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 Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:19 pm
The sun was high when Fila stood beside the carcass of her latest kill. This time she had felled a small gazelle, enough to fill one lion's stomach. Stretching her back muscles leisurely, pale yellow grass tickling her belly as she stretched. The smell of dust and dried grass filled her nostrils. She sneezed, then turned her back on the small body, leaving what she hadn't eaten to whatever scavengers were in the area.
Her thoughts turned towards her sister, as they often did these days, wondering where she had decided to go. Amira had claimed that their brother was still alive, and that she would go find him if it was the last thing she did. Fila had let her leave with the warning that the wilderness would not be what she expected. So far, she had been gone a fortnight at least. Fila couldn't help but wonder if Amira would be alright. After all, it had been Fila who learned the brutality of the hunt in order to feed them both. It had been Fila who looked after them...but now Amira had to fend for herself. And Fila was worried. What if something happened to her? Fila would never forgive herself if that happened. Few others mattered to Fila, but her sister would always have a place in her heart.
Fila tossed aside her worrisome thoughts, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it. What's done was done. Nothing could be done about it...worrying like this was pointless.
So, she turned her thoughts towards her next acquisition. There were plenty of wars being fought in these lands. Warring factions were willing to lavish favors and gifts as payment for a few extra warriors fighting on their side. Mercenary work wasn't glamorous, but it sure paid well. She was about to set out on a grand adventure, and she was excited about the unpredictability of it all. It was good, she decided, to be alone for a bit, without her needy sister by her side.
She walked farther away from her kill, towards the borders of an unfamiliar pride. She would have to tread carefully, as she didn't know how this pride would react to her presence.
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:54 pm
Though he may have seemed intimidating to some, he was still quite young, a newly grown adult only just grown into his mane. Inside he still felt rambunctious and mischievous, but the responsibilities of fatherhood were teaching him new things, like responsibility. Even though he loved his cubs he felt grateful for every opportunity to get away from the den. He needed personal space once in a while. It still felt good to wander along the boarder, smelling the rogue lands and listening to the quiet sounds of nature.
He lifted his nose to sniff the air, closing his eyes in the savory smell of fresh meat. “Someone must have made a kill near by,” he murmured to himself, ears pricking.
Maybe it was some of the pride’s banus out for an afternoon hunt. More likely it was a rogue. He had already told off a few rogue males hunting too close to the pride’s territory. As he followed the scent he reminded himself of the usual procedure. Approach the male slowly so that you do not seem like a threat, gage his reaction and then make your mood. Sultan Ali was quite accepting of wandering males, so long as they obeyed the laws. It was a lot like his home in the Pridelands, except that Vu actually liked it here.
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:22 pm
Fila padded softly along the border, eyes and ears alert for sounds of passersby. She nearly missed the light breathing of another creature, the light thudding of it's feet against the ground. "Well, then, shall we play a little game?" she thought to herself, changing her path to curl nearer to whoever was trailing the smell of her kill. Whoever it was, if they intended to harm her they would be sorry for even attempting. She had not lived this long by hiding in cowardice, tail tucked between her legs. Bold as the sun, she slithered across the ground at a dangerously close distance, almost as if daring whoever it was to detect her presence. She couldn't see the other being, as the grass was over her head while she crouched down, but she could hear well enough to tell his general whereabouts.
Fila herself was young, but at the same time old for her age. The events of her life had matured her quickly, forcing her to assume adult responsibilities at a young age. Her childhood ruined, she never really knew what it would be like to romp and frolic throughout adolescence. It was her experiences that lent her the strength and detachment to do what needed to be done. But this...this was a bit more lighthearted than her usual quests. After all, she merely wanted to spook whoever it was, not tear them limb from limb. If they wanted to fight, then she'd give them one to remember, but...it wasn't violence that led her, simply curiosity.
It wasn't every day that she was the one being tracked.
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:25 pm
Vu spotted the circling vultures before he caught sight of the kill. He knew the hunteress - a female, he was certain of it - was lurking somewhere close by. He could smell her, but the wind was not on his side and her exact location eluded him. He charged at the birds, letting out an enormous roar that sent them scattering in a flurry of feathers and angry caws.
