Post by Bhaskar on Oct 15, 2010 21:07:30 GMT -7
Cast:
Pahalautha (Lion, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Vrimta (Lioness, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Shaamti (Lioness, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Mukula (Juve. Lioness)
Ladna (Juve. Lioness)
Dano (Juve. Lion)
Dushta (Black Tiger)
Indra (Juve. Lion)
Hematara (Juve. Lioness)
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Forest Crossroad
A thick, deep and vast forest of teak, mahogany, sal and eucalyptus trees and a myriad of shorter undergrowth-layer trees blocks even tall beasts from seeing far in any direction, and keeps the large beasts -- elephant, rhinoceros, guar and water buffalo -- from travelling freely off of their few well-trodden trails that converge here. One trail leads south to a gentle slope, another to the northeast where the tall trees and tangled foliage give way to mostly grass and low bush. Teaks provide most of the tall canopy overhead, while a number of smaller trees including mango, jamun, jackfruit and piar cluster along with tangling vines and thorny bushes densely on the floor, impassable for beasts larger than a sambar or smaller tiger. Herds of chital and smaller herbivores frequent this area specifically because they can go where large tigers cannot, but the canopy layer above replaces the threat of mighty tigers with that of nimble leopards. The stench of a stagnant pond sometimes drift through the generally still air from the east, where another well-trodden trail leads.
------
The sun went down hours ago. Beneath the canopy it's been dark for even longer, as the thickly-twined branches choked off every waning shaft of light, but the night has not brought silence. Insects call from every direction, interspersed with the occasional cry from a disturbed monkey or bird, and Pahalautha grunts as he drops to his side a yard or so away from the rest of his family. Their journey did not need to stop with dusk; felines have excellent night vision, and even down here, all but buried under the trees, he's had no trouble navigating. But the young ones need to rest more frequently than he does, and a break is in order. Behind him, Vrimta does a final check of the area and comes to rest on her haunches, remaining upright, as Shaamti slides to her stomach. "I can't wait until we're out of here," the youngest lioness remarks, perhaps to him or Vrimta or the cubs or, perhaps, to no one at all. Her voice sounds small amid the constant jungle noises. "It's so claustrophobic."
Trying to be a good little traveller, Mukula is nevertheless glad for the break, and though she's stifled her complaints as much as she can (though probably not quite enough) she doesn't waste time plopping down on her stomach to rest her legs. Her poor, tired legs. Though she doesn't really like all these dark places with the big trees in the way of seeing anything, she's not too worried: mommy and daddy and Vrimta are here, so she has nothing to fear.
With her dusky fur, Ladna is all but lost in the shadows of the forest and would remain a shadow behind her parents - if it wasn't for her whining. "Finally! I thought we'd walk for-ev-er!" She seeks out a low cluster of grasses, all but folding upon herself so she can fit on the sparse cover as opposed to laying on the damp ground, her pout more akin to a dark scowl. "How much longer are we going to walk, mamma? I'm tired and it's wet here and noisy. I wanna go back home. I don't like it here."
Flopping down onto the ground next to Ladna is Dano, giving his fur a good shake as he flings moisture out of his 'mane'. Ears perking upwards, he leans over and gives his sister a lick across the top of the head. "This is cool, whatcha talking 'bout? It's like we're on one big adventure!" He puffs out his small chest some, trying to look like he's a big brave adventurer of sorts. "So, dad, you know how far we're gonna go? Think we'll be there tomorrow?"
Temptation. At the first scent of lions, Dushta can hardly help himself; he /has/ to track the scent to its source just to see them. Once he's prowled close enough to number them, it is enough to him pause. Three adult lions... dare he? Apparently yes, because he quickly backtracks only to approach again, this time only using as much concealment as the darkness naturally provides, though he keeps his distance when he gives a distressed roar, brings a false look of panic on his face and calls out, "Help! Please, can you help me!" He's aways been a good actor, and the look of distress on his face seems genuine, though the darkness and the distance help with that illusion.
Indra Is following right behind his younger sister, making sure she is ok, and safe. He keeps a lookout for the 'boogeyman' that demon spirit thing that their parents told them about if they misbehaved would come get them. Well, he's misbehaved plenty of times but no boogeyman has ever come grabbed them. He hopes that that Hatyaa isn't out roaming the forest this night, and hungry for young cubs who've misbehaved. Then he'd be number one on Hatyaa's hit list. The reddish-brown cub with white patches on his muzzle, paws, and neckfur plods through the underbrush. He keeps focused on protecting his sister. It is just then that he hears a distress roar, and shivers. His fur stands on end. Could that be Hatyaa?? His eyes dart to the shadows int he forest.
They've been on the move for some time and /everyone/ is tired, footsore, and sick of walking. It's only natural that the children are complaining. Pahalautha flicks an ear in vague annoyance anyway, knowing that this rest period is unlikely to be anything but until the cubs settle down. As Vrimta shushes Ladna, her gravelly voice delivering some low but firm order to sleep, the male gazes out through the trees and keeps an idle watch for anything that might be unusual. Not that he knows what's usual in a place like this, being an animal far more well-suited to the plains. Was that scream a monkey furious at being woken up for the tenth time or some terrible specter of death? He can't tell the difference. "I don't think we're far off," he starts, addressing Dano without looking round, and then snarls and explodes to his feet when a roar echoes through the area. Even Shaamti, who's been flagging most out of all the adults, leaps up. She and Vrimta move immediately to round up the cubs, leaving Pahalautha to show his teeth at the silhouette that's approaching them. It looks as dark as a leopard, but much, much bigger. "What's going on?" he snaps, sounding quite prepared to defend his small family. Perhaps the intruder's apparent distress stays him from doing so immediately, because he looks Dushta over and adds curtly: "Explain yourself, stranger."
The roar is more than enough to bring Mukula right back to her feet, especially when it's answered by daddy so she knows it must be a problem. She quickly runs to place herself on the side of her mother opposite the sound as Indra's protection just isn't enough from a sound that scary. "Mommy, what is that? Is it dangerous?" she asks quietly, both scared that her questions will make things worse but hardly able to not wonder that out loud.
Ladna is mid-way through another round of whining when the sudden roar and eruption of Dushta onto the scene makes the dark tawny cub shriek and erupt from her bedding. She hides under the protective shield of her mother, her ears flat and eyes wide as she looks to strange, giant black cat. "...mamma... I don't like this. Make it stop!" She demands in a high, frightened voice as she peers around the leg of Vrimta, her ears flat as she shoots nervous looks towards her siblings.
The dark tiger seems so upset that he can hardly stand still, though it's more that he's excited and half hopes that between the darkness and his fidgiting that there will be some uncertainty as to his indentification if things don't go as well as he hopes. "It's my mate," he says in a rush, "We were hunting and a branch came loose and fell - I can't lift it by myself!" There's an anxious look in his eyes, but also the hesitation of one who fears that his petition will be ignored. It would be really annoying to have shown himself and gotten nothing out of it, after all. "Please! She might die!" he adds to add to the sense of urgency.
Indra just freezes in terror at the large shadowy scary lookin cat not really paying attention to what he's saying or whether he's telling the truth or not. He's just scared that this might be Hatyaa. He can't help but stare at the eerie figure in the dark underbrush, but is afraid his eyes might get switched. He looks away every now and then just to make sure. The cub looks to his sister in front of him. "Don't worry, M'kula, I wont let Hatyaa, get you." "I promise."
It's been a long walk and it had become increasingly difficult to ignore the throbbing ache of her paws that the act of stopping has brought on. At least she could focus on walking when they had been on the move. Now, she just has nothing but the whining of her siblings. Argh. Ears fold out and flatten in a disgruntled manner as Hematara, settled just at paws reach to Ladna, cracks her eyes open to flash a fussy face at her sister Ladna. "Shssh!" she scolds sis herself, mimicing mommy dearest. Though no sooner does Hematara give a grunt of disgust and lay her head down, than does the commotion of the roar startle her to a abrupt upright and stiff posture; however, it is the reaction of the grown folk that actually set the young lioness on edge. A nervous glance is cast in Ladna's direction, but this time, Hematara is in the business of perhaps agreeing with her sister for once. Struggling to hear the exchange of words from the apparition of a tiger and the adults, she is pressed to strain over the loud tripping of her heart that is now beating somewhere high in her chest. Golden eyes stare wide in alarm, but other than her private fear, little else reflects on the outside.
