Post by Bhaskar on Oct 22, 2010 21:34:14 GMT -7
Cast:
Bhaskar & Lakshmi (Tiger, Golden Jackal)
Dano (Juve. Lion)
Mukula (Juve. Lioness)
Ladna (Juve. Lioness)
Indra (Juve. Lion)
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Forest Crossroad
A thick, deep and vast forest of teak, mahogany, sal and eucalyptus trees and a myriad of shorter undergrowth-layer trees blocks even tall beasts from seeing far in any direction, and keeps the large beasts -- elephant, rhinoceros, guar and water buffalo -- from travelling freely off of their few well-trodden trails that converge here. One trail leads south to a gentle slope, another to the northeast where the tall trees and tangled foliage give way to mostly grass and low bush. Teaks provide most of the tall canopy overhead, while a number of smaller trees including mango, jamun, jackfruit and piar cluster along with tangling vines and thorny bushes densely on the floor, impassable for beasts larger than a sambar or smaller tiger. Herds of chital and smaller herbivores frequent this area specifically because they can go where large tigers cannot, but the canopy layer above replaces the threat of mighty tigers with that of nimble leopards. The stench of a stagnant pond sometimes drift through the generally still air from the east, where another well-trodden trail leads.
------
As the morning wore on and even the shade beneath the trees grew warmer, Bhaskar had slipped off alone. Lakshmi hadn't accompanied him; she'd stayed behind to try and, if not win the cubs' trust, at least keep an eye on them. It wouldn't matter terribly if they all ran off. She could always track them down again. But Mukula and Indra have seemed receptive to the extra company and protection, if nobody else, and so she's stayed around. Now there's a faint ruckus out in the brush, a steady dragging scuffle, as if something large and heavy is being pulled along towards them. The jackal perks her ears, sitting up, and gazes off expectantly towards the sound.
It seems that the first born Dano has been put on the spot for a bit. He's the oldest, so he's the leader. He's the biggest, so he's the protector. He's the bravest, so he's the voice that challenges adversity. For such a young child, he embodies his father, and inspires to make the right decisions that will keep his small family alive. Go with the tiger and jackal, or learn to survive on their own? He has mulled the opportunity about in his mind, struggling to push back childish fears and think: What would father do? He understands how the small family is split down the middle. Taking in a deep breath, he approaches the jackal, sizing him up a bit. As he opens his mouth to speak, he is startled by the dragging noise in the distance and he turns around quickly to face whatever may be oncoming.
Though meeting Lakshmi and Bhaskar has pulled Mukula out of her earlier funk, that she's still badly shaking is evident at how alarmed she looks by the noise coming in their direction. The only reason she doesn't panic completely is because Lakshmi doesn't, and the young lioness is quickly growing to trust the kind canine if only because she's small enough to not be too dangerous but mature enough to at least seem like she knows what she's doing. Still, she can't help but back away a little in the direction of their rock shelter, just to make sure that both Dano and Lakshmi are closer to whatever it is than she is.
Ladna doggedly kept to her stubborn decision throughout the night, refusing to go with the tiger and jackal out of her own pride and distrust. Who's to say they'll not get bored of tending them? Who's to say they're not with that monster? Staying alone may very well be suicide, but, maybe they'll get lucky and figure out the whole adult-living business. She remains on her little nest of leaves, though her half-dozing expression snaps aware as she jerks her head towards the sound with her ears slicking back.
Although Lakshmi is distracted by the incoming noise, she doesn't fail to notice Dano's approach. She glances at him briefly, but soon returns her attention to surveying the trees. The dragging stops; then a low grumble of annoyance drifts out of the brush, and then a particularly loud snap before the commotion resumes, as if the object had gotten caught on something. Bhaskar. Well, that's all right. "Yes?" she asks Dano now, not unkindly, as the tiger finally comes into view. He's got a good-sized chital with him, and seems to have brought it some distance if the state of its dappled pelt is any indication.
Taking in a deep breath, Dano looks up at the lupine. "Before we agree to anything, I need some questions answered." He lets out, tail twitching behind him slowly. "I want to know what your plans for us are." He gives another pause. "I also want to know who killed my parents." He's quite adamant about that as his ears raise forward. "If you can convince me that we can...we can trust you, then I will make the others come with me. I..." He swallows tight, then thrusts his chin upwards, chest out. "I'm in charge now. I'm the King. They will follow me. So I need to know that we'll be safe with you, and that you'll teach us how to hunt and to take care of ourselves. I need to know you won't turn on us and kill us." His eyes narrow seriously, staring at Lakshmi.
The grumble is difficult for Mukula to place, but when Lakshmi continues to think that everything is fine, she's finally able to figure out what it is. That big tiger must be bringing something, hopefully food! Though the thought of filling her belly is distracting, she still manages to pull her attention away from that now-promising rustling and listen in on what Dano is saying to the jackal. Really she doesn't see that they have much of a choice: these two /seem/ nice, and she's far less willing than her siblings to say that they would have any hope on their own, so in her opinion they'll have to do. But she meant it when she said that they've all gotta come.
Ladna begins to scowl darkly until the chital is brought into view and there's a faint flinch from the lioness as her stomach gives a loud and traitorous growl at the smell of food. Still, she remains firmly in place and shifts her shoulders to settle herself into a resolute and stiff posture. She casts a flick of one ear towards her brother and his words, though her normal retort of 'who died and made you king' dies before it's said. Someone did die. "...and who you are and why come after us?" She mutters at her brother's back.
