Kusudi
The air was slammed out of Kusudi's chest as his body smashed into the ground. Gasping he tried to raise to his feet only to have a large white paw collide with his face and sending him back to the ground.
"Come on, Kusudi. Up." The strong monotone of Mheetu's voice commanded.
Kusudi managed to heave his body up into a half descent sit as he looked warily at Mheetu. It had been a day since he had been accepted into the pride and he was immersed quickly into the pride's daily activities. The previous night he had been briefly introduced to most of the pride and today he joined the lions in training.
"Give the boy a break, Mheetu." A row thunderous voice called from the sidelines. Kusudi looked over at the large brown lion that had came to his aid and smiled. The lion's name was Radi and he was the second in command of the pride. Faced with the command from his higher up Mheetu sighed.
"Go get a drink." Mheetu grumbled.
"Thanks!" Kusudi smiled and heaved himself up. As he passed by Radi he dipped his head gratefully than trotted to the small pond of water that had collected in a small rock hollow.
"Wow dude you where awesome back there!" an exited voice cut into Kusudi's peaceful drink.
Kusudi raised his head to see Kivuli. The young lion looked the same as he had the day before, a midnight brown coat with a dark rust underbelly and shining lavender eyes.
"Really? I was just getting my tail handed to me."
"Yeah but you've lasted ten rounds with Mheetu! And you even beat him three of those times. That's completely insane." Kivuli gushed.
Kusudi guessed it wasn't fairly often that anyone usually lasted very long with Mheetu. Kivuli had only lasted two rounds and had to stop because Mheetu had twisted his paw nearly to the point of breaking it earlier in the day.
"I guess so." Kusudi laughed with a srug. He glanced back at the rock plate and grimaced, "Do you think I could forfeit before the next match."
"Ha I really doubt it dude." Kivuli laughed at him. "But you could aways take a dive." He added with a smirk as he waved around his apparently not so damaged paw.
"Oh wow. You are one sly little rat." Kusudi said in disbelief.
"Thank you, thank you. Your too kind." Kivuli said as he bowed dramatically.
"It seems like my times up." Kusudi said with a nod of his head to the white lion who was now staring intently at the two young lions.
"Seems like it." the other lion responded looking back to the training platform, "You should go on ahead." he added with a well mastered fake limp.
Kusudi rolled his eyes and started back to the rock platform where his opponent was waiting for him. When he reached the flat he found that some of the lionesses had gathered around the edge to watch the next match.
"Ready?" Mheetu asked plainly his pale blue eyes complexly indifferent.
"Yep." He replied calmly getting himself ready for the oncoming attacks.
"Go Kusudi!" Kivuli called from the sideline, "Beat his white fluffy ass into the dust!" and with a statement that would make the god of instigators proud, the eleventh match began.
Mheetu raced forward at a dizzying speed with a loud rumbling growl. Kusudi met the attack head on. Kusudi went up on his hind legs to meet Mheetu's attack. They clashed together, claw's in each other's manes. Each trying to drag the other down. Mheetu being the heavier won out and sent Kusudi into the ground but before the white lion could land a blow on his downed opponent, Kusudi was back up on his feet. Kusudi knew he needed a plan. He couldn't match his opponent in power or size but he did have more cunning and speed. They had battled repetitively and all Kusudi had learned about Mheetu was the lion was completely unreadable. Everything Mheetu did was to accomplish his goal which at the moment was beating Kusudi in these fights. Mheetu had changed his styles continuously to combat Kusudi. To win. One second he was aggressive taking Kusudi down with his shear size and another he was letting Kusudi lead the battle and lashing out unexpectedly. So Kusudi needed a plan that would catch his white pride-mate off guard. A sudden memory from a previous match flashed before Kusudi's eyes and trying not to let the pride of his idea show on his face, he put his plan in action.
