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 Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:30 am
 Uovu bent low, muscles quivering, preparing himself for the chase. He was, luckily for him, upwind... and lay practically undetected in the long grasses.
He was hunting. He'd been stalking the same herd of gazelles for a while now, biding his time, waiting to strike. The large, tattered lion had scented a sick preybeast from the middle of that very herd... slowly, he advanced, threads of drool hanging from his chin.
He was so very, very hungry. How long had it been since he had eaten? Uovu didn't know.
All he could think about was the realisation that his supplies near his den were running dangerously low, and he desperately needed to catch something today. The situation was desperate, and the outlook bleak.
He wasn't ready for this.
Trembling, quivering with anticipation, the lion moved forward. Step on a twig, or make any sound at all, and it would be all over.
He hadn't come across many other lions in a long time, and hoped that nobody would interrupt his stalking. He couldn't afford to loose this meal.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:46 am
 The adolescent lioness was stalking the herd from afar, her body low to the ground, her tail dragging through the dirt, flicking from side to side. Azure eyes narrowed, strong sturdy steps near silent.
Monifa also needed a meal, but not so much. She had eaten in the past two days, so she didn't really need it as much, but she found an opportunity, so she was going to take it.
Fully unaware of the other lion, Monifa made her approach, her steps quickening. She have already picked her victim, and injured, yet large gazelle that would be a fine meal.
Her heartbeat quickened, and she made her attack, her pace turning into a jog, then a run, then a sprint. The heard caught sight and scent of her a tad too late, and as they ran off, she latched her maw onto the hind leg of her picked victim.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:04 am
Uovu, too, caught sight and scent of the lioness too late. He had been readying himself to leap out and start the chase... but the herd had stirred before he had started.
Uovu heard the frantic shrieks from the gazelles, and then he watched in horror as they had all started to take off. He leapt out of the grass that had shielded him from sight, and ran, confused and despairing, after the now-bolting herd.
It's too late now!
Had the creatures spotted him early? There was no way that they could have seen him... unless...
A grey and white blur sped past him, connecting swiftly with the sick gazelle, and Uovu watched it bring the preybeast down.
Thief!
The word pulsed angrily through Uovu. His blood boiled, and he let out a frustrated roar before he bounded towards the predator that had chased away his chance at a meal.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:14 am
Monifa dragged the beast down, jaw now clamping around it's throat. Soon, it became limp, dead. She stopped her steps, maw opening to let the gazelle drop to the ground.
Only then did the lioness catch the scent of the lion, and she turned her head, white maw stained with blood from the beast, stepping quickly away from the carcass.
She kept a calm composure, tail flicking. "I hadn't seen you, 'm sorry." She scanned her eyes over the rogue lion's form that was approaching her. "You can have some, if you'd like. Leaving it all for the vultures would be a waste, don't you think?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:37 am
At first, Uovu had felt enraged. Anger had gripped him, and he felt ready to attempt ripping into the throat of the 'thief'. However, he stopped when he heard the lion's voice.
Smooth, delicate and calm.
This wasn't just a lion. This was a lioness. He had come across a lady. Uovu stumbled back, caught off guard for a moment, but then his tail twitched with amusement. Ah, if there was something he really loved, it was the ladies. Pretty, they were. Most of them, anyway.
The one in front of him was a real stunner, too. If he had been in the mood, Uovu would have greeted her like he greeted all women. He was usually very flirtacious, social and friendly towards the girls... especially the good-lookers. It was in his nature to do so.
But now certainly wasn't the time to for that. It was time to regain strength, and the rogue lion certainly did apprechiate a meal.
"Thanks," he said simply, and a little gruffly, then dipped his head and advanced forward, next to the lioness, to feed.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:58 am
The lioness' head tilted to the side as he stumbled, and she resisted the urge to chuckle a bit.
"Of course," Monifa smiled lightly, feeding from the other side of the carcass. She had no problem with sharing, and it was nice to meet another friend, she supposed.
She had never really given thought about any 'attraction' of the sorts to male lions in the past, so she definitaly wasn't thinking of it right now. She just ate silently, and after having her fill she stood, looking at the lion.
"M'name's Monifa, by the way" She murmured, glancing to the side.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 2:50 am
Uovu hardly looked up.
