The Death of the Barbary Tyrant (AKA, Mviko dies!)

[Subiani]

Well, I figured I'd just post this up and stuff .. The few times I've mentioned Mviko recently, on the forums, has gotten my brain to remembering how crazy he was to RP. So, I thought I'd post up his last RP -- just so people can get a flavor of what he was like. He was even worse in his 'prime', but this entire scene is just an excellent RP scene in general.

So .. here it is! I had to split it up into three seperate posts, cause it's just so huge; sorry about that.

Just for some background info, to explain the scene. Mviko had raped Sakitu (Kimondo's Queen, Anubis' mate), so her most recent litter was, of course, his cubs. In this RP, he was invading Kimondo with a consort (a young lion called Utadi) to 'take back' his children and raise them as he saw fit. A few days before the invasion, Anubis had gone missing -- but returned during Mviko's assault upon the Kimondo pride. Unseen by the others and knowing there was major trouble, Anubis ran to Kivuli to fetch his brothers, Xian and Ronan. Also -- Jaseti, Dhoruba, and Mtesaji are Mviko's cubs.

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*** PART 1 ***

(- Kimondo -) Lioness Flat

Coming to the east side of Kimondo rock, its composed entirely of one large flat, black stone. The stone, with its coloration, absorbs the heat of the sun and retains it several hours into the night before it cools. This makes for an excellent sunning rock, and a warm place to sleep in the cool evenings. Its also been dubbed the gathering places for lionesses when not attending to guard or hunting duties, although providing a good view of the hunting plains beyond. Lionesses may sun themselves and talk for hours, enjoying eachother's company and fellowship. At the north side of the flat, a smaller boulder juts up from the main, providing a nice perch and is thus, the Queen's rock. Even a small tree reaches over the Queen's rock and provides shade for its occupant.
While there is a path leading around stones, back to the outcropping and pridal cavern, a narrow path is also seen leading up towards the peak of Kimondo rock. A small view of the ocean may be seen, although the bulk of black rocks obscures it mostly. What's left to be seen is grasslands all around, reminding one of the lushness and beauty of these lands. In the distance to the east, you can easily make out the shape of mountains, while the closer jungle is seen to the southeast.
Exits:
<E> Hunting Plains, <W> Rocky Outcropping
<U> Winding Trail

You see Queen's Rock.


He wasted no time getting up to Kivuli. Had to gather the troops, y'know? Anubis sure is glad to have two big Barbary brothers.. and to be good friends with the both of them. There was nothing that could make Annie stop once he'd informed Ronan and Xian of the situation. He has to protect his family.. he has to get back to Kimondo Rock. The closer he gets, the more Annie's walk becomes a stalk.. he lowers himself in the grass and creeps along at a much slower pace. The dark rocks of the flat loom before him. The storm clouds are still in the air, and getting darker with each passing second. The wind blows cold.. the stage is being set. Once Anubis reaches a certain spot, where he can see the figures up on the flat, he pauses.. ears twitching back to see if those he gathered to help him are still with him. Because, you know, it'd suck to go into this all alone.

He doesn't JUST have two big barbary brothers you know! He also has a little wimpy looking asiatic lion.. who once kicked Mviko's donkey.. but also kicked his back. So they were even. XD The said lion, Mahiri, also stalks somewhere near Anubis. Lavendar eyes focused on the flat ahead of them. However.. as they draw nearer.. he branches away from the white king and the other barbaries. Aiming to circle around the rock towards the back in absolute silence. Only a whisper of movement in the grass detectable occasionally.. and could easily be mistaken for a hare or just a passing breeze.

Tia has arrived.

Quiet all the way here, the only thing running through Ronan's mind was a way to kill Mviko the quickest.. no.. slowest. He wanted to see him suffer. Ronan's figure, tence with hatred, trails along behind Ronan but beside Xian, claws raking the ground in the process. He'd let the darkness out for one last run, he only prayed he could put it back where it had been stuffed. Amber eyes blaze with fury as he can feel them drawing closer and the barbary hunkers down, blending with the shadows covering the lands. Ears flatten and the Barbary lion simply waits for a word. Any word.

Leaving Kivuli behind in the safe --or not very so-- paws of his son, Malik, the golden barbary didn't have any doubt that he won't stop until Mviko was dead. As the neared the Kimondo Rock, the lion could feel his blood boiling, his rage bubbling inside him and the adrenaline being pumped into his body, fuelling him to the point he remembers the Barazahi war. Turquoise eyes observe Ronan quietly, his own expression dark, obscure.. hateful -- something abnormally rare for those who knew Xian. His eyes focus ahead, body kept as low as possible, with his muscles tense in anticipation.. all he does, is wait.. and keep Anubis ahead, ready to jump into the action when his brother does.

Standing beside her brother, Jaseti lifts one forepaw, resting only the tips of her toes on the stone. She stares at the huge lion, eyes wide, ears tilted forward. Something seems... familiar... about him, more than just her memories from their last meeting - she didn't get a good look at him then, and the young lioness can see nothing else now. Perhaps if she looked to her side, to Mtesaji, she would draw the connection... but she doesn't. Instead, mesmerized, Jaseti takes one more step forward, towards the line of lions arrayed before her... towards Mviko standing beyond them. | Neyadhi looks briefly to either side, noting with some relief the other lions standing nearby. Well. Numbers ought to count for something, right? She looks back, fixing her attention upon Mviko and his ally, remarkably little fear in her gaze. The principle of fear, rather than fear itself - she knows Mviko's name, but has never been personally and directly affected by his actions. Neyadhi's ears slick back against the curve of her skull, eyes glittering with determination, ivory claws slipping from their sheathes. Let him come. However it ends, they will leave their marks upon his hide.

"I do not make any attempt to explain them -- their existence or behavior. It is past even my comprehension." Such is said in response to Utadi's sneering inquiry regarding the fresh barricade of leonines that is now placed between the pair of intruders and the huddled gathering of cubs. And Utadi himself snorts in disdain, shuffling impatiently, onyx claws fully extended and scraping violently against the stone surface. But the Barbary shoots a single, cool glance at his counterpart -- and Utadi's fidgeting stops immediately. Mviko shifts his own weight now, a single step being drawn forward, monstrous paws spreading wide as the very tips of his own darkened claws touch the rock. And now, he utterly ignores the existence of the spread of grown lions -- instead, his eyes focusing strictly upon the children. " .. Do not be afraid." And there is a mystifying quality in his voice, soothing and alluring, cast out like a warm, soft breeze towards the trio -- Jaseti and Mtesaji and Dhoruba. And Mtesaji cannot help but respond, despite Janna's pleas for him to remain. Like Jaseti, the whitened boy is completely hypnotized, and his own overgrown paws begin to pull him forward -- drifting through the legs of his older pridemates to approach the mountainous Barbary Tyrant. "Who are you?" The question is voiced clearly, plainly; but in a confused, intrigued fashion. He is unafraid.

"SHUT UP!" is Sakitu's murderous shout. "I won't allow you to poison MY children!" And whether the cubs think it wrong of her or not... Sakitu leaps for Mviko... a roar sounding from her throat. They're HER cubs and he's NOT going to take them from her! "I'll die before I let you have them!" And she means those words... the white lioness throwing herself at the Barbary, claws extended and teeth bared. She isn't going to stop this time.. she wants to kill this lion. Nevermind that she's not capable of it.. but she doesn't want to live to see her cubs become like HIM.

Breath... pant... breath.. pant.... haste uppon haste, determination unfounded, beleive unjustified... she must find him. Tia hurries at the greatest pace she can keep up without ruining her momentium with exhaustion. She's done it before.. it's been too long... her belly too swollen with laziness in recent times... her mind too accustomed to easy ways, easy life, easy food. This is all so.. so... no longer the case, now that things have changed. Why must things change? Why must the vile rise up and lay claim to that which had been so perfect before them? And why, oh why, did Xian have to leave behind the pride he cared for to seek out this Mviko? Surely he realizes the heir he's left behind was not suited to the task! Tia has the strong gut feeling that he does not, and so she goes in search of him... had her nose not told her she was on the right track she would've given up almost immediately, but she senses she's getting closer.. so close... so near... Where are you Xian? Where have you gone?

