He'd known that it wouldn't go well, not since the Kizingo'zaa had entered his home and screamed at the top of their lungs. Not only had a neighbouring pride seemed content to dictate the policies of a home that wasn't their's, but his own mother had deemed it fitting to debase him. With the exception of a few moderate voices within the higher echelons of society, it seemed his only allies were indeed those who had given him cause to act as he had.
Nevertheless what had been done was necessary and now he was left to clean up a mess that arguably, had been unavoidable. The Kizingo'zaa alliance had long been unstable, so fixated on their own drug induced visions that they cared little for the integrity of their neighbours. His father had never demanded they step down from their pursuit of these visions, and instead he had simply watched and waited... But now the Kizingo'zaa had made a threat; they'd declared that they would wash the shores with their own insanity.
...They had threatened war.
Should he respond in kind?
"Now there is a pensive expression," the black lion purred from the shadows. He had taken to settling in the depths, far out of view of others, but present all the same. He'd become a staple within the inner circle of the King and he rarely spoke unless it was absolutely necessary. He hadn't been a local lion, but one of the circle had vouched for him and indicated that the wealth of knowledge he had gathered over the course of his journeys would be invaluable.
"Mmm," Shui sounded non committal as he turned his gaze towards the red eyes that met him. The fact that one of his councillors had looked like one of the monsters on the shore had been entirely coincidental. He hadn't even smelled like them and more importantly he spoke, which was in striking difference to the creatures that had been seemingly mute.
"It would be unwise to let them in to your head," the lion continued to advise and shook his head. "They speak of much, but have nothing of substance, they do not have the capacity to deliver their threat."
"Nevertheless, it's still a risk."
"Then answer it as and when it appears," The lion motioned with his paw, a flickering wave of black against the dull grey shadows. Suffice it to say that the lion hadn't made it difficult for him to be seen, though at a distance some might have struggled. Shui flicked his gaze towards him for another moment and pursed his lips, so his advisor was encouraging a more measured approach. Lucivar had always had an answer for everything, that was one thing the young lion had realised when they had met, but he always opted for more simple replies... The black lion liked to keep his cards close to his chest.
"Diplomacy isn't going to work, and the only way to secure the borders is to have a loyal guard. At this particular moment in time they answer to my brother, not to me," Shui pointed out. It hadn't been lost on him that they had looked to Shio instead of their king when things had gone into more difficult territory. The Kizingo'zaa had been right in some respects, loyalties were definitely split and he couldn't trust them at this stage.
"A concern that already had an answer, and you are well aware of what this answer is," Lucivar lifted a brow. Shui might have been vulnerable and open to suggestion, but he certainly wasn't stupid. There was a tactician in there somewhere and given enough time, he often found his own answers. Lucivar didn't need to do much at all to improve upon solutions that Shui might have developed.
Shui was silent for a time.
"Replace them," he said at last as he shook his head. "Recruiting the loyal would be more preferrable but it does risk a civil war."
"The security of a border isn't the responsibility of a pride, it is the responsibility of a leader," Lucivar clucked his tongue softly. "How can you expect a pride of pacifists to understand the more nuanced aspects of defence? At most, your brother's guards are only skilled in escorting people in and out," he pointed out. "Very few have the capacity to fight properly, not in an all out war," he pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Selecting a more elite squad of individuals who answer to you, and you alone, is simply a measure that needs to be taken in order to protect your borders properly."
"I wouldn't even know where to find combat ready creatures," Shui admitted.
"Mmm," Lucivar raised a brow and glanced out towards the mist shrouded islands, they had Bahari over there, yet so few ever came across to the mainland. The pride was united in that respect, but separate in regards to the manner in which certain islands functioned. There had been several that were more sociable, but there were others who remained silent. Lions existed on them, but they had never had an interest in consorting with the mainland.
...Perhaps that might change if they were made aware of the threats to their home and how the corruption on the shore might come to trouble them.
"Have you had the opportunity to fully explore your new Kingdom yet?" Lucivar asked curiously as he returned his gaze to the young lion. "You have spent much of your time in the bay, and very little beyond that. Might I suggest you extend your paw towards those who are so often ignored, perhaps even forgotten by those who live within the main cove?"
"You mean the islands?" Shui seemed surprised.
"Have you been?"
Honestly, the King had never been there, not once. He knew of several island denizens who wandered across the banks when they were visible, but beyond that he hadn't made an effort to explore all the islands himself.
"I haven't, no..." He admitted slowly and grimaced. "But if we are pacifists, then what gives you the impression that they won't be too?" he enquired.
"Limited resources on far slung islands, often have an impact on ones culture," Lucivar murmured delicately. "Might I suggest you become the first King to truly explore those lands and learn exactly who lives upon them. Your first act of diplomacy as it were, and then you may consider your next move."
Lucivar paused.
"If there are truly warriors uponm the islands on the outer reaches of that rim, then no one can claim you have recruited from outside," he added.
"And if there aren't, then looking further afield to secure our borders will seem like a more reasonable option," Shui acknowledged the black lion's train of thought. "And as for the cubs of the more flighty females within the pride; I can seek an alternative to that after."
"A reprieve." Lucivar stated.
"A reprieve," Shui agreed, though he knew some of the more arrogant would proclaim he was 'out of ideas'. Unfortunately for the masses, the young King was never out of answers, particularly when he had these advisers by his side.
"Well played," Lucivar acknowledged.
"We'll see," Shui glanced back towards the islands thoughtfully. "But for now, it's a start..."
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