[~ Private RP with NukaKun ~]

[Applejack]

Vitani looked over at Baya and wordlessly watched him as he stared into the water. Then, slowly, she noticed his facial expression change, and he suddenly backed up from the water. She looked at him with a small look of concern and dared to pad closer, a paw extended, and slowly patted his shoulder. "Baya, whats wrong? I've never seen that look on your face before." Truth be told, she was a little worried. It almost looked like he was afraid, and that could spell immense trouble.

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Nuka nodded absentmindedly as he listened to Tupa's excited explanaitions. His ears perked up when she mentioned not leaving and looked at her, a soft expression on his face. "I'm afraid Vitani doesn't have much of a heart for love anymore. Not after Kopa was killed infront of her like he was." He shook his head in thought and looked at Tupa closer. "Perhaps, though... he's changed something in her. I don't know whats happening, but, I hope that.. things end up working out. Because, that would... that would mean I wouldn't have to..." he closed his mouth, the rest of his sentence clear on his face. That way, I wont have to say goodbye.

[Baya]

Baya let the fears pass him, and he shook his head again. "It's nothing worth mentioning." Baya murmured quietly as he looked to the sky. "When will your mother go to battle with these pridelanders? How long will she stall, before actually taking action?" Baya asked, trying to change the subject. If there was one thing he wasn't ready to tell her, it was about his nightmares of his first time being struck by a lioness. The pain from that one attack was one that he carried for years on end.

//

Tupa smiled and nodded as she nuzzled Nuka. "Now, we should probably think through how we are going to poke our noses into their business." Tupa said with a grin. "Let's just brain storm a few ways...because I know there's something there. I know there is..." Tupa murmured, sort of wishing it to be true as opposed to knowing for sure.

[Applejack]

As much as she wanted to, she knew that if she attempted to push further information from him about what had happened, he very well might never speak to her again. She sighed and nodded. "I won't press you for your memories." How long will you stall before you take action? she wondered to herself, and smiled softly. "I belive it will be about a half-moon cycle before mother will invade. After that, everything'll change." She nodded, envisioning sleeping where she had been born, but then one thought came to her mind. She'd be sleeping where Kopa should have been sleeping. She shook her head, not wanting to falter and show any weakness to him.
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"Well," Nuka said among her nuzzles, "If I know Vitani, she wont be too open about this. She'll hide herself and try to convince herself that its just a hoax." He smiled and looked down at Tupa. "I think our best chance might be waiting until they reach another moment like you saw them at. What do you think?"

[Baya]

[Lol. I'm going to give this one to you xD Just to make it easier.]

Noticing her sigh Baya frowned slightly. He'd pretty much already told her his history, and she told him hers. They had already connected on a level that Baya had not with anyone else, not even Tupa. "I have nightmares." Baya said, breaking the awkward silence. "I have nightmares of my first wound, and the pain is always real and vivid." Baya explained quietly as he traced his claw along the scar across his right eye. "Sometimes I focus on this scar in my reflection...and it reminds me of the day I tried to take a drink of water, and I was struck across my face." Baya murmured as he looked away from Vitani. It was really silly, in Baya's eyes, but it happened. He couldn't control it or force it to be otherwise.

//

"Well, I'll talk to her then. I'll try to help out the situation. If there's anything more I'd love, it's to see Baya with his own real cubs running around him and-and seeing him smile outside battle for once." Tupa said as she looked down. She very much cared for her father, not wanting to see him so violent and blood thirsty anymore. After this war, she was going to vow to herself never to lift her paw again in battle. She looked to Nuka for a moment.

"You know, you could talk to Baya later on as well. I mean...He wouldn't pounce at you or anything." Tupa suggested.

[Applejack]

Vitani's eyes widened slowly as she listened to the tale. She extended her paw sympathetically, but pulled it back. What was she thinking. Why would she even dare think about consoling him? All he would do would be to call her weak and threaten to give her a scar of her own. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I thought we had it rough here in the outlands, but the desert... it must truly be a terrible place." She decided against her better judgement and put a paw under his chin, turning his head back to face her. "It must have been truly terrible if it still affects you so." She finally built up the courage and put a consoling paw on his. It was an extremely out of character move, even for Vitani. She diddn't even know what she was doing. She just went with it and prayed that it wasn't the last thing she did.

