For some reason, the walk back to the heart of her pride seemed especially long now that she had some terribly unwanted guest following in her wake. The Lady of the Mwezi'Johari was too polite to tell him to shove off but she also couldn't shake that sneaking suspicion in her gut that he was someone that most assuredly did not belong here. Everything about him seemed fake, from his personality to his motivations to the glimmering fool's gold that was writ through his fur and it also seemed so familiar that she was sure the reason was screaming right in her face. She just couldn't place what it was or why it was setting off all of her alarm bells at once. So, instead, she endured.

"So basically, all of my children are scattered to the wind and I just have an old fool's sight to try and guide me so that I can see them all once last time before I'm too old to do it."

Tabani knew she was barely listening and even then, only to be polite. From the moment he had appeared with Kiwi he could feel the distrust rolling off of her in waves. It made him want to smirk beneath his playful, innocent facade - she was keen. Keen enough to realize that something much more sinister lurked beneath his foolish outward appearance. Unfortunately, it made him want to try and convince her of his innocence even more.

"Well, that sounds like a very lovely goal, Tabani. It must be very hard on you to not have seen your children in so long." The words were automatic as she spoke and her eyes never drifted from the path before them. She was hoping, more desperately than she would have liked, that they were going to run across any other member out here on the outskirts. Alas, it seemed she had done her job too well and hidden Lamia too far from them. It would be a while yet before anyone else noticed the leech that was suckling at her patience.

"Have you lived here long, Lady Malkia?" His words were dripping in polite over-eagerness now, keen on getting to know a little more about her.

"Most of my adult life, yes. I was here just as the pride settled its foundation once more." It was more information than she really wanted to divulge. Had she not thought less of him, she might have talked about how her own heart ached to see some of her children gone out into the rogue lands never to return, or that she had built her whole world here with her mate just to have him abandon her for the hope of grandeur and adventure when his life with her was no longer appealing enough to him. She didn't though, only tried prying a little more into who he was so that she might figure out why she felt so near to loathing him entirely. "I probably know your son if he's been here for any time at all, what did you say his name was?"

"I didn't, actually," Tabani heard the amusement leaking into his voice - just as she was reading through him, so was he through her, but this seemed like a fun game now. How much had his yellow-bellied son told his pride? "His name is Roshan, though. I'm afraid he more resembles my ex-mate's family than he does my own, but-"

"You." Abruptly, Malkia stopped with wide eyes and whirled to face him. Old as she was, the fury dripped from her in waves and her mothering, protective nature roared its head as fiercely as any dragon of nature. "You are not welcome here. He does not wish to see you."

Had she been any younger, Tabani might have been a little afraid of the fury that snapped at his face like a wildfire. Her dark eyes bore through his own, straight to his soul, and he found himself laughing at the sight of someone so old but without fear. Even as his face took on a dangerous air, even as his stance shifted to a guard and his tail whipped behind him, she refused to budge.

"Would I have to slay you here and now to get to him, Malkia? That does not seem so hard a task, old lady."

Despite the years she had on him, the golden female bared her teeth in a snarl, whipping her own tail to mimic his.

"I can assure you that I would not go down so easily as you might think, you wicked fool, and were I to fall there would be another and another and another. Our pride has seen its fair share of your kind and even were Roshan not protected as a member now, I can assure you that you would not be welcome under any circumstance."

Gods blind him, but she was serious. Tabani laughed under his breath again and hunched a bit lower as if he might strike her, wondering just how far she was willing to go. He wasn't as keen on murder as his children were but he also usually bluffed his way into making his foes turn tail. Would slaying her be worth a few minutes torture of his least favorite son? He was still pondering it when a lion shouted at a distance.

Malkia didn't turn to look but she heard the words and bit off the sigh of relief that threatened to spill past her jowls. Tabani, for a wonder, seemed to think it wasn't worth a two versus one fight even if one of those was someone he thought to be so weak. She was still staring at his face when he laughed again and turned tail, disengaging their little stand still as the male behind her drew closer and closer.

As he dwindled into the distant twilight, she sighed and let her muscles relax. She was getting too old for this. All she could be thankful for was the fact that Koya had taken Lamia ahead and that Roshan had not been near enough for his father to find him. By the time the white and blue male was at her side, she was all but exhausted from the tension and worry.

Thankfully, she was close to home.

(1, 058 words)