She'd known this day was coming for a long time. Ilyas had talked about it, her mother had talked about it... Hell, even her sister has talked about it. The day Ilyas would leave and he wouldn't come back for a long time. Though, Afsar didn't know if it was going to happen today or not; but she knew it was close. The golden orange lioness went to the rocks near Ilyas' den to wait for him. Coming or going, he was always near his den unless his father wanted to teach him something. Of which, seemed likely. Green eyes closed as she thought, spring sun hitting her fur and warming up the chills her own den left on her. Just barely spring.
Ilyas was coming back to the den, after a tough hunting lesson with his father. Faiz was wanting to make sure his sons had the knowledge necessary to survive out in the rogue lands, alone - but that didn't mean he had to like it. Ilyas was exhausted, and that much was clear by his tired, slightly erratic movements, and the rising and falling of his chest as he took deep breaths. Lifting his head as he neared the den, he found himself pausing with a frown as he spotted a familiar orange shape. Moving forwards a little quicker, he called out to his friend, "Afsar? Why are you here?"
Her head picked up and she gave him a sheepish kind of grin before it faltered. She took in his tired form and looked slightly concerned. Afsar gracefully moved off the rock and over to him before huffing. He was just tired. That's all it was. "....I 'saw' you... were going to be leaving soon. Thought I'd spend as much time with you as I could," she said, her arrogant tone coming back into play. She always sounded arrogant around him; it was just her. "....Are you leaving soon...?"
She wanted to spend time with him? That was...sweet. Ilyas' confused expression turned to one of warmth, as he smiled down at Afsar, reacing down to nuzzle her cheek fondly. "Okay, okay - I was just asking the question. Don't get stroppy." He was only teasing, that much was clear by the tone of his voice, and the grin that had now stretched his maw. It faded at the mention of his Coming of Age, though. "I...yeah. Yeah, I am. Papa says it'll be any day now." He fell silent.
Afsar licked her lips a bit and then nodded when he confirmed it. She'd 'seen' him leaving, and it made her chest tight just remembering it. But he would come back. They all did, eventually. Some faster than others. She tossed her mane out of her eyes and flicked her tail again before putting on a smirk. "So, we get to be close! I mean... Right? Momma doesn't mind. Mine doesn't."
Ilyas frowned - they got to be close? "I...don't understand," he mumbled, tilting his head to show his genuine confusion. What kind of close did she mean. Close...friends-close, or the other type of close? Surely her father had something to say about that? Ilyas had met Vu once - he'd been young, and it hadn't ended...well.
"....I mean like... do everything together until you leave." She pawed at his chin for a minute and then grinned. Afsar was oblivious to the fact that her father and Ilyas' meeting didn't go very well. What else would she mean though? That was what confused her; why he was confused.
"...Oh." She wanted to spend all that time with him? That was...nice. A wide smile stretched out across his face as he pawed back at her playfully, tapping his considerably larger paw against the top of her head, applying pressure as if to show off he was bigger. "Okay. ...Squirt." Again, he was only teasing, but he knew it would annoy her. It was funny when Afsar got angry.
At the squirt comment, Afsar puffed up and glared at him. "You're not that much bigger than me, Ilyas!" She swiped at his chest and then moved to tackle him into the ground, wanting to chew on his face and slober all over him. Retaliation! "I'm so going to get you for that comment, giant!" Well, that probably wouldn't be an insult to him, but still.
Ilyas grinned, pawing back as she swiped at him, figuring she'd just wave her paws about. He wasn't expecting her to tackle him, and surprisegave her the advantage as he toppled backwards with a yell, back legs moving as if to shove her off roughly as he would when this usually happened. But he caught himself at the last moment - usually it was his brother on top of him. Not Afsar. Hind legs relaxing, he allowed a sloppy grin on his face as he pawed at her face instead, wriggling a little half-heartedly. "Awww, c'mon, you know I was just joking!"
She laughed when he surrendered, pretty much and slobered all over his face, making sure to get his nose and ears, too. When she deemed him soaked in her spit, she moved back and puffed up all proud of herself. "I know, I know! But I had to retaliate! It fit!" She nodded hard and then wriggled a bit more, obviously in a playful mood now. "Hey. When you leave, you better bring me back a female I can actually talk with. Don't just think of yourself, OK? Remember, I've gotta get along with her too!"
He squeezed his eyes shut, shuddering a little as he realized what she was doing. She was...slobbering all over him. "That's...gross, Afsar." Using his paws to wipe it off he wrinkled his nose in disgust, giving her a slightly harder shove as she let her guard down, pushing himself to his feet again. "I'm just gonna try capture a female - I just want to come back, I'm not picky about the girl I get as long as I can come home." He frowned, "...Does that make sense?"
She beamed as he was grossed out and nodded a bit more. "It... does, actually. But why so eager to come home? Going to miss your siblings that bad?" Of course Afsar didn't think it had anything to do with her. She wasn't too special right now. Just another banu who could see the future. "I mean... Whatever, I understand. If I had to leave home, I'd want to come back as quick as I could, too."
"Well...yeah, I s'pose." He shrugged. He didn't particularly want to leave at all, especially since Afsar was already going to be in his harem. He was already going to have a Banu, but he still had to capture one. Moving forwards he touched his still slightly-slobber-covered nose to Afsar's in a fond gesture, smiling sweetly. "And I'll miss you, too."
