[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Deciding to continue to sit where he was, Delano felt content to simply let either Lina or Akili notice him rather than announcing his presence. For right now, he rather enjoyed simply watching his son and mate chase each other around. Lina clearly was much better at running, so if she actually had been trying, Akili would never have stood a chance.

However, his mother was more than enjoying slowing down to Akili's pace, because it made the games all the more fun. Delano continued to watch them, a small smile on his muzzle. Eventually, as Lina turned in her run to throw Akili off from catching her, the cub also turned to keep up, and spotted his father. Calling for Delano to join them, the older lion waved a paw to show that he didn't exactly want to.

"You go on ahead! I'm fine just watching," Delano explained, but Akili insisted. Figuring that it wouldn't hurt, Delano got up and joined in the game, immediately giving chase after Lina, who upon realizing that she now was in fact in deep trouble, instantly stopped pretending to run slow and actually tore off as fast as she could, much to Akili's delight as the cub saw his parents run as fast as they could.

[TheWhistlerify]

Upon realizing that Delano was there, Lina couldn't help but wonder just how long the lion has been sitting there and observing their antics. He definitely looked as if he was enjoying simply watching, which was why the lioness giggled as Akili asked his father to join them. It seemed as if the incident of yesterday was officially behind them. It was even more amusing how, when Dlano refused, the little cub simply insisted. No one could resist Akili's adorable, soft and squishy face.

However, before Lina had enough time to properly prepare, she soon found herself on the run. A real run this time. Her mate had given in to Akili's pleading. The little cub, of course, was more than excited to see his parents run at full speed. He'd never seen either one of them move so quickly before - and he was quite amazed to say the least. One day he'd run this fast, too, he decided. As his father finally caught up to his mother and sent the two of them rolling in a heap, with Delano pinning Lina down, Akili laughed and pranced his way over to the pair.

"Wow, you run really fast!" He exclaimed, unable to hide his enthusiasm. "Dad, why don't you ever run this fast whenever you carry me??"

[DGFone]

It didn't take long for Delano to catch up to Lina. Not only was he faster, but he had also caught her off guard, so it was only a matter of time before he was close enough to lunge at her, and sent the both of them to the ground in a heap. Smiling all the time, Delano looked over at his son when the cub complained about him never having run that fast before.

Getting an idea, Delano let Lina up and winked at her to start running again. She got the message and bolted off as Akili reached his father and climbed on top of his mane. "So you say I never run that fast with you, Akili?" Delano teased, "hang on tight then! We're going to catch mom!"

As soon as he felt that his son won't fall off, Delano tore off after Lina, who used all the time given to her to put up some distance. Because of this, Delano knew that this chase would be much more fun. Not only did he have a lot more ground to cover, but Lina was also prepared now. With Akili hollering from on top of his head, Delano ran after his mate. "You better run, Lina! Or Akili will catch you!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Squealing like the over enthusiastic cub that he was, Akili wasted no time in climbing onto his father's head and positioning himself while holding on as tightly as he could. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself moving at a speed that was impossible for something as small as he to even think of experiencing. They were just moving so quickly! The way the wind blew through his fur at such a manner was just amazing. It gave Akili a sense of freedom.

Looking around over her shoulder in order to see just how close her mate and son were behind her, she found it impossible not to laugh at Delano's words. All hail Akili, the fuzzy maraca! Sitting atop his throne (which used to be his father's head until the foolish peasant had attempted to give his majesty a bath), he is fuzzy, soft, adorably tiny, cuddly, squisby and all other sorts of terrifying things. All beware the fluff ball of fluffiness!

Wanting to give her son a longer ride on his fsther's head, Lina conntinued running as fast as she could. "Just try to catch me!" She exclaimed defiantly, sticking her tongue out at the two.

[DGFone]

Delano took Lina's sticking her tongue out at him as a deceleration of war, and promptly picked up even more speed. Gaining on his mate, it was only a matter of time before he would catch up and make her pay. Of course, running even faster meant that Akili was enjoying the ride all the more, and was therefore shouting in excitement even louder.

Finally covering the last bit of distance between him and Lina, Delano used the last bit of strength he had left to quickly catch up and reach out with a paw to grab onto his mate as a signal that he caught her. Normally, he would have lunged much like the chase before this one, but with Akili on him, he didn't want to risk rolling around and accidently crushing the cub. "Caught ya, Lina!"

