Can't I just be a vegetarian? [Meesh&Aries]

[Meesh]

Silva wagged her tail as they ran, glad to be having fun like this with her friend. "Just try and catch me!" she retorted.

As they neared the Orchard, Silva slowed down to a trot, not quite looking her friend. She knew what she wanted to do here as well, but she didn't exactly know how to ask it. Should she just be outright and say 'I want to sleep under a tree with you'? Or perhaps be more subtle. Silva had always thought she was pretty good with talking to others, but she had never quite found herself in this situation. What did one do when they liked someone else? What did they say? Silva probably should have asked Nerah about these kinds of things a long time ago, but she had never quite imagined it would happen to her.

As they padded towards the Kata-hal tree, Antares suggested they rest. She blinked, fur prickling. Was he asking that they...? Or maybe she was just assuming...

Well, there was really only one way to find out. Taking a deep breath, Silva said in a quiet voice quite unlike her usual one. "I've er.....I've always liked you a lot, Antares" looking down at her paws

[Aries]

Antares felt his heart skip a beat, did she really just say she liked him..a lot? He stood for a moment unable to choke out a response. He wanted to tackle her and give her a thousand licks and stay by her side forever. He felt as if he was on top of the world, but he felt so small at the same time.

"I.. I feel the same about you." the feline managed to murmur after a moment, scooting closer to her. He used his muzzle to lift hers, looking into her beautiful golden eyes which shone with emotion. He struggled to keep himself from shaking, he didn't think he'd ever been so happy in his life.

[Meesh]

Silva's eyes shone at Antares's response, tail begging to wag, slowly at first, and then faster. For a moment, she was just as speechless as Antares, and then she leaned forward to meet his nuzzle with a lick on the sheek, eyes shining with emotion. "Y-you do?" Never in all her wildest dreams had Silva imagined that she would be this lucky, never in a thousand years.
"I'm so glad" Silva smiled with all her heart, nuzzling Antares once more. A flicker of nervousness grew as she hesitated, wondering how to ask her next question. Silva looked up to the Kata-hal tree, which they were now under, then back and Antares, hesitating. Despite her joy at Antares's revelation, she was just as tired as he from the run and the meal. She paused. You already did the hard part, Silva, now just ask him
"S-so, do you want to take a nap under here?"

[Aries]

"Yes, a million times, yes!" the feline finally managed to get his voice back. He was so over joyed he thought his muzzle would rip due to the massive grin is was harboring. Never would he have thought that he'd have the girl of his dreams. Antares looked up at the Kata-hal tree as Silva did, hoping she was thinking the same as he was.

"I think you read my mind~" Antares gave her another lick on the cheek, looking for the softest spot by the roots. He had never done this before, but he wanted both of them to be comfortable in doing it. He found a soft, dry spot that would fit the both of them near immediately.

"Ladies first, m'dear." the feline moved smoothly out of the way and gestured for her to lay down.

[Meesh]

Silva thought her tail might fall off, it was wagging so hard. She practically bounded over to the tree, looking expectantly at Antares for him to follow her. Seeing that he did, she gave another grin and a nuzzle, unable to resist. Antares pointed out a spot that looked perfect, soft and dry and warm and right between several roots of the Kata-hal tree. Silva practically squee'd with excitement, she was so happy.

She padded forward into the spot and curled up comfortably. The moss was soft and springy under her paws, it made the perfect bed. Already she could feel her eyelids beginning to grow heavy. "Pretty comfortable here, but it's a little big for just one. Care to join me?" Silva asked with a grin and a wink, scooting over.

[Aries]

Antares smiled as she passed him and settled down between the roots on the spot he'd found. He didn't think he'd ever be able to frown again, it was as if he was stuck in a perpetual state of grinning. He certainly didn't see a problem with it, he loved to smile and be happy, possibly more than average native.

"Absolutely~" the feline picked his way across the roots and curled up in the spot the canine made next to her. He buried his muzzle in her soft onyx fur, lulled to sleep by her radiating warmth. Deep sleep came quickly, his aching limbs melting away in sweet sleep.

