AIM RP Log
The proud mother of three lovely children, and a brat walked proudly across the savanna near the family's home. Today was the day she wanted to teach her first born girl to hunt, Mvumo her mate had taught her boys and she insisted that she be allowed to teach the girls. The aging feline's muscles were still strong, although her hunting skills were lacking, she was sure that she would be the perfect teacher to her perfect angel.
Deciding it was best to take the first born first she walked along beside her daughter hopefully, "Now, I know your father is a better hunter, but I could catch my fair share of zebras before he took over the role as provider." She bobbed her head smiling at Shani.
Shani was a very happy lioness, especially when her mother came to her to teach her how to improve her hunting. Especially when she realized that she got picked before her sister! She loved her sister, but she always tried so hard to impress and please her mother, this was like a reward and acknowledgement of her efforts. So she skipped along at her mother's side cheerfully as she was led towards what Shani could only assume was the very best hunting grounds. She barely suppressed a cheery hum, until her mother spoke up. She looked over and smiled as Aadil bobbed her head.
"I bet! I want to be as good at hunting as you," she beamed.
Aadil practically glowed with pride at her perfect daughter, Shani was the spitting image of the mother and she wanted Shani to be perfect, Aadil was even starting to try and mold the teenager to be quite like her. She turned her blue eyes on her daughter and laughed, "How about you become an even better hunter, one to match your father's skill?"
Aadil had been noticing one thing, their once large copse was quickly becoming crowded and more than once the mother thought of kicking her sons out of the nest, especially her second born, Kubwa. He had caused his mother the most trouble and worry, bringing home a grandson like that! Aadil still had not forgiven him, and even was tempted to give him a good swat like when he was young.
Shani could see the pride in her mother's eyes, or hoped that was what she saw. Her mother rarely ever seemed to be upset with her, so she could only imagine it to be all good. Especially when her mother smiled and laughed as she did, she hoped it would always be this way. She'd never want her mother to be upset with her, that would just be awful. When Aadil suggested she be even better at hunting than her mother and match her father's skills instead, Shani smiled shyly at the idea. If momma thought she could do it, then she probably could .. but better than her?
"Maybe!" she answered optimistically, releasing any doubt that she could be better than Aadil for the time being, "What are we going to hunt, momma?"
She smirked, that's my girl! She thought joyfully,"I believe I saw a small group of antelope in this direction, yesterday. If we're lucky they'll still be grazing in the tall grasses." She continued to walk on her silky coat glistening in the early morning son.
"Shani," she paused, how to approach this topic?,"you've been growing so much, you're nearing an age where males start to notice you, have any handsome males come your way?" She did not want to come right out and ask if her young daughter had any 'crushes,' and did not want to say that boys were evil..but she did not want another Kubwa episode, not that her perfect daughter would do such a thing.
"Antelope?" Shani repeated thoughtfully, a smile on her face. She didn't hate antelope, and if they could get one and bring it back- imagine how impressed everyone would be with them! The idea made her smile, her and momma would make a great team- and they would prove it together today! Smiling, she didn't expect the sudden change of topic and tone- worried, she looked over when her mother said her name, wondering what she could have done.
At the mention of how old she was, and of males noticing her she could only hope her dark fur hid the blush that came to her face. She hadn't ever thought about such a thing, she was far too occupied with other things. Besides, the way her mother was with Kubwa, with Tete.. it didn't give her the best impression of the idea of looking into such things. Not that she fully understood the relationship between males and females, but she knew her mother and father.. and knew that Tete was Kubwa's baby. It was like pieces to a really simple puzzle; her parents like their cubs, but weren't so happy seeming when their cubs had cubs. She didn't need to know exactly how cubs came to be, she obviously didn't want to distress her mother so it didn't matter!
"No," she answered quickly, assuringly and hoping not to give her mother the wrong idea at all.
Aadil let out a sigh of relief, waiting for Shani to say that she indeed had found a male, and feeling completely relieved that Shani had said no so quickly. "Yes, antelope, they looked quite young, a few babies in toe." She smiled and thought of what to tell her daughter should understand first, she was sure Shani had some idea about hunting. Continuing their treck out into the savanna Aadil mused, ah-hah! She remembered the very first thing her mother told her.
"When hunting it is best to hunt in groups, as you know. Some lions can hunt alone, but at least two are good. And they must always be quiet, especially with antelope they are skittish. When working together it's harder to be quiet though, you know me, very chatty." She bobbed her head and lifted her nose to scent, no sign of antelope here.
Shani watched her mother for her reaction, almost feeling like it might be some kind of trick question, but she too was relieved when her mother looked relieves and happy with the answer she had given. She tucked away this little information for later recall, should she in fact ever be approached by a "handsome male". Happily skipping back to the hunting topic, she looked around to any signs of the antelope. Shani didn't see anything but she thought maybe she was missing something that her mother might pick up on. She nodded along with everything Aadil told her, repeating it over and over in her mind so she wouldn't forget it. Groups of two were good for hunting- that was good, there were two of them now! She smiled when Aadil confessed to being chatty and opened her mouth to comment, but wondered if she was supposed to be quiet now or not. Maybe it was best just to stay silent, just in case!
