[PRP] This is How the Ladies Hunt (Aziz & Ban'ma)

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz didn't know why he was hunting. He had banu for this, but he, for some odd reason, felt like he should leave the womenfolk to talk and get to know one another. Happy banu made for a happy Harem, after all, and he would really hate to scold them on their fist few weeks as a harem, so he would let them talk and work things out on their own, before he stepped in. Having not chosen a beybanu, he did expect some competition for favour, but he didn't mind that. He smirked. It was sort of fun having his banu competing against each other for their spot in the harem, except that he doubted Mwezi would bother with it. His out of pride banu was disinterested in beybanu position it seemed, since she already knew Aziz had a certain fondness for her considering her talented dancing.

Moving towards the edge of the pride, he scanned the landscape for some sign of edible life. He had learnt to hunt before his adolescent quest, so he was a good hunter, he just preferred his banu to hunt for him. Perhaps he would only get himself a snack and let the banu hunt for the harem later, he mused, with a slight smirk.  

[Painted Moose]

It wasn't often that Ban'ma went out to hunt on her own without one of her daughters or 'sisters' at her side, but today was special. She needed the alone time to clear her head. After Tsubame's death....The lioness took a deep breath to steady herself. There was no reason dwelling on that now; she came out to hunt and clear her head, not whine about why she needed to do so in the first place.

Nimble blue toes flitted across the dry earth as softly as the noon wind. It didn't take her long to find the herd, and it took less time to break off one of the smaller does from the main group.

Tossing her boa over her shoulder, Ban'ma tossed one paw into the air in a killing strike and slapped the doe. And again. And again.



 

[Velveteen Angel]

A stampede of a herd of preybeasts caught Aziz's eye, and he glanced their way. Ah, someone else was out hunting, clearly. They didn't run like that unless someone was after them. He moved towards where they had run from, not wanting to steal someone's kill, but mildly curious. Aziz knew everyone in the pride, he'd made sure of it. As a cub he'd watched the pride for hours, naming every Pad and Banu he could, and then seeking out names for the ones he didn't know.

Which is why he recognised the female hunting at first sight. Banu Ban'ma, from Achal's harem.

What he didn't recognise was what on earth she was doing. Instead of clawing at the doe, and dragging it down and suffocating it, or any other hunting methods, she was...slapping it. The Boa and jewellery she wore why doing so just made the whole image all the more comical.

Aziz sat down, staring at her 'hunting' method, utterly bemused.
 

[Painted Moose]

"Just die already!" The doe raised her hooves, matching Ban'ma blow for blow in their slap fight. Both parties stumbled, unused to standing on their hind legs for a long period of time. "Stop it! Just stop - oh!" Ban'ma squeeled when her paw connected with the poor creatures head hard enough to push it to the ground. In a moment of panic, she hurriedly leapt ontop of it, using her body weight to keep the preybeast from fleeing.

Then the rodeo started.

The doe wasn't content with lying down to die, and tried her hardest to buck the lioness off her back. She couldn't move far because of Ban'ma's weight, and in a split second, Ban'ma's jaws were clasped around her throat. The doe bucked one last time before she sank down to the ground under her attacker.

When Ban'ma rose, her face was a mixture of glee and sadness. It wasn't fair that someone else had to die just to make her feel better, but it really did. Hunting was something she could control. It was the one time that death was within her reach, and she was able to choose the outcome. That alone put a smile on her face.

That is, until she realized she had company. A Pad! And her with blood all over her face! "Hello-! I'm sorry, but who are you?"  

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz was struggling not to laugh at the slap fight that ensued, and had to try even hard to hold back his chuckles when the rodeo began. This was...confusing but very amusing. What was she trying to achieve? He shook his head, and felt like cheering when she finally took down the beast. It shouldn't have been so hard but it appeared it was. He snorted quietly to himself, though he schooled his face to a calm mask when the female glanced his way.

He rose to his paws, stepping closer to her and giving a slight nod of greeting. "I am Pad Aziz'Din, Banu Ban'ma," he introduced himself, glancing at her bloodied face and then down at the dead doe.