Please grant us a kit, please...

[Meesh]

As Antares curled up next to her, Silva sighed softly, eyes closing in contentment. Never had she meant it more than now, this was the happiest day of her life. As he pressed his muzzle into her fur, Silva sighed with contentment and returned the gesture, laying her head on top of his sleek black furred body. Her eyes flickered and grew heavy, and finally closed completely as the canine settled down next to her friend and mate. The last thing she said was "I love you" in a soft voice before drifting away to slumberland. Today was the best of days.
Thank you, Antares

[Aries]

the next morning
- - -

Antares awoke from his deep slumber, careful to not wake Silva from her own dreams. He gathered himself up, yawning in a deep stretch. He sat with his tail curled round his paws on the thick root of the Kata-hal tree, watching the canine sleep. She's so peaceful as she rests he thought, as his muzzle raised to a soft smile. The feline without a thought raised his head to the branches to search for any new pods, to his surprise a small green pod that surely wasn't there they day before hung from a low hanging branch just above him.

"Silva... Silva... Good morning my sweet sunshine~" Antares licked her cheek and prodded her, softly whispering in her ear. "Look!"

[Meesh]

A muzzle prodded her cheek, making her yawn and shift, eyes fluttering open. she blinked sleepily at Antares until memories from yesterday flooded back in a rush and she leaped to her paws, nuzzling Antares. "Morning, love~" she said happily, tail wagging in greeting as she smiled softly at him, eyes shining with happiness. At his prod, she looked up at the Kata-hal tree. For a moment, she didn't see anything unusual. Immature pods sprouted from several branches among the tree's thick, heavy fruit, ripening in the Autumn sunshine.
Finally, she noticed it. A pod, newly sprouted. Too new to have been growing for any more than a few hours. Silva stared at it, eyes widening as she put two and two together before she practically leaped into the air, whooping in happiness. "Do you know what this means? Antares, we're going to be parents!" Silva practically tacklehugged Antares, licking his cheek, tail wagging so hard she thought it might fall off. "Do you think it's be a boy or girl? Canine or Feline? It'll probably have coats like us, right? Today is the GREATEST day~"

[Aries]

Antares smiled as Silva opened her sparkling yellow eyes and waited calmly as she found the newly growing pod that couldn't be anyone but theirs. His whiskers twitched as her eyes widened in the sudden realization that they would be parents. "Yes, yes!" Antares chuckled returning her excited nuzzles with licks.

"I don't know, I guess we're just going to have to wait and see~"" he purred and brushed his flank against hers, burying his muzzle in the soft, thick fur on her neck. "I agree wholeheartedly!" he struggled to stay cool. He wanted to jump up and down and scream like a little kit in his excitement.

- - -
many days and nights later

Antares laid in the dappled sunshine of the Kata-hal tree, where he'd been for too long to count the days. He and Silva guarded the tree day and night since the night they slept under the tree to discover that a new pod had formed as they slept which certainly contained their kit. Now that the stem the pod hung from looked about ready to snap under the pod's weight Antares hardly moved from his position just out of the way of where it would soon drop.

[Meesh]

Silva lay curled up by Antares, eyes closed slightly as she dozed, but both ears perked in the direction of the pod. Ever since the discovery of the pod, either she or Antares had been by the steadily growing pod day and night, with one of them occasionally leaving for the brief stretch or hunt. Ever since the pod had reached its full size, both parents had been eagerly awaiting its hatching. Now all they had to do was wait.

