Everything was just going to hell back at home. Between everyone starving, the weird lights in the sky, and the eerie lights from the woods near their home, Dreki'dido had almost been relieved when she'd found a viking band to go out with. Anything to get away for a little while.
As an added bonus, this was a much smaller group, comprised only of their captain, herself and 2 other lions... and with a distinct lack of Hjalmar to bother her. Now she could focus on what they were doing, rather than be so scattered about. It helped her breathe a bit easier.
She wanted to investigate the strange happenings around the pride - of course she would, she wasn't the type to back down from an enemy - but... she also need air and time away from all the chaos. She certainly didn't envy those who were required to stay.
Though, now that she was outside the borders, she had to admit that she was shocked they didn't send those with cubs out here for the time being too. Yes, there was a slightly higher risk to it, but she'd discovered that out here, that famine... was less stifling. Whatever was causing it, it seemed to center only within the borders. Or at least, that's what it seemed like to her, considering her pleasantly not sour belly.
Whatever, she thought with a snort, it would hopefully pass with time.
"Anything ye'd like to share with the group, girl?" It was asked with a snarky tone, and as she turned her attention to the other three, she realized that all three males were staring at her. Why.... Oh crap, the captain was talking just a minute ago, and she'd zoned out, snorted even. It must've looked like she was doing it in response to him.
Dreki cleared her throat and shook her head, "N-no. No. Sorry, I was just thinking about... about all those rumors about disembodied voices." She frowned, "I haven't heard anything so far." Because yes, they were in one of the forests outside of their pride. It was an eerie place, somewhere she'd never thought she would step foot in, but she wasn't afraid.
Or well, she kept telling herself that whenever it went hauntingly quiet.
Her captain let out a bark of a laugh, "I should think not! A bunch of superstitious fools, if ye ask me." He shook his head, "Course, that's part of why we're out here. It's idiotic to say that they're ghosts, but real people...? Now that's worth lookin' into."
Both Dreki and her two companions had perked up at the mention, and their captain continued, "On that note, let's split up into pairs here. Baske, ye're with me. Dreki, Mek, head east and if ye find anyone, give a holler." He grinned, "If we're lucky, we'll find ourselves a worthy raid, maybe even a thrall or two."
And with that, the two teams split. It was a quiet walk, neither Dreki nor her companion terribly close, not even in age, and unwilling to really work with each other beyond their duty. Already Dreki'dido could tell that this wouldn't end up the band she'd stick with. Ah, well. It made for good practice anyway.
Mek froze then, flicking a tail towards her to stop her, "You hear that?"
The lioness cast a wary look around then, and after not seeing anything, she was about to retort back at him... when they both stiffened at the sound of whispering. It was faint at first, then steadily got louder as the seconds passed.
Dreki startled as Mek suddenly charged forward, "Wait, what are you-" but he was already disappearing between the trees. "Oh, Stormlords! You've got to be kidding me!" With a snarl, the green lioness sprinted after him.
She ignored the branches and bushes as she crashed through them, desperate to catch up, but after a few minutes went by of useless calling, she had to admit defeat. Spitting on the ground, Dreki paced back and forth as she tried to decide what to do. If she continued the way she was going, she was likely to lose track of the way back.... There was nothing else for it. She would just have to return and explain to their captain what happened. If she got back before Mek, at least he'd get the flak for it.
With a grunt, the lioness turned on her heels and started padding back. Great, what a useless waste of her day. And what was with those whispers? It made her skin crawl just thinki-
Dreki stopped in her tracks, ears flicking back towards the returning mumbling. It was like someone talking on the wind. Lips curling up, she scanned the area around her and tried to pinpoint where it could be coming from. She could swear it was... everywhere, but that was impossible. Right?
Shaking her head, she came to the decision to follow where she thought it was coming from. Stalking low to the ground, she crept through the bushes in a slow, steady gait, tensing more and more as she walked. The voices were getting louder, but no more intelligible than they were before. She tried to ignore the shivers making their way up her spine with each step, her heart pounding louder and louder in her ears, her breathe seeming to get shakier...
Dreki'dido almost tripped over the reddish form huddled in the bush, though to be fair to her, the leopard was very good at keeping hidden, despite her bright fur. The warning growl was hard to miss though.
With a shocked look down, Dreki stumbled backwards a few steps to give the agitated leopard room.
The forest had seemed a safe enough spot when she'd first come here. Oh, she knew of the Stormborn nearby, knew to keep hidden up in the trees should any of them drop by, but it was typically moot point anyway. They never came in here regardless. Pikku was fairly certain it had to do with the spooky voices, but honestly, what could a voice do to you? She wasn't scared of them. No, on the contrary, they were actually helping her in keeping her little treasures a secret.
But then this one had stumbled upon them. Almost stepped on them, the nerve! Drawing herself up and over her three bundles, Pikku barred her teeth back at the lioness. Picking a fight with a lion was... typically never a good idea. They were usually better at fighting than her kind were, but she was willing to fight now. No one would be taking her treasures!
And then another voice yelled through the trees.
"Oi, girly! There ye are! Any news on yer end?"
It was the captain, still far enough away that he couldn't see what was in front of Dreki. Keeping her gaze on the leopard, the lioness opened her mouth on habit to respond back... and then froze.
She'd noticed the female clearly guarding something, and had initially brushed it off as something insignificant. After all, this was perfect thrall material! A pretty, colorful leopard would draw a lot of eyes, make Dreki stand out.
It was the tiny movement of something very bright and colorful that drew her gaze down to the leopard's feet. Three pairs of little eyes stared back at her.
Cubs.
Pikku gave the lioness a cold look, tensing at the analyzing look down at her precious little ones. They were a product of her meeting with Rangi, the magnificent looking lion with a rainbow mane, and she was ready to draw blood to keep them from this lioness.
But the green female did nothing more than stare, even as what she assumed was her companion called out questioningly to her.
The leopard debated striking first, but no, that would draw the others there in a heartbeat. She was stuck having to wait for this one to make the first move, a concept that grated on her nerves. Perhaps she could grab the cubs and run... but how would she carry all three? That would leave the others unprotected!
And then the lioness surprised her.
Oh, the thought had certainly crossed Dreki's mind. A leopardess with three cubs? That was four thralls in one catch!
But then she thought about the lion cubs at home, of some of her half siblings even, and the starved looks. Everyone was miserable, fighting over food they weren't even short on it, and while she would get her glory, get to rub it in others faces....
She would also be subjecting a bunch of cubs to hell, possibly even death, considering how thralls usually got the scraps that were few and far in between. Could she live with herself if she did that?
"No," she said, keeping eye contact with the leopard, and then yelled a bit louder, "No, I haven't found anything!"
Pikku watched with wide eyes as the lioness raised a paw in a shushing motion before gesturing to stay low to the ground. She was letting them go? But why?
Of course, she wasn't the type to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Curling the cubs beneath her stomach and legs, the red leopard tried to make herself as flat as she could without squishing them. Luckily, they were old enough to know that they needed to keep quiet.
"Hells, come on then! Baske has flowers in the blood, and- Wait, where's Mek?!"
Dreki'dido let out a snort, turning away from the hidden leopard and making her way towards her captain's voice, "We heard some strange noises and the idiot ran off without me. We'll have to look for him."
As her captain cursed, she made a mental note to direct them the long way around to where Mek was. Best to have them avoid this area for the rest of this viking.