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 Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:55 pm
After walking several more moments, a lone tree shooting up from the middle of the savannah came into eye sight. If she wasn't such an unhappy creature, she would've leapt for joy. It was either her mood or her extreme lack of energy that kept her firmly rooted to the ground, baisically trudging through the tall grass to the shelter of the tree. It took a little while before she reached it, her pace was so slow and her steps so small. Once there, she flopped rather ungracefully onto the cool dirt, sighing and sinking her head down on her front paws. Now that she had stopped moving, the aching had come back in full force, making sure that she wouldn't be leaving that tree at least until tomorrow morning. Even then, she might still need rest. It was rare that she stayed in any one place too long, but she had been walking for so long... One day couldn't hurt, right? Then again, it could. If anything was to find her here, to break her peace and quiet... She'd have to leave. Hopefully, though, she'd remain alone at least until the sun had gone and come again.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:09 pm
 Approaching the same resting area with a bit of a different attitude, the brownish male grinned at the colors that the sky was changing into. He loved the night time, and how easily everything cooled down and relaxed. The sunset was always a reminder for him to do just that, and after sniffing the area around, he spotted the same lone tree that Kiji did.
He was going to keep moving, since traveling at night didn't really phase him. He actually preferred walking under the moon over the sun, but his paws were aching for a strange reason, and the thought of settling down for a rest felt perfect.
It had been many days of walking, and many days of being alone. Chakelete longed to meet others, so he sighed as he approached the tree, expecting to have yet another quiet evening. But, to his utter shock, he saw another creature plopped on the ground!
Halting himself suddenly, his red eyes blinked for a second, before he felt inclined to say something. By the way the creature was sitting, they looked incredibly comfortable, and from his viewpoint he wondered if they were sleeping!
Inching a tad forward, he lowered his ears but smiled warmly. "Hello?"
Yes, he would wait for an answer, if they were sleeping, he would plop down and get some rest as well.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:28 pm
The innocent greeting, which might've sounded perfectly sweet to any other critter, fell on grumpy ears. Slowly, Kiji pulled up her head and looked in the direction of the disturbance. "Great," she muttered under her breath. Just what she needed. A dog to come and break her silent relaxation. What was worse, it was a male! If she hadn't been so darn tired, she would've darted from the spot for a more quiet place. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure if she could move a leg muscle, even if she was in danger. A fleeting fear skittered around in the back of her mind, and she wondered if it were possible that this male meant to do her some sort of harm. Her smarter half told her that if he did, he wouldn't have said hello. There was still that fear, that ingrained paranoia, and she so wished she could run.
After a few moments of simply staring at him, she surrendered. If he was going to hurt her, she had no defense anyway, and she had to accept it. If he was simply there to annoy her, it would be a test of her mettal endurance. She hadn't had a good test of that in a long time, seeing as she had gotten so well at avoiding company during her travels. "Something you want?" Her tone was harsh, and she really didn't regret it. Perhaps he would simply go away. There was always that chance, right?
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:42 pm
Ah, so it was a female? And someone who even looked like him! But, the way she eyed him, and her tone of voice.. he did NOT feel comfortable in her presence!
Taking a step back, he shook his head quickly and tried to keep a smile. "I wasn't trying to bother, just saying hello." Heh, a hello that didn't seem very wanted by the female. "All you alright? You looked incredibly tired."
Ah well, he decided to sit comfortably now on the ground, but he still remained a few paces away from her. If she REALLY wanted him to leave, he would, but at the moment he decided to stick around in hopes that he could chat with her. Besides- the most he could do was annoy her, she seemed way too tired to physically do anything.
He let his eyes drift on the sky again, and he noticed how much darker it had gotten in a matter of moments. "We should have a lovely night." he then added, nodding comofrtably.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:05 pm
He seemed like such a sweet dog, Kiji wondered why he was alone. Why didn't he have a family to tend to, or a pack to chatter with? She stared at him shrewdly for a few moments, not entirely positive what to make of him. Perhaps he was trying to trick her, to disarm her defenses and then go in for the kill, be it mental or physical. She was incapable of thinking that any male could really mean no harm at all, and that he might simply just want company while he rested his paws. It was simply inconceivable. In her mind, all males, no matter the species, were horrible creatures who wanted simply to use all females to get whatever it was they wanted at any given moment, and then drop them like water. So, as opposed to showing a little warmth to the gentle dog, she simply 'allowed' him to say. She decided she wouldn't chase him off, even if he meant her harm. It was getting dark, and the presense of a male might keep others at bay. That was the only good thing about having company: it could ward off others. As long as he kept a few paces away from her, she thought she would be fine.
