Tophee & Zaphren

While their mother had gone out to try and find some food, her cubs had decided to go exploring. At nearly four months old, neither were equipped to be on their own, but Zaphren's large size for a cub - a liger destined to grow larger than his own father one day - had given the youngster quite the confidence boost. It was he who led his sister on this grand adventure away from Pike's lake, where the pair were now scrambling up the side of Croal's scree-strewn slopes and around bent and twisted sycamore trees.

"I'm going to make it to the very top." Zaphren declared with all the confidence in the world as he muscled his way across the rocks. Now and then, he'd slip and skid a few feet downward, but always rebounded and clawed his way right back up.

Tophee had an easier time than her brother, with a body built a little lower and longer than her pale-coated littermate. Bold stripes against a fairly dark coat also helped the lithe little female to blend in a little better with her surroundings, not that either of the cubs were trying to be stealthy. "How far do you think it actually goes?" She asked, while picking her way with a little more care than Zaph, and soon coming up along his side.

Fallen Ember

A single, cinnamon-brown feather drifted slowly towards the ground, landing a few short paces away from where the two cubs were climbing. The owner of the large feather sat higher above, watching the siblings with rapt attention. The eagle initially had thoughts of making a meal out of one of the youngsters, another idea soon came to mind. With a rush of wingbeats, Fallen hoisted herself off her lofty perch and took off into the skies...

Tophee & Zaphren

"Hey, look!" Tophee announced as the feather drifted down, enticing the cub to scramble towards it.

Zaphren was busy looking upwards, the fur along his back bristling when a hefty shadow swept over them. "Watch out, sis." A growl played into his words and snapped his sister's attention his way. The cub's tail thumped against the ground and his eyes locked hard onto the aerial predator, watching until it had flown out of sight. Once Ember was gone, Zaph stood up and growled a little louder, "That's what I thought, you big turkey! You better fly away."

Tophee chuckled and pranced over to her brother, the feather clutched between her jaws. "Afraid of a little bird, Zaphy?"

"No." He lied and shot his sibling a soured look, "I was just making sure that dumb bird didn't swoop down and carry you away for lunch. You're welcome."

Fallen Ember

Scarcely twenty minutes had passed since Fallen Ember had soared away from the pair of cubs, and now she was back, gliding in low and moving as slow as she could while retaining flight. The eagle swept in a tight circle over the cubs before alighting on a rock two meters away.

"Don't worry young ones, you are in safe jaws now." Ember declared with authority, taking it upon herself to address the two before their 'rescue'.

Saulk, Dally, Leomar, & Zanarah

The group of Haunters moved with superb coordination down the slopes of the mountain, sticking close together initially as they followed after Fallen Ember. Saulk was glancing up periodically to keep tabs on the eagle, and to look for Dally as the falcon scouted a wider circuit high above them. When they began to near the cubs, Saulk slid up beside Leomar and coached the African cat, "Stay out of sight for now. Keep one ear on Dally for any trouble, and one on the cubs. If they give us trouble, I need you to give them reason to stay with us."

Leomar's eyes lit up, "Got it." Oh, how he wished trouble would show up, as his occasional, fervent glances up at their aerial scout suggested. Dally remained silent so far though, so Leo busied himself with ideas on how he could properly frighten the two cubs into fleeing into the Haunter's waiting paws.

Zanarah was already three steps ahead of Saulk, and had a response for the commanding wolf by the time he approached her, "Let me handle the discussion, if you will. I think they will be more receptive to a female than a strange male wolf they don't know." When Saulk nodded in acceptance of that proposal, Zanarah broke away from the group and pushed ahead, so that she was the first Haunter the children would see.

"Children, what are you doing out here alone?" The ligress chuffed in alarm. Her blue eyes creased with concern and she darted a look to Ember, "Thank you Ember, for finding these two before it was two late. Young ones, what are you doing out here, away from your parents? What are your names?" Sky-blue sights fell back to the siblings and she padded closer, her gentle gaze still conveying one of surprise and genuine worry.

Tophee & Zaphren

"Pffft, that bird would have been dinner if it tried to hunt me." Tophee had declared, and as if to prove her point, she dropped the feather to the ground and pounced on it with her best attempt at a roar. A few paw slaps were offered before she grabbed it up and shook the toy back and forth.

Zaphren flicked his tail, a little incensed that his sister didn't appreciate his bravery. He quickly lost interest in Tophee and the feather and began to traverse the mountain again, determined to get to the top of it.

Several minutes and many distractions later, the cubs had gone only a few dozen yards when the eagle swooped back in. Zaphren immediately puffed up and wheeled around to face the raptor, while Tophee scrambled to her brother's side. "Go away, you big dumb turkey! We don't need saved from anything!" Another voice perked his ear and he turned, wide eyes taking in the sight of a pale coated, maltese ligeress. His muzzle wrinkled and he bared his fangs, "What do you mean, too late? What's your name?"

Where her brother was defensive and resistant to the questions, Tophee was a little less fire and brimstone. Her ears may be plastered back, but there was less snarl in her voice when she spoke to Zanarah, "T-tophee. And that's my brother, Zaphren. We're just exploring."

