Being Hunted (Dark Huntress & Malenga)

[Dark Huntress]

Kafele flinched. "She didn't mean it like that!" He exclaimed, chasing him. He appreciated how much faster his paws move across the ground than Moyo's and felt relief as he launched himself on the hurt lion. Why did he even care? He wondered. He'd gone from having nothing to having practically a brother, at least to him, in no time at all.

"She didn't mean that!" He repeated, this time more quietly,"she's just hurt because you'd rather leave than marry her and she loves someone else like that." He felt weird saying that, especially in front of Lesedi and, especially, Gzifa.


Amunet looked over her shoulder as a flurry of voices sounded from where she'd just left. "Moyo! Come back!" Caught her ear and she bounded towards the others. She slammed to a halt as she saw Kafele pinning Moyo to the ground.

"What happened?!" She screamed, and darted towards the two males. "What are you doing to him?!"

Kafele instantly released Moyo and stood back as she approached him, eyes flashing angrily. "He tried to run," he explained. She flicked him an untrusting look and trotted to Moyo's side. "Are you okay, Moyo?" What strange first words after everythung, she thought, attempting to help her friend/betrothed up.

"If I'm going to marry you it won't do for you to have a limp, will it?" She laughed dryly.

[Malenga]

Moyo felt the sheer weight of Kafele enough to stop him in his tracks, though he continued to put up a fight to get away. He wasn't as strong as Kafele was probably, but he was the same size and he had the need for speed in this situation. Speed to get away from this group of lions whom, apparently, didn't think too highly of him and his antics. Though when Moyo's new friend lifted himself off, Moyo clenched his face and stuck it in the ground. He didn't want the others to see him crying.

"Moyo, please," Gzifa walked over to him, "how about you come with me and we'll talk this whole misunderstanding over?"

"NO!" Gzifa jumped at the raise in volume, seeing the blonde male now get to his feet, his back turned to the others. "I'm through with talking, and ignoring, and biting my tongue. All I want is to be free and leave you all alone so you don't have to put up with me anymore. Don't you get it? By keeping me here, you think you're doing me good and putting your own minds at rest because you think you're doing a good thing. Well," he seemed to stop, thinking about his words carefully, "I know you all hate me, so why don't you just kick me out of the pride already and just--"

Lesedi walked into the scene, hearing what was said so far. She narrowed her eyes, and interjected herself to the others. "First of all, don't raise your voice like that to the only lioness who seemed to not want to gut you, and string you up on the den wall like a trophy," her harsh words probably weren't helping, but she felt the need to say it none the less, "secondly, yeah, you're a pain in the butt! You always get into trouble, you always run away, you have no sense of responsibility, you only think about yourself, and you're not a good fighter."

Gzifa looked at the princess, nudging herself against Lesedi cautiously. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh?" Gzifa whispered.

"No," Lesedi shook her head furiously, "it's time he heard the truth since he's finally calling us out."

Moyo took a moment to look at Amunet, but it soon turned to bitterness in his eyes, replacing all light and happiness of a cub. "Don't touch me, Amunet," he dryly replied, like her laugh. He took himself away from her, not pushing her or using force against her. "You don't care about me. You just laugh at me like you always have," he shook his head, "You're no better a cub-like lion than I am."

"I've heard enough of this, Moyo." Lesedi walked between Amunet and Moyo, looking up at him. "I will not tolerate your drama tonight." She then took a bold look at Amunet, obviously upset with her as well. "You are to escort Moyo back to the den immediately. You are to guard him, not speak. Am I understood?" The princess was cross.

Gzifa shook her head, letting out a sigh. She wished that perhaps, in this time that Lesedi was already upset as it was, that this didn't have to happen. Poor Moyo. The more she looked at him, the more he looked like he wanted to crawl into a corner and never come out. A defeated cub. She knew he was to face the queen and king tomorrow with Lesedi's words backing up how he needed an adjustment.

"I'll just... go back to my post," Gzifa said, walking away from the others and back to her rock.

With a huff, the princess walked off, back to the den. As she trudged through, she made sure Moyo was following. And sure enough he was. Just very slowly, sluggishly. Like he was carrying a giraffe on his back, he chose his steps carefully. Looking forward again, they eventually got to the den, where she noted Jumo at his post.

"You're lookin' tense," Jumo commented, smiling his usual smile.

