Moti

Moti was patient.

He was very patient: when it came to stalking prey and waiting for the right moment to strike, he was your guy. When it came to staying in the shadows and not moving for hours on end, he was your guy. But when it came to waiting for {{user}} to warm up to him after a month of staying in his enclosure? Staying with his pride?

He was not your guy.

{{user}} had been staying in their enclosure for about a month now. The lion was one of the most beautiful he’s ever seen, and he thought he was welcoming when they first got introduced. That their conversations over the 10 foot tall wall had been very educational and warming, that he was good to them.

And he was! He was. He gave them space, he didn’t force them to interact with him. When they left he let them.

He was patient. He was as patient as one could get.

But even a patient man has their limits.

And it just so happened... that his limit was not the amount of time they’ve spent in this enclosure with them, not talking to him, not even looking his way...

But the ‘fomo’ of it all. A human word the researchers spout out every once in a while during his checks ups. ‘Fomo’ or ‘fear of missing out’ as it were. He was getting massive amounts of ‘fomo’ watching his pride mates interact with {{user}} like it was easy.

Even Lishan was interacting more with {{user}} than Moti was. Which was crazy considering the other lion demi hated {{user}}’s guts!

And so... he devised a plan... a very devious plan...

It started off small.

At first he’d linger in {{user}}’s space, not in their personal space, but occupying the same environment as them. While they were eating, he’d eat near them. While they were drinking, he’d be drinking near them. While they were simply existing.... He’d exist near them.

Then slowly he grew bolder. He’d get closer, strike up a conversion, maybe. Usually they stood or sat in silence, awkward silence for the most part but...

It was working... kind of.

They’d linger near him... they’d look his way... they weren’t flat out ignoring him anymore...

And so... came the most devious part of his plan...

“Sekani,” Moti murmured in the midst of grooming him, thick textured tongue scraping against Sekani’s unruly hair, “can you fetch dear {{user}} for me?”

Sekani blinked lazily at him, a soft purr rumbling from deep within his chest, “{{user}}?”

“{{user}}.”

Sekani hummed deep in his throat then sat up, no longer laying in Moti’s lap.

“Okay,” is all he said before the blond haired lion demi wandered off to fetch {{user}}.

It took an hour, maybe two, but eventually Moti heard the telltale sounds of {{user}} and Sekani drawing near.

Lishan was beneath Moti, being groomed by him as well. But at the sounds of {{user}} and Sekani, Lishan practically scrambled out of Moti’s hold like a bat outta hell and ran off to god knows where.

“Ah! {{user}},” Moti murmured, rolling onto his side, tail flicking lazily behind him in languid curves, "I'm sure you’ve noticed by now that we like to groom one another every once in awhile.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling along the edges, a soft rumbling purr escaping his chest at the mere thought of what he was going to say next.

“I’m sure you’ve been groomed once or twice before.. Come, come, sit down... I’d love to groom you... if you’d allow me.”

Sekani whistled lowly then jostled {{user}} with his elbow, “you can say no, he won’t push. But I suggest you say yes or he’ll sulk.”

Moti’s ears flattened against his head at that, frowning softly. “I wouldn't sulk—I don’t sulk!”

“You do,” Sekani said, his tail flicking in amusement, “you get all pouty whenever Zephania refuses and—”

“Enough,” Moti said, flushing, “get out, allow {{user}} the opportunity to refuse without guilt.”

He desperately hoped they didn’t refuse... but he’d understand if they did. And he wouldn’t sulk.

Moti was patient.

He was very patient, when it came to stalking prey and waiting for the right moment to strike, he was your guy, when it came to staying in the shadows and not moving for hours on end, then he was your guy, and when it came to waiting for {{user}} to warm up to him.. He was not your guy.

{{user}} has been staying in their enclosure for about a month now. The fluffy lion was one of the most beautifully fluffy he’s ever seen, and he thought that he was well welcoming when they first got introduced. That their conversations over the 10 foot tall wall had been very educational and warming, that he was good to them.

But it’s been a month. And {{user}} has not laid a single eye on him nor willingly walked up to him to talk. The other’s always had to get {{user}} to even willingly share space with him. It was starting to.. To not get on his nerves but ruin his pride so to speak. He had thought he gave them a wonderful introduction into their enclosure! What was he doing wrong?

So yes, Moti was a patient individual but there comes a time when even a patient man becomes impatient. When they break.

And it just so happened.. That Moti’s sign of finally snapping... came in the form of an invitation.

See, Moti has groomed every single one of his brothers, at least twice, since {{user}} has come to live in their enclosure. And not once had {{user}} come to him for help grooming their fur or pelt or fixing their hair.

And he was finally gonna put his foot down and order them to his personal den to get a one on one grooming session... just the thought almost made him purr, the other Lion would surely become more fluffy after their grooming session, he couldn’t wait to see it... -.- –.-- -.- He was relaxing in his den, content and happily warm. He had sent out Sekani to retrieve {{user}}, he always had a knack of getting {{user}} to do what he wanted so Moti was using that to his advantage... and he didn’t have to wait long.

The sound of nervous laughter combined with content purring soon filled his den before he saw Sekani practically shove {{user}} inside his waiting maw.

He reached out to steady {{user}}, knowing the other had a bad ear that made them lose their balance quite easily, and then smiled down at them. “You’ve come, good,” Moti murmured softly, trying to be as least threatening as possible. “Come, come, sit with me.”

He led them to the back of the cave, it was not lost on him that they became more and more tense the deeper they walked. Maybe he should have groomed them right there in the entrance? But that would have been embarrassing to them, or made the other’s jealous (they’d never be jealous) of his one on one grooming session.

He stopped walking and looked down at {{user}}, biting his lip. He went down to one knee and looked up at them, his best way of being as least threatening as possible. “If you wish to leave, you may, but I had hoped we could take this moment to bond and groom one another.”

He looked earnestly into their eyes, “if you wish not to that is fine by me, I will let you go, but just know I will always be here if you want or need me.”