The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Scar looked on. "This is the place where Saber died," she stated quietly, so the former king would not overhear. "He was very powerful back then, but has..." she ventured on into thought for a moment and then refocused. "He's back anyways." She looked at the ground for a bit, watching her paws run through the mud and gather muck. The plains were a gruesomely dirty and liquidated place.

"Scar, are you afraid of him?" asked Var.

Scar looked at him wearily. "Not as much as King Kavis, but inevitably yes. I am."

There was a stillness about Scar, for a mere moment, as though she was recalling a memory. She then looked at Kyra. "Overcoming fear is one thing, surviving it is another." Then came Kyra's suggestion to leave. Quickly the group then made their way from the plains and entered what looked like a normal forest at first, but as soon as they began to dive deeper into it, they discovered it was filled with dark, dead, almost blackish trees. They stopped at a ledge overlooking a long gully in the forest. They had a good view of heaping mounds of black snakes in the floor of the gully and hanging from the trees that embellished it.

Taru sighed. "Can we ever catch a break?"

__________________________________________

Kavis pounded against the dirt, coming into the small area the hyenas had been staying in. The Hunters all had dark pelts, finely groomed and neatly fixed. The leader, Drula, was on his feet, smiling with big teeth as Kavis entered dragging a dead gazelle with him. He and the hyenas dove into it, eating quickly. Kavis and Drula both finished first, since their ranks were higher and both were given greater eating rights. They stood back and watched as the hyenas ate more.

"It must have been hard to track that down all the way out here" Drula said, pulling a bit of black fur out from in front of his eyes.

"Nothing is impossible when one dwells with Dalmaa."

"Interesting," Drula said a bit dryly, as if not satisfied. Kavis shot him a quizzical look, but it was hard to tell under the mask of lack of emotion.

"You doubt the Prophecy?"

"It's not that I doubt, it's that I don't believe" said the hyena with a rather dull and discomforting face. He licked the blood away from his paw from the food. Kavis did not bother wipe the blood off of his about or lick it away from his claws.

"Then why do you follow Moonrise? Our cause is for Dalmaa" he said. Drula immediately shrugged. Kavis' eyes narrowed. "You are weak by yourself. Your family was destroyed. You seek refuge since they were murdered and cannibalized."

"How... how do you know all that?" asked Drula.

"One can tell of one's history by the way he acts. It comes to a point where you can just look at someone and know their story. As for you, it comes in a combination of the fact that you become distanced when you encounter Cyla and the very nature of your personality, Drula. You do not wish to admit weakness, but you will accept it underneath. This is also how I have become, though, as undeniably arrogant as I may sound, I have little weaknesses at the moment. There was one thing the crocodile mentioned, he said I've never battled one of his kind... And I have. I define my physical weakness by that which I have not destroyed, and since I have killed a couple dragons in my life, I would claim that I pertain a sense of filled capacity for this power. Would not you agree?"

"With all due respect, I don't need you to lecture me, Kavis," Drula said as he picked some bones from his teeth. Kavis looked at him and quickly he corrected himself. "I mean, your majesty."

"You're awfully bold for a hyena, Drula, and a Hunter at that."

"I get it from my mother" said the hyena.

Kavis nodded. "Tell me, did your mother have any sort of illness?"

Drula nodded slowly, as though on edge. "Cancer," he said. He began to feel the scary sensation of Kavis' eyes click in. At that moment he began to eye all of Kavis' muscles and take note on how Kavis could merely sit on him and kill him. Kavis then spoke.

"And when your mother had cancer, she felt alone when your father deserted her, finding her useless after she lost her fertility."

"Cervical cancer... Yes... How--"

"So your father went on that day only to stumble upon a nest of depraved cannibalistic hyenas. There he turned around, went back home, and the hyenas followed. They killed everyone but you, yours sister, and your aunt. Correct?"

"How do you know this? Who's told you?" asked Drula.

"Your aunt was cruel and abused both you in your sister, eventually to the point where your aunt pushed her off a small cliff. She broke bones but surprisingly did not die, correct?"

Drula nodded. Kavis continued. "And so you vowed revenge. That night you killed your aunt in your sleep, left, and found us shortly afterwards."

"How..." Drula said.

Kavis simply glared at him. "The eyes are portals to the soul. One look into yours and I can see every horrid vision reflected back at me. One look, and I see all the struggles of your life and the fears you've faced. I see your accomplishments and I see your failures. Drula, my friend, you do not comprehend as I. You see only the dust of the surface of an individual. You look only upon the crust of a creature, whereas I delve deep and with a single look see your past. My predictions of your future are likely correct, and for it I am sorry."

Drula was creeped out by this. His ears stood straight up, he sat up as well and looked at Kavis nervously. The Dark King simply eyed his claws.
"You know about my sister, so what? What does that change about the two of us?"

"I had a sister" said Kavis.

"Had?"

"She is dead, but ought not to be."

"I never knew this..." Drula said. Kavis did not have any emotion about him. Some wind blew through his soft mane.

"I do not wish to speak of it often. My sister raised me does few moons. I still remember her. She was a kind, loving lioness. But that led to her downfall. The kind do not live long. Only the cruel, the strict, the strong, live long. Drula, you have no mate. I tell you today, it is imperative you never accomplish the tainted task of gaining one. Achieving such a goal will lead one to an era of excruciation and unending pain. Simply... never."

Saber took a glance at Kyra, and then back at the lakes of snakes. A smaller snake drifted from the side of a nearly bare bush just in front and off to the side of Saber. He inspected it carefully and then made a glance back at them.

"These snakes are colored black and have green eyes. It's symbolic of Var's father, as we know, so I doubt they'll be anything but depraved and desperate. We have to take into account that ever since all of this has happened, we must disregard some of nature's laws. Dalmaa is breaking them. He is defying the things Protheus set into place."

Var looked from Kyra to Saber. "That makes sense," he said. He then turned his head to gaze upon the horrid sight of the snakes. Rain was beginning to come down. It was thick, yet soft and easy and came down refreshingly. It caused the hides of the snakes to glisten and illuminate as lightning struck in the sky.

As a chain of lightning went on and on for several minutes, Kyra could see the shape of a black leopard moving in the tree line just ahead. It slowed, turning its head solemnly to look at her. Deep crimson eyes, like the darkest of fire, took a melancholic gaze as Dalmaa strode into darkness.

Taru and Magir stepped forward, Scar trailing right behind. Magir looked at them, "What do you suggest we do?"

Taru made a puzzled face. "Firstly we need to find out where this stone is. It could be anywhere. It may even be under all those snakes... If that be the case, we'll have no choice but to dive in. Either that... or let the whole world be bit by the horrid snake that is Dalmaa."

Saber sighed. "We will have to walk along the ground, find whatever bare spots we can and keep to them. It'll be difficult, but by using the trees I can assume there will be some other surprise waiting. We must walk. Now, come."

The group took its first paw steps forward, into the gully...

______________________________________________


Aziza stood at the dark tree, the massive tree that stood just near the edge of the cliff. The massive Shadingtree, with twisting vines that resembled nearly exactly, snakes and serpents and winding tendrils. She made a grumpy expression as she looked over her shoulder, out in the distance. She then glanced back at the tree. "Dalmaa, I want you to hear me for once. I know I'm disgraceful, unimaginably disgraceful, but I thought you were okay with that. I thought you weren't bothered by the sinful, I thought you taught that sin can always be overlooked!"

