Pride of Exiles

[Ravvij]

"My name is Rav." he said to her. "Whether or not you learn her name will depend on you.
he said almost as a warning.
Kaith approached them. Her large stature made her seem to tower above both the young lions. Her graceful movements were calculated and deliberate. She demanded respect, more over, she could lead a Pride if she truly wished to. She stopped in front of Laini and sat. Her head held high and she looked down her nose at the young female. Not because she she was arrogant or self righteous, but because the lioness was so much smaller than she was. Kaith tilted her head down to look into Laini's eyes and study her face.
Rav watched, waiting for his mother's decision. Even he had to admit. She was the more beautiful lioness he'd ever seen; his mother. He always looked up to her both figuratively and literally, even now as he was nearly her size. He'd seen her at her best and worst. She'd handled every situation he'd ever seen her in with quick decisiveness and as much kindness as she'd needed.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini smiled as Rav told her his name, but became quite confused when he didn't tell the name of the lioness that was with him. As Kaith made her way over to them, the younger lioness couldn't help but notice how beautiful and elegant she was. She seemed to have an air about her very similar to her son's, only that it was more drawing rather than intimidating in comparison to his. Something made Laini realize that this lioness wasn't Rav's mate, and it wasn't just the fact that she was a little bigger than the male was.

As she looked up at the older lioness, Laini suddenly felt smaller than she's ever felt in her entire life. Not just physically. Something inside of her refused to let her body move a single inch as the Kaith studied her. In a way, it made Laini feel very confused and uncomfortable, but at the same time she didn't really seem to have a problem with the rather awkward situation she now found herself in. Because she wasn't fully grown just yet, taking care of herself hasn't been easy. But Laini was a resourceful lioness and a good huntress so she managed to survive on her own despite the odds.

[Ravvij]

Kai looked over at a rather large and potentially problematic boar. He was fully grown and good test for any hunter. Then she looked back at Laini. "You see that boar over there?" she said in a quiet voice, quiet, but not whispering. Her gentle voice was like a soothing flow of water. "I want you to hunt that boar on your own." Kaith challenged her.
The boar had scars from unsuccessful hunts and battles with other boars. It's large belly was only out sized by it's rippling muscles. The black hair along his spine and yellowing tusks that protruded from his mouth made him seem that much more than he was.
Rav looked toward the boar. He doubted even he, as skilled a hunter as he was taught to be, could take down this pig easily. The wind carried the boar's scent over to them and, even for as foul as it was, Rav felt the blood lust of the hunt rise in him.
Kaith's smile never faded, but her demands gave new understanding to those she spoke to. She was not only testing the young lioness, but also taunting her with some hidden proposition. Secretly, Kaith wanted to give her role as matriarch to someone worthy. So, she came up with any number of very difficult tasks to any who'd opposed her.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini looked at the boar, her eyes becoming a little wide as Kaith told her to hunt it on her own. Not only did its size mean it would be difficult to take down, but it also made it possible that the boar would not just attempt to run off but even fight back. After all, Laini wasn't as large as Rav or his mother. She looked back at Kaith, feeling determination rise within her as she saw the smile on the lioness's muzzle. It seemed like Kaith was testing her, and something made the young lioness want to prove herself, even if she couldn't explain why.

She loked at the boar again, this time noticing all the scars on its body. The ones on his legs, head and neck caught her attention the most. Since just going for the boar's throat would be very difficult and risky, perhaps she could use the scars to her advantage. Attacking the exact locations of the scars would be much more effective, and she hoped to be able to wound it enough in order to decrease its mobility and make it lose enough blood. It wasn't the traditional hunting method but, because of her size, it was her best option. Her mother had taught her how important improvising could be.

Without saying a single word, Laini began to stalk her way through the tall grass. She moved swiftly and noiselessly. She actually managed to walk all the way up to the boar without catching its attention. Much to Rav and Kaith's confusion, she simply stood behind it for a few moments, as if studying it. One large scar on one of its hind legs semed like a good place to start, so she bit down on it as hard as she could.

That got the boar's attention alright. It let out an angry roar of pain, but the lioness did not let go until it started kicking its legs about in order to shake her off. When she did let go, the boar really did turn around and tried to attack her. But it had a noticeable limp as well as a heavy bleeding in its hind leg now. Laini kept her distance as it attempted to charge at her. She saw an opening when the boar temporarily lost its balance and she closed the gap between them, clawing at both of its eyes with deadly precision, blinding it.

