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 Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:26 pm
Jamadagni sat in the tall grasses patiently stalking the large lumbering and old buffalo, the nyati. That was the key. Patience and slow movements. Even as the nyati grew older, they were dangerous. No guts, no glory, and Jama knew of a small pack of carnivores that needed to meat badly. He didn't like walking away from those in need. Not unless it was they're choice. Then he wouldn't fight them, wouldn't second guess their decision. It was there's to make. But this old nyati would provide a good meal for himself, as well as for those little, barely out of the juvie stage maned wolves for weeks if they were smart. And Jama would make sure that they knew how to safe the meat, and keep it to keep other bigger, meaner predators away.
Jama watched as the nyati made its way to the watering hole, yards away from its heard. It was old. Almost ready to move on from this life. Jama was going to help it.
He inched his way closer to the water and the nyati he'd been stalking for the better part of two days. He'd scared it early yesterday, to exhaust it. To make it stumble, startle it into some kind of injury on it self. It had worked, but Jama had waited until now, dusk to bring it down. The nyati wouldn't be able to see well or clearly, and the pain from the injured leg would have made it slower, stupider. The nyati would know that it escaped death yesterday, it would be content to focus on that pain. That's exactly what Jama wanted.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:43 pm
 "I'm WALKING, here! Buzz off!" A voice suddenly shouted out, somewhere behind the buffalo that Jamadagni stalked. Since it was alone, and didn't like being alone, especially not when it knew there was a lion around, the large beast quickly turned from the water and went to rejoin it's herd. Now the lioness was visible, walking near the water's edge and scowling at the buffalo as it left. Imara was definitely not in a good mood today. "Stupid cow." She snorted, ears tucked back as she passed the place were the buffalo once stood, completely oblivious to the fact that she might be botching up someones hunt.
Imara was in a bad mood for a fairly simple reason. She was Imara. Well, okay, that wasn't all to blame. Since her pride had split up, some time ago, she hadn't exactly had a decent meal, after all, lions hunted best in groups. She was usually a good huntress, sure, but not so much when distracted by her own brooding and unhappiness. This lioness was not a happy one, and she was tired. She might have been a pretty lioness one day, but her posture, unkempt fur, thin body due to the lack of food and apparently permanent scowl on her face probably took all trace of beauty away.
She glanced up the slope that led to the watering hole briefly, to make sure the buffalo hadn't summoned it's herd to chase her off, then kept on walking along near the water. She kept a suspicious eye on the surface of the water, ready to avoid any dangers from the deep. Imara also aught a glimpse of her own reflection, and it kind of made her sad.
But she still didn't notice Jamadagni.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:56 pm
Jama sighed as the targeted nyati ran back to its herd being engulfed by the bulk of them. He'd have to rework how to get it away again. Maybe spend another day stalking it. Or he'd have to settle for less. Jama didn't like settling for less, especially when others were in need.
Since the herd had neither stampeded toward him and the lioness that had scared off the nyati nor away from them, Jama felt no need to move other than to sit up and have a look at the lioness. She was in need of food. So why did she just scare off a good piece of meat that was obviously injured?
Jama shook his head, and started to stalk the nyati from his seat, watching for weaknesses, ways in, ways out. Plans formed and were discarded, but he didn't dismiss the lioness. Oh no. He watched her as well. She was in his line of sight and so it wasn't hard. And she seemed to be coming straight toward him without noticing him. Maybe he could get her help? The nyati was big enough for two lions and a small litter of wolves. Maybe more.
When she got close enough that Jama neither had to shout or make the herd unduly aware of his presence, he greeted her. He was straight to the point. Pointedly honest, but not judgmental. "Hello. Since you scared off my prey would you care to help me re-isolate it and hunt it down?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:05 pm
Though Jamadagni had the intention to help, Imara had no way of knowing this. And she wasn't exactly raised to be polite. When she finally noticed the lion, her immediate reaction was to shoot him a glare, and she intended to just walk away, but then he started talking. Immediately, her fur began to bristle, but she stayed still and quiet long enough to listen to what he said.
