[PRV] Have to do it myself...[Peke, Mchawi, Unyevu] [FIN]

[Nuxaz]

Although Hifadhi constantly kept check upon the youngsters Peke never actually fell asleep. He was wired as a result of the panic and worry that was building up inside of him. It only intensified when the adult returned empty handed. He had failed. The cub clenched his teeth together as he shook his head bitterly once he was sure that the older male was firmly asleep. He knew this would happen. He knew and yet he had just sat and waited like a good little boy.

How could he had been so stupid? Why did he just sit here and done nothing?

Shaking himself he slowly pushed himself up from his position laying down. He was going to find her himself. He'd be damned if he just sat around doing nothing, especially if she had been hurt...or even killed. He probably wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened.

Breathing softly he moved as silently as he could forward and only dared to glance back when he was a sure enough distance away. "Sorry..." He mumbled to himself shaking his head again before turning his back completely and trotting off slowly before breaking into a run. Once he felt as though he was far enough away to slow down he did. Inhaling and exhaling deepily he let his eyes roam over his surrounds looking for any sign of his sister or even his brother. "Don't worry Kuruka...I'm going to find you."

He never would.  

[Kimaria]

Mchawi was fired up.

Her recent fight with Unyevu, the discussion of Kitisho's failure: it had her trembling with rage and she couldn't sleep nor rest until this frenzied energy had left her. She had to do something to get plans back on track. She had to do something to see that this wasn't wasted. They were so close. So close and yet so very far.

That something had come in the form of a white raven.

She had been shocked, at first, to see the creature. It was so similar to Nondo but its feathers were the colour of blossoms, pure and untouched. Either way she wasn't going to miss her chance. Beauty like that meant little to Mchawi and she'd find pleasure in bloodying up those feathers. Besides, she already had her suspicions about this bird. It was special, beautiful and perfect. It had to be bonded to the One she desired. The One who she was risking everything to capture.

She sent Nondo, her own white-necked raven, up into the sky to act as a distraction and leapt. She would capture it. Torment it. She would make it speak and before this was over it would lie broken beneath her paws.

Then she'd have what she wanted.

So enthralled in her hunt she never even noticed the approaching cub.  

[Nuxaz]

Sudden movement caught the cub's eye as he began his walk once more. Hope swelled in his chest as he quickly scurried towards what he saw. He stopped when the beautiful white raven flew past him. His breath was caught in his throat at the sight of it, instantly reminded of his dream only a night ago. The rare albino bird was simply breathtaking and Peke couldn't help but stand still and stare. It wasn't until the other figure popped out before him, chasing the bird, that he was reminded of the rest of his dream.

How the bird was attacked by a dark shadow.

His brows knitted together as he followed the movements of the bird and it's pursuer. Shaking his head he decided that he was going to follow them. He wanted to protect the bird. Just like in his dream...Why had his dream contained a scenario like this? Did it mean something?

He decided to no longer dwell upon it as he pushed himself forward without a second thought. All he was concerned about was how the bird would fare not about himself when he probably should have been.  

[Kimaria]

This wasn't just any hunt. This was a hunt for the good of the future. Her future. Everything depended on the success of the bird's capture.

If this bird did indeed belong to Ufunuo then she'd make it tell her where he was. After that...well, she'd have to trust that her brother wouldn't be too mad if she took things into her own paws. She'd kill the bird, kidnap the seer cub and whisk it away.

She was sure Msiba would follow.

So she followed it, moving silent and swift. Her face was brimming with concentration, her body tense but honed. She was a good huntress, she always had been. It was her right as a lioness to hunt. They were the providers. That made them superior in every way.

She drew in a deep breath, held it, then pushed forwards, increasing speed. Her paws were hushed, her body powerful and lean. She'd have it! She'd have it! She steadied herself, timed her attack...And she leapt, forepaws extended, claws unsheathed. A snarl ripped from her throat and up above her Nondo gave a cackling caw.  

[Nuxaz]

Peke paused watching as the white raven fluttered before stopping to land on a branch. He couldn't tell if the bird knew it was being chased or if it had simply given up. It was that action that caused him to pause in his run as he tilted his head. It wasn't until the lioness that had been chasing the raven attacked that he remembered what was happening. His breath caught in his throat once again as he stepped forward a cry leaping from his mouth. "No!"

His eyes widened at his sudden outburst. Yes he had wanted to protect the stunning, and quite odd, white raven but he hadn't even thought of the consequences. Of course there was rarely a time when he would. He never thought anything through, well rarely. Having decided it was too late to go back not he moved forward even more so. "Leave him alone!" He shouted trying to look tough when inside he felt so small and so weak.

