The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Jali sighed and looked at them. "I had no idea..." He looked at Kyra, realizing he had probably crossed a line. "I'm sorry, I am. I wouldn't have asked if I knew he was your family. That's none of my business. I just... Never would have guessed. Thank you both for letting me know though. When I first saw him I was deeply afraid. He was so big..." Jali thought for a ment with flat ears. He looked at each of them. "That is all I need. You may go then," he said.

"Kyra, could you come with me for a moment?" Asked Var leading her out of the cave. As he pushed through the secretive brush, several large birds flushed out. He hasn't noticed it, but one was a vulture. He led her to a place behind many trees, by coincidence it was the exact place where Gamba had asked for Layla's off-time.

He spoke in a hushed voice, trying to remain hidden. "Kyra, I'm going to meet with Magir outside the camp. I just thought I'd tell you in case I didn't come back..." He paused before he gave a statement that he knew should be said. "And no, you can't come... I don't want to take the chance of this being a trap and you'd be harmed or captured. I couldn't live with myself if I knew I were responsible for something like that. Don't tell anyone where I went. If all goes as planned, I should be back by morning... Goodbye Kyra" he said and without giving her a moment to speak, he leaped off into the bushes and began going on out of the camp. He was heading towards a large pond that he'd seen when he first had arrived near the area outside the camp, far from the camp but not too far.

A thorn tagged at the underside of Var's paw. He stopped abruptly to pluck it out with his teeth and then took off again. He had through the green wilderness, his fur winded with the air and his green eyes were like daggers. He was completely unaware of Kyra and Coglon following him. Lightning seemed to rush through his veins, his intense body swept through the tall grasses so fast that he was merely a blur.

The night air was fresh and clean and the sky was cloudless. The stars above shone down. He stopped when he came out to some plains with a few small ponds scattered all about. He came up to one and looked down in it. The waters twinkled with the twilight.

He growled at the sight of his face, he looked just like his father--Snake. That evil, cruel, and lustful lion. Var's face, aside from his youth and the white streak of a scar under his eye, looked nearly identical to Snake's. Var's mane had grown over the past few weeks and he was proud of how it was turning out.

He slashed the water, distorting the image of himself and his father and turned away. He flexed his massive muscles and stretched before going on.
"Still angry about your father?" a voice cackled from the darkness behind. He swung his body around to find that fiend of a lioness, Magir. Magir was an older lioness from Var's past who had betrayed him when they were ambushed by a clan of family members.

"You heard?" Var said, not surprised.
"I saw sweetheart" Magir corrected.

"What do you want?" he growled. She came around and sat by the waters, right next to him. Var hated her look. Her fur was a strange pale color, dull. In a way, a strange grayish, sand-like color. Her eyes were dark amber. She was sickly skinny, as if starved. Her furry white lips looked normal though, and she had a young-looking pink tongue that could speak a single sentence that would breed a hater. Among her white shaded underbelly, there was much fluff and warm fur. She had a few white scars along her face that described many sad stories to Var. In a way, he had always felt so sorry for her--but in another, he viewed her as deserving of what she got.

"I heard you were around, and I wanted to see you" Magir cooed.
Var growled. "Why? Do you think you can lead me straight into a pack of hybrid family members and then leave me again? I thought you were my friend!"

"I was, and I am." Magir hacked and went on. "I've been watching you for several days now. I must say that your pride has a lot of mercy, to claim you after you and your brothers and father abused so many..."

"...Don't remind me" Var said painfully, partly shocked that she had even said that. In a bit of disbelief of it as well.

"But as I was saying, I want to know how you are doing. Anything going on recently?" she asked. Var thought for a moment before speaking. "Not really." He shut her off. Not taking the risk of her leaking any information. Though he assumed that if there was something to hide, likely Aziza already knew. Her spies were everywhere. He would be willing to tell Magir the names of his friends, for which Aziza would probably find out anyways. But he would not describe them or tell their backstories--simply list them.

"Have any friends?"

"Gamba, Layla, Kyra, and Coglon. The closest ones that is."

"Interesting. A mate perhaps? Something I failed to catch eye of while stalking you?"

"Well not at the moment. I focus my mind on more important things. No doubt in time I plan on having a family, but in the conditions of these days with my insane family... it could never happen. I'd never put anyone into that. Never. Not for anything or anyone."

"Forgive me. How is Jali?" she asked. "The last time I saw him we were cubs."

"The king? He's doing fine I suppose. His mate is Sira. So Jali, how do you know him?" asked Var. Magir spoke gingerly now; she flattened her ears in a way that suggested a sensitive subject.

"Well, many people don't know that Jali and I were once friends. He and his brother Taru used to sneak out to the plains, the place I used to play in when I was a cub. We would always play there together, even as teenagers. That was when Jali got sucked up by his father into prince duties and I never really saw him that much again. So, Sira? They're together? I always suspected he had a thing for her. Sometimes when he went away from the fields, he told me it was prince duties. And one day I followed him when he left and he walked all the way down to that little romantic pond behind the old Ridge Pride camp where nobody ever went. I know I smelled her in the area when I left, so I knew he had to have been meeting her there. I'd also seen her with him many times when the allied prides would meet in the Twilight Gatherings."

"Why does it matter so much to you?" asked Var. "Do you have a crush on him or something?"

"Goodness no. Not Jali" Magir said almost with disgust at the thought.  "Besides I'm too unsightly for a Ridge Pride lion in my current state. Just saying," she said.

"Sunset Pride now" Var corrected.
Magir rolled her eyes. "So many changes..." She thought for a moment and then looked back at him with a wondering gaze. "So this tiglon who is in your pride. Who is he?" asked Magir.

"His name is Gamba. He's Layla's mate."
"Layla?" asked Magir. Var said rolling his eyes. "She's a little uh... easily depressed..."

"Lionesses are a very fragile creature" Magir scowled. "You would never know what it's like... the pressure we're put under. You're just a male. Males are the ones that make it this way..."
He rolled his eyes. "She hasn't gone through that much."

"I suppose there's not much comparison when held up to your history. So, who's this silver lioness you hang out with?" asked Magir.

"That's Kyra. She's my age. She and Gamba have known each other for a while and she's probably my best friend around the pride. Kyra's really nice. She gave me a lot of confidence. And she's really unique too" Var said thinking about the fact that Kyra likes to climb trees. He even thought about telling Magir about it, but figured it would be too risky.

