Isithunzi didn't mind the days he had spent with Embamba - in fact, they were quickly becoming some of the most liberating days in his entire life. However, as the days went by, he couldn't help but wonder if she knew the way back to her home at all. Sure, she confessed to having been confused and he wouldn't have thought any less of her for that, but he didn't want her to get distressed. He was afraid she might if they didn't stumble upon it soon.
He paused, falling away from her side for a moment, and turning to judge the distance and the direction that they had come. He was a long way from home, though he (strangely enough) felt no homesickness. He had always thought he would get terribly homesick if he went to far or stayed gone too long, but he didn't. He knew the way back home from here, and that was enough to him.
"Do you think we are getting close at all, Emba?" he asked, slowly turning his head away from the horizon that stretched behind them, vibrant emerald orbs settling on the lighter pelt of his companion. The site of her put a smile on his maw, simply because he really did feel close to her. They were birds of the same feather, figuratively, despite their backgrounds.
Truthfully she was rather distressed, though she hadn't intended to let her friend know that--and still didn't. She gave him a reassuring smile, like she would have Ndege... then wiped it off her face and shook her head. "No, actually." Padding the distance between them, she was soon at his side again and surveying the area as he was. "it all looks the same to me... I'm sorry to have drug you into this, Issy."
"Well, it doesn't all look the same to me," he said with a weak smile, his eyes shifting up from her and instead out towards the land. "I know about where we are, at least in relation to my own pride, but I obviously don't know where we are in relation to yours."
He took a deep breath, turning to look down at her, leaning in somewhat. "Don't be sorry for dragging me into this. I don't want to think about what.. would have happened if I had left you there." His smile faded slightly into a frown, though he shook it away, "I'm willing to stay with you, help you, no matter how long it takes. We have to find it eventually, right?"
"Quite true," She chuckled and gave a smile at him, "And.. I've said this quite too many times, probably, but.. thank you."
It occurred to her, though, that suddenly.. she didn't want this to end. She didn't want to go back if she would never see him again. THAT was an awkward thought, if there ever were one, for he was a rouge and a heathen and... the only person she'd ever felt THIS close to. Embamba broke away from him and padded off in one direction, "this seems to trigger the stronger memories... so its a better direction than none?"
"It is not a problem, as I've said to you over and over myself," he said quietly, though his gaze remained on her only long enough for her to begin padding away. He shook his head, sending the rusty mane waving some.
He padded after her, his eyes shifting over what little foliage existed out in this area, nodding to her slowly. This wasn't a direction they had taken before, and as far as he could tell, they wouldn't be backtracking through an area they had already gone through before. "If your heart says to go this way, then I will follow your paws," he said it with a smile, but that dreamer's tone had melted back into his voice.
"And your mind will flutter else where," She stated, and quite accurately, with another soft chuckle bubbling from her throat. He was so hard to keep grounded in the real world! There were actually many differences between them in this regard... but they weren't differences that made things difficult. In fact, they were differences that made things very interesting and... fun, even. "Is this land over flowing with milk and honey in your dreamer's fantasies?"
"What exactly are you accusing me of?" he stated slowly, appearing for all the world as if he were taken aback, though it was clear from his eyes alone that it was just another of his teases. The chuckle that followed immediately was another good sign. As he padded along at her side, in the same almost leisurely pace they had been going at (mostly for her sake), he glanced out at the land. "No, I don't imagine things that are not there, but I learn to see the beauty in everything. Like that storm we sheltered from a few nights ago, or a lioness I met once who was covered in dirt and looked worn down by time. True beauty.. it shines through anything."
"OH how he flatters!" She exclaimed with mock exasperation. A warm laugh flowed from her chest after that and she threw an amused, false glare over her shoulder at him. "I would my feet had the speed of your tongue."
He chuckled at her, quirking an eyebrow as he heard that rather lively laugh come from her. It was a welcome sound - and he would not have guessed that the weak lioness he had met days and days before would be capable of such. "You continue to surprise me," he said, that chuckle still lingering as he shook his head once more.
"Oh?" Her ears lifted, "That's odd. I'm really a very stable and boring sort of girl. One note tune, as some might say." She replied drolly and marched along, lifting her chin up high. She had energy today, and for the first time in a long time... she didn't bother trying to conserve it.
"One note tune?" he laughed, letting his pace slacken for a moment as he did so before he took a few quick steps to catch back up to her. "You are more like a sonnet," he said with a small smile, eyes glittering as he glanced up ahead of them at the horizon. "Elegant, Eloquent, and certainly nothing so dull as a one note tune." Oh, he was good at flattery - but it had been a long time since he had felt this close to anyone.
