Into the depths of self-discovery

Carelessness, foolish nature, rolling among the flora in the bright sun. Rarely did he have time for such things, far too concerned and consumed with his tasks to take any downtime, outside of instances in his own cavern within the Bluffs. Those many outlets to please his lord he worked on tirelessly, driving him with such a force, aside from his own personal thirst for knowledge.

He'd been here often in the past few days, this field was littered with flowers... Beautiful little things, in all their colors and attractive splendor. He lay right within the bed of bumbling honeybees, working tirelessly around him. His mind was floating along with them, above him and sauntering among the flowers. He knew someone that would love it here, and if he were frank? He wished she were here among them as well. To fill the wind with her song... To share his prayers with her, even to speak more of her strange religion...

And with that string of thought, his mind was officially up in the air and away. He might as well have been a space cadet. Walthari was lucky his master had been too busy to follow him today, or he may have been chided for being so separated from himself in such an open area... But though his thoughts were wide and splayed across the field, his ears were perked and ever alert. Ready for those thoughts to snap back like a rubber band should a noise disturb the peace.

@Willoughby

Willoughby ,

it was a lovely day.

the sun was shining and the subtle warmth flickered across the land easily enough. the morning dew had left little hints on the petals of these flowers. Willoughby nosed at one with her snout, watching the droplet fall to the earth. she would wonder if Erevu knew of this location. surely he did, for it was a prime place to find plants. still, if she met with him again... she'd be sure to mention it.

ahead of her, there was another. Willoughby just noticed them among the field. raising her eyes to stare, she was met with a rather unique coat pattern blessing her eyes. he was a darling young thing. she bet all the women (and men - she didn't judge) would be after him when he was older. feeling it was quite rude to ignore him, she walks toward the yearling. her voice gently reaches him, a soft chuff to announce her presence. she does not directly speak.

just in case he tells her to go away.

she speaks

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@Walthari

Into the depths of self-discovery

The boy heard the soft approach, ears rotated toward them a few moments before the little chuff reached them. After which, his head rolled over his shoulder to see just who had walked up on him, cocked at a bit of a silly angle. Standing none too far from him was a woman, peachy in color. Even from a moments glance he could tell she was warm... Sweet-looking... A similar aura to Poppy, upon first glance. At least, that would be his assumption. And looks could be deceiving.

But there wasn't any reason to think otherwise unless given a reason. So he smiled at her politely.

"Hello Sister." Came his voice, mild and demure as it usually was. Something that may seem odd coming from a steadily growing male. "Is there something I can help you with?" She had called out to him, after all. Not that a reason was needed, but he'd like to know up front if there was a different motive for her approach than simple friendliness.

@Willoughby

Willoughby ,

the maiden smiles kindly at him, shaking her head at his question. a fleeting giggle escapes her lips. "not particularly, no - but thank you" her silver gaze focuses on him again. he's a nice one, she could tell. his manners were a refreshing change of pace - not that she had anything to complain about in Amaryllis so far. everyone had been kind enough to her. "we seem to be in the same vicinity; calling out a greeting is just polite, no?"

but she tilts her head to the side. "I must confess, I have not seen a lion with your unique markings before" Willoughby had nothing to hide, and she was not trying to flirt. he was much younger than her anyway. she liked men - older or the same age. this was a statement, a subtle compliment to brighten his day perhaps? "it is a wonder of nature."

she pauses before adding warmly; "oh! my name is Willoughby Lovelace. who might you be?"

she speaks

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@Walthari

Into the depths of self-discovery

An innocent giggle escaped her lips, and his grin widened at it's innocent sound. "O-of course! I always like to ask." He explained, rising into a sit from his prior lazing position, and coming to face her more properly.

As for the compliment, he wasn't quite sure how to take it. Perhaps it was meant to fill him with pride, or something of the sort. But he... Was not keen on himself. He was not a being to be admired and he knew that. It wasn't a sad fact, it simply was. So it's impact was little for him, but he still did appreciate her kindness in turn and of course he'd return it.

"That is a lovely name, Miss Lovelace. It sounds proper on the tongue."

@Willoughby Lovelace. It had a loftiness feel to it, like a name from a story, perhaps. A girlish protagonist of some sort, caught in some sort of silly love triangle with two sweet men. Something frivolous like that...

"My name is Walthari... Ah... Just Walthari." He said with a nervous laugh, no wonderous last names tied to him. No titles nor family to speak of. A simple name, for a simple boy.

