His response brought an instant, bright smile to the girl’s face, accented by the grey-speckled spots beneath either eyes. There was a hint of some movement in his tone—a bridge between resignation and towards his mother (to whom Poe quickly determined was less than supportive of this boy, no matter who, what or where she was) and a spark of rebellion through his interest. Regardless of the situation the boy was in, deciding to defy ones parents for your own self worth and meaning marked a significant point in growing up and growing strong, and Poe was simply peachy to be a witness. There was an impish edge to her smile as she nodded to him and begun to explain. “Well, now. A lion is a large cat that lives in Africa—a continent far across the ocean these lands sit on. It’s hot there, and the animals are very different; exotic. They’re a little like the cougars we have here, but the males have thick, regal fur all around their necks and faces,” she gestured theatrically around her own neck and shoulders to explain. “And far bigger. I saw a few of them from a distance while I was there. They are beautiful and powerful, and certainly not an animal to be messed with. I’ve seen them dubbed Kings of the Jungle, but they mostly live out in the plains.” Her stroll was slowed as her words hastened, pausing altogether now to shift her mind to the next subject. “Now Aristotle is a much more complicated one to explain. He was a very famous human philosopher from hundreds of years ago. I haven’t read enough of his work to give you detail, but he was well-respected by humans even up to the time of their extinction, which was long after this guy’s.” She glanced up into the gangly branches hanging overhead in thought, nipping her lower lip. “I’ve caught portions of his work on a variety of subjects. Physics, logic, animal biology. And even things like music and poetry,” she flashed him another grin. They were all interconnected. “A very smart guy, especially for his time. Not a bad namesake, but he’s got some pretty big shoes to fill. Like mine, if you get literal about these things.” |