"I see," Magir said lapping up some water from the pond. She looked up at the skyscraping moon and then back at Var. "So she's your best friend. Is there a reason for it?"
"She's nice. I like her. She's a bright, happy person unlike Layla. Seeing her bouncing down the camp with so much joy makes me forget what a cruel world this is and it just fills me up with so much happiness. She helps a lot in times of... terror. Had she not been there for me... I don't know what I would have done, or what I would be doing. She's so encouraging, and happy... I can barely stand people who are easily upset. Sometimes I just want to knock them upside the head and tell them to suck it up--because they've gone through nothing. If they shared my past, then they'd know what pain really is. But until they see that day, they should hold back those tears... If Sunset Pride is just full of depressed lionesses, I'm never gonna find a mate one of these days" he said. "If I ever do find someone like that, I want them to be tough, courageous, brave, and above all--joyful."

"Interesting. Speaking of that, you have any likenesses for any of the lionesses there? You ever gonna have cubs Var?"

"Why are you so nosy?" asked Var.

"I'm not nosy, I'm curious. I just want to know what you're like. The last time I saw you, you were just a little cub. I want to know about your future dreams and plans!" said Magir.
"So how are you faring?" Var asked with narrowed eyes. He knew Magir hadn't expected that and was just trying to spy on his life like a drama queen. Magir made circle eyes and then mumbled.

"I'm fine..." she said as her eyes zipped to looking at the ground next to her or somewhere she was trying to look at behind her yet didn't turn her head. "That's it? I gave you all that and you won't give me any more?" asked Var.

Magir rolled her eyes.  "There's nothing about me you need to know dear. Trust me."
"I know that you were friends with my father, don't lie," Var said. Magir got a guilty face. "I was, back when I was actually still attractive. I didn't like what he did to everyone, that's when I ran away."

"Why would you run away just because of that? It doesn't make sense to me."
Magir made a slightly angered face. "It's none of your business Var! Goodbye!" she huffed and then strolled past him and almost into the woods. He wondered what that was all about. He growled. "Magir! Get back here this instant!"

He heard no response and growled. He took off after her, not going to let her escape. It was only a matter of seconds away from they were standing. Magir, upon seeing him speeding after her, screamed and began running. Var leaped high in the air and pinned her down with a tackle and dragged her back to the pond. Var growled. "Magir, I don't like it when people don't answer my questions..."

Magir scowled. "You're quite the pain in the rump Var!" she hissed.
"Why'd you call me out here? Tell me the truth!"
Magir broke down. It looked like she wanted to cry, but she refused to do so. "Because as hard as it is to believe, I might actually like you Var. Since I was exiled you're the only friend I've had."

"What about the rest of my family? Aziza and Nassor and their clan?"
"What are you talking about? They mean absolutely nothing to me! Snake's side of the family is completely insane! I'm just the person that delivers them their wishes. I'm the outsider. I bring them their victims, but only because I have to if I wish to live. Nassor is ruthless. He'd hunt me down and destroy me. And Aziza is even worse. Your father and brothers might be dead Var, but this little ordeal is FAR from over!"

Var scowled but then he grew a bit more understanding. "If you're so afraid of them, why don't you just come to my pride and join us?"

"Jali would never take me in. Especially after my banishment from the old pridelands."
"You were banished by Yellow Pride, Dust Pride, and Crescent Pride, but not Ridge Pride" Var protested. Magir rolled her eyes. "Well I was exiled from the area that those four prides occupied. That giant piece of land. I have to travel all the way out here to Ethiopia just to get a small distance away from that place."

"Jali will forgive you."
Magir narrowed her eyes. "If I am chased away... I'm going to give Nassor and Aziza direct instructions on how to find you."

Var's own face tightened into a snarl. "Deal."

He got off of Magir and she shook the dust off her sickly pale pelt. She flicked him fast in the nose which put a bit of pain on his face. He shook his snout for a minute and then began to lead her back into the camp. They had soon reached the entrance to the camp. Jali was sitting outside the camp. His head was glancing at the ground, he looked like he was looking around for something.

"Ah, Var... Who is this lioness?"
"This is Magir, an old friend of mine. She wants to know if she could join the pride."

Jali's eyes widened. "Magir? Is that really you?" he asked. She nodded. He seemed to be more surprised than anything. "Amazing... Welcome, come on in. I know you good enough to know that you're trustworthy. Just come in, you're accepted."

"That was a long time ago. Are you sure you don't want to evaluate me or something?" asked Magir.

"It'll be fine. Come on, let's get a den for you."

Var had already been watching Coglon with a tilted and confused head. He spotted Magir sitting in a den with both Jali and Sira talking to her. He went on to talk to Coglon. "Hey Coglon. You need any help? Eleven sounds like a lot. I could help. What are you doing anyways?" he asked, predicting that he`d witness another one of Coglon`s brilliances

Layla's eyes widened with her ears pricking up. Her mouth formed the biggest drop-jaw smile she'd ever made. She wanted to jump up and spin around but figured it was to risky. She did however sit up next to her mate.

"Gamba this is amazing!" She said. She gave him a set of her own 'kisses' and laid her head on his shoulder. "I can't wait" she added. She began to notice a change in her own emotions. Through Gamba, she was growing stronger, she was growing happier and felt at peace. He helped her realize the world wasn't the dark and evil place foretold by do many. She imagined a cloak of protection around the two if them, a shield of mist and clouds all around that formed mystical walls.

An idea sparked. "Oh! I was going to ask you, what should we name them? I was thinking for a girl, if we were to have one--Kakra. Do you have any ideas?"

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Var nodded and had already found a good sized rock by a patch of brambles. He picked it up and slid it to a spot where he'd form a pile. It was decently shaped and looked similar to Coglon's rock. Soon as he travelled not far into a group of trees he brought back a few more rocks, some of them were rounder and would probably roll away. He folded his paw into a fist and gave strong pounds to side of the rocks. It shaped them as well as broke away and shattered unwanted shapes. He did this many times to each rock he found and eventually ha eleven and put them in a pile awaiting Coglon's instructions.

