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Ever since that day Iartuupe had slighted him, Sil'in Drathir had pushed himself and pushed himself. He opted out of the games with other cubs and steered clear of the other king's spawn, wanted no part in his family. Often, he could be found hunting insects and hares - the former more frequently then the latter at first. To start, he wasn't particularly good at catching hares, was too slow and too clumsy as was standard for a young cub, but as he grew he would not give up. Speed, agility... accuracy eventually began to show improvements and where before he had caught no hares now he could hunt them with only a medium measure of difficulty. This day found him hunting yet again, tearing after the quick hare he'd flushed from the thicket. The terrified thing zigged and zagged, eluding Drathir for a few moments. However, he'd learned to guage their movement and feinted to the side before leaping after the hare. A ear splitting scream and the deed was done, another hare to add to his count of successful hunts. Returning to said thicket, the young lion set the hare down and lay down on his stomach, panting. He'd show Iartuupe once day, show him beyond a doubt and prove his worthiness. This was only the first step.

It was the scent he caught first, telling him that another lion had made a kill...the scent was familiar, not wholly unlike his own...the hunter who had caught his prey, and Verge smirked faintly, cocking head to one side, silvery mane shifting about strong, feline features. Well then...one of his brood it would seem. He had taken on parental responsibility as best he could, but as Aran'shale, he also had other duties to the pride, and so...some favoritism had come into play. There were younglings he wanted to follow in his pawsteps, and others he could have cared less for...some he even disliked.

Family...it seemed an almost outdated concept after everything that he'd endured in his many years. These children did not have the same love betwixt them as Verge had had with his one, solitary sibling as a youngster, nor did he have the will to give them the same affection his parents had lavished upon he and his brother. This pride...it was his life and his legacy, but he wondered...just what he had made of it.

Creeping towards that thicket on silent paws, he carefully entered the brush, blue eyes spotting crimson amongst the foliage. He gave no greeting, knowing full well that the other would sense him. He would not be part of Verge's brood if he did not.

Tail flicked and ears twitched, swivelling around as he lifted his head momentarily. Tilting head, he glanced over his shoulder to confirm what his nose told him before returning to the task at hand - defluffing his surprisingly fluffy hare. He hated fur being caught his teeth as it was next to impossible to pull out. "Hello father." A cordial greeting in between awkward tongue cleaning.

It wasn't too often his sire stopped by. What could possibly be the reason for this visit? He hoped it wasn't so he'd have to give up his kill.... he wouldn't have a choice if Verge'lian asked for it. He could fight the others, but this one was both father and king.

"Have a good hunt?" The older lion sat down slowly, a powerful grace as he settled onto the ground, tail curling about him. Verge'lian was always alert, always on his guard. It had been a very long time since he'd allowed himself to relax completely, but there were those amongst his children that he trusted more than others...and any more than Nyota and that one little bratling of a daughter...

"It has been some time since I've seen you, youngling...you've grown." It was a compliment, actually, coming from Verge, who had little good to say, if any at all.

"Mmm." He lifted the hare and turned to show the decently sized prey item off. Behind him, there were two more bodies, though they were smaller. Slowly, he approached after setting the hare back down with the rest of his catch and sat on his haunches before the other, "Yeah... Did you want something? A lesson maybe?" He seemed to perk at that, thinking that just maybe he'd somehow garnered favour from his idol. He didn't see Verge in person often enough to recognize his relaxed state, only saw him from afar and heard of his efforts in the pride - things Drathir hoped to one day be able to emulate. If he could be those things then he could easily put Iartuupe in his place.

He almost smiled at the youngster's eagerness, and he leaned down a mite, coming almost to the other's level. "Would you like a lesson?" He inquired with a low rumble. Verge was not adverse to being a teacher to his own children, he just rarely had time for it, what with things being as they were. Most of the pride was still made of younglings, and though many of them were eager to fulfill their duties, they were not a secure border guard for the territory of the Aikanaro'hini.

