The raven could not believe what she was hearing. Could not believe it. This had to be some kind of joke. Some sort of game that she was playing to ruin her scheming. It was easy to forget that Mchawi was a seer and that because of this she could quite easily ‘see’ the schemes that Moma was planning. She had relied, so far, on the belief that she would continue to be underestimated.
“I did not think you were the sort.” She croaked at last, fluffing up her feathers and bringing her wings up to hunch her head.
“The sort to be a mother?” Mchawi purred. It was not a pleasant sound. The purr sounded dangerous and that gleam in her eye spoke volumes. This lioness was scheming. Always scheming. Between them they probably had about a dozen different plans for the future, though Moma’s were directed more at seeking vengeance. Mchawi’s were for at gaining power.
“Yes.” The raven replied simply.
“The honest truth is that I’m not, but they serve a purpose.”
“You birth cubs to treat them as slaves?”
The lioness’ rage was instantaneous and she swung out a paw to knock the raven from her perch. It struck hard and loosed feathers as Moma hit the ground. For a horrible moment she thought that she would feel the sharp points of teeth closing around her. But nothing came and when she looked up it was to see Mchawi looming over her, clearly with the intent of intimidation.
“My children will not be slaves, you fool.”
Moma scrambled to her feet and hopped backwards.
“My children will rise to become masters in this land. No one in my family will ever be viewed as anything but superior.”
What was she trying to do? Plan a takeover? Strengthen her own position so that she was a necessary part of the Nergui pride? She was Kaar Oma. That was as high as an outside female could get. What was she trying to do? Was she afraid of something? Did she want children at her side in case something happened? Children to defend her?
Moma was disturbed by the revelation anyway; the fact that Mchawi had just pledged to love these children and teach them to be the best they could be. She seemed loyal to her brother and niece, of course, but to actually permit a male to lie with her and then birth his children…it seemed extreme.
The raven wondered, idly, who the male was and whether anyone would ever know. Was he even a Nergui lion? She wasn’t sure on the rules of rogue breeding, though they clearly prized strength in their partners. Someone strong enough to breed with the leading seer surely had to be a member of the pride. Mchawi wouldn’t risk being looked down on. That meant that the male had to be big and tough.
“What of the father?” She enquired carefully, hunkered down in preparation to leap into the air should another paw come swinging her way.
“What of him?” Mchawi dismissed, sitting up tall, her face stone.
“Will he not want to teach his children?”
“That is not the Nergui way.” Mchawi replied, clearly pleased about this. “The pride raises their young, not the parents.”
“So then—“
“—I will raise my children.” Mchawi snapped angrily, her teeth clipping sharply together. “And no one will tell me otherwise because I am Kaar Oma and my word is law.
Moma rumpled her feathers and straightened a little, eying Mchawi’s form curiously. She wondered when the mating had happened. Wondered how long the cubs had been growing inside her. The female lioness had a rather angular frame. Was she expanding? Perhaps so. There was a certain roundness there which she’d never really noticed before. Though, to be fair, it wasn’t the type of thing she would look at. She tried not to look at the lioness at all for fear that her anger and hate would show in her eyes and give her away.
The warning from Peke and Nguvu came back to haunt her. They hadn’t thought that she would succeed on this path and she had scoffed at it. But now she was not so sure. Now she was starting to wonder just how possible her plan was – especially now with Mchawi breeding her own little protectors.
Things were looking a little more helpless.
Unless…
She gave a low caw and was in the sky, landing on a branch where she flipped her wings up over her wounded back. It was still healing from the battle over the desert. The whole thing seemed a bit of a blur now and she wasn’t entirely certain how she had made it back to the lands; waking to find herself deposited amongst the thorny undergrowth of her home.
Perhaps two could play at this game.
Mchawi could have her children and Moma could have some, too. More spies. More family to gather and avenge their lost relative. It would be wondrous. The lands were busy with ravens nowadays. All she’d need to do was select a male and there would be eggs. Eggs that would hatch and grow and find their wings and aid her cause.
If her beak had allowed it, she would have smiled.
“How long until your children are born?”
“Not for a while yet. It gives me time to plan.”
“Do you think it will be a big litter?”
The lioness smiled a wicked smile. “I have seen it. Four children. Four strong children.”
Four?! The raven gave a hollow sound at that and hoped that Mchawi couldn’t understand the tone of it.
“I forget the powers of your foresight.” She added then, taking delight in that pretence.
“Don’t ever forget that I am all powerful. All seeing.” Mchawi growled.
“I won’t do it again.” She bowed her head.
“Now leave me. I wish to be alone with my thoughts.”
“As you like.” And the raven was off again, wincing at the sting of pain in her back as her wings worked to get her up high. So high that she could feel free of the burdens the lioness brought upon her.
Her plan was adapting and changing. She just hoped it was enough. Now, all that was left for her to do was find a male. A male suitable enough to provide her with intelligent children and aid in nest building. Ah, the perils of courtship. She had never been one to desire a family but now it seemed a necessity. Even still, though she might deny it, a trace of excitement lit her at the idea of warming eggs.
Yes. The pregnancy might have complicated things but she wasn't out of the running yet.
/fin
