[ORP] Up a Tree (All comers)

[Kathryn Dragonna]

It was hot and Clermeilli-Pie did not feel up to hunting just now. She usually tried to stay near the edge of the swamps where there was plenty of water. Lately she had wondered out into the savanna and she was wondering about the intelligence of this decision. It was a bit dustier than she liked and there was no water near by for her to soak in. This tree was standing pretty much alone, and if someone got a mind to chase her, she would no longer even have it's high root to lay on.

Things had been quiet at least. She had yet to see any others, feline or canine that would give her problems. She had been drifting in and out of sleep in the heat for some time. Her perch was just shaded enough to make it tolerable. She thought she heard a sound, like a snapping of a twig or the rustle of some dry grass. She brought her head up sharply to look around. Was it the heat getting to her?

She did not see anyone at first and started to relax. She heard the sound again, and her head came back up. She started to get move, preparing to spring up and away if it was a pride or group of rogues come to make problems. She could not yet see where the sound was coming from, but she did not wish to be caught unprepared if there was a threat.

{{This is my first RP Thread since joining the guild and aquiring my very first SoA, I welcome any and all RP for my new pretty I will post her cert at the beginning of the thread as soon as she's got one, until then, the first use of her name links to the uncert}}  

[Tygress Dream]

A dark lioness stalked through the waving grass. It was hot and Niade was irritated; the irritation had come first and was the sole reason she was so active in the heat. She looked behind her as if expecting pursuit of some kind and even though there was no sign she ended up making far more noise than she wanted.

She halted, ducking down ashamed by her clumsiness. Niade looked around again and spotted a tree ahead. Well it was shade and the young lioness could certainly use a place to rest. "They'll probably find me if I nap, but it's a chance I'll have to take," she growled softly to herself as she padded forward picking up her pace.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Clermeilli-Pie spotted the dark lioness after a moment and watched her approach. One lioness alone, and looking tired, did not seem like a threat. She probably needed some shade the same as Clermeilli-Pie had. She stays alert but relaxes marginally. The other female certainly did not look threatening.

She watches the other female come under the tree. Clermeilli-Pie was curious as to why the female looked so tired and paranoid, but it was not her place to ask. She simply makes some room for the other lioness to come up on the root she was laying on.  

[Tygress Dream]

Niade neared and noted a spot of color against the tree. A pale blue lioness lounged on a large root. I think she's seen me, Niade thought with a slash of her tail. She put on a friendly expression as she left the cover of the grass and moved into the welcome shade. The other female didn't seem defensive or overly concerned, so the black and green lioness decided to keep upbeat, "Good day, do you mind if I share the cover here? It's a warm day to be in the sun with a dark coat."  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

"It is a very warm day in the sun." Clermeilli-Pie watches the other lioness for a moment. "It is not my tree, so please." She hops down to give the lioness a proper greeting before returning to her root perch with room for the second female beside her.

Her stomach rumbled and she sighed. Perhaps hunting wouldn't be such a bad idea soon. "I saw a few hares around here... you look tired, I will share what I catch if you like." It was only polite to offer afterall. And catching a few hares for herself and another lioness wasn't a big effort really.

She ventured out to where she had seen the hares not so long ago and waits for them to creep back out from cover after the noise of the lioness' movement. Three hares crept out of cover and Clermeilli-Pie watched them. It was a mother and two half grown youths. If she didn't get one on the first pounce, they would likely get away before she got a second shot.

She pounces the hares and gets two of them before the third gets away. Mother and one youth, not bad for one pounce. She had only lucked out by the two standing so close together. The third hare was already out of sight as Clermeilli-Pie picked up the other two.  

[Tygress Dream]

"Thank you," Niade replied finding a comfortable spot. She lounged enjoying not having to move and only vaguely heard the other mention something about hares.
Niade lifted her head, "It's alright I'm not that hungry. Catch what you need, but if you have a remainder to share I'd be glad to." Such a friendly lioness this stranger was. I should probably find out her name when she returns..



Not far away an odd pair of lions scouted. The elder was dark coated much like Niade even to having the same eye marking only he was blood red where she was green. Belial was actually her older half-brother. The other was tawny based with a mane and markings of blue and green. What stood out the most was his back leg covered in bright turquoise swirls and flowers. Madzimoyo claimed to be godtouched, his friends tended to agree on the "touched" part.

"I'm sorry Belial," Zimo whined as they followed Niade's trail. "I don't know what I did wrong, but its all my fault."
Bel refrained from responding. The fact was Zimo had annoyed the lioness into leaving. Belial having never had prolonged contact with any of his family had been quite happy when Niade had found him, and was beyond annoyed with the situation.

Zimo suddenly jumped, startled by a hare suddenly running past them. Belial muttered "Idiot," and turned in the direction the hare had come from catching the scent of blood and a strange lioness. It wasn't Niade but perhaps she had seen her. Bel went toward the source of the scents with Zimo trailing behind.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Clermeilli-Pie carried the hares back to the tree and laid them down. She had thought she caught a glimpse of something when the when she looked behind her on the way back. She really hoped not. Being stalked was not something she had on her to do list. She pants as she puts the hares down and looks up at the other lioness.

"I caught two." She nudges the bigger hare toward Niade. The other lioness hadn't been resting like she had been, so the bigger hare could go to her. Besides, it was only a snack for until it got cooler, really. Clermeilli-Pie downed her hare quickly. She looks behind her and tries to catch a glimpse of whatever she'd seen earlier. Nothing. Okay so maybe she was being paranoid.  

