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Post by Hunter on Oct 19, 2012 19:53:56 GMT
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Kira walks. "Kira talks." |
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She’d been on her way home to the pride when they ambushed her. Two large dogs had leapt out of the bushes in front of her while two other large dogs and a wolf came out of the bushes behind her. How stupid she’d been, all too wrapped up in her thoughts about Panja to notice any signs of their presence. The scent of Tempest had been strong on them, so there was no doubt that the five canines came from the enemy pack. All of them had looked young – the wolf, who seemed to be the oldest of them, and the one who lead the group, had Kira assumed to be around the age of five. And the look in their eyes had easily told the adult lioness that they were all crazed with excitement over the prize they’d gotten, because there was no way they couldn’t have known who she was; one of Florence’s oldest cubs, one of the Tempest Pack’s greatest opponents, trapped in their midst. Had they been smart enough, they could have gone victoriously from the scene and thereby changed their pack’s fate forever, giving it an upper hand by killing off one of the big cats of the Iris Pride.
Now, Kira was running back to the beach as fast as she could, hoping Panja was still there. When she’d seen the victorious glints in the canines’ eyes, a plan had started to form in the lioness’ head. The shadows were growing long as the sun was setting, bathing the sky in blazing fire.
”Way to go boys! Who would have known we would get such a catch today?”
[/color] ”You call me a great catch?”A grin shot over her face for a second before setting up her façade again in a serious manner, looking in the horizon. Even though she was already running at full speed and she felt her heart beating heavily in her chest, Kira pushed herself forward even faster. She had to move faster, there was no time to waste if she was going to do whatever she was trying to plan. Because to be honest to herself, Kira had to admit that her plan wasn’t fully formed. She’d simply tried to improvise, putting bits and stumps together as she’d tried to talk her way out of the mess she’d gotten into. ”You’re Florence’s daughter, remember? And now we’ve got you just like we want you”[/color] ”Well go on then. But why take me - when you can get something even better?””Panja!?” she shouted as she neared the beach in long leaps, hoping he would hear her. Looking over the beach, she couldn’t see him in the first place. Her heart still pounded heavily in her chest and her body felt all hot with the effort of running so fast for so long which her heavy breaths only confirmed. The only acting she actually needed to do was looking around with frantic eyes while looking for Panja. Just as she was about to give up, she found his white frame resting on the beach and ran down to him, quickly closing the distance between them. ”Panja!” Her voice was pinched in an almost hysterical manner, eyes looking over her shoulders as if she looked after followers. ”…Go on then, prettyface. Tell us what you’ve got to offer”[/color] ((OOC: I hope it’s obvious enough what I’ve done, but just to be sure – the black text is the wolf speaking and all the [/ i] text is in the past ^^ As for you Mac, we'll PM you when it's time to put Rikki in ^^))
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Post by Zen on Oct 20, 2012 1:19:46 GMT
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Seagulls. Seagulls everywhere. They were swarming the beach in large flocks, swooping down at blinding speeds to snatch up the fish and clams that had been washed up on the shore during the recent high tides. Leaping on to his hind legs, Panja lunged at the white blurs of wings and legs that flew above his head with a quick succession of powerful snaps. At first he got nothing between his teeth but air. Soon, though, after a few more attempts, he learned to attack the gulls head on as they dove towards the ground, and finally managed to catch one by the neck. As he fell back on to his four paws, the bird hanging limp from his mouth, he couldn’t believe what he was actually doing. This is what being a loner had turned him into. A mighty African lion chasing seagulls around a trashy human beach.
Regardless, he slumped to the ground, plucking feathers from the bird’s wing and spitting them out in a pile beside him. The amount of meat he managed to tear from the carcass was so meager that he could swallow it whole in one bite. Unfortunately, it was probably the most food he’d get today. The deer he’d killed three days ago was stripped bare of anything edible; he’d even chewed through half its bones and sucked out the marrow, so desperate was he for something to eat. Tomorrow he’d have no choice but to venture back into the forest and hunt for larger prey, which put himself at risk for injury and attack. But it was either that or another day of starvation, and he’d already lost a substantial amount of weight since leaving the Iris Pride. Sometimes he thought about trying to go back there just to get a share of the food, which made him feel even more pathetic.
With a flick of his paw, he sent what was left of the seagull back into the ocean. He rolled over and stretched out on to his side, nestling his head into the warm sand and letting the incoming surf wet his legs, when Kira’s piercing scream sent him jolting upright. Panja didn’t even have time to wonder what she was doing out here, or why she wasn’t back at the Pride. All he was aware of was that she was now racing toward him in a crazed frenzy. His brows furrowed with concern at the expression she wore on her face, a look of sheer panic and terror. He could smell the heat and sweat pouring off her body; obviously she’d been running for quite some time, and he looked once over her shoulder to see if someone was chasing her. Not noticing anything out of the ordinary, he craned his neck to look into her eyes before asking calmly, “Kira, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”
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Post by Hunter on Oct 23, 2012 13:37:15 GMT
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Kira walks. "Kira talks." |
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The signs were almost too visible on Panja; he wasn’t used to live like a loner. He looked thinner than she remembered him and Kira noticed a pile of feathers in the corner of her eye along with a carcass of a long time consumed deer. Had he been eating a bird in desperation of getting fed? Well, this wasn’t the time to think about things like that. Looking at the ground, trying to catch her breath, Kira’s mind raced to figure out what to say to Panja. What should she say to make him follow her? Why hadn’t she tried to figure this out a little sooner? But there was nothing she could do about it now. She had to figure something out, now. Looking up, Kira got eye contact with her old teacher and there it was. It felt like something clicked inside her head, as if looking into his soul made her know just what lie to tell him. Already before parting her lips, Kira was almost 100 % sure that he would follow her. His family meant everything to Panja, and even though his offspring didn’t share the same family bond to him that he felt for them, Kira knew that Panja always would come to his family’s rescue.
