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 Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:50 am
Of course, when they had parted ways with the intent to meet each other later, Nadra had nearly outright tormented her. The vulture, who was graciously not with her now (Nadra felt comfortable enough with the situation to let her bonded to it), had teased her mercilessly over her new friend. The vulture was almost shameless in how she described Ufunuo and the possibility of a relationship. It made Elea want to bash her own skull against a rock, or hide away someplace in her embarrassment.
It made her flustered to think about it now. Damned vulture, thinking that she knew exactly what Elea should do and how she should do it. The lioness was even more thankful then that Nadra had opted out of coming. So, Elea laid herself down on the ground, waiting patiently for Ufunuo to show up. She really didn't expect him for another half an hour or so, but she didn't have anything better to do (and she really needed to get away from Nadra).
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:51 pm
 Ufunuo had mercifully been spared the tauntings of his bonded (though Daga fully intended to make up for that later). However Daga -had- been driving him nuts with bits of advise that Ufunuo neither understood or saw a reason for. How to act, what to say, he should take her a flower. A flower? What? It was a hunt, and he didn't think Elea was really into that sort of thing anyways. Or maybe she was...oh now he was doubting himself and getting nervous when a moment before he was excited.
That particular conversation had ended with a glare from Ufunuo. So his time had been spent cleaning up his hide and straightening his mane while -trying- to ignore Daga's ramblings. It wasn't like he was taking a bath though, just straightening up, he didn't really want twigs or dirt falling out of his mane when he went to meet her.
Finally, with the sun fading, and a promise from Daga to leave them alone for the night, Ufunuo set out for the place where he would meet Elea.
And the excitement was returning, a smile on his maw and a silent hum drifting around him as he trotted to that spot. He paused long enough to look to the sky, it would be a beautiful night, the perfect night for a hunt.
Ah, there she was. A cheerful wave of one paw, he quickly closed the distance between them, landing in front of her with a final bound.
"Hi! Been waiting long?"
Daga had held half true to his promise. He would leave them alone as he had said, but that didn't mean he couldn't watch from a distance.
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:03 pm
Elea almost instinctively leaned back when Ufunuo took one last bound closer to her. But, his cheerful demeanor was... warming. She felt at ease with his smile, really, she needed someone more lighthearted to brighten her day. With a single glance over him, she noted that he looked nicer than before. There didn't seem to be any dirt covering his fur in a thin layer, but maybe because it was getting darker out she couldn't see it as well. But... he definitely looked... nice, and she flushed a little at the thought.
In comparison, Elea had forgone priming herself for the hunting expedition, though Nadra had chided her for it. Dirt was easily seen on her white pelt, but she kept herself well-groomed enough that it really wasn't all that off-putting. Really, they were going hunting, there was no reason for her to look nice. She had explained this thoroughly to Nadra. There was no point in grooming oneself when she was just going to get dirty again by the chase (and hopefully the kill).
"Ah, no, not too long at all. You have good timing." She rose onto her paws, and briefly shook herself out, loosening her muscles in preparation for the hunt. "I just want you to know that hunting with me is a little different - not so much, but I can't chase after prey for long distances. I usually find more success when the prey is herded towards me." Ah, she was already talking about business. Nadra would have smacked her own forehead with her wing if she heard what Elea was saying. It was hardly the direction she would want this to take!
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:48 pm
Ufunuo didn't really notice or mind whatever dirt may have been in her fur, he thought she was pretty just as she was. Wow, she was pretty, her pale hide brilliant in the light of the setting sun. He would bet that she shone in the moonlight.
It would about about this time that Daga would have thumped him in the head, wake up and stop staring! Wait, had he been staring? His grin turned sheepish, his own flush rising to his cheeks.
"I'm glad."
Right, to the hunt!
Stretching his own limbs, forelegs first, then hind, Ufunuo listened to everything Elea said, nodding when she finished.
"Okay."
He was feeling starting to feel a bit nervous realizing this hunt would be different for him in more ways than one. Normally he hunted with Daga, they were a team, and now he was beginning to doubt he could do it without him. Deep breath, Ufunuo, relax, you know how to hunt.
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:01 pm
She blinked, and slowly started to notice that he indeed was staring at her. Flushing, Elea glanced to the side, Nadra's teasing words rising to her mind again. She was going to slaughter her bonded when she got back, for putting these thoughts into her head. Elea was practically turning her fur pink with embarrassment. She needed to focus on other things, like hunting. Focusing on Ufunuo would just make her embarrass herself further.
She forced a smile onto her face, and brushed past Ufunuo, thoughtlessly touching shoulders with him. Silently she encouraged him to follow her so they could get on with their hunt. "When we find something, our best chances are to have us both start down wind. Then you can begin to circle around them to guide them over to me. If you and I can get it right, it'll be a successful hunt." Elea had easily fallen into the roll of an instructor. She was the more experienced of the two, though in most cases Ufunuo would be the better hunter. Hopefully, with the combination of her experience, and his skill, they'd be able to catch something.
She wanted to find smaller game, something that wouldn't tax either of their strength. Anything too small would be too quick, and anything too large would be too strong. She needed to find a healthy medium...
