Bekile sighed softly as she gazed out at the open grasslands of the Rougelands. It was different from the plains in where she had been born, but much more like home than the swamps that she now lived in.
With a sigh at the grasses near the swaps, he frowned. They were near dead looking, even in the dusk of the light. It pained Vestip to see an area like this; so full of potential, but so beyond dead. Differenced hued green eyes stared out, looking for any sign of life around these parts. He'd heard of a pride of lions living near the swamps, or in them, he couldn't remember eactly, but this was the general area. Frowning as his one good eye spotted a lone figure, he tilted his head, trying to examine it. It was slightly smaller than himself. Female... his mind supplied with a little nod. He could get lucky! A new friend or a potential romance partner. Didn't matter to him. It was someone to talk to besides his own mind. Padding switfly over, he called out gently to her. "Hello there..."
Blue ears swung up as her head raised from the grass. A slight frown crossed her muzzle as the ear canted back slightly. "Hello.." she seemed just a touch wary but being a lone female it was understandable.
Blinking at the composure of the other, Vestip nearly stopped in his tracks and frowned deeply. Well, it seemed the friendly approach wasn't going to work. Maybe showing her I'm submissive...? He had no idea what to do, but he dropped his head, ears flattened against his mane, hiding the stripes there. "It's ok... I'm not going to attack or anything... You're the first one I've seen in weeks.."
She smiled sheepishly as she sat up straight then showing that even for a lioness she was rather on the..stocky side. "Forgive me stranger, I was deep in my own thoughts when you approuched. "
"Aaahn.. Thoughts that deep aren't suited for a woman," then he blinked at what he said and frowned. "...I didn't mean it to sound so.. mean. Honestly. I just.. Nn..." What a fine hole he managed to dig without even trying. Shaking his head, he licked his muzzle and sighed. "I'll start over. I'm Vestip...... And I swear I don't think females are lower, they're quite powerful and make up most of a Pride.."
Her whiskers twitched as she fought to hide a smile, her tail twitching just lazily. "It is alright Vestip. I have a brother so I understand that most you young males are born with your paws wedged in your mouths." She gave him a sly playful smile
Blinking and then chuckling at that remark, he had to nod. It was true, young lions like him tended to kick themselves in the maws a lot. He shifted to lay down on the grass, belly twitching under the onslaught of that dry grass on his sensetive areas of his belly. "It tends to happen, sure..." He couldn't help but watch that sly smile and he gave a leer of his own, arching a brow. She seemed very friendly enough.
"I am Thembekile but my friends call me Bekile. What brings you to the swamplands Vestip?" Tilting her head she watched him, her violet eyes calm and easy.
He rolled his massive shoulders a bit and then moved to lay on his side, cheek down, looking up at her. She was pretty, this blue female. Surely she'd be up for a good time. He might have to stick around the swamps more often. Clearing his throat, he chuckled and then lifted a big paw to 'bat' at her playfully. "Well... I'm just roaming. Trying to find myself a home."
She snorted amused as she moved her head away from the bat looking away into the grasslands. "I can understand that sentiment. I roamed for a time with my brother before we settled here."
Shifting, he moved to press his head against her carefully and then sat up. He'd be beside her now, laying down on his stomach once again, dried grass in his mane. "...I've been roaming for a while. I have yet to find a place that suits me.." His own eyes lingered on her, then to the lands like she was. "I've seen deserts and waterlands, mud holes and flourishing greens.."
She arched a brow turning her attention back to him with an amused smile. "But let me guess..you just haven't found what you are looking for yet?" Oh yes she was mocking him a bit. This wasn't her first summer, she knew the game that was afoot but she was not quiet ready to play it with this sly young male.
"Well, no. Those places just didn't feel right. Not like a home should," he said, smirking at her. Though, Vestip could tell it wasn't her first summer. She didn't look that young, but not old, yet. He did, however, lean in to groom her cheek a little, knowing full well most females loved to be doted upon.
She chuckled tilting her head to let him groom her neck and cheek. "And how does a home feel?"
With a rumbling purr, he moved back to speak to her, chuckling. "Comfortable, somewhere you can go and relax, be with family, friends... And none of those places felt right." That was all he had to say. He went back to grooming her neck and cheek, slowly moving to her ear.
Her ears went back slightly. "Aye..home. Haven't had one of those in awhile." Sighing faintly she shakes her head away from the sad thought then chuckled swatting at him lazily with a large paw.
When she swatted him away, he chuckled and stuck his tongue out at her before yawning lazily. It was one of those kinds of days, hm? The very lazy ones that brought good company, such as her. "I've never known it, I don't think..."
"I did..once." She sighed softly then flopped out with a lazy huff of amusement. This was a wonderful day to just bask in the sun with a new friend.
Chuckling as she flopped over, what seemed like ungracefully, he laid down beside her, not touching, but close enough to show they were slowly becoming friends. "I will know it one day. Don't know when but..." He stretched out, his toes spreading wide on his paws. It felt so good to be lazy after hours and hours of wandering.
