Tani yawned slightly, flopped on top of a big flat rock. He'd been there for about an hour now, just ... being lazy, really. Caradhras and the others had grown quite a bit and just now they were all off hunting together. Almost adults, they were all quite capable... and Tani was enjoying the peace and quiet for a while.
Moricorm was returning home after being away for a moon. But oh...it had been such a productive moon...She purred. Two slaves. Both rather strong at that. But before home...she had a stop she wanted to make. Being a Nuemare had its advantages. Like being able to visit her cubs and friend in the vampires' jungle that bordered part of the pride. Spotting the brilliant red and silver that could only be her friend, she chuckled, trotting up with a sway in her step.
"Tani~ Seems I didn't have to go looking for you tonight!"
Tani blinked at that, and turned so he was facing Ri, though he didn't exactly move from his flopped position. He gave her a quick grin and nodded. "Mmhm... Made myself easy to find tonight, just for you," he purred, flicking his tail tip once or twice.
Ri raised a brow. "Oh really now?" She hopped up and flopped onto his back. It wasn't hard, since she was smaller than him by a good deal. "And how would you have known I was coming, hm? I hadn't sent Ithil ahead this time." No...the poor bird had her talons full keeping the new slaves in check. Not that it was so hard anymore. Tani's warmth was a comforting thing, and familiar like the rogue lands were not.
Tani wriggled a bit under the smaller female and then twisted his head to blink innocently at her. "I dunno... maybe I'm really a Seer and I never knew it before," he teased. Rumbling playfully, he rolled - attempting to catch her in his paws.
Ri gave him a facetious look of hurt. "Such a thing to not know and not share with your dearest friend!" The look dissolved with a laugh, which turned into a small yelp as Tani rolled. She tried to wiggle away, but didn't quite succeed. "Sneaky b*****d." She reached out to bat at him with a paw.
Tani growled at her just a bit, batting back gently. "So glad that you approve~" he rumbled. Then the larger male let Ri go, and sat up, licking at a paw. "At any rate... what brings you this way?"
Ri laughed again as Tani let go of her. She stretched out, laying beside Tani. "Mmm...headed home, but I thought a visit surely couldn't hurt." She looked up at him. "How are our three doing? Have the boys gotten their manes yet?" No matter where you were...a male getting his mane was always a thing to celebrate and be proud of.
"Just about," Tani replied, flipping his tail so that it was lying over the female's back now. "Well ... I suppose I should actually say that they -do- have manes, but they're still growing in," he murmured, smiling faintly. "They're off hunting together now."
Ri purred. "Ah...I'm proud of our little ones." From the things Tani had told her...they would have fit in well in either pride, and would be perfect members of the vampires. "Perhaps they'll go on to do great things. Or just do the ordinary in great ways."
Tani tilted his head at that for a moment, and then nodded. Yes... either path would be good for their cubs. "We can only hope," he mused softly, settling down beside Ri and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Anything interesting happening over in demon-land before you left?"
Ri thought a moment. "Mmmm...not that I can think of. Some of the young have grown up and found their Names, a few new members...including one who looks startlingly like you, save a few key differences." Ri hadn't actually talked with that one yet. And she wasn't sure she wanted to. The only Sparda side lion she really dealt with were Hakuna'jina and Nyota. Speaking of...she needed to speak with her once-co-conspirator later.
Tani blinked slightly at that one, tilting head. "Members who look like me?" he questioned. How in the world was that possible? He didn't exactly have any other cubs with other females so...
Moricorm shrugged. "Perhaps a distant relative? Or your unknown father?" There were many possibilities. "I believe he was older than you, for certain." It wouldn't surprise her, really, if there was shared blood between the vampires and demons well before her alliance with Tani.
"Aah ... maybe so," Tani replied, musing quietly on the question for a moment. Then he shook his head to dismiss those thoughts. "Maybe someday I'll get to meet one of them, if they wander over this way. That would be weird, but cool."
Ri nodded. "Perhaps. It might be enlightening, too." She stretched out a bit. "One never knows." She wondered what sort of relation the newcomer had to Tani...whatever it was, it could prove useful. Or it could just be another thing to note, then not worry about. "I should probably be getting back to my...group. I acquired a pair of new slaves, young ones that Ithil is helping to teach." She was ever thankful for the bird...Ithil was the epitome of a Na'artue.
Tani's eyes flashed at that for just a moment. If there was any part of the demon pride that he didn't ... entirely agree with, it was this practive of slaves. The vampires -did- have those that they fed upon, and some were treated better than others. But somehow, it wasn't the same. "Ah ... well, I wish you luck in teaching them," he said after a momen, attempting to hide his unease.
Ri chuckled, noting the vampire's uneasiness. "Thank you." It was something that rarely came up, since Ri had only ever had the insanely faitful Ithil before now. She rather hoped for luck in teaching them herself. They were promising, and she did not want them to break. Not so badly she couldn't fix them, anyways. "I shall see you again, later." She hopped of the rock. "Tell the little ones I said hi."
"I'll do that," Tani replied with a smile - moving to nuzzle at Ri for a moment before she left. "You'll come visit again sometime?"
Ri purred at him. "Of course." Even if her visits became few, she would ALWAYS visit. After all...Tani was the only one she could call 'friend'. And her cubs would always be HER cubs...no matter what pride they dwelt in. Perhaps...would it be the same for Tani, when the time came for the second half of their 'deal'?
Tani found his own thoughts running along those same lines, even as he purred back at Ri. "Well ... I suppose you'd better go," he said finally - a bit reluctantly. "Goodbye for now."
The demoness smiled and nodded. "We shall see each other another night." She turned and disappeared into the trees, bells chiming. Hopefully, Ithil hadn't needed to peck at the newbies too much.
