Post by Bhaskar on Oct 6, 2010 21:49:45 GMT -7
Cast:
Tanatra
Baimei
Rakta
Aashni
Bhaskar
Xynala
Satya
Bhata
Abhishapta (NPCed by Bhaskar)
Shikaara (NPCed by Bhaskar, later played by Satya, later NPCed by Bhaskar again)
------
Nishpaksha Lake
Thanks to its position near the forest's edge, this lake has often been used as a central gathering point where creatures from different lands can gather on neutral ground. Of course, that doesn't mean that it hasn't been claimed from time to time, but such claims don't seem to last so they are the exception to the rule. It isn't a very big lake - most creatures would be able to hear another creature shout across it if they listened carefully - but it's fairly deep in the middle and stained a rich blue. At all times of the year it is cold; it's fed by a stream coming straight from the mountains to the north. Another stream leaves the lake and heads south into the rainforest. Grasses are the dominant plants around the lake, only broken by the occasional hardy bush and never by a tree. The grass continues to the north and east, stretching across the whole of the plains. To the east the lake becomes shallow, gradually turning into a marsh.
------
The Honey Badger has managed to split off from the tiger group, since he's used to moving off on his own, and finding new paths to places, and this, we mean he's trying to find food on the way to where Rakta said to go. In this case, a monkey and it's offspring, who thought being a few yards off the ground would help them, it didn't, for the mother sated his hunger, and as a trophy, he had been bringing the monkey's child along, but he was hungry again on the way, so now he's approaching the good beast's location, where Rakta said to go after the time of passage, and he had the festering head of the monkey in his maw, gore streaked, and he will spit it out at the good beasts with a twinge of madness to his eyes! )
Baimei had started out traveling along with this group of - raiders? Marauders? - but somewhere along the way, she slipped away from the rest amidst the jungle, and unlike Tanatra, she has not reappeared. She has a different goal in mind, today.
Rakta has a single goal in mind. Find someone. Anyone. Kill them. And make sure the others in this place know blood is in the air. In effect, nothing would make Rakta happier than the declare war on this ugly patch of the world. Let their enemies fall to their own weakness! He is still stalking along, a but displeased to lose Tanatra and Baimei at some point in their travels. He is silent. If they find someone, they shall commence.
Aashni has been following Rakta not wanting to lose track after all it will not be good for her. If she does not do as she's told. She does have the same goal in mind that the second in command. She also feels safe with him and the others she's around.
In such a diverse region, locating an animal to kill cannot be that difficult, can it? Apparently it is; for the moment Nishpaksha's surface is undisturbed by anything save the breeze, and the tracks on its bank are old and weren't made by anything larger than a blackbuck. If there are gods, Rakta, they mock you today!
Interestingly enough, just like the clan pecking order, Xynala brings up the rear, surprise surprise, following Aashni. She is silent for now, focused on one thing pleasing those who are higher in rank than her, and making a name for herself in the clan. If she can make her first kill, maybe they will see she's worth something to them. She will be one step closer to becoming an official Ran Garjana!
Satya has many troubled thoughts in his head, today, as he comes to walk near the shores of the lake to think. Perhaps some wisdom will reveal itself from the ancient philosophies that the massive antelope holds as his highest principles. He is alone, as he often is; a creature who splits his time between guiding his herd and walking in solitude for reflection. Little does he know that the violence he stands against has come prowling to the same area he is heading to in the hopes for peace...
The son of Vijayi,and former heir of the Sakht Nakh emerges from the Pine forest, and approaches the arch, which marks the eastern boundary of his territory and the beginning of Kirana's packs territory during the summer months when the wolves move up north. So now Bhata is looking for Bhaskar, he had a very strange nightmare last night, that he found himself awaking in a cave and walls of the cave closing in on him, compressing him into a tiny space of darkness. What that could mean, who knows? But he has a feeling that it is some kind of warning from the spirits in the stars. He had to warn others of the impending threat of the new tiger clan forming to the south. And well, as he spies Satya by the lake, he apporaches with a sense of urgency. "Satya....my good friend." He says. "I have some news you need to hear."
Rakta stops and begins to test the air for a scent. They must find someone, soon. He doesn't wish to return to Dushta witthout a kill. He needs tthis kill to nstrike fear into the hearts of the locals.
Aashni also sniffs the air which is one thing she has learned to depend on to keep her safe for the scent of others. While looking around the area. While the female is doing this she's also trying her best not to make any noise.
There are a multitude of scents here, of course, some more stale than others. The heady smells of vegetation and wet earth, not to mention the distant, reeking marshes, all run together into an olfactory mess that can be difficult to sort through. But there are creature-scents, too. Herbivores. Smaller predators. The hint of a tiger--is that Bhata, or somebody else? Little matter. Some distance from the lake's shore, there's a hint of movement that is unconnected to either Bhata or Satya: another striped feline is making its way across the plains from the northwest, prowling along at a sedate pace. The young female, perhaps recently ousted from her mother's territory, is clearly not hunting, and clearly oblivious, for the moment, to the fact that something dark is brewing not far south from her. Several yards behind her is another tiger of about the same age, likely a sibling.
Xynala follows Rakta and Aashni in silence with purpose and a drive to prove herself. She wants at least to be respected as one of the Ran Garjana. And tonight will be that purrrfect opportunity. Luckily for her up north she has an advantage being white, she blends in with the patches of snow that are left on the ground. She sniffs the ground, searching out her prey, waiting for orders from her superiors of the Ran Garjana.
Satya lifts up his head at Bhata's salutation, and smiles. He strives to be a good friend to all; no matter who they may be. Certainly, he knows this tiger, and has spoken with him before - though not in some time. Perhaps this news which Bhata claims to bring is the same as he has already heard from a winged messenger with Bhaskar. He inclines his head in a nod of greeting. "In peace, welcome," he says, a standard enough greeting for him. "Though if your news is the same as I have heard, the world's peace may be fleeting." He catches a hint of some other movement - the insufficiently stealthy young tigers - and gazes towards her a moment before returning his gaze to Bhata. He has not yet noticed the prowling hunters - perhaps, were he not distracted, but any growing unease is easily enough ascribed to the tigers he can already see.
Rakta catches the scent. Finally! "Spread. There they are. We will taste blood." He moves more quickly, ready to kill. He has beenbored of waiting. Planning only takes one so far!
Aashni spreads away from the others as she's instructed licking her maw hardly able to contain herself for the kill. Finally she will be able to taste the blood and feel the joy of killing again.
Bhata looks to Staya...."Its been a long time my friend Satya." He says. "A long time....I wish the news could be happier, but there is much darkness gathering in the south. Somewhere in the jungles lurk a new tiger clan, which I believe may be responsible for the disappearances. I'm afraid they are preparing to strike at any moment. He glances around, "For all I know they could be watching us at this very moment, perhaps there's even a spy or two within our midst. We must summon all of our allies to discuss this matter, before it is too late." At this Bhata senses something. He glances around, and he spots the two tigers he hasn't yet met approaching the lake-shore. He can also sense something else as if they aren't alone! He turns back to Satya..."I had this weird dream last night it was if----" He swivels his head back as he hears a branch snap in the shadows by the taller grass that surrounds the lake-shore and some bushes.
The itinerant female stops walking, her head going up in alert. Has she seen one of the Ran Garjana? No--her gaze is on Satya, whose somewhat-remote form she can spot from here. She takes a slow, stalking step forward, then gives up. The nilgai is looking right at them, and there's another, older tiger standing right there besides. Why isn't Satya running? She doesn't know. Brushing it off as if she'd never intended to go after the herbivore, she turns and butts her forehead against her brother's shoulder. Nothing to see here, nilgai. They're just out for a family walk. Honest. He emits a low grumble, leaning his side against hers as he scans the area. His gaze lingers particularly on Bhata, wary, assuming that they're on his territory. They really /are/ young, and probably one another's only source of support in the world; they huddle together as if unsure of themselves.
Satya nods his head, unsurprised, at Bhata's words. "Yes. Peace is fleeting..." He meets the gaze of the young tigress steadily - a security built both from both his size, and his philosophies. He does not fear, for he walks in peace. Well, he does fear, but he has a deeper truth comforting him through it. For now, despite the approaching tiger youths, there is still peace, and he gives a slight bow of his head in greeting to them. Yet how fleeting peace is! For other tigers are approaching, less easily cowed by a calm and confident nilgai.
Xynala spreads out to the right, keeping low and to the tall grasses, trying to keep downwind, and out of sight of her prey, crouching low to the ground as she moves to the right, whereas Aashni moved to the left, with Rakta in the center. The three point kill triangulation, gotta love it! She creeps up to a boulder with a crack in it and can see the two tigers through the crack in the boulder.
Rakta finally moves forward toward the two tiger siblings, relishing the act that is to come. He considers taking down the male a second, but realizes he'd get a more interesting fight from him if the female's survival is in doubt. So, he begins stalking toward the female quickly.
Aashni does the opposite she does not think there's a chance she can do it. But The female tiger Aashni quickly heads over towards the male hoping that she can manage to find the abillity and strength to kill the male without him killing her.
Bhata blinks and can spot a shadow, no two shadows moving through the grasses. The shadows weren't there before. He was about to tell Satya more about his dream.....when he spots Aashni sprinting toward the male. "Oh heavens.....AMBUSH!" he calls out to anyone who can hear within ear-shot. He gasps as he spots the tigress running toward her prey. "Its them Satya, its the tiger clan!"
Did the nilgai just bow his head to them? The male's gaze flits back to Satya, startled, but soon enough returns to Bhata as if anticipating a confrontation. If only they knew who the real threat was! He moves to say something to his sister, then cuts himself off as a patch of grass rattles not far away. There's something large headed towards them in a hurry. Two somethings. Bhata's warning is hardly needed; both of the young cats know that they're being stalked now. The male snarls throatily, moving to place himself in front of his sibling, but he's already backing away. So is she, the both of them bristling and uneasy. They seem to be at a loss: would fleeing be wiser, or would it only incite pursuit from their yet-unseen hunters? "Run, Abhishapta," the male whispers after a precious second of indecision. He's not intending to stay and fight either, however. More or less in unison, both siblings take off back the way they'd come.
Though the Ran Garjana have placed themselves downwind of their victims, they are, in turn, upwind of someone who is behind them. And masked in the commotion of Bhata's alarm-call is the presence of yet another tiger, who emerges on silent paws from the same brush that has concealed so many hunters over the years, including the one before him now. He's directly behind Xynala, you see, and moves as if he has every right to be here. Has Dushta sent someone along to keep tabs on them? "/They/ are your targets?" he rumbles scornfully. "That's hardly a challenge, is it?" Well, it sounds about like someone Dushta might associate himself with.
