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The jet black lion looked to renaissance and he felt a slight weight lift from his shoulders. he had tried to preach peace to the king of the bahari, somewhat unsuccessfully, obviously. He had lived in peace for the bulk of his life and although he had travelled the rogue lands he had known from a young age that he would settle by the sea. The Bahari was his home.

He clears his throat and looks to Riddlemouth. "Na lad, I'm bein a lion 'O' Peace but what ya bin doin' here is unforgivable. Thar be ways ta be resolvin' this that dint involve no nappin' o babes from their mothers sides." He looked at Ram and licked his lips, "Ahm thinkin, there might be a solution fer tha two o us ere."

He looks to Renaissance "Tho you'll be returnin' them cubs fer today." He rolled his broad shoulders, his thick muscles tensed for a moment. He may not have been young like most of the lions here, but Noahodha'kota was fit as he had been in his younger days, a little slower perhaps, but wiser for the age. He need to show them that if necessary he was ready for a fight though the talk of a peaceful resolve seemed to be on the horizon which left him feeling relieved.

He clears his throat before speaking again "You'll be returnin' tha cubs as an act o good faith na lad. An then we'll be talkin bout tha future." He states, he could be a lion of few words, when it was needed. He just hoped the cubs would be brought forwards and this would all end peacefully. He wanted to take the babies home to their mothers. An idea niggled at the back of his mond though, one that the jet black lion had never thought of. Perhaps this pride could help them with their families problem. He knew himself that his pride was full of cubs from his own family lines, the tsunami had not helped with that and now the blood was thin in the pride and new rogues would now be thin on the ground he reckoned, perhaps something could be sorted with this pride, something to save them both.


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Nuzhah followed closely with Zuria and when they stopped near the other cubs she tucked herself in to his side. She was used to curling up with her siblings and her mother and although Zuria was neither a sibling nor her mother he was somewhere in-between, bigger than her but still young. She decided he was brave and her friend.

"Zuria, will you be my friend even if daddy comes and takes me home?" She asks, a purely innocent question. She looks up at the pure white male her glassy green eyes hopeful.

"I think daddy will come and get us." She nods, feeling strength from this deep seated knowledge. "But we can still be friends when he does right?"

"'Letting it slide', as you so casually put it, it clearly not an option." Riddle-mouth pointed out with a wry smirk. "I say take the valuable lesson that we have so graciously taught you and make things better for yourselves in the future. You see, we too are peaceful by nature. No harm came to any of your pride members, not a harmful paw was placed on a single hair on any precious little head. However... this is our pride. We foresaw a problem and we saw an opportunity at a solution. We knew that there would be hostility from your pride but we did not know in what form it would take." He motioned to the two lions. "Two lions coming in, demanding something of us, my friends, is not very wise. Had we been the hostile monsters you so feared, you might not be walking away today. So be grateful! You've learned two things. Underhanded as we may be, we are not beyond reasoning with."


"Which means-", Renaissance piped in quickly, knowing by now that at least one of the two strangers had a short temper on him, "That we are not beyond returning your cubs. But... perhaps we might work out an agreement before we do that. I have a proposition."

He glanced back to Shandor, who answered with a curious raise of his brow, then back to the strangers. "First... you endure a discussion of terms. I know you want to see your children, please know that we understand that. As Riddle-mouth suggested, there is some dishonesty here but if dishonest actions is the only way to survive, then to lay honor down as a sacrifice is our only option. Some prides survive by sacrificing flesh, we must by sacrificing what others would call 'nobility'. I'm just beginning to understand it myself."

He clipped his little tangent short, knowing that he'd almost fallen into another one of his rambles. "Discuss the terms, come to an agreement. We will return your cubs and as a show of atonement, you can detain me within your territory for as long as you think is fair. After this period of time, I will return here."

