[PRP] Paranoia (Calypso x Ull)

[Krysin]

She did not feel well.

The pit of her stomach churned and churned, and no matter how much she ate it would not satisfy her hunger. Her belly was notably bloated, round enough to stick out of her side as if she were heavy with cubs. The Myrsky Syntynyt had plenty of food to feed the pride, but all were still hungry. Many were in different states of famine, and it was clear that the disease struck the weakest members the hardest. Cubs without mothers, mothers without cubs. The old were wasting away and here Calypso was doing anything to try and satisfy her hunger.

Considering the state the pride was in, Calypso was still healthy. At least, she was in terms of physical fitness. Her mental state had dwindled the past few days. She had never been a sociable cat, and her temper was quick to flare and her claws were even quicker to follow. But, she had become more secluded. The lioness could be found now hunched over herself towards the outskirts of the pride. It had been her last effort to get away from the groans and cries of lions in distress. But, alone, worse thoughts plagued her.

She glanced up to the sky where a crow circled overhead, and she couldn't help but think that it had to be one of her mother's. Calypso had travelled so far away to escape her, and yet no matter where she went Kat seemed to follow. Her physical presence was nowhere to be seen, but she felt her. Clearly, her mother had to have something to do with all of this to get back at her vengeful daughter. The only way Calypso would go back to Kat was as if she was so miserable that she had no other choice.

But for her mother to afflict a whole pride?

Was this paranoia speaking, or was her convinction in her mother's abilities so resolute? If her mother had known this was going to happen, she would not have warned her troublesome daughter. Kat would let Calypso suffer just for the crime of trying to live life the way she wanted to.

Ugh.

Sickness overcame Calypso quickly and violently, punishing her for her gluttony. The lioness hunched over, expelling her latest meal. It hardly mattered, eating didn't seem to take the edge off of her hunger. The dark lioness stared down at the mess and sighed. The pungent order filled her nose and she sighed. "******** class="quote">

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The recent events left Ull in despair over what the pride had become. Lions were lives were failing before his very eyes and yet the Warlord seemed to seat herself in her den and do nothing. Deep down he knew there was little that could be done, but rumor had it the cause walked among them. He had heard of a 'Kuaminiwa' or something along those lines and would be foolish to lie about looking for him, but his attempts were futile.

"Damn it."

The words were uttered under his breath as he approached a foul scene. Surely this lioness above all others wouldn't be looking in such ways. He had watched her form lurch as she rid her gut of the last meal she'd eaten and he had nearly chosen to leave. Their last encounter wasn't lovely, but perhaps in their equally weakened states it wouldn't go so bad. "You too, huh?" He asked as he approached her, his eyes didn't look at her - she would have been distraught - or so he would imagine. Ull knew the lioness was strong, this wouldn't effect his view of her and yet he offered her that one respect. "This place used to be so private before you joined the pride."

He offered a laugh, but it was hollow. The pride appeared to be falling apart, his fears were worstened when discovering this lioness here and looking this way.  

[Krysin]

She did not want anyone to see her like this, but she could not muster the energy to chase anyone away. Her gaze lifted, crimson eyes piercing through black bangs to focus on the male. Him. Their start had not been great, and he was one of the last lions she wanted to see her like this. The only one that would have been more offensive was her mother. "No matter where I go, s**t like this follows me like a plague..." Nothing on this level had happened before, but the essence of what she spoke rang true to her. Her life was one of misfortune and spite, and she could not escape the coils tightening around her.

Lifting a paw to her mouth, she wiped away the spittle to reveal an ugly frown. She was a lioness so full of hate now that it had changed her entire view of the world. "Privacy is a luxury none of us have earned." The fact that she had not spurned him or chased him away now was testament to her weakened mental state.

She should leave this pride, her mother likely knew where she was now. Calypso had come to the Stormborn seeking protection for herself against the one force in the world she had never been able to oppose. But, this pride could not protect her - it could not even protect itself against the famine that had swept over the lands. "You seem to be faring better than most," she commented almost dismissively.

She knew she looked like s**t, but she would dare anyone to say that to her face just so they could live to regret it.

