Post by Sinyaa on Sept 22, 2006 22:22:39 GMT -5
Characters: Zira, Ausikifa, Sekhmet, Khamsin, Sytobi, Sanura, Subira, Kunguru
He. Is. Not. Happy. Ausikifa has given up his little stint in the Kivuli
lands with Raiyan, feeling that his anger is best served somewhere else. The
adolescent tore into a rage when he found out that his father had been
slain, and has been steadily seething ever since, seeing as how the
Mbaamwezi aren't doing anything about it. The male lion approaches the
beach, his heavy paws pounding on the soft sands licked by the ocean waves,
and he angrily draws nearer to the cave where the majority of the pride
hangs around. The sick scent of cubs hits his nostrils, and the boy peers
through his tangle of bangs, leering and snarling rather hideously. His
claws grip the loose sand and his tail lashes at his side, his fur bristling
in a roiling anger, "ZIRA!"
Ears perk as a lioness catches the voice and glances up blinking as she
looks towards Ausikifa. Sekhmet glances around and is quick to move to her
paws guessing he heard the news.. She herself didn't know eveything that
happened as she tends to be kept out of some things other then Ausi's father
was killed over someting. "Ausikifa.." The guard offered whlie starting to
move forward, in some attempt to calm the other down. If he talks to Zira
like this she'll only want to rip into him even faster.
The Queen has recently given birth to her second litter, the infants curled
up against her warm belly while the older cubs play nearby. At the roar of
the angry male, all playing stops, the juveniles running to hide against the
nearest adult. Zira's demeanor, on the other hand, is seemingly unaffected,
her head slowly swiveling until her crimson eyes lock onto Ausikifa's form.
"Well. I see you've finally returned from Kivuli. I was beginning to
wonder," she drones. "What do you want?"
Sand, sand, and more sand. Stretched out comfortably in the lee of a dune,
her pelt liberally dusted with the fine grains, Khamsin is nothing more than
a part of the landscape. Eyes narrowed to slits, the better to not stand
out against the sandy background, she watches Ausikifa's show of temper with
unruffled calm. The scout stays put, deeming there no need for her presence
to be declared at the moment.
"Your head," the male growls, doubly irritated that the 'Queen' doesn't seem
to be terribly interested at his entrance. A glance is given to Sekhmet, and
through the forst of his mane perhaps she might see a softening of his eyes,
but only briefly before he pounds a few paces forward. His eyes turn hot,
glaring down at the lioness, his lips quivering with a contained snarl as he
fights to keep what little is left of his composure. "Didn't my father and I
give your pathetic little pride protection that it obviously didn't deserve?
And what does he get, mm? Nothing! Nothing, that's what! Murdered, and not a
ruffled feather amoung you, is there?" Ausi' spits irritably, his tail tuft
lashing against his body, his bright and glittering eyes locked onto the
lounging, sickening lioness Queen. Grr.
Sekhmet glances towards Zira slightly then back to Ausi whom she follows
after trailing a few feet behind as he moves towards Zira to speak with her.
This really isn't going well to say the least, her ears slick back while she
peers from Zira to Ausi and keeps quiet. Well not like she can truely say
anything to stop this now, sorta like the cat' out of the bag deal.
"Ah yes. The matter of your father's death. You and Raiyan have been gone so
long, I suppose that matter slipped my mind," Zira replies, her tone
continuing to remain at a disinterested drone. "Seth paid back his debt to
me quite well. I'll have you know that I did not order his death, nor did I
know of it until after the deed had already been done. That isn't much
consolation in your grief, I know, but it is enough to lessen your anger at
those who are not guilty." Moving directly into her next point, Zira shifts
her form slightly as she speaks. "I do not expect you or Raiyan to stay here
because of this crime of passion. However, because this was not a
pride-ordered assassination, I will not tolerate retaliation against us."
She considers requesting the Kivuli information from Ausikifa, but considers
now to be a bad time for such.
Amber eyes remain intently focused on the lion. The lioness they belong to
remains perfectly still. Khamsin watches, listens, waits. Unless she's
needed for something, she'll go on doing that for quite some time.
