Holmgeir looked across at his sleeping wife. Her soft golden form lay relaxed and resting beside his own, their cubs, four bundles of fluff that had just discovered their teeth, were all finally sleeping in a pile near by. Allowing a tiny smile to curl acros his muzzle the grizzled warrior settled his head down and closed his eyes. Just before sleep claimed him his mind drifted back… To that fateful day when he had been given the best gift possible. Only he hadn’t known it back then…
The young reaver stood, anxiety and excitement fighting within him for dominance. His father, a big gruff male of grey and black stood some distance off, keeping a stern eye on his fidgeting son. His mother, a reserved, delicate freeborn, sat beside the imposing figure. With her head tipped down demurely and her paws crossed, she looked perfectly shy and retiring. But he knew she was watching him just as completely as his father, only her gaze was less obvious, where as his sire’s glare was currently sending cold shivers through him. He knew if he messed up, he would get the beating of his life.
Finally he heard pawsteps and looked up, only to have his breath catch in his throat. Coming towards him was the most stunningly beautiful lioness he had ever laid eyes on. Her fur was the colour of burnished gold, dark liquid eyes that he wanted to loose himself within, and the brightness of her red mane made her stand out from everyone else. Mute he stared at her as she approached, her graceful lines and those warm, expressive eyes made his mouth dry and his brain shut down. Surely she couldn’t… couldn’t… was this his betrothed?
Panic flooded him as she continued to walk directly towards him. That rich luxurious gaze settling on him, a playful half smile flitting across her expression like a bird through the trees. Thor help him, he was lost! She was… perfect, gorgeous, stunning… Suddenly acutely aware that he was staring with his jaw on the ground, he heaved in a tight breath and struggled to overcome his sudden paralysis.
The golden, gilded female stopped in front of him, head smile remaining though shifting from excited to slightly confused as he remained struck dumb. “You are Holmgeir ----son yes?” She asked, her musical voice nearly scrambling what semblance of thought he had managed to scrape together. His slow, jerky nod revived her sunny smile but suddenly there was a wicked gleam in her beautiful eyes. “Then you are to be my husband.” She stated, as if it were the most simplest of truths and not something completely and utterly life changing. Again he barely managed to nod at her statement, his eyes just about ready to pop from his head as she spoke next. “In that case you need to prove yourself to me. Find a shell of blue, it has to be perfect mind. A thick fur of good quality, two matching feathers with no holes and the flower of the gumgum tree. Oh, and you have to make a good sized kill for our first dinner together.”
As he remained mute, staring at her with wide eyes and a shocked expression she grinned cheekily at him, sauntering closer to rub her slim body up against his heavily muscled one, arching and purring softly. Then with a soft laugh and a flick of her tail, she was gone.
Gone.
Finally jerked from his silent stupor he blinked, watching the golden goddess walk away from him, already talking animatedly with another female that he presumed had been there all along but that he only saw now the spell was broken. His head suddenly jerked painfully as his father’s heavy paw swotted him, finally dragging his attention off the freeborn lioness and back to the present.
“Well, get going.” Was his father’s gruff-toned advice as the older lion gave him a none-to-gentle shove towards the forest. Still deep in shock at what had just happened Holmgeir set off, his paws moving on autopilot as his brain struggled to catch up.
Yawning silently Soma blinked open sleepy eyes. Beside her Holmgeir slept soundly, his big, muscular and scarred body curled protectively round her. Smiling softly she nuzzled closer. He had been her strength for so long now, she barely remembered a time when he hadn’t been with her. Letting her thoughts drift back she recalled their first proper meeting.
Grinning to herself as she sauntered away she risked a quick glance back at the imposing male. She had no idea what had possessed her to make such demands on a lion she didn’t know. Except that he had stood there looking as if he would rather be anywhere else, doing anything else. He was…. gorgeous. Large even with his own sire stood in the background, his dark coat was a gorgeous deep rich burnished brown with the most luxurious black mane. The moment she had seen him and realised that THIS male was to be her husband, she had felt both excitement, joy and a tinge of fear sweep through her. To have a mate as handsome as he! All her friends would be so very envious! And even if he was actually mute, as he had seemed to be, his looks far surpassed any such difficulty. Not that she was only interested in appearances, but she was going to be stuck with him for the rest of her life so it was certainly welcomed that he was easy on the eyes.
But he had just stood there, as if he didn’t care whether she was there or not, or worse still, was entirely indifferent to her. She wouldn’t take a husband who didn’t even bother to acknowledge her! Then she had found herself making demands, and knowing it was to get some kind of reaction out of him made her feel both stupid and desperate. But… but.. if he went to all that trouble to find the things she had listed… and then went and personally hunted down a dinner for them to share… She would know he not only saw her, but cared enough to put himself out for her. And they were still strangers. Hope warred with nervousness in her chest as she looked back, watching the dark figure of her betrothed walking away.
Biting her lip she finally allowed her smile to fall. “Please…. Please care..” She whispered, ears flicking back in worry. Turning back she meekly followed her friends, having left her hope, and her heart, in the dark stranger’s large paws.
(words = 1,10 cool
