[PRP] your shadow walks faster than you

[Lethrossen]

Each day as they moved through the mountains Aagiro had privately gained a little hope. They'd been going through the mountains for quite a long time, twisting through winding paths and climbing to great heights. Views had been amazing, but at one point it had ruined her hope completely. At one of the spots where the lions could look out at the vast land of africa there was mainly just sand. If that was not Aagiro's land of sand than what was? She was silent on the matter, quietly stewing in her own self pity mostly because she did not like to lose. But also because she was sure that Nen was completely nuts and was still waiting for Nen to just come out with the fact that his terms were all a big joke! But he hadn't, and the back and forth had just continued between them. Nothing had really changed after meeting the lions they had. At least, outwardly nothing had changed.

Aagiro spent a good deal of the time in the mountains thinking about the older lioness Laana they'd met, and her words. And her asinine idea that she and Princess would make a good couple. Aagiro couldn't wrap her head around it, not in the least. But that just caused her to think about the blundering oaf far too often, as far as she was concerned. She sighed and glanced toward the sky, wondering when it had gotten so early out? They'd been traveling the better half of the night, and now she was sure dawn was approaching. They had come off of the mountain perhaps an hour past, and now they were just walking. Dirt and hard packed earth was beginning to whisper hints of desert sands, barren lands.

The silence between the two felt a little suffocating, but Aagiro wasn't sure what to say. This seemed likely the place she'd been intending to make him bring her to... but she couldn't say for certain. It wasn't like they'd met any of the fated fire cats that lived in these parts. That would change when they neared a large dune ahead, because just peaking over the top of it was a very large male lion.

Canicus didn't often spend time with his siblings, though he also did not scorn their company. He was just a distant cub, it was something he'd figured was only natural. Their mother had left them, hadn't she? Though over and over their father had said that she couldn't have just left, that something must have happened. He remembered very little of his mother, and felt very badly for his father. So he learned to keep to himself, to go about his daily business and spar when it pleased him. He also liked to make the journey toward the edges of the pridelands, and sometimes he would even go over the border and into the rogue lands. Not for a long time, just to check things out for a little while.

Today he'd run into his sister on his walk, and he'd asked her to join him. He didn't speak much, but her company was nice anyhow. As they crested one of the last sand dunes in their land his bright blue eyes narrowed and his calm gaze narrowed into something stern. "Hmm, intruders?" He asked slowly, questioning only the possibility that these lions planned to come into their lands. They still hadn't broken into firekin territory, lucky for them.

 

[KasaiLoki]

Nen was right. There was no food---or rather, very little food that could be found in the mountain. He couldn’t ask Kitten to stop every hour or two. They could, but her didn’t want to get another helping of grubs and slugs for his ‘dinner’. He just opted to just walk. The two were traveling through the night, which was much easier on the pads of their feet on the more solid ground, though he did secretly miss the softer sands of the plains. When the ground became less dense, he looked up. Was that…Hey it was! “Land of Sands, here we come!” Nen shouted, not caring that the sun was beginning to come out, or the possibility of danger lurking just beyond the mountain. He just wanted to get off the hard rock! “Come on Kitten!” he bounded out in front of the lioness, his paws slowly begin to sink in the much softer earth.

“Is this it? Is this the place? It is, isn’t it! I knew what you were talking about!” Nen couldn’t tell of the two stranger lions that were lurking nearby, he was just plain old excited.

Zala had been sprawled out on the rock, just watching the sands rise and fall with the sun. What a bore the lands had become. She needed to fight---to hunt---to do something, anything! But she just settled for resting on the warm soft sand. When her brother had randomly approached her that day, she was rather glad. She needed to get up and stop being such a lazy bag of bones; it’d make her an easy target for the youngsters wanting to test their stuff in a duel with an ‘older’ member.

“Canicus, my dear brother,” her tone was almost sarcastic, but that was just Zala’s personality. “What a pleasant surprise to see you today,” she purred out wickedly. She moved side-by-side with him, slowing as he mentioned intruders. “Intruders, eh?” Her own eyes scanned the dunes, easily spotting the two dark pelted lions in the brightly colored sands. “Excellent. Perhaps today won’t be such a bore after all.” She licked her chops, waiting for the cue from her brother before heading down to the two.  

[Lethrossen]

"Quiet down!" She hissed, but what was that flickering in her tone... amusement? He seemed like a cub for a second, the way he was shouting and bounding ahead as if they'd just reached his favorite place in the hole world. She rolled her eyes lightly and picked up her pace, tail flicking. "And... and we don't know that for sure." She added, coughing slightly and glancing around. Dammit, why hadn't they gotten lost? The gods must have enjoyed playing cruel jokes on her... Her gaze slid back to Nen and her ears pressed slightly against her skull.