Willoughby ,

her smile does not falter even if he does not acknowledge her compliment. she does not think he is vain, else he would make much fuss about it. Willoughby is grateful for it; egotism is not an attractive trait to have. pride and confidence is something else entirely. "you may call me Bee, Walthari" she tells the yearling, dipping her head to him. a name reserved for friends and allies, but she did not mind acquaintances. "it's such a mouthful at times, I confess" she grins widely, enjoying her own joke. actually, his coat reminds her of a buzzing little honeybee... perhaps that's why she was drawn to it?

she loved them a lot. always nice to see them pollinating flowers and bringing about a bounty of honey. they didn't sting either. "hehe, a surname from me doesn't do much here" she waves his nervousness off with another soft giggle "I've just met a lot of lions with them, y'know? are they important to Amaryllis? Family names?" she furrows her brow, trying to recall all the information she had been given about the land so far.

she speaks

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@Walthari

Into the depths of self-discovery

"Hehe. Bee!" He repeated pleasantly. It was tempting to allow her a nickname as well, though he figured it was much nicer to be given one than requesting. Poppy calling him Hari had been a pleasant surprise to him. One he definitely didn't mind at all, in fact he found it... Affectionate. Charming.

Nonetheless, Bee she was. The boy nodded in agreement as she began talking about surnames. He hadn't really noticed that others were so concerned with them, it was something he really hadn't thought of. "They matter little to me personally. Names themselves are just that... Names. Actions speak much louder than simple words."

In fact, his own name... He used to use it so little he'd nearly forgotten it. His childhood was mostly spent being called "Child" and "Boy" rather than Walthari. Only after he was taken in by Faust did his name seem to carry more behind it.

"Do you live around here, Miss Bee?"

@Willoughby

Willoughby ,

"I couldn't agree more" Willoughby replies, smiling. many placed stock in names she had never even heard of. the Lovelaces were a small, peaceful family that had before now never settled anywhere. they were nomads, picking up and leaving when things got too violent for them. she never did consider her family to be a prideful one. they made no splashes anywhere. she was the first one to her knowledge to go out and explore outside on her own. "it really does not matter; if I should marry, my surname will be my partner's. Names are so easily forgotten about in the grand scheme of things."

Walthari would ask if she lived around here though. her smile did not falter. it was an innocent question from the yearling, not a cruel one. no prideful male lion looking to claim her for themselves. "I don't consider myself to live anywhere right now" she tells him truthfully "I just came to Amaryllis" Caladan Cove aside, it would take a longer period of time before she felt 'at home' anywhere "even if I was to join a pride, it'd be an adjustment. A home is a house until it is a home."

She leans slightly in, eyes full of wonder. "but if I'm not wrong, you live somewhere, right? Can you tell me about your own home?" her own innocent little question. curious about the prides here, she was.

she speaks

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@Walthari

Into the depths of self-discovery

She liked to speak, to fill the silence with her words. He actually preferred that, honestly. It saved him from having to carry the weight of a dull conversation on his shoulders. He was exactly the best at leading one himself.

"Indeed." He replied simply with a grin. Names mattered little in the eyes of divine judgement anyway, their souls and actions held much more weight than a word. A word that is merely a gift given by parents, sometimes others, but holds no binds to the person. Take it, leave it, it matters little.

Aside from that, he learned that she too was a harbinger. A comer from distant lands, much like he was. Or... Had been. Excited ears perks up as she asked him about his own home. Of course he'd love the opportunity to pitch The Bluffs to another, something he thought Faust would approve of as well. Although he notably had less tact than his dear Archangel about just who he offered it to.

"I reside in Wolfbron Bluffs, a sanctuary governed by The Archangel, Faust. I am one of his acolytes. It lies west of here, past the expanse of forest and up into the treacherous mounts. We are known for... Taking in wayward souls. I too was one, not so long ago..."

@Willoughby

Willoughby ,

he was pleased, even excited, to tell her about the Bluffs. she patiently waits for him to begin, knowing he is a good one with perhaps cautious or shy words. the way he spoke of the pride leader taking in wayward souls... it was a honorable thing, she thought. "I would love to visit one time" she says honestly, smiling at Walthari "to see you again, of course but also to learn more about the communities here."

"my friend Erevu invited me to the Cove" she goes on* with a nod "but he is not of a rank to claim - I don't think he ever would claim a lion against their will" she speaks fondly of her medic friend, a silly little grin on her features "if the Bluffs and Cove are friendly, and I am accepted into the pride, you could come visit? if you wanted, that is!"

it was clear Willoughby already thought the yearling was a friend of hers. whether he returned such a gesture was unknown. he had been nothing but kind and listened to her words, opinions... that is what friends did, right?

she speaks

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@Walthari
* timelines are crap as I wait for an official answer SOOO i'm being cautious