Sefu was walking at a slower rate than normal; he was trying to not disturb the strange cat he was carrying on his back. It looked to be young, and he knew it was definitely a female. The prominent characteristics include the small head, large ears, spotted and striped golden-yellow coat, long legs, and a black-tipped tail; all of which meant this feline was a serval. She never saw it coming; one moment she was minding her own business, and then the very next moment a goliath was shunted onto her and knocked her out cold. He was looking around for a place to set her down gently, until he heard a yawn. And then that yawn turned to panic when this cat realized what her 'bed' was made of.
"EEEEK! Don't eat me, I warn you, I am a fighter going in AND coming out!" Warned the cat jumping off Sefu's back.
They now stood face to face as the serval hissed and bared her fangs at Sefu. Rather, given the size difference, face to lower chest. Sefu just sat down on all fours, gave the cat a smile and yawned. "First you attack me and now you treat me like a joke! What's wrong with you?!" Yelled the cat in her beautiful exotic voice. A lot of things, actually. Sefu thought but could not voice.
"Well? I'm waiting." Demanded the serval. As a response, a bunch of strange, unearthly sounds came from Sefu's mouth. The small cat stopped and tilted her head at the strange sounds. "Can you talk?" Asked the cat looking closely at Sefu. What was your first clue?! Sefu thought, but instead of showing that in his body language, he simply moved his head left to right to indicate 'No'.
"I understand: you're mute. In that case, my name is Kora. Things you need to know; I am a serval and I control this area of the Sea of Grass. We are three miles away from the ocean where the council of the Sea of Grass resides. This area is my own; no other serval lives here with me. Well, sometimes these stupid-ass males come to ask for my paw and I kick them out." Sefu rolled his eyes. Now where have I seen this before?
"I don't know what kind of cat you are, but you are MASSIVE. I wish that you could tell me your name. Any way, you can stay here with me. I hunt rabbits and sometimes fish. We are the only predators in the area and that means you can just crush anyone that stands in your way. Hopefully not me." Laughed Kora, batting her eyes as she said this.
"He's so hot. Those blue eyes; his peach colored fur; those tightly toned muscles that ripple when he walks. And that beautiful blond fur that frames his face. Oh my... Stop thinking these thoughts! You just met the guy, and anyway he's another species. I must look like a fool not talking and just staring at him. Kora realized.
"Blue eyes, I think that a mystic will be able to help you and me understand each other. If you are willing to try spending the night with me… I mean in my bed… No! I mean, you can stay in my den and in the morning we can head to the council. Lulu is a mystic, she could help me understand you better." Kora said through yawns.
Sefu got up and Kora took that as a 'yes'. She led him to her den, purring a happy song as the blonde sub-adult followed her.
Now I know what Lana meant when she said she hated being viewed just as a pretty face and ogled by the males around her. This is so demeaning, and I need to find out how to get home. I still can't account for how I'm even alive, though. Korofi's blast should have killed me. These were Sefu's thoughts as he followed Kora.
Kora's den was a large dugout in a hillside, the opening sloped down into a large chamber with a sort ceiling. It was not dark yet, so the two cats sat outside. Sefu found that Kora was quite pleased with his company, though he wondered if she was even aware that he was not just an overgrown serval. He watched as the cat vanished into the grass and, just a few seconds later, leapt out with a rabbit in her mouth, which she gave to him.
"I know this is not normally enough for you, cause you're a big boy. Teehee… I can get you some fish if you like," Kora more flirted than stated. Sefu pawed the ground, indicating for Kora to stay; she got the message and sat right next to him.
I really don't feel like eating right now, but I don't want to rude it's not every day that a stranger decides to help someone who fell out of the sky. My family is all dead and I don't know how to get back home. Iago will pay for this! He'll pay for this! Sefu thought as he tore into the rabbit he was given.
Kora watched Sefu eat the rabbit and waited until he was done to speak. "I think about where you came from, but don't have a clue beyond the fact that you fell from heaven. But I can tell that you are upset about something. I guess that you did not want to come to the "Sea of Grass"; you were forced somehow. You're a nice cat, Blue-Eyes. And tomorrow I hope that I can get you help", yawned Kora.
Soon night fell on the "Sea of Grass" and Kora and Sefu went inside for the night. How Sefu was able to get comfortable enough to sleep in this comparatively tiny alcove was anyone's guess, but he managed it.
And when he did, Sefu soon found himself standing on a large rock above the clouds."Ok, this is strange," said the normally mute lion. And then he realized that he spoke aloud.