Fortunately, the cubs seem to group around their mothers instead of scattering. Vrimta and Shaamti hem them in at once. "I don't know what it is," Shaamti tells Mukula quietly, hovering over her. There is a marked difference between her posture and her half-sister's. Shaamti watches Dushta with thinly-veiled alarm; Vrimta stares at him unwaveringly and unblinkingly, not breaking eye contact even as she hisses for the children to be silent. She seems unmoved by the--tiger's?--story, her lips drawn back in something that's not quite a grimace.
It intensifies when Pahalautha takes a step forward. Though he doesn't go dashing off, remaining wary of the stranger, he doesn't look like he's going to run Dushta out or tell him to move on either. "Stay away from the cubs," he rumbles. "Where is she? How far away?"
Hardly able to look away herself, Mukula's eyes go wide at Indra's words. "That's Hatyaa?" she whispers back to her brother. Well, he certainly doesn't look very much like anything else she's seen or heard described, so perhaps it's true! The knowledge causes her to be even more fearful as she peers at the dark feline. That thing is even taller than daddy! She can't help but think about all the not entirely obediant things she's done today, mostly when Vrimta's back was turned... Of course, Vrimta said that Hatyaa was angry, not upset, so maybe she doesn't have to worry about her tongue and eyes.
Ladna remains crouched under Vrimta, her fur fluffed out in a visible display of alarm. "...mamma, does dad have to leave? He said things out here would eat us. He can't leave us!" Her thin voice breaks in a near wail, her terror not to be intimidated by her mother's demands for silence. Silence isn't her thing, especially not when she's afraid. "Don't let him leave us, what if he doesn't come back?"
The fur on the back of Dano's neck is standing up as he stares off into the darkness, trying to summon up his courage. "Don't go daddy!" He calls out to him, puffing his fur out a bit more. He is sniffing the air wildly, tail twitching back and forth behind him. "Let's just move on." He seems to take after his pop, who happens to be his idol after all. He practically mimics his every move, and that includes his wary nature.
"Of course," Dushta is quick to reply in regards to the cubs, a look of relief crossing his face when the lion's manner indicates that he's not going to be driven off. Not that he'd have too much trouble getting away, but this is a good sign that it won't all end in failure. "It isn't far," he's quick to assure the lion, "We were near the pond when it happened." Though he's quite certain that these lions aren't from around here, he takes the precaution of naming a real place, just in case. Turning around, he casts a desperate but hopeful look over his shoulder at the lion, clearly eager to be off if only he'll follow.
Indra steps in front of his sister, making sure if it is indeed the boogeyman, that he doesn't get anywhere near M'Kula. Hatyaa will have to come through him first! He eyes the shadowy tiger with scruitiny and a twinge of nervousness. He can feel the nervous tension in the air beginning to grow as the minutes pass. Is this creature telling them the truth? What happens if ineeded their father does not return? The cubs starts to think about possibilities in his mind, and what they'd do to survive without their patriarchial leader. He pleads to his father. "No, daddy, don't go...Hatyaa might get you." He looks into the shadows of the dark forest, and a creepy sensation overcomes him causing his heart to pound and his fur stand on end. A chill flows down his spine. o.o
Daddy. Stranger. Daddy. Stranger. Hematara's golden eyes dance between the two figures, falling back only briefly to the exchange between mom and her sister, who's vocally announced sense of dread manages to gyrate on Hematara's already shaky nerves. "Shut up, don't say things like that." she hisses under her breath to Ladna. Daddy is big and strong. Nothing can hurt him, right? Though her tongue quickly darts out to sweep across her whiskers with unease, those golden eyes falling back to the dark tiger in a accessing manner, her little visage contorting into something similar to that of her mother's Vrimta. Scowl. She'd be quite happy to have daddy just send the dark cat on his way. Good riddance!
Continued disobedience would ordinarily get Vrimta's hackles up. They're very easily raised underneath the best of circumstances, and these circumstances are less than ideal. However, she's both fixed on Dushta and quite in agreement with Ladna's assessment of the situation: Pahalautha should not leave. She's not particularly religious or superstitious, but never has she seen a black tiger and she's quite sure that the appearance of one is an ill omen. She even snorts when Dushta speaks again, ignoring Shaamti as the younger lioness presses in against her. "Pahalautha, don't you dare!" she calls sharply when their mate takes another step away from them. The lion stops and glances back, hesitating, but his decision is already written over his face. He is not the most trusting of individuals either, but nor is he a cruel one. While the sudden intrusion makes him uneasy, he'll not have another's blood on his muzzle because he was too frightened to lend help--not even a stranger's. If Dushta's injured mate does exist, he can't sit back and let her die.
"I'll be back soon," he promises them, and then he's gone, following the tiger. In his wake he leaves Shaamti stunned and Vrimta absolutely furious. She growls, twitching as if to dash off after them, but ultimately doesn't move. As much as she wants to catch Pahalautha and box his ears until he's got permanent tinnitus, she isn't going to chase him into a situation that her gut tells her to stay out of.
Looking anxiously from her father to the stranger to her older half-siblings, Mukula doesn't feel the need to repeat their protest. Not even whatever-that-is can take on daddy, she's sure - daddy is practically invincible after all. And as long as mommy and Vrimta stay she's sure that everything will be just fine. After all, that's the way things have always been. In fact, when Hematara expresses what she was thinking, it gives Mukula the courage to add, "Yeah, nobody's gonna get dad. He could take on a black cat /twice/ that big!" That last part seems especially for Vrimta, spoken with the absolute certainty of youth, as she doesn't like to see any of the adults get that mad.
Ladna doesn't seem to share the optimistic addition of her younger half-sister. Her lips are curled back in a frightened expression as she remains under Vrimta, though there is a alarmed and pleading look send first to her brother and then up to her mother. "He's gonna come back, right? Right? He's gotta take us home." But she doesn't sound confident. Normally she's bold and fierce, but, this has been one trip full of too many unknowns and she's always has adults around to get her back. But now her father has gone and the jungle seems all the louder and darker for it.
Furrowing his brows, Dano gives his fur a firm shake, then clears his throat. "I'm going with him!" He says, then starts past the other cubs, striding proudly as he holds his head up high, trying to swallow his nervous energy back into his stomach. He's scared, but he's not going to let his dad go off on his own. He needs backup! He needs his son!
When the lion follows, Dushta quickly murmers a quiet "Thank you" and disappears into the forest and sets a pace that he knows will be difficult for the lion, in keeping with his story that time is of the essence. Besides, that way it won't seem immeadately suspicious when he 'accidently' loses the lion...
Indra lets out a cub growl not liking the feel of this one bit. He senses something isn't right, but what? "No, Dad don't go, there's scary shadows and dark things in the forest. We need you here." His eyes dart around trying to see the direction they went and then walks over to Dano. "We can't let him just leave like that, what if Hatyaa's out there waiting for him?" He says with another chill moving down his spine as he stares into the blackness of the eerie forest night.
Great, mom looks pissed. Wow, has her lips ever been able to curl back that far? Its a brief observation and for a moment, Hematara is wont to wager that it might be safer where dad is going as opposed to staying here with..mom. Cringe. Ears remain tucked back against her head as Hematara watches the silhouette of her father get swallowed up in the forest and the juvenile is unable to stave off the touch of cold dread, despite her small half-sister's added words of confidence. For a moment, the young lioness just continues to sit there in uncertainty, but when Dano's voice reaches her ears, and then Indra's urging statement, the bulky youth turns to glare at her stupid brother like he had worms crawling out his ears, "What?! You can't go out there! Somethin' will gobble you up quick for sure!"
