[PRP] Only the Beginning

[SkyLetha]

The meteor had come right on time. It was beautiful, tearing across the sky in blazing reds and yellows, the sound music to his ears. The pride cried out in praise, singing their silly songs to the gods. Quite admirable effort, but all for nothing.
He had pulled Jirani off to speak to him just far enough for them to not be too damaged by the meteor, yet see it hit in all of its flaming majesty. Ah, the poor Prince was terrified, even if he may not lead you to believe it. He shook to the touch, and tried to bolt for the crater before it died down. Nissim had to hold the young lion down to keep him from running into the flames, which would have been rather fatal indeed.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, the actual material of the meteor seeming rather unfamiliar. He managed to grab a piece of it for later inspection, the item itself feeling.. powerful. You may think this is insensitive, yet.. It was truly stunning to the eye. Besides the screams of terror and smell of burning flesh, or the stray pieces of your family landing in your fur, it was quite relaxing.

Death. Such a beautiful thing. Old, wreaked life turned into beautiful new creatures, supplying the living with new creatures and plants.. One pride's heartbreak can turn into a new beginning for a pack of hyenas, always a positive to every creature's demise.
Others always scorned for having such an "optimistic" outlook on this side of the world, but.. Seems like all of that ignorance did them no good. He surveyed all of the carnage, not a flicker of emotion in his eyes. He was not mourning, no.. Simply looking for a way to profit.

Nissim spotted a few trinkets and items he could use for bargaining later on, and trotted down into the rotting crater. He pushed aside the bodies of his deceased pride, pulling bracelets and weapons off still burning paws and necks, ripping their flesh if need be.
The guardian came across the "Royals" of the pack, the King and Queen. He paused for a moment.. Ah, there was the crown. In a moment, their bodies were raided and discarded, and Nissim had moved on, yet their dead, hollow eyes seemed to follow him as he walked away.

Was.. Jirani choking on something? Nissim stared at him as he seemed to make odd coughing noises, his teeth bared weirdly.. Then the lion stopped, and turned away. May need to check the Prince to see if he swallowed too much ash.
The Guardian trotted back up to Jirani, bags full of loot jingling on his waist, almost musically. Time to "help", he supposed.

"Prince.. Or more so, King." Nissim bowed his head, looking back up to the frazzled lion. "All useful items have been recovered from the casualties. I recommend we move on, to not become sick from the rotting corpses, nor have to defend the bodies from wild hyenas." He noted, seeing as a few birds were already eyeing the fallen pride. He inspected Jirani further, getting close to him and listening to him breathe... He didnt seem to have a raspy breath. Maybe he wasn't sick.  

[Anderleit]

The starry mane of his Guardian should have been a comfort to him. That was the way they were raised, after all. The way it was supposed to be, since the day he was born as heir, and the other was hand-plucked from their number, and given to him. To protect and lead him to the side of the Gods. That manic laughter tugged treacherously at Jirani's maw again. Wouldn't it be a treat, Queen Mother and Royal Father, to know that he'd done exactly that? Jirani had never felt closer to the God of Death - or perhaps, the God of Destruction? - than he felt right now. And Nissim had certainly led him there by the teeth. The Prince was beginning to suspect that the older male had somehow been leading him thus all their lives...

"Don't call me that," Jirani murmured, his whisper-light tenor sounding more hollow than normal. He couldn't help flinching visibly at the sound of a title that immediately brought the brighter memories of his father to the fore. A flawed King, though he would never have known it; still the only King either of them had ever known. Funny how death immediately cast the fallen in a better light. His eyes flashed up to Nissim's familiar, luminescent gaze, too sure of it to be unnerved by the callousness there. "And don't- Have you been looting?"

He was still unhinged by the meteor. Must've been - there was no other explanation for the visible shock widening the gaze that spilled over the packs bulging from Nissim's sides. And while his tone didn't quite reach indignant, it was still...surprised. At this point, that was generally beyond him - when it came to Nissim, anyway.

