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Gunnar loved his father, he really did, but he was swiftly growing tired of this talk about marriage. He hadn't married, but he'd had sons. They were bastards, vikingborn, but it had never occurred to Gunnar that they might be thought of as lesser until Thorgrim returned to the pride and started braying at him to marry. Gaved hadn't brought any sons back to the pride. Gunnar felt like he ought to get a little credit for managing to reproduce where Gaved, the favored son, had apparently failed thus far.

"Skada was a captain before she was a lawspeaker," Gunnar pointed out. He didn't much care, but he hoped it might make her a bit unsavory in Thorgrim's eyes. If he married any female, he didn't want it to be one as intimidating as Skada. Dalla, now--Gunnar didn't often talk with the female, but he had heard Lena fret about the lioness. She sounded altogether too clever, and sly to boot.



Gaved wasn't particularly interested in marrying and having some bitching whining sop of a lioness on his a** night and day, but he was pleased that Thorgrim was thinking of him. He knew that marriage would be necessary at some point, and it might as well be to a suitable lioness. "Skada has some fire in her, then. She'd balance our your softness," Gaved sneered.

Skada and Gunnar. That would be a sight to behold. The female was altogether too mouthy for Gaved to deal with, but he would love to see his brother browbeaten by that hag. "I'll need a more obedient female. I wouldn't be able to tolerate Skada's mouth, and I don't want to have to beat my wife."



Since leaving her birth pride, Sabah had come to see that good company was hard to find. So many creatures were suspicious of one another, or just plain nasty. Especially the males. It was wonderful finding an agreeable lioness to roam with, and Miela had become a good friend.

Sabah yawned, stretching her paws. It was a lazy day, a pleasant day. The territory was strange to her, of course, but it seemed like a perfectly peaceful place to spend an afternoon. She yawned again. The temptation to nap was almost overwhelming, but she had a rabbit stashed nearby and didn't want to wake to it gone. "I'm going to go get that rabbit before I fall asleep, Miela," Sabah said, rising to her paws reluctantly. "We can snack on it later." She smiled at Miela before turning to go fetch it. A nap and then an easy dinner. What more could two lionesses ask for?

Gunnar had been raised knowing that a Stormborn male had the right--nay, the responsibility--to care for Freeborn females. To protect them from danger and their own foolishness, and to guide them (perhaps using a firm paw when necessary).

In reality, things didn't seem to work that way. At least not for him. The idea of trying to show Skada (a Lawspeaker!) the error of her ways was... well, it didn't sound like something he could do. It definitely didn't sound like something he wanted to do.

The fact that his father thought he needed some boldness was grating, but Gunnar was saved from answering by the scent drifting on the air.



Gaved didn't really want Dalla, but that wasn't because he didn't like her. It was because she didn't seem like the kind of lioness he liked: slutty, dumb, and easily pressured into doing what he wanted. Still, he supposed he liked the idea of having some legitimate cubs to carry on his blood and so forth. Dalla did seem fairly biddable. At least, she did what Thorgrim told her. Gaved shrugged, hunkering down beside Thorgrim and Gunnar when they paused to sniff the air.

"I'll give Dalla a try," Gaved whispered. He inhaled deeply. It was faint, but Gaved was deeply attuned to the smell of strange. "Lionesses," he breathed. Gaved twitched his tail, feeling quite gleeful. There was a good chance--a great chance--that they were outlanders and thus his for the taking. Unable to wait a second longer, Gaved darted forward, sprinting towards that alluring scent.



"You give me a call if you need me, too!" Sabah said cheerfully. Drifting off into the high grass where she had stashed her rabbit, Sabah was soon out of sight of her friend. She didn't hear or smell the male lions approaching the watering hole. Sabah rustled around in the grass, her focus on the ground. Now where had she put that thing?

Gaved had thrown subtlety to the wind. If the lioness hadn't heard him before, she certainly would now. He didn't fear that he would lose her, or that she would have time to prepare and fight back. He was with two other strong Stormborn males! Or rather, one strong Stormborn male and one warm body that would most likely cooperate. Whichever.

Blowing into the clearing, Gaved spotted the dark lioness first. He took a bare second to assess her before approaching. She had a dark pelt, and looked reasonably pretty for an outlander. She didn't seem to be very ferocious either. Too bad, he wouldn't have minded a good fight. Still, she might fight now that he was cornered. "It's your lucky day, little lioness," he growled, blue eyes narrowed as he prowled towards her, ready to leap if she should make a move to escape.



