Private: DGFone and VitanisMate

[VitanisMate]

Nzuri immediately smiled as Delano seemed interested in her family past and began to smirk inwardly as he was falling right into her trap. As she continued to listen to him as he awkwardly asked her about her pride, she began to formulate how to answer him in her mind. "Oh Delano all of the other lionesses are scared of my father and under his control. They follow his every command."

She paused and continued, "So that means even if they felt pity or sympathy for my father being cruel to me that they would be too scared to show it or too fanatically loyal to him to care about my plight." She paused as she continued to listen to Delano and was shocked, though she found it pleasing, when she noticed that he began to stare at her and, it seemed to her, to have a goofy smile on his face as well, as she also would use this to her advantage. She noticed that he looked away from her and looked towards the savanna and was about to say something before she yet again heard the growling of rogue males back from where they came from and, at that sound, decided to move faster.

As she ran faster, making sure this time to make sure Delano was keeping up, she started looking back and at least felt relieved that she saw no one behind them. As she ran alongside Delano she quickly yelled to him, "Delano, why do they keep following us?!" She however was clueless to the fact that it was her herself that was the reason for the rogues following the pair.

[DGFone]

Delano didn't know what to make of what Nzuri was telling him. On one hand, if her father really did control the pride like she was telling him, then it would make sense, at least a little, that she wouldn't know anything because no one would dare to teach her anything. The only thing that he didn't get was that having a lioness around with no skills was, for a pride, extremely wasteful and taxing. Surely someone else would have dared to at least teach her how to hunt at least a little? What if times went scarce and she was needed to help, and then didn't know how?

His thoughts were interrupted when growling from behind them alerted them that they were not alone, and he found himself once again having to run after Nzuri, though now he had plenty of motivation to keep up. "I don't know why they chase us!" he answered back to her question, "maybe we're on their land? Normally if you run, you get left alone!" As far as he was aware, he made sure to stay clear of established prides' lands, and the area they were on wasn't belonging to anyone. Still, having to run for his life wasn't anything new to Delano, though the fact that they were being chased this far was rather unsettling.

[VitanisMate]

As they kept running, they quickly saw a shadow moving towards them, in front of them, and a shadow moving towards them, behind them. Nzuri kept trying to zig-zag to avoid the shadow in front of them, however it seemed that no matter which way she turned, the shadow seemed to know their every move. As they continued to get closer, Nzuri slowed down to give up and accept the inevitable. One male lion stood in front of them and the other one quickly closed behind them, cutting off their escape path.

As both of the males continued to whisper, they quickly looked at Delano and flashed an evil grin as the one in front of them said to Delano, "Does this lioness means anything to you? We have been tracking her for several hours and we have decided that we want her and you can't have her." Nzuri looked disgusted at the males and unsheathed her claws, with both of the males and Delano completely unaware of how dangerous Nzuri could be if put into a dangerous situation. She quickly gave a look of sympathy to Delano as she awaited his answer but even if he said nothing, she was prepared to shock everyone there by ripping the throat out of one of those disgusting males.

[DGFone]

Delano and Nzuri tried their best to lose those who were following them, but no matter how hard they tried, they simply couldn't avoid their trailers. It crossed Delano's mind more than once that this behavior from someone chasing him was far more unusual than he was used to.

Inevitably, despite both having the capability and will to keep going, as long as it took, to get away, Delano knew that Nzuri wasn't going to be able to keep up with him. And sure enough, after noticeably slowing down to the point that getting away was almost impossible, she stopped, and Delano as well, fearing but hoping that this wasn't going to be his last decision he would make in his life. While she looked rather defeated, he snarled and glared at the two males that emerged.

His glare failed when they addressed him. They were after Nzuri? Uncertainly, he looked at the lioness. Truth be told, too many days of living alone and being forced to make life or death decisions meant that his mind was already made up before they even finished asking the question. "No," he replied, "We've only just met, so I can't say that she means much to me yet."

He ignored the wicked grins from the two males, as well as the flash of worry from the lioness. This was where his mind came into conflict with his instincts. Earlier in the day, the instincts would have won. But after meeting Nzuri, even from the few conversations they had, Delano had felt a part of him reawaken that had laid dormant ever since he was forced to live on his own. That lost part of him was what allowed his mind to win the battle against pure survivalism. "But if you think that I am simply going to allow you to do whatever you want to her because of that," he added defiantly, stepping forwards and bearing his teeth, "you're going to have to get through me first."

