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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 5:12 pm
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It would be all too easy, to fall back into the pattern of old arguments. He'd done his duty. He didn't want a stolen, blood-stained "birthright." But he'd gotten somewhere, with reminding Mother of the rest of his siblings. She might be selfish and dramatic, but Mother did care about them. He met Liuhe's eyes, thinking hard. At present he wasn't at all certain that she wouldn't acquiesce for now, only to cause trouble later. Could they change that?
"Nesibindi, Alcmene, Khathelela, Selene, Father...where are they now?" His voice was low--he only wanted to remind her of previous monarchs' fates, not the entire pride. "Is it any surprise that we don't want to rule? Do you really want that for us?" He deliberately didn't look at Liuhe now, who would be less than happy about the historical reminder. He felt unclean for even mentioning it.
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 6:47 pm
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Halili was certain she'd never loved Orion more than she did in this very moment. After all that...he was willing to give up the world for her. The lioness closed her eyes, sealing this moment within her heart. She wanted to treasure this forever, regardless of anything else that happened.
But the world flowed onward around them, and she couldn't ignore it no matter how much she might want to. In fact, it was her own relatives who were now speaking with the new Queen. Perhaps this would be a good time to approach.
"Then let's go tell her we'll be happy to stay and support her rule," the lioness grinned at her mate and bounded forward, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure he was following. "Poor Aunt Nko looks like she could use some help!"
She wasn't paying much attention to the words being said by that small group, but she was, after all, one of Nkosazana's actual nieces.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good, a number of Parisa's offspring were coming out of the shadows to dissuade their mother from pressing her suit. Most of them seemed to be completely honest in their refusal to make demands of the new Queen, though she thought some might simply be biding their time, preferring to remain within the lands they knew rather then force their own exile.
Even better, to Nyeusi's eyes, was that it seemed Parisa was slowly getting worn down by her kin. Well and good. If this could end without more bloodshed and heartbreak, the Great Lion would be pleased.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Atz shook her head in overly expressive mourning. "Ah, Kotulo, how will you ever make me a grandmother if you keep acting like that? Besides, there's no harm in looking," the older lioness added with a smirk.
"Not to mention all the delightful gossip that'll be circulating after tonight!" the purple lioness went on, nodding towards the small knot of formerly-royal lions having a rather intense discussion that bid fair to outshine the Queen's audience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Maybe I'll never have cubs, just to stick it in your craw," the brown female muttered under her breath as her mother kept talking as if she were...some sort of loose woman, who had sex at the drop of a leaf!
Then she noticed where Atz'mayiy was gesturing. It was Parisa...and several of the dead King's children. A retort to her mother died unspoken on her lips as she stared in growing horror. Was the new Queen's reign going to be challenged?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Um...yes? Please?" the lion answered sheepishly. He really wasn't good at this. Or, really, at anything. He'd been pretty bad at being a Royal Guard too - though he'd tried! Of course, Yksivarinen tried hard at everything he did. He also failed at almost everything he tried at.
Having Neema help out would probably be a very good idea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hmmm, it seemed Parisa was willing to see the so-called "reason" her cubs were trying to show her. Dwyllodrus had no doubts about his ability to survive outside the pride, but he had to admit, at least to himself, that he was comfortable here. Probably because it was a known quantity, as opposed to the mysterious rogue lands.
Iloziya was not inclined to be as lazy as Dwyllo, and the dark male felt no shame or anger for his brother who'd opted to leave. It was his choice, no more and no less.
"You know," he said, stepping forward to join the conversation he'd observed, "your mother isn't demanding that any of you become our father. Hells, she even admitted near the end that he'd gone too far, pushed too hard." He paused, surveying the group.
"Can you really blame her for wanting the best for her children?" Oh sure, he knew there was more to it than that, but it was better to spin this in the best possible light.
Of course, even if things worked out tonight, the Queen could always exile them later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Does it really matter, Liuhe?" she countered as he tried to turn her own point against her. "He did what he thoguht was best, and I loved him for it. Obviously, you thought he ranked lower than your own piss," the lioness snarled at her brother. Such a goody-two-paws! He would refuse to see the light of stars at night, just because he hated the darkness!
But...now it seemed like Mother was going to give in! And that damned half-brother of theirs was encouraging her!
"Don't listen to them, Mother!" Xiyang insisted. "They're just trying to cover up the fact that they hated Father and are glad he's dead." The black lioness moved to stand between her mother and the rest, glaring at her relatives with red eyes.
