|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:52 pm
While on one paw the sun was a usual 'unbearable' thing to deal with, when the rains came it was even worse. Whie rain wasn't a miserably thing on it's own, the fact it liked to drag on and on for an amount of time that was.... miserable in it's own special way. Okay, not so 'special', really.
It just seemed as though the rain had been puttering on for days with the sky dark and the ground miserably and very... 'squishy'. Occassionally lightening. Which perhaps had been the main case for Ashling to have (dragged) taken herself and her 'child' to higher ground in rockier region.
The only 'high' point of the weather?
The occassional 'stupid' beast that wandered out had been easily seen by the white lioness for her to retrieve it in a... 'simplified hunting' method. Though, thankfully, she'd been having to hunt less than before and.... it seemed to her that bringing back a stunned and partially alive kill was also allowable.
'Practice' for her 'cub' (lord he'd gotten big.. she felt like she might as well have been an Adolescent with how much bigger he was at her side) to ... well, not so much practice as he seemed to know exactly what he was doing from her vantage.
But that had been earlier in the day, leaving her inside their little 'cave' to stare out at the foul weather... or at least that's what she was doing.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:27 pm
 To say that the beast had grown would be an understatement. Young though his body was, he was a massive creature, fast approaching the day he would tower over even the largest of mortal lions. As his body had grown, so had his wings, and consequently the torturing, eternal pain that plagued him. With each passing day his mood had worsened, his temper growing fowler, if such was possible.
A snorted growl, his tail twitched, hatred in his eyes as he glared at his 'mother', the lioness who had forcibly 'adopted' him. Stupid, foolish creature, how he despised her, how he waited for the day he no longer needed her, the day he would at last tear her to shreds. But for now, she was at least useful, she fed him his fill of whatever prey beast he desired, those too large for him to slay on his own, until he grew larger. That day would come soon enough, until then he would be patient.
Patience, it was not his strongest trait, especially not when he was trapped in this infernal cave with such an infuriating creature. A dark mood surrounded him, reflected in the darkness of the storm, rumbling in his throat as distant thunder. The darkness suited him, were he alone he would have reveled in it, stupid beast.
A taloned paw reached out, smacking a rock on the cave floor, flinging it toward the rocky wall. He wanted out of this cave, away from that stupid lioness!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:10 pm
Even she (Oh lord, world coming to an end) could tell he was unhappy at the given time, letting the child have some time to be grumpy to himself while she stared out at the rain.
Certainly she would have allowed him to go out and get uddy and nasty and all that stuff (and she certainly wouldn't have tried to clean him off manually), but he seemed content back in his dark little niche. So she hadn't suggested it.
She had at least come to learn better than to completely dote upon him, instead allowing him his space and..... having taught herself to not purr in his presence.. which had left her with a self-muted purr to her name, unfortunately. Because she didn't exactly leave the child (Ah ha ha) alone.
But she had noticed he was a little more... 'irritable' as of late, so had been giving him space (sans eating, nomnom), knowing quite well he had no qualms with harming her (the scars over one eye had been a bit of a lesson, yet somehow not a deterrant...).
Though now she kept looking over her shoulder to watch him for a moment, before looking back out into the rain, waiting patiently for it to pass up. What did he want her to do?
Go catch some innocent little ground-creature that would have been less than a mouthful for her and let him maul it to death? Though she certainly would have upon request.
"It looks like it'll let up today or tomorrow."
Ugh. Joyous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:29 pm
"I do not need you to point out the obvious."
He spoke through the snarl that never seemed to leave his maw, his voice an irritated growl. Dark talons flexed, curling from massive paws as venomous daggers, longing for the day they would tear through white hide. His patience was waning fast, growing thin with each passing moment. Why had he been stuck with such an idiot? They were laughing at him, mocking him, it infuriated him so.
Enough, he could stand it any longer, he was leaving this cave. He needed to breath, to revel in the storm as it surrounded him, and to escape the lioness, if only for a brief moment. At least amid the roar of the storm he would not have to hear her. for a few moments she would no longer exist.
It was cruel irony that reminded him of the true reason he had remained within the shelter of the cave. His maw parted, a vicious snarl tearing from his chest, sharp pain surging through his wings beneath the pounding rain. His fury exploded, renewing his vow of revenge, he swore he would not rest until those who had taken his wings had been torn to shreds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:10 pm
Well it wasn't as though she had known if it was 'obvious' to him or not. 1. He'd been in the back of the shelter, 2. He didn't exactly look as though he was entertaining the rain more than his own supressed rage (really, what could make a cub that angry? God or not it seemed rediculous...).
But she didn't point that out, simply allowing the child (he still was no matter what he said to her to say otherwise) to storm (oh pun) out into the rain to have some 'me' time.
Though, while she could hear, to some extent, the unhappy noises coming from the juvenile, she made no attempt to go out and play 'soother' for him, just frowning and glancing towards her 'ghost' to see if it held any advice for her. Seemingly, it didn't, instead just staring out into the rain.