Dhoruba watches her siblings move towards the monster of a lion.. Well, she can't just stay back an let them go. Anyway.. there is something about the lion that really makes her wonder. His coloring mostly.. Unlike her siblings she's dark in color, an well her parents really aren’t here you know. Her ears twitch an she slowly shifts to follow after her brother and sisters, bright gaze resting upon Mviko as her ears splay forward curiously. Though as her mother leaps towards Mviko causes her to pause and watch wided eyed with ears back. A thick growl escapes Demissle while eyeing Mviko as his friend. There out numbered, why do they stay? The young lion shifts slightly seeing his siblings more towards them more, a large forepaw moving to some attempt to block the passage towards the pair. Surprise washes across Dem's face as his mother is the one to start everything. Um.. MOM!!! WHAT are you doing? Well that's what his thinking, though he can't let him mother just jump at Mviko an his freak on a leash there so he follows after his mother with a thick roar escaping him while fangs are bare an claws as well. Ya.. stupid, but look at who his father is!

Ronan has disconnected.

Mai.. well, she's too chicken to get close to the monster Barbary. May she bring disgrace to her family.. she doesn't care. She couldn't make her legs move forward if she wanted to. Backward.. sure.. not forward. Not towards HIM. The girl can only watch in horror as mother and brother leap towards Mviko. "NO!" Fayola, too, reacts in horror. She'd jump in to help, but.. you know, she's old. So, the elder does what she does best.. tries to order everyone else back. "Move back.. this could get--" But she trails off. Just beyond the fighting group, she spies movement. Anubis has started forward. Though creeping at first, the sight of Mviko only pushes Annie's anger further. The desire to kill that monster.. who has done so much to him, to his family, to other innocent lives. Soon, the element of surprise is far from Annie's mind. Very quickly he is racing right at them.. in plain view. A few raindrop begin to fall - nothing heavy, yet, just a few fat, cold drops here and there, kicking up small clouds of dust as they splash against the earth. The flash of white that is his mate going for Mviko makes Annie's heart nearly stop in his chest.. and then Demissle moves too. NO! @_@ Fear runs cold through his veins. Sakitu! Demissle! Anubis pushes himself to run faster - catching a glimpse of Ronan just a few steps behind and to his right out of the corner of his eye - and directly at Mviko. When he is close enough, a loud roar rips from the Kimondo King's throat.. mingling in the air with distant thunder. And then the male launches himself at the Barbary Tyrant. If he has to go through his sidekick first? Whatever. His target is sill Mviko.. he needs to get his claws on that monster. >E GrowlsnarlspitROAR!!!!!

Even Mahiri looks on in alarm as two of the pride members go for Mviko... when its obvious that they can't stand a chance against him. However.. the former assassin continues to slink through the grasses... waiting for the right moment to strike. He doesn't rush in as Anubis and Ronan do. No.. he waits to see Mviko's reaction first. He intends on taking the barbary brute and his accomplice by surprise.

That's all he needed to hear. Turquoise eyes flicker and find their way to Mviko, regaining a wild look, crazy, hateful. A mix of things. Tia goes unnoticed.. but it's not as if she would've managed to stop the gigantic barbary. Not this time, no. His dark expression makes him look like an entirely different lion, not the playful, benevolent king the kivulians used to know. A scowl, filled with the purest hate, is masking his face, and the only sight of his mother's murderer makes him want to leap at the lion's throat right away.. in fact, he hardly manages to keep himself hidden. However, when Sakitu and Demissle jump to attack Mviko, and then Anubis and Ronan move out, Xian doesn't waste his time. Silver claws bury in the earth, helping the massive beast to leap out of the grasses quickly, charging against the tyrant as well. He would attack the other lion --and it would be wiser to do so-- but the hate for the other barbary was strong, and he wanted to ease his need to see Mviko bleeding. And so, he does.. claws and teeth aimed to rip, bite, slash, claw.. whatever damage he can do to the lion.

Afraid? No... Jaseti feels no fear. She doesn't even remember doing so before. The young lioness moves forward as well, pacing slowly beside Mtesaji until the siblings are forced to separate by the rigid legs of the leonine wall. Her eyes are wide, focused unerringly on Mviko's face - or its relative location, when something gets between them. "Yes... who?" Jaseti echoes her brother's words, more softly... just as Sakitu leaps for the Barbary. Seeing the lioness move breaks Jaseti's focus, and her head swings abruptly to the side. "Momma, NO!" Yet she screams not out of concern for Sakitu, but in protest of the moment ending... | As first Sakitu, then Demissle, then others leap forward, Neyadhi holds her ground. Not from fear, but in recognition that when too many get involved, they just trip over one another. There's only so much flesh on two lions, however big. Instead, she hooks one forepaw around Mtesaji as he comes up beside her, trying to keep him from getting involved in the tangle.

But it is not Mviko who meets Sakitu's sudden charge -- instead, moving quickly and with a keen agility, and also feeding on his own eagerness to battle, Utadi interjects himself. With a ripping snarl, the dark male leaps forward and rears up simultaneously, breaking the white lioness's lunge with his own body, meeting her claws and teeth with snaps and slashes of his own. And such is the way it should be. Mviko's business is not with Sakitu -- not anymore -- and so he will leave his partner to take care of that inconvenience. And even as Demissle joins the fray, Mviko continues to keep himself at bay, Utati proving to be a well-experienced and able fighter. But is such surprising? Look who he's walking beside; Mviko would keep nothing less than the best warriors with him. Almost leisurely sidestepping the sudden flurry of activity, said Barbary moves to wind around the battling trio -- and that is when he is greeted with the abrupt sight of the rushing Anubis. And for one of the few times in his life, Mviko is surprised, and he regards the darting white lion with a rather stupid expression of quiet shock. Well, now. And then, behind Anubis, his brothers -- Ronan and Xian. And for a fleeting, flashing instant, Mviko knows. It is dusk, now -- the sun of his fiery reign of terror and blood is falling quickly through the horizon. But that by no means whatsoever means that he will bow to it, or even acknowledge its power over him. Never will Mviko admit inferiority to another. And so now he begins to violently battle his own death, lips peeling back from fangs and teeth and a horrendously vicious roar blasting up from his chest. And he rears up, meeting their charges, three against one -- and in a battle such as this, almost even odds. Mviko is everywhere at once, his entire life perhaps building up to this scene, jaws snapping and forelegs slicing the air with his swings. Hindlimbs brace his fantastic weight against the rock, forequarters twisting -- and even as he aims to spill the blood of his cousins, his own begins to flow, for even he cannot thwart so many attacks at once. An astonishing warrior? Yes. Invincible? Tonight will provide the answer. And in the meantime, the abrupt eruption of noise and blood and teeth has sent Mtesaji scurrying backwards -- floundering into Neyadhi. But he does not hide his face, nor cringe, nor cry in fear. Instead, he watches -- vision keen, ears up, face twisted in fascination. It is his first experience with fighting.

Her attack is quite suddenly cut short, with Utadi's interference. One of his massive paws hits her small head hard... snapping it to the side as claw marks score her face. Sakitu is easily knocked to the side... blood running down her face. She tries to catch herself, but her paw ends up slipping and she falls upon a cluster of rocks. The Queen hitting her head and now being quite knocked out since her player doesn't feel like going inbetween two characters. She doesn't see Anubis' rushing into the rescue.. her world is black.

Commotion catches Tia's ears.. not the sort of commotion that indicates a casual gathering.. no.. there are roars and snarls rippling in the breeze that speak of fear, hate.. spite. Has the world gone mad? Was there a delicate balance of peace that Tia had somehow disrupted by steping into lands unknown? Surely by now she’s learned that her actions are not significant enough to cause such dramatic effects on the world... but somehow she still can't help that dark, twisting sensation in her gut that tells her she is.. somehow.. to blame, even if this is entirely impossible. Against better judgement she urges her paws to run faster towards the sounds of conflict... please let this be unrelated, please let it not be Xian.. pleasepleaseplease... But no, such hopes cannot be... she sees it, the sight she thought could not be... Xian, on the attack. It draws a sharp gasp from the mud-hued lioness as she tosses up a cloud of dust amid her sudden effort to draw to a stop. Madness! Against her better judgement, not that it does a bit of good amid the other cries, she bellows, "NO!" and rushes towards the fray.. too far off to matter.. too far off to make a difference.. too far.. always too far....

