(This is an AIM log with Keantha's Lulu and Isith, and my Kyria and Safi.)
Somewhere along the way Tsubaki had gone lazy on her, and had refused to leave the temporary den they had set up. The other lioness had gotten moody as of late, sometimes even refusing to speak with her, and for what reason she didn’t know. Probably homesick. They HAD been out here a while, after all!
Still, that was no reason to be rude, and to royalty, at that! Kyria huffed, kicking up dirt as she went. It was night out, and she was absolutely starving. Since Tsubaki was uselessly bemoaning her life in the den, Kyria had to search out food on her own, which hadn’t worked out so well thus far. She’d managed to find some carrion, which was so beyond gross, and now she wanted real food. But just watching what little creatures moved at night brought out her lazy side. It was times like these that made her miss home, with meals that came to her instead of her coming to them.
Isit yawned lazily, contently drowsing on her tree branch. It was Safi's time to be alone with Lu. True their triad was strong and content but the twins from time to time wanted their mate's attention all to themselves.When that happened one would volunteer to take an extra patrol, this time it was Isit.
Actually it was pretty nice, she had to admit. The day had been disgustingly hot and the black leopon had baked. Now that the cool night had come, she was in her element.
Cupped ears suddenly perked hearing movement coming her way. She peered through the darkness waiting for whatever was unfortunate enough to pass her way. If it was an intruder, she would deal with it before father had to. If it was food...well she could always eat.
Huffing, Kyria padded heavily, thumping her usually graceful paws on the ground with a tired groan. Her stomach was practically eating her! She’d even tried eating a plant, which would be seen by the twig she was munching on, and spat out with a look of saddened disgust. The Princess was hopelessly thin, having only Tsubaki to feed the both of them, and her goat was rougher than she’d ever imagined it could be. All she wanted was a meal, a proper bath, and somewhere cool to bask.
As naïve as she was she had no idea of what was lying in wait. She came within visible distance for the leopon, all without so much as scenting her, and sat down with a grunt. “I should just go back, and kick her out. She hasn’t done a damn thing all day except mope, and I need something to eat. This is getting ridiculous!”
Isit could only stare in disbelief at the lioness in question. Either this broad was just stupid or..well she really couldn't think of any other reason she would ignore the scent markers to just come flop down in striking distance and whine. Even Safi wouldn't have trouble with this one.
Yet, her job was clear. This...girl was on their family's claimed land and while not much of a threat (dear god this was NO challenge! She had seen scareier rocks!) she still had to do her duty.
Kyria would have no warning as there was suddenly a massive inky black leopon infront of her snarling with ears back. For all the world it look like a slice of the night had grown pink eyes and decided to attack her. The leopon had to outweigh her by a good hundred pounds or so and most of it looked to be muscle. Other than the eyes, the only patch of light (besides the white teeth, oh gods the teeth!) was a shiny bracer on one of the feline's legs.
Leaping up with a high pitched shriek, Kyria backed away as far as she could, tail tucked between her legs. It felt as if the night itself were attacking her! But then, why would the night have eyes? Her heart felt as it were going to run away from her at any moment. This wasn’t how she wanted to go out, by some freaky spirit! A spirit with fangs!
She gulped and hunkered down, “What do you want? You-You can’t kill me! If you even try you’ll be in big trouble!” Tsubaki would come to her rescue; she just had to. And if not Tsubaki someone would tell her mother’s and then the pride would come for her. They would make it in time, right? Oh Gods above, she hoped so.
“I didn’t hunt anything I shouldn’t, so you can’t hold that against me. So, just go away!”
It took everything Isit had in her not to burst out laughing. Oh Gods this was the most fun she had had in ages. She snarled again instead stalking clower, snapping her massive jaws in the female's direction.
As if knowing it would frighten her even more, Isit did something she rarely ever did, "Why have you come to this place?"
Her voice was like something straight from something dead. Gravely and deep, it was almost distroted to the point of not being reconizable as a voice, espcially when she was using it to be menacing on purpose.
She squeaked once again, finding her emerald eyes searching every which way and that for an exit route. Her paws were so tired and worn, though! But she was going to die, right? Oh, the decisions!
Well, she had been on edge until the leopon spoke, and then she felt her blood curdle. The horror on her face spoke it all. Kyria’s lip curled back, eyes wide and a sharp exhale had her stepping further away from the creature. The creatures from Makoto’s stories were true! “L-lost.” She gulped. “Very, very lost, and hungry. I-I’ll leave now, though, its okay, you can stay here. This seems to be your kind of place, and I don’t like the look of those trees, so how about I leave?”
She would hear a strange wheezing sound, almost a breathless puffing as the pink eyes disappeared. Isith fell on her side, paws scrambling in the air was she couldn't hold back her mirth anymore. This one she would HAVE to open her mouth and tell Lu and Safi about. They would love it.
When she finally got herself under control, Isith opened her eyes again to grin at the strange lioness as she rolled to her feet. Jerking her head, Isith padded in the direction of a nearby stream where she could let the poor thing get a drink and catch her a fish or two in apology for scaring her so.
Oh Gods, now she couldn’t even SEE the creature! It sounded like it was dying, but she knew that to be the sound made by dark spirits before they attacked, Makoto had told her so as a cub. To think she was seeing one in the flesh! Bad omen, bad omen!
Fearing the worst, she followed obediently, mouth shut for once in her life. Was she going to drown her? Or show her how she was going to die in the streams reflection?! Kyria sucked in a deep breath. Gulping, she dipped her head to the stream, rotating between looking at the dark being, and hurriedly drinking.
