[PRP] The Follow Up Meeting

[Kimaria]

Well...this was just slightly awkward.

The conversation they had just shared with the two seers had drawn a number of things to the surface that Tapana would have liked to have kept secret. A little regret, maybe, of letting the female invade her past to use as proof? Perhaps, but what was done was done and there was no going back. Not now. Not unless the seers also had the power to erase a mind...

She pulled herself up onto her paws and cast a wary sort of look at Agni-pariksha, feeling rather out of her comfort zone for the first time in...well...forever.

"You're mad." Stating the obvious somehow seemed like the best course of action.  

[Kimaria]

Tapana gave her counterpart a wry smile, shaking her head slowly at the embers crackling from the intensity of her mood. "It's okay to be mad. I stepped out of line and we've bitten off a lot more than we can chew." Perhaps. "We'll find a way to deal with it one way or another."

As to her second question...that was a lot easier to answer. "Not very many. There are a few traditionalists lurking in the nooks and crannies of the pride but they're a dying breed. We're a dying breed," she corrected. There was no point hiding the fact now that it was out in the open - to the regent, at least. She hoped the seers would keep quiet about it, too. She couldn't risk the pride finding out so soon. They probably wouldn't be too happy...or maybe they wouldn't care. She supposed it would come out eventually. "The rogues who joined us likely don't hold too strong an opinion either way, but the lions and their families who fought in the civil war likely wouldn't think too highly of it and there are a lot of them."

She paused before taking her seat again, "what of you? Are you open to it?"  

[Kimaria]

"Could it be pure luck or is it something more?" Tapana added to Agni-pariksha's musings. "Or is it just that we never truly took them seriously enough? We should have crushed them the moment they started causing trouble. The Firekin of old would have done just that, back when we were known as tyrants who took slaves and dished out no mercy."

Still, in Tapana's mind, that time had come and gone. It felt a little too late now to go raining fire down on Nergui heads. She was curious but not vengeful and there had been no sightings of their absent enemy for some time, now.

"Do you want to know what I think? I think we are being put to the test. Adanna and Adeyemi. Their colouring is like that of an old-blood Firekin. Strong, simple and bold. I believe that I know who their mother is. I think she is Finar-Si and that the only reason they survived so long in captivity is that they carry her blood in their veins. If we use their power, maybe Finar-Si will return and put even greater fire in our blood."

Fire, or tyranny...?

 

[Kimaria]

Tapana gave a wry smile, nodding very slightly. This was going to be a headache of epic proportions but the possibilities it could bring would be worth it...hopefully. "The seers and their powers have been overlooked for years. For all we know we could have Firekin born-and-bred seers peeking where they shouldn't and we wouldn't have a clue. Part of me wishes that these seers weren't outsiders but perhaps it's for the best. They won't hold so much trust over the pride and if they do decide to spill secrets, maybe they won't be so readily believed."

Still, the idea of them becoming watchers was an interesting one and Tapana decided quickly that the idea didn't need much debating, "the Watcher rank seems a suitable one for them. Only time will tell whether we were right to trust them. Judging from the secrets that Adanna was able to find with not much time, there's no telling what else she might dig up. Still, perhaps it's not so bad. I get the distinct impression that she is the more powerful seer of the two. Perhaps she is an exceptional case and that most seers haven't so much control over their abilities."

She paused, thinking, "if we could unlock this new potential, however, can you imagine what sort of strength it will give us? If the Nergui seers were able to give that unorganised group of ruffians such success, what could it bring to the Firekin?"

She laughed, curling the tip of her tail in delight, "so, dearest Agni-pariksha, where do we go from here? What should our focus be? When we were promoted we had a big list that we needed to tackle. Shall we proceed with tracking Nergui or do we focus on our promotions first? I imagine there's many a glory-thirsty Firekin waiting to prove themselves worthy of a high rank."  

[Kimaria]

((Sorry for delay. Baby got sick, then I got sick, then I had to work ;_; ))

"I agree," Tapana replied, "figuring just how many seers we have here would be a good start. We can then try and pinpoint the more capable and trustworthy ones. Better to know who we should be keeping an eye on. Anyone who can see things no ordinary lion can needs to be watched closely." Maybe they could be their link to Finar-Si. Use their gift to call her back to the desert and walk amongst them once again.

Tapana nodded in agreement, happy to put the Nergui to one side whilst they built themselves up further. Perhaps they were over-preparing, but she'd rather be ready to crush an enemy the next time, rather than underestimate and suffer the consequences.

"We'll get ourselves another Simo lion if you so wish," she agreed reluctantly, "though lions out of the loop might find that a little...odd. It can't be helped. If they try to question it, I'll shoot them down." She didn't intend on suddenly going public with her devotion to Finar-Si. She hoped that would be understood. "Most Firekin prefer to remember the bad and not the good when it comes to the 'old ways'. They might even try to get me thrown from my position if they found out. I'm not about to start demanding slaves to fan me in the midday sun or sharpen my claws. Nor am I about to suggest kicking out all of the new blood. Once they get to know me better, they'll come around." Or so she hoped...

"Very well, promotions will be our focus for now. It shouldn't take too long to attract the talent we need. After that, I'd like to take a trip to the Bonelands outpost and see about attracting some new blood into the pride. When that is done, we'll see about sending out a search party. We've waited this long to do so, a few more weeks won't hurt."  

[Kimaria]

((much better, thank you!))

Agni-pariksha's response got Tapana right in the heart. It was nice to know that, despite keeping things secret, her partner in crime was still on her side. Still believed in her. "Your reasoning is viable. Hopefully there will be no questioning it. The whole point of magistrates is for a balanced view, after all. We're spoiled for choice as far as candidates for the position but the ones you mention are worth head-hunting initially. If they don't want the job, we can look elsewhere. Giving up their more active roles for backbench seats might not sit too well with them."

She grinned a toothy grin and stretched, flexing each forepaw in turn, "it sounds like we've got our work cut out for us. Just how I like it. Come find me later? I'd rather like another duel against you. I've been practising." She laughed, remembering their first duel all too well.

"I'll go mingle amongst the Simo for a while and see who else I can dig up."