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Having specific instructions to touch absolutely nothing in the den under pain of unspecified torture, Antallian had decided that today would be a good day to practice concealment and traps. Concealment of the den, that is, and checking the few traps he'd laid for unwary small animals. They weren't anything special, some pits and a snare-like twist, but he did have to check them.

Today they'd all been empty, and the white lion was a bit desolate as he trudged back towards home. Not that Spina would be utterly disappointed in him, but she wouldn't be excessively pleased either.

That was when Antallian realized that the soft muttering he'd been listening to wasn't his own. It was just a shade too soft for him to make out any real words. So he looked up. There, as oblivious to his surroundings as Bauble had just been, was a red lion.

"Ah, well, hello there!" the sandy-maned lion called out in surprise.

Well, this was a nice change indeed! Normally it seemed like Bauble had to pry conversation out of some of the people he ran into, but in comparison, this red male was practically garralous!

"Lookin' fer someone, eh? Kin be difficult, out here," the white male replied slowly in contrast to the speed with which the stranger was forcing his words out. Bauble figured that this guy was probably from a pride, just something in his attitude and stance. An paused and considered the description. It sounded very familiar...

"Yer lookin' fer Bunikee, I take it?" Antallian asked at last. She was the only person he knew that fit that particular description, though gods only knew how many others in the Rogue Lands did.

"Certainly seems that way," Bauble replied languidly. He supposed that while there might be other lionesses in these lands who fit the description, it was highly unlikely that they'd have the same name. Which meant he did indeed know who the red male was talking about.

"A'course I don't know where she is," the white lion told the stranger scornfully. "I could tell you where she was, aye an' maybe the direction she chose, but where that lady is now only the gods could tell you." Silly question really. Antallian supposed he didn't have to take it so literally, but so be it. The stranger could've been a little more reasonable in his request. After all, the white and sand lion was helping him.

A wicked smile lit his brown eyes. It was also possible that the laidback lion just plain liked messing with people every now and then. More than likely even. It was an attitude that Ina couldn't stand, so he could only indulge in it with strangers.

A twinkle in Bauble's eyes was the only outward sign that he was truly enjoying the stranger's confusion. In fact...perhaps he should see how far he could push it. The white lion came closer to the red.

"Well an' good, but I'm afraid m'mate would take it ill if'n I jest showed anyone who came along where a friend of ours had gone," Antallian pointed out, only half in jest. "So. I'm Antallian. An' yer name is...?"

If he could be said to "know" the stranger to some degree, they wouldn't then be strangers and then the white lion would happily show the red what he knew about how to find Bunikee. The lioness in question hadn't told Spina or Bauble much about where she came from, but it was a bit suspicious that someone had come searching for her by name.

A friend, eh? Antallian had heard that before. Had said that before even. Before he'd finally got up the courage to ask Inatarni to be his mate. When she'd said "yes" it had been the happiest moment of his life...

"Xerxes, nice name," he commented idly, starting to walk again, just fast enough that if the red lion wished to continue talking he'd have to come with. "An' she's a friend o' yers. A special friend?" Bauble asked with a knowing look on his face as he kept walking.

If Buni had kept to the same speed she'd had when Ina ran into her, the two should be reunited in a reasonable amount of time. Or was it the lioness' sense of direction that had slowed her down so...? Whatever, by the time Antallian let Xerxes go, it probably wouldn't be more than a couple days before the red lion found his lady love.

"Coulda guessed that'n," the white lion replied sardonically. "Neither o' you have the sense the gods gave a kitten fer movin' through these lands." He shook his head. Pride members just confused him. They were soft in so many ways, used to relying on a select few of their number to protect all the rest from the outside world.

Several more lengths were attained in the resulting silence before Antallian tried again.

"So...yer childhood sweetheart or somethin'?" he queried, turning his head slightly to get a look at Xerxes' reaction.

It was difficult, but Antallian managed to not only keep from breaking into laughter, but also to keep a mostly straight face. The fact that Xerxes was actually grinding his teeth didn't help the situation there.

"Ah, I see now," the white lion went on, seemingly oblivious to his companion's frustration. "You love her, but she may not wish t'take it to the next level." He paused, considering something else. "She might not even be aware o' yer love, I bet. Must make it hard on you, Red!" If he knew Xerxes slightly better, Antallian might've slapped him on the back at that moment. Lucky Xerxes.

"So she left the pride, an' you followed her all the way out here," Bauble continued talking as he continued walking. "What'll you do once you find her?"