”It’s Alexander,” she breathed, looking into his bright eyes with a worried expression before looking over her shoulder again. ”The pride... Some of them have banded together. They want to get rid of him, saying he’s not worthy of the task.” Her sentences were short while she slowly regained her breath from the long run, the black wolf’s superior grin flashing before her inner eye. The young tempest members hadn’t known that the great, white lion wasn’t a member of the pride anymore. They thought he would be an even greater target than Kira which had been to her luck.
Her body started to shake, looking uncontrolled as she continued to speak. ”They’re luring him out in the marshlands, in this very second. I saw them go. Oh Panja… I promised to take care of him and Nebula for you. But they’re too many… I can’t take them alone. I need your help,” she almost cried, looking down again as if she was ashamed of herself. ”I came here as fast as I could. If we’re fast… If we’re fast we might just get there in time.” She looked at his white face again, almost pleading him to not be angry with her. She knew the marshlands was a good run away from them, but by taking a few shortcuts in the outskirts of the city it would actually be possible for them to be able to get there faster than if you were inside Hexasol. After all they were outside the city and didn’t have to follow any streets to get out to the marshlands as Alexander and the group of felines would have to do. Now she just needed Panja to believe her, to make him go all heroic, wanting to save his son's life.
Just too bad it wasn’t Alexander and a simple group of felines who would be there.
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Post by Zen on Oct 26, 2012 20:32:12 GMT
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“No,” he muttered under his breath, his heart squeezing with terror. He had feared this might happen someday. Alex, for as smart a cat as he could be, was so immature and hotheaded that Panja had no trouble seeing why Iris would seek to try and overthrow him. But from what Kira had just told him, these cats weren’t just looking to challenge his son for the throne - they were out to kill him, to put a permanent end to his bloodline. Alex was just under two years old and no match against a group of large-sized cats on his own, especially since he hadn’t had much proper training yet. What cowards would go after a child like that? Panja wondered, feeling an unexpected surge of hatred for Iris as he pictured them surrounding his defenseless son with their fangs and claws bared, ready to kill. This was exactly why he had left that damned place. He did not want to be in the same company as any cat hateful enough to murder a leader, especially a cub, instead of rightfully challenging and fighting him for power. It didn’t matter that this was his own son. The slaughter of young feline life was something he couldn’t forgive.
But he couldn’t afford to think about his problems with Iris right now. If they didn’t get down to the swamp soon, there would be no hope for Alex. And Panja would throw down his life before he lost another son to a group of bloodthirsty maniacs. “You did the right thing coming to find me, Kira.” He nodded reassuringly, trying to soothe and calm her down since she was clearly shell-shocked from everything that was happening. He kept his tone level and cool, forcing down his own fear that was threatening to send him into a panic as well. “Come, let’s not waste any more time. Lead me to where you last saw him.” He began to move away from the beach, but a sudden thought made him stop and add, “Kira, when we get there, I want you to run somewhere and hide. Don’t try to help me fight them off. I’m old, I’ve lived my life, and my blood can afford to be spilled. Yours can’t. I don’t want you to get involved in this, alright? Find somewhere to hide and stay there until it’s over. Will you do that?”
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Post by Hunter on Oct 29, 2012 18:31:39 GMT
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Kira walks. "Kira talks." |
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Panja was falling for her act easier than she’d thought possible. He simply seemed to eat her words like were they the truth. How dangerous it could be to know someone so well that you could use yourself against you. Which actually was what she was doing right now with Panja. She knew how much the white male cared for his family and by knowing that, she’d been able to trick him, luring him into a dangerous trap. Just by hearing him breathing out a single word, the simple “no” emerging from under his breath, made Kira know just how well she’d hit him by looking him into his eyes, remembering all the hours they’d spent together. What a magnificently interesting thought. Scary yes, but nothing less than fascinating. She, who’d been nothing but a pupil for so long, was now in charge – and it felt great. Though she didn’t yet know how everything in her little act should come out, all she knew was that Panja was going to pay for what he’d done to her.
But even though he seemed to believe in her little, innocent lie, Kira had to awe how calm Panja looked. She hadn’t thought that he could be so good in his old days, almost calm as a true warrior. Even though he knew his precious son was in fatal danger, Panja kept his voice steady and looked quite calm even though Kira was sure he couldn’t wait to get moving. She gulped at his words about her doing the right thing, looking like she wasn’t able to say a word. She therefore just nodded as if she was happy that he wasn’t angry with her, taking a deep breath as her pulse finally seemed to have calmed from the run. When Panja spoke up again, the young lioness perked up her ears and snatched up her head at his words as if she was surprised. Good, now was the time to go. Now she just needed to figure out what to do so she wouldn’t be involved in the fight with the dogs. She turned to run with Panja, making sure not to fall behind – after all it was her who was going to lead them out in the dangerous marsh. The marshlands were always unpredictable, a dangerous place for heavy animals who easily could get stuck in the swamps, and all the rain which had fallen in the autumn months just made it even more dangerous for Panja and her to go out there. It was perfect for Panja, but not for her. She needed a reason to stay away.
