Time. (Open)

[OnyxOryx]

Najisi Kain

Najisi, for the first time, felt unease in the presence of one of her own. The was Devyn spoke, his posture.. it all seemed like he was regretting even coming here. He looked upon her pride like any meurtrian. As enemies. This unnerved her. Had Funeral and Cocaine already ruined him? Like they ruined Carnal? But she nodded to her mate. She was sure Devyn wouldn't make an attempt on her life. Even if he managed it, it'd be highly stupid for he and Fune.

"Alright."

Was all she she said before leading outward, away from the territory. She trusted Devyn. But she didn't trust him to not relay the ins and outs of Arelt to Meurtrier. Plus, it was sort of a test. If he attacked her, then she'd have her answer, and she'd race back to alert her pride. And they would take Funeral for the betrayal. Najisi stopped about half way into unclaimed lands. The borderlands. Far enough to have privacy. But close enough should she need to flee.

"You doubt your decision to see me."

[LAD]

Devyn

He nodded and walked with her, not brushing against her yet, but close enough to show his appreciate for standing there next to her. He had no intention of harming his mother and as of yet, had no reason to. As much trust as she was placing in him, he trusted her. When she stopped he did too, and faced her, sitting down and curling his tails over his paws. He recalled what had happened to Osic and Carnal in the battle. She wouldn't harm him, not one bit. He had no reason to fear her. So he relaxed as soon as they were out of sight.

Her first words to him, however, surprised him. He stared at her for a moment, the surprise bright in his gaze before he shook his head, fast, but firm. "No. No I don't doubt my decision to see you. I had made that decision long ago and don't regret a second of it - otherwise I would not still be standing here. But I may as well be honest while I'm at it. I don't doubt you - but I doubt those with you. We are Meurtrian, Mom, your pride hates my dad. I don't trust them. Even if you do. The Leader of Meurtrian standing right before them and they can't do a thing about it? It would be understandably aggravating." He told her, the honesty in his tone clear as day.

But he shook his head then, "But we also don't have much time either."

[OnyxOryx]

Najisi Kain

The ess sighed. He called himself meurtrian. Another lost to that pride of bastards. She clenched her jaw slightly as she thought about everything. How much had they truly told him?

"They hate him because of what he's done to them. To me. Cocaine and Funeral took so much away from me and them. For what reason, Devyn? War? You don't know the full story if all you have heard is their side."

She said quietly. She wasn't planning to make Devyn hate Funeral. But she damn sure wanted to make him see the full truth. See how corrupt Meurtrier really was. That the true enemy wasn't Funeral, wasn't La Morte.. But Cocaine.

"Meur is corrupt. I know. I used to be it's queen. Fune and I shared a very strong love before you were born. If not for me encouraging him, Funeral wouldn't have had the fight in him to reclaim his home. But Cocaine never liked me. I dealt with it. Until you were born. He saw them. Your brother, Casket, was born a runt. When Coke saw this, he convinced Funeral to pass a law that stated any unfit cubs would be killed at birth. No doubt an attempt to hurt me. To get Casket killed. I protested. Infront of the pride.. But the damage was done. Funeral was warped by Coke.

He soon dethroned me and instead of treating me like a valued member of the pride.. They both treated me like dirt. Constantly calling me names and running me into the ground. Reno and I began speaking. We came up with a plan to help Meur. To get our home back. I snuck into Chitor. Got close to their leader. All according to plan.. But.. still hurting from Funeral's actions toward me.. I fell for Ceon and became pregnant. But ever loyal to Meurtrier, I still carried out the plan. I led Ceon into a trap. A trap that made Funeral victorious. But even after we routed them.. I got no recognition. Funeral took all the glory.. when it was really Reno and I that won that war.

As I grew aware of my pregnancy, things grew dire. Reno offered to pretend to be their father.. but Ceon and I were both grey. How could the cubs look anything like Reno and I? So we made the decision to flee. But we had to keep it secret. If Coke ever found out about my cubs.. he' not only have them killed, but me as well. I wanted so much to ask you, Carnal and Osic to come with me. But I had no time to speak with any of you before suspicion was set upon us. Grenade approached me.. for what I assume was to get info out of me. So.. To protect the life in me, we left Meurtrier.

To raise the cubs as a family on our own. Away from danger. To be happy. But I thought about you and your siblings every day. I sent messengers to arrange a meeting. Jericho and Hajime. But Meur found us first and called an attack. They took my Zenith from me.. Now she likely hates me like my Carnal does.."

At this point, the ess eyes had begun to tear and her tone was jittery. As if holding back emotions for the sake of her son.

"The battle happened and we lost Brynneth and Reno's brother.. I lost two daughters.. And Osic was labled a traitor for defending me. Devyn... We.. Reno, I, La Morte.. We didn't want this war. We just wanted to live our lives in peace.. But Cocaine.. Meur.. will not let up.. There would be no war if Meur had never attacked us that day.. I wouldn't have had to suffer not only the capture of a daughter, but the death of one.. A meurtrian killed my Asera.. She was only a teen.. "

Najisi was crying now. But she tried to stay composed enough to tell her son this.