"What, the buffalo?" She seemed confused for a moment, but the scowl didn't leave her expression. And when she answered, she was also pretty blunt. "No, that's stupid." Buffaloes could kill lions, even healthy ones. To Imara this was suicide; she was good enough to scare off one because they were stupid, fearful animals. Even attempting to kill an injured one was incredibly dumb. It probably weighed what, four times as much as she currently did? Maybe more? And it hard sharp horns on its head, and buffaloes knew how to work together. Perhaps several months ago she would have been reckless enough to attempt such a thing, but even then only if she had a decent hunting group. Not some random rogue who wanted her to 'make up' for scaring off his prey. As far as Imara was concerned, she owed him nothing.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:18 pm
Jama nodded at the lioness. It was her decision and he would not second guess her.
Jama focused in on the buffalo herd once more. Ah! There it was, still limbing away. It appeared to favor it's hind right hoof more than it was before. Perhaps the lioness had helped whether she knew it or not. Eventually the nyati would return to the water, where there were rocks and tangled reeds to trip it up. Once it was close enough, He could run at it from the opposite side of the herd. Get it away from the herd. Get it to run and fall, tripping and maybe snapping it's ankle. Jama just had to be careful with the herd at his back. It wasn't impossible.
"There are a few gazelles further south, if you want to hunt." Jama said, standing. He proceeded low in the tall grasses to a small incline to look for a way to distract the rest of the herd as he singled out the one old injured nyati.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:26 pm
Imara stayed where she was, because at this point it seemed like this lion was going to get himself killed. It was like watching a train wreck. Only she was a lion, and had never had contact with a train wreck before, and as such didn't actually know what it looked like. Or even what a train was. In fact, she had never even heard the expression train wreck. But this was definitely a train wreck.
Well, she was in a bad enough mood that she would be okay with watching a lion get himself killed. So she moved a few paces away from the water, and sat down to watch the show. "Peh, hunting." She huffed disdainfully. Of course she didn't want to hunt. All Imara was good for these days was scavenging. It was easier, and it fit better with how she had been feeling lately. Miserable and angry and perhaps even a little desperate, considering some things she had been thinking of lately.
Whatever. Maybe she'd see some guts today. Lions or buffalo, didn't matter. It was all just guts, anyways.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:43 pm
Jama didn't pay attention to the lioness, having focused on the nyati herd and the possibilities. An idea struck home. He crept from one place in the tall grasses molding and creating hollows that would appear to hold other lions and predators within, waiting to hunt the nyati. When Jama had created several hollows, he gathered sweet smelling flowers and plants. He would use this to draw out the young nyati and bring them to the hollows he had created, making the older more experienced nyati worried enough to move, maybe even stampedeing, but he'd have to take that chance. And he'd have to be quick. He'd have to wait for the perfect moment to start the chain reaction.
As the sun's last rays of light slithered away below the horizon, old and injured nyati made its way to the water once again, thirsty enough, since its last attempt had been stopped barely before it had started. As it made its slow and lumbering way, Jama littered a trail of the sweet plants he had collected and moved to the side, closer to the water. And waited. Soon enough two small calves caught scent of the sweet plants and started to graze their way to the hollows for that last snack of the day before the nyati elders put them down for the night. As the nyati calves made their way, Jama inched carefully and slowly forward until finally the alarm of the older, parental nyati sounded and the heard quickly moved to stomp on the hollows he had created.
In that split second, Jama stood and raced at the old lumbering nyati, coming at it on an angle near the water, even splashing in the water. A calculated risk, since he knew the crocs in the water would be drawn to the sound and vibrations, but it did it's job. Jama watched as the targeted nyati panicked, backed away, tripped, stumbled. He heard the crack of a broken bone and made a quick dash in close to the animal, taking ahold of it's neck and wrenching it an a deadly angle before the horns could wound him. As it was, he felt the cut on his face as on horn slide a little too close.
