- He'd yet failed to show up on the edge of the lands since their first meeting. Each day she took her walk, there he was. He was always sitting quietly, usually staring into the jungle as though trying to predict from which shady spot she'd appear. Fedha had grown quite fond of him, despite the fact that he didn't talk much. She thought it might of had something to do with the fact that he was the first friend she'd mad since cubhood. She definitely thought they were friends, even though she didn't know very much about him. She'd probably told him ten times the amount he'd told her; she'd spoken of her loneliness in the pride, and of the family she grew up with but no longer knew. She spoke a lot about random little things; the different sort of plants that grew in the jungle, the weather, hippos. Every once in a while she felt almost as though she might be talking to much, but he never seemed to mind. He always had a smile, and every once in a while when he would speak up it was clear he'd been listening to everything.
So when she arrived at their little spot, the same time of day as usual, and he wasn't sitting where he usually did she instantly grew worried. Was he sick? Had someone from the pride attacked him? Maybe he'd gotten lost... though she hardly thought that could be it. How did one get lost when previously they'd arrived at their destination safely every time? She frowned and moved further into the rogue lands. "Tibua?" She called out, slowing. Or maybe she should wait back at their spot? She threw a glance over her shoulder. No, waiting would drive her mad. It would only serve to give her free time for thinking about what may be holding Tibua up, and she wouldn't be able to stand that. "I have to find him." She mumbled to herself, though even as she said this the little feeling that maybe he didn't want to show up entered her mind.
But that couldn't be it either, could it? She frowned deeply, unable to stop thinking the thought now that it'd entered her mind. That was just how things worked, sometimes. "Tibua! Please!" She called out, though she was not sure what she was begging for. For him to not be hurt? For him to still want her company?
- Tibua hadn't meant to be late, he honestly hadn't. After the first few times of meeting a regular time of day had been established. No words had been spoken about it, somehow they both just knew that when the sun hit a certain spot in the sky they better be in their meeting spot. So when he'd looked up from what he was doing and noticed it was getting very close to their meeting time he'd been surprised, and worried. He knew it was easy to jump to conclusions, and he didn't want that for Gray.
So he finished making the little trinket and ran for the jungle, but he already knew he wasn't going to be able to make it on time. But the trinket was important too, he thought if he brought it to her and she liked it he might have the courage to ask her to stay with him. But he also thought that she probably didn't want to leave her homelands behind... would he be accepted there?
As he got closer he was surprised to see the gray lioness outside of the jungle vegetation! He got upset as he saw the look on her face though, she looked panicked and worried. "Gray!" he called, because that was still the only name he knew she had. "I'm here!" Oh he hated himself!
- When Fedha saw Tibua she was beside herself with relief; she'd worried for nothing! Before she had time to think about what she was doing or if Tibua would feel awkward she'd met up with him and tackled him into a hug. "You're safe!" she cried out, happy to see he was in one piece.
"You're okay! I thought you were hurt!" But as she said those words she realized that perhaps he was hurt; just because he'd showed up didn't mean that he was perfectly fine! She suddenly lept off of him. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't even wait to see if you were truly okay! Did I hurt you? I just got too excited!" She padded quickly around him several times, full of energy and tension.
Tibua grunted with the impact of the gray lioness, thudding to the ground with her momentum. He was.... a little shocked, actually. They had spoke often and of many things... well she has spoken, mostly, but never had they done something so intimate! Of course... this sort of thing happened between friends all of the time, or so he imagined. "I'm okay!" He called out, righting himself as well as he suddenly faced her.
He bumped his head against hers softly, trying to reassure her. "I'm sorry!" He could tell that this was going to be one of the rare occasions where he spoke more often than usual.
After a few moments and everything calmed down he figured it would be okay to finally show her the trinket he'd made for her. "Er... I have something to show you." He'd attached it around his paw and after a few minutes of working it with his teeth he managed to get it off and showed it to her.
She was relieved to see that he was okay, and curious when he began to fiddle with something at his paw. Something to show her? "Oh! It's beautiful Tibua..." She cooed, and was even more surprised when he gave it to her. "For me? Are you sure?" She nuzzled into him.
"I... I have something to tell you." She said slowly, having finally decided that she wanted to stay with him.
"I want you to know my true name... because I trust you and want to travel with you... my real name is Fedha."
So it'd been decided, they would stay with each other.
