Post by Msasi on Jan 27, 2008 2:19:13 GMT -5
Involved:
Mivuto, male barbary lion
Ixitulani, female king cheetah
[Forgotten Lands] Velvet Sea Plains
Hot, dry, airless. Typical African weather, just multiplied a few times in concession to the fact that it hasn't rained in...how long? Mivuto doesn't mind. There's usually something dead to eat, and if there's not there's a herd of something desperate for water congregating at the much-diminished river, which makes hunting much easier for him. He's not good at it, with his size and his mane, so it helps when his dinner's got no choice but to come over even when he's sitting five feet away and eyeing it with bright, predatory interest. And if the river dries up entirely he can always leave; the only reason he's attached to this miserable plot of land is because nobody owns it, and he can wander it all he likes without fear of being confronted by the angry ruler of some-pride-or-other. ...But one thing he /does/ hate? The bloody /heat/. Argh the sun's going down so why isn't it getting any /colder/. It feels like the mane that's supposed to protect him is trying to /kill/ him; it's like walking around with a nasty, heavy blanket draped over his neck and belly all the time. He thinks he's /shedding/, for gods' sakes. And it's still not /helping/. He grunts, rolling onto his side in the dry grass, then to his back. And back to his side again when he realises there's no way /that's/ going to help cool him off; it'll just get his back hot too. His cheek pressed to the ground, he glares at the hooves of a small, miserable-looking zebra herd a few hundred feet away, heading for the river. Lucky he's got a full belly; hunting is hard, overheating work! Work that he doesn't feel up to right now.
It is, indeed, quite hot and dry. And while she does not sport a great heavy mane, Ixitulani has her own set of troubles with the abnormal weather thanks to her body. For unlike other cheetahs, Ixi is much more heavily splotched with black. Which absorbs the heat. Which is not so helpful during any dry season, but is especially troublesome this time around. And yet, as she wanders through the plains, dry grass crunching even under her light steps, she gives no outward signs that she is so bothered by the heat. No use getting too irritated at the weather, she figures, when there is nothing she can do to change it. The female cheetah's pace is slow and even, fluid.. if viewed from a distance, she might appear to be gliding through the grasses instead of walking. If she were leonine, perhaps she'd be royalty, for she has that sort of presence about her. Ixitulani is headed nowhere in particular, always allowing her paws to set both her path and her pace and knowing that they will get her where she needs to be. And it just so happens that her current path is drawing her closer to Mivuto. His rolling about is seen from a bit of a distance, alerting her to his presence. A lion, and a large one at that. Her tail curls gently behind her, and Ixi keeps to her path, slowing slightly as she nears. And, noting the mane he sports, a deep chuckle is issued. "Ah, I am imagining yous are most uncomfortable, lion," comes the cheetah's voice; it's a rich alto, with a hint of some exotic accent. Quite fitting, given her appearence and 'profession.' But her tone is not unkind, and there is a small, but warm smile on her face.
The zebras are eyeing him back, and they look edgy. Little wonder; a staring, frowning cat probably doesn't spell a lot of good things for them under most circumstances. But, fortunately for the ungulates, he doesn't even get as far as standing up. There's no point, not until he gets thirsty. And by that time the temperature /will/ have dropped a little, he hopes. So after a few minutes his eyes slip shut...only to open again when he hears the rasp of something moving through the dry, dead grasses not far away, and a voice addressing him shortly after that. His head lifts, and there's a bit of vegetation stuck to it; the ground's shedding too, it seems like. A cheetah? They don't usually talk to him, likely because most lions--at least the opportunistic ones--won't hesitate to share their kills whether they like it or not. So he's a little surprised, but Mivuto is at heart a very sociable creature. Far be it from him to pass up a conversation that isn't just 'Who are you? Get out of my territory!' His tongue washes out over his nose--it's dry, so maybe he /should/ get up for a drink soon--and then he grins, openmouthed because he can breathe through it and at least cool that off a little. "/Very/ uncomfortable, love." That little pet name is /usually/ reserved as an expression of deep affection for most people. As far as he's concerned, though, it's just a friendlier version of 'hey you,' something that's gotten him in trouble before. Nobody ever said he was a fast learner, though! "Can't imagine you're very comfortable either, though." It's in clear reference to her unusually splotchy pelt--he may not have any black fur to draw more heat (thank the gods), but he's seen more than one unhappy, black-pelted leopard panting in the shade. Kind of unusual for a cheetah, though. Must suck doubly since he doesn't think they can hunt at night.
