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 Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:15 am
Aka'an lay in the shadows of a tree. She was just on the inside of the jungle, somewhere between the temple and the village. She had been there for some time. The little cub shook slightly, her magenta eyes wide with fear and curiosity as she scanned behind her and in front of her.
She got up, a small cub, perhaps a bit smaller than average. She dug her claws into the soft bark, pulling them down a bit, liking the scratching motion. It made her feel tough, like she could defend herself if she needed too.
Even though she certainly couldn't. The thought set in, and she felt stupid for doing such a playful thing, letting her guard down. She sat down again, curling up into a sight ball, and tucking her head under her front leg. Maybe if she kept like this nobody would see her. She was small enough, right? Nobody had to notice her, in the shadows of the jungle tree. Because if nobody ever saw her, nobody would ever be able to hurt her.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:24 am
 Aura sighed softly and blinked a bit. It didn’t seem fair that the moon wasn’t out for nearly as many hours a day as the sun was out and about. She liked being out in the early morning and sometimes when the sun was fading it was alright to be seen in the rays.
For now, Aura was enjoying the time spent in a rather nice forest. The trees kept her feeling plenty cool and there was nothing to hurt her eyes. The sound of something scratching wood made her ears twitch and she leapt silently from her perch and headed towards it.
She sniffed a bit, using a small bit of her powers to stir up a wind to bring the scent closer. It took her around five minutes to successfully do that but at least she had a more certain clue of where she was headed. Others probably would have just called out and found it much simpler. She went to the tree that the noise had come from and called out softly, “Hello? Is there someone up in that tree?” Her voice had a certain sing-song too it, a breathiness that other didn’t have. Of course, the fact that she glowed would be a bit odd too.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:39 am
Aka's ear was against the ground, she heard someone moving through the ground, it was someone big. An adult? She tried to curl up smaller, pushing her head towards her tail, but she couldn't get any smaller. She was too scared to look, and hoped whatever it was...missed her.
A voice filled the ear that wasn't against the ground. It was feminine and calming, almost. She loosened her tight stance. She slowly brought up her head, and there was a female, full grown, not more than two feet from her. She seemed to be looking upwards, and thought perhaps someone was in the tree.
Aka felt a bit proud of her hiding skills, the adult must not have seen her. She looked very peculiar, and Aka'an was almost mesmerized by the glowing and odd aura to the adult. She came all the way undone, waiting quietly to be noticed.
She shook her head. What was she doing? She did NOT want to be noticed! What if this was all a show, and the female was very vicious? What if she had stumbled upon the adults territory? What if she was trying to lure the perpetrator down to tear them bit by bit?
Aka'an froze, thinking that any more movement would probably be a bad idea.
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:35 am
Aura figured out the small error she had made not too long after it was done. Most jaguars chose to climb up the trees, but the scent she had gotten was a small one. Probably a little one that was afraid of the trees or too small as of yet to truly get up into the big tree she was gazing up at.
Calling upon her powers one more time she finally found the little cub at the base of the tree and then let the extra energy go. The result was a short-lived brightening then fading of the glow around her. When she used up too much of her abilities her glow would be almost non-existent but right now it was fine.
Her sea green eyes blinked a bit and she was thankful it wasn’t very bright around here. Her sight was much keener in the dark or at least faded light. Noon was when Aura made sure she was asleep, the sunlight could blind her some days.
Canting her head to the left she looked down at the little one and reached forward. Luckily, her brain kicked in and Aura stopped. She had been about to put a paw behind the little one’s rump and to scoot her forward to be seen. Only a parent could do that to their child or at least a close friend.
“Won’t you come out little one? I can partially see you… Do not worry.. I’m just Aura.”
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:30 am
Aka'an closed her eyes tight, she had been seen by the odd glowing adult. She hunched her head down below her shoulders, bending her front paws as her chin nearly grazed the ground. Maybe this acknowledgment of the female's dominance could get her out of this situation.
She watched as the paw came closer, Aka closed her bright eyes, hoping that she wouldn't be swatted, or worst, scratched. Her little bones, covered with her silky grey cub fur shuddered. But the large paw receded, perhaps her stance had worked, the female was no longer offended by her presence?
The voice rang in her ears again. She wanted Aka to come out. Should she listen to her? What if this was a trick? Then again, if the female planned to do something to her, she could have easily just now, and Aka coming out wouldn't make it any easier for her.
