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 Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:21 pm
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 Hara knew she really shouldn't be out this far. She knew she'd get into huge trouble if someone found her. Still, that alone wasn't enough to keep her from swimming across the river that divided the Chokwe lands from the rouge lands and setting out to see what she could find. Hara was a curious creature and she was always eager to learn anything and everything she could. She was starting to outgrow the rules of the den, and really, she didn't consider herself a cub any longer. She certainly wasn't the size of one, she was far more mature than any cubs had met recently. Even her brother was starting to show signs of maturity with a bit of mane starting to come in. That alone should be proof enough!
But still, they weren't the proper age to be wandering about unattended, which was why Hara had made sure no one had seen her sneak out. Or, she assumed no one had. There were questions about the rouge lands she wanted answered, and her father wasn't willing to talk about them just yet. Too dangerous, he had said. Not for a cub. Well, here she was, a 'cub', and out in the rouge lands! Ha, dad, there wasn't anything out here except grass and a few trees. If she had to be honest it was kind of boring.
"Huh...probably have to go further to find something," she said softly. She could hear the river not too far behind her, and part of her wanted to stay. She was scared, yes, but she knew she'd never learn anything new if she didn't conquer that fear. She couldn't rely on her family forever...right?
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:24 am
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Toby had a knack for knowing when his sister was getting into trouble. Not that she made a huge habit of it, but she could be as stubborn and determined as he, so sometimes events came of it. Clearly today was one of those days.
He wasn't entirely sure how or even when she'd snuck off, but it hadn't taken him long to begin following her. When her scent led him to the river, he'd sighed. She wasn't supposed to be getting into this much trouble! They'd both be in for it, no doubt at all. Oh well, he certainly wasn't going to just leave her to face the roguelands alone. Not only that, but this was kind of exciting! His boyish heart swelled with the adventure promised by the tantalizing bank on the other side of the river.
He waded out on the opposite bank and shook himself, looking around. He spotted Hara not too far away and ran to join her. "You should have told me you were doing this," he scolded her softly as he bounded to her side. "You need someone to watch after you, and who does that better than me?" He puffed his chest out and tossed his head with it's small tuft of fur, trying to march along with her in a macho way.
He then took the time to look around them. It was... really rather like their side of the river. "Mom and Dad might have told us it was so... the same over here," he murmured to his sister. Instinct was telling him to keep his voice low. He didn't want to admit it, but he was a little scared. Of course, he was completely unaware of the little ridge of fur down his back that was standing on end, revealing that he wasn't quite as nonchalantly brave as he was pretending.
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:49 am
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Kitwana knew a lion when he saw one. Therefore, he knew when something wasn't. His mother was a special kind of person, sweet in conversation but meandering about with as much spite as blood in her veins. She didn't like hyenas, didn't like giraffes, and most of all -- as encouraged by her Swamplands upbringing -- she didn't like hybrids. The Stormborn wasn't much of a culture shock to him in that regard. The only difference was they enslaved instead of exiled them.
He couldn't have honestly said he was looking for any in specific, but when they just appeared near your chosen napping place, unattended by the likes of any parents, it started to seem a bit like fate. Their chatter had stirred him, he who was already on edge out here, temporarily astray from his group.
It took him a minute of watching through the copse of trees and bushes to fully comprehend and accept just what he was looking at, but when he did he didn't waste much time in making his debut.
As he stepped out where they could see, he said, "I'll kill the first one who screams and make the other watch."
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:34 am
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Hara was caught off guard when someone spoke, and she turned around with her fur on end to confront whoever it was. When she saw it was her brother, though, she let out a sigh of relief. Once he got close enough she reached out to give him a little smack on his shoulder.
"You scared me, Toby!" she said, her voice accusatory. "Don't sneak up on me like that, especially out here!" The little smack made her feel better about getting so startled, though, and in all honesty she was glad she wasn't alone anymore. Even though her pride was a quick hop, skip, and jump away, the fact that the river no longer provided a barrier between here and there was unnerving.
"Yeah...it looks pretty normal," she said, sniffing the grass she stood in out of interest. It smelled the same, too, which was a bit of a comfort. It wasn't until she heard movement in the bushes to their left that the worry returned. Lifting her head, her heart skipped a few beats as a large lion emerged from the shadows, his presence instantly dominating the little cub into submission. She laid down on her belly in fear, the words only confirming how much danger she realized they were in. She wanted to run more than anything, but one move and she was sure they'd be lunch.
"We won't scream," she said in a very quiet voice which shook a bit. "W-what do you want? There's plenty of prey, s-sir, please don't eat us."
