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 Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:37 am
The news had not reached him on as swift wings as he would have liked it to have. The world had kept this secret for a considerable amount of time before finally gracing him with the truth - a truth that had caused his eyes to widen and his stomach to plummet despite how composed he often was. The gods had been enraged by some unknown force and in their fury, had ravaged the coasts taking many creatures with them. While there were tales of some survivors, there were also tales of many fatalities and more troubling, the issues that those inland now faced.
It was well known to the leopard that the soils beyond the shores did not appreciate or like the sea. He had seen the results in his travels, that of barren wastelands as the salt water had taken hold. To think that it had occured closer to home was of great concern to him and as a consequence, the pale male hadn't wasted any time - he had gathered his wits and with a brief farewell to the preybeasts that had provided him with the information, he had made his way swiftly towards the source.
The distance he had been forced to travel had been considerable and it was months before he managed to reach the epicentre of the devastation. The first tell tale signs had been the dying plants further inland, but now that he stood on the borders of the Bahari lands, he could fully appreciate just how bac things were. It came as no surprise to him that the local pride had begun to rebuild, with the larger lions shifting much of the wreckage...but there was still much to do.
Even from his vantage point, the leopard could see that the dens that had once been the home of many had been deserted and deemed no longer inhabitable - it was unfortunate, to be sure. Alas, to gain a proper measure of how bad things were (and would become) the leopard drew further in, maintaining a reasonable distance from the inner areas of the pride, though he was close enough to observe some things...
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:12 am
The two girls trotted along the sands happily. Despite the fact that there had been a tsunami, despite the fact that creatures had gone missing, the time had come for being happy, or at least pleased. Afina giggled as she looked at her slightly younger sister. "Oh Tarni, just wait until you find a guy like my Xenon." She put an emphasis on the 'my' part of this particular sentence, she liked the feeling of being an adult with a mate and a den and more importantly she liked that she was in love. She knew she was the first of her siblings to be in love, truly devotedly in love. Tarni shakes her head. "Afina not all of us are in a hurry to be settled you know?" She sighs, she had been listening to Afina ramble on, and on and ON about her mate for so long now it was getting tiresome. She was happy for Afina but she had watched her sister go from depressed to happy, to sombre and now she was just love struck. It was very annoying. With a sigh she nudges her sisters shoulder. "Can't we talk about something else?" Tarni whispers, her voice much quieter than her sisters, more reserved.
"Like that!" She blinks owlishly, she had never seen a leopard before, it was something weird, it was almost like a lion but someone had stollen its tail tuft? And possibly its mane. "What is that Afina?"The dark blue lioness chuckles, she was about to agree to stop talking about Xenon when the subject change became something very exciting. A leopard, Xenon had told her about leopards. He had told her a lot of things, he was after all well travelled. "Lo stranger." The golden eyed female called making a bee line for the cream male.Tarni paused, a nervous feeling in her chest before she trotted after her more forthright sibling.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:21 am
There was of course one thing that rogues often forgot and that was the locals - fortunately Raja was not one of them and as a consequence he wasn't surprised when he stumbled upon both lionesses. At an immediate glance the pair were very similar and he quickly concluded that they were siblings - at the very least, the facial markings indicated that they were related. Unsurprised by their presence, his own expression remains neutral and he slowed to a halt as Afina took the lead and bridged the distance.
Well, if there was one way of receiving answers about a current location and the events that had transgressed, interviewing those who had lived through it was the most logical way. As such, he waited patiently until they were in his vocal 'range' and it was only then that he spoke, his voice just above a whisper. It appeared that like Tarni, he was an individual who rarely raised his voice - in fact, even his acquaintances would claim that they had never heard him shout!
"Good morning," he replied smoothly, a slight tweak of a foreign dialect in each word. He was definitely not from around here, heralding far in the north, there would be a few things he said that may not necessarily have made sense immediately. "A pleasure to meet both of you," he purred and lifted a paw to point at both girls. "By the curls behind your ears I would assume you are from around here, no?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:35 am
Afina sits down with a sandy flump and smiles brightly at the leopard her golden eyes dancing happily. "Oh yes, we were both born here, I'm Afina and this is my sister Tarni." She tilts her head and her tail flickers a little "You'r a leopard right? Xenon told me that leopards live in trees a lot. Is that comfortable?" She raises a brow curiosity in her gaze.