Satya catches a brief glimpse of orange and white, through the brush near those young tigers. He's already looking that way, after all. And as one often-hunted, he's more used to seeing the little signs than the youngsters - so he calls out a warning to them, strange prey that he is! "Be wary!" And then Bhata sees more - maybe just terrors in nothing, or maybe he's got a much better view - and Satya hesitates. But he is no fighter; though nilgai are strong, and quick, they are still prey, and he is a proponent of peace. And while hooves can defend him from one foe - even a tiger - they cannot save tigers from tigers. If those youths are to survive, it must be by their own claws and teeth, their own defenses. So he turns, and leaps away, turning to flight.
"Now." Rakta says calmly and bursts out of cover. Bhata's observations might have been more clear had he been watching the Ran Garjana longer. Sure, the doomed siblings are their target, but hardly the extent of their ambition. Is Rakta targetting the male or... No... oh no. He's closing on the female! Seems he's practiced at tiger killing.
Xynala turns around viciously to face Bhaskar....."Just who do you think you are, sneaking up on me like that? Shouldn't you be out there in those fields, so I can sneak up on you?" "You're my PREY after all." She says. "Now start ACTING like it!" She backs up a few steps preparing to charge the other tiger. She growls. "I'm not going to have my chance at being respected by my superiors go by the wayside." She says and grins. "So why don't you STAND UP and fight like a MALE!"
Aashni blinks her eyes when she hears Xynala's voice thinking that is a good way to get yourself killed. Especially if you do not have any exerience in fighting. She rushes after the male sibling that is meant to be her target with claws unsheathed the female comes fully out in the open speeding up ready to move in for the kill.
Bhata growls as he sees the new tiger clan heading for the poor innocent younger tigers! No, not again. He won't let another Sakht Nakh come to life before his eyes without doing something about it before it spreads out of control. He was there during the reign of the Sakht Nakh he saw it all, and this new clan was not going to storm around the lands like they own the place. Not on his watch! So Bhata lets out a ferocious ROARRRR...and charges toward Aashni who is pursuing the male tiger...."Lay your mangy claws off him." He snarls, and heads directly for Aashni.
One of the siblings risks a look back, not slowing down. The older tigers are fast; they're closing in. And the male is...no! Rakta is going for his sister! He won't have an easy time of it; snarling again, the younger male falls back to shield his littermate. Of course, now he's got /two/ assailants: Aashni is aiming for him, and Rakta will have to go through him to get at Abhishapta. His immediate future doesn't look good, especially when he sees Bhata tearing in as well. But Bhata is after Aashni, leaving him free to try and protect Abhishapta from Rakta, and he hasn't got the time to spare towards either thanking Bhata or feeling confused by his assistance. Instead, realizing that they'll probably tire before the Ran Garjana, he whirls on Rakta. He doesn't come to a halt, instead trying to redirect his velocity into an attack.
For all her scolding, the white-pelted female may not like the answer she gets: the tiger who'd come up behind her laughs, a low rasping chuckle, his eyes slimmed not in anger or fear but, rather, in amusement that is entirely at her expense. "You bluster entirely too much," he observes. That's all. He doesn't even shift his weight visibly, or back up, in preparation to lunge--he simply /does/, leaping forward with his shoulder thrown out to try and slam her against the boulder now at her back. The lack of distance between them means that he won't be able to build up as much momentum as he otherwise could, but it also means that getting out of his way will be harder. Bhaskar wants to take her out quickly, whether through killing or incapacitation, so that she can't assist her clanmembers in their attack.
Rakta smiles as the male turns on him. And then does what could be considered a blind rush. What's strange is Rakta doesn't appear to dodge. He even seems to turn a shoulder as if allowing an attack. What is Rakta trying to prove? He trusts his followers to handle the female. "Do it, then! See how futile your resistance becomes!"
Xynala leaps at just about the same time as Bhaskar.....the two connect in mid air and crumble to the ground locked in paw to paw combat wrestling. The roll on the ground, Xynala biting and clawing as best she can, attempting to swipe at Bhaskar's muzzle from time to time with her sharp claws. She won't let Bhaskar get anywhere near Rakta or Aashni's prey! She'll keep him occupied enough for now so that Rakta can finish the job. its an old fashioned white on gold ring-side bout. !!!
Aashni ignores Bhata as she leaps trying to pin the male sibling to the ground with her claws unsheathed hoping to kill him instantly but knows it probably will not be that easy.
Bhata manages to cut Aashni off at the pass, just as she is about to get toward Rakta's position where the male is trying to help his sibling. The former heir to the Sakh Nakh throne locks claws with Aashni attempting to shove her to the ground with his weight, attempting to pin her, swiping at her side as he collides with the oncoming tigress!
The shoulder isn't what he wants! He needs to get at Rakta's throat! Perhaps the younger male would have taken it anyway, but Aashni veers off from Bhata and keeps going for him. He's quite certain that if he slams into Rakta he'll end up in a sandwich between them. At the last moment he turns again, leaping away, thwarted. In the process of avoiding Rakta he also distances himself from Aashni, and in any case Bhata cuts her off again. But he can't keep this up forever, and he's distracted with worry for his sister. Is she still running? "Resistance?" he wheezes, still keeping a distance between himself and the Ran Garjana. Enough of a distance that he'll be able to run again, for all the good it will do. "We don't want your territory, we'll leave--" Abhishapta--well, she had been running. But when she realizes that she's alone, she slides to a halt and, like Edith looking back upon Sodom, glances behind her. "Shikaara!" she cries, alarmed, when she sees him so far away and squaring off with their pursuers.
Both of their attacks interrupted, Bhaskar does something that may be surprising: rather than biting and clawing Xynala in turn, the larger cat grapples her and allows himself to simply fall backwards, receiving a few scratches on his nose and chest in the process. As he does so he releases his grip and brings his hind paws up to deliver a solid kick at her stomach. His claws are out, but gutting her isn't his intention--he's once more attempting to use momentum to his advantage, hers /and/ his, to send her flying away from him.
Rakta smiles. Big mistake, and soon the evil male tiger makes for the female again. He shouldn't have backed off!
Xynala doesn't have much time to react to Bhaskar's kick, as she had been using her claws to swipe at him. *OOOF* she is kicked hard by the reddish looking tiger with black stripes. This one is a force to be reckoned with. The force of the kick sends her tumbling backwards, into a bush, causing her to get scratched up as well. She lets out a groan, but rises to her paws, shooting a glare at Bhaskar, knowing full well this battle isn't over just yet. Her foe hasn't seen the true Xy, just yet.
Aashni made the mistake of messing up and it shows when Bhata cut her off and is in deed shoved to the ground and pinned. Feeling the paw hit her right side hard leaving a line of claw marks and some blood showing from the attack. Which causes the female tiger to roar out in pain then she tries to push the male off of her with all her strength.
Bhata growls and tries to choke the tigress by pinning her throat to make her know who is boss right now. He glares down at her attempting to shift all his weight on her to keep her down. "Don't you dare go near those youngsters!" He snarls. "Or I'll have your head. I killed my own father once, you might have heard about him, former leader of Sakht Nakh....a clan similar to yours....and its brutal ways. But we destroyed those tigers, and we will do the same to you, unless your clan will cease fire and go back from wherever you came from. I saw the bones of the ones you killed, I have a hunch it was your group that is responsible, and mark our words we will have justice. Haven't you tigers learned that good always prevails over evil?" He tightens his grip on her throat with his paw, holding her down with the rest of his body. "By the way my name is Bhata, Son of Vijayi, best you learn this name, and respect it."
When Rakta charges straight past him, however, Shikaara pursues. In all likelihood he doesn't have the endurance of an older tiger, still half-used to his mother doing all of the hunting, much less fighting, but fear for his sibling lends him adrenaline and a desperate sort of recklessness. He swipes out a paw, his claws fully extended, to try and hook Rakta's back leg and send him tumbling like he would a prey animal. All of this he does so that his sister might get away--but Abhishapta, seeing that Aashni is otherwise occupied with Bhata and knowing that she and Shikaara will have a better chance of fighting Rakta off than Shikaara will on his own, races back over to help. She doesn't throw herself at Rakta's front, instead going for his hindquarters as well. Maybe they aren't completely incompetent. They know his backside is the most harmless part to attack, and that injuring his hind legs will impair his mobility severely.
Meanwhile, the instant that Xynala's weight is relieved from his body, Bhaskar continues to use the momentum he's built. He allows it to carry him swiftly to his feet and, with only the barest of glances to determine where his opponent has landed, darts forward again. He doesn't glare or taunt her or even wait for her to regain her feet; as she's getting up to reorient herself he takes the offensive once more, lunging at her to knock her off-balance again.
Xynala growls and lunges at Bhaskar.....something about this tiger makes her want to cut him down right here and there, but she just can't place it. Something from her past, somehow this tiger reminds her of someone she once knew, someone she now hates. She growls low, and charges, leaping at the reddish one locking claws in a wrestling match, attempting to knock him down on the ground. As they collide, and fall to the ground she manages to get the right spot with her sharp razor-like teeth, and dig into Bhaskar's right ear for a moment holding firm with the bite.
Rakta finally curls around with both siblings in his sights, narrowly dodging attacks from both on his backside. And he focuses on the female, simply to see the male fight so much more desperately, he pounces right at her side, intending not to damage her, but knock her over for a pinning.
Aashni gasps for air when she feels Bhata pushing down on her throat and struggles with the pressure trying to say, "I will never respect your name." Then tries to push him off with all her strength again. While realizing how tired she is. The female tiger finds her eyes starting to close appearing that she might be about to die... even though she's not dying. Maybe it will be enough for the male to let her go.
As inexperienced as the siblings are, they are still cats, with cats' reflexes. Abhishapta jerks out of the way when Rakta lunges at her, acting more on instinct than anything else--but, although she moves, they're too close together for her to get out of the way entirely. Irony of ironies, the advancing tiger catches her on the flank rather than her side. It's still enough to send her to the ground, her unbalanced hind end dragging the rest of her body down with a growl of anger and fright. She thrashes, snapping at whatever she can reach, if anything at all; her deflection of the pounce may have made it more difficult to defend herself. Shikaara, on the other hand, is unrestrained by an opponent. Throwing all semblance of caution to the wind, he lunges at Rakta from an angle, his jaws gaping, to try and grab the side of the older male's neck. It's unlikely he knows about the carotid artery that beats there, much less what will happen if he tears it out; he's acting out of that ever-increasing desperation and taking whatever hold he can get.