He wouldn't give her anything even is she asked on better terms; not
anymore, anyway. Ausikifa roles his eyes back, snorting indignantly at the
lioness' fake outward appearance. The boy's eyes flickerer downwards towards
the cubs at her stomach, frightened as they are, pressed against her, and
his sneer curls his muzzle back even more. "And after serving your pride so
well, his death goes unpunished by those he protected," Ausi' spits, lashing
out one of his paws at the sand and sending a shower of grains to one side,
"You call your lazy ilk a pride," comes a low, warning growl as his paws
kneed the ground, a sideways glance given to the still Khasmin, aware that
she may be called in to help should a fight arrise. Eyes ablaze, Ausi's
voice grows quiet and deadly, his words cold, calculated, and serious, "I
will not bow to your disgraceful face, Queen of Nothing. I will take my
father's death with me until I see you dead by my own claws, for you are a
disgrace to those who are loyal to you. You would do well to watch your
children closely." That said, the adolescent slowly slinks his way towards
Sekhmet, barely brushing past her and ruffling their fur, a whispered and
tense, "Lady," slipping through his muzzle before his growl returns to cover
it and his attention snaps to Zira. Waiting.
Sekhmet's maw opens some, as if she wants to say something though she is quick
to hold her tounge knowing very well she wouldfind herself in trouble if she
said anything to defend how Ausi is feeling and thinking. The guard stands
quietly, tail held still while she stays tense waiting to spring forward,
though for who? Her gaze drifts to Ausi as he moves her way and her head
lowers some while her gaze rests upon his a few moments and offers a nod
back to him. Though her attention quickly slips to Zira knowing very well
that comments like those won't go without some type of action from the
Queen.
Kunguru glides in the direction of the main group from further in the lands,
he can hear some of the sounds of some excitement going on and curses
himself for having missed it so far. Though he tries to make up for it by
finding a place to land and watch the action finding a low ledge
nearby he lands upon it and observes for now.
"Threatening a queen in her own lands? You are either very brave or very
stupid, Ausikifa." Zira slowly rises to all fours as she speaks, the infants
at her belly huddling closer together before the cubsitter can approach and
carry them back to a safer corner of the cave. Stepping over them
protectively, she moves closer to Ausikifa. "I would have been content just
to let you go in trust. However, threats are not taken lightly in my lands.
And neither are traitors." Her crimson eyes flit over to Sekhmet's form,
staring intently at the lioness. She's not oblivious to the silent signals
between the pair, and judgement day is approaching fast. "You have earned
yourself a sentence of death, Ausikifa. Like father, like son." A sadistic
grin spreads across the Queen's maw before a challenging roar rips from her
throat, calling her pride to arms. With the cubs a safe distance away, Zira
lunges at the insolent male, claws and teeth bared.
Sitting nearby, her head resting on her crossed forepaws, is Subira -
daughter of Sytobi and Seifer. As usual, the ghostly little cub is silent,
watching the scene from beneath her lashes. Garnet-coloured eyes glimmer
with cynical acumen and narrow into slits when Zira passes her judgment.
She's too old to huddle in the corner, and yet too small to assist the
Queen. And so, she simply flexes her claws, lifts her head, slicks her ears
back and growls lowly in her throat.
As Zira launches herself at Ausikifa, Khamsin bolts upright, claws
unsheathing. She waits a beat, however, amber gaze studying both the fight
and Sekhmet, determining where she should commit herself.
His ears tick forward out of his tangled mane, but Ausikifa says nothing as
he listens to the self-proclaimed Queen. He does, however, manage a
disgusted and disdainful snort towards Zira as he weaves his way around
Sekhmet and closer to the cavern entrance. The others around him go
unnoticed, for despite Zira's confidance of his stupidity, Ausikifa knows
what he was getting into long before he returned to the beach, and he's not
about to loose it now. He had been formulating a rather pithy and snide
retort, but the lioness' challenge and attack leaves him little time to
speak. The adolescent's maw drops open in a deep, reverberating answering
roar, meeting the Mbaamwezian Queen head on, teeth bared and clawed extended
to their fullest. He grabs at her, swiping his great paws at her face while
himself trying to dodge what he can of her own hits. They're fairly even,
and while she has the edge of experience, he has the weight of a male.
At the exact moment that Ausikifa launches his attack, something large drops
from above the cavern's entrance, a large silhouette temporarily eclipsing
the moonlight as Sytobi slips in. He hadn't been listening for long; then
again, it wouldn't /take/ long to assess the situation. Ausikifa is not
happy, and naturally Sytobi knows exactly why..
