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 Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:54 pm
Nyumbani had passed by several cheetahs crammed together under a brush, gave a herd of elephants a wide birth, and eventually made her way down a steep, ruddy bank. The ground here was hard, red rock and the water which poured and twisted over it was crystal clear. After passing a wary look to, and exchanging nods with, a passing water snake, Nyumbani had waded into a shallow pool.
Behind her, a few small shrubs clung to the hillside. They were not yet occupied, and someone desperate for shade could risk a scratched hide for minimal protection from the elements.
The lioness opted instead to remain in water at elbow level and keep a careful eye on the fish that passed her by. It was not the conventional method of hunting, but Nyumbani was long past a sense of shame. During the hot summer months, fish were easy to catch and took much less effort than hunting. In heat like this, they were a blessing.
One fish was already wiggling on shore, attempting to twitch its way back in the water, and Nyumbani's eyes were heavily focused on the flashes of silver that flopped in from shallower water.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:02 am
He was aging and perhaps the lionesses that lived with him were the first to notice and look elsewhere for a suitable mate. Even his mane was beginning to lighten and grey in a few places. Even this heat was getting to him in ways that it never did when he was younger. He was a lion exiting the prime of live and it sucked. Laying under a young tree that was surrounded by brush, hardly big enough to even shade his body, Durin lounged. Everyone knew it was hot, even the wild dogs he had chased out from the spot he was currently claiming for his own. Mouth open as his tail flicking behind him while a few flies zipped around his face, taking the time to land every now and again. He still kept watch though, his golden eyes scanned the grasslands. It was a habit and his job back when he actually had a pride of his own to mind.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:18 am
After a period of utter still and quiet, a loud splash sounded and a second fish was grasped in Nyumbani's jaws. It thrashed, its tail slapping her across the muzzle around the puncture of her teeth. Some of its blood dripped onto her chin, staining her white fur when she swung her head, jaw opening to send the fish through the air.
It landed high, well over the bank to a position she could not see. Durin, however, would have been able to witness the sailing aqueous animal and it would have landed a few feet away from where he clutched desperately for shade.
Nyumbani's eyes narrowed, brows furrowing into a scowl. A low, nearly inaudible rumble escaped her throat and she sloshed her way towards shore, making no effort to conceal the sound of her tread.
The previously caught fish was scooped into her mouth with just a hint of grit from the sand on which it landed. Making a quick estimate of where the second fish may have landed, Nyumbani started up the embankment to claim her lunch before someone else did.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:43 am
Those attentive eyes did see it fly from over the edge and landed near him, still twitching as it gasps for air while blood ran from holes in it's side. Durin's eyes widened, more out of confusion then anything as he just stared. Was it the heat playing tricks on his mind again? No, the smell...that fishy smell hit his nostrils quickly. It was most certainly real or his nose was in on this nasty trick as well. Lowering his head, he began making attempt to grab it without moving, but of course that wouldn't work. Maybe the gods were dropping in to give him a gift. It would rude to not eat it if they were...
His eyes looked up from the fish that evaded his teeth, his head still lowered, as he watched the edge with intent. Ears swiveling forward, his eyes narrowed. Maybe the god was still here.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:55 am
Last Nyumbani checked, she was no god. If she were, she would certainly not be spending her time wading in rivers, killing time. Surviving.
She would certainly not be the water-logged sight that hauled itself over the steepened natural levees with a heavy grunt. Nyumbani's paws were dusted a creamy-orange from the riverbank, and the fur on her neck matted together and drained water down her chest to drip off her belly and legs.
A quick scan with brown eyes revealed that her luck was, as usual, poor. A decent sized male was within a stretch of snapping up her dying fish. The lioness came to a halt, staring towards the figure and their eyes crossed paths.
The lioness hesitated, her jaw tightening and tail going rigid. Was it worth a fight?
Then, her muzzle curled up around her teeth and the slimy fish. A low, throaty growl escaped her mouth. Just once and as neutral as a warning grumble could be, "That's mine," it said, albeit partially hindered by the fish.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:04 am
Nope, definitely not a god that came over the hill, still dripping from her trip in the river. A lovely looking lioness carrying what he hoped to be an offering for him, but most certainly not of the divine.
Her's? Durin paused glancing from her to the fish then back again before raising his head. "So you're the one that tried to attack me with a fish?" He questioned, his tail swaying beside him. She hadn't attacked him outright, so that was a good sign...of what though he wasn't sure.
