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 Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:48 am
 Carefully, she shifted forwards, one dark paw stretching out, feeling through the tall, dry grass until it could descend without a single rustle of sound. Body tight with lean muscle, the lioness inched forwards before repeating the maneuver, gradually, o very gradually, closing the gap between her and the herd she was stalking. Suddenly, one of the antelope looked up, straight in her direction. She froze, eyes wide and fixed on the prey, ears pricked forwards, twitching like radar. Eventually the hoofed creature lowered its head again, returning to its grazing.
Seizing the opportunity the lioness crawled forwards rapidly, pale eyes alight, tail twitching. A fraction of a heartbeat passed before she suddenly exploded out of the dry grass, her dark body pumping as she shot over the hard ground, leaving plumes of dust in her wake. Eyes fixed on her prey she bounded over the ground, nothing but her rushing breath in her ears and the thunder of her paws pounding through her body. Ten she was on it, a younger doe, too inexperienced to doge. Claws and fangs sank into warm flesh, a brief struggle, then they were both on the ground, her powerful front limbs wrapped round the creature's heaving chest, her maw clamped round its gasping throat.
Eventually the beast ceased its struggles, the warm body going limp, prompting Koyko to finally release her hold and sit up, tongue lolling as she panted from the chase, made all the more strenuous by the fierce heat that beat down across the land.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:19 pm
Hadaya was having a normal day, for him.
He had woken up early and wandered out of his den to the sounds of the sea lapping at the shores. He padded down to the water to gaze out over the foaming waters, and got his tail stuck on a piece of drift wood. In his efforts to get free he got most of his body soaked by the moving ocean waters, and sand immediately caked up his legs and under belly. He then had to got out into the waters to clean himself, only to lose his footing and have to swim quite a longer distance than he thought to get back in. He shook himself off on the shore, but the dragging he had to do to get out of the water left his belly and legs just as coated in sand as they had been at the start.
He decided a walk to get the sand dry before shaking it off was in order. He padded away from the beach and his usual morning to go explore the lands outside the pride, which he was coming quite familiar with anyway. He rarely went too far, which meant the areas immediate to his home were just as familiar as the ones he lived in.
Wandering far enough, he came to find a lioness in the middle of a hunt. He often had a habit of ruining hunts for others, so he did his best to stay absolutely still and do nothing that would result in anyone tripping over him, or food running off before it could get caught. He managed all this without incident, deciding to take his chances and go to see who this female was.
"That was a nice catch," he greeted warmly, at least, in his mind, getting better at talking to people without stumbling over himself. Maybe.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:44 pm
Pale eyes spotted the stranger instantly, now that she wasn't entirely focused on her prey. While he approached, she caught her breath, so at least she wasn't panting like an unfit hyena when he finally came close enough to talk.
"Thank you." She called back, grinning cheerfully. She was not the type of lioness who became overly jealous of her catch, as a skilled and typically successful hunter, if she lost a kill, she would just hunt again. She wasn't starving by a long shot and she often enjoyed company when she wasn't on the move. "Fancy joining me?" She offered, moving round to paw at the belly of her kill, letting her body cool off before starting her meal.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:51 pm
Hadaya wasn't the biggest lion around, but he wasn't the smallest. For a long while he thought he was going to be tiny, and without a mane, but as all animals do he hit a growth spurt and grew into the lion he was meant to be. He had a nice, thick mane now, despite one particular lioness insisting that she still didn't think he was a male.
He was pretty sure she was wrong, by this point.
And a jerk.
He padded closer, but not too close. He didn't want to make it look like he was a friendly neighborhood bully, just coming in to steal her food and take off with it after lulling her into a false sense of security. Really, he was just worried that was what she was thinking, and that was his biggest concern at the moment.
And then she offered for him to join her, and that at least relieved that.
"Oh, no, thank you. I mean, I appreciate the offer, but you worked hard for it. Anyway, I just ate," yesterday, but that wasn't the point. He smiled at her, tilting his head as he sat near her. At least he could stay near her without her thinking he was plotting something. Really, he was lonely, and liked the idea of being able to talk to someone. A new face, since the last visitor he had bonded with.
"Are you from around here? I've never seen you before."
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:06 pm
There was one lioness who was plenty certain he was a male, and a fairly good looking one at that. Pale eyes sparkled with good humor as he settled close, but still some way from her kill. Chuckling at his reply she cleaned a paw lazily, certainly not in a hurry or threatened by the visitor. "Its fine, I can't eat the whole thing by myself, and I'd rather it go to someone nice like you, than those scavenging hyenas I heard round here a while back."
