[PRP] Master vs Student (Kluna x Dione)

[Epine de Rose]

It was 'time' as it were; though she had no guarantees that she was fully prepared it was the time when all pride members took it upon themselves to step forward and prove their worth. For some this would end in humiliation, some might end in embarrassment, and others might end in quiet acceptance that something was not meant to be. Whatever their intentions were, her's was not to humiliate, but to gain more respect... Not that Kluna disrespected her, but this was just one extra step that would potentially reinforce that after all her training, they might very well be equals.

Thus, the lioness wandered towards her mentor's home (and the numerous cubs that now inhabited it) to make her challenge known. She could rely upon Kluna to make some time for her on this occasion, at the very least Dione could provide her with Nanabe's assistance as a further cubsitter if need be until such time as their task was complete.

Gods only knew she might need it, Dione knew her brother all too well and could only imagine how his offspring might behave!

"Kluna?" she hazarded, somewhat suspicious of just how quiet it was at this particular moment in time. "Might we have a word?"

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Will roll in the next one as I forgot in my opening post!

 

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Tidying the den had fallen to the wayside and was set for her thralls she had received, captured, or had otherwise shown up in her den. Then there were the cubs that were very clearly related to the lioness that she anticipated would be showing up at her den entrance in any moment - hopefully with that very useful Nanabe in tow.

"You're late." She whispered harshly and exited the den. "The cubs are asleep so thank you for not parading about." Kluna felt as she though she looked exhausted, which would be no surprise to anyone. Dealing with the daily gabber of the oafs that called themselves viking was one thing.. their children? A whole other story. "Can we borrow Nanabe?" She queried the pale lioness. "Your nieces and nephews are a pawful."

"If we can have her just watch the den we can carry on proving your worth." Kluna felt little need to be so formal with her student, she was always more than that truthfully. She'd happily hand over the reigns if Dione proved worthy.

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[Epine de Rose]

There was a face she had rather hoped she wouldn't have herself, but if Kluna had crumbled under the weight of cubs then it was a given that Dione was going to follow suit. She wasn't going to lie, the day she became a mother might suck for her, and she was liable to whine quite a bit about how tired she was... but at the very least she did have Narabe who did have the capacity to work well with children. It was only fitting that Kluna should therefore benefit from the help as well given that her brother had rather unceremoniously made her family.

...Not that Dione would judge Kluna too harshly, but the priestess did rather think that Kluna was entitled to someone a little mightier than her brother. Ah, but if only Dione actually knew how far he'd come, if only they both knew...but Tethys had been away for a considerable amount of time and she was beginning to wonder if he was even still breathing.

"I'll send her round immediately," she confirmed as she gave a nod for Kluna to follow. "She was nearby with Sima, so both can assist in tending to my ah...new relations," she shook her head. "At least Sima is fairly youthful in comparison to her both, she might be able to keep up with them while Narabe cleans up for you," she murmured with a sigh. "Regardless, according to this season we're supposed to be set a challenge by our peers which..." she cast a sidelong glance to Kluna.

"We have none," she stated plainly.

"So perhaps you might throw us a curve ball and we'll see whether or not I've learned anything from you," she said with a smile. She was confident she had learned quite a bit, it was whether she could apply it that remained to be seen.

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The season was certainly upon them - the year had felt as though it had gone by far to quickly and yet she felt as though she had done so little. Surely all leaders felt this way. If it weren't for the well trained student and the well timed cubs she'd have been concerned for her position, but both had put her at ease. "That'd be wonderful." She finally pulled out a friendly smile for Dione. "I'd appreciate the help with the den especially, you know how useless Stylter can be. Perhaps if you surpass expectations I can spend more time whipping him into shape." She curled a lip at the thought.

"Speaking of.."

"I'm here, Kluna." Stylter had been busying himself with collecting various articles here and there in preparation of the 'trials' that Dione would be set upon. He and the den filled with various thralls had been filled with gossip about the possible next High Priestess. "I've brought everything." He said and gave a small bow of his head - they hadn't been running on formalities for quite some time, but this seemed very nearly ritualistic and he knew better than to make that informal.

