The black sand abated into the more usual, yellow hue. Ransom ventured further back from the beach and found the entrance to a large cave. Ears pitched forward as bobbed tail swung uselessly at his rear. The sound of crashing waves echoed out from within the inky black mouth.
Cerulean gaze peered into the darkness for a moment before looking back over his shoulder at the bright, summer sky. The ghoul grumbled a little and sat back on his haunches, turning his back on the entrance and settling to allow the sun to press down upon his obsidian skull, warming him.
Though he was no particular fan of small spaces, Ransom was curious to see what creatures might come out of the cavern. He supposed if he sat there long enough, something would emerge.

@Dysnomia_{BG — IMAGE — CODE}

She couldn't walk back into the place where she had been born, not with other lions ruling it, but she could still get close. She had grown up along the shore, and so being able to get to any part of it still felt like returning home. Perhaps she should have gone to the lagoon again, but she hadn't felt like living under a different family. At least the Mire was ruled by one unaffiliated with the current ruling families of these lands.

She'd decided she probably ought to head back and took a path through the tunnels, only to see a now familiar figure at the far entrance. It was tempting to turn around and go back, but this was the shorter path and she refused to let herself be dissuaded by the presence of a male who wasn't even a member of her family.

She was tempted to just walk on past him, but that wasn't any fun. Instead, she came up beside him several feet away and kicked with her back right paw, aiming to send sand flying over his back half. "Oops, sorry, thought someone left some carrion out," she said with a sickly sweet tone.

@Ransom

Sand rained down upon him, grazing his back and jolting him to a surprised stand. Skull swung round, a growl reverberated from his throat. Bright stare pinpointed the familiar ebony figure of @Dysnomia as she exited the cave. Upon recognising her, Ransom's threatening posture was immediately replaced by a relaxation of his muscles, a devilish grin etched across his face as she spoke to him.
Funny. Still, at least you can make a career out of comedy now that you have put fighting behind you. The male teased, cocking his head. His claws flex, wondering if she'll come at him for the comment. Half hoping that she does.
It's only here in the light and away from the Mire's dim that he can fully appraise himself of Dysnomia's appearance. Her fur was black like his, but somehow hers appeared darker, like a trick to the eye, her pelt had made it difficult for him to see her properly until now. Cerulean eyes cast over the stars at her back and surprisingly, he found she also had cheek stripes and a dorsal stripe, like him._{BG — IMAGE — CODE}

She'd pissed him off if the growl was anything to go by, but she simply smirked. Let him come after her for it if he wanted. They'd just have a rematch. Maybe this time he'd make good on his thread of crushing her throat and she wouldn't have to wander around these lands like a shadow any longer.

But instead he settled for a jibe and she made a quiet humph. "Enjoy it while you can. I'm sure someone will come for it sooner or later, if I don't first," she said, taking a seat almost demurely if not for the tone of her voice. "Casimir don't give up easily, and seeing as I'm the last of our line here I have a certain emphasis I have to place on that."

She noticed he was looking her over and raised an eyebrow at him in silent question.

@Ransom

Ransom felt the edge in her threat, his dark grin did not concede though his claws retracted as she sat down. The ghoul enjoyed smart remarks and partly revelled in her bitterness over their fight.

I'm sure you will. He hummed an agreement. I might give it up happily when you do. Though Ransom had yearned for Jewel (and Jafar's) respect, it did not suit his natural personality so very well to play the gentleman. Which of course, he was not.

His tongue lashed out across his lips, tasting the coarse sand. What is a Casimir? He asked, intrigued by the word. Was it a family? A way of thinking? All these lions with their many names, Ransom only has the one. @Dysnomia's the only one left it seemed. You've got a bit of a death wish for the last of your kind. A statement but phrased like a question with the cock of his broad skull._{BG — IMAGE — CODE}

"Well, what's the fun in that?" she asked in a murmur. She certainly didn't want her victories handed to her; that wouldn't be much fun. Easier, sure, but not as much fun. Some things in life had to be earned, unfortunate or not depending on how one viewed it.

