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Being officially granted the role of Nyoka's Right Hand was an honor Mananakbo had not really expected to receive. For one thing, he wasn't sure if it would curtail his effectiveness as the Boss Lady's ears and eyes in the pride if his position was official. As a high grunt, he could go virtually anywhere and talk to anyone within the pride's boundaries. As Nyoka's right hand he could come and go as he pleased, even leaving the confines of the pride, but people knew who he was. He still wasn't sure about the trade-off.

No, that wasn't true. He was absolutely in favor of it, Mana decided as he raced across the open space of the savannah surrounding the pride. It was something he had not done for some time, and he had missed it. Running inside the pride wasn't the same, and honestly wasn't as fun. It was too small and limited, and he got bored. That was unlikely to happen out in the rogue lands. There was also the fact that being in the rogue lands forced him to deal with the possibility of meeting up with lions, which had been a fear of his for some time.

Today as the sun set Mana's mind was not on the Mizimu'Tungika, however. He was merely enjoying being outside of the pride and being able to watch this beautiful sunset from a new vantage point. He would start his hunt for more slaves for the pride in the morning.

Her silver coat glimmered in the last rays of the savannah day light, her fur shining with health. She was far from young, if anything she could probably be classed as middle aged, as middle aged as they come really, she was wise enough o know better but young enough to still have a very good spring in her step.

Her pride, her family had vanished long enough ago that it no longer weighed on her mind, she no longer thought of herself as a pride beast, she was a rogue but still a very clean cut rogue.

She had been trained her whole life to be a military girl and she had been before the demise, a general, a strong general who was very conservative and tough. She had known just how to push a private to the edge before he, or she, decided it wasn't worth being in the army and ran the other way. She was still of a military mind set and she marched across the savannah in a very stiff jointed manner. With sunset came the thought of finding a place to bed down for the night a strong hold to see her rested and on her way again when the sun rose.

Mana grinned, the expression winning and easy on his face. He had been fleetingly concerned that he might have lost his ability to interact with people, but he could feel his abilities coming back to him as though he was still in the habit of meeting new people all the time. His role in the Kuroi'Nera had forced him to develop some new skills and personality traits that he hadn't expected he'd ever need in his youth, but he'd actually found that they served him well, and he was much better able to read people and situations.

Thus, it wasn't difficult to observe the leopardess's perfect bearing and concise speech and recognize her as someone with a somewhat militant background. He wasn't bothered by this, though. He could also see that she was making an effort to be pleasant. Not that she would have had to work very hard. For all that she was not a youthful lady anymore, Mana was still impressed by what he saw, and he couldn't help thinking that she could probably get away with being quite unpleasant before most males would tell her to get lost.

"You're definitely not intruding," he said. "I'm just enjoying myself before I have to start my assignment tomorrow. Where were you headed?"

Pursing her lips the leopardess scanned the cheetah over unobtrusively. A rogue? No he seemed to comfortable and friendly to be a rogue, he must have come from some coalition or other.

A little thought was put in to his question and she answered as truthfully as she felt she should, or would to someone who was essentially a complete stranger. "No where in particular sir, just travelling sir, getting the lay of the land." She stated, again her tone clipped.

"Assignment sir? You're a military man then?" She raises her brow, her curiosity peaked, she hadn't been a part of a coalition for a long time, too long really. She missed the strength of an army, she missed being a general. She missed being amongst others, though she wasn't sure if she could still do the job she had been so good at so long ago.

Perhaps he could help her more than a simple, meet and greet.

"Not that long, surely," he said with a smile. "You hardly look old enough to have been a long time anywhere, and then have it be a further while after that."

He didn't realize it, because it was automatic for him, but Mana was slipping into the same manner of speaking that his conversation partner was using. It was a trait he'd developed since coming to the 'Nera, since it tended to put people more at ease. Had he realized what he was doing, he probably would have been horrified. Mana liked to imagine himself too strong a personality to have that happen.

"Anselma," Mana repeated. "Your name is lovely. What rank did you hold?"

For all that he wasn't at all the sort of cheetah who enjoyed most aspects of a military life and career, he understood how they worked and he was curious about what rank this leopard had held. She carried herself and acted as though she was accustomed to hold a position of some authority. A part of Mana was very tempted simply to ask how he could serve her, but that would be violating the oath he swore to Lady Nyoka.

He looked around. "To be honest, it's been some time since I was out here, myself. All the places I might suggest probably aren't around anymore, or if they are they've probably been appropriated."

The leopardess smiled lightly, a quick quirk of a smile before her face returned to seriousness. "General, used to go by The General," She pauses and shakes her head, "Never trust young royals." She sneers a little begrudgingly admitting that things had gone south.

"Tis just the name my mother gave me sir, has followed me where titles have fallen by the wayside." She looked around briefly. "well, if you wouldn't object, maybe we can shove something smaller from an old den. old do it myself, but, together maybe we can find a place?" She raises both brows curiously, she could easily spend a night with the dark cheetah and be away at first light. It would be good to learn these lands from one whom had already explored it and maybe about his pride, maybe, she wasn't sure if she could be a part of something again. She was slowly starting to like her freedom.

"Oh, yes. I can see the rolls of fat," Mana quipped, overtly looking her over now that she had given him the excuse to do so. His tone of voice implied that he didn't think she was anything like fat or sloppy, though it wasn't that sleazy tone some males took when they were commenting on a female's figure.

The sky was darkening more rapidly now that the sun was nearly below the horizon, and Mana had to wrack his brain to come up with places that would accommodate two. When things had been less strict in the pride he had come out here pretty frequently and spent the night, but never in company. Still, he thought he knew of a place that would work.

"If it won't put too much of a strain on your poor, sloppy self I think I know of a place we can reach before dark if we take it at a jog." He wouldn't ask her to run. There was no way Anselma would be able to keep up with him if he did that, and then he'd be disappointed in her. He couldn't help being disappointed in people who couldn't keep up with him.

"Follow me."