[PRP - Center] A Protective Shadow [Avani & Kweli]

[Quaji]

The imperial family of Tianxia was undergoing widespread changes as Avani was elevated to the role of the crown princess, heir to her mother's throne, and Akuji was removed from the position she now occupied. It was a difficult, but important decision that the family had not made with a light heart. There was no denying Akuji's ailing health, his lack of mobility, and little improvement over the years. Allowing him the rest he may need to gain his independence back meant removing the weight of the empire from his shoulders, a burden Avani was willing to bear for her brother.

And so the imperial family rallied the houses to ensure their daughter was adequately taught all she would need for the role of ruling the widespread pride. Tutors from across Tianxia were summoned to the Central House to offer lessons in numerous subjects in greater detail than Avani had received in her childhood. Although none had arrived yet, they were expected after the West's autumn festival's conclusion. Their impending arrival in the small Central House gave its residents an opportunity to prepare for these visitors. One of these preparations included redoubling the royal guard, allowing Avani to choose one who would shadow her as Ryger had for her father or Pupitar for her mother.

The North felt the loss of Captain Thrain acutely, still mourning his absence even after the years that had passed since he was announced as missing in action, failing to return from his expedition to the Pridelands at the behest of her brother and her father's request. Had he still been with the Tianxia, there is no doubt in Avani's heart that he would have been summoned. The falcons she had requested Hati sent to the North, seeking who they endorsed for such a position as to become the shadow of the future empress.

The crown princess sat upon a flat stone in what could only be described as a 'throne room'. It was a small, secluded area surrounded by thick foliage; trees, shrubs, and flowers all, giving it the feeling of privacy. While small in size and population, the Central House still valued their intimate moments remain that way. Outside, Ryger was stationed. Good and loyal, serving the emperor for years, Avani had little worry of any unwanted ears hearing any of the conversations.  

[SilverLutz]

A red lion slowly approached where Avani waited, his steps measured and careful. He paused outside the enclosed area, speaking briefly to Ryger before the blue male permitted the red to enter. Once again he took measured steps, making his way forward towards the new heir. Golden eyes rested upon her for just a moment before he lowered his head in a bow, remaining in the position as he spoke.

"Crown Princess Long Di, it is an incredible honor to meet you," he said as he finally lifted his head, once again facing the lioness. He stood straight and tall, hopefully giving off a good impression of a loyal, devoted soldier.

"I am Yong Zhi. I was chosen from the North House to be evaluated by you for your consideration of joining the Royal Guard." It was like he was in a dream even as he said those words. All the years of training hard and showing his devotion to his house and pride were truly paying off. When he'd been approached with the honor he'd barely believed what he had heard, but it seemed that everyone was in agreement that he was the one that should be sent.

Even though internally he was vibrating with both excitement and nerves, his exterior was calm, cool, and collected. His stance was strong but not ridged, alert but not strained. He was confident in his skill and could fall back on years of standing at attention for the Lord and Lady of his house and his superiors to keep from appearing terrified to be before the Crown Princess.

"I will humbly do anything you ask of me to make you feel confident in my abilities. I wish to serve you and your family. It would be the greatest honor for me to do so." Phew...his introduction was over. Now he could only wait and hope he'd pass whatever tests she wished to throw at him, be they ones he could do here and now or perhaps a probationary period of a few moons to see if he was truly worthy of the task and title.

Quaji

 

[Quaji]

The murmurs of conversation between the red and blue lions did not escape Avani's ear as she straightened herself, hoping to the gods she appeared presentable. There was a certain decorum that was expected from a lioness of her station, especially so when receiving guests. She waited, holding her tongue and tail, for Ryger to allow the North's chosen soldier entry into the private location.

He was kind and courteous, the teachings of Tianxia plain as he approached and bowed to her, offering words of introduction, of gratitude and promise. Pride beamed from his face as he stood ready to accept the honor she offered. In truth, Avani had not once thought to test him, simply allowing the North to choose someone worthy of the prestige and be done with it. So much of her time was devoted to studies and travel, lessons and memorization that testing him had not occurred to the princess. But as he stood tall, eagerly waiting for her word, Avani's mind swayed towards indulging him, accepting his readiness to please and truly testing him. A moment away from the Central House could do wonders for the heiress before her teachers truly tested her instead.

"Yong Zhi," she spoke with gentle eloquence as the lioness tilted her head ever so slightly. "By your efforts, you have been chosen to stand here before me, representing the North. I expect the North will not disappoint me."

Rising from the stone slab, Avani stood slightly higher than Kweli, looking down and passed him to where Ryger's shadow stood. He was standing as a sentinel, too focused on his work. Good. Without a word, she turned and pushed into the brush. "Follow," she mouthed back to the red lion before disappearing into the foliage.  

