Past Demons [PRIVATE: AC and TheIvanMuse]

[AustralianChaos]

Tani's smirk started to fade as Mufasa's threatening rage continued...she had expected him to back down. But when he caught on to the fact that she knew his name, she hesitated slightly. "I...everyone knows you, Mufasa...it's kind of hard not to forget the name of the king, whether he's the rightful one or not." she said, her initial hesitation giving way to her usual confident arrogance.

She then glared right back at him, pushing her fear of the lion aside, determined to come out the better in this verbal sparring match. "Now hurry up and make your choice...let me go, or start a war, I'm growing tired of waiting," she drawled, although she couldn't quite fake the bored tone, thanks to the massive adrenaline rush her encounter with the ruler of the Pridelands was causing. "And I'm sure you have far better things to do with your time than pick on lions that aren't even part of your own pride."

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Tanga, still balancing on the verge of unconsciousness, vaguely heard a voice call his name. Fighting through the pain, he manage to bring himself to enough alertness that he was able to hear someone dashing down the hill towards him, causing the last bit of fight to leave him, expecting Tani to be after him again. Hasn't she had enough? he wondered silently, trying to understand why the world hated him so much...put him through all this pain and suffering.

But when the figure came up beside him and spoke up again, Tanga actually blinked, not expecting the voice, or the figure he could see in the corner of his vision. "N...Nala...?" he asked, barely putting any volume into his voice. "W-what are you...?" he began to ask, before stopping as he figure out the answer himself, which ahd the effect of dragging him away from unconsciousness for the time being.

Nala had come after him...after everything that had happened, after all the pain, all the torment, she was still trying to help him. She had been attacked by Tani's goons herself, and she still escaped them to make sure he was okay. Tanga could scarcely believe it...but her simple action had the effect of giving him some hope back.

But the pain soon returned with a vengeance, causing him to whimper, his ears folding back as he slowly curled up protectively. "Why?" he asked, not really directing his question at Nala, but letting her hear him regardless. "Why does this happen to me? What did I do?" he asked feebly. Despite the hope Nala was giving him, his whole body still hurt, and since he was still recovering from the wounds he had received trying to flee his old home, his already weakened body was desperate to give in...to just black out and rest for a while.

[TheIvanMuse]

The lionesses tried to drag herself out of the fact that she knew who Mudasa was didn't affect him at all. Everything fitted in too much for it to just be an accident. ''Don't play games with me,little girl!'' Her arrogance and boldness was slowly beginning to annoy him even more. He wouldn't however let it blur his assessment of the situation. He was still as mad as he could be, but even in that state, he always kept the inner calmness inside him intact. It would be unwise for him to let pure emotions make decisions for him, not as a king and not as a father.

As the lioness attempted to talk him off, Mufasa wasn't too impressed. Despite the lioness trying to sound determined and fearless, it could easily be felt that she was everything but that. ''Your voice is shaking...'' As Mufasa told her that he smirked her in the eyes,only wanting to show her that he wasn't buying her silly game of intimidation, he was making it very clear that she couldn't and didn't make him feel like getting off from her just because of what she said. ''Don't come near me or my pride and peace shall remain.'' With that,he got off from her and turned around,starting to walk back towards the rest of his group. He still kept his focus on the lion behind him. They could always try to do something stupid, and he'd be ready if they did. As he looked around,he noticed Ardahi wasn't around. But still, his most concern laid in Tanga, he hoped he was okay. He got down the hill where Tanga rolled down on and spotted him and Nala.

Nala didn't get to answer what Tanga had asked her as Mufasa appeared before them before she could. ''Tanga,I...''

Mufasa got closer and asked as he lowered his head towards them: ''Tanga...'' He looked at Nala and then back at him. ''Let's go home.'', he said as he grabbed Tanga at the back of his neck and began carrying him. Nala followed him,without saying a single word, she just let a tear roll down her cheek as she frowned in sadness and grief.

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Zamani rushed towards Tani as he was worried like never before,they never got in so much trouble for picking on other lions. ''Tani,are you okay?!'' He nudged her muzzle as he asked her that. Mwamba on the other hand, remained where he was standing, annoyed with how Zamani was acting. He was so under her spell, it made him almost sick. ''Come on,let's go home at last!'',he said in a very annoyed matter.

