It'd been weeks since the incedent at the waterhole. Made longer by the odd mix of happiness and tension between Ewansiha and Yadumugandama, and the journey they'd made alongside the herds. As planned, the elder of the two had been playing the part of teacher. Ewan'd been surprised how much he liked that role and had missed the good hunting.

Today as always, they travelled alongside the main herd until it stopped again to graze. It was mostly wildebeast, zebra and antelope - and off to the side, some strange creatures alike to the wild oxen that hadn't been with them before this stop. It'd been three days since the last kill...and it was time for a meal again. Time to talk to Dumu about their plans~

Dumu was much more quiet, more so after that whole incident at the waterhole. He's posture was more of one of a sad one where his ears were often flat and his head low until Ewan spoke to him where he would perk almost instantly. His mind swam with thoughts about them and... without him. Ever since the event, he did not dare bring up anything abou Ewan's family or something that would remind him of them or anything about the two of them being together. He could predict what will happen to them and the thing was, he wished he could. He desperately wished they would encounter a roaming seer or something and possible find out that way... but that was a slim chance to none.

The two have been following the herd for three moons and now it was hard to tell if they were ever going to stop to give the duo a time to catch something. As the herd came to a halt, the adolescent lion moved slowly and quietly behind his mentor. It was almost time to hunt. For now, any thoughts of the two must be kept quiet.

Ewan had done well focusing on just teaching Dumu how to hunt, a long overdue lesson that kept him distracted frm other thoughts. He'd locked everything away like scerets though he dreaded the next time something made him snap again - he was such a cheerful, laid back and happy go lucky lion by nature all the tradgey and stress was something he just couldn't deal with. So instead? He repressed it and ignored it.

"Dumu? What do you make of those... oxen-like beasts? What do you think are the advantages of taking one of them and where are their weakpoints?" He offered an encouraging smile and quizzed his pupil.

"All animals will die if we are able to close our jaws around their neck. Sufficate them. If they are runners like the zebras, we have to get to their legs before they could sit on them. But both prey need to be held onto in order to be taken down. Those oxen things look big. It would surely fill the both of us if can taken at least one down," he answered. He tried his best to focus at the task at hand and prevent any more events like the last one.

"What do you think we should do? Box one? Frontal charge? Surprise it?"

"Nicely put. We've not come across animals like this before...and these are a slightly different kind to the ones I've seen before, but same ideas apply. Firstly, note their build my dear - they're by far more stocky than even the wildbeast. Sort of...square. Short legged. This hits that they're not really runners. Also, see those little horns of theirs? Like wildebeast, frontal charge may not be wise. Recall the proverb - Zebra kick back best, while horns face forward? I think a surprise from the side will do, giving us a chance at getting on one's back unscathed."

"Now. Choose me a target?"

"Fronal is a bad idea... but if we startle any of the zebra, those things will know of us and sense their danger. If that is so, we may lose our chance of a meal once again. Stocky as they are, they could still get away if they have the aid of the zebra to possible confuse us or something. I would agree on the flank attack, but we have to be weary of any noses that we may make. We do not know how sensitive their senses are," he spoke, his voice different than what it used to be. A bit more stern, maybe a little deeper. Dumu was growing into a fine male, good and defined shape and build. His stature was growing slightly as a bulkier male, but he did not care too much about it.

"That one there, the one furthest from the center. If we could isolate that, then it is ours."

.... "Don't call me 'dear', Ewan."

"I call everyond by endearments." Ewan shrugged, ignoring the fact he'd slipped up. He called everyone by endearments - save Dumu since their last arguement. He'd even done what his mother would have done and payed his respects the the leaders of the herd, and had called the main zebra female 'sweetheart' when she'd wished them good hunting - as he wished her and her kind swiftness in turn.

"Sounds like an excellent plan. We'll take our usual positions - save that I'll be the one to try to attack, you harry it this time. You're becoming a fine hunter, Dumu, but we'll be cautious this first time with these strange creatures...I'd go talk to whoever they've ot incharge if we weren't hungry...Goodluck!" Ewan padded off, getting ready.

