Chobi_Chocobo
Yuki had met some strange characters ever since she took on raising her half little sister. One of which was a brother she'd not seen since she was a cub and the others were.... not so pleasant. Her and Mei were alright though and that was all that mattered. She was headed as far from the Arba lands as her paws could take her now. Mei followed in toe weaving between the teens paws as the two went on.
The sun was setting now and soon Yuki would need to find a safe place for the two to stay. Taking Mei under her wing would have been easier if she had just handed the cub over to her father, but Yuki didnt want to do that. Yuki wanted to prove that she could do a better job then Eun Mi. Yuki would raise Mei on her own. She had to.
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Mei giggled unaware of the thoughts going through her older sisters mind. She was having to much fun weaving and avoiding her sisters paws as the two went along. Mei didn't know any better she was a youngling. In her eyes the most important thing right now was play time.
The sun was setting now and soon Yuki would need to find a safe place for the two to stay. Taking Mei under her wing would have been easier if she had just handed the cub over to her father, but Yuki didnt want to do that. Yuki wanted to prove that she could do a better job then Eun Mi. Yuki would raise Mei on her own. She had to.
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Mei giggled unaware of the thoughts going through her older sisters mind. She was having to much fun weaving and avoiding her sisters paws as the two went along. Mei didn't know any better she was a youngling. In her eyes the most important thing right now was play time.
Thalion
With a litter of newborns to protect, the troupe was on high alert once more. Taban had been secretive the last few weeks as to just where he'd been running off to. Only his ever-present companion, Fubar, knew where he'd gone and when he'd return- but of course there was no way to extract information from the strange maned wolf. While he was hardly a mute, he didn't speak beyond barks and effectionate whimpers. The arrival of a golden lioness and a litter of little hybrids had been both a blessing and a great suprise to the troupe.
The young leader had casually explained that he'd completed his tale- the cheetah had captured the wind a total of three times, each time asking something of her. First- a token, a golden feather that he'd brought back as proof of his sucess. The second time- a name. The third and final time- a family.
The cheetah had already expressed that it wasn't a devoted relationship, more of an agreement between himself and the wind-lady that had brought the cubs into the world. The cheetah seemed wary of comitting himself into a relationship, but his heart had long ached for a family of his own. Not only had he suceeded in doing so, but he'd brought to the troupe something all had thought to be beings contained on the breath of his stories- a cheetahs who would roar like lions.
The youth couldn't be more proud. Unfortunately, now he had his paws full. Feng, the trainer of speed, was given the task of keeping the troupe sharp. The hyena pups had grown into sturdy, powerful warriors. Unfortunately, their youthful sense of stupidity had yet to grow out of them. Fakhir in particular was a young upstart with his own goals and ambitions- and he was currently getting a hard lesson ground into his hide.
Feng stood crouched with a long, dry stick firmly held in his maw while Fakhir hauled himself back up to all four. The ebony cheetah crowned with a firey red mantle bore a device of man- a coursing collar and harness of gold and crimson. He'd been the emperor's treasure, a sign of good fortune and an excelent addition to his coursers. Even after his seperation from his master and the comfortable life of captivity, he bore the man's harness on his back.
"Again." He ordered around the stick, sharply.
Chobi_Chocobo
Yuki and Mei continued to tread together. Mei was keeping very close to her sister but at the same token it made it a little tougher for Yuki to walk with out tripping over her sister. She didnt sculd her sister though. Mei was young and she was having a good time by the looks of it.
The female cheetah stopped causing Mei to walk right into her leg and nearly trip the both of them.
"Owwwie..." Mei sniffled. Yuki paid no mind to Mei's whimpers though right now she was on alert. There were shapes up ahead. It was hard to make out just who or what they were from the distance though.
All Yuki could do was try her best to either avoid them or try to pass with out conflict. Two of her last encounters with strangers had been.. very unpleasant. She was a little more on guard then when she first started this journey.
The female cheetah stopped causing Mei to walk right into her leg and nearly trip the both of them.
"Owwwie..." Mei sniffled. Yuki paid no mind to Mei's whimpers though right now she was on alert. There were shapes up ahead. It was hard to make out just who or what they were from the distance though.
All Yuki could do was try her best to either avoid them or try to pass with out conflict. Two of her last encounters with strangers had been.. very unpleasant. She was a little more on guard then when she first started this journey.
Thalion
The hyena shook his head out, his senses reeling from the blows he'd recieved in the morning's training. The object of the morning's training was to bite Feng's ear. It sounded easy enough- but there was the matter of evading his stick- which was meant to replicate the paws of a much larger, much stronger creature. If he could nail a target as small as an ear, he could learn to move in closer to a foe and target a more crucial point in their body- such as their throat or a major artery.
But damn it all, the cheetah wasn't being gentle in his lesson. He knew full well it was punishment for going out on his own..he'd only recently recovered from his fight with the leader of the boneyard pack. It had been none of his business, none of the troupe's business, and now he'd have the lesson carved out in bruises and aches.
