Abrafo walked away from his latest conversation with Nia a bit perplexed. His swagger was only interrupted by a pull in his right hip, the same hip that had been bit by a hyena in his youth. He was feeling the pull stronger these days and most noticably after...certain activities. Still, he couldn't decided if he wanted to grin or frown. The night was a mysterious thing, almost as mysterious as his mate, but was he ready to actually figure out why? Was he ready to keep pushing himself, or was it finally time to pass the flame to the next generation?
Like the shadow she was called, Isith slipped from the darkness to appear at her father's right side as had always been her place. Though it was never actually said the clan well knew that Isith was her father's creature in all things and while being mated to the sprited and beautiful Lulu had softened some of the rougher edges, Shadow was still one of the stronger enfourcers.
Letting a soft grunt out to alert him that she was there (as if he hadn't know), Isith waited for acknowledgement before stepping up to his side, her pink eyes watching him patient for orders or just for him to speak.
Heterochromatic eyes slipped to watch as his daughter came to his side. He hadn't expected anything less; if he was not in the company of their matron night then the daughter shadow followed him. It brought him peace to see so much of his mate in her, but that her spirit very much resembled his own. It brought Abrafo untold amounts of pride. "Your mother asked something of me tonight that I would like your opinion on."
Shadow tipped her head to the side as she perked her ears forward. Though with her beloved's help she had regained the power of speech the many years of silence had taken it's toll and it was still rare to hear that gravely demonic voice emerge without Lulu around to prompt it.
Shifting his shoulders as he padded through the night, Abrafo pondered on how best to word this. "Your mother wishes for more cubs. Normally I would give her the very moon itself, but this...I don't know. I'm worried that our age would effect the cubs and that she would face problems in the pregnancy." Pausing, he halted to look at her. "I trust you Isith, you've never steered me wrong, and I would very much like for your opinion in this."
Blinking a few times, Isith huffed in surprise before sighing softly and considering. At last she sat down and shrugged faintly before speaking. Her voice was still so damaged but despite the unease it brought many it likely brought him joy to know she still trusted him enough to show this weakness to him.
"It is possible there might be problems, but father when is life not filled with problems?" She smiled gently glancing down at the silver mating band on her leg then back to him. "We will find a healer, one who will be willing not forced to come stay for the lenght of mother's term." Sure the clan had the habit of 'acquiring' people to suit their needs but as she aged Isith had created (with his and her mother's backing) a law that no healer was to ever be tampered with by anyone on penalty of death.
Ducking her head she offered softly knowing he would take it as an offer of love not disrespect, "If you can not raise them, cannot chase them and teach them then I will. Should anything befall you or mother, they will be mine. Not Safi's but mine." She loved her twin but while he was a good father (most the time) he wasn't the steady rock that Abrafo and Isith were.
It felt odd hearing Isith speak to him once more, but her voice didn't surprise him. It was rough, though natural to her in his eyes. "You truly are a God's blessing to me." He smiled softly, the lines around his eyes softening just enough for her to see. "I will send your brother to find a healer since he seems so keen on adventure." It touched him in places he hadn't thought ever to see light to hear words like that. One the day he thought he had lost his son to the demon he thought he had too lost a daughter to grief, but now he knew them both to be blessings. "I will need your strength more than ever in the coming years, Isith, and when the Gods call us home...this clan will be yours to watch over. I know you will do this family proud, and by all the Gods I will see that you have a family of your own before I go to rest."
When he spoke of Safi wanting to go adventuring, Isith sighed softly and nodded before adding softly, "He has left our binding." They hadn't told the family that Safi had decided to break the bond between Lulu and himself. Before he could get upset though, she gave her father a sly look and smirked, "All mine now."
That startled her enough that her mouth hung open a bit. She knew her father loved her and depended on her greatly but to say the clan would be hers...Isith had always assumed Safi would one day lead the clan as he was the more outgoing of the two of them. People responded to him (good or bad) where they tended to shy away from her at times. She didn't seem to be aware of the faint cub like sound she made as she watched him with so much love in her eyes.
Abrafo couldn't help, but to make a frown. "He left?" It was as if he couldn't believe it, since his son had once looked on Lulu with the same love that Isith held, but apparently it hadn't been nearly as strong. He would need to speak with his pale son. "She is in better paws. Make sure to fill his hole with your love. Never allow her to think of him, but I'm sure she's already crazy about you." He grinned. Abrafo moved closer to sit next to his girl, and brushed his shoulder against hers. They had been through more together than most, and there was a lot unsaid between them. "I'll need to speak with your mother, of course, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind stepping down to a life of leisure with a last litter. You'll also need to start grooming your own second in command."
Isith leaned into his warmth nuzzling into his mane before giving it a playful bite as she had when she was a cub, before the attack. "We talked 'bout it. Lu said she always knew he wouldn't stay and will remember their days fondly." The next was almost to soft to hear and gravely or not, evil sounding or not there was so much love and awe in her voice as if she couldn't believe the words still, "Said I was the one she loved, the one she prayed to make a life with."
He scrunched up his face as his mane was tugged and bumped into her once more. "She has you, love, and that's what she came here for. Safi is like the wind; he's a joy when he's around, but he's gone to fast to contain. But a shadow is always with us, warm and cool, protecting and loving. I'm glad that you have her."
Isith huffed softly before nuzzling his shoulder warmly, "Xabryel. I will take Xa to my second." Sure the boy was young and well a spazz at times but he was large and strong, almost as devoted to his 'Auntie Momma' as Isith was to Abrafo. Not only that but he had grown up obeying her upspoken words and was unfailing in his loyalty to the family.
Abrafo all but sputtered. "Xabryel? Isith, have you gone mad?" He looked at her with sheer disbelief. Of course he had seen to the boys training personally, even working him with Isith most days, but that was just it; he was still a cub at heart. Xabryel saw more enjoyment out of giving names to butterfly's than expanding his abilities.
Isith shot him a quick look arching a brow "You said you trust me, that you value my judgement. Xa will be a good second." Of course he was a big playful cub, no one had given him a push or a reason to settle, no one but Lu and Isith seemed to expect anything from the boy.
"Besides Father, you are not stepping down today. By the time he must step up, he will be ready." Isith nodded with completely confidence in her nephew but then she had had more of a hand in his raising than Abrafo had, she knew the wealth of strength and loyalty in the boy.
Abrafo held up his paws and nodded. "True enough. Though I would not have made the same choice, I do trust you. May he serve you well." And may he not fall over a cliff first. The boy would run off the edge of the world chasing dreams if they let him. "I would prefer that he stayed with you as opposed to Safi. He left with him a few days ago and has been doing so more often since his mane came in. I fear he'll roam." He made to stand, passing a pleased smile down to her. "Feel up for a patrol?"
Isith gave him a playfully little shove before snorting and getting up to follow him on patrol asking soft and sly, "Cub hmm...you still can?" She and her mother were probably the only creatures alive that could get away with mocking him so openly.
Giving a playful huff, Isith took off running before he could swat her, her dark body blending into the night as she raced over the ground like the shadow she was.
(WC: 1694)