Featuring Mwale.
Word count is approx. 1,498 words, according to http://www.wordcounttool.com/




As day gave way to night, and the sun sank below the horizon to let the moon take center stage above the savannah, Mzaaliwaale'mwale had given up hope on running into any lions to bring back to the pride with her. She had only been on the savannah a few days, though, and held out hope that eventually she would run into a lion or two whom would be thrilled to come back to the Fire Nation with her. The more the merrier, but Mwale didn't want to return with no one at all. That would mean the whole point of her journey was for naught, and Mwale couldn't have that.

It seemed that tonight, she would be without the luck she had the previous few nights in finding shelter. No matter, she thought to herself. Sleeping beneath the stars was peaceful on its own, with nothing around but the sky. She slunk towards a lone tree, surrounded by no others. As lone as she was in the rogue lands. The dark pelted lioness looked around as she stepped beneath the tree's shade. There was no one for miles, no scents in the air except for dust and foliage.

The stillness in the air as the sky grew dark made Mwale tired, herself. She slid forward until she was spread out on the still warm ground. She sighed contentedly as her golden eyes slid closed. As the night cooled around her, Mwale found herself drifting to sleep only moments later.

She had only slept for a few moments, before she heard the low rumble of a lion nearby. Though his tone was lone, it still stirred her from sleep. Raising her head groggily, Mwale glanced around. The tree she had fallen asleep beneath was gone. The ground was icy beneath her as she rose. Fog swirled around her in thick clouds, unlike anything she had ever seen. Immediately, Mwale pushed herself up and skirted backwards, tripping on a rock behind her and falling past it.

"Wh-where--" She had not fallen asleep here, where was she!

The low rumbling voice spoke again, though Mwale couldn't make out the words. She pushed herself up, tail curling between her legs, and whipped around as the rasping growl seemed to come from behind her. There was nothing there, but she kept hearing it, moving closer and closer and closer as she spun around, trying in vain to find the source.

She whipped around again, snarling in dismay, and came face to face with the source of the low, raspy growl. A lion twice as tall as she was stood before her, his golden eyes staring down at Mwale as he growled in that low rumble. He opened his mouth to speak, but only smoke poured forth. She could see beneath the thick mane as blood oozed forth every time he tried to speak.

"Wh-who..." She breathed, staring up at the lion. But as soon as the word left her mouth, she realized who it was. Dhahabu Macho. Gold Eyes. Gold eyes, like the ones staring back at her. Gold eyes, like the ones she herself was blessed with. "Father." She breathed, the weight of the word itself forcing her down onto the ground. "B-but--"

The lion simply growled above her, looking down his nose at the lion as she cowered before him. His mouth opened and again, black smoke oozed forward where words should have come out. The smoke pooled around her, making Mwale gag as she crawled backwards away from the thick smoke. "No, please, don't--" She begged as she crawled backwards. The smoke made her dizzy as it circled her, and Dhahabu Macho's jaw extended horribly as clouts of smoke poured forth from his mouth.

"I can't breathe, I can't-- please!" She sobbed, feeling the smoke close in on her like a thick blanket. It swallowed her whole, forcing down her throat until she felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think--

Just as quickly as it had came, the smoke was gone. Mwale looked around sharply, shaking as she tried to regain her breath. Her head swam when she tried to stand, so she remained on the ground on her stomach, blinking her eyes rapidly to fight the oncoming tears. Dhahabu Macho, her father, he had almost killed her. He was dead himself, how could he do that? How could he even be here?

Mwale had only moments to dwell on the sudden appearance of her very dead father before she realized that the ground beneath her was not as icy as it had once been when Dhahabu attacked her. It was warm. The fog was gone. Sunlight shone overhead. She had survived the attack and somehow woke on the other side. Raising onto her paws quickly despite the feeling like she was going to pass out for a second time, Mwale spun around, elated. She had lived another day, she was safe, she was--

Not where she fell asleep.

She wasn't awake at all.

Mwale stared as she realized she was standing at the top of a cliff. She peered down into it, and gulped, stepping back. The drop would surely kill her. If she had taken even a few steps forward, she would have gone over the edge. Boom. End of Mwale. She looked around, eyes seeking out the dark pelt of Dhahabu Macho. Where was he? Waiting in the shadows to strike again when she was calm?

The lioness, in such a panic, was so busy looking for Dhahabu Macho that she didn't see the troupe of hyenas as they ran towards her, chasing something that was familiar to her. Something, someone, terrifyingly familiar. Her eyes landed on the group of hyenas chasing down a lion. His pelt was dark, marked with the same colorful swirls and patterns she herself bore proudly.

"Mtoto? Mtoto!" Her feet carried her towards her brother, teeth bared in preparation to fight for her brother's life. Mtoto'wa Vita didn't hear Mwale as he ran past. As close as they were, Mwale could smell the blood. Her brother was wounded and running straight for the cliff. "Mtoto, no!" Mwale rounded and tore after him. "Mtoto, stop! You must turn around!" The lion didn't hear her warning, but he stopped, skidding to a halt at the edge of the cliff.

The wounded brother turned to face the hyenas, desperation in his eyes. Die at the hands of these monsters, or throw himself off the cliff? Mwale watched, terrified, as the hyenas closed in on her brother. She tried in vain to swipe at one of them, to make them leave Mtoto alone, but her paw simply went through the hyena.

This was her dream, but she was not in control of it.

Mtoto'wa Vita stared as the hyenas closed in on him, circling around him. There was no way to run from them. It was either over the cliff, or die fighting. Mtoto'wa Vita had been raised much like Dhahabu Macho. If he must die, he would die honorably. He would not take the coward's way out. Grinning ferally, baring his teeth at the hyenas gnashing their jaws and laughing at him, Mtoto'wa Vita struck.

He would not fight long, but he would fight.

Mwale watched, her heart shattering in her chest, as the hyenas ripped Mtoto'wa Vita to shreds. There was nothing left for her, here or anywhere, without her brother. She stepped backwards, away from the brutal attack, and found herself walking back into Dhahabu Macho. Tears welled up in her eyes. Angrily, she spun.

"Are you happy?!" She snarled, ears flattening against her head as she shrunk away from him. "He's dead! He was all I had! Mtoto'wa Vita was everything!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she snarled at the ghost before her, no longer growling but simply watching Mwale with somehing akin to sorrow in his eyes. "This is your fault! If you hadn't fought, if you hadn't died, we never would have been here! He would be alive! You would be alive!"

The words stung as she said them, as she realized that every shred of family she had left was gone. She closed her eyes, shaking as she dropped to the ground. Her sobs racked through her body, shaking her. Dhahabu Macho watched as Mwale cried, silent for a moment. He opened his mouth, and allowed the smoke to swallow Mzaaliwaale'Mwale again.


When Mwale woke, she was beneath the tree she had fallen asleep beneath. The sun was raising in the sky, the ground was warm around her. But all she felt was cold. Pushing herself up, Mwale forced her paws to work, taking her away from the tree she had fallen asleep beneath. She desperately tried to forget the nightmare from before, but she couldn't shake that it wasn't a nightmare at all.

Hopelessness began to creep in and close around the naive optimism, but Mwale trudged on. She had to. For Mtoto's sake.