(This is a log of an RP done on AIM between Satsurashi (Mkali) and Redbud-Tree (Anatumaini)
Mkali loved the night. Everything about it seemed to bring out the best in her. Of course, it was not nighttime yet - but close. The sun was on it’s way down to horizon and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky to block the orange-red glow of the sky. Mkali was awake and alert, pondering her next move. She could hunt tonight, but it was hard in unfamiliar territory. It could take her all night, and she may not catch a thing.
The lioness was feeling annoyed, but mostly at herself. Adanna was better at making decisions, but she was still asleep and Mkali did not want to disturb her. She liked to thinks he could make up her own plans, but she’d come to reply on Adanna for that, and now she felt strangely frustrated at her inability to create a plan and act on it.
With an irritable grunt, Mkali stood up and set off through the grass. She wasn’t hunting, she was just keeping her eyes open… no telling what she might come across at this hour. If she found some good prey, perhaps she wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.
Anatumaini sighed as she stalked through the grass. Today had been another long day of trying to pass the time and hunt for food, mostly unsuccessfully. The night was beginning soon, which meant she might be able to finally get something to eat, but she wasn't idiotic nough to think that meant there was any kind of a guarantee for a meal.
Her already sour mood was aggravated by her hunger, and when she saw what she thought might be a lioness in the distance, she paused, unsure whether to risk approaching and a possible battle or argument, or to simply turn around and leave. She wasn't sure that she could hold a civil conversation even if the lioness desired one.
Mkali didn’t see the leopardess right away, because her color made her blend in with the dry grasses of the savannah. When she finally did notice movement, she paused too, unknowingly with the same hesitations as Anatumaini. Did she want to take the time to talk to the leopardess? Maybe she was from around here and knew good hunting spots… or maybe it would just be a waste of time. If she was aggressive, Mkali felt confident she could escape or hold her own if she was careful, but it was still a needless risk. She sighed inwardly. All of these decisions to make herself! It gave her a headache.
In the end after a moment’s pause, she started to move toward the leopard in the distance. She tried to look friendly, but then, Mkali never looked friendly. Friendly to her simply looked bland and uncaring, which was usually about as good as it got. Before she got too close however, she did test the waters by calling out to the leopardess. “Hello?” She offered, her vice surprisingly low and cold, as always, “I’m not here to bother you. Do you know the lay of the land here? I don’t.” That seemed to sum up everything Mkali had to say, and so the left the rest up to the leopard, to see if she was friendly or not.
The sound of the lioness' voice startled Anatumaini, and she almost jumped out of her fur - of all of the possibilities than ran through her mind, somehow she had never considered that the other feline might actually speak to her. She backed away a few steps and nodded her head, in an attempt to cover how startled she had been.
"Oh... hello," she said, then shook her head at the ensuing question. "I'm afraid not; I've only just reached these lands myself." Tilting her head slightly, she looked away and relaxed her posture - was wasn't looking for a fight, and it seemed that, for the moment at least, neither was the lioness. "Have you been wandering long?"
Mkali noticed her stance and she relaxed a little, too. It didn’t show much no her, however. She did sigh, however. She’d been hoping the leopardess might know a thing or two about the area they were in. Oh well…
“Ah… yes, we’ve been traveling a while. My sister and I.” Mkali felt no need to mention other… ‘hangers-on’ that may have joined them at various points. As far as Mkali was concerned, the world revolved around herself and Adanna. “What brings you here?” Mkali wondered if this was a very frequented place for any odd reason. It certainly seemed rare just to run into another big cat out of nowhere, both on their way to somewhere else. The lioness was sort of intrigued.
“What is your name?” Mkali wondered, and then thought it would be fitting to offer her own. No harm in that. “I’m Mkali.”
Anatumaini sighed and looked away, a faint scowl crossing her face. "I'm merely wandering. I have been for... a long time," she said, unwilling to elaborate. There was no need to describe just how much of her life she had been wandering around on her own. It was unimportant, and too painful to think about anyway.
"I am Anatumaini. I hope your travels have treated you well, Mkali," she said, feeling it best to stay polite in this encounter.
Mkali did notice that Anatumaini wasn’t exactly outspoken… but actually, the lioness liked that. She thought that everyone had their secrets, and she didn’t mind meeting someone who didn’t want to spill their life story out on the first meeting. That was much more tiresome.
“They have,” Mkali responded with her typical lack of inflection, “It has been good, but wearying thus far. My sister is good company but we’ve been through a lot.” Or Adanna had, anyway. Mkali had put herself through a lot of it just to make her sister feel better. Like meeting that male not long ago…
“I should be hunting,” the lioness commented, glancing up at the sky. It was nearly past sunset now, the fiery hues of the sky turning now to purples and blues. Soon the starts would be out, and soon it would be Mkali’s ideal time for killing. Of course, Adanna would be waking soon, too. She might have to go back, then…
The leopardess nodded as the lioness explained her situation. "Traveling can be difficult, but it is easier with family." And that much harder alone... But that had no bearing on this conversation, so Anatumaini shook herseld and took a seat, wrapping her tail around her legs as she rearded the other big cat. "I wish you good fortune in the future," she said, and she meant it - though she knew that good things in this life were few and far between.
"Prey is scarce in this area, or so it seems thus far," she added, sighing and glancing at the sky as well. "Perhaps there will be more at future locations."
Mkali nodded at the leopardess’s words. Prey would be better when she reached her destination… she hoped. She had never been to the lands she was heading for, but she’d heard it was plentiful there. It was clearly the place for her, but first she’d have to reach it.
Mkali couldn’t help but approve of Anatumaini, for her polished manners and her restraint. These were the kinds of things Mkali liked and appreciated in others, and so it made her feel more at ease. Still, the thought that Adanna would wake up soon to find herself alone made Mkali feel uneasy, and so she decided finally that hunting would wait tonight. If Anatumaini was right anyway, there wasn’t a lot of prey here.
“Thank you,” Mkali told her, eyeing the leopardess as she sat, “You as well. Sorry you’re alone for now, but hopefully that will change.” It was an unusual thing for Mkali to wish someone, but she felt she needed to say it… Anatumaini looked rather lonely, to her.
Anatumaini ducked her head, her ears tilting back just a little as she acknowledged the lioness' well-wishes. She hadn't realized that her feelings were so obvious - she would need to work on that in the future. "Thank you, Mkali," she said simply, annd then stood, looking out through the grasses.
"Should we ever meet again, I hope that it will be under more favorable circumstances - for all concerned." The leopardess turned, then, intending to head off on her way once more.
