Zephyr & Koukakala
True to her word, Zephyr hadn't gone anywhere while her mate remained sick. His cough had worsened to a degree, but he was still able to function. It gave her hope that he would be able to kick this thing in time. How long she didn't know. It worried her, seeing him so fragile and weak, but Zephyr knew she needed to be strong. Their matehood might have been falling apart, but she still cared deeply for him. He needed her, so she was going to make sure she stayed by his side.
"Are you comfortable? Do you need something softer to lay on?"
"Your rump is pretty soft, love." Kou cracked a grin and rolled his head up to look into her eyes. Beyond sand and leaf matter there hadn't been much to curl up on. Normally he would have been fine with it, but with this cough it was easier for him to sleep if he was propped up. Of course Zephyr would have used herself as the prop; it was typical fashion for her. Not that he minded. These days physical contact was limited.
He knew that he shouldn't be taking a lazy day, but Kou needed the rest. He felt beyond his years at that point, and wanted little more than to nap.
Keani
Keani moved through the pride, it seemed like only a short time ago he was a maneless baby and now his mane was plush and full. As a Nyangumi in the pride he usually left his mane fluffy and full it gave him an appearance of being even bigger than he was. After all the bigger the guard the more intimidating he would seem. Though if truth be told Keani was really a big softy.
Today wasn't about guarding though today was about finding his parents to tell them his news. It felt weird telling them that he was courting someone when their relationship was on the rocks . He knew his dad was ill and there had been talk of his mom going to live with grandma until she realized how sick he was and now everything was kind of at a standstill not getting better but not getting worse.
Zephyr & Koukakala
Koukakala had just closed his eyes when he felt Zephyr moving. Every time he got comfortable she would shift, claiming that her legs was pressed on a rock or it didn't 'feel cozy'. The actions just made him smile. Even if he was exhausted, just knowing she was still squirming around as always made things feel more normal. Like it would always stay the same.
Finally he opened his eyes and looked at her, watching as Zephyr caught sight of something. "What are you looking at? Do we have guests?" As much as Kou loved her family, if he saw another healer he was going to bury his head in the sand.
"We do! It's Keani." She looked to Kou, and then back out onto the sands. She could see a few other lions milling about, since their den wasn't very far from others of her family, but her son was very noticeable against the sand. Zephyr helped to prop her mate up so that he would be more presentable, or as he would have liked to be, as well as comfortable against her.
When he got close enough she called out to him. "Hello, sweetheart! How's your day been?" With her boys grown and leaving the nest, it left Zephyr feeling at a loss. Everything was falling apart and fleeing; but she tried to keep on a brave face.
Keani
Keani smiled when he saw his parents he couldn't help the response. Even though he knew that there was trouble between the two of him he felt a warmth, a familiarity.
As he entered their den he leaned in to give both his parents a nuzzle before he settled before them. "My day is good mom thank you. How are you both?" he asked his eyes giving away his true concern... his father's health.
"I came to share some news with you both." he told them his stomach doing some flip flops even as just those words escaped his lips.
Zephyr & Koukakala
Zephyr gave her son a warm welcome, and murmured something about how well her own day had gone before giving her attention to Koukakala. How much would he tell Keani? They had agreed not to keep secrets from the boys, but with the state of things, she knew he didn't want to harm them anymore than they already would be.
"I'm doing well, Keani. Still coughing, but I'm awake more, so my strength may be returning." At some points it really did seem that way, but Kou knew it wouldn't last for long. One of the other Bumani, Wimbi, had seen the same illness in her mate. He hadn't survived to live through it, so Kou had no doubts his own time was near.
It was terrifying, but he didn't want his sons to see his fear. "What kind of news did you bring? It must be something big. You look like you're about to be sick." He teased with a grin.
Zephyr reached over to pinch his fur. "Stop tormenting him, Kou, you know that's not nice.
"So it's only nice when you do it?"
"Haha." She stuck her tongue out at him.
Keani
Keani's grin grew as his parents had a light banter and teasing between them. These were the parents he grew up with not the ones thought were distant and apart. His chest swelled with emotion, he became more excited to tell them his news perhaps everything would really turn out okay.
"Well it's still a little early to really say too much, but I wanted you to know before you saw it. I have begun to court a lioness here in the pride." he told his parents. He was debating how much to share with his parents. Naida was a great lioness but there was an age gap between them... a rather large one but to Keani none of that mattered.
Zephyr & Koukakala
Zephyr squealed and bounced a little, much to the distress of her mate, whose bounced along with her since he was laying against her. "That's wonderful! Who is she? Do we know her?" She tried to imagine what kind of female Keani would choose. Hopefully a pretty one, though looks weren't everything, and one that could be there for him through the rough times. He was an emotional boy, no matter how tough he tried to be. "How long have you been courting her? Have you asked her parents for their permission, or - wait, don't tell me - she's a joined rogue. Is that it?"
"Sweetheart, you have to let him breath." Kou sat up on his own, away from all the bouncing and excitement. Whatever calm they had was ruined by her over whelming energy. He didn't' begrudge her for it; Kou just wished his head would stop spinning. "I'm happy for you son. I hope that the courting goes well, and that you'll have a mate to love you as much, if not more, than we do." His son deserved it and not just for having to put up with them. "Can we meet her sometime soon? I would like to get to know her once this has progressed some."
Keani
Keani smiled he could had been nervous his parents would not be ready to hear there son was courting someone. It hadn't been long ago he was sleeping in their den.
"Her name is Naida. She is of rogue blood." He told his parents which wasn't really uncommon now days a lot of those of original blood were related in one fashion or another.
He paused for a moment before saying the next words. "She is a bit older than me." he admitted. She had a son who had grown to adulthood long before Keani was even born but this was not something that phased Keani in the least. Love didn't see numbers.
Zephyr & Koukakala
"Naida...Naida...sounds familiar but I can't place her." Zephyr tapped her chin, pondering on the female. It wasn't that unusual for the spotted female to forget faces, however. Since she spent most of her time running between one extreme stunt to the next Zephyr hardly had time for idle chatter. "You didn't answer your father, son." She did, however, manage to pick up on that tidbit. "When can we meet her?" That's all she really cared about. Age wasn't something that concerned Zephyr, so long as her son was happy. Besides, it couldn't be that much of a gap, could it?
"I'm older than your mother, by a fair chunk, so age isn't something to worry about." Of course, in Kou's mind, the gap was a lot smaller. He had been a seasoned male when meeting an adolescent Zephyr and to him that was large enough. If only he knew the truth..."So long as you know she's the one, love with cross any boundary. It may cause talk for a while, but that always goes away with time." It had for them, at least. Koukakala hadn't returned until well after the tsunami and when he did he instantly claimed Zephyr as his. The distance had been too much and to see her injured...Even now his heart ached for her in a way that it shouldn't.
Keani
Keani breathed a sigh of releif, he wasn't sure that his parents really understood how big the gap was but he decided that it wasn't worth worrying about. "I promise that I will bring her around soon." he told them. A goofy grin had grown on his face as he spoke the thought of introducing his parents to anyone at all made his stomach do flips.
"I uh I actually should get going. I promised Naida that I would meet up with her." he told his parents he looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet a little, showing his youth in his nerves.
"I love you both." he said with a smile. He moved forwards and gave both his parents a nuzzle, being extra gentle with his father. "See you soon." he said before he turned and left a lightness to him, a skip to his step.