The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Var opened his eyes, having been awake but still resting. Grimacing he put a paw over hers, trying to calm her. "It's alright, just tell me what you saw. You're alright," he said in a soothing way. But inside Var was just as terrified. It was as though he had the dreams as well, her own fear slunk into him like a sly shadow, but all the while he hid it all behind the doors of his body, trying not to let his body language give him away.

____________________________________


Cyla blinked away, standing up and stretching. She yawned, the pink in her ears especially emboldened this morning. She flicked her tail as she rubbed an eye with a paw. "The storm is gone?" she said looking at the sky. The sky was especially gloomy this morning. Gray clouds fluttered here and there. They promised rain, but seemed to be carrying it somewhere else. It would pass. Cyla then moved outside of the den. "Let's go then."

Var nodded, getting out of the den. "That's a prophecy, you need to see Ramla. Come on," he said as he guided her down the camp. Taru had been sitting with Magir at the foot of the hill that led to the royal cave.

"Morning," Taru greeted.

"Can't talk, urgent matter!" Var said rushing past. Taru and Magir both looked at each other and then stared in the direction they had disappeared. Var took Kyra down a narrow path through the brush, branching just out of the camp and isolated into the wilderness. It was a ways behind the medical den, on the rim of the lake. They entered a clearing where Ramla stood drinking from the lake, standing off the bank. There was a guard standing off to the side, making sure she was alright.

"Ramla!" Var said urgently. She stuck her head up, looking over her shoulder and whipping around. She looked off somewhere where his voice had sounded, but not directly at him. Her sweet, gentle voice sounded.

"Yes?"

Var began to describe the dream Kyra had, his own bones shivering under his skin as he spoke the words. Every time he said Dalmaa's name, he felt something curdle in his blood. He looked at her urgently, waiting for her response as he finished.

"Hmm. This is definitely a prophecy. Obviously he's going to try and kill the Pawmark. He's cheating us is what he's doing. He's going to rip both prophecies up as if they're nothing, because to him, they really are nothing. He's going to rewrite everything about everything. This is my guess, though. Because even a Seeress cannot see Dalmaa for what he is or predict his actions. He is the most unpredictable, cunning spirit there is. He'll find a way to undo you and redo what's in question. He always does, as long as I've known about him. Just like the tale of his daughter and Protheus' son. Protheus viewed their love as a way to bring him and Dalmaa closer and to reconcile their differences. Dalmaa, however, wanted no part in being forgiven by Protheus or any pure spirit. He raked the mountaintop and killed both of them. There is so much to that story that we can apply to our situation, but no time for me to elaborate. We'll have plenty of time for me to tell it to you on the trip. But as for the lioness covered in blood..."

Ramla thought a moment, the guard gave her a sudden look of surprise at this, as if she knew what was being spoken about. Ramla looked at Var, or at least, near him. "That sounds to me like Belabi, Shebla's grandmother. But that was far before I was around. I've only heard the story of how Belabi bathed in Osaqi's blood... Shebla has told everyone that Osaqi killed her grandmother, to hide her shame. But no... Belabi killed Osaqi. Jali told me, and he's chosen to respect Shebla's story. Initially it was Star that eventually killed her. I could easily place Belabi on the same level of villainy as Aziza, but Belabi is far more subtle, according to Jali. Whereas Aziza is always in your face. Anyways, the black lion cub... I'm not sure... Do you know any lion with black fur?"

"Well, Shadow and Kavis are the only two I can think of" said Var.

"You said Dalmaa was suffering with the cub as it matured into an adult. Kavis has Dalmaa's poison inside of him, which fuels him. I could only imagine it could cause severe pain to him, even at a young age. Not just physical pain though, I'm sure Kavis constantly has a rush of bloodthirst he can't control and sudden bursts of the desire to kill something. He's probably very depressed underneath, as Dalmaa's victims usually always are. It was Kavis you saw. This means he's of far more importance than we thought. Likely, he's much more than some king. But we will have to get more information. As for the symbol... Hmm..."

