Nothing But The Future Ahead

[Zoketi]

[[ realistic only, please. ^^ also don't mind me playing around with fancy template boxes ;v; ]]

My Characters:
Jioni's bio.
Mwezi's bio.

jioni & mwezi

Dawn swept over the grasslands, turning the terrain an array of pale colors. A pair of lions sat on a rise, looking down towards a river that wound through the savannah. The male was dark grey with a thick brown mane, while his female companion was lighter grey and bore a funny ruff on her head. They were siblings, though they didn't often act like it. But for now, they rested together, lying huddled in a pile. Jioni on his side, with Mwezi's head resting over his mane, and her paws draped over his fur. A pair of content felines, for the moment. Who knew how that might change?

[Zoketi]

[[ hay guys this is still open ;w; ]]

[Leto]

((I'll pitch Ieyashu into this ^^))

Dawn’s light was angling down through the foggy, dusty air of the savannah grasslands, paws were trotting across the moist soil in rapid succession throwing a splash of water upon stepping into a shallow quagmire, the leftover of the past evenings torrential downpour. His chest was heaving as he came to a stop, his thick grey-blue purple fur was matted and messy from dirt and grime, it was clear the surprisingly lean Amur Tiger had more pressing concerns on his mind than cleanliness.

Pale grey eyes scanned the savannah as a black nose twitched for scents… nothing; there was nothing in the air. Could that mean he had managed to evade his hunters? The prospect of that seemed likely but Ieyashu knew that it was only a matter of time before they would be on his trail again, but for at least a short while the Maltese Amur tiger could relax, for the first time in weeks.

Slowly regaining his breath the young male strode towards a nearby rise in the flat landscape, it would if nothing else give him an overview of the surrounding grasslands, and maybe if he was lucky he would spot some potential prey. Unfortunately as he was climbing the hill the winds shifted drawing the scent of nearby lions to fill his nostrils but would render his scent exposed to whomever was on top of this hill. Ieyashu froze his movements, unsure whether or not to continue his approach or turn around and flee.

[Zoketi]

[ thanks ;v; ]

jioni & mwezi

The female's gaze shifted slightly, trailing lazily over the gently waving grass. She yawned widely and brought her head up, growing still once more as she drew in the scents carried by the breeze. To her surprise, a single odor stood out, something unusual and possibly dangerous. Mwezi's tail gave a gentle flutter, and she pressed one paw against her brother's thick mane, nudging him roughly until he stirred, spluttering quietly. "Yarr?" he grumbled, fixing an irritated look on her. She returned with an equally affronted glare, before, nodding her head past him, her nostrils flaring at the wind again.

Jioni rolled onto his stomach and mirrored her. At once he got to his paws, making the lioness slid backwards with a surprised yelp. Stifling a growl at him, she scrambled to her paws and crept forwards through the grass after Jioni. He'd paused a few paces away, peering over the hillside. "Who's there?" he grunted out, a low chuffing call. He moved forwards again, aiming to get a better viewing position. Mwezi ambled after him, ears flicking curiously.

[Leto]

The Maltese tiger stood there almost paralyzed in place, ears swirling back as he took a hesitant step backwards but a demanding voice from somewhere on top of the hill, froze his action in a still birth. His breath was slowed to complete silence as if he was hoping he could just turn invisible but sadly he stood out rather painfully against the yellow grasses and brown dirt, though his stripes helped breaking up his form, the colour of his coat rendered it almost moot, at least during daylight hours. Ieyashu had yet to answer the inquiry comming from what was obviously a male, indeed part of him wasn’t sure he should. “I didn’t mean to intrude, sir.” He forced out an apology raising his form to its full height, no longer cowering in the grasses despite being taller and stronger than most lions Ieyashu always acted with deference to others, regardless of who they were.

He was after all a slave in demeanor still, despite having escaped from his master the habits still stuck. And weren’t likely to change any time soon, such reconditioning would take a long time. But just the fact that he was running away from his Master and the hunters that pursued him was in the very least a start if nothing else.

[Zoketi]

jioni & mwezi

Coming to a halt parallel to Jioni, the ruffed lioness peered down the hill, now able to view the creature who'd disturbed them. A funny looking stripy fellow...a tiger, that was it. Odd color, but then again, her and Jioni's own greys weren't very natural either. Her blue gaze blinked curiously down at him, while her brother stood by her side, his own gaze locked on the unfamiliar figure. The response had been well-mannered enough, and Mwezi was satisfied with that. She flicked her tail gently against her brother's ankles, and tipped her head forwards slowly. Jioni still seemed irked, but he was silent, so the lioness stepped forwards, lifting her head up again and giving the stranger a bright, more friendly look. "No worries, mister!" she chirruped down to him, waving her tail. She heard her littermate give a quiet huff, but ignored him otherwise.

"You're welcome here, this isn't our hill." Mwezi went on, nodding her head and taking a small step forwards. Jioni decided to remain quiet for now, letting his more positive sibling take up the introductory duty. He let himself relax a little, though, but was always on guard out of habit. He watched with a narrowed gaze and stood still, paws pressing into the soil.

[Leto]

Ieyashu’s gaze trailed the two that came over the hill that stopped and stared at him just as he stared at them, from the looks of it they could be siblings they certainly shared enough subtle features to make that assumption not too far-fetched. Despite looking the two of them over the tiger went out of his way to avoid eye contact, specifically with the silent male, though the female’s demeanor was considerably friendlier the Maltese tiger didn’t dare lower his guard entirely. His ears swirled forward as words reached his ears, the girl revealed the hill was not their property and as such he was welcomed here.