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:31 am
Ufunuo stood frozen for a brief moment, blinking as he watched her step past him. They had touched, intentional or not, it had felt like more than just a simple touch, different, but he liked it. Why he did not understand, she'd just touched him, why was it different, why was he even thinking about it?
She was going to think he was an idiot, focus Ufunuo! He shook his head to clear it, quickly following after the lioness. He fell into step beside her, his own strides a half step behind hers (she was the expert thus she should lead the way).
A flick of his ears, he listened as she spoke, a nod to tell her he understood. He knew the importance of moving down wind, it had been one of the first lessons Hifadhi had taught him. Move in from the wrong side and your prey will known of your approach and flee before you even start. Of course he had also learned that it was not always that easy.
So in this hunt his role was reversed, playing the part that Daga normally took with him. The difference being that he did not have the advantage of his bonded's eyes and would have to rely on his own senses instead. Okay, he could do that, just use his senses.
His head turned, searching for a scent. The prey beasts were likely settling down for the night, an advantage to the hunters.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:47 am
She was on alert now, Ufunuo's presence sinking to the back of her mind. She was aware of the presence beside her, but paid it little mind yet. Nadra would have scolded her for it when she got back to the vulture, for Elea blocking out her partner. But, this was a hunt, and for Elea, a hunt was business. They did what they had to do to make a kill... and some part of her really wanted to make a kill tonight. It wasn't because the pride particularly needed a small kill right now, but it would be embarrassing to fail in front of Ufunuo. Elea had no idea why she felt the need to impress the male, to prove to him what he probably already knew by now - that she could hunt.
Elea paused, ears straightening and tuning into the sound of a herd not too far off. She bypassed it, though. The beasts were too large, she could tell what kind from the smell, and she was not willing to tackle them. A lot of hunting happened before the chase. One hand to find prey, choose whether it had a greater chance of being caught or not, and then which way was best to tackle the situation. It came down to strategy and execution, not just skill and power.
"I think something antelope-sized will be good for us," she commented idly, as if she wasn't really talking to Ufunuo, but herself. Really, she was the absolute worst conversationalist when the hunt was on her mind. Afterward she'd be a better conversation companion.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:11 am
He nodded a silent answer, his own mind shifting to that of the hunter. Like Elea, Ufunuo wanted to succeed tonight, to show that he was a good hunter. It didn't matter if he knew his own skills, didn't matter that Daga knew, his father, his sister, or Hifadhi. No, tonight he wanted Elea to see that he was a good hunter.
His posture had changed, his expression turning serious, his senses focused. His gait low, calculating, silent. It was a side of him that Elea had likely never seen before. Tonight, the goofy lighthearted heir was showing he worked as hard as he played.
He scented the air again, a silent flick of his tail. Where he alone or with Daga, he might have chosen to the herd they had passed. Skilled though he was, he did possess the same experience. She knew far more than he did and he was taking note of everything she did, everything she said.
A pause in his steps, his nose twitched, he had caught the scent of something. Silently he indicated toward the brush, maybe what was there would be a suitable prey?
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:27 am
She took a few moments to let her mind trail off and away from the hunt, instead evaluating Ufunuo. His demeanor had changed completely, and Elea couldn't do anything but approve. He knew when to play, and he knew when to be serious. She was... impressed by this. So, Ufunuo did have skill when it came to hunting, and she could appreciate it. The hunt would be easier with a lion who took it as seriously as she did.
She paused, and took Ufunuo's direction. Sure, she was the more experienced hunter here, but that didn't mean she would discard her teammate's suggestions. Elea knew when to listen, and so she turned her head towards the brush. Ah, she didn't like that one bit, though. Elea liked to be able to make visual contact with what she was going to try and kill, and right now she could hardly make out the figures behind the brush. That was why prey usually chose such places to rest at night, because it helped to protect them.
But, Elea did know this terrain well...
And for some reason, she wanted to let Ufunuo make the decisions, she wanted to give him a shot at this. She inclined her head to the lion, indicating that she would go with it if that was his decision. Slowly, she began to stalk closer to the brush, to investigate, to really try and get a hold of the situation.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:42 pm
Ufunuo hesitated, she was trusting him to decide? Focusing on the scent, he was somewhat certain the beast in the brush was a gazelle or maybe a smaller antelope. At the very least he was sure it was not as a big as a wildebeest or as small as a rabbit (he had hunted enough hares to know what one of those smelled like).
Did he dare to take the chance without the help of Daga's eyes? Or did he pass on this chance in the hopes of something better? They might not find another chance tonight, spending their time wandering around in search of the perfect prey that never came. There was no such thing as a perfect prey right? Sometimes they had to take a chance, and she had trusted him.
Okay, he could do this.
A silent nod, the hunter crouched into a stalk, beginning to circle the prey, trusting in his nose and his ears to guide him. He was cautious, his steps deliberate, in the silence of night there was no covering a slipped step, even the faintest noise would have surely sent the prey beasts running.
He circled in a wide arc, staying down wind as long as possible, remaining aware of the position of his prey as well as his partner, this would never work if he lost track of Elea. Another step and he would be into the wind, the prey would smell him, he did not like that.
