[~ Private RP with NukaKun ~]

[Applejack]

As Nuka listened to Zira talk to Tupa as she did, his claws slid out of their spot in between his pads as he growled softly, a small look of hatred coming into his eyes. Why was Zira talking to his.. frankly, his only friend like this? All because he took her for a walk? At her command, his tail dropped, and his ears flattened. He nodded slowly, looking saddened that Tupa was not to come along, and turned away, starting towards the northern border. "Yes, mother," he said slowly. Shaking his head, he dashed off shakily towards the border, not wanting Zira to be able to take advantage of the state of mind he was in. He was completely split between loyalty to his mother, and the feelings he harbored for his new friend, and the feelings for Tupa were winning.

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Vitani fell slowly back, matching Baya's pace as she watched the harsh dirt come to an end, grass starting to mark the bored of the outlands. She padded across the log, and waited for him to cross. Once he was on the other side, they started off again, her pads tickled by the green, swaying grass. "This land is so nostalgic... It reminds me of my cubhood, before the exiling." she hook her head and looked at Baya, sighing. Her fur had dried, but there were a few small marks around her cheeks were the last of the tears had landed.

"You want to know why I was crying?" she said slowly, "I'll tell you why. It was shortly before we were exiled to the outlands." As she spoke, she closed her eyes, not realizing she'd stopped. Her mind went black as she entered the memory she's looked at so many times, missing him. "I'd had a really good friend as a cub. He was Simba's son. His name was Kopa. After Simba came back and killed Scar, mother changed. She was always plotting to kill Simba, take over the Pridelands, that sort of thing. Well, growing closer to Kopa didn't make it easy when Mother wanted him dead. Still, I fell head over paws for him. I really did love Kopa. Then, it came time for mother's plan to be executed." She hissed as the memory shifted to a darker tone, her head and body shaking.

"Its one thing when its someone you dont know thats killed in battle. Its quite another when the lion you love as a cub is murdered, assasinated before your own eyes. Mother kidnapped Kopa and brought him over here, to the border of the Pridelands." She nodded towards a tree off in the distance, barren of all leaves. "She killed him... right there... slit his throat right infront of me. She knew how I felt, and everything... she didn't even care. Then, she turned to me and said that this was the price for Simba's murderous betrayal. She made it worse. She covered her paw in blood. Kopa's blood. Then she put her paw right here." She placed her own paw right over her heart, shaking. "She pressed it there until my fur was stained in his blood and told me that it was my christening. After that, I've never quite been the same." She turned to face him, her face obviously pained, but the tears controlled.

"Then you came along, with your fierce bloodlust. As I fought you, mother came into my mind. Everything she had done, I saw in you. Do you know what thats like? I'm sure you do, Desert Demon." She turned away, shaking, and started to walk off towards a choice hunting spot. "Come on. Lets go. Dont want to keep mother waiting."

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A few hours later, Nuka started to inch his way back towards the mound. Once he was in sight, he spotted Tupa laying outside. Quietly, he hissed her name, motioning with his tail. "Tupa! C'mere. I wanna show you something!"

[Baya]

Baya listened to her story without much of a reaction, his eyes narrowed as he heard of her cubhood friend being killed right before her. Baya looked down for a moment as she continued walking, deep in thought. "You detest me for that? Let me tell you something. My mother is the subject of my tendencies as well. I kill because she left me all alone in the desert, nameless without warmth or compassion." Baya muttered quietly. "The night she left me, I remember crying. Hours and hours and hours of weeping. Mother did not come, and father was never there." Baya said, glaring towards Vitani.

"As I grew, my humility and compassion rotted away with my innocence. I saw things that most fully grown lions and lionesses should never have to see, and more than often I wondered why my mother abandoned me." Baya murmured as he began walking again, his voice not faltering and his eyes dry as the land they walked on. "That feeling made me go on fits of rage. Fits of sorrow. Then, I fought a lioness and killed her. I slashed her throat, and watched her suffocate on her own regret of attacking me in the first place." Baya said as he looked to the sky.

"The feeling I got from being the master of her destiny. The bringer of death in her life. It was like nothing else." Baya cackled, shaking his head. "It made me feel important. Like I meant something in the desert. With that feeling, I survived countless battles. For them, its survival. For me...It's alot more." Baya murmured, going silent shortly after. Even Tupa didn't know this much about Baya, and he just spilled it out to Vitani. Why? It would open her eyes to his perspective. Baya knew that Zira was a lunatic, bent on destruction and slaughter for reasons so simple as "love". To Baya, it was religion.

Baya and Vitani walked into the pridelands after a period of long silence. Baya noticed gazelle and Zebra, creatures unknown to him. He only hunted rabbits and other assorted small creatures.

