by AustralianChaos » December 5th, 2010, 3:46 am
Kijamii simply smiled at the boys as they ignored her and Lina...she knew they heard. Flashing one last smirk their way, she then turned to Lina. "Alright, Lina," she whispered, keeping the boys out of this conversation. "Since I'm still new here, I have no idea where this race is going...this is where you come in, Lina...I need you to help guide me, tell me which way to go to get to Dakari's den, and what I might have to watch out for on the way. I am not going to lose this race for us...but I need your help, okay?"
As Dakari commented that the cubs would have a great time, she smiled right back at him. "Just as I'm sure we will, too...but you're still gonna lose!" she called back, completely in a teasing, challenging mood, her body shifting constantly as it awaited the call to start the race.
While Kijamii was whispering to Lina, Juhudi was coming down from the thrilling adrenaline rush he got from when Dakari threw him onto his back...he always found that incredible fun, although he doubted his parents would approve of Dakari's actions. But they didn't ask, and he didn't tell. he smiled at Kijamii constant challenges, before calling back. "I don't think so, Jamii! Just wait till we beat you there, you won't be saying that then!"
He then leaned down to Dakari's ear, resisting the urge to playfully bite at it as he spoke to the lion privately. "Alright, let's get going...I can't wait any more!"
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"Rini!" Tanga yelled as a thunderclap startled the young lioness, sending her dashing for the cave mouth as Tanga picked up the pace to follow. He heard her shivering call to him as he got close himself, and felt terrible for her. She was freezing cold, and obviously scared by the raging thunderstorm. He quickly dragged himself under the shelter of the cave mouth as well, moving away from Marini so he could thoroughly shake himself off as well, before turning back to her curled-up, shivering form.
Now that he was somewhat dry, although terribly cold himself, he managed to reply to her earlier question. "I'm okay...but what about you? You're freezing..." he trailed off at this point. He could not just sit there and do nothing while she appeared to freeze to death, but what could he do? He came up beside her, noting just how bad her shivering was...there seemed to be something more than the cold causing it...she was scared. At this point, Tanga knew he had to do something...but what?
The answer finally came to him, leaving his cheeks going deep red once more as he realised just what it would take to help Marini warm up again. But after a few moments grappling with the possible repurcussion of moving so close to her, especially considering his crush on her, he realised that he had little choice. She was cold, frightened, and aside from him, alone. She really needed someone right now...and he was the only one around.
As another flash of lightning filled the sky outside, followed by another loud, rolling thunderclap, the choice was made for him. If the one before had startled Marini, every one would frighten her a little more. Gather up every piece of courage he could find, he slowly came up beside her, placing a paw on her shivering form, his eyes widening at just how cold her fur felt. Was he just as bad? "Marini, you're freezing!" he exclaimed, before quickly laying down beside her, letting his shoulder and upper flank touch hers, hoping the small contact would help her marginally...he didn't want to go any further than that, and risk a violent rebuke. He did, however, take a paw and place it back on her freezing shoulders, slowly rubbing along her shoulderblades, trying to both calm her down and warm her up at the same time, feeling completely self-conscious while doing so. "Rini...does this help?" he asked nervously, fighting to hide the blush on his muzzle...it really would not help either of them for his crush to come out in the open now.