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 Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:26 pm
Xerxes was far from a patient lion and all of this running around without a single clue of where to look for Bunikee was just about driving him mad. If he weren't so stubborn or, though he wouldn't admit it, determined to see Buni again, he would have abandoned his search long before. It had been quite some time since he left, and since he had a run in with a former pridemate. It had seemed hopeful, if he could find someone so unlikely, that he could find Buni.. but that no longer was the case.
He spent most of his days now trudging around looking grumpy, occasionally grumbling to himself or stopping to hunt. Today was one of the lonely grumbling days. He was paying attention to what was going on around him but mostly he was walking at random and muttering.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:32 pm
 Inatarni had been out today, leaving Antallian home with stern admonitions agianst moving anything. She was actually looking for a certain type of clay that could be found in the earth here to use in decorating their den. The black lioness was having no luck when her ears perked up, catching an odd string of sounds. They sounded like someone...talking? Clay was momentarily forgotten as the lioness slunk towards the noise. It wasn't too loud, but it also didn't sound like more than one person. Very curious. When she did finally catch a glimpse of her quarry, she had to stop and do a double-take. How in the world could she have missed this male? He was, by far, one of the brightest creatures she had ever seen, and it was a wonder he didn't have a "kill me now" sign posted on his back. Spina was so stunned she simply stood there in the grasses for several long moments, staring.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:37 pm
Black was so far from the color he was watching out for, he didn't notice his observer very quickly either. It came as quite a surprise when he realized (very suddenly) someone was staring at him. Wearing an unfriendly scowl, he stared back. It occurred to him that maybe he ought to be nice and maybe he ought to ask if she had seen anything useful.. but.. why was she staring like that?
Hmph.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:40 pm
Okay, now this was embarrassing. Not only had she been staring, but she'd been caught staring. Spina's tail twitched nervously. This was a situation she generally tried to avoid...but here she was.
"I suppose this is where I should point out that talking to yourself, with that kind of coloration, is likely to get you attacked," the lioness broached the silence. Her voice was calm, though her red eyes were still a bit wide with surprise.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:59 pm
There was quite the space between them but he heard her loud and clear, and his scowl deepened as she offered him some advice about his actions and coloration. Xerxes liked to think he was generally capable if he were attacked, and it showed in the way he puffed himself up self-consciously.
"I can take care of myself," he shot back grouchily. It was something of a sensitive topic where he was very much a pride lion and had set out on his own into the roguelands with very little idea of what was actually going to be out there. He didn't care to plan ahead, he just had to find Buni.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:08 pm
Oh lovely. A typical male with a typical male desire to refuse to accept any kind of aid or advice from a female. Gods all help him if he should ever look for a mate. That chauvinisitc attitude was likely to get him injured in the not-too-distant future, and you didn't have to be a Seer to see that.
It occurred to Inatarni that she might be judging him too much, especially for a stranger she'd just met and whose name she didn't even know. But the black lioness decided she didn't care.
"Fine then," she retorted shortly, and turned on her heel and left. Stupid males. Now...that clay she'd been looking for...
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:13 pm
Xerxes watched he go, his tail swaying behind him in frustration. He didn't care for random interjections offering advice and implying he was being foolish and he was happy to let her go.. until he realized he was missing an opportunity to gain a lead. He rarely had the will to go and strike up a conversation with someone and this one was already struck .. in it's own, awkward way, even if it was wrapping up as fast as it had begun.
He watched for another moment and just as she was beginning to get too far to recall, he suddenly leaped forward and went after her.
"Hey! Wait!"
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:21 pm
She was only half surprised to hear the obnoxious red male's voice as she was getting further and further away, calling out for her to wait. Too bad, so sad. He'd had his chance. Why should she give him a second one? Gods all knew the world wouldn't.
Spina ducked down into a fold in the land - a ravine that was currently dry but a serious hazard when the rains came and flash floods filled it to overflowing. She could follow this for a significant distance and emerge well out of the stranger's sight.
She was in no mood to deal with an idiot.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:31 pm
It was fortunate for him that he liked being ignored as much as he liked being insulted (imaginary or not) or he might have turned himself around and moved on. He was far from saying 'please' .. though something almost made him call that out first. Every once in a while, Xerxes did know why he was out here and the proper ways to achieve his goal was not far from his mind. Now was one of those unlikely times, though it was more unlikely than normal.
"I'm looking for someone, I just want to know if you've seen her," he called, stubbornly following after her even when she ducked into the ravine in an effort to lose him. It was difficult to keep up and after the initial distance he'd caught back up, he was quickly losing her. He launched into a rather short and vague description of Buni, knowing she was getting away and hoping that if she had seen anybody, she might stop and help him.
"Tan lioness, white mane- and pink marks- on her legs-"
He was cut short after that, losing his footing and sliding down a particularly steep section of the strange sort of path they were following. He was lucky to stay on his feet but he lost his chance to keep up.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:37 pm
Ina was making good progress through the ravine, though nowhere near her top speed. The lioness much preferred silence over speed, and so she was still fairly near when the lion called out again. What was she, supposed to know every single person in the Rogue Lands? It was impossible even for a god.
Then he called out a description. One that sounded very familiar...
...he couldn't be looking for Bunikee...could he? The thought drew the black lioness up short, crouched in a deep shadow at the bottom of the ravine. Her ears told her dispassionately that the stranger wasn't too far behind her, and that he was either in too much of a hurry to watch his step or that he was just plain clumsy.
She considered calling back, but that would just ruin the effort she'd put into losing him. However Inatarni simply couldn't make herself go onwards for the moment.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:42 pm
Xerxes stood where he was for a long, silent moment, looking for some sign that the lioness had stopped and was coming back.. but it didn't look like it. He was stubborn but he wasn't optimistic. She didn't know, didn't care or didn't hear him- or all of the above- and he wasn't going to waste more time chasing her down.
He sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed despite himself, and then he turned around and worked his way back up out of the ravine. He would return to walking and grumbling and hoping another opportunity to ask about Buni would present itself.
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:50 pm
After an interminable amount of time, he finally left. Which was all to the good as far as Inatarni was concerned. She wasn't sure what to make of the stranger, and not sure she wanted to change her original opinion.
Thank the gods he'd taken the hint and left when she didn't show herself.
Spina did feel a bit bad for how she'd treated him, but if the gods wanted her to apologize, they'd meet again. Someday. Hopefully far in the future.
She made her way quietly through the ravine. Perhaps where it came out she'd be able to find some good clay.
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