After they returned, Jasi had indeed wandered off to go hunting. She had been vibrating with anger, and Ruslam merely walked beside her until Jasi abandoned him. He was doing his best to tune out his mind, and returned to Masuko's elephant skull den to report back to her. His foot steps were careful and solid, not wanting to betray any conflicting emotions to his master. He waited outside of the skull to be acknowledged before entering; Masuko had her boundaries, and regardless of who you were, the Alpha would never take kindly to surprises.
"You've returned," the Alpha said to Ruslam. "Good. I have things I would like to get completed. Jasi shouldn't always be taking you out; there's really nothing for you to do out there." There had been no signs of trouble, and the bone readers hadn't seen any signs. The weather had been dry, but the lions were quiet. Masuko was still trying to develop more strength. She wanted more land, a better resource of water, and a better way to stretch out legs without leaving the graveyard.
"Yes, mistress." Ruslam did not care either way; work was tough with either female, though Jasi was intent to make him scout the rougher areas before she would check. The graveyard, even outside of the deepest parts, was not on very stable lands. The toll of erosion and decay was impossible to completely escape.
"Where is she?" Masuko asked, only now realizing that Jasi was not with him. He made the mime for food, and the alpha shrugged her shoulders in dismissal.
Masuko was planning on attempting to expand their borders on the section facing away from the Pridelands. It would make expansion less obvious to the sun-happy lions, as well as little resistance of the land grab. There would be a few rogues to chase out, but it shouldn't take more than one or two sets of guards. The hyenas were learning to work better as a unit, and Masuko only helped it would improve under actual work.
She paced the large, cozy skull, turning over the plans in her mind. Perhaps a month from now would be best, after ensuring that her guards were in the best condition...Ruslam's sudden movement caught her eye, and she glanced over to see that Jasi had finally returned. Smeared, drying blood covered her maw, creating a wicked picture of the hyena female that had once been like a daughter to the alpha.
"I know you needed a release, Jasi, but you still should have returned with Ruslam after borrowing him," the alpha snorted in bemusement.
"I couldn't help it. Not after that stupid red idiot..." she went quiet, realizing that the alpha did not know what had been proposed, and didn't want it to get mentioned to the alpha. And here she was, accidentally exposing it all.
Ruslam went taunt, and Masuko wasn't blind; something had happened when they were out on their scouting rounds. "What?" As simple of a question it was, the way it escaped her maw turned it into a command. Jasi swore under her breath, furious that she had been an idiot to say anything. Ruslam's body was still tight, feeling numb to the direction that the conversation was going.
"One of your bone readers had a suggestion. He said that if we desired to grow strength, we should breed Ruslam." Jasi went quiet, but her eyes were burning with anger. "I don't agree with it."
Ruslam was trying to keep himself absent from the conversation, but he kept glancing over at his alpha. What was she thinking; what would she say? He did, and did not, want to know what she would want him to do. He glanced away quickly once he caught the alpha's eyes, instead staring intently at the dirty fur covering his toes.
Masuko glanced between them; too familiar with one another. Jasi seemed to favor this slave for reasons different than Masuko. Perhaps this would drive a wedge in Jasi's mind, to remind her of his real position within the pack. "Why do you not think it a good idea, Jasi?"
The scout's eyes widened, glancing in many different directions. "How would it ever be a good idea? We could lose control of him; spawn change the mind, Masuko. Hell, even I know that." Jasi knew that in some ways she had softened a bit after having pups, though she wasn't extremely maternal to them. It was something that changed something in everyone that had spawn, and she was terrified to think about how it may change Ruslam. "Besides, we don't even have a real proper prospective brood lioness for him anyway. That other lioness and her kids don't seem strong enough for his bloodline."
Masuko grinned. "And...? There has to be more than that, Jasi. You know he won't change overnight like that."
Ruslam was conflicted on the situation, but as he wasn't asked to speak, he remained quiet. He had no desire for offspring, no desire to even be with anyone for any reason. His life was to serve Masuko, nothing else. He glanced towards Jasi, seeing her expression darken, her eyes cloud in more frustration. She knew that this was an argument that she wouldn't win. Once the alpha made a decision, she would not change her mind.
"Fine. So what are we supposed to do, hmm?" Jasi said, snapping at Masuko. The alpha allowed moments of questioning her authority, knowing that no one would actually best her in a fight. Her position of power was absolute, especially with a strong lion at her side.
Masuko was still grinning, enjoying putting Jasi down. Though she cared for the hyena, the whelp still needed to be reminded of her actual position in the pack; no one was equal to the alpha. "My precious slave, what is your opinion on this?" she asked Ruslam without looking in his direction.
The lion's ears flattened against his skull, disappearing in his thick mane. He was extremely unhappy with this conversation, and completely uncomfortable. This was something he never wanted to think about, let alone discuss. He leaned against the curved side of the elephant skull, realizing that his large size was not hiding him.
"Alpha," he replied quietly. "I will do for you whatever is asked of me. My personal feelings are irrelevant." It was the correct answer, though it was not the one he wanted to give. He wanted to scream no at her, but the punishment for such insubordination wouldn't be worth it. He did not want to spend the next moon healing under the watchful eyes of the bone setters.
Masuko's grin only widened as she turned to her scout. "See? He has no opinion, regardless of what you think. I believe it to be a smart idea, though there is planning to actually execute it." The alpha tapped the ground before her, trying to think who would be best for the assignment. "I will require you to participate, Jasi; you're too attached to this lion-slave. You will personally oversee this operation, to make sure that it is successful. I need you to take Ruslam, yourself, as well as Alkaia and Eir. Alkaia is new, but she shows exceptional strength; between the three of you, you're certain to succeed. Eir will make sure none come back to me severely injured."
Jasi was not liking the direction this command was going, but she bowed to her alpha. "Yes, ma'am," she breathed, knowing that the assignment was important. To have to oversee the birth of lions? Disgusting.
"Your band will go into the rogue lands and find a lioness to bring back. Make sure she looks like she has some decent strength and size; I don't care if you bring her back injured and half dead. Eir will keep her alive long enough to ensure spawn. Then we will train them to respect us and come to see this as their pack."
Ruslam was quiet, and Jasi snarled. "I hate this idea, Alpha, but I will see it through."
"Good. You are dismissed." She watched the scout leave, ignoring the stone-still slave within her den.
(1,364 words)