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 Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:24 pm
 Tefukono was taking a night time walk once again. He found the cover of darkness a soothing relief to the heat of the day and since many were already sound asleep he could enjoy the silence it brang. He didn't often go out on these night walks because he was simply far too busy, but something about tonight enticed him to venture out. Perhaps the light breeze circulating through the air, or the thousands of blinking fireflies stuck up in the sky; regardless of the reason, he was out now and wandering about.
The male leopard breathed in deeply, the cool night air filling his lungs with a slight bite to his insides. It was quiet and the only noise he could distinguish was that of the bugs chirping endless. It was like its own little orchestra for him to hear. A melody of bugs.
He smiled to himself, "Tonight is a good night to be a feline."
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:36 pm
 Yejide was feeling playful as she pounced after small creatures of the grass despite it being nighttime and barely able to see her intended target so she often found herself switching to a new one when she lost track of the old one. She had no intention of capturing the little insects beyond just chasing them down for something to do. Soon she hunkered down and wiggled at a particularly glowy firefly in front of her and as soon as it took off she pounced after it with a small giggle unaware of the other figure in the vicinity.
In fact she was so unaware that she almost collided with him while she was giving chase but luckily she stopped just short with a startled 'mmmf'. She pounced back a bit and sat down as if to assume a half-visage of innocence, "Didn't see you there," she explained, "I'm sorry."
She half expected the male to just keep wandering after her apology was made and as soon as he did she planned to continue her play. Not that she disliked company but she wasn't about to force her company on someone that might not want it.
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 10:50 pm
"I do suppose I blend into the darkness a little better than most," Tefukono said, a small albeit sweet looking smile spreading across his orange-brown colored face.
He hadn't expected to find himself in the presence of another feline, especially a lioness, but he wasn't going to complain about the new found companionship. Sometimes it was nice to spend time with a stranger. They knew nothing of you, you knew nothing of them, so there was no room for a pre-existing impression to taint how the conversation went or where the encounter lead. Or at least he had hoped. He knew that sometimes people pre-judged one based on species, gender, sometimes even color, but he didn't get that feeling right now.
"Were you gathering the light-bugs? Or just chasing them for fun?" Tefukono asked, his voice calm and sweet for a male. He had always been like that, even back when the plague hit and he was ill for days on end. He was simply a sweet male, gentle and calm. The only exception was when he battled, which always brought out the fierce fire that was held in his coat.
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:03 pm
"That and I wasn't paying attention," she laughed at herself and shifted her shoulders a bit as she looked him over a bit more now that she was certain that he wasn't going anywhere at the moment. Yejide admired the colors of his coat and enjoyed how the blue seemed to pop from the rest of the other colors.
She indeed judged no one and even if she had she kept the judgments to herself in a very polite sort of manner. At the time she found no reason to dislike the male at all! He was very quiet and calm which made him easy to talk to thus far. His question pulled her out her thoughts she blinked in reply and looked down bashfully.
"Chasing them," she said softly with a small giggle, "for fun. I guess it's something you'd expect a cub to do." Yejide murmured softly.
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:56 pm
"Some would," Tefukono admitted, though he dismissed it rather quickly, "But I don't see how we should be expected to be very uptight all the time. Just because we're adults doesn't mean we have to be dull, does it?"
Tefukono chuckled a bit at his words, wondering how his pride members would view his views on the subject. Some were far too serious about their work for him to get along with. Admittedly, he himself was also very serious about his work as the Battle Leader for the Fire Team, but some simply went overboard, unable to distinguish work for enjoyability anymore. Battling was something he felt one should enjoy, before they were to perfect it.
"At least you're having fun and that's what counts, doesn't it?" He asked with a smile.
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 12:05 am
"Exactly!" Yejide agreed cheerfully. More and more the leopard was getting high marks with the lioness just with responses alone. She stood and wandered a bit closer to him just so she could talk properly with him. She settled once more and nodded again, "One should always have fun that is how you know your heart is still beating in a sense," she replied cheerfully. Life wasn't worth living unless you were having at least a little fun sometimes though she was well aware that life wasn't all just fun and games.
She tilted her head, "What do you do for fun? Do you often go for walks?" the lioness asked finding herself curious about her newfound friend. She felt like she was forgetting something. Something important.
What was that again?
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:26 pm
"I don't usually go for walks during the night," Tefukono admitted quietly, looking back and forth to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them. He was very overprotective while out in the Rogue Lands; even over strangers. He didn't like to see anyone hurt in his presence, and even though he knew how to treat any wounds his conversational companions would suffer, he still wouldn't wish it on anyone.
"I actually battle for fun," He said with a grin, a small glint in his eye, even in this darkness. Tefukono loved to battle. It was his passion, aside from aiding those he could with the skills his parents had taught him. He loved the rush one got when paw met against fur when you clouted someone, and the feeling of a bruised body during victory.
Granted, the battling he knew was not some that those in the Rogue Lands were familiar with. They didn't battle to the death, and claws nor teeth were generally used when fighting. This was a game of fun, almost like war practice, if his pride even had war. Sport was all it was, good sport.
"I am one of my pride's Battle Leaders. I train my sect to fight and in the style of our sect. It's all in good fun, of course. We don't intend to harm one another, though accidents happen."
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:40 pm
"Ahhh, I see. It sounds like your paws were restless," she teased lightly. Yejide seemed to show a disconcerting amount of concern about her surroundings and whether or not she or the leopard was going to be attacked. She either trusted her own skills or she trusted the male to help her in a time of need it wasn't certain but either way she didn't seem too concerned.
