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 Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:43 pm
 Ampalaya was a confident hunter. Her mother had taught her to hunt from cubhood.
Currently, she was stalking a wildebeest. She never understood why they wandered off from the herd; she certainly wouldn't if she was a preybeast and didn't have any teeth or claws to defend her. But they always did wander away, and they became easy pickings.
Ampalaya uncoiled her legs, and sprang for the beast's back - just as from the other side, a white lioness sprang toward the same beast.
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Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:12 pm
Zenobia had stopped her roving long enough to go hunting. No matter were she looked, there didn't seem to be anything smaller than wildebeast and up. While ideally she didn't like to hunt the bigger game without backup it appeared that today she had no choice.
She'd found a suitable place to conceal herself and watch the closest herd. Hopefully there would be something stupid enough for her to catch. While her eyes scanned the terrain her mind was lost in thought. The troubles of being a lone lioness certainly had its problems. No one to watch her back or help her with hunting. Still she hadn't felt the urge to settle down with any pride. A tit for a tat, Zeno guessed.
The approach of movement getting closer brought her out of contemplations. There, a lone wildebeast was coming her way. Perhaps her luck was in. She crept closer as it remained ignorant of her presence. Now! In a rush the light colored lioness rushed the prey and attached herself to the surprised beast's throat. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a green colored lioness spring onto the wildebeast's haunches.
Zenobia almost let go in surprise. She hadn't realized there was someone else hunting out here. Hopefully she hadn't strayed into a pride's territory. Some didn't take kindly to rogues hunting. Still, she clung on. Maybe together they could bring it down and share the feast. Her paws clasped it around the neck as she hung on with her strong jaws. Instinctively she could feel the hooves slipping and knew it would come down in a moment.
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Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:28 pm
Ampalaya sunk her own jaws into the beast's back as it teetered over, feeling it slip beneath her. Between the two of them, it would fall, and hopefully its back would break cleanly, instead of involving more struggles.
Luck was with both the lionesses, as between the paler one hanging on to its front and the darker one on its back, the wildebeest hit the ground, breaking its neck. As it twitched its last, Ampalaya removed her jaws from the preybeast, and climbed awkwardly off of the carcass.
"Hello, there," she said to the other. "Uh, I'm not in pride lands, am I?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:30 pm
It was over quickly. Much quicker than if she'd done this alone. The snap as it came tumbling down and broke its neck was clearly heard. With the prey successfully down, Zenobia pulled herself free and rose to her paws. She was pleased to note that neither one had been hurt.
Zenobia laughed. "I was just about to ask the same thing! I'm Zenobia." She smiled friendly. "Will you join me in thanking this wildebeast for its life?" It was the only polite thing to do, thanking it for its gift of life to them. Sitting down at the withers, her eyes closed and she hummed deep in her throat.
A moment passed. Zenobia raised her head. "Would you like to start?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:55 pm
When Zenobia suggested thanking the wildebeest, Ampalaya closed her eyes for a few seconds of silence, the only prayers she and her mother had ever observed.
"I'm Ampalaya," she said afterward, grinning easily and relieved she wasn't being escorted off pride lands for being an uninvited hunter. "It doesn't matter to me as long as I get a leg." The legs could be tough, but meaty. Ampalaya was looking forward to a full stomach.
As she settled down to eat, she tried to start up more conversation with her fellow huntress.
"I was about to say what are the odds of two lions going for the same preybeast, but the odds are actually pretty good when the preybeasts wander away from their herds like that. It was fortunate neither of us missed and entangled each other."
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Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:48 pm
"A pleasure to meet you Ampalaya. Kinda funny we both targeted the same prey, but I'm glad you were there. Yeah, for random chance that was a perfect hunt. Their just asking to be eaten if they wander." She blinked a bit as the other said she only wanted a leg. "We both took it down. We should therefore both have a share of the innards."
The most nutritious parts of the animal. Without waiting Zenobia dove into the carcass. She cut open the belly and hunted out the heart, liver, and both kidneys. Her face and paws were bloody that showed starkly on her pelt. "There we go. Heart or liver and we both get a kidney." She sounded pleased with herself and licked her lips.
"So, what are you doing out here?" Zenobia guessed she didn't live nearby since she'd asked if this was pride lands.
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Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:35 pm
"Liver, I guess." Ampalaya still preferred the leg, but Zenobia was right. She should eat all of the good bits, just like her mom used to make her.
Ampalaya started nosing through her meal.
"I'm actually looking for a pride to join. I've been wandering with my mom all of my life, and now that she's gone, I want to settle down. I just need to find the right place to do it."
Ampalaya downed her kidney. Bleck. She still didn't like the taste.
"How about you? Do you live near here, or are you a wanderer as well?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:14 pm
Zenobia pushed the liver and a kidney over to the other. Pulling hers over she ate the kidney first, then set to licking the heart. It was good meat.
