T`Poi
Dogo stretched lazily, having enjoyed her well-earned nap in the sun. She'd taken to getting herself used to sun and shadow, to better hunt the demons to the north. But...she tended to need naps during mid-day and mid-night...or thereabouts. Oh she COULD stay awake for an entire day if needed...but it wasn't needed at the moment, and she had helped Tara repel a rather nasty rogue earlier. And somehow...that thought brought her thoughts to a certain white lion in the pride. One that caused her no end of frustration.


Manda
Said white lion was currently out on patrol/hunting duty - his light coloration suiting him to being active during the hottest part of the day. It meant that he didn't overheat so easily as some of the others in the pride, and Nima didn't at all mind taking on duties like this. He had, in fact, just spotted a small herd of antelope and was debating on whether or not to try and bring one down on his own.


T`Poi
A familiar scent in the air made Dogo groan. Great...just thinking about him summoned him. Snorting, she hopped down from the tree she'd perched in and started towards the scent. She would give that frustrating Nima'baha a piece of her mind! She was tired of him making her feel strange and floating and filling up her thoughts nearly as much as Luta!


Manda
Said white lion was currently out on Hearing something coming up from behind him, one of Nima's ears flicked back toward the sound as he frowned slightly. That pawstep sounded familiar... Turning just a bit, he spotted Dogo and made some kind of vague motion with a paw for her to keep quiet. Didn't want to scare off the prey ... but maybe she'd be willing to hunt with him?


T`Poi
Dogo was about to open her mouth when he 'shushed' her. She kept from growling, but she was not happy. Dropping low to the ground, she slunk up next to him. She'd help him...and then she'd tell him how pissed off she was. For now, she would follow his lead, since he'd started the hunt.


Manda
Nima smiled inwardly at that and turned (most of) his attention back to the herd. He rather liked Dogo, all things told. She was steady, a good fighter... valuable to the pride, and more. She was also ... rather beautiful, and the large white male felt a sort of connection with her, like he'd felt to no other. But at the same time, he didn't want to push her into anything she didn't want. For now... concentrate on the hunt. Speaking softly, he asked, "Do you want to spook them, or lie in wait?"


T`Poi
Dogo thought a moment. "I think...spooking them. Will separate the weak from the strong." That was, perhaps, the advantage to being the predator. The hunter did the culling of the hunted...leaving only the strong, so the hunter must get stronger. It was, in a way, a win/win situation for those who lived.


Manda
Nima nodded at that and set himself to lay in wait. "I will jump out and catch one that's slow then," he replied.


T`Poi
Dogo settled her mind on the hunt. Slinking around, not hindered by her half-sight at all, she got to another side of the herd...not directly opposite Nima, but enough that they would go past him as they ran. Then...she sprang from the grasses, fangs bared and claws unsheathed, a high-pitched, loud yowl coming from her. And that set them running.


Manda
Nima tensed as the herd took off toward him - having moved just enough to one side so that they wouldn't run -over- him. Rather quickly, he spotted one or two stragglers. One was a mother with a slower fawn - he left them alone. The other was old and limping, but obviously still in fairly good health ... that one. Perfect. With a low growl, he sprang out of hiding and ran toward the other one, jumping up onto its back to try to take it down.


T`Poi
Dogo kept watch from her place...and once he'd found his target, Dogo moved closer, in case he needed help. When the antelope didn't go down quickly...well, Dogo helped out. She placed herself so the prey-beast tripped over her...the weight of Nima would ensure it wouldn't get back up before the death-blow could be delivered.


Manda
Nima latched onto shoulders with his claws and rode the animal down - quickly snaking his head around to bite into the antelope's throat once it was on the ground. Blood stained his white muzzled as he clamped jaws down, killing the beast quickly.


T`Poi
Nima was a brilliant hunter, despite his more...peaceful tendancies. And he was a joy to watch.....ARGH! Dogo growled and shook her head. There she went again! Okay...it was dead. NOW she would pipe up. "WHY can't you stay out of my head for more than a few moments?!" The cry was something between outrage and confusion.


Manda
Nima blinked at that, looking up at the leopardess in total confusion for a moment. "What?" he asked, blinking again. Stay out of her head...?


T`Poi
Dogo sighed heavily, orange eyes more annoyed than before. "WHY do my thoughts keep straying to you?! I try and try to keep from thinking about you so much, and it doesn't work. You're in my thoughts nearly as much as Luta...and...and...that just isn't right!" She shouldn't have had a male on her mind so much! Not...not after the way she'd been maimed by one as a cub.


Manda
Oh ... oh ho ... Nima was starting to think he knew what was going on here. They needed to take the food back to the pride, but they had time to get this straightened out first. Hopefully. "Why isn't it right...?" he asked softly. "Is there something bad about... thinking of me?"


T`Poi
Dogo felt like crying, or lashing out at something or...ANYTHING. But she just growled. "Because you're MALE. You...you're supposed to be...to be..." She drooped. "I was hurt Nima...a long time ago..." Dogo didn't dare look at him right now. "The scars run deeper than the skin."


Manda
He blinked at that and then also drooped just a bit, trying perhaps... not to look so large and imposing. "I'm sorry ..." he said quietly. "But I really can't do much about you yourself thinking about me... Perhaps there is a reason for it?" He would not push her... he would not ...


T`Poi
Dogo sighed. "I don't know. I just...don't know. I mean...You're a good friend, Nima. But..." He made her heart flutter like Luta did sometimes. And could make her give that odd half-smile that she had. "Something about you goes beyond friendship...and it shouldn't. You aren't family...and..."


Manda
"Why shouldn't it...? Isn't that the natural way of things?" Nami asked then, head tilting a bit. Then there was a moment or two of silence and he said, "I would never hurt you... I'm not not whoever it was that hurt you before..."


T`Poi
Dogo couldn't help but look at him now. And she found herself lost in his eyes. Gods...how could his eyes do the same thing to her that Luta's did? "I know..." Her voice was quiet now. "I know...but...I'm still healing Nima. I hate admitting it...but I am."


Manda
Slowly, very carefully ... Nima moved to press his nose against Dogo's neck, gently. "It's all right... I can understant that. But there's no need to hide from me." Or from your feelings....


T`Poi
Dogo smiled half-heartedly. "I...could never hide from you." She chuckled. "Even if I tried, you would find me somehow. It's like thinking about you just seems to summon you." Dogo wouldn't admit it...not yet. It still hurt too much to. She...would have to talk to Luta later.

Perhaps...perhaps, something good could come out of her frustration.


Manda
Nima couldn't help but laugh at that, just a bit. "Does it now...? Well, that seems to say something about those thoughts, doesn't it?" he asked, raising brows a bit. "Really, though. Take whatever time you need... I'm not going anywhere."


T`Poi
Dogo's smile grew a little. Perhaps...perhaps this wasn't so bad. If he was willing to wait until she sorted things out. She reached out with an open paw. "Thank you. I...I can't say some things yet. But...Maybe, one day, I can show you instead."


Manda
Nima nodded at that, reaching back to cover her paw with his own for a moment. "That would be good, I think," he replied with a smile.


T`Poi
The leopardess nodded. "Someday." Someday, she would know why he was able to soothe her like Luta. Why he was able to take her pain and turn it into something else. Until then...well, she would just try to get less annoyed when he appeared in her thoughts.