Jay’mes:
Well Diablo had sure done it. He had been told to watch over the adventurous cub, and he couldn't even handle that. He wondered if father would come after the lion named Blackbeard that had taken him. He wondered if Crue would even care. Likely not, as he was a b*****d. Sabia probably had something to do with this, he was sure. She was lucky that he didn't much care about whether or not he stayed with them or went with this guy. He was so unattached from all of them, he simply didn't care.
Blackbeard had told him to stay here while he hunted. Jay'mes was thankful for that because he was hungry. He wasn't going to admit it, as Blackbeard didn't seem to like complaining much. He had learned that quickly. As a cub in the rogue lands, he didn't stand a chance alone, he knew. So he tried not to irritate Blackbeard too much. But soemtimes it simply couldn't be helped.
So that was why he was at this tiny oasis, and not behind a stone like he had been told.
Anakaa:
“Ohno!” That, and a somewhat loud cracking sound, was all the warning the other cub had before another cub landed on top of him, her back falling across his.
Anakaa, or Ana as her mama called her, had snuck outside of the temple to get some fresh air and see the stars. Her papa always talked about the stars, told her and her brother and sister about them and the stories they held and she wanted to see them! But they were so small! So she figured, if she could get up one of the trees, she could maybe see them better.
So she hadn’t climbed up a big tree, but it was still closer… Sorta. She couldn’t really see them better, so she’d tried to stand up a bit higher and lost her footing, cracking parts off the tree and sending her tumbling to the ground.
But she didn’t hit the ground, now did she? Nope, instead she hit something warm and soft. Kinda like her brother. But she didn’t think it was her brother…
Jay’mes:
He had almost lowered his head to drink, when a sharp crack hit the air. He heard a cry behind that crack, and before he had a chance to look up to see what had caused it, a cub landed on top of him in a very painful way. He cried out, scowling as he yowled.
"What is your problem?" He cried, pushing her off and growing defensive. That had -not- been what he had expected.
Anakaa:
Ana’s ears flicked back and she lowered her head, putting herself in both a defensive and apologetic way.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I just fell,” she replied. Then again, why was she apologizing? It wasn’t like she did it on purpose. He was just in the wrong place at the perfect time. But… she didn’t want to start a fight or anything. Especially not when she didn’t know this cub. Fighting with her brother or sister? Sure, whatever. It was mean, but it wasn’t like she’d actually hurt them or anything like that. Just… rough and tumble. Mama always said she was more like how her papa used to be than how either of them were now.
But then, could she really help herself?
Her spine suddenly straightened.
“I don’t have a problem, the tree obviously did. What’s your problem?”
Jay’mes:
He stepped out of his defensive stance, but his eyes were still narrowed and he looked at her irritably. She fell? Well, he supposed he could understand the adventurous feelings. He had them himself, after all. He knew he couldn't be too long, Blackbeard would return anytime now, and his growling belly wasn't getting any younger.
"Your words are false, miss. The tree is is unable to have a problem." He realized how stupid that sounded, and he shrugged it off. He had been born into court life, his mother a slave. He had been put in the care of Sabia, and she had been none to pleasant with his litter. They were bastards after all.
"What's your name, anyway?" He asked, arching an eyebrow and looking at her suspiciously.
Anakaa:
Ana huffed.
“Shows what you know. Trees can have problems. It just randomly cracked and made me fall,” she replied with a shake of her head and a sigh. Her back hurt, but eh, at least his probably did, too. They were on even playing fields.
She was a little suspicious of him to say the least. She didn’t know him, he was probably some rogue. And she’d never met a rogue before. This was equally interesting and scary.
“Ana… What’s yours?”
Jay’mes:
"Whoever taught you that, has something wrong upstairs." He said, narrowing his eyes and tapping his forehead with a forepaw. He grumbled. His back did hurt, it hurt quite a bit. He hadn't been prepared for it. Even if he had been, it would have hurt, but then he'd have a way to escape.
