Ukaavya::
The sun was high. That in itself meant nothing to the young lion because in reality, time meant nothing to him. What significance did time hold when one wandered as a rogue? Time came, time went and it passed with little marking save for the rise of the sun and the fall of the moon. Day, night, day, night - true he was never in the same place long, but the places he went didn't hold enough meaning to him to mark the passing of time. Time simply... went, and he simply existed. It wasn't a bad life, per say, though he was... lonely. It was a fair if obvious fact that many rogues recognized their lives as lonely, some even as tedious. Ukaavya agreed, on all points. He was a social creature by nature, but he had never settled. He just couldn't bring himself to settle.
Turning his dark head toward the high sun, he looked at it without looking directly. The clouds were marching by, but they did little to stem the midday heat. He shook out his thick mane with a sigh and turned his attention back in the direction he had been headed. Time passed, and he would keep moving... until something gave him reason to stop.
Ili'ella::
Ili'ella was enjoying the sunshine. It wasn't extremely hot, and thanks to her light coat it wasn't burningly hot. She was getting used to it too. She had started to walk longer and longer in the heat of the day, so it was getting easier. It was still irritating, she knew, because she didn't like the heat that much, but it was better then having to avoid walking all day. Moving quicker as she spotted a collection of birds. It wasn't a clever plan, because it would only serve to overheat her quicker, but it was an amusement she was missing.
Crouching low as she ran, she didn't try and attack the birds, she just wanted to scare them. Their feathers went everywhere as the birds took off and Ili'ella laughed loudly. Flopping over as she wiggled onto her back, peering up at the sky as the birds disappeared.
Ukaavya::
Ukaavya wasn't really looking to talk to anyone; it wasn't that he actively went out looking for someone to ease the boredom all the time (just sometimes), but today he had resigned himself to the silence. Today, he figured he would spend it very much alone. It wasn't something he accepted with sadness but rather with... reluctance. But he accepted it. That was all that mattered; he accepted it and so it was how it was.
And then he saw the birds take flight. They were angry and sqwacking, flapping their wings and sending feathers through the air as they fled from whatever it was that had scared them. He perked a brow in confusion, and then the other arched with it's partner when he heard a loud, feminine laugh not far off. Okay, so maybe not so alone. Taking a few tentative steps in that direction, he called out rather than risk scaring the source, "Hello?"
Ili'ella::
Ili'ella was sprawled out on her back quite happily, staring up at the sky. There were clouds, which made the position fun because that meant she could cloud gaze. It was probably a dangerous spot to be in, because it was submissive and vulnerable, but who would attack her? She was content on her own and doubted anyone would attack a lone lioness, right?
Perking up when she heard a masculine voice, she blinked in surprise. Twisting onto her side, she rolled to her stomach and peered around. Where had it come from? She could have sworn she was alone. “Hello?” She replied brightly, wondering if he was agressive.
Ukaavya::
The idea of an aggressive Ukaavya would undoubtedly be hilarious and awkward for those who know him; though large and relatively intimidating were he to keep him mouth shut, his obvious friendly nature and endearing habits made the possibility even less likely. Even in a defensive position, he would have to be pushed to put forth any sort of violence and even then it would always remain in the defensive position: only meeting another's attacks, never making a preemptive strike.
His eyes focused on the direction of the voice, and he saw the bit of bright fur through the grass as he drew nearer. Making sure his steps were loud enough that his approach could be heard, he perked his ears as he caught sight of the pretty lioness, "Hello." He exhaled and nodded his head in greeting. "Sorry to disturb you, if I am; I just... heard someone near and was curious who was frightening the birds."
Ili'ella::
Hearing the heavy footsteps, which instead of making her feel relaxed that she could hear him coming, made her tense. He sounded huuuge. Was he going to attack her? His footsteps were heavier and louder, which drew to mind a larger male. Did larger mean agressive? She wasn't sure. Climbing to her feet, she shook off her furr to dispel any dirt which clung to her.
She spotted him easily, his darker colours standing out. He didn't seem that larger then normal, but Ili'ella was a slightly smaller lioness then normal, so he did still seem large. “Hello,” she repeated again, peering curiously at him. “You're not disturbing me. I would have to be doing something of important to disturb me,” she said, her eyes lighting up in goodhumour. “Oh, that was me. I wanted to play but they didn't seem that interested.” She sighed, looking disappointed.
Ukaavya::
He arched a brow again as he listened to her response, a snort of surprised amusement leaving him unheeded before he could regain control of his reaction. He had resigned himself to loneliness, and here a funny little lioness had fallen across his path. Or rather, leapt, pounced or jumped following whatever tactic she had used to startle the birds into flight. He considered her for a moment, trying to determine whether or not she was serious or simply making light of her apparent boredom. Unsure, he hesitated before proceeding.
"Pity. It would've been a good game, playing with birds, to pass the time." He took a breath, a smile playing on the edges of his lips all the while. "I'm Ukaavya, by the way. And glad I'm not disturbing you."
Ili'ella::
Ili'ella wasn't aware of how strange she sounded to the male, blissfully happy with her own thoughts. She was a strange creature and tended to confuse people, especially those who tried to take her too seriously. With her, it was easier to take her at face value and not look deeper, else you were likely to simply get bemused and perhaps a little lost.
“I know,” she said, sounding slightly mournful at her game being cut short. She loved to play with birds, but they tended to avoid her and she just wasn't sure why. Was she that scary? She was a sweet lioness though. Okay, so had eaten a few birds before, but only when she was very hungry. “They always seem to fly away from me,” she admitted, huffing a little in regret. She glanced at him, returning the small smile. “My name is Ili'ella. A pleasure to meet you, Ukaavya, may the sun shine favourably on our meeting.” She glanced at the sun, before back at him. The sun would watch over them, she was sure, even if only for a while.