He couldn't back down now he had pushed himself too far down into a hole. Inwardly he laughed instantly thinking of the royal cub he loved to torture. He would criticize him if he ever found out about this incident. It'd go back to him being an idiot. Well he'd rather be an idiot then let the bird of his dreams[literally] be harmed.  

[Kimaria]

The raven did appear as if it had given up, to Mchawi at least. And as she leapt at the white bird perched on its branch she knew she had it.

She could smell victory!

The shout took her off guard but she was already mid-pounce and couldn't stop herself to see who it was. All she knew was that it belonged to a youngster. A youngster who could very well be the One she had been searching for.

And as the bird's freedom was snatched away from it she turned her head, success flashing vibrantly in her eyes, to see the cub. She'd never got a good glance of the cub in her vision, the cub who was supposed to have incredible seer powers. She'd always thought it Ufunuo and it was hard to tell the difference between them. All of them looked somewhat alike, subtle differences in markings.

She couldn't remember this one's name, but with the way he was shouting, he certainly deserved a good thrashing. How dare he show such little respect for her. Unless, of course, the bird belonged to him. And if this was the case, maybe Ufunuo wasn't the One after all.

"You want to save it, cub?" She jeered. "Then come and get it." She glanced upwards in time to see Nondo wheeling overhead. The black raven, apparently not disturbed by the cruelty to its own kin, had turned his piercing eyes onto the cub.

"Nondo!" She barked. "Bring him to me."

The raven gave a cackling caw and turned itself towards the cub, intending to drive it forwards with beak and talon.  

[Nuxaz]

At the sound of the cub's voice the white raven turned it's head back tilting it just the slightest as it looked at Peke just before it's gaze transferred over to to sandy brown lioness. Just as she came in contact with one of his wings effectively snapping it in half. A cry of pain escaped the bird's beak as his eyes shut and he fell from the branch he had once been perched upon. Straight into the grasps of Mchawi.

Peke winced at the ear-splitting scream emitted from the bird but he still moved forward determined to do something to stop the bird from being harmed anymore than it already was. "Leave it alone!" He called again as she mocked him knowing that he stood little a chance against her. It didn't matter, he always plunged head first into dangerous situations, like the one he currently found himself in, without a second thought. This time was definitely no different.

It was only when the lioness ordered her avian companion to bring him to her did he start to think about what might happen should the bird, or the female, got a hold of him. It wouldn't be pretty, he was sure of that. Yet he pushed it out of his mind because something about the white raven called to him. He simply couldn't leave the bird to undoubtedly die.  

[Kimaria]

Whoops.

Had she broken the poor little birdy?

Apparently so!

A small, cruel smile twisted the corners of her mouth, lighting her vivid green eyes with the colour of pleasure. It felt good to be so incontrol, so overpowering that none could defy her! She should have been born a princess so she could have become a queen. The thrill power gave her was intoxicating!

She laughed at the cub's attempts at rescuing the avian. "Or what, little cub?" She jeered. "You'll make me?"

Trusting that Nondo would carry out her orders to bring the cub closer, Mchawi shifted her eyes from Peke and narrowed her piercing gaze at the bird. "Stop that racket." She hissed. "Or I'll rip your bloody beak off." She loomed over the white bird, teeth set.

"Now listen up, bird. If you answer my questions I might let you get away with just a broken wing. If you don't answer them...well...I'll leave that to your imagination." She flexed her claws.

"Where is Ufunuo? Is he your bonded? Tell me!"

Nondo, coming to land a few hops behind the cub, gave a loud caw and flapped his wings. He lurched forwards, half jumping, half-flying, hoping that he would appear big enough and scary enough to bring the cub closer to his Mistress.  

[Nuxaz]

"I'll find a way to!" He growled in response keeping one eye on the lioness and the other upon the raven. He had to be on guard or he could end up dead and he couldn't have that. Not when his sister was out there needing him. How could he have been so stupid to let her out of his sight? He didn't have any time to dwell on it any longer because the bird attacked, well fake-attacked, him and he instantly jumped into a roll forward giving his attacker exactly what he wanted.

The bird fell silent despite the pain that his wing was giving him. However he looked at the lioness with a look of defiance in his eye. Although he had complied for now, there was no guarantee he would do so again. "I don't know who you are talking about." The bird replied clearly as though he was not afflicted by his broken wing. "I don't know." He repeated.

At the name of the cub he loved to torment Peke's eyes widened as he scrambled to his paws. Why was this mean lady looking for Ufunuo. "Why are you looking for that loser?" He asked without thinking about her reaction. An idea clicked in his head. Perhaps he could 'tell' the lioness where Ufunuo was and she'd leave the bird alone.