Sekhmet glances back to Zira as she catches the queen's gaze staring at her,
along with the judgment that is passed. For a long second she's unsure what
to do, help Zira or help Ausi.. The one lion who ever really gave her the
time of day in this pride no matter what she tryed to do. If it was any
other lion she would be helping Zira without a thought. Though without
another thought crossing her mind the guard races froward a thick snarl
escaping her maw as she goes to try and enter the fight, though going for
Zira. She doesn't use her claw of fangs though, attemping to hit into Zira's
side near to her, and perhaps knock her off balance. Doing this she knows
she just sign her own death warrent but for some reason it just doesn't
bother her.
Kunguru watches the excitement from above as he grins slightly being glad
he's out of the way, this definetly should be interesting and it looks like
someone isn't going to be leaving here, or maybe if lucky none of them,
though he doesn't voice any of this of course, he just waits for it to be
over so that he can give his report to Zira, even it's that nothing exciting
was going on outside.
It's not long before the cavern's entrance is met by Sanura's figure. The
medium sized lioness squints topaz eyes, ears pinned to the pridal call of
her Queen. Light fur bristles, wet sand dripping from the youth's paws as
she slinks along the cavern wall, throat trembling with a ponderous rumble.
Tensed muscles turn her towards the developing squabble, preparing her for a
leap. And then Sekhmet makes her move. No hesitation is taken in Sanura's
following action, hind legs propelling her weight straight at the other
lioness. Extended claws seek something to grip, though otherwise the move
seems purely meant as an attempt to use her weight against Sekhmet and knock
her meddling form from the fray.
Zira snarls viciously as her body slams into the male's, saliva glistening
on her ivory fangs as she attempts to bury them into vulnerable flesh. In
her determination to chomp down on the adolescent, she's unable to
completely avoid his clawing attack, one of his paws leaving scarlet ribbons
behind on her cheek. The lioness retaliates with a slashing of her own,
aiming for his eyes or muzzle. Not five seconds later, she's rammed on her
side, causing the Queen to whirl around and face the second attacker - she
doesn't even have to look to know who it is - with a disapproving growl and
a slow shake of her head in disappointment. Nevertheless, as soon as treason
has been committed, all pridal bonds are severed - and if Zira's lucky,
their throats as well. But rather than dignify the traitor with a
counterattack from the Queen, Zira simply launches herself a second time at
Ausikifa, slashing wildly.
There's her sign. Khamsin launches herself at Sekhmet, without any vocal
challenge, coming at her from the side opposite Sanura. Claws extended, she
slashes at Sekhmet - shallow slices, intended to draw blood, to weaken,
rather than outright cripple or incapacitate. More to give Sanura an edge,
not trying to take Sekhmet out herself; such is not Khamsin's forte, and
she's willing to leave that part to Sanura.
Snarling and gnashing teeth catch and tear hunks of his mane, eliciting a
pained howl from his maw. He doesn't have much time to react though, for as
Sekhmet plows into Zira's side, her claws rake down his chin and neck,
causing him to stumble for a split second. His glittering eyes catch
Khamsin's movement towards his companion in battle, and Ausikifa issues a
roar of warning, "Sekh-- !!" but he doesn't get too far, as Zira's claws
find their way into his shoulder causing him to whirl with his free foreleg
clubbing at her face and neck. He grabs at Sekhmet with his maw, tugging her
shoulder somehow in the fray in an attempt to pull her from the whirling
claws and out the cavern entrance with him.
Ausikifa lopes heavily across the beach, turning in a spray of sand to issue
his final ultimatium to all of Mbaamwezi, his roar echoing from deep within
his chest, "You traitorous pride shall not last long! Your children will be
slain by my claws, and you will be bereft of a future! I am Ausikifa, son of
Seth and Suki, and I will be your deathdealer!" That said, the adolescent
turns and sprints as best he can down the beach, Sekhmet in tow.
Sekhmet attention is on Zira, whom she growls at at the shake of a head she
gets from her. The Queen is the one that drove her to do this, that's what
the lioness thinks anyway. Her ears snap back hearing the movement from
Sanura and shifts to get out of the way went pushes her right into Khamsin's
attack. The claws slice into her shoulder, a bit deeper then the shallow
slices thanks to her moving into the attack. A thick snarl escapes her and
she wheels around slashing out at Khmasin with a large clawed paw before
she's knocked backwards a few feet as Sanura's attack hits home as well.