She seemed to be talking to empty air. She scowled. "ANSWER ME!" She shouted. "I'm sick of you only answering to Kavis and the Witchdoctors! Speak to me for once! Why do you forsake me? I've done nothing but serve you well!"

There was silence for a moment, as Aziza began to turn away. Suddenly several bats flew over her shoulders, causing a chill to go down her spine. She turned around, looking back at the tree. Now, fearing for what she had said, she began to turn away. For once, Aziza felt shameful. Her ears drooped and her head hung low. She walked away with a sorrowful look on her face. Nassor saw her as she passed him when she came into the camp Moonrise Pride had built there in Somalia. He didn't bother to go and comfort her, for he knew the response he'd receive. Aziza went directly into her den, not wishing for anyone to see her in this state.

____________________________________________


Jali came out into the crux of the camp and found Zanita. He gave a greeting smile as he approached. "Thank you, for staying so long, Zanita. I had no idea the battle would take up to a week. Though it's mainly won now. From reports of the warriors, Moonrise is hiding in our territory now. We're mainly just chasing them out at the moment, but--" he was stopped when he heard a loud shriek coming from the medical den. He looked over.

Shebla was standing near the lake and had also heard it and was running urgently back to see what was the matter. Immediately Shebla was somehow flung out of the entrance of the den and outside, rolling back. It seemed like hundreds of vultures slammed through the trees around the entrance of the den and going inside. Jali leaped into action, standing before the entrance and giving a loud roar. It did not scare the birds away. But he saw under the distortion of all of the zipping black shapes, the form of Subira in the back of the den. She struggled to shake free of the grip of several very strange creatures. They appeared to be lions but were completely hairless and bad pale skin. Their eyes a sickly yellow mud-like color, and their teeth were short but still dangerously sharp. They appeared to be male and quickly dragged Subira away and out of the den to where she was not heard or seen. The birds then flushed away, Jali rushing into the den to see if there were any traces left. Nothing. Subira was gone. Var's sister was gone.

He quickly ran back to Shebla and helped pick her up. "Are you okay?" he asked. Shebla gave a wheeze as Jali had touched her left forearm. He glanced at it, knowing that it didn't look right. "Mabel!" he cried out. He could tell, even with his knowledge, that the force the creatures had struck Shebla with had broke the bone.

Shebla though, was only thinking about Ammon at the moment.

Dalmaa peeked out from behind a tree and looked at Kyra. A flash of the good Dalmaa appeared to her within a millisecond, the beautiful and handsome white-furred Dalmaa with eyes like a rainbow set on fire. But it was drowned with a melancholy blackness as it flashed back to his former look. He then somehow appeared next to her, but walking veiled behind lines of weeds.

"Do you think I am not aware that you are merely mortal?" He said, his voice pertaining the usual immortal, frightening warped sound that could only be described in mortal words as evil. "The Two Prophecies, good and wicked, both could never call each other by name. For neither prophecy is good nor wicked. Protheus is not the villain here and neither am I. Evil rests in everyone, even spirits. Even the highest of spirits have evil in them. Even the purest of them have at one point felt evil like raindrops in their fur, soaking their pelt and weighing them down. Such is my burden. But Protheus has turned my creations against me. The spread of sin is more than just a way of revenge against him, it is also a punishment against those mortals I did breathe alive. For without me, you would have been a fly or slug or a human, or another disgraceful and putrid creature. Kyra... Know that I do not ask you to feel sympathy for me, all I ask is that you chose a Prophecy. Good... or Wicked," he said looking on at the piles of snakes, which rose higher as they strode deeper into the forest.

"Moonrise Pride is unorthodox, but have goals pertaining to my vengeance and the return of what Protheus destroyed in vice. But, they do not realize... that it is too late."

"It is not too late" said another voice. To the right of Kyra, another shape appeared. A mane like smoke and a snake for a tail, the monster of Snake came out from the ferns. Dalmaa on Kyra's left, Snake on her right. It was as though Snake didn't even acknowledge her at first, but spoke to Dalmaa. "You know, my friend, I can raise you back up."

"It is done, Snake. You must hide in the shadows while the Stone is returned. Perhaps you will be spared, though if your sins are as great as mine--they are close--then I doubt Protheus will allow you your continued existence and even as a spirit you will cease to exist." Snake opened his mouth to object, but no words emerged as Dalmaa pressed on. "Do not argue me, Snake. You are no match for a Twin who contributed to your very creation. Protheus has power over all spirits."

"As do you, Dalmaa" Snake said.

Dalmaa gave an aggravated growl. "My powers were stolen from me, Snake. You know this to be true. Otherwise our enemies like Star, Hasina, and Dyna, would no longer attack us. I would have Egret at my claws, if only I could catch her. And Osaqi would burn in the very sun that dried his corpse as he lay in the desert, only to be food for the birds above and the hounds below. Kamuzu would find himself tangled in every serpent and viper in the forest, coiled by sorrow and despair. Dread prevails in that moment, and a sight it is to behold."

"They cannot counter your malevolence, my friend" said Snake. "Though they attack you, all spirits fear your name. The name of Dalmaa!" At the word, all of the snakes in the forest let out a sharp hiss. Var and the others, up ahead, looked around in confusion, to see what was the matter.

Dalmaa held his chin up and though only pale light shined through the roof of the black forest, he seemed to study something beyond the branches of the trees. He then looked back at Snake. "You and Belabi are my two most faithful friends. Out of all of the rebel spirits come to join me, you two are the most unwavering and prevailing. If only you were clean in their eyes," Dalmaa said gesturing with his head to Kyra. Snake scoffed.

"My son is a rat that needs to be caught and killed. He only defies you and tries to do you harm."

"Thus my desire to see him dead," Dalmaa said, "But also I know that it is not the fault of his or his people, but of the quarrel between I and a Sister. Though an Aura is formless within the Void, once given a realm and a form, it grows emotions. These emotions can take the look of good... or bad. Not all Aura's are good. And Protheus caught the oh-so-common cough of a green-eyed monster. Jealousy, an emotion created before even the Void was alive, sunk its teeth to his neck. What could I do then?"

"Every monster can be tamed" said Snake.

Dalmaa seemed to smile. "You have learned much since your death, and I am proud, Snake. But let us not disregard my pride and arrogance. No doubt I made some beautiful sights, but I went out of my way to declare it."

"You had every right" Snake said.

Dalmaa shook his head. "I drowned the world in my creations, barely even giving Protheus a chance to create for his own. Nevertheless, I only asked that he not have burnt everything up in the fires of lava and the forces of water. He swallowed things deep down into the earth. All that remain of my creations are their bones, which humans today call fossils. And I can only hope that they may rise again..."

Snake nodded. "But what of the Stone?"

"They're going to find it," Dalmaa said. "So, why not make it easier for them?"

"Don't do it..." Snake said. Dalmaa gave a scowl, Snake immediately dissipating into a flare of black smoke that rushed away. Dalmaa then looked at a large tree, and stared at it. Quickly a light began to shine through the thin wood, a glowing. Dalmaa looked at Kyra.

