|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:47 pm
It was mid-afternoon, and around this time Mchanga'Alfajiri was at her laziest. It seemed to be too hot outside to do anything other than lay underneath the shade of a tree and doze off. Her previous meetings with the god Rio had yet to settle into her mind. To her, everything was still as normal. She hadn't attempted to get herself knocked up by a god. She was sure at some point she would feel the change within her body, but so far it was too early to feel anything at all. Of course, she was a little nervous about the whole ordeal, but she would keep that to herself. She'd eventually share the news with Shisi, once she was sure that she was indeed pregnant. But, until then she would keep her cool, and not think too deeply about it.
The leopardess yawned underneath the sunlight, stretching her front legs out in front of her in a casual gesture. Really, she didn't want to do anything else this afternoon other then laze about. But, she supposed that she should do something productive. So, the leopardess stood and began to prowl the grasslands. A meal would settle fine in her stomach right about now, and she was currently eyeing a herd of gazelles. They were small enough to take down, but a little too quick for her likings. She was sure she wouldn't miss, though, if she managed to sneak up close enough to them. So, she sunk lower into the grass, and began to make her way towards the herd, amber eyes seeking out the weakest member.
His travels had taken him far and wide as usual, but being the controller of the domain that he was it didn't take him long either, to make his way back here. Nothing had changed about his appearance for that matter, he was still the same fluffy looking guy with the oversized wings and downy feathered chest and fore legs. No, he hadn't changed.
But neither had she, not that he thought she'd mind.
It had been on lucky chance that he'd noticed Alfa in the area. With a lazy gait he tracked her scent, making sure to mask his presence once he realized that she was preparing for a hunt. He'd watch for now, but he'd help if it looked like she'd miss. If she was expecting cubs then it wouldn't be in his nature to let here go hungry. From what he knew of the leopard female though she was more than able to handle her own, so it was only the prospect of her expecting that pushed his chivalrous attitude over the edge.
So far so good, it looked like.
She would not have expected to see Rio so soon, and so at the moment he was far from her mind. What was important was the hunt, and it was frustrating her that she had yet to find a weak link in the herd. Her eyes scanned and scanned, until finally she honed in on a victim. It was an adult gazelle, but it had apparently been attacked previously by another predator. There was a bite wound in its thigh - it was a miracle it had gotten away. It would certainly be difficult to get away a second time, though, with a wound festering and slowly poisoning it. It was an easy target. There was no reason not to go for it now.
Quickly she glanced around her, making sure that whatever had dealt the gazelle that fatal wound was not around. She didn't see anything, and so proceeded to inch closer to her prey. With a burst of speed she broke out from her cover, and made to cut into the gazelle herd. Her eyes were fixed on her prey, and she saw nothing else but it. She closed the distance between herself and the gazelle, and with her adreniline racing, her chest heaving with every breath, she reached out to trip the gazelle. It fell onto its side, and quickly she covered its body with her own, pinning it to the ground as she suffocated the life out of it with her jaws. It was a success, simply due to a cold calculation.
When her prey's heart finally stopped beating, she lifted herself off of the ground, and began the journey to the nearest tree to lift her meal out of the way of any other predators.
If you'd have asked Rio he'd have no problem with it. Though the members of his domain were mostly prey he didn't seem at all bothered by their passing. He knew well that it was just the natural circle of things. To be polite, as well, he waited till she'd finished the hunt and made the catch, approaching as the dust was settling from the retreating herd.
Alfa... so nice to see you again, chika.
He called ahead to "warn" her that he was near, not wanting to be mistaken for a thief or scavenger. It was only now that he dropped his little disappearing act and appeared a few yards away from her strolling calmly closer.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:59 pm
She heard a voice, and it made her pause, jaws still clamped tightly around the neck of the gazelle. She recognized the voice, though, and all tension that had just entered her body were released in a soft rush. Rio. No one else would call her 'chika' - it was Rio's own characteristic. She had never heard another creature adress another in such a way. Seeing Rio made her feel comfortable enough to let her prey drop. Nothing would likely try to steal it when a god was in the area, and she was sure she was a threatening enough figure herself to warn away a small intruder. But, even so, she did not leave her prey's side. Alfa could put aside her hunger for now to entertain a friend. Rio had certainly been helpful enough to her.
When he was close enough to hear her without her having to raise her voice, she gave him an easy smile and gave him her welcome. "Hello, Rio. It's awfully surprising to see you again so soon. Of course I don't mind, it's always a pleasure to be talking with you." She was being sincere. Rio certainly was a charming god, and one she was glad to have met. She was sure that not all gods were as pleasant as the one strolling towards her.
