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Matojo was leading the way home by a few steps, still in an annoyed and sarcastic mood after meeting that goddess. Just who the hell did she think she was? What a freak. And yes, he'd use that word. FREAK. Moreso that they'd ever be. And just what had given way the fact they were half-lion freaks...? Least they weren't half-bird. Oh wait, they were apparently seeeers. Whatever. Bah.

"Good to be home...and I can't see mother." From their angle of approach, Matojo couldn't see Mleli because the tree's trunk was in the way. And he was too worked up over Mtima to care.

"That thing back there....queen of freaks, eh, Mezi?"

Mleli was quite happily asleep about until Matojo said the word 'mother'. Perhaps it was maternal instinct, or perhaps it was just coinsidence that at about that point is when she awoke. Her eyes fluttered open and her tail swayed, but she did not immediately lift her head or move to get up. It was evidentally a cub of hers that had returned, but unless she was needed, Mleli was content to stay in her little perch.

However, the 'queen of freaks' comment caught her attention. Carefully, she lifted her head. She didn't give herself away, but decided to listen in on whatever was being said. Quickly the leopardess deduced they must have met some crazed bird.

As his brother flopped into a comfortable position, Mezi shrugged and let his mind wander again. This time, however, it didn't linger on the possibilities of a father. It went to his all time favorite topic: flowers. The plant life around this area wasn't quite as nice as that of the fertile soil on the river banks, but it was still nice on the eyes. If the leopon ever left the jungle, he would certainly be horrified by the complete lack of color that existed in the savannahs that lie just outside of the shadows of the trees he called home. The idea of no beautiful flowers about brought is mind to lions once again. They didn't live in the jungle. That must be why they were all such monsters. Mezi'd definately be meaner if he didn't have the little petals to perk up his mood when he was feeling down. Sure, he wasn't the sweetest cub out there, but he wasn't as nasty as he could be either.

"Hey, Toj... do you think our dad has flowers wherever he is?" The purple cub turned his gaze on the figure of his brother. Hopefully, the other cub wasn't napping. Mezi'd have to jump on him or do something else to wake him up in that case. "I wonder where he lives..." He looked around for the brown and white fur that meant Mleli, but couldn't find any. "Do you think we'll ever know?"

As startled at he was, Matojo was too worked up after meeting that bloody goddess to be submissive around their mother like usual. Didn't even stay comfortabley curled away a few feet from Mleli hoping she didn't notice him, like normal. Instead the frowning cub got to his feet and his agitation lent him confidence in front of her he never had before in her presence.

'Jo was really worked up, and every attempt so far he'd made to try to deal with it had failed. The sarcasm, the mocking, even trying to seep so he didn't dwell on it - and now mother was here!

"Because today we heard slander against our 'family'...from insane lion-bird that called herself a goddess. She implied our father was one of her kind. Which makes us even more shameful, our good leopard blood even more diluted." He kept his head high, almost as if with pride, but his tone and unhappy expression spoke volume. Unhappy, distressed and practically demanding answers.

Mleli was surprised (and disappointed) to see that it was Matojo who came to answer her question, and not only that but with such an attitude that it was almost as infuriating as the questions themselves. She was used to her cubs being more submissive, afraid of her even, but never before had one stood up to her and been so demanding. The only credit Matojo had was that his words, at least, were not so disappointing. The foolishness of the assumption that it was merely bird genes that gave a god wings was obvious to the leopardess, but only due to her experience with the beasts and the fact that her cubs clearly had no avian blood in them. It didn't occur to her that it might not be so obvious if they didn't realize their father was a god, but suggesting the possibility seemed to make it just as obvious in her frustration.

She didn't even try to hide her surprise at the fact they'd run into a god, or when Mezi mimiced his brother and boldly approached. The attitude was nothing unforgiveable considering the circumstances, it could be attributed merely to the meeting and accusations. Mleli knew very well that a meeting with a god was not always a picnic, though she had had a good laugh when she'd met that silly one with the antlers.

When Mezi suggested the goddess might be right, and even went so far as to accuse her of choosing such a father, Mleli's expression lost all the shock and was left only with fury. Speechless, the leopardess had to use every bit of self-control she had not to physically lash out at the boy. She surprised even herself when she managed to stay still, but her steel blue eyes stayed on Mezi, glaring right back at him furiously.

"Don't think for a moment- don't even-" she stammered angrily whens he found her voice again, "You think I'd choose a lion? Like I had a choice!" Ajali would certainly not approve of any part of this conversation. "You idiots, do either of you look like you have any bird blood in you? I know darling Kafiri has those horrible feather marks on her back, but they are quite clearly not feathers." Mleli took a moment to breathe, gritting her teeth.

The icey eyes that stared so intently at him were sent right back. He had his mother's eyes after all, but that wasn't all he had inherited from the leopardess. Though he didn't fly off the handle as much as she did, his temper could explode in much the same manner... and it was about to. Up until this point, the purple cub had taken the verbal abuse in stride, merely having a damaged ego and dislike for family matters. After meeting that 'goddess', however, all of his thoughts for his mother had been radically changed. If he had known the circumstances surrounding his conception, he might've been a little more sympathetic. He didn't, though, and so everythng was boiling over. He was angry at her for his existence, for starters, a rage he had once only harbored for his scum father. It seemed that everything in his life had been completely turned over in the past few hours, and Mezi did NOT like change. And now Mleli was glaring at him with those eyes, those eyes that he shared... and he hated her. The voice that was intended to pierce and berate snaked around his head and squeezed, blinding him with a feeling he had never really felt for Mleli. Sure, he wasn't terribley fond of her, but he had never hated her. Until now. To top it all of, she went on to insult his favorite sister. The hatred that was currently surging through him wouldn't last forever, of course, but for the moment, it was all he could think of.

After literally shaking while listening to that voice, that awful voice, he exploded. At least, in the manner a cub exploded. Shouting, actually shouting at his mother, something he wouldn't do under normal circumstances, he lost it. "DON'T TALK ABOUT KAFIRI LIKE THAT!" He shot his brother a glance, almost annoyed with what he was saying. The glance was quick, however, and Mezi quickly turned his glare back on his mother. "Right! Because your life is just so awful! Poor you, with the freak cubs. What a sob story. Meanwhile, we're the ones who are actually the freaks! Ever think of that, Mom? You get to be a full leopard all day long. We only get half of that." He was breathing heavy. It could've been comical, actually, since he was just a cub saying all of this. Really, it depended on how you looked at it. "And Tojo is wrong. Don't forgive us for our curiousity! That's what happens when you lie to your children."

Whatever he had to say - including letting them know he'd been sarcastic asking for her 'forgiveness' because who gave a damn at this point? Tojo felt they deserved to know! - was silenced by Mleli's paw. Instead he made a mew of pain as he fell down from it. He'd had enough warning time to negate some of the blow but it was still nasty enough.

The weight of her paw stunned him an Tojo had four cuts from one shoulder up...he'd tried to roll with the blow which had made it lighter but longer. Matojo took a moment to lick at what he could reach and get to his feet, shakey but his emotions fueling him at this point.

"We are what you've made us, mother, and you're the one who taught us to be proud of what leopard blood we do have. You seem to be missing the fact that we DO need to know about the rest of that blood. But whatever. If you won't tell us mother, I'll find out myself.... and get vengence where it's due."