[-Isabella-]

~Beastly~

That's what they say this lion is. A beast. But are they right?

To win this lion tell me, is the beast only the creature other lions see when they look at this lion's physical appearance? Or does this lion truly have the heart of a beast?

1000 words maximum

Code: Select all

[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Lion Name:[/b]
[b]Lion Gender:[/b]
[b]Pride: [/b](link to thread)
[b]Pride Status:[/b]
[b]Prompt:[/b]


*Note, the paler marks are scars, not markings and not passable to offspring


End Date: Feb. 24th

[beebun]

mark !

[Runnersback]

Mark!

[ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ]

Username: ԏєѧѻӆғוѓԑ
Lion Name: mori
Lion Gender: male
Pride: Desert Bluffs
Pride Status: depending whether i win the prompt for valentine #6, either the founder or a guardian of some sort that will leave the place i describe below to join the pride and start a new life for himself
Prompt: (i'm so sorry it's so much longer than i meant for it to be -)
(update i trimmed it down to 1000 words)


It was dark again, shadows melting together as the colour in the sky faded away to dim blue and black. He paced across broken stones between columns and crumbling buildings along the borders of the extinct city. It was quiet, heavily, like crisp silence after a heavy rain. The soft crunching of leaves, rustling of branches, cracks of bones and crunching tiny pebbles beneath his paws were the only things to break the stillness.

The real routine wasn’t in the pacing, in the flickering ears or the pale eyes, both reaching out into the darkness. It was a sporadic routine, each time he hoped it would be the last, and each time he knew he would be disappointed. As a clatter alerted him to an intruder on this night, he sighed, knowing it was time for the pattern to resume once again.

Tracking the shivering heartbeat of a small creature, he was in no hurry, musing about the inevitable. He heard frantic breaths and uneven footsteps, each attempting to be hushed but easily detectible to him nonetheless. It always went this way. They would try to escape, try to get deeper into the city and seek refuge, and he would follow them. Slow, dark, heavy, inevitable. They would shout, they would fling things at him, they would beg for their lives or curse him, they would plead or declare that they were here for him. To get by him. To steal from him. To kill him. To save their little world from the notorious, wicked, dark, cruel beast. But he would simply finish his job regardless of the route they chose, so he didn’t pay much mind to the varying individuals and the stories they wove in shaky voices. They were all the same to him.

A loud shout broke the hush, followed immediately by a crash, objects clattering all over the ground. More shouts, followed it, desperate, piercing cries, and he didn’t know what to think of this. They didn’t usually beg before he had gotten to them. As he rounded a corner, he was surprised to see the tiny panicked creature lying among the dry bones and useless armor of their kind, screaming at a shadow that was cast on the wall. He sighed. This one must have been cast here intentionally by others, rather than choosing to come. But it didn’t matter. He had his job to do.

He growled, lowly, a rumbling sound that announced his presence by filling the half-collapsed space which used to be a room. The trembling human on the floor ceases crying out and lifts their head, glancing around and seeming relieved, which gives him pause. He comes a few steps closer and lifts his head, looking down at them, and they meet his eyes unwaveringly. It is unnerving. He growls again, less loudly this time. They can probably get the message from here, he thinks, but they don’t. They cautiously pick themself up off the ground and get on their knees, staying very still before him and still staring at his eyes.

“Won’t you run?” he asks. His voice is deep and soft, like the dull roar of a distant waterfall, rarely used but still powerful compared to this tiny, quaking thing.

“Run?” asks a small voice. “Won’t it catch me?”

“It?”

“Forgive me. The shadow that haunts this place.”

“It will.”

“Then I shall stay here.”

“Will you beg?”

“For passage?”

He blinked at them. “To where?”

“From here. Away. With protection from the shadow. Yes, I would like to ask this of you, Anjisnu.”

He pauses again, unsure how to respond. He should just kill them, and yet… “What have you called me?”

“Anjisnu. You banished the shadow with your purr.”

“Small one, that was a growl. It was intended for you. Are you not afraid?”

