Moeras lay half asleep atop the trunk of a fallen tree, her legs hanging limply over the sides. The sun shone down on to her face through the thin foliage of a couple of nearby trees, their placement perfect for a shaded nap in midday, the one reason she loved this spot. A loud yawn broke the near silence around her and she licked her maw before settling her head back down. a nap was just what a day like this called for, it was too hot to really do anything, though an eventual meal was certainly in order, but Moeras was far more keen on rest at the moment. Though there was rarely a point that she was not in preference of a good sleep.
The leopardess’ nap however was soon to be cut short by a quite unwelcome visitor. She could hear the sound of paw hitting ground, someone running and by the sound of it they were running towards her. She payed no mind though, aside from swiveling her ears around to listen. Surely they would be passing her by without a second glance. They might not even notice her, either way was fine with her. With another yawn she stretched her forelegs out, claws sinking in to the bark of the trunk she lay upon and hanging there. Her attention had fallen away from the runner, and had she been paying attention she may have noticed that the stranger’s pace has slowed down.
The tri-coloured cheetah trotted forward, a large grin upon his face as he came to a halt a few feet away from the resting leopardess. “Why hello there, fancy meeting a lovely lady such as yourself out here.” Kerke tried to look as suave as possible, ears perked forward and chest puffed out, but his grin, a rather lop-sided one at that, just made him look a bit of a fool.
The leopardess’ ears quickly swiveled back and lay against her head. He had not run past her as she had hoped, and not only that he had stopped to talk to her. It wasn’t just asking directions, or even friendly chit-chat, both of which she could quite easily shrug off, but this cheetah had the gall to interrupt her nap to flirt with her. With a loud, drawn out sigh she raised her head, lazily opening her eyes to stare hard at the one that had stopped to bother her during her nap. “I have no interest in what you have to say, cheetah, so you best get going before I send you running myself.” An idle threat, but she hoped he would believe it and leave her be.
Kerke was not so easily deterred though, and at the threat he merely chuckled. “I found quite the spit-fire then haven’t I. But where are my manners, I have not introduced myself.” All the while he spoke he moved slowly around to the front of the leopardess, though was unable to stand directly in front of her due to the fallen tree in the way, and he was not about to climb on top of it and possibly make a fool of himself. “I am Kerke, and I must say you are the loveliest leopard I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. May I ask what your name is?”
Great. He was still there, and not only that her threat had merely been laughed at. It didn’t seem that idle threat would work then, and Moeras was not fond of the idea of actually putting any effort behind a real one. She pulled her paws back towards her body, letting her claws rip bark from the tree under her and leave grooves within the flesh underneath. Another more idle, more subtle threat. Maybe it would work more than words. “I don’t care for your name, or giving you mine.” She pushed her front up off the tree trunk, barring fangs at the cheetah as she did. “Now go away and leave me alone.” With that she slid off the tree trunk and started away, her paws dragging lazily over the top of the ground. As much as she liked that napping spot she was hoping that by making a show to leave the cheetah behind that he would get the drift and leave. Maybe then she could return once he was well away and out of her fur to get a nap in, she certainly didn’t wanna waste this beautiful day by being awake.
The hint was overlooked, or perhaps rather ignored as the persistent cheetah followed after her, his pace slowed to match her own. “I can’t possibly leave a lady out here on her own, that just wouldn’t be right. You could get attacked by some beastly thing and hurt!” Kerke slowed to a stop, chest puffing out once more as he spoke. “I will protect you though. No beast shall lay a paw nead you while I am around.” His tone was an attempt as sounding knightly, as if he were offered to defend her against two score lions on his own. He glanced back at Moeras after a moment and noticed that she had not stopped, nor did it appear that she had even payed much attention, if an at all, to his show of heroism.
Kerke hurried after her, slowing to her own pace again as he came to her side. “So yes, I shall stay at your side and protect you. No need to thank me though, it’s simply the right thing to do.” Another lop-sided grin spread across his face.
Moeras ignored him as he stopped and spoke, continuing on. Ears swiveled back and lay against her head at his words. He sounded like a fool, quite a big one at that, and she wondered vaguely how many other ladies he had tried this on. Many, she was sure, and she wondered how many had fallen for it. Probably none. A small chuckle rumbled in her chest, dying quickly when she realized he had returned to her side, his fool words still spilling from his maw. He wasn’t going to leave her be if she kept on like this. Without a second thought she spun, paw swinging out, and caught him on the side of the face. As the cheetah tumble backwards she bounded away, diving quickly in to the tall grasses and slinking off. If she was lucky the surprise would keep him down long enough for her to get away and she could get the nap that she felt she quite deserved now.
The move did surprise him. Kerke fell head over paws in to the grass, dazed as he lay there. She had struck him! Sure there had been no claw, and he was sure himself fine, though his dignity had certainly taken a mighty blow. As he pulled himself to his feet he gazed around and found the leopardess out of sight, having surely snuck off while he was down. With a light huff he started to wander in a direction, mind still caught up on what had just happened.
(Word Count: 1104)