Ramla thought, then continued. "The star obviously means Star, our previous king. It being crossed out... I'm not sure what that means. Star is already dead. It may mean Dalmaa will reduce him to almost nothing, or he will cease to exist entirely... The bloody paw. That obviously means that Dalmaa is writing his prophecy in stone, in his blood. It is his prophecy, and it is permanent. That is his law. He'll kill anyone that cannot find the ability to respect it."

"What about the Tree?" Var asked.

"Ah yes, almost forgot. Well, the reason I wanted us to chose the second path that steers away from that Tree, is because it's an evil Tree. It is said that Dalmaa lives inside of it. Since he was banished from the spirit world, it is essentially his home in the mortal world. And it's often said that once a good soul touches it, the Tree consumes them and draws them into a type of pocket realm belonging to Dalmaa, where only darkness lies, trapping them and Dalmaa feasts on their soul. I have seen it all too many times in my own dreams. If you look at it from a certain angle, it looks like Dalmaa with his wings spread. So you may have been confused and thought you saw him standing behind it, Kyra" she said. "But, we may eventually have to go there. Who knows what trouble will come. But this prophecy of Dalmaa plotting to burn the Pawmark... We need to leave immediately. Go gather everyone that's going and meet me at the camp entrance."

________________________________________________________________


Cyla began to eat from the rabbit, but did not say anything. She seemed a bit awkward to accept food from someone else. She felt so use to the 'survive on your own' teaching Kavis had installed. A teaching he had learned from Aziza. Cyla wiped the blood from her snout as she finished. Flicking a tail she looked at Coglon a bit shyly afterwards. "I'm... I'm not good with sacred grounds. I had better stay behind... I'm not exactly fit for it," She said. It was obvious she kept in mind her sins, and that she was afraid that if she entered, these sins would lead to her downfall. She didn't want to die in sacred grounds, and was afraid. Her own fear-scent was rising as Coglon had said this. She had no idea that that's where they were approaching.

As the group walked off, beginning their journey, Ramla pondered this to herself for a moment. The pack consisted of Ramla, Var, Kyra, Saber, Magir, Scar, and Taru. Many wondered why Feth had not come with Scar, but she bluntly explained that her mate was very weak in fights, how she had fallen in love with him for his personality, not his body.

Ramla then looked at Kyra. "We may actually never know the true reason until we get to the Pawmark. But either Protheus and Dalmaa are pushing these powers on you because they need a new Seeress, or Dalmaa feels close to you... I'm not sure why he would reveal his new plan to you already. It makes no sense. He must have more planned. He showed this to you on purpose. He's not only going to destroy that flower, but he's also going to do something else that we might not even be able to counter. Fate will decide." Ramla walked wearily for a moment, patting around for the right path. Taru took to her side, allowing his body to act as a guide for hers. She had to walk and remain against him at the same time, which was often how she was directed around large areas by the Pride lions.

Ramla sighed. "This is all so strange, even for me. My skills have been put to the test over the last few moons. I've been unable to decipher all of these messages. I'm always able to crack a spirit's code, it seems. But Dalmaa is so obscure, so mist-like. But what I do know is, things are worsening out there. Kyra, I fear that Dalmaa is trying to make you close to him. Tell me, has he been visiting your dreams often lately? I believe you said something about that last night. How often? And for how long does he visit?"

_____________________________________________________________

Cyla nodded and followed. Though she was still slightly nervous. She stopped at the ledge with Shadow and Coglon and waited further orders. Her mind buzzed with curiosity at the sight of the tunnel. Where did it lead? She hoped somewhere good. She'd never been in this part of Ethiopia before.