Every part of his body told him to break for it and run. But he forced himself to prepare to fight.

[VitanisMate]

Nzuri paused as she awaited Delano's answer and was quite surprised to hear him answer that way to those males. For the first time since she met him she also grew concerned for Delano's well-being, wanting to tell him not to say that.

As she held her tongue Nzuri was trying to think of a way to get out of this mess and looked around fairly quickly. They were out there all alone; what could she do? As she waited for the response of the males, an idea flashed in her head. She smiled a rather cruel smile at the males, rather pleased with her sinister idea. Those males thought all of the cruelty resided with them! Oh no, how they would see!

The males immediately glared at Delano's answer as the one in front said to him, "Nice try but we are two and you are one. Now we will ask nicely again one last time stranger. Either stand aside now or we will rip you apart. As you said this female means nothing to you and she means everything to us." As they paused from their answer they took a deep breath, prepared to fight.

Nzuri immediately flashed a rather seductive smile to Delano and said to him, "Oh Delano that is so brave of you to try to save me from these males. Help me against them and I will give you a great reward," she said with a giggle. The males were taken aback by this and immediately hit Nzuri across the muzzle as the one in front said, "Shut up!" as Nzuri fell to the ground. They turned to Delano and the one in front again spoke, "She is lying to you. She will give you nothing."

Nzuri got up with an evil grin on her face and whispered in Delano's ear, "You take the one behind us and I will rip the throat out of the one in front. Now do it!"

[DGFone]

If he were alone, Delano would have already been long gone, running for his life. That much he knew already, and his sentiments were only reinforced when Nzuri started to giggle, despite the two angry males threatening her. She must be crazy! He found himself thinking, especially at what she told him. Of all the things she could be thinking about at the moment, it was that? Or maybe, a more reasonable part of him realized, she knew what could distract the two males long enough for them to make it out alive.

Still, becuase of his shock, Delano failed to act when Nzuri's words cause her to be hit by one of the males, and he only regained his bezrings when he was addressed again. Mentally, Delano scolded himself, knowing that the males could have easily attacked and already finished him off in the same amount of time. He glared at the males, still trying to intimidate them. "Yeah, she may be lying," he agreed, "but that still doesn't mean that it will be all right for me to give her up. Besides: even if I did that, would you really not go after me afterwards anyways?" It already crossed his mind that just by knowing Nzuri, and having seen the two males, that Delano already knew too much to be allowed to live. Can't have him running around spreading rumours and all that.

Which is why when Nzuri whispered into his ear her plan, Delano didn't stop to think. While the two males were still preoccupied with talking, he charged them, running straight past the first one like she instructed and right into the male behind, colliding with a loud bone-crushing crunch, sending the two of them to the ground, Delano's jaws aimed straight for the lion's throat.

[VitanisMate]

Nzuri was quite pleased when Delano went after the first male without even thinking, realising that the male was already showing how ruthless he could be under her power and control. As she waited for Delano to give the other lion the killer blow, she quickly turned to the her male with a mean glare on her face. As the male did an evil laugh, Nzuri did an even more sinister laugh, which caught the male off guard. Killing those who underestimated her, now that was her element and she relished these moments! She began to circle around the male and, for dramatic effect, to make Delano want to help her more by saying to the other male, "You will never hurt me again like my father!"

As Delano pounced on the other male and went straight for his throat, Nzuri did the same with this male, clamping her jaws and her claws down on the male's throat and spewing out blood everywhere. She enjoyed this bloodbath and for dramatic effect starting twirling the male around in a circle as blood went all over Delano and the other startled male. She let go of his throat for a moment to give resolve to Delano with the other male, "Kill him! Kill him now!" She went back to her sinister smile and again clamped her jaw on the male's throat until he moved no more. She didn't bother to look at Delano and let out a roar of satisfaction at killing the male and then kicked his dead body in the dust. She finally looked around at Delano and said to him, "Delano...I am sorry you had to see that...I...you must understand I am tired of males abusing me."

