‧͙⁺˚*･༓ Heart of a Lion ༓･*˚⁺‧͙
"Don't fall, fleabag." The argonian hissed as he dug another claw deep into the pebbled wall.
"This one will beat you." Malira grabbed another rock jutting out from the wall and pulled herself up higher.
"She's going to fall and break her neck." An older khajiit woman had stepped out of her house to see what all the commotion was about.
"What is she doing?"
Mirani sat nervously by, never taking her eyes off her sister, which was now growing smaller and smaller as she climbed higher up the wall.
The surrounding walls of Leyawiin were at least fifty feet high, the young argonians and khajiits always tempted fate by racing each other up the wall, the first to the top had to prove themselves by then jumping off into a nearby river placed just inside of the wall.
Being only tenyears old, racing against a much older argonian was not very smart but the lizard had stolen her sister's stuffed Senche (fondly named Senchie)and it was the only way Malira could get it back.
Almost slipping, a loud gasp breathed from the building crowd, the argonian teen smiled as he whipped his tail over, attempting to swat her like a fly. Still hanging on, Malira continued to climb, finding a small foothold between two large rock slabs. She had the advantage - her paws were much smaller than the argonian's and could fit snugly between each large slab. The only problem was climbing over the slab itself, to reach the next foothold she would have to scale each large slab, each sized just a little higher than Malira was tall. She then made the mistake of looking down, her muscles tensed noticing how high she was, she swallowed tightly then saw Mirani, her sister - still waiting, still watching. That gave her courage enough to keep going.
Quickly turning back, she looked up, saw the next foothold and jumped…The argonian teen froze, eyes wide with surprise as he watched the tiny khajiit fling herself horizontally up the wall, he would never have been so brave - or crazy - enough to do that!
Glaring up the wall, he suddenly wished he could produce lightning from his eyes, better to sindge the clawed rat.
"What? Jaraleet too afraid?" Malira mocked. "Jaraleet is going to fall onto his lizard head!" Like salt into a wound, she pounced again, skipping yet another large slab, she was close now. Only five slabs to go.
Malira jumped again but this time with ease, a new added confidence had filled her body, she was going to win. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she paused for a moment to look down, the look on Jaraleet's struggling face filled her with glee, he knew it too.
"What's wrong? Getting tired?" She laughed.
Before turning back she winked back down to Jaraleet, this filled him with so much rage he roared, it echoed out over the district. Malira, gasped instantly regretting everything.
Jaraleet hissed angrily, he was not going to be made to look like a coward by some flea-bitten cat.
His long strong leg muscles kicked into the wall, launching himself with such reckless disregard, he managed to skip at least 2 slabs up equal to Malira's height, Malira squealed as the argonian popped up next to her, they both paused glaring at each other.
"Come on! Are you going to let a cub beat you?" One of Jaraleet's friends mockingly yelled at him, even his friends were mocking him now. That scared him more than the potential fall, he couldn't lose to this kitten, losing would utterly ruin any image he had built amongst his friends. No - losing was not an option.
there was only one thing left he could do…
Looking down he quickly checked if he was high enough, he smiled to himself, yes he was... No one would notice. Licking his lips he hissed menacingly, Malira saw his face, swallowing down a lump of pure fear she began to desperately scamper up the wall.
"Come here, kitty. Kitty. KITTY!" Snapping at Malira's ankle, he grabbed it hard, making her cry out in pain.
"What is it doing! Let go!" Malira clawed desperately to the wall, tears stung her eyes as he began to slowly pull her body down.
"I've heard that cats always land on their feet - let's find out!"
There was nothing she could do as her tiny body was forcefully flung from the wall and began to fall almost forty feet to the ground, her arms helplessly flailing, clawing at the emptiness around her,
Mirani's heart exploded seeing her sister suddenly separate from the wall, her sister was dead, she couldn't watch, clasping her paws tightly over her face she cried, screaming loudly into them.
Hearing the gasps and murmurs of everyone around her, she slowly opened her eyes.
"Malira!" She couldn't see her sister, where was she? Mirani ran desperately to where she thought her sister had fallen.
To her relief and sudden build of anxiety she found her father, standing motionlessly holding Malira, did he catch her? Yes - she was moving.
"Is… Sister ok?" She hesitantly asked, sensing her father's anger.
He placed her down, Malira's face stuck shamefully to the ground, she had not only failed to win back Mirani's much-loved toy but was now in terrible trouble.
"Home." It was only one word but the coldness in that one word was more than enough, both sisters folding back their ears in shame curled their tails underneath themselves as they slowly walked in the direction of their home.
Malira suddenly stopped, hearing the argonian cheers of Jaraleets gang of friends. She turned around and looked up at the wall. He had just made it to the top of the wall, one arm outstretched in glorious triumph. He then turned and jumped, disappearing over the wall and into the nearby lake.
"Hopefully the lizard missed and planted itself like a Nirnroot," Malira said cynically, Mirani giggled softly, grabbing her sister's hand.
"Come on, father will get angrier." Malira nodded, signing down at her sister she continued to walk home.
