[PRP - West] The Evening Report (Zahi x Mbali)

[Skye Starrfyre]

If it's not one thing it's another. Those words had put themselves on repeat in Izimbali's head as he'd paced while trying to sort through other bits of choice information. It was his duty, one of many actually, to report the goings on of the West House to Zahi. Normally this wasn't much, but lately...

Lately quite a bit had been happening, leaving him momentarily elated that some things were kept within their families while other things were being whispered about through the whole House. Tension was high enough and yet here he was sitting on something that could, quite possibly, make things worse.

"Gods help us..." He muttered softly to himself as he finally put an end to his pacing, heading through the brush towards where he usually met with the Lord of the West House for their daily 'catch up' session. Maybe if he was lucky Zahi wouldn't be in all that bad of a mood...

It was a good thing he rarely relied on luck.  

[Skye Starrfyre]

He didn't hesitate at the question, unlike he might have were he in front of his mother. He had learned (rather quickly) that hesitation in front of the elder male did nothing good. Besides, there really wasn't anything too new. Nothing troubling, at least. Right?

Right.

He assumed the general almost bored stance that he took when things were 'as usual', pausing for the briefest of moments before continuing with the evening report. "Nothing beyond the usual, Sir. The House is secure and all are accounted for. The night was quiet enough, almost to the point of being dull from what I'd gathered. We've upped our surveillance at the borders, as requested, and you will be the first to hear if there's anything out of the usual..."

Nodding slowly he let his words drift off before adding on something that certainly was of little importance to Zahi... Especially when he had other things to worry about. "... Oh, and Royal Guardsmen Akasha is expecting."  

[Skye Starrfyre]

Izimbali braced himself for whatever blow might follow the 'What?', determined to be prepared for it be it physical or verbal. What came wasn't nearly as bad as he had expected, although he knew that was little reason to let his guard down. Especially when the delicate dance of calming the Lord down had just now begun.

"I would blame mothering instincts kicking in from spending time around my own cubs, but..." Mbali knew his mother better than that, though. He knew her much better than that, enough that he had paused to question what was going on through Akasha's head as well.

"Perhaps it's just something she needs to get out of her system?" Hopeful. It was an angle he would at least try to play for the moment.  

[Skye Starrfyre]

"Akasha does know that the title of Captain is one that she will never attain, sir. That much she did confide in me. Beyond that?" He shook his head, thick mane swaying as he did so. His mother's mind was rarely something that he wanted to take that deep of a glimpse into, especially when she was scheming. It was so much easier to claim ignorance when he truly knew nothing of her plans...

"As their elder brother I may be able to influence her youngsters some..." If Akasha heard him say that she would likely lunge at him, but he would say almost anything at the moment to get Zahi to calm down a bit. "... And with her strength, and the right training, I am certain they will be wonderful assets to the West House. Children are impressionable, after all."

Never mind that just how impressionable his soon-to-be siblings were could be reason for worry as well. Gods.

"May I speak freely my opinion on the matter, Sir?"  

[Skye Starrfyre]

'Keep an eye on them... Make sure they aren't getting to be too much.'

He would strongly resist the urge to roll his eyes, making a mental note to complain to the trees later that in a House where most of the cubs had been growing steadily since the last big 'cub boom', he was still surrounded by children on a near daily basis... Not that he would ever admit that to his Lord, or to his mother.

"My thoughts on the matter are as follows... Akasha is both strong and loyal, and I am saying both of those things as someone who is expected to observe the inhabitants of the West House, not as her son. She will raise this litter to be no less than she raised her first to be... More, if I know her as well as I believe I do.

Don't let her know that her actions upset you. I am more than certain that is what she expects, which is even more of a reason to not give her what she wants. Watch and wait and see what comes of this next generation. Perhaps you will find yourself pleased with something that the thorn in your side has done?"  

[Skye Starrfyre]

His brow lofted slightly when Zahi cut himself off, but he didn't question it. If whatever he had been about to say was bad enough that he just didn't say it then Mbali was pretty certain that he was better off knowing. He could accept that easily enough.

Now came the tough part...

He cleared his throat slightly after the silence lingered for a moment, pondering his next words before just coming out with them. "There was one more thing on my agenda this evening, Sir. The Lady Mio asked me to deliver something to you since she assumed I would know exactly where to find you at this time of evening."  

[Skye Starrfyre]

He had also thought on exactly how he was going to present this, although his thoughts hadn't been nearly as extensive as covering for his mother. Zahi, after all, was less likely to attack him over a gift from his Lady, right?

Taking a deep breath and a few steps back he turned, leaning down to grasp the edge of a leaf with his teeth before pulling it back to reveal a tiny bird. When the little thing didn't move he brought his paw around behind it to scootch the creature forward.

Let it not be said that the bird did not listen to commands. Mbali had told it to 'stay put' and it was.

"Go on." He growled softly at it after releasing the leaf, turning to gauge Zahi's reaction as the bird hopped forward. "This, sir, is what the Lady asked me to present you with."