He lowered his maw to the water, lapping at it as if he hadn't drank in days. Which was actually rather true. He had been traveling a good while and in all his fun he had forgotten the main functions that came with survival. Like food, and water. He had been enjoying the ladies, something he hadn't really gotten the chance to do in his old pride. He was happy now that he was out of there, and able to flirt with anyone he wanted. He was quite a skirt chaser, and he hadn't even realized until he had become a rogue.
His maw matted with the cold water, he lifted his head and layed his body down onto the shore. His front paws resting in the waters. The crescent moon marking on his paws only just above the waters surface.
Anatumaini was tired. She had been roaming constantly for months now, never stopping in one place for more than a day or two at a time. She wasn't letting herself rest, and would likely continue in this manner until she fell ill from exhaustion. There was little reason to do otherwise, and the leopardess had no intentions of changing her lifestyle any time soon.
She did, however, intend to get a drink. Hopefully the lion that she spotted by the waterside wouldn't be too much of a problem. Deciding to ignore him for now, she delicately stepped forward, dropping her muzzle to the water's surface in order to drink.
She may have decided to ignore him, but he was just not one to ignore a pretty lady. Regardless of species, she was female, and she was open. He cracked a smile, a charming, debonair smile he was rather good at wielding. He may have been a skirt chaser, but he was a gentleman when it called for it..at least he looked the gentleman part. No one could look at him and see the little lust devil that was inside.
"Tell me, sweetheart. Does it quench your thirst?" He asked, looking her over and chuckling. She was pretty, even for a leopard. Usually he preferred lions, maybe even cheetahs since they were so skinny, and small. He was a tall lion, and sometimes he liked his girls to be slightly shorter than himself.
"I hope I didn't interrupt." He grinned.
Oh, wonderful. Apparently her ignoring attempts weren't going to work. The leopardess sighed and lifted her head, peering at the strange lion with disbelieving blue eyes - why was he talking to her like that? It almost sounded as thought he was flirting with her! But that was a silly thing to believe - he was a lion, what could he possibly find attractive about her.
Still, she found herself a little on edge, and she rose, backing away from the water a little to get a good look at this stranger. Hm.... he didn't seem threatening. Still, caution was always the best policy.
"You aren't," she said quietly, and tilted her had a little. "Is there something you need from me?"
"Nothing I need, my dear. I assure you. Though it can't be said that I dont want for anything." He grinned. Deciding that it was best to cool it until she was at least closer to him, or at least holding a conversation. He didn't want to scare her off! What fun would that be?
"What's your name beautiful? I know a pretty face always has a pretty name. Ive never been wrong." He said, and winked his pretty grey/black eyes.
It was like that, was it? Anatumaini fought the urge to roll her eyes. Just another male out looking for the one thing any female feline could give him. Lovely. At least he wasn't being too forceful about it. A bit annoying, perhaps, but he didn't seem dangerous. This was the only reason that she relaxed enough to ease into a more comfortable posture.
"Anatumaini. And you are...?"
"I am Chander, my dear Anatumaini. Though if you allow me to call you Ana, for the safety of not ruining such a beautiful name; Ill tell you what mine means." He teased with a little song like tone to his voice.
He saw her relax, and he did the same. She looked like she wasnt afraid of him, and that was step one. He softened his gaze, and he looked her over appreciatively.
"So my dear, why are you all alone? It can be dangerous." He said, though it was rather clear it was not him he was talking about.
Anatumaini nodded, deciding to grant him this one permission. It wasn't like it would harm anything, right? And her full name could be a bit difficult to pronounce, at times. Still, she did her best to ignore the way he looked over her body, and stretched out, rsting her paws for a few moments.
"Very well, you may call me that. And as for traveling, I have been alone for a long time now, and I see no real need to change that."
"Smart you are! I travel alone myself and I think I'd simply die if I had to share conversation with someone twenty four seven. However I do enjoy a bit of company now and again." He said, nodding and smiling at her. It was obvious he was a horndog, but right now he was at least trying to be a decent member of society. No better way to do that then pleasant conversation, right?
"A girl after my own heart, Ill be damned." He laughed.
Not quite his own heart, Anatumaini was sure. She, after all, thought with her mind, and he quite clearly did not - but she didn't say as such, and instead smiled wryly at the larger feline, relaxing more as she realized that he wouldn't try anything untoward... without her permission, at least. That was something of a relief, even if he was blatantly hoping for something that wouldn't happen.
"Short encounters do ease the loneliness of the life, a bit," she acknowledged. "But I believe that anything of greater length brings more risks than pleasure."
"I like to defend myself. Im a horrible defender of the fairer sex, and they all intend me to be their knights in armor. Thats likely half the reason Im so unattached and ready to mingle." He chuckled. Though it was true, he hadn't ever saw it as something that held him back. He didn't ever -want- a forever mate. He was having far too much meeting other types of girls. They were quite fun, and he enjoyed them immensely.
"The moon makes your eyes sparkle, Ana. Has anyone told you that?" He was flirting yes, but it was more a compliment to him. He had been born in a pride that the moon was worshipped. She was a god to them, and when the moon made something beautiful.. Then it truly was.
"I'm sure you are," Anatumaini said, nodding slightly. She didn't need a knight, though, so his comment didn't truly interest her. She could understand him not wanting to be tied down, but not all females needed a protector; she certainly didn't. The conversation was going about as well as she expected it to go with a lion like this "Chander" fellow... but then he had to compliment her eyes. Hr eyes, of all things. Anything else and she would have been unfazed, but her eyes... and that way...
"Yes," she whispered, throat suddenly dry. "Yes, someone did, once. A long time ago." Without another word, without giving the lion a chance to protest, Anatumaini rose to her paws and bolted, running as quickly as she could to get away from there, away from that lion... and away from the memories his compliment had just stirred up.
Word Count: 1305