Rage is all that Demissle sees.. A thick roar escaping him, about the time his father roar's so he doesn't even look away. The young lion only sees red, even more so as Utadi knocks his mother out. The young lion moves to slam his from into the other lion, jaws going to bite down hard against his shoulder as he was going into the fray at more of an angle then his mother. Claws going to dig into the other's form as well. He HIT his mother.. No one hits his mother when his around.. Snarlgrowlfoam.. Dhoruba watches wide eyes, golden gaze glittering with fear and confusion.. The roar is heard, though not from in front of her. Her gaze snaps towards the sight of her father an the others an she just blinks while starts to back up more an right into Neyadhi's form so she's not next to her brother. Her gaze turn to watch as three lions go after the one, her uncles are huge.. HECK everyone is huge here at the moment..

Mai screams, green eyes unable to focus on one battle at once. What does she focus on? Her mother, brother and that smaller lion with Mviko? Or that of her father - her father! He IS alive! -, two uncles and the monster lion? And yet, as much as the scene horrifies her, it is also strangely alluring. She has never seen such a battle before.. it mesmorizes her. Fayola - being very old and having witnessed such battles before - MEN! *snort* - continues to try and shuffle the other pride members out of the way. It would be very stupid to be in the way of those males fighting. They may not mean to.. but they're all in such a rage, they may end up hurting some careless lioness or cub without meaning to. She leans down to nudge Jaseti.. only to watch Sakitu fall. "Oh, Gods! Sakitu!" The elder rushes as quickly as she can to the Queen's side, nudging her lightly. "Sakitu? Your Highness?" -- Anubis and Ronan go at Mviko like creatures possessed. In Ronan's case, that may not be too far from the truth. In Annie's case, he's just releasing every ounce of anger and frustration he has felt towards the Barbary Tyrant since.. well, since they first met, actually. All those years of fear.. anger.. it all comes out now. Like Xian, Anubis is usually gentle and kind.. goofy, even. Not now. And, luckily, Annie doesn't see Sakitu fall.. his head snapping back as Mviko's claws rip across the side of his face. The King roars in pain.. and dashes forward again, trying to give as good as he gets. There is no way the brothers are letting Mviko out of Kimondo alive. He killed their mother. >E ... And thunder rolls.. lightning flashes.. and the rain starts to fall harder.

.. (Continued!)

[Subiani]

(Continued .. )

Everyone's huge... except poor little Mahiri. ;_; But who needs to be big to make a differenct? Xo Certainly not him. A blur of red is suddenly streaking from the grasses and making a beeline for Utadi... the one who knocked down the lioness... and is now preoccupied with the adolescent. The little lion sprints towards him, Mahiri aiming to slam a shoulder into his rump to knock him off balance and teeth attempting to latch onto his tail. Now you know.. there is some power behind this lion... he's a lot stronger than he looks. And he attempts to run away with Utadi's tail. ... Whether it be to rip it off or knock him off balance... either will do. Although Mahiri fully expects to take Utadi's tail with him and leave the rest of the body behind. XD

.. And the masacre begins. Reiko, who's been standing by Fayola, the cubs, and Mai, watches in horror, in pure horror, as her mother is attacked by the other lion. A light nudge is offered to Mai, seeing her expression.. but, even if she could've been labbeled as a coward in the past, this would prove something entirely different. The white lioness lets out a low snarl, and launches herself to help her mother and brother against the bigger and stronger lion. Alone, they couldn't do anything.. but together, as a team -- just like her father and uncles -- they should find a way to win. The princess aims to attack Utadi's hindlimbs, trying to snap her jaws and hopefully inflict some damage in the weaker bones there. The girl's eyes widen as she sees her mother fall off the corner of her eyes, and she tries to bite, harder, with all she can. Oh, you're not gonna touch mommy again! -- Xian continues his attack, his long curved claws inflicting as much damage as possible, and letting out a thunderous roar every once and then as Mviko's own weapons connect with his flesh, drawing blood from his cheeks, forearms.. everywhere. It was all so fast, that he couldn't control himself anymore.. he felt, in a way, alive again.. and the pain was gone, for the adrenaline helped him to keep going. The more wounds he inflicted, the more damage he wanted to do .. and it's that monster, the monster dormant in every lion, that Xian allows to take over.. with the vivid image of Feleti's broken form dying in the claws of the tyrant. It's the thought that drives him nearly to a level of madness, slashing viciously at his opponent while, at the same time, trying to push him back, knock him off his feet where he would find his final death. Rain is poured down heavily upon the former king of Kivuli, blood staining his muzzle and forelimbs, matching the fiery color scheme of his mane. Have the three brothers completely lost it .. ? Most likely. Needless to say, Tia's cry isn't heard with all the commotion.

Spurred by Mai's nudge, Jaseti joins her siblings at Neyadhi's side, nestled against the older lioness' fur. Wide silver eyes stare at the raging chaos, at the flying blood and fur, the snarls and roars. This is so far beyond the glimpses of fighting that she saw before... the little lioness can't even compare them in her mind. Jaseti continues to stare, mouth slowly dropping open as the fight continues. How can they do this? -Why?- | As Mai directs Jaseti towards her, Neyadhi looks at the other lioness, giving her a brief smile. The expression has warmth, and honest gratitude, but is utterly out of place at this time; it doesn't last long. One foreleg is wrapped around the gathered cubs, and Neyadhi lowers her head, turning slightly to try and interpose her body between the three younglings and any stray blows. Though with the focus of most so tightly upon Mviko... the chances of any attack missing and winding up over here is slim.

Even Utadi did not expect such a thorough effect with Sakitu as he actually achieved -- and when the white lioness goes flying backwards, slamming her own skull into the pile of rubble, his features turns to astonishment for the briefest of moments. But Demissle doesn't leave him very long to gloat over his good fortune; the adolescent is upon him, and Utadi now busies himself with putting the younger male in his place. Drawing back a foreleg in preparation to deliver a body-force blow to the heir's head -- the blow is never struck. Mahiri chooses that moment to strike, and Utadi is suddenly being bounced all over the place. Tossed to one side as the Asiatic bashes into his flanks, he is barely beginning to right himself when he suddenly feels that his tail's been pulled clean away from his body. Thankfully, it hasn't; but a ripping sound is heard, and the lion fairly screams with surprise and pain and instantaneous rage. "d**n you!" Pivoting on his heels, he makes an infuriated swing at the smaller lion, settling for that action while his balance attempts to restabilize itself. But such is difficult, for the rain is falling fast, quickly making the rock slick with wetness and mud. And to make things even more difficult, Utadi is suddenly bashed with the weight of Reiko on his side. He fairly explodes in his fury. No longer caring about the fate of his tail, he spins wildly, snapping and slashing at the three all at once. But Utadi is no Mviko -- his blood begins to flow freely, washing down through his coat and staining the ground at his paws a potent crimson. Yet even as he begins to die, he doesn't slow, inflicting as much damage as possible with his flashing movements. And the Barbary Tyrant is sharing a similar fate -- but in start contrast to Utadi's unfocused efforts, Mviko's sleek mind is already formulating a way to tilt the odds in his favor. And so, wisely, he begins to back up -- slowly scooting towards the uprise of rocks, aiming to use them to protect at least one side of his body and prevent any attacks to his back. That lesson was relearned in the previous encounter with this bunch. Dancing on his paws, somehow managing not to be bowled over by the onslaught of the three brothers, Mviko still holds the part of simply fending off their attacks -- for now, until he's positioned to his satisfaction. Then, and only then, will he truly begin to fight. And woe to Mtesaji when he does, for then the boy will see what life is really about -- and no longer will his innocence and naiveté be in existence. He will lose his cubhood this evening. He is losing it even now, stormy blue eyes continuing to stare out at the scene. Even if all the lionesses and his siblings were to wander off, the boy would stay rooted to the spot, watching, completely and totally engrossed.

