Just a stroll .:||Open||:.

[duke]

The Kings cheetah that was known as Duke walked through the plains he was just taking a stroll and enjoying the evening it was almost dusk and he like to get out at that time because it wast hot nor cold and he liked the orange sky. he walked to a small acacia tree and sat down on a branch peering at the sunset. "Boy, I wonder if the girls would like this" he said, Duke was a decent fellow he wasn't mean but strict but usually he was nice. it was a beautiful sight the sun setting behind the trees and the reflection of the red orange sun making the sky a shade of orange as well. he placed his head on the thick branch on top of the leg that still hurt a tiny bit from breaking it about 2 or 3 years ago when he lost his entire family because of this he never ran really fast ad walked with a slight limp. He let one of his hind legs and his other forepaws hang out of the tree along with his ringed tail Duke closed his eyes in a relaxed state and soaking up the warmth the sun gave him

Duke usually looked depressed even when he wasn't. Yes the memories were painful but he did all he could to hide the pain and stay strong. The fact that he belonged to a pride didn't make matters any better either but if he did he would probably be exiled from it since he act more of an alpha cat then a cat that would follow the pride leader's rules and laws, he has his own animal and he liked that in a way it never really bothered him but sometimes he would like to have a friend with him at times such as now. The memories of his past flashed through his head like it had happened just 10 minutes ago. "Get the cubs away now!!" "But Xander, what about you" "I'll be fine NOW GO!!" Duke shifted at the voices in his head "DUKE HELP ME I DON'T WANNA DIE TOO HELLP!!"... that was the last thing he heard his sister say and at that his golden brown eyes Jolted open and he whisper "Saphire" he had a habit of talking to himself "God Duke you couldn't get up on that leg and ignored the pain instead you let those filthy human take her to a place where they would fatten her and kill her for her pelt!!" he was yelling at himself now. and he laid down his head again merely hiding his pain.

Duke finally sat up on his perch and began to let out the calling squeak to see if any other cheetah were around a close by heard of gazelle shifted at his call but he wasn't really hungry. Duke continued to "Squeak'' and stopped for a minute to see if anyone would reply.

[gingerpaws]

Tabia stalked the savanah. She was a mighty predator. She was a queen. She was master of the grass, of the dirt, of the sun. Her ears flicked back as her eyes zeroed in on a small movement just in front of her in the tall grass. But as her attention focused, the movement ceased. Seconds later, the blade shifted again. Tabia held herself perfectly still, waiting until the grass moved once more. It took nearly a full thirty seconds but it moved. Just as suddenly as it had moved, the cat was pouncing, her long limbs stretched out before her, ready to bear down on whatever had stirred the grass.

A quiet squeak tickled the pads of her paws but she ignored it and bore down on the field mouse. It wasn't even a minute before the cat had made herself into a magician and made the mouse disappear.

Tabia shook her ruff proudly and skipped to her feet, now basking in the sun and the sudden pride she felt in herself. Not that killing a field mouse was such an accomplishment, but for some reason the cheetah found pride in swallowing her weak meal. Her tail twitched behind her, as if alerting her to some danger her senses had yet to notice. Tabia didn't even realize. Her dark eyes floated over the horizon, avoiding the pink and orange sun. Long as she lived, Tabia never failed to be amazed by the sheer beauty of the setting sun, and the colours it painted in the sky.

The spotted feline began her walk again, though her limbs had taken on more of a saunter than a normal walk. Within a minute another light squeak echoed in her ears. Tabia froze, a front paw suspended mid-air as her ears pricked and her eyes quickly scanned the ground. She could feel no small body beneath her paws, nor would she have been able to sneak up on a mouse, loudly as she had been moving. When the noise sounded again, Tabia's head pulled up, neck stiff and eyes intent on the western horizon.

At first she saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were a few sturdy trees, a bush here and there but other than a few shadows, there was nothing. Then it hit her. One of those shadows was not part of the tree. She looked a bit closer, finally catching glimpse of tan fur, spotted with darker patches. She carefully let her paw rest on the ground now, letting the set of four carry her quietly closer to the squeaker. He was a cheetah, much like herself, though he had a more distinct pattern to his pelt.

Tabia was silent as she approached. He sat on a tree branch, squeaking away like a kitten. The fem laughed to herself, amused by the brute's calls. She was answering, of course, but he didn't know that yet. She smirked at her own cunning and crept ever closer.

