He'd race across the plains, exhilaration gleaming in his eyes and beating in his heart as he did so. It had been quite sometime since he had been able to run like this, especially when he wasn't hunting. His slender legs pumped beneath him, rocketing him across the ground in a blur. The grasses parted before him, the felines tail whipping one way, and then another as he veered in different directions. His mouth hung open to catch his breath as he raced along, blood pounding in his ears. He wished he could play tag to this extremity with someone, but he didn't think there was another creature that could match him in speed besides his siblings. Moments later, he stopped at a small creek running through the terrain. Many scents crossed here and there, the male sure that there lived several canines around here. That was fine, he was not here to disturb them. When he finished taking a drink, Aqil took to gazing at the sky. It was morning, the sun not quite up all the way, but it was still a pretty nice morning nonetheless. He wondered what his siblings were up to, and if they missed him the way he missed them. Family was important to him, and he wanted that back. "Speak"

ooc: sorry again for the wait! Falk padded along carefully with practiced steps through the territory that he now knew like the back of his paw. It was really the only way he could get around like he did. He really wasn't entirely sure that if he left the plains he'd be able to get around, at least not without the help of one of his children. Adjusting to life in darkness had been hard, but at least he had plenty of family to help him along and support him. Today he was out looking around the area for any herbs he might be able to bring back to Zuriel. It wasn't quite spring, but spring was certainly close and there was beginning to be places where the snow and ice was thawing and a few of the plants were starting to bloom again. He also took the chance to spend a little time with his youngest daughter and perhaps teach her a bit as well. A smile was on his muzzle as they moved along, listening to Báine's happy humming and her little paws pattering along side his. A strange scent caught his attention and he slowed a bit, his head lifting and his nose tasting the air carefully. It wasn't like any scent he had ever smelled before. "Báine, do you see anyone?" he asked softly, leaning his head down toward her a bit. Speech Thought Others

Báine hopped along happily beside her father, occasionally weaving in and out among his legs, making a game out of missing his paws as they trekked across the area around their home. She kept her eyes peeled for any of the green leafy plants like the ones he and Zur had shown her back at the den, but so far all she had really seen was brown woody sticks and snow. Every time she did find a leaf her Daddy had told her it was just a tree leaf and to keep looking. She didn't give up though! She wanted to find something to take back for Zur and Daddy! She wanted to find the stuff to help Momma and Reg get better! But then Daddy asked if she saw any one and she looked around again, but this time looking for another wolf. However it wasn't a wolf she saw, not at all. What she did see though was a very lanky and spotted version of that feline she had met before. This one didn't have a pink nose like hers though, his nose and all of his spots looked a little... blue. Like Zur's necklace! "Yeah! It's a... a..." she paused as she tried to remember the word and then gave a little hop when it came to her. "Feline! Yeah, that's it. Feline. He's not all big and fluffy around his neck like Mr. Hyder was though." Her head tipped to the side curiously for a moment and then all of the sudden she grinned wide and said, "I'm gonna go ask why!" And with that she was off, bounding toward the spotted cat that stood on the side of the stream at least a dozen feet from where her father was standing. "Dia duit!" she called cheerfully as she skidded to a halt in front of him. She had learned irish at the same time she had learned the english so it came so easily that she didn't often realize she had changed languages. Completely oblivious to the fact that her father was running after her as best he could, she plopped down on her haunches and peered up curiously at the stranger. "Are you a lion? You don't look like the lion I met." "Talk" "You" Think

The gentle male, though enjoying his morning, had been wishing for company. And no sooner did he get that as he leaned down to take another drink when he scented something, then before he knew it his ears would catch what sounded like a greeting. "Dia Duit!" Though he wasn't entirely familiar with the language, he knew it to be Irish. The male knew very little of the language, but he knew a bit enough to pick out certain words. This sounded like a greeting, and in turn he'd respond. "Asubuhi njema, vijana moja." The girl skidded to a halt nearly at his paws, and he couldn't help but laugh a melody. Gah! Why were children so adorable??? This one surely was, and she was quite a specimen as well. He had never seen an albino child before, but it made her look all the more innocent. Ears perked as she shot a question towards him, something the male often did to others so satiate his curiosity. And it seemed she was a curious on too. Though when she asked if he was a lion, a brow would raise. So there were lions in these parts as well? He'd have to be careful then...though it surprised him that whomever she had met had not eaten her. For his kind never had a good standing with lions. With a shake of his head, he'd respond. "I'm afraid not. My kind doesn't get along very well with lions, I'm afraid. I am a cheetah, though we do live in the same lands that lions do." He glanced up then to see the girl being chased by whom he was sure could be the father. With a polite dip of his head, he greeted the male as well. "Greetings, peace be with you sir. A curious child you have, it seems." "Speak"

One second his daughter was at his paws and the next she was gone with a wish to ask this 'feline' what he was. His panic was immediate as he called after her and ran blindly after her. "Báine, wait! Don't run off!" He followed her scent as quickly as he could, tripping over rocks and thicker tufts of grass along the way. He overheard another voice speaking to Báine as he got closer and he slowed to a stop behind her, his panic subsiding when he noticed the friendly tone of the strangers voice. Falk gave a slightly breathless chuckle when the male greeted him and commented on Báine's curiosity. "Oh she is indeed curious, among other things." He sighed and leaned his head down, finding Báine's shoulder and nudging it with his nose. "Báine, what have I said about running off like that? You know I can't see where you go." He sighed and lifted his head to turn his attention back toward the stranger. "I'm so sorry for my daughter bothering you. I'm Falk and this is Báine." Speech Thought Others

Báine looked up at the big white feline with awe when he spoke some words she had never heard before. She didn't know there was even more languages besides English and Irish! He went on to explain that he was something called a cheetah, not a lion. Báine nodded excitedly with understanding and was about to launch into another whole string of questions when her Daddy ran up behind her. She looked up at him guiltily when he chastised her. "Sorry, Daddy," she said sweetly, rubbing her cheek against his foreleg. When Falk introduced them both she immediately perked up again, her little tail whipping back and forth as she looked up at the cheetah again. "Báine Rose Adravendi," she added proudly, her little chest puffing up. She liked her name an awful lot. Once the stranger had time to introduce himself, she launched into some more questions. She tried to ask the most very important ones first since she was sure Daddy would make her stop before she got to ask them all. "What did those words you said mean? What language is that? "Talk" "You" Think

He watched as the young girls father trailed after her, Aqil's ears falling back and forth as he watched the male trip. It reminded him of a young cheetah he had met before, the poor child blinded when he had been attacked by wild dogs. At that time, Aqil had been nearby and chased the dogs off, and he was left to care for the child and help it heal. He then grew attached, teaching the child how to survive with its blindness. He had taught it how to walk, how to hunt successfully by using its other senses. Touch, smell, learning how to sense the changes in the air as well as the terrain. It was a difficult task, for Aqil had to learn those things as well in order to teach the child, and in the end the little blind one grew to live without sight, healthy and happy. "It is no bother at all, Sir." He responded gently, understanding welling within him. "My name is Aqil, it is very nice to meet the two of you." He would not be left with much time to speak as the girl suddenly shot questions towards him, causing Aqil's maw to stretch into a gentle smile. It occurred to him that there might not be anyone on this continent that spoke what he did, asides from his family. So with great pleasure, he'd answer the curiosity presented to him. "That, little one, was Swahili. Translated into English, it means 'Good morning little one.'" He brought himself into a crouch, level with Baine as he eyed her curiously. Green gaze meeting her rosy one. "I must say, you are a pretty little rose." He purred, tail swaying behind him. "Speak"