[PRP] Success is Always Bloodred (Elea/Machafuko) - [Finite]

[Krysin]

A lone lioness hunting was a ridiculous idea. A lone /and/ injured lioness hunting was even more of a ridiculous idea. But even after Nadra's insistent warnings about the fragile state of Elea's leg, Elea was set on going through with her plan. It was a foolhardy and risky idea, sure, but Elea was young, and thus entitled to such things. Besides, she hadn't been able to make a proper kill since her leg was injured in the earthquake. She had tried countless times, and had failed just as many countless times. Yet, she still felt she had something to prove. She would show their group of survivors that her leg was not a hindrance. She would work through this. Elea always did.

Nadra had perched in a tree a small distance away from where Elea was stalking. The vulture kept a careful eye on her bonded, the other on their surroundings. Elea was stalking right towards a small group of antelope. It wouldn't be an easy catch for the lioness, and that fact alone made Nadra want to fly over to Elea's shoulder and point her in the opposite direction. Antelope were light and springy. In all reality Elea did not stand a chance. But she was too determined, and even Nadra's words couldn't sway her. Elea had lost her sense of worth, and she was grappling through the dark thoughts of her mind to find it once again.

Nadra sighed and anxiously watched on.

Elea had found the small herd of antelope, and already she was carefully scanning each member. There were the young, but they were too small for Nyonda. Nyonda deserved something larger and more filling. But a beast in its prime was something that Elea would not tackle. She was determined, but she was not senseless. She knew she had limits, far more limits than ever before. Her body wasn't the same, and couldn't keep up with the old strategies Elea had plotted. This hunt would require something new... something ingeneous.

She found her victim, an antelope that had been injured as well in the earthquake. It was really a lucky break for Elea that the creature was so injured and had survived long enough for her to find it. But... the antelope was inhibited by an injured leg, much the same as Elea. Its limb was more fragile, though, and it seemed like it had been snapped in half. It hung uselessly, and Elea considered it a miracle that the creature could cope with such pain, and not trip over its own leg.

Elea would do the creature a kindness, and end its suffering.

Lower to the ground she crouched, and then it was a waiting game. She didn't know how fast the creature could run, but it seemed to almost by outcasted. It was as if its fellow herdmates knew it would attract predators, and they had decided to shun it and offer it up to the first hungry beast. Fortunate for Elea. Not so fortunate for the antelope.

Elea began to crawl, being careful to stay downwind of the herd. She was circling closer and closer, all the while being careful not to put too much pressure on her injured leg. In fact, she had gotten used to not using it at all. Some times it was just less painful to keep it off the ground, though her muscles were strained every time she held her leg up closer to her chest than to the earth.

It was an easier kill than she had imagined. One lunge and she had the creature's neck in her jaw. Blood prickled from underneath her fangs as the antelope kicked underneath her. Careful to keep her leg out of its way, she suffocated the life out of it. The rest of the herd had long since fled the scene, if only because the kill might attract more predators. She doubted they much cared that the old antelope had died. The lives of the healthy were more important - sometimes Elea was real happy she was a lion.

With the creature now dead, Elea silently pondered to herself how she'd be able to drag the carcass all the way back to Nyonda.

Having just parted ways with Msiba, Machafuko was in a truly bizzare mood. Real weird. Instead of his usual ignorant-bliss-type of mood he was... rather blank. Most unusual, what he had just done. He wandered into the savannah, his bonded perched on his back, also oddly silent. Her normal nagging, completely absent. The two were blank slates- emotional ghosts. He had... just served a purpose. It was a rare thing, that. Few could get him to do it, those who nagged enough to annoy him into doing it (making serving a purpose the easier route.) His family was the other source of usefulness. He knew when it was absolutely necessary, and this time it had been.

His muzzle was laced with blood from that kill... How odd, what a rush it had given the typically-lazy male. He'd only gotten a rush like that one other time... He licked his lips, and savored the irony taste of the blood from that kill. He didn't pay any attention, but his claws, too, were painted crimson. His thoughts were there when yet another delectable scent reached his nose.

Antelope. Dead antelope. "Food," he said in his more-typical tone. "Antelope, fresh," the connoisseur might not know much, but when it came to food, he knew everything. The scent of his previous kill was now intermingled with the antelope's scent.

And yet another! Only... This one wasn't food. He remembered this one. Mach always held grudges- this was that Elea! He gave a light growl of irritation. Yet... She had something he wanted. Something he wanted bad. There wasn't much like antelope. The only thing that trumped it, in his mind, was zebra. Regardless, antelope. It was worth a shot, he'd come up with an excuse on his way. (No, he didn't really remember what Elea had said about excuses, he probably wouldn't until it was too late.)

