darkSpyro

"I hope so... whew..." she said with difficulty, not being able to look at him directly. Just how much energy one orca could have?

Neither Cairo or Sybil knew that they spent almost an entire hour in that whirl. Sybil took a quick glance at Rose and her sandcastle after talking to Sayan, and realized that much time must have really passed if she made a castle that perfect. She was going to speak to her, but she did not had the strength to do so anymore. She couldn't even notice that from behind her, Cairo was already stalking Rose, taking advantage of her distraction. With lightning reflexes, he closed his mouth around Rose's left back paw.
"Hello little Rose." he said playfully teasingly, with his eyes gleaming, grasping her paw and not letting go. He then began to drag her, verrry slowly, into the water, as if he was flavoring the moment...

As the orca began to drag his next "victim", Sayan looked Cairo in the eyes and nodded as if to indicate that he was willing. When it became his time.

Cairo saw this, and winked at him, as he continued to pull Rose. Sayan was probably the one who was going to get the worse part of the deal, since the orca wanted to make up the time he escaped his grasp.

Sybil finally noticed what Cairo was doing, and found unbelievable that he didn't even waited for Rose to get a head start. He really was into the game, possibly more than yesterday.
"Man, he's still at it. Sheesh, it was fun, but man, being tossed around like that is certainly an adventure." Sybil said sarcastically, trying to get her focus to return. She didn't know what was more exhausting; getting thrown into the cold air from above or being tossed and turned inside the mouth.

Cairo realized that perhaps he dragged her in a bit too slowly. But he wasn't willing to let his victim get away that easily.
"Oh really?" he said with a smirk, retreating into the water. Minutes passed, and nothing happened.
"He's up to something no doubt." Sybil commented, looking at Rose. Indeed Cairo had a plan in mind, a trick he hasn't used in a long time. With his eyes sharply focused on Rose, he was sure that there was no way she would escape him...

But jumping was going to be futile for what Cairo had in store. Right on the horizon, the water raised alarmingly high. It was almost like a mini tsunami, except that it was concentrated on a particular spot. The concentrated wave grew even taller, and fell right on top of Rose, inevitably making her lose her ground! The water around her dragged her helplessly into the ocean as if there was a current below her, and around her waist, something closed around it tightly. It was Cairo's mouth. He created that humongous wave in order to bring Rose to him, and it bigger than Sybil had ever seen him make. Cairo once again managed to demonstrate he was full of surprises.

"Hello again missy." Cairo said with a playful smile, swimming quickly into deeper waters so that if she eluded him, he could grab her easily again. He continued swimming in more deeply, paying attention to Rose to see how would she react...

Cairo smiled at how cute Rose's struggle was. After watching her for a while trying to get away from his grip, he sucked her in, and after finding a perfect opening, he shoot her out into the air, playing the same way he did with Sybil, until he thought of a new trick. The next time he caught her and threw her up, he jumped to receive her, but instead of catching her in his mouth, he caught her with his flippers, falling with his back on the water.
"Wow, what do you know? It worked." he said, as he held on to Rose in sort of a hug.

"I wonder if he forgot about yesterday...," Sayan said quietly as he watched the orca develop new tricks on the fly. He dreaded when it would eventually be his turn to play.

Cairo began to swim smoothly on his back with Rose on top of her.
"Quite a neat trick, huh? It was fun, but I don't think it will help much with a hunt." Cairo analyzed, realizing that his flippers didn't cover Rose completely, and that she could escape any time she wanted. Plus, hitting the water on his back like that kinda hurt.

"Fun, but a bit risky." he then commented after swimming with her for a while, recovering from the blow, realizing that Rose wasn't struggling to escape.
"Well now little stripes..." he said with a grin, sliding Rose off his belly and onto his tail, giving her a big fling. As she fell, it was down into the mouth again. In order to tease her, he had everything but her tail inside, and went underwater so it would get wet.

"Uh oh. There he goes again." Sybil commented after watching Cairo sink. Her focus had return a little and she covered her fur with sand so that she would clean herself later, but she had quite a body ache. It was going to be hard adapt to all that.

Cairo was really having a grand time, and after getting Rose's tail soaking wet, he slurped it in and returned to the surface. After shaking Rose for a while, he opened his mouth to let her out. But they weren't close to shore. In fact, they were almost half a mile away.
"Ok little Rose. I set you free. But first, let's see how well you swim..." he said, with a rather mischievous smile...

