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 Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:43 pm
Keeping her head low, Alani treaded carefully through the tall grass. She wasn't sure of herself out here, in the open lands. It was weird, feeling utterly alone for probably the first time in her life. But what could she say? She was so totally curious of the place where she had been born.
It had been quite the defining point in her life in the Makini; she was one of the first outsiders the colony had seen in years, and of course there were some who didn't approve. It had been strange, at times, and sometimes a little bit difficult, but Alani took pride in her home, and loved the fact that she was part of the rejuvenation that the Makini desperately needed. The only down side was that, now that she was grown, that rejuvenation had pretty much come to a stop. That's why she felt a little bad going out into the rogue lands; she didn't want the rest of the colony to think that she was leaving for good. No, she just wanted a little taste of it. And, maybe she'd meet someone like her mother did, and fall in love.
Those were, of course, just dreams. As she padded along quietly through the grass, she could see the distant shape of her home get smaller and smaller. If she thought about it, it was a little silly being this cautious; her pale coat popped out so easily from the grass she was in. If anyone wanted to, they'd probably find her with ease.
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Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 9:20 pm
The male let out a growled yowl of warning, wrenching himself up to his paws and effectively ripping his tail out from under the offending paw.
"Imamu I swearrrrr," And momentarily looked on in disbelief that, no, it certainly was not his ever-annoying familiar, but a random stranger. Immediately his brow dropped back to a rumpled frown, his tone curt and affronted. "Whoever you are, did you not learn to watch where you put your damned paws?"
Because it was obviously this female's fault for leaving his tail in the grass, just begging to be stepped on by any random passer-by. And for him not paying enough attention to move his own tail before it was stepped on.
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:21 pm
Though, maybe she wasn't being cautious enough. Letting one more light paw down, she flinched at the feeling of something beneath it. It wasn't just anything, though - it was definitely something attached to someone. Yes, when Alani was a cub, she had found herself tripping over her siblings all the time, and this was definitely reminiscent of one of those moments.
Looking down, she couldn't help but stare at it for a few moments; a pale tipped tail, that was attached to a fairly-well camouflaged body. Well, at least it was far more camouflaged than her own. Her eyes grew wide as the other let out a growl, realizing what trouble she could possibly be in.
"Oh!" Jumping back slightly, Alani could feel herself starting to panic. She had never encountered anyone out here before, and this was probably the last kind of situation she'd want to meet someone in. "I-I'm so sorry!" Her voice was light, and there was definitely an accent to it. Though she hadn't been born in the Makini, spending her entire life there had caused her to pick up the accent that the rest of the group shared. "I thought I had been paying such good attention, but I guess...I...didn't." Sucking in her bottom lip, Alani furrowed her brows, looking positively disappointed. She felt like a cub that had down something completely horrible, and her head sunk a little because of it.
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:13 pm
"Obviously not." Came the very twitchy reply, a reply to both his own question and her statement.
The female's posture caught him a bit off-guard, looking for all the world like a cub expecting to be reprimanded or struck. Imamu would give him a scolding - along with a not-so-kind bite or two - if he was here...but his do-good familiar certainly wasn't. But, to strike her? Certainly there was a faint urge, but even Neo wasn't that rotten-hearted to strike a female, grown, young, old, or not.
Just because he wouldn't strike her, however, didn't mean he wouldn't let her know his mind on the matter.
He hadn't noticed it right off the bat, but her accented words were interesting, drawing one of his flattened ears forwards to better catch the rolling, soft...practically sensual in their foreignness, words. What a peculiar female. Did she think to deflect his anger by looking young, innocent, ashamed, and tempting? True, he would tumble every once in a while, but he never stayed. It was always his choice.
Well, he was certainly having none of that. Not here and not now.
"Stop looking like I'm going to cuff you like a dimwitted cub." A pause, and against his 'better' judgment, continued on. "You've apologized."
And another pause, just brief, uncertain if he wanted to be genuine or lull her into a false sense of security.
