Episode Two

Content Warning

 * Public Humiliation, Brief Gore, Ableism
 * Read by Helen O'Connor

Characters

 * Nothing
 * Fire
 * Spark (memory)
 * Sharptongue
 * Powerstrike
 * Quickmane
 * Farleap
 * Silentstalk
 * Waterhunter
 * Feather
 * Sister 1
 * Sister 2
 * Hover

Synopsis
Nothing begins speaking off screen as the rocky center of the Sisters' Steppe is revealed under the midday sun. The Pride is gathered with Quickmane sitting lazily atop the largest rock and the Huntresses gathered nearby. As Nothing speaks, she discloses that it's been two years to the day since Quickmane took over the Pride, and that it's Fire's last day in the Pride. Before the sun sets, she says, he will be exiled to become a No-Mane as all young males are when they come of age. Nothing finishes her voice-over by saying she's vowed to earn her Pride name before Fire leaves.

Fire and Sharptongue are sitting a few feet away from the others. As Nothing approaches them, Fire looks up and asks if she's sure about taking her Huntress evaluation today, saying that it doesn't have to be today. Nothing reassures him that she wants him to be there to see her earn her name because she doesn't know when she'll see him next, and says that she can do it. He says he knows she can and that he's proud no matter what. He says that Spark and their Dad would have been proud too. Sharptongue speaks next, asking if Nothing is sure she won't take the name that Powerstrike has already selected for her. With a grimace, Nothing says that she doesn't want to be named Hobblestep, and that she wants to be named for her skills like every other Huntress. Sharptongue looks uncomfortable and says that if she was still Hunt Chief that things would be different, but before she can say anything else Quickmane roars and she falls silent.

As Quickmane admonishes Nothing for keeping the Pride waiting, calling it disrespectful, Nothing begins another voice-over. She explains that the past two years haven't been easy. Sharptongue has been sick since the last dry season and Powerstrike has taken over as Hunt Chief. Nothing continues that after Quickmane was accepted as mane, her mother had quickly born a litter of his cubs. She points out her half-sisters Farleap and Silentstalk sitting at the base of the rocks, and explains with light jealousy that they'd both taken their Huntress assessments when they'd been less than a year old. At this point Farleap calls jeeringly over to her, referring to her as Hobblestep and reminding her to try not to hurt herself. With a sigh Nothing continues the voice-over, saying that she's more than two years old and still nameless. She points out Waterhunter and a litter of cubs at the Huntress's belly, dubbing them as Quickmane's second litter and saying sadly that the whole Pride seems to have moved on from her father without a second thought and that she doesn't understand it.

Powerstrike interrupts her and asks if she's ready, to which Nothing answers that she is. Powerstrike lowers her voice at this and tells her that it's not too late to turn back, but Nothing says firmly that she's doing this. Powerstrike dips her head for a moment and then speaks loudly so that the Pride can hear. She addresses Nothing, telling her that she stands before her Pride, her Mane, and her Hunt Chief. She states that she arrived here Nameless and no-one, and that she will emerge a Huntress with a name which declares the ways in which she is strong. She asks whether Nothing swears to carry the name she is granted throughout her life wherever it takes her, to which she responds that she does swear.

Powerstrike addresses the Pride, humbly asking them to witness this young lioness's transformation into a Pride Huntress. First, she says, they will see if Sunce has blessed her. A Sunce touched Huntress leaps with the power and grace of the sun across the sky, and she asks Nothing to show them her power. Nothing leaps into the air and lands on all fours. Fire whoops with delight and cheers his sister on, which Powerstrike silences with a growl. Nothing asks what is next and Powerstrike says that a Huntress blessed by Sunce also runs with the swiftness of Lite at her paws. She asks Nothing to to show the Pride her speed. Nothing then begins to run and Quickmane calls out that she should be named Slugrun, as for a lioness protected by the Goddesses they haven't blessed her with many skills. Farleap chimes in and says that it's because Slugrun's always been cursed. Nothing grits her teeth and thinks to herself that she'll show them Slugrun. Digging her paws into the earth she runs faster, but doubt from Quickmane's words clouds her mind and her memory flashes back to witnessing Spark's death. She closes her eyes and while she is distracted by her thoughts accidentally tries to use her disabled leg to run, which collapses beneath her and causes her to fall to the ground in front of the Pride's eyes.

When Powerstrike orders her to get up Nothing apologizes, and refers to her as her mother. Powerstrike flares back at her telling her not to call her mother and reminding her that she is Nothing's Hunt Chief. She goes on to remind Nothing that it was her who had insisted on taking the Huntress assessment, and that when Powerstrike had offered her a name Nothing had refused it. Why?

Nothing answers that she thought she could do it. Powerstrike asks if she's happy now, now that she's wasted her Hunt Chief's time and embarrassed herself in front of the Pride? Nothing answers no, that she shouldn't have insisted, that she'll take the name that was selected for her. She admits that Powerstrike was right. Powerstrike says that it's too late for that now, that Nothing had wanted to be assessed for her strengths and thus has been. The Hunt Chief bounds up the rocks to stand next to Quickmane and announces that as the Hunt Chief of the Pride, she puts forward that this lioness shall henceforth be known as Nothing, ordering that all those in agreement lend her their voices.