Luckily, Ixitulani isn't the sort to get all bent out of shape over pet names, lack thereof or whatever. Heck, she doesn't get bent out of shape about much of anything. It just isn't worth her time and effort, when she could be doing something useful, or devoting that same time and energy into focusing her thoughts to the future and Seeing what is to be. Her pace slows to a halt, still a fair few tail lengths between herself and the male lion, and amusement melts onto her features. "No," She says in agreement. "I am not being very comfortable in 'zis 'ot wea'zers." The cheetah's small head tilts just so, giving Mivuto a long, considering look with her pale blue eyes. "And yet.. looking at yours, I am t'inking that I 'ave nuzzing to be complaining abouts, eh?" Because surely a great heavy looking mane has got to be more uncomfortable than simply having a dark (or dark splotched) coat.
Probably it is...but at least Mivuto's is light. He feels sorry for whatever male lions are running around with big, /dark/ manes, especially if theirs are as heavy as is. Just toting this around is bad enough. "It's a lot of extra weight," he agrees, and makes a little face--it's a grimace, almost--to illustrate just how much extra weight it /is/. He's got a bit of an accent himself--not nearly as thick, but different from most of the locals he's met, his pronunciation a little softer somehow. "Should be cooling off a little soon, though. I hope. Tried sleeping through the worst of it, but the heat kept me awake." He snorts a little laugh and, finally, he actually moves--he pushes himself up onto his haunches, even though he doesn't feel like it. Not to be especially /polite/, since, frankly, he wouldn't care if Ixitulani was the one not getting up to greet him, but just because he's decided he ought to have that drink. In weather like this, it's probably better to drink /before/ you get thirsty.
Ixitulani can only imagine. Add that much extra weight to HER and she'd probably be completely unable to move. But her species in general are built much lighter than any lion, so no doubt even the most stout, well-built male cheetah could not take the extra weight, bulk and hairy-ness of a mane like Mivuto's. The female cheetah's gaze turns kindly sympathetic; how very odd of the world to make creatures such as lions exist in a place where it gets so warm. The universe strikes funny balances like that sometimes. She is much better able to handle the heat than a male lion (her darker coat aside), and yet this same area she lives in is full of many prey beats that could injure her and her kind much easier than a lion or leopard, just because of a cheetahs more delicate build. "Ze wea'zer will cool again before too long," She says, her voice soft but her tone matter-of-fact. "Times like 'zis are meant to be weeding out 'ze weak. It is a.. 'ow you say.. cleansing." She smiles, kindly, politely, watching as he rises. If she were a creature with a more timid constitution, Ixi would probably be feeling a little intimidated now. Not that Mivuto has acted in such a way, but his size and extra bulk provided by his mane do make a cheetah feel rather.. dwarfed. But, she is calmly confidant and senses no danger here. Or perhaps /Sees/ no danger? And, her actions always illuminated to her a few steps ahead thanks to the near constant stream of images she receives in the back of her mind, the Seeress steps forward to accompany the barbary to the water for a drink herself.
"I hope so. This has been going on so long it's getting ridiculous." And yet he sounds wry, more resigned than annoyed. It's pointless to get angry over it; he, personally, doesn't believe the idea that there's some god of rain floating around up there he could appeal to. And, even if there /is/, it must be sadistic. A deity like that would probably /want/ everyone begging it to grace them with the smallest drizzle, or getting angry at it. And Mivuto, personally, wouldn't want to give such an unpleasant god the satisfaction. He hauls himself to all fours, shedding a few blades of grass--not enough, though. He shakes himself off, sending the rest of them flying along with an amazing quantity of loose hairs. He /is/ shedding! Not that it matters...by the time it all finished falling out it would probably be cooler, anyway. But it itches. "A cleansing, huh?" His grin's come back, but it's smaller, a little crooked. "I guess that could be it." He just tends to view it as a stroke of really, really bad luck, but assigning deeper meanings to things like the driest dry season ever might be comforting, he supposes. He moves for the water, not attempting to give Ixitulani any particular berth--she doesn't seem ill at ease, and, anyway, if she hadn't figured out by now that he's no threat she probably wouldn't figure it out at all. He steps into the riverbed, dried up except for the water that runs through the middle, and tries not to put his paws into too much mud as he drinks. Blech. It's a pain to get off once it's already attached itself to you.
