[PRP] Just Around The Bend (Wrapped in a Promise x Born to Lounge)

[HuniPi]

Promise would say she was the kind of doe who was always at the cusp of something. What exactly that something was, she didn't know. It could be a discovery, an adventure, a tragedy, a triumph, just something always just out of reach.

It was not to say that her life has been terrible, because all things considered there was nothing worth of note with any of her hardships. Come to think of it, everything in her life has been exceptionally ordinary.

But as much as she hated this state of tedium and mundanity, she believed in her heart of hearts that it was only temporary. It was what kept her going, despite days blurring into weeks, into months, into seasons. There had to be something for her in the future. She'll know it when she saw it.

[doomsayer]

Born to Lounge led a comfortable life. She had isolated a spot in the flat marsh where the trees and roots grow to make a natural enclosure of greenery and flowers. This small corner of the swamp that she calls her own shields her from the unsightly outsiders coming from the plains, the desert, the caves, and the mountains. It also housed her many, many pets and familiars who do her bidding and tend to her every wish. Food was plentiful and easily within reach. The water that flowed in the nearby stream cutting through the enclosure was clean, clear, and refreshing. It was her pride for her den's beauty to match her own.

Every once in a while, some kin would stumble into her little haven. She did not mind their presence, as long as they did what she expected of them. Many of her visitors would see her and her host of animals and immediately voice out their admiration. They would rain praise about her mane, her hue, her markings, her glow. They would bring gifts to her animals and comment on how well behaved an organized they were. Even if they were the other, uglier kin, as long as they showered her with admiration, she would tolerate their time spent in her presence.

She lives for the adulation of the many, yet what she really wants is the company of the beautiful. It is so rare to have another Kimeti of considerable attraction wander into her den. The last time had been many springs ago, and she feels oh so starved of a vision of pure allure. So she spends her days lounging on a patch of fine fescues, ordering Oppressor and Bludgeon to keep the smaller animals in line, and keeping an eye out for her next visitor.

[HuniPi]

Promise kept moving through the swamp, the landscape changing as she wandered listlessly. She would stop every so often, ears twitching as if something in the wind was whispering to her. Whatever it was the wind spoke of, she listened to it as rather than continuing on the straight path she'd been traversing, she sharply turned around to retrace her steps.

The kimeti doe eventually found herself following a stream. She realized she'd gone past this area of the swamp countless times before but had no reason to truly explore the surroundings.

Until today.

The stream flowed into an enclosure that was out of sight unless one specifically sought it out. Wrapped in a Promise beamed, her chest swelling in excitement as if she'd discovered something secret and precious.

[doomsayer]

Welcomer crows, both as a welcome and as a warning to those within, as a new visitor comes through the threshold of the den, as is their duty to the menagerie and their master.


From the roots of the trees floats up Innocent, calling the attention of the new visitor with its gentle bobbing and attempting to guide them further inside.


Born To Lounge stirs upon her resting place, savoring the feeling of anticiaption as she hears her menagerie wake and start their performance for the new visitor--a new admirer she will no doubt make out of them. From her hidden spot, she speaks into the den, letting the air carry her voice through the space, Come into my den; it is the prettiest little den you ever will see. Come see all my pets; have food, water, and rest if that is what you need. Come in deeper if you wish to seek an audience with me.

[HuniPi]

A shiver ran down Promise's spine as she ventured deeper in, the anticipation mounting. She smiled down at the marshfowl that greeted her, but before she could ask it anything, the bright yellow jelly floated into view. She'd only ever seen the longer tentacles ones, and couldn't help but coo in delight at the shortened, rounded stingers.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sound of another kin. A doe, at that. Promise couldn't see where the voice was coming from, but the jelly was bobbing towards it, leading her onward and inward.

"Thank you for the invitation," she said almost breathless. "I would hate to trespass and cause offence." The wind picked up, threading through the curls of Promise's hair and causing her ribbon-tail to flutter behind her as she rounded into view.

As mentioned, there were more pets here, and indeed her host was not exaggerating how lovely the den was. The foliage was well maintained, the grass looked soft and inviting, but it did not, could not compare to the kin who called the den hers.

[doomsayer]

Flanked by her animals that currently have her fancy, who are in turn flanked by her enforcers Bludgeon and Oppressor, Born To Lounge steps out of her hidden spot to make an entrance for her new visitor; slowly flipping her hair into position to draw their eye to her beautiful markings. Methodically she steps, bending her ankle so that her hooves and the tufts of fur on them are the first thing the visitors will see as she appears. Her expression is fixed in a smolder to further emphasize the contrast of her glow and dark hues.

Look upon me and behold! Greetings dearest visitor, I--

She quietly gasps as she sees her new visitor for the first time. Never has she seen another kimeti doe with such elegant features. The curls of her locks, the flow of her unique tail, the striking gradient of her colors. Born To Lounge could not help but drop her smolder and smile widely at such a brillient view!

I am Born To Lounge and this is my den. What is your name?

[HuniPi]

Wrapped in a Promise held her breath at the other doe's entrance. And what an entrance it was! The dark-haired kimeti doe's heart skipped a beat and for a moment, her mind went blank.

