[ORP - Announcement] Dissolution of the Nobility

[mouselet]

“You should be grateful you know,” an older voice than Kimondo’s joined the conversation. Halili had had enough of quietly watching. She knew Orion was wincing but she was unafraid. They’d weathered far worse than this.

“The life of a Hunter or a Guard is really not so bad. There’s a regular schedule and no one’s overworked. If you don’t know what you’re doing, there are people to teach you. And if you don’t like it, well, you can leave the pride.” Every word was laced with remembered bitterness, although she wondered if this obnoxious upstart even knew who she was and where she came from. To be fair, it was practically unheard of for a female Slave to change classes thanks to her mate, but she refused to give this child even that much credit.

“It’s lions like you who make the Low Class hate the High, and frankly, I’m not seeing a reason for that to change. You’ll have to be careful though, and pick a mate of equal rank so that you don’t lose your precious privileges.” The last was a definite sneer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gealach wanted away from the conflict, and badly. He stumbled as he moved - coordination while afraid was not one of his strong points - and accidentally stepped on someone’s tail. From behind, the colors looked like...Mhina? Maybe?

The black lion murmured an apology before pushing farther away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



“Not the only way to gain respect, hmmm?” a new voice asked as a nearly-solid black lioness slipped through to the front of the crowd. She’d already accepted a demotion once from Princess to Lady as an acknowledgement of the new Queen and a desire to remain in the pride.

“And we can be lectured by a former Slave to boot!” Xiyang laughed, though there were cruel undertones to the sound. “Why,” she continued, “I have no idea why the Ladies and Lords of the High Class haven’t been signing up in droves to take on jobs.” The last was dripping with sarcasm.

Why the former Princess and daughter of Shangyue chose now to make a scene was anyone’s guess. She kept her secrets hidden behind her red eyes, the only things that stood out along with her moon marking in the darkness.

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Lailah’s mouth tightened as first Ancalagon refused to back down, then Halili insisted on joining the argument, and finally Xiyang decided to egg the combatants on. She didn’t think things had spiraled out of Kimondo’s control yet, but with this group of troublemakers it could certainly happen.

The Shaman took a few steps forward to stand near the Queen once more, a silent show of support.  

[Anderleit]

At the edges of the crowd, a stunned Saskia watched the proceedings with widened eyes. Was this...even something that Kimondo had the power to do? Force the Ladies and Lords to work? Flicks of pressed-back ears and the jittery twitch of her tail-tip betrayed the huntress' anxiety. On the one hand, it could be such fun to help new hunters find their way - and to talk to them as hunters, devoid of the silly genuflect that had so far made Saskia more apt to engage with strangers than the nobility of her own pride.

On the other... Saskia's gaze flashed dubiously heavenward. The scaled, dark Lord raising a ruckus before Kimondo made some sense. It was the will of the Great Lion that had put their ranks before them. If those were dissolved, or changed, would the Great Lion hate them for it? He had closed His eye to them once, after all... Though He looked down on them now, full and interested in their goings-on, it could happen. Saskia shuddered to imagine the darkness that she had been told so many stories about shutter the moon once again.

Pulling her eyes from the sky, the lioness' gaze darted through the crowd, searching for a friendly face or the striped figures of family. No such luck. Wishing for the grasses and mottled sun of the hunting grounds to shield her, Saskia resigned herself to listening to the scene rapidly forming around the queen, and tried her very best to become invisible.

(1)  

[SilverLutz]

The young male continued to speak and now others were chiming in. Jioni knew and understood Halili’s frustration and she was a bit surprised it had taken her so long to speak up. Perhaps it was out of respect for Kimondo or in hope that the young Lord would cease his protests, but now she was taking matters into her own paws. Bright eyes narrowed as Xiyang made her voice known and she hoped this would blow over before things escalated further.

---

Though Jens hadn’t been around for the hardships suffered under Shangyue, he knew enough from stories and lessons that an uprising from the burned Nobility wouldn’t be pretty. He himself had done work despite his rank, but there were those like Ancalagon who had done nothing but benefit from their time of birth. Surely even enough unskilled paws would prove tough to ignore if they all joined forces.

That and he could see how it might be hard for the lower classes to rise against the higher in return should it come to that.

---

Ancalagon swallowed thickly as Kimondo continued to rebuff his questions. He was starting to grow wary of the eyes on him and all the attention he was getting as it certainly wasn’t good nor supportive. His questions were running out but his indignation remained, yet it seemed he was alone. The tone Kimondo took as she lowered her voice was kind if tired and he felt a flash of shame, causing him to lower his head in defeat. She was the one chosen by the Great Lion to lead them, after all. Who was *he* to stand up to her?

A voice caused him to raise his head again, dark eyes flicking towards Halili. At first he thought the older lioness might be trying to say something motivating or kind, but instead he was met with a sneer and the offer to leave if he didn’t like it. His fur bristled with distaste but he didn’t have time to say anything in return as yet another lioness stepped forward. This one he knew to be one of the daughters of Shangyue and that alone made him freeze up. He had been hoping for a little back up...but not from her.

