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Post by Kai on Jul 12, 2010 15:23:50 GMT -5
"We're part of the land. Dry land creatures. We're supposed to fear it because... it doesn't want us. And it can strike out at us." Nyota said, mostly repeating things he had been told since he was little.
Hamali edged away from the spray, unable to fully disguise his discomfort.
"It can hurt us. Grab us, and drag us down so we can't breathe...." Hamali started.
All the siblings knew his fear of the ocean ran deeper than mere superstition. If anyone's fear of the water was justified, it was certainly his. While Nyo found the ocean merely unnerving, Hamali's feelings bordered on complete terror. And it was based on something more than the pride's supersititions.
The words that finished his thoughts were only: "It's very strong."
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Post by Narifia on Jul 12, 2010 15:57:48 GMT -5
Mahiri issued a single nod to show her approval of their answers. A tiny twinge of guilt gnawed at her as she recalled her younger brother's terrible fear of the water. But time was growing short now, and although Mahiri didn't show it she was reaching the point of desperation. Hamali's fear was less important than the mission, and she would have to show him no special consideration because of it.
"The battlefield that we are heading into will be like attempting to swim the ocean. Our enemy will strike out at us, attempting to grab us and drag us down just like the terrible paws of the sea," she said, using their own words to strike the point into their hearts. She then told them, "Come here and stand with me."
It was an order.
"Stand with your paws in the water. Do you feel that power? Do you feel the undeniable strength that could easily sweep you up and pull you under, silencing you forever?"
She paused and waited to let her brothers come and feel the power of the waves for themselves; even Hamali. She pushed any and all guilt out of her system and stood as hard as stone. Mahiri would not accept disobedience from either of her brothers, and--especially now--she couldn't.
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Post by Kai on Jul 12, 2010 21:18:32 GMT -5
With slight hesitation, Nyota stepped into the water. He was little unnerved at first, but soon calmed down as he realized that he wasn't beign swept away, although the pull of the water was strong.
Hamali, however, was holding back. Memories flashed through his mind. Swirling water, flailing limbs, sturggling, struggling, and then stillness and silence. He didn't want to be anywhere near the ocean.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 12, 2010 21:27:42 GMT -5
"Hamali, you have to trust me."
Mahiri looked at her younger brother with tender sternness in her eyes. This was a lesson that she would have to teach him. No, she would have to teach the both of them. If they didn't succeed here tonight, then she would have no choice but to drop them as her students. She would have to go with Tunza and Byron.
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Post by Kai on Jul 12, 2010 22:04:27 GMT -5
Hamali stepped stiffly forward. Slowly he put his pale paws in the cold water. Although he seemed to be in no real danger, the pull of water and the sound of the surf caused his heart to race. His legs shook, but he stayed. He let himself take a long, slow breath.
Even Nyota would not make a remark. He just kept quiet.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 12, 2010 22:16:35 GMT -5
Mahiri nodded her approval, proud of Hamali's brave steps. She was proud, but grim nonetheless. He would have to be braver still to face what was about to come.
"Nyota. Hamali. Take this feeling in, and get to know it well. You will become as strong as the ocean, but neither of you can do it on your own. We are a team, and we will become as one. If you cannot learn that, then you have no right to fight at my side."
She turned and looked Nyota and then Hamali right in the eyes.
"Make no mistake that if you fail here tonight, then your places will be taken by Tunza and Byron. You need to be brave, and hold strong to one another, or you may not survive this. Understood?"
Although she remained outwardly cold and calm, her eyes begged her brothers to understand.
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Post by Kai on Jul 12, 2010 22:34:22 GMT -5
Hamali did not like the sound of where this was going, but he would not let this fear deny him this chance. He would prove himself. He would show the pride he was not his father, he was different than the monster. Then finally they would be proud of him. This was his mission, not Byron and Tunza's. He would do this even if it meant working with Nyota.
"I understand." Hiis voice now rang with certainty, he was resolute.
"All right." Nyota agreed. He would work with his brother. He saw the steely determination in the eyes of his siblings. The Prince would find a way to make this work. "What are we facing?"
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Post by Narifia on Jul 12, 2010 22:48:13 GMT -5
As soon as Hamali uttered the words "I understand," Mahiri allowed all of her own inhibitions to slip away as well.
'Then there's no turning back now,' she thought, as if also finding a resolution within herself in her brother's words of certainty.
Mahiri gave Nyota a sideways glance, and then turned to the ocean once again and answered his question, her voice chilling. The roaring ocean waves seemed to grow more violent with her words.
"Your deaths."
With that she turned her fangs upon Hamali, seizing him by the hair of his mane on the scruff of his neck. It was a challenge because of Hamali's size, but Mahiri was no lightweight. With effort she hoisted him into the air and attempted to fling him as far out into the ocean as she could manage.
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Post by Kai on Jul 12, 2010 23:10:53 GMT -5
A chill ran down Hama's spine at her words. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, as his sister's own fangs turned on him. He was flung bodily into the water before he had time to really comprehend it. He didn't even have time to scream. His mouth open with shock quickly filled with water and he choked, trying to struggle to the surface. He felt the farmiliar pull of the waves, a cold terror was seeping into his mind.
