At daybreak, Sabine was on the move. The soft glow of the new day's sun illuminated behind the trees of the dense forest she had just traversed, sending finger-like shadows stretching across the sea of grass before her. She had never been here before, but a break from the thick of looming trees was a welcomed change. The tall brush swayed in the morning air, like calm waves. If she squinted her eyes and pretended, she could somewhat feel at home.

With quiet paws, the lynx-like woman glided elegantly across the terrain. She was feeling more like herself after some help from strangers... or maybe they weren't really strangers anymore. Sabine didn't really know where she stood with the lions she had met so far. All but one that is. In truth, she still felt very alone. It was a loneliness she had never imagined was possible. Without her family or even the clan that kidnapped her, she really did have no one and that thought was just hard for her to wrap her head around fully.

The last remnants of the previous night were still fading out within the golden hour. A few crickets still chirped and Sabine watched the flashes of distant fireflies as they disappeared within the sea of deep greens of swaying grass. Sabine's nostrils flared as she scented at the gentle breeze. It blew through her thick fur and she closed her eyes, at peace for the first time since being in this strange land.

@Gwyn

Dear fellow traveler under the moon

I know you're out there in the shadows

code by corvus

Should I be replying? Nope. Am I replying instead of sleeping. Yep lol.
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He does not think of the world in such poetic ways. No, he simply moves through life, nay, strides through it with a purpose. Stopping to wax poetic about the sea of grass or the morning light is beneath him. Gwyn is the important one here, and the rest of the world ought to bow to him. If that happened well, he would already have a crown waiting for him. Would already be healed and well and never have been locked in that tense fight which had been way too close for comfort. However, he had learned the hard way that what should happen never does. Mother nature or Murphy or whatever liked to kick him whenever he was down. Because now not only had he gotten a close call of a maim match his friend had lost his pride. Which meant he really didn't have a home because he did not know or respect the new girl. She had not earned it and had thrown a wrench into the best laid plans. He wasn't inclined to give her a chance.

While he is injured he isn't invalid as he had been over a year ago now and he knows it's better to move while he could. To work the muscles and the healing skin and wounds to prevent scars and atrophy. Not too hard, but enough that he could feel the barest pull. He also was fairly sure he had been healed enough times that he could correctly identify some of the plants used. Wouldn't Kalahari be proud of him if he helped resupply her dwindling stock? He'd like to think so.

No, he knew she would. He just had to identify things correctly and surely he could do that. As such he slowly made his way over the land to a meadow he remembered. One such place where plants would grow right? In theory yes, in practice well he found something different.

A woman stood in the fields, petite in size with eyes closed, breathing. Gwyn stopped his search for the herbs(not that he was truly interested in it anyway) and instead studied her. Her markings were striking and her form pleasing. He doesn't say anything but simply watches, waiting for her to notice him. @Sabine you have a not so secret admirer. One who was a bit battered and bruised but still handsome in a rugged, slightly dangerous way.

Image by Rabbit, code by saph

After her tranquil moment, Sabine opened her gaze, turning to scan across the grasses in hopes to determine her new destination. She was just aimlessly wandering after all. The stranger wasn’t hard to spot. No, he was like a blaze amongst the cool tones and glowing within the golden light of the rising sun. He was not trying to hide, clearly. His fiery pelt did not hide the fact he was injured though. It seems like he had been having a rough time too, just like her.

She was more wary of lone males than she was anything else, likely just due to their size verses hers. Sabine was fragile in comparison. In moments like these though, she tried to be smart. She was quick, yes, but she also didn’t have a clue where she was and this strange man might, so if she ran, she could easily run straight into a dead end; however, if she appeared friendly and pleasant, well maybe she could have a peaceful conversation and then be on her way.

Sabine made it clear that she saw him, nodding her head as a gentle greeting. “Hello over there,” she said to him, her ears titled forward and expression calm.

