[Nkhan]

Another horizon behind him, another new land to explore.
N’khan’s broad paws finally come to a stop at the edge of an ocean of tall grasses. From his vantage point atop a hunk of rock he can watch the waves of air currents moving across the gilded plain. His pale eyes sweep the landscape, taking it all in. A few grazing beasts are mingling to the west, he notices.
He is quite obvious, a cat of substantial stature with such a dark hide towering over the tall grass. But he’s not here to hunt. No, for now his mission is simply to keep exploring until he finds a safe spot to rest. Once the sun sets and the shadows are plentiful, then he will seek out a meal before settling down for sleep.

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Tiny paws flew across the grassy ground, her agile muscles and bones carrying her with ease and speed as she chased down her meal; a swift gazelle. Her eyes fixed on her prey, the female sped through the long grass, her muscles contracting beneath her beautiful, spotted pelt as she raced under the sun. Clouds of dust left in her wake as she gained on the grass-eater. Her hunger pushed her forward but she knew, with her species' little endurance and stamina, she'd slow down soon. Meaning she had to take her chance now. With a pounce, Phoebe's claws dug into the gazelle's hindquarters, bringing the beast down to the ground with a tackle. Her jaws quickly found their way to its neck, sinking in and waiting as the life drained from its eyes, its head now surrounded by a pool of blood.

Swiping her pink tongue across her maw, cleaning it of any blood, the elegant huntress stood up, looking around. As her head turned and searched, her heart dropped as her kind eyes fell upon a large, muscular saber-tooth. Gradually, her already adrenaline-full heart began to pound quicker, her ears having flattened ever so slightly, and her tail flicking behind her in a kind of nervous manner. Saber-tooths were feared by pretty much all other feline breeds. They were bigger, stronger, and had much much longer teeth. Especially to a cheetah, as the breed was the least strong of the big cats, relying more on speed. And that was her specialty. She knew she wouldn't die here. No, no. For, as intimidating and strong as a saber was, this bulky male couldn't run nearly as fast as she could. What she really was afraid of was him taking her food. Regardless of the fear that she felt in her chest, the female refused to act weak. Standing up tall, the beautiful cheetah smiled, though her claws remained unsheathed, just in case. “Hi there!” she greeted, her voice feminine and young, yet beautiful, with winged words reaching the male's ears with a honey-like tone.

ooc :D

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[Nkhan]

A swift blur yanks his gaze down, and he watches in awe as the spotted cat pounces and nabs a meal with such lightning speed. He had only heard of these runners, so quick you could never hope to catch them. In a hunt, he could only hope to wear his target down over long distance before overpowering it, that is if he didn't manage to creep up and get a lucky pounce.
Soon after the female's prey was subdued, her eyes swept up to him and he could sense her tension in the way her tail twitched. He is visibly pleased, ears perking when she greets him rather than abandoning her meal, as it would be a shame to have wasted such beautiful effort. He descends from his perch on the rocks, but he doesn't approach.That would certainly scare her off.
"Good hunt," he rumbles, his voice deep to match his heavy stature. He meant it as a compliment as well as a greeting.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Stunning orange eyes watch the muscular feline as he came down from the rocks he had previously stood upon. She could have sworn she saw awe in his gaze, but no, that couldn't be. Her muscles tensed, ready to speed off if he continued to walk in her direction, as was her cheetah instincts, despite her kind demeanor. On the level ground with him, Phoebe could see the major difference in height. She was a small two feet and three inches and he looked a good bit more than a foot taller than her. He was a dark colored cat, but with pale blue paint on some areas. Standing up as tall as she possibly could, the short female met her eyes with his, taking note of the striking yellow-tan color they had. Looking at him, the lean-muscled feline pondered. What did he want? He would either be kind or mean, as most larger felines such as tigers and lions were to a small female such as her. She hoped he was friendly, as she loved making new friends.