It's a good thing that Bhaskar has a mouth full of chital throat; he'd probably try to explain their interest in helping logically. He doesn't really know how to deal with children, especially grieving ones. But Lakshmi--well, she's never been a mother, but she had younger siblings, a very long time ago, that she helped her parents tend to. She's not a large creature, about eye-level with Dano, and she regards him in turn thoughtfully. "You're smart to not trust us." Him and his sister both. Her eyes cut towards Ladna for a second, but return to her sibling quickly enough. "You do not know us, so my words will have no credibility to you, and caution will help keep you alive--but it will only take you so far, especially in this region. Your parents were killed by a tiger named Dushta, but he is not the only one you'll have to worry about if you remain here alone. He has a clan of other tigers who are about as vicious as he is, and their territory is not too far south from here." She's the one who pauses, now, as Bhaskar lets the chital fall to the leaf-strewn earth not far away. "Our plan for you is to bring you somewhere safer. Your parents are not the first victims of this clan, and we have allies who would be more than willing to help protect other survivors. I myself have not lost family to Dushta, but," here she hesitates again, perhaps trying to figure out whether or not this addition would help, before continuing, "I did lose family to another tiger, years ago. You may believe me or not as you wish, but I do understand precisely what you and your siblings are going through." Perhaps it will also help that she's chosen to address them like she would any adult, instead of trying to simplify things too much.
As he listens, Dano looks over his shoulder towards Ladna, then back towards Mukula. He eyes the food that was brought to them, then looks back towards the pair. "Dushtu." He repeats the name, memorizing it as he memorized that voice. Pawing at the ground, he is quiet for a few minutes, then he says, "We will go with you." He states as he looks over his shoulder to Ladna. "-All- of us will go with you." As his amber eyes cut back towards the pair, he says, "And when I get old enough, big enough... when -all- of us get big enough. We will -kill- Dushtu, together, as a pride." Giving his head a firm shake, he rumbles over his shoulder. "As a family."
Eyeing the deer hungrily when it comes into view, Mukula's interest in the conversation between brother and jackal wanes. That her brother is changing his mind is all that she needs to know, and her empty belly will not be ignored. If they can convince Dano, then they should be able to convince Ladna because he'll help. "Is that for us? Please?" she asks Bhaskar as she takes a few steps in his direction, getting her polite phrases mixed up in her eagerness.
Ladna scowls down at her paws tucked up neatly to her chest, seemingly ignorant of her brother's words as she gives the toes of one paw a flex to unsheathe five curving ivory claws, pink at the base and tipping to an almost translucent fineness. Slowly and wordlessly she pushes herself up, first to a seated position and then to all four legs. She moves over to where her brother stands, coming up shoulder to shoulder with Dano as her eyes settle on the chital. Still, she doesn't approach, only watching it in silence.
Lakshmi dips her head. It's Bhaskar who interjects, though, his voice low and guttural in comparison to the younger felines or his kol-bahl. "If he lives that long. Dushta has made himself a number of powerful enemies. But your goal is an admirable one." He settles onto his haunches not far from the chital's back, leaving its soft stomach and throat turned towards the cubs. "And I could teach you how to kill him, if you'd like." Detached as he is, Bhaskar's not heartless. Instead of trying to comfort them, however, it seems he's decided to make a more practical offer. He glances down at Mukula, flicking an ear, and jerks his head towards the carcass. "It is. Eat, all of you. We'll have a long way to go."
"Then you will teach us how to be warriors." Dano decides with a nod of his head. "I will not let this go, not as long as I live and not as long as he still walks this earth." He says with a rumble in his throat, trying his best to keep his young voice steady, and to hide the hint of waver in the back of his throat. "Our family will not go unavenged." With a look towards Ladna who takes his side, he gives his head a dip, motioning towards the kill. His muzzle dips in to give her shoulder a soft nuzzle, then he makes his way to Mukula, giving her the same. "You heard him, eat. We're going to be OK. I believe them."
Gasping in delight at that positive answer, Mukula practically bounces towards the deer as she says, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" When she draws near, she aims a lick at the tiger's shoulder as she passes him to get at the food. And, as she's just as hungry for the meal as she is grateful for it, the young lioness doesn't waste any time digging into it. Eating, even if the food is provided by a strange tiger, is a sign of normalicy to her. It's comforting in a way - perhaps if she's able to get a full belly even with her parents gone, that means that she can also be safe without their protection.
At long last, there's a peep out of the normally noisy Ladna, though it's hardly the complaint or rude interjection one might expect. "Leave some for me." Though by the cold tone of her voice and the sideways glance she passes Dano out of narrowed blue eyes, one might presume she's not telling Mukula not to pig out. She takes the last few steps to settle down beside the chital and sinks her teeth into the hide and giving it a hard tug. It's about as much as an acceptance she'll give the tiger and jackal, for now at least.
Bhaskar may have said something else, but Mukula's reaction to his agreement catches him by surprise. The tiger grunts, startled, when she licks his shoulder on her way past, but soon he settles again. He surveys the cubs with golden eyes, silent now--two eating, one encouraging the others to eat. Good. Lakshmi rises to her feet, though she doesn't move to approach the chital; she's stretching, working out the stiffness that's settled into her muscles while she was awaiting Bhaskar's return. "I'm Lakshmi," she adds almost as an afterthought, realizing that she'd never offered her name. "And that," she nods at her companion, "is Bhaskar."
"I am Dano, the oldest and first born. This is Ladna, and that's Mukula over there." The young boy says, then ticks off the rest of the names as he goes, motioning to each of the cubs in turn. His ears falter back against his skull some as he takes a good look about the territory for the first time. He steps forward to the kill and takes a quick bite, pulling a hunk of meat free, then settles down to ease his way into it. "Have you two eaten yet?" He asks the two older creatures as his ears lift forward. "And is there other lions where you are from?"
