[prp] Steps to greatness [ Kata x Tarou ]

[Chi Sohma]

Finally it was morning time. Her ears went up and her body lifted.. The hands of the sun grabbing at the den's insides. Her head over the nanny's rump where most of her siblings were tucked in to her stomach. Sadly- they didn't know a mother and the nanny was like the replacement. Honestly- Kata didn't care. What she didn't know- she didn't miss. Her paws were aching to move but she didn't want to wake her nanny and ask permission.. but she knew she had to. Its what her father said and what will gain 'trust'. So.. As her other cub siblings were near- she slinked around, on top, one would stir, but she got to the nanny's face and nudged it.

"Hmm~..rmmm."

"Tomkrie~~~ miss Tomkrie~~~" She curred at her. "Yes..yes~~?" The nanny was rather grumbling. "Can I go and find Mana.." She would rather call him by his name.. so she sounded more 'adult'. Or so she thought since Giselle and Satomei did it.. But she didn't know why. Wouldn't it be uncle? Or love? Well, a name was your bound. "If Mana is there.. then ok. Take someone with you though, don't want you going alone." That sound felt like the nanny was rather tuckered out. "Ok." She looked behind her to see...her siblings.. She had to take one. She wouldn't mind if she didn't want to impress everyone.

Strolling out on your own. Getting to know everyone. Talking to the entertainers. Thats where all the information was at.. and she was hoping to go there by lying would ruin truth.. so she would go seek father then listen to the entertainers. PERFECT. If she didn't have tag along but this would be perfect practice... for group missions right? Her heart was torn about it but she tried to look aloof about. She moved a dark mass slightly.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

A big foot came down on Tarou's shoulder. "Oof!"

The cheetah cub grit his teeth, flinched and blinked his eyes. Burned by the light reflecting off the den walls, Tarou tightly shut his eyes and rolled over to go back to sleep. Just as he was about to doze off, Kata's voice disturbed his half-dream. Mana's name came up.

Tarou rarely saw his father. In fact he barely even thought of him as a father. Tomkrie was the closest thing he knew to a parent, which might have bothered him if he lived in a pride where most cubs were brought up under their real parents. Maybe it did bother him a little. If anyone asked Tarou whether he loved his father he wouldn't have known what to say. He did feel attached to Mana, like a hero. The 'family unit' was an alien concept. He tried to listen in on their conversation but soon started drifting off again.

Suddenly, someone poked him. Tarou pried open one eye and Kata's image slowly came into focus."Mmmh...?"  

[Chi Sohma]

She turned to her nanny. "Do I HAVE to take someone? Mana shouldn't be that far." She wasn't usually this vocal.. she was just tied up with the workings on the outside of the den. Wanted to get her name out there even if she was always sneaking around in the shadows. So she wouldn't bother anyone.. and hear things that she probably shouldn't be hearing. "Yes. He might be. So take.. your sister. Or brother." Grumbling. "Dear just take one- just don't wake the others." Giving a wave of her paw before lowering her head again to her forepaws. Her tail flicking and then wrapping around the clutch of warm bodies.

She looked back.. thoughs seafoam eyes directed to the first living, breathing body.. that was her sister. No. She was always trying to show off! That isn't what she needed. Then her eyes searched and saw her brother.. perfect. "Brother." She stated as though urgent. She leaned down, and nuzzled his face. "Want to expl- I mean.. find Mana?" Her tail padding as she looked down at her brother. Ears forward as thought awaiting an answer. "Wake up~." Again. Rare that she even opened her mouth.. at all. Usually she just watched at the edge of the den alone and quiet without a sound. Now she was being rather pushy and it was really all because Giselle had peeked her interest in what ELSE the other entertainers had known.

Huffing. "Come on you olph." Looking at him then , tilting her head and huffing again. Her tail hitting each side in a striking way- slow.. yet striking.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

"Huh?" Tarou yawned wide and stretched, fur standing on end from wrists to tail. He rubbed his face with a paw. He hated waking up with that numb feeling in his skin. It made him want to go back to sleep. Nana felt so warm...

He shook himself. Focus. "Mana...? Yeah, okay."

Tarou was always interested in seeing his father. He secretly hated Imbra for spending so much time with him. Mana obviously liked her best, though Tarou found it easier to blame that on Imbra than resent his father. He rose, though his legs felt wobbly, and sluggishly followed Kata outside the den.  

[Chi Sohma]

She had propped along her siblings and took her very proper steps away. Like her brother she had watched the grown ups and with Nana's help. She was walking like one of them. Except she couldn't fill the paw prints she was following. Mana's....

When the sun shined on her pretty little head.. she looked out to the pride. From their den- and like every den. You had a fairly easy view of the pride's workings. Watching the grunts and slaves starting their morning with work and Kata was very very excited to see it all. Then there was Mana.. her father that she terribly looked up to. More than anything in this world.. other than Nyoka and Nanashi.. They were also up on her list.

