Chaptero two. I had a fun birthday. n.n Onto the Story!
Days came, and the days went. The dry season scorched the Pridelands, causing the landscape to be almost black with all the ash and char. Ibzimai grew a bit larger everyday, and the meetings between Vitani and Nugdi were more frequent.
Early morning near the end of the dry season was Vitani and Nugdi's meeting time every day. Vitani stepped out of sight of Pride Rock cautiously on a humid, eerie morning. She looked over her shoulder slowly and took a step forward, unaware of the shadows ahead of her until she bumped into the massive figure, perfectly hidden in the darkness. The figure let out a low growl and stood tall above Vitani but she didn't even turn her head to acknowledge him.
"You're late." He hissed and sank back down into his cool resting spot.
"No more than normal, Nugdi." Vitani joined him in the shade, keeping a slight distance for her own protection.
Nugdi's features were undetectable in the black shade so only his glowing eyes showed, along with the outlines of four sweeping scars down his face, inflicted by his own psychotic state, "How much longer must I wait for this cub?"
"I'm not sure." She hissed, irritated that he moved to that subject so fast, "It will be her first so we can't tell exactly. She is getting much larger though, so I'd guess one to two weeks."
"Excellent..." He lingered on the word for a moment before standing up quickly, startling Vitani, and stepping out into the sun behind her. Here Nugdi's body and features could be seen perfectly. Four scars down his left eye, four across his back, and three on his left arm. From mid-shoulder to his lower arm were large patches of black fur, same on his legs, matching his full, jet black mane. His face was long and sly, much like Scar's, but his body's build was much like Mufasa and Simba's. Vitani looked in awe over his beautiful body before snapped out of her trance, "You will inform me when Ibzimai goes into labor first thing."
"I can see you're excited about this." Vitani gave a sneer, trying to figure him out, "What do you plan on doing with my.. great niece or nephew?"
Nugdi just smirked and took Vitani's chin in his paw and shook it like she were a child, "You're too curious for your own good, little Vitani. That could get you hurt..." He let go of her and turned around with a sinister grin, "..again."
Vitani winced and looked away from Nugdi, shutting her eyes tightly with a hiss, "Don't even speak of it, Nugdi." She felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow it quickly, "I thought it was behind us now."
"That's something that will never.." He kept the evil smirk on his face and circled Vitani, looking over her whole body, "Never, be behind us."
"Please," Vitani was now pleading, "don't make me remember.."
"I think it's too late for that." Nugdi replaced himself in front of Vitani, laying down calmly, plotting about how he could mess with Vitani's head. "You can't forget it. I know it's going to stay with you all your life." Vitani now stared at him, tensed. "Those three little cubs. One, two, three. Beautiful litter. But what were their names.. Oh, yes! Now I remember! The first little girl was Shiai," He paused for a moment with an open mouth grin, watching Vitani rage an internal battle in herself, "The second little boy was... Aigro, and the last boy was.."
Vitani jumped up to attack Nugdi, tears flowing down her face. Knowing this would happen, Nugdi simply ducked and turned, knocking Vitani to the ground and holding her down by one clawed paw to her neck. Vitani whimpered and cried in frustration and remorse and anger, but she knew she couldn't win this fight, so she struggled as hard as she could not to hear Nugdi's last words. "..and the last one was Ratan."
"You're heartless!" Vitani sobbed, still struggling, ignoring the claws brushing against her fur.
"Yes, but also a wonderful father." He gave the same evil grin.
Vitani froze and stared at Nugdi oddly, "What do you mean?"
Nugdi just smirked and lifted his paw off Vitani's neck, leaping over her to return to his far-off home to the North. But before he was gone, he stopped to look over his shoulder, "Oh, Vitani? You might want to check on that old pride of Gunab's.. I overheard something might happen there." And before Vitani could respond, he fled, leaving Vitani hanging in her thoughts before standing up.
Vitani didn't process what Nugdi said last, and only focused on the main part of their "conversation." It was the past, though, Vitani thought, what does he mean "wonderful father?" She tried to put things together in her mind while striding slowly to Pride Rock.
By the time Vitani had returned to Pride Rock, Gunab and Ibzimai were already awake and basking in the warm morning sun before it was too hot to stay out for a long time. Ibzimai noticed Vitani first but didn't pay much mind to her until Vitani came closer and she noticed the tear streaks down her face. "Vitani? Vitani!"
Gunab shook himself up and looked down to his aunt, "Vitani! What happened?"
Vitani walked passed the two lions and headed toward the den, only to be stopped by Gunab, who stood in her path, glaring at her to stop, "Vitani, what happened? What did Nugdi say?" He said calmly but sternly, trying to snap Vitani out of it.
"He was just messing with my head, is all. Now if you don't mind.." She tried to walk past Gunab only to be stopped again.
"I do mind. What did he say to you?" Gunab gave a low growl and walked her away from the den, knowing that it would wake the others.
Ibzimai stood back, still getting used to Vitani and the others, to observe. "Nugdi is going to come and take the cub personally. And I don't know who or what, but he mentioned something about your old pride."
"What? What about it?" Ibzimai stood up, automatically concerned for her family.
Vitani shook her head slowly, "I don't know, he just said.. something.. was going to happen. Something tells me that we need to go down there, though."
Gunab nodded and looked to Ibzimai, "Stay in the den and make sure nothing happens here, please. Vitani and I will go see what's going on."
Ibzimai sighed and nodded, wanting to go but knowing she should stay. Gunab then looked to Vitani and the two began heading to the Outlands to see what was happening to the Liba Pride.
When the two lions were just over the border, a bloodcurdling roar of a young lion rang through their ears. Gunab recognized the roar and instantly sprinted the rest of the way. The sight he came upon nearly made him sick and almost sent him to tears. In front of him laid the body of his older "brother" Boteshu, torn into literal shreds, the ground deep red all around him.
As fast as Gunab had arrived, Qua and Obassi were at the site. Qua gasped at his brother and turned away, tears flowing down his face already. Obassi's eyes just widened in shock at his son and he looked up at Gunab, "What happened to my son!"
"I..I don't know!" Gunab swallowed the lump in his throat and gasped for breath.
Obassi only stared at Gunab for a moment before returning his eyes to Boteshu's body. He slowly walked up to him to try and pick up the scent of the murderer, and to look at Boteshu's face one last time. Gunab shuddered and swallowed another lump in his throat when Vitani arrived and she turned away just as Qua had.
"Gunab." Obassi didn't take his eyes away from Boteshu, but continued, "I want you to find out who did this to my son. Don't tell Ibzimai yet, it'll be too hard on her..."
Qua turned back around and calmed down slightly, "I'll go with him."
Obassi and Gunab nodded. In the silence, Gunab and Qua tried to pick up the scent of the murderer as Vitani returned to the Pride Lands and Obassi mourned over Boteshu. Only Vitani knew who killed Boteshu, but she couldn't find the words to say it, there was too much going on at the moment since Nugdi reminded her of the litter she lost nearly a year ago.
o.o I'm dark. Really dark right now.. Sorry! I'll try to lighten the mood.. I know this is extremly early in a story for such a conflict.. but.. that's how I work. C'ya next chapter.
