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Ochieng had taken many walks with Nteo since that first evening stroll. She enjoyed his company immensely, even despite all of the inner turmoil of the pride lately. Ochieng wasn't sure how she felt about Shangyue… but was smart enough not to speak of it to even Nteo. She felt relieved, at least, that he was in the same class as her. It seemed as though more and more lions were again staying strictly to their class.

She sighed lightly as she made her way towards Nteo's den, wishing for his company. "Ler, you awake?" She whisper-shouted when she got to the mouth of the den.

He wasn’t. He was dreaming. It was a very nice dream at that too. Nteo was on a nice stroll, the sun was just warm enough to heat his heavy pelt, but there was also a nice breeze outside. He had spotted the white lioness in the distance, and was making his way towards her. Upon arrival, she had given him a questioning look. ”Ler, you awake?”

”Huh?”

The lion opened his eyes. The smell of another drifted into his den. It was a smell he knew all too well. “O?” his head tilted as he rose from his napping position. His bones creaked from no wear.

“What are you doing here?”

When she heard him call her she smiled pleasantly, easily bounding into the den without hesitating. She bumped her head right into him in a familiar greeting, having grown quite comfortable with the male lion. "I couldn't sleep." She admitted softly, her smile becoming a little reluctant. "I was hoping maybe you'd want some company?" She sounded hopeful, mostly because she was the one that wanted company.

Her tail gave a little flick and she seemed to notice the sleep still clinging to her eyes. Her head sank slightly and her shoulders rose. "Er… did I wake you up?" She sounded a little guilty.

Nteo resisted a yawn. It clinged to him though, any minute it’d probably release.

“Not at all. I needed to get up.” The blue lion was a terrible liar. The low yawn he tried to keep hidden emitted just then, proving she had indeed awoken him.

“I always enjoy your company. Why can’t you sleep?” The lion questioned. If they could come to an underlying reason why she couldn’t sleep, perhaps he could assist her somehow? He just wanted to help.

It hadn't been her intention to actually wake him… but she supposed these things happened from time to time. She offered an apologetic look, half smile half furrowed brow. She knew there was no way that Ler would hold this again her, but it didn't mean she didn't feel bad.

She shook her head slowly and then shrugged. "I don't know? Lots of reasons I guess." There were a number of things it could be, honestly. "Restless. Mind too full of thoughts… pride stuff." She mumbled that last bit, not sure how Ler felt about what had been going on lately. "Feel lonely." She added, softly, as she stared down at her paws.

Nteo was unsure of the pride stuff going on. He was a guard that wandered the borders on the late shifts, and slept mostly in the day. Any kind of news was something he really never heard of first hand.

Lonely? Nteo frowned. “Why are you lonely?” The lion asked. He stepped towards the female, giving her a slight headbutt. “I’m here aren’t I?” There was a proud smile on his face. “And when I’m around, you should never feel lonely!” A low purr rumbled in his throat. O made him happy.

She took a breath and thought about his words for a minute before beaming at him. "That's true, I don't feel lonely when you're near me." She laughed lightly at his headbutt, purring in return. "I just… maybe… maybe you should be near me more often." She said slowly, giving him a questioning look.

She hoped she hadn't been reading things wrong over the last several moons. Nteo certainly felt as close to her as she did to him, right? "Sometimes I just feel very sad when I am by myself… but you're right that I don't feel sad at all when you're by my side." She'd already basically said that, hadn't she? "I think… maybe… well. That I… for you.." She hadn't been planning on telling him about her feelings, but sometimes these things happened.

Nteo was a dense lion, but he wasn’t /that/ dense. His eyes widened slightly at her suggestion. So, she had felt the same way just as he had for her. Before the white lioness had come into his life, it was filled with complete boredom. Nightly patrols and sleeping was all he ever did. Sure he continued to do the same, but now there were random times where Ochieng would appear. Those nights made his patrols extra eventful.

“I don’t see why not we can’t move somewhere where we are…more closer to each other?” He offered. “I wouldn’t want you to feel sad.” And if he made her happy, then that would be the best suggestion to fix it! He wasn’t attached to this den anyways.

Her ears perked forward as she waited for his reply and at his words she began to nod, her maw breaking into a smile. It seemed to grow larger and larger the longer he spoke. "P-perhaps even.. with each other?" Was she being too bold? Was it a weird suggestion? Would he understand?

She hoped he would say yes. She felt as though he would say yes. She suddenly yawned, and the sleepiness caught her off guard a little. She'd just been so awake! But now… ah. Perhaps it was these troubling thoughts that had been needing to be resolved. "Tonight maybe… could I … sleep here with you?" She said slowly and lightly, as thought it wouldn't matter either way if he said yes or no.

Nteo slowly nodded. “I don’t’ see why that would be a problem?” It wouldn’t be a problem…would it?

Yawns were so contagious. Once she had yawned, so had he. “Sure,” he stated, slowly bobbing his head in the direction further inside the den. He was still tired, and from the looks of it, so was she. They would both sleep very peacefully for the rest of the evening.