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Description
Whoot whoot~ Narreth has actually gotten some development, not the type I was expecting either! But this is in no way bad. It is good, very good to be honest. Got to see a bit of his Regalness actually be good and not so oafy. But heis still the oaf. Just a growing oaf. ^^
This RP honestly took me off guard, I was expecting a little cute RP with a cub to be honest. Turned into a lot more than that, which I am happy for~ It's full of funny bits and some serious stuff. I just... don't exactly have words for it, minus read!

Word Count: 4603
Alijah || MelphinasMelody
Narreth || FeatheredSeclude

+3EP for Clip-Art
+2EP for Multiple EBC Characters (Narreth and Alijah)
+9EP for RP Word Count (4603)
+5EP for Active RP
+10EP for Assignment (Alijah's Assignment: Meet Someone New)

+24EP to Alijah (she is also doing a picture for this RP, so this may not be accurate)
+19EP to Narreth

Alijah sat outside the nursery with nothing to do, her tail tip flicking in anticipation for something to happen. But mostly for the return of her adoptive mother a Calliope. Alijah had nothing to do when her mother got called on patrols. She scanned the camp for someone to talk to. Alijah was looking around she stiffened all to roll in her back rubbing her neck against the ground to relieve and itch. Before she rolled back to her stomach and back to scanning the camp.

His Regal Oaf had almost had in routine for his day to walk on the fence that surrounded a chunk of camp. Since he to this day... was an apprentice. He's been in Stone for several months, October, and he has yet to meet his mentor. He knows he is a white lion, like actually white. Not ash brown, like Vincent. So lounging and being lazy... his specialty. But he also... tended to make a pass by the nursery... and this was where he was headed.

Alijah's ears flicked when someone finally caught her eye it was an apprentice. A tiger. She gasped in an almost dramatic happy way as if finally her troubles were solved. She twitched as she cheerfully stood and shook her pelt. Alijah waited for a moment watching the apprentice walk a bit closer before leaping at him as he was about to pass. It might have seemed foolish at first but she caught his tail.
"Hi there!" Alijah said laying in her side and having the apprentice's tail on her mouth looking up at him.

The tiger went to pass the nursery, where a couple cats were sitting outside, every now and then one would pester him a bit... but nothing added up to Shoel. Though this never stops cat's from pestering him as he walked by... when in reality... he liked the cubs. So it was hardly ever a curse on him.
A dark brown cheetah certainly had pester on her mind, by grabbing his tail, and greeting through a tail nawing.
Narreth turned his head, glancing over his shoulder, "Ya know that is a tail, not a snake, right?"

"What's the difference they both basically have minds of their own.." Alijah looked up at the apprentice with a quite stern look in her face.
It was the type of face someone gives when they think one of being a buzz kill. Her ears flicked as she got up. She looked more upset not then annoyed but it was only a brief moment before she turned to give a smile. She pawed at his leg in a rough playful manner.
"My name is Alijah by the way! What's your name?" She asked with a playful look.
Alijah's tail flicked, her eyes obviously glowing with delight more than likely to have someone to talk to.

The tiger gave a friendly huff before stating, "Tails are what let you have good balance... so yes, they may as well," he smiled softly, with her pawing at him, "and I am Narreth, ya pesky munchkin," he grinned at her, almost egging her on.
Sad fact is... he did not have a clue how to fight.

She smiled with a small chuckle. "Nice to me-... Wait who you callin a munchkin!" She said in angered yet playful town.
Once Alijah caught that she was called a little munchkin of all things which she hated being called made her mad. In a playful manner though since she did hear his joking town. She had to slightly lift to her hind legs and paw the tiger's nose playfully but still obviously out of annoyance.
"I might be a munchkin but just you watch me.... grow you.." She said in a pouting tone some parts trailing off into mumbles.

"I'm not done growing either sassy," he smirked at her, before almost flopping onto his stomach, "so?" he then said, "what's Miss Pouty Face for?"

She sighed looking at him, "it's not nice to tease you know.. I'm growing a lot slower then most cheetahs do I am five months old and still as small as a mouse..." Alijah said with ears flattened but she stood in a proud manner. "Just you wait an see I will grow I might not be as tall as you but I'll be bigger than I am now!" She said with a smiled and surprising instead of an aggressive paw she nuzzled his front leg.

The tiger face gave a completely surprised expression when she muzzled his leg. He couldn't remember the last time anyone... did that... other than his family... which he got taken from at this kids age. He looked at her and said.
"You shouldn't be ashamed of you," he said, "the bravest cat's I've met were honestly the smaller ones." he smiled, and then licked her head once, "you oughtta be proud of you, and not let another tell you different."

Her eyes widened her light icy blue gaze traveled up to look at the tiger.
"I'm not ashamed of myself I never said I was but th..thanks. No ones told me something like that other than my mom.. thank you." Sniffled happily and smiled look up at him still head still on his leg. "You're warm.." Alijah mumbled before standing leaping up she gripped the tiger's shoulder back area and climbed him. She sat climbed to his head and sat their nobly. "Pfft look I can see the whole world you're a giant!" She said chocking a laugh looking at him.

The tiger stayed silent, even after the cub chose to jump on his head, a lot cubs seemed to like doing so.
At the mention of giant, he huffed, "You should see Vincent," he said, "I could stand on his head," he smiled, "we could be a totem pole!" he grinned, moving his eyes up, trying to look at the cub, "so... can I tell you something?" he asked, curious about her reply.