The pets flanking the other doe seems to fade into the background, or was it more that Promise couldn't help but be focused on the rose-like shape of her hair, the imperious curve of her horn, the golden glow of her haunch and how it only deepened the shadowy hues of her coat. Promise had seen other kin glow, yes, but Born to Lounge shone.

Promise wasn't certain if she managed to keep her own composure in check, or had her features indicated how awestruck she was? Did it matter? Almost breathless, she responded "I am Wrapped in a Promise. And I must say your den pales in comparison to you."

[doomsayer]

Born To Lounge could not help but let out a measured laugh as Wrapped in a Promise's first words to her was a compliment. The doe already shows that she is the perfect example of Born To Lounge's ideal visitor.

She saunters closer to the doe, entering her personal space but not quite touching. At this distance, she slowly circles the doe, getting an eyeful of her while giving her the chance to get a closer look as well.

"I hold in high regard those who immediately appreciate the beauty I have cultivated here. And you, my dear, are quite a sight to behold as well. Tell me Wrapped in a Promise, what led you into my den?"

[HuniPi]

Heat spread across Wrapped in a Promise's face when Born to Lounge came incredibly close to her. She angled her head, taking care to drink in the sight of the doe and commit this vision to memory.

"Words have incredible power so I only speak the truth." There wasn't a hint of guile in Promise's words, nor any sign of embarrassment as she answered "I believe destiny is what led me here."

[doomsayer]

"Destiny, hmmm? I can't say I believe much in that metaphysical rigmarole. But if it is what brought you here, to me, then I am very thankful. Come, sit with me by the stream. The cool air it brings is good for our complexion and the taste of the water is almost sweet."

Born To Lounge spins around, leisurely swaying her hips from side to side as she walks, making sure that the glow on her haunch is the center of attention to the doe behind her.

She sits at the edge of the stream and takes a long sip, her eyes focused on Wrapped in a Promise the entire time as their reflection on the mirror-like surface of the water is only momentarily broken by the ripples on the surface. When she raises her head from the water, she gestures for the other doe to take a sip as well and admire their appearance side by side as shown by nature itself.

[HuniPi]

The lush plants growing within coupled with the stream gave the den a cool, refreshing atmosphere, absolutely perfect for relaxing and wiling away the hours of the day. But Wrapped in a Promise couldn't help but feel a little bit on the warm side. Thankfully her coat was naturally red, else the flush she was feeling would be far more obvious to the other doe.

She wasn't hesitant but she certainly needed to be brought out of her reverie of simply watching the mesmerizing doe. The invitation did just that. She was moving before she realized it, seating herself beside the other doe without once taking her eyes off Born to Lounge.

"Please feel comfortable to chastise me if my admiration of you becomes too much. I've been told I could be intense."

[doomsayer]

The reflection of both does bounces off of the surface of the stream, the red hues of Wrapped in a Promise subtly coloring the roots and plants in their immediate vicinity the colors of the sunset, creating a warm, soothing mood, and accentuating the dark colors of Born To Lounge's flanks.

"My dear, your admiration is very, very welcome here. In fact, the more intense, the better. You see my pets? They are wholly devoted to me. They serve to provide me both function and beauty, and in exchange, I protect them, let them stay in the comfort and safety of this place and allow them to become part of the alluring environment that I foster. Such loyalty and committment requires a certain measure of intensity. And it is receiving this devotion and loyalty from which I draw fervor, my raison d'etre. It is in being praised for creating this place and fostering my own beauty that gives me pleasure. If only I could find kin who would surrender themselves to me in the same way!"

Born To Lounge leans forward, leaving barely an inch between their faces, "Tell me, Wrapped in a Promise, what is your life's purpose?"

[HuniPi]

It's almost instinctive for Wrapped in a Promise to respond: "I could be that kin!" She'd hung onto every word Born to Lounge had spoken and there was no reference to any other kin who remained in her den for long. When given permission to give it her all, a dreamy smile spread across her face.

"I have been searching for my purpose my whole life," she said. "I have traveled far out from the swamp, as far as the ache would allow and reached the plains, the dunes, and the foot of the mountains. The landscapes were beautiful, desolate, often times harsh. Things were always amiss. Something was incomplete. Never would I have thought my purpose would be so close to home in the swamp."

She dared not touch the other doe, not without permission at least. "I've met all sorts of kin with all manner of beautiful markings and unique features. But none of them have rendered me speechless and breathless the way you did in that moment I laid eyes upon you. It was as if the MotherFather themselves led me here. To you. Would you allow me to surrender myself to you, Born to Lounge?"

[doomsayer]

Born To Lounge knew this was coming. Wrapped in a Promise was enraptured by her and her den since she stepped across the threshold. The doe clearly wanted--needed to be here. Like a fly in a spider's web, Born To Lounge spun the latter's curiosity, her wonder, her yearning, her propensity into an offer she cannot refuse.

She stands and moves to beside Wrapped in a Promise, their sides pressed against each other while Born To Lounge lifts her lips to the doe's ears,
Oh yes, my dear. I'll have all of you, and you will be both witness and accomplice to my many, many plans.

The pets and familiars of the den all circle around the two does, making strained sounds of celebration as Born To Lounge nuzzles the back of the neck of her new pet.