[PRP] Have you seen my bird? (Ragnvard x Shante)

[Tanakako]

Ragnvard tipped his head back, dark gaze scanning the clear blue sky above. It was a very useful thing, having an eagle companion to scout ahead. And usually this particular eagle's impressive colouration meant that he performed as a spy admirably. But there had been one major flaw Ragnvard had overlooked when recruiting this particular bird. The colouring that made him such a excellent spy also made it near impossible for Ragnvard to spot the bloody bird himself when he needed to.

Grumbling under his breath he lowered his head, wincing as powerful muscles protested. Craning upwards to try and spot his missing messenger was a literal pain in the neck.Giving an irritated shake to clear the gathering dust from his russet coat he eyed the surrounding countryside. It irked him that he couldn't spot his familiar, but it would just be embarrassing if he ran face-first into a hostile rogue because he had his eyes on the sky.



High over head the eagle soared in lazy circles. He knew where Ragnvard was, he could see the rust-coloured Viking far below. From up here the mighty Captian looked more like a toy, some beak-sized morsel Haki could pluck and swallow down with little effort. However the smart bird knew better. The Stormborn male who was his partner was a sharp-clawed and violent lion who you did not cross lightly. However, Haki worked for him for a reason. He might have been ruthless and cunning, but the big male had saved Haki from a gruesome and grizzly end, earning him Haki's loyalty. Haki had been asleep, roosting high up in a tree when a snake had lunged at him, knocking him off the branch and sending him plummeting through the foliage to land badly on the forest floor. Winded and with a sharp pain in one wing, Haki had struggled up and defended himself as best he could with beak and claws. But he had known it was a loosing battle. The snake would get its breakfast despite his best defence. But then a huge lion had come along, bitten the snake in half and saved Haki. It hadn't been intentional, the lion had simply been getting rid of an unwanted predator in his territory. But then Ragnvard had spotted Haki, picked him up and carried him back to the pride where one of their thralls had saved his wing, and his life. Ever since then Haki had been that lion's partner. Acting as his eyes in the sky. Ragnvard was far from a noble creature, but there was some goodness in him, hidden deeply away behind his scheming mind, and Haki was determined to bring it out into the light... one day.

Saint Sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

The female moved through the grass with a speed and a purpose. Hunting. It had been a couple of days since her last measly meal of rabbit and she needed something else, bigger. Something more meaty. Her stomach rumbled which made her squint and glare off into the distance, red eyes seeming to gleam in the sunlight like semi precious jewels that she saw on a few lions. They were odd to her, so quite often she actually avoided them completely. Being a rogue was a dangerous business.

Either way, the brown lioness was moving a bit quicker because hunger was gnawing at her stomach. Her paws were far from soundless, but she had seen no prey beasts in a while, so she figured she could be a bit reckless.

That is before something in the air stopped her in her tracks and she squinted hard and crouched in the grass. Was someone nearby? She thought she heard the sound of rustling...

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Currently Haki was flying high over head, swooping and spiralling on the powerful thermals of the rogueland. This was his playtime, as the air above the pride was not as fun, being almost constantly blowing in one direction which made flying both tedious and hard work. But here over the sun baked earth the hot air provided great entertainment for those with wings and the eagle was making full use of the resulting thermals.

Far below he spotted what looked like a rogue lioness hunting. But since one lone female was hardly a threat to Ragnvard he didn't bother to leave his play and alert his bonded. Ragnvard was well able to look after himself and it would do the Captain good to be surprised once in a while.



Where was that blasted bird?! Haki had a vivid blue belly which was fine, but when he was in flight it was perfect camouflage against the blue sky.. Making it hard to spot him even when he was low down. And Ragnvard knew the eagle liked to go high up when they came this far from the pride. Huffing he dropped his gaze again, having heard something up ahead, it couldn't be dangerous or Haki would have returned, so, more curious than anything, Ragnvard moved forwards, head up and ears twitching.

A few more steps and suddenly he was nose to nose with a stranger. A rogue from the look of her, and a hungry one. "Hello." He rumbled, his deep, rough voice both lazy and curious. For once the violent Captain wasn't feeling confrontational, and he was willing to indulge his rare curiosity without seeking some kind of benefit, or trying to capture the rogue as his thrall.

