[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Despite feeling somewhat embarrassed at being lifted by his neck like a cub, Delano didn't protest as Muroki carried him back to the den. In fact, he hardly reacted, even after being set down on the ground in the den next to Lina. He simply stared at the wall in front of him where he was placed, unmoving.

It wasn't until Muroki nudged him gently that Delano reacted at all. Slowly turning to face his brother, Delano stayed still for a few moments before rising slightly and collapsing against Muroki, sobbing quietly. "What is happening to me?" he asked, "please... tell me!"

---

Desta blushed even harder beneath her fur. "Yeah, I rather liked you asking sooner," she relied, giggling as he kissed her paw. "You don't need to do that, Kato," she rather liked it, but it also made her feel rather, well... silly. "My parents are not royalty. You don't need to treat me as such." It was rather ironic considering that she was talknig to the prince, but she did have a much easier time interacting with Kato casually rather than fancily as others are expected to.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was expecting Delano to resist to being carried hack into the den, but he wasn't going to complain. He placed his brother down next to Lina, who was still asleep, letting out a sigh as he did. His brother's condition was only getting worse, and if the trial wouldn't make it improve... Muroki didn't want to think about that. Becoming slightly worried that Delano wasn't even moving, he gently nudged him with his muzzle. "I don't know, Delano..." he said, embracing his brother. He wished he had an answer to give him, but he didn't.

~~~

Kato couldn't help but smile as Desta blushed and giggled at his little gesture. She was just too cute when she did that. "Oh, that's not what I meant..." he said, feeling a little embarrassed. After all he knew that Desta never bothered too much with the fact that he was the prince and that she wasn't too fond of formalities. Honestly, one of the things he loved was that she treated him like a regular lion. "I did that just because I felt like it... Nothing more..." The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable in any way. His cheeks still a little red, he licked her on the cheek. "How's that?"

[DGFone]

Despair washed over Delano when he didn't get an answer to why he was suffering. He clung tightly to Muroki, struggling to control his emotions, too scared to let go. He felt as though that if he would let go, he would simply break up and fall to pieces. "Muroki, please don't let go," he whimpered, "don't let go of me..." He felt Muroki grip him harder, and it calmed him down a little. But only a little.

Still holding onto his brother, he closed his eyes and leaned his head on Muroki's mane. Feeling safer than if he were alone, he slowly gave in to his fatigue, and fell asleep very quickly.

---

Desta giggled when Kato licked her on the cheek, but she returned the gesture. "I do like that better," she replied softly, "and I felt like doing that too." She nuzzled her friend, purring with happiness as she did so. "When do you think you'll be able to take me here next time?" The air around them was growing darker as the day started to end, and she was already looking forward to the next time they will be here together.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki had no problem with continuing to hold onto Delano like that. He wouldn't have had a problem wth anything that could make his brother calm down. "I'm here." he said reassuringly, slightly tightening his grip as Delano pleaded him to not let go. The lion wasn't sure of whether to become relieved or worried when his brother fell asleep. Chances were Delano would soon wake up again from another nightmare. He continued to lie there next to Delano, keeping him in his embrace just in case he would wake up in a fright again.

~~~

Kato smiled as Desta seemed to grow more comfortable, a small purr escaping his throat as she reurned his gesture by licking him on the cheek. His purring only intensified as they nuzzled each other and he placed a foreleg over her back, holding her closer to him. The prince thought about it for a moment, not wanting to accidentally give her a wrong answer. "Both of my parents are going to be attending this big trial tomorrow..." he said, sighing as he remembered just who was being put on trial.

As much as he wanted to go there and try to help Muroki speak up for Hatari, he doubted he'd be allowed to go. "I really want to be there, but I don't think they'll approve..." He smiled, forcing the negative thoughts out of his mind. "Either way, the only thing I'm supposed to do tomorrow is to join my father on his evening patrol... I'm sure the trial won't last from morning to evening. So whether I'm at the trial or not, how about tomorrow?"

[DGFone]

With Delano calmed down, Umeme took the opportunity to approach her mate. She smiled at Muroki, glad to see that her worried about the two brothers fighting were for naught. Giving Muroki a lick across his muzzle, she then nuzzled him until he purred. "You're doing a great job, Muroki," she said quietly, "you know... you'll make a great father. The way you're helping Delano just now, it's..." as she tried to figure out how to describe how happy she was at how well Muroki was dealing with it all. Giving up, she simply smiled at him again. "... you're amazing, Muroki."

