[PRP] Something to Burn (Meshach & Astraois)

[katersaur]

He had always been a quiet lion, preferring action over words. Even in his youth and early adulthood, he had preferred play fights, and later hunting and patrolling, over idle conversation in the moonlight. It wasn't that he didn't have things to say, it was more that he didn't often find an appropriate time to say them - Strai's timing was often terrible. He would rather spend quiet time while completing tasks with family and friends and talk later. For some, that later never came. Unfortunately, instead of learning his lesson, the dawn hued male had only reverted deeper into his wordless life, preferring to answer simple questions with grunts and blank stares. One might say the once happy-go-lucky cub had grown into a grumpy adult.

Now, though, now was finally the time to say something. First, action was required. Astraios had heard rumors and whispers of his brother, the great rebel. Meshach had never been far from his brother's mind. Ever since the overthrow of who Astraios could only mentally label as the rightful line of succession, he had become grumpier and angrier, retreating further into a dark hole. He was ashamed, truly, for not speaking out the way his brother had. That had been the right thing to do, the right action. Action was the only true sign of character, and here Meshach had proven himself and Strai had failed miserably. How would his mother feel if she could see his inability to act all this time? Worse, how would his father feel? Disappointed, assuredly.

Strai glared bitterly at his paws as he ran, spinning on a familiar spiral towards some angry end. Sometimes it ended with a fruitless and violent hunt. Sometimes it ended with the destruction of small to medium plants, or kicking rocks. Occasionally, he lashed out at family members he perceived as "capable of handling it," or at least that was how he justified it. Outward signs of his pent up anger, and it was only a matter of time before that aggression was directed at another pride member. The most recent altercation between himself and his older brother, Atlas, had dismally injured a long standing friendship between the two (or so he believed). This couldn't go on. His anger needed a direction to fire, something to burn.

His self punishing pace came to an abrupt end. Breathing heavily, Strai looked around him, somewhat unfamiliar with the scenery. Though he did venture to the perimeters of the pride territory on occasion, he hadn't spent much time in this area, and he was far from the reach of the prying eyes of the guard, royal or otherwise. This is where he hoped to find Meshach. It was time for action.  

[magnadearel]

katersaur

Thanks for starting! Wordy is always fine for me!

Meshach was quite familiar with his 'territory' now. He had to be. It was a matter of life and death that he knew all the best places to hide. The lives of his mate and cubs were at stake. There was a lot of strain on his shoulders with trying to incite a rebellion from the outside, but the purple lion was holding up well. No one could say he was the pampered prince he use to be. Especially not when he could chase and catch his own food now.

He was about to leap out to take down at sizable meal for his family. The beast spooked before he had even moved. At first he was baffled, the animal hadn't been looking at him! He hadn't betrayed his location with a step or a sound. Then he heard it. Heavy footsteps and breathing. Someone was out here! Probably from the pride. His family wouldn't move like that. Meshach pressed himself tightly to the ground as he tried to locate the position of his enemy. He hoped it wasn't Shangyue's goonies coming back to finish him off. When he peaked through some tall grasses though, a pale purple yet familiar pelt greeted him. It couldn't be could it? The lion held his position; waiting to see why his brother was out here.  

[katersaur]

magnadearel

Oh, no problem!

Strai sniffed the air, attempting to put rusty tracking skills to use. Sure, he took his anger out on small animals within the pride's territory, but that was nothing compared to the actual hunt - more physical exercise than actual use of skill. His lack of a tracker's nose put him at a disadvantage out here, in the unfamiliar borders of his home. If he had any experience with finding his own dinner, he might have noticed the large prey before it fled. Sudden movement, dust and the sound of hooves rushing off caused the lion to startle. His front left paw left the ground, his head reared back. Just as quickly as he lost his footing, he regained it, digging all four feet into the ground and squaring his shoulders towards the movement. He might have been caught unawares, but he wasn't going down without a fight. If one of the royal guard was out here watching him, he was ready.

Of course, this was ridiculous. The sound of hooves alone gave away what had disturbed the peaceful quietness of the night. Strai glared after the prey, displeased with his defensive reaction. His muscles relaxed, he huffed. If he couldn't recognize dinner until he was almost on top of it, how was her to find his brother?

The dusk colored lion jogged forward, planning to continue on his quest, when instinct kicked in. He was not alone. He stopped suddenly, squared with the ground again. The fur on his back raised slightly, his tail swung from side to side. Something was here, and it wasn't the meal he'd just sent running. "Who's there?," he shouted, obviously unaccustomed to stealth.  

[magnadearel]

katersaur

Meshach wanted to wince as the lion called out loudly, instead he settled for a low sigh. At least his brother had noticed he wasn't alone anymore. Still, he had to do something and fast before others noticed something was off. "Keep your voice down!" Meshach hissed hopefully just loud enough to be heard by Strai. "Get out of sight and come over here."

Maybe it was questionable to invite his brother over. He hadn't seen his siblings since leaving the pride. The question that bothered him was why was Strai here now? Meshach settled deeper into his hiding spot as he waited for his brother to join him or not. He hoped that maybe he could get some new info on how the pride was doing.  

[katersaur]

magnadearel

Called out for yelling at an unseen adversary, Strai finally realized the error of his ways. While he hadn't exactly been quiet on his run across the pride lands to the borderlands, he had managed to evade watchful eyes and lose a tail (at least, he felt he was being watched - with his sense of tracking, it might have been a hare). Now, faced with instructions from a partially obstructed foe, he became uncertain. Could it be someone who knew where he could find his brother? Could it be a family member? Or was it a trap set for grumbling lions looking for the whispered rebellion.

Strai huffed again, gathered his strength. What was he thinking? This kind of nonesense was what had him sitting pretty in a pride run by a despicable lion, brooding over loved ones long gone. Now was the time to act. Furs still ruffled, prepared for anything, he brazenly moved towards the voice. Just before reaching him, he thought he caught a glimpse of familiar purple...