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 Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:59 pm
Fireheart trotted out of her family cave just as the sun was rising over the ocean. She loved going down there to watch the sunrise, but it seemed she was a bit late this morning. With a yawn, she headed down the cliff to the jungle floor before taking a familiar path to the beach. She nodded and smiled to the other pride members that were awake as they passed her, before turning her trot into a gentle gallop. She loved her pride, but mornings were her time. This was when she honed her skills to become a better fighter, a better warrior, in case the need ever arose that she had to protect her family and her pride. As she reached the sand she slowed and allowed herself a few minutes of appreciating the natural beauty of her home. She sighed softly before turning down the beach, taking a slow walk to wake up. She would glance occasionally out over the ocean as the sun rose, making the water turn from blue to fire red, sparkling like stars and gems. She wasn't terribly fond of swimming in the ocean - she didn't like the way the salt made her fur feel - but loved to just watch the waves lap at the beach. The ocean was mysterious and huge and powerful...everything she wanted to be.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:20 pm
Sleeping like a rock wasn't one of Vodnitvar's strong points, for the most part he tended to toss and turn around his sleep. Giving in and eventually pacing around for the rest of the night, but last night seemed to have been different. He awoke with a start as the ocean's gentle but cold waves lapped at his paws. Taking a quick look around, he was confised by his surroundings, where was he, and why was he on a beach? His memories slowly began to come back to him as he stood there waiting for his senses to return to normal.
He remember Fireheart, and the pride she had introduced him to, but what he didn't remember was the beach! The best he could figure was that he had stumbled here sometime in the evening and stopped for a rest. From there who knew!
Pushing himself up onto his feet a familiar scent caught his nose, causing him to follow it. It took him a bit, especially to get up the sand dunes that covered the beach but he managed. When he caught site of her, a familiar sense of being flowed over him. His first thought was to approach her, but from prior experience he forced himself to stay back. Perhaps she had only been so polite yesterday to recruit him, with this being a new day she may just pretend he didn't exist. In truth, he really didn't want to risk the heartbreak right now.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:05 pm
Fireheart glanced behind her periodically and smiled just a bit. As she was walking she was letting her tail brush over the sand, tossing small amounts over her footprints. She was getting better at it, because the majority of her tracks had been covered by very inconspicuous piles of sand. They blended in nicely with the rest of the mounds that the wind created. Some could afford to be smaller and some didn't get to her prints, but it was something she had come up with only recently and, just in case she was ever being followed on the beach, she felt confident that she'd give her pursuers a hard time, at least.
A gentle breeze blew in from the ocean and she lifted her face into it, taking a deep breath of the salty air. Despite not being fond of the feel of salt, she loved it in the air when she was down by the water. Low tide was rather smelly, but high tide was wonderful. She narrowed her eyes as a slightly familiar scent drifted in front of her nose, and after a moment she whipped around. No one was there. Confused, she glanced slowly along the shore line and...oh!
"Good morning," she called out to Vodnitvar as she finally spotted him. His blue fur and stripes had let him blend in with the backdrop of the moving water for a few moments. "What are you doing down here?" The beach wasn't frequented by most this early in the morning, which was part of the reason she came down here. Of course, Vodnitvar was new. He wasn't aware of what the pride did. Then again, she'd be perfectly happy if he didn't end up melding into the pride and doing what they all did.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:32 pm
Vodnitvar watched with a certain amount of curiosity as she swept her paw prints away with her tail. For a moment he thought she was dancing, but the more he watched the more it came clear. She was quite a sharp lady, and knew quite a bit about fending for herself as well as cleaning her tracks. But if she was clearing her tracks - what exactly was it that she was trying to hide from? Curious.
With a skeptical look in his eye he eyed the female, more focused on her body language than her actions. Which is probably why it took him so long to realize she was actually talking to him.
"Oh uh good morning!" He called, his tail reacting with a slight wag. "I was actually just ... waking up actually. I guess I fell asleep on the beach." He smiled an awkward smile, "Not my proudest moment."
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:51 pm
Fireheart tilted her head as she waited for an answer. Perhaps the breeze was carrying her voice away from him. He kept calling himself old and - while he didn't look elderly - perhaps he was a bit hard of hearing. She was about to repeat herself when he spoke up. Ah, must just be slightly sleepy still.
"Asleep on the beach? It gets quite cool down here in the night," she said, an amused smile on her face as she changed her direction to head towards the larger lion. "I told you to pick out a cave in the hills...didn't I?" She ran through her talk from yesterday and winced slightly as she realized she had left that bit out. Whoops...
"Ah...I suppose not," she said, her voice at a more manageable level as she reached Vodnitvar. She was still slightly wary of him - he had been a rouge just a day ago, after all - but she really sensed no threat from him. If anything, she was picking up rather lonely vibes from him. The comment he had made the previous day about not wanting to be a burden to anyone had had her thinking as she had fallen asleep. "Well. Yes, sorry about that. The pride sleeps in caves in the hills back in the jungle. I can show you where a few empty ones are later today."
