Playing with fire

Askari snorted in amusement as his eyes found the origin of the voice. "Well, that's one confident cub", he said to Ushindi. "I'll take the left one, you and the girls can have fluffy over there. Won't take too long and when we're done, we'll teach that squirt a word or two about bravery!"

Calmly, Ushindi placed a paw on his friend's chest to hold him back. "Let me talk to him first", he said with a low voice. "But if he keeps asking for it… And you take the big guy. Teke, think you girls can handle the other one?"

"Yup", the lioness replied confidently while Shindana and Chagina nodded in agreement.

"If you ask this kindly", Ushindi said loudly and stepped forward, looking up to the young lion. He wasn't exactly a cub anymore, his fiery red mane already extended all the way down his neck, ending between the shoulder blades and had begun to grow thicker. He was still far from Ushindi's or Askari's height but large enough to compete with one of the lionesses.

"Probably you've already heard of us", Ushindi continued. "My name is Ushindi. Maybe you know me as the Rogue Prince. These are my companions. And I've come to ask for your fealty."

The younger lion raised an eyebrow, looking anything but impressed. "Never heard that name before and everyone can introduce himself with a fancy title, so forgive me that I won't bow and knuckle under to you only because you call yourself a prince. And what in all the ancients' names makes you think you have the right to claim my fealty?"

"Oh, I wouldn't call it a claim", Ushindi responded. "Consider it a deal, beneficial for both of us."

"You hear that?" The young lion grinned at his two henchmen. "It's a deal he wants. I guess if royalty comes all the way to seek for our fealty it's worth quite something. Tell me, Ushindi, what is it you intend to offer us for it… and your lives? Something that has to do with these lovely ladies you brought, by any chance?"

From behind, Ushindi heard a three-voiced growl, low and threatening. He shrugged, as if it was nothing. "I'm afraid that is not up to debate", he replied. "But how about something like… justice for your parents, Moto?"

Within an instant the red maned lion's superior grin vanished. Within the glimpse of an eye he noticed his mistake but neither was he quick enough to hide it nor did he manage to recover his facial expression that now looked more like a grimace. "How… Who told you? Mufasa? One of his lionesses? What kind of game are you playing?"

"The bloody kind. The hyenas ambushed my girl and mauled one of us when we tried to talk to the matriarch. We have the same enemy. So, that is my offer. Join us and together, we will claim the revenge we deserve. The revenge your parents des…"

"Shut up about my parents!", Moto shouted enraged. "Who do you think you are, telling me what they deserve or not? And curse you for tempting me with a revenge I cannot have! Fasiki, Singa! I have enough of this wannabe prince! Silence him and…"

A small nod sideways of Ushindi was all it took. Whatever the furious youngster was about to say, the words were drowned out by Askari's roar, as he got ahead of Moto's henchmen and charged. Before his target could react, he was on him, met him with full force and smashed his head against the large rock behind him. Dazed by the impact, the bigger lion staggered backwards unable to avoid or counter the following attacks. Two heavy blows later, Askari's opponent went down.

On the other side, the other lion launched forward. "Singa!", he called out in disbelieve, intending to continue his fallen comrade's fight. Too late he noticed, that in doing so he had turned his back on the three lionesses.

With the accuracy of a skilled huntress, Chagina pounced. As soon as her claws dug into her target's skin, she shifted her mass center sideways, throwing Fasiki off balance and carrying him off his feet. Within a heartbeat Tekelea was there to aid her and added her bodyweight to hers, holding their prey down, while Shindana rushed in to close jaws around the struggling male's neck.

Moto gasped as he saw his friends going down. He'd never expected the lionesses to enter the fight and the speed in which they and the black lion dealt with their opponents took him off guard. This was the exact opposite of what was supposed to happen. His eyes met with Ushindi's, who hadn't moved at all and looked back at him with a grin on his face he himself had carried only moments ago what only added up to his rage. Every nerve of his body screamed to him to shred this mocking face into pieces and before he could truly think about his actions, he found himself leaping down from his ledge, reaching out with his claws to dig into it. The next thing he felt was a stinging pain on one of his hind legs and the dizziness that came with being forcefully pulled off course midair. Then he crashed into a wall. Stumbling back on his feet, he found himself caught between the rocks of the ledge he had jumped down from and the black green-eyed beast cutting him off from any possibilities to retreat. Fear and the undeniable realization of defeat crept into his mind, as the other lion slowly moved towards him, a nearly mad hunger on his face. Behind him, Moto could see his friends. Fasiki was held down by the lionesses with a pair of sharp teeth at his throat, while Singa still lay unmoving. Against his will, his instincts kicked in and he lowered himself into a more submissive pose, as Ushindi finally left his spot and moved beside his dark furred companion.

"Good", the Rogue Prince said, noticing the change in Moto's body language. "Back to my offer. What do you think? Your fealty in exchange for the promise for revenge… and your lives?"

His wounded ego nearly caused him physical pain as Moto nodded. He was clever enough to notice there was no other way to get out of this alive. Additionally, another thought entered his mind. He had vastly underestimated these guys. Now after he had seen the fighting strength of them… Maybe Ushindi's offer wasn't as hilarious as it initially had sounded to him.

"I want you to say it out loud", the rogue prince demanded. "Do you surrender yourself and your companions to me and agree to follow us under my lead?"

Quickly, Moto glanced at his friends. The pleading look Fasiki gave him was enough to tell that he was more than willing to accept any of these terms if it meant he would be allowed to keep his windpipe intact. Singa was still unconscious, but knowing him he wouldn't be of any help if it were otherwise. He'd just do whatever Moto would tell him. So he looked back to Ushindi and made his decision: "I do."

"You vow that you'll obey my commands and accept me as your prince? Be it by right of combat if you still don't believe in my lineage."

Moto fought the urge to grimace. He had to admit he respected this guy for granting him his life and still offering him this deal after the attempted assault. Although in most kingdoms the death penalty was reserved for the most gruesome of crimes it wasn't uncommon for rogues to deal with each other the old ways if threatened. He could count himself lucky that Ushindi seemed to be honorable enough to be above such practices. Yet still, Moto felt humiliated as he noticed how Ushindi intentional used his own words from earlier to taunt him. "I will do as you command", he replied. "But one victory makes no prince. If it truly is a deal we have, I will call you with a title the moment you fulfill your part in it."

For a moment, Moto feared he may have overdone it. Ushindi stared at him as if to decide how he would punish the younger lion for his words, but then he just grinned. "Fair enough. Askari. Girls. Help our new friends back to their feet."

AN: And that's how Moto joined the party. Not the best start, but they'll warm up to each other eventually... Kind of.