It was one of the first times the big brute of a god let his paws touch the mortal realm's ground. He had gone here because his children were used to these grounds. It was new territory, new land... But he would provide for his children, keep them concealed, as they wished to be raised here for some part of the time. He did not care that much, honestly. His powers allowed the entire family to be hidden from the public or any passing mortal quite easily. It did help that all of his cubs were small and able to slip under his wings in a split second.He wandered away from them this time, however, knowing they could not cause much trouble. It would have been hard for them to cause any sort of ruckus, really. They were a bit too smart for that. However, Takadamu, on the other paw, might have the mind to come out of hiding and unveil his godly form to others just to brag about it... He sighed. They were his cubs, though, and it was his duty to keep them from too much trouble until they were all willing to leave and set on their own paths.
It was dark. And he was in his element, in the darkened jungle and foliage of the night. Slick green eyes peered into the bushes, knowing that there was prey there. It was another hunt, another routine. He knew it all the same. There had been nothing able to escape his claws, really, if he had his mind set on it. He was simply too used to the constructions of the wild to let his prey out of sight; he was a leopard who did not lose his prey.So he pounced from his spot, silent and smooth. His black form collided with a small warthog, and he heard its squeals die out as he gnawed into its throat.
Ah, another night, another meal. It was the same old, same old, for the black leopard.
He heard it. A squeal nearby. It was a prey. A small, baby pig. And a few more steps took him to the scene. The baby warthog was writing in the large and black leopard's mouth, beginning to fade from this world. For a moment, the thought flashed: his own children, being hunted by a mortal leopard... This leopard was big, and very well capable of eating at least one of his own cubs. But no, surely gods had their own natural abilities that helped them escape these mortal incidents.
And his children were a lot smarter than that.
But still, he cared enough to keep staring at the black leopard, being a little impressed with the leopard's size, even. It matched a regular lion's, even surpassing that. Surely this was a well capable and dangerous leopard to cross.
The leopard couldn't help but feel a tingle in his senses that alerted him that something was nearby, but he could not see anything. He could not hear it, either, or scent it. This was a very strange feeling indeed.
"Who's there?" he asked, almost snarling.
Yet, he did not want to openly invite hostile behavior, and so he straightened his posture enough so that he wouldn't seem too threatening, but still was poised enough to jump out of the way or attack if a predator did show itself to him.
Ah, so he had been spotted. It was disconcerting; he would have much rather sat in silence watching the leopard move about, wondering if the large black feline would ever get near his children. He supposed he did not care so much to conceal himself, and so he revealed his position, stepping into the light of the stars and moon as his full self.
"Mushkeli," he offered, "I do not intend harm."
He probably just picked a bad spot to sit in - he didn't really want to move, either. This leopard's company was a little relieving from his children's, he had to say. His children... They were all reminders of Nalini, and yet, he was bound to them.
Mushkeli? That was an interesting name.
"Jokaeusi," he leopard offered, bringing his warthog prey down to the ground and starting to eat it.
Some part of him supposed he was uncomfortable eating around a stranger. But if this Mushkeli really did not mean harm, Jokaeusi was hungry enough to scarf down at least the first few large chunks of the fresh flesh before he moved somewhere else.
Some part of him also told him to look more at the very large lion before him. The lion easily doubled a big lion's size. And the wings and mask of an owl told him that this lion was different. Was it... Perhaps it was one of those that the lions running around called a god. Yes, that must have been it.
But he paid no attention, for the god was not a part of his meal. In fact, it was good that this silence persisted. Jokaeusi just wanted to eat his meal, and that was it. Nothing could change him from that view, as it was just a part of being able to survive. He hunted well, and so he could complete the task by nourishing himself.
This Mushkeli character seemed to be fine with the silence as well. That was a good thing indeed.
After his first few bites, he did manage to look up and perceive the dark black and brooding figure. This lion... He was very different.
It came as a surprise to Mushkeli that this leopard was not concerned that he was a god and in the same vicinity, apparently even staring at the leopard feasting. He wasn't saying anything, and the leopard wasn't either. This Jokaeusi... he must either have not known that Mushkeli was a god, or was too used to the presence of gods. Something told him that it was the former.
The situation was all too fine for Mushkeli, too. The two were the larger of their kind, and black, and preferred to keep to themselves. It didn't matter to either of them that there was someone else in the area. It was... a hassle to move, really.
And so he continued to sit there, staring off into the distance. Ahh, at least he didn't have to hear Takadamu's boasts or challenges... or Upinzani's gripes... or Salima's prissyness. Even to look at Salima... That was a little difficult at first. She looked the most like her mother.
Jokaeusi continued eating, now that the lion god thing was in his own little world, brooding. He noticed that part of the lion for sure. So he continued feasting on his prey until he was done. It seemed that the Mushkeli figure did not want to budge. That was alright. It was interesting, too, to see how quiet and hidden the other black figure had been...
"You're good at stealth and hiding, aren't you?" he commented, peering curiously for the last time before he would move on to find a place to rest.
"That I am, leopard..." he replied simply and without further word or motion. Mushkeli continued sitting here, for here was a good place to rest until it was time to return to his children.
"Ah."
Jokaeusi slinked off, finding that sort of company good. Mushkeli didn't scare off any prey or attract any predators. That, and he had a coat that was as dark as Jokaeusi's own. Silence and darkness were often good sources of company.
