Post by Therdde on Oct 27, 2008 20:14:23 GMT -5
Characters:
Yuma - Male Adolescent Cougar
Adoun - Male Cat
- Pine Grove -
Though it is nearly mid-day, the pine grove is dim and shadowed. The same thick branches that block out the sunlight also shield Yuma from the snow, which has been falling steadily for several hours. He is lying restfully on a patch of dry pine needles, grooming himself after an unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome, meal. The last few scraps of a squirrel are piled nearby, little more than its bushy red tail.
It has been a long time that Adoun has been lost. He can't find his way back to that field with all the flowers. He has chosen to blame it on the snow, though he vaguely remembers getting lost well before the snow started. Huh. Shaking off the unpleasant thoughts, he lifts his head a little higher and continues walking on, drawn in Yuma's direction by the scent of blood. There, at least, is something he knows. He has been lost easily long enough that he equates blood with food. In his confused mind, he rather expects to see dinner laid out for him, on a nice clean plate, with a nice bowl of water, just around the next curve or behind the next tree. His small paws make almost no noise as he travels along the pine needle covered ground.
Stretched out on his belly, Yuma licks lazily at his paw. The few traces of blood are long gone by now, only a slight stain on his muzzle remaining, but he can still taste the strong flavor on the pads of his paw, which had held the squirrel pinned for several highly enjoyable moments. It is unlikely that any other cougar would consider Yuma cruel-natured, but his prey might form a different opinion in the span of their last few moments. Unaware of the faint, almost undetectable sound of an approaching creature, he lets his mind wander, considering a nap now that his hunger is satisfied and the adrenaline of the hunt is wearing off.
It is not a nicely prepared dinner that is waiting for him, but rather something Adoun is absolutely certain he has never seen before. The feline traits are absolutely unmistakable. He has seen plenty of cats large than he is, but /nothing/ so large as the cat before him. It's almost unbelievable, and Adoun stops in his tracks, looking over the unfamiliar form and sniffing at the air. The scent is decidedly feline as well, but markedly different from anything Adoun has ever encountered before. Wild. The word strikes at his mind, but it doesn't bring quite the same aversion that it does when he applies it to the wild canines he has seen. No, this animals is /much/ more impressive. As such, when Adoun takes a step forward and speaks, his tone is much more pleasant than it normally is. "Good day there, fellow cat." It's not an entirely uncommon greeting for a cat from an unknown family, one Adoun has used a few times in the past. The words roll off of his tongue easily. Though he might be impressed, he would never greet any cat as anything better than an equal.
Yuma finally sets down his large paw, which settles on the pine needles with an audible thump. He licks his whiskers a few times, letting his eyes lid shut; left undisturbed for another few moments, it's likely he would fall asleep. Instead, a friendly greeting causes his eyes to slide open again, and the cougar glances around with pricking ears, suddenly alert. At first Yuma completely overlooks the cat, then he blinks, looking at Adoun with surprise -- and a sense of growing confusion. He's never seen anything quite like Adoun before. "Good day," the cougar answers at length. The smaller feline might be a cub, he thinks. After all, one of his sisters was born with bone-white fur... blue-gray is not such a stretch. If Adoun is a cub, though, where is his family? After glancing around again, Yuma returns his gaze to the cat. "Who're you?"
"Sir Adoun Longacre." As always, he uses his human's title and surname, but unlike usual when dealing with wild animals, he adds his own name in there, and follows it closely by saying, "You may just call me Adoun, though. And who might you be?" If the absolute lack of cublike chubbiness wasn't enough to make Yuma question his first assumption, the long-winded and complicated reply ought to offer some hint. By the time he finishes speaking, he stops walking again, still a respectful distance from the other feline, where he sits. He never takes his eyes off of Yuma. There is no concern that he might be in danger reflected in his expression. Merely curiosity and thoughtfulness.
Yuma retains his look of puzzled surprise as the cat answers him. Adoun certainly does not /talk/ like a cub... though the longer he stares, the more he wonders whether the feline actually even looks like one. Though the size is about right, the cat looks sleek and lean, quite unlike a a skinny and malnourished cub. In fact, Adoun's build does not look so very different than his own. It's just on a considerably smaller scale. "Yuma," he answers, then seems to remember to add, "Chieftain of the Amaranth tribe." The cougar is bursting with questions, but he struggles to contain them now that he has reminded himself of his position. He can be diplomatic, right? It's not as though this miniature feline could pose any threat to the tribe... and Adoun seems perfectly friendly.
