[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Umeme squinted at Muroki, knowing that for now, he had her. That smug male. "Ooh, maybe we should just get you to carry the cub then." She knew that Muroki cared for her, but as long as they can tease each other for now, even if he did have her, she didn't see any reason why she couldn't add her own twist. "And then we'll see how you will like being the center of attention."

Deciding that they might as well go and actually search for a den of their own like she told her mother they would, she motioned for Muroki to follow her. "Well come on, future mom. Don't expect us to remain here all day, do you?"

---

Delano shook his head. "Well, I sure do hope so." He didn't really know if he could get used to someone like Lina's mother. "Muroki and my parents were nothing like that." He frowned as a dreaded feeling filled him, but he quickly ignored it. There was nothing he could do about their murder now, and moping about it wouldn't solve a thing. "...Not like that at all. But not all change is bad, right?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki couldn't help but grin once Umeme finally said something, realizing that she had run of arguments to use in their argument. "I'm not sure if that's possible in like... any sort of way... Good thing I don't have to worry about that, huh?" he asked, unable to help it. However, once Umeme suggested that they got moving, he realized that their fake little argument was over. "I'm coming, my beloved husband." he said as he followed, chuckling to himself.

---

Lina nodded. "Right." She was more than certain that Delano would get over the uneasiness he felt around her mother. After all she only acted a little weird from time to time; it wasn't like she was a psychopath or anything. "I'm sure you'll get used to her." Not that Delano really had much of a choice, because while they were joking every now and then this was still his mother-in-law they were talking about.

[DGFone]

Umeme grinned at Muroki, but chose not to continue on their teasing of each other. "So what kind of den do you think we will need? One as big as the one we use now will be very hard to find, and that's assuming that it won't be occupied." She thought about what kind of home she and Muroki would want to get. "But we will need something bigger than just for the two of us. And then there's also the fact that mother will never allow us to live somewhere far away..."

The more she thought about it, the more of a problem finding a home was seeming to be. Together, she and Muroki were going have at least some trouble finding a home instead of a nice walk.

---

Delano grinned sheepishly at Lina again. "Yeah, I think I'll get used to it. Not like I have an option otherwise, do I?" He rubbed his head with a paw, thinking just exactly he was going to accomplish that goal. Sure, Lina's mother wasn't bad. Just... creepy. In the end though, there was little doubt in his mind that he will get over his feelings about her and even accept her as family.

Around that moment, his stomach rumbled again, reminding him that he was still very hungry. "Come on and let us catch a bite to eat. I'm starving!" Ge was rather looking forward to hunting with Lina, an activity that the two of them will be able to do without worrying about anyone else.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was quiet for a couple of moments, thinking about everything Umeme had just said to him. "I think we should bring every den we find that isn't occupied into consideration." he said after a while, "The first thing to check would be its size. Obviously it should be bigger than just for the two of us because others will visit us every once in a while, and if it's big enough I can bring anything I hunt into it, meaning that it will be more comfortable for you..." He thought for a couple of more moment. "Then there's the location, like you said. Hopefully we can find which won't be too small or too far away."

---

Lina chuckled, "No, you don't have a choice." She doubted she would be able to spend her life with anybody who rejected someone in her family, but luckily it didn't look like something she was going to have to deal with because she knew Delano was only joking around. "You don't have to repeat everything your stomach says, you know." It's been a while since the two of them had last gone hunting together, so she was also looking forward to it.

[DGFone]

Umeme simply smiled at Muroki. "Well then, we have quite the search to do, and an entire day to do it. Let's go!" Taking the lead, she lead Muroki in the direction where she knew most of the dens lay. The real problem lay in finding an unoccupied one, and claiming it before someone else will come along and take a den that she and Muroki would consider getting. "Say, how long do you think until Delano and Lina also start looking for their own den? Did your brother say anything about it?" Umeme had a hard time imagining that Lina would accept staying at their parents' den.

