Things had been increasingly...calm for the female since her children had reached the age of adulthood. Of course there was that little nuisance that constantly plagued her. Vulcan or whatever his name was. Why did she even bother to let him linger? The sight of him disgusted her, something she wasn't sure would ever change. Of course there was something else. There had to be. Shaking her head she continued along on her walk trying to keep her thoughts away from unhappy ones.

How long had Majivu been gone? More than a full moon, that much she was certain of. Then again she really wasn't. Ugh this was difficult. She missed him. It was impossible -not- to. Even so she knew she needed to let him do the things he wanted to do. He needed to follow his own path just as she had to follow hers. But where had that led her really? She lived a good life yes but so much was missing.

She could never seem to shoo the hollow feeling she often felt when she spent too much time alone. Right now she needed a good fashioned distraction.

--

Ahali was doing the usual thing for distraction, ever since "the kids" had arrived. Avoiding going home.

No, he hardly hated his "family", but it was a bit too much sometimes. Which was a bit funny to think of, his spawn were probably the most well behaved cubs ever, if.. egoistical, perhaps a bit narcissistic, some of them.. And, a thing he was very happy for was their brains. Because -boy- did they know how to put on a show, say the right things... Especially when he and Afu were around. Perfect, evil little children. Of course, he could peg some of the brattyness on them being cubs; they needed to mature. Which was just fine. So long as they, Ari, in particular, didn't do anything.. stupid.

Still, too much time with cubs was hardly the thing he liked. So here he was, easily making his way through the highlands, not really bothering to note if he was stepping in the central house, or somewhere else (emperor, doesn't really have to care where he is. ).

Perking his ears, he was almost sure he heard something. Pawsteps. Deep in the territory, he doubted it was just some random rogue, so continued on his merry way, only slightly changing his path to see who it was. He just had to see them, after all.

--

Tama, even when she was deep in thought, was always well aware of her surroundings. She had to be, or rather liked to think that she had to be. It was important that she didn't intrude on the other houses territories but she was more wary of what might be lurking in the darkness. What creature might try to pull her in and swallow her whole.

No!

It would never happen again. No way in hell. A scowl decorated her features before she shook it away. Unfortunately the uneasy feeling lingered inside of her and her golden eyes flickered across the terrain quickly before returning to the path she found herself on. Deep breaths. Relax.

Here in her new home she was safe, well safer than she had been in her days of travel still...

--

Ahali raised his nose as he got a bit closer, though a stubborn amount of foliage still hid the other from him. He smelled her. "Ah, Ming. " He said loudly to be heard, peeking through branches and grass to get a look at the lioness. She was still a ways away, but not he could spot her. And the white wasn't exactly that hard to miss.

Still, ever analyzing Ahali did notice the way she was breathing, and peked his ears slightly. She'd always been a bit funny, an understatement, since she'd attacked him when they first met. Still, the smart part of Ahali knew better to ask why she was so jumpy; Trauma was never that great to tread on. He'd caused some himself, he couldn't possibly to expect all his past.. Victims, perhaps, to have gone about life normally. And Tama had.. cubs, with no father. Ahali'bagawa was no idiot. He'd never done it himself, never been interested like that, but he did know it happened. That's all he really -needed-.

"Something wrong? " Casual question, yes. And, in his own credit, he actually did give a damn, if only because she was a lady. Ladies were, in fact, important people in the pride, so he did actually care about their.. mental condition. Not that he thought of Tama as stable, but he did have to know what was going on (now).

--

She heard him move before she ever heard his voice or smelled him. In a flash she had whirled around muscles tense ready to attack if whatever was lurking around was a threat. She only relaxed, slightly mind you, when she heard him speak. "Emperor." She replied dipping her head in respect and greeting. She hated the fact that at times she was so jumpy, so vulnerable? Perhaps.

She stayed where she was as he moved towards her only making her way closer, a bit, when he was out in the open. She disliked being so close to tight spaces. Areas that could easily muffle a scream.

She shook her head, no need to think of such thoughts here.

"Ah, Everything if fine. Just doing a little thinking." She replied simply in her calm 'Lady' voice.

--

A brow quirks slightly, the tensed muscles did not go unnoticed, but he (mentally) shrugs it off. Doesn't matter, it wasn't uncommon. Though she did seem weirder today than usual. Perhaps a lady like this wasn't so good for her rank, but he'd never complain. Its not like he and Afu were little rays of sunshine to be around. And the fact that Tama knew exactly how to act -- even when being weird-- was good enough.

"Ah, I see. " Yes, thinking. She was weirdest when she thought, he'd concluded a while ago. Action worked best for this female, as it did for plenty others. Left alone thinking, she probably wouldn't handle too well. "So, how is everything with your spawn? " Not exactly a sophisticated word, but.. let's keep things casual..ish, right now. He was just taking a walk, after all.

--

"They are well. Tai Yang left a few days ago," She paused a small smile spreading across her lips. "On his trials." She was proud of him yes, but she missed him terribly. "His mate left with him." Or rather his arranged mate something she knew he wasn't fond of. Of course neither would she have been. "As for the others, well they have kept to themselves really." She shrugged. None had seemed as interested in the pride as Majivu had been.

