The shadows of their lands bathed the lioness in a cool dusk like glow. her fur shimmerd with health and her eyes shone with a mastery that came with age. The salmon line that rode down her spine marked who she was. There was a time when that line, the striking colour of salmon, only reminded her of her father, but now it was the colour of her children, those beautiful babes whom she had brought up and raised in the world.
She smiled at the thought, they were all growing up so beautifully well. She knew soon the boys would bare their manes and the girls would be ready for their own cubs. A gentle sigh escaped her maw, she did so love her children. Padding upon velveteen paws she sat quietly beside the glistening pool, the surface was so sleek and still that it reflected her very being right back at her. She smiled at her own reflection, she was older now, that was certain, but she had not lost her beauty, or so she felt any way, she was allowed to be a little vein, she was after all, a queen.
Time hadn't changed the King for little more than the growth of his mane, he was still large, powerful and silent in his actions as he overlooked his kingdom of shadows from his roost. The trained hunter he was his paws left not a sound upon the ground as he moved, apart from the smooth escape of air from his nostrils as he exhaled and moved on with the feeling of calm and no superiority felt in his eyes at the first glance. But he was a king, he knew that, his children knew that and his beloved queen knew that. As he climbed down from the royal den he briefly peered around, only for his eyes to settle calmly upon his queen and after a moment of silent appreciation moved to sidle up next to her with a rumbling murmur deep within his thickly furred chest. "Good evening, my Queen." He purred in a monotonous tone.
The lioness smiled as she gazed up at her large bloody eyed mate. She remembered fondly the days gone past when they had learned of each other and found their love. She remembered the day they joined the pride and her joy in having more cubs, in feeling his pride as they adopted a litter not of their own. She let a gentle sigh escape her maw as she allowed her body to lean against hi muscular frame. Taking a breath she absorbed his scent and smiled, pleased with the moment.
"And a beautiful evening it is my lord now that you have joined me." She looks up at the big male, contemplating if it was time to tell him what she had set in motion. "We have something to discuss this eve Moses, it's important." She paused, she always felt a little doe eyed when they sat like this, Moses looking every inch the lord of darkness and she his loyal queen, he was so handsome.
He lay there, paws curled in front of him like a true lord while his eyes quietly scanned the area as much as they could while still listening to his queen. No one knew what went on in his mind, behind those blood red eyes and in some cases it probably was better that way...but it was obvious through the moons spent with his Queen and progeny he'd softened up just a touch. And as he was spoken too of a matter of discussion, he turned his large head towards the dark, salmon tinted female and perked his brows softly. "Of course, my Queen...what's on your mind?"
Afritti smiled lightly, if she had known what a house cat was,s he probably would have referred to Moses as one, he looked so smug and healthy to her. She leaned down and took a moment to grab his mane and tug it with her teeth, it was an old habit and one she had refused to break even after all this time. "The boys have grown Moses, they are older now, wiser, " She paused and a slight laugh escaped her lips, the thought that her young gangly youths were wiser than they were when they were cubs was almost laughable, they were nieve, as nieve as she when she was a cub growing up with a platinum spoon coming out of each end.
"I believe they need to go on a quest Moses, out in to the world to learn something, staying here they are becoming soft and lazy with everything provided for them. They need to learn there is more than just this paradise, they need to learn about the world outside our borders and more importantly, they need mates." She pursed her lips at the word mates, although she realised her sons would probably turn to the Harem, the lionesses within were few and they would never find a mate amongst them, or so she felt, there just wasn't enough choice, Shaitani and the old blood letter Ukoo weren't much variety.
The male listened, ears flicking forward as he watched his mate closely and continued to be her 'support' in a way while he lay there and took in her words. After a moment his ears flicked back and he gave out a small thoughtful sound while he turned his eyes to look out over the pond once more, it's true, his sons were getting older and boys would be boys in their own instinctual way....and there weren't that many variable females their age for them here. "Hmm..." Came the noise, like a gruff exhale as his crimson eyes practically glowed beneath his dark bangs. "...New blood to the pride and new experience for them..."
Afritti shook her head lightly and settled down beside him, she licked his maw to gain his attention, her dark violet eyes shimmering in the darkness, she had already set the plan in motion with Asanbosam but she wasn't going to tell Moses that, she was seeking his okay on it but she secretly thought it was for the best, for both of them.
