[PRP] Darkness within, and out (Phlegyas, Morwen)

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas lazily strolled around the rogue lands around the Aikanaro'hini. There wasn't much assassinating to do lately, so he wandered around the borders of the pride. He'd been feeling uneasy lately. Hakuna'jina, a lioness of the pride, had returned from the dead as a goddess. He was having visions more frequently, and stronger ones. It was good to get away from others, especially due to the fact that contact with others triggered his visions. Just thinking about it made his lip curl back in a snarl. He had children in the pride, from two litters, and they worried about their father. He would do anything to avoid them at this time.

The emptiness of the rogue lands at night gave him some sense of peace. He took in a deep breath and walked to the top of a rock pile. From there he had a great vantage point, and used it to gain some perspective. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. It was wonderful to be alone.  

[Cajanic]

Morwen wasn’t hungry. She didn’t need to eat, and she didn’t have anyone she was going to give a needed meal to, either. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have to hunt. She enjoyed practicing, and making sure she stayed on the top of her game. It was starting to feel like the vultures naturally followed her around, just because they got good food whenever she decided to take something down and then leave it behind her, untouched. For her, killing wasn’t just about need.

It was fun.

Quickly, she sprang from some tall grass, launching at a small antelope that had wandered too far from his family. It was easy for her to land on top of the young animal, jaws clasping tightly around his neck. She heard it gag, the corners of her mouths peaking up as she decided to let it go. The wounded, struggling animal got to its feet, trying desperately to get away. But Morwen didn’t allow it, knocking it over whenever it got a bit too far. It was fun watching its body give out from under it, the blood loss slowly killing it while it continued to struggle uselessly for life.

Soon, though, the fun ended, and the animal stopped moving altogether. Silently, she turned, leaving the kill behind her as she started to walk once more. It never last long enough.

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

The wind carried the scent of blood to the lion, and Phlegyas turned his head to breathe it in deeply. It was far away, granted, but of all the possible reasons he could be smelling it, the most likely (and the one that gave him most cause for concern) was that something was hunting. It wasn't pride lands, so it wouldn't be his place or his duty to find the hunter and chase them off prey that rightfully belonged to the Aikanaro'hini, but it was hard to ignore.

The lion changed his course to head towards the blood. Even if he didn't find the killer (if there was one), he'd at least get a free meal out of it with zero effort. As he walked, his mind began to focus on the thought of eating, it only now occured to him that it had been some time since he'd last hunted himself. His stomach rumbled and he quickened his pace.

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Puhterodactyl

Morwen let out a snarl as she heard someone approaching quickly. soon, the scent of another lion filled her nose, making her aware that someone must have caught onto the smell of fresh blood in the air and had come to see what was going on. Did he intend to steal her food?

True, she hadn't intended on eating it, but it wasn't like she was big on sharing. A few minutes later and she wouldn't have even known if he had taken her kill or not- she would have been gone. He had just been unfortunate enough in his timing to come while she was still close enough to defend her useless kill.

"Who's there?" she hissed, "if you think you can come here and snatch my food, I'll slit your throat!"  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas stopped and stooped down in the grass just feet away from the black female. It took the glint of her eye and teeth for him to see her, if not for the flash of the moon he might have run right over her and her dark, dark pelt. The purple male studied her for a moment, or as long as he believed he could remain undetected, and he walked forward.

"You make it sound as though that would be so easy for you..." He looked down his nose at her. The demon pride's assassin had a fairly menacing stature if he stood to his full height. He could thank his goddess mother for that. Phlegyas stared at the antelope before her. It was hardly anything to fight over, especially when you had slaves who would fall over themselves to bring you a meal.

"Though you're not on any pride lands, I'll warn you to be wary, traveler. A lone lioness like yourself could find herself in a lot of danger around these parts." His own red eyes shone in the darkness as he stared at her.

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Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Puhterodactyl

Morwen chuckled.

“It would be easy for me,” she commented, “I’ve killed larger and more intimidating than you- the only thing that would get in the way would be your shabby mane.” She was being a bit mean. His mane wasn’t THAT bad, all things considered. It wasn’t as bad as it could be, anyway. And purple wasn’t a horrible color.

Better than some she had seen. Pink and yellow… orange… who could live with those kind of colors on their fur?

“Don’t worry about me,” she almost purred, “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. You’re the one who should be worried. Seems you’re a little on the foolish side, acting like some kind of authority figure.”  

[Puhterodactyl]

His stare hardened. She confessed to killing much too comfortably to be lying. Phlegyas wondered if she had a demon within her. He wondered if he should try to lure her back to the pride, see if he could convince her to join, or at least hang around for a bit. Aneesia, his slave, was good for company every now and again. She'd even given him a litter. But it was small. Two daughters, and one took her mother's white coat that made her a slave. Even his own high birth and rank couldn't save her from that. He did manage to protect her from rough treatment, though.

The male faintly tilted his head to the side. "There's far more to me than what you've sized me up to be." He took a step towards her, peering through her thick bangs to the cold lioness behind them. He was beginning to like her.

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Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Morwen watched the male with a somewhat indifferent expression, her tail flicking from side to side to show a very slight irritation. But it wasn't because she didn't want to be near him, she was just feeling a little annoyed knowing her kill was still there to be taken.

He didn't seem interested, but that didn't make her anymore willing to share, even when it was something she had no use for herself.

The corpse could sooner rot than go to someone else while she was still there to see it.

But at least he seemed interesting. "Is that so? Then what more to you is there, if you feel like explaining it to me." She wondered if he was a pride lion- he had the kind of scent that suggested it. One mingled with many other scents from other animals, probably other lions he shared his home with. Being in a pride was not something she had considered, unless there was something in it for her.

Puhterodactyl

 

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas shrugged and sighed as he began to pace around the lioness. Casually, he strolled and nudged the antelope's head. "Hm." He wasn't interested. His eyes swept from it to her.

"Oh, you couldn't possibly be interested in the politics of a pride. It doesn't matter to you who is the heir of whom, or what one does for their rank, or the difference it makes to be the child of a goddess."

She didn't seem like the kind of lioness you could impress with words. That was never his intention, anyway. His size and fitness spoke for him, his confidence backed it up.

He stared at her, wondering what her story was. He just as quickly decided he'd likely never learn it. But her past didn't concern him much anyway. He had more interest in her future.

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

"You're right," Morwen said easily enough, shrugging her powerful shoulders, "I don't care about your pride or what troubles it may be having. You, however, I find quite interesting." She smiled at that, though it was a wicked kind of smile that suggested she might go for his neck at any moment.

"I would have you come with me," she told him, getting to her feet and moving past him, her tail brushing against his body as she wandered by, "I think we could be useful to one another, at least for the night. Unless you have someone to get home to your pride to."

She looked over her shoulder at him after moving a few steps, still smiling. Now, though, the smile was a little more mischievous.

Puhterodactyl

End for me!

 

[Puhterodactyl]

He raised an eyebrow. So he had impressed her. Well that had worked out well for both of them, he mused. Of course, this could be a trap, but the large, purple male wasn't so worried about his own safety. He'd been taking care of himself for most of his life. What was one more night?

He liked that sinister grin, and gave her one in return, his red eyes glinting in the dim light. He had a slave he'd taken as a sort of mate, but he didn't owe her returning every night. He followed after the lioness, realizing he didn't even know her name. He didn't pause, however. Didn't strike him as important. There was something much more important on his mind.

"After you, my dear."

the end

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Cajanic