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Kikora's ears pricked up at the mention of meerkat, and she lifted her head to scent the air.
"Yeah, I think I can smell 'em too!" Her tail switched back and forth with excitement. "I 'member I used to try and hunt 'em as well, but they're real fast sometimes."

A smile started to creep across the mouth of the golden cub. "Alright, then." She followed Kono-epesi off, away from the waterhole. Her green eyes narrowed with delight at the challenge. "Let's go get 'em!"

(( My computer came down with a virus...so sorry for not replying! sweatdrop ))

Kikora tilted her head to one side, thinking. "If we just call out somethin' an' then go for it, they'll be real surprised." She hesitated briefly before going on, trying to dredge up her memories. "An' I 'member huntin' these before, if you hide real well and then just sneak up on them, they get so surprised...they just look to see where you are, see. An' then by the time you try and get 'em, they en't expectin' it."

She nodded at the other cub's plan. "Sounds good! Yeah, they'll get real confused. An' if we keep circling, then they en't gonna be able to tell where we're attackin' from."

The golden cub's tail was swinging from side to side with anticipation. "Can't wait to get started!"

Kikora was trying hard to contain her own excitement - she knew that she would have to be controlled and quiet for the hunt, but this was going to be so much fun!
"That's a great plan! We'll get 'em for sure, and they won't even know what's hit 'em! Yeah, and if we go 'round 'em in circles, they en't gonna know where we're comin' from!" She nodded, pleased. "Let's go for it!"

Kikora slunk off through the long grass in the other direction, sneaking skilfully around to wait in position. She crouched low, waiting anxiously for her signal.

At Kono-epesi's cry, Kikora's muscles tensed before she launched herself towards the meerkats, teeth bared and claws extended. They had frozen in shock, but a few of them were already starting to run. The golden cub launched herself at one of the fleeing creatures, trying to catch it before it reached its burrow.

((There needs to be an egosearch for guild posts. >_<))

Kono-epesi waited only for a single heartbeat to echo within her chest before she lept forward, quickly living up to her namesake. Her red-orange eyes were ablaze with an eerie light as the blood of her ancestor's sang through her veins, encouraging her and bidding her to run faster, faster! Her lips pulled back into a feral grin as she sprang forward, missing the first meerkat she pounced at. She didn't let that stop her -- as quick as you please, she was up and sprinting towards the next meerkat, her paws a blur as she gave chase.

Unfortunately, for her, the meerkat made a hasty retreat into one of the many burrow openings, and vanished from sight. With a growl, Kono-epesi instead dove for the hole herself and began digging, trying to make the small tunnel wider to allow her to slip in... Even though it was useless.

Large paws made light impressions in the dry ground as Us'kali made her way to the watering hole...and it was hard to believe how much she had improved on the journey. Her coat was sleek, instead of dull, her eyes shone, and she had purpose in her stride--here was a lioness who would die actively, rather than letting herself slowly wither as she had been doing. Her tattoos broke up her coat from view as the tall savannah grasses bowed beneath her large body, and she offered up a prayer of thanks to the sky, for providing enough rain that she had remained able to quench her thirst on the journey.

Something in her bones told her that this was where she would stay, and where she would find purpose. As she stared down at the clear pool before her, Us'kali took stock of her surroundings, taking note of a young, juvenile lioness who was sitting at the top of a rise nearby, staring out over the savannah moodily.

Before making her way to the water that glistened before her, Us'kali made her way cautiously over towards the young lioness, head tilted slightly to the side. The juvenile had one of the most interesting natural coat patterns that she had ever seen, with a light beige base color and dark green, swirly markings breaking up the monotony of color with graceful, fluid swirls. As she approached, a distrustful pair of turquoise eyes landed on the elder lioness, their sharp gaze missing nothing.

"Whaddya want?" Binti asked, a bit suspicious of a lioness so large getting so close with no greeting of any sort. She couldn't help but envy her confidence though...and there was wisdom shining from her violet eyes. She appeared to be everything that Binti strived for--after all, she had no pride with her, and appeared to be well able to care for herself, without the protection of some overbearing maned male to boss her around.

Blinking, Us'kali bowed her head slightly, and spoke softly, as if to try to soothe the younger lioness--and if she were honest, 'kali could well understand the youngster's defiance--something in her gaze spoke of determination, and any lion with a modicum of sense would be cautious of another lion who approached but was not a member of the pride.

"I am Us'kali, once adu'ladi of the sky clan." she said simply, inclining her head politely, her voice soft like muted thunder.

Eyes widening slightly, Binti couldn't help but wonder what an adu'ladi was, not that she'd ever admit it. "I'm Binti'Sokota, but everyone calls me Binti." She said, tail sweeping the ground behind her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you..." Us'kali replied, surprised that her nose picked up no scent of other lions--at least, none old enough to be raising all of the cubs who she could detect. "Are there no older members of your pride about?" she asked, slightly puzzled.

Snorting, Binti shook her head. "These're unclaimed lands, ma'am...any cubs or juveniles floating round these parts are rogues, as I am." she said, head held arrogantly, as if to challenge Us'kali to make an issue of it.

"I...see." Us'kali said, and she did, somewhat. Something about Binti...reminded her of herself, before she had become adu'ladi of the sky clan. And that was enough to prompt what she said next. "Would you mind accompanying an old lioness, for a time?" she asked, eyes twinkling in the sunshine. Someone had to teach this one how to behave around others, and the juvenile's defensive posture told 'kali that her attitude was based more on resentment than it was on ignorance.

Shrugging, Binti stared back off into space. "You're big enough that I couldn't stop you if I tried...but I'm not gonna place ya on a pedestal and treat you like a god, got it?" she said gruffly.

Grinning, 'kali shook her head. "Certainly not." she said simply, before padding over to the watering hole she'd neglected, and bending to drink from it, soaking her dry throat with the life-giving liquid, and reveling in its coolness.

With a beleaguered sigh, Binti turned to stare at the basking lioness, eyes narrowed slightly. "So, tell me more 'bout this pride ya came from--I mean...what brings ya here, anyway?" she asked boldly, eyes as hard as gemstones. Always the suspicious one, Binti.

Ebony eyes shifted lightly as the painted male, known as Hidalgo, otherwise known as a rogue in these parts, leisurly roamed through the southern lands. Tongue was hanging from his jaw, which hung loosely open while he attempted to inwardly shake the burning sensation from his backside, which had been exposed far to much to the sun for his liking. He needed.. water.. shade.. company?

With a loud moan of defeat, the adolecent dropped with a great big 'thud' to the ground, abrubtly shoving his forhead into the ground, his parched throat only worsening with the time that passed on. "Water.. must.. have.. water.." He wailed in complaint. Ears perked however, to the sound of.. water..?

In an instant his head picked up, eyes widening as the reflection of water caught his attention. "WATER! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WAAAAAAAAATER!" Hidalgo yelled, scrambling to all fours before darting towards the liquid. Taking no heed to the two females ahead of him, the male continued to sprint, focusing only for the time being upon the water ahead of him. Paws were loose, tripping across the terrain in an unorganized fashion. Within moments there was a giant 'SPLASH!', and the male was hereby soaked in the thing he wanted most, rolling around without little if not any attention to the other two he'd swung past so hurridly, who probably thought he was a lunatic by now. XD