It was a day much like any other. The sun was in the sky, the grass was green underpaw, and all throughout the territory members of the pride were going about their business. Not that any of what they did was any of his business, but that had never stopped the Vizar’s young son from being interested.
Anwar was wandering the pride lands, a more and more common pastime for the young cub. There was so much to see and hear… and the further he went from his den the more new things there were to be seen and heard.
Dainty white paws bounced playfully over the earth, long black ears flicking back and forth. Just because the hare was enjoying herself didn’t mean she wanted to get eaten after all. But the knowledge that there were rather a lot of lions about here did absolutely nothing to stop her looking for some fun. A butterfly for a game of 'tag' perhaps, or some strange object to examine. Anything at all would do really, Kisun wasn't all that picky about what she liked to play.
Anwar paused, ears perking slightly as he heard something. Was someone there? It sounded almost as though it might be the right size for a cub...but he wasn't really certain... it might have been smaller.
Oh.
It was... he peered curiously out of the bush he'd slipped into. A hare? Oh! Oh he could hunt it! Wouldn't father be proud if he caught his first real prey when he was still just a cub? Quietly, Anwar started after the hare...
Kisun batted playfully at one of the flowers she passed, watching as it bobbed back and forth for a moment, before dropping back to all fours as she moved along. Maybe she might go for a swim. It was quite warm after all...
Her ears twitched, swiveling back as she caught a soft pawstep behind her. Hello, what's this? Another cub? Not Suha, the little chatterer hardly seemed the sort to sneak up on a body. Someone she hadn't yet met then. Well, this could be interesting...
Olive furred paws were placed with the utmost care in the sparse grass, the cub’s body low and stealthy as he stalked his prey. He'd never actually hunted something before, not unless he was hunting knowledge. But he was pretty good at being sneaky...
...except for that dried leaf. Anwar winced, hearing the crunch give him away. Darn... maybe it wouldn't notice...
Oh, Kisun noticed alright. She didn't need to glance over her shoulder to guess what he thought he was doing. She could hunt things better than he could! She tensed, preparing to dart to one side. There was a tree there jsut perfect to repell off without losing speed or time.
Wouldn't he be in for a surprise when the hare he seemed to be hunting pounced on him! Oh, it was so very hard not to give herself away with mad giggles at the very idea...
Quietly now. Carefully, careful... no more dried leave or twigs or anthing to give himself away. Sneaky, quiet, one step after another... It couldn't be so much harder than stalking a beetle, right? Maybe even easier, because hares couldn't fly away. Though...he'd thought lions couldn't fly until he saw the new Pad...
...well, if the hare sprouted wings and flew, seeing it would be worth losing the catch! Tensing, Anwar decided he must be close enough to spring.
Wait for it. Not yet. Not yet...
Kisun crouched, black nose twitching and ears perked for the sounds of a cub sneaking up on her. He was good for his age, she had to give him that. If it weren't for the slip-up with the crunchy leaf he might have actually surprised her. But now that she knew he was there, well. This was a game Kisun had played before!
It was the cub's turn to be surprised!
As soon as the pawsteps paused, she bolted to her left. Just as planned, she hit the tree and rebounded, headbutting the black and green stripped shoulder firmly. It might give her a little headache, but nothing to be worried about. Well worth the fun!
Just as Anwar was about to pounce, his prey took off! Startled, he wobbled and nearly fell from his slightly unstable hunting crouch. It might not have sprouted wings, but that hare certainly had flown. Disappointment barely had time to register before a soft furry body flew into him.
Startled, Anwar tried to straighten up at the same time he started to jump. And the next thing he knew, he was laying in a clumsy heap of paws and tail, trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong.
Watching as the cub nearly came out of his stripy fur before tumbling over, Kisun could hardly help but give voice to the mad giggles that had been tempting her since she'd first decided to hunt her would-be hunter.
"Nice try!" she chuckled, her blue eyes merry as she looked him over. He was younger than she thought he'd be, though he was nearly a juve he was still plainly a cub. "Not bad, not bad..." the hare mused, shaking her head slightly to clear it. "Needs some work though," Kisun added, just in case he hadn't guessed by now.
Anwar cringed. Beaten by a bunny. And what was worse, he'd been hunting the hare before she caught him. It hardly seemed to fit the roles nature seemed to have intended, as far as Anwar had learned. And even in his short life, Anwar had learned a lot.
He knew of his father's place in the pride. He knew about the Sultan's family, and the flying Pad Aali's long-lost sister had been gifted to. He knew about his wayward mother, and the odd cubs that didn't look like father. And he knew of his little brother's special dreams.
But, clearly, he did not know how to hunt a hare.
"It was the leaf, wasn't it?" he sighed, untangling himself to rise to his paws.
He seemed to be taking it somewhat hard, the poor thing. Oh well, Kisun was going to have to say she preffered his disappointment to her being eaten. Or clawed up really, since she doubted a cub his age, and his size, was really capable of catching and keeping her. But he seemed to have given up on it now.
"It was a big hint," she told him, not really desiring to tell him exactly how close he might have managed to get otherwise. Wouldn't want to put any ideas in his little head! "You're not the worst I've heard though," the hare added, feeling bad that he seemed to be so dissapointed by it. Cubs were babies too after all, even if they were predators and usually at least as big as she was.
Anwar nodded slowly as she explained. Well, at least he wasn't the worst, but it had still been a foolish mistake. And apparently not his only one, since she'd told him it was a hint, and not the only thing that gave him away. He would need to work on his stalking skills it seemed. Apparently hares required different tactics than beetles and other bugs.
"What else did I do wrong?" he asked, wondering if the hare would consent to tell him. After all, there was no chance of him trying to eat her now that they'd had a conversation.
Kisun chuckled at his question. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to tell him how to catch her, should they meet again. But this had certainly been the fun she'd been hoping to find that day! Maybe they could 'play' again sometime. But for now...
"Don't hesitate so much," she teased, before, with a cheery wink, she turned and vanished into the bushes. She was probably quicker than he was, at least at his age, and could zip along fairly quietly too. Maybe she really was the better hunter! Hah!
Anwar's ears dropped slightly, more dissappointment marking his features as she winked and ran off. He didn't much feel like chasing her, she'd only laugh at him again. Instead, he just sat and watched that fluffy little tail vanish into the brush. Well...at least no one else had been around to see him get showed up by some rabbit.
He huffed, flexing his claws in the dirt for a moment. A learning experience. This had been a learning experience. He shouldn't feel foolish... even though he kind of did.