She shook her head. "Left me with too much time on my hands I fear." She sighed. She needed to keep her mind out of the dark otherwise her duties couldn't be fulfilled. "I wonder, do I ever bother you Emperor?"

--

Oh, this was, in fact, interesting. Reminded him he and Afu had to go about finding suitors for their bunch-- especially Ari. They'd be very careful and particularly picky with hers, he expected. "That's good news. " On the him leaving part.

"Need to keep your paws busy. " He smirked slightly, yes. Kids not being around probably left her with less to do. At the question, he blinked, frowning a bit. What kind of a question was that? "No, not really. " The jumpiness was never something that bothered, exactly. If she wanted to be weird, so be it.

--

"Indeed it is." She replied absentmindedly with a small nod. At his statement she smiled a bit. "Perhaps. I do have some things that keep me busy but still." She shook her head, she wasn't going to bring him up. Not yet. Not when she wasn't sure of how she herself felt about him. They would probably want her to chase him out and she should, no would, but she would wait. "Have your own children been keeping you busy Emperor?" She knew that children would be a handful and after getting to know the Emperor and his Empress she didn't doubt that their children were a handful.

When he answered her question she felt a bit disappointed. Though she didn't show it. "I see." Perhaps he had forgotten the past and how it had been difficult for her to even stand being around him until only a little while ago. Interesting. But then maybe he just didn't really care about the personal affairs of his subjects as long as they acted as they needed to be when needed.

--

He pondered a bit. "Not much. " emperor's kids had to be well behaved little things, yes they did. Spoiled, perhaps, but pretty damn well behaved. "At least, when I'm around. " He flicked his tail slightly, he was quite sure any nanny wouldn't have as 'easy' a time as he and Afu did. Little suck-ups.

"Why do you ask? " Turning the tables, how fun.

--

His answer surprised her until he finished his sentence. Of course around their parents they would be the most behaved. It was expected. They wanted the favor no doubt of their parents. She shook her head. "Curiosity is a fickle thing my lord." She stated without really asking. Her children had always been a handful, always independent but each of them. Every single one of them had strange ticks, ticks she didn't really favor nor did she encourage it. Majivu with his trees...Safi with her always whispering to the wind, Alaula and her unhealthy obsession with water...Sharabu the most normal of the four.

"Different settings create different types of people do they not?" She asked changing subjects easily.

--

"It is. " And curiosity also killed the cat. But that hardly applied to the situation, not that someone had to beware when asking about each other's cubs. That would be silly. And ear twitched slightly at the other subject change, and he nodded. "Yes. " He decided that they may be here for a little while, throwing time away, so he sat down, tail curling around his four paws. But some kids were freaks and ignored nurture, for example, Gumu. He'd been raised in a nice happy ride and... Well, he'd hung out with Ahali, what do you -think- he was like?

--

When he sat she followed his suit also sitting down letting her tail run back and forth through the grass. "Were I to have grown up with both parents I suppose I wouldn't be as head strong as I am now." She paused considering the possibilities. "I could even be a completely different person." Too true. Had her mother remained she wouldn't have had to grow up so fast, to become mother to her five siblings. Perhaps she would have never feared becoming the man she knew she looked so much like only a different color. "Had they had a stable home from the start perhaps the little quirks my children have would haven come to be." Another pause.

Cooly she let her gaze stay on his face. "Had I never run into him I would have never met you." So much truth without any details at all. "Had I had my mother I would have never met him, never had children and would have never met you and found the peace that I have come to love." She shook her head. "Once upon a time I would have changed everything my lord, now? I wouldn't change anything for the world. Suffering has made me who I am. It has strengthened me, made me a better person than I could have ever hoped."

--

He paused slightly, head tilting. "Yes.. you could also be a lot worse. Two parents doesn't mean good parents. " Sad, sad truth. It was probably better to have none than two very, very bad parents. But, Ahali was also not exactly a sunshine and puppies guy, so this kind of.. perhaps negative outlook was typical of him.

He remained quiet as she talked again, ears perked, taking in her words quietly. Though he had no idea why she was suddenly talking about this, Ahali wouldn't say anything. He wouldn't ask, he wasn't too sure he'd comment. A part of his curiosity was sparked at the mention on this 'him', but it was immediately answered. He was right about what he thought had happened to her. "Attacked. " He said, quietly. "Not met, attacked me. " He purred slightly in amusement. Attacking him was usually a dumb thing to do, but in her case, it'd worked out... Amazingly well. "Experience is what makes us who we are. " He shrugged. "Good or bad. "

--

"I could be. Perhaps I should be. Then again he never had the chance to dig his claws into me or my sisters." She smiled almost cruelly before it slipped from her maw. With her father she would be better off dead or parentless, with her mother there might have been something different. Did she want to know? No.

When he said attacked she chuckled softly nodding. "Ah yes, attacked. Interestingly enough it turned out for the better did it not?" Would she explain why she had attacked? Perhaps, perhaps not. "Do you wish to know why I attacked you that first day Emperor?" Only if he wished to know would she tell him. "Everyone has a path they must follow."