Chieftain. It is not an entirely unfamiliar word, but it seems, somehow, primitive. Not king, or emperor, or lord, but chieftain. Hmm. Well, primitive or otherwise, it is a position of influence, probably even of greater influence than his family holds back home, if in a smaller area, so... Yes, this is quite an appropriate feline for Adoun to be speaking to. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Chieftain Yuma." If there is one thing Adoun will never forget, it is pleasantries, small talk. Though he doesn't get much opportunity to practice it, any more, it is deeply ingrained in him.
The cougar blinks again, trying to adopt a more neutral expression once he realizes he has been staring. "Pleasure to meet you too, Adoun," Yuma answers, glad he was not asked to remember the cat's entire name. Since 'sir' is an unfamiliar term to him, he does not recognize it as a sort of title. "Do you live around here?" That's not quite the question he wants to ask, but he hasn't felt this clueless about another animal since he was a cub himself... which was not so long ago, truthfully, but it's already starting to feel like another life.
Live around here? Adoun looks around when Yuma asks that question, some of the confusion back. No, he doesn't live around here, so... What is he doing here again? He was looking for the flowers, which have been hidden by the snow, and then there was the scent of food, a scent which has been steadily fainting. He had hardly noticed, though, because... Because of the big cat. Yes. Looking back to Yuma, he finally answers.
Live around here? Adoun looks around when Yuma asks that question, some of the confusion back. No, he doesn't /think/ he lives around here, so... What is he doing here again? He was looking for the flowers, which have been hidden by the snow, and then there was the scent of food, a scent which has been steadily fainting. He had hardly noticed, though, because... Because of the big cat. Yes. Looking back to Yuma, he finally answers. "I don't think so. I've been looking for the place where I live, but I cannot find it, with all the snow." Besides the temporary confusion, what he says does not seem to cause him much concern.
Yuma nods sympathetically. He may have spent most of his life within Amaranth territory, but he has slipped beyond the borders a few times... but he never wandered too far, worried that he would be unable to find his way back. However, Yuma also notices the cat's lack of concern. "Well, right now you're in Amaranth territory," he begins, before pausing briefly. What does that mean for Adoun? Clearly he's no cub, but even as adult male the feline poses no threat. And the idea of Adoun courting one of his sisters causes one side of the cougar's muzzle to quirk in a distinctly amused grin.
If only knowing that meant anything to Adoun, besides that he is in the territory that Yuma rules. He does take the opprtunity to look around again, this time just paying attention to what is around instead of looking for what might be familiar nearby. After this, he looks back to Yuma. "I don't believe I've ever visited a place like this before. What is wrong with your trees, if you don't mind me asking?" Adoun knows trees well. They have large leaves that become the most amazing colours and then go away once the snow comes. There is no room on these trees for leaves to grow, though, and what /is/ growing on them is still green, as though the trees don't know that it is winter.
The cougar is not quite sure what reaction he expected from Adoun, but it does not appear to mean anything to the blue-gray feline. "What's wrong with the trees?" he echoes, glancing up at the looming pines, their branches heavy with snow. "I'm not sure." Yuma does not see anything wrong with them, personally. He knows there are many types of trees -- some shiver off their leaves in the cold, but these old pines stay green all winter. Is the cat trying to change the subject? The cougar looks back down at Adoun again, reflective. "If you plan on wandering, keep an eye out for wolves... there's a pack nearby." 'Nearby' for a a nearly-grown male cougar may be different than it is for a cat, but the warning's well-meant. "But I don't think it'd be a problem if you decided to stick around."
Wolves? The phrase doesn't bring any particular image to mind. It doesn't take Adoun long to decide he has never seen wolves, and perhaps if he sees something he does not recognize in the near future, he will approach it with some caution. Maybe. After all, wild animals can be somewhat unstable at times. He only addresses it dismissively, though. "Thank you for your concern." But, just as being lost doesn't seem to bother him much, neither does the warning. Rather, he goes on to say, "And thank you for the welcome into your home." Is that not, after all, what the final statement was meant as? "I assure you, I won't overstay it." After all, it would be absolutely unthinkable to respond to politeness with rudeness, at least amongst equals.