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Ardahi was rushing up towards the rock,with only one thought in his mind. Revenge... He got closer and closer, the adrenaline pumping more and more, his anger only getting stronger and his fury more and more untamed. He'd make him pay. At the sight of Scar,he only ran closer and jumped up,pinning him down with so much force that they slid a few meters away on the dirt. He held him down and looked in those poisonous eyes, those eyes that watched him suffer. ''You... I'm going to kill you!''

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Scar was still standing on the rock,watching over the whole situation. However,it all seemed to cool down after all. Mufasa got off from Tani and walked back towards the pathetic little cub. Scar looked back at the group of the lions from his pride. He'd have to have a word with them, he had to make sure they didn't say anything they shouldn't have. If they did,things wouldn't end up pretty, not at all... But something worried him, he didn't see where the other lion was. Well,he didn't matter too him anyways,it was probably just some foolish friend from Mufasa. He didn't care. But then,something ferociously swooped him from his paws as he was pinned to the ground. He hit the ground do hard,he lost his breath and coughed as he looked up in those green eyes. The glare that he got from them sent shivers down his spine. It couldn't be, he returned. Scar knew he was in trouble, in big trouble. As Ardahi told him that he'd kill him, Scar panicked, he didn't know what to do, who to call. Then it got to him... His brother would help him. Despite him despising that Mufasa is the king,he knew that he cared for him more than Scar did in return. ''Mufasa,help!'', he screamed as loud as he could,hoping that he would hear him.

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As Ardahi was holding him down, all kinds of solutions went through his mind. Should her cut his neck,should he bite his jugular, just how would he kill him. As he called Mufasa, Ardahi still didn't back off one bit. He growled in anger as he simply dug his claws directly in Scar's face,still making sure not to hit his eyes. he dugs them in so deep that it caused Scar to cry out in pain. He felt his anger consuming him. He smacked Scar's head back on the floor as it cause the claws to dig in even deeper. He got blood on his paws... The blood of revenge. At that point,he began to feel guilt, as he saw Scar almost crying on the floor,his muzzle covered in blood. However,he then stood on Scar's chest with his other paw,pinning him down. He let out a tear as he asked him: ''Why Scar?! Why did you have to make it go this far?!

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Mufasa head his brother's call and let Tanga down on the floor gently while telling the two cubs. ''Nala,we're far away from the lions already,you take Tanga and hide somewhere,I have to see what is going on.'' With that he ran up towards where he heard Scar's voice coming from.

[AustralianChaos]

Tani was surprised at Mufasa continuing to press the issue with her over this furious argument...everything she had been told had suggested that the lion on top of her would back down sooner than this. But she lay back, having no other choice than to wait and see what would become of her with a blank expression. Sure, she was afraid of dying at this lion's hand, but the fear was balanced out by the glee in the knowledge that, should he end her life, her family would demand revenge, and a war between her pride and Mufasa's would be inevitable.

Nevertheless, she did let out the breath she had been unknowingly holding when Mufasa, threatening her one last time before letting her go, relieved to have been spared. Alive, she could retreat and plot her revenge carefully...dead, she had no way of ensuring her family got their revenge properly. Rolling onto her belly, she lay there and watched Mufasa carefully as he left, making sure he actually was leaving them alone...she would let her own underhanded tactics be used against her.

She was distracted, however, when Zamani came up to her side, asking about her and nudging her slightly. Normally, she would have responded to Zamani's care lightly, playing along with his affection. But right now, she was not in the mood for Zamani's suffocating presence. "Get off me! I'm fine!" she snapped, jerking away from Zamani, before getting roughly to her feet, sending Mufasa one last, icy glare, before turning to Mwamba, her tone still cold and sharp as she addressed his words. "Yeah, let's get back...I've had enough for today anyway."