While he was hungry and the scaly meal was within reach if he actually wanted to get up, he wasn't one to steal a meal. Eat first after a kill, sure, but not steal. Beside, she already had one in her mouth and the one collecting dirt on the ground did have teeth marks on it. She could be lying though. He could just take it though as compensation for the trauma of nearly being slapped by a flying fish would have caused and then the ridicule he would have gotten from retelling the story: if he even dared to repeat it.
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Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:42 am
Nyumbani, despite her best efforts, raised her head and blinked. The fish gave a last twitch in her mouth and went still. The lioness waited. An feeling awkward began to permeate and then she set down the fish on one of her paws.
"Is that supposed to be a joke?" she asked, the tone of her voice strained by disbelief but also the heightened end of an honest question. Nyumbani might have asked what kind of rogue would attack another with a fish, but she'd seen enough sorts that left her baffled she didn't presume to ask why anymore.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:27 pm
"Not at all." Durin replied, struggling to keep a straight face just at the thought of what he had actually said. How stupid did he really look at this point? Probably really stupid. "I assume since you claim this fish is your's, that you're the one that launched it up here and nearly hit me in the process." It was a fair assumption to make, at least he thought it was. In fact...fairly quickly the male rose into a crouching position, leaning forward quickly to grab the fish in his mouth. Returning to his laying position, he plopped the now-dead treat over his paws as he grinned. "A fair payment I suppose for the humiliation you nearly put me though." Of course would he eat it? That was left to be decided.
"So what kind of situation brings a lioness to hunt fish instead of better game?" She didn't seem incapable of hunting for herself, unless there were more she was hunting for. Then again, wouldn't it be better to hunt larger prey if there were more to feed? Unless there were no herds in the area, in which case he'd also starve. Fun times to be had in Africa that day.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:46 pm
Nyumbani felt the need to sit down the more the male continued to speak. The lioness could not decide if he was dumb, liked the sound of his own voice, or was trying to distract her for some greater purpose.
As the fish was snagged, she narrowed her eyes. The hair along her back stiffened and stuck up from her spine. Her eyes were hotly trained on the fish, before sliding up to the smug male's face.
With confidence enough to steal a lionesses meal and then try and engage in idle conversation, Nyumbani guessed he'd have no problems besting her in a tussle. It would be no use challenging him for a fish.
"Go ******** yourself," the question was answered simply.
Nyumbani promptly locked her jaws around her remaining meal and turned, ready to head back across the short expanse and return to the embankment. She would just spend the time to catch another fish.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:18 pm
First came surprise and then confusion quickly after, mixed with a little bit of anger as well. How dare she say such things to him!
Glancing to the fish, he had a choice between keeping and eating the fish or returning it. If he returned it though...maybe she'd catch more for him, or maybe she'd at least stay a little while. Decision made. As quickly as he could, he rose onto his paws, grabbed the fish in mouth before jogging after the lioness. Yeah, he was a rude a** of a lion, but he was hungry! Could she really blame him?! Yeah...she probably could, but he hoped she wouldn't.
Coming up on her right, he swerved to try and cut her off, the fish hitting him in the jaw as he did so. At least some luck was on his side and he didn't go sliding down and into the water.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:50 pm
There's nothing like a charging male to send the mind reeling. Nyumbani's ears went flat, and a flash of color came around her right side.
Nyumbani's lips peeled back around her teeth, and she let out a snarl and reeled backwards. A claw-bearing paw swept into the space she'd occupied, should the male further pursue her. The fish in her mouth fell to the earth, sending up a small cloud of dust.
She remained in the space she'd jumped to, hackles raised, and head lowered. Looking weak could mean a death sentence, but engaging a fight was equally likely to lead to the same end.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 9:52 pm
The swipe sent him stumbling back. Years of battle had left his reflexes honed, but age kept them rusty. The fish dropped from his mouth as well as Durin attempted to keep himself from sliding too far backwards as to avoid going into the muddy water behind him. "What the hell are you doing?!" He called to her, his paws sinking into the ground slightly as his full weight was put on them while he tried to move back upwards. Well this was just wonderful. He nearly got attacked by his fish, lost the fish he stole, nearly got attacked by claws this time and now he was basically stuck while this lioness was poised to rip his eyes out.
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:13 pm
Nyumbani's heart was pounding. In an instant, the fish had hit the earth, and the male had lost his footing.
The lioness' next movement was automatic, a necessity of survival. She leapt forwards, closing the distance between them. The full force of her paws aimed for either of Durin's shoulders, his face, anything to make him loose his balance and tumble from the mud into the river below.
No second was delayed to see if the tactic worked. She was spinning on her haunches, head low to capture the fish that the male had dropped. Hopefully, the second would soon be in her grasp and she could sprint across the plains and hope she could outdistance him.
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