"That's the nice way to put it," growled the princess.

Jumo, raising his brow, looked after her as she walked into the den. "Les', hold up..." But she didn't. She just kept walking. Obviously he wasn't going to get anything out of her tonight, so he would have to see about tomorrow and how willing she was to talk. But when Moyo came walking by, Jumo watched him. "You look more tense than the princess."

"I guess." Jumo turned his head to the side, confused about Moyo's actions.

"You okay?"

"Leave me alone, Jumo." Jumo cocked his head back, watching as Moyo walked himself into the den, leaving him out there to see if anyone else were to approach the den. With a few short, disbelieving blinks, Jumo shook his mane out of his eyes and watched the pathway to the den for any more lions to turn in for the night.

[Dark Huntress]

Kafele watched the others go, feeling as if he shouldn't be there or here, anywhere near people. He sighed and cast a sideways glance at Gzifa-the only lion or lioness in the pride who seemed to not be in a dramatic situation. The burning of his face and was returned as his mind aimlessly mused what he'd heard earlier.

"So," he sat by the lioness a good distance away,"is there anyone in this pride that hasn't lost it?" He hoped to at least get a laugh out of her.

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"Aren't you being a little-," Amunet growled under her breath, staking past Jumo. I hate this, this entire betrothment, my pride, my princess, my best friend, she huffed to herself as she trailed her angry charge. Why thank-you, Lesedi, why don't you make me chew his food for him too!

She tensed her toes, injecting her claws into the ground as Moyo continue his lazy way. "Move," she snarled, marking Changa who'd lain by her spot. He ignored her, being deep asleep and unable to hear her. She smiled a little as she watched him breath in and out-he looked like a little cub, so cute, so peaceful, so unaware of the commotion. She really would rather curl up a little ways off in her well worn spot and sleep.

Her brow knitted in a hard expression as she followed Moyo then sat down, several feet away. And people wonder why I don't want to marry! She exhaled dramatically and plopped down, sending clouds of dust flying up around her. This time, it took all of her strength to avoid the whimper that rose in her throat.

[Malenga]

Gzifa turned her head, noticing the rogue making his way over to her. Her hazel eyes cast over him, and slowly started to look him over as he walked over. She was pleased that she had someone who seemed to also have a cool head at the moment. To his question, the lioness gave an appropriate laugh. Not too short, not too loud. Soft, and assuring of his joke being taken the right way.

"It sure seems like no one here is very calm, huh?" she laughed. She had to agree with him. "It seems like you and I are two of them. I hope that's not too inconvenient for you." Gzifa gave one last soft laugh before she looked out to her patrol. Duties were whirling around in her head, but she could multi-task. And she had to admit, she was quite pleased that he was talking to her. Made her feel special. "Honestly though," the lioness at up and looked up at the white male, "I feel bad for Moyo. I know he seems like he's all those things that Lesedi pointed out, and he has his moments, but he's quite a good lion regardless." Almost like she was giving herself assurance, she nodded and bit her lip. "I remember when he was a cub, he used to act very much like the way he did now. Moyo's mom wasn't around, so he was raised by a bunch of lionesses in the pride-- Malenga looked after him a few times as well. Despite being a trouble maker and a jokester, he loved making others smile. He just doesn't seem to understand that, when you're an adult, you have to take the good and the bad together, and you can't just leave the bad behind."

She sighed once more, leaning her head back. Whilst her nose was in the air, Gzifa opened her eyes and looked to the rogue. She had a cheekier smile on her face now. "So, I'm quite interested in your story. A rogue to a pride lion. What was the change of heart, if you don't mind my asking?"

~*~

Jumo rose his brow, looking after the lions in the den. They sure seemed to be carrying a dramatic aura around them, but he didn't know why. And he was beginning to get curious. The lion picked himself up, walking over to Amunet. He stood over her, his shadow casted over her body from the moon that limited light into the den of all the lions in the pride. "You asleep yet, my sweet?" asked Jumo, leaning his head down to her face. "Come talk to me," he licked her ear, "Don't go to bed upset. You'll have bad dreams, which lead to a bad morning."

[Dark Huntress]

"Yeah, he's a good kid-just a spastic." Kafele shrugged,"There's not much to tell, I guess I just bored of being alone constantly-I rather deal with all of-" he gestured vaguely into the distance"-this. It gets pretty bad but I don't have to tell you about.

