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Aquapuga was not used to all this cold white stuff everywhere. He was rather regretting being so mean to that lion some days ago. He could have been out of this land if he wished or had a place to den as the other male had offered to be a guide to safety after pulling the leopon out of a snow drift. Aqua had been very rude when he told the other he did not need help and would find his own way. The lion had been nothing but kind to him, and perhaps he should have done the same in return. He would have frozen if he had been left in that snow drift, maybe he should have at least thanked the other for his kindness.

Aquapuga had never really thought his stepfather could be right about anything, let alone about random acts of kindness from others. His mother had taught him that others were only out for themselves or were too weak to survive on their own, but that lion had been anything but weak and still helped the leopon, gaining nothing in return. These thoughts confused the white and blue cat to no end. He could not understand why the other had helped for no gain. And with his distracted and confused thoughts, the leopon made another mistake in his travels.

Aquapuga had been too busy puzzling over the happenings of a few days before to see the shine of ice sticking out from under snow. His paw hit that smooth surface and the rest was a blur. There was a thin coating of snow over most of the ice on the side of the hill and the male found out just how easy it was for him to plow snow with his body as he went zipping down the hillside and toward what appeared to be a very big pile of snow under a tree. He hit the soft cold snow twice as tall as he was standing, and went through. He got stuck with his head out the otherside. How humiliating, and there was no big lion around to help him out this time. What was he going to do?

Aquapuga had to admit to himself that he was quite relieved to hear someone else approach him. When he looked up, he could not help but take a moment to think the female was quite pretty even if she was "weak" colors like himself. He hoped her heart was as kind as her colors would indicate to his mother. He would not be able to get out of this snow on his own and regardless of how horrible it made him feel to be so much of a disappointment to his mother, even out where she could not see him, he had to ask for the help he required. This lioness could turn him down, but he had to try. He was going to have to build up the courage to ask, very quickly.

Aquapuga took a moment to grab a deep breath and turned his gaze up to the female to look right into her eyes. "I have been better." That sounded gruff, he was going to have to tone that down, but how? He would have to take a lesson off his pansy of a stepfather, he guessed. He tried to soften the tone of his voice and speak again. "I apologize. That was perhaps a bit rude." Those words hurt coming out. "I have no physical pain, but I cannot move. Would you be able to help dig a small leopon out of this cold fluffy stuff? It is rather heavy." And it was melting against him, making him quite cold.

The male leopon swore that if this female helped him, he was going to try to be better at the things his stepfather had tried to teach he and his siblings. The two run ins with the snow and lions helping him out, had taught him something. His mother's lessons were NOT working here. Either he was going to have to leave this area, or he was going to have to adapt, and he rather liked this fluffy wet stuff when it was not trapping him. "If you do not mind my asking... how do you not slip and fall? That shiny stuff you walked across gives me problems."

Aquapuga tried to wiggle as she dug. The more free space he could make for himself to move the more he figured he might be able to break free so her job was not a long one. He was very happy she had decided to help. He now owed his life to two different lions in a very short time, and he would have to find a way to pay this one back in turn. The first one had refused any kind of payment, perhaps this one would do the same, but who knew? He would have to find out by asking once he was out of here. He was definitely getting some wiggle room and the weight was getting much less at the front so he could push forward more.

"You have never heard of a leopon? Interesting. Well, it means my mother was a leopard and my father was a lion." Aqua wondered at the fact that she had never heard of such before. Perhaps he was somewhere that hybrids were not allowed? That would be bad if they decided to turn on him. A bunch of lions would be a very bad thing to have to face. "Ice... until I came here, I had never seen this fluffy white stuff that I was told a few days ago is snow, nor this shiny stuff you call ice." He managed to push himself out of the snowbank and shook off his fur. "Thank you for your help... I am Aquapuga."

Aquapuga really was having a hard time with these manner things. He gave himself a good once over to make sure he had not done any damage when he tumbled. Everything seemed to be in working order other than a few bruises. There was no blood or anything obviously swollen. "I owe you my life." He had thought he was having problems before, but his pride was practically dying over admitting how much he owed this female. How did his stepfather do this whole being nice thing all the time? It was so hard! "I owe you a debt." Even his mother owed debts for her life to others, though she hated to admit it. He just hoped he could be better at paying them than she was.

