[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

If there was one thing that Umeme loved especially about Muroki was his very comfortable mane. Kept warm by his body, sleep came easily to her as soon as she allowed herself to relax into the lull of sleep. She wasn't aware that Muroki was purposely staying awake, but she didn't feel worried for him. She knew that he was able to take care of himself, especially when it came to something as simple as sleep.

---

Giggling, Desta winked at Kato. "If you were a regular lion, things wouldn't be much different," she ran a paw through his mane before resuming their walk. "After all, I simply think of you as my cub-hood friend whom I now love. I couldn't care less that you're the prince." She nudged him onward playfully. "However, since your parents are our rulers, I don't want to anger them by arriving late. Come on!"

It was almost dark when they came back to the den, and Desta stopped outside the entrance. "I'll arrive early tomorrow morning," she told him before nuzzling him. "Good night!" Kissing him once more, she turned and ran back to her own home.

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato smiled at what Desta was saying, chuckling as she ran a paw through his still-growing mane. She was basically telling him things he already knew (with the exception of the love part, which was new), but he enjoyed hearing it again nonetheless. "Good night, Desta..." he said, briefly returning her nuzzle before sighing to himself as he watched her run off. Realizing just how close he was to being late, the prince immediateoy headed inside, not thinking much of everybody else in the entrance of den because, with the very limited amount of light, it looked like they were all asleep already.

Muroki meanwhile remained awake, watching his brother and waiting for even the smallest of signs that might indicate that Delano was having another nightmare. He noticed Kato come back at some point and, when the prince walked by, thinking that Muroki was asleep, decided that now wasn't the best time to strike up a conversation. Asking the adolescent how his plan had turned out could wait for another time. Muroki remained awake, waiting for either the dawn of day or the beginning of another nightmare for his brother.

[DGFone]

As he was about to lose himself in another nightmare, Delano felt himself being jolted awake. Breathing quickly, fear washed over him as he failed to see anything within the darkness surrounding him, only lessening a bit when Delano felt himself being embraced by someone else, who he realized was Muroki.

He had been rushing to save their parents from an attacker, knowing that he would be too late. They were about to be stuck down when Muroki woke him up. Brushing his eyes dry, Delano didn't say anything, instead trying to resist the urge to run away down despite his brother's efforts to calm him down. His paws were hurting terribly again, but Delano knew that it wouldn't stop him from trying to run away if he lost control again.

Still shaking from the dream, he nevertheless got up slowly and limped outside, knowing that Muroki was following him. Lying down again outside, Delano's grief got the better of him and he broke down sobbing, angry that the nightmares were not leaving him, and terrified of what they were doing to him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki hadn't a clue as to how long it's been until Delano began to have another nightmare, but that was the last thing on his mind as he gently shook his brother awake. It was only once he was sure that Delano was calm enough in order to not run away that he let his brother stand up and limp his way outside, not wanting to keep him restrained if it wasn't necessary. Letting out a sigh, Muroki carefully stood up (so to not wake Umeme up) and followed the distressed lion out of the den.

As he stood next to his brother and watched him weep he suddenly felt himself getting choked up as well. Not only was he unable to improve Delano's condition, now it was starting to look like it was placing his brother's in danger. As a few tears rolled down his cheeks at the thought of losing Delano, he embraced him and began wonder what his parents would say if they saw how he kept failing at helping his sibling get better. There was no doubt that they would have dealt with the situation better than he was.

[DGFone]

Upon feeling Muroki embrace him, Delano turned and hugged his brother back. He froze when he saw that Muroki too looked very upset. "Muroki... what's wrong? You... you're scaring me..." He had no illusions that it wasn't because of him, but he had never seen Muroki simply cry like this before. Clinging onto his brother, Delano buried his head into his brother's mane, losing control of his emotions once more.

Remembering his nightmare, he couldn't help but say, "I really miss them... I want to see mom and dad again." It didn't help him that the last time the two of them saw their parents, they were already murdered. In his dreams, he would see them alive, but only to be killed right in front him, which made it even worse. He whimpered as he felt Muroki's grip on him tighten again.

[TheWhistlerify]

Realizing that letting Delano know that he was the reason he was crying would only make things worse, Muroki decided to remain silent without making an answer. His brother already knew that his condition was making them all go through a hard time and there was no need to remind him again. "I miss them too." he said, letting out a shaky sigh as he slowly calmed himself down. "If they were here... They'd want you to get better. You have to..." The last 3 words were more of a reassurance for himself than anything else, really.

[DGFone]

Delano grunted at Muroki's reply. "I know they would want me to get better," he muttered quietly, almost in a whisper, "they would know what to do." He wasn't even entirely sure if they would, but when they were still alive... they always knew what to do no matter what kind of trouble either he or Muroki got themselves in. It was only natural for Delano to feel that they would have known how to help him out if they were still alive.

He shivered, but this time, it was because of the cold and not because of his mood, even though he still felt terrible. "Let's go inside, Muroki," Getting up slowly, he waited for Muroki to join him before limping back inside and laying down next to Lina. As Muroki took his spot between him and Umeme, Delano turned his head to look at his brother. "Muroki... I'm sorry for hitting you... earlier today. I don't know... what came over me."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki had to resist the urge to wince as Delano said that their parents would have most likely known what to do. It only reminded him of how he was unable to help his brother on his own but he didn't let it show, not wanting to upset him further. Not knowing what else to say in that regard (as well as having not wanting to talk about their parents anynore) he got up and slowly went back into the den, supporting Delano as they walked.

It felt really weird to know that, tomorrow, he was going to speak up for one of the lions who had taken his parents away from him. If he could speak to them now, he wondered, what would they say? Would they approve of his actions? He lay down between Umeme and Delano, looking at his brother. "I know..." he said, forcing a smile even though it was too dark inside the den for Delano to see. "It's fine. Umeme said it won't leave any scars..." He still felt lucky that it was his face and not his shoulder.

[DGFone]

Delano reached out and lifted one of Lina's forelegs. Crawling beneath it, he allowed it to drop on his body as he sat himself down next to her. He stared at the sleeping form of Lina, wishing so much to get better. If his nightmares would stop... the two of them would make even Kato and Desta feel jealous, he was sure of it.

But if he did not get better... shuddering at the thought, Delano turned away and closed his eyes. He still feared going back to sleep, but there was nothing else he could do. He needed to rest up for the trial, and staying up would only make things worse. Holding onto one of Lina's paws for support, he slowly allowed himself to fall asleep once more.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was obviously feeling fired from the day's events. Still, he couldn't allow himself to go to sleep. He couldn't take the risk of having Delano wake up from yet another nightmare and run off again. Besides, it's not like he was sufferng from a lack of sleep like his brother was, so he had no right to complain about being tired. This time deciding not to embrace his brother, as he seemed to be comfortable with lying next to Lina like that, all he did was continue to keep a watchful eye and wait for the morning to arrive.