"If you wish to banish me from Earth, the only place I am safe, take for yourself the Sodaki, the Stone, and behold its beauty."

_______________________________________________


Shebla ate the herb, but exhaustedly. Afterwards her head fell back, her face tightening painfully as she waited for the pain to go away. She breathed heavily, only hoping that somewhere a spirit was guiding her.

Jali approached, gazed urgently from to would to Mabel. Then he turned to run back into the medical den. When he walked back out he had an angrily look on his face. "Those weren't spirits, they left tracks from where they entered and dragged Subira alone. Those were lions... Moonrise lions no doubt. We haven't met many of them, and being hairless, there's no doubt we mistook them for spirits, especially when they came along with Zalika's bird heathens. They took Subira..."

Jali suddenly got a shocking revelation and looked back at Mabel. "They stole her! The Wicked Prophecy! They're trying to make the prophecy become true!" He said in urgency. He recalled how the Wicked Prophecy foretold of a line of descendants coming from the blood of both Kavis and Snake. Subira was the only known female descendent of Snake alive. Kavis was known to have a mission to use her to mother his children, just as Snake did once before.

"History is only repeating itself, we have to stop all of this from continuing. Kavis is probably in Kenya, after the Stone. They're probably taking her to Somalia to wait until he returns."



As Gamba had entered the den, Layla looked up at him after nudging Omari closer to her. "What's going on? There's so much shouting going on."

________________________________________

Layla looked at Omari, bewildered. She then glanced at Gamba, a bit worriedly. "Sh...Should cubs start talking this early? And... so intelligently?" She asked. Layla was trying to make of the moment, was this normal or odd? She had never had cubs before, but she knew that for one this young to speak so fluently for its age was uncanny. She was chilled, spooked, and puzzled. Only wondering more, what was going on?

She then looked up at Gamba. "What's been going on outside? What's he talking about?"

____________________________________________


The stone shined mainly cool colors. Light blue, purple, indigo, and a bit of pearl white. The color shifted, and the bright light dimmed as it was taken from the tree to a more suitable look. Dalmaa gave a weary nod to Kyra.

"Just know what Prophecy you choose."

He didn't look directly at the Stone, but it seemed he wanted to get out quickly. He vanished, his form like smoke and disappearing.

"Kyra!" shouted Var as he pounded over to her.

"Be quiet!" Saber hissed from behind. "You're going to alarm the snakes!"

Var nearly ran into Kyra, backing up and gazing at the stone. His eyes were wide with amazement. "You found it..."

Var was silent for a moment, looking at Kyra urgently.  He then gazed down at the stone, looking with a gaze a bit of fear. The stone turned pale shade of blue, obvious that it was embodying the color of Var's fear. The others approached and gathered around.

"We found it..." said Magir. "Good."

Var was completely silent and seemed unable to speak. The others didn't seem to notice, though Kyra, knowing Var better than anyone other than Snake, could probably tell.

"What now?" asked Scar.

"We must take it back to Sunset Pride. Ramla will know what to do," Taru said. "She knows more about this than any of us. The only one among Sunset with more knowledge on Dalmaa than her is perhaps Subira."

Var knew this was likely not true, after Kyra's last words. He simply gazed from the Stone back up at her. As Taru had said the dreaded name, the Stone turned bright red. The snakes in the area hissed, a loud roar of vipers rising. As the noise died down, the Stone faded back to pale blue.

"How can we be sure she'll now everything? This is the Sodaki we're talking about" said Scar.

"She will know" Taru said. "She always knows."

________________________________________________


Layla put a foreleg around Omari in an embrace and enveloped him with her head. "You're okay, you're okay" she echoed back to him. "Mommy loves you. Mommy isn't worried." She then looked up to Gamba. "Ramla did tell us that... But there was a lot she said she couldn't reveal to us just yet. We should probably talk to her sometime, see if she can tell us anything else. But you need to go out there and help them. Poor Shebla. Go make sure Mabel doesn't need your assistance, both of you are the only ones other than Shebla herself who have medical experience."


_________________________________________

As the evening drew in, thick black clouds covered the sky. Thunder rolled over the land, but no rain or lightning. The clouds stretched over miles and miles, touching all of Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea. There were a few breaks here and there, but the clouds were so enormous and numerous that it seemed impossible to escape them.

Dalmaa stood among a world of black clouds, thunder vibrating the floor beneath him. Snake on his left, some lioness spirit on his right. This female spirit had strange fur that looked much like a dim light scattering around. It was dark and unnatural red color, resembling blood and even seemed to drip with the substance.

Dalmaa sat up straight, formally and properly as many more creatures entree the area. Dalmaa acknowledged them each with various glances, but each glance was light and barely emoted. One of the figures was obviously Nail, Snake's brother. There was an enormous crowd of creatures, most of them were cats. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, and so on, along with hyenas and other miscellaneous animals. Most of them had black or otherwise dark fur. Their eyes were eerie and luminous, mostly red. As the last of them gathered, Snake stepped forward.

"We haven't had a proper meeting in quite a while. Friends, family... The time is near," Snake said in a dreadful, melancholic tone, his head falling low for a brief moment. A e gazed back up at everyone, he found a twinge of fear growing in his heart, and his eyes displayed it. Dalmaa scowled at him, giving him a glance that demanded he control himself.

"The mortals have found the stone. We must prevent from taking it to the mountain. If it reaches the Pawmark of Protheus, Dalmaa is done for! We have to kill them, kill them all! Only to save our Dalmaa, it is the only way."

There was an uproar from the crowd. Snake looked fearful, which was different for him. Dalmaa lashed out his dark voice. "Snake! Control your emotions! Suppress your fear-scent or leave this court, I will have no place for cowardice now, we must act."

"Right, right" Snake said. He glanced to the side of Dalmaa to catch a glimpse of the blood-covered spirit scoffing at him. He rolled his eyes but looked at the others. "We're counting on all of you! Fight against the Pure Spirits, those fools who call themselves perfect and good and label us as evil. There is no evil! There is no good! There is but this strange jumble of both that runs through the blood of both!"

The dark sprits gave their yowls of agreement, watching as Snake's fear dissipated, but his anxiety remained. He heard the malevolent voice of the blood-covered female from behind him. "We have already the warriors, the numbers. What we need is strength to act! It's time to stop hiding from Protheus' army! Attack! Though they cannot die, they can be vexed! Defeated!"

"Well said Belabi" Dalmaa chimed in. "The mortals know our secret. I revealed to young Kyra the origin of the world. I told her where the Stone was. But fear not, I have not lost my mind. It is all part of my plan. Kyra does what she knows is right, and for it I will not punish her. However, I must not cease to exist. I will cheat both prophecies. I will cheat the mortals. I will cheat Kyra. For tonght... they face oblivion..."

______________________________________________


Amongst the world below, as a few hyenas wandered through the plains, just outside of Sunset Pride territory and not far from the border of Kenya, something shocking happened. A horribly powerful pang of thunder pounded them off of their feet, shaking the earth. Then by some suddenness, the winds sped up enormously, swirling. As one of the hyenas glanced up, he saw some of the clouds pound down at the earth, the winds creating a horrid tunnel of clouds. The hyenas looked at it, trying to hold their ground.

"What is that thing?!" Shouted a female.