--

Sisters, hm. For a moment, he wondered exactly how many sisters she'd had, or where they were. But they probably hadn't ended up like her. "I'd say it ended up quite well, yes. " He living was usually a good thing, too. Once upon a time, Ahali would have killed whoever attacked him. So, in a way, she was perhaps lucky he was.. done with that. Though a part of him didn't doubt he could do it again. Ahali had changed a bit, yes. But he wasn't a saint either.

"Why you attacked me? " He raised his brows slightly, eyes half closed. "I know why you attacked me. " He smirked slightly. "Pieced it together a while ago. You just confirmed it, " His tail twitched. "Lets see... You have four kids. No father. Obviously don't do well with being snuck up on. You get jumpy and tense. Especially around me, or those, males, actually, that look like me. " His tail flicked lazily over he floor. "One of your kids happens to have red. Signature of firekin, along with.. black, we get black a lot. Firekin also happen to be big. I'm big, red, black and white." Just like a firekin. He was a firekin, actually. "When we met, your kids weren't that old. The wound was fresh. " The wound, in this case, would probably always be fresh. "It doesn't take too much of a genius to piece that together. " Ahali twitched his tail tip. She also had scars, but they could be from other things.

--

She knew she had been lucky to attack someone of his stature, his build, and live regardless if she had trained herself endlessly for it. She wasn't stupid. When he told her that he knew why she simply arched a brow and listened to what he had to say. Firekin. The world flash through her mind. She knew all along that the two males that had attacked her were of the firekin descent. She always tried to push it past her to ignore it but it never worked. No. "Fresh indeed." Many things had piled up on top of each other during that time when everything happened.

"It had been two, that had attacked me. Not at the same time, otherwise I probably would have been dead." She didn't mention the small little detail that she had passed out in front of her children's father due to a condition both she and her sister Lake, who claimed to be firekin, shared. When she lost her cool, became overly emotion, she would pass out and usually wake somewhere she didn't remember going. Now it seemed like a figment of the past, something that seldom happened. No she had been so careful. "Only one did lasting damage." She stated referring to her scars, "No I suppose it doesn't." She agreed with his last statement. Once she gave him a few clues putting them together were like cake.

--

Two, hm. That made matters even worse. If being attacked by one was enough to screw with someone, being attacked by two was enough to make someone insane. In light of this new evidence, Ahali was actually surprised Tama wasn't completely crazy. Fighter, that's what she was. A normal person may praise her for her strength, but.. Well, Ahali wasn't a normal person. "Physical damage, you mean. "

A perhaps funny (to him) thing, is, she hadn't exactly been wrong about him. He'd once been the lion that attacked. He'd never gone that step further, the one her attacker had taken, but he'd attacked, maimed, killed before.

He nodded slightly at her acknowledgment, then focused his eyes on her once more. "And your sisters? "

--

It was true the mostly black and red male had left more marks done more damage. The only thing she had received from her first attacker had be a cut on her throat which had healed only to be reopened by the other. Ah fate could be so cruel sometimes. She didn't doubt that Ahali didn't have the potential either of the two firekin had, no she knew he could easily be much more dangerous. How quickly he had reacted when she had attacked, had he wanted her dead. Well she would be. She had been lucky.

"My sisters...honestly I know very little about how they fair now." She paused, another perhaps bitter subject to her. "I had fled when I was chased." No more on what had chased her. Hell even she didn't know what had haunted her, pushed her to flee. "Two have found homes, one has internal conflicts that hinder her judgment...one has been missing since our first 'fight'. Ran off with a firekin lady who she claimed was her mother. And one. I never managed to find her again." She shrugged. Regret lay deep within her but even so she did nothing about it. She had tried, multiple times. And failed. Life went on.

--

Though technically speaking, she was telling him about her sisters, he was also beginning to understand a bit more about her. So she'd had family issues. He knew because of what she'd said she hadn't had.. Both parents. This could mean she had only one. Or, she had none. Now, logic dictated that she needed a mother. At least for some time, for newborns needed them to survive. No mommy, not milk. But, a part of him doubted she'd had a good relationship with her mom, too. Why would that sister of hers claim a firekin was her mom if they'd had a good one in the first place? "I see, " He said, a bit absently, looking away as his eyes focused lightly on a bit of moss covering a stone. A few moments passed in silence, then the emperor stood up.

"Nice chatting with you, Ming. " He nodded politely. "I'm going to get going now. " He'd procrastinated long enough, he figured. "If you need something to keep busy, " Oh, gasp, Ahali was offering.. advice! .. Sort of. "You could always hunt. " He shrugged slightly.

--

She had practically spilled almost her entire history out to him. She felt like she had bothered him with needless information, things he didn't need to know but she knew. She knew that she needed someone to know these things. Who better to tell than the one who had put her in a position of power? Logically it was his right to know what kind of person held the power in a section of his pride. Of course he never pried, he had always been sensible. And many of the things he had learned he had found out himself.

"Always a pleasure my lord. I apologize if I have bothered you with useless information." She told him dipping her head as she stood herself and stepped back. "I thank you for the advice." With that she dipped her head again, turned and headed off feeling a great deal better than she had before.