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 Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:35 pm
Today he'd been called to meet Kasdeya on one of the large rocks to talk about something or other. Vaguely he wondered if her father, the leader of the pride, had returned yet. He'd not been told, and hadn't seen any other lions about than the ones he usually saw...but then he had to admit he didn't know even those very well when it came down to it. Maybe he'd come back after all and now he'd finally have his audience.
Head held high he slipped from his temporary den and headed for the meeting point. He was a little amused to realize he was looking forward to the meeting. In the past few days he'd been recovering, and he'd taken it that the lioness cub was doing the same. They had not crossed paths since. It would be...dare he say it? Good to see at least one familiar face.
To his surprise upon reaching the rock, he was the first there. Well no matter. He had nowhere else to be, so he leapt atop it and settled in to wait. Determined to keep himself amused throughout, his tail shifted, then began to beat out a rhythm against the hard stone. His paws flexed, claws unsheathing to scrape at the rock in a counter part. Lastly he added his voice to the tune, making up a rather dreary, haunting melody to suit the area. It was fitting, he imagined, and though it could possibly be frowned on by other more upbeat prides, surely the dour and dark demons would appreciate a little background eeriness.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:48 pm
Having told Mahewa to meet her, Kasdeya made her way towards the large rock she had pointed out earlier. With how much the male complained about the pride, Kasdeya was surprised to see him there waiting. Had Mahewa been more obedient and submissive, he would have made a perfect Na'artu. With a light laugh and a wide grin, Kasdeya continued to aproach him.
From the distance she could tell that Mahewa was doing something strange with his tail, but she couldn't hear the song he was singing. As she neared, the rhythm became more audible and she could hear him sing quietly. It was something strange, Kasdeya thought, to sit atop a large rock in the demon pride and sing. While the tone was indeed haunting, Kasdeya made a strange expression to show that she found the male bizarre.
With a more serious expression, the female nudged forward like she often did, expecting the male to follow. "Come down from there. We'll be meeting Nyota, another demon of the pride. Then the three of us will go on a hunt. I figure if you need something to jog your memory and bring out your inner demon, it would be a hunt."
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:08 pm
Nyota loped forwards, golden eyes glowing in the dark. His bone jewels clinked together softly as he came upon the small group of demons, adding another point to the haunting melody Mahewa seemed so intent on making. The midnight-colored demon couldn't help the smirk on his face. After all, music like that truly added to the atmosphere.
"Hello, Kasdeya. Finally decided to start hunting for yourself today, I guess. Or did you invite me to do something else?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:35 pm
Mahewa eyed Kasdeya as she neared, increasing the volume of his song for her to better hear. It was a good tune for this ominous land, full of minor chords and wailing calls. It had no words, but the strange warbling sort of wail he was making did it more justice. In his mind he was like some spirit, caught up in the aura of the pride, but if he was trying to flee or simply be heard he did not know. He ignored Kasdeya's urgings for the moment, nodding to show he understood, but his song was not done. Not yet at least. A hunt would be good, he thought. He'd been rather hungry of late.
His lips curled happily when a stranger appeared, piping out a note to add to the swell of noise. Ahh, it fit well. He knew how to end it then. The scratching and ululation increased, filling the air with sharp, unearthly sounds. And then, half through a measure, stopped altogether as he leapt down to join the crew. His feet hit the ground silently, not even giving the phantasmal song an ending punctuation. He cocked his head to one side, listening to the song echo back from the hot-mountain. Mmm. Yes. A very fitting tune for the land.
"I take it this is Nyota then." He caught something of a similarity between the two cubs, and made a guess. "Your brother I presume? A pleasure." He nodded to the blueish cub. He had more scars than Kasdeya, and from his gathered knowledge of the pride, he assumed that made the male of higher rank. Or at least, maybe more 'favored' by the others. OR something. He'd have to get a better feel for it all. "I'm Mahewa. So, hunting it is then?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:46 pm
When Kasdeya heard the familiar jingle of bones, she knew Nyota was approaching. With a faint smile, the female was almost glad to see him there. His presense was especially demonic and he would certainly help Mahewa reach inside himself and find his own demon. The moment he opened his mouth, however, Kasdeya was reminded of how much she really disliked the blue marked jerk!
Narrowing her eyes, Kasdeya responded with her typical arrogant air. "I'll have you know that this is not my first hunt, but simply my first hunt in which I felt the need to ask for your company." The young female almost growled as she spoke. Looking towards Mahewa, she continued, "This is Mahewa. I believe him to be a demon, but I feel he needs some help uncovering his demon. I thought a group hunt could help him."
When she had looked back towards Mahewa, she was upset to see that he had not quite finished his song, but only increased in volume. With a roll of her eyes, she hoped Nyota would not think she was ridiculous to believe the warbling lion to be a demon. Even demons could have their quirks, right?
When Mahewa landed on the ground next the two, however, Kasdeya had to admit that it was rather fitting. Despite her uninterest in the music, it was fascinating how one could create such an atmosphere simply by tapping their tails and scratching with their claws.
Kasdeya was ready to take off, when she was asked whether or not Nyota was her brother. Looking towards the blue marked male in disgust, Kasdeya shook her head. It took her best effort to push away the expression and simply smile and laugh lightly, "No. No. Nyota is simply.... a friend of the family?" Was the only way she could describe it.
Better fit would have been "a rival".
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:15 pm
"Her? My sister? Are you blind?" Nyota asked, scoffing at the thought of Kasdeya of all the lionesses in the pride, to be her sister. "We are in no way related."
