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 Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:17 am
“Her name is Rhaen, she is black with red markings. Older than I am. Keep yourself as hidden as you can…” The instructions were quietly murmured, the young lion crouched elbow-deep in mud as he spoke. The dark green of his fur was spiky and brown, the cold river-side earth burying his scent. The last time he was here, it had not gone well for him. This time, though, this time he could not simply run.
He’d followed his own tracks back here, searching for a lioness he’d known briefly only she seemed to have vanished. While her moving on was possible, he found it far more likely that the dangerous pride she had claimed to live near had captured her. Frankly, he did not much care what her fate might have been. However…if there were cubs… He wanted to know. He needed to know. And if there were cubs, he needed them to know him too. His own father he did not know how to please, what to do, it tore him up in ways he never showed once. But these cubs, his cubs…they would know. They would know a father, know who he was.
And he would not let them live in captivity while he was free. It was simply not right. Not what a father was supposed to do. He would fix it, he would be a proper pad and care for all of his offspring. All of them. No matter where he had to travel to or what he had to do.
The bird ruffled black feathers, eyes fixed upon the young lion who’d precisely covered his scent with the cold rivermud. His fur looked damp, but his coat looked like it really was a dark brown color. Even his mane had been tinted, and then shaken to be messy but fluffy once again. A chore to clean later, but perhaps worth it now. His master was always prepared with a plan.
“Find Rhaen,” Kydrimm repeated, “Tell her you’ve come to see her if I do.” When the lion nodded, the bird launched himself from the small branch he’d perched upon, winging through the darkness into a place where most seemed to be dangerous at the least.
It was his eyesight, his ability to fly far and find much that made him so useful to his Anwar. The lion, he knew, did not love him. But he valued him. Kydrimm’s life was his, and he would serve him until the breath left his body…and gladly too. But this Rhaen, she might be difficult to find. There were, after all, many dark and red lions about in this pride… one of them must surely be the right one…
His intuition had always been good, lucky, whatever it was to be called, he tended to follow his first instinct when it came to these missions. Furling his wings, the avian hovered smoothly out of reach, calling quietly down to the black and red marked lioness below him. “Crave pardon, lady, my master has sent me to find the one called Rhaen. Might you be she?”
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 2:53 pm
Rhaen had been dozing upon a rock, soaking up the lingering heat of the day ...when quite suddenly there was a voice above her. Annoyed at this interruption, she frowned and looked up. Only to see ... a bird. What in the world was such a creature doing here, speaking to her?
It was only after another moment that the creature's words filtered through. With a low growl, she murmured, "Yes... and what does he want with me?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:10 pm
Got it in one then, hadn't he. Kydrimm allowed himself to feel pleased, angling lower to speak to her more quietly, though given the nature of her response he hoped he was still out of range for a quick snack.
"Well, I suppose he was hoping you weren't captured and enslaved, but you seem to be doing rather well for an innocent young lioness who lived on the borders of such a dangerous pride." Alright, perhaps he was laying on a bit more sarcasm than strictly necessary. "My master, Pad Anwar'Mazin, son of the Vizier Tariq'ra'd, of the pride of kings, wishes to speak with you. Shall I bring you to him, or him to you?" the avian offered. After all, if she truly was a slave in this pride, as Anwar had been warned of, it could well be difficult for her to travel about. His master generally feigned concern over issues such as that.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:40 pm
... There was a pause for just a moment and then Rhaen forced herself to relax a bit, eyeing the bird. She'd certainly like a snack, or perhaps to forget this encounter had even happened. And yet... this could be quite a convenient way to get rid of her unwanted cubs, and thus restore her status in the pride. Somewhat, anyway.
"I can come with you," she said simply, ignoring his sarcasm entirely. "Lead the way..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:44 pm
So she could come then? So much the better, as Kydrimm doubted Anwar much wanted to wander through the pride. It was why he'd sent the bird after all, though his master had already taken precautions regarding being noticed. If he'd much moved from where he'd been, the dark bird expected he would recognize him with a bit of difficulty. Certainly it would be hard to catch the young lion's scent.
"Right this way, miss," the bird called, attached enough to his tailfeathers that he kept himself as out of reach as he could without losing the female. He didn't want any 'friends' of hers to join them, Anwar might be displeased with additional company.
It was a few moments travel to the edge of the prides lands, or at least where the avian thought they would be. Anwar had been around there...ahah, in that patch of shadow. He would know the glint of those crimson eyes anywhere. With a quick chirp at the lioness who'd followed him, the bird flashed down to perch on the rock beside the young lion he called master.
Anwar was a paitent creature. He knew how to wait and watch and linger until the precise moment appeared before him. Patience was key, planning was key, and then the perfect execution might be within his grasp. Another fight with a demon would be a very bad thing for him right now. Especially within their territory. He did not wish to draw attention of any sort.
It was why he had rolled in the mud. His dark green and black fur was brown and slightly damp looking, but his scent was muffled quite well. He would be hard to identify as a stranger, but then, he would be hard to identify at all. The only part of him still the proper color were his paws, carefully cleaned so as to leave no tracks of mud where he walked.
Or where he waited, slunk in the shadows like a theif in the night for Kydrimm to return. His eye flashed in the light as he looked up to see the bird zip past to land on the stone he was shadowing behind. And...there she was. "Well done," he murmured, fully aware that the praise would please the bird, make him more eager to earn the next tidbit. And then, with a sly glance around, Anwar stepped from the shadow into the open to greet his first one-night stand.
"Hello, Rahen, I don't suppose you remember me, my queen?" he spoke softly, though there was a hint of a teasing smile on his mud-browned maw.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:24 pm
The black and red lioness paused when the bird suddenly flew straight into a patch of shadow and there were muffled voices. Though she didn't take a step back or anything, she started to wonder if this was some kind of odd trap. Even if it was, though, she'd meet it head-on. Claws flexed into the dirt in anticipation ....and then Anwar stepped out of the shadow.
Oh. It was just him. Still, she'd better keep up her act if she wanted to accomplish anything. "Of course I remember you... it's been a long time."
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:46 pm
Kydrimm cocked his head as she spoke. She seemed somewhat less...snarly than she had when he'd greeted her. Perhaps it was merely that she was less tired now. She did seem to have been dozing before.
Regardless, just because he'd found her did not mean his task was done. There were other potential dangers here after all. His eyes were sharp enough to watch for them while Anwar spoke to the lioness.
"Yes, it has been a while," he agreed, unable to place an emotion behind the words. At the least she did not seem irate with him for that. "I had business to attend to after returning home with my brother. But I did not forget you. You lived so close to this pride I was worried some harm might have befallen you when I did not find you beyond its borders. But..." and his eyes roved across her briefly, "You seem to be doing well enough for yourself."
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