[CHAL] Old wounds... [Tuc/Phle]

[Bronze Coffee]

Tucagwathiel had finally stumbled upon the Stormborn. The word of this pride rang out far and wide and the ex-demoness was very curious about them. She had stayed close to watch to see how lions got in, but saw nothing but pride members bringing back lions by force, it seemed. The word 'thrall' had been thrown around.

The black and red lioness had finally witnessed how to get in without being a 'thrall'. You challenged someone from in the pride.

Today was the day she saw if she was good enough. It had been a long time since she had to raise her claws in a fight, but she was hoping she had muscle memory and things would work out in her favor.

With a mighty roar she announced herself.

puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas had decided to test his skills with a little sparring before going on his next reaving (fatherhood made him feel pretty old sometime, and he had discovered in the Stormborn that he was something of a great-great...great? grandfather? Lions were prolific). He heard a challenger announce their presence with a great roar, and answered with one of his own. It was only when he rounded the corner of the stone walls that made a natural fighting pit that he saw whom he was to fight.

He only barely stopped his jaw from dropping, but his heart nearly jumped out of his throat and he froze in his step before he regained his composure. It was a face he had not seen in a long time.

"Tucagwathiel!" he called. "It is a good day to die," he shouted the traditional Stormborn greeting.

He gritted his teeth. What had he gotten himself into?

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

The voice and face of the lion that greeted her to meet her challenge made the fur on her spine stand on end. Phlegyas was here? The black lioness looked around, thinking about just walking away. She didn't want to deal with him. She really didn't. Despite it being absolutely stupid, she still held onto a bitter grudge against him. Who cared it was mainly her fault? She was still mad.

Then she realized she could take her anger out on him and get into the pride in one fell swoop. Her black eyes focused on Phylegyas's light ones and her own narrowed.

"We'll see who's doing the dying."

With that, black and red paws charged straight at the purple lion, claws ready as she made a quick swipe at his face.

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Though Phlegyas had renounced his former demon-hood (was it something in the water? mass hysteria? he didn't know but he didn't buy into it anymore), he knew that as "demons," he and Tuc were not likely to ever discuss their issues. Ever.

Well, not with words at least.

He could still hardly believe his eyes that she was here, now. Of all the little prides in Africa, she walked into his... But his musings left him off guard. That, and a little bit of reluctancy to fight her in the first place. None of it had to do with her being a lioness. He wouldn't insult anyone by pulling punches for being a female. It was just that he had a lot of complicated feelings about Tuc.

Her claws glanced his face, but drew a few drops of blood. He'd barely managed to yank his head back at all in time to spare his eyeballs. Half-heartedly, he tried retaliating with a swipe of his own, as he still struggled to get into a fighting mentality.

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

Ha! Tuc drew first blood. The black lioness felt pride swell up in her chest before she looked him over as he tried to fight back. His swipe was easily dodged and she moved a little ways away and stared at her.... well, at Phylegyas.

He was distracted and what was this fighting back? Tuc felt her blood boil again. She realized yes, they had a very sordid, complicated past, but that should drive him to fight better. Tuc was so mad now. Her eyes where small and it looked like she was trying so hard to hold something back.

"What the hell? You were trained better than this! Get your mind in the fight! I won't forgive you if you don't actually try! I want to win my place, and you won't take that away from me."

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas almost didn't listen to (though he heard) what Tuc was yelling at him. He was too busy trying to decode what her expression meant. Even though he was at odds with the current ordeal, he knew he'd best mask his doubts and confusions and at least fake it.

"How do you know you're just not that much stronger than me?" He said wryly with a sly grin. He took another swipe at her- but this one was more playful, clearly meant to taunt the already aggravated lioness. The purple male leapt back and danced around his old companion.

"Really, Tuc? You followed me all the way here? I thought you had better things to do," he said, looking down his nose at her.

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

He was playing. Her jaw locked and her fur prickled more with a growl in her throat. Tucagawathiel was honestly going to strangle him if she got her paws on his throat. Phlegyas was going to die one way or another, and she really hoped she played some part of it. Not really, but she wasn't in the mood to be toyed with when she was trying to prove herself strong enough to get into this pride. The black and red lioness's ears pinned back and she growled one more time. The swipe that followed was full force, claws completely extended with a lot of anger and rage behind it.

"I didn't follow you," she said, voice clipped and strained. "Why would I do that when you clearly care nothing for me. Making light of this..." The female shook her head again and just started to walk off.

"I'll find someone else."

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas only suffered about half of her hit, she managed to get the same spot and more blood welled forth. But when she spoke again, he froze in his spot and the light left his eyes in a flash.

