Fury

The sun was just setting at midway point in the cloudless sky.  Stepping out onto the porch overlooking the pride I took a deep breath. The afternoon breeze is light against my skin, a sensual lovers kiss. The sweet fragrance of spring filters through my nostrils, delighting my beast for the thrill coming . Mating season. The thoughts of me finding a female, any female, gives a jolt to my southern regions. Blood rushed to the organ that is not only a means of blissful release but a way to reproduce. A short scoff to the idea from my beast. My human side is much to happy to indulge a care free bachelor's life with as many females as I desire. My beast however is another story. He wants a life mate, a female worthy of his seed as he says. I laugh at the idea and shake my head. We will be accosted this season by many a fine female in our true forms, our lions. However, just like all the century's past I find him ignoring their advances.  "Fury, anyone ever tell you what a stuck up prick you are?" I voice to myself as I walk along the pathways of our pride lands.  "No-one who lived to repeat it." He growls in return.  I sigh long and deep, this will be like every other season. He growls at me and starts to pace, he has yet to take a female in our true form. I myself have been with more than I care to admit, with a pride of more than 4,000 I have plenty to choose from. While I have never been more attracted to them than looks, it doesn't last long enough to see further.  My pride speaks for itself. We are a strong force and have yet to be defeated by rivals or human concoctions. We own more than a few thousand acres and have a large enough workforce to be spread out. Most of the time you will see my lions roaming free, however we must acclimate to society in the human culture as means of survival. Our pride is on a protected preserve to keep us hidden in plane sight as some would say. Although we still travel to the human cities and work as though we are humans, we do spend majority of our life in lion form.  My laws are strict but necessary to allow this free-reign to our true forms. During the season we have certain areas along the outskirts of our human town to conduct our passions. The caves have been specifically constructed throughout the mountainside and are private but cozy. Most prefer to have the seclusion if they have chosen a mate to produce cubs with. The birthing dens are built below each human home though to allow the comfort of the lioness and lion during that special time. Of course this was not the initial way things where done but, as society has grown more curious we have had to make adjustments accordingly.  Fury purrs low in approval at the idea of a female giving us cubs. I nod my own acceptance but I have strong doubts he will ever choose one.  The sound like a bitter taste in a mouth but I have a long track record to prove his reluctance. Over 200 years have passed and he has not given into the wild temptations each season. He is beyond infuriating me and in my loneliness I have tried to force my share of connections. He always wins out though his violent tendencies and his mind is stone set. Fury. His name is all that needs to be said. He is brutality at it's finest. Notice I describe him only as that. He is not cruel or selfish as one would think upon hearing his name. No my fury is solid and steady. We teach more than instill fear through violence in our pride. It is the only way we have survived for this long. My ancestors where predators much like ourselves only they gave into the inner beast so much their feral was untamable. Sadly more than a few thousand learned the hardway as villager's evolved into the predators over time. Our manes became a trophy and our females a prize.  Many had been captured alive and shipped as pets or put on display in a zoo. Disgusting as it sounds it was a lesson that few learned in time to save themselves. I was a mere cub when the process of poaching had come into existence and I was forced to grow up fast. My father was one of the last to be slaughtered in the fray. My mother became an exceptionally smart individual after that.  She was open minded and understood what must be done to keep our pride safe. Alas over time our situations are more modern than primal. Sadly our beasts are kept on tighter leashes at times in our minds. Our cubs start training after the first year of being able to have free reign. Unlike most shifters, our cubs are born in lion form as well as the mother staying in her form until the training begins.  We acknowledge our beasts hierarchy first, as I said it is our true form. We believe our human side is born after the acceptance of our beasts.  Every few years I will have a challenger or two but for the most part I am left alone to rule. I have earned the respect from my pride and it shows. We have been included in other prides relations but most are smaller than ours by thousands.  My mother Maria, devoted all her her time to raising me, by that I mean training. Hours upon hours I was pushed to my minds limits my body was forced to obey my commands. In this regard I must commend her for her instilled brutality in my character. She was not a nurturer after he died, she was my driving force.  She seen to it that I made this pack from the seventy members we had to the large capacity now. I fought daily for my status and I never accepted defeat. I was taught defeat was not a worthy trait. A lesson as it was called, always a damn lesson to be learned.  