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 Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:33 pm
 The Citadel was massive. Mikree had to stop a few times to simply admire the building that this pack of scrappy creatures had found and taken as their own. He noticed the higher he went the nicer it got, as well as finding fewer and fewer pride members. He left the Scrapper to explore the lower floors while taking the higher for his own. This was his first big mission, after all. He had to impress not only Reyes, but Morrison as well, and finding the wild dog that they needed to extract would give him pretty big points in their books. He rounded a corner and froze when he realized he had just walked into a very empty room. Empty wasn't good, he was starting to realize, because at some point he had to reach the top where the Warlord and his wives were kept. He didn't need to go that high, he was sure. They wouldn't keep a prisoner where the 'king' spent his time. Cautiously now, he shifted to cross the room. He could hear the ruckus down below of other War Dogs and Wretcheds and assorted ranks of lions and hyenas and everything else working constantly, but somehow it didn't quite pierce the eerie stillness of this place. Both eyes and both ears trained for sounds and movements, Mikree continued through the Citadel. He had to find something, right?
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:46 pm
"That's what I thought, rat. You know your place, just gotta teach you a little more. Should we take that tongue next? That'll keep you quiet." It was all a threat, but a threat he was evidently willing to go through with by how he roughly picked up the wild dog by his neck, hauling him back up onto his shaky paws. "You've got a big day ahead of you. Seems like you caught the interest of one of the wives." A wide grin warped his face while the starry-canine softly whimpered.
Dark ears swiveled as his head trained towards the sound of paws. They were soft. Could have even been the wind. Damn that wind, damn the sand. Left the Firekin only to end up with more sand!
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:55 pm
Mikree froze as soon as he heard the voices. They carried softly into the hall he was in thanks in part to the noise outside, but he definitely knew he wasn't alone anymore. He waited to see if the voices would come closer, but they did not. It gave him time to remember that he was, in fact, a member of this pack for all intents and purposes and if he looked as if he were sneaking around he'd probably get picked off pretty quickly.
Confidence wasn't something he had to fake, but he had to admit he was bit nervous in this moment. No Reyes to come in and save the day, no Deadlock ready to pounce. Just him. Mikree and his big moment.
He pressed on, that natural cockiness finally coming in handy. He entered the corridor and felt his heart leap in his chest - that was the wild dog! That pelt was unmistakable. And he was being manhandled by...a massive lion. Of course.
"Howdy," he said with an easy grin, bobbing his head respectfully. Anyone this high up in the tower could potentially be someone important and he didn't want to piss anyone off that wasn't Reyes. He was the only fun one to see lose his cool.
"Now that's a mighty fine pup you've got there," he said, training his eyes on the starry canine. Hang on, he thought as he flicked his gaze back to the huge male lion. We're here, we're comin' for you.
"Misbehavin'?" he added, an amused smirk curling his grin a bit.
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:04 pm
"Ratty thing still has his tongue. Decided to use it to badmouth Bronach. Useless thing. Bannie saw him and just 'had to have him'. Look at him, all skin and bones now. Bet he'll be the fattest thing around once they get ahold of him." A mighty paw raised to place itself on the back of the starry canine, forcing him back to the ground as those amber eyes took in a once over of Mikree's body. A few scars here and there, muscled, but still growing and that arm was definitely uniquely marked.
"What're you doing up this high pup, you don't look like a champ or a wife, 'less Bronach's getting new ones without lettin' me know." Getrou question, his posture and tone demanding an answer while his tail flicking passively all while staring this newcomer down. "With a bit of sprucin' up I'm sure Bronach'd find you decent looking."
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:11 pm
Bronach. That was one name that had stuck with him through his week-long debriefing session. Mikree gave a little 'pff' and rolled his eyes as if expecting nothing less from something as tiny and meek as the wild dog. He cast a quick glance to the male and found he was, indeed, skin and bones and looking rather worse for the wear. They needed to get him out and fast.
But not too fast.
He held his head a big higher as the other male called him out on his rank and place up in the tower, his mind racing a mile a minute. What had Morrison said to do if they were questioned? Did they ever think about a situation like this? He was sure they had. What would Reyes do?
"Mighty fine of you to say that," he finally drawled, doing his best to look sheepish. "I know I'm a bit outta line comin' up here, but can't blame a guy for bein' curious. If I wanna be up in the ranks I gotta seek out the ones that can help me get there, right?"