Cyla approached slowly, sat next to Coglon, and placed a paw on the crystal. She closed her eyes, feeling the sensation. She seemed relaxed, calmed and quieted. Her mind was clearer, she seemed to find herself at peace. "What, what is this thing? Where are we?" she asked.  Cyla opened her eyes and eyed the stone and the symbols along the ground and was amazed by the structure of the place. Then her mind stumbled upon the fact that without Coglon convincing her to reject Moonrise, she never would have been taken here.

_______________________________________________________________

Ramla made a thoughtful hum as the group stretched over a hump in the ground, pushing through some undergrowth. The sky here was dark gray, as though it still carried shards of the tension from the previous night. Ramla looked up to it, although unable to see it properly, gazing up at the heather. She then let her gaze rest on the ground in front of her as her paw ran through moist grass. She then turned, looking somewhere around Kyra.

"Dalmaa may be showing you all of this to draw you closer to him on purpose. That might even be a bowl of lies he's thrown at you. But... it sounds authentic. That matches up with the legends. He may have told it to you so you'd feel guilty about banishing him from Earth, or maybe even change your mind. Because as long as he has power over your emotions, you'll only fall. I believe he is far more cunning than this and he's got more up his pelt. But on the fact that he wants to be the opposite of Protheus, that I believe for certain. But as you said, we haven't heard Protheus' side. But Kyra, it's dangerous for Dalmaa to be close to you." Ramla thought for a moment.

"We'd learn a lot if we could somehow speak to Kavis about this, but I assume the Dark King would never speak about it. If Dalmaa succeeds to destroy both prophecies, we'll be right back where we started. We've gotten this far, we have to deliver this stone to Protheus."

Ramla looked over to Var, who had the stone clutched in his mouth. As he approached Kyra, the stone darkened to a strange color of dark orange. It senses she was confused and as a bit of red mixed with it, Ramla identified to herself it meant danger. Ramla could now see Var's face, as he held the stone.

"Var, how handsome you are!"

"Wha--" Var murmured out from the corner of his mouth.

"I can see the person who holds the stone, for some reason..." Ramla said. She looked somewhere near Kyra. "My vision as a whole must be improving though, because for some odd reason, I can see your outline, Kyra."

Ramla gave a look of distress to Kyra. "I have never had any visions of these spirits, but, it seems ominous. It may have something to do with an incident that may occur later. We can't be sure. As I said earlier, it will take the revelation of more information. As far as these new spirits go, try not to dwell on them. Many spirits taunt mortals with visions that make them beg for more, curious and desperate to gain knowledge. It may be that. But as far as Dalmaa goes, you should try to keep your mind clear of him as well. You're in a sensitive position, and I honestly fear for you. There is something... malicious about this whole thing. We'll see what happens later, though. And I still have the story to tell you. The story about Dalmaa's daughter and Protheus' son. Interested?" Ramla asked, looking around Kyra intently. Her pale eyes seemed to glisten in the ashen morning light. Her tail flicked as she proceeded to walk, guides by Taru.

_________________________________________

Cyla looked around the area and at the entrance. Her gaze then met Coglon's. "Will you be alright?" she asked. She looked over her shoulder, and back again. "Will I be alright?" She had a chilled feeling about the area, her hair prickling up slightly. Her green eyes seemed to zip at everything that happened to catch her gaze. She looked at him a bit worriedly, but she felt as though Coglon would be alright. Her right ear twitched.

Ramla flicked her tail. She gave a melancholic look out at the land she couldn't see, but at the same time she was smiling. Ramla was always good at smiling, having one that could cheer anyone up it seemed. Her paws moved alongside Taru's as he helped her carefully. Ramla went on to the speak. "Protheus wanted to experience somewhat the mortal life, without coming down as a mortal as Dalmaa did. He wanted to truly know the fatherly experience. He made for himself a mortal son, born in a pride far in the west. Dalmaa of course, did the opposite and created a daughter born in a pride in the east. Despite their distance, the two met each other in between. The two prides of lions had been locked in war for countless generations. Dalmaa's pride and Protheus' pride. The fathers of both individuals were fierce rivals. But the daughter, Jezile, was the victim of a cursed life. She endured the horrors of her father, Dalmaa. He used her as an example to all of the other spirits that he has no heart and he can abuse anyone, even his own daughter, without shedding a tear." Ramla shook her head. "The girl lost her earthly mother to rabies, lost her brothers to hyenas. She was a victim of cancer her entire life. She was punished her whole life."

