The greenery intrigued him, but was not the reason he'd stumbled across the lively bit of growth. Flowers were sprouting up out of nearly every available space and the smell was nearly overwhelming. Ali had heard of lions living among the jungle, but hadn't been convinced. Low and behold he was wrong.
Before the green lion was a lioness hunched forward, clearly leaning in towards someone and whispering away. The whispering sounded important and he almost didn't dare to interrupt. Perhaps this was a lone lioness, crazed by her isolation? Curiosity ended up besting him and he approached her, ensuring to keep a distance at first. "Hello?" He offered casually, trying to keep the concern from his tone. At first the lioness didn't make any motion that she even recognized his existence, but moments after (as though she suddenly recognized the sound of a voice) her ears twitched backwards. "Yes?" She queried.
The question wasn't rude, but caught Ali off guard. "Sounds like you're doing something exciting, may I know?" The lioness stood up a little taller, still fixated on whatever was in front of her. "But you already know? And it really isn't that terribly exciting." He was absolutely baffled by her response, how peculiar.
"Do you live here by yourself?"
"That's a silly question. You know that my family lives here, other pride members."
It appeared he wasn't going to get her attention by these means. She was so glued to the concept of the character in front of her that he was only a figment. So the green lion dared to approach her now, deciding it best to approach from a distance and the side. As he rounded her his eye widened in surprise. There was absolutely no one there. Nothing but a gathering of flowers in full bloom - had she been talking to those? Better yet, did she think there was an answer?
"Hi there.." He offered a salutations once more in hopes of gaining her attentions. This time it appeared he would be triumphant as her eyes lifted from the plants and met his.
"AHHHhhh.. oh." Her response startled Ali to the point of taking a step back and even raising the fur on the back of his neck. What was wrong with this female. "Hello." She replied, but by then he was paranoid and even considered leaving. "You look like my plants." She offered, the strange conversation didn't seem about to end any longer. "Pardon me?" He asked, unable to control himself.
"My plants."
A paw raised and indicated the plants she spoke of. Sure enough they had matching shades of his green pelt. "Well isn't that intriguing." The look on his face clearly showed how sarcastic he was being, but the sarcasm was lost on the lioness. "Aren't they!?" Her eyes were glued back to her plants and she was clearly in heaven, this was precisley what life was supposed to be. Seeing her plants in full bloom was the treat she had needed for the day - not that the day had been hard.
"Those markings on your back, you aren't a moth turned lion?" She wondered curiously.
At first Ali wasn't sure how to read the question and decided that perhaps he should simply roll with it. "Yes." Was all he answered, but the lioness couldn't have been more gleeful. "I KNEW IT." She cried out in sheer joy. "You see.. the others lions don't believe me." Her train of thought didn't seem to have an end though as she stare back at her flowers.
"Sorry, were you talking to me?"
"Huh?"
The question was pointless, the lioness appeared to be alarmed to have company and yet she had just spoken to him. If the pride was as batty as this lioness he'd have to leave and soon. Though he fancied collecting himself some of the flowers she was so carefully admiring (of course not those ones, he was sure she'd attack him if he even dared). "Yes, I mean." He smiled warmly, trying to pretend as though this was normal. "Who are you?" He offered the question lightly, trying to ease into the 'actual' conversation.
"Kukesha. Yourself?"
She queried lightly, eyes turned attentively towards him. "Ali`dido." He offered in exchange. "Do your plants have names?" Such a question, given the earlier circumstances, seemed harmless and yet she furrowed her brow at him. "No...." She retorted. Though she had considered naming them in her youth, but had been ridiculed - naming them was something she always considered, but it'd never be said out loud.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Can you tell me where I am?"
He had carefully considered this question. The answer came quickly and he was satisfied with the response. "You're at the borders of the Kizingo`zaa." She had replied in a relatively normal manner, he was actually noticably surprise which made the lioness peer at him curiously. "So there is a neighboring ride, no?" He asked, trying to keep the lioness on track.
"Yes, the Bahari`mtoto."
"Oh thank goodness! I've nearly made it to the ocean."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you!" He said and then began to turn away - happy to be ending the conversation, whether he ended it on such an informal note or not when her voice washed over him.
"Don't you want a guide?"
He stopped in his tracks - a guide would be fantastic, but her? He remained silent for a moment, which the lioness didn't seem to mind and he smiled to himself slightly. "That would be great." He said, finally turning to look back at her and offering her an earnest look of appreciation. "Lead the way?" He offered lightly, trying to ease his mind that it would be alright - just a strange lioness, in a strange jungle taking him to an ocean. Everything would be okay, he wouldn't end up dead.
"Of course! Let's go." She seemed all sunshine and daisies now, he wasn't sure that made him feel any better though.