Don't Look Back

[Iri]

Kapuki bounced towards Chaltuu, trotting hurriedly out of the way of the pedestrians in the pride, sauntering calmly across the territory. She was now about two weeks old, and her eyes had opened fully, although they had opened a little earlier than the average cub. They had started out as slits. Overtime, they widened and finally opened completely. Her paws skittered beneath her. "Chalty!"
Chaltuu lifted her head grouchily. The day had arrived much too soon for her liking, and she had hoped to sleep until the sun disappeared and concealed itself behind the horizon. "What is it?" she snapped.
Kapuki flinched, not expecting her sister's outburst. "I've been looking for you!
"Well, you've looked, and you've found me, so congratulations. What do you you want?" Chaltuu sneered, still not so much as glancing at her sister.
"I opened my eyes!" Kapuki squeaked.
Chaltuu was hit with a wave of shock. Without a word, she turned and saw her sister's eyes wide open. She was slightly relieved that Kapuki's eyes weren't carmine or crimson like her fur. Instead, they were a pale hue of lavender.
"Well, that's wondrous," Chaltuu growled. "Good for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go back to sleep without any further interruptions..."

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Chaltuu watched Kapuki scuttle around like a beetle, sniffing between cracks and crevices in the ground like it was some whole knew experience- which, to the little cub, it was. She squeezed her head between a fork in a large tree limb, twitching her small pink nose. "Chalty!" she complained, scraping the branch with her claws. "It's not coming off!"
Laughing dryly in amusement at Kapuki's fruitless struggles to yank the tree limb from around her neck, Chaltuu took hold of one end of the branch in her jaws and carefully slid off of Kapuki. "Make sure you don't get yourself hurt," she warned.
Kapuki nodded vigorously. "I won't!" she promised, before scampering off again.
"Uh-huh, sure... I'm absolutely positive of that," Chaltuu commented.
Sure enough, the inquisitive youngster eventually found out the hazards of a thorn-infested shrub. "Chalty? What's this? It hurts!" she said.
"Aye, aye, aye," Chaltuu grumbled. "It's a thorn, Kapuki... and you should know that when something's sharp and pointy, you'd do better staying away from it." Leaning over, she set her teeth around the spine and tugged it free from Kapuki's paw pad.
Wincing, Kapuki grunted. "Thanks," she mumbled grudgingly.
Chaltuu drummed her paws against the ground. "What did I say about you not getting into trouble, Kapuki?"
"You said not to get hurt," Kapuki said.
"Then what did I say about you not getting hurt?" Chaltuu demanded.
"You said don't do it."
Chaltuu seethed, but had to give her younger sister credit for her cheeky replies. Her tail lashed irritably and her eyes narrowed dangerously at Kapuki, but she didn't say anything otherwise. For a moment she stood rigidly, glaring at her sister. A low growl of annoyance escaped from the back of her throat. "You never seem to obey, do you?"
"No."
"Well, that's something we seem to have in common," Chaltuu said.
"Okay..." Kapuki said. She sat down and flicked her ear casually, as if wishing to change the subject. "Chaltuu? Why did you and Mama have a big fight?"
"Grown-up stuff. Things that you wouldn't understand," Chaltuu answered.
"Yeah, I would!" Kapuki argued stubbornly.
"Obstinate," Chaltuu hissed under her breath. Straightening, she continued. "Well, let's just say that Kivuli's not the best father figure around. You and I know this firstpaw."
Kapuki nodded. "Yeah... So?"
"Well, Uangaze thinks that he's wondrous parental material. Please don't ask why, or how," Chaltuu said, casting her gaze heavenwards. "And I strongly disagree. I assume you do as well."
"Yep."
"I swear, the first chance I get, Spirits try and stop me, I will annihilate him," Chaltuu growled, clenching her jaw and gritting her teeth.
"What's that mean?"
Chaltuu paused. "In other words, I'll destroy him. Make sense?" she asked.
"Okay!" Kapuki chirped. Chaltuu snorted in amusement. She assumed her sister hadn't the faintest clue what the word "destroy" meant.