No, he was definitely joking. If he was serious he was a bigger fool than even she'd thought. If he was seriously considering making her pay her debt by giving him cubs... well if that was the case there was no way she was going to admit these where the firekin lands. Being downwind from the pair of firekin, Aagiro still hadn't noticed the company. "We should ask someone first. Where we are, I mean." She called, as if the sand wasn't answer enough. Her tone was more worried than anything else, even though she did a good show of hiding that worry from her features.

Canicus never minded his sister's naturally sarcastic tone. It simply didn't bother him, and why should it? It was a part of her and he could tell when she wasn't just speaking normally. It might have been a different story if she was trying to be fresh with him... though most of the time Canicus didn't want to bother dealing with others. Unless they could fight it out, fairly of course.

His gaze flicked to his sister and he playfully buffeted his head against her side, snorting. "Oh? Should we see what their intentions are?" He offered a very small and brief smile before turning his attentions toward the two. The female of the pair looked perhaps like she could have been from the firekin, it wasn't unheard of for a firekin to be born without any reds, oranges or yellows blessing their pelts. But she was smaller than firekin females, he doubted her of the blood. And the male? He couldn't be sure but he thought maybe the male's pelt was glittering. A sorry pair indeed. Canicus' ears perked up, straining to hear what was being shouted about. His tail flicked and he motioned for Zala to come down the dune with him.

"Well, should we attempt a civil greeting or just rush into an attack?" His smile was bigger this time, indicating somehow that he was joking. What the joke was was hard to say, though Canicus was not a lion to act rashly even if he enjoyed fighting.

 

[KasaiLoki]

“Really? You don’t know for sure? Come on, seriously?” Nen looked flabbergasted. “You wanted the land of sands…well look it here. All I see is a SEA of SAND.” For miles the golden grains plastered the ground. Ammon’nen wasn’t even sure if anything green even lived in the land! “But if you insist. We can ask this grain of sand,” the lion lifted up the land. “Or…you know the sun? The cloudless sky.” Basically Nen was saying how there was no other lions in the area to ask. Not even a gazelle or a bug crept across the land.

“…Or we can ask those guys…” The starry lion stated slowly, his gaze at the two---rather large--- red lions. Something didn’t sit right with the male as he approached Aagiro. He spoke of the terrible lions, and even Laana had mentioned stories of them…just the size of the lions was overwhelming compared to them.

“…Maybe we should go,” he hated feeling so tiny compared to the stocky lion and lioness.


“It would only be fair,” Zala purred out again, her body close to the sand in a semi-stalking position. “They could be lost and may need help. We wouldn’t want them to travel the desert all on their own. They would die in a heartbeat,” the term killed could also be replaced with ‘die’, Canicus would realize that too. The lion who appeared of the night sky was definitely not of firekin descent – blue hues did not run in the lands, and if they did, the lion was not permitted to stay. The lioness on the other hand…well just maybe she could’ve been confused for one. Who knew.

“Oh my dear Canicus… why must you have to give me the option,” Zala would chose the rush attack over the civilized conversation any day, but today she chose differently. “We need to have a little fun with them…just a little…” her eyes scanned the two intruders, waiting for them to overstep that invisible line into the firekin lands.  

[Lethrossen]

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Sure, it's a land of sand, but maybe not the one I wanted." She threw at him, proud of herself for finally coming up with a technicality of sorts for their little bet. Though when he begab to start mocking her because no one seemed to be around her eyes narrowed. "No, we'll just have to find a firekin and ask them." The name of the lions finally came to mind... they lived in the sands didn't they? Wait... ask which guys? Her gaze tore from Nen and landed on two large red-hued lions approaching and Aagiro cursed under her breath. There was no doubt in her mind that they were firekin, they fit the description. Red, large... something tense about the way they were approaching. She wanted to kick herself! How was she always putting her paw in her mouth like that? Clearly this was proof she'd just lost the bet.

Luckily they wouldn't be focused on that right now, as the two lions were headed in a bee line for Aagiro and her companion. She swallowed and suddenly shoved him with a paw. "Say something. Greet them!" She hissed quietly, for once not taking the initiative to make friends with the strangers they were meeting. Then she caught Nen's words and they sounded like the most beautiful words he'd ever spoken. The only beautiful words he'd spoken, really. "Maybe you're right..." But even though she'd agreed she found herself standing frozen beside him. "... you... you don't think they'd chase us do you?" She muttered, though the pair of firekin were basically only one bound away.