"I just need rest is all. Nothing major." She glared at her paws, her ego a little battered by his question. She certainly didn't need a male concnerned for her health. "Nights aren't lovely. They're dangerous. You never know what can happen in the dark." Her voice wasn't so much as cold as it was flat. She said it as if it were complete fact. Anything could happen at night, and no one would know about it. In the sunlight, though, there were witnesses. That was the key, to have a witness to a bad event. Sure, some critters had great eye sight at night, but when there was hardly any light, things became blurred.
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:24 pm
Well, at least she made it pretty clear to him that she was alright. He didn't have to worry about her health or anything, so that was good. "It'soke, it happens to the best of us. My paws gave up on me as well, so I had to give in for a moment." Hoping to reassure her, he grinned at her with his usual energy, and tried to ignore her cold expression that she emitted.
"The dark can also be protecting." he protested, while glancing at her again. "Its easy to dissapear in it, so I enjoy it most when traveling. Danger is always an option, but I find daytime to be most dangerous." Everyone had their strategies, so Chakelete decided to reframe from explaining further.
"Do you live around this area?" It was probably a dumb question, but he was eager to continue conversation. The area was dull and lifeless, so he figured she must have been traveleing or something.
Hm, and he still hadn't found out her name? "My names' Chakelete," he started out with, so it sounded more casual. "What's your name?" He usually wasn't as careful when talking, but he felt it was needed in front of this female!
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:33 pm
Kiji narrowed her eyes at him to mere slits as he spoke of the night's protection. The night had betrayed her long ago, just as a male had betrayed her. She had no reason to trust either anymore. "The night hides those who wish to be hidden, yes, but it isn't always a good thing. In the day light, you can see everything coming." And everyone can see you, she added silently. She didn't like company, but the idea that at least one critter was always within eye sight was somewhat comforting. That way, if anything happened... She almost shuddered, but managed to control the reflex. Showing weakness in front of a male was certainly a very bad idea. She needed to appear strong, to show that she didn't need him there. Looking away, she once again found herself glaring at her paws.
His next question caught her a little off gaurd, as she didn't have a prepared answer for it. She didn't truely live anywhere. She had been traveling since the incident that had changed everything, and hadn't ever considered stopping to call any one place home. "I don't live near here. I don't live near anywhere." She cast a glance at the dimming savannah around the pair. Some might find it sad to not have a place to go to at night, but it suited her just fine. Even if her paws were sore after a particularly long day of travel, she couldn't really live any other way. At the request of her name, she shot her eyes back at the male, sizing him up for the bazillionith time. Could she trust him with her name? She supposed so. It wasn't as if he could ever track her down once she left. "Kijicho."
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Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:50 pm
The female was doing a fine job in showing that she was strong, because in Chakelete's opinion, her motions and careful speech felt intimidating in a sense. Silence also gave off a stronger attitude, and he felt compelled to try and make her speak more. Whether or not she really was strong wasn't an issue for Chakelete, for he felt every creature had their own strengths to give in their lives. But, hearing Kijicho speak more was now a bit of a challenge, and it made the experience that more fun!
"How strange, I live the same way." bringing his bright eyes on her, he continued to hold his childish grin. "I prefer that way of life, moving to new areas comfortably. I haven't settled down in awhile." There really was no reason to at this point, and traveling just brought more excitement to life for Chakelete. "But I'll admit, it can be a bit of a lonely life."
They obviously had different reasons for living the way they did, but it was comforting to know that they had one thing in common. "One can never run out of things to see, or at least that's how I look at it." Overly positive as usual, he tore away from the lonely aspect only to remind himself of some of the benefits of traveling a lot.