And there it was. The perfect solution, served to her on a silver platter. Panja cared for her and wanted her to stay safe, but what Panja didn’t know was that he, with his heroic intentions, just had given her what she needed – a reason to stay out of the way, letting Panja take the fight on his own. She stopped with him, listening to his words carefully as he spoke. Kira frowned and opened her mouth as if to protest, but then swallowed it again. She looked at him as if she wanted to challenge him, as if she wanted to make him reconsider his order, but then she loosened up a bit, hesitating before opening her mouth a second time.”As you wish, Panja… I suppose you can’t look out for two of us if you’re going to fight your best. But Panja… I will get Alexander away. When they’re too occupied with you, I will sneak him away, getting him to a safe place.” She swallowed hard as if trying to accept that she wasn’t going to fight along with Panja but then her forehead furrowed. ”We should get going – as you say, we shouldn’t waste anymore time. Follow me,” she said hollowly, as if she somehow dreaded what was going to happen ahead of them. Running away from the beach with Panja behind her, she headed toward the marshlands. There was a long way ahead of them and the sun was setting, bathing the two lions in flaring fire like colours.
Getting to a halt, Kira looked at the marshlands which now stretched before them. The sun was almost gone from the sky, only a thin line in the horizon which soon would disappear. The tall grass was caught by a chilly wind and Kira shivered though her body was hot from the run. Somewhere in the tall grass, the dogs were waiting for their prize but right now it was impossible to get a hint of where they were. They were obviously downwind of them, completely covered by the tall grass and the growing darkness of the night. ”They must be here somewhere…” she said, trailing off with another shiver. Why did she suddenly have a bad feeling about this? Pull yourself together, Kira. It’s Panja they’re after, not you. You’re nothing to them anymore and after fighting that old fool they won’t be a match to you. You can pick the living out as snacks when your old man is done with them. When they are done with him. She thought, trying to soothe herself in the brutal thought. Looking at Panja by her side, she waited as if she wanted him to give her an order of what to do now.
((OOC: Thought I would speed up their run to the marshlands a little since I elsewise wouldn't have given you much to play out from. GOSH I spent a long time making this!))
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Post by Zen on Nov 14, 2012 19:17:42 GMT
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After a long, tiring run across the wide countryside, the two of them reached their destination just as darkness started to fall across the marshlands. The temperature of the air had dropped significantly since the time they had left the beach, sending chills down Panja’s spine that only weakened his fatigued body more. Once they finally came to a stop and he managed to catch his breath, his eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark of the night and to the strange environment he now found himself standing in. He’d never been in this place before; never had a reason to come. He noted with a slight grimace of disgust how the ground here was covered with some kind of thick, soggy mud-like substance that his paws sank into and which made moving a bit difficult. Against all of clammy scents that pervaded the bog, he lifted his chin and tried to pick out the ones they were searching for.
Panja dropped his head and frowned. “I can’t smell them – not Alex, or any Iris cat. Are you sure we’re in the right place?” He looked down at her wearily, his eyes heavy-lidded from exhaustion, unsure of how much more running he could take tonight. And just then a cold breeze pushed something sharp into his nose that caused all his senses to run wild. However, it wasn’t feline. There was a sound of grass rustling and twigs snapping, then a group of canines stepped out of the shadows, four large dogs and a wolf at their head. They were all panting with excitement and watching Panja like they had been waiting for him for quite some time, waiting for him to appear at this very spot.
“Tempest dogs?” he whispered, taking a small step back as they proceeded to form a half-circle in front of him, his paws slipping against the mucky ground. He could feel the swamp starting to suck against his ankles and pull him down, and he pushed up with all his weight to keep from sinking in too far. “What...what’s going on?” The words slowly died in his throat. He took in a shivery breath and looked around for Kira, forgetting she was still right beside him. He turned to face her, blinking in confusion. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but you need to go hide. Let me take care of them.” The firm urgency in his voice would hopefully tell her that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He was sticking by his statement that her life was more important than his. “And if I die, you’ll need to finish them off, then run back to Iris and get help for Alex.”
Without waiting for a response from his student, he twisted his body back towards the canines, the broad muscles in his shoulders, flanks and legs tensing up in preparation for what he knew would be a fight. It had been long time since he’d seen a real battle, and with his thoughts still occupied with worrying about Alex’s safety, he was far from being in the right state of mind for one. But the way the dogs were standing before him with those looks on their faces, he knew at once this would be a life or death situation. Backing down wouldn’t be an option, and he knew from experience that the Tempest Pack couldn’t be reasoned with. He kept his eyes locked on the wolf, waiting for it to make some kind of move, and hoped they would just focus on him and ignore Kira. He had a feeling they would - a tired old man was much less of a threat than a strong young lioness, and an easier kill.
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Post by Hunter on Dec 6, 2012 17:32:42 GMT
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Kira walks. "Kira talks." |
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Both of them were already sinking slightly down into the mud and Kira knew it would be perfect. But where were the canines? She couldn’t spot them with the eye, and by her side, Panja grew suspicious. ”Yes, I’m sure,” she said without hesitation as she watched him, suddenly noticing how tired he looked after the long run. That might just make things even easier, she thought, once again scanning the area in front of them. Were the canines even out there? Sure, why shouldn’t they? Which ones of the Tempest dogs wouldn’t dream of this opportunity? Every single one of them would love the glory that would come to them after having killed Florence’s old mate. How bizarre that a thought like that should calm her stirring nerves.