---

Desta pushed Kato gently back to the ground. "Tomorrow sounds nice," she replied, "but the trial, if you're going to be there, I want to be with you. If your parents think that you will need to be there, then I will be there too." She knew that the trial would be quite the ordeal for both of them if they went, but it would also pose a solution to the problem of them spending time together as well: if Kato won't go to the trial, she would want to know as soon as she can, which simply meant being there with him when he will learn himself if he's going or not.

Letting Kato back up, Desta joined him as he stood up, their sides touching. "As for today, how would you like to escort the lady home?" she winked at him, starting to walk slowly so that she wouldn't get away from him by accident.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki had kind of forgotten that Umeme was there, and was only reminded of her presence when she arrived at his side. Purring in content at her affection, he nuzzled her back for a brief moment before looking at her with a smile. "It means a lot to me to hear that from you." he said, gently pressing his nose against hers. He really couldn't wait until they became parents. "I think you'll be a wonderful mother, too. I mean you're kind, caring and all that... stuff..." Chuckling sheepishly, he motioned for her to lie down beside him. "So... How long do you think it'll be until... you know..."

~~~

Kato had to chuckle nervously as Desta once again pinned him onto his back. "Really? You mean it?" he asked, sounding somewhat surprised considering that she knew what the trial was all about. "I would love that. Thank you..." It meant the whole world to him that she was willing to put her own convinience aside (her being quite reserved about talking about the fact that he'd nearly died) in order to be there for him. The trial wasn't going to be filled with pleasantries, and her being there would definitely help him get through it.

Smiling, Kato got to his paws and joined Desta, slowly walking alongside her in the direction of her family's den. It wasn't necessarily far away from where he lived, but it was still in a different direction. "It would be my honor and privilige." he said, holding a paw close to his chest in a fake, royal gesture, grinning at her as he did. While she wasn't the biggest fan of formalities, he knew she kind of liked the way he joked about them every now and then.

[DGFone]

Umeme giggled at Muroki's nervousness. "Soon," she told him, "let's wait for this mess to be over, and then we can think about it." She motioned for Muroki to join her, and he lay down beside her as well. "You know, Muroki," now her tone was much more serious, but still caring, "the things that Delano said today. What will happen if he won't get better soon? What will we have to do?" She was worried of how Lina would react if she heard what her mate had done just moments ago.

---

Rolling her eyes playfully, Desta joined Kato's side as the two of them walked back. "You are such a prince," she teased, "perhaps too much for your own good." Still, she liked this part about Kato, how he can take who he was and play with it. There was no way that she would have loved him if he wasn't able to take his title seriously, or even worse, too seriously. But he knew ow to have fun, and she liked that a lot.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki smiled at Umeme's answer, joining her and lying down next to her. While 'soon' wasn't an exact answer, he still liked it. "I don't know..." he admitted as she asked about Delano, not feeling ashamed to admit it because he knew she didn't have an answer either. "I hate thinking about it, especially after what he'd said today..." Hearing his brother say that he was tired of living had been quite a shock. "I think all I can do is be here for him and..." he took in a deep breath. "...and make sure he doesn't hurt himself..."

~~~

Kato chuckled at what Desta was saying, knowing that she was only teasing him. "Well I try my best." he said, grinning and holding his head up high. He didn't know how he would have reacted if Desta had changed her attitude towards him as they grew older. Luckily for him, she didn't start treating him differently because of his title once they grew out of cubhood. "You're amazing, you know?" he asked, smiling at her with loving eyes.

[DGFone]

Umeme licked Muroki across the cheek. "You know I will help you," she said softly, causing Muroki to smile at her. She smiled back. "This isn't something you need to do on your own. I will help you so that all of us can get through it." She looked at Lina, who was still sleeping peacefully, "things will be so much better when all of this will be over."

She purred as she placed her head on Muroki's mane. "Try to get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a big day." Wrapping a paw around him, she closed her eyes, resting against her mate.

---

Desta blushed at Kato's compliment. "So are you," she mumbled, feeling quite embarrassed, but glad as well. "I'm just a lioness out of many, but you are a prince. And you're the best one out of them all." Even as they walked, she nuzzled him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki wished he had a way to put his appreciation of how supportive Umeme's been into words but he couldn't. Instead all he did was smile at her as she rested her head in his mane. He would have placed a paw around her as well but instead he kept holding onto his brother. Knowing that she was right about tomorrow being a big day, he kept keeping an eye on Delano for the time being because it was more important than him getting some rest.

~~~

Kato purred as Desta nuzzled him, returning the gesture and wrapping his tail around hers. "To me you're way more than just a lioness and you know it." he said, licking her forehead. "Sometimes I wish I had a chance to see what it would be like to live my life as a regular lion..." he admitted, remembering his first real conversation with Muroki and Delano. "You always act as if I am one. I really love that about you and I appreciate it a lot..."