(trigger warning for potential gore and gorish themes)

No child should have been so comfortable walking the Passage alone. It was an easy enough trek--enticing, even, in the way it seemed to have been carved out specifically to draw curious minds to the secrets on each end. But for a girl whose tummy had only recently lifted from the ground, whose paws still looked like they belonged on a much older lion, nowhere was truly a safe haven. Yet, Hera walked with the quiet confidence of someone beyond her years, her oversized ears perhaps the only outward indication of her hypervigilance.

At least, until she encountered company. The tawny male approached her with ease, his mane thick about his face as he stopped before her and peered down at her from his vast height. Hera felt a prickle along her nape then, and with a lash of her tail she scowled right back at the stranger. "What are you looking at?"

"Just a motherless brat who doesn't know how to show respect." His chin flicked upward just a little. "You're of no use to me, and yet...you're still in my path."

If only Hera were a little older and a little more familiar with the Passage, she might have understood what he meant. Alas, she was fully ignorant of what went down here--for anybody, let alone females and cubs. All she was hearing out of this male's mouth was confirmation of what she already knew. Of course she was unwanted, but her own self-awareness did not take the sting out of his words.

"Hmph." She continued her unbroken stare and stomped forward, making a point to nearly touch toes with the stranger. With a low growl he stepped back and seemed to glance right over her head, and Hera followed his gaze only to see to see two new males approaching her from behind. Uh, oh.

One of them grinned sinisterly, his teeth shining brightly against his dark hide. "If only your mother were here, maybe you'd stand a chance," he rumbled. "But just a little headache like you, with nothing to sweeten the deal? You'll just be left here to starve. Consider this...a mercy." And with that, he swung at her with a massive clawed paw...

...but missed.

Hera ducked out of the way just in time to avoid it. The first male then tried to catch her in his jaws, but she released her own sizable talons and swiped them across his face, distracting them all just enough for her to make a break for it. She ran as fast as she could, but still she could hear a thundering stampede behind her, slowly growing louder. @Anthonius

code by scorpixia♡︎

A loud growl had caught the attention of the Savante male, his ears swiveling forward as commotion begun to ring out. A furrow of his brow, and while he was not surprised there was chaos erupting - he was learning these lands had a lot of it - he was worried perhaps someone might get caught in the cross fire of it all.

From where he was standing, Anthonius couldn't see much of anything. That did not last long, and a sound of what could of been assumed a stampede was heard, his worry spiking when he saw the three charging lions. What the hell were they charging at him for? Anthonius feels his muscles tense, his defenses setting into place- but that was when he saw her.

What the fuck?!

He felt his temper rise, boiling over the surface until red was the only thing he saw. His limbs moved, stretching across the land in fast strides as he ran towards them, and with how angry his features looked he was sure the girl might assume he was coming after her, too. Except he didn't slow down when he passed her, didn't falter in his stride to scoop her up. Instead, he lunged over her with a snarl wrenching off his features, jaws splayed wide as he tackled into the largest of the bunch. There was an obvious shock, the three not expecting someone to come to the cub's defense like this, or to even come across anyone else for that matter. There is but a moment of silence before all chaos erupts, and one of the other males turn to Anthonius, attacking at his back while the third lion keeps his pursuit of the girl.

His fangs tore into the skin of the tawny male, blood staining the ground under him. Pain flared through him as well, an agony as his flesh was ripped along his back, claws raking into his thighs. Dammit! Where the fuck was Alexander when he needed him? Hell, he'd even take Dragos' aid at this moment! But he was all that was here, and if he failed then he had no doubt it would be him and this girl dying here today. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and Anthonius swiped his claws out, hitting flesh as he found himself in a flurry of attacks and defenses, a brutal brawl that had his heart racing, and concern for the girl poured from his veins.

Anthonius could only hope she had enough wit to keep herself alive for a few moments while he battled these two.

