Although her sleep during the day had been lovely, Dareia found herself counting down the minutes to midnight. The night before had been... well, magical. She was typically out and about all night, wandering the pridal lands by her lonesome, unable to sleep like the typical lion (although, possibly not the typical Mwezi). But last night was different. She had, by chance, stumbled upon a rather handsome lion she had yet to meet. Ki'jivu. He was gentle and funny and they had got along so unbelievably well, he was simply so easy to talk to. And so all day she had been waiting - waiting to hopefully see him again.
Dareia waited until the moon was high before she continued out into the wilderness. Well, not wilderness - almost all of the Mwezi lands were long and flat, covered in grass and sparsely populated by trees. She hadn't seen real wilderness since her days as a rogue, and quite honestly, she didn't mind it one bit. She preferred the serenity of the Mwezi lands, and was happy to call this place home.
Ki'jivu was pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, along the water line. Last night... last night had been something. In the midst of his boring, middle-of-the-night guard shift he had run into the most captivating lioness. She was kind and gentle and things between them had been so easy. He had been eager for his guard shift on this night, knowing that she would be out there again. She'd divulged to him that she was physically unable to sleep at night - they hadn't planned to meet up again but he couldn't not try to see her once more. Although he was sure he could find her among the dens of the pride - the Mwezi wasn't all that massive - but he wanted things to feel more... organic.
It felt like an eternity before he heard footsteps, and immediately his head turned on a swivel to see who was approaching. He noticed she was already wearing a smile. Perfect. "Now, I don't know if you know this," he started as she approached, "but stalking isn't exactly smiled upon."
Dareia's heart leapt when she caught sight of the familiar, shimmering mane. She didn't mean to be cheesy, but almost immediately she spat out a response. "If that's what it takes to see you again, consider me a stalker." She blushed, her face hot with mild embarrassment, before continuing on. "Would you honor me with the honor of accompanying you for the rest of your shift?" Dareia smiled a wide smile, referring to a bit of jumbled words that they shared the night prior.
The lion was caught off-guard by the blatant flirtation, but he appreciated it nonetheless. He didn't know how to respond, but was saved from that when Dareia asked about joining him. "I thought you'd never ask," he said jokingly, as if she would be in the exact place they had met the night before for any other reason. This time, he was the one who took charge, following the familiar path along the Eastern border, ears flicking as he listened to the rushing river water. "I never, ah, got to ask before, but..." Ki'jivu trailed off, unsure that he wanted an answer to his question. Regardless, he continued on, "What is it you do within the pride? You obviously know I'm a Guard, but I'm not quite sure what it is you spend your days doing. Other than following me around, of course," he finished with another grin.
Dareia wasn't surprised by his question in the least. It was common in prides to understand not just someone's lineage but their role within the pride, as well. "Well," she started off, flicking her tail, "I like to hunt. It feels rewarding. But I'm actually a Lady." She turned to him and smiled once more - a part of her was always a bit ashamed of her high-class status (something she'd held in both prides to which she belonged since her birth), regardless of how used to it she was. She was always simply unsettled by the disparity between herself and those considered "lower" than her - it didn't feel right. Even the idea of there being slaves within the pride felt a bit icky.
When she responded, Ki'jivu felt his right brow quirk up. This explained how noticeable her stature was - she carried herself like someone born into a high class lifestyle. She was used to being one of the elite. He simply nodded, unsure what to say in response. Idly, he mused that he was lucky he was born during a waning gibbous, which meant he was upper-middle class and thus not too far away from her station. Although, it was notable that she didn't seem to be the type to take much stock in class - even if he didn't know her too well just yet.
He caught himself smiling at the "yet." He could only hope she would continue wanting to get to know him.
Noticing that Ki'jivu didn't have a response to her Ladyship, Dareia cleared her throat and continued on. "I wasn't born here, you know. I'm originally from this pride that was known as the Ukuucha'Wafalme. It was... very different there." She spoke softly, realizing that she never actually got to talk about her past. But Ki'jivu seemed like a good listener. "My father was the Sultan - the leader of the pride. So I guess I was born into nobility and never quite managed to shake it," she explained with a laugh.
