[META-PRP] A Noble Sacrifice.

[Zingling]

In the dead of night the leopard left, leaving his servant to attend any details that might come up, though he knew full well that there wouldn’t be anything. If a thief were to come about he had no shred of doubt that Casp would take care of them in whatever means he deemed necessary. There had been word of new pelts in the market tomorrow and the leopard had learned young that being there early was the best way to acquire anything of value.

Trading kept his mind occupied, especially when the approaching anniversary of the death of his wife and mistress came near. He didn’t so much miss his wife, but the thought of his mistress brought him great pain along with aggression.

Finally at the bottom of the mountain, Sool, also known as Emerce by those of the mountain, looked back up the mountain. Had anyone followed him? Frowning, the muted colored leopard turned back to the path into the woods. He couldn’t quiet shake the feeling of eyes on him, but that might just be him being paranoid.

Passing the place where his wife and others had been buried, Sool paused for a brief moment. Grey eyes analyzed the spot where she was now laying, six feet under the ground.

“Good riddance.” The leopard muttered under his breath before continuing his journey into the depths of the woods.

The wind always sounded stronger inside, branches creaking violently and swaying to and fro. If someone was to stalk another it surely would be easy on a night like this. Turning back to look up at the mountain and to make sure he wasn't being followed again, Sool shrugged his shoulders. The wind and noise of the forest must have been getting to him, he reassured and pressed onward.
 

[SilverLutz]

Nike sat quietly in the forest, her wounds finally healed to the point where they didn't cause her pain to move. Some were still scabbed over and fur had yet to grow over them, and to be honest she wasn't sure it ever would. Her exile had been swift and painful when she had challenged her mother for the title of queen, but it seemed her ambition was bigger than her talent. She had retreated to a deeper part of the forest after the banishment, licking her wounds and trying to think of a way back into her pride and her mother's favor.

She never had the intention of disappointing her family. In fact, the opposite was quite true. She had been raised with the proud knowledge that she would one day become queen as the eldest born and perhaps that knowledge had forged her desire for the title a bit too quickly. Her mother was still strong, after all...but patience had never been a virtue she had possessed in large amounts.

Her temporary home was near the mountain the leopards and cheetahs of the Mlima called home. She would gaze up at it in disgust from time to time. Nike was not what you could call fond of those that lived there. When she went out hunting, even before the exile, they had jeered and insulted the lions that she was with. She knew there was a truce between the prides, but by Nana, she wanted to sink her teeth into one of them and give them a good shake. They thought they were so high and mighty calling down to them from the safety of a cliff, 'accidentally' raining snow or small rocks down on them as they hunted. Pathetic.

The wind shifted violently as it often did, and a scent caught her nose. A lone leopard was in the woods. Surprised, Nike stood and began to move towards the scent. Usually when those of the Mlima descended to the woods they came in large groups so as to avoid an attack. But this one...yes. He was alone. She stilled as she caught sight of the male who seemed a bit hesitant, checking over his shoulder now and then. As she followed him a plot formed in her mind. She could capture him...yes...and bring him back to her mother as a peace offering. Alive, of course...his pelt was pretty but his mind was what they wanted and needed. Information on the group above them, information that might pertain to Nana.

It was with silence and force that she attacked. She jumped from the shadows without warning, charging towards the leopard as silently as she could, the snow softening her approach. She reached out with her claws, attacking from behind, a silent snarl on her lips.

HP: 30
Damage Dealt: 3  

[Zingling]

He was in the right to be paranoid, however it was in the unluckiest of ways that he his paranoia had been confirmed. The attack from behind left a gash on his left hind leg and his face buried in snow. The leopard had absolutely no idea who it was that attacked him, only that it left him feeling enraged.

Lip and brow twitched as a low, rumbling snarl emitted forth from the leopards maw, his paws pushing him forward, away from the attacked. Whipping right around on instinct and adrenaline, Sool swiped a clean, solid blow at the face of the attack, now whom he recognized to be a lioness.

