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 Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:27 pm
Betta: The sky was darkened today, the clouds threatening to rain though he had been hoping all day that it would. Still the rain did not come, only the clouds teased him with their presence.
His bright colors helped him stick out in the open savannah. The grasses were a bit darker in golden hue than he was, and his yellow pelt clashed horribly with it.
Amber colored eyes blinked, watching the fields closely, hoping for any kind of new friend. He had just left his pride, the pride of his birth.. He had never belonged to the lands that made females better than males.
He had been happy to leave, though leaving his family made him reluctant..But in the end he had chosen his life, to his family.
Himeru: If the vibrant adolescent stuck out against the savannah grass then the young leopardess with her glamorous white pelt surely was a sore thumb on the yellowed plains or at least she might have been if not for the fact that fragile femme was covered in mud, speckled and spotted from a previous trek through mud sodden jungle. For that reason alone she was glad that the clouds remained kind enough to keep the rains at bay. She wasn't sure how much drenching she could take.
The scent of something like prey had drawn her to a burrow which she now dug at with sore paws in hopes of finding a honey badger or hare, she would have even settled for a meerkat at the bottom. Unfortunately she'd been digging for hours now and it seemed as though the scent that lingered there was an old one, yielding no meal for the hopelessly incompetent leopard.
Betta: His nose scented the air, the winds blowing about his face. The bright orange head tuft of mane blew wild with it, and he couldn't wait till the day his mane was full and lush. He was going to love his mane, oh yes he was.
But his eyes caught her movement before his nose actually scented her. She was digging at the earth, and he was rather curious as to why. He was more of a fisherman, than a scavenger. He sometimes found what the lions out here did difficult to understand.
"Hello?..." He asked, not getting too close in case she might be the easily angered type. He wasn't in the mood for someone like that today.
Himeru: Slender frame paused in her digging upon the stranger's approach, she hadn't noticed him so close until he was nearly right next to her, though thankful for his respectful distance. Quivering cream colored ears twitched attentively alert as she spun around so that her back was no longer facing the other, stumbling into the hole she'd been digging and catching her hind leg. A-Ah! I.. uhm.. H-Hello.
Her soft voice quivered nervously, crouching low to the ground while in the same instant working to free her paw so that she could escape if need be.
Betta: Was everyone out here always so afraid? He wasn't going to hurt her, and he hoped that it didnt pass off that he was. But for some reason everyone he met out here, thought him to be scary. That was sure different than home.
"I'm sorry to startle you. I was just watching you, and wondered..what it was you were doing? I've.. I've never dug a hole unless I had something to hide. But I...Smell nothing here?" He replied, lowering his head in hopes to appear so tall. He wasnt getting large after all, he must remember that.
"My name is Betta. I hail from the Kunanda pride. Though I'm a wanderer now. Pleasure to meet ya." He bowed a bit, his eyes gleaming.
Himeru: Cautious eyes took in the frame of the other, it was obvious by his not yet full fledged mane that he was not yet done growing. Yet be that as it may the adolescent lion was the same size as the adult leopardess and whether he was adult or not a lion was still nothing to scoff at. Sagasu wasn't the sort to show respect to anyone, but she had always tended to be wary of the large feline breed. Having not yet met any lions on her own, Hime could only take a page out of her sister's book as far as how to react to the stranger.
He seemed confused by her actions as she pulled her hind foot out of the hole and backed up a few more paces only to trip and sick her front paw into the same hole. She wasn't a terribly graceful girl, that was for certain. It.. it's okay. I.. I'm not.. I don't.. I thought there might be food here.
She admitted awkwardly, odd eyes flicking towards him and quickly falling to the hole she had fallen into a second time, all the way to her shoulder. Slow to pull herself free as if in fear that any quick action might entice him to pounce her. I.. I'm.. not.. not anyone of importance.
Quiet voice practically whispered shamefully, sorrow falling over pale, delicate features. N..nice... to meet you, though. I.. I like your pelt. S-so bright.
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:28 pm
Betta: "Well sure you're important! I'm talking with you aren't I? If you weren't somewhat interesting I wouldn't have stayed."
He watched her release her foot from the hole, and he smiled, though the smile grew when she stuck her front paw into the hole.
"Thank you, it was a position of honor to any female in my last pride. But on a boy it didn't mean that much."
He said, referring to his pelt.
He had never met a leopard before. She was smaller than he was, and he couldn't help but notice it. "What are ya, might I ask? You are not what I'm used to."
Himeru: Well there was a flawless bit of logic, it sounded a lot like something her sister would have said to her. Sagasu had never been terribly tolerant for her twin's ability to put herself down, but honestly it wasn't as if Hime spoke false truths. her twin was larger, stronger and braver than she was. It had always been that way. Once upon a time the filthy leopardess had thought herself able to contribute to their relationship. She had been an excellent fisher, but after slipping up once the brutally self criticizing female could only see herself as a failure.