Almost like a kitty pancake with two at either side of her and Sek in the
middle. Sanura's claws snag her side but the liones is quick to shift away
before they can dig in any more. She might be a traitor now but she's not
stupid, the lioness moves backwards, head lowered and ears slicked back
across her head. Fangs bear as she snarls, if there is one thing she's good
at its a fight any here should know that.
Still two against one isn't the best odds she's had in a while. Ausi's voice
catches her attention and she's quick to follow. The lioness crashes through
the pair that attacked her with Ausi's help and scrambles out of the cave as
quickly as she can, and is sprint over the sand. No looks back, no thoughts
of reget for what's done. For what's done is done after all.
Kunguru glances around as he grins a little bit enjoying all of the
excitement, this is definetly a rather nice bit of change from the quietness
that he's been seeing of late, he definetly has a few questions about whats
going on for later, though for now he remains just a observer. Though he
does give a tiny disapointed kaw as they escape, dang there goes some fun,
though he knows that there should be more at a later time.
Traitors, the Mbaamwezi? Was it not Seth who turned on the pride by
attacking Seifer? And did he not suffer the consequences? Sytobi sits at the
cave's entrance, watching the fight break up, and the adolescents retreat,
his features cold and emotionless. It was his job to protect the pride, and
protect the pride he did. He watches the two vanish over the long stretch of
beach before turning his head to regard the others.
Zira feels her claws snag in Ausikifa's shoulder, ripping back as hard as she can in order to maximize the injury caused as a result. The blows on her neck are paid little attention to, the Queen focused intently on the job at hand - which is causing Ausikifa as much pain as possible in his retreat. Her claws clip at his heels, her teeth snapping at the end of his tail. In the end, however, her recent birthing takes its toll on her strength, and the Queen slows to a halt on the beach. Letting loose with a roar of her own in acknowledgement of his challenge, Zira is unusually calm after the impromptu attack. The reason? This is the first time any of her pride has turned against her. Turning to address those who are present, Sytobi's late arrival noted with a slight frown, the Queen's voice is even, but deadly. "If any of you ever see Ausikifa again, he is to be killed on sight. As for Sekhmet...I am saddened at her foolishness, but she will only receive a marginal amount of mercy. She is to be disabled and brought to me for trial. I will not yet pass judgement on Raiyan, as he was always more rational than that cowardly bastard. Nonetheless, if he shows any signs of treason when he returns to Mbaamwezi, he is to be assassinated as well." She pauses for a few seconds to consider her pride. "Tomorrow, I shall hold a grand ceremony for our pride, both to celebrate the birth of the new heir as well as embrace a new order to our pride. An order in which all members shall be an integral part of, and your skills honed to a point that rivals the deadly sharpness of the cobra's fangs. The Mbaamwezi pride shall not fall!" Zira roars in emphasis of her point, her blood turning the white sand beneath her a sickening red.
Yellow eyes flash a hollow light within their pupils as Sanura swings aside of Sekhmet, black lips peeled back to bare those eager jaws. Sanura doesn't pause for too long after Khamsin delivers her assault, uniting with her pridesister against the treacherous other. Rigid with battle, the lioness once more seeks to throw herself upon Sekhmet, clearly seeking death-- a fact that is wild in the sling of her paws. But all is thwarted by the clash of survival instinct and the addition of a large male. Ausikifa's encouragement of flight has Sanura trotting quickly after, though paws hesitate to a slow as Zira turns to face them. She breathes a raspy gasp, then gapes her maw in an adjoining roar of approval to her Queen's words.
Kunguru watches from his point as he glances down at Zira and nods, though there isn't much he could do about it, after all he's simply a eye in the sky, and a observer, not one for fighting, unless over food.
Claws slice through her shoulder in return, but Khamsin ignores the flesh wound. She doesn't go after Sekhmet as the lioness flees, but turns amber eyes upon Zira instead. The Queen's pronouncements are met with a single cool nod from the silent scout. She glances to each of the pride members about, beforemoving towards the entrance, ignoring the shallow trickles of blood seeping from her injury for the moment.
Sytobi also roars in response to Zira's declaration. Yeahsure, fine by him, whatever. Then, with a soft grunt, he scales the steep path up the side of the cliff from whence he came. Seifer's expecting, after all. Perhaps he'll actually /be/ there for a change.