For a moment the thought of Kyra blissfully came into his mind. Then he wondered her location. "So where's your sister at? Is she out hunting or asleep or something?" He hoped that she was asleep. He began picturing her at the paws of Aziza and her clan, being tortured and tormented. And he knew that Aziza would probably kidnap Kyra if she sensed the two had a deep enough relationship, in an attempt to lure Var out of protected grounds. With his family running around in Sunset Pride territory, he feared the worst if Kyra had gone out to hunt. His facial expression probably told everyone who looked at him that he was worried about her. It was obvious she was in his mind.

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After Mabel had made her den and Shebla bid her goodnight, she went back to her own den which was connected to the immense medical den which was filled with 'tables' made of stumps and piled trees which held herbs and other equipment used to treat wounds. Shebla passed Kamuzu who was drinking from the lake which was also connected to the medical den in case of a wound that required treatment with water. It also helped with sickness for water was also a great way to wash things down or out.

She felt so sorry for the old, crippled medical lion. Kamuzu had no tail--or half of one at least. He was blind in his left eye which looked almost completely white. His mane was long and gray and like Mabel, arthritis and other plagues of age sunk deep into him. Shebla as a trained medical lioness could tell very clearly that his time was short.

"Kamuzu, do you need my help?" She asked offering to help the elder back to his bed.

"No, I'm fine Shebla. Thank you though" he replied. Shebla frowned. "Um... Okay. If you need me I'll be in my den" an with those words she sat alone in her den.

Var tripped over his words as he was placing the stones. "No, no--no, no, I didn't mean she is weak. In fact I know she is very strong. It's just that you didn't hear our conversation earlier. I have a group of hybrid family members far stronger than anyone else in this entire pride and one of them controls a network of vultures and carrion eaters. If the vultures find Kyra and discover her tree-climbing skill, they'll report it to Zalika who in return will tell the leader of the clan--Aziza. Aziza will begin to train the rest of the family to climb trees like Kyra does... Which would be tragic. I still don't think it's safe for anyone to be alone--especially at night." Var exclaimed as he placed the final rock. "There we go" he added afterwards.

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Layla smiled softly. She gave out a soft hum. "It's perfect!Atsu... Perfect for a boy!" She proclaimed. She gave a thought and a moment's pause before speaking again. "It's good that we now have Mabel. She'll be able to fill Kamuzu's place when he... Goes. A few weeks before you arrived, the pride's Seeress, Ramla--the one who delivers us the messages the spirits send, said that the spirits were telling her that his time was short... I feel sorry for him, he's had a lot of rough experiences with those twoleggers" she said hinting the humans.

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A large bird fashioned of feathers of the night landed on a branch. It smiled balefully to Aziza. As it repeated everything it had overheard, Aziza's eyes widened with utmost interest. She seemed most interested in the white lion.

"Ammon... The white one, Kyra's father... Fascinating. Kyra is the silver lioness who I presume is Var's greatest friend an ally... Now that I have the information I need, we can make our first move... Nassor! Gather our allies"

It was about half an hour later. A huge mass of flesh slithered through the tall grasses and strode faded stripes. Her leopon mate stalking underneath the sea of green closely behind. A tiny little cannibal stepped with cautious paws at Nassor's heals. And a jaglion was trudging far behind. There were other shapes in the grass. Huge, muscular hyenas that were obviously not members of the family surrounded ever piece of grass that passed. Aziza who was leading them stopped as they came near the forests that bordered Sunset Pride. She stopped in a gap directly under the limbs that Kyra was perched in. She sniffed. "I smell something..." She told Nassor. Nassor waved her down. "Probably just the scent barriers tapping in" he reassured her. She nodded.

"Right! Hyenas! Remember that this is NOT an attack--yet... You are to remain hidden until my command. I realize that you don't like taking orders--your old queen, Scar was corrupt and gave you too many--but you must be aware that if you seek revenge on her with my power in your hands, you will do what little things I ask of you--and unlike Scar, I will kill those who rebel from me..." She looked to Nassor, Cyla, an the jaglion who was in the shadows, unable for Kyra to see.

"First we must find Var and Kyra. If Var refuses to bend to our will and complete our prophecy, we shall kill Kyra--judging from what we've observed of him, he cares for her quite much. And not even her father will be able to save her when she's surrounded by so many enemies... Is Kavis ready?"

Nassor nodded. "He and the Witchdoctors are on their way."

"Good. We shall follow Magir's scent trail. That lousy lioness, too stupid to wipe away her trail... Now let's go!" And immediately a million shadows and shapes had passes underneath Kyra.

Fk

Jali didn't even respond verbally but had ran past Kyra after she mentioned the impending attack and woke up Taru from his den behind the hill. They began rallying the warriors and guards and Jali was shouting for mothers and their cubs to hide in the royal cave. Sira sat on a large rock I the cave and watched the secret crevice near the very back of the chamber.

Var's ears dropped to the minimal and his eyes turned grave. "I... I never meant to betray you... I... I don't mean to blame the king, but Jali is the one who made u spill information on Ammon... The rest was me." He thought for a moment and after overhearing Kyra mention the Witchdoctors, he jumped up next to her.

"Kyra... I know that you are very strong, probably far stronger than any lioness here... But there are certain people you must avoid fighting--some of them you'll stand zero chance against..." He thought for a brief instant.

"There are two hyenas named Neith and Drey. They are the Witchdoctors. They have darker fur, kinda like Zanita's but oddly have lighter shades near the shoulders. They are huge and I shall always believe they have the power of the spirits in their hands... If they arrive, nobody that fights them will live. They must be stopped by a force of nature or of someone of equal power... And they will likely be traveling with Kavis... He has a plan that involves me, though I've never really known what it is. He spoke of some sort of prophecy last time we met... He wants me and if you try to fight him--he will kill you without relent... Keep far from Aziza and her mate Nassor--for they may be older, but they are still strong. Go for the hyenas... The jaglion is too stealthy, fast, and she seems to become one with the shadows... Again I do not underestimate you--but they are too much for even me... I'm sorry I brought this on you. And Coglon has told me that you followed me and I can see that you would think I am angry--but I am not. I am more than happy--I could never be mad at you for caring about me, if that is in fact what you followed me for. Kyra I have decided... I may leave the pride. I can't be held responsible for a war, for a horrendous battle that will no doubt result in many deaths..."

