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 Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:08 pm
The lone tree was stunted, leant oddly to one side and had thorns as long as Ilahle's forearm. The short dry scrub underneath it, the crooked branches and scanty leaves did cast some much needed shade however...and boy was it hot! Caught out at midday and too far from her family's den, the black cub lay stretched out underneath it. The sun was far too strong and the sand underpaw was unpleasantly warm. With such a dark coat, she was better suited to the cool nights out here in the desert. Silly child.
So there was little to do but wait until it cooled down, and the clouds over to the east reached the Firekin lands. Then Ilahle would move. She did have some amusement however. Various creatures had sought the same shade she had. A pair of lizards had scampered up the trunk, through the thorns, but a mouse-like creature was trapped in a small hole at it's base.
Her paws couldn't quite reach it inside the hole and it was fun to try to get it everytime it tried to escape. A pleasant diversion from the uncomfortable heat. Tail twitching as a warning to any flies, her brown eyes stayed locked on the mouse-hole.
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:47 pm
Kienge was hot. Hot hot hot. Not that this was unusual - in Firekin lands, it was rare that you were anything but hot. Still, the cub was annoyed. He was royalty! He should be cosseted, spoiled, and certainly -not- hot.
However, he thought he saw some shade somewhere... out there.
Kienge stumbled theatrically across the hot sands and plopped down to survey the land. Ahead there appeared to be a stunted tree, and beneath it a dark shadow--
-- a lioness?
Pah. Kienge's lip rose in a sneer and he grinned. Females should give up their space for their male superiors. Kienge gathered himself for a last trot through the hot bland wilderness and approached the shady patch with a saunter.
"Outta the shade, -girl-. This is my spot." Kienge arched an eyebrow and plowed forwards, crowding his way into the cooler air.
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:16 am
His paw steps had been muffled by the sand. But the mouse was instantly forgotton the moment Ilahle heard his voice and the rustle of the scrub grass. She half turned and snarled softly. Kienge was the first cub she'd seen who wasn't one of her brothers - and he hadn't exactly made a good first impression.
"Ask nicely boy, or even just say hello polietly, and I will share it. The heat can be deadly out there."
She gestured with a nod out into the sun. The cool places to rest in were important as it was always hot out here. This shade had been her's first but she wasn't above sharing it. She just wasn't going to be insulted or forced out of it.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:14 pm
Kienge drew up short for a moment and eyed the female askance. Father always did say that females were to be treated well. Even if Kienge personally thought they were rather worthless; after all, his own mother was useless compared to his father.
Always talking to that slave, too. Dad didn't seem to approve. The only female he'd ever met that had impressed him had been that general...
Well, maybe this girl would be worth something.
"... fine. May I share the shade with you, princess?" He couldn't keep a faint edge of sarcasm out of his voice, but maybe she would overlook it. Besides, he was hot! And she wasn't any smaller than him. She might kick him out of the shade!
How embarrassing, to lose to a girl that wasn't that huge white lioness!
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 1:02 pm
"Maybe I don't like your attitude." She drawled, getting to her feet. Princess? Ilahle let her stance change to the one that came naturally during playfights - front legs wide of balance, head down, ready to pounce. A growl...but she couldn't help the small smile.
"Fight you for it." He looked like he could be another of her brothers, except for his strange purple eyes, and that was her undoing. Even when she argued with them and fought it was in play. It was also automatic to share shade. What could it hurt to playfight for a patch of shade?
Besides, might teach him to show her a bit more respect.
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:01 pm
"Maybe I don't care what you like!" Kienge leered at Ilahle, small fangs bared under tight-drawn lips. He didn't have a sister, so he had no idea what to expect from a girl. In fact, the only females he knew were his mother (who was notably -not- a traditionally-minded firekin) and Kali (who wasn't firekin at all!).
Any uncertainty he might have felt melted away when Ilahle took her fighting stance. He fell into position and narrowed his eyes against the glare. At least he was facing the shade - she was facing out towards the blinding desert.
"Fine." He couldn't help it. He grinned, with real excitement.
