If you meet me Half Way (Rita)

[nharo]

He stood on a high stone, looking out at the vast green jungle that seemed so far away. He wasn't allowed there. He wasn't allowed anywhere but here, which was nowhere to him. His paced on the flat rock, high above the flat land the lead to the Oldlands. It hung over the edge of a ten foot cliff, with plenty of sharp rocks at the bottom. He didn't notice.

While pacing, he began to think. Not like he normally thought, with violent, otherworldly thoughts, but more like contemplating.

Why must the Oldlands look like such a wonderful place to live? Comparatively, anywhere must look better than the Badlands. He stopped pacing for a second and looked back at the black, barren Badlands. He spat in their direction. The Badlands were never home and would never be home, even after being born and raised there. I have no home.

[Rita]

Walking down the path of antelope was a young cub, barely big enough to be considered a teenager. She was, however, a year old and was just as adventerous as ever. Sharp rocks met her paws as she looked around, finding a ledge that went up onto a big rock. Climbing up the rock was easy after climbing up the many, endless stairs of the shrine back at her home. Upon coming up, she stopped, inhaling quickly, her breathing stopped for a moment. There before her was a male, pacing.. He seemed heavy in thought, maybe sad, maybe regretful?

Her eyes watched him a moment before she strode up to him, tackling him with a playful growl. "Who are you, badlander?" She growled playfully. "I bet you're just like the rest of em. Me? I walk alone.. No parents, no home.. none that I consider my real home anyway... Just me and my rules." She said, growling playfully.

"What about you?" She asked, then sensing that she may have crossed a line, she said, "Whats wrong? Look.. I.. uh...Sorry.." She said, getting off of him and sitting on her haunches, bowing her head. "My mom died.. my dad.. well.. he never cared about me."

[nharo]

His thoughts were interrupted by a white cub, maybe a year old. Being around two and a half years old, his saw this tiny cub just as an invader and nothing more. When she began to talk rapidly, she began to become a pest.

"Who are you, Badlander?" She said, growling playfully."I bet you're just like the rest of them." At that, he growled, much unlike her playful growl, and pushed her off with his front paws. "Me? I walk alone. No parents, no home... none that I consider my real home anyway..." Although his face was still threatening to the invader, he noticed the similarities she had mentioned between them, "just me and my rules."

"Rules. Hmph. I follow no rules."

"What about you?" When he remained dangerously silent, she said, "What's wrong? Look, I... uh... sorry." She sat on her haunches, her head bowed in regret. "My mom died. My dad, well... he never cared about me." The expression on his face changed as he noticed their near identical past. His face became more neutral, more like a mask. When he noticed the scar that sliced her face, all emotions were hidden behind the mask. What he didn't know, however, is the glint that showed in his eyes when he noticed their histories' connection.

[Rita]

Hearing a growl, not very friendly, she narrowed her eyes as if to say "So what?" and as he shoved her off and she apologized, many thoughts raced through her mind. Why was he being so silent? No rules.. He was speaking with confidence. She looked at him, daring to look at his face. "Rules, hmph. I follow no rules." He said defiantly. "And why should we?" She agreed. She could tell she may have annoyed him, but she looked at him and stood up, purring softly.

"Looks like we are kinda the same.. No rules to follow.. " She looked at her paws. "I've heard rumors I wasn't even supposed to be born.. That I was a tragedy, a mistake. To heck with them then. Who needs all these grown ups telling us what we are and what we should be? Not me!" She said, then looked at him. She saw a glint in his eyes, and tried to read it.

"What, you think my life is funny?" She said sarcastically, looking at him. Her gaze hardened as she noticed him looking over her scar. "Yeah, I got that from a hyena. The day my mom died. Never been able to clean it up right.. probably gonna get infected..." She trailed off. Times like those when you could really use a grown up to clean off your wounds where you couldn't reach. "Who needs em!" She spat, shoving the thought from her mind.

Then her gaze softened, a soft look crossed her expression. "You and I.. You're not bad.. for a badlander..." She stuttered off, trailing off. "I mean, you're not the worst looking. Quite nice looking actually.. Oh why I am I saying this..." With that she finished...

"I like you."

