Revenge - Shadowfax and Tsuki [Private]

[Tsuki]

Zuberi hunched his shoulders in a short of shrug to her response. He wasn't calling Nova weak. He just had to make sure she wasn't going to be a liability. As they reached the tree, Zuberi stretched his limbs. It was so good to get the sun off his back, but as he heard Nova curse under her breath he turned and followed her gaze. He tutted.

"No point in climbing. You'll injure yourself more. Besides your coat will blend in well with this grass."

He didn't want to sound concerned but he needed Nova in a healthy condition if she was going to help him with his revenge. Then something caught his attention behind Nova.

A lone springbok had just appeared not far off and had started grazing, oblivious to the two predators sheltering under the tree. Usually Zuberi didn't hunt in the midday sun but he couldn't let this opportunity pass. This springbok was just asking to be hunted. He took off without another word. The springbok saw him coming but he had already covered half the distance. The springbok bolted, trying to put enough distance between itself and Zuberi, but Zuberi was fast. He reached out his front paw and tucked it around one of the springboks back legs, causing it to trip over it's own hooves. As the springbok hit the ground, Zuberi already had his teeth around it's throat. It was over in a couple of minutes.

Zuberi dropped the springbok and panted for breath. Chasing down prey took a lot out of him. But if he stayed here he would attract unwanted attention. Plus the heat was getting worse now. He picked up the prey by the neck and started to slowly drag it back to the tree in which Nova was sheltered under. This took him a while but when he finally reached it he dropped the prey and flopped down next to it, panting for breath.

[Shadowfax]

Nova watched Zuberi take off at top speed. She had seen cheetah's run before, but it always amazed her at how quick they could run and how quickly they could get a good pace going. She watched on in surprise as Zuberi caught the Springbok. She hadn't expected that and when she saw him dragging it back she shook her head with annoyance. No way was she going to let him feed her. She didn't want to appear weak.

"You know this will attract all sorts of unwanted attention" She told Zuberi as he reached the tree.

In truth she was glad he had caught something for she too was hungry, but now they'd have jackals, hyenas, vultures and possibly lions to contend with if they wanted to eat. If blood was on the air, they would all be drawn to it.

[Tsuki]

Zuberi raised his head from where he lay, catching his breath. He frowned at Nova.

"I was hungry. And if we always worry about drawing attention to ourselves then we will starve. We have to eat if we want to stay strong."

He moved his paw and gave the carcass a nudge.

"Eat. You look like you need it. But save me some. I just need to catch my breathe."

[Shadowfax]

"We better hurry up. I don't want to deal with any other lions, hyenas, leopards.. Or any other kind of creature for that matter" Nova growled, digging her paw into the carcass so forcefully, blood began to ooze out from where her claws were.

Nova hated to look weak, but she was so hungry and so concerned about other animals turning up she was soon tearing away at the carcass, eating enough to fill her empty belly. She would growl occasionally, more out of habit than need. When she was done, she looked to Zuberi, muzzle covered with blood and her belly swelling.

"You better eat too.."

[Tsuki]

Zuberi watched Nova eat and his ears fell on the back of his head. Nova must have been living rough for a while. For a lion to gulp down their food and be on edge while eating, why that wasn't lion like. That was something he would do. He always had to look over his shoulder for burglers. Lions and Hyenas in particular. He could scare off the odd jackal and vulture. But it was more difficult when he was faced with larger enemies. He was pleased he had managed to get Nova on his side. He stood up and stretched his front legs, arching his back. He then bent over the carcass and began to eat at the bits Nova had left. He had never imagined himself sharing a meal with a lion and yet here he was sharing his prey. He surprised himself sometimes. He looked up from eating.

"You never told me why you are on your own. Thought you Lions liked to stick together. Especially females."

He went back to eating, waiting for Nova's response.

[Shadowfax]

"Well I ain't like normal lions" Nova said rather irritably.

She went over to the tree and settled down, starting to lick the blood off her fur for she hated being covered in dry blood. She was silent for a moment as she cleaned her paws, but looked back at Zuberi after pondering his question for a while.

"Though I might have lived with lions for a time, i've been on my own my whole life. I don't trust lions" She said swishing her tail.

[Tsuki]

Zuberi finished eating. For once he hadn't had to worry and had eaten as much as he could. It felt amazing to feel full for once. He purred in contentment and lay down next to the tree on his side. He looked up at the sun. There would be no point in moving at this time of day. They would just wear themselves out and they would easilly be spotted. It was best to stay put for a while at least.

Zuberi yawned and turned to look at Nova.

"Sounds rough. And yet another thing we have in Common. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a Cheetah in a Lions body. Why don't you trust them? I thought all Lions got on. Except for Rogues."

He paused and frowned. Was it that Nova was a rogue? It had been two rogues that had attacked him leaving his face scarred.

"You're not a rogue are you?"

His voice hardened.

[Shadowfax]

Nova laughed at Zuberi's question.

"Rogue? No. Rogues are vicious and kill for the sake of killing. Me, if others get in my way I will knock them down, but I tend to avoid others. I just want to live how I want and not be told what to do" Nova paused, afraid of trailing off back into her own past somewhere she didn't want to go.

"I am far from a normal lion though, and you're far from a normal cheetah.. It's not often you see our species in eachothers company" She said with a slight smirk.

[Tsuki]

Zuberi sighed in relief. He was safe. For now anyway. If Nova had been a Rogue he would have left her and found help elsewhere. Rogues had made him into the cheetah he was today. He smirked.

"Be grateful you aren't a normal lion. I don't like Lions all that much."

This was true. Every since that day he had despised all Lions. But Nova was right. She wasn't like a normal lion. In fact, Zuberi thought he could get use to her. That was so long as she didn't stab him in the back. He wasn't naive enough to trust her completely. He would still be on his guard around her.

"Besides. I'm no normal cheetah. I'm a King Cheetah."

He stretched out showing off his coat.

"Different markings."

[Shadowfax]

"That's lioness fool" Nova said rolling her eyes.

When Zuberi mentioned being a King Cheetah she had to hold back all the witty comments she had come up with. She couldn't be bothered, besides.. Sarcasm seemed lost on this one.

She yawned and rest her head on her front paws as exhaustion took over her body. It had been a long and very odd day, but she had new plans and new prospects now which excited and scared her. She wondered if her and Zuberi would be successful in bringing down Simba and his pathetic pride. Would that be what Scar wanted? He was dead though. It didn't matter now.

"Not seen any King Cheetah's around here before" She said.