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Post by blaqknoise on Jun 7, 2010 22:32:37 GMT
Basilisk watched as Karensha and the cub walked away.
"They'll be back"
Looking up into the sky, he saw that the sun was beginning to go down. He walked back to the spot at the rock where he had been before, and noticed the cheelion again. Something inside him wanted to make her feel welcome here. he wasn't sure why, he usually kept other peoples lives out of his business.
"Pardon the interruption" He said walking up to her. "If you don't have anywhere to stay overnight I have a cave that I use for shelter. Your welcome to come with me if you wish." He looked over at the cheetah. "And you too I guess if you have nowhere to go."
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Post by dakota on Jun 11, 2010 11:41:56 GMT
Karensha turned her head away from Basilisk and moved forward with the cub slowly, she wasn't sure where he wanted her to go or what to find, but she wasn't going far. She needed to stay hidden here for a while longer watching for who was coming and going, before she was going out in the open in the brightness of day.
Moving on a bit further, the snow leopard peered out through an opening in some foliage, her breath catching in her throat as she surveyed the amazing colours of the sky as the sun was slowly setting.
" Look Maji... look at the sky, look at nature's beauty."
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Post by Lyonize on Jun 11, 2010 23:57:04 GMT
Maji was lifted up off the ground and put on Karenshas shoulders again. He liked being up there. He felt strong when he was on her shoulders. Through the leaves and branches, Maji could see beams of golden orange light reaching out to break the darkness. Once they had come out of the foliage, the light hit Majis fur. The sunlight felt warm and the leaves on the trees fluttered in the breeze. The birds chirped and cawed. The smell of the grass came to Majis nose and it reminded him of how soft it was.
" Look Maji... look at the sky, look at nature's beauty."
Maji looked at the sky and noticed that the clouds were pink, yellow and orange as the sun began to set. Karensha was right. All this time, he viewed nature as something that wanted to kill him. But now that he was safe with Karensha he knew that nothing could hurt him and nature seemed more beautiful. He wondered what could be out there as his curiosity grew. Maji nuzled karenshas head with his at seeing the beautiful sight.
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Post by dakota on Jun 12, 2010 9:45:01 GMT
Jabari nodded slowly when the cheelion made her statement
"Life has made bitter, I suppose, it's how I've survived in a world that doesn't seem to want me to exist."
Looking around him at the other assorted felines that had gathered in his hideaway, what had they.. a snow leopard, orphaned cub, and a stray male lion, as well as themselves, indeed it was a strange grouping that now spread themselves around, possibly all running from or looking for something.
Bringing his gaze back the Cheelion he paused for a moment before stepping in closer, and out of habit turned the scarred side of his face away from her slightly.
"You know you can stay here, I don't know whose coming, staying or going, but so far you haven't been accosted for looking different, from what I've seen the other three accepted you for what you are, maybe they just want acceptance too.
Stepping back, the cheetah shrugged a little and watched as Karensha picked up the cub placing him amongst her fur tuft and walked slowly forward at the cubs insistance. For some reason he felt they shouldn't be left by themselves, there was so much that snow leopard hadn't said, yet on the surface she appeared tough as they come, but he sensed a little vulnerability she was trying so hard to hide. About to discretely follow he paused as the dark maned lion spoke up.
Pardon the interruption ,if you don't have anywhere to stay overnight I have a cave that I use for shelter. Your'e welcome to come with me if you wish, and you too I guess if you have nowhere to go."
Jabari tried to hold back a smirk realising he was a quick add on for politeness, seemed the lion was indeed chivalrous.
Nodding to the cheelion, that she should accept if she wanted, the cheetah looked towards where he last saw the cub moving with the snow leopard.
"Please don't let me stop you if you both want to get comfortable for the night, I just want to see for myself where the other two have gone, they're both strangers to here... never know who's lurking."
Moving away he carefully and quietly followed their trail into the bushes.
