RP with Kaelyndra
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that her son's had all grown up. Absolutely nothing at all. She was proud of Bandele for becoming a smart individual and being so useful to the pride. In the way that he wasn't very useful, of course. Still, if there ever was an attack and Mwokoti could not be around to save them, Bandele's assets would be invaluable. And she was proud of Bidii for being so bold and daring, even if he wasn't as bright as Bandele. Wherever and whatever her third son was doing, she was proud of him too. It was wonderful that they were adults.
She wanted grandchildren. Or more kids of her own.
She missed the little nips and shouts and arguments. The wails for her name. She missed something needing her. No one wanted her attention much anymore. Worse still, she couldn't give it to anyone. It felt weird trying to look out for adult lions that didn't need protecting.
So her thoughts mostly drifted as did she. Like today, she spent most of her time wandering about the pride - her huge extended family - and greeting and saying hello to everyone she could. Someday, she would get more kids to coddle. In the mean time, everyone else would get to talk to her.
Hari didn't much like lingering around this place. After she'd, ahem, used Uzulu, she had no intention of coming back until it was time to leave with him. But she was here for a reason, and it wasn't that one. Oh well. She supposed it could be used as inspiration to see all these happy-go-lucky idiots so cheerful and bright in their lovely little land. This place really needed to burn for good, but all in due time. What brought her back her was no task of her own, just one required to get those. Ohahira was more of a hard case than she'd predicted. It turned out, the feisty little thing had terms of her own. Cute.
One of them was to try and lure her sister into things. Ohahira herself couldn't do this. If she came anywhere near this pride, war would break out. That's if she even made it past the Nchi. But Hari? She was free to go wherever she wanted. Sooo...
"Nyumbani, hello!" Hari greeted her without being too friendly. God, this was all starting to kill her on the inside. "I heard about your sister..." Swap voices to sympathetic. Go. "I'm very sorry."
Nyumbani flicked an ear. The yellow one. What was her name? Something longer than sin, right? So it was just best to call her Hari.
"Hi, Hari," she said with much less enthusiasm. Afterall, she barely knew the lioness. No matter how much everyone told her that the whole pride was her family, Nyumbani always held scorn and mistrust for those that did not lie within it. Hari was blindingly yellow and did not look or talk like family. That made her untrustworthy. Just like almost all of the pride.
But, she was lonely, so she was here to talk to her "extended family". Her ears perked up when she heard about a sister being mentioned. New news? Old news? "Which sister?" she asked with her brows furrowed together. Had something happened?
Which... Oh for the love of the Savannah.
It took all she had to not roll her eyes at that. Which sister. How many spawn did that zebra look-alike having running around total? Not to mention all her brothers little brats. This family plagued her like no other, shooting out nearly as many seer as they did kids overall. Plus, the old hag being one herself. Attempts to take them out why by one like she'd hoped had never ended how she wanted. They were like magnets to each other. Getting one of them alone... You might as well be trying to catch the moon.
"Ohahira," she offered up in a soft voice. "It must be killing you to have that male from the Firekin who enslaved her trapped here." There was no way she hadn't heard of it. They were a small pride, a small area. Everyone had heard it by now. Hell, some of the Nchi and rogue lions were probably whispering about it. Thanks in part to Lakisa and her big mouth, Hari was sure. "And..." Her voice trailed off.
Nyumbani looked at Hari carefully. As long as she hadn't mentioned her. It was moderately okay at this point, but she still didn't like them babbling over her sister.
She was about ready to snap and tell the lioness off despite it all. Was she going to talk about how awful it was that Ohahira was insane? That it must have cut her deep and how very sorry the whole thing was? Yeah. She'd heard it before. Unfortunately, it didn't change anything. Life was life, and maybe someday Ohahira was going to come around, in the mean time she didn't want to hear about how 'awful' it was. Ohahira was a alive, and so there was still hope. That was nice enough.
"He's locked in a cave," she pointed out. Hold your temper, Nyu. She took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "With any luck, he'll be dead when he gives us the whereabouts of the other slaves. I can't give him any worse punishment than they can." No, Nyumbani didn't really believe in dealing revenge by her own paw. So long as they got what they had coming, she didn't need to be the one to deal it. "What am I going to do about it anyway? Kill him? I'm sure that would make me wonderfully happy." The sarcasm was on her voice. So, she wasn't very good at holding her temper even now.
When this didn't work, Hari made note Nyumbani would be the second pride member she'd kill when her future renegades swarmed this place. Her patience with this female was even less than the tolerance she seemed to have for Hari. But she was fairly large, of a fair build and probably not as stupid as most. If there was a chance to get one more tool working on there side, she could try a little harder for just a little longer. "I should hope not. That would probably upset Mwokoti."
Hari paused, looking very, very thoughtful. She wasn't, really, knowing what she planned to say long before she said it. "It's a shame about her... You're a bigger woman than myself for not being angry. That she enslaved your sister and your niece, that is. I don't know what I'd do if someone did that to my brother."
"Who said I wasn't angry?" she snapped back. Then she ground her teeth and closed her eyes. Her toes sunk into the ground before her muscles finally released.
"I'm sorry, Hari. It's a bitter topic. I hope you understand." She didn't even have to look at the lioness to assume that she didn't. Hasana could understand, but she didn't think many other's could really grasp the situation. "Look. . . Ohahira went through a lot of s**t. s**t that wasn't her fault. And that guy in there? He might as well be brainwashed. He was raised to assume that you were supposed to treat people like that. Do I hate him? Yes. Do I blame him? No. I can't do anything. Why should I waste sleep, tears, and anger on something that will be taken care of in its own time?"
Hari sized up the situation quickly, and it didn't take her long to reach a decision. With effort, she was sure she could con Nyumbani into assisting them somehow, if not convince her to help them without the aid of blackmail. The problem? It was time and effort she wasn't willing to invest unless it was worth; Nyumbani wasn't worth it. Maybe she was fairly useful and, now, Hari was convinced she certainly wasn't stupid. In fact, her biggest concern other than Mwokoti was that Bandele. Boy was far too good at plans involving war than she'd have liked. Had she been asked a day earlier she'd have said he got that from whoever is father was. Now she was leaning more it was a trait from his other parent. This was a family she'd be keeping a closer eye on from now on.
Er, not all of them. There weren't enough eyes in the world for that. Just Nyumbani and her sons.
"I do. I'm sorry to have bothered you. I was just concerned for your family. I know times have been hard, especially recently with our new arrivals. I'll take my leave now, but take care of yourself, hm?"
It'd be a shame if she died from something Hari wasn't responsible for.
"Thank you for your concern, Hari. It's appreciated." It wasn't. But Nyumbani could lie just as good as the rest of them when a situation really needed it.
She'd hate to be the reason that Hari hated her family in any way. She may not have trusted the lion, but other people did and would. Enemies were stupid to make especially if you lived with them.
"I'll try. Walk safe and live long." She watched her leave. It was an old, horrible habit people likely hated her for. But she needed to see her go until she could no longer make out the lions forms anymore. It made her feel safer.
Hari chortled as she kept on. If there was one thing Nyumbani shouldn't feel, it was safe.
