Crying cub

[hawksong]

Rath wailed piteously as she circled the trees. Her paws were muddy and the cub was cold. She had no idea where she was, nor where the nearest food source was. She wailed again, louder this time. The little bundle sat down and curled her tail around her. Her mouth parted in a over-sized yawn as she waited for some lion to find her. She let out another cry. The sour notes carried to another's waiting ears, she hoped.

Her small form sat there, shivering under the stars. The rushes she was in concealed her in the night. Poor cub sat there, staring at the moon, hoping to be found. She heard a sound. A mouse scurried beneath her paws and she expertly pounced, breaking it's fragile neck in one swift bite. The mouse would be an excellent gift for her newest caretaker. Rath smiled slightly, as only loins can, and held the mouse in her jaws, letting out a fur-choked wail in to the waiting night. She hoped someone would find her soon, for it was getting cold.

Her claws dug in to the wet earth as she waited, squelching. The blanket of the night surrounded her small, dark form. She dared not lay down, for she would get wetter. She let her amber eyes gaze accross the wetting area once more. The dry season was perilous for her, as so many heyenas were about. She heard their far-off cackling, like four-footed demons waiting for her to cry again. She snuggled against a tree and shivered, more terrified than she'd been in her whole life.

Can someone please help me? she whispered in to the waiting night once more.

[daystar]

Rayen moved swiftly, she was new to Kinamasi and she hadn't met any of the other members save the Queen. Dark had fallen quicker then expected but she was still wandering the land just to wander. It was to be her home and she wanted to know the land well. She'd never been so excited in her life, this was to be her first real pride. She was quite distracted as she practically danced across the moonlit night.

She stopped mid-step as the faintest hint of blood touched her nose. Instantly alert she paused, only slightly nervous and more curious then anything. She listened intently and as the wind blew softly the scent faded. She decided to move on, it was probably nothing. Even if it were some prey, Rayen wasn't hungry at the moment. She was deciding to find the best water hole when she heard the cubs cry. It was muffled and she couldn't quite make it out. Her curiosity gained and she waited longer this time.

Then whispered words reached her alert ears. "Can someone please help me?" she didn't hesitate. She moved steadily, calmly toward the voice and a cub came into view. The mouse that hung in the child's mouth must surely be the blood that was on the air. The cub wasn't tiny and Rayen tried to figure out if the cub was old enough to be on it's own. She could see it was muddy and scared. It must be lost, Rayen lifted her head to smell the air. The Queen hadn't mentioned any cubs but Rayen was new and maybe this was a pride cub.

She didn't want to anger the cub's mother by intruding on the child in the night. Though she couldn't leave it, what if it was lost? If it was a pride cub and something happened to it, wouldn't it's mother be more angry that Rayen hadn't helped when she could've? Justified in her mind she approached the cub. Calmly she didn't want to scare it. As she got closer she let a compassionate smile cross her features. She lowered her hind quarters to the ground several feet away from the cub.

The night was quiet so Rayen spoke softly. "Hello, my name is Rayen. I'll help you. What do you need?" She allowed the concern for the cub to show on her face and carry in her voice but she remained tense, alert. She was nervous that a returning mother might take Rayen as a threat and she didn't want to jeopardize her new home.

[hawksong]

The cub heard movement. She flattened herself to the ground, fearing the worst. A pair of lion's eyes came in to view. Her mud-soaked chest heaved a sigh of relief. She balanced the mouse carefully on her paws and looked at the female. She heard her speak. "Hello, my name is Rayen. I'll help you. What do you need?" She hesitated and spoke. I'm lost. Is there any place I could go? Somewhere warm? She smiled softly. I'm Rath. Nice to meet you, Rayen.

She shivered as wind reached through her pelt to caress her skin again. The lioness looked harmless enough. She looked innocently at the larger cat. What if she is in a mean pride that would kill me? Does she have cubs of her own at her den? She was running these thoughts in her mind. Not possible. She looked at the sky and the earth and the trees. There was no mistaking the danger she could possibly be in. The hyenas cried closer, their demonic calls stirring her blood sickeningly. Her stomach growled. Was there anywhere she could get milk?

[daystar]

Rayen nodded softly, she was lost. But how lost? Simply strayed out of her mother's sight or lost lost? The cub was polite and it made Rayen smile. She noticed the cub was distressed and it deepened when the hyenas cried. She must be so scared but there wasn't much Rayen could do. She eyed the surroundings but she didn't know of anywhere to take the cub.

Rayen was new to the pride, this was her first night here. She'd been so busy wandering she hadn't considered a place to sleep, especially not one suitable enough for a young cub. She didn't know much about cubs. She'd never had her own and she wasn't sure if she'd ever even touched one. She tried to judge how young this particular cub was. If she'd need milk, Rayen couldn't offer her milk so she prayed that the cub would be fine without it.

