Mfalme had known that it would be a while for the lion to realize. And in his heart, he figured that the oaf had finally figured something out. But it seemed that he was not going to act on it. Not without a push, at least. The martial eagle was growing quite tired of this game. He knew better than to lose his temper, as it didn't get them anywhere but not talking. That was the last thing that he wanted right now. He was ready to push it to the next level, and the way to do that was to just talk. He knew that Nyonda would laugh about it being something similar to girl talk; whatever. He was man enough to admit it!
Soaring through the sky was always exhilirating, and he hated to part from the warm touch of the sun's rays. With a sigh, he tilted his wings to guide him down. Umoja was lingering alone again, a habit that he had to break. Lamkana would fix that.
While he knew that it was next to impossible to hear the wings of a talented avian, he had a hunch that Mfalme was looking for him. He had been alone for quite a time during the afternoon, and that was never a good sign. Not for either one of them, actually. His children were growing, and he still seemed too stubborn to leave the past. Just think of them, almost old enough to take their own mates! It petrified him, and he had to figure all of it out on his own. With a snort he shook his head, jumping to his paws. His eyes searched the sky above him, spotting the darker-coloured martial eagle before it landed nearby on a tree. "Hey, Mfalme," he grinned. "I knew you'd be around sooner rather than later, since I've been alone for a little too long. I don't know what I'd do without you!" he lamented, throwing himself on the ground in despair.
The eagle rolled his eyes. "Dude, quit it. You know how I don't like you all acting like the King who can't get over his past. And before you even glare at me, you are king. Your father still hasn't come home, and it has been far too long since the last survivor appeared. You've got too much to do and pushing it off onto everyone else is unacceptable. I'm tired of enabling you, so it's time to talk about it." He snapped his beak as if that was the fianl say on the subject. "And I know Nyonda would demand that you pick your chin up; as much as the two of you loved one another, and you know that it will never end. And she'd want you to find someone to be happy with, as well."
"We already talked about this, you know. And if I remember right, it ended with me being very pissed at you." The lion snorted, not liking how the turn of conversation was going. He rolled onto his stomache before pulling himself up into a sitting position. He did act a little more refined, instead of sulking like a child. "Let's move past that; I am working on the idea of....that." He had to admit that it was a little lonely, especially with how fast the twins were growing. Soon they probably wouldn't even want to spend time with him! He remembered those days, though not fondly.
"And besides, it seems that with most of the kids grown, there's still much to teach them before they go running off thinking that they know everything. Wouldn't that be more important than anything that has to deal with mer personally?"
Mfalme shook his head. "Perhaps it is important, but your mental health can affect the whole pride." He watched the lion loaf around, obviously not wanting to give input on that matter. It seemed like it wasn't going to happen unless he stuck it out there. What a pain in the a**. How did he ever get stuck with such a confident, unwilling, stubborn a** of a bonded? Ugh, who knew, but Mfalme knew that he secretly wouldn't change it for anything.
"You know how Lamkana feels. Why do you seem to be ignoring it, and taking advantage of it at the same time? You seem to want to spend time with her, but that time is used to make yourself feel better. Dumping your problems on a girl that really doesn't deserve them. She might know better than to enable you, but it seems that she can't help herself. If I can judge, she hasn't just decided that you're awesome recently; and that doesn't have anything to do with the point that you're 'available' recently."
Umoja growled at the last bit, but he knew that it was true. He didn't feel...well. Perhaps he did. It had been too long since the earthquake. Almost a year perhaps? it certainly felt like it, or longer. There were times where it felt like yesterday, but lately it was more and more in the past. He could barely remember how it felt to have Nyonda there when he woke in the morning. No, it was getting dangerously too far away from him, and there was nothing he could do to try and fix it, either. Time was a double-edged blade, and he was on the loosing end at this point. It frightened him.
"What you say is the truth..." he said cautiously, eyeing the eagle as if he was planning to twist his own words against him. Or if the girl was lurking around the corner, listening to the whole thing. Umoja didn't think that Mfalme would pin it against him, but then he had been quite adamant about discussing it when the two of them were alone from everyone else.
"Umoja, I want you to move on. You can't just let yourself be wrapped up in the past. Nyonda is gone, you know that, I know that, everyone knows that. Your children have moved on, and while you act like it, you can't lie from me." Mfalme fluffed his feathers, puffing himself up to be bigger. Damned lion needed to listen to him.
"I'm telling you the truth, and you know it. You need to give it a chance, see what happens. You're not blind to how she feels, even if she does her best to not make it so obvious. I feel like I'm saying things that I don't even need to say, but that's how dumb-headed you can be at times. You don't know everything, no matter how much you think you do."
Umoja wasn't thrilled, but he nodded in agreement. "Alright, Mfalme, I'll do it." He felt a mingling sensation of dread and excitement. Would he feel young again? Gosh, his kids were already adults. Obviously Lamkana didn't let that bother her, and he shouldn't let it bother him. They were old enough to start their own families, and he needed to keep them in his family while not letting himself be lonely for the rest of his life.
"How do you think I should start this, though?" Here he was, depending on his best friend to help him court a girl. One that was already in love with him. How hopeless the Crown Prince could be at times. Poor Mfalme.
"You've talked to her. Sure, you were mopey, but start to cheer up. Laugh at her jokes, say how nice she looks, ect. You've done this before, you're just rusty. I'm sure as soon as you let yourself relax, you'll find yourself right were you need to be." Mfalme snapped his beak in laughter. "Trust me, you won't even want me around at some points." What a silly boy, as that was exactly how he was acting. He'd get over it soon enough, just needed a good kick in the rear.
"You'll see her soon, I can set something up with her paired vulture." Whatever his name was, Mfalme couldn't remember off the top of his head. "Just don't get too nervous and ruin in," the eagle laughed again. "You're good at that, moron."
Umoja growled, if playfully. "Yeah, well at least I'm not made of only feathers, air head." The Crown Prince was feeling better, if a bit apprehensive. Would he do this right? Or would he screw it up? He never was much of a ladies man, and Nyonda never seemed to mind his playful antics and sometimes serious tones. He was a little gruff, but she had adapted. Would Lamkana too? Only their courtship would be able to tell, but a growing part of him hoped that it would work out.
He was tired of being alone.
"Hah, don't count your eggs before they hatch. You gotta talk to her first." The eagle jumped up, flapping his wings to shoo off his lion. "Go see if you can find her, or go spend some time with your kids. I don't have to be glued to your side all the time." And with that Mfalme took to the sky, going on a long flight to stretch his wings and let his own mind wander away from the distractions of his paired lion, Umoja.
