[center][img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20OUAT%20RP%20-%20Characters/Viciers%20Character%20Gifs/Colab-Post%20Gifs/Simba%20Lionhart%20-%20Gif_zpswzcv1brq.gif[/img][img]http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o620/Vicier/Vicier%20-%20OUAT%20RP%20-%20Characters/Viciers%20Character%20Gifs/Colab-Post%20Gifs/Kidagakash%20Nedakh%20-%20Gif_zpsy4wmcsbh.gif[/img]
[h1][color=Goldenrod]Simba Lionhart[/color] and [color=LightSteelBlue]Kidagakash Nedaakh[/color][/h1]
[h2]Present Day - Atlantis - Part Two[/h2][/center]

She couldn’t help the soft chuckle that slipped through her lips as she pressed her palm lightly against the palm of another, her head turning away as she swung her hips lightly from side to side along to the gentle beating of the drums, the beat easily able to be heard over the excited and warm conversation that was being held around the opening that the Atlantean’s had gathered in for the feast- cushions aplenty had been lain out in a large circle around the opening, allowing for everyone to be able to sit in comfort as they enjoyed the company and traditional meals prepared while they welcomed the new comers into the Atlantis. Bringing her opposite hand down the length of her body before she swung it up, she allowed her bare feet to turn her around every so often as she circled the roaring fire that had been lit in the center of the clearing- the blazing flames keeping them all warm and comfortable as they did their best to enjoy their evening, and to make sure to welcome Mwoga, Timon and Pumbaa into the city.

Pausing for a moment as her feet brought her to a stop in front of where she had left him sitting when she had first gotten up to dance, she smiled brightly before she quickly made her way forward and back towards him, her body leaning over and her arm reaching out so that she could grab up one of the many apples that were piled into the large fruit bowl that sat among the many other dishes that lay between the two of them, the light of the fire lightly illuminating her features as she flicked her gaze up so that it met with his own while she brought the apple back into her body, “I do hope that you are enjoying the evening- the people are very excited to have new comers in the city. You are all very welcome here.”

Straightening herself up once again as she took a couple of steps backwards, she lifted the apple up to her lips as she allowed her eyes to linger upon him for a few moments longer before she finally took a bite, her body turning away from his as she once more joined in the dancing with a few of the other Atlantean women, her long and wavy pure white locks bouncing lightly over her back and shoulders as she moved about.

Simba had never felt so full in his entire life. The feast in which Kidagakash had organized for him a rich variety of different things Simba had never tried before. And of course there was the buffalo that they had killed from the herd he had brought closer to their city for them. But there was a multitude of fruits, vegetables and breads that were all strange to him. Some he recognized back when he had the luxury of eating meals like this every day in The Pride Lands, but living among the wild and having the majority of his diet being bugs and pooly cooked meat, everything in front of him had been an absolute treat. And of course he had to sample it all.

Having reclined back, propping himself on his elbows, Simba was merely passing the time by watching the Atlanteans dance - something he could vaguely remember from the feasts they would have in his father's castle for entertainment. There was something almost familiar there, but he tried not to dwell on it in order to remain having a good time. His blue eyes flicked away from watching one of the other male Atlanteans dance as Kidagakash approached him, taking an apple for herself. With a lazy nod brought on by what might be the beginnings of a food coma, Simba looked over to his two friends, Timon and Pumbaa.

/Boy, I ate like a pig!/ Pumbaa grunted out, rolling over until he was on his back, his engorged belly up towards the sky where Timon began to pull himself up and onto, circling around the warthog's stomach a few times on all fours before he found a comfortable spot and laid himself down.

/Pumbaa... you [i]are[/i] a pig./ Timon reminded him, being too tired to do or say much else.

Simba chuckled outwardly, shaking his head before bringing his attention back to Kidagakash who began to dance with the others again.

"Everything was great. Thank you."

Stumbling forwards slightly as she felt the light pressure of hands upon the small of her back urging her forward and towards him once again, she turned her head to quickly shoot a glance back at the three women of whom she had been dancing with moments before, the more mature and older woman flicking her hands lightly in his direction as though encouraging her to step forward and engage him while the other two stood by her sides, doing their best to hide the small though excited smiles that were playing over their lips as she finally turned her attention back to where Mwoga lay in front of her. She knew what they were doing; the woman urging her on was a part of her royal council- the very people who had been stressing the point of her taking on a King and providing an heir to the throne… but she had refused before, and there was no way her mind would change on the matter just as it had changed about welcoming the outsiders into Atlantis.