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Post by Kirsui on Jun 18, 2010 22:30:37 GMT
"Please don't let me stop you if you both want to get comfortable for the night, I just want to see for myself where the other two have gone, they're both strangers to here... never know who's lurking."
Sera smiled faintly at Jabari when the cheetah headed off. When she turned to face Basilisk though, her smile was completely gone.
"So..." the cheelion asked as she walked closer to the lion.
"Where's this cave of yours? I don't really know when the last time was I slept indoors... Especially with invitation."
She walked on with her head hung low. Her once beautifully white fur was now dirty, and her hair didn't look much better. Her long hair was dragging the ground as she walked. It had twigs and other dirt clinging on it. If that wasn't enough, her hair had also been half cut from the back of her neck. It had grown back somewhat, but it didn't look any better than the rest of her hair.
The lioness stopped suddenly as the wind brought unfamiliar scents to her. Her ears flicked slightly in case the other creatures were close by, but strangely enough she didn't lift her head to gaze around.
"Look Maji... look at the sky, look at nature's beauty."
She tilted her so that her frontal hair covered her face better. She was certain that who ever it was that had spoken was close by, but she remained motionless and silent, thinking that if she did so perhaps she would pass unnoticed.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jun 19, 2010 0:32:08 GMT
"So... Where's this cave of yours? I don't really know when the last time was I slept indoors... Especially with invitation."
"I don't really know when the last time I gave an invitation was." Basilisk replied.
Basilisk's thoughts went back to Karensha and the cub. "Perhaps I should bring them back too." He thought to himself, "No, if they show up, then okay, but I'm not going to go out looking for them."
"It's just a little further this way." He said looking back at the cheelion.
They finally arrived at the cave. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. It was just big enough to fit a small pack, or a larger one if you took away some elbow room for sleeping. There was a half eaten carcass at the entrance and a couple of skulls further inside, giving the cave a sort of grim appearance.
"Perhaps I should have done some cleaning up earlier." Basilisk said dragging the carcass and scooping away some of the skulls. "It may not be much, but it serves its purpose."
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Post by dakota on Jun 19, 2010 9:56:03 GMT
Karensha stood with Maji, silence enveloping them, just watching in awe at all that was before their eyes. Whenever she saw the beauty of the sun going down, this was the time when she felt the most peaceful, the time for her when maybe the future did hold some sort of promise.
In the silence the snow leopard heard her stomach start to emit soft gurgling noises and she could feel her insides start giving off rolling cramps. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten,as she'd taken the fish for the cub, keeping none for herself.
Taking afew more small paces forward, she looked around quickly. There stranded on a small dry area amid the water was a frightened gazelle, just ripe for the picking.
Reaching behind her, using her muzzle she picked up the cub and placed him on the ground, tucking him under the closest bush.
"Maji... Listen to me carefully. You can't and wont move from here, no matter what you see happening. I'm going to get fresh meat and I need to know you are safe, I can't be watching you at the same time."
Tapping him on the nose so that he looked up and met her eyes.
"Have you heard what I've just said Maji, if so nod your head for me."
Watching him karensha gave a sigh of relief that he understood, she didn't want him on her conscious if anything should happen to him, for not listening.
Moving back the snow leopard turned and laid her body down in the grass and started crawling forward, suddenly stopping, she looked over her shoulder at the cub, giving him a small smile before turning her attention back to the meal ready and waiting.
Reaching the waters edge, Karensha came to a stop. Looking along the banks closely she couldn't see any movement or dark shadows lurking in the water. Sliding on down, the coldness covered her white body merging into her purple fur pulling it back plastering it to her skin. Her eyes never left her target as it came closer and closer.
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Post by Lyonize on Jun 23, 2010 13:04:41 GMT
Maji was full but he knew Karensha wasn't. He could hear her belly rumble. The cub was put back down on the ground underneath a bush where he could be hidden.