"Huh? Sure! You can tell me if it's a secret I promise not to tell." Her tone suddenly went serious as she laid on his head in a way where she could arch her head in a way where she looked upside down to look at him.
Her ears flicked as her face and expression went from a cub being childish to almost acting like a tiny adult. Which even most grown cats couldn't do or struggle to change mood so quickly.

"Good." Narreth said, with a flatter, more serious tone, but went onto what he had to say, "when I was your age, I was taken from my family... Nazareth is where I was born... I don't remember the name my mom gave, if she did, I remember the town, so I took that name."
He paused briefly, not exactly waiting for her to respond, but more of trying to gather how he wanted to continue his story.

Her expression softened she stared into the apprentice's eyes. She knew how it felt though she hadn't been taken and she never told anyone so she felt happy, in an empathetic way that he shared this with her. Alijah listened intently and waited for him to go on.

He huffed once, before continuing, "I got bought out... transferred from city to city... until I ended up in Massilia.... I got out shortly after my arrival... I was entered into the Hunter Program, but goes to show how well they watch cubs, where I came across a cat... outside the walls, a bit of a ways north of Massilia... this cat out-right attacked me, he was physically... smaller than you are," he looked up at Alijah, "so we had fought. And I lost... this cat looked like he wanted to kill me... but he stopped?" the tiger jaw crooked a bit in confusion, "I never understood why this cat did this... he was not a Hunter... he was no Empire Cat either though..." he sighed... "I fled after that. Where I got in trouble with the Hunters, and forced into being an apprentice... but I refused to take part in what Hunters did... and got me put behind bars, forced to fight... couldn't fight worth a whirl then, and have yet to really learn... probably 'cause I don't enjoy it any," he smirked, looking at Alijah again, "ironic how a big tiger doesn't like to fight huh?"

"Kinda but I'd understand I'm sorry you lost your family at a young age. It's fine that you can't fight everyone excels in their own way can I tell you something now. You can't tell anyone though I haven't told anyone really not the full truth of it though.. actually no one knows since you trusted me with your information than its only fair I share some of mine." Alijah said looking at him pushing herself off and slid down the tiger's back in not a very comfortable position. She ignored this fact and sat in front of Narreth.

"You're rather eager to share..." he smirked... "I wasn't done," he chuckled out at her... "but if you must..."

"Sorry umm you can finish sharing before I start mine I didn't know there was more you can go on." Alijah said as she looked up at him. "I apologize I will share after you." She said with a nervous smile feeling bad had interrupting Narreth.

"Don't feel bad kid," he smiled, continuing his story, "so... I spent about five or so months behind bars... getting my hyde handed to me every time I was put into the coliseum... I am surprised I don't have any scars..." he paused... "about four days before I got out... I got put into a fight with five other cats... a couple jaguars, and a huge white tiger... he was bigger than Vincent... I got beat to a pulp... then literally out of the blue... something got the white tiger off of me, I looked over, and it was the very cat I fought with before I got put behind bars..." he looked Alijah in the face again... "he and some cheetah saved my skin that night... the cat was a mini-caracal..." he paused again... "he said his name was Herne... I'm also sure he saw he leave the city... think he may have had something to do with me getting out," he looked at her again, with a very stern face, "Stone Empire says all Hunters need to taken off the Earth... I can't agree with that... I'll keep them out of here, our land... but I'm not going to take a life unless there isn't another option..." he paused "don't tell anyone that... I could get in a lot of trouble, for sympathizing..."

"It's okay I won't say a thing I honestly feel the same way. The reason being because they might be not do great things but they might have family's too you know." Alijah said looking at him.
Her ears flicked, "Is that all of your story? I want to be sure if I can start." Alijah asked looking up at the tiger. Her tail flickering.

"Well... Empires also have done some not so great things also... so... yeah," he said, crooking his maw a tad at the end, "and yeah, I'm through..." he nodded, followed by a gesture of his ears for her to get goin with her tale.

"Well I was born on a ship in a cage with two siblings. We stayed in that ship for about a month once we were in the city my brother was sold and taken immediately after." Alijah said sighing with a pause. "My father fought in the coliseum like you he was actually in a cage near to us so we saw him injured a lot. He was born and trained to fight so he hoped at least one of my three siblings would do the same. My mom and my brother along with me ran away when we were three months of age. My father however refused to come." Alijah said looking up at the tiger with a serious expression as if warning him or what to come.
"After a month my brother died and my mom's state of mind was not great already not having her lifelong mate come with her. My brother died and she went crazy basically. She still talked to his dead corpse and protected it. She would hunt feed me and try to feed my brothers dead and decaying corpse." Alijah said her expression obviously saddening and she shivered. "It was a hard decision my mom was obviously not in a great state of mind but she was beginning to refuse to eat and got sick. I left when she went to hunt and took my brothers still rotting corpse with her. I assuming she was going to die so I ran. After that I was scared to grow close to many because of my mother what happened to her. But then I met Calliope and brought me here." Alijah said with a obviously sad smile.

