[PRP] Family Matters (Kondo Daughters x Gepeto Daughters)

[Hopefolly]

IC Timeline: Occurs a week or so after Gossip Fodder; Kondo and his reavers are returning from a relatively quiet month-long trip to the roguelands for training purposes / exploring terrain in preparation for their next raid.

If Yatima was going to spend her time parsing every conceivable aspect of everything ever, it may as well be over something interesting. "Sheska saw it. She said she couldn't go get her because she's not allowed out of the... the living area." Elise was guilty of gossip, but not of malicious intent. Her impish gaiety was spoken in sweet voices and punctuated with an envious glow, a breath suspiciously close to a sigh. They never thought Chakora would find anyone, let alone be first in line.

"Dad's going to be so pissed." Because Chakora's his favorite, Elise didn't say. One didn't always feel it necessary to state the obvious. They were first to arrive on this side of the fractured, rocky cliff. The other wasn't so far apart she couldn't clearly see the thralls — Sheska, Yaariq, and Ahlsen — and their mother, next to Freyja.

Dira had flown ahead to tell them which direction the captain and their dad and uncle Meshindi would heading in, like always.

Shia bean

Kaelyndra

 

[Shia bean]

“It’s so typical of her.” The lioness lulled, looking out across the stretch. “She can be so manipulative.”

Yatima was less subtle with her jealousy and for that matter, gossip. And despite what some might consider obscurity, she felt certain her meaning would come across quite clear; meeting Elise with a tiny smile. If the other female was in any way a good sister, and Yatima believed wholeheartedly that she was one of the best, she’d know without question that both Chakora and Freyja were at the butt end of that one.

A wide-mouthed yawn, lips smacking unattractively, left the female in a daze -- giving her a few minutes to dwell on things, naturally. When even the silence gave way to roaring in her ears, the creamier of the two leaned in close and whispered. “I bet she convinced him to do it… I bet she likes him. She is so dead.”

In the midst of a long and heavy breath, one to be followed shortly by a chuckle, a form out the corner of her eye sent Yatima's shoulders up to her ears and stiffened her at their sisters side. "LEEDA!"

First, the culprit shouted “WHAT'CHA DOING?!” Gray fur bristling, pleased to have made her presence known at last. But then, after a snort, Leeda broke out in a short song, prideful strides taking her to Elise's free side.

"And upon the rocks,
Their dames did wait,
For the Heroes in question,
Who were, quite late."

 

[Hopefolly]

Chakora had been the instigator? "Maybe..." She was bossy, selfish, and... what's the word? Entitled? Elise couldn't say anything nice, so she didn't say anything at all, an obvious tell she was uncomfortable with the way the discussion was going. Given more time, she might have been slandering Chakora equal to or worse than Yatima. Leeda's piquant wit spared her that. (The 'wit' part being a matter of opinion.)

"Leeda's here before Sigrun?" Elise was often thinking aloud. She smirked at Yatima halfway through their sister's jaunty tune. "Maybe we should go check to make sure she's not dead somewhere," she said once the impromptu musical had reached its conclusion. "Where in the Gods' names are all of them?"

Them. Verbal shorthand for whom they addressed as cousins.

One 'cousin' was on her way. Slowly.

Rika wondered how many more times they'd be subjected to this and dreaded knowing the answer. Her memory came up empty when she searched it for an example of when they weren't forced to line up and await the arrival of these reavers and their father. Any and every trip, no matter how long, no matter where they went, they had to be greeted by two rows of their offspring, mates, and thralls.

Most cubs thought their parents were invincible. Rika went in reverse: As a cub, she prayed for her father to return in pieces or not at all. For her mother to get sick, or cursed, or poisoned. Older and wiser and less hopeful now, she knew her parents would likely outlive all of them.

She and her siblings were expected at the walls, her least favorite place. It was so high up, and the path below that the reavers marched across so far down...

Maybe today she'd finally push that big rock she'd been eying on Kondo's head.

Shia bean