The Line is Drawn

The moment his sister had quietly approached him, asking to meet up with him that night, Kifo had noted the suspicious nature of the entire set up. And yet, for some reason even he wasn't quite sure of, he went anyways. Maybe he was just hoping to get some closure as to what his sister did. Maybe he was hoping Msaliti would tell him she was going to tell the pride the truth. Kifo wasn't sure what he expected on the surface, but deep down, he knew he should be expecting a fight.

That gut feeling was right.

Kifo had approached the clearing as she asked, arriving slightly early to avoid her getting the jump on him. He wasn't dumb enough to come without a bit of preparation. However, he didn't plan far enough ahead.

After a few minutes of sitting there, Msaliti entered the clearing, and when she didn't make any move to attack, Kifo relaxed. Perhaps she really had come to make amends, not that he would grant her request. He wouldn't even consider mending any aspect of their relationship till she cleared his name. He'd been branded a murderer because of her actions, when all he'd been trying to do was stop it. Unless Msaliti intended to expose her crimes, he wasn't interested in being her friend.

"You actually came," Msaliti commented, looking him over, "and have evidently seen better days."

"Wow, you haven't even been paying attention to see what your actions have done to me?" Kifo sounded more bitter than he intended to let on.

His sister merely chuckled. "Oh dear, I see you still haven't gotten over that small little quarrel."

"Quarrel?" He roared, stalking towards her as his tail lashed behind him. "Our whole pride thinks I murdered our father and think you are having to suffer knowing your sibling killed your father, when really it's the other way around! Everyone in the Isle of Roses hates me, and it's all your fault. That's not some minor quarrel!"

"I see. So you haven't gotten over it. So why don't you just leave?"

"I'm going to clear my name, no matter what it takes. If I leave, it's like I'm admitting that what you told them is true."

Msaliti sighed. "Why, Kifo, must you always be so difficult? I really didn't want to do this. But, a girl has to do what a girl has to do."

Before Kifo could ask her what she meant, he felt her claws raking against his left ear, and yowled in pain as they sliced his muzzle on the way down. He whirled to snap at her, but she'd already darted away from him.

"Reminders of what might happen if you keep trying to clear your name!" She said from the safe distance she'd cleared between them. "I love you, Kifo, but please, just leave. I don't want to have to hurt you."

Kifo swore under his breath as she faded into the night, hissing at the pain he experienced from her striking him. "You don't love anybody but yourself, Msaliti. Cut the righteous, rule-abiding crap. I'm not buying your lies anymore."

He was going to clear his name, even if he had to die to do it.