In Need of a ||HERO||

[02moonpelt02]

Ahadi cast a grateful glance at the tigres and brought Eraku closer to her, sitting on her haunches in the process and putting her son between her legs. With her front paws, she covered her son's ears, trying to muffle the comments being made by the male tiger about being 'threatening' or causing 'harm' as he had said. These were words she would die to keep away from her son's always curious ears. Too soon would be at that time for him to realize it. Turning to the male tiger she hissed, hating the way he hoped for forgivenes for almost putting her cub in danger. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again. No harm will become over my son so long as I am alive, and I am sure you won't mind to never use words such as 'threatening' or 'harm' near him ever again. I do not wish for his heart to be tainted like others I have had the unfortunate chance to meet," she finished with a stare with such ferocity and meaning that no one could deny that, even though chetahs were never meant to fight with such frail bones, this mother would die in battle to protect her son's soul. Finally, she lifted her paws from Eraku's ears and let him free, flicking him on the shoulder gently with her tail.

Eraku frowned at the tigress but didn't protest at his mother's wants. He knew all too well how his mother got whenever he went against her deepest wishes such as this. And then, sound was muffled against the hard pads but gentle touch of his mother's paws until only a few moments later when his mother gave the 'OK' for him to do whatever. Once more he sped over to Chaz, though this time he did not tackle her over, but instead he crouched in front of her playfully. "Bet I could outrun you!" he said quickly, his haunches wiggling in hope of a race with the fellow cheetah cub. Turning to Benigo, he smiled at him and beckoned with his tail for him to join them. "You could make sure nobody cheats!" he exclaimed proudly, as if Benigo's position would be the most honorable place you could get. Such a child, Eraku was.

[Bhu]

OOC//: lol, Moon, you chose the same 2 colors for you charries as I have for mine XD

Yogita took in a breath to object to her son taking part in the games, but then deflated in defeat. There would always be a danger, and she couldn't keep him in a bubble. Besides, he wasn't the one racing, just watching. He would be remaining close enough for her to keep eyes on him.

Deciding, with much effort, to let the cubs be cubs, she looked to the adults. Both were far older then her in years, but in mind, she was an elder. That was what having a past like hers and then having the responsibility of a cub did to you. She gave a grumbled sigh before taking a concious step backwards, to put a more desirable distance between her and the tiger, and a shorter one between her and the cheetah. One orb on the cubs still, she decided to be the first to speak. "So much is happening in so little a time." her look she sent fully to the tiger was almost pleading. "I beg I do not offend you if I get over defensive. But I am sure you understand my posistion, fore you probably know of the--" she paused a moment, searching for a word that would be okay for the 'virgin' cub ears, "darker side of the world. I was a little less hesitant with Ahadi for the main reason that in a fight, her kind often ran, or would be equally matched for one my size. But also because she is female, and I have met fewer aggressive females." she bit back on those final words, hoping they did not offend the male as they would her if she were in his place. Offending him was the last thing she needed.

The younger cub sent a glance at his mother, seeing if she held any objections. When he saw none, his smile returned at full throttle and he dashed to be with the other two cubs, his limbs far shorter then theirs and size much smaller. At the offer of being referee, Benigo gave a 'eeeeeee!' of exciement. He didn't even give a verbal answer before he dashed to a tall tree, easily climbing the trunk and weaving through its limbs. Where he lacked in the cheetahs speedy nature, he made up for it in tree agility they could never even dream of mastering. It didn't occur to him that the agility in the treetops he had, even his mother failed to match. That thought never crossed his mind.

Once on the edge of a firm branch, it only slightly bending under his weight, he gave a shout. "Okay, I have a good view of the whole area from up here--" he cringed a moment before finishing, hearing his mothers sudden snort of disaproval. The second time today he had climbed a tree when she disaproved of that activity. But even when he didn't nessasarily enjoy making his mother upset, he ignored her. "So no cheat will pass my vision unnoticed." he paused a moment, eyes narrowing in pleasure as he spotted his mother give up her attempts to discourage him and turn her orbs back to the adults. "Okay, just let me know when the two of you have a plot of where y'all race so I can be prepared!"

