[SRP - Wolf] A Lazy Morning (Tivoli x Ho-Oh)

[Polette]

Eyes slowly blinking open, Tivoli let out a light roar as she yawned; the morning sun was just barely seeping into their den, dancing beautifully around her. As she looked out at the grassland around her, she could see the faint sparkle of the dew left on the grasses, as well as the gentle mist that seemed to hover just over the ground. She rolled on her back, stretching her claws out as she did, soon returning to her original resting position. Ah, if only she could spend every day like this - blissfully enjoying the best parts of life.

Her tail shifted slightly to the side, which made her aware that she was alone this morning in their den. She wasn’t necessarily sad about this fact - of course, mornings were always nicer when they began with Kaito, but she assumed he must have had business to attend to, either an early hunt or something of the like. She wondered if she was needed for such a task - she hadn’t talked to the other hunters in her clan in awhile, she hoped that she wasn’t letting them down by being somewhat secluded as of late.

She hadn’t necessarily intentionally kept herself from visiting with her fellow members - she had just felt so at peace being out and enjoying the world around her by herself and with Kaito that she hadn’t really thought of going and being around anyone else. It was the former rogue in her popping up, she knew, and she also knew that she would need to socialize soon to remain a good clan member. She loved her pride, she did, but growing up rogue had definitely left its mark on her.
 

[Polette]

As she soared gently on the warm air, Ho-oh kept her eyes closed, feeling the warm air rush over her face. At this height, she wasn’t worried about another predator; she was one of the largest air predators around, and there was no chance a land predator would be able to reach her. Below, everything was so small, and none of it seemed to matter. Not right now, and certainly not to her. Though it was still early morning, Ho-oh had already feasted on two field mice just after dawn, and had contented herself to enjoying some alone time high in the sky.
 

[Polette]

Her eyes were half-shut as they traced the edges of the plants and rocks in her line of sight. There wasn’t a moment when she didn’t find her home beautiful - it was one of the reasons she had decided to stay. This morning was extra nice, too: everything was so still and quiet, it really made her aware of her own existence. Every breath, every pulse, it all seemed intensified. It was so similar to the feeling just before a hunt, waiting quietly in the grass, hypersensitive to everything around you.

Tivoli flexed her claws responsively to the feeling; her eyes opened a little wider, taking in more of her surroundings. Maybe it would be good to get up and go on a hunt, even if it was solo. She’d been so peaceful lately, that maybe what she needed now was the rush of the chase.

 

[Polette]

Feeling her feathers move and adjust to sudden gusts, Ho-oh took a moment to open her eyes and scan the ground below. At this hour, there wasn’t too much movement - the more nocturnal creatures were recently sleeping, and the diurnal were only just opening their eyes. She tended to sleep whenever she got the chance, not really subscribing to either the day or the night. In her opinion, there were too many good aspects to both that she didn’t want to have to choose. This day, however, she had stayed up straight through the sunrise, which was partially how she had found two quick meals so soon after the sun had risen. She was starting to tire because of this, and wondered if she really could nap while flying. Even just closing her eyes for a few moments provided some relief, and as long as she stayed at this height, she shouldn’t have any problems.

Looking around below, she didn’t see anything that seemed like it could affect her; there was a small outcropping of rocks, but it was way too far away to matter. From down there, she probably only appeared to be a small speck against the open blue sky.
 

[Polette]

Rolling herself upright, Tivoli’s daytime energy started to surface. She took in a few deep breaths, taking in the scents of the area. She could smell the grass, the dirt, the faint smell of a hare that had crossed this path many hours ago. Another scent drifted in the wind - the smell of a herd, seemingly not too far off. Was she wanting to try for a larger prey? Or did she want to try and find a burrow to raid instead? Her eyes glanced upward, and for a moment watched a small speck drift along. Ah, what it must be like to be able to soar so high like that falcon. That bird could probably scout out all of the hidden prey with just one glance - something she’d have to work hard for. She knew that this was one of the reasons that some of her pride mates had come to live and hunt alongside birds; it was an interesting idea, and she wondered if she would ever find a winged companion as well.
 

[Polette]

With her eyes scanning the ground, some movement caught Ho-oh’s eyes, drawing them to it. She wasn’t quite sure what it was - it was just a brief movement amongst the rocks. She knew, though, that many a small creature would love to use such an area as a hiding spot or even as a home. Being the skilled hunter that she was, her first instinct was to start planning her attack, but she quickly snuffed all of those instincts after reminding herself that she had already eaten twice this morning. Still, perhaps she could nab a snack to take somewhere and eat later? She adjusted her wings, starting a slow spiraling descent towards the rocks, keeping the area where she saw the movement in sight.
 

[Polette]

Coming to her feet, Tivoli decided she might go scope out whatever herd she caught wind of and see if it was a feasible idea today. While she had been a successful hunter when she was a rogue, she wasn’t the most successful hunter when it came to bigger game. And she’d certainly let her solo-hunting craft slide since joining her pride and living with Kaito. Taking a step down off the rock and onto the soft earth, her eyes suddenly caught movement of something that seemed to be headed her way - was it that bird she had seen from before? What business did it have with her now? She turned her head just in time to see it closing in.
 

[Polette]

Nearing the rocks, it was only at the last moment that Ho-oh noticed that what she thought was a small prey animal was in fact a large lion. Luckily, she was able to quickly avert her course at the last minute, landing instead towards the top of the rock formation. Her eyes stayed on the lioness for a moment, then quickly averted, unsure of whether or not the lion would be upset or offended that she almost ran into her head-on. “Excuse me.” Her voice was quiet, but she thought she should extend the courtesy.
 

[Polette]

"No harm done." Tivoli smiled, glad that she wasn't being attacked by those sharp talons. "You can hang out there, though, if you'd like. If you need shelter for a little while. I'm going out on a hunt, but if I have any leftovers, I'd be willing to share." She wasn't sure if the courtesy was necessary, but she didn't know when the last time the bird had eaten, and she wasn't one to let someone else go hungry, even if they were a stranger.
 

[Polette]

"Oh, th-thank you." Ho-oh was a bit flustered, to be honest, but she thought that maybe she'd stick around and take the lioness up on her offer. After all, who could turn down a free meal and shelter?