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 Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:46 am
The grassy paths her paws had traveled since dawn that day had rolled into hills, gently sloping like tall grasses blown over in the wind. It had been a while since the flat seemingly endless savanna had been broken, and the light furred lioness was more than happy with the slight change in scenery. It meant that this was a place she'd never been before, which could always hold so much promise. New wonders to discover, perhaps new friends to meet. That walking uphill required a bit more effort than striding across the flat grasslands mattered not one whit. After all, walking back downhill was easier than walking on flat ground, so it all evened out.
The faint contented smile she often wore curving across her features, she watched with some amusement as her sometimes traveling friend raced up and down the hills. Perhaps it was odd for a lioness to call a hare 'friend', but Keena and Kisun seemed to run into each other often enough on the sometimes lonely road. Company was always welcomed by the lioness, though Kisun was just as likely as not to be gone when she turned around. But that was all right with her, their next meeting could easily be something to look forward to.
But then, every day was another wonderful thing to look forward to.
Any kind of ground was good for running. Flat plains could get momentum built up sure, but there was nothing for random bursts of speed like running up and down hills. Kisun was having a delightful time of it too, zigzagging back and forth as well as up and down. She enjoyed playing with gravity like this, even though the last time she'd done something with gravity she'd hurt her paw falling down a steep incline. It had been quite fun to tumble ears over tail though! Quite worth limping around. Actually, hopping on three legs had been fun too...
With a gleeful little chuckle, the hare launched herself into a massive leap, wondering if she'd fly off the side of the small slope if she pushed off hard enough. Apparently this was not to be so, and she hit the ground rather hard as her paws worked furiously as though she ran on air. She'd gotten a good bit further than she usually did, would it work twice?
And suddenly a new game was born. It was as simple as that. Giggling, she scampered back up the hill a ways before turning and, with a good running start, flinging herself off into the air... for a few seconds anyway. Land, run back up the hill, jump, repeat. She could do this for hours...or a few minutes. However long it took for her to grow bored.
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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:28 am
But everything had changed upon stumbling across the pride. Here he could roam but also help a pride of lions that were so . . . well. . . so sick! Something had stirred in his heart and it had been so strange to find himself swearing loyalty and allegiance to those of the Kitwana. Sure, he could leave for good any time he pleased, there were no consquences for a meager scout to desert. . . .
But that wasn't even an option for the lithe cheetah. He found, despite the eternal hardship that plagued the pride, they were now his family. He didn't want to leave them and could only strive to be the best rogue he could be!
But a little snack on the job wouldn't really hurt. . . would it? Ears pricked, the feline saw with amusement as the creature bound over the top of the hill. It was indeed something edible, a hare of some sort. And thankfully the little thing seemed to be dumbly unaware of hat lurked so close within the dead grasses of the hills.
Crouching low to the earth, Ezequiel wasted only a moment before he took off like a streak, aiming straight for the rabbit. The creature would run, of course, but Ezequiel knew he was faster, and the silly thing had to bolt back up hill if it wanted to live. Mouth watering, Ezequiel as entirely unaware of the lioness that trotted just beyond the peak of the hill. . . .
What a surprise for everyone!
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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:51 pm
Run run run jump! Fly...land. Run run run...
Oh yes, this was fun fun fun! Maybe she'd try rolling down one of the hills next. That might be really fun too! Probably get dizzy. Maybe runing in circles on the hill would be different from running in circles on flat ground. She might even wind up rolling downhill in the middle of it! Ooooh, yes yes, she would try that next...
But, on her next leap, Kisun couldn't help but notice someone watching her. Wondering why they hadn't joined in on the game yet, she paused to turn in their direction, her bright blue eyes narrowed in a dissaproving frown. So many people, it seemed, did not know how to have fun...
...or how to properly join someone else's game. Because she had obviously not been playing 'tag'. Oh well. Looked like it was time to run. Turning, the hare bolted back uphill, aiming for the spot she was pretty sure her friend ought to be right about now. Cresting the top with a tremendous leap, more flying fun, Kisun burst into a fit of giggles as she landed and slid right under the lioness' tummy before tumbling and somehow winding up on her paws again.
"Kisun, what in the world-" Keena began, twisting as her friend shot between her legs with a mad giggle. Honestly, she loved her, she really did. But she just didn't understand that hare sometimes! Well, most times. Kisun always seemed to mean well. But...well. Keena wasn't always sure what she meant.
