Word of Freyja's disappearance was the big topic around the thrall's quarters, Thyri mused, winding her way through the dens to find some item her master's other thralls couldn't seem to find for her. Whispers on all sides about possible kidnapping, others claimed that the cubs had been born in the night and stolen or moved by someone else. Personally, Thyri had no interest in any of it. If the grouchy old lady wanted to run off somewhere and have her cubs in peace and quiet after all the drama she'd caused, that was her business. Thyri was just musing on the idea when she walked into a rather solid piece of lion, the force it it tossing her on her rump. "Ouch..."

Hessom hadn't involved himself in gossip either, not until he thought of those poor cubs. He had been one of the ones Astrid had trusted with knowing her plans, and he'd kept his word, even from SSM, though he was bursting with the information. He knew better than to let word get out they were here and being moved out, especially since being born into the pride would already rank them higher than himself. When he rounded a corner and smacked straight into another lion, he quickly walked over, "I am really, REALLY sorry about that." He could help the smile that crossed his face as he offered her a hand in getting back up.

Orra was one of the extreme gossipers despite being of a quiet nature, trying to get information out of whomever she could. Since coming to the pride, shed rarely felt this kind of excitement around, and she wanted all the juicy tidbits she could get her paws on. When she walked towards the biggest intersection of gossip and instead found herself staring at two other thralls, her smile soft as she spoke just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "Do you know anything about that lioness and cubs that are missing? Talk about getting the lessers into a buzz."

Thyri rolled her eyes after rejecting Hessom's help, her gaze turning to look at the green lioness that just joined them. "It's not my business to know anything, and even if I did, I probably would share it. There are eyes and ears everywhere that might be against them."

Hessom nodded an affirmation just as Thyri spoke, and he quickly looked away to try and cover up his mistake. He'd been so ready to be done with having this secret alone that he'd slipped up, though he hoped that neither of the other two lionesses would pick up on it.

Orra, however, offered him no such good fortune. She had noticed his gesture, and instantly walked towards him. "The other thralls say the cubs were born and smuggled out. Is that true?"

Thyri's ears perked up then, and she looked at Hessom as well. He knew something that was fact? She blew air, "He probably knows just about as much as we do. We're bottom of the barrel."

Hessom glanced in her direction for a brief moment, but quickly sighed and turned back to Orra, "I've heard quite a few rumors, but that seems to be the biggest one." He shifted from one paw to the other, an anxious habit as he really did want to get to working on his den at home, to make it more liveable. "Is now really the time to discuss it? Surely it'll come to light on its own in time."

Orra blinked a few times, but nodded firmly, "You're right, it will. But there's going to be incessant chatter until then, and I'd rather not have to deal with fifty or so different stories when I can just hear the truth."

Thyri shook her head at Orra, "None of this even matters. It's not our issue to deal with, whether their mother ran off to give birth in peace or if someone brought harm to her and took them."

Hessom's gaze drifted to Thyri, "You don't really think someone would hurt a pregnant lioness, do you?"

Orra took her time to speak up, "She was a rather unpleasant woman, if you were ever around her. She didn't care if you belonged to someone or not, she treated every Thrall the same."

Thyri snorted, "In other words, like crap. She was a high and mighty Reaver after all, Im sure she brought some of us in one way or another just like everyone else."

Hessom shook his head, "No, even if she were completely cruel and heartless as a lion, her cubs were innocent in all this. If they hadn't been smuggled out, who knows-"

Orra perked up, staring at Hessom, "So you DO know something after all. They were smuggled out to get them away from... someone here, I suppose?"

Thyri shrugged, taking a few steps towards where she'd been heading prior to this conversation, "If that someone is still here, I'd rather not be on the receiving end of their anger for gossip. I have work to do..." She grumbled and walked off, leaving the other two behind to watch her leave.

Hessom glanced around, suddenly wary of any eyes that might be on them, "She has a point. If someone were to overhear any of this, we could be in quite a bit of trouble." He offered a small apologetic smile before walking past Orra, intent on seeing if he could get his paws on a decent fur for the den.

Orra wrinkled her nose. They both had left her just as she was about to finally get some insight on what had happened. Sighing, she shook her head. "Guess I'll find out the truth when everyone else does." She decided to give it just a bit more effort and wander around the thrall dens, hungry for whatever little extra tidbits she could find. essom, at least, had revealed to her that the cubs were alive. Whether or not they made their way back here in time, however, was their own prerogative.

[Word Count: 1,011]