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It had been a long time since Karaliskas and Lyti had gotten together to do anything. Not since Lyti had invited her over to share news of her pregnancy. That had been an awkward, uncomfortable conversation, at least for Lissa, who had not even been betrothed, let alone wed or pregnant, and yet had been forced to say all the right things and coo over her friend's good fortune.

Since then, she had interacted with Lyti in brief instances, but Lyti's familial obligations as wife and mother had kept her fairly busy. Apparently the cubs were old enough that Lyti felt comfortable leaving them in the care of the pacifist thrall Brenning had brought her as an engagement gift. A part of Kara was relieved at that as she made her way to Lyti's den, since it meant she would not have to look at the large litter her friend had borne. It was, after all, a little painful to see that sort of reminder of how she had yet to marry.

It had been forever since Lyti had the opportunity to just sit and talk with any of her girlfriends. Naaja and Lissa had been present for the birth of her cubs of course, and they'd been at the celebration when Bren claimed them and gave them their names, but on both occasions Lyti had been thoroughly distracted by caring for the large litter, as she had been ever since. She really, really needed this day to relax and take a break from being a mother, and she wanted everything to be perfect.

For the third time in five minutes Lyti looked anxiously to the mouth of the den. What if Lissa was prettier than she was now, without the stresses and responsibilities of motherhood and being a wife? She forced herself to push the thought away. It was possible, but Lyti was still the one who had married a reaver and given birth to a fine, large litter of healthy cubs, which was more that Lissa could say for herself. But, really, why borrow trouble? Bren thought Lyti the most beautiful lioness in the world and adored her whole-heartedly, and that ought to be enough.

At the last minute Lissa forced a smile. This was going to be awkward. Maybe she and Lyti weren't actually friends anymore. Maybe they had never really been friends. Now their lives were so different. What could they possibly have to talk about? This was a mistake. But it was too late to back out now. She had arrived.

"Lyti?" she called into the den. "I hope it's all right that I'm a little early. I expected more of a crush by the thralls' den than there was."

She wondered how Lyti would look. If she'd look tired, or fat, or old or something. Wasn't that what was supposed to happen to mothers? She had been fat but glowing toward the end of her pregnancy, and she had been tired but glowing at the cubs' naming ceremony. To Lissa's knowledge, Lyti had never looked old. Probably she never would. Some people just had all the luck, and Lyti was one of them.

"It isn't any sort of a bother. Please come in!" Lyti exclaimed as she rose to greet her old friend. "I hope you won't mind the mess. With seven cubs and a reaver for a husband, it seems impossible to get anything truly clean, even with Txur to help out."

Lyti had been quite the tyrant in the past few days, forcing not only her thrall Txuratan to clean the den, but also pressing Bren into service watching the cubs so that Txur would not be required to split his attention. Lyti, herself, had been cleaning, too, all in an attempt to make the den presentable when her friend Lissa came to visit.

"I'm so very glad to see you," Lyti continued, ushering her friend into her pristine and tastefully decorated den. "Have you eaten yet? I can have Txur bring you something."

Lissa blinked a few times as she followed Lyti into her den and her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. She could tell at once that Lyti had kept her figure and that the den was lovely. A part of her couldn't help thinking, b***h. Especially after those not-so-subtle reminders of how well Lyti's life was going with her seven cubs and helpful thrall and reaver husband. She wanted to ask if Brenning was still fat, but she held her tongue.

"Thank you, no. I've eaten," she replied. "Your den is lovely. I'm sure that must be all your influence. Reavers never seem to know what to do with their trophies once they bring them back. At least, my father never did."

And, oh, how her mother and her father's other lioness had fought over that. But then, they'd fought over everything. When Lissa married, she hoped it would not be to a reaver who kept a saltwife. She had not yet sunk so low that she worried she might be the saltwife.

"That's about right," Lyti agreed with a rueful chuckle. To be honest, Bren had a pretty good eye for presents because he loved her enough that he tried to be thoughtful and bring her things she would like, but she could save that bit of boasting for later, if it turned out to be necessary.

"Please make yourself comfortable," she bid her guest, settling herself on a pelt-covered rock to set an example. "And tell me all about yourself. It seems like I haven't been outside of the den in ages, and I just know I've missed so much. I feel like such a terrible friend."

That much was true. Lyti did miss socializing with other lionesses. She was not the chatterbox Lissa had been, but she enjoyed companionship and gossip and liked to know the latest about everyone and everything. Her parents had never really understood how she turned out like that, when they were so geeky, but there you go.

Lissa followed Lyti's example and sank onto a conveniently placed heap of grass. When she sat down, the grasses sent up a puff of delightfully sweet-smelling air. She would have to remember that for when she put together her own den.

"Well, there isn't really a great deal to tell," she admitted coyly. "Of course, it's become something of a fashion for unmarried lionesses to live together in pairs until one of them finds a husband, but that's not something you have to worry about. Naaja and I have been considering it, though."

Lissa didn't really want to talk about herself, since her situation was something of an embarrassment to her, but she would be more than happy to offer up gossip about Naaja.

In the past, Lyti and Lissa had always been sort of rivals for Naaja's friendship, but in Naaja's absence both of them liked nothing more than to talk about their mutual friend, who had once seemed to have everything they craved: position, prettiness, and prospects. Now that Naaja's father had lost his rank and Naaja was engaged to one of Kazul's bastards, though, it just seemed a little mean-spirited to gossip about her.

"Won't that be rather a short-lived arrangement?" Lyti asked politely. "I had heard that the warlord arranged a marriage between Naaja and one of Kazul's b*****d sons."

She wondered briefly how Bren was managing with the cubs, but reminded herself that they were with his family - Lissa's family, too, come to think of it - and between them, they could almost certainly manage one litter of cubs.

Lissa shrugged as if she didn't care, although that was not quite the case. She had felt sorry for Naaja about that change in her fortunes, too. Her friend's engagement to Tallskog had not always pleased her, but the two had turned out to be well-suited to one another, and the idea of being betrothed to a b*****d without any say was horrifying.

"They're engaged, it's true," Lissa allowed, "but neither of them is anxious for the actual marriage to take place, and the warlord has other things on his mind, I suppose, and hasn't forced the issue. I doubt they will actually wed unless he does."

She wondered if she ought to mention that Naaja and Tallskog were still seeing each other socially and remained on very friendly terms. Yes, definitely. That would almost certainly distract Lyti from Lissa's own failure of a love life.

"In the meantime, Naaja and Tallskog are spending a lot of time together."

Lyti leaned in closer, unable to conceal her interest in this new information about Naaja's engagement and - apparent - infidelity. That did not seem like the lioness she had known growing up, who had borne her initially-unwelcome engagement to Tallskog stoically. She craved more.

Unfortunately, at that very moment a thrall called into the den that she had been sent by Hinoko, Lyti's father-in-law and Lissa's father, and two of the cubs had started throwing up. That sort of news, even more than Naaja's romantic entanglements, was important to Lyti, who turned to her guest with an apologetic expression and said, "I'm sorry. I have to go. I'd like to bring the cubs home and care for them here if they're sick. Can we try to get together again soon? Please? I've missed you so much."

Startled by the appearance of a strange thrall, Lissa almost bit her tongue. She'd been about to launch into a juicy retelling of a conversation she overheard between Naaja and Tallskog. But that would apparently have to wait.

"Don't apologize," she said. "Go! I can see myself out. And of course we will get together again. I've missed you, too."

But she was talking to air. Lyti was already on her way out. Lissa suppressed an annoyed huff. Married friends with cubs really were less fun.