Tarni smiles shyly hiding behind her sister, her teal eyes glancing over the leopard, he certainly wasn't from around here and while Afina seemed to find that fascinating, Tarni found it scary. She liked her home, she liked to not think about the outside. "Hullo." She whispers turning her face shyly away from the pale leopard.
"Afina, you shouldn't ask so many questions, you might upset him." She whispers, looking at the leopard nervously, he seemed to be quite large and muscly, of course they were both big girls but they were not fighters.
Afina rolls her eyes. "settle down Tarni, if you don't ask creatures questions you never learn anything." She sighs an exasperated sigh at her nervous sister. "We don't have many trees, well any trees on the beach you have to go up to the jungle for that." She continues still waiting for his initial reply to her tree question.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:01 am
The darker of the pair was certainly filled with questions of her own, he suspected that there would be more talking from her than there would be from him, at the initial stages at least. Alas, he had dealt with worse in his time and rather than express any distaste, he merely sat himself down and adjusted his position until he was comfortable. With his tail coiled around his legs, he resembled a statue and sat as still and upright as one too! From a distance, one might even think he was a statue and the only give away that he wasn't, would have been the swivelling blue eyes.
"They know me as Raja," he replied once he was certain Afina had silenced herself for the time being. "As for where we live, we can live wherever we please...though we do have a general preference for heights during the evening," he conceded with a small nod. Obviously neither female had been out into the roguelands, they had been carefully sheltered by their pride and seemed comfortable here, the paler one in particular.
He was an oddity, he was 'scary'.
"If we can sleep at height, it means no other can attack us when we rest - given we often live alone, it is safer," he explained, clarifying the reason that he and his kin often elected to laze about in the branches of nearby trees. He refrained from going into detail in relation to how useful they were as hunting perches as well, lest he bore the pair. "If you can find the right tree with sturdy enough branches then yes, they are comfortable - find the wrong one and you might fall out," he concluded with a slight shake of his head.
"That being said, I find it surprising that you do not have leopards nearby...we are rather partial to fish," he mused, glancing briefly towards the ocean. It was peculiar, but perhaps they prepared to avoid any pridal regions to ensure that drama didn't follow them...
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:15 am
Afina shrugs her shoulders "There may have been, its been a bit different since the tsunami." She faintly remembered her mother telling her there was a leopard in the pride, but she had never met said leopard. Perhaps it had been washed away like so many others. "Still plenty of fish though, maybe more, the waters are calm enough now that the shoals have come back." She states quite simply. "Is that why you're here, to fish?" She smiles brightly her golden eyes dancing cheerfully, she could appreciate someone who liked to fish.
"We're very good at fishing." Tarni whispers her gaze flickering to the leopard for a moment. "Father says it's in our blood to fish." She laughs a quiet nervous laugh, she still wasn't too sure about this leopard. He was an intruder to her,s he wondered how he had gotten past the guards. Maybe he was sneaky? That was even scarier in her mind, that he was sneaky enough to get past the guards.
Blinking rapidly the teal lioness shuffles her paws in the sand. "You should really ask someone before you fish here." She squeaks.
Afina rolls her eyes. "Come on Tarni, theres plenty for everyone, stop flapping, you sound like a baby." She raises a brow at Raja, "The jungle above the old dens has lots of good places to climb. Not much for 'up' myself but I bet you could find a comfy place up there."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:28 am
It was quickly becoming clear that Tarni was less inclined towards him than Afina was, but her determination to hide behind her sister made it obvious that she would be less incliend to enforce her views. At the most he suspected tha she might flee to summon back up, but given he had no intention of causing immediate harm, he suspected that he may be permitted to continue with his investigation. Nevertheless he did note her uncertainty towards him with a quick glance and a raised brow, if this was how she treated every stranger then she would certainly never be a diplomat!
"I have no intention of dining in your lands," he spoke at last, direct his remarks towards Tarni who seemed more perturbed by his existence than Afina. "Nor do I have any intention of staying for long in a place I am not welcome," he continued, shifting his attention to Afina who had offered him directions to the jungle. While she was certainly more open to foreigners, he suspected her sibling might cause considerable issue if he had taken the offer.
"My only purpose for being here is to investigate the immediate effects of the tsunami - it has caused considerable damage further inland and it is only through inspecting the damage here that I will be able to tell how extensive it is elsewhere," he explained. It was clear in these moments that he was an exceptionally intelligent creature, well versed and schooled in specific fields. "If I do not do this then I cannot liaise with the preybeasts and ensure that further unnecessary deaths do not occur," he continued.
