[PLOT] Things are not going according to plan. Fin

[Split Personality]

He was a father again. There weren't too many things that brought joy into his life despite everything going on. One was his mate. Two was his children. Seven little cubs; again they hosted a large family. He couldn't be prouder. Whispers of happiness had spread through the pride. 'The queen has given birth... 'Life has come once again to us. Bless Eywa...' he had heard them all. He had visited with his mate for quiet some time and now he was heading off to find his children to inform them of their new siblings; before an announcement was made to welcome them into the pride.

He was up on the highest most branches that entwined and made the pathway of the Iknimayan pride. His head dress and ornaments were gone; it had been he; his mate and his children in their hammock. He had a smile on his muzzle and a pep in his step; as he headed in the direction in which one of his sons should be. It was a quiet time, everyone was very busy off doing things. No one was in the tree's at the moment. Seemed things were... quiet and serene.

Eytucan suspected nothing.  

[Excited Apathy]

Kerusey was enraged.

He'd heard the whispers, of course. How could he not? In fact, he couldn't get away from the damned whispers, from the gossipy fools who were so pitifully overjoyed that his brother's blood was as plentiful as it was weak. Seven more cubs. Seven more mewling little brats to stand in the way of what this pride should be. Seven more obstacles to what was should be his, to what his brother so obviously did not deserve.

His muscles were taut as he paced through the branches with deadly grace, his tail lashing from side to side. Even in his agitation, he was unsettlingly close to silent, his paws avoiding sticks and leaves that might crunch underfoot with the unconcious ease borne of long practice. It said something for the depth of his anger that he didn't notice Eytucan below him at first, but when he did...

His eyes narrowed.

His lips pulled back from his muzzle in a snarl.

This fool would be the ruin of the Na'vi, with his soft ways and disgusting mingling of proud bloodlines with filthy rogues. He would raise his litters in those ways, until there were none left who held to tradition and the true Na'vi way. And he had just whelped a very large litter to do just that with.

At the thought, at the sight of his brother, something within Kerusey snapped...

...And he leapt, claws outstretched.  

[Split Personality]

Eytucan had no reason to suspect such a thing. Sure, his brother openly disagreed to a lot; but they were brothers. Same blood. They had played as children. It seemed once things fell in line and the throne and the queen were up for grabs; it was different. He hadn't had even time to speak; before he was assaulted.

He had heard the minuscule sounds of claws gently scraping across tree bark; and his head raised to see Kerusey. His brother.. was not happy. In fact, he looked furious. Eytucan was able to throw himself backwards, trying to avoid claws. It didn't work. They raked across his face and landed deeper in his shoulder. A startled sound escaped his lips as he threw himself backwards more; his legs losing hold on the branch below him; but he remained upright.

"Kerusey?!" He blurted loudly; his blue eyes wide. Blood trickled down one of the gashes on his cheek. He then grew angry and with eyes narrowed; tried to speak more to calm his brother down.

Excited Apathy

 

[Excited Apathy]

There was something immensely satisfying in the sensation of razor-sharp claws tearing through flesh, of finally striking out at the source of all of his frustrations. The rush of it combined with Kerusey's fury, mingling into a deadly rage all the more dangerous for having drawn blood. Lean muscles rippled beneath the gleaming midnight pelt as he settled into a momentary crouch. "Surely you didn't think I'd watch you ruin this pride, brother," he hissed, a manic gleam in his eyes. "I will not let you destroy us!"

As swift as lightning, he was lunging forward again, lashing out viciously.

Split Personality

 

[Split Personality]

Eytucan felt his anger surging. He never thought his brother would do this.. in this way. This was... cold. This was not even a proper attempt at taking the throne. With his footing barely capable of keeping him on the branches and his brother quickly advancing on him; he kept trying to backstep and was slipping. "Kerusey! You coward!!" He snarled as blood dripped down a gash on his cheek.

"You really think this is the way to fix our people?!" He growled, his eyes boring into his brothers. Kerusey lunged forward and Eytucan reacted; his own claws out and reaching for flesh.

This was no place to fight. Pieces of bark began to fall as the lions fought above.

Silron was looking for his father. He had heard through the grapevine (a certain lioness he knew was speaking of the queen having labor pains) that perhaps their were children to welcome to the pride. He wanted to find his father or a sibilng and perhaps go see his mother all together. He lifted his head and scented the air; catching his fathers scent and beginning to follow it... though something didn't feel right. It felt ominous...