//

Tupa's head lifted as she heard Nuka's voice. She looked over to him and smirked, as she stood and looked to the sky. The sun was already past half-point, meaning it was afternoon. She wondered where Baya and Vitani were...

"What?" Tupa asked with a tilt of her head as she walked alongside Nuka.

[Applejack]

Vitani listened to what Baya had to say, her heart aching with rage at the conditions he had been forced to grow up in. She felt terrible for the way she had acted, and shook her head. What could she say to make up for it? Nothing. All Baya respected was death and destruction. Well, she'd give him death and destruction. "We havn't really had anything but mice. A Zebra is a rare delacacy for us." She pointed her tail at a large one that was separated from the rest of the pack. "That one will be the best choice. Its old, but not too old. It wont be able to outrun us. Just sit here, and I'll show you how to hunt like a real lion." With a nod, she dropped to her stomach, sliding forward noisilessly until she was only a few feet from the Zebra. With a soft growl, she leapt up and landed cleanly on its back. She bit its neck so that it couldn't escape and with a deft, practiced motion, snapped its neck. With a grunt, she started to drag it back to Baya. When she finally reached him, she nodded. "We're going to have to carry it so the blood doesn't attract the Pridelanders." She started to pick it up, struggling under its weight. It was larger than any of the previous ones she'd caught before.

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Once Nuka and Tupa were far enough away from the mound, Nuka dared to speak. When he did, his voice was soft and concerned, looking over at Tupa. "Well, for one, I just wanted to appologize for how mother treated you. It wasn't right at all." He shook his head and slowed his pace, pacing softly next to her. "She stepped out of line when she messed with you. If she tries anything.. I... I dont know what I'll do. Well, wait, I do... I'll... I wont let her touch you." He shook his head, his pathetic mane shaking in the wind. "I know everything about me is pathetic, but, I can do the best I can to make sure she doesn't touch you." He shook his head and looked down as they crossed a different log than Vitani and Baya earlier. He nodded towards the difference. "I wanted to show you a beautiful spot in the pridelands that I found when I was a cub. Before we were exiled." He sighed, hoping she didn't misinterperate his actions as him calling her weak.

[Baya]

Baya watched in silence as Vitani began to hunt these creatures she called "zebra". Once she quickly brought one down, Baya was a bit astonished. Perhaps there was something he could take from these outlanders besides battle. He noticed her struggling with the zebra's carcass so Baya quickly trotted over to it. "Put it on my back. I can carry it. Dragging it would only ruin the meat." Baya murmured as he slouched down slightly so Vitani could pull it up onto him.

Once it was securely thrown over his back Baya slowly began to make his way back to the borders of the outlands. He looked at Vitani every now and again. When they were near her home, Baya decided to spit out something else. "I didn't like seeing you cry. Someone of your strength should never spill tears." Baya murmured quietly. He was probably only making himself worse than he was. "If it will make you feel better, I'll offer to stop killing and fighting with others. Only if you keep fighting ME." Baya said with a slight grin. "Fighting you was something more of a challenge, and I don't think I'd be killing you until I've grown bored."

//

Tupa smiled at his loyalty and kind words. Never did she feel so cared for, if not safe. Baya would protect her, but for his own selfish desire for battle. Nuka, who was talking about taking his heart to his mother the day prior, was offering him safety within sincerity. "Nuka. Your mother gave birth to you. To ask you to hurt her in my favor, would be like asking a king to destroy his own land. I would never want you to choose me over your mother." Tupa muttered quietly, the smile still large on her face. She moved her head under his in one swift motion, and nuzzled him.

"Thank you though. Of all the males I have come across, you are by far the sweetest." She murmured.

[Applejack]

Vitani's eyes widened suddenly at his offer. Why in the world would the demon give up his way of life, just for her? Because she valued her strength? Because he wanted to only fight her? She looked back at him, amazed by his ability to carry a whole zebra on his back. She nodded slowly, a smile starting to spread across her face despite her efforts to keep it controlled. She looked at him and let the smile rip out, cackling manaically. "You, my friend, have a deal!" She lashed her tail and started to pick up the pace. "Lets see how well you can handle the meat without dropping it, hmm?"

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Nuka's eyes widened as she slid under his head and started to nuzzle him. He slowly and tenatively put a paw on top of hers, not quite sure what to do. He'd never had someone talk to him or act like this with him. Not wanting her to take his signs as him not wanting it, he started to nuzzle her back, a small smile on his face. "Because," he whispered into her ear, "unlike other males, I'm not after only one thing. I dont value females for their body. I value the one that chooses me for the reasons they do." One thing was sure, and he smiled a genuinely loving smile. He couldn't help how he felt for her. He'd only known her for a day, but he couldn't help his feelings. He'd never felt love before, but he was sure that this was a close feeling. "I would kill her if she threatened you. I'll protect you no matter what the cost."