With a small puzzled frown, she turned to look back in the direction her friend had just bolted from, then squeaked in surprise to see a greenish figure streaking straight towards her. Well, hello, there was someone else around her. Looked like first impression might very nearly be literal impressions, either in each other or the ground or both if she didn't manage to move out of the way quick enough!
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Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:16 pm
The rabbit had taken off in the opposite direction, flying over the crest of the hill. Thankfully, Ezequiel understood that they would then have to go down the hill and then he could really fly! The hare would be his and he'd have a fabulous treat to sedate his hunger and get him through the rest of the day.
Like a rocket he took over the grassy plains, but his red eyes went wide with horror as he realized that the hare had disappeared and instead there was a lioness waiting on the other side. "Ack~!" He gasped, attempting to maneuver out of the way. While he may have missed the lioness completely, his shoulder bumper her own as his lithe body twisted. This threw him off balance and cuased his paws to miss the ground. At such a velocity, Ezequiel had no chance and all he could do was tumble head over paws and side in to a heap as he slide rather painfully down the hill.
Dust circled him and for a moment the cheetah could only stare at the ground and pant. What had just happened? Never had he been so ungraceful in his life. . . . Somehow that hare had transformed in to a lioness to trick him, or the lioness had been tracking it too. Red eyes turned as he slowly lifted his head, trying to get a better look at the stranger near the pride lands.
"Sorry about that. . . " He coughed lightly, ever so cautiously rolling to his paws.
((Zomg. . .so short. Sorry, I'm exhausted and my brain is melting. x_x; Better replies on the horizon after sleeps.))
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:02 pm
Keena tried and failed to dodge properly, though she did manage to avoid a full-on collision this was mostly because the other swerved as well. She stumbled slightly from the knock on the shoulder, then winced when the cheetah went sliding down the hill. Quick as a flash she was after him, though unlike the unfortunate cheetah she was on all four paws.
"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned and apologetic though she really hadn't had any idea he was there. Somehow she was fairly certain his sudden arrival coincided with Kisun's mad dash of moments before...
Wow that cheetah had flown!
Kisun, being prepared for the large feline to arrive over the top of the hill, had dodged quite out of the way with no trouble at all whatsoever. In fact, it was the perfect vantage point to watch both the almost-collision and the resulting tumble down the hill.
Completely unfazed by the fact that the cheetah had been attempting to eat her, a strong indicator that there was something wrong with her survival instinct, the hare bounded back over to where Ezequiel was just getting to his feet. She sat there, head tipped and ears flopping comically, before announcing brightly, "That was fun!"
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 3:53 am
Slowly, ever so slowly, the cheetah pushed himself to his paws. Half of him was now covered in dirt and he certainly had bit the side of the hill rather hard. Licking his maw, and trying best to ignore the dirt and sand he now nibbled upon, red eyes focused on the source of all his problems. . . .
The lioness.
It wasn't often they had visitors so close to the borders. Still, Ezequiel's hunger was momentarily displaced as the lioness showed her good intentions. The fact she hadn't attacked him while down was a good sign, and her inquiry to his health and well-being had to be a good sign. Despite having wiped out and aches on his side and legs, he honestly felt fine.
Taking a few steps on his paws proved that nothing was broken. "Wow," he mused, grinning lightly as his heart rate slowed. "I botched that up pretty good, didn't I?" Giving himself one final shake, Ezequiel forgot about his unfortunate wipe out and focused fully on the lioness. "Oh sure, I'm fine! Hehe, don't let this thin frame fool you I'm pretty hardy," he grinned, chest puffing out in pride. Ezequiel had taken far worse beatings in his life, and it was usually due to his own stupidity. . . .
At least when he was younger. A racer, a wanderer and a damn adrenaline junkie often left the cheetah in precarious situations. Dodging a lioness in the hunt for a hare was pretty minimal in the grand scale of things. "Sorry, I hope I didn't hit you though," he remembered his shoulder plowing in to something soft and fuzzy, which did cause him a moments concern. She might be a lioness but at the speed he was racing to get hit still might cause a bruise. . . .
Ears flicked forward though as he spotted the source of all the trouble. There it was - his snack! Unfortunately though, the little thing didn't seem to realize the danger it had been in and was going off about how fun everything was. Fun!? It occurred to him then that the creature was either familiar with the lioness, or merely had no sense of survival whatsoever. After such a fall though, regaining his wind and battered pride, he wasn't going to do a damn thing to Kisun. . . nope! The hare had won well and truly thanks to the lioness. . . . But maybe that was a fortunate thing.
