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 Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:35 pm
Daimyn left Ausi in their temporary shelter with the promise of a meal; an hour and a mile or so later found him using the tall grass near the waterhole as cover while he watched the herd of wildebeest graze, searching for one weak enough to take down.
The herd was immense; not even in the pride he'd come from had there been wildebeest herds like this. It stretched out into the horizon, beasts so close together that as the land unfolded before him it looked like some odd, dark brown sea.
A few newborns stumbled across his view, herded by their mothers closer toward the herd. Daimyn hesitated; there was a group of bulls nearby, easily recognized by their horns, much more long and wickedly sharp than their female counterparts. Many a lion had come home from a hunt gored by an angry bull, and Daimyn knew well enough to keep away from them. Never having hunted wildebeest before, though, he didn't know if the bulls would attempt to defend their young or blindly stampede once the hunt began.
He counted on the latter. He launched into motion, his powerful haunches propelling him forward as fast as his muscles would allow. The result was nearly instantaneous; a bellow from one of the lead males rang out and the herd was on the move.
As predicted, the calves immediately began to lag behind, and two of the cows hung back as far as panic would allow to try and urge their young onward. These he outmaneuvered, ducking large bodies and dodging sharp hooves to gain on a lone calf.
It bleated in terror, and Daimyn pounced. He saw the bull charging him from the other side at the last second, and it was only by a stroke of luck that he managed to duck and roll, missing the male's lowered horns by inches.
Feeling that cold tingle you get when you've come extremely close to danger yet escaped it, he continued to sprint after the herd. He'd never gain the speed back, though; he was entirely too far behind.
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Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:08 am
Nukta had been stalking that same herd that day, hanging around out of their range of discomfort while trying to settle on a good strategy. It would have been easier if he weren't hunting alone, but his family, bunch of lazy misfits that they were, decided that it was instead perfectly acceptable for them to let Nukta do all the work. Not only hunting the kill down, but then dragging it back, then dragging it off to Pride Rock when they had their fill.
He hadn't expected to get a show out of the deal, but sure enough he spotted the white pelt slinking along. He noticed it because unlike the wildebeast, he was keen on every detail in search of an opening.
So, the black male smirked to himself and settled in to watch. The Pridelanders were rather lax on rogues hunting in the lands, so long as there was no threat posed. Nukta, of course, with a family to protect, was much less trusting of strangers, but as long as they didn't seem to intend harm he just ignored them as they came or went.
Nukta joined in on the hunt as the male made a bare escape. They had an opprotunity presented before them by blind luck and sheer chance. Now that the rest of the herd was moving on in hopes of reaching safety it left this bull to hold Daimyn off from following, but upon turning to rejoin his pack he found Nukta blocking his path with a threatening growl and baring of fangs, almost like a mirror opposite version of Daimyn minus the white marks. Ausi'Juu's influence on his pelt was nigh irrefutable. From the streaks in his mane to the black bands on his forepaws, to the green defiance of his eyes, Nukta was Ausi's son, through and through.
It was reckless to take on a bull on one's own, but two full adult males should be able to bring it down. It couldn't guard it's front AND it's back at the same time, after all.
"Get your head in the game!" He called to the other, eyes always on the now aggrivated and defensive bull.
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Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:00 am
Daimyn started when he saw the black lion; being so intent on the hunt he hadn't noticed he wasn't alone. He slowed down, getting a good look at the other -- and immediately he was reminded of Ausi'Juu.
Nukta?
Ausi had described him once, but now that Daimyn saw him up close, it wasn't needed. This lion looked so much like his mate that he was almost sure it was Nukta... but now wasn't the time for introductions. The white male turned, closing the distance between him and the bull, raking his claws down the animal's left flank. With the both of them working together, finding an opening to the bull's throat wouldn't take long.
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Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:25 pm
Nukta waited until the other had gotten back into the action again to really begin to focus. A slow, rattling growl bubbled in his throat while he began to circle the Bull, intentions clear. The beast grew more nervous and seemed to sense it's demise, but refused to give up just because of it.
When it whipped around to try driving Daimyn back off (after crying out in pain) Nukta lunged, throwing his weight into his left forepaw and swinging for the Bull's back legs. Hard.
It had the desired effect. Though it did manage to turn partly back around the Wildebeast still lost it's balance, unable to dodge fast enough upon first feeling the impact. Slamming down onto it's haunch and even now scrambling to get up, to turn it's head to it's defense, all it found was Nukta quickly throwing his weight out again and after one unsucessful attempt and a close call (if not for his quick reaction it would have been more than just his mane the bull's horn went through) the hunter was calmping strong jaws down around the bull's closest horn, holding tight. There was Daimyn's opening. He'd have to be mindful of the hooves, but if he went around behind the bull he could make the kill directly to it's neck and end this quickly.