Twenty yards... Fifteen yards... Thirteen yards... Ten yards...

Tabia paused, suspending her movement as she thought through the best way to go about surprising him. She finally decided that simply running up to the tree and jumping up beside him was her best bet. So she did.

A rush of brown and orange streaked through the grass, fast as she could go and still keep a heading on where she was going. It seemed like she had just begun running--and indeed she had--when Tabia leapt gracefully up beside the male, staggering a bit as she caught her balance back.

"You rang?" she chirped, quite pleased with herself.

[duke]

Duke stopped chirping when he thought he heard something "Hmm?" he said looking around but saw nothing "huh, My ears must be a little weird today.." he said shaking his head when he was done he looked around once more but nothing changed "Ah well" he muttered "I guess no other cheetahs are around or cats for that matter" he swerved his tail just a bit. Duke was about to jump down but a female cheetah jumped on a tree and scared him half out of his wits "Holy!!" he cried jumping to the next branch gazing at the cheetah who caught him completely by surprise "Geez woman ya scared me.." he told her "Anyway yes i was calling" he jumped back to his former branch "Just wanted to meet some one" he looked at the other cheetah "So what's your name," he asked her "My name is Duke, a king Cheetah, that's why i look a little different than most cheetahs people see" he informed her if she didn't know already.

So before my little Chirps what brought you all the way out here?" he asked he wasn't real good at starting conversations and he thought his intro and question was a good start for him. he sat down again gazing at the horizon awaiting the other cheetah's answer

ooc;
Sorry for the short post heh I'm used to playing energetic animals and Duke well he is usually mellow ^^;

[gingerpaws]

Evidently, the king was taken by surprise--as Tabia had well intended--for he took a leap for the nearest branch as soon as the female had made herself known. "Holy!! Geez woman ya scared me.." It seemed more of an instant reaction to the surprise rather than any repulsion to Tabia herself. Tabia laughed quietly to herself, her dark eyes sparkling with her pleasure. She always loved surprising others. It brought such fun. Though she rather stunk at practical jokes, the element of surprise was a natural gift for the cat.

Tabia smirked as the male returned to his previous spot, settling back on her branch. Yes, her branch. Having vacated it, even momentarily, the king had given over possession of the branch. Not that it mattered at all in all actuality, Tabia was just odd. "Anyway yes I was calling. Just wanted to meet someone. So what's your name? My name is Duke, a king Cheetah, that's why I look a little different than most cheetahs people see."

Alright, so he was a little odd, but Tab had already guessed that, not just because of his patchwork spots. Though, she couldn't blame him for calling for someone. Had she not spotted him when she did, Tabia probably would have been doing something similar. "Tabia," she said proudly. It was probably a good thing he had asked for her name. She may not have given it otherwise. It was just a habit of hers; You don't ask, she doesn't tell. That habit applies to just about anything with Tabia though.

"So before my little chirps what brought you all the way out here?"

Why was she out on the savannah? What kind of sane creature asked a Cheetah why she was at home? She stared at him, blinking every few seconds. "I was, uh... walking," she started, keeping a steady eye on the crazy king. "I kind of live here." Though she didn't mean literally in this tree was her home, she hoped he was clever enough to figure that out. "Yourself, Duke?" she asked, keeping up the conversation he had begun.

[duke]

Duke looked at the other cheetah when she began to speak "Tabia huh? Nice name" wasn't one he heard of but he was pretty absorbed in what he did do he didn't talk to other animals much. He listened to why she was way out here and kinda stuttered when he realized it was a stupid question "Um well of coarse you live here!" he muttered "Just walking that's why I am here to.." Duke thought he himself seemed a little weird but he didn't look at it that way he looked at himself as a little paranoid, just a little, and has his stupid moments. "Me? Oh i was walking around, i don't have anything better to do at the moment" He said in regards to Tabia's former question. Soon duke jumped off the branch he was on to look for a hare that he has smelled he was going to scare it he wasn't hungry enough to eat it. After he found the hare which was in a bush about a foot away from the tree he looked at it square in the eye and yelled at it, the rabbit was so tense that it immediately ran off. Duke sat down puzzled "Ok why did i yell at a hare?" he stood up "Gosh look at what boredom has done to me made me crazy enough to yell at a dumb hare.." He laughed at himself amused of what his face may have looked like

Duke then looked at Tabia "Oh, um, sorry i had to get that outta my system"he giggled at himself thinking of the thought that a cat that is usually dominate and mellow just for no reason at all screamed at a helpless hare minding it's own business. Ok so Duke was a little weird but not always he never admitted to being weird, well because he is weird like that "Well Imma walk around do you want to come or stay here?" He asked Tabia he wouldn't mind having company, but if she didn't want to come he would be ok with that too he walked in front on the branch she was sitting upon and clawed the tree.