Yuma is noticing a pattern. Nothing, so far, has appeared to disturb Adoun in the slightest. The cat may not be concerned about territory lines, but Yuma has no doubt that if he wandered into wolf territory, Adoun would be snapped up in no time. Surely the cat knows that as well? Feeling somewhat uncertain, the adolescent merely nods, sitting up slightly as he continues to study the smaller feline. By now he's almost certain that Adoun's not a cougar... though he looks remarkably like one. The resemblance is so strong that Yuma cannot help but treat the cat as an equal. "If another cougar gives you trouble," he says, "Just tell them that I've given you my permission."
Cougar? Of course, that would be the name Yuma's species but just as the word wolves was unfamiliar, so it the word cougar. It does little more than reassure Adoun that, no, he has never seen one of these creatures before... But apparently there are more nearby. None so important as this one, doubtlessly, but more all the same. With a nod of his head, Adoun replies, "Of course. If the opprotunity ever arises, your hospitality will be well-rewarded, Chieftain." Somehow, Adoun doubts the opportunity /will/ ever arise, but his sentiment is sincere.
Even though the cougar has never seen a feline of Adoun's stature, it does not occur to Yuma that the cat has not met one of his own kind before. He looks vaguely surprised by the mention of being well-rewarded, but decides to take it as a kind of elaborate 'thank you,' rather than literally, nodding again. "Sure. Um." The male grimaces slightly, as though already anticipating the rudeness of his question. "Are you..." he begins, then pauses and instead simply asks, "What /are/ you?"
The chieftain obviously already knows that he is a cat, just as Adoun knew that Yuma is a cat well before hearing his species. Adoun is not at all surprised to hear that Yuma has never seen a cat like him before, though. He has encountered that situation many times since his human adopted him, took him away from where he was born, and so his answer comes quickly. "I am a Russian Blue." The species name fits Adoun well, longer and more pretentious than simply saying 'house cat' or a one-word species name like cougar, and though the first word of his species name means absolutely nothing to him, it is not at all difficult to tell how his species earned the second word in their name.
Russian Blue. The first word has no real meaning to Yuma, another unfamiliar term, but it has a pleasant purring sound to his ears. And 'blue' is certainly appropriate enough; even in the shadowy grove of pines, the cougar can see the distinct bluish cast in the cat's silvered gray pelt. The color of Adoun's fur makes him think of twilight, just before full dark. "Sorry. I've never met a Russian Blue before," he explains, though by now that fact is obvious enough. Apparently he's decided that a Russian Blue is a kind of smaller cougar.
Adoun gives a slight shrug of his shoulders at the apology, dismissing it. "I have never met a cougar before." He, however, is not sorry about it. He was intrigued and amazed at Yuma's sheer size, but he's not going to apologize because he didn't know what Yuma's species name was before Yuma mentioned it. He only brings it up as though to demonstrate that they are still on the same footing, still equals... So long as one overlooks the overwhelming difference in size and the fact that this is not Adoun's territory.
Well, Yuma thinks, that might explain why Adoun reacted so indifferently when he mentioned his tribe. Maybe he has no idea how cougars behave -- in particular, how males are not generally welcome in territories that do not belong to them. "If you stick around, I'm sure you'll meet more," he assures the cat. With his permission to be here, Yuma doubts that any of the other Amaranth cougars will trouble Adoun. Being Chieftain has a /few/ perks.
Adoun just has to wonder how long Yuma is willing to extend that offer. Adoun is lost. He knows that, at least for right now. It will likely slip his mind before too long, but it has been brought to the front of his mind often enough during this conversation that the thought isn't going anywhere. Neither is the knowledge that he can't find where he has been living, so, after a moment of thinking, he says, "Perhaps I could stay until winter is over, if you don't mind having a guest for such a period of time." He's not entirely sure how long it has been winter, or how long is left until spring.
When Yuma invited the cat to stay in the territory, his motivation was simple enough: curiosity. The cougar has always had an inquisitive nature, eager to learn everything about the world around him. Lately, burdened with responsibility, he has not felt especially curious about anything; such thoughts are dangerous, as they only fuel his longing to wander outside of the territory. Now Adoun has wandered /in/, and the cat's unfamiliarity is a welcome diversion. "Of course you can," he answers immediately, actually looking a bit pleased.
