[PRP] A blessing or curse?

[KasaiLoki]

After Lim had revealed himself to Astrid, the thrall could not shake the feeling that the curse bestowed upon the land was her fault. She was visibly pregnant with either large cubs, or a large number of cubs. She had grown up in the Stormborn, although she hadn't been born in the land itself. But she knew the traditions. She knew about the lore with the gods of the pride. Lim, Infatuation, was not one of them. Perhaps her mingling with another deity that had nothing to do with the War gods was angering to them?

Whatever it was, Astrid believed she needed to tell someone who's cubs she carried. She didn't know what would happen, if anything at all.

The famine was taking a toll on the older thrall. Her skin was hanging off her bones. Her belly swelled, only pulling the skin looser off her skeleton. If it wasn't for the pregnancy, she would have looked just like any other pride member. A sigh left her maw as she trudged up a worn path. Astrid had yet to see another pregnant lion recently, an obvious sign that the curse on the land was affecting that aspect of life for the pride.  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

The pride had been undergoing a lot in the last month or so. Famine was clear, there was no skirting the issue any longer and she cursed herself for not seeing the value of Sakari's words. Zjarri'fol made a mental note to request an audience with both her, and her sister at some point or another - was there anything else they knew? She had to wonder if they had held anything back or if they simply felt useless against the slew of adults that battled against them.

Today wasn't about that, no, it was about a rumor that had begun to mill about. Something which she couldn't anticipate, and which also infuriated her. Pregnancy. The pride had listened attentively as she provided them with the directive. Until further notice they were not to reproduce, it would put the pride in a poor position - something she feared she had done herself. That fear drove her anger even further, but she composed herself as best she could in the face of the public.

Mkhai..

His name haunted her day in and day out, but she was blessed with the knowledge that even if she should succumb to a possible pregnancy herself.. the cubs were demi-gods, born half-mortal. The thoughts settled her riled gut just as she discovered the lioness that had been rumored to walk this particular path. "Astrid." The Warlord beckoned for the lioness. Her vibrant, full of life, eyes fell on a sad creature. Famine had been harder on some than others and she cringed at the idea of falling victim to the circumstances while having to care for cubs.

Without saying another word she dropped her rump to the ground.

KasaiLoki

 

[KasaiLoki]

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Astrid approaching Zjarri, giving her a wary nod as the War Lord sat. While normally she could remain standing in the presence of the lead (Zjarri would have been the third War Lord she had been through in her life span), but in Astrid' current situation, staying off her feet as most as she could would be best. So she sat, not too close to the lead, but close enough she could speak quietly.

"War Lord Zjarri'fol," Astrid greeted. "I...I fear whatever is plaguing these lands is my fault." The thrall said slowly. "I..don't think the Gods are happy with whos cubs I carry." In reality, while Astrid should be happy that she was going to bring new life into this world, she could not bring herself to smile. Lim had revealed himself to her a God, but not one that the stormborn revered.

"I...don't know what is going to happen if they are brought into this world." She was far too far along to even consider the option of terminating the pregnancy. "Do you think they are angry because it is not their blood that will run through these cubs veins...but the blood of another God?" She asked quietly, not wanting to meet the War Lord's eyes.  

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The form approaching her was a shell of a lion surrounded by an engorged belly - the rumors were confirmed. It was to no surprise the way the lioness seemed to move, almost apologetic. Still, Zjarri was surprised by how immediately the lioness seated herself.

"What do you mean?"

The question was vague, Astrid had spit out a couple of pieces of information, one of which she figured might be true. It wasn't the piece about fault though. Another rumor that had been floating around was that more than one or two Gods had made themselves known in their lands - Warriors was almost the least of her concerns and yet her primary concern. "How is it that you think you've displeased the Gods?" Her brow furrowed as she posed the question, this time a little more clearly.

Ahh..

Zjarri had the answer to her unspoken curiosity. "So there are other Gods among us." She said to no one in particular. "It's true." Her attention returned to the lioness and a curious disposition grew much more stern. "You might have angered the Gods we devote ourselves too, but not to the degree you are thinking. You see, the Gods tend to do as they please." She spoke from their written testament - Gods came and went freely. "Our ailments are from an entirely different source." She growled softly at the end.

Kuaminiwa'moshi. A name she wouldn't soon forget.

