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 Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:54 pm
 Tumai opened her eyes to a bright morning, yawning slowly as she lazily drew herself to her feet. She stretched, her paws reaching out in front of her as she leaned back onto her back legs, the fur on her back bristling. It was a pretty day in an unfamiliar land, which was at once exciting and terrifying.
She had been wandering for days, not searching for any place in specific. Why she had chosen this place as her roaming grounds for a while she did not know. She was just tired of walking, she rationalized, and this was as good a place as any to take a look around. Perhaps she could find some nice friends.
Looking around, she wondered where she might explore first. It would be awkward, running into someone, but she felt she was ready to step out of her shy persona and explore what she could really be like if she allowed herself to be confident. It might be an act in the beginning, but she felt that she had been timid for long enough: it was time to talk to others.
But... only if they were nice.
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:21 pm
 Moja's eyes had been on the rising sun for quite some time, and already had the fortune of coming upon prey, and transforming it to breakfast. Her jaw lazily worked at the meat in her mouth, savoring and watering over her favorite parts of the meal, though she wasn't quite hungry any longer.
Instead, the lioness found herself bored already in the beginning of the day, and lazily rolled onto her side to embrace the last few cool hours before the sun took residence in the highest part of the sky. She shut her eyes, but frowned when they couldn't find peace, and allowed them to flutter open once more. Moja rose listlessly and tore another chunk from her breakfast, and resigned herself that for the day, her only companion would be the carcass and the scavengers that came to share it.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:50 am
The scent of blood came to Tumai’s nose and she murred, her stomach grumbling unhappily. It seemed to accuse her of taunting it, offering her such a tantalizing smell without following through with the meat it was meant to come before. She sniffed the air for a long moment, working up the courage to follow the trail it left in the air. She was certain that some other animal had killed for their breakfast, and that was a dangerous thing to willingly move toward. From lions to other wild dogs, most carnivores were loathe to share the fruits of their labors.
But Tumai was led by her stomach and nose, not her head and its common sense. She moved carefully, her pads falling quickly and quietly across the plains. She quickly came upon a lion and her kill. The grey wild dog frowned, already defeated before risking an encounter. Lions frightened her, and the brilliant red of this ones coat only deterred her further. Blinking, she sat down and watched from a distance as the lion chewed listlessly at the flesh and bones.
Wagging her tail, an unconscious display of her desire to be friendly with the lioness, Tumai debated saying hello. Undoubtedly the other would see through her and accuse her of trying to steal the meat. That would lead to unpleasant conversation, or worse. Not wanting to dare anger something clearly bigger and stronger than her, the wild dog resigned herself to simply watching and waiting.
Maybe the red lioness would leave something behind.
Upon hearing and smelling the approach of the wild dog, Moja scarcely turned her head. Its presence was trivial and unimportant to her, yet somehow curious. She bothered enough to turn her head and stare at it, almost asking why she was even there as she worked the meat over in her jaw. The expression on her face was merely that of a dull interest, though her bright green eyes seemed to suggest that she could become provoked at any moment.
Tumai whimpered as the eyes of the lioness found her. Shrinking back, tail between her legs, Tumai looked away from the lioness and the meal. Not wanting to start a fight, a naturally timid creature, she decided to walk by the lioness in as submissive a posture as possible, in hopes of not raising its ire. Padding forward slowly, she tried not to look up as she passed at a wide berth, though the smell of the kill only intensified and mocked her further as she willed herself by.
Glancing up out of the corner of her eye, the grey wild dog offered the lioness a small, honest smile. It was just a simple greeting, and she hoped it was enough to apologize for even thinking about sharing in someone else’s hard earned kill. Though not much of a hunter, Tumai knew enough to understand how rare prey could be some times, and how difficult actually catching something could prove.
Moja's eyes followed the wild dog, though her head did not. She wasn't quite as traversed in the ways of wild dog etiquette, but the smile helped provide answers. Whether it was her imagination or not, Moja believed there was a distinct rumbling originating from her, but more from her stomach than her throat. For a brief moment, her eyes widened, and she'd found her amusement for the day. Returning the smile, though not quite with the same context, Moja stood and faced the female to speak. "Hello there."
Tumai stopped when the lion moved, crouching down with her ears flat against her head. She watched carefully, her bright pink eyes never making direct contact with the others face, She didn’t want to appear challenging in any way, after all. When the lioness stood, Tumai thought things were going to get ugly, and the smile didn’t do too much to reassure her. But she relaxed a bit when she was greeted.
“Hello…” she said quietly, smiling again and letting her tail wag carefully, “I’m Tumai. I’m sorry to have interrupted your breakfast.”
Moja shook her head, still smiling, and almost taking a guilty pleasure in the wild dog's sheepish nature. "Oh, but I was just finished with it. But perhaps you'd tell me how you seem to have found me." She knew she was just toying with Tumai, but it was in good fun. "I'm Moja, by the way." The lioness had a sweet smile now, and her tail waved almost merrily through the tall grass as she waited for Tumai to go on.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:51 am
Tumai smiled sheepishly, looking up at the lioness from under her eyebrows.
