Life was changing. Well, he knew it was always changing, but it had been so different lately! He had thought his life was heading in one very predictable direction, but lo and behold, here he was with his very own family. Oh, it wasn't what most typically thought about when you said the word "family". He had his mate Delphia, the genet Raska, and now little Xieros, the orphaned cub that had needed them so badly. It was the realization that this made him a dad that had led him to take a little time from the family group. He had made sure they were nestled safely in a subterranean den before he'd paced off into the dying day, eyes turned to the brilliant clouds and mind turned inwards to work out how he felt about all these changes. He climbed a shoulder of rock and sat on the warm surface, eyes still turned to the heavens. What did it mean to be a father? His own had died bravely in battle some years ago, and wasn't around to ask. What must it be like for Delphia? She'd been a mother once before, with only one cub surviving. Would she be okay with raising this lost little one? She seemed to take to it naturally, which led him to wonder if she would want cubs with him. Oh, the changes!
Mjyd loved this time of day. The setting sun made the whole land turn red and gold and wonderful deep colors. Why, the clouds in the sky seemed to be the same pink hue as her own spots! How fetching. Yes, the world was beautiful at this time, and so was she, and life was good.
She yawned, leaning back against the rock she's been reclining against the base of, and then froze. There was sound coming from over the ridge. Like someone'd come to sit atop the rock. Her first thought was that it was one of the various males she'd teasted along and then left wanting come to hassle her, an entirely common occurance that was. Well, she'd send him on his way as slick as she'd stolen his heart.
Smiling to herself at the idea of fun to be had, she luxuriously got to her feet, shaking off and clinging dust. The setting sun washed over her, making her glossy fur shine like water, 'rushing' over her lithe form as she mounted the rock. "Well hello there again, you...ah...I've never met you." She cocked a brow at the very plain brown lion she'd found. Ick. Brown was sooo last season.
He was so caught up in his mulling that he hadn't caught the scent of anyone else nearby. Thus the voice from nearly beside him caught him off guard. He half turned, one paw raising, though whether to strike out or to leap away couldn't have been proven. In truth, it was neither. It just paid to be ready, or had in his past. He blinked in surprise at the lioness and her strange words. "No ma'am, I don't think we've met yet." Clearly she had been expecting someone else. "Pardon my disturbing you. My name is Tangir." It seemed only polite to introduce himself, since she had been the one to point out the lack of introduction. "Am I intruding?" He arched an eyebrow and stood as if to leave. "I apologize, if so."
Hmph. Well THIS certainly wasn't what she'd been looking for, but still. She would just make do. At least he was polite, introducing himself so fast. Usually she just called them all 'handsome' though, and normally few if any names stuck with her past her first meeting with someone.
"No, no, it's fine. I was thinking you were someone I knew come to call on me, but I honestly wasn't in the mood to deal with him. You're much better." She slid down to lay beside him, careful to keep herself from getting even a single hair of her fur out of place, and then curled her tail around just so, almost touching him with it, but not quite. "I haven't seen you around these parts before, Tangir, and trust me, I know everyone around here. You must be new, hmm. It's always fun going to new places. Seeing new things. Meeting...new people..." Her voice was thick like honey, and about as sickly sweet.
Completely oblivious, he beamed down at her, neatly sidestepping her tail to sit back far enough so that he wouldn't be looking directly down at her. His eyes were bright with joy at the mention of traveling and meeting new people. "I completely agree. That's how I met my mate, in fact. We just happened to be traveling the same direction at the same time." He nodded sagely, his gaze resting on the female but clearly not seeing her at all. "It's odd to think how I'd not have met her at all, if the situation had just been a little different." Had Raska not been so badly hurt, or had the battle not taken a turn for the worst when it did, or had he tired more quickly. So many little things conspiring to have them meet! "Have you ever just had that feeling when you met someone?" he asked the lioness, not even realizing she hadn't told him her name in return. His eyes were focused on her once more with eagerness.
She at first didn't mind his moving away. Plenty of males were conscious of being close to her, and found it straining, and opted to shift away. She knew better than to chase after him immediately, and so she instead flicked her tail a few time and curled one paw under, pretending to settle in. Of course, hearing he had a mate wasn't what she wanted to hear at all, and she bit back a frown. Great. JUST great. Instead of flirting she was going to actually attempt to amuse this boring brown lion for no personal gain. Sure she would 'make a friend', but she didn't need friends. She could get new ones any time with her looks. She sighed under her breath. Well she would certainly make a bad impression if she just stood and walked away, even if that was what she wanted to do. No, she would be beautiful inside and out, and play along a little longer. "Feeling? Hmmm. Of course, darling, we all have, haven't we? And tell me now, what did you say your, ehem, mate's name was, again?"
He gave her a considering look at her odd response, beginning to get the vague idea that perhaps she hadn't had quite the same feeling he had had, but he let the notion slip away immediately upon her question. "Delphia," he said softly, making her name into a deep-throated purr of devotion. His eyes went starry and a slow smile spread across his face upon speaking her name. Despite his depth of dedication, he was comparatively a young lion, and it showed in his bemused features. Completely love-struck, unaware of how silly he looked whenever he tried to talk about her. "We have a cub now too, poor little thing," he added, his eyes returning to normal to give the lioness a sober look. "Starved nearly to death and alone in the world. So she is ours now, and never will suffer like that again." He gave a firm nod with whiskers bristling in indignation that any youngling should experience such disadvantage so early in life. "Though... I'm not certain how to be a father," he admitted slowly, eyes dropping. "I wish....," but he trailed off without finishing his wish. Wishing wasn't going to do Xieros any good. Trying his best was all he could offer her, and his love.
