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 Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:44 am
Thanatos:
There wasn't food in his home, no matter how fertile the land was. It was so secluded, the best he would be able to find were birds, and he wasn't about to cross one of them. They helped him after all. So, for that reason, Thanatos was out in the desert, scavenging for anything edible. It was rough, sure, but he was looking at the edge. Hares were aplenty here, with snakes and lizards. He had a large pouch hung on his back that currently had two hares, a lizard, and a ratel that had been something of a little a** trying to get.
Just one more and he'd be set for a time.
There was more scrub here and the ground was more parched than sandy. He could even see some trees not far off. It was a perfect, empty wasteland.
Cindee:
Her hum broke the silence as she walked slowly through the dirt and compacted sand. She hadn't meant to go so far. After all, she wasn't used to the desert, which is quite clearly where she was. The quest of a cactus flower had sent her this way, but now the clouds were beginning to look dark and.. the sand was stirring up in odd whips that seemed to lash at the earth. Her ears flicked back and she gulped. Okay this was something she shouldnt have done today, apparently. Maybe she should have taken a guide. Cindee groaned but continued on her way. She had to at least find the flower, or refuge, either or. She'd be happier with refuge for the moment though.
Thanatos:
Thanatos heard something around a rocky outcropping and dropped low. The wind was starting to pick up and that familiar twinge at the base of his skull was bugging him. He needed to catch that one last thing and get back quick, beat the sands.
He leapt over the rocks and tackled-
A lioness??
"s**t!" he growled, and scrambled off, not even a head-dip in apology. The wind started whipping sand at his back and he knew he'd run out of time. But, dammit, so had this lioness. He couldn't just leave her... right?
Cindee:
The last damn thing she expected was to be lunged at and tackled by a male. She let out a squeak of surprise, and when he pushed himself back, she lowered herself in a defensive stance. She looked more surprised and fearful than she did angry.
"Hey, who are you? You should watch where you are going." She said, and her voice was a bit firm. She narrowed her eyes and stood when she felt that he wasnt really going to harm her.
Thanatos:
"I was hunting, you shouldn't be out here," Than growled back, his ears setting back. He turned around and looked back in the direction of the wind, the direction of home.
"Damn," he grumbled under his breath and looked back that the female. No, he couldn't just leave her.
"Unless you want to be buried alive in sand, follow me." That said, he took off at a run for home.
Home was a large plateau-looking rock landform not too far into where the dunes began. By the time he got there, the sand was whipping his mane about and stinging his eyes. But he took a moment to look back for the lioness.
Cindee:
"Why? I was out hunting too! Just.. maybe not what you were wanting to hunt for. But its just as legit." She said wtih a nod of her head. The head tuft bouncing with her motions. She wasn't used to the sand that was sticking in her nostrils, and she wasn't sure if that was normal..
"Why would I be buried alive? I hope you explain." She said, and followed him obediently. She wasnt suicidal, but that didn't mean she didn't question things..
Thanatos:
He didn't have time for this. Trying to explain would only get more sand in his mouth, nose, and eyes. He quickly pawed his scarf up over his muzzle and jerked his head at the side of the plateau.
"Quick, in here!" Than called over the wind and sand, ears flat against his head, his voice muffled by the cloth.
The crevice in the rock was narrow and rather difficult to see, but after all the time he'd spent going in an out of it, Thanatos was used to it, knew where it was. One more glance over his shoulder at the female and then he slipped into it, almost looking at if he was disappearing into the rock itself. Sand could still flow in, though, so the previous owner had put up a thick hide, which he brushed back and held for her until she was past.
Once the lioness was on the other side of the hide, he weighed the bottom down with heavy rocks and moved deeper into the tunnel. It was taller than a lion's head and just wide enough for them to squeeze through side-by-side, but Thanatos kept at the head instead, leading her along.
"I know it's dark, just step carefully and you'll be fine," he said with a small shake of his head. They finally came into a larger chamber with light filtering in from another tunnel at the far side. The light was very weak, but strong enough to show the state of his living quarters.
Mess didn't even begin to cover it.
