The Cure for Boredom?

As tensed as he was at that moment, it was no surprise that he jumped when Solasta turned. Still, he tried not to act too irrationally, it doing no good to run unless she was actually going to chase. He was not naturally a flee-er...but well, certain situations....

Ndale's eyes grew wide at the one, promising word. A promise, of which, he was not particularly keen on. The purple girl started forward with a shocking cry, and the cheetah gave in to the natural instinct.

"Shit!" He cursed and twisted sharply. With a motion that looked like a stumble, he fetched forward, arms stretching out before him. The morph was fluid and there was a sharp tearing of pants as they were forced to accommodate the change in shape of the legs they could no longer contain. The part of the teen that would be sore over this later was a little too preoccupied with the flight response. It's hindrance in his start as his paws dug into the ground left Solasta a little too close for comfort, and he was not particularly eager to find out what kind of tag should he receive should he loose this game.

Really, he needed a safer pastime.

Ndale's panic was as good an incentive as any. It her the vote of confidence anyway, appearing on her face in the form of a smug little smirk. Who was it that had claimed cats were swift, graceful creatures? She was ready to prove them wrong.

Unfortunately for the junkai, her species were not renowned for their grace or swiftness either - and she had none to display. Valuing strength over speed, her manner of pursuit was more akin to a rampaging buffalo than a predatory feline. Feet trampled over clumps of weeds, her red gaze was intense and focused.

So focused, in fact, that she forgot to pay attention to all else. Thanks to a slight, unexpected dip in the ground, she found herself stumbling mid-run, arms desperately flailing to regain balance. But it could not be regained. As a last ditch effort, she bent both knees, before pushing down hard in an attempt to propel herself forward, a desperate hand reaching out to try and grapple onto the cheetah's tail.

If she managed to latch on, then all was well and good. If she didn't...
Let's just say that either way, she was bound to get a faceful of dirt.

Ndale had spent time in the wild. He knew the way of these things, and the angry charge of a larger beast was not something to underestimated. And while he was too preoccupied and barely noticed his chaser trip, concerned as he was in just getting the hell out of there, he had hoped that she would fall and give him his opportunity. He had not, however, accounted for her reach and his timed burst of speed.

The one thing that he was thankful for, in the least, was that he was in the glide part of his stride when the hand clamped around the very tip of his tail rather than the propelling part. He could only imagine the pain had he been digging his paws in the ground to shoot forward if just this hurt. The cheetah let out a loud yowl as it was when the pull reached the base of his tail, and almost immediately he dropped to his side to halt his forward motion to just stop the pull. His shoulder dug into the ground and he nearly rolled over, paws kicking in the air. He didn't imagine any of it very graceful on either of their parts.

The taller they are, the harder they fall. Solasta was no exception to that rule.

The air was forced out of her lungs as she landed. He free hand, that'd been outstretched to reduce the force of the impact, ended up uselessly splayed to her side. She could feel the earth dragging across her face like sandpaper before finally coming to a halt. Then all was still.

She coughed; an attempt to force out some of the dirt she'd accidentally swallowed. She could still feel the horrible, grainy texture on her tongue. Her bones aching, she pushed herself up onto her knees, blood dripping from her nostrils. She glanced up - and was surprised to find Ndale's fallen body right in front of her. The very tip of his tail was still barely in her grip.

Whilst she'd been inclined to blame him for her fall in the first place, she was far too pleased at her success to care.
"Heh... heh heh... Heh heh heh heh..."
Her laugh sounded rougher than usual as a manic grin possessed her face. With her other hand, she gripped another position on his tail. And with both hands, she started to pull, intending to reel in the cheetah like it were a huge catch. Her cackling did not cease.

Ow, ow, ow.

Ndale tried not to move, really it was the best option at this moment it seemed. Hs shoulder hurt from where he had hit the ground, his tail hurt from its abuse, and his spine hurt from the shock wave of the previous. He was sorely reminded, however, that he really didn't have the luxury to lay here when the movement and laughter behind him brought light to his situation. His eyes snapped open, lifting his head to glance behind him at the maniac expression of the other, which actually may have made him more uncomfortable than the pulling on his tail and the scrap of the ground.

He did what came natural in such a situation and lifted his lips to bare his teeth in a snarl. Of one thing the cheetah was sure, he was not going down without a fight. Twisting onto his back, he was determined to become quite the unmanageable ball of teeth and claws, a skill of all threatened cats.

Already his hind legs were lashing out, though knowing his own strength and guessing at hers, he didn't think he could muscle against Solasta.