Var thought for a moment and looked at Kyra. "I must go..." He left her and began walking down the "steps" formed by the flat rocks protruding from the side of the hill. The sky gave a few gentle and soft rolls of thunder and a small flicker of light in the horizon as soft and light rain began to fall. Var smelled Ammon even with the oncoming rain and it fueled him with nervousness. As he pondered he began to recognize new feelings. He smelled the scent of his enemies--it was horrid. Aziza's clan and the new hyenas smelled like a powerful mix of rotten, decaying flesh, urine, dung, and the stench of disease.

"King Jali! King Jali!" Shouted a voice from the darkness. Jali readied into attack position and so did the warriors as a bloody, mauled hyena scampered out into the camp. Taru charged but as it squealed the king ordered everyone to hold back.

"Jali! It's me! Feth, Scar's mate. Remember?" He asked.

"Yes! What is it?" Jali asked.

"There's been a rebellion! A monster came into the clan and turned everyone against each other! It was destroyed! Smother Klan is dead! The ones that supported Scar were scattered all over your territory!"

"What happened to Scar?!" Jali asked.

"She and the cubs had to hide out in a place I found for them... It's as good as I can do!" He coughed up blood.

"Scar had her cubs!?"

Feth nodded and gave out a whimper. "A tiny little lioness came into the camp during the chaos of the rebellion and managed to eat one of our cubs... Scaf chased it off... There are two hyenas coming that are renown all over Eritrea and Somalia as The Witchdoctors and the spirits are helping them!"

Ramla had already emerged from her orchard far back in the forest. She was a young and beautiful lioness but both of her eyes were silver with blindness. She could see slight shapes, but always required assistance. Shebla was helping her navigate.

"It's true! The spirits are angry with us!" She pleaded.

"Why?! What have we done other than save lives and take in the needy!"

Ramla spoke. "Star did something long ago that angered the spirits... He was said to have possessed an object called the Sivoka. It was a sacred stone scent straight from the Spirit World, forged on their Eternal Mountain by Synthel, the Spirit of Sights, Omens, and Elements of the Supernatural. He sent the stone down here to help save us since the evil spirit named Dalmaa has been stirring up destruction. Dalmaa's name literally means darkness and he takes the shape of a leopard but colored black with eyes painted with blood. He plans to destroy everyone which would be like spitting in the face of the other creators of the world. Anyways, the stone was sent to be retrieved by The Chosen One, someone chosen in a prophecy and said to restore peace to the world. Though I have never had any prophecy of the sort... Star thought he'd be alright for the job and in return the stone cursed him an made him die in a battle the next week. The stone was lost and carried to Ethiopia by ravens and it was said to be somewhere very close..." She said.

"The Sivoka? I knew there was a sacred stone... And I may know who could tell us where it is... But I had no idea that my dad took it... Who could we return it to? You perhaps?" Jali asked.

"We'd have to take it to the Talon, the place in the Okavongu where I lost my vision and had achieved my dream of becoming a Seeress... It's the place suggested to be closest to the Spirits--well not true. The closest place would be in the deepest depths of the world under the ground... For where there is darkness there will always be light. Above ground, the Talon is the best bet. But if you're not going there to become a Seeress, there will be one large and very tragic price..."

"Such as?" Jali said with a slight tremble.

"Life I would assume. One may die or become injured or ill. Something terrible... But it is the only way to stop the terror..."

Suddenly cackling emerged from the forest as the snakes forms of Aziza and her clan drew forth in the soft rain.

Var's ears dropped to the minimal and in the moonlight it had been revealed that he had been crying, tears were simply everywhere--crawling down his face in every spot. His eyes were bloodshot with the reddened blades of sadness. He sobbed.

"My family and their newly organized army is attacking Sunset Pride. They're looking for me. When they find that I am nowhere to be found... They will leave and not harm as many--they may take Shebla, but they will be looking for me... You may have smelled the rotting smell moving across the plains, there is a dark and deathly curse on Sunset Pride and I refuse to inflame it any more..." He switched to knew thoughts and as he thought of something new, he let out a deep and horrid sob.

"And... And Kyra! I love her so much... I never truly realized it until tonight... And I can't put her through this--because Aziza and Nassor and the few family members around them are not the only ones--Snake's family is vast and enormous... And there are so many more over in Somalia, in the Badlands..." Var thought for a moment.

"I have a rule for myself--if I really love Kyra, I'll draw my family as far away from her as possible and keep it that way... But even now I feel like I can't go another inch in front of me without her..." Var's mane became wet and dripped drops of water drop by drop and the rain became heavier. Mud swallowed up around his paws am slushed between his toes. He smashes a snake that had slithered up next to him and another.

"Zanita... My family is destroying everything... And I betrayed them... I told so much to Magir, I spilled so much when Jali questioned us about Ammon..."

Var thought for a moment. His ears pricked up. "I... I can't do this... I can't bear to be without Kyra... I have an idea... Zanita, would you be willing to help us fight off the Smother Klan rebels and my family? Would you bring warriors from your clan over here?"

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Aziza smashed many snakes slithering to her. "The spirit of Snake is aiding us in our fight! Keep yourselves alive and fight!" She shouted. "He is merciless even to us!"

Jali looked to Ammon with an astonished light in his eyes reflected by the moonlight. "Ammon, help us..."

Nassor had already pinned Taru down and was raking his face. The hyenas were spreading everywhere and Jali was already sending forces to fight off the humans as much as they could.

Jali somehow stood still, his world being destroyed around him, his head slowly spun around glancing at the destruction and he stopped as his vision fell into a patch of bushes. There was a flicker of lightning and a sharp roll of thunder and within it he could have sworn he saw the brief shape of a creature standing in the bushes, visible ever so. It had long black fur and terrifying red eyes--no mane and seemingly leopard resemblance.

"When the Darkness closes in... Standing still time may be... Till twilight sanity stands, but after its opposite arises. Thorn by thorn and twig by twig... Kings shall rise and kings shall fall--for biding blood, that nectar of life--doubting yourself as you see you yourself fail... Your time to fall--be it now..."

The voice that emerged was dark and deep, by far it was the most sinister thing Jali ha ever heard and it scared him to no end.

"No... Never..." He spoke and the shadow had gone.

Ramla began screaming as Shebla rushed her to the royal cave, but it wasn't because of the attack--she was looking at the bushes where Jali had seen the creature and he noticed her. It made him shake.