Aquapuga shivered a little. The snow that had melted into his fur was not pleasant. He was cold and wet, which the last part wasn't going to last long. He had learned the hard way the last time that wet froze to ice in the pelt out here. Thankfully he had found a nice, warm den to sit and work out the ice when it happened before. He should take shelter again and this female was offering a place to do such. It would likely be a pride of lions, which could or could not end well depending. He doubted this lioness lived by herself completely and maybe the others would all be as curious as she was and not be hostile. Then again, they could take badly to something they had never seen before.

The leopon did not have time to debate before going. He had to get somewhere warm and get the forming ice out of his fur. "I am not frozen solid... but I do have some ice in my fur. I will have to impose on you for a bit to clean it out, it would seem." It was almost painful to be this nice, but he was going to do it. He did not understand how his stepfather managed to not insult people for fun, but the leopon was going to have to learn. He did not have a reason to be mean to this lioness, and every reason to be nice to her. It was important he made sure she did not see the sharp side of his tongue.

"Not everyone would stop to help a stranger... there are those where I am from that would have seen it as weakness that I even got in there... and weakness to show concern for me let alone assist me. It sounds as if this place is a bit different than where I come from." Aqua did not smile at the lioness because he did not want to scare the female. Some might offer a smile to reassure another, but he knew his smile would do nothing but make him look like he wanted to eat her. That would be another thing he was going to have to work on it would seem.

"This place is pretty... if a bit slippery." The leopon chuckled a bit at himself. He had proven just how slippery over his travel through it. He padded along behind the queen as best he could, though he came close to sliding again a few times. "Thank you does not seem enough for what you offer me, ma'am. Perhaps there is something I can offer in return... once I learn to keep my balance in this stuff." He shakes a bit of snow off a paw and nearly fall son his nose. Okay note to self, be sure you are on stable ground and not the slippery stuff when shaking off paws.

Aquapuga hoped the female didn't think too badly of him as he slipped and slid along behind her. He was going to need her knowledge to adapt to this place and it would not do to annoy her or chase her off. He felt a bit like a cub trying to follow it's mother along for the first adventure out of the den. Nothing in his life had prepared him for this cold wet stuff and how it shifted under him without warning. It was easier to walk in mud! Though one plus was this would not leave brown marks on his fur like mud.

Aquapuga snorted at the female's dismissing of her own actions and kindness. "I do owe you much in my mind, ma'am, and I will work to do my best to repay your kindness. Perhaps once I get my footing here, I can lend you my claws. I was trained to be an excellent fighter by my mother, but I am not much use without my paws under me." He was very grateful for the her continued assistance as they traveled. "You do not have to ask for what I will give. You have not made me ask for all the things you are giving to me..." Space in her den to dry off, offering him a spot in her pride, heck, he couldn't think of a better lioness to owe so much.

Aquapuga was going to make it his mission to help this female as much as he possibly could. Just as soon as he got dry and had his paws sorted out, he would make it up to her. He dug his paws into the sturdier ground of the island and sighed in relief. This he could walk on without the help of the lioness. It was a relief to have ground that did not make his paws numb and too slick to keep under himself properly. "So much better. This I can walk on with no issue. Thank you." He could not wait to get warm and dry. "It was much better with the assistance of a beautiful lioness." He hoped that sounded as nice as he intended. Maybe compliments would come easier with practice?

Aquapunga followed around at the lioness' heels as she made her way through this place filled with so many lions. He was sure that with as cold and white as this place was the female's coloring would be common. He did not see many that shared it as he went. Those he glimpsed seemed to be a bit nervous and he guessed he could not blame them. He was a stranger and by what she had said earlier, they likely did not know what a leopon was either. It was a bit funny really.

Aquapuga looked at the den and stuck his head inside it. It was quite big and he was not as big as most lions. It seemed odd that she lead him here. "I thank you, ma'am... It is a very large space for one small feline." He shivered and decided that perhaps further conversation would have to wait. He needed to get the ice out of his fur and get himself warm. With that in mind, the leopon entered the den and started gave the female a honest if only half formed smile before starting on a paw to get it dry.