[Tygress Dream]

Niade jumped down from her perch. "Thank you very much. Are you sure you don't want more than that one?" She felt weird accepting the food but she had been on the move for quite some time and all of the time looking worriedly over her shoulder.

It was then than she notice the other lioness also looking behind her. Oh no... is it them? she thought with a panic. She kept the worry from her voice as she asked, "Did you see something?"  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

"I have been resting, and it is but a snack until it is cooler." Clermeilli-Pie cleans off her muzzle and paws, watching back the way she had come. Paranoid or not, the other female was also nervous, so it was worth keeping an eye out. "I thought I saw something, but I am not certain."

She puts herself in front of the other female. "If it is trouble, you should eat now before it arrives." She keeps an eye out, watching for any sign of what she had thought she saw earlier. Clermeilli-Pie did not have a problem with the idea of keeping watch for trouble for someone she just saw, as it was only polite to offer such.

Everyone deserved a chance, and any trouble that came would involve Clermeilli-Pie at this point anyway. It would be nice if nothing came of their paranoia. That was not likely to come to pass, though. Best to be realistic in this situation.  

[Tygress Dream]

Niade followed the other's advice and began to eat. "I'll be glad to help you in a full hunt tonight. My name is Niade by the way," she laughed a little that they hadn't gotten to introductions. A few more bites and the hare was a memory.

Belial and Zimo followed the lioness's trail. "I smell Nia," Zimo said keeping his voice low but still excited. Belial nodded. "We're close now." The lions crouched low and stalked forward not wanting to startle the lionesses.

"I should probably tell you that I was likely being followed by a pair of lions. One's my half-brother the other is a jackass."  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

"Two is always better than one in a hunt. I am Clermeilli-Pie." Clermeilli-Pie kept her gaze away from their tree as she watched for trouble. She thought she saw a glimpse of something again. "If my eyes are not playing tricks on me, then I would say they have caught up to you." She watched in silence for a bit longer, and half crouched ready to defend herself and the other lioness.

Two males against two females? Something told her that this was not going to be an easy fight if it came to that. She took a deep breath and kept scanning the savanna for the males that were likely coming. They were pretty good at sneaking it would seem as she didn't see them until they wanted to be seen.  

[Tygress Dream]

The sight of Niade sitting by the tree only a couple hundred feet away was too much for Madzimoyo, the young lion leapt up with a happy cry. "Niade!!"

Belial still crouched down put a paw to his face, "Idiot..." he muttered before making a more stately appearance, stalking forward out of the cover.

Niade growled at Zimo's appearance. She was in no mood for the overgrown cub. He'd treated her no better than a servant insulting her pride as a rogue lioness. Her ability to deal with such stupidity had ended this morning when he'd attempted to claim a share of her hunt. He'd been sleeping when she'd gone out and yet expected first share. That may have been how it worked in whatever strange pride he'd come from, but not out here. It was each lion and lioness for him or herself. His whining had ruined her meal and she'd left not even looking back when Belial had called out to her.

So now looking at him, her tail lashed angrily.

Zimo knew he'd messed up, but Niade had been so nice before. It had made him feel good to have a lioness around like he was home safe with his mother. He'd woken up starving and there she'd been with a young warthog. Perhaps it had been wakign from dreams of childhood that had him nosing in before he should have... He really hadn't meant it like it had seemed. "I'm sorry Niade," he whimpered everything from his voice to his posture apologetic.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Clermeilli-Pie stepped in front of Madzimoyo and growled. "I do not believe she wishes you here." She pulled herself up as big as she could get and looked as menacing as possible to try scaring the male off. Niade was so nice, if this male upset her, Clermeilli-Pie was certain he must be the jackass Niade claimed.

The other male she paid no mind. He looked much calmer and less likely to charge them. It only took a glance to confirm that he did not have an intention to make trouble like the hyper male that popped out first. "Stay back, both of you."  

[Tygress Dream]

Zimo backed away from the lioness. Oh dear, I forgot about her. "I.. I... I'm sorry..."

Belial shook his head but stepped to the other lion's side. "I'm sorry to interrupt your day fair lady," he started charmingly. "And forgive my friend here, he's an enthusiast and doesn't think before he acts in social situations. I am Belial and the lioness in your company is my sister. This is Madzimoyo. Apparently he was stupider than usual this morning and annoyed Niade beyond her endurance. I just wanted to make sure she was alright, only recently finding I even had a sister."

"I'm sorry," Zimo said again, standing up a bit more now that Belial was there. "I .. I was still sleepy this morning and wasn't thinking.... And I was so happy to see Niade just now. Forgive my pretty lionesses?"

Niade shook her head with a laugh, "You're so pathetic you know that." she remarked though she didn't identify just which lion she was referring to, perhaps both of them...  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Clermeilli-Pie looks back at Niade. These were the other lioness' acquaintances. She bares her teeth at Zimo just to see if he'll flinch, then looks at Belial. "Sister or not, Niade does not seem very happy to see you... and since her description of Madzimoyo was as a jackass, you will understand I do not trust him to get close to my new friend."

She wonders what exactly is wrong with the male with the blue leg. He seemed a bit "special." Since Niade did not seem quite so hostile anymore, Clermeilli-Pie backed down a bit and jumped back up beside the other lioness. "Your brother does not seem so bad... a bit of a charmer perhaps, but at least polite."

"You know it is too hot to leave the shade just yet... and it would be cruel of us to turn them back out into the sun... we might have to let them stay for a bit, Niade." She set to grooming the other female's fur back down. She had puffed a bit when the male jumped out. Usually Clermeilli-Pie would not have done something so familiar with a new acquaintance, but Niade seemed so ill at ease that she felt the other lioness could use some comfort.