Nyota was frozen in shock.
"Mahiri, are you off your nut!? Are trying to murder Hamali?" He yelled. He actually looked frightened of his sister.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 12, 2010 23:43:28 GMT -5
"Are you going to do something about it!?"[/i]
Mahiri yelled the brutal challenge at her older brother as she turned swiftly towards him. Unfaltering and without a hint of remorse she snapped her jaw around the unprotected scruff of Nyota's neck and managed to grab a good chunk, all while being careful not to leave a noticeable mark on the young prince. Using all of her strength she lifted the young lion into the air and swung as hard as she could, letting go just in time to see her elder brother join Hamali in the raging and dangerous waters.
Panting from the effort, she recovered from the throw and stood sprawled-legged on the coast. She regained her composure, straightened up, and forced herself to calm her breathing. Now, she simply watched.
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Post by Kai on Jul 13, 2010 0:17:27 GMT -5
Nyota attempted to resist, but Mahiri had an iron grip to match her iron will. Whether it was surprise on his part or some ungodly adrenaline rush on hers, he found himself being tossed into the water after his brother.
Hamali felt as if time was standing still. He could hear nothing but the flowing water while he drifted beneath the surface. He tried in vain to get higher, but the waves were pulling him down. He felt his limbs being overcome by fatigue, and his vision fading, his lungs burning for air. Panic spurred him on momentarily, and he came inches from the surface before his body gave out.
Then his senses were awakened by a sharp pain in his paw. Was something attacking him? No, it was Nyota. It was a clumsy, painful rescue attempt. He felt his head above water for a moment, and he managed to cough up some water in exhange for a breath of air before falling under the surface again.
Nyota cursed loudly. No matter how much his brother pissed him off, he didn't hate him enough to let him die. Mahiri said they could only take down the Ghost Lion together. He sunk his teeth into whatever body part he could reach, often having to bite on again after letting go.
Hamali could see the blood running from the wounds in wide streams of red, but he couldn't feel it anymore. Maybe it was the cold, maybe he was just losing it. Before he could finish this thought, he fell into silence and darkness.
Nyota was dragged under the water right before they reached the shore and inhaled a good mouthful. A violent wave tossed the limp bodies of both the lions on to the land. Nyota was conscious, and immediately stood to throw up water and stumble away from the tide. He managed to drag Hamali's body a couple of feet before falling down again, completely spent and unable to move. All he could do was try to breathe.
Hamali lay unmoving, bleeding in several places. His usually long, flowing mane was plastered against his face, ripped out in a couple spots.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 13, 2010 0:41:06 GMT -5
They had landed only a few yards away from where Mahiri had been standing the entire time. Outwardly she remained cold and calm, as if the whole incident hadn't phased her one bit. On the inside, however, her stomach had been churning with excitement and anxiety. If they had taken much longer, she'd have jumped in and pulled them back herself.
Mahiri swelled up with pride, however, because she hadn't had to do that. For if she had, it would have meant that the two lions had failed her test.
All of these thoughts raced around in her mind as she made haste to bound over to where her brothers laid. She frowned; Hamali was out cold. He had probably swallowed too much water. There wasn't much else she could do but try to get that water out. She had only seen it done once before, and now she attempted to emulate it as accurately as possible. Mahiri took her forepaws and placed them firmly on Hamali's stomach. She pushed upwards, several times, as if trying to pump the water out of him. She only hoped that it would really work.
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Post by Kai on Jul 13, 2010 0:59:58 GMT -5
There was no immediate response. Nyota, falling in an out of an exhausted stupor, wondered if this test had killed Hamali. Suddenly, the youngest brother began vomiting copious amounts of water. There was a violent, raucous sound as his body gasped for air and his lungs seemed to work again.
He was very disoriented. His eyes showed no recognition of his surroundings or his siblings for a moment, and fear cause him to attempt to get up, but he only fell right back down and cracked his chin on the rocks. He tried to speak, but all he managed was some incomprehensible mumbling. He seemed to give up his struggle, sinking down into a laying position as he tried to recover his senses.
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Post by Narifia on Jul 13, 2010 1:22:55 GMT -5
Mahiri stopped her pumping motions as Hamali came to. She smiled and patted him gently on the back with her paw.
"There there, Hali," she said in a rare comforting manner, using the odd pet name that only she seemed to call him, "You'll be fine now. You both will."
She turned to Nyota and asked, "Are you able to walk?"
Her tone of voice towards Nyota was different now. There was a twinge of pride in the way she addressed him, and in the way that she looked at him. Although she wouldn't come out and say it just yet, her eyes were telling him that he had done well.
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Post by Kai on Jul 13, 2010 20:20:09 GMT -5
"Y-yes."
Slowly he got to his feet, shaking water out of his little strip of mane. He seemed changed somehow. He seemed very pleased with himself. For once in his life, he had thought about someone other than himself.
Hamali was in a very different mood however. With some effort, he managed to stand. He was still occasionally coughing up water, saying nothing, looking away, limbs shaking, blood running over the stones from his wounds, his long mane matted with so much sand and sea plants you could hardly see the white.
"Hamali?"
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