Just because Thella held a new rank within the pride didn't mean her desire for exploration had diminished in any way. In fact, it seemed to heighten as she more and more found her days filled with time in the tunnels and less time spent away in greater Amaryllis. Once her duties had finished for the day, she took the opportunity to go somewhere new.

Paws reached the black sands and she immediately spread her toes, watching as the sands filled the space between with interest. She'd been to beaches before, but none such as this. There was also a nice warmth to the sand; despite the cooler nights, they seemed to hold onto the heat from the day quite well. After some quick deliberation, she headed west maintaining plenty of distance between herself and the waves of high tide.

@Lorant

art by moogle, code by lars

reel me in

and just send me off

Oh.

Lorant prickled slightly as his target of interest veered paths, neutral savannas becoming coarse and gritty beneath the balls of his feet. His stomach turned with displeasure as the stink of sea grew heavier in the air, warning that this was about to become quite a different kind of outing. The spotted cat slowed his pace as he watched the cat off in the distance, her pelt glowing silver in the moonlight even from that great distance. He curled his toes with irritation and called out for her at last.

"No good ever came from water that beeg," he cautioned, narrowing his gaze in search of what her reaction may be.

Come back to the shadows where I may better haunt you.

---

|| september y12 | nine years | FR creature | at stygian shore |
@Thella ♔ ||

code by corvus | art by max

Thella was instantly on edge and the fur along her back stood on its end. She froze in place, not yet wanting to turn. Not only was there a voice she didn't recognize behind her, but with it, a scent that she very much did. A scent that she had hoped would never reach her nose again. With a deep breath, she pivoted around, thankful for the moon and the light it offered.

Still, she had difficulty making out what—or who—exactly she was looking at. She was hesitant in her steps back in the direction of the voice, not keen to get too close. All the while, she kept note of her surroundings; the last time she'd been caught in a chase—with the man that shared this one's scent—her environment worked against her. This time, should it come to it, she would be ready.

"I can't argue," she responded. "Though it can be pretty to look at."

@Lorant

art by moogle, code by lars

reel me in

and just send me off

He watched in blissful ignorance of the effect his allegiances had upon the silver cat, eyes glittering in the brush as she finally moved to turn and begin stalking her way toward him. Her eyes id not quite latch to his, prompting the leopard to take his own step forward so he might be witnessed beneath the moon's glow.

"I can't argue, though it can be pretty to look at."

"I'm looking at someone else," Lorant argued boldly, a flash of ivory teeth showing his shark's smile from that short distance between them. "More pretty." Not quite so jarring as the incessant tides.

---

@Thella ♔

code by corvus | art by max

The mouth from where the voice originated poked free from the shadows, followed shortly by a body until he was fully bathed in moonlight. Despite her own small stature, he was surprisingly even shorter; a circumstance she wasn't exactly used to. Her head tilted slightly as she took in of him what she could. Warm pelt, even in the silvery glow of the moon, and numerous spots covering every inch. And eyes as red as their inner being.

Wait, was... was that a compliment? No, it couldn't have been. Surely it was just a ploy? To catch her off guard. But if so, he would have also already surged forward in attack. Like the last one; the one that took a piece of her with him. Her ear twitched in horrid reminder.

She decided to ignore it for the moment, instead asking with some small semblance of confidence, "Who am I speaking with? I'll admit I've never met someone that looks like you."

@Lorant

art by moogle, code by lars

reel me in

and just send me off

"Who am I speaking with? I'll admit I've never met someone that looks like you."

"Tiberius," he lied simply, a few more trailing steps carrying him toward the silver nymph. She was small and slight for her kind, though Lorant knew better than to discount any lion's strength. Should it come to blows, the tree cat's odds were not in his favor.

"I am a different kind of cat. We leopards are slight, but we fit where you may not theenk," he explained. The dark sand beneath his heels disappeared in the night, as if the pair of them floated alone out in space. For all Lorant cared in that moment, they might as well have been. "I am afraid of lions," came quiet confession. "But, you... you the prettiest I have seen," punctuated with rapid blinks of lashes painted over crimson.

