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 Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:40 pm
Life for Na-Be of late had been a perpetual game of hide and seek. He no longer strayed too close to the central pride, no longer could afford to engage in casual conversation with others. His dreams were plagued by shadows that prowled and snapped at his heels, attack dogs sent after him by his father. He could all but taste the blood in his future, uncertain and terrifying. His usual carefree contentment was gone in favour of Red who had seized control in a time of danger in order to steer Na away from those who sought to harm him.
But this could not go on forever, Red could not be in control all the time, he needed rest and in those few hours, it was Na who had full control of the senses, it was Na who decided where to go, and he was less than cautious.
And so it came to be that Na reclined on top of the rock that jutted from the ground not far from where his old den had been, where he had first laid eyes on his kids, children gone who-knew-where. The breeze ruffled his sleek mane, gently rustling over his blue fur, making the feathers on the necklace around his next flutter in the breeze. He looked content, unaware of any and all of the troubles that weighed upon his other self. To Na, all that mattered was the brilliant blue sky that swirled above him and the grass that danced in the wind.
Ignorance was bliss and Na-Be knew nothing else.
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:55 pm
In the shadows of the acacia, the clouds, and the protruding rocks that scattered around the Pride Lands, the entity of 'Terror' roamed. Whenever the sun's rays escaped and bypassed the protection of the clouds above, it would reveal the dark brown lion, scarred all over, his sleek mane that flowed from head to shoulders as two bangs shot out in front. Crimson eyes yearning for blood. Kinari had found the direction of his target, his hit was around here. Na-be, son of Mrost, God of War, the b*****d child who tainted the God's bloodline. So, Na-be is the tainted one, if he bred.... well, that just made things worse at least for him. That just meant that Kinari would have some more chances to work under War again if he were to be called upon.
However, as of late, when he wasn't talking to anyway or hunting on something, his mind wandered back to when he met another local around this area.... Wahabu, that two-bit prophet. He was told that he was a brother to another much larger, stronger lion named Trig. That was impossible, the facts did not just add up right. He was small, he was large, he was dark furred and the other was pride lander gold. Just did not word. The only thing that they shared were the markings on their forepaws and nothing more. Everything else was coincidence, the name and everything. Yeah.... there was a logical explaination for it. But he cannot help but wonder.... was it true? With someone as large as Trig as a brother, he could use him.... No, right now, it was time to seek out Na-be.
Kinari, also known as Terror as a name to those who sought him out for his endeavors, moved along the path to find the large smooth rock that jetted out from the land as that other follower of War had told him. His eyes scanned around after turning around boulders and trees. He was around here somewhere. Then he saw him. Not too far away was a blue lion, just like Mrost's colors too. Around his neck looked like a string of feathers just like that other follower said. "If you want one of these..... Na-be carries them on a necklace." A smirk.
"Hello there! I seem to be lost. Do you happen to know where the Pride Lands are?"
A little acting never hurt.
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:06 pm
Na looked around towards the source of the voice as it met his ears and for just a second, his eyes went wide. He had no control over his visions and they came to him all the time, wether he wanted them to or not, a hundred possible futures, ones that ended in blackness for him, in blood and doom, ones where he walked away, twisting and coiling in his overworked mind. He knew nothing of this other lion but could all but taste the pasts he had walked. They tasted like blood. His breath hitched in his throat for a second and was the only outward appearance of his thoughts. He pushed the premonitions aside with the callousness of those resigned to ignorance and smiled easily, fluffed up and looking approving.
"The Pride Lands?" he grinned "You're in 'em! Butbut, the big rock? The awesome warm rock with all the songs in it's stone. It's thattaway." he gestured with a paw, muscled only by Red's attention to keeping them as fit as possible, and the genetics Na owed to his father.
"Being lost is baaad. I was lost fora long time." he frowned sadly, only to perk up again almost immediately "then I found here. Safe. Home. The bad lion couldn't reach me here. So I was happy."
He didn't even notice he was using past tense, unaware of the influences of Red on his speech. Indeed, he had been safe. Had been. The words made the deep scars along his back prickle as though once again his father's black talons were only inches from his spine.
