Another peaceful day rolled in. The morning was clear and blue as the hunting party set out, others slowly wakening to start the day. The pride had been doing well, even for it's small size. Aman'thul awoke, yawning loudly as he sat up and stared around. His mate was not present, perhaps having gone off to help with the hunt, leaving Aman and their son behind. Persikka lay a distance off, grouped with a few other younger lions. He smiled as he watched them talking and laughing amongst themselves.
Persikka and a small group of other young lions lay in the midst of the elder lions milling about. Some heading off to hunt while others still simply went about socializing. "Oh come on, he did not ride an elephant." Persikka snorted at one of the others in his group.
"He so did!" The other male said, though a few others seemed to share Persikka's opinion.
Aman'thul padded towards his son and the group of young ones. "Persikka, when did the hunting party with your mother leave?" He paused by the group, nodding a greeting at the rest before focusing back on his son.
As best he could he shrugged. "I dunno, not too long ago I guess. Why?" Persikka asked as he sat himself up, ears flicking a pesky fly away.
"Just wondering." Aman spoke slowly, gaze shifting up away from his son and the group of young lions. "Oh, that must be them now." He smiled and started to walk around the group, though the smile faded and he paused when he noticed that the group not only carried no prey, but also seemed..unfamiliar. "Wait, who is that?" He spoke aloud, though it was not directed at anyone in particular.
Persikka glanced backwards as his father spoke, spotting the advancing lions his father was speaking of. Just as his father noticed something odd so did he, and they were not the only ones. Others in the pride were pausing to look at well, stopping whatever they were doing to watch the coming group of lions. Persikka pushed himself to his feet, as did the rest of the young group. "Who is that..?" He repeated his father's question, as did quite a few others around them.
Aman'thul stepped forward, ears perking forward and tail lashing behind him. He had a bad feeling. Even as that feeling fell upon him he noticed more lions to his side approaching. Turning he saw even more. "This isn't right.." He spoke, and just as he did the approaching groups started to increase their speed. Their jogging pace increasing into a run, and all of them were running towards his pride. "Persikka!" Aman'thul turned upon the young lions. You and the other young ones. Get the old and young out of here, move them somewhere safe.." Aman turned to look back at the approaching strangers, before his gaze fell back upon hsi son. "Find your mother."
Persikka took a few steps back, watching the lions approach. Soon they started to speed up, running towards them. As they did his father spoke to him. "What? Why? What's going on?" Fear crept into the young male as he looked from his father to the strange lions. That fear suddenly spurred him into action. Persikka rounded on on his friends. "Go! Do what he says!" He roared at them before bounding off towards the closest group of lions. He had to help get everyone to safety.
Aman'thul didn't wait to see his son move before he started towards the closest lions of his pride. "Move! All of you!" He roared out at those closest." If you can't fight, then help those too old or young to get away!" Quickly other started to spread out, repeating Aman's commands while trying to help out how they could. The brown male placed himself between those trying to escape and the oncoming lions, though he did not stand alone for long. Other males and females alike soon joined him. They were fewer in numbers, but they had to protect their loved ones.
Persikka heard amongst the other yells those of his father. He hurried about the chaos, ushering the elderly and young off through the only direction they were not coming from "Hurry now. Help those with you and keep going. Keep going until this place is out of sight!" Persikka helped a fallen cub up, nudging it lightly towards an elder lioness, who picked the young one up and quickly hurried off.
Time seemed to drag on forever as Aman'thul and the rest stood there. Closer they came, and soon they could make out colors, markings, and then the color of their eyes. The advancing force was no longer advancing, they were upon them. Roars rang out as the attacking and defending forces collided. Aman's own voice rang out with the rest. Tooth and claw flashed across his vision as he swung out at the nearest foe. Pain flashed through his body as claws raked across his back. Aman'thul turned, placing a well aimed blow upon the side of his attacker's face. Having been turned around he spotted Persikka. "Go!" He called out, before their attackers forced his attention away.
With many of those unable to fight out of the way Persikka turned to face his father, and the others who were keeping the attackers back so that they could escape. The yell came out above even the sounds of fighting, before his father had to turn to defend himself. Persikka took a step forward, his mind racing on what he should do. His heart told him to fight, to defend everyone, but it also told him to find his mother. The hunting party, had they been bypassed, or had this malicious group found them before coming here? That thought was enough to force him to turn. He had to find her, to make sure his mother was safe. His father could take care of himself, and he was not alone. Plus Persikka knew he was no match for these lions, much larger than himself.
"Good luck." Persikka spoke to his father, however his voice was nearly drowned out from the sounds of fighting that even he barely heard it. Quickly he turned, and was off. He would find his mother, then he could come back and help.
[Word Count: 1058]