The cub stepped towards her, able to see the adult, Aura, in her full glory. A large, beautiful female, glowing, with gorgeous blue markings. Surly she must be nice. Could something so beautiful be evil?
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:37 pm
Aura stood back for several moments just sniffing at the air and making sure that part of her wasn’t crazy. No, there was definitely a little one there on the ground and she was doing her best to either avoid her or just hide forever? What an odd thing for one to decide to do.
Part of Aura felt a mild irritation at being kept waiting for so long and the other knew that the cub probably didn’t have any parents around to take care of her so knowing a good jaguar from a bad one certainly wouldn’t be easy. Thinking on it now the irritation faded away to the gentle patience that was usually found around Aura. Maybe that was where her name came from?
The first subtle movements were really only something to be heard and not seen because they were so soft and hardly detectable. When the cub grew up Aura had a feeling that the little one would be a great huntress.. So very stealthy at such a young age.
Perhaps that was a pity?
A soft smile spread on her face. The little one was grey and white and rather silky looking. The mother in Aura was arguing for her to pick the small girl up and carry her off somewhere safe, for now she settled for, “My what a beauty you are.. Why do you hide in the dark?”
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:03 pm
Aka'an met Aura's eyes, and almost instantly she felt her strained position and tenseness melt away, they were so calming. She brought her head up, and for a moment felt more curiosity than fear. Perhaps this female was nice. After all, what creature would go so far in acting JUST to hurt her? Unless it was a particularly cruel B'alam... but what were the odds.
She looked down for a moment, focusing hard on the ground as the adult's words sunk in. She was complimented? How odd. But the hiding...that was a question she wasn't sure she could answer. It was out of fear, of course. But what exactly was she afraid of? Everything? No. Aka'an liked to believe that if she was ever truly put on the spot in a dangerous situation, she would be brave.
Of course, she knew that it probably wasn't true. Every day she was put in situations that were not TRULY dangerous, but might as well have been, with the fear the brought. And she always reacted the same, she hid. But perhaps facing such things was not the brave thing, but the stupid thing? In that case, what really was brave? Certainly not hiding.
She looked up again, taking a few steps closer to the female. Her glow...it was so interesting. She was about a foot away now, and she stretched out her neck as far as it would go, leaning forward, but not moving her paws, and tried to sniff the female. She didn't seem dangerous.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:21 pm
The little cub seemed to be able to relax more and more with just some passing of time. She probably could have gotten away with scooting the little female forward, but Aura was still glad that she hadn’t. The wariness in the grey-white cubs’ face made her feel a bit.. Perhaps sad? No little one should worry so much about other people. Had something happened to her?
The grey and white fur looked rather soft and fluffy, hard to imagine something so tiny and pretty not getting to cuddle up to a mother or a father somewhere in the jungle. She watched the little one for awhile, wishing to be able to put a name to the face that continued to watch her with a mix of fear and curiosity. Aura’s own expression was a mix of the same curiosity and instead of fear, wonder.
Aura wasn’t psychic, she didn’t know nobody that was actually so she sat down and waited while the other one thought over well, just whatever it was that was going on in her mind. The white-blue tail twitched back and forth not with irritation, but more of a tapping that didn’t seem to have any thought behind it. Children needed lots of figuring out time, right?
Finally, Aura figured it wasn’t going to get much better if she didn’t speak. The pretty cub was sniffing at her and she spoke softly, “My name is Aura.. What is yours pretty one? Why are you here all alone?” Many of the cubs chose to play near the river.. But here was in a forest, alone.
She looked up again, taking a few steps closer to the female. Her glow...it was so interesting. She was about a foot away now, and she stretched out her neck as far as it would go, leaning forward, but not moving her paws, and tried to sniff the female. She didn't seem dangerous. 
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:51 pm
Aka'an, slightly surprised to hear the female speak again, quickly pulled back, so fast the she fell backwards, landing in a sitting position. She shook her head, and then went to meet Aura's eyes again. The cub opened her mouth slightly, words never came easy too her. They were spoken so infrequently, the act was almost unnatural, and the sensation of sound coming from herself was almost bothersome.
"Aka...an" she said, her voice was small, feminine, and slow. There. Now at least Aura knew her name. Aka felt proud for such bravery. But the next question..it made her think. She was alone because she wanted to be, of course. She didn't like attention. But maybe that was bad...was that weird, to be alone like she was? It occurred to the cub for a moment that being alone was probably more dangerous than being with others...but there was such risk in meeting new ones!