Bringing the bright red apple up to her lips so that she could take a small bite as she moved herself forward a couple of steps, she reached out her free hand towards him as her body leant over ever so slightly, her stunningly blue eyes meeting with his own as she kept her hand steady and held out as an invitation for him to take, the young woman quickly swallowing the food that she had in her mouth before she spoke, her cheeks turning a light red in color adding to the warm glow that came from the light of the fire behind her, “Come- you must dance with me.”

Quirking both eyebrows as Kidagakash extended out her hand to him, Simba simply stared at it as though he wasn't sure what to do with it until she spoke. His head tilted slightly, trying to shake his head no but his own hand was moving upwards to take hers, using the strength in his legs to pull himself up rather than depend on her as his anchor as he got to his feet.

"I don't dance." Simba tried telling her, though that wasn't explaining why he moved from his lazy position on the ground to stand by her side. It wasn't that he didn't [i]want[/i] to dance; he had seen how much fun Kidagakash and the others were having, he just never learned how - not even as a boy in his father's Kingdom.

Unable to help the bright smile that crossed over her lips the moment that she felt his gentle touch against her hand, she reached out so that she could quickly place the apple that she was eating down onto the plate she had been using earlier during the feast, her body straightening itself as she led him over to a clear place beside the fire, her hand twisting ever so slightly in his so that their palms were pressing flat against one another as she once more began to move her feet underneath her, her hips swinging back and forth as she moved slowly for him, “Perhaps then, it is time that you learnt.”

Pressing her palm just that little bit harder against his own as she lifted both of their hands up higher into the air, she took a single step closer to his body as her own turned and ducked gracefully under his arm, her back brushing lightly against his chest as she turned her head, allowing her gaze to once again flick up to meet with his own, “Tell me... do you enjoy the city..?”

Unable to do much else than to follow her lead, Simba's body moved with her own, watching as she twisted herself against him, instinct kicking in telling him to place his free hand on her hip. Perhaps it wasn't instinct, after all. Somewhere, deeply recessed into his mind, were memories of dances at his father's palace, the evenings entertainment during banquets and feasts. It was very much a possibility that he had been paying more attention as a boy than he thought.

"If I were to be completely honest..." Simba started, feeling the way her body swayed from side to side against his chest as his hand held her hip lightly. "...it makes me a little homesick. Atlantis... reminds me a lot of home..."

His light touch against her hip sent her heart fluttering wildly in her chest, though just why she wasn’t exactly sure- it was just dancing… something that she had been required to do with many, if not all of the men that lived within Atlantis; so why did this feel so… different? Her soft pink lips parted slightly as she brought her head around so that she was looking back at him from over her opposite shoulder, her free hand slowly gliding up the length of her body before she reached back towards him, her light touch brushing over the side of his face before finally it came to a stop- her palm softly caressing his cheek as she allowed her gaze to lift up and meet with his once again, the look in his eyes causing her cheeks to turn a light shade of pink as she nodded her head lightly in response to the answer that he gave her. He was homesick- that was understandable, and if there was anything that she could do to make him relax and feel more welcomed within the city, she would do in a heartbeat.

“I see…” Smiling softly as she twisted her hand slightly within his so that she could take a hold of it gently, she guided it around in front of them, following the path of a semi-circle with both their arms and her foot as she brought them both in close against her, her foot resting softly against her other while she softly pressed their hands in close against her bare chest, “..aside from the feeling sick for home- how do you enjoy the city, and my people..?”

Thinking over her question, letting his body do as it wished while she continued to lead them in dance, Simba turned his head to look over at his friends; the warthog and meerkat seemingly asleep in their cozy little place of choice by the fire, both bellies stuffed. He turned his head back around, guided by her hand to look back down at her and gave her a gentle nod, feeling his hand and hers being pressed to her chest, just above her breast - like a tight, one-armed hug.

"I stand by what I said before, Kidagakash. I think what you have here is absolutely beautiful. I can't see why anyone [i]wouldn't[/i] like it." he told her honestly, repeating his words from before when she had first told him about her concerns of outsiders and her city. His eyes then moved from hers out of habit, glancing around at the others dancing around them and about the fire, more-so watching the males to see what it was that he was supposed to do though he couldn't help but to notice that each of them, the females included, were all giving him a giddy sort of grin. No, he would never get used to being around so many people ever again, he decided.

