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 Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:45 pm
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Anastahili had been trying not to gather attention from the new queen since the night he apologized to her. He did his job, guarded the pride, and took as many boarder patrols as he could get to keep from being in the public eye or more precisely keep from being in Kimondo's view. The male wanted to focus on his work again,and leave the queen to her new position. In his mind, she really should not have to speak to a guard like him anyway, so why put himself into her path?
Anastahili had been hoping to keep up his quiet lurking, but it would seem he could not avoid the lioness forever. The male was on his way back to his den in the evening and found himself facing very familiar pretty paws. He had taken to keeping his eyes downcast all the time to avoid conversations with those that seemed awfully chatty since the change of leaders, and yet he still knew those paws before he glanced upward at the pale lioness they belonged to. "Excuse me, Your Grace."
Oh crap, what was he going to say if she started talking to him? Or worse QUESTIONING him? Anastahili was trying very discreetly to view a way to retreat without looking rude and finding nothing so far. The queen happened to be standing in a way that would make it impossible to continue on his way home without going quite a bit out of his way and making it very obvious what he was doing. Avoiding the lioness openly would have been very rude and that was something he had to avoid.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:58 pm
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Kimondo was adjusting to her new role well, but she longed to be a part of the hunt again. It was all she had ever hoped for before, it was a part of her identity that was hard to let go.. so it wasn't uncommon to find her wandering away from the central areas of the pride to see if there was anything she could do to help. Or, as the case often was, anything interesting she could watch. Hunting was generally safe in the numbers they worked in but there were inherent dangers so for now.. even she knew better than to push for participation.
While out wandering, she happened to spy a familiar figure. One who was becoming less and less common a sight. As awkward as it was, she felt bad that he was so put off by her change in status. He had always been forward and now she wasn't sure if it was kinder to let him go or remind him that they were friends.
She hesitated too long and suddenly he was right in front of her.
"Anastahili," she said, biting back an apology for being in the way- wondering if that was a proper response. She stepped aside in case he did want to just run for it.. but she didn't want that.
"You don't have to avoid me, you know."
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 4:23 pm
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Anastahili glanced around to make sure no others were watching before he looked up at the lioness. There were some things others should not see. He offered the lioness a smile at her words. He had been avoiding her a bit more than necessary, hadn't he? He meant well, but that tone of voice told him all too well that his friend was not happy with his behavior. He had no doubt from the look on her face when he looked up that they were still friends. "I did not wish to reach above my place or make you look like you were entertaining below yours, Kimondo."
Anastahili should have looked down again, but he caught her gaze and ended up staring into those kind silver eyes. He was aware of how she had started out just entertaining him because it was nice, but somehow they had become friends while he was working on convincing her of more. He wished he had not pushed so hard before, but somehow he could not bring himself to regret the closeness they had gotten out of his poor attempts at wooing. "How have you been, Your Grace... Graceful Kimondo, Queen of the night, chosen of the Moon... it fits."
Anastahili was smirking a bit now. He could not help but find it amusing that something that would make her feel as awkward as he did right now, was also a compliment that she could not very well wiggle out of. "You tell me I should not avoid you... and yet, here you are avoiding where you should be... I doubt you came out here looking for me... but it would seem I should escort you back since you will need guarded by someone." He was not going to let his pride's queen wander around away from the center of the pride without someone watching over her. He could find his nerve when it came to his duties.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 4:52 pm
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"I wish you would stop that," she said suddenly, honestly- surprising even herself. It was possibly the worst thing to say because now she had to explain herself, there were two sides of what she was thinking of. So she sighed, ears turning.
"I'm still me," she explained, only sounding half-convinced of it herself, "I'm not willing to give up any of my friends or family just because I have to worry about the whole pride now, too. This is how I want to spend my free time, continuing to do what I've always done."
Liuhe had convinced her to allow his mother to stay despite her disinterest in offering her loyalty to the pride and its new ruler. Fasrin had not been so shy and had asked to stay. Tyfu still had two children here. But those were all known risks, while the border remained closed, she felt safe.
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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:36 pm
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Anastahili laid his ears back at the female's outburst. "I have always thought you were special, Kimo. The rest of the pride just sees it now." He gave her a soft smile and his ears went back up again. "But if you want me to stop flattering you, I MIGHT be convinced to stop, but I will still escort the lovely lady around while she wandering around." He wanted to have an excuse to walk with her if he could get her to let him. Yes duty said he needed to escort the queen... but that was not his only reason for wanting to do it.
Anastahili tilted his head at the lioness, hoping she will let him walk with her, but also having much more to say himself. "I do not really have friends, Kimo... just you. I do not think you should continue hunting, but then I worry for you, not just as queen, but as my friend." He still held that she was precious without being queen. He sighs and looks back at his paws. "I have missed talking to you, but it is not my place to do so... it never was, Kimo." He felt a little guilty about that, but it was not something that could be changed.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:53 pm
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Kimondo couldn't help but step back in embarrassment when he called her special. It wasn't anything she didn't know, he wasn't exactly shy or particularly good at hiding it.. she just didn't know what she had done to deserve it, and didn't know how to properly respond to it. Diplomacy was a skill she apparently had enough of for Lailah to pick her as Queen and for her coronation to go smoothly.. but personal issues were something else.
"I know," she said with a sigh, "It makes me uncomfortable when you treat me differently, and not just because I'm queen now."
There was no point in being dishonest with him, he was being very honest with her. It hurt hearing someone else say that she shouldn't be hunting, even though she knew that.. but there was still so much more to fight about if they had to.
"And you don't have to worry about me," she added with a small smile and a glance behind her, "I'd be surprised if I ever managed to shake Baba'nyota or my father, they never seem to be far away."
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Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 4:30 am
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Kimondo frowned when her statement backfired and made him decide that he should just leave. It didn't have to be this hard, she didn't understand why it was. She did but.. she didn't, and when he turned back and cringed after the remark about the Head Guard and her father, she felt worse.
She could let him go, knowing it might hurt his feelings and yet still be better in the long run.. or she could selfishly try to preserve whatever friendship was still there, which could take more uncomfortable arguing or some assertive queen-ing. If he wasn't going to be convinced so easily and she didn't want to hurt his feelings, that left just one thing.
"No, wait," she said, straightening herself up a bit, "You said you would escort me while I'm going for a walk."
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