The Amaranth Chieftain may be wild, but there is much that is civilized about him. Adoun simply can't decide if this surprises him or not. He has never thought of any wild creature as even remotely civilized before, but... Well, perhaps it is simply because Yuma is a /cat/. He spends a moment in thought, then gives a firm nod of his head. "I will stay for the winter, then." He has already made his gratitude clear, so this statement does not come with another verbal expression of it, though he is purring lightly. Apparently, the idea appeals to Adoun as well. It has been so troublesome to try to find where he was staying.
Unless the other cougars somehow take offense to Adoun's presence, he may find the Amaranth territory very appealing. The range may seem quite large to a cat of his stature, and aside from the cougars there are few other large predators to threaten him or compete for game. Considering how small the Russian Blue is, Yuma doubts that Adoun will make any noticable impact in the food supply, which is hardly scarce enough even now, in the dead of winter. Getting slowly to his paws, the cougar stretches lazily, shaking off a bit of snow that made it through thick pine branches. "I'll make sure to get the word out." Yuma grins at the cat. "So you won't have to deal with too many surprised cougars."
When the chieftain stands, so does Adoun. He does not require quite so much stretching, since he only arrived recently and had been walking for some time before that, but he assumes Yuma's motions are in preparation for leaving, so he stands to offer a respectful goodbye. "Of course. Farewell, Chieftain." As for what Adoun intends to do? Well, defective trees aside, this area is not horrible, and with the scent of blood mostly faded, he is not terribly hungry. He may decide to just take a while to nap, most likely in an area where the sun manages to filter down through the odd trees.
Yuma does not leave at once. He lingers for a moment, only truly aware of how much larger he is than Adoun now that he and the cat are both standing up. It may be best if he does get the word out... just in case. A single bite from a cougar would put an end to the amiable Russian Blue, and while he would not react kindly to such behavior from one of his tribe-mates, no punishment would be able to bring Adoun back. This thought causes the grin to disappear from the male's face, but before turning to move off, he does nod and reply to the cat in kind. "Farewell, Adoun."
Yuma - Male Adolescent Cougar
Adoun - Male Cat
- Pine Grove -
Though it is nearly mid-day, the pine grove is dim and shadowed. The same thick branches that block out the sunlight also shield Yuma from the snow, which has been falling steadily for several hours. He is lying restfully on a patch of dry pine needles, grooming himself after an unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome, meal. The last few scraps of a squirrel are piled nearby, little more than its bushy red tail.
It has been a long time that Adoun has been lost. He can't find his way back to that field with all the flowers. He has chosen to blame it on the snow, though he vaguely remembers getting lost well before the snow started. Huh. Shaking off the unpleasant thoughts, he lifts his head a little higher and continues walking on, drawn in Yuma's direction by the scent of blood. There, at least, is something he knows. He has been lost easily long enough that he equates blood with food. In his confused mind, he rather expects to see dinner laid out for him, on a nice clean plate, with a nice bowl of water, just around the next curve or behind the next tree. His small paws make almost no noise as he travels along the pine needle covered ground.
Stretched out on his belly, Yuma licks lazily at his paw. The few traces of blood are long gone by now, only a slight stain on his muzzle remaining, but he can still taste the strong flavor on the pads of his paw, which had held the squirrel pinned for several highly enjoyable moments. It is unlikely that any other cougar would consider Yuma cruel-natured, but his prey might form a different opinion in the span of their last few moments. Unaware of the faint, almost undetectable sound of an approaching creature, he lets his mind wander, considering a nap now that his hunger is satisfied and the adrenaline of the hunt is wearing off.
It is not a nicely prepared dinner that is waiting for him, but rather something Adoun is absolutely certain he has never seen before. The feline traits are absolutely unmistakable. He has seen plenty of cats large than he is, but /nothing/ so large as the cat before him. It's almost unbelievable, and Adoun stops in his tracks, looking over the unfamiliar form and sniffing at the air. The scent is decidedly feline as well, but markedly different from anything Adoun has ever encountered before. Wild. The word strikes at his mind, but it doesn't bring quite the same aversion that it does when he applies it to the wild canines he has seen. No, this animals is /much/ more impressive. As such, when Adoun takes a step forward and speaks, his tone is much more pleasant than it normally is. "Good day there, fellow cat." It's not an entirely uncommon greeting for a cat from an unknown family, one Adoun has used a few times in the past. The words roll off of his tongue easily. Though he might be impressed, he would never greet any cat as anything better than an equal.
