[PRP] Leather and Lace (Dastell x Anya)

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

By his standards, Dastell had a busy day. Socializing was as taxing on his energy as hunting had been, and he hadn't walked away from either feeling particularly successfully. The company of the peppy lioness he'd departed from had done more harm than good in terms of leaving him a little on the lonely side, albeit not in the melancholy kind of way. He was not that sort of lion, thank you very much. It was more like being bored, and not having anyone to complain to about just how bored you were.

Inconvenient. Yes, that's what it was...

He hoped to get the layers of mud and dirt out of his fur before anyone saw, less he be cornered into providing an explanation about his genius camouflage idea meant to offset the eyesore that was his coat. Herds could see him from a mile away when the sun was up.

It wasn't anymore, and Dastell was losing valuable hours of the night trying to get sufficiently clean when he should have been hunting instead. The process would have been faster had he submerged himself in the deeper parts of the water, but he might slip if he did that. And drown.

Dastell flopped and rolled around in the shallow end of the watering hole, looking ironically similar to a fish.  

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

While the male struggled to regain his pristine white coats colour again, a little ways off a lioness was stalking silently through the cloak of night. Her chops were heavily laden with blood from a recent kill, paws also dirtied from the activity of munching and tearing and crunching. With a full belly, and a content mood, the elegant feline kept in the shadows and tall grasses of the relatively silent land. She'd need to wash up, or else those pesky vultures may follow her about, and she certainly didn't want to keep her own beautiful coat dingy from her meal.

The water source was well known by quite a few creatures that lived around the area, Anya being no different. She had scented a few specific landmarks, along with the mild precipitation in the air to find it once again, wide tongue licking along her messy maw a few times during the travel. Those beautiful teal eyes blinked only on occasion, keeping smooth in their patrol of her surroundings upon the approach to the water pool, making sure she wasn't being followed... or that there were any prides about... those were usually trouble...

But she reached the shimmering lake that rippled the light of the moon and starlight beautifully... more frantic towards the edge where she easily spied some sort of figure wriggling about in the liquid. Curious, she slowed her roll a little to watch for a moment, observe, a grin spreading across her mouth. What an interesting sight indeed... Advancing just a few paces off from the male, she stared at him, and chuckled lightly, "My, are you attempting to become a fish, dear sir?" she asked in her smooth, playful tone.  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

So much for that.

Dastell had been caught in the act. He now had two options: a) roll with it or b) try to save face. The latter was so much effort for what he doubted would be any real results. Better to just play along. No one could ever insult you if you always made sure to steal their thunder before they had the chance.

"I'd be a worse fish than a lion, so I hope not." Dastell did her the courtesy of ceasing his seizure-like flailing for the duration of their conversation... probably. If she was the chatty sort, he might have no choice but to continue his "bath" in her presence.

She was by far the most interesting thing he'd seen out here. Detailed markings. Strange eyes.

Mostly the eyes.

He should probably stop staring at them.

Dastell blinked. It was start. "Uh," he said.

Smooth.  

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

When the strange flailing was finished... the situation only seemed to become even more amusing! For there, Dastell was dripping wet, his thick fur weighing down now from all that water clinging to him... which only caused Anya to give a very melodic giggle in response. Certainly nothing of a threat at this stage!

But she was a lady, and easily able to control her giggle into a slow decrescendo. "One must admire your truthfulness, though." she replied just as smoothly as before, stepping closer to the male, clearly observing his doused state at a closer proximity, "Well, it is pleasing to see such hygienic habits, I shall admit. Kudos to you, sir." her smile lifted a touch more, and she gave a playful little tip of her head in a mild bow. Noting his staring, she gave a bat of her eyes, "Goodness, I do hope that your locked gaze is for a good reason, and not one of distaste~" she chimed teasingly. But she turned herself to aim towards the water, tail just barely brushing against his side as she stepped into the deeper parts to let the liquid rise up to the middle of her forearms. There, she lowered her neck to lap at the water daintily, the glowing mark on her forehead causing her face to illuminate once the white bangs shifted with the help of gravity. So refreshing~  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

Dastell had once had a friend far too foolishly amorous for his own good. He didn't know where he was now or what he may be doing, but he'd have gladly switched places with him. That lion would appreciate a female like this: coquettish, seductive, everything that made him want to turn and run far, far away.