"Why do you ask?" Simba asked, giving her his attention again, speaking quieter for some reason even he didn't know. "What's concerning you?"

She had stopped- her feet were no longer moving, her arms no longer guiding his own, their bodies no longer doing anything other than breathing and resting against each other; she had just stopped dancing around, and just when she had done so, was entirely beyond her. She couldn’t understand these feelings- everything was just so new to her… the way that her heart seemed to no longer wish to beat the same as it had done for the last four hundred and seventy-two years, the way that his gaze seemed to cause her to lose her train of thought or her voice to catch in her throat whenever he so much as glanced at her… the way that his touch seemed to send her emotions into a frenzy and cause her cheeks to burn as brightly as the very flames of the fire that lit the area around them.

“..I wish for you to stay…”

"S-stay?" Simba repeated, unsure if he heard her correctly. Well of course he knew he heard her correctly, there weren't very many words that rhymed with 'stay' that would have fit that sentence very well aside for maybe 'pray' or 'neigh' but he had good reason to believe it was neither of those. He wasn't a city man. Every hope of him learning how to live in a city had vanished the night his father had been murdered and he chose to run away from it all. Away from the consequences, away from the responsibilities, away from what was expected of him. He wanted no part of that, he had spent the last thirteen monsoon seasons very well out on his own. Well, Timon and Pumbaa helped a little...

"I... I suppose, I mean, for maybe a night or two... if it's not too much trouble..." he slowly answered her, just now taking into account that they had stopped dancing - and the only reason he picked up on that was that he felt a slight shift in the way Kidagakash's mood had been from just a few moments ago; a confused tangle of emotions he couldn't make any sense of so he did what he always did when he bonded with a confused animal - he put forth his own emotions into her; calm, assurance, relaxed, carefree.

"I haven't lived in a city for a long, [i]long[/i] time. The Wildes... it has always provided for me..." he then slowly began to explain to her, knowing through the link of their bond that his first answer wouldn't be enough for her.

She could feel it- she knew from earlier that day just what it was that he was doing to her. He was using the bond that he had created between the two of them to help try and calm her already raging emotions; to fill her instead with a relaxing and carefree feeling which she could feel spreading through her body and fighting against what she already had. She knew what he meant, she could see it in his mind- in his memories; the Wildes had been his home for so long, provided him with everything that he could possibly need… food, shelter, friends… but the company in which he shared was only with the animals in which he managed to bond with, having not had any contact with other people until the two of them had run into one another earlier that day.

“I understand- but please-…” Shifting her body slightly within his arm as she gently tightened the already soft hold that she had over his hand, she shook her head ever so softly from side to side in response as she tried to think of the words that she wanted to say to him, her body brushing up and down his as she unintentionally and unknowingly pressed herself closer against him… Why was she finding it so hard to tell him what it was that she wanted- she had never once before had any issues voicing her opinions and desires to others, so why she was suddenly finding it so hard to not only pick her words, but to also speak them out loud was completely and utterly baffling, “Stay… with me…”

His words were lost to him, as were his emotions. This wasn't even about him going and bringing back a buffalo herd anymore. This went far deeper than that, but he fought those particular emotions he felt coming from her, because he himself did not understand it. He practically severed the bond completely, though being that he had never bonded with another human before, there was still that feeble pulse he could feel coming from her. No matter how hard he tried, he simply could not shut it off; not like he could with Timon, Pumbaa, and the other animals.

/What? Are ya deaf? She asked you a question!/ Timon suddenly piped up, breaking Simba's concentration so hard, that it nearly gave him a lingering headache, though he had to admit he was relieved for the slight interruption - even if it was Timon. He looked down at his feet, watching as the meerkat rode on top of the warthog over towards them from their napping spot.

/That's right! Birds of a feather, stick together!/ Pumbaa added on, sitting down by Simba's ankle once he reached him which threw Timon off balance. He hopped off of Pumbaa quickly, deciding to find a new perch and scampered over to Kida, using her cloth she used for clothing around her middle to climb up and soon found his way onto her shoulder.