Not much left of the gazelle now. He bent down and sniffed the carcass. Little bit of meat between the ribs. Vultures gathered on all sides, watching him with resentful eyes. He growled in warning as he scanned his surroundings. The vultures were of no interest to him. They were not stupid creatures and would not attack a fully grown lion when they would likely lose many of their flock in the charge. He was still searching for the female. Fila's light coat helped her blend in with her surroundings. He growled to himself, tail swishing uneasily.
When one of the vultures tried to sneak in for a bite, Vu lunged and swung at the bird in warning and the flock began to squawk in protest:
"Leave us alone! We found it first!"
"Yes, it's ours!"
"Go away!"
"There's twelve of us and only one of you!"
Suddenly a couple of vultures hopped to the fore. Others followed, boldly flapping their wings and gnashing their beaks. Vu fell back a step and growled, "Look you birdbrains, I only want a little meat to take back to my family. I've got four growing cubs to feed. Either I bring them back a piece of this carcass or I bring back a little piece of you. My cubs have tried had buzzard before."
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Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 5:36 pm
Only a lion could produce that loud of a roar, Fila decided, rubbing her ringing ears with a forepaw. After her ears readjusted, she stalked closer to him, managing to catch a glimpse of his golden coat. Wondering what brought him out to the no-man's-lands, she hunkered down to watch.
Ah, so that was it. A new father, helping his exhausted mate feed their cubs. Fila grinned slyly from her hiding place, chosen to be close enough to overhear the lion's speech, but far enough away to ensure her safety.
Stepping out, she quietly padded over to the lion's side. "You really do want to leave him alone," she said, her voice dangerously soft, "or you'll have to deal with me as well. You watched me fell that gazelle with ease. Imagine what I could do to your tiny bodies." She snarled a warning at them, glaring at the pesky creatures. She didn't like vultures. They were thieves, stealing their food from others instead of catching their own.
She took a moment to really look over the lion. He was big, obviously strong, handsome...save for a disfiguring scar over his muzzle. Others might have been frightened by so deep a scratch, but Fila thought he wore it proudly. It was a sign of bravery, nothing to be ashamed of, nor feared. She thought it only added to his attractiveness as a lion, but she knew that other lionesses might not agree.
Her eyes flicked back to the vultures. She knew they would leave when confronted by two lions. They couldn't be stupid enough to attempt to fight them both.
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:39 pm
The vultures cawed and shuffled their talons. Before they could come to a decision, a second lion appeared out of the grass. Those vultures that had been so bold a moment before started to hop away back to the safety of the group. Vu glanced at the strange female in surprise.
Having been in Ukuucha'Walfalme for some time now, accustomed to seeing other pads with many females at their breast, he felt no shame when he saw her looks and decided she was pretty. More importantly, she was strong. Her body rippled with muscle and her emerald eyes gleamed with the strength that burns from within. He smiled at her.
Suddenly the vultures that had been circling from above swooped down to join their comrades on the ground. Their numbers enforced, the vultures started to move in again, hoping into the air and flapping their giant wings in the hope of driving the lions away.
But Vu was not so easily intimidated. Even if he were all alone he would take on the challenge like a true warrior. He cast the lioness a meaningful look, smirking, as if to ask Are you in? Then Vu let out a mighty roar and plunged into the sea of vultures, slashing at them with his claws and scattering them like locus. For all the trouble they were putting him through he planned to take some of them down for his family to enjoy.
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Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:41 pm
Fila felt him look her over, and grinned back at him when he smiled. She found it amusing that a mated lion could still admire another female's feminine charms. Especially one who cared enough for his mate to hunt for her. Or perhaps, she thought, one who cares enough for his young. Regardless, Fila would do her best to do nothing to upset his mate. Besides, she didn't want to bring up a batch of fatherless cubs. She knew from experience how difficult that had been for her own mother.
Those darn vultures. Fila growled. The gall they had, attacking two lions. Even in such numbers, they were on a fool's errand. Someone should show them their place. She flashed the lion a wry look that mirrored his own, then tore into the mass of birds, her roar echoing his own. It was a matter of pride now. Fila wouldn't allow herself to be shamed by a flock of feathered airbags.
Teeth flashing, Fila snapped at the vultures, rending them to pieces with her fangs and claws. She ferociously mauled at the birds, caring little for the minor injuries they were able to inflict upon her. Pah! Those gashes from their beaks and talons were nothing compared to the pain they would feel as they died. Twining her way through the scattered flock, she left a trail of feathers in her wake.