He. Is. Not. Happy. Ausikifa has given up his little stint in the Kivuli
lands with Raiyan, feeling that his anger is best served somewhere else. The
adolescent tore into a rage when he found out that his father had been
slain, and has been steadily seething ever since, seeing as how the
Mbaamwezi aren't doing anything about it. The male lion approaches the
beach, his heavy paws pounding on the soft sands licked by the ocean waves,
and he angrily draws nearer to the cave where the majority of the pride
hangs around. The sick scent of cubs hits his nostrils, and the boy peers
through his tangle of bangs, leering and snarling rather hideously. His
claws grip the loose sand and his tail lashes at his side, his fur bristling
in a roiling anger, "ZIRA!"
Ears perk as a lioness catches the voice and glances up blinking as she
looks towards Ausikifa. Sekhmet glances around and is quick to move to her
paws guessing he heard the news.. She herself didn't know eveything that
happened as she tends to be kept out of some things other then Ausi's father
was killed over someting. "Ausikifa.." The guard offered whlie starting to
move forward, in some attempt to calm the other down. If he talks to Zira
like this she'll only want to rip into him even faster.
The Queen has recently given birth to her second litter, the infants curled
up against her warm belly while the older cubs play nearby. At the roar of
the angry male, all playing stops, the juveniles running to hide against the
nearest adult. Zira's demeanor, on the other hand, is seemingly unaffected,
her head slowly swiveling until her crimson eyes lock onto Ausikifa's form.
"Well. I see you've finally returned from Kivuli. I was beginning to
wonder," she drones. "What do you want?"
Sand, sand, and more sand. Stretched out comfortably in the lee of a dune,
her pelt liberally dusted with the fine grains, Khamsin is nothing more than
a part of the landscape. Eyes narrowed to slits, the better to not stand
out against the sandy background, she watches Ausikifa's show of temper with
unruffled calm. The scout stays put, deeming there no need for her presence
to be declared at the moment.
"Your head," the male growls, doubly irritated that the 'Queen' doesn't seem
to be terribly interested at his entrance. A glance is given to Sekhmet, and
through the forst of his mane perhaps she might see a softening of his eyes,
but only briefly before he pounds a few paces forward. His eyes turn hot,
glaring down at the lioness, his lips quivering with a contained snarl as he
fights to keep what little is left of his composure. "Didn't my father and I
give your pathetic little pride protection that it obviously didn't deserve?
And what does he get, mm? Nothing! Nothing, that's what! Murdered, and not a
ruffled feather amoung you, is there?" Ausi' spits irritably, his tail tuft
lashing against his body, his bright and glittering eyes locked onto the
lounging, sickening lioness Queen. Grr.
Sekhmet glances towards Zira slightly then back to Ausi whom she follows
after trailing a few feet behind as he moves towards Zira to speak with her.
This really isn't going well to say the least, her ears slick back while she
peers from Zira to Ausi and keeps quiet. Well not like she can truely say
anything to stop this now, sorta like the cat' out of the bag deal.
"Ah yes. The matter of your father's death. You and Raiyan have been gone so
long, I suppose that matter slipped my mind," Zira replies, her tone
continuing to remain at a disinterested drone. "Seth paid back his debt to
me quite well. I'll have you know that I did not order his death, nor did I
know of it until after the deed had already been done. That isn't much
consolation in your grief, I know, but it is enough to lessen your anger at
those who are not guilty." Moving directly into her next point, Zira shifts
her form slightly as she speaks. "I do not expect you or Raiyan to stay here
because of this crime of passion. However, because this was not a
pride-ordered assassination, I will not tolerate retaliation against us."
She considers requesting the Kivuli information from Ausikifa, but considers
now to be a bad time for such.
Amber eyes remain intently focused on the lion. The lioness they belong to
remains perfectly still. Khamsin watches, listens, waits. Unless she's
needed for something, she'll go on doing that for quite some time.
