Haramu-chanua - Played by Truth.Be.Told
Verge'lian - Played by +Sephiros Immortal+
The air smelled different here. Sharper, darker. She sat just outside the boundaries she could scent...unsure if this was the place she'd been seeking, the place she'd heard whispers of. The firefly-and-fire furred lioness twitched her tail anxiously. She did not like trespassing...but she had to know. Haramu-chanua HAD to know if this was the place where others like her dwelt. The small lioness stood and shook herself. Yes. She would enter. And she would find out the truth.
And if this place was truly what she sought, she would pray that her teacher found this place as well. Jibril deserved to stop wandering. With her calm regained and her nerves steeled, she trotted forward to seek out other demons in this night-drenched land.
A contemplative air had taken Verge'lian this evening. Often he walked the borders, the silent guardian for his lands and the demons within it. It was, he rather thought, a testament to the newness of this group of like-minded individuals, the pride still a bumbling cub with paws and claws far too large for itself, stumbling to put one foot in front of the other. That was something that must soon change...if the demons really were to become the dark harbingers of the night, grand creatures to rival all others. Raising his great silvery-maned head, he sniffed the wind, blue eyes lidding with satisfaction...this was his land, and none could gainsay his claim. Steel flashed into those sapphire orbs moments later, however...there was someone here...a scent he did not recognize, and as was his duty, he loped forward to investigate. Perhaps it was a seeker of the dark, but then again...perhaps not.
Haramu was on guard, senses open wide as Jibril had taught her. A follower of Sparda could not afford to be caught off guard by any. Especially not a follower trained for battle. Though small, her form was lithe and muscular...someone used to gaining the upper hand in battle through her size and training. A faint leonine scent caught her attention, and she quickly worked to locate it, sniffing the air around her carefully. Ah...there...
She turned the direction it was coming from and sat in the grasses, river-eyes calm but alert and muscles ready, in case she had to fight. If this wasn't the place she was looking for...she was ready to fight back if needed.
She was waiting for him, and that was a development he had not foreseen, he stopped a few paces away from her, cocking head to one side inquiringly. "Who are you, and why have you come here?" It was almost formal, and cold as per his usual. He had no real love for anyone beyond one or two of the children he had sired and a being that was now long dead due to his own mistakes. "Do you know upon whose lands you tread?" He hoped that she did, for her sake. Too many a fool had found their mistake too late.
Haramu gave the blue lion a rather calm stare. "My name is Haramu-chanua...and I am here seeking demons. I heard whispers that they were gathering." She made a bow. "If these are not the lands of demons, I will willing leave without fuss." Demon she was, but she would uphold the ideals of Sparda that Jibril had taught her. "Might I ask your name, since you have mine?"
Ah, so she was a seeker, one looking to see the truth of things, and a thrill of pleasure skittered over his mind. How refreshing. "These are the lands of the demons. You seem a noble creature, Haramu-chanua. I am Verge'lian...one of the two Aran'shale. The whispers are truthful ones, though I daresay they have been instilled by the more aggressive side of our gathering." The concept of a noble demon had once seemed laughable...but Sparda had shown otherwise by example.
She smiled, a reserved but true expression. "It is good that I took a risk then." Haramu bowed again. "It is good to meet you, Verge'lian. That phrase sounds familiar...I am sure my teacher has mentioned it before..." She thought for a moment, working to recall her teacher's language lessons. "It is a term for King, yes?"
He nodded slowly. "It is. Each of us represent a patron god....though my appointment was by birth not by selection." It had been a toss-up between he and his brother, really...but Verge had somewhat made that decision, and though his father had not been pleased at the accidental death of his son, Verge's remorse was the deciding factor for his ascension.
Haramu nodded, untensing her muscles. "Which gods do you follow? The whispers have said nothing of them." Perhaps Sparda was followed here. If so...she hoped there were others that followed the path her teacher had shown her. It was dull, practicing alone. And hard to further one's knowledge and skills that way. "And would there be a place for a warrior among you?"
He smirked faintly, canting head to one side. "Sparda and Morifaer. and warriors are more than welcome within our pride, such would have been my calling if I had not become Aran'shale, though I serve in that capacity still at times." She would be a wonderful addition to their ranks, and she seemed more inclined to his side, and he was indeed...always looking to add to his ranks.
