Unsuspecting, Ki'jivu was minding his own business, fantasizing about his children one day in the (hopefully) near future, when he spotted Zaniah.
She was stunning, as far as lionesses go. Actually, she was just stunning. Something about her coat sparkled much like his mane, and he found himself mesmerized by it. Dazzling — it really was. But of course, he'd never seen anything more beautiful than his mate. He was devoted to her with every fiber of his being, and their relationship felt almost mystical, it was so easy. The only thing they were missing (yes, again), was children. But that wasn't something he wanted from Zaniah. He just hoped she recognized that.
"Hey, stranger~" she taunted, walking up to him by walking tightly, closely to his body. It was uncomfortable for him, but she thought she was being alluring.
"Hi, Zaniah. How are you?" Ki'jivu decided to keep things polite and jovial — she was annoying and persistent, sure, but she really hadn't done anything wrong.
Zaniah, on the other hand, had certain... intentions. "I'm lovely, now." Her light eyes gazed at his, and for a second she thought she felt a spark, but then he broke eye contact and she cursed internally. How was she supposed to woo him if he wouldn't even stare back at her? Gods, what were men for, anyway? She fought the urge to roll her eyes at her inner banter, but continued on in her pursuit of the starry lion. "I'm sorry about the other night," she said, casting her eyes downward in remorse. "I didn't realize you had something... going on." Zaniah chose her words carefully, daring a glance upward to see how he'd react.
Ki'jivu cleared his throat, still refusing to look at the female. He could see the game she was running, and he wasn't here for any of it. Downplaying his relationship was not okay. He'd worked hard to court Dareia, and he was damn proud to be her mate, and intended for everyone to know that. Gods, if only they had kids — what a brilliant reminder of the strength of a couple's bond. If only. He sighed, eyes darting to Zaniah before training them back off in the distance. "If by 'something going on' you mean a mate, then yes, I have something going on." His speech was short and stilted, as he was simply uncomfortable with the whole thing. He just wished she'd leave him alone. For once.
The lioness, however, was persistent. "A mate doesn't always mean you're... off limits." Her brow quirked suggestively, which he responded to by breaking out into a coughing fit.
"Ugh, gods, excuse me. Something doesn't feel okay," he said before coughing some more. His body felt like it was spasming, and he couldn't stop. Zaniah slinked over to his side, nudging him.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-" more coughing - "yes! I'm-" more coughing "fine! I'm fine." He cleared his throat loudly and shook his head, blinking away tears that had formed during the fit.
"If you need, I can escort you to someone who might be able to, ah, help you?" Her voice had lost its flirtation and her tone was replaced by a more even, caring one. She genuinely wanted to make sure that the lion before her was alright.
"Please, no, I'm really okay," Ki'jivu reiterated, coughing once more before glancing up at her. "Honestly, it would be best..." He trailed off, not wanting to be outright rude to the girl.
Unfortunately, that sparked her interest and a hope within her. Was he breaking down? Was she correct in thinking that he wasn't happy in his marriage (is any man)? Her eyes practically lit up at the beginning to the sentence. "Yes~?" Her voice regained that lilt all too familiar to Ki'jivu. He nearly spat when he heard it coming from her mouth again. It really was starting to infuriate the normally pacifistic lion.
"I think it would be best if you left," he said curtly, his voice flat. Zaniah's eyes widened, a bit surprised by the rudeness presented to her. Although, really, it was only that it was him that shocked her. He seemed like a genuinely good lion, so she didn't expect this, but it had happened before. What could she say, she was an... adventurous lioness. Of course, now that she was within a pride where monogamy was preached, she knew she might actually have to settle down, but she didn't envision that happening for some time. Although, she had taken a liking to a dashing purple lion named Kiyoshi... maybe that would lead somewhere, maybe not.
Regardless, her eyes met Ki'jivu's and she nodded. "Of course, Ki'jivu. Sorry to bother you." Before he could speak, she quickly turned tail and headed back to her den for some alone time before she would head back out to find her next victim. Or, maybe that Kiyoshi fellow. He seemed like a safe bet, and she was feeling a bit wounded...
Ki'jivu, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief when Zaniah left. Dareia trusted him with her whole heart, but he'd hated the look on her face when she sam Zaniah talking with him the other night. It unsettled him knowing that there was a small part of her that was curious about Zaniah's place in his life. But really, she had no place in it, save for being a minor annoyance. Really, he had eyes for no one but his darling Dareia. Even though, it was notable that he didn't really know all that many lionesses, even with having grown up in the pride. But even so, he knew that Dareia was the one for him. She mirrored his soft and gentle personality, and she was simply too sweet not to love. They fit each other perfectly, and he was consistently praying to the Great Lion, thanking Him for the blessing of his mate while desperately, hopelessly pleading that He would help them bring children into this crazy world. Ki'jivu still held out hope his prayers would be answered.
