The Kizingo'zaa had been an eccentric bunch, they always had been and it was something she'd grown accustom to as she'd grown from cub to adult. She'd done reasonably well in her home as well, she'd led a quiet and unassuming life. To most she was a creature of little note and little significance, and this was exactly how she had preferred it. So long as the Kizingo'zaa had remained at peace, she would continue to be happy. Alas, while she hadn't been there for the events within the Bahari'mtoto, whatever had happened had sent shockwaves into her home.
...And the results hadn't been nice.
It was the first time that she had watched as something had transcended into a horror story. She'd never experienced the insanity, she'd never been inclined to pursue it through the brew either, but she'd always been of the opinion that those who did want to try should be able to. However when her own King had decided that because he had been spurned within their neighbouring pride he would use it as a weapon, her opinions began to shift. The Kizingo'zaa were full of mischief, but they had never been malicious.
Well, they hadn't been until now.
She'd watched quietly as more than enough of the pride involved themselves in experimenting with the brews, they'd had their fun, but in the end it seemed that their boy-king had more nefarious use for it. At first she'd seen no reason to speak out, it wouldn't really come to a head would it? But then the enthusiasm seemed to embolden them and it was in this moment that the lioness realised that her time in the shadows needed to end.
Adalena had never been a hero and nor would she aspire to be one, but when she had witnessed something that could cause severe damage and she did have the power to stop it in some form, then it would have been unforgivable not to do so. It was for this reason that the now former Kizingo'zaa lioness fled; for all intents and purposes she was a deserter and whilst she didn't know if she would be forgiven by the Kizingo'zaa for what she was about to do, she knew deep down that her intervention was necessary.
She would expose them.
More specifically, she would expose their King.
She didn't want to invite harm upon the Kizingo'zaa, it was her now former home, and they had done nothing but tend to her as she grew. However she hadn't been raised to be malicious, she hadn't been raised to spread something into another land because she was insulted. It seemed this was where her own sense of self had diverged and she no longer had a place in her home, not if this was what they were destined to pursue as their method for resolving disputes.
When she arrived she was given a reserved welcome, the vast majority of the Bahari'mtoto were delighted to see her, but it was clear that the traditionalists were less than impressed with her presence. Puzzle's attempts to dictate how Bahari'mtoto culture should be had not been received well, and by extension, she had been tarred with the same brush. She wouldn't do them the disservice of requesting they give her the benefit of the doubt at this stage, but she would acknowledge there were some who were smarting.
Actually, one in particular would be smarting and it was him she needed an audience with.
It had taken her several attempts to make her request, most had been spurned repeatedly for she was Kizingo'zaa and Shui had no time for them. Nevertheless, eventually she had caught the eye of someone she hadn't expected to see, and it had been his voice that commanded the guards part and let her through.
Lucivar.
"An unexpected visit from an unwanted individual," He spoke softly, as he'd always done, and motioned for her to follow. "But one who is less inclined to cause drama than others, thus her visit is cause for alarm," he added. He didn't sound alarmed in the slightest, he sounded more contemplative than anything. "And now we hear she seeks an audience with that which they are referring to as the 'Mad King' of these lands."
Lucivar paused in step and Adalena had the decency to stop alongside him, she wouldn't move without her escort.
"Why?" he asked.
Lucivar had seemed to be the sought who saw and heard everything, yet in those moments Adalena was reminded that he was mortal and given he had no ears within the Kizingo'zaa, it made sense that he wouldn't know was occuring.
"The Bahari'mtoto are in danger," she replied quietly, her ears flattening against her head, Lucivar lifted his brow. "I felt it necessary to warn them, I canot stand idly by and let tempers fray to the point of irreparable damage," she confessed.
"Irreparable?" Lucivar pursed his lips. "My my, it seems the blue child did not respond to being torn from his mother's teet very well at all," he remarked. It resulted in a frown from Adalena, he did the King of the Kizingo'zaa a disservice as tempered had been frayed on all sides. Puzzle's reaction had been far too extreme, disproportionately so, but she had hoped that others would rise above it and acknowledge that he was simply young...and to some extent, stupid.
Just like Shui.
"It is irreparable if it happens," she confirmed.
The chatter seemed to lul however as Lucivar took her into the depths of Shui's stronghold. The young king had certainly isolated himself away from the pride, not exactly a good sign, but one she somewhat understood in the given circumstances. Those who held his trust regarded her with curiosity and suspicion, but with the black lion at her shoulder they seemed to think better of making any passing remarks.
"Your Highness you have a visitor," Lucivar lifted a paw to motion to Adalena. "And she brings grave news," he added. "I would request you treat her kindly, for she tended to my wounds when I was in need of aid."
Shui soon finished his conversation and turned his gaze towards the pair, his lips pursing as he regarded the Kizingo'zaa lioness. It seemed that the lion's remarks had tempered his reaction and a more tolerant expression crept on to his features. She'd have to count herself lucky on this one, otherwise she may have found herself cast out on her rear end.
"Which is?" He had no interest in mincing words, particularly with a Kizingo'zaa who at any moment could decide to leap on a podium and demand his own pride be run in accordance with the historical culture of the Kizingo'zaa.
Adalena was hesitant in the face of the veiled hostility and suspicion that seemed to radiate from the young King.
"The Kizingo'zaa have begun to experiment with their brew," She began softly. "And it would seem that our young King has intentions of spreading it into the Bahari'mtoto," she continued in a measured manner, or as measured as she could in the given circumstances. Nevertheless these remarks were enough to stirr the loyalists around the king into a restless state and even the young king's expression had clouded. It wasn't concern that riddled his features though, it was something that seemed to border on unbridled hatred.