It struck him funny, too, that that was the step above and beyond what was apparently "normal" and "respectful". Of course it did. Jirani purposely pulled the corners of his mouth down.

SkyLetha

 

[SkyLetha]

Nissim resisted the urge to smile at the shaken lion, as he found it amusing how innocent he was. The Prince had been trained for years on what to do in such situations, but didnt even remember simple survival skills. He questioned the one lion assigned to protect him, despite Nissim obviously having good intentions.. Even so, he kept a straight face, looking into Jirani's eyes.

"The title is rightfully yours, as your father has.. retired. If you don't wish to take it, so be it." He shrugged. Nissim was perplexed as to why, though, as the male had been itching to become King for years, yet when the responsibility falls to him.. Ah. Right. He is simply getting sentimental over his father's passing.. Well, once they leave the carnage, Jirani will be sure to perk up. Nothing lasts forever.

He raised an eyebrow at the second sentence, though. He felt accused. "The disgusted tone is wholly unnecessary, my Prince. I am simply following the orders your father instructed me to carry out." Nissim explained, looking to the King's torn up corpse, which was currently being snacked on by vultures.
"..I suppose it has no real merit now, but out of respect, I will continue to preform my duty. Protecting you." He turned back to Jirani.

"We will need supplies, armor, weapons, and bargaining chips when moving forward. Your pride had these things, and I did not wish for them to rot alongside your family when we can make use of them." The Guardian said sternly, opening a pouch to show all of the tools he had taken. The young male was acting foolishly, he should not even have to explain this to him.. He turned his back on Jirani for a moment, walking halfway around him. "That is, unless you intend to die with them." He said coldly, staring the Prince dead in the eye. "I do hope that isn't your plan."  

[Anderleit]

'...I suppose it has no real merit...'

Suppose he had no real merit?

It was good that Nissim had turned away from him. Jirani couldn't be sure that the doubt he kept from his voice hadn't managed to creep into his eyes. It was the starry male's sworn duty to protect the Prince, as his Guardian. At least, it had been in the Onyo-nke-Chi - a duty so solemn as to be sacrosanct. But the Onyo no longer existed. And Nissim, so far as Jirani could tell, respected nothing's sanctity. As such, the other lion had quite rightly realized that his duty had died with the pride. The Prince hoped that bringing that fact to his attention was a show of good faith that he would, in fact, hold true to his word.

That the Guardian had come to that conclusion before Jirani himself, however, was a worry. In mourning he may be, but he could not afford to be ignorant of their new situation.

As his companion turned to look at him, Jirani forced a scoff. "As if you'd let me." The confidence he wanted the words to have wasn't there, though, and he settled for pushing forward instead. However perverse and distressing a form his mourning chose to take, the idea of Nissim turning on him was, if he were brutally honest with himself, much more so. He suspected his mind might recoil from the idea in similar fashion. Better to prepare for it quietly, confront it when he was better prepared.

Jirani shook his head, resisting the urge to laugh. As if that was something to prepare for.

"Armor? Really? We're only going rogue, Nissim, we're not going to war." Not yet, anyway. Not that he would know what war was. They'd never been to such a thing, heard nothing but stories. Damned if they hadn't drunk in those tales, though. "Like as not we'll be bargaining trinkets for pelts, passage to hunt, a place to stay the night. Though I'd rather pull those things together ourselves, given the chance." Such pragmatism was not out of place, however. It was one of Niss' more dependable traits, and yet more he didn't wish to stand on the wrong end of.

SkyLetha

 

[SkyLetha]

"It is never a bad thing to be prepared. Besides, leaving these items here will only let our enemies gain strength through our lost tools. You wouldn't want a hyena wearing your armor, would you?" Nissim questioned, already seeing nearby hyenas eyeing the bodies. He wanted to spare the poor prince from watching his family get eaten, so maybe a little scare was in order.. Doesn't hurt to have a little fun, does it?

