Meleth never wanted to see such IDIOCY in the pride again. The pride was a good place to live (if their religion a bit misguided at times), and such an idiotic rebellion had achieved nothing save getting civilians hurt. It was shameful! Though...she supposed one thing had come of it. She'd seen a female who bore very, very familiar markings and eyes. And now...she had the free time to go LOOKING for the female. And hope she was still about. The tiny female made her way carefully through the pride, searching for the face and back markings she herself bore, that she knew of no one else in the pride bearing.
Hera was still adapting to this place, to walking at sunset. She couldn't be a day lioness regularly, bred for the night, and the war was tiring, but the youth was fierce, and determined to be visible at least, a reminder to those whom rebelled and failed what could have ended them, and she settled to ewatch the sunset, ears relaxed, tail switching.
Meleth was practically gleeful when she spotted the lioness who bore the markings she was looking for. There! Getting a hold of herself, she made her way over, holding herself proudly. She was, after all, the daughter of a King. A princess of the Shadows. "You are new. Where are you from, child?" She looked younger than herself. Despite Meleth's smaller size...
Hera looked up, studying the female. She looked like her mother, which put her ill at ease and she frowned. A lackey?
"Who's asking?"
Meleth gave a slight bow. "Anameleth Vardah, a Duchess within this pride. And I ask...because you bear markings I've only ever seen on family aside from my sister in the pride." Not her sister by blood...but no one needed to know that slight misfortune of fate.
"I come from a place bathed in the night." Hera resumed grooming cooly. "And I answer wholly only to Death."
A place bathed in night? Well..."Would it happen to be a place filled with demons?" A slight twinkle in her eye...a twinkle that hid her worry. Could whoever this child was ruin the charade she and Circe had set regarding their bloodline? They could not afford that.
"Perhaps." Hera growled. "And what is it to you?" She rose, hackles raising. "One of mother's contacts?" She growled a bit.
The former demoness raised a brow, frown marring her muzzle. "I ask simply because of your markings. I have not had contact with anyone from there in many, many seasons." She snorted. "Do you think I'd be asking you if I did? I'd have already known what relation you bear to me, most likely."
Hera growled, still on edge. She knew if Moricorm found her, she was in trouble.
"Hmph. Do I? Does it make you sad?" She taunted a bit.
Meleth sighed. "Does what make me sad? The fact I've not seen most of my family in a long time? If that is the question, then yes. But I do not dwell on things I cannot change. That would be like pouting because the sky is not green." She looked the girl over critically. Hmmm..."So who among the demons did you anger? That would be the only reason you'd be so on edge for me mentioning them."
"Moricorm." Hera hissed. "Mother dislikes her weakness being exposed. Stupid pale male..."
Moricorm. So her sister had been pissed off. Meleth couldn't help but laugh a bit. "You had to make an enemy of my little sister." She and Circe had never claimed to be ONLY children...This could work. "What did you do...attack one of her slaves?" A pale male...that could be the only explanation. Especially since her sister was a demon through and through. She would have slaves a-plenty by now.
"This is my mother. Being... AFFECTIONATE to a stupid slave." She growled. "Wait wat."
"Affectionate? Perhaps she used him for certain activities." It wasn't unheard of, really. After all, her own mother had been used that way. Her mother...the poor lioness. She couldn't help but hope her mother was doing well. "So...you're my niece. That explains the markings. And your size."
Hera snorted.
"She doesn't act right around him." She pinned her ears back, frustrated. "He's a SLAVE, not... Worth being protective of or sheltering at all."
"It would depend. If he was useful, why not protect him? Not all slaves are easily replaced, child." She smirked, amused a bit. "You are definitely what I remember most of Morifaer's lot being. It makes me wonder how in the Shadows you ended up here."
"...I followed someone." Hera calmed. "Someone more beautiful than a Shadow."
Well now. That was certainly odd behavior for a demon. They stayed in their pride, sticking to the tenants she'd grown up with. The tenants she'd ended up leaving because she was not wholly a demon. "Really? You're rather lucky you didn't get dragged back, remembering my little sister." She sat. "So...have I any other nieces or any nephews?"
"Yes. I don't bother with them." She huffed. "They aren't worth effort."
Meleth shrugged. Ah...such a misguided daughter her sister had raised. "Would you perhaps like to meet an aunt and cousin you'd never have met if you hadn't come here?" She'd pass Circe off as spawn of her father before the re-founding of the Aikanaro. Circe was older than her, after all. If she remembered right. It had become unimportant so long ago.
"Whatever. Sure." Hera shrugged, getting up. "Beats sleeping."
Meleth nodded. "Well than...follow me, my niece." She smiled slightly, amused as she stood. "Do try and not mouth off to your aunt, however. She's not the most...tolerant of lionesses. Though she's a great deal more straightforward than Moricorm."
"Only if she isn't a fool." Hera rose, trotting after her aunt calmly. Well, at least she was safer than Ri.
But most places were.
".....What do I do with pale cubs?"
"Oh....Circe is far from a fool." She chuckled. "And pale cubs? You take care of them. You are no longer among demons, and there are no slaves here. So pale is treated equal to dark, and vice versa. And if you look at the grand scheme of things...color matters not at all."
"...I see." Hera nodded. "Alright. I might need... Help adjusting." She nodded.
"I can help. You are, after all, family." Meleth stopped near the den-group she shared with Circe and Cacao. (She hadn't even been able to describe how relieved she was when Cacao returned. Though her new great-nieces and nephew were a surprise.) "Here we are. Do be on your best behavior, child."
"...I will." Hera nodded, but frowned berfore crawling in. This would be.... Interesting.
