Sadiki was still on his quest to find a cheetah female that was dim enough to give him offspring. His pride needed the numbers, and as a council member, Sadiki was unlucky enough to be stuck with the job. He could've stayed within the pride and mated with a lioness, but the thought was repulsive and he doubted he'd ever be able to look at their offspring without feeling sick to his stomach. Hybrids weren't natural, and Sadiki would never have his bloodline tainted by hybrids.
He stopped for a moment near a small murky pond, dipping his head to quench his thirst. It wasn't clean, clear water that he could find at home, but Sadiki was thirsty and he would have to make do with the disgusting water on the open savanna.
Shambe watched carefully from the other side of the pond, dropped low into the dirt to disguise himself. It was a fruitless attempt for the most part, his long bright hair being somewhat conspicous. Another cheetah, a male too. He hadn't seem another of his kind in a while, it was a comforting sight. Reassured, he lifted his head, looking the other over. Not dirty, not mixed, a good sign surely. Perhaps a little stiff, but one never knew.
Sadiki caught sight of the other cheetah, a frown instantly crossing his features. The one across from him was built like a male but had long womanly hair like a female. Sadiki snorted, straightening up from the water and watching the other. He didn't speak, merely let his eyes do the talking, and they weren't being nice. Sadiki firmly believed that males should look like males, not fancy frilly females.
Shambe raised an eyebrow at the other male, now scrutinizing him much the same way he felt he was being seen. Crotchity, with a large stick up his butt it seemed. Impossible to avoid interaction, unfortuantely. He began to trot around the edge of the pond, keeping his eyes locked on the other male. As a sort of egotistical insult, he tossed his hair when he stopped, letting the feather resettle gracefully behind his ear. He was proud, even if this jerk was looking at him like one might gaze on a snake. "What, might I ask, is your problem?" His question was tame enough, with no particular venom present.
Sadiki sniffed to himself softly, clearing his throat as he arranged his tail around his forepaws. "I have no problem aside from finding males who look as if they could be female rather disgusting." He sniffed again, nose raised in the air. An eyebrow slowly crept up as his tail tapped with irritation against his paws. "You are a male, are you not?" The answer was obvious. Sadiki knew the other cheetah was male but he felt it necessary to ask, just to prove his point. He fell silent, waiting for an answer to the obvious.
The young male laughed, a loud obnoxious cackle that was for the most part on purpose. He flipped his hair again, deciding to play it up. "Of course, aren't you? Most know when their opinions are ill desired." There was nothing wrong with his hair, he rather liked it, and so did the ladies he had come across. "Your mother must have raised you wrong." Going a bit too far perhaps, but he wasn't worried. His kind usually had the good sense to fight only when it was deserved, and he hadn't yet done any real damage.
Sadiki knew when someone was trying to annoy him, and while this arrogant ladyman was succeeding, Sadiki would die before he let it show. The only tell-tale sign was an almost unnoticeable tick of his eye. Sadiki was well-versed in the "show no emotion" department, and it was something he prided himself on. He wouldn't let this young annoyance get under his skin... until Sadiki's beloved deceased mother was brought into the conversation. "My mother was a lady, one who raised me to act as a true male and not a simpering sissy." His voice was harsh and Sadiki narrowed his eyes at the other male.
Shambe faked a yawn, "Being a true male, as you call it, must be so boring. I much prefer my life of debauchery and fun." His own mother had decided much the same about being a parent. Noticing the narrowed eyes he mimiced in a cross eyed fashion, hoping to get more than tick. "She must have been lovely though." Let implications lie where they may, it would be amusing no matter how it was interpreted. He was not usually this provocative but something about this male didn't sit well with him.
Sadiki snorted loudly, mirroring the others faked yawn. Two could play at this game. "Ohh, believe me, pup. Being a true male brings with it much debauchery and fun. In fact," he rose to his feet and stretched, "I'm out on a mission now for my pride. It is my duty to find a suitable female, impregnate her and lay claim to offspring." He paused, looking thoughtfully at the other cheetah, "Is your mother busy tonight?" Oh, low blow, even for Sadiki, and not as polished as he would've liked, but it felt good to get in a dig.
"Ah so you insult me, but you'd like your cubs to look like me, I'm flattered. And no, unfortunately for you, my mother prefers a... larger male." He glanced away, hiding an awkward smile. Not good, but alright. "Prides, real shame that is. I don't have to be sent off to look for females, I do it whenever I please. And no cubs to tie me down either."
Sadiki moved into a leisurely stretch. "Ahh, well, your mother seems to make pretty girls. That's the reason I asked." It was obvious that by "pretty girls" Sadiki was insinuating that the long-haired male was one of them. To an outsider they probably looked like prepubescent cubs, getting in adolescent digs in order to hurt one anothers feelings. "And believe me, I would never be tied down by cubs. I do it only because my pride needs the numbers. Upon returning them to the pride, I would rather never have to see them again, truthfully." Sadiki yawned once more. "Must be a lonely existance, having no place to call home?"