There were bones in little piles all over the place, a sandy pallet of older furs piled to one side, bowls made from halved and hollowed baobab shells either broken or half-filled with mostly dry paints were scattered everywhere, and there were two other, darkened tunnels leading to who knew what other kinds of cleaning catastrophes. Needless to say, Thanatos wasn't much for cleaning.
"Sandstorms can be deadly, it's nothing of my doing," Than replied as he shook the sand from his body and pulled the scarf back down.
"And you shouldn't be out here because the desert is dangerous."
Cindee:
The sand clung to her nostrils, and the longer she stood, it started to cake into her eyes. She frowned, closing her eyes and following his smell. Though she opened them long enough to see him slip through the rocks. She arched an eyebrow, but it let more sand through and she frowned again. She followed inside quickly, not saying anything else before he spoke to her again.
The thick black blanketed the cave and she felt a bit nervous. It was colder in the cave, and it was eerie. She could hear the whistling and howling of the sand outside.
She didnt have time to look around, as she sat quickly once he stopped moving and starting brushing the sand out of her fur and eyes.
"That was terrible. I cannot imagine living out here." She said, but then flicked her ears back.
"Sorry..."
Thanatos:
Than moved to one of the shells that had a bit of water in it and cleaned his paw of. He walked back across the stone floor to the female and with surprising care for a male his size, he gently cleaned the sand from her face.
"Sandstorms aren't common, but we can tell when they're coming up," he explained as he wiped the hard crust away. He was tall and thin, rather than heavily muscled like a normal lion would be. But he still gave off this fierce aura, as if anything he took on would be at a disadvantage. Even though he was more inclined to avoid conflict at all costs.
"I wouldn't suggest going back the way you came, the storm will be up for a while. And where the light is coming in, there's an area open to the sky, so it'll have some sand coming in, so I wouldn't suggest going there, either." He paused and looked off, considering.
"Actually, probably best you just stay here. That tunnel," he added, pausing to nod toward the tunnel closest to the entrance. The path sloped down into darkness. "There's a bathing pool down there. There are things on the walls that look like stars, just leave them alone. My room is the last tunnel, don't go down there. Ever."
Cindee:
She flinched when he touched her face, but not out of fear. She was surprised at how gentle, and warm that paw cleaning her face was. She was thankful when the crusty sand was free from her face and she smiled.
"Thanks.."
She watched as he told her about where he lived. It was a quaint little home. Though she knew it needed a lioness'es touch. It was dirty, and unkempt, and she wanted to go and take care of that for him. But she decided maybe if she stayed longer he would give her the chance.
"A bathing pool, huh?" She asked, her interest piqued. Though she looked at him with an arched brow.
"Do you have dark things in your room?" She asked, teasing of course and then she blushed. "Sorry..again."
Thanatos:
Thanatos' eyebrow quirked and he gave her a look that told her he would probably keep her guessing on that one.
"I like my privacy," was all he said in response and moved away, heading towards the tunnel he had said contained the pool. He was intrigued about this female, what in the world was she doing out on the edge of the desert? He slipped out of the bag, leaving it by the tunnel's mouth.
"I'm going to wash up. Why don't you come with and explain to me what in the gods' names you were doing on the edge?" Than paused, looking over his shoulder to see if she would come with.
Cindee:
He didnt have to ask twice. Not because she was easily commanded but because curiousity almost seemed to demand it. She felt the coolness of the stone under her paws. She was definitely intrigued. "I was looking for flowers. A certain one though. Ive heard them called cactus flowers." She was a lover of flowers as the roses and carnation adorned on her showed.
Thanatos:
Than led her down into the darkness, this tunnel just as long as the one before, only it sloped downward. It didn't take long for there to be a soft, bluish glow ahead, until they entered into a large underground cavern. It was even cooler down here, a perfect temperature in comparison to the harsh desert sun. There was a large, rippling pool being fed by a wall of trickling water. It came from the oasis pool, which was fed by a spring, but Than wasn't about to explain that right now.
What were truly breathtaking were the walls.