At the mention of Sparda, she relaxed a little more. "I have not heard of Morifaer, but I do know of Sparda. I have followed him since I started to grow into my paws, and my teacher far longer than that. It is his ideals that I strive to uphold." Sparda, who advocated that demons and mortals should stand together, not destroy each other. And though she was small, Haramu held herself as a knight...noble, strong, and unbending. "If your pride would have me, Aran'shale, I would love to join its ranks." Finally...a place to belong.
The male's eyes glinted with satisfaction then, and he nodded slowly, an almost formal gesture. "Sparda is my sire." He stated simply, pleased to give note of his heritage to someone who understood the value of it, for it was something he took great pride in. "And I would welcome you into our ranks, Haramu...we are desirous of capable lions such as yourself to strengthen the Aikanaro'hini." Ah yes, this one would come, and she would be an ally, and that, more than anything else, caused a wave of satisfaction to wiggle warmly down his spine.
Haramu's eyes flashed with both admirartion and calculation. A lion with Sparda's blood...that was something she had never thought she'd see in her lifetime. And if he was a leader...it was obvious he lived up to his bloodline. "Well...I never thought I'd meet a mortal offspring of Sparda." She bowed her head in respect, both for his rank and his blood. "Is there anything I must do, Aran'shale, to be accepted into the pride?" There were few prides she knew of that accepted without some sort of test first...And those that had no test, she tended to avoid out of suspicion.
His own eyes glinted icy-cold then, with anticipation, and a paw swept forward and he gave a grand sort of half-bow. "Why yes...there is a challenge...fight me and earn your place, prove your prowess." Shaking his silvery mane, there was an almost wickedly playful air about him. "May I have this dance?" He rumbled, waiting for her to make the first move.
Haramu's own expression changed to one of...something between content and anticipation. A fight...her element, what she'd trained for since she was a juvenile. "It would be my pleasure and honor." Yes...she would prove her smaller size was no hindrance. She lunged forward, aiming to strike at his legs rather than higher.
Ah, very good, due to her smaller size, that was a wiser strategy. Rearing up on hind legs, he attempted to pin her with forepaws, using his larger size to his advantage, planning on using weight and speed to do his job. Verge possessed the title of Aran'shale, and he was only thus because he had the means to defend it.
The lioness grinned and twisted to the side, her claws seeking purchase in the inside of a back leg as she moved. She'd grown up learning to fight against a larger opponent...Jibril had been nearly twice her size.
Ah, excellent, she knew well what she was doing, and Verge simply let it happen as he let himself fall to the side, away from her claws, rolling in the grass for a moment, knowing that he was letting her having the advantage, but it was a fair trade for not letting her have his tendons.
Haramu was back on all fours, but not standing. She was crouched, ears back and pupils wide. Good...She let her muscles unbunch and launch her towards Verge, intent on getting a paw over his throat. She knew she wouldn't be able to pin him with her size...But her smaller claws cut cleaner and deeper...in the right place, it was near as effective as a pin.
He knew what she would try. Any smart lion would go for the throat...but he let her have that hold, though his hindquarters were bunched, ready to fling her off, hovering delicately underneath her stomach. It was something of a standstill position, as either could cause intense pain and damage if they were to try. She had done very well...oh yes...
Haramu grinned, a strange expression on the normally calm lioness' face. "I expected you would either defeat me, or we'd come to this. One does not rush in without weighing the odds." She sheathed her claws, grin fading from her face to return to her normal expression.
Verge'lian smirked, "You seem to be quite adept at taking on creatures who have the advantage in size." He noted, "It was very well done..." What an interesting lioness she was, she would indeed be able to hold her own within their pride, where the strong prospered.
"I grew up learning from someone nearly as large as you, Aran'shale." She retreated fully and sat a few feet from him. "Thank you for your praise." She bowed her head once again. This was good...Haramu felt anticipation dance on the tips of her fur.
Rolling easily to his feet, he nodded his head in respect. "Good then, now...come, I shall escort you into the heart of our lands..." Such was his duty, after all, though he could just have sent her on her way alone, he was a more courteous fellow than Iartuupe was. Any day they welcomed a new demon...was a good day, and Verge was inclined to be particularly giving, especially to a lady demon.
Haramu stood and made to follow Verge, an almost content look on her face. "I look forward to seeing the heart of home." Home...she was home, and accepted. This was a very good day indeed. "Might I learn a bit more as we walk?" Best to not make a fool of herself after proving herself.
