The cold did not suit the lithe cheetah at all, but the fur atop her back certainly helped. It had been an engagement gift from Eduard, whom recently she had married, formally making her a Lady in the colony. This was before her husband went and foolishly attacked the queen while she was surrounded by the entire colony. Despite his traitorous move, he had not been charged with any crime and was simply watched by several guards at all times while the colony waited for the queen to recover, with Shan Furen's blessing of course.
Saikhan knew exactly what the title entitled her to and one of the extras it came with was in the form of the two lions that trailed behind her, silent as they always were. No idle chatter at all. How boring. They were her guards, personal ones, placed on her by Eduard but now ordered to watch her by the captain, who believed her to be a link to the traitorous Lord. Perhaps Barafu-taji was hoping she would leak some sort of information so the two maned fleabags could go scurrying back to their master to report to him.
The captain would be disappointed.
The nearly white leopard was currently pulling a gazelle up the pathway by one of its legs, struggling against the beast's weight as she did. It wasn't that it was large, she was just weak. Strength and muscle-mass was never something she had a lot of and now that she was serving the Mlima Tuokoa as a prowler, she seemed to need it more than ever. Maybe it would build over time, but it couldn't come quickly enough at this point.
The paths were busy, talk of furs being traded by others in the colony or by rogues to the merchants that lined the path, guards stationed to watch everyone who was even slightly suspected as being a Royalist. Unlucky for Suk'tamu, her dragging caused her to be exactly in the way of a certain noble.
"What do you think you're doing?" The words were seemingly lacking in most emotions, one annoyance. They came from Saikhan's mouth as she looked down her nose at the struggling leopard who crouched before her. Frowning, she did nothing to offer help to her.
Visibly startled, Suk'tamu spun around with wide eyes. Her mouth fell open, letting the leg fall to the ground along with the rump of the beast. "I..I apologize, I didn't realize I was in the way." She knew that pelt. That bright pink, those fiery, sun-like eyes. Even the familiar wing markings poking out from under the pelt on her back were something the prowler recognized. She was good with faces, family markings and just generally recognizing people. It was something she had always been good at.
Instantly the cheetah's face softened. Never would she admit to anyone but herself that it was only because their little scene was beginning to draw a crowd.
"No, I apologize, here..." Tossing her head towards the kill, one of the lions went and claimed its leg in their mouth. "Is this going to anyone?" Saikhan asked, giving both the fatty gazelle and the leopard a once-over.
Shaking her head, Suk'tamu kept her eyes turned downward. "It's not, my lady." While she might not like Eduard for what she had heard he did to the queen, lady Saikhan had never outwardly done anything. There were whispers, sure, of lions under her control, who...the rest was something she dared not even think about with the very cheetah in front of her.
"Splendid. I'll take it then and pay you handsomely for it as well. Come, walk with me back to my den. You seem famished. Perhaps you'd like to join Eduard and I for supper?" Even under watch, the pair had privileges that they used fully within the colony. Eating was getting harder and fewer prowlers wanted to hunt for a 'traitor and his wife', but there were still a few loyal. One more wouldn't hurt, if she could say the right words.
"P-pay me?" Suk'tamu's head raised as did her eyes. The sound of rocks moving caused her to momentarily turn her head to see the lion lifting the beast up higher than she could ever had hoped to. Quickly though, within seconds even, her attention was back upon the Lady.
"Of course? Surely you get paid, correct? In furs, or a portion of each of your kills? You did bring down this gazelle, surely you deserve compensation, especially since you were the one to bring it all this ways. That's quite a feat." Feigning her awe, Saikhan began slowly circling leopard, ending beside her.
"I...hadn't thought about that." She was compensated with dried meat rations, and a few sleeping pelts, but they were old and worn. The guards still hadn't gotten around to giving her new ones yet. The nights were getting worse and it was only a matter of time until the dark clouds would come and the snow would arrive. Suk'tamu's tail flicked in annoyance as she thought more about what exactly she was given for her efforts in hunting on the plains, especially with the danger of lions at every turn.
"Well, I'll see to it that if you want to catch food for my husband and I, that I'll see you receive your dues. Since no one else seems to be looking out for you and the other prowlers." A gentle smile and kind words. Saikhan had planted a seed of doubt in yet another leopard's mind. Gingerly she nudged at the chilled female's shoulder. "You seem like you need a rest. Our den isn't too far off since we've been moved out of the royal den. Why don't you rest and then eat with us? I'd like to get to know you better..."
"Suk'tamu, my lady."
"Yes, yes, my husband spoke of you before and that marking around your eyes. I thought you seemed familiar." And there was her motive. The Lady was deeply interested in knowing why Eduard had taken such an interest in another, especially from a distance. She knew the two hadn't spoken yet, but that he had been keeping up with her movements. She knew better to question the Lord on the matter though.
"D-did he?" Those words shocked her as she fumbled her paws awkwardly. Was it good things that he had said about her? Horrible things that should not be repeated? What with all the rumors going around about how vicious and horrible Eduard was and how he should be thrown from Umsindisi for being a traitor...Maybe getting her own opinion on him wouldn't be a bad idea.
"Indeed he did. I'm sure he'd be pleased to have your company tonight." Sunny eyes glanced out towards the plains. Her pelt almost matched the sky right then. "The sun is setting and these paths are not safe to traverse at night. Perhaps you would like to spend the night and return to your den in the morning? I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
"That sounds...wonderful. Thank you."
Still smiling, Saikhan nodded to the two lions before heading up the slope with Suk'tamu at her side. Idle chatter filled the air around the two of them as the wind began to blow.
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