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina had thought, what with Delano being a little more tired than usual, that he wouldn't be able to catch up to her that quickly, if at all. But it seemed as if their son's cheering and excitement was more than enough of a motivation for her mate to overcome the side effects of his recent shortage in sleep. Akili, of course, was having an absolute blast. The speed in which he and his father were going at was just too much for the little cub to grasp, and he was enjoying every moment of chasing his mother around (even if he wasn't the one doing all the running).

Once his parents stopped running, with the chase being over, Akili hopped off of his father's back while lauhing enthusiastically. "Yeah! Dad's the fastest!" As soon as he wasn't on Delano's head anymore, Lina pounced at her mate and tackled him to the ground, rubbing her head on his affectionately. Giggling loudly, their cub ran over to them and joined in on the fray. "Hey, dad, do you think I'll be able to ran as fast as you one day?" he asked, a cubbish gleam in his eyes.

[DGFone]

Delano didn't expect Lina to wait for Akili to get off him only to pounce on him right away, but he did find it rather amusing. Laughing as she tackled him onto his back, he returned her nuzzle, only to be rudely interrupted by their son. Couldn't he see that they were busy? However, this didn't take his good mood away.

"I don't see why not," he told Akili, hugging Lina even closer as he said this, "as you'll grow bigger, you will get faster as well. If anything, I will get worried if you will not become faster than me."

Nuzzling his mate once more, Delano got an idea. "Hey, Lina, how about we go and see Muroki and Umeme today? I think Akili will enjoy seeing his cousins again." It was the only thing he could think of right now that could get him to stop showing affection to Lina, which while he thought was a great way to pass time, Akili would very soon find both boring, annoying, and most of all, disgusting. Cubs, they can be so immature sometimes...

[TheWhistlerify]

Akili, as was to be expected, was more than simply satisfied with his father's answer. A lion as fast as his dad obviously knew what he was talking about! If he was saying that he would one day be just as fast if not even faster, then there was no way he wouldn't be! "Yeah!" he exclaimed, hopping about all over the place and failing to hear the loud purrs of his parents as they nuzzled each other. As Delano then suggested that they went to see his aunt and uncle, the cub's excitement was so loud that it must have set a new record. First he got to ride his father full speed and now he'd get to play with his cousins? This had to be the best day ever!

Obviously noticing her son's enthusiasm about her mate's suggestion, Lina laughed and licked Delano across his cheek. "I think the fuzzy maraca approves." she said, giggling. Yeah. That nickname would never get old. As much as she wouldn't have minded just lying there with Delano all day, she got off of him and allowed him to stand back up. She'd always be able to do some cuddling into the night once Akilk went to sleep later if she'd want to.

[DGFone]

Delano grinned at Lina. "I think he just answered for us," he told Lina, "and hey! I made that name up." He stuck his tongue out his mate as she got off him so that they won't have to keep Akili waiting. Getting up himself, Delano started to walk with Lina towards Muroki's and Umeme's den. Quickly glancing at at their cub, he found it funny that Akili didn't yet realize that they were going, too busy cheering in excitement. "Hey, little ball of fluff! You coming, or are we leaving you behind?"

When their son finally caught up to them and took the lead, Delano was able to walk with Lina calmly. "You know, I don't remember sleeping in longer than you. What was up with that?" He did appreciate being allowed to sleep for longer than he usually does - the past few nights and days were not exactly letting him get much rest. Still, normally, even if Delano slept in, Lina would stay asleep longer than him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Sticking her tongue right back at Delano, Lina smiled and joined him at his side as the two of them began to walk in the direction of the den of her sister and brother-in-law. Looking around at Akili, who was still shouting excitedly, she giggled once as her mate called him a ball of fluff and a second time when the cub suddenly realized what was going on and immediately ran after the two of them. She allowed their son to run past them and take the lead. Despite being so young and little, Akili already knew the way to his aunt and uncle's den.

Lina chuckled as Delano mentioned the fact that he'd overslept more than she did. "Well, for one," she said, "Akili woke me up." Her mate probably remembered how she and their cub were already playing outside by he time he'd woken up as well. "Maybe you just caught up on some missing sleep." It only made sense and, either way, it's not like there had been a reason for Delano to wake up sooner than he had. It was a good thing that he'd slept in so much, actually.