[SilverLutz]

Kweli kept his breathing slow and measured to keep himself from getting too overwhelmed, the deep breaths allowing him to focus on something other than how his stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. His heart beat just a bit faster as Avani finally addressed him, adrenaline surging through his body as excitement tightened its grip. He listened to every syllable, ears turned towards the lioness to catch each word she said.

When she stood and then turned away, Kweli wasn't sure what to do. She seemed to accept that he was here by what she'd said but there were no orders that followed. None, that is, until she looked back over her shoulder and commanded him to follow her.

He did so without question, his gait quick to catch up to her as she pushed through the foliage that created the little space they were in. He pushed through behind her, catching up enough so that he didn't need to shove his way through on his own, rather catching the vines and branches before they closed behind her. He didn't question where they were going nor why they were leaving the area, already committed to doing whatever she asked of him.  

[Quaji]

There, was a bird resting upon a low branch, watching curiously as she came closer. Avani shared whispered words to the falcon that swiftly took to the air, vanishing from sight in seconds. Turning back to Kweli, she spoke confidently, offering the soldier a small smile. "Your duty as a member of the royal guard would be to protect the imperial family, but as my royal guard, your duty is firstly to ensure my safety in the event of my safety being threatened. This is typically through battle, with claws and fang, but if you are outnumbered, or cannot protect me, what should be done?"

Avani offered a brief pause, straightening herself as she let her scarlet eyes meet his golden ones. "Should the Central House be compromised, be it in war, assassins stalking our territory, or some other nefarious agent seeking my family and I's harm, I must be escorted to safety. Where else is safer in Tianxia than the North? Deliver me to the North, but let none see us." They were in a small set of trees that thinned quickly, offering just enough cover for privacy, but not much more than a glade, surrounded by those who served the Tianxian imperial family; hunters, other guards, and messengers, and then there was her own family that occupied the territory.

"Pretend as though they all meant me harm."  

[SilverLutz]

As the thicket thinned enough to move through it without pushing aside branches, Kweli moved to walk alongside Avani. He kept a few paces behind her out of respect, though he was certainly close enough to speak to should she wish to. Eventually she did and his ears pricked up with attention, his focus on her as she told him what she wanted him to do.

Kweli had rarely come to the Central House and he'd certainly never lingered long, but he knew the way to and from pretty well. There weren't many places to hide like this small grove of trees but the terrain wasn't completely flat and he could use that to their advantage. The hardest part would simply be leaving this area, he wagered. Then again, he'd never really had to work alone before. During his years as a Soldier he'd always worked together with others in his house, using each other's strengths to fill in the gaps of their weaknesses.

So, taking from that teaching, he gave a little nod and surveyed what he could see. The few lions milling about certainly weren't looking for them so that would make this task easier, but he still wasn't sure of the layout of the land. But he had a very handy source who did.

"I defer to you to start, Heiress," he said quietly, turning his gaze to her after his quick scan. "I don't know the lay of the Central House as well as you do. Yet," he added, just a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I do know the way once we move away from this central area and can use what knowledge I have to get us to the North then, but you've lived here all your life. Are there more groves like this? Any sort of foliage or shrubs like the ones we left? Or perhaps a few hills or rocks to use to our advantage?"

Kweli wasn't afraid to ask for help in situations like this, although requesting such a thing from a Royal did take a lot of gumption. But he had to show her he could think outside of the box and that for all the trust she would have to place in him, he would do the same for her. She'd grown up here and it would be silly to not consider her to be a resource.  

[Quaji]

"The lands to the north of here are higher, as the elevation climbs to meet the moorlands of the North. The vegetation is short, like most of the grasses you have seen in your House. Groves such as this are rarities, most were planted in the days of my grandparents' rule, saplings brought from the West and East." The knowledge she provided was rattled off, repeated as though she had spoken the same words a hundred times. Perhaps she had. "Rocks are common, formations large, but vertical in their size. We are in the center of my House and the elevation only rises higher as we head North, but you are aware of that."

Avani watched him carefully. This was his test, not hers. She knew how to evade her nannies, the returning hunters, and even Ryger as she had already shown. The only one who still caught her was either her own mother or Pupitar, though they were typically together. However, his lack of confidence in himself was concerning to the princess. The corner of Avani's mouth fell ever so slightly, the smile she once offered him was gone. "Improvise, soldier. Use your eyes, see the sun and learn on your feet. The terrain will change with the seasons, obscured by rain and fog, even snow in the depth of winter. Would you have me lead us to safety in unknown territory? Or would you ask for a guide there as well?"  

[SilverLutz]

Kweli listened and nodded as she quickly gave him a run down of the area. It seemed there would be coverage here and there for them, but for the most part they'd have to time their movement as they went from shelter to shelter. The grass wouldn't do much for them here and he couldn't rely on more trees, so rocks would have to be their main source of cover. Thankfully she mentioned they were tall so they'd be easy to spot.