"Come on!" Shebla rushed her away. He could tell she had seen something... But how? She was blind! Jali began to question his own sanity. Though he noticed that he and Ramla were the only ones that saw the creature.

"Jali! What are you doing?! Help us!" Taru was screeching. Aziza cackled as she approached Jali and Ammon, not fearing them as she had equal strength to both of them an with so many allies had little to give worry to.

"Hello there my king and my little snowy friend" she gave a hoarse, old cackled with a hacking in the back of her throat.

"Why are you doing this Aziza?! What could you possibly hope to achieve?"

"Every family has its prophecy..." Aziza fleered. Fenuku ha come out and stood next to them, he listened.

"The Witchdoctors foretold of a day when Snake's dynasty ruled all of the world..."

"Var is the only one of his descendency left and will refuse this!" Jali shouted.

"Pah!" Aziza laughed. "You honestly think I want Var? He's just going to lead me to my true goal! And did you honestly think that all of Snake's descendants were the males? How ignorant and sexist of you Jali! No! Snake had many daughters that he rejected and tossed away because he viewed females to be inferior in strength and unfitting to be members of his family gang. There are sisters... We are searching for them. When we find them, one shall become the mate of Kavis--future king of all of these lands! And as they have children, the children will have blood from both Snake and Kavis--true son of King Saber! Then the family bloods shall be tied together and a new gene will be created that will ultimately rule over all of the world!"

"You are insane!" Jali retorted. Also in part disbelief of Aziza's claim.

"I also have many smaller plans... But that is the main idea anyways..."

Fenuku stepped forward. "You foul thing! You know that prophesies only tell what may be, not what will be..."

Aziza scoffed, her face turning from fiendishly amused to angry and darkened. "I see you have an enlightened one in your midst Jali..."

Jali looked at Fenuku. "Fenuku... Layla has little room in her heart for more deaths..." He gave a sharp whisper. The lion nodded but would not back down.

As Kyra had backed away and moved from the main point of battle, a dark and eerie jaglion came out fro the brambles in front of the silver lioness. There was a black vulture on her shoulder. "Go on" she told the bird and it flapped away. Her voice was slippery and like silk, foreboding and scary. It would shake the hearts of warriors, her cold red eyes fit with it in a sinister way. She looked to Kyra after swatting a few snakes away.

Her red eyes seemed to glow as the rest of her body was cast under a shadow by the night, all but her back and the edges of her outline which glowed with the white and blue moonlight.

"Hello Kyra... Yes, I know who you are. I have been watching you for weeks... I am Zalika, the jaglion Var spoke to you about... Var... Such a curious lion. Tattered and torn by his family and selfless... Putting you before him always..." She thought for a moment. A strong and violent flash of lightning displayed her grim facial features in an instant. Her lips were jagged and scarred. She had two or three teeth exposed to the world from it. Scars wrapped around her lower snout--it was signs she had murdered someone with the "Kiss of Death" which was described in many lion legends about the spirits. Suffocating and face-mauling technique that the Seers had proclaimed was not to be used on other lions or similar cats--only on prey. Though the scars from her victim's attempt of resistance shown that she did otherwise.

"I have come to a conclusion based on many observations... Var has developed a very... Deep field of care for you. And you have done the same. And as I watched the two of you part a moment ago, and what Var just did in the forest--reported by my many vassals--I have found a deep sense of feelings stirring between the two of you. Var went off into the forest and sobbed the most I've ever seen--so many tears, like someone had died..." Zalika licked her paws and flicked her tail as a few vultures came out from the bushes. She bent her head down as they whispered into her ear and she nodded before they took off.

"Kyra, you love him... I can tell. He is the love of your life. But he cares about you so much that he refuses to cause the slightest danger to you--because he knows that if you are seen with him, his family won't relent until you are dead." She scratched behind her ear. " Kyra, you cannot continue to keep things bottled up inside... It will destroy your mind and cause poor crisis resolution skills... I have seen it thousands of times. Do you need to talk about it?" Zalika asked.

-----------------------------

Var continued to follow Zanita into the woods fearing the eclipse above like it was about to strike him. He had never seen one before and knew that it meant something...

Meanwhile Aziza laughed, tormentingly. Her crimson eyes beat down onto her opponents like pockets of fire. She cackled with a hoarse gargle in the back of her throat. Washing the gunk out she hacked and spit it into the ground in front of Ammon.

"You're an idiot! From your history I thought you'd at least be a little wiser. Tell me whitey, what happens when someone throws a blanket over that light? All I have to do us get rid of whatever will give you hope..." Aziza smiled. "Your mother may be battling Snake, but I assure you he'll win... He simply must strike down your little birdies..." She looked to the skies where she saw the eclipse an gave a sinister grin.

"Your time is running short Jali! Look, the Eclipse foretold in the prophecy has already began!" She shouted.

"Which prophecy? What eclipse?" Jali shouted. Aziza shook her head. "Where is Var?" She asked.

------------------------

Zalika looked at Kyra skeptically. Her blackish fur was but a silhouette with a glowing blue rim from the moon. Her eyes glared back at Kyra.

"What would I accomplish from killing you? Sweetheart you must realize that not everyone is out to get you..." She sighed and looked at the Eclipse.

"Snake is battling your grandmother. And he intends to win... Kyra, I hope you know that Dalmaa is almost upon us--if you even know who he is..."

Zalika glanced back with a serene look in her eyes. "You see evil in me do you not? Yet I tell you today that there is more to evil than just darkness. Everyone has good in them--whether they see it or not. It is there... And I'm going to tell you now that Var's father is searching for you... Look behind you"

There was a long snake, larger and seemingly thicker than Kyra's entire body. It was black with green eyes and a forked pink tongue flickered from its scaly lips. It sat wrapped around many low hanging tree limbs maliciously and spoke with a soft yet sinister and slithery voice, soaking her soul in dark words.

"Kyra..." it spoke. "Do you know who I am?" it did not allow her time to answer. "I am the spirit of the father of Var... And I have overheard you say you love him..." Snake recoiled.

"I am... Astonished with my son and his foolishness. He betrayed me and took to you and the rest of Sunset Pride... I am jealous... I cannot stand to watch my corrupt son prosper and be happy... He has come to you and soon I know that the both of you will fall in love... I must not let Var pass down his blood into a family an I must not let him have cubs of his own... Kyra, forgive me. It is nothing against you, just business..." the snake made a low hissing sound and lunged forward to strike Kyra, missing the first time but then slithering out from the tree branches and onto the ground.

