[PRP] Earth and Sky [Pichale/Tlvdatsi]

[ShinosBee]

Pichale hunkered low in the dry, wind-blown grass, creeping along in near silence after her prey. A small herd of antelope, more than three but less than ten, it was not the easiest to handle alone, but her clan was not hurting for food, and she felt almost more like it was a game than a true hunt. She'd stalked them out away from the area her clan was currently residing in, and spent the better part of the day in pursuit. At one point she'd felt nearly close enough to try for one, but something had spooked them; the scent of lion on a cross-breeze—not her own scent, and vague enough to leave her unsure if it was fresh or not—was the culprit, and she'd cursed and laughed under her breath before offing after them again.

It was hours later when she felt nearly ready to try her teeth for one again, and her long gold-tipped tail swished through the grass in excitement too keen to heed her mind's urging for stillness, silence. To be honest, at this point if she did get one, it'd be the next morning before she could get it home, and that was if she dragged it all night. She'd gone farther than she'd planned, but that was a concern for after, not now. Now was the time to crouch, to ready, and...!

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Datsi was out hunting alone again. He had tried hunting with a few other Earth clan members but it always turned into a disaster. He'd either trip over a rock or fall into a ditch or get some dandelion seeds up his nose and sneeze or something to alert the prey to their presence. He always was told it was fine, it wasn't his fault, and the hunt would resume...after he headed back to the clan. Recently he found if he hunted alone, at least he wouldn't be ruining other lion's chances of getting a kill.

He hadn't gone far from home, finding that he hunted better when the prey came to him. He was fairly good at sitting still for hours on end. One time he had fallen asleep and woke up in a herd of zebra. That had been a surprise for both him and the herd! Now, though, a group of antelope were grazing their way towards him. He sat still for a few minutes before deciding he'd have a better vantage point from a rock not far away. He moved silently and slowly, careful not to rustle the tall grass he was hiding in too much. Of course, something went wrong.

An incredibly dry branch that he stepped on snapped in half. The antelope lifted their heads and looked in his direction before they bounded off. He groaned and flopped down onto the ground in defeat. It was a good thing he was a part of a clan...if he were a rogue he'd probably have starved by now.  

[ShinosBee]

She nearly swore when something, again, caused the herd to break. Of course, a moment later, she realized the herd had broken towards her. With her earthy fur, she'd probably not been noticed...and in their fear, they probably wouldn't until it was too late! Thinking fast, she pressed her belly to the ground as the herd dashed at her. There weren't many of them, but it still filled the air with a sound like low thunder rolling over the grasslands. It was exhilarating.

She remained still as the first of the herd leapt around and over her, letting them pass. Those behind would be all the more committed, thinking the way safe, and that was what she was waiting for. And for one to bound just right...Aha!! Near the middle of the herd, one young buck sprang directly over her. In the same heartbeat, she sprang up, teeth and claws sinking into the ungulate's chest and neck, sending them both toppling into the dirt, the fading sound of stampede giving way to desperate squeals, and a sharp crunch before silence came flooding back.

After a long moment, she stood, maw stained red and clamped around the limp neck of the felled antelope. Her nostrils flared, and she glanced back the way she'd come, the way the herd had gone. That'd gone better than planned.  

[SilverLutz]

Datsi almost missed the strange noises in his mild despair. Lifting his head, he watched as something struggled not far from where he had fallen. A moment later and the noises ceased and a lioness appeared above the grass, a dead antelope in her maw. Surprised, Datsi froze for a moment before realizing he might have actually helped her catch that antelope...and possibly almost killed her by sending them her way.

He moved through the grass towards the female, an embarrassed expression on his face. "Sorry! I didn't know you were there," he said as he approached, not wanting to take her by surprise. "Are you all right?"

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

The thought that she could have been trampled hadn't really occurred to Pichale. In the end, everything had come out alright, so it didn't really matter in the end, right? She blinked curiously at the lion who rose from the grass. Obviously he'd been the one to rile up the herd. She let the antelope drop from her maw—it hit the dirt with a dull thud—and grinned at him. "'Course you didn't! If you'd smelled me, the antelope would've too, and that'd mean I was going about hunting all wrong." Alright, so she was certainly confident, if not too grating about it. "Why wouldn't I be alright?" She grabbed the buck again, and dragged it between her front legs over to meet the lion halfway.

"Never better, really," She hummed as she again dropped the corpse. "Pichale. Of the Sky. No family name, not yet, at least." She shrugged at the notion. She'd met lions with stranger naming habits during her time in the roguelands, but family names still seemed novel to her. "I'm gonna guess you're not from Sky. I don't recognize you, at least, so, uh, sorry. If you are, I mean, from Sky."

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Datsi let out a short breath of relief as the female calmed his worries. She did seem to be perfectly fine, which was good. He'd have felt awful if one of the antelope had stomped on her! As she approached he got a better look at her and tried not to stare too much at her tattoos. They were very strangely placed and colored, almost blending in with her pelt save for some golden stripes that matched her tail tuft. Huh...

His confusion was cleared up instantly when she gave her name and indicated she didn't have a family name. Those weren't tattoos, they were markings! Such intricate patterns were nearly unheard of here in the Ela...naturally born, at least. There were many tattoos that were detailed, like a few of his own.

He realized she had been standing there waiting for him to give his name for a while and he flicked his gaze back to her green eyes. "No! No...not from Sky. I'm Tlvdatsi Aduladi, of the Earth," he said, bobbing his head in greeting. He hoped that the last name of the previous year's Sky Champion would fly right over Pichale's head since she seemed to be new. Good...he wouldn't feel quite as embarrassed around her as he did everyone else that knew his mother.

"That was quite the grab," he said, nodding to the dead antelope between her legs. "I think even if I had a whole herd running past me I'd miss every single one."

ShinosBee