The Full Force of Maternal Armageddon

[tanniyn]

Characters:
Nayeli - female adolescent cougar (Amaranth)
Chesmu - male adult cougar (Amaranth)

(later)
Kein - male adolescent cougar (former Amaranth)
Maulisho - female adult cougar (Amaranth)
Tohopka - male adolescent cougar (Amaranth)

Setting:
Snowy Highlands (Amaranth)

Scene:

Just as she promised Kein, Nayeli is right where he left her. Next to the big pile of snow that came off of the tree, albeit slightly dug out to help her get free from her cold prison. The girl is laying down with her tail curled comfortably over top of her paws for warmth. Her head is up and eyes watching the distance, dispelling any possibility that she might be napping.

Chesmu had been replaying those words that Yuma had spoken to him, about finding that scent and about how Nayeli and Kein were together so much. The former Chieftain knows that he can't let that sort of thought lie dormant or he'll just go crazy. He spots his daughter in the snow and says, "Nayeli."

That isn't Kein's voice. Her eyes widen in surprise as she sees her father approaching. "Daddy..." Nayeli gets to her feet, though she remains where she is. She feels the need to say something, or ask something, but she's still too surprised to see him here to formulate any kind of immediate conversation.

Too close, Chesmu thinks, they've been too close. "I wanted to talk to you about something... a concern I have." Chesmu says. "You're young... but you're... reaching a certain age..."

"Daddy, I'm not a cub anymore. I know I'm not an adult yet, but.. I'm not /that/ young!" Nayeli isn't sure where this line of conversation is going. She's honestly surprised that he's here at all; he must have finished his conversation with Yuma? Was he made Chieftain again, or did her brother keep that title?
opose contemplates the creation and consumption of pancakes.

"No, but you're *not* an adult." Chesmu says. "You're still young. And with your youth there comes certain... often brash decisions being made." Chesmu is not sure how to approach this difficult question. "Certain... activities, borne of love, when had too young..."

Brash decisions? Wait a minute. Surely he doesn't know that she's planning on leaving with Kein? But what other decision could he be referring to? He must have already spoken with Kein or heard somehow. It /would/ be a decision based on love, as he says. "I.. I didn't realize you already knew. Why are you talking about it as if it's a bad thing?"

Chesmu's ears pull back against his head. Oh gods, she can't really be doing that with Kein! Yuma was right! He'll have to do his fatherly duty then. "You're too young for that, Nayeli! I forbid it! I am your father and I am telling you here and now that I will not allow it to continue! I don't have to be Chieftain to forbid you from having anything to do with him! But going *that* far this soon!" His little girl! Nayeli! No!

Nayeli flinches with each exclamation from her father, as if each sentence causes her a physical blow. When he finally finishes, she gives a small whimper, eyes filled with tears. "How.. how can.. you say that?" Her voice trembles, threatening to break. "I /love/ him, Daddy! How can you f-forbid it?" A tear trickles down her muzzle. This is /awful/. If she was afraid of a fight between Kein and her father before, now she's /really/ afraid it will happen. If Kein were to come back right now...

"You're too young, Nayeli! You aren't mature enough for the consequences of what you two are doing!" Chesmu says, then he looks absolutely shocked. "Oh gods, what if you become pregnant?!"

Pregnant...?! What in the world? That's certainly something Nayeli hadn't given any thought to, though she's sure that it would come eventually. A long time in the future, anyway. Her as a mother.. wow. Definitely something to think about. Kein hasn't even really /mentioned/ a family or anything related to that, so she's really not sure why her father is so upset. "I.. I guess it could happen eventually, but..." She sniffles, not really sure what else to say.

"Eventually?!" Chesmu says. "You keep this up you'll become pregnant a lot sooner than eventually! For your own good, I forbid you to continue such relations with him!" Chesmu can't believe it. Nayeli always seemed like the mature, wise one! But... pregnant *eventually?* Did Chesmu fail in teaching her about this subject matter?

Okay, now she's fairly sure that her father is going way too far. "You're saying that I can't be friends with him anymore?" Her tone and expression are both aghast, and it finally occurs to her that this might be where she finally needs to make the heavy decision between her father and her best friend.

"If you continue mating with him, yes!" Chesmu says. "I can't believe you would be doing that, Nayeli! Yuma had his suspicions, but I thought you would have been smart enough to wait until you're old enough to deal with the consequence!"

Nayeli's jaw drops open and she flushes. /Mating/ with Kein? What gave her father--and Yuma too?--/that/ kind of idea? "I'm.. I'm /not/!" she protests, /so/ glad that Kein is not close enough to hear this. It's embarrassing and awkward enough of a misunderstanding with just her father and her. But if /Kein/ was here? Oh stars.

Chesmu stares at Nayeli. "But you just said that you were!" Chesmu says. "I can't begin to express the things that would happen if you do!"

"I never said any such thing!" Nayeli is starting to feel quite upset with this whole conversation, especially now that it seems Chesmu is arguing from an altogether false premise. "I don't know what you're talking about, Daddy!" The very idea! The only thing she and Kein have done is discuss where they plan on going from here--off to the north somewhere. Nothing else! And /certainly/ not.. what her father was accusing her of!

Chesmu frowns. "Okay, then how about you tell me what you are talking about, because you said you were doing something and I, as your father, deserve to know!" Chesmu says, and feels a lot embarrassed, accusing his dear daughter of mating with he rbest friend at such a young age.

It takes her a second to figure out what her father must be talking about, and then another second to decide if she should even tell him. Regardless of his feelings toward Kein, or vice versa, Chesmu still /is/ her father, and Nayeli wouldn't want him to worry about her without knowing where she had gone. "I'm just leaving with Kein to go off and explore." And eventually settle somewhere, most likely, but that's still up in the air, as far as she knows. This is mostly just Kein getting out of Amaranth and her going along with her best friend.