Quickmane begins to roar. Farleap and Silentstalk join in, with Waterhunter not far behind. Sharptongue and Fire however look angrily towards each other and then turn their heads to stare disapprovingly up at Powerstrike. They do not roar.

Powerstrike ends the ceremony and Fire calls out to Nothing and runs to her, referring to her as Sister rather than her new name but Quickmane steps between them. Stating that Nothing is none of Fire's concern anymore, the Mane tells Fire to leave now that the ceremony is over as he is no longer part of the Pride and now a grown No-Mane. With one last look at Nothing, Fire promises that he'll come back for her soon and turns to leave.

As he disappears in the grass, the Huntresses murmur a blessing after him: Cansu light your path. Nothing tearfully follows suit, still laying in the dust where she has fallen, and Quickmane dismisses the Pride. Time passes around Nothing and the Pride dissipates to continue on with their days. As the sky changes colour to turn to evening, Sharptongue appears beside Nothing, softly greeting her Granddaughter. Nothing, head on her paws, says that she has a name - it's Nothing. Didn't Sharptongue hear? The old lioness ignores this and simply says that Nothing was very brave today. Nothing sighs and says that she needs to be alone, finally getting up and walking away. Sharptongue watches her sadly.

Nothing makes her way to the Pride's watering hole and sits and stares into the water, talking to herself and saying that her name fits. She's looking at her reflection when blood fades into view through the water's current and she looks up to spot signs of a crocodile having entered the water. She is surprised and stands up so as to run and warn the Pride, but spots a Prideless lioness on the opposite bank from her drinking from the watering hole dangerously close to the crocodile.

Calling out to warn the Prideless of the crocodile, she dashes around to the other side of the watering hole and leaps at the other lioness to shove her away from the water. The Prideless lioness, hackles raised at having been attacked, rolls over and pins Nothing beneath her, spitting vehemently that there is enough water in the watering hole for both of them. Nothing fearfully calls out that there's a crocodile, that she's just wanting to help, and when the Prideless spots it she slowly backs away from Nothing and lets her go. Nothing apologizes for having scared her and the newcomer jokes that it's adorable she thinks a little thing like Nothing could scare her. She asks what's wrong with Nothing's leg and when it proves to be a soft spot, she bets that the Pride lions probably gave her a hilarious name like Brokenleg, Badhunter, or Can'tfight. Nothing slowly corrects her and the Prideless asks what's nothing? When she realizes that Nothing is the name, she bursts out laughing and Nothing slowly laughs along with her, telling her it's not funny.

Telling Nothing that Prides are funny with all of their rules and stupid names, Nothing assumes that she's Prideless and says that her Mother thinks that Prideless lions are unkempt, undisciplined, and lacking in the skills to join a proper Pride. The Prideless says that it sounds as though Powerstrike has an entire tree stuck up her butt, which makes both of them giggle. The Prideless lioness then introduces herself as Hover, self-named, self-satisfied, proudly unkempt, undisciplined and unskilled, pleased to make Nothing's acquaintance. They both laugh again and Hover says that Nothing's already one of her favourite Pride lions, even though they've only just met. To be fair, she admits, Nothing has lousy competition as Pride lions are typically all toothy and bitey. But Nothing? She likes Nothing. Nothing smiles and says that she thinks Hover seems good too and thanks her.

A growl sounds from nearby and Powerstrike steps out of the bushes, flanked by Quickmane and Farleap. Fearful, Nothing tells Hover that the lioness is her Mother and that Hover should go, but Hover says not to worry. It's nothing she hasn't handled before. She greets the trio cheerfully and addresses Quickmane as having a freaky meat-face. Powerstrike asks what Nothing is doing fraternizing with an outsider, and says that it's a duty of a Huntress to keep their Pride clean of this sort of filth, to which Hover leans over to Nothing and whispers: Wow, that tree is right up there. As Nothing suppresses a giggle Powerstrike asks how Hover dare speak to her with such disrespect, as she is a Hunt Chief and Hover is a creature lower than the dirt they walk upon.

Hover remarks sarcastically that she is so jealous that Nothing gets to hang out with them all of the time, as they sound so fun. Quickmane has had enough and orders Hover to leave immediately. Commenting that Depthperceptionmane doesn't need to ask twice, Hover looks towards Nothing and says that she'll maybe see her around, and departs.

Powerstrike mentions that Hover is possibly the most repugnant lioness she's ever dealt with. Nothing, staring fondly after Hover, agrees and says that she's great. Surprised, Powerstrike asks what she just said and Nothing quickly exchanges the word great to hate. She... hates... her.

Unconvinced but not caring enough to say anything more, Powerstrike sighs in frustration and turns away to stalk back into the grass with Quickmane and Farleap close behind.

Nothing doesn't watch them go; instead, she turns to watch Hover disappearing into the distance and when the Prideless lioness turns around and grins at her, she happily returns it.