"B..bad lion couldn't reach."
He almost faltered, eying Kinari and finally resorting to an introduction. "I'm Na-Be"
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:21 pm
Gotcha....
"Na-be, huh? That's a unique name. I'll just call you 'Na' then, a bit too lazy to add the last part. My apologizes."
Kinari's mind was laughing hesterically, Na-be was an idiot! The way he spoke was so undeveloped and seemed rather.... well, stupid. Who didn't know of the Pride Lands or Pride Rock? He had been to both..... this male was suppose to be a seer he doesn't seem to be of any threat to him so how could Mrost not just kill him himself? But what interested him was his physique.... powerful indeed. Must have gotten it naturally from Mrost. Kinari had a similar one, short body packed of muscle, a power packed in a small body just ready to explode with rage and fury. That was what Kinari had been waiting for. Since his enterance here, he had held back all rage and temptation to kill the innocent, other than to feed himself naturally, and unleash it all on this b*****d here. Well, finally, he got his chance to get at his throat. The corner of his eye gleamed at the sight of the necklace, feathers.....
"Those are interesting feathers you got there. I haven't seen a blue bird since I got here other than some of the hornbills that flutter about here and there, but none of which of such a brilliant shade of blue too."
Just then, he took a bang into his maw. Strange how he was losing interest in this.... first he takes a bang, then his eyes go elsewhere and then his leave. This was his hit, his target, his kill and yet he was losing interest? MRost didn't pay him in anyway for doing this but he had insisted that Na-be's blood would be his reward. Was that an affect? No.... he must stick to task. Kinari let go of the bang and smiled, a rare action, at Na-be.
"At least you are safe from that 'bad lion'. These lands are very safe from what I have seen so far. It must be really nice being here, huh?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:30 pm
Na, normally blindly trusting of all who came his way, felt Red begin to stir, almost in response to the visions of earlier. His tone changed almost imperceptibly, his vacant expression holding hints of intelligence below the surface, his amber eyes turning cold and keen. As soon as Red gathered his thoughts enough, he was alerted to the danger this lion meant. He didn't know why or how Na had missed it. The lion he had saw in the vision with Mrost had to be this one, one of the shadows that stalked the two of them in those ever decreasing circles. He cursed inwardly, he couldn't even run, there was nowhere to run to. He let Na field the questions about the feathers, knowing that even though Na would probably give away too much, to speak himself at the moment would give everything away.
Another vacant grin. "Yup. These aren't bird feathers at all! I got 'em from the bad lion himself. He left them behind. Red says they are meant to scare me, but they don't. They are pretty. I can hear him with them." he looked chuffed with how well he'd managed to answer the question, even while Red mentally hissed displeasure at being mentioned.
"They aren't safe anymore." he said, matter-of-factly "Bad lion can reach now, he wants me to go to the dark. I don't want to go. I just want him to like me. Nice place here, I don't want to leave."
And again that keenness in his appearance. Red listened.
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:49 pm
"Hear him you say? Really, now, can that really happen? can I see?"
Kinari offered out his paw innocently and gave a smile just as innocent. Trust, that was what he was playing on. He had to get Na-be to trust him and when it was just at the right time, strike. He hardly used this method but since this is enemy territory and that this was, to his knowledge, the largest pride around, he had to make exceptions. But he was curious, could those feathers.... Mrost's feathers really connect this male to him? Was that possible? Wait, is this another ability to a seer? The feathers were once Mrost's so that would give Na-be a tie to him? Damn, this seer stuff was so damn confusing..... He swore inwardly and glanced around to make sure no one was here, though the gesture would seem awkward without an explaination.
"Well, why doesn't he like ya, Na? You seem very nice to me. You are part of the pride here, aren't ya? They will protect you after all that is what a pride is right?"
His ears flicked and his brows furrowed for a mere second when something seemed different about Na..... what did he just do? Did he just see into him? I thought his focus was more on Mrost than anyone else.... and here he thought that he could get closer to him because of that as a good cover. But there was no certain that Na had looked into him-no, there was no proof. He had to keep this rouse up and just play him a little longer. But if he can sense Mrost with those feathers, if Kinari was able to get rid of them, then Na would have nothing on the god. A smirk, 'I just want him to like me' yeah right.....