As gruff as Bhaskar has been, Mukula is already starting to like him too, even if she finds his scent a bit disturbing - he smells like a tiger and so did that black thing the other night - but perhaps it's the combination of him being with Lakshmi and his demeanor vaguely reminding her of Vrimta. And it's also that she's just that eager for things to get as back to normal as possible. Having been given his name, she pauses in her eating long enough to add, "Thank you, Bhaskar!" You know, just in case he didn't hear her the first time.
Indra scampers in from points unknown. Hmm, why didn't anyone notice he was gone. He had been scouting the area awhile on guard for any scent of that foul smelling demon, Hatyaa, Dushta, whatever one might call *IT*. Of course to Indra, its still Hatyaa for now. Whatever or whoever it is it is a scary beast indeed. But Indra's brave patrol has turned up nothing, so the beast must be gone for now. So now Indra scampers out of the forest, and up to the group. He spots his sister, and is glad she's okay, and overhears Dano. "Hey Dano!" He calls, "I scouted the area and I can't smell any demon around here anymore. I think we're safe for now." He sniffs the air and grins. "I do smell food though!" He glances excitedly over at Bhaskar. "What's for dinner?" He asks.
Two pairs of eyes settle on each named cub, one dark, one light, committing them all to memory. "No," Bhaskar says when asked if they've eaten; he was quite prepared to wait until they'd finished, if they remained too nervous to let him close. But now that the lions are feeding and at least some of the tension has eased, he collapses unceremoniously to his stomach and takes advantage of the relative calm to pull a chunk of meat from the deer's haunch. "You're welcome," he tells Mukula--she's succeeded in getting a verbal answer out of him this time! He gives the fur under his mouth a lick, almost idly cleaning his food off before he eats it. "There aren't many lions in this region that I'm aware of. Not that I've met, at any rate. You're more likely to see tigers, wolves...dholes." That last word trails off as Indra bounds in, and the tiger blinks once. "Chital," he says unnecessarily. "And I could have told you that the area is clear." As he speaks, Lakshmi eases in beside him and steals a bite from his now dirtless, leafless meal.
Eating as the tiger speaks, the edge gets taken off Mukula's hunger and she starts to get curious about what he's talking about. "How far away are we going?" she asks, not looking forward to more travelling but also a bit worried since hearing that the one that attacked him and others might still be near. The desire her oldest brother has for the life of their attacker exists in her, but at the moment it's being overpowered by fear. The idea that they may go after him someday seems distant compared to the reality that there's no way they could stand against something that big right now.
Indra looks over at Bhaskar....and pads over to his sister, giving her a soft nuzzle, before backing off and staring at the kill. "Mmmmm Chital, my favvvvvvorite!" He says with a grin. He looks to his sister. "Hey M'kula, glad you're eating something. I was gettin' worried about you back there." He glances over at Bhaskar and the jackal "Thanks for helping my sister. I'll never forget that." He lets his sister eat her share for now. He'll eat whatever's left. "So, we're going to learn to be warriors or something? (OOC: Like Pat Benetar ;-)) "Cool." He had overheard Dano as he entered from the forest. He nods to Bhaskar. "I just wanted to double check, gotta be extra careful now that we know Hatyaa exists." The thought sends a shiver down his spine for a moment.
"We'll go north," Bhaskar replies. "The forest ends not far from here, and from there on it's all plains and desert until you reach the mountains." Will they go that far? And once they're safe, then what? Who will consent to taking these cubs in? This is not the first time he's wondered about that, and it makes him uncertain. But there's no use in worrying about it for now, and so he glances down to find that his chunk of meat is smaller and more ragged-looking than it was a few minutes ago. He eyes Lakshmi sidelong; by now she's settled on her stomach with a piece of chital that looks suspiciously like the missing quarter of his. "If you'd like," he tells Indra, repeating what he'd said to Dano. "Who is Hatyaa?" Finally he settles in to eat.
Listening to the description of the terrian as she continues to eat, Mukula's ears go up, happy to hear that they'll be leaving the forest soon. Lions weren't meant for places like this, no way! But that last question actually surprises her enough to make her forget about food entirely. Or, for the moment at least. "You've never heard of Hatyaa?" she asks, surprised. "Aunt Vrimta told us everything about him! He's this big monster who comes and gets ya if you don't listen. And he takes your tongue out and he switches your eyes!" she explains, her voice that of one who was recently converted to the idea. She's been skeptical before, and she's not completely certain but she rather suspects that Hatyaa and this Dushta might be one and the same. Her guilty conscience has convinced her that the attack could not be a coincidence, and in any event it's just better to be safe than sorry after this.
Indra nods and listens to his sister's description of Hatyaa. "Yeah, Hatyaa switches your eyes and pulls out your tongue if you don't behave. He's big and scary, and creepy....That black thing we saw in the forest I think was Hatyaa." He explains. He digs into some of the Chital now, but lets his sister have the majority of it. "I've heard about the north. Are there wolves up there?" He asks. "I heard there's lots of snow in the mountains. I've never seen snow before." He says with a grin. "Can we see some?" "Can we, can we can we?" He looks over at Bhaskar with eager eyes.
The tiger looks somewhat bemused at the answers he gets, but, judging by the fact that this Hatyaa appears to be a demon that punishes wayward children, he can guess that somebody's parent must have thought it up as a control measure. He doesn't argue with it; he has a more important misunderstanding to clear up. "The black thing that attacked you in the forest was a tiger named Dushta, as mortal as anyone. It wasn't a monster. Well," he amends, "I suppose you could call him a monster, but not the sort you're thinking of. Believe me: he eats, sleeps, and breathes. He bleeds. Sooner or later, he will die. In the unlikely event that nobody kills him, age will catch up to him instead." Bhaskar returns to eating, a noncommittal sound passing through his full mouth at the idea of snow. It doesn't sound terribly enthusiastic. Apparently he's not a fan of the stuff.