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Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:45 pm
Daimyn saw the opening, and took it. Circling around the bull while dodging a hard kick aimed in his general direction, he leapt, digging into the animal's thick hide with his claws. The wildebeest's knees buckled from his weight, and Daimyn made the final blow with a bite to the neck, bringing it down completely and ending the short battle.
He leapt away, breathing heavily with exertion. "Thank you." Eyeing the black male, he decided to keep his assumptions to himself. If this was truly Nukta, he definately didn't want to start things off on a wrong note -- and he'd let him introduce himself if he so chose.
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:47 pm
In answer Nukta had snorted softly as he panted, the dust clearing from the struggling beast's dying kicks. There was a distinct, sharp and bitter taste of dust as he breathed in a bit too hard, and the metallic saltiness of blood hit his pallet as well, but neither of these scents went noticed a second longer as a fainter smell caressed buried memories.
Nukta stared back at the other, a flicker of recognition flooding his eyes before confusion, and then a rising anger, like a tidal wave. It was clear to anyone that the usually broody and silent lion had just reached a snapping point, like that.
"You... b*****d! What did you do to her?!" He roared, leaping over the wildebeast's corpse. "Why are you saturated with my mother's scent?! Where is she?!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:48 pm
...That... was a wrong note!
Daimyn took a step back, shocked, before laying his ears back angrilly. "Who said I've done anything to her?" he retorted, his voice a low snarl, his lip curling to reveal a fang. "Do you always rush to such wild conclusions, Nukta?"
The usage of his name hadn't really been intentional, but his tone seemed to stress the name just slightly. Daimyn was suddenly just as pissed. How dare this lion accuse the white male of anything?! He'd just met him -- and helped him take down prey.
His anger clouded what better judgment he'd gained since leaving his old pride, and it didn't matter that Nukta was his mate's son. If he wanted a fight, Daimyn would claw him apart. He'd beaten two rogues thirsty for female off of Ausi on the way here; he could deal with this brat.
Old habits die hard.
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:58 pm
Nukta just grew more furious with each defensive word spoken, and bristled to show for it, hackles at an all time high. To anyone else this would appear to be a battle for the corpse between, which sadly, at that moment, seemed to have died in vain.
Nukta's eyes flashed impatiently as he circled his contrast. "You're NOT my father, so I'll ask again one more time: what the **** are you doing with her scent all over you?!"
It was obvious that Nukta had gotten the wrong idea, the fact that Daimyn knew his name had even gone right over his head. He'd never known such blind rage before, he didn't like this! Where was his father?! Why was mother's scent covering almost every inch of this male with no sign of the aforementioned male parental figure?!
"Where are my parents?!" He finally lunged with another roar, drawing back bloodied claws to rake at the intruding rogue.
Ausi'Juu felt her heart hammer painfully in her chest as she ran, having abandoned the other three mid-conversation at the first sound of trouble. Daimyn was out there somewhere alone, and it only NOW dawned on her what trouble it might be if Nukta came across him before she did. Without being able to see them yet as more than scents on the wind and angry snarls in her ears the female flew through the grasses, panicked.
"Daimyn?! Nukta?!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 7:51 pm
"If you'd calm your scrawny a** DOWN, I MIGHT be able to exp--" He never did finish the sentance, as suddenly he had five hundred pounds of pure LION headed toward him and extended claws nearing his face too damn fast for him to do much else than move, and move quick.
He thanked his reflexes as he felt the wind from Nukta's paw swipe past him three inches from his nose. Giving a maddened roar Daimyn reared up on his hind legs, forepaws extended out to claw whatever part of Nukta he could manage to reach.
His strike was cut short when he heard Ausi'Juu's voice and he turned, earning a claw across the bridge of his nose. This time his snarl was angered, and pained. "Ausi! Call off your son and let him know you're alive and well, thank you very much!" The tone was a shadow of his original self. He hadn't spoken to her like that in what seemed like ages. Later, if he thought of it, he might regret it -- for now, he was too pissed off.
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:05 pm
Ada's head had snapped around at the roars and before her son could react she had jumped into action. She raced after Ausi, catching up easily. Confusion shot through her mind, but above that rose impulsive anger and a protectiveness she couldn't squash. So when the two males came into view, both seeming to fight with a terrible fire, what could she do but join in the fury?
She bounded forward to her mate's side, her hackles raised through instinct and her face twisted in a roar, baring long white fangs. It was amazing that she didn't lash out at Daimyn right away. Perhaps it was the other male's attempt to scream at Ausi to get Nukta to stop or perahps it was Ausi being there herself. But no matter what, she would attempt to claw Daimyn's face out if he attacked Nukta. She was not known for her logic, especially in moments like this and that wasn't going to change.
