As Eight stood there, paws ফ্রোজেন to the ground, prepared to face what was sure to be the fight of his life, and the last one at that, he struggled to keep his thoughts in check and his breathing in pace.
This cat was no joke, she'd rend him from on end to the other and this was not a happy thought. Most normal issues, even dire ones, Eight would easily find himself fighting his fear with a conversation, garnished lightly with jokes and as much light heartedness as he thought he could get away with. Sometimes it alleviated the issues, diffused a problem অথবা took a friend অথবা loved one's mind off of their pain. This time though, he wasn't sure he'd want to crack jokes, not when he was about to die, not for a humorless audience either, one who's territory he had probably been prancing over for the better part of an hour.
His thoughts raced back home. To his family, his siblings, his parents. They had once chased a mountain lion off their territory.
He had been coming around for a few weeks, disturbing their land, thinning the heard they'd hunt. One night on patrol Lucky and Tough had run into him, and he thrashed them well enough to send them back to the den. It was only after a few days of recuperation and a well laid strategy দ্বারা their father that the ten of them set out with intent to put an end to it. Eight remembered that night very well. They won over the monster that had been terrorizing their lands, but not before he put down Whisper and Ellis. Almost for Good. That was a long night, even after নমস্কার had won their piece of the world back from razor sharp claws. They were beaten and battered but they needed to get Whisper back to the den. They fashioned a crude platform to drag between two of them and gently put her upon it. Every so often they switched the pull team with fresh legs. Ellis even helped along, Despite his condition being almost as bad. He always was a determined cuss, and despite being the youngest besides Eight, Never was open to suggestion.
That night was a living hell and there were ten furious pack members beside him ready for a fight. This time he was alone. This time it was much, much different.
Reality came rushing back to Eight as he realized he was staring down this beast. She was down low, ready for attack, inching closer, a low growl coming from her.
Eight stood his ground, and lowered himself a little bit, placing one paw behind him. His পশম bristled all over, his front paws stayed planted in a wide, low stance and his ears lay flat. He focused only on her movements now. Waiting.

The female lion screamed with a হৃদয় rattling screech, the kind that stops the bravest Alphas in their tracks. A sound that could only be described as the gears of hell seizing and squealing against one another.
She swiped her large paw across at Eight, keeping her face away from the line of attack.
Eight responded rapidly, almost completely out of instinct, he growled and barked, snapping his jaws back at her. It was one thing to be stared down, but this provocation meant that he'd have to respond, and he did. As fiercely as he knew how without pushing his boundaries.
Surprisingly the mountain lion took a step back, broke her fight stance completely and... smiled?
"Oooh," Her voice came, she even sounded older. Her voiced matched her looks, Womanly, with a sound of experience and just mildly haggard, "This one's got some fight in him, hmmm?"
She continued to smile, her fangs flashing as she began to feverishly pace back and forth before Eight, her tail twitching almost too excitedly too and fro as she switched her pace from left to right, ever vigilant to keep a close watch on him. Here gaze locked with his and they stared.
"Well then, pup," She started, "I wasn't expecting a fight. Y'know, most who trespass here take my suggestion to flee."
She stopped for a moment, head high and cocked very slightly, one paw a few inches off the ground.
"Somehow, I don't think you're going to go for that. আপনি don't look like a runner, no, no... You... আপনি look like a fighter."
She grinned widely at this mentioned and continued her pacing, less hurried now, less heated.

Eight's stance hadn't changed, he was still ready for anything. His ears picked up very slightly and his eyes stayed affixed to her pacing. Watching for any signs of onslaught. But she was speaking to him, he was at least obliged to speak back, and since he was good at it, he did.
"No, ma'am," He began, his polite upbringing being abruptly interrupted দ্বারা the matronly lion,
"Ma'am?" She stopped briefly, smiled, almost laughing as she reiterated.
Eight continued,
"I'm afraid, you've got me figured wrong."
She laughed loudly, slowing her pace further,
"I'll say I may have at THAT! Okay, little pup, then how should I consider আপনি before I gut you, hmm?"
Things didn't seem to be changing enough, so Eight kept his stance, raising his head while he spoke, still watching her movements.
"You don't have to consider me at all," He stated, his accent thick in this sentence, "I just wanna go my way."

"And if I don't let you?" She demanded, stopping and tensing her muscles once again.
Eight rebutted,
"Then I'm prepared to fight."
"And die?" The সিংহী reminded him demandingly.
He paused very briefly before answering.
"... and die." He stated confidently, breaking his wide stance to stand proudly before her, his body becoming as relaxed as he could let it, preparing himself for the worst.

