Silvain had always heard that sitting by a lake would draw forth some sense of inner calm. And on one frantic morning, where he'd already been chased out of his sleeping spot at the edge of the pines by an unhappy thing with antlers, he was sorely in need of some chill vibes.
Sighing deeply, exaggeratedly, the pale lion sat heavily at the water's edge. Well, not exactly the edge because there was still melt-damp mud and slush there and he wasn't about that, but close enough. Kneading his claws into the grass, Silvain cast his gaze out toward the chilly morning scene. The lake was shrouded in a low, cool mist and the tall pines swayed in the steady spring breeze.
So uhh, where was that sense of tranquility he'd been promised? Perhaps he wasn't trying hard enough to be zen? Sighing again, deeply and more forcefully, he tried to relax. Obviously, it had the opposite effect and all he could sense was a growing pit of frustration in his belly. At the very limits of his short patience, Silvain scowled to himself and allowed his gaze to wander, looking for anything to save him from this boredom.
calanthe was still lost, still very much worse for wear and showing no signs of improving. she wanted her mummy and daddy, and she wanted to go home. now, preferably! her patience was wearing thin and the girl was rapidly growing petulant... and hangry. water sources were generally a pretty good place to go looking for food, even if she was incredibly clumsy at it, so when callie stumbled across the lake by accident, she figured it was better to hang around rather than keep on wandering and looking for her parents. it was a hard decision to make. sighing heavily herself, the cream youth peered about crankily, pale brows heavy over red eyes as they roamed impatiently, waiting for a happy meal to jump out at her on demand.
[break][break]brown tail tip twitching at her heels, the yearling made it all of two minutes staring at the mists before she gave in to her frustrations, stomping heavily over to the lake's edge and lapping sloppily at the chilly water. she couldn't focus at all and to her dismay it was becoming rapidly clear to her that she was incapable of doing seemingly <b>anything</b> by herself. including finding the two people that could, in fact, help her. anxiety compressed itself into a kettle-like whine, breaking free as she tried to swallow a gulp of water and ultimately making her choke. life: 8, calanthe: 0. sobbing without tears after getting her coughs under control, the girl resisted the urge to fling herself into the mud dramatically, fed up with all this... this... hopelessness.
[break][break]it was fortunate that she maintained the barest hint of restraint, however, for as the cream girl straightened, wiping her mouth and curled ears with her paw, she got the faintest feeling that someone was staring at her. admittedly, paranoia assumed that they were laughing at her, but callie froze regardless, tensing up and trying to look over her striped shoulder surreptitiously in search of some peeping humiliator. ( trying, because it was in fact quite obvious what she was doing. )
The soft coughing off to his right drew Silvain's gaze, seeking through the mist for the creator of the noise. Was that some lake creature, or actual company he could harass- uh, meet - instead of staring at a stupid lake? There was only one way to find out. Rising to his paws, Silvain picked his was down the grassy edge. The mist made it hard to discern any scents, and it wasn't until the pale shape at the muddy water's edge loomed into view, did he grow relived it hadn't just been a figment of imagination brought on by boredom.
Lost, are you? Silvain piped up with a flick of an ear. She looked a little spooked, on edge and uncertain. It was easy to spout guesses, but he had no clue if they were truthful. Or worried about the lake creatures? Oh, she just seemed so fragile - surely he could taunt her a little to see her reaction?
cherry eyes squinted through the mists, back of her neck prickling with chilly anxiety. his voice was like an egg: cracked above her shoulders and left to ooze along her stripes, and the girl shuddered, head whirling about to try and pinpoint where he was coming from. she was lost, and it didn't surprise the tremulous girl that he was able to pick up on that fact so easily—she could feel how poorly composed she must appear. still, it wasn't the kind of thing she felt comfortable admitting so she deigned not to reply, letting herself take a moment to catalogue his appearance instead. ( not anybody even vaguely familiar ) ;; as foreign as these lands.
[break][break]instead, she focused like a hawk on his next phrase, red eyes widening and skull snapping to stare at the other cream lion with alarm. “ la-lake creatures? " calanthe stuttered in fright, glancing quickly to the waters she'd just drunk from and taking an unsteady step away from the edge, immediately imagining all kinds of monsters lurking in the misty depths. perhaps she should've known. when was a misty scene not the beginning of a horror story? oh dear, how could she have gotten so lost, ended up in such a wild land as this without even her parents by her side?