Yuma finally sets down his large paw, which settles on the pine needles with an audible thump. He licks his whiskers a few times, letting his eyes lid shut; left undisturbed for another few moments, it's likely he would fall asleep. Instead, a friendly greeting causes his eyes to slide open again, and the cougar glances around with pricking ears, suddenly alert. At first Yuma completely overlooks the cat, then he blinks, looking at Adoun with surprise -- and a sense of growing confusion. He's never seen anything quite like Adoun before. "Good day," the cougar answers at length. The smaller feline might be a cub, he thinks. After all, one of his sisters was born with bone-white fur... blue-gray is not such a stretch. If Adoun is a cub, though, where is his family? After glancing around again, Yuma returns his gaze to the cat. "Who're you?"
"Sir Adoun Longacre." As always, he uses his human's title and surname, but unlike usual when dealing with wild animals, he adds his own name in there, and follows it closely by saying, "You may just call me Adoun, though. And who might you be?" If the absolute lack of cublike chubbiness wasn't enough to make Yuma question his first assumption, the long-winded and complicated reply ought to offer some hint. By the time he finishes speaking, he stops walking again, still a respectful distance from the other feline, where he sits. He never takes his eyes off of Yuma. There is no concern that he might be in danger reflected in his expression. Merely curiosity and thoughtfulness.
Yuma retains his look of puzzled surprise as the cat answers him. Adoun certainly does not /talk/ like a cub... though the longer he stares, the more he wonders whether the feline actually even looks like one. Though the size is about right, the cat looks sleek and lean, quite unlike a a skinny and malnourished cub. In fact, Adoun's build does not look so very different than his own. It's just on a considerably smaller scale. "Yuma," he answers, then seems to remember to add, "Chieftain of the Amaranth tribe." The cougar is bursting with questions, but he struggles to contain them now that he has reminded himself of his position. He can be diplomatic, right? It's not as though this miniature feline could pose any threat to the tribe... and Adoun seems perfectly friendly.
Chieftain. It is not an entirely unfamiliar word, but it seems, somehow, primitive. Not king, or emperor, or lord, but chieftain. Hmm. Well, primitive or otherwise, it is a position of influence, probably even of greater influence than his family holds back home, if in a smaller area, so... Yes, this is quite an appropriate feline for Adoun to be speaking to. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Chieftain Yuma." If there is one thing Adoun will never forget, it is pleasantries, small talk. Though he doesn't get much opportunity to practice it, any more, it is deeply ingrained in him.
The cougar blinks again, trying to adopt a more neutral expression once he realizes he has been staring. "Pleasure to meet you too, Adoun," Yuma answers, glad he was not asked to remember the cat's entire name. Since 'sir' is an unfamiliar term to him, he does not recognize it as a sort of title. "Do you live around here?" That's not quite the question he wants to ask, but he hasn't felt this clueless about another animal since he was a cub himself... which was not so long ago, truthfully, but it's already starting to feel like another life.
Live around here? Adoun looks around when Yuma asks that question, some of the confusion back. No, he doesn't live around here, so... What is he doing here again? He was looking for the flowers, which have been hidden by the snow, and then there was the scent of food, a scent which has been steadily fainting. He had hardly noticed, though, because... Because of the big cat. Yes. Looking back to Yuma, he finally answers.
Live around here? Adoun looks around when Yuma asks that question, some of the confusion back. No, he doesn't /think/ he lives around here, so... What is he doing here again? He was looking for the flowers, which have been hidden by the snow, and then there was the scent of food, a scent which has been steadily fainting. He had hardly noticed, though, because... Because of the big cat. Yes. Looking back to Yuma, he finally answers. "I don't think so. I've been looking for the place where I live, but I cannot find it, with all the snow." Besides the temporary confusion, what he says does not seem to cause him much concern.