Though Vrimta remains glaring off after the two males and subsequently misses Ladna's pleading gaze, she responds without so much as a blink. "He'll return, or I'll string his miserable corpse up in the trees for the vultures to peck at," she spits. Well, that's reassuring. And doubtlessly not what the children wanted to hear. It's not what Shaamti wanted to hear, either, judging by the horrified expression on her face, but maybe she recognizes that, beneath her acidity, her half-sister is worried--she's known Vrimta all her life, after all. "He'll return," Vrimta repeats, and then lunges after Dano when he begins to walk away. "Oh /no/ you don't!" she growls around the scruff of his neck, yanking him back. You'll wait here, boy! And wait. And wait. Neither lioness is entirely sure how much time passes, spent in terse, half-expectant silence, but Pahalautha doesn't return. The small pride has only each other and the singing insects for company, even the insomniac birds having quieted for now.
"I don't like this," Shaamti announces a small eternity later, unable to hold her peace any longer. "What if something's happened?"
"I told him not to go," Vrimta grumbles, baring her teeth without looking over. "I don't trust that thing, whatever he was, and--if you follow them you'll do so on your own, Shaamti!" Her voice peaks up sharply on those last several words, becoming almost a roar, as the younger female stretches her neck out towards the area where she'd seen Pahalautha last. Shaamti jumps, looking guilty, but steels herself.
"We can't just /leave/ him," she protests, and leans to nuzzle her children, and Vrimta's, before darting off in pursuit of the lion. Even if Vrimta can leave him to his fate, Shaamti can't. She's either very in love with him or very, very naive.
As the moments pass, Mukula's sense of certainty diminishes bit by bit, but she doesn't really start to worry until mommy starts to leave. Not only does that mean that mommy must be worried, but it also means that maybe something really bad /is/ gonna happen to daddy! "Mommy..." she says anxiously, but she doesn't finish whatever protest she was going to make. Even if something /could/ get daddy, there's no way it could get mommy /and/ daddy - that's for sure! Still, she looks rather worried as she stares off in the direction that her mommy went.
Ladna picked up occasional bits of complaint and worrying as the silence continued, but with little response back she trailed off into an uncomfortable and miserable silence. As Shaamti finally speaks up and gives her a quick nuzzle and then bolts, Ladna stares after her disappearing aunt. "But...but... no! You /all/ can't leave! What if it eats her too, mamma?" Frowning, she lays herself across her mother's paw and sinks her claws into the dirt. "You can't go after them! You can't disappear too. Mamma, let's go home, now! I don't wanna stay here. They can find us at home."
Grumbling as he is brought back to the fold, Dano glares off into the darkness, then lets out a deep huff. After they wait longer, he paces back and forth, wearing a ring into the grass as he goes. He is frustrated, angry, and impatient. As Shaamti darts off into the darkness, his ears flick forward and he yells after her. "HEY COME BACK!" Obviously, she isn't going to listen to a child. By now, his heart is racing and panic is starting to settle in. With glowing eyes, he looks towards his mother, then says, "..Mom.. mom we should... we need to find somewhere to go... until morning. Then we look for dad. It's what he'd do, right?" He asks, nosing at Landa, trying to calm her down.
It isn't long after Shaamti disappears into the forest that there's a short but quite audible roar that sounds forceably cut off at the end. And most notably the roar would be quite recognisable as belonging to the lioness who just disappeared to the rest of her pride. After the sound dies off, it seems as if most of the noctornal insects have been silenced by it and an eerie silence overtakes the area.
Indra blinks and jusst freezes in place as he sees his mother just bolt after his father. "Nooooo Mommy Dont Go...PLease...don't..----" He just stares off in the direction that she fled, and then a very cold chill goes down his spine when he hears the roar pierce the night. He rmeains silent and just staring into the dark woods for several minutes before regaining his composure, looking frozen like a statue, his heart pounding. It is only then he remembers his younger sister, and moves over toward her. "Stay with me Mukula..." He says sternly...so she knows he isn't kidding. "I'll protect you...Just stay close."
How is it possible for Vrimta to be even angrier than she was a moment ago? She manages it somehow--her face is nothing short of thunderous by this point. But when Ladna drapes herself over her mother's paw, Vrimta actually leans down to give her a lick, then Dano, and then whoever else might be in range. They're rough things, distracted and absent, but she's not given lightly to such displays of affection and that she's doling them out now is proof of her growing anxiety. "I shan't be going after them, Ladna." She's reassuring, in her own gruff way, but any attempt she could make at calming the situation falls to pieces the instant that Shaamti's roar bursts through the forest. She freezes, her blood running cold, but she can't find it in herself to be particularly surprised after everything is said and done. "But we're leaving," she breathes, quiet and tense, in a voice that brooks no argument. "/Now/." Standing, she urges the cubs to get going in front of her. They'll head north and perhaps they can make the edge of the trees before dawn breaks. Whatever's happening, or has happened, to Pahalautha and Shaamti, they're on their own. She has the children to worry about.
Keeping an eye on the direction her mother went, Mukula ignores the complaints of her siblings. She doesn't care what they say, mommy is going to be fine, just wait and see. Still, she can't help but watch the bit of foliage where her mother disappeared. It isn't until she hears what can only be the roar of her mother that she really starts to fear. "Mommy?" she asks anxiously, not daring to believe that it means what it does. She doesn't move until a moment after Vrimta's words sink in, almost robotically going to her aunt since she's hardly able to but two thoughts together.
Indra is shivering in fear from the evil terrifying appearance of the dark tiger that he believes to be the demon Hatyaa....and then from the scream he heard from his mother. He's still in shock himself, not sure how to react to this just yet. But he has a younger sister to protect so now he turns toward her, and pads over toward her and Vrimta...."Yes, lets get out of here, this place gives me the creeps." He says. Not wanting to believe what just quite possibly happened as reality. He gives his sister a nuzzle. "It'll be ok M'kula....as long as I'm here..it'll be ok."
Though Indra is attempting to comfort his sister, Vrimta growls at him. It's a brief, harsh noise, the verbal equivalent of a smack. "Move!" she orders him, orders everyone. They don't have time to speak, she's quite certain of it. That damned tiger could come back at any point; there's no reason why he wouldn't, unless he's been injured badly or is waiting for her to be stupid enough to come and investigate Shaamti's roar. Instead she herds the cubs off towards the edge of the forest, moving as quickly as their shorter legs will allow. And though she keeps them on the path, trading any chance of stealth for speed, their passage isn't exactly a soundless one. Any noise they create seems magnified by the utter silence that hems them in now, thick and oppressive--even the insects are still quiet, reluctant to draw attention to themselves in the wake of a violent commotion.
Her brother's reassurances fall of deaf ears, as Mukula is simply too stunned to take in much aside from doing what Vrimta says. Somehow, whether that dark thing they saw was Hatyaa or not, the thought in the back of her head is that somehow if she does exactly as she's told then somehow everything will work out perfectly. After all, that's how it's always been. As tired as she was before, she makes no fuss about the rush, even though she's probably the slowest one just because she's the smallest and youngest.
It's the slowness of the cubs that allows Dushta to take his time. Foolish, that mother instinct; the lioness would have a hard time raising these cubs at all by herself in any event, if he were to allow her to live. Indeed, she might have been able to get away given how tired he is now. But no, he can't let her live. She's seen him, and just knowing that she's the only one left would be more than enough reason. Still, he's walks along slowly, just barely outpacing the cubs. He'll want to have time to regain his strength by the time he reaches them, after all, though the only thing that slows him is that this time he doesn't intend to be seen until he's right on top of them.
Indra moves as fast as his little legs can carry him. Its wayyy too creepy out here, and Hatyaa might be hot on their tails, and indeed he is. The cub quickly follows Vrimta, not making another sound hoping they will lose whoever or whatever is following them, if they still area. He is still in shock himself over what happened, but it will come out later, when he has some time alone to think about things. If they all survive this night. He doesn't want to think about that right now.
Indra looks over at Vrimta..."Vrimta, why aren't the insects making any noise?" he observes...
