Talfrid had not seen his pursuer in some time, and he wondered if he had done too good a job in losing her. It was a shame, really, as he had been enjoying himself with her following him. But he supposed everyone had their limits, and she had lost her interest in the chase.
He padded his way back toward the place where he had met the white and black lioness, the one who had promised to tell Fushigibana to go the opposite way of Talfrid. Perhaps she had done her task well, and indeed, like him, too well. He would ask her, if she was still there, what became of the green and blue lioness.
But as he reached the spot, he saw the she had gone. He frowned and sniffed the air, padding toward the bushes, able to scent her out at least enough to find a clearing where she must have slept, but his tracking skills were not the best. He looked around and did not see her, and no trace of her from some time. It had been a few days.
He sighed.
Behind him, something rustled, and he heard a growl.
"I do not recommend whatever it is you are thinking of doing, my friend," Talfrid said calmly, but his voice was edged and hard. He knew a threat when he heard one, and the creature behind him was not either lioness he had encountered before. But it did not attack him, even as the air grew tense, and he walked out of the clearing and toward a cliff almost calmly. It was his intimidating stature and his godliness that scared the would be rival lion off, though Talfrid could hear him growling in the shadows of the trees.
But he was nothing.
Following the line of the ravine, he walked down its length, until the ground began to slope and slowly decline toward it as it rose up. It was a clear entrance, walls rising up on either side once he turned and entered the ravine. He was walking along a small line of water that ran through the length of the ravine, likely leading to a small river on the other end. The sound of paws coming toward him made him look up from the water.
A lioness was walking his way, and he tilted his head. It was not the one he had met before, nor the follower he had gained. He had not met this lioness before, and so he bowed politely as she got closer. That garnered a look of confusion and suspicion from Avya.
"Who are you? What are you doing? You're not that lion from the forest above are you? I swear, if you're here to hurt her I'm going to rip your throat out!" Just like that, following the line of her own verbal thoughts, she went from nice to vicious and angry. Her ears fell back against her head, her muscles tensed, her teeth became bared and her claws dug into the ground. She hissed her words at him between thick growls and he looked at her in wonder.
His eye brows lifted.
"No, no, I am not that beast. He did not seem to like me, much, either. No, but I see he must have caused you or someone you know harm? What has happened? Do you need aid?"
Avya calmed herself slightly, though she did not trust him just because he said he was a nice guy. She would have been eaten by now if she let someone trick her so easily. Still. There was something about this lion that put her at ease, though she did not know what it was. His funny clothes? The feeling in the air? She did not know but she watched him skeptically as he padded toward her, apparently not deterred from his path.
She had just been leaving her friend, who was well enough now to be on her own. But that did not mean she would just let anyone who wanted to mess with her pass.
"Where are you going?" She asked gruffly.
"I am looking for some friends of mine. A lioness, white with black stripes. I fear that lion from above may have hurt her, or chased her away. The last I saw of her, she was near his dwelling. I did not realize it was a dangerous place when I left her, and I am hoping she is still well."
"You know her? She was hurt! She fell down this ravine! Where were you when that lion chased her off a cliff?! You're not a good friend, pal."
Talfrid looked worried immediately and she realized that he did actually care, and was not trying to fool her. She felt a little bit of guilt, but she still felt her questions were valid.
"I did not know her very well... we had only met for one moment, but she was kind in passing and it troubles me to know that she was in danger. Is she well now? I wish to speak with her, if I can." He looked at her pleadingly and she debated. If he was trying to do her harm, then Avya would kick herself for letting him pass without any trouble. But then, his eyes were so disarming, and his demeanor so convincingly nice, she had a hard time painting him in a malicious light. So he was either the world's best actor, or he really was being sincere with her. For once, she decided to trust someone.
"There is a cave not too far from here, down the ravine. She has been sleeping there, recovering, and I've been taking care of her. As best as I can, anyway. She should still be there."
Talfrid smiled brightly and moved off, though he looked back at her and then bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Thank you! My name is Talfrid, and you have done me a service in aiding my friend, and being kind to a stranger. It will not be forgotten, my lady!" And he was a God. He could keep his word, though she had no idea about things like that. Avya just stared at him and tried not to scoff at how showy he was.
She smiled though, and nodded slightly.
"Alright, go on. And you're welcome. My name is Avya, if you have to know."
He took the name and memorized it, committing her face and fur to memory before he bounded off, down the ravine.
(Word Count: 1,088 in Word)