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:45 am
Na tilted his head, looking baffled. "I hear him in my head. Or see 'im. It's like awake dreaming except it's true. Usually. I jus' need to hold onto 'em and concentrate. Like this." he raised a paw gently to the feathers around his neck and flinched visibly. "He isn't far away." he reached out and eagerly shook Kinari's paw.
A hundred possible futures, his neck being broken, his face being slashed. All kinds of brutal attacks.
He blinked and jumped back, looking mortified.
"S-sorry." he stammered, staring at Kinari as though he'd only just seen him. He was about to say why he doubted the sincerity of what Kinari was saying when Red viciously seized back control. Immediately his posture shifted, rather than his body seeming like an ill fitting glove on a small hand, he held himself proudly. His gaze was cold and calculated. Not many got to meet Red, the true side of Na-be, but this was an extraordinary cicumstance.
"He doesn't like me because I could kill him." he smirked malevolantly. "He is a god but he has weakenesses. I know those weaknesses. He thinks I am an idiot because /that's/ what I want him to think. He thinks you are pawn, you know that? Just another toy in his little game."
He smirked devillishly "And here you are, come to follow orders like a good little lion. Are you proud of being played like a fool? Only a fool with no ambition follows a god."
His tail flicked. "A true lion kills them."
He stalked away a bit, cautious, wary. "I am not Na-Be. I am Red. I am what he wants dead, because he has a feeling I'm watching him and he doesn't like things he can't reach or understand."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:16 pm
"Well, it seems that ruise didn't work and here I thought you were a dumbass that would just eat out of my paw like a pathetic Pride Lander," he scoffed as he moved away and grinned. Things just became so much more interesting. This would fuel Kinari's attention for some time and then some, Na-be or Red or whatever one calls him, better be worth the time to play with. It was time to dance.
Kinari's paw moved to a sideward motion as his crimson eyes remained on "Red". The seer's powers have functioned quite well in deciphering what he was gonna do and the things that he spoke with War. A grin. No one has ever spoken to him like that and lived, usually a female would, but not without price. The price was his presence in their life in the form of other(s). Too bad you can't get pregnant...
"I'd gladly give myself up to War if he wanted me to. I have nothing real to live for so I do as I wish. I only listen to those who have the power to kill me, War has that power. As for you, you don't, so just shut up and hold still, it'll only take a moment if I decide to kill you quickly."
Kinari stopped and crouched down into the grass and grinned wider, devilishly, his fur bristled in excitement.
"Tell me, b*****d Child of War, what is your weakness!?"
The lion snarled and launched himself into the air, paw drawn back for a quick swipe before the pounce landed. Hopefully, this one could hold his own against 'Terror'.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:30 pm
Red's grin turned even madder as Kinari didn't back down, the crazy glint in his amber eyes shifting to an almost masochistic glee at the prospect of battle. Mrost had this one brainwashed nicely it seemed.
"Such a pity." he cackled. "You cut a fine figure of a lion."
He didn't care about running away for now. Didn't care about always fleeing. Let Na-Be taste even more agony for his idocy, Red would just thrill in the battle. He figured that given his solid build and experience he could hold his own in a battle for a short time. Not forever though and already the futures danced in front of Na's eyes, uncertainty made visible to the seer. He didn't know which future would be his, but all he could do was hope.
"My weakness?" he said, bracing himself, taking the swipe full on, claws slashing into his blue fur and lacing delightful agony through his body. He didn't feel the injury, Na-Be did and it made him laugh all the more as he threw his own weight back into Kinari, trying to land his own swipes.
"My weakness.." he smirked " ..is being born as the son of a coward who stands on the shoulders of lions who could be so much more." Blood was already staining his fur black around the swipe, unheeded. He gritted his teeth as his muscles began to properly warm up with the adrenalin.
