Drakon Tollaire

Ah, so a Queen once. Perhaps that was what caught his interest. "That can be understandable." If he had gone to the Cove, Drakon may have ended up having issues but would've kept it to himself knowing that Hecuba was happy at the Cove. A place where she could see the ocean and have her peace where Drakon was already surrounded by drama and fights. It was ridiculous really. Perhaps he should've gone for the Cove and just stayed there but he didn't. He caught onto her words being guarded but wouldn't push it as he listened to another thing. "Perhaps, as long as you're not the leader hm." He would state, but he is the leader. Or second in command at least.

@Kimagure

Table by Naboo

Kimagure felt an old bitterness in herself, the same one that had driven her to leave her old home. ”It can be lonely to lead, but theoretically you surround yourself with subordinates you trust, or simply lead with another,” she replied, her eyes narrowing slightly at the thought. Kimagure’s own Co-Queen had been a failure and the lioness had taken her life as a result, stealing away the other woman’s children and making sure they would never know the identity of their mother or their father.

”But that is only theoretical, isn’t it? Impossible to know who is trustworthy until you are between a rock and a hard place,” she remarked, her lips remaining quirked upwards, but it was decidedly not a particularly happy expression. For all that Kimagure was good at hiding her emotions and full of self-control, there were events in her life that really moved her, and it leaked onto her face despite her best efforts.

@Drakon

Drakon Tollaire

He would find himself sitting down now as he would listen to her words. Each one seemed as a pry for information but Drakon still kept his thoughts silently. "I, once upon a time, lead with my wife." He would state bluntly. Ears twitching as each of her words. Truly she was good at this if he didn't know but then again, Drakon wasn't about to give away information that may end the reign of the Casimir. "Mm, that would be correct. Even if you've grown up with someone, can you really trust them?" Sometimes you couldn't even trust family.

@Kimagure

Table by Naboo

Kimagure watched him take a seat and she herself allowed her body to rest into a sitting position, reflecting his ease. She took what he said in stride and found herself wondering if he himself lead now. He had given her nothing substantial so far, either reflecting that he knew nothing, which the lioness knew was impossible as she could tell by his scent that he was part of the same pride as the man who was attacked in the pit. He would surely know who his leader was, if he himself was not the leader.

Kimagure suspected he was being tight-lipped, though she could not be totally sure. “I led with another for a time, but for the most part I was queen alone. And no, growing up with someone certainly does not ensure they are trustworthy.” Her smile slipped away and her expression became neutral again, her tail curling around her. ”It’s ironic how so many blindly trust in others, especially strangers. They wander up to the borders of a pride and happily join in, having no idea if the person they meet at the border is who they claim to be.”

@Drakon

Drakon Tollaire

Ears pushed forwards as she spoke of leading with another once upon a time as well but even still she felt like she was alone in that ruling pair. "Perhaps you didn't pick the right partner to rule with." He would state, though it sounded like a question even though that wasn't what it was meant to be. Though he found his head tilting at her next words before it re-straightened as he thought on her words. "You could very well be correct." He would admit before adding more. "Though, with me, what you see is what you get. You can believe that or not." He would state rather bluntly. "What do you look for in a pride, @Kimagure?" He was curious.

Table by Naboo

Kimagure laughed when he suggested she had chosen the wrong partner. “I would say so. I chose her when I was badly wounded because she was the longest standing resident and I needed support while I healed.”.

She smiled again when he claimed that what you see is what you get when it came to himself. Truly amused this time, she continued to listen to his follow up question.

”I am looking for a pride with a competent leader and pride members I can work with. I feel it’s important to be willing and capable of fighting when the time is right, but not blood-thirsty. There is a time and a place for everything, but security is critically important. I am uninterested in a pride where my gender marks me as less than. I am the match of any male, both in intelligence and in combat. Most important, perhaps, is that merit is rewarded. What point is there in working hard if less qualified and less capable lions reap all the rewards?” she replied, her gaze rising upward as she thought. There were many things that mattered, but the last point was a sore spot for her. Kimagure had suffered that enough.

@Drakon

Drakon Tollaire

"Understandable." Granted he wouldn't have chosen her because she had been the longest resident. No, he would've looked to see who would be worthy enough to rule while he healed. Though that had been his wife and he had been grateful for that especially now that he wasn't ruling with her at his side but instead ruling with another male he barely knew. He was hesitant though. But now, it was his turn to listen to her words as she spoke of what she was looking for in a pride. There were points where he thought she wouldn't like the Hollow but then, there were points he thought she would. The Casimir valued their women but Drakon knew that even the Casimir thought that women were of the lower sex. But.. "Perhaps you might try the Hollow." Now if she wanted information, Drakon would give them out freely.

@Kimagure

Table by Naboo

Kimagure assumed she had gotten her answer regarding the male’s home when he suggested the hollow. Her ears swiveled forward to face him, her eyes now focused on him more intently.

”I know very little of the hollow, but I have heard they claim lionesses. It would seem to me that the see women as less valuable, unless of course they make it a business to claim lions as well. Is that the pride you live with?” she replied, having already concluded in her own mind that he did indeed live there. It made her wonder, however, why he had not laid claim to her if he did indeed dwell there.

Perhaps he was not high ranking enough to claim lionesses, or perhaps her size dissuaded him. She tilted her head as she waited for his response.

@Drakon

Drakon Tollaire

"You would be correct on all assumptions but the lions." He would start very simply. He wouldn't hide the fact that Gwyn allowed for his members to claim lioness and cubs as long as they can back it up. Drakon was like that once upon a time and perhaps still could be if he really tried to do that. "Gwyn believes in such things, where as I don't. I won't hide that truth from you one bit, but you are free to challenge for ranks that you want." He would remark. He figured she was one that wouldn't mind a few fights, the scars were proof enough to him. "If the Hollow isn't something you like, there is the Cove."

@Kimagure

Table by Naboo

Kimagure let out a smooth sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as she listened to him finish. ”I am not afraid to prove myself, but to what end? To show that I am fine... for a woman? To do the work but achieve nothing? And if Gwyn believes women are less, why would he allow a woman to hold any reasonable rank? As for the cove, I know it, and my feelings are that it is doomed to fail. It looks all too familiar to me.” Her tail swished back and forth, her ears falling back a little.

”I have been part of a pride composed of a surplus of children, and what it amounts to is a pride with too many vulnerable points. When the children outnumber the adults three to one, it will inevitably come that their neighbors take notice and advantage, snatching up the children or using them against the adults in the pride.”

Kimagure felt once again that so far, there was nothing here for her in the way of a pride. She didn’t know whether to laugh or be frustrated. Kimagure was tired of wandering.

@Drakon