"What are you going to do about it?"
...oh, Kaffy.
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:09 pm
Flicking her ears up, Alani looked back at the male, tilting her head and raising a brow in confusion to his words. "Did I....?" Taking in a breath, she decided it was best not to question his words; it was probably just a bit of a communication error on her part, and he'd already said that she'd apologized, so things were getting better, right? Her nerves were already a bit frazzled by the suddenness of it all, and the fact that apparently things out here weren't handled the same way they were back home didn't help at all. Oh, home...she was definitely missing it a bit more now.
"Do about it? Is there anything to be done about it?" Brow furrowed a little, Alani was more asking because she didn't quite understand what he meant; what could she do about it? Sure, in her home, things could be traded, or a debt paid off by working within the den of another, but she didn't know things worked the same way out here, especially since her idea of those who lived in the rogue lands consisted of wandering loners who had nothing to barter in the first place. And right now, she was the same way, coming from her home with nothing at all.
"I...I don't know what service I could provide. But..." Staring down at the ground for a few moments, she thought hard about a way to fully remedy the situation; the last thing she wanted was to have someone upset at her. "I could keep you company for a while." Her smile bright as she looked at him, it was a genuine offer; in the Makini, if she offered to keep someone company for a while, she would help them out with day-to-day things.
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:30 pm
"Did you or did you not say 'I'm s-s-soooooo sorry~'?" Kaffir questioned, bluntly twittering in imitation of her stuttered apology from earlier. "In my language, straaaaange as it is, that tends to be an apology."
His tail twitched, wriggled, and swayed behind him in obvious irritation. The cheetah felt like he was dealing with a child, and that didn't bode well for him.
But, he had the bit of grace for her to dream up whatever way she could possibly think to attempt doing for him.
When she found her answer and smiled, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, his answering expression was anything but pleased. In fact, he looked rather displeased with the notion, a touch of trepidation apparent in his gaze.
"Keep me company? ...wouldn't Imamu loooove that?" He scoffed the end, half-muttering it though it was audible, still.
May the Gods, those mythical creatures of miserable fantasy, spare him? His familiar would be all over her. Fussing, making sure she was comfortable and happy, making sure he stayed in line (as if). He had no idea, obviously, what the offer meant to her, coming from the Makini lands.
His eyes narrowed, none-too-pleased, but at least willing - if grudgingly - to let her explain herself. "What would that entail?"
Other than bothering the savannah's heat out of me.'
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:53 am
"I...I don't quite understand, sir." Biting her bottom lip, she was getting that nervous feeling again. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her apology, and she was sure she had said it right. She did say it right, right? Things in this place just continued to baffle her, and this irritated cheetah in front of her didn't make things any easier. She would just have to try harder, wouldn't she?
Watching the irritation grow on his face, Alani slunk back a bit, not sure how he would react. At this point, she wasn't sure if he truly was still upset with her about the tail incident, or if he was just a cheetah with a more sour disposition. Though she'd never admit it out loud, her King was a bit like that. At least, that's what she'd heard about him after the whole marriage ceremony incident. But, Alani tried to give him the benefit of the doubt; after all, she had stepped on his tail quite obliviously. Anyone would have all the right to be upset.
"Ah, well..." Trying to muster her confidence, Alani's voice grew stronger, and it started to lose its childish touch. "I cooouuld...help you hunt, or just give you someone to talk to, hm?" In truth, she wasn't sure just how helpful she could be with either of those; he could be an amazing hunter with no need for assistance, or he could have a family not too far off. "Ah, by the way, my name is..." She paused, debating which name she should use. Because her mother had raised her and her siblings within the Makini, she had been given an 'outside name' just to use in a situation like this, but she didn't think that her normal name was much different from the outside names. It wasn't anything like most of the names in the Makini, anyway....
"A...Alani." It felt good to tell someone else her name, even if the situation wasn't the best.