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Kapuki growled as she pounced on a beetle swiftly, effectively crushing it under her paw. "Whoops," she said innocently. "I squished it, I think." She bent over towards it. "Is it dead? It's gross!"
"Yes, it's dead. And yes, it's gross. But when you grow up, you'll get used to things like crushed beetles and dead mice," Chaltuu said in a bored tone.
Kapuki wrinkled her nose. "Ew!"
Snorting, the older lioness rested her chin on her paws. She was sure that her sister was just being childish and would get over it soon. She shut her eyes, vivid reminiscences swimming through her mind like fish in a lake. Her paws twitched and she grumbled in her sleep, but otherwise remained silent.
"Chaltuu, I swear, you are the most worthless being in the entire savanna!" Kivuli announced, his voice loud and clear. "I wish you were never born! You were a mistake waiting to happen!"
Chaltuu stood over Kapuki's unconscious body. She had no idea what she had done wrong, but her sister was lying limp at her paws, her eyes closed gently and her body rigid and still. Her chest didn't rise and fall with a steady breath.
"You red-furred curse should have died the day you were born!" Kivuli bellowed, his rage seeming to echo through the plains. "Leave! And if we see one of your filthy flea-ridden hairs over our border, I will not hesitate to drive you out." His eyes blazed. "Exile! Leave my sight!"
Without another word, Chaltuu swallowed a lump of pure terror and fled, feeling the scorching gazes of the others burning her ears.
"Aaagh!" Chaltuu roared, her claws scraping the rocks. "Kapuki!"
"What is it?" Kapuki said worriedly, her eyes shining with concern. "Chalty, are you okay?"
Chaltuu inhaled and exhaled heavily, biting her lip. She shook her head. What was she doing? She was Kapuki's older sister, for Spirit's sake. She shouldn't be yowling in fear every time she was haunted by a nightmare.
"I'm fine," she said gruffly. "Go back and play."

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A violent gust of wind blew towards Chaltuu, sending sand and gravel flying towards her face. She grimaced, muttering under her breath. It was nighttime again, the sky much darker than usual. Instead of its usual violet-blue, it had a more Prussian hue, and its normal stars didn't appear. She cursed silently. "Kapuki, would you wait up?" she yelled, annoyance clear in her voice.
Kapuki glowered obstinately back at her, her light lavender eyes sparking with defiance. "No!"
Rolling her eyes, the red-furred lioness shook her head and arched her tail in an exasperated demeanor. "Aye, aye, aye," she grumbled. "I can see why I'm the supreme candidate to look after you."
Kapuki scrambled ahead. "Hurry up!" she shouted impatiently.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Chaltuu responded irritably. "Perhaps if you had slowed down and actually waited, I might have been able to--"
"Yeah, yeah, just c'mon," Kapuki called.
Chaltuu quickened her pace, only doing so to avoid any more restless "scoldings" from her younger sister. At last, she caught up with the cub, watching as Kapuki held her head high, the silent, invisible wind whistling through her thin tawny pelt. Chaltuu glanced at her sister inquisitively. "What are you doing?" she queried.
"What does it look like?"
"Being weird," Chaltuu offered.
Kapuki glared at her sulkily. "No."
"Hey, just trying to answer your question. With all the honesty in my heart," Chaltuu said, dramatically placing a paw over her chest. "So. What's it feel like being the heir?"
"I hate it."
"Really now? Tell me why," Chaltuu said.
"I feel like everyone just babies me," Kapuki said, scowling. "And Dad always thinks I have to act like some sort of princess!"
"Sounds like a fun life you're leading there."
"Hardly!" Kapuki said, frowning. "Dad's never there..." Her voice trailed off and her shoulders slumped dejectedly.
Chaltuu felt a sudden- and very scarce- prick of sympathy for her younger sister. Yes, Kapuki was a stubborn girl who never listened to anyone, but Chaltuu herself had admittedly been in the same situation. She was no different than the purple-eyed cub. Chaltuu knew what it felt like to be ignored by a mother. But in Kapuki's case, it was both of her parents neglecting her, treating her like she wasn't there.
"I understand what you mean," Chaltuu said solemnly.
Kapuki nodded. "I'm going home," she murmured quietly. She shrugged a half-hearted "goodbye" to her elder sister, and turned to leave- only to have her paw slip. With a cry, she scrabbled frantically at the ledge, her paws scraping the rocks.
Chaltuu jerked, and instantly jumped to help Kapuki clamber back up. She reached down with her paw, but her mind unexpectedly leaped back. She recalled herself dangling helplessly from a cliff, the same way Kapuki was. She snapped herself out of it, and swiftly tried to seize her sister's scruff... Only to realize she was a moment too late.

