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 Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:41 pm
 Mani was resting under the shade of a tree. It only provided so much shade, but that was beyond her control. Take it or leave it. Though, she could move to another tree but, this was the first she had come to, and was abit stubborn about moving at this point. She'd been on the move, as per usual, but as of lately the dark coloured cheetah had been pushing herself. She couldn't really place it as to why, but.. maybe the Gods had something in mid to happen? Regardless, she could only lazily wonder what was to happen today, while silently taking in the sounds of her empty stomach.
Mani knew that she had to eat soon, but her aching feet cut that possibility down. She'd have to wait abit longer for her feet to stop hurting. If she tried to hunt with sore feet..well, she figured that was just a bad idea all around.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:48 pm
Slaves weren’t meant to have opinions, and after scanning angrily for the hare he sat back on his narrow haunches, tail flicking and twitching as the dust settled. As he sat the newest failed hunt seemed to add a weight to him and hunker his shoulders down another inch. Save his last master, hunger was the most miserable possessor he’d ever known. He’d been made to skip meals as punishment before, but it had never made him so aware of the weariness in his body or the stiffness in his bones. Although he usually reserved a very private pride for the striking colors of his coat, even that was now withered away. Dust coated him, grass seeds stuck to his undersides, and a patch of scars over his face made his expressions twist strangely when he rarely showed him. Jaw agape as he slowly recovered his breath, he raised his head and stared hollowly at the sun.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:02 pm
Mani was shook out of half awake dreaming, by some commotion nearby. This culminated with a hare booking it right past her at high speed. had she'd been more awake, Mani would've been inclined to chase after it. Though, she'd rarely been able to catch a hare going at such instinctual speeds. As a yawn overpowered her maw, the inhaling scent alerted her to a presence nearby. Presumably, whomever it was that had attempted to catch the hare. Her tail flicked with slight curiosity. The scent she inhaled was feline for sure. But, not cheetah nor leopard. It was a lion.
This made her feel slightly uneasy. Lions were much larger than she was, but.. Mani always gave others the benefit of the doubt. She knew not every lion would chase her around, or were mean.
Once she could gather herself onto her feet, she wandered into the gras to get a closer look.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:33 pm
Maybe his size was a disadvantage. His height and broad shoulders made him less agile than some, not to mention he was an unbecoming size for a domestic slave, his body wanted grunt work that he was mentally unsuited for. It was probably his pelt that had saved him from harder chores that would have aged him in just a few short years. His rich mane and thin red stripes (each matted or blurred with dust now) had been attractive to his previous masters, clean, but not too much to overshadow real beauty.
Now his body just felt to cumbersome to chase hares, and the black fur on his face, mane, and back felt blistering hot in the sun. He stared at the golden orb as if it were a black pit for some time and then dropped his shaggy head. “Get up, oaf. No one’s here to feed you,” he grumbled to himself, and heaved to his feet. Without knowing it, he started in the direction of the cheetah.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:14 pm
Mani had faintly heard the lion up ahead of her grumble to himself. Seemed rather harsh words to speak to oneself. The thought occurred to her, that perhaps he wasn't alone. But, after another sniff or two, she concluded that wasn't so. She only smelt the lion up ahead. Though, now it sounded as if he were on the move. Was he heading towards her? The grass of this area were rather deceptive that way. Sometimes it would sound as if you were going to be surrounded, when you weren't. Though the wind didn't help in that regard. Regardless, the cheetah kept her curious resolve. She wanted to see, perhaps befriend this lion. Being close to a lion would be interesting enough. At this point, she rather hoped that he was friendly. it would be nice to travel with someone, rather than alone.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:42 pm
He had another habit it break – looking up when he walked. Accustomed to keeping his head down, he was only a few paces away from the cheetah before the flash of purple in the grass caught his eye. It was too late in the season for those violet flowers, but the cat’s face was even more surprising. He flinched, making a startled sound, but the cat’s form was daintier than a lionness’s. A cheetah, here? Spooked in to silence, he stared at her with comically wide eyes. “Uh.”
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:11 pm
Mani's ears alerted her to a startled noise escaping someone. It came to her attention that it was uttered by the lion. She glanced at the lion, whom was staring at her intently. She glanced at the male before her. He was.. large. Seemed larger than most lions she'd seen. Though granted, maybe he also looked bigger because she was so close. He seemed rather handsome, if he'd clean up abit. But, she wasn't one to nit pick too much. It'd been awhile since she'd taken the time to thoroughly clean herself too.