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:03 am
If she hadn't been gaurding herself so fiercly, she would've smirked at the other dog. His optimism was highly amusing her. No matter how uninterested in him she seemed, he kept on going, lapping up every bit of conversation she threw his way likea starved pup with a free meal. It was rare that she found anything funny, so it made her curious. Did she find his happiness so interesting because she was practically his opposite? There had been a time when she had been just as cheerful as he currently was, but she figured that things like that were shrugged off as youngsters became adults. He seemed to have been able to hold on to his, and it gave him a child like feel. Maybe that was why she hadn't chased him off. Besides her current lack of strength, she would've never chased off a little one searching for a place to rest. Even if it was a male, his personality made him seem so unthreateningly familiar.
"I don't like staying in the same place more than one night. It gets old..." Plus, she got a little paranoid if she was ever grounded for too long, but telling Chakelete that might've taken away from her strong image. "I like being alone, though. It's more peaceful." And safer, she once again only added for her own mind. She really was an insecure critter, mildly paranoid and almost always wrought with a case of the jitters. Some sought comfort from others when they were scared; she sought comfort in the fact that she was alone, and there for nothing could hurt her. "It does get interesting, though. I've seen many things that most wild dogs don't even dream about." She was sure the male was in the same boat as her in that respect, since he traveled as well. Many dogs didn't, sticking to their packs. She would never be able to live like that.
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:54 am
The female's personality did reflect a loner attitude, and Chakelete was suprised by this at first. "I wouldn't think that many enjoy being alone, but yet you find it more peaceful?" With a light chuckle, he thumped his tail on the ground lazily. "Peaceful seems like a strange word choice, especially because of some of the dangers we could face as being wanderers."
He wondered if he had overstepped his boundary by speaking too much, and he pawed at the ground when there was a hint of silence. "Well to each of us our own, I suppose."
The only thing that was making Chakelete worried was his capacity for keeping the female entertained, because even when he was speaking, she didn't seem very impressed or excited to hear more!
With a small sigh, he looked up at the sky again, waiting for more stars to appear and show themselves. "Have you ever been in a pack though? I hope to try that someday." He wanted to try everything, and so far he had enjoyed the roaming life. But he knew that remaining in one place had its benefits, he just needed to find the right pack someday.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 6:44 pm
Kiji snorted at his comment. She hardly found anything other than being alone peaceful. When there was company, things were rarely quiet. It was the quiet she liked, the lack of speech. Or course, there were always the buzzing sounds of the savannah, but that didn't really count. That was simply background noise that could easily be blocked out. Needless chatter from an entire pack, however, was impossible to block out and immensely annoying. All of the males talking of the latest hunts, females fawning over thier pups... A pang of sorrow pierced her heart at that thought, and she looked away quickly to hide the glint in her eyes. No showing emotion, not to a male. Showing any hint of it was a sign of weakness, something that could be taken advantage of. "The danger is only there if something is with you. Think about it. How can any creature harm you if you are alone?" It was logical, really. She did understand what he had meant, but felt the need to argue it.
At the mention of pack, she looked at him curiously. If he enjoyed the travel, why would he want to settle with a pack? They got no where fast. "I once was in one. Left when I was merely more than a pup, though. Suppose they've since disbanded." She hardly cared what had happened to her previous pack, seeing as she had left it so long ago. Truely, it wasn't that far back in her past, but all of the travel she had done since them made it feel like it. "They aren't as glamerous as they sound. All they really do is slow you down, present more opputunities to get hurt..." Her voice was bitter now, more so than it had been before.
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:42 am
"Well if you are talking about emotional damage, then I suppose that makes sense. But I am willing to take the risk for emotional damage, since that's what life is." He obviously was still oblivious to what had happened to her, and since he had been lucky in not having any problems with others, so he really saw no problem with the issue. "Conflict is just something to deal with down the road, and I wouldn't take that experience away. I dunno, to me all experience matters."
But the again, he wasn't broken because of something, like she was.
