- Her journey had not been without it's merits. In some ways it was depressing and upsetting, but she'd finally managed to let Damu go. It was not likely she would find him, and it wasn't like he'd just up and become missing only a few days ago... he'd been missing for many moons. She could just keep his well-being in her prayers, nothing more. She found more and more that her thoughts were filled with her day spent among the stars. She giggled at the thought, tail flicking as she moved over the land. Well, not really with the stars, though one could argue that Seiki's pelt held a certain celestial quality about it.
She was hoping to see him again and mabye spend more than the day with him. The thought alone made her feel slightly bashful! She'd passed the place they'd swam and hunted for turtles quite some time ago... maybe she'd gotten the direction of his home wrong? But just as the worrisome thought entered her head she spied the male not far ahead of her. She stopped almost immediately, a bright smile lighting her features. "Seiki!" She called out, overjoyed with her good fortune.
Ears perked immediately at the familiar voice that called his name. So she had come back after all. He felt a bit of relief knowing that she was safe, and had even found her way back to his home. Picking his body up quickly, a smile wide over his face, Seiki called back to Kimia, eager to show her his work. "Kimia! It is good to see you so soon again!" Abandoning the vase he was making for now, Seiki bounded over to the lioness, brushing his cheek to hers in greeting. "How did it go?" Yes, he had fallen for a taken lioness, however he still cared enough and respected her enough to wonder about her missing mate. It was a sad state of affairs knowing that was the reason she was journeying.
- She purred almost instantly when his warm cheek brushed against hers, she was surprised at how fast all of her worries and disappointed thoughts had slipped away at his appearance. She butted her head against his after his greeting, laughing lightly. "And you Seiki! I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to find my way here!" She glanced passed him, wondering what it was he'd been up to. Almost everything he did seemed amazing and wonderful to her, one new little mystery revealed after another. At his second question she cleared her throat, the smile remaining on her face but it seemed to become tighter, as if being forced to sit there. Indeed her eyes suddenly welled with negative emotions. "Well... well." She struggled to find her words, her thoughts a mixture of both the good and bad reasons of not being able to find her mate. "I don't... think..." She thought maybe if she kept speaking she would begin to cry, and that wouldn't do! She did not want to be sad in front of Seiki, she wanted to be full of joy and playful and... she wanted everything to be right.
Laughing himself at the warm greeting that Kimia exchanged with him, Seiki could feel her leave a lightness in his chest. It was so foreign, but beautiful. However... was this right? Looking into her pink eyes he could only think that, yes, it was. No matter what, it was alright. "Seems the deities of fate have smiled upon both of us then." As he watched her glanced passed him at his den, he felt his heart well up with pride. She was taking interest in his work again. Without even having to divert her attention she was looking at his work! However, the excitement quickly passed as the mood quickly switched from excitement and happiness to something morose. It was her struggling to find words that had the starry pelted lion react without thinking. Moving closer to the lioness, Seiki licked Kimia's cheek, then pulled her into a hug, tucking her head into his mane. "It is alright to cry."
- Yes, this was something like fate, wasn't it? But Kimia could not help that her thoughts kept turning to the rightness of it all, and if it was okay for her to keep thinking about Seiki so often, even before she'd finally come to terms with Damu's disappearance. A tiny part of her felt guilty for it, as if she was betraying her mate. But a part of her felt silly for thinking that, too. Could she still call him as her mate, though he'd been gone for so long she could not even recall what it was like when his body was pressed against her own? And now, now with Seiki suddenly pulling her against him and telling her it was alright... how could she not think it was alright? Didn't she deserve constant happiness in her life? It was something that all lions should strive for.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the males scent as she pressed closer to him, and then did cry. Kimia was fairly simple, the cries that wracked her body were already beginning to make the pain feel lighter, and the guilt nonexistent. "I-i-i just fe-eel... so-so... confused!" She managed, realizing it would be better to just tell Seiki, wouldn't it? "B-b-because I think th-that D-d-damu is definitely... go-one and all I c-can think about w-was seeing you again!" She wailed out, not embarrassed about sharing this information with the dark pelted male.