Which she mimicked as well.
If only that pained sounding growl-hiss didn't hurt her poor little BRAIN. At least emotionally. Perhaps her little 'maternal instincts' going on there, though.
But she waited for him to return from his 'break from mommy' on his own, head rested on her paws and a sigh gracing the silence. Rain left very little room for travelling of any sort. Travelling where? Nowhere in particular.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:09 pm
His paws clenched, talons raking against the earth, infernal snarl echoed in the crash of thunder. It was intolerable, how his rage burned! What was truly worse, tolerating that irritating lioness or the searing pain in his wings?
Eyes narrowed, his mood distinctively worse than it had been a moment before, the god turned on his heals and stalked back inside the cave, sheltered from the pouring rain. He did not speak, merely shot a menacing glance at the lioness, as if daring her to speak yet warning against it.
He was drenched, but he didn't care, water dripping through his fur to puddle on the ground at his paws. With an angry snort, he retreated to the darkest corner of the cave, flopping onto the ground with his jaws clenched to contain the scream that threatened to tear it's way from his chest.
"I hate you."
His voice was barely a whisper, spoken through a gasp for breath. Had she heard him, he didn't care.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:57 pm
Well he seemed to have come back just fine on his own, earning a slight frown from Ashling (at his mood, not at his having actually come back) but no greeting.
Wonderful 'mother' she was, now wasn't she? She'd learned oh so well to let him be outside of her various little doting moments. Afterall, he was still (unfortunately for him) her 'child'. All irony aside from it.
"I love you too, dearie."
Awww, so stupid to pass up the truth to mask it with what normally would be a sarcastic statement to 'smooth things 'over. Which it.. kinda was, but also wasn't.
Okay, it really wasn't, but Ashling wasn't about to register that thought, instead rising up to her paws to wander back out into the rain. As odd as the thought was in the rain, she did have to go out to get an actual 'drink' from any of it.
Rain didn't mean auto-hydration, unfortunately.
But she didn't presume the child would be coming with her, so she parted with a quick, "I'll bring you something back. Food or water?" As capable as she was, she wasn't a miracle worker of any sort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:48 pm
He offered only a growl in response, tail giving an irritated flick. Whether her words held truth or sarcasm he could not tell, he did not care enough to bother at that moment, to do so would have been a waste of time.
Considering the time he had spent with the lioness, he would have been more surprised by sarcasm. She was, after all, foolish enough to 'adopt' him, to stupidly think he was 'cute' even through his threats to maul her, the talons that had slashed through her eye. She was stupid enough to think she truly loved him, but was she foolish enough to think he cared for her in any way apart from the food she brought him? Whatever.
Wait, she was leaving, well that was unexpected, though he certainly didn't object. It meant a moment's peace from her, time to savor his dark mood to himself, to dream of murder and bloodshed. Ah, a beast to shred with his claws, an excellent idea.
"Something I can sink my claws into."
He offered no word of thanks, no gratitude. Bringing what he wished was her job, it was why he had not simply left or slit her throat while she slept, she was useful to him. She may have thought of herself as his mother, but he would have thought of her as his slave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:19 pm
His request was something that, perhaps having been considered for such, would be something she'd take some time to return with given the weather.
It would also leave her wet and off in her own 'space' upon her return to prevent him from getting soaked by her presense as well. A good decision either way as well.
Time ticked by, the rain first growing stronger, than getting to a lighter drizzle before Ashling had finally returned, dragging along a rather unfortunate gazelle for clawing purposes, it's form still slightly twitching even as she held on to her neck.
Well, Tanaka could just maul it's throat out if it wasn't twitching out of life and just the 'dead nerve ending twitches'. Well, he could do that anyways, really.
She didn't even give him a greeting upon her return, instead depositing the dead (ish?) herdbeast near the center of the shelter before retreating back to the mouth of it to drip dry in the meantime.
Ahhh, such a good annoying slave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:25 pm
He had brooded in silence, tail twitching, savoring the brief moment of peace. He could have simply left, he had entertained the thought many times, though she could not have kept him had he truly wished to leave, as much as he hated Ashling, he stayed of his own will. But no, the day would come when he would leave, when he had grown larger, stronger, when he no longer needed her to hunt the prey he could not. When that day came his talons would tear through her hide, he would not leave until he had taken that pleasure.
Ears twitched, she had return, with prey, excellent. The scent of blood filled his nose, fangs bared, he was on the hapless beast in an instant, spilling whatever life it had left with a slash of his talons, tearing into hide with malicious glee.
He devoured his fill, savoring each taste, each drop of blood. Tanaka was a messy eater, littering the cave floor with blood and bone, bits of flesh and torn hide. Such great pleasure he had taken in his mauling, even of a lifeless beast, the rage and anger he had unleashed.
Satisfied, the beast settled onto his haunches, licking the blood from his maw and paws, such a delightful taste.
"You can have the rest."