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Nuka chuckled to himself at the thought of Vitani with cubs. it was a laughable matter. She cared for cubs almost as much as she cared for him. "Its not his pounce I'm worried about," He joked, half serious. "It's those claws. I mean, I can try to talk to him. Its the least I can do. After all, he is Pride now." And, if he's your Father figure, Im going to have to get on his good side if I ever want... anything with Tupa. He nodded slowly and nuzzled Tupa deeply before pulling away, looking dearly at her. "When should we try?"

[Baya]

Baya looked to her for a moment, and snorted. "Your sorry won't change my history, just as mine wouldn't change yours." Baya muttered as he quickly moved his paw out from under hers. Not a single lioness had shown him any hint of compassion, or uttered a sorry to him. It was something he didn't know how to react to, so he handled it in the coldest way he could. It probably wasn't the best of his options, but he was new to being open...to anyone. Baya looked to Vitani for a moment.

Without much else being said, Baya began to go to the termite mound, some new conflicts arising within him. He initially thought Vitani was simple entertainment to him, but when she placed her paw on his, he felt like he had fought her 100 times. It was a feeling he couldn't completely express, so he had to be alone with his thoughts. He had to push himself to silence for awhile.

//

"Well, I have no clue what's going on. I guess you can talk to Vitani, and I will talk to Baya to dig for information. Don't get yourself hurt Nuka." Tupa said with a smile as she pinched his cheek, and turned noticing that Baya had come back to the den. She eagerly trotted over to him, smile still wide on her face.

"So, what were YOU up to?" Tupa asked with a grin. Baya gripped her by the throat with such unexpected swiftness that Tupa could not at all react in time. "Spy on me again, and I will end you girl." Baya growled quietly. Tupa's eyes widened at the threat, not being able to speak or retaliate. She was released onto the ground and Baya continued to make his way to a secluded spot near the den's entrance. He plopped down, and closed his eyes in thought.

Tupa rubbed her throat, glaring at the sleeping form of her "Father". This was the first time he'd ever acted that way, surprisingly enough. He usually wouldn't say anything to her in response, but now he seemed...angry. Perhaps just frustrated. Tupa couldn't understand why on earth, because he seemed so much happier around Vitani.

[Applejack]

Vitani stood frozen in place as she felt her paw slide off of Baya's. She barely acknowledged what he said as he padded off. A few moments passed, and she finally fell foward, her face twisted in pain. Why had she done what she did? She'd probably ruined any chance to talk to him seriously! Why! She kept yelling at herself mentally and realized she was roaring aloud! She clamped a paw across her muzzle, a look of horror on her face, and instantly got up, slinking towards the mound.

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Nuka's head snapped up instantly as soon as he heard Vitani's roar. Shooting an appologetic glance towards Tupa, he shot off in her direction. All he could think was, what had gone wrong?

Soon enough, he found her, tail down between her legs, ears drooped, her eyes closed, wandering slowly towards the mound. He skidded to a halt next to her and stopped her softly, making her sit down. As she sat, Nuka sat next to her and looked at her. "Vitani, what happened?" He asked. Oddly enough, a protective, brother-like feeling was coming from him that he'd never felt before. Today had been a first for a lot of things, after all.

As Vitani finally opened her eyes, Nuka couldn't help but gasp. Her eyes were completely void of anything. It was like looking into something hollow. She looked at Nuka and said simply, "I made the wrong choice. I cared." She got up and slowly started picking her way back towards the mound. When she finally got there, she passed Tupa and Baya without a second glance and found a corner in the mound, curling up.

As Nuka made his way behind her, he stopped infront of Baya and shook his head. He diddn't care if Baya saw him or even heard him. "She opened herself to the first lion she has since Kopa was killed, and, I dont even know what you did to her, but, I really hope you're happy." he shook his head and padded in up to Vitani, bent over her figure. He placed a paw on her shoulder, then recoiled as Vitani nearly bit his paw. The look on her face was scared. He nodded and lay infront of her, eyes wide open as she lay resting.

[Baya]

Baya heard what Nuka said, and out of his turmoil he almost rose up and slashed at him. Though he restrained himself. He kept his composure, as it was the least he could do. Did he offend Vitani? Did he make her feel like it was her fault he reacted the way he did? It would only get worse if he started attacking her family members.

"Baya..." Tupa murmured as she sat in front of him. "What's wrong? You never get angry...you never get like this." Tupa said, lowering her head to his level. Baya remained silent for a moment.

