Meaning and Purpose [Closed to Julie_Skywalker]

[Carl]

The tawny lioness gnashed her teeth as she found a place to lay away from the "king." She stretched and curled into a ball, trying to find sleep, but her angry mind wandered and kept her up. She rolled over, extending her claws as she stretched, trying to find a more comfortable position that would help her relax. But it didn't help. She tossed and turned all through the night, angry at herself, her brother, and the rogue she'd been fighting. But mostly at Kovu.

As twilight set in, Vitani gave up on sleep and rousted her four best lionessesㅡ the same four she'd taken with her when she'd first encountered Baya. They looked sleepy as they woke, but they rose to their paws, stretched, and followed her without question. They'd operated on less sleep before. The leader of the little squad took them to a favorite hunting spot of the pride.

"We're catching some food," she said, thinking 'You know I might as well feed Baya too if he'll take the food. It would serve his majesty right.' She continued gruffly, "And I want it to be obvious that we've done it. Nothing you girls can't handle, right."

Nods from the squad as they spread apart. A herd of wildebeest was gathered here this morning, just what Vitani had been hoping for. She smiled cruelly and led her troop around to the side of the herd opposite of Pride Rock. Then, crouched low in the grass, they inched forward until Masozi sprang from the savannah grasses and hurdled into the herd.

The wildebeest scattered, startling some birds and sending them up into the air with squawks of terror. The other four lionesses jumped out of cover and gave chase to the herd, all of them zeroing in on one animal in particular while driving the rest towards the dwelling of lions. Vitani had heard the stories of the stampede that had taken Mufasa from the pride, and had for so long been assumed to have taken Simba as well. It would get under Kovu's skin by upsetting the other lions and it would send a message. She wasn't worried about anyone dying or being hurt because she knew they'd be safe inside the den and upon the rocks.

This was just a message.

She grinned maliciously. What would that "king" do now?

---

The tears sisters dragged the carcass along behind Vitani, Sauda and N'gora as they strolled out to the Elephant Graveyard. It was still very early in the day, but the sun was already above them at this point. Whether the rogue and the youngster would still be around the graveyard or not was unknown, but it didn't need to be. Vitani just wanted to be away from Kovu for a while, and maybe take a nap since she hadn't slept.

It wasn't important if Baya and Shuja were there or not. If she were one to get lonely, well her team was here. And should she get bored, they could spar and the like. After all, that was how they knew to entertain themselves, and they weren't going to suddenly start gossiping or sleeping the time away all the time like the Pridelanders did.

When they reached the graveyard, Vitani made her way towards the place where she'd waited for the rogue the day before, the other four trailing behind her.

[Baya]

(Post removed)

[Carl]

"That's fine," Vitani almost growled, "I don't mind waiting. I'm just here to get away for a while anyway."

She gestured towards the wildebeest carcass with her forepaw and continued before the cub could speak, "We've brought a little something for you two to eat if you're hungry. If not, we'll eat it ourselves. But it's there if you want it."

She signaled for the tears sisters to leave the meal and they did so, moving some distance away from it and lying down in the bones. N'gora and Sauda remained close to their leader, but not extremely close. Vitani stretched and looked over her shoulder at the darker of the three.

"You should warm up Sauda, if you intend to fight him today," she said with a chuckle, trotting off to find a perch atop the skull Shuja had been hiding in.

"Puh, like I need to warm up," Sauda snapped back, "I'm just as good of a fighter as you. He'll see. You'll all see."

"Oh I gotta see it all right," N'gora guffawed. Sauda cut her a sharp look and cuffed the back of the paler lioness's head. N'gora narrowed her eyes at the darker lioness. "You're not as tough as you think you are and that rogue is gonna tear you apart," she said dryly.

"Knock it off," Vitani hissed, "You two are acting like cubs. There's a reason you four are my elite squadron, and that's because you are all exceedingly capable in battle. I'm sure Sauda will survive the event."

"But we'll just have to see. Play nice until he gets here, you can fight all you want then," she added, lying down and closing her eyes. She wasn't sleeping, just resting, and so her ears swiveled around at every sound and kept her up-to-date on her surroundings. She could here her squad scuffling in the dirt and bones, she could hear the occasional beat of buzzard wings, and the falling of the odd bone.

It was all somehow... relaxing.

Her eyes opened wide when she realized that was because it reminded her on some level of home. Not the Pridelands, no. Her childhood home. The termite mounds and Zira's ragtag "pride." The one thing that was familiar and normal. She didn't want to find relaxation in memories of such hard times, but since she did find it there, the lioness closed her eyes and let the sounds of the Elephant Graveyard remind her of a time when things were simple and she had two brothers instead of none.

[Baya]

(Post removed)

[Carl]

The tufted lioness cackled a rough laugh.

