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 Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:44 pm
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He was going to catch it, he was going to, he knew he was going to catch that rabbit, it was his.
Focused on it's aerial assailant, the rabbit had remained oblivious to the predator on the ground, the dark cub charging with talons extended. Ufunuo was nearly on the creature, at last spotting the true predator, the rabbit turned, cutting a hard right, scurrying as fast as it possibly could.
It was not an unexpected move, but still Ufunuo was astounded at the rabbit's speed, a few moments and it would be out of his grasp. Turning in his own path, the young predator charged toward his prey again, racing to cut off its path. Almost, so close, the rabbit turned again, and this time he was ready, talons reaching, legs propelling him into a pounce, his maw closed around its neck, he had it!
The struggle ended, the young predator stood, turning to face his young friend, pride in his eyes. The fact that Daga could have hunted the rabbit alone didn't matter, nor did the fact that with a few more lessons, Ufunuo could have done the same. What matter was that they had done it together, that they had learned the truth of teamwork and grown as close as any bonded could.
"We caught it, did you see that, we caught it!"
Smiling at the smaller cub, he set the rabbit between their paws.
"You can have it if you want."
For his own part, Daga could not have been prouder, nor could he have hoped for a better bonded. |
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:48 pm
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Ethiopia hung behind a bit longer as she watched the rabbit snap to the right, ears perking and her head raising. She was back on all fours and slowly inching forward for a better look, tail twitching in anticipation. So either Ufunuo would get it or he wouldn't.. And he got it!
She was the calm sort, but Ethiopia couldn't hold back a small jump as Ufunuo pounced, almost as if she were willing it to work. "That was amazing! " She shouted as she made her way over, skidding to a halt once she was close enough. "You caught it! You and Daga-- wow! " So Daga scared the rabbit his way and then it didn't see him-- then it did see him and then it ran but it was close and.. wow! Okay, birds were officially really, really cool. And them wokring together just made it neater.
Sadly, Ethiopia couldn't keep up the bouncy cub for long and just smiled as the dark cub spoke, ears perked. She glanced down at the rabbit, feeling a fleeting moment of pity for the poor thing, but managed to chase that away quickly. "Thanks! But I'm not really hungry. And 'sides, you and Daga caught it. " She nodded. Earlier that day Mapatano had dumped some half-eaten gazelle over for her and Tanzania, anyways.
"Does everyone here hunt like that? "
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:34 pm
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Ufunuo simply smiled, not bothered that she had declined his offer (though he thought she maybe could have used it more than him). A kind creature by nature, Ufunuo was always willing to share (yes, even with Peke), but he was also more than happy to carry his prey home. Papa would certainly be proud of him!
"Well, everyone trusts and hunts with their bonded, so I guess so, it's what Hifadhi taught me.
His head had titled curiously at the question. In truth he wasn't entirely certain of the answer, he had after all only hunted with Hifadhi and his father, he did not know how the others hunted. But what he did know was that a bonded was more than a friend or a companion, it was a gift, each lion had a special connection with their bonded, they trusted and relied on one another, without each other they were incomplete.
"Well they don't hunt exactly like that, we have a special bond."
Landing at Ufunuo's shoulder, Daga had spoken up quite clearly. He held great pride in what they had accomplished, not so much in the success as in the harmony that had led to it. And while he was not a boastful beast, he did not wish to downplay the significance of what they had achieved.
Ufunuo answered with a playful bat as his bonded, who in turned nipped at his paw. Then his attention was again on the smaller cub.
"Do you want to try it? I'm sure Hifadhi could teach you too if you wanted." |
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:57 pm
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She contemplated this. What if not everyone's bonded was big like Daga, though? Hisa wasn't as big as him, though she wasn't exactly small either, and Mapatano always left to hunt with her. But he was with her in general. Still, she couldn't imagine everyone had a nice big bird to hunt with; there were tiny little falcons and..
Ookay, Ethi, enough of the think-rambling. She smiled at the two, they did seem really really close. Like.. sibling-close. But not exactly sibling? Well, she wasn't sure. This was a whole new kind of "close".
