__________________________________________
As the sun rose higher into the sky so too did the heat. What used to be cool, comforting sand now was like lava to the touch. Eyes fluttered open and a sickness filled his body, the need for water stronger than ever before. He couldn't even remember why he was laying in the desert sand.
Rotating his head, Fari took a deep breath and took notice of the lioness in front of him.
Oh... That was why he was laying there. Had he... Had he killed her?
_______________________
- No, she wasn't dead. He was just stupid and somehow thought she was.
Ares stirred finally under the midday sun with a pile of snakes laying, coiled up into little spirals all around her still body. The first thing she noticed had been the pounding in her head, but that was to be expected when two lions, two Firekin, collided head-first at eachother. She raised her head slowly, but still ended up moving far too fast for her injured body to agree with. A pang of guilt and pain went through her body, her nerves were on fire but for only a second. The guilt had some with the unknown of the male's survival. Had he died from their collision, there would be no gathering information had he been part of the Nergui. That and she would have to explain a dead body laying in the desert to her surperiors which was not a conversation she wanted to have.
Her eyes opened finally, well after her head had been raised. Pleasantly surprised to see him already moving and his eyes open, the guilt that once been there, left. Of course this relieved feeling quickly vanished as she realized that he would like be: angry and still very much alive. Alive meaning their fight was not over.
_______________________
No, no she was not dead. Actually, the lioness was stirring and as he watched her he couldn't help but feel a sense of panic wash over him. What would he have to do in order to stop her from getting to other pride members? Searching the grounds around him for some sort of idea, Fari decided the best course of action was to run. If he moved her further from the pride at the very least he would distract her, possibly exhaust her, then… question mark?
The thought of killing her didn’t really register in the lion’s mind. Rather, he didn’t want to kill anyone, the reason he lived the way he did. He never felt the reason do it. Harm them, perhaps, stunt their ability to live comfortable, yes. Outright kill them? No.
Taking a deep breath, Fari pushed through the nauseating pain that hit him like waves. He had to do this, it was the only way. He was smart, resourceful and knew these lands better than any other. Snarling, he took shoved his paw into the hot sands and sent it scattering towards her face before taking off into an all-out dash. She couldn’t let him go, he was too much of a risk.
_______________________
- Raising a paw quickly, Ares was able to protect her eyes from the flying sand that flew in the air around her. As soon as it was safe, the leg lowered, revealing not only a stunned lioness but also one that quickly became increasingly upset about the tactics her opponent was using.
"Ick vul rotkal!" Ares called out after him, her irritation falling into anger while her native tongue slipped out. She rose onto her shakey paws despite all of the protests from her snakes that urged her to let him go, to rest. There was no way she could let him go, to escape, to tell of her failure as a guard. Oh how she had failed her pride thus-far. Slowly she began her jog after the male target, making sure that her body would even allow her to pursue him. Luckily, for now at least, perhaps due to adrenaline, she was able to. Chest heaving, lungs burning and mouth open, her jog grew faster and soon enough she was running. He had gotten a headstart, but could he keep out her reach forever.
_______________________
Her angry voice echoed in his head as he puzzled over what exactly had been said, it wasn't like he didn't understand common tongue. Yet, he didn't understand her. Perhaps that was the language of the fearsome Nergui?! Heaving heavy breaths, the large black lion rushed forward, his destination being the hidden waters in the sand wastes.
Darting frantically around his eyes kept close observation of the landscape, making note of exactly where he was in relation to the waters. One false step could lead him to fall into a sink hole made by the constant rain. Peering behind him, he could see the red lioness trailing after him, like a terminator looking to wipe him from the face of the lands.
What would happen if he died? The question causing his heart to clench. His mother and father wouldn't be able to find him. No. He couldn't allow it. He had a job to do, he had to strengthen himself too. He needed to get rid of the threat.
Turning again to see the lioness, he mistaken his step and quickly the sands shifted, pulling him downward. The very hole he was going to use against her, he caught himself in.
_______________________
- Her run became a jog as she approached the trapped lion. She peered down at him, her eyes judging him while she pondering the situation. He had been the one to instigate this chase and he was the one in the hole, which she could only presume was where he had been luring her.
A smug grin began to appear on Ares' maw as she looked at him, defeated. There was no real work put into her victory, aside from a pounding headache and her chest burning as her lungs worked overtime to get oxygen into her system. There was nothing more she needed to do. Either he was fall beneath the surface, a sandstorm would happen suddenly and he would be buried where none could find him, or even rainfall could happen in which he would drown.
As Ares began to turn, to leave him to his fate...her paw began to slide backwards, then another, and soon enough she was falling into the very hole her prey had been trapped in.
_______________________
And as she fell all Fari could do was stare as the sun slowly disappeared behind the lioness who was inching closer and closer. Before he could even think to move the sudden impact of the lioness hit him like a storm, knocking the wind out of him.
“Ugh!”
Tensing up, he gasped and wheezed, the lioness’ body covering him putting more pressure on his chest which made it that much harder to breathe in. Struggling, he moved his body so he could free his chest and take in a complete breath of air.
This lioness was nothing but bad luck! Perhaps she was cursed or something. Whatever the case may be, she was still a threat to his pride. Thankfully… they were both trapped… in a hole.
“Nergui SCUM!”
_______________________
- Ares felt herself fall, panicking as she was unsure where or how she could land. At least her body landed on something soft and that 'something soft' happened to be the male that she had been chasing. As the two tumbled slightly, shifting, trying to get more comfortable, her lips began to pull up into a snarl. She could not help herself as she flipped herself over, her paws purposely pressing hard on the male's side as she gave no care to his well-being. Her claws scraping along his skin, also uncaring if he was harmed by them. They were mainly out in the open just in case she needed them.
"Nergui scum?! How DARE you speak to me, you prowling spy. At least we shall both rot here, your words never reaching your master."
Well, at least if she was going to be stuck in a hole with a Nergui spy, the Firekin would still be safe.
_______________________
Flinching, Fari attempted to kick the lioness off his body, her claws having drew a bit of blood in the process of her scraping them a crossed him. Then his attention turned to her voice when she spoke. Spy? What in the world was this lioness even talking about? Pulling his face into a sour expression he puzzled over her words for a moment before realizing something.
The lioness was of deep, reds and blacks. She might have something foreign about her but there was also something very familiar. This lioness, perhaps she was a firekin. How stupid he would feel if she was.
“SPY!” Pulling himself up and away from the lioness he looked to the sky then back at her. “I think yo- No, WE have this entirely wrong.” Rolling his eyes and grumbling in disbelief, he decided to swallow his pride and continue. “I am Fari’Wuta, of the Firekin. Son of Mpaji and Kaanga.”
“Who are you and where are YOU from.” He has his suspensions, but he couldn’t be entirely sure she was of the firekin.
_______________________
- Growling, Ares removed herself from her perch on top of him, but still crouched low to the ground as she kept her eyes narrowed and focused on him as he moved and spoke. Why was he surprised by her calling him out as a spy...oooh no. No, no, no. He continued speaking and the realization continued to dawn on her of the situation the two were in.
FIREKIN. Well ********. What the hell have they been doing this entire time?! They were both firekin, chasing and fighting eachother because they though they were both Nergui. "I'm Ares..." She paused, thinking on her words. How would he even react to this? Oh well, who cares. They were probably going to die in the hole anyways. "Also of the Firekin."
