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 Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:04 pm
Makkai took everything lightly, never really thought things through to the end, and generally didn't care too much. But something was bothering him, his mother, Demeter had given up on babying him when it came to hunting. She was so furious with him that she even sent him away, resigned to the fact that he would never be able to shut up long enough to actually catch anything.
Makkai knew it was a family tradition to pass down tips and tricks for hunting in his family, he'd paid attention that much attention during his mother's lessons. The brown furred male also knew that the only one that would be able to deal with him would probably be his grandmother.
He was an adult with no skills, and no way to help his pride, and even if he was more often than not in trouble, or causing trouble, he wanted to be able to give back, his family and pride had given him everything he needed. And, even though the young adult didn't appear to care, that meant a great deal.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:14 pm
Shani knew about the trouble Demeter was having with helping Makkai learn to hunt, it would be hard not to notice- especially where the whole family was so close. Makkai seemed to grow up so fast, and even with little aunts, uncles and cousins around, it was hard not to spoil an only cub. At the end of the day, he was still Demeter's baby, even if there were many other babies around.
And now, grandma was on a mission. She had considered rounding up all the young ones in need of some lessons but she figured Makkai would appreciate more one-on-one time first. So she was looking for her grandson.
"Makkai," she called.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:20 pm
He turned smiling, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to, Grandma. There were three people in his family he liked to spend time with the most, Grandma Shani, Grandpa Habu, and his mother of course. He didn't like being lumped in with all of his younger cousins and uncles, he was an adult..even if at time she didn't act like one.
He stood and started walking toward her, "Grandma." He beamed happily, "I'm betting Mom has talked to you?" Makkai didn't look the bit phased about the idea. She was the glue that held most of the family together, and she knew everything, always. Makkai starts picking on one of the little cubs; first one to know? Grandma.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:29 pm
Pleased to have found him, she beamed right back and couldn't help but chuckle when he accurately guessed the reason she had been looking for him.
"Of course," she said, "But if she hadn't, you know I'd still find out."
Shani smiled. She enjoyed that she could keep track of everything going on. If there was anything she couldn't keep track of herself, someone was always around to be overheard or tell her about it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:35 pm
"She says I can't keep my mouth closed, and I scare everything away." Makkai's tone changed from his general playful one to something more serious, meaning that this was indeed bothering him. "I try, but she's very frustrating. I know that you taught her to hunt, and Aunt Anya, and Uncle Enzi..everyone! maybe you could teach me?" He half pleaded. Makkai already knew what Shani was there for anyway, she'd heard and was going to help, but he wanted her to know he was serious, the brown lion was very interested in being helpful.
"I can keep my shut, I really can,you know that don't you?"
"I either learn to hunt or I'll have to help keep an eye on the younger cubs, and no one wants a league of trouble running around." He grinned foolishly, hoping she would appreciate his joke.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:56 pm
"Don't you worry, Makkai," she said, biting back a giggle at the way he grinned when suggesting it would be trouble to have him running around, "You would be great watching cubs, I'm sure, but worse than you think you are have joined and succeeded in the hunt before."
She grinned, holding her head up high as she continued.
"Think about how much grandpa can stand out even in the dark, or how careful Manuku would have to be to keep his mane hidden," she said, "And I seem to recall your mom being rather clumsy when she was learning- and she was older than you before she really got the hang of it."
Silence was, really, only half the battle.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:07 pm
Mom, clumsy? For a moment Makkai couldn't see it, he'd seen Anya and Demeter work as a unit, finding and stalking prey together as if they shared the same thoughts sometimes. On similar occasions he can recall Demeter being the one that spooked the gazelle.
He teetered on his feet squirming, he couldn't help but move, twitch, and wriggle most of the time. he bobbed his head thinking, the young adult was sure he could do this, he just needed the right teacher.
"Grandpa must have a very hard time staying hidden," he commented, "I'm willing to try. Where do you want to start? I know there's a lot of hare of that hill, it's fun to startle them." Makkai pointed toward the place he knew the warren stayed.He thought hare were awfully little and fast, maybe they weren't the best to start with, but at least they didn't have hooves, hooves hurt a lot!