"Our lands are very confusing." And dangerous, though that bit didn't need to be said as he agreed with her. His tail flicked and his gait was slightly less intimidating than his sisters, or perhaps just intimidating in a whole different manner as he was drawn to his full height, matching her stalking strides more than easily.

He glanced to her, flicker of mock surprise passing over his features before they became blank once again. "Oh, well that's different sister." He teased, though like most other things Canicus did that involved emotion he simply did not display, it was hard to tell. His gaze flicked back to the other lions who'd taken note of he and his sister and he regarded them cooly. Zala and he would be face to face with them in the next paw full of pad falls. "You two are treading on thin ice." He called over, his tone hard to distinguish. There was a very tiny smile on his maw though, and he didn't bother with hellos or names or anything like that.

 

[KasaiLoki]

“…Why do I have to greet them?!” He whispered a hiss. He quickly turned towards the approaching couple, siblings, he assumed just by the similar markings the pair had. “I hope not..I think they can out run us in a heartbeat…” The red lions were bred in the sands, they were accustomed to this heat, the softness of the sand that still sifted between the toes of Nen. Plus, there was the factor that both Aagiro and he had been traveling pretty much most of the night, and going off little food. The two lions would be fatigued before a mere moment of chasing if that ensued.

“…Err…Greetings!” He looked towards the male, then back to the red female, wanting to shrink as low as possible to the ground. He could show weakness towards these newcomers though! Who knew…they may..have been friendly? Maybe…? “Treading on…thin…ice?” Gulp. Without turning his head, his eyes shifted towards Aagiro. “We don’t mean to…uh…intrude on your lands…We…were just happy to get off the mountains…”


She padded quickly in step with her brother, approaching the two other felines in just mere moments. The firekin glided over the sand with ease. Most others who attempted this feat would be caught in the soft, almost sticky sand. Zala had counted numerous of time she had seen skulls of prey animals such as zebras, or even small bones of cubs stuck in the sand. It was their own fault – she had concluded. Don’t enter a land if you can’t handle it. What was that expression, if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen? Well the kitchen was the firekin play land.

“Oh, look dear brother,” she refrained from speaking the name of her or her brother. “They’re both trembling like a baby gazelle.” Though it appeared the male intruder was trying to hide it, he was physically shaking, ever so lightly, under the stares of the dark red lions. It was fun playing with other lions. “Perhaps they know of who we are.” Not them per say, but the pride as a whole. Firekin had a rap sheet even though it was far less complicated then how it use to be.

“What brings you two fools to these lands?”  

[Lethrossen]

"Because!" She hissed back, though her eyes were glued on the pair. They did not look overly... hostile. But still, the feeling Aagiro got from the pair was much different than what she'd gotten when meeting the other lions they had over their journey. What Nen said made sense... there was no way to outrun them and no where to run really, unless they headed back to the mountain and that sort of terrain wasn't ideal for running, even when in the best physical condition.

Good. Nen greeted them. Not that it did anything to ease the situation, really. Aagiro found herself stepping closer to her male companion, ears halfway back to pinned to her head. What did the male mean, treading on thin us? Even now through Aagiro's nervousness and slight fear of the two her anger sparked, annoyed at the stranger's words. She wasn't sure what she could add to what Nen had said, though she hadn't smelt the territory and couldn't believe they were already in it. That didn't make sense! "I wasn't aware we've stepped into your lands quite yet." Aagiro's words were just barely contained, the anger and fear both audible in them. She couldn't help it, she didn't want to be referenced as some baby damn gazelle! She wasn't that afraid! Well... maybe she was.

"We were just... wandering." She answered to the females question, reluctantly. Well, it certainly had been a mistake to pick these lands as their destination. Somehow this had to be Nen's fault.

"How could they not know who we are sister?" He asked slowly, his tone much more serious and not meant to toy with the others. He and his sister were firekin, any who did not know of the firekin were fools! And even more so if they could not take one look and know that they were of the golden sands.

He waited for them to answer, after a moment he sat. His movements were slow, but calculated. He could lunge up from his position in seconds, and probably rip open that male's belly. Or grab the female by the throat. His tail flicked and his eyelids drooped slightly, he looked just a tad on the dreaming side as he stared at Aagiro. Warm blood, delicious warm blood... she was feisty too! He smiled slowly, gaze shifting to the male and then back to his sister. "Wandering, she says." Here he chuckled, as if the idea was a novel one indeed.

