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 Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:43 pm
The sun is near setting, causing the sky to start to turn pink. The colors reflect beautifully on the water nearby, and nearly matching a small cheetah beside it. Chuakari has returned to the area where she'd been taken by Uri, after having met a couple of other creatures that aren't cheetahs, she came back in hopes that maybe she'd find some here. Uri wouldn't lie about there being other cheetahs, she knows that, and he must have brought her right here for a reason!
The young cheetah has decided to do some counting for fun, since this is where Uri showed her all of the paw prints to help, and because she's near water. If anyone does come by, she can get the mud off of her paws quickly! You always have to think ahead, of course.
So the small cheetah alternates between making pawprints in the dirt at the water's edge, and watching the sunset, and the area around her.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:51 pm
She'd seen the glint of water from a way away, and was glad on two counts; one, that it meant that there was another body of water nearby, and two, she was darned thirsty. She hadn't been running full speed; rather, the steady, ground-eating lope she had settled into. She had nearly finished her round of where she thought the edge of their territory might be; she'd already been playing around in her head with a few names, her favourite at the moment being just 'Duma'bara', or cheetah territory. No pride-cats, no tree-cats, definitely no 'yena-dogs.... it was going to be hard work, but she'd fight tooth and claw for it to remain that way.
She slowed her pace gladly as she reached the water's edge, and then almost did a doubletake. A pink-hued cheetah? Not a cub, but not full grown yet, that was for sure...
"Evenin'," she said cheerfully, a hint of guarded caution in her voice, but her frame tall, skinny and strong-looking as she approached.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:59 pm
Unfortunately for the small cheetah, she doesn't notice that anyone is approaching before she is greeted. Her eyes dart up to see who's there almost as quickly as she stumbles forward into the water to wash off her paws. Kari stands still in the water, which barely rises above her feet at the depth she's in, looking at the cheetah that'd greeted her with a bright smile.
"Hello!" she squeaks, paying more attention to the cheery quality in the greeting than anything else. She can't help but stare at Laio, for she's much spottier than Uri.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:05 pm
Small, pink, and not a spot on her hide. Laio was getting used to that now, seeing all the new cheetahs that she'd seen move into the lands, but it still bemused her a bit. Cheetahs had spots, she'd always grown up knowing that.
"Just here for a drink, pinky," she said aimiably, stepping towards the water, her dark blue eyes still a little guarded. Maybe she would ask a question or two..
She took a long drink, flicking her white-dipped muzzle upwards as she finished and sending an energetic spray of droplets to catch the setting sun's light before turning a friendly gaze back towards the blinking younger female.
"So, d'you know where you are right now? 'Cause my ma always told me not to go wanderin' into other's territories.." She said with a conspiratorial wink.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:15 pm
Pinky? Kari tilts her head at first, but then giggles at the explanation of the spotted ones sudden appearance. She holds her head up high and puffs a bit, trying to sound important and knowledgable, "Right here is the best spot for water!"
The attempted important mein falters a bit as she watches Laio drink, and then flick water into the air. She gasps, for she likes the effect of the drops of water and light, though it's a little exagerated in her usual attempts at making whoever she sees feel special.
"I didn't wander into here," Kari explains, inching backwards out of the water and shaking the water from her paws as she does, "I was brought here, but I don't really know where here is. I bet you know, though!"
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:22 pm
"Oh, I know alright, pinky." Laio grinned, taking a few steps back from the muddy edge, flicking her black-tipped forepaws a little at each step to free them of water. "But you were brought here? That's interestin'. Who brought ya?"
The questions were still curiously friendly, but Laio very much wanted to know. By this one's age she had already travelled a long way, all through the Riverstar pride area and into the southlands... was this one just another traveller? But nah, she seemed a little too innocent for that.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:30 pm
"See, I knew you'd know," Kari grins, and she nods to confirm what she'd said before, "Uri brought me here, he said it's not safe to be alone and he brought me here and said there're more cheetahs. But I didn't see any besides him."
She gives another nod when she finishes her explanation. What she's said is true, after Uri she'd seen a lion and a wild dog, but no other cheetahs. Of course, she'd never doubted what Uri said! That's why she stayed, and came back here!
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:39 pm
Uri! That little.... he'd never mentioned to her that he'd found a wandering youngling. She'd have words with him when she returned...
"Well! I know Uri. He's part of the border patrol for this place, y'know," and she tilted her head with a blink of amusement. "This is... Duma'bara," and the name did roll off her tongue easily. She might have to ask Tomo and Sauda properly when she returned, though... "... and it's a place just for cheetahs. No pride-cats on this land!"
