It was the season of Breytast Vindar apparently, which was supposed to be big and exciting if you were one of this hive of jerks. It was her home now and had been for what seemed like ages, but Mopani still thought of it as just that: a jerk-hive, overflowing with lions bloated with their own arrogance. Especially that revolting Taraxa. Hurgh. But this Breytast Vindar thing appealed to her somewhat. Mopani wasn’t a warrior, but she was … curious. Curious enough to go seek out a Lawspeaker to tell her more about it. It was her right as a pride member, even though she was but a lowly thrall.
Aedel wasn’t particularly thrilled about his duties as a Lawspeaker, but he had never shirked a duty in his life. Even if being a Lawspeaker brought him no great glory, it was the right thing to do. He had always admired Skada for her willingness to set aside her days of reaving for the good of the pride. He had never wanted to emulate her, but here he was.
Aedel recognized the lioness standing outside his den. After becoming a Lawspeaker he had put an effort into familiarizing himself with the pride’s members. He hadn’t bothered to learn her name – he was certain that she was only a thrall – but he knew her. Aedel supposed she had some message or gift for him from another. “Yes, thrall?” The lion asked, coming to the mouth of his den and regarding the thrall without much interest.
Oh how she hated that word. Mopani bristled. It was hard to keep her features from twisting into a scowl. “I’m here to see the Lawspeaker Aedel.”
“Yes, of course,” Aedel said, a bit impatient. “What do you have for me, thrall?”
Mopani wanted to smack him. Already she couldn’t stand this fellow. “I’m here to talk to you. As a Lawspeaker.” She drew herself up haughtily. “It’s my right.”
No thrall had ever sought him out before. Aedel was surprised. There was no reason to, really – he wouldn’t intervene on a thrall’s behalf to save them from an angry master. Freeborn could treat thralls as they pleased. As he recalled, this lioness had some sort of scandalous arrangement with a Freeborn lioness that would presumably protect her in any case. He couldn’t imagine what she wanted from him. “Well. I suppose it is at that,” Aedel said slowly. “What is it you want?”
That was a little better. Mopani might be a thrall, but she had miles more self-respect than most of those mangy creatures. She wasn’t about to be run off by some prig of a Lawspeaker. “Breytast Vindar,” she said. “I want to know more about it. I’m not from your lands, obviously, so I haven’t seen it before.”
Ah. This was interesting. Did the thrall intend to challenge someone for her freedom? Aedel didn’t care much for the plight of thralls one way or the other, but he liked any lion with a bit of a spark to them. “The season of changing winds, we call it. A lion can challenge another for their position.” He flexed his claws. No one had challenged him for his own position. It was disappointing. Aedel would have liked to deal out some pain in the course of his duties. “Depending on what that position is, the defending lion may lose their position entirely or simply be disgraced.”
Mopani had some vague idea that losing lions lost their power. She had heard that priestesses were forced to step down if they lost a challenge. “So if I challenge, say, a priestess—“
Aedel cut her off. “You can’t challenge a priestess as a thrall. She wouldn’t acknowledge you. You may only challenge a Reaver for your freedom.” He shrugged. “All outsiders must fight a Reaver to win entrance. This would be your second chance to enter the pride as a free lioness.”
Disappointing but not entirely unexpected. Mopani would have liked to challenge that splodgy b***h High Priestess. She put on airs and looked soft. There was a certain Reaver that it would be her pleasure to beat. A certain old, fat, stupid Reaver. Mopani bared her teeth gleefully. “And if I beat this Reaver, will he be my thrall?” Oh, please say it was so!
The Lawspeaker couldn’t help laughing. He was warming to this lioness, even though she was just a thrall. That was a properly bloodthirsty attitude to have. Pity she wasn’t born into the pride. She would have made a spitfire of a Freeborn. “No. But he will surely be ashamed of himself.” As a neutral Lawspeaker Aedel wouldn’t be able to scoff at the fallen Reaver, but he would still be mightily amused. “Who are you intending to challenge? And what is your name, thrall?”
This Lawspeaker fellow wasn’t as bad as some lions in the pride, but Mopani clung to her dislike on general principles. She refused to be pleased by his apparent interest in her schemes. “I am Mopani’lo, Aedel, and I’m thinking of beating the piss out of the mighty tub of guts Taraxa.”
Aedel laughed again. Taraxa. Yes. He knew that the colossal pink lioness Bilijo had somehow managed to snare Taraxa into marriage. Not that Taraxa was a prize pig himself, of course. Aedel wasn’t the sort to kick a lion when he was down, but the mental image of both Bilijo and Mopani ripping Taraxa to shreds was pitifully hilarious. Lionesses might be weaker than males in terms of sheer brute strength, but Aedel was well aware that they were not to be trifled with. His work as a Lawspeaker had given him a greater insight into the ferociousness of females than he had had as a Reaver or Captain. “Challenge him, then. The Gods will bless you if they will it.” Aedel privately thought Mopani stood a good chance of thrashing Taraxa. The Reaver had been a fine specimen in his younger days, but too many long nights and long feasts took their toll on even the greatest warrior in the end.
Mopani nodded briskly, pleased with Aedel’s go-ahead. “I will think on it more, but I just may.” Destroying Taraxa would be sweet, sweet justice. She would bash his head against a rock and see how he liked it. “Thank you, Lawspeaker,” she said, turning to go. No, Aedel definitely wasn’t as horrid as most of the pride.