"My domain brings me here and there pretty quickly and frequently." He laughed with the explanation, ruffling his wings as he settled them at his sides upon reaching her. "Good hunt." He winked, settling his dusty brown hide down on the ground in front of her in an upright position to help keep watch. "So, I'm guessing you've been pretty well. Your mood seems pretty good and you're obviously in top form as always..."
This time she got a bit of a smirk, his eyes roaming playfully, but with no intention to be rude or too bold. It was a compliment with a little seasoning, was all.
"If only I had your gift to go places quickly. I'd have enjoyed seeing the world. But, I am content as always to take the long way, and see what I can see." She couldn't help but smile charmingly at him, because he was too charming himself not to bring a smile to her face. "Thank you, it was fortunate that I was able to spot this one. I'm figuring he had already been singled out, and somehow had survived the encounter even with being dealt an injury. It made him easy prey this time around."
She chuckled softly at his compliment, amused by the little smirk on his face and the playful look in his eyes. "I've been magnificently well, and it seems as if you have been as well. You look as prime and youthful as when I had first seen you. I don't expect to see you change for a long while, and I'm glad for that. I would not see a thing on you change." She could pay compliments as well, though it was not her area of expertise. Alfa was usually more frank, but she could try to play these sort of games.
"Oh do go on." Rio purred, and just for show brought a wing around in front a bit to preen at the feathers in a flamboyant display of acceptance of the impish praise. He couldn't keep it up for long though, and laughed, tucking the wing back away for a moment. "But in all seriousness, you can still see the world anytime you want! I know plenty of mortals that travel back and forth across the lands, but if traveling far and long isn't for you then maybe I can do something to make up for it instead."
He got back to all fours and brought a wing up again to his front to examine. After looking carefully he found what he'd been searching for, and carefully plucked a long pair of feathers loose from the appendage, they were due to fall out soon anyway.He set the two down near her and rolled a small stone on top to keep the wind or any eager breezes from snatching them off while she ate.
"I'll bring you back something from the places I visit, when I can. I don't know... if, you know, you do end up having my cubs then maybe they'd even make nice gifts for them." He smiled a bit and looked at Alfa wondering what she'd think of the idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:21 pm
She wasn't sure she could go on. Alfa had never been that good with words. So, she was relieved when he could no longer keep up the act and laughed. At least Alfa wouldn't have to stress her brain out trying to think of something witty and charming. It was good fun, but she could only do so much of it before her brain ran out of juice. "It depends on where me and my companion end up going. I do think our travels will take us to far away and interesting places. We definitely won't be settling down for long. As long as, I imagine, the cubs are too young to handle long distances."
She watched with unhidden curiosity as he brought a wing out to his front and plucked out two feathers. Alfa vaguely wondered if it hurt him at all to be plucking the feathers out of the skin of his wing. But, no reflection of pain was upon his face, so she figured it had not troubled or hurt him all that much. Her amber eyes watched as he set the feathers down near her, and after he had put a rock on top of them to hold them down, she reached out to gingerly stroke the feathers with her paw. They were most certainly like a bird's, and that intrigued her.
She smiled softly at him, and lifted her gaze away from the pair of feathers. "I'm sure they would make perfect gifts for our cubs. I am certain they would proudly keep anything that you brought for them." She definitely wasn't going to discourage Rio from visiting. He had a right, and it would not bother her at all. It was likely a good thing, for their cubs, to be able to see their father every now and again.
It was purely instinctive, a reaction that he couldn't surpress if his life had depended on it right then. Hearing her address them as "our" just made his chest feathers puff with a bit of pride and he seemed to take on a fatherly glow, grinning. Thankfully he did repress the response enough that he didn't make himself look too foolish, but he couldn't help it! The prospect was an exciting one, and he was glad to know that he had maybe helped someone that needed it. Mkodi knew he needed that kind of positive encouragement after still not finding his friend.
"Then I'll be sure to bring them from far and wide! And for you too, of course." He smiled wide. How could he forget the mother of his children? Rio moved into a bow with that said, straightening up again. He could make perfctly good on that promise, too, with everything from jewelry to simpler trinkets to the strange things that two leggers seemed to fancy.