Chesmu frowns. Well, that may not be mating, but still. "And you thought I would agree with such an arrangement how?" Chesmu says. "Of course you can't go with Kein exploring!" Chesmu can't believe he's hearing this. "You're still too young. When you're an adult sister, you can do as you please, but you're still my daughter and still a child."

It hadn't really occurred to her that her father wouldn't approve, although Nayeli supposes that was a foolish assumption to make, especially in light of the recent confrontations between Kein and her father. "But.. he said that I could come.. he /wants/ me to go with him! He.." She's tearing up again. ".. he said that I could be with him forever!"

Chesmu looks angry. "He has no authority to decide that for you, young lady!" Chesmu says. "Last I checked, I was your father, not him! Now I suggest you clear any thoughts of romantic flights into the wilderness with him, because I *do* forbid that as much as mating with him! When you're an adult, you can do as you please, but not now, I'm still i charge of your welfare."

Nayeli visibly wilts, and now there are definite tears flowing down her cheeks. "But /why/, Daddy? What's wrong with me going?" She's fairly sure she knows the answer, but she doesn't want to bring up the rather hostile relationship her father has with Kein. No sense in making Chesmu any more upset than he currently is.

"You're too young!" Chesmu says, the real reason he's not allowing it. Though Kein may hate him, Chesmu does not truly reciprocate. "As I said, when you're an adult, you can tell me to shut up. But I have spoken. I am your father, and I am telling you not to go. You can see Kein, but he has to come here and see you, I won't allow you to leave until you come of age."

Nayeli is definitely more convinced now that Chesmu's real reason is because he just doesn't like Kein. How can Nayeli's age be any factor here? Chesmu took Yuma out exploring when he was just a cub, and Nayeli's already an adolescent! And besides, if Kein is old enough to leave, why can't Nayeli? It just isn't fair, it doesn't make sense, and it has to be because her father just doesn't like Kein. She supposes it all comes down to whether or not she's going to listen to her father and stay or not. He can't really force her to stay, can he? Nayeli turns around and flops down in the snow, glowering at the tree.

Yuma was with an adult, in this case, and Kein gets to leave because it was Maulisho's decision to let him go. Chesmu is not Maulisho, however, and his belief on when a cougar leaves is different. He finds himself thinking about how, exactly, he'd have to enforce this. "When Kein returns... you tell him that until you are an adult... you are not to be seeing each other."

"Why don't /you/ tell him?" is the somewhat angry reply, followed by a slashing of her claws at the tree, leaving little furrows in the bark. "I'm sure you could explain it to him better than I could, because I still don't understand how you can do this to me. To /us/." There's almost a note of defiance that creeps into Nayeli's voice.

Chesmu was pained by saying what he said. But he sticks by it. Kein is not an influence he believes would be a healthy preoccupation for Nayeli right now. She has too much to learn and is not old enough to be out there yet. "Because Kein hates me." Chesmu says. "And I fear he would just take you away out of pure spite just to show he hates me. However, I know your love for both me and Kein will allow you to approach this and tell him that, regrettably, he is... undesirable. He would respect my wishes if he knew that you, even with reluctance and objections, would support my decision."

Nayeli turns her head around to stare at her father. "I won't tell him that! I can't! He loves me, and I love him.. I won't--can't!--tell him that he's undesirable!" And she /did/ know it--Chesmu is only saying all of this because he and Kein hate each other. It's his way of getting revenge on her best friend. How can she possibly support this? "You can't make me tell him 'no'!" She supposes that he /could/ chase Kein off, or try to. But she doesn't want to see fighting between her father and friend.

"Nayeli, you can and you must. For all our safety including his own. It is bad enough he is leaving at his age, but to endanger two lives is far worse." Chesmu says. "I don't hate him, I just want to assure his safety and yours. You tell him this, and I'll give you my blessing when you're an adult and want to leave, I'll even *encourage* you to go with him."

"You're wrong, Daddy! I can't say any of that, because it isn't true! We /will/ be safe! He's strong and smart.. he can protect both of us. And he isn't undesirable at all!" Nayeli struggles to control the emotion in her voice, though she's still glowering at her father. How can he say such spiteful and untrue things! He says he doesn't hate Kein--then how can he do this?

"You're both too young and inexperienced to be out there!" Chesmu says. "Do you knwo how to hunt for yourself? Hide from danger? What do you do when one of you is injured or killed? When you encounter a hostile rogue? Nayeli, I *was* alone at your age and I feel you should thank your lucky stars you have a father to look after you at this age, as opposed to a mother who tried to kill you and living in hunger and fear for most of your life! You will tell Kein to stay away from you and that is final!"

It's only because Nayeli does still love her father that she doesn't throw his words back in his face with something about how her father /didn't/ look after her--only Yuma. Instead, she only lies there, silent, crying, and wondering how much longer it'll be until Kein returns. Finally, she asks in something barely above a whisper, "What will you do if I don't tell him?"

"Then I will tell him myself, and I doubt the meeting would be as amicably or understanding as if you were to tell him instead." Chesmu says, leaving a bit of a dangerous tone in the phrase, implying that Chesmu might have to do something violent if Kein were to oppose Chesmu. May not be Chieftain, but he's still Nayeli's father and he must protect her.

Nayeli flinches again as though she's been struck by a physical blow. "You'd.. you'd /hurt/ him?" She can't believe she's hearing this from her father. "You'd hurt him if he said 'no'?" Just the thought of her father hurting her best friend... Nayeli feels as though she's been backed into a corner with no way of escape.

