Poseida had left his den and still he found himself pacing. The large green lion was beside himself. The struggle to even think about what was happening made it so much worse. 'How could they?' was the unanswered question screaming in his mind. But he knew how they could. Jua and Hasira weren't technically together yet - though everyone knew it would happen. Poseida was also a free agent and yet he felt like she had betrayed him. The only problem he could solve was the one between himself and Jua. Anger hadn't subsided yet for him, but he decided to seek out his orange friend regardless.
"Hey. Jua - hold up!" He shouted as he spied the butt end of his friend. The lion appeared to be in a hurry, but held up as requested and turned to spy Mti. Juas face broke into a wide grin and he headed on over to be in his company. "Mti! It feels like I haven't seen you in ages." The lion had clearly missed the fact that Mti wasn't as impressed to see him. Details easily over looked when a lion was being over worked. "It has been ages since we've seen eachother." Jua remarked dryly. The tone wasn't missed and he watched as Juas face grew into a concerned scowl.
"Is everything alright?" The orange lion asked and even dared to seat himself. Mti opted to remain silent a moment. The question Jua had asked was a loaded one. Was everything? Yes, but also no. He thought long and hard on how to answer that without simply bubbling over and exploding (which is what he wanted to do). Finally he made the choice. "No." When more wasn't given Jua raised a paw and gestured for him to get on with it.
"Poseida is pregnant." Mti responded, almost losing his voice. It was like something was pressing on his throat. When the screwed up look on Juas face relaxed and became joyous Mti became confused. "Congratulations!" He said, standing. "This is great news! How could it not be?" He was bewildered by the previous answer. Then Mti waved away the congratulations and stared at his friend hard. The stare was loaded with all of the anger, hate, jealousy, and more. "Jua.. I am not the father." The tone had changed from dry to sour quickly. He was trying to hold it all back as best he could, but this wasn't going to happen.
"What?"
Now Jua was confused, he felt himself sit back down and inhale slowly. Mti chose the silent route again and this time he simply watched. Jua was in thought now. "What do you.. no.." Sudenly his expression became that of horror. The pair sat in silence. One looking completely horrified and the other angrier than ever. "No way." He whispered to himself and looked away from his friend.. perhaps ex-friend? He was sure that the reason Mti had seeked him out was to give him a piece of his mind. "Mti, look, it's not what you.."
That was it.
The green lion had done well to hold himself back, but enough was enough. The two lions he had considered his closest of friends had betrayed him. Pride status was thrown out of the window at this point and although he still cherished Jua, he hated him. Mti stood and lunged in one quick motion. A paw set to catch the orange lions throat. In Juas shock he didn't defend himself and in moments was on his back, Mti overhead and a paw to his throat. Things had changed drastically in those soft eyes Jua was used to seeing. "Mti. It was an accident." He began to plead.
"An accident?" Mti asked. Daggers in the form of tears shone in his eyes. He was emotional distraught. "An accident to betray me? An accident to cause a rift? No. The accident was trusting you and Poseida." He snarled and brought his nose tip to tip with Juas. "You dared to cross the line Jua. What would you do if I had done that to Hasira?" The thought had crossed his mind at one point - get back at his friend. But in the end he would have felt awful which wouldn't have been productive in a revenge plot.
Onlookers had begun to stop, especially when they spied the pelt of a son of Throek`irid. Mti could hear the voices whisper around and he shut his eyes for a moment. Someone would come to his aid. Not Mti's.. no.. Juas. He snorted violently at the bitter thought.
This wasn't meant to be a show, it just happened out that way. "Mti will you get off of me so I can explain." The green lion had hesitated in his strike, but did notice a small pool of blood that had beaded out onto the orange pelted throat he held. Perhaps this had gone far enough. His point hadn't truly been made, but he was a civil lion. Though the internal fight hadn't even seemed half way through. "Poseida already has. At least your shock was real enough too convince me she hadn't lied as well." He growled deep in his throat following his response. "I loved her you know. I still love her." Mti stated plainly.
"I know Mti." Jua stated plainly, a small smile on his maw.
"Well then why?" He growled at his smiling friend. Had he been at his angriest he would have smacked the grin right off of his face. "It wasn't supposed to happen. You know what happens to me oon fermented fruit.." Mti was still and staring. He did know his friend well enough to know the dangers, but Poseida might not have known. Still. These were simple excuses.
"Besides.. if you love her.. why don't you tell her?" Jua asked. His voice was strained as Mti pressed a little harder on his throat. The pressure was caused by anger, but it was due to the fact that Mti wasn't sure how to answer the question.
"Mti, get off of him. Jua get up." A firm voice interrupted his thoughts. He easily recognized the voice as Throeks. "I was just leaving now anyway." He responded to Throeks demand almost as if he were throwing it away. The council members brow furrowed, but when Mti had turned his back Jua quickly raised a paw at his father. "Let him go. This is my fault." Throek remained silent, but turned the stare to his son. What had he done.
"Go, get yourself mended. You're bleeding." Throek muttered at his son. "Everyone else, back to work."