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 Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:47 pm
 "They are as much like lions as leopards, and much less friendly."
He glanced after the faded tiger, though he supposed he shouldn't have expected anything else from the cat, they had after all followed him in his own territory. They would simply have to hope that the next creature they crossed paths with was more forgiving.
"We'll have to find the bears on our own and hope that they will be more helpful."
Senses returned to their search, eyes scanning for any sign, paw prints, disrupted vegetation, berries, strands of fur, any evidence that might point to the presence of a bear. Rather than crossing the clearing directly, he took a rightward turn, toward the mountain side edge of the forest and away from the tiger, perhaps more likely territory for a Tibetan bear.
"They're shy like many creatures here, so they may be difficult to find. We were lucky to cross paths with that tiger, I doubt we'll see any others this trip."
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Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:31 pm
"I noticed. " She said, folding her ear back slightly, but then smiling again. "I guess he was freaked out for seeing a lion, though! He said he never seen anyone like us. " Look on the good side of things, yes. "We're probably very strange over here, huh? " the small lioness nodded, then trotted alongside the god, remembering that if she lost him, she was basically.. doomed out here, she didn't know anything!
An ear twitched as the god mentioned how lucky they were to have seen a tiger. "Are they vanishing too? " She frowned. The tiger they'd met had been pretty.. grumpy, and unhelpful. But she didn't want them to vanish either! "Why do the poachers hunt out the nice things? Can't they just leave everyone alone? " She sighed, folding her ears back slightly. "We hunt what we need to, and the gazelle don't look like they're vanishing. Why don't they do the same? " Kimaji huffed slightly, looking at Corellon from the corner of her eyes.
"Hey! What are nice.. two-leggy-thingies like? " He'd mentioned that not all of them were mean, once. "Do they try and help us? "
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:21 pm
"There are many creatures in danger of vanishing, some more so than others."
Of those endangered creatures, the tiger was among those that faced the greatest threat. It's brilliant orange pelt coveted by trophy hunters and collectors alike, not to mention the unspeakable horrors committed against the magnificent cat for the money earned through the black market. And like the Atlas bear, species of the tiger had already fallen to the demon of extinction. All life was precious, and the needless loss of any innocent, whether tiger, bear, canine, bird, fish, or human, was a tragedy not to be tolerated or forgiven.
"Most humans are good, or simply do not know any better. There are those that are kind, respectful of nature, and those that try to stop the poachers and heal the land. It is astounding just how much damage a small group can cause, and how much greater the need to create must be to conquer the desire to destroy."
As he spoke he searched, following the forest to the higher rocky path. If they were to find bears anywhere, it would be among this terrain, a haven for those seeking a safe den and a fair supply of food.
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:15 pm
"Really? " She frowned. Many creatures risking vanishing..? That was so sad. "Are lions, or cheetah or leopard? " She perked her ears uneasily. What would happen if something vanished, while she knew it had been there? Kimaji rarely talked to cheetah, or any of those, for that matter. But she saw them, sometimes. A cheetah occasionally dashing across the ground after a gazelle, or a leopard, climbing a tree for a nap-- what if she never saw that again?
But she smiled slightly at what he said next. So not all humans were bad-- some even tried helping! that was so nice. She quietly wondered how she'd ever be able to tell the difference between a 'nice' human and a 'mean' one,but then again, she didn't really expect to see them often. She hadn't seen one till she met Cor, and it'd been because he'd taken her towards them. What were the odds?
Now that she came to think about it, up till now, she hadn't seen.. quite a lot of what Cor had shown her. And heavens know she'd never have gotten to Asia otherwise! Though, she'd seen-- and heard, quite a few sad stuff. The small lioness pondered a bit; she didn't want to think about these sad stuff right now! "Hey, wanna play a game? " she asked suddenly, tilting her head at the god. "While we look for Ran! I don't get to play much at home, Swaii is too old and lazy. " She smiled slightly, twitching her tail. "And its just we be careful in case the grumpy tiger pops up again! "
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:34 pm
"I will never allow that to happen."
