Air. He needed air and even though there was plenty of air in the Jungle, the albino prince felt like he was suffocating beneath the branches of Firnen. The trees like they had been falling in on him wanting to grab him and snatch him from the ground. He needed to get out and that was what he planned to do as he walked past the borders of Firnen and straight out into the open air of Celosia fields and stopped dead center, breathing in deeply as he felt the fresh night air go into his lungs and come out. The moon was high above his head as he enjoyed the time.

@Leila

_{art by yumpy}

The evening was still and clear. Leila had spent the day dozing in the shade of the bluffs, the heat too much for even her small form to bear. Summer was truly here, roaring over the plains and leaving the days long and sluggish. It was only as dusk fell and the moon rose bright over the plains did she descend to seek opportunity amongst it's yellowed grasses.

The tigress moved quietly through tall stalks, listening to the crickets and the fluttering insects that brought the night alive with their sounds. It wasn't until she passed the gardens did she pick up a scent. It was lion - from an unfamiliar pride. Then she saw a flash of pale fur through the grass and for a moment thinks it a certain piebald beast-

But as Leila stuck her head between the grass to properly investigate, she finds the figure not a Savante, but an albino yearling, uniquely scarred. "Oh!" she said, collecting herself "Hello. Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you."

@Jai

art © rabbit

With his eyes closed, Jai hadn't taken notice that someone else had entered Celosia Fields shortly after he did. So, when her voice hit his ear drums Jai nearly jumped out of his skin; literally. Blinking open his pastel jewels, Jai would turn to face his companion and see that she was a tiger. Jai a never seen a tiger before so this was different however it was her apology that had really caught his attention. Oh um, it's okay I was just enjoying the fresh air.

@Leila

_{art by yumpy}

Leila is too soft of paw for her own good. She shied back as the pale youth spooked at her voice. She retreated two steps into the flowers and grasses, whiskers splayed anxiously. The distance was afforded - lions had a habit of being unpredictable and she didn't want to be swatted.

When no such throw of a pale paw comes, Leila drew her head forward again, eyeing the boy with a creased brow. "Oh," she said as he spoke, "Night owl, or can't sleep?" Leila was a bit of both lately. A lot had been happening, and it made dreaming a little harder than usual.

@Jai

art © rabbit

Her movement didn't go unnoticed and Jai wondered if perhaps her head scared her which only caused his own features to furrow in worry. Though most lioness did have that specific instinct to swipe at whatever had scared them, he did not. So she was in luck on that part it would seem. Pastel jewels would look over at her when she popped her head back up from the grass and all a question which caused the albino boy to shrug his shoulders. Both really. What about you? It was rare to see him out during the day, knowing that the sun bothered his pink - fragile - skin much more than it would for others and his eyesight was rather sensitive to the sunlight.

@Leila

_{art by yumpy}

Both, he confirmed and returns the question. Leila hadn't been expecting it, but considered it only fair... as much as she was careful to give up information about herself. "Um. Both too, I think." she admitted. "It's too hot to hunt in the day at the moment." Eyeing his pale pelt and soft, pink features she suspected he might feel the same even when it wasn't summer. The other part was of course, the troubling dreams that had been plaguing her of late. It was overall just easier to avoid sleeping until the point of exhaustion. Then she didn't have to spend idle hours staring at the rocks of the bluffs wishing to drift away.

She leant a litter further from the shield of the flower stalks, curious eyes tracing the scars upon his form. "What's that on your face?" she asked bluntly. If it was a rude question, Leila neither recognised or cared.

@Jai

art © rabbit

She claimed both too and Jai believed her. Especially when she spoke hunting during the day. He knew that was true. When he lounged about during the day in the shade or near a water source, he still felt the heat coming off of the areas around him. It irritated him even them to. So, the albino would nod his head towards the tigress before her sudden question slapped him square in the face.

Blinking away the sudden shock he would find himself flattened his ears. He grew uncomfortable even when he would finally answer her. Scars.. Surely one could tell that they were as such but Jai knew others would still ask him, why.

_{art by yumpy}

Leila was clued in to @Jai's discomfort only when he physically reacted, his face scrunching and ears twisting back. She squinted at him still, lips parting as she debated pushing further. A sore spot, maybe? But she was so curious...

"Right... but... why?" Leila met those expectations. These were no battle scars, as far as she could tell. Each seemed purposeful and surely by design. "Why do they look like that?" Where had ge gotten them from? Had he done them himself, or had someone else? She studied his face, shuffling a further soft step from the dense grass to review his pale fur.

art © rabbit

If Jai said he was hoping she wouldn't ask, it's be the truth. But sadly she did ask and Jai was left with being uncomfortable again. He glanced away from her, shuffling his paws in the grass beneath his feet. Jai really didn't want to answer it but something told him it wouldn't matter shed ask again. A sigh formed on his pale lips as he glanced to the ground before speaking. They were given to me when I was a cub. His ears stayed down as he silently prayed for her to not ask another question that he knew was surely coming regardless of his feelings. Something told him to not venture out but he needed a breathe of fresh air.

@Leila

_{art by yumpy}

The pale yearling was only growing more unsettled with this line of questioning, and Leila began to hesitate, despite her interest in the why. She frowned and nodded as he finally relented and gave her an answer… which unfortunately for him, only sparked multitudes of more questions in the tiger. But she held her tongue, scanning his scarred face and lowered gaze. Her fascination was hardly satisfied, but she was not hoping to provoke him.

“Ok.” Leila concluded, extending her neck slightly to take in his unfamiliar scent. Forest, leaf litter and earth. Vaguely familiar, she'd smelt it on other lions before, she thought. “Are you a pride lion?” She’d change the topic. It seemed like it might make him a little more at-ease. At least she could hope.

@Jai

art © rabbit