She seemed friendly, a little too friendly almost but then again Ieyashu was going out of his way not to appear threatening, the last thing he wanted was to insight unnecessary aggression. “Thank you, my lady.” He bowed to the female appreciating her offer, “But, I should get moving.” His ears splayed back it wasn’t safe staying out in the open like this, he preferred forests and jungles which made it easier to hide and lose any would be pursuers… these grasslands held no mercy. He offered a courteous, humble bow to the male as well before he slowly picked a direction and started walking, though his steps were slow, almost careful as if he afraid to leave imprints in the soil.

[Zoketi]

jioni & mwezi

The brown-maned lion watched solemnly, his tail gently stirring the grass around his paws. Other than that, he remained a solidified statue. On the other paw, Mwezi shifted back and forth, her curiosity and cool delight evident in her demeanor and posture. She bobbed her head pleasantly as the tiger spoke again. She flicked her tail through the air and stepped back, her gaze glancing over to her littermate briefly before returning to the stranger. "Aye, good travels to you." she rumbled pleasantly, her ears twitching. Jioni remained quiet, once more, but his head tipped in the slightest of nods as the other feline moved to pad away.

Mwezi spun around and ambled up the hill, while her brother watched the figure retreat for a short while.

[Deleted]

(I'll throw Shys and Shae into the fray, if I may:) I've changed them a little from last time).

Shys was quite proud of herself, and especially her little sister, as not a short distance away (upwind) the strangers drifted apart, going there seperate ways. "This is your leopard ancestry," she said into the younger lioness' ear. "Your coat is your best defense. Remain low in the grass, upwind, and you can remain unseen even in broad daylight. This is what separates us from them." She looked down the hill, at the two grey siblings and the brightly coloured... whatever that was. No camouflage, the poor thing. It's likely he would attract all kinds of trouble.
"But I don't want to be 'seperate' from them,' Shae said. It had been her and her sister for so long... seeing another face was almost like finding water in the desert. Besides, the stripey one looked so sad, and nice... and about her age too. When was the last time she'd had a friend? But she knew what her sister needed to hear. "Besides, you said we needed allies. Why not ask these three to be allies?"
Shys glanced askance at Shae. "We don't know anything about these felines. They could be criminals, for all we know, or worse: rogues. You're not to mingle with this sort. It's below you. When we get to the River Kingdom you'll have people your own age and station to mingle with."
"And how long will that be?"
"I don't know. Another month, at least."
Shae frowned. "I'm not waiting that long," she said, and moved to stand, but Shys' paw on her back pushed her belly back onto the grass.
"No. You will stay."
"Who put you in charge?"
"Shae! They could be dangerous. They may look friendly but you don't know!"
Shae looked down at the lion... he was wandering vaguely towards them, but not close enough to notice them if they didn't move. She had an idea, and a wry smile played across her chubby face.
Shys saw it, and knew it meant mischief, "Shae," she said.
"I know how to tell if they're friendly or not," Shae said, then turned around and, with claw extended, poked her sister in the eye.
Shys grunted, backing away, but Shae kept up her attack. "Help!" she cried, HEEELP SOMEBODY!", as Shys was forced to flail her arms about to ward off Shae's protrusions. Shae growled as if in self defense as her taller sister loomed above her, desperately trying to pin Shae's arms down, and Shae knew that, from a distance, it would look as if the larger lioness was attacking a poor helpless feline. "HEEELP, AH, NOoo... help me, PLEASE!"

[Leto]

The tiger exhaled almost of relief as the lioness let him go, though the eyes of the male were still on him; he had not said anything. Ieyashu understood that sentiment, the wish to be silent… indeed he did not like to talk much himself, but present circumstance didn’t give him the luxury of choice. However he wasn’t allowed more than a few steps, before a commotion catches his attention his ears swirl towards the noise followed by his eyes lying on a pair of lions; a larger lion from the looks of it thoroughly trashing a smaller one, he shot a glance towards the siblings wondering if it was necessary to intervene; Ieyashu was well aware that even if it was expected to intercept he knew it was not his place to do so, this looked like a matter for lions; although his Master was a lion, this was not his Master’s homeland and as such these were foreign ways he was not wise in, and he didn’t want to break cultural taboos by accident.

So the Maltese tiger stood watching the scene to see if it led anywhere, it looked rough and sounded rough yet at the same time it almost had an aura of playfulness over it; like it was just a game between the two.

[Zoketi]

jioni & mwezi

The grey lioness came to a halt upon the peak and shook her fur as she tilted her gaze back over towards her ruddy-maned sibling. Before she could speak, however, another voice rent the air, drawing the attention of both Mwezi and Jioni. The pair locked eyes on another duo of lions, not too far away. Were they fighting? Mwezi's instincts told her to go down and help with whatever the issue was. And so, that was exactly what she did. Jioni let out a groan as he saw her dart off down the slope. He'd glanced briefly at the tiger, who seemed to be lingering on account of the sudden noises of the fighting lionesses. He swished his tail through the air, but marched down the hill after his sister.

Mwezi had charged ahead, and slid to a halt a few tail-lengths from the tussling pair. "Excuse me!" she spoke up, not sure how to tear the larger lioness away from the smaller. Perhaps simply her appearance would distract them enough. If not, well, she'd try something else.

[Deleted]

Hi guys. I committed too early to this. Still very busy. Please ignore my posts and carry on. Sorry for messing things up.