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Kumi had been walking for some time and the girl, ah Felallt? Yes, that was it, she was still with him. Interesting. Did she plan to follow him forever? Did she not have a home, a family to go back to? His wayward thoughts drew his mind back to a time when he had those and a wave of melancholy washed over him. For all he didn't show it, it was still there. He missed his family, his home, but that was in the past and there was no going back there.
Perhaps he could use someone to travel with. He wouldn't be talking to himself or lost in his thoughts anymore.... Well, not never becoming lost in thought, it was doubtful he could ever turn such a thing.

His paws were tired, and the sun was far too high. So Kumi found a nice, shady tree and sat down. No, better yet, he lay down, rolling onto his side.

"Hmm?" One eye opened and he stared at her.
"I told you, I'm the Doctor. Just the Doctor." He had other names, plenty of them, but the Doctor was his favorite by far. It was who he was, after all. Everything had changed over time, but that one simple fact never had. He'd rather not talk about prides or family, but his experience with females in the past had proven if they weren't nosy, the least they were was persistent in their quest for answers. If he didn't give her something she would just. Keep. Pressing.

"No, no pride, no family. I just like to see new places." And still his voice had the same cheerful, scatterbrain quality it normally had.

"Well, I don't have the name for nothing," he replied with a small quirk of one eyebrow. Granted, there were plenty of things about healing that he didn't know, he certainly wasn't a midwife for one thing. But then, for all he knew, even at his age, he could end up teaching experienced healers out here in the roguelands. Always room to teach and learn

"You can't even imagine. Mountains covered in snow, jungles so deep day is like night, caves as bright as daylight with the glow of other creatures. Brilliant place, this world." He considered her question. Did he have a place in mind? Yes and no, Kumi supposed. He had never seen the sea before, had known of it, but had never paid much attention in his lessons on the world outside his pridelands. In passing, he had learned which way he needed to go to reach it, so that was where he was heading. For the moment, at least.

"The sea. From there, wherever direction I want to go next." Hmm, this was an interesting experience. For the longest time, he had been on his own. Until this moment, he hadn't really realized just how starved he was for contact, companionship. And her eagerness to see the world reminded him of his own. Perhaps it wouldn't be a terrible thing for her to come along with him.
He should ask though, not asking would be rude, wouldn't it? Wait, did he care about being rude? No, not usually, but then most of the time he wasn't aware that he was doing so.

There he was going again, letting his mind wander. What was he going to do? Oh, right, ask her if she wanted to come along. But... it could be dangerous, like the stampede. He almost hadn't been able to protect her then, what could happen in the future? His habit of sticking his nose into things often got him in trouble, but she was generally able to get himself out of it... Would he be able to get her out of it, too?
Kumi felt a frown wanting to work its way onto his features and quickly smothered it with his goofy tilt of a smile.

"You know, you could come with. Not just follow me around until you had to go back home. You do have a home, right? I could take you places, show you things you'd never see out here on the savannah. Hmm?"

She mentioned "Mother" and his ears flicked back, eyes widening ever so slightly. Oh, he was not good with mothers. Bristling fur, claws, fangs, no, not good with them at all. Not all that well with aunts, either, they tended to be just as bad, if not worse. And don't get him started on grandmothers.
Now, sisters, that was a different story altogether.

Wait, what was she saying?
OH. Well, good, he didn't have to meet her mother. No, he wouldn't have liked that at all. And she didn't want to talk about family anymore, either. Perfect, because he sure didn't want to.
"Yes, right, the sea. And, no, it's not a cub's tale. No... Well, I suppose it is, but it's not untrue. But I can see parents telling cubs about it. Parents tell their cubs lots of things that are true but don't sound like it. Why, I once heard... Ah, nevermind." Kumi waved the thought off with one paw and considered the next course of action. This was a good spot. A bit of hunting later, and then they could be off again.

"Here, this is a nice spot, we'll rest out paws a bit, scrounge up something to eat, and then be back on our way. What did you say your name was again? Feli... Fela..."

She looked thoughtful, and relieved. It made him wonder what she had been worried about. It was... had been... He was supposed to help heal all things, not just physical ailments. He'd been taught to treat just about anything and worry had been one. Perhaps he just hadn't been as suited for his name as others were, more often than not he was too easily distracted to catch what he should be taking care of. Well, sometimes... When he wasn't taking matters seriously.

Kumi stretched on his side, waiting for that wonderful pop in his back before relaxing.

"I'm sure you'll hear both from time to time. Rest, Felallt. We still have a long way to go." Somewhere in there, his voice had softened, from his rather excited prattling to mild coaxing. Almost like an adult trying to soothe a cub, but one could argue that it wasn't that paternal. He wasn't, after all. Sometimes perhaps, but not generally.

(WC: 1,993)