[Baya]

Baya's face took an expressionless look to it as she bounded off in front of him, pretty much not giving him a margin of error. If he dropped the zebra without any one to help it back onto him, he would have to drag it back. "You did the fun part, and I do the rest. Is this how you treat all your guests?" Baya called after her, but said nothing more. It took him quite a bit of effort to keep the heavy zebra balanced on his back. When he and Vitani finally got to the outlands and entered the den, Baya let the zebra drop off his back and onto the ground with a thud. Zira was sitting in her sleeping quarters, grooming herself when her eyes widened.

"Zebra? You managed that?" Zira said, with a large grin. She looked to Vitani and Baya. "It seems as though I underestimated your usefulness Baya. Perhaps I'll send you and Vitani on hunts more often." Zira purred as she began to eat the zebra, with a few others beginning to join in.

"Eat your fill. We'll be fighting soon." Baya said to Vitani with a chuckle as he left the den, and laid down near the entrance outside.

//

"I would never want you to do that. One day she'll see Nuka. One day she'll regret not treating you better." Tupa said breaking the nuzzle and stepping back slightly. Why did she do that to him? She had no idea. She knew she wasn't going through heat or anything like that.

"Now, best we get to patrolling, hm? Zira won't be happy if I keep you from your job." Tupa said with a light chuckle.

[Applejack]

Vitani chuckled and slowly pulled a morsel of meat off of the Zebra, taking it into a corner of the mound, and curled up, nibbling absentmindedly at it. Why would he want to fight her, if only he loved fighting? She shook her head in thought. Perhaps more answers would be revealed in their later fight. With a sigh, she finished the zebra and put her head inbetween her paws. Perhaps Baya wouldn't be that bad at all if he wasn't fighting. Maybe she could get along with him. After all, hunting was made easy with him around.

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He looked down, and realized they'd finally reached where he wanted to take her. "Y'see, after patrol, I get to roam around somewhat." He pointed to the river infront of them, how it lead to a small waterfal and smiled. "Since I'm off patrol, I figured I'd bring you out here and show you this. I thought... you might like to see something beautiful... moreso than the sand." He turned back to look at her and saw the confused look on her face. "Hey," he said softly, padding up slowly to her. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have nuzzled you back... I'm sorry if it upset you."

[Baya]

Baya contemplated his decision of only fighting Vitani. Damn, that wasn't the smartest move he'd made in a long time! Though his battle with her would be more meaningful than that with a rogue or any sort of pride lander. Baya knew that when two creatures fought on a constant basis, there was something they learned about one another each battle. Whether it was something good or bad was beyond the point, but Baya wanted to learn about Vitani, and wanted her to learn more about him. There is only so much that words can express.

Once the moon began to hang overhead, Baya stretched out in the sand outside. He wondered if Vitani was going to come outside the den, or if Baya was going to have to go inside and start their fight.

//

"Sorry is a word one should only use when he's sure he did something wrong." Tupa said to Nuka sternly. "Nuka, don't be tense around me. I won't scorn you for doing what you think is right or proper. By the way, do not tell Baya anything of how we spend our time together..." Tupa warned her ears flattening slightly.

"The last male I showed intimacy towards...well...Baya killed him in an extra special way. He might not seem like it, but he is very over protective of me." Tupa warned with a shake of her head. It really bothered her how Baya was so brutal and emotionless at times, and at others he was an extreme super parent that made her being a lioness all the more difficult.

"Now, where's that beautiful area you wanted to show me?" Tupa asked with a warm smile.

[Applejack]

Nuka purrsed softly, the first purr he'd dare release since he'd been a young cub, and looked at Tupa, a strange light in his eyes. "Why would I ever tell your father figure about what we're doing? I figured he would handle it in a.. most... undesirable way."

He nodded and flicked his tail, pawing his way through the river, leading upstream towards the waterfall. He paddled with ease through the gentle current and looked back, making sure that Tupa was behind him. Once he was certain, he made his way to the far end of the river and jumped out of the water onto a small alcove, shaking himself dry within seconds. Not sure if she'd ever handled a river before, he leaned out and extended his paw to her as she came closer, ready to help pull her in.

[Baya]

Tupa wasn't a stranger to bodies of water and walking through them, but to this river with such a gentle current she was. It sort of felt good going between her paw toes. She smiled as she went under the water for a moment and came back out, her fur being drenched. "Hah. You know Baya cooled me down when I had sun stroke by thrusting my head into water? It was so crazy of him, but it worked! Now whenever I feel a little over heated I just dunk my head into water." Tupa explained with an amused chuckle. She then noticed that Nuka had jumped out, and followed suit without taking his paw.

"Quite alright Nuka. I don't need help with everything you know." Tupa said with a grin, her stubbornness surfacing. She shook herself dry as well.