A clear patch of dirt, if he could not conceal his scent, he could disguise it. He dropped to the dirt, a quick roll, hopefully hiding his scent long enough to get him in range of the beasts. A short distance, a few more feet, his muscles coiled like springs. You can do it, Ufunuo.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:07 pm
Elea decided not to move from her position. It would be easier for Ufunuo to keep track of her if she didn't make any sort of drastic move. Elea only moved a little to the side, to conceal herself behind some brush. She was lighter colored, and even in the darkness of the night she stood out. It was a disadvantage to be so distinctly colored. If only she had been born yellow or brown, or even black. But, no, she was startling white with light purple accents. The white was a stark contrast against the dark of the night.
It was up to Ufunuo now. If he could herd the prey beast over to Elea, her chances of making the kill would be far greater. Elea could run for a very short distance, but she did best when the prey was practically placed into her paws. One leap and she could have her jaws constricting around its slender throat. Ufunuo, in essence, had the hardest job of the pair. He had to have the skill and the accuracy to herd the prey to Elea. If the prey didn't come close enough, Elea couldn't make the seal on the deal.
If she missed, there was still the chance that Ufunuo could catch up to the antelope and kill it. But, the chances were far slimmer.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:11 pm
A few more steps, he was nearly opposite Elea. The prey were beginning to stir, time seeming to freeze in that crucial moment before they realized the danger and the predator sprung. A moment later and they would know he was there, they would be on their feet in running in a valuable head-start the predator could not afford to give. It was now or never...
He sprung, leaping toward the prey with talons bared, his jaws parted in a ferocious snarl. The chase was on! The beasts, which were indeed gazelle, springing to their feet in flight.
Ufunuo had eyes for only one beast, a doe, smaller than its companions. He was racing, paws pounding the earth in a furious gate, a snap of his jaws driving it onward, into the waiting grasp of his partner.
He just had to keep the beast on course, and trust Elea to do the rest. But that didn't mean he was backing down, he would stay right on the beast's heels. It would not escape, not even if he had to run it to the edge of the valley.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:23 pm
Elea didn't have time to think - the time to act was now. She crouched low to the ground, ready to spring at whatever Ufunuo drove her way. She could hear the pounding of small hooves - if they had been larger prey she would be able to feel it with her toes. Her eyes fixed on each gazelle that past her by. She didn't spring yet - no, they weren't close enough, and they weren't the one that Ufunuo was going to bring right into her jaws.
She saw it then, the small doe with Ufunuo right on her heels. The lion was close enough that he may be able to make the kill himself, but Elea would not chance it. She did not take any more chances than she needed to. She just hoped Ufunuo would know when to pull back, so he didn't go careening into Elea and her possible kill.
Ah, but the gazelle was almost on her, and she halted all thoughts then and there. She acted on instinct, springing on the small creature just as it began to pass her. It didn't stand a chance, not when Ufunuo had led it neatly into Elea's jaws, and not when Elea was so skilled at sealing the deal. She dragged the gazelle to the ground with a growl, jaws enclosing around the slender neck, suffocating the life out of the unfortunate creature slowly.
When it was dead, she straightened herself, turning her gaze to Ufunuo to speak breathlessly, :That was... very good. Very."
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:50 pm
He had stayed hot on the beast's hooves, never slowing down until he knew the beast was caught. Prey safely in Elea's grasp, Ufunuo veered to run past her, slowing to a trot as her circled back around and finally stopping at her side.
He was panting, his chest heaving to catch his breath, a grin spreading across his maw as he brushed his shoulder against hers in a gesture of celebration. It was exhilarating, never had he run so hard, and they had done it!
"You were...amazing."
He smiled at her, shaking the loose dirt from his fur before settling onto his haunches. His limbs ached with the exertion, but he didn't care, at that moment he could have walked on the clouds.
If only Daga had been there to see it, he would have been proud. Ah, but maybe he had seen it, maybe he had been watching this whole time, Ufunuo truly had grown into a fine lion.
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:00 pm
The kill was momentarily forgotten. If they did not eat it, they could bring it back to the pride to share it with some of the other members. Really, the meal was being shoved to the farthest corners of her mind, because Ufunuo had complimented her, and it had her blushing like an adolescent. That little brush against her shoulder had only made her more aware of the other lion. If Nadra had been around, she would have applauded Ufunuo with her wings for doing such a fine job. Elea was looking at the other lion differently now. He had done extremely well in the hunt, better than most of the younger lions. Perhaps it was beginner's luck, but Elea did not dismiss it as that.
"Thank you," she replied a little breathlessly, chest heaving slightly from her exertion. Oh gods, when had she begun to act so tame? And why had she really not been so aware of Ufunuo until right now? "You were... stunning. I'm so impressed. There are few lions your age that could have pulled that off, I swear." He had done rather exceedingly well. Another lion may have taken the chance to make the kill themselves, or another lion may have blundered drastically in the chase. It was hard to herd a gazelle rather than catch it.
But, ah, she had run out of words now. What... did she say to him? Why was she worried over what she should say to him? She was going to murder Nadra - this was that vulture's fault, for making her think this way.
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