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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:26 pm
Oh, and he sorely missed his cubs. Even Shaji had left the den to move in closer to Pride Rock (and Ezeoha had managed to pick up on the rumor that Shaji was watching over seven cubs on his own). His babies had all grown up, and sadly Ezeoha just hadn't gotten around to making more. That didn't mean that he didn't try. It was just horrifically hard these days to find lionesses willing to be intimate with him and have cubs with him. Perhaps he had impregnated a female or two, but they had most likely taken the cubs with them... which left him with no one. It was a depressing thought, and looking to his large meal he suddenly found that his appetite was dwindling away.
Appraising the catch, he circled it, trying to find the hunger inside of him to start gorging on this meal. But, he did not hunger for food, but for company... female company to be exact. Shaking his head, he sat down, staring into the dull blue eyes of the buffalo his family had taken down for him. It just didn't seem worth doing much without a family... but even with a resolution to make a new family, he had to spice up his flirtation techniques. He was a little rusty from taking a break to raise his family.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:39 pm
 Tia'fitna was an indpendent soul, but being in a partnership now meant that she didn't always get to be on her own. That was the case today. They were loping along through what she knew were pridelands. She didn't really care. She had heard stories of this pride...filled with honorable and noble lions. Hahah, the perfect to scam, really. As she moved along, the tiny lioness pretended as if her partner wasn't right behind her. They weren't doing anything together right now, so why bother?
Pausing, she caught a scent on the wind. The scent of a fresh kill. She didn't even pass Eztil a glance before darting off. He'd be smart enough to catch on...if he didn't, it was his loss. Even when she drew near and there was obviously a lion in sight she wasn't turned off. Someone there? It just meant she'd actually have to make a deal to get what she wanted.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:47 pm
 Tia only began to move off a few moments before he himself caught the scent of the fresh kill, which was excellent, since he had been beginning to get hungry... and frankly, Tia wasn't all that chatty unless they had something truly interesting to discuss, like who they were going to scam next. And a fresh kill usually meant a fresh scam... which he lived for almost like he lived to breathe, and eat and kill. So he followed after his partner, not making a sound as he moved around the pridelands.
The pridelands. He and Coaxoch had never come this far, back when his sister had been alive. She had, frankly, curled her lip at the very idea of them, and had been disgusted by the idea of pulling a scam there. Half of Eztil agreed with her. Somehow this place seemed far too easy, and all too unsuspecting. Like it was just waiting to be attacked, all plump and ripe... and boring. But still, hunger was hunger and a scam was a scam... and Tia probably wouldn't turn down a job here for the excuse of 'it would be too easy'.
So why not?
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:57 pm
The fact that his family had helped him to bring down the buffalo meant something significant to him, but he simply could not bring himself to eat it. Something about having this whole meal to himself disgusted him. Surely there were supposed to be cubs that he could share with, or even his own grown up children would want to dine with him. But... no, that was not the case, and sooner or later he would have to bring himself to eat it. He was vaguely hungry, but it wasn't the same hunger that had driven him to take on such a massive creature. It was weakened, dulled by his need for company. Ezeoha was the kind of lion that was absolutely dependent on companionship, of friendly chats with other lions or even smaller, less important creatures. He just needed contact of some sort, and lately he hadn't been getting enough of it.
He lifted his paw, pressing it against the jawline of the dead buffalo, tilting the head to the side slightly. He was simply examining the kill he had made... at least, he was until two unfamiliar scents filled his nostrils. Bright red eyes swivelled away from the kill and into the distance where two shapes could be seen. Lions, and most likely they had been attracted to this area by the smell of a fresh kill. They were just like vultures, and somehow that disturbed him. He couldn't quite make them out exactly, but if they wanted what he had... he was not going to give it over for free. He didn't want it, per say, but the fact that someone else wanted it gave it some value.