"It must be some connection between the spirit world and the mortal world! A bridge!"

From the Bridge, came soaring creatures the mortals could not see. Dalmaa stood at the opening in the dark clouds as his army poured down, spreading their dark wings and pounding at the earth. The dirt swung up from the wind, the clouds booming with thunder now.

At the same time, on another side of the enormous field, light blasted from another pocket of clouds. White-furred creatures flew out, roaring and heading towards the Bridge. They lashed out at the dark spirits, all of the spirits thrashing violently across the battlefield. To the mortals, it only looked as though wind were tearing up the plains and drawing up all of the dirt.

Dalmaa stood, Snake and Belabi both at either side of him. Snake shot down to the fight, Belabi remaining. He looked at her. "Aren't you going to fight?"

"Of course, Dalmaa. But... What about you?"

Dalmaa was silent and did not respond. It worried Belabi. "You realize how much you mean to me, right? Dalmaa..."

"Why would I mean anything to you?" he asked, giving her a skeptical glance. His ear twitched. Belabi sighed, her dark crimson eyes looking at him deeply. She lurched closer to him. She whispered out to him.

"I thought that to fall in love as a spirit was impossible... But then I met you."

She was gone, plummeting towards the earth. Enormous, white, blood-enriched wings tore from her backside and strode her on the wind as she stabbed into the fight. Dalmaa simply stared down at the world. He was in a solemn daze, only looking on.

"I'm sorry to have failed you then..." he whispered under his breath, his head finally hanging low and his eyes closing as black clouds hid him, covering the hole in the sky that the Bridge led up to.

Everything was bleak. Everything was... desperate.

The group followed closely behind Kyra, the thunder growing louder now. The snakes were in an uproar, and they chased them as they exited the gully. One caught Magir's foot in a tangle, but as it attempted to strike her, Taru snapped its head into the ground, killing it and freeing her.

"You alright?" he asked. She nodded and then he rushed her along. They quickly made it out of the forest and back into the moist plains, and things were looking bleak.

Kavis' head peaked out of some bushes as they strode past. The group hadn't noticed him as they flew by. He and the hyenas behind him looked up at the sky. For once, Kavis expressed an emotion through his body. His eyes widened with fear, his jaw dropping. He looked at the group as they were running. His face darkened to something that resembled pure hatred, anger, wrath, and fury... but so evil an twisted it was far beyond each of them.

"GET THEM! DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE! THEY HAVE THE STONE!" The hyenas burst forth at immediate speed, Kavis trailing just behind them. Even for his enormous size, he was incredibly fast. Most of his form was composed of pure muscle, which he had gained over the years from all of his ways of exercising. At least now it had paid off. He roared, chasing after the group. Vulture are soaring above in the sky, but rapidly, as if they'd lost control. Many moved so quickly they struck each other and fell to the ground. Snakes squirmed in the tree, wheezing and letting out hisses. The tension was like fire, finally lit.

Var looked over his shoulder at the sound of the roar, seeing Kavis behind them, rapidly approaching. As Scar saw him, she let out the most fearful shout Var had himself ever heard, and he had heard many shouts in his day. Never had any of Snake's victims shouted so painfully. Scar took off faster than all the others, moving quite quickly and even faster than Kyra.

Kavis shouted at them. "STOP RIGHT THERE! STOP! STOP!" The hyenas leaped out, one nearly catching Var by the rear. He sped up and evaded their jaws. Kavis was only gaining on them.

______________________________________________


As Shebla was raised onto Gamba's back, her eyes snapped open as wide as they could. A look of fear swelled over her face, but it was if she was in some sort of trance. She saw an image of a blood-covered lioness flash before her eyes. Claws that tore into a weak male under her claws, the flashback gone as quickly as it appeared. Another image, those eyes of Dalmaa... Then her eyes fell silent and asleep. Jali came to their side, his mane being blown by the wind. He had to yank his head back to get some of it out of his face. As they laid Shebla down in the medical den, her eyes flashed open again. She stared blankly at a point in the distance, somewhere off near the lake. Jali took a brief glance over hi shoulder to see what she was gazing at. Nothing of course. But as he turned back, he heard the violent sound of a bolt of lightning strike one of the trees on the rim of the lake, right where Shebla had been staring. The tree was slender and caught fire, but fell into the lake where it was put out. Jali gazed at it and then back at Shebla, whose eyes had fallen asleep.

"Someone get Ramla!" he shouted out at the pride outside the den. Then there was a rumble above. Jali moved outside of the den, pushing through ferns to get out. He backed into the center of the pride and looked up at the sky. He saw several purplish lightning bolts crash down near the same place in the horizon and saw how the winds were blowing the trees all of the way over there. The tips of those trees nearly touched their toes.

Jali ran back into the medical den. "This isn't a normal storm, it can't be..."

A lioness helped Ramla inside of the den, the blind Seeress then making her way to Jali. Of course, Ramla could see shapes and was capable of walking on her own, but did need assistance when it came to long distances. She looked to the area she assumed was where Jali was standing.

"You're right" she said. "The spirits are not united anymore... War has begun."

______________________________________


Belabi looked upon a tall female figure. Female, lion, white-furred. Bright blue eyes. She resembled Layla in some respect, but her majestic white fur was unmistakably given to her after death. She displayed large white eagle-like wing, while Belabi flared her blood-stained ones. They both growled angrily.

"Hasina..." Belabi growled. The two circled.

"Belabi..." Hasina spat out. The two sped forward and clashed, their claws and teeth singeing like fire into each other. They both rolled through the grasslands, attacking. Belabi's blood-scorched pelt stained the ground with blood. Suddenly another lioness leaped into the quarrel and tackled Belabi as she pinned Hasina down. This new female had silvery skin, bright pink-colored eyes. She had strange pink markings under her eyes that signified her past life as a medical lioness. She slashed Belabi in the face, who was still bewildered and surprised by her attack.

"Remia!" was all Belabi could choke out. She then kicked Remia off of her. The pink-eyed Lioness growling. Remia sunk her claws into Belabi's neck. Normally it would have killed, but being immortal, Belabi only blasted the lioness off of her with her hindlegs. She raked Remia over the forehead. Hasina leave onto Belabi, both lionesses pinning her down.

"Mom, you knew better than to come here tonight" Remia said, her eyes darkening to a dark shade of pinkish crimson. Belabi struggled.

"So close to your daughter, Remia? Believe me, I'm the last person Shebla has to worry about!" Belabi flipped them both off of her. Her wings spread, wilting the grass beneath them. Quickly the wings lot ablaze and shot fire at the two spirits. Hasina and Remia both dodged the bolts. Hasina caught Belabi at the back and crunched down on both wings, causing them to dissipate into a black smoke. Belabi clawed her wings as well, making them fade. He took out Remia's wings just as quickly.

"Go hide back with Dalmaa, that squabbling worm!" Hasina growled. "And leave our daughters alone..."

Belabi growled. She raked the ground, causing fire to burst forth and flail around the area. She gazed over her blood-soaked shoulder at them. "Let the fire of war cleanse both your daughters, just as the fire of sin has singed my soul!" Belabi burst out, biting into Hasina's leg. Remia shooting forth as well. There was a horrid scramble of fighting as they rolled through the fires, feeling pain by dying not.