If Xynala fights with anger, Bhaskar has been almost eerily calm this entire time. Perhaps that is what seems so strangely familiar, and hated, about him. He sees her own lunge coming and twists partially out of the way, turning with her movements so that his trajectory will be more controlled. Nevertheless, her claws find purchase against his skin and her teeth bite into his ear, threatening to tear it. That gets a grunt out of him, though it sounds suspiciously like his noise of amusement earlier, before he yanks back, ripping it wide open on his own, and one huge paw snaps out aimed directly for her temple. There's quite a bit of force driving this strike, but more important is the location. It's a knockout blow. He has no intention of dragging this on.
Bhata suddenly realizes he's about to crush the throat of the tigress, and backs away. Panting heavily with rage, he looks up to the sky for a moment and yells out. "Not again." He glances down at his claws which have some trickles of blood from digging into the flesh of Aashni, not enough to severely wound or kill her, but the fact that he got so enraged startles him for a moment. Yes this is a battle, but its been a long time since he killed anyone or hurt anyone, not since.....---not since the fight with his father Vijayi. Yes they are his enemies, but there's got to be a better way to settle things other than battle, is there? After he killed his father, he made a vow to himself he would never kill again. But now is he going to break this oath? He glances around at the battle going on, knowing its his duty to save the siblings, but he will NOT KILL unless he absolutely has to. He rushes towards Rakta now, to see if the siblings need any assistance in their defense against Rakta.
Rakta already has the female down and has moved on top of her, his shoulder soon takes the place of his throat for the male Shikaara, who makes a hit on that very spot. He stops only to look at the male... who no doubt has bitten as hard as he can in his panic to save his sister's life. And... ... ... He starts to laugh.
Xynala growls. "Why you son of a bi----" she says after she hears his snort of amusement. "It's not funny---" She growls. And attempts to swipe at him once more trying to get his other ear this time, but unfortunately, Bhaskar's blow catches her right on its intended target, sending her flying toward a boulder and a tree trunk. She slams into the tree hard, banging her head against the stone boulder, and falling flat, out cold for the moment. She might not even remember the battle when she comes to!
If Shikaara can just - even if he just manages to slow Rakta down, so that Abhishapta can get away. She's down on the ground, but he can't see more in the frenzy of trying to lunge in. She has to get up! He has to buy her that time to recover, to get back up again, no matter what it takes! He'll make Rakta... laugh? At least it's delaying him. He tries, desperately and with a growing lack of hope, to tug the larger tiger away, to give his sister a chance to squirm away, to escape!
Had Rakta left it at just knocking her down, Abhishapta may have been able to regain her feet. She may have been able to thrash away, which she's certainly trying to do. But the older tiger's weight is upon her, and for all her frenzied, panicked strength she can't force him off--a male tiger in his prime far outweighs her. She continues to bite at Rakta, at his forelegs and his chest and then, when he turns it away from Shikaara, at his face as well. She hasn't got the presence of mind to go for his eyes; she'll take /anything/, anything to get him off and away from them both!
Blood spurts from the male's torn ear, trickling down his face, but Bhaskar pays it little heed. Yes, it hurts. But it will heal, and, in the long run, it's an injury of little consequence. He follows after Xynala as she lands, lowering his head to check that she's really unconscious. She is; she couldn't fake that breathing pattern. He should simply end her life her while he's got her in this position, so that she can't interfere later on--he /knows/ he should. His jaws open, descending for her throat, but then the faraway commotion reaches a fever pitch as Rakta gets Abhishapta well and truly pinned. Damn! He can't waste the time! Frustrated, the tiger delivers a sharp, vicious nip to Xynala's throat, a superficial injury that nevertheless draws blood and will send a clear message to her when she discovers it: Your windpipe was in my mouth. I could have killed you today. Then, snarling quietly, he leaps over the boulder and takes off for the three battling felines.
Bhata is quite a distance away from Rakta....and he calls out to Bhaskar. "Hurry Bhaskar, we don't have much time." He eyes the siblings down the lake shore and Rakta, and makes a beeline for him, unfortunately, he probably won't have time to save the female if she's in Rakta's death grip. He runs towards the trio by the lakeshore.
Rakta looks at the male and says, "How does it feel? Taste?" Rakta seems to be enjoying whatever pain this young tiger gave him. Chances are the wound is minor. But Rakta seems to relish the pain. He finally seems to lean forward to whisper in his attacker's ear. After several moments, he says, "No? Then..." Rakta, then throws his entire foreleg up to land a blow straight up the male's body, mostly just to get him off and knocked away. as the female starts snapping up at him, Rakta looks down at the female and gentle presses his paw down on her neck. If she manages to bite him, he seems unphased. He presses his paw against her throat, slowly unsheathing his claws. Seems he plans to make her death a painful one. "You want your turn, don't you?"
Xynala is out cold, but suddenly has this weird feeling, as though daggers are penetrating her skin, her neck. Wonderng if she is dreaming, the burning pain suddenly causes her to snap too, to see blood gushing from a deep wound in her neck. Its not severe enough to drain her blood or kill her, but its quite painful. She clutches her throat with her fore-paw as she is currently laying on the ground, trying to keep pressure on the wound. She lets out a groan of pain and glares in the direction of Bhaskar's travels with a look like you will pay. She gasps for breath as its a bit harder to breathe with her throat slashed, and she just curls up whimpering in a ball. This hurts!!! *sob*
Shikaara would gladly kill the bigger tiger - if only he knew how. The blood drips out from the sides of his muzzle, like it does from the little wounds his sister inflicts. His teeth work, trying to get a grip of something better than fur and loose skin, to drive past muscle, find something, anything... His ears pin back, as Rakta whispers, and a growl rises from his throat - and then it turns to a yipe when Rakta strikes him, the bigger tiger using his greater weight and strength to knock him up into the air despite his attempt to writhe away. It's hard to move far, with your teeth buried in someone, and at the blow his jaws get torn off of Rakta, leaving the wound of his attempt to drip as he flies through the air and lands heavily on the ground.
Though Rakta's body has obscured Abhishapta's view of her brother, she still knows when he turns on Shikaara. She knows he's been hit. No! Roaring, she jerks about and manages to sink her teeth into their attacker's foreleg, clamping down hard. Leave him be! She gives her head a vicious shake, trying to rip instead of just bite, but then Rakta's other forepaw rests on her throat and, as he increases the pressure and forces her head to the ground, she has no choice but to let go. Her eyes are glassy with pain, but as she stares up at him they burn with anger and hate in addition to her terror. She would gladly kill Rakta too. Oh, yes. She'd spill his blood across the earth with pleasure. But she can't. "Leave him alone," she rasps, since that's all she /can/ do, but it comes out rather garbled--with his claws pricking her skin and his weight firmly lodged down on her windpipe she sounds as if she's trying to speak through a mouthful of gravel.
Perhaps he hears Bhata's call. He's definitely got to be aware of the other male's presence, given that Bhata is also racing towards Rakta and the two littermates, and the fact that he's not veering over to intercept means that Bhaskar has identified him and knows that he's not Rakta's backup. But his breath is saved for running. They're so far away! If Shikaara and Abhishapta hadn't fled they may not have lived this long, but the distance they've managed to cover will make it difficult for the two males to get there in time...
Bhata races as fast as his legs can take him, his energy at about half, after having fought the female tigress. he is covering the ground about as half as long as it would normally take him, and he can only see the other end of the lake just now, several hundred yards ahead, it appears he'll be too late to save the tigress. "Run." He calls out to the younger male. "There's nothing we can do for her now you've got to let it go." He says. "Save yourself!" He calls to the male sibling. "We're here to help you." He sniffs Bhaskar out and looks in his direction. "Hurry Bhaskar, let's get the bastard!" He says referring to Rakta.
Rakta finally plunges his muzzle down and removes his paw and lets his jaws finish the deed, as the tiger tastes her blood, he lets himself swallow what he can for now. He can consume the body later when he's not in combat. He shaking his head a bit, he hopes to at least tear out the throat to have a nice treat before advancing on the male.
Xynala gasps for breath again and passes out cold...she will have revenge on that tiger one day for doing this to her. If she survives.
Shikaara struggles to get back to his feet. His sister! The big tiger is killing her - he can hear her choking for breath. He's bruised all over, muscles twisted from that landing - it could have been worse. At least nothing seems broken. He could still run - get away, like his sister wants him to. Save himself while Rakta is distracted in killing her. But he doesn't entertain that thought for even a moment, as Abhishapta's breath gurgles liquidly in the air, despite the shouted directive to leave from Bhata. Instead, he charges - not even trying to use his teeth, this time, head down to try to slam against Rakta's shoulder, to headbutt him in an even more desperate move than before. He can't wait for the approaching tigers - his sister will be dead by then! He snarls as those jaws go down to Abhishapta's throat, redoubling his efforts as his eyes start to haze over red. He'll save her - and if he can't save her, he'll avenge her, even if it's the last thing he does, barely grown and inexperienced tiger charging a ruthless killer.
Even now, with death looking her in the face, Abhishapta struggles. There's no questioning her will to live, but she has neither the experience or the raw strength needed to save herself. The young female tries anyway, attempting to roll over, to break loose of Rakta's grip, but when his head darts down it's over for her. The stench of her blood fills the air as her throat is laid open, and even though it's been torn out her chest continues to move, sending fresh blood bubbling from the wound each time she attempts to draw breath that won't come. She won't die right away. There are other arteries that still carry blood to and from her brain, so she remains conscious and in agony. Most likely, she'll suffocate before she bleeds out. With what little energy she has left, she gasps, "'hikaara," and something else that's incomprehensible. Either she's pleading for him to save her, or begging him to run. Will her voice even be heard above the sounds of fighting? Probably not. She can't manage much volume.
Another growl rattles out from Bhaskar's chest as he sees Rakta pull Abhishapta's throat from her body. Tigers are not made for running marathons, and he and Bhata are still too far off for his liking. He continues to move anyway, his paws flying over the ground as he presses closer.
Bhata just freezes in place for a moment as he watches Rakta squeeze the life out of the tigress. He is taken aback for a moment as memories of the instant his father breathed his last came flooding back into his memories. The tiger can't help but stare at the sight, was he just as much of a killer, as this vicious tiger. Was he as vicious once as the tiger he is watching? He lets out a gasp as the tigress collapses to the ground, the agony she must be going through. He can only imagine what he inflicted on his father Vijayi so many seasons past, but its all coming back to him so vividly now. Bhata watches until the tigress collapses to the ground, and he only then turns away gazing down into his reflection in the water seeing his father's reflection in him. He stares into the water for several minutes in a trance, before snapping back to life, and begins to head over to where Rakta is now fighting the male.
