[PRP] Ground Rules (Zili x Destati)

[Epine de Rose]

When they had reached the group of lions it had been much too late. The lions who had succumbed to the now absent foe had made the grave error of fighting back. Destati couldn't blame them for their attempts to protect their kin, but in putting up a resistance, they had sealed their fates. That which he sought had always behaved in such a manner and they didn't appear to have any inclination to change that any time soon.

There had been very few survivors, and while they had helped who they could, the vast majority had needed to be laid to rest accordingly. The elder lion had made a grave miscalculation that day and unfortunately, this particular group of lions had paid the ultimate price.

For the sake of his new charge's sensibilities, he hadn't gone in to detail. Should Zili have felt the need to pry then he could do so in his own time...

For now though? Well, there was nothing more that Destati could do without re-evaluating his current positions and as a result he had diverted his attention to other matters. For Zili this would be an enjoyable shift, given that Destati had wasted no time in finding food and taking a much needed rest.

If there was anyone who needed fattening up, it was the black lion!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Zili had been silent a long while, still reeling from all that had happened - from the moment he had finally met Destati through to the death that had been laid before him. The smell of it still pervaded, embedded deep in his fur and skin that had led him to almost furious grooming...to no avail.

Food had been welcome, of course, but even that had tasted tough and dry and was forced down after prolonged chewing. A miserable first meal after all that had happened and all that he had seen. Tough, Zili was not, and he had no idea how to begin putting his thoughts into words. He did not know Destati very well, of course, but as the sun had risen and fallen, he began to suspect that this was not the first time the elder lion had witnessed such destruction. That, maybe, he had personal experience with it.

At last, Zili spoke.

"You were waiting for the ones who killed them, weren't you?" It seemed a ridiculous idea. One lion against a foe who had slaughtered and wounded so many? "Did you know the lions who were attacked today?"

Epine de Rose

[sorry for delay. Holidays are chaos @_@ ]

 

[Epine de Rose]

Destati had a great deal of sympathy for Zili, he sincerely doubted that even his own son had known what he was sending the lion into. It was certainly a baptism of fire, what he had probably assumed was going to be a series of training sessions had come at a time when Destati was in fact, very busy... The elder lion could blame neither of them for their poor timing and they couldn't have known, even if his son had encountered him in a compromising position the last time.

Nevertheless, Zili would either learn to adapt to such things or he would find he was certainly not built to handle them. Whatever the outcome might be, Destati would look favourably upon him for at least exploring it rather than running in fear. There was a lot to be said for attempting something, only to discover that it simply wasn't your thing...but even he knew that getting over 'death' was not easy. What had taken him years wasn't going to happen in mere days for the black lion.

Still...at least he was talking.

"I didn't know these lions," Destati replied honestly as he tossed another slab of meat towards Zili. Death aside, he wasn't about to let his malnourished charge step over the doorway either!

"But I did know those that attacked them," he paused and shook his head. "Well I know of them, I would not know personal names, merely who and what they are," he clarified.

Another pause.

"You would be right in assuming I was waiting for them - I just miscalculated where the real 'home' was," he finished. Lesson one, never be afraid to admit when you messed up, an excellent example of events that had occurred in the last day.

Kimaria

It's fine, I knew you would be busy cause of the little one, it's kind of their holiday! xD

 

[Kimaria]

Zili blinked, looking at the meat tossed his way and hooked a claw into it, dragging it closer to him. He felt like a cub again, being brought food by his mother - siblings shrieking with delight as they scuffled over the scraps that were left. Except back then he had felt safe. Now, he felt the cold, hard dread twisting in his gut and yearned for the days of innocence and naivety.

"What they are?" He replied, turning his ears forward and feeling his body go tense. He'd not really considered who had been evil enough to enact the deeds he had witnessed but now that he was thinking hard on it, he wasn't sure he could quite imagine it. "Sounds like you've had a few run-ins with them before today...but...even though you are a lion of skill, I can't see how you would have survived an encounter if you had calculated their whereabouts correctly. So many dead and not without a fight...you would have been outnumbered."