"Wait here a moment, my Prince. Be ready to leave, we must not hang around too long, this is a breeding ground for disease." He noted, then turned away, lowering his body. He saw one hyena nudging a dead lion's body, and crept up behind him, body tensed up and ready to pounce. As the hyena bit into the body, Nissim pounced. The poor dog screamed in terror immediately, kicking and yelping for their pack, who just turned tail and ran. They may have abandoned their friend so quickly because a snarling white eyed lion knee deep in their own pride isn't the friendliest sight to see. After a few moments of struggle, Nissim finally put the hyena out of his misery, the crack of its neck resounding around the crater.

The Guardian looked back up to Jirani, wondering why he hadn't started walking. He yawned, licking his maw of the blood. It may have been a mix of lion and hyena, but he didnt seem to notice. "They should leave this area alone for a few days now, atleast." He said confidently, trotting up the crater with blood running up his legs. He walked beside Jirani, nudging for him to start moving. Hopefully that act would calm the Prince more, as he can leave knowing the pride will get their appropriate days of mourning without disturbance.

"Time to move. I would like to be far from this site before nightfall, so the scent will not stay on us." Nissim noted, as that may attract some issues if they smelt of dead lions.. Well, more so he needed a bath over Jirani, as he was just romping around in lion corpses hunting a hyena.. Eh, it will come out soon enough. "We can even get our own little watering hole, if you do insist upon it."  

[Anderleit]

He didn't own armor- A roll of the eyes. Moot point.

Jirani couldn't argue about leaving the place to be scavenged, however. If anyone was going to benefit from the heirlooms of his lost home, better that it was the only pieces of that home left. The finality of that thought froze Jirani in place, vibrant gaze snapping up to the starry lion. The last piece of his home.

Nissim was truly all he had left.

His traitorous mind suddenly reached for that concept, dragging it across his brow. It strained to join it with the idea that Nissim would betray him. Any moment. It was inevitable. Then he would truly have Noth-

Jirani's eyes widened. The severity of it - the sheer depth of the yawning oblivion that lie behind that thought...! He clenched his teeth, grateful for the moment of insight even as he willed it away. There was nothing there. Neither manic grief, nor idyllic thoughtlessness. Just an insipid, mindless darkness.

Unacceptable.

He recovered in time to hear Nissim's voice, but the larger lion had already left him. Down he waded into the crater. Didn't he have enough of death on one pass through? A quick glance through darting eyes, though, told him what he was after. Vultures he could believe - there had never been a shortage of them hovering about the lands. But hyenas, already? Gods, but the carrion-eaters worked quickly!

The violence might have been shocking, but from Nissim, honestly, it was...normal. Refreshingly so, almost. Of course, the Prince couldn't be sure whether he actually meant the gesture as a token of respect for the family - or for him, if nothing else - or if there was some baser, more bloodthirsty motive. At the moment, Jirani didn't much care. "A watering hole would be good," he agreed, a trace of distaste in the words. "I'll not have you attracting every scavenger for miles, thanks." He accepted the nudge, though not without a wrinkled muzzle. Blood on his flank. That, too, was normal, and much less appreciated.

SkyLetha

 

[SkyLetha]

"I deeply apologize, my Prince. I may have gone a bit too far in sending a message.." Nissim observed, a bit of humor in his eyes. While Jirani may have been shaken upon seeing another death, the guardian didnt honestly see the issue with it, as he had mercilessly killed many times before. Though, he could understand that he may have gotten a bit reckless in his killing, blood coating his legs. It is a bit distasteful, yes.. Especially when the blood is of your own pride..

Was it odd that he seemed so calm in such an obviously gruesome situation, relaxed in the presence of his family's bodies burning to ashes? Possibly. Then again, he had been taught and conditioned to handle these freak accidents with grace and confidence, giving no care for those who had fallen, so he would have no weakness when time came to fight. He was assigned to protect Jirani, and Jirani alone, so it is natural for him to be so.. bland. Uncaring. Uncomfortably so.