"Good." Kluna cut out the snarky comments she so badly wanted to throw at Stylter in favor of examining the items he'd brought. Some bandages, various herbs, and some items specifically from the Bahari. She was impressed and had discovered a small ounce of energy sparked at seeing these items. "You'll recognize these, Dione." She shoved forward the bowl filled with the items. "We'll start simple and work our way up?" She asked with a small drip of excitement in her tone. Almost as though she were a proud mum to the lioness before her.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

No one would ever truly replace Arimathras as her mother, but there was something to be said for the bond that Kluna and Dione possessed. While Kluna could often be blunt and difficult for some to read, Dione had come to appreciate her direct manner and ultimately, her shrewd nature and loyalty. Despite what others might say, Kluna possessed and incredible sense of patience, especially considering that she had endured the company of Tethys for long enough to have his children.

...Then again logically speaking, the children possessed strong blood as a result of the union. A captain and a High priestess, nothing could really be better than that unless it were between a Warlord or the First Speaker. Such was her opinion anyway, even if there would be others who might disagree with her in the grand scheme of things.

"I recognise them," Dione acknowledged, Stylter's appearance with a smile and regarded the items briefly. "You've chosen to bring some of the more exotic produce to the table," she confirmed softly and lifted a brow. "Which means you are either after an incredibly potent and horrifically tasting cure for the drunk, or a much more important politce," she mused.

"If we're going for simple, I'd imagine it would be for sobering up someone who drank a little too much."

Dione thought back to someone in her life who she would have probably used this on before if she had discovered it before they'd met...

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"I'm glad that you do."

The high priestess regarded her student with admiration that lasted meer minutes. She wouldn't parade around applause until later on, when Dione succeeded. Kluna had little concern for Dione - if she had been conceded enough she'd have said that Dione had a great teacher, but instead she recognized her ability to grasp things quickly.

"Yes. We'll be doing a pretty strong poultice near the end, but lets begin with something less drastic." She couldn't hide the amusement in her tones as the student had already begun a transformation into a teacher herself. "Select your ingredients for helping an aling Reaver that needs to be at his best the morning after a celebration."

With the help of Stylter she pushed forward a variety of ingredients that could either help or worsen the aling Reavers current predicament. It was her attempt at tricking the priestess before her. That or she'd quickly discover a sick sense of humor in regards to that lion she'd taken under her wing - Bjorn was it?

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

Oh Please...

She didn't regard Kluna with disrespect in those moments, but she did rather view the initial task as a simple one. It was predominantly due to the fact that the lioness had become so adept at torturing her own beloved brother with these things that they were second nature! Bjorn had managed to escape her clutches after he'd wandered off to provide his assistance to his daughter.

Consequently, it wasn't long before Dione had already swept together a cure for what 'ailed' her chosen Reaver. It would work, that much was certain based on the ingredients she had chosen, but it would be one of the most vile tasting products that the poor individual might ever be subject to. It was also something she'd made before when Tethys had been at his absolute worst, not because she was a sadist on that occasion, but simply because it was the strongest thing she had.

...He'd woken up after that, language filled with colour, but he'd begun to recover. Now whether she decided to employ this on other unsuspecting targets remained to be seen, but this creation was one designed to give a jolt of energy rather than to cure a persistent headache - a shot of coffee for the unsuspecting felines out there, as it were.

Satisfied, she slid the offering back into view of both Kluna and her thrall so that she might assess it. Dione had no doubt that the lioness would know exactly what it was, Kluna was no idiot, even with cubs on the brain.

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Had those green eyes nearly rolled? Kluna almost chuckled at it, but maintained a studious silence while her student methodically completed the task assigned to her. Piece after piece she watched the ingredients become something more. It was always an incredible sensation to see something put together.

"Perfect. Although you already knew that."

This was just a way to ease into things. "Next you'll need to create two more potent potions." One was more of a salve for those ailing after a return from battle. Something her student should also have been familiar with as her brother was always coming back with some wound or another. "A salve for severe wounds and hastened recovery, as well as a poison." Her eyes narrowed to slits as she spoke the final word. A priestesses purpose was usually healing, supporting, preforming ceremonies, etc. Recently poison came to mind more often than not, but not for use within the pride - no - it was something that was picked up from travels.

"Prepare these for me." Next would be ceremonies, there weren't many, but the ones that happened were important to most members of the prides. Marriage was included.

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

The salve would prove no problem, but the poison that she had been working with for the last few months was somewhat volatile. In fact, it was so volatile that the lioness had needed to be exceptionally careful when creating it. She hadn't yet had the opportunity to show it to her brother but she had hoped he would return soon enough... if only so that she could at least test it in the field. As it stood, she wasn't prepared to let this one be used given she wasn't entirely sure she could cure it.