It was a furious flurry of feathers and fur. It was new and different, fighting with a comrade at her side. The golden lion was like a tidal wave of strength, his claws flashing almost faster than the eye could follow. He was glorious in battle. A worthy ally or a formidable foe. Fila grinned. She hadn't had this much fun in a long while.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:02 pm
It all ended very quickly. The vultures that hung back early saw the carnage inflicted on their brothers and sisters and made a hasty exit. Those bolder birds who tried in vein to fight off the lions cawed in fright when they saw their flock in retreat, those that could took to the wing while the injured hopped and hobbled as best they could. The brashest of all, the first into battle, fell like fleas off a warthog's behind. All told, four birds died that day. Many more escaped with injuries.
As for Vu, he won the day with a few minor cuts on his back and one deep cut on his left ear, but nothing that a soak in the lake and a good night's rest wouldn't fix. He stood over the bodies of the dead and let out a triumphant roar, laughing as the vultures dispersed into the sky. He shook the feathers from his mane.
"That's the most fun I've had in a long time. And what do you know, it looks like I won't be needing that carcass after all," he chuckled, smiling at his partner and offering a congratulatory nod of his head. "That was some fine fighting. It's been a while since I met a female who can hold her own in a fight. What's your name?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:25 pm
Fila stretched, taking a mental inventory of her injuries. Her back and head were crisscrossed with small scratches from talons, and she sported a gash across her right cheek, but she was relatively uninjured. She'd had worse.
She chuckled as the birds fled, walking over to the golden lion's side. Fila smiled as he complimented her skill. "I feel the same way," she chuckled, "Those birds didn't know what they were getting into." She flicked her tail nonchalantly as he asked her name. "My name is Fila'enzi. But most call me Fila," she grinned at him, "You're not too shabby a fighter yourself," she said teasingly. "What do they call you?"
She was glad that he would have food to give to his cubs. No cub should go hungry. It wasn't a pleasant experience...and cubs deserved the chance to live a worry-free life. Leave the problems of existence to the adults.
"You said you were hunting for your cubs, right?" she asked, her expression softening. She wanted to know more about them, to be sure they were being well taken care of. Not that she thought that he wouldn't care for them, it was obvious he worked hard to do so. She just wanted to be sure, to know for a fact that they wouldn't grow up like she had.
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:15 pm
"Misilivuma. Most call me Vu." Despite his feelings of admiration for a fellow warrior, the pad mentality still crept up on him. Judging by her performance against the buzzards she wouldn't go down easily in a fight. Having already spent a portion of his strength against the birds, he knew it would be too risky to challenge her to a fight on an empty stomach. Besides, he didn't want to challenge her in a fight for her freedom. He knew she would fight back hard. Win or lose, the injuries would not be worth the prize. Still, she was the first female he encountered near the pride who might make a good banu.
When he saw her expression soften he abandoned debating himself for a moment and smiled fondly. "Yes, four little ones; one male and three girls. They're almost juveniles now. A little band of trouble makers."
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:42 pm
"They sound so..." Fila paused. She didn't have words to describe how they must be. "You are lucky, Vu. Cubs are blessings from the gods. Balls of fluff and futures yet undetermined." Fila smiled. "Someday, I'll settle down and have a litter of my own," she said, a grin on her face, "But I'd have to find someone who could keep up with me first."
Fila did notice that Vu seemed deep in thought about something. She didn't have a clue what it might be, mainly because she had no knowledge of the prides in this area.
"If they're almost juveniles, they must have ferocious appetites. Your mate probably has her hands full with just keeping them in line, and it must be difficult to hunt for six." A nagging idea at the back of her mind. Fila was beginning to like this male, as he seemed decent enough. That, coupled with her protectiveness of cubs was lending itself to a bit of a crazy scheme. Perhaps, she could forgive her own childhood if she helped his cubs avoid the same fate.
"I could help you hunt, you know. I'm alone...and I'll be in the area for a while."
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 7:24 pm
Vu stretched and nodded in agreement. He felt glad he followed his heart instead of staying in the Pridelands like his family would have wanted. Now that he had a family of his own he hardly missed them. There was much too much on his mind. His father had been wrong about love. A lion can be a lover and a fighter without ever detracting anything from either side.
"Very healthy," he replied, glancing at the four dead vultures. He smiled. Mollie might complain about his torn ear but these four birds would more than make up for a few minor wounds. He could just imagine how over-joyed she would feel to have a break from hunting for a little while.
