The smell of death is what brought Kifunguo to this area once again. It was the over powering stench of rancid fat oozing across the bones of the unclean that made him feel at home. With his ‘vision’ he could see the outline of the lioness stalking towards him and of the decaying carcass snapping to pieces out of her jaws.
Tikoto knew why he was there, but that didn’t make this meeting any more pleasant. What had been a enjoyable afternoon in her graveyard was now a test of wills. Before her stood the God that had raised her, her mother, her guiding light, but with a mane? It’s a trick! Mother had no mane. Obviously it was a God meant to deceive her, like all the rest, but without the knowledge to be able to do the job properly.
“You’re dying, Tikoto.” Kifunguo stated plainly. One look at her emaciated frame was all a normal lion would need, but he could see her weakening bones. After so many years of warring violence, and perverse acts they had begun to wear long before their time. “Like all of your kind. I haven’t come to fight with you; I just want to talk.”
The lioness dropped her toy beside her on the parched ground and gave him an arch stare. Her orchid eyes were brighter than the depravity that burned like a fire in her soul. “What gives you the right to come here, looking like her, and saying such things to me?” Tikoto snarled, lips pulled back away from her fangs.
For whatever reason he stepped forward, his large paws making a firm impression in the dusky ground. She snarled, and moved away. “Tikoto, you are not the daughter of a Goddess. You would have had visions if you were.” He was sure that she could see things that didn’t exist, but that was more out of madness than any gift. “I’ve come to bargain with you over the health of your son.”
“Which one?” She responded snidely. Tikoto stood tall, her back crooked as if ready to pounce. “You’ll have to be more specific than that, imposter.” If there was one thing she had in abundance it was offspring, and she would use them to distract him before she took the threat of this God. Even as she spoke she began to circle him.
“You know the boy.” Kifunguo said levelly, struggling to keep his calm. Was she daft? He turned his head when he sensed her moving around him, and kept his wings up in a defensive gesture. Tikoto truly was lost if she thought herself strong enough to take down a God, or anything for that matter, in the condition she was in. “Gaige. Mpenzi stays with her father and siblings, but Gaige was left to you. I should have known your horrible judgment would ruin him.” Taking a deep breath, he tried to sound civil. “Think of your son when I say this; let the boy come with me. It is not too late yet to save him. There is still time.”
“Let him go?!” Tikoto shrieked. There was a shocked desperation in her voice; a yearning for the jealous nature that would rule it’s ugly head. “You would take him, but not me? Where were you when I needed you?! I’ve been waiting for mother for years and I’ve done everything she asked of me, but for what?” She snapped at his wing. “I would rather slaughter Gaige than to give him to you. “
Kifunguo took his great wing and swiped it through the air. The bones sliced through the air to smack into Tikoto’s body, tossing her onto the ground. She yowled into the stale air. Within a moment he was ontop of her roaring into her ear with a large paw pressed onto her throat. Despite her struggles he kept her pinned as easily as if she were a bug.
Biting at his toes, Tikoto did all she could to free herself. Dark spots had started to fade in her vision. After a time she became less aware of the blood in her mouth, and more focused on how thick her ears had become. When Kifunguo let up the pressure she sputtered, coughing as an ache began in her temples. It did nothing to quell her fury. “Let. Me. Go.” She snarled.
“Not until you have listened to me, first.” Kifunguo pressed down upon her once more, causing her at least to become still. It wasn’t what he had wanted out of this meeting, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. “Give the boy up to his father, or to me. I don’t care either way, but when I return he should be somewhere safe. You will two moons to do this.” As if to make his point Kifunguo released his claws into her neck and tore into the flesh. “If he isn’t gone, then you will be.”
When he let up off of her Tikoto’s first reaction was to lunge. She didn’t get his neck like she would have preferred because of his thick mane, but her teeth latched onto the God’s shoulder. His yowl in pain was almost as sweet as was the taste of his blood. She had never had anything better! When he pushed her off she took a chunk of flesh with her. Tikoto stood before him, his blood running down her maw, consuming him with a look of utter hatred. “If you threaten my family again, or if you try to take him from me, I will be the end of you. You can come if you want; I’m not afraid of you.”
Kifunguo clucked his tongue, his long fangs cutting into his lower lip. “No, but you should be. I don’t make empty threats, girl.” Wiping his paws of the situation, for now, Kifunguo spread his wings and took off with a great up thrust into the sky. A few drops of his blood landed on her upturned face before he gained enough height to fly away from the depraved lioness.
(WC: 1015)
