[PRP] Stop Killing My Family! (Chunyue & Nyeusi)

[Puhterodactyl]

Chunyue sulked through the shadows, on a hunt. It wasn't for any antelope or oryx or gazelle. No, the black lion had darker intentions. He was out to find Nyeusi. And exact his revenge. Her father had killed his mother, and she had killed his sister. That never should have happened. Tyfu had been great. A fighter. Cruel and ruthless. And Mari, poor Mari. She should have never gone alone. Why hadn't she gotten him or Dwyllo to go with her? They had killed Umepatwa together. His strength was proven. Surely Umepatwa had been stronger than Nyeusi, even though it had been two on one.

Yes, he could beat Nyeusi. He would. He would kill her for what she had done. And he would kill Orion next.

His thoughts did not linger on how maybe someone was thinking about revenging against him too.  

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Ota had advised that Nyeusi keep quiet about her role in Mari's death. Nyeusi had argued that by being known, she could divert attention away from finding the rebellion's leaders, such as Ota herself. In the end, of course, no one could really control the black lioness and, while she had announced her bloody paws to the pride, she hadn't and wouldn't deny her role when asked outright. So it was no surprise to her that the information would filter through and eventually reach Mari's brothers.

She was somewhat more wary than she'd been the first time Mari attacked. She didn't know any of Tyfu's sons well, but she wouldn't be surprised now if any of them did act quickly.

Which was fine by her. The Huntress saw her role, as ordained by the Great Lion, as the crier, the herald, and the overly loud diversion.

So if that suspiciously lion-shaped shadow she saw every now and then was Iloziya, Dwyllodrus, or Chunyue, she wouldn't be surprised. No, Nyeusi would be pleased.  

[Puhterodactyl]

"NYEUSI." He called out. He wanted to be known. All of the hair on his hackles was raised, his claws were fully extended. His lip curled back over his teeth to flash his fangs in the darkness. No, it had not taken long for Chunyue to suss out the truth of who his sister's murderer was. Lions were afraid of him now, they talked pretty quickly. And he had his father's protection that allowed him to remain in the pride instead of being taken to task in some sort of pursuit of "justice."

He circled the lioness. He hadn't spoken much when he killed Umepatwa. And Nyeusi surely knew what he was here for. It would save him time to skip the chatter so he could kill her sooner.  

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He was loud. Well, she could be too. If she wanted. But if nobody else had known what was likely to happen, now it would be obvious. He hadn't spotted her yet, which meant that she could likely escape if she wanted.

But why do that? Who knew, maybe she could reduce the family even further.

"Missing something?" Nyeusi asked cuttingly as she finally came close enough to identify Chunyue. A pity. He'd been so likeable at the strike, but it seemed blood was much thicker than water.  

[Puhterodactyl]

A low growl rumbled from his throat.

"Perhaps I should have killed your father first so you would know how that felt. Or maybe one of your siblings too. Well, no matter. This is what I decided. You die first." His muscles tensed under his coat. His nose wrinkled with a snarl. No, he would keep this short. It wasn't his m.o. to talk his victim's ear off. Huh. How strange. Trying to carry on with his killing streak. He had felt such deep shame and remorse about murdering Umepatwa. But it had been between Umepatwa's life and his. He had had to do it for Tyfu and for Shangyue.

This was cold blooded.
This was just for him.

Ecavi

ROLL FOR WHO DIES.

 

[mouselet]

Nyeusi stood calmly, watching the younger lion. He was angry, filled with rage, and she didn't blame him for it. However, Chunyue was known to have killed Umepatwa. Yes, his brother had been present and had helped, but this green-maned male had struck the final blow. No one had made him do it.

That made him no different from his sister who'd attempted to deliver the same fate to Nyeusi. And the Huntress had, by the Will of the Great Lion, triumphed over Mari. If it continued to be His Will, she would do so again. If not, she would die, content in the knowledge that it was what He wanted.

"You may try," she warned him. "But none of us will make this easy for you." Admittedly, the wounds Mari had inflicted were far from healed and still caused her pain. They weren't bleeding anymore, but exertion was likely to pull them open again.

"What are you waiting for?" the Huntress demanded snidely, as Chunyue hadn't yet attacked. If he was as enraged as Mari had been, it increased his chances of suffering his sister's fate.  

[Puhterodactyl]

"If it's not easy, then it's not fun." Chunyue smiled crookedly, but there was no amusement in his eyes. His whole body tense, every hair stood on end, making his neon green mane even bigger. He too, had wounds from his previous fight. The adrenaline and shock made him not notice them much in the moment, but in the days following, he was stiff and any move made him reopen the deep gouges from Umepatwa's claws and he would bleed and bleed and bleed all over again. This was far from the ideal condition to attack Nyeusi in, but as soon as he outed her as Mari's killer, he began to hunt her down. Hopefully it wouldn't be as big of a mistake as Mari going after Nyeusi alone.

Maybe he should have gotten Dwyllo to help...

Too late now.

Chunyue lunged at the black lioness, aiming right for the moon on her throat. If he could get her to shut up, then all the better.

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[mouselet]

A harsh bark of laughter was Nyeusi's only verbal response. Still, she wasn't going to go down easily, if at all. She trusted the Great Lion to know what He wanted of this and any conflict, but that didn't mean she was going to stand still for the young murderer.

The lioness sidestepped Chunyue's lunge. She was grazed by his attack, but her vulnerable throat was out of his grasp for the moment. Instead, she unsheathed her claws and aimed them and her own fangs at her opponent. Not only to keep him at bay, but to reopen the wounds she could see lingering, not yet fully healed.

Why exert extra effort when someone else had already begun?  

[Puhterodactyl]

Chunyue was disappointed that his claws only scratched the surface of the murderous lioness. He, on the other hand, stiff and sore from his own 1-lion killing spree, didn't dodge away as deftly. She tore open... some wound. Blood rushed from his leg in a way had not seemed so severe in his fight with Umepatwa. Maybe the adrenaline of being forced to kill made him oblivious to it at the time, but them being reopened made him very much made to face the reality that he was not in peak form like he had been when facing Umepatwa.

Maybe, what if... Maybe he should have brought Dwyllo with him. Well, it was too late now. He'd have to end Nyeusi on his own. He'd struck the killing blow before. It wouldn't be anything new to him.  

[mouselet]

The Hunters and Huntresses of the pride did not usually take down prey as big as themselves without aid, but that didn't mean they weren't capable of it. And just because Nyeusi was commonly considered mad by the pride as a whole didn't mean it had affected her skills in any way.

She didn't truly wish to kill Chunyue. The lion had made poor choices, true, and was justifiably angry by the twin losses of his mother and sister, but at the strike she'd seen hope for him. He was capable of learning.

Nyeusi was happy to beat the lesson into him. At the very least, she'd ensure that he was in no condition to attack anyone else for some moons. At best, she might forcibly change his mind.

In the meantime, he had a new name in her mind: punching bag. And it would be a long time before she let him drag himself back to his den.

Then they'd see if he could learn.