"Stop! Stop this!" Tia has always been a bit of a fool.. her actions often precede her rational thought by a full day or more. This is not her fight... this is not her matter... this is not her business what so ever. But with the world seemingly falling apart what reason is there to stand back and gape when there's some blind bit of a chance that she can do something about it? How about every reason in the world. Well, it's not enough, and even though she neither stands a chance in deflecting a blow from the massive barbaries and more likely to get her head split open from their massive claws, she enters the fray. "Stop this! STOP!" perhaps if she knew -why- Xian was assaulting Mviko she'd be rooting him on.. instead the darkly colored lioness, who may be sizable for a normal lion but looks the size of a cub beside the great barbaries, does what any fool would do.. she lunges at Xian.

Demissle is expecting the first hit but it never comes, he wonder why but will figure that out later. As his sister comes into the fray his back after Utadi trying to grab hold of his neck within his jaws while using his weight to work on keeping him down. He takes hit after hit, but no pain is felt, the young lion is to rage filled to give the pain any though. His claws moving to rip an tear into the losing lion's flesh as he gets out simple anger that he could not on Mviko. Dhoruba whimpers faintly while watching wide eyed.. As her mother falls, an doesn't move the girl only wants to move to her an make her move, though she can with Neyadhi now resting around her more. She looks up at the lioness she has meant only once wanting to know why.. Why is this happing to her family?""

Oh, Reiko. She is so sorry. So very sorry. But she can't move. Poor Mai is much like Mtesaji, innocence is being lost.. for all the Princess can do is stare. Tears flows freely down her cheeks.. what the tears are for, even she doesn't know. Though, luckily, the rain is beginning to fall so hard that tears would be impossible to see. Fayola continues to try and awaken the Queen, though her green eyes to flash to the two raging battles every so often, trying to keep tabs on just what is going on. From where she stands, though, with the rain now coming down in sheets, the farthest off battle - with the trio of brothers and Mviko - is getting harder to see. Anubis isn't even aware of what Mviko is doing. As the Tyrant backs up, Anubis pushes forward. Even as Mviko's claws rip his flesh, Annie keeps coming. He is fighting for his mate.. his mother.. his children.. ALL his children.. his pride. He has no idea what Mviko might have done in Kimondo while he was away, nursing his injured leg back to health.. but he knows that it can't be GOOD. Blood doesn't stain his fur for too long, as it is quickly washed away by rain.. turning the white lion a rather disturbing shade of PINK. OhdearGodsembarrassing. -_-; But he keeps coming, trying to bite and slash at Mviko every chance he has. He couldn't stop now if he wanted to.

With Sakitu knocked out cold, Demissle couldn't do this alone.. and she doesn't see Mahiri until she hears Utadi scream in pain. She's glad that she jumped in.. it was something she needed to do, for her family.. and for herself. Dark blue eyes look over the lion she met a few days ago, and she's glad he's helping too. A few blows hit her; the deep marks of Utadi's claws manage to adorn her side and shoulders, with crimson life liquid flowing out of the newly opened wounds, rushing even further with the water that falls from the skies. Though it hurts, a lot --especially for someone who has never been into a fight before-- the girl doesn't let go, her jaws locked around one of Utadi's heels, trying to break any bones. Black paws are lifted from the ground, and two sets of claws are used to damage the lion's undersides. Inexperienced, maybe, but willing to help nonetheless. Xian, on the other hand, is completely out his true self, his darkmost side having complete control over his actions. Blinded from the rest of the scene, and yet blinded from Mviko's strategy too, the water washes over him helping his wounds to bleed even further. And his coat .. the golden fur adorned with strange patterns that made it look, ironically perhaps, like flames. Even when Mviko begins to 'back off', the barbary keeps moving forward even if he gets several cuts as he does so. Both strong forearms lift from the stoney ground, relying on his hindlimbs to keep his massive weight balanced, and he aims a pair of swipes to Mviko's face -- or, more specifically, his eyes. However, as he moves to give a third attempt, something knocks his side, hard.. and in the blurr of the fight, and the water in his eyes.. all he sees is a muddy-hued feline trying to knock him off his feet -- he doesn't recognize his pride mate. One paw mildly rests on Mviko for a matter of seconds, while the other forearm is aimed to slam itself with full force, aiming to hit whoever it was with the back of his paws. Should the blow reach Tia.. it should be enough to knock her away, or even knock her out. However, his attention quickly returns to the tyrant no matter the outcome, and he keeps attacking.

Slowly, the significance of what she sees - around Neyadhi's interposed form, anyway - begins to sink into Jaseti's mind. Not on a conscious level, but at the deepest level of comprehension. This... this is death. Death such as she has no familiarity with - none at all. Part of her abhors it... and part is entranced. Allured. As it was before, by the sound of Mviko's voice. From where she stands, outermost of the three cubs clustered at Neyadhi's side, Jaseti slips away; she ducks under the lioness' paw, and begins to run. Not walk, not pad; run, and -towards- the chaos at that. She has no idea what she's doing, no idea at all... but something in her screams that it just can't stay put. | Neyadhi tries to grap for the departing child; she misses by a mile, hampered by her stance - one paw raised, not touching the ground - and by both Mtesaji and Dhoruba at her side. The lioness growls in frustration, then shouts after the girl. "No! Get back here!" Her eyes glitter, watching Jaseti's departing figure intently, as Neyadhi tucks her forepaw more tightly about the remaining two. She hopes one of the others will intercept Jaseti before she gets hurt.

The ripping sound is certainly satisfying.. as is the fact that Utadi goes skidding around on his butt. The little lion continues to grip the other lion's tail.. giving another tug and pulling the tail free from his body. Springing off his paws, he manages to avoid Utadi's wild and unbalanced swing. His face is already quite a mess thanks to the fight with Latani.. he doesn't intent on getting slashed up anymore if he can help it. Xo Tossing the tail aside... Mahiri now aims land on Utadi's back... and latch the claws of his forepaws onto his face... eyes to be specific. To hold on.. and to hopefully make the lion sightless.

Cheek is split open, tail is detached, shoulder is laid wide open down to the bone, flank is split, bones of an ankle are crushed, and all this is happening within the span of a few minutes. As such, Utadi is simply not catching onto the fact that he is beginning to be pulled apart. And so he continues fighting ferociously -- but not even he can deny the weight of Mahiri as the Asiatic goes bashing down onto his back. But the gods are at least partially merciful through all this; Mahiri's forepaws miss their mark, and instead of catching Utadi's eyes, his claws dig soundly into his forehead. And now, despite the loss of blood and the fact that half his muscles are torn, he rears up in desperation, bucking in an almost equine fashion to try to get Mahiri off. What happens to Demissle and Reiko in the process, he is not concerned with -- perhaps they're caught with a stray paw or tooth; Utadi's main concern is getting this THING off of his spine and face. Not that it would matter by this point, truth be told. It's only his ferocity that's keeping him moving, not to mention alive, now. // The Tyrant, however, has now managed to back himself into his desired location -- his flanks and backs shielded by the uprise of stone. And now, assistance, from this dirt-colored, totally unfamiliar female. A fantastic opportunity presents itself -- for as Xian is distracted in swatting away Tia, Mviko makes his first genuinely aggressive move. He suddenly allows his chest to drop, detaching his claws and forelimbs from the three brothers -- who will now find nothing to brace themselves against. And as his forepaws splash down upon the stone, blue eyes screaming out from the multicolored, saturated pieces of his mane -- he suddenly drives up and forward, directly into Xian's chest, jaws parting wide as he tries to literally bite across one entire half and part of a shoulder of the golden male. // And as his father begins to truly fight, Mtesaji finds himself actually distracted -- by the sudden darting form of his sister. Even he, despite his enchantment with the bloodletting, knows it to be suicide to go into such a fray. "JASETI!" Childish voice splits the air, and he too goes tearing forward -- though he does it to stop his sister, and for no other reason.

Tia is far too easy a target to be missed by Xian's maddened strikes, having slammed into his torso at less than an ideal angle, leaving the result more like her trying to knock over a giant boulder than actually affecting Xian's rampage. She's already stunned when the paw comes her way and, lucky for her, it largely strikes her torso, knocking the wind out of her at worst. Unfortunately for her she gets a half a glance of Xian's eyes as he looks back to see what it is that's stuck him... rage... unbridled rage.. hatred.. spite.. all the things her beloved king is above, all the things she saw him as a sanctuary from, all the things his heir is riddled with. The blow of that half an instant glance is many times greater than that of his giant's paw, The strike removes her from the fight, the emotional impact sends her to the ground... powerless to stop the flow of blood that scatters into the torrent of rain around her.... madness.. sheer madness.