Ramla's ear twitched. "The male's name was Thandi. He was a majestic prince who had a wonderful, peaceful life. He was sheltered by his earthly parents from the war and didn't have to fight. He was kept sweet and pure and the most kind-hearted male anyone could ever ask for... But one day, during hunting, he slipped off a ledge and came rolling down a slope into a large rut, crashing into a makeshift den of some sort. It was Jezile he found there. She had ran away after her father had abused her for the millionth time. She bore many scars and many bruises. Thandi, being the good spirited boy he was, helped her. She tried to deny him, but his good will overpowered her and she came to her senses. He led her back to his own pride, where he hoped she'd receive more help. It was then that she discovered that the boy she met was the son of her family's enemy pride. The two grew close however, as she stayed there and kept her true identity a secret. However eventually she had to tell Thandi, or she would have burst into flames. He did not judge her. But he kept her secret. But it was short-lived. Eventually when Dalmaa's mortal pride attacked its rival, Thandi's pride saw how Jezile's fought for her and protected her and accused them of kidnapping her. After the battle, they banished both Thandi and Jezile, for keeping this enormous secret. And by this time, the two were growing even closer. They lied down one night, staring up at the stars together, and as they fell asleep there, they both had prophetic dreams. Dalmaa revealed to Jezile he was her maker. Protheus did the same to Thandi. Protheus told Thandi to take Jezile to a nearby mountain called, which, at the time, the only name for it was 'Highpeak'. Protheus said he knew that Jezile meant a lot to Thandi, and that he was willing to redeem her and forgive her for her evil blood. Dalmaa told Jezile not to listen to anything Thandi said and to run away. As they both awoke, they shared their dreams. By this point, they acknowledged their feelings for each other. They traveled to Highpeak, ignoring Dalmaa's demands. It seems with every step they took onward, their love grew stronger." Ramla smiled. "Along the way they exchanged plans to one day start a family together, to evade the fueds, to live somewhere where there was only peace." Her face darkened substantially.

Ramla flicked her tail slowly and solemnly. She gazed by Kyra. "They reached the very tip of the mountain. Protheus was coming out from the clouds, stepping out in the form of a physical avatar. But Dalmaa swooped in with his giant wings and blocked Protheus' path and closed the entrance. Protheus was unable to descend and help his son and new daughter. Dalmaa swiped the top of the mountain with his paw, destroying it and ravaging it, and killing both of them..." Ramla sighed. "I've had so many dreams of that moment... Dalmaa's face made of clouds in the dark sky, an enormous black paw made of mist and lightning thundering down and ripping open that mountain. His talons were like fire... And that's why they call it the Talon. They changed the mountain's name. As Dalmaa slipped away, Protheus emerged in tears. His teardrops fell from his cloud perch and onto the remnant of the top of the mountain. In the very place the couple once stood alive, the tears fell and formed an enormous white flower with a pink center. It was that day that Protheus decided to find a way to stop Dalmaa. In the center of the flower, grew many seeds. These seeds grew together into a powerful object. That object," Ramla said pointing at the Sodaki with her tail. "The seeds combined created this Stone, powerful and made to conquer Dalmaa's control over the mortal world. But this seed is not matured. It was meant to break the Aura Code and kill Dalmaa. But it was stolen when Star visited the Talon, for reasons I do not know and Jali will not tell. Since Star took it, it only has the power to banish Dalmaa. It cannot kill him. But then again, we're not even sure if the matured version could have killed an Aura. Aura's have no known beginning or end. The ability or them to die or cease to exist or simply end hasn't been discovered." Ramla sighed. "What I'd give to bring those two lions back into the world. Torn apart by their parents and their feud. Jezile belongs to Dalmaa and the dark spirits, trapped deep within Dalmaa's realm. Thandi is high with Protheus, hidden away and only hoping for the day he may see his love again... All in all," Ramla continued, giving a glance that seemed directly on Kyra this time, "everything revolves around love. Even the enormous war we've been fighting has just been one big love story."