"No lionesses, or, anyone, really, and it's really hard to flirt with antelope, you know, with all the running and chasing. You have to run beside them and they're not really worth it-they're barely worth a mouthful!" He laughed quietly then sobered.

"I guess when I saw Moyo and the rest I really felt being alone for so long. That's why I came back with all of them, well, mostly, I didn't want to let Moyo run away and join me in my grand boringness-he deserves better. No one should have to deal with that, much less choose that!"

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Amunet looked up and wiped her ear off with a paw. "My entire life is a bad dream!" She huffed sarcastically,"Most lions wouldn't consider cub-sitting their betrothed a great way to spend the night-especially considering they can't curl up and go to sleep!"

"Why does he do that? Snap randomly, why can't he deal with it rationally like an adult? I've had to! Why does he get to pull these stunts over and over, why I don't even get to choose who I have to spend the rest of my life with, come home after a hunt to, spend my nights with? Does Lesedi hate me or something? Did I do something?

"And why did he run away? Was he unable of saying to the king and queen that 'he didn't want to marry me'? Am I really that bad?" She stopped, allowing Jumo to answer, ending on that (to her) weighty question.

[Malenga]

Gzifa nodded her head, listening intently to his words. She understood what he was saying; where he was coming from. She couldn't say she didn't feel the same way he did sometimes, or she'd be lying. However, she agreed without any argument to Moyo deserving better. Though he didn't seem to get it, the others around him did. "If only he could see what we see," she commented, laughing to herself.

Talking more with him, she started to relax a little more. Her limbs stretched out a little more, and her tail started making movements-- a sign that she was comfortable. She began to laugh when he made the comment about the antelope and trying to flirt with them. She felt herself holding her tongue, disguising what she wanted to say with her ears flicking and tail rotating. But finally, she thought of something to say. "Now that you're here then, maybe you can settle down and flirt with a mate," she said. Like most boys, she expected him to either blush and change the subject, or talk about who they wanted in the pride.

~*~

"You may wanna talk about this with me outside the den," Jumo replied, raising his brow with a smirk. He began to lead her out of the den and away from the others so she could speak freely. He knew if she woke Malenga or Lesedi, there would be trouble. Cetshwayo wasn't a fan of being awoken either.

Walking along side her, he slowed his paws and let her walk with him in relaxed steps. "I hear what you're saying. Moyo can be... well, he's a kid in an adult's body. But you have to understand, he's never had to deal with things like an adult. He's still learning, just like we all are." If only Jumo could recall when he was a cub, he would be able to draw on his own experiences a little better. But alas, he couldn't all thanks to drastic actions he took when he was younger and in love. "As for Lesedi... I don't know if she hates you," he lied, "but I know she's just trying to make things better for everyone. It may not seem like it, but she thinks she's doing her best by putting Moyo with you because she thinks you're more capable of handling Moyo than anyone else. You being cubhood friends and all that."

Jumo bit his tongue, remembering the real reasons why the betrothal was made official in the pride. He knew the dark parts of Lesedi's brain working against those she could, one day, lead. And the worst part was... she did it for herself; she did it so that no one could stand in her way, no matter how low she had to sink to get herself to the top.

[Dark Huntress]

Kafele blushes a little and shrugged. "Maybe, there are an awful lot of pretty lionesses," he smiled,"though I think Jumo has it covered." He was beginning to feel more comfortable as well and felt the mood lighten significantly.

He laid back on his back, looking up in the night sky. He blinked once as he stared at the moon and twinkling stars. "Do you think he'll ever get it? Moyo," he clarified,"I mean, sometimes it seems like he isn't the smartest lion in the pride." He bit his lips as it dawned on him that Gzifa might take any insults against Moyo as insult against herself. "No offense, of course," he said quickly.

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"Sorry," Amunet lowered her voice and cast a sheepish look over her shoulder at the others, her angriness quite let out. "Didn't mean to be too loud.

"It still seems to me that she's pushing Moyo and I into this. I'm honored she would think that, but I don't know, Moyo said himself: I'm not much more than a cub like him, I'm young, I dot know if I can handle him, handle cubs, handle life." She sighed and flicked the dust with her tail,"I guess, I'm afraid-I don't want to let Moyo down and he doesn't seem like the type to help me out."

