Algani whined as she clambered across the grass, sniffing curiously across the ground. Purple. She still didn't know what purple smelled like. Maybe she'd find it today, she couldn't be sure. It had been a while, how long? The old lioness probably wouldn't still be waiting there. It was still worth the journey, she'd show everyone she could commit to a plan. She wasn't just some wandering laze.
What time was it? Not that Saba really had any mind to get up. He had absolutely stuffed himself on his last hunt and he was just barely coming out of a food coma. The lion had a general pleasant feeling at being fed, but his will to get up out of the spot he had initially fallen asleep with small to nonexistent at the moment. Once things digested enough, he would be sure to go on a run or play around or something. He was already big, so he had no interest in adding ‘fat’ to the list of words that could be used to describe him. Flicking an ear, the lion lifted his head. There was grass rustling around him, beyond what just the wind was doing. “Hello?”
"Hello?" Algani mimicked, lifting her head as high above the grasses as she could. Small though she was she didn't have to redirect her gaze much to find him. "Hello!" she called out, her tongue lolling out to the side as she plopped herself to a sit, "Have you seen any purple?" Her brightly colored ear flicked back and forth awkwardly as she watched him, gauging a potential risk. He seemed well fed enough, probably not hungry enough to attack a dog.
At the mimicking response, he looked around trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. Saba’s gaze fell upon the wild dog about the same time that she spotted him. “Yes, hello there.” With a soft grunt, he pushed himself into a sitting position of his own. “Purple? Uh, well, I’m pretty sure there were some flowers somewhere around here that had purple in them…I’ve got a little on me, personally. Not too much though. Why? On a color quest or did Purple back out on a bet?” He asked with a grin. His pleasant mood was attempting to manifest in humor. How well it was succeeding was a whole other matter entirely.
She snickered happily, his response was better than the last few she had heard on the subject. "I promised someone I'd find some," she explained, though she wasn't sure that was the reason she was still looking. "Are you on a quest?" she quipped, scratching lightly at her side as she wondered the meaning of the joke. She was pretty sure you couldn't bet with colors, but you learned something new every day.
He smiled at her snicker. Good, he didn’t come across as a complete loon when it came to making the occasional funny. He nodded at her answer. “I see. How’s that going for you? Is it any particular purple that you are seeking or will any purple do?” Saba shifted himself a little. “Me? On a quest? Well, I suppose you could say that I’m on a very round about one. I’m working on finding myself and enjoying the journey on the way. Quests are all well and good, but I think they should be enjoyed rather than fretted over.”
"I'm looking for the purple I can smell," she told him in a way she decided was quite sage, "I'm enjoying this one, I think, I've met a lot of new lions." Not many other dogs though, curious. Maybe they were all avoiding her. Were they all working together as one big pack against Algani? No, she wasn't that threatening to anyone. Wait, finding himself? She laid her ears back for a moment, squinting at him, "How do you find yourself? You're right there aren't you?"
“The smell of purple…Huh, I don’t think I ever heard of that one. If I had to hazard a guess though, I’d go with the flowers. They usually smell better than me anyway.” He chuckled softly. “Well good! Worrying over a quest or any journey for that matter will do nothing but make it unenjoyable, seem longer, and age you faster. No good could come of it. Meeting new folks is always nice, especially if they are interesting.” Saba blinked as the wild dog squinted at him, ears pricking forward curiously. After her questions, he gave a bit of a laugh. “Looking in water helps. I’m not literally trying to find myself. I know I’m right here. I don’t think I’d be all here if I didn’t. I suppose what I meant to say is that I’m finding my place in the world, what I want for myself, where I want to be, those sorts of things. Yeah.”
Her face deepened into a strange squinting wince, that didn't make much sense. Something clicked in her mind and she rocked back, her expression shifting to a dopey smile. "Oh! You're looking for your happy place!" she nodded decisively, tapping a paw against the ground, "Mine's right here. Well, not here here, over there here a bit." She frowned, "Somewhere with colors."
Saba gave a little glance around at the deepening squint. Did he not make sense? Was he babbling in his digestion? Perhaps he should eat smaller meals more often rather than larger meals when he got famished. When realization sank in, the lion beamed and nodded deeply. “Yes! That’s it! My happy place.” Giving an ‘Oh, I see’ sort of face, his smile softened a bit. “Well, anywhere with color is a good place. “ He briefly pondered the ‘over there here’, but shook his head and continued. “Is purple needed to complete your happy place or is there a whole other reason behind seeking out a purple you can smell?”
Algani thought about it for a moment, nodding her head, "A little of both. I want the lioness I promised the purple to to be happy." She nodded emphatically, looking him over, "Is there a reason you're looking for yours?" Her ears twitched, most lions had a place they were happy that they stayed, usually rogues had a place in mind and just weren't there yet. The concept confused her.
“You promised a lioness…purple? Why does she want purple? Huh…” He knew a few lionesses, some with various quirks, other just with color preferences, but asking for a specific color seemed odd. He shook his head to dismiss his line of questioning. “If she wants a living thing of purple, I met a cheetah not that long ago that was just covered in oodles of purple. Call around for Suha. He didn’t smell bad in the slightest.” Saba bobbed his head with a slight smile. “It’s nice that you’re seeking to bring her happiness. Very kind of you.” Her questioned caused him a moment of pause. “Well, I just haven’t found it yet. I left my birth pride all the way back on the coast because it wasn’t my happy place. I’m feeling things out. If a place resonates with me and makes me feel like home, then I shall make it my happy, forever place. Until then, I’ll just keep searching.” He rose to his feet, testing to see if his body had adjusted to his meal. It had. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have a happy place to find. I wish you the best of luck with your search for purple. I’m sure you’ll make your friend very happy.” With a little bob of his head, the lion turned and strode off. “Farewell and may you succeed in all you do…” At that, he broke into a run to continue his travels.
The dog nodded, wagging her tail as she stayed in place to watch him leave. No sense rushing off, he'd said there was purple about hadn't he? Thinking on it she stuffed her nose to the ground once more, pausing only to lift her head and call out to him, "I'll send you a purple when I've reached my happy place." She rather liked lions, they always had the most interesting stories.