/Speaking of birds, you're friend ain't gonna be no trouble is she? I can't live in a place where I constantly have to fear for my life!/ Timon exclaimed, brushing Kidagakash's hair to the side so that it wouldn't be in the way of his comfort, speaking as though he had already made up Simba's mind for him, despite Kidagakash not being able to understand him... Pumbaa either for that matter.

That got a chuckle out of Simba, watching Timon then pull Kidagakash's hair back into him after he laid himself down on her shoulder and used the long, white locks as a sort of blanket.

"Timon, you live in the Wildes. You're always prey." Simba responded out loud, forgetting for a moment that he could just use his thoughts to communicate with the animal. He brought his attention back to Kidagakash and gave her a small, apologetic grin. "He wants to know about Aithusa..."

Quirking her eyebrows in slight surprise as she felt a light tugging on the material that was draped around her hips, keeping only the bare minimum of her body covered and out of sight to those around her, she dropped her head down so that she could watch as the meerkat she now knew as Timon hurriedly made his way up her body and onto her shoulder before making himself comfortable where he lay, his claws (much like that of Aithusa’s earlier) leaving light red marks and gentle scratches upon her otherwise flawless skin as he climbed. She could no longer feel the calming and soothing sensation that he had been trying to help her feel moments before; something had stopped it completely- as though it had been cut off in some way or another, though her thoughts now were consumed by the hopes that he would agree to her invitation… that he would say yes, and that he would choose to stay with her in Atlantis.

Lifting her head back up so that her attention was once more focused on Mwoga as he began to laugh at something she didn’t know or understand, she couldn’t help the warm and amused smile that crossed over her lips, her fingers curling ever so slightly against his cheek as she slid her hand down, instead choosing to cup it lightly around his neck as she stood her ground, giving no hint or sign that she would be moving away from where she stood in his arm and against his body any time soon, “..Aithusa..?”

Pausing for a moment as she thought about how best to answer the question being given to her by the meerkat, her gaze softened slightly as she slipped the hand that had been holding onto his away from her chest and over to her shoulder so that she could lightly scratch behind Timon’e ear for only a second before she returned her hand back so that she was once again holding onto his, “No harm will come to either of your friends here. They, like you, are my guests- as such; you shall all be treated as Royalty. Aithusa rests within the jungles, or by my side upon the throne when I am in need of her. She will bring no danger to any- you have my word.”

/See? Nothing to worry about!/ Timon said after a relieved sigh from getting scratched behind the ear. He burrowed his way into the crook of her neck even further, rolling over onto his side and let his eyes closed to get some sleep. /Tell her we accept. This place ain't too bad./

Laughing somewhat nervously to keep his own anxieties about living within a city again away, Simba moved a hand from Kidagakash' hip to rub the back of his neck out of habit.

"Timon..." Simba half-whined, half-warned, though it appeared that the meerkat had already fallen asleep or had turned off their bond once again, making Simba shake his head at the expense of his furry friend. Looking down at Pumbaa, he was somewhat startled to see the small, beady eyes of the warthog looking back up at him, the thin brush tail flicking back and forth, as though waiting to hear it from Simba that they were staying. "I..." He closed his eyes and brought his chin back up to look back to Kidagakash who was also awaiting his answer. "We... we can't stay here... this city is for your people... Atlanteans. We - Timon, me and Pumbaa - we're from the Wildes. It's always been our home." he tried to explain without coming across as ungrateful. "Besides, we don't have a place to stay here anyway." he added on, hoping that his point might be enough.

Visiting Atlantis was one thing, but living here? There were so many people! And though it was very old in it's buildings and customs, it still thrived like any city would. Like The Pride Lands. And that scared him just a bit too much. He gave himself the name 'Mwoga' for a reason. Just as 'Simba' meant 'Lion' in the tongue of his people, 'Mwoga' translated directly to 'coward'. And he was. For years now he had every chance to return to The Pride Lands and face his Uncle; force him to stand down so that he could take it's place as the rightful King. But he was afraid. Besides, he had a new life now. Hakuna Matata! A life without worries for the rest of his days. Yeah... he rather liked the sound of that. And to have no worries meant not to be around other people. The Wildes had always been his comfort, and it's all he needed.