Dhoruba watches as the fight goes on an on.. It is the fight that never ends, it goes on an on my friend.. SMACK.. A half squeal escapes the girl as Jaseti takes off, an then Mtesaji. So.. the golden eyed girl follows after her brother. "Jaseti!! Mtesaji!!" She cries out unsure how in the heck to stop them from going into the fight. Demissle is hit, claws, and bitten but he doesn't give up his hold. Well that is he tries now to. With another lion jumping into the fray for a moment his unsure what to do. Though his claws go to slash down against Utadi going for his neck or something.. Still the other goes into a movement like a bucking zebra and his jaw is slammed into by the others head causing him to see stars and fall backwards stumbling half the way. Crap.. He nearly bit his tongue. His mostly white form is now a bloody red brown mess. From the blood and mud thanks to the rain. The young lion works on pushing himself back up, though still healing wounds from the first fight have been reopen with new wounds crossing them sending flashes of pain through his form which makes him grit his teeth.

Fayola, still faithfully at her fallen Queen's side, nearly has a heart attack as she watches two of the children racing towards the insanity of the battle. "JASETI! MTESAJI!" But the elder doesn't move. Not that she wouldn't if she thought she could reach them in time.. but she's too old, too slow and there is too much distance between them.. and lots of slippery, wet rock. She's just no use. ;_; Anubis is completely caught off guard by Mviko's response. One moment he and his brothers have the upper hand, the next.. Mviko just explodes with fury. With nothing to brace himself against, Anubis falls forward, crashing to the wet rock with a heavy thud, chin hitting on the ground and teeth clicking together painfully. Momentarily dazed, Anubis stuggles to get to his paws.. and for a moment, anger fades.. replaced with utter fear as he catches sight at what races towards them.. the three children.. HIS three children. Gods, NO. @_@ "NO! Go back! Jaseti.. sweetheart.. GO BACK!" PLEASE. Your Daddy loves you and doesn't want to see you hurt. ;__; GO BACK. And, worried about the lives of his children, Anubis is focused on them for this brief moment.. and not the fight. Ronan, however, is a raging ball of Barbary FLUFF.. and Mviko's trick doesn't catch HIM off guard. So he dives for the Tyrant's shoulder, trying to sink his teeth into the muscle there, his eyes wild. DIE!

Madness, yes. For someone as collected as Reiko, this was complete insanity. Never would she have thought of being in such fight, but Demissle was her brother, and she wasn't about to leave him alone, no matter if both of them, with Mahiri, were beginning to kill Utadi in a slow and painful way. Of course, the small lioness had little time to stop and think what she really was doing.. for she would probably stop if she did. Finally, her jaws snap, and the bones are crushed. She lets go, blood staining her muzzle, and looks over her sides and back, with many slash marks here and there. Oh bloody hell. However, her eyes look further, to her mother's form.. still unconscious.. and rage builds up yet again, even when Utadi is kicking and twitching like a mad horse, the girl charges against the male against, trying to bash her shoulder against his side to knock him out of his feet again. ** And Xian .. if only he knew he knocked one of his lionesses, he probably would've stopped. But he didn't know, and he couldn't stop. He just.. wasn't himself. However.. little did the lioness know that her distraction could be her beloved's demise, for when Xian is distracted --and this is only for seconds-- he doesn't notice Mviko getting ready for his first aggressive move ... right towards him. The golden barbary turns to look back at his opponent, and sees a flash of teeth aimed in his direction. It's for a few seconds that a wave of shocking fear runs through his spine, and his eyes widden, jaw dropping. This is short lived, for his jaws part even further to let out a painful roar as he's literally knocked off his feet. Mviko's teeth sinking deeper and deeper into his shoulder viciously.. and he remembers the Barazahi war.. when he thought everything was lost. He remembers Nyesha.. and Feleti. Feleti .. Another roar, this one in fury.. he might be laying on his back with a lion that could easily try to bite his throat, but he won't die today. No, his kids needed him, and so did his friends. Forearms aim to grab the dark lion's head, the claws outstretched to draw the modern version of a Picasso in Mviko's face, with his own blood. He might have his shoulder, but he's going to mark his face beyond recognition. Also, his hindlegs are used to try to scratch at the barbary's underside and possibly get the former Mbaamwezian King off him.

Both ears flick back as Mtesaji yells her name, and Jaseti's headlong course slows. What is she -doing-? She, too, can see the idiocy of her act... somewhat. She's still trying to figure out what, exactly, that act entails. She's out here now... and still moving... going where? Confused, Jaseti pays little heed to where she steps; first one paw, then a second, lands on the slippery stone and both slip out from beneath her. She hits the rock with a soft 'oof,' the breath driven from her lungs as she slides a short distance. ...What was she -doing-? | Neyadhi hisses as a second cub darts away, this one the boy she hasn't met before. This time, however, she isn't as incapacitated; she -can- move. The lioness lunges forward, still clutching Dhoruba tightly against her, jaw opening in an attempt to grab hold of Mtesaji's tail... except that Dhoruba takes off in the same moment, dashing out from Neyadhi's grasp and completely unbalancing the lioness. Neya's mouth slams shut sooner than she intended as she falls, twisting slightly to take the impact on her shoulder instead of her chest.

The rain strengths the scent of blood... red is everywhere... and Mahiri's unable to ignore it. It floods his senses... giving his mind a rush of deja vu.. of familiarity. He knows scenes like this all too well. However... with the lion bucking about, and the rain thoroughly drenching everything, the little lion is unable to hold on. He's thrown off.. and lands on his back. Violet eyes widen in surprise as his mouth opens in a deep gasp of pain... the wind being knocked out of lungs. However.. he's left stunned for no longer than a second or two before he's back on his feet. The lion's gaze darkens considerably, teething coming to bare. The familiar darkness creeping over him.. except Ayime isn't here to stop him this time. With a roar, the little lion launches forwards... seeing red as he now makes a spectacular leap for Utadi's throat. Aiming to crush it in one quick blow. This is the assassin of old.

.. (Continued!)

[Subiani]

( Continued .. )

Dusk has passed now, for Utadi; it is no longer even twilight. The moon is now beginning to rise on the nightfall of his demise, which Reiko sets into solid and much swifter motion as her driving shoulder connects squarely with his side. Too preoccupied with his tries to fling Mahiri from him, the lion is sent bowling straight over. And it is during his mad fall that the Asiatic loses his grip. Reeling from the shock and waves of pain that the hard impact with the rock causes, Utadi is in the process of staggering back to his paws -- when it ends. Mahiri comes darting in, moving so quickly that Utadi's clogged senses cannot even interpret him. His final moments are spent in confusion, trying to figure out just what's causing the sudden pressure at his throat. And then there is the rending of flesh and gristle as his neck collapses in on itself, blood spraying brightly in a nauseating arch. A low gurgle is heard from Utadi, his last attempt at a roar of defiance, before his broad frame crumples -- maybe even squashing Mahiri, for even Utadi was a few sizes larger than the Asiatic. // Heedless of his counterpart's demise, far too caught up in his own agenda, Mviko concentrates strictly on keeping his balance and grip when his assault on Xian is successful. But he doesn't keep his grip on Xian's shoulder for too long. Instead, he chooses a much more grisly and bloody alternative. Instead, he moves to actually BITE, jaws tightening as he simultaneously tries to close his jaws and rip a chunk out of the former Kivulian King. And perhaps Ronan's maddened attack only worsens things -- for it unhinges Mviko's balance, causing him to actually yank harder than he intended. And there is such a flurry of feet on Mviko's behalf, at the moment, in his tries to both deal with Ronan's attack, keep his balance, and pull off half of Xian's shoulder -- that there's a good chance Anubis, sprawled out as he is, is at least somewhat trampled on. Yet through all of it, despite Mviko's intelligence with his actions, he is slowly suffering the same fate as Utadi. Ronan is making swift work of his one side -- already, bone shows through about his one shoulder and side of his ribcage, and Xian is pulling long slashes upon his underbelly, though his shaggy mane protects him at least somewhat from those blows. // Mtesaji, seeing his sister dwindle and finally splatter down in the mud, comes barreling up -- almost falling on her in the process. "Stay STILL!" he snarls at her, putting his now-mud-covered body in front of Jaseti, and looking desperately to the lionesses for help.