Despite her brother's generousity, Mukula's appetite has eased off to the point where her attempts to eat more are only half-hearted. She backs away a pace to let her siblings have an easier chance at the bits she wasn't able to finish, instead electing to lick herself clean. She listens in silence as Bhaskar assures them that Hatyaa or Dushta or whatever that was is mortal. She already has some sense of that; she remembers seeing the scratches on his shoulders as he attacked their aunt, so regardless of who or what that was he's vulnerable. Still, that doesn't solve one nagging thing: "Mommy said that tigers have stripes," she says suddenly, glancing at Bhaskar, "Like you. How can he be a tiger if he doesn't have any stripes?"
Indra nods. "Yeah I ain't nevah seen a beast like him before?" "Some day me and Dano are gonna make sure that murderer pays for his crimes." He grins and looks to Bhaskar. "Would you teach us to fight, and become warriors like you? I want to be the one who slashes his throat with my claw, some day." He says with a grin. He looks toward the north. "So when we gonna leave? The forest is creepy!"
Indra begins to eat a bit more of the Chital now that his sister has backed off from her share.
"We'll leave once everyone has eaten." Bhaskar is quite firm on that. Dushta is no longer here, and he may not return, but that doesn't mean the cubs are out of danger. For all he knows other Ran Garjana may show up to have a look at the bodies, to say nothing of various other predators that might take an interest in orphaned lions. He swallows another bite, considering, before posing an apparently unrelated question to them in turn: "Have either of you ever seen a panther?"
"I'm going with you too," Mukula informs Indra, her first outward sign of a desire for vengance, though she leaves it at that. Hopefully, whatever warrior-training they might be able to get wherever they're going is really good, though, because if mommy and daddy were killed so easily by that black monster then she'd better make sure that she learns /everything/. The apparent change of subject catches Mukula off guard, as the answer to the question is actually a little difficult to come up with. After all, she's seen so many different things - was one of them called a 'panther'? "Nope," she finally decides after searching her memory. Which shouldn't be a real shocker as most leopards or panthers are smart enough to stay away from young lions unless they're absolutely certain that there are no angry parents around.
Indra blink-blinks as he munches on a hind-quarter of the Chital. He speaks with his mouthful, seemingly lacking dinner-table manners. "A panther?" *Munch Munch Munch* "Can't say I have?" *Munch Munch Munch*...."Are they dark colored like that tiger named Dushta?" He wonders. He registers the name and the scent in the back of his mind and nose, for now, in case he should ever come across that pathetic excuse for a creature again. One day justice will be served. But for now he and his sister must learn everything they can from the warrior-cats. "So, what exactly is a panther?" He inquires.
The answer isn't surprising, but it is a bit of a disappointment as it means that Bhaskar has no real frame of reference to give them. "They're big cats, but smaller than a lion or a tiger," he replies. "They've got markings, but not stripes--they're spotted instead. Every so often you'll see a black leopard. Those are called panthers, but they're the same species." He finishes his meal and sets about cleaning the blood from his paws and face. "If you ever see one out in the sunlight, you might notice that they've still got their spots--the markings just blend in because the rest of their fur is so dark. Dushta probably has stripes; you just can't see them. Then again, he might not. I've heard of stripeless tigers before. Why not a black one?" He rolls his head to the side dismissively and then gets up, his toilette finished.
"Oh," Mukula said, in the classic 'I'm not sure that I understood what you just said, but I'll pretend that I do' way. That's the problem with trying to explain a creature by referencing a creature that the one you're talking to has never seen before. But sooner or later she'll figure that one out. In the meantime, she's cleaned up, the rest of her siblings are probably finishing up, and she tries to focus on putting herself in the right mood for lots of walking. Fortunately, that's an easier thing to do when she's picturing it as a way to get further away from that black tiger thing instead of getting further away from the only home she knows.
Indra nods. "Hmmm I wonder if we'll ever meet a good black tiger." "I don't ever want to meet that Dushta again, at least not until I'm big enough to kill him." He says with a confident smile. He looks to Bhaskar. "You're gonna teach me to be a great warrior, aren't ya..Bhaskar?" He asks. "C'mon it will be so much fun!" He stuffs another mouthful of Chital down his throat as he speaks.
Indra and his sister have seem to taken a liking to Bhaskar. Could he be their potential adoptee?
Little does the tiger know that they might actually be bonding to /him/. While he'd meant it when he told Dano that he could teach them how to fight, Bhaskar simply assumes that they'll be going into someone else's care. He just has to find that someone else. "Being a warrior is /not/ fun," he tells Indra straight out, giving the boy a long, serious, narrow-eyed look. "You will be tired and you will be aching, and the next day you'll have to find the strength to drag yourself up and do it all over again, and /that/ is just the practice bouts. When you get into real battle, you'll be wounded and you will risk your life. You might lose it. There isn't any fun in that." Fighting may be the path that Bhaskar was born into, he may be well-entrenched in it, he may breathe it and thrive on it and even live for it, but that does not mean he'll make it sound any better or more glorious than it is. He holds Indra's gaze for a moment longer, his face unsmiling, and then looks away. This had to be said. Now they know what they're in for, if they choose to pursue that route. Beside him Lakshmi rouses, having finished her share some time ago, and murmurs something to him. He nods. "If you're all done eating," he adds, "we ought to go."
Ears shifting between Indra and Bhaskar as the former expresses his eagerness and the latter explains the truth of it, Mukula is silent for a moment before quietly commenting, "It's not fun losing your mommy either." She was a bit nervous about the idea of learning to fight /before/ Bhaskar said all that, but even now that he has, she's not going to be persuaded to leave it all up to others to make sure that they have their revenge. And so when Bhaskar indicates that they're going, she gets to her feet with no fuss whatsoever, ready to follow him anywhere as long as it keeps them safe long enough to get big and strong and able to fight.