He wouldn't give her anything even is she asked on better terms; not
anymore, anyway. Ausikifa roles his eyes back, snorting indignantly at the
lioness' fake outward appearance. The boy's eyes flickerer downwards towards
the cubs at her stomach, frightened as they are, pressed against her, and
his sneer curls his muzzle back even more. "And after serving your pride so
well, his death goes unpunished by those he protected," Ausi' spits, lashing
out one of his paws at the sand and sending a shower of grains to one side,
"You call your lazy ilk a pride," comes a low, warning growl as his paws
kneed the ground, a sideways glance given to the still Khasmin, aware that
she may be called in to help should a fight arrise. Eyes ablaze, Ausi's
voice grows quiet and deadly, his words cold, calculated, and serious, "I
will not bow to your disgraceful face, Queen of Nothing. I will take my
father's death with me until I see you dead by my own claws, for you are a
disgrace to those who are loyal to you. You would do well to watch your
children closely." That said, the adolescent slowly slinks his way towards
Sekhmet, barely brushing past her and ruffling their fur, a whispered and
tense, "Lady," slipping through his muzzle before his growl returns to cover
it and his attention snaps to Zira. Waiting.
Sekhmet's maw opens some, as if she wants to say something though she is quick
to hold her tounge knowing very well she wouldfind herself in trouble if she
said anything to defend how Ausi is feeling and thinking. The guard stands
quietly, tail held still while she stays tense waiting to spring forward,
though for who? Her gaze drifts to Ausi as he moves her way and her head
lowers some while her gaze rests upon his a few moments and offers a nod
back to him. Though her attention quickly slips to Zira knowing very well
that comments like those won't go without some type of action from the
Queen.
Kunguru glides in the direction of the main group from further in the lands,
he can hear some of the sounds of some excitement going on and curses
himself for having missed it so far. Though he tries to make up for it by
finding a place to land and watch the action finding a low ledge
nearby he lands upon it and observes for now.
"Threatening a queen in her own lands? You are either very brave or very
stupid, Ausikifa." Zira slowly rises to all fours as she speaks, the infants
at her belly huddling closer together before the cubsitter can approach and
carry them back to a safer corner of the cave. Stepping over them
protectively, she moves closer to Ausikifa. "I would have been content just
to let you go in trust. However, threats are not taken lightly in my lands.
And neither are traitors." Her crimson eyes flit over to Sekhmet's form,
staring intently at the lioness. She's not oblivious to the silent signals
between the pair, and judgement day is approaching fast. "You have earned
yourself a sentence of death, Ausikifa. Like father, like son." A sadistic
grin spreads across the Queen's maw before a challenging roar rips from her
throat, calling her pride to arms. With the cubs a safe distance away, Zira
lunges at the insolent male, claws and teeth bared.
Sitting nearby, her head resting on her crossed forepaws, is Subira -
daughter of Sytobi and Seifer. As usual, the ghostly little cub is silent,
watching the scene from beneath her lashes. Garnet-coloured eyes glimmer
with cynical acumen and narrow into slits when Zira passes her judgment.
She's too old to huddle in the corner, and yet too small to assist the
Queen. And so, she simply flexes her claws, lifts her head, slicks her ears
back and growls lowly in her throat.
As Zira launches herself at Ausikifa, Khamsin bolts upright, claws
unsheathing. She waits a beat, however, amber gaze studying both the fight
and Sekhmet, determining where she should commit herself.
His ears tick forward out of his tangled mane, but Ausikifa says nothing as
he listens to the self-proclaimed Queen. He does, however, manage a
disgusted and disdainful snort towards Zira as he weaves his way around
Sekhmet and closer to the cavern entrance. The others around him go
unnoticed, for despite Zira's confidance of his stupidity, Ausikifa knows
what he was getting into long before he returned to the beach, and he's not
about to loose it now. He had been formulating a rather pithy and snide
retort, but the lioness' challenge and attack leaves him little time to
speak. The adolescent's maw drops open in a deep, reverberating answering
roar, meeting the Mbaamwezian Queen head on, teeth bared and clawed extended
to their fullest. He grabs at her, swiping his great paws at her face while
himself trying to dodge what he can of her own hits. They're fairly even,
and while she has the edge of experience, he has the weight of a male.
At the exact moment that Ausikifa launches his attack, something large drops
from above the cavern's entrance, a large silhouette temporarily eclipsing
the moonlight as Sytobi slips in. He hadn't been listening for long; then
again, it wouldn't /take/ long to assess the situation. Ausikifa is not
happy, and naturally Sytobi knows exactly why..