Chesmu stands over Nayeli. "I'd threaten him. Hurting him would be a last resort." Chesmu says. "I know I am being blunt and downright scary, Nayeli, but I cannot lie to you: I must protect you."

It's final. The line has been drawn in the sand--or snow, to be more contextually accurate. And with her father's words ringing in her ears, Nayeli finally breaks down, nods, and drops her head down into her paws, sobbing for all she's worth. This is the second time in her life now that her dreams have been crushed, and in both instances it's happened so quickly, too. Not even fifteen minutes ago, the girl had been eagerly waiting for her friend to return so that they could continue discussing exploration possibilities. And just /talking/! Spending time together! But now... all that's gone.

Chesmu looks grim, then licks Nayeli's cheek. "I am sorry. But this is how it must be. You would be spared more pain if you would merely obey me. You can avoid this entire thing by just agreeing not to go... or I can enforce this... ban... your choice. I'll be waiting nearby, and I will be watching. Make the right choice, and you may yet be pleased with the result." In other words, tell him you're not going or tell him you can't see him any more. Chesmu turns, then looks back to Nayeli. "It really is for the best, either way." Chesmu starts to walk to where he'll be watching.

[tanniyn]

/* A short time passes... */

By the time Kein arrives at the area where he left Nayeli, fatigue is starting to really wear at him, and this won't be the last leg of his journey yet tonight. He still has to find a place to sleep outside of Amaranth, after he says good night to Nayeli. Then he catches a familiar, and unwelcome, scent. Chesmu. The young male tenses, and he slows his pace until he spots Nayeli. Oh no. She doesn't look happy. Far from it. He doesn't see Chesmu, and so he speeds up again, and as he approaches her, he says, "Nayeli?" His tone makes his actual question obvious. What's wrong?

It hasn't been long at all since Chesmu retreated to his hiding spot and Nayeli managed to stop crying. Even still, she feels like a complete emotional wreck.. and now that Kein's back? Even if she wasn't being forced to tell him a single word, she still wouldn't want to face him in her current state. But here he is, fast approaching her and obviously aware that something isn't right. "No!" she shouts, jumping to her paws and backing away. "Go away! Please!" It isn't hard to notice that she's obviously been crying, and even now there's the glimmer of new tears beginning to form.

Chesmu does feel bad about Nayeli's emptional state, and tells himself that after Kein is gone, he'll tell Nayeli he'll make it up to her somehow. The last thing he wants, after all, is for Nayeli to believe he doesn't love her.

Kein stops, abruptly, when she yells. But... "Nayeli... What happened?" What did her father do to her? He had to have done something, and as much as that would normally make him angry... He is too busy being confused and concerned, right this moment. He doesn't step closer to her after speaking, remaining firmly where he is.

Nayeli doesn't mention her father at all, though she'd really like to. In fact, she's like nothing more than to run to her friend and cry into his neck or shoulder. But she can't do that, or her father will hurt Kein. And seeing how traumatically he hurt Kein's mother, she doesn't even want to /think/ of how awful it'll be when he's finished with Kein. Maybe even kill him? She'll have to be convincing, since Chesmu is supposedly still watching them. "It doesn't matter what happened! I'm not going with you!" She tries hard to grasp any trace of anger she feels at the situation and inject it into her voice. "Just.. get away from me! I don't ever want to see you again!" The forming tears are freely running down through her cheekfur. Daddy, are you watching? Are you listening? Is this hated and cursed charade satisfying you?

Chesmu feels tears coming to his eyes. Mostly tears of anger at himself for this. But it must be done! Chesmu squeezes his eye shut. He didn't really intend for Nayeli to go as far as angry against Kein... and Chesmu feels like a bad father. But it's so Nayeli will be safe! Can't she see that?

What Nayeli says tears at Kein so deeply that he can't think. He no longer cares about what happened. All he cares about is how he can fix it. She can't mean what she says, can she? Why would she make him believe she'd fogiven him, then do this? "Please... Whatever I did, I'm sorry. Please, don't do this..." He still doesn't move towards her. He's not sure he /can/ move.

It's a weird dichotomy. Nayeli absolutely does /not/ mean any of what she's saying, as it hurts her to the core to have to speak such awful words. And yet, she means every word of it, if that's what it takes to keep Kein from being terribly hurt by her father. Still crying, Nayeli just shakes her head, "Don't say anything else... please." She needs to tell him that it's not his fault. That she's being forced to say this. But.. she can't. "Oh Kein..." Sobbing full force again, Nayeli turns away, and suddenly rams her head up against the tree, causing a little trickle of whatever snow was left to fall down. WHAM! Once again, she just wants to knock herself into blackness.

Chesmu opens his eyes wide and decides now is the time to expose himself. He waits a few seconds, then runs for Nayeli, hoping it looks like he just happened on this scene. "Nayeli! What are you doing? What's going on?!"

No! Not again! Kein rushes towards her, just like much earlier today, trying to place himself inbetween her and the tree. He hears Chesmu's voice, but Nayeli is far more important. "Nayeli! Stop!" He won't let her hurt herself. If she's serious about this... He'll leave. But she can't hurt herself.

With a third and final WHAM! Nayeli succeeds in bringing the blackness that has no accusing words from Daddy and no horrified looks from Kein. Only a wonderful silence that goes on and on. With a groan, the girl collapses with a muffled crunch of snow beneath her.