_________________________________________________________________

Cyla jumped as Coglon emerged, her ears pricked in alarm. Nearly springing out of step, she ran up to him. "Coglon! Are you okay? What happened?" she asked, eyeing the markings. She felt the instinct to touch one and see what they were, but refrained knowing it might not be comfortable for Coglon. She winced as she gazed at them longer, noting that they looked painful. She flicked her tail, looking back to meet his gaze.


_________________________________________________________________

Jali stepped back into the medical den as the party had left. He had a solemn look as he saw Shebla laying asleep, having a suffering look to her. He sighed. "She's done so much for us," he said, looking to Mabel. "So much. The only thing she's every refused to do is deliver cubs. She's done so many things that were hard for her. Sacrificed so much... I just hate to see her suffer. It seems like Ammon was the only one who could change that. But without him... she doesn't really have anything to do other than fix wounds. She seems... broke, without him. It seems strange, how happy he made her those short moons. If only he hadn't left..." he said, his gaze fixing on the trees around them. He shook his head. "She's conflicted, and I can tell, even now she mourns for him. She misses him."

Jali was silent for several moments. His deep blue eyes looking down and trying to find something in his head it seemed. His gaze rested on Shebla as her pelt moved up and down along her flank as she breathed, her sleeping eyes closed shut. She was in pain, but in a sense she looked almost peaceful. Jali's brownish gold mane ruffled in the wind, a few strands hanging in front d his face. He then looked over at Mabel. "You think he loved her?" His gaze fell back to Shebla. Jali was in deep thought, pondering these two lives. "I knew they were close... but..." he could only look at his paws now and sigh. "If she love him... I..." it was obvious Jali was in a moment of sympathy for Shebla. "I just wish Shebla could have things go the way she wants, for once in her life..." He looked back at Mabel. "I knew he meant a lot to her, and as time went on I began to believe she meant much to him. But I'd never thought they thought of each other like that. Do you think they love each other?"

______________________________________________________________


Ramla nodded, looking at Kyra softly. "Love is one of life's greatest pleasures. You're very lucky, Kyra, to have it," she said smiling. "Love is powerful. Very so. And it doesn't always mean romance. It could be the love between two friends or caught in with a family. I love my friends of course, but having a male in my life would be nice," she said in an admitting way. "I've always envied the couples of the pride. Always pictured myself with a male, but what male wants a blind mate?" she chuckled. "I could never hunt for my family, I could never go on my own. And males like females who don't depend on them for everything, right?"

Magir looked up from her paws. She'd been walking behind Kyra, Var, Ramla, and Taru. She looked to Ramla. "You don't need a male in your life. They only ruin your life anyways..."

Ramla glanced blindly over her shoulder for a moment and then back at Kyra. Ramla whispered under her breath, "maybe yours at least." It was obvious by the look on Ramla's face that she knew about Magir's past. Magir's gaze went back to her paws as she walked along, still having a hunted look about her. It was obvious she still didn't feel welcome. Taru looked back at her, sadly. He eyed Saber, who he saw cracking a grin as he walked next to Scar and Magir, laughing at Magir. As the two males made eye contact, Taru shot him a horrid gaze that made him quiet himself. Then he turned his head to the front again and kept walking.