She paused for a few minutes before giving him a sly, sideways glance. "You never answer my question, though: am I really so bad my best friend wouldn't want to marry me?"

[Malenga]

[OOC: Hey, I'm going to add another one of my characters into this. If you wanted to add any characters, you could. If not, no pressure. c:]

With a smile, Gzifa licked her paw. Craning her neck over her foot, she extended her tongue and began to lick almost like she was in pain and didn't want to irritate her fur. Once she was done, she looked over at the rogue and nodded her head. "I agree. I think all of the lionesses in this pride have their own beauty. Not the conventional 'beautiful' that is widely recognized all the time, but the beauty that makes them their own unique character," she commented. She thought through all the females in the pride, that little voice in the back of her mind pinging in the back of her mind, muttering cruel things to her. She mentally shook her head, but she cast her eyes over the grass. Or, at least her one good eye.

Gzifa looked at Kafele once more and felt the mood change once they started to discuss Moyo. Honestly, Gzifa didn't know what to say about the male. However, she didn't feel she was gossiping because of how they were trying to talk about their insecurities with him and how to help. "None taken," she assured him. "I don't really know with Moyo anymore. I used to think that he would just grow into being an adult, but it seems like he's growing down. The more we put limits on him, and the more he is controlled, he shuns being an adult more and more." Gzifa shook her head sadly, letting out a sigh. "I don't know what to do about him... what any of us are going to do about him. We try talking to him and he doesn't listen, we try showing him and he doesn't pay attention... what do you think would be best? You seem to be someone he looks up to." Gzifa intertwined the smile back on her lips again, taking a special look onto Kafele. She had to admit, he looked pretty strange in the white coat of his whilst in the Savannah. She doubted he got much hunting done unless somehow Africa had snow. "I can see why. You seem very level headed and at peace with yourself."

~*~

Jumo continued to keep his mouth shut about Lesedi. He was afraid he was going to let something slip, and as her royal advisor, it was his duty to keep the secrets of the princess in check. With only himself. The male stared down at her with his turquoise hues before he shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know what to say about Lesedi, really," he lied once more. When they came to a halt, Jumoca found a comfortable spot and began to sit down. He wrapped his black-tipped tail around his feet, one foot positioned in front of the other for quick and speedy appeal from the ground in case he was needed.

When Amunet posed her previous question, he rose his brow with a small smirk. Truthfully, he had not wanted to answer it for the better of the night. But since she was insisting. "Well," he shrugged, "you don't really treat Moyo that well. I know you're not keen on this betrothal, but Moyo shouldn't have to feel like a prisoner around his mate as well as the pride." Jumoca kept his ideas of how Amunet was being a tad bit selfish to himself. "I'm just saying, maybe you should think about Moyo's feelings. He's stuck in this like you are, but he doesn't want to cause you any trouble. Nor am I saying he isn't selfish either, but the kid doesn't have any freedom-- and never has his entire life. I don't know what we're going to do about him, but we're trying to figure something out that will hopefully work, before the king and queen decide he should get out of the pride for the sake of others around him."

Jumo, once again, shrugged. "Besides, you're a pawful yourself," he cheekily replied. His head looked away, like he was innocent, and his lips puckered so he wouldn't look as mischevious. Although, it just made him look even more so.

Jumo then flicked his ears, hearing something a little ways away. He turned his head and saw a familiar lion in the distance. Even through the darkness, he could identify the bright coat and mane on this male. And it looked like he was walking away from the den. "Zaige," Jumo waited for the male to answer his name, but like he thought would happen, he didn't, "don't you wander too far from the den." Zaige didn't even flinch at his name nor did he look to answer the royal advisor. He just kept walking, slowly, but steadily. Jumo sighed and shook his red mane out of his eyes, watching after the older lion and then looked back down at Amunet.

[Dark Huntress]

(OOC: Actually, I would like to introduce Nyota, another lioness, in the 'morning' ^^)

Kafele nodded. "I know," he admitted,"I was going to try to show him mostly the bad, since being a rogue is mostly bad. That obviously doesn't occur to him. Oh, well-reality isn't the best part of life."

He stretched then sat up, giving the ex-roguess a curious look. "Why did you decide to join this pack?"

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"You think I'm being unreasonable, don't you?" she asked, sighing again. "I guess it is too much for me to ask for a mate who thinks about me and only me, considering I'm supposed to be doing the same for him." She shrugged. "I guess it'll just have to be about Moyo."