But by the time Rose called, Cairo wasn't behind her anymore. He had completely vanished. And the waters below Rose were too dark and profound to see anything. He couldn't have abandoned her, could he? But then the waters around Rose started to turn around her! It was a whirlpool! There was nothing Rose could do, and as the vortex continued spinning and spinning, she was getting sucked in the middle...

Rose's suspicions were about to be proven. As she helplessly sunk in the middle of the vortex, she was greeted by complete darkness, surrounded by teeth too familiar. It was indeed Cairo who created the whirlpool, receiving Rose in his mouth as soon as she got pulled.
"Surprise!" he said muffled, as he started laughing. He did that trick often with prey, but wanted to see Rose's reaction to it.

"He he, I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to see how you would handle such a dire situation." Cairo explained, not wanting Rose to be upset with him.
"Look, no more tricks this time." Cairo said, as he opened his mouth to let Rose see they were approaching the shore. He laid her down gently on the sand. It looked like he was done with her.

Cairo gave a very innocent smile, very glad that Rose was happy. After Sybil, she really was his best friend. Rose didn't need to worry about a next sneak attack though, since he wasn't planning on catching her again anyway, at least not for the rest of the day.

"Well now, you guys seem happy." Sybil greeted, being in better condition than when Cairo brought her. It looked like Rose really enjoyed herself compared with yesterday, so that was good news. It was now Sayan's turn, though when Sybil looked at Cairo, he just stayed there. He did looked really tired.

Sayan approached the orca alongside Sybil. "You okay Cairo?," he asked out of concern. It would appear that he was tired out from the other two-- or so it seemed.

"Energy left little miss? That's quite a twist." Cairo said chuckling, surprised that Rose was up for more.
"It was all very fun, yet I'm not as young as I use to be." he lamented, really wanting to play more.

Sybil looked at him, and his eyes looked like they were drowsy. Maybe he overdid his play, especially with her. Cairo began to turn, determined to leave, but what an actor he was! As he turned 180 degrees towards the ocean, he turned the other 180 degrees, closing his mouth like a steel trap on both of Sayan's front paws!
"I still haven't even used half of my energy!" he said with a chortle, pulling Sayan in slowly, but not as much as he did with Rose earlier. He had a gleam in his eyes, as if Sayan was the best catch in his life...

Sayan had a look of both desperation and surprise as he knew he had it coming for him.

After all those years of knowing Cairo, Sybil was awed how he was able to fool even her. Cairo really could mask his expression.
"Well, there goes the last of us." she said with a sense of irony as she watched Sayan getting helplessly pulled into deeper waters.

When they were quite far away from the shore, Cairo let go of Sayan.
"Can you reach the shore?" Cairo asked, almost as if he was challenging him to a race. Cairo then gave a smile that looked almost sinister, as if he wanted to know so bad how Sayan would respond...

"I can certainly try.," Sayan said getting into a competitive nature. If it was a race Cairo wanted, then he looked forward to the challenge.

For a land animal, Sayan swam really fast, at least when compared to the still rookie Rose. Cairo let the Amur leopard have a head start, and then began swimming himself. Of course, in terms of almost no time at all, Cairo soon reached Sayan, swimming alongside him for a while, and then in front of him, showing off. He then went underwater, and right below Sayan, where he began sucking him in, right towards his jaws. It turns out that wasn't a race at all, it was a chase.

Sayan tried to swim faster in an meager attempt to get away.. but at alas it was no hope. The water soon began to form a whirlpool-- a vortex right into the mouth of the orca. He swam faster and faster as he tried to escape, but his efforts only helped to drain his strength and cause him to go deeper and deeper in the black void. And down he went-- right into the jaws of Cairo.

Cairo's maw closed in on Sayan tightly, with no hope of escape.
"I win!" he said with pride, as he started to play around and shaking his head with Sayan inside. What he did next to enhance his element of surprise was too shocking. He moved his tongue, making Sayan lose his grip... and closer to his throat. The movement he made... it was... it was as if he was about to swallow him!

"C..Cairo!," Sayan said trying to regain his grip and avoid going slipping further down. He couldn't see anything and if anyone could see him, they would see a look of pure panic.

AJ:
Deciding that it might be fun to join the others, I climb down from my tree and walk toward them. I briefly gaze in the direction of the forest, but shake my head, trying not to think of Odette or the male that took care of me. My deep, dark midnight blue eyes gleam in the sunlight.

Jaerl:
Landing on a branch beside Sybil, I munches on a large fish, clutched in his talons. His eyes shimmer in light as he smiles at Sybil. Scars still adorn his body from the war, but his wings are fully healed.