Snarling, he tensed, eyes snapping to his target ear. However, the trainer was looking away. Farkhir's brow tightened and he snapped his head up to attention and drew in a long breath.
"Intruders. Rogues. Two."
"Indeed." Feng dropped the stick, pausing the training for the moment. "Nearby... now mind yourself..." He took a slow breath. "We have a lady on her way."
Chobi_Chocobo
Yukis nose twitched. She had no idea what to do and she had no idea that the far off figures had spotted her and Mei. Right now she was trying to figure out a way to move as low under the radar as possible.
Mei giggled as she started off before her sister. A beatle had crossed her path and now she was determined to catch the thing.
Yuki lifted a brow and went on after her sister. Dang it she didn't have the time with unknown strangers up ahead. They could very well be unfriendly. Her paws moved swiftly and as quietly as she could make them go. Still it was a graceless effort as Mei seemed to B line right when she was about to catch her sister.
Mei giggled and continued onward. The little cub was blissfully unaware of what was going on. She just wanted that beatle.
Mei giggled as she started off before her sister. A beatle had crossed her path and now she was determined to catch the thing.
Yuki lifted a brow and went on after her sister. Dang it she didn't have the time with unknown strangers up ahead. They could very well be unfriendly. Her paws moved swiftly and as quietly as she could make them go. Still it was a graceless effort as Mei seemed to B line right when she was about to catch her sister.
Mei giggled and continued onward. The little cub was blissfully unaware of what was going on. She just wanted that beatle.
Thalion
Feng grunted as he scanned the grassland around them. They were nearby...his old eyes were starting to strain along the horizonline, blurring the edges of the scenery and dulling the colors.
"Cover." He ordered sharply. Fakhir grunted to aknowlege the order and fell into stride just a few paces behind the trainer as Feng loped forward, his posture alert but, for the moment, non-aggressive.
It didn't take long for a sleek, bright form to break the blurry golds and browns of the landscape. Another smaller, darker form bounced about in the grass.
He slowed his pace but moved purposefully towards the two figures, his shoulders dropping slightly. Behind him, Fakhir prowled, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Cover." He ordered sharply. Fakhir grunted to aknowlege the order and fell into stride just a few paces behind the trainer as Feng loped forward, his posture alert but, for the moment, non-aggressive.
It didn't take long for a sleek, bright form to break the blurry golds and browns of the landscape. Another smaller, darker form bounced about in the grass.
He slowed his pace but moved purposefully towards the two figures, his shoulders dropping slightly. Behind him, Fakhir prowled, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Chobi_Chocobo
Finally Yuki got her maw around Mei's scruff of her neck. It had taken her a good while to catch the perky cub, longer then it should have, but she caught her. Before the strangers noticed at le-
Yukis eyes widened, a figure was gone and another was headed right toward her and Mei. Cheetah by the looks of its slender build. This had been what Yuki was trying to avoid.
Mei squealed with delight and flailed a bit in her capters mouth. "Boooo!~" She cooed.
Yuki set her younger sister down and straightened her posture a bit. Couldn't give way that she was slightly terrified. Because she was.
Mei didn't seem to mind though. She had a happy smile planted on her maw.
Yukis eyes widened, a figure was gone and another was headed right toward her and Mei. Cheetah by the looks of its slender build. This had been what Yuki was trying to avoid.
Mei squealed with delight and flailed a bit in her capters mouth. "Boooo!~" She cooed.
Yuki set her younger sister down and straightened her posture a bit. Couldn't give way that she was slightly terrified. Because she was.
Mei didn't seem to mind though. She had a happy smile planted on her maw.
Thalion
"Do not worry." The cheetah offered, his voice carried a strange, sharper accent. It was something the others in the troupe had grown accustomed to but it always seemed to throw newcomers off for a time.
"You seem to be...a little young to be out on your own- and with a cub-", he glanced down to the little dark-pelted creature and lifted his brows. Another wind-lion? How very odd...
"You seem to be...a little young to be out on your own- and with a cub-", he glanced down to the little dark-pelted creature and lifted his brows. Another wind-lion? How very odd...
Chobi_Chocobo
The female raised a brow at the accent. She'd never heard anything like it before. Of course she spent a good deal of her life surrounded by her family away from out siders.
Was her age really that obvious? Yuki had not thought about it. Maybe her last encounters had been less then pleasant because of her youthful appearance. Maybe. She didnt really know.
"She's my sister," She eyed the older male. Her face didn't show her feelings but her eyes did. She was nervous.
Mei stayed quiet as the two talked. She was a good little cub when she felt the need.
Was her age really that obvious? Yuki had not thought about it. Maybe her last encounters had been less then pleasant because of her youthful appearance. Maybe. She didnt really know.
"She's my sister," She eyed the older male. Her face didn't show her feelings but her eyes did. She was nervous.
Mei stayed quiet as the two talked. She was a good little cub when she felt the need.