|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:17 am
 It was such a beautiful day! The sun was shinning, the birds were singing and Ibala didn't have a care in the world. Life was great, everything seemed to be favoring her today. Oh! Maybe she could meet a nice new face today. Wouldn't that be exciting! With a smile on her maw Ibala padded forward, no clear direction in mind. Just happy to be here and experience life.
A loud crack broke her happiness and she suddenly found herself scrambling up a tree to get away from whatever it was that made that sound. Once safely tucked away on a high branch she scanned the area. Well there was no one else around. Eyes fell upon a stick that lay broken on the ground. Ibala began to laugh, oh she had scared herself again. She really did need to pay more attention to her surroundings so she could get through a day without doing that. Still giggling Ibala stretched out along the branch, looking for something fun to occupy herself with for the time being.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:36 am
 Tamu was somewhat bored, he hadn't seen Nyota in a couple of days - presumably she was in trouble again and on restriction or just busy in the pride, and Wingu well..one could never really count on him. mother was out hunting - it seems that all she had time to do but Tamu didn't blame her for that - taking care of two cubs on her own was difficult.
But the end result of all of it was that Tamu was bored - and when Tamu was bored he tended to wander, sometimes farther then he should - such as today when he'd left his usual haunts behind in order to investigate some new lands, new playgrounds and maybe if he was lucky..some new cubs to play with. It was this thought that buoyed his steps as he padded along underneath a large tree.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:41 am
Ibala watched as the young lion watched towards the tree she was perched in. It took all her concentration to not giggle and give her position away. He had such interesting colors! And that little fluff on fur on his head was just so adorable! Ibala loved cubs because they were so cute and usually wanted to play or do fun things. Perhaps this cub could entertain her for a while.
Finally letting out a giggle she called down the the splotchy lion. "What are you doing do there?" Didn't he know that the trees were where all the fun was? Silly lions, they always liked the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:48 am
Tamu was practically halfway under the tree before the others voice rang out and somewhat startled Tamu ran forward a few steps before swinging around to see who had spoken...by the sounds of the voice it had been someone close and his eyes scanned the ground only to find...no one. "What the..." Tamu muttered to himself before he recalled the words spoke 'down there' oh well..that might explain things, glancing up he finally noticed the purple spotted leopard.
"Umm...walking I guess..?" He finally answered still somewhat in shock over his earlier startle " I mean..I was just wandering really" He clarified after a few moments "what are you doing up there?" He'd always somewhat wondered what it might be like to view the world from so high.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:53 am
She let out another burst of laughter as the cub seemed to bolt at her words. She hadn't meant to scare him, but Ibala had to admit, if she was in that same situation she would have reacted the same way. "Just walking? Where's the fun in that?"
Just walking sounded dreadfully boring. And here she had hoped that this cub would provide her with entertainment. Tipping her head to the side with a smile. "Up here - well I don't know. I like the trees. They lift me up and I get to see the world." She dangled one of her paws off the branch. "You should try it some time. It's really lovely." Another giggle came from her at the thought of a lion climbing a tree. Now wouldn't that be entertaining to watch! Oh! Maybe she could get this lion to try it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:59 am
Tamu shrugged slightly as he looked at the leopard, she seemed sort of cheery - really cheery actually "Maybe" he allowed when she called walking boring "But how would I get to new places if I didn't walk there?" he asked, seeing new places wasn't boring, or at least he thought it was fun and interesting.
Other then the view he wasn't sure where the fun was in sitting in a tree all the time - still it would be something new to see, considering the tree for a few moments he tipped his head "I'm not sure lion can climb trees" He told her after eying the branches "I wouldn't even know where to start trying"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:10 am
"Well you may get to new places by walking, but you don't get to see everything from the ground silly." Tail flicked about for a moment. Hey, maybe she could show him how to climb a tree. Surely there could be no better teacher than a leopard right? Ibala let out another giggle before standing up and carefully walking along the branch to the trunk of the tree.
"Well," She began cheerfully. "If you have claws, then you can climb trees!" She exclaimed. "And you have claws right?" She asked with a giggle. A lion without claws would be just silly. Carefully she climbed down the tree trunk, head first and once she was close to the ground jumped to land beside the lion.
"Now then." Tail flicked around happily. She would teach this cub to climb a tree alright, and have fun doing it. "First thing you do, is sink your claws into the bark." Walking back to the tree she showed him how to do so. "But make sure it's not loose bark or you'll fall." Remembering how many times she had fallen due to loose bark made her giggle once more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:25 am
My she giggled alot Tamu thought to herself , in the span of time it tool the Leopard to make it back to the ground she had giggled not once..not twice..but three times, and Tamu hadn't really seen anything that was all that funny. But he shrugged it off with a slightly amused look on his face - he'd tell Nyota about this nutty leopard later and then they'd have a real laugh and in the mean time well..maybe he'd learn how to climb a tree. If the Leopard was right and anything with claws could climb a tree then he certainly could do it - he had claws after all and as though to reassure himself of this fact he lifted a paw and flexed them before following the Leopard's instructions and placing them on the tree trunk.