By the time I was well into my first half century of ruling my mother had abandoned all thoughts of me. She moved on to find a new mate and was pregnant by the end of that season. Her new mate was entitled to end my life should he see it fit.  In our primal state another males cubs are a threat to the new ones. While some find this old and outdated it is still a right we keep. So we fought, I spared his life but he will forever carry his scars as a reminder.  Our relationship has grown to be a kindred one, I find our connection is stronger than that of my original father now. Harold is a strong male and protects my mother and sister with everything he is. I value that and give respect where it is earned.  My sister Emilynn was born and my heart was forever cracked with love for her. She was the tiniest thing I had ever seen. Being the leader for my pride I am the only other male aloud near a new cub. My being her son, did only lesson the threat by a smidge. My mother was still edgy and prone to snap at random moments until my presence became a constant. Emilynn was a ball of cream hair and large deep blue eyes. She was the definition of beauty. I stayed by her as often as I could while she grew up. Rarely was she out of my sight and I was beyond an overbearing brother. I knew that but as I watched her grow and train I couldn't stop myself from wanting her to be safe.  Every time a new threat shown itself she was the first one I locked down. This of course brought trouble as she was a rebellious soul and I may have pushed her to it.  As she grew so did her features instilling an appetite along with the males of my pride. Emilynn is beautiful, her long slender body has curves but small subtle ones. Her cream hair has stayed and grew along with her deep blue eyes. When she looks at you the idea of a moonlit sail before a storm plays out. She is a captivating soul and I pity for who wants to brave the hurricane beneath those eyes.  She was a valued prize being so close to myself that others could use her as leverage against me. Fury growled his pride at me being so sentimental about her. He couldn't deny his love for our sister either. The stupid souls that dared use her though, they lived through horrendous pain and torture before I allowed their death.  I took extreme pleasure in the ways I dealt my justice. My pride new every punishment that was given was earned. I did not take the laws I set being broken kindly. My anger only grew as I thought of the poor sap whose life would end today. He deserved it no doubt but I wouldn't allow his lying or deceit to continue.  " Alpha Arceneaux, the pit is ready." My second informed me as I neared the entrance. "Very good Ben, let the pride know his fate is sealed today and he won't be leaving the arena." I growled "His family will receive 30 mins for final goodbyes." He nodded as I spoke my orders. Benjamin Denton, a fine second I must admit. I didn't have the luxury of any friends growing up so fast but he has stuck around the longest. Fury actually seems to enjoy his company and in doing so has given him a large amount of respect. His placement as my second was only a reward for his bravery and unrelated support to our safety and of course Emilynn's well being.  I had questioned his motives as first and rather hard I might add. He took many a fist and bite at his continued interest for my sister.  After her half-first century and his continued persistence I understood him to want her as his mate. A life mate I made sure to make my point many times over. He stood fast and accepted anything I threw at him with quick wit or humor. I applaud him for his efforts and eventually welcomed the idea of his strong will and blessed the union. However, my sister was not hearing any of it.  A spoiled sheltered child I had called her. She refused his advances more that I had beat him at this point, I insisted he give it up. She was worth the effort in my eyes but I couldn't see myself ever pining after a female this way. Ben however would always say "She just needs time to live and experience living before she understands this commitments value. My life with her can wait until she's ready. I want her and will always, I will wait forever if I need to. Besides when the time comes and Fury finds his chosen, you my friend are in for a hellstorm."  I shook my head at the thoughts and prepared for this cretins punishment. His betrayal struck me hard and I needed a clear mind to fuel through this without allowing Fury to end it quick. My sister's rebellion  was not unexpected, his however was a death sentence, one I was excited to execute.  The pit as it was called. Many days I was forced to sit and watch fights. The bloodbaths I had witnessed still haunted me but delighted Fury. He was after-all a beast and the tearing of flesh excited him in ways I would never understand, even sharing a mind and body did nothing to help that. I would be lying if I said it didn't feel good to watch my opponent stubble with his wounds. The ones I had inflicted. Today would be no different, the sand floor and brick walls surrounding us. Caging us in like the animals we are, it gave a new kind of thrill. Kill or be killed.  ~~~~~ Do you enjoy the storyline so far?  Votes and Comments are appreciated!