"Maji... Listen to me carefully. You can't and wont move from here, no matter what you see happening. I'm going to get fresh meat and I need to know you are safe, I can't be watching you at the same time."
The snow leopard tipped his nose up so he was looking at her.
"Have you heard what I've just said Maji, if so nod your head for me."
The little cub didn't know how long she was going to be gone. He nodded the faintest nod, letting her know he at least understood her. When Karensha left in a crawl, she looked back and smiled at him. It was a simple gesture but it was reassuring to Maji. When she was out of sight behind the tall grass was when Maji finally felt alone. He looked around anticipating Karenshas return. The sun had gone down enough that it was hard to see much. His eyes caught a glimpse of a figure out there. Maji ducked his head low. He didn't know if it was Karensha or not but he still didn't like the thought of there being something else out there with Karensha not with him.
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Post by Kirsui on Jun 23, 2010 13:24:20 GMT
"Perhaps I should have done some cleaning up earlier."
The cheelion laughed at Basilisk attempts to clean up the small cave, and waved with her paw. Her laughter was unsure, as if she wasn't sure how to laugh, but the smile on her lips told that she truly was amused.
"It's fine", she said. "That snow leopard might have something to say about the skulls, considering how she's now taken in the cub."
She shrugged, still smiling slightly.
"I don't mind though, they're just bones."
"Maji... Listen to me carefully. You can't and wont move from here, no matter what you see happening. I'm going to get fresh meat and I need to know you are safe, I can't be watching you at the same time."
The lioness' ears flicked slightly, and now that the voice had quieted down she was certain she heard faint movement just ahead of her. She held her breath, expecting that someone would speak to her very soon, question why she was there...
Nothing happened. She shakily released the breath she had been holding. She had another problem now though. This person who had been speaking would return soon, and what was worse was that they had apparently left behind a cub. She was risking it when she remained close to an unprotected cub - if there was an unprotected cub that is. But the path she had been following went straight ahead, and she was too tired to take a longer route...
She sighed, and shook her head. She would turn aside from where the voices had come from, but only slightly... They would most likely spot her, but hopefully they would not feel threatened. And so she began to walk a little aside from the direction where she originally had been heading.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jun 23, 2010 18:48:42 GMT
As he was clearing away his mess, he heard laughter coming from Sera. It was an awkward sort of laugh though, and he wasn't sure if she was faking it to try and be friendly, or if he had actually made her laugh somehow. Looking back at her, he could see the smile on her face was one of amusement.
"It's fine, that snow leopard might have something to say about the skulls, considering how she's now taken in the cub."
"I doubt she'll come, she's probably found some place to stay by now. Odds are it'll be just us two."
Taking the skulls he had collected, he kicked them down the hill and watched them fall about half way down and then turned to the carcass and did the same thing.
"There, now we won't have to sleep with flies buzzing all over the place." He turned back to Sera, "I'm going to go for one last drink, you coming or staying here?"
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Post by dakota on Jun 27, 2010 11:35:28 GMT
Jabari left the lion and cheelion together, presumably to go get comfortable in the so called cave, no doubt he'd find them later if need be.
Moving slowly forward, the cheetah was looking more often at the ground than in front of him, he didn't want to make any uneccesary noise and frighten karensha and the cub, he wasn't sure what they were actually doing, and why they left the group like that.
Jabari was about to step over a fallen branch when his nose started twitching making his ears prick up,it seemed something else was near him, and he was about to see what it was, there was an innocent cub out here that needed protecting.
Making a quick silent leap over the wood, he stopped as his paws hit the hard ground. Blinking for a moment, he thought he was imagining things, or was he. There to his left it looked like a white lioness.. off white.. gray almost.
Looking at her more closely, Jabari was taken aback with what he saw on her face. Slapping his muzzle shut fast, so no noise would flow out, he stood and stared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karensha loved swimming, it gave her a sense of freedom that being on dry land didn't, especially at night when no one could see what she got up to, but for now her focus was on the gazelle, who had turned and was watching with a panicked look on its face as she came closer.
