They hadn’t been in their home for very long, and already the pride was being turned upside down with new torments. Dina had hoped that the new territory would do them all some measure of good, but in all honesty their world had been flipped thoroughly upside down. Dina could admit this, seeing as how she felt partially responsible in her role of voting for the pride’s movement. Would she have taken it all back given a second chance? The golden pinto lioness scowled at the thought, still heavily believing that staying in their original lands would have continued to spread the sickness. It was tragic that the pride had lost Pontan, and angering to even entertain the idea that Tunda might have been stolen away by hyenas, but Dina still believed they had made the right decision in abandoning the old pride’s lands. Not that it was a popular belief at the moment, and one she didn’t speak of casually around the pride.All in all, tensions were high and Dina was sick to her stomach with the attitudes of some of her pride sisters. Both because some were stuck on the idea that moving had been a bad choice, and chose to hold grudges, and also because of the prophecy brought to them by a seer. An outsider seer no less! It boiled the lioness’ blood to think this stranger, this interloper could have such a devastating effect on the pride she so dearly cared about, and annoyed her further that the umholi didn’t chase her off immediately after hearing what she had to say. This situation they found themselves in seemed to be growing by the day. There had to be something positive about this whole ordeal, there just had to be! For no real reason other than Dina desperately wanted to believe it, and was certain there was something to be done about that. If the search parties could successfully find Tunda and bring her back, that would be something at least. And hopefully, if the world had any sense left to it, they’d get the chance to rip the throats out of those treacherous flea bags that had the nerve to take her.
Feeling particularly wound up today, the lioness found herself wandering away from the pride, a single goal in mind. The lioness was still quite convinced that the pride needed cubs in order to survive, and if the umholi weren’t willing to provide, then the lioness accepted finding an outside source for her desires as necessary. That is, she would love to partake in the current allowance of rogue swap, but the thought of being totally unguarded away from the territory was still highly unnerving to the experienced yet sheltered female. She had lived in the pride all her life, having no reason to leave it or its protection, and found herself at odd ends when considering venturing off alone. Though a solution to this problem had presented itself in a tidbit of information she remembered from when before the pride had moved. It was something about vultures, if she remembered correctly. In fact, the more she had thought about it the more she was certain it was something about vultures and working together. Perhaps, just maybe, she could wrangle herself another pair of eyes to keep a look out while in the rogue lands. It wouldn’t be the protection of an abholi, but it would help to keep her mind at ease.
Her blue eyes flicked to the sky above, eagerly searching for any signs of buzzard activity. Unfortunately, none presented itself. That was troubling. She had traveled deep into the pride’s new hunting grounds, her muscles growing tenser the further she got from home. It would be disappointing to have to turn back without any lucky in finding herself a… partner? She supposed that’s what she would have to call the vulture, as she assumed ‘pet’ might be insulting.
”Watch it, WATCH IT! This is mine!”The shrill voice had come out of what Dina would explain as thin air, and as much as it pained her to admit it, she did nearly leap into a defensive position. She found her lips curled back into a snarl and her claws digging heavily into the dried dirt, shoulders tense and body swayed for a quick get-a-way. This wasn’t like her, she knew it wasn’t, but thoughts of being alone in the rogue lands had surely distracted her and left her open to surprise.
A quick survey of the immediate area brought her attention to a scene no more than a few yards to the right. Hidden partially behind a jagged pair of grey stones was a feathery, scraggly vermin of a thing. It took her a moment to realize that this creature was a vulture, and not a particularly well fed one at that. It took her awhile to realize that sitting between its bony talons was the small remains of what used to be a larger kill. The bones were bleached already by the sun, and she had to imagine any meat there had been, was long gone by now. “Not much to look at, is it” the lioness commented, easing her way closer to the rocks. Her voice dropped to a low, rhythmic purr, eyes now keen on their quarry. “Perhaps you’d care for something with a little more meat on its bones.”
As far as she could tell the snow white vulture seemed to be fixated on the bone remains, bald head twisting and jerking at odd angles as if to get a better look. Suddenly, and with a flurry of open wings and rattled feathers the bird hopped forward, eyes widened and frenzied. “Lion know this, does it? Big cat brain, thinking kitty-kitty thoughts!” it screeched, voice high and cracked due to either sickness or malnutrition, but laughter was evident. Dina wasn’t sure at that moment if the bird was half-crazed or simply trying to insult her. Maybe she could use its amusement to her advantage… if she didn’t snap its neck first. Dina thought perhaps both. “KI-YA-HAHA-… yes. The bones do leave much to be desired, but they are mine. No one shall take them from me,” the vulture’s voice dropped low, nearly a stammered murmur as its head swiveled under a lifted wing to look fondly behind it back at the bone.
Surely this creature was mad, there had to be a better option than this screwy bird. Dina considered her options, but a quick glance up to the sky told her that there were no other buzzards in the area, and it would be best to be off soon before the pride grew worse with its division. With a disgruntled grumble, the lioness made up her mind. She needed this bird-brain, as much as it bothered her to think so, and perhaps once it was cleaned up and given a proper meal it would be more apt to behaving… well, normally. It was a hope at least, grasping at straws in this dire situation. Something had to give; be it her sanity or this vulture's life.
“Don’t struggle too much”, were the last words to leave her tongue before leaping at the distracted bird. A quick maneuver into a crouch and a ginger touch of her maw had the vulture’s neck between her jaws. She had surprised it she was sure, as it gave a strangled squawk before growing limp in her mouth. She would have thought it dead, except the thing’s rotten breath kept blowing close to her nostrils, causing her nose to wrinkle in a distasteful manner. That didn’t stop her from thinking the worst at first, for even though she held the gentler than she would a newborn cub, she vaguely wondered if it was too weak and brittle to be handled at all. Those feelings passed as the bird stirred while she walked, carefully trying not to jostle it too much. Dina briefly entertained the idea of simply crushing its neck before it could get another screeching word out, but hope and a small bit of desperation won out. The fruits of her efforts would pay off, she was certain of this, just as she was positive that all this bird needed was a good meal for its sense to return. Thoughts of a desperate lioness in a desperate time? … Perhaps.
