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One hundred years in feline form, and now walking on two legs feels stilted. There was a knot between his shoulders that Al knew he could stretch out if he switched to fur. He could hunker down on his haunches and reach his front paws out far, sinking into a bow that would make every nodule of his spine pop. But while King Peter hadn't expressly banned fur, Al (and for that matter, the rest of the pride) still felt like it was something frowned upon now. Lesser, than their human form. At the very least that they should be grateful for it being restored.
He flexed paws (hands) and reminded himself again that his claws wouldn't unsheathe from the tips of his fingers. A hundred years in fur, and after almost a decade being able to change, he still felt wrong in this one.
At least, in the years since the age of winter, the pride had been restored to Cair Paravel. They'd served as stewards for generations, until Jadis had banished them. Not, Al was forced to admit, that he'd have been a particularly deft housekeeper with four paws. Maybe he could have dusted with his tail. The thought made him giggle.
He flexed paws (hands) and reminded himself again that his claws wouldn't unsheathe from the tips of his fingers. A hundred years in fur, and after almost a decade being able to change, he still felt wrong in this one.
At least, in the years since the age of winter, the pride had been restored to Cair Paravel. They'd served as stewards for generations, until Jadis had banished them. Not, Al was forced to admit, that he'd have been a particularly deft housekeeper with four paws. Maybe he could have dusted with his tail. The thought made him giggle.
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Date: 2018-07-22 02:51 am (UTC)He turned to face Edmund as Edmund landed, making sure to watch. He wasn’t pouncing yet, but a rough landing, on scrabbling feet, could provide an excellent window. If he leaped in before Edmund regained his footing, maybe he could immobilize his king quickly.
So he watched, alert and focused for any sign of weakness or any dropped guard. And he tried very hard not to think of Edmund as anything except his next opponent to defeat.
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Date: 2018-07-22 03:37 am (UTC)If and when Al chose to use his full weight against him...that was when Edmund might falter, his body less powerful than before, and he'd never been one of the physically strongest of the Great Cats. Now, he had to dodge a direct blow, keep himself agile and moving. Which was also taxing, over time.
If Al even gave him any time.
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Date: 2018-07-22 11:37 am (UTC)He was bigger and stronger. If he got beneath Edmund he could try to flip and pin him. The longer this fight went on, the more distracted either of them could get.
He waited for his moment and then he surged up, aiming a shoulder to Edmund’s belly. He’d be vulnerable with Ed on his back, but it was worth a try. Maybe he’d take Edmund by surprise.
Al waited
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Date: 2018-07-22 09:00 pm (UTC)But Al didn't try to shake him off or even roll over. There was suddenly a shoulder thrusting into Edmund's vulnerable belly. He half-gasped, half-yowled, clinging on through sheer stubbornness despite the blossom of pain. He arched to pull his underside away from Al's reach, taking the moment to catch his breath and let his muscles recover from the fast series of attacks he'd launched.
Bending his head, he churred near Al's mane in the quietest of tones. "You'll have to do better than that to shake me, darling."
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Date: 2018-07-23 02:20 am (UTC)Now he had a problem. Al rolled, tying to use his speed to toss Edmund from his back. He couldn't turn to bite, couldn’t snap. His only option was to buck Edmund from his back so that he could pin him.
“You’re making this difficult, your majesty,” he grumbled, slamming hard down on the pavement and transitioning smoothly into his roll.
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Date: 2018-07-23 03:21 am (UTC)Rolling, Edmund growled. He sank his paws in and focused on moving with Al, hanging on, letting his body almost melt into the Lion's. It was problematic. He was distracted by the strength of him, the warmth that seemed to spill from beneath the soft fur and through his own. He had to resist his own body and those treacherous instincts. Fighting that and fighting Al at the same time was beginning to drain him. But still...he would not yield.
"Good," was all he could purr, before his back hit the ground, hard, and his skull rattled in his head. In spite of all his efforts, he could feel his paws slipping from the grasp he'd kept on Al's back. Reluctantly, he extended his claws, trying to keep a grip. He was on his back, belly-up, vulnerable; what other choice did he have?
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Date: 2018-07-23 04:21 am (UTC)He hoped to leave Edmund behind, to squirm away and return to his wary circling. His king had proven very effective at seizing on, and now that Al knew that, he didn’t want to stay in this position.
