The Good Guard (Aquapuga x Elsa)

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Aquapuga was not sure how he should approach Elsa about being one of her guards. He had spent a good amount of time now learning how to compensate for the slickness of the snow and ice in this new area. He had decided he rather liked the stuff really even if it was cold and slippery. He would also like to think he had become a good friend to the queen, so it made sense to him that he would make a good guard for her. Who better to keep her safe than one that owed her his life? It made perfect sense to the leopon, and so he was waiting outside Elsa's den to speak to her.

Aquapuga did not care much about what the pride thought of him really, but he worked hard at the tasks set to him anyway. He also had managed not to lose his temper or attack anyone even if it was tempting at times. Other than being a bit full of himself, he could have passed for a model citizen of the pride. He had to say he had been doing wonderfully so far and would try to use this as a reason to support his case if he needed it. He just was not sure how she would react to the question. It was a good thing he had spent time coming up with different angles to approach this before going to the queen. He would not have wanted to be unprepared.

Aquapuga gave a little bow to Elsa as she exited her den. He never did much of a bow as he really did see her as a friend, but he was aware of her position. He did not want to offend her by forgetting what she was. "Queen Elsa..." It was hard to remember to put that title in front of her name. "I wished to speak with you, if you have a moment to spare for me." Those words had been practiced and revamped probably a thousand times before they sounded more than just arrogant and self-important. He was rather proud of how they sounded when he got them out.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

Queen Elsa smiled at the leopon as she saw him, always glad to greet her pride members, but especially glad to see him. She was interested in how he had been settling, and if he was happy in the frozen island. He seemed to be getting on just fine, and that was uplifting.

As long as her people, her lions, were happy, she was happy.

"Of course, Aquapuga! I am more than happy to talk with you. What is on your mind? Do you mind walking while we chat? The air is nice today, I thought it might be a good idea to enjoy it while I can."

She chuckled and moved to fall into a leisurely pace, not walking away from him. She waited for him to walk beside her, hoping he did not feel awkward around her, knowing she was Queen. She was still certain he was a nicer creature than he thought he was.

"I hope you're doing well."

She felt very lighthearted, though she was loathe to leave her den at the moment. But she needed to pay a visit to the island and speak with the people that lived in her pride. She left her very young cubs with a trusted companion for now, though she would not be out long. She found it was impossible to be away from them for too long.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Aquapuga used one paw to flip a bit of snow up at the queen as they walked, pretending it was an accident. "I have no problem walking to speak with you, Queen Elsa. Congratulations on all the little fuzzballs you have under your paws at home now." Cubs were something he just was not sure what do do with, but at least HE did not have to worry about it at the moment. Elsa on the other paw, had quite the little brood to care for and it amused him. He was just glad he likely would never produce cubs.

Aquapuga fell into step right beside the queen, having absolutely no problem with the idea of acting like her equal She might be his queen now, but he respected her as a friend first. "I still owe you a debt for saving my life, Elsa... I have finally come across the way to repay this debt." He was too busy trying to get what he wanted to say out, and be nice, to notice that he forgot her title. "I have been training with the soldiers, and since I have a lot of experience fighting, I feel that the best use of my time would be... to be your guard." Did that sound too demanding? He didn't think so.

"I am doing well, and before you say something about my situation in the pride, there are a few things to consider, since I know you are too nice to not think of the lack of time for these things. I do not need to find a mate and settle down, as a leopon rarely has the ability to make cubs. I'm not really the loving sort anyway, so that rules out even the mate part. This gives me plenty of time to devote to making sure you are safe. And frees up others for family matters." Aquapuga took a deep breath and waited for her answer. He was hoping she would take it. He really did not want her to turn him down on the offer, for a few reasons. Mostly he did not want her to refuse him because he thought very highly of her and that would hurt his pride.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

Kathryn Dragonna

Elsa smiled warmly at the leopon when he congratulated her on the cubs, nodding her head warmly and looking very gentle and happy just thinking about them. It was almost enough to make her turn back and go home to them, though they had been a surprise and she was a little in over her head. They still made her feel a love she had not known was even possible.

"Thank you. They are a handful, but I'm learning, and I... I am very blessed."

Not something someone who was said to have a curse could often say, though she was still a little scared that the bad reputation she had been given would pass on to them as well. She wanted them to be at home in the snow, and in the pride, not outcast for who they were or what they looked like.

Listening to him as he spoke about debt, she shook her head and tried to cut in to say that he did not owe her anything, that he was welcome in the pride and she was happy to have him there. But his suggestion, his offer, made her glance at him and smile. He was very determined, she had to give him that, though she didn't think he was beyond having a family. She found him to be very pleasant, even if he didn't see it in himself. Maybe he would surprise himself some day.

"I would be very honored if you would be one of my guards," she said regally, nodding her head graciously and pausing in her steps. "Though I don't think you should be so quick to give up on a family, Aquapuga."  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Aquapuga shrugged at the lioness' advice on family. "Why would I want something I cannot have? I have traveled enough to see that those that are halfway between two species rarely have cubs. Some prides actually treat us as less for this reason. It would not be fair to any female to be mated to a male she cannot have cubs with, now would it?" The leopon's logic was quite well thought out. He had had plenty of time to ponder his situation in the pride since arriving, and he had looked at every angle he could think of to figure out where best he would fit. To him, he had come to the most sensible conclusion.

