Jini was bored. She was always bored, the little cheetah juvenile rarely having a moment where she was so excited she forgot about the boredom. Her mother telling her bedtime stories usually did the trick, but Momma Noti was out hunting, and Tamu was being a boring ol' bum and sleeping like she'd told them to. Usually, Jini was one to keep to the rules - she was quite a delicate young cheetah, and she didn't like getting told off.
But when you couldn't sleep, you couldn't sleep. Daytime naps had never appealed or made sense to Jini. Sleeping was for nighttime, when the sky was dark and the pretty stars were out! Daytime was for play, not naps. Naps were stupid, anyway. Why only sleep for a little bit?
And so, the youngster stalked out of the rocky den which was currently her home, merging into the tall grass, playstalking a nearby dragonfly.
Kipepo wasn't bored - bored was such a childish word. Adults weren't supposed to get bored. Uninterested, maybe, or not busy. But not bored. Besides, she was busy at the moment, and as such had no time to think about any of this. Her concentration had to be on the task at hand, one falter and her whole morning would be wasted. Stalking was something, despite her brightly coloured fur, Kipepo was rather good at. As long as she concentrated. And whislt concentrating for so long was difficult, it was well rewarded with an impressive kill.
And Kipepo did like to watch her family gawk at the size of prey she brought back. And Sumati - Sumati never believed her. But she did! And she'd prove it yet again, as a flash of black caught her eye, the cheetah lowering her body to the ground a little more, moving forwards gracefully and without a sound.
...Okay, this hadn't been part of the plan.
Jini rarely had full-proof plans, and again she'd forgotten part of this one. Whilst catching the dragonfly had been exciting, it had soon escaped again, and she'd had to watch it flit high out of her reach and away over the grass, leaving her stranded in grass taller than her that she didn't know the way out of. ...Curses. Beginning to shake a little, not one to like being alone, Jini first began whimpering softly, but they soon developed into loud, distressed yowls, the youngster suddenly petrified. What if some huge nasty dog came and ATE HER!?
"MOMMAAAAAAAA!"
Well, that hadn't been what she was expecting. Kipepo had stopped suddenly, dead in her tracks, as a whimper came from the creature she was stalking - a distinctly feline one. Standing straight so she could cast her gaze over the grass, Kipepo found herself looking down on a small, dark cheetah girl, not much older than a cub. She seemed distressed, and was calling for her mother - perhaps she was lost? The blue cheetah sighed. Any prey would've been scared away by the girl's screams, so she might as well stay and help now. Moving forwards gently, not wanting to spook the youngster, Kipepo smiled warmly and hopefully reassuringly.
"What's wrong, little one?"
AH! IT WAS A MONSTE -- no wait, it wasn't. Jini's wide, tear-filled eyes stared up at the blue cheetah that towered over her, bottom lip quivering as she let out a long whine. It was a cheetah, like Momma. Momma always said, if she got lost, to find another cheetah. Another female one, since they were less likely to eat her than males. So maybe this one could help her find her way home? She swallowed, hiccuping once, before managing to mumble out a few words, "J-J-Jini is lost. She wants to go hoooooooooooome!"
Her words broke into a wail, as the juvenile once again broke down into tears.
The juvenile seemed spooked at first, but soon settled down, and Kipepo's smile relaxed, probably becoming more genuine. Kipepo didn't like feeling like she had to smile - smiles were supposed to be natural, not forced. It was easy to tell which were genuine and which were not. Words were spoken, and Kipepo nodded in understanding, moving forwards closer to Jini - she assumed that was her name? - to pull her into a gentle cub. "It's alright, Jini. I'm Kipepo - I'll help you find your home. Which way did you come?"
Jini sniffed, welcoming the embrace as she snuggled into the stranger's warm fur, hiccuping several more times. Kipepo? That was a pretty name. But the cub soon broke into wails again, as Kipepo clearly asked completely the wrong question. "I DON'T KNOOOOOOOW! JINI WANTS MOMMA!"
...Ouch. This one could certainly shout. Kipepo's ears wrinkled, flattening against her head in order to hopefully protect her eardrums. She patted the youngster on the back as she quickly surveyed the surrounding area, looking for a worried cheetah-mother. She found none, though. Although...there was that rocky outcrop, not too far off. Perhaps there was a den there, where Jini had wandered from. Looking for, Kipepo felt her face soften - it was impossible to not feel her heart break at the poor, lost little cub. She'd thought about having cubs of her own, someday. She wasn't sure, especially if they brought problems like this.
But these thoughts were for another time. Lowering her head, she plucked Jini from the ground by her neck-ruff, placing the youngster gently on her back, indicating the rocks in the distance, "Is that where you home is, Jini?"
Jini squeaked as she suddenly felt pressure on the back of her neck, wriggling around as she found herself in the air, sucking in a large breath, ready to wail again. She didn't like being picked up! But then suddenly she was on the nice, blue cheetah's back, and she could see everything! Was this what it was like to be tall? Jini hoped she grew to be this tall someday! Kipepo indicated a rocky outcrop, and before she'd even managed to finish speaking Jini squeaked out an affirmative reply, "Yesss, that is where Jini leaves! Take me home, Kipepo! ...Please?"
An affirmative squeak came, and Kipepo began parting the long grass, walking through it with ease. She smiled - she remembered being young, forgetting manners. Being scolded. She smiled, reaching the rocks within no time, glancing around for signs of an entrance. "Where do you go in, Jini?"
"That way!"
Jini directed Kipepo with a paw, having previously been cleaning her face, not wanting Tamu to see her all crying and tear-covered. He'd tease her, like he usually did! He always called her a crybaby, and she supposed she was a little. But she couldn't help it! Swallowing, she soon spotted the entrance, yipping excitedly as she began bouncing on Kipepo's back.
Kipepo gently walked in the direction indicated, before wincing a little at the sudden bouncing. Ooo, that wasn't comfortable. But the entrance was now in sight, and so she turned her head once again, nudging Jini to show she wanted her to get down, before catching the juve off guard, grabbing her neck again and lowering her to the ground, dropping her onto with with a slight 'thump!'. "You'll be alright now?"
Jini stopped her bouncing, beginning to turn to look at Kipepo before yelping loudly at the sudden lifting again, wriggling about once more in protest before she was dropped on the ground again, turning to gaze up at Kipepo with wide, awe-filled eyes, tail wagging merrily on the ground as she grinned toothily. "Thank you Kipepo! I'll be fine now! I promise I won't get lost again!"
Kipepo smiled down at the youngster warmly, reaching up a paw to ruffle the fur on her head, cocking her own head to the left to read the black/pink cheetah's sweet expression. Maybe she would like cubs, someday. They were cute.
"Alright then. Keep safe, Jini." she spoke, nodding her head in farewell before turning and heading off home. No kill today, but she felt she'd done something far more worthwhile instead.
Jini grinned at Kipepo, watching the adult leave before turning and racing back into her den. Maybe she would have a nap after all.