Then there was a sound. Head turning to the side, she shot a glance at Panja. Was it just her who’d heard it? No, she could see on his features that he’d heard it too, and in a blink of an eye, five creatures emerged from their hiding spots. The canines already looked victorious, as if they’d gotten an upper hand, and for a second Kira wondered if they somehow had been able to get back to Tempest and bring some more friends with them. But of course they hadn’t. There hadn’t been the time for them to get reinforcements, and there was no way they would miss this opportunity. They were mad with excitement, the lioness could see the glints in their eyes. They were eager and had no wish to wait any longer. The black male wolf didn’t even look upon her as they stalked forward, creating a half circle in front of Panja. She gulped as if she hadn’t known they were there, waiting for them, and she took a few steps back just as Panja did. The white lion was heavier than her and therefore sank deeper into the muddy surface than she did, and at that moment she treasured her lighter body dearly. It would make it easier for her to pick out the living canines afterwards.
Panja’s words struck her and she flattened her ears back on her skull as if she wanted to protest. But his voice carried out that he wouldn’t accept a no for an answer. He’d ordered her to hide, and she felt utterly satisfied by this order. Following it would be a pleasure. ”I will. Be careful, Panja” she said shortly in a reassuring manner before she dashed into the tall grasses, leaving Panja behind with the Tempest canines. The canines didn’t even look her way when she disappeared from white lion’s side. They were all too focused on their prize and Kira knew that there was no going back now. This was the revenge she’d waited for, the opportunity she’d wanted. Then how could it be that it didn’t feel good to run away and hide so she could enjoy the show at distance? She was about to win, get her revenge. So why was she feeling hollow inside?
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Post by Zen on Dec 19, 2012 16:35:50 GMT
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OOC: Just as a warning, I went waayyy overboard with the gore here. Yeah...idk what to even say about this post honestly...
Once Kira was gone, Panja breathed a sigh of relief. He watched her go, waiting until her entire body was safely concealed behind the grasses, before bringing his attention back to the army of canines that was facing him. They hadn't even looked at Kira when he had told her to go and hide. They didn't care about her, they didn't want her...at least not as much as they wanted him. I don't want to fight you, he longed to scream at them. I don't want to have to kill you. But as they stood poised in front of him, he could see the hunger in their greedy little eyes and the drool that was forming at the corners of their mouths. They wanted blood, and there was no stopping them.
Finally the dog closest to him, a Rottweiler, dashed forward while wildly snapping its teeth, then just as quickly backed away when Panja had raised up his claws to defend himself. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the other dogs rush behind him, but he was too busy holding off the huge Rottweiler in front of him to do anything about it. Teeth (or maybe claws) sliced open a deep wound on his thigh causing a gush of warm, sticky blood to pour down his leg and form a dark pool underneath his back paw. Panja didn’t dare take his attention away from the dog before him, though – no, focus on one at a time, he told himself, grounding his teeth in pain as the dog at his rear repeatedly began to bite and tear at him until his skin hung in shredded ribbons and his fur was soaked and dripping with blood.
In a swift lunge, he lashed out with a paw full of talon-like claws, hitting the Rottweiler’s face with a heavy slap as a thick stream of blood spurted into the air. The dog crumpled to the ground instantly, giving out one last whimper before its head hit the ground and its body began to slowly sink and be consumed by the mud. Part of the skull was cracked open and its insides exposed; bone, blood and brains were shining gruesomely in the moonlight. One down. The dog that was behind him jumped sideways as Panja reeled around and another dog, a Mastiff, took this chance to leap squarely on to his back, bringing Panja down under its weight and clamping its powerful jaws into the space between his shoulders. He struggled, bucking himself like a raging bull, and the dog managed to yank off a massive chunk of flesh just as it was thrown from his back.
Panja let out a loud, hoarse cry. The pain...this was the worst pain he had ever felt in his entire life. He was losing so much blood at such a fast rate that he began to feel lightheaded. His vision was blurring. He barely even registered it when a smaller mixed breed dog surged right toward him, head on. Panja could only look up stupidly as the dog clawed a small series of wounds across his muzzle before skirting around his body, biting open a long gash along his ribcage, then crunching down fiercely on one of his hind legs which sent him straight to the ground. He felt the bone snap in two, and as he lay on his side, he turned his neck to look at the damage. The leg was bent out at a disturbingly crooked angle and he couldn't budge it.
The three remaining dogs circled him, their tails wagging, wondering where to go from here. The wolf seemed content to just stand by and let his cronies do all the hard work for him. Panja could barely move at this point; he couldn’t even sit upright the pain from his busted leg and his oozing wounds were so intense. He looked like some kind of living fountain, the way his blood was pumping out of him at almost every spot on his body. Thankfully, though, he still had control over his front paws, his best weapons.
The big Mastiff next went for his head, probably aiming to bite off one of his ears, but Panja was quicker. He swung his paw in a downward arc and sent it falling headfirst into the ground. The dog rolled on to its back, gasping for air as it choked on the mud it had accidentally inhaled, and Panja ripped open its soft, vulnerable underbelly, exposing intestines and organs and then killing it instantly by slicing through its still beating heart. Two down. Three to go. He eyed the last two dogs. They were watching him as well, sizing him up, obviously afraid to make any hasty decisions lest they end up like the Mastiff. He could see the conflict burning on their faces. The wolf must have begun to grow impatient because he barked some kind of order to both dogs, which made them jump and sent them running at Panja again with their teeth bared.