Saulk, Dally, Leomar, & Zanarah

"My name, young one, is Zanarah." She answered him honestly, while stopping where she was so as not to frighten the cubs into fleeing. She wanted them to be fearful, but not of her. "There are evil beasts about, I only just escaped them thanks to my vigilant friend here." And with this she nodded to Fallen Ember with an expression of gratitude. That facade was soon pinched with renewed concern as she lifted her head and let her eyes dart with a mild dose of panic to the trees and rocks behind the cubs. "There isn't much time to explain; where are your parents? Exploring out here alone is beyond dangerous right now."

Saulk crouched down where he was, just out of eyesight but close enough to hear what was going on. Beyond him, Leomar was putting himself in position downwind and downslope of the others. And above them all, Dally cruised the skies, peering vigilantly through gaps in the trees as he kept an eye out for danger... or for parents seeking to find their lost children.

Tophee & Zaphren

Tophee looked uncertainly to her brother, wordlessly seeking his advice and support right now. They'd only ever known their mother, so she wasn't sure what to make of this big, strangely colored feline and her giant avian friend. "..I, umm... our mom is hunting..."

Zaphren felt fear prickle down his neck. The end of his tail twitched nervously, and he looked back in subconscious reaction to follow Zanarah's frightened gaze to the slopes behind him. He didn't see anything, but his ears caught phantom noises of what were surely terribly monsters stalking beyond the shadows. Gulping down his fear, Zaph did his best to present confidence, especially after catching the anxious glance from his sister. "I can protect myself and my sister from evil monsters." After a beat, he added on with slightly flattened ears and eyes that were just a stitch to wide, "Erm... what do they look like?"

Fallen Ember

Fallen was eating this up. She could barely contain her excitement, and had to clutch tightly at her perch to keep herself from hopping about. She diligently followed every word Zanarah offered, her bright gaze zipping from the liger to the cubs, and when the time was right, she jumped in with a sharp call, "We really should leave now! Something is approaching!" She craned her neck and flattened her feathers, playing up the part of a frightened raptor who'd just spotted a potential threat.

Saulk, Dally, Leomar, & Zanarah

"She's out hunting?" Zanarah echoed quietly with palpable dread, while picking up on the distinct lack of any father being mentioned. She wasn't close enough to properly scent these two, but it didn't sound like they were from the Makucha Pride, and that could be a huge boon to her and the Haunters. Playing effortlessly off of Fallen's assist, the ligeress ghosted forward, circling tightly behind the cubs, "We must hurry my dears, there's no further time to talk! Ember, will you scout for their mother, and see if she survived the evil ones? Saulk! Please, come to me location!" Zana spoke loudly and with speed, giving the cubs little time to stop and process what was happening. Strong jaws went for the back of Zaphren's nape, aiming to hoist the brother off the ground for quicker transport...

Saulk waited several moments after Zanarah's call, wanting to give the illusion of being further away than he really was. Only after this timely pause did he come forward in a rush, panting and looking about with mock confusion, "Two lone cubs?" Watching her attempt to seize the larger male, he went for Tophee, "Hang on tight, kid. We'll get you somewhere safe." He offered before doing his best to grab the youngster as well.

Now further back down the slope, Leomar heard the raised voices of his comrades and grinned in delight when his cue was given. Finally, some action! It wouldn't be much, but it was better than lazing around. So with a hearty roar, the African lion began to run and thrash against trees and pull loose stone, sending mini avalanches of scree roaring down the incline. He made as much noise as he could while steadily approaching the group.

The movement was all noted by Dally, who continued to keep a vigilance over the area. So far, so good.

Tophee & Zaphren

Zaphren edged back at first, with a small growl thrumming through his tiny throat. Instinct told him to run and get away from this stranger, but her kindness had him questioning that. What really cinched the deal though, and ultimately led to Zaphren being hoisted up without a fight, was the sudden ruckus down the hill. Leomar's roar turned that prickly feeling at the back of his neck to a surging bolt of fear that raced down his spine and sent his heart thumping. As the jaws tightened around his skin, Zaph curled into a ball and offered no resistance.

Being approached by a wolf, Tophee was inclined to back away too, but Saulk's demeanor reflected no hostility. He looked as genuinely concerned and bewildered as Zanah and the eagle. Though she hesitated at first, Tophee ultimately allowed herself to be carried too, seeing that her brother was already picked up by the liger. Their fate was now in the jaws of these strangers.

Saulk, Dally, Leomar, & Zanarah

Zanarah waited only for Saulk to secure the second cub before she turned tail and began the arduous climb back up the mountain with the hefty Zaphren dangling from her jaws. There would be a few stops along the way to readjust her hold, but under the fleet and steady paws of the liger, they would eventually reach the ruins high above.

The trip was a little more exhausting for Saulk, but he too would make the climb with only a few stops here and there to rest his neck and jaws. During these brief pauses, he'd continue to play the part of fear, with hasty glances back and murmured assurances that they were quickly reaching safe ground.

Leomar eventually ended his feigned rampage once he began to run out of trees and greenery to cover for him. He couldn't let the cubs catch a glimpse of him, after all. He would give Zanarah and Saulk a half-hour headstart before rejoining with the group.

For the time being, Dally continued his surveillance of the skies.