Hakuna'jina - T ` P o i
Verge'lian - +Sephiros Immortal+
Bavu - Cajanic
It had been a LONG time since Hakuna had walked with a limp. Longer still since she just wanted to curl up and sleep off her wounds. But she had something to do first. Amber eyes narrowed in purpose, she carried the singular of her nephews she'd managed to grab from her sister. It had been a LONG time since Hakuna had walked with a limp. Longer still since she just wanted to curl up and sleep off her wounds. But she had something to do first. Amber eyes narrowed in purpose, she carried the singular of her nephews she'd managed to grab from her sister. And she was determined to find Verge before giving into sleep...And Hakuna did not cut corners when it came to her pride.
Verge'lian was currently on the prowl about the borders of the pride. They were short on adult members, after all, and it would be some time before the current crop of youngsters was old enough to be border guard...barring an overzealous youngster or two. Right now, Verge was a mite vexed on his ignorance regarding the whereabouts of most of his adult pride members, barring, of course, Mora'era who was almost militaristic in reporting her comings and goings. Heaving a sigh, the blue lion leapt from his perch atop a rock, cerulean gaze scanning the landscape for movement. Well...there seemed to be someone coming.
Bavu whimpered softly. Here he was in the jaws of some strange lioness he had never seen before, being taken further and further from his beloved mother. But he was too exhausted now to continue his struggles for freedom, as he had been fighting the entire time. Ever since he had been kidnapped. What was happening? Why did she take him? He wanted to go home. He missed his siblings already. And his mother. He couldn't understand why she would save the others and not him. Had he done something wrong? It made him all the more upset, his whimpers kicking up again as he weakly writhed. He took only a small comfort in knowing the one dragging him away had been injured in trying to do so. Maybe she would die and drop him. That would certainly allow him to run free. Of course, it also concerned him to be thinking such a terrible thing of another lion. This whole thing had made him very confused and emotionally drained. If only it were a nightmare.
Hakuna growled as her nephew started struggling again, although weakly. But her growl stopped when her eyes caught sight of a very familiar coat. Relief washed through her tired muscles and she headed straight for the rock. She couldn't say anything yet, with the cub in her mouth, but that would change. Once close enough to the rock, she placed her nephew done, making sure to keep a large paw on him to keep him from running. "Verge'lian...I bring another demon, of my blood, for your approval."
Upon noting that it was only Hakuna, and that she had a cub with her, he rumbled in satisfaction and padded towards her. Eyeing the cub, who was clearly unhappy with his current situation, the large demon lion frowned slightly, "Seems he was not acquired easily." Not that that bothered him, he just wasn't overjoyed about having Hakuna out of commission, even temporarily. The addition to their ranks however, was pleasing.
Bavu grunted when he was placed down, feeling a little less than comfortable under her paw. "Let me up!" he moaned, his shrill voice full of fright and even a little anger. Anger he knew he couldn't let out if he wanted to live. Still, he couldn't control all his frustration, letting out a low growl as he watched this new lion move towards them. Were they going to eat him? "I don't taste good!" he barked before really giving himself time to fully grasp the situation, "let me go! I want to go to my mommy..." but then, she had let him get captured, hadn't she? Saved the others but let him go. Closing his eyes, he waited for something to happen. Anything.
Hakuna chuckled. "You should see the state my sister is in." Her chuckle turned into a grin. "I won't eat you. I've brought you someplace where you can learn the truth...the one my sister..." That last word was spoken with disgust. "Hid from you and your siblings. You are a demon, little one." Her grin turned into something almost soft. "You share the same blood as I do, and I have brought you here so it might truly sing in your veins." She lessened the weight on her paw a bit.
Verge leaned down to eye the youngster a bit more closely, and bobbed his silvery-maned head in agreement. "Very good...and yes, young one, you will learn the truth of things here. There is naught to be afraid of...you are among kind and kin." Perhaps he might have to learn some lessons the hard way...but they would prove this one's true worth. A shame that Hakuna's sister had seen fit to dilute her demonic blood. "He will do...he will be one of us." This to Hakuna, "What is his name?"
