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 Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 1:13 pm
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To say that he was intrigued was putting it mildly: Andhaka's curiosity had been gnawing at him ever since they'd received Agni-pariksha's message about a meeting. The two neighboring prides had had very little real interaction during his and Bangizwe's reign; sure, they had their respective ambassadors, a few curious females visited the outpost from time to time, two huria had joined the Bonelands - one of which had recently perished - and Inselelo-turned-Ahluke Tawa'shilah had originated in the Motoujamii, but despite all that their bonds were tenuous at best. Many of the females, traditional or otherwise, didn't trust the 'redpelts' as far as they could throw them, and even he had been considered suspect for much of his time in the pride, which was in large part why Andhaka had been perfectly content to more or less ignore the desert pride and in so doing allow suspicion to die a natural death by giving it no reason to be sustained.
Of late, though, he was less and less concerned with appearances; he continued to maintain them, to be the good Umholi - the unlikely good Umholi, at that - but he no longer needed to be focused on his ability to retain the position longterm, so if questions about his origins or allegiances resurfaced because of this little trip to the outpost, then so be it. Even with the arrival of much-needed rain, his promise to Bangizwe hadn't changed. All that remained now was to bide their time.
In the meantime, however, they were still Abaholi, and Andhaka fully intended to continue tending to all his duties for as long as he held the position. That included meeting with one of the new leaders of the Firekin, though for all his curiosity, he suspected it was most likely a formality. However fragile their alliance, they were allies, and a formal introduction seemed appropriate (not that he and his partner had ever bothered when they came to power, but things had been...tense). Though old habit encouraged a certain amount of discretion, he'd made no effort to hide where he was going or why; gossip was a much-loved pastime in the Bonelands, and word would get around sooner rather than later anyway. Some might wonder that he went alone, especially as close as Bangizwe kept to him these days, but perhaps they would attribute it to avoiding a repeat of the diplomatic debacle that had been the arrival of the Qyrhyeshti.
Let them speculate. He would be entertained to hear the theories later. For now, he focused on the figure pacing near the spring. "Agni-pariksha, I presume?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 4:22 pm
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Agni-pariksha stopped pacing and looked over to the approaching male when he called out to her. She made no effort at all to hide her critical gaze as as she looked him over from head to toe. He certainly looked like he could fit right in with any of the Firekin, and that was good. Encouraging, even. Her smile betrayed her thoughts as she stepped up close, closer perhaps than was necessary for any old diplomatic discussion.
"So, you're the red one," she said, "Umholi, was it?"
Rank names got confusing when you got too fancy with them but she wasn't here to criticize their culture. Quite the opposite in fact, she was her out of a certain admiration and respect. She'd been to the Outpost before, she'd seen the pride but mostly from a distance.
"Andhaka," she said, remembering some politesse, "I have a proposition for you."
That she didn't spit it right out said many great things about her restraint in that moment, but he couldn't know that about her. She was Regent and she had a little more control for it now.. and the only reason that factored in now was she was relying on using that to help things go her way.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:24 pm
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Andhaka knew that appraising look well, had been on the receiving end of such a gaze more times than he could even begin to count, though he was, admittedly, not quite the specimen he had been a few months prior. He'd held up reasonably well during the harsh times the Bonelanders had endured of late, thanks to his right as Umholi to eat first...a right that, unlike Bangizwe, he had exercised. He'd not been selfish or greedy about it by any means, but he had taken just enough to keep himself in some semblance of fighting condition. Thanks to that and to his stripes, from a distance he could pass as a normal, healthy lion, but up close the illusion lost its effect, revealing ribs only a little less evident than those of the Abazingeli.
His bearing was, as it tended to be, deceptively unassuming, no swagger or posturing or any really palpable confidence...he just was. He carried himself easily enough, but didn't stride forward or hold his head high and puff out his chest, even under scrutiny. He simply arrived, and watched her watch him - and step in close - with an unreadable gaze. His own eyes didn't linger in any significant way, though he noted the muscle that moved under the Regent's smoky red pelt, and the scars that lay over it. Not surprising that the newly-elected leader of the Firekin looked exactly as he gathered they should.
"Yes, the red one," he confirmed with a slight nod and the barest twitch of what might have been a smile or something like one. Being 'the red one' had never been to his advantage before, but there was a first time for everything. Maybe. Ears canted forward at what she said next, and the curiosity that, even moreso than obligation, had brought him here, flickered to life in his eyes. "A proposition? I would be fascinated to hear it."
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 3:51 am
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If Agni was put off by Andhaka's bearing or condition, she made no sign of it. Her mind was already made up before initiating this meeting but absolutely nothing about him was discouraging. She offered him a smile when he asked about her proposition.
