[FIN] Sibling Bonding (Yoru and Kasai)

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Yoru wasn't particularly close to anyone in his family, save for his mother (who didn't count because she was his mom) and his twin, Miyako, who was now going off with a new lion and didn't seem to have time for Yoru's constant sulk fests.

When he brought up this issue to his mother, Hodari had looked at him with a smile and told him he had many other littermates that he could talk to. Quickly, she had summoned his sister, Kasai to his side and sent them off hunting together.

Yoru felt more than awkward. He hadn't really talked to Kasai since they got older and now he found himself more focused on his micro-movements and fidgeting than his hunting skills.

"So, uh, how've you been?" He tried after a while.

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Kasai often thought herself to be the most ferocious lion in the Mwezi, even besting some of the Guards! She was a ball of spitfire, much like her name described and she was ready to take on the world! If only the Great Lion had chosen for her the path of her mother. The notion of chasing off rogues that dare enter the prides territory was an enticing one, but... She supposed that being the first lioness to bring down an elephant on her own would be just as an amazing feat!

The only thing she would need to make that was happen was to get stronger herself and to make that happen, she needed practice and training! So, when her mother suggested she go out hunting with her brother, Yoru, Kasai had no problem with it.

"Oh, you know, same old, same old." Kasai replied with a smile. "Hunting, hunting, and more hunting. It kills time and prey-beasts, plus, ya know, not exactly much else to do here, right?" She paused and then added. "Though I've seen Miyako eyeing a lion in the pride. You know anything about that?"

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Yoru had to be amazed with his sister's easy way of talking. She appeared so confident and passionate about everything she did. He wished that he could have some of her confidence, even if he were just to borrow it for a moment, in order to talk to a pretty lioness.

"I understand what you meant about the constant hunting." He said, even though he didn't, not really. He knew what it was like to hunt for the sake of hunting and to hunt for the sake of having something to do, but beyond that he didn't consider the possibilities. Didn't even ponder the notion whether all his outings with Hodari and now Kasai were making him a better hunter than he used to be. If he had stopped to consider this, maybe it would have earned him the confidence he lacked within himself, but alas, Yoru was content to wallow in self-pity, like a hippo may do in the mud.

"It's not going to last." Yoru snipped, sharply when his sister inquired after Miyako's affair. "I think his name is Belial? But no, he's far too bland. Miyako would never be satisfied--besides, she has the family, what does she need anyone else for?" He huffed, not realizing that to a keener ear, he probably admitted to the jealousy this unknown Belial was getting from his twin, while he had to learn to make friends on his own.

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Kasai was surprised at her brother for suddenly sounding so sharp with her and she showed so in her expression.

"Why, Yoru, I didn't realize it affected you so much what our ever-independent sister chooses to do with her time." She said, glancing over at him. He was practically bristling, she noticed. "If you don't mind me saying so, you shouldn't pay much heed to what she's doing and instead find something you ought to do. There's plenty of others worth your time to talk to." Adding a tone of fake pouty-ness into her own tone, she added. "Besides, I was just asking a question." Before laughing outright at how she sounded.

"Look here," She went on. "You are a fine young lion and if you're jealous about this so early on in your life, then you're growing to grow up to be a bitter old man." Kasai chuckled again, but then looked seriously at her brother. "No, really. It'll be horrible. Don't grow up to be bitter." She smiled and nudged him. "Maybe we just have to find you a girl, eh, Yoru? Anyone in the pride catch your eye? Anyone at all?"

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As soon as he spoke out in harsher manners, Yoru regretted it. Kasai was on him like a piece of prey and he felt rather antagonized by the way she was speaking to him. His ears flattened and he let out a low growl. He was here because his mother said he ought to socialize, but he had no desire to be spoken down to, even if Kasai was hitting right on the mark on why he was feeling so defensive.

"I do mind you saying so, actually." He spat at his sister, before walking on ahead, only to find most irritatingly that she kept pace with him. Females. Bah!

"Of course not." He hurried on to answer her next question. "There's no one looking at me, so why should I look at any of them? Besides, what about you? You talk about matching me up with a lioness, but have you found a lion you're keen on? Hmmm?" He growled back at her, the notion of hunting far from his mind. Though he may not realize it, nor ever admit it if he did, he was much more interested in hearing his sister's answer, than getting down to business and actually hunting.

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Kasai took her brother's anger in stride and sidled right back up next to him, though she had enough sense to apologize first.

"Aw, c'mon, Yo." She sighed, "You know I don't like you being upset. I'm sorry if I pushed it." She rubbed her shoulder against her brother's and smiled at him.

