SeakiAeolus yawned, shaking the exhaustion that the day had provided from her body. She still had a few tasks to do before she could rest. The pack was moving quite quickly with its small numbers, but it was gaining members daily. She took a deep breath and began her walk of the border. It was never a particularly wide border around the pack - just enough to make sure the pack would be safe in their chosen spot for the rest of their time there.
They would stay in this particular spot for a couple of days, mostly to restock their limited supplies as they rested. As the leader, it was her duty to make sure the pack was secured. The sky colored dog began her trek slowly, starting at the northern-most point. It took her a moment to spot the bright orange bird circling the air above her as she began her patrol.
Painted Moose
Xayna was a live wire zipping across the earth so fast her paws barely touched. She had been dead to the world all day, saving her energy for the embrace of dusk and the camouflage it offered. The little cheeton should have been at home tending to her lessons, but she had expertly (narrowly) escaped! Her father would be doing his patrols soon and she didn't want to be around when he found out she was gone.
Well, not really. Her father would just scoot her back home, but her great-grandfather would be pissed. He was always pissed, though, so Xayna didn't care. Too much.
She ran quickly through the lush region and sailed over a few smaller rocks to land on a rather large boulder. She let out a whooping roar that was supposed to sound intimidating. Thanks to her cheetah blood, however, it sounded like a pathetically dark mewl.
Seaki
Aeolus whipped her head towards a sound. It was an odd sound, if she was honest, and she looking back up towards Phii, who had paused, hovering in the space above her dog. Aeolus gave another yawn, seeking out the noise. She was aware she might need back up, but she felt secure enough with Phii above her to wander further out, seeking the source of the noise.
"Hello?" She called out, "Is anyone there?"
Painted Moose
Oh ho, what approaches?
Hunkering down on top of her boulder, the ever powerful Xayna awaited for her foe to come into the shifting light. What she saw was a rather interesting pair; a wild dog like the day sky and some kind of fire bird. Feeling secure enough in her position she stood once more, allowing the rising moon to bounce off her dark pelt and bring her red eyes to life.
Or so she hoped it appeared.
"How dare you come onto my lands! Do you have any idea who you're talking to? Speak quickly - I have much to do tonight and a short time to do it." Intimidating - check.
Seaki
Aeolus's ears flicked forward as the figure rose before her. She frowned - she hadn't thought these lands belonged to anyone, but it appeared she may have been wrong. She didn't remember that this land had been occupied in the previous times she had wandered through.
"Your lands?" She asked, though not rudely, only with curiosity. "I'm but a humble nomad, seeking safe passage through," she told the figure.
If she was honest though, the voice sounded rather... young...
Painted Moose
"Yes, my lands." Xayna quipped in return. Her tone was a little sassy; almost as if a petulant child were trying to puff up in front of a bigger kid. "My family calls this area home, and we hunt here, same as any pride. So they're ours, but I protect it, so they're mine."
Yes, totally made sense.
"Are you alone, nomad, or are there others?" If it was just the one then she could ignore it, but anymore than one would need to be tracked. Of course, her father and his squad would be the ones tracking after Xayna had been thoroughly scolded.
She hoped there was just one.
Seaki
Oh, um. Well, that was something. It was quite by accident that they had come across the lands, but there wasn't really anything she could do about it now. Even so, the figure seemed quite young and Aeolus wasn't scared. "I have a pack," she told the youngling. "We are small, though, and will leave at dawn if you permit it." She would hold her ground, at least. Her pack needed rest, but they didn't need a fight. They would move along quickly, but perhaps she could offer the young one something for a bit more time in these lands.
Painted Moose
"At dawn? Who do you think you-"
"Xayna!" The small cheeton turned to see her father approaching and boy did he look mad. "If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times to be nice. What have I told you?"
"Dad, not right now-" She tried to whisper, but it came out as an aggravated hiss.
"Now, young lady."
Xayna sighed. "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all....but dad-!"
Xabryel passed his daughter a stern look at ended all argument. The normally jovial lion wasn't to be messed with when pushed to his limit. He walked past his daughter on her boulder of arrogance and turned a softer look to the wild dog. "I'm sorry for her rudeness. I heard some of your conversation, and what she says is true. Our family has laid claim to this section, but we're not in the business of denying rest to strangers. So long as you mean no harm to my family then you can stay for as long as you want."
From on top of the boulder grumbling could be heard from a huddled dark form. The lion shook his head as if this happened more times than he would have liked.
Seaki
Aeolus was quite surprised by the sudden presence of another. She hadn't even heard him coming, and she flicked her ear off to the side, trying to listen for any others that might be hiding about. She glanced up to Phii, wondering why the bird didn't warn her of it.
"We mean no harm," Aeolus assured the newcomer. "We only seek passage through, and rest. We are nomads, and merchants," she told him. Atg least, she figured, they would perhaps have a bit longer than she expected to have, in terms of rest now that there was an understanding.
Moose
"Merchants, hmm? We're in need of some supplies. In the morning if you'd like, we could possibly do some trading. A few of my cousins are excellent craftsmen and my cousin is a top notch healer." Looking to his daughter, he said, "Xayna, you'll be here early to meet anyone should they wish to accept. Understood?" She grumbled something particularly nasty, and he raised his voice, "UNDERSTOOD?"
"Yes, Gods, I heard you!"
He nodded his head and passed a smile the wild dogs way before returning to his family. Frankly it was quite unnerving how the large lion could just slip in and out of the darkness like that, but he had been trained from a young age.
Xayna, however, was having none of it. Why did he always have to show up when things were getting good? It wasn't like she was really hurting anyone! Huffing, she turned around on her boulder and looked at the dog. "Yeah, so, I guess if you guys want to trade or whatever I'll be here." A soul couldn't sound more put out if they tried.
Seaki
Aeolus gave the young cheeton a cheerful smile. "We'll be here!" She told her. She would have to go tell her pack. She was sure they had things to trade that were bogging them down and slowing their travels.
"We'll come as soon as our supplies are gathered. We are not far from here and we will come with our wares." Aeolus gave a small bow. "I apologize for bringing you any trouble, young one," she offered kindly, taking a step back to make her way back home to her small group.
Moose
"Yeah, well, whatever." Xayna pouted, turning her face away from the dog while not so secretly watching her. She bristled at being called young, but chose not to comment on it. Maybe they had some good stuff, and if she was the first one to look at it tomorrow then she could get all the best stuff before her family.
Maybe there was something to this "nice" business. Rising up herself, Xayna hopped off of her boulder and followed after her father. She wasn't likely to hear the end of this tonight, and for once, she was eager to put it behind her. Xayna needed a good nights rest if she was going to get up early, after all!