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 Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:59 pm
(( This thread is primarily for Tanaka and Kiuma, though if someone else wishes to join they are welcome to. I only ask that this one be kept fairly small )) The night was cool and clear and should have been peaceful, but the white lion had been unable to sleep. His breath was heavy as he sighed in the night air. Lifting his head, his green eye fell on the form of the red lioness where she lay sleeping, or at least he assumed she was asleep.
He laid his head back down and closed his eyes, but decided it was pointless, sleep just wasn't going to come tonight it seemed. He stood to his feet, his gaze looking toward the stars, then to the rocks above them. Moving as quietly as he could so as to not awaken his companion, he moved toward the rocks and begain to climb. He continued upward until he came to a high ledge, high enough that he had a good view of the stars above.
A breeze swept past him, gently ruffling his mane and what was left of his wings. It was at times like this that he longed to have his wings restored, to be able to fly again.
His ears flickered at the sound of fluttering wings and his green eye caught the sight of a white shape flying toward him.
"Oh great, I thought I'd gotten rid of you."
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:57 pm
 Kiuma yawned widely as she sprawled on her side beneith a tree, the grass of the Mistweaver lands brittle under her but not unpleasant to sleep on. Eyes made a dark gray by night opened slowly, and the sleek head rose from the ground. Her gaze swept the area, and a little thorn of aprehension pricked her when the large, comforting form of Tanaka evaded her.
Lanky young limps pushed the adolescent up into a sitting position, gaze struggling to pierce the shadows to seek out the creature who had been her companion for a few weeks now. Steady as the sun, and ever at her side, the loss was especially hard on her now. He'd said he wouldn't leave her unless she wished it...
Relief made her weak as eyes that glittered in the darkness caught sight of a dark silouette against the star spangled sky. There he was. So he hadn't left her, meerly gone to gaze at the stars. Tonight was a fine night for it, really. In her pride, star gazing was a popular past time, and with good reason. Deciding that she'd slept enough for the night, the lioness rose to pad near silently up the small hill, her tail trailing behind her.
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:40 pm
The moon was new, and without it's light to interfere, the stars shone especially bright, like jewels against the black drop of night. Tanaka sat on his haunches looking up at the stars and glaring at the approaching feathered creature from the corner of his eye.
The lion's tail flicked in mild irritation, stirring up a bit of dust behind him as the bird came into full few then landed beside him.
"I don't recall inviting you to join me."
The bird ruffled it's white feathers as it folded it's wings at Tanaka's side. It didn't matter what the white lion wanted, the bird seemed to be here to stay.
"Nice to see you too, fuzzball," his voice was full of sarcasm.
"If dislike my company so much, then why are you here?" He tapped his talons impatiently.
"Because, rather unfortunately, I am your familuar. Though it's not by choice I assure you."
Tanaka snorted and turned to glare at the winged creature, a menacing and evil grin on his maw.
"I could easily solve that problem for you."
Shiki knew that look, it meant the lion was thinking of eating him.
"You wouldn't dare!"
Tanaka's ears flicked, swilving toward the sound of the approaching Kiuma. His grin broardened.
"I would, but I think I'll leave that pleasure for my companion."
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:53 pm
Soft round ears perked in the darkness at the soft murmur of voices from the hill top. One was Tanaka's she was sure... she reconized that soft burr of sound, though she couldn't yet make out the words. The other was high and piping, as though from a much smaller creature. Curiousity pricking her, the young lioness padded closer, commanding silence to her soft paws as she moved over the dry grass.
Who in the world could Tanaka be talking to this time of night?
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:14 pm
The bird fluttered it's wings indignately and tried to snort, but it came out a sqwack. Shiki had no doubt that given the opportunity Tanaka would rip him to shreds, but thusfar he had managed to avoid that fate. Unfortunately for Tanaka, that knowledge did nothing to hinder the bird's attitude.
"Companion? Hah! Who would want to hang around you?"
"Well you do obviously. But by all means," a large white paw came down over the bird, pinning the creature under the lion's talons, "stick around and find out."
As silently as Kiuma moved, Tanaka knew she was there, and that she was moving toward him. Over the time that they had spent together he had become very familuar with the subtle sounds her body made when she moved, the sound the wind made through her fur, with her scent, he was even aware of what her presence felt like.
"She'll be joining us very soon."
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:20 pm
Finally close enough to make out his white and gold form, made silver by starlight, she let her gaze sweep the area. Where was the one he'd been talking to..? Tentatively she padded closer, eyes darting to make sure the second speaker didn't jumped out at her from the shadows.
"Tanaka...?" Her voice was soft in the dark air, drifting out from the shadows that clung to her under the trees until she stepped out into the light and they were forced to reluctantly release her. "Who are you talking to?"
Her velvet paws carried the lanky adolescent to her companion's side, and she let her shoulder bump affectionatly against his before she settled down on her hanches beside him.
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Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:38 pm
Tanaka's head turned at the sound of Kiuma's voice. A smile crossed his maw as he watched her. Her fur was dark under the night sky, but he could still see the unmistakeable red of her coat glistening faintly in the starlight.
A low, nearly inaudible purr escaped his chest as he returned her gesture, soft fur brushing against hers. His paw curled around the captive bird, eliciting a sharp sqwuak as he held it up for her to see.
"No one important, just this annoying little pest."
Shiki sqwuaked and nipped at the white paw with his beak, struggling to free himself, only to find himself gripped tighter.
