[PRP] Starlight, Starbright (Jini / Tope)

[Kimaria]

Moonlight danced down the length of her shimmering pelt and caught in her bright eyes, giving them a depth that seemed almost magical. She purred, happy for once with everything that she had in life.

She had a goal, she had a home and she had her beloved Tope.

She twitched her tail and stepped towards the riverbank of the Kusini lands, slowly and silently. Grass whispered beneath her paws but she did not hear it.

She paused, lapped the water and then took a step into it's watery depths.  

[Split Personality]

Tope watched her. He was hidden amonst some very very dense grass, tall enough to hide him... and his scent wasn't being carried towards her. He lay, with his paws tucked under him. He watched her, her pearly fur shimmering in the night. His pink eyes studied her, from her own bright pink eyes, to her mask, to her gloved feet. He was absolutely stunned by her. He was amazed at how grown she was now, she was an adult in size... but inside he felt they were still cubs. He himself had grown large, his mane full... his body built like his father-large and bulky-but strong. He shook his mane, wanting to stand up and greet her, to play with her in the water... but... he wanted to study her.

Everything about her amazed him. Even the way she limped when she walked, he loved it. He would happily get hurt so he could limp just like her-but... the last thing he needed to do was get hurt.

He watched her, interested in what she was going to do.  

[Kimaria]

Above her the stars twinkled, flickering like the fireflies Jini had loved so much as a child. She tried to look for her mother's star in that beautiful array and fancied she was one glinting a little more brightly than the others.

"Mother..." She whispered, moving further into the water. It was deeper than she had expected and was already lapping at her sides. "Can you see me like the stories say? Can you see my brother and sisters?" She smiled and sighed deeply.

"Are you happy, mother?" She paused, and lowered her head to stare at her reflection. The stars wobbled about her head. "I wish you could have been here to meet him, mother. I love him so much." She turned her head up again. "So, if you can see me, if you can hear me, I want to tell you mother, that I'll never forget you and that...I've decided my path." She smiled softly and giggled as she felt a fish brush up against her leg. It tickled!

"Either way mother, I know you would have liked Tope. He's very kind and very handsome." She laughed softly but it was genuinely happy. Then she splashed in the water, chasing the glinting scales of the fish in the moonlight.  

[Split Personality]

Tope watched and listened to her. There was a sweet childish magic about her and he felt so drawn to her. He could not help but gaze upwards... and wondered if his father happened to be gazing upwards just as he was. Father... I plan on coming home. And when I do... I will make you proud... I will make you so damn proud. He said, lifting his head to the sky. He then heaved himself up and began to walk out of the reeds and grass, as if he had been walking the whole time.

He left hiding patch and began to walk down the bank behind her. Hunting fish dear? He asked, stopping with his feet at the edge of the water.  

[Kimaria]

She turned back to gaze at Tope, startled to see him but pleased all the same. Her eyes sparkled and she moved towards him. Her chin dripped with water as she smiled at him.

"Just chasing." She replied. "They're much to fast to hunt, besides I can't imagine that they would taste very nice."

She flicked her tail, sending a spray of water up into the night air.

"I thought you would be asleep, love." She replied, purring.  

[Split Personality]

Tope walked foreward into the water and gazed down at the pristine pool. He could see both the moon and Jini... and the two seemed equally beautiful. He smiled and gazed at her, his mane falling into his eyes. Chasing huh? I should catch you one!He said, padding deeper into the water and searching for a delectable morsal for his dearest. He lifted his head.

I was asleep... but i realized that the nice warm 'person' that usually lay by my side was absent-and sleep left me. So... I came to find that warm body... he said, swinging a paw around in the water to judge how fast he would have to move.

He then lifted and looked to her with a charming smile. And here I find her gazing into the moonlight pool... arguing with the moon about who is more beautiful...

And I saw you are  

[Kimaria]

"You could try and catch one. I'd like to watch and it would impress me if you managed it. And if you don't then it might bring some laughter." She batted his nose playfully with the soggy tuft of her tail.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She sighed deeply. "I couldn't sleep and the night was so beautiful, it seemed a shame to sleep through it." She watched him playing with the water and looked deep into his eyes. His smaile warmed her soul.

"You are quite the smooth talker Tope." She laughed, moving closer to him. "I did pick well, didn't I?" She buffeted her shoulder against his, sending ripples cascading out across the pool.

"I wasn't just hunting fish..." She admitted after a moment. "I came to talk to mother, about you actually." She smiled a secret smile. "I think she approves." And then giggling she used her tail to splash some water at him.  

