[SRP] Show Some Teeth? (Ari x Tethys)

[Epine de Rose]

There was something about the manner in which Tethys had stressed the importance of fighting properly that she had picked up on. This wasn't just a simple case of one lion being chased away by another, she had the potential to embarrass him a great deal if she failed to take things seriously. If she fought poorly, if she made a joke of this particular tradition, then it would be like spitting on everything her son had worked for. It was enough to give the lioness pause for thought as she regarded him.

It was in those moments that she realised there had been a measure of truth to what Destati had to said to her when they had seen each other again. Their encounter had been brief, but it had been pleasant. They had spoken about Dione, Tethys, and everything he had gone through and then just like that Destati had taken his leave. However he had left her with a very firm view of his own; while he hadn't seen Dione, he had observed Tethys and over the course of these months within the Stormborn he had grown considerably.

...Until now, Arimathras hadn't seen that.

To her, Tethys had always been her light hearted, relaxed and otherwise pleasant son. He was genuine, charismatic and typically helpful... It had always been Dione who had been the more driven of the pair. In fact, Arimathras had always assumed Tethys had been under her thumb. It was only when she had landed within the Stormborn that she had realised that things had changed. The pair still loved each other very much, but they had their own paths to walk and their own aspirations.

How she chose to react would dictate how Tethys was regarded; given she had very publicly challenged him, he certainly couldn't back down and even if he went through with this, if she failed to perform then it wouldn't look any better!

Now she understood.

"So that's what he meant," she murmured vaguely as she lifted her paws and cupped Tethys's cheeks. A warm smile lined her lips as she regarded him, though it seemed she was making no attempts to strike out at him despite her initial 'challenge'.

Words: 371

 

[Epine de Rose]

He raised a brow.

Even as his mother's warm paws cupped his cheeks in much the same fashion as she had done during his childhood, he remained a touch tense. If she had genuinely made a challenge then he was going to have to respond to it. It was his duty as a Captain and he absolutely could not allow one of his Reavers to stand in for him. Oh they would be able to battle without bias, that much was true, but if she lost and they decided to keep her for themselves then he was going to have a falling out. He didn't need this particular drama in his life and while he had no doubt that none could truly enslave a deity, he didn't want to have a runaway to his name either!

"Mother..." he continued, though he was somewhat confused at the references she made. He needed to push her for an answer, even as she pushed and squeezed at his cheeks to pucker up his lips. Soon she'd start pulling them apart again and he'd be back to being a cub. He missed some aspects of that life but now really wasn't the time for nostalgia, not with everyone watching... And what did she mean anyway?

"That's what who meant?" he added and shook his head. He was going to put money on his father having something to do with that, they had spent a considerable time talking, but she could have spoken to anyone. Maybe he had other observers paying attention that he hadn't been immediately aware of? Food for thought.

He shook his head.

"I really need you to make your decision," he finished and cleared his throat. "Please."

Words: 286

 

[Epine de Rose]

"Your father," she replied gently and finally released her grasp on her son's cheeks. "He said that you'd changed, come into your own since you got here," she added and shook her head. She was still smiling, an expression full of warmth rather than concern for his current situation on her features. It was still had the back of her mind though, she hadn't forgotten that she needed to retract her challenge... But she also needed to make sure she retracted it properly so as not to offend either him or his band.

"You really have," she mused and chuckled. Her children really were growing up and maybe she already knew that, maybe that was why she hadn't reacted with so much horror when she saw the injuries he had sustained this time while they were out. She had been relieved he'd come home, happy that he was still standing, and reassured that he was in good spirits (other than being woken up by a wayward child)... He deserved her respect. He already had it, but now more than ever, he deserved to have it expressed.

"I'm not going to challenge you today," she said finally and glanced towards his band. "I'll do it when I can give you a proper fight," she explained and hazarded a wry smile.

"I get the feeling I have some work to do before I can give everyone the spectacle they would like to see," she pointed out, the smile soon turning into a grin. "So watch this space my darling and fear not, I'll be back to smack your backside properly," she finished and patted his cheek.

It was with that in mind that she bounded away and took flight, a move so swift that her son didn't even have the opportunity to ask where she intended to go. He didn't need to know that, but she'd certainly be back!

Words: 319
Total Words (Ari): 690

 

[Epine de Rose]

No, no, no, no, no!

Tethys raised a paw to thin air as his mother bounded off. In a flurry of feathers she had taken flight before he could utter a word of protest. She was meant to stay here where it was safe, she was meant to wait until he knew she could go out without meeting a grizzly end... And yet she had proven why all of his concern was essentially pointless. When a deity wanted to do something, they typically did it, with or without permission. He would have to expend considerable resources to try and track her down, at the very least he would have to deploy Ni'it to keep up with her.

He released a groan as he glanced back at his band, they didn't seem terribly put out by his mother's departure. If anything they were more intrigued by her decision to return later. She had promised them a duel and Tethys had to wonder how she intended to do that. For her to be able to pull off the spectacle they would now be hoping for, she was going to have to push aside all of her concern for the well being of others and battle properly.

...Tethys wasn't exactly sure if he wanted her to learn that. It just wouldn't be his mother if she forgot herself just to 'impress' others. Still, he was grateful that she had retracted her challenge politely and recognised that such a tradition was important, not something to be looked at as a mere game.

"Get me Ni'it," he ordered at last to no one in particular, someone would be able to retrieve the Cheetah, she wasn't often too far away at the moment and he now had a job for her to do...

Words: 300
Total Words (Tethys): 586