Royal:
Royal, is conversing with his friends the warblers about things that they have seen. His golden eyes glisten in the warm sunlight. He laughs and smiles as the groups converse.

Quote: redwes

"C..Cairo!," Sayan said trying to regain his grip and avoid going slipping further down. He couldn't see anything and if anyone could see him, they would see a look of pure panic.

Cairo continued swallowing, but after Sayan's body was almost completely down his throat to make him believe he was eating him for real, he chocked him out, opening his mouth and letting him out. He then started guffawing.
"Ah ha ha, just kidding! You should have listened to your voice! Pure terror." the orca commented between laughs, making fun of poor Sayan.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't see your face. That would have been priceless." he then said, still laughing. Sayan looked so freaked out, it was just so funny. That scary little stunt was sort of a payback for the leopard eluding him easily yesterday the first time.

Quote: Wyrstel

AJ:
Deciding that it might be fun to join the others, I climb down from my tree and walk toward them. I briefly gaze in the direction of the forest, but shake my head, trying not to think of Odette or the male that took care of me. My deep, dark midnight blue eyes gleam in the sunlight.

Jaerl:
Landing on a branch beside Sybil, I munches on a large fish, clutched in his talons. His eyes shimmer in light as he smiles at Sybil. Scars still adorn his body from the war, but his wings are fully healed.

Sybil took a look on Jaerl, and what was on her eyes was more than happiness.
"Well well, aren't you a wecoming sight." she said smiling, very glad to see him, and unaware he might not be the only surprise visit. The falcon has been so reclusive lately that she hardly saw him, but he looked better, and it looked like his wings healed completely, so that was quite a relief. Sybil truly hoped that, like Rose, Jaerl was recovering from the ordeal of the war and was trying his best to resume his peaceful, normal life.

"Hahaha... you got me Cairo.," Sayan said with relief. He played along, trying to hide his fear in front of the orca.

Cairo could tell that Sayan was still recovering from the shock. He was trying to hide it of course, but his shaking gave him away.
"So then, are you up for more?" Cairo asked, teasingly poking him. He still had a lot of energy left, but that is what happens when you use to handle at least thirty orcas to maintain order. He really was looking forward to play more of that rough, surprise game with Sayan, and the movement of his fins and teeth confirmed it.

"Of..of course.," Sayan said with a nod. This whole thing was started by him after all.

This made Cairo smile wide, and as soon as he received the response he wanted, he grabbed Sayan by the tail and started dragging him around. But shortly after, he wanted a more active play, so trapping him in his mouth again, he went deep underwater and right into the bottom, looking up. He then charged into the surface, and as soon as he reached it, he spat Sayan high into the air, only to catch him within his jaws yet again.

The same pattern repeated itself for almost a whooping forty minutes, with Cairo tossing and catching over and over again, sometimes in mid air. He even did the swallowing stunt once more just to make Sayan nervous, and continued throwing him around like a rag doll. Even at some points, Cairo left Sayan close to the shore, making believe he was done, only to grab him by the tail or paw and resume the game. He seemed to have left the most rough play with Sayan. The game continued, for almost two hours! This was really starting to worry Sybil, who got distracted with Jaerl and didn't realized the incredible amount of time that passed.
"Yikes! Poor Sayan! I think I should do something..." she said with extreme concern, seeing the sun and realizing it was past noon. Cairo really went intense with Sayan, but it was soon going to be over...

Almost as if Cairo have heard her, he was beginning to approach the shore. He still had a bit of energy left, but then saw the position of the sun, and realized was getting late, and that all he has eaten was just half a stingray, and he was growing very hungry. He needed the rest of his energy for the hunt.
"Well now, I gotta say this was worthwhile fun." he said with a chuckle and a sincere smile, opening his mouth to reveal a very shaken, almost beaten up Sayan.

The beaten up Sayan almost stumbled out of the orca's mouth-- looking like he had gone through hell. "Y.. yes.. fun for us all..," he said.

Sybil looked at Sayan with compassion. He looked even more stirred than her earlier. He then looked at Cairo.
"Ok, so I guess I overdid it a little. It was fun nonetheless." Cairo commented after seeing Sybil, but regretting nothing. Sayan was the biggest and bulkiest of the trio, so he assumed that he could tolerate the roughest part of the game. He failed to realize that he was taking a bit of revenge in that game for yesterday. Cairo then looked at the dizzy Sayan next.
"Thanks for the game Mr. Sayan. I promise I will go easy next time." he assured, just a bit guilty for making him all wobbly. He then retreated into the ocean, getting ready to hunt.