She tilted her head a little as she tried to comprehend his interests in battling and how he explained it before she settled with a small nod and a smile, "You must be very skilled to be a battle leader then," she praised him happily despite having never seen him in action. She took his word for it and why wouldn't she? They wouldn't let someone weak train others and lead battles, would they?
Yejide nodded and flicked an ear, "Yes, I am sure you have all that you need to take care of the injured, prides take care of their own usually, yes?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:02 pm
"Most prides do, from what I've heard. I'm not quite sure about others. I don't generally wander very far from my pride, not since the last ill swept through it." Tefukono said.
He could still remember when the pride was plagued. His friends and their parents dying before him, and his parents attempting to save as many as they could while trying to keep him healthy. Sometimes he could still feel the old aches and pains from when he himself was on the brink of death, though he never admitted that to anyone. He didn't like bringing up the past pain of his pride, not when they were trying desperately to rebuild their numbers.
"What prides have you heard abo-"
As Tefukono was about to end his question it had dawned on him that they hadn't exchanged names. This whole time he had rudely been carrying on a conversation with someone without even telling the lioness before him who he was. That was rather embarrassing for him and he smiled awkwardly.
"It seems I forgot to introduce myself," He chuckled, "My name's Tefukono. What's yours?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:23 pm
Yejide's gaze turned sympathetic but she did not pity. The lioness nodded in understanding and spoke sincerely, "I hope your pride recovers quickly."
The lioness didn't have any such ties to her claim she just wandered for as long as she could remember. Not that it was a bad thing. It brought good times and bad - she always managed to survive and was determined to continue doing so. She tilted her head to the side when the male began to speak and suddenly a wave of sheepishness went over her when the topic switched to something more basic and what should have been covered prior.
She uttered a short laugh, "Oh! That is what was escaping my mind. I kept thinking I forgot to do something," she admitted. Yejide was glad to learn the leopard's name and gave hers in return, "I am Yejide. Pleased to meet you."
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:42 pm
"Yejide is a very pretty name," Tefukono said with a smile. He truly did believe that. He hadn't never heard a name quite like that before. It almost sounded if it were foreign, but Tefukono wasn't even sure of what foreign was. It was the one downside of being in a pride. His scope of the world was much shorter than the lioness he was speaking with.
"Do you wander the Rogue Lands with your family?" Tefukono asked, tilting his head to the side curiously.
He lived in his pride with his mother and father, being an only child to them. He often wondered why they didn't have any other litters, but for some reason he always refrained from asking. He guessed it was because when they decided to have him the plague broke and they had almost lost them, so the thought of it happening again and them losing a child or more than one child was too much to bear. He loved them regardless of having siblings or not.
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:55 pm
"Thank you," she replied and then added, "I like your name too, very interesting."
She was nothing if not straightforward.
Yejide tilted her head at his question and seemed to consider it a moment. Not because she wished to lie to him but because she didn't want him to think she was someone to be pitied. After a few moments she said, "I do not have my family. They disappeared long ago when I was quite young. I do not know why or where," Yejide explained though her tone held no real sadness. "I had to learn to be independent as fast as I could from then on. I've all but given up seeking them."
No matter where she went or what names she called no one ever answered, "Maybe one day I will have a family of my own to watch over and protect, I would never leave them," she said to herself as much as she said it to Tefukono.
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Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:28 am
Tefukono's expression saddened at hearing of the loss of Yejide's family. He didn't exactly pity her, because she did not seem very upset when she divulged this to her and he could see why she wouldn't be, but he still could not imagine anyone's life without their parents. His were responsible not only for giving him life, but saving it when plague was determined to end it. Without their love and support he couldn't see himself having pulled through it.
"That is truly saddening," Tefukono said, piping up a little cheerier afterwards, "But look at you, Yejide. You grew up well and look well, and that's all that matters. You survived and are thriving."
It was nice to hear that in the end she did want a family. He had heard several times out here on the Rogue Lands about how some didn't want their own families because of the bad experiences that they went through with their own parents and siblings. He found it silly and, to be frank, ridiculous to decide simply not to give having a family a chance simply because their own isn't up to par with their standards.
"My parents hope I would give them grand-children soon," He said with a shy smile, "I know my mother would be thrilled to hear little ones running a muck."
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:35 am
To feel sadness over her past was to feel sadness over who she had become and she liked who she had become. It had made her stronger and it made her determined to rise above her unknown past to a known future. She felt glad that the male before her didn't seem to pity her and she even uttered a quiet laugh and a nod, "Thank you very much," Yejide offered in a sincere tone.
She tilted her head to the side and grinned lightly, "Your parents hope for grandchildren hmm? I wonder who the lucky female will be to have your cubs. I am sure they would turn out very handsome."
If she was flirting she wasn't aware of it. She did enjoy the colorations of his fur so her remark was honest regardless of the intent behind them.
Yejide laughed a bit, "Your mother would probably wish to shower them with love and spoil them rotten, hm?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:07 pm
"I'd hope so," Tefukono said with a small smile.
Even though his parents have been very patient with him, he knew they wanted grandchildren eventually. They both were far too up in age to consider conceiving again themselves, though it wasn't as if they hadn't tried. Tefukono grew up with the talk of brothers and sisters on the horizon for him, but it never ended up happening. They were so busy with taking care of him and the pride that it seemed as if the fates decided their work was more important than conception.
"Eh heh. Well no one currently," He said with an embarrassed look on his face. "To tell the truth, I've been far to wrapped up with my own work to even think about women or children. It's not like I don't want any, I just ... I sound a little silly, don't I?"
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