Everything looks good here, Nakala thought to himself. He scanned the area around him, finding nothing in particular but the barren stretch of Outlands. But he continued to stay vigilant, keeping his guard up. The patrol had broken up to different areas around the caverns, surrounding it and keeping watch for anything dangerous.
Nakala stood firm and kept watch until he saw the first sliver of light rising over the horizon. He took that as a sign to return to the area they all agreed to regroup and report any findings they had. Nakala took one last look around the area and again found nothing. He stretched and yawned, feeling the all night watch catching up to him.
Returning the rest he could see the same tired look on all their faces, except for Chungu who still looked high on alert. Nakala figured that through the night he was looking out specifically for any jackals roaming about.
"Anything to report?" Janja asked the rest, fighting back a yawn.
"Nope," Amana shook her head.
"Didn't see anything," Nakala added.
"I did. I heard a weird noise and when I went to check it out I saw a pair of eyes glowing. But when I looked again they were gone," Chungu admitted. Upon hearing that the spooked look on Chungu's face now made sense.
"That doesn't sound good," Amana said. "I'll warn the hunting party about it."
"Good. As for the rest of us now we've earned some sleep," Janja yawned. "It's the crack of dawn so we'll have some time before the rest of the clan is up."
"Is it really that early?" Nakala groaned, now feeling his eyes growing heavy.
"Yep. Night patrol goes out later and comes back earlier than anyone else," Amana nodded, amused at the lion fighting to stay awake. "You'll get used to it the more you do it."
"Yay..." the lion yawned.
The group was about to return to the cavern when a loud snarl froze them all in their tracks.
"That's what I heard! But it wasn't that loud..." Chungu shuddered, looking around.
"Whatever you found must have followed you back here," Amana deduced. "Show yourself!"
The leopards were more than happy to oblige, revealing themselves.
"Who are you and what are ya doing here?" Janja barked at the unfamiliar felines.
"Oh, we're just some leopards from the good old Backlands. The name's Mapigano and this is Badili over here," Mapigano grinned, taking a step forward. "Let's just cut to the chase..."
"..We're here for you, lion," Badili snarled, lowering himself in an attack stance.
"And we're not leaving till you're dead!" Mapigano snickered, the leopard had been waiting for a good fight for the longest.
"We're only here for the lion. The rest of you can stay here if you want..." Badili threatened.
"But we don't mind killing the rest of you, too!" Mapigano snarled. "The more the merrier!"
"That's enough!" Nakala growled, all the sleepiness he felt had drained away. "If you want a fight then you got it!"
"Nakala! You can't take on the both of them," Amana advised.
"I have to. If I don't they're probably gonna kill the rest of you guys," Nakala argued. The lion took a step forward and readied himself for the two leopards in front of him. His ear twitched and Nakala looked around him to see the rest standing beside him, ready to fight alongside him.
Amana gave a grunt and dived at Mapigano, Chungu followed behind her. The two hyenas leapt at the larger leopard, tackling and wrestling him to the ground. Nakala was about to assist them but he was pushed to the ground. He heard Badili snickering over him. Nakala reeled his hind leg back and kicked the underside of the smaller leopard, knocking him off balance. The lion took his chance and threw himself at Badili, both felines wrestling one another in the dirt. Badili got the better of Nakala, pinning him down and sinking his claws into the lion's side. Janja heard Nakala's roar of pain and ran into the fight.
Janja snarled, jumping on to the back of Badili, biting as hard as he can into the leopard's shoulder. Badili yowled and rolled off of Nakala. He ripped the hyena off his back and pinned him to the ground as Janja was still reeling from the impact. Badili bared his fangs and grew close. Janja barked, swiping his paw. He managed to rake his claws across Badili's muzzle. Badili jumped back and placed a paw on his muzzle, wincing in pain. Janja saw his chance and scrabbled away from the angry feline. Badili saw this and dived at the hyena, catching Janja by clamping his fangs around the hyena's leg.
Nakala rose to his paws and looked around him and saw Janja trapped. With no other though Nakala ran full force and rammed into the leopard's side, leaving Badili tumbling across the dirt.
"Thanks, Nakala.." Janja grunted in pain, looking up at his mate. "...Nakala?" The lion didn't react to a single word his mate said. Instead Nakala kept his gaze focused and unflinching on the leopard shakily rising to his paws.
Badili growled and charged at Nakala and the lion readied himself, rising to his hind paws. The two felines lock together, fighting and clawing at each other once again. Badili swung his paw sharply into Nakala's muzzle, knocking him down. Badili wasted no time pinning the lion down to the ground. He bared his fangs and lunged down for the lion's throat. Nakala leaned to the side just in time to avoid the leopard's fangs piercing his neck. Instead Badili bit deep into Nakala's shoulder.