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:57 pm
'Isn't this female irritatingly intriguing..?' Neo grudgingly thought to himself, his ears sweeping back in shame, though his expression hardened as once again, Alani's voice receded to something more young and innocent. Though he didn't want to admit it, perhaps a little of what his familiar was trying to drill into his head actually took root.
Instead of acknowledging that, however, he simply scoffed at her with a just-audible: "Never mind, then."
Why did she have to revert to something childish when he scolded and snuffed at her? It made it hard to keep it up, to drive her, hopefully, away. Neo was rather amazed his familiar had the balls - puns intended - to stick around when he could be such an arse. His shoulders visibly relaxed as her voice became stronger, but to belay that, he arched an eyebrow. Someone to talk to? He looked like someone that needed to talk with someone? He wasn't too insulted on the hunting bit. He did okay, but, really, there was probably some things to be desired there, still. He certainly wasn't starving.
With the arrival of the topic on names, the maned-wolf-coloured cheetah stood, stonily.
He blinked, as her name took on a shy tone, complete with soft stammer.
Would he give his name back?
"A-Alani, huh? Odd name." ...you jerk! He sniffed, unrepentant...but something within his voice, just a faint tinge, suggested he could be teasing. "What with that hesitant stutter. Mine has no such stutter, but it is Neo'olumiji Kaffir."
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:42 pm
"Just Alani." Giving him a soft smile, she wished that she had had a bit more confidence. She felt so out of her element, though, that any bit of meekness or nerves really showed. But, he certainly seemed like he was lightening up, right?
"Well...I really do need to work on my confidence." Letting out a laugh, she felt as though she was treading carefully. Once she started heading in the right direction with this male, she wanted to keep it that way, instead of messing things up again. "That is...quite the name." Widening her eyes a little, it was actually fairly interesting. To her, it sounded so foreign, so exotic - she was almost a little jealous. Though she was from somewhere foreign to most of the rogues out here, her name reflected her rogue birth a bit more than other members of her pride. She still had her accent, though, right?
"So, Neo'o...olu-mi-ji Kaffir," she furrowed her brow a bit as she worked her way through his name; her own native language wasn't as conducive to the flow of sounds, but she worked through it. "what are you doing out here?" Letting out a short, satisfied breath through her nose, she grinned at him, silently mouthing his name over and over again, trying to get the kinks out her pronunciation.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:24 pm
Neo couldn't help the gruff snort as she actually worked her way slowly through his name. Some had little trouble pronouncing it. Still others butchered it. At least Alani was attempting to say it correctly, even with her somewhat adorable odd accent.
It was intriguing, but he played it off with annoyance instead.
"What am I doing out here?" The lanky cheetah stared a moment, as if she was dumb-struck, before continuing on: "Isn't it obvious? I live out here."
The slight movements of her mouth weren't missed, and it didn't occur to him what she was truly doing. Perhaps she was secretly mocking him. His expression clouded over, and then relaxed. Perhaps he would be better off to not assume, as his familiar would undoubtedly say. His tail twitched, moving almost restlessly behind him.
"And what are you doing out here, alone and unprotected, away from your little gathering of cheetahs? If it's to work on your confidence, perhaps you should try something smaller."
'Or you are more brave than you credit yourself for...and act.'
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 10:52 pm
"You live here?" With just those words, Alani's expression brightened immensely. She had hoped to meet someone from this vast, open area, and now one was standing right in front of her.
"I am....exploring." Affirmatively nodding her head, Alani looked pleasantly satisfied, like a small cub that has just caught its first mouse. But it was true, that she had come out to this place to just see what it was like, whether the stories she had heard about it were true. She'd always heard strange things about it; that the creatures were more vicious, more heartless, and definitely only caring about themselves. She knew that some of them must be exaggerated, but she wanted to absolutely sure.
"And just so you know, I don't need them to be protected." Tilting her chin up slightly, she gave a playfully snarky grin. While she may not have been the most skilled fighter, she could still hold her own for a bit; it was part of the training that most members of the Makini went through in their later youth, and Alani was definitely no exception.
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