Leo felt his heart plummet into his gut as neither male relented. Shandor stood behind him, cool and confident as always but his dangerous smile had only deepened. He would fight for his pride, certainly, and apparently the Gypsy King found the outsider's threats more amusing than anything. Well to be fair- he had admitted that his own insanity had lifted fairly recently. Perhaps it had left something behind.

The small male drew in a breath and closed his eyes, fully prepared to stand his ground if it meant losing a good deal of flesh. He might not have agreed with his pride completely, but they hadn't treated him badly. Make it quick, oh gods this is going to-

To his great relief, a familiar and surprisingly friendly voice broke the tension. The lion could have melted right then and there. His strange friend from an 'outside pride' emerged and joined him in standing between the two hostile pride leaders. So...that was her pride. Fresh guilt and a quiet amusement at the terrible irony of it all doubled in with relief and gratitude. "Zephyranthes, fancy seeing you again. What timing you have. Remind me to make you something to show my gratitude. My backside was nearly reduced to a chew toy." He muttered over.

Shandor rolled some of the tension from his shoulders and shot a look back to the others behind him. If it came down to it, they'd have to get past him to get to the others. Thankfully, another mediator stepped in to defuse the tension. "So quick to bear your teeth, friend. And we've been nothing but welcoming." He shook his head.

"Tsk. Leave it to a female. Very well, you two may be left to discuss this... matter, but I will remain to hear it. I am fairly certain that, if our hostile guest can keep his temper in check, we can reach an agreement we can all benefit from." He smirked. "It cannot be said that I am an unfair lion."

Ooh he liked her. A fire in her belly, an attitude to play kindle to it, and an elegant frame to keep it all safe and warm. The gypsy's expression went from amusement to something a little less polite. Of course, the pride had never had any qualms about flirting. "Under one condition, firebreather." He tilted his head. "You tell me whether or not I can haul a kill back for you sometime." He winked, knowing full well that it was perhaps not the best time or place but a little humor could defuse even the most elevated of situations if played out right.

"Treat her like a lady, Renaissance!" He called as an after-thought.

If lions could blush the poor male would have gone red. Ducking his head, he trudged off beside Zeph, leaving the two 'elephants' behind to glare at each other or, in Shandor's case, to verbally spar as they saw fit.

"Don't listen to him. I would never! not... I just... anyway to business." He stammered awkwardly, once they were outside of earshot. "I... I cannot say how sorry I am, but I cannot apologize for them. Judging by the way of things, they would not appreciate it. Gypsies don't apologize for anything. Not in my experience. I...don't think that they meant poorly. If I'd have known it was your pride I would have been more stern with my opposition..."

"Now now, an elder such as yourself might stop his heart getting all worked up." Shandor countered with a raise of his brow. "And where I come from, such a pass is considered a complement. As your ears seem to be filled with wax, I would remind you that we are looking to expand our bloodpool." His eyes wandered after the female and his maw curled into a smirk. "Nothing wrong with enjoying an exotic flower~"

Regarding his own females, he could only laugh. "Oh they get my eyes far enough, I assure you. No finer females than the blossoms that grow within these sands."

Leo sighed and settled himself down onto his haunches. His nerves were stretched thin. No doubt he would get some hell for stepping in when he did but Shandor didn't have the diplomacy of the gypsy queen...and she hadn't seemed herself lately. It was a lot to expect out of any one lion. Riddle-mouth was clever and decent with defending the pride and executing the correct lions to specific tasks but...he was no diplomat. He seemed to take very little seriously and seemed to delight in his mind games. Ame would have handled the situation better... but she too had reached her limit.

"We share the sea. We share the sand. We share the misfortune of a very recent event and we share the fortune and misfortune of having headstrong leaders. He mentioned.. a disaster that dwindled your numbers, yes?" He paused for a moment, considering. "We lost numbers as well. You see, our goddess has left us. Well...their goddess. Insanity to be precise. Those that delighted in their condition left to find her. In place of insanity, we have thievery. So... our actions are not honest, but they are true to our new patron god. I'm afraid." He shrugged. "But this might work to our advantage- of both prides. Some of the greatest finds happen on accident!"

