[PRP] Tomorrow [Kiume x Moake x Raposa]

[DocStunfisk]

The cheetah woke with a start as the call of his name erupted from the rabbit. Kiume yawned, exposing his fangs and letting out a whine. "Mo? What.. what are you doing here?" Stiff and fatigued, the cheetah sluggishly rose to stretch and greet the hare.

"Kiume! There you are!" Moake bounced towards his friend, ears erect and a scolding tone on his voice. "Everyone's worried about you, Ki. You've never been out scouting this long before... So you're coming back now, right?" Moake placed his blue toes on the feline's paws. Surely he wouldn't abandon them now?

Kiume barked a short laugh, and nuzzled his long time friend. "Really? They're worried about me? That's hard to believe." The cheetah rolled his eyes, and hesitated when the hare asked about his return. "Eeh.. No, not now. Maybe tomorrow... though, even that's doubtful." Kiume ignored the distraught look on the rabbits face, and quickly changed the subject to divert his attention. "There is someone I'd like you to meet."  

[Lorne_Sionn]

Raposa hummed to herself as she lightly stepped toward one of the guest dens that the Vuli kept for overnight revelers, a fresh pouch rat in her mouth. Her clan always made sure there was breakfast in the morning for those that choose to travel the next day. It was what a good host clan did after all.

Though she was hoping that this particular guest hadn't changed his mind and might stay for awhile longer. She'd made sure that the gourd in the back of the den had been filled with clean water and that the nest of sweet grass was fresh before she had left Kiume for the night.

Reaching the den, she set the pouch rat down just out side of it and politely scratched on the tree beside it, her sweet, quiet voice calling into the den, " Kiume? Are you awake? I brought you some breakfast..." With most of the den in shadow and the morning sun just over the horizon Raposa was half hidden, only he bright green eyes vivid in the half darkness.  

[DocStunfisk]

Kiume perked as the female arrived. Moake instinctively took shelter behind one of the cheetah's thin legs, peeking out with his wide blue eyes.

"Raposa!" Kiume grinned and slid to the entrance to greet her, the rabbit practically clinging to his ankle. "Good morning!" He blinked at the rat, surprised that she'd be so considerate towards him. "Thank you.. Though, I'm not quite hungry yet..." He looked at her apologetically, keeping in mind his rabbit friend... He knew how much Mo hated it when he ate in front of him. "This is Moake. He's been my best friend since I was a cub."

"Carnivores..." Moake shuddered and mumbled to himself, cautiously coming from his hiding place behind Kiume to get a good look at Raposa. His ears drooped, and he looked almost disgusted. "You left us for a female, Kiume?" The spite in his voice was obvious.  

[Lorne_Sionn]

" Oh", Raposa said when the little rabbit spoke and she took a step back away from the den, " I didn't know you had company." Her bright eyes seemed to dull a little and the young female forced a smile.

" There are plenty of dates for you Moake, and some of the sweet grass we have set out for the other none carnivores that come to the parties. We always make sure there is food for everyone, since everyone is welcome."

Her soft voice was softer then it had ever been around Kiume, more then likely her normal voice when she wasn't getting a celebration organized. She looked down at the pouch rat and brought it closer to her with her paw, " I'll take this back, you can come to where breakfast is being served when you are ready Kiume."

She bit he lip, and turned to walk away, " I'm sorry I asked you to stay. I didn't realize you had..had other, " she looked down at the rabbit, " responsibilities."

Tail tucked between her legs and picked up the breakfast she had chosen for him, ready to head back to the feasting rock where breakfast had been laid out, feeling like a fool.  

[DocStunfisk]

"Oh, don't worry about it Raposa..." Kiume's grin instantly faded as the female took a step backwards. He was irritated by Moake's hurtful words, but the concern he felt for the female overwhelmed his rage.

"Don't mind him, he's just..." Kiume displayed an apologetic smile and shrugged his shoulders uncertainly. "He's just being Moake."

"Hey, just what is that supposed to-" Moake's cynical voice was smothered by a lavender paw as Kiume pushed the rodent away. "Wait, did you say dates... ?" Moake's voice was suddenly timid, and he peeked from behind the cheetah's legs, blue eyes growing in size. "Sweet grass?"

Kiume sped towards Raposa, spinning on his paws to face her before she got too far. "Don't be sorry, Raposa." A deep frown creased the dark cheetah's face. "Besides... I had a lot of fun with you. And... I don't want it to end."  

[Lorne_Sionn]

Raposa looked up at him, then back at the rabbit, her mouth full of pouch rat, but her expressive eyes said more then words could of. There were the shimmer of tears in them, and it was clear all that was keeping her from out right crying was the dead rodent she held clenched between her teeth.

Last night they had been dancing and laughing, and haveing what had to have been the best night of her life, and he had even said they should have cubs, and then she'd gone and asked him to say..actually thinking it might not be so bad, that she could have them with him..if he stayed and they liked each other...

It had been a cub's dream..the little rabbit had said so, that Kiume belonged somewhere else. So how could he stay?

She swallowed around the pouch rat, not sure what to do.  

