Ah… now this was living! All that stuff about running around after preybeasts, struggling to find enough to eat, constantly worrying about other predators… that wasn’t living. In Kayin’s mind, that was just surviving. The trick was to manage to live and then continue to survive afterwards. The black and white cheetah firmly believed that he had plenty of tricks to ensure his continued to survival, one of which was to be marginally more useful alive than dead. This was, more or less, what he had been doing with Ishi for the past few days. She really was a sweet lioness. A tad gullible, but that was all the better for Kayin. It meant that he could claim to have a ‘bad ankle’ and get her to do the hunting instead. And all he had to do in return was pretend to have a few ‘visions’ about her future every once in a while.
In fact, the cheetah was currently whiling away the time, idly wondering what sort of vision he should have for her next. Lately, she had been asking more and more about her ‘path’ in life and how she really wanted to do something ‘worthwhile’ with her time on the earth. Several times, Kayin thought she was trying to aim at something, but he couldn’t quite put his paw on it. Ah well. He shrugged slightly and stretched out, pulling every single muscle in his back taut before relaxing once more. It was another beautiful day out there in the world, but he was happy to stay in the shade of the copse. Hey, why bother moving if you don’t have to? Especially from a place as pleasant as this. Although, he mused, he would have to leave soon. In another day or two, he figured, at least once he was certain that no one was after him.
Having Kayin around was so lovely in Ishi'Hiari's opinion. He seemed so wise and kind and it was just wonderful having someone else around to just sit with, talk to, and not be alone all the time. She made sure to keep herself active mainly at night, hunting then, bringing back two of anything she caught so that Kayin could induldge in the spoils of her hunt. She was getting better, which she was glad for. The purpose she had thought of, that she believed would do her well, she would need to be able to hunt and provide for others. yes, others, tiny others. Ishi had wanted to ask Kayin something recently, but didn't know how to go about it really, adn she was nervous. She pondered how to ask while she was stalking another gazelle, one already hidden away before she would bring both back for them to feast on. Hmmm.
Hmm? where to go next? If he stayed any longer, then Ishi would really start getting attached. If he stayed too long, why, the lioness might start falling in love with him next! With his good looks, it was certainly a possibility. Besides, all of her questions, they were aiming at something. He wasn?t quite sure yet, but his instincts were warning him that it was about time to move on before things got? complex. And when he got feelings like this, they were generally right. Soon, anyway. Now, what was the best way to vanish? Clearly, going up and actually talking to Ishi was completely out of the question. She would get all weepy and he did not want to deal with a weepy---and possibly angry---lioness. No, there was a more interesting way of dealing with this, he was sure. Perhaps just mysteriously vanishing into the night would be appropriately dramatic. Or, even better, maybe he should fake his own death! It got better every time, he swore. But not yet.
After all, he hadn?t eaten dinner yet. There was no sense in leaving before he had eaten a nice full meal. Maybe when they were sleeping, he would be ?attacked? by hyenas! Oh, yes, that would be wonderfully dramatic, wouldn?t it?
Ishi'hiari made quick moves on the tired gazelle that seemed lost and lonely without its now dead companion. Both had been together, now both would a** on together it seemed. Perhaps it was cruel, but it was the way to survive. Happy with her work Ishi dragged the gazelle next to the other and pushed them as close together as she could. Lowering her jaws she clamped them over both necks, strong yet delicate not to do anymore damage, and she began dragging them back to where Kayin had been. "Rkayin?" Ishi called out, jaw full of gazelle neck. She hoped he hadn't gone far, it was hard enough bringing down both beasts, and dragging them together wasn't fun and easy. But she didn't want to leave one alone and have the risk of another pilfering it away from her. "Krayin?" she called again.
Kayin?s ears twitched at the sound of Ishi?s voice and he grinned at the night, silver glinting off of his fur and teeth. Wonderful. It sounded like Ishi?s mouth was full, which meant tonight had been a good night of hunting. He sprang from his current perch and trotted smartly over to the lioness, his steps graceful and elegant. As a cheetah, he felt that everything he did ought to be elegant. He should even die in an elegant fashion. Hey, that?s it! Maybe he could somehow make it seem as if he had died defending Ishi. Wouldn?t that be great? Heralded as a hero, even in passing? but, alas, that would take too much work.
