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The white male was simply ecstatic, his smile revealed his many teeth, and his skipping revealed his glee. It had been quite some time since he'd been able to form the proper salve ... nearly a year to the day now. The salve was difficult to create, mainly due to the very finicky needs that some of the herbs required in order to survive. The winter had been harsh on those herbs, and it had taken all of this time for them to regrow. But they were back now, and the salve had done its job! he could see once again! Though not nearly to the degree he yearned to, he had long ago come to accept that one day he may never see again. So coming to accept his small bouts of luck had since become his salvation.

Looking around him, the male's smile broadened, the flowers! The flowers were in bloom, and a warm feeling coated his chest. It was astounding that such beauties could grow in a land filled with such death and despair. But that was the way of life he supposed.

The flowers called to him, inviting him to roll freely in their petals, immersing himself in their scent. Who was he to deny them of that wish?

No one thats who! With a childish grin, Mlinzi cackled lightly and flopped into the large flower bed, his rump rolling all around, a silly sight for everyone to behold.

He really was completely immersed in his own little world. Lost to the simple joys, that others enjoyed their entire lives. But he wasn't one for caring what others thought of him, so naturally when his rolling about turned him in the female's direction he did little more than stare at her for a moment. Simply a quick glance out of the corner of his eye before continuing his antics.

It took him a good couple of seconds, before he went stiff, his mind shutting down all aspects of fun and turning them in a completely different direction.

Rain...bow... White? Had he just seen himself? No, he couldn't be hallucinating! He had triple checked his calculations to ensure that he wasted not a drop of his priceless herbs. But he knew what he'd seen, a figure, while more slender than himself, was definitely very familiar.

Finally, his brain clicked into place, perhaps he should take a second look? WELL DUH! The lion could have pawed himself in the face for his own lack of thought. But instead, he slowly edged himself to the left, just enough to get another glance.

Sure enough, standing before him was another of him. Only it wasn't a him, it was a her. This couldn't be right, he was an only cub, the sole survivor of a litter of diseased and starving cubs! The memories sent a freezing shiver down his spine and he winced almost as if in pain.

"Wh-Who are you?"

The words slipped out so easily, Mlinzi didn't even realize he had spoken them. He merely lie there on his back, in awe, his mouth slightly agape.

Mlinzi's head tilted slightly to the side, as he attempted to get a handle on the lioness before him. She didn't look all that strange, but her way of talking was very foreign to him. She also seemed to like topic jumping. Definitely a bit odd, but then who wasn't a little odd? Hadn't he just been a grown lion rolling around in a bed of flowers?

Point taken.

"M-Mlinzi. Pumbaa'Mlinzi if you want to be formal." He was still stunned by her appearance, it was quite breathtaking. To be so similar to her, he wondered whether he was complimenting himself in some strange way. The poor male nearly tripped over his words as he tried to keep up with hers. He was used to slow talkers, not quick, jumpers like herself. ""Sorry but I don't really know what's shaking.... But its definitely nothing I can feel!" He attempted a smile, and placed his paws in different area of the ground to test his theory. "Nope, not the ground."

Mlinzi's ears lowered, and his heart ached a bit at her last comment, but he knew better than to hold it against her. This was his home, he was used to it, but it was not her's and so it would seem strange.

"I live here, i'm sorry that you're so put off by our way of life. It can definitely be hard to get used to." Another faint smile crossed his features. "Our pride is abnormally dark, due to what the darkness here hides. It hides the pain and loss of those of us in its ranks. But there is nothing to fear, we are a harmless sort."

Deciding it safe to take one step closer, he did so, cautious to watch her facial expressions for changes in her comfort zone.

Zi?

That was a new one. He'd come to be called by many names in his short life, but Zi was never one of them. He merely smiled and nodded at her name request, proud to have another to add to his collection. He stood there for a moment really unsure of how to react to his own blunder. Of course it was just a phrase! The ground wasn't really known for shaking around these parts; he was so embarrassed. He attempted to laugh it off, but you could tell by the shakiness of it that he was nervous.

"No damage done!" He said through an awkward toothy grin. His paw raised and moving as if to shoo away the idea of being offensive. "We don't usually have need to use our claws here. While we do have the occasional passerby, visitors are a rare sight. Especially a dangerous visitor. We tend to be very welcoming to those who are brave enough to tread here, much like yourself." A pause broke his thoughts in half as he hushed his maw to let her finish her thoughts.

Cute?

Did she just say he was cute? No, he probably heard her wrong. But then, he had excellent hearing, there was no way he'd heard her wrong. He could feel a slight blush building in his face, and his flustered wording only got worse. "R-Related? Y-yeah I suppose we do look a lot alike!" Fussing with his paws, he tried to calm his nerves a bit but found it to be pretty difficult. "Huh? Oh no, no no you won't be chased off. Just so long as you stay within a certain area you are in no trouble." Turning his attention back to the area he was in, he nodded. "So long as you stay close around here, you'll be fine."

He chose, at least for the moment, to leave out her cute statement. He wasn't entirely sure of how to react to it, and he didn't want to chase her away. Instead he merely gazed at her longingly. She was a gorgeous female, very much like himself. Her eyes seemed to burn like fire, and for some reason it made him sad.

"A-anyway Pandra right? What brings you all the way out here? As odd as it sounds, since we're so eerily similar - you don't look like you're from anywhere near here."

She ... wanted to keep him company? While he was used to the idea of female company, he didn't expect it to come from someone outside of his pride. Most of the females within his pride would flock to any single male in hopes of one last chance for love. But ousiders? He couldn't really recall an encounter with one of those, aside from Chusi. But he had more forced his company onto her, than had it requested.

"No, I don't mind at all. Its actually a great day to have company." He beamed a toothy grin at her, not really planning to go into exact reasons for his comment. She likely wouldn't understand unless he went into a long story. She definitely didn't look like she was in the mood for a story right about now.

"The Pridelands? Never heard of them. But then I don't really get out much either." Mlinzi fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment. And became even more so at her mention of a mate. It was sort of a sore topic for the not so wannabe bachelor. But the matchmaker had just never found the right person for him. Perhaps one day, but not yet.

"Oh, I don't have one. Guess you could say I live the bachelors life. But I don't wear that title with much happiness!" He tried to laugh it off, but his tone would definitely give him away. "I suppose you haven't found one yourself? I mean - since you're traveling alone to a new pride! Not for any other particular reason." Of course there was always another reason. He had to admit, he was quite smitten with her looks. So much like his own, she was quite a beauty.