_____________________________________________________________

Cyla nodded. "Yes, here" she said taking to his side and helping him carefully onto her back. "Just hang on," she said. "I'll get you out of here." She began moving along at a pace in which she tried to escape the tunnel quickly, but not so quick as to discomfort Coglon. It was rather hard for her, considering how gaunt and weak her body was. In size, she was slightly bigger than Coglon, but far weaker than him. That had been proven in their fight. She made her way out of the entrance to the tunnel and laid Coglon down, placing a paw over his eyes to keep any flies away. She looked around for Shadow, getting nervous.

Jali licked his paw and brushed some of his mane out of his face. He then seemed to stare out at the lake behind them as he walked over to the rim of the den. "I remember the day Sira and I confesses to each other our love. It was a quarter moon before my father's death. We were both wrestling playfully in the shallows of the river just outside the pride. It was a beautiful day. We spent most of it out there, simply having a good time. And after I saw Sira emerge from the river with the water in her fur and the sunshine shining down, reflecting in her eyes... and her smile. It was then I realized I had to tell her about my feelings, because if I didn't I'd be tortured all my life by having this beautiful, heart-warming lioness around me and not being able to tell her just how much I love her. So as we settled down under the shade of the trees, I told her. And she admitted to me the same feelings. And here we are today," Jali said smiling. He looked up at the sky, as the sun shone through the clouds. "I only wish Dad could be here, to see the life we've built."

Jali looked back at Mabel. "If they love each other, truly, then I feel sorrow that Ammon has left. And if Fate returns him to us, I will have to let him reenter this pride. I had hatred for him when he left, because he is strong and could have saved us further. But I will have to overlook that hate, because Shebla is a dear friend of mine and I would never crush her in such a way. I only hope that Fate returns him soon, before both of them grow apart."

_____________________________________________________________

Ramla smiled, looking to the side, directly at Kyra. Her pale eyes seemed to glisten in the light. "You're a very bright-minded lioness, Kyra, and I love the words you speak. And though it would be nice to have that true love, I will just have wait and see what comes my way. But what I look forward to is having my vision returned to me, if Protheus would be so kind. But that may be impossible, since it is said that Seeresses can never be reversed. But I'm sure with Protheus it is possible... He may grant you and Var something too, you know. What would you ask him to grant for you?"

_____________________________________________________________


Cyla had eyes wide with surprise. She seemed to stare at Coglon's new eyes, at first in shock, but then in astonishment, as if they were one of the most beautiful things she'd seen yet. "Wow," she began. "Your eyes look amazing. Can, can you see spirits?" she asked, still in bewilderment. She tried not to stare too long, so she looked at Shadow a few glimpses, but seemed to have a magnetic draw to Coglon's eyes.

Jali nodded, staying silent for a moment. His mind zipped through a few memories before he spoke again. "I'll gather all the warriors whenever I can then. I'll tell them not to harm him. They'll know who he is when they see him. I doubt there are many more Barbary Lions alive." He sighed. "Sad. So many beautiful types of lions have gone away..." Jali then went through the image of Kavis, being brought to the fact that he was a Cape Lion, which was nearly dead.

"I heard Ammon mention something about not being able to fight Kavis. Though, I never quite understood it. Kavis is a Cape Lion, which is an equally powerful, almost extinct race of lions. But still... Why did Ammon run from that?"

_______________________________________________________________

Ramla nodded, noting that it was a wise decision. But she couldn't speak as her voice was cut off from behind.

"He... he said that?" Magir blurted out. After Var turned to look at her, along with Taru, she shrunk back and visibly regretted saying it. Her ears bent back down as she hid her face, looking back down at her paws. Var gave her an odd look as he clutched the Stone in his mouth. As she had spoken, it turned some strange mix of blue and green swirls just beneath the glassy surface of the rock. The swirls looked almost like fog or liquid, or somewhere inbetween. The fact was, the light that shone forth had a certain tone of a cry for help. A desperate cry for help. And Var immediately spat it out, giving out a yelp.