Ixitulani's smile is patient. "Cleansing takes time," She says simply in response to the comment of the length of this insane dry season. "Ze world extends beyond 'ere for as far as ze eyes can be seeing. 'Zat is a lot to be cleansing, I am t'inking." Though no doubt it is sad that there will be those that do not survive the dry season, they will be the weak. Weakness out here, in the wilds, is not something that can be tolerated to survive for too long. Weakness breeds more weakness. Though the dry season has been harsh, and has no doubt been harsher on those other than herself, Ixi counts herself fortunate that all she can find to complain about (were she the complaining type) would be that the excessive heat bothers her. But then, that is what shade was invented for. The cheetah paces easily alongside Mivuto, and they probably cut quite a picture walking together. How often would one see a lion and a cheetah walking together? Especially when their differences are exageratted by their own uniqueness amongst their individual species. Ixi finds herself a place at the waters edge, ignoring the mud that manages to creep up around her pawpads. It will dry soon enough (very soon, in this weather) and flake off as she walks. For a few moments, she drinks in silence. Then, abruptly, her head lifts, and odd, bright eyes dart downriver, to where the zebra herd gathers on the bank. The cheetah Seer's gaze is locked on one of the herd beasts in particular; a short, fat mare whose belly is swollen with an unborn foal. She cannot be too long from giving birth, the way her belly hangs. Ixi's ears twitch back slightly, but she continues watching.. even though she already has an idea just what she's going to witness. The herd begins to move, down the bank to cross the river and come up the other side. Perhaps they move because they are uneasy in the close presence of the two carnivores, but whatever the reason, they trod along in an almost melancholy fashion. That they are suffering in this weather, from lack of water and grass that is too dry, is obvious. The pregnant mare begins to move down the bank.. but in her slow, plodding pace one of her hooves doesn't quite clear a rock. She trips, stumbles, falls.. landing in the riverbed awkwardly, neck bent. She doesn't move again. Ixitulani blinks once. Perhaps if the weather were not so bad, the herd would not be so far removed from their normal grazing area. She and Mivuto would not have to come down so far to get the water. The herd would not feel the need to move across the river in search of safety and better eating. And the mare would have been more hopeful, more alert, more spirited. She would not have tripped and stumbled to her own death, and that of her unborn foal. Alas, that was not meant to be. The cheetah blinks again, watching the herd continue on.. only a few stopping to nose the now dead mare. "Cleansing," She says, and goes back to her drink.
Indeed, it could be a lot worse for either of them; it's hot and uncomfortable, yes, but at the same time the dry season can almost be a blessing for a rogue like himself. He's not tied to any particular territory, and he doesn't share his water with anyone except the occasional travelling companion; rationing drinks isn't any concern of his, since, if this river dries up altogether, he can always move on and find another. But every predator benefits from easier hunting when it's so dry, since their prey is more or less forced with the choice to either die of thirst or walk right into somebody's teeth and claws and risk ending up dinner. Most of them choose the latter, since while they can /all/ die from dehydration, even a large lion pride only needs one or two adults at a time. Still, when it gets /this/ hot, it can be unbearable, especially at the height of the day. And so Mivuto would be tempted to dunk himself in the river if he didn't know what a waterlogged mane feels like--heavy, mostly. And once mud gets into it, he can't get it out again until it dries, and chunks of dried mud crusted onto such long fur hurt coming off. It's not worth it, even if it /would/ cool him down a bit. He just laps at the water instead, stirring up a cloud of silt and doesn't look up right away even when the cheetah does. Though when he /does/ notice she seems to be looking at something, his eyes are quick to dart up--he's thinking it might be a crocodile, even though he hasn't seen many around here. But he can't figure out /what/ she's looking at until the zebra slips, and he watches it fall, his pupils flaring. "I think I'm fine with cleansing if it's going to put dinner right in front of my nose," he declares, and hastily finishes his drink, straightening up again. It's just a short jog over, and then he's locking his jaws around the dead mare's leg, tugging her back from the water--there /is/ a crocodile who's just surfaced, attracted by the brief commotion. It's just a little one, not big enough to be a threat, but if he just leaves it there a bigger one might show up. And he doesn't enjoy the idea of playing tug-of-war with something big enough to eat his head. It's unfortunate that the mare's death is more of a cause for him to celebrate than mourn, but that's the way it's always been; prey animals have to die to feed the carnivores. And you can't really afford to feel pity for something you need to kill for your survival.