"Hey Elea," he said as he approached. He could hear Mtalia click her beak agitatedly, obviously displeased with recent events, though her mouth was shut. about it. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong paw the other day..."

And this... was his way of fixing it.

She was suddenly alert, because a new scent had wafted over to her nostrils. It was one that she recognized, but with a new kill laying limply underneath her, she was naturally wary. She had table manners a-plenty, but she didn't like the lion that this scent belonged to. His laziness had annoyed her to no end. He was mooching off of their group, and Elea would have been more than satisfied to see him shunned from it. He wasn't going to be a welcome presence around Elea, but she would still try to be civil.

Nadra glided from the tree and over to Elea, landing a few feet short of her, so she had to hop the rest of the way. Elea reluctantly removed her jaws from around the antelopes neck, but she couldn't make herself relax and sit down. This was her kill, and she didn't want a freeloader to be anywhere near it.

Her kill.

Suddenly the pride washed over her once again. She was a huntress! She had made a kill, even with an injured leg! Not many lionesses could claim that, and so Elea let herself bask in the glory for a few moments. Machafuko's presence cut off her silent celebrations, though. No matter how much she wanted to revel in this moment, she had to get the kill back to Nyonda. Machafuko might even be of some use for that, but Elea wasn't sure she trusted him enough.

"Hello Machafuko." Her voice was polite and clipped... which was a clear sign of the effort she was putting in to being civil. As he continued to speak, her nose imperceptibly twitched in irritation. From the tone of his voice, and his own words... he wanted something, and she had a suspicion as to what that was. Well, she wasn't going to share, she had already decided that. This kill was for Nyonda, the one lioness who deserved it the most.

"Yes, we did get off on the wrong paw the other day. But, nothing will change that. I'm sorry, but I won't like you no matter what you do." He had spiked her hate in her first major impression of her. It was not going to be so simple a thing to erase. He could try all he wanted, but Elea was known for being stubborn. None knew it best then the vulture beside her now, and if one listened carefully, they could hear Nadra sigh impatiently. Elea just wasn't going to get along and play nicely.

Mtalia's mood was not so easily shifted. Still out of her nagging self, the lammergeier swooped down off of her perch on Mach and landed in the dirt beside him. She was not nearly as entertained by this meeting as she had been with the last, but perhaps it could eventually knock her out of this funk. Until then, Mtalia was merely silent. She ruffled her disorganized feathers and lowered her head, glancing from her bonded, to Elea, to Elea's bonded and back.

As for Mach... Msiba's words echoed through his head. Be on your best behavior, yeah yeah. He couldn't help it though! This was his nature... He'd beat around the bush a bit, that was as good as his behavior could get beyond the occasional purposefulness, and Msiba had to know it.

"Well, so it is." he said simply, deciding at this point that it wasn't worth trying to reconcile things between Elea and himself. He had neither the energy nor the patience for such... Nor the drive.

"Nice kill ya got there," he said. The words for a wounded lioness. hung in the air unspoken, but anyone could tell he was thinking it. His eyes turned from Elea down to the antelope. He was quite clearly needing to hold himself back, and doing so successfully for now. If it hadn't been the snippity lioness who'd made this kill, he'd have just swiped it, but... Mach had a bit of fear of Elea. Though, not as much as he had for some other lions, and he hid the little bit he had quite well. He knew he was walking on eggshells around her.

His hungry eyes were latched onto the antelope as Elea's jaws had been just a few moments ago. "Any... Particular occasion for it?" He asked, not even bothering to look back up into the lioness's face. He felt his body shifting ever-so-slowly forward and quickly pulled himself back into a seated position. Best behavior... Even Msiba's patience was growing thin with him. He licked his lips and tasted the blood from... that last kill. Made him want the antelope even more!

It was clear that his interest was not in her, but instead was in the kill she had made. But... something was troubling her. There was still blood fresh on Machafuko's jaw. He had certainly ate, so why would he need to try and swipe her kill if he was already full? Was he really just that greedy? Clearly. Elea could not see how anyone put up with him. He took and never gave anything in return, and Elea badly wanted to discuss this with someone. Maybe they could convince Machafuko to leave... but his bonded bird would provide testament that he somehow belonged here. It was frustrating just thinking about it.