Kusudi took the offensive. He forced Mheetu into a pattern. Having the him strike out with his forepaws as Kusudi dodged each attack by a whisker. This made Mheetu stretch out slightly more every time when he reached to claw to Kusudi. Mheetu would lash out, Kusudi would take a step back, Mheetu would advance and would aim his strike farther anticipating Kusudi's retreat and Kusudi would only take a larger step back. And when Kusudi finally saw the opportunity he was looking for he took it. Mheetu at streached to far and instead of backing up, kusudi ducked down and bolted forward under the outstretched paw. Kusudi threw Mheetu off balance with ease. Mheetu hit the ground hard and Kusudi retreated as the other lion rose to his feet. Noticeing they where to close Kusudi took a step back and slipped.
Kusudi felt the ground under his paw change from the solid rock to something else. A spot of gravely dirt on the rock. His legs slipped on the new terrain and Mheetu took the opening to lunge at Kusudi.
Just as planed.
Kusudi got a pawfull of the dirt and sent it up into Mheetu's eyes. He followed right after the dirt and smashed the blinded lion to the ground. He had won. Allowing his focus to drop he heard cheers. He turned to see that not only had the whole pride shown up but most of them where cheering. The loudest cheers where from Nusu, Rabbit and Kivuli. He smiled to them and returned his gaze to Mheetu.
"Good match." he told the older lion a smile still on his face. Mheetu simply nodded and walked away.
Not letting it effect him, Kusudi went to join the group of young lions.
"you were so cool!" Rabbit said with a sweet smilee.
"Thanks Rabbit." Kusudi's shoulders sagged as he finally relaxed completely. A familiar growl bloomed from Kusudi's stomach and he drew his ears back in embarrassment, "So… do you have anything to eat?"
Nusu and Rabbit laughed, "Sure we do. Us lionesses don't just lie around all day."
"And thank goodness for that." Kivuli chirped, "Lets eat!"
The pride had settled down to eat and the young group had pulled away a chunk of zebra for themselves. They ate leisurely and Kusudi used the time to ask about the pride.
"So what's the deal with Mheetu?"
"Mmm." Rabbit said thoughtfully with a mouth full of food, "He was one of the first of the prode from when King Scar first came to the valley."
"The first?" Kusudi interrupted.
"Yep. Zira, Mheetu and Chumvi were the first in the pride. Zira was Scar's daughter and Mheetu along with Chumvi where indebted to Scar from the time they where cubs."
Kusudi nodded.
"So now Mheetu will carry out absolutely any order Scar gives." Nusu added in a detesting tone.
"Oh." Kusudi said with a quick glance at the lion who was sitting to the side at that very moment. He felt like he could relate somehow. He turned back to the group dispelling the thought from his mind. "Ok. So then why do we need to do all this training stuff."
Kivuli snorted, "Well it's not like we are ruling here unchallenged. Jaws and his hyena punks are always causing trouble. Then we have to deal with Damu's attacks if a hunting party gets to close to his herd. Then there are the loners and neighboring prides that are just asking for trouble. Life aint't an easy stroll on the savanna here."
That made sense to Kusudi. Life wasn't ever easy or at least his had never been. Kusudi let his mind work the new information over as he took another bite of zebra. He lazily scanned over the lions that where scattered about the clearing. They were eating, dozing and conversing quietly. A young lion emerging from a shadow caught his eye. It was pathetically scrawny and weak with mangy dull grey-brown fur. "Who is that?"
Nusu looked up and followed Kusudi's line of sight to the lion, "Oh." she growled, "It's Nuka."
Kusudi blinked in surprise at Nusu's reaction and was even more surprised to see the rest of the pride's retains were very similar. As Nuka walked through the clearing the lionesses growled at him and lashed their tails.
"He almost caused us the hunt today." Rabbit explained. "It would be much worse if the hunt complexly failed though." She added.
Kusudi watched the lion as the lioneees snarled after him. Who are you Nuka, Kusudi asked in his mind.
-Author's Note-
So here we are again at the end of a chapter. I want you to look out for Mheetu's story that will be added as a chapter in my Lives of Misfortune story. Also look out for my buddy Tron0602 first story that is going to come out on the 23rd. Read his story because we both have worked pretty hard on it. Did I mention that I'm his Beta well I am so read the story when it comes out!
Lark out (｀_´)ゞ