As the cat writhed on the ground, she paid little heed to it - that is, until a hind claw managed to snag her hand. With a slight, unintentional shriek, she pulled back her hand, examining the back of her knuckles. Four red lines. However, it wasn't deep enough to cause any concern, and quickly, she returned her attention to the flailing furball.

Her other hand still clung on, determined not to let him escape. Of course, pulling on a struggling cat's tail was a bit different than simply tugging on one that was lying still. Both were as stupid as the other, but the former carried its obvious risks. She settled for not pulling him in, but simply attempting to keep his tail pinned and pressed against the ground.

"C'maan, don' be scared." She inclined her head with a smirk - the gesture could've easily been interpreted as playful or threatening. "I'm nat ganna hurt'chaa," she cooed, despite the contrary evidence.
If he failed to settle, she'd have to opt for Plan B instead.

Any relief or satisfaction at seemingly injuring Solasta into letting him go was quickly evaporated as his tail was pinned to the ground. And to add on top of that, being in his current situation, her cooing and nearly playful looks did not ease his concern. The feline gave another low grumble, but seemed to calm his thrashing.

A wary, mistrustful look was directed at the girl as Ndale hesitated.

"Yeah.., right..." His tone held likewise belief. Giving another sharp twist, the cheetah attempted to wriggle onto its feet to gain better ground.

The poor thing didn't believe her, and she'd been so earnest about it too. Tutting in mock sympathy, she watched him clamber to his feet. If he made a bolt for it, Solasta had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to keep his tail pinned for long. Despite this, she enjoyed the thrill of the struggle, if nothing else.

"Yo' really annoyink, ya know?"
The low chuckle that followed after demonstrated that the remark wasn't really intended as a sharp insult.

It was time for Plan B anyway. Problem was, even she didn't really know what Plan B actually was. It called for improvisation. Scrambling forth, she let go of the tail, if for just a brief moment. But she next threw herself forwards towards the cheetah's back. With an outstretched hand, she reached to try and press it down on his back, with the intention to pin him down to the dirt.
The entire process was rather quick - she only hoped that she'd succeed.

Lingering a mistrustful look on the girl -uh, yeah girl, he guessed- Ndale gave a raise of an eyebrow and a sly, unapologetic smirk. He knew he was annoying, it was his self-appointed job. Turning his head, planning on darting out and away, was probably his biggest mistake. He hadn't been expect Solasta to jump him so suddenly, and it was his lack of first sight that was his downfall. He would never admit that it had also been the speed at which Solasta preformed, as he was always quite assured he'd win a contest of that nature.

But, alas, strength was not his suit. The weight dropped on his back and he could do nothing but succumb to it. Of course, it didn't mean he wouldn't struggle. In fact, that was about the most that he did. His cat form may be meant for speed, but it was a last ditch effort to see what else he had to offer as his muscles squirmed beneath his fur-lined skin. It was all very fast, from the pin to the morph, keeping up his struggles to try and leave enough room to complete the transformation not-pressed so cruelly into the ground. Only when it was complete, left in ripped and stretched pants fur-less and chest down, would Ndale lay still as if having given up. He turned his head to glance up at his holder.

Well...what now?

The only thing his mind could come up with was what it excelled at: innuendo.

"You know...I don't mind it rough and the public setting doesn't really bother me, but unless you're hiding something, you'll need to let me turn over." His low tones were unmistakable in at least their suggestive tones as he purred out every word.

Victory. She smirked to herself as she flattened the cheetah to the ground, with one palm firmly in place on his spine. Her other hand steadied her off the ground, whilst she sank forwards, her legs to either side to Ndale's now-human body. Her eyebrows quirked up, intrigued. That transformation had been... fast. She'd hardly noticed.

Overcoming her initial surprise, she leaned her head closer to his, mostly to hear his words better. That tone was unmistakable, especially coming from him, but it did take her a few moments to gather the meaning of his words. Her puzzled stare soon turned into a loud, raucous hoot of laughter and she leaned forth, burying her face in Ndale's shoulder and slamming a fist against the mud. Then she raised her head once again, aiming a sort of glower at the cheetah like she hadn't just busted into a laughing fit. A hand raised to give him a light skelp to the back of the head. "Say somet'ing stupid like dat again and I will make you eat de grass."

She paused for a moment with a huff, before lowering her voice next to his ear.
"Besides." Her tone was quiet and lighthearted, and there was a sort of amused glint in her eyes. "I would not t'ink dat your body is ready for what I can do."
Her grin was unflattering, but undeniably arrogant.