He almost smiled at the youngster's eagerness, and he leaned down a mite, coming almost to the other's level. "Would you like a lesson?" He inquired with a low rumble. Verge was not adverse to being a teacher to his own children, he just rarely had time for it, what with things being as they were. Most of the pride was still made of younglings, and though many of them were eager to fulfill their duties, they were not a secure border guard for the territory of the Aikanaro'hini.

Drathir nodded as he returned to a standing position and poked his head forward to briefly touch his nose to his father's, "If you have one to give, yes." Rearing up, he young lion leaned on his sire's muzzles and peered into his eyes, "What would you teach me? I can catch hares on my own now! They're not too fast or tricky anymore." One ear tilted and flicked while the other remained perked forward.

So very eager to learn, with a youthful energy that brought back echoes of Verge's own youth, of his brother. He yearned for those days...when things were so much simpler, and politics had nothing to do with their lives. "That is quite good...can't have you falling behind your brothers. You have stiff competition amongst your siblings you know." It wasn't said to scold, but to urge the other on. Drathir was one of his sons that he would not fear to see following the path of succession. "I have many things that I might teach you...how to hunt bigger game...how to fight others of our kind, and less physical lessons as well. There are countless things you will need to know, if you wish to take your rightful place when you are grown."

He blinked and looked from one eye to the other, certain he'd misunderstood. "Rightful... place...?" Drathir's tail swished eagerly even as he tried to fight down the hope that surged to the surface and shone in his eyes. Ducking his head and casting a glance around, he leaned forward slightly and spoke very softly, "You mean.... become king...?" He hadn't really thought about what else he might do with his life... "What did you want to teach me?" He dropped back to all fours and came around the side to bounce and swipe at Verge's ear, "How to fight? What are less physical lessons?"

"It is a possibility." He conceded, "You are one of my children, and one of the ones I have my eye upon as well. You do not displease me." And so long as a child of his did not unsettle or irk him, there was always a chance. Not like Nyota. The boy was arrogant, a supremacist...far too judgemental of even his own siblings to be king, not unless a drastic change came upon him. Unbridled ambition was dangerous.

Almost lazily, Verge swatted back with a massive paw, "Yes...how to fight. One of your most important lessons, and the less physical deals with the pride itself...and will start you on a path that will help you decide where you wish to end up, be it remaining in the ranks, or ascending the throne."

Pushed away by his father's swat, Drathir fell to the ground only to rear back up and try for the ear again, paws spread wide in imitation of the fights he occasionally saw break out among the adults and cubs alike. Making rawring sound as he tried to growl menacingly, he leaned forward to nom on Verge's face. He may be young yet but he had potential. "I want to be like you.... And I want to show Iartuupe, beyond a doubt, that I am /not/ a weakling. And that I /am/ capable. He's wrong. I'll show him some day." There was a fervor in his voice as he spoke, eyes narrowing.

He had to smirk faintly, pleased further by the youngster's behavior, and he rolled then, curling a paw about his half-grown son to drag him along, the cub ending up atop of him. It seemed a natural form of play, as he had done similarly with his brother...what seemed such a very long time ago. "Good. Then we'll see what we can do..to help you show him just how capable you are." Vergil's tone of voice was serious, not the least bit of jest in his response to the cub's determination. He knew that feeling all too well.

Drathir started when the rolled and pulled him with him, blinking for a moment when he found himself on Vergil's chest. It was a short pause, however, before he spread his paws and leaned forward to settled chin against the other's body. "Got you." Smiling, he listened attentively with perked ears and nodded, truly appreciating his father's support. "Thank-you."

Rumbling at the younger lion, he nudged him with his nose, sighing quietly. "Most welcome. Well then, back to where we should start." It had been so very long since he'd been able to unwind, be at ease around anyone. If his sons were not on his side, then whom did he have? Heh...well, most of his sons, at least, he did not at all trust Nyota, but that was a worry for another day. Drathir seemed to be on the right path, and imitation was, after all, the most profound form of flattery. "Shall we try our paws at bringing down something considerably larger than a rabbit?"