He suddenly nuzzled his head into his sister's neck, making a show of 'whispering' into her ear. "What do you think sister, a mated pair? That female isn't half bad. Do you think she'd birth strong sons?" He wouldn't dare, not in a million years but it wasn't as if his new playmates new that. He could have fun with it, and he knew his sister would play along. "Do you think they taste good?"

 

[KasaiLoki]

Ammon’nen nodded quickly when Aagiro spoke. “We did not mean to intrude,” he seemed to repeat himself, just reassuring he had actually said something. “We..We’ll go now, there, no harm. We don’t want any trouble, right Kit?” He didn’t use Aagiro’s real name, nor her full ‘pet name’. This was definitely not a situation you would want to have enemies know your name. The almost sinful tone the female lioness spoke in sent shivers down Nen’s spine.

“I know who you…Or rather, now know where we are,” the last comment was more so directed at Aagiro, more so than the firekin lions. ‘We need to leave,’ he mouthed to her . It was small, but hopefully Kitten would understand him. ‘Now.’

At the male’s comment, Nen inched a step ahead of Aagiro, as if protecting her just a little.


“They don’t want any trouble, he says.” Zala repeated just like Canicus had. “Oh,” she stretched, giving a brief rub against her brother as she began to circle the two rogues, “I do wish these rogues would stop saying that the want no trouble, or they were just wandering.” A bored expression tended to her face, before a sneer. “Why? Thinking of mating with her? Depends on how much of a fight she puts up.” She hissed playfully, her claws unsheathing into the sands below.

“I don’t know. I’d say him more than her,” she licked her lips again. “He looks as if he has eaten well. Perhaps once a pride? She on the other hand is more gruffy,” Zala rolled her eyes, sitting behind the two as she spoke to her brother. “I don’t like sub-par meals.”

“Though, Mother wouldn’t want us to play with our meals, perhaps now we hunt?” A smirk flashed upon her maw as her eyes glowed dangerously. In not a moment, she pounced towards the female. Canicus could deal with the male.  

[Lethrossen]

For once Aagiro was not bothered by Nen's nickname for her, and it had little to do with the fact that he'd shortened it. Her ears flicked and she decided she should probably tone done trying to be bossy with these guys. Or angry. Or anything, she thought for once she could agree with him when he privately said that they needed to leave right then.

The firekin's males words were pissing her off, not really making her scared. But the female? His apparent sister? Her tone dripped something sinister. They did not really eat lions, did they? It was hard to believe. Well, not entirely hard to believe considering what she'd heard of firekin.. She swallowed and was almost thankful rather than annoyed when Nen stepped slightly in front of her. She spotted the tensing of her muscles as she began to say something about not playing with their foods, and Aagiro's mind went into a panic. She suddenly gave Nen a shove. "Run!" She yelped, trying to lunge to the side to avoid the larger female, but it hadn't helped much. Aagiro yowled as she felt claws tare into her flesh and she twisted mid leap to try and at least do some damage! Both females hit the ground in a tangle of limb. Aagiro flailed wildly, desperate to get the other female off because the first chance she got she was going to run.

Canicus' maw twisted into a grin, head tilting as he looked over both. "I suspect you're right. And if that little burst of feistiness was any hint to how bitter she probably tastes..." He trailed off because he didn't have much to say and the implications were clear. This was more Zala's game than his, anyhow. He wanted his sister to have her fun though, he doubted it would be very amusing getting into a fight with either of these lions. Neither looked very mighty.

He shifted and suddenly pulled himself to all fours as his sister last began to speak. He shook the dust and sand from his fur, icy eyes meeting those of the other males before he smirked again, the flicker of movement made him aware of his sister going for the girl. "So... ever fight, wanderer?" Though Canicus usually spoke in a monotone manner, the last word hinted at sarcasm. He was moving in a slow circle, moving to get behind the two strangers while keeping his mind on the male. He was in no rush to attack just yet, he wanted to gauge what this one would be like.

 

[KasaiLoki]

Ammon’nen stumbled forward as Aagiro shoved him. He quickly looked back towards the fight between the two lionesses, about to help his traveling companion, but was stopped as the male began a slow circle around himself. The lion was not a fighter at all. His last rank in the Ghost Pride was that of a shepherd, or a ‘caretaker’. He had gotten into small skirmishes, but none that involved a fight to the most likely death. He couldn’t let the firekin know that. But if he didn’t…would he go easier on him? If Nen lied, would he go that much harder? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He just needed to protect Aagiro really, the firekin female looked like she had a thirst for blood.