"I'm sorry, Rath, this is the best shelter I've seen as of yet. When was the last time you saw your...caretaker? Maybe I could find them." she offered but she doubted that she'd be able to. She didn't want to leave the cub with the hyenas so near. Currently, protection and company was all Rayen had to offer. She guessed at the severity of the cub's dilemma but until she knew more facts she wouldn't be able to grasp what exactly to do.

[hawksong]

Rath looked mournfully at the lioness. It's been 'bout a month since I saw my momma. You just have to look in side a hyena's belly for her and my brothers and sisters. She looked downwards. I just have no idea where I am or what to do. Rath blinked the mist from her eyes. She was too tough to cry. Don't! You are not a crying cub! You are the only hope for your bloodline! She dutifully walked up to the lioness and dropped the mouse at her feet. Rath gave her a worried look and backed up. The small cub sat down slowly. Her tail-tip twitched at a fly as it danced accross the soaked fur of the thin appendage. The sounds of the hyenas seemed a bit closer, but that could just be her mind blowing things out of proportion. What pride are you from? Rath asked, trying to sound like an inquisitive cub. She had a waver in her voice from fright. A moth passed her ear like a whisp of breath and made her jump. The cub put her head between her paws and growled in embarassment. This was no way to act! I am simply being a pitiful, quivering mess! she thought Be a strong lioness, Rath Rye! You are a swimming lion cub. Strongest of them all! She listened intently for any sign of the demons.

[daystar]

Oh, the cub wasn't lost...she was orphaned. Rayen attempted to move from the subject quickly. She was amazed the cub had lived this long. Rayen remembered herself at this cub's age...she might have lasted a night on her own if that. She wasn't sure she could do it when she moved on her own at two years of age. What a brave child Rath must be.

She then dropped her mouse prize at Rayen's feet. Rayen didn't understand as Rath backed away again. She shook her head slowly and nudged the kill back to the cub. The movement brought her rather close to the quivering child and Rayen stayed there, she decided the circumstances no longer called for caution. The child needed help and Rayen wanted to do the best she could. She only hoped her closeness would be comfort to the child.

The cubs words whisked to Rayen's ears. What pride are you from? she smiled, her newly won pride. "I live here, my pride is the Akina." she tested the words. They were new to her, this was the first time she'd said she had a pride, a home, a family, the Akina and she liked it.

She wondered if there was a policy on allowing cubs to stay in Kinamasi especially since Rayen's title was so low. Nothing more then the average lioness but her heart couldn't let her ask the cub to leave. She smiled, "...if you'd like you can stay with me for...as long as you'd like." Dangerous words surely.

She knew she hadn't the authority for those words but she'd face the consequences whatever they be later. She watched the cub with admiration. "Did you catch that mouse by yourself?" she asked playfully trying to lighten the heavy mood.

[hawksong]

"...if you'd like you can stay with me for...as long as you'd like." Rath smiled softly. The Lioness was apprehensive to letting her in, she knew. Rath was welcome to the idea, though. The company would do her some good. The cub nodded approvingly and thought of her new pride. She was Akina now. She noticed the mouse was back at her feet.

"Did you catch that mouse by yourself?"

Yeah. I have got good at that.

Rath spoke triumphantly. She knew she wasn't supposed to brag. The cub ate the mouse ravenously before licking her lips in satisfaction. She looked for an approving look in the female. This was awkward.

[daystar]

She smiled as the cub spoke then ate. It did seem she was good at catching her own food. Rayen herself targeted small game. She hadn't ever spent much time hunting in a group so on her own she mainly hunted the smaller type. They were normally faster but Rayen was normally faster then others of her kind. A given with her being rather small in stature herself.

She her eyes off the cub and scanned the horizon. She was glad she had been walking by here tonight. Despite the possibility that she would be a great help to this young cub, she was pleased that she now had company. She mused that the child would help Rayen as much she would the cub. Rayen hated being alone and it made her nervous, strange that the small girl would bring Rayen comfort, make her feel more secure.

She brought her gaze off the marsh and back to Rath. Rayen loved to swim, it made her feel weightless and lifted boredom from her shoulders. She stopped her wandering mind to smile again, "Have you lived on your own since you lost your...family, Rath?" she knew she might be intruding on the cub's emotions but she was in the mood for talking.