Ukaavya::
Ukaavya wasn't sure whether to take the lioness for face value or not. Was she kidding, or did she fervently mean what she was saying? She was shocked the birds flew from her? He had thought frightening them had been a purposeful action but now he wasn't so sure. He shifted his weight from one forepaw to the other in discomfort, his dark tail flicking across the back of his hind legs and dispelling any flies or other flying nuisances that might attempt to settle on his pelt. Still, no matter which way she meant what she was saying, she was nice enough.
"They don't know any better." He reasoned, shrugging lightly and offering a broad smile. When she gave her name, he nodded again, "It's a pleasure, Ili'ella. And may it, indeed." He, too, glanced up at the sun and turned back to her just as she did. A small chuckle gurgled up from his chest and emitted in a deeper tone than his speaking voice. She was strange, but in a good way. Still, his resignation to loneliness was making him desire to move on. This hadn't been sought out.
Ili'ella::
She was pleasantly surprised at his bright smile, returning it full force. “I know, but they never stay around to let me teach them not to be afraid.” She gave a soft sigh but shrugged off, realising that it was just in their nature but really, she wasn't going to eat them. They would only have to worry about her when she was hungry. She was happy when he seemed to go along with her blessing, most scoffed at it but he seemed content to acknowledge it. Tilting her head to the side at his deep chuckle, it was a nice sound, she decided.
“What are you doing out here?” She asked, curiously. Perhaps he was like her, and was just wandering, or maybe he was actually searching for something. Ili'ella enjoyed her walking, but she was always curious over other people. Maybe they were like her, but usually they were completely different. It kept her amused when she wasn't walking, hearing other's stories.
Ukaavya::
He laughed again, shorter and softer than before, but nodded in acknowledgement as well, "There loss then, isn't it? If they stuck around, they might get a good game out of it. That's what they get for assuming the worse, right?" Smiling, patiently, he too recognized that it was in their nature and also that it was unlikely she'd get any to wait around to find out otherwise. He'd heard of lions befriending birds, but they were typically birds of prey and even then... well, it wasn't exactly natural so it wasn't typically expected.
At her question, he exhaled (not really a sigh really just... an audible breath) and looked around them for a fraction of a second as if he were searching for an answer. "What am I doing out here?" He shrugged suddenly, "Walking. I'm... walking." His smile returned just as bright as it had been, "And what are you doing? Besides trying to play with the birds."
Ili'ella::
“Mmm, I agree,” she said with a shrug. “Perhaps I'll find some other animals to play with, birds don't seem to like me that much.” She shifted, glancing back at the sky to see if she could see any of the birds she had scared off earlier but they were far away by now.
She watched him curious as she exhaled and spoke. She was curious now. Walking. That's what she did. She had no place in mind, no where to be, she was just walking and hoping she found something to keep her occupied before she drove herself crazy in solitary. “Walking,” she said, in reply to his question, a smile twisting at her mouth. “Just walking...and playing with the birds,” she added jokingly, trying to lighten the mood again.
Ukaavya::
"And playing with birds." He laughed good-naturedly, eyes crinkling in amusement for a moment. They smoothed, though the smile remained, and he added, "Well that's good that you're multi-tasking." Inside he felt stagnant. He was enjoying her company very much, but he had resolved to move today. To keep walking til he... He wasn't really sure what completed that sentence. Til he found a pride? Til he found a home? Til he found his family? What was it that he was walking to? But he didn't know. He just knew his feet were itching to move again, though he'd miss this charming little lioness.
"Well, Ili'ella; it really has been a pleasure, but I should get back to ... walking. It'd be best if I look to hunting soon, too so I'll leave you to," he smiled even broader, crinkling his eyes again, "Play with your birds, or find new friends. Or both!"
Ili'ella::
She was slightly sad to hear that he was leaving, he was good company and very kind. Plus, he had a good laugh, but she knew what it was like when the walking urge hit and it was hard to hold back when it got bad. Her own feet were itching to move on, but she had learnt long ago how to stop it, or at least, live with it a little. Else she would be walking non stop for days.
“May the sun and moon watch over you while you walk,” she said and smiled at him, “and the stars guide you to where you need to be.” She wanted him to stay safe, because sometimes wandering got dangerous and she would hate for him to be injured. “Perhaps we'll meet again, and I'll have a bird for you to play with,” she said, watching him in amusement.
Ukaavya::
He nodded, slowly, as he reluctantly turned to go. Of course, his features spoke reluctance but his feet were quick and he had to force his movements to slow. Flicking an ear absently, he returned the smile and though he didn't understand the phrasing of her farewell, he did understand it's meaning. So he nodded in agreement, "You, too, Ili'ella." But said nothing more on it, too unsure to voice his own return of it and deciding that should be enough to suffice.
"I look forward to it! Travel safe." He tucked his head then and split the grasses as he walked away. He didn't know where the stars were guiding him, but he was comforted that they would be there all the same.
Ili'ella::
She was pleased when he returned the blessing, in his own slightly more awkward way and she stayed where she was, watching him go. She hoped he stayed safe, and that they did meet again. She met a lot of rogues, but she met very little of them again. It was a little sad, she knew, but they were out there someone, under the same sky, which brought her comfort.
Waiting untils he couldn't see him anymore, she turned and began to walk, her paws hitting the ground with a comforting thud. She loved to walk and walk she would, until she couldn't anymore. She didn't know when that would be, but at the moment, it was worth it.
