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 Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:46 am
Crouched low to the ground, golden-furred Ushukuru crept closer to his prey, a sureness to his stalking and the placement of his paws that he'd been lacking for a long time. Well... acceptance and hope did much to steady a weakened heart and give confidence. To know that he would have a place of his own in Sheng's new pride had restored much of what he'd lost when he'd fled from the Pridelands.
Red eyes focused, he never wavered as he crept close to the herd of gazelles, intent on filling his belly before heading back to join his new lord and lady on their travels. Soon, they'd find their lands and set up den with the lady's new litter of cubs, and he really couldn't wait for it. The cubs would be his responsibility, his to protect and care for with their parents. The thought filled a hole in his heart he hadn't known he had.
Closer... just a moment more and he would make his lunge at the nearest of the prey, ever part of him focused on the hunt.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:47 am
Tapiwa was on the hunt as well, looking for something to sustain her. Well, she hadn't counted on the gazelle, really, though they were a nice surprise. What she'd had in mind had been a little smaller, something to temporarily satisfy her growling stomach. Ah well, this would be a very nice meal indeed. However, the herd bolted before she was ready, apparently startled by something, and with a frustrated growl she flung herself forward, paws slamming into the ground. Oh they were NOT going to get away from her so easily.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:49 am
Ushu lunged finally, when the perfect moment came. The gazelle turned away, took a step... and the tan body was in motion, flying forward powerfully. A few jumps and he was on the terrified creature, a roar breaking from her open jaws as he took it. His weight was more than the spindly little legs could take and they collapsed, the both of them falling to the ground with Ushu's jaws around the small creature's neck. The pounce snapped the gazelle's neck cleanly and it never knew what had hit it before it was dead.
Pulling back, Ushu licked his bloodied jaws with a smile, shaking himself all over as he let the adrenaline of the hunt seep slowly from his body and his heart slow its rapid beating in his thick chest. Tossing his mane back in a guesture he wasn't even aware of, he bent to rip into the meat, crouching possessively over his kill.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:49 am
She'd almost caught her own prey when she'd glimpsed him, a flash of tan and gold and she'd stopped, blinking, as the gazelle fled. Goodness, but he was a sight, a proud hunter who made his kill with all the strength befitting a warrior. The part of Tapiwa that was very much a young female was thrilled at the sight, and she grinned, knowing that she'd been right about the shy Ushu. Well well...fancy meeting him again. Padding forward, she said not a word, admiration in her eyes as she approached him, the naughty girl in her wanting to know what his reaction would be to her appearance just now.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:50 am
Distracted by his kill and filling his belly, he didn't notice the approaching lioness until she was quite close. Glancing up with his mouth full of food, he nearly choked to see the familiar form so close, scrambling back as he coughed to clear his throat. Eyeing her, he drew a deep breath and licked his jaws, clearing the blood away.
"Tapiwa..." He said softly, glancing around as though to find an excape route. "So pleasant to.. see you again." Not really, but he was was too polite to say so. Just his luck, running into the attractive lioness just before he fled this place to join Sheng and put aside his worries about his past and females in general.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:51 am
Oh he was nervous, just as she'd figured. Really, he could be far too adorable, even if he didn't really want to see her. "That was a lovely kill you just made." She praised, "And it's nice to see you as well, Ushukuru." Though unlike him...she meant it. If she had even the slightest ghost of a chance, she thought she might as well pursue this one, he seemed a good soul, though skittish.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:53 am
In time, his reactions towards her might change, but it was the sheer fact that he found her attractive that made him so wary of being around her, of getting to know her. Back before, he would have used all of his charms to flirt with her, get to know her, treat her like a princess... But now, he was afraid to let her get too close, to see him for what he really was. What if she were disgusted by his past? That he'd had cubs with a female that wasn't his mate, then abandoned them and his homeland in shame? What would she think of him then? It was too much to bear, the thought of her looking at him with disgust, or pity.
