Thanvaros.
The name sent shivers down the spine of any lioness or cub in the Shaluma territory.
The previous ruler was a ruthless killer.
He would shred innocent cubs to punish their mothers for simple mistakes such as failing on a hunt or tripping over and getting dust on his meal. Then he usually killed them too.
Many lionesses didn't make it out alive. Males never did, always suffering to his sharp claws and teeth.
That was until one faithful night, when everything changed..
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Thanvaros was sleeping inside his den when the cool night breeze starts to pick up. He groggily lifts his head, flexing his claws as he glares around in the pitch dark shadows of his den.
"You have made a mistake."
"There will be punishments for your actions."
"You will soon understand the pain and suffering we had to go through. At your claws."
A symphony of voices blast into his ears, causing him to stumble backwards in shock. The lions he'd killed were all speaking to him. Here. Now. Before one, shrill voice rings out, silencing the rest.
"When you least expect it, Thanvaros, she will be there. She will avenge us all, and prevent you from shedding further blood. She shall be the savior. She shall be the Goddess, you the simple mortal, begging for mercy."
A young cub jumps forwards, his blank eyes unwavering as he looks up at Thanvaros.
"You have no chance. Justice will be served by she who's bloodline is older than the pride itself."
Like that, the shadows fade, and the voices die down, leaving Thanvaros shaking in his den.
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"Thanvaros. One of the lionesses have had her litter." Well, that's great. More mouths to feed. The last thing I need right now. Reluctantly, the king gets up, pushing past the adolescent female and into the clearing, where a lioness was grooming two cubs. His gaze falls onto one in particular, a female.. Her fangs were longer and sharper, her tail shorter, her build stockier, her fur fluffier..
"..Justice will be served by she who's bloodline is older than the pride itself.."
A primal. That must be what they meant. Thanvaros growls, smirking slightly.
"Kill it."
He demands, his tail lashing angrily. The lioness glances up at him in shock.
"E-excuse me?!" Ugh. Didn't they learn their lesson last time?! Talking back to him was not acceptable.
"I said kill it. Or I will."
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So that was how life was in the Shaluma grove from now on. Any primal that was born would be killed. The only adult primal who lived in the pride was now locked up in a damp, dark, cramped cave, only being fed once. The lionesses would pray to The Ones Above that their cubs wouldn't be primal. A few tried to escape with their cubs -although they were later found by hunting patrols with (tw for graphic violence description (what happens is their dead))
large clawmarks down their stomach, exposing their bleeding, sometimes still pulsing organs. Their eyes usually had been torn out, leaving slimy, round, egg-like stains on the paws of whoever was unlucky enough to step in the mess of bone shards, blood and fur.
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"Hey, hey, wait up! Hi!"
Thanvaros spins around in anger to see a young primal male trotting over to him with a stupid grin on his strange, tusked face.
"I heard from somewhere that this pride was looking for an heir? I could be that if ya want!"
He bounces around Thanvaros, his paws making small burn marks in the grass.
"I can set stuff on fire!"
Thanvaros blinks, confused, before smirking. The prophecy-thing-whatever-it-was had said she, and this primal was a male. And, apparently, could set things on fire. This could work out well for him.
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Tooths had known she had to help this pride, as soon as she had gotten the prophecy from The Ones Above. She had to pose as a male (which wasn't that hard, considering she was biologically one), infiltrate Thanvaros's pride and kill him. Well, the killing bit.. she wasn't so sure of at first. I mean, killing? Banishing is hard enough, but killing?! She could never do that! Well, that's what she thought until she actually stayed their for a night. He killed, actually murdered a cub for accidentally tripping over his tail. This was a lot more than what they bargained for when they heard they were the prides savior. Luckily, Thanvaros hadn't killed her younger brother, Lantir, because apparently 'manticores were good at fighting' or some other bullshit like that. Luckily, Thanvaros was a trusting idiot and actually believed Tooths when she said she killed the lions, when in actuality she was sneaking them off to other prides, who had also heard about Thanvaros' treachery. She'd been battle training in secret with a small band of rouges, including a young bob tail lioness called Bug, who a couple months younger than him and could 'see' the fate of lions. She had to wear a cool veil thing all the time, otherwise she'd get overwhelmed and panic. Tooths found her interesting, and often spent battle training time along with her as they got older.
Eventually, as soon as Tooths turned 2 years and 6 months old, the battle started. The lionesses and cubs all bolted out of the caves, and the rouges who'd helped Tooths battle train would protect the nesting and nursing lionesses.
The battle was long and violent. Blood was shed everywhere. Thanvaros won.
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"Tooths, get up. They need you. They need you to kill Thanvaros. Nobody will live if you don't get up."
...Who was that? Was that.. Bug? No.. the cub who gave her the prophecy?
"Tooths. Raid. Raid is your name, isn't it? Raid. You must get up. The world will collapse if you do not get up."
...Definitely the cub who'd given her the prophecy. Nobody else knew her real name.
"Raid, your brother is in danger. You must get up."
Thanvaros was.. going to hurt Lantir? No. He couldn't. The cub was right. She must get up.
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Thanvaros stares in absolute horror as the lion he had just murdered growls as he -no, she? It must be. The prophecy had him killed by a female. Tooths was dead. Tooths is meant to be dead. Her ribcage is showing on the left side. Her heart isn't beating inside her chest. She should be dead. She is dead. Then how is she moving?! Thanvaros barely knows what's hit him when Tooths bites down on his neck, and the sharp CRACK of bone shattering is the last thing he hears.
______________________________________________________ html layout by honey (#30473). do not remove credit.
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