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 Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:48 pm
 It had been a peaceful life, sheltered within the lush green, the jungle that surrounded them. Never had the young leopardess or her siblings seen the world that lay beyond the jungle, their father saw to that, panic striking the small leopard at the very mention of such. It was dangerous out there, bad things lurked beyond the edge of the forest.
But for one young leopardess, the warnings and stories of dangerous creaturs like wildebeasts had only served to entice her curiosity? What was it like outside the jungle? What did it look like, what sorts of creatures live there, what was a wildebeast anyways?
She had snuck away from the den that afternoon, stepping as quietly as possible, only breaking into a run once she had crossed the nearby river and she was certain she wouldn't be heard. Maybe she could get to the edge and back again before dad realized she wasn't there, that she hadn't gone to watch the fish as he might at first think she had.
What was the harm? She wasn't going to actually leave the jungle, she just wanted to see, it was okay if she just looked.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:18 pm
Sighing, Inchi gracefully drug her paw through the waters of the river, playing with her own reflection. How easily it was distorted! Pondering on the concept with some level of severity, Inchi almost payed no mind as her sister passed by; that was, however, until she broke into a running. Glancing up from the rippling surface of the river, Inchi took a moment to register the family member sprinting away. But.. what was she doing? Frowning lightly, she pulled herself off of the ground and from her thoughts, bounding off after Arefaer as she went. Maybe she was going to the edge of the jungle..? It would be nice to know that her sister was as plagued by the idea as she was.
"Faer! She called gently, hoping that it would be enough to make her sister slow down. If she was going to be at the edge of the jungle, well.. Inchi wanted to be there, too. Then, at least, she'd have someone to talk to about it!
"Wait up!" Inchi had added, now finally excited by the idea of seeing the world outside.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:49 pm
She hadn't looked back, green eyes focused forward as she raced toward her goal, like a guilty child afraid of getting caught. Just don't let her be seen, she'd never ask another thing of whatever higher being if she just wasn't--Ears dropped, the leopardess frozen in her strides as the familiar voice reached her. Oh no...
A sigh of relief, a breath released that she had not realized she'd held until that moment. It was her sister than had called out, not her father or her mother. It was okay then, she hadn't been caught, her sister wouldn't tell would she? Maybe she even wanted to come along, they could see the outside together. Surely father couldn't object if they hadn't gone alone.
"Hurry then, come on!"
A smile crossing her young maw, a sideways glance at her sister, the leopardess sprang again into a run. There was so much to see, she was sure, they just had to get there first.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:23 pm
Springing even quicker after her sister, Inchi was excited to see that her company wasn't disturbing Faer. There had been a moment of panic, when Faer had seemingly frozen at being called out- this hadn't been a good idea, she should've just let her sister go. She'd then beckoned Inchi to hurry, and so she had, pouring all of her energy into catching Faer's speed. This was it, then! They were going to see the jungle's edge.
"So, Faer," Inchi breathed, falling into pace with her sister as they ran, "what made you decide to do this today? It's kind of a big undertaking to decide on randomly, if you're doing what I think you are!" But maybe, then again, she'd been thinking on this for a long time. It was a fair assumption; she'd been curious for some time, Faer could've been in the same situation. Dying to go, but never working up the nerve. But here they were, now! There was no need to keep dwelling on the past indecisiveness!
"I've always wondered," Inchi continued, focusing on the tensing and relaxing of her muscles in motion, "What it's like.. out there. What a wildebeast is, what the world is like.. you know?" Breathing deeply, she managed a short laugh. "I mean.. I love home, I do! It's just the curiosity's always eaten at me."
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:52 pm
Arefaer shrugged, or she would have had her shoulders not been occupied in a run. There was no reason for choosing today to explore other than why not? Why wait till another day? Their parents were unaware of the plan, what other reason did there need to be?
"No reason, it's just a good day to explore!"
The cheer in her voice carried over the thud of running paws, the rustle of leaves disturbed as they passed. She could not have chosen a better day, it was warm and calm, and she wasn't alone. Her sister shared her curiosity, somehow that made it seem so much more exciting, an adventure was better when shared.
"I don't know, but maybe we'll see one!"