He fell silent again, then looked over to her. "...we need members. We need fresh blood. How about... we trade?" He held his paw out. "Hear me out... this pride is slowly becoming one that survives on trickery and deception, but not all cubs are meant for such things. Some are too clumsy, others simply find such ways as... well not their own. I'm sure you have little ones who look beyond their own borders for something else as well. Say... if we have three cubs who seek a more peaceful, less under-handed way of living and send them to your pride, you can send us three cubs that seek some sort of adventure. This would solve both our troubles. You get your cubs back, and you gain assurance that the gypsies will not trouble your pride again. After all- it is a rule not to deceive one of our own. This would solve our troubles. New blood, constant new blood."

"I am very sorry to hear that... and I can understand, and appreciate, the difference. I can only speak from observation. I was not within these lands when their own tribulation occurred. I know only of what's spoken to me." He snorted and added in a lighter tone. "Many suspect I have my own brand of madness. I've not yet gone out of my way to correct them."

He nodded gravely as she continued. "Oh their ways are not mine. Perhaps their honor is different from your own but...this is not something I have done any looking into. I find their ways strange and foreign, but do know that Riddle-mouth was met with a good deal of resistance from those within the pride. His gypsies and thieves aren't always in agreement with the mummers, fortune-tellers, and the alchemists such as myself. There is a wedge dividing us, even now."

He tilted his head and brought a paw to his chin. "...well if you want my opinion on it, I think that is the best option. An exchange of blood, the return of your cubs, and a promise never to steal... of course this would be a proposition of an alliance. Perhaps we can add a little gravity to this. A... seal so to speak on the agreement." He raised a claw. "What if...we had our leaders agree to two marriage arrangements. When Riddle-mouth sires a litter, one of his males and one of his females will be arranged to marry a son and daughter of your leader. One couple comes here to ensure our end is upheld, with the insight of both prides, and one couple goes into your territory to ensure the same. Riddle-mouth may be deceptive, but he would never risk one of his own. In the meantime, my offer to return to your territory in atonement for what happened remains."

"I wouldn't think so. Just someone important enough I suppose. And I don't see why we couldn't encourage such a ritual among the others in the pride. Perhaps once or...twice a year we could hold a meeting of our prides for young couples who've yet to find love within the pride." He chuckled. "Of course, there are only a few things I've noticed that they discourage considering romance. If the goal here is to ensure that new blood is moving through, I think that our leader would be happy enough with the arrangement." Not that he had any real love for the art of courting. It would be an interesting event to watch but he'd not attend as a participant.

"Well... I think a back up plan is a good one. Seems Riddle-mouth has had some trouble really finding time to court anyone. That or the ladies are wise to him already."

"This could work," Zephyr murmured. She was about to speak further when Eglantine approached and after the pink lioness had peered at her for a few moments, she began to nod slowly. While she didn't blame Eglantine for what had happened (as she knew desperation led to wild acts), perhaps the 'immediate' trade of representatives would be the stepping stone that both elephants needed to keep themselves in check. Add this to the fact that they could then begin to arrange more permanent alliances as circumstances improved and cubs matured...

Yes, this could definitely work.

"I appreciate what you have both offered but I think only one trade each would be required," Zephyr murmured. She turned to Eglantine and shook her head, reaching out a paw to nudge her gently. It was an attempt to show her that she wasn't angry and nor did she regard the female with contempt. "If this lioness feels that she would find sanctuary with us then I think she should go, not you...Ren," she continued.

She then took in another breath and smiled, finding her center though she knew her mother was likely to kill her based on what she was about to do herself.

"And in return, I'll stay here. It's a fair trade until the cubs and younger generations are old enough to meet one another in any other guise than friendship," she mused. Admittedly she wasn't that old herself, but she was of the appropriate age (and had taken her rites) to be respected for her maturity in the Bahari.

"If both of you are happy with this arrangement then perhaps we should present this to our posturing geese, eh?"