It wasn't a great feeling to lose and Hisse was feeling pretty crumby. She didn't even want to face her mate but something made her make her way to him after the matches were over. Maybe it was the need for some comforting or maybe it was the need to hear that everything was going to be okay or maybe she didn't know and there was a hollow feeling that was following after her.

Hisse pushed these gnawing thoughts to the back of her mind. There was no need to linger on that feeling though it felt like that feeling wasn't about to let her go any time soon. Maybe she could be completely dishonest about her feelings and never talk about them. No no... That didn't seem right either.

Her face outed her with how she was feeling. She had a puzzled look resting on her features and it was something that Tadmor was well acquainted with having traveled with Hisse.

"Long face." He lifted a brow at her.

Hisse hadn't even noticed when she'd arrived in to Tadmor's presence. She would have walked right in to him had he not spoken up. She stood there with a surprised look before settling back in to her disappointed look she was carrying earlier.

"That obvious huh." She didn't sound pleased to be read so easily by Tadmor.

"Yeah." He tilted his head at her looking quite concerned. "I take it you're not feeling great after two defeats. You shouldn't be so down on your self though. You did great and I am proud of you," He gave her a warm smile. "Cheer up."

Cheering up was exactly what Hisse wanted to do but it wasn't so easy as to just cheer up. She was trying her hardest not to feel down and cheering up sounded so far away. It made her feel worse for feeling bad in the first place and made her want to walk away from Tadmor. Her face betrayed her yet again allowing Tadmor to read her.

"S-sorry... I didn't mean to upset you," While he could see that she was upset the question as to why she was upset didn't feel clear to Tadmor.

"Cheering up.." She sighed, "I would if it was that easy as you say. Cheer up. Cheer up. Cheer up...." Her tone fell flat, "How does one cheer up. I mean I am not trying to feel bad in the first place. No one WANTS to feel bad Tadmor." She couldn't help but have a bit of a tone.

Tadmor's ears flattened to his head.

"I didn't mean it like that," He lowered his head a little shameful in having made Hisse feel so bad, "I meant... I m here... I love you and I think you did fine. It wasn't the kind of festival that you should feel the need to win..." He frowned deeper. "I really think you tried your hardest...."

Hisse's ears were now flattened to the back of her head.

"Ugh..." She shook her head, "I didn't mean to.. I mean... I m sorry Tadmor. I m not trying to bite your head off. I feel stupid for feeling bad in the first place is the problem.." The lioness took a seat beside Tadmor and buried her face in his mane feeling quite stupid. It was warm with in Tadmor's mane and Hisse didn't want to pull her face out quite yet. Maybe she could live here. Maybe no one would bother her if she was to for ever bury her face with in Tadmors mane.

"Your warm." Tadmor smiled and wrapped a paw around his mates shoulders. "I'm sorry you're feeling this way. I ... You're allowed to feel that way. But I want you to know I am beside you and I always will be. I don't want you to feel this way but its okay if you feel this way..." He wasn't sure exactly what he was saying but he wanted to support his mate.

Hisse pulled her face out of his mane and looked up at Tadmor sheepishly.

"I think.." She lowered her head now looking at her paws, "I think I am the dumbest lioness in the world right now." She smiled.

"What?" Tadmor frowned.

"I have the most wonderful mate and here I am sulking... About losing a fight. Feeling like the training I did as a guard counted for nothing but we didn't move here to be guards or the best fighters. We decided to settle because we were looking to start our lives new and that doesn't mean being warriors." She started to laugh. Tadmor joined in nervously.

"What are you saying?" He smiled.

"I want to start a family here with you. I don't want to worry about if I am the best or the worst... And I lost sight of what it was that I wanted for a moment. The competitive side of me got the worst of me and .. .and .." She shook her head, "I guess I am stupid for that huh?"

"Never," Tadmor hugged her closer reburying her face in to his mane, "I think it makes you super smart. Don't ever say you're stupid again or I'll never let you leave that mane." He smiled and loosened his grip on her.

Hisse managed to pull her head out from Tadmors mane and take several deep breaths. He had hugged her a little too close.

"Hey be careful Tadmor~!" The lioness was a little gitty when she sculled Tadmor. "You could have killed me."

"We wouldn't want that now would we." He rubbed his forehead to hers. "I love you. I really do mean that and I will always be here for you."

"Better." Hisse giggled.

"Sassy," Tadmor smiled even bigger. "Maybe thats why I can't ever let you go is that sass. My favorite part about you."

"My favorite part about you is that you put up with me." Hisse nuzzled closer to Tadmor. "Which is great cause I can be a bit of a brat."

"I hardly notice," Tadmor continued to nuzzle.

WC: 1017