Alternate Title: Screw You, Dad!
Word Count: 2079



Velveteen Angel
Diya’ali had found himself a captain to lead the viking, because he could not yet call together a band himself. Yet. He had plans. Still, the captain served a purpose and it was convenient, because it allowed him to take two more of his offspring out into the rogue lands to expose them to a viking and allow them to gain their reaver status. Linnea had come on one of his last Vikings, though she refused the title of reaver because of her intense disgust for the whole process. Aemilius had taken on the rank, and Diya had been proud. Now two more of his cubs had expressed an interest in becoming reavers. Perhaps he could have a band of his cubs when he was a captain? He mused to himself.

He had moved away from the presence of the captain, because he didn’t really find the male interesting at all and doubted he would be a benefit to the whole viking. He scanned for his adult offspring, calling out to them. “Vaska! Slava!” He motioned for them to follow him away from the group.

Seaki
So far on the Viking, Vaska and Slava had stuck close together - like reflections of one another. Slava was far more confident than her brother, however, and her head was held quite a bit higher. They would be able to obtain their Reaver status on their trip - they would be able to make their mother proud of them.

Vaska, however, wasn't too convinced so far. He had grown used to living peacefully in the pride, but he would follow his sister anywhere. He bumped gently against her side. She huffed softly at him, and looked towards the rest of the band they were with. The twins gave pause when their father called to them, their attention turning towards him, and following him away from the group.

"Are we allowed to part from the group?" Vaska asked, curious.

Velveteen Angel
Diya barely payed attention to the comment, almost forgetting to reply as he scanned the savannah. “What? Of course we are. We are hardly a subtle force if we tramp through the savannah in one big bulky group of brash lions,” he said, his distaste for the general groups of reavers clear. He found most of the other members of the pride brutish and easily defeated. They lacked refinement and skill.

“Now, simply coming on this viking enables you to claim your reaver status,” he said, “but to gain status in the pride, it is best if you bring back something as bounty. Have you given any thought of what you want?” He glanced at the twins. “It would be bold to try to claim a thrall on your first viking, but all other bounty is open.”

Seaki
Slava perked up considerably. To capture a thrall would be the highlight of this trip. She wanted that immediately. She glanced at her brother to see if her twin mirrored her thoughts. "Slava," he sighed, immediately. "Be realistic." But nope, she was determined.

Vaska gave a huff, almost annoyed with his twin, but the determination his twin displayed was always inspiring. He couldn't help but leech from her emotions.

"Okay, then, we want to capture a thrall," Vaska spoke for the both of them, his tone now colored with determination as well.

Velveteen Angel
Diya raised a brow. Well, that was confident. “I must agree with Vaska, “ Diya said, warningly, “be realistic. Capturing a thrall is not as easy as you may think it is. It takes training. Skill.” It was something that Diya had not yet managed, though he had his eye on a thrall in the pride to claim as his own, but that was not the same as capturing a rogue to serve him. It had less status attached to it.

“Perhaps we should start with a pelt?” He suggested, slightly patronisingly.

Seaki
Slava scoffed. Being talked down to always made her fur bristle. Now she absolutely had to capture a thrall simply to spite the male. She would show him. She bumped shoulders with her brother, who grinned.

They would show him alright.

"We'll see how the day goes," Vaska offered kindly, not accepting that a pelt would be all they got. He felt a fire in his soul, one that was echoed and strengthened and fed by his sister's own blistered determination. Slava would have said it a lot less kindly if she spoke, and she almost dashed off to find the perfect thrall while her brother did the speaking.

Normally the pink-eyed girl was more eloquent, but something about being around this sausage fest made her blood absolutely boil.

Velveteen Angel
Diya nodded, unaware of his offspring’s plan to prove him wrong, taking Vaska’s words at face value. He watched Slava race off, and set off to follow her at a distance, watching her movements and critiquing them in his head. He would give her feedback at the end of the raid, but for now, he would simply watch out for his offspring.

Jibril was curled up at the edge of a small pond. It was barely more than a puddle but the sun was warm and the water was cool, so it was all that the small lioness really wanted in life. She smiled to herself, cheerful for what the day would hold. Unaware of the stalking band nearby to her. She hummed, feeling the vibrations in her chest but unaware of how loud or soft she was humming. Her deafness was a problem in some people’s eyes, but Jibril had grown up with it. Originally able to hear loud sounds, her ears had gotten worse as she aged and as she aged, she spoke less and less. It was easier to make gestures. She could read lips, mostly. If people spoke slowly, then she could follow them.

She stretched, closing her eyes cheerfully.