Hmph. Well wasn't that nice. She knew a love-loony when she saw one. How many times had males made those faces over her? She couldn't count that high. But something about the tone of his voice made her frown just slightly. Something was different. Oh, that's right, he was in love, not just infatuated. Apparently that made some kind of difference. She wouldn't know. She'd never been in love, or infatuated with anyone but herself. "Oh, well that's kind of you. Taking in a lost cub. Poor thing, parents are supposed to be there for their children and tend to them, be sure they get the best." And that was reason number 12 why she herself wasn't planning on having kids any time soon. They would take precious time away from herself! Not to mention make her fat and tired-looking. "I'm sure your mate is happy as well. Cubscan be such little treasures, hmm?" Her tail flicked a bit sharper. So this fellow wasn't the best conversation just now for her, he at least seemed like a good enough guy. Probably would even share his kill if he had one. Or maybe not, now that he was all tied down.
He gave her a sharp look as she made disparging comments clearly aimed at Xieros' parents. He frowned deeply and sat up taller, straightening his shoulders to give her a stern look. "Her parents were murdered. They took perfectly good care of her while they were able, but they hardly can be blamed for her condition after her pride was wiped out, now can they?" His voice had grown deeper, his tone sharper. Disapproval was written blatently across his features. How dare she make such assumptions? It was foolish of him to jump on the defensive like that, perhaps, but he felt very protective of his new family, and would never allow such harsh words about her parents ever reach the ears of Xieros. Not ever. He narrowed his eyes at the strange lioness, whose words now spoke counter to what her body language said. "Tell me, stranger," he spoke a little more formally now, "do you have cubs?" If they were such treasures, surely she'd raised some herself, though at this point he highly doubted it. His whole demeanor had changed from relaxed and dreamy to tight and lofty, all for the sake of his adopted daughter. Maybe being a father wasn't going to be as hard as he feared.
Alright, clearly she'd hit a wrong button somewhere. Probably like he said, because her parents had tried to take care of her. It was true that he was in the right and she was wrong, but how could she have known. And really, he was getting so uppity now. She was a lady, wasn't she? She was young and beautiful and used to getting her way, and her way included not being spoken down to like this. She slid languidly to her feet, tossing her tail and tipping her head back to look down her nose at him somehow, despite being the shorter of the two. "No I do not, and I do not appreciate your tone. I admit I was in the wrong with what I said, but how was I to know? You talk of a half-starved abandoned cub, and what am I supposed to think?" Her tone was haughty, and a little indignant. She didn't take being scolded well at all. "I shall forgive you for your rude demeanor on the grounds that you are a new father, and clearly emotionally overwrought on your cub's behalf. And you'd do well to practice your tone when speaking to a stranger. It's exceedingly rude, especially when you are sitting on their rock!" She ended her retort with a little 'humph'. Oh yes. Pot here calling the kettle black, though she didn't see it that way at all.
Though generally a very easy-going male, Tangir was growing to very much dislike this snooty female. When she rose to her paws, so did he, his large frame towering over hers. If he hadn't been so indignant, he might have chuckled at her attempt to look down her nose at him. As it was, he was gritting his jaw not to snap something truly rude back at her. No, this was not the way to treat a stranger, and he refuses to return in kind. "Then I shall kindly take my leave from your rock," he said stiffly but with utmost dignity. "I wouldn't want you to be bothered with my joys that you cannot possibly fathom." For clearly she was clueless to exactly what it was that had had Tangir brimming with emotion tonight. He had hoped to share his feelings with a sympathetic ear, but had found a haughty heart instead. Disappointed, frustrated, and outraged, he turned to go. "Next time you meet a stranger at your doorstep," he said, pausing to look back over his shoulder as the sky began to turn purple and blue, "I suggest you give them the same courtesy you demand of them." With his back ramrod straight, he stalked off into the dusky shadows, making a beeline for his girls and the warmth of love he knew he'd find there. He'd never be one to wander in his heart, but this experience only sealed it for him, that the only ones for him were Delphia, Raska, and Xieros. And any other little ones that came along later. The very thought put a soft smile on his face, allowing him to let the negative feelings slip away into the night as he broke into a lope for home... where his heart was.
Grr! Okay, now she was mad. So mad in fact that she wasn't even going to dignify this stupid ugly male with a response. She didn't know what he, had? She was the one not being courteous? She didn't HAVE to stay around and talk to him. She didn't HAVE to do anything! Goodbye and good riddance, as far as she was concerned. He didn't know what he was missing by walking away.
Of course, she couldn't begin to understand what she herself was missing either.
She watched him go with cold eyes before slithering back down the rock and curling up in the long grass. So what if he had a family and she didn't? So what if she was alone tonight? It wasn't the first night she'd spent alone, and it wouldn't be the last. She was used to that. Hmph. His precious cub would probably whine and wake them all up at night anyways.