The mortals felt heat rising in certain areas, but there was no real fire to harm them. The plain was normal aside from the Bridge which tore it up.

On the other side of the field, Star and Osaqi stood. Standing ahead of them were two brothers. Snake, Nail... Three more figures suddenly appeared from the crowds. Nithili, Barcal, Urathi. The sons, the brothers of Var. Osaqi's green eyes narrowed, glowing brightly.

"Be gone from here, you treacherous serpent!"

Snake only began laughing, as his snake-tail began to rattle. His body suddenly grew as lengthened, turning black and taking the shape of an enormous black snake. It shot forth with such speed that tangled Osaqi into a viperous web, trapping him and strangling. Star began tearing at Snake's side, but the sons knocked him down. Quickly Dyna, Layla's sister, came about and took one of the sons by the side. Kamuzu followed her and tore into another son.

The darkness spread. Dalmaa hiding his face from the world below, and a pain shooting through his heart.

"I only wanted... to be beautiful..."

Kavis trudged forward through the mud. Rain was flashing down. His eyes tightened as he pushed forward. He heard yelps from the hyenas behind him, quickly looking back. They'd been caught in the mud, yelling up to him for help. Drula had an especially desperate face as he looked over his shoulder at the black snakes approaching them slowly. Drula looked back up at Kavis, his eyes flooding with tears. Kavis gave a solemn gaze, but he made no moved. The mud went over the shoulders of the hyenas, the snakes coming forth and wrapping around them. The mud rippled as each one struggled. Drula managed to leap into the shadows, off somewhere where Kavis lost sight of him. He might have escaped, but all of the others... dead. 

Kavis turned and ran back after the group. They too had been delayed suddenly by falling trees all around. However they managed and climbed across the rising ground. Suddenly the group stopped as they reached the top of a very steep hill. Var looked over his shoulder, seeing Kavis struggling and clawing his way up the rough, nearly straight slope. His enormous body was too heavy and was weighing him down. He struggled, heaving and clawing up. Var growled, scraped some rocks over the edge they hit the Dark King in the face, causing him to roar. He gave a look of hatred up to Var. The rain was causing him to slip, but he remained. Var began to turn away, moving back to the group. Suddenly he was hit at the side. He was on the ground. Kavis had made it over and was pinning Var down. He was near the action of biting into his neck, but Saber and Taru both, together, pushed him off of Var. Kavis skidded across the clearing, ready to attack again. A tree was struck by lightning, fell down and coming at Kavis. With a yowl, he leaped back. Separated from the group, he let out a raging roar. His eyes of scarlet, sinking darts across the clearing. The tree was too thick to jump and catching as much fire as it could in the rain. Kavis turned and leaped off in the opposite direction. His form disappearing in the distance, a black blotch amongst the fields. Var nudged everyone onward, striking back towards the border to Ethiopia. It wasn't long before they had made it back to the lakes, crossed the trees, and made it to the river. At the speed they were going at, they could run across the world in an hour. Var looked at the large log bridge, eyeing it a bit worriedly. The rain rattled it and made it horribly slick. He was fearful.

"Oh, Red-Eyes, please be there!" he shouted out, requesting assistance.

_____________________________________________


Jali looked at the others. His gaze was hard and then wide with fear as he saw the rain in the horizon. The lightning blasted the horizon with light, making the sky almost appear grayish purple from all the flashes. The thunder was rolling intensely now. He looked over his shoulder at Mabel and Gamba.

"This den is your world, but when that world is taken from you, what then will you live for?" Jali only looked back up at the sky as the rain began to spread into the camp, light at first. It was shallow and soft, but the ill-omened thunder in the sky was a direct message to everyone down on the ground... it would all be over soon. Jali spoke again. "Tonight's events may render this world of yours only temporary. This is something that threatens us all. All of our work, all of our family, all of our life. Dalmaa will not relent until all of his opponents are dead. We are broken. We are broken. The world... is broken." Jali turned around and looked at Mabel. "Dalmaa will not respect you, Mabel. Why would a spirit like him, with his cunningness and his villainy and all his evil power, respect a mere mortal? Dalmaa invented the art of insults, the use of clever, swindling speech. He will win every argument you pin at him. Why then, would the words of a mortal pierce him? Mabel... care for what is happening. Because this den, it's just an illusion. There is a new war, a new brokenness."

_____________________________________________

Cyla leaped out of the bushes and came running towards the cave. "Help me! Let me in there!" she screamed. A bolt of lightning shattered a tree behind her, falling. Had she delayed a single moment, she would have been crushed. She skidded into the cave and quickly his behind the two. She knew Coglon would scold her for sneaking out, but it was at the bottom of her concerns at the moment. The main objective was to survive, stay alive. And not fall into crow-food and be one with the spirits.

______________________________________________

Remia and Hasina flung Belabi far off into the distance, both roaring as the blood-scorched lioness ripped through the ark and struck the ground large distance away. The two then moved onto new opponents. Belabi stood, feeling defeated. She saw dark footprints step down in front of her head. She glanced up, seeing Dalmaa. He was distorted though and it was obvious he was trying to keep the other spirits from seeing him.

"Da--"

"Shhhh," Dalmaa cooed. He ran his paw across Belabi's snout, causing the singes and mystical wounds in her body to seal up. He sighed as he looked down at her. "Accept this as my apology, Belabi... For it is all I can give..."

"DALMAA!" Shouted a powerful voice. The distortion around the black leopard stopped and his form returned to normal. He was visible to the others. He turns around to see an orb of light taking shape into a massive form. A huge lion with gold fur and a mane like the sun. His eyes like opals, almost like Dalmaa's in his good form. But Protheus had dimmer eyes, having more greens and blues in them than any other color. Dalmaa turned around, looking rather weak and gaunt as he stood in his spot, but he still remained a powerful figure. Protheus with his golden eagle wings padded up, his fur blowing in the wind. Dalmaa's ears bent down and he simply glanced sadly at Belabi behind him.

"Dalmaa, we meet at last..." Protheus said. His eyes narrowed and darkened.

"...Indeed we do," Dalmaa's clear, cooling voice said. He was melancholic in tone.

"I haven't seen you in quite some time, creature" Protheus growled. By now all of the spirits had stopped their fighting and gathered around to watch. Dalmaa shook his head and then narrowed eyes angrily at Protheus. The gold lion went on. "Your arrogant, evil acts will end. I can't touch you right now, because you are connected to this world. But mark my words, once that Stone is delivered to the Pawmark on top of that mountain, you'll never set a talon in this world ever again."

"May I remind you that I'd be long gone had your servant, Star, not stolen the Sodaki in the first place?" Dalmaa said, pointing to Star with his tail.

"Star has been forgiven for his sin" said Protheus. "You on the other hand, have not!"

"Do not pretend you are not wholly sinless, Mocking Bird!" Dalmaa shouted, his voice taking on the corrupt, evil tone it had always made. Protheus scowled, his eyes narrowing.

"I have done nothing, fiend. I am sinless, flawless. I created that which is good, that which is pure. Let me not remind you what you created... traitor..." The pure spirits gave their roars of agreement. Dalmaa and the dark spirits were silent. Dalmaa looked at the ground and ran his paw through the grass. It all wilted before him, his face growing a twinge more sorrowful. Then he looked up at Protheus blankly.

