{PRP}Chasing Cheetahs {Ume x Gyatso}

[magnadearel]

Lithiasaur

Gyatso was out for a run. He liked to come out and go hunting across the flatter plains. It gave him a chance to stretch his legs. He could hunt a bit later. Right now he opened up and just ran for the joy of it. It also meant he left his serval familiar far behind. He would have to go back for her. It was a shame she couldn’t keep up with him. Perhaps he should have bonded to a bird instead.

After a long run he slowed down, panting but content. Gyatso made a slow wide loop as he started back toward the place he left Biborka. She’d be following him, but he tried to meet her part way back.


Almost as soon as they were free of the valley, the cheetah took off. Biborka had stopped trying after the first few attempts where he quickly left her in the dust. She sighed to herself. Why had she picked the stupid cheetah? She could have picked something that she could easily keep up with, but nooooooo.

While she didn’t lag, she didn’t rush either. The serval set off at a steady lope that followed the cheetah’s trail. Usually she’d find him walking back, and once they met up they could start their hunt. Biborka wondered if all cheetahs were nervous creatures or if it was just her luck to get the only one.
 

[Lithiasaur]

magnadearel

Umesahau had done it again.

How did she keep losing track of that warm, wonderful male lion she was traveling with? It was so stupid, and she knew he was going to get tired of looking for her. She had never been out in the rogue lands and was unused to traveling, let alone with another lion! Whenever they split up to find food or water or just accidentally wandered off from another she felt like it was the end of the world.

Maybe she should never have left that little spit of a home she had been raised in. Mostly trapped in, as she was slowly realizing, though now she was free without the cruel words of her mother keeping her in her sad, quiet place.

It was all because of Baik and yet she kept losing him. What if she lost him forever this time?

Feeling miserable, she spotted the serval as she was walking to find her cheetah, who Ume had not spotted. She thought the much smaller animal was probably a safe one to ask if they'd seen Baik... so she made her way over.

"Excuse me..." she said quietly, ears back, eyes down cast bashfully. "c...could I ask you something...?"  

[magnadearel]

Lithiasaur

Sorry for wait.

Gyatso strolled along leisurely. He was feeling good after his run. His muscles were all relaxed and loose. As he walked back, he kept an eye out for possible prey to catch. Sometimes his run scared some off, but he was willing to risk it for the joy of the run.

It didn’t take long before he figured he’d soon spot his serval. But it was an orange and black leopard he spotted first. Curiously he watched her for a moment. As he looked in the direction she was headed he saw the familiar purple of Biborka. The leopard was heading right for her. He tensed and waited to see what she’d do.


Biborka was calmly loping along when out of the blue a leopard approached her. She slowed and stopped as she was hailed. Curiously she eyed the leopardess. A leopard wanted to ask her something? “Uh I guess so?” She wasn’t sure what help she could be to the larger feline, but she’d try her best.

The leopard seemed sad or down and not inclined to harm her. At least Biborka hoped. With luck, Gyatso would come across them soon for she probably couldn’t outrun the leopard. She kept her attention on the leopard despite wanting to look around for her partner. Blue would be very visible out here, and she didn’t want to bring undue attention to him.
 

[Lithiasaur]

magnadearel

Ume watched the strange little creature, though she kept her head down and her eyes shifting from down cast to just barely sneaking peeks at them. She did not want to upset them or disrespect them in any way, but she also had never seen anything like them before. She really only knew leopards, and lions.

She was meeting more creatures, outside of the little world she'd been made to grow up in, but it was still very strange.

"Uhm..."

Oh. She had not thought the little creature would actually want to speak with her. Her mother always told her not to speak to strangers. Not for her own safety, of course, but because she was ugly and offensive and everyone would hate her. According to her mom, anyway.

"What... uhm. I'm sorry if it's rude to ask but... what sort of a leopard are you?
Or... or are you a lion? A... very small one?" She drooped her head a bit,
apologetic. "Though it is not a bad thing to be small. I didn't mean that in a rude way... I'm very sorry."  