He turned to Fila in surprise. He never expected a rogue to offer up help without asking for anything in return. His expression turned serious. "You should be careful here. There's a rite of passage in my pride. When a male reaches adolescence he has to go out into the rogue lands and capture a female to bring back to the pride, otherwise he can't return at all. They leave in a big group and they're not always gentle.
"Every male in my pride has a harem of two or three females. There aren't any large hunting parties. Each harem acts like a miniature pride, but we're all united." He looked at her, trying to help her understand. "I'm sure we must sound like a lot of brutes to you, but most of us males love our females, all of them, no matter how many we have. I only have my Mollie. Since it's just the two of us, we take turns hunting and watching the cubs. And you're right, we do have our hands full."
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 11:28 am
"So that's why there aren't any rogue females in the area. I was wondering about that," Fila said, seemingly undisturbed by the thought of capture. "I feel bad for the poor males. That's a lot of pressure on them. Especially since no self-respecting female would want to be captured...at least not in a violent fashion." She smiled wryly.
"As for me...I have enough sense to elude capture by most, and I'm not inclined to go waltzing into territory that might cause me some trouble." She rolled her shoulders, working out some kinks. "I'm not offering for your sake, you know," she said softly, "I didn't have the happiest cubhood, and I don't want anyone else to share that fate. No cub should go hungry, so if I can help..." she trailed off, snapping her head up, her usual blazing hard expression flashing on her face. "Here's what I'm proposing. We'll create a drop point on the outskirts of your borders. We can meet there, and I'll bring my latest kill with me. I don't have to go into the borders, or run much risk of capture."
She grinned at him. "Unless you want to capture me, in which case I'm not sure if I'd resist. You're quite the warrior, after all." She sat, sphinx-like, flicking her tail side to side. "But I wouldn't want to upset your Mollie. Neither would you, I'm sure, and most lionesses I've come across want to have a male all to themselves, especially after cubs arrive."
It made more sense, if he wanted her to come back with him. He had admired her form, after all, and complimented her fighting skills. She was quite the catch, after all. But could she relinquish her freedom? She had enjoyed traveling the lands. Though...it was getting old, the constant struggle for food, the distinct lack of companionship...perhaps she could conform to a pride.
But Vu hadn't asked, and she wouldn't press him. She could live her life solitary if she must. There were other prides, after all, and if they didn't suit her, she could always reclaim her sister for company.
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:36 pm
He smiled lightly at her assessment of his pride. He already worried for his son almost as much as he worried for his daughters, but with Harb's seer abilities he hoped he would have an easy time finding a female and could make a swift return. He was going to worry about him a lot when the time came for him to leave on his mission. Of course, he wouldn't let Harb know that.
As for capturing her himself, he thought about it. If it weren't for that scuffle with the vultures he might challenge her to a fight, but they were both tired and if he lost (never underestimate a woman with sharp claws and sharp confidence) he might need to rest for a few days, putting all the strain of hunting on Mollie. Ultimately, that decided it. Right now getting into a fight where his opponent's freedom hung in the balance just wasn't worth the risk.
"I would love another strong female in my harem, such as you, and so would Mollie. She's already talked to me about adding another female to my harem. If you promise to honor your proposal, I'll tell you more about my pride the next time we meet. I might even try to capture you," he winked flirtatiously. "Right now I have to get these carcasses back to my family before even more scavengers come."
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:28 pm
Fila chuckled at his words. Perhaps she would just let him take her back with him, if his mate didn't disapprove. "I will honor my proposal," Fila murmured, deep in thought about the future. She was no Seer, nor would she wish to be, but she still wished she could catch a glimpse of what life might be like for her if she chose to go with him. For that would be the only way she went, regardless of whether he thought he had "captured" her or not.
"You're right. If we stand here chit-chatting like songbirds, someone will attempt to steal your cub's dinner. And we can't have that. So...run back to your mate, Vu," she said affectionately, waving her paw at him. "I'll be out here until you have need of me."
She turned and started to lope off, her creamy paws beating out a steady rhythm on the earth. She didn't know what the future held, or what would become of her strange partnership with Vu. But she did know that she couldn't just do nothing for those cubs, not if they needed help. Compassion wasn't usually a driving force for Fila. It was nice, she decided, to help out. Not that she'd want to make a habit of it. That would be entirely too much work. But, for Vu...
Just this once, she told herself.
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