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 Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:24 am
It was pouring down rain today and yet he had to try to hunt. He'd gone so long without food that it was getting harder to have the will to do anything but lay in the shade and sleep. Makan was thin, very thin now. He'd gotten sick all of a sudden and he didn't have the health to hunt for himself. So he'd suffered until he'd gotten like he is. He laid there in his den for days while he emptied himself out until there was nothing left. But somehow he didn't die. He was slowly recovering. Slowly. Too slowly because he didn't have the energy. Which meant hunting. His eyes were focused on movement ahead in the grass, rain pattering down everything, drowning out actual scent. Makan didn't know what was there, but it was going to be his dinner. A growl escaped from his throat, raspy and harsh. Every movement hurt. His body was screaming at him to rest because he'd been at this for so many hours, but it wasn't easy. It never was, even when he was healthy. With a deep breath, Makan realized he was within distance and he ran straight ahead, quiet and deadly. He lept into the air, claws extended and he almost instantly regretted it. There was prey, but there was a female now lunging up to tackle him in the throat, sending him backward very suddenly.
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:24 am
Kisuta was lucky when it came to hunting. Even in this weather she was honed. It was because she had had the time to watch the herds and figure out which one was the best one to get. These delicious zebra had been taunting her for a while, but she followed them for a long time. Her tactics paid off with great reward. A male zebra had been injured during one of her chases and she'd managed to take him down. Dragging the carcass through the wet grass was a lot easier and a lot more difficult. The leopardess lost her footing more than once, slipping into the mud and flailing to get her footing again. When she was finding purchase, it slid so much easier. Kisuta's only goal was to get it to her den quickly. And that's when she heard a low growl and was immediately on alert and looking the direction it came. Then the pounce happened, and she countered. One of her front paws pressed to the male leopard's throat and pinned him to the ground with a hard growl, her eyes sharp and aggressive. But something about this didn't feel right. He was... small. Taken aback that she might have just tackled a cub, she looked at the shrunken male. He was fully grown but he was like a shell of what he should be. A ghost? No, she'd tackled him. "...." Now he wasn't moving. Kisuta flicked her tail and looked at the food, and then the male, and growled. She brought the zebra body into the tree after a long, hard climb and then grabbed the male by the scruff of the neck. She wasn't about to let him die in this weather. He looked like he'd suffer enough. Hopefully she could come back to get her kill...
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:24 am
When Makan slowly comes around, he realizes he's not in a world of pain from laying on old, dead grass. Which meant he wasn't in his own den. He figured this out without actually opening up his eyes. A sudden waft of food is what drove him to that fully awaken point.
His stomach gave a hard growl and he felt so sick because of how empty it was. Opening his eyes, he spotted it. A huge, thick zebra leg right in front of him beside a large leaf of water. He ignored the water in favor of the food for now and sank claws and teeth into to start his eating process. The sad part is this would probably fill him because of how much his stomach had shrank. Or he thought it did. Still, the meat was fresh and delicious.
But how did it get here?
He thought back as he chewed a mouthful and then grimaced. Oh no. There was a female...
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:25 am
Kisuta was dragging another leaf of water to her den for her guest who'd been unaware of whatever she was doing. It was a good thing she wasn't inclined to do evil things. While Kisuta wasn't necessarily a motherly type, she did have a nurturing side.
When she got back into her den, she heard chewing noises. He was awake, that was good. Still, she continued to drag the leaf over, even though she heard him stop eating and try to get to his paws. Once her task was complete, the female leopard stared at him and motioned him to lay back down.
"Easy. I'm not here to hurt you. I could have if I wanted to, right? Just.. Eat. Drink..." She tilted her head at the confusion that was visible on his face. It made her grin a little. "I'm Kisuta. You're in my den. I.. apparently tackled you too hard and you passed out...Which I can figure out why... Have you been starving yourself?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:25 am
"N-no I am not starving myself on purpose," he said through a roll of his eyes. "...A while ago I was in a bad spot. I got a sickness from somewhere, maybe a pride I was close to. I was completely empty and unable to care for myself. I just slept it off for what felt like weeks. Before that I wasn't having luck hunting. Every time I would, a hunting party from a pride came out and disturbed the game I was going for.." Makan leaned down to lick at the zebra leg and then took a bite out of it. Honestly the male couldn't help it.
"So now that I'm a little better... I still can't seem to hunt because of what..I've become." His head ducked a little as he spoke, and he turned his attention to the leaves. Making himself feel better by appearing busy. He didn't know if he could sit still with this female here.
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:25 am
Kisuta listened to the leopard's story and her heart gave a twist. He had a bad string of luck. It almost sounded as though he somehow pissed off a god and was cursed. She settled down on her haunches and let her tail flick this way and that as she thought about something to herself.
Since she wasn't talking, Makan went back to eating and she was able to see how bad off he really was. He slowed down about half-way through the leg, which meant he was getting tired. That wasn't good. This was no where near enough to fill him up; or it shouldn't have been. Her ears flattened and Kisuta squirmed before moving over to him and nudged the leaf.
"Drink something... In the mean time I could ...do the hunting. I could... do the hunting for the both of us. You're not able to look after yourself, and honestly, if I sent you on your way like this you'd end up dying and I'd feel so guilty... So let me help you."
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:26 am
"So instead of letting yourself feel bad, you're going to be treating me like some kind of charity case?" The white male sat up as straight as he could, letting out an annoyed growl. He nearly, very nearly kicked away the last of the leg, but in all honesty he was going to finish that. It didn't have a lot of dirt on it right now and keeping it that way sounded nice.
Then again, having someone else do the hunting sounded fairly nice.
It took him a long pause, but he sighed and dropped his aggressive stance. "Sorry... ...I mean. I guess you're right. I ...don't think I'm capable of feeding myself now.."
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:26 am
At his outburst the female leopard quieted down and looked apprehensive. Maybe she stepped on his toes. She winced at his harsh words about her and just rubbed her face with her paw for a moment. He was working out being 'insulted' by a female and she wanted to smack him for his words.
He calmed down, however, and accepted her offer, and Kisuta's ears perked up at that before she grinned.
"I can forgive you for being insulted someone would want to help you.. And.. maybe I did it for the wrong reasons, my guilt and what not, but.." None-the-less she wanted to do it. "It wasn't meant to be ...that insulting, honestly. I just thought I'd... offer some help."
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:26 am
"It's not even because you're a female it's just... I don't like accepting help. I wasn't raised by a large, helpful family, you could say. I fended for myself most of my life." Makan laid back down and put his head next to the leg. Sleep was heavy in his eyes. He was full now, and it just made him want to drift back off.
"I'm Makan... Sorry but.. I'm probably going to.." Without finishing his sentence, the male was out like a light. He had wanted to drink more, but sleep just hit him like a brick.
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 10:26 am
Kisuta rolled her eyes at how he'd just fallen asleep like that. She had more questions for him, but honestly, she could wait for this Makan to wake up again. It was still raining anyway. With a shake of her fur, the damp leopardess went to the mouth of the den and started to groom herself. She'd definitely take care of her new charge and see him to full health. It'd just take a bit longer. She was only one leopardess after all.
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