Restless Wanderer (Private: Arbarano and Azdgari)

[Arbarano]

Again, Ni found himself holding back a chuckle at the lion’s awkwardness. “Actually…” he began, stepping a little closer again, until they were barely a body-length apart. By now, the little suspicion he had of this lion was growing quieter by the step. “I’ve been living around here for a few moons now. Almost ready to move on now…”

He added the last comment in a slightly wistful tone, and for a few seconds his eyes drifted to the waterhole. They snapped back to the other rogue fairly quickly.

“So what brings you here, then?” he asked, smiling once again.

[Azdgari]

Kopa considered him, chewing over the question and finally spitting back out, "You tell me," he said with a half-snicker, then briefly stared at the ground. Nah, he continued, looking back up, "Guess I'm looking for home, same as everyone when you think about it." Kopa did not generally converse this deeply. In fact, he didn't generally converse at all, at least not recently. But it had been a long, weird day and maybe nearly dying of dehydration and the almost choking to death on water were taking a toll on him (the irony was thick enough to slice with a claw and spread across a hippo's pelt). Kopa's tail idly swished behind him, sending tiny plumes of dust into the air. Part of him felt like unloading his life story... but that part remained buried under thick layers of outer toughness and rogue grit. Kopa shook off the urge. He found himself wondering about his counterpart.

...What's your name? Kopa asked.

[Arbarano]

The elder rogue’s smile held firm as the final remnants of hostility within him dissipated at last. They were getting somewhere now, and it was refreshing to have someone to talk with.

“I’m Ni,” he said, meeting the young lion’s eyes again. An odd thought sparked in his mind. He couldn’t put his paw on it, and he couldn’t be entirely sure if he was right, but something seemed familiar about this lion. Perhaps he had met his pride before? Or maybe it was just the similarity of the other rogue‘s situation to his long ago. Either way, his curiosity was piqued, though he managed to stop his brow from furrowing.

“And you are?”

[Azdgari]

I'm Kopa, he replied. It felt pleasant to say that. Felt like meeting an old friend. I wonder how long it's been since I've said that? Kopa wondered to himself. He kept his silence for a few moments, considering the simple felicity borne just of saying his name. He mused on the diametric difference between what he had felt for so long as a rogue and all the emotions evoked in a five minute conversation with another animal. The primal thrill of the hunt against the quiet comfort of company. The fruits of civility against the meat of the animal instinct.

"Where are you going?" Kopa asked suddenly.

[Arbarano]

“Going?” Ni blurted with equal suddenness to Kopa’s question, his brow furrowing. “I haven’t moved since you woke up.”

[Azdgari]

You said you were moving along... Where do you think you're going to go? Kopa asked, twitching an ear in irritation at the older lion's lapse.

[Arbarano]

“Oh…” Ni gasped, and for a moment his mind went blank. He hadn’t put any real thought into where his journey would take him next, though he never did in the first place. Another brief though of home crossed his mind, but it was joined by a question. “Do I even want to go?”

Yes. That was the simple answer. As much as he thought himself extremely lucky to find such an excellent location, and as much as he had enjoyed the more serene pace of life he had been able to enjoy over the last few months, the itch for adventure refused to go away. If anything, the arrival of Kopa had allowed it to grow stronger. Ni would have liked to ponder this question a little deeper, but it was clear from the rogue’s twitching ear and slightly narrowed eyes that he was not blessed with patience.

“Well…I’m not sure where I’ll be going,” he eventually replied with something of a shrug. “I never have, really. I just tend to go where the sun and stars lead me, but I’m not sure if I want to leave just yet.”

[Azdgari]

Kopa blinked. Well, what's the point of staying here? He asked impatiently.

[Arbarano]

Does he always have to sound that impatient? The slight ire he felt from the rogue’s tone was contrasted by the smirk that his smile morphed into.

“Well, there’s the thing that you nearly drowned in for a start,” he replied, nodding towards the spring. “You of all lions should know how vital a good source of water is, Kopa.” Ni let a few rumbles of a chuckle follow his words.

[Azdgari]

Irritation flitted across Kopa's features. Mmm, yeah, real cool aren't you, Ni.

Yeah, whatever, Kopa muttered. So are you going anywhere or are you just going to waste some more time here? It sounded like Ni had already lingered here longer than Kopa ever would have. Staying in one place was just wasting time. At first Kopa had been at least mildly enthusiastic about traveling with Ni; the benefits of having a reliable hide covering your backside are indisputable. But if Ni was just going to be luggage...