She blinked at Ufunuo's question. " Try it...? You mean hunting? " She paused, quietly mulling over the idea. "Think so? I'm still little. " She eyed the rabbit, unsure if she could have held it down like the darker cub could have. "And I'd have to call Tanz, I dunno he wouldn't like it if I learned to hunt before he did! "
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:54 pm
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"You don't have to be big to learn how to hunt."
Maybe he was bigger than her, but Ufunuo was still a cub himself, he wasn't all that big either, and he definitely wasn't as big as his father. But he was still learning, and he had managed to catch a rabbit. Not that he was an expert or anything, he still had a lot to learn, but he would always try. He wanted to learn all he could and make Papa proud. But if he could do it, she could too right?
"Tanz? Who's that?"
A friend, maybe her father? No, she wouldn't call a parent by his name and an adult would already know how to hunt. Maybe she already had a bonded? Oh wait, if she'd had a bonded, she wouldn't have been so confused about Daga. Maybe a sibling?
Hmmm, maybe he needed to take some time to meet Tanz, and the others who had returned to the pride for that matter. What kind of prince would he be if he didn't know who everyone in his pride was? |
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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:05 pm
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She nodded slightly. "Yeah, but I can't take down a rabbit like you did. " She could catch mice, though, that was a given. She and Tanz had had to do that a few times. But mice were hardly very filling meals. She also couldn't run fast enough to catch a rabbit, she figured. Maybe if she snuck up on it..
"Tanz is my brother! " She smiled slightly. "His real names Tanzania. " He was also the only family she had left, or at least, that she knew of. But she was sure her parents were dead, she'd seen them. "He doesn't look a lot like me, though. He's blue. " And he was a little.. mean, maybe. To others, but she decided to leave that out. Besides, he wasn't exactly mean just.. uh... mischievous?
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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:44 pm
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"You'll never know if you don't try."
He simply smiled, a hint of encouragement and understanding. He hadn't caught a rabbit, or even a lizard, on the first try. He had learned from Hifadhi and his father, and practiced with Daga every day, determined to be a great hunter, eager to learn all he could. And he was sure that Ethiopia could learn and succeed as well if she wanted to.
Of course, he didn't want to push her if she didn't want to. But maybe with a few words of encouragement, she wouldn't be afraid to try when she was ready.
"Oh, maybe I'll meet him later."
Another smile as his eyes turned toward the rabbit, grasping the prize in his jaws as he turned toward the pride dens, eager to show his father and avoid the vultures it would certainly attract. Vultures...*shudder*
"What to take it back with me?" |
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:31 am
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"Thats true, " She nodded slightly, more to herself and pondering this. Ufunuo had a very good point, maybe she should try sometime. "Yeah, you'll prolly see him around. " It's not like Tanz was hard to miss, with his fur!
She watched him pick up the rabbit, for a moment wondering if she should help a bit, but it hardly dragged on the floor, so she figured he didn't need it. "Okay! .. back where? " She'd never really been to the 'common area' of the pride, Mapatano lived pretty detached from everyone else, but she figured they weren't taking it to him. She wasn't even sure if Ufunuo and Mapa were friends.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:00 pm
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"Home, to share with the pride."
That was what hunters did, right? They took what they killed home and shared, that way everyone had enough and no one went hungry. A rabbit may have been a small offering, but he wasn't big enough to hunt gazelle yet, not that he hadn't thought about it, a thought that Daga emphatically objected to.
"My Papa should be there, maybe your brother will be too."
He was sure Papa was there, waiting for him to come home, he'd be so proud! Pride in his steps, the rabbit hoisted off the ground, Ufunuo led the way, holding himself at a trot though every part of him urged him to run. Excitement and cubbish energy surged in every step, he had really caught a rabbit, and he just couldn't wait to show his Papa, and Hifadhi too. Then Hifadhi would teach him more, and he'd become a great hunter! |
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:53 pm
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