"Who...should I be with?" she said hesitantly. She closed her mouth, swallowing, as if the words left a bad taste in her mouth. All this talking...too much for one day. She didn't like it. If she was alone, she could be with her own thoughts, and then she didn't have to worry about it if she said, or in this case, thought the wrong thing. She wouldn't have to care about others' opinions.
And she wouldn't have to force herself to talk at all.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:01 pm
For Aura it was almost to the point of being painful to not pick the little one up by the scruff, carry her to a dark and quiet place and just let the little one fall asleep without fear. How could Aura trust that she wouldn’t be afraid of her though? Instead of falling asleep she might end up cowering between Aura’s legs until able to sneak way for good. Bah, her mind was running away with her.
Aka’an? Well that was a pretty name especially when it was pushed altogether and thought of or said without fear. Why would someone let a cub that looks this small off into the jungle alone? Then too, Aura had not been in the area too long. She had essentially flown (floated, to be precise) into the area and had called it home. Several other cubs she had spoken to by the river were without parents to keep track of them. How truly odd. Then too, Aura didn’t remember -too- much of her cub-hood.
“What about parents, pretty Aka’an?” That seemed like a fair enough question. Slowly, making sure that none of her movements were overly quick or enough to make the little one take off in a dead run. Aura stretched her sit out until she lay flat on the ground, her tail twitching a bit lazily. The glow on her fur sometimes made napping hard for Aura. She wasn’t going to fall asleep though, not now.
Just being completely vulnerable with such a small one would help, right? And not towering above her. (even if she couldn’t help it.)
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:26 pm
Aka looked down, thinking hard. Parents...parents. It was a word she had heard before, right? Maybe? She couldn't remember. What were parents? Should she have parents? She looked back, behind her. Perhaps her parents got lost. Or maybe she had left them somewhere....not knowing that they were important.
"Parents?" she asked, looking back at the adult. She was now laying down. If Aka stood up, they would be nearly eye level. She realized that her entire head could probubly fit into Aura's mouth if she tired. But still, wouldn't she have done something by now if she had bad intentions?
She only now noticed the pattern below the adults eyes. Very interesting, very pretty. Aka wanted to tell her she liked her design. But was that weird? Aura kept calling Aka pretty. She thought Aura was much more pretty, though, with her swirls and designs. But she couldn't find the words to tell her.
Her thoughts drifted back to the parents. They seemed to be something that kept her company. Perhaps her thoughts were her parents. Maybe it was a new word for it, one that Aka didn't know. But she felt like she had heard it before, long ago. The words though, she remembered, had been spoken with disdain...
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:38 pm
Aura’s sea green eyes were just about blank save for a soft smile and all the kindness one could figure out just -how- to put into your eyes. Aka’an would be fine if someone got her out of the dark forest and out with the other cubs playing and having fun. Heck, sharpening her claws on her friends would be better than the jungle!
Whoah-no. As much as Aura adored children, she was not going to be going onto the explanation of where babies came from and of course that would then lead to the discussion of why Aka’an’s didn’t stay with her like most parents chose to. Aura’s hadn’t all the time.. But enough to remember them.
The Egyptian wings beneath Aura’s eyes hadn’t always been so noticeable. As her powers had gotten stronger the fans had widened and darkened until she matured into an adult. Aura liked them just the way they were right now.. But being so noticeable wasn’t always a great thing.
Being “pretty” in a loudly colored way wasn’t something that everybody agreed to be pretty. Aura spoke softly to the cub, “Do not worry if you do not know where your parents are… Friends or mentors or just your own mind can help out more than some parents know how to.”
She swiped forward and slid Aka’an closer, “Now don’t get twitchy, pretty one.. I just feel like speaking even quieter and you’re too far for that.”
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:46 pm
Aka'an had no idea about playing, or other cubs. She had been alone as far as she remembered. It had never bothered her, being alone. It gave her time to think about all sorts of things. She learned and watched, too. She knew what birds made what call, she knew how the animals moved to stalk pray, she knew what places were good to hide in, and what places were not.
Aka's eyes widened as she felt the large female's paw behind her, pulling her up. She then closed them tightly, stiffening herself. This was it. It was a trick, she was going to eat her. The little cub's skin that had touched Aura's twitched, she didn't like the feeling of another like that. At first, at least. Soon she could feel the warmth, even in that brief moment. It was comforting, and she felt calmer.
She listened to Aura's words, and relaxed. She felt like she could trust the female. She could never be at complete ease... but there was certainly a point where she felt like she didn't have to be constantly vigilant.
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