"You are a jealous Aura, Protheus. You cursed yourself. You made the emotion of jealousy without even knowing what you were doing. You are the problem here, not me."

"What?! Do you dare?!" Protheus yowled. The pure spirits were in an uproar. Protheus snarled, gritting teeth. "You fiend... You lie even now? Even when you know it's pointless? Dalmaa you are the lowest! The most sickening creature possible!"

Dalmaa glared at him. "Protheus, you claim to be the epitome of wisdom, but let us not forget who created wisdom and all of the feelings and emotions pertaining to it! I did! Protheus, you have corroded these spirits. I will not defend myself though. I have sinned, I have destroyed. I have much blood on my hands. Glorious blood. The blood of your creations. I bathe in that blood and I drink it! Can you say the same, Protheus? Have you ever dabbled in these so-called dark arts? Ever danced in the darkness? I have, for I dwell in it always. If I cannot take pride in a beautiful, just, pure creation... Then I will take pride in evil creations. It's the only thing I have to take pride in, anyways. And I will spread this evil all over the world until nothing remains. You will one day lay your head before my paws in surrender, give me my peace. But until that day, blood will be the oceans of Earth. Even your precious humans will be filled with the curse."

Protheus glanced at Dalmaa, a bit more fearfully now. "Dalmaa... this will not be."

"I don't think your opinion of my actions matters much anymore, Protheus. After all, look at where it brought us," Dalmaa said. He smiled slightly. "The light is gone for you, now."

"The Sodaki has been found" said Protheus.

"That matters not, not anymore. You see, the Prophecies both have their own stories. But, Prophecies only tell us what may be, not what will be."

Protheus' eyes narrowed. "What are you planning to do...?"

Dalmaa grinned, leaping off into the crowd. The all cleared away, letting him stomp onto the grass where they once stood. The grass turned gray and brown, dead and spread out. He whipped his head around to look at Protheus. "The Prophecies never said I have to follow them." Suddenly, a roll of thunder and Dalmaa was gone. The Bridge still continuing to ravage the plains, the spirits resuming their fight.

_____________________________________________

Jali was relentless and would not allow the conversation to end. "Mabel, that doesn't even matter to Dalmaa! Worth doesn't matter to him! He wants all mortals to suffer! He won't stop until we've all endured torment. You have to realize that he will tell you what to do and you'll have no choice but to obey.  Either that or face his burning fire in the afterlife. And I'm not hopeless, I'm just trying to help you realize the severity of this situation. Because if he destroys this pride, a new den will not be built as you'll be forced to run away. Which will not be good for your leg, after all."

Jali's nose wrinkled at the hurt-scent of Shebla's leg, but luckily it was beginning to be masked by the smell of the herbs. Shebla herself was falling into a dream...

_____________________________________

Cyla rolled her eyes. "I'm capable of handling myself." She then watched, a bit fearful. She felt so small compared to all of the enormous chaos, the darkness thundering above. There was a certain subtle feeling though that promised that everything was okay. It was almost as if the environment was telling the mortals that it was almost over... That everything was almost over...

______________________________________________

Var was able to pass over, as well as Saber and Scar. Taru had to come with Magir, to keep her safe as she was not good with heights or trees. The rain softened almost immediately after they all had crossed and Var noticed. He looked at Aina. "I thank you for this, Aina. I hope we can meet again one day... Now, we must leave. You may have realized we are in an urgent situation." Var gave her a thankful nod and turned to leap away. Scar, Taru, and Magir followed. Saber gave a long glance at Aina. Finally, he gave her a nod before he turned away and was gone.

Jali shook his head exhaustedly. He was about done arguing with Mabel. "I'm just saying, you can't tell yourself he won't force you into darkness, because he will. We've all endured pain and torment, that he's delivered to us, but I'm sure what he'd bring after all of this is far worse than anything we could have imagined. But---" Jali caught a glance of the group entering the camp. Taru had begun to enter the medical den.

"What happened?!" he said in surprise.

"Moonrise attacked. They tried to kill Shebla, broke her foreleg" he looked at Gamba and Mabel and at Ramla, who was silent throughout the argument. "Ramla and I need to go, but I'll be back. Come on," he told her, taking her by the side and helping her out of the den. As they emerged, Ramla's blind eyes widened as she caught sight of the Stone. And it seemed she could also see Kyra. She noted the beauty of the Sodaki through a few facial expressions, but was focused on Kyra more than anything.

"Oh Kyra! You're far more beautiful than I had imagined!" she said smiling. She looked overjoyed to see someone clearly for once in her life. She looked at the stone. "We need to take this somewhere private."

"My den" Jali said. "He directed the group away and up to the cave, which was being guarded by a female. As they came in, Jali pulled down one of the low hanging limbs of the tree at the entrance, which covered the opening so no one would see. But the lightning cast strange shadows through the leaves onto the ground. The Sodaki itself was very bright inside the cave.

"Set it down" Jali requested. As it lay on the floor, everyone stood in a circle around it, including Sira as she stood close next to Jali with both their cubs at their toes, whose eyes had begun to open and before the stone, they opened completely, which was unnatural. Jali and Sira both noted this, looking at each other, but said nothing.

Ramla inspected the Stone. Her pale blue eyes looked like they belonged to an old cripple, but Ramla was as young as Var and Kyra, which was often the reason people felt sorry for her. Being so young and living in a world she could never see. As she gazed at it, she nodded. "I know where it must go. There is a mountain in Somalia. This mountain is the place where the spirits are the strongest in the mortal world. It's also where I lost my sight and was given these powers. It's a mountain they call the Talon, for it is said Dalmaa's paw once raked the tip of the mountain when Protheus' children set foot there, killing them all... It's actually a very sad legend. Protheus' son was in love with one of Dalmaa's rebellious daughters. He took her to the Talon so Protheus could redeem and forgive her, but Dalmaa had his way inevitably..."

Sira frowned. "That is unfortunate. Love is something precious, and when it's burnt away like that, it just breaks my heart."

Ramla nodded. "Afterwards, Protheus placed an enormous flower where they had died. It's a flower that will never die or wilt away or be affected by weather, and it acts as an altar. I saw it, it's very beautiful... But Protheus forgot that it was Dalmaa who made flowers... Anyways, I've seen this flower before. We must place the Sodaki inside of it. It will deliver it to Protheus and this will all be over with. This flower is called the Pawmark of Protheus, as it resembles his paw in some way."

"Excellent, how do we get there?" asked Jali.

Ramla sighed. "There are only two ways to get there from here. Two paths. But one takes you near the Shadingtree, and that is a dangerous tree... Aziza's hyenas are camped around it as well. But, the second path is also a bit dangerous, but it does not possess that forsaken Tree, at least. You'll have to cut directly through Moonrise territory, move through Dalmaa's Dream Field, and then hike up the mountain. The Dream Field is honestly more to worry about than the Badlands, because Dalmaa thrives there. He placed those lands there to keep people out of the Talon, as the Field forms a ring around the mountain. There you will find many lost animals, broken people... But you'll have to move along, forgetting them and leaving them with no assistance. Because the moment you help them, Dalmaa's got you trapped. I was able to avoid everything and took a rather easy trip, but I'm going to assume that there's more obstacles there now. You'll have to talk to Subira about it, she knows more about it than anyone."

