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It was still fairly early in the morning when Khin'del took to training. He first found a nice sized rock formation in which he precariously fought with an imaginary opponent. The training was precarious indeed. Not only must he react swiftly, but be sure of his footing - not something easy to do when most of the desert rock formations were sandblasted smooth by sandstorms and the like.

He was into it really good when a little voice came from down below, genuinely confused, and not a note of arrogance in it;
"Hey, mister, what are you doing up there?"

Khin'del looked down from atop the rocks and saw a little red cub.
It was then in the distance he noticed a black speck running that way. "Huozin!" The black juve tackled her slightly smaller friend.

"Xiuh! Oooooooof~" Huozin wined.


Khin'del chuckled and made his way down the rocks. It seemed parents just let their young ones wander - a pretty dangerous thing to do, especially when there were newbies who's disposition they didn't even know. Why, he could really enjoy devouring cubs! Lucky for them, he didn't.

"Where are your parents?" Khin'del asked with a slight tilt to his head.

Xiuhcoatl spoke first, "I unno. I just know I was asked to look after Huozin, then the wondered off~" with that last little bit Xiuh looked at Huozin annoyedly.

"Hey, I saw someone up here on the rocks and got curious! He looked like he was fighting, but I couldn't see anyone else, so I came to ask."

Xiuh rolled her eyes at Huo, "He was training you numbtard!"

"Hey now, that's no way to be a lazy~" Khin'del chastised the little Xiuhcoatl.

"Whudaya mean, 'lady?'" Xiuh scrunched up her face.

Khin sighed and looked to the sky. Oh, lords above, he had to stop this cub from becoming another Azar, quick.
"Come, you two. Into the shade, and I'll tell you some stories."

~~

Time passed and Khin'del had now told many stories, all of which that left the little one's fascinated.

"So, I can be a mean, lean, fighting machine, but be girly too? I haven't met many girly girls 'round here. The guys all seem to make fun of us if we're too 'femanine'," She sighed.

"Well, my dear, that is their mistake. But let me tell you this - you have nothing to prove to them. People act one way on the outside, and can be a totally different thing on the inside - happens all the time. If you want to act like a girl, embrace it. It will give you strength, cause then they won't expect you to be strong, and they'll challenge you. Then you can whoop their butts and REALLY put them to shame."

Huozin sat and listened. "I really shouldn't be hearing these secrets, should I?"

Khindel chuckled. "Just don't go spreadin' them. Then it wouldn't work so well!" He winked at the young male.

"Okay! But I'll remember! I have two mommies, so I need all the help I can get - any tips for a guy?"

"Well," Khin'del thought for a moment, "Women are to be protected by us. Sometimes that protection doesn't just mean fighting off others, but defending them from their own self destructive tendencies. Like their ego" That last sentence was whispered.

"Hey!" Xiuh said. "I herd that! Errr~but I'm not gonna have an ego! I'm gonna keep it aaaaaall inside! The heck with what others say!"

"That's the spirit, kiddo!" Khin'del said, putting a paw on the dark juve's head.


"Xiuhcoatl!?"

All heads perked at the sound of another voice - this one older, yet still with some youth to it.

Xiuh gasped. "Oh no! It's Quidel! Look what you made me do, Huo! You made me go and forget about my lessons!" Xiuh pouted - and action she normally would have kept inside.

"Ummm,...sorry?" Huozin said, unsure. He'd never seen Xiuh pout before.

"Go on, little Xiuh. I'll watch Huozin and take him back to his parents later." After all, he wanted to see these 'two mothers' of his.


"Okay!" Xiuh nodded and ran to Quidel who was not far off. "Quidel! I'm coming!"


Khin'del stood, as did Huozin. "Come on then, let's get you back to your parents."

"Okay!" The young cub trotted along side the larger male.
"Um, Mr. Khin'del, why do you know so much about women? Do you have two mothers too?"

Amused, he chuckled and shook his head. "No, but I have been to many places beyond these lands of yours, and have seen the mighty power which women hold. It is their beauty and feminine qualities which, time after time, I have seen save them from otherwise disastrous situations. They are to be respected, young Huozin. After all, they are responsible for the pain of childbirth as well, something we, as men, could never fathom the pain of. They have to be strong to endure that, ne?"

"Eeww, I really didn't wanna think of that, Mr. Khin'del! But I guess you're right. Wow. I'ma gonna thank my moms when I get home. Not only are they strong fighters, but strong women as well!"

"Little one, women is what this place lacks. There are many females, but I've seldom crossed paths with a woman in my time here."

Huozin had been so focused on Khindel that the sound of Azar talking made him jump, and he bumped in to Khin's leg. The two stopped.

"Mr. Khindel, I have a question."

Khin'del chose not to react in any way to Azar.

"Hmn?"

"Is Miss Azar a female or a woman?"

...
"A female." he then continued walking.

Huozin who had wondered closer to Azar when stating his question then ran to catch up with Khin'del - his new idol.

"What makes you say that?" The little cub asked.

"Well," he began, not caring what Azar heard. If any thing maybe it'd make her think. "you know how you say you have two mommies?"

"Ya?"

"Does one of them act more like a Lion, and the other more like a lioness?"

"Ummm, I,..i think I get what you mean, yeah!"

"Azar is like your more like your Lion-mother, rather than your Lioness-mother."

"Oh, I get it,..." Hu0zin cast Azar a curious look over his shoulder.

Khindel stopped and looked at Azar over his shoulder;
"Do I look that stupid? Do you really think I would be fool enough to return alone after those remarks I just made? I'm witty - not dumb. And just in case you didn't quite under stand that, my answer is no." And he carried on.

Poor Huozin was confused. "Why aren't you going to go see Miss Azar later?"

"Because, little one, She merely wishes me bodily harm for the things I just told you. And, quite frankly I'm not feeling like catering to masochism today,..."

"Masochism?"

"That is when someone gets a thrill from inflicting pain on others."

"Oh..."

Quite frankly at this point Khin'del really didn't give a damn about Azar anymore.
"Young one, another point about females - they think they must always have the last word. In all cases, it proves futile to not let them." This was whispered so that Azar could not hear.

Let her think what she would, but in the end, on the a** scale, she was still higher. After all, it wasn't kind to eaves drop, and butt in to conversations you were not part of to begin with.

Huozin only nodded, and they continued on their way home.