She glanced behind her again and smirked in satisfaction: this time her tracks had been completely covered. A good warm-up for the day.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:24 pm
He frowned at her slight shock at his sleeping choice, he very well could have chosen a den or something more fitting, but his body had for some reason or another chosen the beach. "It doesn't really bother me much, I come from the mountains. Its much colder there than any beach." Of course he hadn't mentioned it to her before this, but then she hadn't asked either. At her mention of caves, Vodnitvar's spirit got a little down, though he tried not to show it. "Are the caves a mandatory sleeping area, or am I free to sleep where i'd like?" OK, now he was just starting to sound ungrateful, "N-Not to say I wouldn't sleep there, I would just prefer to sleep where I fall. I'm not really one for strictness in my sleep patterns. I save my strict ways for battle." He smiled, dropping a small hint to the female. From all his watching he had deducted that she had a knack for that, and those with dedication usually had a high interest. This was obviously the case with Fireheart.
"But enough with my bothersome questions about the pride, I can acclimate. If you don't mind i'm much more interested in you." Never really put into such an awkward situation, the male was even more awkward than he was on their first encounter. "Can you tell me, why you're so carefully covering your tracks out here? Is someone following you?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:48 pm
Fireheart gave a quiet 'ah' as Vodnitvar explained he was used to the cold. Not that it was freezing out at night, of course. This was Africa, after all. She just preferred the warmth and comfort of a cave, knowing that at least three sides of her were protected at all times. Not counting the occasional foot to the face, courtesy of one of her siblings.
"There's no rule saying you must sleep in the caves. There really aren't many rules here. If you prefer to sleep on the beach, or out in the jungle somewhere that's fine. Just don't be surprised if someone comes across you earlier than you'd like to wake up. There are a few early birds here and, if you're not one, I could see you being woken more often than not." Fair warning, at least. She hadn't woken him up, but it was obvious he had recently started moving around.
Her attention rose a bit as he mentioned fighting. Yes, that reminded her...he was scarred and an older rouge, so perhaps he had been some kind of commander in his old pride! She tried to squish her excitement, hoping to the gods he wasn't. She must look terribly foolish and seemed completely amateur the other day if he had vast knowledge of battles.
"My tracks?" The question surprised her a bit. He obviously was rather battle-worn if he knew that's what she was doing. No one had ever asked her before...no one had ever noticed. Then again, he had been watching for a few minutes before she spotted him. Perhaps he had seen. "Oh no, no one is following me. I'm just...ah." She looked away, feeling like a fool. "Practicing. In case anyone ever does follow me. On a beach. Just...just a... strategic tactic I'm working on. I guess. I'm not very good at it still."
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:15 pm
"For the most part I am an early bird, I guess overtime by body just grew accustomed to my sleep patterns. The ocean was just a little too soothing to my nerves last night." It was really the only thing he could think of to account for his laziness this morning, and that's exactly what it was - laziness. Never had he slept so long as he had this morning, it was a bit relaxing to sleep in - he would admit that, but it was also disappointing.
Noting the tinge of excitement in her features, a twinkle came to his eye and he tried his best not to tear up. It did his heart good to see someone impressed by his old ways. Even if she wouldn't admit she was impressed, or perhaps she wasn't and he was just being overconfident? Didn't matter - he'd think of it how he wanted, and for now he wanted to think she was impressed.
So caught up in his own mix of emotions, he gave a bit of a jump and winced as the female began to answer him anxiously. That's what you get when you don't pay attention, he thought as he listened on.
"Who said you weren't very good at it?" He frowned, his tone becoming a little more sharp and stern. "I think you did a fine job, of course more work could be done, but its a fine start." He veered his head to match her gaze once more, "Why the long face? Is it something I said?" He paniced a bit, and frantic with worry spouted out the first thing that came to mind. "H-Hey, you said you're working on some training tactics huh? Why not show me some, I'd like to think I could be of at least some help.." Sh seemed ashamed of herself over something silly, he hated to see her like that especially when she had a knack for what she was doing.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:42 pm
For a moment Fireheart felt like she was actually...being instructed. Vodnitvar's tone changed to something more short and sharp, and she actually stood a bit taller in response. It quickly disappeared, though, and she wondered if she had simply imagined the tone. She began to wonder at his past and, if it was true that he had been some amazing general, perhaps she could learn a thing or two from him.
"Not...not really. I mean..." She quietly cursed herself for being so unlike herself. Normally when speaking with others - even those older than her - she had an air of confidence about her that made people listen. Vodnitvar was listening, but she didn't feel very confident. "From what you said, I'm gathering that you used to be at the very least a great warrior from your pride. You probably know all about hiding tracks and ambushing and tracking and...I feel like I've made a fool of myself the past few days."
She glanced back at the beach where a few of her paw prints remained and resisted the urge to snort angrily at them. She was a young lady, after all. She needed to keep her composure and not act like a cub that didn't get their way. "Well, there's that. Covering tracks. I'm trying to work on staying hidden, but it's hard given my coloring and the green foliage of the jungle. Maybe out in the rouge lands I'd do a bit better, but here...unless it's dark or there's dead foliage I don't blend very well."
