Safe Haven - Chapter 2
"I accept."
Kyrr's voice rang out in the clearing, clear and strong. Looking up at Felidae, he felt a mixture of feelings shoot through him. He was excited, yet wary. Was he really up for such an intense jump of ranking? He was the lowest-ranked lioness's cub. Cubs like that weren't supposed to be offered such honors.
But his doubt was erased when he looked over the crowd. The lionesses whispered, shooting awed glances at him. Kyrr suddenly felt proud of what he'd done. He had entered the pride as a lowly cub, mistreated and disliked. He would show them now!
"Very well." Felidae looked down at him, locking their gazes. He nudged the cub forward. Kyrr gulped again, suddenly nervous. How would it feel now, knowing that he was officially... better than the rest of them? He didn't want to throw his weight around like he owned the world, but he felt as if they owed him an apology. Nobody had ever looked at him the way they did now before, and why? Just because of some rank.
His thoughts were interrupted by Felidae's deep growl. "Karissa, step forward."
The dark-sandy furred lioness took a step forward, acknowledging his call.
"You will teach Kyrr all you know of hunting."
"Nyx, step forward."
The scarred, lean strangely-black lioness looked up at her king, her amber gaze mysterious.
"You will teach Kyrr all you know of battle."
Kyrr was slightly nervous. Nyx was famed for her cruelty and accuracy in battle. As much as he had always admired her skill, he was a bit worried of what she could ever do to him if she wished to.
"And Panthera, step forward."
The pale tan queen strode forward, her coat rippling. Her eyes were guarded with emotion as she looked straight at Kyrr.
"I trust you most to teach Kyrr the ways of the pride."
All three dipped their heads, disappearing back into the group.
"Meeting dismissed." Felidae abruptly waved his tail to disperse the lionesses, then gestured for Kyrr to join him in his stone den.
"You must be nervous," Felidae said as soon as Kyrr was settled in front of him. "It's an honor to be chosen to receive special training, but it is also a curse you will never escape."
Kyrr blinked in surprise. "Curse? Why?"
Felidae scraped at the rocky floor. "Because now everyone will look up to you. The responsibilities placed on your shoulders aren't just temporary. Forevermore, the lions and lionesses of this pride will revere and remember your name and deeds. You have eternal power now."
Kyrr looked down. "I... don't understand."
The mighty king sighed. "Yes, you won't understand now, but you will later." For a moment, the strong lion looked weary and broken, just a shadow of the power he held in his paws. Staring off into the landscape, he shook his head abruptly to clear it. "Now, off you go, Rest well, for you have a long and tiring training session tomorrow. You'll need all the sleep you can get." With that, he nudged Kyrr out of his den and disappeared deeper into the tunnels.
---
Smack! "Move faster, runt!"
Kyrr's cheek stung from the force of Nyx's blow.
Pow! "Defend your stomach!"
He gasped as her large paws jabbed him in the soft flesh of his abdomen.
Crunch! "Watch your enemy!"
Nyx slammed his shoulder into the ground.
Disgusted, the scarred lioness sniffed haughtily. "You have a lot to learn." Without waiting for him to recover, she suddenly cuffed the side of his head, leaving his ears ringing. "Never let yourself be distracted, either."
She stalked away, leaving Kyrr groaning in the dry dust of the fighting arena. He lay there for awhile, reveling in the sun that warmed his bones and heated his pelt. It was the third day since his promotion, and he was already exhausted.
Then, "Get up."
He opened his eyes slightly, groaning inwardly as he spotted the authorative pale lioness. "Yes, madam Panthera."
There was a pause, then she growled again. "I meant now."
Kyrr winced as a paw prodded his side. "Yes, madam Panthera." He sat up, staring dully out at the plains. Panthera's classes were always boring to him. Why couldn't someone just explain the rules of the pride to him and be done with it? She had to go through all the dull, boring details of lion history. What if he didn't want to learn who the first lion king was? In his resentful reverie, he hadn't noticed that the pale lioness had begun speaking.
"What did I just say, Kyrr?" Her sharp tone rang through the stifling, summer air.
He hadn't been paying attention. "Uh.."
She glared at him. "Pay attention! How else will you learn anything?"
Kyrr wanted to blurt out, Half the things you 'teach' me aren't even worth learning, but he held his tongue, just hoping for it to be over so he could go hunt with Karissa, a lesson he actually enjoyed.
Panthera gave him a scrutinizing look, then continued droning on. "The first king of our tribe was Claw the Great, son of Savannah and Roar. He sired three cubs during his reign, which..."
Her dull words faded into the background as Kyrr's attention slid from the topic. He watched the herds of zebras behind Panthera graze, trying to look as if he were still listening. He gave a few half-hearted nods and acknowledgements when she paused, his mind wandering. Didn't those zebras do anything else but eat? Eat, poop, eat, poop, that's all they did. His claws itched to score them through the striped flesh, show them not to be lazy. Ha!