Nakala felt himself lock up from the pain. The feeling throbbed and surged through his whole being. It continues, growing stronger and stronger. Nakala noticed that the feeling spreading through him had changed. It wasn't pain anymore, Nakala could feel it changing as it spread further and further through his body. The feeling was familiar and growing stronger. Badili removed his fangs and the sting of that brought Nakala to the realization of what he was feeling. It was the urge again, that same he felt when he hunted. But he never felt so strong before, and it was only growing stronger still. His whole body burned with a need and he felt himself standing up, he couldn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore. All he could feel was the heat of his blood as it flowed through him. He planted his paws firmly on the ground, but when he took a step forward he fell once again. He looked over his shoulder to see that the wound on his shoulder was bleeding heavily along with the clawing Badili gave him earlier.
"Hehe...I'll save you for last," Badili chuckled darkly, turning away from the lion and turning his attention to an injured Janja still on the ground. The hyena noticed this and tried to get away but as soon as Janja stood up a jolt of pain shot through his leg causing him to drop back on the ground. Badili only moved closer, watching the event, finding the hyena's struggles a bit funny. Janja saw that something was wrong with Nakala so he looked over to Amana and Chungu but the two of them were doing everything they could to keep Mapigano at bay.
Nakala looked over at Badili, feeling dizzy and tired. He saw the leopard slinking closer to Janja who only inched back further and further. Nakala could see Badili raise his paw, his claws unsheathing and flexing in preparation to tear.
Nakala's eyes widened upon seeing this. He was filled with a surge of strength he didn't know he still had. He rose to his paws easily and the burning urge returned just as strong as before. But now it burned with a fierce urge to protect his mate. His paws moved on their own with him thinking, faster and faster until he was running full force. Just when he realized he was doing something his body was making another unconscious action. Just he didn't worry about that, all Nakala was focused on was saving Janja before it was too late.
The sound was heard by everyone fighting. It was quick but loud and sudden enough for everyone to freeze completely. A quick yell from Badili cut short by what sounded like him choking. The leopard reached for his neck and fell to the ground. He convulsed a bit before ultimately going limp. The fresh scent of blood hit everyone's nose and it was clear for everyone to see what had happened. Badili lay there motionless on the ground with a torn open throat. It was a sight that Amana and Chungu had to turn away from while Mapigano stood there stunned at what lay in front of him. The leopard looked over at Nakala who stood motionless with a glazed look in his eyes, his paws and legs wet with red. Mapigano still didn't know what to think. It happened so quickly, so fast that he didn't even have time to react. He was Badili about to take out the lone hyena, the lion stood up and in the blink of an eye...
Janja was the first to break the silence made by everyone. "N-Nakala?"
Hearing the hyena's voice Nakala finally blinked and shook his head. He looked around to see everyone just staring at him, even Mapigano.
"Wha- Huh?" Nakala the fur around the lion's paws felt wet and he looked down to see what it was. His breath caught in his throat looking down at the substance that coated his paws. He turned around to see the body of the leopard still dripping blood on the dirt below.
Nakala jumped and let out a horrified gasp. "I didn't...I didn't mean to.."
Mapigano saw his chance, he had to get away and report what he saw to Zira. As all eyes were on the lion Mapigano turned around and bolted as fast as he could.
"Huh? Wait-! Stop!" Amana called after him but the leopard was already disappearing into the distance.
"Nakala..." Janja called to his mate. But the lion said nothing, simply staring at the leopard lying on the ground.
"Nakala!" Janja yelled at the lion, finally getting his attention again.
"I didn't mean to...I didn't.." Nakala repeated, keeping his eyes shut tight. "I..I don't know what happened. But I didn't mean to kill him.."
Janja, despite the stinging in his leg, pulled himself closer to the lion. "Nakala, look at me. It's gonna be okay. You save my life. If it weren't for you I would be dead right now. Nakala nodded at the hyena's words and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself.
A new sound drew closer to them and everyone turned towards it on edge.
"Hey! What's going on? I heard a lot of noise--," it was Cheezi who came running towards all the noise he heard. He stopped in his tracks upon seeing the leopard lying on the ground and Nakala's paws stained in blood.
"Quick!! Come with me, Cheezi. You too, Chungu," Amana ordered. "We gotta make sure that other leopard still isn't in the territory."
Cheezi had a confused look on his face, but followed behind Amana and Chungu anyways. It was then that Nakala and Janja were left alone.
Nakala looked down at Janja's leg and gasped. "Y-you're leg.."
"I-I'll be fine.." Janja assured the lion.
"What should we do with him?" Nakala asked, looking over at the leopard lying still on the ground.
"Well, he could be something to eat," Janja suggested with a forced chuckle.
Nakala almost wanted to laugh as well if only to distract himself from all that had happened. The lion felt his balance waver, something visible to Janja as well.
"You okay?" Janja asked. Before Nakala could even nod he felt himself leaning until he fell onto his side. Feeling so weak and tired, Nakala couldn't resist the urge to close his eyes.