[gingerpaws]

"Tabia huh? Nice name." For some reason, others kept telling her that. Only the other day the lioness had told her she liked Tabia’s name. Why these odd cats had a preference for her name, she had no idea. It was such a simple name, really. Much like Duke was. But then again, Duke seemed to fit. His name was some form of royalty as was his breed. Duke and King. It fit.

"Um well of coarse you live here! Just walking that's why I am here to.. Me? Oh i was walking around, i don't have anything better to do at the moment" Tabia had settled herself down on the branch, sitting up with her long tail draped over the branch, dangling in the air. Her ears had pricked up, listening to the male with mild interest. He was a little off his rocker but then again, who wasn’t?

Without much notice, or without further comment, Duke leapt down from the branch and began a ground search. Tabia watched him curiously, a curious flicker sending signals, trying to figure out what he was doing. Her nose twitched, looking for the scent of some prey he had located that she had missed. A second of two before it was confirmed, Tabia caught the scent of a hare, close to the tree. But as she watched, Duke simply approached and stared at it for a brief second before scaring the creature. The hare, surprised half out of its mind, darted off through the grass at alarming speeds. Tabia smirked, I could catch it.

Duke seemed a bit less thrilled then Tabia as she looked back to him from following the hare’s trail. He seemed confused. Well, that was a good sign. Even if he was crazy enough to randomly jump out of a tree and scare food for no good reason, at least he had the good sense to understand that he was losing his mind. "Ok why did I yell at a hare? Gosh look at what boredom has done to me. Made me crazy enough to yell at a dumb hare.." Are we sure it was the boredom’s fault there, skippy? Tabia’s mind wondered. Her own face had twisted into its own form of confusion. But she straightened the odd look as Duke chuckled.

"Oh, um, sorry I had to get that outta my system." Okay, well, he was laughing at himself now. That was a good sign, right? Maybe he just needed some fresh air. Tabia paused, blinking at herself. Duh. They had fresh air right now. What was she thinking? Okay, well, maybe he just need to get out. "Well I’mma walk around do you want to come or stay here?" Yes, that is exactly what he needed. A walk.

Tabia briefly considered staying, keep away from the crazy cat, but he would need someone to keep the rest of the hare population within hunting distance. He couldn’t just go around scaring all her food away. “Sure, I’ll come,” she told him. She jumped down from the branch, landing in a small cloud of dust as she did so. The dust tingled in her nose and earned a light sneeze from the cheetah. “Excuse me,” she said quietly, looking at Duke.

“So where to, highness?” she asked, a slight mocking tone to her voice. She smiled and started off at a very slow pace. Duke could lead where ever he wanted, it didn’t really matter to her.

[duke]

Duke was now content he had someone to talk to. He knew he was a little crazy, usually he was mellow and calm but then he wasn't usually around other animals either maybe he was nervous he wasn't very social. Duke watched as Tabia stared at him quiet oblivious she was maybe trying to figure him out. she sat there staring and blinking this made him uncomfortable he didn't like to be stared at. He hoped he hadn't scared her to the point that she wasn't going to walk with him he was a loner and it got well lonely sometimes. He thought she was lucky

Duke watched as she jumped out of the tree she was a nice animal and she wasn't crazy at the moment either. When she was ready to go he smiled at her when she asked where to good she's not scared of me he thought Duke began walking east "Do you have family?" he asked thinking of a more decent conversation "Heh and you're luck to" he continued to look ahead of him "You can maintain you sanity i lose mine sometimes" Duke and regained the ability to be mellow and hopefully he would keep it as well She was lucky if she had friends and family to for Duke had nothing except his own shadow. He listened to Tabia if she had anything to say "Oh and sorry if i freaked you out back there, I guess i can be a little insane" he admitted he told Tabia a bit about himself "How bout you how can you manage to keep you head on your shoulders?" he asked she most likely had some one to talk to unlike him

[gingerpaws]

Duke started east, close to the same direction she had been going. She altered her course to follow after him at a leisurely pace. She was perfectly at ease just to stay silent on the walk but apparently the male was not. Within minutes, he had begun talking again.