“I am reverent. You protected me. If I misinterpreted, and you are here to take my life instead, I suppose there is nothing I can do to stop you. But I will go into the night at peace, for the shadow did not take me with it.”

He was quiet a while more. He watched as the creature’s eyes flickered across his face, observing the ancient scars, clearly wondering what caused them but too polite to ask.

Their voice was tentative and soft. “Are you not the guardian of the city that was once here?”

“I am. None may enter.”

They bent down and pressed their face and palms to the dirt. “I apologize for my transgression. Make your judgement as you will, Anjisnu.”

He observed them a while longer. They had forfeited their pride, yet not their dignity. He sighed and turned away from them, and for just a moment felt amusement at the sound of them scrambling to their feet in order to scurry after him. “You are bold for a creature afraid of its own shadow,” he told it.

“I mean no disrespect.”

“I know. That’s why you’re still alive.”

They walked side by side to the edge of the city, heading in silence towards the soft rustling of the trees. As they reached the edge, the human stopped, looking towards his face with curiosity and respect in equal measure.

“Speak your mind, small one, before you return to your own lands,” he said to them.

“I have but one request.”

“The boldness of your heart knows no bounds. What is it?”

“May I know your name, that I may use it when I share my experience among my kind?”

He watched the woods a few minutes, then turned his eyes towards the human’s. “Mori,” he rumbled. “Now stay no longer, lest you never make it home to tell any tales about beasts.”

The human obediently stepped off the edge of the stone pavement of the city and into the woods, but they looked back at him with a certain peace in their expression. “I have met a peaceful guardian tonight. I have no story to tell about a beast.”





(long story short, no, despite everyone thinking so, he's not just a beast ksjdhfjksfs)

[Tiger♥Bear]

Username: Tiger♥Bear
Lion Name: Shetani
Lion Gender: Male
Pride: Pekee Pamoja
Pride Status: Civilian
Prompt: 890/1,000
"Tell me of the boy." Asha nodded toward Shetani, her voice quiet as she conversed with Nuru. "I've heard rumor he is... quite beastly. And I don't mean in a useful manner."
The seer's gaze moved to the scarred lion. "I suppose in a way he is. Was. Allow me to explain."

----------

It was evening. Stormy. The dark clouds blocked out the last rays of the day. She needed to find shelter. But this was unfamiliar territory for her. As luck would have it, there was an abandoned manor just ahead. Must have belonged to humans. Wasn't uncommon to see their structures about. Part of her wondered what had made them leave this place. She would guess it had been years since humanity was here. Vines climbed high up the walls. Windows were cracked with the shutters hanging from their hinges. The paint was peeling off the planks. Slipping past the opened gate, she made her way to the front door when a noise had her freeze in her tracks. A whine? Perhaps the place wasn't as abandoned as it appeared. Or perhaps someone else was seeking shelter. With caution she continued on. The boards of the porch creaked under her weight.
"Who's there?," a voice growled from within.
"I don't wish to impose. I'm only seeking shelter from the storm." She did her best to keep her voice light. No need to frighten or upset whoever was inside.
"It's not safe here."
The voice trembled. Something about it drew her in. "If it isn't safe, then why are you here?"
There wasn't an answer. Shuffling beyond the door could be heard, something thumping to the ground.
"You leave me no choice." After a steeling breath, she slipped inside through an opening in the door.
It was dark. Practically impossible to see. Vague shapes of objects could be seen. Though she may have found some courage in entering the building despite the warning, she felt a slight unease at the presence here. Bounding paws above drew her attention to the ceiling.
"You should not be here!" Whoever they were, they spoke the truth. It was not anger but fear in their voice. "You must leave. Please. For your own sake."
"And what do I have to be afraid of?" A deep rumbling growl responded. "You? You who hides away in the shadows? You need not fear me. Please. Allow me to show you."
"...how?"
"How can I show you?" The stairs to her right creaked. She couldn't be sure but perhaps it was a lion. Seemed the right shape but in the dark it was hard to tell. "I'm a seer. I can catch glimpses of ones life. You can also see it in me."
"Can I?," he scoffed. He was closer to her now. Practically felt him in front of her. Curse this darkness, she thought. "I doubt that. But perhaps you would care to see what kind of beast you're dealing with!"
The lunge caught her off guard but she was quick to recover. He was inexperienced in fighting. Only after pinning him down did she feel his life. See what he had experienced.
A woman gasping in horror. "What is that thing?"
"Eyes that cannot see. Scars marring it's body. It's cursed!" A man now cried out.
"This creature is spawned from the devil itself. He is useless to us! He would only bring about chaos. He is a beast!"
"Then, on this day, I cast out Shetani: a devil."
"We should leave this house. Leave him here. Let the wilds have him."
Nuru was panting, the vision at the forefront of her mind. "...Shetani?"
The other lion went still. "H-h-how...?"
"I saw it. Your life. A quick flash, but I saw it. Are you...blind?" She slowly eased off him, allowing him space to get up.
"I told you. It's not safe here. I'm cursed."
She sighed softly. "My dear child, you're not cursed. And you're certainly not a beast. You are...misunderstood. I see now you were only protecting yourself."
The tremble in his voice didn't go unnoticed. "W-what's going to h-happen to m-me now?"
"I'd like you to come with me. I can raise you among our own kind. I can even help you with your disability."
"You...you can do that?"
"I may not have lost my sight completely, but it is most difficult to see past my own abilities."
"What do you mean?"
"As a seer, my eyes glow with the sight. It makes it rather difficult to see." Though it wouldn't be seen- even in the dark, the smile could be heard in her voice. "Trust in me. As soon as the storm lifts I can take you back to the pride."