"Reno and I love each other. I never stopped wanting you, Osic and Carnal.. but I can't ever see you.. I thought about ending it, Devyn.. This war is my fault.. I thought about giving myself to Meurtrier.. But Reno won't allow it.. But I don't know how to stop it! We just want peace Devyn!"

[LAD]

Devyn


Devyn blinked at her sigh, was it something he said? He opened his mouth to respond but she began speaking then. And it was as if a damn had broken. The words began tumbling from her mouth, fast, quickly a bit - even as she tried to speak steady he watched as the tears began and it hurt him. He didn't want to see his mother cry. He didn't want to see it. He was no good at tears. He stood abruptly, his brow furrowing. "Ma... Please, don't cry..." He stepped towards her - the barrier between them be damned, and pressed his head against her own if she allowed it. "Don't give yourself up either. It's not worth it." His determination to find some other way through all of this hit him harder than ever - but he wouldn't make empty promises. So he set out to try and make her smile at least a little bit. "Osic and I still very much love you, ya know. And yeah, he's still alive. And well. He's not a prisoner any more." He didn't mention Carnal - that was an obvious one, and he didn't mention Najisi being a grandmother from Carnal either. It would kill her to know she couldn't see them if this was her reaction.

But he shifted. He had much to say now as he pulled back only slightly from her, still keeping close to his mother. "Zenith is alive by the way. And well. And last I saw she was neutral to all of this. It's not like we were told bad stories of how horrible the other side was." He attempted a grin - but it came out crooked, a half smile. And then his gaze turned serious. "Ya know... You're much more expressive than dad. And your stories, while different, really aren't so different either at the same time..." Or maybe that was just how his mind categorized it all. He sat down again, closer now that he stepped forward and didn't want to move away. Breathing in her scent. It... While it smelled of La Morte... It smelled like her. Like his mom. Like home. He remembered how protective she was of them all. He could never forget that. "For starters - I don't like this war any more than you do. I've only heard two stories - your's, and dad's. But I don't like it, I have family on both sides as I said earlier, and I wish no harm on any of them, so I'm not participating in this war... And hey, maybe I can even convince dad to let me come again, on my own next time. Spend a day or two around or something, I don't know." He offered another crooked smile, then sighed. "But... To me, it sounds like a lot of misunderstandings went around and no one tried to find out the truth. No one communicated."

He paused then, and turned his gaze to the sky. "Before I continue... I'm not saying Meurtrier isn't corrupted, ma. But Meurtrier isn't a good pride either. We're notorious for a reason, Meurtrier is an evil pride. We not do-gooders at all, ma. But I do know that dad isn't corrupted by Cocaine. They're friends, sure, but it's not like Cocaine manipulated him either. Dad didn't even mention him when he told me of what happened." And it was true. His father hadn't mentioned Cocaine at all - so why should there be any reason for him to believe that Cocaine manipulated his father? However... "I ain't saying the guy's good of course. He's a lunatic." He shrugged at that. "But it's how he is. Although I'd like to know what kind of vendetta he has against you now. Maybe I'll approach him later." Another small shrug.

But he shook his head then. "Ya know... Dad didn't hide much from me. He gave you credit for the accomplishment of destroying Ceon's pride. Told me you and Reno were to be thanked for what happened." He paused again. That was another thing - the siblings here that he didn't know of? Those were Ceon's kids. Yet he didn't feel anything towards that. Just as Funeral had past mates and had slept with others - his mother had too, even if emotion was behind it. Those siblings... He would try and get to know them. They were family after all... Well. If they even wanted to anything to do with him. But he ignored that for now. "He also told me he heard you and Reno speaking one day - about how you guys weren't happy with his leadership. About how you guys wanted to destroy this pride. And I think that is the reason for this war that no one likes. Because in their eyes, you genuinely did betray them. Betray Meurtrier. And in their eyes, this pride that was started is a rebellion against them. And because of this war - it has become exactly that." He shifted then, his eyes moving to the ground as his paws twitched among the ground, tugging up grass roots.


"Dad only said that you guys lost your spark. And that you were no longer acting like the Queen he thought you to be. He mentioned that you stood up to him on the throne. Said that you guys were no longer each others and that is why you were demoted." He added as an after thought. In some ways, he felt obligated to defend his father in some of the aspects mentioned. "He was the one who agreed for me to come here. He was the one who I spoke to for a reprieve. I don't have to fight in this war because of him. He was the one who allowed me to come see you." He looked back at his mother, eyes bright with emotion but none of them recognizable. "He's not a bad guy, ma. I know you know this cause you fell for him once. I think it's simply because of the different environments that you guys grew up in that sometimes... Sometimes you guys just couldn't agree on things. Somethings just couldn't be seen eye to eye."