[hawksong]

Rath looked to the sky, but was brought back to earth by the female's question. "Have you lived on your own since you lost your...family, Rath?" Rath thought carefully. She didn't really remember much of her momma and papa but she had been on her own for awhile. Yeah. I guess I have. I've just been bouncing from pride to pride, getting milk wherever there's a possibility. I don't need it now, though. I'm grown up! The cub fluffed her chest with pride. She liked to brag about her status of being a loner, although it was the lowest status within a pride's territory. The cub noticed the movement in the bushes beyond the marsh. A pack of Hyenas appeared, slowly making their way through the marshes. They drank at a water hole and the pups tumbled and played, their whooping cries could be heard by ears a mile away. Rath was struck by sadness and fear. The mother Hyena was looking her way. She slowly hunched down to avoid being spotted by the demons.

[daystar]

Rayen smiled as the cub spoke. She could sense the pride Rath felt and frankly she had every right to be proud of herself. Surviving at that age is hard work and she'd done it all by herself. Rayen remembered how sick she had been when she was a baby, how she'd almost died. She barely made it with a doting mother to protect and encourage her.

The sickness had stunted Rayen making her smaller then the usual lioness. It was this smallness that helped shape and form not only Rayen's personality but her physique as well. She wasn't big enough to fight other lions or even large prey especially not by herself. She was lean, muscled but they weren't the thick muscles seen on strong proud lions. No, hers were thin and wiry, they didn't provide much force but they did do one thing. Increase her speed tremendously, not to mention the last year or two she spent constantly running, she was built for speed.

As the hyenas appeared it seemed she might get to exercise her speed. She watched not quite panicked yet. They were still a ways off and more then likely not looking for a fight. Surely they could smell the thick lion scent, they should know that Rayen and her companion weren't the only occupants in the region. She didn't try to hide, it wouldn't do any good. She could only hope the hyenas would move on but Rayen wasn't stupid, if they didn't move Rayen would. She knew the flight or fight instinct and Rayen always chose flight.

She calmly took her gaze off the hyenas to smile at Rath. She could see the cub was scared and at this point a wrench was thrown into Rayen's mental plan. How fast could Rath run? Probably not as fast as Rayen. Now was not the time to abandon her, she couldn't live with herself. She had come upon a scared cub, promised to help, but at the first sign of trouble left her? No, that was unthinkable. She looked back up at the hyenas, and now she was worried.

[hawksong]

Rath saw the bravery of the lioness standing next to her. She felt a bit better, but she still had a built-in fear of the demonic creatures. She noticed they were a family, a mother and three cubs. They were all so thin! This wasn't the company of hyenas that fed on her family that short five months ago. She would know them by scent. Rath stood, her limbs a bit sticky with mud from her position. The cub stood close to the female, watching as the mother hyena looked around. She froze in horror as the female demon's eyes locked on the very position that Rath and Rayen were in. She started to walk away from the place as they advanced towards her.
______________

The mother hyena spotted the cub and female in the distance. Would the cub run? Or just stand there, so young and afraid? Would the other lion protect her? No. She was too weak to fight even one of the cubs. Her cubs were hungry, so was she. She stood and called to them as they tumbled. The three males were at her side in a heartbeat. She growled at them to follow her and she walked directly towards the two lions. This female was coming to a big surprise.

[daystar]

Instinctively she moved in front of Rath. This wasn't going to be good. Rayen was a runner and not being able to run was making her very nervous. Her gaze danced from hyena to hyena. Three of them were cubs but if Rayen were to fight with the mother hyena together they could most definitely attack Rath. Rayen had already decided that Rath was strong but three on one was very uneven. Rayen wasn't sure of her own fighting skills, either. She'd never fought anythin with the exception of small prey.

She remembered that she'd told the Queen of Akina just a few days ago that she wasn't going to be afraid anymore. She wasn't going to be afraid. At this moment it was a hard promise to keep. Running isn't an option she thought as she easily glanced at Rath still watching the hyenas out of the corner of her eye. She wondered what she could say to the cub, maybe she should instruct the cub to run...but if the cub wasn't near her Rayen couldn't protect her. Rath was smart enough to live on her own for all this time and she'd survived hyenas once, Rayen would just have to let the cub follow her instincts.

So without any words of wisdom for the child Rayen smiled. She'd accepted they would have to fight, she'd accepted they might not win, and if that was the case there is no sense radiating fear...so she smiled genuinely letting the cub know that Rayen was going to do something...even if Rayen didn't know what. She turned full attention back to the hyenas and she erased all trace of fear from her features, and her stance. She was small but she was still slightly bigger then the hyena, it may have size and numbers but Rayen was assured she was smarter.

[hawksong]

Rath looked at the smiling female, knowing there was nothing she could do but help. The hyenas were advancing quickly now, no chance was there to escape. Rath let out a 'come and get me' kind of 'roar'. It came out like a cub squeak. She shook off mild embarassment and hissed. She was going to protect Rayen even if she could protect herself. Rath showed her teeth, an adult-like snarl rippled from her mouth. She was ready for anything.