She stood and turned towards the den. Men would think I'm being ridiculous, she huffed to herself. [i]Maybe Lesedi would understand this. Finally! For once I want to talk to a female!" She shook her head and sat by Moyo, wondering if he was asleep, not that it mattered.

She laid down then stood back up and slipped to Changa's side. "Hey," she hissed and poked him in the back with a paw. "What?" He grumbled groggily and turned to look at her,"What?"

"Come lay down my Moyo and help me watch him-its freezing by myself."

He complied and collapsed a few inches from where she'd been. She curled up next to him and cracked an eye open, keeping the blue and green orb trained on her charge. "This is going to be a bad night," she said under her breath.

[Malenga]

She shook her head. "No, it isn't. You're right," Gzifa commented. She maintained a solid smile on her face, knowing full well he could see it on her through the darkness. As the question was posed, she kept the bright smile on her face though her mind ran through a scenario her past had constantly haunted her with.

...

"Mommy! Help me!" a young Gzifa screamed, looking forward and back, constantly trying to move herself away from the charging buffalo who didn't seem too pleased with her. Out of the corner of her eye, Gzifa could see her mother storming in on the scene.

Gzifa gave a small groan as she was pushed away, falling to the ground. She looked up only to see her mother in front of the buffalo, growling and hissing. "You want trouble?! You got it, ya stupid animal!" hollered the lioness at the beast, before shortly being cut off by a horn to the throat.

"MOM!" Gzifa cried.

...

"Oh, you know," she shrugged, "parents were annoying me so I decided to go out on my own, thinking I was all that, then realizing that the pride life works better for me so I joined this one." The flame coloured lioness replied. She wondered why he called it a 'pack'. It was a strange word to use for a group of lions, seeing as how they were called a 'pride'. Raising her brow at him, she wondered what his story was like. "So, where do you come from? Parents? Siblings? Lovers from the past?" Gzifa pondered aloud.

~*~

Moyo lay there, quietly tucked away to himself, surrounded by the females as he usually was. The lion sighed as he heard the voices of Changa and Amunet above him, wondering if he was asleep and the shuffling of their paws around him. He wanted to sigh, but that would give away his cover of being asleep. He kept his eyes closed and continued to breathe normally, wondering what Kafele was up to. Was he still with Gzifa? Maybe the two were hitting it off. Not that it mattered; Kafele was probably going to leave tomorrow before Moyo got to say good bye.

Just as Moyo opened his eyes, he noticed the paw of a bright coloured lion coming his way. With a grunt, Moyo rolled over with the help of force from this paw. Looking up, he noticed old Zaige was trumping past the younger lions. "Hey!" Moyo called over to Zaige, the old lion looking over his shoulder. "Would you wanna watch where you're going next time? Some of us are trying to sleep and not smell your old man stink!"

As Zaige turned around, like he was about to scrap with the young adult lion, Malenga growled. "Both of you, enough. Others are trying to sleep. You wanna go claw-to-claw with each other? You take it off my territory." The queen watched the two, now on her feet as she was unsure if she was going to have to break up the party. With one more look, Zaige growled lowly in his throat, and walked over to the group of lionesses close to the royal family's place in the den. Moyo simply watched the lion walk off, wanting to tug Zaige's tail right off his butt. But the blonde snorted and placed his head back on his paws, closing his eyes.

Jumo walked in, past the others carefully to not step on anyone, and over to where the royals were as well. He noted Lesedi who was standing up past her mother and watching what was in front of her. "You alright?" he asked, taking a peek over to the direction she was looking. He could see the bodies of others settling back down after the explosion, but then he noted especially the sight of Amunet and Changa, sleeping beside each other. "Oh."

"Such a beautiful thing, young love," the princess growled quietly, but just loud enough for Jumo to hear as she turned herself around and began to curl up. Lesedi noticed her brother and sister sleeping beside the king and queen.

"Obviously not beautiful enough," Jumoca recoiled, settling down beside Lesedi. "Just let tomorrow bring a better mood to you, alright?"

"Fine."

Settling her head down on her paws, Jumo let his head lay on the small ledge beside Lesedi. Soon enough, they all fell to sleep.

[OOC: You can RP the morning if you would like. c:]