The dark rock was covered in glowing blue creatures. Than and his friend knew they were small, glowing grubs, but he wouldn't tell this female. Not yet. They were all over the place, walls and ceiling, as if the two lions were surrounded by stars. This mostly stayed where they were, feasting on the fungus that tried to grow down there but never could. It was a perfect relationship. Than and Sadal didn't bother them and kept the water clean, and in return they kept fungus from overgrowing and provided light.
He slipped into the water and rested his front paws and head on a ledge in order to watch the lioness.
"That's rather daft. The desert is a dangerous place, and yet you braved it for a flower?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:29 pm
Cindee:
When her eyes landed on the squirming, glowing creatures she was caught by surprise. She widened her eyes, looking over them as if they were dancing to a song that only she could hear. She wanted to get closer, to make out what exactly they were.. But his voice had caught her attention again and she frowned.
"I would brave anything for a look at beauty.. I live a rather uneventful life. My passion is the flowers." She explained, looking at him again. She hoped he understood though she supposed it did seem a ludacris idea. She had been that way since she had been young, and she simply wasn't sure it would ever change.
"What's the point of living, if you have to fear so much?" She asked, her voice soft as she approached the water. She slipped her front paws in, but then took th em out and lay down on the cold stone near the waters edge.
Thanatos:
He closed his eyes, letting the water soak into his fur, into his worn bones as he listened to her speak. There were plenty of beautiful things in the world, he had seen much of them. Of course, this female made the list, but he knew that was where anything between them ended. He could see her end written in the stars if fate would have it.
"You don't have to fear it, but you should be careful." He opened his eyes just a fraction and shook his head.
"Going out without some protection from the sand is a foolish thing to do. You have sand everywhere," he added, reaching up and batting some of the sand out of her mane.
Cindee:
She blushed a little, a pink tinge of color that touched her cheeks as if someone had pinched them. She looked at her paws, but then her teal eyes gazed back up at the male before her.
"Ah. Yeah.. I will admit my ignorance in the ways of the desert. I am lucky to have found you. Otherwise I would have been in trouble. Perhaps fate was looking out for me." She smiled. She chuckled as the sand fell from her mane tuft and she raised her paw and batted the sand particles that remained.
"I must look a mess." She said, and then stood just to see her reflection in the water. The lack of direct light made seeing herself hard, but eventually she did and she was able to get the rest of it out of her mane.
Thanatos:
Than smirked and smoothed his wet mane back from his eyes.
"Doubtful. I'm not what you would call a bringer of good fortune," he replied with another small shake of his head. He wasn't, all he was good for was finding death. Sometimes he managed to stop it, most times he was powerless. He closed his eyes and his mind wandered dangerously. He saw her, lost in the desert in the middle of a storm. Sand blinding, choking her, burying her alive. And no one came to her aid. It wasn't a vision, those felt different. This was just his dark imagination getting the best of him and his heart ached.
Teeth grit, he banished the thoughts from his mind, returning his attention to her.
"And you do look a mess, but that's the wind and sand for you. Can't help that." All the sand was probably gone from himself now, too, but the water was cool and relaxing, he couldn't bear to leave it.
"What do you think of this place? You haven't said anything about it."
Cindee:
"Perhaps you hadn't found the one you were supposed to help then until now." She responded, and cocked her head, flicking an ear as she took a breath. She found herself looking around again, her attention back on the glowing .. things that had caught her attention before.
"It's lovely. I can't help but just.. look around." Truth was she preferred being out in the open. But this place? It seemed so lonely. But it was so beautiful she was genuinely honest what she had said.
Thanatos and Sadalsuud:
The large lion practically started preening at the compliments about his home. Like a big purple peacock. He really was proud of his home, a hidden green jewel in the center of the desert.
"Perhaps, but I have my doubts," was all Than said. He didn't really have much more time to talk, anyways because he was interrupted by another voice.
"Than, we're running out of blue... dye... Hello." The male that had come down the ramp looked sort of like a small, stockier lion, but he had a thick tail, like a leopard. An eyebrow was raised above gold eyes as he looked passively at the lioness.
"I know, I'll get more soon. This is my apprentice," he said, gesturing to the hybrid male.
"Hi..."
