The First Rain
The Rain poured, the Thunder clashed, and the Lightning crashed to the earth, the Wheel begins its next image in the tapestry...
As the music played in his ears, Artashir slowly closed his eyes and gently swayed his body to the flow of the raindrops. So calm and tranquil. He slowly began to hear the drops hit stone, then fur...then the sounds of thunder.
Jerking abit, he winced but his Mother's paw touched his shoulder and gently caressed him to calm down, unaware that he accidently slammed on the low key when the bolt crashed in his ear. Slowly getting back on track, the lion calmed down before another imaginary bolt made his body jerked again.
A thunderstom, he could feel the wetness and wind. The wet stone under his feet... *** The lightning flashed in his eyes and young fifteen-year-old Artashir stood in attention at the far end of the courtyard, eyes half-closed to better see the manor and the three other forms of life standing at that end; His father standing on the balcony with a umbrella and trenchcoat, below at the two corners of the couryard was two other lions.
His brothers, Ashrif and Hassin, the two brothers of triplets. Artashir was the final piece. In this storm, it was hard to see who was who, the only distinctive feature of the three was their different colored tunics of bright purple, scarlet red, and ice blue for Artashir, Hassin, and Ashrif respectively, as well as their weapons of a blunted sword, gauntlets, and bo staff.
"Begin!" Badr announced and in that instant, they charged towards the center at the same time. Hassin was the fastest with a swift swing to the face, Artashir jerked his head back by a hair and pulled his sword up into time to block a strike from Ashrif's bo.
The moment that the weapon rang at contact, Artashir let out a warcry as he completely drew his sabre to slash at Hassin, who ducked and unleashed a short burst of jabs. Grunting as each iron-clad knuckle made contact with his strong ribs, the swordsman wisely redirected Ashrif's staff to hit the back of Hassin's head and kicked the other away.
_With these distraction, Artashir quickly hopped back, and let a steady breath. Hassin rubbed the back of his head and growled at Ashrif, who looked back apologetically, but the two were quick to have their eyes on their elder brother. _
They stood their ground and finally they circled, Artashir on one side and the two younger brothers on the other, gleaming eyes on opposite sides.
Emotions shielded, focus keen, and bodies ready at a moment's notice. After a couple circles, they stopped, their sides towards their watching father. Ashrif was the first to lunge with a swift slide forward with bo out to Artashir's chest.
The Elder sprinted back with his blade blocking the blunt end. However, Ashrif was well-formed with his staff, the weapon sliding back and forward in his paws, thrusting in a blur of blows.
Artashir could barely see them, let along dodge and block them. He was built for more forceful moves, he haven't quite learned the agility and skill to help accommondate with Ashrif's more swift and precise moves.
When the bo drew back, Artashir was moving to block the next thrust, but the Middle cub suddenly struck with the other end of his staff, hitting his brother in the arm. Yelping in surprise, Artashir stomped slightly to the side, and straight into the staffman's midair spin kick to the head.
Growling in surprise and a slight headache, Artashir staggered and was left vulnerable to Hassin's swift punch to the abdomen. Groaning as he bucks back, the outnumbered lion tried to strike, but out of all of them, Hassin was the fastest. In the blink of a eye, the young martial artist flipped in a somersualt doube-kick right under his brother's chin.
Stumbling back, nearly knocked over, Artashir tried to catch himself but the dark figure of his brother flew into him with his claws primed. Gasping, he brought his sword up and the passionate Hassin, no doubt lost in the moment of overcoming his elder brother, struck his claws down.
Nearby Ashrif looked at their father with concern, but the elder lion just watched without a simple expression.
Artashir growled as he felt the claws pierce his skin and fur, one in particular deep, and Hassin laughed as he clawed down, all in their fall before Art slammed onto the ground with a oof and his strength lessened enough for the claws to drag on his face.
_Pain scorned Artashir's nerves as the claws tore his face. Roaring in pain, something changed in Hassin's formerly excited face, it was a expression of blank confusion and remorse. He gasped and looked as if he was about to speak before Art's face changed from one of pain to fury. _
_A clawed paw struck the side of Hassin's face and a pow of thunder shook the earth. As the skies blinded all for a second, time shifting and taking this event to weave further destiny. When vision returned, Art snarled and looked to see his struck brother several feet away, screaming and writhening in pain. _
_ Ashrif hurried to him, but the furious lion pushed him away. The Elder and Younger met eye-to-eye, one with minor scratches and a deep narrow scar running down his left eye with blood running down his face, and the other with three wide and deep gashes running on the left side of his face in his wounded brother's show of fury. _
_ Hassin's eyes burned in malice and vengeance, getting up, he let out a roar of anger and charge with his claws now deliberately primed to end Artashir's life. However, in the crack of another bolt, a arm suddenly came out of nowhere in Hassin's path and clotheslined his throat. _
_ Artashir blinked, half of his vision curtained by scarlet, saw their father standing with his powerful arm out and Hassin spinning end-to-end before landing headfirst on the stone ground of the courtyard, unconscious from the sheer force and momentum. _
_ The four was silent until Badr turned his head to glare at Artashir with his cold ember eyes, "Training is over...get both of your tails to the Doctor." He ordered and stared to walk back to the house. _
_ With a gutturnal noise from his throat, Ashrif hesitantly followed. He looked back to his siblings before continuing his quiet walk. Artashir carefully crawled to his unconscious brother, seeing the pain and angry in his face as his lips grimaced to the rain following on his bleeding face. _
_ Artashir's eyes burned and he slowly leaned his head down, nuzzling Hassin, and whimpered._
_ This was the first rain between them, however the storm is yet to come..._
***
The sound of that thunderstorm finally eased and returned to the ending notes of his music. The constant caressing paw rubbing through his mane and neck, starting to make the lion rumble a deep purr but he tried to control himself. _Purring was for cubs and lovestruck fools, you are neither! You are heir to my bloodline and you will act like it, the only peace you will have is when you are dead, sleeping or when the world no long need us! _
Those words echeod forever and shaped Artashir's life, since that day. He acted as he was taught and trained to do. Never once did he lessened...but he didn't know that his body had other plans until a...aquintance of his told him.