----------

"Shetani had been discarded as a cub due to his unfortunate fate at birth. Those humans that had him were cruel. Abandoning him as an infant. The fact that he even survived at all says a lot about him. He has a strong will. But he's scared. Being told he was a monster. A beast. That he was cursed. He only hoped to protect others from himself."
"I see. In that case, I leave him under your charge. I know you will do your best to guide him down a better path, Nuru."
She bowed her head. "Thank you, Queen Asha."

[Jantzi01]

Username: Jantzi01
Lion name: Fera (beast in Portuguese)
Lion gender: Female
Link to Pride: The Ushirikiano Pride
Pride Status: Queen of the Adânc
Prompt: When Fera walks through the City, she's gawked at ceaselessly, partly because she's the queen of the hostile neighboring kingdom, and partly because of her scars. She got them when she was much younger, only a cub really. Her kingdom is notorious for being aggressive towards others, and since she was of low rank, she was highest on the pecking order. Even going outside her home was a threat to her life.

Before she learned that, however, she went out to explore the dark caverns her people called home almost every day. One mistake changed all of it.

The creatures that inhabited the Tunnels were incredibly dangerous. Especially to a cub. Especially to a cub that happened to fall directly into their home with a misstep, crushing valuable resources. She returned to her home that day changed. She was much more reserved, and terrified of going outside. Nobody could blame her though. Everyone was more surprised that she even survived the encounter. Despite all that changed about her, she was still treated the same by her family.

When the Queen died, the entire kingdom went into an uproar. She hadn't had any children, so there was no one to inherit her throne. Fera, by some Fingal blessed miracle, managed to fight her way to the top, and while she is a cold queen, who holds her citizens to high standards, she isn't cruel. She merely wants the best for them.

Despite her becoming the queen, she was still faced with discrimination. It wasn't outright, no one would ever dream of doing or saying something so horrible to royalty. Instead it was dirty glances when they thought she couldn't see them, mumbled whispering about her heritage. She made no effort to fight back, that would ruin her image and get her removed from the throne, which would lead to another outbreak of chaos. She just took it with stoicism only someone who'd been facing that kind of thing for several years could have.

One day, she was approached by an incredibly odd sight. A lion with bright blue glowing eyes, with no fear, or hatred in them. He asked her for directions, in hopes that she would take him there. When she made no move to do so, he apologized and said that he was blind and would appreciate it if she could guide him. When they talked, the conversation flowed like a river. There was never a dull moment, and Fera found herself disappointed when she reached her destination. Until the mysterious stranger asked to meet again the next day.

