Loose ends and the weird week (pride/open)

Aminta felt Pepper leave but the bed still held her warmth so she stayed absently keeping one ear perked. Pepper was always the lightest sleeper so her stirring was nothing out of the ordinary. Her staying gone with no scent of food was a bit curious but still acceptable.

Just as she was preparing to nudge Jae awake to go find her Pep was back and clearly disturbed by something. Siting up she stifled her stretch instead rising and slipping on her joggers. Jae for all of his brusqueness was out of bed in a roll clearing his eyes as he moved to the door. He was a step ahead even as he roused last.

They’d fallen into a routine with him nearly always closer to the door for some reason. “Agápi mou,” She asked opening the door. The look on Peps face saying she’d not only seen but had a conversation with a ghost. Aminta immediately thought of rousing Pretty boy as Burtram was their Succurro and medium. Her hand resting against Pep as a way to offer support.

JAedon rolled out of bed and moved deliberately part of his survivors instinct was his ability to be operational very quickly once woken. It was why he'd insinuated himself into always being nearest the door. Either as body shield or avenger. the ladies didn't need him in that way often but he would always do his best to insure that when they did he was ready.

The crate was novel he was not liking the scent coming out of it. Male. Lion. and a faint scent that had been present in the Venatorious. It meant this was the former Rex. The runaway that had made the Venatorious violently opposed to the Pride. Pretty boy had done wonders to calming the spirits but there was still a blood debt owed and here was the person they needed to pay it forward.

Carefully tearing the lid off he was hit by the full bore stench. The hair on the mans head was growing patchy and inconsistent. His mouth looked swollen and his skin bore the more than obvious signs of enhanced interrogation techniques. Looking to Aminta then Pepper as she backed away to get Pretty boy he shook his head. "We need his blood not him why not put him out of his misery?" He asked aloud so that the man who was stirring understood his take on things. He was big and even weakened he could perhaps be a problem wrangling. Better he know that death was a clear and present option.


Looking to Aminta who was clearly working some thoughts over.

Amina kept the growl from her lips but just barely. Here was the man that had saved and nearly damned her. He’d betrayed them by running away instead of staying and working to build something. He’d made promises and left too proud to work within the structure of the city. He deserved her hate but also what kindness she could afford.

Jaedon always considering the worst had to offer death. It was pragmatic but also perhaps a step too far. It’d be a waste of meat. As she considered their options she did have a thought that might work. Nothing as severe as what she’d heard done but also a chance to bind the Pride even more. A hunt. It would give him a chance far more than he’d given them. A chance at life and maybe just maybe a way to earn some... fairness for himself.


He could if he was lucky enough survive and learn from his mistakes. Or at least die like a lion by his own strength. “Tibs can you hear me?” She began stopping short as he roused himself to his feet. Naked beaten and clearly broken by someone sho knew what they were thinking. His healing was lessened or he had been far worse. The bruises covering him looking so much worse than anything Aminta had seen done to a lycanthrope.


Her words died on her lips as the sight of him almost had her recoiling. Looking to Pep she asked silently how would they get what they needed without killing him. He was in no shape to be anything but dead.

Aminta fought the urge to look for her shotgun. He was a threat her lioness knew it and stalked close enough to the surface she could feel the fur brushing her skin. She hated seeing tibs as anything but if not friend former family. She however knew he was not in fact family. he had offered for them to leave with him but it wasn't an honest offer. he was running and she while accustomed to doing so was accustomed to running towards something not away. What he'd done was run. Flee as fast and far as he could. It made her angry at the hurt he'd caused giving them hope and then leaving them high and dry. Not to mention she now knew some of the heavy mystical energy of that night he decided to leave was him breaking ties with Chidera. Which was even worse as even despite that she had taken them as extensions of her and helped them all the same.


Silent she moved to Pep lending her support and forming a temporary wall with her. She didn't trust her english in the moment. So she said,  "Ítan oikogéneia pou chreiazómaste aíma óchi thánato. Afíste ton na kánei kynígi. an zei boreí an den ítan touláchiston díkaios." She didn't take her eyes off him going so far as to meet his eyes defintly. He was their Rex he was not anymore. they Pep and her were Regina here this was their lands and this their Pride. She wouldn't be cowed by him. She barely kept the sneer from her lips as Jae rolled his shoulders stepping more firmly between him and them he was sizing the man up for where to hurt him most the quickest.