Lowering her paw she groomed the ruff of her chest before settling back down, a paw pinning the carcass in place. "Nope, Im a wanderer. Ive come down from up north, but ever since I was little I have been roaming these lands." Grinning at him, expression friendly and amused, she curled her tail. "I take it you are a local?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:17 pm
Hadaya was glad she didn't seemed threatened by him, though he couldn't say he was surprised. He was very good at being non-threatening. At least, he was good at it when it was on accident, or natural. It seemed to be his general state of being, in fact, and the desire to scoff at him or mock him was natural.
It was weird for him when people weren't treating him like he was a goober.
"Well, I'll let you eat first, and if there's anything left, I'll eat. And don't worry about me, either. I mean, uh, you should. You know. Just... eat what you want. Not that I'm giving you permission to eat your own... uhm..."
He sighed.
"Wanderer, hm? That's usually who comes by this place. I like wanderers, you guys come from places I've not heard about or been to. I like that. I mean, I didn't always live here and I used to wander, but then I settled down... uh. You didn't ask."
He smiled dumbly.
"Local, yes. I lived here with my family, though it seems they've all grown up and moved on. Kind of quiet around here now."
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:03 am
Pale eyes sparkled with amusement as the sandy-coloured lion ambled on, getting himself tongue-tied and simply digging the hole deeper until he stumbled to a halt. A warm, amused smile curled her maw as she watched him. "Its alright." Chuckling she tilted her head, indicating for him to come closer. "How about we both eat while we talk?" That said she took a bite out of her kill and swallowed, licking her chops as she thought over all the places she had seen and been too. "I guess I have been all over, I never really thought about it. I go where my paws take me. I like new places, new sights, sounds, smells, new acquaintances."
Grinning broadly she laughed warmly at his words. "I didn't, but I love to hear what others have done. It is impossible for a single lion to see and visit every single place, and you might know of somewhere that is fun to visit, or has a great food source." Tearing another mouthful from the meat before her she regarded him as he spoke of his family. "Ahh.. your cubs? I've never had family, least any that I remember.. Of course I had parents but I suspect they were killed early on. As clearly im here, I survived well enough, but my memory has vanished over the years. Still, I'm happy with my life, though I do find myself thinking of cubs more and more now." Pausing she looked faintly confused by this desire, then dropped her head to lick a paw. "I think I'd like my own family, but I'm certainly not ready to settle down with some male yet. I'm far too bossy." Grinning at him playfully she chuckled.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:00 pm
Hadaya chewed on his tongue thoughtfully, watching her for any sign that she might find him annoying or exhausting in his awkwardness. She seemed comfortable, though, amused, and that was helpful in keeping him feeling relaxed.
He scooted closer when she indicated for him to, unable to do differently. It would be rude, right? Even though getting closer could also be rude, in its way. He didn't know. He just had to listen.
His smile remained.
"Well, if you don't mind," he chuckled.
Nodding as she spoke, he felt a familiarity in her words. When he was young he hadn't had much choice in wandering, but it had grown on him over time. He had gotten used to the walking, the running, finding new places and meeting, however uncomfortably sometimes, new creatures. He missed it, some times, though he was very happy in his home.
And at least the visitors helped by sharing their stories with him.
"Oh, my cubs are all grown up by now," he said, shaking his head. Of course, he had no idea about some of the litters he had helped create. He was still learning the ins and outs of that whole thing, and still wasn't too sure on the rules. Like if cubs happened every time or not. He didn't think they did. Did they? "I miss them, though. I think I'm at my best when I have to look after something, you know? Because I can barely look after myself most of the time, and family just makes me feel... important. I don't know. That's silly."
He smiled, but looked a bit perplexed. "You don't seem bossy to me. Unless you're kidding. Uh. You seem nice, anyway." He chuckled at himself, though his expression was honest.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:45 pm
"Of course I don't mind." She replied, tilting her head slightly before taking another bite of her meal. Nodding as he spoke she chewed while watching him. Swallowing she looked thoughtful. "Is it hard, being a parent?" Voice curious and expression truly interested.
After another pause she added. "Well, if you want more, why don't you father some? Cubs are amazing, and family is always a good thing I'd suspect. After all, if you like them, where is the harm? Some folks do best when they have something to live for, maybe thats your role?" She liked this male, he seemed really rather sweet and innocent, he certainly made her feel experienced, even a little jaded. She had seen and done so much, lived a fairly rough life for so long, that his out look and almost naive manner were attractive. Though she knew she still had far too much wanderlust in her paws, she was enjoying this little bit of calmness with him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:50 pm
Hadaya smiled dopily.
"No, not hard. Well. Yes. Actually. Very difficult. But... you don't notice, I think. I mean... it's worth it. Taking care of them when they're little, and knowing they depend on you, and raising them to be the best they can be, to the best you can do. I think that's the best part, if I can be selfish and pick my favorite time in the life of a cub. When they're young enough to need you. No one's ever really needed me, besides them."