No.. Xian!.. No!... Tia stumbles and thashes.. she must help.. she can't just let Xian get hurt like this, even if she's now suddenly feeling to th point of fearing him.. but he's been so good to her, she owes him so much that even though disgust rises like a surge of bile from her empty stomach.. she can't stand to see him in pain. But.. she can't.. get up.. the mud, the rain, the soreness of the blow to her chest and side from her failed attempt to make a difference... there's simply nothing she can do but snarl meekly and utter a helpless yawl... her world is collapsing and there's not a d**n thing she can do about it. d**n, why does this feel so familiar?

Dhoruba blinks eyes the lioness an giving her a sorry look.. Though they are her siblings! She moves over to Jaseti, sliding across the mud some herself before reaching them. "Jaseti.. Please, let's go check on mom alright?" The dark colored child begs, bright gaze on her siblings, though her attention shifts back to the three fighting brothers and Mviko. Demissle grunts painfully while getting up onto his paws. With Mahiri seemingly killing the lion that helped Mviko he only watches through narrowed gaze. The young lion watches an waits making sure the lion is dead before moving over to give Mahiri a hand in getting the lion off if needs be. A half glance of thanks is offered to the red one before his attention turns to Reiko. "Check on mom.." He offers before turning to check on the other fight. Catching sight of his younger siblings moving closer to the battle he moves forwards quickly to stop them, a glance offered to Neyadhi before reaching them. "All three over you.. Back /now/.." Someone is not amused..

And her fear is suddenly gone. Mai, green eyes having watched as her younger siblings all ran towards the massive fight, moves forward.. spurred onwards as her gaze briefly meets Mtesaji's. Reaching them, the adolescent leans over to nudge Jaseti lightly, reaching them as Demissle does. "Come on.. we need to move out of the way." And Anubis is still halfway down.. crimson gaze - and now blood-stained face - locked pleadingly on the children. "GO!" He urges, voice hoarse. The madness that had claimed him in the beginning of the battle is gone. Now all he wants is for his children to be safe.. for them to not get hurt. But Anubis is suddenly brought back to the fight as he is all but trampled on, a roar of surprise escaping him. And though he returns to the fight - he has to help Xian and Ronan, after all - and though he fights hard, it is not with the same madness. He is no longer fighting out of pure rage.. but out of pure love for his children. He has to make sure they can't be hurt - be it on purpose or on accident. Powerful forelimbs reach out to try and grip Mviko's side.. both to inflict damage and help pull himself up. The downpour of rain is ignored by the King, as he then tries to take a bite out of the Tyrant's side. RAR!

The small lioness hits the bigger lion with a force she didn't know she possessed, and stumbles forwards as the lion is knocked off his feet, sliding and falling into the reddened mud. Splash. And then, she gets up, seeing Mahiri finish off Utadi after her blow. Wow.. did she really.. did that..? A mix of emotions cross her mind.. the thrill of the fight, fear.. pride, that in some way, she helped.. and then, she looks over Mviko, still fighting, and her eyes widden when she sees the golden form of her uncle and that beast on him, with her other uncle biting his shoulder. "Oh God.." This is interrupted when Demissle looks at her, and she gets up on her paws, her white pelt stained with mud, blood and water. What a mess. And she nods, moving back to Sakitu's side and halting beside her, her muzzle gently touching her mother's neck. That bastard won't touch you again, mom.. thinks the small lioness. ** Xian lets out another painful roar, one that fills the air, as he feels a big chunk of his flesh being ripped off slowly from his shoulder. This, alone, is enough to drive the former Kivulian King nuts, literally. He almost begins to flail, but not aimlessly.. no, all his swipes are aimed to the tyrant's face. But it results in nothing. He felt suddenly powerless again, the rain being poured down straight to his face, blinding him almost completely as the water falls into his eyes. Finally, desperation does its magic touch.. letting out a loud, hateful snarl, he aims to bite Mviko's face with all he's got. Oh yeah, if Mviko didn't loose his face with all those slashes.. he certainly will now, for Xian plans to rip all his face off for all he's got ..

Jaseti looks bemusedly up at Mtesaji as he looms overhead. Of course she'll stay still. Why wouldn't she? What is she doing here? The girl frowns, staring at her brother. She hears the battle going on, but doesn't listen; whatever caused her to run towards it has retreated, leaving Jaseti to herself. And Jaseti wants nothing to do with the chaos and death about her. She squirms a few inches closer to Mtesaji, touching her nose to his forepaw. Better. Much better. | Dazed from her impact with the rock, Neyadhi blinks rapidly, trying to make her eyes focus. Grey blurs fill most of her vision - raindrops striking the ground in front of her face. The lioness squints, and extends her vision a little further out. Is that... yes. All three of the children, gathered together and still free from the bloody battle. Neyadhi peels herself from the wet stone, onto her feet. Mindful of the wet rocks, she pads towards the trio, looking severely at first Jaseti, then the boy, and finally Dhoruba. Don't do that again. "Yes, back," she agrees with Demissle and Mai, keeping her attention on the trio and -not- looking back at the remaining conflict.

Tia has disconnected.

The spray of blood from Utadi's throat, soaks Mahir's fur through. His white muzzle now matching the rest of him. The larger lion partly collapses on him... drawing loud grunt from the little lion. A body like his is heavy...but is even moreso in death. His frame strains against the weight... but Mahiri manages to pull himself out of the heap of lion. Growling lowly... Mahiri sags a bit as he slowly pads towards the tangle of large lions. Passing the children and Tia by as he goes... violet eyes focused on Mviko. The assassin indeed... or is it? "There are some instances, when bloodshed is necessary for the good of lion kind." His words are steady and soft, barely audible over the roars and rain, if anyone even listens. Spitting blood from his mouth as he's done many times, he speaks, "There are a few souls who refuse to repent. Seeking pleasure in the torment of others." He continues one... not making a move to attack, at least not yet. Whether he's talking to himself or someone in particular is unclear, perhaps Mahiri has merely lost his mind. "Today you'll feel the pain you've wrought upon countless lives. They cry for vengeance, can't you hear them? For your blood is far... from innocent." White teeth flash, as Mahiri snarls once more. His pace picks up... and then he sprints once more... aching muscles screaming at them.. but they go ignored. Mahiri leaps yet again, his target now Mviko. The lion's backside is where he's headed... claws extended and jaws parted wide.

Utadi is dead and lies there in a heap of blood and nastiness. And that's the last he will be posed, yayrah Utadi is kerthud. // And the idea of Mviko being tilted over towards one side thanks to Ronan is swiftly halted when Anubis rejoins the battle. Now he is greeted by fangs and teeth on both left and right, and the white and mahogany males are hurriedly disintegrating the thick layers of muscle that are laced beneath his coat. And when Mviko pulls away with a mouthful of Xian's shoulder still latched between his jaws, he literally spits out the chunk of flesh right into the golden male's face; how utterly and totally disgusting. But Mviko is swiftly punished when Xian absolutely loses what little self-control he had left. Not even the Barbary Tyrant was expecting a straight-up chomp for his entire face -- and that's what he gets. But his reactions are good, and instead of Xian managing to latch on -- his fangs only scrape down the length of his face and bridge of his muzzle. Though it does, indeed, succeed in ripping his visage wide open. And Mviko suddenly finds it difficult to see, the water and fresh blood flooding into his eyes. Partially blind, and temporarily out of other options, Mviko now begins to run on pure instinct -- and, similar to Utadi, he rears up to detach himself from the trio of males, to seek brief respite from their teeth and claws, to clear his eyes and head. And here is where he has sealed his own doom -- for there is nowhere left to back up to. Instead of more space, his retreating flanks only bash into the cold, wet face of the rock he purposely pinned himself against earlier. "No!" And he begins to yell, the words erupting from him as half scream, half snarl. "I will not repent for sins I have not committed! The foolishness and idiocy of the world around me is not upon my shoulders, nor my soul! I have lived for my children, to guide them and to open their eyes to the way the world SHOULD be, away from the empty beliefs of a blinded existence! I loved them, I loved ALL of them -- they are my cubs, they are MY SOUL, and such is not a right that will be denied to me! I will NOT be punished for saving my family!" He's nearly shrieking by the time he's done, and it becomes painfully obvious that Mviko -- through all this time, all this bloodshed, all this murder and slaughter and pain -- has been doing it because his misformed mind truly believed it to be right. And he stands here, tall and huge against the backdrop of the rising cliff, coated in a slick layer of blood, mane sopping wet, frame torn into bits. But blue eyes howl out like a siren, unfazed, unbroken, roaring open defiance at the foursome of lions that are his killers. And when Mahiri initializes the final stage, the Barbary's jaws part wide and a cascading roar explodes from him. He rears up yet again, determined to at least meet his end face-to-face, and the Asiatic will not gain the satisfaction of landing upon Mviko's back. // And I'm too tired to pose Mtesaji, he just starts to slink back away from the fight, blahblah.