Making her limbs paddle faster, her paws sliced throught the water at ease, she finally felt ground touch her nails. As she emerged the gazelle leapt into the water trying to escape what it knew was going to happen, but Karensha anticipated what would be occuring and launched herself across the space between them.
The sharpness of her claws dragged down the animals flesh, gouging in, pulling the animal back out of the water onto solid ground. Karensha heard the noises it was making, desperate to escape. Pulling her claws free of it's hips , the snow leopard swiped at its throat, feeling skin and bone seperate together, as a gurgling sounds filled the air and her meal finally dropped to the ground, giving up all hope of escape.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jun 27, 2010 18:30:35 GMT
Basilisk didn't hear a response from the Cheelion, so he decided to go on without her. As he walked back to the water he looked up into the sky. The sun was nearly gone now, and the horizon was starting to go from pink and orange, to black.
His head came down as he heard noises coming from not to far away. The pool of water was now visible, and he could see two figures splashing around. As he got closer he could tell that one of them was Karensha and the other was a gazelle.
"Oh she had better not get any blood in the water" Basilisk said to himself.
He watched the action unfold as he got closer and closer to his destination. Karensha pulled the gazelle out of the water and quickly finished it off.
"Wonderful!" He shouted, "Not one drop of blood in the water. Just how I like it."
He lowered his head into the water and quickly took a few gulps.
"I thought I might be seeing you again tonight," he said to looking back up at her.
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Post by dakota on Jun 28, 2010 10:28:56 GMT
Standing there panting, trying to get her breath back, Karensha shook her head vigorously while muddy water mixed with a trace of fresh blood sprayed all around her in a semi circle, floating back down onto the ground, as night fell all around them.
"Wonderful! , not one drop of blood in the water. Just how I like it"
Looking quickly back from where she had come, Basilisk was there, his head coming up from where he looked to have been drinking.
"I thought I might be seeing you again tonight"
Not answering him, karensha surveyed all around her, looking warily for any crocodile that might have decided to pay her a quick visit while her back was turned. As far as she could see there were no riples of movement in the water, so she made her move.
Sinking her teeth into the rear of the gazelle, she pulled it into the water, stopping she cast another glance around and pushed herself in dragging the fresh kill along in her wake.
Not stopping she swam harder and faster, all she wanted was to feel solid ground under her paws and she would be home. Keeping her eyes ahead she focused on the lion standing still, he watched her and she watched in return, for now he was her beacon.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jun 29, 2010 1:29:31 GMT
Basilisk stared back at Karensha as she swam across the water. He looked around where she was to make sure there weren't any crocodiles that might try to get her and her gazelle as she swam. She got closer and closer and he decided that she was probably not going to get attacked. Looking away from Karensha, he realized that there was no cub around.
"That's odd." Basilisk thought to himself. "I think this is the first time I've ever seen her away from that thing."
He kept looking around, but he wasn't anywhere that he could see.
"Where is that ball of fur that you always have with you?" He asked her as she got closer to him.
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Post by dakota on Jun 29, 2010 10:24:43 GMT
~ Posting for DJ ~
Maji stayed hidden under the bushes where the snow leopard had placed him, warning him not to move till she got back. He was so tempted to jump to his paws and look at what she was doing, but it was dark, and he was getting cold and starting to shiver.
Lying flat on his tummy his back legs spread out, he bought his small paws up and placed them on his head, trying to block everythjing out, all he wanted was the warmth of being curled up with karensha.
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Post by dakota on Jun 30, 2010 10:02:05 GMT
Finally her paws hit hard ground underneath her, panting she stepped out of the water further and further dragging her kill with her and suddenly dropped it on the dirt and then shook herself from top to tail.
"Where is that ball of fur that you always have with you?"
"what are you talkng about, he's over there where I left him.... Maji you can come out now, hurry up."