Her eyes narrowed the instant he mentioned her kill, and she stepped over her kill, putting her body above it in a blatantly defensive gesture. She was telling him in simple terms that this kill was her's. He had no right to try and lay claim on any bit of it. The last time he went hunting was probably with Haja, and she was certain that they hadn't come back with anything. He was no use, and until he became of use, Elea wasn't sharing. Besides, this kill was destined for one mouth only, Nyonda's. "Thank you, I worked hard for this," she said icily. She was still doing her best to remain civil, because it would be stupid to fight over a kill. Besides, she was sure she could hold Machafuko off with words alone.

"This kill is for Nyonda, for her strength. I will let no one else taste it, not even myself." She bowed her head, examining her kill carefully, as if to reassure herself that it was still there. "I know that no one else wouldn't want to touch something that was for Nyonda's health." Elea had made this kill for her, and she wasn't going to let Machafuko think further of claiming a piece of it. Nyonda was the one who needed this the most, and when the pride was in tough times, it made certain to take care of those who were most critical first. Machafuko could starve for all she cared. He wasn't important.

"I will bringing it to her shortly, once I catch my breath. It is not easy for me to hunt with my leg on the mend." If she kept him talking, maybe he would think less about the kill. It wasn't guaranteed, and if he continued to think about it, Elea would have to chase him off. She was set on getting the meal to Nyonda.

"Nyonda..." he said, barely audibly, obviously there was quite a deal of thought behind the word, but even Mach couldn't figure out why. Her defensive position over her kill made her answer quite clear before he could even ask the question. Mtalia glanced from one figure to the other, leaving out Elea's bonded now. This situation... was rather quite interesting.

You'd better be on your best behavior, his brother's angry words. And that bonk to the head. Mach could feel it boiling up inside him, but he lacked the capacity to contain himself. "Why is everything so maddening anymore?!" he lashed out turning away from both Elea and Mtalia. His anger was not directed at Elea, but at everything around him. At things he couldn't speak of, about the situation his little group was in, about how every stinking lioness in the Pride was starting to hold out on any food for him. They were heartless, in his secret opinion. Things were starting to add up for Machafuko, he couldn't contain himself any longer! He normally wouldn't have exploded, only... he'd had a very odd day today. He hadn't had such an odd day for ages...

Mtalia finally spoke up, knowing there was urgent need for her voice. "Calm down, Mach." Her tone was a cold command, the only emotion showing in it was her typical annoyance. She knew the significance of him losing is cool, and that he absolutely must not do it.
...

"MTALI--" He retorted, but his voice was cut off by hers.

"HUSH." If one could do so, the lammergeier would have shot blades out of her eyes. His sudden silence was uncanny, he'd normally be mouthing right back, but for now his eyes avoided Elea. She was just in the background with her little kill, at the moment. His glare was directed back at his bonded, who did not back down. The scrawny male began to regain his composure, licked his chops again for a little more of that flavor and gave a nod to the lammergeier. She seemed content again and repositioned herself into a more relaxed state. They both knew: This encounter was not a showcase of Mach's best behavior.

"Sorry, things just stink right now, don't they?" The male said as he returned his gaze back to the lioness. Mach didn't truly understand exactly how bad things were, but the weight of everything was starting to get to him, regardless of whether he comprehended it or not. He was sure Elea would agree with that point; anyone would agree on that point.

He sat, tail twitching in silence for a few moments, eyes glancing from Elea to her bonded, to her kill. The gears were clearly turning in his head. "Yes, I suppose Nyonda should have... it." he said begrudgingly. One could tell, though, he was not finished. There was yet another pause before the male continued. "Look, I've had a rough day. Certainly both of us could stand to have just one bite of it," he said with a whine in his tone, bargaining. Just one bite.  

[Krysin]

Elea was shocked at the burst of anger from Machafuko - she had previously thought him too lazy to get angry over anything. Beside her Nadra clicked her beak in annoyance and even worry. Yes, something was definitely off about Machafuko today, and it made Elea all the more cautious. He almost looked as if he was ready to snap, and if it was her against him, she would most certainly lose. Yet, somehow she did not expect things to come to that. He was just throwing a hissy fit, her mind told her. He wanted food, and she wasn't sharing, so he was venting out his frustration verbally.

She watched Machafuko turn away, and while he was busy she drove her attention to Nadra. "Something's up with him," she spoke softly, eyes fixed on Machafuko's back.

"I wouldn't try to provoke him further. The best thing now is for him to go away and cool off." It seemed like Nadra too did not expect it to be anything more then a temper tantrum. Surely it would by typical of Machafuko, who was so lazy that he had to have gotten everything he wanted as a cub. He was spoilt, and so when he didn't get something he wanted he had to whine about it.

