[PRP] Cheetahs of the Dumanne

[MangoMeow]

A black nose sniffed curiously at a patch of grass. It was dry and hot with patches of sand littered around her. This was a new place. It sort of reminded her of the lands leading up to the desert areas. In fact, that's what she guessed was in front of her.

She could tell she was by the border of a pride, though interestingly... it smelled heavily of cheetahs. Meera was used the scent of cheetah - how could she not be? Her mother was one, after all - but she was also used to prides smelling of lions. This was certainly going to be an interesting experience, but one she was looking forward to seeing! It'd be nice meeting other cheetahs.

The cheeton started walking forward, intent on meeting someone new today, learning of a new culture, but paused when she heard scuffling nearby. Ears tilting up curiously, she turned and began making her way over to it instead.

Polette

I wasn't sure if you'd prefer to have both of yours in one rp, or if I should make a separate one for each. xD Let me know if you'd like me to start another one too!

 

[Polette]

With a bounce in his step, Isibhamu was headed towards the borders. His father was trying to get him to train more, especially in the areas of spotting and stalking. It's not that he wasn't good at it, it's just that sometimes his long legs jumbled up underneath him whenever he was focused on something. Some of the other adults said he'd grow out of it, but wasn't he already grown? Okay, maybe not all the way.

There was nothing Isibhamu wanted more than to be like his father - cool, intimidating, fawned over by the ladies. But, he had a little ways to go before he reached any of those qualities. Pushing out his lip as he walked, he was determined to get some practice in and really hone his skills.

Hearing a slight sound, he paused, ears erect and eyes scanning. It only took him a moment to find the source - a bright white adult female he recognized from Dambe. Mahina, he believed. He never really ever saw her duel, but she was always in the crowd. She was so eye-catching and pretty, with her starry pelt. It wouldn't hurt to go up to her, right?



Mahina laid, head upright and focused, on a moderately sized rock near the border. It had been her duty today to monitor this area, and it didn't take her but a moment to find this prime position. She had been watching a figure for some time now - it was the white on their pelt that had made them so visible from so far away. Mahina hadn't been alarmed when she saw them - often, members would come and go as they pleased, and as this was only one individual, she wasn't concerned about an attack of some kind.

She had been so focused on watching this figure approach the lands that she didn't noticed the young cheetah until he was almost right next to her. "Isibhamu." Her tone was almost of surprise - he reminded her so much of his father. That was probably half the reason she knew his name. The other, of course, being that he was one of a handful of cubs born after a long drought of young ones.

"Have you come to help me?" She motioned towards the approaching figure. She smiled slightly, glad for the extra body just in case.

MangoMeow

(( This is fine! ^^ I hope it's not too vague! ))

 

[MangoMeow]

Tail flicking behind her, Meera started humming as she walked. She'd come across the noise eventually, and hey, maybe her humming would show that she wasn't a threat. At least, that was her logic. She'd yet to learn to be cautious within pride lands. Of course, this was the same cheeton who had no idea that she'd been spotted a long time ago, and her attempts at being nonthreatening weren't needed. Ah, well. She just liked making music.

Finally, she brightened as she noticed two forms ahead of her - a stark white one and then, in complete opposite, a dark black one. Both cheetahs, from what she could see, but that part wasn't too surprising.

She grinned, and quickened her pace. Green eyes glimmering in the sunlight, she piped up, "Hello! Great day today, wouldn't you say?"

Polette

 

[Polette]

If he had stepped closer, Mahina may have been able to hear the loud gulp that Isibhamu let out. He was definitely nervous - the hypothetical conversation had started much differently in his head. He hadn't really expected her to know who he was - after all, he was just a lanky kid. Maybe she was interested in him? No way, that would be a dream. An older woman.

"I, um...of course!" His eyes shifted to follow hers, his nerves easing as the focus shifted. "Who is that?" He was almost talking to himself, his eyes straining to see if he recognized the pelt.


"I'm not sure. I don't recognize them from here." Mahina breezed by the youth's awkwardness - they'd all been there at some point in their lives. Her eyes stayed on the approaching figure, who was quite close at this point. She still didn't recognize who it was, but that didn't mean they were a threat.

"Hello there." Voice raised only slightly, Mahina held a kind expression. As the figure came closer, she could recognize a few...oddities about them. Though she looked cheetah, she was a bit on the shaggy side. Through her travels, Mahina recognized these characteristics, and glanced for a moment at Isibhamu to see if he could figure it out for himself.

"I suppose it is. Wouldn't you agree, Isibhamu?" She made sure to keep things casual, but she also wanted to confirm some things before becoming too friendly. "And what brings you here on this great day, stranger?" Her tone was kind, and she only used the term stranger as a name substitute.


