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 Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:00 pm
 As the sun began to slick under the horizon, the winds mostly stayed at a standstill with an occasional escape of a small breeze. Trees littered the grounds, some accompanied by families of rocks, and the faint movement of water could be heard from the area, indicating a nearby stream. It was dark, but enough light still remained to form deep, stretched shadows. A sleek, black form pawed stealthily through the area, scaly green eyes glinting out whenever more than a sliver of a shadow enshrouded him in darkness. He moved with a swift grace through the cooling air, small droplets of blood leaving just a barely visible trail behind. A rather large rodent hung limp and fresh in his maw, the cause of the trail. Its body had already been bitten further than the blow that took its life, and it was mangled to the point of being almost unidentifiable. No acknowledgment of delight or anticipation of the meal could be seen in the leopard's expression; to him, a snack was just a snack, and nothing to claim victory over, even if it had been a larger find.
His keen eyes were well trained and intent on scanning the surroundings, and the black male usually always knew what was going on around him; he had been doing this since a very young age, and the dangers of reality were definitely not a stranger to the leopard. But at this moment, he let his guard down just one notch, and instead adopted a lazier approach to his path. The thought of going towards water crossed his mind, but he resolved to refresh himself later. Instead, he placed the rodent he had next to the closest large tree he found, and took just one quick glance around the area; the assumption that he was alone distracted his attention, and so he quickly resumed his own business, bringing his head down for a moment to sniff at the corpse he produced.
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Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:42 pm
Tayhira, to put it straight, was not in the best of moods. Her eyes were hotly trained on the setting sun and the orange long left a burning brightness in her eyes even as she looked away.
Even on three legs, she'd managed to drag herself into a tree. The nearly useless one hung down, thankfully not causing her any pain. And there was something in the pride lands. A lion's land, she reminded herself. A race of unworthy minds and even less worthy senses of morality.
And again, only on those three legs she slipped from the encasement of the tree and made her way off after that black figure. She smelled death on the air, and the faintest of tangs hit her tongue when she smacked her lips together. Blood of something.
The leopardess was soon to find out what. Making her way over, the limp obvious, though not adding at all to the sound of her feet, she raised her head just enough to speak. She didn't wish to startle, but she did wish to unnerve.
"Not the most lavish of meals, is it?" she asked when the distance between them had allowed her a view of just what he'd snagged. And she kept that distance until she knew it was safe to approach. There was a reason her leg had suffered, and she did not wish to repeat her foolishness again.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:06 am
The black form stiffened when out of nowhere, the sound of a female's voice broke the pleasant stillness that had been in the air. He was not made unsettled by her sudden appearance, but he was rather agitated at himself for not hearing her coming from a longer distance away. He didn't respond at first, taking the time to examine the spot-malformed black and white leopardess. The fade at the bottom of her paws were yellow, as if she stepped through something dirty, and the greens of her eyes were as bold and threatening as her taunting statement.
He dropped the carcass then, turning to slowly face her. Something told him she couldn't fit amongst the more kindhearted leopards he encountered, yet there was still something about her physical appearance that interested him a tad bit. It was after a few seconds that he realized her forced disuse of one of her legs. His caution was then lightened a little, thinking that such a disability would put him at the obvious advantage; that coupled with his larger size would make him more than capable of defending himself from any dangers she possessed.
Calm eyes then peered into the leopardess's ones as he replied to her criticism, "It is not your meal to complain about. Do you have anything else to say, yellow paws?"
It was then that he felt just a tinge of remorse for the leopardess, and he stepped warily forward to add, "That is to say... Do you need something from me?"
He eyed her movement delicately, trying to gauge her capabilities and intent.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:15 am
It was about time there was someone her equal to take the stand. She wasn't an advocate of the name-calling he issued, but males of any species would have their shortcomings, and if it was a shortcoming this mild, she did not mind.
"No, no, I suppose it isn't." The moist, black edges of her mouth curled. For just the briefest of moments, a sharp canine was revealed as she looked beyond him and then once more back to the dullness of his eyes.
She took a few steps forwards when he did, her front right leg revealing itself as the useless party.
