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 Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:58 am
Shifting a bit through the grasses, he raised his head and looked around, a frown marring his features as he noted the sunrise. The night was the best time to travel, most creatures asleep while those that were awake would run from his view, mistaking him for a lion. He was no lion, but they did not need to know that, and with a growl he made sure they kept away. Silence was his best friend.
Coming up to a large tree and a rock underneath, he paused in his steps and decided he needed to rest. Soft pink eyes drooping, he looked around for any signs of life with a quick, slacking attention, before rushing over to make his den.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:07 pm
A brown lioness had already curled up near the rock for the night, her body mostly blocked from Amri's position. The lioness rarely slept a full night, and this evening was no different, having difficulty of fully falling asleep. Her scars on her shoulder burned slightly as they lightly reflected the moon's glow, the lioness' dull brown coat looking nearly identical to the rock that she was curled up next too. Her coat was rough and unsettled, matching the rock in that aspect, also.
She dozed, and thought not completely asleep, her senses were dulled out. It had been a long day, not eating a single meal, yet again. Nor finding a watering hole that hadn't been full of other predatory animals.
Giving out one soft cub-like mew, she curled up even more, her vulnerable body tightening up as her stomache pinched with hunger. Perhaps...perhaps tomorrow would be better.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:17 pm
His ears caught the sound a split second before he realized the rock wasn't as big as he assumed. Stilling completly, he just tried not to make any noise, settling his paw down and backing slowly away. It wasn't until his hind paw caught a nice sharp rock that he let out a yelp and darted down so not to be seen.
As always, he was going out of his way to protect those around him, to make sure they were safe from himself.
Peaking through the grasses, he held his breath and hoped he didn't waken the lion before him, sure by now that it indeed was. Never did he note the mewl of the other, not realizing she too was just as vulnerable as he.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:23 pm
Yet, the lioness had heard the yelp, thought she didn't waken immediately to the noise. Obviously the day had been harder on her then normally.
"Mmuh? S...someone there?"
Not that she much expected an answer, but it was more of an automatic response then anything. She slowly pulled herself out of her fetal position and peeked her head around, blinking sleepily. She didn't catch the stranger in the grass the first look around, but on the second time...
"D....D-don't..." Nyota wanted to say 'don't hurt me', bt the words just weren't coming out. She was scared, and still groggy from her sleep, so her actions weren't quite on target. She tried to back up a bit, hoping that maybe her words didn't reach out too far. Maybe whatever it was that she saw (pray, not a lion!) would just move on, and leave her be.
Of course, she never thought that she'd trip over her own tail trying to back away. With a lout swish from the grasses and a grunt, she landed on her back, dazed.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:05 pm
Still as thr grasses around him, Amri just watched as the other awoke before his eyes, not sure what to say or to do. He could reveal himself and hope she wasn't hostile, or wait until she fell asleep before rushing off as soon as he could. However, waiting could take hours, but he knew it would be better than becoming a meal, as most lions saw it.
It wasn't until he saw her eyes gazing that he lowered himself deeper, and yet his pelt proved unlucky indeed as the silver sheen caught her eye. When she spoke up, he rasied himself guiltily, watched with surprise as she backed up before completly falling over in a daze. It was at that moment that he decided against his better judgement and moved slowly to help her out.
"Are you alright?" He murmered softly, pausing when the grasses lowered to his paws and just waiting a safe distance away. Dispite how she fell, he knew it still was a dangerous situation to be in.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:15 pm
Goraning a bit, for she had hit her head hard enough to feel a slight throb, the lioness twisted around onto her belly, her scrawny body as low to the ground as possible. It wasn't until he was right up near her that she realized that something terrible could happen at any moment.
"Y-y-yeah, I'll b-be fine..." Her words fell out of her mouth in one quick jumble. She was scared, seeing this male infront of her. She wriggled a bit into the ground, as if it would just swallow her up and take her away from this situation. It was definately not something that Nyota wanted after such a long day.
"I-I'm sorry...did you want to sleep here? You're...free to, I can find another...another place. It's no problem..." The scrawny lioned drew her eyes up from the ground, where they normally looked, up towards the leopard, though she did not look into his eyes. That would just be too much to handle for her at this point.
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:23 pm
He didn't say anything for a long moment to her question, just watching her with a still form and trying not to do anything to scare her. He knew by now there was no threat, so instead he just pondered over the situation at hand.
"I can search around, this is your den." And with that, he sent her a shaky smile, though he knew she wouldn't see it. She was avoiding his gaze, and thought of him as some murderer. Turning to go, he padded back away from her the same way he came, before pausing after a few steps.
"I..." He shook his head and looked over his shoulder, "I am sorry for awakening you, and there is no need for you to apoligize...it is my fault."
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Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:29 pm
The lioness made a start, as if to rush up to him, but stopped herself after getting up on all fours. Her frame was painfully thin, but a certain grace could be seen, if she was only able to take better care of herself.
"W-wait..." She paused, blinking at herself. It felt as if someone else was speaking now, as if she was a bit detatched from her body. She shook her head lightly, trying her best to shake it off.
"N-no, I have no den...I wander a lot, and sleep wherever my feet take me...If...if you have no where to go, then you can take it." Her voice was shakey, but more from fatigue then fear.
A part of her was still scared, but he had not struck her yet, so perhaps he wouldn't? He seemed much more healthier then she, and besides, she was visibly no threat. She was more of a threat to herself then anything else.
