The walk to his den had the girl enamored with the Bluffs, never had she been this high up even in her tree tops, she didn't want to annoy him with questions so she just took it all in. Her legs slightly ached as she went up higher, following obediently, ever the faithful friend. once they'd settled into the den and she'd memorized the ways up to it and down to the earth below, and after a much needed rest stop, she was roused from her rest.

Finally. Finally she would see all of Amaryllis from the heavens, the excitement couldn't be squashed, her heart beating fast as she breathed in the air, though not by much, it was certainly different than what she breathed on the ground. She found it breathtaking, and gave her the slightest ache, though she couldn't quite place why that was exactly, her green eyes were wide and filled with wonder, her body trembling with excitement. Never once did she slip, or show signs of a fear of being this high up, her legs carrying her as high as she could, steady and sure footed with each step. You gonna let me beat you to the top? She teased him, eyes finding his before she leaned in and nipped at his throat and chin, her purrs loud, her teeth teasing against his neck.

@Ryker

Honestly, he'd missed the place. Sure, it was no more comfortable than the sandy expanse he'd ruled, but stone didn't get into all his crevices and the bluffs really did have a fantastic view of the rest of the lands. He still knew the paths, and remained as sure-footed as ever even on the more treacherous spots. Wobbly stones and ledges just wide enough to put one paw directly in front of another.

First, he'd ensured his den was still untouched. Aside from a few cobwebs that had settled in the corners, it was pretty much as he'd left it - bare aside from a slightly dusty zebra pelt spread across the floor. He'd thought it was funny, given how many liked to compare him to the striped critter.

From there, the promised tour. Up and up, winding their way toward the highest point, and she proved her competence on the terrain. Which was good, 'cause explaining how she'd plummeted off a ledge to her death would have been super awkward. Probably more awkward if she got the same 'cleanup' treatment he'd witnessed once before.

Her teasing was met with a smirk, about half a second before he melted away, disappearing down a hidden side path without warning, only to reappear a few yards ahead a few seconds later. "Nope." The grin he flashed carried a hint of a challenge, "Keep up if you can." And then he was gone, over the slight rise and around a bend that would lead further up, but was hidden to view from the angle which they'd been approaching.

@Levana

I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

Fighting my way through the sins of the street I'm feeling psycho, psycho Where did my mind go? Biting my tongue and I'm loading my gun Back to the wind, better run, better run I'm feeling crazy, crazy Go 'head and make me It's the life that I can't escape, can't walk away There's blood in the ocean And I'm losing focus I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

code by corvus

i live inside my own world of make-believe

It's hard to breathe but that's alright, Hush

She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the pride, her eyes had settled on the striped pelt in the den area and then found Ryker's form, a small giggle escaped her throat before they were off again.

They made their way up, her eyes danced across the terrain, happily taking in everything, and she peered Down, taking in the height they were already at. Normal lions would have balked at the sheer height they were ascending, but not Levana, no, she squealed in delight, excitement bursting in her.

She watched Him smirk, and then disappear and reappear up ahead with a grin before he was gone again and she was on the move, paws carrying her up, she used the ledges to propel herself up, and climbed faster and faster. Near the top she slowed her pace, a smug grin on her face, using her back legs to leap forward and up, class digging into rocks as she climbed up.

CODE BY CORVUS

Up and up and up, reveling in the burning of muscles out of practice with the climb. The oasis had been its own challenge to navigate - shifting sands were tiring to walk, at first - but it didn't quite compare to the workout of scaling the bluffs. And, here, when his claws sought to grip, they didn't slide through uncountable grains.

Soon enough, they could go no higher. A flat space opened up, and Ryker made his way to the very edge to stand and look out over the lands spread out so far below. There was no fear, no anxious thrill, just a sense of rightness. As if this was where he belonged, towering above all. It was lucky he had no desire to dethrone Amara, or invite the wrath of her family.

Up so high, the wind never really stopped, but it had always been invigorating to point his nose into it and let it wash over him. "What'd I tell you? Best view in the land." He flashed a grin at the girl. Privately, a part of him hoped her family never set their sights on the bluffs, and another part almost hoped they did, if only for the carnage that would almost certainly come from it. Outwardly, though, he was all relaxed charm.

@Levana

I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

Fighting my way through the sins of the street I'm feeling psycho, psycho Where did my mind go? Biting my tongue and I'm loading my gun Back to the wind, better run, better run I'm feeling crazy, crazy Go 'head and make me It's the life that I can't escape, can't walk away There's blood in the ocean And I'm losing focus I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

code by corvus

mummy don't know daddy's getting hot

At the body shop, doing something unholy

Levana had thrown herself up and over the ledge, coming to rest atop the mountainous bluff, she stood in awe for a moment, she had never seen anything so tall, she'd never been this high up, it was invigorating. Her fur blew and waved with the wind, her green eyes were wide with stunned excitement .

Then they land on @Ryker and they soften, the lioness dips her head a bit and moves to be closer to him, now that they were alone she felt more comfortable sliding against him, her head bumps under his chin and she gently trailed her back under his head. Stopping when his chin rested on the middle of her back, she then trailed around him again, stopping when she could sit back on her haunches and lean against him, her shoulder and head resting against his chest as she looked out over Amaryllis.

