Ly stood unseen in the shadows observing her cousin's mating with the Katagaria, hot resentment seared her innards. Poor, shy little Ariel would be mortified to know that Ly had taken to voyeurism, her delicate sensibilities would be crushed if she knew such a personal experience was being looked on by anyone. Ly had conveniently forgotten that Ariel was leader of their Pride for more than being a pretty face. Ariel's love and loyalty to her family had made Ly complacent, she allowed dreams of taking Ariel's mantle to become wild thoughts, that after a long time of thinking on them took on a gleam of realism. There was a distinct possibility in Ly's mind that she would be able to face her cousin off in a fight and exile her from the pride if she won, which seemed more likely by the second. It was only when the Katagaria showed up that those thoughts - that only cropped up in the darkest of rages - turned to ambition.

Ly knew that when she took over as leader Ariel would still be counted as family, for all her jealousy she did suppose she loved Ariel, and even if she didn't Faraa and the rest of the Pride did. That was one of the reasons she had to be exiled, her worshipped status amongst the Pride would only make the transition from Ariel's reign into Ly's harder. Ly wasn't actually sure how she would go about taking Ariel down but those naïve dreams of grandeur had led Ly to believe that when faced with her wrath, Ariel would rather skulk away than fight Ly. That would work better all around, wouldn't it? She wouldn't have to hurt her cousin and she would get the Pride. Only trouble was the others may think she is weak for not killing her opponent or at least maiming her for life, they might not afford her the proper respect she should get as leader.

Tricky, tricky, tricky ….

Ly was lost in malicious thought when Aiyana moved up behind her, she watched Ly's eyes gleam with perverse pleasure as she watched her cousin mating. Aiyana did not like Ly. At first they had seen each other as allies because both of them had mistrusted Paris, but over the days Paris spent with Ariel who Aiyana gladly looked on as her mother, Aiyana had come to accept the Katagaria lion's presence in her life. And Paris wasn't all that bad, he talked to her sometimes when they were alone, he reassured her she would never be separated from Ariel. Which pleased Aiyana immensely, she never wanted to go back to her father again, she'd rather die then go back to that. Aiyana knew in Ly's warped mind that she believed that if she removed Ariel from the Pride she would not only have Ariel's position as leader but her mate as well. Aiyana never credited the Arcadians around her with much brains, except Ariel, but Ariel was blinded by her love for her family. She did think, however, that Paris would sense the pheromones in Ly's body heightening when she was around the him. She assumed he would pick up on something, but then he was so wrapped up in Ariel that he looked at no one else. He stared at her across the room when they wee separated, hated being near anyone else, at first Aiyana had thought it cute now she wanted to slap him. If he wanted to act like a sap when their wasn't a treacherous bitch threatening to bring about all their demises then that was up to him. But since Ly was doing a fatal attraction on him, she really thought his animal sense would kick in. Ly hated Aiyana, but with her fixation for Paris growing by the day her vigilance over her had slipped and Aiyana had taken it as an opportunity to observe the observer. How she longed to tell Ariel, but Ariel would no doubt think she was suffering from the trelosa. Aiyana crawled forward, her belly scraping the earth, Ly was still unaware of her presence. In Aiyana's mind, killing the bitch would be best all around, and that was exactly what she planned to do.

Aiyana wormed her body closer, her eyes fixed on Ly's neck, her body wiggled, one paw lifted. Ready, ready …

Ly turned and spotted her and Ly's face went from shocked to smiling in two seconds. Aiyana made a dash for the house and heard Ly hot on her tail, the porch light was almost like a light house for the sailor lost in a treacherous and vast sea. All she had to do was get there and somehow she would be safe, somehow she knew Ly could not do what she planned. The porch was in reach, just a little bit further, all she had to do was keep in front of Ly long enough to get there. Aiyana made a leap for the wooden steps, she felt the roughness of her paws scratch the wood, she slipped, tripped, her back legs pushed and scrambled up the steps. She was there!

Had Aiyana been in human form she would have been smiling brightly with relief, as it was she merely turned and gave Ly a taunting look. It was too much of a risk to attack her in the light, but Ly thrived on risk or so she imagined. She put her new persona into practice and pounced on Aiyana, shifting in midair and landing on her. The two lioness's were around the same age but Ly was that little bit older, and in lion form those few years counted. Ly had Aiyana's squirming body pinned under her successfully in seconds, Ly sank her claws and teeth viciously deep into the young lioness.

One of the greatest myths in this world is convincing yourself that light can save you from the monsters in the dark.

Aiyana let out a helpless cry when Ly's spiteful, insidious voice pierced her mind, before Ly flashed them off the porch. The night was still and unassuming as if the scene on the porch had never happened, a light breeze swept over the ranch taking with it a light sprinkling of dust that swirled rather magically, almost as if the house was situated back on the savannah.

