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He was tired. No, not tired, exhausted. He hated having to hunt for himself. Shambe pulled himself up into the low bow of a tree, cringing as the bark scratched his worn paws. He had tried to run a few bits, but nothing had panned out. It was a rough week. He yawned quietly, surveying the horizon. The sun was just reaching the edge, painting the sky a bright mixture of purple and orange. As he leaned forward his mane brushed down over his eyes. To the outsider he appeared to be the picture of laziness, draped over the branch in a haphazard way. He didn't mind, it wasn't as if he felt a need to impress. It had been a while since he'd met anyone that was worth that effort. Too many suckers and weaklings.

Shambe had noticed the approach, falling into her trap. While he may have been clever there was no chance he would win any contests. At least not among his own kind. His selfishness tended to overwhelm his common sense. Such was the case as he watched the female headed toward him. He didn't catch on to the trick, it was much more subtle than his usual. What he did catch was that she was a cheetah, and a strong looking one at that. It was a welcome change from the riffraff he'd been hanging around recently. Without truly realizing what he was doing he began to slide down the base of the tree, eyes locked ahead on her. She was vibrant, he had seen those sort of colors only once before on that leopard. That leopard, it still left a bad taste in his mouth. "Lost?" he asked as he slipped toward her, his head tilted forward just enough to leave stray sections of his mane masking his eyes, "It's dangerous out here. Lions running around, no respect for others."

"Not afraid, disgusted. They swarm like stupid little rats." he told her with a sly counter, sensing that he had come upon someone who wouldn't be so easily taken in. It was exciting in a way, but he also felt unsure of himself. She seemed at home in the role, tempting, but something wasn't quite right. He sat at a distance, his shoulders stiffening as he worked to keep himself appearing calm. She was enticing, he would give her that, and she had gotten him off balance. Even the cheetahs he had met recently had seemed, well, subpar. She was different. Her eyes were something different. "You must have business out here," he said softly, trying to keep the curiosity out of his voice, "This place isn't exactly luxurious."

"That all depends on what you're seeking them for," he played back, shifting his head so that his feather hung on top of the bulk of his mane, "And what's in it for the discoverer." He didn't know what to make of her and he wasn't quite sure he liked it, but something kept him wanting to find just a little more. Sitting had been against his better judgment, it would have been wiser to leave himself an easy escape, but he felt it was a necessary move in cracking her. She didn't seem like she would admire someone who wasn't willing to go all in on a bet. And she was certainly some bet. He'd spent time with beauties, sure, but she wasn't just beautiful she was almost ethereal, untouchable. He wanted to know more.

He thought about her offer, something in his mind screaming to take it, if only to stop her incessant pacing. She seemed to be everywhere at the same time, it was beginning to get maddening. But from somewhere else his irrational side spoke up, "I'm loyal to no one," he said boldly, stiffening his shoulders so that he was sitting up as straight as he could, "But there are others who are, perhaps your time would be better spent with them." Oh but he didn't want her to leave, no, he just wasn't sure of his capability to resist if she went on. It all sounded so well, worth it. It had to be a trap though, nothing was ever that simple, and if he was good at anything it was keeping himself thoroughly untrapped. Responsibility just wasn't something that appealed to him.

"Shambe," he said cautiously, as if revealing some great secret. There was something intoxicating about her and he did not like it. She spoke of diamonds and luxury, such things were not given freely to his kind. "If I know anything it's when I need... Help," he added, "And I haven't yet." Well, he had taken advantage, but never truly asked for assistance. There was a difference, surely, one gave him the upper hand. In some way he was comforted that she was leaving, he felt the sooner he was out of his presence the sooner he might recover his head. Unconsciously he began to back away.