[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Umeme also was grinning as she slowed down to a stop. "Yeah, that was really fun. Much better being stuck in a den all day." She smiled at the prince as well. "It was also great that you showed up, Kato. It was quite fun with you here as well."

As much fun and teasing they did, she also liked having him around for the run. Not that Muroki got boring, but it was nice to have other company as well.

---

Delano smiled as he leaned his head down to kiss Lina. "Heh, now I have to figure out what to do with you," he teased, "but until I figure that out, you're not going anywhere." With him pinning her in place, he knew that she wouldn't be running away again, but he also needed to make sure that she won't try to escape either.

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato couldn't helped but chuckle. He remembered being punished whenever he misbehaved as a cub and being forced to remain inside the den. Boy, did he climb the walls and drive the guards nuts out of boredom... "Thanks!" he said, smiling. "Yeah, being in a den all day is lame..." The prince had a feeling that Umeme was going to keep enjoying whatever freedom she had left for as long as she could. If he was in her position, he'd probably do the same.

Muroki meanwhile smiled, briefly nuzzling his mate. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." He knew just how bored she could get inside their den, so he was obviously happy that they'd gone running like that (even if Umeme did look quite tired). He was about to ask her whether she wanted to go back, but figured that there was no real reason to do so yet. And, either way, walking back all the distance they ran would take some time.

---

By that point Lina couldn't stop herself from purring uncontrollably. She almost didn't feel Delano's weight as he continued to lie there on top of her, and the feeling of his warm fur against hers as they basked in the sun was just too enjoyable. Not finding it necessary to reply to his teasing, she licked the male across his muzzle again before nuzzling into his warm mane.

[DGFone]

Umeme purred as Muroki nuzzled her. "It was great," she agreed, "and with you especially. Kato as well, but you much more." She lay down next to him, wanting to grab some rest but not to return home just yet. She was free out here, and the longer they stayed away from the den, the better.

---

Delano couldn't help but smile warmly at how Lina purred. He leaned down again to rub his head on hers, wrapping her body with his paws. "What would I do without you?" he asked, staring down at her lovingly. He let himself rest his body on hers, enjoying the feeling of her soft fur on his. "You know, I think I know what I want to do with you," he teased again. "As I said, you really did not want to find out." He slowly kissed her once more.

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[TheWhistlerify]

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Skip scene B4 ban

Lol.

Muroki smiled and lay down close to Umeme. Next to them, Kato decided to also lie down in order to recover from their rather intense jog (intense for him and Umeme, that is, but probably not for Muroki). "We should probably do this more often while you still can." said Muroki with a warm smile. "Just let me know if you ever feel like it." There was no reason not to, really, as long as Umeme took things easy and carefully, and Muroki doubted she wouldn't.

---

Some time later, Lina and Delano were lying on the ground cuddled up against each other. Lina's head was resting in Delano's mane as usual. Normally she would easily drift into sleep in situations like that, but she felt anything but tired. She also didn't feel like it was necessary to speak because everything just felt so peaceful and perfect, so the lioness was satisfied with simply lying there next to her mate, enjoying the warmth of the sun and that of his fur and mane.

[DGFone]

Umeme smiled back at her mate. "You bet we're going to do it more often. I'm not sitting around stuck in a den any longer than I have to." She pawed at Muroki's nose. "And whenever I'll be outside, you'll be with me. The only time I will let you walk off is when I am stuck inside the den, because I am not wasting my freedom outside alone." She grinned smugly at him. "How does that sound?"

---

Unlike Lina, Delano felt like he could use a nap. Already laying by her side, he placed his head next to hers and closed his eyes. "Hopefully, Muroki and Umeme are not waiting for us," he muttered lazily, "because I really don't want to go back yet."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki chuckled, giving his mate a nod of approval. "You know you don't have to ask." he said, stopping her from pawing at his nose again by playfully grabbing her paw. "Besides, you'll never be alone when you really think about it..." Grinning at her, he gave the most ticklish area of her stomach a quick lick before she could stop him.

"That sounds a little creepy, actually..." said Kato Muroki chuckled, much to the prince's confusion. The older male didn't seem to mind his mate's antics at all.