As her tone changed to something more akin to disapproval, Kweli felt his chest tighten up. He didn't change his posture or halt in scanning the area, keeping tabs on the lions and other creatures that mingled around. It seemed two of them were talking so they'd be distracted enough and there was one cheetah who was currently glancing in the direction he was planning to move in, so once she looked away they could move.

"I apologize, Heiress," he said, not wishing to come up with excuses or speak against her. All he could do was prove with his actions that he was confident. Perhaps she wasn't truly bothered by his questioning and was merely putting on a show to throw him off, but he wasn't going to try to find out. He was sure she knew how the soldiers were trained in the North, or perhaps she would learn soon if she hadn't, but he wasn't going to stand here and explain how he was taught to use others strengths to fill in his weaknesses while they could be moving.

Instead, Kweli focused on the task he'd been given. Finally the cheetah glanced away, moving in the opposite direction of where they were heading. He could see a stout rock in the direction he wanted to go and he made that their target.

"Keep close to me," he said, finally turning to look at Avani. "I'd prefer not to give verbal cues to stop and go, so stay a step or so behind me please." He trusted she'd listen as he turned back, giving one more glance of the area to ensure those nearby were occupied before leaving the grove. He moved quickly but kept low to the ground as hunters do when closing in on their prey, paws silent in the short grass as he moved. His eyes were on the two chatting lionesses, but soon he and the Crown Princess moved far enough so the grove of trees blocked their view.

He gave a glance around to ensure no one else was looking and, when satisfied, he broke into a gentle run. The distance between them and their first bit of shelter closed and when they reached it he stopped, keeping low so his head didn't poke over the top of the rock. He scanned the area again to pick a new destination and to look for potential threats, stilling as he saw someone heading their way.

"There's someone coming," he said quietly. "If they don't change their path we'll move around the rock to keep it between us and them."  

[Quaji]

There were dens dotted around the Central House, some subterranean, most not, with foliage low and dense with the acidic soil that the North and Center had in common. It was not uncommon for visitors, some to see her parents, others delivering messages to the occupants that served the imperial family directions. What tree cover there was available was clustered, too dense, and too close to these key locations, lining paths and gardens that would be far too well-traveled for this exercise.

As Kweli spoke, Avani listened, silently praising him for finally listening and taking his task seriously. Perhaps he was serious since he woke and received the news of his summons some days ago, or perhaps he had needed to be scolded. Her verbal thrashing seemed to ignite something in the soldier's gut as she watched his eyes scan over their immediate surroundings. He was thinking on his feet, exactly as she had asked. Good.

His instructions were clear and concise and the princess appreciated that as she followed swiftly behind the soldier, a mere tail's length behind. Her imagination conjured the imagery of what she could only imagine being her cubs being escorted to safety. They would have no ability to explain things. They would be panicked, tears welling in their eyes as they cry for their mother. Kweli held more in his paws than simply her life and his own, something he would need to learn if he was to truly become her shadow. For now, she was his, following dutifully behind him as instructed, waiting for signals and signs, listening to his hushed words.  

[SilverLutz]

Kweli watched and waited as the lion continued to move, but he eventually diverted into a den and they were safe once more. Turning to survey the land again, he considered two options. One offered more cover than the other but it would involve climbing up a rather craggy rock face. The other stayed on the ground but they'd have to go further to reach the next suitable outcropping of stone and hills.

A noise caught his attention and he glanced sharply to their exposed side. Someone was emerging from a den! They were going slowly and speaking to someone within, giving them a moment to move. He made a split second decision and motioned with his head to indicate they were going to climb.

Darting over to the exposed rock, Kweli quickly found a route that would only take a few moments to scale. He motioned for Avani to go first, wanting to stay between her and the 'threat' of the lion leaving her den. Once the rock had been scaled a gently sloping hill would be their cover as well as a fairly direct route to the path he knew well. They had to keep moving quickly though if they wanted to get out of the busier section of the Central House.  

[Quaji]

Avani did as requested of her, claws scraping against the rockface as she scaled it with grace. If there was a moment of struggle, she did not show it. Keeping her body low to the ground, the princess waited a moment for her escort to arrive beside her, ushering her down to the other side. As the pair moved in unison, darting and weaving between the shadows and cover presented to them, excitement welled in Avani's breast, a smile creeping upon her face as they jogged down the hillside. The North was ahead of them, the dominating landscape of sacred peaks and wide mountain ranges spread across the horizon. She had seen it before and studied it from a distance, but seeing it and going toward were entirely different.

Trusting Kweli enough, she shadowed him as they left the Central House.

- FIN -