With one last burst of strength, he managed to lift himself partially up off the ground, and just as one of the dogs closed in on him, he took both of his paws and quickly grabbed the canine's head in between them. Then he squeezed, hard. The dog's skull caved in on itself, exploding with a nauseating sound and a burst of blood and brain matter. The sight caused the other attacking dog to halt his advances and stare in horror as the body of his decapitated comrade fell at his paws. Panja seized the opportunity and swiped again with his claws, opening up the last dog's jugular vein in a spray of crimson. Within seconds, it too was dead.
And then it was quiet, not a sound in the air except for the soft chirping of crickets and the sloshing of mud under Panja's body as he squirmed feebly in the muck and the warm pool of his own blood. The wolf still remained, but it hadn't yet made a move to try and finish him off. Coward, thought Panja. So willing to watch your soldiers die, yet so afraid to die yourself. But he could barely find it in himself to care about the wolf much, the white hot pain from his shattered leg and from the open wounds littered across his body was agonizing. That final rush of energy had taken up the last of his strength and had only torn open his injuries further. No matter how fast he breathed, he couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen into his lungs. His heart rate was slowing too. All of his systems were shutting down in preparation for death.
Panja groaned, his jaws opening slightly to be rid of the blood that had built up in his mouth over the past several minutes. He made a wet coughing noise and, though he tried to turn his entire body in the direction Kira had went to hide, he only succeeded in twitching one of his bloody paws, having lost control over most of his muscles. But where was she? Was she still around, had she watched the whole thing? Or had she decided she couldn't take any more and fled off to Iris to get help? His voice was a weak, sickly moan as he called out, desperately, "Kiraaaa..."
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Post by Hunter on Jan 1, 2013 20:57:50 GMT
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Kira walks. "Kira talks." |
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She left Panja behind, leaving him to hide herself in the grass, far away where she would be safe – but still close enough to watch the scene unfold in front of her. When the first two dogs attacked Panja, Kira snickered, enjoying watching how her little plan crushed the one who hadn’t believed in her. The one who’d suddenly taken her mother from her and left her and her siblings to wander aimlessly about. Kira knew very well that their only purpose in life had been to kill Steither, and perhaps that was why Florence never really had cared about her first litter. But Kira would show everyone that she had more tasks than just finishing off the old Lexis leader, and killing Panja would be a great relief for her. He reminded her too much of her old life where the new litter of cubs had taken the sunshine from the old one… He’d taken their mother away, and insulted her in the alley, thinking he could get away with it… He’d always been an old fool. He deserved nothing better than this.
Her tail lashed a single time behind her in displeasure as Panja took down the huge Rottweiler in one blow. Even though he was getting old, Panja was still very strong, and even this group of canines should be wary of their actions if they wanted to get away with this in one piece. He was an old warrior after all, and Kira started to wonder if she’d come to underestimate her old teacher, thinking that his depression and life of solitude had left him weak. But her nerves calmed slightly when the Mastiff brought Panja’s white frame to the ground, and as he struggled to regain control of the fight, the young lioness chuckled. But it didn’t feel right. The nagging feeling was starting to grow inside her again. The feeling that seeing Panja like this wasn’t right. It was her plan, and she was just carrying it out without doing a thing. What she was actually doing was watching an old pride member die in the fangs of the enemy. She wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone in the pride, she wouldn’t let such a thing happen without doing anything – why should she give the Tempest Pack a single thing? What else but suffering did she owe them? Her plan right now was that all the canines fighting Panja should die, but why should she give them the satisfaction of killing Panja before they got killed themselves? She was giving them her own stepfather, the only creature besides Aiyana that she’d ever considered a friend.
It was wrong…
Panja’s hoarse cry of pain sent chills down her spine. She’d hated Panja for so long, but he was also the only friendly soul who really had given her something – who’d stayed with her for her whole life. Ever since knowing her life’s purpose she’d started to question her mother’s love against her and her siblings, and Aiyana had left the pride, leaving her behind. Even with his depression, Panja had been the only one who always had cared for her. And even now he was fighting a battle which wasn’t his, a battle which was nothing but pure set-up. And even outnumbered, he’d wanted her to get away, being safe. But what should she do? She couldn’t just run out there and help Panja. What should she tell him afterwards? That Alexander wasn’t here and she’d just made all this up to bring him down? There was no way she could get out of this now, no way she could lie herself out of this trouble. But she couldn’t just let him die like this, could she?
One of Panja’s legs was now broken, there was no way he could escape the canines now. She had to do something, now. But she feared that it was already too late. She quickly stalked closer as Panja crushed the Mastiff. The last three canines were all too occupied with attacking Panja to hear her emerge. The wolf hadn’t done a thing yet but now barked an order to the last two dogs. Her lips curled up in a soundless snarl. Coward, she thought spitefully. How could she be as stupid as giving a wolf like him an opportunity to kill her own stepfather? What a stupid girl she’d been, all too wrapped up in her wish for a revenge which didn’t even matter to her anymore. The hatred she’d felt toward Panja was childish, she should’ve known that before, and now it was probably too late.
Panja’s cry for help didn’t even emerge from his throat before Kira leapt from the darkness of the grasses, tearing up the wolf’s flank in the process as her huge body reached for the ground. The wolf cried out in surprise since the surroundings a few moments ago had been peaceful but the white lion’s groans. She met his yelp with her own roar, a sound filled with more frustration of her own actions than anger toward the wolf who’d been but a pawn in her own dangerous game. And it seemed like she was going to be the biggest loser of them all. Despite the gashes in his flanks, the wolf dashed away from her, picking up speed faster than she’d believed possible in the mud of the marshlands. She couldn’t let him get away for any costs. But there was something she needed to do first. ”Panja…” Her voice was shaking slightly as she spoke and she nursed Panja’s mane gently with her forehead. ”I’ll be back for you, but I need to get him first. Please, wait for me,” she begged softly in his ear, looking at his white frame with a truly pained expression, her perfect façade cracked. His frame had once been white as snow, but now it was covered in blood from the wounds the canines had left on his skin. She had to be quick if she wanted to reach the wolf now, so she nursed his head gently with her forehead one last time before she turned around and ran after the black wolf.
