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 Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 10:25 am
 The black-furred Hunter was nosing around the central pride. Because he could. He'd thought about being a Guard like his mother, but Dwyllodrus didn't have as much a mind for politics. Okay, Tyfu wasn't big on politics either. But she was a lot more willing to deal with them than Dwyllo was. He just liked to slice things up with his claws. Still, there were some benefits to politics. The King pretty much let Tyfu and a few others do as they pleased. And he had a gorgeous black-furred Queen, the young lion thought, seeing the lioness herself coming near. "Good evening Your Majesty," he offered a bow. Really, she couldn't do better politically, but he was still younger than the King. By a lot. And she was sooooo pretty.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 10:39 am
The Queen's mood varied by the hour on most nights and tonight was no exception. While Parisa was enjoying her status and the perks and power that came with it, she was still getting used to it and she had herself convinced she could only be truly comfortable after she gave her king an heir. A proper heir. She was a semi-frequent visitor to the Shaman and her small apprentices, mostly to keep an eye on Antara.. because as much as Shangyue liked to ignore her, Parisa knew better. She was far from a loving stepmother but she showed much more interest than the girl's father.
Wandering after a brief check-in with Lailah, she was surprised to be faced with another clear reminder of her personal failures-- but he far from a serious concern and he was very respectful.. and his greeting drew a smile from the lady.
"Good evening, Dwyllodrus," she said, not hesitating to use his name, "What brings you here tonight? The other hunters aren't causing any more trouble, are they?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 3:31 pm
The younger lion offered a toothy smile to his Queen. "Why, you don't think they need me around to cause trouble, do you? They do just fine on their own." He wasn't a leader by any means, but the young male had gathered together a few...similarly minded lions.
Needless to say, any meat they brought back to the pride was usually in many small pieces already.
"And what of yourself, milady?" Dwyllodrus continued, deflecting the conversation back to the Queen.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:08 pm
There was more than one kind of trouble going on lately and it seemed the younger lion hadn't really noticed, which was reassuring. So she smiled at him, not minding the questioning turning back around on her.
"I've chosen not to go very far from home tonight," she answered, "But I still need to stretch my legs and see what's going on. Unfortunately, I haven't found much of interest yet."
Parisa looked him up and down thoughtfully.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:15 pm
"What's going on?" The black male cocked his head as he considered that. "Well, I know a big hunting party just left. Um, Royal Guards and Guards are patrolling, Mom went stalking...something or somebody, oh, and that crazy huntress is still crazy."
Dwyllodrus looked up at Parisa to see if any of his list had caught her attention. If he had to choose, he would have gone with watching his mother work.
It didn't occur to him that the Queen might have feelings of inadequacy and that he himself might be contributing to such. In fact, if her dilemma had been brought up to him, his solution would have been rather straightforward - keep trying until she succeeded.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:30 pm
Well, he had a pretty good handle on the goings-on around him at least.. though very little of what he reported was anything especially strange or interesting. But given those options, his mother really was the most curious.
"I wonder what your mother is up to tonight," she said, "She's very good at knowing where she's needed, she is invaluable as a guard and patrol leader. I hope you've been following her example, the pride needs more lions like her."
Truthfully, Parisa would have been intimidated by Tyfu if she was ever face to face with her but now that she was queen, she was getting better at hiding her fears- and she truly believed the lioness's loyalty extended to the king's consort. The king needed her, after all.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:34 pm
"I'm not sure," Dwyllodrus admitted with a smile. His mother didn't usually brag about what she did to others, though she never denied her actions. It was her stated opinion that she didn't have to talk about what she'd done.
After all, a pride lived on gossip.
"I've been trying, but since she said we're not allowed to shred pridemembers unless if they really really ask for it, and we have to get her or Firaga's permission just in case, I'd rather hunt." He wasn't actually certain if all those rules still applied, but Mom had made clear many moons ago that if he was going to make someone bleed, she'd better be on board with it or it would be his hide that was decorated with long bloody streaks.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:12 pm
At Dwyllodrus' remarks about preferring to hunt, the queen chuckled. He definitely sounded like Tyfu's son, and rather like Shangyue as well. On second thought, that wasn't that bad.. but she did wonder what might have happened if Tyfu had produced high class offspring. The king clearly hadn't been careful in his antics.
Of course, she didn't even know which of the four was the oldest to even imagine properly who his heir might have been- because it simply didn't matter.
"That does sound like a reasonable alternative," she said with a smirk.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:17 pm
"It's a lot more fun," the lion agreed. "Especially since we get to kill them in the end." The "we" in these cases referred not only to Dwyllodrus and his siblings, but also those others who happened to share his and his mother's views on what "acceptable behavior" meant.
"You could always join us," he offered the Queen. "Though I'm sure it would be better if it wasn't a major hunt and if it wasn't too far away." People seemed to get upset when things happened to lions with power. There'd been a lot of talk, he remembered, when the King named a new Shaman.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:33 pm
"Oh, I've never been very good at hunting myself," she said, decidedly not willing to put herself that far out of her comfort zone or through that kind of needless stress. Parisa had always been more than willing to take advantage of her rank, she was a lady after all.
"But thank you," she added, glancing past him for a moment, "I'm sorry but you'll have to excuse me. I have something I need to take care of."
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:37 pm
"Of course Milady," the younger lion replied with a bow. It wasn't graceful, but there was respect conveyed which was, frankly, all that most expected of Tyfu and her children.
"Good hunting," Dwyllodrus called after the Queen. He didn't know what she was looking for, of course, but he didn't doubt that she'd find it.
He, on the other hand, had the sudden urge to torture small animals. Perhaps grasshoppers tonight...?
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