"How?" he enquired coldly.
"I am not sure at this stage, but it seems like he has intentions to spread it regardless of whether or not a Bahari'mtoto wants to imbibe in it or not..." She sounded small in the face of a rising tide of fury, Lucivar was as still as always at her side, his expression unreadable.
"So he intends to poison us," His tone was surprisingly measured despite the ripple of fury that seemed to be bubbling up in his throat. "The one thing my father warned him of," he continued. "My father knew it was toxic, he knew it was dangerous and he knew that it wouldn't be used peacefully," He narrowed his eyes. "He warned them off this, he warned them that if it came here he would -"
"Do what?" Lucivar finally spoke up, his voice thrumming with power. He was not restless, merely amused by the overreaction of the young Kizingo'zaa ruler who seemed to be unhappy he hadn't got his way. It seemed that Shui's decision to resolve the disagreement by dissolving the alliance so that the Kizingo'zaa had no obligation to the Bahari'mtoto had been received poorly as well. Was this perhaps a dent to the young Kizingo'zaa King's ego, did he pride himself on superior diplomacy, or was he simply throwing his toys out of the pram?
...It was something for the black lion to muse over at a later date.
"Action would be swift," Shui snarled darkly, Adalena cowered at what seemed to be a rising threat. What had she done, had she invited war into her own pride? She knew that Puzzle had gone too far and what he was planning to do would cause extreme harm, but was it right to hurt the Kizingo'zaa before they had done anything. For now it was all just a plan right, it hadn't actually happened yet and not all of them agreed with the king's measures... They didn't deserve to get hurt because of this.
"And who would that serve, you or them?" Lucivar pressed and released a sigh, he adopted his usual tone, one of quiet exasperation and one that was exceedingly good at causing the young king to grow sheepish. For some reason that tone seemed to instill hiim with enough self doubt to sit down, shut up, and think (normally in the direction Lucivar preferred it went, but he'd never be so bold as to say that, it would ruin everything).
Shui lapsed in to silence as he was presented with this question - on the one paw he had every reason to invade and wipe out that god forsaken brew. He could rip up every flower, tear it to shreds and quite frankly, gut every little brewmaster so that it could never been made again. However, even in his rage he recalled the manner in which his father often responded to the most significant of disputes and threats. He hadn't done enough when the Scourge attacked their home, but if he'd done too much then the casualties would have been higher.
The collateral damage of an assault would be too high on both sides; neither side was built for war and it would be a blood bath on all accounts.
Lucivar was right, it would serve the Kizingo'zaa more than the Bahari'mtoto if he were to invade and show his fury. As it stood the Bahari'mtoto had no appetite for war, they were already splintered by differing opinions, to assault the Kizingo'zaa despite their nefarious intentions would only cause those divisions to worsen.
It was then that it dawned on him, he didn't have to assault the lions who had decided that their next port of call was to poison his homeland. On the contrary, he could ensure they assaulted themselves if they were truly determined to cause the Bahari'mtoto harm.
"Summon the architects," he said at last, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he turned his gaze back to Adalena. "You are right, it would do us a disservice to rise to such provocation with any form of violence," he murmured. "The architects are the alternative, their skills will prove useful in light of the information we have received." His temper still seemed to be bubbling underneath the surface but for the time being he had it under control.
"It would be wrong of me not to offer my gratitude to you in the circumstances," He said finally, causing Adalena to look up in surprise. "I am not sure how well your actions will be received in your homeland if you were to be discovered," he added softly. "If you would prefer, you are welcome to remain here under our protection."
Adalena, at first, chose not to respond.
On the one hand, she knew the Bahari'mtoto and she knew that they were safe enough... They were about as safe as the Kizingo'zaa. On the other hand, she also knew that there would be traditionalists who couldn't keep their mouths shut when she wasn't in the company of an individual of significance. For all intents and purposes neither her now former home or the Bahari'mtoto felt accessible to her - The Kizingo'zaa might forgive her, or they might hate her. The Bahari'mtoto might accept her, but there were bound to be others who couldn't help but make a comment or six.
No... When it came to what she would do next it seemed that her path was clear.
Neither place would be her home, neither would be her safe haven. For the time being she would try to explore the world around her and perhaps in time she would find a new home and a new purpose. It would work out better this way, at least she felt it was, but all she knew was that staying with either pride just wouldn't work for her.
"I think that this time, I'm going to do something for me," she said quietly. "I think I'm going to explore the world for a little while and find my own calling," she added. "Please don't think that I'm ungrateful but -"
"I understand," Shui shook his head. "My brother and I... we went on adventures of our own to find what we wanted in life, I can do nothing more than wish you luck in your endeavours." He gave a small nod. "Once again you have my thanks."
Adalena gave a small nod of her own.
"Please treat them kindly," she requested. "Not all of us wanted this, some of us just carried away."
Shui pursed his lips.
"We shall see," he replied simply and nodded to Lucivar. "I assume that Lucivar will aid you on your way out, though you may rest here as long as you need."
She supposed this was all she could ask for, consideration was better than nothing and she had some vain hope that he might listen. Whether this would actually happen would be seen in time but it was now out of her hands.
Rather than press her luck with further requests though, she turned to look towards the black lion and offered a weak smile. The message was received and she was soon being escorted away from the young King once more.
During her journey she would be sure to extend a prayer to any divine that would listen - perhaps that were be a few who would answer and mend the rifts caused by the proud, the arrogant and the naive... A sentiment that included both young kings, though she dared not say it in present company.
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