(SRP) Dine and Dash (Finch & Isobana)

[In Good Faith]

Isobana’s stomach panged again, the feeling of hunger reminding her constantly that she hadn’t eaten in nearly four days. Her last meal hadn’t filled her stomach like she’d hoped it would, either. So much for being in a pride to ensure security, she thought as she stalked the tracks of a group of gazelles. She was becoming more and more bitter about her circumstance, living in pride that had little water, little food, and therefore little patience. She felt grateful for those that showed her kindness, and there were plenty to do so… but she longed to leave. She wanted her belly full, her mouth to be no longer dry, and the freedom to have cubs that she could love and nurture. On top of all the problems the Bonelands were having, she resented the abholi the most. They refused other males breeding rights but they themselves were incapable of fulfilling all the lionesses needs, let alone their abilities to provide for them.

Isobana knew it was not practical to have cubs in a drought… but there was always the option of relocating to another territory in order to gain access to food and water. The one time she’d whispered the idea, it had been met with hostility and rejection so she’d said no more. The anger boiling in her blood added to the pain the black hole in her stomach caused. Just then the wind which until this moment had been absent picked up and wafted below her nose. Immediately her head shot up in the direction the smell came from. It was blood, and where there was blood, there was the possibility of a meal.

Her greatest talent she could claim was her ability to hunt. Her fur pattern was masterful in camouflage and she had a knack at being silent and graceful as she crept through the brush. Today was no different. The smell caused her eyes to dilate to their fullest ability, almost completely obscuring her irises. She was oblivious to the world around her aside from her target. Creeping forward, she heard noises like chewing and jerking, confirming her belief that someone had taken down a kill. Advancing further, she was able to now see a lion, one that was not of the Bonelands. As if any of them could take down a kill like that anyway. It was a gazelle—a male at that. Its big, juicy body caused her mouth to salivate. With her claws flexing into the yielding dirt beneath her paws, she ready her body for the spring. This meal was soon going to be hers.

Word Count: 435  

[In Good Faith]

Usually Finch was moderate in what he killed for food. He didn’t enjoy the hunt, really; it wasn’t fun for him to kill any one. Never the less, he was a large lion that had an appetite that he needed to fill. The gazelle buck he’d taken down was much larger than his average prey but after being in these lands for the last few weeks had left him not hungry, but ravenous. It had taken him days to stalk this herd in order to take down one of their own given he was by himself. When the opportunity opened, he hadn’t hesitated to take down the largest meal he could.

His stomach began to expand, almost painfully, but he still felt the hunger driving him to eat. Now, normally, he would have been on the alert after making his kill. He would have had his guard up and eyes scanning around him for scavengers—especially other lions. But his need to satiate his appetite caused him to slip. He had no idea there were eyes on him as he was feeding, until there was the sound of air parting. His instincts immediately set off alarm bells that something had lunged, aiming directly for his back.

Automatically he whipped around with teeth bared, blood having drenched his maw and chest. He let out a roar so fierce he thought for a moment he would rip his vocal chords. Never the less, the lion slammed her body into his, the feel of her claws stinging as it dug into his hide. He responded in kind more out of instinctive defense than anger. He’d never admit it to a living, breathing soul, but it was driven mostly by fear. He’d actually been taken off guard.

He managed to half-throw, half-force the lion to back off him and as he did, it fully registered with him it was in fact a lioness. If he wasn’t kicked into fight or flight (mostly fight) mode, he would have rolled his eyed and said ‘of course.’ Women. Instead, the lioness charged at him again but she’d lost the element of surprise and she was no match for him in strength—which he knew. Instead of retaliating, though, simply snarled a harsh, almost roar. “BACK OFF!”

Finally. The lioness froze at his menacing voice and Finch was able to claim her attention in a more civil manner. “Now.” He paused, assessing her demeanor. She was huffing in the exertion it took to try to fight a lion his size, and he seemed the worse damage was to her ego. “If you would be so kind as to not attack me again—“ He paused again, arching an eyebrow at her. “I’d happy to not maim you in exchange for your peace.”