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Ull found himself seated next to, but not in striking distance, of his sudden company. The pain was undergoing must have been out of this world as she mumbled about plagues. This was certainly a pague, but not in any form he had seen - not that his life had been long enough to see another kind. "What do you mean? You act as though this plague is just for you." He grew concerned, but sounded far more stern than was intended. She was rough, tough as they come, but never would he have pegged her for what.. insane?

His eyes turned away as she wiped her maw, but returned to see a frown that was so deep that it had to have been grown over time. It seemed firmly planted there in a way that suggested she likely wouldn't feel any different no matter who was around. Again, her words were laced with something - fear? He wondered this quietly to himself and nearly lost her words to him. "I didn't look much prettier than you do now.. I've just had a chance to compose myself." He admitted with a small shrug. His pain was diminished after a quarrel with the last meal he had eaten. Engorging himself until he couldn't muster another bite and hurling in an unbecoming way. He'd learned his lesson.

Now he waited, what was weighing on her mind.  

[Krysin]

"It's not... it just seems that way." She did not know why she told him even that much. Her weaknesses were showing, and she could feel it crawling underneath her skin, itching and burning. Suffocating. Perhaps it was something she needed to say, needed to confess to relieve the pressure. Ull was nothing in the scheme of things, just another male that in time would disappear as all things did. From what she could tell, he had no great influence in the pride. He couldn't smear her name across the stone as a lioness afflicted by insanity.

"All my life I've been controlled, manipulated. I was supposed to be a daughter, but I was nothing more than a pawn. My siblings were smarter - they left when they could. But, me? No, I stayed. Promised love and affection, each gift I brought her would earn a smile... and that wasn't even for me. It was for her, for her cunning and wit, her power." She painted herself as someone weak, someone who likely deserved to be manipulated. But, she did not care now. She was supposed to be free, and she was not. Katiti'manina still plagued her.

"I've never seen anything like it, her abilities. I've met many seers, my pride had a nice little stockpile of them... but none compared to her. Her clarity, her frequency, and what she saw was always what she wanted to see. It was so hard to convince myself I could leave her, be someplace that she would not know and not call for me again." Her gaze flickered up to the sky, and she shuddered as a bird flew overheard. Too high up to see what it was, but surely it was one of her mother's ravens.

"But, I did it. I finally did it, and here I am in a dying pride and she probably knows it. Would she lift a paw for her daughter? No. I left her, and so I deserve this." She knew she had rambled on too much, but she did not care. This wound needed to be sliced open in order for it to heal. "It's just... ******** ironic."

She wished Kat dead, but had never once raised a paw to do it.

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The lioness had a way to make things sounds far more dramatic than he clearly saw. Ull understood the direness of the plague that had struck down their home, he knew the pains and had felt the disgusting desire to indulge his endless hunger or for it to be futile. Efforts were being wasted in that department and so her words quickly became his focus. "Well good. So then we won't have to sacrifice you to appease whichever god wished this on us." A worn down half-smile tugged at his lips following his joke, and a hollow laugh.

Ull was stunned to silence as the lioness opened her maw to spin quite the story. He listened intently. There was nothing else more important to him in that moment then what she had to say.

"You paint yourself to be weak minded." He spoke carefully, like traps were splayed out among any possible words he chose to speak. "But it sounds more like she was weak." The benefit to his point of view was that he had little use for those gifted with abilities beyond that of sacrificing to the gods for a plentiful viking. Those dealings were left to the priestesses at best, and even they had no need to dabble with such nonsense. He did have to chuckle as he reminded himself of her final words - <******** ironic.

"Have you considered.. ending her?"

His ears perked slightly as the suggestion left his lips in an almost whisper. He wasn't lying about his opinion of Calypso being the stronger mind between the two - oh how wrong he might turn out to be though. "She is a mortal, like you and I." He continued on without encouragement. "Do you know where she is?" Of course he realized that based on what she had said.. the lioness would likey see them coming if her visions were how he predicted them to be, but it was worth a shot bringing it up.

"It would take nothing to recruit a viking band."  

