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 Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 12:13 pm
Another blistering hot day in the savanna, surprise surprise. Cradily thought to herself grimly as she lay in the grass which wilted around her. Taking on a yellowish tinge as the life was leeched by the merciless rays of the overbearing sun. So much for cover, her passive green fur now stuck out sorely, a bright patch of hope against so much destruction. Oh, but wait! The soft cover of her underbelly was stained a straw yellow, much like the weeds around her. Haha, triumph!
All the leopardess needed to do was roll over and she would once more be inconspicuous against the landscape. A lurking threat awaiting the milling wildebeest to amble near enough that she could latch on to one and make meal of it. It was a brilliant plan. The female grinning wickedly to herself as she wriggled to hide her colorful back, musing to herself delightedly. What do you know, I'm reversible.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 12:25 pm
Large paws padded over the dry and cracked land, leaving little puffs of dust in his wake. The sun had yet to relent its unceasing onslaught, and despite how he looked, amber gaze had yet to discern any singular feature that would provide a big enough patch of shade for the dark-hued lion to escape into. So instead, the large male pressed on, tail low and sides heaving, the thick fur of his large mane making his neck hot and itchy.
Following an almost invisible trail through what was left of the burnt savanna grass, Sliabh trudged pawstep after pawstep, moving automatically rather than with any real sense of awareness, and only just avoided tripping over something rather large and furry by doing a sharp side-step, a low grunt of surprise escaping him to weight heavy in the still air.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 12:57 pm
Sensitive ears twitched, attentively. Straining fr sounds of life near enough for her attack, but hell if this hadn't been a bad idea. There was obviously a reason why a leopard's belly was on the underside of its body. The harsh sun was already beginning to bake her stomach which had once been kept cool in the dirt. Just a little bit longer, something is certain to chance by and then it will be feeding time.
A bit longer.
A bit longer.
Cradily willed herself to be still and then the sound she'd been waiting for. The sound of heavy footsteps. With one ear to the ground she could practically hear the dry earth groan under the creature's weight. Strange, usually hooves made a harder impact with the earth, a dense echo where these came off as cushioned, preventing the steps from carrying as far. She didn't have much time to think about it though, with a rustle the beast was upon her and Cradily lunged mindlessly. Wrapping her arms around the neck of her prey and biting into... a lion's mane?
Awwh, come on!! You gotta be kidding me!!
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:06 pm
That flash of bright yellow that had warned him of her presence flashed into vivid green at the edge of his vision before a heavy weight suddenly wrapped its self round his neck and shoulders. Ears pinning back against his thick mane as he braced his forelegs against the sudden extra pounds, he grunted with discomfort. Craning his head down and to the side, he eyed the leopardess from one gold eye, blinking at her as she hung upside-down from his neck. Her maw full of his thick ruff.
At least it does its job... He thought vaguely as the heat of her breath prickled his fur but her teeth were ineffective in the thick furry mass. "Is that your usual way of greeting strangers?" He asked, low, husky voice more of a rumble that rolled from his chest. "Would you mind letting go now?" He added, voice polite as he slowly lowered his head, tilting it further to watch her.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:19 pm
Muttering and grumbling to herself, the slender, masked female dropped easily back to the ground after releasing her hold on the stranger. Sticking out her tongue and shaking her head in an attempt to dislodge the hairs on her tongue. She'd never understand why the Gods had created lions to be such huge fur balls. This one in particular, Cradily noted while finally lifting beady yellow eyes, like tiny stars in a blanket of night, up towards the male who easily towered over her.
What sort of people do you hang around with? A derisive snort was issued at his initial comment, if he thought that a sort of greeting it was obvious he'd been out in the sun a little too long. Clucking her tongue as her tail flicked with indifference towards him. I was laying in wait for prey until you came along. It's too hot to be running around chasing herds like some idiot hyena.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:27 pm
Relieved f the weight of the admittedly slender female,Sliabh lifted his had and rolled one shoulder. She wasn't heavy, but it was simply too hot to be expending any more energy than was absolutely necessary. Dropping his gaze back to her as she lay stretched out in the dead grass on her back, he couldn't help but look somewhat puzzled. How did laying about on your back make for a decent hunting technique. Only the dumbest critter or sun-dazed animal would wander that close to a predator.. he sun made all scents stronger, and a leopardess's, or his, was no exception.