[Miki]

Chaz only had a faint idea of what the mother cheetah was trying to communicate with Erik about. Something about Murder Apes, she guessed, but the cub knew better than to say something. Then there was a pause, and Eraku was bouncing around in front of her, challenging her to a race. Chaz grinned mischeviously, then excitedly bounded over to the tree where Benigo had taken position. At his words, the cheetah cub glanced around, looking for a good landmark. Her brown gaze landed on a crooked tree a little ways off, about fifty feet in human measurements (though Chaz didn't measure it like that). "How bout to that tree?" She asked, flicking her tail at the strangely grown tree. "Just to there? Or there and back?" She asked, grinning again, almost a challenge to see if the cub could run that long.

Erik's eyes widened in surprise at the mother cheetah's harsh warning. His eyes narrowed as he realized what she was getting too. "Chill..." He muttered, though neither of the she-cats probably heard, going on with their warnings. When they were finally done, he was only thinking of Yogita. "Wait, you're the ocelot's mom? Are you kidding me? I thought you'd be over there playing with the cubs." He didn't mean to sound offensive, but he was only surprised that a young tigress would adopt a cub of another species.

[Bhu]

Yogita tensed. She had missed his first remark, although she knew he had said something just under her hearing ability. But then he was speaking towards her, with a bewildered, but quiet voice. Despite her self, she gave a grateful narrow of the orbs. Atleased Benigo wouldn't hear the comment, fore that would surely arouse the fury of the tom if he heard himself called an ocelot.

Her head dropped to look at her now shuffling paws. "I am only 3 or so months older then him." she started nervously. "I was stolen from my parents by Murder Apes when I was 6 months old. But in my travels, my crate fell from the truck and shattered. AFter wandering alone for a bit, I discovered another lost crate. In it, was a 3 month old ocelot, his eyes not even opened. I knew the cruel knowledge of the world had turned my cub humor to elderly fear, and I didn't want that same fate for Benigo. So for the past 3 months, I have told him he was a rare mix of tiger." she was silent for a moment as she finished, but then her head lifted and her orbs were tinted with tears and were wide with plead. "Please don't tell him. I don't want his carefree soul to be shattered as mine, and so many others, have been."

[Miki]

Erik listened with amazement as Yogita told her story, and wondered how he didn't go through those same sufferings, it was rare he met a cat who had a happy story. It seemed like he was the only one. But then he felt a pang of sympathy, as the young tigress confessed she didn't want Benigo growing up in a world with those fears. "I promise I won't tell. I'll tell Chaz too, and probably sooner than later. She doesn't know how to shut up." He joked, though his comment would probably worry the mothers.

[02moonpelt02]

Narrowing his eyes to get a better sight og the distance and obstacles he would face while going there, the seven month cheetah smirked mischeviously and crouched down at the starter line, the tree Benigo had skillfully climbed upon. "There and back," he meowed deeply, concentrating on his focused target. "Run straight to the tree, loop around it, then come straight back to Benigo's post," he said louder, so his ocelot friend could hearhim easily. Looking up at Benigo he waited for the signal to start running, throwing one more thing to Chaz. "And you have to look at Benigo for the signal, no looking at the tree, to make it fair."

A soft and short laugh escaped Ahadi's maw as she gazed at her son geting ready for the challenge. She had taught him how to run the fastest and he had eventually become much faster than her, nearly as fast as his father, though only just off. His speed and training in the 'art,' as her mate had once called it, would make this impossibly easy to win for him. Ahadi only thought of how pleasently modest her son was being -- Eraku had always bragged of how he could beat his mother in speed contests they had to keep him in shape -- and this fact pleased her greatly. "Erik, your companion, Chaz, is she a sore loser?" she asked innocently before giving another laugh at her son's serious face.

