It was a good evening to go for a hunt. The sun had just about set and the heat of the day was long since gone, leaving a pleasant breeze to make the grass bow low every now and then. Two blue, white, and black lionesses headed out into that rippling grass, their coloration making them disappear into the shadows that were being cast over the land. Halisi and Esona were certainly sisters and anyone could have guessed from their appearance, but if they were to close their eyes and guess just based on personality alone, they might have a harder time.
Esona was a very in-your-face lioness, blunt and honest to a fault. She wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, whether it was a male or the best part of a kill. She wasn't afraid of anything and was a bit headstrong to top it all off, making her a very imposing lioness to be around. She often overshadowed those around her, and her sister was no exception. Halisi was quiet and a bit timid in large groups, preferring the company of those she knew best. She was very kind-hearted and, were it not for Esona, her compassion probably would have been taken advantage of many, many times. As it stood, Halisi had learned from her sister when to use her kindness to the fullest and when to back off.
They were night and day, hot and cold, and they made up for what the other lacked. When they were together they were quite the force to be reckoned with, and it was why they were often sent out hunting together to bring down a big kill. Esona led the way as always, Halisi trailing not too far behind so they could speak and plot out their plan of attack.
"I'm thinkin' wildebeest," Esona said as they pushed their way through the tall grass, the tips of their ears and shoulders the only thing visible. "A nice young one, they're always so much more tender than the older ones."
Halisi bobbed her head in agreement, although there was a little frown on her face. "They are much tastier, but Esona...don't you remember? They've migrated away for the season. If we even find one I'd be very surprised."
"Ah...right," Esona muttered, scuffing her paw in the dirt in disappointment. "Well...zebra, then?"
That made Halisi perk up and nod, a grin on her face. Zebra was her favorite! They were hard to catch in the daytime, but at night they were easy to pick off for whatever reason. Perhaps because they weren't moving around, but rather standing in one place to sleep. In any case, she knew there was a herd not far from here that would be the perfect target.
"Good. Zebra it is," Esona said, changing the direction she was walking in to head east where the zebras liked to sleep. They moved silently after that and, once the smell of zebra was on the air, split up. Esona went left and Halisi went right, the latter crouching down in the tall grass as the former continued out into the open. Esona was much better at chasing and separating potential prey from the pack they were in, while Halisi was skilled at taking down whatever charged her way. It was odd that one so sweet and docile was such a ferocious hunter.
Once Halisi was in position she let her tail flick above the grass just for a moment, a signal to Esona. Esona saw the little flick and turned her attention to the herd in front of her, taking deep breaths through her nose and listening carefully. There were a few young ones nearby, but there was also an elderly zebra not far off. Having been raised a huntress, Esona knew how to best kill a number of animals that they would eat, but also a bit of hunting theory. If all the small, young zebras were eaten up, the herds would shrink. While they were easy pickings and very tender, they also had to keep in mind the future of the herd. Let some grow up, take the sick, weak, and old, and for special occasions take a young one. This wasn't a special occasion, though, so Esona turned her attention to the old zebra.
She lowered her head as she approached, keeping low and quiet. The wind was in her favor, masking her proximity to the herd until it was far too late. She let out an ear splitting roar which sent the herd into a frenzied state of alarmed whinnies and pounding hooves as they struggled to get to their feet. In the confusion Esona darted between the old zebra and the herd, cutting it off from any help. She snarled and swiped at the haunches of the old beast, who took off in a panic. Esona followed, making sure to force it towards her sister.
Halisi lay in wait, hearing the approching hooves and snarls of Esona. She waited for hte last possible moment to leap into the air, knocking against the zebra's chest before it could realize what was happening. Her body weight sent the zebra tumbling to the ground, and in a moment both she and Esona were on it. Halisi's teeth sunk into the zebra's neck while Esona laid over its side, clawing at its belly to spill its intestines. The beast slowly stopped moving, blood loss killing it without much effort on their part. The herd had moved on, counting its losses and leaving the old one to the sisters.
"Ha! Good job!" Esona said once the zebra was dead. She grinned at her sister before hopping off their prey. "Man, we make a great team, huh?"
Halisi nodded, a little smile on her face as she cleaned up her muzzle. "Yes, our success rate is quite high when it's just the two of us."
"And that means there's more of the good stuff for us," Esona said without remorse, digging in to the still warm flesh heartily. Halisi shook her head in mild disapproval but did join in, needing the energy after the high intensity she had just experienced. Once they had their fill they carried the rest back to the pride for others to eat, not letting anything go to waste.
FIN
WC: 1058