As she turned and lead the trio back towards the borders of the Pridelands, and their neighbouring pride, Tani's angry, sinister frown did nothing but intensify, as she started muttering under her breath. "Mufasa...Tanga...I will get both of you...and I will make both of you pay dearly for this humiliation..." she vowed, knowing that, now the words were out of her muzzle, she would not rest until she completed that vow, no matter how long it took. She would make Tanga's humiliation and pain today seem like nothing in the end.

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Just as Nala was about to answer his question, Tanga's weary, pain-clouded mind sensed another presence nearby, and his immediate response was to curl up even tighter than before, whimpering lightly as he tried to hide from anyone that would cause him harm. I've had enough, he thought desperately, helplessly. Please, just let it end...let the pain go away, just for a bit...

In the end, his whimpers turned into a terrified squeal as Mufasa picked him up, and he struggled in futility for several moments before actually bothering to identify the one carrying him. When he realised it was Mufasa, he calmed down slightly, although the incessant shaking and whimpering remained. He still trusted Mufasa and Nala a little, but recent events had shaken the cub badly...in some distant corner of Tanga's mind, even he realised he would not recover completely from this incident for days...possibly longer. Even here, in the Pridelands, old enemies could still get to him...nowhere was safe for him, nowhere was free from the eternal nightmare his life seemed to be.

But then, vaguely, still slipping in and out of semi-consciousness, Tanga heard a distant yell, and moments later, felt Mufasa put him down, and say something to Nala that he did not hear. As Mufasa left, Tanga never gave any sign that he noticed, even though he did. He just sat where Mufasa had dropped him, staring at the grass in front of his paws, but not really seeing them. Although the cub didn't know it himself, he was going into shock...now that the immediate danger was over, his body was freezing up and shutting down, trying to seal off the pain and misery simply by blocking off everything it could without dying.

[TheIvanMuse]

Nala looked at Mufasa as he ran up to the rocks,obviously someone was there and he needed help,quickly. She frowned as Mufasa's departure would only leave her and Tanga alone and exposed to any other threats. She just hoped that those vicious lions wouldn't return. If they did,it would probably be over for Tanga and most possibly for her too. She turned her gaze back to Tanga who seemed like he was slipping in and out of consciousness. He has been through so much suffer... Nala never saw anyone go through so much pain and misery as this cub before her did. She laid down next to him,hoping to make him feel a bit better and warmer,as he was already shaking. ''Tanga,you'll be okay,just hold on.'',she said as she nudged his shoulder gently,not wanting to startle him. ''I really wish Simba was here,he'd be able to carry you back without any problems...'' She looked into the sky as she said that line,hoping that she'd be strong enough to carry him back.

Nala lowered her stance and dug her muzzle under Tanga's belly sideways,lifting him up on her neck. She pushed up with her front paws,causing Tanga to land sideways on Nala's back. She was having trouble keeping her balance with that cub on her,and he certainly wasn't an easy weight to carry,despite his rather slim look. Her paws were almost shaking as she slowly started to walk back,always keeping most of her attention on Tanga,as she didn't want to drop him. Step by step they made they way towards Pride Rock.Simba,please help me...,Nala thought to herself. She always relied on him whenever she was having a hard time with anything,and right now,despite it being a mere physical task,she missed him...

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Scar was feeling a fear inside him like never before. He had some serious disagreements with both Mufasa and Ardahi,but this time,things were elevated to a point they have never reached before. he was sure he's gonna die. He felt Ardahi's claws dug in so deep that he could almost hear them scratching up across his skull, He growled and cried as he could barely take the pain. ''Let me go,please...'',he said in an almost too begging voice. He had something in mind,he always did,but first he had to make Ardahi retire his grip on him.

Ardahi was feeling his emotions take over. Revenge,grief,hate,misery,relentlessness,sorrow... It was all fogging up his mind to the point where he'd most rather just end it all,just finish him off,despite the consequences. ''No! I'm not going to let you go,you... you...'' Ardahi couldn't even finish his sentence and he simply smacked Scar's head back on the floor,causing him to whelp.

As his head hit the ground again,Scar was feeling like he had to do something,he couldn't let Ardahi just kill him. He somehow got his paw around Ardahi's muscular front legs and smacked his claws right into Ardahi's neck.