"Let me give you a hand." Sybil said, helping Sayan stand up. He really did looked like a mess. She was starting to feel a lot of pity for him. Just how much tossing the poor leopard went through?

Jaerl:
The little falcon smiles and flies down, landing beside her. His deep blue eyes glimmer in the light as he looks into Sybil's. He remains next to her, trying not to do anything to embarrass her in front of the others.

AJ:
I pause as I reach the others. I am extremely shy, but fight against it. In the end, I lay down in the sand and watch them, a short distance from them.

As Sybil helps Rose keeping Sayan on his toes, she looks at Jaerl and smiles, not wanting him to feel ignored in all the commotion. She was grateful that he wasn't asking what was that all about, and really hoped he wasn't just waiting for the right moment to ask.

Back at Hunted island, Cairo saw as one of his fellow members of the pod was getting ready to land a rather big seal. Even though Cairo wasn't leader anymore, he was still very respected among the other members. The rest of the pod had already eaten, and only that orca was left, so he and Cairo agreed to hunt together. Teamwork was pretty vital in an orca community, and raised the chances of success. It was pretty difficult separating that particular seal from the group, but Cairo managed to cast it aside while his companion did the strike. It was one huge seal, so both of them ate well. Now with a full stomach, Cairo was happier than ever, and followed his companion back to where the pod was. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Jet, but he did miss the other orcas, and wanted to spend some quality time with them.

"T-Thanks guys. I think I'm okay.," Sayan said gratefully to the ones whom were helping him. Still kind of dizzy, he thought he saw a couple more familiar residents show up but figured it was just him seeing double. "Wow.. Cairo can sure pack a punch.," he then said.

"Well, what did you expect? He is a ten tons powerhouse." Sybil said with a chuckle, still helping Sayan.
"I hope you managed to have some fun besides all. You look like you've been through quite a lot." Sybil expressed, cleaning Sayan up.

Cairo shared just a few, forced glances with Jet, who was swimming around, followed by his most loyal subject, Dagger, who looked up to him as a mentor. They were still on a tight leech, but Cairo promised his companions that he will try to get along better with him. The other orcas were quite happy to see him, and commented on how they have noticed his change in personality. He was evidently more cheerful than before, more full of life. They talked about a lot of things, from Jet's leadership, (that they liked but could do better), to the soon to be born orcas and even how the waters around the Haven were peaceful, with not a single shark encounter since the war. The only thing they didn't talked about was Cairo's new favorite pastime, since he decided he could tell them later.

It was mid afternoon, and everything was running smoothly. Cairo was done talking, so he left the group to the solitude he loved so much. He had finished digesting his meal, so he was quite happy and again full of energy. He looked at a crab from the bottom and started to play with it, until he remembered that Rose was willing to continue playing. He was slowly returning to the Haven and raised his head to see if there was someone there. He was looking to see if Rose was still around, but then decided that whoever was closest to the water, even Sayan, he was going to catch them without a second thought...

"Yes.. there was still some fun to be had in all that.," Sayan said conjuring a weak smile. Despite what followed, he rather enjoyed the initial challenge. After all, it wasn't every day a leopard competed with an orca. He looked back at the sea with slight fear in his eyes. "May we.. may we step away a little bit? Just in case.. in case he comes for seconds.," he then asked eager to step away from the water.

Quote: redwes

"Yes.. there was still some fun to be had in all that.," Sayan said conjuring a weak smile. Despite what followed, he rather enjoyed the initial challenge. After all, it wasn't every day a leopard competed with an orca. He looked back at the sea with slight fear in his eyes. "May we.. may we step away a little bit? Just in case.. in case he comes for seconds.," he then asked eager to step away from the water.

"Certainly Sayan. In fact, you can return home if you want. I think you most of all need a big, long rest after such a hassle." Sybil said kindly, but with a tone of concern. Sayan was really nervous, practically terrified of the water. Just how harsh Cairo was to him? It must have been a scary tumble for the leopard to behave like that.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

"You take a rest Sayan you need it after that. I'm going to stay and play in the sand. Besides Cairo is probably tired after that." Rose said as she started to play in the shallow waters. She loved playing in the water.

It was quite a coincidence. Even after spending all that time with the pod, the trio was still at the same place, and ironically, Cairo's original target was the one closest to the water. He didn't even stopped to see that he might have left quite a trauma on Sayan, and instead concentrated on stalking Rose, hidden so well that neither her, Sayan or Sybil could begin to imagine that he was just several yards away from them...