Round Two

The experiment was suddenly brokenhearted. Brokenhearted because he knew in his heart of hearts that Vitani had been right. Killing her wouldn't bring Leroy back, but...but it was her fault he died wasn't it? Yes..it was. Hers and that foolish excuse for an experiment, 601. The one others called "Kixx" ... Sobs stifled just a little, ears raised ever so slightly, on the alert, knowing the cub was approaching him.

Now was the perfect opportunity. He could shoot her at point blank range and kill her. Because it was her fault wasn't it? Even if killing her wouldn't bring Leroy back...it would bring 627 some measure of satisfaction wouldn't it?

Tears still stung his eyes, but a low growl escaped his throat. When the cub was right in front of him he suddenly reared back with a roar and fired a blast of energy at her from his palm.

Vitani felt like she had been hit with a tonne of fiery bricks. The young lioness flew backwards from the impact and slammed into the ground causing a small dust cloud to rise.

For a moment all she could do was cough and pant. The experiment's laser blast had hurt the fur from her skin an left an ugly red star shaped burn. She couldn't immediately tell whether it would be permanant or not bug she did know that it hurt, a lot. She couldn't move for a moment, but internally she screamed at herself for being stupid enough to approach the experiment who clearly wanted her dead. She was an idiot.

Her legs felt like they had lead weights attached to them as she tried to struggle to her paws. The longer she lay, the larger the chance of the experiment killing her.

Snarling loudly, 627 scampered up to the downed cub, trying to ignore the tears still stinging his eyes. The heck with her stupid words. She KILLED Leroy. She DID.

Standing over her, 627 raised his right hand high, poised for the death blow that would certainly finish her off. Said hand began to glow with an ethereal light, as more laser power erupted around it, surrounding his hand with what looked like green jelly. He was aiming to hit the back of her neck with his hand, breaking or severing her spinal cord..killing her once and for all.

But as the moments ticked by, he stood still, feeling as if something was holding him back. Hating it, he snarled and raised his hand higher, but still hesitated. For a long moment, he just stood there, frozen in place. It was so easy. He could kill her so desperately easy right now. Why couldn't he do it?

The emotional pain flared up in his chest again. That odd searing pain that didn't seem to have died except in rare moments after Leroy's death. She....she was right. The cub was right.

For all intents and purposes he....felt the fire draining out of him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill this cub. Still snarling softly under his breath, 627 slowly lower his hand to his side, and the laser power disappeared. Lips closed over his white teeth, and he stared at the downed form of Vitani grimly.

(I'm so sorry for the super late reply!)

Vitani stared up at 627, her brows furrowed in confusion. She watched as the experiment lowered his arm to his side...why did he not strike? He had the oppertunity, she is injured and vulnerable. Why did he not strike her down?

She stared up at him, locking her sapphire eyes with his black. She didn't move, she only stared up at him. Could her words have gotten through to him? Maybe but then again maybe not. Perhaps he wanted to draw out her pain...but the look on his face seemed to contradict this.

Why didn't you strike? she thought Why won't you kill me? Isn't that what you wanted?

She couldn't stop staring at the experiment in front of her, it was as if his gaze had frozen her in place.

(Open now to all Heroes. Don't all swarm in at once.)

Dodger had actually missed seeing most of the fight. He'd been doing a bit of training with Badger and was just on his way to find somewhere to relax when he'd detected sounds of a fight. At least, he thought it sounded like a fight. Dodger had bolted off in the direction he thought the sounds were coming from before he really could get an idea of what was going on. When he arrived on the scene, he spotted the downed Vitani and 627 looming over her. Scruffy dog tried to piece together what had happened, but his best guess led him to believe that a fight had indeed broken out. He just couldn't determine why it had happened.

Without thinking, Dodger ran forward to try help Vitani if he could. Sure there was the fact that he was obviously smaller than 627 and probably didn't stand much of a chance, but he didn't care. He couldn't just let Vitani get hurt any more by this bigger creature. So, Dodger sprang into action and tried to throw himself at 627 to act as some kind of distraction.

Grey-furred paws padded against the ground softly, their owner still struggling to get used to being back in the land of the living. For the past few days, Scamp had been wondering the camp, temporarily avoiding those who would recognise him until he was at least a bit steadier on his feet again - and until he'd had time to work out just what Patch having been the one to ask for his revival meant.

The scruffy pup was just treading the outer boundary of the camp, getting his bearings again, when the sounds of what could only be a fight reached him. Scamp's ears pricked. In his current state, getting involved in combat could only be a bad idea, but suppose it was one of his friends who was in trouble? Maybe even one of his sisters? No, a determined frown set the young mutt's jaw; he had to find out. Mind made up, he sprinted towards the source of the noise - which seemed to have fallen suspiciously quiet - as fast as he could.

It only took a few moments for Scamp to reach his destination, at which point he pulled up short, suddenly very glad that he had decided to investigate. None other than Vitani was lying on the ground looking rather singed, with the alien who'd broken her rib - yes, he'd seen that from the Palace - standing over her. Like Dodger, Scamp didn't stop to think. That was his girlfriend there! The recently resurected pup charged forward to stand protectively over the lioness as he watched Dodger attempt to tackle the alien.

"Leave her alone!" he challenged 627, a snarl forming on his muzzle, although to imagine that anything he could do would be enough to deter the creature wpould be laughable.

The moment was broken as a dog burst out of the undergrowth towards her and 627, she recognised the face but couldn't remember his name. She made to push herself to her paws again when another voice yelled out.

"Leave her alone!"

Vitani knew that voice. The lioness froze and soon Scamp's shadow was standing protectively over her....but that was impossible. Scamp was dead. She'd seen Patch kill him with her own eyes. How was he here now? He should be with the stars.

"S-Scamp?" she managed, the words sticking in her throat as she stared up at him. It couldn't be real. She couldn't believe that Scamp had managed to defy the Circle of Life, like Geno had, but he was standing over her now...trying to protect her.

Asuming that Dodger must have the situation in hand, at least for the immediate moment, Scamp turned his head back to regard the feline. Vitani... after so long, he'd forgotten just how her presence always seemed to make him feel. The way his heart always sped up that little bit when he met her brilliant sapphire eyes, the not-unpleasant chill that ran the length of his spine every time she said his name, just like now... he'd missed her. He'd missed her so much he hadn't even realised it.

"'Tani, are you alright?" he asked, wincing as his gaze fell on the fresh burns covering her form, completely missing how much of a shock his return must have been to her.

"'Tani, are you alright?"

The question seemed to fly over Vitani's head, all she could was stare in shock. Scamp was here. He was alive. She blinked up at him, the burn of her injuries was temporarily forgotten. How could Scamp be here? He wasn't supposed to be here...he was supposed to be with Mufasa and all the other Great Kings and fallen Heroes.

She couldn't help the smile that spread over her face. Scamp was back again, she didn't really know how it was possible but she wasn't going to question it. She'd wished that he'd return to her and now it seemed that the Great Kings had heard her

A breeze blew by and the cold made Vitani cringe with the burns on her chest. She knew it was bad, her chest burned with every breath she took but she forced herself to not show the pain. She didn't want to seem weak in front of Scamp, she'd survived worse than this.

"He got me...it's not that bad but I think I'll need the medics to check it out." then with a small grin she added "I'm sure they're expecting me. I haven't had an injury in a while."