Seaki
Vaska had followed his sister. Where she was more brash, he tried to be more logical about things. Slava was stronger than he was too, but together, the pair could probably pull off capturing a thrall together. It didn't take him quite so long to catch up with her, either, seeing as she slowed down enough for him to return to his side.

Now, the pair would hunt for a thrall. This task would be easy, of course. Spotting another creature would always be the easy part, the pair thought as they laid eyes upon a pale grey lioness with prettiest pink markings. "That one?" Slava asked aloud to confirm, and Vaska hummed in agreement.

This could work, they thought, they just had to play this out correctly.

Velveteen Angel
Diya followed behind the twins, not really scanning the landscape because he knew how difficult it was to capture a thrall in this environment. They wouldn’t stumble across someone to capture, not today, not on their first encounter… he paused as he noticed them gazing at a grey lump in the savannah. It was a lioness. No…way…

Jibril was basking in the sunshine. It was just stunning. She had left her family behind a while ago, to explore on her own, but it was fine because she was an adult now. She was all grown up and she could look after herself. After all, what could happen to her? She peeked open her eyes and stared at the little pond, enjoying the rippling water in the gentle breeze. Her usual impeccable nose was useless to her because she was upwind of the stalking troop.

Seaki
Slava stalked forward. She was absolutely predatory, taking a far more direct approach than her twin, who circled along the side of the grey figure out of sight, just in case the would-be thrall decided to run - he would be able to catch her if she darted off.

As they approached, Vaska was practically trembling with the mere thought that this lioness would be their prize. They would make their mother proud, they throught, and they would spite their father in one go. It was the most ideal situation.

"Lioness," Slava stated, approaching the female from the front. She would pin the female if she had to, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. No need to injure her, after all, they still had to make a trip back to the pride.

Velveteen Angel
Jibril made no movement at Slava’s words – unable to hear them – but as they approached she tensed as she caught their scent and turned towards them. She raised herself up in greeting, offering a bright but unaware smile. She noticed the posture of the approaching female though and her expression became worried. Wait. This didn’t look like a friend. She stepped backwards, almost reflexively.

Diya watched his offspring approach the female with a look of disbelief. The female would not put up much of a fight. She was slim and looked untrained. Were they about to capture a thrall on their first raid?

Seaki
Vaska gave a small growl from behind to alert the grey lioness that he was there, unaware that she wouldn't be able to hear him. Slava, however, could see the expression of the lioness change from cheerful to just the opposite. With the step backwards of their soon-Thrall, Slava stepped forward.

"Now, now," She spoke calmly. "Don't fight, and just come with us," She soothed. "She watched the lioness's expression, feeling something was off. She couldn't figure out just quite what it was yet. She watched closely, strudying the lioness's features and reactions.

Velveteen Angel
Jibril was still unaware of Vaska’s presence, and a slight gust of wind allowed her to scent him and she glanced over her shoulder, flinching as she realised that she was now surrounded (or rather, she was blocked). She knew she couldn’t outrun them. She glanced back at Slava just in time to see her mouth move, the words forming in her head. Even without those words, Jibril knew what was happening; she was being hunted. She was reassured at the words ‘come with us’ and not ‘you’re about to die’ though, but was she just being taken somewhere else to be killed? This was not a good day. Not a good day at all.

Her eyes slipped down, her posture submissive. It was clear that she would not fight. She might try later, but for now she was trapped.

Seaki
Slava nearly crowed in victory, but she didn't. She wouldn't, until she could laugh joyously with her brother. This felt too easy, though, and she continued to watch the lioness for a moment. She gestured with her head for the lioness to follow her. "Come on then," she stated, firmly like a command. Still something niggled at her, like she was missing something. Vaska flanked the new Thrall, making sure that their Thrall would not bolt off when they weren't paying attention.

She seemed absolutely submissive though, accepting her fate easily. Even so, it could be a ruse to get them to drop their guard. Vaska's gaze bore into his Father's, a sort of defiant look to him. Perhaps now they would be taken seriously, a thrall to their name and a shiny, new Rank.

He was proud - this day could have turned out much differently after all, and he glanced to his sister for a moment, and then to the Thrall.

Velveteen Angel
bril didn’t like how close they stood to her and she shied away from them. When they were that close, she couldn’t read them, because she couldn’t see their bodies properly. She didn’t’ know what they were planning, but she knew she wasn’t going to like it. She noticed the other male standing away from them, waiting for them. She had been even more outnumbered than she had even been aware of. She didn’t understand what was happening to her at all, but she followed. Quietly, like she lived her life.

Diya watched his offspring come closer, stunned but proud. He nodded his approval at them as they approached and he began to lead them all back towards the band. They would make names for themselves in the pride, he mused, oddly proud and angry at their success at the same time.