Ellie groaned and flopped onto the sparse grass. She could have sworn they'd passed this same cracked-earth, dried grass area at LEAST three times. "Betta~ I think we're lost?" She looked up to her paler companion, strangely fine despite the sun beating down on her fur. "I remember that big, rabbit-head rock." She pointed to said rock with a white claw.
He had been trying to lead her away from thoughts of being lost.. He had been trying so hard. Where had he gone wrong?
Oh yeah..He hadnt known where to turn to get to the desert.
He groaned, and slumped to a sit, a sad expression on his face.
"We aren't lost.. Thats another Rabbit head rock.."
He nodded, trying to deny the fact. Maybe she would believe him, and he could try another way.
He couldnt let her down! Not now..
Ellie sighed and shook her head. "No...it's the same one." She smiled at Betta, despite her annoyance at being lost. "Not your fault though. I'm as clueless to where we're going as you are." Where'd they turn wrong? Or were they supposed to make a turn that they hadn't? Ugh. Stupid getting lost. The BIGGEST disadvantage to being a rogue she'd found so far.
She smiled, and he felt his heart melt.. But his heart wouldnt get them out of this mess.
He was sure he had gone the right way..Or he wanted to believe he did.
"But.." He growled a bit, also annoyed at being lost; though he also had the embarrassment of letting her down too.
"Damn it.. Im sorry Ellie. I'll get us out of this."
He promised.
The dark lioness stood and took the few steps to get beside him, nudging his shoulder with hers. "I know you will." She purred. "You've been doin' this wandering thing longer than me. And we can't be TOO far off." She grinned. "I mean, the ground's gettin' drier and stuff!"
He looked at the earth, using a claw to draw a little picture in the dirt. It was getting drier. It was also getting loosely vegetated. Not much was growing besides thin sparsely placed grass, and the occasional large tree.
"This way.." He nodded, looking around him, and taking a left turn. It was a bit of a change of pace, but he had a feeling, that this would be the way.. It had to be! Theyve tried every other way!
Ellie followed him, humming as they went. A new direction, a new chance to go the right way! It was certainly the right way...had to be! The ground was getting softer as it was getting drier, holding heat better. Odd...she'd thought only rocks held heat well. But the dirt was starting to as well...How interesting! "So what do you think we'll find in the desert?"
He thought about what could possibly be found in the desert. He had never been there before, so he would be guessing.. But thats what she was asking, not for a bio of the desert before they arrived.
"Maybe some lizards, or snakes." He chuckled, thinking about it and smiling.
"That, could be cool." He said, flicking his tail and letting it hit her gently on its way back down. His large paws hitting the earth.
He looked down, the white of his paws muddied by dirt and sand. But the ground was beginning to crack, and he smiled.
He was sure they were in the right direction now.
Ellie chuckled as his tail hit her, batting at the fluffy end of it. "Snakes are cool. Such awesome colors!" And they were such graceful, deadly creatures..."Lizards are tasty!" She bounced on ahead a little, only to find the ground giving out on her a bit and causing her to tumble forward. "Well...the hell was that?"
He called out, leaping to help her when he saw her tumble. Though when she stood unhurt, he slowed his pace, and began to sniff at the soft earth.
Looking to Ellie, he looked concerned. A true look on the bigger males face.
It was a look that spoke wonders about how he felt. Of course, Betta had always been quite good at showing his emotions.
"Are you okay?"
Ellie nodded, shaking some of the loose, gritty dirt from her fur. "Yeah...never had the ground give out on me though. It's...kinda like when you walk along a river. Except it's DRY." She wrinkled her nose. "Such odd, odd dirt." Then she blinked. Wait a sec...loose dirt and heat....She grinned brightly. "Wait! I think it's sand!"
He sniffed it again, and realized that he should have looked closer. He chuckled to himself, and shook his head. The patches of orange from his mane bobbing with his movements.
"Well we're rather observant, dont you think?" He chuckled, and nudged into her, licking her cheek, before pulling away and looking up at her.
Ellie laughed brightly. "That we are." She blinked at his affection, then smiled and nuzzled him back. "I'm glad I met you Betta. You've...been the best thing to happen to me." Her life hadn't been bad...but she'd always been different...odd. Now...now she was just Ellie.
When she said those kind things to him, he purred and blushed deeply. His pale coat shown the blush quite well, and he couldnt help but stammer.
Youd think she just confessed undying love from the way his heart was beating in his chest.
"Im glad Ellie. Because I dont know what Id do without ya know."
And he smiled softly.
Ellie purred. "And I you. I don't think...I don't think we could have found better creatures to stand beside." She grinned. "It's like we were made for each other!" She likely would have been blushing if her fur wasn't so dark. But the softer tone in her voice and the way she shifted showed she was just as happily embarrassed as her companion.
He smiled, and looked deep in her eyes, which seemed like they could go on forever. He saw his future in those eyes, at least..he hoped there was a future.
"Well, I think we were made for each other too. We are almost. Perfect."
He chuckled, and shook his head at his own cheesiness.
He couldnt helped that he loved the girl..Or at least he thought he did. He wasnt sure quite what it felt like!
Ellie chuckled. "Almost...Of course, what fun would it be if we were completely perfect? What challenge?" She took a deep breath, rather enjoying the air on the edge of the desert. "I'd like to see where our future takes us...to stand beside you for as long as I can, through the arguments and the joyful moments."
He purred and nodded.
"I like the way that sounds, Ell."
He smiled, and nudged her with his shoulder as he winked a little. His face lit up with excitement.
"Ready to go explore the desert?" He asked, taking a look ahead of him, and then looking with a smile back at Ellie.
Ellie nodded brightly and nudged him back. "Ready when you are!" Everything was wide open to them now. After the desert...there would be more places to go and explore, more creatures to meet...And they would be by each other's side. That was the part Ellie liked most, she decided. They could go anywhere...but as long as Betta was there, it would be home.