Her hesitation would have been clear, but the apprehension wasn't due to the lioness not knowing what to do, it was just how difficult it would be to control if it got out. The thing she absolutely didn't need, was for her brother's children to find it and touch it, let alone eat it. Nevertheless, rather than decline the lioness's request she set to work on making the salve while she thought of how best to approach the situation.

In the end, the salve inevitably came first, deposited at Kluna's side for inspection as she sat in front of her materials and slowly began to make what she had decided was the best option. It would be a poison, but it would be a compromised one... enough to make a curious cub ill, but not enough to kill them. Truth be told this wouldn't be her best work but it would be the safest, some some circles that might very well be her best work as a consequence of the thought she'd put in to the collateral damage the more potent elements might cause!

Eventually she finished, and with that she set it down with pursed lips. She could at least be satisfied in the knowledge that her impish nieces and nephews would remain reasonably unharmed even if they stuck their noses in to places they shouldn't.

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The hesitation wasn't lost on Kluna, but she had a feeling that it wasn't to do with Dione being unsure of herself, but more so attempting to decide something internally. Kluna had seen such hesitations before, it was simply the way the priestess thought things through.

First the salve. Easily managed and presented. Kluna dipped her head to inspect the product, first with her nose and eventually giving it a good glance. The texture appeared to be correct, smell was on point, and color was just right. The ingredients used in the salve were handled with care and would ease the pains brought on by most wounds - Tethys would recognize it.

Now for the poison...

The product wasn't something she would be willing to stick her nose about and she subconsciously found herself peering for nosey cubs or other curious creatures that ended up in her den. Her concerns were swept aside when she realized it wasn't the poison she had been expecting, nothing nearly as serious. This was something she'd consider using for keeping troublesome cubs away, or adults for that matter. Cover something with, an unsuspecting cub or anyone comes along, dips their paw in it, and attempts to clean that paw. Ingestion of the poison would make anyone ill, but wouldn't produce any fatalities.

"Of course these were done to perfection." She had expected no less and yet she wore a large grin. "This and considering everything that we've been through, Dione, I'd be humbled if you took the title of High Priestess - at a great time too." Her gruff personality had faded when in Diones presence over time, it seemed she was very nearly a cuddly teddy bear now.
"Your nieces and nephews are a pawful." Though she had full anticipation of changing that, and changing it quickly. A proper regime would pull those cubs into proper form. Leaning in more closely to Dione she smiled and whispered. "I knew it would be you."

Epine de Rose

 

[Epine de Rose]

She'd be loathe to admit to anyone that she had been just a little nervous, truthfully, the lioness had been suffering an onslaught of bizarre little butterflies since she had finished her tasks. This wasn't a usual occurrence for her, and given she was so well practiced, it shouldn't have occurred at all! Alas, it seemed that even Dione could recognise that even she had the capacity to be imperfect, and to make mistakes, and now more than ever she would have very much appreciated if those mistakes didn't occur.

Fortunately, fate smiled upon her on this occasion and it seemed her offering had been accepted. Even in its muted form, Kluna had recognised what she had intended to do and seemed willing to accept it. It came as an even greater relief to the white lioness to realise that her mentor was proud of the decisions she had made, and the talent she had displayed, in the hours that they had been involved in this 'contest'.

...So much so that the grey lioness was willing to concede and let her take the mantle; though Dione appreciated that it might also be due to the fact that Kluna simply couldn't perform her duties at the moment and this proved to be an exceptionally well timed Breytast. Personally, Dione might have declared that the former High priestess had planned this all along so that she might not inconvenience the pride with the burden of motherhood!

In fact, Dione might simply choose to use that line of explanation - that wasn't to say she hadn't earned this position, but her mentor wasn't one to snort dismissively at either. Her mentor was no less capable, and had it not been for the rabble of nieces and nephews, then Dione suspected she wouldn't have conceded quite so easily.

"Your confidence is flattering," Dione mused and shook her head. "But I'm beginning to suspect that you have a greater challenge ahead of you than I do," she added and raised a brow. "I'll make sure we don't fall in to disrepute," she reassured Kluna and tilted her head to the side. "Although I suspect you would call me out before that happened anyway... or at least I can have faith that you will."

...There was still a role for Kluna in her life and 'mentor' wasn't a title she was likely to lose that easily; if anything, it might very well evolve into a confidante (if it hadn't already)!

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