Perhaps this logic meant that he was a little messed up in the head.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:01 pm
As Tia finally drew close, within a few hundred yards, she noticed it was a male. It was her part to play, then, just by logical standards. "Oh look, brother!" she called out sweetly to Eztil. She managed to hold an innocent look delightfully well. It was only if someone examined the depths of her eyes that you might catch a hind of mischief, something that could be easily discarded as a trick of the light. "I told you there would be someone here!" She stopped just a little bit away, letting her dark bangs fall attractively over one eye, "We thought we'd never see another soul, the way we were going! I'm so glad to see someone else. I was wondering if we were lost."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:09 pm
Eztil knew this con well enough, and it was more than likely, though on occasion he was wrong, Tia's for the taking. He was there to play backup, and take what he could get. Simple enough, really... and he did love to watch Tia work her magic, which was so similar to his own. Something about the art of tricking another lion, taking what was theirs... intoxicating, he loved it.
The face he showed was sweet and relieved, innocent, though also slightly defensive in case the other lion was dangorus. Which wouldn't matter, even if the lion was... which, with him being in the pride lands, Eztil doubted. All a bunch of... goody-goodies. So he looked at Tia and nodded, letting relief flood through him, "Hello there!" He called out, "You are right, my dear sister... it seems that we have finally found another soul out here. Could you tell us where we are, sir?"
Innocenct. Friendly. It was always best to start that way.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:18 pm
Ezeoha straightened his shoulders, red eyes looking towards the two with a level of distrust. Most Pridelanders would be less suspicious, but then again, Ezeoha had a kill at his feet, and he simply did not believe that it was coincidence that the pair had shown up at this area due to simple wandering. The smell had led him here, that he was sure of... which meant they only wanted his kill, and he did not know which methods they would use to get it. With it being two against one, Ezeoha was betting on some sort of violence or like treachery. So, the innocent act was not examined without a level of suspicion, though he truthfully was not expecting anything manipulative or cunning.
But, he did take notice to the fact that the female was really, really pretty. To put it simple, Ezeoha liked pretty females. It was a delightfully horrid habit.
"It's hard to find oneself lost in these areas. Prides are close together, and if you know the workings of the prides you'll know what general area you are in," he advised Tia as she spoke out, and then turning his gaze to her 'brother', he examined him closely. Family resemblance was... very difficult to find, so much that he believed it not to be there. He hoped not. If Eztil was Tia's brother it was going to make any sort of advances very difficult to get by him. Pity.
"Hello. You two are in the Pridelands. I'm Ezeoha... and you are?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:23 pm
"I've never been good at spotting borders," Tia said woefully, her ears flicking back as if she felt ashamed. She looked at Ez pleadingly, as if asking for some assurance that it was not a huge fault to have, "I'm so sorry...we aren't intruding are we? Upsetting anyone?" He tail dropped a little and she looked away, dark lashes falling over her eyes, "I am Tia'fitna...I suppose...you'll want us out, won't you?" She swallowed, as if she were getting a little upset. She then put on what looked like a wobbly, cheery smile, "I-it's ok, we were a bit lonely but...w-we can go somewhere else I guess."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:30 pm
"Oh... yes, we're terribly sorry." Eztil said, nodding to Tia once again, his face looking a little lost, as though he was almost dependant on what his sister said, "We've just been traveling so long... we must have forgotten our manners. I'm Eztil. We're really sorry... we can go... we just thought we should learn about where we were. There are some dangorus prides out there now-a-days, for rouges like us." Submission. That was usually the key. Let them think they were in complete control of the situation... and with the act Eztil and Tia gave, it was always hard to tell the difference. Genuine? Fake? Trust them... or no? Watching the target's face try to decide was half the fun.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:38 pm
Ezeoha, though suspicious, could not turn away two rogues, no matter if he thought them to be here just for the food. Tia, though, was working the magic with him. If it had been Eztil alone, he would not have been able to even get near Ezeoha's kill. But with Tia, Ezeoha's defenses fell easily because she was a female... and females were Ezeoha's greatest weakness, especially if they provided fun opportunities for him. Flirting was his favorite pasttime, and he certainly wanted to use some of his acquired techniques on Tia. He could not do that if the pair of them decided to leave. But, because he wanted them to stay did not mean he was going to give them his meal for free. Trust was yet to be earned, and earning it could take a lot of effort.
