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 Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:26 pm
The time was fast approaching when Harb would leave on his quest to claim his first banu. Of course, Vu was extremely excited for his son. He would miss him while he was away, though he would certainly keep his feelings to himself when the time came, but more than that he was proud, proud because his first son was about to become a man in the eyes of his pride. To help prepare his son for this journey, Vu was taking him on a kind of father son camping trip. They would spend a night just outside the pride’s boarders, not too far, and Vu would show his son a few tricks to surviving in the wild. Soon Harb would have to hunt for himself, find food and shelter, and fend off other rogues from his kills. There was a lot to learn, but Vu could only teach him so much in two days.
But how wonderful to be a part of his son’s life! He wished his own father could see how happy he and Harb were together. Maybe then Ghilt would realize how much he missed out on by shunning his own offspring.
Harb could barely contain his excitement when his father purposed the two of them go away for a night alone, just the two of them. It was not that his father didn't pay him attention, anytime harb needed him Vu was there, but still! This was different!
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:33 pm
They were heading out to an area where Vu remembered seeing a few herds of gazelle before he and Mollie joined the pride. That was a long time ago, so he had to trust his instincts to guide him. He wanted to show Harb how to hunt big game. He had seen Harb hunt small animals for sport, but hunting on this scale was much more difficult. There was no guarantee Harb would see him make a kill today. It had been a long time since Vu had to hunt for himself. He would just have to try his best. As they walked, Vu explained the finer points of locating a meal:
“There are two ways to find food on the savannah. One way is to watch the sky. If you see vultures circling, that means that an animal has just died or is dying and the vultures are going to feed. You have to get there fast though. You might have to fight when you get there, if there are other predators. The other way is to watch for herds. The best way to do this is to point your nose into the wind. Prey beasts are stinky animals. With a good breeze, you can smell them from miles away.”
Harb's ears twitched as he listened to his father's advice. To the young male, his father knew everything there was to know. "So it is better to try to make your own kill right? Rather than risk life and limb with other predators over something you might not get?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:42 pm
“That’s the call you have to make. For example, if the animal is a leopard you might be able to threaten it into giving up its meal, but only if you can catch it before it runs up a tree. If the animal that brought down the kill is a cheetah a good roar or two will usually scare it off.” Vu knew a lot about cheetahs. He had befriended a pair during his time in the rogue lands and still talked about them now and again. “So sometimes stealing a meal can save you energy. You only have to worry about a fight when you’re up against a group or another lion.”
"But Dad...isn't it dishonest to steal another's kill?" Harb frowned faintly tilting his head. He was yougn an still believed that there was a certain amount of fairness in the world
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:44 pm
Vu thought about that for a little while as they walked. The sun was still low in the sky, it was morning, and the heat was almost pleasant. He hoped that the gazelles were taking advantage of this time to graze. “I don’t really know. I think most rogues will steal from you if you give them the chance. Sometimes you just really need to eat something, so in that condition you have to do what you have to do in order to survive. I guess, as long as you don’t make a career out of stealing, it’s not a bad thing.”
Emerald eyes clouded with thought as the youngster padded beside his father. After some time, he sighed, " It still doesn't seem right to steal another's kill. I mean Leopards and Cheetahs are our allies and pride brothers. Their females are just as soft and sweet as our females. Besides perhaps that rouge just needs the chance to prove themselves worth of being called brother or banu."
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:22 pm
That worried Vu. He didn’t want his son to starve himself because of honor, even though he understood the importance of a warrior’s code. It was hard realizing that he wouldn’t be there to guide his son’s actions once he was out there all alone. There was no guarantee that Harb would follow his advice. He was silent for a time.
“I just want you to take care of yourself out here. Even the best hunters don’t always manage to make a kill. My big mane makes it harder for me to blend in. As you grow, the same thing will happen to you. That’s why females do all the hunting in our pride. They’re just better suited than we are.”
Harb suddenly grinned as he realized what his father's true worry was. "Don't be afraid Dad...I have seen myself. I will not perish on this journey."
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:28 pm
“I’m not!” Vu chuckled half-heartedly. He paused and sniffed the air, his tail curling with the scent of gazelle. He gave Harb an important look. “Smell that? We have to be quiet now. Gazelles have good hearing.”
He started walking again, continuing at a leisurely but cautious pace. Up ahead stood a patch of low growing green trees. They couldn’t quite see the gazelles yet, but Vu had a good feeling that was where they were grazing. As they closed in and the outlines of the gazelle became visible Vu lowered his head and made for the tall grass.