Ardahi screamed out in pain as he felt the claws inside his neck. He backed of a bit and pulled his claws out of Scar's face,drawing even more blood and a terrifying scream from Scar. Upon doing so,Scar let his grip down on Ardahi's neck and i the same instant,Ardahi jumped at him,going to bite at his jugular,with only pure instinct driving him in for the kill. But suddenly,he was taken out as a heavy mass simply swept him off of Scar,throwing him to the ground. It was Mufasa...

As Mufasa saw Ardahi on top of Scar,he knew things would be anything but friendly. His brotherly love just drove him to pin Ardahi to the ground,despite what his reason of attacking Scar was. ''What are you doing?!'',he said in sternly and loudly, obviously not justifying his assault. He saw that Ardahi was furious and completely incompetent and held his paw on his chest,not allowing him to get up.

''Let me up!'',Ardahi growled at his friend as all he had in mind was Scar. ''He's the one who drove me away from her,he's the one who almost killed me,he is the one,Mufasa! Let me up!!!'' With the last line he let out a simultaneous roar,giving away everything that had happened to him. The truth was out,and know the king himself knew it. His brother was the evil snake that is poisoning his kingdom.

As Mufasa heard Ardahi's confession,he simply lost all grip of reality. It couldn't be Scar,he's his brother,why would he even do that. What is going on with the brother he thought he knew,the one who he played with during all their childhood,the one he promised he'd always take care of and always be a friend. Mufasa just let his paw down from Ardahi's chest and stared into the distance,completely incapable of summoning a single sentence. Why would Scar do that...,he thought to himself. At that time Ardahi was still laying on the floor,watching his old friend dead in the eye,hoping that he'd see the truth behind Scar. He noticed that Scar had already left and it made him quite annoyed that Mufasa had allowed him to get away. ''He's gone now... Mufasa,come on,let me up!''

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During all that,Scar was already back on his feet,but still slightly dazed and bleeding from his face and muzzle. He wasn't going to stick around with Ardahi going at him like that,he'd kill him. He silently made his way down the rock slowly,stumbling on almost every single step. He saw Nala and Tanga going in the same direction he was. He knew exactly what he was going to do... If Ardahi wanted to play rough,he would have it rough,even more than he could ever expect. He stumbled clumsily towards the two cubs as he called out to Nala. ''Nala,wait! Help me!''

[AustralianChaos]

Tanga was still barely aware of what was happening, even as Nala came up beside, saying something gently to him that he missed completely. The shock of escaping Tani's clutches was still so fresh in his mind...he thought he might have a chance of being safe here...but no, everywhere he went, no matter how far he tried to run, no matter how carefully he tried to hide, the demons of his past always seemed to resurface, forever chasing him, forever haunting him...forever denying him the simple happiness and acceptance that was all he wanted.

When Nala actually moved under him and draped him across her back, Tanga blinked, windering what she was doing. In any other situation, he probably would have protested, the last traces of cubbish pride he still had left telling him he was more than capable of walking on his own four paws, and that he didn't need to be carried around like a newborn everywhere. But the shock was still too fresh, and even though he was aware of what Nala was doing, he made no move to protest or rebutt her offer, meekly letting her carry him around as he continued to fight to stop himself from fainting. If he lost consciousness, he was an easy target.

That advice, and his desperate attempts to follow it, proved useful when Tanga's ears picked up a voice...one he would never forget, and one he feared above all others. Scar...the lion that lead his pride, the one that oversaw their heavy-handed upbringing...and by far the worst of all of Tanga's tormentors. On the few occasions that Scar did actively participate in scolding Tanga for his gentle nature, and his unwillingness to follow their pride's irrational hatred of the Pridelanders and Mufasa, Tanga knew he had been teased until his ears could take no more of the insults, and beaten to within an inch of his life.

Realising that this, very real, very lethal threat, was right behind them, Tanga's half-aware mind snapped to full power in an instant. With a cry of pure fear and terror, Tanga scrambled from Nala's back, the awkward position causing him to stumble and fall the moment he was off Nala's back, staggering to the ground clumsily. He hurriedly tried to regain his footing, only for his sapphire eyes to meet Scar's eerie green ones, causing him to freeze up, complete panic shutting down all thought. He willed his body to move, desperately wanting to flee, but he could not get his limbs to respond, as Scar approached, and Tanga waited for whatever savagery he was about to become the victim of this time. Scar always made Tani's bullying seem positively pleasant by comparison...