Narreth couldn't hide how he felt after hearing this cub's story... he was only five months... and yet... had already been through a lot. Not anything a child should ever go through.
He was quiet through her story and even sometime after. A lot of he didn't have an answer for, and if he did... he probably could not have said it to her.
"I came from a family with nine other siblings," he said, "I wouldn't know about seeing one of them pass away, any family really... but... it's nothing I could imagine." at that, he reached his paw out and pulled the cub closer to him, till the two were face-to-face, "you have my word... that I'll do the best I can to keep you safe, Calliope, and everyone you care about safe," he said, also carrying a sad smile, "I promise."

Alijah smiled tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you. But, keep yourself saw too okay. Eve. Though we just met I care about you too." Alijah said nuzzling him. "I.. I don't know what to say.. Once I become an apprentice you can ensure I'll protect you too.. Promise.."
Alijah said if he would protect her and those she cared about then once she would come of age she would protect him. Just to be sure he does stay safe. She cried not of sadness but overwhelming happiness.
"I care about you too okay always remember that. So if you try to say no one cares for you remember that I do always okay."

"Good to hear," Narreth smiled at her, "so? ... ya got anything you normally do?"

"Not really, I don't know many cub games.. I mean there's play fighting but ehh... I don't think it goes very well for my end of things." Alijah said laughing and looking at him. "Me and Calliope usually lounge sometimes walk around find something to do I guess.." Alijah said unsure now that she thought about she didn't do much to pass the time she could be very cheerful but she wasn't big on games.

Narreth sat up, and said, "I'd normally wonder the stream that runs right by camp... there's always fish it," he shrugged, "we could do that?"
He after being scolded about taking Mercury out, knew it was wrong to take a cub out of camp... but... when did that stop him. It gave them both something to do, and camp would stay in clear sight, so they would be fine.

"Ya! That sounds fun!" Alijah said leaping up and smiling. She looked up at Narreth and bounced around. "Well what are we waiting for let's go! Lead the way!" Alijah said happily and stopped bouncing to start following Narreth.

"Shhhhhhhhh~" he sneered from his face, "also not something to brag and boast on," he whispered to her.

"Oh ok secrets, secrets." Alijah smiled and nodded knowing she wouldn't tell anyone. "I won't tell," she whisper in response.

"Excellent..." he said in a humourous, and sinister tone, "now... we sneak out... thatda way~"
He pointed with his paw to the corner of camp. Though there really wasn't any sneaking out of Stone, everywhere was seeable... so hopefully they were just unnoticed.

"Okie dokie," she looked in the direction referred to as 'thatda way' by Narreth. "Okay we can do this.." she whispered very gently and began sneaking in the direction at these times she hated her pelt being so dark it didn't blend in well with greenery in broad day light.

At that... the tiger backed his way... doing a very poor job of inconspicuously, and hopping over the fence. Ushering Alijah threw the fence.

Alijah followed Narreth trying not to laugh at him. She thought to herself well isn't this fun trying to sneak away in the middle of a day. One was perched on the fence the other is a melanistic cheetah trying to blend into well nothing. She still remained from laughing but looked like she might die and burst at any moment but she was probably noticeable clenching her teeth to not be loud.

"Stealth mode..." he remarked, "now they can't see us." he said, smiling about.
The sad fact was... he knew they could still be seen, but he carried a stubbornness that you had to play by that rule with it, if it is said, you have to unseen. And 'Stealth maneuver' was if you did cause something loud, you would say that, then everyone must act like it did not happen.
No one ever caught on though.
"Now... we go thisa way~" he then started padding a bit a way from camp, they would be circling around a bit of camp to get to the stream. If they got that far.

Alijah followed behind Narreth. "If that wasn't terrible sneaking I don' know what was. A cheetah with dark fur trying to blend in during the day is not the best idea.." she replied laughing still keeping quiet just in case there was someone about. Her tail swished as she followed Narreth hoping to soon get to where he said they were going.

"This is why I said stealth mode," he said to her... "stealth isn't my doctrine. Being a fumbling baboon... totally my specialty," he grinned and chuckled out as they wrapped around camp, and were soon, on the stream... "now we walk the stream... up the stream, not in it unless you see dem fishies," he smiled.

"Ya I don't blend very well unless A it's dark or B it's inside of something.. And you could say that again." Alijah replied as well laughing with Narreth. "Okay so no walking in the water unless I see the fish okay!" She said walking along the stream looking in the water keeping close to Narreth though.

"Hey, I'm practically under the same boat... yellow grass, bright yellow grass against the brown fluffy of Nazareth with beaming green eyes," he said, and blinking quickly many times at the end, "I blend perfectly... who you tryin' to fool," he remarked... knowing he did not blend at all.
And then on top of this... his instruction skills were well handicapped. Within a moment of stating that, he was flying into the water, throwing water everywhere.

"Nice.. you said not to go in the water and I don't see no fish!" She said in a joking manner but also leapt in the water she rolled around in it though it was by accident.
She got up dripping of water her fur flowing down ward showing just how long it was. She leapt around in the water. "Even just playing in the water is fun! Also I never knew my fur was this long.." she said looking at her sides. Then shook out her fur. "We might need to take some time to dry out before heading back to camp." She said looking at Narreth her fur not all looked out from shaking it.

"Fish!" he exclaimed as he swatted one flying out of the water, "I said to don't get into the water, unless you see dem fishies," he grinned, "aannnd..." he waved his paw out, "fishies are here!" he bobbed his brows, "stir the water infront of them, then smack them out of the water and onto the bank," he did just that, "or into the grass?" he shrugged as his swat had a fish disappear into the grass.
He looked at Alijah.
"Whoops."