"It looks like you might have greater concerns though." Zjarri was clearly discussing the poor health Astird seemed to be in. "How are you feeling?" Though she angered easily on the topic cubs were cubs... new life meant a whole world of possibilities and joy.

KasaiLoki

 

[KasaiLoki]

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Astrid nodded, agreeing to what Zjarri said in regards to other gods being in the land. "He was disguised though, and took on the sign of a normal Stormborn. My daughter has also mentioned another God walks the lands. God of Conflict? But he does not hide who he is it seems." The thrall explained. She wasn't sure if the leader knew about Tanaka or not.

"This one appeared different though." If Lim hadn't shown who he was, this meeting would not be happening. But no, he had to reveal himself. The God of Infatuation. He was no War, or Warriors! No Conquest either! Kaitrus would be so upset if he knew.

"You're wrong." she called out the War Lord. "There isn't anything else that could have caused this but this ill-timing pregnancy!" she almost shouted, but kept her voice as mild as possible.

"How do you know it is from a different source?" She tried to argue. Astrid had it cemented in her mind she was the problem. The stress of the events earlier in the day now starting to rear its ugly head.

"I feel fine, War Lord," she said with a dejected sigh. In truth, she was hungry. The cubs were sucking the life force from her, and now with this added knowledge of what she thought was the cause of the famine? Astrid wasn't in good appearance. "I fear the cubs will be here soon." She whispered, tears threatening to flow.  

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The lioness grew silent. Zjarri'fol was familiar with these types, the type to panic and if Astird ran the course of those who typically panicked.. she would probably have plenty to say. Tanaka, God of Conflict. She made a mental tally of his name and decided that perhaps it would be in her best interest to meet him. "Not all Gods hide behind the veil of a mortal guise." She commented on the way she worded things. "Some are far to proud to betray their domain like that." A snort showed her disdain for those whose pride simply got in the way.

Zjarri suddenly felt extremely fortunate to have known Mhkai the short amount of time that she knew him. Without speaking about it he answered so many of the burning questions she had for the Gods.

"The God of Infatuation." Had she not been strong willed she would have laughed. How ironic. "Do you think that our Gods are so bored that they worry for who the Father of your cubs might be? The only concern they might have would be that they take food from cubs with proper Fathers, born of the Storm." She sounded far more harsh than she had intended, but none of it was a lie - not in her eyes. "But to have brought Famine to our midst - no." Her tone was dead serious as she ended her explanation to the lioness that was beginning to sound like she was losing her mind with illness.

"Are you questioning your Warlord?"

Suddenly her pink eyes narrowed at the source of the rage that boiled beneath the surface. The question faded, and quickly, she didn't expect a response - it was rhetorical. "You don't seem fine." Her tone eased and composure returned. Zjarri stretched her claws, unsheathing them to dig at the dirt as a release for the tension that had built up in her muscles. "Have you got a safe place to have these cubs - and what about the Father? Has the God bothered to stick around, or does he act as his domain suggests?" Infatuation was brief, a false longing for someone or something that faded with time - the time was the only factor that typically changed.

"Show me where."

KasaiLoki

 

[KasaiLoki]

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Astrid had no answer for the War Lord as she asked about the Gods worry about the cubs lineage. She found herself shifting on her aching paws, staring at the ground. She was a thrall to the pride after all, the Gods would look down on her anyways.

Maybe she was losing her mind. She had put so much energy into saving Haruhi early into her pregnancy, and the sudden reveal of the God was itching at her mind.

"N-no...War Lord Zjarri'fol." She found herself stuttering, still not wanting to look at the leader of the pride's eyes. Astrid was terrified at her situation. The famine, the pregnancy, and now, speaking with the Stormborn lead? She would never have done that in the past.

"I..." She needed to answer the blue lioness, but suddenly Astrid found herself freezing in her words. "I have my den..." Her shared den with reaver Kaitrus, who had not returned on his last viking mission. He was either lost, presumed dead, or just opted to never return. "I...I don't want him around them." She whispered, now risking a glance to the War Lord. "We hav---had a garden up near the cliffs he normally like to be at. He enjoyed flowers the most."

Show her? Show her her den?

"Um...It's not very close to here... Surely you don't wish to go to it?"  

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"Good."

