- Shahidi couldn't quite believe she'd been free of Fsi after all of this time... though perhaps 'all of this time' wasn't correct. They had spent some time together, sure, but it wasn't like they'd spent moon after moon in each other's company. Some nights it sure felt like it though... and now she was without him. It was... wonderful. Liberating... though slightly soured by her empty stomach that constantly growled with reminders of hunger and the constant pain in her back foot with each step she took.
She wasn't exactly sure what to do though... she wasn't too weak to hunt right now, but if she kept waiting for an opportunity there was a good chance she would be too weak. But she was afraid that if she did try and hunt with her paw as it was... she might damage it further. She slowed down, glancing over her shoulder and shivering.
Every now and then she had the sudden fear that Fsi might be following her... tracking her down. She wasn't sure what he'd do if he caught her again but she could be sure that it wouldn't be good. But it was just a feeling, and never once did she spot a dark, looming figure in the distance.
As she looked forward though she spied a mostly white lion ahead with what appeared to be handsome red spots and a black mane, and it caused her to freeze. Memories of Fsi were too fresh in her mind, and she hated that she felt distrustful of the stranger ahead.
Xiu had been watching the lioness for a while, unbeknownst to her. He'd been lounging in a low branch of a tree near to the area, he'd spotted the peach lioness from just a little while ago. Not that she'd been easy to see, she blended in fairly well to the dry grass. Not as well as say... the average pridelander, but well enough as it was.
She was a pretty little thing, though he could tell even from far away that she walked with a limp. As he continued to watch her his boredom itched more and more at his mind, and an idea was slowly forming in his brain. A slow smile curled over his maw, and he slunk down the tree with a graceful and sleek ease. He was going to toy with this lioness, he'd decided. She was stunning, certainly prettier than any of the tail that he'd been hanging about of late... he would treat himself.
Females were easy, in his opinion. Speak to them for a bit, figure out what they wanted in life and just lie through your teeth to make them believe you were giving it to them. Sure it was a bit of work, but that was also part of the fun. When you bagged a lioness with words alone it meant you were intelligent and cunning... the perfect sort of game for Xiu.
As he began to approach her though he noticed that she'd stopped walking. Well... that wasn't what he was expecting. Usually the extra beautiful ones were outgoing and friendly. If you were lucky they were flirts... if unlucky than they were full of themselves. But this one... was either a very nervous lioness or a very shy one, which was very much the same thing in Xiu's mind... it also meant that she would be a fun challenge. "Good day miss!" He called out, slowing his pace but not stopping. "I spotted you and couldn't help but notice you had a limp... are you hurt?" Words like honey, silk... spider web.
She swallowed and watched him, panic slightly tickling it's way up her throat. When he called out to her she wondered if she should turn and run or... of course she couldn't run! "Your paw, silly." She breathed out the words, meant for her ears alone. His voice was not harsh or commanding though... and he looked friendly enough to her. Fsi had never looked friendly.
She didn't want to just avoid all lions because of one bad beetle in the bunch though... and if she wanted to get over the horrible experience that was Fsi she should start as soon as possible, shouldn't she? Her tongue felt swollen though, and her legs like rocks.
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "H-hello." She croaked out, and felt slightly embarrassed. He was just asking after her health, after all. Hadn't she wanted to find someone to help her?
She glanced back to her paw. "Y-yes, I hurt it hunting and now I fear I've become... useless." He was now very close, and she hadn't moved a hair.
Well, she would need some warming up, wouldn't she? But that wasn't a problem for him; his entire life he'd been a sweet talker. "That's horrible!" He said, playing his part. "But I doubt very much that you are useless, my dear. My name is Xiuhcoatl, may I perhaps offer some assistance?"
He flashed her a toothy grin, sure to fill his gaze with kindness and warmth. The eyes were the most difficult variable in acting around others. If you couldn't express emotion in your eyes than you couldn't very well expect someone to believe your words, could you?
She blinked, surprised at the kindness in his voice. She'd been expecting something more... more Fsi like she supposed. Which irked her to no end... she didn't want to compare every male she met with the selfish bully.
"I... my name is Shahidi." Well that was refreshing, wasn't it? Not forced to call him something stupid... offering up his name with no further stipulations. "I... yes I think I would like that very much Xiuhcoatl." She was a little unsure... but if she didn't take the offered help she might not be able to survive.
"Please, Xiu if it's easier for you." He hadn't missed the trouble she had with pronouncing his name; most did. His eyes flashed with amusement when she agreed so easily... he thought that she would have needed more work, but was happy to be proven wrong. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shahidi. Now I assume... with a paw as swollen as that... that one might be hungry?" He raised his brows and waited for her to confirm. When she nodded he turned slightly and waved his paw back toward the tree he'd previously been in.
"Why don't you wait over here and maybe I can hunt us something up?" Each thread had to be placed right... and then she would be his for the taking. "It shouldn't be too long. I saw a small heard heading through this area not so long ago."
She nodded and offered an unsure smile, beginning to move with him over towards the tree. A meal would be good... and such kind company would be better.
She couldn't know, of course, the sort of trouble she was getting herself into with letting herself trust this lion.
END