[A/N: I'm going to hide now and nom on some of my M&M's. Bye.
By the way, the two sisters in this stage of Kapuki's life don't actually dislike each other or whatever. They do care for each other.]

[Iri]

[Beforehand A/N: I get that the last chapter was short. Please don't mob me.
Also, if I get people yelling, "You said Chaltuu wouldn't shove Kapuki off a cliff!"
Uh, Kapuki fell. Though, I admit in a way, it was Chaltuu's fault for focusing on a flashback instead of helping her sister. I wanted Chaltuu to do something that she'd regret later instead of her doing everything right. c:]

Chaltuu's eyes widened as she sprinted down the rock. What had she done? Why couldn't she have caught her sister in time?
Kapuki glanced up at her, her eyes glazed.
At least she's not dead, Chaltuu thought with an inward sigh of relief.
Without a word, Chaltuu grasped her sister's neck scruff. She grunted and staggered as Kapuki writhed and whimpered in pain. "Would you quit?" she spat. "I'm trying to get you some help, so would you stop fidgeting?"
Kapuki obeyed, but Chaltuu could tell she had hurt Kapuki's feelings. Though she did regret what she had said, that wasn't time to apologize and make amends.
After what seemed like hours, though only a few minutes had passed, Chaltuu managed to sprint back to base. She gently set her sister down, eyeing her pride leader. "Kivuli," she said coldly, regarding her father with frigid contempt in her lime green eyes.
Kivuli didn't respond, but only bared his teeth at her. "What did you do? Push her over a cliff?"
"No! It was an accident!" Chaltuu protested.
Her father snarled aggressively, thrusting his muzzle at her until his face was a whisker away from Chaltuu's. "I don't have time to deal with you right now. But when I do, I swear you're going to regret what you did to your sister."
Chaltuu glared at him, but realized he had a point. It was her fault. If she hadn't wasted time trying to snap herself out of the simplicity of a memory, she might have been able to save her sister in time.

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"Hmm. Broken leg, that's all. Oh, fractured paw. Serious bruising. I think with some rest she'll be fine," their medic announced.
"Last time I checked, you said she only had a broken leg," Chaltuu pointed out.
"And last time I checked, you were a curse to this land, but I never thought you were so evil that you would push your sister off a cliff," Kivuli interrupted.
Chaltuu's jaw fell. "I swear to you, it was an accident!"
"But it would never have happened if you weren't there!"
The russet lioness opened her mouth to respond angrily, but she closed her mouth and turned away. She was lost for words. She had always been like that around her father. In most cases, a retort could slide right off her tongue easily. But with Kivuli, he often got the last laugh at her expense.
Sighing and glancing downwards, Chaltuu started to stroll dejectedly out of the cave. She jerked as she felt a paw swatting at her tail. "What is it?" she growled.
"Just wanted to say hi."
Chaltuu turned and saw her sister beaming at her lopsidedly, as always.
"What do you want from me? Don't you see I've caused enough wreak havoc already?" the chestnut-red lioness said angrily. "Especially to you? Why can't you see I'm only ruining your life?"
"You're not!" Kapuki objected.
"Kapuki, I pushed you over a cliff," Chaltuu said impatiently, gritting her teeth. "Were you not there?"
"It was an accident!"
"No, it wasn't! You were slipping, and what was I doing? Dwelling! Why can't you just leave me alone?" Chaltuu snarled. Baring her teeth in frustration, she fled from the cave, ignoring her sister's desperate pleas.
"Chalty! Wait!"