((OOC: Kira’s gone for now, time for Rikki to come in ^^ Just tell me when you’re ready for Kira to come back again – the little girl would like some time with Panja before he dies D: ))
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Post by {Mactíre} on Jan 2, 2013 21:55:09 GMT
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] | [atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/11tyfkw.jpg]The ancient Arctic wolf stumbled onward, her steps rapidly slowing and weakening as more blood seeped from the gaping wound in her side. Selfishly, she was glad that the Iris cats had left her behind, choosing to chase after Kai instead - but the young mutt would be much faster, so hopefully she would be able to evade her pursuers and reach Tempest safely. She sighed with relief as she reached the marshes, instantly deciding on a spot of stable ground under a large bush as her destination. Like a wind-up toy that had finally unwound itself most of the way, she moved with painful slowness, her old eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom of the twilight-lit swamp. Her whole body ached; she just wanted to collapse there and then.
An overwhelming number of scents, all at least somewhat familiar, suddenly assaulted Rikki's nose. A group of dogs (and one wolf) she knew vaguely from Tempest - she didn't know their names, only that they had seemed to be a rather rebellious group within the pack to some extents. The other scents were more surprising though; that of Kira, and Panja. As she stepped forward, she could smell blood everywhere - and it most certainly wasn't her own. She almost tripped over the body of one of the dogs, a Rottweiler, the tang of rapidly drying blood coming from its head. She shuddered, her now muddy paws trembling from exhaustion and blood loss. Peering forward in the half-darkness, she was just able to make out a huge shape that could only be one thing: Panja.
Worry for him consumed her and she faltered forward, trying to work it all out. So the dogs must have attacked Panja, that much was plain. . . But why had he come here? And where did Kira fit in with all this? With the mud lapping at her paws, she collapsed into a sitting position and carefully nosed the side of what she knew to be Panja's face. When she spoke his name, her voice was as weak as she rest of her, barely more than a hoarse whisper. "Panja, it's Rikki. What. . . What happened? Are you hurt?" Even as she asked the question, her nose worked furiously, detecting most of the white lion's injuries by scent alone. Little of this made sense - she knew that Panja had left the Iris Pride to his eldest son and heir, choosing to live out the end of his life as a loner. So did everyone else. But maybe this group decided the elderly feline still had to pay for his sins. . . And had decided to do the deed themselves.
Once her eyes adjusted to the gloom, Rikki could see the bodies of every one of the group - except for the wolf. She blinked, wincing at the pain in her side and slowly letting herself fall into a lying position, the mud making a sucking sound as she sank down into it, attempting to keep her injured flank out of the muck as she gave it a lick in an attempt to clean it. The blood had finally started to dry, but from how woozy she was feeling, she'd already lost far too much blood for that to do her any good. It was taking practically all her strength to keep from falling into blessed unconsciousness, into a world where she would feel no pain.
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Post by Zen on Jan 19, 2013 19:59:27 GMT
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa446/jadedog08/panjafinal3.png]Only barely aware of the violence happening just several feet away from him, Panja stared up at the night sky unmoving while Kira dealt with the last remaining canine, his heart filled with gratitude that she hadn't run away during his fight with the dogs, as painful as it must have been for her to watch it all unfold. He dimly registered the sound of the wolf fleeing. He wanted to tell her not to worry about it, that the wolf was a coward and wouldn't be a threat to either of them, but he couldn't make the words leave his lips.
Even though she was right up against him, her voice seemed so far away, like an echo. He managed to lift his chin and look into her eyes. Wait for me, she then said. Don’t die yet, was what she probably meant, but he didn’t know if that was a promise he could keep. He could feel his very life draining away with each passing second, his body growing colder and weaker while his mind grew dimmer. Thank you, Kira, for being so loyal to me, he tried to say, but his vocal cords were still refusing to obey and the words came out as unintelligible garble that only resulted in more blood pouring forth from his mouth. With his tongue he felt a large gaping hole on the roof of his mouth, realizing he must have shattered a tooth when his face had hit the ground. He grimaced at the pain that flared in his jaw. Kira then disappeared after the wolf, leaving him laying there alone for several long, quiet minutes, shifting his battered body every so often to try and find the most comfortable position that didn’t put as much pressure on his largest wounds.
The sound of paws wading through mud and the smell of more canine made his slowing heart speed up a little. If it was another Tempest Pack dog...well, he just prayed it wasn’t. As it neared, he could hear its heavy breathing and caught the stench of fresh blood that wasn't his own. Was it the wolf Kira had been hunting? No, impossible. They had run off in a completely different direction. All Panja could do was lay there helplessly until the canine approached him and made its presence known. "Rikki," he croaked, feeling a small, unexpected burst of life flood through his veins when she spoke and touched his face, enabling him to turn his head toward her and speak.