"Okay!" She headed to Narreth and did as she was told about sloshing the water. She watched one jump up and swatted it the outcome was what she hoped it landed in the bank and thankfully away from the water. "So what do we do after you know... the fish die?" Alijah asked as she sloshed the water once more to keep the fish from escaping her.
Another jumped out of the remaining that stayed in the spot from the time she took to swat the other one. She hit this one a tad harder and it landed not far from the other fish which had stopped flopping so much.

The tiger stopped in his tracks when she brought how to get them back.
"Ya know..." he said, pausing to take a swat at a fish, "I didn't expect to get this far," he laughed a little at the end.
He swatted a couple more out... and they now had over a dozen fish landed.
"You got a plan that doesn't involve us being caught in the act?" he asked humourously, "I'd love to hear one."

"Well I was thinking we could sneak in. But it's Meroe like we topple in act like we were playing no one would really question it." Alijah said with a smile her ears flicked. "If they do get suspicious you groomed me earlier and shook our right after so I got all fluffed up. It's not much but that's what I got."

"Yeah..." he uttered out, stopping his fish smacking fest, "we really didn't think this through..." he paused again, "cause how are we supposed to get the fish back?"

"We eat them here and now!" Alijah shouted and leapt to the bank shoving one in her mouth. She looked over at him and spit the fish out. "I didn't know they had bones.." She looked disappointed. "Ooh how about if anyone asks you wee doing some hunting you realized you caught so much so you needed help carrying it back but the first feline you found was me!"

"Thelia is not gonna buy that," he assured her, "we may just have to take the chew out," he grinned at her, "and we do have enough to take back to camp as is... so... I think we ought to get going..." he paused, "we could try the way we came, then slip in that way..." he shrugged, literally sitting in the water.

"Okay.." She looked as if she might say more then she stopped and shivered. "I'm cold.." Alijah said quietly looking at the ground. Her ears flicked and she looked up at Narreth.

"Then you hop on my backside, lady," he said humouringly, standing up, "I think we just got a plan to get back into with minimal trouble too," he smiled, "will still be chewed out a little though, hehe."
He leaned down, so she could climb onto his back, from that, he would then start gathering up the fish.

Alijah jumped onto Narreth's back laughing. She curled up in his back and watched him to be sure if she needed to hold onto him she could easily do so.
"Okay, hey if you gather the fish I can hold them." The Cheetah said her ears swiveling as she spoke.

"I got jaws," he humoured out before walking about, collecting the catch.
He got all but two, that he tossed up to Alijah, the rest were a giant wad hanging from his face.
"I bheht hththe lhadhiezhs ihn chahmph whhihll lhloveshishh," he grumbled through his face terribly, before almost skipping towards camp, acting far more like an excited kit than an apprentice.

Alijah laughed yet somehow made out the words had having always heard people with their mouths stuffed with whatever was try and talk.
"I'm sure they will and if they don't I do." She said with a laughing pure.
As she held the fish with one of her paws. She then gently bit into the apprentice's fur for a little, his skipping like walk made her nervous she might fall but if he were to ask her something she would respond.

With that, the apprentice with catch in jaw and on back, with the golden cub for help, he trotted around, and hopped the fence where they left... with luck fortunately, they didn't appear to be noticed.
He set the mountain of fish down, and said, "I'm gonna take a good chunk of the catch over to the prey pile, you wait here, alright?" he glanced over his shoulder.

"Okay.." Alijah said sitting down watching the apprentice leave.
She looked at the small amount of the chunk left and looked around as she waited. Her tail flicked they seemingly went unnoticed. She hoped that they weren't noticed at least. Her tail flicked as she waited for Narreth's return.

Narreth scooped up what he could carry, while leaving enough for the pair of them to eat well, darted across camp, dropped off his catch, and darted right back, sure to trip at the end though, and land sliding up to Alijah...
He huffed, blowing dirt out of his face, "That went well, don't ya think?"

She laughed and put her paw on his nose since he was on the floor.
"It went perfectly by the looks of it." Alijah laid down pulling of the fish towards her and began tearing at it to try to eat it.
Though by the looks of it she was struggling. Her ears flattened as she was obviously pulling hard with all her strength and yet so far she pull off the fin and some of the scales to reveal its meat.

Narreth looked at her as she struggled to shred the fish.
From his still crashed position, he said to her, "Try using your claws to cut it up, I do that most of the time," and at that, he started to straighten himself out, then he fell again, and he looked back to his feet, and he had rope around his leg.
His ears went flat... Shoel... he ran in his head.
He looked at Alijah, "Ummm... before you get too messy from the fish, can you get this rope off of me?" he had a tad of annoyance in his tone, and his thudding tail clearly showed it.

"Sure where did that even come from when you ran in it didn't seem like anything was there I though what I saw dangling was your tail so I just assumed. Well that you always had the rope there. I thought it was your style or well just you getting weird with armor design." She laughed as she got up and leapt around the tiger.
She then began to pull the rope from his paws in order to free him. Her ears lifted and she shook out her fur.
"There you go you're free now." Alijah went back to her fish and started ripping it with her claws.

"Horrah!" he stated, almost throwing his front legs up, "now... we eat."