*********************************

"Ariel Sebastienne," Ariel mused looking up at the stars, her body felt used and limber and wonderful, she had a suspicion that she could possibly be glowing. Paris turned his head so he could smile, his stomach did a flip when he heard her using his last name in relation to herself. They lay side by side, not touching, not really talking much, Paris was just glad that she wasn't having any regrets … well, she didn't seem to be.

"Your happy?" Paris couldn't keep silent, he needed to know. Ariel turned her head so she faced him, her smile was blinding and beautiful, it was practically edging on laughter.

"I'm so high, I'm surprised I'm not airborne," she said and rolled on her side so she could drape herself over her mate's chest. Paris let out a noise half between a groan and a sigh of pure satisfaction and began to hum 'what a wonderful world'.

"So what shall we do now we've become mates?" Ariel laughed, Paris had a feeling she merely liked repeating the word 'mates' out loud.

"I think I'm going to do something special for my mate," Paris muttered capturing her lips with his, Ariel gave a little groan in protest that didn't sound very sincere.

"I don't think I can go another round," she grinned but rubbed herself against him anyway, Paris felt the elation literally lift his heart up and without warning he clutched her to him so fiercely that Ariel struggled.

"Your crushing me," she laughed, pulling back to kiss the tip of his nose, she suddenly seemed caught up in staring into his eyes. Paris searched hers in turn.

"What do you see?" he asked hoarsely and Ariel smiled, her eyes oddly bright.

"I can't wait to have your children," she murmured and Paris forced the ache in his throat down so he could whisper a prayer in her ear, thanking the gods for bringing her to him.

Paris pulled back and kissed her lightly on the lips before getting up, Ariel pouted playfully.

"Where are you going?"

"I have just spent hours making love to you, now I'm going to feed you," Paris flashed a pair of jeans on but left his top half bare. Ariel sat up looking sultry and sexy, she watched him rake his hands through his hair in an effort to tidy the riot of curls that she had run her hands through constantly while they had made love. The sight of him looking so dishevelled and primitive and utterly masculine made her stomach clench.

"Come back quickly."

Paris noted the look in her eyes and felt himself harden, would he ever get enough of her? He doubted it, he knew he'd continue to crave her sexually, emotionally and every other way it was possible to crave her, until they were craggy and old with one foot in the grave.

"You have whipped cream in the house?" he asked and waited for that answering spark of lust and life to flare in her eyes the way he loved, she gave him a mischievous look and laughed when he flashed to the house.

Paris flashed himself on to the porch and tiptoed into the house, he closed the door gently and rummaged in the cupboard, with his huge hand Paris pawed contents out of the way, his head was part way in about to sniff at a box of crackers when he stopped abruptly. His eyes reflecting the light of the moon shining through the window, turning them to green and yellow orbs, Paris turned to stare fixedly at the porch. His keen senses standing to attention, knowing instinctively something was very, very wrong. The scent of Ly and Aiyana was rife in the air, Paris was on the steps in a instant, bending down to examine the scratches in the wood … What the hell?

Sending psychic feelers out into the ether Paris zoned in on Ly's power source radiating from far away, he could pinpoint her exact location. Paris clucked his tongue thoughtfully, he should really go and get Ariel, she would want to know.

Paris flicked a glance back at the deep grooves in the wood and felt a hostile chill tingle his spine, from base to tip the feeling was intense. The thought of Ariel being hurt in anyway was completely against his genetic make-up, he would just flash himself over to see what Ly was doing and get back before Ariel got too lonely and came a-snooping.

Focusing once again on Ly's power, Paris flashed himself to where she was. He appeared under the cover of shadows of trees and lush vegetation, stealthily he crept closer and his eyes widened at the sight of Ly holding Aiyana down by the throat. Fighting the natural instinct to rush to the young lioness's aid, Paris stayed put. And watched. And waited.

Paris's nostrils flared and so did the fire aflame in his eyes when Aldo Fernandez stalked out of the shadows opposite Paris's hiding place, biting back a growl and stopping himself launching from his cover and sinking his jaws around Aldo's neck was one of the hardest thing he ever had to do.

"What's this?" Aldo asked politely, though the sneer on his face was anything but. Ly did not straighten from her position on the ground, Paris gritted his teeth against the idiocy of the act. Any good warrior would know that such a position left a fighter at a disadvantage and open to attack.

"I bring you a gift, Signor Fernandez," Ly said in a sweet voice that made Paris want to puke, he watched Aiyana struggle harder then ever at seeing her father. Not caring that she hurt herself in the process, she became wild with fear. Aldo sent a look of loathing towards his daughter then back to Ly, whom he gazed at with a spark of interest now.

