A Pleasant Surprise

A Story by warriorKat

Real online RP from about 3 years ago. :)

Light… Sounds… Movement… It began to stir, shifting slowly in place as it awoke. Suddenly, its eyes opened and it quickly adjusted to the dim lighting within its cave.

A little ways off, a young vampiric lion trudged through the rocky terrain she called “home”. She froze, closed her eyes and let her nose do the work. Something was in her presence. Opening them once again, her fiery young red eyes gleamed with annoyance. “What idiot would be so naive to wander and trespass onto Muertrier territory?” She thought to herself. Giving one last long look over the area surrounding her, she snorted and scrambled back over a boulder, trudging back the way she had come.

Its steel-grey eyes narrowed. The demonic lion had successfully remained undetected by the female scout. Smiling to himself, almost devilish, he raked his long black claws against the stone beneath him as he stretched his back. Styx (pronounced St-y-gian) was once a lion, but as a cub he had been brutally attacked. He had made a bargain with the devil on his way to hell, and the devil had promised that he would restore Styx’s life for a “small” fee. He wouldn’t roam the earth as a mortal any longer, but in the form of a demonic lion. By his appearance, you could see he wasn’t any creature of this planet. Styx was tall, much taller than a regular lion. He still possessed many catlike features, such as the excellent skill of balancing while climbing. He still also possessed a long whip-like lion tail and his claws, which resembled ebony shaded daggers. What indicated his immortal status was mainly his size. Styx walked on all fours, his front legs and shoulders were unusually muscular. He stood eight feet tall. He didn’t have the full mane of a male lion. Styx acquired ten metallic-sheen spikes that were pointed up and out going down his neck after being transformed. His paws were double the size of a typical male lion. His coat color had morphed from the light brown coat and tan underbelly to the now brick red and light brown shades.

The female vampiric lion raced into the camp of Muertier Pride, hissing and yowling for the entire pride’s attention. She wasn’t happy, her demanding attitude had taken control of her and this displeased their dominant male, Dante Donovan. “Bone” he said gruffly to his second in command, “Please take care of her before she sends everyone into a panic.” Bone nodded and swiftly dashed over to the vampiric lion’s side. Bone confronted Chaos (the first born in the litter, she’d always been the strongest and the most attention-seeking of her siblings.) “Chaos, what is the meaning of all this commotion?” Bone asked her sternly. Chaos met his gaze with equal intensity. “I discovered an INTRUDER!” she yelled. Dante, who was eavesdropping from his perch of authority on a tall stone in the clearing, roared and spread his wings to glide down next to them. His red eyes glowed against the setting sun and met those of Chaos. “Show me, now!” Dante demanded. The young female shook her dusty brown pelt and nodded. “Bone, come along,” Dante ordered the fellow male. Bone had already been prepared for the order and stood apprehensively, tense with excitement. Chaos flicked her tail, and the two brutish males began to follow her.

Styx lay on a large boulder jutting out above his cave. Enjoying the sunset, he had stretched his body to full length and had just begun to relax when he heard hostile growls not too far away. He froze and cocked his ear in order to pinpoint the location from which the growls came from. His eyes widened and his pulse quickened when he realized there was more than one growling creature. Moments later, the female scout from earlier stood before him about twenty feet away. She appeared hostile. Seconds later appeared two more creatures. Scanning over his competition, he immediately decided he was the same size as the giant red male with bright red wings. He appeared to be the strongest. By scent, he learned many things about them. They all were from the same pride, as they possessed similar odors. Next he could tell that two out of three of them were immortals, like him. The third discovery almost knocked him off his paws. The large red male with wings was a subspecies of demon, a Blood Beast. They were the kings of demons, possessing the nastiest tempers. A Blood Beast was what had attacked and killed Styx when he was young.

Dante, spotting the intruder, began to hiss menacingly at him. This intruder was large and was of the demon race. “You’re immortal….” He growled, his voice trailing off wearily. Bone stared blankly at the intruder showing no emotion while Chaos seemed ready to lose control and spring on him at any given moment. She was anxious and looked forward to a challenging battle even if the stranger was considerably larger than she was.

After remaining silent for several moments, not sure what to say to the male who had spoken to him, he finally decided to reply. “Yes, and what’s it to you?” He growled back, a hint of scorn in his voice. The young female scout seemed about ready to pounce on him and claw his eyes out upon giving his smart response to the large red male. Styx lashed his long whip-like tail in a warning manner.

About ready to spring out of her pelt, Chaos fired back. “Watch it rogue!” she spat. Bone shouldered her back a few steps. “Chaos, enough,” he ordered gruffly, “Let Dante take care of this.” Flapping his wings angrily, Dante spewed volcanic ash on both of them. “Both of you, silence!” he roared. Turning his attention back to the stranger, he tried to address him formally. “I wish to have a word with…err…What is your name?” he inquired curiously.

Styx wasn’t about to be fooled by this Blood Beast’s sudden change in attitude towards the situation. (Demons were quite hotheaded.) One wrong word, and Styx knew the hostility would be redirected back to him once again. “I am Styx, Demonic lion of the underworld,” he replied proudly. Since he was outnumbered, he instantly decided it would be best to keep the large red winged male called Dante on his side.

Dante Donovan said nothing as he looked Styx up and down and circled him slowly. He was clearly impressed with Styx’s confidence as well as his menacing size. Returning to stand in front of Styx again, he introduced himself. “I am called Dante Donovan… Blood Beast of the underworld and Dominant Male of Muertrier Pride.” Dante said as his raised his head up, standing up completely straight and fearlessly as he announced his title. “And these two,” he added, adverting his gaze to the right at Bone and Chaos. “My second in command, Bone.” Dante explained. Bone nodded his head quickly. “The only mortal of our pride, but don’t under estimate me,” Bone added with a grunt. “The young female we call Chaos- she’s Bone’s daughter.” Dante said with a sigh. Chaos glared at Styx challengingly. “She sure did grow up to fit her name,” Dante added with a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.

Taking a single step forward, Styx was beginning to feel impatient. “May I ask what exactly is it that you’re getting at, Dante?” he asked sharply.

Dante Donovan snorted, “I’d like to ask to you to consider joining Muertrier.” Bone and Chaos froze and exchanged a glance. Dante couldn’t be serious, offering this complete stranger a position in the pride. Chaos was especially surprised by the offer, and she was already against it and growled under her breath at Styx. Dante sensed confusion and tension in the air and decided to clarify. “Due to the heavy loss of troops in the last war with the Blitzkrieg pride, we are in need of anyone we can attain.” He explained hopefully as he looked at Styx.

Styx was baffled and he wasn’t really sure what to say. The leader of Muertrier had just offered him to join the pride. Styx knew he was a strong individual suited to the environment of which they lived. He also had quite a bit of fighting experience from traveling alone for such a long time. The only thing he didn’t have were social graces. (Styx kept to himself a lot, and he didn’t get along with anyone because of his dark demeanor and negative attitude.) He wasn’t sure that living in a pride would suit his personality very well. He shifted his paws uncomfortably. He was growing rather tired of having to travel and find a new cave every month. Looking up at Dante, he finally replied, “Yes, but under one condition.” The three craned their necks eagerly waiting to hear what he’d say next. “Somebody has got to teach Chaos some respect.”