?Did you have a good hunt, Ishi?? he asked, as if he didn?t even notice the two dead gazelles. It was pretty obvious that she had been very successful, but? well, women liked it if you asked them how their day was. He wasn?t sure why. Maybe it made more sense to a woman. ?It?s a strange night tonight. Something is happening, something that I can?t see?? generally, he liked to start mealtimes with some sort of pseudo-Seer thing.
Ishi smiled and nodded with the gazelle in her mouth, their bodies bobbing as she did so. She laid them on the ground and pushed the larger of the two towards Kayin, she wasn't starving tonight and he seemed to have a very good appetite most of the time "You cna have that on," she said with a smile, stopped speaking and listened to him, something, what kind of something? She gulped silently, did he know what she wanted to ask of him? her features appeared nervous, giving her thoughts away basically, but she tried to push the thoughts away so he wouldnt know them, if he could read minds, and occupy her mind with the gazelle. "The meat should be lovely, quite tender."
Kayin vaguely noticed that he had received the larger gazelle. Ishi seemed to have a habit of that? quite a strange thing. If he didn?t know better, he would have sworn that she was trying to court him! Ha! The very imagining of it made him laugh! Or would have made him laugh, if he was alone. But, in company, laughing suddenly was a good way to be considered crazy. And Ishi was nervous? that was odd. Oh, she was always nervous, always terrified that this? this ?she? would come after her. Some lioness with a grudge, Kayin figured. None of his business, no matter how curious he was. But this was a different kind of anxiety.
Settling down at the gazelle, he started to eat, his mind still exercising frantically even while his body was still. ?Thank you, Ishi,? he said, with one of those oh-so-charming grins of his. ?You didn?t see anything? odd out tonight, did you?? he asked carefully, wondering if maybe she was excited over the sight of another lion.
Ishi neatly ripped flesh off in stripes savoring the tender taste that siped down her throat and she could nearly sigh with satisfaction, but she thought that might come off weird towards Kayin, especially before what she planned to ask him, unless of course, he already knew. "Your quite welcome Kayin," she said smiling, eyes shining with happiness, glad that she had company to eat with. Flicking her tail as she feasted, she nearly choked with his statement, but kept ehrself calm. "No, I didn't see anything just...thought...of some thigns..." nothing too important, was what she wanted to say, but she knew, that that was an utter lie. Her question might turn Kayin away from her, make him run, and she didn't want that, not at all.
?Some things?, she said. Kayin liked to think of himself as an expert on the way that minds worked and he knew that ?significant pause things? usually meant that someone had something on his or her mind. And that something was a vaguely awkward subject. His tail twitched slightly next to him, tucking itself neatly against his body. When anxious, he tended to try to make himself look as small as possible; while he had broken some of those habits, others stuck by him, even now. ?I saw some birds today,? he said conversationally after a few mouthfuls of meat. ?A nest, in fact. Very cute, the little nestlings.?
Yes, it was definitely time to leave. The sooner the better. Tonight would be best. While Ishi went off hunting, Kayin?s days were filled with mostly laziness. Laziness and a habit of exploring the surroundings in an attempt to find the fastest way out of here. Perhaps he ought to travel towards the seashore? or would that be too predictable? Everyone went towards the seashore. There were plenty of other places to explore.
Ishi could have just frozen with his words, though he was talking about little birds, baby birds, it related to what she wanted to ask him. "Well, it actually..had to do with that...sort of," she said softly, but not in a shy way, more...embarrassed that she wanted to ask such a thing from him. "I wanted to ask you something earlier but..I didn't want to have you run away, your company has been so wonderful, and I didn't want to ruin that with some stupid idea I had pertaining to what I thought I might be able to do to bring some light into this world." Would he ut it together, would he understand her words?