" How are you? I hope I'm not interrupting your quiet time or anything.. " Mani said with a smile. Hoping that he soft tone, and smile would help put the male at ease.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:39 pm
“No,” he answered uncertainly, ears flicking back and twitching.
He never knew quite what to think of non-lions. He’d had very little experience with them while in prides. Cheetahs he’d only seen from a distance, amusedly dodging scouts with their absurd speed on their graceful, thin limbs. Either they were lesser than lions, shunned for their weakness, or simply different. In either case, he had no idea of what rank to consider her, of how to address her. “I was hunting a hare a moment ago, but it got away,” he said with thoughtless honesty, not seeming to think of how foolish he must have looked letting the rabbit evade him.
She was so thin! Were they all that way? Unsure of himself, he settled back on his haunches and regarded her in befuddlement. "Did you need something?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:57 pm
Mani sat on down as well, " Not particularly. I smelt you and got curious. I've never been this close to a lion before. Especially a handsome one, such as yourself. " She said happily. Which was true. She had been curious, especially wondering if that hare was the one that eluded him. Which, apparently it was. A hare would be something a bit harder for a large fellow to get. Usually, lions went after bigger game. But, then again, those lions had been in Prides. They had teamwork on their side.
" It's okay though, we all have our off days. Hares are abit tricky anyhow. "
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:17 pm
Hatari was only growing more confused, if that were possible. The cheetah’s answers came kindly, and he didn’t know if that meant she ranked above him and could afford kindness, or if she were lower than himself. Unresolved, he allowed a very faint, tenuous smile that quickly disappeared – a dim echo of his old, private vanity that was all but dead. He’d lost too much dignity to take the compliment well, and awkwardly skipped to her second comment. “I’m finding that out. I haven’t done much hunting before and it seems to be getting the best of me.”
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:30 pm
Mani smiled a little more when she saw the large male smile a bit. It made her feel as though her kindness was helping the male relax some. " Well, Klipsingers would also be good too. " She would've mentioned larger prey but, she never got to have that very often. Whenever she did, it'd be a couple of bites, and then get chased off. A disheartening fact that, being smaller, she couldn't go after the bigger creatures. However, it didn't phase her too much though.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:53 pm
Hatari made a thoughtful, pondering sound and gave a deliberate nod. He’d thought it best to start small and work his way up with prey, but the klipspringer he could maybe strike before it could spring and dash away as the rabbit had. Maybe something even larger if the opportunity came? Perhaps a baby zebra or something? “I think I’ll try that.”
He blinked at her a moment, and suddenly cleared his throat and glanced down, abashed. “My name is Hatari, by the way.”
((*EDIT: going to bed. suuuuuper tired, will get back to you tomorrow))
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:51 am
[ Understandable. Rest well~ C: ]
" My name is Mani. It's a pleasure to meet you Hatari. "
Mani was indeed pleased to meet this lion. Not everyday she got to talk to a lion.. or.. anyone for that matter. She was oft on her own, and although she has some introversion; she still has her moments of extroversion. Mani enjoyed meeting others. Making new friends. Her black tail curled around happily. It was nice being able to make a suggestion, let alone a good one that someone valued.
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:11 am
“Thank you,” Hatari said, dipping his head. He hadn’t yet looked Mani in the eye, and it was by now becoming clear that he might never do so. Instead he gazed at her chin, yet somehow managed to look serious and normal doing so. “Do you know… if there are any prides near here?” he asked. He almost didn't want to ask. Although he'd only just gained his freedom, he found himself not liking it. The lonliness, hunger, and responsibility were all dizzying, but the thought of returning to a society of lions.... was that best?
((I’d recommend saying no, since he plans to seek them out and we want them to hang out a bit first. =P))
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Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:19 pm
Mani tilted her head in contemplation, her tail twitching. Were there? She really didn't keep track of lions in the area unless they were chasing her away. " Mm, not that I know of. I'm sorry, I'm not all that helpful. " Which, did disappoint her a bit. Mani shrugged off the negative emotion, instead replacing it with a happier one. " ..But, if I hear of one, I'll be sure to let you know. "
Mani sometimes wondered what it was like to live in a large group. Friends and family all in one spot.
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