"Don't apologize, and please don't think I'm about to chase you out. The Pridelands are open to rogues, those wandering or those planning to stay. I would do my pride wrong by forcing you guys out. So, please, stay. Perhaps you would be kind enough to help me cure your loneliness," his eyes flickered over to Tia briefly, subtly, his interest certainly focused mainly on her. He definitely wanted to cure her loneliness with a bit of flirtations and the like. "Don't be afraid of me, either. I'm smaller than you, Eztil," and he said this in good humor, with a big grin on his face.
Trust achieved? Not... yet.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:42 pm
"Oh thank you!" Tia gushed, her eyes shining with fake tears, ones that would be impossible to spot by anyone except her partner. The lithe lioness immediately rushed to his side, sitting next to him and looking up at his greater height with admiration and eagerness, "Oh you're so kind! Are all those of your pride like you? It must truly be paradise..." She trailed off, letting a well-played dreamy sigh escape her as she smiled with a brief batt of her lashes.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:47 pm
Eztil grinned, clearly as estatic as his sister by the idea, "It truly must be a wonderous place! I'd heard our parents speak of the pride lands, saying they were very kind-spirited here! It's good to know that they were right! It's so hard to tell these days..." Eztil then grinned sheepishly at the mention of his size, before he blushed a little under his fur, "Well I... I'm afraid that I'm not... quite so fearful, truly... our father was a large lion, which I have inherited... but I've never fought anyone in my life. I'm not really that impressive."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:53 pm
"It's no problem, really," he told Tia, surprised by the tears of gratitude, but they made her eyes sparkle and they added another sense of beauty to the lioness. She was so sweet and innocent... just like Kia had been. At some point he remembered telling himself to stay away from these types, only because they were too innocent for his games. But he disregarded the past in the light of the future, a very promising future if he could play his cards right. As she sat down next to him, he looked down at her, showing her a grin with pearly white canines in view. Oh, she really was too precious. But... hopefully not too precious. "Yes, most of the lions in the Pridelands are like me," he replied, and unable to resist initiating some sort of subtle contact, he swished his tail, it briefly twining around Tia's own in an 'innocent' and 'accidental' contact. He was playing his own minor game... which in turn could be part of Eztil and Tia's big game.
"It is, and even I cannot deny it, having lived here my whole life," he said in response to Eztil, making a purpose of not focusing all of his attention on the lovely Tia. "Well, I certainly am not all that fearful myself. I've never fought once in my life, not seriously, and I'm still smaller than you. Between the pair of us, I would have to say that you would win in a fight. So, to me, you may very well be quite impressive." He was liking the fact that Eztil seemed to be just as clueless as his sister. It would bode well for Ezeoha if he happened to not notice the little advances he was making. There was no way he wanted to deal with an overly protective brother.
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:00 pm
Tia blushed briefly, her smile remaining innocent and charmed, giving the impression that she was either so impressed with him that she was flustered or that she had noticed his touch of a tail and found it heart-tremblingly pleasant. "Oh but you are both so strong! I've always felt bad," she confided to Ez, "Being so small. I'm never much help. When we were in the desert it was awful....we were only there for a little bit, but when we would actually find something to eat I couldn't catch up...that sand was so hard to walk on." She let her ears flick back briefly before they perked again in excitement, "Oh, but I hear this place has so much grass and water and flowers even more so then the roguelands! Is it true? From what little I see here it is but..."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:12 pm
Eztil listened, smiling in a perfectly friendly way as he listened to Tia charm this lion, while he thought to himself about how this might work out. The game was simple enough, but fun to execute, "I'm not so strong Tia, you know me." He smiled at her absently, "I'm almost useless at this wandering thing. But I'll do my best to keep us afloat." He mentioned before looking at Ez, "I'm sure you know how it is, with siblings to watch over." How that was responded to could tell him a lot about this lion. Protective type, or not... interested in families, or not... it was all in the eyes, and the voice. Even if the other lion was an only child and had never taken care of another lion in his life, the answer would prove to be benificial.
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