Bhaskar & Lakshmi (Tiger, Golden Jackal)
Dano (Juve. Lion)
Mukula (Juve. Lioness)
Ladna (Juve. Lioness)
Indra (Juve. Lion)
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Forest Crossroad
A thick, deep and vast forest of teak, mahogany, sal and eucalyptus trees and a myriad of shorter undergrowth-layer trees blocks even tall beasts from seeing far in any direction, and keeps the large beasts -- elephant, rhinoceros, guar and water buffalo -- from travelling freely off of their few well-trodden trails that converge here. One trail leads south to a gentle slope, another to the northeast where the tall trees and tangled foliage give way to mostly grass and low bush. Teaks provide most of the tall canopy overhead, while a number of smaller trees including mango, jamun, jackfruit and piar cluster along with tangling vines and thorny bushes densely on the floor, impassable for beasts larger than a sambar or smaller tiger. Herds of chital and smaller herbivores frequent this area specifically because they can go where large tigers cannot, but the canopy layer above replaces the threat of mighty tigers with that of nimble leopards. The stench of a stagnant pond sometimes drift through the generally still air from the east, where another well-trodden trail leads.
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As the morning wore on and even the shade beneath the trees grew warmer, Bhaskar had slipped off alone. Lakshmi hadn't accompanied him; she'd stayed behind to try and, if not win the cubs' trust, at least keep an eye on them. It wouldn't matter terribly if they all ran off. She could always track them down again. But Mukula and Indra have seemed receptive to the extra company and protection, if nobody else, and so she's stayed around. Now there's a faint ruckus out in the brush, a steady dragging scuffle, as if something large and heavy is being pulled along towards them. The jackal perks her ears, sitting up, and gazes off expectantly towards the sound.
It seems that the first born Dano has been put on the spot for a bit. He's the oldest, so he's the leader. He's the biggest, so he's the protector. He's the bravest, so he's the voice that challenges adversity. For such a young child, he embodies his father, and inspires to make the right decisions that will keep his small family alive. Go with the tiger and jackal, or learn to survive on their own? He has mulled the opportunity about in his mind, struggling to push back childish fears and think: What would father do? He understands how the small family is split down the middle. Taking in a deep breath, he approaches the jackal, sizing him up a bit. As he opens his mouth to speak, he is startled by the dragging noise in the distance and he turns around quickly to face whatever may be oncoming.
Though meeting Lakshmi and Bhaskar has pulled Mukula out of her earlier funk, that she's still badly shaking is evident at how alarmed she looks by the noise coming in their direction. The only reason she doesn't panic completely is because Lakshmi doesn't, and the young lioness is quickly growing to trust the kind canine if only because she's small enough to not be too dangerous but mature enough to at least seem like she knows what she's doing. Still, she can't help but back away a little in the direction of their rock shelter, just to make sure that both Dano and Lakshmi are closer to whatever it is than she is.
Ladna doggedly kept to her stubborn decision throughout the night, refusing to go with the tiger and jackal out of her own pride and distrust. Who's to say they'll not get bored of tending them? Who's to say they're not with that monster? Staying alone may very well be suicide, but, maybe they'll get lucky and figure out the whole adult-living business. She remains on her little nest of leaves, though her half-dozing expression snaps aware as she jerks her head towards the sound with her ears slicking back.
Although Lakshmi is distracted by the incoming noise, she doesn't fail to notice Dano's approach. She glances at him briefly, but soon returns her attention to surveying the trees. The dragging stops; then a low grumble of annoyance drifts out of the brush, and then a particularly loud snap before the commotion resumes, as if the object had gotten caught on something. Bhaskar. Well, that's all right. "Yes?" she asks Dano now, not unkindly, as the tiger finally comes into view. He's got a good-sized chital with him, and seems to have brought it some distance if the state of its dappled pelt is any indication.
Taking in a deep breath, Dano looks up at the lupine. "Before we agree to anything, I need some questions answered." He lets out, tail twitching behind him slowly. "I want to know what your plans for us are." He gives another pause. "I also want to know who killed my parents." He's quite adamant about that as his ears raise forward. "If you can convince me that we can...we can trust you, then I will make the others come with me. I..." He swallows tight, then thrusts his chin upwards, chest out. "I'm in charge now. I'm the King. They will follow me. So I need to know that we'll be safe with you, and that you'll teach us how to hunt and to take care of ourselves. I need to know you won't turn on us and kill us." His eyes narrow seriously, staring at Lakshmi.
The grumble is difficult for Mukula to place, but when Lakshmi continues to think that everything is fine, she's finally able to figure out what it is. That big tiger must be bringing something, hopefully food! Though the thought of filling her belly is distracting, she still manages to pull her attention away from that now-promising rustling and listen in on what Dano is saying to the jackal. Really she doesn't see that they have much of a choice: these two /seem/ nice, and she's far less willing than her siblings to say that they would have any hope on their own, so in her opinion they'll have to do. But she meant it when she said that they've all gotta come.
Ladna begins to scowl darkly until the chital is brought into view and there's a faint flinch from the lioness as her stomach gives a loud and traitorous growl at the smell of food. Still, she remains firmly in place and shifts her shoulders to settle herself into a resolute and stiff posture. She casts a flick of one ear towards her brother and his words, though her normal retort of 'who died and made you king' dies before it's said. Someone did die. "...and who you are and why come after us?" She mutters at her brother's back.
