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 Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:45 pm
She was running hard. Not out of joy, or fear but because her brother was so unpredictable. Even if he was where the blue girl had said he would be it was quite possible that he'd moved on by now. It wasn't his fault though. If anything it was hers. She was the one who'd kept sending him out. She'd thought that if she gave him instructions to come home it would be alright. Evidently she'd thought wrong. Now she was paying for it. Just so long as he was safe. Just so long as he was safe.
Steken had indeed moved on, quite confused by his encounter with the strange cheetah. She'd been frightened, that much he'd figured out. But why? He'd only wanted to play with her. What was so scary about that? She hadn't even gotten squished! He came to the base of a tree and stopped there. Just what had he come out here for anyways? He'd wanted to play with the cubs. And then... Right. Hunting. He frowned. If he wanted to play he'd have to catch something. Then he could go home.
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:50 pm
A print by a lake. Grass flattened in a way that suggested a struggle. There was little doubt in her mind that she'd found the sight the cheetah had spoken of. Where she'd encountered her brother. To her dismay though, he'd long since departed the scene of the scuffle. A sigh. No. Of course it wouldn't be easy. It never was for her. Steken seemed to float through his existence on a blessed cloud. Her destiny wasn't so kind.
He started moving again, keeping his eyes to the ground in hopes of finding a trail belonging to some form of small game which he could easily slaughter and carry home. Even a young zebra or antelope would be sufficient. Just so long as it was enough to make Azsh happy. A happy Azsh was an Azsh who would let him play with the cubs.
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:58 pm
The lioness found where his trail left the scene and followed it closely. If she was ever unsure she'd mark where she'd left off and back track if she became too confused. She'd find him. She had too. It was too hard to imagine life going on without him.
A rabbit trail caught his attention and he started off after it. Fresh droppings. He paused to sniff and then headed off again. The rabbits had a warren nearby, he was sure of it. He found a whole and pawed at it, knocking dirt inside. A sniff showed it to be unused. He frowned, where were the rabbits?
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:11 pm
Azshara found it difficult to follow his trail. He hardly ever walked in a straight like, often he seemed to get distracted and run off after some distraction or another. It was times like these when she considered giving up and heading home. But she knew Mal wouldn't forgive her . She knew she wouldn't' forgive herself.
All it took to catch a rabbit was a bit of patience and some deadly fast reflexes. Steken's success was almost guaranteed, just so long as his attention held out. Today, it did. He caught one one, but two rabbits. The first he ate himself. The second he too in his great jaws, gently as if he was carrying a cub. The little ones would eat well tonight, and once they had, it would be play time!
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 7:56 pm
When Azshara found the burrow where Steken had stopped to hunt she was ecstatic. He'd stopped here! There was a good chance she'd catch up with him now! It took her a while to make sense of the scuffs and prints on the earth but once she had her joy increased tenfold. He was headed for home! Grinning like a fool she chased after him.
Despite how far he'd wandered Steken still had a pretty good idea of which way he'd have to go to get home to Azsh, Mal, and the cubs. It was this direction in which he ran, paying no attention to the many distractions that normally would have plagued his journey. Soon! Soon he'd have games!
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:06 pm
His path was regular. Something so unusual that she felt the need to frequently stop and sniff for his sent. In doing so she picked up a second scent. A rabbit? Was he really still out here hunting out of sheer stubbornness? Was he bringing home a kill? It was almost unbelievable but none the less impressive. Especially for her easily distracted brother.
The great blue lion was arriving home as Azshara was leaving the warren. Mal and the cubs were all happy to see him, and despite his predictions the cubs were more interested in playing with them then eating their meal. He rolled about in the grass, overjoyed and already having forgotten the cheetah and the long journey now laying behind him.
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:25 pm
When Azshara saw all of her family back together again she nearly cried. How many more times would this happen? She hoped many, but in her heart she knew there was only a finite amount. Eventually something would have to happen. Someone would get lost, or leave, or worse. For now though, she pushed the thought out of her mind. They were all here. That's all that mattered.
Steken didn't notice her arrival. It was too be expected, really. She was a constant in his life. Something was out of sight occasionally, but never really gone. He took her for granted more then anything else in his life.
Mal might leave. The cubs might grow up and go their separate ways. But Azshara? She'd always be here. He knew it.
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:42 pm
Trying to keep her calm Azshara walked over to Mal.
"I see he found his own way home, in the end. A bit silly of us to worry as much as we did."
Mal laugh, and Azshara flopped down, "I chased him all day. Didn't even catch sight of him until just now... I'm so happy he's home."
Steken lifted his head, looking away from the cub he'd been nudging.
"Azsh! Azsh come here!" he started explaining why only to have one of the cubs nuzzle a ticklish spot near the bottom of his ribs. His back legs buckled, then he fell to the ground, rolling about like Gulliver, on the island of the lilliputians.
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