@Anahera

It was a miracle that so young a girl had managed to outrun three grown males for as long as she had already, but then, it was also amazing, what abilities could be unlocked by a simple rush of adrenaline. Her talons turned up chunks of soil with every stride, and her lungs burned as she wavered between gulps of air and shallow, panicked breaths. Part of her was tempted to whirl around and let herself loose upon the rogues, but instinct ultimately overrode rage and forced her to keep running.

But as yet a fourth male appeared on the horizon, Hera's eyes widened, and her whole body threatened to freeze and accept its fate. He was charging at her with full force, and she was but sending herself straight into his grasp. The girl tensed and screamed, skidding and tripping along the ground as she closed her eyes tightly to brace herself for slaughter. It was this, though, that kept her from witnessing the newcomer launch himself over her and at the other males.

Hera felt nothing. Rocked by an eruption of hostile roars and snarls, the child dared to pry her eyes open. What was this? Was this stranger...trying to help her? His abrupt arrival seemed to have taken the rogues by surprise as well. Two of them took on the stranger together, leaving the third off to the side and looking for an opening to join their entanglement. No. Hera could not let him fight them all. There was no way he would--

With the rogue's back turned, the girl took her chance and rushed him, latching mercilessly onto his tail and turning his attention back onto her. He whirled around and swiped at her with an angry roar. His claws raked across her right side, the force of it dislodging his tail and sending Hera into the ground. Just as quickly, though, she righted herself and let out a roar of her own. A pitiful noise, but it held his attention nonetheless as she swatted the air between them, if nothing else to deter him from lunging again so soon. Little did she know that this distraction would contribute to their victory today. And their privilege of living another day. @Anthonius

code by scorpixia♡︎

A claw hooked into the meat of his underarm, all while fangs tore into the backside of his leg- Anthonius hadn't been in a fight this severe in ages. If at all. He was barely able to plan his own next attack before he felt the onslaught of the two males pouring down on him- and his fear of what the third lion was doing to the girl almost overpowered his senses.

Finally, some leeway seemed in sight as he managed to push one of the males from him, and his body swiftly twisted with jaws splayed to grab at the one behind him, hooking to his throat and throwing him to the terrain underneath them. A large exhale left the body of the brute, seeing the eyes of the tawny lion closing. He didn't have long to focus there before he was slammed into the side, rolling over the ground as claws dug back into his frame. Pain flared, his pelt covered in blood, and Anthonius found his paws wildly swiping and slamming among the head of the other. Minutes felt like hours, seconds ticked by like decades- his heart could be heard in his ears and the Noble could feel his energy depleting. It wasn't until he had managed to pin the lion under him that Anthonius whacked his paw down hard, forcing him into unconsciousness. His chest was heaving, drool and blood dripping from his jaws, and his gaze snapped to where he heard the girl fighting.

The cub was fighting!

He was shocked at her bravery, seeing her actually put up some pretty good defenses and attacks. However, it was still a cub against a grown lion, and the odds were nowhere in her favor. "Get back!" He shouts, because Anthonius planned to use the last of his strength here. Hind legs propelled him forward, and he made a mad charge to the last standing lion- looking like a hell hound let lose, Anthonius found little mercy to spare within him.

@Anahera

"Get back!" Without hesitation, the girl ducked out of the way, making it just in time for the two tumbling males to take her place. Beyond mere panic, exactly what had compelled Hera to listen was unknown. She did not know @Anthonius' voice except for his roar, and of the rogues, she had only heard one or two. Perhaps it was instinct, desperation...but as she found her feet again and laid eyes upon the mottled beast, fighting to stay between her and the last standing rogue, her instinct was at least proven right.

Hera fell to her rump with the shivers as the first waves of adrenaline began to wane. Despite all the blood spilled here today, just in these past few moments, she was wearing nobody's but her own. Only a little seeped from the claw marks on her side, all while her protector seemed to bear as many wounds as he was inflicting. Guilt washed over her, but shock (and the stranger's command) had her frozen in place, unsure of what her next move should be--or if it would be wise to make a move at all.

code by scorpixia♡︎