[magnadearel]

Lithiasaur

The two got closer and closer until finally them met. Gyatso didn't see any sign that Biborka was in distress as the two addressed one another. Sadly he was too far away still to hear what they were saying, although he could see they were talking. With stealth he worked his way closer. He'd get into position and then signal the serval so she'd know he was here.

He was grateful the leopard hadn't tried to chase the smaller feline. Gyatso forced himself to focus on moving closer without being seen, instead of the dire circumstances that might have befallen his friend. When he was close enough he crouched in the grass behind the leopard and flicked just the tip of his tail up so Biborka could see it.


Biborka tilted her head, watching the leopard curiously. She'd met several leopards in the pride, and didn't have an issue with them. This one though seemed very unsure of herself. The serval smiled reassuringly at her. The question that finally popped out was absolutely not what she'd expected.

She sat there a moment to digest the question, then broke out into giggles. It just really couldn't be helped. After a moment she calmed herself enough to speak. "Oh dear me. I don't believe I've had that one asked before. I'm neither of those, to tell you the truth. I'm what's called a serval. You must be pretty new out here?" She caught the signal that told her backup had arrived. "Do you mind if my friend joins us? He's harmless if you mean no harm to me, which I really don't think you do."
 

[Lithiasaur]

magnadearel

Ume had no real training in hunting or, as it turned out,
being hunted, so she had no idea there was another feline behind her. She did not hear him, though probably because she was so busy folding her ears back and staring at the ground that she could hear very little. She was shy to a fault,
and felt like she was being a hassle.

She hoped this little leopard didn't yell at her for it.

It was startling when the little leopard started laughing, and Ume jumped a bit,
eyes wide as she watched Biborka in wonder. She lifted her paw up, just out of surprise alone, shrinking back a bit just in case something weird was going on. It seemed, though, that the laughter was genuine and not cruel, which she was more used to hearing.

Baik had an honest laugh, though, so she was learning what that sounded and felt like. It was nice. Something she liked to hear. She almost risked a smile, though not quite.

"A serval? Oh... your friend? Are they another serval, like you? I... I don't mind them joining, if you don't mind me being here. I'm sorry if my questions seem silly I just... this is my first big adventure out here and everything is... very strange."  

[magnadearel]

Lithiasaur

Gyatso finally had gotten close enough to hear what they were saying. Judging by the female's reaction when Biborka laughed, she wasn't use to being out on her own. The cheetah felt a bit sorry for her. He wondered what she'd said to make his friend laugh. Knowing Biborka would introduce him when the time was right, he slowly sat up so as not to attract too much attention to himself. He did his best to make himself non-threatening and friendly. This was going to be decidedly an interesting encounter. He hoped she wouldn't take his presence too badly.


Biborka calmed down as she saw the surprise in the leopard. "Please. Don't be nervous. I didn't mean to laugh. I thought everyone knew what a serval was. I shouldn't have assumed you did. I just thought it was funny to be called a leopard."

"No. My friend is what's called a cheetah. His name is Gyatso. He's bigger than I am, and blue. If you turn around slowly, don't be surprised. He's sitting behind you. I don't think your questions are silly, and we'll be happy to answer any you have." She wished she could bring this leopard back to their home. She sounded like she needed a good place to live, but Biborka wasn't sure how the leopardess would take it.
 

[Lithiasaur]

magnadearel

Ume watched the duo quietly, though she seemed to relax a bit as they talked. It was unnerving to know there was someone behind her, but the little not-leopard's words calmed her. Taking a breath, she slowly turned to see. She glanced at the cheetah sheepishly, who was easy to see now that he was sitting still and tall. He was a lot longer than she was, and lithe. Very interesting looking, and she wanted to go investigate a bit more but was far too shy to ever do such a thing.

Still, she was meeting things she had never seen before, and it was very overwhelming to her.

But, for some weird reason, not as scary as she thought it might be.

"A cheetah? Oh, my mother mentioned them before but she always said they were dangerous. I should stay away from them, because they were fast and I'd be dead," and even more useless, her mother would add, "before I knew it." She hesitated, looking immediately apologetic, "not that I believe everything she says any more. I've learned now how wrong she was about a lot of things... I'm sorry."

She tried her best to smile, though she still looked very unsure of herself.

"It's very nice to meet you both..."