He paused, looking regretful even before he spoke, "is it really worth risking your life for others you don't even know?"

He shoved the food into his mouth then, curling his tail thoughtfully as he chewed.

Epine de Rose

It is indeed! I have the last of the celebrations at the weekend then should be back to normal.

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Lions," he said simply as he watched Zili eat.

"Most think they are ghosts, immortal and untouchable," he continued at last and lifted up some of the meet with his claw. He didn't consume it, merely gazed at it as he considered his words. He hadn't even advised his son of precisely what these beings were, not in detail at least. Unfortunately there were even pieces of information that he didn't know, though he and his network had been working as hard as they could to retrieve it.

"They are however mortal, and they definitely do die," he hazarded a half smile and set the meat back down, raising a brow at the follow up questions. Had his son truly sent him a lion who asked those types of questions? If there was hope for him, it had to be lying dormant underneath that uncertainty and desire for self preservation. "I happen to know they die because I know how to hunt them, and I know how to kill them," he pointed out as if to dismiss the younger lions doubts about his abilities.

"The damage you saw today was done by a pawful of lions," he clarified and shook his head. "Four at most, had there been more one of their targets would not have stumbled away," he added softly.

"And my life is forfeit when it was my duty to keep these creatures contained."

Another pause followed.

"These lions come from my homeland, my world, and for generations we kept them in check. We made on critical error however, and what we believed was small at the time now appears to have become a much more significant problem," his grimaced deepened.

"If you intend to stand idly by when you have the strength to battle an adversary, then why do you aim to join a collective of lions that prides themselves on glory and power?" he challenged at last. "From what I understand from my son, protecting your brothers is important, regardless of how well you might know them."

"Consider this a similar scenario, there is no excuse for me to ignore what I can and should stop, regardless of how familiar I might be with the intended victims. Who they might be is irrelevant, who pursues them is."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Zili swallowed and fell silent, like a cub listening to a story that was too frightening to even comprehend. He did not doubt that Destati had fought those vicious murderers and survived to tell the tale. He had no fear, it seemed, on attacking them, even when their strength was so horribly apparent.

"What a relief," he said under his breath, a mere whisper so as not to interrupt the older male's story-telling. These were not just your run-of-the-mill murderers. They were so good at it that lions through them otherworldly. Not the most hopeful observation ever.

"If you have lived alongside those monsters for so long, then I can see why your son sent you to me. No weak lion could go against them and survive." Zili could not see this ending well for himself, however. He couldn't beat a lion in a semi-friendly challenge. He would not fair well against bloodthirsty killers.

"I...agree," he admitted reluctantly, "but right now I think I'm more of a hindrance to you than anything. I'd just be another potential victim you'd have to get out of trouble with my fighting skill as it is now. Fighting those things..." he trailed, not quite sure how to finish the sentence. "I'm not sure I can help you, even with training. It seems like you're on the very verge of meeting them in battle. Where is the time?"

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Destati smiled and offered the black lion more meat.

"They are already long gone, any hope of rescuing the one they took went with them," he reassured Zili and adjusted his position so that he felt much more comfortable. There was no way he was going to lead this particular lion in to battle, it would be a suicide run and that hadn't been the purpose of his visit. "Until I identify what they have identify as their next place of interest there will be no further encounters - this is all very cat and mouse-esque unfortunately," he pointed out.

"So I have more than enough time to at least prepare you for whatever trial it was that you are supposed to face," he clucked his tongue thoughtfully. "With that in mind I think it might be beneficial if you explained to me what the requirements for this particular challenge are," he added. Zili had obviously failed them and his son had quite obviously passed them, but Destati had never thought to ask how either of his offspring had gotten into the pride.

"Are they games, duels, riddles...?"

