The Warming Hill

[kiavernanya]

The grass on the small hill wavered with a slight wind. All, it seemed, was peacful. Nothing moved, and scents wavered above the flowers. An osprey made a slight sound, shifting from one foot to another. It clicked his sharp beak, shifting his grey eyes to the lion next to him.

Her large, white body, was sprawled on the ground. The fur had naught a spot on it, as she often kept it clean. She opened her bright,clear, blue eyes drowsily. Then they widened. At once the bird ruffled his feathers in alarm. She was feeling shock. She was a leader. She was a lioness leader. One of the few ever.She fought to remain her calm.

Then she succeded. Her breathing slowed and she drew an air of pride and dignity. She clawed the ground and stood. This hill always made her calm. Ever since she had been a cub. Her blue eyes locked with the ospreys large grey ones.

"Calm Yourself." She purred,"We musn't let anyone know what we are feeling."

At her calming words the bird preched its self on her shoulder and looked into the sky.

[sanya]

A shape wheeled high above the lion and osprey on the ground. A small lion looked down, "It's another lion...who is it my friend?" she murmered quietly to a hovering shape nearby.
"Ga! 'Tis anoother lion ta be shoor! 'Tis yoor own leader! Ach! Lions! Can't tell a rock froom a moutain a'm shoor!" the Golden Eagle said teasinly.
"Go on with you, Guma! Stop teasing you old flapper!" she teased right back as he began a tight spiral towards the hill and his leader.
"Wait up ma friend!" Guma said and followed close behind.

[kiavernanya]

Her Opsprey, Arth, clickd his beak quite loudly,"Kia!" Her clicked harshly,"Look to thee skies!" His voice was harsh and stong.
Kia at once looked up. Her hackles rose and she kneaded the ground angrily,"Who goes there!" She called, growling. She was ready to race back, to protect her clan. She could tell the lion was a scout, as she was yesterday. Now she was leader. She shivered.
Still, no scout had been faster than she. Then she caught the scent on the wind and forced her hackles to lay flat.

[sanya]

"'Tis Maha!" she called still high above. Slowly the ground crept up and she landed lightly on her small paws and large claws.

Slightly behind her Guma also landed being careful to avoid her large folding winds. When she was done he lept upon her shoulder and perched there eyeing the other pair. He let out a greeting screach-but no words.

"Good morning!" Maha said nodding to the lion and the osprey. "Fine day for flying if I do say so myself!"

Guma snorted and started preening herself, 'you are always saying so yourself!' he thought.

Maha laughed slightly as if knowing what caused the snort.

[kiavernanya]

Kia smiled politly,"It does seem like a beautiful day for flying!" Arth's claws squeezed her shoulder and she almost hit him. He was making her nervous,"So, wasup?" Then she paused. Without any emotion plassing across her face she mewed,"I mean. Seen anything?" After all; that WAS a scouts job.

[sanya]

Muha laughed, a rich throaty laugh. "Yes it is! Why don't you try it out? After all..." she added slyly, "You were the best flyer in your day!"

Guma screaked a challenge to the skies and lept up cirlcling slightly above the lions for a bit then returning to perch upon Muha's shoulder. He clacked his beak a few times just for the effect it would make.

Muha laughed again then explained to her leader, "I think he agrees with me!" Then she opened his imense wings slightly letting some air drift around them a bit before folding them back up. "My wings get cramped when I don't use them!" she explaned with a shrug.

Guma hopped off him and wadled over to a large dandelion swaying in the faint breeze. Gripping it in his beak he plucked it and wadled back to Maha. He lept upon his shoulder again and put the dandelion on her mane. A 'dande'lion for a flying lion! he thought to her with a chuckle.

It got just the response he wanted, she laughed again and grinned broadly.

[kiavernanya]

"In my day?!" She growled playfully,"I'm only a few moons older than you!" She lashed her tail, crouching upon the ground. Kia's claws kneaded the ground, and her eyes traveled to the sky.

Arth knew this as a challenge so he swept in the air, sweeping around in circles above their heads. He opened his beak and let a cry travel into the air. His talons clutched at air, feeling the anxiety rise in Kia.

Kia's face was blank,"Race you back to the pride." Without waiting for an answer she swept off the ground, spreading her wings wide. At once she sped up, feeling the air brush her wings.

She closed her eyes in bliss. And she had given this up. Then she opened them and sped up.

[sanya]

Maha laughed and snapped her wings open and lept upwards. As she raced after Kia she shouted, "NOT FAIR! YOU GOT A HEAD START!"

