Lion Head Mesa priestess

tavina was being sent on a trip.

which meant nala was wholly unguarded for the next day or two. so her plan was to be as small and silent as possible. she trusted that senmut might allow her to remain in his space for most waking hours — and when she was not with him she imagined she would be teaching the young princess toula.

anything to avoid the calling of pharaoh.

still she knew she had duties that needed attending to beyond the halls of worship. which was why she was here, scurrying down the hall towards the open air.

ok ok i know u tagged me in another thread but i like replying to old stuff bc lonely threads make me sad---

"woah, woah there nell-eh!" the tiny dog exclaimed at his vertically blessed comrade-in-species. scurrying girl nearly walked over him! but he was, of course, not the least bit offended, instead opting for a laugh.

"where ya off to in such rush?" 

he tried to plaster on a light grin, but his eyes betrayed worry.

( some days, it seemed like nala's rise in rank did nothing to lessen her stress. )

would you like to do the other one as well or just this one? :)

she had not meant to nearly run over the neb!

all at once she bowed, deeply for a moment. then rose back to her small (not as small as her friend, mind you) height.

tavina was sent on a trip. perhaps that would explain some of her rushed movements and need to be a busied body. i have many things i must learn and do still as hemet! but i am sure you know how busy life here can be.

let's see how this one goes and then we can hop on to the newer one :D i want alllll the nala threads!

he did not look approvingly at how she bowed to him. yes, yes, as neb he was used to this behavior, but nala was more than simple servant. trough tavina, she mattered quite a bit to the man.

"aah, ah did hear that. bit... weird n sudden, but 'tween you n me..." he did not finish that sentence, his gaze sliding off nala and down the hallway which intersected the one they stood in.

every noise, reverberated a bit.

"say!" gucci swiftly turned, now faking a huge grin. "why doncha escort me out, hm? take this ol' dog on a walk 'round the block?" his head gestured to the exit, his tail forced robotic swishes.

some words, deep rooted in her brain, unlocked like a sleeper agent of sorts. walk continued to be one. so she perked up further at once. all too pleased to be allowed to escort her dear friend, and be beyond the eyes of pharaoh.

it would be an honor! but her wispy tail waved behind her despite her formalities.

but she found herself wishing to talk about the good things to look forward to. despite the cold air and her trembling ways.

has tavina told you of our...plans, at all?

it was chilling outside, but a fair enough price to pay for some semblance of privacy. he knew clever @Midas and bright @Medusa occupied their villa at this hour, and the man did not wish to see his children dragged into politics by means of a carelessly uttered word from the snouts of adults.

not just yet, at least.

"-fraid nawt." gucci spoke, keeping his eyes on the icy road coiling around the mesa.

( occasionally, they'd dart upwards, just to check for hawks. )

"kids keepin' me busy, tavina keepin' you busy..." the little man winked at his friend, and nudged her leg with his shoulder. "...so naw."

she laughed, warm and dazzled. she wondered how his children would be when they reached their first year, what they might wish to do.

we would like to be wedded soon... but her voice halted, lingered. a sign there was more to tell and yet she didn't!

not yet.

"well con-gra-tu-lations!" the toy breed yapped, his tail now sincerely wagging. much deserved for them both!

he did catch onto her hesitation, and his eyes narrowed, further squished by a smile.

"so what's it, gon be a weird wedding? mabbe you in a rush?" a dramatic gasp. "don't tell me it's shotgun?" 

gucci giggled at his own joke.

no! none of it. she laughed along with him, gently waving away the idea. even if her next news after wedding discussions may only make him further think it might be shotgun!

we'd like something smaller. you, maybe the priest senmut...at where we met. sheepish and shy! she was leading up to the bigger news still!

"mm, most romantic! and where's it you met? cards on table, too far out and you hafta carry me." gucci nodded down at his own hurried steps besides the longer-legged dog.

"buuut..." once again, eyes narrowed. this time he managed to stifle his ever-present smile. "there's sum-thang ya ain't telliiin' me 'bout, nalaaa." he sing-sung.

despite the effort, his tail began to ferociously wag. "come on girl, speak!"

i would carry you anywhere, gucci! she assured him with a breathless laugh. enamored by the man she had come to call friend.

then he was on the hunt again! bloodhound instead of chihuahua in that moment.

speak! near instinctively she barked out a laugh. flushed and embarrassed by her own excitement. yet it was good not to think about tavina in the hours she would be gone. how horribly she missed her to-be-wife(!) now.

we want children. and she did not look upon gucci as a man who might take advantage of that knowledge she shared now. no, she saw him only as comfort in this news and maybe a guiding hand. he was a father in akashingo, no?

her bark broke his hardened investigator persona, and got him giggling so ferociously the man needed lean against his friend's leg for support.

and when the final truth was out, gucci froze. 

he remained stiff as a generously-stuffed taxidermy project, still from ears to tail. wide eyes stared at nothing.

then, the pupils rolled within their irises, and came to look the young woman in the face.

"NAL-AH!"

prancing and yipping and his tail wagging and dogtag tinkling, gucci bounced up to nala's foreleg as if attempting to scale the height of her, his tongue threateningly poking in the direction of her perfect, fuzzy face.

"oh that is most best beautiful news ya could'vah shared! oh, oh this shall be such joyous spring!"

her ears were promptly pierced by his voice.

"NAL-AH!"

she could not contain the giggle that escaped her! girlish despite such womanly news. she did not yet have it in her to tell him that part of her was terrified and prayed every day to the One she followed now. instead, she wished to share the joy with him.

do you have...tips maybe? about, um, anything really.

she did not need the talk, but sure she did need a pep talk!

gucci hurried to calm himself - or at least, present the image of having calmed - smoothing down his ruff and cheek fluff. deep breaths. deep breaths.

but his tail betrayed the excitement.

"sah, first thang first," he began. "cool ya jets. it's gon' be jest right. you'se an akashingo girl now, n there ain't naw fellahin gon decline givin' aid tah th' doc's ladypal."

he winked.

"second; start now sayin' goodbyes tah any precious thangs ya've got. kids? they's got teeth. don't look like it, but they do."

"third; maybe spend a stint in mere-oh. soldier trainin's got parental applications, ah reckon..."

and gucci went on and on.

fade soon and move on to other thread?:D you can move that one all the way to january if it fits your timeline!