Lana was nervous. The way they had left things the last time they had met had been well. She was mostly certain that she knew were things were going to go and perhaps they would become one together. She honestly hadn't thought that anyone would have taken to her in the pride and yet here was Aphrodite, he came in from no where and stolen her heart.
She was standing at the tree of souls. She figured this was a best place if any to meet him. He had to be the one to ask her, and she had to accept him in return. Which she had already done. She was just so nervous about everything and she stood their patiently, waiting for him to arrive.
Aphrodite was being sneaky today. He had recently gone out to visit his parents in the rogue lands and find some pretty feathers to bring back for his dear Lana. Yes, he was smitten, and his father thought it was adorable. His mother was happy for him, but he knew she would have like to meet the lioness. That would be a little difficult with the way things were so far. The young male just hoped his sweet lioness would not reject his offer of more than just friendship. He would be devastated if he could not have her as his mate.
Aphrodite creeped up behind the lioness with the feathers in his muzzle. He had gotten a crafter to make them into a necklace for Lana, and Aphrodite was hoping he could come up behind her unseen and throw it over her head before she knew he was there. Just a little closer, circling around the tree of souls was a little bit of trouble, but he dared not CLIMB it, so he had to go around. And with one quick toss, he hoped that his aim was true and the feather necklace would land around the lioness' head.
As she finally took a seat she grabbed one of the strands to the tree of souls and listened to their voices and spoke her own in return, though not out loud. She had never felt like this for anyone before and she assumed it had to be fate that the two had found one another. His family lived outside the pride while hers had shunned her away and she had found herself here, accepted by them. She was pleased with her life here though and she honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
As she was lost in her thoughts she suddenly felt something land across the bridge of her nose, an almost perfect shot and she shook her head slightly and it fell the rest of the way around her neck and she let go of the strand and picked up the necklace that lay across her chest. It was a necklace and a beautiful one at that. She turned around and there he was and she gave him a warm smile and blushed slightly. "You made this for me? It's beautiful." She said looking down at it again and then getting up to greet him by rubbing him on the side of his face gently.
"I got one of the crafters to make it for you... I just gathered the feathers on my journey to visit my family... Your beauty deserves beautiful gifts to compliment it." Aphrodite licked her nose and gave her a cheeky grin. "Besides, how else would I convince you to be my mate than offering a bribe?" He really could be a pain in the rump when he wanted to be. Leave it to him to find a cheeky way to ask her to be his mate. He would make the question serious if he needed, but he wanted to see her reaction to the not so serious way of asking.
Aphrodite nuzzled her cheek and looked smug as could be as he watched for the lioness' reaction. He probably shouldn't be such a brat, but he liked having fun and making others laugh too much to be all serious and stoic. "It is not as beautiful as you, Lana, but I hope you will take it as a suitable bribe to put up with a lion such as myself as your mate." He fluffed himself up like his father always did, shaking out his mane and looking as adorable as can be. It as quite the charm for getting females or so he thought.
She looked at him with a twinkle in her eye and she couldn't believe someone would be so nice enough to give her something so thoughtful and so beautiful. "Thank you so much, it's wonderful." She said giving his cheek a lick. She kept admiring the necklace when his words hit her ears and she looked at him and cocked her head slightly. Did he? No, he didn't. He did! He head was swimming and she hadn't the slightest clue as to what to say. Well she knew what to say and she honestly wasn't expecting him to ask like that.
"Really?? Me. You're choosing me?" She was astounded, yea she knew he liked her and she liked him but she wasn't sure he would ever ask her and he was. And as he continued on with his kind words she couldn't help but get a small tear in the corner of her eye. "You would never have to bribe me to be your mate." She said coming into him close. "I'd be honored to be your mate, even if you did as me in the most un traditional way and I love that you did so." She said pulling away from him to rub her nose against his affectionately.
"And you should fluff yourself up more often like that, I think you look adorable when you do so." She said commenting on how he had tried to make himself look irresistible.
Aphrodite grinned and nuzzled the lioness affectionately. "Only for you. Otherwise there will be other females trying to make off with my adorable self." He put a paw out and pulled her as close as he could, standing on his haunches to get both front paws around her shoulders. He licked one of her ears and closed his eyes for a moment. "I was afraid you would say no or run away."
Aphrodite's heart was pounding from the suspense. He might have kept his cool on the outside, but he had been quite worried. "I know I do not have to bribe you to be my mate... but bribing you is fun, and I love the look on your face when you get something new." She really did appreciate gifts more than anyone he knew except maybe his sisters.
"We have much to do... a hammock to weave, a pride to tell, and a family to build... Oh just wait until we tell my sister!" his sister that was with him in the pride was going to tease him to no end, but at the same time, he was certain she would be shocked that he actually asked! He was certain she would be happy for them, but the look on her face at first was going to be such a wonderful sight.
She couldn't be happier right now and as he pulled her close and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she smiled as he spoke his fears. "Me? Run away. I wouldn't do that and how could I say no to you? You've been so kind to me and fill my world with light." She said to him softly as she leaned into him.
She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her maw at his words. "You are very right, I did very much enjoy the gift you got for me." She said looking down at it again and then at him. And just like that so many things began happening at once, they would have to build a hammock, and tell the pride and of course his family, as she had none. There was going to be no end in sight to the duties they were about to have to fulfill. And a family! She could only have imagined having one of her own and now here was her chance. She couldn't be happier.
Aphrodite gave a pleased if slightly smug smile. Lana had liked his gift and was agreeing to be his. How could this not please him? He had managed to get the best female in all the pride for his own, and the true shame was that most of the other males had no idea what he had stolen from them. That was their loss, not his, though.
Aphrodite let go of the female and put all four paws back on the ground at last. "We will have the best family in the whole pride! Even my sister will not be able to compete." The male was wondering if they would have any pink cubs, if they did, perhaps when they were older they would go join his father and mother in the roguelands... it was always an option if the pride gave them too much grief.
She chuckled at his words and he was likely right. "Well, when she finds herself a mate, we shall see." She said with a bit of laughter in her voice. She thought about everything they were going to have to do and she wondered if perhaps they should start building a hammock together first? Either way they had things to discuss and his sister to tell. "Come now," she nuzzled him warmly, "Let us go find your sister and then we shall begin working on what we need to do." She said as she nudged him to come with her to find his sister
Aphrodite chuckled as well, allowing himself to be nudged along by the female. "That sounds like it is for the best to wait and see.... you are a wise female. Beauty and wisdom, I have taken the best female in the whole pride while nobody was looking." He grinned and walked with her back to Hometree. It was going to be an exciting ride from here on out. At least now he did not have to make his journey through life alone. He had never been happier and he had a feeling it would only get better with Lana at his side.
Kathryn Dragonna