Chesmu watches in horror as his daughter knocks herself out. "Nayeli!" Chesmu says. No. No! This was not supposed to happen. He feels guilt wash over him. He hurt his daughter. He hurt his own daughter! He looks at Kein and growls. He still doesn't hate Kein, nor can he hate him, but he can certainly be angry to him. "You! If you hadn't suggested your damnable idea of going off on your own exploring! She's too young and so are you!"

Kein spins to face Chesmu, and returns the growling. He crouches low, not planning on attacking, but certainly preparing to defend himself. "/You/ did this to her!" Kein doesn't know how, but it had to have been Chesmu. Nayeli was /happy/ when he left. They were both happy! Why does Chesmu always have to ruin that?! Now, as before, it is /hard/ for him to hold himself back, even knowing that Chesmu has a serious advantage over him.

Chesmu just stands his ground. He is blaming himself as much as Kein for this state. The difference is Chesmu isn't allowing Nayeli to go into something as reckless as Kein is. "You dare accuse me of harming my own daughter, who I look after?! I'm not about to endanger her like *you* are, rogue!"

Slowly, Kein is starting to realize what must have happened. Nayeli told Chesmu their plans, perhaps searching for Chesmu's blessing, like Kein wanted his mom's, and Chesmu refused it. He continues growling. "Since when have you looked after her? You don't even know her!" How could he know her, and not have known what tearing their future away from them would have done to her?

Chesmu growls very low, dangerously low. "Careful, rogue." Chesmu says, walking carefully toward Kein. He's definitely one who would outclass Kein in a fight, and right now, Chesmu is in no mood to hold himself back. "I've always looked after her, loved her. You may think you know *me,* but you are too much of a prideful male busy hating me to see any truth. I know her better than you. She grew under my protective care, not yours. Now go, or I swear I will not hold myself back. I'm no longer Chieftain, I'm just... an angry... protective father not about to let a danger come near his daughter!" Chesmu bears his teeth.

Kein grits his teeth. He promised Nayeli that he would not kill Chesmu, but now... Now... "No one is safe with you around. The next time I see you, Chesmu... You won't get off again." Chesmu has stolen /everything/ from him. His home. His family. His best friend. Kein has no choice /now/, but when he does... Slowly, he backs away from the former chieftain.

"No... every cougar but one is safe with me around, rogue." Chesmu says. "I dedicated myself to protection of this tribe, something you will never understand." Chesmu continues advancing on Kein, teeth bared, growling even more dangerously. "You are the one causing harm, and you are the one I am dangerous to. Get within a breath of my daughter, rogue, and I *will* kill you, rend your flesh from bone, your influence would lead her to an untimely end. Now go, or I'll kill you *now!*" Chesmu's not even gracing Kein with his own name, just "rogue."

Kein continues backing away from Chesmu, growling. He refuses to turn his back on this creature, even for a moment. Yes, he will leave... But he'll also be back, and when he does return, Chesmu /will/ have to answer for all of this, if Kein has to fight his way through every cougar in this tribe. Every cougar except for Mom, Pelutho, and Nayeli, that is.

Chesmu finally loses his patience and charges at Kein, snarling and opening his muzzle for a bite. If Kein doesn't turn tail and run fast, Chesmu will begin.

It isn't like Kein to turn tail and run away. Every time he has, it has been to protect someone, but there is no one to protect now, and if Chesmu /insists/ on fighting him... Growling loudly, Kein leaps forward when Chesmu rushes him. He snaps at the former chieftain's shoulder. It leaves him open, but he can only hope to tear out a large chunk from Chesmu's shoulder first, hopefully enough to impair Chesmu's ability to move.

Chesmu snarls and leaps at Kein tries to barrel him over, his shoulder untouched. "Of all the things you have done, that would have to be the stupidest of them all!" Chesmu says. "You should have run! Now it seems that your recklessness will bring *you* to an untimely end!" Chesmu throws a strong, fast, fully-clawed paw right at Kein's face.

Kein cannot stand against Chesmu's greater weight, and he lets out a loud yowl as the claws rake across his face. He doesn't give up, though. If he is going to die, he /will/ go down fighting. He doesn't bother trying to speak. Rather, he kicks at Chesmu's side with his hindpaws while snapping at any flesh he can find, fighting more or less blind after having closed his eyes involuntarily when Chesmu swiped at his face. He can feel the blood running down the fur on his face, though.

Chesmu ignores Keins' kicks, much as they annoy him and pushes down against Kein. "I told you I don't care for violence." Push with claws into. "Yet at every turn since you've come back." Reels back and slams another clawed paw against Kein's head. "You've done your best to provoke me. I don't hate you, Kein, but you most certainly insist on causing trouble. And now that you had that idea for dragging Nayeli into your bad idea of going out into the world as young as you are..." Chesmu leans forward to bite off a piece of Kein, even. "...leave it to me to teach you this hard lesson of what awaits you out there!"

Kein lets out another yowl as Chesmu hits his face again, another sets of parallel marks being cut into his face. He has no chance of escaping, no chance of doing anything but lying there as Chesmu sadistically tears into him. As Chesmu bites into him, he lets out a loud scream, and as the pain accumulates, his kicking hindlegs slow, but he tries to slowly open his eyes, to try to see where he could potentially attack. He isn't giving up, not until he doesn't have a drop of fight left in him.

Kein isn't sure he'd even be capable of walking, much less running. The growing red against the white snow clearly displays the blood he has lost, and is still losing, from his various wounds. He screams again as claws dig into him once more, but it ends in more of a whimper. He doesn't talk. He can't, but when he finally manages to open his eyes, he looks at Chesmu with anger so encompassing that it almost masks the fear and pain. Almost.

Chesmu isn't malicious by nature. Even Maulisho could attest by that. Chesmu is definitely *not* enjoying* this, which is why he wants Kein to flee. "You're not the only one with evil blood in your veins." Chesmu steps off of Kein. "Go, don't force me to finish it. Go!"

