[LOG] Little Brat (Mzuka x Farrah) - FIN

[xo -- k a i r i]

ooc|| Farrah = Adona, Mzuka = Kai

Farrah yawned quietly, stretching out under the vast sun. She was hiding out away from the den, content to be alone for now. Sometimes she just needed to get away. She'd likely get in trouble for taking off on her brother, but she wasn't seeing anyone. She'd just wanted to nap in peace. But now, as she began to stir, she noticed how dark it was starting to get. Hopping up, she made a mad dash to the den, hoping to run into her mother or Faiz and not the Beybanu, or one of the other more serious banu in her Father's pride. They just wouldn't understand, and she'd get in trouble, and she didn't like being in trouble.

She slowed as she neared the den, ears flat against her head. She dropped onto her belly, and tried crawling into the den to go by unnoticed. It wasn't night time, not yet, but it was getting close, and she hadn't been home at all that day. No doubt her brothers were both already there. She was going to be in so much trouble if she got caught. She hoped the brother who'd been watching her hadn't tattled. She peered into the den cautiously, looking around with big, pastel eyes. So far, so good...  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Mzuka'hila wasn't feeling too great at the moment. She'd gone back out to the woods she'd been hunting in a few days ago, when she'd met that nice Arin fellow, to see if she could find the waterbuck she'd caught. She'd searched all day and hadn't been able to find something, and had then been caught by some stupid scout who'd said she was too close to the borders. She'd been smart enough to keep her mouth shut, despite desperately wanting to inform him of his bad breath, and had allowed him to 'escort' her back to the den. But she hadn't found the kill, which meant someone else had, and had taken credit for it. HER kill. That she'd made all by herself. Ugh, greedy bitches.

Glancing up as she heard shuffling, she frowned. There was a small shape at the entrance of the den, and she could spot some small glowing markings. One of Tuliua's children, no doubt. Weren't they all further back in the den, asleep with their mother? Mzu watched as the small shape sunk low to the ground, crawling into the den - she had to stop herself from chuckling. Were all cubs so stupid? She certainly hoped hers wouldn't be. "You might as well stand up," she called softly, not wanting to wake the others further in the den. A shouting at from Faiz wasn't what she needed, "You glow, moron. Pretty hard to be inconspicuous."  

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Farrah jumped when she heard Mzuka, for two reasons. One... she scared her. And two... She was afraid of Mzu. Could you blame her, though? Really? She stood up slowly, ducking her head. "S-sorry, Mzuka." She mumbled, scuffing her paws. She wanted desperately to snap back, tell her she didn't glow, she was just very bright, but she kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to get yelled at by her father or mother for being rude to her father's Beybanu. Her ears flattened. "Is Father here?" She asked, looking around uneasily. If he was, she'd be in trouble, no doubt.

But if she could sneak by and get to her mother, perhaps she'd be in the clear. By now, they were all asleep. She could just wiggle her way in and no one'd be the wiser.  

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The cub jumped, and Mzu coulnd't help the slightly amused, smug feeling that crept through her. Scaring a cub shouldn't be something one should be proud of, but the cub wasn't hers - she may have been Faiz's, but she wasn't Mzuka's. Therefore, Mzuka honestly did not care all that much. A stammered apology came, but Mzu shook it off with a bored paw and a snort through her nostrils, standing herself and stretching forwards, a purr rumbling through her body at the joyful feeling of stretching her back out.

"Faiz is busy elsewhere," Mzu informed the small cub, standing tall - or as tall as she could, being a small lionness - "But that means it falls to me to ensure all the cubs are back on time. D'you think you're back on time, uh..." s**t, what was her name!? One of the boys was Ilyas... and there was a girl called Parisa..."Farrah." Score.  

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She winced at the question, sinking down lower. "No, Mzuka. I know I'm late." She mumbled, looking at her paws. Gods be damned, she'd take Faiz over Mzuka! Who knew what this mean lion would do to her! "I was napping outside and woke up late." She added quickly, wincing and looking down. She didn't feel like explaining it to Mzuka. What would she understand? She hated the cubs, or so Farrah thought. She was never as nice as Tuliua or the other banu in Faiz's harem. Farrah's tail twitched anxiously while she waited for the lecture or whatever else.

She just wanted to sneak past and go to bed. Dang it, why had she gone and taken a nap so far from the den?!  

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Mzuka smiled. Good, this cub knew how to talk to her superiors. She was technically a mother to this...brat, and although that title disgusted her slightly, she did enjoy moments like this when she had the priviledge of telling them off. Her own cubs, of course, she'd never dare be as harsh with. Her cubs were her blood, and therefore instantly superior to any others. Smirking a little, seeing the cubs distress, she sat back down and began cleaning her paw.

"You know, do you? Then if you know you are late, what punishment do you think is befitting, hmm?" she spoke gently, no hint of malice creeping into her voice. The excuse didn't matter to the lionness, and she ignored it. She was late, that was the only thing that mattered.  

