Zibuka wasn’t used to staying in one place for so long, but he really couldn’t complain. Not yet, anyway. He wasn’t getting that restlessness in his feet yet, though he knew it would come back. It always did. He wasn’t the kind of guy who could tie himself down to one spot. Even if he was having the best time in the world there. Newness, life and experience, was what he thrived on. Yes, the routine he was finding her was fun and enticing, but it was still a routine. Eventually, he’d have to be getting along the old dusty trail.For now, however, he was perfectly content to keep having fun.
He was sitting on a rock near the usual watering hole, tail wrapped around his front feet. He had his head to the air, letting the slight breeze make the beads in his hair dance a bit as he sniffed the increasingly familiar scents around him. Closing his eyes, he smiled at nothing, humming to himself and rocking back and forth on the rock as he waited for the one reason he was still in this place to show up. The one really good reason, to boot.
Nithya had run off again, off to play on her own, and Farli had had to help find her. So she was running a bit late, for she’d meant to get to the usual waterhole earlier than this. She was tiring of this place herself. Like Zibuka she longed to find somewhere new, meet some strangers – for the regulars at this place were familiar faces by now – and enjoy life on the move. But her family were not ready to move on yet and goodness knew that with a runaway cub like Nithya on their paws, they needed her help and her close by.
Fortunately she had a rather wonderful distraction to stop her going stir crazy. A certain regular from this usual waterhole who’d become more than just familiar. Zibuka. The best distraction she’d ever had. No agenda, no wanting to tie her down…just fun and freedom.
She stopped hurrying once his rock was in sight, offering an unapologetic smile.
Zibuka grinned when he saw her coming, opening one eye when he caught her scent becoming stronger. More than just what was left on him, anyway. He tilted his head and sighed, languidly sliding from the rock and moving closer to her. He looked her up and down, circling her with a critical expression. He came to a stop in front of her, sitting down and nodding.
“Always worth the wait,” he said, as if making a decision. He gave her a wry look and then shook his head.
Moving closer, he bumped his shoulder to hers, moving past her, and looked back over his shoulder. Really, he was just checking her out again. Though cheetah were known for their lithe and agile forms, he though hers was a particularly stunning example of their species.
“What could have kept you, I wonder? That lion from before, maybe?”
Farli loved the way he moved. Fluid, easy and confident – and heading her way. She pressed lightly against him as he moved alongside her, looking over her shoulder to gaze at him with half lidded eyes, both posing to give him a better look and getting an eyeful herself. Mm yes. She was a rather lucky girl.“Would that bother you?” She teased. That poor lion. You know, Farli couldn’t even remember his name, poor thing. It’d been flattering he’d been interested but pushy males weren’t her type.
She laughed and turned to stand alongside her partner, smiling.
“My …actually not sure what she is to me - my father’s mate’s granddaughter? – well. She likes to run off. I can admire her wanderlust but the little girl is a bit small to go anywhere on her own just yet.”
Zibuka shook his head, chuckling.
“Of course not! I think it would bother him more, at this point,” he hummed, imagining the lion’s face if Farli had suddenly returned his attentions, after spending time with Zibuka. The lion might not be that interested in her after that, he imagined. Not because of Farli in particular, but Zibuka got the feeling that the guy wasn’t the male cheetah’s biggest fan.
But it didn’t really matter.
“That’s… a complicated relation, right there,” he said, trying to think about it but not really knowing enough about families to figure out how close that would make the two. Not close at all, he’d wager, but he often got these things wrong, “But I can understand that. How pretty of you to go and bring her back! I’m assuming that’s what you did, anyway. Rather than pointing and laughing at the others as they looked for her. Which, you know, would be cool too.”
‘You’re an idiot.” Farli joked and lightly hit his paw with hers. Like you could leave a youngling out there on her own – let alone point and laugh around her worried relatives - and yet she had to giggle at the image in her head of Zibuka doing just that. He was somehow both goofy and cool. How he did that was beyond her. She just liked it.
“So… what fun and frolicks do we have planned for this afternoon, hm?” She asked, stretching lithely as she did like a domestic cat. Legs out front, bow, tail flick, claws flex.
