[Kallile]

Feeling eyes on him, Zeake looked over his shoulder to see Tori sunbathing and watching her ‘family’. He grinned, lifting his tail away from the rock and picking Mika up carefully with his slightly beaked mouth. In a few easy strides he was at her side, and Mika was crawling all over her and chewing the edges of her ears.

“Almost done, dear. What’s on your mind? You have that look again.”

Kaitori smiled, shaking her head as she wrestled Mika off of her back. “Oh, just watching. And wishing, I guess.”

“Wishing?” Zeake asked, his smile fading slightly to a confused grin. “Wishing for what?”

Again the female shook her head. “It’s not important right now. We can talk when..” she side-glanced Mika, who was now chewing on her mothers’ tails, “you-know-who is asleep.”

[14][14][10]

[Kallile]

Dinner had gone by quickly, and Kaitori knew that later tonight Zeake would be gone again. It was hard for him to catch large enough prey to keep himself fed in the daylight, but he always did all he could to ensure his family was fed and content before his own stomach was silenced.  

The small den they had made was mostly for Mika; Kaitori too when Zeake woke her so he could go hunt for himself. Otherwise the two seemingly mismatched companions slept curled up together just outside the den, Zeake’s presence proving more than enough to keep other small predators at bay.

Kaitori had finally managed to get Mika settled into the den, messing some of the nesting materials around to flush them up. Mika did a few circles before plopping herself down with a contented grunt, giving a small squeak that Kaitori had come to understand as a type of ‘goodnight’. The Lucain smiled to her adopted daughter, nuzzling her cheek before returning outside to Zeake.

The large Nago was perched on the still sun-warmed rock earlier occupied by Kaitori—watching the lady he loved tuck their daughter in. He smiled, lowering his tail so Kaitori could more easily climb up with him. Settling herself in a curve of his elbows, she looked up at him.

“Well, what was so unimportant it could wait?” He asked, smiling lightly.

[15][15][11]

[Kallile]

Kaitori fidgeted under his gaze, not fully sure of how to ask him. Her eyes caught a glimmer of the necklace he had offered her months ago, a forgotten ornament on his horns. She gave a smile in return, looking into his eyes so large they could swallow her whole.

“You remember what you brought me out here for in the first place?” She asked, reclining slightly into him. Zeake blinked at her, giving a singular, slow nod.

“I do. It’s not something I could forget.” He said honestly, his smile fading a little bit. It was an odd time to bring it up, he thought.

“I’ve been thinking…” Kaitori began, rubbing her paws together nervously. “Have you ever considered asking me…again?”

Zeake rose his head up a little, titling it as he gazed down at her. Well, of course he had. But they had both gotten so involved with raising Mika that…he felt married to her already. A trinket wasn’t going to change that. “The feelings I have for you are so far beyond what a little piece of jewelry can symbolize that…I just hadn’t.”

Kaitori grinned up at him a little, now looking very nervous. “Would you consider…asking me now? I finally have my answer.”

[16][16][12]

[Kallile]

Zeake watched the Lucain before him, watching in her peripheral vision as Mika stirred slightly in her den. Slowly his eyes moved up to the trinket still curled around his horn and he lowered his head to let it slip into his open and waiting claws.

“Alright then…Kaitori, would you consider making my life even brighter by marrying me?” He asked, holding the ring on the necklace and looking at her hopefully. She had asked him to do the asking…but he still felt his stomach knot nervously. It was a big step, even for someone who had been raising an adopted child together.

Kaitori wagged her tails slightly, standing and nuzzling against his chest. She placed her paws up onto his and slipped her nose under the chain, letting it slide gracefully onto her neck. “I would love nothing more than to belong to you.”

She answered. Zeake lowered his head, nuzzling her gently with his beak. He didn’t know what was coming over him, but he felt tears brim on his scaled eyelids. “And I to you.” He answered.

From in her den, Mika slowly opened a golden eye to watch her parents, smiling broadly. Finally, she had been watching momma pin over that necklace for ages! Closing her eyes again, she let out a content sigh and drifted back into happy dreams of the real family they were becoming.

[17][17][13]