"What...why...how...?" He blinked a few times, his brain unable to process what he wanted to ask, so after giving up trying to ask his questions he instead answered hers. “I’ve...been better,” he managed to laugh, though it was less of a chuckle and more of a frail choking sound. He paused then, trying to force his tongue to form the words he wanted to say, but speech was becoming more and more frustratingly difficult. What finally slurred from his mouth was spoken slowly and brokenly. “There was...an ambush. Kira said...my son was...in danger...came here to help...then they...attacked. Don’t know where...he is...hope he’s...safe...”
He dissolved into another violent coughing fit, his chest heaving as he spewed out another mouthful of the blood and fluid that had been building up in the back of his throat. When he was finished, one of his eyes rolled upward to look at her in concern. “What...about you? I can...smell your...wounds...” Even in his foggy state of mind and with his blurring vision, he could make out the long, bleeding claw marks she wore all along her flanks. He weakly held out one of his paws to beckon her closer. “You look like you're...in great pain. Come...lay here...with me. Kira will...be back soon. She will...help us...” He couldn’t even think straight enough to actually consider what the lioness would do if she discovered Rikki in this state, so weak and easy to kill.
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Post by {Mactíre} on Jan 20, 2013 22:10:54 GMT
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] | [atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/11tyfkw.jpg]Rikki had known that Panja was still alive, for his breathing gave it away, but she could tell that he would probably be fading fast. Like her. Yet the way he spoke her name, as if he was ready to die at any moment, still scared her. She turned her head to face him once more as he turned his head, her brown eyes having adjusted to the darkness and able to meet his blue ones. His confusion was evident, and even in her own pain and with a brain as sluggish his she felt a twinge of empathy, one that was only enlarged as he responded to her question. Oh, yes, he had certainly been better; thoughts ran through her mind as she remembered the rumours - that Panja had left the Iris Pride when his son pushed him from the position of leader. That his family was scattered far and wide across the city, with only Alex, his eldest, remaining to rule the central force of felines in Hexasol. It explained why Valkyrie had been captured - for if Panja had still been in control, Rikki might have been able to get her out without any problems. But no; the Pride obviously wouldn't tolerate having soft, dog-loving weaklings like the white lion ruling over them.
After those few seconds, her attention returned to Panja as he explained what had happened. The elderly she-wolf blinked. Ambush? Kira? Why. . . Would the lioness want to kill her only father-figure? No, it made no sense. Especially when she thought about the dogs. She shook her head slightly, not able to make sense of it. And Panja's own son in danger. . . This was all too chaotic. Her heart squeezed as the ancient feline broke off in a fit of coughing, choking up blood and other fluid. To see him like this - her former enemy, now one of her few friends, a physical wreck - was devastating. At his question, she lifted her head slightly, trying to gather her thoughts enough to tell him what had happened to her, in soft, drifting tones, full of despair. "My daughter. . . She and one of my sons wandered into Iris territory a day or so ago. . . By accident. He escaped, but she's still in there now. I went. . . To rescue her, with a good friend of hers. We tried to distract the cats, so that she could free my child. But we were overwhelmed, and had to run. I would have stayed, but that otherwise I would be able to return. . . To try again to rescue her." She broke off for a second, panting and clenching her teeth as a wave of nausea, pain, and exhaustion, the likes of which she had never experienced, washed over her.
"One of the cats chasing us. . . He attacked me. He was mad, insane. . . He ripped at me as if I was no more than prey. I couldn't get rid of him before he wounded me badly. I could only. . . Only make it this far, I was losing. . . Too much blood." With her fading vision, she could just make out the paw held out to her. Feebly, she attempted to rise again, stumbling a few steps before lowering herself, as gently as she could, onto the damp ground, her mostly uninjured flank practically brushing the ivory lion's. She couldn't stem the panic that welled up within her, and nor could she cease the shaking that suddenly gripped her, her body's reaction to the blood missing from her veins. Kira, the lioness, who, even from a tiny cub, was most certainly Florence's daughter. The one who, if she had guessed correctly from Adrian's description, had been the one to attack him and Valkyrie. But she had no strength to do anything but lay here, and she was fading fast, able to grasp only to the thought that maybe, somehow, the lioness would leave her be, show her mercy, some shred of compassion. Controlling her trembling body for a few moment, she murmured, "Thank you," to the lion who had become her friend.
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Post by Zen on Jan 25, 2013 2:18:11 GMT
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,450,true] | [atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/2zojkf8.jpg]ooc: Panja’s old posting table! Just for nostalgia <3
As he listened to her story, it felt like someone had driven a knife into his heart. She had been trying to save one of her children too. Her daughter, captured by Iris...had he still been part of the Pride, he could have slipped into the prison and freed her himself. But as it were, he could be of no help. “The Iris Pride...must be stopped,” he muttered. “And Tempest too. This war...it’s...it’s madness.” He let his head fall limply into the mud, sighing. This was the reason he had tried for peace. It seemed that the ones the war affected most were the young and innocent, the ones least deserving of it.
“Your daughter...will not die in there. Not if...she is anything...like you.” The Iris Pride was greedy, the prisoners of the slaughterhouse being nothing more than objects in a growing collection to their eyes. Very rarely were canines killed in there, and Panja knew Rikki’s daughter had no death sentence hanging over her head. She only needed to survive the torment from Alex and the prison guards and hopefully someday soon she would be rescued, much like her mother had been so long ago.