"Var must not have a family... Must not have a mate... Must not be happy..."

Zalika walked up and onto a large fallen tree and watched the fight that would emerge from a distance and silently cheering on Snake as he struck.

Snake let out a hiss as he pulled away. "You are a foul and unsightly bird. How many diseases I could guess you have... You know nothing, you know not even the beginning seeds of the prophecy. I know much of what is to come, what challenges the Sunset Pride shall face... you may strike me and I may strike you, but shall it really matter? Both of us be immortal, far beyond damage. You are the old spirit of the girl's grandmother, whose tale I am familiar with. You will end up like all birds, laying cold and dead in the maw of the dire snake slithering in front of you... If I strike you down now, your spirit will live on in the form of your birds--mine ever so in the form of my snakes..."

He hissed. "You fling yourself between I and Kyra, let your granddaughter take a stand and test a spirit... But I will not object to more food in the belly of my servant's body..."

Zalika growled. "You foolish girl!" she shouted at Kyra. "You dare fight Snake's spirit? You're not only messing with him, but the High Spirits themselves! Snake is the one they sent to destroy you and the rest of your clan!"

______________________________________________________

As Var stepped into the den, his paws trembled. He knew already that he'd see spirits he didn't want to see... his family. On his way in, he could have sworn he saw his father walking next to him in a lion's form... but with writhing bats crawling and shrieking all over him.

"Zanita... you might see things you don't want to see in here" Var said. "I'm sure you may have seen many terrors... but after hearing the prophecy from Ramla... Dalmaa and my father are after me and I know that they will be here tonight... I know my father, but not in spirit form. And I don't know what Dalmaa will bring..."

"Legless?" Snake smiled with his reptilian mask. Zalika herself had never seen a snake's face emit emotions like this puppet did. Snake giggled, hissing. His eyes seemed to glow shades and layers of orange and red, with slits of black that seethed into the crimson coals like razors.

"Well we'll just see about that" he cackled. Suddenly small stubs began to form on the sides of Snake's reptilian body that were unlike any of any other creature known in Africa. His core body began to mold and increase in size, growing fatter and with more muscles to support and give the body proportion. Long black spines, spikes, and thorns slithered from the top of the back of the head of the snake and traveled down to the tail which was now tipped with a long rattle that steamed fog to distort Kyra's vision. Now that the stubs had been formed, they extended and elongated into long legs tipped with ferocious feet with long black talons and hard metallic skin. Snake cackled again, his voice seemed unnatural and unearthly. The fog was too thick to see much, but suddenly red eyes blasted through and cleared a bit for Kyra to get an eyeful of the monster.

"My precious little daughter, you have much to fear..." He licked his lips with his long black tongue and squirted a river of yellow toxins from his lips, honey-like in the eyeful but deathly in the mouthful. He'd strike her as well as he could.

Suddenly another form had come up from the rocks. It was tall and colored completely white, it would have been easily mistaken for Ammon himself had it not been for the strange silver aura covering him. The lion had glowing blue eyes that looked like they'd been dipped in the ocean. It was obvious who he was... Star.

"Don't let him bite you! He has the curse!" Star shouted. Snake opened his mouth in a giggle as it was revealed that several bats crawled out and slithered across his snout. Both yellow poison and white froth drizzled down in a fashion most unpleasant.

"Bringing Var down with you!" Snake shouted warped and distorted.

_______________________________________________________________________


Aziza could hear the shouts of Snake and Kyra and smiled. "Snake is here more than you think Jali!" she said. Jali was beginning to wonder if she was correct. "We are safe! The spirits are with us!"

"They are with you yes.. as in, they occupy the same space as you. They are far from your side in this. Because of what you and your father did... Now where is your little medical lioness Shebla?" Aziza licked her lips. "What?" asked Jali.

"Shebla, bring that girl to me and it might save your life..." she said.

"You mean this is all just about a stupid revenge?" Jali retorted. Aziza scowled. "She did much harm... the spirits told us that her death will be a part of their plan too!"
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Suddenly a few twigs snapped upon the quiet forest. Two hyenas, dark and mysterious were closing in. Their eyes were pink with darkness and walking behind them was a creature larger than Aziza, larger than Nassor, perhaps larger than Ammon himself. It was blackish and barely visible under the bramble, but his dark face was more than clear... he wanted something, he had a lust for blood and was going to fulfill that thirst.

___________________________________________________

Var stepped forward. "Hello Nakul. I am Var--of course being a spirit I'm sure you already knew that. I... I honestly don't know what to say. I am astonished to be in your presence. I never thought this day would come... or why it would come to me. I am shameful of my kind, for so long we took you all as nothing more than legends and myths... until now." Var thought for a moment.

"What is to become of my pride? Is it true that Star stole that stone? Are we doomed to be destroyed? What of all those innocent people? Would you punish them for his sin? Tell me about Dalmaa ever so more as well..."

Var had taken everything in and was astonished. He would have been in deeper thought, but the mention of Kyra fighting Snake was cutting into his mind like a blade and he couldn't pluck it out. Before saying anything else, he mentioned "I understand. I shall accept. And as for Kyra, please protect her in her fight with my father. I don't know what I'd do without her..." he took in more.

"I will assure that the Wicked Prophecy is not fulfilled, but the Prophecy of Hope is the wake of these events. I will dismantle my father's grip on our pride as much as I can... Thank you for answering my questions. I mean not to rush, but many lives are at stake and depend upon my return. I must leave" he answered.

Just outside the camp, upon a heap of rocks all piled upon each other sat several figures. They saw the Nightstone from where they were perched and all seemed to give out low growls.

"He is speaking with Nakul, Naja, and Pono and of course he is with Zanita... We should have stopped him in the forest when we had the chance!" spoke one of the feminine figures. She was a lioness but had blackish skin that looked like it was steaming. Her eyes were color changing and morphed from red to green, to purple, to yellow, to deep blue. She looked up at the other figures who all looked quite similar. "What do we do when he comes out of their protection?"