Dumu sighed and stayed where he was. He was going to say something to Ewan's 'endearments' but he was already gone. Having him called 'dear' just stirred the thoughts that he pushed aside for his hunt to focus on. Now they were coming back. He did not need to be distracted right now! Ewan's endearments meant something at least it did to Dumu. But after that event, anything about the male seemed to push him a bit further from him in fear of getting too close again. He was afraid now. Afraid to get closer than a friend, a best friend even. He was scared that if he tried to get himself to say those words again, he would end up hurt or worse. He did not need that now. Right now, they were friends that was it. That was what the son of a God convinced himself. A friend and that was as far as he will get. But.... <******** it." he told himself as he stalked off to get to his own position. Hopefully, this hunt will work out, they will eat, sleep and continue on. And these thoughts will just disappear.

Kioni was watching, ready, when the first lion was spotted stalking the cows. She and the boys had been in the savannah since sun up, making sure none of the tribes cattle became seperated and joined the wild herd or fell to other dangers. This stretch of savannah was lush and the wild beasts were welcome to graze - better hunting later if they were well fed now - but , the wild herds brought predators. They just couldn't afford to loose more livestock...time to spear the beasts or at the very least scare them off.

Dumu laid low in his spot, waiting for Ewan to lunge out from his position to signal his cue to change too. Confuse the prey into which way to go, away from Ewan and back to him only to find himself running at Dumu. He smirked. The tactic usually worked.

at least, that was until he saw it

His eyes fell upon a strange thing holding a long, thin tree. At the end was something weird but something told him he has seen it before. Something he knew... in his mind he remembered. That was it! Mother! Those were the things that had killed his mother's first and second attempts of a family! His eyes grew wide as he threw them back at Ewan's direction and then to creature with the long, thin tree in its paws. His eyes shifted back and forward to Ewan and to the two-legged creature. His heart raced and his chest pumped.

Ewan... come on, don't... don't... don't run... please... don't run yet...

Ewan had glanced at the one, skinny, monkey like creature he'd spotted. The humans were almost animal like in their ability to conceal themselves, due to generations living out here. But he dismissed it - it didn't seem to be a threat and he didn't connect it with the fairy tales of hu-men monkies with firesticks and worse that he'd heard as a cub.

Instead he crouched low, adrenaline pumping for the usual hunt, all thoughts focused on what he was supposed to be doing...and when Dumu broke cover, he thought their hunt had began.

It was an excellent strike. Lithe and strong, he made it to the panicking cattle, made his leap. A flash of red, white and black - an angry scream from those odd monkies - and then pain made him fall into the dust as the cattle galloped away. Ewan didn't know what'd hit him.

Ewan's form seemed to fall before his eyes before he even seem to grab anything. Something long zipped past his shoulder and the next thing he saw was his falling form. He quickly ran over to him, snarling and swiping at anything in his way, not caring about the hunt anymore but the task at paw. He skidded to a stop before Ewan's for to find that long, thin tree object that he had seen those creatures holding. He roared and snarled in their direction before grabbing hold of the shaft in his maw. He eyed down at Ewan's form before blinking away his gaze, closing his jaw tight until the shaft broke off. He threw it away before nudging the male.

"Ewan! Ewan!" he could imagine those creatures unable to understand him but only hear growls and snarls. Dumu nudged a few more times. "Ewan! Ewan, please, get up, we have to get out of here." his heart raced, his chest continued to pump. His body drove onto the point of involutarily shake.

The fall had dazed him and Ewan gazed along the ground, barely focusing on the grass before him. When something reached him before Dumu, he barely blinked as it was batted away...it was only the hurt from the snapping of the spear that made him come to. Instantly he was on his paws, very shakey and snarling for all he was worth. An injured and confronted lion is an angry lion - and scared.

For one moment, long for him but truely very short, he looked just at Dumu. A strong and capable male, who'd come for him even when it was obviously dangerous - beautiful, passionate, loyal and silly beyond belief. He had to get away, he had to, Ewan feared that...it was just...He shuddered. GODS he HURT and those things looked to be regrouping.

"If I'm too slow, you /run/ Dumu and just leave me. Let's go!"

"Don't take me for a fool, Ewan. You get going, I can handle myself just fine with what you taught me. If you can find shelter quick enough I will join you shortly," he nudged him again and a bit rougher to mean that he was serious. He growled as his violet eyes glanced back at the forming group and their strange calls and clicks. He snarled and roared as he backed up slowly, only to bump into Ewan. He growled and glanced back.

