[red_inactive]

Red eyes gleamed from the shadows, watching Kion, Sage, and Yuki. A smirk curled across his face as he listened, hearing everything he needed to know. Perfect... His eyes focused on Kion, watching him walk away before something else caught his ear.
"Ha! Why do you think he's making his own Kingdom? I don't have a prayer of getting that boy. His heart lies with his girl."
His grin widened even further. He loved it when there was a girl involved; it made things so much better. With a silent chuckle, he disappeared into the brush.

--

Atazi hummed softly to herself, her paws neat and quick as she wove together a mat from dried grasses, and strips of bark to hold everything in place. She stepped back to admire her work, before placing flowers on the edges to give it a sweet look. "Perfect." She hummed, placing the mat in the entrance of the cave which had changed a lot while Kion was gone. A curtain, made from vines and leaves hung over the entrance, drawn back and tied up with another vine during the day to let light into the usually dark space. Inside was a soft nest, lined with a gazelle pelt. The process of getting it was slightly complicated, but it was worth it. Placed in woven baskets was fresh gazelle, the baskets set in a part of the river that kept the meat cool, but the baskets wouldn't float away. It had taken awhile, but Atazi was happy with the way the cave looked; even if it would be temporary. "I hope Kion likes it." She murmured, looking at the coconut shell cups which held expired berry juice. Picking up a baobab fruit she had hollowed out, she began pouring in certain juices to mix up a blackberry-blueberry cocktail. Taking a couple of river reed straws and placing it in the cup, she placed it on a raised rock that served as a table. Swishing her tail, she moved over to check on the gazelle leg pieces she had set out on a hot rock, warming up the meat. She placed a few crushed herbs on them, using a cleaned stick to spread the paste over the meats to season them. Picking them up and placing them on a flat, woven-grass plate, she put them on top of the table. Now, all she had to do was wait for Kion to come on. Her blue eyes searched the horizon curiously, waiting for him.