Drathir nudged him back reflexively and grinned, "Bigger then a rabbit? Like what?" He stood suddenly, ears pricked and expression eager as he used Vergil as an impromptu lookout. "I don't see anything...." Still, his tail flicked with excitement as he looked to his father.

Snorting softly, the older lion prodded the other off of him with one paw, slowly making his way back to his feet and shaking off the dust and grasses that had collected in his fur. "Not yet you don't, and you look with your nose first, not your eyes. I don't think there would be something wandering about here anyway, since you've recently made a kill, hmm?" Nothing to drive the herbivores off like the smell of fresh meat.

His ears flicked back in a look of embarassment at that and, casting a glance over at Vergil as he moved forward a little, Drathir flicked his tail. "'m sorry... I know that." He'd just been so excited about hunting something /other/ then rabbits for once.

There was a soft sound of amusement, not unlike a chuckle, and he nodded, "Don't apologize. It was a mistake. Simply admit to it. You've no need to apologize if you've done nothing wrong. Over-apologizing can make you seem weak." Just a word of advice, something he'd found rang true over the years. Not that Verge'lian apologized for much of anything. He didn't see need to do suchly.

He blinked at that, "A mistake isn't wrong?" Tilting his head he eyed the older lion for a moment, he nodded and sat down, waiting patiently for direction, "Lead on then, father." Tucking the information away, he pondered and wondered if one should apologize at all... he didn't really say sorry all that often, just to adults. His siblings... well, his siblings were a different story - he wasn't really close to any of them. They all had their own pursuits, their own friends and it left him on his own and gave him time to hone his abilities.

Verge knew well that he'd made mistakes, he simply apologized for them less and less as years went by, preferring to keep up the facade of a flawless exterior, for then if one did make a mistake, you could correct it without ridicule. He nodded to his son and padded onwards, "Tell me if you smell anything..." What he really wanted was to have Drathir detect their prey, see if the youngster could remain attentive.

For several minutes Drathir remained silent, simply watching as he followed after his father. His nose twitched every so often, trying to pick up some scent but unable to catch something - at least with this wind. Perhaps they were upwind? Deviating a little from Verge's path, Sil'in Drathir wandered further away, truly bold for his age, and grinned as he finally caught scent of something much larger then a rabbit. "There's elephants that way!" He pointed with his paw, "And zebras. I think. Or is that gazelle? Something, anyway."

Verge raised his head, sniffing into the wind, and smiled faintly, "Gazelle." Perfect, especially if the herd was unlucky enough to have any stragglers or young. Something like that would be perfect for a novice hunter like Drathir. "Let's head that way then, shall we?" They were at a convenient angle too, and Vergil lowered himself just slightly into the tall grasses, masking his presence for the moment. The larger of a surprise they were, the best chance they had of actually catching something. "Just do as I do, and if I give you any instructions, follow. A lesson or two and you should be able to try catching these on your own."

"Mm!" He wandered after Vergil and dropped into the hunting crouch as well, careful step when and where the other stepped. "You think so?" Drathir hadn't really ever gone hunting anything /large/ was he big enough? He wasn't sure but if his father thought so then maybe it was true.

He nodded, "It's all about picking your prey." The bigger lion's voice had dropped down to near a whisper, slinking through the grass as though it were second nature. "Don't take on something you can't handle. Look for weaknesses." Ears perking, he could almost hear them, the sounds of rustling that didn't belong to him, the occasional snort.

Drathir nodding, understanding. He always waited for the injured ones or the stupid ones when he was hunting rabbits but now, he guessed, that was even more important because of the size of the animals? "Like a limp, or not paying attention? What... about their children?" It made sense, to him anyway, to target the children since the cubs of the pride were mostly defenseless. That had to be right of creatures that were less then demons, right?

tbc