"Fun's one way of putting it," he admitted with a lop-sided grin. "A wild rush was more like it!"
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:52 pm
"Oh good," Keena let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She would hate to have been in any part a reason for someone else to come to harm. Especially someone who seemed as nice as this speedy fellow. A cheetah, if she wasn't sorely mistaken.
And speaking of sore...
Now that she was no longer so absorbed in finding out whether or not this new friend was injured, her shoulder was beginning to demand her attention. Shifting slightly, she eased up on putting her weight on that foot. He'd hit her rather hard after all, enough to knock her off balance though not enough to knock her down or injure her seriously. She was also a bit tougher than she looked, and accidents did happen. She'd be fine, he was the one she was worried about, tumbling so far down the hill...
"Just a little bump," the lioness assured him when he asked if he'd hit her. And, compared to what had happened to him, it really was no big deal. Sore, but she'd be fine in no time.
Good. The cheetah had abandoned any thoughts of eating her now that she'd turned out to be with someone. Even if she weren't really with Keena. Not exactly. Sometimes they stuck with each other for a little bit. And if Kisun spent more time with the kind and rather innocent lioness than she did with the other peoples she'd met...well. Maybe it was just coincidence.
Grinning that gleeful grin, she hopped right over to settle herself between Keena and the cheetah who'd chased her. She didn't act much like she knew she might have been eaten, she looked and acted and even felt sometimes like an oblivious child. It was a lovely feeling, carefree immaturity could be quite fun.
"A wild rush is fun," the hare argued affably, enjoying the lopsided grin. It was always nice to meet other people who were willing to play like she was!
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Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:37 am
He was hurting, but he wasn't going to admit such a thing. Ezequiel, despite his thin frame and rather delicate appearance, was quite a hardy creature. He had to be with his upbringing - it was no fault of his parents, of course, it was merely the fact that he had taken spill after spill due to his adventurous spirit. There was very little the cheetah was afraid of, pain was not something he concerned himself with and no fear was able to keep him down. No, as a young cub he had craved nothing more than freedom and speed. He still boasted himself to be the fastest cheetah on the savanna and whether that was true was anyone's guess.
Now that he was certain everyone was well enough, he took a moment to peek from lioness to hare and back again, red eyes curious. They were both completely unfamiliar to him so he could only assume they were rogues passing through or neighboring pridal lions. Of course, exactly what a neighboring lion would do off his or her pride was questionable - especially getting so close to the Kitwana'antara borders. He didn't think any ambassadors were scheduled to come. . . . so he'd put his paw on rogue.
"Sorry for flying over the hill. . . . I'm usually less clumsy and rude," he stressed, giving his long tail a little flick. Smile good humored as always, the cheetah canted his head. "But let me make good and begin the introductions! I'm Ezequiel'unai, scout of the nearby Kitwana'antara." So strange to title himself as an actual pride member. . . He'd never thought he might join a group and give up his rogue ways.
Well. . .stranger things had happened, or so he figured. Besides, he was happy and got to help unfortunate souls everyday. It made him feel like he finally had some sort of purpose in his life!
"Sorry for trying to eat you," he did state, looking down at the little hyperactive hare. His words were meek and he almost looked sheepish while he admitted his intentions. . . . .but the little creature didn't look put off. Not. . . not that he could tell at any rate.
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:15 pm
Keena smiled somewhat sheepishly as he pointed out he wasn't usually clumsy and rude. Right. Introductions. She'd rather forgotten in the commotion. Not that there'd been much commotion, it had all happened far too fast for that. But still...
"My name is Keena. I'm just a traveler," she explained, adding, "I didn't know there was a pride here. I hope I've not gotten in the way..."
Because it did rather seem she'd been in the way. Otherwise the two of them wouldn't have collided. Collisions happened more frequently when people got in each others way than they did when no one was in the way. If that made sense. She thought it might... usually she wasn't quite this dizzy with her thoughts. Maybe she was just a little flustered. She hated to think she might have interrupted something important...
Kisun looked straight back at the green cheetah as he looked from lioness to hare. She was totally unafraid of him, any worries she may or may not have had put firmly to rest when he introduced himself. Most people never bothered talking to a meal. And since he didn't seem like he was going to attack Keena too, then there probably wasn't anything to worry about.
"That's alright," she chirped, quite totally very forgiving. So very magnanimous of her. Yup. "I'm Kisun by the way."
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