As soon as the buffalo was dead, Jama dragged the meat from the water's edge, before collapsing and panting with his efforts. He'd be able to give those wolves something while he moved on. He felt good, but didn't smile, though there was a sparkle in his eye. Now he'd just need to get it to the wolves.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:54 pm
Imara's thoughts went a little like this: 1. This lion is stupid. 2. Still stupid. 3. What the heck is he doing? 4. Stupid. 5. Stupid... Well, okay. Because of her mood, it was hardly possible for the lioness to think of this lion as anything but stupid and weird. She also thought the buffalo he hunted was particularly idiotic, because she had never before seen a buffalo dumb enough to go for a drink on it's own like that, and what, had he just forgotten that there had been a lioness right there not so long ago? There was a brief moment of excitement, when the buffaloes began to startle and move.
And then the lion actually managed to pull it off. But instead of impressed, Imara was just... disappointed. A wiser lion might know the actual reason why she was disappointed, but the lioness just assumed it was because she had wanted to see something more gory, or she had wanted the buffalo to get away because she found this lion irritating.
The real reason, of course, was the misery loves company, and since she was down in the dumps, she wanted others to fail, too. Not that Imara knew this, and if she did, she would never admit it. She sat there for a bit longer and watched him, red eyes shining slightly in the darkness, then stood and moved. She went a bit closer, but her intention wasn't him or his catch. It was actually one of the hollows he had dug.
There, she simply lied down and curled up. Holes were warmer to sleep in than the flat ground, and it's not like Imara had any body fat.
"Stupid." She mumbled. It seemed like that was her favorite word today.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:25 pm
The nyati would be a good feast. For everyone. But first. Jama used his claws and teeth and managed to rip one of the front legs off. He dragged the piece of meat over to the lioness that had stayed for some reason. But it didn't matter. She needed to eat and he had meat.
Jama dropped the meat off in front of her. "You need to talk care of yourself better. Don't starve yourself." Jama didn't wait for her to accept the meat or answer he made his way back to the downed nyati and started to have dinner. Hopefully, after his dinner and the missing leg, the meat would be easier to drag to the litter. Maybe he'll have to stay in the area until the trail cooled. He might have to defend the litter while they managed to eat for a few days. But maybe not.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:39 pm
She glared at the lion the entire time that he approached, but her eyebrows raised a bit when he dropped the leg in front of her. Okay, she hadn't really been expecting that, considering she hadn't been nice to him. Not even in her own thoughts. And she was even a little... touched, actually.
But Imara, despite her current state, was a proud lioness. She stared at the leg and thought about his words for a few moments. Eventually, she reached for the leg, and stood up so she had enough of a vantage point to turn her head and toss it back at the lion. It didn't hit him, not that it had been her intention anyways, but landed quite close to the rest of the animal it came from. "Yes. I need to take care of myself." She agreed. Her mind completed the rest.
But you don't.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:01 pm
Jama nodded in acknowledgement. "Then do it. Because you haven't been." He didn't move to retrieve the leg, though. He had given it to her, and even if she didn't want it, he wouldn't take it back. If she didn't eat it, maybe another predator, or the birds, would have a good meal of it.
Jama continued to eat slowly, looking around for ideas on transporting the meat to the litter. He'd probably just have to drag it, but if he used the reeds as a rope, it might make the dragging easier. Just a bit easier.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:16 pm
She shrugged, but didn't say a word. Didn't feel like talking more, just like she hadn't wanted to take care of herself lately. Maybe she was just all messed up and there was no salvation. Or maybe not, who knows. Anyways, she was done paying attention to the lion for today. So she curled back up in the hole he had made and closed her eyes. Then thought better and stood once again.
Because you'd have to be a special kind of lion to actually think it's a good idea to sleep near water. All kinds of animals could come by at night, and Imara wasn't quite at that point of not caring about herself. She could find a better place to sleep! So she left, flame-colored tail dragging across the floor.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:25 pm
Jama nodded as the lioness left, finished eating, and rigged reeds into a rope like head strap that wrapped around the meat. Jama made his way from the area and back to the litter just as dawn broke across the sky. -FIN-
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