"Wait for His orders..." spoke a deeper masculine voice. Suddenly a loud growl sounded from the bushes behind the group. They looked behind themselves to see a pair of big, scarlet eyes glowing from the darkness and looking out into the night. From the glow of the scorching eyes, they could see slight traces of its crinkled snout drew into a fateful snarl.

"Release the girl" the ominous voice shot out like a flaming dart. It seemed to make them all shiver, shudder, and shake. They trembled in his presence as though he wielded the powers of life and death themselves. The spirits nodded and let out a hissing sound from their snouts.

A body was trapped under many long weeds and roots unearthed from the ground, being bound to the dirt below by them. It was a lioness. She got up, dirty and disgraced and fearful. She had deep green eyes and darkly shaded fur... something was familiar looking about her. She had a clip in her right ear and many long displays of purple scars around her paws. She looked like a very tough fighter, but she was as fearful as a mouse in the presence of a viper.

"If you know what's good for you you'll scram right now! Go out there and find your brother, he's almost done talking with some monsters in that big rock!" one of the spirits had said. She almost scampered away, but considered what they'd said. She looked back, seeing that some of them had vanished. Each of them were beginning to grow strange silver-ish auras and were beginning to grow transparent. They were slowly dissipating. One of them in a leopard's form with golden glowing eyes looked at her with distaste.

"Go wait by those bushes" he said pointing with a claw. "Your brother is the enormous lion that will be coming out alongside that putrid black hyena" the spirit said. The female hesitated but could wait no longer when thousands of crows and black ravnes had swarmed from the bushes where the red eyes were. A wind blazed from that evil set of looking orbs as a loud and horrid voice shouted "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

The birds cawed and she heard them in the skies just slightly above her as she ran away and sat next to a bush, crying her eyes out. A hyena had spotted her and approached her, but cautiously.

"Dear, what's wrong? What happened?" he asked.

"Get away from me! I'm cursed! They'll be after you next!" she hissed. Frightened, the hyena had run off fearing it was a trick of the evil spirits. The talk of the prophecies and spirits had been increasing that night and there were terrible rumors spreading all over the pridelands. Each clan that lived within them was reaching terrible news and receiving omens unlike those before their time.

_____________________________________________________________________


Snake gave out a loud "gaaaawwww!" He danced around attempting to smash wherever she'd be. Finally he stopped and took in several breaths.

"Your wind blows my fire stronger, your water fuels my ice..." With that he let out a hiss, but it was unlike the hisses of a common snake. It was dark and dire and far beyond anything a mortal serpent could produce. It was as though billions of undead snakes were hissing together. Suddenly Kyra felt something sharp at her side. Though there was nothing there, a sensation formed that felt like the strangling process of a massive constrictor. It was a very tight squeeze and if she didn't fight it off, it would crush her.

Snake's eyes glowed and his teeth began to steam as a lava-like substance poured from his gums and began to coat them. It dripped onto the ground and singed the life out of everything it touched. His rattle came up to Kyra's face. It was steaming with heat and looked like a metallic substance had coated it with the heated fire. He taunted, waving it around her face threatening to burn into her and he would if he wasn't having so much fun squeezing her.

"Kyra, you don't have to fight. Let me kill you and by the end of the night you and Var will both be together forever in the Afterlife" he spoke. His voice like silk, yet rough as coals. His long black tongue slicked out, slithering to and from his snarl and was coated in a fine layer of seething, boiling black fluid.

Snake's rattle crackled and popped and with its own explosion his entire body burst open into a cloud of black smoke and a loud metallic screech was placed there in the air with it. But it was not over. There was something else standing there where the monster had been destroyed...

It was Snake in his lion-like form. Though his tail was that of a snake's and had a long white rattle on the end of it. His deep green eyes looked at Kyra softly now. "My dear daughter... You are so arrogant. Do you honestly believe you can win? Even if I kill you and your spirit lives on, we can fight and fight an neither of us will make an impact on each other. But by killing you it will make an impact on Var and drive him to insanity. Such is my desire. But now he has been given powers... powers that out of the mortals, only Kavis will be able to stomp..."

He snarled. "I have no master. Dalmaa is simply an ally. We are not his slaves, not his workers! He simply helps us in this rebellion... You would never understand. The higher spirits are corrupt, claiming that they are for good when they sent a sacred stone down here made precisely to kill us all and destroy what they classify as bad. But we see you all differently with better understanding and for it we are labelled as evil. I admit I am not the best example of this, but I do hope you see what is true..."

He softened his face and his black mane swirled with the breeze as he looked up at the faded and passed eclipse. He turned back to Kyra. "Your people are corrupt. Jali and Sira hide so many things... they haven't even told you of that little underground chasm behind a secret opening in their cave... it leads down, down below and under the ground into a place not quite safe and sound. But a dark place where all spirits may walk and talk and breathe and blink. For that is where Jali knows dark secrets lie. His life has been full of lies and sins, sins that nobody knows about. The spirits will release those dark secrets, tell you all everything and at last our plan will be completed and Sunset Pride will be free of Star's dynasty."

He approached her calmly and not about to attack. He made circles around her, eyeing her from head to toe as though in search of weakness. But he knew she was strong in both body and heart. "Kyra, you do not know Var's past quite well. You are familiar with the things I've done, but wouldn't you like to see what happened directly? Come this way and walk with me... I shall show you why Var is the way he is today..."

He pushed Kyra along by the shoulder. Strangely his own skin felt almost like running water up against her and tingled when it touched the tips of her fur. His eyes glowed green as they lit up the dark path ahead. Snakes cleared away as Snake pawed his way forward and green flames lit on both sides of the path. It was obvious that the fires only existed to Kyra and Snake. The path began to grow into one that did not belong to the camp and looked unnatural and distorted... obviously it could only be accessed by a spirit, or perhaps it wasn't even real. An alternate realm perhaps.

Soon they came to a dark clearing where the green flames were not so plentiful. It was a huge crater with a small pond in its belly with many, many creeks that branched off from it and brush and bramble petting its surface. Snake stopped at a large cliff side to the crater and held out a paw to keep Kyra from walking any further.

All of the sons were in the lake standing on logs and pieces of land that had surfaced from underneath. They all looked much younger. Var was very young and was the one standing in the back of the group, trying not to participate. Snake was slashing away at a male and finally after the jaw of the male was detached and slung across the ground with blood flinging from head to toe. Snake and Nithili laughed as did Barcal and Urathi. Var simply sighed desperately.