[nharo]

Her mumblings continued, becoming ever more incomprehensible. He picked up a few lines, though.

"... we are kinda the same... I was a tradgedy..." She then seemed angered, distraught maybe. "Who needs 'em!" He chuckled darkly. After a short little laugh, he stopped suddenly, his face emotionless. This cub just made him laugh. It may have been a cynical laugh, but it was laughter all the same.

"I haven't laughed in the longest time..." He trailed off, thinking for once.

Her gaze had become soft, looking at him with a version of tenderness that he had once known. "You and I..." He blinked rapidly, his expressions otherwise unreadable. "Quite nice looking..." His thoughts were reeling at this point. This cub was so unpredictable but passionate, he couldn't tell what it is he saw on her face, but...

"I like you."

In an instant, for the first time in his life, he felt no anger. He didn't feel the hurt, the sorrow, the sheer inescapable loneliness anymore. It was all gone. What it left behind was determination, a determination to settle the only thing on his to-do list.

Find his father.

And kill him.

"Thank you." Was all he could muster. This cub helped him get over his emotional war, to win the battle. There would be no peace treaty.

"Help me kill my father."

OOC:: Post! If you could be so amazingly kind, could you reply to Nima and Eupe's thread? ^_^ Pleeeeeeze?

[Rita]

OOC: Sure! On my way after this.. Only if Rita won't be killed as a result of killing Nharo's father, she'll go through with it. But I am liking the drama!

As she spat out "Who needs em!" She heard a cynical laugh, mostly evil. But she thought it was music to her ears. He was laughing! Maybe he liked her! What if... what if? Her mind raced as she started to speak, stumbling on words and only hearing half of what she was saying blurting out that he was "Quite nice looking" she was distraught inside, willing to do anything to win his heart. She looked at him as she stumbled on words, trying to make her tongue speak her mind. "I like you."

As soon as she said it, she knew that there was something sparking inside of him, his demeanor changed. He seemed to be stumbling for words himself, "Thank you." Was all he could muster up the courage to say. But then, just when she had ran out of ways to win his heart, a golden opportunity arose.

"Help me kill my father." He said to her. The words peirced her. She had never known her father, he was as good as dead to her anyway. Her mother was gone, no one to tell her no. No one could tell her not to. Whats the worst that could happen? Death of Rita? Surely it wouldn't come to that? War? She could handle war. She could run away with this Nharo boy.

"I'll do it." She said firmly. "How are we going to do it, though? Sneak attack, ambush? Is it just us or are there more that need to help?" Thoughts raced through her mind, her calm, serene mind. It all seemed OK to do. Work-able... Do-able.. Totally done in her mind. No one she cared about anyway.

"If you hate him that bad.. I'm totally in. No one hurts you and gets away with it." She snarled, more at the skies and at the father, whoever he was, who was out there.. "Lets do it."

[nharo]

He nodded, his eyes filled with single-minded determination. Although he admired her spunk, a relationship was the last thing on his mind. Now he could finally even the odds with his father. As for the tactics under which he planned to even the odds, he knew exactly what he had in mind.

"Know thy enemy."

He looked downwind, to the lands which he knew his father lived in. "We go to the Highlands." The wind picked up, sweeping his brown fur around his determined expression. He stared down the horizon, his jaw locked. He growled under his breath, letting escape some mixed emotion he held within him. Now, it wasn't pure anger. It was mostly determination, but anger was his drive.

Now I have a purpose.

OOC:: Nah neither of them will die because of this particular plot. I don't want to give much of the plot away quite yet, but Nharo will eventually make a huge decision that effect more than his life.

[Kasim]

A peach hued body trotted across the land, his pink nose picking up the scent of someone familiar. His dark bang flopped up, down, up, down as he moved, and he tossed his head so he could see, to no avail. The young male would soon be grown, as was given away by the beginning of his mane, which looked like a dark mohawk running down the back of his neck. Kasim's red-oranged eyes scanned the barren horizon, no sight of his brother Nharo yet. Suddenly, the wind shifted and his brother's scent grew stronger...as well as that of another. Well, well. Looks like Nharo finally found himself some friends.