"Yes Moses, new blood new cubs, new life, the pride cannot survive the size it is at the moment and the boys need to discover the world and it's troubles, gain a few mental scars so that they can be good rulers." She raised a brow, patiently going quiet as she groomed his thick silky mane, she was willing to wait for affirmation from him.
He shifted his weight slightly so he could recieve more grooming from his mate, though he still remained silent as he lay there and took the information in for a moment and more so thought to himself what his sons would do out in the wide world outside the jungle. After a moment or two of quiet thinking and grooming from his better half, one ear flicked too affirm he was still all there and turned to look at his mate closely. "I think a few mental scars will do them very good." He said, simple, no emotion to his voice and it sounding almost hollow within his large chest.
Afritti'dogo chuckled quietly. She did so love her mate but she could predict him now, she had lived with him for so long. Since cub hood she had lain at his side and though he remained emotionless, she often saw the twinkle in his eye. "It's just as well I sent Asan to see his sister about leaving the jungle then." She puurrs turning her attention to her lords face and ears with her grooming. "They will need protection, they have never seen the sun."
The sun...ah yes...the mere thought caused him to wince, but only briefly as an irritable growl escaped through his nostrils and he sneered slightly. The most expression that had seen his face was one of anger or a defensive snarl when protecting his family and after a moment of sneering he shook his large head free of his worries and in doing so, his large mane back and forth. "Indeed, I haven't spoken to our eldest in so long and yet from what I hear my second daughter is now a shaman in training..." He flicked his deep, piercing ruby eyes to look at his queen, his mate with mild curiosity.
Afritti smiled gently and nodded,s he saw the look of disdain on his maw,s he too would not have traded her world for the sun, but she knew it had it's own kind of beauty and appreciated it, for the trees that sheltered them were themselves created by the dun. "Yes Moses, she is doing very well, I think she will take over the reins from the elder before too long. She will know how to protect her brothers from the sunlight" She puurred and returned to grooming his mane silent once again as she thought of what her boys would and could do in the big wide world.
He gave a small, thoughtful nod as he lay there and just let himself be peacefully groomed by his Queen and lover, eyes closing to fully enjoy it. Life apart from staying out of the sunlight, was more so a sweet time for him and his family...the blood binder with her new litter provided more blood and more nutrition for the pride, along with new fighters and members to increase the numbers...but of course his mate was right, they needed more. A small rumble escape his huge bulk. "Yes, I hope to see King'ora making use of herself soon...I haven't seen her in the past few days, nor our adopted youths."
Afritti sighed gently "Yes, I would like to see king'ora make a place for herself, perhaps the boys will bring back a male or two on their journey, I beleive she needs a mate to make her settle down." She chuckled lightly "Would you beleive I wouldn't mind being called grand mother?" She looked at her mate her violet eyes glistening as she nestled against him enjoying the silence of the evening, her mate at her side. "They are groing becoming more curious, I suggested to Asan that he take a few of the older males with him on his quest, the more females they bring back the better it is for the whole pride and perhaps they can be braught by force if need be." She paused in thought and closed her eyes playing with her mates dark mane, tangling her claws in to his thick and silky fur.
A small sound of agreement escaped him as he lay there...mind you the thought of a male becoming intimate with his daughter set a small, paternal spark into him before it quickly vanished. It was for the pride, his daughter would understand and after a moment of this relaxation he raised his head and gave a loud, lion yawn. Muzzle pulling over his large fangs as he lay there before they slipped back under flesh and he gave a small snort of relaxation. "Force shouldn't be needed, males and females of this age usually have the instincts to seek out mates."
Afritti gave a nod. She was worried about her sons venturing out in to the world and a small tug of her heart strings was permanently in place as she thought of what the world would hold for them. If they would get in to fights, could they protect them selves? She knew the answer was yes, for though they were princes, they were strong and healthy and ready to see the world through their own eyes. They would bring new blood to the pride and they would learn of the worlds forces outside of their safe holding. "Yes." She let a gentle laugh escape her lips and she nestled in to the big males thick fur. "As do creatures our own age" She puurred closing her eyes and relaxing. She knew her sons would leave soon enough and she would have to wish them farewell on their journey to the outside world, but for now she could relax, curled up with her mate, in the shadows, in their pride.