His brow furrowed as the stepped off the ground and began the long climb upward to where the pride resided most of their time. He didn't take into consideration the bark fluttering past his head.

Excited Apathy

 

[Excited Apathy]

"No, this is just a bad dream, and you'll wake up to continue to lead this pride to ruin," Kerusey sneered. Further words were temporarily cut short by a blow to his shoulder, eliciting a furious snarl as his eyes burned with rage. "You can't win," he spat. "You've gone soft, weak. You can hold your own with me no longer!" A flurry of attacks followed this, seeking to shred Eytucan or force him back.

Split Personality

 

[Split Personality]

Eytucan's eyes flashed furiously and he tried to strike out at his brother but he wasn't close enough so he moved forward... and his paws slipped on the branch below him and his brother. He snarled, his balance starting to falter. He swung out again and made contact, mostly due to his bodies center of gravity being thrown off. He met solid and a small part of him felt bad, he shoved himself forward again and tried to make contact with his fangs.

Chances are his brothers teeth would find him as well.


Silron began to trek upwards, his attention not on anything suspicious about the moment but more on congratulating his father. He had a smile on his muzzle and even a small amount of a hum came from his muzzle. He remembered when he and Vinata had their children...

He paused quickly, upon hearing what sounded like a snarl. He lifted his head but the canopy above him was blocking what would most certainly be one of the biggest horrors since the pride disbanning. He listened for a moment and thought he heard more... and began to quicken his pace. His forehead was furrowed

((Gonna have eytucan fall the next post))

Excited Apathy

 

[Excited Apathy]

A spark of something like triumph flared fiercely in Kerusey's eyes as he saw Eytucan begin to falter and slip. Some warrior king he was, if he could no longer hold his own in the trees that were their home! It would be a mercy to remove the weak-hearted fool from power, to him and to the entire pride--and most of all, to Kerusey himself. He was done with tolerating the soft swill his brother forced down his throat about welcoming rogues. He hurled himself against the other lion, hissing softly as claws and teeth met flesh and lashing out with slashing blows and crushing bites of his own.

Split Personality

 

[Split Personality]

Eytucan felt the teeth mingle with his bones. His flesh and blood was attempting to over throw him. He tried to fight back, his paws were slipping on the branches. His own faith in himself began to fade. He was the king and he was fighting for his position and his life. He couldn't lose. He had to win. He had too... for Zelt'sin and for his children and for the sake of this pride. Kerusey could not win... he would make reverse steps in their homes new ways... Petre would be thrown out... He couldn't let it happen.

He sunk in his own teeth and claws and began to gain his footing; though neither of the lions could see that the branch was not fairing so well. Eytucan growled deep; his fury growing steadily...

Silron quickened his pace as fast as he could among the branches. His eyes cast upwards and his mind racing. What could the sound be other than something dangerous... he then began to get a cold feeling along his spine. Who wasn't among those out and about... who wasn't present. As his thoughts wandered and his heart raced; he began to recall who all he had seen...

His mother was present.... Hm... He began to come to the large clearing above the whole pride... he could easily hear the sounds of fighting. His head cleared the opening and what he saw made his blood boil. His father and his uncle locked in battle. "Father!"

The sound of his name being called startled Eytucan. As he cast a glance towards Silron; the branches below him began to crack. They faltered a few inches downwards. Before Eytucan could react; the branches gave below him and he slipped down; through the leaves and branches... His body hitting many times; among the walkways of their home... No sound escaped his lips as his body finally fell onto the ground; among the dry dirt that was their gathering place for meals... He lie still.

((I figured I'd let you decide if Keru fell as well. Figured he could survive without much wounds or what not or he could make it off the branches in time... but if anything; Silron will comprehend him... and as will Toruk.

Excited Apathy

 

[Tanakako]

(Can I bring Txep'tey in here as well? It totally fits his role with his vision-inducing concoctions.)

The pride's Toruk had been away from their forest gathering intel once again. It had been his third long trip already this season as he scouted out the rumors that had drifted past his ears while in the roguelands. Takes of great battles and blood thirsty prides, news about the red-coated demons way to the south and a myriad of other tidbits that he had gathered. Though the rumors of a new war band beyond those deserts of the red-furred fire lions were the ones hat worried him the most. Tales of the most unimaginable depravity and bloodthirsty ways... he shuddered to consider them coming to the forest of his homeland.