There was a finality in his tone, a statement spoken with no room for debate. There were creatures he had been unable to save, but he would not allow those that remained to simply vanish from the earth. It was perhaps a daunting task, for many creatures faced the threat of extinction. But there were those that were strong, that thrived despite the poachers, and those that had once fallen to the brink, only to overcome the threat and grow strong again. It was a light of hope, and the courage of others strengthened his resolve, maybe it wasn't too late for some.
"A game?"
The god seemed puzzled at first, such unfamiliar land was not the most likely place for a game, losing Kimaji in the dense forest was not a thought he cared to see realized. However, the idea was not a bad one, there was after all no reason why they should not enjoy the beauty around them, it was after all not often that lions journeyed to Asia.
A smile crossed his maw, that same warm, kind expression he had shown when he first met his young friend.
"What did you have mind?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 12:57 pm
She was a bit surprised by the tone in his voice as he said that, Corellon sounded so.. determined. But that was good, he wanted to help others, and keep nice things from vanishing. That was very nice to know about. Maybe she could help sometime.
Kimaji blinked as the god seemed confused, though, and perhaps uneasy. Oops, was playing not a good idea here? She'd thought about that, but Cor did know better than she did. But she let herself relax when he smiled, and let go of the breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding. However, now she was stumped. The lioness opened her mouth to suggest a game, then stopped. A game that would be good to play here.. Uh..
"Maybe we can play hide and seek! Or we can go play with snow. " Good way to find out what the heck snow was, too!
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:30 pm
"Well, this may not be the best place for hide and seek, but we can see the snow if you wish."
Unlike hide and seek, which surely would have led to becoming lost in the unknown forest, reaching the snow required only a minor detour. The open space would easily allow him to keep an eye on Kimaji as well as a watch for predators. There was also the chance they would find a trace of the bears they sought in the caves among the powder.
Ever alert, the god led the way past the edge of the forest, from the shelter of the trees into the open air touched by the early spring wind, north along harsh rocky landscape of the mountain's base. It was perhaps fortunate the snow reached this far down the mountain still, for he dared not climb to the heights of the frost line in the summer months.
Though further away than it seemed, it was not long before paws reached the snow, frozen earth crunching beneath each step. A shiver rolled from his paws to his back, fur and mane ruffling against the cold, he was certainly grateful for that pelt now.
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Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:13 pm
She nodded, seeming to understand why this wasn't the place for hide and seek. He didn't really have to explain that one, it was kind of obvious anyway. Besides, she was going to see snow! Snow dn't sound that bad, right? It was cold, so big deal.
Okay, it was very cold.
Kimaji hadn't expected it to be this cold, and withdrew her paw almost as quickly as she'd set it into the snow, ears perked in surprise. "Its alot colder than I though. " She said alout. ust when you thought you were getting used to the temperature! Determined, she backed away a bit, then promptly jumped into the snow, clenching her teeth together and standing stock still for a while. Imagine how cold this would be without the pelt!
She huffed, lifting her paws in an exaggerated manner and making her way over towards Corellon, walking around a bit more to get used to the snow. "This stuff is weird. " She said aloud, staring down at her paws.
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:08 pm
Bright laughter fell from his jaws, tension of previous moments forgotten as he watched the lioness in the snow. It certainly was cold to unprotected paws, though perhaps it did not seem so much anymore.
"Well I did tell you it was frozen water. It's beautiful isn't it."
Covered in a blanket of white, the land here was peaceful, quiet, sounds that may have echoed in the forest became muffled whispers in the snow. It gave the land a majesty that many may not have seen upon the barren rocks, and yet beneath there was a foreboding, like a sleeping monster. It was awe-inspiring.
But they hadn't come up here just to look at it, not when there was so much more to enjoy. A small grin on his maw, a mischievous look not often seen, Corellon used one paw to gather a small mound of snow, rolling it into a rough ball with the pads of his paw. The snowball made, he batted the harmless projectile at Kimaji, immediately looking away as if nothing had happened at all.
