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 Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:55 pm
 It had been a few days since the traumatizing revelations that Kosoko had delivered to Shujaa. Tofauti had kept away only because he wasn't sure what he could do for Shujaa. She'd politely dismissed him after he'd walked her back to her den and at that point Tofauti couldn't help but feel as if he'd royally screwed things up. Maybe he shouldn't have agreed to lure Kosoko back to Zurvan's den, and maybe he shouldn't have dragged his grandfather into the situation. No, he'd done the right thing. All he had to do was think about Shujaa's tear-ravaged face when she'd talked about her sister and the cubs, and he knew that he'd done the right thing. She would heal, he was certain of it. He just wasn't sure how long it would take.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:45 pm
 Shujaa wasn't sure if Tofauti was avoiding her on purpose or if he was staying away simply because he wanted to give her space. She'd needed the past few days to collect herself and come to terms with the death of both her sister and her sister's cubs. While the pain was still fresh Shujaa felt like she was on the way to healing the loss in her life. She was ready to begin anew. Stepping out of the sanctuary of her den, Shujaa made a beeline for Tofauti's den. It was early enough that he hadn't began his duties quite yet and if she was lucky she would catch him before he left his den for the day.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:41 pm
Tofauti had taken but two steps from his den when his pale pink gaze landed upon Shujaa's form. A smile ghosted across his muzzle, lingered for a moment and then slowly left. Now was not the time for smiles, he supposed. Perhaps she was coming to tell him that she was leaving, that she couldn't stay. The thought sent chills down his spine. No, that was not worth smiling over.
Pausing in his steps, his ears flicked forward and back as he waited for her to draw closer. Thoughts ran rampant through his mind -- thoughts of her sobbing and heartbroken, thoughts of her remembering what had happened to her family.
He sent a prayer to the Gods that she would stay here. Suddenly, Tofauti could not picture living the rest of his life without her.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:43 pm
Shujaa caught the smile that flickered across his muzzle. She also caught the look of pure panic that soon followed, and she could not help but worry about his thoughts. Zurvan had told her that he had once been known for his worrisome nature; he'd also made comment that since Shujaa's arrival in the pride, Tofauti had seemed stronger, capable.
Shujaa liked to think that she had brought about that change.
"Good morning, Tofauti," she said softly, stepping before him with a slight smile on her face. Seating herself, she curled her tail around her paws. "Do you have a moment to talk?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:45 pm
Tofauti nodded, fighting the urge to just blurt out --
"Don't go," he pleaded, no longer capable of resisting the urge to say those two frightened words. "Please, Shujaa. If you leave, I will follow you. Don't leave. Stay here with me. I will take care of you, I promise. You... you can find things to do here. The shrines need a dedicated lioness to look after them. I need... I need you."
I love you.
Those three words were caught in his throat and he could not force them out as much as he needed to. Even still, his eyes were bright with the emotion no matter how difficult they were to say.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:49 pm
Shujaa blinked rapidly as his words sank into her brain. He thought she'd made plans to leave? Not only that, but he would follow her if she did decide to leave?
He needed her?
A bright smile broke over her features. "Oh Tofauti," she trilled, butting her head under his chin, "after everything you have done for me, after working so hard to give me my memories back, you think I could ever leave you?" He was mad if he thought that was the case.
"I am staying. I... I need you too, Tofauti. You are my strength. Thoughts of you have been all that has kept me sane these past days while I remained in my den dealing with these emotions that Kosoko helped me to see."
The words clogged in her throat, but she would say them. She had to say them. She did not want to regret not saying them if something were to happen to either of them. Her sister's death had reminded her that life was far too short.
"I love you."
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:52 pm
Tofauti just stared at her as she spoke. Never once in his life did he ever imagine that he could find a lioness that could rival the gentle and kind heart of his mother, and yet here she stood before him. Her inner strength was remarkable and her purity drew him to her. Even still he could not believe what she'd said.
He would be a fool not to respond in kind.
"I love you, Shujaa." It was freeing, really, being able to tell her that -- and the most perfect part was the fact that she returned his feelings.
"I will do anything to keep you happy and content. I will dedicate my life to it," he said fervently, his eyes blazing with all of the emotions she invoked in his heart.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:55 pm
A slow smile spread over her features as she heard him reciprocate the words she'd said. "I will do the same for you, Tofauti. I give my life to you. Meeting you has brought a change in my life. It will take time for me to heal but with you by my side I know I can fight this grief. I will remember my sister and my family and I will honor them by living my life to the fullest."
Her sweet sister and her innocent cubs. Their life cut far too short by a madman. And yet here she was, having been through all that and stronger than ever. It was all thanks to Tofauti.
"You must introduce me to your mother now, you realize." She grinned.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:58 pm
Tofauti laughed. There was a time in his life that laughter had never come easy, that each day had seemed a struggle. Now.. now the laughs came easy. Hope for his future with Shujaa lit a light in his chest that glowed in his eyes. He'd never been happier. With her in his life, things could only get better. Children, a family of his own... what more could he want.
"My mother is going to love you," he whispered, nuzzling her jaw. "I just know it."
He would not give thought to their whirlwind romance. He was wise enough to know that when love came into one's life this hard, it would be foolish to let it wiggle free.
No, Shujaa was his and he was never going to let her go.
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:00 pm
Shujaa giggled in return, purring softly at his touch. The Gods had brought her here to this pride so that she could meet this lion and live the rest of her life with him by her side. The sadness that her sister would never know such love and warmth lingered, but she would honor her sister and her nieces and nephews by living her life to the fullest with Tofauti by her side. Perhaps in the future when she brought her own children into the world, she would regale them with stories of their aunt and cousins.
Shujaa could not want for more. Her life was complete thanks to this lion and others in the pride, and she was here to stay.
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