He stood strong for her as she shook with tears and emotions unspoken. He wanted to cry with her, but knew that wasn't the thing to do. Someone had to be the strong shoulder for her, and it would be him. He was fine with this role. However, what finally came out of her mouth surprised him. She was thinking about him this entire time? Feeling his heart beat race as the onslaught of emotions waged war against each other. A feeling of pity for her, a relief of her wanting to see him, a excitement and wanting to jump into things, uneasiness at the unfamiliar situation he was in... and so much more. Struggling to find words for many minutes, Seiki just brought her closer, hoping she could feel his heart beat for her. After a few more moments, he pulled away and looked into the teary-eyed lioness. "I... I..." continuing to struggle, he took a moment, then started again. "I have been feeling the same. I mean... I.. feel guilty, falling for a taken lioness... but... I hoped..to see you again. I couldn't get you out of my mind! I even... made a few things for you... and inspired by you."
- She cried for a little while, almost instantly comforted by his presence and his closeness. after a few hiccups her crying seemed to calm down and finally die away, just a bit of sniffles remaining. When he pulled away from her she almost cried out no, thinking he was about to leave, but he didn't. He simply turned her so they could look each other in the eye. His eyes were wonderfully soft and caring, they were comforting. she felt surprised that He would be thinking of her at all, the words seemed to fill up her heart. "m-made things?" she blinked, and if she could have blushed she would have. "for me?" she was curious, but she had so much to tell him, to explain. She wanted to sort all of her thoughts out!
"Yes"
Softly his voice carried over to her, a gentle smile placed on his maw. Lightly touching his nose to hers, he smiled wider. A happiness glittering in his eyes like the brightest stars in the sky.
"Now, wipe those tears from your eyes. Everything will be alright."
Ushering the Kimia towards his home and work station, he eyed the now steadily drying clay vase. He could wet it and remake it at a later time. Right now, she was his priority. Getting her something to eat, drink and then sharing the work that he had made for her.... that was what he wanted.
"Come, let me get you something to eat and drink. We can talk more too."
- She immediately wiped at her face with her paws, though a small frown stayed on her maw. It gave her face a curious look; the mixture of curiosity, sadness and admiration. She took a few more deep breaths to calm herself down extra, letting Seiki usher her.
His home was very interesting, the objects were interesting more or less. She eyed the vase too, wondering what it was and what you would use it for. When he mentioned eating her stomach gave a little rumble, and all at once she remembered that she was hungry. Food would be good, talking would also be good.
"I... am hungry.." She mumbled, still slightly embarrassed. She wasn't so much embarrassed with openly sharing her emotions with Seiki, she just didn't want him thinking she was some sort of flimsy lioness with an ever changing heart! The situation was confusing for Kimia, even though she was also sure of what she felt, and what she wanted. "What is that?" She finally added, gesturing with a paw. Maybe if they could speak about the vase for a moment she would be able to collect her thoughts.
Seiki watched as Kimia looked about his home. Her eyes darting from object to object, studying one piece of art then another, then another. It was the unfinished vase however, that seemed to really perk her interest. Perhaps he would get some of the water he was storing in the back and show her how to make it.
Moving forward towards the back of his little den, his ear swiveled backward, hearing her response. Of course she would be hungry. Thankfully he had a few pieces of dried meat and lot of vegetation to choose from. It didn't even cross his mind that perhaps, Kimia's diet wasn't similar to his own. He had been nearly vegetarian most of his life after all.
Stopping at the foot of his grassy bed, he smiled. Allowing himself a couple seconds to daydream about possibly sleeping sweetly next his Kimia. Sighing happily, he continued further, finding the turtle shells that held the mixed greens and dried meat pieces in them.
She might even recognize these... that would be fun!
Turning back to the front, Seiki caught the question Kimia asked. "Hn?" Puzzling for a couple seconds at what she meant before realizing she was pointing at the vase. She really was interested in that thing. Smiling awkwardly, he placed the turtle shell onto the ground in front of her.
"That... is a vase. I use them to carry water just in case we hit a dry season. I trade them as well."
