Black tipped paws padded silently across the somewhat unstable terrain of the lands she now called home. Golden yellow eyes surveyed the area as she skillfully moved from ledge to ledge seeking higher ground. It wasn’t difficult to reach the ground that she sought, ground that was high enough to see all of the territory that fell into her house. The Southern House. It felt so unreal, so…so…odd. Not once had she ever seen herself as one who would lead a pride, or rather one who would hold such a high position in a pride. Not once had she ever thought herself to be a Lady.

However the opportunity had been a perfect one. While her first meeting with the firekin that was her lord had been a rocky one, mostly a result of her rape prior, his words had caught her attention. His idea of a pride that contained not just a central power but four other main powers had interested her. He had gotten her hooked. The second meeting he had asked her to join him. By the third she had become the Lady of the Southern House. A position she thought fit her quite nicely. She was grateful to Ahali; had he never crossed paths with her…she would never found such a perfect place to raise her children. They would probably still be traveling…

”Got a lot on your mind my Lady?” Kindoro’kasi inquired as he flew before her. He came to land on the edge of the ledge she was currently standing upon.

”Kindoro.” She spoke his name rather fondly as she dropped her gaze to meet his. ”I suppose…Just thinking about the past.” She admitted with a soft chuckle as she shook her head. ”I’ll be honest…I never saw myself as a leader.”

The bird cocked a brow as he tilted his head. Never thought of herself as a leader? How absurd. She had been a leader from birth. ”Do you really believe that Lady Ming? You have always been a leader.” He told her sternly with a nod. He had only heard stories of her childhood but in every single one she had taken charge whether she had realized it or not.

‘Ming’ blinked as tilted her head at her avian companion. What did he mean? ”I don’t understand Kindoro.” She admitted hanging her head the slightest. Obviously she did not recall her childhood the way the vermillion colored bird did. Perhaps it was because of her abandonment of the crumbling pride and her sisters. ”When have I been a leader?”

A chuckle escaped his beak as he spread his wings and lifted himself up off the ground. ”When your mother disappeared…you took responsibility. You took charge.” He told her as he flew towards her face lightly touching her with the tip of his wing. ”You made sure that all of your sisters were fed and cared for even if it meant not caring for yourself. When they would fight you would be the one to break it up.” He moved back in the air. ”You have always been a leader.”

Now the lioness wasn’t entirely sure of what the bird was saying but she couldn’t deny that it was the truth. She had stepped up and taken charge when her mother had left them. ”I suppose that you are right…” She mumbled letting her gaze drift away from him. ”Still I would have never imagined that I would be here in charge of an entire house. “ She shook her head as a smile formed upon her lips. ”I wouldn’t change anything though. I love my life the way it is.”

”I’m glad to hear that Lady Ming.” He told her with a smile of his own spreading across his features. ”You will be a great leader for the subjects of your house.”

”I can only hope so.” She replied looking out to the lands before her.