There was a female laying beaten and bruised on a large rock with many cubs sitting in the tall grasses, trying to hide. Barcal brought each child out by the scruff. Snake inspected them all.

"So did you enjoy your mate's death my little princess?" Snake taunted the female running a claw over her nose and as he continued to do so he pressed harder until it drew a bit of blood.

"No! No!" said the female. "Please leave my babies be!"

"You mean my babies? The cubs you bore me?" Snake growled. "I am a father now and the one you take orders from!" he said. He looked at all the children again. "Such a shame too! They're all female! These will NOT do! We'll feed them to the crocodiles that live in River Pride's little strip of water. Someone go and feed the dragons!"

"Me! Let it be me father!" Urathi cried. Nithili and Barcal also pleaded for the position but Snake spotted Var sitting quietly behind them.

"No! It must be Var" Snake said. Var's eyes widened. "Um, me? Couldn't Nithili do it?" Var pleaded.

"No! Your brothers do everything! Go take these girls and kill them. I want to know you learned something today..." the dire father had spoken. Var gulped and scooped up the children, putting a few on his back and hanging two by their scruffs. He slowly walked on. The spirit of Snake gestured for Kyra to follow as they began to follow the childhood Var into the woods. It seemed like twenty minutes, maybe more. Perhaps even an hour had gone by. Var hadn't even gone towards the river, he went on to the camp of Yellow Pride. As he burst into the den of mothers in the pride, he was panting.

"Would anyone in here please, please take these girls?! Their mother was just murdered by their father, please save them!" he begged. The mothers seemed shocked and afraid and refused. Var finally got angry.

"LISTEN! IF YOU DON'T TAKE THEM IN I'M GOING TO COME BACK HERE WITH AN ARMY OF LIONS AND KILL YOU ALL!" he lied, but it didn't matter. It was obvious the lionesses only refused because of the terrible tragedy that Var had announced. Fear that the father would track down his lost young. The females got up and begged Var not to, not knowing whether he was truly some prince of an army, or not. But they took the cubs anyways and he went on their way.

Snake looked at Kyra as they continued to follow the young Var. They made their way back to the place where the brothers and their father were. Finally Var came back in and saw that all of the brothers were laying unconscious on the ground. Snake held a huge stone in his claws, a giant rock. He threw it at Var, hitting him in the flank and causing him to fall down. Snake took the rock and pinned Var onto the ground. He repetitively bashed Var's head with the rock screaming "WON'T! REMEMBER! A THING!" and finally as Var coughed up a bit of blood, he passed out.

The scene had changed without a blink and the two found themselves sitting back in the path by the camp where they had fought before. Snake looked at Kyra. "I've got a dozen more tragedies, ones far worse than that one. But I thought you might like to know... there are more than just the four brothers, Kyra. What else would you like to know about my son? Take advantage of my kindness while you can..."

___________________________________________________________


Var rushed out of the Nightstone, looking around the camp for any suspicious figures. He waited on Zanita, but by then it was too late. A lioness had come out from the bushes. "Brother! Brother!" she shouted and ran right into him. She stopped and gave him a long embrace across the flank with her own arms as much as a lion could.

"Um, who are you?" Var asked. She backed away and looked at him with a sad, yet somewhat joyful face. "My name is Subira. The spirits told me to come here, they said I was your sister but you and I never knew it because you were made to forget and I was too young to remember..."

Var looked at Zanita. "What do you make of this?" he asked.

Snake's form had turned rotten. His fur had turned black and his eye were glowing emeralds. His fur was mangled with mange and grease and white frothing foam drizzled down as plentiful as the waters of an ocean from his cold and bloodstained lips. His eyes were watery and his body was frail and skinny. Black bats were crawling all over him and swarming all over his body.

"If you're so bent on fighting, I will happily participate. But this only tells me you have such a weak an frail psyche that you refuse to listen to my mental challenges."

Suddenly a black snake made of smoke shot out from under his paw and wrapped around Kyra. Another came from under another paw and another from under his tail. More shot fro the bushes and eventually they formed a giant net she could not breach. A giant bird, larger than the trees shout out from brambles and spread its vast ebony wings out. They were feathered and seemed to contain darkness. It's eye glowed the colors of lightning and its silver beak shined like the moon. It's long talons picked up the net of writhing snakes and lifted Kyra so high in the air that she would perish if the net was punctured. It took her to the top of a large hill and dropped her there and the net had vanished.

Snake appeared and so did many others. There were the spirits of the brothers. Barcal and Urathi... But where was Nithili? The most gruesome of the brothers was nowhere to be found.

Snakes slithered across Kyra's paws and whispered to her malevolently. Finally one struck her shoulder, drawing blood.

"You know that this little fight is simply stalling you right? I am keeping you here in Sunset Pride while Var needs you, he will soon face Kavis... Now I have brought you to the tip of the royal cliff... This is the in which holds the cave of Jali and Sira. If you fall off it, you will die. I brought you here so Var will gave more difficulty getting to you once he arrives... Now if your little bird friends arrive, I have many cursed bat spirits hiding in the trees and shall spring out and attack them upon arrival.

--------------------------------

Subira looked at Zanita and Var. "They told me if I found you it would make their plan succeed... With all of the talk of prophecies tonight, I began to believe it was true. I myself have... Power. They said you did too Var. That you were the Chosen One."

"Power? What kind of power?" Asked Var, partly already knowing but wanting to hear it from his sister herself.

"It's not as powerful as the Sight, but I have the power to manipulate the forces of nature. Now brother, we must not waste time... Take me back to your camp before it is lost!"

_______________________

Aziza and Jali were slashing and slinging their claws and fangs all over each other. A plentiful amount of blood had seeped from them and had created a red ocean in the grass. Finally the battlefield got quite except for the rain. Even the snakes paused.

Standing up at the entrance to the camp were three figures... Two hyenas and a gigantic lion standing between the both of them. Aziza cackled. "Kavis is here! Now you're all going to die! Stand back! The Witchdoctors hold the powers of the spirits in their paws!"

Everyone was silenced. A few lionesses pushes the blind Ramla to the front to confront the other two who had close levels of power.

"Kavis..." Said the female, Naith. "The girl awaits us on the hill. You take care of the king while we go and visit her," she said.