Gro
Grovarbetare was not pleased with many things in her life at the moment. She was not pleased to have been taken captive and made into a thrall. She was not pleased to learn that she was pregnant. She was not pleased that her captor had, after gifting her to his daughter, decided he would gift her pups to people similarly. She was not pleased that her pups were both girls who would be raised as thralls in this stupid pride. She was not pleased that she was beginning to think of herself by the name the brute had given her.
No. Grovar was not a pleased hyena at all.
It made little difference to her that the lioness who owned her, Kazul, was actually a decent sort of person who did not abuse her physically or emotionally. In Grovar's opinion, benign neglect did not make a person a good owner. In Grovar's opinion, a female hyena should not be owned by another creature.
Nevertheless, today Grovar was grinning from ear to ear, because there were some things that made her life bearable. And chief among them was figuring out how she could turn all this to her advantage. Or at least figuring out how she could make the lions who held her suffer as much as possible. And today she had the perfect tool to torment her mistress.
No. Grovar was not a pleased hyena at all.
It made little difference to her that the lioness who owned her, Kazul, was actually a decent sort of person who did not abuse her physically or emotionally. In Grovar's opinion, benign neglect did not make a person a good owner. In Grovar's opinion, a female hyena should not be owned by another creature.
Nevertheless, today Grovar was grinning from ear to ear, because there were some things that made her life bearable. And chief among them was figuring out how she could turn all this to her advantage. Or at least figuring out how she could make the lions who held her suffer as much as possible. And today she had the perfect tool to torment her mistress.
Kazul
Actually, Kazul wasn't really a very happy lioness either. She was feeling pretty mopey and insecure about a lot of things, but particularly about Ru. His first viking as a captain had gone on for longer than she had expected, and she was worried about him. Not so much that he might get hurt or anything like that. She knew he could take care of himself.
Kazul was actually worried that that Ru would, well, meet someone. She always worried about that whenever he went viking. No matter what anyone told her, she would never really believe that she had grown up into an attractive young lioness, and she could not see what was painfully obvious to pretty much everyone else, namely that Ru was not going to choose some other lioness over her unless she told him that she didn't want him.
She had never voiced this concern to anyone except her half-brother Odd, from whom she had no secrets. Odd had been reassuring, but Kazul had not been reassured. He was only her half-brother. What did he know?
Kazul was brooding when her thrall came in.
Kazul was actually worried that that Ru would, well, meet someone. She always worried about that whenever he went viking. No matter what anyone told her, she would never really believe that she had grown up into an attractive young lioness, and she could not see what was painfully obvious to pretty much everyone else, namely that Ru was not going to choose some other lioness over her unless she told him that she didn't want him.
She had never voiced this concern to anyone except her half-brother Odd, from whom she had no secrets. Odd had been reassuring, but Kazul had not been reassured. He was only her half-brother. What did he know?
Kazul was brooding when her thrall came in.
Gro
Kazul had not been alone the last time she expressed her insecurities to her half-brother. They had been in Kazul's den and Grovar had been in the back chamber setting Kazul's sleeping furs to rights. The lioness didn't just sleep on top of furs, but also burrowed beneath them like some sort of rodent. Not that Grovar could reasonably fault her for wanting to be warm - it was ******** freezing in this hellish pride - but when it came to the lions who owned her, Grovar wasn't really reasonable.
Upon hearing this interesting confession on the part of her mistress, Grovar's mind had immediately gone to work on how it could best be turned to her advantage. First and foremost, she knew that she would need more information, since she had been captured after this Ru lion had gone viking, which meant she didn't even know what he looked like. Information like that was easily acquired though, especially for a resourceful thrall like Grovar.
So she had found out what she could about the Ru lion and his viking and while she was at it she'd played nice with her mistress to get some of this information from her personally. In the end, the possibilities had been myriad, but for the time being Grovar was content just to cause her mistress a little bit of anguish. And all it would take would be a few lies.
"Mistress, I've just heard news about Captain Ruzanski's viking." She was always very careful about the titles she used when speaking aloud among these lions.