Kayin?s jaws slowed slightly, but he didn?t stop eating yet. If this was going to be his last easy meal, he wanted to enjoy every moment of it. Unfortunately, enjoying it became rather difficult as Ishi continued to speak. Her anxiety was infectious and, before she had even finished the sentence, the cheetah?s violet eyes were searching for a quick way out. He was easily the faster of the two, but she had more endurance. On the other hand, she was tired from hunting, while he was well-rested.
?Oh, well, there are lots of ways to bring light into the world, Ishi. I personally have found that my own personal world has been considerably enlightened from your company,? he said, wondering just what the lioness was getting at. ?You?re a very sweet lioness. And one day, you?ll make some lucky lion very happy.? He tried to make this sound like some sort of prophecy, but his heart wasn?t in it right now. He was still too busy measuring his own running abilities against Ishi?s, just in case it did come down to running for his life.
"I don't need another lion to make me happy really, just-" she stopped, caught her breath, trying to finish her sentence, the gazelle at her side already not tempting as she was trying to get the question out, "just..." could she say it? Come on Ishi, she told herself, she could do it, couldn't she? She watched Kayin, he seemed so apprehensive already, already worried "I jsut want...to have a fmaily of my own..." she said looking at the ground, then back up to him and those charming eyes of his, "Cubs...I-I thought that, if I had cubs, I could be the light in their lives, fulfill my purpose by giving them life, and showing them how to live strong, survive, and be happy..." would he understand now, or run away?
Cubs. She wanted cubs. Kayin stopped, mid-chew, and simply stared at her. Well. His own prophecy had come true. He probably should have been cheered up by the thought, but he wasn?t. Cubs. Cubs. ?And by cubs you mean? little fuzzy creatures full of cute and adorableness?? he asked waving one paw in the air, as if petting one of those cubs right now. ?And? and dependent on you? And all that? Meow, mew?? For someone who claimed to be a Seer, he sure was having difficulty with this concept?
Actually? actually, now that he thought about it, Ishi probably would make a good mother. Sure, she was a bit gullible, but she would learn quickly to tell whether or not her kids were telling lies. She was kind and a good provider. So, why shouldn?t she have cubs? Beginning to eat again, the cheetah tried to shrug a little. ?I think you?d make a good mother. Although, I think finding a male lion out here would be a bit difficult? are you going to seek out one of the prides to find a male??
"Yea," she said with a nod, just thinking of them made her feel warm and happy, feeling like this was the answer to what she was feeling, what she felt like she was searching for. Though at his statement about herself, she beamed, an ear to ear smile on her maw, "Thank you Kayin, I surely hope so it just...seems, feels, like the right idea for me," though she laid her paws over one another, rubbing them together, looking at the ground, "Not..exactly, I was going to ask someone else..." she looked up, his eyes reaching his , "I was...g-going to ask..you. But-but before you say anything or run away...please don't run away...I just think that...that even if you didn't..didn't want to stay, stay here with me and..and them, that they would inherit your sweetness, your intelligence and wisdom...and I-" she looked at the ground again, embarrased. Please don't run away, she thought in her head...that was the last thing she wanted.
?Please don?t run away?, as it turned out, was the perfect way to inspire any male to start running and never stop, no matter how tired you are. In fact, Kayin?s initial instinct was to leap to his feet and hit the road as fast as he could. And, as a cheetah, he could indeed be very fast. But, he resisted this impulse, mostly out of curiosity. Also, there was food right here. Right as Ishi announced, more or less, that she wanted him to father her cubs, a piece of meat slid down the wrong tube, sending poor Kayin into a coughing fit. Once he recovered, he simply stared at her, unable to believe what he was hearing.
?For a moment, Ishi, let?s pretend that I am very, very stupid and explain this to me very, very simply. You want me, Kayin, to? to get? to?? the normally eloquent Kayin faltered here as he struggled to find the right words. ?You want cubs from me?? he finally finished awkwardly, after several more attempts failed.