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 8:23 pm
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Grinsen made his way through the crowded area, ears pricked forward in interest. Since joining the Mwezi right before the dung hit the hippo's tail he'd never seen so many lions gathered in one place. Granted, the time he had been here had been a time of turmoil. Things had settled down now, thankfully, and he was glad for it. Drama wasn't something he enjoyed. Nah, give him the easy life, fun and happiness and laughter! Things seemed to be heading that way for the pride and he was glad for it.
Ducking and weaving through the crowd with a few 'scuse me's thrown in, he finally spotted a familiar face. His signature grin settled onto his features as he 'accidentally' bumped into Iki'renkli's shoulder.
"Oh geez, sorry," he said, playing it off as if he hadn't seen the dark lioness. "Oh...Iki'renkli. Fancy seein' you here. Met the new leader yet?" He hadn't, but he figured there were others in the pride that were chomping at the bit to do so. He was new, he didn't need to shove himself in front of everyone just to say hi and offer his congratulations.
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:00 pm
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Rashne rolled his shoulders, "If she keeps prattling on like this, she might be. And really I'm surprised more lions aren't watching. She's certainly squawking enough she should have drawn SOME attention besides ours." The only lion he'd noticed paying attention to their little family drama was Tama, but then the lioness was all but plastered to his side. Like a wet leaf on a rock... Great Lion above but he was starting to compare himself to a rock! Sometimes he wished he were a lioness, not having to worry about what moving classes meant. He liked lazing around doing nothing - Taking Tama as a mate would mean he'd have to actually DO SOMETHING. But then he thought of how being a High Class lioness meant that, surely, somebody would try to woo him - Her? - just to move up in rank. It almost made leaving tempting, but that ALSO meant he'd have to actually do something. Why couldn't Tama be high class so he could just keep doing nothing? And why was he thinking of her as if they were already mates..?!
Listening to the family bicker made Tama all the more glad her own family didn't appear to have any internal conflicts going on. Sure, her aunt was queen, but then... So what? Kimondo was still her aunt, and nothing would change that fact.
Okay, there WAS a BIT of drama, in that her father couldn't yet join the pride. If her parents became mates, it wouldn't matter what phase of the moon he woke up under, either - He'd automatically get shuffled right up into the High Class with the rest of that part of the family.
She cast a glance to Dwyllodrus, listening to his words. She gave no voice on her opinion about the whole matter, though - It wasn't her place. Despite being all but stuck to Rashne's side, she was still an outsider to the situation. She continued to hold her tongue, only listening and processing it all.
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 4:14 am
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Kimondo watched Manyara and Nkosazana, feeling very guilty that they were not all better acquainted but it sounded very much like this went back at least a generation. Had it not been her own mother who had taught her about her great grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins? She'd have to ask about it.. but she had a feeling the answer would simply be that the time was never quite right for introductions, especially for Kimondo and her siblings.
"I'd really like that," she answered Manyara with a smile, glancing at Nko, "My sister, Hodari, is sitting somewhere behind me. You could go talk to her in the meantime. She-- she actually has cubs of her own, too."
Well, if it wasn't awkward enough to be the one to tell your own great-grandmother she was a great-grandmother.. now she would be the on informing her that she was a great-great-grandmother.
Though he meant every word he had said, Orion was relieved when Halili chose to stay and support their new queen. The pride was familiar, and comfortable when it was at peace.. and they just might get it again after so long.
Staying meant he'd have to work extra hard to keep Halili happy. Whatever the Great Lion and the pride thought of her, he would make sure that she never forgot that she was his world.
"Alright, alright," he said, smiling and following after his mate. He wondered at the remark about Nko, wondering if she was still mourning her lost brother.
Neema beamed when Varinen accepted her offer to accompany him. She hopped past him, giving him a good nudge along the way, all set to lead them into the line to meet the queen. She'd get to pay her respects and admiration, maybe even tell someone who would believe her that she knew this would happen.. and she would help make sure her sweetie was allowed to stay despite his adorably misguided love for a trinket that really ought to be left behind.
"Come on, then!" she said.
Liuhe grimaced, not having it in him to even pretend for a moment that this was why he had abdicated and insisted his siblings denounce their claims, too. He didn't want to think about the short lifespan that had afflicted the vast majority of their monarchs in living memory..
He didn't want to think about the risk Kimondo was taking accepting a position he was too much of a coward to face, but Yueyun was on the right track. Alive was better than dead, no matter the rank.
Well, maybe not any rank according to mom but..
Unfortunately, Xiyang was not done fighting.