THE END

Description
Whoot whoot~ Narreth has actually gotten some development, not the type I was expecting either! But this is in no way bad. It is good, very good to be honest. Got to see a bit of his Regalness actually be good and not so oafy. But heis still the oaf. Just a growing oaf. ^^
This RP honestly took me off guard, I was expecting a little cute RP with a cub to be honest. Turned into a lot more than that, which I am happy for~ It's full of funny bits and some serious stuff. I just... don't exactly have words for it, minus read!

Word Count: 4603
Alijah || MelphinasMelody
Narreth || FeatheredSeclude

+3EP for Clip-Art
+2EP for Multiple EBC Characters (Narreth and Alijah)
+9EP for RP Word Count (4603)
+5EP for Active RP
+10EP for Assignment (Alijah's Assignment: Meet Someone New)

+24EP to Alijah (she is also doing a picture for this RP, so this may not be accurate)
+19EP to Narreth

Alijah sat outside the nursery with nothing to do, her tail tip flicking in anticipation for something to happen. But mostly for the return of her adoptive mother a Calliope. Alijah had nothing to do when her mother got called on patrols. She scanned the camp for someone to talk to. Alijah was looking around she stiffened all to roll in her back rubbing her neck against the ground to relieve and itch. Before she rolled back to her stomach and back to scanning the camp.

His Regal Oaf had almost had in routine for his day to walk on the fence that surrounded a chunk of camp. Since he to this day... was an apprentice. He's been in Stone for several months, October, and he has yet to meet his mentor. He knows he is a white lion, like actually white. Not ash brown, like Vincent. So lounging and being lazy... his specialty. But he also... tended to make a pass by the nursery... and this was where he was headed.

Alijah's ears flicked when someone finally caught her eye it was an apprentice. A tiger. She gasped in an almost dramatic happy way as if finally her troubles were solved. She twitched as she cheerfully stood and shook her pelt. Alijah waited for a moment watching the apprentice walk a bit closer before leaping at him as he was about to pass. It might have seemed foolish at first but she caught his tail.
"Hi there!" Alijah said laying in her side and having the apprentice's tail on her mouth looking up at him.

The tiger went to pass the nursery, where a couple cats were sitting outside, every now and then one would pester him a bit... but nothing added up to Shoel. Though this never stops cat's from pestering him as he walked by... when in reality... he liked the cubs. So it was hardly ever a curse on him.
A dark brown cheetah certainly had pester on her mind, by grabbing his tail, and greeting through a tail nawing.
Narreth turned his head, glancing over his shoulder, "Ya know that is a tail, not a snake, right?"

"What's the difference they both basically have minds of their own.." Alijah looked up at the apprentice with a quite stern look in her face.
It was the type of face someone gives when they think one of being a buzz kill. Her ears flicked as she got up. She looked more upset not then annoyed but it was only a brief moment before she turned to give a smile. She pawed at his leg in a rough playful manner.
"My name is Alijah by the way! What's your name?" She asked with a playful look.
Alijah's tail flicked, her eyes obviously glowing with delight more than likely to have someone to talk to.

The tiger gave a friendly huff before stating, "Tails are what let you have good balance... so yes, they may as well," he smiled softly, with her pawing at him, "and I am Narreth, ya pesky munchkin," he grinned at her, almost egging her on.
Sad fact is... he did not have a clue how to fight.

She smiled with a small chuckle. "Nice to me-... Wait who you callin a munchkin!" She said in angered yet playful town.
Once Alijah caught that she was called a little munchkin of all things which she hated being called made her mad. In a playful manner though since she did hear his joking town. She had to slightly lift to her hind legs and paw the tiger's nose playfully but still obviously out of annoyance.
"I might be a munchkin but just you watch me.... grow you.." She said in a pouting tone some parts trailing off into mumbles.

"I'm not done growing either sassy," he smirked at her, before almost flopping onto his stomach, "so?" he then said, "what's Miss Pouty Face for?"

She sighed looking at him, "it's not nice to tease you know.. I'm growing a lot slower then most cheetahs do I am five months old and still as small as a mouse..." Alijah said with ears flattened but she stood in a proud manner. "Just you wait an see I will grow I might not be as tall as you but I'll be bigger than I am now!" She said with a smiled and surprising instead of an aggressive paw she nuzzled his front leg.

The tiger face gave a completely surprised expression when she muzzled his leg. He couldn't remember the last time anyone... did that... other than his family... which he got taken from at this kids age. He looked at her and said.
"You shouldn't be ashamed of you," he said, "the bravest cat's I've met were honestly the smaller ones." he smiled, and then licked her head once, "you oughtta be proud of you, and not let another tell you different."

Her eyes widened her light icy blue gaze traveled up to look at the tiger.
"I'm not ashamed of myself I never said I was but th..thanks. No ones told me something like that other than my mom.. thank you." Sniffled happily and smiled look up at him still head still on his leg. "You're warm.." Alijah mumbled before standing leaping up she gripped the tiger's shoulder back area and climbed him. She sat climbed to his head and sat their nobly. "Pfft look I can see the whole world you're a giant!" She said chocking a laugh looking at him.

The tiger stayed silent, even after the cub chose to jump on his head, a lot cubs seemed to like doing so.
At the mention of giant, he huffed, "You should see Vincent," he said, "I could stand on his head," he smiled, "we could be a totem pole!" he grinned, moving his eyes up, trying to look at the cub, "so... can I tell you something?" he asked, curious about her reply.