She was stunning, as far as lionesses go. Actually, she was just stunning. Something about her coat sparkled much like his mane, and he found himself mesmerized by it. Dazzling — it really was. But of course, he'd never seen anything more beautiful than his mate. He was devoted to her with every fiber of his being, and their relationship felt almost mystical, it was so easy. The only thing they were missing (yes, again), was children. But that wasn't something he wanted from Zaniah. He just hoped she recognized that.
"Hey, stranger~" she taunted, walking up to him by walking tightly, closely to his body. It was uncomfortable for him, but she thought she was being alluring.
"Hi, Zaniah. How are you?" Ki'jivu decided to keep things polite and jovial — she was annoying and persistent, sure, but she really hadn't done anything wrong.
Zaniah, on the other hand, had certain... intentions. "I'm lovely, now." Her light eyes gazed at his, and for a second she thought she felt a spark, but then he broke eye contact and she cursed internally. How was she supposed to woo him if he wouldn't even stare back at her? Gods, what were men for, anyway? She fought the urge to roll her eyes at her inner banter, but continued on in her pursuit of the starry lion. "I'm sorry about the other night," she said, casting her eyes downward in remorse. "I didn't realize you had something... going on." Zaniah chose her words carefully, daring a glance upward to see how he'd react.
Ki'jivu cleared his throat, still refusing to look at the female. He could see the game she was running, and he wasn't here for any of it. Downplaying his relationship was not okay. He'd worked hard to court Dareia, and he was damn proud to be her mate, and intended for everyone to know that. Gods, if only they had kids — what a brilliant reminder of the strength of a couple's bond. If only. He sighed, eyes darting to Zaniah before training them back off in the distance. "If by 'something going on' you mean a mate, then yes, I have something going on." His speech was short and stilted, as he was simply uncomfortable with the whole thing. He just wished she'd leave him alone. For once.
The lioness, however, was persistent. "A mate doesn't always mean you're... off limits." Her brow quirked suggestively, which he responded to by breaking out into a coughing fit.
"Ugh, gods, excuse me. Something doesn't feel okay," he said before coughing some more. His body felt like it was spasming, and he couldn't stop. Zaniah slinked over to his side, nudging him.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-" more coughing - "yes! I'm-" more coughing "fine! I'm fine." He cleared his throat loudly and shook his head, blinking away tears that had formed during the fit.
"If you need, I can escort you to someone who might be able to, ah, help you?" Her voice had lost its flirtation and her tone was replaced by a more even, caring one. She genuinely wanted to make sure that the lion before her was alright.
"Please, no, I'm really okay," Ki'jivu reiterated, coughing once more before glancing up at her. "Honestly, it would be best..." He trailed off, not wanting to be outright rude to the girl.
Unfortunately, that sparked her interest and a hope within her. Was he breaking down? Was she correct in thinking that he wasn't happy in his marriage (is any man)? Her eyes practically lit up at the beginning to the sentence. "Yes~?" Her voice regained that lilt all too familiar to Ki'jivu. He nearly spat when he heard it coming from her mouth again. It really was starting to infuriate the normally pacifistic lion.
"I think it would be best if you left," he said curtly, his voice flat. Zaniah's eyes widened, a bit surprised by the rudeness presented to her. Although, really, it was only that it was him that shocked her. He seemed like a genuinely good lion, so she didn't expect this, but it had happened before. What could she say, she was an... adventurous lioness. Of course, now that she was within a pride where monogamy was preached, she knew she might actually have to settle down, but she didn't envision that happening for some time. Although, she had taken a liking to a dashing purple lion named Kiyoshi... maybe that would lead somewhere, maybe not.
Regardless, her eyes met Ki'jivu's and she nodded. "Of course, Ki'jivu. Sorry to bother you." Before he could speak, she quickly turned tail and headed back to her den for some alone time before she would head back out to find her next victim. Or, maybe that Kiyoshi fellow. He seemed like a safe bet, and she was feeling a bit wounded...
Ki'jivu, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief when Zaniah left. Dareia trusted him with her whole heart, but he'd hated the look on her face when she sam Zaniah talking with him the other night. It unsettled him knowing that there was a small part of her that was curious about Zaniah's place in his life. But really, she had no place in it, save for being a minor annoyance. Really, he had eyes for no one but his darling Dareia. Even though, it was notable that he didn't really know all that many lionesses, even with having grown up in the pride. But even so, he knew that Dareia was the one for him. She mirrored his soft and gentle personality, and she was simply too sweet not to love. They fit each other perfectly, and he was consistently praying to the Great Lion, thanking Him for the blessing of his mate while desperately, hopelessly pleading that He would help them bring children into this crazy world. Ki'jivu still held out hope his prayers would be answered.