[Open] Rites of Blood (Advanced RP.)

[DGFone]

Mufasa at first just stared outside the cave as Sarabi wandered inside and lay down next to him. He tried ignoring her, busy with his thoughts, but she didn't allow him to. Eventually, he gave up trying to pretend not to notice that she was there. "Nothing happened, Sarabi, don't worry. Just got into a fight." he told her, hoping that she didn't see the actual fight. He looked at her, but then quickly turned his head away. Too late, she saw his eye, and the nasty gash that would most likely scar over. She tried apologizing about it.

"Don't apologize," Mufasa begged. He didn't want others to become involved. "You didn't do anything, so there's no reason for you to apologize. Besides, it already happened. There's nothing you can do about it." With a sigh, Mufasa lowered his head on his paws.

[Songo]

Sarabi laid by Mufasa's side her face nestled into his neck fur, tears slid down her cheeks for her hurt friend. "Mufasa, I'm here for you." she whispered softly. She felt him flinch under her touch and she rested in silence so he wasnt alone. Thoughts ran rough her mind about the fight and what would happen to Mufasa now. "Ahadi will do something. This can't be permenant." she scoffed.

Pushing the thoughts from her mind she nestled closer to Mufasa, hoping her company made him feel better. Her brown eyes watched the entrance of the den, she wasn't sure what would happen next. She knew Mufasa was broken, but in time she hoped he'd pull himself back togetber.

[DGFone]

Mufasa knew right away that Sarabi had seen it. "How much did you see?" he asked her. But the look she gave him was enough to tell him. She had seen everything. Overtaken with sadness, Mufasa settled his head back on his paws. Sarabi settled closer to him, letting him know that she was there for him.

For a long time, Mufasa just lay there, not moving, just staring outside, not even seeing anything. Sarabi moved a little, trying to get comfortable, as the cave wasn't large enough for the two of them to lie down well. This was when Mufasa realized how much Sarabi cared about him. "Sarabi," he said softly, "thank you."

Sarabi smiled and lay her head on him. Mufasa also smiled for he knew that with her, things might not end up so bad. There was still hope for him. He also pondered her words. While it is unlikely that Taka will give up his new position, maybe, just maybe, Mufasa might be able to rekindle their friendship.
Hopefully, there was still a friend in Taka.

[Katura]

"What about you honey, are you OK? You took a few blows down there too, Taka. I thought I was going to lose you... I thought I would lose both of you."

Concern overwhelmed him at the sight of his mother's tears and he surged forward and nuzzled her neck affectionately. Uru was the last person he felt should be weeping today. The son that bore his resemblence in her won. He had proved himself in a bloody ritual that was as old as the Prideland itself.

"Shh... I'm fine mother, we're both alive..." He purred, aware that he was shaking a bit as the adreneline left his body. "I did it... I finally beat him at something..."

The words rang a little hollow in Taka's heart as he watched Mufasa's retreating form, uncomfortably aware of the slight limp in his walk. But just as guilt began to seep into his stomach he heard Ahadi's roar of anger.

"TAKA! What have you done, cub?!"

Taka willed his soul to become ice, as he had been trained many times to do in the hard months before the Ritual. He simply smiled at the enraged king, bowing his head in sardonic respect.

"Why father, you seem upset. You should be happy...." His lips curled into an ironic smirk. "Either way, a son of Ahadi will ascend the throne. I simply changed the course of destiny and have brought the Ritual full circle... In turn I have indeed earned the right to claim Mufasa's birthright as my own."

A staying hand touched Ahadi's shoulder.

"My King... He speaks the truth, he has earned the right to become King. We must respect the Ritual of Blood." Rafiki said solemnly, having made his way to Ahadi's side after treating Mufasa. "As you well know, the rite was decreed by the Great Kings.... Now we have to groom this one to take your place."

Taka raised his head up, not quite able to hear the conversation between the two as he leaned tiredly against his mother. The battle had drained him... And somehow, the high he thought he would be riding at this point had died away with Mufasa's presense. Mohatu had settled next to the King with an enigmatic expression on his face. He managed to give his grandfather a gentle smile as he sighed, looking up as he heard a sudden commotion in the crowd.

"You should be ashamed! Ashamed! He protected You!"

Taka blinked, the words hitting him with a little more force than he thought they would as Sarabi surged past him. His heart sank a bit at that, his cheeks reddening slightly as the pride began to close in around him, whispering among themselves excitedly. Truth be told... He loved Sarabi. She was beautiful, and one of the many many things his brother had and took for granted... She had never even thrown him a sidelong glance since they grew out of cubhood.

"I'm sorry Sarabi..." Taka mumbled, his head hung low as raven wisps of hair fell about his eyes.

He had won... Was he really the only one that was happy about it?

'It seems even when I win, I just can't win...'

Feeling the last vestiges of energy begin to leave him, he stepped forward and dismissed himself with a bow to the King and his Shaman. Finally leaving the ring, he looked skyward and began to ponder on whether the Great Kings had really planned this victory for him today... Or was it a fluke? Mufasa had let his guard down and he had taken advantage of it. That's what you do in battle, you implore your opponent's weaknesses and use them against them. Mufasa was far stronger than him, and he had had to use every inch of skill he had learned from his training to beat him. If there was anything that he had over his god-like brother, it was his intelligence and cunning. And he had used both of those skills to full effect this day.

Shaking off the negative thoughts Taka reached a communal watering hole, dunking his head into the water and drinking deeply before stepping in. With a sigh he flopped onto his side, water splashing against his body. The fatigue had seemed to settle into his bones and the coolness of the watering hole was a welcome relief.

... Too bad that once again, he found himself alone.