It's a good thing that Bhaskar has a mouth full of chital throat; he'd probably try to explain their interest in helping logically. He doesn't really know how to deal with children, especially grieving ones. But Lakshmi--well, she's never been a mother, but she had younger siblings, a very long time ago, that she helped her parents tend to. She's not a large creature, about eye-level with Dano, and she regards him in turn thoughtfully. "You're smart to not trust us." Him and his sister both. Her eyes cut towards Ladna for a second, but return to her sibling quickly enough. "You do not know us, so my words will have no credibility to you, and caution will help keep you alive--but it will only take you so far, especially in this region. Your parents were killed by a tiger named Dushta, but he is not the only one you'll have to worry about if you remain here alone. He has a clan of other tigers who are about as vicious as he is, and their territory is not too far south from here." She's the one who pauses, now, as Bhaskar lets the chital fall to the leaf-strewn earth not far away. "Our plan for you is to bring you somewhere safer. Your parents are not the first victims of this clan, and we have allies who would be more than willing to help protect other survivors. I myself have not lost family to Dushta, but," here she hesitates again, perhaps trying to figure out whether or not this addition would help, before continuing, "I did lose family to another tiger, years ago. You may believe me or not as you wish, but I do understand precisely what you and your siblings are going through." Perhaps it will also help that she's chosen to address them like she would any adult, instead of trying to simplify things too much.
As he listens, Dano looks over his shoulder towards Ladna, then back towards Mukula. He eyes the food that was brought to them, then looks back towards the pair. "Dushtu." He repeats the name, memorizing it as he memorized that voice. Pawing at the ground, he is quiet for a few minutes, then he says, "We will go with you." He states as he looks over his shoulder to Ladna. "-All- of us will go with you." As his amber eyes cut back towards the pair, he says, "And when I get old enough, big enough... when -all- of us get big enough. We will -kill- Dushtu, together, as a pride." Giving his head a firm shake, he rumbles over his shoulder. "As a family."
Eyeing the deer hungrily when it comes into view, Mukula's interest in the conversation between brother and jackal wanes. That her brother is changing his mind is all that she needs to know, and her empty belly will not be ignored. If they can convince Dano, then they should be able to convince Ladna because he'll help. "Is that for us? Please?" she asks Bhaskar as she takes a few steps in his direction, getting her polite phrases mixed up in her eagerness.
Ladna scowls down at her paws tucked up neatly to her chest, seemingly ignorant of her brother's words as she gives the toes of one paw a flex to unsheathe five curving ivory claws, pink at the base and tipping to an almost translucent fineness. Slowly and wordlessly she pushes herself up, first to a seated position and then to all four legs. She moves over to where her brother stands, coming up shoulder to shoulder with Dano as her eyes settle on the chital. Still, she doesn't approach, only watching it in silence.
Lakshmi dips her head. It's Bhaskar who interjects, though, his voice low and guttural in comparison to the younger felines or his kol-bahl. "If he lives that long. Dushta has made himself a number of powerful enemies. But your goal is an admirable one." He settles onto his haunches not far from the chital's back, leaving its soft stomach and throat turned towards the cubs. "And I could teach you how to kill him, if you'd like." Detached as he is, Bhaskar's not heartless. Instead of trying to comfort them, however, it seems he's decided to make a more practical offer. He glances down at Mukula, flicking an ear, and jerks his head towards the carcass. "It is. Eat, all of you. We'll have a long way to go."
"Then you will teach us how to be warriors." Dano decides with a nod of his head. "I will not let this go, not as long as I live and not as long as he still walks this earth." He says with a rumble in his throat, trying his best to keep his young voice steady, and to hide the hint of waver in the back of his throat. "Our family will not go unavenged." With a look towards Ladna who takes his side, he gives his head a dip, motioning towards the kill. His muzzle dips in to give her shoulder a soft nuzzle, then he makes his way to Mukula, giving her the same. "You heard him, eat. We're going to be OK. I believe them."
Gasping in delight at that positive answer, Mukula practically bounces towards the deer as she says, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" When she draws near, she aims a lick at the tiger's shoulder as she passes him to get at the food. And, as she's just as hungry for the meal as she is grateful for it, the young lioness doesn't waste any time digging into it. Eating, even if the food is provided by a strange tiger, is a sign of normalicy to her. It's comforting in a way - perhaps if she's able to get a full belly even with her parents gone, that means that she can also be safe without their protection.
At long last, there's a peep out of the normally noisy Ladna, though it's hardly the complaint or rude interjection one might expect. "Leave some for me." Though by the cold tone of her voice and the sideways glance she passes Dano out of narrowed blue eyes, one might presume she's not telling Mukula not to pig out. She takes the last few steps to settle down beside the chital and sinks her teeth into the hide and giving it a hard tug. It's about as much as an acceptance she'll give the tiger and jackal, for now at least.
Bhaskar may have said something else, but Mukula's reaction to his agreement catches him by surprise. The tiger grunts, startled, when she licks his shoulder on her way past, but soon he settles again. He surveys the cubs with golden eyes, silent now--two eating, one encouraging the others to eat. Good. Lakshmi rises to her feet, though she doesn't move to approach the chital; she's stretching, working out the stiffness that's settled into her muscles while she was awaiting Bhaskar's return. "I'm Lakshmi," she adds almost as an afterthought, realizing that she'd never offered her name. "And that," she nods at her companion, "is Bhaskar."
"I am Dano, the oldest and first born. This is Ladna, and that's Mukula over there." The young boy says, then ticks off the rest of the names as he goes, motioning to each of the cubs in turn. His ears falter back against his skull some as he takes a good look about the territory for the first time. He steps forward to the kill and takes a quick bite, pulling a hunk of meat free, then settles down to ease his way into it. "Have you two eaten yet?" He asks the two older creatures as his ears lift forward. "And is there other lions where you are from?"
As gruff as Bhaskar has been, Mukula is already starting to like him too, even if she finds his scent a bit disturbing - he smells like a tiger and so did that black thing the other night - but perhaps it's the combination of him being with Lakshmi and his demeanor vaguely reminding her of Vrimta. And it's also that she's just that eager for things to get as back to normal as possible. Having been given his name, she pauses in her eating long enough to add, "Thank you, Bhaskar!" You know, just in case he didn't hear her the first time.
