the velveteen dove had been on a search of sorts. more so a lazy and aimless venture than anything, but something of a search anyhow. for what, you might ask? why, the sun-baked, shell-dusted sands of the beaches; the roar and hiss of the waves crashing to the shore and slowly retreating. foam tickling her toes as she took in the heavenly scent of salt on the air. a bit of it was still nestled in her fur, the smell of the beach. the sand grains and grime of sea salt had long since been washed away, being the tidy little bird she was, but having spent a majority of her time there had perhaps sunken it into her very being. that heedy smell of the ocean. alas, branwen wasn't the best with directions, especially in a new and strange place such as this. each piece of land seem just as interesting and hard to navigate as the last.
even so, wen decided to make the best of her situation. too-long tail bobbing behind her as she trotted along, the pale lady would do her best to wind her way through the vivid thicket that was the rainforest. it was a welcome difference to the normal and droll forests bran was accustomed to. this one had monkeys swinging through the trees and birds of all sorts fluttering about. not the mention the plant life! never had the lioness seen such beautiful, lush flowers and vegetation. it was all just so green!
her wonder intensified as she reached a rather charming pool of water, blanketed in thick and plush moss. a rhythmic drip-drop was to be heard as water droplets collided with the ever rippling surface of the water. whiskers quivering with excitement at the aspect of a pool to splash around in, branwen would take a running leap into the newly found water with a high mewl of glee. ears slicked to her head to avoid any of the liquid going into them, while paws kicked and paddled her comfortably through the clean depths. no salt could be found here, and it was actually quite pleasant! less sting to the eyes, and no grime to her pelt.
Following the trails of the plains north had first seemed like a fruitless thing. Aside from the ocean breeze that blustered in here and then, he had initially though this mountain-crested land to stretch onwards. Yet when his wanderings through the plains had turned into hills of lush grass and forest, his curiosity had been renewed. A few more hours exploring and he had happened across the fringes of the jungle.
Devonte had refused to wander too deep, worried of losing his way in dense undergrowth... but the beauty of the humid forest was undeniable. He felt oddly at ease here. He had been raised in similiar forests, but it had admittedly been a long time since he had been back. He lost track of time, meandering through the wilds with a youthful nostalgia he hadn't know for years.
The splashing of water broke his daydream, and the jaguar's ears pricked, his course trailing to follow the source of the noise. There was another person here, he realised as he caught a brief scent. Ducking beneath a leaning fern frond, the jaguar stepped into the leaf-dappled clearing.
The pale woman frolicking in the water was a stranger to him, but he offered a friendly chuff of greeting as he spied her. "Howdy, miss." he called, "Nice day for a swim, huh?"
as her head broke the surface, a voice rang out. frosty ears twisted to catch the sound, paws kicking to swivel her and face the stranger in question. it took emerald stare a long moment to locate the splotched man, lacking a mane like most of the lions she'd ever met. curiosity and amusement lit her gaze at his comment. "hello!" wen chirped back, agile form slithering through the water to send her closer toward the newcomer.
"i'd say it's almost always a good day for a swim." branwen would counter, paws resting against the shore now. she'd watch him closely, trying to gauge his mood and general intent. being as comfortable and accustomed to the water as she was, the lioness was confident there was a quick get away to be made, should such be necessary. dripping chin rested upon her silver paws, tongue lapping the drops from her whiskers.
"interested in joining me, stranger? the water's fine." too-long tail swept along the surface of the water as she said this - an emphasis of sorts. she'd allow a friendly smile to ooze onto her maw. mischievous gaze would twinkle, hoping the other cat wasn't afraid to get his feet wet.
Devonte was suprised to see how at ease the pale lioness seemed in the water. Many souls he'd known on his travels had been quite adverse to the water, and those who weren't tended to be poor swimmers from lack of pratice. Devonte fell in the secondary category himself, though he liked to think he was a little more accustomed to it than most. This woman however, appeared wholly comfortable as she lounged in the jungle pool.
"Even in winter?" he asked with a chuckle, drawing to a more conversational distance so he didn't have to raise his voice over the chorus of jungle creatures filling the background with birdsong and insect chirps. In humid weather like this though, it did seem a lot more appealing.
The lioness's friendly invitation drew a pleased smile to Devonte's maw. "Ohh, I don't see why not." he rumbled as he padded towards the pool. Mismatched eyes peered down at the surface as he tentatively waded in up to his ankles. He wasn't keen to find a sudden drop-off in the water and make an idiot of himself in new company! Finding no such thing immediately, he shuffled forward until the cool water was nearly touching his belly.
With an amused twitch of his tail, he glanced back to his new found aquaintance. "Name's Devonte," he introduced, "Could I ask yours?"
he asked about winter swims, and branwen tilted her head to the side in contemplation. she'd gone diving for food many a time during the winter and wasn't quite bothered by it. of course, there were always more enjoyable times, but one who clung to the sea would never leave the clutches of the ocean simply due to a chill. it was just a matter of drying one's self and taking shelter as soon as you were finished swimming.
"not my favorite, but it's definitely do-able; it's necessary for food, at times." wen grinned at him as he joined her. maybe not as she'd intended, but the spotted brute did his best. at least he'd made it to where his belly skimmed the surface. he seemed to do it meticulously, watching for something in the water. was he afraid? maybe he wasn't a good swimmer. whatever it was, it made the female want to toss him in the depths and see how he gathered his sea legs. but then, it wasn't quite the polite thing to do. wouldn't want to upset her newfound companion.
instead, branwen would kick off the edge she'd rested her paws upon and slithered through the water toward where he stood. quick as a fish, she'd flashed toward the shallows. the pale lioness stopped only when paws brushed the silky sand. it was as she slowed that she learned his name. devonte. it'd roll around her skull a moment, before her tongue decided to see how it rolled. "devonte...that's a handsome name." it was decided quickly after uttering it that branwen liked this moniker. it was unique to any other she'd heard. definitely not your typical jo, paul, or jerry.
he asked for her name, and for a moment the lady thought of telling a fib. but ultimately, she'd feel bad if she did. this man seemed rather nice, so she would be truthful...for now. "yes, you may. i'm branwen, it's a pleasure to meet you." the greeting was said cheerily, as silver paws carried her around the jaguar. he was an interesting looking fellow, and she certainly wanted a closer look.
"You fish then, I take it?" Devonte questioned - it seemed like a silly thing to ask but he was beginning to piece a couple facts about her together. With the ease she moved in the water, it would make sense if she could fish well too. Devonte himself had never been a great fisher, but also he wasn't the choosy sort when it came to hunting. One couldn't be, when living as a rogue most of the time. He couldn't really think too fondly of fishing in the icy grips of winter though, and her confidence impressed him.
The jaguar watched as she moved through the pool toward him, utterly envious at the apparent ease. Her comment brought a lift of one brow, though he smiled in response. "You're too kind." he drawled warmly, though it was obvious by the slight puff of his chest he was pleased she thought so.
Her introduction was met easily with a dip of his spotted head. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Branwen." he tried out her calling himself, "I've met many strangers on my travels but I feel you aren't the sort to be easily forgotten." He followed her route around him with curious eyes. "Can't say I've met anyone better at swimming than you either." He wanted to ask how she'd gotten so good - the inquiry was on the tip of his tongue - but he didn't want to bombard her with questions either.
