A group of people was on the edge of the leopard part of the city, in a dilapidated and old hut.
"What a mess!! It stinks!!
How long do we have to hide in this stinky, disgusting place, huh?
Didn't you say your friend would set me free??
BUT NOW I LIVE IN FILTHY!!
I should have waited for the tiger king's decision and then go home!!!
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!! "
Yui shrieked while pointing to Zira and the latter's calmness began to crack.
The lion brat truly didn't have manners and self-preservation instinct to provoke someone as dangerous as the silver haired female.
Y:" Tonight there will be the hot season campfire and I need new males!!!
BUT I'M HERE TO BREATHE THIS VOMITABLE SMELL INSTEAD OF GETTING READY AND MAKING MYSELF BEAUTIFUL TO SEDUCE THEM!!
ALL WHILE SHITTY ROSA AND HER STUPID MINION GO UNPUNISHED FOR
WHAT THEY HAVE DONE!!
THEY SHOULD BE HERE NOT ME!!
YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD HELP ME IN MY REVENGE AGAINST ROSA!
And what have you done so far??
NOTHING!!
N O T H I N G!!!!!!!
I'm here to rot in this fetid place while that ugly bitch leads the good life and continues to take what does NOT belong to her!!!
AS SHE STEALS WHAT'S MINE AND MAKES MAKES OF ME-"
Yui continued to ramble, shrieking and raising her voice more and more.
Zira had to use all her self-control to remain calm and maintain the facade that she had created and don't beat this shitty little brat upside down.
This was the final touch before the plan began and the panther female had to do everything to ensure its success.
So she took a deep breath, trying to regain control of herself and maintain her act.
Z:" Shhh, lower your voice young Yui or they will discover us.
I know that staying here it's uncomfortable, I'm deeply sorry, it's my fault but-"
But Yui interrupted her to keep doing what she did best: yelling and pinning the blame on others using absurd reasons.
Y:" YEAH IT'S YOUR FAUL!! ALL YOUR DAMN FAULT!!
ALL MY DISGRACES ARE BECAUSE OF YOU AND ROSA!!!
IF ONLY I DIDN'T LISTEN TO YOU, I WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN AT HOME, PREPARING FOR THE BONFIRE.
AHHHHHHHH!
I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE REALLY COMPLICIT TO ROSA AND YOU HAVE COMBINED TO PUT ME IN A BAD LIGHT AND STEAL ALL MY MALES!!!!!!!
AHHHHH ROSAAA!! IT'S ALWAYS YOUUU-"
Zira gritted her teeth frustrated for the continuous screams and clenched her fists so hard that her nails hurt her palms; but Yui didn't notice this, too busy venting her bad mood on Zira, all while hitting her males (the part of Yui's males that survived to the guards of the Tiger king) and her cubs.
Zira's patience was now at its limit, but for the sake of her plan, she suppressed again her rage and put up her act.
(Author: I want some sort of prize/medal for Zira's patience.
In her place I would have already slapped Yui repeatedly and so hard to stop her from speaking.)
Z:" Yui..how can you say such a thing?
I'm your friend! I will always stay on your side" *sigh* "Listen, I could never stay on Rosa's side:
in the past, her mother, Edith, hindered my male hunting for years, doing evil things behind my back and ruining my reputation to eliminate me as a rival.
I even had to leave Beast City to escape from her schemes!
Many years have passed since those times, now I'm old and I have my own happy family, but when I saw Rosa, I instantly understood that she was evil like her mother and the bad memories, the rage and sorrow I believed to have forgotten resurfaced.
Then I saw you, young Yui, so beautiful and special, and I saw the princess' behavior towards you, how mistreated you were because of her.
I saw myself in you and I wanted to help you with all my heart, like I wished someone could help me in the past.
Everything I did I did to help you and to give Rosa the punishment she deserves ...but... the situation got complicated" pretending to be hurt by Yui's previous assumptions
Y:" Uh? Complicated? What do you mean?"
The panther female put up a troubled and worried expression and began to stutter even a little bit.
(Author: I want a damn Oscar for Zira)
Z:"T-the Tiger King is after you,...he is after us...
M-most of the kings are.
Rosa told everyone that you're the one at fault and that she can't have her beauty sleep because the thought that you are not in prison is making her uncomfortable.
And she said all this while wearing your jewels (which she had taken as 'payment' for all the "bad" things you did to her) and trying to hold back a smug smirk from blooming on her face.
No one noticed, too much under her control, b-but I saw her!
I saw her! She was looking right at me!
Yui, she has more power than we thought, even too much and... I..." *Zira gulped feigning extremely nervous* "...I think it's better to cancel the plan."
Y:"WHAT!?"
Z:"Yui, it's too dangerous. We could get us in very serious trouble.
You've been arrested before, they'll punish you even harder. It's not worth
it-"
Y:"SHUT UP!!! I DON'T CARE!!!! THAT BITCH NEEDS TO DIE!!!! EVEN IF I HAVE TO KILL HER WITH MY OWN HANDS!!!!
HOW DARE SHE THROW SHIT ON MY SHOULDERS AND TOOK MY THINGS, MY JEWELS!!! THEY WERE MINE!! LIKE EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Yui's males had to cover their ears to muffle the continuous screams, while the poor cubs began to whine and hide behind their fathers in fear.
They knew what they were doing was wrong, but they had decided to participate anyway; they had to.
The males knew the fame of the puppeteer; they knew that wherever she went, misfortunes happened and that her plans always succeeded; but above all, they knew that their fate as Yui's males was already sealed, due to the punishment of their female, so when Zira offered them to find someone to take care of the cubs after the success of the plan, they accepted.
They didn't have the certainty that the panther female really would have done it, but at least the fact that there was the possibility of survival of the cubs was already something.
It was better to have some chance of survival than none at all.
Z:" But Yui..." she extended one hand pretending to reach her to stop the lion female to make her change her mind.
Yui slapped Zira's hand to push her away with a grimace on her face.
Y:" Don't even try to stop me!!
It's useless, I have already made up my mind.
Even if it's dangerous I will never allow that stupid bitch to continue her bad deeds undisturbed.
She needs to pay!!!!
She needs to suffers like I'm suffering right now!!
She needs to disappear!!!
I'm the only one who can do it and if you're too weak to help me, step aside and don't get in my way!!"
'This brat...' thought the panther almost letting a victorious smirk slip on her face, luckily for her she composed herself quickly and no one noticed.
Z:" Are you sure, young one? Your life is more important than revenge-"
Y:"SHUP UP!! I SAID DON'T EVEN TRY TO STOP MEE!! DO YOU WANT TO HINDER ME TOOO?? JUST LIKE ROSA???UHH????"
The panther sighed, resigned and sad (well, pretending to be 😈)
Z:" I would never hinder you, Yui, I was only very worried for you, for your life; but If you say so, I can only accept your decision and pray the Beast God for your success.
Remember wear Bürel's bags around your neck. See you later, Yui."
(Author: Bürel, a rare plant capable of hiding any smell.
Unfortunately its action lasts less than an hour)
And with that Zira turned and exited the hut.
•••••
Did you like this chapter?
In the next one Zira's true plan will be explained, be prepared for the drama.