Upon hearing this interesting confession on the part of her mistress, Grovar's mind had immediately gone to work on how it could best be turned to her advantage. First and foremost, she knew that she would need more information, since she had been captured after this Ru lion had gone viking, which meant she didn't even know what he looked like. Information like that was easily acquired though, especially for a resourceful thrall like Grovar.
So she had found out what she could about the Ru lion and his viking and while she was at it she'd played nice with her mistress to get some of this information from her personally. In the end, the possibilities had been myriad, but for the time being Grovar was content just to cause her mistress a little bit of anguish. And all it would take would be a few lies.
"Mistress, I've just heard news about Captain Ruzanski's viking." She was always very careful about the titles she used when speaking aloud among these lions.
Kazul
Kazul went still for a moment before she returned to grooming her forepaws. Some lions of the pride had their thralls groom them, but Kazul had never considered permitting that. Her thrall wasn't a lion. Grovar wasn't even feline. Ordinarily that wouldn't make her any less suited to a thrall's work, but Kazul just didn't like the idea of a smooth, slippery, slobbery canine tongue touching her fur. She couldn't believe that a dog's tongue could be as efficient as a cat's for that. Not to mention just...ugh!
"Is that so, Grovar?" the lioness asked as she worked at the fur between her toes with her tongue and teeth. It gave her something to seem to concentrate on so that she would not betray how desperate she was for any sort of news about Ru and his viking.
It should be mentioned that while Kazul strongly suspected her thrall had not been born with the name Grovarbetare, it had not occurred to her how much the hyena hated her name, and how much more she hated to have it shortened. Kazul had a name that didn't lend itself well to shortening, and so she had never given too much thought to the matter.
"Is that so, Grovar?" the lioness asked as she worked at the fur between her toes with her tongue and teeth. It gave her something to seem to concentrate on so that she would not betray how desperate she was for any sort of news about Ru and his viking.
It should be mentioned that while Kazul strongly suspected her thrall had not been born with the name Grovarbetare, it had not occurred to her how much the hyena hated her name, and how much more she hated to have it shortened. Kazul had a name that didn't lend itself well to shortening, and so she had never given too much thought to the matter.
Gro
Grovar wanted to roll her eyes at the display of indifference her mistress affected. She'd seen how Kazul went completely still when she mentioned the absent captain and she'd heard before how much Kazul cared about him. The lioness wasn't fooling anybody. If Grovar had been in a more charitable mood and less pleased with her own cleverness, she might have thought about how Kazul didn't completely discount her as a person - she tried to conceal things from her, so evidently Grovar mattered at least a little.
"Yes," she said, dishing the false information out slowly and relishing the power it gave her over the lioness who was supposed to be her mistress. "You know how thralls talk. I overheard from one of the other thralls that she had seen the captain's band returning with a few more members than it left with."
It had taken careful questioning on Grovar's part to learn how much warning the pride usually received before a viking band returned. That was why she had a second part of this lie planned that she would pass along when the band's return was truly spotted.
"Yes," she said, dishing the false information out slowly and relishing the power it gave her over the lioness who was supposed to be her mistress. "You know how thralls talk. I overheard from one of the other thralls that she had seen the captain's band returning with a few more members than it left with."
It had taken careful questioning on Grovar's part to learn how much warning the pride usually received before a viking band returned. That was why she had a second part of this lie planned that she would pass along when the band's return was truly spotted.
Kazul
Kazul nodded and made a noise in her throat that was meant to indicate something to the effect of, "Yes, yes. Get on with it." She didn't actually articulate those exact words, but she didn't need to. She could be quite expressive with her nonverbal vocalizations.
The news Grovar shared was definitely good news. Kazul smiled to herself, so proud of Ru for the success he had evidently had on this viking. Returning with more members than he had when he left the pride meant that he and his band had captured some thralls, which was the sort of booty that the pride was always impressed by.
"Who did you hear this from?" she asked. She did know how thralls talked, and she knew that they were not the most reliable sources and would have liked to ask a primary source. "Did they say which reaver sighted the band?"
The news Grovar shared was definitely good news. Kazul smiled to herself, so proud of Ru for the success he had evidently had on this viking. Returning with more members than he had when he left the pride meant that he and his band had captured some thralls, which was the sort of booty that the pride was always impressed by.
