The sun had just touched the horizon when the white and blue leopardess leapt down from her perch. Today had been an all together lazy day, most of it spent sleeping off the huge meal she had eaten the night before. Red eyes scanned the area for signs of danger before she loped out into the open, heading back for the remains of her kill.
She yawned, tired from the journey with Malenga. He was sleeping currently, and he knew that if she left, she would be back.
She had only recently gained his trust in that way, and it used to be he was cruel and would punish without reason. Now, he tended
to be more understanding, though only with her. Others, he tended to be as he was with her back in the day. Though she supposed traveling with him as long as she had,
he had grown to be used to her presence. She supposed she should be sleeping too, but she just.. couldnt. It was the daytime, and she couldnt sleep? It wasnt like her at all.
But she sighed, and just walked. So long as she didnt go too far, she knew that she really didnt have to know where she was going.
She felt her belly grumble, and supposed she could take down a meal to drag back to the shade where Mal slept the morning away. He wouldnt be happy if she hunted without him, and
brought nothing back for his own belly. That, and he tended to take care of her as well, so she knew that she wasnt the type to take advantage of his kindness. She knew, exactly how hard it
was to gain such respect from him.
She hadnt been meaning to run into anyone, but that seemed to be when she ran into others the most. Ruby eyes scanned the morning lands, and she realized just how..
how long it had been since she had been in the sunshine! She panted a bit, black pelt catching the heat.
Note to self, do not travel in the heat again.. it was not pleasant.
Neeja had just settled down to the remains of the young buck gazelle when she heard the heavy paw pads of someone approuching. Ears perking, she sat up only her head showing above the tall grasses she had hidden her meal in. "Well hello there!" She chirped with a soft smile as she spied the dark lioness.
Oh dear, look..She had done it again. Run into another when she truly just.. had no interest in meeting others.
She supposed she had become anti-social in having to be around one lion all the time, and no one else.
But she supposed it wasnt a reason to really be rude to the other. She sighed, shaking her head at her misfortune, and
plastered a smile on her maw, however fake it might have looked.
"Hello, there." She responded, voice softer than it normally was. The leopard seemed kind, and she could smell the meal that she was hiding in the
tall grasses. It was that that helped calm her down. This one was kind, and had food. It was always a plus to run into those types.
She walked closer, stopping once she got a decent distance away. She didnt want to get too close just yet.. she wasnt even sure she wanted any of the meal.
But getting too close could spell a defensive leopard.
Neeja's smile turned gentle as the lioness approuched, it was so nice to find a young one with manners. She had a fleeting moment of regret, thinking she could have ate on the meal for atleast two more days...but something told her the lioness was hungry and Neeja had never let someone leave her company still hungry or in need. "You are welcome to join me if you wish. It is not much but it is all I have."
She felt herself want the meat, and her tummy growled giving her the strong desire to say yes.
If she ate now, she could always hunt a meal down for her companion.. He wouldnt be upset if she had received
a free meal, if she brought one for him as well.
She smiled, walking closer to the leopard. The grasses tickling her legs and she looked down at the carcass of the gazelle.
She looked back up at the leopard, cocking her head. She was curious about such kindness. She had never received anything like it before.
She was used to fighting for what she needed, and just trying to survive..
This wasnt normal for her.
"Id hate to take your meal from you." She responded, but her eyes roved over the meat and she carried a certain gleam about her that gave her the distinct look
of just how hungry she was.
In retaliation of her denial, her stomach let out a loud gurgle, and she smiled reluctantly.
Neeja actually laughed as she stepped back to let her eat in peace. "Shush child. Didn't you ever hear the saying don't over look a gift?" Laying back in the cool grass, Neeja sighed contently her red eyes gazing at the dark female, before she frowned faintly. Something about the way she moved, her hestitance in accepting a meal...."Are you alright sweetling? Has someone been hurting you?"
She shook her head quickly, she wasnt being hurt. Not anymore at least. She used to not be
able to say that though. Malenga wasnt the kindest lion, but she had earned his respect. She would not talk down of him now.
"Oh nono. Im sorry. Im just.. not used to others being so openly friendly I guess. I am normally just attempting to survive each day.
You know..like we all are." She smiled reassuringly, and flicked her tail side to side.
She lowered her maw, tearing at a piece of the meat, and letting the taste flow over her. She purred her approval, and started chewing, before
lowering her maw once more to take another piece.
She looked back up at the leopard, and a piece of meat hung from her chin. She slurped it up, leaving her white maw bloodstained.
