[PRP] Witch Hunt (Bjargrim/Keto)

[Cornetified]

Up until now, life had been pretty basic for Bjargrim. He was getting bored though. He had his sights set on a new goal; becoming a reaver. Something more exciting than what he was now. He'd started traveling around with a growing band of lions from the group, and was rather enjoying himself.

On their travels through the rogue lands, the group was warned off from a certain oasis by a passing group of strangers. They spoke of a witch, dark and evil, lurking in the shadows with cursed words spewing from her maw. The lions of his group stopped in their tracks and chose a different direction to continue their explorations.

Bjargrim, rather than scared, scoffed and shook his head. Somehow, he'd avoided growing up with the normal concerns of curses, and got the idea to show the others than such a witch couldn't possibly exist. Surely it was just some lioness gone mad from isolation or something along those lines.

While the others rested, he headed over in the direction he'd been warned away from. He would find this witch, and show them she was nothing to fear.

Sabra Knight

 

[Sabra Knight]

Keto scoffed at the foolishness of others. It was so simple, so easy to manipulate these rogues. This was especially true when you pulled on the strings of those so very superstitious ones. A little curse here and there with a trick or two to make it stick... That was what kept her apart. These 'magics' of hers allowed her to live freely in a little piece of heaven.

Boring really.

The oasis had more of a swamp like appeal since it was so close to a jungle and the heavy vines formed a perfect gateway into the dark lioness's den. Skulls of smaller prey decorated the yard with blood runes drawn here and there on the yellowed bones. Herbs and other such remedies also lingerd around the inside of her home since she loved to experiment. Sometimes really all a curse took was a nice salve. Something easy to make a lion lose their fur or to take a toil on the mind and make them see the ghosts that they so feared.

Keto chuckled as she cleaned up around the edge of her home. It had been a while since she had socialized and honestly the name of 'witch' was taking its toil. How was she supposed to find others to experiment on if they kept holding a grudge against her? The cubs had called her names so she had given them a case of boils for a week...and then another a salve was slipped into his family's den so that vultures felt more attracted to their home. Nothing like the presence of the birds of death to keep a shadow on someone's life...

I really am cruel. Still the thought only created a smirk as she began to tear into her meal, a dead antelope gifted to her from a lion who offered peace for accidentally trespassing into her territory.  

[Cornetified]

It didn't take long for the oasis to come into sight. With the sun low in the sky, lagging in rising for the day, the oasis looked deeper and darker than it was. With the heavy jungle in the background, the place would surely be spooky to the superstitious. Bjargrim merely sighed and shook his head. For one little lioness with a reputation to scare away a whole group of lions was absurd...

He would get them back on track.

Paws making a slight squelching sound as they pressed into the damp earth shaded by the trees, he looked around and sniffed the heavy air. Bones and runes dotted around in warning... Snorting, he knocked over one of the skulls and headed deeper, sniffing out the so-called witch. The scent of blood caught his attention, and he slowed down to listen. The trees distorted the direction the sound was coming from... Walking back, he picked up the skull he'd knocked over and, spinning his body for leverage, released the stale bones so that they would knock into the trees and draw out his prey~  

[Sabra Knight]

Cornetified

Was it not too early for this?

As the skull came crashing through the trees, Keto snarled. Surely it was not anymore of those younglings. They had already learned their lessons about trespassing. Perhaps then it was a fool rogue? Someone dumb enough to toss her belongings...they would be fortunate if she didn't toss them through the trees instead. She took one more bite of her meal before sighing. It just seemed like such a hassle to deal with currently. She was much more of a night lioness than a morning one.

Still a faint smirk flickered across her features. It would be interesting to see the expression on the fool's face should she mess with him. Yet a hesitant paw made her glance over her shoulder. The smallest of bones, each carved in a unique way by the lioness, had laid in a certain pattern last night. Was this her sign? A crashing skull through the trees? Should she not poison this rude intruder then?

"I suppose." A powder, not poison yet something to play with the shadows of one's mind, was easily mixed into the blood of the antelope remains. Was he not coming forward? She could get the scent of her intruder, a male lion, from the winds that rustled in the trees. A laughter escaped her as she moved forward towards the edges of the trees, "I'm afraid that's not the best way to knock. Very rude in some cultures, at least towards that poor buffalo you just sent flyin'."
 

