[FIN] It Had to be Flowers (Maccholz & Nyeusi)

[mouselet]

The sun was up and beating down on the black lioness' fur in a way it hadn't in so many moons. This was necessary for multiple reasons. Firstly, when one was engaged in subterfuge against the murdering irreverant scoundrel in power, it was best to be active when most people were sleeping. Secondly, plants needed sunlight. And Nyeusi was busily and delicately planting flowers.

Which didn't make her task sound any less stupid. Oh sure, she understood the concept - moon flowers were not only a symbol of the Great Lion, they were essential to some of the pride's key ceremonies. So by planting the flowers all throughout the Mwezi'Johari, Kimondo hoped to bring hope to the rebels and to get the loyalists looking over their shoulders.

Taking advantage of years of hard work by Nyeusi, who'd spent that time pointing out to the entire pride that the Great Lion had turned His back on Shangyue, and the pride by extension. Hopefully the flowers would appease Him and convince Him that they were sincere in wishing for His return.

None of which changed the fact that Nyeusi was a Huntress, not a gardener.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Machholz stretched herself out slowly in the sun at her post. She hated the sun, as a dark lioness it often overheated her, but if her brother could do it.. Well, Machholz had every confidence she could. As her claws dug into the earth under her feet, the guard scanned just outside the pride to look for potential threats. Though lately the only things that felt like threats were coming from the inside. With people taking sides, it definitely felt like a civil war was inevitable. It didn't sit right with the lioness.

Still, because of Shangyue, the pride was suffering. Machholz didn't know what to do about that. She honestly didn't want to give into pride politics, but the leader of the pride determined how it would do. So maybe she needed to?

Black eyes half closed before she spotted a black lioness sporting familiar looking markings. The mark of a certain family that's split in two. Mawu's and Vestip's line.

"What are you doing?" She called out, voice firm.  

[mouselet]

Nyeusi didn't look up at the voice as it sounded curious and not angry. She trusted that to mean that this was a fellow rebel or someone neutrally inclined...or a loyalist who didn't yet understand that the strike had only been the beginning. Instead, the black lioness continued scraping out a small hole with her claw, gently placing a flower, and then replacing the dirt.

"Planting flowers," she answered as she moved into a better position for the next hole. "What about you?"  

[Bronze Coffee]

What a simple, honest answer. That was a first. Taken aback, Machholz tilted her head and wandered a bit closer. "Trying to please the Great Lion in hopes the pride uprising doesn't cause bloodshed?" Her voice was full of curiosity and wonder and she scooted a bit closer.

"What kind of flower is it? What's the meaning?" Okay, so the guard had a bit of a cub like curiosity to her. Was that a big issue?  

[mouselet]

The black lioness finally turned to look at her conversational partner and was interested to recognize Maccholz, best known for being Baba'nyota's sister. An older lioness, so Nyeusi was vaguely surprised by the questions she'd asked.

"These are moon flowers, the ones used for a former rogue's initiation. These flowers are special to the Great Lion," she explained, gauging the other's reaction before explaining why she was planting them. If blood held true, Maccholz would side with her brother against Shangyue.

But if it didn't...it wouldn't be the first family split down the middle in the conflict.  

[Bronze Coffee]

She should have known they were moon flowers. No stupid questions. She shrugged a little more and let her tail flick to the side and the nodded. "I see. I should have figured. But, better to ask than just make an assumption, mn?" She grinned at the other and let her tail flick again before sitting down.

"So. I'm Machholz. What's your name?"

Unlike some in the pride, Machholz didn't memorize all the names in the pride, nor would she make that attempt. They would come and go, and the pride would continue to expand. Thus it's hard for her to even try. Coats she knew, the larger families, she knew by markings. "You've got Mawu and Vestip in your blood, don't you?"  

[mouselet]

"Nyeusi," the black lioness answered. Why it should be that she knew who the starry-pelted female was but the courtesy wasn't reciprocated, she'd probably never know. Or maybe it was because many lions chose to only be friendly within their class and, as Guards must be from the middle class at lowest and Nyeusi was from the lower-middle, it was a form of elitism.

The younger lioness told herself sternly to calm down. Sure, she hated the class elitism as much as her mother. But it wasn't just the inherent superior attitudes by the upper classes which had contributed to Shangyue's rise to power, but the anger in the lower classes as well. Both things together had given the patricide the power he needed to seize the throne.

"Yes, I do. Somewhere," she answered shortly.  

[Bronze Coffee]

It wasn't anything like that, it was the fact Machholz was oblivious to most of the pride. She'd explain as much if Nyeusi voiced her opinions, but she hadn't. So her thoughts were her own. But she did know the name, Nyeusi.

"I've heard of you. Now I can put a face to the name. I'm afraid I tend to miss big news because I'm at my post or with my brother. So I apologize if it came off as rude." Machholz bowed her head a bit more and then gave her a sheepish look. Her toes curled in the earth a bit more before taking a breath and bit down on the inside of her cheek.

"Well then. I can.. tend your flowers when you're not able to?"  

[mouselet]

Nyeusi simply nodded, accepting the tacit apology. Her thoughts were her own, and she wasn't about to inform the older lioness what she truly thought. But...now there was an offer that appealed to her. The black lioness raised her head once more and looked Maccholz in the eye, blue to black.

"You want to help tend these flowers? This is no idle occupation, you know," the black lioness informed the purple. "These flowers, sacred to the Great Lion, are our declaration to Shangyue and all who follow him that not only are we, the rebellion, alive and well, but we will bring His face back to the pride even though He has turned His back on the King."

Having said that, Nyeusi continued staring at Maccholz and it was easy to see why she'd been so unnerving to any who encountered her over the past two years.

"Are you prepared to take on that responsibility to yourself, to the rebellion, to the pride, and to the Great Lion?"  

[Bronze Coffee]

The starry lioness listened to the other and she nodded slowly. She figured offering to help was going to actually going to mean something more. The lioness settled down comfortably and her the tip of her tail sway before nodding.

"I'm willing to do this for the better of this pride, for the Great Lion, yes." If this made her part of the rebellion, so be it. She had a feeling Nyoto was part of it, too. "You have my word. I'll do what I can and won't let these flowers fail."  

[mouselet]

The black lioness grinned. "Sounds good to me! If you want, I have plenty of flowers that still need to be planted in this area," Nyeusi offered her new ally. Maybe this whole crazy plan would work, and she wouldn't be as pissed at Kimondo for making her plant flowers.

It was still silly though. All things considered.  

[Bronze Coffee]

"I can see what I can do," Machholz offered, smiling a little more and nodding. "I certainly was watching, so I think I know what to do. I've never planted anything before..." Her voice trailed off and then shrugged again. Ah, well.