<div align="center"><em><strong>~Tigria/Marketplace/Town Square~</strong></em></div><br/>Her sharp vision watched as the Princess made herself very know, and inwardly she cursed. What was the kit doing! Tigria raked her eyes over the gathering crowd, seeking any that seemed out of place, any that looked wrong. Though indeed cats were converging on the Twins a bit more, trying to vie for the attention of the Royals, for the moment all seemed casual. The Princess had her eyes locked upon the match between Pumal and Tigrus and now the little caracal, with the Prince eagerly in tow as was the norm. Still, they shouldn't be out and about alone like this, not when it was so close to the Ceremony.<br/><br/>But her attention was thwarted by a large and handsome cat. The smile that Cheetarik beamed down upon Tigria caused her cheeks to flame, a slight ducking of her head and a shift of cerulean hues. Why had she even bothered to come here? Too many cats! Yet there was indeed something about Cheetarik. One would think being a Hero of Thundera, a soldier of renown, Cheetarik would be all sorts of full of himself. Not so. In fact, he was ever the Gentlecat. So much so in fact, that she once again simply froze as his paws worked the gleaming necklace about her slender throat. Clawed fingers looking so deceivingly delicate lifted to touch gingerly to the stones, and all she could do for a few mortifying moments was stammer. ” I..um..it's really...why...?”<br/><br/>She was saved, in a manner, by the arrival of Leopnad, but really all it did was want to make her shrink back more. She managed a rather ill looking smile at the pretty cat, sighing in resignation to her current situation. ” You're not interrupting. We're just watching the fights. Really! That's all we're doing!” Almond eyes would widen as her mind swiftly led to the obviously unwarranted thought that Leopnad thought she and Cheetarik were there<em>together</em>! About ready to continue her tirade, feeling she simply<em>must</em>drill it into Leopnad that there was no way this was a date, how could this be a date, why would you think this was a date!....when Cheetarik spoke.<br/><br/><em>"I'll join this fight if you'll honor me with being my date to the up coming celebrations."</em><br/><br/>Then he winked at her. WINKED! Tigria practically bolted right then and there. She could do nothing for what seemed like forever, simply staring up at him, blue eyes and the sapphires at her throat shimmering in the sunlight. ” I... Cheetarik.. that's really very sweet but I just...WORK! I'm pretty sure I'll be working the Ceremony. Won't be able to...date..have fun...um...oh my...” She found she wanted nothing more then to say Yes! I'd love to! But for some reason it wouldn't come out. She was horrified. Sighing softly, clearing her throat she tried to shift gears and let him off easy when her sweeping eyes caught more movement, all surrounding the Royals. Scowling a bit, her demeanor shifted, her head tilting slightly as her ears pricked up. The crowd seemed normal, if a bit large, but why wouldn't it be with the Princess and prince being seen in public? Yet there was something... a paw would come up, gesturing to Cheetarik and Leopnad vaugely, trying to pay attention to the crowd's movements..<br/>...there! An almost perfectly hidden scuffle, something that did not blend with the normal ebb and flow of a harmonious gathering such as this.  And to top it off, suddenly it seemed the Royals were no longer in the vicinity. Alarm swept through her body, and for a slight moment she almost forgot herself, almost simply tore off through the crowd with nothing said. But she couldn't. She was simply another commoner, simply another cat wandering through the marketplace. Quickly her mind worked, trying to come up with an excuse to flee the area, and report her findings. Blinking, she would look back at Cheetarik, chewing a lip and fingering the stones warm against her collarbone. ” You know what... yes. I will be your date. But this means I need to... um...go shopping! Yes...I need to find a new outfit!” She was already sidling backwards, trying to smile and seem casual, knowing she was failing miserably. Lifting a paw she would wave a bit to Leopnad. ” It was nice seeing you, but I gotta go. Things to do... gotta get ready!” With that she turned and very swiftly disappeared into the crowd, weaving in and out of the cats surrounding the fighting ring and those gathered. Searching, she tried to catch a glimpse of the Royals, hoping she was mistaken. Nothing.  Low growl would emanate from her as she ran to the outskirts of the crowd. Nothing. Whipping about, white mane would flutter in the breeze as once her vision raked the scene, trying to find a clue that might have been left behind. Nothing. She had no proof anything<em>had happened</em>. Maybe the twins had simply found the crowds to overwhelming, and had gotten smart and headed back home? Tigria really, really hoped so, but there was that small niggle of doubt. With that thought she was off like a shot, heading towards the Lair.<br/><br/><br/>