Giza had found life with the pirates to be oddly peaceful. Everyone seemed to work together and it was almost as if she was a part of a huge family. It was a big change from the chain of bad relationships and lonely days, and she felt more and more at ease. This was her home now, and nobody could take that away from her.
Giza found great joy in watching over the cubs that tumbled around the pride, and with the newest batch of Pirato's babies to look after, she was constantly busy. The breaks she could take were far and few between but she didn't mind. She loved her duties in the pride more than she loved her little rests, that much was certain.
As usual during her short respite from cubsitting, Giza found herself looking out at the endless expanse of the deep blue sea.
The crew had settled back into the lands for a few days.. They had brought back a great deal of loot, and had already distributed it evenly. He had hidden his away with his momma, and he knew she would keep it safe. But now it was resting time. Cat-Fish, formerly known as Schylar, stretched out his legs in the sand, playing his toes against it. He missed the sand, grass just was no where near as great as the shifting, warm sand.
He had earned his name, because he was a great swimmer. He could fish with the best of them, and he was more at home in the water than he was on land. It might have been why his mane always clung to his neck as the salt water dried. He hadn't seen the leopard but truth was he really hadn't been looking. He knew that others would be around, he was home after all.. But he was quite happy just being on the beaches.
Giza was usually always very alert of her surroundings. It wasn't because she was keen or watchful, but it was almost a way of self-preservation. The leopardess was wary of males -- though she'd gotten better about being forever fearful -- and usually kept with the other females and the cubs of the pride. When the male rested nearby, it took a few moments for Giza to realize that she was suddenly in the presence of another feline.
A male, to be exact.
Exhaling softly, Giza fought the urge to frown. She'd been doing fine right here on her own, inhaling the briny sea air and enjoying the silky feel of the sand between her toes, and now she couldn't enjoy herself as much simply because there was a male sitting a good distance from her. She knew that the likelihood that he'd try anything shady was next to zero, but Giza couldn't fight the panicky feeling that threatened to choke her. There was only one thing to do, as Giza was determined to get over her fear of males.
She would approach him.
Clearing her throat and with great purpose Giza made her way slowly closer to the male.
He flicked his sapphire gaze to the female, and smiled. He wasn't like some of the other males.. Like Teech for example. He hated Teech.. But he was a good hearted guy. He hadn't had many things in life scar him just yet, and so he would remain that way.. He hoped. He could sense her agitation, and he hoped it wasnt because of himself. He was merely enjoying the sea, after all! But he was much n icer to pride members than others he met in the rogue lands. It was like a blood bond for him.
"Aye, good day." He said, dipping his head in greeting when she finally got close enough for her to be able to hear him without yelling.
Giza stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment before raising her brows and opening her mouth in an attempt to speak. The was difficult for her -- she'd never been beaten, but she had been taken advantage of in various ways, and she'd grown more and more anxiety-riddled as time went by -- but she was determined to show at least a little kinship to the males in her pride. After all, she'd just been thinking that they were a family of sorts, hadn't she?
"Hello," she said, the sound strained and forced. This wasn't going so bad, right?
"I am Giza. I'm ah.. a Corsair. I don't believe we've met?" Clearing her throat again, she readjusted her feet in the sand, wiggling her toes.
He knew of Giza, though he hadn't known her name. He had seen her around when he visited his mother Makena. She was in charge of cubs too, and so Giza was likely to be seen around her. But he smiled and nodded.
"Good day, Giza. I dont think we've met either." He said, and bowed his head in greeting once more.
"Im Cat-Fish. Son of Makena." He was on Pirato's crew, but he felt saying that might rub it in others faces, and this female didnt need that.
Giza tried to smile -- he seemed friendly enough. He wasn't trying to sweet talk her or anything of the sort, and that fact alone made Giza relax. Her smile was still forced, but she could work on that, right?
"I know of Makena," she said quietly, fidgeting the slightest. "She looks after cubs, and sometimes we do that together," Makena seemed nice and sweet, and Giza doubted that she could raise a son that was mean or of poor temperament.
"Cat Fish is an interesting name," she offered hesitantly.
"Its my Pirate name! Im a good fisherman." He said proudly, puffing out his chest. He smiled at her and nodded. His mother was a known figure in the pride.. Somehow.. He supposed it was because she was so friendly, most of the crew really took to her. He had to say though, he was happy that she had taken to a captain.. Because hewouldnt have liked trying to beat other men off of her. And he would have too!
"Oh good. Im sure mother would love to know about me seeing you. How is your day?" He asked, stretching out his toes again and lying down in the sand so that his belly was warmed.
Giza cleared her throat again. It felt nice to make friends, even if he was a male, but despite that he was something of a gentleman if there even could be such a thing to come from the Pirates. The thought made Giza smile slightly.
"My day is well so far. Just taking a small break from my duties before I head back to watching the cubs. Pirato's new litter is something of a handful," especially that Syrio, she thought to herself. He was always telling her how pretty she was, and from the rumors around the pride he was the same kind of ladies' man his papa was.
"You've just come back from looting," she commented idly, "it was a good haul?" She hoped she was getting the lingo right.
He nodded when she spoke of Pirato's cubs. He had met a few of them, and even his first litter was a handful.. He could imagine all the litters were. Though he weished his captain would pick better females for breeding. They all apparently were quite.. off.
"Oh yes. There has been a great influx of cubs to the pride. New blood and all. Im rather happy to say that I was the first born of these lands." Which wasnt really true.. But Pirato liked telling him that. Because before Pirato, cubs were unheard of. Pirato's father simply refused to have alot of cubs around.
"We did! Lots of turtle shells and sparkly things. It was a good raid. Thats for sure." He said proudly.
Giza grinned, a genuine gesture this time, and dipped her head in acknowledgement. "It's nice to watch the cubs grow bigger and stronger day by day," she said off-handedly, an ear flicking as she spoke. "And you were the first of many cubs," she continued, "with good luck the pride will prosper under Pirato's rule and we'll be stronger and healthier than any other pride around." She bobbed her head in a slight nod before rising to her paws.
"I've dallied long enough," she said apologetically, offering another one of those ghostly smiles that was gone before it even had a chance to shine, "it was nice to meet you, Cat Fish, and I hope to speak with you soon." Backing away, she dipped her head again before turning and sprinting back towards the cubs.