At first he winced when the other hid in his shoulder, though it was more of the fist on the ground next to him that made him flinch. Still, it was a surprisingly good turn around and he felt easier as he faced the rough treatment she sent at him immediately afterwords.

His lips pulled up into an easily placed, toothy smirk. Chuckling lightly at comment after a pause, he relaxed himself. Pulling his arms up, he shifted slightly to lay them under his head, making himself comfortable. In fact, his air took on a tone of rather enjoying the position they were in.

"Aw, com'on Sexy. You might be surprised how much I can take. Besides," His tone dropped lower, rumbling in a drawn out purr. "Playing a little never hurt ny'body." His tail flicked and curled, seeking hers perhaps. "Or are you just hesitant..."

It was only after he said that, that Ndale realized that he may not actually want to be challenging her when trying to schmooze, charm and flirt his way out of a previous one.

Solasta didn't think it were possible for one to be so alluring and so naive at the same time, but there was a first for everything. As he shifted positions, Solasta felt no need to still keep him so roughly pinned, but a hand did remain on his spine, trailing softly down his back in a stroking gesture.

The challenge made her twist her lips in thought, looking as if she were seriously considering giving him somewhat of a generous demonstration. But after a moment of looking him over, as if checking him out, she wrinkled her nose distastefully. She tutted lowly under her breath. "But de 'hurtink' is de best part," she smoothly insisted, her tone deceptively sweet. "Yo' are just an innocent little kitten in a beeg scary castle."

Her expression seemed an almost piteous one, and she tilted her head to the side to almost mirror Ndale's. "I hesitate onleh 'cause I know dat it'd nat satisfy either of us."

As the hand trailed down his spine, the muscles along his back quivered, a wave of fur rising just the slightest before disappearing again beneath the sun-touched skin.

A sharp amber eye kept its focus on her, and the contemplative expression she gave was concerning. Of course, any concern he felt was quickly drowning in the incredulity that she would find the fact of sleeping with him as anything less than bloody brilliant and yes-lets-right-now. Still he gave a rather low chuckle, trying not to appear insulted. It came out a little darker than he had intended, but it worked all the same to show his scoff without scoffing.

"Then you clearly don't know me." His eye dropped half-mast and his pupil widened as it adjusted. "Nor do you have very high expectations of me it appears." He paused, letting that hang as he watched her, before shrugging and closing his eyes, entire expression softening. "But fine, then. I'll count it a mutual loss."

Watching the fur prickle up was just one of the details that Solasta just had to appreciate. She repeated the motion, if just to see it happen again.

His words came across as a sort of challenge, needless to say. In the same breath they were uttered, her eyes lit up with the sort of intrigued, skeptic look of someone who had their heart set on proving them wrong. "Mutual loss...?" She squinted curiously, idly twirling her finger around a lock of hair. "Yo' too confident in sayink dat." With the hair coiled around her finger, she let it go, before blowing it out of her face with a noisy huff.

"Tell me, what is it dat I should expect chu to do? Scratch dat," she shifted closer, "what'chu even capable of?" Her was an amused glint in her eye.
"'Cept fo' turnink into a hairball."

The second time, his back visibly quivered and the fur rolled up, high on end as hackles raised, and lasted just a bit longer as the fur tilted back down and slowly sank back beneath the skin. Ndale made a slight grumble. His skin was sensitive.

Of course, at his words, the cat scoffed. He thought it rather ironic she, always covered in fur, would call him a hairball...but he wisely kept this opinion to himself. Her question, though, brought a nearly wicked grin to his face despite. He turned, using his hands on the ground to brace himself. He pushed his top half up the ground slightly, twisting to look at her fully, eyes narrowed and canines exposed. He chuckled.

"Capable of? Why, you haven't noticed?" He leaned up farther, tilting his head, eyes flicking over her features and lingering a bit on her lips as if severely tempted to cross the distance there.

This time, the grumble made her smirk more than the hackles did. Wholly pointless, but somehow entertaining. However, she ceased her attempts as the cat turned to face her, leaning back slightly if to only allow space for the maneuver.

The grin would've been worrying - if Solasta was one to worry at all. But all it did was spark her curiosity, displayed plainly by the raise of her brows. She didn't miss the way his gaze dwelt on her face, but she reacted little in return. She simply kept an intrigued watch on him - every sense told her that he had something up his sleeve; exactly what it was was a matter to be discovered.

"It may haf... slipped my mind." Her eyes squinted at the amber ones in front of her, the sort of stare that was intended to provoke him. A challenge. "Why don'tchu... remind me?"