Yuma nods sympathetically. He may have spent most of his life within Amaranth territory, but he has slipped beyond the borders a few times... but he never wandered too far, worried that he would be unable to find his way back. However, Yuma also notices the cat's lack of concern. "Well, right now you're in Amaranth territory," he begins, before pausing briefly. What does that mean for Adoun? Clearly he's no cub, but even as adult male the feline poses no threat. And the idea of Adoun courting one of his sisters causes one side of the cougar's muzzle to quirk in a distinctly amused grin.
If only knowing that meant anything to Adoun, besides that he is in the territory that Yuma rules. He does take the opprtunity to look around again, this time just paying attention to what is around instead of looking for what might be familiar nearby. After this, he looks back to Yuma. "I don't believe I've ever visited a place like this before. What is wrong with your trees, if you don't mind me asking?" Adoun knows trees well. They have large leaves that become the most amazing colours and then go away once the snow comes. There is no room on these trees for leaves to grow, though, and what /is/ growing on them is still green, as though the trees don't know that it is winter.
The cougar is not quite sure what reaction he expected from Adoun, but it does not appear to mean anything to the blue-gray feline. "What's wrong with the trees?" he echoes, glancing up at the looming pines, their branches heavy with snow. "I'm not sure." Yuma does not see anything wrong with them, personally. He knows there are many types of trees -- some shiver off their leaves in the cold, but these old pines stay green all winter. Is the cat trying to change the subject? The cougar looks back down at Adoun again, reflective. "If you plan on wandering, keep an eye out for wolves... there's a pack nearby." 'Nearby' for a a nearly-grown male cougar may be different than it is for a cat, but the warning's well-meant. "But I don't think it'd be a problem if you decided to stick around."
Wolves? The phrase doesn't bring any particular image to mind. It doesn't take Adoun long to decide he has never seen wolves, and perhaps if he sees something he does not recognize in the near future, he will approach it with some caution. Maybe. After all, wild animals can be somewhat unstable at times. He only addresses it dismissively, though. "Thank you for your concern." But, just as being lost doesn't seem to bother him much, neither does the warning. Rather, he goes on to say, "And thank you for the welcome into your home." Is that not, after all, what the final statement was meant as? "I assure you, I won't overstay it." After all, it would be absolutely unthinkable to respond to politeness with rudeness, at least amongst equals.
Yuma is noticing a pattern. Nothing, so far, has appeared to disturb Adoun in the slightest. The cat may not be concerned about territory lines, but Yuma has no doubt that if he wandered into wolf territory, Adoun would be snapped up in no time. Surely the cat knows that as well? Feeling somewhat uncertain, the adolescent merely nods, sitting up slightly as he continues to study the smaller feline. By now he's almost certain that Adoun's not a cougar... though he looks remarkably like one. The resemblance is so strong that Yuma cannot help but treat the cat as an equal. "If another cougar gives you trouble," he says, "Just tell them that I've given you my permission."
Cougar? Of course, that would be the name Yuma's species but just as the word wolves was unfamiliar, so it the word cougar. It does little more than reassure Adoun that, no, he has never seen one of these creatures before... But apparently there are more nearby. None so important as this one, doubtlessly, but more all the same. With a nod of his head, Adoun replies, "Of course. If the opprotunity ever arises, your hospitality will be well-rewarded, Chieftain." Somehow, Adoun doubts the opportunity /will/ ever arise, but his sentiment is sincere.
Even though the cougar has never seen a feline of Adoun's stature, it does not occur to Yuma that the cat has not met one of his own kind before. He looks vaguely surprised by the mention of being well-rewarded, but decides to take it as a kind of elaborate 'thank you,' rather than literally, nodding again. "Sure. Um." The male grimaces slightly, as though already anticipating the rudeness of his question. "Are you..." he begins, then pauses and instead simply asks, "What /are/ you?"
The chieftain obviously already knows that he is a cat, just as Adoun knew that Yuma is a cat well before hearing his species. Adoun is not at all surprised to hear that Yuma has never seen a cat like him before, though. He has encountered that situation many times since his human adopted him, took him away from where he was born, and so his answer comes quickly. "I am a Russian Blue." The species name fits Adoun well, longer and more pretentious than simply saying 'house cat' or a one-word species name like cougar, and though the first word of his species name means absolutely nothing to him, it is not at all difficult to tell how his species earned the second word in their name.
