Kaiyo walked the borders of her home in silence, the female lioness looking out over the area like some large hunter, except her expression. She was shy and timid, afraid of the dark outside. The new moon was but a few nights ago, and the air felt thick and uneasy. Primitus had dropped in to check on the pride-- even he felt uneasy, tending to his mate and cubs, and the female was uneasy and afraid.
She stopped moving at the sight of pawprints in the grass, dark, dried blood staining each blade, and swallowed. The scent of the feline was fresh-- the pawprints were tread repeatedly but bloodied once, and she felt watched, as if eyes were taking in her every move, and Kaiyo shivered, ears pinning back. Something was wrong. She knew it, and the timid female moved back, huddling a bit. It was for the best, as a large male landed in front of her, growling. And Kaiyo screamed.
He had retreated to the old lands' border to recover-- they barely went that far out anymore anyway -- and spent days resting, hunting, and preparing. One dirty lion was dead at his claws-- the cubs would've been too, but he wasn't so lucky. To compensate, the male decided to bide his time, to hunt more lions. He wanted their bodies to lie, gutted and lifeless, on the ground at his claws.
Of course, recovery wasn't easy. He knew that. But the past few days he felt more comfortable, more pleased as his body ached and groaned less and moreso, felt his. Tonight, he hunted supper, but returning to hiding he spied pink, with small bits of white and patches of black, and prowled, studying the female. Lion, by the body. A filthy breeder-- again. Mauji bared fangs, snarling roughly as he moved to stalk. This one looked weaker, more afraid. Easy prey, and he flit into the trees to hunt, waiting for the right moment.
Then it came. Mauji grinned ferally, and leapt in front of her, a hulking mass of fur and muscle as he snarled, jaws snapping at her even as she screamed. And the terror pleased him. Fear, pain, suffering. All delicious. All pleasant, rolling down his spine as he moved, blocking her escape... And lunged.
Kaiyo panicked as it moved, soon showing itself a male leopard that moved rapidly, a trained hunting machine turning it's attention to hunting felines at this time, specifically, her, and she tried running, the male snarling and blocing her attempts to escape before lunging. Kaiyo ducked, terrified as he lunged, and dove under a stone to shield herself as he snarled, fangs bared. Wounds and dry blood cacked areas of the male, a male now stalking the entrance of her hiding place before lashing, trying to reach in at her. And Kaiyo found herself glad to be tiny, ears pinning back to huddle down. Large clawed paws kept reaching in rapidly, batting and clawing, and Kaiyo panicked, finally swiping back. The angry roar outside clued her in to realizing her claws made target, and she lurched out to run, paws slamming on the ground rapidly. The beast chasing began persuit with a snarl and a roar, and moved rapidly to chase her. Kaiyo swallowed, crying. She was scared, and alone.... And wishing she wasn't, wishing someone heard her screaming.
Roarke had been trying to sleep, and the male didn't appreciate noise waking him as he got up and stretched at the noise, but the leopard's sleep addled brain cleared when it was apparent it was screaming. Female screaming, and close, no less. The male scowled, and moved to investigate, glad his dark fur helped him to hide. Another leopard was chasing something, and from what he could hear, the idiot fluff wasn't hunting prey. Roarck shook his head in irritation, and jumped down to shadow from hiding a bit, to see what the victim was, with a frown. This was already proving idiotic.
Mauji was unaware he'd attracted another with his hunt, but he was livid. The female clawed him-- clawed him-- and he was not pleased. While he'd wanted to toy, now he saw only blind, red rage, and the male persued the small lioness rapidly, fangs bared. He thought of the female laying lifeless, middle torn out of her as warning to others of a skulking predator in the area, and it pleased him--- greatly, to think of a female powerless to fight. Breifly, he considered the options such power offered him and he felt himself slip into a cruel smile. Her death would be most pleasant, and he eagerly awaited it, especially knowing there was a chasm above. He could tear her open-- or she could jump to her death. Either way, he won, and he let out a booming laugh in spite of himself, chills rolling down his spine at the sheer ecstacy of it.
Kaiyo was crying, moving rapidly, trying not to trip on roots, and the thunder of her persuer was terrifying her, making the small lioness shake and quiver as she moved, trying to escape, to hide, to live. She didn't want to die, really, and the tiny female shook more at the thought, as she raced along. Life, such as it was, flashed before her eyes-- all too quickly, to her, and she almost fell as she reached a ravine known to be near the pride, a pit, and she moved back, shaking. She'd almost fallen....