[Bhu]

Yogita felt a twinge of anxiety as the male admited the cheetah's desire to spread news. Though, that emotion quickly faded as she realized just how understanding this male was being. She gave a grateful glance before perking her ears to the slimmer of the threes comment. Her eyes dragged over to where she had seen Benigo scramble with such agility up the large tree, despite he growls of disapproval. Her anger didn't reasurface, however, seeing the large grins on each cubs face; including her adopted son. It held such peace and joy; two emotions Benigo was very rarely allowed to feel. A pang of guilt tinted the tigress' gaze. She had worked so hard to keep the cub as content and pure as possible, and in the process, stolen his childhood herself.

Energetic orbs danced around, following the track that would soon be home to dusty clouds. Once the course was firmly memorized, he looked to the two felines beneath him. The male looked to him for the signal and he waited another moment to give the female a chance as well. Once all assured, he hesitated a moment to think up a signal. He couldn't roar (another difference between him and his so called mother that he failed to notice) so he couldn't use that. He decided to use a verbal demand mixed with a physical exercise that would surely make his mothers blood bubble.

"On your make, get set," he paused for a split second before throwing himself downwards, dangling by his front unusally muscular front limbs. In the process, he hollered "GO!" before doing a chin up and easily bringing all fours back to the branches surface.

[Miki]

Erik truly didn't know how to answer Ahadi's question. He had never really competed with Chaz, because they had only been traveling together for a short while. He could come up with nothing, so only told the truth. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I've only known her for a month. But her heart is in the right place and she's got a good head on her shoulders." The tiger hoped his statement would be enough to satisfy the cheetah mother. Then he turned his orbs on the three cubs, watching them prepare for their race with amusement.

Chaz listened to Eraku's rules and then when he was finished looked up at Benigo for the starting signal. "GO!"[/i] She heard his yowl and immediately took off, kicking up dirt in the process. Her feet hit the sandy ground hard, and she was running like her life depended on it. She was so intent on reaching the tree she barely paid attention to where Eraku was.[/size]

[02moonpelt02]

Tension built up in his muscles and he poised himself for the race that was only a word away from starting. At Benigo's signal, he did exactly as the ocelot said and got ready and set before the final word, go. Before the entire two letters even began to leave his mouth, Eraku pushed himself away from the starting and finish line, using his strength that his father had handed down to him that lay in his powerful legs. Keeping low to the ground, he used long, even strides that hit the ground repeatedly and the thrumming of his pawsteps was like that of a hummingbird's wings -- fast, and delicately humming. As the wind flattened his fur and ears, he let his tail stream out behind him, digging his claws into the hard packed earth to get a better grip and push off with more speed as the tree grew larger and larger as he closed the distance without even giving Chaz a glance at where her position fell, he wouldn't look for her in case that move caused his constant strides to slow themselves. He would only have eyes for the tree that marked the loop and the one that Benigo rested in, waiting to call the winner. And as the tree loomed in front of him, Eraku did something only out of instinct alone. He tilted himself towards the tree several yards away, in hopes of making the loop not so farstretched and, at the last minute of the turn around, jumped at the tree, barely missing it by the width of a whisker, and landed on all fours, still keeping his wildly constant pace in check all at once.

Ahadi nodded lightly and flashed a breif, but tired, smile at Erik. "I guess we're about to find out," she concluded and turned to watch her son and Chaz start their mad dash for the tree. Both had a good start, but Ahadi turned her gaze to Eraku and was astounded at what she saw there. He looked just as his father had when in the deep art of running as though his life depended on it, only smaller. The same power and breathtaking display of constancy as Eraku kept his stride in place and lowered himself casually to the ground, his paws hitting the ground so quickly, they were nearly a blur in her eyes. He covvered the distance in a matter of seconds, but his loop-around was spectacular. A tilt of direction, straight at the tree, and finishing with a jump to the other side, keeping the distance of the loop right next to the tree, and never breaking pace as he landed the opposite side in a cloud of dust and continued to leave a trail behind him. 'Jerome did that just before he died, trying to get away from that lion...' A cold thought, but wondrous to think her son knew it by a matter of instinct alone. She had taught him well in trusting it.[/color][/font][/size]

