First Impressions

[SORA :D]

Orion was perched in the branches of large tree. Pray was easy to spot here. Something didn't seem right. His sharp eyes peered intently at the ground, looking for something to eat. His ears twitched, and picked up the faint sound of someone moving. He lifted his head, and sniffed the air. The storm clouds overhead thundered, as they drifted overhead. A branch cracked, and before he could know what made the sound, he was already leaping out of the tree.

[Nami]

Zora tramped through the thick forest brush with much annoyance. It was unlike her to be loud and when she made her hikes through the woods, she was almost completely silent. But the bronzed lioness wasn't paying any mind to those she could be disturbing or alerting of her presence, the lioness had just encountered yet again her rival and annoying previous pride mate. Luna was the only thing from her past that Zora couldn't shake. A constant reminder of how the past was always there and she couldn't break away from it.
She was approaching the tree that a the tiger, Orion, had been resting in when she came to her senses. She heard a crack of a tree limb and froze. Her ears and whiskers twitched with awareness of a predator. She crouched low when she saw the unfamiliar stripes of a tiger in the distance. He knew she was there, no chance of her slipping away now.

[SORA :D]

Orion landed heavy on the ground. He slipped under the cover of the underbrush, and began to close in on whatever made the sound. When he was within 20 meters, he spotted the glint of Zora's bronze coat. Orion widened his blue eyes, and stood up. Zora? he questioned, just to ensure that it was actually her.

[Nami]

Zora was crouched low, her ears back with a fierce expression on her face when she began to realize that the stranger was Orion. She quickly straitened and narrowed her eyes in question, "Orion? Orion is that really you?" She asked, taking a step forward, the familiar smell of Teak filling her nostrils. It was Orion. She padded up to him, grinning broadly, her tail swaying from side to side in a friendly manner.

[SORA :D]

Orion waved his tail, and laughed. Ya, it's me, Zora. I'm the same Orion I've always been! He joked. He shook out his fluff, and liked some dirt off his front leg.

[Nami]

Zora smiled at her stripped friend. "How have things been? Found a mate? Had any cubs?" She asked with a light laugh, amusement shinning in her eyes. She stretched out her front legs, wondering what brought Orion to these parts. It seemed she was running into all sorts of old friends--and enemies.

[SORA :D]

Smiling a little less than before, he answered No, not yet. He was almost ashamed, but he was one of the only male tigers to roam these parts. He just hadn't come across any suitable females yet. And what about you?

[Nami]

Zora placed a comforting paw on Orion's shoulder, "Don't worry--she's out there. There are quite a few tigresses in these parts." She said with a wink suddenly her face flushed and the lioness coughed uncomfortably. "Me? Common, have I ever been the type to settle down?" She asked, laughing uncomfortably.

[SORA :D]

Laughing a low, heavy laugh, Orion shook his head. Your right, Zora. He smiled a little, Hay? What about that male? Dalmio is it? He laughed a little, knowing that Zora probably had nothing with him. Luna on the other hand...

[Nami]

Zora's shook her head slightly, dismissing the mixture of feelings that were clouding her head. "Word does travel fast, doesn't it?" She asked sighing. She shrugged, "I barely know Dolmio, but he seems nice. I wouldn't mind getting to know him better. If Luna lets me." She added with a growl, her voice turning icy. Her fur prickled at the thought of her. "That little pest." She snarled to herself.

[SORA :D]

I think you should. Orion shrugged. What does it matter if Luna lets you? If you like Dalmio, what's stopping you from going after him? He knew there was something more to this, but Orion had a one track mind, so if he wanted to do something, he did it.

[Nami]

Zora smiled at Orion, she wished that she had the mind set as him. He was determined, not easily intimidated and wasn't afraid to pursue that what he wanted. "Your words have truth, and Luna's permission isn't something I should worry about but--" She stopped, trying to find the right words. "I just don't want the drama. I've have a life's worth of drama. I can't imagine being with a lion that would--give Luna that kind of attention...does that make sense?" She asked, sitting next to her friend.

[SORA :D]

Orion nodded his head. Ya, I guess it does. To him, that didn't mean anything, but he respected her reasoning. He paused, trying to find the right words. Why do you hate her so much anyway?

[Nami]

Zora looked past Orion and deep into the forest, memories flooded into her mind as she spoke. "Luna and I used to be apart of the same pride. For some reason, Luna got into her head that I was a real threat to her status among other pride members. She used to bully me because of it. I guess I was the only one brave enough to stick up to her at the time. Of course, she and I were two of the older cubs of the pride, I couldn't blame the others for not doing the same. When," the lionesses voice cracked. She looked down at the ground and then continued but her voice was quieter, "when I was cast out, I knew she was one of the lions to blame for it." Zora's voice sounded bitterly cold. She dug her claws into the ground, a burning sensation surrounding her eyes.

[SORA :D]

Orion felt sorry for her. that must have been painful he thought to himself. He glanced at Zora's face, and sensed that she was in pain. Im sorry. Orion shook himself, and then lie down, next to Zora. Hay? You know what would really make Luna mad? He said with a sly grin on his face. What if you were nice to her? You know, Kill them with kindness? He looked as if he were joking, but he was actually dead serious.