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:04 pm
Vodnitvar winced at the memories of his past, while he cherished them deeply, they were still a bit hard to think back on sometimes. Especially when he looked back with longing and not hate. Clearing his throat and trying to keep the memories at bay he attempted to console the younger female, hoping his smooth moves would do the trick.
"While that may partially be true, it should in no way discredit what you yourself have to offer. While one may have more experience, another may be more capable." His tone turned a little gruff, but nothing harmful, and he tried to adjust the weight from his leg in the least obvious way possible. "While its fine to look at someone with respect, you should never discredit yourselff." He tried to smile, but her lack of confidence in herself was beginning to drag him down.
As the female shifted tracks, his frown began to lift, making room for a faint smile. "You're trying to blend in huh? I can see the trouble, but honestly its not all that hard." He let out a small chuckle, "If I can hide myself in the jungle, I assure you that you can." He pointed to her more natural pelt versus his very bright one. "Just don't psyche yourself out over it."
Vodnitvar mulled over the situation for a moment, trying to figure out how best to remedy the situation.
"So let's see. You're having trouble with your tracks as well as your camo...." Looking down to the ground he took notice of the sand at his feet, likely not the best terrain to practice on for a beginner. "Covering your tracks isn't difficult at all - its just keeping yourself focused that does the trick. You're already doing fine with that." Perhaps if they headed off into the jungle, or a rather muddy area this might be a bit easier.
"As for your camo, I could show you an easy way to learn - if you're open to it that is." He allowed the sentence to hang in the air for a moment, not sure whether she would take the bait. But inwardly he was really hoping she would, the thrill of being back into his profession was starting to get to him.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:17 pm
Fireheart nodded slightly as Vodnitvar pointed out that he would have an even harder time hiding in any type of terrain. He had blended in pretty well with the water, but that wasn't exactly prime fighting turf. As he continued on, her lack of confidence was slowly melted away by excitement. She was practically leaning forward on her toes as he continued to speak. Was he really offering her a lesson in cameo?
"Yes! Yes um. Yes." She cleared her throat, trying to remain impassive, but it was very difficult. The excitement shone clearly in her eyes, if not on her face. "That would be greatly appreciated. It's what I'm having the most trouble with right now. Since I can't really see myself hiding in bushes..." That and she didn't know how to go about making it harder for lions to see her.
"Thank you. In advance," she added after a moment. "No one's ever offered to train me before. And...was I correct in assuming you held...some sort of position in your old pride that was fighting-related?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:54 am
His toes tingled with excitement as the female tried to contain her own, it was sort of a spark. Someone was taking an interest in his talents? Even though he remained useless in even the simplest of tasks? His pride was definitely swelling at this point, but oddly he was able to hold it in. Doing his best to remain someone strict as he explained everything she wished to know.
"Well once you've learned a few things you won't have any trouble at all." He smiled for a split second before returning to his blank expression. He was still lost in thought, trying to figure out the best possible place he could show her the ropes. Really all he could think of was the jungle, preferably near to some kind of water source.
"You are most welcome, it is the least I can do for you. After all you did give me a bit of hope yesterday." Vodnitvar adjusted his vision, looking behind him towards the jungle beyond it. "Well you've never met someone who specializes in this type of thing have you?" He paused a moment, absorbing her next question. "Yes you were. I was a general of sorts in my old pride. But those days are gone." His wavering stern face quivered for a moment before he attempted to close the subject. Perhaps another time, but now was not that time.
"Now, how when would you like to get started? We'll need a different terrain to give you the best entry level lesson possible. Possibly a more soiled area that is near a water source. The jungle could work pretty well..."
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:09 am
Fireheart wasn't sure if she felt excited or terrified in learning her guess had been right. A general! She'd have to be on her best behavior, with listening ears and watchful eyes to take in everything he said and did. This would be valuable, life-saving information she'd be getting from him. Perhaps his leg and hip were scarred and mangled, but he was still alive, so he had obviously done something right.
"Yes, there's a pond not far from here, actually," she said, her tail swaying in excitement. "The area around it has lots of bushes and trees, but there's a bank that's used as a beach of sorts. It's dirt, though, not sand." She could hardly believe her luck...she doubted that other ex generals would be as willing to teach her as Vodnitvar seemed to be.
"Follow me," she added as she turned, heading back the way she had come. This time she didn't bother to wipe her prints away, too focused on the promise of a real lesson in cameo.
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:34 am
"That will do quite nicely actually." He sighed, shifting his weigh in preparation for the long walk ahead of them. Or at least what he knew would be a long walk for him. Even though Fireheart had assured him it wasn't far, she meant by her terms, by his terms it was likely miles away. But it didn't matter much to him, he would do whatever it took to regain his glory days. Even if it meant paining himself.
Dipping his head to the female before him, he smiled wryly. "Those words are becoming all too familiar to you aren't they?" With a small chuckle he ushered her on with his head politely. "Alright, lets get a move on. Its best if the mud doesn't have a chance to be dried out by the sun. Otherwise we'll be in for quite a bit of fun." Rolling his eyes in exaggeration he allowed his footsteps to fall in time with hers. Happy with how things had gone since he'd accidentally stepped foot into this pride's lands.
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