She turned around. She was quieter now. Now looking like a different cheetah. More confident. "Come on, brother." Then flickered her tail before jumping right in to the path below to start walking downwards through the paths engraved by the crater...  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Although Tarou religiously watched and mimicked the adults in their pride he was far from perfect, especially right after waking up in the morning, when he was so tired he could barely even watch where he was going. As he left the den he hit his paw on a rock and almost tripped. "Ow, ow, ow!" he hissed, shaking his paw as he hopped along.

As Kata looked out over the pride, Tarou plopped down beside her on his rump and let out a big yawn. Tarou lifted his head and groaned at Kata as she leapt down. Couldn't they just... oh, ******** it.

"Why the rush?" he asked, falling in step beside her.  

[Chi Sohma]

She took another step down and then looked up at him. Seeing him trip and watches as he rolled down. She just stared at him for a few minutes then a tiny smile crept on her maw.. though it didn't look as natural as it really was. Before turning around and creeping in to the path he rolled on and helped to push him to his feet. "We're hurrying because entertainers are usually very busy. We have to get to them before they get cooped up with work." Sighing. "They know everything.. and they teach you things. You hear things- secrets and those are important to hear." She nodded.

She was really smart for her age and like Imbra. Remembering how Imbra was father's favorite... she couldn't just believe it. So she would show Mana and Lady Nyoka that she was strong enough to be called Mana's daughter and elite enough to serve the pride. "You have to get ahead of the competition.. you should know that Tarou. Just because you aren't as 'bright' as us. Doesn't mean you don't have Father's usefulness. The entertainers said that Mana is the Boss's favorite... That means we have a good chance at becoming the Boss's favorites too." She smiled brightly and proud. "We just gotta work hard at it now and be on her good side. Do what father does." Nodding. "So..lets go."  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Tarou's fur bristled and he snapped with bared teeth, "I know, I know!"

Roused and angered by Kata's harsh words, he leaped up and bounded ahead of his sister. He would show her who was fit to become the Boss's new favorite even if he had to wake up early.  

[Chi Sohma]

She turned to him then gave a sigh before jumping on ahead. Then she tried to straighten her back as she leaped to the ground. Her tail waved as she looked on with eager eyes. "Look~! Its the entertainers now! I mean.. we could see if Father is around." Taking a few quick steps before she was in sight then she slowed her steps just as quickly as she came up to them. Dipping her head in to the side as the entertainers laughed and didn't even notice she was there.

Entertainers-

"Oh that girl.. she tries to hard. Only if she just needs a little push in her step."
"Yep."
"Riiiight~ why can't we just say that she needs a different-"
"I can't believe you."


Kata's ears went up then she turned. "Stay low.. " She whispered back to him as she slinked her way behind a rock- letting the beautifully curvy yet tall cheetah females walk their walk. Kata didn't have that walk. She walked like Mana- well it was progressing to become like his. "Maybe they can tell us where father is." Turning back as she let the rock cover her. Ears flicking from one side to another. "Listen. Just .....listen." Ears opened.. Tail coiling as she lowered her body.
 

[Sergeant Sargent]

Tarou obediently crouched down and slithered behind Kata. He crouched behind the rock, though his sister's orders annoyed and confused him. He peeked around the corner and studied the entertainers for a couple of seconds before boredom set in. They were talking about some girl, probably another entertainer. Tarou didn't see why that should concern him. He didn't know any entertainers. There was the boss's sister Aiko, but he doubted they were talking about her.

He turned to Kata. Although her 'plan' seemed like a lot of silliness, he spoke in a low whisper so that she wouldn't chastise him again. "I don't think they're talking about Mana. Why don't we just ask?"

It wasn't as if they would get in trouble for being out by themselves. If anyone would get into trouble it would be Tomkrie for giving them permission in the first place.  

[Chi Sohma]

She turned to her brother with a face of 'but why'. We can figure this on our own, or so she thought and believed. She lifted herself up and nodded. "I wanted us to figure it out on our own, but your right. Their not talking about Father Mana." Her head lifted slightly to look over the rock and her paws went up on top of it. Her tail padding softly as she looked on with almost wonderment. She was curious about these beautiful cheetahs that roamed in and out of the pride. It was a luxury to see them, she turned to her brother. Giving him a nod. "Why don't we just look else where... we can find him. I heard he likes to linger around the Entertainer dens. Maybe we can try getting closer? Maybe? Please?"

So not trying to ask for directions.. because that would mean her observational skills would lack incredibly..and being NOT like Father was just unacceptable. Lowering herself back to her brother's level. She saw a lot of Father within him despite him not looking exactly like him. Secretly she thought he would be taking father's place but didn't each Boss have ONE right hand of their own? Maybe even two. See! One could never know, and she heard from the Boss Lady herself that she had high hopes for the litter as a whole.. and it made her proud.

A goofy smile, she gave her brother only to sway him in the answer she wanted to hear. That tomboy part of her wouldn't budge though. - So the smile came out awkward and more looking like a crazy hyena face than a cheetah.