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 Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:08 pm
 Rio ripped off a leg of the klipspringer she had killed for dinner, tail flicking back and forth with contentment. It was nice to be able to sit down and rest for a while. The meat was warm and fresh, the night was cool, and Rio had just stumbled upon a bag filled with the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she had ever seen.
They were all silver; a necklace, a few bracelets, and rings small enough to fit around her tail. All of the pieces were studded with gemstones of every colour, creating a rainbow that matched the wings on her back. Perhaps she would find a baboon and, in exchange for some sort of favour, have it put the jewelry on her. Oh, how beautiful she would look! Especially while dancing. She could just imagine the light catching on the bracelets as she twirled, jewels sparkling and twinkling with each movement. Rio sighed happily, letting her legs dangle over the sides of the tree branch she was perched on.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:10 pm
 Hanja crept forward, eyes zoned in on his target. Earlier that day he had seen the leopardess discover the bag of trinkets near a cave, one of the hideouts of Hanja’s rivals. The dog had been tracking her all day, waiting for an opportunity to snatch the bag from her and flee. Now, it seemed, was his chance. His pawsteps were light and soft as he snuck up to the tree, the darkness of the night helping to camouflage him.
Hanja stole a glance upwards. The feline was still eating, oblivious to his presence. Heart hammering in his chest, the dog grabbed the bag by the edge and slowly lifted it off of the ground. He winced as the pieces inside clattered together a little, letting off a little jingle. Hanja backed up, limbs moving slower than a turtle. If he could just reach the grasses again…snap! He froze as his foot stepped on twig. Quicker than a bolt of lightning, the dog turned and fled, feet flying over the dirt.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:11 pm
Her ears pricked at the sound of a light tinkling. It sounded as if it had come from below the tree. She listened carefully for another noise. Just as she thought it had been her imagination, a snap came from behind her. She whipped around, letting out a snarl as she saw a wild dog holding the bag of jewelry in his mouth. The dog took off, and Rio yowled with fury.
She jumped down off of her branch, flying after the thief. They were hers, damnit! She had found them fair and square. Rio wasn’t going to let any mangy, flea-ridden canine make off with her good. She picked up her pace, paws kicking up dust as she pursued the dog.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:16 pm
Hanja growled in frustration. The leopard was following him! He was sure he could outrun her, but he would have to get her off his trail so that she couldn’t follow after him. The dog turned in his path and made for the river, water splashing up around him as he sped along the banks. The mud slowed his gait a little bit, but Hanja was sure it wouldn’t make too much of a difference. After all, cats hated water, right? All Hanja had to do was get a deep part of the banks and swim across. The stupid feline wouldn’t follow him, and Hanja would make off with his prize. Plan renewing his energy, the dog gritted in concentration and headed for the lake the river fed in to.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:17 pm
Water. The dog had headed in to water. Rio cursed to herself as she followed the dog’s tracks in the river mud. The one thing she was truly afraid of was drowning. Her mother had drowned during a flash flood in the storm season, and Rio had no intentions of meeting the same fate. Nevertheless, she continued her pursuit. The leopardess could tell that the water was shallow enough for her to walk across. As long as she could walk across the bottom, she would have no problem.
She was gaining on him, and fast too. Rio couldn’t wait till she got her claws on the scruffy mutt. She was going to rip him a new one, that was for sure. Perhaps if he cooperated, Rio would even let the dog keep one of his ears. And being the kind, thoughtful soul that she was, Rio would be nice enough to let him choose which one he wanted.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:20 pm
There, the lake was in sight! Hanja put in an extra burst of speed and jumped, paws kicking out as soon as he made contact with the surface. He shook a few droplets of water out of his eyes and continued swimming. If he made it to the other side, he would be homeward bound! Hanja panted with laughter, lungs heaving with the exertion of the chase. The cloth of the bag had been obstructing his air, and now the weight of the jewelry was making it hard to keep his head up above the water. The dog tried to restrict his breathing through his nose, but still he kept sucking in bits of water through his mouth. He was almost there though, only a few more feet until he hit the banks….
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:22 pm
Rio didn’t think as she sprang in after the dog, mind too focused on catching the thief to realize he had jumped into the middle of a lake. But when she landed, and her feet found no sandy bottom to support herself with, Rio began to panic. Her paws flailed about underneath the surface, but it seemed as if the water was sucking her down. It splashed up into her eyes, clouding her vision and making it impossible to get her bearing. The leopardess tried calling out for help, but water rushed into her mouth and filled her lungs, making Rio cough and sputter. Thoughts of the thief and her jewelry long gone, Rio continued to struggle and thrash in the lake.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:23 pm
Hanja pulled himself up onto the banks, taking a moment to shake off the water clinging to his fur. He glanced behind to see where his pursuer was and snorted. She was drowning in the lake. The dog knew that cats hated water, but that was just ridiculous. Hanja glanced around, looking for another person that might be nearby. Hearing, seeing, and smelling no one, the dog turned from the lake and began to trot off with his prize. He liked to think that he wasn’t going to be responsible for the feline’s death. She had made the decision to jump in after him, so her fate was in her own hands. What did Hanja care whether or not she lived or died? Wasn’t it all the ways of nature? Whistling a little in the cool night air, the dog quickened his pace and set off through the savannah.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 9:25 pm
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