The সিংহী stood across from him, almost taken back. The pair stood apart in silence as the wind whipped around them, through her course matted পশম before traveling through his own mane.
She seemed to be contemplating what to do with him. A moment went দ্বারা before she spoke again,
"You'll come with me." She stated to him, her voice stern, like a drill instructor, অথবা at best, a doting mother.
Eight was the one now taken back. His confusion showed on his face without notice from his brain to tell it not to, his headed tilted lightly and his brow furrowed before he continued the conversation,
"If I refuse?"
She answered with no time between his final word could catch the wind as it whipped by.
"I can destroy আপনি here অথবা after your final walk on this earth." She made it apparent that she had no time for games.
"Then how could I?" He asked.
"Good," Her demeanor perked as she won this small token, "You will walk ten paces in front of me," she stated matter-of-factly "You will not look back at me, আপনি will not speak, UNLESS I speak first. আপনি will travel past me, over the stream and follow the দেওয়াল until আপনি find a well worn trail where আপনি will exit this ravine and continue your northern path, Do I make myself clear?"
She stood tall as she made orders and demands of Eight, প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে her true size. She was quite a bit larger than before when she was tensed up and ready to pounce. He got a good look at her this time. Her hide showed scars of the past here and there. The way she stood, the way she instructed him, she was in her element here, it was obvious to anyone.
"Yes, ma'am." Eights words came low and a little angry. He didn't like this idea, but he had little choice. At least out of this hole he'd be able to make a solid run for it. But there was something else. She was playing at something, but he couldn't be sure.

He did as he was instructed hoping only that he would be প্রদত্ত an opportunity to face his demise before it was sprung on him.
It took no time to find the trail she spoke of, he took it up and out, with her ten paces behind him, just as she intended.
They walked for a while in silence, even the world became quiet, a fitting requiem. He turned back lightly and began to make a humble request of his captor,
"Just be sure I see-"
"Keep walking, আপনি sack of mange." She hissed at him. And he obliged.
They walked on further, now very far from the canyon. He could see the mountains in the distance again. It would take a little আরো than a half দিন to walk there. He imagined that it would take far less if he bolted for it, hoping to make it into new territory before he was shredded দ্বারা his trailing death, just paces behind him.
He thought to himself,
'If I try to run straight out she'll catch me in no time. If I make it to the বৃক্ষ line I'll have the advantage. allthough...'
He was broken from his thoughts দ্বারা her voice, sending a chill through his body.
"Stop." She demanded still ten paces behind him. His হৃদয় seized in his chest, his pulse raced and his brain rambled on with hundreds of predictions the পরবর্তি few সেকেন্ড may bring to truth, and no further plans.
It was time. Fight অথবা flight were his options. With equal chance of success either way.
He turned to her surprised to find that she was sitting, her tail twitching this way অথবা that, a mildly pleasant look on her face- অথবা what he guessed was as pleasant as she was capable of looking.
She wasn't attacking, she wasn't even ready to impose on him with a fury of claws and fangs...
He was puzzled.

"I... I don't understand." His face became serious.
She smiled and chuckled to herself,
"You're just on the opposite side of my territory, আপনি see..."
Still confused, he took a step forward, squinting his eyes at her, looking at her from the side of his face and affixing his brow in an inquisitive manner.
"I... I don't-" he was cut off.
"You don't need to. Its possible that I don't either." She explained herself in possibilities and riddles, "You are the first who's trodden onto mine to stand in the face of overwhelming odds in years. The first not to bow অথবা break no matter how hard the winds blew." She stood and came closer to him, but he didn't feel threatened. Relieved and mildly taken, but not afraid. He held his breath still.
"It could be that I'm getting too old to be fighting everything that waltzes into my little paradise." She stated, the first of many possible উত্তর to his প্রশ্ন of 'why'.
"It's possible that I admire your strength of will. Its probable that your well-mannered responses and willingness to go along with me lent a hand. Even though I'm positive that আপনি were plotting your exit route - I would have been. Its possible," She continued, uninterrupted, "that I'm just not hungry. But আরো than anything else, it could be that its just your lucky damn day." She stated before moving back a pace অথবা two, facing the নেকড়ে and again, sitting, a wide smirk on her face.
Whatever the reason she chose, he was glad of it. But he couldn't help his inquisitive nature.
"I haven't seen a cougar since I left the southern territories. You're pretty far north, aren't you?"
She responded quickly with an equal observation,
"I haven't seen a dog your size অথবা color with a কোট like that since I left the southern territories almost 7 years ago. আপনি seem to be a little far north your own self."
"Well," He started, "Life seems to take us where it wants to, huh? Both of us."
Their conversation went back and forth for a moment,
"You're right," she ব্যক্ত sharply, "I can't argue with that."
"Can't argue, অথবা can't be bothered to?" he asked.
"Now you're just trying to expose my good nature," she smiled, "Careful, pup. I still have claws." With that, she stood and turned her side to him facing the nearest বৃক্ষ line.
"I imagine you're heading to the পরবর্তি territory of wolves. I don't know what you're looking for... অথবা hoping to find, but I do wish আপনি luck." She stated as she began her trek away from him at a slow pace towards the woods.
"Wait, I... I never caught your name!" He called behind her.
"My name doesn't matter, আপনি won't be back through here..." She stated over her shoulder, as a matter of fact, "Because if আপনি are, I'll make sure to finish what we started."
With that, she disappeared into the trees, quickly becoming obscured দ্বারা branches and foliage.
Eight smiled, for true he was relieved and his bladder now seemed very noticeably small and full. He just grinned and waved toward her direction, in case she happened to be watching.

The দিন began to grow darker, he'd be near the mountain range দ্বারা night fall. And to make it all better, it would be a bright night, and a glorious scenery to take in.

He turned slowly from his latest, and thankfully not last, encounter and started in on his journey once again. All in all, this was still a good day.