Power of Lions

Run

Assaggi woke up to her daughter's cries in the middle of the night. She escapes Nile's grasp as he sleeps and walks toward Nyah. She smelt the tears on Nyah's face before she saw them. Collecting Nyah in her arms, Assaggi holds Nyah to her bare chest.

Her body was sore from Nile's and her loving. She felt like she had finished fighting a rhino.

The soft sucking from Nyah woke Assaggi from her daze. She looks at her daughter and saw Nyah was half asleep while feeding. "My sweet monkey." Assaggi whispered. When Nyah finishes, Assaggi puts her back in her crib. Her claws ran over the small strands of Nyah's growing hair. "If only you weren't born at the time of war." she murmured.

Nile shifted in his sleep but didn't wake up. He rolled on to his side, his arm laying where Assaggi had been laying. Cuts and scratches were all over his arm. Dry blood stuck to his skin.

"I'm sorry, Nile." Assaggi whispered. She looks at her ring and rubs the diamond with her index finger. "I hope to see you again." she said before leaving the hut.

With one step out the door, she skin shifts into her lion form. Her skin pulls and the shift of her bones made her shake. Assaggi gets down on her hands and knees and began to run in mid-transformation. Her paws were silent against the ground. Careful to not make a sound to alert anyone. Especially her family.

The moon was the only light that Assaggi could follow. She ran off at the speed of a cheetah. Her bones shifted to become thinner and more longer. The thick fur shrank and became short like a new cub.

Quickly, Assaggi speeds up her stride and ran even faster.

Dawn was pulling herself up into the sky. The sun was slowly peaking up through the trees and mountains. Assaggi slowed to a trot when she spots the flames of torches up ahead. She shape-shifts back into her human form and hides behind a tree.

The cool air made goosebumps run up her naked skin. She notices a sack of odd material beside her that must've been left by one of Imamu's men. Curious, she looks inside and found clothes. They were big and the size for a male. But it might help her blend in. Begrudgingly, Assaggi takes them and begins to change into them. She was surprised at how comfortable they were. The black shirt pressed nicely against her large breasts while the jeans weren't too big nor too tight.

After putting them on, she peeks behind the tree and stared at the gathering men that were loading into jeeps. (She learned what the metal beasts were.) A low growl rumbled in her throat as she caught sight of Imamu. Her blood began to boil as hot as the sun when she saw a tiger skin pelt wrapped around his waist.

'That monster!' Assaggi growled.

Her skin sheds and peels as she shifts into her lion form. Instead of golden eyes, her eyes glowed emerald green. 'Father and Leo, give me strength.' Assaggi thought. She gets down in a crouch and prepares for the right moment. Watching Imamu like he was her prey.

When Imamu turned his back toward her, Assaggi strikes. She takes off running at full speed. Her footsteps were as silent as a gazelle.

Assaggi ran passed men and knocked a few down. They shouted in surprise and to warn Imamu. But it was too late. When he turns back around, Assaggi was on him. She pounced on him with a bellowing roar. Her claws buried into his shoulders, and she knocks him to the ground. Without hesitance, Assaggi swipes her claws at his face. But her claws didn't make it because a bullet shot through her paw. A loud painful cry came out of her mouth but she continued her attack. Her wounded paw began to bury into Imamu's chest and she claws at his skin. Imamu yelled out curses before he slammed his feet against Assaggi's chest and threw her off of him.

She was only winded for a few seconds, but it was enough time for men to start firing. Bullets flew around her, some nearly hitting her. Quickly, she runs for cover with the exception of her wounded paw.

Hiding behind a jeep, Assaggi shape-shifts into a human. 'Damn those steel rocks!' she thought angrily. Her wounded hand shook from the blood it was losing. Assaggi looks at the wound and realized she could see through the bullet wound. "Shit." she hissed.

"Come on out, Assaggi! You're surrounded and wounded. Let us make this easy for you so we can give you a swift death!"

Sinister laughter from his men was like hornets stinging the insides of my body. They were as annoying as hyenas. "You and your men act big because of your weapons. Without them, what are you then?" Assaggi shouted. She spots a handgun lying on the ground and picks it up. The weapon was foreign in her palms, yet somehow she felt like she knew how to use it. Assaggi releases the safety trigger and stands up. Peering behind the jeep, Assaggi is nearly shot.

Quickly diving behind the jeep, Assaggi tries to keep her heart from exploding. She curses herself for her fear. With one deep breath, Assaggi's nerves disappear and she runs out from behind the jeep. Raising the gun, she fires the gun at multiple targets. None of them being Imamu.

Five men fell dead from being shot straight in the heart. Only one was able to dodge all bullets, and that was Imamu. He ducks behind another jeep.

Now standing out in the open, Assaggi kept the gun raised. The hairs on her body were up as her guard was kept up. Her arms were pressed against her breasts as she kept the gun close to her face. Remembering how most of the men held their guns. She ran silently across the field filled with dead bodies. Reaching the jeep Imamu was hiding behind, she waits there with one finger on the trigger. His scent was fresh and still stood there.

"You've taken enough lives from my family and friends. It's time for your life to end." Assaggi growled. Her voice deepened to a demonic tone. One that would match the anger of her father. She runs around the jeep with her gun raised but was shocked to find Imamu wasn't there.

"Over here."

Slightly startled, Assaggi spun around to find Imamu standing there with his gun raised at her. An evil sneer was on his face as he saw the slight fear in Assaggi's eyes. "I can't wait to be known as the One Who Killed The Shifter." Imamu praised himself. "They will tell stories of me! About the brave leader killing the beast who held a village captive!" he laughed.

"You're nothing but insane. Even Hell won't want you." Assaggi said before she pulls the trigger.