"I want cubs, and I want you to sire them," she said, never one to beat around the bush nor one to search for the most eloquent way to say things. The only reason anything she said now sounded any sort of diplomatic was because she had been planning and preparing for this for some time. Never mind that this was a conversation she had had before, and she was not about to let it go down an undesirable path.
"We're both leaders in our prides, earning our places with our own strength. Our cubs would be formidable," she said, "Blood will strengthen the alliance between our prides, Firekin take care of their own. We both have a lot of bullshit rules about breeding, I'm guessing you're not subject to them so much but I am. This is not a proposition I make lightly."
Agni-pariksha grinned. She wouldn't have bothered to mention that this was against the rules, it suggested her plan was not approved (it wasn't), but she started the argument acknowledging that they were leaders -- and she had done that because it was relevant in her decision-making and to emphasize that she was in a position to not care about the goddamn rules that had her entire pride struggling with a population that was all related. She had more to say but she was curious if he would be discouraged by rules.
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 5:54 pm
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Andhaka raised a brow when she gave voice to her proposition, and it remained raised as she laid out her reasoning, which he heard out in silence, allowing her to finish before inclining his head with a thoughtful noise. "I will admit," he said finally, the earlier hint of a smile now forming more fully, "When you asked for a meeting, that was not among any of the reasons I would have guessed at."
Which was not an answer, but he was thinking, dammit, running through reasoning and repercussion; she had had plenty of time to think this through beforehand, obviously, before ambushing him with the idea. If he was disquieted, however, he didn't show it, nor was his answer delayed by more than a few moments while he assembled his words. He had been accused of many things over the years, but bluntness was almost never among them.
"I am inclined to say yes," the striped Umholi decided. "As I'm certain you're aware, there is little love for you redpelts in the Bonelands." 'Redpelts' came with a flash of a grin, both for awareness of his own color and assurance that from his tongue at least, the term was not an insult. "But there is nothing revered more highly here than blood, and while we have a little of yours, you have none of ours."
"That being said, I don't know the weight that my blood will or won't carry, ultimately. I'm not the beloved figure Gakere was, nor do I have the same bloodties he did. My links here are limited to my descendants." He shrugged. Despite his carefully-spoken caveat, the prospect of doing something to further their alliance rather pleased him. Whether or not it had the intended results, or led to unintended consequences, he would have done something in his reign as Umholi beyond just maintaining the status quo. "In short, I am willing, but I can make no guarantees as to the results."
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:47 pm
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"I don't know or care who Gakere is," Agni-pariksha answered easily at his warning about how he may not be the appropriate one to approach about this, "And our pride has little love for the fireless, but here we are."
It was completely backwards to her to imagine a pride where red was barely welcomed when it was the ideal in the Firekin but it wasn't so hard because they made fun of the fireless and sent away those whose fur deviated from accepted standards.
"I can't make any guarantees, either," she said, "It's a risk I'm willing to take and if it pays off, both of our prides will benefit. Help me to make this change for the Firekin and I will make sure that is remembered, whether we repay you or your descendants."
The Regent was still smiling but her expression was not happy so much as determined. Her mind had been made up before but now she had a renewed energy for the prospect of being a mother and making a difference in the Firekin. She was ready to fight whoever she had to for her right to make this decision, for any of them to make this decision after her.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 4:46 am
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That was a refreshing change, someone who didn't actually give a damn about Gakere...or Surtak, or Matifu, or anyone else who had preceded him as Umholi. He supposed it was doubtful she would have approached any of them, anyway, as they had all been, as she had put it, 'fireless.' It was clear now why he had been specified, and not his golden counterpart. Telling Bangizwe about this later was going to be...interesting, and the thought triggered another little twitch of a smile.
Months ago, it was a risk he might not have taken, or would at least have given more thought to, but he was no longer concerned about maintaining his position indefinitely, always currying favor and doing what he 'should,' doing his best not to make waves. Now he could, and it was a very freeing feeling after all this time, even if there was a good chance he wouldn't be around to see the results himself.
"If you're willing to undertake the risks, then so am I," he gave his acceptance with a nod.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 5:19 pm
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"As you will it," the crimson Umholi assented with a slight dip of his head, giving no outward signs of smugness or eagerness, as it qould have been rather inappropriate for his side of the equation. Nonetheless he was quite pleased by the opportunity to do something that might have a lasting effect, something beyond just siring another litter of cubs. This one would be very, very different from all the rest; it was a shame he would likely never see it, unless...hmm, no, he and his counterpart would almost certainly be long gone, and no matter how interested he was in the final outcome here, it wasn't worth delaying. Not that there was a schedule or timeline of any kind, but ideally event would be in motion sooner rather than later...
Which, at the moment, was neither here nor there. Pulling all thoughts back to the present where they rightly belonged, he followed Agni-pariksha's lead.
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