"I know most of these lands, I can find another place. Or mayhaps...find you your own spot to rest, that may be larger then...then this one?" Her ears flicked forward for a moment before gliding back to a more humble position.
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:23 pm
He paused his steps at her words, his ears flickering before he turned fully with a questioning glance. Tilting his head ever so slightly, he waited paitently for her to finish, feeling guilty and showing it as he lowered his head in a submissive manor. It was obvious he was not going to hurt her now, and he hoped she could tell that as well.
"I can search around, like I said, I am used to these travels, so a few more moments of prowling will reward me soon enough." It was at that moment he sent her a soft smile, his pink eyes warm and glimmering before he glanced to the side. Not used to the lands around him, he tried to pick a direction, but it became obvious he was lost by all the hills and the grass when he hissed out a disgruntled mumble from under his breath.
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Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:45 am
The brown lioness couldn't help but give out a soft, short chuckle. She drew back a bit, though, hoping that she didn't offend this visitor of her's. Though he seemed harmless, she didn't know him well enough, and dared not to push her luck so far. Luck was rarely on the side of Nyota, and it wasn't something to be taken advantage of if given to her at all.
"Well, the Southlands all...look the same. It's quite easy to become lost." She shyed a bit, in more of a cute, embarassed manner then anything. "I certainly did once I began to reside here..." Her voice drifted off, her mind poking around, trying to remember if there was a better place to camp around here. The lioness rarely got lost nowadays, and though she didn't know all of the lands, she stayed in the parts that were rarely crossed by others.
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:10 am
Ears perking suddenly at the laugh, he turned back to her, though he held a small smile dispite himself. He noted she moved back a bit, and silently wondered if he really was all that frightening. Instead of speaking out the question, he turned and settled on his haunches, a submissive action that made him appear calm and realxed, compaired to when Mafujo was at his peak of darkness in that form.
Nodding at her words, he just looked up to the sky with a small shy, "The jungle was never like this...while all the paths were the same...you at least had landmarks you knew, places you remembered..." It was a whimsical movement of his, his voice drifting at the memory before he shook it off. The past was over, he was gone from that place once and for all.
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:08 am
Nyota watched her new companion, and relaxed, if only a bit, once he had lowered himself into a sitting position. If he was getting relaxed, then perhaps nothing dramatic would happen. Just believe that...besides, he wasn't a lion, right?
Her interested drifted from the intent present to his words. "Jungle...? I'm sorry...but... I don't follow. What's this jungle you speak of? I've...almost never lived anywhere else but here..." Trying to not shy again, as she dared ask a question, her heart beat a little faster as she kept her stance strong. Just act like everythings fine, and maybe it will be...
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:28 am
He was oblivious to the whole confusion and fear of the other, just settling and looking around with his wide, soft-pink eyes. He trailed them down to her face, smiling as he noted her also slightly off colored eyes, and just nodded.
"Yes, the jungle is a lot different than here, a large world of many trees and creatures, and it is always so humid and wet, with many flowers and streams," His voice was soft and memoried, spinning a short tail as he got caught up, until he looked back to her and felt heat rise to his features. He had to remember, remember not to get attached like he did with others. If he did, he feared the female before him would get hurt.
"Oh, my name is Amri by the way!" He caught himself, before a small akward smile crossed his maw.
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:43 am
Nyota's eyes lightly glistened in the moonlight as she listened to this place called a jungle. So much life there, it seemed! As if everything were how it should be...green, warm, beautiful....definately different to the Southlands. But, she matched well with these lands, and thus probably wouldn't fit in too well with this 'jungle'. Maybe...if she ever got the nerve to leave her home, she'd go see this jungle that the leopard spoke of.
"It sounds...so different from here." Her words were rough, as she was still concentrating on the images that her mind produced, then what she was actually saying.
Nyota's dazed look was shaken from her when the leopard declaired his name, though, and she was brough back to the present. She looked up at him, concentrating on remembering name and face.
"Amri...that's a name name." She gave off a small smile. "I'm Nyota'ausi, but just calling me Nyota is fine." A common name, but it was one of very few things that she liked about herself.
"Where are you from, if I may ask?" Her question was innocent enough, and the curious look in her eyes gave off a sense that she'd believe whatever Amri told her. Besides, she'd barely ever left the Southlands, so it's not like she would know any differently.
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:58 am
Watching her as he spoke, he just smiled again at how much she enjoyed his story, feeling relaxed and at ease. Pushing away the fear and paranoia for now, he just dwelled in the feeling of a friend before him, if that is what she was. He wanted a friend, wanted someone to speak with and someone to trust with his secret. Someone to accept him for who he was and protect him every time he awoke with blood on his paws.
And yet, as he looked to her, he knew that she couldn't be his friend, she would only suffer.
"Yes, it is, so much more full of life though life isn't always the best of things," saying the last part darkly, he remembered all the times he ran from the life, ran so he could save them from his anger and hate.
Upon her saying his name, his ears perked and he smiled with a nod, "Thank you Nyota, and your name is quite nice as well...unique." He had no idea she thought it was common, for he never heard of a name like that in all his time.
Shifting, he stifled a yawn and stretched his tail long, before taking a deep breaht and releasing it slowly.
"I am from the jungle, at least I've lived there for so long that it has to be considered my home. I spend most of my times in the trees and not on the ground." Nodding at that, he just looked to her, and remembered she said she was always in the soutlands, thus he didn't ask in return but instead lowered his head slightly.
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