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EBC: The Raid Pt. III

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10 EP




1- The mountain lion, Meka, runs to the aid of her empire only to find the battle in chaos.

2- Meka spots Cynthia being pinned down by Maia.

3,4,5- Meka and Maia battle one another as a very wounded Cynthia cowers at the sidelines.

6- Roxanne leaps back into the fray quite literally.

7,8,9- Feeling her resolve return, Cynthia sends a silent prayer to the empire of the stars...

10,11- Cynthia charges at Maia once more, grabbing her tail.

12,13,14- Cynthia kicked away but charges again.

15- Maia gives Meka the killing bite.

16,17,18- Cynthia stops dead at the sight of the murder before wailing out in trauma. It is the first time she has witnessed death.

_________________________________________
(2 favorite excerpts since I couldn't decide)

"I don't like having my playthings taken away."

Cynthia recoiled visibly from Maia's taunt, ears lying flat. Her paws were beginning to tremble again, this time so violently that she worried if they could even hold her up much longer, and as the two cougars circled each other a cold sense of dread took hold of the apprentice's stomach.

"Do you really think that you can beat me?" Maia's cackle was deafening. "I came here to have fun, and I'm going to party hard! That little useless scrap of fur is MINE!!!"

The caracal couldn't help it; as soon as Maia leapt, she shrank back with a shriek against the tree that had been just behind her. Yet as soon as she did, Cynthia realized with a jolt that the Hunter wasn't aiming for her, but for Meka. The shame of her own cowardice stung her whiskers.

Meka rose to meet her. Within moments angry words had given way to a flurry of snapping fangs, swiping claws, gnashing teeth, flying fur. Roxanne's black form suddenly pelted across the clearing to the empire-cat's aid, and as she did, something began to churn within the lighter caracal. Her wounds stung with violent pangs, and the caracal panted with the effort to ignore them.

"Back off, hunter!"

What am I doing? What am I doing?! I... I can't just stay here... I can't be a coward... not when my friends are... n-not when the empire is...

"Never!"

Maia's claws pressed closer to Meka's throat.

Cynthia sent a prayer to her ancestors.

And sprang.

With a wild cry, the Lightning apprentice joined Roxanne from behind, yanking at Maia's tail with her teeth. It probably wasn't nearly enough to distract the Hunter or help Meka in any way, but she had to try. She had to try.

~~~

Courage surged through Cynthia as Roxanne's shape flashed once more in the corner of her eye. It was true that she was afraid of Maia-- nay, terrified of the cougarpard who had been so close to murdering her. But with the knowledge that her own rescuer was now in peril, and with the reassurance of the other apprentice's teeth, Cyn's resolve flowed like fire in her veins. This lion, Meka, had saved her life. She had saved her.

And she wasn't going to let her down. That simply wasn't what gladiators did.

With another fierce battle cry, Cynthia lunged at Maia's hind legs, trying her best to slash and snap at the constantly moving paws as she allowed another, different instinct to take hold of her. No longer were her mind and body seized by fear, but the angry ferocity of a feline who's territory and companions had been encroached upon. She was here to protect her friends, protect her home, to protect her honor and integrity from the likes of one like Maia. Roxanne continued to fight alongside her, and once again they were battling the bounty hunter together just as they had done with Nisip earlier.

As Maia shifted again however, her hind foot met Cynthia’s with a hard kick to the face, and the apprentice was sent sprawling behind her. The caracal rolled onto her feet in a flash as she made to charge again, but that was when Maia buried her teeth into Meka’s throat.

The sickening crack that followed was enough to slow the young apprentice’s pawsteps to a transfixed halt.

Blood-spattered muzzle released a blood-spattered throat, and Meka’s proud head fell limp against the grass.

Cynthia’s pulse was racing. The place behind her eyes throbbed with a sudden newfound pain. Her ears swam and deafened, and although she could no longer hear, no longer see anything else but the sight before her, a wail ripped loose from the caracal’s lungs.

Cynthia had never seen a cat die.
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Comments14
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SnowyWhirl's avatar
Wait... Did Meka... just... NOOOOO!!!!!!