As she was quite sure he was very shocked at her behaviour she quickly returned to her sweet voice and said, "Delano you saved me...I can never do enough to repay you for that. You are so noble for this. A big, strong lion like you...any lioness would be lucky to have you." She quickly shook her head and said to him, "I apologise about that, blame it on my euphoria of feelings."

[DGFone]

At first, Delano was too preoccupied with dealing with the lion he attacked to pay attention to his immediate souroundings. While hunting by himself had made him good at going for the vitals, especially the neck area, the lion he attacked still posessed four paws with sharp claws, and Delano had to struggle to avoid those as he fought quite litteraly for life and limb. Greatly aided by his surprise attack, he was able to get the advatage over his adversary, but not before he felt a warm fluid splatter over the two of them.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Nzuri throwing the second male about, blood tossed around all over the place from her actions. Not daring to let go of his opponent, Delano heard her cheering him on, although by this point, the end was inevitable. As his opponent's struggling ceased, he cautiously let go just in time to hear the lioness's roar of victory.

Truth be told, her actions just now left Delano feeling rather frightened. "You- your crazy!" He breathed out, slowly backing away from Nzuri, eyes wide as his gaze jumped from the bodies of the two lions, and her. Never before had he seen such bloodlust. Correction - he had seen it, when he was exiled from his pride. But never before from a lioness, let alone Nzuri. What happened to the helpless lioness who hardly knew how to do anything? Eyes narrowing on her, Delano wasn't sure he was comfortable anyomore staying next to her. "Who are you?" He asked, "And I really mean it. Who are you?" His gaze slowly traveled back to the two bodies, and a part of Delano was now wondering if he would soon join them.

[VitanisMate]

Nzuri immediately noticed Delano's frightened look and immediately went limp, knowing he was now terrified of her. 'Great, that wasn't exactly part of the plan,' she thought to herself. As he called her crazy Nzuri put her eyes downcast towards him, at a loss of what to say. She could easily see by him backing away from her that any repore' that she had thus used to make the male closer to her had now failed. She quickly sighed and thought of the best route to take so that he wouldn't just leave her there.

She immediately collapsed to the ground and put her head downcast from him as she started talking in the softest voice she could muster, so as not to be threatening. "Delano I am sorry you had to see that. You must understand. Those two males reminded me of my father and his abuse so when they threatened to abuse me I got carried away."

She paused and said, "I tell you the truth. My name is Nzuri and I don't know what made me act like that. I can only assume pented-up anger at my father. I am sorry I have just destroyed any trust you had of me Delano." She paused and said, "I will not stop you if you want to leave me here or make the killer blow and kill me. I am at your mercy." She looked up at him, making sure the look was saddened to his eyes, and again said to him, "Delano I promise I would never harm you! Please believe me!" As she again put her eyes downcast she said, "I am sorry you ever saw this." As she awaited his response she quickly thought of other things she could say in that brilliant mind of her, knowing her vast intelligence that was even superior to Delano and said to Delano, "Please if you'd only let me get back to where we were before this horrible thing happened...I can't survive on my own!"

[DGFone]

Delano really didn't know what to think at this point. His eyes continued to dart between Nzuri and the two dead lions. "What about them?" He asked, agitated, "they obviously knew who you were. There's something more to this, there gotta be-" He trailed off as he staerted to wander in place, thinking hard. At a certain point, he let out a yell of frustration when it caught up to him that now he was responsible for murder. Granted, it was in self defence, and he really doubted that the two males would have allowed him to live, even had he left Nzuri to them. Still, when it came to fighting, Delano always preferred to run or talk his way out of a situation rather than fight.

"Why did they want you?" He demanded, regaining some of his senses. "This was not random. They followed us-you. They wanted you, and I need to know why!" A large of Delano didn't expect to recieve any sort of reasonale answer, but he wasn't about to let the lioness get away with what she just did. What if he was next? "You know something that I don't. That needs to change."

For some reason, he still believed that she indeed wouldn't be able to survive on her own, so Delano didn't fully feel comfortable leaving her behind. But his life was now on the line far more than before, and this won't be the only difficult choice he would have to make - one of the two dead lions was no longer able to vouch for him about that. But if Nzuri wasn't going to talk, Delano determined that he was pepared to cut her loose.