Welcome to Gaia! ::

The news had spread like wildfire through the pride. The Warlord had been bested in a battle and a new one had taken her place! When the name got around Saisana nearly passed out from surprise. She had never expected her mother to vie for the title of Warlord even though she knew she'd be a perfect fit, yet here she was, running through the lands as fast as her feet would carry her to seek out her mother, the new Warlord of the Stormborn.

"Mother!" she called out as she spotted a huge group of lions crowded around the battle grounds. She had to be in there. Never one to be deterred, Saisana began shoving her way through the crowd, shouldering and shoving and pushing and even growling at other lions to get them to move. Zjarri was her mother thank you very much and she had more of a right to congratulate her than any of these other lions!

The crowd had unsurprisingly over taken her with its congratulatory energies. If she hadn't been prepared for the possible outcome she likely would have been overwhelmed. There were fortunately many faces that she had recognized. Sabia, for example, and a few others that she offered warm smiles too. Many of whom had already sworn a loyalty to her in one way or another.

Zjarri`fol was consumed with pride as she watched the crowd milling about. It had been an event indeed! The Warlord, Svana, had been a treat to battle and impressive. So it would come as no surprise to anyone that she winced from movement here or there. "Saisana." The mother cooed as she spied her daughter among those in the crowd, one of the first to approach her given the circumstances it wasn't a surprise. "You've come at an opportune time, sorry for the crowd." A soft chuckle left the lioness as she moved to place her had against her daughters in an affectionate bump.

"How are you?" The question seemed so mundane given what had just happened, but with the travelling and return to try for the position she now held there hadn't been much time for small talk.

Finally Saisana broke through the crowd and she bound towards her mother, a huge smile on her face. She hadn't seen her much as she had been out a-Viking on a long quest, but now it was clear she'd be remaining here as she would have duties to attend to.

"I'm fine," she said with a soft laugh as they bumped heads, eager for the affection. "I didn't know you were challenging Warlord Svana! Er...Captain Svana," she said, catching herself as she realized that title belonged to her mother now. "I wish I had known, I would have come to watch! Oh, I'm sure it was a glorious battle!"

The affections were so appreciated by Zjarri and it showed in the way her eyes glimmered as they pulled apart. She had missed being surrounded by her children, but she was sure they would be on their way out the door shortly - if they hadn't already.

"Truth be told I came here with perfect timing." She admitted casually with a wave of her paw. "So don't worry to much about having missed the battle, it was a surprise even for me." The crowds were beginning to migrate towards other celebratory things, such as a good mint beverage. There was little surprise in it and so she took advantage of the moment to try and steal away her daughter to the side lines. "Svana and I were evenly matched, I think my time away has simply made me stronger." Her smile broke into a toothy grin at her own enthusiasm.

"I'll have to fill you in, but would eat with me first?" An unbecoming growl gurgled from her gut.

Saisana laughed, picturing her mother walking right into the thick of the Breytast and spontaniously challenging the Warlord. That seemed like something she'd do, though, and it was probably fairly close to how things had gone.

"Yes, of course!" she said, nudging Zjarri's side to get her to move in the direction of the feast. There were plenty of fresh kills to pick from and she was sure once they set foot near them the others presenet would let their new Warlord have first pick.

"Oh, I wonder what Father will think," she said with a little laugh. Although she knew Zjarri and Keir weren't mates, they were still close and dear friends and she was sure the more reserved male would eventually catch wind of the good news. "And all of my siblings...we'll have to celebrate somehow!"

Her laughter was sweet to the ear and Zjarri sighed happily.

"Lead the way." The nudge to her side was truthfully all she had needed. Direction wasn't a problem for her senses were driving her absolutely wild. The smells of blood, sweat, and more so meat mixed with mint. The scents of a proud and flourishing pride were abundant. "Look at this spread, I haven't seen a meal like this in ages!" Pride members didn't exactly part to let her through, but they were clearly concious of her being there as they made some room.

"Make sure you get some."

Zjarri was already taking a fairly sizable chunk of meat herself and had leaned in to grab her first bite. "I haven't seen your Father in ages. How is he?" The thought of him knowing caused a blush to grow on her cheeks. There had only been so many males in her life to see her so vulnerable and Keir still brought the girl out in her when she thought of him.

"A celebration sounds wonderful!" Pink eyes widened with renewed excitement. "I've missed you guys so much." She admitted fondly.

Saisana did just that, pushing some of the other Freeborn and Reavers aside to let them through. Once they realized who was there among them they shuffled aside, giving Zjarri and Saisana both the room to enjoy the food. She didn't hesitate to dig in after her mother got a sizeable chunk, chewing happily on the fresh kill.

"He's good," she said, picking at her teeth with a claw to dislodge a bit of bone that had gotten stuck. "Always somewhere close by doing some egghead stuff." Although she loved her Father dearly she considered his lifestyle choises a bit silly and strange. Her tomboy nature stuck its nose up to the more studious and intelligence-driven pursuits of Keir, as well as her brother, but she didn't love them any less for it.

"Us too," she said as she pressed against Zjarri. "It's not the same without you around. But now you'll be here all the time," she said with a grin made rather fierce by the blood on her fur. "I'm working on becoming a Captain like you, though, so perhaps I'll be the one going near and far soon."

