[FIN] Girls (Yavin & Avahk)

[mouselet]

The grey lion was relaxing by the water hole, watching the clouds go by overhead as he daydreamed. For a lion who had an excess of females in his life, it was odd that he should be thinking about a lioness, but so it was. He wondered how beautiful Tseva fared, with her sleek dark coat and her exotic accent. Whether she'd made it safely back to her pride in the swamplands (and wasn't that a strange notion?) or not. He certainly hoped so. From what she'd said, it shouldn't have taken her more than half a moon at most to get there, and she'd been here what...two moons past?

Ah well, such was life. Now he just had to keep her a secret from the prying noses of his sisters who would be on that gossip like flies on a carcass.

Life was good to Avahk in other ways too - now that his father's exile was over a moon past, people had stopped looking at him so strangely. His cousins were more willing to talk to him again, especially since they didn't have to go to Yareha's den to do so. Even Aunt Aysu seemed nicer than she had been, which was good, because he'd missed spending time with her children, with whom he'd spent so much time as a youth.  

[Kimaria]

This particular lion had a female on his mind too. It had been bothering him since he'd met her that evening and he wasn't exactly happy that it had ended on such a stale note, too. Still, at least he'd been able to find out a little about her. She was spirited, clearly important and severely needed to learn how to take a break every now and then.

What was wrong with shirking duties, anyway?

That was the other question that had been bothering him since. He was a prince. He could do the princely things such as lounging around and wasting the days away. Slaves worked hard. Princes did not. And yet if she was both high class and a hard worker then what did that say about him? He huffed, annoyed, and was so lost in his thoughts that he almost blundered straight into the lion reclining by the water. He pulled up short just in time and mumbled a short: "Didn't see you there." And circled wide to drink in peace.  

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"Mmmph?" The grey lion had been so completely out of it he hadn't even noticed the other coming up alongside him. "Ah. Sorry. Didn't mean to block anyone's path..." he offered distractedly as he rearranged limbs into a less sprawled pose and turned to give his fellow pridemember his full attention.

He knew that the other lion looked like someone, but Avahk was not one to see the royal family quite as frequently as his cousin, and he didn't have any real idea as to this stranger's name or rank.

"My name's Avahk," he offered with a smile.  

[Kimaria]

He had lowered his head to drink and didn't respond in kind until he had done, lifting his head and turning to give the other male a sideways glance. Avahk. Yes, perhaps it was familiar -- or maybe that's what he was telling himself so that he wouldn't feel so bad about not spending any time with the pride members. Yavin supposed that he could change that habit...if he wanted to.

Shaking the drips of water from his chin, he took a step back and - at last - offered his own name. "Yavin. Prince Yavin." At least there was no awkward pretence this time. They had had an introduction. That was more than could have been said of his moment with the nameless female.

Urgh, he needed to stop thinking about her.

"Your day off duty or something?" He asked in his hypocritical manner.  

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Avahk's eyes widened as Yavin introduced himself and subtly straightened his posture even further. He didn't think it was necessary that he get to his feet, but what did a lowly Hunter know of protocol? That was his cousin's bailiwick and the grey lion had considered it all beyond him.

"Well, yes, Prince Yavin," he answered slowly. "There was a major hunt yesterday and will be another in another day or so. That makes today my day off."

How the hell did you talk to a Prince anyway?  

[Kimaria]

Yavin had turned to look out through the trees as Avahk spoke, twitching an ear back and forth as if only half listening. For a moment it looked like he was going to walk away and then he seemed to think better of it, turning back to look at him.

"Well, if it's your day off. Maybe you can help me with something."

Did he dare?

Really?

He paused a moment as if considering just ending the conversation there and then. What would it look like if he started asking around after that female? People might get the wrong idea. They would also know that he'd utterly failed with knowing her name and that could be rather embarrassing. But he wasn't sure how long he could take not knowing and, maybe, if he knew who she was, he could put the thoughts of her to rest and move on with his life of leisure.

"You must know the pride members reasonably well, right?"  

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Avahk had determined that he, as a lower-middle class hunter was far beneath the Prince's notice in just about every way. So it was surprising when Yavin turned back to him and asked for his aid. What on earth was it that the Prince could want that the grey lion could give him?

"I know many pride members, but mostly just my family," he offered cautiously. "Though the Prince might know that my family encompasses a great portion of the pride." So he might not know the answer to the question, whatever it was, but he had a decent chance of it.

