Chafulu

Naga's body stiffens. His ears perk and his short tail flags as the hair on his shoulders prickle at the appearance of a spotted hide. The male eyes the approaching lioness out of the corner of his eye, maw twitching in barely contained disdain.


She stands strong in the scrutiny of his gaze, unbothered. Chafulu swings her weight and tail around, ignoring him. As she moves, her steps are lazy, yet still unmatched in grace and power. The surrounding lionesses shy from her as she strides forth, but she meets their fearful eyes with a promise in her blazing eyes. On her chest, the clinking of animal bones on her garment fills the silence.


Below her, an injured lioness lay. Her stripes are familiar, and as she realizes who lays there, her steps quicken. Smoke lays in the mud where Chafulu crouches elegantly, a murmur being shared between them as the Shaman nuzzles her disgraced mate.


Beside them, Naga's eyes widen in realization. He pulls his lips back in a snarl and lunges at Chafulu's flank.


She whips around, body bending like a serpent to lash her claws across his sensitive nose. The spotted lioness hovers over the fallen form of her lover, tail lashing furiously. "Away with you!" She hisses out lowly. "Away..!"


Naga yowls out, body arching away defensively. When his eyes return to her, hatred lingers in them. "Leave her," He demands.


Chafulu straightens. She passes a caring gaze to Smoke, who slips out from beneath her, brushing her tail with her partner's. The Shaman fixes her gaze onto Naga. "Do you hear your people cry..?"


Naga looks disgusted, and turns his chin up at her. "That is none of my concern."


"Then so must not be my mate, or who she chooses," She steps around Naga, circling him. "Or the wails of a mother, whose cubs you culled?" She slips infront of him, flattening her ears to her narrow skull.


"Then they should not of had them!" He snaps his jaws at her, but is too slow.


The lithe lioness jumps back, and then forward, knocking into his chest and sending him into the mud below. The rain has since stopped, and thick mud cakes his black mane and angular face.


She sends him a glare. "I foresee disappointment in your future." She spits back, whipping her tail in his face before turning. She is met with the proud gaze of her lover, and the inspired eyes of her sisters.


Perhaps not all is lost with their late king.