The Viking Reaver had come a long way from his usual lands. He was out on a long adventure, and his tired paws had brought him to some unknown pride. He smelled other lions on the air, and knew that there were many creatures living in one area. There was most definitely a large enough collection of creatures here, and he was not sure what kind of danger that might present. Hopefully a lot of it, as he was interested in finding something worth his time.
A large challenge, that resulted in something harrowing and impressive to take back to his pride.
Ulfric had never believed in focusing his attention on others. He did not care what they thought and certainly felt no one was important enough to him to really bend his will to impressing them. Yet now that he had lived in the Stormborn for a while, and worked his way up to the rank of Reaver, he found he wanted to continue to strive forward. He wanted to be more than the usual member of the pride. He wanted to have a legacy worth remembering, and a name that caused others to shudder and murmur in awe and respect when they heard it. He wanted to not just be a ruler, a King of his own lands or perhaps the lands he had come to know as his home, but something even more important than that. He was the truest form of a lion, and what all others should strive for as well. So he believed, and so he would continue to seek.
Leta, on the other paw, was not so ambitious. He lived in his pride and he delighted in his lot in life. Servant to the King, the royal’s right paw, go to guy! It was an honor, it always had been, and it was a point of pride for the giraffe spotted lion. He was old enough now to not be as starry eyed as when he was young, but he never lost his love and appreciation for the lot in life that he had somehow managed to get. The King took care of him, was almost like a father or a friend, but Leta made sure to support and serve his ruler as dutifully as any other member of the pride. All the while, of course, bragging about his station and puffing out his chest whenever he got to introduce himself and his rank to others. In the scheme of things, he was nothing. He did nothing. Hell, the Queen did not even like him. But none of that mattered, because he was happy.
He spotted the stranger easily enough. The lion was huge! He looked like something out of a story one might tell to a cub. A large, scruffy, monster of a lion that came to eat bad cubs who did not listen to their parents. If that was why he was here, Leta was not actually sure, but he was not too keen on finding that out the hard way. There were no guards around, Kijembe no where in sight, so Leta took it upon himself to approach the dangerous looking lion.
“What are you doing in our pride? Are you looking for a place to stay?”
The place was open to outsiders and always accepting new members, but this guy had nothing friendly about him. Leta was not sure the lion would even fit in the pride, not just because of how he looked and the air he gave off, but from his sheer size. He was all muscle and brawn, and clearly lived a life that was probably only made up of fighting. Leta had never really been outside of his pride, so he was not familiar with all the different kinds of lions out there.
Ulfric watched the stranger and lifted his eyebrows in wonder. It was a pathetic sight. This guy looked like he ate leaves and twigs, and had no muscle on him whatsoever. A cushy lifestyle, where he had very few worries. Clearly, this was a peaceful place. A good place, then, for a Viking to come to explore, and to take what he wanted. An easy target, maybe, but Ulfric had a mission to accomplish. The more he gathered, the more he brought back to his pride, the greater his notoriety would become. He did not take slaves or captives, however, unless the situation was particularly interesting to him. He did take back those he thought could fight their way into the pride and then join his band once their strength was proven.
Leta was not fitting that bill, though.
“I have no interest in staying in this land. In fact, I have come to test your strength. You are the first lion I have come across, and the only one around. It seems you will have to do. Show me how strong this pride is, and what it has to offer the world.”
Ulfric growled and charged, and Leta let out a surprised, strangled yelp. He was not interested in whatever it was this lion wanted him to prove! He had no strength in him and no will to fight, which made him turn tail and run as soon as the challenge was issued. The growl that came from the lion’s throat was so intense and so terrifying, he could hardly focus on anything else. He knew that the lion was going to kill him if Leta let him.
So he had no problem turning tail and running. Maybe it proved that he, and he supposed the pride vicariously according to the stranger’s words, was weak, but he was alright was that. Weak, maybe, but at least he had a good chance of surviving and getting away from all this. He hoped the giant lion was not as fast as he was big, though.
Ulfric watched the other lion as he took off, rolling his eyes but grinning ear to ear. This was going to be surprisingly fun, and he was going to enjoy raiding this place. At least this little corner of it, until he got too much attention and had to leave. For now, though, there was nothing to worry about. He chased after Leta all too happily, in fact, growling and digging his claws into the earth as he did so.
Word Count: 1,062 in Word
