[SRP] Ahem. (Nagua & Mittere)

[mouselet]

Nagua was sitting, facing the border of the Kitwana'antara. He wasn't anywhere near it, and he desperately wanted to leave these lands. But for some reason he simply couldn't bring himself to do so.

He'd almost completely forgotten about the incident with the hybrid, except to shudder and force it out of his mind. The less said on that subject, the better.

Suddenly, the adolescent became aware of the fact that he was no longer alone. He peeked over his shoulder and felt his eyes grow wide at the sight of a sturdy pink lioness who didn't look at all happy to see him. Nagua turned all the way around to face her and couldn't help the shiver of fear that ran up his spine.

"Ah...hello there," he offered cautiously.  

[mouselet]

She'd wondered how long it would take the boy to notice her. The Master Warrior had done some research before coming to confront him. She wasn't entirely thrilled to hear that it was Jani who'd brought him in in the first place, nor to hear that the younger lioness felt it was his destiny to be here, on account of his name. Mittere had little use for "destiny" and "fate", since her experience defined them as messy (but "heroic") ways to die.

It was surprising, and yet not, to discover that the teal lion was only an adolescent, without his full growth. Younger creatures tended to be more open to change than their elders...but that was in a familiar environment. Most his age, far from home, would probably stick to the strictest laws of home they could remember, as a way to stay connected. Not all, of course, but many. And clearly, this boy was from a pride that rejected hybrids utterly.

He was staring out towards the border and though Mittere couldn't see his face, his entire posture was full of longing. She gave a mental snort. Obviously he should have left as soon as he'd gotten rehydrated. Whatever. He was here now, and it was her job to deal with him.

"There's a saying - that fish and guests smell after three days. By my count, you've been here five," the pink lioness stated, expression never changing.  

[mouselet]

Nagua had never seen anyone quite like this lioness. She looked very...tough. Competent. She had more scars than anyone he knew, and she stood as still as a stone. Not even her tail moved. It was a little unnerving. Then she started to speak.

Having grown up in a swamp, the boy was well familiar with fish and their smell. He liked it, personally, but supposed that it did get a little rotten after a few days. And she was saying that he was rotten? All thoughts of apologizing (though he wasn't sure what he would have been sorry for, she just had that kind of aura) and of being embarrassed went right out of the adolescent's head and he glared up at the lioness.

"I was told that as long as I obey certain rules and stay within a certain region, I would be permitted to leave when I am ready." Yellow eyes quailed slightly at the hardness they met in blue. He forced himself to speak again.

"I'm not ready to leave yet."  

[mouselet]

Mittere's eyes narrowed as the boy stood up against her. She valued strength, but while she would certainly like to kick him out of the pride - rather literally - that wasn't her call to make. No adolescent posed enough of a military threat to justify the Master Warrior removing them from pride lands.

Although, he didn't know that. Something to keep in mind for later, if necessary.

But, perhaps they weren't on the same prey yet. Very well, she would give him another chance. After all, it was her fault if she wasn't making her point understood.

"Another saying, in that case. When in the pride, do as the pride does."  

[mouselet]

Part of Nagua wondered what on earth he thought he was doing, defying a lioness who definitely looked like she could take on an entire pride by herself. But he didn't want to just give in to everybody! Look at where it had gotten him!

Into trouble, it seemed. That saying was easier to puzzle out than the first, but it still took him a moment.

"What, are you saying I should mate with cheetahs and leopards?" He didn't even try to suppress the revulsion in his voice. The very notion made him somewhat ill!

Then he sneered at the lioness, knowing it was probably the stupidest thing he could have done. "Is he your son or something?" his tone conveying his utter disdain for anyone who would lower themselves that way.  

[mouselet]

Mittere wasn't surprised that Kestven had lost his temper when speaking with this lion. Fortunately for the teal adolescent, she'd had years of practice in not allowing her emotions to rule her actions. Unfortunately for him, the scratches Kestven had dealt were the least of what the Master Warrior could do to him.

She couldn't say she was impressed by his upbringing, if he couldn't keep a civil tongue in his head. Perhaps this lesson was a long time coming.

Quick as a flash, the lioness darted around until she was next to the boy and grabbed him around the neck with a foreleg and her own neck, with the joint of her paw digging into his throat.

"Firstly," she spoke quietly and calmly, but there was no mistaking the inherent threat, "my personal life is none of your business. Secondly, Kestven does indeed live in my den. Thirdly, I don't care what you do with your personal life, so long as it doesn't involve my family." Each point was delivered precisely, and emphasized by her wrist digging up into his throat.  

[mouselet]

He was beginning to understand why he should be afraid. He hadn't even seen the lioness move and the next thing he knew, he was in some kind of headlock and she was speaking into his ear almost conversationally, except that her every word was dripping with unspoken threat and her every move emphasized how easily she could kill him.

It was, quite simply, the closest Nagua had ever truly been to death.

He was beginning to regret even considering taunting her. And suddenly the idea that the hybrid was her son wasn't at all funny. A bit of the teal lion's mind that was still thinking rationally wondered why she hadn't simply called the kid her son, but that part was too overpowered by fear to have any impact on his words.

"You said to "do as the pride does"," he continued the argument, even though he knew it was stupid. "And I have no intention of sleeping with any leopards or cheetahs or hyenas or wild dogs-"

The flow of words stopped abruptly as the pink limbs around his neck tightened.  

[mouselet]

Very well. Clearly he was so much of a young idiot that she would have to use plain speech. Mittere usually tried to conduct any...dealings...in metaphor and proverb in order to avoid the blunt speech that tended to make enemies much faster than friends. Not that she wanted or needed this boy as a friend, but she'd have preferred it overall if she hadn't had to use force.

Not that the Master Warrior minded force. It was simply an application that the Queen might not be too pleased to hear.

"I never said you should," she informed him icily. "However, as there are no social taboos against interspecies relationships in this pride, you should keep your opinions behind your teeth on the subject."  

[mouselet]

Nagua blinked and felt himself relax somewhat. That...actually made sense, now that the pink lioness had said it outright. He still didn't like the idea of "interspecies relationships" - and boy wasn't that a mouthful for her to just roll off her tongue like that! - but as long as no one was asking him to participate, he supposed they weren't hurting him.

"I still think it's unnatural," he muttered, not entirely ready to give in. Probably a stupid choice on his part, but he had never just given up on something that easily!  

[mouselet]

Mittere closed her eyes for a long moment. Subadults were a pain in the tail in so many ways. He couldn't even admit when he'd lost. So she tightened her hold on him for a few moments, to make sure he was paying attention.

"You will not use that word anywhere in this pride again, or I will hear of it," she informed him. "And you will not treat any hybrids as lesser creatures either. Perhaps their parents had different tastes in partners than you do...that is their right as consenting adults. But children are not responsible for their parents and you will not blame them for it!" she hissed, finally releasing him.

"I suggest you think on my words long and hard, if you wish to remain in this pride."

With that, the Master Warrior left. She had far more important things to do than disciplining wandering adolescents with no manners.  

[mouselet]

Nagua watched her go, taking deep breaths to assure that she'd done no lasting damage and to sigh in relief that she had gone. That was probably the scariest encounter he'd ever had in his entire life, and the boy knew he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about her for a while.

He didn't really want to excuse anything about it, whether it be the parents or the hybrids themselves. But the pink lioness had brought up some points he'd never even thought of before.

Drat, that meant he had even more thinking to do. But...maybe somewhere else. As far away from that lioness as he could possibly get.