Ethiopia was out and about.

It was a bit late, actually. So perhaps it was unwise to be alone, night hides many dangers. It was about as dangerous as day-time, but with the added problem that, in day time, she could see danger approaching much sooner. Here, these things were missing.

Still, she was here, walking through the lands. She'd been waken by something. Said something was a nightmare, they had become horrifically common, she wasn't exactly happy about that.

They'd go away someday, she'd always tell herself. Occasionally, one would be less bad than the other, or she wouldn't have one at all. Today was one of those not-so-bad times, but still enough to be unsettling. These made her take walks, or sometimes not ever leave, just get over it and try to sleep.

These walks weren't always good, though she was getting much more used to these new homelands, Ethiopia still often found herself lost. Today, sadly, was one of those days.

She found herself in a rather eerie, narrow pass in the chain of valleys. How she'd gotten here, she hadn't really been paying attention. It wouldn't have been a big deal.. until she could swear she saw something movie.

Squeaking, a rather startled Ethiopia spun around and hurried the other way, but sadly, she was it, whatever it was, again, and doubled back once more. "Ohnonono.. " She breathed to herself, barely audible even to her own ears. Gulping, she raised her head. "Is.. is anyone there? "

"Yes. " The voice, so close to her ear, was rather successful in making Ethiopia jump, and she hurried forward then spun around, spotting...

A dark lion, mostly black with a white chest and toes, and the beginning of a mane. He wasn't very old looking, but he was certainly big.

He also had something very strange near his ears, and there were two somethings on his side she couldn't quite identify.

"Wh-who're you? "

The lion she questioned tilted his head, and for a moment, she swore he was looking so.. amused. "Are you an interloper? " She asked another question, though this one was more strained. She didn't totally know what an interloper was, but the way that Peke spoke about them was enough to make her cautious.

"Relax, I'm not an 'interloper'. " The strain put on the last word was almost mocking, but mostly amused in itself. The dark lion stood up and tilted his head. "I'm a thunder. "

Now that was enough to make Ethi gape, and she tilted her head in confusion. "You can't be thunder. Thats a sound. " She furrowed her brows in confusion. This seemed to hit something, and the dark lion's white 'mane' prickled slightly.

"Just a sound? " He almost sounded.. offended. "Idiot, I'm a god, never heard of one?! " She took a step back, then practically leapt further when dark wings spread out at his sides, as if he were trying to emphasize his point.

Fortunately for her, he relaxed soon enough. "I'm the god of thunder, " He explained, tail flicking a bit. "Raiden. "

Raiden tilted his head at the gray cub before him, somewhat intrigued. She seemed quite.. scared of him, and that was somewhat amusing. Raiden was hardly mean, most of the time he was just looking for entertainment. Maybe his size was daunting. Raiden was only a juvenile, but he was a god, so he was significantly larger, especially since this was a mortal cub.

"Whats wrong with you? " He noted how she was shivering a bit, and her ears were flat. Sure, he knew she was afraid, but it was interesting to witness. After all, Raiden had never felt fear.

The gray cub glanced blankly at him, then away, as if looking for an escape route. She seemed to be relaxing, though. "I'm.. scared? " The girl said, nd he smiled slightly. Wow, honest.

He moved closer to her, and though she seemed to shrink back at that, he kept going, walking around her. "What are you doing out here, anyway? " Cubs, at least, mortal cubs, didn't usually hang out alone, as far as he knew.

"I.. " She paused, unsure of what to say to him. "I had a nightmare. " The god stopped his walking and furrowed a brow. "Don't you have parents for things like that? " For.. comforting, or something. Raiden himself had never needed it, though. He'd never had a nightmare. A part of him was curious about them,but he wouldn't actually ask.

Now, Raiden noted her sadden, the fear seemed to ebb away completely at that, and for a moment, the god felt a pang of guilt for touching an obviously painful subject.

"Not me. " Her voice was barely above a whisper. The god of thunder frowned more deeply, and he sat down, briefly showing some sort of sympathy. Then changing the subject. "What's your name? " He asked, flicking his tail. He'd given his, after all.

Ethiopia tilted her head, she'd completely forgotten about that! "Ethiopia. Nice to meet you. " It was the thing people would usually say, after all. "What are you doing out here? " Confidence.. somewhat back, she actually felt good enough to ask another question.

"I was bored, and because I can. " Raiden's answer was simple and blunt, and she blinked at that. "Oh. " Wow, what a reason to go anywhere.

After a somewhat strange silence (though not totally awkward, the god at least seemed perfectly relaxed), she spoke up again. "Don't you have family? " Turning to focus on her again, he shrugged. "Yeah. My mom and my siblings. But I can pretty much to whatever I want, so... " He'd leave it at that, Raiden wasn't in the mood to explain teleportation.

"You should go home. " He said, flicking his tail. Wherever he home was, if she didn't have parents. But she certainly had someone taking care of her. At least, looked like it. She wasn't starved-lookin' or anything.

The gray cub nodded, then got up and paused. "I... I'm lost. " Raiden tilted his head, and noticed this bothered her a bit. Siiigh, he had kind f scared her a little bit ago. And it was dark here. "I'll walk with you til you find where you are. " He shrugged, least he could do. Besides, mortals were.. interesting.

After she decided to go opposite of where she'd been heading when she ran into him, they walked for a while in silence, Raiden shrinking in size to keep in pace with her. She perhaps didn't notice, or, if she did, didn't ask.

"So, were you really afraid? " He asked casually, tilting his head to the side towards the girl. She blinked up at him, before looking ahead once more. "Yeah. Wouldn't you be? " The whole idea of being in a dark narrow valley with a potentially dangerous something on the loose was.. not so nice, actually.

"Eh, " He shrugged his shoulders, looking ahead once more. He actually wouldn't be, but, once again, he wasn't in the mood to explain anything. "ooh! " Her voice suddenly piped up, and he blinked, glancing to the side. "What? " He stopped as she did, though a few steps ahead. "I know where I am now. " She smiled. "You can go now, if you want. "

Not like she could control if he went or stayed, but he nodded slightly, before frowning. For a brief moment, he did wonder if something did happen to her after he left her. Damn, Faine must be rubbing off on him, because Raiden would actually feel guilty. "I'll walk you home, " He said, sounding a bit defeated to himself, but Ethiopia seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Okay. " She smiled, then continued to walk along, though she seemed more confident now that she actually knew exactly where to go. "This place looks nice, " He commented, glancing around as the valley opened up now that they'd left that narrow pass. Though, he wasn't so much impressed as making smalltalk.

"It's nice. " Ethiopia agreed, taking a brief look around herself. "The pride here is great too. A lion took me and my brother in. " She nodded quietly, frowning a bit. "Why.. right. " Yes, orphan-kid, Raiden, remember? Now the silence did get a little awkward, even for him, but finally, Ethiopia raised her head and perked her ears. "Okay, cave's over there. "

She turned her head to look over to him, smiling weakly. "Thankyou. " She went so far as to offer him an affectionate sort-of head butt before scampering off. This actually caught him dumb, and he stood there, blankly watching her as she went. Odd little kid...

After a few moments, the god grew back to his real size and took off, vanishing into the air.