Phoebe's ears perked, swiveling towards him with a flick, as he spoke, his voice a deep rumble, definitely a voice she expected from his appearance, though not unpleasant. She was a bit surprised at the compliment, but happy. Smiling, she nodded. "Thank you!" she said with a friendly tone, her captivating gaze moving to look at her kill for a split second before directing to the saber-tooth again. "What's your name?" she asked, more relaxed but still prepared just in case he proved to be just another hungry hunter.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

He keeps his distance, a few leaps from her, and decides it's best to remain this way until she gives him a sign she's okay with his presence. He bobs his heavy head to her thanks, a small smile playing at the corners maw. In the heat of the day, however, it won't be long before other things are attracted to her kill. He starts to wonder if he's an unwelcome distraction.
"My name is N'khan," he replies, "I hope my presence isn't bothering you. I could move on, if you like."

He silently hopes she won't send him away. He'd actually like to talk more, even if it's while she enjoys her meal and he has to stay over here.
From what he can see, the female is designed for speed with a light frame and deep chest. Her large eyes held his stare, the dark lines around her muzzle leading one's gaze into her amber orbs. Her spots are quite mesmerizing, covering nearly every inch of her. Her voice was also quite alluring, bouncing like the chirps of a bird and a perfect match to such a creature. There was certainly nothing like her where he came from.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

As a smile appeared on the male's face, the cheetah couldn't help but reflect it on her own feminine face. She was happy that the intimidating smilodon was smiling, as it showed he was friendly. Left ear flicking idly, the slender female listened to his name. Hm... N'khan. It was a strong name, almost leader-like in sound, all while not being an unpleasant one to hear. But, her smile faded at his next few words. Phoebe shook her head, her tail moving idly behind her, “Oh, no, no!” she began, a small, rather adorable frown appearing on her face, she was sad he had interpreted her behavior as unwelcoming. “You aren't bothering me at all! It's just instinct, my apologies. I like talking to others.” she explained, feeling her body relax as her cheetah instincts faded away, replaced by the kind, outgoing personality and attitude the lean-muscled feline owned. Going back to his name, her beautiful orange gaze met his once more, “I'm Phoebe.” she said with a smile, her amber eyes and soft face kind as she introduced herself.

Knowing that other animals would soon come and try to take her yummy food, the light-weighted feline looked around, ears perked and alert as a crackling sound was heard. Her hearing proved to be better than a lot of other animals she met, though maybe it was a cheetah thing. Phoebe looked back at N'khan, wondering whether or not she should share her food. He looked hungry, which made her surprised that he wasn't attempting to steal hers. Most bigger cats, such as tigers, lions, and saber-tooths, would. Her kind nature and heart urged her to, but her cheetah instincts begged not. Shrugging internally, the young female offered the handsome feline a smile before gesturing towards the carcass. “Would you like to share?” she asked with a kind, sweet tone.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

He could see that she felt more relaxed now, and he takes this as his chance to approach. He moves slowly, holding his smile, "I understand, Phoebe.. I don't exactly look friendly at first glance." Her name suits her as much as her voice. Everything about her seems light and airy.
He knows he is large and dark, and the markings around his striking eyes can even make him appear menacing. It was a helpful first defense, but always worked against him in situations like this.

When she offered to share her meal, he perks up, "You don't mind?" He hadn't planned on hunting for several hours, but no sense in denying a bite. When he gets close to her, he notices her looking off as if she'd heard something. He lifts his head, large ears searching. She had earned this meal, and he won't allow a scavenger to come and take it.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Phoebe proved to be more relaxed and welcoming of his presence as she remained still and calm as he began moving forward. Ears perked and watching him, she listened to his words, shaking her head with a smile. “Unfortunately, all bigger cats do in a cheetah's eyes. We're fast, but we're not the strongest.” she said, shrugging slightly, her tail waving behind her idly and comfortably. He wasn't wrong, though. While he was a handsome feline, he was large and muscular, with dark fur and striking eyes. The features proved to be a bit intimidating, especially to less-than-strong animals that relied more on speed, such as her species.