Parisa's ears turned when Dwyllodrus offered his insight into the situation, and she couldn't help but scowl when Xiyang tried to encourage her. They were evenly matched, three against her and three (including herself) on her side.. but she could hear her younger children gossiping behind her and knew they were not going to take a stand for what was theirs by blood. So she decided, for tonight, she would accept the loss.. but another feeling was welling up deep inside her, she wanted to rage and curse and cause a scene.. but it wasn't going to happen.
"Hush, Xiyang," she said, cutting off her supportive daughter and giving a near identical glare to those opposing them, "I can see I won't be able to change any minds here tonight. But I played my part, I knew his time had come and I gave you your chance to end the war. I will not be subjected to the indignity of begging to stay in my home. If the queen wants to exile me, she'll have to come to me."
With a huff, Parisa turned herself away from the crowd and stomped off. She was done with this night.
Rahim nodded as Rashne commented on the likely outcome for the night.. and then sighed when their mother gave up and had the nerve to walk away. Shaking his head he watched her go.
"Yeah, she's super exiled," he said.
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:11 pm
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[ooc: sorry, struggling to keep up ;o; ]
"My name is Juno and this is Tu-Bana," the pale lioness answered, moving aside as more lions and lionesses came forward to greet the new queen. Beside her, Tu-Bana gave a disgruntled growl and backed off to make room. He was still uncertain around crowds - old habits still not fully worn off.
With a polite nod, Juno moved to join him and together they hustled to the relative safety of the undergrowth, using it to guard their backs.
"What do you think of her?"
Tu-Bana blinked and gave a shrug, "too soon to tell."
If he was going to be honest, she didn't seem like leader material, but the only leader he had ever known had been brutal and feared. Perhaps, he thought, there were other ways to go about things.
Ecavi [sorry for delay. I actually don't think these two have been initiated yet!]
Yavin heard his name being called and grimaced, glancing across at his son with the typical anti-social attitude that he had adopted since all this had begun.
Endor, curiously, peeked over his shoulder, seeing that it was Caritas who was approaching. "The midwife," he explained, rising to his paws and moving forwards to greet her. Wherever the younger male had gotten his manners from, it had not been his father.
"Hello, Caritas."
Yavin, slowly, turned to face her. "Is it?" he asked, wondering why it was good to see him, in particular. "Why is that?"
Endor sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Perhaps," Ivie'lingwa muttered, "we'll have better luck with a female on the throne. Males always seem to mess things up."
Charon's ears drooped a little, "all of them?"
Ivie turned to glance at her son as if she had only just realised he was, in fact, a male, and gave an amused snort, "most."
He smiled then and settled himself down on the ground, stretching out his forelegs and glancing back at the queen. Quite a crowd was gathering around her now. To pledge their allegiance, it seemed. He would have liked to do the same, except the thought of it sudden;y made him shy and nervous. He had no place there. He was no one special.
"It's too crowded," Ivie complained.
-----
Nissa and Shesha lapsed into silence, watching the scene play out before them. They spoke no more on the fate of their family member, though it was clear they were both still thinking of her. It wasn't fair. The lower class couldn't really be blamed for what had happened.
Shangyue had seen the weakness in their system and gone for it's throat, promising better lives for those who lingered at the bottom of the pecking order.
Shesha, with a deep sigh, leaned in against her mother and turned her head to look elsewhere, noting the rogue pair as they moved away from where the queen stood. Hm.
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 2:36 pm
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Hodari had been happy to be acknowledged by her sister so gracefully, though she hoped to speak with her after this night was finished, she wondered if it were possible at this point. Her sister was now Queen and while there were certain topics left majorly unsaid, would she ever be able to speak comfortably with her sister again?
The thought of it troubled her. Even with her jealously and the earlier feelings of betrayal that came when her sister killed the former king, she couldn't stand the idea of never being able to talk with her sister again because of rank. The idea frightened her more than anything else. Kimondo was easily the sibling that she was the most close with. With the rebellion, Kimondo had been the one Hodari sought out, rather than any of her others... Now that the war was over, she would make a point to reconnect with them and even her parents, too.
At the nudge of her familiar she looked up. Kimondo had said something important, offered Hodari to speak with someone. She perked her ears, scolding herself for spacing it. Her head lowered in a respectful nod, but it was really to hear the whispers of what she had missed from Amabala.
Ah, the two before her were family! Her aunt, Manyara and goodness, her great-grandmother, Nkosazana! Hodari really had drifted far from her family after the king's death. How good it would be to speak with them again! She lifted her head and gave the two lionesses a bright smile, while Amabala made room in case they wanted to come and sit by them. If they approached, Hodari would easily move away from her sister (for it would not be polite to carry a conversation so close to the Queen) to speak with her family. Since Kimondo had herself had suggested such a thing, she was certain that she would not take offense if Hodari left to speak with their family.