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Kapuki watched her sister settle on a large log, staring out at nothing.
"What're you doing?"
Chaltuu curled her lip. "It's none of your business, Kapuki."
"Yes, it is."
"Stubborn, you are."
Kapuki nodded, as if that was something to be proud over. "Mm-hmm."
Chaltuu snorted in amusement, but didn't continue lashing out with her barbed remarks and disparaging quips, to her sister's relief. She appeared to have the same disgusted sneer and bold scowl, as if she was waiting for someone.
"That's a good quality. You know, stubbornness. Independence, too. Shows that you don't need to be babied constantly," Chaltuu commented, speaking at last. She paused again, as if searching for words. "How's that leg of yours?"
"Feeling a lot better," Kapuki said. "I'm pretty sure if you hadn't carried me back-"
"I don't feel like speaking about that, thank you," Chaltuu intervened bitterly. "Moving on..." She flicked her tail casually.
"No. Chalty, why are you so mad all the time? You're always mad!" Kapuki said. Her frown told Chaltuu that she wouldn't continue to a different subject until she got her way.
Chaltuu sighed, caving in. "Fine. But do you expect me to be a big ball of sunshine? I'm different, Kapuki."
"So? We're all different!" Kapuki said, tilting her head inquisitively. "Mama told me we should all be happy with being different!"
"Hah! She did? What a hypocrite," Chaltuu muttered.
"Hippo-what?"
"I- nothing." Chaltuu cleared her throat. "Anyways, now can we please move on?"
"No."
Growling, the red lioness lifted her head and stayed silent, deciding not to speak about anything with Kapuki. She shifted uncomfortably as Kapuki's accusing stare seemed to burn a hole in the backs of her ears. Chaltuu's obstinate, dignified nature wouldn't allow her to cave in to Kapuki's requests. Though her sibling was as obdurate as she was, it was as if it was a game between the two; which one of them would give in first?
"Talk." It seemed almost like a command from Kapuki, the lavender-eyed cub rapping the ground with her paw impatiently.
"Humph. No."
"Why not?" Kapuki complained. "I'm bored!"
"Because I don't feel like it!" Chaltuu snapped.
Kapuki flinched, but nodded. "Okay... Fine." She slumped her shoulders, looking pitifully up at her sister.
"No, Kapuki. You're not getting your way this time," Chaltuu scolded.
Nodding almost submissively, Kapuki turned and limped back into the cave. Kivuli growled at his eldest daughter, sauntering out of the den. His expression was smug, as if he was hoping for an excuse to clout her. "What did you do to hurt Kapuki this time?" he demanded.
"I told her I wouldn't talk about you," Chaltuu said. "Considering the only thing I could ever say about you is that you're a terrible parental figure."
"Come again?" Kivuli lifted his head, daring her to repeat.
"I said..." Chaltuu leaned towards her father. "You're a terrible parental figure," she hissed.
Kivuli raised his paw threateningly. "Why, you little imbecile!"
"I wouldn't be talking if I were you," Chaltuu shot back, her voice acidic. Though the father and daughter were very different, they had matching glares so fiery that it was almost as if they could set an entire savanna ablaze.
Chaltuu's pelt bristled, her hackles rising aggressively. Her claws slid out, kneading excitedly at the ground. She wondered if the verbal attacks they sent at each other would explode into a full-blown spar. Though she wasn't fond of the idea of her father pinning her to the ground with his lengthy, curved talons at her throat, she decided it would be worth the trouble.
"I'd rather not have a fight with you," Kivuli said in a superior tone. "After all, I've got a daughter to take care of. And you-" he waved his paw dismissively- "have a border check to attend to. Do us all a favour and get out of our sight."
"Of course, sir," Chaltuu sneered. "After all," she added, mimicking him, "I simply must follow the orders of a hypocritical leader. How... typical."
With that, she whirled around on her heel and stormed off, relieved to have gotten the last word in their argument.
Cursing under her breath, she perched herself on a large, cracked baobab tree stump, her paws hanging off of either side of it. Her perpetually unmanageable fur was swept back by a small storm of wind, her eyes narrowing. She eyed a young okapi as it trotted calmly to a pool of water, bending its head down to lap up some of the chilled liquid. She noticed how it strode with a noticeable limp.
"Must be a broken leg," she mused aloud, lying her chin on the smooth wood.
