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 Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:36 pm
Aiko was anxious.
Her paws padded against the earth, her lithe body moving in a quick and easy lope, but the way her eyes darted and her ears flicked betrayed her anxiety. Time and time again she slowed or paused, looking back over one black-spotted shoulder in the direction she had come. Her delicate ears would perk, and her violet eyes were intense with concentration, as though the young cheetah listened for some far-off sound only she could hear. Whether or not she was satisfied was hard to tell, but she’d turn back to her light trot after a few moments, her tail switching behind her in agitated little lashes.
Her cubs were alone.
She hadn’t managed to find someone she could trust, someone to watch them. She feared leaving her brother with them, since Nana had so strongly been disapproving of her having them. And Bungie and Baride were nowhere to be found! But she needed someone to watch them, people were getting nosy about her and having anyone near her cubs was nearly as distressing to them as it was her, given her ferocious overprotectivness towards the four tiny balls of fluff and love.
But she needed someone.
Someone had to be here, someone she could bring back to watch, someone she might manage to trust. Someone like that must exist. And she could bring a new member to the pride, and in doing so help to prove her worth. She needed to become a Geisha more badly than ever now, the higher position would keep her cubs safe.
She’d heard entertainer’s cubs often became slaves.
So, as much as her work pleased her, as much as she loved doing what she was good at…she loved her babies more. And with no father, or at least no father that she dared to identify for fear of her little ones being killed for it, there was only herself to vouch for them. That Nana might use his position as the boss to keep her babies, his nieces and nephews, safe never even occurred to her. He’d disapproved of her profession and everything that came with it. He hated her, as far as Aiko was concerned. So why would she ever think he might have interest in keeping her precious children safe?
No, Aiko was of a mind these days that she must look to herself, because big brother had other plans for her, plans she could not live under. Now she had four little cubs to look after, and it wouldn’t be long before it became apparent that they were not pure-blooded cheetahs. Hybrids were acceptable, of course, but Nana at the least knew of her affections for Dysi. If he figured it out… oh, gods, please keep her babies safe!
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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:46 pm
Wakka yawned and sprawled out happily, trying to soak up as much of the residual heat that the large stone he occupied had to offer. He had been drowsing, perfectly content, for a few hours now, sleeping off a large meal. There wasn't much to do but relax. Often, he would have a visitor or two that he would travel with or entertain, but in the quiet times in between, he was left with plenty of time to himself.
He'd always been a rather laid back leopard, enjoying the simple pleasures in life. However, lately he'd been craving something else. He needed a change in scenery or something to occupy his time and thoughts. He thought of himself as a creative leopard and he needed to find an outlet for those thoughts.
Stretching one last time, he allowed himself to slowly slink off of the rock and down onto the grass below. Shaking out his fur and his limp limbs, he started in easy stroll to the nearby watering hole to get a drink. It had been a rather hot day. The short walk gave him ample time to contemplate his future.
He could always find another group to travel with. Sure, they were always suspicious at first, but Wakka had very little difficulty earning their trust. After all, it wasn't like he could sneak up on anyone. His intensely bright coat made that very difficult. Still, after a time, they would leave or he would leave and he would be right back where he started. He needed to find something new.
"Something new. Now where am I going to find something like that?" he mused aloud.
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:20 pm
There must be someone. Anyone. Except, it had to be someone she might be able to trust. Someone she could handle if she had to, someone who'd be willing and able to look after four little hybrid cubs with no father. There must be someone like that...maybe she'd find that lioness, Keena...
Oh no, wait, stupid Nyoka didn't like lions. Keena wouldn't be a nanny, she'd wind up a slave. Aiko couldn't do that to her, she might be odd but she was so sweet and kind and...and there must be someone else like that! Someone so calm that no matter what they were always able to be helpful, to be good to those who needed it.
She might act like she'd settle for anyone, but...but these were her babies. She would never let someone she didn't like look after them! Tail switching anxiously, Aiko paused, looking and listening, and then prowled in a small quick loop. If she were a nice, sane, person, where would she be?
Water.