"Well," Ki'jivu started, "Lady Dareia it is then! I appreciate you joining me once more, my lady. It is quite lonely out here at night." He was thinking about the fact that just two days ago he had been thinking about how much longer he'd be stuck on this awful, lonely night shift. Now he was thankful for it - in fact, he hoped it never ended. As long as Dareia was by his side, guard duty seemed like a dream.
Dareia waited until the moon was high before she continued out into the wilderness. Well, not wilderness - almost all of the Mwezi lands were long and flat, covered in grass and sparsely populated by trees. She hadn't seen real wilderness since her days as a rogue, and quite honestly, she didn't mind it one bit. She preferred the serenity of the Mwezi lands, and was happy to call this place home.
Ki'jivu was pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, along the water line. Last night... last night had been something. In the midst of his boring, middle-of-the-night guard shift he had run into the most captivating lioness. She was kind and gentle and things between them had been so easy. He had been eager for his guard shift on this night, knowing that she would be out there again. She'd divulged to him that she was physically unable to sleep at night - they hadn't planned to meet up again but he couldn't not try to see her once more. Although he was sure he could find her among the dens of the pride - the Mwezi wasn't all that massive - but he wanted things to feel more... organic.
It felt like an eternity before he heard footsteps, and immediately his head turned on a swivel to see who was approaching. He noticed she was already wearing a smile. Perfect. "Now, I don't know if you know this," he started as she approached, "but stalking isn't exactly smiled upon."
Dareia's heart leapt when she caught sight of the familiar, shimmering mane. She didn't mean to be cheesy, but almost immediately she spat out a response. "If that's what it takes to see you again, consider me a stalker." She blushed, her face hot with mild embarrassment, before continuing on. "Would you honor me with the honor of accompanying you for the rest of your shift?" Dareia smiled a wide smile, referring to a bit of jumbled words that they shared the night prior.
The lion was caught off-guard by the blatant flirtation, but he appreciated it nonetheless. He didn't know how to respond, but was saved from that when Dareia asked about joining him. "I thought you'd never ask," he said jokingly, as if she would be in the exact place they had met the night before for any other reason. This time, he was the one who took charge, following the familiar path along the Eastern border, ears flicking as he listened to the rushing river water. "I never, ah, got to ask before, but..." Ki'jivu trailed off, unsure that he wanted an answer to his question. Regardless, he continued on, "What is it you do within the pride? You obviously know I'm a Guard, but I'm not quite sure what it is you spend your days doing. Other than following me around, of course," he finished with another grin.
Dareia wasn't surprised by his question in the least. It was common in prides to understand not just someone's lineage but their role within the pride, as well. "Well," she started off, flicking her tail, "I like to hunt. It feels rewarding. But I'm actually a Lady." She turned to him and smiled once more - a part of her was always a bit ashamed of her high-class status (something she'd held in both prides to which she belonged since her birth), regardless of how used to it she was. She was always simply unsettled by the disparity between herself and those considered "lower" than her - it didn't feel right. Even the idea of there being slaves within the pride felt a bit icky.
When she responded, Ki'jivu felt his right brow quirk up. This explained how noticeable her stature was - she carried herself like someone born into a high class lifestyle. She was used to being one of the elite. He simply nodded, unsure what to say in response. Idly, he mused that he was lucky he was born during a waning gibbous, which meant he was upper-middle class and thus not too far away from her station. Although, it was notable that she didn't seem to be the type to take much stock in class - even if he didn't know her too well just yet.
He caught himself smiling at the "yet." He could only hope she would continue wanting to get to know him.
Noticing that Ki'jivu didn't have a response to her Ladyship, Dareia cleared her throat and continued on. "I wasn't born here, you know. I'm originally from this pride that was known as the Ukuucha'Wafalme. It was... very different there." She spoke softly, realizing that she never actually got to talk about her past. But Ki'jivu seemed like a good listener. "My father was the Sultan - the leader of the pride. So I guess I was born into nobility and never quite managed to shake it," she explained with a laugh.
"Well," Ki'jivu started, "Lady Dareia it is then! I appreciate you joining me once more, my lady. It is quite lonely out here at night." He was thinking about the fact that just two days ago he had been thinking about how much longer he'd be stuck on this awful, lonely night shift. Now he was thankful for it - in fact, he hoped it never ended. As long as Dareia was by his side, guard duty seemed like a dream.