Sekhmet glances back to Zira as she catches the queen's gaze staring at her,
along with the judgment that is passed. For a long second she's unsure what
to do, help Zira or help Ausi.. The one lion who ever really gave her the
time of day in this pride no matter what she tryed to do. If it was any
other lion she would be helping Zira without a thought. Though without
another thought crossing her mind the guard races froward a thick snarl
escaping her maw as she goes to try and enter the fight, though going for
Zira. She doesn't use her claw of fangs though, attemping to hit into Zira's
side near to her, and perhaps knock her off balance. Doing this she knows
she just sign her own death warrent but for some reason it just doesn't
bother her.
Kunguru watches the excitement from above as he grins slightly being glad
he's out of the way, this definetly should be interesting and it looks like
someone isn't going to be leaving here, or maybe if lucky none of them,
though he doesn't voice any of this of course, he just waits for it to be
over so that he can give his report to Zira, even it's that nothing exciting
was going on outside.
It's not long before the cavern's entrance is met by Sanura's figure. The
medium sized lioness squints topaz eyes, ears pinned to the pridal call of
her Queen. Light fur bristles, wet sand dripping from the youth's paws as
she slinks along the cavern wall, throat trembling with a ponderous rumble.
Tensed muscles turn her towards the developing squabble, preparing her for a
leap. And then Sekhmet makes her move. No hesitation is taken in Sanura's
following action, hind legs propelling her weight straight at the other
lioness. Extended claws seek something to grip, though otherwise the move
seems purely meant as an attempt to use her weight against Sekhmet and knock
her meddling form from the fray.
Zira snarls viciously as her body slams into the male's, saliva glistening
on her ivory fangs as she attempts to bury them into vulnerable flesh. In
her determination to chomp down on the adolescent, she's unable to
completely avoid his clawing attack, one of his paws leaving scarlet ribbons
behind on her cheek. The lioness retaliates with a slashing of her own,
aiming for his eyes or muzzle. Not five seconds later, she's rammed on her
side, causing the Queen to whirl around and face the second attacker - she
doesn't even have to look to know who it is - with a disapproving growl and
a slow shake of her head in disappointment. Nevertheless, as soon as treason
has been committed, all pridal bonds are severed - and if Zira's lucky,
their throats as well. But rather than dignify the traitor with a
counterattack from the Queen, Zira simply launches herself a second time at
Ausikifa, slashing wildly.
There's her sign. Khamsin launches herself at Sekhmet, without any vocal
challenge, coming at her from the side opposite Sanura. Claws extended, she
slashes at Sekhmet - shallow slices, intended to draw blood, to weaken,
rather than outright cripple or incapacitate. More to give Sanura an edge,
not trying to take Sekhmet out herself; such is not Khamsin's forte, and
she's willing to leave that part to Sanura.
Snarling and gnashing teeth catch and tear hunks of his mane, eliciting a
pained howl from his maw. He doesn't have much time to react though, for as
Sekhmet plows into Zira's side, her claws rake down his chin and neck,
causing him to stumble for a split second. His glittering eyes catch
Khamsin's movement towards his companion in battle, and Ausikifa issues a
roar of warning, "Sekh-- !!" but he doesn't get too far, as Zira's claws
find their way into his shoulder causing him to whirl with his free foreleg
clubbing at her face and neck. He grabs at Sekhmet with his maw, tugging her
shoulder somehow in the fray in an attempt to pull her from the whirling
claws and out the cavern entrance with him.
Ausikifa lopes heavily across the beach, turning in a spray of sand to issue
his final ultimatium to all of Mbaamwezi, his roar echoing from deep within
his chest, "You traitorous pride shall not last long! Your children will be
slain by my claws, and you will be bereft of a future! I am Ausikifa, son of
Seth and Suki, and I will be your deathdealer!" That said, the adolescent
turns and sprints as best he can down the beach, Sekhmet in tow.
Sekhmet attention is on Zira, whom she growls at at the shake of a head she
gets from her. The Queen is the one that drove her to do this, that's what
the lioness thinks anyway. Her ears snap back hearing the movement from
Sanura and shifts to get out of the way went pushes her right into Khamsin's
attack. The claws slice into her shoulder, a bit deeper then the shallow
slices thanks to her moving into the attack. A thick snarl escapes her and
she wheels around slashing out at Khmasin with a large clawed paw before
she's knocked backwards a few feet as Sanura's attack hits home as well.
