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They spent hours lying there, Zi was asleep and Noi was drifting in and out of sleepiness. They were similar yet different, both were black, one with red panda markings, and the other with blue and white splotches. They were both females, but one was a leopard and the other a lion. They were both the same age but the lioness was slightly bigger. The only thing that wasn’t different between them was that they were both very kind, and became friends quickly.
Currently the moon was rising, the sun having set not long ago. The dim light was no problem for either cat, both had night vision. It seemed with the moon’s rising it was a cue for Zi to get up as well. The lioness yawned and then stretched languidly, claws unsheathing as she reached out to nothing. Blinking sleepily she glanced around noticing Noi. She was slightly surprised that the leopardess had stayed. ”You’re still here?”
Noi laughed and shrugged slightly. ”I didn’t have anything else to do, so I decided to stick around.” She rolled from her side to her stomach, sitting up. She shook her head waking herself up completely. ”I didn’t really mind, it was nice being around someone else for once.” The leopard looked over at the lioness and smiled widely.
”Thanks, Noi, that was really nice of you. It was nice waking up with someone nearby for once.” She chuckled and slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position, tail wrapping around her haunches. ”So, what should we do now?” To be honest Zi wasn’t so used to conversing with others. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do to entertain her guest.
The leopard blinked at the question. Well, she wasn’t sure what they should do. She wasn’t very well versed in socializing either. ”Uhm, well, I’m kind of hungry?” The grumbling in her tummy reminded her that she hungry and had been going for food that morning. She had never hunted in tandem before and thought it might be fun, if challenging.
Zi blinked, well, now that she mentioned it she was pretty hungry. A nice zebra sounded mighty tasty. Grinning she pushed herself up to her paws. ”A meal does sound good right about now,” Giving herself a shake she looked around. ”All we have to do is find it,” Laughing she headed off in a random direction, scenting the air, Noi scampering after her. ”I think if we keep going eventually we can pick up a scent.”
Noi nodded following after, she wasn’t the greatest hunter so she decided she’d let the lioness lead. ”Alright, you just lead I’ll follow.” Happily she took the follower role, golden eyes roaming over the grasslands on the lookout for prey.
The lioness took a deep breath and caught the scent of a zebra herd not too far off. ”Alright I smell some zebra, once we get close we’ll split up. You go left, I’ll go right and we’ll circle around them and then I’ll chase an older one in your direction and you can get ‘em, sound good?” She looked back at the leopardess to make sure she knew what the plan was.
The black and red girl nodded, ”I think I can remember all that,” She chuckled softly and the two started moving again and it wasn’t long before they came into sight of the zebra herd. They were clustered close together, their stripes all merging to make one confusing group. But leopardess and lioness could both see one not quite full grown zebra hanging off to the side away from the main herd. Glancing at Zi Noi nodded and then headed off where she was supposed to go, slinking low in the grass.
Meanwhile Zi crouched down and started to creep forwards, thanking whoever was listening that they were downwind of the zebra and therefore pretty much invisible. She got as close as she dared before she sprung, running full speed at the small zebra scaring it into flight. She whipped after it herding it in Noi’s direction.
Noi shifted her weight, eyes on the zebra waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was getting closer, closer, closer, now! She vaulted from her hiding place, landing on the zebra’s back, claws digging into its neck. Her momentum kept on carrying her and ended up pulling the zebra down onto its side.
It wasn’t before long that Zi caught up and bore down on the meal, jaws going around its wind pipe and crushing it while Noi held it down. Once the thing was dead the lioness slowly let go and looked over at the leopardess. ”We were a good team.” She grinned and then looked at their carcass. It seemed big enough to feed the both of them without too much of a problem, and if it wasn’t they could always take down another one. Although to do that they’d probably have to go searching again for another herd, the one that they had just hunted off of had taken off running in the other direction.
Noi slowly pushed herself up off the zebra carcass and grinned, they managed to take down their prey the first time around. That almost never happened for her, so she was proud that she managed not to screw up in front of her new friend. ”Yes, yes we were. Now let’s eat because I’m starving.” Laughing she went to a back leg digging her teeth in and tearing and biting at it until the leg ripped off and she could drag it about a foot away and eat in solitary. It was just what she was used to.
Being used to the same thing Zi didn’t comment but instead started to dig into the zebras stomach without further comment, she couldn’t help it she was hungry and it was there. Even as she ate she could hear Noi nearby eating as well and it brought a smile to her maw, she wasn’t alone for the time being.