Hoiwever a snarl, a laugh behind her reminded her of the plight before her and she turned, huddling slightly at a massive leopard closing in, grinning hatefully. Kaiyo whimpered, shivering, as he closed in, that maddening laughter echoing... And another male moved between them, and she blinked. He was dark, with greys and glowed like some kind of light-- hich wasn't a glow, but moonlight reflecting off more markings as it did Aile's, and she blinked when he stood firm. The larger, paler leopard stopped, and growled, fangs and claws bared.
"Out of my way, brother."
Roarke stared. Never had a leopard called him brother-- but there was something about this one he did not like, the way he moved, maybe, the way he spoke... But it seemed all too wrong. Though maybe it was the fact he was going to kill a female. Lion, leopard, it didn't matter. She was a female, shy and innocent. And breifly... Breifly, he was reminded of his mother. Roarke squared his shoulders, looking the male in the eyes.
"I will not. She is a woman, and terrified at that. Leave her alone."
Mauji's lip curled into a snarl.
"She's a lion."
"So? Women aren't prey." Roarke remained calm, studying the male with disdain. He felt the female shift in surprise at his words, and Roarke breifly cast a gentle smile back to her. Mauji snarled.
"Lions are our enemies. They break us down, enslave us, use us.... Are you blind!?"
Roarke stopped, seeming to regard the male silently. He thought of his father and mother, taking in a lion cub that was the son of his father's friend. Roarke resented the favoritism, but he was in no way dominating them. In fact, much as he didn't like lions, at least Talos wasn't dominating them. He helped him care for his mother as she was dying, and his father before being sent away...... Roarke gave the male a dark look, unknowingly one his own father once held.
"I think, boy..." Roarke bared fangs. "I think you are a fool. Lio0ns do not use us nor are they to be judged as a species."
Mauji hissed, moving to try swiping the male aside. Roarke, however smaller, moved to block the blow, grinning chaotically.
"I think you need a lesson, my friend. Taught by myself." And the male lunged, engaging the other in a battle.
Kaiyo blinked as she realized the new male was defending her, and used the chance to move away from the edge even more, getting herself to solid footing to watch, ears back, fear in her eyes. The dark male was so strange, so calm, but somehow she didn't want to risk leaving, or even letting him be alone, despite personal risk, and she watched the two males duel, helplessly looking for something to help. And she smiled spying a mound of dirt, moving over to sent it flying at the pale male.
Mauji was furious. The male was defying him, for a lioness! It made no sense, and he moved to kill, snarling as he snapped for the male's neck repeatedly, the other swiping, throwing him off. Mauji haunched to spring, snarling when he recieved a faceful of dirt, roaring as it strucks, shaking his face. Pawsteps moved away, hesitating breifly before he heard the two fleeing, and Mauji roared in frustration. No... NO! he swiped at air, roaring furiously as he removed the dirt, finally looking in rage... But they were gone, and he hissed. Fine.... But if they met again..... He would kill them both.
Kaiyo panted as they finally slowed, looking to the male with her gratefully, nodding.
"Thank you."
Roarke hadn't expected that, blinking and looking over.
"...You're welcome." He frowned, looking around, and tensed. "Is there a pride here?" He scowled. Kaiyo nodded.
"Mine... But.... We don't need to go near them beyond reporting what happened." She nodded. "We can run."
Roarke considered this. "One night. They need to be warned. Then I'll leave."
Kaiyo hesitated.
"Can I go with you?"
Roarke blinked.
"Me? Why?" He frowned. Kaiyo looked at her paws.
"Luck. Smiles. I want to see the world. I was left by my mother as a cub... And... I always wanted to travel.... Come home with stories. I never even knew my father. Only that he was hated."
Roarke blinked. It was an odd request.... But not without cause. He mused. Could he stand a lion so long? While not a murderer, he didn't like them. He looked at that hopeful face, and nodded. He could.
"Alright. If you wish."
"Thank you. Uhm... I'm Kaiyo."
"Roarke."
Kaiyo smiled, and motioned.
"You.. You can sleep in a den if you like." She indicated a comfortable one, and Roarke nodded appreciatively.
"That looks warm, thank you." Roarke nodded, moving in to rest. Kaiyo made a tiny, happy noise before moving to her den to sleep herself.
At least... He was a friend.
-Fin-