"Ah, and another no to that." She settled onto her haunches and gave him another look, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes a bit. "Ah, wait. Maybe. I am planning on leaving. Here, that is. I need someone. . . capable. Smart. I wouldn't suppose you know someone who would fit the picture?"
And now to find just how quickly he angered. Sometimes, anger could be harnessed. Other times, it was deadly and best avoided.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:34 am
"Hm," he sounded as he paused once more to assess the leopardess before him.
She seemed a little scruffier than normal, like the usual fine-furred leopardesses he happened to pass by in his travels. Something about her told him to not take her lightly, and to keep on his toes. Obviously, her body wasn't perfect, clean, and plump like a spoiled feline's would be - something about it told the black leopard that she had seen her share of toughening moments. His eyes narrowed and he tried to put on a polite enough smile, dissuading the perplexing request she presented.
He wasn't sure whether she was trying to mock, tease, or belittle him, or if it was something else entirely. Her first impression was already turning awry, yet the male maintained an air of composure.
"I keep to myself," he explained.
"If you are looking for someone, then, you are the best judge of those capabilities. Leave this area if you wish, I have warded everything you may be able to catch away..."
He glanced once more at her leg, now fully sure that he felt a little pity for her, and added, "You are sure, then, leopardess? I can offer to hunt for you this one time, just because you happen to be here."
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:49 am
"Wise," she put in, not to be outdone. "Most leopards do."
And so he'd passed one test, and would likely continue to do so. She already liked him. Painfully easy to steer the direction she wanted, yet still holding an air of his own individuality. He would be dangerous to keep around, but certainly not dangerous to--
Her eyes opened slightly more wide as she offered to hunt for him. Regaining her composure just as quickly as she'd lost it, she readjusted her weight and wrapped her tail around her body.
"It's been a while since I've had to eat rodent." She eyed his snack for a moment before continuing. "I'm quite full. I have leftovers in fact." She sized him up, looking him up and down before continuing.
"Well, I could probably take a lesson from you and share myself. Have you ever been to the jungle, . . . " Her mouth was still open as if to speak, but she had to pause to close it for a moment. "I don't think you've given a name? Or do you keep that to yourself, too?"
She was interested to see how he took knowing she had leftovers, to start. Technically, they were not entirely hers. They belonged to lion's Pride as a whole, but she could make this leopard her 'guest' and feed him. He need not ever know that she hadn't hunted for her food at all. Tayhira thought it gave her a mysterious, almost godlike appeal, and she was more than fond of having that sort of appearance.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:23 am
A shrug came at her; while unaware that most leopards were like him, he did know that most actually had a family when they were growing up. They had someone to follow after, molding themselves in the possibly able hunters they were today. He was able to make it for himself, however. His lack of that type of care and socialization while growing up did make him less accepting of groups, but the same probably couldn't be said for many others.
He had to smirk at the female's additional snarks at his rodent. Why she was trying to emphasize his apparent (to her) lack of skill to take down something larger was lost to him, but he decided to not explain the small kill. It was exactly enough for the little he hungered for, possibly even more than what he needed, but he felt no need to prove himself to the leopardess.
"Leftovers, huh," he replied skeptically.
He assumed it would be hard hunting on three legs; he could do it, perhaps, if he had lost usage of one of his legs for some reason, though he was cautious and strong enough to keep them in good condition. He'd let it go for now; the leopardess in front of him shouldn't need any harsh remarks on her incapacitated leg, so if it was brought up again, maybe he would pursue it then. But for now, he concentrated on the immediate moment.
"Alright, then there is nothing else I can do for you. And I am Jokaeusi," he said, raising a brow at the sudden interest in himself, "And what jungle? There are a lot scattered throughout the lands, you know. And I think I should ask for your name now, too."
Taking one more bite of his rodent kill, he then tossed it away, chewing on the flesh within his mouth. It was a waste, but he couldn't be bothered to feed now with this peculiar leopardess interacting with him.
"I also think I should ask why you are looking for someone 'capable' and 'smart' and for what reason," he added; he actually didn't really care for the affairs of of others, but the female had a quirky aura of intrigue about her that propelled him to inquire.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:02 am
Think and should. Very interesting words to utilize. Not half as interesting as the word what instead of the word which.