"Put me down you fleabag!"
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:11 am
Kiuma laughed, a bright sound on the cool night air. "Why are you talking to it? I doubt its very intelligent. And it would barely make a mouthful..." The mention of food reminded the red lioness that the last time she'd eaten had been a day or so ago... and sparingly at that. Her stomach seconded the idea by choosing this moment to make its hunger known.
"Why don't you just kill it? Unless you're going to play with it...?" Which was perfectly logical to the adolescent. After all, that's what she would have done if she'd gotten her paws on a small bird.
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:51 am
The white lion smirked at the struggling bird. That was a good question, why hadn't he just killed this bird rather than simply losing him? Truth was he was fun to torment, and having a readily available target was an advantage. Though he didn't care for the not so subtle remarks about his past, it was at times like that that Tanaka wanted to rip the bird to shreds.
"Annoying as he is, he does have his uses. Though I can't think of any at the moment, maybe I should just kill him."
Shiki huffed and this time bite down hard on the paw that held him, forcing the lion to release his grip enough to escape, though if Tanaka had really wanted to he could have snapped the creature in half. Shiki unfurled his wings as he broke free to flutter angrilly in front of the lion.
"You will do no such thing!"
"Oh? Are you certain of that?"
Tanaka's great jaws snapped barely an inch from the bird, if Shiki hadn't moved quickly he'd have been crunched.
"I suggest you be polite to the lady, buzzard."
He lifted his paw and swatted at the bird with a powerful swipe to send it sprawling to the ground. The annoyance dealt with for the moment, he turned his attention to Kiuma. She was hungry? Hmmm...now he thought about he was a bit hungry as well. There were certainly some prey beasts around here, perhaps they could scare something up.
"It's a good night for bloodshed, the perfect time to hunt."
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:58 am
The lioness lifted her nose into the air, scenting the rich, warm smells of grass, the lion beside her, and the undefinable musk of night itself. Yes... tonight was a good night for blood shed. A hunt by moon and starlight... how lovely.
"What are you in the mood for, Tanaka? Zebra, waterbuffalo...? Something smaller, but no less sweet?" Her fangs flashed a pale ivory as she smiled at the sky, her eyes wide and bright, the pupils fully dilated into dark round cirdles.
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:57 am
The flick of a tufted tail, twitch of dark ears, nose pointed skyward, Tanaka inhaled deeply, breathing in the night air. A gentle breeze ruffled the lions' fur, carrying with it the scent of prey as it surronded them. Tanaka's jaws parted in a malicious smirk, fangs bared, it was an expression that spoke of a lion out for blood. It was a glorious night, intoxicating, and he longed to revel in the screams of their victim.
Great paws flexed, talons emerging to scar the earth beneath. "I was thinking something a little more challenging, something like...gazelle."
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:46 pm
The red lioness laughed, a dark sound to match their surroundngs. "They'll be mostly sleeping right now, which will make them not quite as challenging. But that's alright. It'll be nice to hunt and not need to worry about my coat to betray me. Come on! Lets go find our prey." With another soft laugh, she reared up on her back legs and batted at his shoulder with large, velvet paws before whirling and taking off down the hill. Taking the slope in small leaps, she practically danced over the dry grass, body a study of rippling muscle and youthful energy.
Kiuma was so full of live she practically vibrated. All the health her brother lacked seemed to have been given to her, and she felt a great need to take as much from the world as it would give, swallowing life's gifts whole. The world was her playground, her oyster... and the one creature she'd want to share it all with sat at the top of the hill watching the stars with one deep green eye. She knew so little about him, like where he came from, who were his family, if he had any... why he had only one shredded wing while his body was riddled with scars. It'd never really occured to her to ask these questions, too absorbed with the present to worry about the past.
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:37 pm
"Perhaps, but even a sleeping animal can move quickly once awakened. Besides, they make the most wonderful scream when you slit their throats."
Tanaka's expression was possitively evil. Kiuma always brought out the best in him, or the worst depending on your point of view. Spring to his feet, the white lion bounded after her, scattering small rocks with each leap.
When they reached the base of the hill, his pace settled into a trot for a moment. His senses at their pick, his nose and ears twitching, picking up every scent and every sound. He turned to Kiuma and grinned, then sprang into a loap in the direction of their unsuspecting prey.
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:18 pm
Settling into hunting mode, the young lioness set her steps to near silence, breathing deepening to ready her for the spring. She trembled with excitement, like she always did on a hunt. It was thrilling, this stalk and pounce. Lifting her nose, Kiuma scented the air for their prey, trotting along behind the larger male. For the moment she was content to let him lead them. He seemed to know where the prey was, which was all to the good.
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Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:55 am
Large powerful paws fell silently on the earth, the grin on his maw broadening with each step. The lions' path took them into the wind, their own scent carried behind them, away from the noses of the prey. Tanaka's stance was moret han that of a hunter, tonight it was that of a murderer. It is true that they needed to hunt to eat and survive, but tonight he was hunting for the pleasure of the kill, not the instinctive need to fill his stomach.
When they were close enough, the white lion came to an abrupt stop, green eye settling on the form of one of the larger gazelles. Most lions would have chosen a weak target, the young or the old. But Tanaka chose one of the strongest, after all, he wanted a challege.
Ears swivelling full forward to gather every sound, the white lion crouched, his muscles tensing like coiled springs. He turned his head enough to glance at Kiuma and gestured toward the target.
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