"The Casimir family was a well known family in these lands, and the ones we were in before them. Though now, as I said, I fear I am the last one," she explained. "If our line is to be extinguished because of me then the last I can do is go out in a blaze of glory so that others speak our name in the future, right?" she asked, though it wasn't really a question. It was how she would want to die, if it came down to it. Just, hopefully it wouldn't.

"You seem to have some practice with fighting. Perhaps we could practice at some point," she concluded, though again it wasn't precisely a question. Look, she still hadn't quite gotten it into her skull that she wasn't important anymore. It was tough, when she'd grown up fed with stories of how great their family was.

@Ransom

Ransom grunted indulgently. Fun, quite. Though he had begun to enjoy violence for sport, the memory of his childhood still reminded him occasionally that once, every fight had been a fight for his life.

The ghoul listened patiently as @Dysnomia described life as a Casimir. The burden of a name seemed to bear a heavy weight on her shoulders. No wonder she had rushed him at the challenge. Eager to prove something. In the future, you will be dead. He replied, stating the obvious.

Better to live now, die in battle if you must. But preferably have a good time doing what you want first. The behemoth rose to his feet, sand shimmering loose from his ebony skin.
Teal eyes locked on Dysnomia as he turned to approach her. Of course. He agreed, stopping only a few feet from the lioness, his steady gaze holding onto her, dancing across her body. You are quite beautiful. He commented with a playful smile, his shoulders hunched up a little but he doesn't venture forward._{BG — IMAGE — CODE}

No duh captain obvious, she thought but didn't say. He continued to speak, though, and as he continued it made more sense. Yes, she too had thought that to die in battle was the only good way to go, unless it was simply of old age. To die during a hunt would simply be stupid, or to be felled by an illness. No, she wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, though she could only do that if someone was watching the battle she supposed.

"This is true," she admitted. She certainly wouldn't do the Casimir name any good by dying. Then it truly would die out entirely. Couldn't have that.

"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself," she commented, though she couldn't completely stop herself from preening under his praise. She hadn't had anyone call her beautiful before, nor had she had anyone consider her looks at all come to think of it. She couldn't say that she minded it.

@Ransom

The surprise he feels does not surface to his exterior expression. The ghoul had risen at her request for a practise brawl, his blackened lips had parted to deliver what he presumed would be bait enough for her to rise to the attack.

But she does not. Instead @Dysnomia returned the sentiment, wringing out a deepening smile from the giant as he stood before her, his talons slipping out to uselessly tether him to the sand. Anchoring him from slipping toward her.

Of course she was attractive, he had spoken truthfully even amidst attempting to provoke. He enjoyed Dysnomia's obvious disdain for him, but perhaps the bruised ego from losing their fight had slowly begun to fade? Or perhaps not, maybe she was more like him than he'd previously thought.

If you would like to spar, we should get out of the sun first.

Mismatched cerulean stare slipped momentarily from the incline of her curves to the mouth of the cavern she had emerged from. It was too warm out here for their dark forms and of course, he strays into thoughts of what might happen against the cold stone floor._{BG — IMAGE — CODE}

He was right, the last thing she wanted to do was fight out under the beating sun. That and the sand wasn't conducive to proper footing either. Granted, the Mire wasn't always the best for it either, but you could usually tell when a place was muddy and avoid it. Sand would just give out on you without warning. It was best to avoid it entirely, if at all possible.

Luckily, there was a very convenient area to spar right behind her. So, she backed up into the darkness, letting the shadows surround her. She knew she was fortunate in that her coloration was a true black, obscuring her better than even Ransom's did his. Useful, if she was ever in a position to sneak up on someone.

"I'll admit I prefer sneaking and using poisons than brawling outright, which is why I need more practice with it," she commented. Attacking from the shadows was all well and good, but if you didn't at the very least incapacitate your opponent with your first strike then you were left to finish them off face to face.

@Ransom