With Edmund on the ground, Al was relying on his speed to tear himself away. Another lion might have pushed, flinging himself down on top of Edmund and trusting his weight to pin him, but Al was no average lion. And he was enjoying himself. He didn’t want the match with Edmund to end.
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Date: 2018-07-23 04:31 am (UTC)Al slid away. And began - dammit - circling again. Edmund, panting, would almost rather he fling himself on him and actually fight. This cat-and-cat game (for omega or not, Edmund was no mouse) was beginning to wear on him. He tsked, a reproving sound low under his rought tongue.
"You're stalling." Endurance was Al's weakness. That, at least, Edmund knew. He flopped over on his back, waving his tail, exposing his belly. The minute Al drew near, he would dart away, flipping over with his speed equal to the indomitable Lion's and finding a new place to perch. "You know you just want to pin me down. Why don't you?" Some of the old Edmund was back in his teasing, his defiance, his unrelenting will to win.
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Date: 2018-07-23 04:46 am (UTC)“Well, I have to keep your ego in check,” Al teased with his answer. “If I dont, who will?”
He circled, and waited for Edmund to lunge. His tail was the only thing belying his impatience, lashing at the tip each circuit he completed and Edmund stayed still.
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Date: 2018-07-23 04:53 am (UTC)Mischievously, he reached a paw and caught Al's tail. "No one. Absolutely no one." Who would dare pounce on the Just King?
(A herd of alphas, that's who.)
That lashing tail, though. It had been too tempting. He snagged it and pulled. No rest for the weary here.
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Date: 2018-07-23 12:06 pm (UTC)Al knew he had to remain focused. So he didn’t wait for Edmund to attack again. He pounced. Who would dare, indeed?
Al couldn’t let this drag out any longer. Edmund was fast and clever, yes. But so was he. And he had the advantage in strength and size. It was time to put it to use.
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Date: 2018-07-23 03:05 pm (UTC)Finally came the pounce he'd been waiting for. Mentally, he was ready for it - there just was no way to physically prepare for a full-fledged barrage from a Lion of Al's size. Edmund tried to wriggle free. He kicked up with his back legs, where most of his power originated. With each movement, he resisted the urge to simply lay back and present his neck to Al. Not an easy feat when Al smelled like every delicious thing in the world, his body hot from the fight and surging with dominant energy, while Edmund's was full of those new and frightening instincts to surrender.
He aimed his kick for Al's belly. "You're not the only one who -"
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Date: 2018-07-23 06:39 pm (UTC)“What was that?” He inquired innocently, around a mouthful of Edmund’s neck scruff. Tell him again, Edmund, what he wasn’t the only one to do?
As far as blows went if was exceedingly gentle, just the slightest pressure of Al’s teeth on either side of Edmund’s spine. But it would be a fatal blow if he closed his jaws. Combat won, and Edmund subdued entirely beneath him.
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Date: 2018-07-23 07:36 pm (UTC)But today...those were his jaws delicately hugging Edmund's neck, the killing blow that Edmund would honor in combat, while the act itself was...the most dominant Al had ever been with him. Deep in his throat, the Panther King whined. Al had won, yes, and that was a sore point for Edmund's pride. But Al had also just climbed on top of him and given him the gentlest of bites, and every sinuous bone in Edmund's body reveled in it. He couldn't be sorry he'd lost.
He didn't want it to end.
One of Edmund's hind legs twitched and he offered Al a toothy grin. "You're not the only one who won today."
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Date: 2018-07-23 08:18 pm (UTC)At least Edmund’s response was more like the pushy, impudent panther Al remembered, and not the meek omega he was being replaced by. Al shook off, giving a huff that rippled his mane.
“I don’t know what you mean, Majesty,” he nudged Edmund again, following the style of his earlier greeting. Now that he’d won, he was back to being an obedient steward. One who wouldn’t think overly much about what it felt like to have his king underneath him, at his mercy.
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Date: 2018-07-24 01:38 am (UTC)He heard the announcer declare the victor - "Alphonse Elric!" - and under the cover of the cheers that followed, Edmund flipped over onto his paws and crouched low. A single moment of deference for Al's well-deserved win, while he muttered cheekily, "I didn't know you were capable of lying, Al." He knew exactly what Edmund meant by both of them winning a little. Al had his victory and his title to win...and Edmund had the reassurance that, mis-matched as they were, their bodies could not be more complementary.