“Wretched beast! Why are you attacking me?!”

Hissing at the lioness, the leopard arced his spine upward, making himself look larger, his fur and tail standing on end. He was backing up, readying himself for another attack. Where could he run? How could he escape this?

HP: 19
Damage Dealt: 6  

[SilverLutz]

Nike wasn't expecting the leopard to attack, to be honest. She was expecting him to cower in fear and to come along like a good little waste of fur after the quick attack. The slashing claws caught her by surprise and she barely had time to react, lifting a paw to try to shield herself.

Too slow.

The claws ripped open the scar that had barely scabbed over from her exile and she bellowed in pain, blood making it impossible to see. She staggered back, the question barely reaching her ears as she pawed madly at her face. Her nose felt as if it had been completely ripped off, although she knew that wasn't the case.

This leopard wouldn't be brought back just for intelligence now, she decided as she snarled in pain once again, each movement making more blood push through the wound. He would be taken back as a sacrifice. Surely her mother would approve of that.

HP: 24
Damage Dealt: 0  

[Zingling]

Quickly surveying the area with dark grey eyes, Sool realized quickly that his only way out was to get passed the hulking mass in front of him. As she writhed in pain and blood rolled down her face, Sool found it the perfect opportunity to make another attack.

Rushing at her, Sool used his head to bash the lioness’ head upward, turning his paws away from her body so he could make a dash for it while she recovered. However, he wasn’t nearly as nimble as he thought, crashing to the ground as he attempted to make his mistake.

Right brow twitched as he cursed his bad luck. What would this mean for the colony if he was captured? Especially in the woods of all places.

Scrambling, the grey leopard curled up around himself, attempting to keep limbs close before he got up. If there was ever a chance to hurt him, it was now.

HP: 19
Damage Dealt: 3
 

[SilverLutz]

Nike managed to clear her eyes in time to see the attack coming. The hit to her head made her see stars, but it was nothing next to the searing pain of her re-opened wound and the new ones to match. She turned slowly in time to see the leopard fall and knew this was her time to act.

Partly blinded by blood still, she pounced onto the leopard as he fought to rise to his feet, her claws sinking into his flanks once again.

"Come quietly, leopard, and perhaps you will live," she snarled. Thankfully she had gone through enough training to shove the pain out of her mind now that she was growing used to it. The scarred, bloody face that she wore would certainly be intimidating to look into, especially at such a close range.

HP: 21
Damage Dealt: 4  

[Zingling]

Sool winced, his body retracting from the attacker as blood spilled forth from the wound created by the lioness. Taking a glance at the wound, he felt his stomach twist. He had to get out, had to get help…

The adrenaline from battle and the searing pain that was now nipping at his torn flesh caused the leopard to go into some sort of berserk fury. His eyes darken as he let loose a guttural growl that seemed eerily misplaced coming from such a small creature. Picking himself up, the pain shot through his body, making him quake, yet the soft grey creature seemed to dismiss it. He would repay her for harming him.

Lashing out, the leopard let loose a heavy hit, cutting away at her shoulder. Sool aimed to knock her off balance at the very least, enough to get away. However, he had half a mind to kill her instead.

“I will never dishonor myself with cowardly actions.” He hissed, dark eyes aflame with fury. He was losing himself, giving into the fire of rage.

HP: 15
Damage Dealt: 5  

[SilverLutz]

"Oh, on the contrary, it would be quite honorable of you to do so," Nike snarled in return. The leopard was desperate, she could tell, and she couldn't blame him. Here he was alone with a lioness in the woods at night. There were only so many scenarios that she could think of that would see him escape. One would be if he killed her, which was highly unlikely. Another would be if he could escape long enough to climb a tree, but he could only stay up there for so long. Another still would be help coming for him, but there were no sounds other than their snarls and hisses.