Indra scampers in from points unknown. Hmm, why didn't anyone notice he was gone. He had been scouting the area awhile on guard for any scent of that foul smelling demon, Hatyaa, Dushta, whatever one might call *IT*. Of course to Indra, its still Hatyaa for now. Whatever or whoever it is it is a scary beast indeed. But Indra's brave patrol has turned up nothing, so the beast must be gone for now. So now Indra scampers out of the forest, and up to the group. He spots his sister, and is glad she's okay, and overhears Dano. "Hey Dano!" He calls, "I scouted the area and I can't smell any demon around here anymore. I think we're safe for now." He sniffs the air and grins. "I do smell food though!" He glances excitedly over at Bhaskar. "What's for dinner?" He asks.
Two pairs of eyes settle on each named cub, one dark, one light, committing them all to memory. "No," Bhaskar says when asked if they've eaten; he was quite prepared to wait until they'd finished, if they remained too nervous to let him close. But now that the lions are feeding and at least some of the tension has eased, he collapses unceremoniously to his stomach and takes advantage of the relative calm to pull a chunk of meat from the deer's haunch. "You're welcome," he tells Mukula--she's succeeded in getting a verbal answer out of him this time! He gives the fur under his mouth a lick, almost idly cleaning his food off before he eats it. "There aren't many lions in this region that I'm aware of. Not that I've met, at any rate. You're more likely to see tigers, wolves...dholes." That last word trails off as Indra bounds in, and the tiger blinks once. "Chital," he says unnecessarily. "And I could have told you that the area is clear." As he speaks, Lakshmi eases in beside him and steals a bite from his now dirtless, leafless meal.
Eating as the tiger speaks, the edge gets taken off Mukula's hunger and she starts to get curious about what he's talking about. "How far away are we going?" she asks, not looking forward to more travelling but also a bit worried since hearing that the one that attacked him and others might still be near. The desire her oldest brother has for the life of their attacker exists in her, but at the moment it's being overpowered by fear. The idea that they may go after him someday seems distant compared to the reality that there's no way they could stand against something that big right now.
Indra looks over at Bhaskar....and pads over to his sister, giving her a soft nuzzle, before backing off and staring at the kill. "Mmmmm Chital, my favvvvvvorite!" He says with a grin. He looks to his sister. "Hey M'kula, glad you're eating something. I was gettin' worried about you back there." He glances over at Bhaskar and the jackal "Thanks for helping my sister. I'll never forget that." He lets his sister eat her share for now. He'll eat whatever's left. "So, we're going to learn to be warriors or something? (OOC: Like Pat Benetar ;-)) "Cool." He had overheard Dano as he entered from the forest. He nods to Bhaskar. "I just wanted to double check, gotta be extra careful now that we know Hatyaa exists." The thought sends a shiver down his spine for a moment.
"We'll go north," Bhaskar replies. "The forest ends not far from here, and from there on it's all plains and desert until you reach the mountains." Will they go that far? And once they're safe, then what? Who will consent to taking these cubs in? This is not the first time he's wondered about that, and it makes him uncertain. But there's no use in worrying about it for now, and so he glances down to find that his chunk of meat is smaller and more ragged-looking than it was a few minutes ago. He eyes Lakshmi sidelong; by now she's settled on her stomach with a piece of chital that looks suspiciously like the missing quarter of his. "If you'd like," he tells Indra, repeating what he'd said to Dano. "Who is Hatyaa?" Finally he settles in to eat.
Listening to the description of the terrian as she continues to eat, Mukula's ears go up, happy to hear that they'll be leaving the forest soon. Lions weren't meant for places like this, no way! But that last question actually surprises her enough to make her forget about food entirely. Or, for the moment at least. "You've never heard of Hatyaa?" she asks, surprised. "Aunt Vrimta told us everything about him! He's this big monster who comes and gets ya if you don't listen. And he takes your tongue out and he switches your eyes!" she explains, her voice that of one who was recently converted to the idea. She's been skeptical before, and she's not completely certain but she rather suspects that Hatyaa and this Dushta might be one and the same. Her guilty conscience has convinced her that the attack could not be a coincidence, and in any event it's just better to be safe than sorry after this.
Indra nods and listens to his sister's description of Hatyaa. "Yeah, Hatyaa switches your eyes and pulls out your tongue if you don't behave. He's big and scary, and creepy....That black thing we saw in the forest I think was Hatyaa." He explains. He digs into some of the Chital now, but lets his sister have the majority of it. "I've heard about the north. Are there wolves up there?" He asks. "I heard there's lots of snow in the mountains. I've never seen snow before." He says with a grin. "Can we see some?" "Can we, can we can we?" He looks over at Bhaskar with eager eyes.
The tiger looks somewhat bemused at the answers he gets, but, judging by the fact that this Hatyaa appears to be a demon that punishes wayward children, he can guess that somebody's parent must have thought it up as a control measure. He doesn't argue with it; he has a more important misunderstanding to clear up. "The black thing that attacked you in the forest was a tiger named Dushta, as mortal as anyone. It wasn't a monster. Well," he amends, "I suppose you could call him a monster, but not the sort you're thinking of. Believe me: he eats, sleeps, and breathes. He bleeds. Sooner or later, he will die. In the unlikely event that nobody kills him, age will catch up to him instead." Bhaskar returns to eating, a noncommittal sound passing through his full mouth at the idea of snow. It doesn't sound terribly enthusiastic. Apparently he's not a fan of the stuff.