"Its gorgeous..." She said softy, her head tilting to look up at him, eyes sparkingly, she meant it, the few was gorgeous, nothing would ever compare, at least not to her. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

CODE BY CORVUS

She would join him near the edge without a hint of fear or hesitation, and he'd nip lightly at her back when she paused in her slide. As she seated herself, he'd do the same, welcoming her weight against him with a quick swipe of his tongue up the back of her neck. "Oh I don't make promises I don't keep." The tone was light with just the right hint of warmth. Words that sounded sweet unless one knew him well enough to understand that meant all sorts of promises - for good or ill.

With his chin, he gestured in the direction of the desert and the dark spot that marked the oasis, "Look, you can see Andal from here." She'd never gotten a proper introduction to the place, not really, but it was the first landmark he thought she might recognize. And knowing where the oasis was in relation to the bluffs might give a better idea of what all they'd actually had to cross to go from there to the bluffs after the storm.

@Levana

I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

Fighting my way through the sins of the street I'm feeling psycho, psycho Where did my mind go? Biting my tongue and I'm loading my gun Back to the wind, better run, better run I'm feeling crazy, crazy Go 'head and make me It's the life that I can't escape, can't walk away There's blood in the ocean And I'm losing focus I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

code by corvus

mummy don't know daddy's getting hot

At the body shop, doing something unholy

His nip at her neck caused the lioness to shiver gently, once seated he would gently swiped the back of her neck with his tongue causing her to purr under his touch, his words brought her a sense of comfort. She would muzzle under his chin and look out from their perch, eyes taking in every bit of the land before them, the thrill of being this high up gave her a touch of pride, bordering on God complex due to her feeling on top of the world.

She felt his gesture out towards the land and her eyes found the dark spot he spoke of, "Sad, I never got to see it under your rule." She gave a soft sigh, before gently turning her face into his neck and began gently grooming his throat, pressing small love bites into his fur, her fangs gently tracing across the skin under his coat. "I never got to thank you for saving me either and bringing me to safety across that much distance." She purred seductively into his ear, gently punctuating her words with her jaws nipping at his cheek.

CODE BY CORVUS

Shoulders lifted in a casual shrug, "There's better places to rule." From a strategic standpoint, it had been the perfect target. He'd even managed to do what he'd set out to accomplish and knocked an enemy off Wolfbron's list. But the desert sucked. Hard. His top choice would be the bluffs themselves, but he'd promised Amara he wouldn't come for her crown, and he really did keep his promises.

Well. Most of the time.

As long as it remained beneficial for him, he had no trouble keeping them. And then there were those special kind that weren't real to begin with, but served a purpose nonetheless.

Anyway, the second choice was somewhere like the rainforest, or maybe the brook. Somewhere with enough natural security and privacy but not nearly as much dark, like the hollows, or muck, like the mire.

Had it been anyone else, he might have been far more reluctant to let teeth near his throat - he already had a nice fresh pink scar from Leander - but the idea that she might hurt him didn't enter his mind. Her purred thanks earned a warm hum, edged in amusement, "Well, what'd you expect?" That he'd leave her behind in the storm? Or the desert after? To either find her own way or succumb to the elements? Not before he'd been certain she wasn't carrying a little piece or two of him around in her.

@Levana

I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

Fighting my way through the sins of the street I'm feeling psycho, psycho Where did my mind go? Biting my tongue and I'm loading my gun Back to the wind, better run, better run I'm feeling crazy, crazy Go 'head and make me It's the life that I can't escape, can't walk away There's blood in the ocean And I'm losing focus I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

code by corvus

mummy don't know daddy's getting hot

At the body shop, doing something unholy

?He shrugs off the loss of.his.crown with.relatove ease and she respects him morefornthat instead of.being whiny or childish, she sits with him, enjoying the view, enjoying this moment. "My family, they're in Andal still." She said.softly, she hadn't gotten to mention her interaction with her father yet. "I saw my father after we came here. Well he found me taking a nap." Still not in the light about their bad blood, she shrugs, "He wanted me to join them. But I declined."

His hum after appreciation brings her dark forest green eyes to look doe like up at him, her heart was thumping against her chest and she shrugged lightly, "I don't know what I expected. But you've exceeded."

CODE BY CORVUS

Funny what effect a simple statement could have. There was a flare of irritation that coursed through him upon learning her family had returned to Andal after the storm, but it was carefully hidden. Outwardly, he remained as calm and relaxed as ever. He didn't rule the place anymore, but he had to wonder if it meant the oasis would once become an enemy of the bluffs. If that happened, he'd let someone else tear it down this time. He'd had more than enough of sand in uncomfortable places.

"Really?" His tone was genuine and curious, a brow arching at all of it - the family still in Andal, the meeting with her father, her refusal to join them. It was the last that had him the most interested, but he was an old pro at moderating his voice and body language, "Good to know they made it through the storm okay," less the okay part and more that they were still around and where they were, but he made it seem like real relief. "What'd you tell your dad?" Here the amusement seeped back in, a teasing edge added, as if implying she might have used the excuse of shacking up with her new fling, if in less colorful terms.

Anyway, he could hardly be proud of exceeding expectations when those expectations had never been defined. Ryker grinned, a light laugh accompanying the expression, "That's really vague but I'll take it."

@Levana

I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

Fighting my way through the sins of the street I'm feeling psycho, psycho Where did my mind go? Biting my tongue and I'm loading my gun Back to the wind, better run, better run I'm feeling crazy, crazy Go 'head and make me It's the life that I can't escape, can't walk away There's blood in the ocean And I'm losing focus I'm a friend of the devil I'm a dangerous rebel

code by corvus