Harb copied his father's movements as closely as he could, taking more time to make sure he didn't make any excess noise that would tell the gazelle they were being watched. His green eyes watched the older male's every move, memorizing the way his large body moved silently in the tall grasses
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:29 pm
Vu crept closer to the herd, keeping his belly low to the ground. Whenever the gazelles twitched, even slightly, Vu froze and waited for the disturbance to pass. When he was within about twenty yards of the herd he rose slightly and started to pad towards them while gradually picking up speed. By the time the herd noticed him he was running at full power. He was a huge lion with plenty of endurance, but his weight meant that he lacked speed. Fortunately there was a fawn in the herd. The baby was maybe only a few days old and had never seen a lion before. When it couldn’t keep up with its mother Vu charged toward it. The race only lasted a few seconds. Vu tackled the fawn to the ground, breaking its neck on impact. The rest of the herd scattered.
"Wow..." The word slipped from parted lips as the young cub stared at his father in wonder and awe. He knew Vu was powerful but to see it in action was soemething else.
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:39 pm
Vu trotted back to Harb with the baby gazelle dangling from his mouth, its long hind legs dragging through the dirt. His tail was held high in triumph. It was a good thing the gazelles had their fawns recently. Full grown gazelles were small but their size gave them incredible speed. Now they would have dinner. Vu nodded for Harb to follow him. In no time at all they’d settled into a secluded place among the bushes where their kill would be less likely to be spotted by other predators. Vu dropped the gazelle to the ground and nudged it toward Harb with a smile.
His eyes widened in delight as he pounced on the kil. He ate before his sisters at home but he always defered to his mother first. True she was only a female but she was his momma!
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:42 pm
Vu settled in and made himself comfortable, watching Harb with a faint smile. There wasn’t much to eat here but Harb was a growing boy. He needed the meat more than his father did. After Harb had eaten his fill Vu took what was left. With their meal picked clean, the two settled down in the shade to relax while their stomachs took care of the rest. “Have you had any visions about your quest?” Vu asked after a while.
Harb turned his head away, his eyes turning dark. "I know I come home safe, but that is all I know."
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:56 pm
“That’s good to know.” Vu smiled. Simply knowing that he would come home meant that he would succeed. Pesars weren’t allowed to return unless a female returned with them. The pride was always in need of new female blood. “What about Zarha? Are you still having visions about her future?”
Vu knew that Zarha fancied a boy from one of Tariq’s litters. He was wary of the Vizier, but Anwar seemed to have good intentions. He hoped that Harb’s earlier visions would not come true with Anwar for her pad.
"No," His smile turned relieve as he looked back up at Vu. "I can't see her in pain anymore. She looks disgruntal but not hurt most of the time." He looked down sadly then "Dad...is she still afraid of me?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:12 pm
Vu almost didn’t know what to say. When Zarha had something she needed to get off her chest she usually went to her mother. As she grew older she learned how to be private about her emotions. Maybe that was a good thing. A male couldn’t take advantage of her for entertainment if she refused to give him the satisfaction, not that Vu believed Anwar would do such a thing. “Hmm. I don’t think she hates you. I’m sure when she’s older she’ll understand why you’re so protective of her.”
He sighed softly "I miss her. I even miss her plots and crazy schemes." He twitched his ears faintly. He knew he was suppose to be able to handle his emotions and not let them control him but this was his dad, if he couldn't open up to him...
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:14 pm
“She doesn’t spend much time with me either these days,” Vu sighed in agreement with Harb’s emotions. “Maybe she’s just excited about moving out of my harem. She has her grandmother’s fiery spirit, but if you give her time I think she’ll warm up to you again.”
Harb sighed again looking off in the distance, his outward calm betrayed by the rapid twitching and flicking of his tail. "Dad? How did you know Mom was your mate?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:36 pm
No one had ever asked him that before. Vu blinked up at the sky. Even if he knew the answer, he doubted he would know the words to explain. “Well… your mother and I knew each other since we were cubs. I guess there wasn’t any one moment when I knew. For a long time I didn’t know and then, as we started traveling together, it just sort of happened.”
He nodded slowly as if considering something carefully. So..it wasn't unusal to fall in love with a childhood friend. A faint smile crossed his muzzle as he nodded again, yes that was right he would be follow in his father's foot steps
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:38 pm
“Is there someone you’re thinking of?” he asked curiously, trying to keep his tone casual. He didn’t want to embarrass his son by asking about personal matters. Besides, Harb was so young, he was probably too young to understand about boys and girls.
Harb flushed faintly but smiled, "Yeah...She will be mine. I have seen it." He gave a rough, rumbly purr as he thought about the dark and quiet little female that made him so happy. "She already helps me more than anyone can understand. She makes me not afraid of my visions."
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:40 pm
“Well it’s good that you two get along,” Vu replied, not sure what else to say. His son was falling in love already. He looked into the distance, startled by how quickly time was passing them by. Soon Harb would be on his name quest and he would return with a new female for the pride. Soon Vu would be a grandfather! He blinked, appalled by the thought of being old.
"I need your advice though Dad, she doesn't know how I feel and...well obviously she is a daughter of the pride but I am not sure her dad will approve." His ears twitched nervously, "I mean I can't excatly go tell him tht I want her for my own."
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