She heard the scream, and whatever other thoughts had been going through her mind had immediately been dismissed. That agonized scream... and coming from the direction that Kein had departed toward. What could have happened? Running with speed that she didn't know she possessed, Maulisho leaves the well behind her and crosses into the snowy part of Amaranth territory, leaving wide distances between her pawmarks. The fact that she hears another scream, but this one weaker, only serves to fuel her desperate speed. A cougar is dying up ahead. Either that, or something equally terrible is happening. It's almost easier to see the red against the white backdrop of snow than it is the tawny fur of the three cougars. Her eyes quickly notice that Nayeli is crumpled up, either dead, or unconscious--it would be /very/ unlikely for her to only be sleeping through those screams. She also notices Chesmu standing over top of the bloodied body of her son. It's almost a detached acceptance of this fact, as she's immediately encompassed with a mind-numbing horror at the grisly scene. Even as her running turns into an almost slow-motion arrival at whatever fight is going on, her mind processes the simple facts. That's her son. He's covered in lots of blood. He must have been the one screaming. That's Chesmu on top of him. And then with a scream of all the horror and righteous fury that she possesses as a mother, Maulisho continues her sprint toward Chesmu, ears completely flattened, hackled raised as much as is possible, claws extended to their maximum length, and her amber eyes blazing with fury.

At the Snowy Highlands, Maulisho screams.

It takes a great deal of effort for Kein to pull himself to his feet, and he is trembling, betraying all of the pain that is hidden in his expression. He still glares at Chesmu, the blood on his face painting a fearsome pattern along his fur, especially where clumps of snow have stuck to the wet blood and have not yet finished melting. There is uncertainty in him, but he has no time to either retreat or advance before the new scream sounds. He turns in the direction of it, altogether too quickly, given his state, and his legs buckle, causing him to fall back to a position that almost looks like he's just sitting lazily.

Chesmu only has enough time from when Maulisho screams to turn and back away a little quickly. Maulisho. No, not Maulisho! This is not a cougar he wants to ever face like this! "He was going to take Nayeli out there... she is too young... I wanted him to run! To run! But he turned and attacked me!" It was the truth, or part of it. Chesmu *did* charge at him, but hoping Kein would run, not... jump at him like he did. "Nayeli hurt herself!"

The former Chieftain might as well be talking to a tree. Maulisho's snarls alone are nearly enough to drown out the male's words in her own ears, and even if she /did/ hear them and comprehend them, she's not paying any attention whatsoever. She doesn't care what Kein did to Chesmu, because what she sees is not the former Chieftain defending himself. It's not even a punishment. It's the slaughter of her son. And until she has darkened the snow with as much of Chesmu's blood as he has spilled from her son, there will be no mercy or understanding from her. Chesmu is just backing away? Maulisho gives another snarl. He'd best be running for all he's worth, as the full force of maternal armageddon is about to redefine Chesmu's very existence in this world.

Kein cannot bring himself to stand again, immediately. His forelegs are still trembling, even though he is half sitting, half lying down. He watches, though, in silence, and after a moment, he tries to get his feet back under him. If Chesmu hurts his mother, if... No! Fighting to ignore the searing pain coursing through him, he forces himself back to his feet.

Chesmu takes another several steps back. He's never seen Maulisho furious before. He definitely can't blame Kein for this one. But Chesmu *was* protecting his daughter from him, in his mind anyway. He's gone from offensive to defensive very quickly. He can see it in Maulisho's eyes, she wants to kill him. "I wanted to protect Nayeli! I wanted him to flee!" It's no use! But Chesmu can't bring himself to hurt Maulisho.

Too late. Maulisho closes the last bit of distance between them in a matter of seconds. She feels sick to her stomach as her eyes survey the mangled body of her son as she dashes past. And then she's close enough to Chesmu to try and slash at his face before her weight either slams full-force into him or he tries to dodge her charge.

After getting to his feet, Kein turns, more slowly this time, and takes a step towards Mom and Chesmu... Then two... Then three. He can't walk quickly, much less run, and his legs are still wobbly, but he doesn't feel like he is going to fall down again, but he /has/ to get to them. Nayeli isn't entirely forgotten, but there's nothing he can do for her before she wakes up. Mom, though...

Chesmu barely dodges the swipe at his face, but he gets knocked to the snow onto his back by Maulisho ramming him. He feels the wind knocked out of him, and gasps for air.

Even expecting and bracing for the impact at the last second, Maulisho still feels nearly winded herself, and it's all she can do to keep from falling on top of Chesmu. It's only a fraction of a second before she's tearing away at the male's vulnerable underbelly, her expression locked in a mask of snarl, fury, and utter indignation. How /dare/ he try and kill her son?

Chesmu howls in pain as Maulisho tears into his soft part, and he doesn't even get a chance to fight back, even if he could bring himself to. "Maulisho! No!" Chesmu cries out. "Don't kill me!"

At the Snowy Highlands, Chesmu screams in agony.

Maulisho continues slashing, feeling a dark sense of satisfaction at seeing Chesmu's blood stain the snow around his body. Let the fiend experience what he put her poor son through! She's very much tempted to bite down on his legs with her fangs, eager to sever tendons, but that would make it difficult for him to get away, and that's primarily what she wants right now. Chesmu. Gone. Right now. And so she thrusts her face down right on top of his, amber eyes still blazing. "Go! Don't force me to finish it. Go!" A bit of cruel irony, perhaps, that Maulisho was close enough to hear Chesmu's last words to Kein before she came thundering in. And with that, the cougaress steps backwards and off of the former Chieftain, though she's crouched at a hair-trigger, absolutely ready for anything foolish he might attempt.