Watching her mother lift her nose and scent the air, Shani did her best to mimic the action- but she couldn't smell anything too distinct.
"Don't smell anything, how about you? Maybe I was wrong about there being something here before," Aadil looked doubtful, she'd also gotten word from another huntress there was a small migrating group. She wandered what her precious daughter thought of her questions and information, was she as approving of Aadil as Aadil was of her?
"I asked you that, because, well I met your father around your age, and love that blooms young is very romantic," she would be blushing too now, feeling not uncomfortable telling her daughter this but a tad sentimental and hoping her teenager did not think her foolish, "I wouldn't want grandcubs so soon, but maybe if you got around to it..there would be a handsome boy that took interest," she was shocked at her own words and at the thoughts that lay beneath, maybe one of Tete's young friends would like Shani. "You're very pretty," she added quickly, "I always thought you would be, just like your mother."
"No," Shani shook her head in disappointment, but was quick to try to reassure her mother, "I bet they were here, just not now." Aadil couldn't be wrong, it just didn't happen in Shani's mind. She might not be omniscient or psychic, but that didn't mean she was completely wrong all the time. She took a couple steps ahead and looked around some more, there really didn't seem to be anything around.. nothing good to hunt! When the subject changed back to the question of males, Shani looked over curiously. Momma's tone was different again, but now it was almost a good kind of different.
She was surprised to hear that her parents had met around her age, and that she that was very romantic. It was interesting.. and the sudden comment on grandcubs and taking interesting in boys, she looked down in embarrassment. She couldn't see anything like that in her near future, but her mother talking about it was forcing her to think about it. It was sudden and kind of confusing, she didn't know exactly how to respond to this. Shani had had a lot of practice and time to figure out what would make her mother happy, but this seemed so odd.
"Thank you," she mumbled, glancing up at her mother when complimented for being as pretty as her.
Aadil glanced at her daughter and laughed out loud, "No need to be embarrassed little lady!" She exclaimed and then caught herself, they were supposed to be hunting, and she'd already broken her first rule, being quiet. The aging mother wanted to have two different lessons at once the birds and the bees and hunting and was confused on which to go on with.
Pushing the thought of granddaughters away Aadil's eyes drifted off of her daughter and on to the world infront of them. They were starting to creep into the tall grass. Aadil crouched low in a stalking position. "getting low allows you to spy on your prey before they see you, can you see anything?" she nearly whispered. Aadil had spotted a tan behind in the distance, she wondered if her daughter had spotted it as well. She would point it out if Shani did not catch on. She crept forward quietly.
Shani smiled sheepishly when her mother told her not to be embarrassed. She couldn't help it, she was happy to be complimented of course, and it was a rather.. interesting topic to be on. She wasn't sure if they were trying to have a meaningful talk or learning to hunt anymore, but she'd go along with however the conversation went! If Aadil wanted to go back and fourth, or if she had said everything she needed to say about the rest.. well, then it would all be ok!
Even before Aadil told her the advantages of getting closer to the ground, Shani happily mimicked her. She nodded to what she was told, realizing they were trying to be quiet again when her mother finished in a whisper. She looked around them warily, trying to see if she could spot anything through all the tall grass but her unpracticed eyes could see only the tall grass. It was getting her in way, and she wasn't sure how to get used to seeing through it. Perhaps she could ask later..
Aadil smiled oh what a good student her daughter was mimmicking and nodding along, "Maybe we'll need to get closer?" Aadil had not taken into consideration her daughter's untrained eye, "how about you pop up out of the grasses quickly and look?" she offered maybe it would be easier for Shani to see their position and then be able to spot them in the grasses. Aadil could only make out a leg here or there but there seemed to be about ten antelope. There was a small fawn she did not see however frollicking closer and closer to the mother daughter duo.
"Once you see them pop back down and lead the way, don't get too close."
Shani nodded, not seeing anything and finding that to be good enough reason to look around more. At the suggestion of being the one to peek up and take a look around, Shani couldn't help but beam at the trust she was being given. She really didn't want to mess this up for them, thinking still about what would happen when they caught something. With a quiet nod, she lifted up her head slowly and stuck just enough of her head out of the grass so that she could see above the grass. It was more than enough for someone to spot, of course, but it was fortunate the pair of them were naturally colored. She gasped when she saw the fawn coming nearer to them, immediately ducking her head down.
"There's a baby coming this way," she murmured, perhaps a little too loudly.
"Ssshhhhh, dear one, it'll hear you," she whispered trying to make her voice as quiet as possible, she was used to hunting with other seasoned hunters and this was proving to be a challenge, "Is it close enough that it will bump into us?" She inquired peering through the grasses not wanting to attempt another look above them. How would she instruct her daughter to take tihs little one down? She wanted it to be Shani's kill so she could go home and boast to the others.
