[PRP] Cubsitting (Nina-dini/Dwyllo)

[Andranis]

The moon was out, as much as it could be at the moment - Certainly not full, but not a new moon. Nina-dini, too, was out... Sort of. The pale cream lioness lounged by a pool of water, tail flicking as she relaxed as much as she could. While tonight was a night she was off duty as a Royal Guard, she wasn't exactly off of ALL work.

Tyfu had had cubs. In fact, she swore they looked like they could be ROYAL cubs. But given there were two brothers, she wouldn't be able to guess if they were illegitimately the king's, or his brother's, and frankly, she didn't care either way past a mild curiosity. Regardless of who the sire was, she was keeping an eye out to make sure none of them decided to go swimming by mild moonlight.

Just in case.  

[mouselet]

One of the cubs in question didn't much know or care the meaning of the word "royal." What he knew was that Mom was off doing something important and now Nina was here watching them. Nina was a grownup, but not as old as Mom. But Dwyllodrus didn't like the thought that he and his siblings needed watching. Why was it necessary? What if he didn't want someone watching him? It was different when it was Mom. She was their mom, after all.

Nina was a Royal Guard, he knew, and that was important and good, but the black boy couldn't have said why.

Dwyll didn't like her that much, but he certainly didn't hate her. He just wanted to make her life more difficult.

Which is why he was standing just on the edge of the water, not quite touching it. His body made a black hole with odd blue highlights in front of the reflective surface.  

[Andranis]

Her pink eye slid open, before the blue eye joined it. A growl emanated from Nina-dini's throat, before she got up and padded over, looming over the black and blue cub. "You'd better be looking for a drink, cub." She didn't want to have to potentially explain to Tyfu that one of her cubs had drowned under Nina's watch. She frowned, then stepped into the water, carefully positioning herself in the way... Just in case.  

[mouselet]

The boy eyed her coolly, watching what she did. She had moved to block him, and had spoken, but nothing more. Hmmm. He wondered what she'd do if he went to touch the water or even get into it. Would she chide him? Hit him? Tell his mother?

None of those options would really change Dwyllodrus' choices though.

"No," he answered simply, watching to see her reaction before deciding if he'd defy her.  

[Andranis]

An eyebrow went up. "Then were you planning on swimming? Because that can be rather dangerous for a cub." She lowered her face down to his level, the pennant hanging from her neck dipping slightly into the water. "We wouldn't want you to DROWN or anything... Would we?" She may have been jumping to conclusions, but she'd rather not have something like that happen on her watch. She lifted her head back up, tail swishing downward and brushing over the water's surface. "I would almost think that you need cubs your age to run around with... That aren't siblings." She had, at least, cousins to run around with... As much as she could, anyway.  

[mouselet]

"No," the cub answered. Why would he want to swim? Then he'd be wet. All night. Because his fur would take forever to dry. Which was much less fun than what he had in mind. As for drowning...whatever. He wasn't worried about it.

Dwyllodrus frowned a bit as the adult went on, talking about how he should play with cubs his age. He did perfectly fine with his siblings, and he didn't need anyone else beyond that.

But...while her attention was on the water, the boy scooped up a pebble in one blue paw and threw it at her.  

[Andranis]

She was getting ready to ask what he was planning on doing, if he wasn't going swimming or getting a drink... When a pebble bounced off her forehead. Nina blinked for a moment, then scowled, reaching up and rubbing her face. "Why'd you do that?!" She glared at the cub, teeth starting to show. While the pebble hadn't actually HURT on contact, it still made her rather angry that he'd thrown it at all in the first place! When she had cubs of her own, she'd make sure they NEVER did such a thing!  

[mouselet]

The boy's expression didn't change too much, but it could definitely be described as "smug". The babysitter wasn't happy, but why did he care? This was all sorts of interesting.

"Because," he answered with a small grin. Oh sure, he could wrestle with his brothers or torment his sister, but he lived with her and Nina was someone new and different to torment. Not to mention the added chance of bodily injury was enough to make it that much more exciting.  

[Andranis]

Her face became hot with anger, as she rubbed her forehead again. "If you plan on throwing rocks at lions, pick better targets!" She looked around, but didn't spy any others besides the cub and his siblings. Nina let out a huff, glowering. "Throw rocks at that crazy bunch of loons talking about doom and gloom and... Whatever it is they talk about!" What made her particularly aggravated was that one of her own half-aunts had joined the cult. How disgraceful to the family name! True, her own mother hadn't expressed any joy at Shangyue's rule, but still!

She finally stopped rubbing her face, glaring at the cub. "Is there anything you'd like to declare, now that you've beaned me?"  

[mouselet]

It was fairly interesting, how angry Nina became. Dwyllodrus' siblings would have attacked him by now. But the grownup was probably not going to do that since his mother had a reputation for violence.

Now, what did he want to declare? Hmm...there were plenty of things he could say, but what was the worst thing he could say that wouldn't get him spanked and sent to bed without dinner? That was the trick.

"I'm bored," the boy announced, heading back over towards his brothers and sister. Unless if Nina actually did anyhting, she really was boring.  

[Andranis]

Nina gave her forehead another rub, glaring after the cub. "Bored... Peh..." She found a new spot, settling down and glaring after Dwyllodrus. As she crossed her paws, she mulled over the thought that, when she had cubs, she was going to make sure they only did that to those who DIDN'T support Shangyue...