|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:03 pm
|
|
|
|
The challenge. Halili had gone, as had most of the pride, to see, to witness. With all that had happened, she couldn't even have said for certain which lion she wanted to triumph. It had hurt to watch, to see the King beating Meshach into the dirt. Especially because the Prince wasn't fighting back. She'd held her breath as Shangyue prepared for the final blow -
- only to see her own father rush in as he had so long ago, claws first. And this time she wasn't there, standing in his way. Even if this hadn't been single combat, Halili was no longer certain that she would stand in his way.
She'd been riveted, watching Uchanjaa fight Shangyue. He didn't look or act old, not really, and he'd certainly done better than Meshach. He'd looked like the Guard she'd worshipped as a cub.
Then the unthinkable happened. Uchanjaa fell, struck truly by Shangyue's claws. He ceased to move.
"Father!"
The word had burst out of Halili as she stared at the pile of brown fur and blood that had once been the most important lion in her life. She'd continued to sit, staring, while around her the fight ended, people talked, and dispersed. Eventually the beige lioness came to her senses, stood up, and looked around.
She had to find Orion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:19 pm
|
|
|
|
Hiding well amongst the crowd of rebels who came to watch, Orion had attended the challenge in hopes of seeing Meshach finally strike down the usurper king.. but that was not what happened. His will to fight had died when he skulked off to officially joint he rebels, but he was among the few to nearly start a riot when Uchanjaa jumped in and tried his damnedest to get the king..
He held his breath, possibly from the moment he saw Uchanjaa until the moment he hit the ground. He was seeing stars by the time he snapped out of it but he didn't move, even when everybody else did. Uchanjaa was dead and Shangyue was king, there was absolutely nothing OK with how this had ended. He could feel it in the air, nobody really thought this was OK, but it was done, now. Even Ota was there, before the king, submitting.
Nobody was paying any attention to him now, surely the king still wanted him dead after what happened but there were more important things to worry about. Orion looked around nervously as he tried to think of what to do, where to go-- and then he saw Halili.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:25 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:31 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:38 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:53 pm
|
|
|
|
Just being close to her again, he knew he could forgive her. There may be work left to do, but that was life.. he could give forgiveness now, knowing it would be true in time, and that he would earn hers as well.
"I don't ever want to leave again," he said, "Don't let me."
Right or wrong, whether it had saved his life, her life, or both.. it didn't matter. Walking away from Halili was the hardest, more horrible thing he had ever done and he could never do it again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 6:58 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:06 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:11 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:26 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|