ZOTICUS XANTHOS
survive or suffer


Zoticus continued to notice the chill of the air, something that was both exciting and dreadful to the brute. He'd enjoy not having the blistering sun on his back, but he also knew Winter meant needing a whole bunch of food in the storages to last them all. He was never the one that had to really worry about it, always gliding along lazily, but now that he was a King, well, it was different.

He moved across the borders, doing his part in marking and scenting the land, all while his gaze studied the area for anything that seemed out of place. Leaning his head down, his nostrils flared around the scent of a few footprints, inhaling deeper before he looked back up and began to follow the smell. A low chuff left his lips , a quiet summoning for @Arjana if she was near, knowing the woman was a hard working hunter- surely she'd want to help him track this prey?

+5 Patrol the borders 1/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 1/2

@Arjana

"Speech"

The chill of winter sent a shiver down her spine. As the wind blew through her fur the orange faced lioness moved slowly across the bluffs. Her body low to the ground as her nose twitched close to the ground. Breathing deep she took in a scent and was following it when she heard @Zoticus calling. “He is close.” The words rolled off her tongue as she lifted her head to sniff the air. Judging where his scent was he had been busy remarking things, but more importantly she picked up that he was along close to the scent trail she had been following. Good maybe they where on the same trail?

Returning his call with a chuff of her own she moved towards him. Coming around the curve of a large boulder and spotted the red haired male. “Hey handsome. You called?” She purred softly as she came into view. Tail flickering she looked at him with a smile. “Pleasant weather for a hunt.” She commented as she stopped near him him.

+5 Follow the scent of prey 1/2

Art & Table by Autumn!

ZOTICUS XANTHOS
survive or suffer


Arjana didn't take long to show.

His gaze came to look upon her form, a curve of his lip coming as she greeted him with a soft purr of complimenting words. He rumbled in approval, halting in his step. "Always so nice to be around, Arjana. I hoped you'd join me for the day... it seems I caught the trail of something here." He spoke, letting his gaze fall from her as his head nodded to the trail before him, the scent of prey heavy as well as a few scattered footprints showing about.

"Maybe if we score a meal, we can sit and eat together, talk about some rank stuff too?" An invitation, he looked back to her then with a raised brow; curious if she still held the desire to rise up, because Zoticus wanted her to. She'd earned it no doubt.

+5 Patrol the borders 2/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2

@Arjana

"Speech"

“Always a pleasure to see you @Zoticus. I was hoping we would get a chance to speak soon. I know you said to find you after the last hunt, but with winter coming been a bit busy hunting. I don’t know how winters are upon the Bluffs but better to be safe than sorry. I worry we won’t have enough to make it through without depleting our supplies.” She said calmly but seriously. Voicing her worries was important and she knew that as King he had a lot to do daily, but this was something she was passionate about. Running a pride and being part of a pride it takes everyone working together to be successful. From recruiting for growth to hunting to feed said growth. She wasn’t a ranked lioness. Or at least not a respectable rank where other recruits would take her serious so therefore she did what she could to keep bellies full. Always thinking about food and hunting the orange faced lady possibly had a problem given her past. Or perhaps the pink rat was just right she was just a fat glutton who just wanted to stuff her face.

Head lowering she sniffed the ground picking up the trail in which he had been referring to and smiled. “Eventually our paths would have cross for I thinks…” She spoke calmly as she took another deep breath, “Yes for sure your trail is the same I had been following when I heard you call.” Following it she moved low to the ground. Her grey eyes scanning around them as she listened for movement. “I am glad I get the chance to hunt with you today. You can tell a lot about another by how they hunt.” She whispered not wanting to scare any prey away that might have been near.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 1/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2

Art & Table by Autumn!

ZOTICUS XANTHOS
survive or suffer


She was quick to explain herself, as well as to emphasize how busy she had been. Zoticus listened as she talked, nodding along while his lips pursed. Winter had been a worry for him, and he was just as concerned with Arjana on them not having enough to make it through the season. "Trust me, Arjana, my worries are the same as yours." He begun, shifting himself to look at her better. It was clear that despite her tone being calm, this was something she was passionate about. Seeing that she, too, wanted to aid and provide for the pride to keep them strong and healthy just proved how loyal she was.

"There is much to talk about, in terms of caches and other pride things... but let us get this meal first." He didn't want to lose focus and having something for him and Arjana to put on their stomachs would do them good, no doubt.

He smiled at her words, raising a brow slightly. "Is that so? I can't wait for your evaluation at the end of this, then." He mused lowly, his voice quieter as he moved along the trail. The scent was getting stronger, and Zoticus came to a halt as he saw an antler, and soon his body came to a crouch behind a stone. Not too far away from them was a medium-sized mountain goat, something that could fill them up and also be put back away into the cache as well for the others. Licking his lips, he looked to Arjana with interest. "I can go around, cut off the path that it could take up those trails- and you chase it in my direction?" He spoke, aiming to get a game plan laid out before they took advantage of the prey.