[DGFone]

Mufasa lay, restless, pondering. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't find the answers he sought in his head. Slowly, his eyes wondered towards Sarabi. If he would ask her, would she have his answers?

"Sarabi?" Mufasa asked slowly. "I want to know, how could have Taka done this? Why did I think that I was his brother, his friend, and yet for a long time, he was plotting against me?" He tried explaining himself. "It's not that I hat him now. I don't want to hate him. I will always love Taka, but... is the Taka I loved as a brother and friend the same Taka that I fought today? Or are they two different lions? I don't know. I want to know, but I can't figure it out myself."

With a sigh, Mufasa lowered his head back on his paws. "I don't know if I'll be the same anymore." he said softly. "Taka was so much a part of my life. But now it's like he was ripped away from me."

Mufasa wiped off some tears that started to for over his eyes. "I just wish that things can go back to the way they were before. I don't even have to be the crown prince. But I want to call Taka my brother again, not my enemy." Mufasa took a breath. "I don't know if I have a brother anymore." he breathed out bitterly.

Weeping bitterly, Mufasa closed his eyes and just lay there, grateful for Sarabi's presence.

[Jiirani]

Uru nuzzled her youngest, glad that the small cub was ok. She smiled softly at him, thanking the Great Kings that both her sons were fine, damaged, but fine, and hopefully they would grow closer as time passed. When the queen heard her mates roar, her ears pinned back and she turned around to growl lowly at him.

"Don't yell at him because this fight didn't end the way you thought it would, Ahadi. Be thankful that both your sons are alive!"

She was going to continue, have an angry argument with her King, but stopped herself when her son spoke to his father. The tone of voice he was using, Uru rarely heard him behave in such a manner. It was almost daunting that her youngest son seemed to hate his father so much, be she wasn't too keen on Ahadi either, especially after he had yelled at Mufasa to kill Taka when they were in the ring. What type of family where they? Fighting and arguing... It was pointless. Her father was stood by her mate, gazing down at them, and Mohatu smiled sympathetically down at the Crown Prince. He had won, and everyone was heaping guilt on him for his actions.

"Rafiki is right Ahadi. Taka's training must begin as soon as possible, and don't hate him for proving himself to you. You should be proud that Taka isn't as weak as you perhaps thought."

The old king said, glancing at his son-in-law, before sighing and slinking back into the depths of the cave. Uru heard Sarabi's yell as she followed after Mufasa, and gentley licked her sons ear as he leaned against him.

"Oh Taka, you will be a good King. I'm sure of it. The others.... They just need to get used to this, the fight was unexpected, after all..."

As her son wandered away, the queen watched him, a sadness settling in the pit of her stomach. Had Mufasa won, wouldn't the Pride be congratulating him, or behaving as they were to Taka? She hoped for neither, but the way this had all went down, she had never expected anything like this. She lowered her ears and tiredly trekked up to Ahadi's side. She was still somewhat angry with her mate, but for the sake of the Pride, it was best to forgive and forget, she didn't want to wedge the family futher apart.

[Songo]

She felt the soft sobs of Mufasa and she sighed heavily, what had Taka done. Hearing Mufasa's questions she rumaged through her mind for an acceptable answer. "Taka is your little brother, you've always tried to be nice to him." she stated. She remebered growing up how the other cubs teased him and how Mufasa was quick to step in.

Sarabi used her paws and lifted Mufasa's face towards her, cupping it gentlt she examined his eye. "I believe that the Taka that did that to you and the Taka you grew up with are two different lions. Somewhere he changed on us Mufasa, he almost killed you." she choked out the ending words. Not sure if she said too much she hesitated, "Mufasa I know you love Taka and Maybe in your heart you will forgive him. But never forget, the treachery that took place in that ring. Everything is going to change and I dont think it's going to be for the better." she warned.

She licked his cheek softly and rested his head on her paws as she rustled about trying to get comfortable. She felt the worry grow inside her, how long had Taka planned this? She made a note to herself to ask him."I don't know what made Taka do this...I dont know." she whispered into the silent cave.

[DGFone]

Mufasa listened to Sarabi. He hated to admit it, but he feared that she was right. That he will not be able to reconcile fully with Taka, for Taka was no longer the same. Mufasa sighed, and slowly got back up to his feat. "I fear that you are right, Sarabi. But I will still try to help Taka."

As Mufasa left the cave, he told Sarabi, "Rafiki patched me up after the fight. He told me that now Taka needs me more than ever. I trust him, but I don't know if I should believe him. I don't see how I can help him right now." Mufasa stumbled in his step, and Sarabi ran over to help him. She allowed him to use her body as a support as the two of them started a slow walk back to Priderock.

[Songo]

Lending Mufasa her body she let him lean his heavy weight on her, she stumbled trying to keep at his pace. Her brown eyes looked up at him, "Mufasa, I hope your right. I think you should steer clear of Taka until...well atleast until your healed." she advised softly.

She huffed as they made their way up to Pride rock, the ledges giving them trouble. After reaching the top Sarabi let Mufasa lay for a moment and she took a breath exhausted. "What do you think Rafiki ment? I don't know if Taka could..." she cut her words off at the sight of their Pride. She bowed her head in respect to Uru and Ahadi and reclined to her hinds by Mufasa's side.

Sarafina's green eyes watched as Sarabi helped Mufasa up the ledges, she scanned the crowd for Taka. Had he run..? she wondered where he went off to. She noticed the Pride was busy with their own problems and chatter of Mufasa's defeat she jumped down the rocky ledges. Noticing Taka laying by the watering hole she wondered if he was alive, stepping close to his body she poked at him with her paw. "Taka..?" she whispered.