=--------------------------------------------------------------------------= ___ _ _ ___ ' | ` |__| |__` oooo | | | |__, .ooooo. o 88 ---------------------------------------------------- o8" `"o8 88 ooo oo888oo ooo ooo ooo oo ooo ooo ooo d8' " 88 8 ,8' `8. 8"8 8 8 o8' 8 8"8 8 d8 88 8 88 88 8 8 8 8o' 8 8 8 8 88 oooo 88 8 88 88 8 8 8 88o 8 8 8 8 88 di 88 ,o 8 `8. ,8' 8 8.8 8 `8. 8 8 8.8 `88. ,8i o88ooooo'o8o `"ooooo"' o8o o8o o8o `8o o8o o8oo o8 (c)"88oood' =--------------------------------------------------------------------------= The Lion King is copyright 1994 by the Walt Disney Company. This MUCK in no way constitutes a challenge to this copyright. =--------------------------------------------------------------------------= [ June 12, 1999 ] Further Savannah Slope Further along the Gentle Savannah Slope, little has changed, and there is still a gentle gradient to the ground. The grass itself varies in length from Lion height to mere sprigs underfoot on some open areas, but is almost uniformly dry, a pale sand in color. At the lower part of the slope, where the ground flattens, is a line of trees and the grass grows greener. [A]long the [S]lope [D]ownslope to a [G]rassy Spot -A small (den) downslope- You can see... [ZZZ] Zalirah, little serval slumbering close to her mother. [IC ] Jadyyr _________ _________________________________________________________ | ____ | | | ||---\ |evra is a female Serval, a long-legged, delicately built | | ||__ | small feline somewhat less than half a meter tall at | | ||--| | the shoulder, and perhaps a meter long, not including | | || | the short tail which is a quarter again of that length. | | || | | |_________| The base color of her sleek pelt is a rich copper-- | | rather darker than is usual for her kind--lightening to nearly | | white on her muzzle, throat and underside. It is overlaid with a | | regular patterning of black spots which merge into lines stream- | | ing down her shoulders and back from behind her ears. | | | | These ears are a striking feature, as they are for all of her | | species: upright, oval, set close together, and large enough to | | seem almost oversized. The backs of them are black with a single | | white bar across the centers, punctuating thier movements as they | | swivel to focus on sounds. | | | | The ears almost overshadow the other features of the Serval's | | delicate face. Set above a black nose, Fevra's eyes are a dark | | shade of amber little lighter than her fur, but are framed by a | | mottling of black spots, making them more visible and expressive. | | | | Although this feline's well kept, unscarred fur shows no | | evidence of any past physical conflicts, she holds herself | | confidently. Yet she carries a deep sadness, an aching knowledge | | of loss, beneath her outer content. | |___________________________________________________________________| Jadyyr Jadyyr is a young Serval cub, rather awkward in appearance, cub roundness in conflict with the lankiness of his kind. Even at this age his legs seem overlong, contrasting with his short tail and round skull. This short-muzzled face is topped by a pair of tall, upright ears, set close together. Black-backed with a horizontal white bar, their movements punctuate Jadyyr's expression of moods. In color, he is a honeyed tan, fading to a creamy white along throat, underside, and the inner surfaces of his legs. Spattered over this is a pattern of small black spots, which gather into fragmented loops curving down his back and shoulders, then ring his tail before tipping it in black. A mottling of black also surrounds his eyes, themselves a lively orange amber. These, and the generally friendly expression on his pale-furred face, display curiousity and interest in the world still largely new to this young feline. Fevra stands, then shakes herself before stretching leisurely. The small sounds of joints cracking is lost in the insect chirrings and other noises in the area. Jadyyr yawns and stretches too, your movement having 'ruined' his nice nap. Blinking a few times, he turns to peer at the disturbance and brightens upson seeing you, so happy in fact, that he utters "Ma!" Fevra concludes her stretching and pauses, blinking rapidly in suprise as she stares down at her son. "Decided to talk, have we?" She asks at last, rather rhetorically, falling silent again as a smile spreads over her face. Jadyyr stares at you, listening, then blurts it out again, "Ma!" Fevra keeps smiling. "Yes, I know," she croons. "I'm listening." Never looking away, she circles around and the closer again, reaching out with a forepaw to guide him closer to her. Jadyyr scoots in closer with the force of the paw, and struggles to form another word, "Ye... yes?" Fevra lowers her head far enough to nuzzle her son briefly. "Yes yourself, cub." After a moment she remarks, "I talked to Msanii. That's--" she hesitates. Somehow it is more difficult to talk freely, now that her young understand more and are able to some extent to repond. "You father's mate. If anything happens to me, before you're grown, they'll take you in. She promised." Jadyyr continues stumbling over the words, but seems to be getting slightly better with practice, "Fath-her? Father." Fevra nods in agreement. "Yes. I know, you've never met him--and I don't suppose you will." There is actually a fair amount of calm resigantion in her tone. Jadyyr says, "Yes? You will?" Fevra suddenly starts and leans forward, peering at the cub's mottled back fur, eyes narrowing. Jadyyr blinks and leans back, startled at the sudden inspection, "Gwah?" Fevra doesn't answer, placing a forepaw rather heavily on her son's nape and breathing warmly on his back, focusing intently. Then she has mercy, raises her paw, and backs a step. "You need a wash," she informs him in a tone that brooks no argument. "And as you're getting big, and the river's fast and cold, you and I are going for a little walk." Jadyyr listens, and decides he doesn't like the sound of this 'wash' thing. 