"Um... Thanks." He murmured softly, glancing at the kill before he set to grooming himself, cleaning off the blood. His kill was left where it was and he was leery of getting closer to her to retreive it. "You look... pleasant." The tan male felt at a loss of what else to say to her.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:54 am
She could sense his dis-ease, and as frustrating as it was, she was confident that she could overcome it. She would at least become his friend, if nothing else. Padding close to the the other's prey, she eyed it for a long moment. "Thank you...and uhm...if you're going to eat, well...don't let me interrupt you by any means." Come on over here, mister, I don't bite. The trouble Ushu had was that Tapiwa was possessed of all the time in the world. She had no strings tying her down any longer, and if she wanted to pursue him, that's precisely what she would do.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:56 am
The male shook his head as he eyed the kill, brushing it away with a wave of his paw. "No, I'm done! You can have it. I'm sure you must be... hungry." At least it was a safe subject to talk on, something that didn't get too deep into his inner workings. That sort of thing he could handle. "i was just finishing up and now I'm going to, um... head back to join my lord."
His tail twitched back and forth as he rose, shaking his head to settle his mane, his tail gently flicking. The male edged away, hoping the kill would distract her while he slunk away some place safe. He felt like a coward doing it, but... really, what else could he do? HIs manners said he was being terribly rude, but he saw no other way to regain his equilibrium while around the lovely Tapiwa.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:57 am
She frowned, however, wrinkling her nose. "But you just started! How can you be done?" It was an inquiry, yes, but the tone to it was a sharper one, telling him that she wasn't going to let him get away so easily. "And where are you going, exactly?" A question that wasn't too prying, but would perhaps let her find out more about him. It wouldn't do to keep bumping into one another like this only to have him run away.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:58 am
Ushu drew himself up as he frowned, using the reminder to himself that he was a royal guard now and an Advisor. It helped stiffen his spine and hold himself more proudly. "I wasn't that hungry, thank you." He said cooly, keeping his expression neutral and polite. Oh, how Sheng would laugh to see him in such a state... The large red male would never let a female intimidate or push him around, and he'd already teased him about his earlier meetings with Tapiwa.
"I'm going to join my lord Sheng. He's starting a pride and he's offered me a position as royal guard. I'll be protecting his family for him, his lady and his cubs. I'll finally have a home again, a place of my own." He said, feeling his belief swelling inside of him, taking away some of his nerves around the female.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:59 am
She smiled then, her eyes glowing with some inner pleasure. Oh yes, this was how he was supposed to be, for all his endearing, nervous habits. Just then he sounded so confident in that statement. Well...perhaps this was a step into better things. "That sounds quite a noble task." She commended, without so much as a hint of mockery in her tone. "And...thank you for the food." It would be quite rude to disregard his supposed...gift, though she was skeptical as to the reasons for giving. "I'll have to look you up sometime, Royal Guard Ushukuru."
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:02 am
Ushu couldn't help feeling a flush of pleasure at her compliments and the way she smiled at him. It was the way he'd used to feel and strange to feel again after, well... everything.
"It is a noble taske and one I'm honored to take on. I will make my lord proud of me and prove that I was a good choice for the job. Its... all I want now, to be useful." He'd wanted more, once, but didn't feel now that he deserved them. Not really. "I hope you enjoy it." He said finally, meaning the food. The tan male had grown quiet again, feeling a strange thing inside of him at the thought that she might actually seek him out. Why would she do that? He'd not given her any encouragement, yet that seemed to only draw her closer...
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:03 am
"I'm sure you will...you certainly have the capability." She could tell that. Ushu reminded her...just a little bit...of her father. He had his uncertainties...many of them, but when push came to shove, he was a strong, able creature. One of the best. Ushu was like that, and she had faith that he would prove himself to be just what she expected. And she would see him do it, whether he wanted her there or not, goshdarnit! Lowering her head, she sampled the gazelle, finding that the taste of meat reminded her of how hungry she really was.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:04 am
For a long while, he watched in a fascinated sort of way as Tapiwa ate. It gave him a strange little feeling to have her eat something he had caught, like he was providing for her the way he'd provide for his own lioness... though he was sure his lioness would be able to do her own hunting, be strong and capable, and brave... He shook himself all over as he pulled away from that thought, refusing to really entertain it. She was not his. He wasn't worthy of a girl like her and it was hard to say if he'd ever be again.
"I'm going to go then." He said softly as he turned and took a heisitant step, glancing back relunctantly. He really should go... his paws took another slow step and he finally turned his head to point his nose towards where Sheng waited to start Ushu's new life, his new purpose.
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