Happiness appeared in the lean-muscled female's eyes as he perked up, feeling satisfied that he had seemed to get happier himself as her kind offer of food. It always made her happy to help another. She shook her head, “Of course not!” she said, smiling as she gestured towards the carcass, backing up a step to give him room. “I can't eat this whole thing by myself anyway.” she said with an amused glint in her kind gaze as she moved to her own part of the dead gazelle. Giving the saber one last look, the female's maw opened, her incredibly sharp teeth revealed inside the small mouth, and she took a bite of the kill, chewing on it slowly yet with hunger, though not in a disturbing fashion.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

He chuckles, nodding in agreement. Bigger cats must seem terrifying to many small creatures. Most aren't as kind as he is. In fact, he'd heard that many big cats will try to eliminate weaker competition. But N'khan would rather move on than start a fight, unless he was defending someone else.
The saber settles at the opposite side of the carcass, rough tongue cleaning the area before he digs in with his large teeth. He uses a heavy paw to hold the small body in place so he doesn't yank the meal away from Phoebe. As he eats, he watches her from across their meal. He purposefully eats slowly, wanting to make sure she got as much as she could handle before he got his share. All the while, he keeps an ear out. The scent of blood in the air is much more prominent now that they've opened the gazelle. All sorts of creatures would be drawn here very soon.
He decides to focus on eating rather than causing a distraction by talking between bites.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

With a small paw on the carcass, the female continued to eat the delicious food before her, her ears alert for any sound of danger as she sated her hunger. Watching the male begin eating, her bright, orange gaze falls upon the massive paw that pushed on the carcass near her own. It was much larger than her own, small one. Definitely an intimidating feature to be sure. With small, dainty bites, Phoebe continued to eat, her eyes watching her surroundings as she did so. She knew that more creatures, specifically big, hungry ones, would smell her kill and follow it, especially with the smell of cheetah, as most animals knew cheetahs would flee if the opponent was too large.

Suddenly, a crackle of leaves and other ground material was heard from an area behind her and the elegant female shot up, ears perked and eyes scanning the environment in front of her. Her chest thumped and claws unsheathed, her tail waving behind her nervously. Fear surged through her as a loud, terrifying roar was heard. A large feline jumped through the tall grass, prowling closer to her and her catch, as well as the large saber-tooth behind her, the stranger growling at the two. Lion. Trying to be as optimistic as she usually did, the female greeted him. “Hi there!” she said with a smile, though her pretty voice was just a bit shaky. In response, the no doubt hungry lion released another terrifying roar, his claws unsheathed and tail lashing behind him. Immediately, the cheetah instinctively lowered slightly, her lips curling back as she began hissing at the male, whose teeth were sharp and mane large and intimidating. She was unsure of whether or not N'khan would help and, in all honesty, the lion and the fear it caused her had made her forget about the saber-tooths presence as it prowled. Muscles tensed, Phoebe continued to stand defensively, though she knew she would have to run. She stood no chance against a lion.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

N'khan rises slowly at the sight of the other male, his smile gone and his dark frame all the more menacing with the fresh blood on his jaws. He steps over the gazelle and puts himself next to Phoebe. His deep voice can be soothing to those that know him, but quite intimidating to those that don't.
"There will be plenty left when we are done, stranger," though he could tell by his stance and noisemaking that this brute had no desire to wait his turn. Still, he'd give him a chance to act civilized, and do what he must if the lion decides to attack. That is, unless Phoebe runs. If she is willing to abandon the kill, then he will join her. No need to risk injury if it's not needed.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Shaking ever so slightly at the sound of the massive lion's roar, the feline attempted to stand her ground, sharp teeth bared and ears flattened as her body remained tense.
Seeing N'khan step beside her from the corner of her eye, the slender female looked at him and suddenly felt more confident with him standing beside her, especially after his intimidating words to the aggressive feline before them. She wondered. Why was he so hostile? Even after N'khan told him there would be some left, he refused to wait and continued with hostility, not even using his words to voice his odd aggression. Regardless, she felt safe with the much stronger, long-toothed cat. With the saber-tooth standing strong beside her, Phoebe rose to her full height, her stunning orange eyes staring confidently into the lion's own, though his striking gaze made her heart pound.

