A low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and for a brief moment made Chekelea's padding steps become silent. The lioness' eyes were steady; focused on what was in front of her. Prey. Food! A young zebra startled and ran as fast as its thin legs could carry it, running from the now swiftly pursuing feline. The sun became hidden in the dark storm clouds, casting a menacing shadow over hunter and hunted.
She raced after the meal on legs as it did its best to outpace her. It was fast...but young. And she was hungry and driven. It was harder to hunt here in the open, where there was no cover or others to help her. And she was so close! Finally she flung herself towards the young beast, stretching, reaching to grab her prey. Her claw were mere inches from its tender hide.
And then as soon as it had begun, the chase was over. She pressed what weight she had down over the struggling animal as she smothered it, biting and tearing until it lay still. Her sides heaved, but it was a good catch. And the first she'd had in several weeks. She was utterly ravenous, and days of walking, trying to find her way home had left her too tired to hunt until today.
Tepezade meanwhile had been displeased to hear the thunder overhead. Rain never hurt, but traveling in it could be a bother. Normally he'd return to his den...but he had no den here. This time, mother would be curling up alone inside. He wondered if she'd worry after him. Probably she would. But no matter. And a shame. He'd been tracking what seemed to be a lone...maybe an antelope? Something small, but tasty by the smell for a while. He'd really hoped to catch up with it before the rain came...but now it seemed he might be too late.
The smell of blood washed over him on a breeze and he grumbled. Someone had gotten it first?! Or maybe he'd be lucky! Maybe it'd gotten hurt, but was still unkilled. He could get his meal just in time...! With a huff he was off, claws scarring the ground as he pulled himself across its surface, a black and red streak against the duller backdrop of dusty ground and grass. He crested a low ridge and found..ah. He was wrong.
Someone else had already killed the thing. It was a zebra, in the end he noted. Well that was a bother. He flicked hsi tail and was about to leave when-
"Please. there's more here than I need. Won't you share it?" the voice was soft and gentle, and he froze upon hearing it. Of course he'd be glad to share, if the lioness would have him...but why? The last creature he'd run into had been rather mean...this one at least seemed nice. Friendly. Inviting.
A cool drop of water fell from the sky and landed on one of Chekelea's paws. Then another hit her ear, causing it to flick involuntarily. Oh no! Not the rain, not yet! At least she'd made the kill before the ground went to mud but still. It would ruin the meat if the place went to bog right under her feet! She frowned minutely in displeasure, then knitted her eyebrows up. It'd been so hard to catch this and now she'd have to eat it in the rain...but no! An idea came to her then!
"If you help me haul this under the trees or to my den, I'll share it, I mean. I don't want to be out in this while I try to eat. I'm starving, but that'd just be miserable." The trade seemed fair. A bit of help for a bit of food. And by the look on the dark young male's face, he agreed. He came down off the ridge quickly and offered to drag the thing if she would lead the way. That worked out well until the rain began to come faster, and his legs could only sprint for so far and so long.
After a few moments they'd figured out how to work it. The took turns dragging the young zebra under them, taking it in sprinting bursts. In no time at all they'd hauled the bleeding and smelly thing to the mouth of her tiny den, and tore in with much gusto just as the heavens opened up and let fall a torrent of rain that turned all of the outside world into a mire.
They didn't speak as they ate, simply took turns tearing at the carcass and picking the choicest bits. Though they hadn't even traded names, both seemed content with the other, and time passed swiftly in the companionable silence. In a short matter of work the bones were stripped, and Tepe gallantly offered to kick them out into the rain to wash clean so she could stay dry. The least he could do, he'd said, then tried not to huddle too close when he was half wet from the storm afterwards.
For the both of them it was an ideal little slice of time. No ties, nothing to hold either of them here or to keep them from continuing on their own ways after, but still warm and friendly. It went a long way towards soothing her worries and calming his suspicious mind after their last encounters.
Of course the downpour ceased as quickly as it'd begun - it was still only the start of the rainy season after all. The pair shared a few parting words of thanks and kindness before each slipped out to resume their individual missions. He was trying to find the desert and his father, and she was trying to return to the swamps of her ancestors. Of course, she didn't realize yet that there was nothing left of her old home, and he had no idea he was still going the wrong way. But that was okay because for just a little while even the gray, dreary, groggy day seemed a bit brighter for the both of them.
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