Karensha moved forward, still calling out his name, but he didn't appear, she couldn't even see any movement in the bushes. The darkness had settled in covering him up; leaning down she sniffed the air her tail flicking around while she searched. Brushing aside some branches she found the cub curled up tight, she wasn't sure if he was asleep or pretending to hide. Leaning down, her nose bumped on his head a few times, and then she turned back to the lion.
" So what are you doing here, thought you were showing your new friend around, or you had to come see how a snow leopard can hunt ?"
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Post by Lyonize on Jul 1, 2010 0:24:09 GMT
After what seemed like forever of just hiding and staying still, Maji heard Karenshas voice talking to Basilisks. Maji still didn't like him so he stayed hidden. Even after Karensha had called his name a couple times, he decided that he would not move. Not with that big lion standing around. If she wanted Maji to come out, she would have to come and get him out from his hiding place.
Finally he heard the branches that concealed him start to rustle. Next, Maji felt his head being gently bumped and looked up to see Karensha there. Maji rose to his feet and quickly darted over to Karensha to hide behind her leg. He was mostly hiding from Basilisk butthe silhouette of the figure in the distance was still in the back of his mind. He couldn't decide if it was Karensha or something else.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jul 1, 2010 2:05:44 GMT
"what are you talkng about, he's over there where I left him.... Maji you can come out now, hurry up."
Basilisk looked around again, but still couldn't see the cub, and it didn't run back to Karensha when she called it. She then walked over to his hiding spot and got him out, but the cub quickly hid behind her leg.
" So what are you doing here, thought you were showing your new friend around, or you had to come see how a snow leopard can hunt ?"
"No, I just led her to my cave so she could stay the night. I'm not a tour guide, and I certainly don't want to be, nor am I interested in spectating while others hunt. I just came down here for one last drink before heading back." He paused and looked at the two for a moment before speaking again, "I assume you've found a place for you two and the kill, so I'll be seeing you."
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Post by dakota on Jul 1, 2010 10:54:01 GMT
Karensha watched as the cub bolted out of the bushes and clung to her hind leg. A smile almost appeared taking away the awful feeling that he had wandered off, or something had caught him. After such a short time, it seemed he had found a little spot in what she thought was her hardened heart, something that she was sure would irritate her father no end.
"I assume you've found a place for you two and the kill, so I'll be seeing you."
The snow leopard bit on her lower lip, seemed she had done it again, spoke before she thought. She was used to plain speaking, saying what was on her mind, now she was amongst others, it wasn't as acceptable and maybe she had better not say much at all rather than get their ire up.
Standing there she didn't reply and just lowered her purple lashes half way down shading her eyes, while hanging her head slightly at the same time. Turning away from the lion she bent even further, reaching for the cub while gently talking to him, calming him down.
"Come Maji... time to hang on tight again.. be king of the jungle for me, while I drag this fresh meat back to where we were before."
Lifting him onto her neck, she waited for him to nestle down amongst her fur and get a firm grip, she wouldn't move until she felt the pull of her long tuft, she didn't care for him to have a tumble in the dark, poor thing was so tiny and so far she hadn't heard any sounds pass his lips.
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Post by blaqknoise on Jul 1, 2010 19:02:25 GMT
Basilisk stood there expecting a reply from the snow leopard, but he didn't get one. She instead just lowered her lashes and hung her head down slightly. Basilisk realized that he was probably wrong and they didn't have a place to stay, assuming he correctly read the look on her face. He didn't want more people in his cave, but he already had one, he might as well take two more.
"Come Maji... time to hang on tight again.. be king of the jungle for me, while I drag this fresh meat back to where we were before."
"Something is wrong with you today Basilisk..." He thought to himself.
As Karensha was working on pulling the carcass with her, he walked over and put his paw on it, keeping her from being able to pull it further. He hesitated before he spoke.
"If you really don't have any place to go, I guess you two could come with me.... if you want."
He took his paw off the carcass, turned around, and slowly began to walk as he waited for her to answer.
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