[Eupe...] [Meeko's Death]The Fights Over...

[Meeko]

The fight was over, after a long hyena attack. Meeko had been the first to get there, to defend his pride with all his might.. His family was elsewhere, perhaps on a hunt. No one showed up for a long time, and by the time the hyenas were done with him, he was all but half dead already.. His life clung by a thread, he let out a weak roar, a call for his mate, and only his mate.. He wanted to see her, especially now... Blood seeped from his chest and belly, along with gashes on his legs and back. His breathing was labored and shallow, sometimes he scarcely breathed at all. It was in this moment that he realized.. this would be his final hour.. And he knew he wanted to provide one last thing to his mate and cubs... So he called for her... to ask one last deed from her...

More cubs, more siblings for his offspring. He wanted her to have an opportunity to be a mother again, he assumed that she wanted it again, as he had been talking about more cubs for some time now.. He would not be around to see them born, to see them grow, to see his teenage cubs find first love and grandchildren.. He would not live to grow old with Eupe... It hit him like a brick in the face. Tears came to his eyes as he waited, his breathing growing more and more raspy, his sides weakly rising and falling... "euppee......" He called with his strongest voice, but it barely came above a whisper.

[Eupe]

She could hear a roar in the distance. Her practiced ears could tell it was Meeko, but his roar was not filled with power like usual. It was weak, a call for help or companionship.

Or both.

She made it to him just as he called out, "Eupe..." She saw the blood and the scent of hyena was everywhere. "Meeko..." She didn't need an exsplanation as to what happened. "What must I do?" How may I help, in any way at all? She couldn't bear to say the words out loud. She couldn't even bear to cry, she had grown too strong to wither now.

Her heart was dying with him.

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

[Meeko]

His eyes fell shut, he got up weakly... "Cubs.. like I promised.. You must.. raise them.. find a new suitor, if possible.. a father.. f-father.. figure..." He weakly got up and licked her, then collapsed from exhaustion and utter weakness... He mounted, giving her his last wish...

As he was on her, he felt himself going... The deed finally was finished, and he remained on top of her, burying his head in her neck. He fell off of her limply, his sides heaving.. Suddenly he could scarcely breathe, he struggled for air. "E-euppe...E-up-upe... Please... Tell me.. one... one.. l-last t-tim..ee... " He wanted to hear her say I love you before he went, he wrapped one paw around her neck, weakly pulling her close, his maw close to hers. Coughing, heaving in raspy breathes..

"I.. l-loovv...eee yo-... you..." He held on, trying to hold on long enough to hear her say it back. Each breathe came more and more shallow, more and more hard. His chest was hurting, a sharp pain through his entire body... Flinching, he ignored the pain... He could taste the blood in his mouth, he was sure he would go at any time... And all the while he wanted her to say one last I love you, before he was certain she would move on.

[Eupe]

"Cubs.. like I promised.. You must.. raise them.. find a new suitor, if possible.. a father.. f-father.. figure..."

"Meeko, I... " He stumbled and stood, and attempted to mount her. What? She backed away. Has he lost all sense? "Meeko, we have had many, beautiful cubs together. Now is not the time. We have bigger things to worry about, together." She was nearly positive he wasn't going to make it, but she had to try.

"E-euppe...E-up-upe... Please... Tell me.. one... one.. l-last t-tim..ee... " "No... this... this won't be the last time! I..." She faltered, feeling like saying so would be the same as giving up on him. "I... I love you." "I.. l-loovv...eee yo-... you..." She felt like something was caught in her throat. His blood was on her white fur where he had touched her.

She thought desperately, No...

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"

[Meeko]

His chest hurt like never before... he closed his eyes, his chest heaving upward.. his vision slowly blurred and shook as she told him now was not the time for cubs. "Yes.. they.. are..b-beautiful.. j-just like.. y-you..."

His breathing grew weaker, and weaker... each breathe was more shallow then the last, until barely any air was able to be taken in at all. He suddenly felt something caught in his throat, and realized it wa his own blood... It came up through his throat, and he was not able to breathe any more... Struggling, choking on his own blood and air, he reached up weakly, licking her one last time, his paw touching her cheek... holding her as if his life depended on it. Then, his paw went limp, his eyes rolled back, and he was gone.

[Eupe]

"Yes.. they.. are..b-beautiful.. j-just like.. y-you..."

His voice was weak, it quavered and waved as if it was fading in and out of life. She knew there was nothing more she could do for him now, no matter how much she wanted to. She sat there, watching the blood rise up his throat and splatter all over the ground. He reached up, his paw shaking as it touched her. She held his paw as he went limp.

The King of the Oldlands was dead.

And she was alone.

She sat there, holding his paw for a long while, sad thoughts running through her mind. She prayed for his safe journey to the Kings above. Once her condolences completed, she turned and looked at the blood on herself and Meeko's body. Spotting a small collection of water near, surrounded by moss, she carefully ripped up some moss and filled it with water. She cleaned the mud and blood off of the body and then bathed herself in the water. When she was completed, the water had an eerie red glow to it. She stared into the water, at her reflection, and saw a white lioness.

This lioness seemed overcome by sadness, trials, and tribulations. There seemed to be an inward struggle to her. She saw all this in the deepest shadows of her eyes, the pathway to the soul as some might say. And yet, she put on a regal face, a mask, and to anyone looking she seemed to have her emotions under control. Somehow, she did not recognize this white lioness' reflection as herself.

She turned away from the pool of blood-tainted water back to the cleaned body. She closed the eyes, and arranged the legs in a way that seemed peaceful. He did look peaceful. For a moment, a fleeting moment, she was jealous of the serene look across Meeko's dead face. The moment passed and she continued on.

She had an announcement to make to the Pride.

Legend:
Thoughts
"My words"
"Others' words"