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:19 pm
Well, she'd been too busy freezing to admire the scenery. Kimaji blinked as Corellon commented on the sight, and looked around, smiling a bit. It was pretty-- in a cold way. But she was getting used to it already, and was beginning to seem rather content, untill...
Bam.
The lioness clenched her teeth, ears folding back as something cold and rounded hit the side of her neck, just under where the wild dog's pelt ended. Now, that was veery cold. "Hey! " She huffed, shaking her head to roll the ice off then looking at Correlon. So this was war, huh? Now, to figure out how he'd done that... Well, it felt round before it hit her! So he must have made a ball. She lifted a paw, rolling it into the snow and making the best makeshift ball she could manage without thumbs, then staring at it.
Now.. Uh.. how do you fling it at someone. Time to try batting! She sent the 'ball' towards Corellon as fast as she could, though by now he probably would have caught onto what she'd attempted to do. Not to mention, she probably needed a bit of working on sending the ball off, uh.. it was weird. "Soon as I figure out how to make these right--! " Okay, she had nothing to say there. Kimaji sucked at being intimidating, even if it was just mock.
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Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:05 pm
Watching from the corner of his eye, the god foresaw the 'attack', leaping aside, leaving the snowball to fall harmlessly at his heals. Tail flicking, he crouched on his forepaws, as if taunting her, daring her to try again.
"Come on, you can do better than that."
A bound sideways, paw scooping the snow to form one snowball, another bound and another snowball. He was playful as a cub, perhaps unexpected from one who had been so serious only moments before. Maybe that simply made him all the more playful when the opportunity presented itself, those who bore the heaviest burden often needed the greatest relief.
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Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:22 pm
"I need practice! " She stuck her tongue out at the god, crouching down and grinning, pouncing to the side and scooping up a paw-full of snow, trying to fling it at Cor as fast as she could. Of course, with her smaller paws, her snowballs weren't quite as large as his, but she was trying!
She blinked as he scooped another ball, and as it came at her, she had the brilliant idea of biting it. OWTHATSCOLD. Snorting snow out of her face and trying to clear up her view with a paw, Kimaji plotted how to get back at Cor-- obviously he was much better at this than she was!
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Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:33 pm
"You just going to make excuses?"
A burst of playful laughter, a quick hop, though not fast enough to avoid a shower a snow. He paused, shaking the cold snow from his hide. It was cold, but he didn't seem to mind, maybe the cold didn't even matter.
The energy flowed from the god, a warmth that perhaps canceled out the cold. He circled the lioness, charging one way then the other, batting a pawful of snow like one would a splash of water. Then falling into a crouch again, another bound.
"You'll never catch me like that."
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Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:58 pm
"No! " She huffed, crouching and avoiding his flings of snow, though thin layers did manage to flop on her back. Well, at least she had the wild dog's pelt there. She rolled her shoulders slightly, pondering and licking her lips slightly, trying to get the ice from the snowball she'd bit off her whiskers. Hey.. snowballs tasted like water. Cold water, but water.
Hey! That gave her an idea! While she hadn't had the chance to play in water quite a while, as the lake back at home had dried so much it just felt wrong to play in it, she still knew how she'd done it, and started to bat her paws in Cor's direction as if she were splashing water at him, only instead throwing snow, scooping it up and flinging as much as possible.
Of course, not that she wasn't getting pelted with Corellon's snowballs, but.. details details!
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Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:32 pm
Spattered with a fresh dusting of snow, Corellon dashed from the line of fire. Simply flinging loose snow was less effective, but it was more difficult to dodge, and though he did not escape unscathed, he did weather the 'attack' long enough to launch his own, batting a few more snowballs before dashing again, never staying still for more than a moment.
Filled with cubbish laughter, caught up in the game, he did not immediately realize that the dusting that whitened his pelt was not from the battle, but fell on them from the darkening sky. It was a realization that perhaps came later than he would have liked, but he did not begrudge the revelry of the game.
"Snowfall. We will need to find shelter for the night and continue our search in the morning."
The last snowfall of the season, a last stand against the rising spring, what little spring there was in these mountains. It was cold year round here, and spending the night without shelter was not an option.
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