Welcome to Gaia! ::

It seemed like forever since he had last seen her; his celestial pelted goddess in mortal form. So much had happened then, his heart and his progeny dying in a fit of rage caused by the goddess herself. Hell fire, he was certain, couldn't cause as much pain as she had. Yet he forgave her, his sickness of the mind vast and relentless in it's pursuits.

Botta stopped, his reminiscing causing him to forget to watch where exactly he was going and to be on the lookout for the one he was searching for. Hesper.

His body was dirty, matted with dried mud and possibly blood. His skin a bit loose from undernourishment normal to a roguelander. However, his eyes gleamed with such intellect that most would know he wasn't just a roguelander. He had stopped close to an oasis, the idea of taking a break and cooling his body outweighing his obsession at the moment. He was.... truly exhausted.

Botta's blue eyes darted towards the movement close the waters edge, there he stared at a orange lioness with a rather beautiful tail. She seemed weary of his presence even with the greeting given to him. No doubt it was from his appearance, after all it wasn't the greatest presently. Shaking his dark mane of as much dust as he could, Botta attempted to make himself look less haggardly.

Feeling he did made his best attempt, the dark lion mustered all the voice he could to call back a greeting to her, yet all that came out was "...Gaddf."

His throat was literally too dry to speak, his tongue sticking to his mouth like a fly to sap. How very embarrassing this situation had become.

All Botta could manage was a weak smile and a nod as he slowly padded his way towards the waters edge. Once there, he drank, greedily lapping up the refreshing water that his body requested urgently. Only twice did his eye flick back towards the orange female, once while drinking and then again when he stopped. Catching his breath he waited, rolling his tongue around his mouth to make sure the awkward situation wouldn't escalate.

Finally ready, Botta turned his body to the lioness and bowed slightly. "I apologize, seems my tongue was too dry to speak earlier. I am Botta, many pardons for startling you."

Backing away from her, his back paws reached the waters edge. Sore, blistered paws instantly felt relief on the muddy edge. He wanted that relief all over his body. Thus, he continued to back up until all of paws were completely submerged in the water and mud.

"...Oh thank the Gods."

Botta's face lit up when the lioness commented on his origin. He certainly hoped he wouldn't sound like the barbarians that generally lived in the wastelands. No, he was a gentlelion, one of great skill an intellect... even if he wasn't at his best currently.

"No, you are correct. I am not a regular rogue, I came from a small, closely knit pride many moons from here." Sighing he dipped his maw back into the water for a moment to drink, catching her name as he did so, before shoving his whole head under.

After several moments, Botta surfaced in a big burst, a odd grin was worn on his face. "Chiriku, are you by chance a rogue or part of a pride nearby?" He was slowly starting to look better. Many called him handsome back at the pride, yet he never truly got the love he so desperately wanted back there.

Simply nodding his head in response, Botta looked around the area that he now knew was Chiriku's home. It wasn't a terrible place, however... it did seem lonely. Then again, he reminded himself, not all creatures felt content being social or around others constantly.

"This place is like a paradise with all the nothingness around it. You probably get a lot of visitors like myself passing by." Moving further into the water he started to swim, rustling the dirt that clung like scabs to his fur.

"You don't have to feel scared." Looking at his companions nervous habits and shifting feet he just gave her a soft smile. "The only reason I came this far was to find someone. I don't want to cause harm."