Ilse flopped on the grass with a sigh, leg over her eyes in exasperation. Treize was looking for fresh blood to take home and quietly urging her to have cubs with an outsider. The problem she didn't dare admit was... She didn't know her own species well enough to feel confident with a male. Blast it.
Ilse rolled over, groaning irritably, and rose, walking again. Cubs, her? A family to raise without a husband? Wouldn't that be a complete and total scandal? Ilse walked on, grumbling to any nature being listening about her luck lately.
Etihad hadn't meant to overhear the Lady speak, but when he heard frustration, curiousity got the better of him, and he blinked to see a leopardess as an Aristocrat. Huh.
Fascinating. The silver-blue lion moved to pace her, walking slowly, listening and watching. The only Leopardess Aristocrat was frustrated, and understandably so, being the only of her kind in the nobility. While it meant the potential for any male of her kind, it also meant she didn't know her kind at all, and Etihad approached, soon walking alongside her.
"It must be hard not knowing your own kind." He spoke calmly.
Ilse had been silent, but a calm, faintly familiar voice had her alert and she looked up to an older male lion with wise, kind eyes, eyes she only knew from childhood memories.
"Governor..."
Etihad smiled kindly to her, chuckling as she spoke.
"Not my title anymore. No, that title's been passed on to the descendant of Wing."
Ilse's ears pricked, aqnd she blinked, nodding.
"I see. So then... Why are you here? They all say you were killed by terrorists."
Was THAT the story? He chuckled, nuzzling the younger leopardess kindly, chuckling.
"Attacked, yes. Run off. But not killed, child."
Ilse looked worried, and he smiled.
"Now, now, don't fret. I intent to return. Deathscythe says my fate is that to serve my Ancestors as priest."
"Oh. ... Sir... Am I supposed to love my own kind for a reason?"
Etiohad blinked, unsure of how to answer this and sighed, shaking his head. Ity figured.
"Is that what they taught you? The Aristocracy doesn't trust hybrids for incapacity to pass on family lines. Family... Is very important. But so is love. Many colonists have hybrid ancestry, you know."
Ilse nodded, and looked to her paws.
"I don't know what a boy of my species looks like."
Etihad went silent, blinking in surprise at the remark, bwefore it sank in. Her upbringing really hadn't brought her near males beyond lions and he wondered what the blasted nobility expected would happen. The male nuzzled her again, sighing.
"Well... Males are larger... Shaggier, oftentimes... And more muscular." He smiled warmly, grooming her. Ilse let him, blinking. So she'd never seen a leopard male.
"Are males friendly?"
"As friendly as lions. I understand it's hard. But you have to decide what's right for you. What do you want? What would make you happy?"
Ilse fell silent, trying to think of an answer, sputtering as she did so, frowning and opening and closing her mouth as she did so, face scrunching many times before she spoke finally.
"I don't know. I only know lions and the purity thereof."
"Ah, but lions are as impure as all others. Now does species matter?"
"I suppose not."
"hen what do you look at?"
"What's inside. The heart is what counts."
"And are you ready to mate?" Etihad finally smiled at cornering her, and Ilse realized he had, looking down, then up.
"No. But I do wanty children to help my pride. To strengthen the blood." More silence, and she looked up.
"Is that terrible?"
"No. Not at all. You merely need to find what feels right. If your brother loves you, he won't judge you for your choice. It isn't his to make. It's yours."
Ilse blinked, then smiled softly, nodding. She understood, and nuzzled the old Lion, grateful for his help.
"Thank you."
Etihad chuckled, shaking his head.
"No, you don't need to thank me. I'm only passing on the truths my father taught me. We all walk a path written in our hearts, and sometimes it's hard to follow or the Gods make it confusing. All the same, Ilse, it's there if you look for and find it."
Etihad smiled, the young Lady musing, thinking as she looked about. The older lion chuckled at her expressions; confusion, joy, fury,. and more. Ilse could be as manipulative as any other aristocrat but at heart she was a good leopardess, if but confused. Ilse turned the male's words over in her mind, tasting the ideas, trying to understand. She finally looked to the Governor, nodding.
"I... Think I understand." She smiled, and sat, watching the plains. Etihad smiled as well, padding over.
"Your parents would be happy if you are happy, adopted or not. Angeelina was a good lioness and I was fond of her myself." Etihad sighed. Ilse leaned.
"I miss my mother."
"I know you do, child. Remember, she would want you happy, as would your father. And perhaps one day, your brother can be happy too."
Ilse looked up to him, blinking as he sighed. How he missed his nephew and his neice, though he was glad to tend his great neice... Though, his own nephew mauling him had been a cruel irony. Ilse, however, was always hgood, tending her a joy. She'd never bared a claw to him, despite the tries of the aristocracy. There was just one thing he wished he could discuss with his neice.
Her real parents, their wishes,m their desires, their dreams. Etihad sighed, and watched her move about, thinking, then looked to him.
"Sir?"
"It's unimprtant Ilse. Are you alright?"
She mused, and nodded.
"I suppose. I just need time. Thank you, though."
"Ah? For what?"
"For helping me figure things out. For helping me understand. Thank you." She purred, licking his cheek. Etihad smiled, raising a paw to hug her. Ie tuckd nder it, rubbing close ha[ppily, before Etihad nosed her.
"I'd best go now, Ilse. Be strong." He smiled. Ilse blinked, and nodded as he let go, walking away. Ilse sighed, and watched, before turning to go her own way. Someday... Soon, she'd have the pride and herself happy.