"I know." he first said, quietly. "If anything I would have guessed that they would slow me down, but there aren't many that enjoy traveling like I do, so after awhile I do get lonely. Plus, how am I supposed to settle down and hope for a family, if I am always running around everywhere?" He grinned at her and shook his head. "I have to be there for a mate if I ever find one." Abandoning was NOT in his way of life, after all.
Finally sensing some kind of past in the female, he looked at her carefully. "Well why not try a different pack sometime? That's why there are many, so we have the ability to find one to really connect to.." All he really knew was to be enthusiastic and positive, and he wished the female would feel so as well. But, something heavy was hanging on her shoulders, and he felt it now. "I'm sorry if something happened to you.."
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:53 pm
Even though Chakelete probably meant well with his words, the hit Kiji like a ton of rocks. She jumped to her feet, managing to stay on them, though a bit wobbly. They were terribly sore, but this was far too important to let that get in the way. She bared her teeth at the male and growled viciously. The furs on her back stood up and her ears pressed against her skull. Everything about her screamed anger. "Nothing happened to me," she snarled through a clenched jaw. "Emotional damage shouldn't be the way life is. It shouldn't!!" She was practically yelling at the male now, as if everything that had ever happened to her was completely his fault. "There's no exscuse for it. Don't ever say that again. A pack should provide protection from such things, but it doesn't." She glared at him, every word dripping with venom. If she had had the energy to stalk off, she might've. Then again, that would mean backing down from a fight, and she never did that.
Feeling as if she hadn't taken it quite far enough yet, Kiji went on with her growling. If she hadn't been put in such a foul mood, she might've been touched by Chakelete feeling the need to stay with a family. "That's what you say now." She could only muster cruel words, as opposed to congradulation him on his gentlemenly statement. "Just wait until it happens. You'll have a few pups and then change your mind. They all do." She looked quite bitter now, and it was for certain that her mood could not be worsened.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:45 pm
The females reaction made Chakelete jump on his own feet, and he put all of his weight in his back paws, and inched away slowly. She OBVIOUSLY had gone through something, and he kept himself silent as she yelled at him. There really was nothing else he could do, and when the air around them was silent, (give or take a few growls from Kiji), he finally swallowed and thought about what he might say in response.
"I am sorry if you went through something.." he paused, and shook his head, "VERY sorry. No one deserves a harsh fate like that." Ah well, maybe Chakelete had been lucky? He really couldn't relate at all. "But I wish I could I express to you how different I am to what you are shouting at me. I would never abandon, NEVER. I am extremely offended that you would say that."
Looking at her straight on now, he still held a calm grin, but was serious in his gaze. "Don't judge me on others, Kiji. That would only make you a fool, I am sorry to say." I mean, what did she honestly expect? He was an extremely kind creature, but he wasn't going to let her say all of those things about him!
"I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better.. it is obviously plaguing your mind." he sighed, and eased his body again, wondering what she would shout at him next.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:21 am
Kiji stared at the male somewhat dumbfounded for a few moments. Why wasn't he getting mad? Why wasn't he going away? His calm yet serious words hit her hard, like a kick in the gut, and she nearly stumbled from the impact. Loosing some of the force behind her growl, the bristles on her back fell short and her ears weren't nearly as far back anymore. She still kept her teeth bared as best she could, but there was an obvious shock on her features now that it seriously took away from the angry affect. Her mind was positively reeling with what had just happened. She had been called a fool? No, he said that would make you a fool, not you are a fool. But still! And he was offended? Well, wasn't that stinking sad for him. He was offended. So was she. Usually, when she yelled at a critter, they muttered about it and slunk off to either go mope or cool off. She was mildly worried that her wrath was no longer as convincing as it had been in the past.
Either way, no one had ever reacted in the way that Chakelete had. She had absolutely no idea how to respond to it. As opposed to backing down and apologizing, though, Kiji decided to nurse her wounded pride and continue her verbal attack. It was clear, however, that she was quite knocked off course by what the dog had said. "Well, don't you think you're smart!" She managed to hold a somewhat defensive stance while she snarled. "Why shouldn't I judge you? All you males are the same. Don't try to deny it. There's a bad bone in every single one of you. You're just trying to get my gaurd down." The words sounded a little untrue even to her ears as they were spoken, but she was desperate to come out ontop.
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