He paused.

"Scratch that, my son's strengths do not lie in riddles," he murmured. "But the question still stands."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

[apologies in advance for short, lame post. I had half of this written yesterday, was disturbed by screaming child and accidentally closed the window before saving .___. ]



"After what you have faced, my challenge hardly seems to live up to the name," Zili replied lamely, feeling embarrassed at addressing why he had sought the lion in the first place.

Destati was clearly on some important task - not just for himself, but for the good of others. And yet here he was, mind focused only on joining a pride to impress a girl he might never stand a chance with anyway. He felt ashamed and selfish and wondered whether he was doing the right thing, anymore, by trying to join the Stormborn at all.

"All I want to do is join a pride and rekindle a friendship I miss," he said after a long moment. "To do that, all I need do is win a fight with a warrior within the pride - Reavers, they call them. I had been beaten one too many times before your son advised me not to keep attempting it as I was. To be honest, if your son realised how much you were dealing with at this moment in time, I doubt he would have wanted to waste it in training me." He sighed, "perhaps I shouldn't go back at all."

His heart screamed at him for speaking the words he had been quietly whispering to himself. But what he had seen today had given him a little perspective. His problems paled in comparison.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"I imagine he would have still advised you to seek me out," he reassured the lion and pursed his lips. So that was how his children had entered this particular pride, given the circumstances it was appropriate. They had been raised to defend themselves and this had been a pride that had rewarded that, it made sense in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, if his children could get in, then so could Zili... He hadn't actually trained either of his offspring particularly hard given that he had never anticipated they would need it.

"Your desire to join this particular pride is reasonable, but the only way we are going to achieve that is if I can observe their style," he raised a brow. "I can show you the basics, at the very least you will be educated to the same level as my children were when they left to find their new home -" he paused briefly and flicked his gaze back towards the now sheepish lion.

"...But if you're intending to win then I'm going to have to see if they have learnt anything new, or if you are evenly matched," he concluded. Yes, they would go back to where the Stormborn were and along the way, Destati would drill Zili in much the same way that he had done with his own children. His muscles might scream at him, but at the very least he should have been on an even playing field by the time they got there.

The rest though? Well, he was just going to have to see what had changed.

"I imagine if they haven't learnt much from their stay there, then you will be ready and able - if they have learnt some new tricks, then it may take a series of matches before you have adapted."

He had to admit that he was also curious as to where this place was, it would be an educational experience for him too!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Zili still could not quite believe his luck in how things had worked out. This whole scenario seemed too good to be true (if you did not count all the murdering, of course). With a nod, he tried not to show the nerves that he was feeling. His skill in combat was certainly lacking and he had a feeling that Destati had his work cut out. On the plus side, of course, training would keep Destati in shape - even if his opponent was no way up to his skill level.

"I take it you intend to accompany me back to the pride borders?" not waiting for a response, he shifted his posture to one that looked a little less submissive and more attentive. "I'd be happy to show you the way and, what I lack in fighting knowledge I can make up for with dedication. I won't let you down." Perhaps if he kept saying it, it would become truth.

"It took me a little while to find you but getting back should be easier. Hopefully it'll provide enough time for me to learn." He paused, offering the other lion a grateful smile, "thank you -- again. This means a lot."

Epine de Rose

Happy to call it there or can do a last post if required!

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Thank me when you succeed," Destati replied dismissively and motioned for the younger lion to lead the way. Truth be told the elder was less concerned about the lion's combat abilities and more interested in his lack of self respect. He'd beat some confidence into the boy if he had to, the experience in battle would come naturally after that.

After all, a large part of any sparring match was being decisive and for that you needed confidence. You needed to trust your decisions and enact them, Zili wouldn't be able to fight properly until he stopped doubting everything that came out of his mouth!

Kimaria

=P We're done, you should absolutely totally set up the first duel. We can assume Zili has been training on the way back!