Kein stops walking when he sees his mother get off of Chesmu. He sits again, as much because he has to because he wants to. He still watches them closely, does nothing to clean or nurse his wounds, but he no longer tries to reach them. His mother has the situation under control, for which Kein is thankful.

Chesmu looks up at Maulisho in shock. She tore into him terribly. Chesmu rolls to his feet and unsteadily gets to his paws and walks several feet before the loss of blood and the extreme cold takes him over the edge, and the former Chieftain falls to the snow and loses consciousness.

Oh, he is /so/ not going to remain here. Maulisho, still fired up to where she's almost trembling from the adrenaline and fury, stalks over to the fallen body of Chesmu, and grabs him by the scruff. Hmm. Where to take him? With obvious effort, she begins dragging him off to the north, leaving a bloody path of snow behind him. She's still furious at what this male has done, and she very nearly succumbs to that inner voice calling for his quick death. Just a simple bite to the throat, while he's helpless like this. But no. Whatever savagery Chesmu has inflicted on her son, she's not going to just kill him like this. That will most likely be Kein's eventual decision to make... assuming her son survives this. She hasn't had a chance to really look at his injuries, and she can only pray that they aren't life-threatening. Once she's far enough away from Kein and Nayeli, she leaves Chesmu's still-unconscious form flopped unceremoniously behind a tree and comes sprinting back toward her son. All that blood...

[tanniyn]

Tohopka was sleeping nearby when he heard Kein scream, but didn't think much of it, maybe it was because he didn't recognize the voice, but when he hears his brother scream, that gets his attention and he is off, running as fast as he can towards the highlands and arrives in time to see Maulisho start to drag Chesmu off. "Chesmu!" he yells, sprinting towards him.

Kein can do nothing more than watch. As he sees Mom stop dragging Chesmu and begin sprinting back, though, he tries to stand again. The strain is getting to him, and after a moment, he gives up. He doesn't fall again, though. He just remains sitting. And once she's close, he says, simply, "Mom." There is relief, and love, and pain all in his tone. He's so glad she came, and he's so hurt, and tired...

"Oh, Kein. Oh stars.. you look awful!" Maulisho tries to keep the quaver out of her voice and is only partially successful. Coming to a stop in front of her son, she immediately begins grooming him, cleaning off all the snow still clinging to his upper body and head. Chesmu's claws did plenty of damage, though it seems as he primarily tried inflicting multiple stabs, along with a nasty bite on the upper foreleg and several slashes on his face.

Tohopka is sitting with Chesmu, not really sure of what happened he tries to rouse him, but fails to do so, and at a loss for what to do he has no other choice but to wait and hope he wakes up.

Kein closes his eyes and clenches his jaw when his mother begins grooming him. He has never been wounded before, not like this, and he can't hold back a grimace, but he tries not to complain. His mom is here. She'll make everything okay again. Once he is reasonably certain he's not going to whimper, he says, "I'm so sorry, Mom." His tone has not changed much, but as for what he's sorry about... Mostly, making Mom worry. He hasn't noticed the arrival of Tohopka, or anything besides what is going on immediately around him, now.

It'll have to be later on when she asks what he's sorry about and when she figures out just what in the world happened here. For right now, Maulisho is concerned with only one thing: keeping her son alive. She has no idea the extent of his internal injuries, and can only hope that he didn't sustain any organ damage. But with all the claw stabs he received... she doesn't even want to consider what may have happened. Or what /could/ have happened, had she not heard his screams. She continues grooming him, hating the sharp taste of his blood on her tongue.

As Kein remains still, the pain slowly starts to fade, become less sharp, even with the grooming from his mother. He remains sitting, letting her clean him for a while and just breathing and trying to think. Finally, in a quiet voice that portrays more fear than he would ever like to express, were he whole and well, he asks, "Are you going to stay with us?" Him and Nayeli both. All of this happened because Chesmu was trying to take them away from one another, and he dosn't want to get any further away from Nayeli than he already is. Besides, he's weak and fatigued. He needs, so deperately, to rest.

Tohopka having no idea what to do, he does his best to clean Chesmu up, then slowly walks back to where Maulisho and Kein are. He doesn't know these cougars, so he doubts they know him either. He is able to piece together what he thinks happened by looking at Kein he guesses that Chesmu and Kein started to fight and Maulisho saw the end and dragged Chesmu off? He ponders this as he walks over to them, but he stops a ways off and watches them waiting for an opportunity to say something, to introduce himself and try to figure out what really happened.

"Of course I'm going to stay with you!" Maulisho certainly hopes that her son doesn't think that she's just going to abandon him! And Nayeli too--she glances over at the still-crumpled girl over by the tree, and is about to decide whether or not to see how she's doing when she notices another form, and one that definitely isn't motionless. It's another male cougar, and while seemingly not quite as big as Chesmu, is easily big enough for Maulisho to see as a threat. An unknown male, here in Amaranth... even if she were feeling remotely friendly, which is hardly the case now, she would be rather wary and cautious in dealing with the stranger. But given the current circumstances, the extent of her friendliness is to give a clear warning /before/ clawing him up a bit. With as loud a snarl as she can manage, she stalks a few steps toward him, and hisses, "Get /far/ away from here, or I swear I will claw every last inch of fur and flesh from your bones!" The protective gleam is back in her eyes, though perhaps

Kein relaxes when his mother says she'll stay. Before he has time to lie down, though, her snarling brings him to open his eyes, and he looks in the direction she stalks in. Another cougar. A male. Kein does not cringe at his mother's threat. Hopefully, the stranger will listen, but if not... He has no doubt he and Nayeli will be safe throughout the night. Safe. And, lacking the energy to remain sitting, he slowly, carefully, lowers himself onto his belly.