She almost cringed at the slobber nose touching hers, but it was her own slobber. Why should she care? That, and it was the first time she could remember him touching noses and smiling like that. Her cheeks flushed and she returned a small, shy smile at his words. "Ooh? You won't have anyone to slobber on you out there, will you?" Play it off as a joke. Hide her embarrassment. "......I'll miss you, too."
"Well, I'm not going to slobber over myself!" he grinned, chuckling as he nuzzled her cheek before pulling back, smile still sweet and...genuine. He was genuinely happy. He really really liked Afsar. Perhaps he should...or was that him getting ahead of himself? ...Surely not? "Afsar?" He wanted to make sure he had her full attention as he stood tall, looking down at her. His eyes would show that he was being serious. "I...When I come back, and your Dad lets me have you...will you be my Beybanu?"
A purr escaped as he nuzzled her and she couldn't help but nuzzle right back against him. Being with him made her happy, obviously, but she looked away after seeing his smile. Once more she'd gone completely red. Hearing her name made her attention snap back to him and she listened, compelled to pay attention by his eyes. Such pretty eyes. Wait.... Beybanu? Like momma? Her eyes went wide before she bit down on her bottom lip and gave a small laugh. "Your... Beybanu? Uhm... Of course. I mean... Yeah!" It meant she'd see him all the time and she would be his favorite. It meant she'd be the head female over all of the others he happened to get or capture. It meant he cared for her, most of all. "Yeah!"
Ilyas frowned at her initial confused tone - didn't she want to be his Beybanu? He thought all lionness'...liked being Beybanu, they all wanted to be Beybanu. Well, not all of them, he knew his mother was perfectly happy simply being Faiz's Beybanu. But it was still a relief when the happiness crept into the orange lioness' voice. "Good." His smiled widened. "I...I really like you, Afsar."
She shifted a bit and looked back at him when he spoke again. A big smile crept on to Afsar's muzzle as she just watched him and she gave a small laugh. "I know. I'm just that awesome. Right?" Again, play it off as a joke. That would bet her in trouble one day, she had a feeling. "....I like you, too, Ilyas. Otherwise I'd have been .....I wouldn't have stuck around, lets leave it at that." She was being serious. When she looked up at him, he would be able to tell that much.
Ilyas frowned, nudging her shoulder with his nose, "Stop joking around, Afsar. I can't...tell whether you're being serious or not. Do you want to be my Beybanu, or...?" It'd be...really humiliating if she said no. But he wanted to be sure. Then suddenly she got serious, and he allowed himself a smile again, "...You'll wait for me, won't you? Don't let your Dad trade you away."
"I won't let him do anything like that. I don't..... I don't want any other Pad other than you," she put her head down a bit and coughed. Sheer embarassment. Clearing her throat and looked to him once more before giving his muzzle a lick and then gave him an affectionate look. "....I'll fight my dad if he even tries. Momma will talk to him. She wants us to.... be together."
Ilyas felt something bubbling up inside him, and it quickly escaped as a loud purr at Afsar's words. He met her nuzzles with his own, the purrs causing his skin to vibrate a little - something she could probably feel. "Thats...good to know. I don't want any other Beybanu than you, Afsar. You're special." He used a paw to suddenly pull her into a hug, cuddling her, "And not just because you can see the future."
She squeaked when pulled close by his big paw and wiggled a little bit, not sure what to think. The purrs wouldn't stop, and she was literally vibrating with them and happiness. What would the others think if they saw them cuddling like this, out in the open? Screw the others... she thought to herself, closing her eyes and finally tucking her head under his chin. "I know.... My sister... is getting her Pad because she sees.."
He nuzzles the top of her head, giving her cheek an affectionate lick before loosening his grip a little - his paw was still around her, but not as tightly as it had been before. He frowned at her words, "What do you mean?"
"Well.... I've 'seen' Anwar, her future pad, and heard a conversation. he's intersted... in Zarha 'cause she sees. I hope he doesn't find out I see... But maybe he won't be interested in me." She wanted to kick Anwar's rump for only liking her sister because of that, but what could she do about it? She had little power in the pride.
"...Oh." That seemed wrong, "And your father's happy with that?" It didn't seem right, for a Pad to take a Banu for that reason only. Anwar...the name rang a bell. Wasn't he one of the sons of that bad Vizier Mzuka was always on about? He'd been told to stay away from them, that they were bad news. "Make sure not to tell him. And if he does find out, tell him you're mine. I'm more important." He grinned.
She nodded at his first words and then sighed softly. Her dad didn't know. But she probably could bring it up with him and make him believe her. "It might not be the only reason, but... a good part of it," the orange lioness said, frowning softly. She pulled away from him and gave herself a shake she needed. Afsar was just glad that she wasn't blushing anymore. "..I know you're not leaving tomorrow, so... Don't do anything tomorrow. That day is for me an' you, got it? I don't need a tired Ilyas. I need him filled with energy and being all awesome. We've got some serious time to do!"
Ilyas frowned - he felt kinda sorry for Afsar's sister. But at least it was Afsar. His Afsar. The whole day? He grinned, lifting himself from a sorry mood, "Okay. The whole day. Come and find me in the morning, yeah?"
She nodded and gave him a smirk. She would worry about that when the time came, about her sister's situation. "Yeah. Bright and early, so get to bed soon. 'cause... I've got a ton of stuff planned. Think about that!" She moved to him and licked his cheek before bounding off toward her den, laughing almost insanely the whole way
