Chephirah wrinkled her nose like a cat that had just smelled something awful. She flicked her tail, quick and jerky and agitated unlike the relaxed swishes of Tiaret's tail. Oh, well, this was a change. Before, she could practically smell his fear, and now...now he had it in him to act haughty?
"I hate swimming," she growled, which came out more petulant than she intended. But she was distracted, too busy eying how closely he was sitting to her daughter, their sides touching, and too thrown off by how...fearless he suddenly was. She didn't like it one bit. She liked it far better when he was nervous, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle this new, confident, far too reasonable human. He was far too comfortable far too fast and what was worse, her daughter had thrown caution to the wind, as well!
"Where are your clothes?" she snapped, not about to be swayed.
Tiaret frowned at her, her tail going limp. "He swam, mother," she said tiredly, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Annoyance! It was so rare when Tiaret gave her attitude. "His clothes are..." She sniffed the air. "Right there. We're just talking. Or we were, until you started roaring."
Chephirah took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. She closed her eyes. Was she being unreasonable? This was a human. Someone lacking claws and teeth. If Tiaret shifted, she would be bigger than him, stronger than him. And it was true, he had shown no sign of threat. But she still couldn't help her unease--and she was well aware that it was no doubt just her issue, her past, coloring the present. The last time a strange male had come through...
But that was a lion. Was she just being unfair and overbearing?
The human would be gone soon, anyway.
"Perhaps water would be a good idea," she conceded at last, and knelt by the water's edge to drink from her cupped hands. Maybe the heat had gone to her head. "What were you discussing?"