She spoke firmly in the answer to her question - no one should question their superior. Especially if they weren't going to listen to the answer given anyway. Zjarri'fol was no fool though and could see the terror, she had remembered feeling something similar for her first litter.. the birthing process alone could be overwhelming. This wasn't a normal birth, nor were these normal circumstances. She had to wonder if demi-gods would impact the way the cubs grew. Horror ripped through her briefly and was washed away by concern of the current going ons.

I can't worry about that now..

"Your den, that should do the trick." The blue lioness was prepared to move immediately, standing abruptly. Her brows rose in surprise at the odd request from the lioness. "You don't want whom around them?" Zjarri was mentally preparing herself for the possibility that they needed somewhere else to do this, somewhere else to prepare - immediately she thought of Kluna. The old high priestess had a place just for medical emergencies and judging by the way the lioness was carrying herself.. this might become one.

"If you don't want him near them then it wouldn't be sane to go there." The Warlord was taking matters into her own paws. Cubs were handled differently by everyone, but Thrall or Freeborn alike she wouldn't have them born into parental conflict - even if one wasn't a parent. "I have a different place I can take you." She offered, not kindly - this wasn't a sweet gesture, but could clearly be seen as survival.

"You will explain to me why you don't want that lion near your cubs, but we can go to Kluna. She will help us - that is your option." Verbally she put her paw down. Decision making was how she made it here, this situation wasn't going to be handled any differently.

KasaiLoki

 

[KasaiLoki]

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Astrid sighed, shaking her head.

"It's my home. It is where I bore my first litter. I don't want to take them anywhere else." It was the only comfort she really had. It didn't matter whom she shared the den with, that had been her home for the past few years. She helped raised her grandchildren in it. She helped watch other thralls in it. "I don't think he would show up. I told him I didn't want him to." Whether the god would listen or not, she didn't know. Gods did that they wanted, such as disguising them self as a mortal and not revealing who they truly were until the cubs were near due.

She disagreed. "I will take you to my den. It is very roomy there." It had to be. She had eight children from her first litter, and Astrus had six herself.

"I...I just don't think he deserves to be near them." She shrugged as she walked, belly swaying with her gate. As they got closer, Astrid paused. Her den was just a head. She frowned as a crack of lightning hit the sky. The storms always seemed to hit at the worst times. "That it..."

She scentedthe air. She didn't smell Lim nearby, which was good in her opinion.

"If you don't think this is suitable...then I will respect your decision to move elsewhere."  

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The head shake wasn't something she could have anticipated. It came as a little bit of shock to her when Astrid spoke - her earlier display told Zjarri that the den wasn't a safe place and yet this lioness wanted to be there? Dramatics made the blue lioness frown deeply and wonder about the thralls sanity, but instead of questionin it she simply nodded.

"Good, so your words are all powerful." She remarked in a tone she hadn't used since her younger years. It unsettled her how much this was creeping beneath her pelt. The fact remained that the lioness she witnessed standing before her.. could be her in a matter of months, if not much less time. Fear had a funny way of crippling an individual when they needed strength the most. Zjarri fought her internal war behind a composed look that didn't match her near sarcastic tone.

"Well, I agree with you there." A shrug of her shoulders suggested it, but silence was likely her enemy following the earlier comment. "No, it's fine. If you want to go there then that is where we shall go. I haven't been around a great number of pregnancies, but I've been pregnant - there is likely no sense in arguing with you, is there?" Her brow rose slightly as she followed the lioness to what she assumed would be their destination.

"Hm, perhaps the Gods of Thunder smiles down on you after all." She remarked at the sudden crack of lightning and the boom to follow. "Or his sibling, Lightning." The sounds of a storm warmed her being and she felt suddenly far more confident then she had before, even the ailing lioness before her couldn't dampen the feelings of pride and strength a good storm brought Zjarri.

KasaiLoki

 

[KasaiLoki]

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fin?

For the first time during their conversation, Astrid cracked a small smile, even though Zjarri'fol couldn't see it. It was hard to dissuade a female, let alone a pregnant, hormonal one.

She glanced at the sky, just in time to see the flash of lightning hit the sky.

"Perhaps then...times might be getting better." It was a hopeful thought. Astrid was trying so desperately to think of the positives in this recent news of the lineage of her soon to be children.

The thrall motioned for Zjarri to enter her den if she pleased, so she could see. She hoped the War Lord wouldn't stay long. The lioness was finding herself growing drowsy, all the excitement from the day finally wearing off. With a tired sigh, she followed the leader of the pride in, waiting near the entrance to answer any questions she would have.