Isibhamu could feel his muscles tense as the figure came close. His ears weren't back entirely, but they were approaching that state. He hadn't been nervous when they were still far away, but this was his first time up close and personal with an outsider. "H-hello." He was sheepish, certainly, but not abrasive. How was Mahina so calm about all of this? He glanced up at her a few times, impressed with her demeanor. He wondered for a moment how long it took her to reach this level of confidence.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

Meera had never been the type to be deterred by someone else's nervousness, so like Mahina, continued the conversation jovially. Whether it was due to obliviousness of their wariness, or simply her friendly demeanor was hard to tell.

The cheeton simply grinned, stopping a few paces away and almost purring in her enthusiasm. "Just traveling through, really." She glanced around them, eyes sparkling sincerely in the sunlight, "I love to see new places, and to meet some new friends!"

With barely a second pause, she continued, "I'm Meera! And this..." she paused with another sniff, "is another pride land, right?"

Polette

 

[Polette]

The young male listened quietly, moving his eyes back and forth from the stranger to Mahina. She was still so calm - though, there didn't seem to be any danger at this point.


Mahina knew that she had nothing to fear from this stranger - she seemed kind enough, and they were on Dumanne lands. "Ah, that sounds like a nice adventure to be on." She looked past the stranger's head, gazing out at the open lands. There was a time when she, too, wandered - albeit her wandering was a little aimless. At least here she could still enjoy the freedom to wander while still having a safe place to call home.

"Meera? It is good to meet you." She smiled and dipped her head slightly, still perched on her rock. "My name is Mahina. And this is -" She paused, looking down at the quiet male while raising a brow.


"I-Isibhamu." His eyes finally wandered to meet the stranger's. After giving her a look-over, she was pretty, quite similarly to Mahina. His mind briefly wandered to the idea of whether or not they could be related, with such similar pelts.


"Yes, and this is the Dumanne." Mahina motioned with her head behind her. "More of a cheetah haven than a pride, really." She gave Meera a playful wink, wondering if perhaps she'd be interested in staying for a time. Many of their members came and went, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary if she wanted to continue her travels for some time.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

"It's good to meet you both!" And really, it was. It had been a while since she'd come across anyone, and finally coming across people, especially friendly people, was more than welcome.

Her tail flicked excitedly behind her, as she observed the two cheetahs in front of her. It had also been so long since she'd come across another cheetah, and it was kind of weird seeing such a bright green and blue on them. Admittedly, it also left her a little nostalgic to see her own mother. Perhaps someday, when she ventured back in that direction.

Meera cocked her head to the side, "I've never seen a cheetah haven before. What's it like?"

Polette

 

[Polette]

The cheeriness of this Meera helped to put Isibhamu a bit more at ease. It helped that she looked so similar to Mahina, which created a greater sense of comfort. "It's um-" He was a bit surprised to find himself speaking up, but glad that something inside him pushed him to do so. After all, he was trying to be more assertive, like his father.

"It's basically the perfect place for cheetahs." Ah, yes. Very descriptive. He hadn't quite mastered the art of speech, and he was embarrassed that it was showing now. "Like, it's safe for us here." A sheepish smile crept onto his face and he nodded, hoping Mahina could explain it better.


Watching the boy as he spoke, Mahina had to hold him some slight laughter. He was trying, and that's all that mattered at this point.

"What he means is -" Once she knew he had run out of steam, she gladly took over for him. "- this is a place where cheetahs can truly embrace their true selves while still having a safe place to call home. We're free to roam as we please as often as we please, but we can still come back here for safety and comfort." She looked back to Meera, hoping her brief explanation would give her a good idea.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

She nodded at Isibhamu's words, grinning at his fumbling but not saying anything about it. He was a shy one, a contrast to Meera herself, and it sort of amused her how he struggled for words. As Mahina spoke up though, she turned and listened, before nodding slowly in thought. Interesting. It certainly sounded like a haven.

Tilting her head to the side, she debated what it must look like, having a pride in the desert. The last desert pride she'd gone to had not been very... open... to rogues visiting, so unfortunately, all she'd had to go off of was descriptive words.

She wondered... "Could I see it?" Her eyes brightened, "I've never been into a desert haven before."

Polette

 

[Polette]

Wait, she wanted to see it? Was that allowed? Isibhamu briefly regained his nervous tendencies, glancing up at Mahina for guidance on this one. He knew that members could come and go, and he guessed strangers were allowed as well, but he was too young to have ever remembered seeing anyone he didn't know. Not that his social circle was very large. But, he'd follow whatever Mahina decided.


Mahina paused for a moment, thinking things over. It wasn't disallowed - in fact, cheetah species were encouraged to utilize the resources necessary for their survival. She'd just never given a tour before.

"Well, I certainly don't see why not." Rising to her paws, Mahina hopped off her perch, pausing a moment now that she was eye-level with everyone. "Maybe you'll even find something you like." She gave a wink before turning, leading the trio into the heart of the lands.

MangoMeow

 

[MangoMeow]

Polette

Aaaaand bunny pelt! *u*