"Who did you hear this from?" she asked. She did know how thralls talked, and she knew that they were not the most reliable sources and would have liked to ask a primary source. "Did they say which reaver sighted the band?"
Gro
Specific names were things Grovar knew better than to supply. Her mistress might decide to follow up on her own and double check Grovar's details. Fortunately, the hyena had a ready excuse that was also mostly true.
"I'm afraid I'm still too new to the pride to know the names of all the freeborn and thralls, Mistress," she said. "Please forgive me. I would certainly tell you the reaver's name if I knew it."
Oh, Grovar made sure to sound distraught while she apologized. She practically groveled. All the while hatred and resentment burned behind her pretty amber eyes, but Kazul wouldn't see that. All she would notice was that her thrall was beside herself with worry because she'd disappointed and was presumably afraid that it would earn her some sort of violent punishment.
"I could tell you one other thing that I heard, though, if that would make up for it Mistress?"
"I'm afraid I'm still too new to the pride to know the names of all the freeborn and thralls, Mistress," she said. "Please forgive me. I would certainly tell you the reaver's name if I knew it."
Oh, Grovar made sure to sound distraught while she apologized. She practically groveled. All the while hatred and resentment burned behind her pretty amber eyes, but Kazul wouldn't see that. All she would notice was that her thrall was beside herself with worry because she'd disappointed and was presumably afraid that it would earn her some sort of violent punishment.
"I could tell you one other thing that I heard, though, if that would make up for it Mistress?"
Kazul
Mentally Kazul shrugged. It was irritating that she couldn't check up on Grovar's story herself, but she could see no reason for the hyena to lie to her. She was well-treated and her pups had been given homes with lions from respectable bloodlines. One had gone to her brother, Hroarr, and the other to Captain Erling. Both were placements a thrall could be proud of.
"Stop that," she said sharply to the cringing hyena. Just because she treated Grovar well didn't mean she would allow her to get into irritating habits. "There's no need for you to be so theatrical."
She had, by now, abandoned all pretense of grooming and was completely engaged in this conversation about Ru and his viking. It would have driven her mad to learn how easily she was falling prey to her thrall's machinations. In fact, if she had known what Grovar was planning for her, she might have dragged the conniving b***h to a cliff and flung her to the rocks below.
But she had no idea, and so she said to her thrall, "Yes, certainly, Grovar. What else did you hear?"
"Stop that," she said sharply to the cringing hyena. Just because she treated Grovar well didn't mean she would allow her to get into irritating habits. "There's no need for you to be so theatrical."
She had, by now, abandoned all pretense of grooming and was completely engaged in this conversation about Ru and his viking. It would have driven her mad to learn how easily she was falling prey to her thrall's machinations. In fact, if she had known what Grovar was planning for her, she might have dragged the conniving b***h to a cliff and flung her to the rocks below.
But she had no idea, and so she said to her thrall, "Yes, certainly, Grovar. What else did you hear?"
Gro
So easy. This was so easy. Grover was glad that she had never been in love. It seemed to make people unconscionably stupid. Or maybe it was just lionesses that were made stupid by love. Either way, Grovar was too smart to fall for that crap.
"The thrall who told me about the return of the band, they claim to be a seer, and they say that there were three females among the group. I guess he caught some thralls." She shrugged as if she didn't care, because she truly didn't. Others' thralldom didn't bother her in the slightest, except perhaps her daughters', but she still had hopes of getting them free someday.
Grovar looked at the ground and then back up at Kazul, her body language saying that there was more to tell, but that she was reluctant to tell it. She liked forcing Kazul to ask her to tell her lies. It gave her joy like she had not known since before she was captured by that brute of a lion who had sired her mistress.
"The thrall who told me about the return of the band, they claim to be a seer, and they say that there were three females among the group. I guess he caught some thralls." She shrugged as if she didn't care, because she truly didn't. Others' thralldom didn't bother her in the slightest, except perhaps her daughters', but she still had hopes of getting them free someday.
