Nywele was a little confused, but it was a good confusion. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, he suddenly was in a pride and had a mate? Mate, Beybanu they were pretty much the same right? And Oh how pretty this female creature is! How was it she belonged to him now? The thought was just thrilling!
Paws shifted in the dirt of his new den, he took in it's scent and smiled. It wasn't like his den in the land of the gods. It wasn't perfect but that's what made him like it so much. Perhaps it could even get decorated in the near future! He knew of some materials other gods would gladly share to spice the color of the brown walls. Would his Baybanu like such a thing though? He thought looking towards the entrance sure Amani was close behind him.
Amani was quiet, still a little stunned at how things had turned out for her. He was so very handsome, she thought, almost too stunned to admire him properly. He was a god. An actual god. And he was her pad.
She stopped, flushing slightly as she realized he was looking back at her. A slight bow of her head showed her respect. "Are you not pleased with our new dwellings?" she asked him hesitantly. "I will do my best to make it more comfortable." And she would, she thought with a discreet glance around. This place could definitely use some tidying up. There was the scent of vermin hiding inside. They would have to go!
Nywele smiled at her wondering what the flushing was about. "No no....Amani, I am very please it is perfect in its imperfection nothing like this where I come from." Nywele sat down taking another glance around the den. " Though if you like I know some berries and other such things that could spice the den with color." Nywele then looked back to Amani, observing her movements. "Tell me about yourself Amani. I know your name and who you are related to but that is all." Nywele hoped he wasn't being to bold with his questions he still wasn't sure how they were supposed to interact.
She moved inside and sat, ignoring the smell of vermin for the moment. "I was the daughter of the Sultan," she started out with a slight smile, "and as such I was quite spoiled, but well trained to become a proper banu. When I grew to adolescence I was given as a beybanu to one of the older viziers at that time."
She stopped for a second, letting that sink in for him before going on. "He was much like an uncle to me, we were not... intimate, save for in words. But I was quite fond of him. He asked me, not long after I had been given to him, to go on a journey with him. I did. Along the way, though, his age got to him and he, well, he passed on."
"I'm sorry for your loss." Nywele replied his smile replaced with a respectful frown. "Though it has allowed us to cross paths..." He stuttered just a bit unsure how to act about deaths. It wasn't really something a god had to deal with less he mixed with mortals.
"So what are your roles as a Beybanu?" Nywele asked with a tilt of his head feeling a need to change the subject. Almost feeling bad for making her touch on a less than happy subject right off the bat. He also wanted to ask more questions, but he was a little embarrassed to ask about females. He is a god he should know for haven's sake!
"A beybanu," she started out, as if reciting, "is to serve their pad by leading his banu in hunts, tending to the cubs, and taking care of the den. She is to be his favored female, and as such she has great responsibilities." She smiled at him, ducking her head and looking up in a cute manner. "It's a very honored position," she told him in a confidential tone.
Nywele's ears flicked from the warm feeling he got from her cute look. "I can tell you shall fill the position well, Amani. Please if it is not to uncomfortable for you, feel free to be less formal within the walls of our den. I wish my beybanu to be close to me, the formalities may be left to my banu. If I manage to get one..I'm not sure how that works yet." Nywele said with an unsure smile fluttering his barley visible wings. "And forgive me if I do not act right, not only am I still learning your pride's ways, but....to be honest you are the first female I've ever spoken to. There were females were I came from but they were all busy with their own lives. There are so many gods and goddess a god of a lesser domain such as I tends to be unnoticed." The god said laying down and looking to Amani feeling as though he was not saying or doing anything right at this time.
She hesitated as she thought over his words. "I wouldn't worry," she said after a second, "about getting banu. I'm sure that many of the other pads will be gifting their precious daughters to you as tokens of friendship. But if you wish, you could go out to capture one."
Amani didn't seem bothered by the idea of banu, in fact she had grown up taught to expect such things. She had been born of a banu, actually. "And I will try to be less formal," she hesitated, flushing again before saying, "Nywele. But I believe that all females are the same on some level, it shouldn't be difficult to deal with us once you realize one thing."