Not that there was much left.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:50 am
Had they actually lived in this little cave, it would have been full of much more of a 'mess' of bones and blood and sinewy spatter. The child really did seem to have a thing for making a mess.
But Ashling thought very little of it, instead just pulling the 'rest' of the kill towards herself to pick at the remains of the organs (the kidneys were still there, surprisingly... first thing she picked at) and shredded muscles.
The rain slowly let up over the next hour or so, Ashling pulling the very bare remains of the dead gazelle out of the rocky shelter to allow the scavengers to pick at the rest of it.
Only once the rain had completely let up did she stand to leave once again, stepping out and shaking out the last of the water from her fur, before looking back to her 'ward' with a light frown.
Ooooh, biting her tongue from 'obvious statement' time, was she?
After the moment's glance she continued out into the b*****d child of a grassy and sandy area, her paws squishing into the sand leaving large footprints.
Well, at least she could go on ahead and Tanaka not have to be directly behind her to follow?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:07 pm
He had turned his back, choosing to ignore her, occupying himself with his own malevolent thoughts. It was fortunate that the cave was not their own, though the beast would not have cared about the remains that surely would have carpeted the den, however he would have certainly gone mad from the forced proximity, losing control of the murderous impulses that taunted him every waking moment. Well, it would have been unfortunate for Ashling.
Taking no notice of the storm, it no longer interested him, Tanaka settled to rest at the back of the cave, allowing himself to succumb to the sleep brought by a full stomach. At least in the darkness of his dreams, there was no Ashling to irritate him, no foolish mortals, no infuriating pain in his wings. In his dreams, he could fly again, his wings were whole, and those who had taken his greatest pleasure lay slaughtered as his feet. Someday, someday that dream would be become reality, he only need wait a little longer.
It was the sound of movement that stirred the beast from his sleep, the click of paws against stone. An ear flicked, eyes opened enough to glare at the lioness from the corner of his eye. Oh, so she expected him to follow did she? He snorted, muttering to himself, at least she had learned not to speak, maybe she wasn't quite so stupid after all, then again, maybe she was.
Rising to his paws, he followed, at last stepping out of the cave, silently grateful the storm had passed. He had always left a sizable distance between them, close enough to remain within sight, but far enough that she could not touch him; today was no exception.
Great, where was she dragging him off to now? He supposed anywhere was better than that infernal cave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:31 pm
She had also learned not to expect him to walk at her side. Simply knowing he'd follow along and not strike up small talk (or entertain it with her) while she walked along ahead of him... at least not until he required her to do something.
Which while she knew all this, she still entertained him. Childish antics? It was certainly a possibility, but also something she was going to leave alone as well. Nobody had asked, she wasn't planning to ask and Tanaka offered very little to her in terms of information.
Ashling glanced back over her shoulder as she continued to walk, before offering the first little bit of 'small talk' that wouldn't get her completely mauled;
"Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go, or should I pick?"
At least she was being nice enough to ask him?
Nnn, either way she'd end up mauled someday (Oh how little she actually knew in terms of that), so she'd be better of entertaining him like a good 'mother'.....
Right. 'Good' mother.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 4:37 pm
Green eyes narrowed, tail twitching with a snap. Oh the ways he could have answered that question; a ravaged land full of the scent of death and bloodshed, the pits of darkness, the depths of hell, whatever land his infernal brother currently inhabited.
At the thought of such, a cruel grin twisted across his maw, such a painful and slow death he had inflicted upon his brother, vengeance for his own fate. War had since perished as he had, he had felt it, his brother reborn as he had been. How ironic it would have been were they to cross paths now, surely the foolish lioness would have adopted him as well. Oh how delightful it would have been to see his brother tortured as he had been, how much more bearable it would have made his own torment.
He did not speak his thoughts, as she could deliver no such places, he did not especially care where they went. So long as she provided what he wanted and did not try to get to close, he could not have cared less, she could have been a rock for all he cared. Come to think of it, a rock would be far less irritating, yet not so satisfying to plot the death of, well he supposed she would have to do then.
"I am thirsty."
His words were not spoken as a request.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 4:57 pm
She waited oh so patiently as he went through his options and debates on the topic, purring while she was out of his earshot (thank goodness she had found a little break in which to do so!), making a half-interested face at his request.
She was a bad actress in terms of pretending that she was purposely entertaining his demands.
Though had he been a bit smaller she would have tried to pick him up by the scruff of his neck to carry him towards the same place she'd headed out to earlier for her own drink. Not a long walk by any means, the obvious 'closeness' of said water made obvious by the flourishing flora.
While they weren't in the middle of the desert, it was still an obvious overgrowth in life as she walked closer to the pool of water, with a nice rock to sit on, which she climbed up onto to lounge in the sun on while she waited for him to ...
Well, entertain himself with the water as long as he required.
It'd be pleasant enough for her to dry out while he plotted her death as far away from her as he'd allow since her slave-services were still required.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