"Oh and loving a good fight. That's a weakness too."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:44 pm
Kinari laughed loudly as the attack hit his shoulder, the pain did nothing but fuel his madness and lust for blood and pain. He wanted to be hurt, hit more, beaten and mauled, he did not care as he always got what he wanted. He would do the mission to the fullest of his abilities and as time allowed. Best to do it quick before the Pride Landers got wind... but this could not be passed by.
"Tell me, Almighty Red, why don't you confront War if he is such a coward? Scared? Using an empty threat? A lie? Tell me, are you scared?"
He laughed manically as he swung away with his paws. He could not get enough of it. His own blood dripped down his legs, the sight of Red's soaking his fur as well. Blood, the life-giving fluid that fueled life and by taking it, taking life with it. Now what was it that War said? Something about drinking the blood of a seer would grant him their abilities. Interesting but not worth drinking worthless blood.
Kinari grinned as he got close to Red's face, licking the end of his nose and grinning.
"You'd make a nice companion for me. Sure you don't want to stop all of this for a little while? I am sure I can interest you in some way or another," it was when he was looking over Red's host's form, Na-be's body, when he caught sight of the necklace of Mrost's feathers. If those were what allowed him to watch Mrost... then taking them would not only cripple Na-be's ability to watch over the mighty War, but give him something to munch on later and/or give back to War the next time.
Kinari's paw drew back as if to swipe...
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:08 pm
Red was throwing his all into the fight, revelling in actuallydoing something. He was so tired of always running away, always biding his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. Mrost had follower walk into his paws like sheep whereas Red couldn't get any of them to stay, to help him take on the god at his own game. As another swipe landed, this one slashing his forehead, he snarled out.
"Not scared. Alone. The only way to KILL him is at his own game. He has an arrrrrmy." he bristled "I have nothing." if he was going to die here, what was the point in lying? He was alone, totally and utterly, not able to find the kind of lions he needed and when he did, all of them were long corrupted and beyond redemption. He was about to dive in again when one of the more odd futures turned out to be true. He blinked at having his nose licked, his thoughts momentarily muddled with those of Na-Be. He frowned darkly.
"The only way I'd ever have anything to do with you would be if you actually opened your damn eyes and saw how blind you are being!" he glowered, panting with the effort of the fight as Kinari drove in for another swipe. It was only through a stupid comment from Na-Be that he actually reacted.
Pretty feathers!
He looked down at the necklace, as he did so getting another flash of Mrost's thoughts, distracting himself and unsettling his concentration, leaving himself wide open for another damaging swipe to the head but at least getting in the way of swiping the necklace for now.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:22 pm
Damn... close too. Kinari growled and frowned as he missed his intended target. But that aside for now, perhaps another chance will arise when the time came. It was time to quickly finish him up and get on out of the "Cursed Lands."
"Alone, how unfortunate for you, poor b*****d," he laughed as he crouched low again. "Loneliness is the worst form of suffering. I hope you are enjoying it your pathetic a**!"
Kinari lunged out, swinging wildly and landed a bit away before grinning back at him with his back turned. His tail flicked as he looked back at Red before turning to face him. What an interesting target he was given this time. Red, Na-be, the b*****d son of Mrost the God of War, a seer, and a masochist just like him. Interesting indeed. If only the terms were different...
"Oh, I'm not blind, my dear friend, I am just doing a job that was given to me. I am not War's official follower, I am just a free-lancer at the moment. Where there's pay, there Terror will be. Come now, I'll give you a chance to fight back. Come on, hit me, right here," Kinari laughed and pressed a claw to his cheek. "One. Free. Hit."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:44 pm
Red smirked through the pain that lanced from every wound or bruise on his body, right to his brain. "Ha. I do enjoy it. Just can't kill Mrost while I am. Guess I never will." he didn't give a damn about anything any more, knew he'd been living a lie up till now, too solitary to challenge the god and only now, in such a dangerous situation, aware of that. He staggered back to his feet, bristling, deifant.
It figured the only worthy opponent he'd ever met was on the opposite side from him.