Though, the star speckled lion was not completely devoid of emotion. While he did not show it, he reserved the little care and concerns he had for the Prince, and as they walked, it gave him time to think. To plan. To worry.
He wasn't quite sure how the young lion was taking this event. He was never the best at reading emotions, nor figuring out what to do with them. He found the concept rather intriguing, but never felt strongly about anything, to the point where others wondered if he had any emotion at all. It made him the perfect killer, but not the best for moral support. He was rather blunt with his words, so often a lion would run away crying before he could get his point across.

He huffed, closing his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, and shaking his mane. Focus on the task at hand. This is no place to reminisce in your past.
"We must be careful from now on, more than usual. We are only two lions, and while strong males, we can be easily picked off when outnumbered. Plus, if those hyenas decide to spread word of our pride's fall, we may become targets. You are royalty, after all." Nissim warned, looking over at Jirani. "Though, if they are wise, they will keep their muzzles shut. I still have their scent." He growled, flexing his claws. While he was warning Jirani, he doubted they would say a word. Hyenas are crafty creatures, they know better than to mess with royalty.  

[Anderleit]

Jirani'mauti blinked owlishly into the oncoming dusk. Sorry? Was he, really? The lion looked back at his companion, weighing the faint tinge of amusement in his gaze against his words. Gods above, he truly might be. Never ceased to amaze him. "It's alright. I appreciate your intentions." It was only fair. He was alive, essentially, by little more than the will of the starry lion. Without him, there would be hardly anything left of Jirani but a soot-black smear beneath the rubble.

Had Nissim known? The thought was just as sudden as it was jarring. The Prince pushed it aside just as abruptly. He, Nissim, and all the rest had seen the meteor just the same, all the way up until the end. Hadn't they? He scowled. No...he had enough suspicions to deal with just now. Best not add even more to the pile.

Though a sideways glance at the brute beside him showed that he was not the only one deep in thought. Smiling in spite of his fears, Jirani was content to let it pass for a while; so much so that when Nissim started talking again, the end of silence nearly took him by surprise. "You're not wrong," the Prince admitted, his head dipping deferentially to his Guardian. "Those hyenas, though... I dunno. You rattled them, that's for sure. Considering no one came to the aid of the one you isolated, it doesn't seem like their ties to family were particularly strong. I don't think they'll care too much for revenge." He lifted his head, nostrils flaring in the evening air. But he couldn't smell much of anything, hyena or otherwise, over the acrid scent of dry blood that clung to them. "Don't think they'll care much about the affairs of a dead pride, either. But seriously, keep a nose out for water. No point in making it easy for them."

Something else occurred to him then, a thought whispered in the midst of the memories that the words 'dead pride' strove to invoke. Jirani knew he'd be tamping them down pretty hard in the...dear Gods, months? Years? However-long-yet to come. "Nissim," he began, voice light, but bearing a certain sharp edge he knew would not go unnoticed by the other male, "while you were down in the crater - 'gathering resources'. You didn't happen to come by my father's crown, did you?" The Prince's look was rather pointed, one brow raised. He didn't think he needed to say that that treasure, alone of all the rest, was his.

SkyLetha

 

[SkyLetha]

"Let us hope it was simply loose family ties, and not just instinctive flight. You do make a relatively stable argument, though, as I suppose we would not have any enemies now, unless your family made some rather distasteful decisions with others." The star speckled lion nodded, deciding to push aside his worry on the hyenas for now. The pride was indeed dead, so it wouldn't send much of a message or prove any points if Nissim or Jirani were to be killed. Unless Jirani himself challenged someone in the past, they should be relatively safe in that aspect.