They continued to meet in secret for the next several months. Over that time, Fera realized that she had a crush on the lion who had wormed his way into her heart. She laughed about it, then sighed, remembering that it could never happen. Except it could. She was the queen of an independent nation, who she was in a relationship with was no one's business except hers. When she decided she would ask him, she was incredibly nervous, anxious even. The only time she could ever recall being that afraid was when she fell into the Pit, and emerged with several small, jagged scars all across her face, legs and back.

When the two of them met that day, the tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It was painfully obvious to everyone around them that they needed to talk to each other. So that's what he did. Shyly, he confessed his love to her. She was too stunned to say anything, or do anything to react . He began to back track, thinking that she had rejected him, or was going to. She suddenly pounced on him gleefully, nuzzling into his mane. She said that she loved him back.

And that is the story of how the Queen of Beasts found love with someone who couldn't see what made her so feared throughout the land.
(657 Words)

[ToxicShadow]

Username: ToxicShadow
Lion Name: Cain
Lion Gender: Male
Pride: Oddity Pride
Pride Status: Undecided Member
Prompt:

"You aren't one, you aren't the other, so you have no humanity. You're just a monster! A crazy beast!"

Cain was exposed to extreme prejudice at a young age. He was the child of parents from two different nationalities, with two very different appearances. He was called a monster, ridiculed, and even attacked simply for having "dirty blood," according to his assailants. His once painful scars came from that first encounter with a group of nasty hooligans, he unable to do much to fend them off, as an inexperienced fighter and while being outnumbered one to five.

It was an ongoing struggle that forced Cain to learn to fight for himself, with no one on his side, and there was more than just a handful of culprits. That was the kind of place he was stuck in, and even though his parents may have helped him had he sought them out, he never did. Part of him, perhaps, even resented them for bringing him into the world, where others only despised and belittled him for no real reason.

At one point, he had become so desperate that he really did become a crazy beast, the darkness took hold of his heart. When, at a later time, he encountered those that had attacked him so viciously that he was scarred and they began to verbally assault him, a prelude to what was to come, Cain lost all senses and nearly took the life of their ringleader while the others pleaded for him to stop, to show mercy. But what mercy had he been shown? The words didn't even register in his mind, he was too far lost to his own hatred.

"Cain!" It was a single voice, just one calling out his name, it strained and raspy from having called out so many times, as they sought him out, mixed with sheer terror and as much desperation as his own, but a different kind. It broke through his thoughts that were enveloped with the idea of kill or be killed, and he most certainly did not want to be killed.

Ah.

That was right. At the beginning, he was all alone, but now...

Cain was not yet then brave enough to admit that he was no longer alone, that there was someone else now that, for some reason, wanted to stay by his side. Although he had failed to admit it, she was precious to him. He just hadn't lowered his walls yet and actually let her in.

So he stopped dead, allowing his former assailant to escape, while he fled the scene.

The Cain of today still occasionally struggles with the darkness of his heart, which grew and festered from being treated so terribly in his adolescence, but he doesn't want to become that person again. He doesn't want to lose himself, and become no better than those that had attacked, harmed and belittled him.

His appearance hasn't changed, and Cain embraces his appearance which seems to keep most others at a distance. He commonly carries himself in a way that leaves most assuming him to be a dangerous fellow that should be given a wide birth, and that is far more ideal than actual fighting.

Besides, no matter how many look at him and think he is just a beast or a monster, he knows better, and there is still always someone whom will come bounding toward him with a smile on her face and will even scowl at others that utter bad things about him. For her, and for himself that she so admires, he has no intention of being a beast. Rather, he'd prefer to be her knight.

[zoocyte]

mark

[Julius525]

Username: Julius525
Lion Name:
Lion Gender: Male
Pride: Kandadhawo's Pride
Pride Status: Guard
Prompt:

[-Isabella-]

Username: ToxicShadow
Lion Name: Cain
Lion Gender: Male
Pride: Oddity Pride
Pride Status: Undecided Member
Prompt:

-snip-

Winner!