She woke an hour before dawn, the sky still dappled with stars, a little hazy over the horizon. She slowly stretched, working kinks out of her back, paws reaching out and finding...something warm. Her eyes popped open, to see Kaume resting against her. A small smile crept across her face as she pushed her paws into his back. "Heyyou, wake up. Wanna come see my spot?" Her voice was sleep-roughened and soft, but her green eyes were dancing with excitement; she'd actually spent the night next to a boy...
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His legs stretched out to one spot in front of him till his claws were extended as far as they could go. Then he took his shoulders rolled them followed by a head shake. He then cracked an eye open to look back at the lovely female behind him. “Oh yes I would like to see it.” He took a paw and rubbed one eye then the other. Was it still morning? His eyes flickered outside, yes; yes it was still morning. This must have been the earliest that the male had ever been up. “Do you do mornings often?” He slunk up to full height and yawned again.
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Anippe giggled at the bewildered look on Kaume's face and flicked her tail against his flank, then did a similar stretch. "Every morning. My internal clock wakes me up like clockwork," she said with a wink, rising to the pads of her paws. "I'm taking it you're not a morning person?" Her head tipped to the side, bangs falling into her face, making a wave from how she slept on it the night before. "Cuz we don't have to go if you don't wanna...but it's beautiful. It's my favorite place to be."
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“So I was right…you are crazy like your family.” His brow raised devishly as she mentioned she was a morning person. “And yes you got me pegged. I am NOT a morning person what-so-ever.” He blinked again trying to keep himself from falling over, but he regained his footing and shook his head. “No I want to see it.” He shook his head again finally waking up. “I’d be sad if I missed your favorite place- but I can’t promise I’m not taking a nap later- sleep assassin.” He winked at her and nudged her side.
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Anippe grinned at his quick wit and sleepy pink eyes. Oh, he was too cute. Her heart seemed to bubble in her chest and she pushed her head against his chest with a rumbling purr. "I'm glad! And I'm not against napping later..." As long as it's with you, her sappy side said. Aw factor. She squealed softly and took off at a lope, yelling over her shoulder, "Keep up!" with her tail flagging behind her, a banner in the morning air.
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He groaned and watched her scamper off like a young cub. He on the other hand lumbered rather slowly trying to get his morning paws in order. He took another yawn with his eyes tightly closed and when he opened them again he realized she had gone REALLY far ahead of him. He groaned again this time louder then before. Oh how he didn’t want to run this early in the morning- but this was for Anippe and he really liked her. So he turned up the speed and barreled after her only tripping and sprawling out on his face in the sand next to her. ‘Oh I hate mornings…’ he grumbled with a mouthful of sand.
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He groaned and watched her scamper off like a young cub. He on the other hand lumbered rather slowly trying to get his morning paws in order. He took another yawn with his eyes tightly closed and when he opened them again he realized she had gone REALLY far ahead of him. He groaned again this time louder then before. Oh how he didn’t want to run this early in the morning- but this was for Anippe and he really liked her. So he turned up the speed and barreled after her only tripping and sprawling out on his face in the sand next to her. ‘Oh I hate mornings…’ he grumbled with a mouthful of sand.
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Ani heard an ooph behind her and pranced to the side just as Kaume sprawled out beside her, butt in the air. She let out a laugh then turned around to paw at his dark mane. "You're so silly," she teased, nipping his ear good-naturedly, then ushered him back to his paws. "Hey, you never know; you may love dawn when I'm done with ya!"
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“Ahhhh. I don’t think so.” He continued to spit of the sand from his mouth. “Once a vampire always a vampire. I don’t think there is a cure for it either.” He snickered and pretended to n** at her neck as he got back onto a four paws again. “Though maybe I can turn you into a vampire like me. Muhahaha.” He pulled his paw over his muzzle like a cape. “As you said…you never know.” He stuck his tongue out at her.
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"Me?" she grinned. "A creature of the night? ...I dunno, I kinda like bein' a sleep assassin," she admitted with a flick of her tail and a blow of waved bangs. "C'mon, slow-poke. This is a one-time shot. We gotta get there, we gotta move fast." She gazed to the skies, already getting hazy. "If we're not in my spot by the time the sun rises, we'll miss it!" With that, she took off loping again, though not as fast as before, noting poor Kaume's slowness.
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“I’ll work on it…maybe we can agree and be ‘afternoon’ lions.” He got to his feet once more and shook his head this time waking himself up. He puttered after her intent of seeing what she wanted to show him. “Ok I’ll make it there for you. And I promise no napping till I see what you want.” He crossed his heart increasing his speed.
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Out into the roguelands they went; Ani knew the way by heart; she'd been coming here every morning that she could since she grew to maturity. Her heart beat quickened at the excitement, at the haze of pink through the sky and the golden sun peeking juuuuust over the horizon. "Hurry!" she yowled over her shoulder, skidding into place. Her "Spot" was a large flattened rock, the surface smooth and slick. She slid into her spot, curling her tail over her paws and settling back onto her haunches. She patted the spot next to her. "This is my spot," she said proudly.
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He flopped over to it and butted her side. “Our spot now.” His eyes fixed forward towards the morning sky as he watched the colors over the horizon. The sun slowly creeping up until it raised over the dunes in the back. She was right this was almost as pretty as they came. Not as pretty as Anippe, she was still the prettiest thing he had laid eyes on. He looked over to her in the shinning light in the distance; now she was a princess with the white sparkles like diamonds on her pretty body. “Well maybe I will be a morning person. You look so pretty in dawns early light.”
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Ani was aware of his dark eyes on her, and when she tipped her head to the side, she met his gaze with a light blush. "Aww, our spot! You mean it?" She butted her head against his chest as his next words took flight in her heart; pretty... He thought she was pretty? Unable to speak for a moment, she let out a rumbling purr. "Kaummeeeeee," she sing-songed. "You know the words to say to make me so happy!" She beamed, watching the sun streak the sky with dawn's light. "You're gonna love it here... Shani's cubs will just adoreee you!"
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He nodded then looked down and blushed as she looked into his eyes. He could take down the toughest animal alive, but he couldn’t muster up the courage to look into the eyes of the girl he loved. “I try to Anippe.” He wanted to do everything for her and make her the happiest lioness ever. “I think I am going to love it here- because I lo- ….” He droned off silently still not able to say the words from embarrassment. “I would love to meet your sisters cubs.”
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Her heart skipped a beat at his words. He ...what. Liked her? Loved her? She gave a small squeak and butted her head against his, purrs rumbling up her throat. "I'm glad," she said. "Then c'mon slowpoke. We'll go find Shani, and see the cubs. And then...what do you say to a nice nap under the midmorning sun?" She waggled a brow at him, then began to trot slowly back to Tuait'tekem.