"I must say, I have never met someone who hunts quite like you do," he remarked, trying to bite down on the grin that threatened to spill across his face.
 

[Painted Moose]

With a few quick swipes of her cleaning paw, Ban'ma felt clean enough to look the younger male in the eye. It was something that wasn't usually condoned, but no matter how many times she was scolded because of it, she couldn't help it. Looking down wasn't in her nature.

"Pad Aziz'Din? You're the son of Sultan Aali, aren't you?" Recognition made her clear eyes brighten. The Sultan's son had been watching her, and from his remark, she had a fairly good estimate of what his thoughts pertained.

Still, she smiled a charming smile, and stepped back to allow him a better look at her kill. "Thank you." Even if it wasn't a compliment, she was dead set on treating it like one. After it, he hadn't insulted her yet, had he? "My father declawed me when I was young, so I've learned to adapt." She tilted her head to the side, her earring falling over her cheek. "What of you, Pad Aziz'Din? Isn't it your harems duty to do the hunting?"  

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz barely resisted the urge to puff out his chest as she noted his parentage. He was proud of his father, and not only because he was the Sultan, but because he was a great Pad – or so Aziz firmly believed. “I am,” he agreed, without puffing out his chest, but there was a hint of pride in his voice when he spoke of his father.

He was amused as the female took the comment as a compliment, and bit back a chuckle, though his face grew serious at the idea of declawing a lioness. “What an unfortunate action,” he said, showing no pity for her. She had clearly adapted, but he could not imagine a reason to declaw a lion, ever – unless, perhaps, if she were a Kajira, but those sorts of dangerous Kajira did not usually remain alive long enough to be declawed.

He cleared his throat, almost embarrassed to be caught hunting. It was the harem’s duty, and male’s rarely hunted. He felt a little sheepish, as he murmured, “My harem is newly formed. It is more important that they learn to work cohesively now than for them to hunt for me for the moment.” It was an excuse, and he hoped it didn’t make him appear weak.

 

[Painted Moose]

"It was the way of our pride, so I can hardly blame him." Ban'ma stated matter-of-factly. "You see, where I'm from seers were viewed as Children of the God's, and only they were allowed to rule, regardless of gender. My father was blessed with the sight, as was my brother, but the rest of us, the 'normals', were declawed so we would be less of a threat to the higher ups." It was the first time in a long time that she had spoken about her old home, and even though it proved to be a mini-lesson for the younger Pad, Ban'ma felt better for talking.

At first, she pulled her lips in, her eyes lit up with impish delight before the inevitable "Awww" slipped out. "That's so sweet of you, and well played." Ban'ma tipped her head. "I have to say, I'm proud of you. Not only are you giving them time to get to know one another, you're shouldering their burdens, and showing the other males what it means to be considerate. That takes true strength."

Of course, she didn't know any better, or if there really was another reason for him to be out. Nor did she care.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz's ears perked with interest as she spoke. "Fascinating," he murmured, "it is one way to ensure there be no rebellion but would only fester more distaste for those Children of the God's, surely." His mouth quirked. "Not all that clever."

Feeling a tad flustered that she had seen through him, but pleased that she didn't take it as a sign of weakness, but one of strength. He cleared his throat awkwardly."Ahem...Well. A pad is not strong if he relies on his banu for everything," he murmured simply, with a shrug. He had not done it to impress other pads, but to improve his own harem. A pad's strength came from his Harem and from himself, and it was up to him to make sure his harem ran perfectly.



 

[Painted Moose]

Ban'ma could only agree, though she didn't say as much. It was a set of rules the older generation created for the younger set to live by, and though it was flawed, until the arrival of her brother it had carried them through.

Of course, now, she was living in an even stranger land with customs she was still trying to grasp.

"It depends," she started, "on what he chooses to place in their paws. To rely on one's banu isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. It shows that while he is willing to take a blow to his pride, he is still able to see his own shortcomings and chooses to look out for his family instead of himself."

