[PRP] Becoming Prey [Azar/Asyira/Shakti/Xaphan]

[Kimaria]

He'd found Kerra and questioned him about these rumoured guard positions and had been angered to find (as Heti had warned him) that his grandson knew nothing of it, either. He'd spent some time raging about it and then, as the days had passed, he'd started to try to figure out who had been asked to take on the new position. There was one easy way to find out, of course, and that was to approach the regent pair but...Azar'bijan wasn't quite ready for that yet.

He needed to figure out a plan.

Stretching his claws into the sand he cast a critical eye up towards the training ground, homing in on the new recruits. It was a good idea to check the place out for new talent and poach the good ones for his guard patrol...not that he really had a specific patrol, not being a captain and all. Still, if he kept at it, sooner or later he'd be granted a promotion and then all the talented lions would be his to command. An unstoppable force that were called upon in times of crisis.

His name would be written in legend!

He was smiling away to himself when, out of nowhere, something came charging into his shoulder. He blinked, turning his head to see who had struck him and blinked again as two large eyes peered back at him. A...cub.

"Watch where you're going," he said gruffly, pushing the cub backwards with a paw.

Spitting out sand, the cub righted herself and gave a loud sniff of disapproval, "don't push me!"

Oh. Fabulous. It was a loud-mouth cub. His favourite kind!

"What are you going to do about it, kid?" Not a lot. Probably.  

[Epine de Rose]

"So you're from the outside?" The little cub had installed herself at the lioness's side and hadn't really let her out of her sight. This had been ever since said cub had overheard her discussing her experiences beyond the borders. As a foreign animal, a stranger, something new, Asyria had then become a subject of great interest to the cub who had already been causing havoc in the general area.

What had then occurred, was a barrage of questions that would have put any warden to shame.

"Yes," Asyria replied patiently, even though she'd been asked the same question at least four times. It seemed as though Shakti didn't believe her, perhaps she had settled in well enough in the young cub's eyes to give off an air of being a local. Still, from what the larger lioness had gathered, this young cub had already decided where she wanted to be in later life. Shakti had no intention of quizzing suspicious individuals, she had every intention of policing the borders.

"Not that far from here though," she glanced round and pointed at the mountains she could see in the distance. Those had been her home for as long as she could remember, even if Shakti might never see them for herself. "But it was quite a bit different," she mused.

The inquisitive cub continued to query her in much the same fashion even as they drew nearer to the corporal and what seemed to be Shakti's very own sibling. Now what a surprise that would be when Asyria caught sight of the direction she was heading in; she didn't have a game plan and suffice it to say that if she got too close she might not be able to outrun the lion who already had it in for her!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

"I'm...I'm..." the cub floundered and Azar'bijan gave a small chuckle of amusement. Cubs were so dumb, shooting their mouths off before thinking. Getting themselves into trouble that they couldn't get out of.

"What?" he encouraged, "speak up. I can't hear you."

"I'm..." and then the bewilderment passed and the cub's face gained focus, having clearly reached a decision. She gathered her paws beneath her, shuffled her little bottom as if preparing to pounce and, without further hesitation, leapt at his paw; sinking teeth into his unsuspecting toes.

Azar jerked away from the cub in surprise, shaking his paw free from vicious little needle-sharp teeth and gave a low growl. "Did you just bite me?" he could barely believe it and when she grinned up at him all innocent - despite that toothy grin - he could only gape in surprise. Where were her parents?! Why were they not running over here now offering their deepest apologies? He could hear voices now. Perhaps he was about to be rescued.

"How did I do?" the little cub questioned, "my mama says I have a good bite!"

"Well if she likes it so much, go attack her."

The cub jutted her jaw stubbornly. "No."

"Go away."

"No."

"Now."

"No." And the cub, Xaphan, pounced again, forcing him to his feet so that he could prevent further toes from being bitten. Cut feet on sand was not the most pleasant experience in the world and he couldn't be sure that her teeth wouldn't pierce through the pads of his paws.

"Then what do you want?" he asked through his teeth, losing patience fast and not sure where to go when he couldn't leap to his anger response. It had been a long time since he'd had cubs and he'd not been much good back then, either. Heck, he'd been an adolescent!