'Cold' not sounding to pleasant either, he crouches down and tries to slink away, hopefully unnoticed. Fevra 'cages' the cub with a forepaw placed on his far side. "Now then. You are. You're certainly mucky, and anyway it's about time you learnt to swim. Or at least wade. Come on then, follow me." The other forepaw swings to nudge him in the appropriate direction, intending to keep him close and following as Fevra moves along the slope. Jadyyr sighs almost audibly and follows, his quickly formed attept at escape foiled. You move along the slope to... Gentle Savannah Slope This is an area of savannah, gently sloping--upwards towards the Savannah Grasslands, downwards to the greener Lush Grassland, and extending further along. The tall grass is many shades of green and light yellow-brown, a coloring that seems almost ghostly in moon- or star-light. On the higher part of the slope is the perhaps three-meter high green- and yellow-brown bulk of the grass-mound that is, in fact, a form. Downslope to the [L]ush [G]rassland Upslope to the [S]avannah [G]rasslands [F]urther [A]long the Slope -A (form) on the higher part of the slope- You move downslope to... Lush Grassland At the lower end of the Gentle Savannah Slope, the land flattens to a tree- dotted grassland. The tall grass here is almost completely a bright, healthy green, and this area's moisture reflects its proximity to jungle. The trees grow more thickly further along where the ground begins to slope upwards, surrounding a grassy spot. [G]entle [S]avannah Slope [Re]mote Jungle [Gr]assy Spot Fevra keeps a careful eye on the cub as they near the jungle, not about to let him wander. You enter the... Remote Jungle Green-tinted light filters through the leaf canopy, creating a relaxing atmosphere. In the distance, you hear a river running. The whole jungle feels very alive. This might not have been a bad place to live! Looking ahead, you can make out a clearing, and off in the distance you can see the jungle fall off into a small valley. [En]dless Savannah Remote Jungle [C]learing Sanctuary [V]alley [Ba]gheera's Tree [ (D)eeper into the (J)ungle ] The [Fig] Tree [D]ark [T]rail [Ki]fani's Jungle [L]ush [G]rasslan [A]nother [T]ree Fevra almost bats at the cub, keeping him beside her or between forepaws, and, focused on not allowing him to escape, does not immediately notice the young Leopard's arrival. Zillah moves quietly toward her aunty and her.. cousin? Yea ^^ Her ears perk, pausing to watch for a moment. Jadyyr slinks along, ears down and head low to the ground, following his tyrannical mother Fevra pauses and cranes her neck to look over her shoulder as the cub falls behind her. "It won't be that bad," she reassures him with some amusement in her tone. Zillah takes a few easy bounds, as energetic as ever, catching up to the two. "What won't? She querries, before grinning. "Hey Aunty." Jadyyr glances up and continues trudging along, letting out a sigh and casting his gaze down to the ground again, only to be brought back up at the sound of someone else's voice. Fevra blinks, focusing on the Leopard in various senses, before saying absently, "Getting washed. Swimming a little, hopefully." With more interest, she adds, "Hi yourself. Not very sociable, you've been." Zillah smiles, nodding. "Swimmin, huh? Sounds like fun!" She grins, then lets her ears fall slightly, to show she's sorry for not being around much. "Yeah. I know, Aunty, I'm sorry.." No excuses, though, cos.. she has none. Oddly colored eyes move to Jad, and her ears perk. "Heyya!" Fevra hruffs, eyes narrowing as she looks towards Zillah, for she does feel rather hurt at the lack of interest her 'niece' has shown. Then the Serval's expression softens again as she turns to her son. Jadyyr peers at the Leopardess all during the conversation, attention caught by a new face. His ears raise from their lowered state when she looks at him, and he grins, "Tah!", which doesn't make much sense, but he still said it. Fevra waves a forepaw in a shushing motion, but her proud smile belays its intention. Jadyyr notices the paw swishing, and crouches back down, lowering his head. Fevra stills, then directs her smile to the cub. "Hush now, I don't /mind/," she tells him comfortingly, startled and a little concerned by his reaction. Zillah tilts her head slightly, ears flicking between the two, not quite understanding. Fevra glances to Zillah, changing the subject. "You been from the waterhole, by any chance? I'd rather not take him there if it's not quiet, but it's about the best place." Jadyyr glances up at the protective parental unit, and takes the oppertunity to try and slink off while she's distracted. Fevra is still gazing at Zillah, waiting for an answer, and although an ear flicks in acknowledgement of a sound off to one side she does not immediatly move to restrain her wandering son. Fevra grumbles under her breath. "Unsociable," she repeats, turning from Zillah and, in a movement that might be called a lunge if it were not executed slowly, leans to retrieve her son. Jadyyr erfs, caught in the act of escape before he even manages to go that far. Fevra mouths the cub's nape in token reprimand, then once more cages him between her forepaws. "Bath," she repeats, as if reminding herself. Jadyyr peers up at you with big wide eyes, almost pleading that you don't go through with this dastardly deed, a 'bath', whatever that is... Fevra stares back at Jadyyr with her own amber eyes, then pushes him, fairly gently, in front of her as she continues on her way. =--------------------------------------------------------------------------=