"I'm glad."

Though her attentions were severely divided between her daughter and the meal she did manage to spare a moment to smile. "Hey now, your Father does very important egghead stuff." Zjarri raised her head for a booming laugh that came across as stark mad with fresh blood dripping down her chin - like mother like daughter. They were simply two peas in a pod by appearance and by personality.

"Yes, I'll be around much more." She was happy to be a family again, but something was itching at the back of her mind. Tethys. The lion she had sworn a fealty too for a duration that ended abrutly with her sudden success. Though she remained silent about her thoughts she was considering her options - could she, as a Warlord, show that the pride supported him by attending the war that was rumbling in the undertones of their more recent chats. She had been brought up to some degree of speed, but she was sure there was still more.

"Oh? You're trying for Captain?" The mother gushed at the idea - a child following in her paw steps was what had been driving her the entirety of her time spent away from the pride. "You've successfully become a reaver then?" She was excited beyond belief!

Saisana went back in for more, eating as her mother spoke. The question made her scoff as she lifted her head, a bit of skin from the zebra dangling from her maw. Just because she was a lady didn't mean she acted like one.

"Mother, have you really been gone that long? I've been a Reaver for moons now." But yes, she really had been gone that long. Swallowing her mouthful, she leaned in to nuzzle Zjarri's neck with her head, careful not to smear blood on either of them. "I wanted to join you on your quest when you returned...but now it seems you won't be leaving again."

She paused for a moment with a little frown. She knew how much the quest had meant to her mother who had left them with their father at such a young age. Now she wouldn't be able to return unless she brought the whole of the Stormborn with her, and to do so after just capturing the title of Warlord would certainly raise some brows.

Shock couldn't be hidden from her face as the question struck her as odd. Suddenly she wondered how she even recognized her own daughter with how long it had been. They had changed so much that it would have been of little surprise to anyone she was sure.

"I suppose it has." She nearly choked on the words as she spoke. Never had she regretted a single day of her time in the roguelands on the viking, but it hadn't truly hit her what she was missing. Now her time away still influenced the cubs, that was her end goal. Or so she continued to remind herself anyhow. "I won't be." She admitted. "But Sabia will be." Zjarri hadn't even had a chance to think everything through, not yet, but now was as good a time as any to figure out those fine details.

"She'll be leaving and destined for Tethys, you remember them, don't you?" She felt certain that Saisana might recall Sabia. Likely one of her closest friends, but also notoriously known as the Captain Killer. An ironic title given the title she'd be given shortly.

"If you mention your interest I'm sure that she'd be happy to have you along?" There was really no question in that. Sabia wouldn't be allowed to question the tag along of her children - any of them.

Saisana could sense the emotion in her mother's voice and she pressed against her side comfortingly. Although Saisana had grown up without her mother there, her siblings and her father had been her support system and her goal of being just like Zjarri was spurred on by wanting to impress her mother upon her return. She had done that, it seemed, so in the end nothing was lost. Youth was fleeting anyway and now she could fight alongside her mother and rise to be a Captain to make her mother and Warlord proud.

"Of course I do," she said with a fond smile. Sabia had been around in her mother's absence and while she never sought her out as a confidant or teacher, she knew who she was and would chat with her if they crossed paths. Her ears perked up at the idea of going out to rejoin Tethys with her mother's band and even though Zjarri would stay here herself, it was still a dream to go a-Viking with the crew her mother had hand-selected.

"I will," she said with a grin. "Perhaps by the time I come back I'll be Captain material. You'd be the one to officially promote me, too," she added with a little smirk.

The proud mother leaned into her daughters comfort and smiled to herself. Choosing to remain silent for a time being instead of rambling on, as badly as she would have liked too, it made things seem at peace when she knew that was false. Her family's relationship wasn't the problem, the problem was facing her at the borders of her own pride. She would have to stay here now. It was something she was coming to fully understand and it hit home as they discussed her daughters leave.

"Good." With Sabia`deimos having been her right hand straight from the beginning it wouldn't have been a shock. Zjarri could see the excitement and eagerness brimming, almost boiling over in her daughter. Had she known what an honor it would have been she might have offered this sooner. Though that would have required her to be home for more than a stint at a time.

"Of course you will. You're very nearly Captain material now." She admitted to her daughter and returned to her meal, having ignored it for most of the conversation now. "I'll talk to Sabia straight away and let her know to expect one more." She smiled fondly at her daughter after taking a decent bite. A grinning blood soaked lion usually looked insane, this was no different.

"I'll take my leave and go handle that now. Thank you for coming to see me Saisana, we'll talk again soon." The leave seemed so formal, so to end it on a more personal note she bumped her head against her daughters and stood to carry on receiving congratulatory attention as well as to seek out Sabia - her daughter was going to become a Captain someday, this was the right path.

With the promise of learning the ropes to being a Captain hanging in the air between them, Saisana could hardly contain her excitement. She didn't have much Viking experience yet so her ventures with Sabia would definitely be valuable.

"Enjoy the glory you've earned, mother," she said in return, bumping her head against Zjarri's with affection. "Or should I say Warlord?" she added with a teasing tone to her voice. They parted ways after that and Saisana felt as if she were flying. She was well on her way to the title she dreamed of!