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:01 am
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Toby hadn't really minded the smack. His sister wasn't so strong or so aggressive that it had hurt. If anything, it was part of their very tight bond and bantering. It was reassuring and an odd, backwards gesture of love, so he endured it with a smile. "What do you think we'll fin-" he began before another, deeper voice intruded. His first thought was one of self-recrimination. He hadn't been paying close enough attention to their surroundings, like mother had taught them! Shame on him!
But it was the words that were spoken, as they sank in, and his sister's reaction, that finally set him off. Nearly every bit of fur on his body stood out on end, making his tail particularly spiky. As his sibling laid down, he stepped over her and in front of her, shielding her with his own stocky body. He pinned his ears and swept back his whiskers, teeth bared in a fierce expression. A small but very serious growl erupted out of him. Scream? Hardly. "Leave us alone," he growled, not caring that his youth was turning his threat into a joke. He had to protect his sister, first and foremost.
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Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:40 pm
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Kitwana kept his eyes on both cubs as they realized the danger they were in. Hybrids, he thought to himself, trying to hold back a disgusted sneer. Of course he'd find hybrids. It had been hard to tell from his hiding spot in the bush, but now it was clear to him just what he had stumbled across. Originally he was going to take them as Thralls, but now? He really couldn't be bothered. Not with the male, at least. The female he could probably pass off as a leopard and no one would be the wiser.
"Watch your tone," he growled, advancing once again. "You are in no position to be making demands. Both of you, on your backs, bellies up." If the female listened he'd take her along. The male was to die either way. His pelt was very pretty...it would be a nice trophy for certain. His skull would be a nice decoration for his den.
Hara stared up at the lion, paralyzed in fear. She couldn't move, not to run, not to do as she was told. Her tail was curled tightly around her paws as she gave a low whine, huddling behind Toby as best she could. She didn't want anything to happen to them, but the way that the lion was looking at them made her scared that if they did do as he said, he'd still kill them.
"T-Toby, I'm scared," she said weakly, shaking like a leaf in a storm. "We should do what he says."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:37 am
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Despite his youth, he had no illusions about this big male's intentions. Death and murder were in his eyes, and his voice was the knell of forever endings. He spat a hiss at the threat, mind working furiously. He had to protect his sister! Not truly fearless, but brave despite his rising sense of fright, he extended his claws into the dirt. "No, you can't have us!" This time he shouted, as loud and as clear as he could. They weren't far beyond the borders... perhaps he could be heard by a scout or a guard. "I won't let you hurt her!" He was bellowing at the top of his lungs, desperate to draw attention to their plight. He could delay the lion, but there was clearly no way he could truly stop him.
"Run Hara!" he barked jumping backwards into her. He hoped firstly to startle his sister into flight, but he also hoped to convince the lion, for one swift moment, that he was intending to flee himself as well. But as his tail and hindquarters came into contact with his sister's small body, he dug his claws into the ground and reversed direction as fast as his small body could manage. He hoped Hara was moving the other direction as he lunged towards the advancing male. With a fierce yowl of defiance, he reached with one paw full of needle claws, intending to rake it across the sensitive nose of their attacker.
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:53 pm
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Kitwana narrowed his eyes as the male cub resisted his orders. He wasn't afraid of the tiny thing, but he was getting annoyed that the cub wasn't doing as he said. The defiance was admirable, if bothersome, but he knew the cub would die regardless of his actions.
"It's not her I'm going to hurt," he said, his voice low and dangerous. Moving forward as Toby jumped towards his sister, he lowered his head and bared his teeth. The cub's head could easily be crushed in his powerful jaws, but that would ruin the lovely markings on his face. Hmm....how to go about doing thi-
Needle-sharp claws raked over his nose, causing Kitwana to pull back in surprise and pain. He snarled as he rubbed at the wound with his paw, trying to regain his sense of smell which had been shocked into nothingness for a moment.
Hara, surprised by her brother's movements, did dart away as she was shoved. The moment she heard the adult lion roar, though, she turned around, her heart pounding. "Toby!" she called desperately. "Toby, come on, while he's not looking!"
She turned to dart away then, but something large rushed by her in that moment that made her give a startled yowl. Turning around, she saw the back of her father charging forward towards her brother and the would-be cub napper.
Ufisadi had heard the commotion, and when he had seen what was going on, his heart had nearly stopped. A large lion obviously threatening his cubs. Toby had stood up to him...of course he had...and now he feared for his son's life. If only he could reach him in time!
Lowering his paw from his nose, Kitwana focused on the little cub before him.