Ah.. water, yes. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, that he neglected to keep on the lookout for necessities. Foolish. Nissim lifted his head, trying to focus his senses, but he too was handicapped by the scent that clung to him. They would have to rely on sight until he was able to wash up, then. That message he sent may have not been the best decision.. This chaos may have been affecting him more than he previously assumed, which Is dangerous. Have to stay on task, keep his Prince safe.
"Of course, though the scent of blood seems to be impairing our sense of smell. You will have to help keep watch for water instead, I am sure we will find it soon." He said calmly, realizing he should watch his words. Jirani may be shaken up by this loss, so he had to be careful with him for the days to come. Suppose he could try to be "sympathetic".. But later. He will simply cushion his words for now.
"There is a rather secluded watering hole that I know relatively nearby. I took you to it when you were very young, though I am not sure how much you remember of it. It's quite beautiful, I am sure you will find it to your tastes." For once, Nissim had a slight smile on his face, remembering when he took Jirani to it. The little cub took so much enjoyment splashing around in the waters, sliding down rocks and jumping off small ledges into the water. It seemed like a small paradise, beautiful fauna, and vines sheltering it from the rest of the world's prying eyes. "It takes an experienced set of paws to get in, as you need to know your way through the foliage around it, but I can lead you through easily enough. May not be as quick to get through as when I carried you, though." He joked, a pleased expression still on his face.

His smile slipped off quickly though as Jirani went on, realizing what the Prince asked for. "You think too little of me, my Prince. It is my duty to recover such items in emergencies, among others." Nissim chided, and discreetly flipped open one of his bags as they walked. Cushioned by soft moss, lay the regal crown of the deceased King, sparkling in all its glory. Once he was sure Jirani saw, he carefully closed it, and kept walking. "While I know you wish to have the crown, I do not believe it is wise to don it until we get to relative safety. You do not know the eyes that lie on us, and I do not wish to get into any unnecessary fights. That crown is rather valuable." He said quietly, hoping that the Prince would understand his reasoning. He did not wish to forcefully keep the crown away from him.  

[Anderleit]

Distasteful decisions... The Prince wrinkled his nose. While he wouldn't put his past the royal couple to keep him in the dark about some things, he was fairly certain that, one way or another, he'd made sure he was in the know... "The Onyo were isolated. As far as I know, my parents kept it that way." While it could certainly prove problematic if he was wrong, that unfortunately seemed like yet another thing he would have to file away and worry about later. Another concern to add to the steadily mounting pile.

His eyes cut over the other male, narrowing at his admission that his nose was boggled by the scent of blood, too. Great. Both of them out in foreign lands, devoid of one of their most important senses? They wouldn't be able to come across a watering hole soon enough. That Nissim seemed calm about the whole thing was a reassurance, but Jirani was sure his skepticism was still plain in the slow nod he gave in response.

"Let's head that way," the male murmured, slowing ever-so-slightly in order to give his Guardian the lead. He didn't really remember the watering hole Nissim mentioned, but the idea of it... Something panged inside him at the thought that once, he had played with the older cub that way. Frolicked, pounced, splashed. Innocent and easy, ignorant and carefree. Simpler times that would be easier dismissed if not for the soft smile so alien on the darker male's features. Could the Nissim that had watched over him then - if he really had, as he said - betray him so easily now?

A hard enough quandry, even as the starry lion contrived to make it harder. Hanging behind made it that much easier for Jirani to see the crown, nestled with such care amidst bags of reclaimed possessions. A knot tightened unexpectedly in the Prince's throat at the sight of it. He was quietly relieved when Nissim closed it back within the satchel again. "It's not a matter of thinking poorly of you, Nissim. I just wanted to be sure." The scold in his voice! And oh, the sense he made! The tenderness was uncalled for, and pulled at Jirani's heart. Too many suspicions to bear. That he didn't know might actually kill him. "You're welcome to carry me now, if it'll make you feel better," the Prince joked, in a bid for lightness. He had to keep up appearances, either way.

SkyLetha

 

[SkyLetha]

"That is rather tempting, even if to simply save you the trouble of traversing the difficult terrain. I am quite sure you will be able to get through perfectly fine, though. Your parents gave you some of the best trainers." Nissim reminded, in an attempt to keep the mood light.. It was difficult. Not because it was a depressing topic, but because despite the purple lion's deep understanding of the realm around them, he was near useless with emotions. He was pretty sure that Jirani only appreciates his comments because he has grown to know the meaning behind them. It was quite curious, working with words to see how the other party interprets them.