Likara

If her fur wasn't so dense, Likara would consider the winter air in the Valley bitter. But she's a bonafide mountain dweller, and subzero temperatures are part of Likara's blood. While today, many inhabitants of the Valley seek shelter and curl themselves into tight heaps of warmth, Likara seeks to wander the bare forests. There's a wind that whips across the ground, covering Likara's paw prints nearly as soon as she's planted them. The sky is sullen and silvery, a dusting of snowflakes cascading from their skyward perches. Likara's breath excitedly billows in the chilly air as the she-cat bounds across the snow, coming to a halt on a small hill overlooking Pike's Lake.

Gray-blue eyes study the large slab of ice that is the magnificent lake. She'd seen it earlier in the season, unfrozen and rippling with tumultuous waves. Now, it's a flat, quiet surface. Likara's tail lashes a bit as she thoughtfully studies the area, a bit morose when not a soul stirs around the lake. It's lonely, but she also doesn't see a creature she could prey on. Her belly gives a soft rumble of protest at the thought.

Starbane

The wild zephyrs may have covered Likara's physical tracks, but they betrayed her in another way. Starbane had been in just the right place, at just the right time to catch her scent on the billowing winds. The liger's nares twitched and his long tail swept once over the ground behind him, the end of which curled up into a dainty arc.

'She's definitely not a Haunter, and not Makucha... I don't think. Right?' At a year and a half old, the snowy white and slate-blue brute was not at his full, six-hundred and twenty-five pound adult weight, but he was still a large beast and able enough to be out exploring on his own at this point. With his mind quickly made up, Starbane pressed forward, following after Likara as best as the wind could guide him, until at last he spotted the leopard near the edge of the frozen lake.

Despite a healthy size difference between the two, the hefty liger had an ingrained sense of fear and respect for she-cats, thanks in large part to Senka, Velvet, and Zanarah. And so he gave a friendly chuff to this stranger, his voice deep but pleasant as he called for her attention.

Likara

The harsh whisper of the wind in her ears hides most of Starbane's trekking footsteps. Likara, admittedly, has relinquished most of her defensives, an error in her part. But her ears twitch when Starbane huffs a greeting in her direction. A jolt of dismay ripples through the she-cat's blood as she wheels around. Instinctively, claws sink into the snow and there's a rise of fur along her back.

Blue eyes narrow suspiciously in Starbane's direction, the she-cat giving a little growl of distaste. Why was he sneaking around like that? But also...why had he given up his position so readily. There's a moment where Likara draws in a sharp breath, steadying her nerves. Her claws still remain out, but she relaxes. "You shouldn't sneak up on a loner," Likara warns tartly. "You're lucky I have my wits about me, or I might've just clawed your fur off without a second thought."

Granted, that maneuver wouldn't be in strong interest for the she-cat. Starbane was much larger than she, even at his age. And while Likara would like to fancy herself agile and quick, she would be no match for the massive liger in a fight.

Starbane

There was an awkward moment where Starbane's ears flattened back and he flinched subtly at the sight of Likara bristling and growling in response to his chuff. His eyes squinted as if expecting a strike, and for that brief instant, the hybrid looked more like a cub caught in the wake of a parent's wrath rather than the noble and powerful beast that he was. Confidence, it seemed, would take some time to build for liger.

Starbane regained his composure quickly enough, giving a shake of his head as if it was perhaps just the sharp wind that had caused him to recoil in the first place. He lifted his dial, causing a shift in the slate-gray, quasi-mane that was starting to grow in around his nape and shoulders. "And you-" He began, "..should.. -you should be more aware of your surroundings." Wit and a quick tongue was also something he was struggling to master. "So you're a loner, huh? Not part of any pack, or clan, or anything...?"

