. She gazed across the horizon line and paused, placing a paw gently on Kaume's black-tipped one. "You don't have to do this you know," she said, with a hint of regret in her voice, afraid he'd take her out and leave her. Not when she wanted to get to know him more thoroughly. "I wouldn't hold it against you."
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“Oh I want to do this very much.” He gave her a playful nudge back. “But lion relations have never been an um…first to me. I generally don’t talk well to a lot of people- well frankly you’re the first person I’ve ever felt completely comfortable around.” He blushed threw his golden armor. “I just want to make sure I say everything right to your parents. I er…” He tried to choke out the word ‘love’ but was far to embarrassed. “I ya know…you…ya know…a lot…ya know…” He stammered out.
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Ani's heart swelled tight against her chest and she gave a squeak, then a soft blush. "Aww, Kaummmmeeeeee," she drawled, flicking her tail against his nose. "I like you too!" She was beaming from ear to ear as she stood and began to walk again, motioning with a forepaw to follow. "It's okay, I understand. My brother doesn't like crowds either... Says he's antisocial. But he still comes around. Maybe I'll take you to meet him some time, but not now. Now you're gonna meet Daddy!" Taking off at a bound, she headed for the place where Feliji could always be found, knowing he'd be there. "Daaaaddy!" she sing-songed softly. "I brought a friend."
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Feleji hobbled to his feet like any old happy lion would. That was his daughters voice he could hear her. It made his heart sing out and he pranced in her direction as fast as his large body could take him. He really needed to lay off the pounds. Val was bound to get mad at him for it. But life here was some comfortable and pleasant. “Oh my little kitten!” He butted his large head into hers always grateful to see one of his kids before him- especially his daughters. He wouldn’t admit it but he always preferred his little girls to the boys. His eyes then danced over Kaume’s fit figure. “And who is this handsome boy?” He nudged at her and whispered. “Good choice with him. Going to give me some handsome grandchildren.” Because Feleji could never have enough cubs around him.
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Anippe pranced lightly towards her father, who was a big, rounding male with a full mane of dark hair. He looked no different to her, than he had when she was a cub and she'd spend hours tugging at his ears and muzzle. She was such an ornery kid, she thought with a smile as his head pushed against hers. She felt a purr ripple up her throat as she nuzzled him back before pulling away. She met Kaume's dark eyes and offered a reassuring smile. "Daddy!" she squeaked as his assumption! "We're not getting hitched to have kids!" Not yet. She giggled. "This is my friend Kaume. He might wanna join our pride!" She was eager to have someone to adventure with...and no more lonely nights. She smiled.
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Feleji’s face sank abit then perked up. “Your getting hitched then?” He caught his daughters words. “It’s okie…If we can make Tiki have kids we can work on him too.” He nudged at Kaume who felt more aquward then ever. Feleji turned again to his daughter. “Oh we have to tell your mother and your sister about your marriage! Shani can get the temple ready for you. She loves weddings. And your mother…oh your mother will be so proud with the choice you made! He’s such a strapping young fellow! He looks like me in my younger days…” He then looked down at his bulging belly. “Well perhaps not EXCATLY like me. But that’s a good thing.”
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Well at least Feleji was a jolly soul. He was worried that he might be angry that he had intentions of marrying his daughter. But on the other paw he welcomed him with an open paw. He took the nudge and nudged back. His eyes then darted quickly off Feleji to Anippe when Feleji turned the other direction. ‘HELP’ he pleaded as loud as his eyes could scream.
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Ani squeaked helplessly. "N-No! Daddyyyy," she groaned, swatting him with a paw and laying her ears back momentarily. "We're not getting hitched! Not yet... I just -met- him, today, out in the Rogue lands. I wanna be friends first. You know. Have a hunting partner, someone to laze in the sun with." And someone to curl up to at night, and not one of her siblings... She blushed lightly at the thought. Would he like that too? She caught Kaume's frightened eyes and pushed to her paws to stand beside him. "No marriage yet. But...I wanna let everyone meet him. So he can start making friends." Skipping towards Daddy, she lowered her voice. "He's not used to being around a pride, Daddy, so be niiiice."
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Feleji cocked his head, he was being nice wasn’t he? He had already accepted Kaume as a son and gave him, his approval. It was Val who the pair would be under more scrutiny with. She wasn’t anywhere near as scatter brained as Feleji was. “Friends…then marrige…then cubs…gotcha. I won’t say any more about it.” He licked her on the head. “Got a smart girl.” But Feleji wasn’t one to debate with he had already desided that Kaume was going to be having Anippe’s cubs and he couldn’t wait for it one bit. “Have you introduced him to Val yet?” He seamed to preoccupied with Ani to bother Kaume anymore. He for one looked relieved.
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Anippe giggled and cast poor Kaume a helpless 'what can I do' glance. Her Daddy loved cubs... And he was getting up there. Heck, he was a grandpa now with Shani's kids. And Leto's, though Ani doubted Fel knew about them. She grinned. "Right." She licked him back, tongue scraping across the top of his nose. "And not yet. You think she's gonna like him?" She liked him. She hoped Momma liked him, though Val could be...strict. She smiled. "Should I take him to see her soon? And Shani and her cubs?" Her heart thumped excited, nervous like a hare.
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“I’d recommend seeing your sisters first. I’ll have a talk with your mother and ease her into it.” Although his idea of easing was ‘OMG WE ARE HAVING MORE CUBS BREAK OUT THE FANCY CATNIP!’ Feleji was as obvious as a freight train hitting a brick wall. And as soon as Feleji told her it wouldn’t be too long before Val had already set up the wedding temple with Shani. The women were sure quick about these things in the family. At most Kaume and Anippe would have a few days of silence before they were to be ‘married’.
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Kaume was confused as to what was going on. He was trying well as he might to be a gentalman to Anippes father. But he could help but thing to himself that something had snapped with in the old man’s head. Though he wasn’t going to say anything about it and just smiled nodding his head not knowing what either one was saying to the other. He didn’t want to be a snoop after all. He just wanted to escape this so him and Anippe could have some time to themselves.
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"Thank you," she grinned at Feliji. "But we're gonna go -slow-. Tell her that. No cubs for awhile. I'm barely legal myself!" She laughed and padded closer to Kaume, testingly curious as she butted her head against his chest. "C'mon, Kau. Let's go find Nailah. She's my age..." And Nai was a gorgeous lioness... Ani had always felt a little...plain compared to Nai's stripes and luxurious black fur. Still... Kaume was hers, not Nailah's... Wait, what? Did that just come from her? Obviously. She puffed out her chest and strutted forwards, rubbing shoulders with the pink male.