Russian Blue. The first word has no real meaning to Yuma, another unfamiliar term, but it has a pleasant purring sound to his ears. And 'blue' is certainly appropriate enough; even in the shadowy grove of pines, the cougar can see the distinct bluish cast in the cat's silvered gray pelt. The color of Adoun's fur makes him think of twilight, just before full dark. "Sorry. I've never met a Russian Blue before," he explains, though by now that fact is obvious enough. Apparently he's decided that a Russian Blue is a kind of smaller cougar.
Adoun gives a slight shrug of his shoulders at the apology, dismissing it. "I have never met a cougar before." He, however, is not sorry about it. He was intrigued and amazed at Yuma's sheer size, but he's not going to apologize because he didn't know what Yuma's species name was before Yuma mentioned it. He only brings it up as though to demonstrate that they are still on the same footing, still equals... So long as one overlooks the overwhelming difference in size and the fact that this is not Adoun's territory.
Well, Yuma thinks, that might explain why Adoun reacted so indifferently when he mentioned his tribe. Maybe he has no idea how cougars behave -- in particular, how males are not generally welcome in territories that do not belong to them. "If you stick around, I'm sure you'll meet more," he assures the cat. With his permission to be here, Yuma doubts that any of the other Amaranth cougars will trouble Adoun. Being Chieftain has a /few/ perks.
Adoun just has to wonder how long Yuma is willing to extend that offer. Adoun is lost. He knows that, at least for right now. It will likely slip his mind before too long, but it has been brought to the front of his mind often enough during this conversation that the thought isn't going anywhere. Neither is the knowledge that he can't find where he has been living, so, after a moment of thinking, he says, "Perhaps I could stay until winter is over, if you don't mind having a guest for such a period of time." He's not entirely sure how long it has been winter, or how long is left until spring.
When Yuma invited the cat to stay in the territory, his motivation was simple enough: curiosity. The cougar has always had an inquisitive nature, eager to learn everything about the world around him. Lately, burdened with responsibility, he has not felt especially curious about anything; such thoughts are dangerous, as they only fuel his longing to wander outside of the territory. Now Adoun has wandered /in/, and the cat's unfamiliarity is a welcome diversion. "Of course you can," he answers immediately, actually looking a bit pleased.
The Amaranth Chieftain may be wild, but there is much that is civilized about him. Adoun simply can't decide if this surprises him or not. He has never thought of any wild creature as even remotely civilized before, but... Well, perhaps it is simply because Yuma is a /cat/. He spends a moment in thought, then gives a firm nod of his head. "I will stay for the winter, then." He has already made his gratitude clear, so this statement does not come with another verbal expression of it, though he is purring lightly. Apparently, the idea appeals to Adoun as well. It has been so troublesome to try to find where he was staying.
Unless the other cougars somehow take offense to Adoun's presence, he may find the Amaranth territory very appealing. The range may seem quite large to a cat of his stature, and aside from the cougars there are few other large predators to threaten him or compete for game. Considering how small the Russian Blue is, Yuma doubts that Adoun will make any noticable impact in the food supply, which is hardly scarce enough even now, in the dead of winter. Getting slowly to his paws, the cougar stretches lazily, shaking off a bit of snow that made it through thick pine branches. "I'll make sure to get the word out." Yuma grins at the cat. "So you won't have to deal with too many surprised cougars."
When the chieftain stands, so does Adoun. He does not require quite so much stretching, since he only arrived recently and had been walking for some time before that, but he assumes Yuma's motions are in preparation for leaving, so he stands to offer a respectful goodbye. "Of course. Farewell, Chieftain." As for what Adoun intends to do? Well, defective trees aside, this area is not horrible, and with the scent of blood mostly faded, he is not terribly hungry. He may decide to just take a while to nap, most likely in an area where the sun manages to filter down through the odd trees.
Yuma does not leave at once. He lingers for a moment, only truly aware of how much larger he is than Adoun now that he and the cat are both standing up. It may be best if he does get the word out... just in case. A single bite from a cougar would put an end to the amiable Russian Blue, and while he would not react kindly to such behavior from one of his tribe-mates, no punishment would be able to bring Adoun back. This thought causes the grin to disappear from the male's face, but before turning to move off, he does nod and reply to the cat in kind. "Farewell, Adoun."