"Wait! Please, wait!"
Zangu never was a very fast runner, but it was even more evident when he was trying to chase after a cheetah. Sure, they couldn't run super fast for very long, but if they paced themselves? He was screwed. All he wanted to do was apologize!
How would he have known that merely stumbling upon where the cheetah was lounging would have her freak so much to flee as if he was after her? He couldn't quite understand it, as his brain was a little simple, but he knew that he had to at least apologize.
--
The cheetah Jola, had quite a head start on the black and white lion. While she had the gift of speed, she was lacking in endurance. Her muscles cried out in pain, her lungs burning as she continued to run. Why? Why would the lions always go after her like this? She didn't want anything to do to them; she never offered them any harm. No matter where she went, though, they always seemed to discover her. She was at her wits end. There was no where to go to escape them.
Her mind caught up in frantic thoughts, it was too late for her to notice the sudden loose ground below her paws. As she hadn't prepared for it, she lost her footing, skidding across the ground at quite a speed, feeling the rocks dig at her fur and skin like little claws. Gasping out in pain, she struggled to her feet, the rocks still teasing her as she contined to fall to her belly. Why? Why? Now she was in trouble. The lion would catch up to her in a moment. Vulnerable as she was, she could almost feel the sensation of his jaws around her throat....
--
"Hey hey hey!" Zangu gasped for air himself. The lion was just a little chubby, and a little soft, but that didn't mean he didn't try at everything. Slipping just slightly himself on the loose rocks, he slowly made his way over to the cheetah. She was hissing at him, fur raised as she tried to threaten him away. It was obvious that she was injured, if not terribly so. Her fur was scrapped off in certain areas on one side of her body. She seemed to not have the energy to pick herself up, either.
Drawing back a moment, Zangu was confused. What had he done? He lowered his head down, ears plastered to his head in submission. Perhaps she would slowly relax if he showed he meant no harm. At the least she would stop wasting her energy on needlessly driving him away. He wasn't going anywhere immediately.
"You're hurt," he said quietly, knowing that the brunt of it was his fault.
--
The cheetah continued to his, but at the hints of her eyes shined with confusion. Why was he moving like that? Was he the diversion, and someone else attack her from behind? Chancing the risk, she switched her head to look behind her quickly. Seeing no one, she quickly looked back at the lion, her eyes glaring with a mixture of fear and anger. Well, even if he had meant no harm, he did had done so! Who cares if it was her own fault to run away like that; he still followed her. There, that was his fault. His.... she felt the shine in her eyes grow thick, threatening to cry.
--
Woooow, she must be really hurt if she was going this far. Just seeing the confusion on her face made him feel sick to his stomache. Swallowing the sick feeling as well as he could, he lowered himself onto the ground to make himself a bit more vulnerable. He knew his size was threatening, and he was guessing on how to reassure her about it.
Assuming that she wouldn't talk with him, he continued on with his thoughts. "I didn't mean to scare you like that." He paced himself so as not to look frantic; "I didn't honestly know that you were there. I was merely letting my nose guide me. I have a soft spot for flowers." He chuckled to himself, mildly looking embarassed. It wasn't that common.
--
The cheetah watched him carefully, not motioning to speak at all. She still didn't trust him, but needed to make sure that she would be able to get up and run again as soon as she could. As he spoke, wrapped up in his words, her eyes slowly started to absorb her unshed tears, her paws twitching as they began to recover from their violent movements of earlier. It would be a while before she wouldn't feel pain again, but anything to get away, she would do it. Even if it meant loosing her supple paws to deformation and become ruined. Anything to keep her safe.
--
Zangu shook his head. "Please? I promise I won't do anything...I really really do." He tried to look as humble as possible, but he knew that since he was a little bit bigger than a normal lion, it was almost useless.
He threw himself onto the ground, his belly plastered to the ground as he looked over to her, his red eyes trying to find her hidden grey ones. She was curled up in a ball, but it seemed like she was slowly starting to unwind herself. Thank goodness.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.
--
Jola's body was still tense, but the defense walls were starting to fall down. She glanced up towards him, unsure exactly what he wanted from her, but he could tell that it wasn't going to be anything damaging. Her mind still told her no, but her heart started to soften a bit. Maybe...maybe he wasn't like everyone she had ever come across. Lions, at least.
"O-okay," she stammered out, her tail curling around her as she dared to arch her head upwards to look at him.
"Do not trust lions," she added on, hoping to clarify why she had run away from him.
--
Zangu shook his head. Why? That didn't make any sense....it was hard for him to imagine, as most all whom he had met were kind. The concept of one so cruel did not live in his mind.
He knew better than to pursue it. It would be almost dangerous, in fact. He didn't want her to go running off again if she was just going to hurt herself over it.
"Well, stay here, okay? I'm going to get something for you, and then I'll leave you alone."
--
Jola nodded, watching him walk away with sad eyes. He looked sad, as well. Did she do something wrong? Weren't lions always in the wrong? They never seemed trustworthy. Her mother always warned her, but it was never enough. Not when she was alone out here, with no one to help protect her.
She shifted uncomfortably, letting the grasses cover her as she tried to disappear within the earth. She hoped that the black and white lion would forget where he was, so she could be left alone for a while.
--
Sadly for the cheetah, Zangu didn't take too long to come back. A limp hare was hanging from his mouth, and he dropped it near her to reach.
"There, in case you are hungry." He knew that she had to be after a run like that. He wasn't dense enough to not realize that the run had taken much out of her. She looked like a wreak, and she certainly wasn't going to be doing any better, later.
Sighing, he glanced over her again. Wreak indeed. "Is there anything else I can do for you? I'm so sorry again, I just wanted to apologize...and it seems like I need to apologize for more than just scaring you back at the flower patch." Flowers sure did seem to get him in trouble.
--
She shook her head, looking up at him directly for the first time. Such vibrant red eyes. They decieved who he really was underneath. She felt horrible for how she worried him, but there were things set in place in her mind that she couldn't let go of. Not yet.
"I should be okay," she said quietly, eyeing the hare. Not her first choice in food, but it certainly was acceptable. She hadn't eaten a full meal in a long time; she was a terrible hunter by herself, oddly enough.
"Thank....thank you," she stammered out suddenly, looking embarassed. Her eyes lingered around the hare. She didn't think she could bear to look at him now. So embarassed!
--
Zangu watched her for a moment, hoping that she would do something different. After a long, awkward moment, he sighed and lowered his head. "All right," he said, shifting his shoulder to turn. He glanced back, but she didn't seem to have changed.
"Well...I apologize again. I hope I didn't hurt you in any way, and hope that you heal."
With that, he slipped off, feeling quite terrible. If only he had something to cheer him up....but at least he would be able to return home.
--
Jola watched him cautiously as he left. She didn't quite think that he would leave, but even as the silence settled around her, she waited. And waited.
After a while, she figured that he had left. And while she really felt herself relax, she felt a bit...lonely too. Maybe being completely alone wasn't such a big deal. Her eyes lingered at the hare, the carcass waiting to be consumed. Her tummy grumbled.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad...if she could only just learn to trust others.