Ban'ma paused and lowered her head. "Excuse me, Pad Aziz'Din. I've spoken too freely, and without your permission."  

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz shot her a look at her words, but was unsure himself whether his look would be reproachful or curious. She spoke truthfully, and he shrugged off her apology. "No need to censor yourself when you speak of harem duties, it is only the truth of which you speak and as a banu, you may be more...experienced with such matters than I, as a pad."

He stared at her, curious, before posing a rather simple question.

"So, do you believe a Pad should rely on his banu for his every whim? Is that strength, or sloth?" Aziz cared for his banu,and he had been raised in this life, so he knew the strength of a harem life, but he would never rely solely on his banus. It was simply not who he was.
 

[Painted Moose]

Even though she was more than sure she'd over stepped her boundaries more than once over the course of the conversation, Ban'ma couldn't help, but to look vindicated. Damn straight she had more experience on the matter! What could a Pad honestly know about how it felt to be a Banu, anyway? Sympathy could only get you so far, and sometimes, a male needed a swift kick to the rump. "You are too kind."

Of course, when she fluffed up her boa and flashed her gaze upon him once more she soon found herself at a loss. She waited a moment before responding, but when she did, her gaze was level and without the light hearted nature she had once displayed proudly. "When I first came to these lands, I would have called it his strength. In that, I've told you falsehoods. It may have made his harem happier in the short term, but the long term loses are great. Now, I believe it to be his sloth. As a banu, I do not wish to serve under a malicious Pad only out for his own satisfaction, but neither do I wish to live my life shackled to someone I am forced to support."  

[Velveteen Angel]

Aziz inclined his head, the gesture clearly meaning, 'I know' in response to his supposed kindness. He could be cruel, with the power his father wielded supporting him, but that was useless. He was too kind. Mwezi had partially seen to that. He frowned slightly.


Listening to her speak, he couldn't help the half smirk that blossomed across his face. "Ah, dear Banu Ban'ma, you have highlighted a key crisis in balance. To depend, to be selfish, to be selfless, or self reliant. The hardships of being both a pad and a banu in this pride." He stared at her, gaze cool but serious. "And have you, Banu Ban'ma, found that balance in a pad that you, as a banu, desire?"

A polite, albeit round about way of asking if she was content where she was.
 

[Painted Moose]

Ban'ma's tone was carefully reserved, and almost playful at the same time. She knew too well a trick question when she heard it, regardless of how he worded it. Speaking ill of one's Pad could not only shame her family, but bring unsavory consequences onto her door.

"Recent events have caused me to ask that same question to myself, actually." Ban'ma flipped her head to the side, preferring a look at the rolling scenary than staring the male directly. It made saying what she needed to easier. "I think as we age, that balance is harder to obtain, and sometimes, it tips out of favor for some." She stood straighter. In her own way, she'd declared his unhappiness without really saying much.

Tsubame's death had torn Ban'ma's heart to shreds, and knowing that she had loved the female more dearly than she ever had her Pad was dreadful. She didn't know how she was supposed to continue without Tsubame, with her harem in the shape it was in. Ban'ma, like many others, knew she wasn't Beybanu material, and didn't wish to be, feeling that it would be stepping on the memory of her sister. That is, if Achal was even planning on asking her, which she doubted. Maua was clearly the best choice.

Which left her with what, exactly? Lost sons, and a broken heart?  

[Velveteen Angel]

Realising that his question had been inappropriate, Aziz had thought of dismissing it and tellling her not to bother answering it, but he was curious of her answer.

Her words were carefully formulated. Telling and not-telling, all in one. Very clever. Aziz smirked slightly, but schooled his expression soon enough. His face returnd to his usual calm, if slightly cold, face and he nodded. "The good thing with a balance is...it tips back, as easily as it has tipped away, with just a little effort either way."

He stretched, glancing down at the kill they had all but been ignoring. "You should return to your pad with your kill, before it attracts insects," he remarked, knowing he would need to hunt soon in order to return to his own harem with food, but hunting seemed unappealing for the moment.