Oh, the little bit of fatherly pride that Rio displayed only made her smile softly in amusement. Alfa couldn't think of the possible babies as anything but their's, though that could change later on, when Rio's presence was not so constant. She wasn't sure where life would lead her, but it certainly would be an interesting one. It would be nice to see his familiar figure every now and again. No, Alfa would not tell him to leave her alone. At times she could be a slightly unkind leopardess, but to him she would not be able to bring herself to act that way.
"I know that I'll be pleased to see you again, and to accept any gift you might bring." Alfa couldn't help but be a little interested in the things he could possibly bring her. Rio would forever be able to go to places she would never be able to see herself. It would be pleasant to have a little piece of the world outside of the one she knew so well. Alfa knew it would be the only way she could have a part of what was out there. Seas she could not travel over, mountains and other barriers she would not be able to conquer. But, she was content with her life. She did not truly need to travel so far. It was a luxury, though, to be given and have such things.
"Then consider these a starter gift..." He smiled back, softly too as he glanced from the feathers back to her amber eyes. "You should eat, I've already kept you from your meal. I'll keep watch for a while. Okay?"
It wasn't that he was in a hurry to be away from her, far from it, but he wanted her to be able to eat in peace while her meal was still enjoyable and warm, rather than letting it grow cold and the scent attracting hyenas or wild dogs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:43 pm
"They are a magnificent gift. Your feathers are lovely." Once again she found herself reaching out to touch her gift, and she did not hold back the urge to touch them. Gingerly she unsheathed a claw, and traced the outside of each feather. They were most certainly fine gifts, and ones that she was glad to receive. She would have to fashion them into a bracelet of some sort, or even a necklace. It would be the easiest way to carry such fine reminders of Rio.
"All right. If you don't mind, I still feel more comfortable eating in a tree." It was simply how she was raised, and what she had been doing all of her life. So, without further ado, she picked up the carcass and dragged it up into the nearest tree. Her claws grappled with the bark, but she seemed to be able to lift herself easily up the tree (though, honestly, it was a little difficult with the dead weight of her meal lying in her jaws). She settled down onto one of the lower branches, and began to eat her fill of the meal. It was a while later when she finished, and with a casual and almost lazy gesture, she glanced towards Rio. "Would you like some?"
She watched in simple amusement as he ate his fill of her kill, and they chatted to one another for a few more hours - to pass the heat of the day by. But, eventually Rio felt that irresistable pull to be on the move again, and Alfa could not find the will to hold him back. She had to return to Shisi, anyways. And so, they parted ways, though were likely to see one another again soon.
"I don't mind at all." Rio smiled, gesturing with a paw for her to make herself at home. He followed at a polite distance, waiting to see if she'd like any help, but she was of course more than fine. He watched with quiet amazement as she dragged her kill up into the branches of her temporary home and settled in quite comfortable, but a bit later when she was done and offered Rio politely accepted, making his way up the tree cautiously. His front claws gave him better traction but it was still a bit more difficult since he wasn't made for climbing so much as perching, at best. Landing in trees? Sure, climbing them? Not so sure.
"Thanks, I have to eat a lot more often than other gods, I think, since flying around so fast and so much really takes a lot out of a guy." He admitted sheepishly, getting as comfortable as he could.
It was very, very difficult to keep from chuckling in amusement as Rio climbed up the tree. Clearly he wasn't built for that sort of thing. His body wasn't as compact as Alfa's, and his claws and paws could not grip the tree in the same way that Alfa could. Yet, he managed to still climb up the tree, but not without giving Alfa a good source of amusement. The tree seemed to give Rio more difficulty then it had given Alfa, even if Alfa was carrying the dead weight of a gazelle in her strong jaws. She wasn't going to brag, though. Rio could do far more things better than Alfa. He could fly, and that was truly wondrous in itself. She could almost be envious, but she figured she would get sick from flying. She could handle heights fine, but the sky was a vast place.
"It is no problem. I wouldn't be able to eat the rest myself." Besides, it was rude not to share. She was enough of a predator to want to have her fill first, but she was decent and smart enough to share when her own hunger was sated. There was no point in letting all that good meat go to waste, especially when it was so fresh. She could still feel the warmth radiating off of the carcass, as if its heart was still beating. "Please, dig in," and she nosed the carcass closer to him, encouraging him to eat his fill.
She watched in vague amusement as he ate his fill of her kill, and then contented herself with idle chit chatter with him to help pass the hottest part of the day with. But, eventually they parted ways - she to meet up with Shisi once again, and for Rio to continue with his travels and satisfy that urge to move and see new things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