"What's your name, pinky?" If Uri had brought her, Laio saw no harm in bringing her back to the central territories. The littluns could probably use someone to look up to anyway...
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:47 pm
"You do? You have to be one of the cheetahs he meant, then! Uri taught me to count, he's really good at it," the little one smiles widely, pleased that she's found one of the cheetahs Uri told her about. With a smile still on her face, she tilts her head at the lands name.
"Duma'bara? That's a pretty name! Did you make it up?" she asks hurriedly, beaming at the mention of it being just for cheetahs. Maybe she'll get to stay here, like Uri said! Her posture straightens as it seems to become more important to give a good impression.
"My name is Chuakari," she replies, "What's your name?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:55 pm
Laio wasn't quite that sure about counting. It got as far as one gazelle, two gazelle, three gazelle, LOTS of gazelle. But this youngling seemed to like the name, at least.
"DId I make it up? Well, in a way.... My name's Laio, Chuakari, and I'd probably be what y'might call the captain around here." She sat down, curling her tail around neatly and still smiling with amusement, though the white striped tailtip did flip to and fro. She still found it difficult to sit still very long.
"But only because the others look to me in this land we want to keep just for us cheetahs.... I'll fight t'the death to protect these lands, but in return I hope every cheetah that lives here will do the same. But this savannah is good to us, filled with game and water... sound good to ya, Kari?" She grinned, blue eyes dancing.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:05 pm
"Laio is a pretty name, too," Kari compliments her, beaming. She steps over the pawprints she'd been making in the dirt and closer to the other. Her eyes widen when Laio says she's the captain of .. well, here, Kari's guesses. Behind her, her dark pink tail sways excitedly.
"I'm not surprised you're the captain, you look important enough for something like that!" she beams, getting more excited "I can do that too, if I can stay! I can help!" Her tone is more sincere in her last comments than in any previous ones.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:20 pm
Despite the pink kid sounding like her head was full of rainbows, Laio couldn't help smile with a blink of surprise. Firstly, that she thought that Laio herself looked important (that was the first time she'd heard -that- one!) but secondly, and more importantly, the sincerity with which the last comment was made. Chuakari really did sound like she wanted to help out, and more that she wanted a place to call home.
Laio stretched out again, dancing a few steps sideways on lanky legs, her face bright again.
"Sure y'kin stay, Kari, I ent got a problem with that! But if you want to stay and help out more, you'd do better coming into the central lands, y'know? The borders belong to the males, and you should meet some of the others anyway..."
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:27 pm
Chuakari does her best to look capable of being some help, for that is truly what she wants to do. Others like it when they get help, right? Besides, more cheetahs would be a lot of fun- she's waited around for long enough.
"Really?" she smiles widely when Laio says she can stay, "Thank you! Where are the central lands? Why do the borders belong to the males? " Her whole manner is more excited and curious now. She isn't quite sure why the males own the borders, but the prospect of meeting others is exciting.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:35 pm
Laio shook her head a little, and laughed out loud. "Questions, questions! You ready for a bit of a run in a while, Kari? I'll take you to the central lands when I've rested a bit."
She flopped lazily onto the shorter grass where the earth was not damp from the nearby water, and yawned a huge yawn, pointed white teeth showing for a moment.
"Kya! Been running all day." She grinned, and looked up at the younger pink cheetah. "These lands at the edges belong to the male, 'cause they like their personal space, y'know? Every cheetah in Duma'bara gets their own territory, 'cause it's not nice to be treadin' on each others paws all the time. But in the middle of the savannah is a huuuuge baobab tree. It's all hollow inside... cublings can learn and play there, and if the lands are threatened, I'll call everyone up there for a meeting, so it's really our meeting place. THere's often -someone- around there, so 'm sure you'll meet someone nice."
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:47 pm
Kari shuts her mouth when Laio laughs about all of her questions, wondering if she should try to ask fewer. Maybe it's better not to ask so many all at once. She inhales slowly, calming herself down considerably at the expense of her excitement, and then she follows Laio to the grass.
"Oh," she murmurs, taking a seat in the grass and curling her tail around her feet, "Ook." She makes a mental note specifically regarding the personal space comment- she wouldn't want to make someone upset by following them around if it's generally disliked.
Her eyes widen at the description of the baobab, and she wiggles as she stifles her awe and excitement. Instead she opts for nodding enthusiastically to show that she's listening.
"It sounds really nice, do you think s-" she bursts finally, her tone the same excited one from before and she smiles for a second, but then she cuts herself off at the question. She fidgets again, frowning, "Sorry!"
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