Guma skreeched and hurredly flapped after her. Wonderful. Ya both ah playin' aboot like two young 'uns with ya wings just apened! he thought angry at having no warning to get off and take off himself. Also for not seeing Arth's challenge and knowing that it would happen. He let out a loud screek and hurried up.

Maha tilted forward eagerly pulling her paws up under her making herself as small as possible(not a hard thing to do for her) so as little wind as possible would hit her. She angled her wings ajusting to the wind and created little swirls to boost her forward. As she drew level with Kia she laughed, "Told ya it was a great day for flying!"

[kiavernanya]

"You were right." She nodded,"Now that I've waited for you, Ill meet you back." Then she pulled her own paws closer and laid her ears against her head. She dove toward the ground with a whoosh. Arth copied her and then they both swooped upward again. Kia almost laughed, but caught herself. Then she noticed a black speck in the sky getting smaller. One of the other clans new about her. Her life would not be easy. A female leader? She had her work cut out. Then she pushed it out of her mind and looked back.

[sanya]

Maha pushed on straining to her physical limits, she also used her power to the limit to push her forward faster. "Dang! I knew she was fast but, sheesh! I'm glad I'm not on an opposing Pride when she attacks! Too fast to see!" She managed to keep up for a bit then she was just to tired. Slowing down she used natural wings to carry her forward without flapping her wings too much.

Guma caught up with her in an angry flurry of feathers and screechs. "DON'T EVER DO THAT! REMEMBER LAST TIME?!"

Maha blushed faintly and looked away from him. "Yes," she said quietly.

They both remembered it very well. They had both been very young and just able to fly...akwardly. Maha had gone out and gotten caught in a storm because she didn't know how to tell when one was coming. She had been bashed about and hurt terribly. She made it back later the next day the worse for wear and with injuries. She had hurt one paw which made her have a slightl limp, she had damaged one wing so she had to wait for it to heal to fly again, and she had cracked a few teeth; though luckily they were milk teeth. Guma had been furious that he had not been there to help her and never left her alone since.

[kiavernanya]

Kia dropped, slowing. She was barley out of breath. Her bird quickly caught up with a screech. Her tail lashed in the wind and she mewed loudly,"I saw a scout back there. From another Pride. Would you mind if we checked it out real quick?" A leader wasn't supposed to do such things, but if he never old it would be fine. She thought she knew what clan it had been from..
ooc; I'm gonna have her meet Chiaro.

[sanya]

Maha thought quickly, "I don't think that's a good idea....!" She knew she was to tired to do much and knew her feeble powers couldn't stop another bird let alone their Gaurdian. And she was tired, it wasn't a good idea but try telling that to a leader! "If we go don't pass me!" she growled, "I can't go your pace and if I tried I would be too tired to help you out if there was trouble. Just let's be careful!" she insisted.

Idiots! Guma thought to Maha. Screeching he circled above his lion then landed carefully on his back to rest. "Not good!" he said loudly but would say no more.

[kiavernanya]

"I'm going, but we can go slow. If you want to come." With that she slowed and turned, heading to where she saw the scout. Arth flew over to Guma agrily and pecked at her roughy.
"We don't care what YOU think." He screeched, before hugging his wings closer to his body and catching up to his lion.

[sanya]

Guma screeched furiously and lept off Muha and sped forward towards Arth.

Maha lunged forward and grabbed Guma at the last second. "I know, it's not your fault but that doesn't mean you should chase him!" she hissed quietly. Speeding forward she let Guma go with a warning not to do that again.

Muttering rebeliously Guma followed above her so he wouldn't get swirled around by the air fom her wings. I shan't forget this wrong to me! he yelled mentally back at her. Clacking his beak angrily he pulled forward just a bit to be easier.

Maha sighed and sped forward and called to Kia, "Kia....Why did Arth do that? Guma was just expressing her feelings. He doesn't talk much and one of the few times he does she's attacked? I mean no offense to either of you but it's not fair to him!" Finally catching up to her she thought back to Guma, I hope this doesn't get me in trouble!

[kiavernanya]

Kia looked back, forgetting she was a leader."He was merely expressing his feelings too. I shall make him apologize, if that is what you wish." She flapped her wings a little and glided. In truth, Arth had been expressing her feelings, but everyone knew she had no feelings. With a warning to herself she promised to start to control her emotions more. She hoped it didn't make her seem heartless.
She waited for his answer, face blank.