Logs, Accendo noted, were a tricky form of travel.
Ein steered the transport of the four lions bound for L1 slowly, occasionally climbing into the water to push and swim. Accendo Nox Nictus, Algol, and Hana Fuego all lay on the log, watching. Accendo couldn't help wondering how the two outsiders would take to the Governess. From discriptions, the lioness was very pale, light, and gentle. After Algol and Hana's reaction to Kohrisu when tjhey met the demon Algol called Moricorm, she was questioning if they were doing the right thing.
Accendo rose her head at the fish leaping by the log, feeling Algol jerk from his p-osition, snatching it expertly. Behind her, too, Hana chuckled darkly, muttering about free food and catching one herself. Algol just shook her heqad and lay back down, watching the moon on the water. It was peaceful tonight, and calm. If it weren't for the mercenaries, she could relax, but with them, every jerk made her react, looking back.
"Calm down, Accendo." Hana spoke low, Algol not noting her tone or that she was speaking.
"Your jumpy. That could get you killed in the wrong company."
"So can setting you or Algol off."
Hana blinked, looking to the demon, then Accendo, snorting.
"The demon maybe. For me, no."
"I'm not black you know. I'm dark blue."
"I can tell." Hana reached, kneading Accendo's shoulders reassuringly with a large paw.
"And you are a seer, which means you have a gift denied the gods."
Accendo looked to her, then down.
"My father is a god. The God of Leadership."
Hana listenmed, watching her, then smirked. Oh ho.
"I guess Finar-Si wasn't the only of the divine to see fit to lie with mortals." She smiled, chuckling. Accendo shrugged.
"The Goddess of Change is the one who birthed the Motoujamii. It was her will we exist." The former Firekin smiled wistfully. Accendo blinked, and smiled slightly.
"Perhaps. I guard my father's life right now... He doesn't have a pride."
Hana chuckled.
"Perhaps one day. Who knows."
The log drifted onto land, Ein padding up beside and helping the others off. Accendo smiled shyly, Hana and Algol watching. Algol gagged.
"Ugh."
"Shush, Algol." Hana swatted him calmly. The male made a face.
"Those two... Are painfully obvious."
"Let them be." The female cuffed him, the demon glaring at her.
"Hmph. At least I may yet get payment for it." And he moved ahead, walking calmly. Ein watched Algol pass and sighed, Hana nodding agreeably to him as she passed as well. Ein blinked, then looked to Accendo, whom was shaking the water from her fur, and moved over, grooming her ear. Accendo blushed, both stepping back shyly, looking down at their paws.
"We should... Uhm.. We should take them to the Governess." Accendo said softly. Ein smiled, nosing her.
"They can wait a few minutes." Ein smiled, nosing to lead her for a walk on the beach. Accendo blushed, following him shyly as they walked. Hana peered from the trees, followed by Algol, the Firekin-blooded smiling slightly. Algol snorted.
"This is rediculous."
"This is not. They care abiout one another."
?"Love leaves him open to attack." Algol snorted. "It's better to keep many women, not a few."
Hana rolled her eyes, glaring at him.
"Oh yes, how bereft are we to not take heed of the wordsof one born in darkness." She snorted, swatting him. "Sorry, the world doesn't work the way you think it should. There's a reason there's lions who would exterminate your kind. No souls." Hana watched Ein and Accendo agreeably. "Only those with a pure soul know what love really is in all forms. My sister Mpeko was one such girl."
Algol snorted, filing the name away for later to track.
"Love leavbes you weak to the enemy. He would be far better with a harem. No loss to lose one lion, let alone two. Many are better than one for the simple act of pleasuring oneself."
"Ugh. This is why a bloue-coat like you deserves slavery." Hana shook her head. Algol growled at her until Hana swatted him easily into a bush.
"Mindc your place, demon. Scum of the Earth."
Silence, Algol glaring. She'd see.
Accendo pad with Ein, enjoying the night air as they walked, the male deep in thought before looking over.
"What will you do after the war?" He asked quietly. Accendo blinked.
"Me? I don't know." She looked down, quietly, as they walked.
"I don't know where Father is. Maybe go home to mother, find someone to come and give me cubs for my pride."
Ein looked to her quietly.
"Cubs?"
"Most of my pride is related to one another. We're desperate for new blood."
Ein was quiet, thinking before he spoke.
"Won't you be making your children face the same problem? What about them?"
Accendo looked to him silently.
"I... Don't know." She looked down. "I just want to help."
Ein touched her paw, looking at her gently as he did so quietly.
"You don't have to go back." He offered hopefully. Accendo smiled sadly, then nosed him.
