(set in that weird sort of area on the coast between CC and SL)

A bit outside of the borders wouldn't hurt right? Pyrrha was certainly not known for disobeying and sneaking off. But in truth it was an accident. By time she was at the border, walking across it, she just kept going. She was already this far right? What was a bit further? To see the stretched of the ocean to the south of her home? Every step where nothing happened emboldened her. And Pyrrha told herself she'd be back home before anyone could worry. The guilt of someone finding her missing and becoming worried did sit funny in her stomach. It mixed with the excitement of seeing something new, and the adrenaline of being a bit naughty.

She did eventually find a point where she stopped her walking and sat down upon a large piece of driftwood to gaze out over the rolling waves- a calm, clear day meant pristine waves. Birds circled over head, others ran along the shore, all in search of lunch. Somewhere beyond the breakline a fish broke the surface and made a small splash. Pyrrha gasped and her eyes went wider cool.

@Rohan

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ROHAN

rohan, on the other hand, was constantly escaping the pridelands. sure his mother usually made sure he had an escort, but he had managed to give them the slip a couple of times at least. or, so he believed. truthfully they were probably just being a little sneakier, it's not like he was really looking.

today was no different than any of the others, with the rambunctious starke child looking for something more exciting. spotting a stranger on the not-so-far horizon he bumbled that way, focusing on making his stride much more grown up than his usual cub-ish toddle. he might have been kinda nice if she hadn't gasped like that just as he approached. rohan glanced out at the ocean, seeing nothing overly exciting, and chalking up her awe to the small splash he had heard. putting the pieces together he introduced himself with an oh-so-charming "haven't you ever seen a fish before?"

@Pyrrha ♔

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She glanced away from the view for a second to see someone has joined her. A bit smaller than she was, another healthy looking cub not that far off from her age. Pyrrha smiled, wondering if this might be a good friend for her to make...

She opened her mouth to begin to answer him. "Yeah-" But... why did she all of a sudden feel bad for thinking seeing the fish jump was cool? She'd seen plenty of fish both off the shores of Caladan and as meals for the lions of the Cove. Her face looked a little saddened and she abruptly looked away from the ocean entirely, focusing over Rohan's shoulder just past his head so she didn't have to make eye contact. "Nevermind, it's stupid."

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ROHAN

he almost felt bad. almost. "probably," he agreed instead, because he was nothing if not an arrogant jerk of a prince, "but you should tell me anyway." it was his best attempt at being nice that he had, and it was a piss poor one. still there was a hint of interest in his eyes as he plopped down beside her, looking out at the sea half-hoping he'd see another fish jump.

"i'm rohan," he introduced a second later, not really leaving a whole lot of time for her to tell him anything, "prince of the lagoon." just oozing with all kinds of self importance. not really the friend she was looking for.

@Pyrrha ♔

code by flea, art by irish

She sighs. I've seen fish before. But I like when they jump. The sun catches their scales and the water and makes the air sparkle. She lifts a paw and twiddles her pink toes in the air, simulating the motion of water droplets dancing down to the earth. Like little treasures falling from the air. Do you only like looking at things you haven't seen before?

If she thought something was worth looking at, it didn't matter if it was new or not. Pyrrha, Princess of the Cove. She introduces when he's finished introducing himself. It's a bit like the conversations she's seen her mother or Kvare have before. Name, rank. She does not think poorly of Rohan for his initiative here. She is too sweet and gentle to realize the vainglory of Rohan and she smiles his way. Friends?

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ROHAN

One day he would learn some manners. One day he would listens to her explanation and feign interest, even if he still thought it was dumb. Now, as a cub? He crinkles his nose, making it quite clear he found the whole thing pretty stupid. "They sparkle when'n you catch 'em too," he says, with that same sense of self-importance as before. Alaric had taught him how to fish when he was barely walking, the shallow waters of the lagoon and the mire making for prime fishing grounds.

"I like lookin' at cool things. Like those big bones that elephants leave behind!" now THOSE were interesting. "or once i found a snake that was all dried up. still had it's teeth," he flashed his own in demonstration.

"@Pyrrha ♔ huh," he repeats her name, knowing little of politics -- "what's yer last name princess?" and hopefully she was too sweet and naive to pick up on the mocking in his voice when he repeats her title.

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Big bones? "Never seen nothing like that." Pyrrha had barely seen an elephant let along what was inside of one. "Did you keep any of it?" She asks curiously, and seemingly unphased by the flashing of his baby teeth.

"Pyrrha Tollaire, my momma is Sunder." The steady constant in her short life. Pyrrha identified more strongly as "Sunder's daughter" than any relation to family name or even any other lion. "Who is your family?" She was most certainly too sweet to pick up on @Rohan's mocking but the young rosey child pushes back again with the same question of him. The expectation of a conversation dicated such a back and forth... at least from what she'd seen of adults having talks.

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ROHAN

He nodded, quickly, with more enthusiasm than before. Because he was a boy and a prince and he rather liked talking about himself. "'Course I did! I kept all of it! 'long with an elephant bone. I gots all kinds of cool things like that in my den." He puffed out his chest as if it was some grand achievement collecting trinkets. Or maybe he just wanted it to sound interesting enough that she asked to see -- then he could REALLY show off.

And if there was something Rohan liked the most it was showin' off.

"I don't know her," he huffed with a wrinkle of his nose, clearly unaware of pride politics or family names. He didn't pay much attention to those, yet. "MY vater is king of the mire, and my mutter is queen of the lagoon. I'ma Starke." Surely that would impress her.

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Wish granted. I'd like to see them. Show me. She did like trainkets and interesting things to look at. Seeing the excited way he talked about his stuff was equally something she wanted to continue to indulge in. Soak up his passion and exhuberance for his things

A what? Pyrrha asks. Her curiousity is genuine but unfortunately that means that she honestly doesn't know who he, or his parents, are either. I'm sorry, I've never heard of them. Other rulers like her mother surely... but not anyone that Pyrrha had any knowledge of or reason to think they were more important than any other rulers. A couple of crowns out of the dozens that existed.

That's cool though- we both have important parents! And yet still she is sweet, excited to have something in common with her new 'friend'.

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ROHAN

he grinned, imagining her falling right in to his trap. "maybe if yer lucky," he taunted, teasing her, "i'll bring yous to see them. if'n your mama says its okay." the ways he says it makes it sound like only babies needed permission, as if he could wander off to any ol' pride and not get in to any trouble at all.

but he huffs when she does not know his name, pouting a little. "a stärke! y'know, like alaric? that's my vater. he ruled the mire forEVER. now my brudder does, but vater is still king too." maybe THAT would impress her. because his brother AND his father AND his mother were rulers. surely that was much better than her!

"i guess so," he grumps, though privately still thinks two prides were far better than one.

@Pyrrha ♔

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