He moved forward trying to scramble and get in between the two. "Leave the bird alone! He doesn't know anything!" Of course Peke knew everything. Where Ufunuo was and that the royal cub did not have a bonded at least...not the last time he had seen him.  

[Kimaria]

She narrowed her eyes at the bird, not at all pleased by what he was saying. How could he not know? Surely they were linked! The bonded and the bird. Both special, both in the pride. Could it merely have been coincidence after all?

Surely not!

Mchawi did not believe in coincidences. She had seen the cub...wait. No. That wasn't actually true. Her vision had been shaky. Maybe Ufunuo hadn't been the one. Maybe it was...

Peke spoke then and her tattered ear turned towards him. "So you know him?" The smirk widened across her face. And it sounded like he didn't like the cub all that much either. A plan clicked into place. She'd knock the cub around a bit - but not too much. Then she'd get him to tell her everything he knew about the other cubs. Maybe he knew something that could give her a better clue of who it could be.

"I'll leave the bird alone, cub." She hissed, turning to face him. "So long as you tell me everything you know. If you don't. I'll curse you. I am The Witch, after all. Cursing is my speciality." She took a step forwards, giving Nondo a silent look.

In that look the raven understood that she wanted him to watch the white avian. It might have been injured but she sure as hell didn't trust it.

"Because that loser could be special. He could be one of the most important cubs ever born." She didn't mind letting loose some details, since this cub obviously disliked the little royal. She'd feed the fire. That way it might make things go easier.

Maybe he'd throw the information into her waiting jaws!

"If the bird doesn't belong to Ufunuo, who does it belong to?" She growled.  

[Nuxaz]

He had a determined glare upon his features as he carefully eyed the female. A part of him wanted to believe her, to trust that she would keep to her word and let the bird go but...the other part knew that she couldn't be trusted. For all he knew giving her any information would just end with the death of him and the bird. Which would be pointless. Not to mention how angry everyone would be at him. Especially Ufunuo and Hifadhi. And Kuruka would be so sad...

"I'm not afraid of you." He told her suddenly snapping his head up as he spoke. It was a lie. He was afraid of her but not of the curse she threatened upon him. Although he had heard the whispers of the adults who thought he wasn't listening he didn't think that she was a witch. He thought there was something wrong about her something...evil, but nothing witchy.

"Point being?" He asked curtly as though she were speaking about something absolutely absurd. Which to him she was. "There isn't a special thing about him." Obviously he kept forgetting the dangerous situation he was in. Or perhaps he simply didn't care. He was always rash.

The white raven opened it's beak to speak obviously going to protest. "I belong to--" He didn't get a chance to finish because Peke interjected. "He belongs to me. He's my bonded!" He called out determination in his voice. The truth of the matter was that the bird was not his. In fact it was the first time...well second time... he had ever seen the creature yet he felt such a strong pull towards it.

Even if it wasn't his surely it was destined to be. Besides he had heard no protests from the bird.  

[Kimaria]

She was starting to lose patience now.

Peke was playing a dangerous game with her. She was not one for games and she certainly wasn’t the type to take backchat from a cub with an attitude. She’d sooner beat the thing into submission than take any sort of hassle.

Her hackles twitched as he denied being afraid of her. Everyone was afraid of her. Even the adult lions and lionesses regarded her nervously. Oh how she loved it! The look of wariness in their eyes, the hesitation in their voices. She loved making others feel on edge, especially those weaker than her.

So it made her all the more angrier that this cub portrayed nothing of the sort. Either he wasn’t afraid or he was good at hiding it.

Well…she’d soon change that.

She sat, curled her tail so it looped around the white raven and lifted a forepaw. “You’d better start being afraid, cub.” And as she spoke she flexed her claws, smiling down at them proudly. They certainly were a nice set of claws. Honed, sharp, powerful…

Then he spoke of Ufunuo and her ears turned towards him. He seemed like he truly believed Ufunuo was nothing special, just a regular little cub. Maybe he was right, but she couldn’t take his word for it. However, she was beginning to doubt it herself. Not because of the words of this little cub, but the fact that this bird wasn’t his bonded. She was so sure that the seer would be linked to the raven that she was willing to throw away the original plan of capturing the heir completely.

Well…not completely.

Either way, she was willing to accept that the heir might not be the seer she so desperately sought.

And then the white raven chose that time to pipe up and Mchawi felt her heart lift with hope – only to have it sinking again. Damn cub! Damn the blasted cub!! The bird did know something after all! Maybe it was Ufunuo! Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was the cub sitting in front of her now.

In the light of these matters there was only one thing she could do. She’d keep the cub and the bird until more was revealed. She couldn’t risk letting them go on the slim chance that they were the very ones she wanted.