"I guess you didn't notice the other two laying off to the side? My my Baya, you need to pay attention. They're here because we went hunting for that cub. Contrary to your opinion, food does help make one stronger, and a young one won't survive without it. I can't help notice all you brought back was blood. That's not going to give her much energy," the lioness said pointedly. She flicked an ear and continued:

"I'm not going to fight today. I don't want to and I don't feel like it. I'm here just to give the cub food and relax in the cooler environment. If you want, my friend whom you've seen twice before, Sauda, would like to battle you in my stead."

At her words, the darker lioness stepped forward and took up a fighting stance before the Demon of the Desert. Now was her chance. If she failed, she knew she'd likely die in battle. She also knew that she wasn't one to go down without a fight. Perhaps even if she could not impress him as Vitani had, maybe she could at least gain his respect by holding off death longer than most. That was a feat she knew she could manage.

Masozi and Dikeledi rose from their position among the bones and took spectator spots in the same area as Vitani and the cub, N'gora following them wearing a wicked grin as her eyes shot to Sauda. She couldn't deny that the lioness was strong, and rather brave, but she knew her own limits, and she knew that not one of the four of them was as strong as their leader. Considering how hard Vitani had had to fight, well, this would be a 'glorious' death in battle for the darker and weaker lioness.

[Baya]

(Post removed)

[Carl]

"Only the weak fear the inevitable," the dark lioness spat, snapping her jaws on his thick mane fur and tugging hard enough to bring his head down a little. Even pinned, she didn't give up. She was determined to make him see that she was just as good a warrior as Vitani, just as tough and just about as mean as a lioness could be. Her hind legs kicked at him, her front paws pushed him and her jaws struggled to knock him off his balance or wound him.

To her dismay, she was unable to toss him off as Vitani had done at least once, but she was able to finally scrabble out from beneath him like a lizard from beneath a tight rock and the ground. Panting heavily she stared at him from a short distance away, her eyes searching his body for an unguarded place, something she could exploit to gain the upper hand. She saw nothing, and was soon once again at the mercy of his violent assault. She still refused to back down, knowing all the while that she was fighting a losing battle.

From atop the elephant's skull, Vitani watched, and as she watched she gained a new appreciation for Baya that she had been unable to do while caught in battle with him herself. Though his demeanor and voice and attitude were rough as brambles, he moved gracefully in battle. It was like his body flowed around his opponent. He was everywhere and nowhere. He was agile and smooth, using his cunning and every edge he had developed in the harsh wilds to take down his opponent unmercifully.

In fact, he was so deadly that Vitani knew had he been fighting anyone other than one of hers, she'd never have had the time to fully admire his skill. And, she had to admit, he did look very appealing. Watching him move was quite enthralling.

She shook her head and snapped herself out of it as she noticed he was going to kill Sauda if she didn't do something. Not wanting to lose a loyal pridesister, and though she hated to admit it, aching for the battle herself, she dropped off of the skull and bounded over. She reached them just as Sauda's form crumpled to the ground from a rough toss by Baya. Vitani jumped in between them, standing over her badly battered squadmate and staring down the rogue intensely.

"That's enough. You don't need to kill her," she said in a harsh tone.

"He wasn't about to," the darker lioness huffed beneath her, without rising.

[Baya]

(Post removed)

[Carl]

The lioness snarled and struck a firm blow to the top of his head with a paw.

"I told you I'm not like you," she growled, shoving him away with her forepaws. He was weakened, whether he wanted to admit it or not, and she wouldn't be giving him the depth of battle he wanted. She admired him, sure, and was even somewhat enthralled with him. However, she knew he was completely and totally mad. He was senseless and cruel and all he enjoyed was battle.

It was quite a shame. She was sure he could make an excellent lover, among many other things, if only he had half a mind to do so. She sighed internally, for a moment half wishing she'd asked him to come home with her that day as a cub and asked Zira to let him stay. Her mother would never have allowed it, but perhaps and end to his life at her paws would have been a mercy. Or perhaps her mother would have surprised her and taken him in and he could be something besides a battle.

That's what he was. He wasn't a battler, he wasn't someone who enjoyed battle. His whole life had been a battle, and he had become a battle himself.

Despite her displeasure at the thought of fighting after all that had been said of herㅡ most of it by himㅡ she continued swapping blows as she thought, her full attention not even on the battle at this point. She knew he was too worn out to damage her much even without her full attention. She knew better however, than to let her attention slip much, as he was conniving and mad, and even beaten, could have the upper hand in an instant if given the chance.

Meanwhile, Sauda, dejected, rose and limped off to the side to rest for a moment. She had been embarrassed by Vitani's intervention, her chance at impressing the rogue gone. She felt deflated, and a tad angry, but she just ignored N'gora's taunts as the other lioness sneered at her.

"I told you so."

"You're not good enough."

"He's too much for you."

"Vitani's the only one who can take him."

"Know your own limits."

N'gora kept on, but Sauda ignored her, lost in thought and trying to concoct another way to get what she wanted.

[Baya]

(Post removed)