[Private] Shades of the Flame [w/ Iri]

[Zoketi]

The change in terrain brightened her a little, and she managed to pick up the pace, jaws parted to draw in the fresher scents. After a moment she slowed back down, not wanting to tire herself out of course. She shook her head slightly and flicked her tail, glancing around eagerly as the land changed from dry yellow to a lusher green. Kaharabu licked her muzzle in expectation. The herd would lead them on.

[Iri]

Chaltuu trekked onward, not able to resist the feeling of anticipation. After what seemed like ages, but what wasn't really that large of a stretch of time, the herd seemed to have led them to a small waterhole. It wasn't anything spectacular, as the waterhole itself was rather shallow and it seemed more like a large puddle than a waterhole, but Chaltuu picked up her pace and stooped over it, lapping up some of the transparent liquid. She felt like rain had finally been brought to her parched desert of a mouth, but most of all she just felt refreshed. She hated droughts, as most creatures did.

[Zoketi]

The sight of water made Kaharabu's jaws hang open, and drool trailed down messily onto the grass. She did not care what kind of water, muddy or clean or warm or cold, just as long as it would quench her terrible thirst. She scampered after Chaltuu with the motions of a youth, tail coiling up over her back. Upon reaching the edge of the pool she plunged her head down and gulped at the water in a desperate manner. Once sated she flopped down and let her chin rest in the cool mud, while her breath made ripples across the surface.

[Iri]

Once Chaltuu felt like her thirst had been quenched, she lay down with her chin on her paws. She would certainly be lying if she said the water hadn't improved her mood at least a little bit, but she didn't really want to show it. Her scowl seemed less intense, though, as she finally rose to her paws and began to traipse towards the west. "Should we go get something to eat?" she inquired gruffly. She stared hungrily after the herd of wildebeest that had trekked much further ahead, thinking that if Kaharabu agreed, they could pursue one of the ungulates.

[Zoketi]

Kaharabu would have been happy to simply lay by the water for awhile, the liquid fresh on her tongue and cool below her chin. Eyes hovered half-shut, and part of her would have been content to take a nap right here and now. At the sound of her companion's voice, though, she started slightly and lifted her head, swiping her tongue over her lighter grey-brown muzzle. "Mhm...suppose so." she replied, though the idea of hunting made her muscles twinge. She let out a heavy snort and pulled herself up to her paws as well, shaking her darkened fur. With a groan, she stepped after Chaltuu.

[Iri]

The ruddy female flicked her ears- one of them ripped- hearing the grunt of her companion, though she shrugged it off. She could tell that the greyish lioness would be satisfied just to rest for a while, and Chaltuu had to admit she wouldn't be too bothered to do the same, but she didn't want to laze around when they both seemed at least a little bit hungry. And having a bulkier frame than the average lioness, Chaltuu usually had a larger appetite... She was tempted to snort a derisive remark to Kaharabu, but she stayed quiet as she followed the faint scent trail of the wildebeest herd that they had followed to find the watering hole.

[Zoketi]

Yawning widely, the dark grey lioness plodded along following Chaltuu, ignoring any emotion from the other female and instead concentrating on the scent path of the prey. Mmm, it would be worth it if they did end up with a kill. Her stomach rumbled pointedly, and she grunted again, stomping one paw in the dirt as they continued. Soon enough, the plains opened to wide green expanse. Dotting the grassland were wildebeest by the thousands. Kaharabu drooled in expectation and slunk along, already eyeing the prey for a target.

[Iri]

When Chaltuu eyed the colossal amounts of wildebeest herds, her stomach rumbled in anticipation. She turned back and saw that Kaharabu had already began to stalk through the grass, clearly scrutinizing the groups of ungulates. She followed along, observing the area. Most of the prey animals looked healthy, as she assumed a majority of the wildebeest calves were hanging around the center of the massive group, as she didn't notice too many of them, and the young ones she did see stuck close by their mothers. It was always good logic to target weak or elderly prey, or sometimes the youngsters, even if killing the juveniles was locally frowned upon. She narrowed her eyes, crouching low to the ground. She knew she was usually easily spotted because of the fact that her reddish-brown fur stuck out like the sorest of paws against the greenish landscape. And even though she had brute strength, she paid a price for it by not being the nimblest or most graceful of lionesses. She was fast enough to catch her own meals, but she wasn't agile like her sister.

[Zoketi]

A salmon-pink tongue flicked over a grey maw, while orange eyes darted over distant shapes of wildebeest, eager and challenging. Kaharabu pulled herself along at a skulking walk, half-crouched in the tall grass. She was still searching out a decent target, searching for weakness hidden in the number of snorting prey animals. For the moment, she forgot about her red-furred companion. It wasn't long, though, until she picked out one wildebeest from the rest. A slightly younger female, but quite close to adulthood--it wasn't her age that singled her out. There was something wrong with one of her legs. Kaharabu could see it in the way she moved, stepping gingerly with one hoof. That could be fatal. She twitched an ear, then began to stalk forwards, lowering her body completely into a crouch to move through the waving stalks.

[Iri]

[Wow I actually replied to this after half a year yay me]

Chaltuu followed closely behind the dark grey female, scanning the entire herd for any weak links. Her gaze followed Kaharabu's, and she too spotted a gazelle, nearly out of adolescence. One of her limbs seemed to cause issues - she seemed to walk slower than the others. Perhaps she walked that way from a previous injury or birth defect? Whatever. This wildebeest would be her next meal. What did she care about the deformed leg, other than the disadvantage it posed for the young gazelle? She continued to trail after Kaharabu, her belly brushing the stalks of grass.