[PRP] Unexpected Welcome

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Thanks to Pingana's quick thinking, Jani had been warned to expect guests. The stranger who looked related to her family had returned...with more company. And Jani was grateful that none of her mother's children were around at the moment. She would see what these strangers made of her, who looked nothing like them, before deciding whether or not to bring in the rest of the family.

Except for Kestven, but he was occupied elsewhere. Ah well.

The Huntress didn't have to wait too long before she spotted Pingana's distinctive fur coming near. And...well. This was a surprise indeed. As the group came closer, she could see that a number bore the same shades and markings as her mother, as well as some forms that had been seen in her brothers and sisters. But it was the dark-maned male leading the group that caught her attention most of all.

He wasn't young, and Jani estimated him to be of an age with Mittere. In fact, he looked enough like her to be her brother. Neither Jani nor any of her siblings had ever heard their mother speak of relatives, so she wanted to know what this male would claim.

She wanted to know a very great deal about these strangers.

"I see you, Pingana," the green lioness called out at last.

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The deeper Pingana led them into the pride, the more uneasy Mors felt. He didn't know what to think of the lions and others who watched their passage, but he knew they were talking about his family. There was too much interest on those faces, many gaunt with illness, for it to be any other way. But not a one of the people he saw bore any resemblance to his father.

At last someone called out at a volume meant to be heard and not overlooked. Mors turned eagerly, hoping to finally see the family Dad claimed. But his hopes were dashed and his shoulders slumped slightly at the sight of a fairly ordinary, green-furred lioness with a completely different set of markings from his own family. Probably just a friend of Pingana's. Or his mate. Great. How much longer must he wait for this...reunion?

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Facio nodded affably to the many observers the group passed, refusing to let his mask slip any further. He suspected he had been late to don it, given Pingana's cool appraisal and general unfriendliness. Still, they had gained admittance. He'd allowed the leopons to separate from the group and discover what they would about the pride - they could regroup later.

Pink eyes narrowed as an unfamiliar voice hailed their guide. The lioness was not young, but nowhere near his own age. Was she merely being friendly, or was she one of Mittere's proteges? The pink lioness did teach and lead lions into battle, so it was only to be expected that she'd continued those habits here.  

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Jani was surprised to hear that the stranger actually claimed to be her uncle. Well, she had already guessed that kind of relationship, so she'd have to assume it was true. Whatever else, that would be true. Even the name, which she'd never heard before, sounded related to Mittere's. So he was the real deal. And his kids, her cousins, well, they were relatively obvious. She might not have pegged the purple-pelted ones as being kin outside the group, but within the resemblances were clear.

"Welcome, Uncle Facio and cousins, to the Kitwana'antara," Jani told the group, inclining her head slightly. "I'm afraid Mother never once mentioned any brothers or sisters, so you can imagine our surprise."

She waited patiently, wondering how long it would take them to ask why she looked nothing like her mother.

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"But how can you be our cousin!?"

The impertinent words fell out of Mors' mouth as if his lips could no longer keep them inside. And then he saw it. Jani's eyes were the exact same color as his own, else water lied. Somehow, that was the only outward trait she'd inherited, and he'd just made a fool of himself.

Worse, he could feel Facio's disapproval, even if his father was still smiling. He was going to be in serious trouble later.

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Facio had actually opened his mouth to respond to Jani's welcome when his idiot son couldn't hold his tongue any longer and asked the rudest possible question. Sighing heavily and only slightly dramatically, the older lion met his niece's eyes with an apologetic expression.

"I am sorry, your cousin Mors has always been prone to stuffing his feet in his mouth when he speaks. Please forgive him." There would be punishment later, and there would be blood. Oh, there would be a great deal of blood this day, but not yet.

"Is your mother out? I have been dreaming of reuniting with my sister for many long years," he continued, glancing around now and again. There was no trace of Mittere, nor of any who bore any major resemblance to his small family. Briefly, Facio wondered if he'd been had. But no, these lions weren't nearly that clever. She was here. Somewhere. And his niece, with her too-wise blue eyes, knew exactly where that was.  

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The green lioness laughed long and loud at Mors' question, shaking off Facio's apology. The tension had been thick enough to slice with a claw, and she much appreciated this brief interlude.

"No, no, I don't mind much. Technically speaking, I'm not related to you by blood. But my mom, Tarafa, was Mittere's mate," Jani explained. She still felt a pang of loss thinking about her wonderful, fragile mother. Luckily she'd had more than four years to become accustomed to that sad fact.