"Flatter flatter flatter, nothing of substance," She teased, and weaved slightly to bump her side against his. The jovial feeling was... amazing, to say the least. It'd been so long... "You'd best watch out, issy, or you may land yourself in trouble talking like that."
He grinned widely, the bump causing him to shift slightly to the side as he walked along, though he brought himself back towards her. He smirked, leaning down to nudge her shoulder lightly with his mug, "it's never gotten me into any trouble thus far, though I must say, you are much easier to flatter than the average lioness I run into. At least I get a little response from you, other than those silly little giggles."
"Perhaps I have lower expectations," She mused, though not in an overly self conscious manner. The female responded to the nudge with a raised paw, batting lightly at his muzzle before dancing a few paces away. She was reminded of being a cub again. "Oh dear Goddess above, not the giggles. Horror, horror."
"I don't think so, I actually think you're just a different breed of lioness," his words were low, though the smile on his face remained playful. He yanked his muzzle back with a soft laugh from his maw as she batted at his mug, though the laugh curled into a smirk at her teases. "Oh, you think that's funny do you?" he said with that smirk still firmly in place, watching as she danced away. He walked along a few paces more, then danced after her in a circle. It made him come up behind her, shoulder brushing her own as he passed, paws batting for her tail. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so.. light-hearted.
"Ah!" She laughed and she wobbled a little, then pressed back into him for balance, keeping close to him for a few paces. "So much for flattery! Now i'm another breed, am i?" She winked as she twisted his words against him, "well, there goes the brownie points, mister, right off the cliff they are!"
Embamba reached up and nipped his ear, then danced away again, "And i do think its funny!"
A flicker of concern spread over his face, as quick as it was, as she wobbled. He knew she was sick - he could see her lack of strength at times, but he didn't know if this was one of those instances or not. Instead of drawing attention to it, he simply let her lean into him, a steady rock for her should she need him, eyes downcast upon her. Until she simply danced away again. That brought his smile back fully.
"I suppose you've caught me, little minx. I've no reply to that," he chuckled, though gave her a little bow of his head. "However, giggles are no laughing matter," his ear twitched at the remaining feel of her n**, and he couldn't help the urge to go after her. With a small leap, he let out a chuckle, coming in at her side with a brush, leaning to n** her own ear in return, then danced off ahead of her.
Somewhere she found some extra energy and it bubbled inside of her. Embamba went after him, bounding a few steps to bump into him again, head tucking under his chin playfully as she brushed a circle about his body. "No, no laughing matter at all," She laughed when she'd completed her circle and nipped his ear again. The female remained against him, grinning up into his face.
He had no choice but to stop moving as she encircled him, her paler form writhing around his own in a way that kind of sent a shiver down his spine. She was the first lioness not in his family that had ever dared get that close to him. With all the other things he had come to see in her, it was surprising. Not horrible, but surprising. His eyes even lulled slightly as her head nuzzled somewhat beneath his chin.
He took a deep breath as he looked down at her face, his nipped ear twitching before both of them relaxed somewhat. He couldn't find words, which baffled him - he was a creature that lived on words, eloquence, his ability to express himself. Now here he was, speechless.
"I.. Emba," he said quietly, ears wilted, though his eyes were slightly bewildered. He didn't move - if anything, he welcomed her - but he knew what she had thought of him only days before. He didn't want to frighten her, scare her - offend her.
It was about that moment that she realized what their playing had turned into. Her fur and skin tingled and she looked up at him with wide red eyes. They were peaceful at first, then bothered then she ducked her head. The female gave a nervous laugh and she took a few slow steps away, then built back up to the pace they had before, "We should probably cover as much ground as we can before nightfall... right?"
He stared down into her eyes, until she turned away, and he was surprised to find the lingering feeling of regret. He shivered, staring down at his paws for a moment, trying to push away the thoughts of it. He shouldn't have let it get that carried away.
"I'm.. I'm sorry.." he said lowly, barely above a rumble. He did move himself back into a walk though, clearing his throat, and finding his place back at her side. "Yeah, as much as possible before night falls. We have to catch up all the time we lost.. while we were in the cave."
"Y-.... yeah." She agreed in a soft voice. She wanted to tell him not to apologize.. that it hadn't been anything.
... but she couldn't lie. Not to him.
He simply nodded then, and let the first uncomfortable silence fall between them, for his words still seemed to be lost and he couldn't think of even one that would help him correc this. So, he stared towards the horizon, his mind troubled and half from regret.
