Mollwana stretched her legs and sighed, rolling over onto her back. She loved the sun, and never sought shade unless it became unbearable. But usually it was just too nice to want to avoid. She hummed as the sun warmed her belly, flicking her tail back and forth and rumbling contentedly. A shadow fell over her, though, and disrupted her nap. Opening her eyes, she looked up to see a lion standing over her.
He was large, handsome, and presumably came from no where. She blinked at him and then sat up, looking around and not seeing any other lions nearby. Hell, she did not even see tracks in the soft, dusty earth they were standing on. How had he been so quiet? And what was his plan?
She scrambled to her feet, sliding backwards and fixing him an angry glare and a warning growl. She was not in the mood to be messed with today, and she was not going to let this male lion have his way with her. He had picked the wrong lioness, if he was looking for a helpless damsel to use for his whims! She was too strong for that, and he would learn it the hard way.
She leaped at him.
“Whoa!” Talfrid pulled himself backwards, avoiding her lunge as she tried to bite him. He had not been expecting that. So far, everyone he had met on this mortal coil had been nice to him, or at least respectful of him whether they knew what he was or not. A hyena, a lioness, and some others. No one had tried to attack him, and he had certainly not done anything to warrant such a reaction from any of them. Least of all this fire red lioness with the strong, angry gaze.
He planted his paws on the ground, looking at her in wonder.
“I did not mean to startle you,” he began, blinking at her. She was not exactly listening at him and try as he might he could not cut through her snarling to be heard. She snapped at him as he kept leaping backwards. He was large but he was fast, and the way he jumped was strange. He seemed to float backwards and out of her reach, without needing to push off with his feet. It was strange and disorienting and she could not anticipate his move.
She was a trained fighter. Not knowing her opponent this badly was infuriating. She hated meeting something she did not know how to fight.
“Calm down, my lady!” Talfrid tried again.
“I am not your lady!”
Well at least she could hear him. But she was not listening to him. All she saw was red and anger, so now he needed to stop her and get her to calm down so she could see that he was not going to do her any harm. It was just a big mistake and he did not want to make it even worse. But how was he to calm her when she was so dead sat on attacking him?
“I just mean it in respect! Please, I will not offer you any harm if you please stop attacking me!”
“Is that a threat?!” She heard everything he said her own way, and he saw that he was not going to win this argument. Ever. But he had to remain diligent and calm, and make sure he did her no harm. She was just confused and upset, maybe embarrassed, by his surprising her. What terrible things could happen by just checking on someone! She had been laying on her back and he wanted to make sure she was unharmed. The last lioness he met had been laying on the ground, unconscious, and he had made sure she was healthy before he left her.
This was clearly not the same kind of situation.
She had been sunning herself, enjoying herself. He should have heard the content sounds she was making. But his need to help her, to aid her. He had not been sure that she was in need, but it was just an urge he could not deny. He was a hero at heart. It was a bit of a complex, maybe, but he was a God. If he had a duty, it was his to fulfill, regardless.
Awkward moments like this, however, he would be very happy to avoid.
He put his paws down onto the floor, deciding on a course of action he would regret in the moment but would make things better later. He later her lunge at him again and felt her fangs sink into his leg. He grimaced in pain and remained standing firmly. He just looked at her, tilting his head to the side as she shook her head, not letting go of his leg for a long moment. At length, though, she released him and lifted her head to stare at him in surprise.
She was too prideful to take his giving up for a show of kindness, though, growling at him.
“Get out of my spot!” She said, shaking her head and fluffing up her fur in her anger. He watched her passively, taking a breath. He had gotten her to stop attacking him, but he doubted he would have any more luck talking to her. She seemed set on driving him off. It would be better if he did not explain himself to her, anger her further. He just bowed his head at her, low to the ground, and then turned to leave. She watched him as he did not walk. He floated. She had injured his paw and he was keeping it lifted, and with that the rest of his body.
She stared at him until he was gone.
Had she just attacked a God? She had to sit down as things settled on her. He had never taken a swipe at her. Never growled. She’d attacked him without a real reason, because he had startled her and saw her at her most peaceful. Vulnerable. His words had not been angry, though she decided they were insults.
She was left feeling like she had made a mistake.
(Word Count: 1,031 in Word)
