[PRP] Eyes in the sky (Idla x Kuma)

[Tanakako]

Her wings ached, a dull throbbing of over-taxed bones and muscles that threatened to distract her from her job. The wind, usually something she enjoyed, tugged at sore feathers, making her flinch and dip sharply. Quickly correcting her angle she fly low, skimming the tops of the scrubby bushes before rising just a little higher. She was seeking the herds, or even a lone animal that her Cinga could take down. She was even keeping an eye out for anything that had recently died. Ilanga had stressed just how very dire their situation was when Idla had left for yet another scouting mission. Glancing over her shoulder she couldn't see her lion friend at all, but she knew Ilanga was out there, performing her own systimatic sweep of the pride's land, looking for anything edible.

Suddenly she sropped again, her left wing muscles seizing up fast as the strain had finally grown too much for her stressed muscles. With a jerky, awkward flapping she dropped more than flew to the gruond, landing hard and stumbling forwards. Managing to right herself she stood stiffly, feeling weird to be standing on the ground again, her sore wings mantled out frmo her body on either side, the limbs unwilling to bend back against her body.

Sighing she looked upwards. She needed to be up there! A grounded vulture was a useless vulture...  

[nessiaing]

Kuma wasn't exactly a skilled hunter or a scout by any stretch of the imagination, but she was trying hard. Everyone in the pride was trying hard, the situation wasn't a good one to say the least. Kuma did her best to move slowly stay in the shade where she could. She had decided at the beginning of the hunt that it was best to move slowly now until she spotted prey then use her energy to catch it. It seemed like a good plan she just hoped that she would be able to actually catch whatever she saw, she didn't have a great track record.

Suddenly movement caught her eye and Kuma had a burst of energy, whatever was moving wasn't very big but at this point food was food. She moved quick on her toes, hoping that whatever she had seen would taste good and give her enough energy to keep hunting.  

[Tanakako]

Idla had been hop-walking along awkwardly. Her too-stiff wings spread out like lop-sided feathery elephant ears. She had caught the scent of a lion but the female was clearly a pride-sister so Idla hadn't been on her guard like she would have with a stranger. But suddenly the paw steps sped as the lioness raced at her.

That was not the behaviour of a non-hunting lion. With a shrill squark of protest Idla jumoed higy in the air, her huge wings flapping madly as she twisted to face the pouncing female. "What does she think she is doing!" The vulture spluttered, back oeddling away from the friendly-fire of the female's claws. "Idla is one of them!" She yelled, hop-jumping high again in the hopes that the lioness would recognise her before those fangs made contact.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

Kuma's steps faulted when the vulture went up in the air, once it started talking to her she stopped dead in her tracks. "I am sorry" Kuma bowed her head in apology. She had become so desperate for food that she had nearly eaten a pride members companion something that she surely would have gotten in trouble for.

"Are you out here alone?" Kuma asked once she got her whits about her. Kuma had been out here awhile and hadn't seen any other lions from the pride. She was hopeful that perhaps someone else had had some luck hunting, perhaps this vulture had seen prey.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Not usually a bad tempered bird, Idla found the fact that she had nearly been eaten a rather frightening and offencive experience. Once sure the female was no longer going to attack her she hopped closer and thrawped the lioness on her shoulder with one bent wing.

"Idla is Cinga companion! She is not food!!" The vulture hopped forwards again in a threatening display just to make sure her point was driven home. Once certain that the lion was properly aware of her non-food status, she settled down, feathers ruffling before smoothing flat as she finally was able to fold her wings against her sides in a more comfortable manner.

"Just do not do that again." She told the lioness as she looked longingly at the female's back. Ilanga would sometimes let her ride on the lion's rump when Idla was tired or injured. Today she was both but this lion was not her Ilanga so she stayed on the ground.

"Yes.... no." She paused and looked back towards the pride, even though it wasn't visible. "Idla is scouting. Her friend is hunting for signs. They will meet up soon. But Idla hurt her wings..." The vulture reopened her wings and showed them to Kuma, even though the damage was internal stress and not an actual injury.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

When the wing smacked her shoulder Kuma winced, it hadn't actually been painful but more surprising, she had just been disciplined by a vulture. She resisted the urge to laugh at this point the whole situation was bordering on comical.

Once Idla had finished her display of displeasure Kuma relaxed a little. She bent to look at the birds wings when she fanned them out. She couldn't see anything physically wrong with them other than the bird holding them at in an awkward way, she assumed that it was a result of over use. No one had had a proper meal in a long time and it was reasonable to assume their bodies just weren't up to doing the usual activity levels.

"Sounds like you make good partners." the lioness said when the Vulture told her of her companion being out there hunting. "Why don't I repay you for my mishap, you may ride on my back for a little while we continue to scout." She hoped the vulture would take her up on her offer she didn't know what else to do to say sorry.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

The offer of a ride totally surprised the bird considering she had just been hoping or that very thing. She cocked her head, sharp beak clicking warily as she eyed the golden lion. Of course secretly she was utterly thrilled and would usually have bounced about in excitment all the while singing her thanks. But this lion had almost eaten her, so she felt like a bit of acting was required. Or else the lioness would feel it had been too easy to coax Idla closer.

Finally the vulture stepepd forwards. "Idla will appreciate the help." She said regally, before carefully and expertly hopping up with a flap of her powerful wings to land squarly on the lion's rump. Her claws didn't dig in, as Idla had done this enoih with Ilanga to have learned how to balance atop a lion while it moved around. Once balanced she tucked her wings away once more.

"Idla is ready. She never gave Idla her name?" The vulture asked hopefully, loosing the last of her offence as she oeered excitedly at her new mode of transport.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

Kuma worried when it took the bird so long to decide what she was going to do. Perhaps she really didn't trust the lioness but after hearing that the avian was in pain Kuma really did want to help her. If in nothing else but to find her companion. Finally the bird perched on her back and Kuma was surprised to find that she was so light the bird was she could barely feel her there at all. She would have to do her best to make sure she didn't cause the bird to topple off.

"Oh how rude of me, my name is Kuma'Miro. Though I just prefer just Kuma." she told the avian as she began to move. "Which direction is your Ilanga, hopefully I can help find her for you." Although the bird had agreed to a ride Kuma was pretty sure that Idla really rather not be on her back.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Contrarynto what she had led the lioness to believe, Idla was very content to perch on the female's rumo as the lion set off. "Ok, Idla will call her Kuma if that is what she wants. This bird is Idla." She offered in a friendly tone, apparently not realising she had been calling herself by her own name since the begining of their conversation. "It is a pleasure to meet Kuma." Ruffling her feathers as she got comfortable she craned her head around to scan the landscape. While not as good so close to the gruond, her sharp eyesight was still incredibly useful.

"Oh, she is that way.." Idla pointed back the way she ad been flying earlier. "Idla was supposed to scuot ahead, but her wings got sore and wouldn't keep her up. She will be alright after a rest thought." She assured her temporary transport.

nessiaing

 

[nessiaing]

"Nice to meet you Idla." Kuma responded happy that it seemed the bird had settled and was feeling much more comfortable. "Well thats the way we shall head." Kuma sad with a nodded. She fell into an ease pace as she headed towards where the avian had indicated. She found that having the bird on her back and a goal in mind had helped the hunger subside a little, it gave her something else to focus on. Plus who knew perhaps as they made their way they might even find something to eat, it was likely wishful thinking but it was a wish that Kuma wanted to keep in mind, you needed something to hope for after all.