“I actually smelled the blood of the kill, and followed it over here. I guess I didn’t eat too much last night, and my stomach led the way. I don’t mean to intrude though, because I’m really not the kind to beg of others. I’m… shy, believe it or not,” she laughed at her own expense, opening up a bit the longer the conversation went on. She was eager to make friends, after all, and this seemed like a good chance for that.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Moja,” she said with a nod of her head, sitting up straighter.
Moja shifted her place once more, to step away from her kill. She then planted herself away from it, and for a moment, appeared as though she intended to begin grooming, for there was still blood matting her fur. But instead she threw her smile to Tumai again and tilted her head. "Well lets celebrate this chance meeting with a meal, though you'll have to excuse me; I've already had my fill." Her bright green eyes were more than interested to see how Tumai would treat this situation, thus in the meantime, she made herself comfortable.
Tumai blinked. She was not used to lionesses treating her kindly, and that made her feel bad. She had assumed a lot, just by sight, and it seemed that she had been wrong about many things. Moja was nice, and didn’t try to chase her off. They were talking, something she had not done with an adult outside of her own species, and things seemed pretty civil. Though, Tumai could not shake a lingering feeling of uneasiness as she watched Moja watching her.
“Oh, no, as I said, I wouldn’t dream of leeching from your kill. That seems… rude, to me. Even if you offer it now, I think it’s just because I’ve guilted you into it.” She laughed, really meaning her words, “I wouldn’t be able to eat it with you watching, anyway. But I do appreciate the offer! You’re very nice. That’s surprising to me, but I don’t talk to lions very often. Oh… dear… that wasn’t what I meant.”
Moja's smile was half a smirk, but she was also slightly disappointed. She'd much prefer to share her meal with an invited guest rather than the true infringers. Her eyebrows drew closer to one another, and she stood again. "Well, I do apologize, Tumai. For those of my race that make you wary, and for myself too. But I believe I'd be more offended if you didn't at least have some. I've been you before." Her shoulders rolled in a shrug as she continued. "But there's no way for me to get you to other than by asking," and she stepped away.
Frowning, Tumai nodded. Maybe she was over thinking things. Maybe it was less rude to take what was offered. After all, turning it down made it seem like she was ungrateful, and she certainly wasn’t. After all, the smell of the kill had been what called her over in the first place. Stomach grumbling its agreement, she nodded as she came to her decision, hoping it wasn’t too late as Moja spoke and stepped away.
“I’m sorry! I’m not sure I know all the ins and outs of being rude and polite, though I do try. It’s not your fault that I’m wary around lions, or any one. I’ve never met a mean one, I suppose. I’m just… making assumptions, and that’s not fair of me. If you would still like to share, I would be honored to have some of your generous gift!” She moved toward the kill, as if to show she meant her words. Tail wagging, she smiled happily at this new acquaintance of hers.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:39 am
Moja smiled once more at the shy Tumai, and it finally seemed to be one from within. "I'm very glad." She laid herself on a plush mound of grass, away from the slaughter, and contented herself with watching from the corner of her eye, as to not disturb Tumai into again rejecting her offer. Even so, Moja mused that she almost wish she'd had her visitor sooner, so that she could have shared the choice pieces, but perhaps she'd be able to remedy this in the future.
She waited to hear Tumai commencing her meal before she lifted her head slightly, still smiling. "How is it?" She genuinely was curious, as the kill was several hours old in the baking heat, but she doubted that even if it tasted poorly, Tumai would tell her.
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:13 pm
Tumai found nothing wrong with the kill, having eaten far worse in desperate times. She carefully nudged it and ate the deeper parts with her long muzzle to aid her, careful of the skin and fur, as well as chewing on the bones with a measured pace. She was a cautious creature by nature, but Moja’s kindness had encouraged her to be a bit more adventurous. She looked up at the lioness and smiled, nodding her bloodied muzzle as she grinned.
“It’s very nice, thank you. I really am appreciative for it. I was beginning to get… very hungry.” She was quiet for a while after that, picking at the carcass until she was satisfied. She tried not to be too voracious about it, and sighed when she sat down, tail wagging. “Did I say thank you? Well. Thanks again.” She noticed the lioness had settled down, and she, in turn, stood up.
“I should leave you, I know lions like to nap in the day…”
Moja resigned her head to her paws. She didn't want to guilt Tumai into either leaving or staying, so she replied with a closed mouth "Mmm." A flop of her tail marked the time it took for her to raise her chin enough to allow for annunciation. "That would be lovely, Tumai, but I believe I'll leave the side of the kill, because I know the true scavengers will come. But it was a pleasure meeting and dining with you, really." With that, she heaved her mass forward, and onto her legs, and with a parting glance, began walking away from the wild dog.
Tumai smiled as the lioness moved away, nodding. She was a bit disconcerted by the meeting, but she was glad for it in any case. It was not every day that she had a chance to talk to one of the top predators in the lands, let alone be allowed to scavenge from one of their kills. She wagged her tail, telling herself if she met Moja again, she would be far less shy about it. After all, the hard part was over: the introduction. Now they could just be acquaintances.
“Bye!” she called, before turning and plodding away from the kill, in a direction she hadn’t travelled before, “I hope we meet again!”
END!
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