"Tell us about father," one of her girls, Kinasii asked, one evening when the desert sky was looking particularly beautiful and the temperature was comfortable enough that moving wasn't a chore.

The dark, spotted female turned her head from where she lounged, sphinx-like, to peer across at her; forver startled at how quickly her little cubs were growing. Their legs were growing longer and even her son's mane was starting to come in, tufting up on the back of his neck in an almost amusing manner. She loved to try and flatten it down when grooming him and the protests he made at it.

Her son, who had said nothing, shifted in the shadows of the den and she could see that he was trying to subtly listen in without drawing attention. He was the quieter of the cubs, perhaps, outnumbered by the fierce girls and often dragged - unwilling - along with their escapades. He was growing up to be large though. Likely another gentle giant, much like her dear brother.

"What would you like to know?" she asked, her voice quiet as seemed suited for the time of day. Distantly, however, she could hear the roars of scrapping males and wondered if the pride was ever truly at peace.

"Everything," Kinasii breathed, drawing closer. Her face held her father's markings. Her eyes held their colour, too. She was pale though, like mist. Like a ghost.

"Very well, I'll tell you all that I know."

"He was an outsider, right?"

Mawasii nodded, smiling.

"Why choose an outsider?"

She pondered this a moment, though in truth she knew the very reasons why. "No one within the Nergui caught my eye. You've been around long enough to get to know a few of them. Many are brutes. Cold. Males who care only for their own ego and little else. I wanted something better."

"Someone absent?"

That gave the dark female pause. It was true. She'd had to raise the cubs alone - with the aid of their uncle - and it was likely that they'd never meet their father. Was that wrong of her? Perhaps. But did she regret it? No.

"It was an unplanned thing, in truth. I was on the borders of the pride when I came across him. I thought to warn him away at first, but he was so infuriating. He blanked me, refusing to speak." Dangerous, she thought with a smile. It had been something of an attraction to her. "I pursued him and one thing led to another..."

"Ew." Kinasii waved a paw hastily in front of her, "I don't need to know about that part."

Mawasii laughed,loud and boistrous and reached out to swat her daughter on the nose. "He was huge. Dark. Silent. He screamed warrior. Strength. Mystery. I wanted him for that alone. Anyway, after our short time together, he departed and I have not seen him again. Likely never will."

Kinasii looked disappointed and even Adramelech turned to look at her with slight dismay. Mawasii knew a little more, but probably not enough to sate their curiosity. "Later, I did find out more. By chance, I happened upon a friend of his - back when you were all very young. Not even yet named! You may not remember the meeting. There was a passer by who knew your father. He told me his name and where he hailed from - though I did not recognise it."

"What was it?" Kinasii blurted, hardly able to contain her excitement.

"Adar-malik," Mawasii answered, "I named your brother for him, just as I named you for your grandmother."

"Adar-Malik. Adramelech." Kinasii laughed, reaching out to give her brother a shove with a hind foot. He growled softly at her and then, slowly, moved up to join her, watching his mother with wide eyes.

"I am named after him?"

"Yes and your other sisters are named after legends of his pride." Half of her litter in his traditions and half in hers. She wasn't sure why she had waned to do so. Perhaps in an effort to please him should he ever come back? Or maybe just to honour him in some small way. It seemed like he had led a hard life.

"His pride?"

"Yes. It is called...Al-Siq, I think. Neither I nor my brother have heard of it so it's either very far away or hidden out of sight. They seem to have a love of legends and tradition and, for some reason, do not look kindly upon those with black pelts."

"Do we look like him?"

"There is a little of him in all of you," Mawasii replied, turning her head to look into the lengthening shadows. Soon the sun would be gone from the sky and the cold darkness would envelope them. She missed their old home. Wished they had not come to the desert.

"Why did you join the Nergui?" Kinasii asked suddenly. Her brother's eyes widened as if surprised at it - though in truth he should not have been surprised of anything when it came to his mouthy little sister. "You don't seem like the type they like here."

"Barbaric?" Mawasii grinned, "no, but I was young and foolish. Vengeance had a tight grip on my heart and joining the Nergui to aid that cause seemed like the best option at the time. Uncle Kafele joined with me because I did, not because he wanted to."

"You wish you hadn't joined?"

"Sometimes, but I don't think the Nergui are as bad as they once were. For better or for worse."

"What is vengeance?" Adramelech asked quietly, creeping forward a little.

"It was...getting my own back on some lions that did me harm."

"Lions harmed you?"

"They killed my father - your grandfather - before I was even born. I was named for him just as you were named for your father. They stole him away from me and I have nothing but the stories mother told."

"You meant to kill them by joining the Nergui?"

"Yes. The lions who killed my father were at war with the Nergui. I thought I'd have more success by joining up with them but...it was not to be. The lions were too strong. They killed the warlord and others and scattered us to the winds."

"Would they come after us?" her son asked, looking mildly concerned.

"Perhaps. One never does know with the Firekin."


/fin