The feline chuckled at Solasta's response lowly. What a creative way to say she didn't know. Ndale lowered to rest on his forearm completely and turned to try and be on his back facing her rather than on his stomach all twisted around.

He also didn't really want her near his spine least she find a particularly sensitive area she shouldn't. Od knew about it, Shae had found it by accident, and he really didn't anyone else knowing how to manipulate him to most anything with a single touch. Or blackmail, really.

"Ah, now, that's a shame, ain't it?" His grin didn't fail him, but he made a 'tsk' noise as if it were her loss and he wasn't about to enlighten her.

Solasta was being kind. She was being patient. She was being playful. Well, at least in her honest point of view anyway; it might've been a stretch to consider it anything near the expected standards of this academy. Such details were besides the point - Ndale was ever so gently cakewalking over buttons that were generally best left untouched. She certainly found it difficult to appreciate.

She let him turn over - why not? But shortly after he did, he hand reached to press against his collar. It wouldn't be hard enough to obstruct breathing, nor quite close enough to the neck to consider it strangling. It were a means of holding him still.
"It is a shame yo' such a freakink eedyat you don't even understand--" she seethed under her breath. "What I mean to say is..." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Show me before I skin yo' alive."

Hs grin turned a little feral as the hand was pressed against his chest, and he let himself be held to the ground. That was the key now: let it happen. Letting it happen meant he hadn't lost. Another small chuckle escaped him and it seemed he were having a grand ole amusing time in this perdicament. And honestly, he was.

"Oh but I do, and you as well. Come now, sexy. I know you've picked up in it already, you're too brilliant not to 've." Of course, the compliment was intentionally included, and though the cat was playing, he showed no direct outward signs of it.

He let a purr roll in his chest beneath her hand.

"What I am capable of... You're not bored, or moping like you were, are you? Yet, while you are threatening to skin me, you haven't yet. And for good reason, mind you. See, what I do best, is walking a tightrope over where people love you and where people hate you." He shrugged, sort of, as if being modest. "And I somehow always get what I want, because I won't stop until I do and I am determined that I can do anything."

His grin was still going strong, turning slightly challenging, as he pressed up against her hand. Ndale would not actually try and sit up, he was just cockily applying pressure.

"What are you capable of?"

The compliment had about as much effect as pinging a rubber band off steel, plated amour. Her expression remained stubbornly firm, and just a tad more irritated too. He might've been playing, but she sure as hell wasn't. Every second of Ndale's amusement was a pinprick to her sanity, and it took every scrap of self control not to wrangle his neck. Whatever Ndale had to say, it had better have been good.

And that's where the trouble was. She frowned, finding his logic just so unbearably... well, unbearable. It had not been what she was seeking, but the points were clear before her eyes. No, she wasn't bored any longer, and yes, he'd somehow delivered. Oh, it was all so unfair. Not to mention his attitude wasn't one that she could find flaw with. She wanted to retort, but found no words. Her expression spoke oodles of frustration, however.

Then the question was reflected. Maintaining a hard stare, she pressed down a tad harder in return. "I am capable of crushink a man's skull in one fist, and penetrating his rib cage wi' but one strike." She moved closer, voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "I 'ave strangled a man wi' his own intestines, I 'ave split his spine in 'alf. I 'ave torn deir family to shreds, I 'ave killed deir Gods. I listened to deir cries of mercy, and I did not'ink! Not'ink! And den I..." She frowned, her speech faltering. "I..."

Suddenly, she released her hold on his chest, before sitting up straight by his side. She did not look to Ndale directly, but instead, her eyes trailed elsewhere. "Dis place has made me soft." There was a trace of bitterness in her voice.

Whether or not he tried to resist the hand was out of the question. He knew he couldn't, so he was pushed back against the ground easily enough. It was, admittedly, worrying when she started listing off her capabilities. The thing was...he believed her. Not only was he being pushed into the ground as she neared, he was pushing himself. Ears were pinned back, eyes a little too wide for their standard, narrowed, cockiness.

The sudden release was both relieving and worrying. He stayed down a moment, still, as she spoke her last words. He hesitated before pushing himself up to sit straight as well, though his posture was forcibly lax. The feline sighed, feeling the weight of more serious conversation settling upon his shoulders. He ran a hand a through his hair, brushing it back from his face in its usual spiky, messy fashion.

"This place hasn't made you soft, Sol." His tone took on more familiarity than was probably proper for their acquaintance. "If you left here, would you really not still do those things? Or would you be quite alright still with massacring a family?"