"I could have paid you more than Mrost ever could. No greater trophy exists than the life of a god, the ability to see and know what lies ahead. I don't want to die but I don't want to live like this either. I won't run away any more from that b*****d." he snarled more loudly than he had before, supressing Na's tears with an iron will.
He didn't care that there must have been an ulterior motive to Kinari giving him a free hit, couldn't think for the anger that raged in him. Mrost took everything from him, everything before he even had a chance. It took all of his seer abilities, all of his energy, all of his life just to keep ahead of the b*****d. In his head it wasn't Kinari he roared at and threw a swipe at, he couldn't hate the mercenary lion, couldn't do anything but wish he had met him first, it was himself he imagined stood there.
He was so weak and mortal he could taste it. Hear it in every thud of his heart.
He didn't care much about what damage he did or didn't do to Kinari, not taking any kind of pleasure in harming the already scarred lion. It was the retribution he waited on, let himself be torn to ribbons, it was all he deserved.
It wasn't like Red to show any emotion than anger but he was so tired of running.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 1:56 pm
Kinari was hit and sent to ground. However, he did not move this time. He laid there, arms sprawled out to the side and a grin on his face. His bangs hung over his eyes as he laughed out loud. He could not believe what was going on. Finally, something worth doing, something worth his time! This was what he was waiting for, a time to murder, to kill, all that pent up urge was flooding out slowly, but surely. He wanted to let it all out but what would be the point but throwing this idiot's carcass all over the Pride Lands and just revel in the pride's loss. These lands should be decimated and end all the life within it. All of it, even his own damn brother!
"Amazing! Finally! Someone who will fight back and can actually fight! Someone who can say they've nearly killed Terror, but unfortunately, you haven't done that yet, have you... Red."
His tone was no longer manical nor was it the sort of lust he had before. It was deeper, stern, and much more serious. The dark maned lion raised up and brushed himself off and glared at the other lion.
"War's... your father, no? Saying you can't kill him is just saying you gave up. What sort of figher, what warrior gives up? No, warriors never give up, if they cannot complete their task, they do the best to cripple to possible hinder it. But you, you stayed here like a coward. I don't care what you pay me, Mrost isn't even paying me for this mission. The only reason I came was because blood was involved, that was all I needed to do this. Though, I must admit, killing a god would be interesting, but for you seers... are nothing but soothesayers and liars. You should die dignifiantly. If you want to get to Mrost, then you will have to get through me," he scowled. "If not... then you are just a coward as you say he is."
Kinari snarled and lunged at him once again. He knew he would kill him eventually, but he needed an Ace-in-the-hole. He had to get those feathers to prevent any more seering Mrost's location. If he had those, Red/Na-be would be crippled of their advantage over War and with that, he could kill him without having to constantly worry about grabbing them later.
"Your tail's mine!"
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:10 pm
Red pondered running away as Kinari lay there for a few seconds. Escape, live to fight another day, experience the thrill of being so close to death that almost all the threads of the future run to blackness. But he knew that'd be mad, he wouldn't get far, wouldn't run far enough. He needed to find another way, some way to get out of here. Kinari was right, it wasn't in his blood to surrender here and there. As much as he hated Mrost, his father's pride was as much who he was as Na-Be was. He set his jaw.
"Killing the only lion ever to catch up with me would be madness. No one else ever made it this far" he smirked. "And yes. I stayed here. I stayed here until I could overpower Na-Be enough to be in control."
He flexed his claws into the ground, drawing upon every bit of concentration he had, every instinct born into him, every fight he'd ever been in. He had killed the pride of mangey rogues that Na-Be had hung around with, he had killed many. He was Red, he did whatever the hell he wanted and he would have Mrost's still beating heart in his claws.
"You are right though. I was a coward. No more."
He snapped into action, willing injured muscles to work to their fullest. He was the son of War, he was the only one who could stop Mrost. He couldn't just lie down and die. He had to win. Hauling Na-Be into the forefront along with him he looked into the future visions and tried to read the incoming attacks from the flickering possibilities and react accordingly. He was a seer. He just had to hope that would give him the edge to match Kinari and survive.
He lunged to meet him.
"Come and get it then."
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