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Kijibwa had arrived back at the waterfall not long before Siku showed up. He'd had a tough time himself with his meeting of Chachilli. The pregnant Klipspringer had made him feel guilty and foolish all at once, though for very different things. To his own dismay, as soon as he'd come back to the waterfall his stomach started to growl hungrily at him. When Siku called out for him, he was sitting by the water's edge- and he didn't hear her the first time. The second call, however, did reach his ears. There was a sad sound in her voice, and he felt his heart sink- something was wrong?

"Siku?" he murmured, turning around to look at her. Kiji jumped when he saw the tears in her eyes, turning his whole body around to go to her. His mind flew from his own issues, worried more for the lioness, "What's wrong?"

When Siku rushed to his side and leaned on his shoulder, Kiji's concern only increased. He nuzzled her gently, leaning back against her gently to show that he was there. He pawed gently at her, trying to encourage her to get out whatever was causing her such grief. There'd be no helping her without an explanation.

He listened carefully to her explanation of what happened, sighing sadly when she finished and questioned him. The obvious thing to say would be 'right' but he'd need to back it up somehow.

"Right," he answered finally, nuzzling against her again, "As long as you don't forget them, you'll see them again." Kijibwa paused, searching for an example and coming to an obvious one.

"Amoret," he said simply, "She found me and brought me to the jungle when I was a cub, I never really forgot her. I think of her as one might think of a mother, even if I only saw her for a little while. I saw her before we left the Pridelands, after all that time."

"I know you won't forget," Kiji said prouldly, nudging her, "You don't forget anything." He laughed quietly, though it wasn't really a whole-hearted laugh. It wasn't a good situation to be in a laughy, happy mood about, but he was trying.

"It's too bad I didn't go with you," he muttered when she said he would have liked Pumbaa, then leaned back when she said he reminded her of him, "A warthog reminded you of me?" With a snort, he chuckled more genuinely before. It was an amusing comparison.

"Well, that's alright," he shook his head.

Kiji batted at Siku playfully when he was accused of having something he wanted her to forget, taking a moment to think about the question and finding nothing that she knows that he didn't want her to know. He smiled at her, "There's nothing you need to forget!" He listened carefully to everything she said, finding it all a good distraction from his day.

"Wait," he said suddenly just about when Siku sighed, "Comes to visit? When is that? What was all that talk about not seeing him again?" Kijibwa looked around somewhat frantically, were they expecting company right at that moment? It didn't make sense to him, but he still didn't think that maybe she meant in the future, and not right now. He was drawn from his search when she licked him on the cheek, stopping and beaming at her- until she asked about his day.

"I- I met a Klipspringer," he stammered out, but he was no longer looking Siku in the eyes. No, instead his gaze was down on her stomach, remembering what Chachili had explained to him. He frowned. Siku probably already knew that, and he'd just look foolish to her too. Not to mention he was reminded of the scolding he got for hunting. He looked down at his paws instead.

"If you insist, then.." she returned, flicking her tail at Kiji playfully in response. She paused at his sudden panic, laughing as she shook her head and smiled. She had made it sound like Pumbaa was coming to visit soon, as much as she wishd he would.

"No, not for some time, Kiji, don't worry." She crooned, brushing against him gently. It was amazing, the effect Kijibwa had on her mood, and how he could always seem to cheer her up. Gazing toward the waterfall's pool, she murmured.

"I'm not sure if he'll be able to visit, actually. Pumbaa.. is somewhat old, actually, and may not be able to reach wherever we head next. Even if he does, I don't think he would arrive for a while. Warthogs, I assume, don't travel as fast as lions," Siku said, only to grin mischeviously.

"Even if one is a slow cub." She added, refrencing to herself when she had first made the trip. Pausing suddenly, Siku watched in confusion as Kiji's gaze drifted to her stomach at the mention of a Klipspringer. She hadn't hunted any lately, so there was no worry she'd eaten it... watching his gaze fall to his paws, Siku frowned slightly, raising one eyebrow.

"Is something the matter?"

Kiji nuzzled against Siku when she came over to him, comforted just by the gentle and understanding tone she used while she explained the circle of life to him. He stayed quiet while she spoke, thinking about the things she said and seeing the reason behind it all. It was what must be the beliefs of the Pridelands, and it made some sense to him. When she finished, he still sighed loudly.

"But I still do feel bad," he murmured, "At least we aren't monsters that go killing food we don't need." It was, perhaps, a strange thing for him to say but it was the impression that Chachili had had of him initially. It was how some viewed lions, but he had no idea it was how some lions were. He glanced back down to the ground thoughtfully, again pausing at Siku's stomach along the way. No, he needn't tell her what else he'd found out.

"I walked her to the savannah when it started to get dark," he continued telling her about his day, "I wanted to make sure she got home safely."

"That's good, then." Siku said happily, smiling proudly at Kijibwa. She was glad he had taken such good care of another creature, especially to tend to her getting home safely. Leaning against him, she purred gently.

"Kiji, you're the farthest thing from a monster there is." She said, unsure if it was teasing or honest compassion. Kiji would never be a monster, atleast, not through her eyes. Maybe it was being a lion herself that gave the opinion, or her love of Kiji, but either way, she could never see Kiji in that sense.

"So please, don't worry.."

Kiji rested his head on his paws, smiling up at his mate as she began to explain her feelings about the waterfall. It was very poetic, the words she used to describe it, and yet all he thought about was her reaction when she first saw it. Now that they'd lived here for some time, it was more than something strange to Siku. It was exactly what'd he'd expected now.

"Home," he agreed, "Not just because this was where I came when I was younger, but because of our time here. It's been good to me." With those words, he fell silent for a moment and looked back at the waterfall, at the foaming edge where the falls met the pond beneath it. He had no poetic words for her, no hugely symbolic view of it. It reminded him of Siku, now, not just for the time they spent there but the beauty he saw in it.. He gave a happy growl-purr and shifted one paw from beneath his head onto her paw.

Seeing Kiji lay down, Siku followed suit and lay beside him, curling into her usual spot, her body nestled up against his. Yawning, her eyelids began to drift down, the warm embrace of sleep overcoming her. Home. One day, she would return to this spot, Siku told herself, just before slipping into the safety of her dreams. The comfort of home was all here, she realized. It was not the waterfall that made this place home.

It was her place by Kijibwa.

FIN. ( Too perfect not to end here. <3 )