"What's wrong?" asked Taru.

"It turned ice cold all of a sudden!" Var said tapping it with his toes. Ramla gave a puzzled look at it, as she suddenly turned and looked at Magir who was still gazing at her paws. It was odd, how somehow Ramla could see her. A strange blue aura surrounded her in the foggy eyes of the Seeress. Though there was still some distortion that persevered.
______________________________________________________________


Cyla began to walk with them, as they went on. She felt strange now, still fascinated with Coglon's new appearance and puzzled with the meaning of the symbols. She kept quiet for now though, keeping to her thoughts. They seemed to be her friend in moments like these. As they neared closer to Sunset's camp, the clouds became denser and denser and still embodied all the hate between the spirits.

A bit of light moved through the leaves of the large clearing that made up the medical den, flickering strange shadows on the ground. A bit of light blazed through some of the clouds. Cascading a ray of gold onto Jali's shoulders and outlining him in light, he looked over at her. The light above then began to dim and grow pale, slowly clouds covering the hole in the sky again. A swift breeze blew by leaves amongst the ground, a few running against Jali's paw.

"I suppose I misjudged him," Jali mewed. "I have seen all forms of brokenness walk into this pride. I try to mend and repair these people as much as I can, but at the end of the day there's always something I find I can't just fix..." he looked at his paws, his gaze hardening. "For Ammon, I just hope he returns soon. Shebla needs him now. You've seen her recently, and haven't you noticed how cut off she seems? She had nobody now... Kamuzu, her closest friend and mentor, is gone. Shebla has been burying her problems in her medical work, trying hard to simply get through each day. Yet she seems not to seek any sort of social interaction, since Ammon's departure. I think she's just lost hope in friendship." Jali looked back up at Mabel. "Pray to the spirits that they deliver Ammon soon. It pains both Sira and I to see Shebla like this. Shebla is a close family friend. Though that said, we've never known her that close. In a way she has walls of her own, she just slowly slips away, seemingly losing control."

________________________________________________________________________


Ramla nodded. "That is a very wise decision, Kyra. Keep with that. I'm sure it would be an amazing relief to a mother to know that she'll give birth without any complications. Many people would envy you." Ramla looked over at the Stone, walking over and tapping it and pulling away quickly. She looked at Magir, who was oddly still visible, and flicked her tail at the Sodaki. Magir walked forward and stood next to Ramla. Ramla made a gesture to touch it. Magir stuck her paw out and pressed her paw against the Stone. It immediately turned a strange gray color, and the coldness ceased. Suddenly the surface of the Stone grew wet and dripped. But Ramla noted that this water was far more lustrous, noting that they were tears. A scent came from the Stone, an odd one. Var's hairs stood on end as it emerged. He looked back at it.

Magir's face had hardened, she was fighting back tears. The scent that emerged was Snake's scent, before his death, before the infection in his forepaw. Magir quickly moved away, and looked back, saying quickly, "I'm sorry," and leaping into the weeds ahead. The Stone shifted back to its natural purple, drying and the scent dissipating. Ramla looked over to Kyra.

"I believe today is that day," she said. "Go ahead, we'll catch up."

______________________________________________________________________

Cyla sighed. "Well, I'll go in this den, then" she said leaping quietly into the prison den and peaking her head through some of the weeds. "I think it'd be safer just to let them notice we've returned." She said, coming back into the den. She situated herself and sat back on her haunches, waiting for anything further.

Magir looked at Kyra, shocked. Her eyes teared up, before sprawling loose. She tightened her face, trying not to sob loudly. As she wiped some tears from her face and regained control, she looked at Kyra, eyes bloodshot. "They... They told you?" she was silent for several more moments, before she spoke again. She nodded. "I loved Snake. So much... But he didn't love me..." Her face turned rotten.

