Today was something a little different for the Nyoka of the Lucani. She was not only a tender of snakes but also a tender to the needs of their Kichwa, or queen as she would have been known by outsiders. As the Kichwa's consort it was not unusual for her to be called upon as the sun was setting in the Kalahari but this time it was in the early morning while the Mtoa, or hunters, were out doing their duty for their pride sisters and the lioness who had relayed the message made it sound more urgent. So with the sense of urgency, Ares' paws carried her over the red sand beneath her paws towards one of the few cluster of trees in the Kalahari and the one that the pride had named their home.
Otrera could have had any lioness within her pride as her consort but she had chosen Ares, carrier of a revered sun marking within the pride believed to have been given to them by their goddess. Despite her consort's usual foul attitude, Otrera saw more in her than any of her pride sisters could or wanted to see it seemed. Surrounded by the Ndae, or elders to those who knew not of their tongue, the matriarch of the Lucani laid beneath the thickest of the trees with her body neatly arranged to appear elegant despite her efforts to cool herself down in their already heating world. She had business to tend to and soon Ares would be coming to her. She could not appear disheveled or uncomfortable when those around her expected her to be the picture of perfection and power in a feminine body.
At this point all Otrera wanted to do was take a drink from one of their stored melons but instead she kept her head up, held in a regal position with her paws crossed and red eyes looking outward.
"Are you alright, my Kichwa?" One of the Ndae asked in a weak, frail voice. It was from one of the graying lionesses but it was one that had known her since she had been a young adolescent lioness, she was just as important to her as any of her family was.
"Thank you Ryta, I'm just fine. The heat is just becoming too much for me."
"Ooo, perhaps you are in heat. Maybe this is a good time to go out and find a male along the borders," The same Ndae said, adding a bit a the end, "As there are always a number of them trying to force their way in."
Otrera could do nothing but laugh at the moment at the elderly lioness' nonsense. Though it was not nonsense and in fact it was what she had called Ares for as she was thinking of producing a litter and bearing the next Kichwa to the Lucani. She merely wanted Ares to accompany her to the border and help choose a appropriate sire to their children. Why was Ares taking so long? A slight annoyance was obvious in her appearance as a frown was planted firmly on her maw.
As if on cue Ares appeared in the distance, a dark red spot against the red sand. It was only moments more before she was standing before Otrera, looking down at her mate. "My Kichwa," She finally said, bowing her head in respect. "You sent word for me to come?"
With only a nod from the matriarch, the Ndae left the side of the dark brown lioness, leaving the two lionesses alone. "I did Ares, come, walk with me." Otrera said, her voice gentle and kind as she gracefully brought herself onto her paws. With Ares at her side, the two began to walk.
"What was it that you wanted, Kichwa?" She could not help but ask. It was obviously something of great importance as the red and black female has been tending to the snakes and their clutches of eggs. Nothing could happen to them, after all, they were guards to the Lucani as well.
"Oh come now, you are my mate. Call me by my name." Otrera scolded, a slight playfulness in her voice. "We are alone after all and every knows that you are my mate. There is no need for formalities."
With a grin, Ares nodded. "Alright then Otrera...Why did you call me?"
"You see those cubs out there?" Otrera asked, motioning in the direction of three of the pride's cubs playing with one of the snakes the pride raised and trained to help protect them. A harmless one at least, easily identified by a bright yellow spot both on the back of its head and neck.
"What about them...?" Came the question in a reply, a brow raising as she turned her head to glance over at them.
"I want my own litter." It was blunt, but it needed to be said. Otrera's head turned back to look at her mate, hoping to see a happy or least accepting expression. None was there. Only a faint, trying smile.
"My Kuchwa, my mate, my Otrera, what is this all of a sudden?" She replied with, approached her mate to give her a gentle nuzzle on her neck only to be sidestepped and turned away from the gesture. Confused, Ares looked to her mate only to find a glare staring back at her.
"I brought you with me to choose a mate for our cubs yet you do not seem pleased." Her voice and face equally stern as she took a step forward, her claws unsheathing as she did so.
"Otrera wait, you did not even give me a chance! I did no-" Took a step backwards and then another. Confusion quickly set in as Ares' tail swept under her belly, her brow raising as her eyes widened. Never had she seen her mate so...vicious. If it wasn't targeted at her, she would probably be having a much different reaction.
Suddenly Otrera stopped though, retaking her step backwards to simply sit on the sand beneath her, her back turned to Ares. Gracefully, her tail moved over the sand, curling beside her.
"No, enough. Leave me be, Ares." Was all the matriarch said, her attention not even lying on the one she spoke to. Why was she so angry just from Ares not responding immediately with joy? Whatever the reason, she knew that things would change, for the worse or for the better.
Ears turning backward to lay flat on her skull, a growing snarl on her face, Ares nodded. "As you wish, Kuchwa." Was all that the black and red snake trainer said as she left her matriarch at the borders of her pride to do as she wished. She did not even give her a chance to speak, to tell her how she was just surprised. She was no angry. She, in fact, was thrilled that her mate wanted cubs, especially to share them with her. But no, she had been cut off and shot down before she even has a chance. Fine, maybe Otrera had a bad day dealing with the always present males on their borders. Who really knows? But she did know that she wouldn't take that again. Looking back over her shoulder, she said the most informal thing she had ever said, especially to her matriarch.
"When you're ready to apologize, come find her Otrera."
The words rang true and clear in her ears as they sank into her heart. She had wronged her mate by snapping at her and now it may have cost her everything. There was no male worth taking if she could not share them with her true mate. The lioness wept as her body slid into the sand, the teardrops drying the moment the touched the hot, coarse ground. There she laid until the sun set and the elders came looking for her.
[Word Count: 1319]