"Do you have family?" Sure, she had family. Who didn’t? Question was, did she still see her family. That answer was a big, fat no. She, along with her sisters, had ditched their mother years ago; They had never known their father. And once the girls had gotten away from their mother, her sisters had forced Tabia away. It hadn’t been her choice though after so long of being without them, she didn’t mind so much.

Just as Tabia opened her maw to respond that she did, indeed, have family, Duke spoke again, cutting her off. "Heh and you're lucky too. You can maintain you sanity. I lose mine sometimes." Tabia held back the laugh that tickled at her throat. It really didn’t take much to maintain her sanity; She had little of it at times but it somehow managed to stay with her.

Duke was back to being slightly more calm. His tone had leveled out, telling Tabia that he was back to his normal self. “I have family but I don’t talk to them anymore,” she said before he could throw in another question.

"Oh and sorry if I freaked you out back there, I guess I can be a little insane. How bout you how can you manage to keep you head on your shoulders?" Tabia continued her walk, increasing the speed minimally to walk beside Duke.

“I’m not entirely sure. Some people say I don’t keep my head on my shoulders.” She moved her shoulders in a cat shrug and continued. “I don’t normally have anyone to talk to. Once every few days I’ll run into someone, if I’m lucky that is. But you’re always by yourself? Must stink.”

[duke]

duke kept walking at a resonalbe pace with Tabia walking behind him. she was quiet for sometime the cheetah he was with was obviosly thinking about things as duke oten did which was why he was usually so quiet. after a few moments Tabiaspokewhich was when Duke was done ramlbing "ihave a family ijustdont talk to them anymore"ahhshe was indeed luck she may not havetalke to them but she still had a family again duke thought she was lucky then she answered his last question “I’m not entirely sure. Some people say I don’t keep my head on my shoulders.” she said and she shruged and continued talking “I don’t normally have anyone to talk to. Once every few days I’ll run into someone, if I’m lucky that is. But you’re always by yourself? Must stink.” Duke remained quie for a while yes it does stink he thought r "I have no family my parents were killed by poachers and they took my sister who is most likely dead." he said making no eye contact with the cheetah

Yes duke had a bad childhood hence his quietness and inablity to look at who he is talking to "so growing up i had nobody other than my own shadow and the things around me." he stopped in a nice sunny spot and sat down for a little bit He was glad he met Tabia she seemed to be an understanding creature and regaurdless how crazy duke seemed she still came with him on awalk not mant things ill they are worried he will go crazy and attack them but he is really a gental cat. but most animals failed to relize that.

[gingerpaws]

Duke was just not a quiet cat, Tabia was learning. He liked to talk. Well, he liked to talk when he had someone to talk to, anyway. But that was alright by her. She was fine with listening. Most of the time she liked to talk herself but today she was feeling quite calm so listening suited her better than excessive talking.

The cats plodded along through the savannah. A rare rustling could be heard along the ground. Tabia would pick her ears, curious at the source but her nose told her nothing more than her ears and she ended up disappointed each time. Duke seemed totally at ease simply ignoring the sounds. Tabia looked at him in wonder. How could he just ignore them? Or maybe he just couldn’t hear them. Her dark eyes turned away from him, flicking to her other side as another noise caught her attention. Okay, so it was probably just her. Tabia was quite jumpy with noises.

"I have no family my parents were killed by poachers and they took my sister who is most likely dead." Tabia winced. What a nice life. Poachers were essentially the god of death to the creatures of the savannah. They took lives as if they didn’t matter, as if the lives they left would not care. But they did. She had had her share of encounters with poachers. A few times she had been shot at but luckily, she had yet to actually get caught with their flying shards. Tabia looked over at Duke, curious how he handled talking about his past. He was avoiding her gaze, looking anywhere but at her.

"So growing up I had nobody other than my own shadow and the things around me." The male slowed his walking, dropping into a sit in the middle of the grass. Tabia tilted her head, staring at him curiously. What was he doing? They were taking a walk, not a sit. She rolled her eyes, a subtle motion, and paced a few feet away, unceremoniously dropping to the dirt. She spread her thin limbs out in front of her, stretching out as best she could. Her long body spanned nearly four and a half feet, even without her tail.

