[FIN] Hunting Blind (Tajii & Seneca)

[Revel1984]

Tajii was a sorry sight, if he could see himself anyway and since he couldn't he didn't really care .. well not much. It was hard to make sure you were clean and well groomed when you couldn't SEE the dirt on your pelt. He was also looking rather thin since lately his hunting hadn't gone well at all. He's grown adept at stalking blind but since cutting his paw pad on some sharp rocks about a week ago he'd had a distinct limp. He was pretty sure there was still a shard of rock in his pawpad and it fouled up his final pouncing, his balance was off due to keeping the sore paw off the ground. He'd tried to bite at the wound to remove any shards but since he couldn't see what he was doing it didn't do much good so he just licked at it, keeping the wound from closing over.

He stalked another herd of small antelope, keeping low and steady as he used every other sense besides sight to get close to his prey. He crept closer and closer, needing to be very close indeed for that final pounce but just as he was crouching to take that lunge at the prey before him, he put too much pressure on his sore pawpad and tumbled instead, the female antelope springing clear away.

Unfortunately for Tajii the big buck of the herd noticed the stumble and sensed that he was weak and decided to try and take him on, sending Tajii kicking up dust in his attempt to limp away without getting badly hurt but ending up backed up against a large thorny bush. He tried hiding in it but yowled as horns scraped his hindquarters and thorns tore at his face. ....He was going to die here.. he just knew it..  

[Saint Vis]

Seneca was a relatively laid back leopardess, she was very spiritual and believed in the gods. Someday she would meet one, someday hopefully. Something Seneca was to her relationships was loyal; and she would help anyone in need if they meant no evil towards her.

Today she had been fast-walking towards the herds she usually went too. She had smelt a male leopard around and steered clear of the fields the last few days. But she was hungry, not starving but a good bout hungry. Moving towards the antelope quickly she saw them in the distance scatter like as if there was a hunting gone wrong. That leopard was at it again. When she noticed the movement she saw a shadowy figure in the antelope storm running from a buck she began to run across the planes. The leopard seemed to be limping, and to her that meant the leopard-form was done for.

Hearing the yowl she put it in overdrive and exhausted her lungs enough to let adrenaline kick in. With a large burst from her chest she let out a leopard battle call and went for the male's neck.
The Antelope saw her coming though and went to guard himself and then huff at the leopardess. Seeing her not back off the buck let out a yowl of his own when the leopardess latched onto his neck. But Seneca kicked at the buck and made herself become air born. Landing beside the leopard. Her fangs baring. Antelope blood dripping down them.  

[Revel1984]

Tajii's blood was pulsing in his ears and didn't hear the approach of another over the hooves and horns of the antelope until that roaring battle cry boomed in the air. Tajii's first thoughts were that he'd just ruined a rather large dominant male's territory and he cringed against the bush, hoping that his obvious state would save him from yet another wrathful creature.

It wasn't until he felt drips on his pelt that he took a deep, ragged breath and the scent of female mingled with the freshly drawn blood from the antelope buck, who was currently pawing at the ground, wondering if it was worth taking on TWO Leopards.... an injured one was one thing but two, even two injured was one more than he wanted to deal with and, with his wounds dripping along his way, he stumbled off, away from the pair but he was losing blood fast and he hadn't gone far before his legs crumpled beneath him and he breathed harshly as he tried to get back up.

"Thank you" Tajii said to his unknown helper, all he knew was she was female, nothing more was available from her scent but he closed his sightless eyes and panted, his paw throbbed terribly and it bled since he'd opened it up again, thorns peppered his face and his flank had a rather large gouge in it from the antelope's horns. "You saved my life i'm sure" he added, almost as an afterthought once he'd caught his breath.  

[Saint Vis]

She left his side before she could reply to Tajii's thanks. Going over and clenching her jaws over the antelope's throat to crush it's windpipe. Putting the beast out of his misery.

When she did return she sneered at him just a little. "You're a mess. And it's fine. Excuse me.." She warned him and then leaned forward to pull out a few thorns. "Did you not see the bush infront of you when you fled?" She was oblivious. The adrenaline pumping still. She was shaking a bit from saving his life. It wasn't something she did often; randomly see an antelope take charge at a leopard.

He was thin though. A sign he was sick or something did ail him. "Can I look at your paw stranger?"  

[Revel1984]

He hadn't felt her leave his side so didn't realise he'd been talking to himself, not until his ears caught the death throes of the antelope that is and his stomach clenched despite itself.

His ears laid back against his head when she pulled a few of the thorns from his face and despite the fact he was grateful he couldn't help but flinch and grumble a little low in his throat, though he made no other move, keeping himself still. It wasn't until her question that he opened his eyes again "No... no i didn't see it" he said, "I can't see anything" he stated simply before extending his sore paw in answer to her request. "I cut it many days ago.... my name is Tajii"  

[Saint Vis]

She blinked at his response. She didn't realize he was blind, "My apologies Tajii." She roughly said and then nodded. "Well I can see there's a good few bits of debris in it. She moved to his paw and looked in it. "Excuse me, I'm going to touch your paw." She explained kindly. Turning his paw with her own, one on each side of it. Looking at the debris she frowned.