"Uh" Jali muttered out. He looked a bit awkwardly at Var, as he said this. "Subira's gone."

"Gone?" Var asked, his face possessing a certain look of despair. Jali nodded.

"Moonrise came and kidnapped her. Was Kavis in Kenya?"

"Yes but---"

"He's on his way to Somalia then, he'll meet her, court her, and make the Wicked Prophecy complete" Jalk said. Sira looked at Jali.

"Was that all the screaming I heard?" she asked. Jali nodded, solemnly.

"Well, you'll have to rescue her along the way. Maybe hope isn't lost. If you leave soon, you should get into their campgrounds around the same time Kavis arrives. But be wary: they are far more hostile than you've seen. You've never encountered their lions, only their hyenas."

"The lions are all hairless, even the males" said Jali.

"I think I know why" Ramla said. "Most Dalmaa-dedicated prides will do that, it's some sort of respect to Dalmaa, but I could never understand what it means, oddly, since it seems like something I'd easily have covered. Anyways, you will have to disguise your scent through use of water, dung, and herbs. If there is any khat up that way, you should use it. But don't use Deathberries, they'll smell it and know something's up."

"When should we leave?" Var asked.

"Fairly soon. But you could probably stay for tonight. Where did you see Kavis?" asked Ramla.

Taru spoke up. "He fled east after we had escaped the Black Morass."

Ramla thought for a moment, calculating everything. "You should have time to stay here for the night then. If he took the east route, he's got far more land to cover than you, so that gives you a bit of an edge. Plus, I'm sure you all wish to be in your dens again."

"Indeed" said Var, nodding.

Jali smiled, looking around at the group---skipping Saber's gaze---looking around happily. Then his head stopped when he saw Scar, whom he hadn't noticed. "Scar?!" He said in bewilderment, with wide eyes. She smiled. Jali and Sira both looked at each other. "What happened to you?"

"It was all the Dark King" Scar said. "He did it. All of it."

"Scar... Feth arrived just after your disappearance, looking for you" Sira said. "He's got a den near the berry bushes."

Scar's ears pricked up. "R-really? He's alive?" She tried to remain calm, and kept a false gaze of normality, but it was obvious she was suppressing deep emotions. Jali could see in the light of the Stone, she was holding back tears. Finally she let them go and hung her head low. Sira came to her side to comfort her.

"That lion..." Scar uttered out. "He did this. He took my whelps, my children..."

Sira and Jali both looked at each other urgently. Ramla had a saddened gaze. It seemed odd for Ramla to say anything violent, considering how she was such a happy, peaceful-minded person. But it came out to the shock of everyone. "You need to kill him then."

____________________________________________

Cyla nodded. She saw how Coglon stared blankly out at the storm. "How can you not be shaking in your paws? This is the most frightening storm I've ever been through, and I'm not afraid to say it scares me. How can you sit so calmly, Coglon?" she asked.

Cyla nodded, looking at him curiously. She sighed as she looked at the storm. A gust of wind ruffled her fur. "No, I have never seen a Great Healer before. I've only heard tales." She looked at Shadow. "But I never considered it before, I guess you're right" she said. She then stopped to think for a moment, mainly of just how much things had been changing all around her. She found a place to look at, her heart and mind. How she'd changed in the last few days alone. Who knew how much she would change in the moons to come, should she last that long. She almost cracked a smile, knowing she'd finally found something that was right. She looked at the scars on her shoulder, eyeing each. She was glad she'd gone. She was glad she had left Moonrise and she hoped she would never be in that situation again.

_____________________________________________

Var nudged the side of Kyra. "Come on, let's get you some rest. Is there anything else Ramla, before we go?"

Ramla shook her head, looking somewhere beside Var, looking for where his voice was. "That's it. Have a nice rest, you two. If you can sleep through this storm, you deserve every right to."

"As tired as we are, we'll have no trouble" Var purred. Ramla smiled and nodded.

"We'll keep the Sodaki in here, where it is safe, for now. It's less likely to be taken here in the cave, in this enclosed area, where vultures or snakes can't sneak through the weeds of your den and steal it."

Var nodded. "We'll leave at dawn then. Who is coming with us?"

"I will be" Ramla said.

Var looked at her questionably. "Are you sure?" He asked. Ramla's face grew sad.

"Not only will you need my knowledge, but it's also a personal affair. I'm not saying it's even possible, but maybe Protheus would reward me for my efforts and grant me my sight back."

Jali looked at her. "But what if you have to give up your gift?"

Ramla made a sad shake of her head. "I don't care about the gift anymore. Jali, I have the worst dreams imaginable. Being a Seeress is one of the toughest jobs of the pride. The spirits force all of these prophecies and tales down my throat without giving me a chance to breathe. They overwork my mind, and sometimes I can't even think straight from all of the spirits whispering in my ears. At night I have nightmares, horrible, horrible nightmares. This just isn't working for me anymore. I'm sorry. And with all of these dark spirits rising, can you imagine some of the things I see? It makes me close my eyes in fear, and wish I was completely blind altogether. I'm tired of it all, and this may be my only chance to change things."

Jali was silent at first, but then nodded. "I wish you the best. Just be careful."

Var glanced around the group. "Who else?"

"I'll come" said Taru.

"Me too" said Magir.

"I'm coming. They have my cubs. I have to save them, if... If they're still alive that is" Scar added. The group gave their approval, then eyes turned to Saber who sighed and nodded, giving answer to their question.

"How has my mate and cub been doing?" Saber asked.

"I had one of the guards check on them this morning. They're doing well," Jali said. "Go meet with them. Scar, you'd better go see Feth." With a nod, Scar took off, followed by Saber. Jali then looked at the others and then at Sira.

"I would go" Jali said. "But with Taru gone as well, there isn't a male to watch over things. Unless we let Gamba run things, but he's far too busy with Layla and their cubs and I wouldn't do that to him. So I'm staying behind. But Taru," he looked over at his brother. Speaking in a serious tone, he spoke now to him. "Brother, be careful."

"I will, Jali," Taru said.

Then, the group parted. Var took Kyra by the side and led them both to their den. Magir made her way to her own den, she slipped inside and didn't come out. Saber had vanished to the other side of the camp. Scar by now was opening the entrance of a den with her paw. Not Feth. She moved on to the next, peaking her head inside several dens until finally she found him laying there. She simply gazed at him, while he slept peacefully. She noted a scar over his flank which was new. She recalled the image of Kavis slashing him in the side during the rebellion. She never knew the scar would be so deep. She stepped inside, peacefully nudging him and laid down next to him. He woke up, blinking his eyes open. Confused, he didn't at first realize who it was, until his eyes had opened all the way.

"...Sc...Scar?" he asked. She smiled, licking his muzzle. His eyes were wide with amazement, joy was obviously running through his veins. "Wha--"

"Var and Kyra and the others found me, brought me here. Feth, I..." Scar said, venturing on. Her voice was stunned by the events, and being able to see her love again flooded her heart with happiness that showed in her eyes. It was almost as though her heart might burst from how happy she was.

"Where are the whelps?" Feth asked. Scar's eyes teared up. The happiness she felt had vanished by now. The tears let loose and rolled down her fur. She shook her head, slowly. Feth's eyes watered as well. "What... happened?"