"Huh? Sure! You can tell me if it's a secret I promise not to tell." Her tone suddenly went serious as she laid on his head in a way where she could arch her head in a way where she looked upside down to look at him.
Her ears flicked as her face and expression went from a cub being childish to almost acting like a tiny adult. Which even most grown cats couldn't do or struggle to change mood so quickly.

"Good." Narreth said, with a flatter, more serious tone, but went onto what he had to say, "when I was your age, I was taken from my family... Nazareth is where I was born... I don't remember the name my mom gave, if she did, I remember the town, so I took that name."
He paused briefly, not exactly waiting for her to respond, but more of trying to gather how he wanted to continue his story.

Her expression softened she stared into the apprentice's eyes. She knew how it felt though she hadn't been taken and she never told anyone so she felt happy, in an empathetic way that he shared this with her. Alijah listened intently and waited for him to go on.

He huffed once, before continuing, "I got bought out... transferred from city to city... until I ended up in Massilia.... I got out shortly after my arrival... I was entered into the Hunter Program, but goes to show how well they watch cubs, where I came across a cat... outside the walls, a bit of a ways north of Massilia... this cat out-right attacked me, he was physically... smaller than you are," he looked up at Alijah, "so we had fought. And I lost... this cat looked like he wanted to kill me... but he stopped?" the tiger jaw crooked a bit in confusion, "I never understood why this cat did this... he was not a Hunter... he was no Empire Cat either though..." he sighed... "I fled after that. Where I got in trouble with the Hunters, and forced into being an apprentice... but I refused to take part in what Hunters did... and got me put behind bars, forced to fight... couldn't fight worth a whirl then, and have yet to really learn... probably 'cause I don't enjoy it any," he smirked, looking at Alijah again, "ironic how a big tiger doesn't like to fight huh?"

"Kinda but I'd understand I'm sorry you lost your family at a young age. It's fine that you can't fight everyone excels in their own way can I tell you something now. You can't tell anyone though I haven't told anyone really not the full truth of it though.. actually no one knows since you trusted me with your information than its only fair I share some of mine." Alijah said looking at him pushing herself off and slid down the tiger's back in not a very comfortable position. She ignored this fact and sat in front of Narreth.

"You're rather eager to share..." he smirked... "I wasn't done," he chuckled out at her... "but if you must..."

"Sorry umm you can finish sharing before I start mine I didn't know there was more you can go on." Alijah said as she looked up at him. "I apologize I will share after you." She said with a nervous smile feeling bad had interrupting Narreth.

"Don't feel bad kid," he smiled, continuing his story, "so... I spent about five or so months behind bars... getting my hyde handed to me every time I was put into the coliseum... I am surprised I don't have any scars..." he paused... "about four days before I got out... I got put into a fight with five other cats... a couple jaguars, and a huge white tiger... he was bigger than Vincent... I got beat to a pulp... then literally out of the blue... something got the white tiger off of me, I looked over, and it was the very cat I fought with before I got put behind bars..." he looked Alijah in the face again... "he and some cheetah saved my skin that night... the cat was a mini-caracal..." he paused again... "he said his name was Herne... I'm also sure he saw he leave the city... think he may have had something to do with me getting out," he looked at her again, with a very stern face, "Stone Empire says all Hunters need to taken off the Earth... I can't agree with that... I'll keep them out of here, our land... but I'm not going to take a life unless there isn't another option..." he paused "don't tell anyone that... I could get in a lot of trouble, for sympathizing..."

"It's okay I won't say a thing I honestly feel the same way. The reason being because they might be not do great things but they might have family's too you know." Alijah said looking at him.
Her ears flicked, "Is that all of your story? I want to be sure if I can start." Alijah asked looking up at the tiger. Her tail flickering.

"Well... Empires also have done some not so great things also... so... yeah," he said, crooking his maw a tad at the end, "and yeah, I'm through..." he nodded, followed by a gesture of his ears for her to get goin with her tale.

"Well I was born on a ship in a cage with two siblings. We stayed in that ship for about a month once we were in the city my brother was sold and taken immediately after." Alijah said sighing with a pause. "My father fought in the coliseum like you he was actually in a cage near to us so we saw him injured a lot. He was born and trained to fight so he hoped at least one of my three siblings would do the same. My mom and my brother along with me ran away when we were three months of age. My father however refused to come." Alijah said looking up at the tiger with a serious expression as if warning him or what to come.
"After a month my brother died and my mom's state of mind was not great already not having her lifelong mate come with her. My brother died and she went crazy basically. She still talked to his dead corpse and protected it. She would hunt feed me and try to feed my brothers dead and decaying corpse." Alijah said her expression obviously saddening and she shivered. "It was a hard decision my mom was obviously not in a great state of mind but she was beginning to refuse to eat and got sick. I left when she went to hunt and took my brothers still rotting corpse with her. I assuming she was going to die so I ran. After that I was scared to grow close to many because of my mother what happened to her. But then I met Calliope and brought me here." Alijah said with a obviously sad smile.

