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 Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 1:36 pm
Jua'Jaka:
Claws flexing in the sand, gold eyes watched as the desert antelope pawed the dune. Muscles tensed under dark fur, before the lioness sprung forward. As the antelope raced away, quickly outpacing her, Jua'taka stopped, sides heaving before she let out an angry roar. Yet another hunt failed! What was she doing wrong?
Sinbad:
"Just watch." Sinbad whispered over to the small blue cub at his side. He hated this... Kenna had her hands full with the renmants of the traditionalists. Their father, Mwali, had led the group to a rocky portion of the desert, far from their -true- home. Their numbers were too low to stage a counter-strike and reclaim their home, their sacred lands... and many of the firekin were still far too young. Mwali had refused to take the throne, however- he had the authority to appoint his eldest daughter, Kenna. A good choice... though Sinbad was convinced that -he- was more deserving of the position than the lot of them. He was the biggest, the strongest---not to mention the most handsome.
Being a lord wasn't so bad though. Most of the time anyway. Today he was on hunting duty -and- babysitting duty. Zaphod, Kenna's precious little seer-slave was growing more into his young mane. In time this would be his job, but first he needed to learn how.
Zaphod:
"...From the south." The cub turned his head slowly and crouched down against the sand.
Sinbad:
"South? What are-" Sinbad froze and ducked down as well. A herd of now very spooked antelope was making right for them. What luck! Someone had done the hard part for him. "Haha...watch this."
With a roar and an explosion of raw power, the young firekin leapt out from the grass and slammed his body into one of the paniced antelope. The creature cried out in suprise and agony as the lion's teeth hit their mark- the sweet spot- the soft flesh of the throat. Mwali had left nothing out in their training. Odd as the young Sinbad was, he retained everything. The antelope was thrown to the ground and a heavy paw placed on its face as it choked and gagged.
Jua'Jaka:
It didn't take her long to realise somebody else had cashed in on her mistake. With a surge of anger and frustration, the lioness raced from sand to grass as she approached the felled antelope. The lion she saw there she hadn't paid much attention to before - Just another face in the pride to her.
Stopping again on a slight rise, she watched the male and the slave. After a moment, she approached, a growl rising up in her throat. "You took my kill!" Admittedly bad a job as it was... She hadn't even brushed the beast. Her claws dug into the soil as she walked, picking up bits of it.
Sinbad:
Sinbad eyed her as she approached and slowly lifted an eyebrow. The lioness might note the smirk that he somehow managed around the mouthful of antelope. Once the creature's body went slack he lifted his head and opened his mouth to send the antelope's neck plopping to the ground. "I don't see a kill." He leaned over a bit to look behind her, then rocked back and shook his head, "Nope. Only kill I see is the one that -I- just made." He chuckled and rolled his shoulders.
Zaphod:
Zaphod watched from the grass, though he'd stand out easily. His pelt was a bright blue color. Against the golden sand he might as well have been dancing on his back legs, waving his paws through the air.
Jua'Jaka:
Growl rising more in her throat, she moved closer. "You wouldn't even know about those antelope if it weren't for me! I've been stalking them for hours! That was MY kill to make!" Of course, they'd also been periodically RUNNING for hours, too...
Her gaze turned to the cub, eyeing the ball of blue fur. Blue... Such the anti-color of the Firekin. It made her wrinkle her nose more than the adolescent did.
Sinbad:
"Hah. I could have found them on my own. You just made it easy for me." The male offered the female a sarcastic grin, "If not me than my little slave over there. Besides.." He looked down to her claws, "I don't see a spot of blood on you. So... by all rights- you never even laid a paw on -my- kill. So... I suppose that means it's all mine."
Zaphod:
"...H....hi." Zaphod lifted a paw slightly from the grass. Oh gods she looked mad...
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Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 2:58 pm
Jua'Jaka:
Glaring at him, she only snorted. "Whatever." Her gaze then returned to the slave. "Where'd you find that thing, anyway? It looks like you pried it from the cold corpse of an enemy." Reaching over, she prodded him with a paw. "Disgusting color..."
