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 Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 2:40 pm
 Hakizimana's dusty fur glistened with water. Even in the drying sun the cool dip had done him a world of good. The male had been training all morning with several other males; testing their stuff, as it were. Most were strutting and preening in front of the females for obvious attention, and even Hakizimana hadn't been above a few smiles, though his heart was stationed. It had all be in good fun, after all.
The way he had taken a male down by the neck had not, though. Something had snapped in him during the fight that had taken a long time to push back. He had been so unnerved by it, and the subsequent looks he received from his "friends" that he had retreated to the river hoping a quick dip could help cool his temper.
Now as he returned to the Bird clan there was a new thought in his head. Would that happen every time he fought, or was it just a reaction...? Whatever the cause it had him troubled.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 2:55 pm
It was unusual for Lutifiya to be around the others who were training. Usually she just smiled quietly at the females who raced to go watch the event, but today she had hesitated. It was shameful of her yet Luti couldn’t help but to wonder if a certain lion would have been there. Her face flushed the lioness managed to sneak around the shadows to get a good look. Her fun, however, turned into concern as she witnessed the fight.
“Haki-“ She started forward, but her voice only came out as the faintest of whispers. Would it be wise to approach him here with everyone watching? Or to approach him later? Her paws itched to follow, but with the Clan all around her and the lioness became trapped in conversation with others. Still though Luti’s gaze continued going back towards the path that she knew Hakizimana had taken. I’ll find him later…just to make sure.
It was her concern now that kept her perched on a watching rock. For the past bit the lioness had been sitting there moving at every small sound. Each time her hope and nervousness was disappointed as just a small creature or a different member walked past. Where was he? Maybe I should just leave him be… She would then turn around in a circle before deciding to wait some more…and it was finally when she jumped from the rock to head towards the river where he had went that she accidentally stumbled.
“Umph!” Looking up from the dirt sheepishly Luti stared at a golden figure, “Haki-Hakizimana…” Her indigo eyes brimmed with embarrassment as she pushed herself back towards her paws, “Good day…”
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 3:04 pm
Hakizimana met Lutifya's embarrassment with a look of surprised concern, then a rueful smile. There was little in his life that couldn't be treated with a look from such a face. "You're not very sure pawed, are you, Luti?" He chuckled softly. There was still far off quality about him, as if his mind was still miles and miles away.
It occurred to him than perhaps rumors had started to pass around, and she...Hakizimana's smile turned to a tight line as he looked at Lutifya. "...You heard, didn't you?" He had no way of knowing if she had been watching or not, but there was a part of him that prayed she was blissfully ignorant of his earlier...stunt. She's so nervous, she has to know. Would she think less of him if she knew...? His jaws had been so close to...Hakizimana's ears folded down into his mane, and his shoulders slumped.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 3:22 pm
Luti frowned at him, “I am! Just not…currently it seems.” Her flush only warmed more on her cheeks as she peered over towards him. She couldn’t help it if she always seemed to have klutzy moments around him. Just my luck. Still a small smile escaped her at his chuckle. Though the joy was dampened by his distance…so something was really bothering him. Was it the match from earlier?
Her gaze searched his eyes and at his question she frowned, “Heard what?” Slowly her gaze widened as she thought of the fight she had seen, “Ah.” The lioness poked at him, “Even if I may have watched an intense fight earlier that doesn’t mean you should feel so bad about it?” Boldly the lioness brushed her head against his slumped shoulder and stared up at his face, “Things happen and I didn’t see anyone die…plus doesn’t that just mean you’re truly ready to defend our pride at any time?”
She smiled playfully, “Plus I’m certain you cured him of that cockiness. No one should enter a fight with it already won in their mind. It was a good lesson.” Maybe a scary one for others, but Lutifiya couldn’t ever see herself being afraid of Hakizimana. Not especially now with him looking so sad like this. No matter what she always would see the kind, smiling Hakizimana that had risked so much to save her that day.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 3:32 pm
He bit the inside of her cheek, and exhaled out of the corner of his mouth. "Intense wasn't the right word for it. You know when you hear about blacking out during a fight...Luti, I wanted to kill him." There, he said it. It was as broad as it was long, and it was the truth of it. What had scared him wasn't necessarily how close it had been to happening, but how much he wanted it.
He looked down into her eyes and nudged her shoulder with his own. Her presence comforted him, kept him calm when all he wanted to do was panic. "I would defend this place til my dying breath, but I'm not sure they would want me to now. Cocky or not, what I did..." Hakizimana took a deep, shaky breath and shook his head. "What if they think I'm a threat now? Luti, I could be thrown out for things like that, and then...I can't bear the thought of being away for a day, let alone a life time. I can't, I really can't."
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 3:51 pm
Listening Luti slowly thought over his words, “But…didn’t you say black out?” Her gaze was curious, “So wouldn’t it be more of an instinct not a want to kill him? Like the heat of battle?” She paused with a small nod, “It wasn’t you Hakizimana, but rather just something that you had been trained to do protecting you.” Her tail gently crossed against his side as a comfort.
“Hakizimana, what you did wasn’t out of blood lust though. You aren’t trying to kill anyone now are you?” She blinked up at him, “I’m sure that they understand that you are just a warrior who got caught in the moment. After all anyone who knows you can see that you have a kind heart, not a murderer’s.” She smiled warmly, “They’ll just be more careful before challenging you to a fight most likely.”