There was a watering hole not too far from here, perhaps she'd find someone, or several someones, there! Twisting she bolted off in the proper direction, though she forced herself to slow before she got too close. It wouldn't do to exhaust herself, she needed to make a good impression after all... ooh, there! What a handsome fellow, rather striking markings for the Kuroi'Nera...but that just meant he'd be more likely to be kept as an entertainer...or a nanny.
"Hello there!" Aiko called, pausing to catch her breath. Mustn't seem too eager, don't look desperate. Couldn't bring back someone bad for her children... "Uh...nice day isn't it?"
Well. That was lame.
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:11 pm
Wakka was enjoying a long drink of cool water and was rather startled by the sound of a voice nearby. He managed to cover it well and glanced over with a sheepish smile. His gaze settled on a lovely, dark female cheetah who was apparently attempting to strike up a conversation with him. Well, Wakka was definite game. Any friendly diversion would be a blessing.
"Hello there to you as well," he said, his voice rich with a quiet humor. It was Wakka's natural way. His coat might have been bright almost to the point of being garish, but he had a calm and quiet way about him. It was just the way he had always been.
Wakka chuckled at the question kindly before answering.
"Yes, it is a rather nice day if I get to have a conversation with you. My name is Wakka. Might I be so bold as to ask your name?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:21 am
Oh, he had a lovely voice, soft and rich and friendly. Aiko's tail flicked, her shapely ears pricked attentively towards him. Usually, with such a perfect line as that, she'd have taken every invitation, knowingly given or not, to be quite all over him. A sweet honey-coated purr that her name was Aiko, and what was a handsome thing like him doing all alone on a day like today, followed by a few light words, and then she'd likely have won him over for the night.
But that wasn't enough today. That wasn't the goal. She wouldn't mind flirting, except she didn't have the time for it! She needed to get back to her precious little ones, all alone waiting for her to come and mother them...oh, what was she going to do if she couldn't find someone to help her? If only Dysi...but he'd been avoiding her like the plague it seemed. Which hurt, it really, truly cut her to the core.
"My name? Oh, it's...Aiko," she smiled, her tail still making tiny, twitching little nervous motions in spite of her efforts to relax. She could have a boy wrapped around her paw in a few minutes, should he be so inclined, but she didn't want that this time. She wanted calm, level-headed, and, dare she say it, possibly even responsible. The wild passion she usually entertained would never do. Only, it had been so long since she'd tried to behave otherwise...it just didn't come naturally any longer.
"It's nice to meet you, Wakka. Do you live around here? I haven't seen you around before, and I'm sure I'd remember such a handsome fellow." Alright, so maybe she wasn't too nervous to flirt a little. She was still breathing, wasn't she?
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 5:19 pm
Wakka took a moment to look the female cheetah over. She really was a lovely creature and her dark coloring and markings were a pleasant contrast to his own, colorful pelt. She seemed a bit nervous, but he couldn't blame her for that. After all, she didn't know for a fact that he wasn't going to attempt to attack her. He endeavored to look pleasant and relaxed, putting on an easy-going, well-natured smile. After all, he didn't want to lose a possible conversation partner.
"Aiko, it's very pleasant to meet you," he said, ever the charmer. He grinned a little at her question and the slightly flirtatious manner in which she stated it. Well, two could definitely play at that game.
"I'm a bit of a traveler, actually, so I haven't been in the area for long. I've actually been looking for a place to settle for awhile, and this area seemed nice. Why, thank you," he said in response to her compliment.
"Do you live around here? I wasn't aware of any prides or groups living in the surrounding area, but I certainly have been wrong before. I'm not intruding, am I?" he asked, with concern.
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 9:52 pm
Aiko could feel his eyes on her, as she'd so often felt so many others. It wasn't a new feeling for her, and it didn't usually excite her much anymore. Just gave her a feeling of pleased satisfaction. She was beautiful, she did deserve to be noticed, and she usually enjoyed it. But she was a little flustered today.
The pride was a secretive thing after all. One didn't just talk about it, they'd sworn oaths and everything. But how else was she going to ask this leopard to come back with her?
"Well, actually, I do live nearby," she decided finally. "My brothers and I. And...friends..." Aiko said cautiously, "We're a bit of a pride, yes, but...it's very secretive. I can't tell you too much but...I think you'd like it there..."