"Uh, okay, Monifa..." he said, a little quietly. He wasn't the kind to 'make friends'. If he made friends, it was for a reason, and that reason was simple. He needed benefits. Friends was business, not fun. 'Friends', or whatever they were called, were to simply delude, used only to twist and bend to his whims.
He had no reason to be near this lioness, apart from the fact that he was starving. She was pretty, too. But that was it.
Still, he owed the lioness a little bit of conversation. She had given him a meal, and had not been stirred up by his rather angry entrance.
"The name's Uovu," he said, wiping the gazelle's blood off his chin with a forepaw, "Rogue. Not used to the company of others, really. Been ages since I last talked to someone, let alone a lady. Thanks for the meal, though."
He tore through the gazelle, unsure of what else to say. Usually, he was smoother than this. Tonight, he was just exhausted. But his strength was coming back to him, and he felt it come with every bite.
Heck, he might even be able to slip on his 'nice guy' mask if he got his good spirits back.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 3:05 am
Monifa sat a few feet away from him, looking to the side.
"Same here, I suppose" It didn't take much to figure out that this lion didn't seem to be the most social one. Shame, really. It seemed as if he... could be quite nice if he warmed up.
Perhaps she could get to know him? But he didn't seem like the type that would bother with that.
"And don't mention it" She murmured, the conversation seeming more... awkward now. She licked some of the blood that had gotten on her paw off, azure eyes drifting now.
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Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 3:37 am
An awkward silence followed. Uovu's ears flicked. It was his turn to talk, but he wasn't ready to speak. Not yet. First, he must dine.
And so, he dug in. He tore at the sides, but did so as neatly as he could, to avoid getting himself too smothered in blood. He had no wish to go to the waterhole... it was much too populated there, and besides, if he choice to wash himself, it took a while. The young adult lion was a perfectionist most of the time, after all, and usually would not rest until every splotch of that tasty 'red stuff' was off his body.
Neatness aside, he was eating as much as he could... though, he made sure he left the good bits to the girly. After all, as much as he hated to admit it, it was her catch... he just thanked the heavens that she had a kind nature, and was willing to share her catch with him.
His strength returned, and the lion suddenly felt good. Aaah, that wonderful feeling. He wasn't full, but it was much better having something resting in his stomach than having nothing at all.
Uovu, in bliss, rolled on his back and grinned, flexing his forepaws and unsheathing his claws. How good it was to feel strong again. These days, he couldn't afford to show weakness. The times were too tough, after all.
Well, it was time to slip on that mask of his. They didn't call him 'two-faced' for nothing, and Uovu felt that, somehow, he owed it to this Monifa girl not to simply walk away. She'd given him food, after all.
"Aaah, that hit the spot!" he looked from his paws, to Monifa, and flashed his teeth in a smile, "I seriously thought I was going to die back there. Of hunger, I mean. Harsh times, harsh times."
He rolled around, again, like a cub, and turned his gaze to the clouds, back comfortably resting against the grass.
"So, Monifa," he said, wracking his brains to think of something to talk about, "Aaaah... you... 'usually' catch gazelle?"
At once, he nearly kicked himself. Gosh, that sounded so... cub-like.
Not something a grown lion should say to a pretty girl.
Uovu, inside, shook his head at himself. His 'nice-guy' act was so out of character. He hoped the lioness wouldn't notice the sudden shift in personality. He usually stuck with one.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:49 pm
Monifa looked to the side furhter, her eyes narrowing. She could tell what she was doing. She was a seer, and though her powers were not strong, she could sense it.
"You don't need to act" She murmured lightly, eyes drifting towards the sky. "You owe me nothing. You don't need to act like you do." She sighed, her tail swaying back and forthe across the grass. She held her head high, her ears perked. Her voice, though, was solomn.
Finally, light blue eyes drifted back to the lion's form, her face expressionless. "If you want, you can even leave. I wasn't expecting company anyways" True, but that didn't mean she didn't want company. She didn't want to be pushy.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:05 pm
Uovu silently cursed himself.
'Idiot,' he thought, shaking his head, 'You were seen through... just like that. You really need to work on your moves, boy. Ah, well. Practice, I suppose. It'll pay off in the future... learn for today.'