"I seem to recall that you were the one who was so quick to breed with that... What was his name? Roth?" He hissed it out between his teeth, the taste of the betrayal could have made him spit- or hurl.

"Is that who you're going back to?" It was his turn to strike a blow, and coldly, he shoved his shoulder into Tuc.

He shook his head.

"You have to see this through, Tuc."

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

The words stung.

"You were gone! I was alone. What did you want me to do? Wait like a patient little cub who had nothing better to do? I'm not some stupid female! I had dreams too! I had needs!" She was in the dirt because of the shove. Slowly Tucagawathiel rose to her paws and she narrowed her eyes at him again. The spot where his shoulder connected actually throbbed.

"My daughter? Phylegyas? You wanted to hurt me that badly, that my daughter?"

The female charged at him, sadness overtaking her rather than rage. She just stopped in front of him, her head low. Every ounce of her was screaming to leave. She wouldn't find her happiness here with him calling this pride home. At the same time, she was a stubborn lioness.

"There's nothing for me to go back to."

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Gone? Did she mean when he was gone on the quest for his demon name? That scarcely counted. He was only gone when he left the pride after it disbanded for a time- and Tuc and Roth's offspring were by and far adults by then... She was making excuses...

"I didn't know I specifically had to tell you I would be back, or that I had to ask you not to have cubs with the first lion who talked to you," he hissed out.

"She had needs too." He said, coldly, throwing her words back in her face. He stood his ground as she charged, but she seemed to pass on her turn to attack. He chose to do the same.

"Then why here, Tuc." He still used her nickname from their childhood. The pint-sized squirt didn't seem to merit the "-agawathiel" back then, it was too much name for her (and so, apparently was Phlegyas for him, often just being called Phle). They'd grown apart before she'd matured enough for the rest of it, so to him she would always be just "Tuc." She reminded him of his past so much... So much of it was good at the time, before he understood all that he understood now (his insane father, the mass hysteria of the "demons" and on and on and on). He missed her and wanted to push her away all at the same time.

"Why here." He repeated, though it still wasn't much of a question. He was here for his progeny, and they were vast in numbers. So what drew her here?

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

"You were gone for too long." She almost sounded pleading with him. To try to understand. "I'm not some whore who was with the first lion who talked to her. I'm not what you think I am."

Then he spat her words back at her and Tucagawatheil felt her heart harden and shatter at the same time. She had needs too.

Why here? Her ears pinned back at the question and she almost flinched at the nickname. It felt condescending coming from him. "Because strength is important to me and the rumors of this pride...put something in place in my mind. It ..." Soothed her inner demon. That's what was on the tip of her tongue. She wasn't going to say it. "It just felt right." She wasn't sure if she believed in demons anymore, except nightmares that plagued her of the things she'd done.

She wanted in this pride. She really wanted in this pride. Tucagawathiel needed to call this place home. Something good had to finally go right for her. So she was going to play dirty.

With all of her speed and strength Tuc pulled her head back and aimed a headbutt right at his jaw. She wasn't a small lioness either, the weight behind it was quite hefty. "I need a home!"

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

He stayed silent, but at her charge, he tilted his head down so her blow would hit not his chin, but his skull, dealing them equal damage. It seemed they were always out to hurt each other.

"When you earn it." He frowned deeply at her, dissatisfied with her argument, but her reason for coming to the Stormborn was acceptable. He never believed it was because she was following him. It had been years since they had seen each other and years since he had spoken of the demoness he once knew.

"Don't worry, at least the pride is big enough we'll never have to see one another or speak again. That should make you happy." He looked at her coldly before he turned his back on Tucagawatheil and walked back to the pride. He wouldn't be accepting any more challenges for a bit, he thought to himself, but he would be constantly wondering if the black and red lioness had won her way in.

Peppermint Coffee

 

[Bronze Coffee]

And she fell to the ground yet again after he moved his head. She'd lost. She'd lost because her heart wasn't in it after his words pierced what little bit was left. Tucagawathiel felt belittled, betrayed, humiliated beyond words, shamed, and small. For the first time in years, the lioness felt like she was so small and Phlegyas was so much larger.

There was that nagging voice in her head telling her to give up, to turn away. Something in her wanted to believe that this was her only chance to get in. Even if she'd gotten in, would she be happy?

Slowly picking herself up, the lioness shook her head.

"...Again. Three days from now. I'm challenging you again. ...No matter the winner, let's let the past die."

If he heard her, she didn't know. Tucagawathiel walked away from him and back toward the way she came. She had to recover. The blow to her head left her slightly dazed and dizzy and her strength was completely gone. The three days would be where she built up her walls again. Emotions couldn't come into play. That's where she'd went wrong.

Puhterodactyl

Done~