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Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 2:45 pm
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Through all Yoru's looking, his eyes finally found themselves resting upon another sister, Tama. This was hardly surprising, considering that the sister to brother ratio in his family was greatly contrasted. Casting a glance to Miyako, who seemed perfectly happy where she was for the time being, he got up and moved over to his sister, who was nearly darker in color than Yoru himself.
"Hey." He said to her, glancing over his sister's shoulder to where Rashne was speaking with his own family. He wanted to sigh at the sight of it. Mother had said the rebellion was over and now they had a new Queen and everything. Couldn't people just move on? He knew better than to voice such things, of course, he wasn't inlclined to get into such an argument as the ones surrounding him, but... It would be nice if he could have someone to listen to him, even occasionally.
Attention moving back to Tama, he leaned into her shoulder a little and remarked. "Some night, huh?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 7:09 am
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The lioness led her mate up towards the Queen, but waited a moment just beyond the younger female's immediate range as one of Firaga's other children came up and spoke. Halili blinked in surprise - she hadn't expected any of that dark lion's offspring to offer their loyalty so clearly. But perhaps she'd allowed her opinion of Firaga himself to taint how she saw his offspring. That was a poor choice on her part.
Still, once Fasrin had been dealt with, the light-furred lioness stepped forward.
"Queen Kimondo, while Orion and I greatly appreciate your offer to all members of our class, we would much rather stay here, in our home." Her face darkened as she continued. "Any loyalty I bore your predecessor died with my father."
Great Lion, it still hurt. But already it hurt less than the immediate aftermath, and each successive day was a little better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The black lioness gaped as her mother told her to shut up. After all the work she'd put into defending her? Well, that was some thanks! And now Parisa had stormed off, refusing to argue further with anyone. A low growl escaped Xiyang's throat in her frustration.
"Now look what you did!" she raged, turning to Liuhe. "You've messed everything up, ever since you turned your back on Father's throne!" If she'd been any other lioness, Xiyang might've been tempted to attack her brother, but she'd never been a physically expressive lioness. Not when words would work better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nyeusi snorted to herself. Had Parisa ever truly grown up, that she could throw a temper tantrum like that at her age? The former Queen wasn't a blight on the pride the way Shangyue had been, merely self-centered. Like that daughter she'd raised, who was, in Nyeusi's opinion, far worse.
But since neither was important enough for the Great Lion's will to be clear to Nyeusi, she supposed it would be the Queen's choice what to do. As for Dwyllodrus...the black lioness didn't trust him. She wasn't certain what drew him to Parisa, but the younger lion had been an eager disciple of his mother, and Nyeusi would happily see the pride rid of Tyfu's taint for once and for all.
"And what of you?" she asked him, speaking up for the first time since she'd begun observing the building drama. "Will you choose to leave of your own free will...or wait for the Queen to decide?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dark lion turned to face the new challenge. The insane lioness was now talking to him, it seemed, challenging him to take a stand. And he didn't doubt that she knew exactly what she was doing, regardless of how crazed she'd acted in the past.
Dwyllodrus was certain, seeing her now, that it had always been an act. After all, Father hadn't taken her seriously at all until near the end, and especially after what she'd done to his immediate family. Yellow eyes narrowed at the thought.
"And what makes you think those are my only choices?" he asked softly, daring Nyeusi to say more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pale lioness watched as Parisa left in a huff, shaking her head, a smile on her face. "See, she was like you once," Atz told her daughter. "A young lioness of the High Class who was courted by a powerful male. It seemed reasonable at the time to do as he wanted, and she certainly enjoyed the rank and prestige it offered. But now that's all been torn away from her, and she's not sure what to do. She doesn't know much about the lands beyond our borders, but even she can admit that Shangyue did bad things. She's simply too stubborn to bend knee and apologize for whatever part she may have had."
Atz'mayiy didn't necessarily think her daughter would end up the way Parisa's story looked likely to end, but she saw in the brown lioness many similar traits to the black. Only time would tell, in the end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kotulo Khoeli frowned as her mother's conversation took an odd and unexpected turn. Oh sure, she knew that she and Parisa had a few things in common, but it wasn't as if she was going to turn around and become some murderous thug's mate! Whatever Atz'mayiy thought was going on, she was obviously wrong and misinformed.