---

@Thella ♔
+5 - Tell a lie without getting caught

code by corvus | art by max

Tiberius? "Never met one of those, either," she joked, feeling a little more comfortable the longer he stood there before her with—seemingly—no ill intent. I am afraid of lions. It was a simple statement, one that didn't seem like it warranted a response, but she gave one anyway.

"There are lions that frighten me, as well," she admitted, eyes falling downcast. Who knows, you might even know him. "But we're not all bad." At least, save for a select few, most that she'd come across weren't. And, she felt the same benefit of the doubt should be given for even those that smell of the monster; this one, so far, had not shown her the same evil within and she should treat him as such. Give him a chance and show some cordiality.

Visibly relaxing, she realized he was complimenting her... again. Him saying it aloud for a second time was all the confirmation she needed that the first wasn't a fluke, and she couldn't help but feel a touch flattered. Cosmin always said nice things to her, but he'd been the only one, and as much as she appreciated his sentiments, it was nice to hear the words from someone else for once.

"Um, thank you. That's very kind," she smiled. "I'm Thella, Sovereign of Obsidian."

@Lorant

art by moogle, code by lars

reel me in

and just send me off

Lorant kept an even expression as she voiced the uniqueness of his alleged name, meanwhile mentally rehearsing to commit it to memory should he encounter the silver lioness again – and he did intend to encounter her again.

"There are lions that frighten me, as well, but we're not all bad."

He remained hushed in that moment of shared confession, the distant waves a soothing, steady caress of sound. Though hesitance shone in his practiced gaze, his stomach bloomed with secret satisfaction at the notion that she might prove her goodness to him. He would like to see her try. It might prove almost as good as watching her falter slightly under the force of his compliments, though his attention quickly shifted with her introduction as a sovereign.

"You are an important lion?" He checked as if with awed disbelief. "I am sorry. I should.... bow?" He looked to her for guidance on such lion-customs, flicking his tail idly behind him.

---

@Thella ♔
+5 - Tell a lie without getting caught

code by corvus | art by max

"Oh no, that’s quite unnecessary." It came out hurried, accompanied by a paw thrown out to stop him before he tried it. "I’m no more important than the grains of sand beneath our paws." She returned her paw to said sand, swirling it around with a toe. It was a little embarrassing talking about her status; even just the word "status" brought about a twitch of an ear. "I’m there to serve those in the Hollows; meet their needs and protect them. Alex is the important one. Alexander Savante," she clarified. She was no leader.

But enough about her. "So, Tiberius, you don’t smell like you live alone. If you’re afraid of lions, why do you surround yourself with them?" Why do you live with him—one of the scariest of them all. She lowered herself and let her back legs stretch out across the warmth. Maybe he didn’t have a choice, but then he wouldn’t be there having a conversation with her, would he? Maybe he didn’t know what the monster was capable of; maybe it was a well-hidden aspect of the man.

@Lorant

art by moogle, code by lars

reel me in

and just send me off

She practically stumbled over herself to keep him from subscribing to any such formalities, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Lorant had always thought the lion-folk to be rather self-important, and here the little queen seemed to want anything but the acknowledgement of her power. Interesting, indeed. He would file away the name Alexander Savante, as well, should it ever come in handy.

"So, Tiberius, you don’t smell like you live alone. If you’re afraid of lions, why do you surround yourself with them?"

Lorant swept his ears back against his velvet crown, almost sheepish. Yes – perhaps disguising his scent before approaching her would have been smarter, but his head brain had not been doing much of the deciding in that. He kneaded his paws thoughtfully.

"The king lion want to eat me," he confessed through a breathy laugh. His gaze wandered out to the distant, midnight ocean. "You think I weel tell him no?" No – Gauthier got what Gauthier wanted.

---

@Thella ♔
+5 - Learn something interesting about a character
+5 - Learn a character’s full name and rank

code by corvus | art by max