"That is my only purpose for being here," he flicked his gaze back to Tarni. "I do not wish to eat your food, I only seek to see the damage..."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:04 am
Afina raised a brow. He was here to check on their land? Weird. With a shrug the deep blue lioness licked her lips "Well we can tell you some things if you like. We were here for it. The dens are pretty much gone from here now and the river still isn't quite right." She flickers her tail, it seemed odd even to her that a leopard would be directing prey beasts, after all, weren't leopards meat eaters? "Aren't leopards carnivores, like lions?" She raised a curious brow.
Tarni gave a little giggle from behind her sister "Maybe he's like a prey beast?" She whispers, it tickled her that prey beasts ate grass, who would want to eat grass? It cut your paws if you went in the wrong sort of grass.
Afina shakes her head. "I'm sure he doesn't eat grass. Who would want to eat grass?" She sighs a slightly exasperated sigh about her sisters cowardice and silliness.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:27 am
They truly were naive weren't they? He hazarded a wry smile at the exchange and slowly shook his head, accepting the fact that he was up against two females who would probably rail him with loads of questions if they were given the opportunity to do so. Afina would certainly be the more vocal, but he suspected that even Tarni might field a few if she grew to appreciate that he meant no harm. He didn't expect miracles though and as such, simply elected to answer their questions, explain qhat puzzled them and continue on his way!
"Leopards are indeed carnivores," Raja conceded and then took a breath. "But we must also respect those that provide us sustenance - if they died out then we would be left with nothing. We would starve and in turn, we would also die... Therefore it is our responsibility to work together to ensure the survival of one another," he explain patiently. It was at this point that he tilted his head to the side and pointed his paw towards the shores, he was silent for a moment and then he spoke once more. "Consider it this way, if you knew that there were only ten fish in the sea and you had an entire pride to feed - would you kill all those fish for a single meal, or would you wait?"
"In the year that you sustain yourself on something else - whether it be fruits, berries or smaller rats...you might find that the fish mature and breed. They produce more and more, until your pride can finally eat safely and without fear of starvation again," he sucked in a breath, his voice a touch hoarse from extended use. "The same principle applies, while you may not necessarily understand it because you live here, that sort of co-operation is required beyond these borders..."
"Now more than ever it is important that my kin and I ensure that the preybeasts find land that they can safely graze on. The salt water that reached the grasses beyond the shores have killed that land, it will take many years to recover," he continued and it was probably in these moments that he began to make sense. "I need to know how far the damage has spread, so that I might tell the preybeasts that the lands are barren and they can seek out other feeding grounds until such a time as this land as recovered - you see, yes?"
There was a pause at this point.
"And by the way...Certain grasses have medicinal properties," he pointed out with a small, soft chuckle.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:17 am
Afina opened her mouth to make a snarky remark about grasses with medicinal properties, when she remembered at least one that stopped your stomach hurting after too much to eat. Still it felt odd that the leopard cared so much about the prey beasts even if what he said made perfect sense. "Well, the tsunami hit the whole shore line, washed away a lot of dens and lions, ruined the river." She pauses, she hated speaking about the tsunami, there were better things to think of.
"It brought a lot of rogues to our lands though, like yourself, many of them have stayed." She sighs a slightly happy sigh and giggles gently.
Tarni cast a glare at her sister, she was off again. "It sounds like a very noble thing you do Raja." She whispers, piping in at last though her voice remained quiet and she stayed firmly hidden behind her sister. "it would take you a lot of days to go down the whole shore, you should speak to our elders, they can probably fill you in about the lay of the land." She smiles weakly.
"I'm surprised the prey beasts let you get close to them, the fish always scatter when ever you are close." Though she realised of course that fish couldm't be reasoned with unlike prey beasts.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:31 am
Raja couldn't quite understand how the emergence of many rogues would be of benefit to a pride unless all of them provided aid, but as an individual who didn't pry, he could only assume that at least one had left a mark. Suffice to say her rogue appeared to have stayed, but this was most certainly not Raja's intention... the prospect of joining a pride was a rather bizarre concept to one who had been raised as a solitary beast for so long. Nevertheless he did hazard a smile at the pair, especially when Afina looked like she was ready to argue with him!