"I'd visit, you silly boy." Accendo chuckled softly. Ein looked a bit put off a moment, then smiled, nosing back, closing her eyes.
"Angileena would like you. And you can still help the pride... You could help Hana there, maybe. And she could bring others."
Accendo smiled sadly.
"Yes, but shE's a Firekin. Firekin are viewed with suspition. Mioyo... She had one break her heart."
"I hope they wouldn't judge Hana by that." He nosed her. Accendo smiled. "Maybe if she went with children, if I ever have them, it would work to help."
"See? There's a way." Ein leaned, closing his eyes. Accendo blinked, and smiled slightly, leaning herself, closing her eyes and toucxhing his paw after stopping. Ein smiled back, closing his own eyes.
"I never had a friend before you Accendo. I don't want you to go."
"It's okay." Accendo smiled, smiling.
"One day you'll find friends, and happiness. Maybe with me. Maybe someone else. Bu5t we'll always be friends, whatever destiny has in store."
"I don't want tonight to end." Ein said desperately. "I want to have it last forever."
"It has to end, Ein." Accendo looked sadly to him. "Everything ends, sometimes at the cost of life. Sometimes at other costs. Nothing is forever except perhaps Mkodi. Perhaps the gods." She looked up. "Even the mortal children of the gods die, else we would be gods ourselves."
Ein was quiet, listening to her speak, and looked down, feeling her looking to him before looking up.
"Then I defy that. I want to live forever. I want to be with you forever."
There, he'd said it. The young male shook, Accendo looking over quietly, and she sighed, looking down.
"I don't think I'm The One for you, Ein. A friend, yes, but not your life-mate." She moved away slightly, the male flabbergasted, heart broken, and he touched her.
"Please Accendo... Just one night?"
Accendo looked to the younger male, quiet, and closed her eyes, sighing.
"Will it make you happy? Will you stop chasing me as somethying more than a friend? And will you be able to live with yourself?"
"Yes." Ein looked firmly to her. Accendo sighed, then looked to him.
"One night. Just one night." She laid down, and closed her eyes. Maybe they'd both find true love.
Hana stretched, waiting as she listened to Algol mutter, the demon male pacing as he looked for them, ears back.
"No time for this fluffy s**t."
Hana Fuego rolled her eyes, looking to him irritably and swatted him.
"Yes. Yes there is. Lay off, furball."
"Hmph. I should kill you for your insolence."
"But you won't." Hana flicked her tail in Algol's face. The male scowled silently. She was right. For now, he needed to behave-- think of the future of his pride. At least he hadn't turned on his pride, and the thought made him smirk softly.
Hana looked back to Algol's smirk, and made a disgusted noise, rolling her eyes before swatting him again.
"Stop that."
"I'm doing nothing. Just thinking of my beloved pride." He grinned. Hana snorted, and shoved him into a mud puddle.
"At least you can be grateful not to face a drought."
Algol growled, rising when Accendo and Ein finally caught up, Ein raising an eyebrtow.
"What were you two doing?"
"Talking, Ein." Hana smiled, Algol's angry eyes glaring into the side of her head.
"Why are we on this mud hole anyway?" Algol demanded. "It's disgusting."
Ein looked to him, Accendo moving next to Hana Fuego shyly.
"The governess lives here. And we're swearing to fight for her in the coming war."
"Oh. Ugh. This can't end fast enough." Algol snorted snd moved to follow as Ein took the lead, shaking his head. The others slowly began to follow silently as they padded along. Slowly thegroup made their way top dens of sleeping lions, and Ein motioned the others wait as he crept into one, nudging a female lioness out. The sleepy, confused white female blinked, rubbing her eyes, sniffing. One smelled of a river, another of death, and the other of desert, and she yawned, blinking as the young msale who woke her moved beside them, sitting at attention. Arden blinked when she realized it was Mah'Rie'Meiah's son.
"What... Do you four want...?" She asked warily. Agol mentally snorted. Ugh, a pale female... Though a sleeping teen form in a dark pelt seemed priomising. Perhaps he could handle this, and Algol bowed first, Ein, Hana, and Accendo joining him before Ein spoke.
"Governess, I bring outsiders and a vchild of he gods to help with the pending war."
Arden blinked in surprise, then smiled gently.
"Thank you... It.. Is late... You may take your choice of dens to the south. Please, freel at home. Thank you so much..."
A releif it was, knowing there was hope for Treize's grandchildren. She watched the four depart, and smiled slightly.
For the first time since learning of war brewqing... She felt hope, and turned to go to bed.