That said, he waltzed off, taking the lead with a flick of his tail.
"Let's go on the hunt now," Nyota purred darkly.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:33 pm
Mahewa harrumphed. Ah well. Can't win them all. He shrugged to Kasdeya and followed after Nyota, his longer strides quickly catching him up, and he took to trotting along, even with the smaller male, directly to his right. "So have we a certain prey in mind?" His thoughts wandered to the tantalizing foods of his home area. Mouthwatering antelope and fatty zebra. While few seemed to imagine the life of a rogue as such, he'd lived will. Bodaway had seen to that. "I fear I haven't been able to explore much yet, and I am unused to the game you might have about."
He looked back, wanting to be sure Kasdeya kept up. As of now he liked her company far more. There was something minutely unsettling about this Nyota...but then it must be that he'd tapped into his 'demon'. Though he didn't realize it consciously, Mahewa was starting to wonder when he'd find his own demon...and what that demon would be like.
He was excited to reach the trees, and his step slowed, his body slipping automatically into the rhythm of the hunt. Head low and tail stilled, he broke the tree line without a sound. If there was one thing he knew how to do, aside from sing, hunting was it.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:14 pm
Kasdeya had been quick to react, like Nyota, but also held back once she realised she wore such an expression on her face. When Nyota responded, it seemed as though he didn't worry about sparing her feelings. With a growl, Kasdeya kept to herself and allowed the blue marked cub to begin towards the hunting grounds. In the back of her mind, however, the fire-haired cub was hoping that Nyota might get trampled by some gazelle.
Kasdeya was quick to follow after the two males, not wanting to give them some false impression of leadership.
When Mehewa asked what typed of prey they'd be hunting, Kasdeya looked curiously at Nyota. "I didn't have anything particular in mind. I thought we would hunt whatever we came across," The cub's stomach growled at the thought of antelopes and other prey beasts.
Mahewa's sudden stop was signal for Kasdeya to also stop and she quickly did, remaining at the male's side. While she was quick to respond to Nyota's comment about her first hunt, it actually was the cub's first hunt on her own. She had done well with the adults from her pride, but had never actually hunted without their company.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:18 pm
"How about antelope? I saw a few stragglers not far from here earlier today," Nyota suggested, easily falling into a hunting stance as well. He'd been hunting on his own for a while now, and knew how to keep silent. "I figure we can take one down, between all of us."
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:32 pm
Mahewa nodded, slipping ahead into the brush. "Antelope's good. Three is a fine number to hunt. Shall we go about it from angles, or with a charge you think?" He looked back over his shoulder at the other two, golden eyes glimmering with excitement. Perhaps it was his fiery blood that drove him to hunt with passion and ferocity. Or perhaps it was simple hunger. He could taste the lean meat now, and it made him eager for the chase. His claws flexed in and out at the thought!
One ear flicked sideways, and he froze, hunched in the shrubbery. "I do think I hear your stragglers now though...were they moving eastward?" Sound was Mahewa's realm, and his ears, trained for tone and pitch, were sharper than his own teeth. Grinning with the thrill, he looked back at the pair of cubs. "Well then, shall we?" He was eager, so eager for this hunt.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:43 pm
Kasdeya nodded at Nyota's suggestion. Antelope sounded just as delicious as anything else. Hearing about the stragglers, the small female crept forward, keeping ears pointed forward and eyes alert for any sudden movements in the landscape. Nyota was entirely right. The three were not yet adults, but there was strength in numbers. They couldn't go after an adult male, but something younger would be possible!
At Mahewa's comment on the stragglers, Kasdeya also heard them and grinned. By the sound of it, it seemed as though it was a very small group. It would be easier to pick one off if they didn't have as many to hide within. Following both the sound and Mahewa's direction, Kasdeya continued towards the sound, eager to continue their hunt.
As Kasdeya continued to drag her small form along quietly, the antelopes became clearer, both through vision and scent. There were four of them and they were unaware of the liones presence surrounding them.
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:57 am
Hearing nothing from Nyota, Hewa shrugged and took the lead. Crouched low, he wove a path out towards the clearing the antelope must be in. He licked his laws and motioned Kasdeya closer. She was smallest, could sneak in the easiest.
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:55 pm
Kasdeya followed Hewa's direction and slowly slinked forward, keeping her body low to the ground and as silent as possible. With a wild grin, the cub continued to ease her way closer and closer to the unsuspecting prey animals. Nyota had been pompous to think that he could so easily show them the ropes of hunting and here Hewa and her were already far ahead of him.
Wildly, the cub bared her fangs in a grin and suddenly took off towards the antelopes. Kasdeya was still only a growing cub and so she went for one of the foals of the group. The foal was sheltered in the midst of the others, but when she came running between the group, various adults scattered, leaving the smaller antelope in an exceptional location for the attack!
Lunging forward, Kasdeya sunk her teeth into the leg of the small antelope. She felt the bones break and the foal fall. It was clear the adults wanted to help, but once they saw their offspring fall instinct told them to simply turn away and keep the others safe. Before her catch fully hit the ground, it managed to kick wildly, catching Kasdeya's cheek. Kasdeya roared out in anger as she felt blood trickle from her face and slowly drop to the ground. Releasing her grasp on the leg, Kasdeya narrowed her eyes and went in for the kill. It was not long before the foal lay before her lifeless and still. Turning her head back, Kasdeya welcomed both Hewa and Nyota with a devilish grin. This would be her first kill!
"Shall we feast?" Was all she said, eyes glimmering in the dull light of the sky.
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