Grovar looked at the ground and then back up at Kazul, her body language saying that there was more to tell, but that she was reluctant to tell it. She liked forcing Kazul to ask her to tell her lies. It gave her joy like she had not known since before she was captured by that brute of a lion who had sired her mistress.
Kazul
Kazul's pride in Ru was not diminished by the news she received, but something in her demeanor changed. She stilled once more, but not with the sort of acute attentiveness she'd demonstrated before when Grovar first introduced the topic of Ru's viking. This stillness was the result of a sudden sinking feeling in her heart that manifested in her stomach.
He had brought back females. That was good. Female thralls tended to be more industrious workers. More easily trained. In the span of a moment she reminded herself of all these things with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She wasn't doing a very good job of convincing herself and she knew it, so she gave up.
"You may as well tell me the rest of it," she said very softly. "It's not as if I could possibly blame you simply for relaying news. You didn't make it, after all."
He had brought back females. That was good. Female thralls tended to be more industrious workers. More easily trained. In the span of a moment she reminded herself of all these things with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She wasn't doing a very good job of convincing herself and she knew it, so she gave up.
"You may as well tell me the rest of it," she said very softly. "It's not as if I could possibly blame you simply for relaying news. You didn't make it, after all."
Gro
Now that was funny, Grovar thought to herself. She only barely managed not to snicker when Kazul said that she couldn't possibly blame her for the news she had to share since she hadn't made it. After all, Grovar had done just that, in fact. Stupid lioness.
"I hate to worry you with rumors gotten from questionable sources, Mistress," Grovar lied. "But it's possible one of the lions on the viking, a dark male, was injured."
That last part actually wasn't a lie. All things were possible. She pretended that she was trying to look encouraging despite knowing that she'd just shared bad news. With that insincere guise she suggested, "Perhaps it was the reaver Voldemaras, or perhaps the reaver Bjorn?"
"I hate to worry you with rumors gotten from questionable sources, Mistress," Grovar lied. "But it's possible one of the lions on the viking, a dark male, was injured."
That last part actually wasn't a lie. All things were possible. She pretended that she was trying to look encouraging despite knowing that she'd just shared bad news. With that insincere guise she suggested, "Perhaps it was the reaver Voldemaras, or perhaps the reaver Bjorn?"
Kazul
"Injuries are part of any reaver's life," Kazul said. It actually sounded casual and off-the-cuff because it was something she'd grown up hearing and believing firmly. That hadn't stopped her from being concerned when her loved ones went viking, but she was less concerned about injury than she was about Ru taking up with one of the female thralls he'd captured.
"I won't be needing you this afternoon, Grovar," she said distractedly. "You may go."
Kazul watched the hyena skedaddle and waited another five minutes before leaving the den herself. She didn't want to be alone in the dark right now, and so she set off in search of a warm sunny patch where she could be around people without being expected to interact with them.
"I won't be needing you this afternoon, Grovar," she said distractedly. "You may go."
Kazul watched the hyena skedaddle and waited another five minutes before leaving the den herself. She didn't want to be alone in the dark right now, and so she set off in search of a warm sunny patch where she could be around people without being expected to interact with them.
Gro
As ordered, Grovar left, practically scurrying away from the lioness's den so that she could finally release the pent-up laughter she'd been holding in from the moment Kazul took the bait.
Oh, it was a little disappointing that the green lioness hadn't started crying or anything like that, but Grovar had the feeling her mistress was not the sort to do that when anyone could see. She had planted the seeds of doubt, and that was sufficient. Even if Kazul hadn't looked the least perturbed by the possibility of Ru being injured.
Well, she certainly would be in the near future when Grovar moved into the second phase of her plan. The thought made the thrall laugh some more, sending eerie cackles of glee through the pride.
Oh, it was a little disappointing that the green lioness hadn't started crying or anything like that, but Grovar had the feeling her mistress was not the sort to do that when anyone could see. She had planted the seeds of doubt, and that was sufficient. Even if Kazul hadn't looked the least perturbed by the possibility of Ru being injured.
Well, she certainly would be in the near future when Grovar moved into the second phase of her plan. The thought made the thrall laugh some more, sending eerie cackles of glee through the pride.