Rakta swallows what he can of the young female he got, then turns to see the male... doing a blind charge again! Amused, the tiger turns to face him. His muzzle and other parts of his body stained with the female's blood plus a little of his own. Licking his lips, he says, "Prey." Rakta says, and waits for the male to reach him. "You don't learn, do you? I suppose it's only fitting I should have two for a meal. A shame, had you run, you would have survived. Weak. Pathetic." He lowers himself down, readying himself.
Shikaara snarls out as he launches himself at Rakta. If there are words to it, they're incomprehensible underneath his growl, maddened with anger and loss and he drives towards Abhishapta's killer. He cannot hear her, over the sounds of battle - cannot hear her final calling of his name, her final words - but she can hear him, in those final moments as her lungs fill and she gurgles her last.
Abhishapta's jaw continues to work, soundlessly now, as her lungs tighten and burn. No air can get to them, only blood. More of it slicks her throat, her chest, her face. It's on the ground. It's on Rakta. Her world is soaked with it. Is it all hers? Some of it must be her attacker's--her murderer's. She hopes it is even as her mind slows and her vision begins to fade, shutting down from the lack of oxygen. Is Shikaara still fighting? No--he shouldn't--he should--she hears him, over the ringing in her ears, and silently urges him to get away, to live, since she's beyond vocalizing it. Her eyelids slide down in spite of herself, though they don't close all the way. She's beyond helping. Her airless inhalations aren't even causing her to struggle anymore. If she's not dead yet, she will be in seconds.
Although Bhaskar is focused mainly on the sight up ahead, he notices when Bhata drops off to leave him running alone. His head shifts slightly--just enough to see that Bhata has stopped running and is staring at the lake. What is he doing?! "Bhata!" he roars back at the other male, not breaking stride, and for perhaps the first time in this battle his voice is edged with real anger. Does he want to sit there while Rakta kills the brother as well? With a low, furious snort, Bhaskar continues on alone, not even aware of it when Bhata does start moving again.
Bhata ignores the fury in Bhaskar's voice right now, but feels a lump in his throat knowing he'll probably get chewed out by bhaskar later for stopping in the middle of rushing to go to battle. But he'll deal with that later. He trots faster, trying to catch up to Bhaskar and is only a few yards behind him as they reach the area where Rakta is fighting the young male tiggy.
Rakta charges the male and just before he gets to him, lowers himself completely to let his momentum carry him... then, once the foolish male goes too far, pop goes the weasel!
She isn't moving. She isn't even moving anymore. How could this - this murderer, this blood-strewn murderer do this? Why would he do this? Shikaara can't think straight, can't see anything except that foul stripey beast. His blood thrums in his ears as the other comes towards him, and he slashes out half-blindly with his claws, trying to strike at the creature, to rend and tear him, to make him feel something of the pain Shikaara feels inside.
Will Bhaskar chew him out later? Probably. At the very least, he won't be happy. The female is already dead, or as good as dead, but there's still a chance that her brother will survive if help arrives in time. And so he doesn't spare any further words. He's closer now, although still not close enough. Moments more and he'll be there.
Bhata gets his composure together and tries to forget about the past. This is the present and a tiger is in need of their help from a vicious monster, (though the same could be said about himself), he shrugs it off for the time being and approaches at rapid speed toward the larger tiger Rakta. "You son of a bitch." He growls. "You heartless murderer!" "Leave the BOY ALONE Before we have to teach you a LESSON!" He snarls in the direction of Rakta.
Rakta swings his paw back to give the male a lesson, "Learn to fight, or learn to run away, boy!" He then looks over and sees as Bhaskar and Bhata near him. "Seems my time is almost through here!" Rakta says, then turns again to pounce on the lad. HE better kill him fast or get going. One on one against one who is practically a cub is no problem. One against three are not odds Rakta wishes to play.
No response is given to Rakta's taunting. Abhishapta is beyond words and so is Shikaara in a way, too hurtinggrievingpanicked/furious/ to speak or even do anything besides lash out with his teeth and claws over and over again, tearing, biting, inflicting wounds and having them inflicted upon him in turn. The blows he does land are far less calculated than Rakta's and so will be less severe, but, driven on by nothing but murderous rage towards his sister's killer, he barely even feels the pain on his flesh. He will later, and perhaps later he'll even be able to recall every maddening word that Rakta has said to him today. But for now he doesn't even seem to care as the older cat tackles him; he only writhes onto his back and brings all of his paws up to continue attacking, heedless and enraged.
Bhaskar grunts wordlessly when his companion shouts. Rakta had better leave before they have to teach him a lesson? Ridiculous. His uninjured ear flicks dismissively. Bhata can threaten and give him a chance to back off. Bhaskar's not having any of it. Finally, /finally/ he's close enough to engage, and with no preamble whatsoever he leaps at Rakta. He's had to do a lot of running to get here. If he connects, it'll be a bit like Rakta has collided with a stripey freight train.
Bhata is still a few yards away from the scene....but within earshot. He is seething. "Did you not hear me, FLEABAG? Get your FILTHY PAWS off of the Boy and get the heck out of here and back to your jungle where you came from. Or I am going to have to teach you a lesson you'll NEVER FORGET!" He picks up speed as he zeroes in on his target.
Aashni slowly opens her eyes as she finally wakes up from where she was already. The female then gets up on all fours to stretch out a little while looking around to see what is going on.
Rakta finally drops onto the lad and pummels him with a few blows with his paws, and lowers his jaws down, about to finish the task when Bhaskar strikes him. He was too late! The tiger snarls, trying to roll out from the other tiger, throwing clawed blows at the other tiger as fast as he can. "Don't make the same mistake as countless others, fool!" Unfortunately for Bhata, because he's been pounced by another tiger and is a little too busy to comment.
As spiritedly as Shikaara has been fighting, it's obvious when Rakta strikes a well-placed blow: his body goes limp, his snarl dying midway. He still breathes, due to Bhaskar's timely intervention, but he's out cold.
The force of Bhaskar's impact with Rakta sends the both of them away from Shikaara. Such is Bhaskar's momentum that it probably would have kept carrying him past the Ran Garjana, save for the fact that he digs his claws in to bring Rakta along for the ride. He did something like this earlier, with Xynala, but now the effect is multiplied by several times--and in this instance he bites, his jaws seeking out flesh and attempting to get a firm hold on it, before he kicks out at Rakta. He hasn't a window of opportunity to go for anything like the throat, but still: if both halves of this attack succeed, part of Rakta is going to go flying from his inertia, while another part of him stays in Bhaskar's mouth.
Aashni sees what is going on with Rakta the leader in charge at the moment. The tigress dashes off in his direction in casehe needs her help.
Rakta presses his back paws against the other male and throws one last mighty blow at the other tiger. He's sure he could win this, but he's also got that other tiger to contend with and he'd rather regroup. "Much as I'd like to kill you, too, I have places to be." And he soon sinks his teeth into his opponent wherever he can get them. Sure, he wants blood, but also to inflict enough pain to get released.
Bhata growls and is almost at the scene now, just a few hundred feet now, after having run quite a distance. He is watching his good friend attempting to tear at the flesh of rakta, both creatures engaged in a vicious physical confrontation. He moves over to where the young tiger lies and puts himself between him and the fighting pair. He'll make sure nothing happens to the yong male, if Rakta tries to attack or anyone else, they'll have to go through him. He places a paw on the youngster trying to stop the flow of blood, placing pressure on the wounds.
Oh, Bhaskar will release him. Rakta's own teeth find purchase on his shoulder, although there isn't a whole lot of meat there--skin and fur, mostly. So close to the bone it must hurt quite a bit, but the Do-Rakhanaa doesn't let go right away. Instead he bites down harder, his jaws clenching, and then yanks his head back all at once, giving it a vicious shake to literally tear himself free rather than simply releasing his jaws. Not a fatal attack, or even a hobbling one, but calculated to cause a great deal of pain. This tiger appears to have far more of a stomach for combat than the one who's guarding Shikaara. )
Aashni notices Bhata and recognizes him as the one who attacked her last night. The female runs off in his direction and tries to sink her teeth in his throat. She does not take to kindly to those who hurt her after all who would? She has to work on her temper and get it out of her system.
Rakta rolls off Bhaskar, then stands a moment. Then he feels the pain.... but... instead of it having the punishing effect Bhaskar had hoped the tiger looks... blissful? Something's not... 'aligned...' with this tiger. He clearly seems to be enjoying the pain. Perhaps he can even be pushed beyond most limits by this. His smile splits open on his face. "Such a... wonderful sensation, is it not?" Rakta finallt opens his eyes and looks Bhaskar in the eyes, his own eyes... eerie. Creepy. There's pure evil in those eyes. He starts laughing, "Much as I want more, I have no need to die today. I suggest you take the whelp to bleed somewhere else." He turns and just... walks off. Almost infuriatingly. It's almost like he didn't take the Do-Rakhanaa seriously! Soon he is gone. Was this a victory or a defeat?
Bhata is trying to help the youngster stop the blood-flow, even using some deciduos leaves that can be found down in the lower elevations here to cover the wounds and try to stop the blood from seeping out. He turns to see Aashni heading his direction and yells at her. "Its over, go back where you came from. Aren't you supposed to follow your leader or something?" He snarls at the tigress. He'll fight her if he has to to protect the yongster. He snarls and gets to his paws, advancing toward her, hackled raised.
Aashni keeps her attention on Bhata for a moment and roars at him, "I am going, just remember this it is not over! Not for me any way!" She says digging her claws in the ground. "I will get revenge for you hurting me!" The female turns around and follows after Rakta as he leads the way back.
Not once does the tiger blink as Rakta looks him in the eyes. He regains his feet, and it's likely that he would have pressed another attack without giving Rakta the chance to curse him, bluster at him, retreat, or do much of anything else had the male's response not been so /strange/. It may be confusion that stays his paw long enough for Rakta to speak. Bhaskar stares back at him, and then, incredibly, one side of his muzzle twitches up. It's not a snarl either. "If you like it," he purrs, his voice carrying only the barest hint of a growl, featherlight but undeniably present, "there is more of it in your future, I promise you that. Perhaps you shall become /my/ dinner. What will /that/ feel like?" Yes, he saw Rakta swallow Abhishapta's throat--that or he must have guessed where it went. He'd pursue the tiger, having no intention of making threats he won't follow up on, but then he hears Bhata snarling at someone. This time a real growl does leak through his teeth, and, thwarted, he whirls around to see Aashni on the approach. "Keep moving," he snarls to her, "and if you go near the boy I'll rip your throat out. I can do it more painfully than even your leader would enjoy." Truthfully, he's tempted to engage her as well, but he has no way of knowing if there are other Ran Garjana lurking about who would seize the opportunity to finish what Rakta started while he and Bhata are distracted. And so he doesn't attack, although he keeps an eye on Aashni and his ears on his surroundings, checking for signs of more interference.