The cheetah's head lifts - a droplet or two of water clinging to her dark chin - and she eyes Mivuto with a small smile. "As I am sure 'zat ze zehbra are being t'ankful for ze cleansing when it is making any would-being 'unters too weak to do any actual 'unting." So there is balance there. Heartache and celebration for both sides, for everyone, no matter the species, no matter their current place in the great Circle. Ixi turns back to the water as the lion goes to fetch the dead mare from the water, taking her time to enjoy a slow drink. It is refreshing, even if the water is warmer and murkier than is typically to her liking. Now is hardly the time to be picky, she understands. She stands slowly when finished, allowing her gaze to drift across her surroundings, listening to the quiet flow of thoughts and images through the back of her mind. Ixi pays no real attention to them; as a Seer, there is a constant awareness to the /everything/ being thrown at her. But time has taught her how to ignore it, for the most part. True Seeing takes time, energy, focus. Not things she would want to give up easily. But that doesn't keep her from being aware of the little tugs and pushes that guide her own actions. And, though she's not particularly starving at the moment, there is a draw to linger here still. To eat - food, especially now, especially FREE, should never go ignored - and remain in the presence of the barbary. For what reasons she is unsure, and not about to waste the time trying to figure it out, but she'll go with the flow. Ixitulani picks her way back from the water, back towards Mivuto and the mare. She keeps a small distance, though, allowing him to eat first. "And free meals is being nice, yes?" She says, her words again tinged with light amusement. "I am guessing yous 'unting goes about as well a mine own." And the wry note there suggests that her hunting, especially lately, isn't exactly great. The world really needs to spit out some cheetah-friendly prey for hunting! Less of these big, well built buffalo and zebra and things!
Mivuto, male barbary lion
Ixitulani, female king cheetah
[Forgotten Lands] Velvet Sea Plains
Hot, dry, airless. Typical African weather, just multiplied a few times in concession to the fact that it hasn't rained in...how long? Mivuto doesn't mind. There's usually something dead to eat, and if there's not there's a herd of something desperate for water congregating at the much-diminished river, which makes hunting much easier for him. He's not good at it, with his size and his mane, so it helps when his dinner's got no choice but to come over even when he's sitting five feet away and eyeing it with bright, predatory interest. And if the river dries up entirely he can always leave; the only reason he's attached to this miserable plot of land is because nobody owns it, and he can wander it all he likes without fear of being confronted by the angry ruler of some-pride-or-other. ...But one thing he /does/ hate? The bloody /heat/. Argh the sun's going down so why isn't it getting any /colder/. It feels like the mane that's supposed to protect him is trying to /kill/ him; it's like walking around with a nasty, heavy blanket draped over his neck and belly all the time. He thinks he's /shedding/, for gods' sakes. And it's still not /helping/. He grunts, rolling onto his side in the dry grass, then to his back. And back to his side again when he realises there's no way /that's/ going to help cool him off; it'll just get his back hot too. His cheek pressed to the ground, he glares at the hooves of a small, miserable-looking zebra herd a few hundred feet away, heading for the river. Lucky he's got a full belly; hunting is hard, overheating work! Work that he doesn't feel up to right now.