"The next step is to get behind it, or a place where it cannot see you and pounce, go for it's neck, it'll die quicker that way," she instructed, "I'll stay here you, you try this one on your own, I'll watch." She hoped deep down inside her daughter was a great huntress, one that would catch many meals for the great pride. And this was the first step, getting the dark colored female out there, to do on her own.
"If you need me too, I can spook it your way, you think this one through." She encouraged her young to be independant.
Shani closed her mouth tightly as soon as she was hushed by her mother, she hadn't meant to be so loud but she had been caught off guard, surprised by the baby one that showed up so very suddenly. She glanced upward, not really lifting her head up again in case she did really scare it away this time. As long as she didn't see that it had been scared away, there was always a chance that it was still there. She looked at her mother with wide, blue eyes and nodded carefully. It looked close enough!
Her eyes went wide when her mother gave her instructions on how to do this on her own. She glanced back to where she had seen it, and hesitated. How did she want to do this? She really wanted to show her mother that she could do this, but she wanted to do it right! If she could get in the right spot, and her mother scared it towards her.. that seemed like a good idea! But was that really doing it all by herself? Was she taking too much time to think?
Aadil watched her daughter think the process through and smiled she lifted her nose to scent and waited. This was Shani's time to shine, what would her little clone do? She nodded to her daughter, the same blue eyes staring right back at her. There was no suprise, she knew that her teenager could do this all on her own as long as she tried.
Shani didn't know how exactly to procede, but she knew if she didn't decide now and act, it would be too late and she would miss her chance. She had an easy target, something her size and something that wouldn't have known what was going on before it was too late. Deciding whether or not she needed her mother's help would have to wait until she got started. Flattening her ears against her head, she listened to the rustling of the small antelope heading towards them- it was considerably close now, thanks to her hesitation. She was surprised it hadn't caught on, but then- how attentive had she been as a cub?
Without a glance back to her mother, she carefully shifted her way through the grass, leaving her mother behind as she tried to figure out the best way to get to the antelope unnoticed. After a couple steps, she stopped to listen for it again- and she noticed the shuffling had stopped. She'd either missed it or was on the verge of being found out- she had to act .. NOW!
Adrenaline pumped in the brown mother's veins as she watched her daugher act, this was exactly what she hoped for instinct to take control in her young teenager and for her to learn and feel natural doing it. Aadil shifted her position to get a better look, her blue eyes scanning through the grasses, she did not hear the young antelope moving and her heart lept, now my little one! At Shani's reaction and pouncing it took all Aadil had not to jump into the air in congradulations. She stepped forward again shifting slowly to see if Shani had successfully bagged the kill.
She could not see properly in the grasses, all she could see was her adorable daugthers behind, she stopped still crouched and waited for her daughter to reveil the outcome. She bobbed her head nervously and strained her eyes and ears to see and hear what was happening. She had not heard the antelope squealing, but then again it could have gone into shock.
Did she get it? Did she not get it? It was hard to say for a moment, but the violent rustling int he grass was enough to say that she had at least hit her target. Lucky Shani had even managed to get a hold of it's throat quick enough that it's cries were almost immediately strangled- though her grip wasn't enough to kill it immediately and that was what led to the struggle. It didn't take long for the lioness to realize this, however, and her grip tightened and she steadied herself. She was much larger and stronger than the baby antelope, and soon everything was quiet.
Aadil waited still wanting her daughter to sound her triumph, but instead was greated with silence, her concern worry wartedness kicked in and she rushed forward to see her daughter ontop of the dead baby antelope. Fear filled her there was blood and Shani was not moving at that moment, "Are you..are you okay?! You did splendid!" she shouted, and was sure she spooked the herd that lay beyond, now missing one baby. Aadil leaned down pressing her nose against Shani's side in concern and as a sign of a job very well done.
Shani was only still for a moment, rather shocked at what she had accomplished. Her ears turned at the sound of her mother's voice, and she turned and smiled when her mother nudged her. She rolled over, on the opposite side her mother stood, and got to her feet carefully. She'd done it, she really did!
"I did it!" she beamed at her mother.
"Haha, I'm so proud of you! Why don't we bring your kill back to show the boys and Ghali?" her blue eyes twinkled with youth not matching her aging form she was happy that her daughter turned out just like her first born, perfect. She was also sure that Ghali would be just as great a hunter as Shani, her lovely blue daughter would be perfect, how she longed for her girls and how she got them and they were exactly what she wished for.
Shani's smile brightened intensely at the praise from her mother, and she leaped over the little antelope and nuzzled against her mother happily. She was glad she had done it, it wouldn't have been as fun showing mama that she couldn't do it. At the idea of showing Ghali and everyone, she nodded enthusiastically. "Ok! Let's take it back," she agreed and took a moment to figure out the best way to carry off the baby antelope. The easiest way seemed to be to get a hold of it's neck again, so that's what she did!
Fin!