[TheIvanMuse]

Mufasa,still not really aware of what a threat Scar was to everyone around him,still glared into the distance,fully consumed by a feeling of disbelief. ''No..It can't be...'' He whispered to himself as the felt the foundations of his relationship with Scar shake and tumble. First he heard the story from Tanga and now it got even worse. He knew Scar was somewhat eccentric and distanced from everyone else,but he didn't know that it would escalate to the point it did. To the point where he just didn't know what he'd do,how would he deal with it,he was his brother,he loved him. He shook his head firmly as he regained sense of reality,looking down on Ardahi. ''I'll let you up,but you'll let ME handle this.''. It was very clear that Ardahi had only one solution in his mind,and Mufasa knew that he wouldn't hesitate to pull his wil through.

Ardahi watched up as he saw the king glare into the distance,it was surely a shock to him,but it was a shock that he had to take. Why would one keep living in a lie,even if the truth meant...getting rid of your own brother. That was what Ardahi expected Mufasa would do,but he knew it wouldn't come so easily. Family always comes first...That's what they say... And right now,it bugged him,because if one should go by that,than Ardahi would be the one to have to leave the Lands. If Mufasa stuck to Scar's side,as his family,than so would Ardahi have to do too,with Srafina and Nala. But something in Mufasa's eyes told Ardahi that he'd find another way,he always would. Even while they were cubs,Mufasa would bail them out when it seemed as if all hope was gone. ''Fine,you deal with it,but mark my words... If you don't bring justice, I'm leaving and I'm taking my family with me.'' He had a determination in his voice that made it indisputable that he was being dead serious.

As Mufasa got off from Ardahi and watched him get up,he looked over the cliff,and when he saw that no one was there. The cubs must have hidden somewhere as he told them to. But...what if the lions returned... The darkest thoughts shot through Mufasa's mind as he just raced down. Ardahi was right behind him,and he was not pleased at all. He had this grumpy look on him that Mufasa knew why it was there,but still,he couldn't do anything to make it go away,at least not for now. The cubs were nowhere to be found. He perked his ears up,hoping to catch something,at least a hint on where the cubs might be. ''Tanga! Nala!'',he shouted out,hoping to get a response. But there was nothing...

So that really was Nala...,Ardahi thought to himself,he smiled a bit when he remembered how she cutely grabbed his paw. Then he caught on to something,it was coming from behind. He couldn't hear it very well because the wind was blowing as well. But he knew he heard something. ''Back there!'', Ardahi said to Mufasa as he started to run in the direction the sound was coming from. Mufasa followed up right behind him.

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As Scar neared up on them,upon seeing Tanga stumble down from Nala's back and clumsily get back up on his feet,he just smiled,knowing that Tanga was probably dying inside from fear. And Nala didn't even know anything about it,nor how Scar really was. But she would find out... ''Ohhhh,please help me,I am very hurt...'',Scar said in the way that made it sound almost too faked. At least to someone who knew him it would,but Nala fell for it.
''Are you okay,what happened?'',she said as he looked up at him. He always seemed so awkward, but he was Simba's uncle,and Simba always had the coolest stories to tell about his weird uncle.

''I am just fine,my dear,now that I have someone with me...'',he said as he brought his paw up on Nala's head and petted her softly. ''I am just fine now...'' He looked at Tanga,knowing just how terrified he really was. He brought his paw to Tanga and put it on his head gently,while asking with a smile on his muzzle: ''And who might this little gentleman here be?''

[AustralianChaos]

As all this was happening, both Sarabi and Sarafina had taken to pacing around the mouth of Pride Rock's den, waiting for everyone to come back. Neither of them said anything, but the anxiety and worry was all over their muzzles. Mufasa and Ardahi had been gone too long...why hadn't they come back with Tanga and Nala yet? Surely it did not take this long to locate a wayward cub and return him to the pride, right? But they had all been gone a long time, and both mothers were starting to visualise terrible circumstances that could be causing such delays.