Tanatra
Baimei
Rakta
Aashni
Bhaskar
Xynala
Satya
Bhata
Abhishapta (NPCed by Bhaskar)
Shikaara (NPCed by Bhaskar, later played by Satya, later NPCed by Bhaskar again)
------
Nishpaksha Lake
Thanks to its position near the forest's edge, this lake has often been used as a central gathering point where creatures from different lands can gather on neutral ground. Of course, that doesn't mean that it hasn't been claimed from time to time, but such claims don't seem to last so they are the exception to the rule. It isn't a very big lake - most creatures would be able to hear another creature shout across it if they listened carefully - but it's fairly deep in the middle and stained a rich blue. At all times of the year it is cold; it's fed by a stream coming straight from the mountains to the north. Another stream leaves the lake and heads south into the rainforest. Grasses are the dominant plants around the lake, only broken by the occasional hardy bush and never by a tree. The grass continues to the north and east, stretching across the whole of the plains. To the east the lake becomes shallow, gradually turning into a marsh.
------
The Honey Badger has managed to split off from the tiger group, since he's used to moving off on his own, and finding new paths to places, and this, we mean he's trying to find food on the way to where Rakta said to go. In this case, a monkey and it's offspring, who thought being a few yards off the ground would help them, it didn't, for the mother sated his hunger, and as a trophy, he had been bringing the monkey's child along, but he was hungry again on the way, so now he's approaching the good beast's location, where Rakta said to go after the time of passage, and he had the festering head of the monkey in his maw, gore streaked, and he will spit it out at the good beasts with a twinge of madness to his eyes! )
Baimei had started out traveling along with this group of - raiders? Marauders? - but somewhere along the way, she slipped away from the rest amidst the jungle, and unlike Tanatra, she has not reappeared. She has a different goal in mind, today.
Rakta has a single goal in mind. Find someone. Anyone. Kill them. And make sure the others in this place know blood is in the air. In effect, nothing would make Rakta happier than the declare war on this ugly patch of the world. Let their enemies fall to their own weakness! He is still stalking along, a but displeased to lose Tanatra and Baimei at some point in their travels. He is silent. If they find someone, they shall commence.
Aashni has been following Rakta not wanting to lose track after all it will not be good for her. If she does not do as she's told. She does have the same goal in mind that the second in command. She also feels safe with him and the others she's around.
In such a diverse region, locating an animal to kill cannot be that difficult, can it? Apparently it is; for the moment Nishpaksha's surface is undisturbed by anything save the breeze, and the tracks on its bank are old and weren't made by anything larger than a blackbuck. If there are gods, Rakta, they mock you today!
Interestingly enough, just like the clan pecking order, Xynala brings up the rear, surprise surprise, following Aashni. She is silent for now, focused on one thing pleasing those who are higher in rank than her, and making a name for herself in the clan. If she can make her first kill, maybe they will see she's worth something to them. She will be one step closer to becoming an official Ran Garjana!
Satya has many troubled thoughts in his head, today, as he comes to walk near the shores of the lake to think. Perhaps some wisdom will reveal itself from the ancient philosophies that the massive antelope holds as his highest principles. He is alone, as he often is; a creature who splits his time between guiding his herd and walking in solitude for reflection. Little does he know that the violence he stands against has come prowling to the same area he is heading to in the hopes for peace...
The son of Vijayi,and former heir of the Sakht Nakh emerges from the Pine forest, and approaches the arch, which marks the eastern boundary of his territory and the beginning of Kirana's packs territory during the summer months when the wolves move up north. So now Bhata is looking for Bhaskar, he had a very strange nightmare last night, that he found himself awaking in a cave and walls of the cave closing in on him, compressing him into a tiny space of darkness. What that could mean, who knows? But he has a feeling that it is some kind of warning from the spirits in the stars. He had to warn others of the impending threat of the new tiger clan forming to the south. And well, as he spies Satya by the lake, he apporaches with a sense of urgency. "Satya....my good friend." He says. "I have some news you need to hear."
Rakta stops and begins to test the air for a scent. They must find someone, soon. He doesn't wish to return to Dushta witthout a kill. He needs tthis kill to nstrike fear into the hearts of the locals.
Aashni also sniffs the air which is one thing she has learned to depend on to keep her safe for the scent of others. While looking around the area. While the female is doing this she's also trying her best not to make any noise.
There are a multitude of scents here, of course, some more stale than others. The heady smells of vegetation and wet earth, not to mention the distant, reeking marshes, all run together into an olfactory mess that can be difficult to sort through. But there are creature-scents, too. Herbivores. Smaller predators. The hint of a tiger--is that Bhata, or somebody else? Little matter. Some distance from the lake's shore, there's a hint of movement that is unconnected to either Bhata or Satya: another striped feline is making its way across the plains from the northwest, prowling along at a sedate pace. The young female, perhaps recently ousted from her mother's territory, is clearly not hunting, and clearly oblivious, for the moment, to the fact that something dark is brewing not far south from her. Several yards behind her is another tiger of about the same age, likely a sibling.
Xynala follows Rakta and Aashni in silence with purpose and a drive to prove herself. She wants at least to be respected as one of the Ran Garjana. And tonight will be that purrrfect opportunity. Luckily for her up north she has an advantage being white, she blends in with the patches of snow that are left on the ground. She sniffs the ground, searching out her prey, waiting for orders from her superiors of the Ran Garjana.
Satya lifts up his head at Bhata's salutation, and smiles. He strives to be a good friend to all; no matter who they may be. Certainly, he knows this tiger, and has spoken with him before - though not in some time. Perhaps this news which Bhata claims to bring is the same as he has already heard from a winged messenger with Bhaskar. He inclines his head in a nod of greeting. "In peace, welcome," he says, a standard enough greeting for him. "Though if your news is the same as I have heard, the world's peace may be fleeting." He catches a hint of some other movement - the insufficiently stealthy young tigers - and gazes towards her a moment before returning his gaze to Bhata. He has not yet noticed the prowling hunters - perhaps, were he not distracted, but any growing unease is easily enough ascribed to the tigers he can already see.
Rakta catches the scent. Finally! "Spread. There they are. We will taste blood." He moves more quickly, ready to kill. He has beenbored of waiting. Planning only takes one so far!
Aashni spreads away from the others as she's instructed licking her maw hardly able to contain herself for the kill. Finally she will be able to taste the blood and feel the joy of killing again.
Bhata looks to Staya...."Its been a long time my friend Satya." He says. "A long time....I wish the news could be happier, but there is much darkness gathering in the south. Somewhere in the jungles lurk a new tiger clan, which I believe may be responsible for the disappearances. I'm afraid they are preparing to strike at any moment. He glances around, "For all I know they could be watching us at this very moment, perhaps there's even a spy or two within our midst. We must summon all of our allies to discuss this matter, before it is too late." At this Bhata senses something. He glances around, and he spots the two tigers he hasn't yet met approaching the lake-shore. He can also sense something else as if they aren't alone! He turns back to Satya..."I had this weird dream last night it was if----" He swivels his head back as he hears a branch snap in the shadows by the taller grass that surrounds the lake-shore and some bushes.
The itinerant female stops walking, her head going up in alert. Has she seen one of the Ran Garjana? No--her gaze is on Satya, whose somewhat-remote form she can spot from here. She takes a slow, stalking step forward, then gives up. The nilgai is looking right at them, and there's another, older tiger standing right there besides. Why isn't Satya running? She doesn't know. Brushing it off as if she'd never intended to go after the herbivore, she turns and butts her forehead against her brother's shoulder. Nothing to see here, nilgai. They're just out for a family walk. Honest. He emits a low grumble, leaning his side against hers as he scans the area. His gaze lingers particularly on Bhata, wary, assuming that they're on his territory. They really /are/ young, and probably one another's only source of support in the world; they huddle together as if unsure of themselves.
Satya nods his head, unsurprised, at Bhata's words. "Yes. Peace is fleeting..." He meets the gaze of the young tigress steadily - a security built both from both his size, and his philosophies. He does not fear, for he walks in peace. Well, he does fear, but he has a deeper truth comforting him through it. For now, despite the approaching tiger youths, there is still peace, and he gives a slight bow of his head in greeting to them. Yet how fleeting peace is! For other tigers are approaching, less easily cowed by a calm and confident nilgai.
Xynala spreads out to the right, keeping low and to the tall grasses, trying to keep downwind, and out of sight of her prey, crouching low to the ground as she moves to the right, whereas Aashni moved to the left, with Rakta in the center. The three point kill triangulation, gotta love it! She creeps up to a boulder with a crack in it and can see the two tigers through the crack in the boulder.
Rakta finally moves forward toward the two tiger siblings, relishing the act that is to come. He considers taking down the male a second, but realizes he'd get a more interesting fight from him if the female's survival is in doubt. So, he begins stalking toward the female quickly.
Aashni does the opposite she does not think there's a chance she can do it. But The female tiger Aashni quickly heads over towards the male hoping that she can manage to find the abillity and strength to kill the male without him killing her.
Bhata blinks and can spot a shadow, no two shadows moving through the grasses. The shadows weren't there before. He was about to tell Satya more about his dream.....when he spots Aashni sprinting toward the male. "Oh heavens.....AMBUSH!" he calls out to anyone who can hear within ear-shot. He gasps as he spots the tigress running toward her prey. "Its them Satya, its the tiger clan!"
Did the nilgai just bow his head to them? The male's gaze flits back to Satya, startled, but soon enough returns to Bhata as if anticipating a confrontation. If only they knew who the real threat was! He moves to say something to his sister, then cuts himself off as a patch of grass rattles not far away. There's something large headed towards them in a hurry. Two somethings. Bhata's warning is hardly needed; both of the young cats know that they're being stalked now. The male snarls throatily, moving to place himself in front of his sibling, but he's already backing away. So is she, the both of them bristling and uneasy. They seem to be at a loss: would fleeing be wiser, or would it only incite pursuit from their yet-unseen hunters? "Run, Abhishapta," the male whispers after a precious second of indecision. He's not intending to stay and fight either, however. More or less in unison, both siblings take off back the way they'd come.
Though the Ran Garjana have placed themselves downwind of their victims, they are, in turn, upwind of someone who is behind them. And masked in the commotion of Bhata's alarm-call is the presence of yet another tiger, who emerges on silent paws from the same brush that has concealed so many hunters over the years, including the one before him now. He's directly behind Xynala, you see, and moves as if he has every right to be here. Has Dushta sent someone along to keep tabs on them? "/They/ are your targets?" he rumbles scornfully. "That's hardly a challenge, is it?" Well, it sounds about like someone Dushta might associate himself with.