Ishi nodded, and a blush rose to her cheeks if he could tell, and she stared at her paws, fiddled them together, thought it might be wrong for her to look him in the eyes after her question, after her..proposal. His coughing fit was enoughf or her to realize that what she had asked was wrong, how could she be so stupid. her ears fell back, and her tone was softer, apologetic, "I'm sorry just...your so nice and I'd understand if you had somewhere you wanted to go and didn't want to stay just..." she didn't know how to explain her reasonings, but to her, it seemed right, it really, really did.
Of all the instances, the possibilities, the? the things that could have happened, this was the one thing that Kayin had never planned for. Normally, he disappeared long before a female took it into her head to even think about cubs. But, clearly, all of his talks about ?bringing light into a dark world? and ?your purpose will reveal itself? had made an impression on Ishi. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Wait, a minute? maybe it wasn?t that stupid after all? now that he thought about it, he had something that Ishi wanted. There was a way to profit from this after all.
?Now, now, Ishi. I didn?t say that I wouldn?t? you know? uh? do it.? Damn, there had to be a better way to phrase that. ?It just caught me by surprise, that?s all. I?m not? uhh? used to lionesses asking for cubs. It?s normally something that stays within the species and all. I?ll be honest with you.? Ha. There really was a first time for everything. ?I?m honestly not really attracted to females. You?d have to be ok with that, to start with.?
Ishi looked up when his words crossed her ears, and she nodded while listening, and she laughed softly at his mentioning of keeping within the species but she figured that it could be ossible, couldnt it? If he did agree to it then..she would find out eventually if it was possible. At his mention of his attractions, she nodded, and didn't move an inch, "Thats fine, like I said, if you didn't want to stay, thats alright," she said with a nod. It made no difference to her really, though she wondered if her inquiry was selfish. It wasn't, was it? "I'd take very good care of them, and tell them about how wise and caring there father is," and if he didn't want her to say his name at all, that would be fine too.
Oh. Well, that was a surprise. Kayin had honestly expected that his explanation of his affections would deter her, at least a little. It normally did. But that meant that she honestly was interested in just having cubs, and not interested in him. For some reason, that realization struck him straight in the ego, deflating it just a little. So, what, she just liked him for his genes? That was just a little insulting. Just a bit. On the bright side, at least she wouldn?t be chasing after him later. She would be too busy with her kids---their kids, really, but Kayin wouldn?t think of it like that---to chase after him.
?You will be a good mother,? he said, still wondering how he could turn this to his advantage. Actually, he wouldn?t have to do a thing. Ishi was already hunting for him and keeping an eye out for anyone who might want to harm a lone cheetah. ?At least, I think you?ll be a good mother. You?ll have to prove it though, prove that you?re a good provider by continuing to hunt. And I?ll? I?ll get you your cubs. Our cubs.? For now, he would leave out his plans to leave. After all that trouble of coming up with a dramatic death, he didn?t want to just abandon the idea.
"I can do that," even if he had preferences for what he wanted to eat, heck, she would do that too, even wander around to try and find what he'd like. She liked Kayin, liked him as a dear friend, but she wasn't madly in love like most females might seem. Kayin was wise, nice, caring, strong and cunning, if he was able to father her cubs then she bet that her cubs would be lovely, just..so lovely. "It really, means a lot to me Kayin, you ahve no idea," she said sincerely, watching him. he really probably would never know how much it meant to her that he would do such a thing for her.
The idea of the actual mating turned Kayin?s stomach more than a little, but he figured that free meals in return for some cubs would be worth it. Sure, he preferred natural colors, but this wasn?t about preferences, obviously. This was about what was there and? well? what was there. The cubs would have a tough life. There were many on the Savannah that wouldn?t be very kind to cheeton cubs. But, that was none of his concern. ?You?re right. I can?t know how much it means to you. But, you know how much it means to you, and that?s what really matters, right?? It sounded vaguely mystical, so hopefully that would be enough. The announcement left Kayin just a little off-kilter as far as his game went. Ah well. Hopefully, Ishi was too delirious with happiness to really think about it.