[DocStunfisk]

Kiume recognized that look. It brought an unspeakable pain to his chest. Tears. It was the look of cubs and women when they were hurt. The male wrestled with himself, he's never encountered a situation like this before. Whenever his mother was sad, his more sensitive brother would take care of her... while Kiume just avoided the whole thing. His heart raced in his chest as he bounced from one paw to the other in a nervous fit, anxiety and panic taking control. What in the world was he to do?

Without thinking clearly at all, Kiume decided to swipe the tears away with his cheek and tongue. Now that they were gone he could easily pretend that they never happened... Unless they kept on coming. In that case, it would be the death of the poor clueless male.

"L-let's go eat breakfast, Raposa." The desperate cheetah turned, keeping wide eyes on Raposa... He prayed the spell of tears was over.

Moake, feeling a pang of guilt, but mostly looking forward to a feast of dates and sweet grass, cautiously approached the emotional duo. A blue paw rested on the female's ankle as he gazed up at her with a subtle frown. "I'm sorry about what I said, little lady. I was out of place. We hate to see you cry." The hare smirked, eying Kiume and trying not to chuckle. "I think the boy will surely faint if those tears keep coming."  

[Lorne_Sionn]

Raposa sniffled around the meal in her mouth, and when Kiume came and wiped away her tears, she suddenly didn't want to let go of him, that if she let go of him, then that would be it and he'd go away with the little rabbit, like that cub tale about the rabbit hole.

She did the only thing she could think off, she laid her head against him, burying her head against his ruff, breathing in his scent, as she sat back on her hind legs, one midnight colored paw laying carefully on his chest, gently, like she was scared he'd disappear if she moved it away.

The tears came, despite the fact she didn't want them to, silently falling around the pouch rat, but it seemed like she had a lot of practice crying silently, like she did it often, often and alone.  

[DocStunfisk]

Kiume went as stiff as stone, freezing from head to toe as Raposa leaned into him. The hot tears leaked into his fur like acidic liquid. The male held his breath, fearful that any movement at all would shatter the delicate girl in his fur.

After quite a long moment of playing statue, Kiume stiffly turned his head toward Moake. Without a sound, he asked his friend What do I do? His desperate eyes cried out what his voice was afraid to.

Moake's paw hit his face. Honestly, how could anyone be so clueless? He stretched out his arms and indicated to his young friend to comfort the woman with a hug.

Kiume looked reluctant. What if such a dramatic movement of his arm caused her to burst into even more dangerous tears? Are you sure? He mouthed again, and after receiving a nod from the rabbit, slowly and cautiously lifted a paw and placed it on Raposa's shoulder. Moake motioned with his own paw to pat her gently, and Kiume carefully mimicked him with clenched eyes. Was it working?  

[Lorne_Sionn]

She relaxed as he hugged her, though she noted it was a little stiffly at first and he seemed reluctant. Maybe she had been wrong about last night? Maybe she'd been wrong about everything?

At least he was holding her, and she could take in how he smelled, like the fresh autumn air, and the dates they'd been eating last night, and the musky, male smell of him that was just his own. That was the smell she liked best and that was the smell she wanted to hold onto most.

Closing her bright green eyes, realizing she'd made the biggest fool of herself then she'd ever made in her life, and there had been some really big ones, she carefully laid the now rather abused pouch rat down. One of the others would clean it up and set it out for the vultures, who had to eat too.

Sniffling again, but gathering herself up as best she could, she managed to say in her quiet way, without her voice faltering, " I promised you both breakfast, its this way. The dates and sweet grass is on the feasting rock to the left, and the other fare is on the right. Don't be shy about eating. Fionn is a good host, he'll get you both anything you need."

She looked down at her paws, her ears slightly drooping, " I...I have to go check on the dancing lanterns and the garlands, make sure they are stored away properly. If you'll excuse me Kiume and Moake." He soft voice was polite, and she started to back down the incline she'd just brought them up.

Truth be told, the little rabbit's words had shattered her. Raposa was very shy, and not one to take any type of chance, unless it was with how to organize a celebration, and the one chance she took, wasn't even hers to really take.  

[DocStunfisk]

Kiume watched Raposa with deep concern in his eyes. Had it worked? Was everything fixed now because he gave her a hug? Apparently, it was much deeper than he realized. Raposa still looked terribly upset, and now she was leaving.

"Great!" Moake said, tugging on Kiume's paw towards the feasting rock. "You heard what she said, let's go help ourselves to the food! And then we can go home!"

Kiume glared at the rabbit and flicked him off his paw. "I really liked her, Moake. Why did you have to do that? Now I bet she never wants to see me again."

The rabbit stumbled from the cheetah's paw and rubbed his injured face. "So what, Ki? It wouldn't have worked out with her anyways. She was way too-"

The cheetah shot Moake a threatening glare. "Shut up, Mo. Just go eat your stupid food." Kiume boiled with rage and sadness as he cautiously crept after Raposa. He sat at a safe distance and just watched, wondering deeply about the dangerous world of females and their mysterious ways.