"I generally don't... " He replied, low voice almost a baseline to the myriad of sweltering summer sounds that filled the air around them. "There is a water hole not too far from here.. there may be more readily available prey there.." He offered after a moment's thought.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:44 pm
She seemed able to read the puzzlement in an otherwise passive face, as if he was wary of showing too much expression, scoffing but not bothering to explain. Cradily doubted he would understand, but it was as simple as nature itself. Flowers didn't seek out bees to pollinate them and turtles sat in perfect stillness at the bottom of muddy riverbeds awaiting fish to chance by. The best hunters didn't need to exert themselves and the lichen green female considered herself a tremendously successful huntress. Granted, Crad was still perfecting her technique, but thus far it had proved surprisingly affective.
Don't, eh? Well I guess that explains a lot. Laughing briefly, the leopardess rolled back over onto her belly and stood, giving her pelt a quick shake to dislodge the dust and stray bits of grass. No sense in trying to hunt here, no prey beast would come close with a lion like him lurking in the area. Her gaze incredulous as she tilted her head in question. Are you inviting me or making a suggestion? I can assure you I don't need hunting advice from you, stranger.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 1:52 pm
Amber eyes regarded her silently, the stoic lion's expression unchanging. What he thought of he whole situation wasn't clear, but then, Sliabh had never been one for overly expressive mannerisms.
"Just commenting." He replied, voice going even flatter as he shifted, preparing to resume his journey that had been interrupted in such a strange manner. "Tends to be filled this time of day." Shrugging he stepped round her, muscular body turning sideways as he looked back at her, still polite despite the oddness of the meeting.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 3:06 pm
Obviously he didn't understand anything at all, though Cradily tried hard not to sigh in exasperation at the dense lion. A crowded place like a watering hole where there was no cover in which to ambush, it was no place for a female of her coloring. She'd spend her time fruitlessly expending energy frantically chasing the antelope and other creatures back and forth through the water. Grimacing distastefully at the thought, her eyes drifted back towards the lion. He seemed prepared to leave, already having walked far enough that she needed to crane her neck to look at him.
Cradily hadn't even gotten his name, not that it mattered. She didn't really want it. The savanna was full of instances where two passing creatures were bound to be forced to interact by some mishap or another. If she spent all her time trying to learn the name of every stray she came across well.. Crad wouldn't have had room for much else. Right. Great.. except I don't hunt by the water. I hunt in the grass.
Rolling her eyes dismissively, lithe tail flicked with impatience before deciding it wasn't worth the effort to be annoyed at him. The oddly colored male obviously wasn't from around these parts.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 3:24 pm
Tilting his head he wondered why she was glaring at him. It was fairly easy to spook a herd gathered to drink, and, dumb beasts they were, they inevitably trampled each other in an attempt to escape. All that was left was to pick off the injured once the rest had cleared away. Glancing over her build he discounted the thought. She did not seem big enough really.. maybe it was just something lions did?
At her comment he glanced down at the dry and dead grass around them. It was poor cover, as she herself already knew. Shrugging mentally he dipped his head. "Then I wish you successful hunting..." Pausing again he wondered what else he could say to her, but there was nothing. She was not one of the females he had seen in his visions, those that he sought out to petition for aid.. she was just one of the many random encounters he had experienced since leaving his pride.
Bowing his head to her politely he turned and resumed his journey.
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Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 3:59 pm
She was almost amused by the confusion in the large male's expression as he gazed down at the dried weeds that sprouted around them, struggling to survive yet choked off by the dryness of the landscape. He didn't see it. Couldn't understand how she could use her terrain to her advantage. Apparently leopards and lions really were from two different worlds. Yet again though, Cradily chose not to explain. He seemed eager to be on his way and somehow she felt it would be a waste of time to explain to a lion anything about anything.
Given the colors of his pelt, he probably wasn't the sort to comprehend camouflage. Poor sap. Maybe he was a little dense, but he wasn't all together a bad guy, it seemed. Bobbing her head as politely as she could, though not typically known for such niceties. Yea.. good luck to yah... whatever the hell it is you're out here for.
And without wasting much time, Crad was off. Jogging briskly down wind of the stranger in search for a new spot to set up camp.
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