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Cas walked back from No-Lion's Land with tears running down his face and a hatred in his heart burning hotter than the blazing stick he carried. The night was eerily silent, as if all could sense his intentions. In his mind's eye he could see his cubs being ripped apart. He could hear their screams. Kanai. Kivuli. Naanda. They would pay, as would all who dared agree with them. The rest of the pride was safely away. He woken them and convinced them to follow him away from the rest, away from those would die. Mothers who mourned their own cubs, young lions and lionesses old enough to be spared. The rest, the ones who sneered at Cas's attempts to save Sterlin and Sanaa, would die with Kanai, Kivuli, and Naanda.

Returning to the ones who still slept, Cas began a ring of flames around, effectively trapping them in the flame. He climbed up a nearby rock formation and flung the stick into the middle of the sleeping pride. The dry grass went up in seconds. Many did not wake in time. Those who did wake only found themselves trapped. Cas watched the fire burn until morning, and as the sun rose the realization of his actions crashed over him. The anger and hate fled and was replaced with horror and shame. Unable to face the remainder of his pride he fled for No-Lion's Land, his heart forever marked by the choices made during a mental breakdown.

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I've wanted to commission this scene for a long time, and I love how it turned out. Yes, Cas killed more than Kivuli, Kanai, and Naanda. He knows it was wrong, and it haunted for him for the rest of his life. While not an excuse, in this moment Cas is suffering a mental breakdown. This is the night immediately after Kanai and Kivuli tore Sterlin and Sanaa to pieces in front ot him while Naanda held him down so he couldn't protect his cubs.

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Description
Cas walked back from No-Lion's Land with tears running down his face and a hatred in his heart burning hotter than the blazing stick he carried. The night was eerily silent, as if all could sense his intentions. In his mind's eye he could see his cubs being ripped apart. He could hear their screams. Kanai. Kivuli. Naanda. They would pay, as would all who dared agree with them. The rest of the pride was safely away. He woken them and convinced them to follow him away from the rest, away from those would die. Mothers who mourned their own cubs, young lions and lionesses old enough to be spared. The rest, the ones who sneered at Cas's attempts to save Sterlin and Sanaa, would die with Kanai, Kivuli, and Naanda.

Returning to the ones who still slept, Cas began a ring of flames around, effectively trapping them in the flame. He climbed up a nearby rock formation and flung the stick into the middle of the sleeping pride. The dry grass went up in seconds. Many did not wake in time. Those who did wake only found themselves trapped. Cas watched the fire burn until morning, and as the sun rose the realization of his actions crashed over him. The anger and hate fled and was replaced with horror and shame. Unable to face the remainder of his pride he fled for No-Lion's Land, his heart forever marked by the choices made during a mental breakdown.

______________

I've wanted to commission this scene for a long time, and I love how it turned out. Yes, Cas killed more than Kivuli, Kanai, and Naanda. He knows it was wrong, and it haunted for him for the rest of his life. While not an excuse, in this moment Cas is suffering a mental breakdown. This is the night immediately after Kanai and Kivuli tore Sterlin and Sanaa to pieces in front ot him while Naanda held him down so he couldn't protect his cubs.

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