The ungulate whipped its head up and stared at her for a moment, before shambling off quickly with its awkward way of hobbling. It seemed to want to escape desperately out of the sight of Chaltuu. Though the russet lioness could easily chase it and presumably bring it down, she decided to watch it instead of ambushing. Its engaging- but queer, nonetheless- lurching gait and odd appearance interested her, for whatever reasons she couldn't find the answer to.
It almost appeared to be half zebra and partially gazelle, with its dark chestnut brown pelt and white stripes that lined its hind legs and hued its face. It had no horns, but its hooves looked as if they could inflict major damage on an attacker.
Chaltuu observed it inquisitively, her lime green eyes flickering curiously. "Don't you have a herd or something?" she mumbled- although it was too much of a distance away for it to ever possibly hear her. "A family?" Perhaps it had been stranded by its herd due to its injury. Though it didn't seem fair, life wasn't exactly unbiased either.
She knew she'd have to keep her distance from the okapi or it would flee, but she continued to scrutinize it anyhow. She wondered if its wound was permanent. She supposed it was- its hind limb looked mangled and twisted, not appearing as if it would recover anytime soon.
After studying it for a while, Chaltuu heaved herself to her paws, her vacant stomach snarling at her impatiently. "I get it," she growled. "No need to remind me." She shook her head, sighing as she watched the okapi lumber away. Kivuli wouldn't be pleased if she returned empty-pawed, so she spent the next ten minutes chasing after a peskily swift lagomorph- a long-legged rabbit. At last, she caught it, before returning to her father with it dangling from her mouth.
"That's all you managed to catch?" Kivuli sneered.
"Well, my fur doesn't exactly blend in with the grass, sir," Chaltuu reminded him. She dropped the rabbit.
"Fine, whatever. I suppose it'll have to do," Kivuli grumbled, snatching it up and padding off to his cave.
"You're welcome," Chaltuu called after him, her voice soaked in sarcasm.
Kivuli grunted noisily back at her, but didn't respond otherwise.
Chaltuu circled the ground she stood on, finally settling down and shuffling her paws on the stone territory floor. "Humph," she muttered. "Great. No problem. Ever so glad I could help you, sir."
She eyed Kapuki warily as the purple-eyed cub approached her. "What is it, Kapuki?"
"Wanted to say-"
"Let me guess. You wanted to say hi. Well, hi."
Kapuki huffed indignantly. "Chalty-"
"I don't feel like chatting at the moment. So, if you can ever so kindly leave me alone, that'd be a treat. Thank you," Chaltuu said, still not facing her sister.
"I didn't say anything!"
"You didn't have to. Your very presence bores me," Chaltuu snorted.
Sniffling, Kapuki spun around and staggered back into the cave, her eyes brimming with tears. "F-fine."
Rolling her eyes, Chaltuu shook her head, glowering sulkily. Though she realized she had probably been rather harsh and overly brusque, her sister had an annoying tendency to try speaking with her at the worst possible moments- either when she was in an irritated mood, or when she was trying to focus or concentrate on something.
"You ought to work on your skills on being a sister," Naima remarked from behind her.
"Hah! You say that as if I'm going to be a parent or something," Chaltuu retorted flatly.
"What? No!"
"Then shut your trap, if you will," Chaltuu snapped. "And while you're at it, leave me alone and don't bother me again."
Naima glared at her icily. "No."
"You're as stubborn as Kapuki. And I mean that in a very... caring way." Chaltuu cast her eyes towards the sky. "Not really, actually." She rose to her feet. "Leave me alone, Naima! I don't want you here! As a matter of fact, I don't ever want you here!" she spat.
Naima growled. "Well, it's my home too! You don't even belong here!"
"Well, your precious king brought me back because his own hunters were too lousy to do anything, so I assume I do!" Chaltuu yelled.
"He only brought your worthless face here to hunt!" Naima shrieked. "Other than that, you're worthless!"
Chaltuu gaped at the smaller lioness, but her slightly widened mouth formed into a snarl. "As if I don't get that enough from just about everyone else here," she said dryly. "So, if you please, leave me alone." Without waiting for a response, Chaltuu plopped down and twitched her ears, her rage seemingly radiating through her pelt. She scowled as she heard Naima slowly walk away, her pawsteps, though ever quiet, roaring in her ears.

[A/N: Yep. Chaltuu- or Chalty- isn't the only one who's going to get injured. c:<
Also, long-ish chapter to make up for the last few. They've been relatively short, and I don't like it. I mean, it's not like the chapters are two lines, but still. ^^]

[Sweetbriar]

Please finish your story. I'm really enjoying it!