[rubinaito]

Amelia ran over to one of the fallen tigers, her eyes wide with fear. She nudged them pathetically, trying to get a response from them. "No, you can't be dead." She whimpered, placing her paws on his side and shaking them slightly. "Come on, wake up!" Amelia couldn't believe what just happened. The tiger had been one of her many half-brothers that she actually knew, and that made everything all that much worse. She frowned and looked down at his eyes which were still wide open with shock in their long-dead eyes. She sniffled quietly and gently used her paw to close their eyes before moving off and away from the tiger. She stared at Kion for a moment, her green eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Monster." She mumbled, just loud enough for someone to hear if they were paying attention before she turned and headed back to Octavian, pressing up against her older brother and staring at the ground. She flicked an ear and looked up to see a powerful looking tiger- her only full-blooded brother that was still alive- make his way closer to Octavian and Amelia, his cold eyes trained on the deadly cub. "Masaki?"

Masaki turned his head to look down at Amelia, his gaze softening slightly as he lowered his head to gently run his tongue over her head. "I won't attack him like the others." He promised her softly. "But I do need to protect Octavian." The tiger turned his massive orange head to look directly at Kion, his green eyes hardening once more and his claws sinking into the ground. He wouldn't move from the spot he was in-- wait, did that cub just call Kion her father? Surprise flickered in Masaki's gaze as he looked at the duo, comparing the two. Sure enough, they were similar looking. The little cub also vaguely reminded him of a young tigress he once knew- Natasha. The blue stripes were what gave it away. He looked on with interest, having yet to need to protect Octavian and Amelia from the threat that stood in front of them.

--

Atazi held Sari close, running her tongue gently over her forehead and her tail wrapped around the smaller cub's body. She didn't say a word, simply sitting there and kept still with Sari snuggling closer to her. Nothing could really describe the emotion Atazi felt in that moment- it was a mixture of happiness, relief, concern, and an oddly blissful absence of her typical anger. The lioness tucked her child closer to her, closing her eyes and smiling gently.

(Somehow I need to get Atazi and Sari to where the action is but I have no ideas.)