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She cringed, and looked up, eying Mzuka openly. What was this woman playing at? How was she supposed to know what punishment fit being late for bed? She swallowed, and looked down. "Straight to bed, and... And not allowed to leave the den for a few days?" She offered, frowning. Was that right? It sounded fair, but she didn't expect Mzuka to be so fair with cubs that weren't hers. Her mother and father would've been fair, but Mzuka was her father's Beybanu, not her mother.

She swallowed hard. "I-Is that right?" She asked quietly, watching her. She was so confused; was she in trouble, or was Mzuka only playing with her until Faiz got home and she really got an earful?  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Ah, that was what she was after! A cringe, remorse, even a little fiery bit of anger in the cubs eyes. Mzuka's own eyes stared back, just daring her to speak out of turn. If she did that, Mzu would most certainly make he life very difficult for the next week or so. Until she got bored, basically. She was mildly surprised by the punishment the youngster came up with - a perfectly suitable one, but it could do with just a little tweaking, she reckoned. Smiling, she wrinkling her nose a little. "It's a decent suggestion, but I think since all of your siblings are alreayd in bed, straight to bed isn't much of a punishment, now is it?"

She paused, glancing to the ceiling as she mused over the situation, before looking down to Farrah again with a smirk. "I reckon to bed before sunset for the next two days, and no leaving the den for the next four." Ah, she was such a genius! "Does that sound suitable, Farrah?"  

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Farrah winced at Mzuka's 'tweaking'. How would she see her new friend if she couldn't leave the den for four days?! She grit her teeth, tensing all over, but nodded slowly. "It sounds suitable, Mzuka." She said, voice carefully neutral. She wasn't going to look forward to being stuck in the den, especially if Mzuka stayed in the den to make sure she didn't sneak off. And bed before sunset? That wasn't fair! Her brothers and sisters got to stay up until her Mother went to bed, but she'd have to go to bed early. Hmph!

"Thank you, Mzuka." She said belatedly, starting to rise from her crouch. "Can I go to bed now?" She asked, looking up at her. She wasn't tired at all, having just woken up from a long nap before she'd bolted home, but she didn't want to be stuck in Mzuka's presence for too long. Who knew, maybe the Beybanu's temper and attitude were contagious.  

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The cub winced, and Mzuka was just waiting - practically praying - for her to speak against it. She was desperate for the child to speak out, so she could make the punishment even worse. Of coruse, when Faiz asked she'd say she'd been utterly fair, and that the child just hadn't had any respect for her elders...y'know, play it up a little. She smiled sweetly back to the cub, inclining her head to indicate that she accepted the comment.

Bed? Ah, she could have a little more fun first. "Not quite yet. Have you seen Faiz today?" she asked, staring hard at Farrah.  

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Farrah blinked at the question, and frowned, shaking her head slowly. "No, ma'am. I saw him this morning, but not since." She sat down and tilted her head. This felt like it was going to be a long meeting. Part of her was paranoid; what if she was just buying time for her father to come in and double the punishment! Her ears perked up a little, and she glanced towards the back of the den where she knew her siblings and mother slept on, content and not having to deal with Mzuka and her questions.

"Might I ask why you ask?" She asked carefully, blinking. She'd've thought that Faiz would tell Mzuka where he was going before just taking off.  

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Mzuka gave an irritated sigh. Why was Faiz always wandering off? She wanted to get back to the den one evening and be able to cuddle up with him, and fall asleep beside him. But no, he was always up late, staying out with his brother or that other Vizier - Tariq or whatever he was called. She wrinkled her nose a little, letting out another sigh before looking down at the cub, growling in mild irritation at the cub's question. This didn't involve her!

"I simply wished to know - it's none of your concern," she snapped, her temper clearly beginning to fray...  

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She winced, jaw clenching so she didn't snap back. She couldn't speak freely, not with Mzuka. Not if she ever wanted to leave the den again. She nodded a little. "My apologies, Mzuka." While her tone was very carefully neutral, her eyes, which were cast down, spoke wonders. It was her father. If she wanted to know where he was, what right did Mzuka have to tell her it was none of her business! She glanced up. "Is there something else you wish of me, Mzuka?" She asked quietly, clawing at the dirt of the floor anxiously.

What was this woman playing at? One minute she was civil, and the next she was ready to take Farrah's head off.  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Mzuka was too pissed at the moment to pay much attention to the cub. She wanted Faiz to be here, and Tuliua and those stupid cubs not to be. That would be so nice...and evening with just the two of them, a den to themselves. The cub's apology snapped her attention back to Farrah, Mzuka growling softly before she snapped at the cub, growling louder as if to intimidate her. "What're you looking at!? Go on, get to bed! Before I make it ten days!"

She didn't have time for this right now. She had to go find Faiz.  

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She winced again, and bit back growling at Mzuka, rising off her haunches and stalking past her. "Goodnight, Mzuka." She said over her shoulder, making a beeline for the cubs and her mother. The safe, sane ones. Four days in the den with that crazy lioness watching over her. How would she survive that?