Gunnar liked fighting. Gunnar liked raiding. Gunnar liked intimidating outlanders, and he liked the sport and challenge of capturing thralls.

What he did not like was Gaved, whom he found disgusting. Gunnar didn't know what pleasure there was to be had in menacing females. He had tried it once, and given it up out of sheer embarrassment in the face of the lioness's kind and reasonable responses. He did not want to join Gaved in hurting some lioness, especially not under his father's watchful eye. Gunnar couldn't help but scowl as Thorgrim glared at him.

"Nothing," he grumbled, breaking into a run and going to join Gaved. Although he had grown sons of his own, he knew he sounded childish and surly to Thorgrim, and the knowledge rankled. Reaching Gaved and the lioness, he moved around to flank her, frowning. At least Gaved wasn't trying to brutalize her right in front of him. "Don't fight, don't run." Gunnar said wearily. He probably didn't sound very enthusiastic, but he did his best to sound at least a little menacing.



Sabah wasn't too far away to hear the growls of lions. Their voices were deeper than Miela's, darker. Unfriendly. She lifted her head to sniff at the wind, laying her ears flat against her skull. What was going on? They couldn't be Miela's relatives, could they?

No. This wasn't Miela's territory any more than it was hers.

It would have been more sensible (although probably pointless) to run and try and find help, but Sabah's curiosity got the best of her. If Miela was in danger, maybe there was something she could do to help. Maybe Miela was being menaced by some young rogues, and a good swat on the nose would sort them out. Bullies that picked on a young lioness all alone would probably vanish once she was joined by a friend! Everyone knew lionesses could be fierce in groups!

Moving as quietly as she could, Sabah crept back towards the watering hole, taking care to remain hidden in the grass.

Of course, she wasn't the world's greatest stealth huntress.

The swat stung, her pretty little claws raking his cheek. Gaved jerked his head back, snarling. Oh. Fun. He wanted to toy with her a bit, to repay her for that swat, but Thorgrim marched in and cuffed the female to the ground. He bared his teeth at her, frustrated. That wasn't any fun at all. Efficient, maybe, but where was his reward? Gaved had inherited a combination of his father's strength and aggression and his mother's ruthless self-interest. It all came to the front now, making him growl. He felt ... wronged. He deserved something from the lioness now crumpled under Thorgrim. He was owed.

Gaved wouldn't turn on his father though, so he swung his head around, still growling. A flash of yellow in the tall grass, not far away. She must think she was being sneaky, but she was clearly visible to the trained eye of a hunter. There was another female, and with his paws full Thorgrim wouldn't be able to pin this one down to spoil his fun. Gunnar wouldn't dare get in his way. Focusing his frustration and rising anger on the yellow lioness, Gaved charged after her.


Gunnar was relieved when Thorgrim pinned the dark lioness down. That was quick and clean. Boring, maybe, but he had never been interested in testing his strength against a lioness's. Not a meek lioness like this dark one, anyways.

Unfortunately, there was another lioness, and the dark one was stupid enough to start yelling after her. Cursing her (and his father's keen nose) under his breath, Gunnar ran after Gaved. He sprinted this time, knowing that without Thorgrim's direct interference Gaved would be able to do whatever he wished to the outlander. He caught up just in time to see Gaved rear up and strike at a yellow lioness, his heavy paw hurling her to the ground. "Father! She's caught!" Gunnar called, hoping Thorgrim would leave the black lioness and come drive Gaved away from this one before he killed her. They were still close enough for Thorgrim to see them clearly (especially with the grass trampled down), and hopefully come intervene.


Sabah's heart froze when Miela began yelling for her to run, but it was too late. She turned, still thinking herself hidden, and began to creep away. She didn't want to go too quickly, thinking the sound would alert the lions.

But they were already more than alert enough to catch her. Sabah began to run in earnest when she heard the heavy paws behind her, but she was too late. She let out a cry of pain when the lion's paw crashed into her head, and fell limply to the ground, stunned.

Frustration again! Gaved hesitated. He wanted to beat the already-stunned female some more, but he didn't want to disobey a direct order from Thorgrim. Growling, he sank his teeth into the female's scruff and began to drag her back towards Thorgrim.



Relieved that Thorgrim would be taking over, Gunnar moved in and flanked Gaved as he dragged the lioness back. He didn't want to seize hold of her himself, knowing Gaved would lash out if Gunnar touched his prize. When Gaved dropped the female at the edge of the clearing (still too far from Thorgrim), Gunnar immediately grabbed her scruff himself to continue hauling her to their father.