Tohopka backs off a little trying to look as non-threatening as possible, "I... I don't mean any harm.." he says conveying he is very intimidated and scared by Maulisho, and that he means no harm in anyway whatsoever.

Though she really doesn't feel like yet another fight, as she's still exhausted from the confrontation earlier, the sprint to get here, and then the fight with Chesmu, Maulisho is not reluctant in the slightest to avoid hostility if needed. And apparently, it's needed. "I said /GO/!" she yowls, stalking forward a few more steps. Is this cougar deaf? Or just ignorant? Either way, he has only a few seconds to turn tail and run or he's going to be staining the snow red as well.

Tohopka backs off quickly, nearly tripping over his own paws "I..can I check on Nayeli? I'm..family, I maybe I'll just leave" he stammers, as he tries to back up to quickly and actually stumbles over his paws "please don't hurt me!" he cries fear evident not only in his voice but his scent as he quickly starts to get back up "I'm sorry! I'll leave" he says standing up and continuing to retreat as quickly as he can.

Family? A likely story, though Maulisho does raise an eyebrow at the mention of Nayeli's name. It's certainly possible that Amaranth could have gained new members while she was away, though she's still confused at how Nayeli could have another cougar, older than she, claim to be family. But either way, it changes nothing. The cougaress gives a snap of her jaws to finalize her warning. Stay far away, or else. Her attention turns back to Kein, and seeing him lying down, she starts over toward Nayeli. Considering how completely motionless and unresponsive she's been, Maulisho is afraid the girl is dead, but as she approaches she can see just enough of Nayeli's sides moving--she's breathing!--to know that she's still alive. Several more steps and she's over top of the girl, nuzzling her and trying to stir her to consciousness.

Tohopka just stays where he is not wanting to anger the female any more, although he does watch when Nayeli comes around, he doesn't say anything, he just watches.

As tired as he is, when he spots Mom walk over to Nayeli and Nayeli start to rise, he tries to get to his feet, to go to her. He doesn't really get anywhere until he sees her fall, though, which is when worry helps him overcome his own fatigue to get to his feet, and he walks to her, as quickly as he's capable. Though he doubtlessly looks considerably worse than her, when he speaks, there is nothing but concern for her in his voice. "Nayeli... Are you okay?"

Maulisho is very much relieved to see Nayeli able to get up, though when she collapses and Kein comes rushing over, her anxiety comes rushing back. "Kein, stop! You need to stay still and rest, or the bleeding will never stop." The cougaress hurries over to her son and tries pressing him down into the snow. "Please, Kein, trust me on this."

"Kein, what /happened/ to you?" Nayeli is so worried for her friend that she's more or less able to dismiss her own headache for the moment, trying to just crawl to where Kein's mother is trying to force him to lie down. From what she can see, it looks like he got slashed across the face several times, though he seems to have blood elsewhere in his fur, suggesting other injuries. Who could have done such a terrible thing? And how did his mother get here? What happened?!

Tohopka stands, watching and waiting, not daring to move, or say anything.

Kein doesn't fight against his mother's attempts to make him lie down. It's hard enough working up the strength to stand and walk. He couldn't resist his mother right now no matter how desperately he wants to, and besides, as Nayeli comes over to him, there is no more reason for him to move. He waits until the pain from moving subsides again before he says anything, and given his expression, it's probably more because he doesn't want to answer than because he's afraid of giving away how hurt he really is. "I... When you..." Kein glances to the tree that Nayeli used to knock herself out, then to the ground. "And your father came, and..." But she's speaking to him now. What else matters, if she's no longer yelling at him to leave?

Maulisho is still somewhat in the dark as to what happened, so she remains quiet as Kein speaks. But when she realizes that Kein isn't going to offer a full explanation, she turns her head toward Nayeli and murmurs, "When I heard Kein scream, I came running here from the well. I.. found your father standing over top of Kein, savagely clawing him." Maulisho steels herself, as she /is/ talking to Chesmu's daughter. "I attacked him and injured him quite a bit to get him away from Kein."

Nayeli looks stricken as she listens to the older cougaress. Oh.. /Daddy/! What have you /done/?! She did everything that her father told her to do.. and he /still/ hurt Kein? How could he do such a terrible thing...!? And after he told her that he /didn't/ hate Kein! Even with the fact that her father betrayed her, Nayeli still feels a wave of guilt sweep over her. Kein was hurt because of his friendship to her. "He told me to.. to tell Kein that I couldn't go with him.. or he.. he would hurt Kein!" Tears form in her eyes. "I thought I said everything he told me to say!" But apparently it wasn't good enough for her father's liking, as the evidence is all over her friend in the form of horrendous wounds. She wants more than anything to nuzzle up against Kein and tell him over and over how sorry she is for what she got him into, but she's afraid he'll just pull back.

Although Tohopka knows he shouldn't he moves closer at this explanation, "What? Why? What would cause Chesmu to attack him" indicating Kein, "in the first place? It doesn't seem like something he would do. I've only known him for about a week, but it seems like the only thing that might make him attack is someone invading his territory. Although that doesn't make sense, cause he told me only hours ago that he isn't chieftain anymore."

Kein /knew/ Chesmu had to be responsible for what Nayeli was saying. This confirmation doesn't inspire anger in Kein. He is far too worn, emotionally and physically drained, for that right now. It does deepen his hatred of the former chieftain, though, and when Tohopka comes closer and speaks, he jerks his head in the other male's direction and bares his teeth in a meaningless threat. Not only has the stranger not left, but he's here, /defending/ Chesmu? If Kein were not so injured as he is... Well, they wouldn't be having this conversation, but if they /were/, there's no doubt he would be doing more than just baring his teeth.