[Krysin]

If it was a joke, she did not think it was a very good one. Her red eyes, dulled by hunger focused on that small smile on his face. Well, at least she knew it was a joke and she wouldn't be sacrificed anytime soon. The gods would not be pleased with her, and her Ancestors less so. "I am not nearly pretty or fat enough to make a decent sacrifice," she answered, as if to dissuade the joke from actually taking hold and becoming an idea.

Calypso laughed, the sound bitter and hollow at Ull's claim that her mother was the weak one. "I can't see her as anything else but a formidable force of willpower and cunning. My mother has always known what she wanted, and how to get it. She is a master of her own fate, and the master of many others' that she has no right to lay claim to." Her mother, though aged, had a presence about her that made her seem otherworldly. Perhaps she was, and Calypso had been kept in the dark once again.

'Have you considered... ending her?'

That comment made her pause in her frantic thinking, bringing her world to a stilled silence. Her gaze shifted away, cast out over barren landscape. Then, a smile, as if the suggestion brought back a fond memory. "Always, and I'm sure she knows. There is no way she wouldn't. But, her eye is focused on me, always watching. What she does not see in her visions she has scouts to fill in the blanks. She would see me coming and be ready for me..."

Oh.

One could almost hear the 'snap' as her head twisted to look at Ull. Dark bangs swayed in the air, clouding her sight. "But she would not see you." The dark lioness rose, approaching Ull with intent. Over time she had learned most of how her mother's visions worked. She only seemed to see what she already knew of. There were a few occasions that defied even that, but in general that was a truth. But, if Calypso set herself after her mother, surely Kat's sight would only be focused on her.

"I do, she is home, waiting and watching. She has always been very loyal to her Queen, though I do not know if she would be alone in those lands or not. I suppose it does not matter, I could get her to see me." She was close enough now that she almost touched Ull, forgetting all of his past transgressions in favor of her madness, her sudden desire to put an end to the one creature that truly plagued her.

"If I moved ahead, kept a viking band out of sight, she would not expect more than me. She would be comfortable - she is strong." Passion lit her eyes, the gnawing hunger in her stomach disappearing. "My mother is not like me, after all I took after my father more. She is large, very large, muscular. Smart. She won't go down easy."

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Ull rolled his eyes to the sky at her remark, he did know better than to get into that debate with a lioness of any kind. She wasn't fat, nor was she ugly. Had he been pinned to the wall for an answer he might even admit that she was rather stunning. The way her markings seemed to move with her was astounding. He had noticed it during their first encounter, but tried to ignore it for now as now was not the time.

Her laugh, bitter as it seemed, pulled him from the thought-hole he had begun to develop. "Manipulation isn't truthfully a form of strength, strategic as it may place her." He casually remarked to her, but was given the immediate impression that his suggestion had hit home.

"Oh?"

The question wasn't truly that, it was more of a 'go on'. Ull found himself nodding along with his companion as she explained her thoughts out loud. Then her head snapped towards him and he sucked in air quietly. Her bangs settled around her crazed looking eyes and for a moment, to him, she appeared otherworldly. "No, she wouldn't." He uttered as he watched her raise to her paws, then she strode towards him. Unsure of how else to respond, especially with her so close, he decided to remain silent for a few more moments - as long as he could manage.

Ironic.. the thought of murder sprung to mind and without a second to consider anything he had spit the idea out there. However, Calypso within touching distance seemed to shut him down.

"You could convince her to leave her protection?" The cogs began to turn again as their plan began to form. "What is she to the pride? Is the Queen as devoted to her?" He was curious now, what would they be facing. What numbers would they need to face her mother? A devout follower of a Queen could be a formidable foe, not because of manipulation though, simply sheer forces. "We can plan for all of this, we'll recruit, and then attack - we'll have to promise our band spoils. So we may be required to stop along the way.. or on our return home." He was thinking ahead, not being a Captain himself put a damper on things, but he knew who to turn too.

Someone as blood thirsty as Calypso herself.  