He looked at her, shaking his head and trying to escape the pensive air that had settled on him as he thought about the whole thing. He couldn't help but be a soppy mess when he thought about parenthood, and family.
"I might not know much about the world, but I do know that one can't make cubs alone, and I'm afraid I don't have a mate." A few encounters, to be sure, and a broken heart of his own. Or two. But nothing ever lasted, either because the others moved on or it was only two ships passing in the night. But he took it all in stride, at least. Because he was used to it, and didn't see any other way of dealing with things.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:04 pm
His expression made her smile, and seeded a little note of regret in her breast. He made her wish, for the first time, that she was someone else.. the kind of lioness who could settle down, raise a family, take a mate... He was sweet and kind and seemed to need looking after almost as much as a cub did. Yet she knew it was not in her nature, she was a loner, a loose leaf in the wind. She certainly wasn't the homemaker type, maybe in a few years when age slowed her down and mortality became more obvious, but for now she was in the prime of life and her blood sang with the wind.
Tilting her head at his words she looked thoughtful, and a little saddened. "I'm sorry if I pulled up bad memories... But you seem like a wonderful mate, I find it strange that you haven't been claimed by anyone yet... they are fools to pass by. The lioness actually blushed, something she rarely ever did, and ducked her head to her meal for a moment. She meant what she had said, but she had no idea where her mind was trying to lead her.... Suddenly she blurted out. "What about me..? For cubs I mean." Flushing brighter she stared at her paws. "I'm not decent mate material, but I could certainly help with the cub issue..."
What the heck had gotten into her?!
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:41 pm
Hadaya didn't mean to come across as needing anything or anyone, but it was very obvious that he did. He was a fluffy, squishy lion, not a hardened warrior or a rogue hunter. He did fulfill his duties to the pride, of course, as a hunter, but he didn't make a name for himself in it. In fact, the only thing he really felt he had going for him in the useful department was his ability to have visions.
Even if they were usually preludes to bad things.
He watched the lioness, wondering why her expression had changed, wondering what she was thinking about. A lot of wondering.
"Oh, no, not bad memories. It's alright. I didn't mean to make you sad though, which you seem to be. I was just... babbling. I'm sorry." He tried not to get awkward and silly about her compliments, not sure if he could agree with her or not. That would make him really pompous if he did.
Her words made him gape though, and if he had been eating he would have sputtered. Maybe she was mocking him, as they had certainly just met and she couldn't possibly mean her offer of, oh hey, giving him cubs. Because that was generally not something others did.
"You... wait... what?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:50 pm
Seeing his expression she froze, eyes widening a little before she felt her whole face heat up. Dropping her head she slapped a paw over her muzzle, rather wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.
This was not like her! What on earth was she doing? It wasn't her offer to be his temporary female that had started her so badly but the sudden tongue-tied, blushing embarrassment. She was never lost for words, never stumped by a situation.
Letting her paw slip away she looked up at him rather helplessly. "Uh well.. I..." Great, now it was her turn to act like a half-witted simpleton. "... Well.. I kind of want to have cubs, and you really do want them... I'm not sure I could look after them though, but you miss your grown ones... so well uh... if you don't have a female in your pride... why not me?" Feeling her ears burn and the un-accustomed sensation of nerves in her belly, she looked up at him, waiting.
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:04 pm
Hadaya watched her, scooting a bit closer. He tilted his head, lowering it to the ground so he could try and see under her paw. He didn't touch her, but settled for scooting along with his paws in front of him, his head as low as he could get it, just trying to peek at her now that she was hiding from him.
When she moved her paw should would find herself face to face with him, his eyes wide and rather crossed as he focused on her and swallowed hard. He pulled his head back a bit, embarrassed and making things worse.
"We... only just met," he said, thoughtfully, though he supposed that mattered very little to a lot of other lions. He blushed under his fur. "And... I'd like to get to know you. Maybe... if you don't mind sticking around for a little while... we could do that? And then, you know. Uhm." He imagined if she knew him, she wouldn't want to have cubs with him. But he never gave himself much credit.
"I really didn't mean to make it seem that... that I needed cubs so badly that you should offer... I mean. Uhhhmmm. I. Uh. Yeah. You're a very, very kind lioness to even suggest... I mean. You know."
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 6:18 pm
Seeing him so very close and in such a position made her smile, relieving some of the unusual nerves she felt. He really was terribly cute. Unable to help but giggle as he moved back she lifted her head, her smile honest and genuinely friendly. "You are right... I'd like to get to know you too." On impulse she leaned over and licked the top of his muzzle, pale eyes sparkling playfully. "Sound like a good idea, I rather like it here anyway."
Chuckling, having recovered from her attack of nerves, she smiled at him then nudged the carcass a little. "Eat with me, and tell me of your homeland."
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