Narreth couldn't hide how he felt after hearing this cub's story... he was only five months... and yet... had already been through a lot. Not anything a child should ever go through.
He was quiet through her story and even sometime after. A lot of he didn't have an answer for, and if he did... he probably could not have said it to her.
"I came from a family with nine other siblings," he said, "I wouldn't know about seeing one of them pass away, any family really... but... it's nothing I could imagine." at that, he reached his paw out and pulled the cub closer to him, till the two were face-to-face, "you have my word... that I'll do the best I can to keep you safe, Calliope, and everyone you care about safe," he said, also carrying a sad smile, "I promise."

Alijah smiled tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you. But, keep yourself saw too okay. Eve. Though we just met I care about you too." Alijah said nuzzling him. "I.. I don't know what to say.. Once I become an apprentice you can ensure I'll protect you too.. Promise.."
Alijah said if he would protect her and those she cared about then once she would come of age she would protect him. Just to be sure he does stay safe. She cried not of sadness but overwhelming happiness.
"I care about you too okay always remember that. So if you try to say no one cares for you remember that I do always okay."

"Good to hear," Narreth smiled at her, "so? ... ya got anything you normally do?"

"Not really, I don't know many cub games.. I mean there's play fighting but ehh... I don't think it goes very well for my end of things." Alijah said laughing and looking at him. "Me and Calliope usually lounge sometimes walk around find something to do I guess.." Alijah said unsure now that she thought about she didn't do much to pass the time she could be very cheerful but she wasn't big on games.

Narreth sat up, and said, "I'd normally wonder the stream that runs right by camp... there's always fish it," he shrugged, "we could do that?"
He after being scolded about taking Mercury out, knew it was wrong to take a cub out of camp... but... when did that stop him. It gave them both something to do, and camp would stay in clear sight, so they would be fine.

"Ya! That sounds fun!" Alijah said leaping up and smiling. She looked up at Narreth and bounced around. "Well what are we waiting for let's go! Lead the way!" Alijah said happily and stopped bouncing to start following Narreth.

"Shhhhhhhhh~" he sneered from his face, "also not something to brag and boast on," he whispered to her.

"Oh ok secrets, secrets." Alijah smiled and nodded knowing she wouldn't tell anyone. "I won't tell," she whisper in response.

"Excellent..." he said in a humourous, and sinister tone, "now... we sneak out... thatda way~"
He pointed with his paw to the corner of camp. Though there really wasn't any sneaking out of Stone, everywhere was seeable... so hopefully they were just unnoticed.

"Okie dokie," she looked in the direction referred to as 'thatda way' by Narreth. "Okay we can do this.." she whispered very gently and began sneaking in the direction at these times she hated her pelt being so dark it didn't blend in well with greenery in broad day light.

At that... the tiger backed his way... doing a very poor job of inconspicuously, and hopping over the fence. Ushering Alijah threw the fence.

Alijah followed Narreth trying not to laugh at him. She thought to herself well isn't this fun trying to sneak away in the middle of a day. One was perched on the fence the other is a melanistic cheetah trying to blend into well nothing. She still remained from laughing but looked like she might die and burst at any moment but she was probably noticeable clenching her teeth to not be loud.

"Stealth mode..." he remarked, "now they can't see us." he said, smiling about.
The sad fact was... he knew they could still be seen, but he carried a stubbornness that you had to play by that rule with it, if it is said, you have to unseen. And 'Stealth maneuver' was if you did cause something loud, you would say that, then everyone must act like it did not happen.
No one ever caught on though.
"Now... we go thisa way~" he then started padding a bit a way from camp, they would be circling around a bit of camp to get to the stream. If they got that far.

Alijah followed behind Narreth. "If that wasn't terrible sneaking I don' know what was. A cheetah with dark fur trying to blend in during the day is not the best idea.." she replied laughing still keeping quiet just in case there was someone about. Her tail swished as she followed Narreth hoping to soon get to where he said they were going.

"This is why I said stealth mode," he said to her... "stealth isn't my doctrine. Being a fumbling baboon... totally my specialty," he grinned and chuckled out as they wrapped around camp, and were soon, on the stream... "now we walk the stream... up the stream, not in it unless you see dem fishies," he smiled.

"Ya I don't blend very well unless A it's dark or B it's inside of something.. And you could say that again." Alijah replied as well laughing with Narreth. "Okay so no walking in the water unless I see the fish okay!" She said walking along the stream looking in the water keeping close to Narreth though.

"Hey, I'm practically under the same boat... yellow grass, bright yellow grass against the brown fluffy of Nazareth with beaming green eyes," he said, and blinking quickly many times at the end, "I blend perfectly... who you tryin' to fool," he remarked... knowing he did not blend at all.
And then on top of this... his instruction skills were well handicapped. Within a moment of stating that, he was flying into the water, throwing water everywhere.

"Nice.. you said not to go in the water and I don't see no fish!" She said in a joking manner but also leapt in the water she rolled around in it though it was by accident.
She got up dripping of water her fur flowing down ward showing just how long it was. She leapt around in the water. "Even just playing in the water is fun! Also I never knew my fur was this long.." she said looking at her sides. Then shook out her fur. "We might need to take some time to dry out before heading back to camp." She said looking at Narreth her fur not all looked out from shaking it.

"Fish!" he exclaimed as he swatted one flying out of the water, "I said to don't get into the water, unless you see dem fishies," he grinned, "aannnd..." he waved his paw out, "fishies are here!" he bobbed his brows, "stir the water infront of them, then smack them out of the water and onto the bank," he did just that, "or into the grass?" he shrugged as his swat had a fish disappear into the grass.
He looked at Alijah.
"Whoops."