"It was that evil king. Kavis... He took them." Scar pressed her face into Feth's shoulder. She squealed into it, "he took our babies... He took our babies..." Feth enveloped her with his forearm as his tears sprung out of his control as well, together they mourned and sobbed.

Var gave Kyra a lick on top of her head as he situated himself next to her. He knew she were asleep by now, but he had to answer, also pondering this himself. "Well, we've all seen spirits lately, Seer powers or not. But no doubt you've had more occurrences. But Ramla was raised her whole life in training to become a Seeress. She decided when she was a cub she wanted to be like her mentor and she inevitably lost her vision when she went to the Talon to receive her gift. So... I'm not sure." He leaned closer and murmured to her, "But I hope you never have to go through anything like that. Good night" he said at last and laid his head down, his eyes slipping shut.

It seemed as soon as they were both asleep, the thundering stopped.

______________________________________


Two spirits prodded at Belabi on the ground. One was a Jackal with only one eye. The other was a cheetah with no tail and a scar over the lips. The cheetah's right hindleg was completely skeletal. Both males. Their voices croaky and hoarse.

"Belabi! Fight's over, getup getup!" the jackal squealed. Belabi opened one eye and looked at them blankly. By now the wind had stopped and the massive vortex of wind that united the sky with the ground had dissipated, but a hole still gaped in the clouds that shone a sky of stars above.

"Belabi, come on! Got to go! Dalmaa waiting!" the jackal barked. Belabi pulled up and stood. Her wings shattered into small glass-like bits that soon dissolved as they hit the ground. She licked a bit of the blood around her lips, which sunk deep into her fur. As she did so, a bit of white fur was barely visible under the red coating.

"You go on, tell Dalmaa I have some things of my own to sort out."

The jackal and the cheetah both looked at each other. "But--" the jackal said.

"Scratch! Mude! Go back to the mountain!" she roared. They both looked at her fearfully and wings burst from their backs. The cheetah, Mude's right wing was slightly skeletal in some areas. Mude gave her a nasty look. She just rolled her eyes. "Kiss my rump, Mude. Oh wait, you can't. You gave a kiss that killed someone, now you can kiss no more. Now get out of here before I get angry, and you saw what I did to Isisulu." With that, the spirits both took off. Belabi sighed, watching the two disappear through the hole in the clouds, which was rapidly expanding as the clouds themselves dissolved. The night sky was clear and full of stars. The moon was up, and it was almost full. A quarter more and it would be complete.

"What's the matter?"

Belabi looked to her side, seeing Dalmaa standing in the grass. He did not sport his enormous black wings, but was now just a simple, charming black leopard with malicious eyes and claws and fangs that would make a baboon scream. She shook her head. "Nothing."

Dalmaa tilted his head to the side. "Nothing?" he asked in a tone of disbelief. Belabi sighed and he took to her flank. "Let us walk" he said. The two began moving through the weeds. He seemed disturbed at the moment.

"Belabi, you said something to me earlier that meant much" he said. "I've never had someone love me before." Belabi remained silent. He looked at her. "You meant what you said?"

"I did," she replied. "I realize it couldn't work out. I'm a lion spirit, you're a leopard spirit."

"I could easily change forms to a lion, Belabi. I'm an Aura, not a regular spirit. But you're right, it wouldn't exactly work. But, Belabi, I can tell you that you're very treasured to me. You are close to my 'heart'. Or what passes for one."

"You're not as bad as you say you are," Belabi said. "You're not wholly evil."

"Just because you love me, does not mean I am pure or just. Love blinds people. When you love someone, you only focus on their good qualities. You become obsessed with those qualities and everything about this person. But their bad qualities you fail to see, you catch them later when you're feelings have dimmed. Now tell me, Belabi, do you find yourself victim to this?" She shook her head. They stopped in the field for a moment. He pressed his paw to her cheek and held it there for a moment. Then he removed it, wiping the blood coating from it as he did so. It revealed snowy white fur underneath. "Everyone has good in them, buried deep underneath. But try to wipe your paw on my face," he suggested. She quickly did the same to his cheek. As she removed her paw, nothing happened. He looked at her with a look of unhappiness. "I cannot be cleansed." He turned away, walking ahead. As she caught up with him, she gazed at his face solemnly.

"Dalmaa, you're good."

"I am not!" Dalmaa shouted. "And I prefer not to be good. Everything that Protheus is, I am not, and I want it to stay that way. With every ounce he grows more righteous, I wish to grow another ounce darker. As the light floods into him, let the darkness enter me. No one will be safe..."

"If you defeat him, you can make the world better."

"Sin is something I created to be permanent, and naturally occurring. It cannot be removed once it's introduced. "And I am not sure if I can win this fight against him, but know this, I will not bow! I will never give in. I will not break! I will never fade or fall, I will be here... Because he can't chain me with a simple order, a meaningless prophecy. Because what are these prophecies? They're meaningless. They mean nothing! I will not fade... I will survive. He cannot command my fate with something as pitiful and unworthy as a prophecy. Let it be known that I, Dalmaa, will never bow."

Belabi nodded. "Don't bow to that fool. You are fadeless."

"Fadeless," Dalmaa echoed. "That is it then. Fadeless. And let my will commence. I will tear these prophecies in two like a leaf in the rain. Protheus will lose, he will be defeated like a flower trampled in the dirt. I will show him what for..." He looked up at the stars maliciously. "Listen, learn, Protheus. For your prophecies mean nothing to me, and neither will be fulfilled. Watch as I defile them. Watch as I, myself, kill Var and Kyra."

_______________________________________________________________

Cyla laid down near the back of the cave, keeping warm. She noted that the storm was disappearing, but didn't want to wake Coglon. She glanced at him before turning to close her eyes. She was happy to be out of all of the despair. She finally felt the sensation of freedom. She only hoped that it wouldn't be short lived. Such a thing would be tragic and crush her. She then began to ponder her future, and finally she decided that Coglon may be what liberates her from her past. She ought to befriend him.

______________________________________________


As Kyra drifted deeper into sleep, her mind winded with dreams. But these were short and frightening. In only a few milliseconds she saw a lioness covered in blood, a tall black tree, and an enormous white flower. But then Dalmaa's face cut through the vision, piercing it with a roar. It cut back to the flower, flashing in and out as they flower burst into flames and died. A carving of a star on a cave wall appeared, looking freshly made. Then quickly two sets of claw marks appeared over it, making an X. Two horrid eyes, Dalmaa's, but far fiercer, pierced her mind with an unsettling noise much like a scream. Then things fell dark. It lightened, showing a young black-furred lion cub, crying... alone in a dark cave, with a hole in the 'roof' that shone a single spot of moonlight down on the cub. The cub squealed, then the scene burst apart into blackness again. Dalmaa's face flashing in, his claws seen scratching stone and leaving horrid marks. Various flashes of a suffering black leopard and a suffering black lion, within the moonlight and on hard black stone, could be seen. Blood dripped from a paw as it made a mark on the stone. Things quieted when all that was seen was that tree again. But there was some mottled, blurred chattering in the background, indecipherable. The voices were incomprehensible. The tree stood silently, and from the distance it was viewed... it looked like Dalmaa... with his wings spread.

Then everything went black.