[Ravvij]

Rav was surprised to see how quickly Laini adapted to the situation. It's not because he could have done better, but because he wouldn't have wounded it to tire it out. "I'll have to remember that trick." he said aloud.
Kaith's smile was one of approval now. She liked this young lioness so far. She watched as the boar thrashed and tried to escape. It's cries were almost pathetic now as it lost strength and could no longer see. It tried biting and swinging it's tusks, but it's blindness prevented it from finding the lioness who was now killing it.
Rav sat next to his mother. He saw how resourceful Laini could be and he admired her for that. Kaith caught her son's approving smile and arched her neck, putting her lips down to his ear, "I hope you're thinking about more than just food right now." she teased.
Rav looked at Kaith, pulling his head away from her. He frowned and furled his eyebrows. He would have blushed, but her teasing came so often that he was almost amune to it.

[TheWhistlerify]

Even though the boar was nothing but food to her at the end of the day, Laini did feel bad and even guilty because of the hunting method she was using. Normally she would end her prey's struggle quickly rather than let it go through so much pain and fear before it died. But there were situations like this one where there simply wasn't any other choice. If hunting was what the young lioness needed to do in order to survive then that was exactly what she was going to do.

The pity for her opponent was quite noticeable in her eyes even as she watched the boar try its best to find her and strike her with his tusks. Had she been able to take it down more quickly she would have obviously done it already. As soon as the boar collapsed to the floor as a result of fatigue and blood loss, Laini quickly came over to it and sliced its throat. Because it had already lost a lot of blood, it took the boar only a few seconds to let go of its last breath and die.

[Ravvij]

Kaith walked over Laini and looked at her from over the young lioness' shoulder. "Do not fell bad for him. He out lived his time and had become too arrogant to even notice you sneaking up on him. He would have made a fine feast for someone else had you not killed him." Kaith then sat facing Laini, ignoring the bloody boar between them. Rav walked over but instead of sitting with them, he kept his gaze outward checking for potential threats. The boar's cries and squeals might have attracted unwanted attention and he didn't want to be snuck up on.
"Now, little one." Kaith finally said, "What will you do? Will you eat your kill alone or share it with your new companions? Or, is the death of one boar enough to turn your belly inside out?"
Rav was almost shocked at how blunt his mother's words came and tried to belittle Laini.

By now the sun was well over the eastern horizon and everything was visible. The winds were starting to pick up and soon they would be howling. The southern wind was bringing with it a mass of black clouds that would drench everything by mid-day and shots of lightning could be seen in the storm's shadow.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini continued to stare down at the dead boar she'd taken down and only remembered that Rav and Kaith were observing her when the older lioness spoke to her. "I am not sorry that he died." she said politely and with respect, looking up at Rav's mother as the lioness sat down in front of her. "I am sorry that I could not have ended his pain sooner." True, the boar may had ben arrogant and reckless, but that did not mean it deserved such a slow death. At least that's what Laini believed.

It would have been a lie to say that she did not feel uncomfortable because of how bluntly Kaith then questioned her about what she intended to do with her kill. "Even if we hadn't become companions, ma'am," she said, "I'd like to believe that we would have at least departed on good terms. This boar is big enough to feed me for quite a while, so I would have shared it with you even if we you were just two kind strangers passing by."

Laini looked down at the boar again for a brief moment. "Even if I do wish I could have killed this boar more quickly, I believe that any food is a blessing." With a somewhat shy, yet confident smile, the young lioness slightly pushed the boar in Kaith's direction with her nose. "As my new companions, it would be my pleasure if you were to eat first." She quietly looked into the older lioness's critircizing eyes. "I mean, um... If you're hungry, that is..."

[Ravvij]

Kaith approved and partook of the fresh kill. Then she did something quite unexpected. Kaith looked up over the boar's carcase at Laini and said with a mouth full of food, "Ain't you gonna eat?"
Rav just about fell over. He turned back to see his mother acting very un-queen-like. But, Kaith just smiled and continued eating. Nothing seemed to phase her.
"If she keeps acting like this... no one will take her seriously. She hasn't done that since I was a cub. Is this girl really that special? Or is she just messing with her again?" Rav wondered.

[TheWhistlerify]

Laini smiled and felt a small sense of relief when Kaith accepted her offer and took a bite from the kill, only for that smile to be replaced by a look of confusion as the older lioness suddenly spoke to her with her mouth full. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to look at. "I will." she said after a short silence, smiling at Kaith. "Thank you for your concern." However when she had said that she wanted Kaith to eat first she had actually spoken to both her and her son. She looked at Rav, smiling at him as well. "I was talking about you too, you know." she said with a chuckle. "Go on and help yourself. I'll keep an eye out."