Nuit couldn't believe it. A couple of days ago, he'd been furious at her. The next...well, the next, she was actually tolerable. And interesting. The dark lion sat on one of his favorite sunning rocks, scratching his head. Pwani was a confusing female. And pretty. Very pretty. Nuit shook his head. No. No thinking like that about someone like her. She was a fighter! The closest he got to fighting was when he was hunting. And that was simply needed to survive.
He sighed. What had he gotten himself into...?
Ilse walked the border of the Sanc in frustration. Her adopted brother had been missing, looking for the Governor for days, and she was ghetting anxious. Where WAS he? Oh, when he got back...
Ilse flexed her claws in agitation.
Nuit looked looked up, blinking. Hm? A leopard...one that definitely wasn't Saburo. And she didn't look happy. He got down from the rock, and trotted over. "Is everything okay, miss? You look troubled?" It was in his nature to worry about others, being a healer.
"Idiot brother listened to idiot father to go find idiot Governor." Ilse sat, sighing. Ah! Lion! Ilse bowed her head.
"My manners escape. I am Ilse, Shannara Clan. And you?"
The dark lion blinked, and chuckled. "Ah...family problems." He bowed his head in return. "I am Nuit, of the le'Croix clan." He tilted his head. "The Governor? From the colonies? Didn't he die?" He'd heard something about it...but he'd never been told many details.
"Might as well be. I saw him hauling his self away. Pretty banged up. Prim,e Minister sent my brother to find him." She laughed. "I'm adopted."
Nuit blinked. She was...OH. Eep. "Ah...I'm afraid I didn't recognize you, ma'am. I...generally don't pay much attention to those outside of the Sanc, beyond name and some basics." At least he was honest about it. "I do hope your brother returns home safely, though." Nuit wasn't the sort to wish harm on anyone. Even if he thought the aristocrats needed to be less...militaristic.
Ilse smiled.
"That's OK. You have more important issues, like your mate." She rolled her shoulders in a shrug.
"I know some get offended. I won't. No worries."
Nuit chuckled. "I'm afraid I have no mate. Just some friends and family." Not too many in his family though, since they'd only been in the pride a couple of generations. "I must admit, you're not like the few others from your part of the lands that I've met." She didn't seem so...high and mighty. Just blunt.
"You should find one! A lion like you should have the pick of any litter!" She nodded, somewhat sadly. "It would be easy for a lion like you."
Nuit sighed. "I've actually not found anyone that...really strikes my interest." Except the outsider girl. But he wasn't going to follow that thought. It had been clear, from the way Pwani talked, that she was going back to her pride. And Nuit would always stay in the Sanc. He'd simply have to keep looking. "You sound like you've your own problems in finding love."
"I'm a leopard." Ilse sighed. "And I'm expected to only love a leopard." Shje shook her head.
"Thing is... I only know lions."
Nuit nodded. That did pose a problem. He knew enough about the aristocrats to know they valued pure bloodlines, and weren't keen on hybrid young. "Well...perhaps you could look around? I'm certain there must be another leopard somewhere in the pride, one who could strike your interest. Or someone from outside?" A pride had to have new blood now and again, after all. His own family was a good example.
"Outside? I've never been outside." She sighhed. "At all."
Nuit sighed. "Truthfully, neither have I. I only know a little about it. I'm hosting a pair of outsiders, though. Travelers who sought to rest."
Ilse blinkd, perking.
"Really? Cool!"
Nuit chuckled. "They're...an odd pair. Brother and sister lions, from a pride of scholars. They're on their pride's rite of passage."
"Male?" Ilse's interest piqued, before she reminded herself she wasn't supposed to think of lions in That Way.
"Wow..."
"Perhaps you can talk with one of them?" He smiled. "They've been traveling around, so perhaps they know of a place you could look. Or know of someone who could help you."
Drat.
"I'd like that, thank you." She smiled warmly.
Nuit nodded. "You can come with me, if you'd like. Or I could send one of them over here. I must warn you though, the sister is especially outgoing." An understatement of Pwani's energy.
"Whichever you feel safer doing." Ilse nodded, used to obeying lions.
"I don't mind either."
The lion liked this aristocrat. Not often they were considerate of non-aristocrats' feelings. "I don't mind if you come with." He turned to head home. "My den isn't far, and they're awake last I knew...exchanging stories."
Ilse nodded, and followed, head bowing slightly suibserviantly. This could be good...