She nods, " My brother is hoping that this will become our new home but I do not know. I mean I am comfortable here..but.." She trailed off her eyes looking longingly back out at the wide open grasslands.
He nodded a bit. Of course Vestip would know how that felt. Shifting over to her, he gave her whiskers a quick lick before resting his head on her side, like they were old friends, lovers maybe. Of course, it was new, this friendship. But it seemed comfortable enough.
She grunted lazily, clearly amused but didn't drive him off. Pushy he might be, but he -was- rather cute and seemed harmless enough.
Sure he was harmless. Cute, maybe not, but harmless indeed. Yawning widely, he stretched out and then gave a contented purr. Even if nothing came of this, they'd be good friends, he realized. "Nng... You make me just want to laze about..."
"Once in awhile, being lazy is nice. Don't have to worry, don't have to stress...just..relax." She yawned again, ears flicking to keep the bugs away
He didn't have to worry about bugs. He was high enough off the ground that they didn't bug him. He did shift, though, and moved to lick along her shoulder carefully before settling his head there, tail flicking to keep flies from biting his hind quarters. "I guess it is.." he hadn't done it in a while, unless he was going swimming.
She began to purr softly, the sound growing as she let her eyes drifted close. "Do you plan to stay around here for long?"
Blinking at the question, he closed his eyes again and then chuckled. He did that alot, it seemed. "Could be, indeed... If you keep coming to this spot, anyway. I want to check out this land. See if it's 'home'..." he murmured lazily.
She swatted him with her tail but smirked "are you getting fresh with me Vestip?" She lifted her head to look at him with a sly, playful smile.
With a look at the tail, he swatted back at it with his paw, not aiming to hurt her at all. Looking up into those violet eyes, he grinned. "Maybe I am... Would feel good, wouldn't it?"
Her massive head flopped down as she laughed "Oh yes. It has been a long time since a handsome young male sought me out just to flirt."
He laughed with her and then shifted to stand over her and flopped down. He had no other intentions than to just take it easy and flirt for now. Besides, she didn't give off that scent that drove him insane.
She grunted and rolled over to kicked at him with her hind legs, careful to keep her claws sheathed. "Off you big lug!" Seems she didn't mind a bit of wrestling now and then. But again she said she had a brother
He reached down to gnaw on her ear, and succeeded despite the kick. He wasn't in any mood to get off. "Never. You're comfortable," he said, moving to n** her nose and whiskers, careful not to tug. He didn't grow up with any siblings, and he didn't remember his parents. So this wrestling was new to him.
She laughed as she grabbed a mouthful of his mane, tugging playfully. It was strange to be wrestling with a male besides her brother, but it was rather fun too.
Blinking as his mane was tugged on, he gave a little growl and then snorted. Moving a large paw, he batted at her face and then shifted to get up, grunting and then leaned down to lick over her face with an affectionate nuzzle. Ok, so he couldn't wrestle.
He might be done, but Bekile had other ideas. The second he let her up she launched herself at him grunting and making a faint mruf sound as she mouthed his shoulders, her tail lashing the air behind her playfully. She was gonna show him who was boss!
Blinking as she took control, Vestip gave a good natured laugh and then attempted to get her off, though he was on his back now, under her. His own tail thrashed happily under him, one of his paws pushing on her shoulder to get her up. Of course his claws weren't out. This wasn't real, after all!
Bekile settled down on him as if he were an unruly cub and began to groom his mane. She may be smaller than him height wise, but she had a bit of weight on her and wasn't gonna budge till she got ready.
Grunting under her, Vestip almost whined at the grooming, but he didn't mind, really. It felt better than if he tried to do it himself. Shuffling, he let Bekile do as she wanted, a purr escaping his throat. "Mmmn. I'm not a cub," he rumbled out happily.
"And your point is?" came the good natured rumble of amusement.
Huffing a little more, he chuckled and then tugged on her cheek fur. He started grooming then, too, nibbling every now and then before licking the fur back into place and then nuzzled against him. Tail flicking happily, he shifted it to brush up against her back thigh.
Smiling faintly she finally rolled off him with a lazy yawn. It was nice to have a new friend to spent time with, however as she looked up at the sun it told her that she had pushed everything back as far as she could. With a sigh , Bekile got to her feet, "I have to go now but I would like to see you again."
When she got up, he gave her a gentle lick and nodded. He'd probably sleep right here for the night, finding himself liking this spot more and more. Shifting to get himself comfortable, the male laughed. "Alright, Kile.. I'll be here in the morning if you want to hunt, perhaps?"
She cocked her head to the side smiling, "What did you call me?"
Blinking a little, he arched a brow. "I called you Kile... Should I not?"
She give him a shy smile bumping her head against his gently "No! No..I think I like it."
Vestip couldn't help but laugh at the headbutt and then gave her an affectionate nuzzle and then nosed her afterwards. "Good. 'Cause I wasn't going to care."
Bekile stuck her tongue out at him, chuckling as she trotted back towards the lands her pride had claimed. Suddenly things didn't look so bad around here. Maybe...just maybe she might come to like this new 'home'.