Had Vrimta chosen to abandon them, she would have made much better time. Not only could she set a faster pace for herself, she didn't live to be so old by being helpless or foolish. This tiger is not the only danger to have befallen her in nine years of life; she has gone through much more than that. But, though herding five cubs across unfamiliar terrain slows her and puts her at a marked disadvantage, she shows no sign of leaving them. "/Shush/," she hisses when Indra speaks again, craning her ears. There is no noise because of the struggle they'd heard; there is no noise because the source of that struggle is probably still out there somewhere. She could explain that, but she's listening to the silence as they hurry along, trying to detect the slightest movement out in the shadows, a scuffle, a crunch of leaves, anything that wasn't caused by herself or one of the children.
Trudging along automatically, some of what's just happened seems to sink into Mukula because she starts to shake as if she's cold, though that doesn't seem to slow her. What is more problematic than her speed is that she starts to pant quietly at the effort of keeping up the pace - would she tolerate being pushed this hard in any other situation? Probably not, but she's becoming aware that this has gotten far more serious than she's ready to deal with.
It takes time, but eventually Dushta pinpoints where the remaining lions have gone by following the noise, and he allows his long strides to carry him closer. The sound of many little paws that are unfamiliar with a forest floor is enough noise to cover the sound of his slower, better-placed steps. He specializes in stealth and speed, not brute force, so even though he's quite certain he could tackle this lioness through sheer strength, he won't do that. He's better than that! Aside from their helpful pawsteps, the cubs are disregarded; what are they to him? It would take no effort at all to take their lives, and he has something far more entertaining planned for them. But first he needs to get this lioness out of the way. Honing in on her hiss, he sneaks ever closer, but waits to strike until he's close enough to spot her through the foliage. He's definately at an advantage here, as he's used to the rainforest and the nighttime shadows make him difficult to pick out even for a feline's eye. Perhaps the only disadvantage is that his forepaws are covered in blood - Pahalautha's as it happens.
Indra keeps hearing things, a twig snap here, a rustle in the leaves there, causing him to pick up the pace as fast as he can, he's becoming more scared by the minute, but doesnt want to show it, he doesn't want to startle his sister more than she already is. He silently follows Vrimta...careful not to lose his way, least he become lost. And right now that would be very very bad.
Are those soft, furtive disturbances coming from them or from something else out there? With so many feet hitting the ground, it's hard to tell. As Vrimta slinks through a bar of moonlight, however, she becomes aware not of a sound but of a /smell/, carried to her on a breeze that's nearly dead (and what a fitting adjective that is, considering all they've faced this evening). Her nostrils flare, her sides contracting and then expanding again as she draws in a breath--perhaps one of her last. And then, suddenly, she explodes into motion. "Get going!" she bellows to her offspring and niece and nephew, her voice a crack of thunder. "Run, and don't stop!" She has no reason to believe that Dushta wouldn't go after the children as well, but she is willing to bet that he'll come after her first since she's the only one capable of posing any threat. And she doesn't need to know whose blood she's smelling to realize that it's probably on his fur.
The scent reaches Mukula's nose at nearly the same time as her aunt's, though she's unable to quite understand the significance. She associates the scent of blood more with food than danger, but when Vrimta says run, she doesn't stop to ask questions and instead bolts ahead along the path they've been following, trying her best to keep together with her siblings. Somehow she is certain that this will all turn out okay, and when it does she doesn't want to end up lost in the rainforest instead of safe with the others.
Unfortunately for Vrimta, her warning is the last bit of noise that Dushta needs to be absolutely certain where she is, and as he figures the distraction of worrying about the cubs will keep her from suddenly turning around. With a few quick strides followed by one short jump he attacks, his paws falling in place with the ease of much practice. His forepaws aim at the shoulders to lock her within his grasp, the hind paws at her back so that she'll be forced to take his weight, and his jaws reach for her neck. Unlike most in his clan, he doesn't enjoy messing around with his victims; he goes straight for the kill. Which is why it's telling that he's a bit worse for wear than when he first appeared. Aside from the fact that his forepaws are thickly coated in blood, there are visible scratches on both of his shoulders. Neither are enough to slow him down in the least.
Indra crashes thrugh the underbrush as best he can trying to keep with the siblings, but falling behind a bit as he looks after his sister. He's NOT going to leave her side whether she likes it or not. Not now. "Keep moving M'kula." He says. "Follow me and Hatyaa won't get us. I think this trail leads out of the jungle." He can only assume this, but doesn't want to scare her more so gives her some hope.
Even the most well-stacked deck will invariably contain a wildcard. Dushta may have stealth and experience with this area on his side, but there's an unpredictable factor in his plan: Vrimta herself. Maybe his approach wasn't entirely silent, maybe her whiskers picked up a change in the air currents, maybe it is sheer coincidence, but she turns around. Whips around, really, with all the desperate wiry strength of a viper, and though he collides with her anyway the lioness's position is a bit different than he'd intended it to be. She's not on her back, but rather halfway turned around so that the side of her neck is presented to him rather than her spine; and, perhaps more pressingly, while his weight carries her to the ground with a roar of fury and a wet, unpleasant-sounding pop of broken bone, she still has enough mobility to snap her head about and bite. She doesn't have the reach to get his throat, so if her questing teeth find anything it's bound to be the flesh of Dushta's leg--but they'll go deep, driven by every ounce of fight and determination that she's got.
Though she's managed to run ahead a bit, Mukula is nowhere near far enough to miss hearing and seeing the two large felines collide. And the sight is enough to cause her to skid to a stop and gape uncomprehendingly. How can this be happening? Why isn't mommy and daddy coming to help? And most importantly, what can she do to make everything all better? O.O
This is not the first such attack that Dushta has made, and neither is it the first to go horribly wrong, so he knows exactly what to do. It hardly matters how he gets her neck as long as he gets it, and the moment he does he clamps down on it hard. Regardless of what she tries to do to him in this situation, he knows that so long as he doesn't loosen his grip the end will come for her quickly, though he had hoped to do so without all this fuss. The moment he sees that she's turned he pulls back the nearest foreleg; he knows the way of struggling victims well, and instead he aims it at the nearest foreleg to keep it from thrashing about as well, while he tries to reach reach around to the far side of her in an attempt to put himself in a better position - away from her teeth and claws. But his main focus is to keep his jaws in place.
Indra stops in mid tracks....as his sister doesnt listen to him. He looks ahead at Vrimta's other cubs and then back at her, and rushes over toward her. "C'mon M'kula. We can't stay here...we have to go like Vrimta...told us. Its dangerous if we stay here." "C'mon..." He urges her. He then turns and heads toward the other cubs, maybe the possibility of her being alone with hatyaa will get her to follow them. But he can't stay here forever. They are all in grave danger.
The lioness's jaws clip shut on empty air; it seems Vrimta will be able to do nothing to delay the inevitable, either for herself or the cubs. Are they still running? They'd better be. They're on their own now. Once Dushta's teeth close on the side of her neck, it's over. It's not a bad area to get, all things told. The really important arteries are all there if you've got teeth long enough to saw through all the muscle. Though Vrimta snaps at the air again, heaving up beneath the tiger, it doesn't take long for her to stop struggling. )
It's only when she sees Vrimta stop moving that her brother's urgings sink in and Mukula is able to get herself moving again. Even so, it will probably take time for more than the fact that she can't expect the adults to help her to sink in. That and the worry that she might be next is enough to cause her to turn and run after Indra. If the adults can't help then her siblings are the only help that she has now.
As soon as the lioness finishes struggling, Dushta gives a few violent twists of his neck, just to make absolutely certain that this is the end of it. That done, he finallye lets the lioness's head drop, an absolutely ecstatic look on his face. His eyes shift for a moment in the direction that the cubs are running, but he doesn't pursue them. He knows that they're too young to fend for themselves, so his parting words in their direction are, "Well, this will make your lives interesting won't it?" It doesn't matter to him whether or not they're close enough to hear that; either way he's finished and so he turns away to the south. Perhaps surprisingly, there's the slightest of limps in his stride, for now that the excitement is over the pain can get to him. Those male lions are always the tricky ones...