Neeja was still frowning, but it was more of a worried look than an angry one. She didn't like to think of such a pretty young lady being treated badly, but then again it was a rough world out there. She sighed and nodded at her words, " To true, all too true. That is why we should all try to hepl each other I suppose."
She chuckled faintly at the messy face, " Still hungry sweetie?" Streching lazily, Neeja got to her feet, her tail twitching faintly. " I was just about to see about a warren of rabbit I smelled yesterday if you wish to join me."
Once she had eaten her fill, she smiled. She was thankful for the kindness, and it was.. nice to know
others like her existed. She chuckled, and thought about the offer. Well.. That would be a wonderful idea in bringing food back for Malenga.
He loved rabbits, but then again, any kind of meat brought a smile to his face.
Hell, he even ate lions most times. Not to say she hadnt grown to snacking on it sometimes as well, but only because he had offered it,
and she.. well she wasnt the type to turn down his kindness.
"Sure, why not." She mused, though she remembered not to be gone too long. She just wasnt going to test his patience..Not anytime soon anyway.
She nodded, standing, and licking her lips so that she wasnt all bloodstained, though it did little good.
The leopardess chuckled as she trotted from the tall grass back towards the tree she had been sleeping in. Having found the warren close by, she chose someone close to sleep so if she made a kill she could escape with it quickly. " I am called Neeja by the way."
Demi smiled, voice a little stronger. She wasnt a cautious type, but she was very careful
of her surroundings, and knowing what was going on. When she had met the leopard, she had needed to
be somewhat fearful. As of now, she was just getting some pleasant chitchat while she followed the leopard
to the rabbits warren. Her full belly was thankful to the female for sharing her meal. She no longer felt that painful
gurgle that came from being hungry.
"My name is Demi'Hara..Er..Demi." She said, not liking to use her full name. Only her mother had ever used her full name..and she
wasnt sure she wanted to be reminded of her family she had left behind when Malenga had captured her. Though now she felt no need
to return whatsoever anyway.
Neeja laughed softly, " A mouthfull hmm? Well then Demi it is a pleasure." It was a short walk to the overflowing warren, multiple mounds made of many rabbit families living together. Between the two females, and the confusion in the prey it wouldn't take long for the to slay a rather good size meal.
She prepared to snatch onto a rabbit as the other closed into the den. Her body
was tense and ready and she smiled. Nodding to the female, she showed she was ready, though
she wasnted to be quiet as to not warn the hares that they were there. Which she was sure they smelled the two
anyway.
"You could say that." She grinned, and nodded her head in agreement. It was a pleasure to meet the leopard too, but
for now, she was interested in the rabbits.. Malenga had to have his breakfast, and she would make him happy by bringing
it to him.
Something she enjoyed, was making him happy.
Neeja chuckled softly as she let Demi lead the charge, lunging for rabbits that ran panicked from the killing ground.
She bounded after the running rabbits, and grinned as she rounded onto ones heels.
The rabbit was fast, but she used a swift paw to strike at it, throwing it off its rhythym. Once it flailed, she leapt
at it, grabbing it within her jaws. It struggled for a good while, before she gave the last blow of her maw, and crunched her
jaws closed, crunching down on the rabbits spine. It stopped moving, save for one or two last convulsions, and she stood happily.
She looked to see if the leopard had any luck, but made sure to keep a tight hold of her own meal.
She couldnt lose this rabbit.. Malenga wouldnt be happy.
Neeja indeed had gotten lucky, leaping on two rabbits when the young bucks had ran into each other in the confusion. A quick slam of the paw had broken two spines at once. Neeja winked at Demi as she grabbed up one still twitching body and nodded her head at the other for Demi.
Demi smiled, and walked over to the other rabbit, dropping her own dead carcass
down upon the one that Neeja had motioned her to take. She was thankfull, and she gave a soft smile.
"Thank you. Thats very kind. It really was a pleasure to meet you." She looked at the sky, and noticed that the
sun would be going down soon.. Something she wasnt sure she wanted to happen with her not where Malenga wanted her.
"Ill have to be going now, but I wont forget how kind youve been." She smiled, and grabbed the two rabbits within her jaws, and began in the direction
of which she had come from. She needed to return quickly, and she knew she had had a good morning, despite being awake during the day.
"Blessing on you child, may the gods protect you." Neeja watched her go smiling faintly. Hopefully the young lioness's travels would be easy, but something told her that Demi's road ahead would be a hard one. Snatching up her own meal, Neeja headed back to the tree she called home.
