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 Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:33 pm
Aanga was exhausted, there was no doubt about it. Her legs ached, her paws ached, her stomach demanded to be fed. But she knew how to push past all that. She knew how to push past her own discomforts for the sake of another...she'd done so nearly her entire life. It was just...odd, knowing Asali was doing the same. They'd been at this three days already, stopping no longer than it took to catch a mouthful of water and maybe a mouse when they did stop. Aanga prayed her sister could hold up this grueling pace they'd set, and was glad the weather seemed to be slow-moving for a storm, if deadly.
White ears pricked forward as the scent of other creatures caught her nose, and she looked to Asali, motioning toward the scent. More creatures to warn. The more creatures they managed to spare, the better. Even if it left them exhausted afterwards.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:00 am
Unlike her sister, Asali didn't know how to push past her own limits, but she was doing the best she could. It was for a good cause, after all! It had been a grueling three days, more difficult than the gentle lioness had ever known. Yet she still found herself cheerful, despite the exhaustion and pain that had gripped her - how could you not be happy when you were doing good for someone else? She tipped her head sideways, acknowledging Aanga's motion and silently indicating that she, too, had caught the scent.
Once she had a little bit more of her breath back, Asali would break this oppressive silence and get her sibling to smile - this was a good thing, however dire the circumstances around it, and everyone would benefit from this trip!
"How far to them, Aanga?" she asked at last, panting for breath around her words. It felt strange to speak after so long of simply running, running, running. When everything was said and done, and as many as could be warned had been, Asali decided, she was never going to go on a long trek again! Her paws might fall off if she tried!
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:47 pm
Alake was roaming along the beach with her head bent down, searching the sand diligently. Sooner or later she would have to find something that was suitable to have made into a necklace for her mother. She pawed over a shell that looked promising, unearthing it further from the sand. To her dismay it was just another broken fragment. She sat in the sand with a soft thump giving a sigh and lashing her tail a bit impatiently.
Turning her head to look at Bolade, Alake's expression looked a bit more hopeful. She had dragged Bolade off with her to look because well, they did almost everything together. "Did you find anything good y-" Alake paused mid sentence tilting her head further into the wind. She had just gotten a whiff of someone, and it was not a scent she recognized.
Rising again to all four paws, Alake padded closer to Bolade. "Do you smell that? I wonder who it is..." She couldn't help the curious and slightly excited expression that light up her face. Maybe it was someone interesting or exciting, or even a handsome wandering male.
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:14 pm
Bolade was amused by her friend's obsession with the perfect shell for her mother's necklace, but you would not have known it due to the look on her face. The wild dog was as stoic as ever and anything she was feeling or thinking was kept internally. Bolade had all but given up on getting something to satisfy her closest, and quite honestly, only friend when her nose picked up the scent of two unfamiliar beings.
Turning her head, the warrior crouched and scanned the beach for the source of the scent. Nostrils quivering, she could tell that something was off because the smell wasn't a happy one. It smelled of sweat and that type of thing didn't come from someone who wasn't in a hurry. Bolade hoped that it wasn't some ravenous hyena come to try and hurt her friend. Long ago, her family had sworn to protect Alake's to the death and that was one thing that the dog took quite seriously.
With an intense look on her muzzle, Bolade's voice came out as a warning snarl that would have sounded deep and husky if the barking yip were translated into English, "Whoever it is, don't be to welcoming. Something is not right here, their scent is off."
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:51 pm
Aanga barely heard her sister, but after so long of not really speaking, the words were welcome. "Not far! The scent's strong!" As they got closer, Aanga forced herself to slow, muscles protesting at the action even more than they had running. By the time a pair of females, one lioness and one wild dog, came into view, she'd managed to get her breathing to a point where she could talk.
She looked the two over, and bowed her head. "I apologize for our intrusion, but we come baring dire news and a warning."
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 2:10 pm
Asali managed a smile for the strange lioness and wild dog and took a few gulps of air before nodding and echoing her sister. "Yes... there's a storm coming. It's not like anything I've ever seen!" Sadly, this was no exaggeration - the storm that they were barely keeping ahead of was more terrifying than anything the sweet female had known in her entire life. "Please, you need to run, head inland, get away from here - don't stay, whether you believe us or not!" The desperation in the younger sister's blue eyes was obvious, and she padded closer to her sister, trying not to limp on her aching paws.
"You will listen to us, hear us out? We have so little time..."
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 7:57 pm
Alake could not help but give Bolade a startled look as the two lionesses spoke. Both of them were blue and though their markings were different colors and shapes they looked to Alake as though they were sisters. A very exhausted frightened looking pair of sisters with what sounded like an alarming message. She couldn't help but wonder when the last time they had stopped for food or rest and her worrying tendencies started to kick in.
"Yes... of course we'll hear you out, but you two look exhausted! You should come with us, you can tell our families and we can see that you are fed." The worry was plain in Alake's voice as she spoke. Even though she didn't know these girls she couldn't control her desire to help them. Besides, information of this importance was worth being paid back with some food right?