Himeru had left her twin behind so she wouldn't hold her back any longer, after all they had always had different views. At least now Sagasu could live the way she wanted to, not holding anything back for worry that she would do something to distress Himeru.
Y-you're very kind.. to.. say such a thing, but.. it's not necessary. Small frame crouched and tucked her limbs close to herself, striped tail curling around her paws. The tidbit on his previous pride puzzled her. Vibrant colors were honored on females, but not males? A strange custom. Despite herself her curiosity was piqued, head tilting shyly as she squirmed in place, still reluctant to meet his gaze. W-Why not?
What was she? Quite by surprise Himeru found herself giggling at such a silly question, he obviously hadn't been on his own long, but then neither had she so Hime couldn't tease him too much. I.. I'm a leopard. You've... never seen one before?
Betta: He saw her lack of confidence, and he sat on his rear, flicking his tail back and forth against the savannah earth and dirt, stiring up the dryest parts and causing it to billow in a cloud around his tail tuft. When she asked about why his pride had been that way, he spoke with a calm tone. He had been so heated thinking about it before, but he was getting over it slowly.
"Because males were considered inadequate. They were good for nothing, you know. They fathered babies, and then let the females do everything else. Honestly I hoped for more in my life." He said with a nod.
"Yes actually. Ive never met a leopard before. Though to be honest Ive met very few creatures besides other lions. I've only recently left my all lion pride, you see." He looked at her and blushed a bit at her giggle, but it caused him to chuckle as well. He guessed he did seem kinda silly.
Himeru: Well that was a strange and backwards way of thinking wasn't it? Himeru had never heard of such a thing and though she didn't know much about lions it was common knowledge that males were always at the top of the hierarchy. Leopards were known for being solitary so the idea of a pride was somewhat outside her ability to comprehend, but she couldn't help but wonder about it wistfully, being snuggled amongst so many of her own kind, protected and with plenty of company.
Shaking the idea loose from the front of her thoughts, Hime shook her head, brows knitting. He sounded angry or at least it was a subdued anger as though the fire had died out and now smoldered. If there was one thing she was good at it was picking up on the emotions of others a frown touching her maw. It seemed a safe assumption that he hadn't been treated well by his pride, given the description. Is... that why.. why you're not with them anymore?
Venturing a nervous guess, her ears having long since flattened against her skull. She was a sorry looking thing, tear marking the same shade as her ears were crusted with salt from old sobs. Yet despite her troubles she managed a fragile smile at his sound of amusement, glad that she hadn't offended him, yet. I haven't met many others either... my sister, she's better with people than I am.
Betta: He nodded a bit, after she asked if thats what he had left. It had been indeed why he left. His sister had been furious with him, though he had heard that he was not the only one from his litter to leave the pride. Aekea had split mere days after hitting adolescence.
"Yeah I left cause of that. I wasnt good for much there. I wanted more. I wanted to explore the most though. Seeing the world seemed quite interesting."
That, and he was waiting for the night he would return to his girls pride, and steal her away into the night..And live happily with her. Exploring forever.
"Well its a pleasure to meet you." He smiled, a warm friendly smile that seemed second nature to him. He didn't see her as sorry looking, but he was not one to judge anyone based on their looks. He had been in a pride that had done that for far too long.
Himeru: It seemed like a sad fate, to be born into a pride that didn't appreciate you for who you were or what talents you could bring to your pride. Her gaze hesitant to examine the other's face, admiring his markings and the gleam of youth in his eyes. He certainly wasn't an unattractive male and he seemed polite enough, but what did she know about anything? There was a reason fr everything wasn't there? Himeru found herself questioning her her own mental logic as she peered at Betta. M-maybe it's all for the better? Maybe.. you'll find somewhere you b-better belong?
She tried to offer comfort, but considering she wasn't terribly convinced herself, it was hard for her to offer any honest consolation. Murmuring softly as she stared down into the empty hole, reminded of what a failure she was at hunting for herself. The world is an.. interesting place. If.. y-you can survive.
At the words of retreat the leopard forced her head to lift, meeting his eyes for only the second time since he'd stumbled upon her, forcing a feeble smile. It was probably about time to get moving anyway since her current attempt to locate food had bombed horribly. Ye-Yes.. it was n-nice to meet you.. B-Betta. I hope.. you find somewhere.. you belong.
Betta: He smiled, nodding a bit as he finished listening to her speak. He could hear that she was ready for him to depart, and quite honestly, it was time for him to be on his way.
It was a long journey to her.. He needed to get there when he said he would be there..
"Im sure I will." He said with a gentle smile. He stood, shaking his pelt free of dirt and smiling one more.
"It was a pleasure. I hope that you find what you are looking for too." He said with a nod, and began moving forward, leaving her to her hole that had been consuming her time before.
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