What jungle implied he'd never seen one, or perhaps he simply did not know which words from what to be using. She smirked at her own mental literacy. As he continued with his 'I think' and 'I shoulds', she slowly padded her front feet forwards until her belly was resting on the ground and she was further levels below him.
"Ah, yes. Here I go keeping things to myself, too." She stretched out the claws in her front paws, letting out a slightly audible yawn and giving her tail a flick. "Rather, you should be asking what I mean by capable and smart. I'd be more inclined to give information like and it would reveal so much more than bluntness."
It was blunt, Tayhira decided. But she also decided that he could sneak. "But, since you are curious, and I have no reason to be secretive, I'm going to the jungle east of here. The one that rings and dances around the Firekin and laughs at their desert. That, for lack of a better word is home and I intend to go there."
She gave him another scrutinizing look as if assessing if he was safe before persisting to wash the edges of her "dirty paws".
"But home is a ways away, and a three legged animal cannot turn as quick as one with four. I have no intention of going back alone." Even with this lovely game, Tayhira realized she was rusty. She'd given out a lot of information and had gained almost nothing. It was not a winning move. The tides could change, but it seemed as though this other leopard, who she considered lesser in skill, was still giving her competition.
There was a lot of work to be done, and he was proving to be more and more perfect every moment.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:29 am
Jokaeusi actually grumbled, beginning to tire of the nonsense he deemed the leopardess before him was spewing. She sure was taking her time in getting to the point, and had he been a notch less decent, he would have left the lame feline behind; admittedly, he regretted showing her even the smallest bit of concern over her welfare--it had been enough to make him stay, and if he left now, she probably wouldn't have taken it as well as she would earlier in their encounter.
It was a little interesting, though, watching her strain with more effort to lay down. He blinked, wondering why she chose to remain in that spot now. That just further foiled his plan to soon depart. He let out a soft snort, then, and walked over slowly, making sure she watched him do it, and was intent on letting her know through movement that he meant her no harm.
He wasn't a leopard of many words, so playing word games was one of the last things he was about to do with her. Befriending her would have come before that, and even that was one of the lowest on the list of priorities.
So he continued listening to her, still standing, and waited for her to finish before even taking in the words. He hadn't honestly been absorbing her talking as much as he should have, but he also feel like he didn't need to do so. No matter what he said, she sounded like she would have dismissed it anyways.
"You are lucky that I asked for more than what I cared to ask, leopardess," he replied after she had finished talking.
"So you are headed east," he repeated, making a mental note to go the opposite direction after this encounter, "I don't know what this 'Firekin' is, nor do I care, but I am sure you have very good reason to go back to where you belong, I suppose."
If she had a goal, surely she wouldn't have been spending this much time getting sidetracked by an individual who wasn't even interested in her endeavors or goals--at least, not anymore. Any tiny hint of motivation Jokaeusi had in the female's affairs lost itself as she continued her disconcerting chatting.
"Mm, yes, your leg," he commented, glancing once more at that front leg, "That would be hard to survive on, especially by your lonesome female self. You seem strong enough to keep living, though, especially if you have leftover food. Correct me if I am wrong."
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:47 am
Lucky? Tayhira took a look at her leg and back at him. Maybe she could give him lucky.
At his mention of correcting him, she actually had the motivation to snort and laugh. "Yes, it's interesting, isn't it?" It was nice of him to walk closer. He really was a polite fellow for putting words and physical actions after what she said. She was very used to her subjects walking away from her, and this was a slightly harder game to play. He would not stop walking away when she perked his interest.
She could assume she already had, but Tayhira really hated to assume.
"Here I have food. Leftovers, even, and yet I don't want to stay here. Doesn't that seem a bit odd to you?" She flicked her tail and added, "I'm a bit dissapointed, really. I thought you'd catch something like that."
Somewhat of a lie. She was never that good at planning in advance, but it was her ability to make up lies and change her ideas on the spot that made her successful. "You look a lot at it. The leg. Are you waiting for a story?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:57 am
He wasn't here to play guessing games, especially if it had to do with her trivial life, future, or whatever. But Jokaeusi couldn't leave without having her make more of a fuss now, could he? So he feigned a nod of agreement to her, eyes half lidded, vaguely bored but relaxed. He had to admit he hadn't encountered many, if there had been anyone at all, like this black and white female, and perhaps there was something to be gained or learned from this experience.
