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 Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 12:56 pm
Well content after his encounter with the lovely Ayumi, Manelesi was again making his way down the coast toward his destination - a pride specializing in information. He was good at information collecting - at least from his point of view. Some might call it gossip, some might call it seduction, and some might point out the only information he actually gathered were tidbits of information about personal lives, proven ways to get felines interested in you, and how to fake interest in their own lives in order to get want you want.
But then Manelesi would charm them and they'd forget about their criticisms. Or they'd be furious and their criticism wouldn't matter because, let's face it, the cheetah had better things to do. And better felines.
So even though he was traveling with a goal in mind, Manelesi wouldn't mind stopping and making time with another feline - just to keep his paws in the game.
Mamanbou liked moving in the hours of dusk and dawn. Lions who slept during the day were not yet up; lions who slept at night were already a bed. It was a safe time to travel, if you were trying to remain unnoticed, and trying to avoid all contact with other lions.
Ever since she had seen her neighbor's secret pouch of eyes, and ran intot the night when she realized he was after her eyes, Mamanbou had done her utmost to move secretly and alone. She slept at odd times, curling up in abandoned dens when other lions seemed active, moving furtively from water source to water source, desperate to stay hidden. One day she would meet a lion that she thought was strong enough to protect her from the eye thief; or the eye thief would catch up with her and take her eyes.
Until then, though, she had to keep moving. Movement was the way to stay alive.
When the cheetah popped out in front of her, Mamanbou was startled, but she appeared to have startled him as well. He recovered quickly though - quickly enough to start flirting almost immediately.
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:20 pm
Mamanbou hadn't been expecting a lioness, it was true - he had set out earlier then usual just to cover some distance before the heat of the day. But he would be wasteful if he just squandered this chance to get to know this lovely and (he checked quickly for signs of pregnancy, recent pregnancy, or any young cubs wandering around near her, or shouts of same - he didn't like to get tangled when their were cubs concerned. Cubs were so . . . well, they were cubs, and pesky) more importantly, totally and completely available lioness. It was his duty - nay, his honor - to flirt with someone so unattached.
"Well, hello, miss. It's so nice to meat such a beautiful lioness on a day like today - you bring sparkle to this otherwise average dawn, life to this dull savannah, and a skip to my heart. Could I accompany you for a while - some pleasant conversation, some afternoon delight, maybe later a moonlight stroll? I had a destination in mind, but it went out of my head when I saw you emerge from the grasses. Please, what is your name?"
Mamanbou was taken aback. She didn't have time for this cheetah or his flowery speeches; she needed to get moving. What was he going on about, anyway? She hadn't cleaned herself in ages, it seemed, and she was losing weight with all the traveling she did - too much walking, not enough sleep, not enough meat. This cheetah was obviously touched in the head - no one could think her beautiful, not when they really looked at her.
At one time, she had been. Before. Her home was sparsely populated, but she had been popular with the lions and received more than one mate proposition. She had rejected them all though, choosing her independence and scorning those who wanted her. She could take care of herself. Or so she thought. After she started running for her life, she had wished she had a male - someone strong enough to fight the Eye Thief, someone who could keep her safe, so she didn't have to run. But it was too late for that now.
And however flowery his tongue was, a cheetah was not what she was looking for. They were known for running, not for fighting. She needed a protector.
"Get lost, cheetah, I have better things to do then play king of the hill with you. Find another girl to bother, and leave me alone."
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:45 pm
Manelesi put on his best "wounded pride and wounded heart" face - not the one that made him look young, he could tell that this lioness wasn't the type to go for someone young and cute and tender. This was the face of manly pride, confused at rejection, with a tender heart ready to envelope a new love, if only the one the face was aimed at would give his love a chance. That's all he wanted, was a chance with her.
Ok, he wanted to be successful, spend a few pleasant hours or days with her, and then vanish when he got bored, but . . . a chance would still be a good start.
"How can you reject me so quickly? I just wanted a chance to get to know you, and spend time basking in your glorious countenance, clearly a gift from a god - or maybe you yourself are a goddess in mortal guise, disguised so you can observe your worshipers and spread scions among us, to teach your world and spread love through the lands. Please, my lady, allow me to be your devotee - no other will be half as loyal to you as I will be."
Mamanbou had had a snappy response to whatever pick up line came spilling out of the cheetah's maw, but he was a bit more talkative and persistent then she had expected. Being hit on was one thing - being likened to a goddess was quite another. That was one she hadn't heard before. He would get points for creativity, if she had any patience or desire for that kind of thing. Instead, she was just more irritated then she had been at meeting someone else at all.
"If I was a goddess, I would probably be more offended by your presumption and decide to punish you, rather then reward you for your cheek. I am not interested in conversation, strolls, or afternoon delight with you, cheetah. I am interested in parting ways. Immediately. Goodbye."
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:14 pm
Manelesi decided he would give it one more try, give her one more chance to accept his greatness, before letting her go her own way. "Surely you would at least like some company on your travels? Are you heading anywhere in particular? There is safety in numbers, after all, if we go together, maybe we can help each other out. With hunting, and that sort of thing. Standing watches, finding water. I'll go where you go."
"I don't want your company, or anything else. I travel alone, or with lions stronger then me. You don't have anything to offer me, and I would really appreciate it if you would go."
Mamanbou did start walking away, picking a random direction and hoping he woudn't follow.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:02 pm
Okay, so that wasn't going to be his last effort. Manelesi followed her anyway, in silence for a time, and watched the lioness in front of him. She had stopped talking, but he watched the lines of her body for the tells he had come to recognize. Soon, she would be exasperated, and either turn around and succumb or turn around and try to run him off. Or possibly just tell him off again, but whichever it was, it would be soon. Her shoulders were tensing, her ears flicked back in annoyance, and her tail was whipping around more than normal for a lioness moving across the savannah. He could all but taste her irritation at his continued presence. Manelesi could wait a bit longer.
Mamanbou could feel her muscles tense the longer their walk went on, and started grinding her teeth as well. She wanted to be rid of him, but she certainly wasn't going to do what he wanted and she really had no desire to fight. Fighting could end up with her hurt, which would slow down moving, and even if she won, fighting was just not something Mamanbou was interested in. She was a runner, not a killer.
Her annoyance would get the better of her before long though, and she had to be rid of him. She wasn't willing to accept hangers on or traveling companions; it was too dangerous either way. And unfortunately, Mamanbou couldn't out run a cheetah. She was going to have to figure out some other way to get rid of him. And she saw her chance up ahead.
A log over a stream. It didn't look too sturdy. She went closer, and inspected it. Yup, a little jarring and the log would come loose, maybe even if she bounced on it while she was walking across. Or she could shove it in if he gave her enough time to get to the other side before he followed her. He might even get out of this without a soaking.
Mamanbou hopped onto the log and started moving slowly across the water.
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Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:42 pm
Manelesi only waiting until she was about half way across the log to jump on and begin following her once again, and was puzzled when she got to the other side, and started ramming her shoulder into the end of the log, making it (and him) shake. He backpedaled rather then run into the angry lioness.
"You don't have to knock the log in the water, look, I'm not following you anymore!"
He got to the bank he started off on just in time, as the log dislodged and began drifting downstream.
"Was that really necessary?" he shouted at her.
Although her shoulder was already starting to feel sore, Mamanbou looked smug as he shouted. Not only did that rid her of an annoying cheetah, it made things a bit harder for anyone following her.
"I told you, I'm not interested in company. Good day."
Mamanbou turned tail, and sauntered away.
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