He does not understand this word....kidding, the unfamiliar phrase causing the shirtless deviant to turn back towards her, frowning openly in ready disdain at this unusual word before simply allowing it to pass for his mind, unable to force his thoughts to linger upon that which he does not deem important, the knowledge that another cat like himself is somewhere close by assuring him he must eat and move once more if he is to find his companion and the sole obsession of his fractured, broken existence. The woman's desire for pack however, seems to drive her only further towards the reluctant cat. Perhaps, to some extent he too seeks this companionship that seems to so plague their species and yet, he seeks a particular pack, his wariness for those unknown resulting in his guarded exterior and snort of disdain as he shoves roughly against her and his lanky frame heads for the door. Her quiet words, though heard, are ignored entirely as he presses into the darkness, pausing only when it becomes apparent she is not following. He is a dominant creature by nature, assured of his position and of those around him and the woman, to his mind, it utterly beneath him, a thing to be ordered and commanded, her inability to follow resulting in an agitated snarl of sorts as he snaps his words towards her, waiting for her to do as bid. If she seeks his companionship, then so be it, her ability to find the food he seeks assuring his fractured mind she is valuable, whether he will keep her or not remains to be decided. For now however, it would seem, he is willing to tolerate the dogs presence.
Her words once more result in a curious look, form shifting back from her own slightly as she approaches, unwilling to have her entirely to close as she makes some effort at an introduction, the repetition of her name seeming to find some connection within his mind and yet, it would seem the connection does not hold entirely as he blinks once more.




"Bird."




It would seem he has confused her name with the example, picking out the single known word from her sentence, deciding evidently, that such a thing must be her name, the barest shadow if a grin touching his features as he repeats it, committing it to memory before moving to gesture to himself. What little he does understand of social interaction assuring him that his own name is required in these moments, finger touching his own bare chest as to further make clear his point.




"Tobi."




He pauses, waiting for some form of understanding from the woman, though indeed it has been....years since anyone has used his name, since anyone has called for him as they once did as his lanky form moves to follow her from his temporary house, sliding in between the loose iron sides and into the night air once more, pausing only long enough to shuck out of his jeans a second time before that ever-familiar pain contorts his body back into the feline form, large, muscular golden frame landing silently beside the grey wolf as he breaks into his own version of a silent lope, long stride eating away at the ground as he follows. Yet it would seem he is content to follow for only so long, instinct readily stirring within himself once more as his stride increases, moving to lope ever so slightly ahead of the wolf, following to some extent and yet with this simple action he assumes the Alpha role, refusing to allow the female wolf this position despite the ridiculousness of the situation. He is instinctive by nature, the laws of such things far clearer to his mind, so much of his humanity stripped from him in the years spent wandering in such a form in search of his True Leader and Alpha and the only one to whom he will answer, anyone else, is beneath him, the male content to demand this silently for now, ears flattening slightly atop his head, one golden eye rolling sideways to assure himself the female remains back. He will tolerate her, it seems, if she is willing to accept subordinance, the boy holding every intention of eating first once they arrive as he is assured is his right- at least for now. He merely seeks to test her perhaps, to understand her nature in this regard and thus deduce how easily she may be manipulated, the male utterly cunning by nature and assured indeed that perhaps her food prize may be stolen from her, believing himself superior to the female even despite his underfed state. For now however, he moves to lope beside her, head just barely in front as instinct demands so that he may be deduce her direction still, heavy paws silent atop the docks.




"Where are we...going?"




It is little more than a soft growl of question as they continue, silence once more seeping into the darkness as the unlikely pair pass unseen amongst the dock and harbour, the leopards head lifting to scent the air, alert, even with his newfound companion beside him, head tilting slightly to the side as his pace falters a moment, golden eyes turned to look behind the wolf, if only momentarily, before he speaks abruptly once more.




"Your tail is very.....fluffy......mine is...better."




Well- compliments never were his strong suite.

madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push