[Krysin]

Calypso silently disagreed - manipulation was everything. The strength of wit and will it took to make everyone move to your desire was admirable and frightening. It was why Calypso had never struck against her mother before. The dark lioness was convinced that her mother knew her every action, her every thought. She had grown up believing that Katiti'manina was invincible, and only now that she was away from her did she start to believe that there was even the chance she could kill her.

There was no other way. Calypso could not exist in a world where Kat existed as well. Paranoia would drive her mad, and she was already halfway there.

"She will believe I am no threat to her. I can drag her out to the borders if need be, away from the heart of the pride." Calypso's words were hushed and rushed, deep and raspy, voice clawing with need to see a vision of Kat's death become reality.

She had no idea why Ull was considering assisting her. They had not gotten along before, and to travel so far just to kill one lioness was extreme. Calypso did not trust that his efforts were for free, but she was in no position to judge him yet. If he wanted something, so long as Kat was dead he could have it. Calypso was not unaccustomed to unfair trades. "My mother is..." and there Calypso faltered, because she knew how deeply entangled in the pride's webs her mother had become. "I would consider her to be the Queen's trusted adviser. If Queen Ashiki has returned to the lands and the pride is at its full strength... they will not relinquish my mother easily. She is far too valuable, too respected." The last word was practically spit from her lips.

"Whatever it takes, I will do. The world is a better place without that b***h." It sounded promising, pulling together a viking band. A small army should be enough to take down Kat on even her best of days. They probably did not even need that much, but to make sure the deed was done... Calypso would bring down an entire pride upon her mother's head.

"You will follow this through with me, won't you?" the question was firm, though she did not mean it as a demand. If Ull helped her kill her mother, then the debt she would owe him would be great. She supposed she'd rather be indebted to Ull instead of the countless others she was unfamiliar with in the pride.

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"If you are able to do that, then I firmly believe that this can be done." To take on a pride entirely might be tactless, this would be strategic and a clean murder. Ull envisioned the band that could be thrown together with ease. Most of the lions were tempted to be free of the prides lands for a brief time, what with all of the despair. He was also thankful for the distraction of his racing mind to ignore his racing heart at the tone of her voice. Had he not already been distracted he would have been a stammering bafoon.

Queens Advisor...

"So long as she can be pulled from their clutches.. we will be fine." The word 'should' had very nearly slipped out, but he chose 'will' carefully. Ull had watched the lioness slip from one psycho form to another over their conversation and he wasn't about to provide her with any idea that this couldn't be done, when it could. Words could often times do more harm than good, even unintentionally. "Good, I'm glad you're so committed." He smiled, it was far softer than any of his others, but faded quickly.

His expression grew far more serious. "Of course I will." He replied smoothly. This wasn't a lie. Ull knew and understood the strength this lioness had, she was powerful in her right. He admired that power and knew what he might ask for when all of this was said and done, she'd have to owe him.

"Let's not hesitate then. We'll have to start recruiting soon, if you want this done right away." His usual smile returned as he wrapped up their conversation with a small amount of eagerness slipping through. Viking was everyones goal here.  

[Krysin]

"There's no reason I should not be able to," Calypso promised. Her mother was a prideful, vain creature. The one thing she would not expect was Calypso finally striking back at her. No, Kat was so confident in her own powers that they would be her undoing. As long as the sight was focused on Calypso, the dark lioness hoped she'd be unable to see whomever accompanied her. It wasn't a sure thing, but it was also their only bet.

The decision had been made, and Calypso was committed to it for better or for worse. She knew that as long as her mother lived, Calypso would not find peace. Doubt and paranoia would plague her every thought, and eventually, surely, she would crack underneath the pressure. This was the only way she could save herself, but she would be lying if she did not admit that she just wanted to see her mother suffer for everything that had been done to her. Kat deserved death.

With a nod of her head, Calypso silently agreed with Ull. Time was of the essence, and though Calypso was a fresh face within the pride... there were a few lions she could draw over to her cause. Many would jump at the opportunity to go on a viking. "Right, I will start now. Give me some time and I'll draw together who I can. I'm sure you can find me when you have need of me." Stepping forward, she passed by Ull, nothing more than a hair's length away from him.

Without a good bye, she disappeared back into the depths of the pride to set their plan into motion.

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