"Believe it or not, I have sixteen siblings," the lioness continued, overlooking Facio's question for the moment. "Mom had ten kids in all, Mother six, and they adopted my brother Kestven when he was a cub. So we're actually a rather large family, not including all of you!"

She wasn't ignoring Facio, per se, but she wasn't quite ready to bring the whole mood downwards. Just let her have these few moments of happiness, Goddess, and she would be content. Besides, just because Jani took after her birth mother more than Mittere didn't mean she was dumb. She'd seen the flicker of irritation in Facio's eyes, and meant to make him wait - just a little longer.

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Mors' jaw dropped as Jani started listing out just how many siblings she had, how many cousins he hadn't known about. True, he'd never actually heard of a pair of lionesses, but that was much less crazy than two lions having seventeen kids between them. Even if one was adopted.

"That's...that's crazy!" he gasped out at last. And Jani was much older than he was. Scary to think, but she was old enough to be his mother. Wait a minute...

"Do you have kids?" the pink male asked, oblivious to his father's growing anger.

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The eldest lion didn't miss Jani's oversight in answering his question. Nor did he miss the sharp glance she gave him before she elaborated on her own immediate family. Was this, Facio had to wonder, a warning? That despite the fact that he'd brought a total of nine lions and leopons, Mittere's family still outnumbered his greatly? Did she suspect his purpose?

Surely he had not been so crude as to telegraph that intent to a mere child.

"I had not expected to hear my sister had any children at all," Facio commented. "Truly, she must have found happiness here." In truth, he hadn't imagined any situation that could possibly result in Mittere birthing cubs. After all, not a single male had been able to best her, and rape was the only way to force her. And if her mate had been a lioness...how in the names of all the gods had Mittere been convinced to have children?

And why was he wasting this much time wondering about it? It was in the past, and therefore not at all relevant to his goal. This wouldn't even matter later, when he thoroughly shredded his son for idiocy and impertinence. At least the girls were quiet.

"But perhaps we can discuss the details of our family later? I would like to speak to my sister now."  

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She smiled at Mors. Of all the previously-unknown relatives, he was the one she felt closest too thus far, probably because he was the one who was actually talking, and seemed to be genuine. That impression could be faulty, of course, but for now she wasn't going to argue.

"No, I don't have any children myself, though I do have nephews and they have children as well." She tactfully left out that one of those nephews was now the pride's King. Time enough for that later, if this went well.

But she'd put off Facio's request once already and she didn't want to push her luck too much. The green lioness' expression sobered as she straightened.

"I apologize, but Mother..." she couldn't say it. "I'll take you to her," Jani told the group quietly.

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It made Mors feel a bit better to hear that Jani didn't have kids, but then she mentioned nephews. And the nephews had kids. What were those cubs even called? Mors had never had so much family before that he needed to even wonder about things like that. His head felt like it was spinning.

Then everything seemed to change abruptly as Jani promised to take them to Mittere at last. Oh good, then he had a breather before he had to worry about this insanely huge family.

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The more relatives Jani listed, the more Facio was certain that they meant to make this difficult. It seemed the family easily amassed more than twenty, possibly more than thirty members of varying ages. And if Jani was among the oldest, this could bode ill for making an escape later.

Task first, escape later. For the green lioness had finally agreed to take them to Mittere. From the sound of it, it seemed the formerly undefeated lioness had finally found an opponent she couldn't win against - the pride's plague. While Facio disdained the cheat, he certainly couldn't argue with anything that would allow him to finally overcome the pink lioness.

"Let's be off," he encouraged Jani, gesturing for her to lead the group onward.  

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She noticed Pingana leave and nodded in return to him. The Scout had been a great help and while she was somewhat nervous about being alone with her uncle and cousins, Jani wasn't about to change her mind now. She'd chosen this course and now she'd run it to completion.

"She's this way," the green lioness told the group as she turned and began to walk. It hurt - oh so much more than talking about Mom - to pretend even for a moment that Mittere lived. But she didn't know what would happen when she told Facio his sister had died. Best to be in the location she'd prepared with what scanty time she'd had.

She could only hope those siblings waiting were ready.

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Mors followed eagerly, though he dropped back to walk next to Tisiphone, instead of staying up front with their father. The young male tried to offer his sister, whose face was a mask of nonexpression, an encouraging smile. They were almost there! Then they could relax!

Well, maybe relax wasn't the best word. Run for their lives maybe?

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Wordlessly, Facio followed Jani. He hadn't missed the nods between Pingana and his niece and while they could be simple politeness forbearing to interrupt her conversation with him, they could also be far more sinister. After all, Mittere had almost certainly taught the girl.

Soon. So very soon he could almost taste it. Victory would be his.