"Don't make me force you go, you lived long and you will live longer if you go. I'll buy you some time so you can limp off somewhere," he smirked. Though it was not the time to joke around, he felt it was necessary to lift some of the tension. He still had feelings for Ewan, strong ones that shown through his words and actions even if he would not directly say them. He looked back at the group and slowly moved in front of Ewan.

"Ewan... don't make me beg... please..."

"You're lucky...I don't have time....to hit you. I'm trying to go but you're supposed to run too!" Ewan had barely taken two unsteady steps, limping badly, when Dumu backed into him. he didn't want him to play the hero! But he had not choice but to retreat and plead as he went for Dumu to come too. He couldn't bare it if he got away without the red male.

Luckily, the humans seemed to be ready to guard those oxen-beast and loose their kill.

As Ewan took five steps, Dumu would take one back. He tried to take quick glances back at Ewan and then shoot it back at the humans. He could not help but let the growl roll in his throat, a constant warning that he was not afraid to die to them and not afraid to attack and kil. He was afraid as it was that he would get too close to Ewan's heart, but now, the fear of losing him was overwhelming. He could not afford to lose... to lose the only thing that had made him happy in his life. Even if it was just a friendship, it still meant something to him.

"Hurry, while they are distracted by those things..."

Eventually they made it far enough without being followed that Ewan felt it was safe to simply collapse by some scrub. Scanty cover for two lions - not to mention their vivid colouring and the scent of Ewan's blood. So far it had stained some of his white side as red as his mane and he looked with tired eyes at the end of the stick still sticking into his flesh. Probably stopped by his hip bone in the end.

"Dumu...think you could pull it out? Please...it's torture." Slashes, bites, cuts from hooves - all weren't as bad as this! It was like a giant thorn.

Dumu scoffed a little and grabbed it in his jaw. With a quick twist and jerk it was out and discarded to the side. He looked down at him with a scowl and narrowed his eyes. "You idiot! Do you want to get yourself killed? Was it not you who taught me to look at whats around me before moving?" he let out a sign and flopped himself down softly, licking his wound. The blood was strong-scented. His ears slowly fell back as he continued to lick at it.

"... Sorry..." he murmured. "I... I didn't mean to yell at you, Ewan. It's just... It's just that...." he cut off. He was close to saying something that could be mistaken as admitting love or affection. Something he wanted to avoid from this point forward since the event. He was afraid that Ewan would take it the wrong way and get angry or worse. He opened his maw to say something but closed it as he found it something that even he could mistaken as a sign of affection. Dumu remained silent for a while as he went back to cleaning up Ewan's wound.

He couldn't help the snarl as the thing was torn out. Blue eyes glared at the barbed end - no simple sharpened stick. It had been meant to stay in and slowly cause his death, he realised. MONSTERS. There was more honor in a scorpian's sting than that!

"Thankyou...thankyou...I'm sorry, they seemed so...docile...no threat..." He growled out every breath and tried to calm down. The pain was making him angry and Dumu's heroics had had him on edge.

What if he'd been killed helping Ewan get away? What would Ewan have done then? The idea of loosing Dumu like that...it was worse than the pain from the thorn-stick to think about. It hurt so much...so much...

"What were you thinking? You coul dhave got yourself killed back there! If something like this happens again, if there's any danger, you /run/. I'm not important here. What if they'd killed you?"

He growled silently as he spoke back at him. They both shared a similar view of one another wanting the other to get away while the other risked their life for them. But more importantly, it proved that they cared for one another... but something rolled inside him that just made him a bit more ticked off and a hint of more worry.

"I would have gladly died as long as you got away! I am a b*****d child of a God and Mortal! I am a freak by nature with my powers, dormant as they are, they are still there! Who would give a damn if I was hurt? or killed for that matter? My brother certainly doesn't! My parents were more than ready to give me up to that damn wolf and I know he doesn't even care! So who would, Ewan? You!? I don't know how you feel about me anymore after the past events now. But I'll have you know that I still care about you and your health. I would gladly put my life on the line if it meant getting you away to somewhere safe," he growled, eyes burning with a silver hue, a hue that he shared of his father. "I would not let the only thing that had kept my happy since my departure from that miserable life with that wolf!"

With that, Dumu raised to his feet and moved away from him a bit, plopped himself down and curled himself up just as he did many times when Ewan would curl around him. He needed to calm down, he could feel the tears burn down his face after yelling at someone he cared about. The fears, the pain, the thoughts rushed into his mind again as if the rivers overflowed into his mind.