Isith waded out into the water with a deep bass rumbling sound that served as her purr but then this female wouldn't know that. She waded out till the water was at her belly, then watched closely for the tattle-tale glints of silver that was the moon reflecting off shiney scales. Snapping her head down lightling fast, she came back up with a wiggle fish and headed for the odd lioness.
While the moon helped to show Isith the fish, it also helped Kyria to see this spirit for what she really was. A leopon! Or the shape of one, anyway. Maybe the spirit was trying to take the form of something more recognizable by her to try to get in close and kill her?
Kill her with a fish! “Oh, uh, yeah, cool, you’re good at that. Good job.” She smiled weakly, ears still laid back against her head. Save me please.
Isith resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she dropped the fish as her feet with a demanding grunt before going to wade back out into the water. Not only did this poor thing not know how to protect itself but apparently it was too stupid to know how to eat too.
Wait, the fish was for her? She felt her tears bubble as she hesitantly dipped her head to eat. The tears weren’t of gratitude, though; they were straight up dread. These fish had to be tainted, and now she was going to be taken into the depths of the underworld because of it, but her stomach just kept growling. Why did this have to taste so nice?!
Two more fish quickly landed beside her before Isith left the water, shaking herself off with a wicked grin as it got the lioness wet too. This really was too much fun.
Kyria flinched when the water hit her, but still she ate, taking each bite slow at first. After a little while she dropped her pretenses and dove straight in. if she was going to be cursed, then at least she’d have a full belly!
And once she‘d been fed she heard the rumble of other voices. Craning her head, she turned to see a white leopon, marking by his pelt in the moonlight, turning and looking, then starting down to the two of them. A savior, at last!
Isith perked up and gave a barking cough that had to be horrifying for Kyria to hear but Lu and Safi knew it for a call to let them know where she was.
The lioness that padded by the male's side was..without a doubt stunning. Long legged and slender, her black and red coat was striking with her golden eyes. There was a bracer on her leg and the male's leg just like the one Isith wore.
What a pair the two made! Even the resemblance between the white and the black leopons didn’t strike her, nor did the bracers; it was the kind looks on the pairs face that made her think it was for her. She broke away from the darker one, running up to them with a hurried look, “Quick, you have to run! That…that thing there, it’s a dark spirit, a creature from another world, we have to get out of here fast!”
Safi looked past the lioness to his twin with an arched eyebrow, quietly asking “WTF?” before turning back to her with a snort. “Oh yes, dear, yes, yes, I understand.” Then he grinned, his matching eyes flashing in the light, letting her know sooner rather than later that he was the same. “Then again, what makes you any safer with us than with her? She fed you; I’ll eat you.” He snapped his fangs.
Lulu rolled her eyes and whapped Safi over the head shaking her head, "I swear to the Gods, you two are still cubs." She gave Kyria a pitying look, "I'm sorry sweetheart. They have been playing with you. They aren't otherworldly creatures, just badly behaved guards."
Isith pouted slinking to Safi's side then brightened when Lulu cotinued, "They are not suppose to let people in. You see, these bracers,,well they contain me." Golden eyes seemed to darken as Lulu's smile with warped and twisted. "They are suppose to protect you from me...."
Kyria felt her heart give in a little bit, and a slightly nervous chuckle came out. “Oh thank goodness, I was really worried there, I-“ Then it seized up again. She was so NOT sticking around to find out anymore, and instead, with a shrieking scream she took off flying past the three, kicking her paws up as high as they would go to give her the speed she needed. She had to bail out, and fast! NO matter what Tsubaki was like when she got back, she was hiding behind the female and getting out of the area as soon as the morning light came.
Before she was even out of ear shot Safi started to laugh, making it as loud and demonic as possible. “DON’T YOU WANT TO PLAY? I LOVE PLAYING TAG, SO YOU BETTER RUN FASTER THAN THAT.” When he saw her actually speed up Safi fell onto his back, laughing so hard he was crying.
Isith was wheezing so hard there were tears in her eyes, as Lulu giggled hysterically. They would have to tell Daddy this one. "You two are horrible." Lulu giggled again shaking her head.
Isith grunted smiling as she replied with that demonic voice, "And you love us angel."
"What do you say, should we actually chase her? I kind of want to." Safi rolled onto his paws, his eyes eager in the moonlight. He couldn't pass up the chance to chase after a lioness on a good day, but this one was tempting for a teasing reason. "Oh! Xabryel and Dad should be close by. Let's go get them up and chase her. The more the merrier, right?"
"Leave that poor girl alone! Who knows what Isith has been putting her through." Lulu scolded with a soft chuckle but didn't actually say no. Isith perked her ears up, perfectly innocent look as she puffed her whiskers forward like a cub. Who me??
Safi just grinned, and stood, passing around his mate with a look of innocence, then walking with his back to her while winking at his twin as if to say, Good job!. The two were absolutely terrible.
"Come on ladies, the night is young, and I'm bored. Let's go see if we can't find some others to scare. I'd like to expand on that guard bit, take it a step further." Pondering, he walked past the two, turning his head as if waiting for them to follow.
Isith licked Lu's jaw sweetly before padding after her twin. She may be the darkness to his light, but he was just as much a devil as she was.
Lulu shook her head, rolling her eyes as if wondering how she got stuck with these two, but happily padded after them.
(WC: 2396)