She took the hit to the shoulder but didn't loose her footing, managing to get in a quick swipe of her claws as well. "The attacks will cease if you give up," she offered, panting heavily as her wound continued to bleed freely on her face.

HP: 16
Damage Dealt: 1  

[Zingling]

The small scrape the lioness created only seemed to encourage the leopard to attack harder. She wanted him to stop? He could hardly keep himself from laughing. It seemed she was the one having issues. Watching her pant and bleed, he couldn’t help but grin. He might have the upper paw, if he killed her there would be no trace of him ever cutting through the woods either.

“Hah! You say it would be honorable for me to give myself to you, a ploy to keep yourself from gaining any more ugly scars.”

Taking another swipe at the lioness, he felt his paw hit flesh with a force he barely recognized. This was what it was like to fight for his life. He was enjoying it, something at last to bring him some sort of comfort after so much death.

Those bodies that haunt him were all but a dull throb in the midst of battle.

HP: 14
Damage Dealt: 6  

[SilverLutz]

The blow that came next didn't feel like it was from a leopard. It brought back memories of her mother's large paws raining down on her, and for a moment she paused, catching her breath. This leopard was bothersome, but she wasn't going to quit now. To do so would mean utter defeat, and that was not something she was raised to accept. Either victory or death, nothing less.

There was no more breath left for talking. They were both panting, bleeding, and ready to fight until one of them passed out. She jumped forward again, another roar leaving her as her claws raked down the leopard's chest. There was nothing that would stop her now.

HP: 10
Damage Dealt: 4  

[Zingling]

Wincing at the strike, Sool staggered backward. He was panting heavily and all open wounds stung from the cold open air. Growling, the leopard took another hard swing in the direction of his attacker, only this time missing her by a hair.

Pummeling overtop of himself, his face was again covered in dirt and snow. Taking a deep breath he could feel panic starting to creep into his heart.

What would happen if he didn’t win, would anyone come to save him or would he die? His thoughts bled backward, to the beginning of the night. He had Casp. There would be someone to notice his lack of self and surely he would let others know.

HP: 10
Damage Dealt: 0  

[SilverLutz]

Nike pulled back from her attack, knowing she had to stay focused if she wanted to win. She saw the attack coming from the leopard and stepped back at the last moment so he'd miss, and his own momentum sent him sprawling into the dirt. She saw her chance and pounced on it, quite literally.

Paws came down on the leopard's head, claws extended to dig in ferociously. She had no intentions of killing him, but he was being stubborn enough to need to be knocked out. She attacked his head over and over, dealing damage with her claws and the forceful blows alike. Blood covered the snow, both from her own wounds and the ones she had inflected upon her opponent. Whoever came by her next would know a battle had been fought.

HP: 10
Damage Dealt: 12  

[Zingling]

He couldn’t do anything, by the time he realize she was coming for him she was already on top of him. She dug her claws into his head, pounding ferociously at him, blood pouring forth like a stream at the peak of spring. He could feel his ear tearing, almost completely being removed. Then he felt nothing.

Sool could still hear everything, but before long even that sense disappeared. What would become of him now…?
 

[SilverLutz]

Nike continued her attack until the leopard fell still. His breathing was shallow but there and his blood had already started to thicken in the cold air, helping to stop him from bleeding out. Her own wounds were doing the same, the one on her face no longer bleeding freely. She allowed herself a few minutes to catch her breath before going back to work, this time rolling the leopard carefully to his back, then nudging her nose under him until she got the smaller feline onto her.

She got him settled with a few quick tugs of her paws, then set off in the direction of her pride. She was tired and hurt from the battle, but she hoped it would all be worth it. The leopard would surely have valuable information to give them about the pride and anything they might be doing to disturb Nana...and if he didn't...well. He'd still make a good sacrifice.

A tired but victorious smile on her lips, Nike left the bloody and trodden snow behind her, leaving that part of the forest to fall silent once again.

FIN