---

Delano chuckled. "Hey, I can't help it." He too was looking forward to hunting with Lina. "So what's going to be the plan? I scare the prey and you snag it?" As a male, he would have a harder time staying hidden in the grass for the final kill, but he could use that as an advantage to heard prey towards Lina.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki smiled and followed Umeme without making any objections, since she was obviously more familiar with the area than he was. The way he saw it she probably knew the location of a few dens which might prove right for them to use, in which case he really wasn't going to complain. "Well, when I told Delano about our decision he said he doesn't feel ready for that himself." he said, "I'm not sure what your sister thinks, but that's my brother's opinion as far as I'm aware."

---

Lina smiled. "Yeah, hat usually does the trick." If she remembered correctly then that was exactly what they had done the last time they had gone hunting together, but she wasn't completely certain. "First we have to find something, though." She didn't have a preference for anything specific. Her mother used to tell her that any food was a blessing, which was something that proved to be true in periods where prey was less easy to come by.

[DGFone]

Umeme shrugged simply. "I'm sure Lina can wait. But I don't think she'll agree on waiting forever." Deciding to change the subject, as well as knowing that Muroki most likely didn't know where to go, she grinned and shouted, "Last one to the first den is a three-legged zebra!" Before Muroki can so much as blink, she bolted off, knowing that now he had not much of a choice but to chase her.

---

Delano's stomach rumbled again, and he sighed, knowing that his hunger will have to wait "That's what I hate about hunting. First you have to actually find your food, and that doesn't always guarantee a meal." But as if to fulfill his wish, a slight movement caught the corner of his eye, and he looked to see a lone gazelle. His mouth watered just looking at it. "Hey, Lina, we're allowed to hunt here, right?" Already preparing for the hunt, he lowered himself towards the ground.

Spoiler: show

"Yeah, hat usually does the trick."

I think you've been playing too much TF2

[TheWhistlerify]

"Probably not." said Muroki with a shrug in reply to Umeme's remark about her sister, only to find himself standing completely on his own because Umeme had broken off into a run. "Ha ha, that's really funny!" he said with a chuckle as he chased after her. "But if I'll be a three-legged zebra then you'll have to either eat me for nourishment or do the hunting yourself!"

---

"Should I be jealous?" asked Lina with a chuckle as she saw Delano's mouth water just at the very sight of the gazelle ahead of them. "I think we're allowed to hunt here. I mean... I don't really see a reason why not." Since Delano would be easier to spot she decided it would be best if she was the one to circle the gazelle while Delano stayed put. Then, once she was at the other side, Delano could chase the gazelle in her direction.

Spoiler: show

Yes ._.

[DGFone]

"No I won't!" Umeme taunted back, finding it funny how Muroki brought this up again. "You'll just have to lead all the other zebra straight towards me! Either way, you'll be doing all the work!" Deciding that talking was taking too much breath, and therefore giving Muroki a chance to win, she tore off away from him, knowing that soon she will reach the dens, while Muroki won't have any idea where the finish line was.

---

"What? Oh, no, you don't need to be jealous. That gazelle is very delicious, but you won't want me to eat you." Delano looked at his potential meal, thinking of how to best get it. "If one of us can hide on the other side of it, the other can chase it down... I think it will be better if I chase it towards you, and if you hide by that rock over there..."

[TheWhistlerify]

As childish and stupid as their argument was, Muroki couldn't help himself from enjoying it. He couldn't see a point in being grown up if he could not act like a cub sometimes. It's not like he had any idea where they were going, so he didn't have a choice but to let Umeme keep the lead, although he made sure to let her know that he was letting her win by running closely behind her. The thought of losing and being teased about it by her later didn't bother him. What he did care about was finding a proper den for them to use while enjoying his mate's company.

---

Hiding by the rock Delano was talking about was obviously going to provide Lina with a better hiding spot. Perhaps leaping at the gazelle from the rock would be a good idea. That way she would have a better angle to knock it from. But doing that would expose her to the risk of accidentally bumping into the gazelle's antlers. "Sure. I'll wait there." She knew doing this the normal way would be a better idea. Like her mother had always said while teaching her and Umeme how to hunt, safety came first. After all, failing at a hunt was better than failing and injuring yourself.