Cindee:
She blinked, caught off guard by the stranger that walked in on them. She gulped, and felt her heart almost skip a beat. She wondered why he hadn't mentioned an apprentice before. He hadn't said he had lived with someone.. What else was he holding back?
The doubt in her head was forced away as she sighed. She forced a smile on her face, trying to be the sweet gal she usually always was. But doubt still was trying to rear its ugly head.
"Pleasure." She said, nodding with a smile.
Thanatos and Sadalsuud:
"Mmm, likewise," the leopon, Sadal, replied. He didn't look very happy about someone new in the den and Than didn't expect him to be. He didn't care much for change, and a lioness was a definite change. Or maybe it was just because he didn't work well with females around. Than could almost see him fidget a bit.
"I'm going to go work on the rivers," he finally said, turned, and left the two lions alone again.
Than sighed and turned his attention back to the lioness.
"I didn't mention him, did I? Too caught up paying attention to you I suppose." Which was true, he hadn't really thought about Sadal with this lioness here... And that was bothersome. He didn't bring females home. Sometimes he flirted with females, sometimes he did a little bit more, but he never wanted to bring one home. That was getting too close for him. It was amazing he allowed Sadal and Cael to live with him. Oh, Cael, right.
"There's also a lizard that pops his head in sometimes, though I doubt you'll see him."
Cindee:
She could see the irritation in the males face, and she looked away, staring at the wall. She really felt uncomfortable with a gaze like that on his face. Then he excused himself and she gave a huge sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry.. I'm not really the best at being social. I try, but gatherings can make me nervous." Which was true.. She had no reason to trust huge groups. Other than where she had come from, that was all different.
"No you didnt mention him," she started, "But it's okay. You don't owe me anything. If anything I owe you. You saved my life."
Thanatos:
"Join the club," Than replied with a smirk. He was a charming male when he wanted to be, working well on a one-by-one basis, but too many of them and he got anxious for home. Sadal had the same problem.
He frowned when she mentioned being indebted to him. He didn't like that, being in anyone debt, or anyone being in his. It was a connection to him and frankly he wanted to keep most others out of reach of his claws. It made life easier to handle.
"No, don't. You don't owe me anything. Don't worry about it." His words were a little quick as he waved his paw, trying to assure her that he didn't want her to think that way.
Cindee:
"But I still feel like I do. Isn't there anything I can do to help you somehow?" She asked, and then realized how it sounded and a mortified look came over her face. "I mean, um, wow. yeah. That is exactly why I don't mix in large crowds."
She felt the blush touch her again and she shook her head. She wasn't sure why she was getting so tongue tied. It was just him, they werent around anyone. This wasn't usual.
Thanatos and Sadalsuud:
Than chuckled and finally pulled himself out of the water. He gave her his most charming smile, leaned down, and gave her cheek a lick.
"Not a damn thing, sweetheart," he replied and walked past her. He paused at where the tunnel opened into the cavern.
"You should probably bathe yourself, there's food when you're done and when the winds have come down, I can take you back to the desert's edge," he added, not looking back. For some reason, it felt like his heart was constricting, as if there was something about this female, something he was doing in regards to her that was wrong.
He wrote it off and headed back up into the main chamber to see Sadal's dark form tending to the mural on the wall of the cave.
"First time you've brought a girl home."
"Shut up." He frowned at the work. "The Sidewinder is crooked. Leave it alone for now, I'll fix it later." Than moved to the bag with his kills in it and removed the ratel from it.
"I'll be in my room. Only bother me if it's important."
"You're moody today, Than."
"Stuff it, Sadal and just get her whatever she needs." Than took the ratel into his jaws after that and disappeared into his room.
Cindee:
When he stood out of the water, she was not expecting the lick on the cheek she got.. And the term sweetheart, it made her blush again and she felt her heart beating like a crazy beat inside her chest.
"O-Okay." She said, and he was gone. She sighed, and wondered what about him was so intruging to her. Perhaps it was his charm, or his good looks. Oh well, who knew.. For now she could only sit and watch helplessly as the small bud of attraction began blossoming into her heart.
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