Velveteen Angel
Therese had been hesitating in visiting the thrall Kisukari despite the offer after she had met the new mother and a couple of her cubs. Despite the warm, open welcome, it was just a tiny bit awkward when said lioness happened to see you given away to your master. She didn’t really remember it. So, having a lioness who was there and who could tell her what had happened then.
The lioness shook her head. Kisu shouldn’t be judged by just what she knew. Therese thought the lioness was friendly and would make a good friend. Her paws carried her toward the den. She hoped Kisu was home and didn’t have her paws full of cubs.
Kisukari was lying outside of the den, enjoying the silence of her cubs taking a nap, though she herself found herself unable to nap. She had snuck out again when the cubs were sleeping, fetching a gazelle to feed Bousvor and herself, though she barely ate. She was still quite skinny, the pregnancy having taken a lot from her, but she was recovering fairly well.
She spotted the female approaching, and found a warm smile crossing her face. Kisukari didn't have many friends. In fact, she could count them on one paw; even if she included Bousvor.
"Hello Therese!" She called out, her voice soft, trying not to wake the sleeping horde that rested in the den. "Talk quietly, the babies are sleeping and I'd rather die than wake them. They're so energetic," she said with a soft giggle, her eyes tired. "How are you?"
Thankfully the lioness she was searching for happened to be sitting right outside. She saw the smile spread across Kisu’s muzzle and had to answer it with a smile of her own. The lioness wanted to get over her self-confident issues around this thrall. Her mind kept going to the fact Kisu had witness her giveaway. She wanted to see Kisu for the lioness she was.
She nodded as she padded up to show she heard. “I wouldn’t want to wake your cubs,” Therese whispered. The young lioness had only met two of the litter earlier. It would be nice to meet the rest if they woke up before she left. “They look like they’ve got all your energy.” She noted the tired look of the mother. “I’ve been good. Have a few free moments and thought I’d stop by.” She stretched herself out on a flat spot.
Kisukari continued to smile at Therese with a sleepy sort of smile. She felt a certain attachment to Therese, because she had seen her given away. She knew the female felt uncomfortable about that, but Kisukari couldn't help it. She saw her at her youngest, at her weakest point, and she wanted to make sure that the girl was happy; even though she hadn't been able to stop the event at the time.
"They are pretty full on," she murmured. "Having six is quite a lot. Bous tries to help, but he's a male and they're pretty useless at these things." She appreciated his recent help in hunting though, though she pretended she didn't. "How has your master been treating you?" She asked, with a warm smile.
She made an effort to relax and reminded herself to keep her voice down. The lioness rolled her shoulders to relax them. Her eyes roamed around the den. It was a rather nice den in fact. Well constructed with some beautiful furs that she could just see. Clearly her master was one of importance in the pride.
Therese nodded sympathetically. She couldn’t imagine having 6 cubs under foot all the time. It must be wonderful. She hadn’t considered cubs mainly because she hadn’t found a good possible mate. Her master was out of the question. He was nice but not really what she wanted. “Things are quite well. He’s an easy master to take care of.” She tilted her head slightly. “Do you mind if I ask who their father was?”
She smiled. "Well that is lucky!" she enthused. Bousvor was...reasonably easy to look after. He was a bachelor, so at least she didn't have to deal with any nosy bossy britches coming around and thinking that the could take over the den. She tilted her head at the question, a small smirk coming across her face. "Can you keep a secret?" She asked, in a whisper. "It was my master, Bousvor."
She let that sit for a moment before she dissolved into quiet peels of laughter. "Oh I'm joking of course." She giggled, the joke amusing her most of all. "He wouldn't touch me if I paid him." That sting a little, actually, because Kisukari knew she was beautiful, though the pregnancy had left her a little ragged and thin. "It was a rogue. He was a big male, very handsome, very caring." She smiled. "It was during a viking where I was supposed to be attending Bousvor, but I was able to sneak away for a while to get some quiet time while the men were off somewhere."
”I don’t mind. It’s what I’m good at.” Taking care of her master really was her pride. She was contributing to the pride by ensuring he was well cared for. Therese hadn’t really expected Kisu to confide in her. It was a private matter that she had no business in. Her eyes widened as the lioness told her that her master was the father. What a tangled web that would be! “Is he going to claim the cubs as his?!” She had to admit the cubs did resemble him somewhat.
Therese sat back as Kisu started to laugh. When she realized she’d been had. “Oh my.” She coughed as she tried to cover the awkward moment. “Well I’m glad the guy you found was handsome and caring.” The pale lioness got a bit of a wistful look at the mention of the male. “Is he in the pride?” Her eyes went wide at the unthinkable. She’d left her master on his own while Viking. Therese could never imagine doing that. “You’re lucky. My master never takes me out on Vikings.
She couldn't help but giggle at her shock, and tried to wipe the smile off her face. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist," she admitted. "I am glad too. Although he left me with cubs, it was nice to feel wanted and beautiful again." She felt slightly wistful at the thought of a mate, and noticed a similar look on the pale female's face. "What about you?" She asked, with a sly smile. "Is there any sweet males capturing your gaze, Therese?"
Therese was still young, she had many years left of life and so Kisukari just assumed she would be looking for a mate, or at least someone to sire cubs.
Therese chuckled good naturedly. “That’s alright. It was a pretty good joke. I’m glad your master didn’t hear and get you in trouble.” She grinned. Her ears flicks to learn the male had just left Kisu with the cubs. It seemed to work for Kisu, but Therese wanted something a bit more.
“Oh I don’t have anyone. I’ve been focused on taking care my master. Haven’t really looked around.” She ducked her head shyly. No one had really jumped out to her. Not that many males had courted her. That would be nice. “How is it to be wanted and beautiful?” Therese had never thought about it with only her male master.
Kisukari rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh Bousvor is used to it. I think about getting the cubs to call him Daddy sometimes. Just to give him a heart attack." She smiled, rather deviously.
She listened to her, her mind contemplating her predicament. "There are plenty of lovely men around!" She encouraged, and felt her heart break a little at her last question. "Oh hon," she said softly, and gently placed a paw over Therese's. "It's the most beautiful feeling in the world." She smiled softly, a bit sadly. She used to feel beautiful, but now...now she just felt numb most of the time. "You'll get to feel it one day. I'm sure you will. You're so beautiful." She smiled. "You are going to drive the boys crazy." She winked, though her mind was racing. Therese needed a good man. A kind man. Someone who would treat her right...and she had someone in mind.
Therese giggled at the cubs calling their master daddy instead. “Oh dear. There would be some questions going around.” She grinned at the apparent close relationship this pair had. Her master and her got along well enough, but it didn’t seem like a connection they had. But Ensis was her master, not her mate.
The white lioness blinked slowly. “Well there’s a lot of men yes. I don’t know about lovely. I’ve just never thought about them in that way. How would I know who was right?” What if she’d already passed him and didn’t even know it!? Therese blushed when Kisu called her beautiful. “I’m just a thrall though,” she mumbled. Surely no reaver would want her. None had shown any interest before.
Kisukari smiled at Therese, but her tone was firm. "You may be a thrall, my dear Therese, but you are not, nor will you ever be just a thrall." It was something she was quite passionate about. She knew she would never change the pride's position on the thralls, but maybe she could change how individuals thought. She had given up her hope of freeing all the thralls, but she would not stand for thralls to be beaten down and hopeless in this life. "You are so much more than just your rank in this pride. You are a beautiful, intelligent and vibrant female." She smiled, perhaps a tad deviously as she tried to piece together a plan to make the two thralls meet. "And you never know, love might just be right around the corner for you."