"Jay'mes." He responded quickly, perking his head proudly. He was cocky, even for a cub. He was brave, somewhat cold with the soundings around him. He didn't care that he was away from home. He didnt care that he was with Blackbeard. If anything, he was starting to like him.. Role models, or something like that, Jay'mes was sure.
"Why were you in that stupid tree in the first place, Ana?"
Anakaa:
Ana shrugged. That was his opinion and it didn’t matter a lick to her if he wanted to be wrong. She settled herself down into the sand, hoping it would be a better position to soothing the ache in her own back. That fall really had hurt.
Jay’mes. Interesting name. Anakaa was better, but he was a boy after all. Boys didn’t get really good names. Well, besides her papa. She bet he had an awesome name, she just hadn’t heard it yet.
She completely missed his proud puffing over his name. It was just a name, even if she had seen it, she wouldn’t have understood why he was so proud over it.
She frowned at him and narrowed her eyes.
“I don’t wanna tell you. You’ll just laugh at me.” And she wasn’t about to make him laugh at her. She’d beat him up if he did… If she could beat him up, that is.
Jay’mes:
"You're right." He said, and scoffed. "I just might. I can make no such promise to you. Or.. I can. But how do you know I wouldn't be lying?" He asked, arching an eyebrow. He sat down, it felt good to get off his paws.
"But you better tell me anyway, otherwise you are just a sissy." He said. He was nosey, but he wasn't about to promise something he wasnt sure he could keep!
Anakaa:
“I’m not a sissy!” Ana burst out before she could stop herself. Her ears flicked back again and she glared at him, trying to figure out if she should tell him or not.
She looked away for a few heartbeats, musing before she let out a little sigh.
“You better not laugh.” Her head dipped so that the long tuft of mane fell into her eyes, obscuring them for the moment.
“My papa always talks about the stars and stories about them. I snuck out so I could see them and was trying to get a closer look. If-you-laugh-I’m-gonna-make-you-sorry!” The last little outburst at the end was so quick and jumbled, it’d be a miracle if he actually understood what she’d threatened.
Jay’mes:
She exclaimed she wasn't a sissy, but he smiled knowingly. He always thought that when someone protested, it was usually because they were guilty. So then he waited for her to tell her story, trying to hold back the smile. He wanted to do it merely for spite. But he was trying to behave.
"You wanted a closer look... at stars.." He said, staring blankly at her, with a look that asked if she was truly serious. "And you went about this, by climbing a tree? And a not very tall one at that." He tsked a bit and shook his head. But he hadn't laughed! She couldnt rightly get angry at him..
Anakaa:
"Well, I couldn't very well climb a bigger tree. I wouldn't have been able to get down. And if a bigger tree had knocked me out of it..." She didn't want to consider that. If she'd landed on him, she'd probably would have killed them both.
"You're not laughing, but you're making fun of me anyways. Quit it," Ana snapped, annoyed that he'd still dig at her for it. Sure, she hadn't told him he couldn't but that didn't make her feel any better about it. A part of her wanted to thrash him for it, but she couldn't, not yet. Besides, he might be stronger than she was, even if she might be a bit bigger than he was. Just a little bit, if at all.
Jay’mes:
He shrugged, and looked up the tree. He supposed it was tall for a cub, even himself. "Yeah, well. I'd have rather died than embarrass myself like that." He teased but then changed the subject quickly.
"Oh well. Whatever it was. Chase your stars all you like. I aim to do important things with myself." He said. He was truly a child, and even though he thought himself clever, his childish antics betrayed him.
Anakaa:
"Pah, dying is far more embarrassing," Ana replied with a shake of her head. And it was the end of any other adventures she'd ever have. That certainly wasn't the route she wanted to take in life.
"Important things, huh? Like what? Wand'ring around and making fun of others? How important is that?" If he was going to make fun of her, then she'd give him as good as she got.
Jay’mes:
"No. Important things like being a pirate that's what. 'Aven't you ever heard the stories? Probably not because you are a girl.." When Blackbeard had promised him the life of a pirate, he had been rather happy to go. Sure the older male was not a very fun companion in these travels.. and boy was he mean. But Jay'mes had been born into that, and it phased him little.