[Cornetified]

Ears perking, Bjargrim narrowed his eyes while looking around, alert as possible to his surroundings. The laughter was admittedly chilling, but a creepy laugh did not make someone a witch.

Remembering that others did not often understand the speech of his pride, he thought through a moment before clearing his throat. "If some cultures see it as rude, then I'm sure some other cultures would see it as a pleasant greeting." He turned to face the voice as it drew near, expression firm. "Besides, it's difficult to be rude to something that is long dead and beyond caring how its body is treated. ..If you cared so much, you would not paint it and leave it out for all to see, correct?"

Sabra Knight

 

[Sabra Knight]

Cornetified

Such a proud lion. From the bold way he spoke towards her Keto doubted he knew of her guise as a witch. That or he was truly a fool indeed, a brave thing who had yet to experience the darker sides of the abnormal. Still he was rather attractive for such a fool. Her gaze gleamed in appreciation as she took her time to look over his body. Perhaps she had been alone for too long.


"Are you that well traveled?" She teased lightly, "You must know much about cultures then." At the other comment she shrugged her shoulders, "It is serving a purpose. It's spirit rests while its body exists beyond just being a simple meal." She smiled slowly, a dark sinister expression lighting her maw, "I'm sure it appreciates that in death it can serve to still bite at a lion. Probably has a better chance now of doing something against it rather than constantly running from hunters." Cursed bones rattled and skulls could ward off trespassers. Save for you know, the few bold ones who came in wanting to get their legs knocked out from under them.

She stalked forward finally coming into the sunlight so that the lion could better see her, "As it is, I'm sure you aren't here to just dilly dally. Care to explain yourself tresspasser? The last lion to stumble here left quickly after just receiving a bad chill while others.... have been less fortunate." She shrugged lightly as she sat and licked her paw free of the blood from her meal, "You're in luck if you're bold enough to eat. I feel generous today and have extra meat at home."  

[Cornetified]

Bjargrim frowned slightly. "I could say the same of you," he replied without actually answering her questions. Looking over where he had thrown the skull, he chuffed and shook his head. "If Buffalo have spirits, they would do the same in death as they do in life; wandering in search of comforts."

As the lioness finally showed herself, Bjargrim's brow rose with interest. She looked strong and capable... but not a witch. "It would be something worse than boldness to feast with someone who fancies herself a witch," he said forwardly. "Besides, not far beyond is my party, and I will hunt with them if I wish it. ..I don't come here for a meal. I come to expose your tricks to gain such a reputation as you seem to have."

Sabra Knight

 

[Sabra Knight]

Cornetified

Oh such a cranky one. The lioness rolled her eyes slightly as she listened to his retorts. Her eyes glittered dangerously at his comments on the spirits, "Hmm, I would beg to differ. But what could a mere lioness know of wandering spirits and the darkness that changes them?" It was a teasing remark, yet quite dangerous in its own right. The way she stretched, it was not a sign of comfort rather it was a challenge. A challenge to the fact that this rogue lion made her feel no threat. For her he was still a cub, nothing more.


So he wasn't so simple minded then. That was fortunate, "You harm me, sir." Keto smiled, a bit of mischief dancing in her gaze. "I never claimed to be a witch after all. If others have labeled me as such then I suppose I cannot help their gossip. It's a shame if such barriers prevent two lions from sharing in a pleasurable meal and other.... things." Intrigue made her tilt her head towards him, "Expose me? That sounds rather....different. What, pray tell me, do you plan to do with me?" She snickered, a quiet life that could send chills down another's spine. "I'm quite interested in hearing your plan."

It was a pity that he had no appetite for her food, perhaps then she could entice him with something else. She did love the idea of playing around with such a bold stranger after all. The thought of a nearby party only served to raise her playfulness. This sounded like quite the challenge indeed. Perhaps today wouldn't be so boring after all.  

[Cornetified]

"A mere lioness, indeed," Bjargrim muttered with a snort. No witch. Just a lioness. "Considering your surroundings, you seem to be doing little to change such an impression."

While a logical thinker, he could sense a darker personality within the female. She was up to something... There was a weight in her laugh, making him straighten his spine more firmly. "You'll be dragged from these shadows you hide in so my brothers might see you clearer. Unless, of course, you're willing to come without fuss.."

Sabra Knight