"You will pay for that with you life," he said with a snarl, lifting his own paw to return the favor to the cub. If the sheer size and force of the blow wouldn't stun him, the raking claws would certainly injure him. He was about to let loose with his attack, when something his size barreled into his chest, knocking him from his feet to the ground.
"Toby! Get out of here!" Ufisadi said sharply, his voice panicked and tense. "Go with your sister, now!"
He stood in front of his son, teeth and claws bared. He wasn't a fighter, but when his cubs were in danger, he was ready to do anything to protect them.
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Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:24 pm
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Though he had indeed acted with great courage, the truth was, he was only one small cub. He was grateful to hear his sister's voice some distance away, panicked or not, but he was caught in the trap of every prey. He couldn't look away from the infuriated lion. He leaned backwards and perhaps took a slight step, but found himself mostly frozen in place, staring in fear up at the lion who would surely end his life. Still, deep in his heart, he couldn't regret his actions. If he could save his sister's life, it was worth his own, no question.
But his future changed in flash. Something large and angry barreled into his attacker, and a familiar voice shouted for him to move, to run. He sucked a breath, not having realized he was holding it, and backed away in shock. His father was there, doing the very job Toby himself had just been doing. Terrified for his father, but obedient nevertheless, he turned and bolted. He nearly shot past his sister, but put on the brakes to stop and pant urgently, "C'mon, we have to run! Let's go get help! Hurry!" He cast one anxious and agonized look over his shoulder, trying his hardest not to give in to the urge to stop and wait and hope.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 1:36 pm
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Hara, once Toby was with her, took off at a run. The noises behind her, though, made her slow and finally stop, turning to watch the two lions at a safe distance. She watched anxiously, her ears pressed back against her head, her whole body trembling.
The two lions squared off once the cubs were out of the way. Kitwana had long forgotten them now that this new, much larger pelt stood before him. Ufisadi, being the son of a god and a mortal, was considerably larger than Kitwana, but any on-looker could see that his stance was far less sure. Ufisadi was terrified, but he wasn't about to let the other lion get to his children.
"You've made a fatal mistake," Kitwana said, letting loose a roar that made Ufisadi's heart skip a beat. He was stunned, frozen in place, and took the first blow without defending himself at all. The pain from Kitwana's claws raking across his face made him roar in agony, one eye useless as he staggered back. That spurred him into action, though, and he jumped into the fight.
Claws flashed in the air and teeth clamped down, twin roars of pain and frustration filling the air. Blood splattered over the ground from wounds that were deep, the dust mixing with it to form a rather morbid mud that caked the bottoms of paws and tails as they hit the ground repeatedly. Finally the fighting ceased, one lion standing, the other heaving on the ground.
Ufisadi looked up at Kitwana, heaving heavily as he struggled to stand. One leg had been bitten almost to shreds, though, and tendons had been sliced with powerful claws, leaving it useless behind him. Kitwana stood above him, dripping blood from multiple wounds, but grinning fiercely.
"You've saved your children," he growled, pressing a paw down onto Ufisadi's head to keep him pinned in place. "Die knowing that much, at least." He wasted no time after that, leaning down and tearing at the other male's throat with his teeth. It didn't take long for Ufisadi to fall silent and still completely, a lump of fur little else, bleeding into the dirt.
Hara, who hadn't been able to see much, gave a low whimper as she saw her father stop moving. The purple lion lifted his head and roared in victory, and it sent fear through her body so that she finally turned and ran.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:54 am
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Toby would have kept running, but when his sister stopped, he was forced to stop with her. He couldn't just leave her standing there all by herself! She would be in danger, even if they were a distance from the fight. Grown lions could move fast and cover a lot of distance in an astonishingly short time. Just look at how fast their Dad had arrived!
So reluctantly Toby halted and also turned to back towards the fight. He watched in horror as their father was over-powered. Soon he was down and thrashing, with the bigger lion, that hateful stranger, standing over him. When the evil lion lunged downwards, Toby averted his eyes with a pained gasp. He looked back when the victor roared, and he saw that their father's form was still... completely, utterly, terrifyingly still. Was he... was he... no! He couldn't be!
As tears blurred his vision, he realized his sister was already running away again. Gasping for breath and trying now to howl with grief, he bolted after her. They had to be fast, and they had to be quiet, at least until they got to someone who could help. That... that... murderer!... might follow them still. Gulping down the lump in his throat, he kept his sister's fleeing form, blurry as it was through his tears, directly ahead of himself, with his ears canted backwards to listen for pursuit. None came, but that flight back to safety would forever remain in his memory as being the longest, most terrible span of time in his life.
He wanted his mommy now. Very much.
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Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:38 pm
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