[PRP] The Bored and The Tall (Shaka x Leelo)

[CaliWolfe]

Leelo was humming to herself softly while on a morning stroll along the beach the pride resided both near and on. The day carried a light breeze, although it was still rather hot weather and Leelo was finding it insufferably tolerable.

Today she had few cubs to watch over, and watch them well had she done. With the return of their parents however she was left without the responsibilities of being a nanny and had a majority of the day to herself, to spend as she pleased. What better way to do this, she thought, then to view the vast body of water the beach was nestled on itself?

She sunk her toes into the sandy surface of water that chilled her bones although it contained a certain amount of warmth. It was not a river or an ocean but a lake that she had dunked her foot into that fine morning. Lake Victoria to be exact, and now Leelo place both her front paws into that lake, and absorbed the refreshing cold that came with it.

Gene Wilder

 

[Gene Wilder]

This morning was a surprisingly cooperative one for Shaka Zulu! He didn't think those baboons were as greedy as the others led him to believe.

The day started with Shaka being given the "special privilege" of retrieving some leather that was overdue from the baboon clan. The other crafters seemed to have no luck, and when the leader of his particular work band suggested someone go get them, all heads turned to the large, shy male behind them.

And now, here he was, walking back along the lake shore, loaded down with multiple tanned hides draped over his back. To any regular male, this would have been an arduous task, but Shaka didn't seem to notice. He was just happy that he could be helpful. The baboons had seemed most eager to help him!

When he was first assigned to his work band, everyone had simply stared. A few had whispered about his past as a bodyguard, causing the male to feel somewhat shy and reserved. But time rolled by, and he spent his days quietly making drums. Everyone grew accustomed to seeing the gentle giant at work long before they arrived. Once in a while, when a lion's cub or relative came to spend some time with them, they'd gawk at Shaka. He'd smile and blush, making everyone laugh. And he was happy.

CaliWolfe

THIS IS GONNA BE SO CYOOOT emotion_kirakira

 

[CaliWolfe]

Leelo turned her head to see as the male she had previously not noticed walking along the beach was heading in her direction. For some reason or another Leelo felt no fear towards him, even when he was tall. That is to say, Leelo never really held fear towards anyone, merely the fear that some would end up injuring themselves.

Still, she had to pry herself not to let her jaw drop at seeing his massive size, the lioness did not think lions could be so big!

"Good morning!" She called, and removed her feet from the lake to approach the stranger. It was only when she got closer did she recognize him from being one of the old members of a pride she also once hailed from. It was odd to think now that they were in the same pride, yet a different one, was only now they had stopped to talk to one another.

If she had once heard his name in passing, Leelo did not recall it. Instead she introduced herself to him. "I've seen you around before haven't I? My name's Leelo." She smiled pleasantly. "I have no duties to attend to at this moment, would like for me to carry some of those pelts for you?" She couldn't resist but to be of some use. After all she was very thankful this pride had taken her, and her pride mates, under their wing.

Gene Wilder

 

[Gene Wilder]

At the call of "good morning", Shaka perked up just in time to see the lioness heading towards him. He gave a shy smile and nodded slightly. Communication was never really his strong suit, but he enjoyed taking a crack at it every now and then.

"U-uhm, maybe? 'm Shaka Zulu. Everyone just calls me Shaka, though," he rumbled. It wasn't a gruff voice, rather it had a nice deep timbre. As the lioness spoke, Shaka felt his stomach fill with more and more butterflies. He couldn't remember the last time he'd talked to a -gulp- lady! The crafter noted how her eyes reminded him of African violets.

His eyebrows raised up at the offer of help, before he shook his head.
"Oh no, ma'am, I couldn't ask you to do that," he responded roughly. "Wouldn't want you to be burdened! Besides, I've got them a-"
As he looked over his shoulder to prove his point, he stopped mid-sentence to notice a large, flat brownish shape, drifting out on the lake's gentle waves. Alarm bells suddenly went off and the male roared in panic.
"THE LEATHER!"

CaliWolfe

 

[CaliWolfe]

At first Leelo had not noticed anything, just as the crafter had not, when the leather floating on the lake's surface came into her view.

"Ah!" She exclaimed and looked around wildly for a moment in debate on just what she was going to do in this situation. She could get help- she could shout encouraging words to Shaka as he ran for his materials- or she could just jump into the water herself!

The last option seemed most reasonable in her mind. Maybe because she was used to reacting quick when young cubs got into danger, or maybe it was because she was just a nice person in such a way. Regardless she told herself it was the quickest, and to her relief, coolest, as she embraced the water's refreshing chill lovingly. Leelo was quick to march into the lake, and fought against the pull of the water to approach the leather as quick as she could. Though the rush of adrenalin seemed to slow her down and she couldn't reach it as fast as she would like.

