AW || dust bowl

[Cliff]

citrus stare fidgeted back and forth as he scurried, giant form low to the ground. claws had flown from their sheathes long ago, just in case. fur fluffed along his spine, the mottled hair on end with blatant discomfort and fear. whiskers quivered as his nose picked up nothing but the fading trails of prey around. this somewhat calmed the young beasty. however, he remained tense and uncertain. even as the small hollow of trees covered his back. the buzzards couldn't dive at him any longer. couldn't taunt his short life which seemed to quite often teeter on the balance.

he'd settle against the trunk of a tree, content for nothing to be able to sneak up behind him at least. although spindly, it was just large enough to cover him well. cliff slid to a crouch, tail whipping restlessly at the dust as he attempted to rest. to let his racing mind calm enough to finally at least rest his body for a moment. sleep was not an option, his nerves too shot, and the risk too high. there had been several instances in which he'd given in and either been chased off by bigger, older, meaner lions, or nearly attacked by another animal.

cliff definitely didn't want that to happen again. he'd bother to find better shelter in just a few moments, once his paws were a bit less raw-feeling.

[Vitani]

vitani's pelt made a sweeping nose as she shook it out and rose to her feet. Her red eyes swept over her surroundings as she began to walk to an unknown destination. Crisp wind blew the grass and shrubs around her as tree branches bent to mother nature's power, and her ears flickered from left to right as the sound of hooves and surrounding wildlife got to her. Vitani had spent her time away from her native pride looking for a new place to call home and, now that she had gotten her first scent of another lion near by her mood switched to anticipation. Would she be accepted? Would they cast her out? As she neared the smell that was becoming stronger by the minute, the silver lioness eyed the ground in confusion. The smell was coming from where she was standing but, where was the lion? It wasn't until she turned and noticed a cub that she backed up and sat down. He was nervous for sure, but of what? and was he alone? Vitani cleared her voice in spoke in a tone she had heard the other lionesses use when they were speaking to their cubs. "are you alright little one?"

[Cliff]

he'd just begun to slowly melt into his spot when a voice spoke up far too near for his comfort. cliff immediately shot to his paws once more, hissing and spitting at whatever creature had managed to sneak up on him. frantic amber glare pointed to the source of the words, fur once more on end - making him look like a porcupine more so than a lion. long canines bared at the stranger, paws planting in the ground while he kept his back carefully against the trunk of the tree. if there were more than one, he'd be safer that way. claws were once more flying from their sheathes as well, scoring into the dusty earth below.

"what want?" he'd demand in his broken speech, having only caught on enough to get across what he wanted to convey - for the most part, at least. the young boy didn't much bother with learning the intricacies of language. wasn't as important to one as survival. he only need know enough to get him by in sticky situations such as this one.

gaze would only break away from the woman to scan his surroundings, content when his swift check came up with nothing but one creature. either the others were hiding, or she was truly alone. a strange phenomena, as he'd only ever seen females in the company of their males. this one must be lost.

Vitani