He shifted toward her a bit when he felt her sink down into the ground next to him, the warmth from her fur a small comfort to his aching body. “No,” he whispered, gazing at her through eyes half-lidded in pain, “I should...be the one...to thank you. Your trust and forgiveness...opened my eyes. It made me...realize...what a monster I was. When I look back...and I remember...what I did to you...” His voice died and he expelled a tiny sob, his massive chest heaving as his throat constricted and made breathing that much more difficult. When he could speak again, his eyes wandered up to look at the night sky thoughtfully. “Rikki...do you...believe in fate? I think...I think I know now...why Florence and Gravity...had to die. It was so...we could...become friends...and so we could...understand each other. Getting to know you…made me...a better person.” He knew at least that if Florence had been alive to this day, he would still be in Iris, leading alongside her. Nothing would have changed. He and Rikki would still have been mortal enemies.
“After...we’re...rescued...and after...our wounds have healed...I want you...to come live...with me. There is a...hidden cave...by the beach...where we can...be...safe. It’s...very lovely and...peaceful. You would...like it." Whether it was delirium from the blood loss or just stubborn will, he couldn’t find it in him to accept that he was about to die. He still held out a shred of desperate hope that Kira would be back for them and, through some miracle, she would save them. Even as the minutes ticked by and she never appeared he still held out that hope.
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Post by {Mactíre} on Jan 26, 2013 22:27:26 GMT
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] | [atrb=background,http://i46.tinypic.com/11tyfkw.jpg]The she-wolf's worn ears pricked up as Panja responded to her words in a mutter. "I know," she murmured sadly. "Maybe when. . . When all of our children's generation take charge. . . This place might have a better chance for peace. " It was quite a futile hope, she knew; with Panja's canine - hating son as leader of Iris, peace of any kind would be shaky and short-lived. Brooke was tired of the war, but she wouldn't stand by and let canines be killed. What Hexasol needed was a new Tempest leader (although Rikki had come to like Brooke), and a new Lexis leader, since there was little hope that Alexander would be killed any time soon. As evil as he was, the young lion was Panja's son, and she could see he still loved him. As she still loved Orion, the son who now scorned her love and everything she'd ever taught him. It was an endless circle of hate, this war; a cycle that was fiendishly difficult to break.
A tear fell from one eye to mingle with the damp ground as the white lion spoke of Valkyrie, Rikki’s head drooping. She had failed her daughter, failed to rescue her from that place where she would be starved and beaten unless – until – someone rescued her. Lifting her head to meet the male’s blue eyes, she managed a wan smile, the guilt in her own mingling with warmth. “That is true. . . I suppose. Hopefully her friend will pluck up the courage . . . to tell Brooke and Tempest about it. I don’t know. . . I don’t think I’ll be strong enough, after this. . . To fight.” She sighed, thinking that it had definitely been up to chance, almost, as to whether her body or her mind would deteriorate first. She hoped that her daughter, young as she was, would be able to take it her stride – as much as anyone could. She had her whole life ahead of her; broken limbs or a nudge towards insanity would be devastating for one between puppyhood and adulthood.
Shivering began to wrack the small frame of the female once more, and even though it was not winter yet, she had begun to feel dreadfully cold. She shifted closer to Panja so that white fur mingled with white fur, gritting her teeth as her torn flank was jolted by the movement. The shivering subsided slightly as she lay there, sharing his body heat, and gazing up at him as he spoke. Memories swept unbidden through her mind. Memories of torture, of having her fur torn off and innocent wolf cubs killed in front of her, of being mocked. Maybe she was insane to have grown to trust her former enemy, to like him, even. But things had begun to change between them that night her cubs were born. He could have easily killed her – he wouldn’t even have had to raise a paw. He could have just walked away, into the blizzard. But he hadn’t. And here they were now, a year later.
Rikki gazed up at the stars. They were so bright, so magical. Her brown eyes roved along the horizon and up again, listening keenly as her friend continued to talk, speaking words that gave her pause for thought. She remembered her joy at seeing Gravity after all those years. . . Of him coming to love her, too – some of the happiest days and months of her life. And then he had disappeared, without warning and without trace, leaving their unborn children and her behind. Now, when she thought about it, she realised that she should have taken more notice of the wound he had received in the battle with the felines. She had often wondered if he had wandered away to die, alone, not wanting her to see him in such a state. But she was sure of it now, that he was dead.
And for the first time, she was able not to cry, or to want to cry, with that knowledge. Surely, it couldn’t be long now.
But what Panja had just said was true. Meeting him as something more than an enemy, and really getting to know him. . . It had truly made her see that every creature, whether canine or feline, was the same in many ways. Most loved, and had families – and wanted what was the best for their loved ones. Most followed the traditions and believed in the ideals they had grown up with.
Florence and Gravity had been the force behind the war for a long time, their hatred for each other and each other’s species not allowing them to ceasefire. Florence would have been disgusted, Rikki knew, if her mate had been talking amiably with a canine that they had spend so much time torturing; she would be disgusted with his talk of peace.
And Gravity? Maybe he would have told her that her mind was muddled from torture, that the huge lion was an enemy, and nothing more.
Yet, here they were, the two of them. Alone, yet together. Once enemies, now friends, nearing the ends of their lives. It wouldn’t be such a bad way to die, lying here with Panja. “You could. . . Be right. Knowing you. . . Personally. . . As more than an enemy . . . Helped me to be more empathetic, to see. . . That we’re all in the same boat, really. . . And no matter what has happened. . . You can choose to live as you want. The need for vengeance. . . Hatred. . . It can be overcome.”
Breathing was becoming painful, but just listening to the ivory lion’s voice soothed the arctic wolf. The place he described felt like a fantasy. . . It sounded wonderful. “I would. It sounds. . . Perfect, Panja.”
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