Despite her brother's generousity, Mukula's appetite has eased off to the point where her attempts to eat more are only half-hearted. She backs away a pace to let her siblings have an easier chance at the bits she wasn't able to finish, instead electing to lick herself clean. She listens in silence as Bhaskar assures them that Hatyaa or Dushta or whatever that was is mortal. She already has some sense of that; she remembers seeing the scratches on his shoulders as he attacked their aunt, so regardless of who or what that was he's vulnerable. Still, that doesn't solve one nagging thing: "Mommy said that tigers have stripes," she says suddenly, glancing at Bhaskar, "Like you. How can he be a tiger if he doesn't have any stripes?"
Indra nods. "Yeah I ain't nevah seen a beast like him before?" "Some day me and Dano are gonna make sure that murderer pays for his crimes." He grins and looks to Bhaskar. "Would you teach us to fight, and become warriors like you? I want to be the one who slashes his throat with my claw, some day." He says with a grin. He looks toward the north. "So when we gonna leave? The forest is creepy!"
Indra begins to eat a bit more of the Chital now that his sister has backed off from her share.
"We'll leave once everyone has eaten." Bhaskar is quite firm on that. Dushta is no longer here, and he may not return, but that doesn't mean the cubs are out of danger. For all he knows other Ran Garjana may show up to have a look at the bodies, to say nothing of various other predators that might take an interest in orphaned lions. He swallows another bite, considering, before posing an apparently unrelated question to them in turn: "Have either of you ever seen a panther?"
"I'm going with you too," Mukula informs Indra, her first outward sign of a desire for vengance, though she leaves it at that. Hopefully, whatever warrior-training they might be able to get wherever they're going is really good, though, because if mommy and daddy were killed so easily by that black monster then she'd better make sure that she learns /everything/. The apparent change of subject catches Mukula off guard, as the answer to the question is actually a little difficult to come up with. After all, she's seen so many different things - was one of them called a 'panther'? "Nope," she finally decides after searching her memory. Which shouldn't be a real shocker as most leopards or panthers are smart enough to stay away from young lions unless they're absolutely certain that there are no angry parents around.
Indra blink-blinks as he munches on a hind-quarter of the Chital. He speaks with his mouthful, seemingly lacking dinner-table manners. "A panther?" *Munch Munch Munch* "Can't say I have?" *Munch Munch Munch*...."Are they dark colored like that tiger named Dushta?" He wonders. He registers the name and the scent in the back of his mind and nose, for now, in case he should ever come across that pathetic excuse for a creature again. One day justice will be served. But for now he and his sister must learn everything they can from the warrior-cats. "So, what exactly is a panther?" He inquires.
The answer isn't surprising, but it is a bit of a disappointment as it means that Bhaskar has no real frame of reference to give them. "They're big cats, but smaller than a lion or a tiger," he replies. "They've got markings, but not stripes--they're spotted instead. Every so often you'll see a black leopard. Those are called panthers, but they're the same species." He finishes his meal and sets about cleaning the blood from his paws and face. "If you ever see one out in the sunlight, you might notice that they've still got their spots--the markings just blend in because the rest of their fur is so dark. Dushta probably has stripes; you just can't see them. Then again, he might not. I've heard of stripeless tigers before. Why not a black one?" He rolls his head to the side dismissively and then gets up, his toilette finished.
"Oh," Mukula said, in the classic 'I'm not sure that I understood what you just said, but I'll pretend that I do' way. That's the problem with trying to explain a creature by referencing a creature that the one you're talking to has never seen before. But sooner or later she'll figure that one out. In the meantime, she's cleaned up, the rest of her siblings are probably finishing up, and she tries to focus on putting herself in the right mood for lots of walking. Fortunately, that's an easier thing to do when she's picturing it as a way to get further away from that black tiger thing instead of getting further away from the only home she knows.
Indra nods. "Hmmm I wonder if we'll ever meet a good black tiger." "I don't ever want to meet that Dushta again, at least not until I'm big enough to kill him." He says with a confident smile. He looks to Bhaskar. "You're gonna teach me to be a great warrior, aren't ya..Bhaskar?" He asks. "C'mon it will be so much fun!" He stuffs another mouthful of Chital down his throat as he speaks.
Indra and his sister have seem to taken a liking to Bhaskar. Could he be their potential adoptee?
Little does the tiger know that they might actually be bonding to /him/. While he'd meant it when he told Dano that he could teach them how to fight, Bhaskar simply assumes that they'll be going into someone else's care. He just has to find that someone else. "Being a warrior is /not/ fun," he tells Indra straight out, giving the boy a long, serious, narrow-eyed look. "You will be tired and you will be aching, and the next day you'll have to find the strength to drag yourself up and do it all over again, and /that/ is just the practice bouts. When you get into real battle, you'll be wounded and you will risk your life. You might lose it. There isn't any fun in that." Fighting may be the path that Bhaskar was born into, he may be well-entrenched in it, he may breathe it and thrive on it and even live for it, but that does not mean he'll make it sound any better or more glorious than it is. He holds Indra's gaze for a moment longer, his face unsmiling, and then looks away. This had to be said. Now they know what they're in for, if they choose to pursue that route. Beside him Lakshmi rouses, having finished her share some time ago, and murmurs something to him. He nods. "If you're all done eating," he adds, "we ought to go."
Ears shifting between Indra and Bhaskar as the former expresses his eagerness and the latter explains the truth of it, Mukula is silent for a moment before quietly commenting, "It's not fun losing your mommy either." She was a bit nervous about the idea of learning to fight /before/ Bhaskar said all that, but even now that he has, she's not going to be persuaded to leave it all up to others to make sure that they have their revenge. And so when Bhaskar indicates that they're going, she gets to her feet with no fuss whatsoever, ready to follow him anywhere as long as it keeps them safe long enough to get big and strong and able to fight.