Saint Sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Shante was unaware of the bird in the sky that was bonded to a lion. It was honestly a silly concept for her, but whatever. She'd seen it more times than not, but it was silly to rely on a prey beast as a companion that'll look out for you.

She stayed crouched, waiting, tail flicking against the grass as slowly as she could let it go and then took a deep breath and rubbed her face on the grass as her cheek itched. So, she might not be being quiet like she was taught, but Shante wasn't even sure if something was up. She just had a feeling of unease around her and it made her stomach knot up. All her nervous ticks were happening all at once.

Then all of a sudden, she got a face full of a red male and she growled and backed up, fur starting to bristle. He smelled like other lions. Her ears flattened out as she prepared for the worst to happen. But something told her he wasn't up for a fight. He wasn't bristling like she was. He could have taken a swipe at her. So, her fur eased down and she just glared a little more at him. "...Hello? You're not going to attack me?" She couldn't think of a decent insult for a lion who was in a pride because she had no idea what pride he was in. Her ears went flat again and she just let her tail flick this way and that before looking around. Were there more?

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

High above, Haki watched Ragnvard's progress towards the female. She looked distracted and antsy, judging from her movements in the tall grass. Clicking his beak in anticipation of some entertainment, he angled his wings and wheeled lazily, keeping to a steady thermal in order to watch what happened. This should be fun...



I wasn't planning on it, no..." He responded, golden eyes studying her defensive posture with a kind of wry amusement. He was fairly sure he had never met her before, and it was unlikely that she would know of him if she were a random rogue. Yet even still he seemed to have frightened her just... by being there, apparently. Thought she might know Stormborn lions were in the area which would explain her reaction. But he had come out alone so that still seemed unlikely.

Stepping back a pace in the hopes that it would make her less aggressive, he watched her. "I didn't intrude on your hunting, did I?" He queried, since that seemed like the only other logical explanation for her anger.

Saint Sergio

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Her eyes took to the sky for a moment but saw nothing. Red eyes looked back at the male as she continued to unbristle her fur and calmed down. She sat on her haunches, letting her tail flick this way and that before nodding and then rubbed her paws over her face before giving one last sigh and then just shrugged.

"No. It's fine. I was just.." Shante listened to her own stomach growl and promptly ignored it, tried to make it look like it didn't just rumble loudly for all the world to hear. "I was hunting, but I can back off if this is your hunting grounds." Not that there weren't a lot of prey beasts around for the pair of them, but some rogue males were very, very territorial with where they hunted. Her ears flicked, listening for where they went and even scented the wind right then and there.

"...I'm Shante."

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

The bird clicked his beak again, disappointment making his grumble, even if he was the only one near enough to hear it. "Damnit..." It seemed there would be no fun today. Maybe one day his master would run across someone more badass than him. Haki lived in hope that he would one day see the Captain humbled. Of course he was grateful to the big male, but Ragnvard could be insufferable and it would do the giant brute good to be beaten in a fight every once in a while. Disappointed but only mildly so, the small bird wheeled about and continued his long, swooping circles. Time to find some food…



Ragnvard watched as she settled and finally sat back. At least it looked like she wasn’t going to try and rip his face off any more. When her own belly interrupted her words, the Captain had to hide his smile. She didn’t look like she would accept his humour right now.. not without getting all angry again anyway. “It is nice to meet you, Shante.” He replied, when she seemed to be done. She was a curious thing, and he was rather interested in finding out more about her. Maybe later he would capture her but right now he was just too damn chilled to worry abut it. And she was a convenient source of entertainment.

“No.. I don’t lay claim to this land. My home is that way.” He nodded towards the direction of the ocean behind him. “Tell you what, I was going to do a spot of hunting. Why don’t we team up?” It was a complete lie, why would he bother to hunt when he had thralls to do it for him? But she seemed hungry and maybe he would encourage her less aggressive side if he looked sympathetic. And well, hunting was perfectly fine as a distraction too. “We could get something bigger that way..” He added, hoping to entice her into an agreement.

Saint Sergio