In the end it was Lailah’s simple yet impactful movement of stepping forward to stand beside Kimondo that did it for Ancalagon. She was the true link between the Great Lion and the mortals under his gaze. If she agreed with Kimondo, then surely it was the Great Lion’s plan as well. He was still bristling from Halili’s comments but he didn’t acknowledge her, instead turning his gaze back to the Queen.

“If it is what the Great Lion wants, I’ll comply,” he said, his voice still a little shaky. He was young and afraid of what the future had in store now, but he wouldn’t deny the one being that protected them from harm. Surely if he’d been blessed at his birth the Great Lion would still favor him over the lower classes. He could grace them with his presence to bring them closer to the Great Lion.

Ecavi

 

[SilverLutz]

Things were getting more heated as other lions joined in the conversation. Jioni stayed silent still, the ever-watchful Lady - or was it Guard now? - keeping her eyes trained on the more assertive lions. Now that Mhina had joined the discussion she would be ready to come to the Queen's need if she found herself in trouble, but for now things seemed to be staying verbal. Still, the older lioness was ready to pounce and physically put a stop to this if need be. Hopefully standing tall and quiet would show her approval of the Queen's decision.

---

Jens was also ready to come to the leader's aide should either of them need it. He could feel the tension starting to grow and the normally placid male turned a narrowed eye towards the dark lioness who seemed to be drawing the ire of those around her. His claws shifted in the dirt beneath him as he adjusted his weight, hopeful that nothing would come of this but some harsh words and perhaps a few insulted lions. Still, he remained quietly by his brother, not intent on doing anything unless provoked.

---

When Mhina called for those who supported Xiyang to step forward, Ancalagon quickly returned to the group of former Lords and Ladies. He had no desire to have her back him up and he didn't want anyone to assume he supported her in turn. He still didn't like the idea of having to work, but if the Queen and the Shaman were unified in the decision, he didn't have much of an argument anymore aside from his own personal desires.

And, although Ancalagon was quite fond of his lifestyle, he was a firm believer of following the Great Lion and would do as told. Even if he'd be a grump about it.  

[Anderleit]

Thank goodness, at least, that Ancalagon wasn't in support of lionesses like Xiyang. Making shocking changes was one thing. Outright rebellion? Inciting civil war? Saskia had heard worse things about Shangyue's time in power, besides. Yes, it was certainly for the better that the outspoken lion made it clear he stood beside the queen on this, even if it was a change he didn't like. She wondered how many of the other Lords and Ladies felt the same.

Her eyes sought the scaled lion as he melted back into the crowd, their verdant gleam gone soft with sympathy. Should she say something...? No, no, of course not. She didn't know him from the Great Lion. Besides, Saskia would hardly expect him to embrace the attention of the lower-born at a time like this. It sounded like he was going to need some time to think over the situation as it was - as would all the nobility, surely. How many of them were looking at hunters and guards with scorn now, not to mention their Heads? How many were struggling with the privelege of their blessings at birth versus the duties they were being called to now?

What a mess. The huntress frowned, tail still twitching unease at the scene taking shape around Kimondo and her Shaman, and the tension that she hoped she was only imagining in the air.

(2)  

[mouselet]

The black lioness laughed heartily at Mhina's words. Oh, he was a fool! A bold one, and an honest one, but a fool through and through to not see what she did.

"My power as you so kindly put it, is not what you think," Xiyang told Mhina. "I assure you, it is known to those who matter."

The dark female turned towards the moon-white Queen and her Shaman. "But don't you worry, your Majesty, I'll be a good little lion and take a job too. Just let me know whose eyes you'd prefer to have on me." A minor jab, but she didn't doubt that Kimondo would have her watched. She'd been tempted to volunteer for Guard duty, but reasoned that might hit too close to home for those who remembered Tyfu's reign of terror.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last lion Halili had wanted to see join the conversation was Xiyang. Well, Parisa would have been just as bad. The older lioness shut her mouth and glared at the one-time Princess all through her dialogue, a low, barely audible growl issuing forth. Why those two had been allowed to stay was beyond her, but she supposed it was part of Kimondo wanting to be merciful and unlike her predecessors.

That was why a certain other lion had returned to the pride. Luckily he didn't seem to be vocal tonight...

The lioness stepped back, closer to Orion. She wondered if he would be tasked with keeping an eye on Xiyang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lailah stayed silent but continued taking mental notes on who was reacting how. Lions like Gealach Scath, who seemed an oversized cub, would be no problem. Lions like Ancalagon woudl likely continue to fidget until this became the new normal.

Lions like Xiyang...she had to sigh. That lioness was always skirting the edge, and it didn't look like she'd changed at all since her father's death. Still, there was something to be said for what she'd done. The Shaman didn't doubt that the former Princess knew no one would want to stand with Shangyue's daughter. By seeming to position herself against Kimondo's decree, she was encouraging protestors to comply in order to distance themselves from her.

Lailah also knew what she'd tell Kimondo should the Queen ask. Make Xiyang a Guard. Keep her close.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gealach was glad he'd retreated to the edges of the gathering. It didn't matter that Shangyue's children were numerous generations younger than he. He wanted nothing to do with any of them. Especially not that one.