Pahalautha (Lion, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Vrimta (Lioness, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Shaamti (Lioness, NPCed by Bhaskar)
Mukula (Juve. Lioness)
Ladna (Juve. Lioness)
Dano (Juve. Lion)
Dushta (Black Tiger)
Indra (Juve. Lion)
Hematara (Juve. Lioness)
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Forest Crossroad
A thick, deep and vast forest of teak, mahogany, sal and eucalyptus trees and a myriad of shorter undergrowth-layer trees blocks even tall beasts from seeing far in any direction, and keeps the large beasts -- elephant, rhinoceros, guar and water buffalo -- from travelling freely off of their few well-trodden trails that converge here. One trail leads south to a gentle slope, another to the northeast where the tall trees and tangled foliage give way to mostly grass and low bush. Teaks provide most of the tall canopy overhead, while a number of smaller trees including mango, jamun, jackfruit and piar cluster along with tangling vines and thorny bushes densely on the floor, impassable for beasts larger than a sambar or smaller tiger. Herds of chital and smaller herbivores frequent this area specifically because they can go where large tigers cannot, but the canopy layer above replaces the threat of mighty tigers with that of nimble leopards. The stench of a stagnant pond sometimes drift through the generally still air from the east, where another well-trodden trail leads.
------
The sun went down hours ago. Beneath the canopy it's been dark for even longer, as the thickly-twined branches choked off every waning shaft of light, but the night has not brought silence. Insects call from every direction, interspersed with the occasional cry from a disturbed monkey or bird, and Pahalautha grunts as he drops to his side a yard or so away from the rest of his family. Their journey did not need to stop with dusk; felines have excellent night vision, and even down here, all but buried under the trees, he's had no trouble navigating. But the young ones need to rest more frequently than he does, and a break is in order. Behind him, Vrimta does a final check of the area and comes to rest on her haunches, remaining upright, as Shaamti slides to her stomach. "I can't wait until we're out of here," the youngest lioness remarks, perhaps to him or Vrimta or the cubs or, perhaps, to no one at all. Her voice sounds small amid the constant jungle noises. "It's so claustrophobic."
Trying to be a good little traveller, Mukula is nevertheless glad for the break, and though she's stifled her complaints as much as she can (though probably not quite enough) she doesn't waste time plopping down on her stomach to rest her legs. Her poor, tired legs. Though she doesn't really like all these dark places with the big trees in the way of seeing anything, she's not too worried: mommy and daddy and Vrimta are here, so she has nothing to fear.
With her dusky fur, Ladna is all but lost in the shadows of the forest and would remain a shadow behind her parents - if it wasn't for her whining. "Finally! I thought we'd walk for-ev-er!" She seeks out a low cluster of grasses, all but folding upon herself so she can fit on the sparse cover as opposed to laying on the damp ground, her pout more akin to a dark scowl. "How much longer are we going to walk, mamma? I'm tired and it's wet here and noisy. I wanna go back home. I don't like it here."
Flopping down onto the ground next to Ladna is Dano, giving his fur a good shake as he flings moisture out of his 'mane'. Ears perking upwards, he leans over and gives his sister a lick across the top of the head. "This is cool, whatcha talking 'bout? It's like we're on one big adventure!" He puffs out his small chest some, trying to look like he's a big brave adventurer of sorts. "So, dad, you know how far we're gonna go? Think we'll be there tomorrow?"
Temptation. At the first scent of lions, Dushta can hardly help himself; he /has/ to track the scent to its source just to see them. Once he's prowled close enough to number them, it is enough to him pause. Three adult lions... dare he? Apparently yes, because he quickly backtracks only to approach again, this time only using as much concealment as the darkness naturally provides, though he keeps his distance when he gives a distressed roar, brings a false look of panic on his face and calls out, "Help! Please, can you help me!" He's aways been a good actor, and the look of distress on his face seems genuine, though the darkness and the distance help with that illusion.
Indra Is following right behind his younger sister, making sure she is ok, and safe. He keeps a lookout for the 'boogeyman' that demon spirit thing that their parents told them about if they misbehaved would come get them. Well, he's misbehaved plenty of times but no boogeyman has ever come grabbed them. He hopes that that Hatyaa isn't out roaming the forest this night, and hungry for young cubs who've misbehaved. Then he'd be number one on Hatyaa's hit list. The reddish-brown cub with white patches on his muzzle, paws, and neckfur plods through the underbrush. He keeps focused on protecting his sister. It is just then that he hears a distress roar, and shivers. His fur stands on end. Could that be Hatyaa?? His eyes dart to the shadows int he forest.
They've been on the move for some time and /everyone/ is tired, footsore, and sick of walking. It's only natural that the children are complaining. Pahalautha flicks an ear in vague annoyance anyway, knowing that this rest period is unlikely to be anything but until the cubs settle down. As Vrimta shushes Ladna, her gravelly voice delivering some low but firm order to sleep, the male gazes out through the trees and keeps an idle watch for anything that might be unusual. Not that he knows what's usual in a place like this, being an animal far more well-suited to the plains. Was that scream a monkey furious at being woken up for the tenth time or some terrible specter of death? He can't tell the difference. "I don't think we're far off," he starts, addressing Dano without looking round, and then snarls and explodes to his feet when a roar echoes through the area. Even Shaamti, who's been flagging most out of all the adults, leaps up. She and Vrimta move immediately to round up the cubs, leaving Pahalautha to show his teeth at the silhouette that's approaching them. It looks as dark as a leopard, but much, much bigger. "What's going on?" he snaps, sounding quite prepared to defend his small family. Perhaps the intruder's apparent distress stays him from doing so immediately, because he looks Dushta over and adds curtly: "Explain yourself, stranger."
The roar is more than enough to bring Mukula right back to her feet, especially when it's answered by daddy so she knows it must be a problem. She quickly runs to place herself on the side of her mother opposite the sound as Indra's protection just isn't enough from a sound that scary. "Mommy, what is that? Is it dangerous?" she asks quietly, both scared that her questions will make things worse but hardly able to not wonder that out loud.
Ladna is mid-way through another round of whining when the sudden roar and eruption of Dushta onto the scene makes the dark tawny cub shriek and erupt from her bedding. She hides under the protective shield of her mother, her ears flat and eyes wide as she looks to strange, giant black cat. "...mamma... I don't like this. Make it stop!" She demands in a high, frightened voice as she peers around the leg of Vrimta, her ears flat as she shoots nervous looks towards her siblings.
The dark tiger seems so upset that he can hardly stand still, though it's more that he's excited and half hopes that between the darkness and his fidgiting that there will be some uncertainty as to his indentification if things don't go as well as he hopes. "It's my mate," he says in a rush, "We were hunting and a branch came loose and fell - I can't lift it by myself!" There's an anxious look in his eyes, but also the hesitation of one who fears that his petition will be ignored. It would be really annoying to have shown himself and gotten nothing out of it, after all. "Please! She might die!" he adds to add to the sense of urgency.
Indra just freezes in terror at the large shadowy scary lookin cat not really paying attention to what he's saying or whether he's telling the truth or not. He's just scared that this might be Hatyaa. He can't help but stare at the eerie figure in the dark underbrush, but is afraid his eyes might get switched. He looks away every now and then just to make sure. The cub looks to his sister in front of him. "Don't worry, M'kula, I wont let Hatyaa, get you." "I promise."
It's been a long walk and it had become increasingly difficult to ignore the throbbing ache of her paws that the act of stopping has brought on. At least she could focus on walking when they had been on the move. Now, she just has nothing but the whining of her siblings. Argh. Ears fold out and flatten in a disgruntled manner as Hematara, settled just at paws reach to Ladna, cracks her eyes open to flash a fussy face at her sister Ladna. "Shssh!" she scolds sis herself, mimicing mommy dearest. Though no sooner does Hematara give a grunt of disgust and lay her head down, than does the commotion of the roar startle her to a abrupt upright and stiff posture; however, it is the reaction of the grown folk that actually set the young lioness on edge. A nervous glance is cast in Ladna's direction, but this time, Hematara is in the business of perhaps agreeing with her sister for once. Struggling to hear the exchange of words from the apparition of a tiger and the adults, she is pressed to strain over the loud tripping of her heart that is now beating somewhere high in her chest. Golden eyes stare wide in alarm, but other than her private fear, little else reflects on the outside.