His reluctance at her offer was more than obvious- she could see it clear as day written all over his gentle features, feel it seeping into her through the bond that was there between them… she had to let him know somehow that this was okay; that she was not just asking this of him on just a whim, but that she had truly put thought into her decision. Reaching up and over to her shoulder with her free hand, she scooped up the meerkat as gently as she possibly could before she leant down, resting him once more on the back of the warthog that seemed to be staring up at Mwoga with an expectant look within his eyes, turning her body around though keeping it still pressed against his own, she reached up to take his hand, squeezing it gently in reassurance as she spoke, her voice as soft and sweet as the gentle sound of wind chimes moving in the breeze, “..come…”

Not bothering to give him any time to answer or respond to her sudden request, she turned her back to him, her hand still holding firmly though gently onto his as she allowed her feet to carry her away from the warmth of the fire, her body leading him away from the dancing and conversation of the celebration and over to the outskirts of the small clearing, her arm coming up to brush aside some of the native flora before she slipped through and out of the sight of the other Atlanteans. She had been giving quite a bit thought to a lot of things since the two of them had parted ways earlier that day- especially towards what it was that she was supposed to do with him now. He knew about her city and her people; she had failed to be able to help that, and now he knew more of her world than anyone else outside the safety of the city. She could no longer kill him- she was too close to him, and now, she was also indebted to him for his service to her and her people… now there was only one other solution that she was able to think of…

“..this was once part of the city- my mother would bring me to the temple and teach me the ways of our people…” Slowing her pace once they drew closer to [url=http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/38200000/Jungle-Ruins-fantasy-38280637-1920-1080.jpg]the ruins of the temple[/url], she relaxed her grip over his hand before she let go altogether, her own hand dropping back down to her side as she stepped forward, her eyes shining slightly in the little light that was around them, gifted by the slow moving fireflies that made their home in the deserted part of Atlantis, “This temple was once an important part of our culture- when a child was brought into the world, the family would bring them here before the King and Queen. It was then that they would be given their crystal…”

She hesitated a few moments, allowing her words to sink in before she turned around to once more face him where he stood, her brilliant blue eyes catching on his own as she searched them, though for what she wasn’t quite sure. Why did things seem to be so much harder now, ever since he had arrived in her life… everything had been so natural, so normal before- she could speak her mind out loud with ease, she wasn’t thinking too much about how she acted or what others thought of her, but now that he was here… Dropping her hands down to her hip for a few moments, she fumbled with the material that was covering her lower body, her fingers closing around something small before she turned her attention back over to him, her chest rising and falling nervously with each breath that she took, the young Queen taking a pause for herself before she stepped forward, reaching out with her free hand to take hold of one of his own.

“..you have brought smiles and hope back to my people- and you have shown me that I am too quick to judge outsiders… I am forever indebted to you…” Turning their hands so that his palm was resting upwards, she reached forward with her other hand, placing the small object within his palm before she curled his fingers over so that he was holding onto it, a small though extremely proud smile playing over her lips.

“I, Kidagakash Nedakh- Queen of this city and of its people; welcome you, Mwoga, to Atlantis…" Dropping her hands back down to her sides as she took a couple of steps back, she lowered her gaze for just a moment before returning it back to meet with his own, "..you are one of the people of Atlantis now- even if you choose to leave us behind.”

Simba was grateful to leave the throng of people behind. A chance to talk to Kidgakash alone was definitely a welcome reprive; he felt much less anxious that way and the further she took him (seemingly) away from the city, the more relaxed he became. So much, in fact, that the bond between himself and the Queen was opened back up to a comfortable level. It was strange, though. With the bond now open, Simba, despite never being in this part of Atlantis before, seemed to feel a strange sense of awareness to everything that was around him. Certain trees, rocks and foliage rang familiar - a distant memory and it wasn't until he felt a very sudden sense of pride welling up in him that wasn't at all his own. It belonged to Kidagakash and the moment the temple came into view, understanding reached his simple mind. He had been sharing [i]her[/i] distant memories, memories of following the (now) familiar trail to the temple which she began to explain to him.

Familiar or not, the area was absolutely breath-taking. Simba had to suppress the bond just a bit to allow his own thoughts to come to him at the marvel around them, taking in it's beauty and heritage as his bright blue eyes drank in everything there was to see, though always keeping an ear open for Kidagakash to further explain.