Even Simba was starting to notice the worry, even while constantly pacing along the promontory, keeping his gaze upon the vast plains, watching for any sign of has dad's return with Nala and the two newcomers. "Mum, they're going to come back right?" he asked, unable to conceal his own fear. The long stretch of time had seemed even longer to Simba's young mind, and he was starting to worry that they might not come back...that something might have happened.

Even Simba could tell that his mother's assurance was forced as Sarabi gave him a stiff smile. "Don't worry, Simba...they'll be back soon." But her words did little to stop Simba's worrying, and he once more started watching the plains, looking for them, hoping they were alright, that Nala had found Tanga, and that the adults had found them both, and that they were all coming back, safe and well, and that...there!

Simba's pacing stopped abruptly as he finally spotted something in the grass, and realised that it was his uncle Scar...Scar had come to save the day! And now that the dark-furred uncle was in sight, Simba finally spotted both Nala and Tanga with him, almost completely hidden by the grass, explaining why he had missed them until now. But something was off...Simba couldn't put his paw on it, but right now he was too excited to care. "There they are!" he called, causing both Sarabi and Sarafina to look at him. "Scar found Nala and Tanga! They're both alright!" he called as he turned back to them, grinning.

Sarabi showed open relief on her muzzle as she made her way to Simba's location to have a look herself, but Sarafina's relief was off-set slightly by the fact that Simba had made no mention of Ardahi or Mufasa. Sarabi paid that no mind...Mufasa was always away on one errand or another half the time, and always came back. But Sarafina had only just gained her mate back after losing him for a year...she definitely did not want to lose him again as she rushed to look herself.

When the adults followed Simba's gaze, finding Scar with the cubs, they picked up on what Simba ahd overlooked...Tanga. Even from this distance, his whole little body screamed that he was nothing short of terrified. His beaviour towards Sarabi even seemed calm in comparison to the sheer panic he was showing...almost as if he felt his life was in mortal danger...

Sarafina was the first to start fitting the pieces together, especially once Scar ruffled each cub's head. She had always suspected that Scar had something to do with Ardahi's disappearance...he always had seemed to recover a little too quickly from the sense of loss the pride suffered, and seemed almost insufferably happy at times during the weeks after his disappearance. But Sarafina had no real proof, and as such had kept silent. But the way Scar was behaving, that sickly-sweet behaiour that always seemed too kind, too happy, and the way Tanga seemed to be on the verge of a full-scale heart attack the whole time.

Then Sarafina pieced it together...Tanga and Scar had met previously...and the incident had left Tanga terrified of the king's brother for some reason. "We have to get down there," she said, noticing that Mufasa and Ardahi were nearby, but something in her gut told her that whatever incident was about to occur was going to explode, and fast. "Now!" she cried, when Sarabi hesitated, before sprinting down off Pride Rock, Sarabi behind her, Simba chasing after the both of them with indignant cries of "Hey! Wait for me!"

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Tanga's panic-frozen state lasted right through Scar's conversation with Nala. But despite not moving, his mind still functioned to some extent, and he heard every word. He saw right through Scar's plea for help, knowing the vicious lion would never seek help if he really was injured, and Tanga doubted there were many things that could hurt Scar terribly. He might be skinny, but he was vicious to the extreme. But again, his body failed to respond to any commands.

At least until Scar touched him. That was the trigger that sent his body exploding into action. "NO!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, backing away as fast as his paws would let him, stumbling several times but somehow able to stay on his feet. "No! Don't hurt me! Leave me alone!" he cried in desperation, tears already leaking down his cheeks, as he looked around wildly for someone...anyone, to save him from this. Nala had no chance of helping him this time...Scar was a fully-grown lion.

But no-one was there. He was at the cruel mercy of Scar's cunning mind and vicious, sharp claws...except that there was no mercy to be found there. With this conclusion, Tanga went from panic-striken to sufferring a complete emotional break down in a matter of seconds. The walls collapsed, the tears flowed freely, and the young cub collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, praying for nothing more now, than a swift death.