Asper woke slowly, first yawning and then working his body into a nice, long stretch. In the past it had been difficult to sleep in the midday sun but the brothers were located in such a place that the cooler air that whipped in from the sea made things much more bearable. As such, sleeping during the day was actually refreshing. Asper loved the night time hours, he always had, and so here in the more temperate climate he'd willingly taken on the task of keeping the night watch.
Rising to his paws and giving himself a shake, Asper instantly peered about for Atheris. He caught sight of his brother at the mouth of the cave resting flat on his back as his tail lazily swept to and fro. His younger brother's eyes were closed and a silly little smile was on his muzzle. Perhaps Atheris had caught a meaty hare or a fat bird, but glancing around Asper did not see either of those delicious things waiting for him.
No, the only thing he saw was his brother foolishly resting on his back, eyes closed, tail flicking -- and then Atheris started humming.
"Brother," Asper said in a gravelly voice, "please tell me you have not taken leave of your senses. Have you caught naught for dinner? What have you been doing all day, might I ask?" Asper's voice was genuinely curious; his tone held no malice or anger. He had never seen Atheris act like this, and so naturally Asper was slightly worried.
"Asper," Atheris said in a sing-song voice, rolling from his back to his belly. Crossing his paws before him, Atheris rested his chin on his stacked ankles before continuing, posing a strange question, "Have you ever been in love?"
Asper frowned in utter confusion. "Love? Atheris, you know that I have never taken a mate. Why do you ask such a question," he grunted, moving to sit next to his brother with a worried look in his eyes.
"Asper, I am in love. I am in love, love, love, and I would give my life for a glance from my sweetest heart's desire."
"What are you talking about? What... did you meet someone, Atheris? Have you put us in danger?"
Atheris scoffed at his older brother. "Of course not, brother. I was out today, hunting as I often do when you are deeply sleeping. I came across a clearing, one that promised a fat hare or a stringy quail. Instead of lunch, sweet brother, I saw the most beautiful lioness I have ever come across. Her fur was like... and her eyes were amazing... and her voice..." Atheris rose to his feet and paced back and forth for a long moment in silence.
"I'm going to find her," he said suddenly, a lovestruck expression on his face. "I am going to find her and profess my love for her and beg her to have me for all eternity."
Asper could not believe what he was hearing. His brother had clearly lost his mind, that much was certain.
"Do you realize what you have done? Atheris, if she comes from a pride of lions -- the pride whose territory we are close to trespassing on -- they will kill you, and rightly so! We are leaving. Atheris, did you hear me? Atheris?"
"Ulrika, she said her name was Ulrika, and she was a Priestess of the Stormborn," Atheris sighed melodramatically, "and she told me never to return to the clearing I found, but brother, I have no choice. There is nothing you can do to stop me, I swear this to you. I swear this on the life of our mother Sebae and our sister Amarali. I am going to find her again." He shook his head, obviously distressed now. "You have never felt this way about a female before because you are afraid," Atheris said softly, shaking his head.
"Afraid of what, Atheris?" Asper was credulous. What had gotten into his brother? Had this female cast a spell on him? Had she taken him in by using her charms?
"We have to leave. These Stormborn do not sound like the sort that we want to tussle with. Atheris, I cannot let you go, I cannot let you do this. You are my brother, and I love you, and I promised our mother that I would look out for you. I cannot let you just.. waltz in to the heart of a pride we know nothing about so that you can profess your love to some stranger that has told you she does not want to see your face again!"
Through the haze of irrationality that Atheris was currently lost in, that one small wise part of him niggled at the back of his mind. He realized that his brother would never willingly let him barge into a strange pride and risk life and limb for the sake of telling a strange lioness that he was utterly and completely in love with her. He realized that his plan was stupid, but he'd never felt this way about anything before in his life. The urge to see Ulrika again was overpowering every other emotion that he had thrumming through him right now, but he knew that first, he had to escape his brother.
"You are right," Atheris said mildly, blatantly lying to his brother's face. Once he'd gotten Asper cooled down, he would sneak away back to the clearing each day until he found the lioness again -- or until a member of her pride saw him. Of course, Atheris was not thinking straight, so while lying to his brother seemed to be a perfectly acceptable thing to do right now, if Atheris had his wits about him it was obvious he would be rather ashamed of himself.
"I'm glad you realize that," Asper said with relief, shaking his head. "Losing you would mean losing myself, brother. You are my other half, I hope you understand what losing you would do to me."
Affectionately bumping against his brothers shoulder with his own, Asper smilled at Atheris.
"Now," he said quietly, "let us find some food."
Atheris grinned and nodded, though the gesture did not reach those clear green eyes. He would just have to bide his time, patiently, and wait until he could sneak off once more.
(wc 1,060)