"Well I'm not so much worried about it as I thought it was custom ..... The idea is not something I'm used to. Most..all the gods I know only have one mate. No, I shall not leave to capture one, not any time soon anyways." Nywele smiled at Amani. "I want some time with my Beybanu first."
"What is this one thing Amani?" Nywele asked his curiosity peaked at the notion of some secret to understanding the other sex. As he became more comfortable around her and the new den his gold marking began to glow in the darkness.
"All females, my dear pad, desire to be valued," she told him, storing the one mate idea away for later. "They wish to be loved, and protected, just like the treasures that they are. And in order to gain that value, a good female will offer up the works of her paws, the love of her heart, and all the compassion that they possess."
She paused, admiring his markings. "Your markings are quite beautiful, by the way. As is your mane. In fact, you are, perhaps, the most handsome male I have ever seen."
"Oh well if that's all then it shall be easy for me....I value you already my dear Amani. ..You are very beautiful." Nywele replied feeling a little bold to say such things.
Nywele's face lite up at the mention of his mane he wasn't at all a vain lion, but as the God of manes he was proud of his to say the least. "Thank you Amani it means a lot for me to hear that from you." His tail flicked feeling a happy from the flattery. "Hm...So I know one of my jobs is to protect you. As well as I plan to spoil you as you should be. What else is expected of me in the pride? I want to make sure tomorrow morning I can fall into step with the other males.
"I'm afraid that is something best explained by Aali," she admitted. "We females are not allowed into the male circles that you're speaking of. But I am sure that if you are calm and be yourself you will be accepted just fine. And no doubt they will spend the time admiring your very fine mane as well," she added flirtily, moving closer.
How did one, exactly, go about seducing a god, anyway? She didn't see it being too difficult, he was very open to flattery. Just as she was about to rub against him affectionately something moved in the shadows of the den. "Excuse me, my pad," she said, her eyes narrowing on the vermin scuttling around. "I need to... do some cleaning."
Nywele nodded wondering if she thought him a dunce for asking so many questions. Questions a female could not answer for him. He was starting to understand how females placed in this pride and he was starting to admit to himself that he liked it. "Do you think so?" Nywele said twirling his mane's braid between his claws. He noticed her move closer and smiled liking the attention she was granting to him.
Nywele's ears perked almost mad at the vermin for interrupting. He nodded to her as a way to let her know it was fine with him. He stood to familiarize himself with the den a little more. He noticed an elevated spot that would be nice spot for bedding for him...and Amani if she felt comfortable enough with him already. A fluttering sound echoed in the the den, but it was not Nywele's wings. The little blue bird familiar flew into the cave and landed on a shelf like space on the wall. Laying a few twings in it. "Ah..Mr Birdy you're moving in too? Suit yourself, thought you would prefer trees to a cave." The small bird seemed to tweet a bit in reply before leaving for more twigs. "Hope you don't mind a pet bird." Nywele called to Amani with a laugh.
"Of course not!" she called as she cornered the mouse. "Your familiar is--" her paw shot out, catching the mouse by the tail, "quite pretty," she finished, lifting the mouse and glaring at it. She felt free to do so since her back was to him. "You and your family will be leaving now, Mr. Mouse," she told him dangerously, earning a squeak in reply.
The mice fled like a stampede out the door and she let the one she was holding go after them. Then she yawned. "Forgive me, my pad. It's been a very long day. Would you mind if we retired for the night?"
Nywele turned to watch her skill in action and was quite impressed in how she dispatched of the vermin with out bloodshed. Why kill something you're not going to eat after all? "You did very well Im pleased my Beybanu." Nywele offered smiling to Amani.
"No forgiveness necessary, it has been a long and eventful day. Retiring for the night sounds like a prime idea." Nywele said walking over to the elevated space and laying down. He was careful to leave more then enough room for a Amani, hoping she would see it as an invitation.
Who knew it would be this easy?? Amani allowed herself a tiny smile of triumph as she headed to join him. "If I might," she said, not even giving him the chance to respond as she laid down next to him. "It seems so lonely to sleep alone in this big den," she added as she rubbed against him. Talking was fine and all, but Amani was definitely going to get the full deal this time around!