After a moment of silent walking, she started up again.
"And for the record, I firmly believe someone must be looking in your direction. After all, you're easily the most handsome in the pride! More so than Galdric even... maybe." She shrugged one of her shoulders and then let the topic fall onto her. "Oh man, I don't know. There's a lot of older males in the pride, but I don't know if they'd be able to keep up with me, but I don't want someone to hold me back either. I think... I think it might be nice to have someone who could support me and let me do what I wanted to do." She sighed, as if she would find anyone like that, she thought, but perked up shortly thereafter. She was with her brother after all!

"Anyway, to answer your question, I haven't found my dream lion yet!" She nudged Yoru again, her eyes more affectionate this time. "So I guess this means we bachelors will just have to continue hunting together until we pair off with someone, huh?" Another pause and then a shuffling of a paw, before finally. "You know you can always count on me to be there for you, right, Yo?"

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She was a bit dramatic, even in her apology, but Yoru was quickly realizing that that was simply who Kasai was as a lioness. Dramatic, quick to move and to speak her opinion and also rather loud. He smiled and she seemed to relax when he did, so he let himself smile a little more, only to pause when she answered him as seriously as she did.

"That..." He paused, not really sure how he could form a reply to that. "That sounds like a good fit for you. I hope you find him." He said, brushing his coat up against her own.

"I think I'd like someone like that too... supportive, I mean." He said softly and then he broke out into a grin when she mentioned being stuck hunting with him until they found someone else. "You know, that doesn't sound too bad." He said and nudged her. "And yeah, I think I know that now, but thanks anyway, Kasai. You can always come to me, too, by the way. We are family, after all." He purred.

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Kasai grinned and bobbed her head at her brother's reply.
"Oh, I'll find him!" She said, unsheathing her claws. "Even if I have to sneak out of the pride borders and drag him into the pride from the rogue lands! Assuming Auntie Kimondo will ever let outsiders back into the pride." She gave a half-shrug. "Even if she doesn't, I'll do it anyway. She can't ignore true love and that's what it's bound to be!" She purred with amusement.

Rubbing her shoulder against her brother's as they continued walking, she listened to him and her grin faded into a sisterly smile.
"Well, I'd sure hope so, Yo my bro!" She cackled. "Did you hear that? I rhymed three times! Oh hey, I nearly did it there too!" She shook her coat out and then pressed on ahead.

"So I'm guessing Mom's gonna be a little disappointed if we don't manage to bring back something for the family, so let's actually do what we were sent out here to do and hunt! Whaddya say?" She said, ready to take off and chase down a wildebeest at a moment's notice. Or maybe something even bigger! Like a giraffe! Or a hippopotamus!

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Yoru looked at his sister, appalled at her gutsy attitude in relation to finding a mate.
"Go into the rogue lands?" He echoed. "But... We're Hunters, not Guards! We'd never make it out there, away from the pride." At the very least,
he never would. The thought of being away from his family, away from the pride,
it shook him to his very core and he shuddered despite himself. As for their aunt being the Queen, he shook his head.

"Even with Aunt Kimondo as the Queen, you shouldn't automatically assume she's going to give us a free pass just because we're family." He thought about something his mother had told him recently. "She's a new Queen after a crazy rebellion, she'll want to keep things quiet for a while, so we'd best not stir up trouble." He went on, not wanting to crush his sister's hopes. "She's found to open the borders again, we just need to be patient and wait until this whole... thing, blows over."

When the conversation shifted to hunting, Yoru smiled.
"Yeah, I'd like that." He replied with a smile of his own. "We're bound by the Great Lion to hunt, after all and I daresay while Mom'll forgive us,
our hungry siblings may not." He remarked and nudged his sister. "C'mon, let's see what we can find." He said and took off at a steady trot to go seek out any prey beasts that could be grazing nearby.

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Kasai snorted.
"I'd make it!" She boasted, tail swishing as she strutted forward. "And don't sell us short, Yo. Hunters can do a lot of stuff Guards can't. Sure, they get to train in fighting, but what about stalking? Or speed? I have lots of stuff that Guards don't! Including, my irresistible charm!" She grinned and then paused, remembering her own mother was a Guard too and then shrugged.

She was happy to be hunting and happier still to be doing so with her brother. Though she would never admit it to anyone aloud, she had been a little worried what this hunt would bring. Yoru was always one of her more quiet siblings, even Galdric seemed to be somewhat talkative. Tama and Miyako were her more chatty siblings, so she typically knew what they were thinking, but with her quiet brother... She wasn't she if she would like him. Sure, she loved him, but that was a requirement based on the fact that they were siblings. It was one thing to be family, it was a whole 'nother to be friends.

And that's what they were, she decided promptly. So when she ran off behind her brother with a grin on her face and a breeze ruffling her fur, she was sure that they would bring down an excellent prey beast, because they would have caught it together.

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Fin~