The shadow of a lioness stood on a rock outcrop, staring off into the sunset. A scowl was set onto her face, angry and bitter. How could she? How could their queen abandon them? Her claws sank into the rock as best they could, before she lefted one, scraping it.
Cautiously, Kosuke approached his mother. She was far less than pleased, far less than pleasant. The red juvenile looked at her, frowning. "Mother...? What's wrong...?" She frowned, tail curling a bit. "Is it what Aunt Kenna said...?"
Letting out a snarl, Jua looked at her son. "Of course it is, what do you THINK it is? She doesn't deserve the title of queen!" But then, who did? Not a coward. The lioness closed her eyes, turning back towards the western horizon. "Those who are devoted to Finar-si, TRULY devoted... Would not hide amid the rebels like cowards..."
Kosuke looked away, tail curling around him as he sat down. "But doesn't the hardest to extinguish fire hide under the ground, smouldering and burning on?" His eyes turned to the sunset. The way the sky was painted was amazing... And yet iconic. The sun, it seemed, was setting on the traditionalist Firekin.
Jua turned to her son, moving too swiftly for him to see her before she had him pinned. "It may, but it also burns long and hot when it spreads elsewhere." Leaning down, she got into her son's face. "Why do you speak such words, Kosuke? Do you fancey the idea of JOINING the cowards?"
Struggling against his mother's paw, Kosuke looked at her, pannicked. "N-n-no, never!" When he got free, he huddled back a bit, looking up at her. "I've just... Just..." Just what? Who was he kidding? "I have dreams... Like when Grandma... Died..." His ears fell back, as he looked at his paws. "I sleep, and I see... Her..." A lioness, who filled his dreams of the future. A beautiful crimson color, with black-splattered paws... It was like his dreams teased him. "I want to meet her... But I know... She's... Over there..." He looked up, just in time to see his mother's paw flying at him. The juvenile tumbled back, too shocked to react.
Advancing on Kosuke, Jua snarled, glaring down at him. "You little traitor... You betray your bloodlines!" Pinning him, she ignored the squeals he let out for the moment. "I give you life... I raise you... And you repay me... With wanting to meet one of those rebel FILTH?" Her claws extended, just pricking the juvenile.
Struggling, Kosuke dug his own claws into the lioness' paw, sending her reeling back. As he scrambled back, he glared back at her. "How do you know I wanna have a nice happy chat? How do you know I wouldn't mess her up good?" He wouldn't... He just knew, her presence would change his life. Was it for the better?
Jua examined her paw carefully. The damage wasn't bad, it would heal. She looked at her son, ears back. "How can I possibly believe you?" She stepped close again, claws bared. "One to another, not as mother and son, but those blessed by Finar-si..." She was no fool, she knew what her son was. "Do you like this idea? Of being with the rebel filth...?"
Fur bristling, Kosuke snarled. It was a pathetic sound, really, compared to the deep, booming roars of the adult males. Though a juvenile, he still had a high, squeaking voice. It was emberassing... "Yeah, well... Well... Maybe I DO!" As soon as the words left hsi mouth, he regretted them. He knew that his mother hated nothing more than Kidondo and the rebels, and he'd just admitted he'd like being in their company.
Own fur bristling, Jua moved at Kosuke, swimping for him with her claws. He was good at avoiding, though, jumping around and dodging. It only served to make her madder. Letting out a roar, Jua chased the juvenile across the pridal lands, finally catching him near the border. Claws out, she swiped at his back, raking them across. When she backed off, her sides heaved, staring.
Panting as well, blood starting to stain the sand, Kosuke looked at his mother. Sadness was in his eyes as he shuddered. "Mother..." He wasn't going to die... He knew that. Even with blood starting to make it hard to see, he watched her. When he closed his eyes, he... Saw.
Jua had walked far, traveling apart from her father and sibblings. The crater below was massive, with an area that looked lonely and desolate. Not looking back at the desert of her past, she headed down towards the lonely area.
He opened his eyes, looking to his mother sadly. This was the last time he would see her...
Like her claws into her son's back, what she'd just done sank into Jua's mind. Her ears fell back, eyes widening. Her own son.. She'd hurt her own son... "Kosuke... I'm... Sorry..." Her mother had never raised a paw to any of them.. The dark lioness backed up, watching as Kosuke passed out, then turned, fleeing. How could she do something like this? She had to see her father, or... The slave... The slave as the ideal one to talk to.