It is, indeed, quite hot and dry. And while she does not sport a great heavy mane, Ixitulani has her own set of troubles with the abnormal weather thanks to her body. For unlike other cheetahs, Ixi is much more heavily splotched with black. Which absorbs the heat. Which is not so helpful during any dry season, but is especially troublesome this time around. And yet, as she wanders through the plains, dry grass crunching even under her light steps, she gives no outward signs that she is so bothered by the heat. No use getting too irritated at the weather, she figures, when there is nothing she can do to change it. The female cheetah's pace is slow and even, fluid.. if viewed from a distance, she might appear to be gliding through the grasses instead of walking. If she were leonine, perhaps she'd be royalty, for she has that sort of presence about her. Ixitulani is headed nowhere in particular, always allowing her paws to set both her path and her pace and knowing that they will get her where she needs to be. And it just so happens that her current path is drawing her closer to Mivuto. His rolling about is seen from a bit of a distance, alerting her to his presence. A lion, and a large one at that. Her tail curls gently behind her, and Ixi keeps to her path, slowing slightly as she nears. And, noting the mane he sports, a deep chuckle is issued. "Ah, I am imagining yous are most uncomfortable, lion," comes the cheetah's voice; it's a rich alto, with a hint of some exotic accent. Quite fitting, given her appearence and 'profession.' But her tone is not unkind, and there is a small, but warm smile on her face.
The zebras are eyeing him back, and they look edgy. Little wonder; a staring, frowning cat probably doesn't spell a lot of good things for them under most circumstances. But, fortunately for the ungulates, he doesn't even get as far as standing up. There's no point, not until he gets thirsty. And by that time the temperature /will/ have dropped a little, he hopes. So after a few minutes his eyes slip shut...only to open again when he hears the rasp of something moving through the dry, dead grasses not far away, and a voice addressing him shortly after that. His head lifts, and there's a bit of vegetation stuck to it; the ground's shedding too, it seems like. A cheetah? They don't usually talk to him, likely because most lions--at least the opportunistic ones--won't hesitate to share their kills whether they like it or not. So he's a little surprised, but Mivuto is at heart a very sociable creature. Far be it from him to pass up a conversation that isn't just 'Who are you? Get out of my territory!' His tongue washes out over his nose--it's dry, so maybe he /should/ get up for a drink soon--and then he grins, openmouthed because he can breathe through it and at least cool that off a little. "/Very/ uncomfortable, love." That little pet name is /usually/ reserved as an expression of deep affection for most people. As far as he's concerned, though, it's just a friendlier version of 'hey you,' something that's gotten him in trouble before. Nobody ever said he was a fast learner, though! "Can't imagine you're very comfortable either, though." It's in clear reference to her unusually splotchy pelt--he may not have any black fur to draw more heat (thank the gods), but he's seen more than one unhappy, black-pelted leopard panting in the shade. Kind of unusual for a cheetah, though. Must suck doubly since he doesn't think they can hunt at night.
Luckily, Ixitulani isn't the sort to get all bent out of shape over pet names, lack thereof or whatever. Heck, she doesn't get bent out of shape about much of anything. It just isn't worth her time and effort, when she could be doing something useful, or devoting that same time and energy into focusing her thoughts to the future and Seeing what is to be. Her pace slows to a halt, still a fair few tail lengths between herself and the male lion, and amusement melts onto her features. "No," She says in agreement. "I am not being very comfortable in 'zis 'ot wea'zers." The cheetah's small head tilts just so, giving Mivuto a long, considering look with her pale blue eyes. "And yet.. looking at yours, I am t'inking that I 'ave nuzzing to be complaining abouts, eh?" Because surely a great heavy looking mane has got to be more uncomfortable than simply having a dark (or dark splotched) coat.
Probably it is...but at least Mivuto's is light. He feels sorry for whatever male lions are running around with big, /dark/ manes, especially if theirs are as heavy as is. Just toting this around is bad enough. "It's a lot of extra weight," he agrees, and makes a little face--it's a grimace, almost--to illustrate just how much extra weight it /is/. He's got a bit of an accent himself--not nearly as thick, but different from most of the locals he's met, his pronunciation a little softer somehow. "Should be cooling off a little soon, though. I hope. Tried sleeping through the worst of it, but the heat kept me awake." He snorts a little laugh and, finally, he actually moves--he pushes himself up onto his haunches, even though he doesn't feel like it. Not to be especially /polite/, since, frankly, he wouldn't care if Ixitulani was the one not getting up to greet him, but just because he's decided he ought to have that drink. In weather like this, it's probably better to drink /before/ you get thirsty.