Pulling on them a bit one of his paws slipped as the bark flaked off and he nearly stumbled "I see what you mean about the loose bark!" He told her before finding a better grip and giving the Leopard a 'now what' look.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:32 am
This was so great! She would teach him how to climb a tree and they would have so much fun doing it. Oh, of course then he would need to learn how to get down. That was a bit trickier than going up. But oh well, they would figure that out if he got up.
Once the cub had his claws sunk into a secure piece of bark. "Okay!" She said enthusiastically. "Next you need to get your back paws up there for support." So she showed him how to carefully lift one paw and then the other onto the tree. "You're back legs support you weight and your front legs pull you up." She giggled again, for no reason that she could figure out. "Once you feel ready, reach up with one front paw and plant your claws again." Then she showed him, reaching out with her left front paw, digging her claws into the bark higher up and then looked back at him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:46 am
Something in the back of Tamu's head was telling him this might not be the bet idea he'd ever had, but he was ignoring it in the name of new adventures and furrowing his brow slightly in thought Tamu lifted his back legs up one at a time to dig them into the free bark too - well this is a somewhat awkward position to be in he thought to himself as he found himself clinging to the tree in a hunched up position. And now he was supposed to...move?
"Umm..okay.." he told the giggly Leopard, watching as she moved up the tree with far more grace then he was sure he was showing at the moment, tentatively moving his paw up he dug it into the bark and used it to pull himself up a little bit higher. He was doing it! He was climbing a tree! "I'm doing it!" He told the Leopard with bright eyes - even though he had only moved a little bit. But hey it was progress and he went to repeat the process with his other paw.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:51 am
Eyes filled with happiness at the sight of the little lion taking his first steps - well not steps but that didn't matter - towards climbing for real. "Very good!" Her tail twitched happily as she watched him. "All you have to do it keep pulling yourself up and you will be at the top in no time."
Luckily for the cub there was a semi-low branch in this tree. If he could reach that then she would be so pleased. Of course it was still a pretty good distance away, but if she encouraged him enough he could make it. Right? Pulling herself up to the branch took little effort on Ibala's part and once up there she sat perched on the branch looking down at the lion. "Now let's see if you can make it up here." She called out to him, smiling widely.
Though her smile faded for a moment. "Then you will just need to figure out how to get down. Getting down can be very tricky." She giggled, chances were he would fall out of the tree. Most creatures did their first time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:13 pm
Tamu looked up at the branch the leopard was perched on speculatively, it still looked quite a distance up but he'd made it this far right and taking a chance he glanced over his shoulder and eye widening flattened himself even closer to the tree. Holy crap! He was a long ways up...or at least it seemed like a long ways down. Gulping lightly he tore his eyes away from the ground and looked back at the leopard. He hadn't even thought about getting down...
And it was far to late to worry about it now - he was already halfway there and he wasn't about to wuss out. If Leopards could climb trees then lions could too! Determined to forget about the fear of being way to high in the air - a place lions were not meant to be Tamu focused on pulling himself up the trees trunk one clawed scrambled lurch at a time until with a bit of wrestling and flailing with his back legs he managed to clamber up onto the branch. "Ha! I did it!" He yelled before taking note of the ground again and huddling on the branch. Crap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:18 pm
She giggled excitedly the closer the little lion got to the branch. He was doing it, he was going to make it! This was so very exciting. When he finally made it up onto the branch, with a bit of a struggle, she beamed with happiness. "You did it!" This was one of the best days in her life. She had taught a lion how to climb up a tree.
Brow furrowed for a moment. Now how would he get down. She didn't want him to get hurt. That would be so sad if he fell and got himself hurt. What would his mother think? And Ibala would be scared for life if she brought harm to the cute little guy. "Now all that is left is to get down. But like I said it's very tricky."
She glanced down at the ground from her perch. The heights didn't bother her one bit but something about the lions posture told her that he may think differently. "I can carry you down. You'll be safe that way." She smiled warmly at him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:29 pm
He had done it..and sure he was somewhat well terrified now that he'd managed to get onto the branch and realized how high up he was Tamu was still proud that he'd done it. He didn't know any other lion that had climbed a tree! Now of course there was no getting past the problem about getting down - he couldn't stay up here forever after all, he'd starve or die of thirst..or worse fall off when he slept! what a terrible thought.
Eying the Leopard dubiously he glanced at the ground "Ain't I a little heavy for you to carry down/" He asked her - although of course he had no idea that leopards routinely pulled large antelopes into trees all the time and he was a fair bit smaller then an antelope still. And he didn't want to get down without at least looking around first - I mean what would be the point of climbing all this way and then not see how different it was to look at things from way up here? He felt like ..like a bird! and so while he waited for the Leopardess to answer he took the time to glance about and make note of the differences, you could certainly see farther! Why he was pretty sure he could almost see home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:38 pm
Standing nimbly on the branch she laughed. "No, don't be silly. You won't be too heavy." She took a few steps along the branch so that she was closer to him. "You know I carry things up trees that are a lot heavier than you all the time." She could see that now that he was a bit more relaxed that he was enjoying his time up here.
"Isn't it lovely?" She commented as her gaze looked out towards the far distances. One could see so much more from up on this perch than they could on say a large rock. Leopards certainly had the right idea coming up here all the time, even if most of the time it was merely to hide their food and sleep. Still it made her wonder why the others didn't do it. I mean they all had claws, so all they had to do was climb on up and see the world as birds saw it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