This alluring disposition she carried herself with set off every warning bell his sense of apprehension had to ring. There was an appeal to lionesses like this of course, but he knew better.

Dastell side-stepped the brush of her tail, but not quickly enough to avoid it, and the ghost of a touch lingered still. He almost shuddered, just not in the way she was probably used to making males squirm.

This was... er... This was not his area of expertise. He felt uncomfortable to put it lightly. What could he do to look distracted until she left?

Ah, more washing, that should do it. Dastell dunked his face in the water and rapidly shook his head. He damned his need for air, and could only hope she'd be gone and spare him further embarrassment when he pulled his head back and coughed.  

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

She drank for a decent amount of time, quenching her thirst from long travel and a hunt. Though her tummy was full, the cool water felt nice touching it, and soothed the warmth that'd been there before, evening out the temperature. In the process of drinking it also served to clean up her mouth of blood, her tongue licking along it a few times, before she'd had her fill. Turning, she headed back for dry land, casually bypassing the male as she stepped back onto shore, and settled comfortably along the edge just beside him.

A paw lifted and she licked it daintily, giving long strokes to the peach fur, drying it and pressing it of the clinging water. Her unique eyes peeled open to mere slits to watch Dastell with growing intrigue, his methods of cleaning... very.. different from what she would advise... but if it worked for him, she had nothing to say on the matter. She did take her time on the single paw though, even pausing to speak again, "It must be so difficult for you males to dry off after a bath, hm? so much more fur. Will you not be chilled~?" she asked casually, as though they were already acquaintances that have met before! small talk was something she was quite used to, and skilled in... even if her company wasn't. Rounded ears perked from the coughing, blinking only once, before resuming the grooming of her paw, lifting it a bit further to draw it over an ear, and sweep her white bangs.  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

Still there. Still a little too close for comfort.

Dastell had to admit she made a good point. This was the first time he'd been so dirty that floundering in the water was the only remedy. Now that she mentioned it, it was chilly out here with his fur sopping wet. Staying clean back home in the mountains had been so much easier.

"I'll survive." If some kind of sickness brought about by a bath wanted to kill him, it was going to have to wait in line behind starvation. Dastell hadn't been oblivious to the condition this lioness arrived in. Unless she'd murdered one of her own kind -- and maybe she had, the roguelands could be so chaotic -- he could only assume she was fresh from the hunt.

His stomach growled impatiently.

She wasn't going anywhere. Why not ask?

Dastell looked askance at her. "Is there a herd nearby?"
 

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

His dismissal on the matter made her grin, but speak no more on it. It was a good answer, after all. Her second front paw was lifted to be tended to now, tongue working between each toe, getting every spec of blood out of the picture. She was a cleanly lioness, and preferred to stay as such. Sure she didn't mind getting a little dirty here and there, but... it was best to keep neat and tidy. Even her white plush chest was a little stained with crimson dye, which earned a few swipes with a paw as well.

Her ears flicked forward as she heard the whine of the male's stomach, making her pause in her grooming to stare up at him, and narrow her eyes in another trademark feline expression that was clearly amusement. Giggling softly, a final prolonged lick was given to her paw before it was inspected thoroughly, "Oh no. All the herds are migrating right now. I'm afraid you'll have to try your luck with wandering nocturnal creatures." she replied, nonchalantly, "Perhaps there are some stray hares about that have foolishly left their homes.. or some birds laying low in the grasses." she offered to him instead, almost like a barterer.

But a look of sympathy did touch her face, "Aw, have you not eaten recently?"  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

Dastell tried to keep his face from confessing anything incriminating. He succeeded. It would have been of great benefit to worry as much about his voice, as it was ultimately what ratted him out. "I did -- recently enough."

The fumble was too obvious. He could tell she wasn't an idiot -- possibly a psychopath, yes, but not stupid. And if she needed a little extra evidence to be sure, his stomach growled a second time, louder.