Fortunately, the cubs seem to group around their mothers instead of scattering. Vrimta and Shaamti hem them in at once. "I don't know what it is," Shaamti tells Mukula quietly, hovering over her. There is a marked difference between her posture and her half-sister's. Shaamti watches Dushta with thinly-veiled alarm; Vrimta stares at him unwaveringly and unblinkingly, not breaking eye contact even as she hisses for the children to be silent. She seems unmoved by the--tiger's?--story, her lips drawn back in something that's not quite a grimace.
It intensifies when Pahalautha takes a step forward. Though he doesn't go dashing off, remaining wary of the stranger, he doesn't look like he's going to run Dushta out or tell him to move on either. "Stay away from the cubs," he rumbles. "Where is she? How far away?"
Hardly able to look away herself, Mukula's eyes go wide at Indra's words. "That's Hatyaa?" she whispers back to her brother. Well, he certainly doesn't look very much like anything else she's seen or heard described, so perhaps it's true! The knowledge causes her to be even more fearful as she peers at the dark feline. That thing is even taller than daddy! She can't help but think about all the not entirely obediant things she's done today, mostly when Vrimta's back was turned... Of course, Vrimta said that Hatyaa was angry, not upset, so maybe she doesn't have to worry about her tongue and eyes.
Ladna remains crouched under Vrimta, her fur fluffed out in a visible display of alarm. "...mamma, does dad have to leave? He said things out here would eat us. He can't leave us!" Her thin voice breaks in a near wail, her terror not to be intimidated by her mother's demands for silence. Silence isn't her thing, especially not when she's afraid. "Don't let him leave us, what if he doesn't come back?"
The fur on the back of Dano's neck is standing up as he stares off into the darkness, trying to summon up his courage. "Don't go daddy!" He calls out to him, puffing his fur out a bit more. He is sniffing the air wildly, tail twitching back and forth behind him. "Let's just move on." He seems to take after his pop, who happens to be his idol after all. He practically mimics his every move, and that includes his wary nature.
"Of course," Dushta is quick to reply in regards to the cubs, a look of relief crossing his face when the lion's manner indicates that he's not going to be driven off. Not that he'd have too much trouble getting away, but this is a good sign that it won't all end in failure. "It isn't far," he's quick to assure the lion, "We were near the pond when it happened." Though he's quite certain that these lions aren't from around here, he takes the precaution of naming a real place, just in case. Turning around, he casts a desperate but hopeful look over his shoulder at the lion, clearly eager to be off if only he'll follow.
Indra steps in front of his sister, making sure if it is indeed the boogeyman, that he doesn't get anywhere near M'Kula. Hatyaa will have to come through him first! He eyes the shadowy tiger with scruitiny and a twinge of nervousness. He can feel the nervous tension in the air beginning to grow as the minutes pass. Is this creature telling them the truth? What happens if ineeded their father does not return? The cubs starts to think about possibilities in his mind, and what they'd do to survive without their patriarchial leader. He pleads to his father. "No, daddy, don't go...Hatyaa might get you." He looks into the shadows of the dark forest, and a creepy sensation overcomes him causing his heart to pound and his fur stand on end. A chill flows down his spine. o.o
Daddy. Stranger. Daddy. Stranger. Hematara's golden eyes dance between the two figures, falling back only briefly to the exchange between mom and her sister, who's vocally announced sense of dread manages to gyrate on Hematara's already shaky nerves. "Shut up, don't say things like that." she hisses under her breath to Ladna. Daddy is big and strong. Nothing can hurt him, right? Though her tongue quickly darts out to sweep across her whiskers with unease, those golden eyes falling back to the dark tiger in a accessing manner, her little visage contorting into something similar to that of her mother's Vrimta. Scowl. She'd be quite happy to have daddy just send the dark cat on his way. Good riddance!
Continued disobedience would ordinarily get Vrimta's hackles up. They're very easily raised underneath the best of circumstances, and these circumstances are less than ideal. However, she's both fixed on Dushta and quite in agreement with Ladna's assessment of the situation: Pahalautha should not leave. She's not particularly religious or superstitious, but never has she seen a black tiger and she's quite sure that the appearance of one is an ill omen. She even snorts when Dushta speaks again, ignoring Shaamti as the younger lioness presses in against her. "Pahalautha, don't you dare!" she calls sharply when their mate takes another step away from them. The lion stops and glances back, hesitating, but his decision is already written over his face. He is not the most trusting of individuals either, but nor is he a cruel one. While the sudden intrusion makes him uneasy, he'll not have another's blood on his muzzle because he was too frightened to lend help--not even a stranger's. If Dushta's injured mate does exist, he can't sit back and let her die.
"I'll be back soon," he promises them, and then he's gone, following the tiger. In his wake he leaves Shaamti stunned and Vrimta absolutely furious. She growls, twitching as if to dash off after them, but ultimately doesn't move. As much as she wants to catch Pahalautha and box his ears until he's got permanent tinnitus, she isn't going to chase him into a situation that her gut tells her to stay out of.
Looking anxiously from her father to the stranger to her older half-siblings, Mukula doesn't feel the need to repeat their protest. Not even whatever-that-is can take on daddy, she's sure - daddy is practically invincible after all. And as long as mommy and Vrimta stay she's sure that everything will be just fine. After all, that's the way things have always been. In fact, when Hematara expresses what she was thinking, it gives Mukula the courage to add, "Yeah, nobody's gonna get dad. He could take on a black cat /twice/ that big!" That last part seems especially for Vrimta, spoken with the absolute certainty of youth, as she doesn't like to see any of the adults get that mad.
Ladna doesn't seem to share the optimistic addition of her younger half-sister. Her lips are curled back in a frightened expression as she remains under Vrimta, though there is a alarmed and pleading look send first to her brother and then up to her mother. "He's gonna come back, right? Right? He's gotta take us home." But she doesn't sound confident. Normally she's bold and fierce, but, this has been one trip full of too many unknowns and she's always has adults around to get her back. But now her father has gone and the jungle seems all the louder and darker for it.
Furrowing his brows, Dano gives his fur a firm shake, then clears his throat. "I'm going with him!" He says, then starts past the other cubs, striding proudly as he holds his head up high, trying to swallow his nervous energy back into his stomach. He's scared, but he's not going to let his dad go off on his own. He needs backup! He needs his son!
When the lion follows, Dushta quickly murmers a quiet "Thank you" and disappears into the forest and sets a pace that he knows will be difficult for the lion, in keeping with his story that time is of the essence. Besides, that way it won't seem immeadately suspicious when he 'accidently' loses the lion...
Indra lets out a cub growl not liking the feel of this one bit. He senses something isn't right, but what? "No, Dad don't go, there's scary shadows and dark things in the forest. We need you here." His eyes dart around trying to see the direction they went and then walks over to Dano. "We can't let him just leave like that, what if Hatyaa's out there waiting for him?" He says with another chill moving down his spine as he stares into the blackness of the eerie forest night.
Great, mom looks pissed. Wow, has her lips ever been able to curl back that far? Its a brief observation and for a moment, Hematara is wont to wager that it might be safer where dad is going as opposed to staying here with..mom. Cringe. Ears remain tucked back against her head as Hematara watches the silhouette of her father get swallowed up in the forest and the juvenile is unable to stave off the touch of cold dread, despite her small half-sister's added words of confidence. For a moment, the young lioness just continues to sit there in uncertainty, but when Dano's voice reaches her ears, and then Indra's urging statement, the bulky youth turns to glare at her stupid brother like he had worms crawling out his ears, "What?! You can't go out there! Somethin' will gobble you up quick for sure!"