Aquapuga give Elsa a rare smile. "Besides, you have more important things to worry about than if one leopon has a family here in the pride. If I want 'family' I can always go visit my mother and her mate in the roguelands... or just visit you. Friends are a type of family, or so my stepfather used to tell me." The leopon was starting to believe that his stepfather had been correct as well. He liked having Elsa around to talk to, and he knew if anything went wrong she would not walk away from helping him. He had with her a special bond similar to what he had seen some siblings share.

"It would seem the matter of my being one of your guards is settled then... I will start now and escort you around to whatever you do today... just don't ask me to play with the cubs. I will protect them, but I do not 'play' with cubs." Aquapuga made a face at the idea of playing with cubs. They were fragile, weak little things, and while he might be willing to protect Elsa's children, he still was not found of 'weak' things. Of course, he had never been fond of cubs in general, so there was that too.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

Kathryn Dragonna

"Oh Aquapuga," Elsa shook her head but gave him a radiant smile and a gentle nuzzle to his shoulder. She could not help it, feeling very affectionate for him, though he did not see how valuable family was. One day he might understand that someone would be mated to him because they loved him, and that was all they needed.

Elsa herself had only just begun to understand what love could do to a lion. Tikahn was the one lion who had ever made her feel so happy, without doing anything at all. Just by being around her, he made her day better.

"You are welcome to consider me and my cubs your family, my dear friend. Visit us as often as you like. And you won't have to play with them if you don't want to."

She couldn't help but laugh, feeling light hearted and very content.

She was just going to make a small visit into the pride to get some dried fish, then return to her den to care for her cubs and rest a bit more. It was still tiring to be out, and she found she was very easily worn out.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Aquapuga sighed as Elsa let him off the hook on playing with her cubs. He just was not good with cubs. Things were too breakable and had too many "feelings" to hurt. He was glad to give his friend something to make her happy. She was smiling and laughing, so he must be doing something right. "I will do my best to be a good guard for you, Queen Elsa." He wondered if she should be out and about yet or still in the den. Eh, if she wanted to be out, he could not blame her. Cubs would rive anyone crazy after a while.

Aquapuga easily kept pace with the lioness, seemingly gliding along now that he was used to the snow and ice. It was certainly a far cry from where he had been when she found him in that snow drift. "What brings you out into the cub-free sunlight? I am sure there is more to it than just enjoying the air. You strike me as one of those mothers that wishes to spend as much time with her cubs as possible." She was a kindhearted creature by nature. What took him so much effort to do, she did effortlessly. She certainly would make a wonderful mother to her cubs.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

Kathryn Dragonna

Elsa was happy to have made a friend in the leopon, whether he really understood that he was her friend or not. He was more than a guard to her, of course, and would remain so even while he focused on protecting her. She was glad that he was so eager to help her, and honestly touched at his loyalty. It was all she could ask for in a member of her pride, and it made her happy.

She was easy to please, most of the time, but rarely got to see everything she liked and wanted to see in others all in one bundle. If only he could seem a little more... well. Happy. She was not sure if he had found his peace yet, but she was hoping he would.

They all had to find their path, and figure themselves out. It took her a long time to know happiness at its true face, after all, and it had come to her as a complete surprise.

"I just needed to stretch my legs a bit, to be honest. I was going to get some fresh fish for the cubs to try, they are old enough, I think, to be curious about the taste. I hope they like it." She laughed, thinking it would be hard for them to get used to life here if they didn't like the main staple of their diet.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Aquapuga chuckled at the thought of the cubs not liking the fish. "I am sure life would be very interesting if they do not like the taste of fish. I am sure they will be as agreeable as you are, so there will be no problem." He could not imagine any child of Elsa's being anything but agreeable to this life and all that was expected of them. She just fit into her world so easily, her cubs had to do the same. The leopon knew she had changed her world, and that others still did not like her, but he still saw her as being the fitting piece in this pride not those that disliked her.

"It would seem this fishy venture is my first task as a guard for you, Elsa. Hopefully one of us does not end up in a snow drift in the excitement." Aquapuga's voice was dry, but his intent was to convey humor. He really was trying to be more pleasant. He just liked sarcasm and dry humor more than other things. He might learn better eventually. Maybe.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

Kathryn Dragonna

Elsa chuckled at him and moved closer to nudge him affectionately with her shoulder as she walked by him.

"If you can keep yourself out of the snow, I think you'll do better in your job, certainly." She teased lightly, knowing he was a very serious leopon for the most part. But he was a gentle soul and she liked how honest and giving he was. He would see it, in time, she hoped.

With that, she made to pad off toward the outer areas of the lakes, where the fishing was good and the ice was thin. She did not want to have to spend a lot of time digging a hole in the thicker parts of the ice, after all. It was supposed to be an easy outing. Not that it was likely that she would be doing the fishing herself, as no one generally let the queen do things like that.

And now she had good company for the trip, at least, so she was well pleased.