And if he was interested and wanted to join, then she could tell him a little bit more. And if he did join, then...then...then that would be awesome. She didn't know him well, but he did seem nice enough after all. And she needed to find someone...
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:14 pm
Wakka blinked a few times, both puzzled and intrigued by her answer. He'd expected a simple yes or no, not something secretive. He wondered for a moment if he should back out gracefully. He didn't want to cause trouble for this lovely cheetah if he'd wandered onto heavily protected pride land. Tail twitching as he thought, he considered that idea for a moment and rejected it. After all, she was speaking with him, flirting a little even, not attacking him.
"Well, that sounds very intriguing. I don't normally come across secretive prides, but I certainly understand. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble for telling me pride secrets," he said. Winking, he added, "Though I am a bit curious now."
That last thing she said. That he would like it there. That was . . . interesting. Wakka took a closer look at the lovely cheetah and saw that she appeared a bit nervous or apprehensive. He couldn't fault her for that, but it was an interesting response.
Maybe it's a sign, he thought to himself. After all, he had been looking for something to occupy his time. Perhaps this was an opening to an opportunity.
"Is there anything you can tell me? Oh, and I certainly don't want to be rude and I hope you don't mind me asking, but if your pride is very secretive, then why are you out here? Not that I mind, of course, but normally secretive pride members keep to themselves."
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:05 pm
"Maybe you have come across them, and not known you had," Aiko suggested in an attempt to be playful, before pawing lightly at the ground. She wanted him to come back with her. She needed to prove she was useful as more than just an entertainer, she wanted a higher rank to give her cubs a higher rank.
Plus she needed someone to watch them, a 'nanny' would be a huge help to her. If it was someone she picked and brought back, then they might be loyal-ish to her, she just wanted her cubs to be safe. Not to mention..,he was a leopard. Maybe people would jump to conclusions if she brought him back so soon after her hybrids' births.
"Well...it's like a giant family," she started. Lots of prides were, it wasn't like she was giving away anything important. "There's all kinds of positions people can take, so you're sure to find something that suits you..." Except if Wakka picked to be a fighter or something, then she'd still need someone else to watch her cubs while she...worked...
"Do you like cubs?" Aiko finally asked, looking at him with her head canted curiously, or maybe it was more hopeful. Maybe.
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:11 pm
The last question caught him a bit off guard and he was unsure of how to respond. He frowned for a moment, but then shrugged it off and answered honestly.
"I like cubs, though I haven't had any of my own. I haven't had the occasion to be around many recently, but I helped to care for my younger siblings when I still lived with my parents," said Wakka. His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "Why?"
Wakka really didn't mind the flirtatious back and forth, but he had a feeling that Aiko had something that she wasn't telling him.
"If you don't mind me being horribly blunt," he said, after a moment, "May I ask if you are in some kind of trouble? You seem a bit nervous, and I want to be sure you are okay and that we aren't about to get attacked or chased out of these lands or anything like that. Believe me, it's happened before," he added.
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:50 pm
He'd raised younger siblings, he knew how to look after younglings without having a prior obligation to children of his own. And he seemed nice enough, and was just passing through, but was looking for a place to settle. And he was intrigued by the secretive nature of her pride. Not to mention, he was the type she was quite pleased to flirt with, having him around wouldn't be the same as having Dysi but since she couldn't have the leopard she loved...
"What?" she blinked when he asked if she was in some kind of trouble. Usually she was much better about this some kind of thing... "No, it's nothing you need to be concerned about, we're outside the territories, no one's going to come and attack you, well, no one from my pride. But..." Aiko hesitated. Well, he did seem to think being blunt was a good idea right now, and she wasn't sure of any other way to go about this anyway. "But I am in trouble," she admitted, "I've cubs that I'm not supposed to have, and I can't look after them properly and do my job, and if anyone thinks that I can't do my job while I have them then they'll get taken away, and I don't know who the father is so I can't ask him so I thought I'd look and see if I could find someone who was looking for a place to stay and bring them back, but you don't have to if you don't want, I was just looking. Only I can't stay out here much longer because I've left them alone and Kanie always seems to wander off instead of staying in the den like I told them, and she and Jiro might have a fight if I'm not watching them and...and so I'm a little bit nervous, but you're not in any kind of danger no." Aiko's ears laid back anxiously. She might have said that a bit too fast...
