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Life as a rogue was not always kind. There were good days, though, and Sipho had been more fortunate than others. He was a big lion; tall and strong, radiating with a quiet sort of power everywhere that he went. His size kept a lot of the smaller animals at bay. This was mostly nice, except when it was meal time.

It was sometimes difficult, being as large as he was, to sneak up on prey. And so, out of necessity, Sipho had learned how to make friends first, and feast later. This was difficult, and tended to strain his conscious, but could not always be helped.

A guy had to eat.

Right?

Thoughtful, blue eyes twinkling with a hint of mystery, Sipho strolled to a stop at a crystal clear watering hole. He dipped his head, ears twitching, and drank.

The sun was visible setting over the horizon, and bathed the world in soft golden light. Above his head, the man in the moon winked from the sky. It looked like it would be a quiet night.

Sipho stood as still as stone by the water's edge, the dying light of the sun reflected in his usually sapphire eyes. Shiva captured his attention almost at once, and he turned towards the young lioness with a level of curiosity.

He could tell, because he was paying that much attention, that she disapproved of the boys who roughhoused nearby. From this, he drew several conclusions about the sort of lady she was. It was, perhaps, unfair of him to judge so quickly.

But he did judge. And he liked.

She was such a pretty thing.

"They don't know any better," Sipho addressed her from across the water, meaning the wrestling brothers. His voice was a little bit rumbly. A kindly smile stretching across his face, and he waited to see what she would do.

Sipho was, and always had been, a lion ruled by caution. He rarely did anything without thinking, and was always very selective with his words.

An amused chuckle rumbled up from the depths of Sipho's furry chest. He twinkled at Shiva from where he stood, and was quite unbothered by the airs she was putting on. It was entertaining, in an obnoxious sort of way. His lips twitched at the corners, and he straightened a little where he stood; subtly puffing out his chest.

Sipho was showing off.

"If you're not careful, that pretty nose is going to get you into a lot of trouble someday," there was a playful note in his voice, but the warning was heartfelt. The rogue lands could be dangerous. Not every creature would be so tolerant of Shiva's attitude. Sipho did not like to think that anything bad might happen to her because of it.

"Truly? I was just looking for an excuse to talk to you," his grin was pompous, "Judge them however you like. It makes little difference to me."

Shiva had spirit. Sipho liked that.

It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, behind those sea coloured eyes. His face was a mask of indifference. His posture was relaxed. But his mind was alive with curiosity, and a little bit of excitement. Shiva had to have come from a pride. There was no other explanation for her behaviour.

He wondered what had compelled her to leave, and at such a young age, such security and safety. Unless it hadn't been much of a home.

"Oh," Sipho drawled, a smile softening his features just a little, and left his place by the edge of the watering hole, "Trust me, you could get into a lot more trouble than this."

The rogue lands weren't so bad, really, if you knew how to keep your head low and your priorities straight. There was a reason, after all, that he had remained a wanderer for as long as he had. He was a lion enamored with adventure.

Sipho itched to solve the little mystery that this lioness posed, and stepped easily into stride alongside her.

"Where do you come from, girl?"

He did not like being brushed off, and would not be ignored.

Shiva had a pretty face, but this did little to compensate for her snotty attitude and entitled demeanour. Originally, Sipho had thought these things rather amusing, if not charming, but decided that they were more irritating than anything else when directed at him. Wondering idly if she was always this difficult, frustrated by her continued indifference to his presence, Sipho thought about seeking company elsewhere.

"Well, Shiva'Soheila," Sipho emphasized her name on purpose with a disdainful roll of his eyes. His tone, however, remained mostly neutral. "I am a curious fellow. I've been many places, and spoken to many travellers. I wondered if I might be familiar with the place that you call home?"

This was the truth. In his many (fortunately healthy) years roaming the savannah, Sipho had heard many stories and gone on many adventures. As lovely as Shiva's striped coat was, he rather thought that she was too young and immature for him to pursue as any sort of lover. And so he was less interested in her than he was in the possibility of finding a home.

Because Sipho longed, most of all, for a pride to settle down in. This was his ultimate goal.

Shiva disdained to give him any sort of respect. This was okay, because Sipho didn't require it from her. It wasn't worth his time, to sit and be cordial when she was so determined to hate him. But he was looking for information, and willing to suffer through her arrogance in order to get it.

"I see," Sipho pointedly ignored the jibes at his person, and marched along with Shiva as though she were the most pleasant person he'd spoken to in days. It was a lie. If there was anybody else Sipho could have asked, he would have. But she, unfortunately, was the only option.

"Tell me, Shiva'Soheila, if the men (Pads, is that what you called them?) in your pride are so protective of their ladies, what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Something cruel twisted the corners of his lips upwards. When he spoke, his tone was light, but his words were harsh.

"Did nobody want you?"

Any sympathy Sipho might have had for Shiva and those tears was snuffed out by her her attitude. He had meant to be cruel, because it was in him to do so, and regretted nothing of what he'd said. Shiva was a pretty girl, sure, but nothing terribly special.

"Ah, I see," Sipho didn't react to the way that she bristled, and pointedly ignored her glare. He was bigger than she was. Older than she was. Stronger than she was. Shiva could get angry all she liked. He had no misconceptions about who was worthy, here, and considered the subject thoroughly dispensed with.

Sipho had more productive things to do.

"Well then," he drawled, and stepped away from her at last, "Best of luck, Shiva'Soheila. I hope you can find what you're looking for."