It was moments like these she wished deeply that she was a fish, or had fishy legs and could glide through the water with ease. Instead she felt like she looked the sight of a fish out of water, panicked and flopping for more.

"Don't worry!" She called over her shoulder to the giant, "I've got them!" At that she sunk her teeth into the corners of the leather before the current could aid them in drifting any further away.

Gene Wilder

 

[Gene Wilder]

Shaka was so busy casting off the rest of the leather from his back, that by the time he ran to the water's edge, Leelo was already halfway to the prize. Reluctantly, the male had to reel himself back in as he watched her form fight the waves.

How did this even happen? It must have been when he tried to avoid that crab. He didn't even feel the leather fall off! He reprimanded himself for having such great strength and such dull senses. Shaka frowned down at the sand, feeling guilty now.

As Leelo called to him, he snapped his head back up. No, no, she couldn't just do his work for him like this! His mother raised him better than that! Puffing up his chest, the lion took off towards the waves, pounding through them like a destroyer. At this point, he was more worried that the lioness would drown from tugging the waterlogged leather.

Dogpaddling up to her, he grabbed the opposite end of the hide in his mouth. His mane was plastered around his face, just barely letting his eyes peek out.
"Y'gtt a ghud huhld unnit?" he asked her as they swam back to shore. Well, more like he tugged her along for a ride. All that sopping wet fur weighed him down more than she did!

CaliWolfe

 

[CaliWolfe]

Gene Wilder

"Dya." Leelo replied, her head nearly becoming submerged as she attempted to step upon a stone underwater and failed. She wasn't used to swimming often, but something told her that trying to touch the bottom was a useless effort. She pumped her legs forward, no longer reaching to feel her toes make contact with sand as she swam.

To her surprise once Shaka got a hold of his section of the leather it became quite easy to assist him. Or rather, she wasn't really doing much at that point at all. He was much stronger and bigger than her by default, and she fought to keep up her paddling to match his pace. Though she had to admit, it was kind of funny to see a lion with his mane all up in his face like Shaka's was currently. She cracked a grin because of it, although didn't dare laugh for fear of sucking in lake water.

Once she could finally touch the edge of the sandbank, Leelo was quick to leave the water, swinging her head backwards while dragging the leather further onto shore. "Wow." She coughed once it was soundly in place. Despite that situation having the potential to blossom into something terrible Leelo was feeling quite light at heart.

She was in a good mood, and the tone of which she said her words reflected this. "I didn't think fur could weigh so much!" She laughed.  

[Gene Wilder]

Shaka confirmed her thoughts as he practically dragged himself to the shore. With a blustery flurry, he shook out his mane and body, only to look like a porcupine with a bad hair day. He fussed a bit with his bangs, trying to comb them into submission with his claws. The last thing he needed now was to look ridiculous.

After a few moments, the male became quiet, almost embarrassed.
"Thanks fer... fer helpin' me back there," he admitted, daring to look at her from behind a paw. As he set it back down on the sand, he shuffled around awkwardly.
"The leather has to dry again," Shaka explained. Then a brief pause, followed by a sheepish (but admittedly handsome) smile. "And so do I."

CaliWolfe

 

[CaliWolfe]

Leelo allowed herself the luxury of smiling back at him. He was kind of cute wasn't he? At the very least Leelo thought so and became almost embarrassed at the realization of it. Rare was the moment that she allowed herself to think of other males, unless of course, those males happened to be cubs, and she was thinking purely on how to keep cubs out of trouble. It was her duty after all, as a nanny.

"Oh, it's not trouble I like helping..." She nearly laughed again. Leelo gazed up from the sand, from where she had been burying her claws in the soft grains of it. Feeling the texture of the beach on her paws and finding it amusing while sand that had gotten wet dried on her paw.

She wanted to stare at Shaka's face with her own purple eyes. Only she found he was almost looking away as she had been. "I'll stay with you then... Until the leather dries I mean; and then we can bring to... wherever it is you were taking it to." She gave him a cheeky grin to reflect her pleasant mood.

Gene Wilder

 

[Gene Wilder]

Those eyes were disarming, to say the least. Even a large, masculine lion like Shaka felt his heart flutter in surprise as he made eye contact with her.

"M'boss won't mind," he said rather quickly, before catching himself. "I-I mean, it'd be better t'bring it like this. Can't make good drums from wet leather, after all." He gave a stern nod.

Taking a quick look back at the hide (and saving face), Shaka noted that it was drying out rather nicely. The water didn't seem to damage it too badly. The crafter turned back to Leelo just in time to catch her cheeky grin. The grin sent a little jolt of something Shaka's way, because he felt his cheeks heat up, and a large smile spread across his face.

Maybe he could lose the leather a second time.

CaliWolfe

End? :3c

 

[CaliWolfe]

Gene Wilder

The end.