After N'khan's attempt to calm him with words, the female assumed the lion couldn't be reasoned with so she stood her ground. The stranger began charging with an intent to kill, somehow unfazed by the equally large, but saber-toothed, cat that stood beside the cheetah. Seeing him attack, Phoebe, filled with confidence and bravery, charged as well, though she used her speed and darted under his paw, slicing at his shoulder with quick movements. Turning quickly, the muscular lion swiped a paw at her as she attempted to round him from the front and aim at his throat. His massive paw hit the female square in the face, which was about the size of his paw if not slightly bigger, and she was flung to the side, her back hitting the rock as she fell to the ground with a pained whimper, blood beginning to drip from the back of her head as she lay there, dazed, her vision disoriented by the blow.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

It all happened so fast, N'khan could barely react to stop the devastating blow. As Phoebe falls, all negotiations are off, and the saber thunders across the short distance between him and the lion, rising up on his hind paws. A roar explodes from his jaws, teeth bared and huge canines flashing in the sunlight. He acts quickly, muscular forelegs grappling with the lion and jaws snapping for whatever flesh they can get a hold on.
He doesn't go for the throat, as his goal is to muscle the lion into submission and chase him off. He would only kill him if it was totally necessary, though the scent of Phoebe's blood does make a pretty strong case.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

With blurred vision, Phoebe attempted to raise her head, eyes attempting to adjust to the scene before her as N'khan charged at the lion after the lion's massive paw hit the female into the boulder. The sabertooth's roar caused fear to ripple through her small body as she felt dread in her heart. It wasn't another one, was it? That would be terrible. But, relief flooded her heart as she realized it was N'khan who had released the sound more frightening than even the lion. A bright light flashed against her eyes for only a moment as the sun reflected off the muscular smilodon's saber-teeth as he began grappling with the stranger, who had foolishly and rudely refused to wait only a few minutes for the two to sate their hunger on the large gazelle. Her heart prayed and hoped the saber-toothed feline would win,
though she was sure he would. Even lions feared their saber-toothed competitors.

As she attempted to lift her head, Phoebe released a soft sound of pain as her head dropped to the ground, a small puff of dust rising as her skull hit the ground, though she tried her best to watch the fight that occurred before her, her strong will helping her as she refused to pass out, no matter how hard her body urged her to do so.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

The two large cats throw their weight around, paws swinging and teeth gnashing, snarls filling the air as they struggle between striking and dodging. They kick up dust in their efforts, a cloud rising even over the high grasses. Both males open wounds in the other, mostly about the face and shoulders as they refuse to turn their backs.
N'khan can't risk a peek at the small female, his worry and will to survive driving him beyond the pain.
Finally, a lucky sweep of his paw and the lion can't keep his footing. The brief stumble allows N'khan to shoulder the lion over, and he slams a huge paw down just below his opponent's jaw, holding his head down and cutting off his air. One of N'khan's hind paws is set at the bottom of the lion's ribs, claws threatening to gut the male if he dares to strike again. The lion can only press his paws under N'khan's body, but he isn't able to move the saber's weight.
He stares down at the lion, "Don't let hunger make you stupid. When I let you go, you leave. When we're gone, you can have the gazelle." At this point, they're beyond sharing. Phoebe would need to be brought somewhere safe. They'd hunt again later. But he wouldn't have this brute taking another shot at them while he's trying to help the female.

The maned cat doesn't respond, but N'khan feels him relax a little under his hold. The dark male removes himself in one motion, putting himself between the lion and Phoebe.
With one last glance at the gazelle, the lion wrinkles his nose and slinks off into the grass. N'khan knew he wouldn't go far, but he only needed enough time to get Phoebe out of harm's way.
He finally turns to her, puffing as his adrenaline begins to wear off, "Talk to me, Phoebe.." He has to be sure she isn't seriously damaged, and he considers how he could move her without harming her further.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

As the sunlight blazed down upon the limp cat, the cheetah's black eye markings help her vision focus more, though it remains a bit blurry. Head pounding as the shock fades away completely, the pain increasing as this happens, and the sound of N'khan's voice leaves her staring at him with a somewhat blank expression as he stands in between her and the stranger lion. Blood stains the back of her spotted tan head as the wound, caused by her head hitting the rock, gushes out blood at a mediocre pace. Three claw marks begin to form on her left cheek, noticeable now as the blood starts slowly oozing from it, though it was uncertain whether or not they would leave scars.