Satya catches a brief glimpse of orange and white, through the brush near those young tigers. He's already looking that way, after all. And as one often-hunted, he's more used to seeing the little signs than the youngsters - so he calls out a warning to them, strange prey that he is! "Be wary!" And then Bhata sees more - maybe just terrors in nothing, or maybe he's got a much better view - and Satya hesitates. But he is no fighter; though nilgai are strong, and quick, they are still prey, and he is a proponent of peace. And while hooves can defend him from one foe - even a tiger - they cannot save tigers from tigers. If those youths are to survive, it must be by their own claws and teeth, their own defenses. So he turns, and leaps away, turning to flight.
"Now." Rakta says calmly and bursts out of cover. Bhata's observations might have been more clear had he been watching the Ran Garjana longer. Sure, the doomed siblings are their target, but hardly the extent of their ambition. Is Rakta targetting the male or... No... oh no. He's closing on the female! Seems he's practiced at tiger killing.
Xynala turns around viciously to face Bhaskar....."Just who do you think you are, sneaking up on me like that? Shouldn't you be out there in those fields, so I can sneak up on you?" "You're my PREY after all." She says. "Now start ACTING like it!" She backs up a few steps preparing to charge the other tiger. She growls. "I'm not going to have my chance at being respected by my superiors go by the wayside." She says and grins. "So why don't you STAND UP and fight like a MALE!"
Aashni blinks her eyes when she hears Xynala's voice thinking that is a good way to get yourself killed. Especially if you do not have any exerience in fighting. She rushes after the male sibling that is meant to be her target with claws unsheathed the female comes fully out in the open speeding up ready to move in for the kill.
Bhata growls as he sees the new tiger clan heading for the poor innocent younger tigers! No, not again. He won't let another Sakht Nakh come to life before his eyes without doing something about it before it spreads out of control. He was there during the reign of the Sakht Nakh he saw it all, and this new clan was not going to storm around the lands like they own the place. Not on his watch! So Bhata lets out a ferocious ROARRRR...and charges toward Aashni who is pursuing the male tiger...."Lay your mangy claws off him." He snarls, and heads directly for Aashni.
One of the siblings risks a look back, not slowing down. The older tigers are fast; they're closing in. And the male is...no! Rakta is going for his sister! He won't have an easy time of it; snarling again, the younger male falls back to shield his littermate. Of course, now he's got /two/ assailants: Aashni is aiming for him, and Rakta will have to go through him to get at Abhishapta. His immediate future doesn't look good, especially when he sees Bhata tearing in as well. But Bhata is after Aashni, leaving him free to try and protect Abhishapta from Rakta, and he hasn't got the time to spare towards either thanking Bhata or feeling confused by his assistance. Instead, realizing that they'll probably tire before the Ran Garjana, he whirls on Rakta. He doesn't come to a halt, instead trying to redirect his velocity into an attack.
For all her scolding, the white-pelted female may not like the answer she gets: the tiger who'd come up behind her laughs, a low rasping chuckle, his eyes slimmed not in anger or fear but, rather, in amusement that is entirely at her expense. "You bluster entirely too much," he observes. That's all. He doesn't even shift his weight visibly, or back up, in preparation to lunge--he simply /does/, leaping forward with his shoulder thrown out to try and slam her against the boulder now at her back. The lack of distance between them means that he won't be able to build up as much momentum as he otherwise could, but it also means that getting out of his way will be harder. Bhaskar wants to take her out quickly, whether through killing or incapacitation, so that she can't assist her clanmembers in their attack.
Rakta smiles as the male turns on him. And then does what could be considered a blind rush. What's strange is Rakta doesn't appear to dodge. He even seems to turn a shoulder as if allowing an attack. What is Rakta trying to prove? He trusts his followers to handle the female. "Do it, then! See how futile your resistance becomes!"
Xynala leaps at just about the same time as Bhaskar.....the two connect in mid air and crumble to the ground locked in paw to paw combat wrestling. The roll on the ground, Xynala biting and clawing as best she can, attempting to swipe at Bhaskar's muzzle from time to time with her sharp claws. She won't let Bhaskar get anywhere near Rakta or Aashni's prey! She'll keep him occupied enough for now so that Rakta can finish the job. its an old fashioned white on gold ring-side bout. !!!
Aashni ignores Bhata as she leaps trying to pin the male sibling to the ground with her claws unsheathed hoping to kill him instantly but knows it probably will not be that easy.
Bhata manages to cut Aashni off at the pass, just as she is about to get toward Rakta's position where the male is trying to help his sibling. The former heir to the Sakh Nakh throne locks claws with Aashni attempting to shove her to the ground with his weight, attempting to pin her, swiping at her side as he collides with the oncoming tigress!
The shoulder isn't what he wants! He needs to get at Rakta's throat! Perhaps the younger male would have taken it anyway, but Aashni veers off from Bhata and keeps going for him. He's quite certain that if he slams into Rakta he'll end up in a sandwich between them. At the last moment he turns again, leaping away, thwarted. In the process of avoiding Rakta he also distances himself from Aashni, and in any case Bhata cuts her off again. But he can't keep this up forever, and he's distracted with worry for his sister. Is she still running? "Resistance?" he wheezes, still keeping a distance between himself and the Ran Garjana. Enough of a distance that he'll be able to run again, for all the good it will do. "We don't want your territory, we'll leave--" Abhishapta--well, she had been running. But when she realizes that she's alone, she slides to a halt and, like Edith looking back upon Sodom, glances behind her. "Shikaara!" she cries, alarmed, when she sees him so far away and squaring off with their pursuers.
Both of their attacks interrupted, Bhaskar does something that may be surprising: rather than biting and clawing Xynala in turn, the larger cat grapples her and allows himself to simply fall backwards, receiving a few scratches on his nose and chest in the process. As he does so he releases his grip and brings his hind paws up to deliver a solid kick at her stomach. His claws are out, but gutting her isn't his intention--he's once more attempting to use momentum to his advantage, hers /and/ his, to send her flying away from him.
Rakta smiles. Big mistake, and soon the evil male tiger makes for the female again. He shouldn't have backed off!
Xynala doesn't have much time to react to Bhaskar's kick, as she had been using her claws to swipe at him. *OOOF* she is kicked hard by the reddish looking tiger with black stripes. This one is a force to be reckoned with. The force of the kick sends her tumbling backwards, into a bush, causing her to get scratched up as well. She lets out a groan, but rises to her paws, shooting a glare at Bhaskar, knowing full well this battle isn't over just yet. Her foe hasn't seen the true Xy, just yet.
Aashni made the mistake of messing up and it shows when Bhata cut her off and is in deed shoved to the ground and pinned. Feeling the paw hit her right side hard leaving a line of claw marks and some blood showing from the attack. Which causes the female tiger to roar out in pain then she tries to push the male off of her with all her strength.
Bhata growls and tries to choke the tigress by pinning her throat to make her know who is boss right now. He glares down at her attempting to shift all his weight on her to keep her down. "Don't you dare go near those youngsters!" He snarls. "Or I'll have your head. I killed my own father once, you might have heard about him, former leader of Sakht Nakh....a clan similar to yours....and its brutal ways. But we destroyed those tigers, and we will do the same to you, unless your clan will cease fire and go back from wherever you came from. I saw the bones of the ones you killed, I have a hunch it was your group that is responsible, and mark our words we will have justice. Haven't you tigers learned that good always prevails over evil?" He tightens his grip on her throat with his paw, holding her down with the rest of his body. "By the way my name is Bhata, Son of Vijayi, best you learn this name, and respect it."
When Rakta charges straight past him, however, Shikaara pursues. In all likelihood he doesn't have the endurance of an older tiger, still half-used to his mother doing all of the hunting, much less fighting, but fear for his sibling lends him adrenaline and a desperate sort of recklessness. He swipes out a paw, his claws fully extended, to try and hook Rakta's back leg and send him tumbling like he would a prey animal. All of this he does so that his sister might get away--but Abhishapta, seeing that Aashni is otherwise occupied with Bhata and knowing that she and Shikaara will have a better chance of fighting Rakta off than Shikaara will on his own, races back over to help. She doesn't throw herself at Rakta's front, instead going for his hindquarters as well. Maybe they aren't completely incompetent. They know his backside is the most harmless part to attack, and that injuring his hind legs will impair his mobility severely.
Meanwhile, the instant that Xynala's weight is relieved from his body, Bhaskar continues to use the momentum he's built. He allows it to carry him swiftly to his feet and, with only the barest of glances to determine where his opponent has landed, darts forward again. He doesn't glare or taunt her or even wait for her to regain her feet; as she's getting up to reorient herself he takes the offensive once more, lunging at her to knock her off-balance again.
Xynala growls and lunges at Bhaskar.....something about this tiger makes her want to cut him down right here and there, but she just can't place it. Something from her past, somehow this tiger reminds her of someone she once knew, someone she now hates. She growls low, and charges, leaping at the reddish one locking claws in a wrestling match, attempting to knock him down on the ground. As they collide, and fall to the ground she manages to get the right spot with her sharp razor-like teeth, and dig into Bhaskar's right ear for a moment holding firm with the bite.
Rakta finally curls around with both siblings in his sights, narrowly dodging attacks from both on his backside. And he focuses on the female, simply to see the male fight so much more desperately, he pounces right at her side, intending not to damage her, but knock her over for a pinning.
Aashni gasps for air when she feels Bhata pushing down on her throat and struggles with the pressure trying to say, "I will never respect your name." Then tries to push him off with all her strength again. While realizing how tired she is. The female tiger finds her eyes starting to close appearing that she might be about to die... even though she's not dying. Maybe it will be enough for the male to let her go.
As inexperienced as the siblings are, they are still cats, with cats' reflexes. Abhishapta jerks out of the way when Rakta lunges at her, acting more on instinct than anything else--but, although she moves, they're too close together for her to get out of the way entirely. Irony of ironies, the advancing tiger catches her on the flank rather than her side. It's still enough to send her to the ground, her unbalanced hind end dragging the rest of her body down with a growl of anger and fright. She thrashes, snapping at whatever she can reach, if anything at all; her deflection of the pounce may have made it more difficult to defend herself. Shikaara, on the other hand, is unrestrained by an opponent. Throwing all semblance of caution to the wind, he lunges at Rakta from an angle, his jaws gaping, to try and grab the side of the older male's neck. It's unlikely he knows about the carotid artery that beats there, much less what will happen if he tears it out; he's acting out of that ever-increasing desperation and taking whatever hold he can get.
