Hala was confused and heartbroken by the recent events that were unfolding within the pride, the shaman goes missing, another one is appointed, and it just so happens to be in her family, along with midwives being appointed, it was all so strange! Her confusion was over Grandpa Yezi, and the disfavor he had been receiving with the recent events. Hadn't her grandparents been through enough? Did the Great Lion really care if a king loved a slave? And that was so far in the past! She lay back in the tall grasses, the cool night air rustling it around her, and she stared up at the skies in wonder. Grandma Nerit was very religious, and at times Hala had seen the older lioness do the very same. What did Nerit see up there?
Aapep wasn't at all confused by the current events, she ignored the fact that she may have some biases, particularly toward the lower class, and felt the current fever of class-ism in the air was well suited. Aapep could admit she held a grudge toward a particular slave, and a small part of her would allow that to fuel her current train of thought. She wandered through the tall grasses plotting.
The light blue lioness had been feeling so lost since her mother's passing, and this new turn of events in her life made her think that she could be of some use - but she wasn't sure how to go about it. The current queen was her great aunt, perhaps she could speak to her? Aapep had always had an internal sense of right and wrong, and although bratty in her youth had turned out to be an upstanding lioness as she grew.
She froze seeing an impression in the grass in front of her.
"Hello?"
Hala's ears twitched, there was someone coming, she'd trained all of her adolescence and into adulthood to be a hunter, and the lioness prided herself on her abilities. She looked around her and didn't see a soul, her ears and nose told her otherwise and as she rolled slowly to find out who it was, a female voice spoke. Hello.
"I'm here, my name is Hala," she answered, this was obviously someone from her pride, she smelled familiar, and didn't seem to be a threat, the voice seemed startled. The dark furred lioness stood and saw one of the princesses.
"Hala," she nodded, and knew the name, Hala was in the high class by birth, and Aapep knew who's child she was, and that she shared blood like most members in the pride. They didn't have much contact out of the normalcy of living in the same pride lands, they never spoke. Aapep didn't have an all together hard time speaking to the descendants of Unyezi, but she was reminded of her mother when she did, and her grandfather's poor choices. Not, that she thought her mother being queen was a poor choice in the slightest.
"It's Aapep," she answered, there wasn't much need of introductions really, "I didn't mean to disturb you while you.." what exactly was the other lioness doing out here?
"Stargazing, searching I guess," Hala answered warmly, "Everything is changing, and my family has...well Stellaluna and Caritas." She didn't want to admit her jealousy of them, and her competitive nature would be evident to those she knew, but not to someone she barely spoke to.
It was awkward, she almost confided in Aapep that she was imitating one of her grandmother's favorite past times, but they did not share a grandmother. Hala had always felt that the family feud that was upheld was stupid, and the silent treatment they received unnecessary.
"Honestly, do you believe that the Great Lion has abandoned us, like others are stating? We just barely know each other, and all the history our family shares, but I'd like your honest opinion."
Aapep listened and nodded, she had noticed that two sisters had been chosen to fill very important roles within the pride, and that those sisters were her cousins. When Hala asked her something so bluntly, Aapep was slightly taken aback - Hala was high class - there was no need for Aapep to feel she was better than the other female, in fact the blue lioness was Upper-middle.
"I believe that we've been abandoned, but I think..if we return to relying on classes, and rely on all the priests for guidance we will gain his favor." she didn't mention that the belief was that Hala's grandparents were the only reason they didn't have favor to begin with.
"We must trust that things will get better, in a way we're rebuilding the pride, don't you think? Your sisters have a major place within it, you should be very proud." Aapep did not however note she also wanted to be apart of the rebuilding; she felt compelled to at least try, talking to Selene or to the current queen.
"Thank you for your honesty," Hala thought about what Aapep said and a suppressed a shiver, so much of what's going on is rumored to be Unyezi's fault. "Things are already returning to what we would consider normal, my grandmother, Ner-" she paused and looked at Aapep, who seemed unphased by the name dropping, "Nerit is very religious, and she says the pride has held tighter to their beliefs, and although it seems as if it's all bad, good things will come of this."
Aapep didn't flinch at the mention of Nerit, she knew the stories, and had followed their story, listening to everything and anything she could about the pair and their family. She was angered that he would betray his family, but could respect the way they held up in the face of adversity.
"I believe, and this may be one of the only times I'll ever say, but Nerit is right. I can only believe and hold my faith strongly in my heart, and know that the Great Lion will shine down upon us."
Hala's heart skipped a beat hearing that, particularly from the late queen's daughter. The silence between the families needed to be broken down in her opinion, even if the entire pride might still hold a grudge, there was a wealth of knowledge on both sides, and it wasn't right to withhold it because of Unyezi's and Nerit's love; because that's what it really was, just love. The Great Lion had to respect that, didn't he? Her eyes drifted to the sky again and then back to Aapep smiling.
"I'm happy that we could have this talk, I know our family doesn't always speak." She wanted to add, that maybe they could be friends, true friends, not strangers both lost in thought bumping into each other in the middle of the night.
"I don't think our taking is such a bad thing," she admitted, "I do however think there are a few subjects we would never agree on." She wanted to add that she was hoping to try and fill one of the open spots, and perhaps this candid meeting was best left between them, but she did not want to act so politically at the moment.
"I'll leave you to your stargazing, I've got a lot to think about too."