“Got lots of energy, despite the wild cub chase.”
The male pouted a bit, looking injured.
“I’m not an idiot! But. I -guess- I see your point. I doubt I could leave a little kid wandering around this place. Not if it was in some way tired to my family, at least. And I knew it wasn’t supposed to be out there, he laughed, shaking his head. He didn’t know if that was true or not. He hadn’t ever had the need to worry about it, and he doubted he ever would.
Just the way he liked it. Worries just made life hard.
He watched her stretch, purring at the sight. He moved and butted his head against her neck, rubbing a long path all the way down her lithe form before flicking his tail and running it under her chin.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure we’ll think of –something- to help you get rid of all that pent up energy.”
Farli sighed happily and started to pad along. She expected they’d fall into step and wander together, exchanging odd caresses and touches as they went. Follow their feet, follow their whims, making up a plan as they went along. They fell together easily.
“Shameless flirt.” It was fondly said and she was just as worthy of the label herself. Farli played it coy and cool – though presently decided to bring up something.
“I think my father is thinking of moving on at last…in a moon’s time. Such a long time to stick to one place. I look forward to going somewhere new.”
Zibuka grinned, walking with her with as much effortlessness as she had assumed. He didn’t even think about it, padding beside her and following whatever it was that was leading them, in no hurry, since neither of them seemed to be in charge. He looked at her when she started to speak, nodding.
“I can’t stay in place for too long,” he said, shaking his head at the very thought, “it’s not fair to myself, I think. How are you supposed to get the most out of life, out of everything, if you’re stuck in one place? Everything repeats. The way I see it, we’re given this big place to play in, so we should take advantage of that. And just play.”
Laughing, he nodded sagaciously.
“I’m drawn to the new, the exciting. I want to experience as much as I can, and without feeling like I’ve done it before. I think I’m a pretty brave, not to mention handsome… though that doesn’t really apply here, just thought I’d mention it, guy. But I’m afraid of being bored. Or Boring.”
“Zibuka, I can’t ever picture you being /boring/!”
“And you know I agree with you lover. Life is for living and experiencing it all, Having fun and being free…” It was wonderful that they were on the same page. Most creatures she met preferred to try to find one place to be their forever home.
“But I was thinking. I’m stuck here for another thirty days or more and you must be going as nuts as I am having been here so long. Not fair indeed.” She nuzzled him as they walked.
“Not that I want to get rid of you or anything.”
“That’s because I work so hard to not be!” He laughed, shaking his head. Actually, it was all quite natural, but he couldn’t help and fear turning into something else. Something redundant and boring, typical and adventureless. He imagined that’s what getting old was, and hoped he never let himself go that way. He’d have to come up with a compelling way to age, that was for sure. But it was also a worry for later.
Why dwell on something he didn’t have to worry about yet? Procrastination, maybe, or denial. Whatever it was, it worked pretty well for him. Most days, he danced through life without a single concern crossing into his mind. And he was happy for it. Genuinely so.
“Well, to tell the truth, I am feeling a bit stir crazy. But only when you’re not around, and only a little. It’s not as bad as I’ve felt before though. No dire need to run away. Maybe it’s because I really like the company here, and the things we get up to certainly haven’t be uninteresting.” He grinned, nuzzling her in return.
“Okay. Because I just want you to know that if you want to take off anytime, I’ll catch up with you sometime on the road. For sure. No strings.” Farli rarely brought things like this up but she always felt like she needed to make sure things were clear. She’d hurt a couple of her past boyfriends who weren’t clear and last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt anyone. Though Zibuka seemed like he’d shrug off such hurt and he was so on the same page as her, she still felt the need to make sure once in a rare while, like when he family decided to tie her to a place even longer.
“But so long as you’re happy, I’ll stop worrying about it. Put my energy into more productive – and pleasurable – things than worrying. Distracting you from that stir craziness…”
She nipped his ear, grinned and sped up a bit, trying to entice him into a game of catch-me-if-you-can.
No more worrying.
End!