"I'm sorry if I do not seem to be hanging onto your every word," was his response to her disappointment, "And well, I have to guess that you're an odd one yourself, which could very well provoke an odd want."
And despite her pointing it out, it still wasn't very odd to the male. He never really enjoyed leftovers himself, preferring the taste of a fresh kill. Leftovers shouldn't have been a factor to wanting to go back home, unless there was a famine there, and one wanted to gorge themselves fat where the leftovers were for them. Otherwise, he still wasn't sure why he was supposed to have "caught" that irrelevant tidbit.
"No, I'm not waiting for a story, so please don't tell it. I'm sure you talked too much and started to chase someone while talking, and they crippled you so that you could not follow them as easily."
Whoops, Jokaeusi thought as the last part of his words slipped out of his thoughts; he wasn't supposed to say that aloud. He didn't need the leopardess to be more irritating than she already seemed to be. But now, he supposed he could safely assume she wasn't as insecure and touchy about her deficiency as she could have been. That was good to know--he could hold his tongue less, as he did not want to directly upset his company.
To try to save himself, he offered to change that thought, saying abruptly, "Tell me the bigger picture then, if you would stop fooling around, as I still have no clue where you are headed in your talking... Or why it is important that I know about what you indefinitely want to do."
Not that he had better things to do, though it was possible. Jokaeusi was sourly preferring his usual solitude now over the leopardess's absurdity and meaningless words.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 3:13 pm
His logic was very good, although utterly flawed in every way. It bothered her that he stayed when he obviously had no desire to. It bothered her a lot.
When he said she talked to much, she couldn't help but to let that smile curl over her lips and the bare white teeth start to show.
"Very well," she said, giving into his aggravation. "I want you to consider coming with me." He had asked for her to get to the point of things, and there he had it.
It was, surprisingly, all she said over the matter, and she waited with utmost patience for his reaction.
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Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 4:48 pm
He asked for it. He wanted her to get to the point right away, and that was it? When the leopardess had actually stopped her foolish tricks to mess with his mind, he found that perhaps he would have preferred the empty words. This was a ridiculous request to him, yet he still didn't feel entirely free to dismiss her plea.
But he shouldn't feel an obligation to her. He did not know her name, nor did he care to accept something that he knew would result in negative conclusions for him. He had to think, then, that the female possessed some sort of insanity to her character.
He tried waiting to see if she would say more, but it seemed like that was all she had to answer his question. His lips pursed, unsatisfied at the situation. If she was entirely serious, which it sounded like, then either of his two options weren't near ideal. If he rejected her, which would be a positive for him, he would be essentially going against the good nature he liked to think he had--especially if he left a female who couldn't utilize all of her legs. If he said yes, then he would be going against his own persona of keeping to himself, like how he always had his entire life. That, and he would be with a rather irritable leopardess. From this first impression, he didn't like her--that was for sure. But perhaps he should reach a compromise.
"I can only accompany you until you can find someone else to take you to wherever, or once we are past the more dangerous territories. Like I said, I don't keep company, leopardess," he sighed as he ended, feeling very resigned to an invisible honor to which he held himself.
"And I don't know why you would make a quick decision as hastily as that, but I will warn you that I am leaving if you continue your games on me," he added calmly, beginning to walk away from her laying form.
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:06 pm
She seemed resigned to this fact. Pulling herself up onto three feet once more, she watched him in silence as he continued to speak.
He didn't keep company for long she finished in her head. Neither did she. It was fine.
"Simple," she answered his unspoken question. "I trust you to keep your word."
She took the first tentative step after him, and then the other two legs followed. "I don't like baggage, or owing favours. By the end of his, I can assure you, we'll be plenty even, and I won't have to worry about you wanting to stick around anymore than you want to worry about me trailing after you for eternity." Insane? Hah! Maybe she was after living with a bunch of lions for so long.
A bunch of cheating, whore-lions. After that, she let silence take her words and store them in her mind.
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