|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:22 am
|
|
|
|
It was a fine day- outside of the caverns, the waves crashed on the beach, seagulls cooing their loud, angry song in the salt sea spray... Inside the caverns, however, this all only echoed- the promise of more world to explore, beyond stone and gem- lovely as they were- and Kaksi did not intend to let it remain undiscovered. No, today was the day.... She'd make her escape and explore the big, wide world above the ground! She knew it existed- most the adults left every day, and the noises had to come from somewhere.... It certainly wasn't coming from inside, and so Kaksi simply had to leave.
Babysitters and mothers were the hardest to escape- Kaksi still wasn't certain how she managed it today, but she wasn't going to look a gift gull in the mouth. Usually she was caught well before this point- now, however, it was a simple matter. Duck behind a gem the right shade a blue whenever an adult happened by- they were so interested in their oh, so important adult-stuff, they never even noticed her hiding!
It was likely only because the alarm of her missing had not yet been raised, but it swelled Kaksi's ego anyway- what other cub, after all, was able to sneak out right under the grown-up's noses? Just her, that's who. Just the one, the number two, Kaksi! By the time she emerged from the caverns, her tail was waving high and she had the nerve to be purring a tune.
The view that laid out before her only encouraged her- her quiet purr growing to a great rumble as she gasped, boucing on her paws in excitement- great pillars of stone reached towards the sky as if the caverns themselves were trying to escape upward, and a great stony beach stretched far as the eye could see, waves crashing and gulls croaking as they milled over the water. It was all so... so....
Exciting! All thought of her mission of secrecy was forgotten- in fact, the young cub even forgot to check to make sure that she was still undiscovered or if there were any adults to be found here, outside the caverns, she simply squealed her excited laughter and took off, bounding for the water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:13 am
|
|
|
|
Onwards to adventure soured fairly quickly- Babysitters were one thing, but slipping past the pride's very guards? It simply was implausible for a cub on a joy run, however eager she was. Little cubs were no match for trained lions, even the most troublesome of cubs- not that Kaksi had considered any of this before her ill-planned escape, and sooner or later that streak of a whim's luck had to die out.
This was that moment- racing for the sea, Kaksi has forgotten the need for hiding, or subtlety, or that there may even be anyone at this point to stop her, the caverns being the only world or pride territory she had ever known until this moment. By the time she realized there was an adult in the vicinity.... Well, then again, she never really realized this fact so much as there were suddenly big, white legs in front of her.
Her giggling swallowed in a gasp, Kaksi scrambled to stop, sand and pebbles flying under her paws until she hit the firm furry leg, her escapade done before it had really began. In true cub fashion however, the girl seemed hardly phased- shaking her head out before pouting stubbornly up at the new kill-joy.
"I'm going to the water!" She stubbornly declared, a firm nod accompanying her declaration before she tried to peek around the pale leg- yes, yes the water was still there, good! "It's so big!" Big and dark and fascinating and oh, so worth the risk- she was gunna run for it, turning to stick out her tongue at the big striped meanie before attempting to duck through his paws.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:31 am
|
|
|
|
She was quick, but he was quicker!
With a chuckle he leaned down and caught her by the nape of her neck, gently picking her up within his strong jowls. Without so much as a word, he drew her up and sauntered back toward the cove she had been bolting from like a bat out of hell. He did not, however, take her back inside - instead, he plopped her gently atop a tall boulder that put her closer to eye level with him.
"Little one, you must be more careful. The ocean is big and beautiful but it's also very dangerous, do you understand? The current can pull you down beneath the waves and even I will not be able to save you."
He could have talked down to her, told her there were monsters or myths to scare her but he did not. Iphiko, steadfast Chevalier, believed in empowering the little ones to make their own decisions - there was no need to make them afraid of more than what they truly ought to fear in this life.
"If you promise me that you will not run out into the ocean I will take you to the tide pools. Okay?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|