_____________

The hyenas advanced at almost a running pace, ready to attack the cub. The demon pups readied themselves to attack the lion child, surrounding her. They each turned a smashing blow at Rath, laughing in triumph as one after another, blows struck the cub. They dodged her lashings until the lioness cub grabbed one of the little demon's legs and wrenched it out of socket, sending the pup scurrying away. The other two kept relentlessly attacking.

_____________

Rath growled in triumph as she wrenched the demon pup's leg out of socket. She let it go, watching it retreat in to the darkness as the other two kept bombarding her with blows. She countered bravely, but she was tiring at the pups' sugar-powered blows. They'd had milk recently. She'd had a mouse. She snarled and kept attacking, hardly noticing the shearing slash accross her face, cutting it in half accross her nose. The crimson blood wasn't even coming from the wound yet. Then it started coming out, a dotted line carving her in half for the world to see. One of the babies latched on to her back with it's teeth, she rolled atop it, throwing her back claws in to it's belly and sending it scurying away to join it's brother. The strongest was left fro her to face alone.

______________

The female hyena advanced on the lioness, her blows coming swift and quick. She attacked and dodged, and attacked again. The high-speed blows just kept on coming. She made a mistake and took a fall trying to dodge one of the well-aimed blows of a fighting lioness.......

[daystar]

As the hyenas approached Rayen mirrored Rath's snarl, before the hyenas reached them Rayen began to move toward them. The goal was to be quick and back to protect Rath. As a pup passed her she lashed out attempting to trip it and hopefully tear it's leg off but she missed. As she recovered the mother hyena delivered her first attack, ripping a gash down Rayen's shoulder. It wasn't deep and gave Rayen the opportunity to tear into the hyenas side. She connected and tore but quickly stepped back.

Rayen's attacks weren't powerful but she moved very quickly. The hyena moved quickly too. The fight consisted of a lot of dodging, Rayen would dodge then attack but the hyena would dodge and attack and nobody was connecting. Rayen could see from the corner of her eye that Rath needed her. This couldn't go on forever so Rayen lunged with all her force, there was no dodging this. Maybe she was surprised or possibly just stupid but the hyena tripped ever so slightly. Perfect, Rayen gripped the beast's neck with all her power. The force knocked the hyena to the ground and Rayen toppled over it. She held her grip firm and was on her feet, she placed both paws on the hyena's neck and pulled back. She felt it tear and her mouth filled her blood.

The hyena didn't cry but as Rayen released her and stepped back she knew that she hadn't done any fatal harm. The hyena was bleeding heavily but she would live. As Rayen prepared for a second round, the hyena stood obviously shaken and it ran. It let out a cry to it's pups but it didn't pause to find them. She watched it flee only for a second before she remembered Rath. Three to one if Rath was still standing she must be dreadfully tired. She darted to the cubs position to find Rath and one hyena pup. Rayen pounced on it. Gripping it with both paws she tore her claws across it's hindquarters. It felt so small now that she had it pinned. Rayen was merciful and she knew even in her fury that the cuts she'd just made weren't deep. She doubted they would even scar.

The pup was running before Rayen had even released him. Then the beasts were running away as quickly as they had run to attack. Rayen shook her head, hyenas just can't beat lions. She quickly assessed Rath but it was hard to tell how deep the cuts were and Rayen dipped her head to closer examine her cub. The most noticeable was the slash across her face. Rayen ever so gently licked the cut. Careful not to hurt the child she just wanted to see how deep it was. "Are you hurt?" she asked in a whisper. She placed her paw gently on the cubs shoulder, attempting to comfort her or calm her.

As attuned as she was on Rath's condition she knew to remain alert. After a fight like that she didn't want to allow herself and Rath vulnerable to another attack by the hyenas they'd just fought or a different foe. She couldn't smell anything but blood so regrettably that sense was damaged. Her muzzle was drenched in the hyenas blood not to mention that Rath's and her own were so close and their scent alone would over power any Rayen could catch on the air. So hearing would have to be enough. Eyes still danced across Rath's figure trying to determine where she was hurt.

[hawksong]

Rath winced slightly as the lioness tore the pup's hindquarters. The air was renewed with the scent of blood. The cub realized how tired she was and started to pant. Her face was licked gently by the lioness. Yeah, she was hurt, but not badly. I guess we should be the guard in your pride, Rayen. I'll bet they're still running! Rath giggled.She layed down in the cool mud, bringing herself back from the adrenaline-chained fight. Rath and Rayen four, Hyenas zero. She lay on her back, playing with a reed in her over-sized paws. The tear in her face would be a noticeable scar, but not that bad. She got up after a bit and shook the mud from her pelt. She licked a few spots of hyena blood from Rayen's face, freeing her nose from the stench. Rath smirked, Trying to get in a meal in the fight, huh? The cub stretched.