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Qahwa was feeling bitter. It happened from time to time, and he had long since learned not to fight it. It was just a matter of time. The mood would pass eventually and he'd be able to go about his life as usual. While it held him in its grips, however, his amber eyes tended to flash with surly bad temper more often and anyone who was foolish enough to approach him would be rebuffed with increasingly unpleasant words. Depending on the approach they took, the would find Qahwa a willing fighter, which was rare for the lone leopard.

For the time being, however, Qahwa was content to sit and brood, unaware of the figure he cut in that attitude, or of the fact that he might have an audience. Had he known, he probably would not have cared, so foul was his mood and temper. On the other hand, contact with another being might be precisely what he needed.

Kaveri could see a pure spirit in trouble and felt it was time to approach the dark colored male. He was indeed handsome but it looked like he was having a bad day. Approaching him for others probably wouldn't have been a wise choice but Kaveri didn't care, she was strong willed and would take anything that life dealt her. Making noise she paused to collect herself before speaking, "What's wrong?" She asked in a tone that wouldn't be considered chastising in any way and was filled with much concern. "I'm Kaveri, can I help you at all?"

She was worried that he'd turn away from her but that wouldn't bring her hopes down. She'd continue trying if she needed to, to break down his wall and under his skin to figure out what she could do to help. Steadfast and strong she began to go closer to the male.

Qahwa sighed in a quick expulsion of air that was almost more like a huff than a sigh. The world seemed full of do-gooders lately, and he wasn't really in the mood to be helped. There was nothing wrong with him. He was just unhappy and dissatisfied with his life. There wasn't much anyone else could do about that. It was a problem he'd have to deal with on his own, and that was all there was to it.

He'd dealt with this sort of thing before, and probably would again. Snapping himself out of a bad phase was as simple as meetnig someone interesting or succeeding where he expected to fail, or just coming across a particularly beautiful and luxurious portion of the land without too many larger predators to make him feel unwelcome. Of course, even when the larger predators were very friendly and welcoming problems still arose, since Qahwa knew in his heart that he could not live as a second-class citizen, and so he had to move on, as he'd done after meeting that lion from the Ukuucha'Wafalme.

"I wouldn't fight you," Qahwa remarked, seizing on the part of the female's words which he thought he could respond to without getting into an argument. "You don't seem like you'd be worth the effort."

He still hadn't turned his head to look at her. He would eventually have to, but he couldn't help hoping that if he continued to be rude and not look at her, she'd give up and leave of her own accord. He did have a very strict sense of good manners, and acting like this was an affront to them which rankled even through his foul temper.

She could tell he didn't want her around and that made her want to stick around more. That he was so unwilling to let her in to help was beyond her, she didn't see the logic is bottling things up. She always vented at some inanimate object if something bothered her, just talking about her problems aloud even with no one to relaly listen helped her.

When he responded with her seeming like she was not worth the effort to fight she took a step back. Did she look weak? Anger flared in her but she quickly smothered it, she wouldn't get angry at him yet. Those were words, that's all. However she remained tight lipped as she came around to stare at him in the eye. So he didn't want to look at her then she'd make him. Always straight to the point, she'd get her way even if it meant hounding him.

Just like a river. She suddenly remembered it, finding herself alone with only the water to comfort her and her name. Memories of her parents were like a bad joke, nothing to hold onto. Wondering if that might be why she sought out kindred spirits, to help them ease whatever suffering they had and didn't know about.

Snapping back to the present she narrowed her eyes in a slight challenge, "Something is bothering you, talk. It'll make you feel better." Annoyance tactics sometimes worked, other times it ended up in a fight.

Qahwa glanced down at her paw on his. Before the notion of turning this into a seduction had been just that: a notion. And, for that matter, he hadn't even intended to follow through on it. But now she was just making it too easy for him, and being a young, virile male, he couldn't easily resist.

"You're very kind," he said, angling his body toward her as he spoke. "I apologize for snapping at you earlier. It was uncalled for. I can see now that you only want to help me - though the gods only know why. I'm hardly worth it."

Actually, if this encounter ended up the way Qahwa now intended for it to end up, Kaveri would probably be the one thanking him, and not the other way around. Qahwa had no illusions about his abilities when it came to pleasing females. He took a great deal of pride in them, and just thinking about his prowess did more to restore his good mood that all Kaveri's good intentions, though in a roundabout way it had been because of her that his mood had begun to turn.

"I'm not used to people taking an interest, you see," he explained. That much was true. It came with being a lone rogue leopard.

He had a brilliant idea, then, for how to explain his melancholy while also making sure he didn't come across as a weak victim or like someone who deserved to be in the state he was in. He'd already said it was all his fault, of course, but she could attribute that to his depression. Self-blame was usual in that situation, wasn't it?

"I am a pariah among my own people, cast out because I tried to help a captive escape and they ended up dead. It was exile or death, and I took the coward's way out."

When Qahwa responded by putting his paw upon hers, Kaveri could feel her heart quicken. He was an exceptionally handsome young male and troubled, all things that seemed to draw her in. However she needed to expell those thoughts from her head, this was about helping him, not the other way around. When he told her she was kind she felt warmth in her cheeks and tilted her head down, averting her golden eyes.

"Thank you." She mumbled continuing to listen to what he had to say. That many didn't take interest in such a handsome leopard? She couldn't believe it, but she said nothing, however when he said he was an exile and that he has helped another escape joy rang out in her. "A good deed, you are no coward. I would have chose exile also." What good was one dead when you could continue to do good deeds even in exile.

Qahwa thought and pondered, wondering how he could turn this situation into something more intimate. Obviously she was softening and warming to him, and that was good, but he didn't feel like expending the time and effort necessary to make form a permanent attachment with her. He really just wanted something quick and done with. A quick bit of fun, and then gone in the morning, never to be heard from again.

"I still don't think I'll ever be able to reconcile myself to this new life of mine. I'm not used to being alone. I miss companionship." Companionship was one way to put it anyway.

"Being alone is hard." She responded, "I understand that. I miss being with others also." Her naivety was appaling. "Maybe I can travel with you for a while. I help others, but I don't want to be held down."

She smiled at him. Like water she could be patient but she'd wear down on who she was with eventually and get their secrets out.