He felt like he'd been running for miles. Behind him, what looked to be hundreds - no - thousands of lions, cheetahs, and leopards were roaring and yowling at the top of their lungs, white eyes void of any life locked on his frame as they barreled mindlessly forward. All purebreds. Honestly, he was't positive what the mangy truebloods wanted, but one thing he could be sure of was that with flexed claws, bared fangs, and frothy jaws, they weren't really looking to make friends. Angry spirits from the past, upset about his pride's rankings among the hybrids and pure? A leopard snapped at his tail, searing a few hairs off and giving Makalo the motivation he needed to run faster. His route of escape was suddenly cut off as mountains rose high above his head, the land shaking beneath his paws even as he ran. Thunder rolled inside the earthy mass that towered above, a muddy tsunami of water rushing over the crest, making for another doom closing in on him. The leotah's bi-colored eyes widened when he looked closer, seeing rolling bodies of antelope and wildebeest within the waves, tumbling and galloping in the water as drone-like as the felines behind him were. His heart pounded relentlessly, pulse beating a maddening rhythm in his head as he looked above. It was his only choice of escape. Relying on the thick muscles in his haunches, Makalo suddenly sprang upwards, ears pinned back as he tried his hardest to fly above and beyond both evils below, and he swore he could feel the clouds reaching down, trying to grab his paw and pull him to safety...
With a shriek, the hybrid lurched out of his sleep, gasping for air. He caught himself pawing frantically at the clay walls of his den, and without a second thought, the leotah had shimmied through his home and flung himself into the darkness outside, landing belly-first onto the dried riverbed. Even as he stood, choking oxygen back into his lungs after the impact knocked the wind out of him, he couldn't thank the Gods more for the current dry season... especially after that nightmare.
"I really need to watch what puddles of water I drink from before bed" he groaned, looking backwards at his den with hazy vision. He'd managed to break a few roots away from the side of the riverbank in his distressed escape, and while normally he'd scowl and try to think of a slave he could get to fix it, he shook his head in mild amusement. Sometimes he really didn't know his own strength~
Yawning, the big cat rolled his shoulders forward, purring to himself as he felt the lean muscles flex and adjust as he moved. Well, sleep was no longer an option - there was no way he was returning to whatever... hell that was. Good thing he wasn't a seer, eh? Who knew what kind of catastrophe would be strewn across the marsh if he foresaw anything even remotely similar to what had just taken place in his mind. The male pondered it for a moment, tilting his head. Maybe the wet season would be coming soon? Nah. Too early - this was right in the middle of the dry. Prey would increase? Also a negative, unless there was a nearby pride that was somehow driving life away from their territory, which was unlikely. A revolt from the purebreds? His eyes narrowed in laughter. As if!
"My luck would be that it'd predict exactly what I saw - a massive surge of rolling lifeless bodies upon the pride. Wouldn't my family be proud of me then! Nearby prides would spread rumors of the Koti Kaikille - killed by tragic monsoon of beasts. Ironyyy~" Makalo chuckled, running a tongue over his fangs. He was even talking to himself now! Good thing he wasn't a seer indeed. Especially since he was fertile and actually had a chance to bear offspring.
Ah, now that sounded like a nice way to tire himself back out. He was feeling a bit restless, now that he thought about it. Round ears swiveling forward, the Viihdyttäjät grew quiet, listening for any signs of life around him. None. Good! After stretching a bit more, the male moved on into the night, moonlight occasionally casting light on his purple fur. Before he sought out an 'audience' to be subject to his 'dancing', Makalo decided he needed to warm up first. Thankfully he'd scoured out a small clearing hidden in the tall grass a few days before and had been practicing there, preparing his routine and perfecting his abilities for future feasts or important events. By the time he shouldered through the last layer of weak plants, he was more than focused, allowing his new-found desires to fuel him on as he began to work.
Slowly, he began making circles, brows furrowed as he settled in on a random pinpoint on the ground. His had his right eye closed, keeping only his amber orb revealed as he stalked. It gave him a bit of a wild, untamed look - a slinking, uniformly colored body cloaked by shadow, one floating yellow eye piercing relentlessly into his 'target' as he moved 'round and 'round. Suddenly, he lunged, lips pulled back and claws unsheathed as he began his deadly dance with whatever enemy he was facing in his mind, beams of light flashing off of his fangs and one eye as he danced. For now his movements were taught, strong, fierce, dominant - but with one paw-swipe to the ground, he sent up a flurry of dust, cloaking him completely.
When he walked out from the cloud, his body was limber... poised. This time, his left eye was closed, leaving the bright purple iris on his right visible. A sly grin tugged at the corner as his mouth, his shoulders and hips swaying out and around pillars of dust he created as he moved, head ducked as he stared his invisible audience down, bangs also draping over his closed eye as he provocatively pawed forward. It soon became clear what this routine was about - how two different sides, portrayed by two different eyes; one wild and untamed, one charming and alluring; came together to create one being in Makalo's own way of dance.
A few moments later and he kicked up another veil of dust, and this time what remained was his form, dipped downward in a bow. When his head lifted, a confident smirk took over his expression, both eyes opened. Without any further hesitation he tore into the grassland, purposefully running towards what he wanted all along.
Now he was ready to perform for real.
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[ Total Word Count ; 1,124 ]