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"These are the Kizingo'zaa pride lands," his deep voice was little more than a rumble as Zuri, who'd let his curiosity get the better of him and followed the strange lioness through the trees made himself known. "It is my home."

For a lion who belonged to a pride that did not have any special consideration for strength or for honour, Zuri was big an powerful and proud. He wasn't a man of many words and wasn't very good at the whole social thing, but he was fond of people in general. He had grown up surrounded by family and by friends in a peaceful environment and, while Zuri was rather shy and quiet, he was not unapproachable. It was fairer to say that he was apprehensive, but hardly cynical.

"You are welcome to stay for as long as you like," he informed her with a nod of his head. This was how Zuri worked. Short, sweet. To the point.

The male studied the female for a moment, sweeping his eyes over his frame with a clandestine blink. He decided that she was a pretty girl, and wanted suddenly to share something more tangible with her.

It was difficult for him to get to know people. Family was much easier. He had known his brothers and sisters for much of his life. They didn't expect anymore from him than they already knew he was prepared to give. Not that this stranger had asked for anything. She hadn't, of course, and he privately kicked himself for being so awkward.

The intensity of her reaction caught him off guard. Zuri's eyes narrowed and he tensed when she spun around, but there wasn't anything else in his posture or expression that gave away his surprise. He was not used to lions responding so defensively, but he was not ignorant. He knew that not all lions grew up in environments such as he had and, while he'd never admit it, it made his heart ache.

Wondering silently at her past, but not nosy enough to ask, Zuri nodded once again.

"That's what I told you," he said patiently, "You're permitted to stay here so long as you don't hurt any other lions. We do not condone physical violence here. You are, however, allowed to defend yourself."

He was alluding to her passionate reaction to his surprise, and didn't care if she knew it. Zuri could hardly blame her. He was good at moving silently. It was one of the few things he was arrogant about.

"You can call me Zuri," he told her softly, and inhaled a sharp breath of air. His chest puffed up as he did so. "It smells like rain."

"Its the ocean," Zuri almost smiled at her, but still wasn't very sure what to do with himself. The formalities and subtleties of meeting strangers made him awkward and uncomfortable and, while he wasn't sure that he wanted to leave, Zuri didn't know if he wanted to stay either.

"The water is the ocean," he stepped away from the trees finally and, moving slowly and gently so as not to startle her, took a few steps closer to the beach. The sand felt familiar under his paws. "The smell is the ocean. The water isn't good to drink."

"It is beautiful, though, isn't it?" Look at him, continuing conversation without provocation! His brothers and sisters would have been proud. Even with the dark thunder clouds that rolled in the distance, there was a certain type of wonder and awe that the lands of the gypsies and the pirates inspired.

His guard was down. The young hunter was certain that Jatukaa was no threat to him or to his people, and he was ready to accept her as one of the pride. This was how it worked with them. He had heard tales about prides who required lions to demonstrate their worth in a pride before they were welcomed as full-fledged members and, while a part of Zuri was intrigued by the idea of battle, he preferred the peaceful customs of his home lands.

It was what he knew.

Her next question made him turn white. Arranging a place for her to sleep was not something that he had expected from this little escapade into the unknown. He appreciated her consideration for the places that might already be occupied, but he was at a loss as to what to do.

There was silence for a heartbeat. Then he turned to her.

"You are allowed to sleep wherever you want," he informed her as casually as possible, "the pride is safe. You do not have to worry about anything."

Still, he could not shake the knowledge that she was a strange lady in unfamiliar territory. Zuri suspected she might feel more comfortable if she didn't have to figure out everything on her own. He did not feel like babysitting, however, and almost regretted introducing himself. Almost.

He sighed, glanced sideways at the storm, and then mumbled; "When storms come in, the pride moves into those caves." He pointed at the cliffs in the distance with his chin, "and we wait there for the tide to go down. You can stay with me tonight, if you wish, and be safe."

But it was just for tonight.

Oh, god. She actually wanted to stay with him. Zuri felt like he'd had the wind knocked out of him. It was not that he didn't like Jatukaa. With the exception of her originally defensive response to his approach, she seemed quite nice. It was simply that Zuri was used to being alone.

He had a blue-eyed twin and, while the other male was very dear to his heart, Zuri and the Fortune Teller were not on the most familiar of terms these days. Zuri didn't share enough of himself to be on familiar terms with anyone.

He may have asked her, but Jatukaa's ready acceptance of his invitation didn't fail to surprise him. His cave was perfectly roomy. There was more than enough space for both of them, but the point was that it belonged to only him. The thought of being in there, with this lady, who was a perfectly pretty stranger, alarmed him more than he would have liked to admit.

"Right," he had to clear his throat, and did his best to appear at ease as he started forward, "Follow me, then."

His personal space bubble, which had wrapped itself securely around his massive and furry frame at the original prospect of sharing his cave with this pretty stranger, stretched in relief when she spoke up. Zuri was grateful to her for being so perceptively honest, and it took a weight off his conscience to have her suggest it.

He wouldn't have felt very gentlemanly declaring that she find some way to survive on her own. It was good that she didn't mind being alone. He could admire that in a lady.

"We can probably find you someplace of your own pretty easily," this time, when Zuri smiled the corners of his eyes crinkled upwards in genuine appreciation. Privately, he made a mental note to show her a cave close to his own.

A part of Zuri was very much looking forward to seeing Kaa again. He hoped that it wouldn't be too long into the future.