Dastell sighed and fessed up. "I'm still learning to hunt on the flat lands. I'm from the mountains."
 

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

Smiling sweetly, she was going to take his answer to be a no instead... the answer from his stomach, that is. After all, the body could never lie, while the mouth and tongue could be quite misleading.

Giggling softly again, she stood and walked closer to him again, inspecting his doused state up close again, watching some of the water droplets slide off his mane, face, and coat. Her eyes finally drifted back up to meet his, "The mountains, huh? I've never been there before. What are they like?" she asked, head canting just a touch with obvious curiosity. Hunting on a mountain... it sounded rather difficult, being so exposed... where did one hide while prowling for their prey?  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

They were like... well, mountains. He figured that wasn't going to suffice as an answer and thought a little harder. Painting a picture with words was never a skill Dastell possessed, but he could give it a shot. "Different," he started. "When you live there, you don't feel as though you're higher, but rather the rest of the world is lower. The prey is different and the means of catching it are different..."

What else?

After a moment, he shrugged, keeping his eyes somewhere off in the distance. "I guess that's it. Maybe it's not that different."  

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

Her gaze was mostly trained on the water droplets that continued to slip off the male's face, clinging to the ends of his fur, shivering as they fought with the controlling gravity. Leaning her head closer, she gave a gentle lick along his cheek to clean away and press out some of the water, clearly having no issue in assisting a stranger groom himself. Though she did listen to his response as she gave two more licks, pulling back only to see how effective her efforts had been, as well as to lock eye contact with Dastell.

"Sounds like it could be similar to living in a different world." she pondered aloud, head tipping only slightly as she continued her train of thought. An interesting concept to mull over! "What made you leave your home amongst the clouds then, hm?"  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

Did they raise females to respect personal space only in the mountains or was it something in the air here? He couldn't fault the rogue lifestyle for breeding lionesses too lenient with their charity when the last one he'd encountered had been a born and raised within a pride. This one very well may have been too. So what was it that made them so confident it was safe to get up close to a stranger like this? Was it him to blame? Some vibe he gave off or maybe one that he didn't?

They'd live longer if they exercised caution, he thought. For all she knew this was a planned attack under the guise of civility. Judging by what he'd heard, the only thing out here more deranged in these lands than the females were their male counterparts.

He considered her question and whether or not he would indulge her with the truth. Ultimately, he lied to her the same as he had to everyone else and did a convincing job of it.

"It is different, so I wanted to see what else there was." He shuffled away from her, to the right. "You should be more careful around strangers."  

[musicaloner7]

Hopefolly

For Anya, there wasn't much she feared in this world. She was aware of danger, to be sure, but she knew what her limits were, and where she was to be perhaps a tiny bit cautious. But in general, the female was confident in her ability to stifle any sort of conflict that may arise, with her charms. It was what she was best at, after all. She was strong, to be sure, but not the strongest, and had to have other methods of making situations tip in her favor. This had seemed to be a good way of working it.

His cheek was given another lick before she paid attention to the other side of his face, catching a few droplets that just about fell from the tips of his drenched fur tufts. But she stopped as he moved away, blinking her unnatural eyes curiously at him, keeping her calm smile, "Well I commend you for your courage~" she praised smoothly, tail curling and flicking casually behind her. A tip of her head was given at his warning, "Oh? Would that include you too?" she asked in a mused fashion. The way she saw it, he could have attacked her at any moment by now, but he hadn't.  

[Hopefolly]

musicaloner7

Every fiber of his being was arguing against wiping his face with a paw. He felt the itch to do so, like he would have as a cub when his mother decided a bath was in order. This wasn't really a family friendly situation, though, was it. The air was too charged and she spoke like he imagined those mermaids he'd heard about did.

Dastell knew he was no one to be afraid of. He couldn't even kill prey out here and that's when he was trying. "No, it doesn't," he replied. The distance he'd placed between them was enough for the time being. From the safety of his personal space bubble he scrutinized her with his eyes. "But I don't speak for everyone. Luck won't help you forever if you keep that up."