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Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:10 pm
Nukta was indeed already attacking again by the time Daimyn was rising to strike, so when his mother's voice distracted the male it allowed the son's strike to score a hit on the other adult's nose.
Nukta was snapped from his rage as well by the arrival of Adanna and Ausi'Juu, and instantly he froze in his place, all anger draining from his body in an instant. If he had skin instead of fur he would've paled right then and there. "M.... mom..."
"Daimyn!" She called again, unnerved by the scent of her mate's blood, not the first time she'd had it barrage her nose, but certainly no easier than last time. That it was drawn by her own son hurt even worse. This was her fault.
She quickly put herself between the three, standing protectively in front of Daimyn and ignoring his tone for the moment.
"Nukta, Adanna, please! Nukta, let me explain!"
"Explain?!" Nukta's fur bristled, hissing. "What is there to explain? Why are you defending him?! Where's dad, why aren't you with him?!"
Nukta would normally have calmed down by now, if this was any other situation, but it was clear that the combination of his shock at seeing his mother again, coupled with flooding memories and a wash of new shame, along with his confusion and anger made his fit return all at once.
"He's gone, Nukta! He died months ago... Daimyn hasn't done anything wrong--" Recently. "--and he doesn't deserve to be attacked. Calm down!"
Nukta didn't answer with words, Ausi'Juu's revelation having an affect like a firm smack to the face with her paw. He stepped down, backed away a step and schooled his expression instantly. It was clear he was still quite upset, but it had turned from hysteric to a quiet sort of rage, betrayal. He was biting down words that he knew he'd regret, but likewise he had to get away from there.
All of Ausi's fears came true again in that moment. She wasn't spared the look of anger in her son's eyes as his gaze passed from Daimyn to her.
"I don't think I could stand it if he looked at us in anger..."
She felt her heart breaking, but ontwardly she remained firm in her stance while she could.
As Nukta looked to Adanna and turned his back on his mother to walk away Ausi's legs felt like they were getting ready to give way, anguish writing it's way furiously across her wet jade-eyes.
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Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:09 pm
Daimyn found himself now facing two lions -- another Pridelander, a female and probably Nukta's mate. Outnumbered but unwilling to stand down, he snarled at her before Ausi, too, was in his field of vision. There would be no further attacks, Daimyn was sure. No lion here was willing to try to get past the black lioness to get to the other side.
He had nothing to say; this had become Ausi's and Nukta's reunion, however messed up it had become. When Nukta backed down, Daimyn likewise took a step backward. He would have liked to take Ausi and comfort her, but he sensed that now, in front of Nukta, was probably not the ideal time.
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Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:24 pm
((Moving forward one turn, as is Daimyn, >w< Ary will close,))
Somewhere past the hurt Nukta knew he was wrong. He shouldn't have attacked the other without giving him a chance to explain. He shouldn't have judged him either, but morals didn't always win out over raw emotion, and it had just been too much for him to handle all at once.
He needed to get away, to not see either of them right now, even though it had been almost a year since he saw his mother last. Even the sight of her defending that white beast was painful to bear. Adanna and the kids were really the only ones that he felt like seeing just then. He continued his slow retreat without another look back.
Ausi'Juu turned away as well, muttering something in a choked voice about Nukta needing time, and in there somewhere was a shaken apology, and without further glance to either Adanna or Daimyn she turned and left for the direction of she and Daimyn's own temporary home.
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Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:28 pm
Daimyn, again, offered nothing in the way of apologies, or anything verbal. He didn't figure Nukta wanted it just yet. Neither was he really thinking about it; all that was on his mind was his mate and how hurt she looked.
He thought back to that time only a couple days ago, when she'd admitted her fears to him about meeting her son again after all this time. Perhaps if he'd waited, discreetly left the hunting scene, or just done something different, things might have turned out better.
Thoughts on a million different things all at once, he walked alongside Ausi'Juu, completely at a loss for anything to do or say.
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Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:14 pm
Adanna had withheld any attacks that might have been brought about by her own anger, especially when Ausi showed up on the seen. So this male must have been the mate she had spoken of, the second grandfather that Jini had heard. It was there things spiraled out of control. Nukta had yelled and Ausi had pleaded and she couldn't bring herself to interfear right away. She was a swirl of confusion herself. But by Ausi's broken look she knew Nukta was being horrible.
"Nukta!" She cried in frustration, but when he continued on and the other two lions departed there was little she could do. She turned sharply and raced after her mate, tail trashing. It was obvious she was going to have a talk with him, whether he liked it or not. Perhaps a talk was what he needed anyway. This reunion seemed rather ruined.
(( Closed. x3 ))
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