We Are The Same. We Are Together

Chapter 7

Kion felt like he was walking on clouds. Almost skipping along the ground, Kion diverted from the path and into the ruins of a thicket. The long branches became crooked and frightful, and area a lot of the normal Pridelanders stayed cleared of, but it did not dampen his happy mood. He just continued on under the light of a half moon, leaving the Pridelands and entering the Outlands.

Despite how confusing the dead plants were, Kion seemed to know exactly where he was going.

He came upon a single leaf. The leaf then became many, the ground was more lush, until a tiny oasis sprung out around him. A small patch of beauty in the unforgiving land, and, in the center of it all near a small pool of water, a canine friend stood with a smile on her face.

"Kion, I was beginning to worry you were lost."

"Worry? Is Jasiri finding a soft spot for me," Kion smirked as he came closer to her.

"A soft spot for a lion? Now that's a good one," Jasiri laughed and playfully shoved Kion. She looked up at a rock formation that sprouted in the center of the clearing.

"Not afraid of heights, are you," Kion said when he jumped up onto a ledge.

"Afraid of heights? Have you seen the Outlands. I literally live on the edge."

"Bold. All the more reason we are fond of each other," Kion climbed up onto a bigger ledge, one that stood at the entrance of a small, but roomy cave.

"Na-ah-ah. You are the one with the crush on me," Jasiri grinned as she pulled herself up with him, "I just so happen to find your boyish antics to be cute."

"Says the one who just called me cute," Kion laid down at the entrance of the tiny cavern, letting his front paws idly rest of the edge.

"I find your antics cute," Jasiri rested beside him, "You..."

Jasiri cleared her throat when she felt the strength he had just by the gentle brush of his side, "Well, you're not too hard on the eyes, for a lion."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

Jasiri mused and looked back out over the small grass patch. The rock they were on was just high enough to gaze out past the thicket and at the borders of the Pridelands.

"Nice view," she said, "I can not believe there is a small watering hole in the middle of all this."

"We have Ono to thank for this. He spotted it the other day when he was flying back and forward between us. Besides him, nobody else knows of this place," a quiet yawn past Kion's lips, "Sorry, I'm not use to getting up this early."

"It's fine. A little peace does sound appealing. Caring for my clan can get pretty hectic, especially with the twins."

"I can only imagine. I never get a break Protecting the Pridelands, but I still love what I do."

The two laughed with each other, yet, when it died down, a connection between the two was made. It was a moment the two realized they were truly together, and the only one left to disturb them was the rising sun. It felt unreal to Kion. He looked to the horizon and expected something to be there.

Then, a warm feeling rushed through Kion. His cheeks were already tingling, but the brush of affection had added to it. Jasiri had leaned over and licked the side of Kion's face, then turned away coyly before he could act.

"Did you just steal-" Kion's sentence trailed off and became lost with the rest of his senses.

Dumbfounded and wide-eyed, Kion's view was only filled by the hyena before him. Kion's attraction had always been towards her personality. Not once had he took a moment to gaze upon her; not until now, when her personality shown brightest among her physical traits.