casting these shadows [samael/tokken]

[VALE ROUX]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px; height: 494px; background-image:url(http://i49.tinypic.com/2njlm4l.png)] Vale blinked up at the sky, watching the vast expanse of deep blue. She enjoyed watching the pure freedom of the birds, it made her feel alive, joyous even. The sleek creature through the entrance of strange, wooden structure enjoying the sunrise. Her back legs rested inside, while her head and shoulders flopped out into the morning sun. She rested her elegant muzzle onto the warming sand and felt a rush of fatigue float over her. She'd been up all night hunting, and she could still taste the blood of the large wildebeest calf on her tongue, delicious. All the same, it had taken the energy out of her and as the golden star began its steady accent into the idyllic abyss Vale knew it was time to catch some sleep. Gleaming fangs revealed themselves as the big cat yawned and rubbed a paw over her face. She enjoyed it here, by the old shed. Yes, Vale had never run into any trouble here perhaps because most animals liked to stay away from the foreign building but not this leopard. She was naturally curious, and as far as she knew it this was also a pretty good hiding place. V remembered coming here once as a young cub too, before the bullying really started. It had just been her and Yves, her larger brother. They had hatched a devious plan to run off and escape the troubles of their weeping mother and their raging father. The little cubs had stumbled across the wooden shack and instantly took a liking to it. What they didn't take a liking to however was the beating they both got when their father found them. Vale winced, as if she could still feel his claws raking into her skin. She wondered whether the injuries had scarred, probably not. Being a cub, her body was healthy and healed quickly despite being unusually small and ragged. She lifted herself to her paws tiredly, her tail drooping flat behind her. Despite her tiredness, the leopardess could not ignore the fact that danger could be all around and so kept her eyes and ears peeled. She ignore the offensive grunt of an ostrich nearby, it knew better than to disturb Africa's most elusive big cat. As much as she would have liked to slumber away at the door of the shed, V knew that anything could have seen and murdered her. If it was one thing that she feared the most it was lions, past experiences had told her to keep as much distance between them as possible. Never trust a lion, another thing she had learnt from her father. Vale often wished her sire had been more loving, more accepting of her. The things he could have taught her, what a different feline she would be today.. if only he had had an ounce of patience, of tolerance for those who weren't as capable as himself. She blinked, and wandered a short distance from the structure. That was when she heard the soft padding of paws, Vale froze. -----------------------

[TOKKEN TADITA]

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High above the sky flashed by in patterns of blue and white, trees were blurry in his peripherals, and grass lashed at the yellow golden fur that was propelled with high speeds through it. The muscles underneath his coat rippled in the light, the movements eloquent if seen at all by anyone witnessing the cat’s speedy gait through the savannah. Steady pants rippled from his mouth as he focused on moving each appendage, allowing the lithe body of the feline to run faster within the grass. He was a blur, a wild blinding haze of movement. Eyes of ochre fell on the landscape, taking in everything at a rate that seemed impossible. The trees, the birds high in the sky screeching out in the daylight, the scents that crossed his nostrils were so quick it almost made him dizzy. Had he not been so used to running like this, a lot of thing would have been different about his quick steps but Tokken was designed for this. The air was cool in his lungs and he breathed in deep and prepared for his next maneuver. The shed came into view, far in the distance, though it wouldn’t take Tokken long to reach it at all at these speeds. His body flashed and with a graceful leap Tokken was in the air, turning his body and landing on the extended back claws that would slow him and pivot him in the other direction. The sand kicked under his powerful hind legs, the dirt flicking with the intensity of a sand storm. He focused on catching himself so that he could continue his run, and successfully planted his paws along the terrain, effectively turning in the other direction and heading toward the shed. He was much slower now, as he intended, but behind him his paws left impression in the land. A trace as to who had been in the area. Underneath his coat the muscles ached to be flying again, but Tokken was curious now and he wouldn’t allow his interest to go unsatisfied. His tail shifted in long swift movements, eyes of amber surveying the land around the shed. It appeared it would be a good place to rest, but Tokken was in no mood for resting right now. His bones were alive, his mind as alert as it had ever been. With keen intensity Tokken scrutinized the foliage, then the human structure that lay so plainly in sight. It was rusted at every edge, the metals had been faded in color from the sun, and it was clear the building had been through a storm or two. Everything about it screamed dilapidated, but it only fueled his intent to investigate. As he stepped forward however a wind crossed his nose, bringing with it the scents of everything nearby. Tokken sniffed at it tenderly and bristled when he realized what it was. Eyes grew wide and alert and the fuzz along his back stood on end. He crouched within the grass with intention of hiding his body within the flora. Leopards The voice in his mind growled with such intensity that Tokken could momentarily hear nothing but it. When it ceased and his eyes found the source of the smell they narrowed. He was unsure if the leopard has heard him, but when he recognized it as a female the furs along his back shifted and poked out less. He couldn’t describe that feeling he got when approached by other cats, especially ones that are bigger than him. If it happened once, it could happen again. Tokken’s reveries pulled at his brain but he refused them and instead focused on the leopard not far in the distance from him. The light bathed over him, and he was a distinct figure in the grass, not hidden as he had hoped. It appeared the green grasses were not in favor of the golden color of his skin, and therefore gave him away. Tokken groaned to himself, something only heard by his own ears and rose from his crouched position in the grass. A growl grew in his throat and should he have to release it he would but it didn’t come forth yet. The wind brushed along his back and tickled the ears atop his head. In his mind he was trying to figure out exactly what he should say, if anything at all and instead he remained quiet, the growl forming all the larger within his gorge. [style=margin-left: 20px; text-align: justify; line-height: 98%; padding: 10px; width: 300px; border-radius: 10px 10px 10px 10px; font-family: courier; font-size: 12px; color: 000; opacity: .8;][/style]

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