Almost like a kitty pancake with two at either side of her and Sek in the
middle. Sanura's claws snag her side but the liones is quick to shift away
before they can dig in any more. She might be a traitor now but she's not
stupid, the lioness moves backwards, head lowered and ears slicked back
across her head. Fangs bear as she snarls, if there is one thing she's good
at its a fight any here should know that.
Still two against one isn't the best odds she's had in a while. Ausi's voice
catches her attention and she's quick to follow. The lioness crashes through
the pair that attacked her with Ausi's help and scrambles out of the cave as
quickly as she can, and is sprint over the sand. No looks back, no thoughts
of reget for what's done. For what's done is done after all.
Kunguru glances around as he grins a little bit enjoying all of the
excitement, this is definetly a rather nice bit of change from the quietness
that he's been seeing of late, he definetly has a few questions about whats
going on for later, though for now he remains just a observer. Though he
does give a tiny disapointed kaw as they escape, dang there goes some fun,
though he knows that there should be more at a later time.
Traitors, the Mbaamwezi? Was it not Seth who turned on the pride by
attacking Seifer? And did he not suffer the consequences? Sytobi sits at the
cave's entrance, watching the fight break up, and the adolescents retreat,
his features cold and emotionless. It was his job to protect the pride, and
protect the pride he did. He watches the two vanish over the long stretch of
beach before turning his head to regard the others.
Zira feels her claws snag in Ausikifa's shoulder, ripping back as hard as she can in order to maximize the injury caused as a result. The blows on her neck are paid little attention to, the Queen focused intently on the job at hand - which is causing Ausikifa as much pain as possible in his retreat. Her claws clip at his heels, her teeth snapping at the end of his tail. In the end, however, her recent birthing takes its toll on her strength, and the Queen slows to a halt on the beach. Letting loose with a roar of her own in acknowledgement of his challenge, Zira is unusually calm after the impromptu attack. The reason? This is the first time any of her pride has turned against her. Turning to address those who are present, Sytobi's late arrival noted with a slight frown, the Queen's voice is even, but deadly. "If any of you ever see Ausikifa again, he is to be killed on sight. As for Sekhmet...I am saddened at her foolishness, but she will only receive a marginal amount of mercy. She is to be disabled and brought to me for trial. I will not yet pass judgement on Raiyan, as he was always more rational than that cowardly bastard. Nonetheless, if he shows any signs of treason when he returns to Mbaamwezi, he is to be assassinated as well." She pauses for a few seconds to consider her pride. "Tomorrow, I shall hold a grand ceremony for our pride, both to celebrate the birth of the new heir as well as embrace a new order to our pride. An order in which all members shall be an integral part of, and your skills honed to a point that rivals the deadly sharpness of the cobra's fangs. The Mbaamwezi pride shall not fall!" Zira roars in emphasis of her point, her blood turning the white sand beneath her a sickening red.
Yellow eyes flash a hollow light within their pupils as Sanura swings aside of Sekhmet, black lips peeled back to bare those eager jaws. Sanura doesn't pause for too long after Khamsin delivers her assault, uniting with her pridesister against the treacherous other. Rigid with battle, the lioness once more seeks to throw herself upon Sekhmet, clearly seeking death-- a fact that is wild in the sling of her paws. But all is thwarted by the clash of survival instinct and the addition of a large male. Ausikifa's encouragement of flight has Sanura trotting quickly after, though paws hesitate to a slow as Zira turns to face them. She breathes a raspy gasp, then gapes her maw in an adjoining roar of approval to her Queen's words.
Kunguru watches from his point as he glances down at Zira and nods, though there isn't much he could do about it, after all he's simply a eye in the sky, and a observer, not one for fighting, unless over food.
Claws slice through her shoulder in return, but Khamsin ignores the flesh wound. She doesn't go after Sekhmet as the lioness flees, but turns amber eyes upon Zira instead. The Queen's pronouncements are met with a single cool nod from the silent scout. She glances to each of the pride members about, beforemoving towards the entrance, ignoring the shallow trickles of blood seeping from her injury for the moment.
Sytobi also roars in response to Zira's declaration. Yeahsure, fine by him, whatever. Then, with a soft grunt, he scales the steep path up the side of the cliff from whence he came. Seifer's expecting, after all. Perhaps he'll actually /be/ there for a change.