“…A…little,” he offered weakly, his ears pinning to the back of his head. “But that doesn’t matter,” he hissed, an overwhelming confidence streaming through him. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my friend,” he braced himself for an attack if it ever came. He would not be the first to make a move.


Zala couldn’t help but laugh darkly as the female’s attempt to fight. “Is that all you got,” she said in between swipes, managing to get a few claws into their resting destination. Though the firekin was clumsy, she left her one side open for a few hits. When the small pain hit her shoulder, all hell broke loose. She slammed her large body into the female, quickly taking a look back at Canicus to see how much fun he was having with his stranger. He wasn’t doing anything. Typical Brother! Zala growled at the struggling female below her.

She wouldn’t kill her yet. She was having way too much fun now. The small droplets of dark red blood against the golden sand just made the land more…scenic.  

[Lethrossen]

Canicus ignored Zala as she attacked the female; her fight was her own. Besides, Canicus thought she enjoyed the fight for blood rather than how he enjoyed it for the strategy and power involved. No matter, each had their own way. He waited for the other male to respond, and when he finally did Canicus paused in his circling, suddenly laughing. It was a quiet laugh, and seemed to actually be filled with mirth rather than cruelness as one might expect in this situation. Good. Fighting to protect, that was what he liked to hear. He fought to protect his pride, this male fought to protect... his friend.

Canicus suddenly lunged, roaring as he aimed for the other male's stomach region. There was no point going for the throat or face, not on full grown males. That took much too long to deliver damage, the gut was a much safer bet and much easier to tare open with teeth and claw.

Oh gods above! She really was going to die! Oh dear! No, this was not good! Aagiro gasped as the air went from her lungs as a result from the other female slamming her body into Aagiro's own. Sheer panic coated ever fiber of her brain, panic because she knew she was losing this fight.

She gasped and struggled for breath, eyes wide as she tried to shove and claw at the other. But then she saw it; she saw the red female look away for a moment. Chance! With all the might she mustered she kicked her hind legs, sinking them right into the firekin female's stomach. She was hoping to send the lioness flying off of her... but s**t! Why hadn't Nen run when she'd told him to? She could hear the firekin male roar, and it sent shivers down her spine. What the hell was she supposed to do once she got the other lioness off of her? If she got the lioness off.

 

[KasaiLoki]

The male braced himself for a frontal attack, but it never came. Instead, as if in slowly motion, the lion saw the big brute aiming for his stomach. Fear spread through his mind as he danced away. Ammon’nen should have been called twinkle toes. As soon as Canicus’ claws hit his skin, he maneuvered his body in a way he never thought was possible. It didn’t stop the large paws from connecting to him, but it did probably lessen a fatal blow. Instead of standing around again, fighting back. Ammon’nen raced towards Zala and Aagiro, pushing all his weight onto the red lioness, to get her distracted from Aagiro.

He may have been small, but by the gods above he succeeded. All he could think about next was

“RUN!”

As the feet connected with Zala’s gut, she made an ‘oomph’, her body being pushed off the female. She glared, her pearly whites snarling towards the black pridelander as her tail flicked wildly behind her. “Big mistake,” she growled, stalking up to Aagiro. She wouldn’t run now and get away with it. That was until the stupid star lion decided to breakaway from her brother and mingle into her fight. What a pest!

Zala was knocked to the ground, caught off guard by Ammon’nen. As she got up, she saw the two fleeting forms of the lions heading away from the firekin borders, into the sands beyond. The firekin turned towards Canicus with a menacing stare.

“…Well,” she sat up, licking her paws with the small trickle of Aagiro’s blood on it. “…There goes lunch.” She couldn’t say that she wasn’t bored anymore.  

[Lethrossen]

Aagiro, for once, did not need to be told twice. If Nen had not... no, best not to think of what would have happened. She was not dead. She was not! She was just hurt, and scared...

She did not look back.

Canicus snarled viciously when he felt his paws just barely connect, not feeling the satisfying tare of flesh. Instead his paws hit the sand and he skidded, twisting to lunge again but the other male was now racing toward his sister! "What are you doing, fool!" He shouted, his anger finally breaking through his voice. It wasn't often Canicus showed anger, but there was no honor in running from a fight!

He dashed forward but hesitated and then stopped, ears flicking to pick up on his sisters words. He was livid that he had not been able to properly fight... he found no amusement in her little quip. He turned, moving past her. "Let's go back, sister." He growled out, silently letting his anger stew. Now he would need to find someone to duel with.

END