It was a peculiar thing to pretend that one didn't believe they were being followed, especially when one absolutely was without a single doubt. If it had been somewhat small like, say, a hare or a bird? Sure, Koya'Kiwavi could have absolutely been oblivious enough not to notice. However, it wasn't a hare or a bird. It wasn't even mortal for crying out loud!

The leapon focused his bright green eyes dead ahead of him as he picked his way through the vines and limbs that were slowly giving way to the rogue lands he could see peeking through the distant boughs. He had only wanted to find a bit of water at a spring he knew to be none too far within the bounds of the rainforest but he had brought back with him the most peculiar, frustrating visitor. Soon she would have nothing left to hide behind and no shadows left to play in - the sun was low but he knew there was enough light left that she couldn't possibly hope to ellude him yet on the open fields.

It wasn't quite his decision, though.

Apparently having come to the same conclusion as the slinky, green male, the goddess at once bounded past him with a grace belied by her great frame and out into the open rogue lands - to wait. It gave him pause as he stared at her, half obscured by the greenery that still separated him, unsure of her intentions. He considered simply turned around to leave and then, at last, released a great, annoyed sigh as he shouldered his way through the clinging vines and underbrush to level his bright eyes on hers.

"What in the name of all the gods are you doing?"

At first, she only laughed. Why was not.. entirely clear. At first he watched her blankly as her fiery wings shook and her ocean blue eyes crinkled at the corners but then, as it continued, his ears flattened and he gave way to the same unsure hesitance he had shown when he first realized the goddess was on his tail. What did one even do in this situation? Just as his hope and sanity were about to wear thin or perhaps out completely, she composed herself and turned a strange, impish smile on him.

"What a funny phrase!" she all but chirped, making his brows furrow at the sound, "And what a funny creature you are, too."

"Is that why you've been foll-wh-what are you doing?" He wasn't even sure she had been listening to him at all for, suddenly, she had crossed the space left between them and was poking one paw at the thin mane that surrounded his face. Annoyed, he pulled his head back and took two involuntary steps to the side and away from her, immediately put off by her size and the general invasion in his personal bubble. The look on his face said enough because she sighed, feigning a childish annoyance at him, "I've just never seen whatever you are before! At least, so far as I can remember."

It didn't help the memory of her calling him funny but it did make a bit more sense even if it seemed rather implausible.

"I.. guess leopons aren't that common but don't you guys live forever and stuff? How have you never seen one of us before?"

With only a little pause and the most peculiar, contemplative gaze in her eyes, she replied,

"I die a lot. It's not so great for my memory."

For a moment there was silence as he tried to judge the best way to respond to such an absolutely uncomprehensible idea but she rescued him before he ever found the words to respond. Whatever far away look had dawned over her had been banished to the back of her mind and instead the playful look was back with eyes bright with her curiosity.

"So you're called a leopon? Like a leopard and a lion? That explains why your mane is so small."

He opened his mouth to respond, then protest, but was only bowled over by her continuing string of half formed thoughts and questions she seemed to be perfectly willing to continue answering for herself even as she spoke them.

"Do you all look the same? Do you have the same tails or do some of you have tufts like a lion?"

At some point he lost track and simply let her circle him so she could study his fur and prod at his tail, feeling for all the world like he were simply on display for her enjoyment as she rained a million babbling words down on deaf ears. It was almost insulting too since she herself seemed to be sporting a fan of tail feathers in place of a real lion's tale and a crest as familiar as any paradise bird's rose clearly over her brows. Also, the wings. She had freaking wings! If she hadn't been so keen on convincing him what an accident of nature he was, he might have taken some wonder in her oddness and size. As it was, he only watched her warily, following her fiery figure with his seaweed gaze.

Then, at once, she stopped everything that she was doing and looked out to the horizon as if her interest had died on a timer. The far away look was back in her eyes, he could see it even from where he stood, and every inch of muscle in her body had gone completely still. She was a wind up toy that ran out of oomph, distracted and dismissive of the very existence she had not seconds before been so consumed by.

"Goodbye little leopon," she chimed, not even bothering to look back at him as she took flight and began to rise. Had her attention been called by something he couldn't see? He knew he'd never get that answer, all he could do was stand and watch her pelt fade into the streaks of orange and red running wild across the late afternoon sky. It left him to wonder, suddenly all by his lonesome, if all gods were as absolutely ridiculous as that or if she had just been particularly confusing.

He might never know and there was probably no use in being concerned with it.

With a shake, he moved on, content to wander until she no longer plagued his thoughts.

(1,076 words)