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 Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:03 pm
 
That was what he was doing right now. He was sprawled out on the groud, close enough to the den that his Mother wouldn't fret, but still away from the others... Simply soaking up the moonlight.
Kutulia had ventured so far from the pridelands in that last week. She both frightened and amazed herself. While she had not become lost since she was a kit, fear of forgetting her way back remained strong with her. She was careful to avoid venturing into other prides, but kept close enough to watch the interactions and learn about who lived where. Kutulia had as much of the wild, adventurous genes as her sister Mnyama, she just happened to be more careful with them.
Having found a small uninhabited burrow to rest in during the day, Kutulia set out at night, enjoying the coolness on her fur. She was still tired and increasingly hungry, but excited and curious about what events would occur that night. While she hopped along the borders of the Aikanaro'hini, she felt a shiver run through her. Why did this pride feel so different?
It was then that Nyota smelled it. A prey animal, small enough that even he could easily take it down. The young cub smirked, rolling onto his feet and crouching in the tall grass. The border was still being established, the reason they remained so close to it during this time... His claws flexed, digging into the soft earth as he slowly began to move forward, staying low and looking for the prey he'd scented on the wind.
Kutulia continued along her set path, unsure as to why she felt so uncomfortable. She had travelled during the night for much of her adventure, so this was nothing different. It was then that the small, pale hare believed she heard something approaching. Pausing for a moment, Kutulia flexed her ears in order to hear anything. She was unsuccessful, but more nervous than before.
Quickening her pace, the hare's eyes darted about nervously. Was her idea a bad one? Why hadn't she been more careful? Kutulia was always so careful with her choices. Here, miles and miles from her home, she wasn't able to simply return to her father for comfort. She would have to face her mistake on her own.
Nyota could practically taste the increasing fear coming from the small hair. He flexed his claws again, moving ever closer... He was almost within distance... And then he could play with his new toy for a while before he finally made the kill... (Assuming his 'prey' didn't escape, of course.)
Hearing the same noise again, Kutulia flipped around, inspecting her surroundings. She waited, body tense, still and aware. Her only movement was the quick raising and falling and her chest from her growing heartbeat. Having grown up in a pride where she was a respected member, Kutulia had never been hunted before. Her father had warned her in the past to be careful of other lions. She knew her place in the food chain, but never really thought anything of it. What was going to happen?
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:07 pm
Another slow step... Nyota could sense it now... He smirked and burst forward from the grass, paws galloping across the grass as he took after the Hare. She would be his soon enough. His prey, and his toy for a while...
Kutulia did not see the lion at first, but once he burst through the grass, her instincts took over. Immedietly, the hares body untensed and burst into a sprint to get away from whatever it was that was coming after her. For a second, a memory of Jasiri popped into the hare's mind. He had "hunted" her before in the past, why hadn't she known what to do? Why did her body freeze so suddenly? It was an awful feeling to have no control of her form from fear.
Looking behind her reluctantly, the hare realised that the beast that was chasing her was actually a cub. Some fear left the hare, but she knew that she could not underestimate the cubs intentions. He was certainly no Jasiri and by the look on his face, he was serious.
Turning quickly, Kutulia's feet sent dust flying into the air in the hopes of blinding the cub. In the cloud, she searched frantically for some place to hide.
Unfortunately for Kutulia, Nyota was not one to be underestimated. As soon as he saw the dust coming, he closed his eyes and used his ears and nose to guide him. It was child's play to find the panicked Hare, the pounding of her heart in his ears was enough...
A single large paw quickly pinned her to the dirt beneath her, and once the dust had cleared he loomed over her, golden eyes holding dark intentions and his maw spread in a malicious grin.
"Hope you enjoyed your life, little hare."
While Kutulia was able to hear remarkably well, the dust impaired her site much more than she had intended. Feeling weak, vulnerable and foolish, the hare remained where she was, hoping that the cub would become lost and perhaps leave her alone. How wrong Kutulia had been. When the paw came through the dust, she pulled back in an attempt to flea. Unable, the hare fell to the ground with a thud and looked up at the cub. Through the cloud of dust, she could see his glowing, golden eyes.
When the cub spoke, the hare quivered in fear. How could something so young already be so malicious? What evil place had she stumbled across? Both her heart and mind were racing now in an attempt to figure out what she would do. "W-who are you!?" Was all she could gasp.
"I am Nyota'angavu. First cub born into the new Aikanaro'hini, the pride of demons. You should never have ventured near these lands," he growled, claws flexing and teasing at the bunny's soft flesh, just barely scratching her skin and letting her blood into the air.
The pride of demons? Kutulia thought fearfully. While she was aware of what a demon was, she had never thought of them as anything other than fictional. How could lions posess the powers of such hideous creatures? With wide pink eyes, Kutulia gasped. She could feel the cub's claws dig within her. The pain was nothing she had ever felt in the past.
Unable to imagine what would happen if she did not act quick, Kutulia jumped forward as much as she was able and bit at the face of the cub. It was all she could do in her attempt to escape.
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:40 pm
Nyota gave a cub-roar of annoyance, and his claws ran down the hare's chest, before he shook his head, attempting to dislodge the rabbit. She would die for this. He would make sure of it...
The roar could not increase Kutulia's fear in the situation. She was so entirely fearful for her life, she was not able to calculate what option would be wisest. When the cub's claws ran down her chest, the hare released a horrible scream of pain. She could not give up. When the cub shook his head, Kutulia took her chance, biting at the cub's face again, this time with the intent to take a piece of skin with her. But while she bit at Nyota, she also threw her back legs forward, extending her clawed feet and kicked repeatedly. If it was a fight the cub wanted, she would be willing to give it to him.
Nyota roared again when she latched on and began kicking and scratching at his chest, claws extending and swiping at the hare's side. He would make sure this hare would regret this. Foolish prey animal didn't have any idea what she was messing with.
When the cub's claws dug into the hare's side, she screamed again in pain. This was nothing she had ever been taught to deal with. Her father's warning echoed in her mind, though they never could have prepared her for the horror of this real situation. Continueing to kick and bite sporatically, the hare managed to release a portion of her body when the cub lifted his paw up to scratch her. Partially free, it took over a few more quicks, to push her body a bit away from the cub.
Jumping to her feet weakly, the pale colored hare, decorated in her own blood began to run as quickly as she could. She would not look back. She would not stop. She would escape. This was something she had set her mind to, something she couldn't risk messing up.
Nyota only belatedly realized his prey was escaping, blood dripping from his nose and chest as he growled in annoyance. He chased after the animal, intent on catching it again. But the blood dripping down his nose interrupted his senses. The prey would escape... Nyota stopped his chase and gave a roar of annoyance, swiping at the ground and glaring death at the hare.
"If I ever see you again, I'll make catch you and torture you until you beg me to kill you!" he roared after her retreating form.
Kutulia heard the cub's screams, but they meant nothing to her. She was unable to stop running and her body continued to bleed and grow weaker. All that mattered to the hare was returning home. It would be a long travel that would take weeks in her condition, but the frighetened hare couldn't imagine continueing her journey after the horrible attack.
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