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The Sky Festival was always a time for reflection, but this year Amagada was feeling especially pensive. And defensive. She had swatted away the bird companion who'd been shoved on her some years prior so that she could have some semblance of privacy while she spoke with her brother; she'd disliked the raven on principle from the very beginning, always suspecting that he was simply a spy for the wanidatsi, never trusting that Ojha didn't report on her and her clan's activities. Not that they had ever done anything objectionable - Wolf Clan generally seemed to be the cause of the most trouble - but it was the principle of the thing.

And this Festival, the Mantis alu'nadi was feeling particularly sensitive. The lions of her clan were supposed to be the strength of the Ela'wadiyi, the warriors of the pride (not that they had been needed in untold years), and they had a grand total of one lion participating in this year's Sky Ceremony. Worse still, her daughter Gosdaya had been forced to sit out for another year, and the poor dear felt terrible about it. It had always been her dream to win, but she had twice entered and failed, then the third time had taken ill, and this year had trained too strenuously and pulled her shoulder. She was usually a cheerful girl, and Amagada had never seen her so down.

She would have done anything to fix it for her, but alas, there was no magical remedy, only time. Perhaps next year would be her year. A mother could hope. Ama let out a sigh and waited. It would be good to see Hadharani again. The older she got, the more once or twice a year didn't seem often enough.

Ama brightened at the welcome sight of her brother, and ducked her head to receive and return the soft thmp of greeting. She then shook her head with a wry smile at his question. "She tried to roll Etawa a few days ago, but she rolled her shoulder instead." It had been a silly move to try on her heavier older brother, who, while he lacked in interest in sparring, was exceptionally good at not going anywhere, after spending his entire life staring up at the sky daydreaming. "She wanted to enter anyway, but I couldn't let her. Clan pride isn't worth doing herself permanent damage."

She'd considered entering herself, as she had the last time Gosdaya had actually competed, but she'd heeded her own advice and chosen not to. An alu'nadi competing was a bit awkward in the first place, and, well, the tournament was better left to those younger than she. She just needed to convince more of the younger Mantis to have a little clan pride, apparently. "She's sulking, but she'll be fine. Sagonige's dragged her off to get a look at our newest members."

A few of them had been sorted into Mantis, as it happened, but her grulla daughter's interest was always in new males specifically, although she had yet to find one to settle down with. She was as finicky as Gosdaya was enthusiastic.

"They'll never see it coming," she said with a soft snort of amusement. Hopefully, once Gosdaya actually got to compete again, she'd look back on her two missed opportunities with more humor. "As long as she doesn't try anything too strenuous, she'll be alright soon enough."

"She keeps looking, but no one ever quite suits." The dark lioness shook her head. At this rate, she was more likely to have more children than she was to have more grandchildren. "Just the usual influx from the Tree Ceremony, they look respectable enough."

Ama chuckled. "You're as bad as the children. Maybe you should go with the girls to see what new blood we've gotten."

"No strenuous activity for a month, and no eating within a day before." Ama huffed out a little laugh. She didn't know for certain that that was why Gosdaya had been sick the year before, but it seemed likely. It wouldn't have been just nerves, not with her.

"If you wait too long, you might get to an age where you won't catch anyone's eye," she teased, flopping down and making herself comfortable while they chatted. "Surely there's someone among the clans who's...similarly middle-aged." Which was profoundly difficult to say with a straight face, but she did her best.

"But if you stay single forever, I'll never have the joy of listening to you gripe about the headaches of parenthood!" And maybe, just possibly, because there wasn't much 'old' blood left in the pride these days, and because she'd enjoy being an aunt.

"Not as old as your joints creaking just then made you sound," Amagada suggested cheerfully, although neither one of them had creaked as they settled themselves. She'd started joking about her age as soon as she'd had grandchildren, and they were quite grown by now. Old enough that she could, theoretically have grown great-grandchildren, although she did not. Taking their sweet time to settle down was a common Atadiusti family trait, apparently.

"Mm, I'll just have to make sure that we happen to, just by chance, migrate in the general direction of the Bird Clan - or whatever clan you wind up with. Oh, there's an idea!" Ama lit up with an impish grin. "I'll just make sure everyone in Mantis knows what an eligible brother I have, and before you know it, you'll be in my clan." She wouldn't, really, but it would be awfully convenient if he were to end up in Mantis with the rest of the family. The odds were probably against it, though.

"Hard to sneak up on anyone when you make as much noise as we do," she commiserated dramatically, although the humor was tempered when she nodded at his next statement. "Good. Mother would be upset with us both if that happened." Off in the beyond, or whatever you wanted to call it, but still.

"No trained birds for you yet? You could amuse them with clever tricks!" Ama suggested with a laugh. Oh, she was no fan of her bird, but they did have their uses. She would simply have preferred to have chosen her own, rather than being stuck with Ojha without so much as a 'by your leave.' She suspected he was no more thrilled with the partnership than she was.

"Another use for children," she pointed out. Not that she had to do much hunting herself, as she was not a huntress but the alu'nadi, but she still went out with hunting parties occasionally. "And being haunted is a fate you should like to avoid, I'd think!"