If Xynala fights with anger, Bhaskar has been almost eerily calm this entire time. Perhaps that is what seems so strangely familiar, and hated, about him. He sees her own lunge coming and twists partially out of the way, turning with her movements so that his trajectory will be more controlled. Nevertheless, her claws find purchase against his skin and her teeth bite into his ear, threatening to tear it. That gets a grunt out of him, though it sounds suspiciously like his noise of amusement earlier, before he yanks back, ripping it wide open on his own, and one huge paw snaps out aimed directly for her temple. There's quite a bit of force driving this strike, but more important is the location. It's a knockout blow. He has no intention of dragging this on.
Bhata suddenly realizes he's about to crush the throat of the tigress, and backs away. Panting heavily with rage, he looks up to the sky for a moment and yells out. "Not again." He glances down at his claws which have some trickles of blood from digging into the flesh of Aashni, not enough to severely wound or kill her, but the fact that he got so enraged startles him for a moment. Yes this is a battle, but its been a long time since he killed anyone or hurt anyone, not since.....---not since the fight with his father Vijayi. Yes they are his enemies, but there's got to be a better way to settle things other than battle, is there? After he killed his father, he made a vow to himself he would never kill again. But now is he going to break this oath? He glances around at the battle going on, knowing its his duty to save the siblings, but he will NOT KILL unless he absolutely has to. He rushes towards Rakta now, to see if the siblings need any assistance in their defense against Rakta.
Rakta already has the female down and has moved on top of her, his shoulder soon takes the place of his throat for the male Shikaara, who makes a hit on that very spot. He stops only to look at the male... who no doubt has bitten as hard as he can in his panic to save his sister's life. And... ... ... He starts to laugh.
Xynala growls. "Why you son of a bi----" she says after she hears his snort of amusement. "It's not funny---" She growls. And attempts to swipe at him once more trying to get his other ear this time, but unfortunately, Bhaskar's blow catches her right on its intended target, sending her flying toward a boulder and a tree trunk. She slams into the tree hard, banging her head against the stone boulder, and falling flat, out cold for the moment. She might not even remember the battle when she comes to!
If Shikaara can just - even if he just manages to slow Rakta down, so that Abhishapta can get away. She's down on the ground, but he can't see more in the frenzy of trying to lunge in. She has to get up! He has to buy her that time to recover, to get back up again, no matter what it takes! He'll make Rakta... laugh? At least it's delaying him. He tries, desperately and with a growing lack of hope, to tug the larger tiger away, to give his sister a chance to squirm away, to escape!
Had Rakta left it at just knocking her down, Abhishapta may have been able to regain her feet. She may have been able to thrash away, which she's certainly trying to do. But the older tiger's weight is upon her, and for all her frenzied, panicked strength she can't force him off--a male tiger in his prime far outweighs her. She continues to bite at Rakta, at his forelegs and his chest and then, when he turns it away from Shikaara, at his face as well. She hasn't got the presence of mind to go for his eyes; she'll take /anything/, anything to get him off and away from them both!
Blood spurts from the male's torn ear, trickling down his face, but Bhaskar pays it little heed. Yes, it hurts. But it will heal, and, in the long run, it's an injury of little consequence. He follows after Xynala as she lands, lowering his head to check that she's really unconscious. She is; she couldn't fake that breathing pattern. He should simply end her life her while he's got her in this position, so that she can't interfere later on--he /knows/ he should. His jaws open, descending for her throat, but then the faraway commotion reaches a fever pitch as Rakta gets Abhishapta well and truly pinned. Damn! He can't waste the time! Frustrated, the tiger delivers a sharp, vicious nip to Xynala's throat, a superficial injury that nevertheless draws blood and will send a clear message to her when she discovers it: Your windpipe was in my mouth. I could have killed you today. Then, snarling quietly, he leaps over the boulder and takes off for the three battling felines.
Bhata is quite a distance away from Rakta....and he calls out to Bhaskar. "Hurry Bhaskar, we don't have much time." He eyes the siblings down the lake shore and Rakta, and makes a beeline for him, unfortunately, he probably won't have time to save the female if she's in Rakta's death grip. He runs towards the trio by the lakeshore.
Rakta looks at the male and says, "How does it feel? Taste?" Rakta seems to be enjoying whatever pain this young tiger gave him. Chances are the wound is minor. But Rakta seems to relish the pain. He finally seems to lean forward to whisper in his attacker's ear. After several moments, he says, "No? Then..." Rakta, then throws his entire foreleg up to land a blow straight up the male's body, mostly just to get him off and knocked away. as the female starts snapping up at him, Rakta looks down at the female and gentle presses his paw down on her neck. If she manages to bite him, he seems unphased. He presses his paw against her throat, slowly unsheathing his claws. Seems he plans to make her death a painful one. "You want your turn, don't you?"
Xynala is out cold, but suddenly has this weird feeling, as though daggers are penetrating her skin, her neck. Wonderng if she is dreaming, the burning pain suddenly causes her to snap too, to see blood gushing from a deep wound in her neck. Its not severe enough to drain her blood or kill her, but its quite painful. She clutches her throat with her fore-paw as she is currently laying on the ground, trying to keep pressure on the wound. She lets out a groan of pain and glares in the direction of Bhaskar's travels with a look like you will pay. She gasps for breath as its a bit harder to breathe with her throat slashed, and she just curls up whimpering in a ball. This hurts!!! *sob*
Shikaara would gladly kill the bigger tiger - if only he knew how. The blood drips out from the sides of his muzzle, like it does from the little wounds his sister inflicts. His teeth work, trying to get a grip of something better than fur and loose skin, to drive past muscle, find something, anything... His ears pin back, as Rakta whispers, and a growl rises from his throat - and then it turns to a yipe when Rakta strikes him, the bigger tiger using his greater weight and strength to knock him up into the air despite his attempt to writhe away. It's hard to move far, with your teeth buried in someone, and at the blow his jaws get torn off of Rakta, leaving the wound of his attempt to drip as he flies through the air and lands heavily on the ground.
Though Rakta's body has obscured Abhishapta's view of her brother, she still knows when he turns on Shikaara. She knows he's been hit. No! Roaring, she jerks about and manages to sink her teeth into their attacker's foreleg, clamping down hard. Leave him be! She gives her head a vicious shake, trying to rip instead of just bite, but then Rakta's other forepaw rests on her throat and, as he increases the pressure and forces her head to the ground, she has no choice but to let go. Her eyes are glassy with pain, but as she stares up at him they burn with anger and hate in addition to her terror. She would gladly kill Rakta too. Oh, yes. She'd spill his blood across the earth with pleasure. But she can't. "Leave him alone," she rasps, since that's all she /can/ do, but it comes out rather garbled--with his claws pricking her skin and his weight firmly lodged down on her windpipe she sounds as if she's trying to speak through a mouthful of gravel.
Perhaps he hears Bhata's call. He's definitely got to be aware of the other male's presence, given that Bhata is also racing towards Rakta and the two littermates, and the fact that he's not veering over to intercept means that Bhaskar has identified him and knows that he's not Rakta's backup. But his breath is saved for running. They're so far away! If Shikaara and Abhishapta hadn't fled they may not have lived this long, but the distance they've managed to cover will make it difficult for the two males to get there in time...
Bhata races as fast as his legs can take him, his energy at about half, after having fought the female tigress. he is covering the ground about as half as long as it would normally take him, and he can only see the other end of the lake just now, several hundred yards ahead, it appears he'll be too late to save the tigress. "Run." He calls out to the younger male. "There's nothing we can do for her now you've got to let it go." He says. "Save yourself!" He calls to the male sibling. "We're here to help you." He sniffs Bhaskar out and looks in his direction. "Hurry Bhaskar, let's get the bastard!" He says referring to Rakta.
Rakta finally plunges his muzzle down and removes his paw and lets his jaws finish the deed, as the tiger tastes her blood, he lets himself swallow what he can for now. He can consume the body later when he's not in combat. He shaking his head a bit, he hopes to at least tear out the throat to have a nice treat before advancing on the male.
Xynala gasps for breath again and passes out cold...she will have revenge on that tiger one day for doing this to her. If she survives.
Shikaara struggles to get back to his feet. His sister! The big tiger is killing her - he can hear her choking for breath. He's bruised all over, muscles twisted from that landing - it could have been worse. At least nothing seems broken. He could still run - get away, like his sister wants him to. Save himself while Rakta is distracted in killing her. But he doesn't entertain that thought for even a moment, as Abhishapta's breath gurgles liquidly in the air, despite the shouted directive to leave from Bhata. Instead, he charges - not even trying to use his teeth, this time, head down to try to slam against Rakta's shoulder, to headbutt him in an even more desperate move than before. He can't wait for the approaching tigers - his sister will be dead by then! He snarls as those jaws go down to Abhishapta's throat, redoubling his efforts as his eyes start to haze over red. He'll save her - and if he can't save her, he'll avenge her, even if it's the last thing he does, barely grown and inexperienced tiger charging a ruthless killer.
Even now, with death looking her in the face, Abhishapta struggles. There's no questioning her will to live, but she has neither the experience or the raw strength needed to save herself. The young female tries anyway, attempting to roll over, to break loose of Rakta's grip, but when his head darts down it's over for her. The stench of her blood fills the air as her throat is laid open, and even though it's been torn out her chest continues to move, sending fresh blood bubbling from the wound each time she attempts to draw breath that won't come. She won't die right away. There are other arteries that still carry blood to and from her brain, so she remains conscious and in agony. Most likely, she'll suffocate before she bleeds out. With what little energy she has left, she gasps, "'hikaara," and something else that's incomprehensible. Either she's pleading for him to save her, or begging him to run. Will her voice even be heard above the sounds of fighting? Probably not. She can't manage much volume.
Another growl rattles out from Bhaskar's chest as he sees Rakta pull Abhishapta's throat from her body. Tigers are not made for running marathons, and he and Bhata are still too far off for his liking. He continues to move anyway, his paws flying over the ground as he presses closer.
Bhata just freezes in place for a moment as he watches Rakta squeeze the life out of the tigress. He is taken aback for a moment as memories of the instant his father breathed his last came flooding back into his memories. The tiger can't help but stare at the sight, was he just as much of a killer, as this vicious tiger. Was he as vicious once as the tiger he is watching? He lets out a gasp as the tigress collapses to the ground, the agony she must be going through. He can only imagine what he inflicted on his father Vijayi so many seasons past, but its all coming back to him so vividly now. Bhata watches until the tigress collapses to the ground, and he only then turns away gazing down into his reflection in the water seeing his father's reflection in him. He stares into the water for several minutes in a trance, before snapping back to life, and begins to head over to where Rakta is now fighting the male.