Now, back among the trees and pants he loved so much, he was on his way to meet with Eytucan, for the stories he had heard were serious enough to be passed on directly he arrived back. Also he had heard some far more pleasant rumors and wished to congratulate his leader on a new litter.

Suddenly something off in the distance caught his attention, a 'wrongness' that he couldn't identify but that made the fur along his spine stand on end. Pushing forwards into a long-legged lope, Toruk took to the trees, using the well trodden pathways of branches to speed his ay through the forest. Touching down once again as the walkway he was following flowed into the dead carcass of an ancient tree, the warrior jumped high over a thick hedge of thorn and almost landed atop the stunned form of the leader's son, Silron. managing to heave himself sideways at the last moent he landed heavily but spun with admirable grace to stare at the younger, then upon realizing Silron was fixed on something beyond him, the older male completed the turn by swiveling on his rump and following the younger's line of sight.

"Spirits!" He gasped, seeing the figure of the pride's leader laying askew on the leafy ground. Lifting his head, easily understanding by the damage to the local trees just what had happened (Eytucan falling from some height), Toruk struggled to make out anything still up there even as he bounded to the fallen lion's side.
 

[Excited Apathy]

Eytucan was weakening. Kerusey could feel it, locked in mortal combat with his brother as he was, and the knowledge caused a surge of adrenaline to flood him with new vigor. His brother's reign would end this day, and the sun would soon rise on a Na'vi pride ready to remove the rogue contamination, no longer held spellbound by his brother's soft, foolish sentiments. Bite, tear, claw, slash--and then there came a crack from below drawing an eye that suddenly widened in realization.

It was too late too avoid a fall, but he could control it somewhat--digging his claws into bark as he springboarded off of this branch, that trunk, slowing his downward momentum just enough that instead of crashing to earth unmoving, he skidded to a stop at the bottom, paws splayed wide and sides heaving with the effort.

Combined with the blood (impossible to tell where his ended and Eytucan's began) and the look in his eyes, it made for quite a sight.

Split Personality

 

[Split Personality]

Eytucan did not move from his crumpled remains of the tree branches and his own limbs.

Silron let out a terrified roar as the branches began to give way. They were going to fall. His body cleared the top of the branches in time to see both of them go falling. He roared again; this time more of a furious one than anything. He ran to the closest branch that would allow him view of below; where they had fallen. He could see Kerusey barely, as he slid to the bottom; not really worse for wear in reality but the blood that covered both of them... he could see his father; motionless at the bottom.

Fury flashed in his eyes, as he could see Toruk moving to his fathers aid. Bless Eywa for his presence. He felt his fur bristling; not sure if out of anger or fear for his father; but he shouted down to Toruk. "Don't let Kerusey go anywhere Toruk Makto!"

He then; as quickly as he could to descend down the branches; though his heart beat quickly in his chest and his mind racing. He didn't care what happened at this point... his father was in trouble.

"Eywa don't take my father from me so soon..."

The shuttering breaths from Eytucan's chest showed his life was still there; but for how long no one knew.

Tanakako

Excited Apathy

 

[Excited Apathy]

Kerusey froze, eyes skidding from Silron'zem to the Toruk Makto. For a moment, it seemed as though he might whirl and disappear into the trees. That moment passed, and his ears pinned as his face pulled back into a fearsome snarl. It was perhaps a measure of the loss of reason his berserker rage had inflicted that he charged at them both. He fought fiercely, but he was already weary and bloodied from battling Eytucan, and they were fresh. While he was brought down churning leaves and scraping earth with his claws in an attempt to regain his feet...down he went.  

[Split Personality]

Silron ran as fast as he could downwards, his heart beating so hard in his chest he thought he may burst. He could hear a commotion below him and as his feet flew, he felt so many emotions pounding in his head and in his soul. His father lay on the ground and did not move. His uncle was the only one at the scene and had almost fallen as well.

It was beyond no doubt a suspicious event. Something had happened and Kerusey would be confronted and he would answer for these things.

He confronted his uncle and before long; the suspected was in captivity...

Fin