@Gwyn

Dear fellow traveler under the moon

I know you're out there in the shadows

code by corvus

While the beast of blood and bone was lit alight, his battle wounds in stark relief, there was no danger to her. At least as long as she respected him(ignoring him was dangerous). Scary as he might appear he was not into injuring random strangers for his amusement. Particularly pretty, albeit small, ones. Basically she was completely safe even though he had the status of lone big male who, if he wished, could really ruin her day.

The silence and studying won him a greeting and he strode a touch closer. He had stopped at a slightly greater range than he usually would; he was trying to be at least semi smart. Now, while he was pretty sure he could react in time to defend his injuries on his shoulders, his face, he was also pretty sure he could reach her first if he had to attack. Gwyn could move if it suited him. However he didn't really think that would be much of a problem. There is a beat between where he moves and where he responds to her. "Hello, beautiful" he rumbles, deciding then and there where he wanted things to go. While he often didn't bother with more traditional flirting he could manage it... when it suited him. He had decided it suited him and @Sabine today.

Image by Rabbit, code by saph

Beautiful. Beautiful, he called her. Sabine wasn’t oblivious to her physical features. It wasn’t something she particularly cared about, but she was aware that, more often than not, she was found attractive by those that were into females and even by some that were not. For Sabine, she hasn’t ever really found true romantic love so far in her life. She’d only had a small fling back in her pride, but the most attention she got was with the Blackwater Clan. It was attention she didn’t appreciate, nor want again.

Sabine sank gracefully into a sit, offering him a welcoming smile. “Good morning,” she greeted him again, “And who might you be?” Beautiful is what they often called her, not that she assumed this man was the same as them, but it was more that she was fully aware such a compliment didn’t always lead to a good interaction. Still working on learning about her new home and finding a place she could call her own, Sabine wasn’t looking for anything serious, not even really a fling either, but at the same time, part of her did enjoy the attention. Even when it was negative. Likely, that wasn’t a great sign for her mental health.

@Gwyn

Dear fellow traveler under the moon

I know you're out there in the shadows

code by corvus

He found it curious that she didn't preen at the compliment, didn't swoon. To him that did mean that she had been either told too much, or told by someone who had used her. He wasn't sure which but either way.. he had meant it. He found her attractive and was not afraid of saying it. More often than not it lead to things of a physical nature he thoroughly enjoyed so, why the hell not? Perhaps when he was younger he might have worried about giving away such things, but as he aged he found he really didn't give a flying fuck. He would do and say as he wished, and opening up like that, at least in private, had won him more boons than detriments.

The woman was a bit standoffish for all the niceties and welcoming words she spoke. She did sit though, which was a promising sign and he deigned to do so himself. Waiting to perch was a delicate balance of practicality and ego. His injuries meant he wasn't quite as mobile as usual so sitting was dangerous. Meanwhile, his ego did not allow himself to lower himself until the other did. It had reached critical mass and thus he had sat.

Anyway, he inclines his head in a gesture, that seemed to return the words. "Gwyn Casimir" the beast rumbles, brows rising on his mask. And you are? queries the gesture. Carefully, oh so carefully he weaves his web. It would be curious to see if she took the bait, or if his spider to her fly was a touch too slow to ensnare her. @Sabine

Image by Rabbit, code by saph

This was already the longest conversation she had held with a male in.. Well, a few weeks at least, since she had run into an unknown man when she first stumbled into the desert, but really it hadn’t been since before her fall, since even before the Blackwater Clan. She didn’t really see her year with those beasts as “conversation,” not when it was forced and threatened by death.

“You can call me Sabine,” she introduced herself, her multicolored gaze looking him up and down. He was quite attractive himself and this was the first time Sabine was feeling good enough to really notice another’s appearance at all. “It’s nice to meet you, @Gwyn,” Sabine added quickly after, shifting her weight to one side slightly. She wanted to make it obvious she was comfortable, even when she wasn’t. She’s always been a rather good actress.