Rakta swallows what he can of the young female he got, then turns to see the male... doing a blind charge again! Amused, the tiger turns to face him. His muzzle and other parts of his body stained with the female's blood plus a little of his own. Licking his lips, he says, "Prey." Rakta says, and waits for the male to reach him. "You don't learn, do you? I suppose it's only fitting I should have two for a meal. A shame, had you run, you would have survived. Weak. Pathetic." He lowers himself down, readying himself.
Shikaara snarls out as he launches himself at Rakta. If there are words to it, they're incomprehensible underneath his growl, maddened with anger and loss and he drives towards Abhishapta's killer. He cannot hear her, over the sounds of battle - cannot hear her final calling of his name, her final words - but she can hear him, in those final moments as her lungs fill and she gurgles her last.
Abhishapta's jaw continues to work, soundlessly now, as her lungs tighten and burn. No air can get to them, only blood. More of it slicks her throat, her chest, her face. It's on the ground. It's on Rakta. Her world is soaked with it. Is it all hers? Some of it must be her attacker's--her murderer's. She hopes it is even as her mind slows and her vision begins to fade, shutting down from the lack of oxygen. Is Shikaara still fighting? No--he shouldn't--he should--she hears him, over the ringing in her ears, and silently urges him to get away, to live, since she's beyond vocalizing it. Her eyelids slide down in spite of herself, though they don't close all the way. She's beyond helping. Her airless inhalations aren't even causing her to struggle anymore. If she's not dead yet, she will be in seconds.
Although Bhaskar is focused mainly on the sight up ahead, he notices when Bhata drops off to leave him running alone. His head shifts slightly--just enough to see that Bhata has stopped running and is staring at the lake. What is he doing?! "Bhata!" he roars back at the other male, not breaking stride, and for perhaps the first time in this battle his voice is edged with real anger. Does he want to sit there while Rakta kills the brother as well? With a low, furious snort, Bhaskar continues on alone, not even aware of it when Bhata does start moving again.
Bhata ignores the fury in Bhaskar's voice right now, but feels a lump in his throat knowing he'll probably get chewed out by bhaskar later for stopping in the middle of rushing to go to battle. But he'll deal with that later. He trots faster, trying to catch up to Bhaskar and is only a few yards behind him as they reach the area where Rakta is fighting the young male tiggy.
Rakta charges the male and just before he gets to him, lowers himself completely to let his momentum carry him... then, once the foolish male goes too far, pop goes the weasel!
She isn't moving. She isn't even moving anymore. How could this - this murderer, this blood-strewn murderer do this? Why would he do this? Shikaara can't think straight, can't see anything except that foul stripey beast. His blood thrums in his ears as the other comes towards him, and he slashes out half-blindly with his claws, trying to strike at the creature, to rend and tear him, to make him feel something of the pain Shikaara feels inside.
Will Bhaskar chew him out later? Probably. At the very least, he won't be happy. The female is already dead, or as good as dead, but there's still a chance that her brother will survive if help arrives in time. And so he doesn't spare any further words. He's closer now, although still not close enough. Moments more and he'll be there.
Bhata gets his composure together and tries to forget about the past. This is the present and a tiger is in need of their help from a vicious monster, (though the same could be said about himself), he shrugs it off for the time being and approaches at rapid speed toward the larger tiger Rakta. "You son of a bitch." He growls. "You heartless murderer!" "Leave the BOY ALONE Before we have to teach you a LESSON!" He snarls in the direction of Rakta.
Rakta swings his paw back to give the male a lesson, "Learn to fight, or learn to run away, boy!" He then looks over and sees as Bhaskar and Bhata near him. "Seems my time is almost through here!" Rakta says, then turns again to pounce on the lad. HE better kill him fast or get going. One on one against one who is practically a cub is no problem. One against three are not odds Rakta wishes to play.
No response is given to Rakta's taunting. Abhishapta is beyond words and so is Shikaara in a way, too hurtinggrievingpanicked/furious/ to speak or even do anything besides lash out with his teeth and claws over and over again, tearing, biting, inflicting wounds and having them inflicted upon him in turn. The blows he does land are far less calculated than Rakta's and so will be less severe, but, driven on by nothing but murderous rage towards his sister's killer, he barely even feels the pain on his flesh. He will later, and perhaps later he'll even be able to recall every maddening word that Rakta has said to him today. But for now he doesn't even seem to care as the older cat tackles him; he only writhes onto his back and brings all of his paws up to continue attacking, heedless and enraged.
Bhaskar grunts wordlessly when his companion shouts. Rakta had better leave before they have to teach him a lesson? Ridiculous. His uninjured ear flicks dismissively. Bhata can threaten and give him a chance to back off. Bhaskar's not having any of it. Finally, /finally/ he's close enough to engage, and with no preamble whatsoever he leaps at Rakta. He's had to do a lot of running to get here. If he connects, it'll be a bit like Rakta has collided with a stripey freight train.
Bhata is still a few yards away from the scene....but within earshot. He is seething. "Did you not hear me, FLEABAG? Get your FILTHY PAWS off of the Boy and get the heck out of here and back to your jungle where you came from. Or I am going to have to teach you a lesson you'll NEVER FORGET!" He picks up speed as he zeroes in on his target.
Aashni slowly opens her eyes as she finally wakes up from where she was already. The female then gets up on all fours to stretch out a little while looking around to see what is going on.
Rakta finally drops onto the lad and pummels him with a few blows with his paws, and lowers his jaws down, about to finish the task when Bhaskar strikes him. He was too late! The tiger snarls, trying to roll out from the other tiger, throwing clawed blows at the other tiger as fast as he can. "Don't make the same mistake as countless others, fool!" Unfortunately for Bhata, because he's been pounced by another tiger and is a little too busy to comment.
As spiritedly as Shikaara has been fighting, it's obvious when Rakta strikes a well-placed blow: his body goes limp, his snarl dying midway. He still breathes, due to Bhaskar's timely intervention, but he's out cold.
The force of Bhaskar's impact with Rakta sends the both of them away from Shikaara. Such is Bhaskar's momentum that it probably would have kept carrying him past the Ran Garjana, save for the fact that he digs his claws in to bring Rakta along for the ride. He did something like this earlier, with Xynala, but now the effect is multiplied by several times--and in this instance he bites, his jaws seeking out flesh and attempting to get a firm hold on it, before he kicks out at Rakta. He hasn't a window of opportunity to go for anything like the throat, but still: if both halves of this attack succeed, part of Rakta is going to go flying from his inertia, while another part of him stays in Bhaskar's mouth.
Aashni sees what is going on with Rakta the leader in charge at the moment. The tigress dashes off in his direction in casehe needs her help.
Rakta presses his back paws against the other male and throws one last mighty blow at the other tiger. He's sure he could win this, but he's also got that other tiger to contend with and he'd rather regroup. "Much as I'd like to kill you, too, I have places to be." And he soon sinks his teeth into his opponent wherever he can get them. Sure, he wants blood, but also to inflict enough pain to get released.
Bhata growls and is almost at the scene now, just a few hundred feet now, after having run quite a distance. He is watching his good friend attempting to tear at the flesh of rakta, both creatures engaged in a vicious physical confrontation. He moves over to where the young tiger lies and puts himself between him and the fighting pair. He'll make sure nothing happens to the yong male, if Rakta tries to attack or anyone else, they'll have to go through him. He places a paw on the youngster trying to stop the flow of blood, placing pressure on the wounds.
Oh, Bhaskar will release him. Rakta's own teeth find purchase on his shoulder, although there isn't a whole lot of meat there--skin and fur, mostly. So close to the bone it must hurt quite a bit, but the Do-Rakhanaa doesn't let go right away. Instead he bites down harder, his jaws clenching, and then yanks his head back all at once, giving it a vicious shake to literally tear himself free rather than simply releasing his jaws. Not a fatal attack, or even a hobbling one, but calculated to cause a great deal of pain. This tiger appears to have far more of a stomach for combat than the one who's guarding Shikaara. )
Aashni notices Bhata and recognizes him as the one who attacked her last night. The female runs off in his direction and tries to sink her teeth in his throat. She does not take to kindly to those who hurt her after all who would? She has to work on her temper and get it out of her system.
Rakta rolls off Bhaskar, then stands a moment. Then he feels the pain.... but... instead of it having the punishing effect Bhaskar had hoped the tiger looks... blissful? Something's not... 'aligned...' with this tiger. He clearly seems to be enjoying the pain. Perhaps he can even be pushed beyond most limits by this. His smile splits open on his face. "Such a... wonderful sensation, is it not?" Rakta finallt opens his eyes and looks Bhaskar in the eyes, his own eyes... eerie. Creepy. There's pure evil in those eyes. He starts laughing, "Much as I want more, I have no need to die today. I suggest you take the whelp to bleed somewhere else." He turns and just... walks off. Almost infuriatingly. It's almost like he didn't take the Do-Rakhanaa seriously! Soon he is gone. Was this a victory or a defeat?
Bhata is trying to help the youngster stop the blood-flow, even using some deciduos leaves that can be found down in the lower elevations here to cover the wounds and try to stop the blood from seeping out. He turns to see Aashni heading his direction and yells at her. "Its over, go back where you came from. Aren't you supposed to follow your leader or something?" He snarls at the tigress. He'll fight her if he has to to protect the yongster. He snarls and gets to his paws, advancing toward her, hackled raised.
Aashni keeps her attention on Bhata for a moment and roars at him, "I am going, just remember this it is not over! Not for me any way!" She says digging her claws in the ground. "I will get revenge for you hurting me!" The female turns around and follows after Rakta as he leads the way back.
Not once does the tiger blink as Rakta looks him in the eyes. He regains his feet, and it's likely that he would have pressed another attack without giving Rakta the chance to curse him, bluster at him, retreat, or do much of anything else had the male's response not been so /strange/. It may be confusion that stays his paw long enough for Rakta to speak. Bhaskar stares back at him, and then, incredibly, one side of his muzzle twitches up. It's not a snarl either. "If you like it," he purrs, his voice carrying only the barest hint of a growl, featherlight but undeniably present, "there is more of it in your future, I promise you that. Perhaps you shall become /my/ dinner. What will /that/ feel like?" Yes, he saw Rakta swallow Abhishapta's throat--that or he must have guessed where it went. He'd pursue the tiger, having no intention of making threats he won't follow up on, but then he hears Bhata snarling at someone. This time a real growl does leak through his teeth, and, thwarted, he whirls around to see Aashni on the approach. "Keep moving," he snarls to her, "and if you go near the boy I'll rip your throat out. I can do it more painfully than even your leader would enjoy." Truthfully, he's tempted to engage her as well, but he has no way of knowing if there are other Ran Garjana lurking about who would seize the opportunity to finish what Rakta started while he and Bhata are distracted. And so he doesn't attack, although he keeps an eye on Aashni and his ears on his surroundings, checking for signs of more interference.