Rising up proudly, he lifted his head and grinned, arching his spine and feeling it crackle as he looked out into the crowd. He caught sight of Kala then, and the look on her face was inexplicable. Cold fury, like something about this outcome had not just upset her but ruined her entire day. The outcome...or his behavior during the match? Or...Al himself?
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Date: 2018-07-24 03:54 am (UTC)He nosed forward, his shoulder resting against Edmund’s as they stood side to side. It was a lion gesture through, one of companionship and solidarity between packmates. Al looked directly at Kala as he leaned his weight into Edmund.
Lucy had asked him to listen and share what he learned, and to protect Edmund when opportunity arose. It was easy. But Lucy’s demands were not the only ones that weighed upon Al. The lions had held convention too — without Peter — and agreed that Kala was to be treated as an enemy combatant and no Narnian. Anyone who came up against her in the tournament was to capture. But if she died in the attempt, no tears would be she’d. Al wasn’t suited toward this kind of work — he was both relieved and sad his brother was slated to face her first.
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Date: 2018-07-24 04:18 am (UTC)He pressed subtly against Al. "Well-fought, friend." A slight turn of his head brought his whiskers brushing the silky ends of mane. Edmund could practically taste Al's scent that way. It was glorious. He made no overt moves to deepen the contact, just quivered with silent happiness that Al was still figuratively and literally in his camp.
They were to retreat to their separate tents to transform and redress, but Edmund couldn't let this be the last he saw of Al today. "Come to our den, after Ed's fight?" he murmured beneath his breath. The Pevensies had a very comfortable suite for their own private use, with plush sofas and cushions for lounging by the hearth, a small larder for midnight snacks, and a lavish bath chamber. They could talk with utmost discretion there.
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Date: 2018-07-24 11:25 am (UTC)Maybe.
After a moment and one more affectionate head-chuck, Al padded back to his preparation chamber to greet his brother. This would all be over soon, and Edmund might indeed need him after the next match.
Scores reached out to compliment him on a well fought fight, but Al was characteristically modest, ducking his head sheepishly with each greeting. He hadn’t done anything unusual.
By the time he emerged, however, the next fight had already begun. Al was astonished to see the vicious blur of black harrying his brother from all sides. The crowd was already booing, and soon it was clear why — Kala shifted back to human form and fought with weapons, becoming a panther again with lightning speed to flee from Ed before he could attack. Her method, it seemed, was to stay at range, throwing sharp knives that gleamed suspiciously at his brother.
Al was just in time to see her transform again, barreling as a panther toward an opponent who was clearly dazed. Al knew his brother. He had laser focus in a fight. Nothing like this slow, dreamy creature in the ring.
Unlike Al, who’d only mimed the final blow, Kala clearly saw no reason to abide by the rules of sportsmanship. She tore into Ed’s neck, blood welling at the hinge of her jaw as she held on long after he’d collapsed.
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Date: 2018-07-24 01:34 pm (UTC)The spectacle that awaited him when he returned to the royal dais, however, was one that defied belief. It wasn't specifically against the rules to transform in the middle of the fight - but it was certainly understood that the agreed-upon form should be kept, and to bring weapons against a Were who was not armed - it went against every Narnian principle. Edmund was appalled. Any pride he might have had in Kala and her skill was swept away by the unsportsmanlike behavior.
Until the moment where she began to shed unnecessary blood. The older Elric had already lost - and still, the Panther attacked him viciously. Edmund sprang to his feet - but Peter was already there, shouting for the match to stop, ordering the guards to separate the two. They had to pull Kala off of the bleeding Lion. Edmund felt like he was in shock. How could she -
"Charges will need to be drawn up," Susan said gravely beside him. Lucy looked ready to play judge, jury, and executioner right then and there, but she had a job to do, cordial in hand, and rushed to Edward's side. And Edmund...needed more than ever to talk to Al.
There were multiple matters for the Pevensies to sort out in the meantime. It was agreed upon that charges would have to wait until the conclusion of the tournament, and that until then, Kala would walk free but with increased security around her. The Pride looked in a worse state than Lucy, and the crowd was tense. The peacekeeping guards would be stretched thin. Already, Susan was at work, calling for rounds of refreshments to be dispersed while they summoned the musicians to entertain and soothe the fraught guests.