"I really don't mind." Kato would most likely understand some day. "Speaking of which, just how long is that hunting lesson your girlfriend's having?"

"I haven't the faintest idea." said Kato as he stretched out on the grass for a moment, letting out a lazy yawn. "She said she'd find me. She usually does..."

~~~

Lina blushed when she heard Delano's voice. She couldn't explain exactly why, but she couldn't help herself either. Letting out a happy sigh, she shuffled a little closer to him, purring as she did. "I don't want to go back yet either..." she said dreamily, feeling like she could stay there with him under the open sky and the warm sun for hours without growing tired of it. Muroki and Umeme probably wouldn't mind, she told herself.

[DGFone]

Umeme eyed Muroki playfully. "Yeah, that does sound creepy. Lie down before you hurt yourself." She gently pushed Muroki down to the ground.

As for Kato, there was one problem with what he was saying. "So how do you expect her to find you here then? Or are you really going to force her to track you down for the entire time we ran off?" She giggled. "You are a wicked one if that is the case."

---

Grinning, Delano allowed himself to relax. "Wake me up when you want to leave," he muttered sleepily. "I think I won't mind taking a nap." Finding that resting his again on Lina's was too uncomfortable to nap, he instead placed it on top of her paws. "Heh, guess you're not going anywhere..." With a silly grin on his face, he fell asleep.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki let out a playful yelp as he fell over, causing Kato to chuckle. "Uh, not really..." said the prince sheepishly. He had no intention of forcing Desta to work hard in order to find him. "It's just that she always seems to know where I am..." however, thinking about it, he realized that they really were in the middle of nowhere in particular within the pride's territory. "Perhaps I should just wait for her back at my parents's den, just in case?"

"Whatever you feel like." said Muroki, gently pulling Umeme down to the ground as payback. "Besides, you wouldn't want our creepy cubs to hunt you down, would you? They just might gobble you up."

"That's not what I meant when I said it sounded creepy." replied the prince with a playful frown.

---

Lina couldn't help but giggle, her cheeks turning red once more as Delano rested her head on her paws. "Don't you always take a nap?" she asked as she rested her head in his mane, using it and his head as a pillow. "No, I'm not going anywhere..." she confirmed, moving her head about a bit until she felt comfortable enough. "I don't think I'll be leaving your side any time soon for the next few days..." Smiling, Lina closed her eyes. She was starting to get a little sleepy as well, and it's not like she was in a hurry to go anywhere...

[DGFone]

Umeme laughed at Kato's confusion. "Go and run along now! I'm sure Desta is more than ready to get bored waiting for you." The prince must have gotten the message, because soon enough, he was shouting his goodbyes and running back to the royal den.

Besides, she wouldn't mind being left alone with Muroki for the time being. "As for you..." She turned to face Muroki. "I need you to stay here with me, so you are not going anywhere." She hugged him tightly, purring as she buried her muzzle into his mane.

---

Delano chuckled in his dreamy state. "So? I'm a lion, and we lions love our naps." As if to prove his point, he felt Lina place her head next to his to take a nap as well. "See? Looks like I'm right." He reached out with a paw and wrapped it around Lina. "I would say good night, but it's still the middle of the day..." Letting out a loud yawn, he was soon snoring loudly.

[TheWhistlerify]

Realizing that Umeme was most likely right, as well as deciding that it's been way too much time since he'd last seen Desta, Kato bid the two farewell before running back in the direction of the royal den. True, he still hasn't fully rested after running with Umeme and Muroki earlier, but that didn't make him any less determined to get back home with the hopes of finding Desta there.

Muroki looked at Umeme once Kato was gone, chuckling as a result of the look she was giving him. "I'm not going anywhere." he said with no apparent sign of disagreement, wrapping a paw around his mate and holding her close as she buried her muzzle in his mane. Smiling happily at her, he licked the top of her head once before wrapping his other paw around her as well, causing her to giggle. "You're so cute when you giggle..."

---

Lina couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think Muroki naps as much as you do." she said. Truth be told, her brother in law probably hasn't had a lot of time to nap recently. "Heck, even my father doesn't nap nearly as much as you do!" She giggled as he wrapped his paw around her, purring at the gesture. The lioness laughed a little when her mate began to snore loudly. So much for trying to get a nap...