An exhilarating thought, and as the trees grew thin, the forest's edge looming closer, she forgot all thought of being caught, only remembering the curiosity and the sister united through a common question.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:41 pm
Laughing gently, Inchi simply accepted this answer, nodding an agreement to the idea. It was a good day; the jungle air was crisp and warm, soothing to the lungs as she speedily burst along. Mentally, Inchi took note to run more often. It was highly soothing, and helped her put any thoughts in order. That, and it was just.. fun!
"Seeing one? I don't think," she returned, glancing quickly to Faer to check her pace, and then back forward again, "we'll be out far enough! They wouldn't be right at the edge of the jungle, would they?" It was a fair enough concern; if the outside world WAS that frightening, and wildebeest were such horrible things, it probably wouldn't be wise to be near one.. but, then again, looking couldn't hurt. If they didn't provoke it, and just stayed at a distance, it wasn't likely to hurt them. And besides, it might be fun!
Excitement carried her onward as the trees thinned out, as Inchi forced herself not to stop. She'd have time to look around once they'd reached the very edge, and SEEN what was at the end.. then, while they returned, she could explore. And maybe she'd head back here someday, too! That was always an option; Faer could come too, even!
"This is so exciting, Faer! I think we're almost there!"
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:15 am
So many unanswered questions, so much she had wonder since the days she was a cub. The jungle was home, it always would be, her father, mother, siblings, meant more to her than perhaps even she realized. She would never truly leave the green jungle, never had she thought of doing such. But she was young, full of life, energy, and curiosity. She wanted to know, wanted to see for herself, she could not be blamed for that. But now those answers were so close, so close that she could taste it, and the rush of excitement spurned her onward, paws racing to reach the edge.
Contrary to what they may have thought, the jungle did not simply end, it was neither a straight line or a solid wall. The trees grew thin and small here, the leaves small and sparse compared to the dense brush they had always know. The green earth of the land beyond reached in, spreading among the small trees as if someone had painted the earth. What was that? She had never seen anything like it.
Her head lowered to sniff at the green earth, head titled curiously as she poked at it with a paw. Little leaves, where did they come from? They hadn't fallen from any of the trees, instead they seemed to be growing from the earth on their own, and they tickled her paw when she stepped on them.
"Inchi, what do you think it is?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:52 pm
Thrill coursed her veins like the adrenaline that pushed her forward, though she slowly began to trail as her sister slowed down. When she stopped to investigate the area, Inchi finally relaxed enough to take in her surroundings, glancing this way and that with curiosity. The trees were further apart now, with far more room to move. Breathing heavily, Inchi paced forward enough to feel the.. stuff.. beneath her toes, sitting on it lightly. It was softer than the soil she knew, and different from everything was so used to. Relaxing slightly, she looked up to Fear with a smile.
"I.. dunno! But, it's definitely nice," She said with a nod, grasping at the green stuff with her paws. Why had father forbidden such a nice place? It seemed silly, at least, in her mind. Such a nice place couldn't be horrible! But.. father would've had a good reason for warning them against it; he wouldn't do it purely off of assumption.
"It doesn't seem all that bad, but then again... what if this stuff's not actually good for us?" She asked warily, standing up cautiously and hopping off of the mysterious substance. Once off, Inchi looked back, then to her sister once more.
"I mean, you never know.. and there's no safe way to see, without talking to dad."
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:18 pm
The little leaves, it was fascinating, she had never imagined anything like this. She pawed at the green earth again, pulling her paw back then poking again, as if trying to figure it out by a simple touch.
"Ask...dad? Maybe we shouldn't do that."
Somehow she didn't think asking Keone about the things they saw here, or even mentioning them or the fact that they had wandered this far was a good idea. They were already pushing it by just looking, surely Keone would have freaked had he known his two daughters had wandered to the edge. They weren't leaving the jungle, so -technically- they hadn't disobeyed, but she still didn't like the idea of him knowing what they had done.
"I think we should try to figure it out ourselves before we ask anyone."
It was more of an adventure if they discovered the answers themselves right?
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:05 pm
"Yeah, that's probably for the best. We.. don't want him to worry, after all." Inchi nodded in agreement, studying the green stuff intently once more. Focusing on identifying whatever it was, Inchi scrunched her nose to focus. It didn't.. smell bad, or anything. Certainly didn't look that way, either! No, it was more like the leaves on the trees.. something along those lines, she assumed. Pulling her head up from the Earth, Inchi turned to Faer once more.