He paused again, then gently, "You could have also lied to them... Said to gain Ceon's full trust you slept with him, and that the cubs would be raised as Meurtrian too. But I can understand why you left. Cocaine and you clearly have something going on that would have continued even if you had stayed and nothing could have made that better." Then he shifted again. "And I know about Jericho and Hajime. Hajime was in... Really horrible shape. Meurtrier did not kill him. At least, they did not order the attack. Cocaine had called for Hajime to show up - and then when they got tired of waiting, they began walking to find any clues of Atryn and Jericho." He scowled a bit, "Which, might I add, was still a low blow." But his head shook. "Stealing cubs is wrong." A glance at his mother, "From both sides. It's my intention one day that Zenith gets to see you." He added. But he continued on, "They found Hajime dead though. There were pikes sticking up from his body..." He shook his head. "He was murdered, but not... Not on an order."

He shifted once more. "To me, it sounds as if there would have been war regardless of what happened. Meurtrier believed you and Reno were raising a revolution when you guys left. The moment Meurtrier found La Morte - war was bound to happen. Nothing could have escaped that. He shifted then. "La Morte has had more loss than Meurtrier though - this I can agree with. We have not suffered as much as La Morte has, but... I dont' know, ma. Both of you have your own stories. And what's done is done. Nothing can change that. I'll keep my own regards about Cocaine - but might I add the guy is also changing too. Anyone with eyes - and a brain - can see it. There is something different about him. I do hope to help though, to make some kind of peace, but I'm only one creature. Can't really do much." Briefly Devyn paused, wondering if he was giving away too much about Meurtrier, and then inwardly shook his head. There was no way he was revealing important information. In his mind.

In any case, he had said his piece. Told his mother his thoughts on the things that she'd said and added on to it even. Now it was time for her reply.

[OnyxOryx]

Najisi Kain

Najisi had almost forgotten those hateful words she and Reno spoke in the grotto. So he heard? More reason to give herself in.. she supposed. She never truly meant those words,m and she was sure Reno didn't either. They were angry.. Hurt.. Felt betrayed themselves..

"You say things you never mean when you are hurt and angry.."

She said in reference to her talk of destroying Meur. Though her hate for Cocaine was very much real. He was always her target. But none of this helped. It just made the pain more intense.

"Your father.. Funeral.. I still.. I never stopped caring about him.."

She confessed. She still loved him, somewhere in her heart. She loved Reno, of course, but beneath that.. Funeral still claimed at least part of her heart. You never forget your first.. She looked down at her paws. Devyn spoke of this now.. but she knew things could change. This war.. She had a bad feeling..

"I reprimanded Jericho for stealing the cub. I planned to return him as well. Which I did. But Coke was about to kill us.. I couldn't just give him his son.. I was afraid he'd order an attack on our cubs.. Devyn.. I wish I could talk to him.. Maybe.. if I could.. I could clear this all up. No one else would have to die.. We'd both have peace.. I don't want anymore death.. I want the right to see my family.. And I don't want you to lose family either.. "

She said quietly as she nuzzled him. She still didn't understand why Funeral was such a dick to her after the demotion. But she would beleive her son's words.

"Are.. you sure you can't stay for a few days? Reno and I had a litter.. I.. don't know how much of a chance you'll get with the Ceon litter.. but.. These are still cubs.. I'd love for them to meet you.. So that they knew who you were.. That you are family.."

[LAD]

Devyn


Devyn shifted, pinks flecked with green looking up to gaze at his mom for a moment. "Maybe. This is going well, so when I go back home, I can work something out with Dad." He gave her a crooked grin, feeling much more at ease now that everything was out in the air. "I've actually been planning a way to sneak in negotiations into Dad's mind honestly. Something I can pull off because you're my mom and because I know Dad. I want... I want things to settle down. There's family blood being shed... For almost useless reasons. And maybe you two could talk next time if he comes back with me." Devyn sighed heavily, a paw lifting to his mane and then his gaze flicked back to Najisi.

"I would actually like to stay - but I can't with Dad here. And no offense, ma, but I can't be sure that a patrol wouldn't be sent after him if he did agree to letting me stay and walks home by himself... Plus I can't trust any other stupid creature out there. Dad can take care of himself sure, but I'd like to make sure he gets all the way home. I will definitely try and sort out coming for another visit though." The paw that lifted to ruffle his own mane, suddenly wrapped around his mother's shoulders and he pulled her close. "I would love to see my little brothers and sisters though."

He closed his eyes as he hugged her tight. 'Just like I'm loving my dad's newest litter. I'll do my best to be a big brother for them.' He pulled away after a long moment, breathing in her scent, his mother's scent, holding back the thought of letting her go now. He finally got his moment with his ma. He finally met her, talked to her. He got to see her in the same vicinity as his own dad. It was something he would cherish for the longest time.