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Tasnim was happy to have a new home, but the lions of the pride intimidated her. They weren't all as surly as the lion that fought Sakhr on the borders, but they were mostly big and fierce. Some of them leered at her. Tasnim was not raised in a pride of leer-ers. She could do nothing but blush and scuttle away.

They were too aggressive, as well. At least that brown lion was. Tasnim was too proper to go up to any of the strange lions (especially not the males) and speak to them, but she figured that she knew Gaved. He might have banu -- wives -- that she could be friends with. That would be a start.

After many timid questions as to where to find his den, she finally found him moping outside of it. But when she approached to try and apologize for his wounds and introduce herself properly, the brown lion surged to his feet and began bellowing so loudly and coarsely it was a wonder her ears weren't singed clean off. Tasnim scampered at high speed.

Upset by her meeting with Gaved, her first instinct was to duck her head and dodge around the new brown lion when he spoke. But he had spoken to her directly. It would be impolite to ignore him. Besides, she didn't want him to think she was one of these poor kajira-folk. "Hello," Tasnim returned shyly, glancing up at him.

Something about the lion's manner made her anxious, but that was hardly anything new. All of these Stormborn made Tasnim anxious. Granted, she hadn't been there long, but already she was starting to despair of ever fitting in. She had seen a few females chatting that looked kind and gentle, but they were also supremely confident even with all these big bold lions strutting around. They talked to whomever they pleased, without any regard to propriety or chaperones. It was an alien world to Tasnim.

"It is good to meet you, Kjar," Tasnim said, dipping her head in a delicate little bow. It made her uncomfortable to speak to a strange male alone this way, but she supposed she was going to have to get used to it. "I'm Tasnim. My family and I joined the pride recently."

Kjar's smiles were really just dreadfully unpleasant. But at least he wasn't roaring or boasting or swaggering around showing off his scars. Some of the males Tasnim had seen (from around the protective bulk of Sakhr) were appalling. Kjar at least was trying to be pleasant company for a lady.

"It is very nice to feel so secure, with all these warriors," Tasnim said. Her new home was terrifying, but she did feel secure ... at least, secure from threats by any outsiders or lions from her old homeland. "But it's very different from my old home." She smiled shyly up at the massive lion. "Things were very quiet and ... proper. Everyone is so bold here."

That term of endearment made her a bit nervous, but Tasnim had heard other females referred to in flowery terms back home by kind and courtly pads. Not her, of course, since she was related to just about every eligible lion. Never her. She blushed slightly, the bridge of her nose turning pink beneath her pale fur.

She was warming to this Kjar, even though he frightened her. It wasn't his fault he looked so gruff and ferocious. He was asking her of home, trying to make her feel comfortable. Tasnim appreciated that. "No, no, of course there was nothing improper about me," Tasnim assured him hastily. Goodness. She wouldn't want anyone thinking she was less than a perfect banu. Or wife. Or hopefully-a-wife-someday. That wouldn't fetch her a gentlemanly husband. "I couldn't find a pad -- a husband -- there. I was related to just about everyone in the pride. My father had many wives, and many cubs ... I gave up on finding anyone that wasn't my cousin." Tasnim shrugged, a bit embarrassed about blathering on about her marital woes to Kjar. "So my brave cousin Sakhr escorted us here." She gave a delicate shudder. "I'm so glad we got through those awful rogue lands safely."

Tasnim was growing used to the fact that her new pride was strange and different from her home, but she was still oblivious to certain undercurrents. She didn't realize Kjar was asking about her wants because he wanted her. She assumed that any interested lions would speak with Sakhr and cordially arrange a marriage for her.

It was silly to daydream over what you wanted your pad to be like, but when no suitable pads were to be found Tasnim had matured with nothing to tide her over but daydreams.

"Well -- a good lion, of course. Smart and brave." She hesitated. She had to adjust her expectations to suit her new pride, of course. "And I would like him to be strong, and well-respected." She didn't want to wind up married to a lion that was bullied or too low on the pecking order here. Tasnim smiled. "I'm sorry, Kjar. I didn't mean to ramble on." The male had made small talk with her for long enough. Tasnim was certain he must be bored to tears by now. "Thank you for speaking with me. I should get back to my cousin's den now."