"Really? What kind of pride did you have in mind?" Zenobia dipped her head, "I am sorry to hear of your loss." She didn't have much experience with loss, so wasn't entirely sure how to help.
"No, I'm a wanderer too. Have been for most of my life. It's not all bad. I always meet new people." She gave a friendly smile. "It's nice to have a helping paw now and then. Just, can't seem to stay in one place overly long."
Some might have been bothered by Zenobia's lifestyle, but it suited her. One day she might find a place that she could call home. Until then, she would continue to travel and see the sights.
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:51 pm
Ampalaya shrugged a bit. "She'd been hurting for a long time. It even hurt her to walk. And she wouldn't rest; she hated to sleep in the same place twice. I miss her, but at the same time I'm excited to live my own life, instead of trailing behind her."
Having gobbled down the organs, Ampalaya settled down over the leg. "This is going to sound really cubbish of me, but I just want a nice safe place where I can fall in love and raise a family, and settle down once and for all. It's what I've always wanted. I grew up not knowing who my dad was or any of my siblings. I just want something stable."
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Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:22 pm
Zenobia listened quietly to the other's story. She felt sorry that Ampalaya had to go through that, and watch her mother suffering. "It was sweet that you stuck with her even through it all. I'm sure she appreciated it." Being unable to remember father, mother, or siblings she felt slightly jealous for what the lioness had known. Then she smiled. "Well who'd want to stay under their parent's shadow for ever?"
She ate daintily now as if trying to avoid getting more blood on her fur. Even so, the organs soon vanished and she started on a front leg. Zenobia tilted her head. "I don't think so. All you've known is moving and famine. A love and family in a steady environment is certainly not too much to ask. Particularly for us wanderers. I bet that some of those in the prides actually dream of being wanderers. If only they knew how hard it was." She was actually pleased and slightly smug, she could make it alone as a rogue.
"I can't remember anything of my family. I've been traveling and alone since I was adolescent. I suppose some day, I'll stop and find myself a good place. Until I'm happy to just keep traveling and keeping excellent company that I run across." She smiled.
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Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:19 pm
Ampalaya smiled back. It was always nice to meet pleasant people when you were wandering. There were too many bad apples out in the wide world.
"It's a lonely life out here. But maybe it's different if you live in a pride and you're constantly surrounded by others and you're not always moving."
Ampalaya chewed on her leg for a few minutes before continuing.
"I thought our life was hard, but it must have been a lot harder for you, always being on your own. At least my mom and I had each other. I probably would have settled down by now. Maybe if you ever decide to settle down, we'll be pridemates. I don't intend to settle for anything less then paradise."
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Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 3:40 pm
Zenobia took her time before answering by chewing off a hunk of meat and swallowing. "I suppose it could get lonely if you're looking for company." She gave the other lioness a look. "However, I look at it as searching for silence and peace. Have you ever been out on a rocky outcropping at night? It seems as though the sky and earth are holding their breath. Waiting." She gave a purr of content.
"Oh, I've gotten by alright. Besides the good company always out weighs the bad." Zenobia chuckled. "That's it. If you've got to settle don't let it be for anything less. Me, I've still got to find that paradise, so who can say when or if I'll settle." She grinned.
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:19 am
Still assiduously working on her leg, a few minutes passed before Ampalaya responded.
"I think you'd have to be really strong to never settle down. Especially if you ever had cubs while wandering. I was the only cub in my litter, but my mom had more before me, and she raised them all herself while on the move. I don't know how she did it. Do you think you'll ever want cubs?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 12:54 pm
"But what is the point of settling down if you're not happy?" The white lioness smiled.
"Hmmmm, yes cubs could be difficult for long distance traveling. Particularly young ones. I would think finding a safe place to birth them, then staying there until they were big enough to keep up." It all sounded so easy, but Zenobia had a hunch fact would be more difficult.
Still, how would it be to have cubs? Would she like it or quickly grow bored with them?
"That was impressive for her." She nodded, "Even with just one, she did well." Zenobia took a breath. "I don't know. Maybe some day." She gave a cheeky grin, "Again its the same thing with finding a good mate as it is finding paradise."
"What about you? Want any cubs?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:32 pm
"Oh, I want loads of cubs. I missed playing with other cubs when I was little and I intend to make up for it when I can. But I'm not going to be like my mom and have cubs by different males and never talk to the males again or tell my cubs who their dad is. I'm going to be as picky with picking a mate as I will with a pride."
Ampalaya got misty eyed for a minute as she thought about her perfect male. And he would be perfect.
"More power to you if you can settle down long enough to raise them. My mom used to tell me she only rested one night after I was born and then she carried me until I could walk on my own. She was that kind of lion. But it's a big old world, so who knows what will happen."
Ampalaya ripped back into her leg.
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