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A yawn split the lanky juvenile's maw.

The white, dark-spotted male stretched, opening vibrant lime eyes and squinting against the bright sunlight. When he'd lain down for a nap in the shade of this tree, the sun had been approaching its zenith and he was well-shaded. Now, the fiery orb was well past its height, and he was full in its glare. Having just lain in one spot for a few hours and baked himself, he was feeling somewhat uncomfortably warm, and his eyes darted about for some shade nearby. The heat didn't really bother him overmuch; living near here, he was quite used to how hot it could get. But who didn't like to get cooler when they were hot by sitting in some shade?

He shifts slowly to a sitting position as another yawn escapes him, patiently waiting for the lingering tingling feeling from sleep to leave his long limbs before he starts walking in search of shade, perhaps head for the nearest watering hole. As he waits, tail curling and unfurling from his forepaws, he scans the area for signs of life, ears twitching and perking for any sound.

The older, taller male started as a bright voice suddenly rang out into what was otherwise silence, most certainly startling him out of any lethargy he had still been feeling after just waking. His eyes swivelled to focus on her before his head moved, but where others might have greeted her with a scowl or something of the like, only a grin blossomed on his face. "Hello, there!" he calls back, the cheer in his tone easily matching hers. It was entirely possible that Akia didn't have a single mean bone in his body. His mother often told him, with her typical warm smile that he also possessed, that she didn't think he knew how to be sad or angry.

For just a split second, he wondered how she'd managed to get so close without his noticing, but almost instantly it comes to him. Her pelt. She camouflaged perfectly in these grasses. If she hadn't spoken, she probably could have trotted past him without him even being aware of her presence. He'd never claimed to be the most observant juvenile ever to have walked the savannah, and he had still been half-asleep besides.

"What are you doing out on such a fine day, little lady?" he asks, continuing on in his perpetually jovial tone. Simply wonderful, there was someone for him to talk to today. And it seemed she was a lot cheerier than Uhayawani had been.

Akia's smile grew wider, if that were actually possible. A need to burn excess energy. That he could well understand. Some morning he woke and his legs were practically itching with the need to just run. Same thing had happened this morning, near dawn. He'd run all around this area he was beginning to know so well, before flopping down beneath this very tree to sleep of his exertion.

"Near water?" He gathers himself to his paws, standing, raising one to point in a vaguely northerly direction. "There's a watering hole not far in that direction. I could take you if you like." His pale paw once again dropping to the ground, he adopts his normal and most comfortable stance: forepaws almost crossed, resting one in front of the other, black legs quite close together, long tail curled loosely around them. There's something in the way he stands and how he holds himself that's delicate, somehow... dainty, sort of the way one would more expect a female to stand, rather than a male.

She beat him to the introductions, and he had to laugh. No, this lively, happy little femme was in no way like Uhaya. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kibibi. My name's Akia, but you may call me Aki, if you wish."

At the mention of a race, his bright eyes lit up even more. No true cheetah cub, and AKi was not far out of that stage, ever burned of all their energy. He was no exception. He loved to race his brothers around - well, Tama, anyway. Injured, Korou could hardly be made to run all over the place just to placate him. So it was either Tama or his mother he bugged into speeding across the ground. Now, though, it seemed he'd found someone as willing to run for the joy of running as he.

"Sure! I'd love to race. Haven't had a good run with someone in ages." He stretches, his long legs reaching out in front of him, claws scraping against the dirt, his tail straightening as far as it will go behind him. The water wasn't too far that it would cause problems for them, running like the wind under the heat of the glaring sun.

"How about we shorten your name to something like Bibi, then? I think that's quite cute, actually. It suits you." Coming out of his stretch, he shakes the lingering dust from his pale, dark-flecked fur, waiting for her to start the race. After all, it was only polite. It was her idea.

He'd been about to reply when she signalled the start of the countdown, but his jaw snapped shut with an audible click of teeth on teeth as she began, waiting patiently for the magic word, 'go'. When she said it, he allowed her a few seconds to get a lead on him. He thought it only fair; even being so extraordinarily lithe, he had decent musculature under the fur, enough to allow him to propel himself at amazing speeds across the grassy lands. Plus, he was older, his legs longer, and he felt it gave him a bit of an unfair advantage. Aki was known for playing fair.

As he ran, he luxuriated in the feel of the wind running its fingers through his fur as he loped across the ground. While she purposefully avoided obstacles, he deliberately went for them, leaping over protruding trees roots, hopping over boulders - although, not large ones. He loved the challenge of it, loved feeling the health and strength of his body as he put it through its paces. That was the true joy of running, for him.

Aki watched her out the corner of his eye, though. He was going to let her win. He liked the bouncy, happy female, and he knew very well how annoying it could sometimes be to race siblings. His were older, and therefore faster. Usually, he only won when they let him.

Akia was keeping up with her, true, to not make it seem as though he was letting her win, but it was hardly as if he was letting her have the lead too much. She was certainly fast, that core of burning will that churned inside her gave her surprising speed, speed that he hadn't expected at all. He'd thought his age and the length of his legs would give him more of an advantage... but it turns out it wasn't much.

It wasn't long before the blue glitter of water appeared ahead of them, a pool about twenty-feet across and deep enough to wallow in if one was hot, as they would undoubtedly be after this.

He hops onto a large boulder, then leaps off onto the ground again to pick up his pace, enjoying the slight strain of protest from his muscles. He'd already run like the wind once today, and they didn't appreciate the extra exercise. He loved the burn, though; loved the feel of pushing himself to his limits and then collapsing in exhausted satisfaction, much as he would do beside this watering hole when they cleared the remaining distance.

Akia, living not far from here, knew this land extremely well, and so of course he wisely slowed as he drew nearer the cool pool of water. He realised too late, however, that she had apparently judged the distance wrong and was still careening along far too fast. Still padding along, he opened his mouth to shout a warning - but closed it with a wince when he heard, and saw, the splash of her hitting the water.

Coming to a stop finally, panting a bit from his exertion, he peered down at her in concern from his higher vantage point. "Are you all right, Bibi?" he asks, worry colouring his voice. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

Teasing would never enter his mind, even if he had known for sure she was unharmed. It was callous to tease, unless in good humour; and he never teased anyone, even that way, unless he knew them. He didn't like to offend, even accidentally. He has - what's the phrase? - a heart of gold.

Relieved she was fine, he allowed himself to drop tiredly - and less gracefully than before - into a seated position, hanging his head a little as he continued to pant. He could feel little tremors racing up his forelegs as his muscles silently complained about the run, but he ignored it, as he always did. They'd stop soon, when they got their rest.

At her words, he raised his vibrant eyes up to the sky. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that for all that long, Bibi. With the sun as hot and high as it is, you'll be dry in no time."

Akia then looked somewhat longingly at the water, his breath still coming in pants, but at this moment, the wildly-coloured boy couldn't be bothered to move over to the water and take a much-needed drink.