The day had begun like any other, Jurian, a brown brother to a small group of cubs, was beginning to stir. His pelt, all fluffy and new began to rub against others as he moved and pushed and even shoved his way free on the tangled mess that was his siblings. It was until he found his choice litter-mate that he settled down and relaxed a moment longer. "Cäsarea are you awake?" The youngster asked in hushed tones. He pushed a paw into the tired face of his sister and repeated his question thrice more times.
At that point, like the skies had opened up and decided to rain cubs, he felt his Dad move. "Dad!" He proclaimed, not realizing that his annoying nagging was perhaps the cause of this parents alarming pace in waking up. No matter, he was excited, and lucky for his sister had found other distractions for the time being as he scampered over to their Father. It was soon after that their Mother stirred and Jurian simply was beside himself with excitement to completely greet the new day.
Cäsa yawned and stretched limber limbs outwards as she dreamed of getting a nice bath from her mother. But in her dream her mother was asking her if she was awake, and it sounded like her brothers voice. She wanted to go back to that moment in her dream but suddenly she felt pressure and her eyes flashed open to see Jurian no more than a few breaths away from her. "I am now." She said with a yawn as she watched him take off with a loud 'dad' probably waking the rest of thier siblings. She removed herself from the warm pile of bodies and shook herself.
He was always the early riser. She blinked a few times and stretched long and hard once more before padding over to her brother and biting at his tail. 'Lets go do something." She said as she grabbed at his back end like you would a zebra on a hunt. She nommed on his rump and then darted off out of the cave.
He felt the nibbling before it was too late, he had actually woken his sister up and she was in the same spirits as he was. He turned around from his parents in time to see her dash away from their den into the bright open world. Jurian was not one to allow others to enjoy something before him and so he followed as quick as his chubby legs could allow. Soon he was free of the dark, damp caverns they called home and he paused hsi chase briefly enough to feel the warmth of a sunny day on his brown pelt. It was then that a rather large yawn forced his jaws wide and he stretched in a full pounce look-alike mode.
"Does something smell weird out here Casa?" He asked this without fear of the answer. There were alot of new smells, some things they never would have imagined! Their minds were young and growing, something that would never stop Jurian had hoped. "I wonder if Ma and Pa have smelled the likes of this?" His small mind could not comprehend it, and chose not to. After the last words escaped his mouth he had already moved closer to his sister and took position.
Without a single word he pounced, lunging his full mass at his sister, terrifying growls and all. Or atleast whatever 'terrifying' growls he could muster up at his young age.
She knew he was going to be huffing and puffing at her for beating him outside on such a nice day and she giggled furiously as she darted into the warmth of the sun, momentarily blinding herself, causing her to stumble slightly. As she stumbled she caught the scent of something unknown, it was like momma and papa but at the same time it wasn't. Something foreign. She didn't like it. She didn't like things that didn't smell like home, like her family. Or like the food she normally ate "I smell it Juri.. I don't like it." She said in return, however her thoughts on the matter disspeared as she was pounced on.
"hey!" She said as he growled menacingly at her and she rolled to get him to the side so she could hook her legs underneath him to toss him. Not that she could get him to go very far. She grabbed at him with her front paws and gnawed on his scruff and then wiggled her way out from his grasp and darted off towards a bushy area to hide in them. He would never get here there! Her hiding spot was perfect, however, the smell seemed stronger here and she had no idea why.
He mocked her hey, but quietly as he was muffled by her fur and paws, all of which was going everywhere. Than it suddenly stopped, she had won and gotten away from him though 'away' didn't seem to be a good thing. Jurian had crouched and begun sneaking towards the bush she had found, that was when the smell creeped to his nose and almost down the back of his throat. Nearly gagging he met up with Casa and stared at her. "What is that smell?" He whispered, fear had caved his mind rather quickly. The smell was a nauseating mix of feline and dinner. The fresh smell of a kill was what had thrown Jurian a little, only a little though. Had his parents been up before them? Had they already prepared a meal? What if they had simply stumbled upon a surprise feast for breakfast?
Before he could stop himself he pushed through the main portion of the sturdy bush and popped his little fluffed up head to the otherside. The sight he caught was unsettling, even for him. There was a small group of large felines, perhaps four? That was the highest he could count, darn paws not having anymore toes, he stared for a moment. The worst of the scene was what laid before them. That prey, the scent of blood and perhaps disease came from a disturbing source. A lion lay, sightless eyes gazing with a fixed look of terror on Jurian. He stared back. His fur began to grow on hackle she barely knew he had and fear latched onto the back of his mind. It seemed to whisper to him, go Jurian get away. "Casa." He spoke with a steady voice, all joy and fun was eliminated. "I think we need to leave, quickly and quietly." It seemed, though they were very young, that he had aged suddenly.
It was with those last few strings of words that the beasts, whom had previously been absorbed in devouring the insides of the horrified lion, turned and stared straight into Jurians eyes, perhaps even his soul. These were the monsters that horror stories were made up of. "Now!" He said in a shout whisper, and before he really knew what he was doing he began moving away as quickly as he could, not leaving Casa's side, but certainly urging her away.
As much as she tried to stay still she couldn't help that the smell of whatever it was simply overpowered her senses. Maybe hiding in the bushes wasn't a good idea. She was in a poistion in which she couldn't see the horrors that lay behind her. There was still hope that the young female wouldn't have to witness the gore of the lifeless lion that was being devoured by the group of mixed felines. She was about to leave when her brother finally found her and she gave a confused look to his question. "I don't know. I don't like it though.... It smells..... wrong." She said softly, pressing against her brother for comfort.