Her eyes pinned on the cheetah once again, fingers twitching, as if longing to do more than send a silent threat. She listened anyway though; there was an attempt somewhere in her face to hide her annoyance, but it was not a good one.

It was not so much his words that put her off, but his entire attitude. Had she not just reeled off a list of all the potential gory demises that she could quite possibly inflict on him? She'd noticed a brief reaction during the speech, but it still seemed to be no skin off his nose. Here he was, just sitting and coolly reasoning with her. It was... She sneered slightly, but decided to respond anyway.

"I have no desire for those t'ings. I am only..." she wrinkled her nose disdainfully. "...capable of it."
Pulling the end of her tail closer to her, she started to preen the fur at the very tip, as if it were the most interesting thing between them now. "Your empty reassurances do nat help. The people here are soft. Dey do not fight. Dey do not feel such pride. Dey do nat understand--!" She gripped her tail harshly, watching as gasps of smoke escaped from between her fingers.
"Their ignorance... It is contagious." She snorted, before glancing aside towards Ndale. "I waste my breath telling you dis. Yo' just as soft."

Amber gaze flicked towards the girl's hands at the slight movement. He was a little jumpy, of course, it was hard to not be when in a situation where you could possibly be in danger. But he tried to not let it get to him.

He shook his head slightly, ears falling back.

"It's not so simple. It's not always that they are soft, that they don't fight, but reasonable. They cannot stay here if they cause such a ruckus, there are a lot of different types of creatures here now, and we have to get along. Everyone is being forced into that more amiable roll, even if they wouldn't prefer it. Like yourself." Ndale hesitated, watching the smoke and wrinkling his nose at the smell of burning quickly. He looked up to meet her eyes though. "As for myself, I'm not soft. I'm just lazy." He easily put on a crooked grin. "I see no point in fighting when I have nothing left, and I find my pride in other things. It's about perspective, and not everyone is standing where you are, Sol."

As he spoke, her gaze became squinted. The tail slid out of his grasp, flopping down on to the grasp like it were lifeless. She crouched forwards, pressing both hands against the dirt as she started to crawl slowly towards him during his talking. No... his prattling. She stopped just before him, clenching her hands tightly.

"Are yo' saying..." She gave him a challenging look. "...dat I am unreasonable? Dat I lack.. 'perspective'?"
Without allowing him time to answer, she quickly continued, her voice dropping to a loathing seethe. "The people here are weak. They follow the hu'mon rules. The weakness flows in their blood, dey were born wi' it. Dey embrace it. Dey freak out to evah see it spilled." She snorted, her face contorting into wrinkled disgust. "I am... not like dem. But I suffer fo' these rules anyway."

She gestured with her arms, drawling her voice out slowly as if explaining something to an infant. "I hear of this place... a big safe place. Fo' monsters. Creatures. For t'ings dat are nat human." She lingered on the words for a few moments more, giving him a very deliberate scowl. "But I am wrong! Dere are many monsters here, yes. But dey all the same. Dey wear clothes, they go to classes, learn, all in one big castle dat is built wi' hu'mon hands! Don't yo' see?!"

"We are all. Livink. Like. HUMANS."
Each word was forced out with a desperate sort of emphasis, as if volume would make the point more clear. And then she stared, breathing deeply, her intense gaze silently willing him to understand.

She neared, and Ndale, though shifting his weight back slightly, did his absolute best to hold his ground. His eyes narrowed back as she accused him. He hadn't been calling her that, but he might start now. It was probably fortunate that he wasn't given the opportunity for that to slip out, for she went on.

He didn't agree. The feline held his ill feelings all until Solasta started talking about the school. It was then that such feelings started slipping from his grasp and he begrudgingly started to understand. It was true, they were not human, but they were living like them. But, most of them were, in fact, humanoid. And it was the easiest way to live. How were they to go about life if not in a human way? The animal way? He'd done that. It was not all it was cracked up to be. The feline lost his glare and just stared thoughtfully back at Solasta, even after she had stopped talking, staying silent a moment. With the look she was giving him, he felt that disagreeing with her now would be to deny her something, to kill some hope of hers she had mistakenly placed in him. He didn't want to disappoint her, but it was clear on his face as he sighed and finally flicked his gaze away briefly.

He wasn't the one to be talking to about this.

His expression was regretful, apologetic slightly, but firm.

"It works. And I, like many here, choose to live like this. I've lived with my kind, I've been a pet, I've been a roaming animal. Human's live comfortably. The school still fills its purpose, we can still use our especially un-human abilities in the open here without fear of persecution. I don't understand how you would have us live if not this. What else do you want?"