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

By now Shakti had found herself on top of Asyria's back and was resting comfortably across her neck and head. She could see the 'world' from up here, like everything as far as the eye could see... And it had the benefit of freeing the lioness from continuous questions as the tiny cub caught sight of her own sibling. Worse, said sibling appeared to be in some sort of trouble, she was up against the biggest, baddest villain ever.

"Oh no!" Shakti declared and patted at Asyria's ear rapidly as it she couldn't get her attention. Suffice it to say that this resulted in several minor winces as the little paw thwacked at the lioness's ear until she was given a rather abrupt shake. It was enough to make the cub realise she needed to clarify whatever had startled her rather than pulling Asyria's ear off. "My sister is in trouble, there's an evil lion attacking her, quickly we have to help!"

Asyria spurred without checking before her brain could correctly process the concerned cry.

...There was no way a cub could be in such danger here, and yet there was a portion of her still programmed towards the roguelands. Before she could stop the behaviour she found herself approaching Azar rather rapidly. It was only when she got closer to the lion that she skidded to a halt and stared at him, as well as the petite cub beside him. Xaphan was really sizing him up right now.

As for Shakti? Well the cub had given a dramatic war cry and was now sailing through the air towards Azar's face!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

What did she want? Well...entertainment, of course. Her parents were busy. Everyone was always busy and she was bored. It seemed incredible that even in a pride as big as this, playmates were few and far between. If she'd been born an only child there would have been no fun at all! The pride needed to learn about what fun was and who better to teach them than her?

"Pounce," was her only answer - the name of her favourite game. Pouncing cubs and other lions was the most enjoyable variant of this game but bugs and lizards could also be used as an agreeable substitute.

"Go pounce at your shadow," Azar complained and turned his head just as the second cub came flying at him.

Their heads collided with - what sounded to him - a loud crack and he staggered backwards, hissing in surprise and pain.

"Shakti!" the name of her sister burst joyfully from Xaphan, "that was the best pounce yet!"

Azar, blinking through the surprise at having been attacked by another nuisance turned to see that they were joined by a much larger nuisance. This really wasn't turning out to be a good day. "Did you just throw that cub at me?" he yelled, not seeming to care how ridiculous the accusation sounded.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Shakti had soon dug her needle sharp claws into the poor lion's face, and though it would be a good thing in the end, she had started to climb up his face and towards his mane. He'd become a giant climbing frame to the tiny cub and she grinned at her sister as she scaled the mountain, leaving only Asyria to stare incredulously at the scene that was unfolding before her.

Now this was an interesting scenario and she did have to wonder if she was going to witness the murder of two young cubs at the hands of someone who had the worst temper in the history of all felines. So far he seemed as stupefied as she was so she had that going for her... however she soon re-evaluated this assessment whenever he made the most ridiculous accusation.

"Do I look like I would throw a cub at you?" she snapped back immediately and narrowed her eyes. "You're the type who would swallow them whole and burp out their bones on their parents' damn doorstep!" she pointed out. She gave a haughty sniff and peered down at Xaphan who was applauding her sister's technique - ah, so they appeared to know each other and based on their similarities they must have been siblings.

"I heard he was causin' trouble," Shakti clarified as she finally reached the 'summit' and bit in to his left ear. "Where do you want 'im?" she asked with a mouth full of ear. "We can take 'im!" she continued.

"What are you doing to that cub anyway?" she demanded. Based on his body language it looked like he'd been about to thump her!

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Azar sat quite still, his face twisted into a half-snarl that he seemed to be trying to control. It was hard to have a proper argument whilst a cub was climbing over his face and another one looking like she was about to follow suit. Indeed, when it looked like Xaphan was about to lunge forwards, he swung out a paw and pressed it to her forehead to put a stop to her momentum.

She hissed and grabbed hold of his paw with her forelegs.

"You throw rocks," Azar replied, "why not a cub? I wouldn't put anything past you." He couldn't believe that he'd even had the misfortune to bump into her again so soon after their last encounter. He was still super mad about that and likely would have attempted to chase her down if he'd not found himself an impromptu babysitter. "And if you--ow--" he sucked in a sharp breath and winced as teeth clamped down on his ear. Sharp, little teeth that had found their way to a place not protected by his mane.