He just...needed to know the question.  

[Kimaria]

Okay. Right. This was it. Did he ask? Or did he just decide to walk away and forget it. Forget it all. He wasn't sure what would be easier to do. Bite down his pride and ask now, or attempt to just forget and move on. He was silent for probably an awkward amount of time and then, with a loud sigh, he turned to face the other male.

Fine. He was going to ask. He hoped that damned female would be happy about the irritation she had caused.

"There's this girl." He started. "I met her the other day and it's bothering me because I think someone of my station should know who she is." And he didn't want to admit to her face that he didn't know her name. "She's white and grey with a crescent moon on her shoulder and small dots under her eyes. She's also a workaholic. You know anyone like that?"  

[mouselet]

So here they were. Two lions, staring at each other as the one got up the courage to ask the other a question. One from the highest of ranks, and one that was, only by the gleam of the Great Lion's eye, not among the lowest.

And then the Prince spoke.

As Avahk listened he nodded until the older lion began actually describing the lioness he sought. The description prompted the grey lion's lower jaw to drop open. He then proceeded to laugh. The way Yavin had told the tale...oh that was her, spot on! He guessed the Prince had only met her the once and yet to describe her so perfectly!

Avahk forced himself to stop laughing long enough to answer. "My...cousin," he panted, still grinning. "Lailah K'chol. The Shaman's apprentice." Then it was off with the laughter again. Of course it was Lailah, it could only ever be!

Wait, why was this so funny again? They grey lion's breathing began to slow once more.  

[Kimaria]

Laughter.

What was so funny? Yavin could feel himself getting uptight, bristling as he stared at the lower-ranking male. His pride had taken yet another knock, it seemed, though all would become clear once the lion finally spoke. And when he did respond, Yavin was so tense that his shoulders had started to ache.

And, when the truth was known, the prince only barely managed to contain his surprise. The Shaman's apprentice. Of course! That would explain why she was such an annoying know-it-all. Who else would have had such strict lessons except for her? Damn. Why hadn't he thought of it before? It would have saved him so much face. That was it. After today he was going to make damned sure he knew everyone in the pride - particularly those of worth.

"Lailah?" He exhaled sharply. "I see. And what's so funny about that?" He didn't like being laughed at.  

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Avahk had just about managed to swallow his laughter away by now, but there was nothing that could wipe the huge smile from his face. He doubted that anything but time would make it fade, but who cared whether a Hunter smiled or not?

"What's funny is that you can't have known her very long, yet you've described her so perfectly, Prince Yavin," the grey lion explained. "I consider that rather entertaining, wouldn't you?"

He continued grinning, knowing he looked foolish and not caring in the least.  

[Kimaria]

Hmpfh.

"Then she must be exceptionally boring." He added, not sure whether he quite believed that. Up until the workaholic tendencies had kicked in he'd had rather a lot of fun. That was the thing with girls though. They couldn't be perfect. He was sure someone had told him that already. Or maybe he'd just made it up. Why was his head filled with random sayings that he couldn't quite recall the source of.

Wow. Maybe there was something up with his memory.

"I think our views on what is entertaining might be slight different." He added, giving him a pointedly serious look. "But I suppose I owe you my thanks, seeing as you were able to help."  

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"You are most welcome," Yareha replied, bowing his head and still smiling. He wondered if he should perhaps mention to his sisters that there seemed to be some romance brewing here. Or maybe he would wait a bit longer, until it was a more certain thing.

Either way, he knew the gossips he called siblings would be all over it.

"If that's all, my Prince, I should be going," he continued, providing an easy out for both of them, so that this conversation didn't end up too exceedingly awkward.  

[Kimaria]

Maybe he should have sworn him to secrecy, Yavin thought as he watched the other lion moving away. He didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea. After all, they'd not exactly left on good terms. He wasn't sure he wanted to speak to her again.

If she was on level-playing ground as far as ranks could go, she couldn't be intimidated into being respectful. He'd never really considered that when he'd thought about finding a high class mate. Still, there was no way he'd drop in rank for a female either. And what was he even doing thinking about romance and mates? This whole thing was ridiculous.

Still tense, the lion swept around, glanced accusingly at the water as if it was somehow to blame, and then made his way back towards his den.

At least he knew her name now. Maybe he'd be able to forget all about her after that.

Or not...