Demissle keeps his bulk in front of his three younger siblings, there going no where that's for sure. The young lion gaze snaps towards the fight.. Wait.. that's his father's voice? With Neyadhi an Mai here with the cubs he turns an moves towards the battle without much of a thought.. Though he'll stay out of it unless his father an uncles, an that red lion?.. An't he sorta small? Anyway. Needs help. A half grunt escapes he as he pauses a good many feet away from the brothers watching Mviko through his narrowed gaze. Dhoruba whimpers a bit an starts to back off trying to keep near her siblings.. Though she winds up presses against her brother's other side while peering up at Neyadhi through her worried gaze.

Anubis doesn't catch much of what Mviko is screaming about.. but he DOES catch the part about cubs. And his mind, of course, instantly goes to the trio so nearby. No. NO. They are HIS CHILDREN! Who was there to teach them to walk? To talk? To let them snuggle in his mane? To comfort them when they had nightmares? To play with them? Well, yeah, ASIDE from their mother.. ANUBIS. He may not have played a part in their creation, but Annie loves them.. and he has been more of a father to them than Mviko ever could. As Mviko rears up to face the midget lion.. Anubis lets out a roar of his own. "THEY ARE /MY/ CUBS!" And don't you ever forget it, you <insert very bad word here. Gasp>! Mviko will die.. Annie will make sure he dies knowing those cubs don't belong to him. They are Annie's. And nothing will ever change that.. not if he can help it. And so the Kimondo King leaps at the Barbary Tyrant.. not going for the throat. That would be too EASY. Anubis wants to rip a huge chunk of flesh out of Mviko. His side.. belly.. wherever. It's time, in his mind, for this fight to come to an end. >E!

And Ronan attacks from the otherside, also with powerful, earsplitting roar. And NO, Annie's player DID NOT FORGET to spoof him. Sothere. XD

( .. Continued! )

[Subiani]

( .. Continued! )

.. It's during this battle that someone else has approached the scene, like a ghost in the night.. and almost literally so, one of Mviko's first children was dragged into the scene after hearing the powerful roars that haunted the lands. Shahila climbs up the Queen's rock.. her shaggy fur sopped wet.. and yet, what she sees.. almost makes her faint. It's her father, her very own father.. finding it's own demise. "FATHER!!! NO!!!!!" The white lioness cries out, taking a long leap off the rock down to another boulder. Shock fills her eyes at what she sees.. many knocked out cold on her path, and a dead male too. When her cerulean eyes return to Mviko, she no longer sees him.. for the asiatic has knocked him. Tears mix with the water that trickles down her face, making them invisible. She knew this would happen.. oh she knew. But.. either way, she lunges forward.. Xian, for a second, is.. utterly disgusted when the chunk of his own flesh is spit into his face. Alright.. there's something he's NOT going to forget, ever. His head is shaken, violently so, to force the piece away.. and he watches, much to his delight, how his sudden bite managed to take him off guard. His shoulder bleeds freely, the bone seen through. Quite -the- wound, for a battle like this. But he keeps going on, with the crimson liquid turning his golden pelt to oranges and reds. For this very moment, he very well could be the 'fire king'. Quickly, the lion is back on his feet when Mviko backs off, but is startled by someone's cry. Turning to look over, he sees the tyrant's daughter running.. or, rather, charging in their direction.. No words are offered. The golden beast has completely lost it and she's not going to interfer with this. As soon as she's close enough, the barbary rises to his hindlimbs, delivering a blow that manages to knock Shahila several feet off to the side. "DON'T." It's all Xian says, but his voice is almost a snarl now. Again, he turns, and as Mahiri and Anubis leap for their 'free Mviko chunks of flesh', Xi' does the same, he launches himself to the lion's chest, and tries to close his jaws on one of his shoulders, to do the very same he's done to him. Revenge is such a sweet thing.

Without any particular reason to get up, Jaseti remains sprawled out on the stone, her gaze drifting between the faces gathered overhead. Mtesaji and Dhoruba... Mai... and this lioness she almost remembers. They met once. The girl's muzzle wrinkles as she works to remember when. Oh, yes. When they were going to go to the water hole. She remembers now. Yes, Jaseti is more than a little dazed; at some point, her brain wound up in overflow. | Neyadhi lowers her head, looking between the three young lions. Words come from somewhere within her soul, in response to the circumstances, for the first time since the chaos began. "You must remember this always," she murmurs to the trio of siblings. The sound and sight; the fury, and death. The pain of loved ones; perhaps, if luck is ill, even their deaths. "Remember... and never let it happen again." This is something they should not have seen... but maybe they can keep it from happening again, so their children will not witness such an event.

Skidding to a stop... Mahiri stares up... teeth clenched as the huge barbary is now raised up on his hindlegs before him. Mahiri's muscles tense... about to spring into action once more. Except the three barbarys manage to beat him to it. The Asiatic backpedals quickly... watching as Anubis.. then Ronan.. finally Xian latch onto the large lion's middle. Violet eye's narrow.. and Mahiri springs forwards once more. Leaping onto Anubis' back... then Ronan's... and then Xian's. Springing off each lion from smallest to largest and then going for Mviko's throat. Mviko is going to look like a lion Christmas tree. If successful.. Mahiri plans on hanging on with all his might... to try and drain more of the tyrant's life fluids from his body.

Jaseti has disconnected.

But she is simply too late. Fate was set into motion long ago, before Shahila was even born, and now as it's sealing it's final decision -- Shahila is forced to do nothing but watch. When this started, Mviko was capable of holding his own, and doing it well, against the three sons of Feleti -- in one piece, healthy, strong, ready for such an incident. But now, after having fought for longer than any lion should be able to, he cannot stand against four males -- not like this, not with half his blood already spilt to taint the puddles of mud and rain, and not with all four of them tearing off pieces of him from all sides. Being literally torn to pieces, each of the four lions pulling off sections and chunks of muscle and tendon, and the rest of him being riddled by their claws, death is latching on to be a fifth adversary. But through it all, Mviko keeps fighting, screaming and roaring his denial, refusing to accept the truth that is being proven even now. Slowly, but definitely surely, the Barbary Tyrant is disintegrating, sinking lower as there is no more muscle mass to hold up his own diminishing weight.

Demissle jaws clentch as he watches the four take down the tyrant, a shiver runnng down his spine. The young lion is soon upon his haunches unable to stand for the moment. His gaze close while the rest of his settles down onto the bloody, muddy an wet ground while fatige overtakes him an he is soon in a sleep like state. His nothing hurt like the ones fighting so far before him, but he was still healing to start with so it just took it's toal more quickly on him, sleep is the best thing even if it is in the rain.

Demissle has disconnected.

And Anubis is turned into a living CAT-apult! *BRICK!* Oh, come on. Y'were just ASKING for horrid puns this late (early?). Lemme 'lone. Death hangs in the air, even as the rain continues to pour down.. no end in sight to the heavy clouds. And though he is sure to rip his own share of flesh from the Tyrant who has plagued his family since before he can remember.. sensing Mviko's end close at hand, Annie steps back. He has played his part in Mviko's death.. and with Ronan still ripping at Mviko.. and Xian.. and Mahiri.. Annie isn't needed there. Beaten and bruised - like the others - Anubis steps back.. and he sidles over to the children. He says nothing.. but stands there, silent in the rain, and now contents himself to watching the Barbary's demise.

