- She'd run. She hadn't meant to, her whole idea had been to speak with that male! But he'd taken her by surprise, and she still did not know her gypsy name. She couldn't very well give her real name. Her cub name, in some senses. So when her steel blue eyes had met his pale purple ones she hadn't had time to think, just act. Her paws had been carrying her further into her pridelands, where the rogue couldn't come. But should she have just scared him away first? Hopefully he would not follow. That would cause trouble for the pride, most likely. When she'd ran far enough she slowed and panted, her sides heaved in and out in an uncomfortable manner and her lungs felt like they were on fire! It was... exhilarating, mostly. She couldn't remember being that excited about anything in years, not that she'd spent too many of those on the earth.
Her tail flicked as she slowly sat her self down, her breathing had calmed down at this point and she was free to think things through. That really had been a little impulsive, and now that the rush and excitement was over she was beginning to feel a little foolish. What if he'd left because she'd run off like that? It was very likely. Though... even if he had left, shouldn't she make sure he wasn't headed into the pridelands? And she could see if he had anything interesting to take! Even though the last time she'd seen him he hadn't looked very decorated or anything. She wondered how much serious consideration you were supposed to give for your gypsy name... ah! Whatever, she was just not going to call herself anything. That would be okay too, right?
- He blinked in surprise, she'd upped and ran off before he could say anything much. Not that he liked to talk that often or an extensive amount. But the idea of company had suddenly struck his fancy, and he wasn't about to disregard the whole situation. But here in lay the problem... he was sure he was close to pridelands and if she'd run a short distance or a long distance it wouldn't matter, he'd end up in her homelands either way. At least, he was fairly certain of this. He was uncertain, however, if he were allowed in said territory.
He assumed, of course, that he was not. Mostly because she'd run away after seeing him. She either wasn't used to seeing outsiders or had never seen a male in her life, or something. Maybe she only had light colored lions living in her lands? Any of these things were plausible. He frowned as he thought this through, trying to come to a conclusion. To enter the jungle or not? It was getting rather lonely, despite the fact that he enjoyed his own company most of all.
How could he not be curious of some female that'd raced off at the sight of him? He hadn't thought himself very gruesome looking, nor ugly, nor intimidating.
She swallowed hard, having finally caught her breath, and turned herself back in the direction she'd arrived from. The direction of the young, brown male. She should not have run off, of course. It was a little suspicious, wasn't it? Arg, she did not like having to think too much about meetings and what was the right action to take and which were wrong. She frowned and almost defiantly started back through the jungle, it wasn't like she'd run too far away anyhow. In fact, when she'd finally reached the male again he was sitting in the exact spot she'd ran from, looking like he was thinking intensely about something.
At least, she was fairly certain this was the same spot. She cleared her throat loud enough for his gaze to jerk up and land upon her, and he smile slowly and uncertainly, as though he wasn't really sure why she'd come back. She wasn't either, except maybe for the fact that she had something to prove to herself. What exactly, she didn't know. "Er... hello." She started, tail giving a little flick as she took a cautious step forward. His smile only seemed to increase and the confusion in his gaze dwindled away to nothing.
He did not, however, return a greeting. What was up with that? Her head tilted a little, and she cleared her throat again. "Uh... you surprised me." She added, in a way to explain why she'd just run off and was suddenly back. "We don't get too many visitors around these parts..." Well, she was out of the territory now. In the rogue lands. He was probably a rogue. "I mean, I guess we do. I've never actually encountered a visitor before. Or I guess a rogue maybe? What I mean to say is..." She trailed off, wondering why he wasn't saying anything. "Rogues are a rarity in my life, I guess. My name..." Should she even give her real name? "You can call me Gray, I guess. Who are you?"
It seemed he would not have to make a decision, because one was made for him. The gray lioness had returned, it seemed. Well, this was good news. But what was she doing back? He was sure he'd seen the last of her, less he wanted to chase after her. But as she said hello his smile broadened; she must have been just as lonely as he was! He supposed it did not matter if you lived the life of a rogue or the life of a pride cat, loneliness came in many forms.
He nodded knowingly when she said he'd surprised her, not surprised of the words. He almost laughed at the thought, but he really didn't want her to think he was laughing at her. For some odd reason he was already beginning to feel a sort of attachment for the lioness, and he didn't want to think too heavily on it. It was much easier to go with the flow of things, rather than looking for meaning in every little thing that happened to you.
She finally confirmed that she was a pride cat with the declaration that not many rogues passed through, at least not for her. Things were making more and more sense, fitting into his theories. She seemed to talk a lot though, Tibua supposed he didn't mind. Her voice was lovely, and it'd been a long time since he'd heard such a string of words.
As she paused at her name he automatically guessed he was not going to receive a real one, it was the only plausible excuse for the pause. No one forgot their own name, did they? Gray. So the older lioness would go by Gray, a name fitting of her pelt. It was odd, he felt much older than the female even though their ages were clearly easy to identify. Age did not just have a look to it, but also a feeling.
Not even for an instant did he think of giving her a fake name, instead he smiled again and dipped his head. "Tibua." He said clearly, his tone still rough and not used to venturing into the open. He thought for another moment, tail flicking. "Im glad... you've come back to me." Yes, that seemed to fit the situation and the feeling. Somehow he already knew, even if she did not.
-end-
