[PRP] Pick Out the Weak [Shabnam / Elikapeka]

[Lilbabe808]

Shabnam was almost glad that she had been asked to hunt. Though the word ask wasn't right. They didn't have the option of saying no. She had to hunt with the red lioness. Food was needed for the feast tonight. It was necessary that they work together to bring down a big enough kill to feed everyone. Luckily, the pride was not that big at the moment. It was a little odd to be working with another. She was so used to being alone for so long. She liked to do her own work.

The lioness was named Eli, if she recalled correctly. Though Eli could be a nickname also. Shabnam did remember the Vuli Queen calling the lioness that though. So far, she seemed a competent hunter. How they would work together when it came to the chase was a different matter all together.

She kept low to the ground like lions did when they hunted and crept as quietly as possible. Her body was not as flexible as any of the cats or as agile. Shabnam really had to work hard to stay quiet and hidden. She had watched lions hunt many times and though she had learned to use their techniques well, it was still a struggle. Eli had pointed out what seemed to be an injured or old zebra. She nodded to show that she noticed it.

Shabnam didn't want to initiate the hunt. She liked to be in charge but Eli would be better at creeping closer. If anything, she could probably circle around to make sure the zebra did not get away. She closed her eyes and prayed that the hunt would go well. Throwing together a lioness and hyena did not seem so brilliant of an idea.
 

[Lilbabe808]

Shabnam noticed the stallion too. She watched Eli creeping closer and stayed a bit behind. It would be a shame for her to make some kind of noise and scare the prey away. She rolled her shoulder to keep in from cramping up. In the position she was in, it was getting stiff.

If they were to hunt together again, they would need to come up with some kind of signaling or something to communicate to each other. Shabnam already felt uncomfortable hunting with another. Then she caught the paw motion from Eli. She tried to make out the words that Eli was mouthing but it was a little hard. Lion muzzles and hyena muzzles were not the same.

Before she knew it, Eli was sprinting for the injured zebra. Shabnam had barely any time to react when the stallion turned towards Eli. She was not as fast as a lion but she pushed herself, straining to steer the stallion away. She let out a loud call and made a charge at the stallion. It definitely caught his attention and he turned towards her to take care of what he thought was a greater threat. Now she was in trouble, not Eli.
 

[Lilbabe808]

Shabnam took a deep breath as she pushed her muscles to run. How did she end up as bait? She never wanted to hunt with another again. The only way this could work with her is if it was a group. Two? No, not gonna happen.

She looked back quickly to check on Eli. Good, the lioness had caught the mare. Now she could go work to lose the stallion. If only she knew what to do. She had never found herself in this kind of situation when she hunted alone. She had let another control the situation, that was why she was stuck in this predicament.

Shabnam kept running, turning this way and that, unable to shake the stallion off her tail. She needed to think of something fast.  

[Lilbabe808]

Shabnam was starting to tire out. She was not used to this much running. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she ever had to run so much and so fast. No wait, there was that one time that those stupid hyenas decided to make a sport out of chasing down and hurting a rainbow colored hyena, just because she had unnatural colors. Just thinking about it made her mad. Now she was just about ready to quit the whole sticking to one area and working with others. This was not fun and the stallion seemed to have way more stamina than her.

She had almost forgotten about the lioness that had been sent with her. When she glanced back and saw the zebra getting swiped at, it made her want to cry in relief. The stallion was clearly frantic and headed away from her to look for his herd. Well, he was also probably running away from the lioness too.

She gradually slowed down her running. Her legs felt like collapsing from under her. Now would be a good time to go back so she could rest. She offered a sincere but breathless, "Thanks." If not for the lioness, she may have been trampled by an angry zebra. Of course, if she hadn't put herself up as bait, she wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place.