But Peke’s interruption had fed the irritation and she whirled on the cub angrily, a growl rumbling in her throat. “We’ll see about that.” And she reached out a paw to give him a hard cuff across the head.  

[Atheare]

Unyevu wandered aimlessly about the lands, as he usually did when he wanted to think, when he heard a squawk from a bird nearby. The cry sounded almost familiar, as though he had heard it before, but he could not quite place his paw on it. Intrigued, he changed his course to head in that direction, and soon heard another noise, one he was much more used to hearing.

A growl from Mchawi.

Only moments later, he arrived at the scene, shocked and enraged by what he saw there. A cub, the white raven from his vision, and, of course, Mchawi, striking at the cub.

"Mchawi!" He snapped, bounding towards her with a determined look in his eye. "I warned your brother about this, I warned him about pulling any of the cubs into your schemes! You can't do this to them." He hissed, stopping only feet away from the lioness.

"And that raven... I knew you were going to capture it, but I didn't realize how much of a bloody mess you were going to make." He looked down at the bird, the slightest look of apology in his eyes. He knew that it was partially his fault that it had been injured by Mchawi. If he had kept that vision to himself, it wouldn't be in this situation.

Then again, he would have been in very deep trouble.

"Let them go."  

[Nuxaz]

Peke instantly dropped his belly to the floor hoping that he strike would miss. However it only made it easier for him to be hit as she cuffed him nicely upon the head. His eyes shut tightly as he moved his paws to cover his head. "Owwww!" He cried out in pain. It hurt but he was glad that he had been the one attacked rather than the bird. He said all those things to protect the winged creature. He wasn't sure why, he really only seemed to care for himself, but something called to him, told him to protect it. "He's mine not Ufunuo...he's mine!" Peke whimpered at first before his tone escalated as he moved to stand. He was trying to appear brave, to appear as though nothing she did effected him. Unfortunately his head was still spinning from her hard hit.

When the other male arrived in the area he groggily looked towards him the image flickering as his eyes struggled to adjust. His head hurt so much...He simply couldn't focus on anything.

The white raven, seeing the other male's appearance carefully shuffled his way over to the now wounded cub. "Are you okay?" He questioned in soft tones as he lightly nudged him with his beak. It still hurt terribly to move, not to mention he was horribly off balance as a result of his broken wing. "Thank you." He whispered a faint, sad smile decorating his features as he glanced over at the two adults. This was bad. They needed to get out of here. "Once your sure he has her attention make a run for it." He ordered authority lining his tone. "My name is Nguvu by the way." He stated with a brief nod.

"Peke." He replied also turning his attention to the adults. "When I run you should hold onto my fur on my back." He suggested turning away from them slightly as Nguvu moved to climb on his back.  

[Kimaria]

Ugh. What a whiney little brat!

Mchawi knew then that she was never, ever going to permit herself to have cubs. She didn’t think she could ever deal with them, moaning and complaining and getting under her feet. How could anyone want to have a family when all they got in return was weeks of wandering around like a bloated fish, the pain of labour and furry little annoyances?

She was about to tell him to shut his mouth when Unyevu decided to make an unexpected appearance. His angry shout startled her and she whipped her head around, eyes narrowed, hackles up. She still had not forgiven him for what he had done to her. She never would. There would be no civil conversation, no pleasantries to smooth over what she really felt. It was very clear how she felt and hatred bubbled from her.

“Shut your God damned mouth Unyevu!” She stood, trusting that Nondo would keep a careful watch on the cub and the bird whilst she was distracted. “I don’t intend to hurt the cubs.” Yet, she added silently, knowing that if it came to it, she would be fully prepared to do whatever it took. “And I certainly wouldn’t kill them. It’s more important that they stay alive. I’d be more concerned about my own life, if I were you.” She hissed. “If you want to keep out of harm’s way, stay in line!”

So was that all he had come for? To tell her that she shouldn’t be interrogating cubs and – accidentally – breaking bird wings? Or was there something else? Had he actually sought her out for a different reason? After all, he wouldn’t have known that she had a cub and the white raven in her possession.

She turned back to eye the cub, purposefully turning away from Unyevu. It might have been foolish but she’d done it to show that she really couldn’t care less about him or his pathetic threats.

“So, why are you here Unyevu? Surely not to give me lectures on my behaviour.” She laughed.

Nondo leaned forwards and gave a hoarse caw. His beady eyes fixed greedily on the cub and his white raven. He was a gossip collector at heart. It had been the main reason why he had paired up with Mchawi in the first place. However, the pair were talking too quietly for him to hear and he was attempting to shuffle closer to see if he could overhear anything useful.