Likara

There's a fleeting moment where Likara is slightly flustered by Starbane's criticism, the she-cat giving a huffing hiss in his direction. Her shoulders drop though, relenting to the tongue-tied liger. Blue eyes sweep over him, traveling to the territory behind him, half expecting someone else to emerge from the forestry. But a twinge in her nose tells Likara that he's the only other cat in the vicinity. She's not in peril, though she still remains a touch annoyed.

"My mother was a solitary creature. And her mother before her. Solace just...runs in my blood, I believe," Likara remarks coolly, sweeping a gaze out across the snow. There's a lilt of sorrow that catches her tone, which Likara tries to play off by lashing her tail and puffing her chest out. She didn't want pity for it -- and if she pretend she was content with the circumstances, perhaps Starbane would press the matter further. Head tilting in the liger's direction, Likara studies him for a moment more. "So, you must be from a big family if a loner is...intriguing news." Despite herself, there's a gentle tease in her tone. Blue eyes have since softened, as if consumed and tamed by the unexpected company in Starbane.

Starbane

He watches the muscles relax along the she-cat's back, bringing her shoulders to an easier pose. The lashing tail, however, tells Starbane that she is far from fully relaxed, and reminds him that he ought to stay put where he is. But where he's leery to venture forward on his paws, the young hybrid isn't so shy or cautious with his tongue, "That makes sense, I guess. We learned that leopards like you usually stow away in the mountains by your lonesome. It's probably quieter that way, but I don't think I could handle not having anyone to talk to for so long." A frown catches on his expression, bringing a shift to the bold striping that decorated his otherwise pale face.

He studies her in turn for a moment, until her latter question sparks a proud smile, "I'm a Shadow Haunter." Now it was his turn to puff his chest out, not at all abashed to declare his allegiance, "I'm surprised you don't know our scent, although I guess we really don't go up that high in the mountains."

Likara

A gust of frigid wind beats against the two felines, sweeping fragments of loose snow around their paws. Likara blinks rapidly, but hardly takes a moment to flinch at the blistering cold that tries to sink into her thick pelt. She studies the proud hybrid, a little twist of a smile tugging at her lips as she observes his ripple of pack pride. "It isn't all bad," Likara ruefully chuckles, "At least I don't have to worry about family feuds and bickering." Her pale blue eyes rivet to Starbane with a pass of amusement. The last time Likara had to fight with another cat was when she was a kit. Solitude had its perks.

"I know the difference between a pack member and a loner, that's the only differentiation I've had to have," Likara explains, holding back her matter-of-fact tone. Scents had two modes for Likara: avoid and really avoid. A loner knew most battles were losing battles, and Likara was no fool in that realm. Even though she had briefly considered squaring up against Starbane, but that had been pride driven. The she-cat twitches her tail quietly, smirking as Starbane mentions the mountains. "Have you ever been? It may be a bit too cold and windy for you to journey there now. But in the spring and summer, it's tolerable. You can see the entire valley from some of the peaks."

Starbane

A curled, brown leaf skitters past, dancing along enticingly in the brisk zephyr that buffets the pair of cats. A sharp, decisive flick of Starbane's tail betrays his keen interest in the leaf, but he holds back his desire to pounce on the crunchy little treasure. This was his first real diplomatic discussion with someone outside of his family, and he had to behave himself.

'She's easing up. I'm doing a good job.' The hybrid commends himself, noting her brief, quiet mirth. He continued to hold himself regally, though as his own expression shifted again to give more of a thoughtful smile, one thing marred his royal presentation. A slight underbite that left his teeth misaligned. It wasn't a jarring deformity, but it was obvious once noticed. "That's true enough, I guess squabbles are one downside to pack life." The big cat folded his hindlegs and sat back on his haunches, "But the benefits outweigh that, especially if you are a Shadow Haunter. You really don't have to worry about going hungry, and we're safe from the humans in our territory. No one dares mess with us, other than the Makucha."

To the question of the mountain, Starbane turns his head over his shoulder, looking back at the range of mountains stretching across the western boarder of the Valley. A curious light enters his pale yellow sights, "To be honest, no. And that's funny, because we live on the slopes of those mountains, but I've never climbed to the peaks before."