"Maybe.. mom would know? I mean, we've never really talked to her about it.." she murmured gently, wondering if that was a good idea at all. "Or, at least, I haven't.. and I haven't heard her say if the outside world was bad.." maybe she'd been there, then? Karama might very well be the source of the answers they were looking for! Biting her lower lip, Inchi thought a moment more.
"And, I mean.." she now began relaying her thoughts aloud, tail twitching as she did so. "If we don't ASK anyone who's been there, the only way we can find out.. is to go out exploring ourselves, like you said."
At this, Inchi frowned.
"Can.. we even DO that?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:04 pm
She was silent for a moment, watching her sister, wondering if she was thinking the same thing as she. Did they dare to explore further, to set paw beyond the jungle they had always known? She looked toward the open land, the green that covered the earth. It seemed harmless enough, but even in the jungle they had learned that not everything that seemed harmless really was. They could ask mom, but was that really a good idea either? It was true she had not expressed the same fear as Keone, but she didn't seem to want them to leave the jungle either. And if mom knew, then it was possible dad would know, and she certainly didn't want that.
Green eyes looked to her sister again, then beyond the trees. A deep breath, a resolution in her eyes, the young leopardess stepped forward, ears lowered as she stepped to the last tree. She could do it right? Just a quick step out and then back again, surely nothing would happen.
She stopped, one paw raised, ears falling back. She couldn't do it, though her curiosity raced, her daring failed, she simply could not bring herself to set her paws beyond the jungle trees. Head down, a heavy sigh, she settled on her haunches, tail giving a small flick.
"Maybe we could ask someone else about it..."
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:52 pm
There was a moment where it felt as if Inchi couldn't breathe- was Faer really going to step out beyond the jungle? She found herself, rather, holding in her breath as she watched Faer press forward. Yes, she was going to do it..! The instant Faer was beyond that tree, Inchi would be at her side in an instant- she just needed to take the first step. At the hesitation, though, Inchi's breathing returned, with a heavy sight. She.. wasn't doing it, then, after all. That was alright, though. Maybe someday.
Stepping forward lightly, Inchi took a seat next to her sister quietly, gazing out to the great beyond the trees. It was so close.. and yet, so unreachable, at the same time. They could step out, sure- but that just wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. It was.. grander than that, really; it had to be. Nodding gently, she smiled, looking back to Faer.
"That could work," she agreed brightly, putting great faith in the idea. "I mean, I'm sure SOMEBODY around here has to know.. we just have to find them, is all!" Taking a deep breath, she continued brightly.
"And.. no matter how long it takes, we'll see it someday. Whatever it is that's out there, we'll find it. It can't be that hard to do.." she paused after this a moment, taking a quick glance at the outside world.
"Right?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:32 pm
She was silent save for a sigh, looking down at her paws in disappointment. It was right there, all she had to do was step out and touch it, to step into the open world and find all that awaited them. But she had been unable to, the words of her father were too much to forget. She could not simply disregard all he had said and disobey the one thing he had always told them.
"Yeah...we're not the only leopards in the jungle, someone else must have been out there."
A touch of cheer had returned to her voice, looking up at her sister with a soft smile. It wasn't the end of the adventure if they didn't leave the jungle today. There was still a great adventure that awaited them, it was simply more than they were prepared to face today. First they would learn, search out all they could find about the world that lay beyond. Then when they were ready, they could step out and explore it for themselves. That would be better wouldn't it?
"We should go back to the den, before dad freaks out."
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:46 pm
(( Sorry this took so long. x__x; I hit a bit of an RP funk with everyone. ))
At Faer's smile, Inchi did her best to return the gesture as brightly as possible, hoping to mask the slight disappointment. So they hadn't gone past the jungle's edge- it wasn't that bad, really. Why, they'd made it out here, at least! And now, they both had a goal- find someone who had visited the outside world. It would be enough to push them, day to day, and that was good enough.
"And, hey.. it's a good first step, you know." She offered out, still as cheerily as possible. They'd gotten further than before- that's what progress was, after all! And it just meant they'd go that much further next time!
"But.. yeah. Going back is probably for the best, right now." Inchi nodded in agreement, raising herself from the ground delicately. Looking to the jungle once more, then Faer, a grin managed to form on her lips.
"Race you back!" She laughed, and took off without a moment's hesitation in the direction of home.
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