In Leona's room, Kira was resting on Leona's chest while he played with a chessboard. Leona had one arm around Kira while another was holding a chess piece.
There was a knock on the door. "Leonaaaa!" Ruggie then opened the door, carrying a food tray. "Nice work today. I brought both of your dinners. I also took care of another job."
"Thank you for bringing me dinner. You didn't have to." Kira said, she rubbed her head up against Leona's chest in an affectionate way. The lion purred as a response. "Don't worry about it, Little Lioness. 'Course nothin's a problem when it's for both of you."
"Listen to you. As if you're not in this for yourself." Leona replied. He placed the chess piece down on the board and rubbed Kira's head gently. "Aw c'mon Leona! This is for the both of us...We're in this together when it comes to wantin' to turn the world on its head. To survive, one has to use any means possible. Even the hyenas joined forces with the King of Beasts. Followed him because they wanted to improve their lot in life. That's why I too..."
"Amazing speech. I admire your dedication, Ruggie." Kira smiled. "Hmph...then hunt more discreetly. Don't leave any evidence." Leona said. He gave Kira a kiss on her cheek. "Shishishi! No sweat! A hyena's specialty is not leavin' even a scrap of its prey behind. So, Leona. Who should our next victim be, and from which dorm?"
"Let's see...How 'bout the wolf skulking around and listening in on people's private conversations?"
"Huh?" Ruggie said, turning his head to the door. "I know you're here, fresh-meat. Kinda tasteless of you to eavesdrop on us with those huge ears of yours." Leona said growling a bit. Jack entered the room. Kira got up and ran to him, getting in front of him. It was her way of not wanting Leona to hurt him. Leona sighed, "What do you want this late at night?"
"Need me to sing you a lullaby? Shishishi!" Ruggie giggled. Jack looked at Kira, who was still in front of him. She was like a lioness protecting her cubs from the males who try to kill what's not their offspring. "I just wanna know...why. You're the culprits, right? What's really motivating the ones behind all these attacks on campus?"
"I get it. You want a bedtime story. Fine, I've got a good one for you. A comedy that occurred before you even enrolled:"
The annual interdorm magift tournament.
We of the Savanaclaw dorm were the routine champions,
but for the past two years, we faced Malleus, who led the opening match of the tournament.
Both times the outcome was total defeat.
Our dorm with its reputation for brutally eliminating their opponents,
competed like a kitten who'd yet to open its eyes.
And that disgusting display was broadcasted to the entire world.
What do you think came next?
The dorm leader was branded incompetent.
And Savanacla's chances of being scouted by top companies or the pros went up in smoke.
"That's....That's just because you weren't good enough." Jack said. Leona got up from the bed and over to the balcony. "You couldn't be more right. We weren't taking this seriously and giving it our full effort until last year." Leona leaned against the balcony fence. "Trying to fight that monster head-on without any sort of strategy was stupid. Savanaclaw being based on the King of Beasts "Spirit of Persistence"? What a joke!"
"BUT THE COWARDLY WAY YOU'RE SNEAK ATTACKING PEOPLE IT'S JUST WRONG!" Jack exclaimed. "Jack, calm down." Kira said, trying her best to calm Jack down and to not upset Leona. "Heh. Wrong?"
"Leona, he didn't mean-"
"Jack, who do you think this is for? I'm only thinking about what's best for everyone. If we defeat Malleus and avenge our name, we're sure to win back public acclaim. If we don't win this year, he'll be inducted into the hall of fame. This is our last chance...And you wanna throw it away over some shallow sense of justice?"
"Guys..." Kira said. She sighed knowing she too tried to stop Leona from following through with the plan. "Using your head to corner prey is what it means to hunt. Nothing cowardly about it." Leona said. "Shishishi, it's a dog-eat-dog world out here. You won't thrive by being a goody two shoes."
"Wait, dorm leader. I know you can beat them if you give it all you've got! Even now, I still remember your play from three years ago...I-"
"DON'T ACT LIKE YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!" Leona exclaimed growling under his breath. Kira growled back in a response. Leona found seeing his little kitten growl quite hot. "Play with all we've got? HAH! That's a laugh. No amount of effort I put into it will make a difference in the end. Now get lost...If you wanna see the light of another day."
Jack sighed and walk out the door, shutting it as he walked out. After Jack left, Kira went back to her normal self. "He's such a nice cub, ain't he?"
"Well, that cub's gonna be a problem...Want me to take him out?" Ruggie asked, looking at Leona. "Nah, don't. It's not like he's got proof. And besides," Leona replied, sitting back down on the bed, "that'd be a terrible waste of his talent. Just keep an eye on him for now, Ruggie." Kira got back onto the bed and on Leona's chest, settling in very cozily. Leona wrapped his arms around and licked her cheek. "Gotcha. See you tomorrow, Little Lioness."
Kira looked at Leona, "My love?"
"That fresh-meat...."
"Leona, even if you don't become king, you're brilliant mind."
"Talking just like my big bro. The hated second prince, huh..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kira and Leona were cuddling on a couch in the lounge. "My love." Kira said, looking at him. "Yes, Little Kitten?" Leona asked. The two looking at each other very lovingly. "I heard that Ruggie nearly got caught by Heartslabyul today."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. He should be coming here any moment." Kira said, resting her head back down on Leona's chest.
Ruggie along with other Savanaclaw students came in the lounge. "Ruggie, what's this I hear about you bein' chased around by those Heartslabyul kids today?" Leona said with a stern voice. "That's why I keep tellin' ya to keep your guard up. You moron!"
"'S not like they found any evidence or anythin' so please don't even worry about it! I paid a hefty price to get that nasty Cephalo-punk's cooperation." Ruggie exclaimed. "You do understand just what'll happen if you make all of that go to waste dotcha? Ruggie..." Leona said with a very serious tone with his eyes widened. "Of...Of course, but Little Lioness told them that you're hurting the contestants!"
"I only did that because they cornered me. It would be bad if I ran away which would only lead to my dorm finding out. They may have a plan up their sleeves, but I have been kept in the dark about it. They won't tell me until the day of the magift tournament." Kira explained. She yawned before closing her eyes. Leona smiled and kissed her head before looking back up at Ruggie, "If you all mess it up on the big day, be prepared...I'll fry you and eat you up myself."
"Preparations for the main dish are going smoothly! We're gonna get that lot Diasomnia lot to squeal! Ah, I'm sure looking forward to this. A batterd Malleus kneeling before Leona! I'm sure the whole world's gonna applaud us...And maybe some top corporate scouts will take interest even in a hyena like me. Our dreams will finally come true." Ruggie exclaimed. Leona smirked, "What're you all celebrating for when ya haven't even dug your claws into the prey yet?"
"I'm sure your popularity is gonna skyrocket, Leona!" A Savanaclaw student said. They all started to cheer. "Cheers to the king! Cheers to the queen! Cheers!" They all shouted. Leona looked down, "Lineage and ability are two different things."
"Huh...? What did you-"
"Nothin'....I'm goin' to bed with my kitten. You all can scram." Leona said, stretching along with couch. One arm behind his head while the other held Kira. "Gotcha...Good night, Leona and Little Lioness too." Ruggie said, he and the others left the two to their nap.
Once they left, Leona looked up.
"You are the one who's more fit to be king! Our dreams will finally come true."
Leona raised the hand that was around Kira up. The fae was still sleeping, she felt his warm chest on her body as she relaxed.
"Even if you cannot become king..."
He closed his hand and lowered it down. He placed it back down around Kira as he rubbed her back. "Getting to the top of this school...won't change anything at all..."
To Be Continued....