He slumbered.
For as long he could remember, he was always sleeping, dreaming, in his little pod that was all the world he'd ever known. Sometimes he would sense one presence, or two, outside of his world, but he dismissed them always as dreams and slept on. Now, something was twitching in the back of his mind, something he had never felt before. A need to awaken. His cinnamon colored eyes flickered, then opened, as he looked, for the first time, at his pod that was his home and world, that was everything to him.
And suddenly, it was not enough.
Almost in the moment of that revelation, his home began falling, down, down, until it hit something soft (the moss) with a dull thud. And suddenly, light, streaming in through the cracks in his pod. He squinted at the light, then realized he needed to see more. Unusually powerful legs kicked out, and for the first time, found themselves wiggling in open air.
For a minute, he lay like that, on his back, completely in his pod except for his hind legs, before his front paws pushed at his pod, breaking it apart completely.
He lay there, curled up, exhausted, for a few seconds. And then, he pushed himself up onto his feet. His head was that of his mother, Silva, a canine. But his body was smooth and sleek, like that of a feline, like his father. Dark fur was accented with even darker stripes. The first mix stood up, eyes open, discovering, for the first time, the world.

[Aries]

Antares fidgeted excitedly as he saw the pod begin to move, it'd be happening any second now. The pod's stem snapped and hit the soft ground with a thud. Unable to control his excitement he leaped up, a low purring sound resonating in his throat. Two dark striped legs shot out of the pod, then the other two making the pod crumble, revealing a pup that was neither canine or feline. Its head was canine, much like Silva's, while its body was feline like his, though its hind legs were more canine with claws that weren't retractable. The creature was truly magnificent.

"Hello there sweetheart, welcome to the world. I'm your father, Antares." the feline licked the pup and picked him up from his scruff out of the crumbled remains of his pod, setting him back down on a patch of clean moss. "Silva, he's beautiful!" he turned and licked his mate, proud of what they had created.

[Meesh]

Silva was awake almost the moment her mate was, staring in excitement as the pod wriggled, then fell to the ground, beginning to crack. Hard tabby hind legs popped out, and then the shell cracked open, revealing what was possibly the most gorgeous little creature Silva has ever seen. If she could, she would have been purring just as loudly as Antares. As it was, he tail nearly fell off form wagging so much, gazing at her mate and child with pride and love.
She smiled as Antares picked up the mix by his scruff, depositing him on his rump in the moss. Bending down to give him a lick between the ears, she added "And I'm your mother, Silva", turning and licking Antares on the side of the face. "He's the most gorgeous little one ever" she assured him, heart bursting with joy.


The mix stared up with wide eyes at the two black furred creatures that called themselves his mother and father. What was a mother and father? The affection pouring out of them was clear, however, and slowly, he let out a soft, hesitant purr, tail giving a flick in an imitation of his mother's wag. He paused a moment, eyes narrowing in concentration as he thought about what the creatures had done- moving their mouths and making noises, noises that he understood. How did they do it? A few more moments of thinking and a proper response came to his mind, he opened his mouth with confidence now. "Hello" he said softly, smiling up at his mother and father. "Hello. I'm Shadow" the purr intensified, and the tail flick became an actual wag.

[Aries]

"He is isn't he?" his purring made his voice vibrate as he looked down on the beautiful mixed breed. The pride he felt was overwhelming, and sent waves of warmth through his body. He say back on his rear, all of the emotions going through his head was making him dizzy.

"That's a very suiting name for you~" Antares's purr grew louder as the pup spoke his first words, he was so proud.The large feline dipped his head and gave him a nuzzle, careful to not knock him over. "Hmmm." he thought for a moment, surely the mix was hungry. He remembered being famished after first hatching. He quickly turned and trotted to the Tart Cerasus tree and knocked a few of the walnut sized fruits from the tree. He then bounded back over and laid them at Shadow's paws.

[Meesh]

Shadow blinked at the odd round things given to him by his father. "What're there?"
Silva shot her mate a greatful glance, eyes shining, before saying softly. "It's food dear, you put it in your mouth and swallow. It's good, try some" Shadow hesitated, then bent his head over to first nibble, then swallow, the strange food. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now, but wow, this was delicious! Soon, the food was gone and then mixed smiled contentedly and sleepily. "Thank you, daddy" he said happily, walking over to twine between his father's legs, purring in contentment.
Silva's eyes shone in pride as she sat by her mate, watching the little mix. "Shadow is indeed the perfect name" she agreed, as happy as a canine could possibly be