"She comforted me. She tried to help me." Baya said quietly, not meeting eyes with Tupa. "I withdrew..."

"Baya..." Tupa said with a sigh as she did something she didn't do so often. She nuzzled her father figure. "It's ok to feel something other then a lust for battle...it's ok to feel compassion for others..." Tupa murmured.

"Why? So I can feel more pain? So I can be abandoned again?" Baya spat bitterly as he drew circles in the sand. "So I could be left to die, like I mean nothing..." Baya growled.

"Baya, if Vitani cares about you, and you care for her too...why are you doing this? You aren't in the desert anymore!" Tupa shouted the last part, giving him a paw across the face. She huffed and went into the den as well, walking alongside Nuka who had also dragged attention from Kovu.

"Vitani..." Tupa murmured, feeling a bit sorry for her.

"Best you don't get close." Kovu warned. Tupa sighed, and shook her head. "Baya's just confused...it's nothing you did at all. No one's ever shown concern for him or his past...shown him any sort of compassion. Us rogues usually don't like new things suddenly popping up in our world..." Tupa explained quietly.

"Though he would not be reacting like this if he didn't feel the same way. He wouldn't have let you live or complimented you at all if he didn't share the compassion." Tupa explained solemnly, looking to Nuka for support. "He will settle down I think, just give him time." Tupa said with a slight smile. The idea sounded great to her as well, as she hoped thats what would happen. She hoped Baya would give up his role as a ruthless killer, to pursue greater interests. More meaningful ones.

[Applejack]

Nuka slowly stood up and padded next to Tupa, not caring who was watching, and pressed his fur softly against hers, side to side. "I sure hope Baya can turn his mood around. I don't know what happened out there. She wont tell me anything. All she said was that she made the wrong choice. She cared." He sighed, hoping that Tupa couldn't feel him shaking softly out of concern for his sister. "And, well, if he can't, I know Vitani will get over it eventually. But I'm not going to even hope for that or think about that."

Vitani noticed as more and more lionesses were gathering around her, and she stood suddenly, growling viciously, her teeth bared. Nuka quickly rushed to her side, attempting to calm her down, and finally succeeded to his relief as she lay back down. He quickly made sure all of the lionesses left the area of the mount they were in, and then slowly padded back up next to Tupa. The only ones left in the room were Tupa, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu. "I really hope that Baya can find a way to stop fighting. He already promised Vitani he wouldn't fight anyone except her. I really think thats a step to the positive, dont you, De...Tupa?" He had almost slipped up and said what he really wanted to say, but thankfully he idddn't.

[Baya]

Tupa sighed as she looked to Nuka. "Baya fights, because he knows nothing else. Trying to bring some caring into his life...well...it's making him conflicted. That's what's making him mad..." Tupa murmured. She looked into Vitani's eyes. "You did nothing wrong. Baya needs just a little bit of time before he can think straight..." Tupa said in a soft tone. The last thing she needed to do was make Vitani angrier than she already was.

"I'll go check on him..." Tupa muttered.

"Is that really the wisest choice?" Kovu asked, looking a bit confused. "You just said he's conflicted and angry...I know it's not my place to speak, but he doesn't seem too sound in the mind. Are you sure he wouldn't hurt you?"

Tupa chuckled. "Don't worry about me. I've dealt with alot worse..." Tupa murmured as she slowly made her way out the den. Kovu sighed and looked to Vitani.

"Tani, you only knew him for a day, and you react like this when he gets into a fit? He's a kid! He doesn't know how to control himself. Nothing to be mad about on your end! Mom's gonna kill him in the end anyway." Kovu muttered.

//

"Baya?" Tupa asked, walking outside. The sun was beginning to hang low over them again. Time passed by so quickly in odd dramas like this.

Baya was laying in the same spot, the right side of his face slightly hot from being struck by Tupa. "Baya?" Tupa asked again, approaching him. He didn't reply this time.

Tupa sighed looking into his eyes. "What are you trying to prove? Baya, we can stay with them. I've already felt more alive in a day here than all my life in the desert. You can too. Just let go of your anger with yourself. Let go of the desert...it's past us." Tupa murmured as she placed her paw on his head. Still no reply. Tupa didn't want to worry the others more so she figured she'd keep this information to herself, and tell them he was just sleeping or something. There was no use in trying to get him to speak.

[Do you want to do a bit of a time skip? Let's say a week?]