He turned in the direction of his brother and the unidentified lion, realizing he was heading for the cliffs. That thought was pushed aside. He could tell already that it was female company Nharo had found, and he didn't mind busting in and ruining the moment. Nharo would probably do the same if the roles were reversed. Being two and a half years old now, he covered the ground quickly. Of course, the fact that their home was virtually desolate could have had an influence on that. He reached the pair in a few moments, and went to shove his brother in greeting. Of course, that didn't mean that the lioness escaped his glance. He eyed her, his gaze scrutinizing. She was young, younger than them. In comparison, he thought they were huge compared to her. Her fur was white, a startling contrast to the dull gray, brown and black of the Badlands. She had quite a few scars. A scrapper, that's for sure. What has Nharo gotten himself into? He turned his attention back to his brother.

"Hello, brother dearest. Who's your girlfriend?" He highly doubted that Nharo and the younger cub were involved, but it was still fun to crack jokes.

[Rita]

Rita looked to him curiously and with a slight passion as he said "Know thy enemy." Her eyes widened, "Wow, is that wisdom?" She teased, then got serious.. "If we are going to do this, will it be just us?" Then she caught a scent. "Someone is coming!" She alerted, herself him in alarm mode by now. She looked as a cub, roughly the size of Nharo, and a whole different color... came up beside him. "Who's this? Friend?" She asked, looking up at the stranger with bristled fur and barred teeth. "Doesn't seem like much of a friend.." She snorted, her hackles lowering. She met his scrutinizing stare as he shoved his brother. She stared back through hard, narrowed eyes. Obviously she was not impressed by him and his teasing of her new friend. Nor did she like the fact that he was pushing him around.

She heard the word brother, then heard him ask "Who's your girlfriend?" Taking insentive, she looked to Nharo with a fondness, somewhat playful. She smirked, looking at him and brushing up against him gently. She whipped her tail against his chest. She was not as big nor strong as them, but one day she would be bigger, stronger.

Her eyes narrowed at the "brother" of Nharo. She looked to him and smiled slyly... Hiding the secret they had just discussed beneath vengeful eyes. His dear darling daddy wouldn't be around too much longer... She and Nharo would make sure of that.

[nharo]

Dearest? Dearest? "Dearest!?" His last mental comment made it past his vocal chords.

He scoffed, flipping the beginnings of his dark mane over his dark head. "I'm afraid brother that she is not my girlfriend." At this point, he had half tuned Rita out. His only remaining relative that wasn't dead to him was in his midst and was not to be ignored. He was the only one who had ever truly understood him.

"We're acquaintances, on a mission." He said this with astounding seriousness, his posture bold and decisive. The cub days were long gone.

[Kasim]

Kasim almost fell to the ground in laughter. He'd managed to irk his brother yet again, but it was all in good fun. He ignored Rita's aggressive hello, snorting at her with disinterest. Doesn't seem like much of a friend. He was no friend, he was much more than that. It was clear the young cub hadn't learned that yet. "Psh, I'm not just a friend, small one. I'm his brother. The name is Kasim, it'd do you well to remember it.[/b]" His tone was arrogant as his head was raised high with dignity. He was starting not to like this cub, and it had barely been five minutes.

When Kasim implied that the nuisance was Nharo's girlfriend, oh she really made a show of that. And of course, Nharo ignored her. A smirk crossed Kasim's face and he didn't bother to hide it. We're acquaintances, on a mission. Maybe that would knock her down a peg. Kasim only pondered his brother's words for a second, before eyeing him suspiciously. The wheels in his mind turned, calculating. He wondered if Nharo was planning on doing something highly stupid-it wouldn't surprise him. "And exactly what kind of mission on you going on, brother?" He didn't like the sound of it, nor the look on the idiot female's face. He could tell this mission wasn't something he would like, though he knew he would eventually go along with it anyone. Nharo would never be able to get rid of him. "What scheme have you cooked up now?[/b]"[/size]

[Rita]

"Psh, I'm not just his friend, small one. I'm his brother. The name is Kasim, it'd do you well to remember it." He said with his head raised high. He had weird ear tufts, and a long tuft of a growing mane on his head. She looked to him. As Nharo told him that she was not his girlfriend, merely acqauintences on a mission, she bowed her head. She looked to him, then to Kasim. "Sorry..." She said so quietly, it was barely above a whisper. She looked back up to Nharo, tears in her eyes, and gave him a gentle lick on the cheek, having to stand on both hind paws and lean against his neck to reach.