Sagging his shoulders, the young adult returned to his normal posture... his back unstraight, his shoulders down, eyes dull. It wasn't that he didn't care... Uovu had never really stood perfectly straight, unless he was chasing up the ladies. No, it was easier just to relax... and sulk, a little.
Well, she'd seen through him. Time to go, he supposed.
Wait.
She'd seen through him. Seen through his two-faced switchover. Detected his deceiving spirit.
What kind of creature was this girl?
"If you don't mind me asking," he said, eyes brightening a little, "What makes you think that I was acting?"
He could pick up pointers from this.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:12 pm
The side of Monifa's maw twitched into a light smile for a split second.
"I.... have a knack for this kind of thing, you could say." She moved down to lay, her head resting on her paws. She paused for a few moments. That excuse wasn't going to work enough.
"A seer" She murmured. "I'm a seer, though my powers are light. You could say I could almost 'sense' it.
"It wasn't that bad of a switchover, really" She chuckled lightly, eyebrows pressing together as she glanced at him. Her tail flicked behind her. "So I don't think you need to worry about it." She shugged.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:31 pm
A... seer, huh?
Now that was something Uovu didn't hear about everyday. It was interesting, actually... so Seer's had these sort of senses?
He pouted.
So seers were the kind of lions that could see the truth in things, huh?
They could break him. He'd have to look out for them, in the future. Still, it seemed like they had... power, if Monifa was telling the truth.
Power.
Interesting.
'Mental note. Remember this encounter for a long time,' he thought to himself, 'Seers, huh? The knowledge of beings like them... could come in handy... one day.'
Blinking, he shook his head, and his mane with it.
It was time to depart, he supposed. This girl was dangerous. Much too perceptive. Still, he'd learnt a lot from this day. He decided to ask a few more questions before he left... better to risk asking them now, before he left and regretted not asking in the future.
"So, a seer, huh?" he leant forward, his tail flipping with interest, "And you can see through acts, just like that? Just as if it were a normal... 'sense'. A sixth sense, you might say?"
He paused, and then tilted his head.
"Are there... others like you, Monifa?"
He hoped she'd answer his question. He wasn't planning on using this information for anything... malicious. At least, not yet.
"It wasn't that bad of a switchover, really."
This took him off guard. She seemed to speak more light-heartedly, and Uovu found himself chuckling.
"Not bad, huh? Not bad? Well, that's no good, then," he pointed a paw to his chest, "I aim to be a great actor, you know. If I'm going to score myself a place in a good pride someday. It sure comes in handy. And do to something like that, I'm going to have to be... not bad? No, way. The best! Undectectable! So that not even seers can see me through!"
He grinned.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:13 pm
"MMmm.... Not usually" She looked up into the sky. "I'm just... weird, I suppose. Seers... have an array of different powers and such.
She knew he was interested. Though why, she did not.
"And I'm sure there are plenty more out there, though I haven't met any." She narrowed her eyes. "And why, exactly, are you so interested?" Her voice didn't sound so excited about any of this, just... dull, emotionless.
She gave a cracked smile, though, when he said the last phrase. "You aim high, don't you.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:38 pm
"A different array of powers, huh?" he nodded, chewing on his lip thoughtfully, "Well, that explains your sense, then. If there are more of you out there, I'd better be careful who I try to 'trick', as such."
Uovu's dark brown forepaw lifted, and he stroked it through his mane, shifting his claws through his tan locks as he spoke.
"I'm interested in things, Monifa. Especially things that could look at me and think, 'This lion's not right'. Who wouldn't be interested in such matters, anyway?" he blinked, and he, also, cracked a smile, "We mortals do have interest in things with power. Like Gods. You seers must be one step closer to the heavens than the rest of us, I suppose."
Setting his paw down, he stood up. Monifa had given him a meal, and an interesting conversation. Today had been a good day.
"Well, Monifa, little lady," he said, standing up and shaking the dust off his coat as if he were wet, "It's been nice. Interesting. Thanks for the meal. Let's meet again sometime in the distant future."
Then, her voice. You aim high, don't you?
'Hrrrrmmm hrrrmm,' the brown, raggedy lion chuckled. Gosh, seers really did hit things on the head when it came to figuring out other beings.
"You're right, Ms Monifa," he said to her, as he turned to leave, flashing her a grin, "I aim high."
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