[LOG] After the games.. [Ixchel x Shakuntala]

[Feral Mule]

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After such a harrowing day, Shakuntala was exhausted. Her sleep had been very heavy and restful, which meant now she was much more alert. Of course, her muscles were sore from all of the rock moving, log shoving, leaf pushing... Climbing... She stretched herself out, before she padded out of the temple room she called her den. Just beyond, up the hall, a pool sat in the middle of a court yard. In a sort of web, several passages split off from the space, filled with more rooms. Some where covered with stones, though, evidence of a long-ago earthquake that had sealed off entire sections of the complex network of buildings. The leopardess raised her paws up to the ledge of the pool, leaning foreward and lapping at it. For a moment... She wondered how well the cubs were sleeping while she wasn't present.

She had bee found! But she didn't know if she wanted to be found. Ix looked around this way and that before sighing and frowning. Things were so fun when she was hiding in the trees away from everyone. She watched them look for her like they were ants! She was a rainbow, how did they miss her? Just how! The thoughts amused the little cub as she wandered anywhere she liked. She didn't know where she was, so, she decided she was going to leave and go find someone to play with. Laughing as she stepped out of the place she'd been herded to, her rainbow head turned quickly before she tip toed out, biting on her lip. "Now to find someone to play with." Quietly as she could, she attempted to go towards the water to get something to drink first.

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An ear flicked, before the leopardess glanced back. She didn't turn her head, though. She didn't want to betray that she knew the cub was there. Instead, she kept lapping at the water, giving all appearances of being calm. No indications, no warnings... A small, simple plan had formed in her head, and it was now a matter of time before the cub approached. The adult closed her eyes, though her ears still listened, as she continued to drink. The water was wonderful on a throat, especially in a jungle. Despite where it was in the courtyard, it was still cool to drink, filled and replinished repeatedly by the rains that washed their way through near-daily.

Great! She hadn't seen the cub yet. Ix laughed to herself quietly and kept 'stalking' her pray. Finally, when the rainbow spotted girl deemed it ready, she tried to pounce the adult. Her teeth aimed for the other's tail and her claws aimed to pin it down. Well, not her claws, her paws, actually. Ixchel refused to unsheath her claws at the moment because she didn't want to hurt the adult. She hardly remembered names anymore, every day was a blur of fun. Who needed a mother when she had random adults to get her food and she didn't have to get attached to any of them?  

[Feral Mule]

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At the last moment, the adult's tail twitched away, before she pushed off the edge of the pool to mock-pounce the cub. "Gotcha!" Shakuntala moved a paw, intent on pinning the cub in play. Behind her, her tail dipped into the water, though she didn't really care. Her attention was on Ixchel and the game that was turning into tag of some sort. Would the cub best her at the game, or would Shakuntala win at it? Frankly, the leopardess herself didn't really care who won, since playing with and like a cub was simply fun. It'd teach her good skills for adulthood.

She let out the weirdest mix of a yelp and a squeak when Shak tried to pin her. It was hard to dodge, since it was a mid-air sort of deal and groaned when she had barely, barely managed to scrape by. Shak's paw would graze her and send her off course, falling back down on the grass. She landed on her side, slid a little and then got to her paws, charging head first. She hoped to get Shak's stomach in a head-butt, but not one that would hurt her too bad. Ixchel could only giggle as all of this took place. This was just fantastic!

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Shakuntala was ready, dropping her front before jumping away and running around the cub a bit. Her face was alight, amusement evident in the dark eyes. A paw shot out, claws retracted as she tried to grab the cub's tail. "Come on, now, you should be faster than THAT!" She'd have to see about making, though jokingly, a list of rules to turn into some sort of poem about what it was to be a good leopard. Pure of breeding... Silent of paws... Stealthy of movement... Something like that.

Ixchel laughed as her tail was grabbed and she flopped back on the ground. A giggle came from the girl's throat as she curled up, wrapping her paws around Shak's paws and then gnawed on the offending paw. It wasn't hard, just a few nips along with some kicks with her back paws. She let out a baby growl before she stretched out, pushing the paw away and tried to squirm closer to Shak. She wanted to tickle the adult!  

[Feral Mule]

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The adult leopardess let out a mock-surprised sound, rolling onto her back in an act of defeat. As she acted defeated, she rolled fully onto her back, before striking a death pose, complete with closed eyes and tongue flopped out. If one paid close attention, though, they'd see her chest and nostrils moving ever so slightly. She was biding her time, though, waiting for Ix to get close enough to grab.

Ix grinned triumphantly when the leopardess died like that. A giggle came from the girl's lips as she circled the female. Of course what she wanted to do was pounce on Shak's stomach and tickle her, but something told her the adult wasn't done playing yet. Letting her tail twitch this way and that, she slowly started coming forward, jumping to the side every now and then, like she would be caught. "Is that all you have? You're bad at this!"

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Shakuntala peeked one eye open. "Am I really?" She rolled onto her side, watching Ix. "At least I stay where you can see me when we're playing..." She reached out to gently poke Ix with a paw. "And I can hide in the bushes MUCH better!" She wasn't about to admit it, but the fact the cub was able to hide so well with such a bright pelt was an admirable thing. She'd make a fine leopard when she grew up.

Ixchel laughed when she was poked and then snorted. How dare Shak say something about her stealth! She was doing just fine for someone who was so bright! Her cheeks puffed up, as did the rest of her and she huffed. "I'm doing fine! I sneak up on leopards all the time! If I'm so bad at it, why was I nearly the last one found?" She asked, sticking out her tongue. She sat down on her haunches, seeming truly upset over this. She was trying her hardest. It wasn't like she had anyone to really teach her to do these things. She just kind of picked them up.  

[Feral Mule]

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She smiled, unable to keep it back. "You ARE very skilled..." She reached out to catch the cub and pull her into a hug. "You'll make a fine leopard when you grow up, Ixchel!"

For some reason that made her feel a bit better. Curling up around Shak, Ixchel sniffled a little more and closed her eyes. She put her face into the adult's chest and buried in there, whimpering heavily. "Then don't pick on me... I'm trying the best I can..."

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Her heart melted. Gently grooming the cub's ears, Shakuntala rumbled in her throat and chest. "Oh, little one, don't cry... There's leopards who naturally blend in with the jungle who could be spotted by a beetle on the other side of a tree! But you... You've been gifted a bright coat, and the skill to hide it amid the foliage! Feel proud of yourself!"

Ixchel hated being picked on. That was one of the reasons she hid so long. Because the others didn't think she could with her bright pelt. She whimpered again and then nodded, sniffling and pushed herself closer. "Can we nap here? I don't.... feel like playing anymore.."

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She groomed the cub's ears again. "Of course we can, little one... Of course we can."