[Miki]

Chaz exhilirated in the thrill of the race, the adrenaline pounding in her ears. She glanced at Eraku, slightly exasperated that he was pulling ahead of her. The tree was coming closer, maybe she could pull ahead and win then. To her dismay, Eraku quickly and cleanly looped around the trunk, while Chaz had to make a wide berth to get around. She knew in that instant she had lost and the race was a lost cause, but she kept on running, now a few tail lengths behind the other cheetah cub. Her thoughts didn't dwell on losing though, she was amazed by Eraku's skills.

[Bhu]

The cub watched as the two started off, their speed uncomprehendable to him. Even as Chaz fell behind, Benigo knew the female was far faster then he could ever wish to be. In the ocelot's eyes, both were winners. But it was not his job to admire and be soft, he had to speak honestly of who the winner was. It was pretty even at first, the two cheetah's running equally side by side. So neither was faster then the other, that was obvious. Once the tree loop came, it was merely turning skill that decided the race's outcome. Eraku made a tight turn, while Chaz's turn was slightly wider. If it weren't for that one little thing, the race would have been an easy tie.

[02moonpelt02]

Though it was probably only a few short moments, the time it took Eraku to make the distance from tree to tree seemed like it took all of eternity. After his tight turn, Eraku had put on more speed until he could just see Benigo's spotted pelt among the leafy green of the tree he rested in, waiting to call the race to an end and announce the winner. Finally, only two tail lengths away from the finishing line, he leaped at the tree as though it were a piece of prey.

As soon as his claws made contact with the ground beside the tree, Eraku collapsed in exhaustion from his long sprint and test of skills and speed. He lay there, panting while he waited for Chaz to come in the few seconds it took her to finish after him, all the while relishing in the shade of the tree as his body rushed to cool down after that lung-bursting run. After that passed, he panted quietly as his thoughts sped up in ecstasy and thrill. "That... was amazing! Chaz, you -- you were... brilliant!" Breaking off in gasps for air and breathing deeply with his toungue lolling out like a dogs, he congratulated himself and the fellow cheetah cub in their competiton.

[Miki]

Chaz saw Eraku pulling ahead, and she used her claws to dig in the ground and try to catch up. But the other cub had neared the ending mark and was sprinting even faster. He reached it, and a few seconds later Chaz reached the end mark as well, panting heavily.

"That... was amazing! Chaz, you -- you were... brilliant!"[/i]

Chaz grinned at his compliment, she was pleased too, even though she didn't win. "Not so bad yourself." She replied, then paused to pant again. "Good job!"[/size]

[Bhu]

As soon as both cats were below, Benigo made his graceful descend to stand beside them. He watched them pant, his eyes wide in awe, for only a moment. Finally, his excitement burst from his lungs. "That was awesome! You guys were so close, I could barely make out the two seperate forms! You were nothing but a blur and if not for that tree turn," he flicked his tail towards the tree which they had had to run around, "I would have never been able to tell the difference and say who won when y'all came in! Congrats on the victory, Eraku, though it was an incredably close one!" His voice came out all but a blur.

[02moonpelt02]

A wide grin took its palce upon Eraku's face at hearing the congratulations from both Chaz and Benigo. Getting up from where he had lay down, the cheetah cub stretched his tired limbs, stretching his claws as well until he was satisfied by the dull warmth un his joints. "What now?" he asked excitedly. If there was one thing anyone knew about him, it was that he had to be doing something and only paused to catch his breath and not overheat, but then he was right back into action and movement.

Ahadi smiled, overjoyed to see her son testing his speed and actually winning in the race. She had never thought that he would ever make any friends, because of her isolation from the outside world, but now that she could see it herself, physically and mentally see the happiness this gave her son, she tried to remember how she could ever keep him away from the felines that could ahve been possible friends before now.