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 Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:56 am
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:33 am
"Now, if there was one person I did not expect to wander into my abode this evening, it was you," the pale lion lifted her brow into a delicate arch as she observed the darker male. She like many others in these parts had assumed that he had become one of the casualties of the on-going war. It was no secret that the phantoms were active, the warrens had pulsed with so much activity that it was now a common occurrence to see troops streaming back and forth from a region that no one had been in to for many years. Vida wouldn't have been surprised if someone had indicated that it had been generations since the lands ruled by the Black Justicar had been inhabited by a peaceful regime.
Not that it was the fault of the Justicar, the warrens had simply been located in their patch, but it did rather put them in a difficult position.
"On the assumption I was busy, or simply because I was dead?" Havase asked wearily and shook his head. He eventually graced her with a warm smile, though the strain of his journey home and the issues he had dealt with, were still written clearly on his facial features. Suffice it to say that he was exhausted and for someone who had lived a life like his, that was definitely cause for concern... He didn't get tired, or at least, those within his native homeland had never known him to be tired. Had the war finally taken its toll on him?
"A little bit of both," Vida replied, deeming it wise to avoid placating him. Havase had always been able to see right through others and he didn't appreciate those who lied simply to make things 'easier'. "You look awful, by the way," she added and shook her head. "You best come in to the warmth," she concluded and motioned for him to come further inside. He did so, but she hadn't expected the two tiny cubs to follow after him, both of which bore a striking resemblance to him. She couldn't hide her surprise at this and it seemed that Havase didn't expect her to.
"Mine," he confirmed her suspicions as he careful settled both cubs into one of he warmer corners. Both were exceptionally young, but capable of surviving without their mother's milk at least. The female cub seemed to be in good health, but the male hadn't been quite so fortunate and was considerably smaller than his sibling. Havase hadn't realised just how unwell the smaller of the cubs had been until he had seen it with his own eyes, and it had been him alone that had ensured Havase came to a decision on how both children should be cared for in the given circumstances.
"Their mother was abducted," he explained. "We still don't know where she is though we've made several attempts to locate her," he added gently. "However based on where I am located you can understand that it isn't possible for me to care for them, they would be in much more danger than they should be at this age..."
"That's the understatement of the year," Vida agreed and approached both cubs. The journey had taken it out of them and they continued to sleep soundly, though she did have reservations regarding the smallest. He seemed reasonably healthy for now, but she wasn't confident that this would continue. The smallest of the pair would need considerable care to ensure he grew up in better health, but Havase's observations that they simply couldn't be with him were correct. The battlefield was not a safe place for children, and when they were as vulnerable as this...
"I'm going to assume that on this occasion, you are here for a favour," it was a statement rather than a question.
"Obviously," Havase's smile was weak, but it was there.
"We're not the safest place for them either, you know," Vida pointed out.
"Safer than where they were," Havase replied. "Those who took their mother didn't seem to realise that she had them, whether they discover in -"
"They'll figure it out, if she's still alive," the pale lioness pursed her lips. "If they are only just off her milk then she will still be showing."
"Which is precisely why they have been moved, and all traces of them have been expunged for the time being," he didn't explain how this had been achieved, only that all knowledge of these pair had been restricted to a very specific set of individuals. There was no longer a record that they had been in the household, and this would continue to be the case until such times as it was safe for them to return, if they ever returned. "As far as the records are concerned their mother passed away during their birth, and their father is otherwise absent."
"Presumed dead."
"Exactly," Havase agreed. "We both know that we take care of our own and I know that on this occasion, the best place they can possibly be protected is my home," he tilted his head to the side and sighed. "I'm aware that I'm asking for a lot from you, from everyone, but they need somewhere that they can thrive without risk of being pursued," he grimaced. "I can't provide them with that security Vida, not right now, so I need your help," he murmured.
"We're not going to turn away one of our own," Vida said finally and turned her attention back to the lion. "Even if he has been away for a considerable amount of time fighting a war none of us ever really see," she raised a brow. "But are you sure you want to raise them oblivious to who they really are?" she asked.
"Use your judgement," Havase replied. "If you believe they can be discreet, then by all means educate them on their lineage, but do not place their lives in jeopardy simply to ensure they have that knowledge," he grimaced. "Sometimes being unaware of who you are can save your life, should someone attempt to find them, then the lack of knowledge might very well prove to be a godsend..."
"I'll make a call when they're older then," Vida agreed. "But you will at least come to visit them?"
"If I can," Havase once again sounded tired. "I'll do what I can."
...The lioness really couldn't ask for anymore than that.Word Count: 1075
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