“That would make things hard,” she said, turning her head to him. She smiled slightly. “Well, I can stick around a while if you like. Don’t have anywhere I need to be… ever…” Tabia sighed. Oh the life of a loner. Nothing you have to do, no where you have to do. Her tail flicked as she silently appreciated her freedom.

[duke]

Duke sat in the tall grass he could hear scuttling noises but he ignored them thinking they were field mice or something but they seemed to bother Tabia to no end when he had stopped she walked a few more yards ahead and stretched he was resting his paw he walked a lot in his life time but he took a lot of breaks She was really quiet for a while Duke thought he may have been creeping her out or something he was good at being creepy another one of his odd characteristics the rustling sound came once more duke looked around trying to figure out what was stalking the two. After a while the stalker must have left as the noise ceased maybe duke creeped it out.

Tabia finally spoke she knew it may have been hard for Duke to loose his Family at such a young age and it was he had no support system and no one to give him the loving affection most cubs needed he had to learn to survive on his own and had to do the best he could and it all paid off He was a loner A cheetah who had nothing to loose and hardly anything to gain He never worried about his future and tried to run away from his past He had no one to run to except to chase the clouds the moon the sun and shadows. He seemed quiet but who did he have to talk to absolutely no one no friends no family nothing.

Tabia glanced at him and smiled he saw this but made no eye contact she said she would stick around for a while yes Duke thought Do stay it would rid me of my insanity and the shadows im constantly lurking in please stay he thought it was nice to talk to her she was very understanding and not like most animals who were afraid of him. Duke did loose his mind he lost it when he watched his mother and father die and poachers drag his sister away He lost his mind when he fell out of that tree and broke his leg He lost his mind and never found it. when his heart was broken and he doomed to spend his life alone in the shadow,

Duke was spaced 100 percent in his emo like thoughts his attention slowly came back to earth and he finally spoke "You can stay if you wish but also feel free to leave when you feel you need to" Duke still made no eye contact his gaze had a emotionless look at the moment he was speaking without thought and he was lost in thought "i would like some one by my side and some one to talk to" he said Doh he thought That sounded so weird it sounded so smooth like he never wanted her to leave and he didn't he wanted her to stay he needed someone to go to when he was hurt and in trouble Tabia could be like the sister he never found and she could come to him when she needed him that is if she stayed that long. He wouldn't mind one bit not one he would enjoy her company and try not to freak her out again.

Ooc:
Word count: 582 (about)
Muse level: Whoa That was good for me XD
Notes Sorry if it sound a little mushy and weird lol i was kind ranting xD

[gingerpaws]

The grass was soft against her fur as Tabia lay. She kneaded her paws through the loose dirt, stretching her claws in and out to form more loose dirt. One low purr rumbled in her throat. She would have been content to just lay in the grass, roll over, soak up some sun, enjoy the breeze. Evidently Duke had had that idea already. Tabia’s dark eyes flickered over to him, watching him as he lay in the grass. He looked pretty comfortable there in the sun. Maybe she could…. Her eyes moved down to the ground again, taking in the slight curve to the blades and the way they teased the brown fur of her paws when the wind blew. So inviting…

"You can stay if you wish but also feel free to leave when you feel you need to." Duke spoke, drawing her attention from the ground and back to the spotted feline across from her. She stared at him for a few seconds, ears pricked in case he hadn’t finished. "I would like someone by my side and someone to talk to." Her ears flicked back, trying to block out the suggestion her mind had leapt to. She did not want a mate. She did not want to be stuck with someone the rest of her days. Her thoughts quickly changed however and she mentally slapped herself. Of course Duke hadn’t meant they be mates. He only needed someone to talk to, someone to keep him sane.

“I’ll stay. I like talking to you,” she said. Her ears pricked once again, watching him for any type of reaction. He wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were intent on anything but her as she watched curiously. She gave a cat shrug and turned her eyes away from him. He could look at the sun and go blind if he wanted, it wasn’t rally her business.

She returned her gaze to the ground, weighing the pros and cons of rolling over into the dirt. Her pads sank into the loose dirt she had built up and she made her decision. The lanky cat flopped to her side, stretching her limbs out in front of her, claws extended in the process. She let out a wide yawn, tongue curling as it hung out of her mouth. When her jaw snapped shut, she looked up at the sky, eyes squinting at the bright light.

[kiara]

ooc: sorry i haven't posted i have no more muse at the moment >.< makes me feel bad D: anyway I'll try and post as soon as possible