Sleep...that was all Hakuna wanted right now. She'd warded off a stupid male earlier that had gotten too close to the pridal lands, and she was tired from being out during the day. And so she wanted to sleep until she needed to get up for her guard shift. Of course...sleep was not coming to her. She sighed and just lay in the den, on her belly with her limbs sprawled out. The no-named demon did not feel like trying to be dignified tonight. Woe to any outsider that came across her during her shift tonight...
Drathir was not tired, however. He'd been out laying in the sun or stalking grasshoppers for much of the day and only now had decided to return to their den. Upon finding his mother back, the cub chirruped in her direction and padded over to nudge her side, "Hello Mother." Ears perked, he moved towards her head. He hadn't seen much of her since he and his siblings had started to wander on their own.
Hakuna opened an amber eye to look at her youngest son. "Hello Drathir." She shifted and pulled her legs back so she looked a little less sprawled. "Why aren't you out with your siblings?" He'd always been the most mysterious...for some reason, she'd never really gotten to know him. She'd need to recitify that. She refused to not know one of her own cubs.
He shrugged, "Got bored." Flopping down the careless abandon of a youth, the cub sprawled beside his mother, "Why?" He didn't see the reason for the question... he was strong enough to wander on his own, wasn't he? Besides, the others were wrapped up in their own pleasantries - things he didn't really enjoy. The demon heir preferred to practice hunting over playful wrestling.
"Just wondering." She chuckled. "A mother is allowed to wonder about her cubs. Even if they are little demons." She yawned and stretched a little. "So, what would keep you unbored?" Somehow she doubted he took as much pleasure in tormenting his siblings as she had in tormenting her twin. Hakuna smiled, a strange expression on her large maw.
More of the sort of bait his siblings and then capitalize on their falling into his trap, the cub rolled onto his side as he watched her. "Unbored...? Don't know... probably fighting with something bigger then a cricket... I'm going to get strong and someday face Iartuupe." Grumbling, he flexed his paws and clawed at the ground, still sore over their brief but less then savoury meeting. Drathir had decided shortly thereafter that he would face down the other king and show him he wasn't a weakling... or stupid.
Hakuna grinned. Another cub who didn't like the other king. It somewhat comforted her to know she wasn't the only one to dislike him. "You could practice with Mvua. Or one of your brothers." She thought again. "Or there's that rather war-like daughter of Iartuupe's." She wrinkled her nose. That one she did not like...but she did admit the girl had the same strength as her father.
He scoffed and wrinkled his nose in distaste, "I won't practice with his spawn. I do not like her sire, why would I endure her?" Rolling onto his back, he batted at the air thoughtfully, "And my siblings are wrapped up in their own affairs... I don't need them." Granted, he played with them as all cubs play with their litter mates but he was trying to put on a brave face here, to impress. "I'm tired of just looking for crickets. I want to hunt something bigger."
Hakuna nodded. "That is quite true..." She hmmed, amber eyes closing in thought. "If you'd like, I can bring you with me tonight when it is my shift. If nothing else, many rabbits stray across my path. And those make much better prey than crickets." She smiled, eyes opening to look at her youngest. Maybe this one was worth putting more time into as well...
Ears perked and he stopped batting to peer at his mother, "Tonight? With you?" A grin spread across his muzzle, revealing sharp baby teeth, "That would be very interesting, mother. Do you go the ends of the pride lands while you patrol?" This was an intriguing opportunity. It wasn't often he would get to see beyond the more central locales of the pride... the adults all thought the cubs needed to stay nearby and it felt stiffing sometimes.
"Yes. If you're lucky, we may even run across a rogue or two. Sometimes the silly things don't know when to stay in their dens at night." A dark chuckle came from her throat. Oh yes...like that foolish lion she'd chased off earlier. Intriguing as he'd been...he hadn't been a demon. "It's a rather interesting job...if a bit lonely at times."
"An Outsider?" He was now on his belly and facing his mother, attentive and curious, "I'll keep you company. And stand guard against our lessers with you?" Drathir was very much hoping he might be of some help. This venture was far better then bothering his brothers.
Yes...this one definitely deserved more attention. "Of course. Non-demons shall learn that it is a mistake to cross our borders. And..." A vicious grin split her muzzle. "We leave them alive, but broken, to spread the tale. What better way to spread fear than with fear." She was still tired, but this was more important. This cub did not have her eyes...but he did have her colors...her mother's colors. Yes...this one would gain more of her time as well...
He nodded. It made sense... create a barrier of fear that empowered the demons and weakened their enemies. "One day... we'll cross their and take the land for our own too, right?" The cub was grinning, clearly excited about patrolling with his mother and edged closer, seeking her warmth.
"Yes. One day this world will be filled with the things only demons can bring...Truth and Power." Hakuna smiled, almost softly. "And no creature will be able to stand up to us. Only the strong will be spared, and even they will learn we are their betters." A yawn escaped her throat. "I'm afraid I must sleep now, Drathir. We have a long night ahead of us."
He nodded, her yawn setting off a smaller one in him, "And I'll be the strongest." Curling against her, the cub merely nodded when she said she wanted to sleep, thinking it a good idea to mimic her and be ready when she was.