Elea was on guard when Machafuko turned back to her, but a part of her seemed relieved that he had gotten his anger under control. That was for the best, because Elea did not exactly know how to respond to his anger. She was in no condition to truly stand against him. She had her bark, but not as much of her bite. Then again, she did have Nadra with her, and Nadra would get help as quickly as she could. She might have stood a chance, but she wasn't going to risk it. No, Elea was going to do her best to keep from angering him further, and instead would just hope that he'd go away.

"It is hard times for all of us, for every member of the pride, and every one outside of it. So, yes, things stink." She tried to keep the mocking tone out of her voice when she said 'stink'. It was such a childish word, but she had told herself that she wasn't going to purposefully provoke him.

...But he was just asking for it. She sighed, agitation clear on her face when he started bargaining with her. "No, I said that I won't touch this meal, and I also said that no one except Nyonda will too. We're not having 'one little bite'. We're not touching it." She stood firm on that subject, and there was no way that Machafuko was going to change her mind. Elea was well known to be a hard-headed individual, and when she had put so much effort into this kill... she wasn't about to give it up... not for any reason.

Machafuko had not intended to get all riled up, but... so much was weighing on his mind. He licked his chops once more, getting another savory taste of that crimson blood. It was too bad for him that doing so only made him more hungry by the second! And that kill... delectable! Whatever the case, the lion was hungry, and Elea was still not giving him what he wanted here- that kill that was simply sitting there between her feet. It was so close, and yet so far away! Machafuko could attack her for it, but as thick as he was he knew that that'd be a devastating move.

However... If there was one member of this forsaken pride that he'd want to mess with, one member he'd want to harass and laugh at, humiliate and plunder from, it'd be Elea. She was the very top on his list, number one! First, she makes him hunt, then she won't even give him any food!?

Yeah, that was top-of-the-list material right there, in Mach's mind, and he wasn't about to forget it, either.

"Well, you'll have to touch it just to get it back to Nyonda." he said more quietly, a little sneer in his voice. "And you'll have to bite into it anyway to get it there, so you're wrong on both cases... What's the harm...?" After all, it was a huntress's duty to feed those in the Pride, right? And as far as she was concerned he was a pridemember.

He was being terribly annoying, and Elea wasn't sure how long her patience would last out. "Of course I'll have to touch it. I do have to get it back to Nyonda somehow. But I'm not going to take a chunk out of it and eat it for myself. I'll only do what's necessary to get the meal back to Nyonda. You, on the other hand, would happily eat all of it and bring to Nyonda dried bones." Oh, that was a little harsher then she had intended, but her anger had gotten the best of her. Even now she was hovering more protectively over the kill, making her stand against him clear.

"There is plenty of harm in it. Nyonda is our queen, and she will get a queen's share of a meal, uncontaminated by your saliva. Besides, it looks like you've already eaten. Why be so greedy and demand more?" Her tone was demanding, and it seemed like the more he spoke, the more she refused to budge on her stand against him. Even with Nadra glaring at her, Elea continued to stand her ground. The vulture thought it would be best to take a safer route. Elea thought it would be best to stand up for what she believed in.

"Don't bother answering that, actually. I think I know the answer." He just wanted, and that was it. He saw something that looked good to him, and though he had already ate, he still wanted that thing. It was disgusting to her. "I'm leaving. I have to get this back to Nyonda, and I wouldn't tempt you further by keeping this kill near you." She bowed her head, and captured the antelope's neck in her jaws. Yet, she didn't leave. She was waiting for Machafuko to go on his way... because she would not turn her back to him. She didn't trust him enough.

Machafuko didn't speak a response, he had no need to. The typically-chipper lion was different on this day. He licked his lips, remembering the kill that had stained them but his face was terribly contorted. One would think that no living being could look so livid as Machafuko. If looks could kill, Elea would be 6 feet under already. He had glared at her before, but this one was different, more full of malice.

Instead of full-out answering her, the lion muttered in a snotty, childish tone, "I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday morning. My stomach's empty, why wouldn't it be?" It had not been intended for her ears to pick up, but it was very much audible. A mistake that Machafuko had not realized, but Mtalia did. She disguised a concerned look and flapped up to her perch at the base of his mane, giving him a silent warning by digging her claws in a little too painfully.

Instead of turning 180 and going the other way, Machafuko went off on perpendicular to her, headed about 50 feet off and plopped into the shade. His mind wandered to where he'd get food to fill his empty stomach.