She watched as he pushed through the bushes and she couldnt help but follow him a moment later when it took him longer than a few seconds to come back. Her voice was barely audible "Juri... wh-" Her voice was lost as she saw the sight before her. Intestines spilled upon the ground as hungry mouths dug into the dead body of a lion. If she had eaten she probably would have thrown up. She was frozen in fear, her eyes wide and she couldn't hear the sound of her brother as he said they needed to leave. It was as if she was stone. What was this. lions weren't food. What were those things eating it. They looked familiar but at the same time they didn't. There was SO MUCH BLOOD.
Which normally wasn't horrible becasue meals were messy, but this was a lion. One of their own kind. In an instant she snapped back to reality as deadly glowing eyes locked in on her and her brother and in that moment her fur stood up and she let out a hiss of fright and challenge to keep away and with her brothers shout she felt her legs moving and she rushed into the brushes towards the security of home. "MOMMA!" Her her voice was loud and she was scared, what if those things were right behind them. There was no way they could outrun them.
"No Casa, no!" He called out, in a panicked whisper, pain filled his body as he watched his sister peer through the bushes and exposing her mind to something as awful as that. He seemed to be able to adjust his mind to be able to continue through the motions of getting the heck out of there, but he had failed, he had tried so hard to convince her to move on, to not make a fuss, but him and her were simply two peas in a pod. Once he mentally convinced himself that he had to get her out of there they were already moving. It took some time, but once she responded to moving, away she went. He stayed near her rump, wanting her to reach safety whether he made it or, self-sacrafice was unsual in most youngsters, but in the face of such horrors he knew what he had to do.
Soon as they were near their home again he could hear the cries, his parents sounded like they were looking for them, but the calling out sounded wrong and scared. It was unusual to hear fear from their parents. They had always lived such a peaceful life, there was never any yelling, crying, or much bickering. He had never seen his parents distraught or unnerved. This time was different though, how he had wished he could have seen this coming or he would have gone ahead of his sister.
The pair broke into the clearing out front of their home and all the young cub could see was red. The cries and voices calling out seemed to have silenced in the moment and Jurian felt weak and quiet. Before the brother and sister was a crime scene where the criminals were still in motion. Straight in front of them lay their siblings, all curled up as if sleeping, but drenched in copeous amounts of their own life-fluid. They appeared to be drained and battered, perhaps many bones broken in their little bodies. Than as he pulled his eyes from the litter-mates he saw what was left of his father. Two bodies were bent over the muddled body of the once proud Father, blood was still pouring and warm from the lifeless mound. Those who had bent over the body were devouring the insides as well. Intestines were strewn across the dusty roguelands floor, painting a perfect picture of innocence being washed from the minds of the two watching.
While the two were eatting their meal Jurian stole a glance for thier Mother, he hadn't pegged how his sister would react, but felt sure she would become a stone lioness once more. He had to figure out his action plan and quickly if he wanted to ensure their survival. "Mom!" He yelled, feeling less fear and more hard-headed, he needed to find her and get away. While his eyes were looking every which way he found her, she was craddling one last cub between her paws, pelt a display of the disgusting scene next to her and tears crawling down her nose to meat the nearly life-less bundle that squirmed. It was one of their little sisters and when Jurian met the eyes of his Mother he nearly paused to weep, but knew he couldn't. "Casa, don't ask any questions." He said, already on the move and urging her to follow. Their Mother had yelled at them, "Run and do NOT turn around Jurian and Casa, DO NOT COME BACK." The tears were continuing pour from those big beautiful eyes that Jurian would never see again, but he had never disobeyed and he would continue to never disobey.
"We need to run Casa, we need to run now." He stated this, he didn't wait for a response, he nipped at her, just in case she needed it. Just in case she had any thoughts of running back to their parents. He hadn't noticed yet, but their paws were drenched of their families blood. He probably wouldn't notice until they found safety
As she ran she could feel her brother close behind her following her footsteps. She wanted her mother, she wanted the warm caress of her tongue on her face and to snuggle in close to her comforting form. For whatever reason it seemed like an eternity for her to reach the sight of their home. Why had time so suddenly decided to move as slow as it did, she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was for the better, or for the worst. Who knew that her brother waking her up early could have spared them from the fate she was about to see. But was she really spared at all? "Momma! I ju-" There was nothing that could prepare her for what she was about to see. Nothing in the world could have spared her heart from breaking at the images she was now forced to endure.
Her front legs gave out and she fell, her face scraping against the ground as she felt a cry escape her mouth. She laid there, frozen in horror. Her brothers and sisters were torn apart, hardly recognizable tears started to overwhelm her and she couldn't breath. She couldn't move. Her mouth hung open with a look of pain and aguish permanently placed upon her delicate features. She didn't want to see the form of her father, lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead as he was being torn into. She didn't want to see her mother holding her dying baby sister. She wanted to run to her mother, she wanted to be held and told it was just a bad dream and that she would wake up soon. She wanted the nightmare to end.
Somehow she had managed to find her feet as her brother was nudging her, pushing her to move away. "B---bu--but..." She couldn't form the words she wanted to say. His teeth spured her to moved and she bolted. Tears streaming down her face as the last images she saw where her mother yelling for them to run, tears streaming down her beautiful bloodied face. She felt cold and she couldn't understand why she felt wet until she realized she hadn't just had her legs give out but she had slipped in her families blood and was covered in it. She couldn't stop though, and she wouldn't stop. She had to wake up and she wouldn't stop until she woke up.