"You think to trick me, you foolish human?" Aldo asked with mocking amusement, and Paris saw Ly's smile flicker, she fought to keep it in place.

"Never. In fact," Ly licked her lips nervously and standing up to face Aldo, with her foot pressed down on Aiyana's neck, rushed on, "I've come with your daughter as a token of good will between our Prides."

Aldo let out a booming laugh and Paris tensed when he saw other Katagaria lions emerge from their hiding places.

"You expect me to believe this when it passes the lips of the cousin of my enemy?" Aldo reached out and loosely gripped Ly's throat. It looked pale and fragile under his huge hand. His grip may have not been hurting Ly but Paris was sure from her rapidly increased breathing that she was aware of just what a threat it was. The corralled strength and violence in his grip could very soon turn deadly with the wrong move.

"My enemy too," Ly gasped out fear evident in her voice. "I want her mantle. She doesn't deserve it, she hasn't earned it. It should never have been given to her."

Aldo tightened his grip painfully before letting go, his hand had left print behind that was turning purple as Paris looked at them. Paris wanted to rip Ly apart for her treachery, it disgusted him that anyone could disregard the bond of family so easily … and he was Katagaria so that really was saying something. Never had Paris ever wanted to rip two people apart more, Aldo for what he and his brother had tried to do to his mate and Ly for what she was doing now in her jealousy and selfishness.

"You want to overthrow the leader of your pride?" Aldo asked, even though he kept his voice neutral Paris still detected a trace of surprise and intrigue in there.

"Yes," Ly said breathless with sudden excitement, her dark eyes gleamed wickedly. "Yes, I want her dead. I thought exile before but now I know I want her dead. She has no place in my Pride. The leadership title should have gone to me, instead it was given to that whore my father sacrificed himself for. Roken was my father, I should be leader."

Aldo laughed and Paris too could see the irony. Aldo and his brother had killed Roken, Ly's father, years before while he tried to protect Ariel, now his daughter came to them because she wanted Ariel dead. Paris shook his head in disgust, with every moment that past the bitter taste in his mouth grew until he wanted to spew forth a vile tirade of curses and abuse.

"And how, little Miss, do you propose to do this thing? You want me to kill her? Your clan will be forced to go to war with us. Not that I'm worried." He added quickly as an afterthought. "But there will be no way we can be allies if we wage war between us."

"Leave the handling of politics up to me," Ly said confidently, "You just waste the bitch and I'll make it look like her mate went berserk and killed her and Aiyana."

"Aiyana stays with me, I choose how to do away with my daughter!"

"That's fine," Ly said unctuously, "whatever you want. Then I'll arrange it so her mate takes the blame."

"And who is the unfortunate soul?"

Ly tried to evade the question and Aldo narrowed his eyes on her.

"Who?" he demanded furiously.

"Scared?" she taunted snidely and Paris let the growl that had been smouldering in his throat well up and out, Aldo and Ly both cast looked over there shoulders, oblivious to Paris, who was, in fact standing off to the side of them.

He had seen enough and moved with a deadly lope out of the shadows and into the light to confront the traitor and the soon to be dead ex-brother in-law of his mate.

"You should be scared, dick head!" Paris snarled, Aldo whipped his head around and saw Paris. Like most formidable men, Paris's reputation proceeded him and knowing who he was Aldo looked like he would gladly commit Hara-kiri rather than face the wrath of Paris.

"Paris!" Ly gasped with surprise and dread.

"Ly," Paris curled his lip in disgust, "I give you grade A for treachery there, female. You've outdone yourself."

Ly looked terrified and became as white as a sheet.

"I do not wish to battle a fellow Katagaria, Paris Sebastienne," Aldo became a sycophant and his muscular body and hard eyes became nothing in the face of such a power as Paris.

"Too late for that, Fernandez!" Paris growled, "I've waited long for this. You attack my mate once that alone puts you on my shit list of those to kill. By plotting to do so a second time is an offence to myself and my mate. This time I bring the battle to you."

Aldo swallowed with difficulty as if he had a melon in his throat, Paris kept his eyes on the shifty expressions crossing Aldo's face as he began to sweat profusely, Paris knew what the lion was thinking. At this point in time he could very well be obliterated by Paris, yet if he didn't fight and Paris let him live he would have become a coward in the eyes of his Pride and that simply would not do.

Out the corner of his eye Paris saw Ly slipping backwards into the shadows, with his powers he manifested a cage the size of a elevator around Ly. She shrieked with shock and fear, cowering until she realised what it was, she turned her eyes helplessly to those around her, but none watched with any pity. It seemed they were dreading yet anticipating the blood shed to come.