Xaphan, throwing herself clear of Azar's paw at last, peered up at her sister and whooped with joy at the success of the climb. "He wouldn't fight with me," she whined, "but with you here, now he has no choice!" She flung herself at him again, colliding with his shoulder and scrabbling to climb up his mane to join her sibling.

Azar growled again. He didn't even know who these cubs belonged to. Why where they not being watched? Where were the cubsitters when you needed them?!

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to get your cub under control?" for all he knew, she had become a cubsitter since joining and the one currently sinking her teeth into his ear had come with her.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Oh hunny I don't babysit," Asyria relished in his struggle as both cubs tag-teamed their way to victory. She knew her place, and that was not to interrupt the tiny critters of doom. If she gained their ire then she would be the subject of interest and she couldn't allow that to happen. Truthfully the lioness really should have made a run for it while the tiny tot who had 'adopted' her was thoroughly distracted...But she found it was much to entertaining to watch the lion's internal struggle.

There was just so much that male wanted to say and do, and he couldn't do any of it. He was being held hostage by the most unlikely of beings and there was nothing he could do about it. She'd applaud him for mostly keeping his temper in check though, even if she did start to laugh when tiny teeth found his ears and tiny paws began to scale the 'summit' again.

"But I will certainly keep watch over you in case you break any laws," she emphasized with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Shakti had released her hold on his ear and was clambering down towards her sister. Wrapping her back paws into his mane she then held out her front paws in something akin to a scene from the titanic. She'd help her sister up, team work was important and their mother would be proud... especially when they won their battle!

"So he's a coward," she observed Azar critically as only a cub could do and raised a brow. "Are we sure there's honour in fighting this one? Cowards don't give that many points..."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

He frowned at her words and growled softly as the cubs continued their relentless assault. "What laws are you expecting me to break?" he snapped, "I was born and raised here, remember? I know them better than you." Oh he wanted to just smack that smirk from her face and show her what was what.

Xaphan gave a delighted shriek when her sister moved down to help her and in moments she was pulling herself up with assistance and hooking a leg over his shoulders to better stabilise her position. "Seems like it!" she replied, laughing, and used a paw to pat at Azar's mane as if he were harmless. That seemed to be the last straw, though, as the male drew in another breath and suddenly lowered his head to throw the cubs off balance. If that failed to work, he followed up with a vigorous shake in hopes of unhooking little claws.

"I'll show you how harmless I am! You better run if you don't want to get pounced on!" he sounded ferocious enough - or so he thought.

Xaphan, who had tumbled back to the ground, gave a high-pitched shriek and dashed off, "run, run!"

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Shakti wasn't ready to give up just yet and with a fierce howl, a cub battle-cry, she dug her little claws in to his neck. She was still tangled up in his mane just enough to keep her hold, and she was already scrambling to try and get back up so that she could 'control' the beast. However as her sister fled she gasped and adopted the more heroic, matyr role.

"Go Xaphan, go!" she cried dramatically. "I'll buy you some time!" she continued and then returned her gaze to Azar. "This ends now, cowardly beast!" she declared and puffed out her cheeks.

As for Asyria?

Well, she simply grinned at Xaphan's retreat and taking that as her cue, she also darted away, though she made sure to follow after Xaphan to make sure that the impish cub stayed out of trouble. She wouldn't justify Azar with a response this time, it would annoy him far more if she just ignored him again. After all, he seemed to get really worked up when she didn't play by his rules.

He was a bit of an arrogant old fart really, that was probably why it was so much fun to push his buttons.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Her sister was so brave! Xaphan would never forget her! She'd make sure that there were heroic stories told of how a cub had thwarted a giant, angry, fire-breathing lion and won! (well...sort of). Anyway, the details didn't matter. It would be a fine story and she would tell it well!

Azar, stood there looking quite mortified. One cub had gone. The lioness too - having chosen to further insult him by ignoring him and dashing away as quickly as she had come. And, after all that, still one cub remained. He heaved a great sigh and sat down heavily, trying not to look as weary as he felt. Firekin were big and strong and proud and their cubs...well...these cubs would grow up to be perfect specimens. That didn't mean that he had to like them!

"You did it," he declared, "you have bested me!"

And, now that Asyira was out of sight, he rolled slowly onto his side and played dead.

Epine de Rose

fin?