Babies.
There was a chance that babies were in her- a very real chance! Every day things felt just a little bit different. More different than it had been the day before. And it was because of that loser lion who didn't know what he was doing. Maybe it was because of that that she was now going to be a mother- because he didn't know how to make sure she DIDN'T have babies. And he said that he was a real man! Ridiculous!
She roamed the rogue lands on the hunt- eager to find the little jerk that had done this to her and make him pay for it before she got too big to be able to fight properly. Storming around, completely focused on finding a yellow, puffy-maned male, she wasn't paying any attention at all to what was around her.
Hataki roamed around with a little hop in his step, a light gait that whisked him around the rogue lands with fast-flying white feet. His bright coat stood out in the savannah grasses that he was currently perusing. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing around here, but it was currently really boring at home, so he just wanted to get out. Especially since there was no one to bully there.
That was no fun at all.
"A branch on the tree and a tree in a hole and a hole in the ground and the green grass grows all around, all around! the green grass goes all around," he hummed to himself.
As she moved, Twiga noticed some kind of creature ahead of her. White and gray, it was clearly the exact opposite of a lion. Too small and its ears were much too big. Tilting her head to the side, she blinked a couple of times. No, it wasn't her vision. The little thing was actually there. Was it a cub?
No... she'd seen a cub before. This wasn't it.
"Hey you," she called, heading over to the pup without worry. It was much smaller than her, after all, what did she have to be afraid of? "What the heck are you? I mean, you're not a lion, are you?"
Hataki blinked at the voice and turned towards it. What? "Of course I'm not a lion, dummy," he sneered at the lioness staring down at him. "And you're not a giraffe, though you certainly look like one." He glanced her up and down and snickered.
"I can't be a lion, anyway. I'm the exact opposite. You never seen a wild dog before?"
"Hey!" Twiga snapped, "don't call me a dummy, little boy! I should have guessed! Only little boys of... whatever you are... can be so rude!" She huffed and stomped her paw, clearly upset by the greeting. She had only asked him a little question! No need to call name.
"I don't look like a giraffe!" she hissed, "why does everyone say that?" Normally she was happy to admit she looked like one of those cool long-necked animals, but being in a bad mood everything was being taken the wrong way. "Why would I be asking you what you are if I've SEEN a wild dog before? That's a silly question!"
He grinned at her. "I can call you whatever I want, -dummy,-" he repeated slowly, as if talking to someone who was a bit slow in the head. A challenge! It looked like this lioness with a hissy-fit seemed to be the perfect outlet for his snotty mood today. And mm, it looked like a good day already.
"If you don't look like a giraffe, then why are you covered in spots like they are? And the same colors, too?" he asked her innocently with a smile still on his face. "I'd be asking you because you obviously don't know what I am."
"You're a stupid little thing!" grunted the lioness, "though I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different from a male, doesn't matter what kind of creature you happen to be!" She chuckled at that, feeling more at ease now that she understood this was, indeed, a boy she was dealing with.
Boys were stupid- that was it.
"Alright, little idiot, do you have a name with all that spunk?" She knew this was a baby she was delaing with, a young little... wild dog... but that didn't mean she was going to be nice. She was barely an adult herself and had a lot to learn before she'd be ready to properly deal with young ones without starting to act like one of them.
"I'm not stupid," he spat back, frowning. "I wouldn't have expected a female to know the difference anyway. Silly me for thinking that each one is a bit different and that you might have actually known something. Obviously, I was wrong."
Girls were stupid. The end.
"Yeah, I do have a name. It's Hataki. Do you have a name, too, with all that lack of knowledge? A bit dusty up there, ain't it?" He grinned and tilted his head up to indicate his brain, and therefore, the lack of hers.
"Hataki? A stupid name for a stupid creature," Twiga replied shortly. Really, she had no problem with the name. But it was far too late for her to start being nice now. The gloves had been thrown- it was time to fight. "are you just going to repeat the same things back to me in a slightly different way through this WHOLE conversation? Cause, I gotta say, that does not sound very entertaining."
She watched him, unimpressed. Suddenly she felt very big. That was totally cool. If the little guy got too annoying a little bop to the head would put him right back into place. Why couldn't all boys be so small? "My name is Twiga and don't even bother commenting on it- I know you're just jealous your name isn't as cool as mine!"
He nodded, giving her that insult. "Perhaps I am stupid. But you should know better not to waste your time picking a fight with someone younger than you, miss adult lioness Twiga. Whose name sounds like the the name of a giraffe with skinny, awkward legs and can't walk very well. Like a -twig-. And by all means, if you think it's going to be boring, then leave. Walk away."
Which would mean he would win. She would walk away like a coward.
"Don't be silly! I never said I was going to leave- I was just hoping you bring some better material to the fray," she smiled at him, smug, "but you're right, of course. I shouldn't have set the bar so high. You ARE just a kid, after all. What could you know?" She moved a paw forward, patting the puppy on the head heavily, though not to hurt him.
"There there, poor little boy. What's a little child like you doing out on his own, anyway? You lost little fella?"