"I wish I was a good healer or herb crafter. It doesn't look infected though. Looks like you've been cleaning it.." She hoped and then sighed. "There's a good bit of debris. She lapped at his paw lightly and then with her fangs took in a few of the larger ones. When she was finished taking a few out she hummed. "It should close good now." She nodded. "Just clean it a little bit every so often today to keep it clean."

Her eyes lifted to the antelope and she got up. "Are you hungry?"  

[Revel1984]

Tajii flinched a little as she took his paw, removing the bits of rock that had been embedded in it, he was pleased when she said it wasn't infected though, so it had just been the sharp shards of rock being pressed deeper into his pawpad that had been troubling him. That was good. ""Thank you.... I'll be sure to keep it as clean as i can" he said to her, relieved it was nothing serious.

"Very..... " he answered, as if his state wasn't obvious "I'm sorry ... what.. what's your name?... thank you for helping me"  

[Saint Vis]

Realizing she didn't say she erped a little and smiled shyly. Flicking her tail against the ground. "I'm sorry, my name is Seneca. I'm a leopardess." She didn't know why she said the last part. Maybe she was considering the fact he couldn't see her being a fellow leopard. However she forgot he probably could smell her better then she could smell him.

Getting up she pardoned herself quietly to him and moved some meat from the Antelope over to him. She settled herself down across from him and took a bit of the meat for herself to chew on. Flicking her ears a little. "What's someone like you roaming these lands alone? It looks like you haven't eaten in days. Maybe a week or so..?"  

[Revel1984]

Tajii smiled weakly as his stomach growled and clenched painfully "That's a nice name, Seneca" He didn't feel the need to point out that he could smell the fact she was female, that might just embarrass her.

He felt her presence move away and for a moment he thought she had probably gone on her way but when he heard and smelled fresh kill flop near him he almost literally dived on it, his instincts making his fur bristle as he 'guarded' his meal as he ate. He didn't answer her until he'd eaten every last scrap of the chunk she brought over to him, even going so far as to lick the ground he could smell blood soaked into. Now HE was embarassed "Sorry .... no. no i hadn't eaten since i hurt my paw, i think about ten sun-ups ago"  

[Saint Vis]

She watched him devour his food, she blinked astonished. She knew what it felt like though. She hadn't had much hunting experience when she went out in the world. Seneca had been pretty much left to her vices to learn on her own. So she knew what starvation was like.

"D..Did you want another slab Tajii? That is a long time for a full grown leopard." She insisted. "You look like you've also missed a few baths."  

[Revel1984]

He obviously missed her astonished look but he did feel embarrassed, not only had he just eaten like a warthog she commented on the state of his fur. "Yes please.. i'm starved" he said, he could have found the kill by himself but he was still shaken up. "Yeah .. hard to get yourself clean when you can't see the worst of it, i usually take a dip in some water when i start getting itchy" he admitted.  

[Saint Vis]

"Well." She blinked a little and tilted her head. "I don't mind if you tag along with me for as long as you want Tajii.. I don't believe in dropping people off into the world alone.. And I certainly won't abandon a blind leopard." She got up again and took a chunk out again. Placing it infront of him politely.

Laying back down and flicking her tail lightly. "There's an Oasis not to far off. I gather you should take a dip sometime. Let the water hit that wound too.." She wasn't going to admit to being one of those leopardesses who was abandoned in the world without any vices. But she was. However Tajii didn't need to know that.  

[Revel1984]

Tajii sighed, he knew this was coming, it was nice of her though "I'll be ok once my paw heals, i've gotten to where i can catch maybe half of what i hunt, i don't usually go hungry ...it was just my paw.." he trailed off. feeling that he might have offended her by being a little defensive. He was blind, not incapable.

His own tail flicked in an unknown echo of hers, his ear flicking away a fly "Oasis you say? .. i could do with a good long soak i think," he said with a smile "though i'd rather eat as much as i can first, before the scavengers arrive on that antelope you killed"  

[Saint Vis]

"I'm only offering because I know what it's like to be alone. I'll stick around until it heals then." She nodded gently and yawned. Maybe she was just tired of being alone? None would really know. Leopards weren't usually pride-animals. Though there were prides for Leopards that's for sure.

She'd chuckle. "I'm good at chasing things off. But when you want it is your decision." Her ears swiveled a bit. "Just tell me when or if you'd like more then." For the evening she spent it tending to his wounds and helping him get food. Soon enough she'd drag him to the oasis to enjoy a soaking.
She wouldn't leave him alone though, loyalty. It was just how Seneca was.