But since she wasn't being blatantly offensive this time, Kotulo managed to keep her indignition (and confusion, and scorn) behind her teeth. Now she was wondering how much longer until she could slip away!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Okay," the lion agreed nervously as he and Neema began to make their way towards Queen Kimondo. They were *gulp* right behind Orion and Halili. Both of them were fearsome to 'Varinen. Halili for what she'd done the night of Shangyue's coronation, stopping Uchanjaa from killing him. Orion, because when he'd been assigned to kill that same lion, had switched sides and killed Tyfu instead.
The monochrome male was no little afraid of the lion who could take out such a fearsome foe. He dropped back slightly behind Neema, as if he could conceal himself with the lioness as a shield between him and the scary other pridemembers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh, probably because you have been all but invisible of late, just like your mate," the lioness replied airily. She didn't blame Yavin of course, but she did find it interesting to note.
"I do hope everything is well in your family," the Midwife continued, nodding towards Endor. It made her feel somewhat old to see how well-grown the younger lion was, but that seemed to be a fact of life, and she couldn't do a thing about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, yes. I see now," Lailah replied. She offered her daughter a smile. "Perhaps we should go spend time with them. After all, this is a night of celebration for the pride, and I don't need to be made much of on Queen Kimondo's night." She began walking as she spoke, knowing that Inenekazi would keep up in the end.
The white lioness did wonder why Caritas had chosen to speak with her mate, but supposed it didn't matter too much in the end. It wasn't as if the pride was too large to know anyone beyond one's immediate family, and the three of them had all been born into the High Class. It would have been more surprising if they didn't know each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sounds good to me!" 'Nene replied cheerfully as she followed her mother. It seemed like she was always walking in her mother's footsteps - not that she minded. There were many worse lionesses to emulate than Lailah K'chol - Tyfu came to mind rather quickly - and 'Nene was proud of her mother.
Especially when she looked and saw the line of lions and lionesses gathered to congratulate the new Queen. So many people were genuinely pleased, she knew her mother had made the best choice.
"You look confused, Endor!" she greeted her brother as they came near.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Hunt Leader had been watching the unfolding drama when she was nearly knocked off her feet by a "bump". Turning, her glare fell upon a familiar lion. Grinsen.
"It's no surprise I'm here," she retorted. "Everyone in the pride is here." Which should have been obvious even to a former Rogue like him. "And no, I haven't met the Queen yet. Why? Have you?" the lioness' tone implied she highly doubted he had, mostly because she'd been watching the line of well-wishers and hadn't seen his relatively distinctive coloration in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seemed like the line of people going up to Kimondo would never end, and Nketa didn't really want to go up in a crowd of relative strangers. Of course, she also didn't want to have the whole pride's eyes on her either, but she was fairly certain she needed to do this tonight, eyes or not.
She also wanted Antara to go up with her, but her twin seemed distracted, and maybe she didn't want to go up. Nketa wouldn't force her, but still, this was a bit awkward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moholi watched the twins, trying to figure out the differences. One seemed more nervous than the other, and seemed to want to hide behind her sister, keeping the other lioness between her and the crowd of people. Both were quiet or, if they spoke, it was only to each other, and impossible to hear over the low roar of many lions talking at once.
The blue male edged himself closer to the pair as he started considering what he might say to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were so many things going on, Jituo wasn't certain where to look. He'd been mostly watching the Queen and the lions around her, but the blue and white male eventually became aware of something else going on, with a number of lions who looked to be kin. In fact, he recognized the Regent in that group, and did catch the words "Mother" and "Father" more than once. This led him to theorize that these lions were, in fact, Shangyue's family. He remembered Ukulwa saying that the previous King had had three litters of children. Looking at the assorted group, he could believe it.
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 11:25 am
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Maua arrived at the gathering, feeling mildly wary. Before the chaos, she could have approached such an assembly as a chance to climb the ladder... whether it was by ingratiating herself to those High Class members present, or by flattering and wooing one of the eligible males of that class. But now? Everything was turned on its head. All through the last part of Shangyue's reign, she had wrestled with where she fit in, what role she wanted for herself. Her goals hadn't changed, of course, but things were... different now. Very different.
Her mistakes were still sharp in her memory, as they likely would be in those few who knew the role she'd played in things. So when her niece was declared Queen, Maua felt a shiver run down her spine. Had she spoken more often of Vesper, had he been more vocal and involved, had she not warned him... would this lioness have been here to accept the honor? It played havoc with her thoughts and priorities to consider the ramifications of all that could have gone differently, changing this very moment.
Still, she wasn't terribly introspective, and so twitched her hide down her back to rid herself of the creepy feelings, then moved forward to ease her way through the crowd. Certain circles of families she gave a wide berth, not the least of which was the very intense and not at all unexpected knot around Parisa. That was one storm she definitely wanted to keep out of!
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