Maulisho stares at the younger female, horrified at what she's hearing. How awful! But when she hears that male voice again, coupled with Kein's strong reaction, she whirls around, tail lashing. "I.." Maulisho begins sprinting toward the male. "..told.." Claws extended. "..you.." Fangs bared. "..to.." Eyes gleaming. "..LEAVE!" She's after blood now.

Nayeli blinks in surprise as she hears the other voice. Huh? Someone else came here while she was unconscious? She squints, trying to see the other cougar, but her eyes are still adjusting to the bright glare of the snow again, and she can't quite make him out. The voice isn't really recognized, though she thinks she may have heard it before. But then Kein's mother is once again charging off, leaving her alone with Kein. Nayeli lowers herself down to where she's lying next to her friend, but with several inches between them.

"Wait! No! I.." Tohopka decides it would be in his best interest to do as he is told so he turns and runs as fast as he can away from the crazed cougaress, down from the highlands towards the pine grove, and is considering just leaving Amaranth all together.

If he moves again, his mother won't be very pleased when she returns, and maybe Nayeli doesn't want to risk get any of the blood that hasn't dried or been cleaned off on her, but that doesn't make Kein want to feel her there any less. He remains where he is, for now, and looks in her direction. After a moment, he asks what he never got an answer to earlier. "Are you okay?" He has no concern over what his mother does to the strange male, but after looking at Nayeli for a moment, he looks back to where Mom ran, watching for when she returns.

At last! It seems that the male finally got the message and won't be coming back. With another yowled warning in his direction, Maulisho turns and trots back toward the two adolescents, giving another careful lookover of her son. He seems to be alert, thankfully, so that's a good indicator that he might just survive this after all. Noting that he and Nayeli seem to be talking, Maulisho sets herself down into a sitting position several feet away from the two, where she'll be able to function as a lookout for anyone or anything that would dare trespass. Woe to even the squirrel that would so much as throw an acorn in Kein's direction!

Despite what Nayeli said to Kein--yelled at him, even!--and despite what her father did to him, he's /still/ concerned foremost about her. /Why/? He looks like he's about to just keel over dead, and he's still asking if /she's/ okay! "I'm.. fine," she says. "But what about you? You've lost so much blood!" At least most of the bleeding looks as though it has stopped. His face though, sends a chill down her spine as she looks at it; apparently Chesmu had focused a lot of his attacks on that part of her friend's body. She doesn't even want to /think/ about the what-if involving Kein losing an eye during the attack. Or both eyes.

Kein can't claim to feel well. Even when he is still and the pain is just a dull throbbing, he feels weaker than he can ever remember feeling. For Kein, that's worse than the pain. Chesmu's message /has/ been received. He's not strong enough to protect them. Of course, their chances of encountering someone as vicious as Chesmu out there are slim. He can hold his own even against a full-grown wolf, and if both of them were to work together, that wouldn't be much of a threat, but as for things that are larger than wolves... Well, he is smart enough that hopefully he could avoid the few who would hurt either of them without good cause. Still, as weak as he feels now... Slowly, he lowers his head and answers, "I will be fine." Someday. He hopes.

Her head is still throbbing rather painfully, but Nayeli knows that it will pass in time. She's had headaches before, after all. At Kein's response, she nods, glancing over to where Kein's mother is still sitting and watching. Of course Kein will be fine. He's.. Kein, after all. Nothing's ever beaten him before. "I.. guess you won't be able to leave quite as soon as you were hoping to?" It's supposed to be somewhat of a joke to ease the tension she knows they're both feeling, but it comes out rather awkward.

Kein can't seem to find amusement at it, either. He closes his eyes and can't bring himself to reply to that statement. The truth in what she says upsets him much more than it should... But he isn't angry with her for saying it. Finally, to keep the silence from dragging on uncomfortably, he says, "I'm tired, Nayeli." Hopefully he'll feel better when he wakes up.

Tired? As in, he wants to sleep? Or tired, as in he's going to close his eyes and never open them again? Feeling suddenly seized with panic, Nayeli leans over to where she can whisper in his ear, "Don't you die on me, Kein! Don't you dare leave me like that!" Her voice is thick with fear, not anger. He can't die! Not after everything they've been through, and with all that they had planned for their future together. She just won't accept it!

Kein opens his eyes when Nayeli starts speaking. Slowly, he turns his head so that he can look at her, his expression not quite confused, but close. "I'm not going to die. I just need to sleep." He feels /miserable/, both physically and emotionally, yes, but he can no longer feel himself bleeding. That has to be a good sign. He's just /tired/, and after everything that has happened today, it's no wonder. Even if it hadn't been for what Chesmu did to him, he would probably have been exhausted by now.

To say that Nayeli feels relief at her friend's words would be quite the understatement. She doesn't pull her head back at all, despite the fact he still hasn't voiced any forgiveness for what she yelled at him. "Then go to sleep," she says softly, touching her nose to his. "We'll watch over you." Not that Kein's mother needs any help from /her/, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Because there is no forgiveness needed. She didn't mean it anymore than he meant it when he said there was absolutely nothing here worth saving. She was trying to protect him, and based on what Chesmu did to him... She had good reason to try to be protecting him. Her final words actually bring a light purr from Kein. She's staying with him. So is Mom. He responds, absolutely sincerely, with, "Thank you." After speaking, he looks to Mom, then slowly rests his head on his paws again.