Ixitulani can only imagine. Add that much extra weight to HER and she'd probably be completely unable to move. But her species in general are built much lighter than any lion, so no doubt even the most stout, well-built male cheetah could not take the extra weight, bulk and hairy-ness of a mane like Mivuto's. The female cheetah's gaze turns kindly sympathetic; how very odd of the world to make creatures such as lions exist in a place where it gets so warm. The universe strikes funny balances like that sometimes. She is much better able to handle the heat than a male lion (her darker coat aside), and yet this same area she lives in is full of many prey beats that could injure her and her kind much easier than a lion or leopard, just because of a cheetahs more delicate build. "Ze wea'zer will cool again before too long," She says, her voice soft but her tone matter-of-fact. "Times like 'zis are meant to be weeding out 'ze weak. It is a.. 'ow you say.. cleansing." She smiles, kindly, politely, watching as he rises. If she were a creature with a more timid constitution, Ixi would probably be feeling a little intimidated now. Not that Mivuto has acted in such a way, but his size and extra bulk provided by his mane do make a cheetah feel rather.. dwarfed. But, she is calmly confidant and senses no danger here. Or perhaps /Sees/ no danger? And, her actions always illuminated to her a few steps ahead thanks to the near constant stream of images she receives in the back of her mind, the Seeress steps forward to accompany the barbary to the water for a drink herself.
"I hope so. This has been going on so long it's getting ridiculous." And yet he sounds wry, more resigned than annoyed. It's pointless to get angry over it; he, personally, doesn't believe the idea that there's some god of rain floating around up there he could appeal to. And, even if there /is/, it must be sadistic. A deity like that would probably /want/ everyone begging it to grace them with the smallest drizzle, or getting angry at it. And Mivuto, personally, wouldn't want to give such an unpleasant god the satisfaction. He hauls himself to all fours, shedding a few blades of grass--not enough, though. He shakes himself off, sending the rest of them flying along with an amazing quantity of loose hairs. He /is/ shedding! Not that it matters...by the time it all finished falling out it would probably be cooler, anyway. But it itches. "A cleansing, huh?" His grin's come back, but it's smaller, a little crooked. "I guess that could be it." He just tends to view it as a stroke of really, really bad luck, but assigning deeper meanings to things like the driest dry season ever might be comforting, he supposes. He moves for the water, not attempting to give Ixitulani any particular berth--she doesn't seem ill at ease, and, anyway, if she hadn't figured out by now that he's no threat she probably wouldn't figure it out at all. He steps into the riverbed, dried up except for the water that runs through the middle, and tries not to put his paws into too much mud as he drinks. Blech. It's a pain to get off once it's already attached itself to you.
Ixitulani's smile is patient. "Cleansing takes time," She says simply in response to the comment of the length of this insane dry season. "Ze world extends beyond 'ere for as far as ze eyes can be seeing. 'Zat is a lot to be cleansing, I am t'inking." Though no doubt it is sad that there will be those that do not survive the dry season, they will be the weak. Weakness out here, in the wilds, is not something that can be tolerated to survive for too long. Weakness breeds more weakness. Though the dry season has been harsh, and has no doubt been harsher on those other than herself, Ixi counts herself fortunate that all she can find to complain about (were she the complaining type) would be that the excessive heat bothers her. But then, that is what shade was invented for. The cheetah paces easily alongside Mivuto, and they probably cut quite a picture walking together. How often would one see a lion and a cheetah walking together? Especially when their differences are exageratted by their own uniqueness amongst their individual species. Ixi finds herself a place at the waters edge, ignoring the mud that manages to creep up around her pawpads. It will dry soon enough (very soon, in this weather) and flake off as she walks. For a few moments, she drinks in silence. Then, abruptly, her head lifts, and odd, bright eyes dart downriver, to where the zebra herd gathers on the bank. The cheetah Seer's gaze is locked on one of the herd beasts in particular; a short, fat mare whose belly is swollen with an unborn foal. She cannot be too long from giving birth, the way her belly hangs. Ixi's ears twitch back slightly, but she continues watching.. even though she already has an idea just what she's going to witness. The herd begins to move, down the bank to cross the river and come up the other side. Perhaps they move because they are uneasy in the close presence of the two carnivores, but whatever the reason, they trod along in an almost melancholy fashion. That they are suffering in this weather, from lack of water and grass that is too dry, is obvious. The pregnant mare begins to move down the bank.. but in her slow, plodding pace one of her hooves doesn't quite clear a rock. She trips, stumbles, falls.. landing in the riverbed awkwardly, neck bent. She doesn't move again. Ixitulani blinks once. Perhaps if the weather were not so bad, the herd would not be so far removed from their normal grazing area. She and Mivuto would not have to come down so far to get the water. The herd would not feel the need to move across the river in search of safety and better eating. And the mare would have been more hopeful, more alert, more spirited. She would not have tripped and stumbled to her own death, and that of her unborn foal. Alas, that was not meant to be. The cheetah blinks again, watching the herd continue on.. only a few stopping to nose the now dead mare. "Cleansing," She says, and goes back to her drink.