Thrown into the mud like an useless puppet of fate, the white lioness lands in a pool of blood and mud heavily, though this impact is --luckily-- recieved by her back.. not her stomach, which now carries the next generation of Mviko's family tree. Teeth grit at the impact, however, and Shahila rolls to her side and onto her stomach, her vision blurry.. suddenly wishing Runako was around. For the very first time, she was scared. Of what..? It was obvious. Her father was dying.. and her own cousins were killing him. Could it get anymore messed up? Not really. The lioness felt cold, and she was frozen on the spot, forced to watch the most horrible show; to see her father, her beloved father, torn apart by the barbaries, asiatic and the Kimondo King. "Father... no." Swallows she. Getting herself in there would result into something even worse, and she had to worry about the younglings inside her. She knew that, sooner or later, this day would come.. but she didn't have to witness it. And it shouldn't have been those who shared the same blood. ** Reiko simply lays by Sakitu's side, the adrenaline finally rushing away and the stinging pain forcing her to simply rest by her mother's side, one black paw draped around Sakitu's neck tenderly. ** Xian rips off a part of Mviko's shoulder, but doesn't spit it in the barbary's face, rather lets it fall to the ground.. and though Ronan and Mahiri are still here, he notices Anubis retreating. Something comes to his blurry mind.. that he thought Anubis would want to finish the lion off. But no.. and Xian? Xian hated this barbary more than anything in this world, but at the same time.. he knew the final bite wasn't reserved for him, and the deep wound on his shoulder screams wildly at him to stop fighting. One last powerful swipe is aimed at Mviko's face, as he watches Mahiri go for the lion's throat, and Ronan still latching to Mviko's shoulder, completely out of his mind. Then, he steps back.. or, rather, limps back.. a few steps, watching the scene while panting, growling.. spitting blood. ** It's then wehn Shahila rises to her paws after seeing two lions finally retreat.. and she approaches the scene cautiously, crying. Oh, father.. what have they done to you..?

"Anubis...." comes a murmured voice. It seems that Sakitu has finally come to once more. The white queen awakening to see Mviko's final death throes... even if her world is in a haze. But she sees her mate... although not really sure if its real or not. She thought he was dead... and the lioness reaches a paw in his direction, "Anubis?" she calls again. Is it really you? ;_; Mahiri meanwhile.. holds on.. hanging off Mviko's throat stubbornly. However... his body is screaming exhaustion. These two lions together have been almost too much for him to handle. Good thing there was the four of them and not any less. With Mviko's paws still wildly swinging, one catches Mahiri's side. Scoring deep wounds down the length of his body. Violet eyes wrench shut, but he needs to hang on...at least just a little longer. But it doesn't happen... for as soon as his hindpaws touch ground, he pulls back, taking flesh with him and just about collapsing right there. However.. he remains in front of the tyrant... gaze never leaving him. 'Who is the fool now, Mviko? Does it infuriate you that I'll continue living, while you are sent into the depths of hell?' so thinks the lion.

As each of the foursome leaves off of him, Mviko wilts further, having actually been extending his life by using the will to survive that the battle evoked. But as they depart, his adrenaline, his only remaining line to existence, withers away. First Anubis. And then Xian. Next is Ronan. And finally, even Mahiri is shoved off. But as Mviko suddenly finds himself free -- he is no longer able to stand. Legs, or what's left of them by this point, collapse beneath him. With a thud that shakes the rock and reverberates into the soil, his mountain of a body comes to rest within the ruby-hued mud. And even now, lips are still pulled back from his fangs -- which, like his coat and everything else, are stained with blood. Stormy cornflower eyes stare out into oblivion, no longer focused on the scene before him -- at least, until the youngest of his first litter comes near. " .. Shah .. Shahila .. " Teeth are covered once again, and features twist into an expression utter woe and pain. "Oh no .. Not like this." And now even his body gives out on him, and the lion collapses onto his side, his breathing shallow and gasped as the last of his life seeps out into the rains. "Shah' .. " And with a fantastic effort, a single foreleg -- with pieces missing, the limb almost severed at his knee -- is reached out towards his daughter. "I .. I love .. y .. " And he dies, eyes that were always so ferociously bright now darkening and falling closed. Towering frame goes limp, flattening out upon the stone, a small trickling of blood falling from the corner of his mouth. And, nearly lost within the wet tangles of his mane and the rivulets of water coursing down his face from the heavy rains -- mingles a single tear, wept for the misguided battle the Barbary had been fighting for his entire existence, a fight for nothing and no one other than his children.

What? No sudden burst of sunlight? No end to the rain and giant rainbow over the lands? No. Only a crash of thunder and more rain. But, by this point, Annie is ignoring it all. Even in the rain he hears the voice of his mate and, giving the gathered cubs a gentle nudge, he moves to her. Anubis pauses once he reaches Sakitu's side, lifting a paw to lightly run over Reiko's head.. and probably smearing her with blood, but.. y'know. ; Kinda hard not to at this point. XD Leaning over, Annie nuzzles Sakitu lightly.. kisses her cheek.. to let her know he IS real.. and breathes lightly against her ear. "He won't hurt you ever again." He doesn't even have to look over at Mviko to know it is over. It's done. And his legs tremble.. and the King of Kimondo sinks to the wet ground next to his Queen. He owes a lot to Xian.. Ronnie.. Mahiri. But thanks will have to come later. Annie is.. exhausted.

Xian simply collapses with a dull thud and a small splash of the gigantic pool of mud and blood they're all standing on, the rain doing a lousy job cleaning the mess away for the time being. The heavy lion pants, his eyes closing slowly, wounds bleeding freely. Too much for a day.. too much. ** And Reiko.. the princess offers a gentle smile to her father, nuzzling her head lightly against the offered paw. She helped.. even if it was little, she really did. And it was worth all the while. Gently, she cuddles against her mother and closes her eyes. Once everybody is shoved off, the fear for her life is gone as well.. and she rushes to her father's side without caring what others might think. He might've made their lives a living hell, he might've done bad things to them.. but he was her father, the only one that helped her to understand that being white wasn't a curse as she thought it was, the one that defended her against other mean cubs. He was always there to help her, always.. and for that, she loved him. She looks at him over, and when his forelimb is extended, she lowers herself to the ground.. sliding her head gently beneath it and gently resting her body against his own. It's seconds after that he dies, but the words remain alive in her mind, leaving a perpetual mark there. And, gently, she whispers, "I love you too, dad .." Something that she had the chance to tell him back when they met at the beach. When it's all over.. all Shahila can do is cuddle beside the sopped wet form of who was her dad, nuzzling into his mane ... for the very last time.

A soft smile comes to Sakitu's maw as she hears Annie's words and feels the kiss on her cheek. Fresh tears springing from her eyes and mixing with the rain. She thought he was dead... but he's actually alive.
Starting to get more of her bearings, the Queen looks up to see her daughter pressed close to her. "My lovely Reiko..." Sakitu's gaze then looks to the others around... where are the rest of her children? Mahiri slumps over... ears pressed back against his mane and eyelids drooping. He watches Mviko's final moments.. the lion that had once commanded him, ordered him to bring about the deaths of many.. including members of this pride. He sees Shahila... only a small child was she during those days, and what a beautiful young lioness she's become. A faint smile comes to Mahiri's muzzle as he looks back to the ground. But as Mviko falls away from this life.. Mahiri hits the ground, utterly exhausted. Perhaps now he could leave this life as well... surely his task is done? Can he now rest in peace? The ex-assassin's eyes falls shut as he just... passes out. Way too overwhelmed.

( .. The End!)

[Msasi]

Fighting.. death.. Annie turning himself pink.. it was a fabulous bit of RPing by all, if I do say so myself!

[Yllan]

That was one of the most intense RPs I've had, thus far.. poor Xian nearly got himself killed there. -_- Oh well! He's alive and kicking (even if not for too long). It was a neat scene tho.. I loved it.