"... Kyrr, are you still listening?"
The queen's words jolted him back to the present. "Er... Yeah," he replied sheepishly.
Panthera narrowed her eyes. "You're still not listening; how many times do I need to tell you?"
Sensing something was about to happen, Kyrr frowned, hoping to find an escape route. Panthera was looming ominously above him, her paw slightly raised as if to strike. He was about to tentatively block her blow when another shadow fell upon them.
"Madam Panthera! Sorry to interrupt, excuse my impatience, but it's my turn to hunt with young Kyrr now."
Kyrr wanted to howl with relief. Karissa! The other lioness was crouched in a polite way of submission, calmly meeting the queen's angered gaze. But the honorary gesture was coolly defiant, and if possible, the other female lifted her head higher even as she met the authority's gaze.
Panthera struggled precariously on the verge of keeping her anger restrained. Fury burned in her gaze - no, hate - as she parted her brutal jaws, heaving out her breath in jagged exhales. Kyrr cringed away despondently, averting his eyes as the lioness collected her wits, then stepped away, but not before she shot him another malicious glance. Without another word, Panthera stalked away, tail lashing.
Kyrr relaxed noticeably.
Karissa stared after the other for moments longer, then sighed and turned to the cub, her dark gaze troubled and stormy.
"Let's train."
---
Gradually, over the moon cycles, Kyrr began to move up in his education. His battles with Nyx extended for long periods of time as they began to truly battle. He grew in education as well as strength and size, and Panthera was beginning to run out of things to critique him with. His hunting skills were honed to perfection: whatever he wished to catch, he could do it. His skill in all areas matched, if not surpassed, many an elder of his.
However, the pride was in a vulnerable state.
Felidae's health had been deteorating with age, and after a severe injury to the shoulder during a clash with another pride, the process was accelerated. His pelt -- once glossy -- sagged from his frame, and his eyes were constantly weary from the strain of leading the pride. Panthera took over more and more of the day - to - day duties, while Felidae emerged only to perform ceremonial tasks. Whispers and rumors spread like wildfire through the savannah that the powerful Noble Hearted pride's leader was at the door of death, and that only provoked more raids and battles from other prides eager to claim the title for themselves.
Attacks upon their camp grew ever - so - increasingly frequent, while Felidae's health only decreased further. With the start of winter, prey was scarce, and many had to go each night hungry, as what prey could be found was given to Felidae. The pride was fiercely protective of their leader, but doubt was tangible in the air. What was going to happen if - when, he died?
It was night.
Kyrr shifted uncomfortably on the sandy floor, his eyelids fluttering as he gazed dully at a beetle crawling near his muzzle. The darkness hummed with buzzing insects, and that kept him awake and alert through the silence. He slept in an isolated den from the others, but he had long grown accustomed to the lack of warm, shifting bodies beside him.
It had been many moon cycles ago that he had risen in rank as a cub; now, he was maturing into a young - adult lion. He had noticed the beginning tufts of a mane that flared around his face in the past few moon cycles. His haunches and shoulders were beginning to fill out, the fuzzy cub spots fading from his deep tan coat. It had been over a year since he had been singled out after the successful hunt.
This night, he couldn't quite fall asleep. Questions tumbled through his mind about the fate of the pride. Felidae may have been harsh, but he ruled their lands well, keeping out other prides and securing a high position in the savannah. But if they lost them, who would be capable enough to lead?
He shifted himself uncomfortably, gaping his jaws in a yawn as he stared at the rocky ceiling. That was when he heard the noise: only a small crackling sound followed by low feline curses. He was immediately on alert, and Kyrr silently crept outside, his tail flicking slightly.
The night was murky, but Kyrr was content to wait and see what - or who - might be hiding in the tall grasses. Sure enough, a long figure soon began slinking out of the tall, brittle grass. He caught a glimpse of white - tan fur and oddly bright eyes. Kyrr followed stealthily, keeping his large paws steady as he prowled towards the stranger. He ducked behind a large boulder as the figure turned to scan the clearing, eyes narrowing slightly, before gesturing with its tail. Three more lions crept out from various points and joined the lone figure. The invaders started towards the leader's den - and that was as far as they got. Kyrr burst out from behind the boulder, letting out a roar. "Invaders!"
The four immediately darted into the grasses, pale blurs in the moonlight. Kyrr risked a glance back at the bleary - eyed lionesses pouring from the dens all around. The strangers were getting away; they'd never catch them in time in their half - asleep state. He made a split second decision. Without looking back, he streaked after them.
The grass blurred under his paws as he ran, the cold wind with him. On a normal night, Kyrr would have slowed to enjoy the crisp air, but he could see the runaways ahead.