[Split Personality]

Tope walked around in circles and decided that catching a fish would be tricky with his large mass-it was a bit hard to move in the water. He gazed up at her and wrinkled his nose when she touched it with her wet tail tip. He laughed and tossed the dropletts from his nose at her.

Its alright. I don't mind being up. It is a beautiful night.

You were talking to your Mother? About me? Have you found her star up there yet? He asked, gazing upwards for a moment. He knew she had been having difficulty finding it... but he wasn't sure if she had found one yet.

He wrinkled his nose and ducked his head underwater, only to come up with nothing but a mouthful of water. He spat it out, sputtering and shaking his head. I suppose so... but I dunno... I don't think I am very good at this... you may want to reconsider us being mates... He said teasingly  

[Kimaria]

Glad that he wasn't too upset at being disturbed she let the smile remain firm on her face. She couldn't remember being so happy in her whole entire life. Meeting Tope had been the best thing to happen to her.

She loved him and in turn he loved her.

But besides that, he understood her. Truly understood her and he didn't hate her for her plans or her intents.

"I was." She smiled. "I don't know which one is her star yet, no, but I spoke to all of them. She's up there somewhere and I know she can hear me, maybe better than I know."

She watched him with a smile as he had an attempt at catching a fish and slowly made for the bank, backing up each slow step at a time. "Don't be silly, To-To." She giggled. "I can't catch them either, so we can be failures together." She laughed, pulling herself up onto the grass where she shook herself fiercely.  

[Split Personality]

Tope found that being with Jini opened his eyes. He realized how foolish and cruel he had been to his father... and here his mate was-talking to her mother in the stars-and he was so willing to leave his family forever. And here she was-without a mother or father. Course, his parents would fill in that void a bit... his mother would be thrilled with how beautiful Jini was-inside and out.

But there was that small problem... with what JIni and Tope planned to do. It would be a secret he'd hide... forever perhaps. But... he would not fall back on his loyalty to his mate.

Perhaps that is the best... she may be all of them for all we know. He said smiling warmly. He paddled over too a diffrent part of the water and raised his paw above the water, waving it slowly as if ready to swat. When he did, small droppletts were sent everywhere-and he missed again. He laughed, shaking his head. How could he catch frogs fine but fish were not so easy?

Eih, not failures... but perhaps fish aren't that tastey? Perhaps they taste so bad that the gods made the impossible to catch so we simply would not have any desire to taste something so gross.

So Jini... do you know how to get to the firekin?  

[Kimaria]

"I think so. I can't imagine they taste all that nice." She reclined onto the bank and crossed her forepaws, pausing to wash the excess water with a rasp of her tongue. Then, lifting her head to him the young lioness smiled softly at Tope, her eyes filled with starlight.

He was so handsome.

So entranced with him Jini only just caught the last of what he said. "No. My mother said they lived in a desert, that's all I know. We'll have to do some researching. In fact, I plan to head out of the lands for a little bit, maybe ask around. You're welcome to join me of course."

She purred.  

[Split Personality]

Tope made a face and swung his paws around a bit more... feeling the smooth slimey surface of a fish escape him again. He snorted, blowing bubbles in the water. He sat upwards, his front paws batting at the surface of the water-looking very childish with a pout on his maw. He looked over to her and made another face and then paddled over to the shore, where he slumped down in the muddy river bank and lounged. A desert huh? I've never seen one... so I have no clue.

Of course I'll come with you... I don't plan on having you leave my sight... He said, reaching foreward with a muddy paw to poke her own pale one, with a sly look on his face. Tag  

[Kimaria]

"Big...big and golden." She replied thoughtfully, her eyes trailing the curve of his proud, handsome jaw. Her heart fluttered and she leaned in to press her nose to his. A lion kiss.

Then pulling her head back she swivelled her ears towards him and smiled lovingly. "Thank you..." She whispered. And she meant it sincerely.

She gave a small 'squee' at the feeling of cold mud against her leg and sprang up onto her paws, intent on tackling him to the ground. She all but flung herself at him, intent on pinning him to the bank. "Rrrraar!" She laughed.  

[Split Personality]

Tope smiled at her and stuck out his tongue as she tackled him. He laughed and rolled to get some mud on her with his front paws. He laughed, eager to get her dirty... afterall his named meant something like that.

So yeah... big and golden huh... that doesn't tell me anything... tell me something else...  

[Kimaria]

Giggling and squealing as she felt mud slapping against her once clean and pristine fur, Jini wriggled, lost ehr balance and fell on her side in the muddy bank where she squirmed and flailed, spraying clods of dirt up into the air.

"That's it!" She replied. "That's all I know!" And it was, really. Her mother had never told her where the place was, only that she was never to go there.

"Look at me, Tope! I'm filthy!"