"Malira is sorry, this one will get back Mirani's little Sanchie." Malira meant that with every fibre of her heart - it was personal now.
"It's ok sister." She said suddenly drooping like a wilted flower, their family weren't well off and that stuffed senche was her only toy, given to her by Malira the day she was born.
"No! It's not ok! Malira will get it - this is a promise." Malira sneered angrily. "And sister does not break promise."
‧͙⁺˚*･༓ ༓･*˚⁺‧͙
Arriving home felt almost as cold as their father's words, their mother answered the door, the look of disappointment was enough to turn both their hearts to ice.
"No supper tonight. No bother coming back down." Their mother growled as she pointed up the staircase. They both began their shameful climb toward their room… where they would await their punishment.
Not being well off, their home was located within the poor district of Leyawiin. A long street crowded by tall narrow houses, one side of the street khajiit families lived while the other side the argonians lived. Both races did not get on well with each other, a long-running feud that neither Malira or Mirani understood, likely most of the city's inhabitants didn't know why either, it was just a well-known fact - argonians and khajiits did not mix.
"Father is going to smack us," Mirani said as she curled up on her bed, snatching her pillow she hugged it close trying to comfort herself.
"What if he uses his belt?" Tears began to build up in her blue eyes.
Crawling up onto the bed, Malira wrapped an arm around her sister, pulling her close.
"This is Malira's fault, this one will make sure father does not punish sister." She smiled down to her but stopped noticing the worried look on her face.
Seeing her hug her pillow made her stomach knot, where did that lizard, Jaraleet keep Senchie? She knew he hid it somewhere, his small gang had a hideout located down by the poor district's river. A small bridge ran over it, maybe Senchie was located there?
Malira thought about it for a moment then nodded - yes, it was there, had to be. She would sneak out tonight while her family slept and rescue Sanchie, returning before sunup, no one would be the wiser.
They both jumped as the front door slammed closed, soft whispers could be heard before their father's loud heavy footsteps stomped up the house's staircase.
Malira slid off the bed, ready to present herself to her father, Miran sat close behind, peeking out just enough to see their bedroom door.
The footsteps suddenly stopped atop the staircase, an audible sigh could be heard before the footsteps continued - now much lighter.
Their door opened slowly, their father stood as he combed his claws through his thick white mane.
"Father was going to belt Malira, daughter put herself at too much risk! Imagine if Malira fell - and in front of her sister!" He said, angrily pointing passed her shoulder to Mirani.
"How would mother feel if Malira fell?"
"Father-."
"No!" Raising his hand he closed his eyes, pausing for what seemed like a long time. Opening them, his eyes were suddenly soft and full of pain.
"Father does not want to know why!" He roared. "As punishment... Both Malira and Mirani will decide who gets punished."
Both their jaws dropped as they slowly turned to face each other.
Malira knew instantly it had to be her, it was her fault, not only for the trouble they were both in but it was also her fault Senchie had been taken in the first place.
Clenching her jaw closed, she snapped towards her father, chest puffed out and tail erect. "Father, Malira-"
"Mirani will take the punishment." Pushing Malira aside, she stood straight and confident before her father.
Utterly speechless, Malira stood quietly behind her sister.
"Mirani did not climb the wall but it was this one's fault that sister did." Their father nodded, crossing his arms he then nudged his head to the side, directing Malira to stand aside.
Malira did as she was told, crossing the room she stood as stiff as a board while her younger sister turned, leaning over their bed she raised her light blue dress.
She clenched her fists into a tight ball, she felt furious but as her father undid his belt she began to feel proud. Mirani was only eight years old but was brave enough to willingly give herself up to be punished, her sister truly had the heart of a lion.
The first crack of the belt made Mirani cry out, instantly being brought to tears.
Malira jolted, she could feel the belt herself, she knew all too well what it felt like, each crack of the belt was like a hammer to her heart, cracking it with each strike. Her shoulders hunched up while her ears lay flat, tears stinging her green eyes, she could see the white fur on Mirani's upper right thigh begin to darken as her skin started to bruise.
Another crack, Mirani still crying from the last belt cried out even louder. She went to rub herself but before she could her father struck once more, hitting her hand also.
She snatched away her hand, digging it into her chest, her other arm began to shake holding her weight.
"Last one." Her father said as he laid down the final blow, this time she didn't cry out, crying so hard they became silent.
"Go to your sister." He didn't look at either of them while he buckled his belt. "Father will not see either daughter leave this room until sunrise." And with that warning he turned and left, slamming the door on his way out.
Mirani curled herself into a ball on her bed, hugging her pillow as she cried into it.
Malira slowly crawled onto the bed, curling herself behind her sister, careful not to bump her belt wounds. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it about them, forming a large protective cocoon, then resting her arm over Mirani, she whispered in her ear.
"Sister is so sorry." Her voice wobbled as feelings of razors slid down her throat.
"And sister is proud, Mirani is very brave." Tears rolled down her cheeks, landing in her sister's white hair-like mane.
Mirani didn't reply, still shuttering with tears and pain, she grabbed her sister's hand and held it close, holding it until they both fell asleep, tears still wet upon their whiskers.