"He's just like his name suggests, a crafty serpent. He broke my heart just for the sake of breaking something. He could have at least told me he had a mate, he could have told me he had a cub for spirit's sake!" she sniffed, her eyes turning down to her paws and she padded across the damp soil.

"I loved him so much... I... In some ways I still feel like I do, deep down inside. But I hate him. I hate him with every ounce I have control of." She then looked at Kyra with confusion. "Full story? What do you mean?"

______________________________________________________________

Jali looked at Mabel. "You stay here in case Shebla wakes up, I'll go see what's going on," he said. He padded out of the den and into the clearing, carefully inspecting Coglon. He cautiously approached and eyed Cyla whose eyes were just peaking through the ferns.

"Coglon... what's going on?" Jali asked.

Magir was silent the entire time, her head down, watching the grass slip by and be touched by her tears like raindrops. The crunching of the tall weeds sounded beneath her pads as she moved through with Kyra. "I didn't know he had a sister... I only knew he had Nail. He never told me any of this... Nobody did..." She had a solemn look to her, her face hardening as she looked up at Kyra.

"I was blind the entire time. He tricked me into believing so many things that were lies. And I just... I haven't been able to trust a male since. I ran away, coming north. I never set foot in Kenya afterwards. But..." she looked up at Kyra, a few tears gently slipping down her cheeks. "Go on, I need to hear it."

_______________________________________________________________


Jali nodded. He turned, flicking his tail in a gesture that beckoned Coglon to follow. "Come over to the lake with me to see your reflection then. I need to talk to you about something anyways," he said. "Several things actually, important things." Jali padded across the clearing to the shore that sloped slightly downward into a sand that dumped into the lake. He sat down, looking at his own reflection. Then he glanced back over his shoulder at Coglob.

Magir's head raised and she was silent for many long, drawn out moments. She wrinkled her nose as the weeds cut her, rubbing it raw. She looked at Kyra then, her eyes beginning to dry, but only beginning. "I, I suppose you are right. I shouldn't be so distrusting." She sighed and was quiet a while longer, before she spoke once more. "I try to tell myself that it's just Snake, I always have, but I just have such a hard time trusting males. I'm actually not sure what will change it. But I will certainly try."

Magir sighed. "My brother always asked me about Snake, after I admitted to him that I loved Snake. He always wanted to meet him, see what he was like, but Snake would never come to my pride... And my brother died waiting. That's why when I ran, I didn't look back, because there was nothing to look back to. My brother was dead, and I had nothing left to lose. And Yellow Pride alone was on its last legs. So I was gone..." Magir took in a breath and then looked at Kyra.

"Do you know how Snake's parents died?" she asked. She was silent for a moment, letting the question sink in. "I've seen them in a dream, once. Their bodies are adorned with glowing markings. It is said that when a lion dies in an event that is full of so much hatred or sorrow, that they bear the scars even after death..." Magir paused, letting this hang there as well. "Snake killed his parents. I witnessed it, and I think he caused me to. I was moving north, towards Somalia, when I could smell scent markers in the area. But I didn't pay much attention to realize they were Snake's, I simply heeded their existence and moved around them. They seemed to direct me in an exact path to a clearing that opened out to enormous plains. I saw Snake and his parents fighting on a cliff that overlooked the plains... And I can say to this day, it was the most brutal fight I've ever seen in my life. Blood practically dripped from the cliff's edge, and both their bodies fell to the ground. I had to go and see if they were, by some miracle, still alive. Snake was just laughing on that cliff... Looking at me. And then he just turned away..." she shook her head. "I just wish I could find a male I could be close with, one I know I could trust."

_______________________________________________________________


Jali sighed, running his paw across some of the water. "I wonder if you could see your reflection in the shiny rocks in the caverns in my den. But anyways, I wanted to make you aware, your sister left this morning to deliver Protheus' Stone to the Talon. Var and a team of others have gone with her. They should be nearing the border to Somalia by now."