Bavu blinked. "Wh-what?" he asked, a little confused by what she was saying to him. He was supposed to believe that his mother had been hiding something from him and his sisters? Was that why she let him get kidnapped? Maybe, deep down, she wanted him to learn about whatever it was they were going to teach him. Or, you know, maybe he was just wishfully hoping for the best. "A demon?" he sniffled, sitting up a bit when the paw was slightly raised. It helped. "You're... my mom's sister? Why would you hurt her then?!" He looked at the other one, a whole new fear eating at his stomach. This guy looked very strong. Listening to him talk, he only spoke up when he asked his kidnapper his name as though he wasn't even there. "My name is Bavu!" he yelped.
"Your mother and I...have always been at odds. She never understood things, never understood the power flowing through our veins, gifted to us by your grandmother." She sighed. "A pity...she was always the best fight I'd ever had." Hakuna smiled as Verge accepted him, happy that she'd done well...and that she'd managed to take this one with her fading strength. He was perfect...big, potential to be strong, and his colors...oh he was blessed. "Such a fitting name..."
"Sibling rivalries..." He muttered under his breath, more in condemnation of himself than anything. "At least no one is dead, it would be a shame to decrease the demon population." Even if that demon was in rebellion. Ears flicking towards the cub, Verge smirked faintly, "Then welcome, Bavu...you will have many lessons to learn here, and many young demonlings to be your companions. Don't look so very glum."
Bavu looked from one demon to the other, not sure what he was supposed to be thinking. The fear was slipping away from him, but he didn't exactly trust them either. How was he supposed to trust them when they had stolen him away from his home? For a moment he just studied the two of them, trying to find some kind of hint in their faces that might lead him to some kind of decision. Nothing came and he felt tears brimming in his eyes again. "I... I'm scared..." he admitted, "who are you? Am I... .really safe here? Can't I go home?" He knew he couldn't. So he shut up, nodding and trying not to cry in front of them.
Hakuna's strange maternal instincts kicked in. "You are home, little Bavu. Come...I can take you to my den. It has been a long journey, and you need rest of both body and mind." Her voice, though still harsh from her tiredness and pain, held a softness to it as well. She licked the top of his head, and gave a deep chuckle. "You are safe. And if yours cousins pick any fights with you, you are allowed to fight back."
Verge sat down, apparently still intending to stay out here and continue his guard duty, though he rumbled at the two, "Yes, the both of you should return. I will come to see how Bavu and you fare tomorrow...and then we may talk about his lessons in our ways." After all, Verge wanted to be particularly careful with this youngster. Mixed blood was volatile, as well he knew.
Bavu found himself even more bemused. This female, his mother's sister who had hurt her and stolen him, was being so... nice. Why? He wanted to figure it out, but he was so tired. The mention of rest reminded him of that little fact. If he played along, maybe he could sneak away sometime. "O.... okay," he said faintly. Odd as it was, the thought of a fight wasn't completely vile in his mind. Would give him a chance to vent some of this anger. But in the morning. Now all he wanted was sleep.
Hakuna nodded to Verge, and gave as best a bow as she could with her wounds. She would need to tend these ones carefully. And keep herself half-awake until her cubs returned to the den. She would not take chances on them mistaking Bavu for a plaything. "Good night, Aran'shale." With that, she carefully picked Bavu up again and proceeded toward her den among the community dens. Now was the time for rest, and healing. She needed to be back in action soon.
"Good night, Hakuna." He responded, turning then to continue his walk along the borders...perhaps an hour more and then he would have to find something to hunt...as he was feeling a mite peckish.mTomorrow would be a good day, for a new demon had been gained, and teaching the young was something that Verge had proved surprisingly proficient at, albeit abrupt and to the point. Yes...he looked with anticipation to the morrow.
Bavu couldn't help but wince when she picked him up. Not because she had caused him any great pain in doing so, no, he was just nervous that the intention might have been there. This whole thing was really weird to him still. His emotions were running around with so much intensity he was left feeling rather numb. Like it would all come crashing down on him at another time. The full weight of what had happened to him. He looked around the dens, frowning. Everything was unfamiliar. What were demons like? Probably not friendly. Tomorrow was going to be hell, he could feel it.