She walked off a short distance, hiding her tears from Kasim and Nharo. Obviously neither of them cared anything about her... Or so she thought. Maybe she shouldn't have been so harsh with them. She heard them talking, "And exactly what kind of mssion are you going on, brother?" She did not listen closely, she already knew that he would spill the beans about what mission they were going on. "What scheme have you cooked up now?"

A frown crossed her face. The tears rolled down her cheeks, she closed her eyes. Nharo just wanted her for the mission.. He didn't care for her at all... And now she was being made a fool by both of them. Or had she done that on her own?

Thoughts swirled, her shoulders moved up and down as she started to go from crying to sobbing. She strode back up to them. "Who could like.. let alone.. love, or be a girlfriend of.. someone like me? No one.. " She ran off a distance again, slowing down in hopes that Nharo would chase her, though she highly doubted he would. She cried into her paws. And on top of it, she was going to kill a strange lion who'd never done anything to her. The realization had hit her... She was scared... And completly alone in body and mind, thinking that no one was left to care for her. Was she wrong?

[nharo]

He growled menacingly at his brother, just not like he would any other lion. It was a love growl, one could say. "We're going to kill our father." He said 'father' with an unequaled disgust.

Rita came up and licked his cheek. He slowly turned in her direction and looked confused. She began to murmur things about, no one would every love her or want to be her girlfriend. She turned and ran. He stood there and watched her white body bob away. His jaw hung slightly agape, his white fangs slightly glinting. "I... I... "

He turned away from her. She didn't want him to follow her. She may not know it, but she didn't. It wasn't a good move in the long-run. He sighed and stared down at his paws.

OOC:: He'll chase after her if he's provoked.

[Kasim]

Kasim's orange eyes could have fallen out of his head, they had widened that much. "Kill our...f-father? Nharo, are you insane?!" It was a possibility, he thought. Judging from their own size, their father had to be huge, not to mention old and most likely experienced. He was probably well fed, considering he lived in the Highlands pride. And he had to be much smarter than they. Sure, they had determination and youth, as well as street smarts, but Kasim knew it wouldn't be enough to take down a grown male lion, if they even found him.

He shook his head in disbelief. This wasn't exactly the plan he had expected to fall out of Nharo's mouth. "You can't be serious. Do you know how impossible that will be? We don't even know what he looks like, or if he still lives in the Highlands. A lot can happen in almost three years. Nharo, what the-" He was cut off, as Rita suddenly reappeared beside them.

He had just barely noticed her departure, but now she was back. It looked like she was..crying? Huh? Before he could say anything she had turned and run off again. He stared at his brother wide eyed. Nharo seemed at a loss for words. "I...I..." seemed to be his only form of coherent speech. He turned back to the retreating cub. "Jeez, you sure know how to pick 'em Nharo.[/color]" His face showed confusion, none of it's usually playfulness when it came to his brother.[/size]

[Rita]

Rita listened to their conversation. She heard them argue and when she burst and Nharo said "I.. I.." Rita heard as she was walking off at that moment, not outside ear shot just yet... She also thought she heard him say something like "You sure know how to pick 'em.." She was certain it was what she had heard, and ran away in tears, sobbing harder. She ran straight into a water buffalo baby. All alone and quite dead... Food. It was what entered her mind. Food. An easy meal... So luck did come.. but what her cub youth forgot to think about was what would happen next... As she dove into the baby carcass, the mother looked up. And she thought <At least I got comfort food..> Then horror, as all other thoughts were pushed from her mind. She saw the wildebeast mother, as if in slow motion, running towards her. Suddenly slow motion stopped and she couldn't get away quick enough. She managed to turn her face to the side, a fresh scar going across her face...

She screamed as it hit her, the first one had been from a hyena.. this one was worse... It just missed her eye, though the blood was quickly flowing everywhere, her tears only making it burn. Screams came from her as she tried to stop the burning by wiping her eyes, but it made her wipe her fresh sore and she screamed yet again.