Indeed, it could be a lot worse for either of them; it's hot and uncomfortable, yes, but at the same time the dry season can almost be a blessing for a rogue like himself. He's not tied to any particular territory, and he doesn't share his water with anyone except the occasional travelling companion; rationing drinks isn't any concern of his, since, if this river dries up altogether, he can always move on and find another. But every predator benefits from easier hunting when it's so dry, since their prey is more or less forced with the choice to either die of thirst or walk right into somebody's teeth and claws and risk ending up dinner. Most of them choose the latter, since while they can /all/ die from dehydration, even a large lion pride only needs one or two adults at a time. Still, when it gets /this/ hot, it can be unbearable, especially at the height of the day. And so Mivuto would be tempted to dunk himself in the river if he didn't know what a waterlogged mane feels like--heavy, mostly. And once mud gets into it, he can't get it out again until it dries, and chunks of dried mud crusted onto such long fur hurt coming off. It's not worth it, even if it /would/ cool him down a bit. He just laps at the water instead, stirring up a cloud of silt and doesn't look up right away even when the cheetah does. Though when he /does/ notice she seems to be looking at something, his eyes are quick to dart up--he's thinking it might be a crocodile, even though he hasn't seen many around here. But he can't figure out /what/ she's looking at until the zebra slips, and he watches it fall, his pupils flaring. "I think I'm fine with cleansing if it's going to put dinner right in front of my nose," he declares, and hastily finishes his drink, straightening up again. It's just a short jog over, and then he's locking his jaws around the dead mare's leg, tugging her back from the water--there /is/ a crocodile who's just surfaced, attracted by the brief commotion. It's just a little one, not big enough to be a threat, but if he just leaves it there a bigger one might show up. And he doesn't enjoy the idea of playing tug-of-war with something big enough to eat his head. It's unfortunate that the mare's death is more of a cause for him to celebrate than mourn, but that's the way it's always been; prey animals have to die to feed the carnivores. And you can't really afford to feel pity for something you need to kill for your survival.
The cheetah's head lifts - a droplet or two of water clinging to her dark chin - and she eyes Mivuto with a small smile. "As I am sure 'zat ze zehbra are being t'ankful for ze cleansing when it is making any would-being 'unters too weak to do any actual 'unting." So there is balance there. Heartache and celebration for both sides, for everyone, no matter the species, no matter their current place in the great Circle. Ixi turns back to the water as the lion goes to fetch the dead mare from the water, taking her time to enjoy a slow drink. It is refreshing, even if the water is warmer and murkier than is typically to her liking. Now is hardly the time to be picky, she understands. She stands slowly when finished, allowing her gaze to drift across her surroundings, listening to the quiet flow of thoughts and images through the back of her mind. Ixi pays no real attention to them; as a Seer, there is a constant awareness to the /everything/ being thrown at her. But time has taught her how to ignore it, for the most part. True Seeing takes time, energy, focus. Not things she would want to give up easily. But that doesn't keep her from being aware of the little tugs and pushes that guide her own actions. And, though she's not particularly starving at the moment, there is a draw to linger here still. To eat - food, especially now, especially FREE, should never go ignored - and remain in the presence of the barbary. For what reasons she is unsure, and not about to waste the time trying to figure it out, but she'll go with the flow. Ixitulani picks her way back from the water, back towards Mivuto and the mare. She keeps a small distance, though, allowing him to eat first. "And free meals is being nice, yes?" She says, her words again tinged with light amusement. "I am guessing yous 'unting goes about as well a mine own." And the wry note there suggests that her hunting, especially lately, isn't exactly great. The world really needs to spit out some cheetah-friendly prey for hunting! Less of these big, well built buffalo and zebra and things!