At least, Edmund reflected with a worried glance at Al, there would be no danger to Ed after Lucy treated him. Al could rest easy with his brother healed. Still, he'd be upset, and the hours would chafe between the aftermath of the match and when Edmund could finally meet with him. It seemed like another day entirely by the time they were able to escape to the privacy of the suite, where he'd requested a few moments alone with Al. The Pevensies would need to convene at some point privately as well, but the others had nodded knowingly at him when he'd asked them, and he had the room to himself when Al finally arrived.
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Date: 2018-07-24 07:13 pm (UTC)Only the presence of the guard to subdue her spared Kala from a second Elric’s attack. He followed his brother to the healer’s tent, staying at his side long after Lucy had left to converse with her siblings. Recovery would take some time, even with the aid of Lucy’s tinctures, and while the flesh began to knit closed, Edward’s mind was still dazed and clouded. Whatever Kala had done, it had a lasting affect. Only time would tell how Edward recovered.
Al left his brother’s side only when Winry unceremoniously booted him from the room. It was then he heard that Kala was still free, still allowed to compete. He sought Edmund out then, but not in the mood Edmund had no doubt anticipated. “Why is she free?”
It was rare to see such rage on Al’s face. People forgot too often that the younger Elric has never shied from battle, despite his sweet demeanor.
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Date: 2018-07-25 01:43 am (UTC)Edmund shut the door firmly behind them so that they would not be overheard. "There will be a trial. She's leveled serious accusations against the Lions. Conspiracy to implicate her in past and present rebellions. Threats against her life. This was a warning, she claimed."
He rubbed his forehead with one hand. His head was beginning to throb from the pressures of the day. "There's no justification for what she did out there. I can scarce believe it myself. She wishes to relearn Narnian ways. This - this is not the way."
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Date: 2018-07-27 03:30 am (UTC)Al wasn’t interested in Edmund’s justifications or explanations. He knew who Kala was, and he knew what he’d seen. His lips sealed shut with distaste and he crossed his arms over his chest, defensive. He’d thought Lucy and Peter would come to his side in this, and together they’d be able to sway Edmund. What justification could there possibly be? This confirmed everythingbhed been saying.
But then, Edmund was Edmund the Just. Of course he was always fair minded. But where had been that sense of fair play when Kala pulled weapons on his brother? When she poisoned him?
“Brother is still unconscious. Whatever she used on him can destroy the most powerful lions of Narnia. Do you really think she’d have something like that if she wasn’t planning to use it?” ‘How can you be on her side’ lingered, unasked.
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Date: 2018-07-27 03:50 am (UTC)He exhaled. His drive to fight warred with his loyalty to Al, and even the beginnings of loyalty to Kala. Was this what Aslan had seen in him when he'd named him Just? "Because the truth is not known yet. There are accusations of wrongdoing on both sides. If the Pride is targeting her for imprisonment or death, that's just as bad. And there's no time for a trial right now - and even if there were, we'd need time to gather evidence."
His posture was supplicant, hands clasped in front of him, his dark eyes wide beneath the boyish bangs. He wanted desperately for Al to believe he acted as his duty called for. "I'm sorry about your brother, Al. So very sorry. It won't happen again. She has a guard at her door, another patrolling her hall. So...do the Lions." He didn't want to believe that they were implicated. But he didn't want to believe that Kala had ripped into Al's brother and poisoned him without justification.
Edmund took a tiny, hesitant step towards Al. The surge of authority that the fight had granted him seemed wavering, and yet around Al he had never wanted more to live up to his title. "Please. I cannot only favor you and your kin. Or mine. Justice will prevail, in time."
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Date: 2018-07-29 01:23 pm (UTC)At the same time, this was exactly why they'd targeted her. This, and her history. There was no way that Kala was innocent, and any reservations Al had had evaporated the moment he saw what Edmund had become. Edmund wondered if by seeing both sides, he was fulfilling his role as the Just. But Al was certain that Kala had done something to taint Edmund. She'd made her side seem more reasonable by fogging his mind. Whatever she wanted, in the long run, it wasn't in Narnia's best interests, or Aslan's. Or Edmund's.
"No one is asking for your favor besides Kala!" Al was angry, but also just sad. Was his king really this far gone? Could he not see what she'd done to him? "She wants to turn you against us. She wants to turn the panthers away from Aslan, again, and you're playing into her hands."
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