Word count: 464  

[In Good Faith]

Isobana had retracted her snarl but by no means gave the lion a friendly look. She hadn’t expected a talented fighter—and honestly? She’d underestimated the size and strength of the lion. He looked absolutely terrifying now, covered in blood, tinging his fur in a not-quite-red color that lion’s fur often became after a meal. What she was completely unprepared for was for him to not chase her to the pride of Bonelands for having tried to scavenge his meal. Of course he wouldn’t have gotten too close. If anything the abholi were good for was chasing off other potential bachelors. Huffing both in frustration for having lost and because she was out of breath, she responded. “What aren’t you going to attack me? Chase me?”

Her voice was demanding, as if insulted he had the audacity to not try to kill her. He raised his eyebrows in response in calm mock-surprise. “And why would I do that?”

Isobana gave a frustrated roll of her eyes and a sound of exasperation. “Because I just attacked you.”

Finch shrugged as if it were no big deal. “You’re hungry. I’m alone. I don’t begrudge you that.” In fact… after a moment, he stepped aside so that the lioness had full view of the half-eaten carcass. “Help yourself. I was done anyhow.”

You’ve got to be kidding. Isobana blinked a few times, waiting for him to burst out laughing and say ‘jokes on you.’ When she didn’t move for the kill he gave her an expectant look. Without another moment’s hesitation, Isobana crept around the lion at a safe distance and hurriedly found herself on the opposite side of the carcass and her canines digging into the meat. She feasted on the prey until her stomach swelled and she couldn’t hold anymore. Occasionally she glanced the lion’s way to see if he would try and attack her while her defense was down but his demeanor was nothing but patient. She had no complaints to the meal she wanted in the first place.

She had had her fill, she laid a few feet from the dead animal, more satisfied that she had been in months—sleepy even. She didn’t allow her guard to slip though. She have the lion a side long glance who was now smiling at her. “Why did you share with me?” She began grooming her paws and whatever else she’d managed to get dirty, waiting for his response. It was a way of not looking at the lion she desperately wanted to stare at—considering that’s all he’d done while she’d eaten. Stare.

Finch revealed the ghost of smile, he too laying on the warm earth a few feet from the carcass. “I know what its like to be hungry. And I wasn’t going to be able to eat this entire thing. If I didn’t give it to you, another scavenger would have swooped in as soon as I turned by back.”

Isobana flinched at the word ‘scavenger’ but did not rise to the bait. She was doing what she had to do to survive. “Well.” She let several heartbeats past before she was able to force the strangled words from her maw. “Thank you.” After another second she added, “and sorry for trying to kill you.”

“Kill!” Finch looked genuinely shocked. “You were going to kill me for that half-eaten gazelle?”

She rolled her eyes at his dramatic response. “Kill, seriously maim, at least injure. It’s all the same. You can’t exactly plan what you’re going to end up doing when you’re trying to take food. And anyway, I said I’m sorry.”

The lioness pursed her lips and Finch knew that was going to that. His smile grew but only by a fraction. “Well, you can make it up to me by telling me who you are since you had the audacity to attack him while my back was turned.”

Isobana scoffed at the small jab. “That was the smarter way of taking you down. I’d had done better if I’d gotten a decent meal sometime.” She didn’t say anything further and his expectant expression drew her out. “I’m… Isobana. Of the Bonelands.”

He raised his eyebrows again, but still in a calm manner. “You’re in a pride? Why didn’t you get your sisters for backup?”

“I don’t have any sisters,” Isobana snapped. “And I like to leave the pride once in a while, alone, and do what I do best. Hunt.”

Finch didn’t take the easy jab and instead nodded in understanding. “Okay, Isobana. I’m… Finch.” He almost gave her his real name but the last second changed his mind. It was for no reason in particular that Finch disliked others knowing his name. It made things difficult when he didn’t want to be found.

“Well… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Finch.” With that, Isobana stood without a another glance his way and began making her way back to the pride with a stomach fuller than she could remember it being in a long time. To be honest, she didn’t give him a second thought… until she was almost out of sight and turned around to get one last glance.

But he was gone.


Total Word Count: 1766