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:58 pm
"Grandpa certainly isn't the worst off, either," she added brightly, "There are many colors of lions- and other creatures- around here. You're a lucky one, you have dark fur that can help you hide in the shadows and your mane isn't too bright or unusual in the grass."
Shani paused to consider where they would start. She hadn't quite figured that out yet, especially where it was just the two of them- but if he could scare the hares, and it certainly sounded like he'd already managed that, then he could certainly stay quiet enough to hunt.
"I think that sounds like a good place to start," she said, "They're quick but they have good hearing, it'll be good practice for staying quiet."
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:55 pm
Too bright was right for their family, he'd gotten kinder genes in that respect, like his mother. She was a more subdued color compared to some of her siblings. He made a sign with his paw across his lip that meant he wouldn't say a word and started toward the place he'd indicated. He was mom's trouble maker, but he was a smart trouble maker, and he knew when it was time to start hunkering down and doing his work..for now.
Walking slowly he looked back to see if his grandmother was following. Grandma Shani had taught so many, his fear that she couldn't teach him subsided, Grandmother's had more patience in all the world than mother's sometimes, he knew that sometimes when Demeter would scold, Grandma or Grandpa had kind words.
Trying to stop the figgitting Makkai looked around for any signs of hare.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:13 pm
Shani stifled another laugh and nodded to Makkai when he zipped his lips. She watched him get oriented and set off- very slowly. He was being careful, she could tell, but she was keen to take a more active, confident approach. She let him lead the way a bit but after a few minutes she picked up the pace, moving past him- making sure to nudge him and wink at him on her way by.
She didn't slow down until she had made a circle around to where they were hoping to find hares, somewhere they could get a good view but hopefully not be obviously intrusive.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:25 pm
Makkai got the message and sped up his pace, still trying to be careful and keep his eyes open for any signs of life. There were droppings that seemed pretty fresh, but they were a bit far from the holes that opened into the hare's subdomain.
Maybe they were going about this wrong? He looked to Shani for reassurance, his eyes showing concern, and face wrinkled together. Boy, was it hard not to talk!
He joined her, Makkai was sure she'd have the best vantage point.
Unknown to the young adult three hare were making their way back home, gaily bouncing and hopping along side one another. They weren't trying to conceal themselves.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:31 pm
Shani stayed where she was, surveying the little area they were focused on until Makkai joined her. She glanced over at smiled at him.. and then she just looked at him expectantly. What would he do now? It was taking a great deal of self control not to look directly at the hares that were hopping along.
"Well?" she said in a hushed voice.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:43 pm
Well?
Did Grandma see something that he did not? He took a quick glance around his surroundings and saw noth- wait! There were hare here, a few hare were near them. Makkai tried to think of a plan that wouldn't lead in the hares running into their holes in the ground. There wasn't much there, predatory instinct told him to chase..but his mind was trying to think of a way to catch them, they were so quick!
He looked to Shani motioning with his head in their direction and then back to her, "I don't know what to do." he whispered.
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:54 pm
She was always smiling, even as he began to panic. She nodded when he looked back at her and confessed that he didn't know what to do- there wasn't much to this, they weren't going to actual catch the hares, they were just going to chase them. And that just meant.. going for it!
"You have a partner here, where do you want me?" she asked quietly, "If you don't decide fast, they're going to get away."
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:01 pm
"Muh-maybe you could circle sort of behind them..and then..I could stand between them and the entrance?" It sounded dumb when he said it like that, but he was trying to think quickly on his paws and that was about it. "Chase them toward me, and then I can try to catch them before they get away." He spoke quickly, but quietly, his eyes searching between his grandmother and their prey.
Makkai was certain that they weren't going to catch any of them, but at least he had come up with a plan that might work, that was significant enough..maybe to impress Shani, he was trying after all, his grandmother was such a great huntress, and she had taught nearly his whole family.
The young adult tensed his muscles and before waiting for her to agree; he started toward the holes he was sure the hare would escape into.
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