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Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:00 pm
Wakka took a moment to think through what she had said. He had thought she might be hiding something, but what she actually said took him by surprise. So, she was a new mother and the father of her cubs was not in the picture. But, she was struggling to look after him and there was the possibility that they might be taken away from her.
Wakka felt a surge of anger at the mere idea that Aiko's cubs could be taken away just because she had no one to take care of them. That wasn't fair. A mother should never be separated from her cubs.
So, she needed someone to come and look after her cubs for awhile. Well, he could do that.
Wakka didn't have anything else going on and he really did like cubs. He'd taken care of his younger siblings and did their best to understand what they were thinking. So, maybe he could help out Aiko for awhile. She seemed like a really nice girl and she definitely needed a friend.
"So, you need someone to come and help you take care of your cubs? Well, I could do that, if you want me to," said Wakka with a smile.
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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 2:41 pm
Aiko shuffled her paws back and forth uncertainly, still anxious in spite of herself. She'd not meant to just blurt it all out like that. She'd intended to play and lure the male in, just as she always did. But this was so much more important...she was so very worried for her children... The one time it would hurt her to make a mistake and she could hardly string together a proper sentance! She was just searching for a way to properly excuse herself when he said he wouldn't mind helping.
"Oh, would you?" she gasped, her voice rising in a childish squeal of excitement, "Really? I mean...you don't have to feel obligated or anything, but I...really?" Aiko gushed, she could hardly believe her luck. Finally, finally she was having some! Oh, this was wonderful. For the moment, it didn't matter that her brother's looks were starting to hurt or that Dysi wanted nothing to do with her at all anymore. Her cubs would be safe!
"Oh, but- I have to ask...ah... I hope you aren't terribly offended," the cheetah deflated quickly, her ears flattening anxious against her smooth skull once more, "But, see, if you want to be able to leave...I think you need to be...blindfolded..." It sounded dodgy, she knew it did. "But it's not frightening, well, I suppose it might be the first time. But really! It's perfectly alright. My brother is the boss, he and his mate shouldn't have any troubles with you, you're perfectly wonderful. And then, if you want to leave later, then you can."
((Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. I totally did not realize this was tagged!))
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Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 2:23 pm
((No worries, hon! ^^))
Wakka raised his brow at the thought of being blindfolded but shrugged it off. If her pride wanted to remain secretive and secluded, who was he to judge that? Not knowing the way to get back bothered him a little, but if he needed to, he could just break away and keep running. He'd end up somewhere. Besides, Wakka could take care of himself. It was unlikely he'd end up having to run away.
At least, he hoped he wouldn't have to.
It was foolish to think of bad things happening before they did, so Wakka shrugged off that line of thought and nodded, showing his consent.
"I guess that makes sense. It won't be comfortable, but I respect the wish for privacy. When do we leave?" he asked.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:29 am
Aiko could not believe her luck. Could not believe it at all. She racked her mind, trying to think of any other details she could give that might put him off, just so that he didn't feel misled, but...she couldn't think of any.
"Truly?" Aiko gasped, then lunged forward to rub her cheek against his shoulder, "Oh, thank you, thank you so much! I promise, I won't allow things to be regrettable!" Perhaps she was overzealous in her attention, but she was accustomed to being overly-affectionate at the twitch of a whisker. "I'll make sure you can leave if you hate it, my brother has some degree of power in the pride and... thank you! We can leave whenever you're ready, I'm sure Mana is following me again..." she muttered as an afterthought, twisting to frown in the direction she'd come from. He'd followed her last time after all. As if he thought she would betray the pride, or perhaps someone else put him up to it. Nanashi or, perhaps even Nyoka. Either way, Aiko hardly held his doing his job against him. It might even be useful in this situation.
"Mana is a cheetah like myself," she added hastily, "If he is about, he can help bring you back to the others. He won't hurt you, no one will. I promise."
She would promise anything, do anything, if it was for the best of her cubs.
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