Phoebe watches with relief as the lion walks away after N'khan's words, relief surging through her body and flooding her heart as her body relaxes more, only tensing at the pain. Ears flattened as a natural response to her injuries, the small feline looks up at the saber-tooth as he approaches, a concerned look on his face. She shook her head as her vison cleared ever so slightly, remaining only a bit blurred, as she attempted to push herself to her feet. “I'm fine, I'm fine.” she insists,
her voice revealing her pain, as well as the naive innocence that she owned, adding to her sometimes detrimental kind nature. As she tries pushing herself up, Phoebe fell to the ground with the smallest sound of a whimper, her ears remaining flattened and lean body shaking ever so slightly.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

She could speak, and though she's obviously disoriented she could at least see and hear. He offers a small sigh, his own wounds nothing in comparison for the pain he feels for her. She'd been quite brave, taking on that male. He was just thankful she wasn't alone. Then again, he sensed this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been here. Surely, the smaller cat would've bolted at the sight of the larger lion.
Still, there was no reason to point blame. N'khan considers taking her by the scruff, but that certainly wouldn't be comfortable. She can't walk, probably not even while leaning against him. He wonders if she could hang onto his back. Even if she clung on with her claws, his thick hide could handle it.
He lowers himself to his belly next to her, "Try to move one more time. Get on my back and hang on. I'll walk slowly, and get you out of here."
N'khan doesn't know this land, but perhaps he could find a thicket or hollow to hide her.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Phoebe looked up at the large, bloody saber-tooth as he looked down at her. What had happened? What happened after the fight and the pinning of the lion under the saber-tooth's paws, she couldn't remember. There was a chance she heard whatever N'khan had said to the lion before the stranger walked off, but she couldn't remember now. Whatever he had said, it was obvious the lion was coming back, or else the smilodon would not be in such a rush to get out of there.

The lean female listened to his words and nodded. With shaky legs, she pushed herself up, shaking her head in order to regain control of her sight and get rid of her disorientation. A few times she would almost collapse but would catch herself before she hit the ground. With weak steps, Phoebe moved towards N'khan, who had bent down close to her. Using all the strength gained from running almost every day, she slowly climbed atop the male, collapsing upon his muscular, firm back. Holding onto him as best she could, the female allowed herself to relax, feeling safe atop the nice gentleman who was kind enough to help her.

ooc @Nkhan

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[Nkhan]

He lifts her easily, her weight nothing to his muscular frame. He moves slowly but steadily away from the gazelle, and as soon as they disappear into the tall grass the lion is upon the carcass.
N'khan knows he has to find a comfortable spot, hopefully near water but well concealed, so he sniffs the air hoping to find a clue. Faint on the wind, he detects the stench of many creatures gathered together. Only one thing would bring so many different beasts together: watering hole. But he can tell it's a ways off and he can't expect Phoebe to hang on for too long. They'll have to take the journey in bursts.
N'khan sets his sights on a small cluster of spindly trees and alters course, "How you doing up there?"
He needs to be sure she stays awake. A frightening story from his youth crawls up in his mind: A member of his pride had suffered a similar injury to his head during a difficult hunt. He claimed to feel tired so he was left to rest.. and never woke up again.
He would not let that happen.

@Phoebe

[Phoebe]

Phoebe,

Only rainbows after rain.

actions - “speech”

Struggling to keep awake, fatigue flooding her body, Phoebe's eyes closed as she lay atop the muscular brute, wondering where he was taking her, and why he was helping her. She appreciated it and wasn't worried he had ill intentions, just curious. At his deep-voice, concerned words, she felt too tired to speak at the moment but made a little hum noise to signify she was doing alright, as to avoid him worrying, though she still didn't know why he would worry.

As they, or rather he, trekked forward, the female kept herself awake, just in case something happened. Her pretty eyes looked down at the male as he carried her with ease through... wherever they were. “Thank you for helping me.” she asked, though her voice was quieter than usual. Her tail flicking slowly every once in a while. Her thoughts directed to her childhood, full of tragedy, though she refused to let her sad story change her behavior, turning her into a happy and lovable individual. Still, memories of her mother abandoning her and her siblings dying and/or leaving her flooded her mind, specifically the death of her brother, who had been mauled by a wolf. Sadness clutched at her heart and her body lay limp atop N'khan's back as the sun continued to beam down on them.

ooc @Nkhan

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