The Beginning of the Beastmasters

Fangs Bared

I thank KatherineOzawa of Wattpad for helping me.

October 15th, First Year... I should've known Leona was the one behind all this in the first place! But then again, he's one for doing his dirty work in the shadows... especially when he's got his underlings, Ruggie mostly, doing said dirty work, after all...at least Jack knows between right and wrong. Apparently, all these accidents are leading up to the main event: taking down Malleus Draconia the day of the games. But Riddle's not one for letting him get away with such a thing. We've got a plan in mind to stop Leona in his tracks and put an end to this brouhaha...I just hope things don't take a turn for the worst.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Niho was deep in slumber, stirring when the sounds of dripping became louder than last time. The sound disturbed her until she sat up, eyes opening. However, something was off. The smell around her room was musky, almost earthy. "The smell of...earth?" Why did her room smell like- wait, she wasn't in her room!

She saw she was inside a cave of sorts.

"Oh Zazu, do lighten up and sing something for me with a little bounce in it." Scar, lying on his back, drawled towards the hornbill trapped in a makeshift cell composed of animal bones, a carcass.

"Oh... I would never have had to do this for Mufasa." Zazu growled under his breath, but it didn't go unheard by Scar, who in a split second was close to him in anger.

"What? What did you say? I...am...the KING!" he growled, emphasizing each word. Soon, by the entrance, three hyenas entered.

"Hey Boss! We got a bone to pick with you." Banzai started.

"Scar, there's no food, no water... We're hungry!" Shenzi explained.

"What are you complaining to me for? Eat Zazu." Scar scoffed like it wasn't his problem to begin with.

The hyenas weren't too happy with that answer. "I thought things were bad under Mufasa..." Banzai muttered, but Scar heard it and growled threateningly at him.

"What did you say?! Get out!"

"But we're still hungry!" Niho felt herself fading out of the dream as those words echoed.

"If he can't stand being compared to him, maybe he should try harder." was what she thought as she was pulled back to her sleep.

"Hey, wake up."

Wait, why the hell was she hearing Jack?!

Her eyes cracked open and saw it was light outside. The night went by THAT fast?!

'Was that just a dream?' she wondered. But then froze, looked up and saw Jack, who had pulled back the blankets from her body. Which was still clothed in pajamas. Awkward..."Get out right now!" she shrieked, ripping the blankets from his grasp and throwing whatever she could at him to shoo him away if he saw too much. Jack tried to dodge her onslaught of makeshift weapons but got hit several times, causing a ruckus.

"What is going on here?!" Rajni yelled, throwing the door open. She, like Niho, was in sensible sleepwear but had a t-shirt and plaid shorts with her sandals acting as slippers. Her hair was down, undone and slightly bedhead-ish from her braid before she retired for the night. But she looked rather irked to be woken up at such an ungodly hour, as by her pinned down ears and narrowed eyes, fangs bared once she saw Jack cornered. "What are YOU doing here?!"

"I just wanted to-guh!" But Rajni shoved him out of the room and forced his back to the wall.

"You're lucky you weren't a burglar, or else I'd have ripped your throat clean out!" she snapped at him with her pupils slitted like a cat's for emphasis. "You're staying out here where you can't bother us getting dressed for the day! Move and you'll regret it, understood?!" Jack didn't trust himself to speak and nodded mutely. Rajni took the answer and stomped back to her room, but not before making sure Niho wasn't vulnerable to being seen in the nude as she got dressed.