She remained silent after that, enjoying the view as the light of the day cast across the landscape. The world only grew brighter as the moments passed, giving her more and more to see. Sabine was content in this hush and if he wanted to talk, well, then he needed to talk. She wasn’t going to try and coax him into a conversation. He was the one watching her after all.

Dear fellow traveler under the moon

I know you're out there in the shadows

code by corvus

This seems like such titillating conversation, introductions and compliments but he isn't one to talk too much. He is enjoying the way the light plays off her pelt after all, and that's more than entertaining enough for him. She had little to fear when it came to threats or forcing speech. He was much the opposite of those she had endured.

Granted he was curious enough to initiate something. He wanted to pry, to figure out what made her tick. All the better to get into your pants with my dear.

@Sabine. A pretty name, for all that it reminded him vaguely of names from the French speaking Dieudonne. Not her fault he had negative associations with such things. Now she looked him up and down. Gwyn was unable to resist puffing up a bit and preen(or at least give off the vibes of such things) beneath her gaze. He was an irreprehensible cocky son of a bitch. He inclines his head at her pleasure at meeting him, it always was, but somehow managed to indicate his own contentment of encountering her with the gesture. Silence stretched as she watched the world and he here before he rumbled a simple question."New here?" asked the beast. Wanting to know if she had any attachments before he attempted pursuing her. Because by this point he had decided he wanted at least to sleep with her, if not make her his. He didn't reveal this though; oh no, he would play the game as long as it took.

However it was rare for him not to get what he wanted. His mask was firmly in place though, only the quiet expectance of having a reasonable question answered present. There was no sign of the demon weaving in little strands of corruption to draw her into his pit. A subtle touch was needed.

image by moogle/code by saph

Oh boy, he wasn't much of a talker, was he? Sabine's attention shifting back to @Gwyn; though, she could feel her expression becoming less and less friendly. The mask she wore began to slowly fade away, revealing a more irritated, bored frown and slightly colder features. "Yep," she answered simply with a sigh. Was this conversation even going anywhere? It's not that Sabine had places to be, but she was enjoying her alone time before he showed up. What did he even want with her?

"You?" Sabine asked as a follow up. She actually hadn't met too many lions who had been in this land for an extended period of time. Whether it be the dark sea witch she kept running in to or even someone like Enid, who might not be brand new, but also hadn't been born here and didn't have a pride or a family that Sabine knew of. It seemed interesting that she hadn't run into anyone recruiting for some sort of group or even more than one lion at a time.

Whatever the case, it appeared she attracted lone, broken lions and from his wounds, perhaps he was the same. Her own damage had finally healed, even her fur mostly having grown back. Sabine assumed it was thanks to Enid's herbs. It seemed that she healed faster than normal. It could also be though that she was finally fed and had been able to find a constant supply of fresh water too. Either way, Sabine was grateful.

Amusement flickered in his eyes as her polite mask faded, becoming irritated. Ah there was the real creature beneath, not some mask to put on for polite company. Now it was time to get to the meat of things was it not? At least he hoped. While he is not good with conversation, he is even less interested in wasting time. Less interested in dealing with manners and pomp when it wasn't his own. Now his interest sparked, his blank shield overlaid with a sharpness of curiosity. What made her tick indeed?

"Not as much, I only just returned." he rumbles, using more words than he usually did. Inviting her to perhaps offer more as he did. He ponders her small frame, the slight echoes of recent troubles clinging to her though, they are subtle. Far more so than anyone would normally notice. However Gwyn is not someone to miss detail when he did not wish to. No, he had already picked up on the vibe of a less than ideal past, and now, he perhaps spied the lingering physical scars. He could be reading too much into it.

However he wasn't often wrong. He was almost always right. On that note, he continues his line of questioning, connecting ideas behind neutral eyes. "Do you have any plans? Aiming to join one of the prides?" he queries. Slowly chipping away at the marble whether she liked it or not. @Sabine

image by moogle/code by saph