Though Vrimta remains glaring off after the two males and subsequently misses Ladna's pleading gaze, she responds without so much as a blink. "He'll return, or I'll string his miserable corpse up in the trees for the vultures to peck at," she spits. Well, that's reassuring. And doubtlessly not what the children wanted to hear. It's not what Shaamti wanted to hear, either, judging by the horrified expression on her face, but maybe she recognizes that, beneath her acidity, her half-sister is worried--she's known Vrimta all her life, after all. "He'll return," Vrimta repeats, and then lunges after Dano when he begins to walk away. "Oh /no/ you don't!" she growls around the scruff of his neck, yanking him back. You'll wait here, boy! And wait. And wait. Neither lioness is entirely sure how much time passes, spent in terse, half-expectant silence, but Pahalautha doesn't return. The small pride has only each other and the singing insects for company, even the insomniac birds having quieted for now.
"I don't like this," Shaamti announces a small eternity later, unable to hold her peace any longer. "What if something's happened?"
"I told him not to go," Vrimta grumbles, baring her teeth without looking over. "I don't trust that thing, whatever he was, and--if you follow them you'll do so on your own, Shaamti!" Her voice peaks up sharply on those last several words, becoming almost a roar, as the younger female stretches her neck out towards the area where she'd seen Pahalautha last. Shaamti jumps, looking guilty, but steels herself.
"We can't just /leave/ him," she protests, and leans to nuzzle her children, and Vrimta's, before darting off in pursuit of the lion. Even if Vrimta can leave him to his fate, Shaamti can't. She's either very in love with him or very, very naive.
As the moments pass, Mukula's sense of certainty diminishes bit by bit, but she doesn't really start to worry until mommy starts to leave. Not only does that mean that mommy must be worried, but it also means that maybe something really bad /is/ gonna happen to daddy! "Mommy..." she says anxiously, but she doesn't finish whatever protest she was going to make. Even if something /could/ get daddy, there's no way it could get mommy /and/ daddy - that's for sure! Still, she looks rather worried as she stares off in the direction that her mommy went.
Ladna picked up occasional bits of complaint and worrying as the silence continued, but with little response back she trailed off into an uncomfortable and miserable silence. As Shaamti finally speaks up and gives her a quick nuzzle and then bolts, Ladna stares after her disappearing aunt. "But...but... no! You /all/ can't leave! What if it eats her too, mamma?" Frowning, she lays herself across her mother's paw and sinks her claws into the dirt. "You can't go after them! You can't disappear too. Mamma, let's go home, now! I don't wanna stay here. They can find us at home."
Grumbling as he is brought back to the fold, Dano glares off into the darkness, then lets out a deep huff. After they wait longer, he paces back and forth, wearing a ring into the grass as he goes. He is frustrated, angry, and impatient. As Shaamti darts off into the darkness, his ears flick forward and he yells after her. "HEY COME BACK!" Obviously, she isn't going to listen to a child. By now, his heart is racing and panic is starting to settle in. With glowing eyes, he looks towards his mother, then says, "..Mom.. mom we should... we need to find somewhere to go... until morning. Then we look for dad. It's what he'd do, right?" He asks, nosing at Landa, trying to calm her down.
It isn't long after Shaamti disappears into the forest that there's a short but quite audible roar that sounds forceably cut off at the end. And most notably the roar would be quite recognisable as belonging to the lioness who just disappeared to the rest of her pride. After the sound dies off, it seems as if most of the noctornal insects have been silenced by it and an eerie silence overtakes the area.
Indra blinks and jusst freezes in place as he sees his mother just bolt after his father. "Nooooo Mommy Dont Go...PLease...don't..----" He just stares off in the direction that she fled, and then a very cold chill goes down his spine when he hears the roar pierce the night. He rmeains silent and just staring into the dark woods for several minutes before regaining his composure, looking frozen like a statue, his heart pounding. It is only then he remembers his younger sister, and moves over toward her. "Stay with me Mukula..." He says sternly...so she knows he isn't kidding. "I'll protect you...Just stay close."
How is it possible for Vrimta to be even angrier than she was a moment ago? She manages it somehow--her face is nothing short of thunderous by this point. But when Ladna drapes herself over her mother's paw, Vrimta actually leans down to give her a lick, then Dano, and then whoever else might be in range. They're rough things, distracted and absent, but she's not given lightly to such displays of affection and that she's doling them out now is proof of her growing anxiety. "I shan't be going after them, Ladna." She's reassuring, in her own gruff way, but any attempt she could make at calming the situation falls to pieces the instant that Shaamti's roar bursts through the forest. She freezes, her blood running cold, but she can't find it in herself to be particularly surprised after everything is said and done. "But we're leaving," she breathes, quiet and tense, in a voice that brooks no argument. "/Now/." Standing, she urges the cubs to get going in front of her. They'll head north and perhaps they can make the edge of the trees before dawn breaks. Whatever's happening, or has happened, to Pahalautha and Shaamti, they're on their own. She has the children to worry about.
Keeping an eye on the direction her mother went, Mukula ignores the complaints of her siblings. She doesn't care what they say, mommy is going to be fine, just wait and see. Still, she can't help but watch the bit of foliage where her mother disappeared. It isn't until she hears what can only be the roar of her mother that she really starts to fear. "Mommy?" she asks anxiously, not daring to believe that it means what it does. She doesn't move until a moment after Vrimta's words sink in, almost robotically going to her aunt since she's hardly able to but two thoughts together.
Indra is shivering in fear from the evil terrifying appearance of the dark tiger that he believes to be the demon Hatyaa....and then from the scream he heard from his mother. He's still in shock himself, not sure how to react to this just yet. But he has a younger sister to protect so now he turns toward her, and pads over toward her and Vrimta...."Yes, lets get out of here, this place gives me the creeps." He says. Not wanting to believe what just quite possibly happened as reality. He gives his sister a nuzzle. "It'll be ok M'kula....as long as I'm here..it'll be ok."
Though Indra is attempting to comfort his sister, Vrimta growls at him. It's a brief, harsh noise, the verbal equivalent of a smack. "Move!" she orders him, orders everyone. They don't have time to speak, she's quite certain of it. That damned tiger could come back at any point; there's no reason why he wouldn't, unless he's been injured badly or is waiting for her to be stupid enough to come and investigate Shaamti's roar. Instead she herds the cubs off towards the edge of the forest, moving as quickly as their shorter legs will allow. And though she keeps them on the path, trading any chance of stealth for speed, their passage isn't exactly a soundless one. Any noise they create seems magnified by the utter silence that hems them in now, thick and oppressive--even the insects are still quiet, reluctant to draw attention to themselves in the wake of a violent commotion.
Her brother's reassurances fall of deaf ears, as Mukula is simply too stunned to take in much aside from doing what Vrimta says. Somehow, whether that dark thing they saw was Hatyaa or not, the thought in the back of her head is that somehow if she does exactly as she's told then somehow everything will work out perfectly. After all, that's how it's always been. As tired as she was before, she makes no fuss about the rush, even though she's probably the slowest one just because she's the smallest and youngest.
It's the slowness of the cubs that allows Dushta to take his time. Foolish, that mother instinct; the lioness would have a hard time raising these cubs at all by herself in any event, if he were to allow her to live. Indeed, she might have been able to get away given how tired he is now. But no, he can't let her live. She's seen him, and just knowing that she's the only one left would be more than enough reason. Still, he's walks along slowly, just barely outpacing the cubs. He'll want to have time to regain his strength by the time he reaches them, after all, though the only thing that slows him is that this time he doesn't intend to be seen until he's right on top of them.
Indra moves as fast as his little legs can carry him. Its wayyy too creepy out here, and Hatyaa might be hot on their tails, and indeed he is. The cub quickly follows Vrimta, not making another sound hoping they will lose whoever or whatever is following them, if they still area. He is still in shock himself over what happened, but it will come out later, when he has some time alone to think about things. If they all survive this night. He doesn't want to think about that right now.
Indra looks over at Vrimta..."Vrimta, why aren't the insects making any noise?" he observes...