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Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:43 pm
Not one to give her trust blindly, Bolade relaxed her pose and stood at her full height. If the two had any information of importance, she would listen to them but she was not going to walk into a trap. Shooting Alake a slight look of anger, the wild dog shook her head before saying, "We will not be taking you to our home but we can offer you something to eat. You say a storm is coming but how am I to know if you speak the truth or not? You could be leading us into a trap."
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Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 1:46 pm
Aanga nodded in agreement with her sister's words, trying to even her breathing. She looked to the lioness of the pair they had encountered, nodding. "We cannot stay long, though. We're trying to warn as many as we can, and we're barely managing to stay ahead of the storm." They'd finally found a home...a place where she had help protecting Asali. And that damned storm had stolen it from them!
The wild dog's words had Aanga looking to her. "You don't know." She knew quite well how absurd the storm might sound. After all, she was normally the one in disbelief. "But it would be in the best interests of yourself and those you call friend or family to heed us. The damned storm wiped out our pride. We still don't know if there were other survivors."
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Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:50 pm
Asali nodded, stepping closer to her sister and drawing support from her - she hated confrontations, and it was so horrible to think of what would happen if these two didn't listen. She looked down at the ground, her eyes taking on a sad sheen when she thought of those that had been taken by the storm.
"Please," she whispered quietly. "You don't have to feed us, or take us to your family - just warn them and run! That's more than enough ,as long as you're safe!" She looked up again, but without lifting her head. Asali was much less capable of functioning while exhausted than Aanga was, so there was a rough edge to her voice that she normally had.
"It's better to for you to be safe even if you believe we're wrong," she added, looking to Aanga to be the more persuasive one. The younger sister cared deeply about ... well, nearly everyone, but she was hardly a master of logic and persuasion. Aanga was much better at that, and at explaining. "As long as you'll be okay, we won't even need to speak again if you don't wish!"
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:55 pm
At Bolade's slightly angry look Alake couldn't help but sigh. Of course she understood that it might be a trap but it seemed to her like the two blue lionesses seemed too genuinely scared to be trying to trick them. Besides she had to agree that it would be better to flee for no reason then to stubbornly stay and be killed.
"I believe you both. I'll be sure to pass the message on to my family. However I refuse to let you leave without some food! Honestly, how much longer do you think you girls can keep ahead of this storm without a good meal?" Alake couldn't help her scolding tone. Honestly what were these girls thinking? Sure they had to keep ahead of the storm, but without food they were going to get slower. Her tail lashed a bit in frustration of how careless they were being in that regard.
"I am Alake, and this is my friend Bolade. What are your names?" She looked between the two lionesses as she rose from her sitting position to stand on all four paws.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:44 pm
((Sorry, I've been sick.))
Bolade sighed but nodded as she said, "Your words ring true - I may not trust you but you are wise to bring up the point of possibly dying." Her eyes roved over the two before nodding again and turning her back on the others to walk toward her home. The fact that the wild dog showed her back meant a great deal as she wasn't the type to let down her defenses. "Come, we must tell her family and then we can be on our way. If you do not speak the truth, I will not hesitate to kill you."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:26 pm
Aanga opened her mouth to protest Alake's insistence on food...only to close it. The other lioness was right...they wouldn't be able to go much further on what they'd eaten last. She looked to her sister and nodded. "I am Aanga. My sister is Asali." She moved to follow Alake and Bolade, careful to not make any threatening moves. They really meant no harm, and she didn't want her sister hurt because of her own old habits. "A matter this grave, I would not lie about. Matters of life and death are not things to be toyed and trifled with, no matter what." She'd done many things, but she would never lie about the threat to another's life. She knew that's one thing Asali would likely never forgive her for.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:19 am
Asali trusted Aanga's decisions, and because of that she stepped along next to her sister, willing to stop long enough to eat. It was a difficult choice, though, because her heart cried out to keep moving, continue running and warn everyone that she could. What good would it do to feed her body if it meant others would wind up dying for it?
But her sister knew what she was doing, and Asali trusted her. So this couldn't be a bad decision! Ducking her head slightly, she offered a smile to the strangers, her blue eyes shining. "It truly is nice to meet you," she said. "I am sorry we have to bring such bad news to you - but still, you both seem nice and I'm glad we've met!"
True, Bolade was wary of them, but that seemed like a good thing to be. She reminded Asai a bit of her sister when she was being protective! And Alake seemed to be very sweet and kind - so Asali was absolutely sincere in hr pleasure, no matter how grim the situation was.
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:47 pm
Alake smiled back at Asali and nodded her head to Aanga as she spoke their names. "It is good to meet you both, even if the reason is rather grave." She turned and began following Bolade as she lead the way.
As Alake tread the familiar path home she turned her head to peer at the two sisters over her shoulder. "So where is it you plan to go? Is everyone along the coast in danger?" She was curious just how extensive this storm was and how far they were going to have to flee inland to avoid it. The wheels in Alake's head had begun turning too. She didn't really want to leave these two alone. What if something happened to one or both of them? Who would be able to help them or continue on with warning of any other's in the storms path?
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