"I provide respect to the preybeasts as they deserve," he replied in a matter-of-fact manner tone. "In return they do the same and a balance is struck, we co-exist and understand one another's requirements... though I will concede that some predators are less inclined to extend such understanding towards what they consider 'beneath' them," he mused. With Afina thoroughly distracted by her own giggles and thought processes, the leopard had turned his attention to the quieter of the sisters.
"In some places the preybeasts will startle and bolt, in others they will not. For example, if they are surrounded by those who do not respect them then they will not stay...but if they are in the territory of creatures who will not assault them unless necessary, they will stay. Where I come from, the preybeasts will often sacrifice themselves when it is their time," he explained softly, his tail sweeping round to draw tiny pictures in the dirt as he recalled his homeland.
"The elderly and the sick who have no chance of recovering will often put themselves forward, thus ensuring we are sustained and their kind are protected... but with this in mind, they also find an honourable death," he murmured and trailed into silence. A further pause and he directed his gaze towards Tarni once more, blue eyes narrowing slightly.
"Would you like to see a secret?" he asked.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:02 am
Afina smiled at her sister and nudged her. "Sounds weird but I understand. Sort of." She smiles her cocky grin, she would never leave the pride so things outside of it didn't really concern her, but she understood what the strange leopard was saying and he obviously missed his pride. "Sure, we'd like to see a secret." the blue lioness smiled. She didn't think this leopard could possibly tell them a secret about their pride. they knew everything about it.
Tarni nods gently, her smile gentle "What is the secret about?" She whispers, nudging herself around her sister just a little, her teal eyes fixed on the pale male, she was starting to feel less worried about him. he clearly wasn't staying, he wasn't here to steal their fish or hurt them. He was here to investigate and that was it.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:11 am
With both females expressing interest, the male pulled himself to all four paws and pressed his lips together. Shaking the worst of the dust out of his fur, he then proceeded towards the water, taking a right to avoid the immediate coastline. His destination was much more specific, an outcropping of rock nearby that he had seen from his higher vantage point. While it wouldn't immediately be obvious as to what he was up to, the pair would probably recognise the place as a rather good fishing spot.
...A place where Tarni had claimed the fish would scatter when they were nearby.
Once there, he seated himself once more with his back turned to the water and draped his tail into the depths. The fish scattered immediately but he didn't seem overly perturbed and instead, held himself still as he waited for each of the lionesses to make themselves comfortable.
"Respect for that which you need will ensure it provides the same to you..." he stated simply and then he waited.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:43 am
Afina marched up in a confident manner, following the pale leopard with her tail swishing back and forth in a cocky manner. She was self assured, it was a part of who she was. Sitting herself comfortably she looks back at her sister and shakes her head. "Do all leopards like water?" she enquired half heartedly. She wondered why he was sticking his tail in the water.
Tarni followed at a slower pace, following her sister quietly. She wondered what sort of secret the leopard could show them that involved a prt of their lands? She didn't suppose it mattered but her interest was perked.
Settling down slightly behind her sister once again, Tarni watched the big pale male plonk his tail in the water. She titters quietly, she loved the water but she never sat with her tail dangling in the salty brine.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:54 am
"We have a healthy appreciation for it," Raja replied, remaining as still as he could. Save for the movement of his jaw there wasn't a ripple of motion throughout his body. His gaze swivelled to settle on the pair, both of which seemed bemused by his actions. "The water keeps us cool, it feeds us and it satiates our thirst - why would we not like it?" he enquired, a rhetorical question to be sure but one that he felt needed to be voiced. It was then that he fell silent and sure enough, while his back was turned to the water, the fish began to congregate round his tail once more - to them, it had simply become a random piece of seaweed...an oddity, but nothing threatening.
"Now for my secret," he continued at last, a small smile creeping onto his lips as he regarded the pair for a little longer. Moments later there was a swift 'flick' of his tail and it swept out of the water, tightly coiled around one of the unsuspecting shoal that had congregated around it. For a time, the leopard held the fish to his side, allowing the pair to examine it and then he tossed it back into the water... it was a feat that couldn't be performed by those using their claws or mouth.
"Shoals only scatter at disturbances, if you have patience, they will return to their favoured haunts," he pointed out with a soft chuckle. He suspected they already knew this in a very basic manner anyway, as they had recognised how shoals behaved...but clearly they had different ways of fishing than he did! Satisfied that he had made his point he shook the water from his tail and curled it around his forepaws. "Show respect and consideration for them... and they will act in much the same way as any other creature, even if they cannot converse."
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