The carcass was wedged between two branches when he, at last, caught up to the scent. It was a recent kill; dragged through the brush sloppily by that of a rogue leopard, from what Adisa could gather, and left to waft and wave in the breeze. The lion thought it better to resist the urge at first, denying the area of his presence for as long as a hungry male could…
Until he came to the conclusion that the leopard must have abandoned its meal for the sake of security. It encroached too closely to the massive pride boarder, and it must have been spooked one too many times by those passing through. A fortunate find, and this logic was enough for him to approach with gusto! He would remain mindful of the predator who had provided the meal in the first place, however, and cautious until the coast was absolutely, without a doubt, clear.
In a last ditch effort to keep his meal, the leopard had made the kill nearly impossible to unhinge. The feat was an ambitious one, even if the tree’s shaft was weathered by frequented storms and sloped just enough for a lioness to scale comfortably. Aside from him not being a lioness, his weight benefited the hunt but was mostly a burden outside of that. He was skilled with a great many things but lacked the limberness of a trueborn tree-climber, and it showed in his precariousness and clumsy footing.
He was still a stranger to the better part of the pride, a welcomed member no less but one who had yet to return his dues. He had a lifetime to do so, but was feeling rather anxious as of late. Provided with a den, the safety of numbers, and the beginnings of friendships and families – he felt obligated to give back in some way.
The free meal would feed only a few of the ranks, but would surely be a step in the right direction. And a worthy effort, perhaps, as nothing was ever as easy as it seemed.
It was a healthier fawn then what would have been expected. The leopard must have been a crafty one to down such a prize... but it's own weight anchored it in the slot between the branches, and the spectacle of Adisa desperately pulling at what limbs he could reach would be a comical one for those who happened by.
He hoped that for the better part of his fight the dead would be his only audience... but as he had come across the scent, so too would others...
Seaki
SO sorry for the delay! I'll get on the others we wanna do as well ;; <3