Anakaa:
"Just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I've never heard what a pirate is." Of course, she hadn't, but she was sure that her brother hadn't, either. Maybe her father had, but he'd never said anything about them. And neither had her mother.
"I bet no one here has ever heard of a pirate. So if you tell me what it is, then I'll be the first to know!" Ana gave him a firm nod at that. She wondered what it could be. Something to do with being adventurous, that was for sure, but how?
Jay’mes:
He grinned, and was about to ask her what she knew of pirates, until she gave herself away. He was sure that there had to be a few, even just one, that knew of pirates. She must have just been that ignorant.
"Right. I'll pretend that is logical, and tell you what a pirate is." He nodded, and then sighed. He had to think of how to do this in as little time possible. It seemed endless, the stories he knew.
"They are the scourge of the beach. They are dangerous, though some partake in women and ..fruits." He wasnt sure if she even knew what being drunk was, he surely didn't. But it had been described by Blackbeard, so he was sure he at least -kinda- knew what it was.
Anakaa:
Ana raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically.
"So... you wanna be dangerous and live on a beach? That doesn't seem like an adventure, that seems like just being mean. Adventuring is going to places you've never seen before and taking risks and finding new things." Oh, how she wanted to do that someday. Sometimes her parents would talk about the places they'd been or lived. She wanted to see beyond this desert someday. Find a place that wasn't so hot and dry, see the sea someday, run across the plains. See an elephant, whatever that was.
"Do pirates do any of those kinds of things?" If they didn't, it sounded kind of boring to be a pirate.
Jay’mes:
"Think what you like, my dear. When you see me again, if you should be so lucky, I will not be what I am now." He said, puffing out his chest but rolling his eyes at her words.
"I guess. Pirates don't like desert. I hate this place anyway, even before I knew I was to be a pirate. The sand stick in my paws and burns." He said, his ears flicking back irritably..
"But I will take risks. I will take all the risks." He said with a grin.
Anakaa:
"I'd much rather have the adventures," Ana replied, her tongue sticking out at him. She considered what he said about the desert. Yeah, it wasn't the greatest of places. She shrugged.
"Yeah, the desert isn't the best of places. But I was born here, so I don't mind it so much. I wanna see other places someday, though." So he was a risk taker? Yeah, she could see that, he was a boy and a really cocky one, too. He thought he was so big, didn't he? Ha, she wasn't much smaller than he was. Her mama was a BIG lioness.
"Well, good luck with your risk-taking. I should get back before my papa gets worried and comes here and runs you off. Or worse, tries to take you home. I've already got one obnoxious brother, don't need you hanging around, too," she replied, doing her best to copy her second-cousin's smirk. It was an okay attempt. She'd get better with practice.
Jay’mes:
He supposed it was great she liked adventures. It meant she was a good soul, a wanderer. He could relate, not that he had wandered anywhere outside of Blackbeard's watchful eyes. Though he was suspicious that he should probably be heading back. He didn't want to deal with the lashing he'd get if he was late.
"Well come see the pirates one day, love. You may just enjoy yourself." He said, bowing his head and he grinned again.
"I wouldn't want your dear ol' daddy to have to deal with the guy I'm with. So I shall bid you farewell. Enjoy yout many adventures." He said, not even sure she would really go on any. She talked a big game, and he wondered if she could actually do it.
He turned, beginning to leave, though he didn't walk quickly.
Anakaa:
"Maybe I will, just to see if it's really as boring as you make it sound!" she called back, though stopped and considered it for a second.
"Or maybe I won't, if they're just a bunch of mean guys who sit around and scare off other lions," she added, but she was smiling at him over her shoulder. They probably would see one another, someday. Maybe, if pirates didn't really move around much. He said they lived on the beach, and she did want to see the sea someday. Yeah, she would.
"Bye Jay'mes!" Her voice was cheerful as she waved once to him and ran off back towards the ruins. And a scolding from her rather awake mother, but then she didn't know that one.