He knew immediately what crystal she had been talking about. He held a strange sort of understanding of the life force here in Atlantis from the moment they had bonded - a floodgate of information about the history and culture of Atlantis filling his mind until it was so much that he had passed out. It wasn't exactly an easy lesson to learn, his head still throbbed a bit from the experience, but she didn't need to explain any further than the simplicity she gave him.

His eyes were brought back around to look at The Queen of Atlantis as he could then feel her mood altering slightly to a more serious manner, giving her his own serious expression in turn - like a mirror. He watched her curiously, procuring something small from her hip and felt something cool and hard being placed into his palm. Carefully opening his fingers back up, his blue eyes looked over the crystal she had placed there, his mind and body both emotionless as he stared it down having no idea what to make of this gift. Eventually, a sense of reverence passed over his mind that filtered into her before he forced his eyes to look back up at her. 

"You- your... people... They... they... accept me?" Confusion fueled him then, but the reverence of such a high honor was not misplaced, as there was a deeper meaning behind it. He hadn't felt accepted or wanted by anyone for quite a long time and this... this was almost too much, but the gesture... her words, did not go unappreciated.

She hadn’t even noticed that her heart was beating quickly within her chest once again… her foot nervously shuffling over the ground as she watched him- listening, feeling, waiting… The swell of reverence that seeped in through the bond that they shared mixing with her own sense of pride at the thought that he understood what it was that had just happened. He had been accepted… not just by herself, but also by her people… and by the mother crystal itself. It had deemed him worthy of the city, rather than the threat she had first thought him to be- she could see clear as day that she had been wrong; feel that he meant none of them harm, and instead had helped by once again giving the people hope that she had thought long lost, “Yes.”

She couldn’t help the small smile that played over her lips as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder, her brilliant blue eyes flicking up to gaze at the ruins of the once great temple that stood before them- she had brought him to this place for that specific reason. He had done nothing but be kind and help her, even after she had been so mistrusting towards him… Nodding her head softly as though to reaffirm the answer she had given him, she turned her full attention back to where he was standing, pausing for a moment before she took a single step closer, her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly as her cheeks turned a light shade of red, “The court of Atlantis approached me on behalf of the people- they spoke of their gratitude towards you and all you have done for this city. I… had done much thinking on the matter myself…”

Bringing her hands up and together in front of her body, she allowed her fingers to nervously play with themselves against the soft skin of her stomach, her gaze dropping down to watch them for a moment before she once more lifted them up to meet with his own again, “The people accept you, I accept you… and the mother crystal accepts you. You are now one with Atlantis.”

Clearing his throat from the lump he felt beginning to grow there, Simba let his eyes rest back on the crystal in his open palm before reaching with his free hand to the leather cord that made it a necklace. Picking it up, Simba's eyes met with Kida's as he then used both hands to loop it around his neck feeling the weight of the crystal on his chest as it settled. It was so much more than simply wearing the crystal as a new piece of jewelry, and they both knew it. It was his acceptance for the gift, for the proclamation that he was now one with the people of Atlantis - one with the life force that kept them alive for so long and gave life to their ancient land.

His eyes dropped to her hands that had fallen to her abdomen, his own reaching out to take both of them in his and let his thumbs mirror each other as they brushed over the soft skin of her knuckles as he brought his eyes to look back to her. The bond was opened, stronger and more vulnerable than ever before as he related his gratitude and understanding to her, unable to find the right words that could even hold a torch to what it was that he was feeling.

"Thank you." he said after a long silence, though the emotions pinging between them was more than enough to make that silence a comfortable one. "But all I did was bring back a buffalo herd for your people to eat from. You make me out to be some sort of hero... and I'm not."

The wave of emotions that were filling into her through the bond mixed with her own was more than she had ever felt before- gratitude, understanding, vulnerability… it was all there between them and more. Her own pride and happiness swelling up inside her heart as she watched him place the crystal around his neck, her body not even resisting and her feet closing the gap that was left between them as he reached out towards her, taking both her hands in his, the gentle though still calming touch of his thumbs brushing back and forth over her skin causing her breath to catch in her throat, her chest lightly pressing against his own as they once again gained the intimacy that they had held when they had been dancing with each other before the raging fire of the feast.