"Okay!" She headed to Narreth and did as she was told about sloshing the water. She watched one jump up and swatted it the outcome was what she hoped it landed in the bank and thankfully away from the water. "So what do we do after you know... the fish die?" Alijah asked as she sloshed the water once more to keep the fish from escaping her.
Another jumped out of the remaining that stayed in the spot from the time she took to swat the other one. She hit this one a tad harder and it landed not far from the other fish which had stopped flopping so much.

The tiger stopped in his tracks when she brought how to get them back.
"Ya know..." he said, pausing to take a swat at a fish, "I didn't expect to get this far," he laughed a little at the end.
He swatted a couple more out... and they now had over a dozen fish landed.
"You got a plan that doesn't involve us being caught in the act?" he asked humourously, "I'd love to hear one."

"Well I was thinking we could sneak in. But it's Meroe like we topple in act like we were playing no one would really question it." Alijah said with a smile her ears flicked. "If they do get suspicious you groomed me earlier and shook our right after so I got all fluffed up. It's not much but that's what I got."

"Yeah..." he uttered out, stopping his fish smacking fest, "we really didn't think this through..." he paused again, "cause how are we supposed to get the fish back?"

"We eat them here and now!" Alijah shouted and leapt to the bank shoving one in her mouth. She looked over at him and spit the fish out. "I didn't know they had bones.." She looked disappointed. "Ooh how about if anyone asks you wee doing some hunting you realized you caught so much so you needed help carrying it back but the first feline you found was me!"

"Thelia is not gonna buy that," he assured her, "we may just have to take the chew out," he grinned at her, "and we do have enough to take back to camp as is... so... I think we ought to get going..." he paused, "we could try the way we came, then slip in that way..." he shrugged, literally sitting in the water.

"Okay.." She looked as if she might say more then she stopped and shivered. "I'm cold.." Alijah said quietly looking at the ground. Her ears flicked and she looked up at Narreth.

"Then you hop on my backside, lady," he said humouringly, standing up, "I think we just got a plan to get back into with minimal trouble too," he smiled, "will still be chewed out a little though, hehe."
He leaned down, so she could climb onto his back, from that, he would then start gathering up the fish.

Alijah jumped onto Narreth's back laughing. She curled up in his back and watched him to be sure if she needed to hold onto him she could easily do so.
"Okay, hey if you gather the fish I can hold them." The Cheetah said her ears swiveling as she spoke.

"I got jaws," he humoured out before walking about, collecting the catch.
He got all but two, that he tossed up to Alijah, the rest were a giant wad hanging from his face.
"I bheht hththe lhadhiezhs ihn chahmph whhihll lhloveshishh," he grumbled through his face terribly, before almost skipping towards camp, acting far more like an excited kit than an apprentice.

Alijah laughed yet somehow made out the words had having always heard people with their mouths stuffed with whatever was try and talk.
"I'm sure they will and if they don't I do." She said with a laughing pure.
As she held the fish with one of her paws. She then gently bit into the apprentice's fur for a little, his skipping like walk made her nervous she might fall but if he were to ask her something she would respond.

With that, the apprentice with catch in jaw and on back, with the golden cub for help, he trotted around, and hopped the fence where they left... with luck fortunately, they didn't appear to be noticed.
He set the mountain of fish down, and said, "I'm gonna take a good chunk of the catch over to the prey pile, you wait here, alright?" he glanced over his shoulder.

"Okay.." Alijah said sitting down watching the apprentice leave.
She looked at the small amount of the chunk left and looked around as she waited. Her tail flicked they seemingly went unnoticed. She hoped that they weren't noticed at least. Her tail flicked as she waited for Narreth's return.

Narreth scooped up what he could carry, while leaving enough for the pair of them to eat well, darted across camp, dropped off his catch, and darted right back, sure to trip at the end though, and land sliding up to Alijah...
He huffed, blowing dirt out of his face, "That went well, don't ya think?"

She laughed and put her paw on his nose since he was on the floor.
"It went perfectly by the looks of it." Alijah laid down pulling of the fish towards her and began tearing at it to try to eat it.
Though by the looks of it she was struggling. Her ears flattened as she was obviously pulling hard with all her strength and yet so far she pull off the fin and some of the scales to reveal its meat.

Narreth looked at her as she struggled to shred the fish.
From his still crashed position, he said to her, "Try using your claws to cut it up, I do that most of the time," and at that, he started to straighten himself out, then he fell again, and he looked back to his feet, and he had rope around his leg.
His ears went flat... Shoel... he ran in his head.
He looked at Alijah, "Ummm... before you get too messy from the fish, can you get this rope off of me?" he had a tad of annoyance in his tone, and his thudding tail clearly showed it.

"Sure where did that even come from when you ran in it didn't seem like anything was there I though what I saw dangling was your tail so I just assumed. Well that you always had the rope there. I thought it was your style or well just you getting weird with armor design." She laughed as she got up and leapt around the tiger.
She then began to pull the rope from his paws in order to free him. Her ears lifted and she shook out her fur.
"There you go you're free now." Alijah went back to her fish and started ripping it with her claws.

"Horrah!" he stated, almost throwing his front legs up, "now... we eat."

THE END