Characters: Neema, Unyezi
Word Count: 1248

"Pops! Granny?"

The cry was loud and just a little bit desperate, likely heard in every single slave den in the vicinity but Neema did care. It was very likely that this happened every once in a while, Unyezi and Nerit were a popular pair. And they had a lot of family, there must be some loud ones in it.

Unyezi was not in his den but he heard the call- and he knew exactly who it was and who they were looking for. Neema had come to fully appreciate and abuse the fact that they were, at worst, step-family now.. And Unyezi didn't mind at all. He stalked back towards home as Neema paced, wondering where they might have gone. It could literally have been anywhere within the pride.. And if Lailah had decided she needed Unyezi, maybe Neema wouldn't get a chance to talk privately with him. And she had no idea if Nerit would be helping them.

"Neema!" Unyezi called out as he neared, "Is everything alright?"

The young huntress was relieved when she turned and saw him approaching. A slight twinge of disappointment surprised her.. She appreciated Unyezi but she almost felt more like she needed Nerit more right now.

"Everything's fine," Neema said, dejected.

"Doesn't sound like it," he commented, settling down beside her when he arrived and waiting for her to talk. That was one thing you could always count on with Neema.

But there was a long pause and Neema moved away from Unyezi, sitting down where she could face him instead.

"Has the shaman come to talk to you?" she asked.

"She has," he answered, though wondering why she didn't call Lailah by name.

"That's good," Neema replied with a small sigh, "I didn't think she was going to bother talking to anybody."

"She has a big decision to make," he said, excusing her caution and hoping it helped whatever worried Neema.. But her disposition didn't change.

"I've heard you volunteered," he said, looking at her with a small smile, "Have you much support?"

Neema snorted, but smiled.

"Not really, though I can think of a few who might actually be taking it seriously," she said, and Unyezi nodded. He could guess who might seriously consider her, but what mattered more was Lailah wouldn't.

"Would you do it?" he asked, wondering if she took herself seriously.

"If Lailah got hit hard enough on the head to ask me, you mean?" she said bitterly, rolling her eyes. When Unyezi didn't reply she went on, "I would. Nobody takes me seriously, but I'd be willing to do it. I can make decisions nobody else will make, I can get things done."

"And yet all the work you've done, you've hidden your paw in it," he said, "Is that what this is about?"

Neema looked at her paws for a moment and back up.

"Maybe," she confessed, "Everybody comes to you for advice, for help. How do you keep doing it? You're in charge around here, and you were a king so they respect you.. But don't you get tired?"

"Of course I do," he said, smiling at the surprised look it earned him, "I'm only one lion, and I suspect I get more appreciation than you do-"

"And a lot more lions expecting help," Neema added helpfully, completely aware of how their exploits truly stacked up.

"Yes," he agreed, nodding, "But I'm still only one lion myself, only me. On the other paw, this is what I was raised for, even though I stepped down.. it helps me feel a little less guilty knowing I'm still useful."

Neema didn't have anything to feel guilty about, though she knew part of her tried to fill the gap left by her mother. She was more subtle than Aysu in some ways, but ultimately very similar.

"Do.. do you have any idea where mom and Uthuli ended up?" she asked quietly.

"No, I'm afraid not," he said smiling sadly at her, "They may have gone where Uthuli's daughters were born.. or they may not have."

"Hmm.."

A long silence fell between them and Neema decided, abruptly, to return to the topic of the shaman.

"Did you tell Lailah what to do?" she asked, "You must have someone in mind that you'd pick."

"I did, but I didn't tell her any names," he said, smiling at Neema saying her sister's name again instead of hiding it behind her rank.

"But you must have someone in mind," Neema insisted.

"Of course," he admitted, "A few, actually. But she didn't ask me that."

Neema made a face.

"Did she have to ask directly to get names out of you?" she asked.

"If she wanted them from me, yes," he said, "Though I suppose I mentioned Antara and Nketa by name, but both of those should already be on her mind."

"You.. would consider Antara, too?" Neema asked, surprised.

"Of course," he answered, "She may be the younger of the pair but she's been in the pride and has been learning from the shaman. Both have had political lives but Nketa was kept hidden from it, and it from here. I dare say Antara would be the better choice, but I suspect neither would want it after all they've been through. Not if they've been silent this long."

Neema listened intently, unable to help but smile at the thought. She had a soft spot for Antara, though it would be hard for her to explain to anybody.

"I have suggestions," Neema said, glancing to her feet and then all the way up to the sky, "But she won't talk to me. She doesn't like me, I don't know if she ever has."

Unyezi frowned, suddenly understanding more of their conversation.

"Lailah loves you, Neema. You're her sister. Her twin sister," he said gently.

"Sure," Neema agreed, turning her gloomy gaze back to the older lion, "But that doesn't mean she likes me."

It was the cold truth, and she wasn't terribly surprised by it but she was more upset about it suddenly. She was trying to help and Lailah didn't want that, neither had the patience for the other right now. It made sense that Lailah didn't like it need her so much, she had a mate and a family.. that wasn't something Neema had gone out of her way to find.

Unyezi sat quietly for a moment. While he didn't like to agree with a statement like that, he had siblings himself, and he had many children himself. She wasn't wrong to say that you didn't always like your family members. He sighed.

"Who would you suggest?" he asked, "If she did ask?"

Neema shook her head.

"I'm not telling," she said, then hesitated, "But it shouldn't be hard to guess. There are no takers in Khathelela's line. But.. if Alcmene had lived long enough to select an heir, who would she pick?"

Unyezi raised a brow at her. She asked the question like there was an obvious answer but there wasn't. Ally hadn't produced any high class offspring, none had married into it, and her none of her grandchildren were in it either.

Neema smiled sadly at him as he thought it through.

"Tell granny I'll be back to visit her another night," she said, "I should go. Thank you for chatting with me, Unyezi."

Unyezi smiled back at her, uncertain that he had been much help.

"Have a good night, dear," he said.

"You too, pops."

Fin!