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The white and dark spotted juvenile wasn't all that fond of the harsh, hot sun himself, but he preferred to travel and explore during the day. Visibility was just so much better. He could see things coming, and with his white fur, other animals would see him in the dark before he saw them. It was all a matter of common sense. It was all right for his mother, with dark fur to match her spots. She was just another shadow in the night. He, however, stuck out like a sore claw.

He was beginning to regret leaving the shade of his den, however. It really was hot today, and the sun wasn't even quite at its zenith yet. It would likely get hotter. He shook out his lime green mane of fur, eyes of the same colour darting around somewhat curiously. He was only recently out of the stage where he could still be called a cub, and he'd only been exploring for a few days. His mother was still somewhat reluctant to let him go, but he'd promised to be careful, and she'd eventually agreed. So here he was. But it wasn't all that interesting, to be honest. He'd yet to find anyone out here, despite travelling quite far from -

Wait. There was someone over there! He squinted, coming to a stop on his lanky legs. A female, it looked like. Her dark fur had almost blended into the shadows. Only the white band on her foreleg had caught his eye. Otherwise, he might not even have noticed her.

Fixing a friendly smile on his face, he took a leaf out of his mother's book and headed over, intent on saying hello and attempting to refine his social graces. He heads forward at a quick, ground-covering walk, and, as his mother did, he stopped a little way away, so as not to over crowd her. She was smaller than he, and younger, it seemed. There's something delicate in how he holds himself as he stands there, something almost dainty, with his front paws almost crossed, resting one in front of the other, his tail curling neatly around one of his back legs. Reminds one of how a female might stand, if it wasn't so obvious he was male.

"Hello, there," he called, as he came to a stop, that smile growing slightly larger. After a split second pause, he adds, "I'm Akia."

"Uhayawani." He let the name play over his tongue for a moment, his mind considering all the possible ways he could shorten it. He was one to do that. He didn't like using full names. He preferred being called Aki to Akia, himself, but from watching his mother's interactions, he'd learned that her way of manners was to give her full name first, inviting others to call her Kiya after some conversation. So for now, Akia would do, as would Uhayawani. When he got to know her better, if he did, he'd assign her a nickname that suited her. "I like it," he announced, as if he thought she'd care.

He did pick up on her tone and manner, however, and quirked an eyebrow. "Something the matter?" he asks quietly, curiosity mixed with the soft-heartedness he'd inherited from his mother making him venture the question. As it was in his mother's nature to help others, it was in his. Whether it was from watching her kindness from interacting with others that made him like it, or truly biology determining pathology, Aki was very much like his mother in many ways. If she needed help, he'd offer it if he could.

"Well, if you don't like your name, that's your problem. I do." Of course, if he knew what it meant, he probably wouldn't be too keen on it, either. "At least it sounds more interesting than mine." He lowered his thin, lanky body into a seated position, tilting his head as he watched her. He never really got why people had to act like this, unpleasant at first meeting, but he'd never been in anything other than a friendly environment for his whole life. In that respect, he was blessedly naive.

"You could've fooled me," he says in a slightly sardonic tone. "You looked either bored to tears or miserable as hell. Which was it?" He lets his eyes scan the area once - something his mother did while she was watching him - before settling their vibrant colour back on his unfriendly companion. He waits patiently for her to answer his question. He'll get it eventually. He has the patience of a saint.

The way he moved was wrong; he knew it, but couldn't care less. He watched how his brothers moved, watched how he moved in the way that was most natural and comfortable, and he saw how different he appeared to them, which got more apparent the older he got. But he expected people to accept this about him, flaw or quirk, as he accepted others without criticism or comment.

"You could change it, I suppose." His tone of voice remains quite cheerful, however, almost soft; quite a contrast to hers. "You could refuse to answer to Uhayawani and only answer to a name of your choosing."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "Why do I have to want something to talk?" he asks, countering her question with one of his own. "Although, if you remember, I wanted to help you before, if I could. But since you won't accept, I can't force you, so there's nothing I want from you any more. Just to talk."

While others may have just had quite enough of her attitude by now and left, Akia would not. His patience was seemingly limitless - or rather, he'd never found anything that tested it to its very limits, not even Uhayawani's less-than-friendly words - and even if it didn't stretch so far, he could be as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be. So, instead of sniping back at her for calling him a fool, as most others probably would, and then walking away, he laughs, as cheerfully amused as if she'd said some grand joke.

"I meant no disrespect, Uhayawani. It was just a friendly suggestion." He idly examined the claws of one of his small forepaws for a moment, trying to decide on how to proceed. He would get her out of this foul mood, if the attempt killed him. Stubborn.

But when she spoke of her father, something clicked, a few ideas coming to mind. Yes... it might, perhaps, explain a few things. "You don't get on with your father? Is that why you're lying under a tree, alone and without sign of anyone else nearby? Have an argument with him and run off, perhaps?" He's dropped the overly-polite attitude, as it didn't seem to make any impact on her, but his voice and the way he speaks still makes what he says somehow... inoffensive and unobtrusive, despite his questions being straight to the point.

No, Akia wasn't acting; he wasn't the type to act different than he was unless strictly necessary, and in this instant it wasn't. He was used to the heat of this area, living nearby, so it didn't particularly affect him. Besides, pale colours reflected heart, dark absorbed it. It was no wonder she felt the sun beating down on her more than he did.

Picking up on the slight softening of her sour expression, of course, his smile widens just a fraction, hardly noticeable. Is the ice, perhaps, melting just a little? He flicks his tail out, then curls it loosely around his forepaws as he considers this. "And... it didn't occur to you that something like that could happen? That you'd be stuck out here under midday heat?" His lime eyes dart around, taking in their very lifeless surroundings. "Where are your parents, anyway? Did you wander far? Going a long distance by dark is as stupid as travelling under the sun at its zenith, for different reasons." Again, he displays his good-natured concern. Already thoughts of escorting her, or better yet, getting his mother to, are spinning around his mind. She'd love him if she wasn't so miserable.

Hardly put off by this, Akia laughed. Only, it wasn't at her, but at himself. Obviously, pointing out her mistakes was taboo with this little lady, something that got all the walls back up and frosted her over once again. He supposed he should have seen that coming, had he been paying attention to how she'd react to his probing instead of just probing to find out what was really the matter with her. Seems he still lacked his mother's finesse when it came to this.

He let himself lay down, rolling onto his side so his head was pillowed on the ground and he could at least see her profile. "No, I never meant to imply you were stupid. I'm sorry for that." The apology comes easily, as they always did from him. He'd never had trouble saying sorry when he knew he was in the room, or even when he didn't think he was and someone else did. He would still apologise because someone wanted him to. "I guess I didn't think about it. What may seem obvious to me might not to you. But, uh... I do know where there's some decent shade, if the heat is bothering you. And perhaps something to eat." Peace offering, further apology. Damn, is he ever unkind?