Without waiting for a reply he launched into an attack, trying to startle her backwards and out of the safe haven. His paws moved in a blur, slashing towards her face.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:20 am
Looking straight out into the light was a bit limiting, on after thought. Luckily she'd been looking at him for a while so her eyes had become more used to the sun's glare than had she still been looking into the shadows. Ilahle still had to squint however and her counter attack was slower than usual.
With so many brothers, and being a Firekin, Ilahle wasn't a delicate little thing. Hours of playfighting paid off, though usually it was done with half velveted claws and she'd never truely bit down - else they'd be quite a few cubs with their tail tips missing. .She'd just...just sought to pin them before she was pinned.
Bracing herself, one foreleg came up to negate the attack at her face. Wait, was he using his claws? Properly?
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:24 pm
The world narrowed, his vision locked to the girl in front of him. His only desire was to see her in the sun like HE was, to feel the shade on his back and the cool sand beneath his paws...
Kienge's claws weren't sheathed. When he'd fought before, it had been for his life - or for prey. Claws were weapons to inflict injury on those who stood in your way. If this child in front of him couldn't protect herself, she didn't deserve to stay in the shade.
She would be no better than the slaves he lorded over!
Realizing his attack was foiled he feinted high with the opposite paw, then brought his other sweeping in from below.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:39 pm
Oddly, finding herself in a real fight gave Ilahle a little thrill.
The way her heart pumped with adrenaline was a much bigger kick than just wrestling. Not giving herself time to analyse this fact in detail, she just uncovered her own sharp little claws. Her back paws sank a wee bit into the sand and her front paws were ready~
She'd give as good as she got. The faint caught her so she manged to half dodge the other paw - ow... - and aimed a strike of her own with one of her own paws.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:45 pm
Kienge reveled a brief moment of triumph as he felt his claws skim across Ilahe's fur. However, that small distraction cost him in pain - the female's claws raked across his shoulder.
Blood welled, then oozed slowly into his white fur.
Kienge started, eyes wide at the sight of his own blood. Then, with a snarl, he lept back to the attack. He burst towards her, legs pumping, hoping to take her down with sheer speed and power. Unfortunately, he didn't consider the downside to his plan...
... or the ease with which one could avoid him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:29 pm
Harder to see, his scratches caused her blood to further darken a small patch of her fur. Not deep however, and combined with the shock-sting of blocking his first attack, it just made Ilahle more determined. She almost laughed as she scored her first hit.
When Kienge lept at her fast and seemingly furious, she almost met him head on without a thought. But instead she pivoted to the right, dodging and absurdly tackling his side. It should take both cubs down.
Wrestlin' time.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:50 pm
He didn't even realize his charge had gone wrong until he'd swallowed half a mouthful of hot sand.
Ugh. She was heavy!
Kienge's lips pulled back in a snarl as he found himself pinned firmly under Ilahe's dark paws. The cub struggled wildly, paws flailing and seeking purchase on the slippery sand beneath him.
"Get... OFFA ME!"
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:59 pm
She arched her neck back, looking down her nose smugly, a gesture of pride in pinning him - and a way to keep her neck and shoulders out of easy reach. And this male was how much older than her? Ha. She showed him.
"Going to show me some respect now, boy? Then we can share the shade like grown ups." Ilahle couldn't keep the hint of pride out of her voice. As an added incentive she pressed down with her weight.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:12 pm
Anger smoldered in his violet eyes, but he had to admit - she had the upper ground. His shoulder stung where it touched the burning sand. So... hot...
"FINE." Kienge growled reluctantly. "You can fight. NOW will you get offa me?"
So females weren't as useless as he'd always though. Apparently not all of them were flighty like his mother.
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Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:16 pm
Insantly, Ilahle did as she was bidden and lept off of Kienge into the shade. She stood over the place she'd sat before in the deepest shadows, still wary of him. Hesitantly she inspected the cuts on her forepaw.
"You can fight too. Never had a real one before, only playfights." She licked it, cursing the sand that stuck to it.
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