“Don’t you worry.” She purred lightly, “You have done no wrong by acting on a warrior’s instincts.” She winked at him playfully trying her best to make the situation more light hearted, “You might do wrong by worrying yourself to a gray mane though.” Lutifiya wacked her tail lightly against him, “And we can always try finding ways to help you to not black out during fights. So it’ll be okay, I promise.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 4:09 pm
It was weird, how much he wanted to fight back with her words and prove just how horrible of an individual that he was. He needed her to know that he was wrong, but then he didn't want it at all. What was wrong with him? "I'll take your word for it, Lutifya. I can't say that I agree, but I...think I can pretend." It would take a bit to adjust to a different way of thinking, so he would have to prep his mind for a life where he wasn't blaming him.
Someday he would have to tell her just how close her assumptions hit to home. There was a demon that could come out, one that he fought with often, but he always won, somehow. It was like he had been prepped in another way to battle it to get to the Princess standing before him. "In all honesty, I'm a little glad," He smiled sheepishly. "I'd rather just gossip and goof around. I think it's more fun to be sociable, anyway." Training was fun, but when he was alone. Around others they never laughed, never smiled or joked....
"You're too good to me." He leaned down to rub his cheek along side hers. "I always thought that females like a silver fox." Hakizimana chuckled, taking a paw to swipe at her tail. "I suppose this is as good a time as any to talk to you about something else." Hakizimana felt nerves for another reason entirely, but they were just as traumatizing.
"Lutifya, I know we haven't known each other as long as most, and I've got more flaws than most, as you've seen, but I...I wonder if you would consider taking me as your husband?"
As far as romantic gestures went, he didn't have anything other than his open heart to give. There were no flowers, no grand feast, or family to surprise her. It was just a lone, vulnerable lion hoping that the lioness he loved wouldn't push him away.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 4:31 pm
“Maybe one day then I can truly convince you.” Whispered Luti with a faint smile. Still at least this was something. The lioness didn’t understand how he could think he was a demon. In her eyes the lion was far from one. Ever since he had risked his own life to save hers the lioness had found she had given him her trust.
Lutifiya grinned, “If that’s what you enjoy then go for it.” She shook her head lightly to tease him before freezing at his touch. Her whole body warmed and the lioness spaced out for a moment before she caught the end of his statement, “A silver fox?” Luti laughed, “I think I prefer golden suns in my life.”
While maybe in a dream she may have made her statement to correlate with what was his next question, but honestly she was completely surprised, “Hus-husband? You?” Her indigo eyes widened into huge orbs of surprise, “You want…to be my mate?” Certainly she had not been expecting his question, nor had he come up with a planned proposal full of treasures and ways to win her love. But instead it was him…just him opening his feelings up to her.
Even with the surprise of his timing Lutifiya didn’t doubt his feelings. Something about the way he looked at her and the way her heart danced whenever he was around…it just rang true with her, “Hakizimana…do you really – really mean it?” She smiled up at him, “You know that means spending the rest of our lives together…and that you….might…love me?”
She didn’t doubt his answer and she didn’t doubt her heart either. Of course she would say yes to him. After all this time…and all this pain she had finally found her golden prince who would love her for her. Not as a prize or a statement of power, but as someone to just cherish and love.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 4:44 pm
"You're such a sucker for blondes," He winked, trying to keep the situation light hearted even as his heart went haywire. It was almost as if word vomit had spewed out before he could stop it, and oh look, there it was, his emotions on the floor infront of them.
"Y-you don't have to." Hakizimana stated quickly, blubbering over her questions. Am I really that bad? It was kind of a blow that had him shifting from paw to paw. His eyes anxiously took her in, as if he was trying to memorize her before she ran off screaming. "Well, I...kind of thought it might be nice? But yeah, no pressure, if you don't want to, that's fine, we can be friends, and just forget this happened and I'm really sorry if that's not what you want-"
He nodded his head, and took a deep breath to steady himself. "Yeah, I know what it means, Lutifya, and honestly, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. It's crazy, and I can't explain it, but I just...know that if I'm to be with anyone, it's you." Even if she did reject him, he wouldn't hide.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 5:36 pm
“I know it’s a weakness.” Lutifiya joked lightly before she watched his reaction. Did he think it was a bad thing? Oh, no no no! “Silly stop it.” She nudged him, “Don’t doubt yourself. Do you really think I would say no?” Her smile couldn’t be any brighter and her eyes any happier. Anyone could see that she truly loved the male next to her.
“I guess then that means that I’ll have to deal with it.” Teasingly the lioness licked his cheek before latching onto him happily, “Just like you’ll have to deal with me too!” Laughing she squeezed him tightly, “Of course I would love to be your mate, Hakizimana!”
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 4:13 pm
"Sort of?" Hakizimana was pretty torn as to whether he should be excited from her probing or not. She still hadn't said yes or no yet, so everything was still free floating.
His entire body stilled at the lick before he latched onto her and let out a whooping roar loud enough that most of the clan, if not the entire pride, would have heard. The joyful lion couldn't stop laughing as he held onto his lady love. "Then let's go tell the Wanidatsi."
He couldn't wait to tell the whole clan of the news and would mostly likely spread it all around, starting with that smug a*****e in the Mantis, but that was being the point. Hakizimana rubbed her face into Luti's mane tuft, content for the time being to have a mate to love and to cherish.
(Fin)
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