"I can talk?!" Exclaimed Sefu, however, the lion did not have time to think about this as he was knocked over by something. Or rather, by someone. Opening his eyes again, Sefu found that he was staring into the eyes of sapphire blue that he knew."Khari." Sefu said.
"Sefu I missed you so much", cried Khari as she buried her face in his fur. Sister and brother stayed like that for a few minutes until they got up and faced each other.
"It's allmy fault I should have been with you instead of partying with my friends! You wanted me to come with you and I blew you off; I am so sorry." Sefu lamented.
"It's not your fault. Nothing would have changed, except that you would be dead as well. Nothing would have changed, even if Choyana did not die. This was going to happen, one way or another. Don't you remember what father told us about Choyana and her death?" asked Khari.
Flash-Back
"Sefu and Khari I need to have words with you two." Mato said, not quite sure how to continue from there, so he just said it directly.
"I know your upset for Othello and Jezebel. However, you should not mourn Choyana death. I was once an evil lion, and though I don't like talking about my past, one of the things I learned was mercy. Specifically, what it meant receive it and how it felt when it was not given." As Mato's voice went cold, Sefu and Khari listened even more intently.
"Because of this, I did not kick Choyana out of the pride or execute her. I knew what would befall her in exile, for in my past life I had inflicted just that upon many a lioness dumb enough, foolish enough, or just unlucky enough to find herself in that predicament. However, I could not have known just how wrong that decision turned out to be." Mato paused, as though he was still trying to process where he went wrong with her.
"She would join the hunt sometimes. However, most of the times she would take more meat then she needed. And I found out some time ago that she would give it all to Iago. I did not want to trouble anyone else, so I often hunted for Othello and Jezebel." That suddenly explained quite a few of his absences, but just then he would explain the rest of them.
"At other times, she would bully her pride-sisters, sometimes for no other reason than she could. She would use those wild dogs to force them off a spot she wanted to sunbath. And, if any cub tried to attack Iago for hurting them, Choyana would scare them by telling them that she would send wild dogs to eat them in the night. I wanted to kill her, however my heart did not want to leave Othello, Jezebel, and Iago without a mother. If I killed her or kicked her out, Othello, Jezebel and Iago would all have become the monsters Blood once was. As you knew, Jezebel for a long time had multiple imaginary friends who told her to hurt others, lie, cheat and steal. It was only after I sent her and Othello with Lana and her family for two months did the voices quit and she returned to her natural self." Mato said, causing Sefu realize exactly where he going with this conversation.
"Choyana did not even care that I sent Othello and Jezebel on a vacation for two months, and was happy they weren't around to displease Iago with their presence. Jezebel met with Ajabu, the Kuatan Jungle's shaman who worked on helping her. I believed that Choyana death will allow me to help Iago as I did with his siblings" Mato declared.
Flash-Back End
"Dad had a big heart; he gave Choyana all the help she could ever want but she spat in his face for it. You're right; nothing good would have come with that bitch alive. Together, she and Iago would have destroyed the Goldlands and the Kuatan Jungle for kicks. I am going to rip Iago in two and toss his body off Ivory Tower, then I will crush Magnus and Cobarth skulls into a fine powered. And Othello… ", Sefu snarled, his brain hatching all kinds of horrid schemes for the stronger of Blood's sons.
Khari just looked at her brother, and Sefu realized that she was sadden by what she was hearing. "What's wrong?"Asked Sefu, giving her a quick nuzzle. "Don't become Miran, Blood, Iago or even like dad once was. If you kill Iago to satisfy your anger, you run the risk of becoming a monster. However, Iago and Cobarte have to die for their crimes. Othello has a heart; he's confused as to what path to take. Mangus' family and pack were not the ones eating our pride-sisters or defiling their remains. He is trapped by Iago, and is just as confused and afraid as Othello. Those two have done horrible things but they are not lost yet." Khari pleaded.
"How did you become so wise? You were so silly when you were a cub. And then we dined on koalas, and you were a riot. You're right, though. About not letting myself become a monster. If there is still hope that our two friends can come back to the side of good, I will be lenient with them. However, do you know why I did not die when Korofi blasted me?" Asked Sefu. To that, Khari shrugged.
"Perhaps Korofi meant what he said to you after all. He isn't exactly following Iago out of loyalty or admiration, you know." Suddenly it all made sense to Sefu, at least concerning why he was alive. "One more thing" Khari said as the world flashed white. "Our little brother is alive. He's with Icarus's pride." Khari whispered as she faded away.
Sefu found himself awake and looking down he realized that Kora was sleeping in between his paws softly purring. I hope she's not dreaming about me, thought Sefu as he began to think about what Khari had told him.