[FIN] What's that Smell? (Mitternacht & Diffudi)

[mouselet]

It was dawn, or thereabouts. The sun was hidden behind thick clouds and the only hint of the starting day was the fact that things were grey, instead of black.

The lithe shape in the darkness preferred black, but even she had to admit that being able to see the terrain around herself was a good thing. Already this morning she'd nearly put a paw into a rodent's hole. She'd noticed in time, but that didn't mean it hadn't been a near thing. Seeing where one was stepping was always a good thing.

As the world around her grew lighter and misty colors began to appear, the leotah sat back on her haunches to take several deep breaths, to see what would come today. She wasn't a Seer, to see things beyond the ordinary, but the first few sniffs of true daylight generally held some hint for her - whether of weather or something else.

Today there was a strange smell in the air. Diffudi frowned and breathed more deeply, trying to identify it.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Dawn was good. It was quiet and he didn't have to deal with idiots and small children. He wasn't one for cubs. He really didn't know how his mother handled it but honestly? They were gross and really loud and way too chatty for the black and white lion to handle. Nacht stretched himself out, front legs first, toes and claws digging into the earth before his back legs one at a time. With a great huff, the lion moved out of the den and just looked around his pride.

The day was about to begin.

The smell of illness, medication, death.. all of that surrounded his pride for a reason and you got used to it when you were born in the pride or stayed here for a long time. With a shake of his great mane, Mitternacht padded towards the outer parts of his pride, seeing just what was waiting for him there.

Maybe a good fight. He was itching for one of those.  

[mouselet]

Whatever the scent was, it faded quickly. Either that, or she got used to it, Diffudi wasn't quite sure which. It was something strange and bizarre...and perhaps a bit sinister, though that might be her perception of it, as it was something completely unknown to her.

As nothing more could be gotten from smell, the hybrid took a look around in the growing light. At first, she thought she was seeing a low-lying fog. But soon her sight resolved itself into something more solid - a black and white lion.

He was bigger than she was, but no surprise there. She wondered if he'd seen her.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Indeed he had seen her. Her blue stood out.

His mismatched eyes locked onto her frame and he approached with caution. Visitors happened, and he couldn't go attacking everyone that wandered into the pride. Sometimes mistakes happened. They needed to learn to spot pride markers, but some were just too stupid, distracted, or maybe it was an adolescent finding her way home.

...But as he grew nearer, he was more than aware she wasn't part of this pride He didn't recognize her markings or colors. That made him tense a tiny bit.

"State your business."  

[mouselet]

Gruff, almost to the point of rudeness. Diffudi let out a purely mental sigh. Some people just had to puff themselves up as the biggest and strongest and bully everyone else. Honestly, did she look like she was trying to make trouble?

...not that the leotah had anyhting against a bit of trouble. But really, she was just sitting here, not doing anything threatening. Grumble. Lions.

"Sitting," the female answered coolly. "And I'd guess that your business is being an a*****e."

Really, he made it too easy.  

[Bronze Coffee]

a*****e? Feisty. He let out a warning growl at her tone and just settled back a little bit. "....Do you know where you are?" Mitternacht's ears perked forward, watching her. She was a little hybrid. she could be useful here. Fertile or not she could boost numbers, become an apothecary. Those are things he had to realize, and the only things that are making him not lash out.

"You're in the Kitwana'antara lands. ...Do you have business here?"

Okay now he was trying to be sociable.  

[mouselet]

Diffudi raised an eyebrow at the black and white lion. He seemed determined to make this difficult. But really, why would you ask a question and then answer it? She never understood why people would structure their speech that way. It just made no sense. You asked questions to gain information, so of course you weren't supposed to know the answer.

"Well, now I know where I am," she replied with a bored sigh. "Obviously, my business is sitting here, listening to an a*****e ask questions and then answering them before I have a chance to speak."

Really dumb of him.  

[Bronze Coffee]

......There it was again. That word. The insult slung so easily from her lips like she said it all the time.

She was crude. His fur bristled as he tried to not sink claws into her face for that insult. "Right." He just watched her now, getting up to slowly start circling her. He was not familiar with hybrids, but she appeared to be.... nothing like a lion. So she would be immune if she joined. They needed more immune.

So, he was going to keep quiet for now and just see what she did. Slowly he started walking away from her. He couldn't leave her alone, oh no, but Mitternacht wasn't going to stay too near her. He had duties to do. Instead of going too far, he climbed upon a fallen tree and settled there, legs tucked under himself, claws digging into the bark.  

[mouselet]

Ah, at last, the lion had finally realized that the only way for him to say something intelligent was to use simple, one word answers or not say anything at all. Most excellent. Diffudi also got to her feet. She'd seen the direction the lion came from, and guessed he was guarding whatever place it was.

She clearly had no need of whatever it was, so there really was no conflict of interest. Oh sure, she'd love to know what the strange smell was, but she knew when she wasn't wanted.

Besides, the scents had promised adventure today, and she wasn't going to get any standing here arguing with an idiot.

"Good," she agreed, heading away from him. The a*****e could talk to her buttmark in the grass for all she cared - it might be on his level of intelligence.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Arching a brow when she left, he waved at her and knew it would be unseen. It was tempting to end his parting with b***h, but he was definitely not going to do that. That would be rude. "....You're welcome here any time. There're others like you!" At least he sounded honest if not gruff. He laughed at his own words and just climbed off that tree and moved to follow her.

He was going to see her out of the pride if she chose to leave.