This guy was huge. He had to be some sort of special rank. What had he said? Champ? Champion...aw hell. The title came back to his mind a little too late to be of any use. The monstrosity before him was clearly a fighter, but not just any fighter. One of the best, one the Warlord kept close. Of course he'd stumble across something like this while he was on his own.
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:19 pm
Leaving his position over the wild dog, Getrou padded agonizingly slow until his face was mere inches from Mikree's. "You new, pup or did you fall off of the Citadel and hit your head? Or do you get your rocks off on being punished?" There was a purr evident in his voice as he added that last part of his questions. Of course, he didn't even give Mikree a chance to reply before turning away and moving a few feet away only to wheel back around and push the smaller male to the ground with thick paws keep him flush against the worn stone as his fangs shone over his face.
"Learn. Your. Place." The growls that ripped out of Getrou's throat were dangerous ones. "Or this place will eat you alive." There was no sense of joking. He meant it quite literally.
With a huff he removed himself from on top of Mikree, shaking himself to straighten his mane out again. "You've got what you're looking for in front of you. What do you want, runt?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:28 pm
Mikree rolled his shoulders in a shrug to answer the question that was posed to him. He was about to give a verbal answer when the huge male turned on him, shoving him off his feet and onto the hard stone. His eyes widened in surprise as the massive maw opened before his face, inches away from ripping his entire head off. He was ready to fight or run, but he remained frozen in place until the other male moved off.
Sweet Mkodi, he just about s**t himself.
He remained on the ground for a moment as the pale lion moved away, finding his feet after a few tries. Thank the gods he wasn't able to see him struggling to stand.
"To learn your place," he said, thanking his voice for being sure and smooth as always. The young male had seen a lot of things in his day, but never a lion like the one before him. He wasn't even sure Reyes could take him on and live to tell the tale. "And I mean that in the most respectful way I can possibly say it. I'm wet behind the ears still, kinda new to this whole place. I don't wanna be a pup my whole life, though. I wanna be up here. Beatin' the s**t outta Wretcheds and workin' my tail off for the Warlord."
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:13 pm
The look on his face had been hilarious, enough to give Getrou something to laugh about as he looked Mikree over. "Hah, you've got balls, I'll give you that. Most would have scampered off with their tails missing. Maybe you'll make it someday."
A deft paw knocked the wild dog up onto his paws before tossing his head, a motion for Mikree to follow him before he began to walk away from the empty room that the tawny lion had come from with the starry canine trudging on in front of him. "You want to directly serve the Warlord huh? Don't we all. You gotta impress him, show yourself off as a cut above the rest. You got any skills? Anything you can give as a gift or somethin'? Take this mutt for example, found him scurrying around in the desert 'round here. Most beautiful pelt I've ever seen. Was gonna give him to Bronach before Bannie caught sight of him. Won't be surprised if she just wants to wear him."
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:34 pm
Maybe he would, just not in the way this lion believed he meant. Mikree followed the two as they went back the way he had come which was fine with him - he was ready to head back down now that he had eyes on the wild dog. It would be great if Reyes got eyes on him as well. Then they could formulate a plan based on wherever he ended up.
"I've got one hell of a Wretched I just nabbed," he said with a grin, thinking of how pissed off Reyes would be to be paraded around like a prize. He had a lot of laps around the Watchpoint to make up for after all. "Big, strong, good fighter. But that's just one thing. I'm sure I could rustle up some other nice things for him."
They reached the bottom of the tower fairly quickly now that they were on the move. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of his companion, and now that they were at the base of the tower Reyes was nowhere to be seen. Mikree's blood ran cold for a moment as he looked about - blood was in the sand in the area his commander had been. Hell, Reyes, you went and got caught while Mikree was doing good detective work? What was the world coming to?
"Ah...well. Seems someone stole my prize."
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:46 pm
Getrou's laughter rang out, a familiar sound by how many of those at the base of the spires turned to look at the small seen. "Hah! Seems someone else will get credit for your catch then. A shame, but I still look forward to seeing this 'big, strong, good fighter' of yours that you managed to haul back."
It was roughly twenty seconds after he finished speaking that a petite little leopard approached with his head bowed. "My champion, the last brawler has been acquired for the Warlord's celebration. The first fight will begin shortly."
"Wonderful!" the pale lion's attention turned to his tawny companion with a wild grin tugging at his mouth. "Come on, you can search for your prize after. These fights are spectacles that can't be missed. They're the talk of the warband for weeks, months even afterward! The blood, the guts spread all over the sand, what a sight!" His laughter filled the air again as he brushed passed Mikree with the wild dog ahead of him. It was the same direction that everyone seemed to be going now.
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