Sinbad:
"Watch your paws now." Sinbad warned casually as he leaned himself onto the antelope's side and began drawing little circles with the tip of his claw in the dead beast's fur. "That belongs to my sister- Queen Kenna."
Zaphod:
Zaphod bristled slightly. He wasn't disgusting... but he knew better than to voice any protests.
Jua'Jaka:
Her paw withdrew, eyeing the older male anew. "So that's where I've seen you... With Kenna..." She paced around him, watching. "Just as well, you have the attitude of a prince with not enough to do." Not that she had much more to do, herself. She'd devoted herself so much to learning the stories, there was little else she DID do.
Sinbad:
"That's right." He rested a paw over the side of the antelope, stretching himself out as if to pose for the female. "Lord Sinbad. It's a fitting title I must admit." He rubbed his claws on his chest then lifted them up to inspect them. It had taken months, but his sisters had finally beaten it into his head that it was best to take care of his appearence, "You won't find a finer example of royal firekin blood than right here."
Zaphod:
Zaphod scoffed, then instantly slapped a paw over his mouth.
Sinbad:
"Funny." Sinbad laid back once more and brusted some of the mane out of his eyes, "I didn't think the opinion of a slave mattered too much... and you're agreeing with him?" He smirked again, "And anyway- I was gonna bring this back to my sister. Ripuka would have her share eventually. But we need to keep our queen healthy. Afterall-"
He tipped his chin a bit, "We are Finar-si's blessing. It will be -us- that restores order here."
Jua'Jaka:
But what is Finar-si's blessing without knowing why we are her blessing? Mother is old and less able to hunt. As the young, it is our duty to watch over our elders." Pacing, she glared at him. "If not for the elders, would we be any better than a filthy rogue?"
Sinbad:
Sinbad shrugged a bit, "She'll get something to eat." He looked his kill over. A smirk slowly began to pull accross his maw. "...How about a deal? I'll give you two legs... in return- you have to help me get a slave."
Jua'Jaka:
Circling a bit, Jua eyed Sinbad. "A slave... For two legs..." She pondered this, pausing to flex her claws. She'd never brought in a slave before... It made her shiver with anticipation at the idea. "Alright. What kind of slave? Perhaps one of those cowards that took our lands... Or one of those filthy little Pridelanders..."
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Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 4:01 pm
Sinbad:
"Either or. I'm not picky." He shrugged, "I'm not gonna kid myself. We're still young. You got my help hunting and now I want your help hunting. It doesn't even have to be a lion." He glanced over towards Zaphod who was now sitting with his head ducked. "Anything will do."
Jua'Jaka:
Pausing in her pacing, Jua closed her eyes, thinking. Where to find a slave...? After a moment, her maw broke into a grin. "A cheetah... Weak though they are... If caught early, they can be used to carry messages for us..." She looked back at Sinbad, face lit up with the grin. "And they don't need much food..."
Sinbad:
Sinbad curled his paw under his chin and leaned more against his kill. "A cheetah? Hm... I can't say I've seen one but if that's the case then that's the case." He turned and got himself back to his paws. "Well then. A deal's a deal. I'll allow your mother to eat and you'll help your lord fetch himself his first slave." He smirked and extended a paw out, "What do you say, my sweet?"
Jua'Jaka:
She flexed her claws, ears and tail twitching, before she took his paw in something of a handshake. "Deal." She tilted her head, almost regarding him. "And if you call me 'my sweet again', I might have to claw your face up." Of course, she wouldn't do it in front of others... But she would leave that part out.
Sinbad:
Sinbad only laughed as he returned his paw to the sand, "You would -try-. Now take your end of the bargain. If you deceive me it will be -your- face tasting my claws."
Jua'Jaka:
"Oh, I don't back down..." She then turned to the carcass, removing two legs. Pausing, she looked to Sinbad. "The real challenge will be finding a cheetah... They don't often come in the desert..." She couldn't help smiling at this inwardly, before turning and dragging the legs off. No, she wouldn't back down... She'd help him catch one of those little walking flesh twigs, even if she had to chase parents away from their cubs to do so.
Sinbad:
Sinbad flicked his tail and watched her go. "Until next time, sweet." He muttered under his breath.
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