+5 Make a successful kill for food not using the hunt system 1/2
+5 Patrol the borders 2/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2

@Arjana

"Speech"

Keeping low and silent she listened to him with interest and it was a relief to hear she wasn’t the only one worried about food in the winter. She knew with the chill that could already be felt now within the bluffs that prey shall be harder to find come the coldest season of the year. Winter was also the season she lost her father from starvation so the worry had struck at her heartstrings even more. Sure he feared and hated her father, but he had still been her father and the hurt and loss was forever there. At the same time she didn’t feel sorry for him as he had been the reason for the loss of so many for her.

Hearing that he was looking forward to her evaluation she smirked and gave him the side eye as she came to a halt. Hiding behind a different boulder near @Zoticus she narrowed her eyes as she spied the goat. Head turning she listened to the plan was a delighted when her king took it upon himself to come up with something instead of just charging ahead. She knew so many that had been too greedy and confident that they would have just charged without saying a word. If that had happened she was sure their hunt would have failed. At times like this team work was the key.

Head nodding she signaled that she agreed. Wordlessly she waited for him to get into place before she shifted. Moving low and basically on her belly she hid from the goat and got ready to give chase.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 1/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2
+5 Make a successful kill for food not using the hunt system 1/2

Art & Table by Autumn!

ZOTICUS XANTHOS
survive or suffer


It seemed they had a game plan.

Zoticus licked his lips again before nodding at her, bodice low to the ground as he slowly began to crawl his way over to a spot that would cut the mountain goat off from the escaping trail. He made sure to avoid debris, careful and calculative in where he placed his paws.

Finally, when Zoticus felt as if he was in a good enough spot, the king let the very tip of his tail poke over the stone that covered him, a small signal to Arjana that she could initiate and start the hunt, and begin chasing the prey towards him. His muscles tensed and his fangs urged to taste the fresh blood, mind already humming with the thrill of the hunt.

+5 Make a successful kill for food not using the hunt system 1/2
+5 Patrol the borders 2/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2

@Arjana

"Speech"

Yes a game plan had indeed been put into action and as she waited in place she felt her muscles tense. Legs getting ready to spring forward she waited eyes watched the goat for a moment before her grey gaze turned to @Zoticus. Watching his careful steps she smiled as she silently judged him, but in a good way. Spotting the tip of his tail she made her move. Circling the rock she inched closer to the goat before it spotted her. Making eye contact with the prey for a split second before it bolted away from her with a panicked cry. Following behind she swatted at it’s hind in when it tried to go away she didn’t want it to go. The movement of her paw made the beast turn it’s path back towards the waiting lion. She hoped he was ready because they where coming up on him fast.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 1/2
+5 Follow the scent of prey 2/2
+5 Make a successful kill for food not using the hunt system 2/2

Art & Table by Autumn!

Zoticus

...He Will Be King...

It didn't take long for Arjana to see his signal, and Zoticus could feel his muscles twitching with the anticipation of the hunt. From his spot he could barely see Arjana scare the goat, hearing the panicked cry of the creature before he heard the incoming footsteps. He licked his lips, before his hind legs lurched him forward when the time was right. He charged over the stone, and with his jaws splayed wide was he able to grasp the throat, instantly closing down as he and the goat tumbled over the terrain.

Moments passed by and soon enough, their hunt reigned victorious. Zoticus panted lightly as he lifted himself up, dropping the goat with a satisfied look, before his head turned and gaze sought out Arjana. "Not too bad, eh?" He spoke with a smirk, quite proud of the two of them.


@Arjana

Image & code by reveriegraphics

Running after the goat she made sure that it couldn’t double back and escape on them. Her body blended in with the landscape, but her grey eyes giving her away as she watched it. Alert the orange faced lioness was rather enjoying herself. She was very serious when it came to hunting, but she still had fun. Being with @Zoticus she felt calm that should trouble pop up during this the two of them had enough brain cells between them to make one and figure something out.

Watching him go in for the kill and hearing the cry from the goat she smiled as it was finished. “Good job. Nicely executed kill.” She praised as she came closer. “A nice thought out plan and the strength to back it up.” She was very much giving him the run down of what she thought of them hunting together. “Good with team work too. Very good.” She was very pleased with how that all went.

Stopping near him she smiled as she panted. Out of the both of them she was glad that he choose to finish off the prey. He was bigger and was able to kill it faster than she would have been able to.

Art & Table by Autumn!