He pumped speed into his paws and took a moment to assess his opponents. Four against one were not good odds, but he had been trained well in close combat. He couldn't use stealth against them though, but that would be fine. They appeared to be all females, and they ran swiftly and silently. An assassination squad, Kyrr thought. This wasn't just a random attack. This was a cleverly plotted scheme. The crescent moon was barely a sliver, leaving the night without illumination: perfect for secrecy. But what pride had done this?
Kyrr ran faster; one of the females was tiring, her strides uneven. He took this to his advantage, pouring speed into his limbs. She was just a few tail lengths ahead, close enough for him to hear her loud jagged pants. The leading female, the one he had observed in the clearing, cut her pace to match the slower one. "Come on, Calanthe!" she roared encouragingly, a tinge of fear in her growl. Calanthe only panted harder and replied, "Leave - me - go ahead and - tell the others!"
The other lioness stubbornly stayed by her side, but Kyrr could tell her mind was racing. She flicked her tail almost imperceptibly, but the lionesses veered off towards the Noble Hearted - Fierce Clawed border. Kyrr quietly cursed under his breath -- so they were of the Fierce Clawed, or of an allied pride. If they passed the border, he wouldn't be allowed to chase after them; inter - pride law dictated that lions from other prides could not trespass unless allied or under treaty. Kyrr quickly charged after them, his focus on Calanthe's dragging legs...
He gathered his haunches and pounced, slamming his paws down on her shoulders. They crashed to the ground, Calanthe's cries drowned out as he clamped his jaws on her throat. The other three quickly skidded to a stop, turning to attack Kyrr. He felt fangs sink into his shoulder. Letting out a roar, he leaped off of Calanthe. He whipped around to face his opponents and bared fangs stained with red.
The green - eyed lioness twitched her tail again, and the other two lionesses shot off, one pausing to heave the limp Calanthe onto her back. Kyrr met the lioness's fierce emerald gaze unblinkingly. Green was an unusual color in lion eyes - he'd never seen it, in fact. It was a bit disconcerting, but he managed a low growl.
"Who are you, and what business do you have on the lands of the Noble Hearted?"
Smoothly, the lioness replied, "I am Akaiya of the Fierce Clawed." She paused before going on, as if to see Kyrr's reaction.
His mind was indeed racing. The Fierce Clawed, as he'd suspected. They were well-known for their superior battle skills, but their recent leaders had brought them down from one of the most esteemed prides to a bit of a joke. Their current leader, Talema, was infamous for utterly betraying his pride by running off with some lioness from another pride. She was only the first of many mates he'd taken. He had returned and managed to reclaim his rank, but his disgrace had cast an unfortunate shadow over the pride's reputation.
Kyrr returned the greeting warily. "Kyrr, of the Noble Hearted. I repeat, what is your business here?"
Akaiya shifted her weight uncomfortably, but the movement was subtle. "I was sent to speak for Talema. He wishes to meet with Felidae on the next eve of the full moon to discuss territorial boundaries." Her tone was polite but curt.
Something didn't seem quite right about that. The Fierce Clawed only had a marginal border with the Noble Hearted; and besides, why now, when it wasn't prey season yet? Territory pacts were usually made during early spring, not mid - winter. Also, a sneaky midnight meeting?
Kyrr had his doubts, but he didn't voice them aloud. "I will relay the news." With that, he turned and stalked away.
Kyrr returned to a clearing abuzz. He shouldered past curious and frightened lionesses, merely flicking his ears at their questions.
"What happened?"
"Who were those lionesses?"
"Where did you go?"
He saw Felidae padding towards him slowly from the entrance of his dark den. Kyrr was suddenly aware of the king's old age. His leisurely walk was more weary than sinuous, and his unkempt mane was matted. How much longer would he be able to hold onto his power?
This question deeply disturbed him.
Kyrr dipped his head as Felidae came to a stop before him. He kept his eyes averted until the king's deep, raspy voice addressed him.
"What did you find?"
The younger lion looked steadily into his leader's eyes. "Four lionesses from the Fierce Clawed snuck into our camp. I believe it was an assassination attempt. I gave chase all the way to their borderline and brought down one of the lionesses."
Felidae considered this, his eyes darkening. "Continue."
"I spoke with their leader. She said that Talema wished to discuss borderlines at the next full moon."
The lion gave a strange, dark chuckle. "That old fool. Well, I suppose we better give him what he wants?"
"Sir, I'm not so sure about this -"
Felidae swung his head around to face Kyrr. His gaze was suddenly intense as he glowered at the younger lion. Kyrr backed away slightly, remembering the wrath of his anger. Old as he may be, he was still leader, and he was the one to make the final decisions.
Kyrr dipped his head in acknowledgement, then backed away.
Pleased, Felidae turned to face the lionesses. "We will meet Talema at the eve of the full moon."
His words were final.