[FIN] To Rule or Not (Antara & Lailah K'chol)

[mouselet]

The shaman sat quietly in her den, waiting for her Apprentice. She'd sent a message to Antara requesting that the younger lioness come visit. Lailah had considered seeking out the purple female, but all odds pointed to Antara being with Nketa, who seemed to have glued herself to her twin's side since returning to the pride. She did need to talk to the elder twin too, but didn't want to make things awkward by speaking to both at once. Hence a message.

She was reasonably certain that neither of Shangyue's eldest children wanted the throne, but, as Unyezi reminded her, they were some of the clearest candidates. Since neither had come up to her and actually said they didn't want to rule, she couldn't assume that they didn't.

Shame.  

[nessiaing]

Antara moved quickly through the shadows of the pride towards her master's den. Antara had continued to work as the Shaman's apprentice but had stayed away from the many activity of the pride since Meshach's return to the pride. Antara was pleased that her father was now dead and had wanted to stay out of all politics and the choosing of a new leader, after all she wanted nothing to do with being the leader of this pride she just wanted to be a member allowed to live her life freely, something that would never have happened had her father still been alive.

Taking a deep breath as she reached the pride Antara ducked her head into the Den Lailah called home. "Hello." she greeted the white lioness dipping her head in a show of respect. "I received your message that you wanted to speak." she said taking a seat before the lioness who had been the closest thing she had had as a friend for the longest time, as sad as that was.  

[mouselet]

"That is correct," Lailah replied, wincing inwardly at her stilted words. She was rarely so formal with her Apprentices, and Antara knew it. Then again, she didn't usually bother with messages either. But, privacy was important and, frankly, anyone in the pride knew what this conversation was going to be about.

They just didn't necessarily know what would be said.

"How have you and Nketa been this past moon?" she asked, beating around the bush a bit first. She didn't want to upset Antara, and it had been some time since they'd simply sat and talked.  

[nessiaing]

Antara relaxed when the conversation dipped to a more comfortable place, her twin. Antara's chest swelled with excitement and love when she thought of her twin, a twin she had been separated from her whole life. It had always felt like a large piece of her was missing and in truth it was.

"I feel whole again having Nketa with me." Antara said her words soft and filled with love, "I wish my brother's life didn't have to be the cost. But I am happy that my family has the chance to be together again." Antara hadn't been especially close to her brother's here in the pride or her mother, she had kept to herself but now that Nketa was here everything was changing.

Antara didn't bring up the topic that she was sure she had been summoned her for instead she just shuffled her feet uncomfortably in the dirt of the den floor.  

[mouselet]

The Shaman was glad for Antara, rejoicing in her twin's return. She supposed that Neema felt the two of them should have a similar bond, but Lailah had never really felt such a thing. Sure, they had the same markings, but the colors were quite different, and the two had never once been mistaken for each other. Though that might have been because Lailah had been born to be the Shaman's Apprentice. Regardless, it wasn't a part of her life or thought process as it related to her personally.

"It was a shame that he died so young, but I know the Great Lion has surely welcomed Umepatwa with open paws," Lailah offered softly. She let the silence sit for a moment as Antara fidgeted. She really didn't want to bring this up on the heels of the younger female's dead brother, but that was how this conversation had gone. Oh well.

"Do you think he would have wanted to succeed your father?" the white lioness asked cautiously. It wasn't quite the question that had brought her Apprentice here, but it was close. And she genuinely wanted to know the answer.  

[nessiaing]

The question surprised Antara something she was sure her facial expressions told the older lioness. Of course Antara had thought that the Shaman would ask her of her own desires not Umepatwa's. She thought about her answer before she spoke, over the years Antara had learned to think before she spoke.

"I do not think Umepatwa started the battle with the desire to be king, I think he saw a wrong and went about fixing it. That being said should the great lion call to him to be the leader he would have taken the roll and done a brilliant job at it." Despite the fact that Antara never had any political interest she had learned how to give a political answer during her lifetime.

Deciding she didn't want to beat around the bush anymore Antara took a deep breath, "I don't want to lead, I have no calling towards it. I do not think I could do the pride justice. There is a better leader here than me." she said matter of factly.  

[mouselet]

Lailah nodded as Antara spoke. She hadn't known Umepatwa particularly well, but considering how much he had accomplished before his untimely demise, the white lioness would have seriously considered him as a potential King. Of course, that could never be, but the Shaman did indulge herself in the occasional might-have-been.

She was pleased that her Apprentice took the initiative to answer the question she truly didn't want to ask. The older female liked Antara as a person and as an Apprentice and hadn't wanted the purple lioness to desire the throne, but her reasons were selfish and therefore couldn't be taken into account. So it was a great relief to hear Antara's words.

"Who is this better leader?" the Shaman asked with interest. If this was a real lion, she certainly wanted to know. If it was simply an acknowledgement that the pride wasn't small, well, so be it. She had to try, at least.  

[nessiaing]

Antara bowed her head in thanks to her master, she had worried that the Shaman would want to see her on the throne but Antara was more than happy to continue on learning the tricks and trades of being a Shaman, it was a skill she thought she would be able to do well in.

"To be honest I'm not sure who would be the best leader. I feel fairly certain that Nketa doesn't want the roll of leader either. I do not know my half siblings well enough to say if any one of them would be a good leader. Father always kind of kept me away from them, they after all were his pride and joy and I a burden and a threat." she let out a sigh she would love to be closer to her half siblings but life didn't always do what you wanted.

"Perhaps someone of Meschach's line would do well? He has royal blood and although he doesn't want the roll himself perhaps it is better if someone who has stepped away from the pride and has a clear vision of what the pride needs to heal and do the Great Lion proud." She knew that it wasn't a name but she hoped it was a helpful answer.  

[mouselet]

Ah well, she should have known better than to hope her Apprentice might have an answer out of this mess for her. It simply proved that this was her responsibility to deal with. The joys of being Shaman.

"I shall have to consider all the possible candidates," was Lailah's reply. "I am certain that whoever our next ruler is, they will help the pride to flourish once more." It was a good thing that Antara was so close to her twin and could speak with authority on Nketa's behalf. The poor lioness seemed horribly shy and might not have been willing to come speak to the Shaman herself given the choice.

"It's going to be an intersting time, from now until the new monarch is named," she told Antara. "I hope you're ready for it." The older lioness smiled sharply, indicating that "interesting" was not always a good thing. Pah, Antara could handle it.  

[nessiaing]

"I am sure if anyone can figure it out its you." Antara told her master softly. She may not been super close to Lailah but she respected the hell out of the white lioness.

"You will have to let me know if I can be of any service to you." she told her a honest smile on her face. She always wanted to impress the Shaman. She gave another bow of her head before taking leave. It was time to go home and tell Nketa of the conversation, despite the fact that Antara had told Lailah that her twin had no interest there was still a chance that the Shaman might like to speak to her. Nketa would do better with the conversation if she had a little warning.