Likara

Eyes follow the wandering leaf with Starbane, the tip of Likara's tail flicking as she flashes a second look at the curious liger. She was a bit older than he, and hardened by the lifestyle of a loner. She could see the enthusiasm and naiveness that poured from his personality. While Likara was a bit pressed by it, she mutely admired it at the same time. He was friendly -- one didn't stumble across those sort of creatures every day in this Valley.

"Makucha?" Likara echoes with a curious blink. Her head tilts with thought as she rakes the recesses of her cortex for that name. It sounded distantly familiar, as if whispered by the wind at some point in her journey through the wild lands. But it doesn't spark a specific memory or judgment, yet it profoundly elicited an emotion from the Shadow Haunter brute. Sky-colored orbs follow Starbane's eyes then over to the craggy peaks of the mountains, the she-cat drawing in a long inhale of frigid winter air. His home sat at the base of these magnificent rock formations, yet he'd never clamored to the peaks. Likara lashes her tail with a little purr that rumbles her chest. "Maybe, if you ask nicely, I'll be your guide to the peaks. It truly is a view to die for. A shame you haven't gone yet, but we can change that."

Starbane

The utterance of the enemy group's name brought a scowl to Starbane's face and a hefty snort that underscored his disdain for clan. "Yeah, a rotten lot of cats that use to be Haunters, before my time. Nabbed me when I was a cub, but my Family came to the rescue." His intact pride took no hit from admitting he'd needed help from his pack, such was the strength of their familial bond, and loathing towards those deemed their enemy. "They mostly dwell out at the edge of the prairie, and usually are smart enough not to step paw around the mountains here."

A deep purr began to rattle in his chest in subconscious response to Likara's, then became more pronounced when she teased at a visit to the mountain peaks. He slapped a paw against the snowy ground in anticipation and rose up off his haunches, "That's an offer I'd be a fool to ignore." A grin encompassed his features, while his eyes glittered with excitement, "And it'd give me some serious bragging rights with the others, ha!" Starbane turned again, gazing up at the mountain peaks, though this time in a new light, "If I ask really nicely, what's the chance of a trip today? I can make it worth your while."

Likara

The complexity of a pack gives Likara's mind a bit of an ache. Perhaps being a wandering soul was a blessing in disguise, as Likara has never been burdened by alliances, war and conflicts. Blue orbs study the liger, knowing that his previous kithood trials hardly inflicted onto his current state. He's still proud and defiant, not to mention patriotic. Likara chuckles softly, eyes still sweeping across the snowy terra with a spark of suspicion. They are, in fact, alone.

Likara's face twitches with amusement as Starbane proposes the trip. She can't help but feel the excitement bubble over into her own blood, tail lashing with an ounce of glee. She follows Starbane's eyes up to the windy mountain peaks. "On one condition," she wards, eyes gleaming. Launching off her her haunches, the she-cat bounds through the snow and glances over her shoulder. "We race!"

Starbane

If living in such a large and diverse group gave him any advantage, it was learning to read others and catch the subtler of cues. A bit of a smirk was given, chin elevated ever so slightly, "You don't have to worry, I'm not with anyone. Graduated training a few months ago, actually - no need for cubsitters, or paired patrols." He technically wasn't on an official patrol today, so much as a self-designated outing, but it mattered not. He was trusted on his own, and didn't realize how likely unimpressive that might be to someone like Likara, who lived the solo life everyday.

His gaze was now upon the peaks, sizing up the snowy crags and severely underestimating just how daunting a task it could be to reach those lofty heights. A rounded ear shifted back to hear Likara's comment, and by the time his brain caught up with it and had him swinging his whole head around to address her, she was already lunging forward. Starbane squinted at the snow that was dashed his in his face by her passing, then spun and pounced after her, "Oh, you're on!"