[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Umeme slowed down, realizing that she in fact did not know where the two were. "No, I really don't know," she admitted, "but I was thinking that we can try their den first." She doubted that they would actually still be there, but at the same time, that was where they were when they had last seen them.

However, when they got there, it was apparent that Desta and Kato were not there. Umeme was seriously thinking of going back to Muroki and Delano when she got an idea. "Well, you know, we shewed them that waterhole recently, and they really liked it... What if they are over there?" There was indeed a chance that they would be there, and even if they weren't, it would still be a nice place to go to.

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina also slowed down along with Umeme, nodding in approval. There was a chance that Kato and Desta were still at the royal den, even if it was a slim one. However Lina did not get her hopes up and was not surprised to discover that they weren't there. Oh, right, they might be at the waterhole!" she felt a little silly for having not thought of that possibility on her own. "Come on, let's go!" Chuckling, she took off in the direction of the waterhole, leaving the royal den behind.

While not exactly close to the royal den, it wasn't going to take too long to get to the oasis since they were running. "I sure hope we won't be interrupting them or anything..." she said as they ran, wondering whether Kato and Desta were even there. Something inside her told her that they were, though, and that it would turn into a funny scenario if she and her sister were to simply appear there "without knowing" that the couple was there as well.

[DGFone]

Despite Lina's hopes not to interrupt Kato and Desta, Umeme found the idea somewhat amusing. After all, there were two things that could happen: they will not be doing anything they shouldn't be, and all will be fine. Or they will be doing something they shouldn't be, and showing up rather than their parents would be very good for them.

However, when they got to the last few hills before the waterhole, Umeme did slow down so that they can at least sneak up on the pair, just in case. Creeping forward with Lina, Umeme peered over the edge, staring at the waterhole down below. Sure enough, Desta and Kato were indeed there, and by the looks of it, they were just lying next to each other by the water's edge and talking.

Deciding that it won't scare them to much to just show up suddenly, Umeme called out to them. "Hey you two! It's us!" With Lina, she hopped over the ridge line and trotted over to the prince and the lioness. "What's up? We had an idea that we will find you here."

[TheWhistlerify]

Spoiler: show

Tch, that could make for quite a funny scenario

While Lina also thought that the idea of showing up out of no where and interrupting Desta and Kato could be amusing, she also had her reservations about it. Despite the temptation, she preferred not to show up at the worst possible time. Luckily enough, the pair was enjoying the sun by the edge of the waterhole. While they were clearly enjoying each other's company, it didn't look like Lina and Umeme had arrived at a bad time.

Kato was thoroughly enjoying himself thanks to Desta's company. It always amazed him how he could have so much fun simply by being by her side and talking to her. Upon hearing Umeme's voice he looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see her and Lina. Not that he was unhappy about seeing them. "Hey!" he was confused, however, because he thought the two lionesses were supposed.to be moving back to their parents's den with Muroki and Delano. "What happened? Where're Muroki and Delano?"

[DGFone]

Umeme and Lina arrived by Kato's and Desta's side, both grinning. "They're resting," Umeme explained, "we got home and left them to rest. Then we ran off, and found you here," She could tell that Desta and Kato really enjoyed this place, and had to wonder how many timed they've been here since Kato was shown the waterhole. "So how do the two of you like this place?" Umeme finally asked, bringing the attention back to the younger pair, "glad that I got you to bring Desta over here?" She winked at the lioness, not knowing if Kato had even bothered to tell her about the bet that made Kato lion up enough to as Desta to accompany him.

However, Desta did already know, so she grinned back at Umeme. "Yeah, I'm quite glad," she replied, and then nuzzled Kato. "But it's still you who brought me here, so thank you."

[TheWhistlerify]

Umeme's answer seemed to calm Kato down. After all the two lions were in the middle of a progress of recovery, so it was a good thing that they'd gotten home safely and were resting. "We both love it." he said in response to Umeme's first question, smiling as he placed one of his paws on Desta's. "I'm very glad, actually." Having already admitted to both her and Desta that she was the main reason he'd asked Desta to accompany him there, he didn't mind repeating it.

The reason he had hesitated about admitting that was because he'd worried that Desta might think less of him because of it, but he should have know right away that she wouldn't have. Smiling sheepishly, he nuzzled his loved one back. It surprised him how he didn't mind being affectionate with her while Lina and Umeme were watching. If it were his parents (or even worse - Desta's parents), he probably would have moved away from her side already.

[DGFone]

Umeme smiled as she saw Kato and Desta nuzzle one another. It was clear that they loved each other, and she figured that it was only a matter of time before they would actually tell their parents about it. Although thinking about that, Umeme did find it as quite different for Kato. After all, how do you tell your parents that you love someone when they are the king and queen? What would that mean in relation to how the kingdom is run? For that matter, how would Desta tell her parents that she fell in love with the prince?

Suddenly, the fact hat Muroki was just an ordinary lion seemed much better. No one really cared about him in terms of politics and law, so he was free to love whoever he wanted to, just as Umeme was free to be able to love Muroki without hesitation or fear. "Mind if we join you two for a while?" Umeme then asked, feeling that just staring at the pair in silence would get very awkward very quickly.

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato happily nuzzled Desta, purring in content as he did. His parents were pretty much aware of the relationship between the two of them, but they didn't know just how close the two of them were. As for Desta's parents, Kato did know them well, having been their daughter's best friend as a cub, but he didn't know how they would react when they found out. Would they approve? What would he do if they didn't? "Not at all." he said. He had a feeling that, had Desta had a problem with that, she would have let it show by that point.

Lina couldn't help but smile at the two younger lions. They were absolutely adorable together, there was no doubt about it. "So you two have known each other since you were cubs?" she asked, getting nods of confirmation from the two of them. "So when did you realize that you wanted to be more than just friends?" She was dying to know how Kato had asked Desta out for the first time. It was probably a story she'd enjoy listening to if the two of them wouldn't mind sharing it.

[DGFone]

Keeping Kato busy with her own nuzzling of him, Desta decided to answer first. "I thought about that for a while now, but I wasn't really sure," she admitted truthfully, earning a somewhat worried look from the prince. She smiled back and placed a paw on his. "But the more time I spent with him, the more I felt like I... like I couldn't leave him. Then I heard what happened at the gorge, and I just about lost it..." She then smiled at a fond memory. "But I guess I knew for certain during that first time that Kato brought me here," she muttered dreamily, "and told me that he loved me... That's when I knew that I loved him as well."

Umeme waited for Kato to also answer himself before asking something that she wasn't sure they would want to answer, but it was an innocent enough question: "How much do your parents know? Did you tell them? Or are the two of you waiting?" From what she heard from the king and queen, they knew that Kato was spending a lot of time with Desta. From the king's point of view, too much. But Umeme suspected that the royals did not actually know yet. Suspect perhaps, but know?

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato found himself smiling at Lina's question, and after Desta gave her answer he decided to go a little backwards. "Well as we began to grow up I started to realize that I enjoyed Desta's company more than that of the rest of our friends." he said. "I think she did, too, because we found ourselves on our own more than with the rest of them... I was quite nervous when I asked her to go out with me for the first time, but you probably know that already..."

When asked about their parents, Kato seemed to become a little discouraged. His parents obviously knew that the two of them were seeing each other, but he still hasn't told them that he loved her. As for Desta's parents, he didn't know how they would react when they found out. Especially her father. "Um... My parents know, to a certain extent..." As far as he could tell, Desta's father didn't like him very much.