“You brought hope to my people… to me…” Lifting her head up slowly, she let her gaze meet with his once again, her brilliant blue eyes searching his own, trying to figure out the best way to explain just how much it was that his actions meant to her- just how much it was that he had done. It wasn’t just bringing back the buffalo… it was oh so much more… “Mwoga; to know that someone not of this city can accept us- accept our world and our culture just as you have, it means much. You say you are no hero; but to the people, and to me… you are. I can never thank you enough for what you have done.”

Simba processed her words, finding reason within them as much as he didn't particularly like it. It seemed that the one strike of consciousness he had for wanting to help out her people by bringing the buffalo herd back to the mouth of the cave that he now knew as the entrance to Atlantis stained permanently onto his fate line - a decision that would now forever change his future onto an alternate path he never believed possible until now. Could he truly live here with the people of Atlantis? He was already one of them whether he liked it or not, but could he give Kidagakash what she wanted and stay?

"You... you don't have to thank me, Kidagakash." Simba told her softly, letting his eyes drop a bit as he started to feel his cheeks growing warm, his modesty now starting to show on him physically. "You said thank you enough by accepting me into your culture." He moved his eyes to his chest where the fragile looking crystal lay against his bare skin and reached his hand up to fiddle with it, twisting it in his fingers and watched as the light from the fireflies caught onto the small shards within. "This... this is more than enough."

“..Kida…”

Hesitating for only a moment before she lifted up the hand that he had let go of, she lightly pressed her palm against his bare chest, her fingers curling ever so slightly as she gazed at the small blue crystal that was resting softly against his chest, the color standing out against his skin even in the darkened area in which the two of them were standing. The sound of her name falling so naturally from his lips… she didn’t understand why it was having such an effect on her- there were many people who used her name, so why was it so different when it was him speaking it out loud- when it was him who was calling for her, or even acknowledging her presence, “..you may call me Kida…”

Tilting her head slightly as she watched him play with the crystal that she had given him, she stayed silent for a few moments before once again giving him her full attention, her eyes meeting with his again as she shook her head softly, her gaze and expression both softening as she pressed her body just that little bit closer against his own, “You have a home here within the city; you and your friends may stay in the palace… that is, if you wish to stay. Do not feel obligated, even when I have asked you to. Though I do wish you would stay… with me… please…”

"P-palace?" Simba repeated, stuttering on the word as that lump began to form in his throat once more and a wave of uneasiness began to tickle at his stomach. His eyes closed for a moment, willing for the last bit of memories he had the last time he had been in a palace to go away, unable to deal with the memory of bloodshed right now. Aware suddenly that the bond was still open, Simba quickly withdrew his mind, opening his eyes again to find her still looking at him, again awaiting the answer she had already asked him once before.

Her offer was genuine, her motives sincere. With what little was left open from their bond, he could feel it from her - reluctance. But not towards herself in what it was that she wanted from him, but of what it might mean if he declined; if he returned to The Wildes without a second thought, pretending the entire thing never happened.

Sighing and dropping his head a bit, Simba knew then that there wasn't any way that he would be able to say no - if only because he didn't want to disappoint her.

Why? Why did [i]that[/i] matter suddenly? He couldn't allow his mind to dwell on that, however, as Kidagakash - Kida was still waiting.

"Alright, Kida." he stated, using the shortened name she had given him out of respect to what it was that she wanted. "I'll... I'll stay."

It was like everything in the world around her had frozen, even if for only a moment as she did her best to progress the answer that he had given her. He was staying… he had actually agreed to stay in Atlantis… with her… Taking a moment to herself so that she could gather her thoughts, she leant herself up towards him, her eyes fluttering closed as she pressed her lips softly against the center of his forehead, allowing them to linger there for a few moments before she slowly pulled herself back and away from him- it was something that her mother used to do, a small gesture of her gratitude that was offered to her whenever she had done something that her mother had wanted, or something that had made her feel happy towards her daughters actions.

“You have my word- you will not regret the choice you have made here today.” Unable to help the bright smile that crossed over her lips, lighting up her features brightly, she quickly slid her hands back down his body, her hands once again taking a hold of his own as she took a couple of steps backwards towards the way they had originally emerged at the temple from, “Come, let us rejoin the feast! There is much to celebrate!”

Allowing one of her hands to slip away from his as she turned her back towards him, she began making her way back the way that they had come, leading him back out of the temple clearing and into the forest, following the familiar path and the sounds of the celebration back to the feast they had disappeared from earlier.