Had Vrimta chosen to abandon them, she would have made much better time. Not only could she set a faster pace for herself, she didn't live to be so old by being helpless or foolish. This tiger is not the only danger to have befallen her in nine years of life; she has gone through much more than that. But, though herding five cubs across unfamiliar terrain slows her and puts her at a marked disadvantage, she shows no sign of leaving them. "/Shush/," she hisses when Indra speaks again, craning her ears. There is no noise because of the struggle they'd heard; there is no noise because the source of that struggle is probably still out there somewhere. She could explain that, but she's listening to the silence as they hurry along, trying to detect the slightest movement out in the shadows, a scuffle, a crunch of leaves, anything that wasn't caused by herself or one of the children.
Trudging along automatically, some of what's just happened seems to sink into Mukula because she starts to shake as if she's cold, though that doesn't seem to slow her. What is more problematic than her speed is that she starts to pant quietly at the effort of keeping up the pace - would she tolerate being pushed this hard in any other situation? Probably not, but she's becoming aware that this has gotten far more serious than she's ready to deal with.
It takes time, but eventually Dushta pinpoints where the remaining lions have gone by following the noise, and he allows his long strides to carry him closer. The sound of many little paws that are unfamiliar with a forest floor is enough noise to cover the sound of his slower, better-placed steps. He specializes in stealth and speed, not brute force, so even though he's quite certain he could tackle this lioness through sheer strength, he won't do that. He's better than that! Aside from their helpful pawsteps, the cubs are disregarded; what are they to him? It would take no effort at all to take their lives, and he has something far more entertaining planned for them. But first he needs to get this lioness out of the way. Honing in on her hiss, he sneaks ever closer, but waits to strike until he's close enough to spot her through the foliage. He's definately at an advantage here, as he's used to the rainforest and the nighttime shadows make him difficult to pick out even for a feline's eye. Perhaps the only disadvantage is that his forepaws are covered in blood - Pahalautha's as it happens.
Indra keeps hearing things, a twig snap here, a rustle in the leaves there, causing him to pick up the pace as fast as he can, he's becoming more scared by the minute, but doesnt want to show it, he doesn't want to startle his sister more than she already is. He silently follows Vrimta...careful not to lose his way, least he become lost. And right now that would be very very bad.
Are those soft, furtive disturbances coming from them or from something else out there? With so many feet hitting the ground, it's hard to tell. As Vrimta slinks through a bar of moonlight, however, she becomes aware not of a sound but of a /smell/, carried to her on a breeze that's nearly dead (and what a fitting adjective that is, considering all they've faced this evening). Her nostrils flare, her sides contracting and then expanding again as she draws in a breath--perhaps one of her last. And then, suddenly, she explodes into motion. "Get going!" she bellows to her offspring and niece and nephew, her voice a crack of thunder. "Run, and don't stop!" She has no reason to believe that Dushta wouldn't go after the children as well, but she is willing to bet that he'll come after her first since she's the only one capable of posing any threat. And she doesn't need to know whose blood she's smelling to realize that it's probably on his fur.
The scent reaches Mukula's nose at nearly the same time as her aunt's, though she's unable to quite understand the significance. She associates the scent of blood more with food than danger, but when Vrimta says run, she doesn't stop to ask questions and instead bolts ahead along the path they've been following, trying her best to keep together with her siblings. Somehow she is certain that this will all turn out okay, and when it does she doesn't want to end up lost in the rainforest instead of safe with the others.
Unfortunately for Vrimta, her warning is the last bit of noise that Dushta needs to be absolutely certain where she is, and as he figures the distraction of worrying about the cubs will keep her from suddenly turning around. With a few quick strides followed by one short jump he attacks, his paws falling in place with the ease of much practice. His forepaws aim at the shoulders to lock her within his grasp, the hind paws at her back so that she'll be forced to take his weight, and his jaws reach for her neck. Unlike most in his clan, he doesn't enjoy messing around with his victims; he goes straight for the kill. Which is why it's telling that he's a bit worse for wear than when he first appeared. Aside from the fact that his forepaws are thickly coated in blood, there are visible scratches on both of his shoulders. Neither are enough to slow him down in the least.
Indra crashes thrugh the underbrush as best he can trying to keep with the siblings, but falling behind a bit as he looks after his sister. He's NOT going to leave her side whether she likes it or not. Not now. "Keep moving M'kula." He says. "Follow me and Hatyaa won't get us. I think this trail leads out of the jungle." He can only assume this, but doesn't want to scare her more so gives her some hope.
Even the most well-stacked deck will invariably contain a wildcard. Dushta may have stealth and experience with this area on his side, but there's an unpredictable factor in his plan: Vrimta herself. Maybe his approach wasn't entirely silent, maybe her whiskers picked up a change in the air currents, maybe it is sheer coincidence, but she turns around. Whips around, really, with all the desperate wiry strength of a viper, and though he collides with her anyway the lioness's position is a bit different than he'd intended it to be. She's not on her back, but rather halfway turned around so that the side of her neck is presented to him rather than her spine; and, perhaps more pressingly, while his weight carries her to the ground with a roar of fury and a wet, unpleasant-sounding pop of broken bone, she still has enough mobility to snap her head about and bite. She doesn't have the reach to get his throat, so if her questing teeth find anything it's bound to be the flesh of Dushta's leg--but they'll go deep, driven by every ounce of fight and determination that she's got.
Though she's managed to run ahead a bit, Mukula is nowhere near far enough to miss hearing and seeing the two large felines collide. And the sight is enough to cause her to skid to a stop and gape uncomprehendingly. How can this be happening? Why isn't mommy and daddy coming to help? And most importantly, what can she do to make everything all better? O.O
This is not the first such attack that Dushta has made, and neither is it the first to go horribly wrong, so he knows exactly what to do. It hardly matters how he gets her neck as long as he gets it, and the moment he does he clamps down on it hard. Regardless of what she tries to do to him in this situation, he knows that so long as he doesn't loosen his grip the end will come for her quickly, though he had hoped to do so without all this fuss. The moment he sees that she's turned he pulls back the nearest foreleg; he knows the way of struggling victims well, and instead he aims it at the nearest foreleg to keep it from thrashing about as well, while he tries to reach reach around to the far side of her in an attempt to put himself in a better position - away from her teeth and claws. But his main focus is to keep his jaws in place.
Indra stops in mid tracks....as his sister doesnt listen to him. He looks ahead at Vrimta's other cubs and then back at her, and rushes over toward her. "C'mon M'kula. We can't stay here...we have to go like Vrimta...told us. Its dangerous if we stay here." "C'mon..." He urges her. He then turns and heads toward the other cubs, maybe the possibility of her being alone with hatyaa will get her to follow them. But he can't stay here forever. They are all in grave danger.
The lioness's jaws clip shut on empty air; it seems Vrimta will be able to do nothing to delay the inevitable, either for herself or the cubs. Are they still running? They'd better be. They're on their own now. Once Dushta's teeth close on the side of her neck, it's over. It's not a bad area to get, all things told. The really important arteries are all there if you've got teeth long enough to saw through all the muscle. Though Vrimta snaps at the air again, heaving up beneath the tiger, it doesn't take long for her to stop struggling. )
It's only when she sees Vrimta stop moving that her brother's urgings sink in and Mukula is able to get herself moving again. Even so, it will probably take time for more than the fact that she can't expect the adults to help her to sink in. That and the worry that she might be next is enough to cause her to turn and run after Indra. If the adults can't help then her siblings are the only help that she has now.
As soon as the lioness finishes struggling, Dushta gives a few violent twists of his neck, just to make absolutely certain that this is the end of it. That done, he finallye lets the lioness's head drop, an absolutely ecstatic look on his face. His eyes shift for a moment in the direction that the cubs are running, but he doesn't pursue them. He knows that they're too young to fend for themselves, so his parting words in their direction are, "Well, this will make your lives interesting won't it?" It doesn't matter to him whether or not they're close enough to hear that; either way he's finished and so he turns away to the south. Perhaps surprisingly, there's the slightest of limps in his stride, for now that the excitement is over the pain can get to him. Those male lions are always the tricky ones...