Tibs surprised them some as he looked form one to the other. His mouth swollen his broken jaw having been broken several times over the last few weeks.  Somehow them having pulled his teeth and shearing his hair had stolen some of his strength. Not to mention he was no longer Rex and had no ties to a Pride. So it was just his strength to depend on.  Forcing a smile which he was sure looked atrocious. His words tumbling out a little wrong and slurried. "At least let me shower first before you decide Ms Potts. No sense of dying dirty. Unless you think that lowly of me..."

Yes he anaged with three sentences dismissed both Jaedon and Burtram. Ignored Aminta's show of solidarity and reminded Pepper of her time dancing at the cat to keep from being one of Estelles girls. It was cruel and cutting straight to the bone. He knew the slights were not easy for any lion worth their claws could ignore nor could Pepper forget where she was before he sought her out. Aminta always sought secrecy of her own choosing taking that away and saying she wasn't worth the effort was again another psychological blow. If he was going to die he was going to leave scars. And if not their would be time to apologize and make things better.








 

Jaedon didn’t bother to hide his growl as he stood between Tibs and his Regina’s. Then before he could do more to antagonize the former Rex into action. Pretty-boy was there and the voice that came out of his lips was not specifically his. The intonation and mannerisms reminded him of the Grandmother from Moana.



The look on Tibs face was one of pain and for a second he thought it just might be the turning point. Then just as swiftly it shifted to a pained look of resignation. Shoving Pretty boy out of the mans reach he fired off two crosses designed to pulverize steel right into the larger mans jaw. He’d picked up on the still healing jawline and decided that would be his point of attack. Lunging as he was the blows connected far too solidly. The first rebroke the jaw the second unhinged it . Causing his face become even more misshapen. The lash of his foot causing the crate to slide backwards down the steps Spilling its contents onto the lawn.



Wasting no time he was down the steps closing as the man yowled toughing out the blows and fall… He could try but the fight was over before it began he was not at full strength the only thing he’d manage would be to beaten to near death. Jaedon could and very much would end him but not before they had their blood and he had the okay of his Reginas.

 

Aminta turned into the kiss. Light and butterfly like the solace was still profound enough. She really didn’t want to watch their third break their former Rex. Especially as she knew that while always dangerous Jae profited even more from Chideras tutelage. Which made things even more fraught.

Nodding she slipped into the house sparing a look to Pretty boy. He was still drained but whole despite the scary metaphysical shenanigans. Stepping inside she unfurled her aura sending her beast rushing through the house too to bottom and back rousing their pride. Their family. Like a live wire connecting charging and doubling back she felt eyes fly open. She felt the weight of all the lions as some leaped to their feet others begrudgingly rolled out of bed. Others still merely assuring themselves of their surroundings cautiously insuring that despite the feeling that the house was not burning down.

And somewhere far enough away to be protected from the Light she felt Chidera stir cast an eye in their direction. Not sure what emotion floated there and unwilling to pry Aminta turned away moving to secure the hose and soap so that if it came down to it at least the filth of his capture wouldn’t follow him into the afterlife.

Jaedon was set to at least beat the man unconscious as that was usually the only way to end things. Especially for someone who had the muscles the former Rex did. While yeah he might have gained them initially prior to his infection keeping them up was no small feat. It meant he’d kept them due applied focus. That was not a lion that you didn’t master right away and completely. Jaedon knew it was only a matter of time before the man would try again. And it was clear he’d marked Pretty boy as a target of opportunity. Someone he could hurt that would hurt the Pride.



After Pretty boy being able to get through to him being able to call the dead or at least play host was no small feat. As such Jaedon knew that the man would take his shot as soon as he could. Not taking his eye of the man he did move just outside his grasp still keeping himself between the man and Pepper. The stories a few of the Pride told of the night the Pride was formed and he’d won the Rexdom and given it away. Jaedon knew that the man was at his heart a grappler. As such Jaedon would keep that weapon out of his usage.



Catching the feel of Aminta doing her best lion-O he said, “Sorry, Pep but he was attempting a bad thing…” He was sure it sound more childish than he meant it but between the disapproval and the feel of AMinta showing just how much she’d grown even just since his arrival it was a heady thing. Especially as in his book they didn’t owe him a thing. He ran he abandoned them. And he’d hurt them which was the very worse thing in his book. Hurting him he was okay with. Being honest he was okay with a few of the Pride getting banged around provided no one tried killing them. But hurting Pep or Ami and it was officially a crime deserving the worst deaths he could provide.