"I wouldn't know, my sisters got picked up," Shambe snorted back, ignoring the dig since he was quite tired of his hair being mocked. "No home? I make everywhere my home, never have to look at the same thing twice." He laughed, thought it seemed hollow, "Never have to worry about the owners of the place liking me, either."
Sadiki grunted and rolled his eyes. "I suppose if that's the kind of life you enjoy..." Sadiki had never liked being a wanderer. He did love his pride and the things it stood for, and he couldn't understand why someone would want to live their life without someone to fall back on if they should need the help. His pride had helped him through some rough spots, and he would be forever greatful even if he didn't show it well. It was hard for Sadiki to be kind. "Myself, I prefer to have a place to call home. A place that I can be comfortable and safe in."
"Safe is boring," Shambe argued, "Don't you ever want to take off running and not stop until your lungs burn?" There was a passion in his voice that seemed false, though he did not know it himself. This had simply always been his life, and he was sure to defend it. "I can cause trouble, I can run, I can do nothing at all if I want, and no one says a word against it." He couldn't imagine answering to anyone, though admittedly he had never tried.
Sadiki shook his head, scoffing at the foolish younger cheetah. "No, I don't. I have a passion for other things; commitment to my pride, providing for my pride, and being the best I can be.. for my pride. That is why I am out on this cursed savanna now. Our numbers need boosting, so here I am to do it." He shrugged, "I prefer to be a member of a society and not merely a vagrant."
"Vagrant?" Shambe scoffed, "That's a little rude don't you think." Strange, considering their earlier words, but this offended him. "Just because I prefer this life doesn't make me a vagrant, you said yourself you enjoy the same things I do, so how does doing them in a group make you better than me?" His teeth showed over his curled back lips and he was holding himself up straighter now.
Sadiki gleefully smiled at the other cheetah. "Tsk tsk, pup. No need to get all fired up!" He lifted a paw, claws unsheathed, and idly looked over his nails. "The difference between us is that I have a home to go to each night while you wander around like a lost little soul in search of ...whatever it is you might be in search of." Sadiki lowered his paw before turning his gaze back to the upset cheetah. "If you enjoy the life of wandering day to day with no home to return to.. well, that's what you enjoy."
"I told you already, I have plenty of homes," Shambe insisted, his back shrinking a bit. He lowered his head, feeling a bit flushed. This had backfired, what was wrong with him lately. "No one ever said you can only have one." No one he knew of at least, perhaps in this jerk's society there were plenty that said that, who knew. What he knew is that he did not like the direction this had taken, and was hoping a bit that he would say just one more thing to tip the scales so that he would not be wrong in hitting him or leaving.
Sadiki felt victorious in some small, twisted way when the other cheetah flinched back a bit. He didn't sound convincing at all. "Do you know what makes a home? Friends and family you can trust, structure you can live by, and a devotion to the lands you call home. You have none of these things, no matter where you are." Smug now, Sadiki rose to his feet, his tail lashing about behind him.
That was the final straw, Shambe pushed himself forward and swiped his tail cuff at the other male. His claws were out but he felt a first hard slap would be more appropriate given the level of bickering they had had and how prim he seemed to be. "I trust myself, I'm loyal to myself, that's all I need," he snapped, chest heaving. It was rare for him to get this upset, but this was a culmination of all the things said and the memories they had brought forth. In his mind, it wasn't just this male he was fighting.
Sadiki laughed at the futile swipe of the other male's tail, almost relishing the feel of the metal tailcuff brushing against his shoulder with a hearty thud. A bruise would rise under his fur, he was sure of it, but he knew he'd "won" in so many words, and that made Sadiki feel better. He enjoyed knowing that he'd struck a nerve, very much so. "Like I said, pup. It sounds lonely." That being said, and before things could escalate further, Sadiki backed away. He didn't want to fight; that could possibly deter him from his mission if he was harmed. "Perhaps someday you'll see what you're missing out on."
Shambe did not make a move to follow, feeling his eyes cloud over as he stared at the ground. How had this male, saying nothing he hadn't heard before, gotten under his skin so well? Perhaps it was his recent run in with the leopardess that had gotten him off guard, or perhaps he was to tired to push it back, but something had changed. He did not respond, resigning himself to staring at his paws and the scuffed metal that had once been a sparkling treasure. "I'm not missing-" he said to himself, but it remained unfinished, unconvincing.
At the other cheetah's faltering words, Sadiki gleefully took off, running at a pace that made his heart fly. Today had been a good day. Though he had yet to find a suitable female to bear him offspring, he'd had a verbal spar and had come away from it the victor. He didn't feel regret for anything he'd said. No, Sadiki stood by his words and his beliefs; sometimes they got him in trouble, and others they made him stronger.