Furious that Gunnar wanted to hand the lioness over so easily, Gaved swatted him. Hard. "You're--you're mussing her," he choked out, struggling to come up with an excuse for hitting his brother. When Gunnar dropped the lioness, clapping a paw to the bloody lines on his face, Gaved took the opportunity to hit the lioness. "You woke her up," he said accusingly. He snarled at the limp lioness, striking her again. In truth, he wanted her to wake up. Females that just laid there doing nothing were dull. Gaved liked a good deal of squirming and wailing--in terror or in delight, either one.

Gunnar was getting pissed.

He didn't want to take the damn lioness for himself. He had been trying to get her over to Thorgrim, away from Gaved. Gunnar had seen some of what Gaved did to unfortunate outlander creatures, and he didn't intend to watch Gaved slake his lust (bloodlust or otherwise) on the poor lioness. He certainly didn't want to deal with a terrified, cringing wreck of a thrall when Gaved immediately tired of her and threw her out of his den.

Flustered, Gunnar cast a glare at all of them. Gaved, Thorgrim, the yelling dark lioness, even the dazed light one. His glare settled back on Gaved, who had seized the lioness by her scruff once more and had begun to shake her viciously to wake her up. With a roar, Gunnar charged his brother, plowing into him and knocking him away from the lioness.



Furious that his brother had touched his prize, Gaved shook the lioness until she cried out. Her eyes were clear and terrified. Perfect. He clawed at her, struggling to decide what to do with her next. He couldn't do anything too terrible, not in front of Gunnar and Thorgrim, but he wanted to claim her as his.

And then Gunnar barreled into him, sending him sprawling. He turned his wrath on his brother immediately, slashing at Gunnar and driving him back, but not before Gunnar had torn open his shoulder. "Get away from me!" Gaved roared, snapping at Gunnar. "You're ******** that bard, that Solvtorn! He's ******** Solvtorn!" Gaved howled, directing it towards Thorgrim now. Of course, Gaved had no idea if that was true, but he was pissed and he wanted Thorgrim to help him pulverize his brother. The lioness was briefly forgotten.


Struggling to her feet, Sabah stared at the battling lions. She didn't know what was going on. Madness. It didn't make sense. Her head hurt too badly for her to understand.

Miela!

Heedless of the massive lion guarding her, Sabah ran towards her friend. Maybe she could distract him. Something. Anything. She wouldn't run (or stagger) away and leave Miela with these monsters.

Gunnar glared at his brother, too aghast to respond. He knew exactly what Gaved was trying to do, but Gaved must be an idiot if he thought he could turn Thorgrim against Gunnar so easily. An idiot! He was lucky Thorgrim didn't smack him!

Thorgrim's irritable growl spared Gunnar from having to answer to Gaved's stupidity. Unfortunately, Thorgrim had a comment for Gunnar as well. Gunnar didn't need to be told to beat a thrall into submission, but if stupid Gaved hadn't started hurling the female around and biting her to begin with she would probably be lying down as meekly as the lioness at Thorgrim's feet. Gunnar growled. He was fed up, fed up with Gaved, fed up with Thorgrim still not understanding that Gaved was perhaps the biggest a*****e in the universe, and fed up with the day in general.

Turning his back on Gaved, Gunnar lunged at the yellow female. He threw a paw over her shoulders and dragged her to him. She didn't look up to fighting, but just in case, he extended his claws and pressed them hard against her to discourage any struggling. "Well. I'm not taking her as a thrall, then. I'm taking her as a wife."

Spur of the moment decisions fueled by frustration and defiance always worked out for the best, right?


Gaved was chastened, and bitterly angry that Thorgrim had quieted him like a foolish cub. Gaved was embarrassed. It was intolerable. He didn't give a s**t about either of the lionesses anymore. He wanted to kill Gunnar, wanted to tear him into a fine pink mist. Only the knowledge that Thorgrim would be furious kept him from jumping on Gunnar when his brother turned his back.

And then ...

"WHAT?!" Gaved screeched, near-hysterical. "That thrall is MINE! I CAUGHT HER!" He whirled on Thorgrim, eyes blazing. "Look what trash he is, he isn't your real son!"


Sabah let herself be drawn close to the lion, bewildered and horrified. She wanted to push him away, but those sharp claws were terrifying. Sabah didn't want to be hurt again. She ducked her head, bracing herself for whatever came next...

"What?" She asked in a small, horrified voice. She turned her gaze to poor squashed Miela, baffled. Appalled. Was that what the big brown lion intended for Miela, too? She tried to pull away, but her captor's claws sank into her shoulder and she froze.