"I did not." The idea of it was crazy to think about, Aquila growing up wanting this? Things were just... that wasn't the world he grew up in. But how to explain that to @Eisa? "Your Aunt Nymeria was raised to lead our family, lead the Valour. She... well she got hurt about two years ago." He fought back a growl, bit at his cheek as he degraded things to the barest of details and decided to spare young Eisa the full story of things. That much was all that was relevant to her question. "I dreamed of supporting her always. This is how I do that now." He lightened up his voice, tones raising upwards in slight surprise. There had never been a dream of a crown, of being in charge, and there had more surely never been any thought that this might be the way he best served his family.

His silver eyes softened and he nodded a hardy affirmation. "Your mother has learned a lot already. But you want to know a secret?" He said with a cheeky smile, leaning over to speak softly to Eisa. "I think you'll be a better Queen someday." Oh no telling how true that could be, and maybe in time Eisa would leave this dream of being a ruler behind. But for today he could bolster her courage, her enthusiasm and build up her confidence. "With all of us helping you? You'll be better than the best."

ART BY NICOLEXV , CODE BY LARS

soul full of sunshine

in her young mind, she could not see the stress and problems of being a king or queen. all she saw was the glamour, the fun of it. uncle 'quila was the fierce protector of the brook, helped by her mother who was also the fiercest. of course, as a young cub... she fixated on the stories of her childhood and the idea of them as heroes. so, as she listens to uncle 'quila, she questions. "aunt nymeria?" she asks curiously, definitely- absolutely hampering for a story if there was one here.

his words, of course fueled her fire, that she could one day be a great queen- when he says she could be better than even her mom. she can't imagine it! her mom is.... the best. "i dunno, mama and you are pretty hard to beat... but maybe you're right." she concedes. the idea of the pair of them helping her along the way- if she ever ended up leading, ever followed that path. of course, it was little more than a cubs dream, but...

@Aquila

eisa sigrún

code by corvus;; background image

Your Aunt Nymeria. Aquila began, immediately proud to talk about his cousin and she'd the best light he could upon her. It almost resolved the bitter sweet sting that came when he realized Eisa did not know exactly who he was talking about. Nymeria was such a force, a figurehead, it was sombering as much as it was enjoyable to introduce her to the young woman. Is the best hunter I know. It's like the trees of the Brook came to life and formed her. She helped us all through some very scary stuff and some of us- He reached up to tap his chest. Me. -she helped teach it's ok to be a little scared. I can always depend on her.

He was flattered to be thought of as hard to beat. Surely some adults would think otherwise but right now really only Eisa's opinion mattered. You've got plenty of time to practice and learn. Hopefully the day she decides she wants to rule, if it ever came, was not anytime soon and came with a peaceful reign._{ART — CODE}

Her eyes widen, as she stares up at Uncle 'Quila as he tells her about her Aunt Nymeria, and she tries to imagine her- this mighty lioness who taught big Uncle 'Quila it was okay to be afraid. "What did she look like, Uncle 'Quila?" She asked, wanting more details about this heroine for her tale, more to picture her with. "Did she fight in battles? Win wars?" She asks with wide eyes- picturing her as this unbeatable warrior- that nothing and no one could beat.

"Yeah, Mama's young and you're young too- ya'll are gonna live forever anyways- and rule forever and that's a long time." Perhaps it is the naivety of a cub, but she stares at him with wide eyes and smiles up at him nodding seriously. It would be a long long time until it was Eisa's turn for sure.

@Aquila

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She was a beautiful woman, pale with the kindest eyes you've ever seen. He settled happily into a rythmn, fondly recalling images of his cousin. Watching her grow up once more before his mind's eye. All the words in the world did not do Nymeria justice, were far too plain and simple for all that she was. She was an incredibly skilled hunter, and a healer too. Patched me up more times than I can count. He reaches and taps one of the scars on his forelimb, long healed with slightly discolored fur growing over the modestly raised bump of scar tissue.

It's almost disheartening then to hear the quick assumption, to get a glimpse of where @Eisa's mind immediately went. Fighting, wars. Aquila was painfully reminded that this was a reality of his once beloved home, and that the Valour were raising children with this as their expectation. She was wise about fighting, knew when it was necessary but only then did she fight. It was not the part of her Aquila had hoped would live on in her absence. There were far greater things that were Nymeria._{ART — CODE}

In Eisa's dreams, she was the fastest huntress, the most skilled warrior, and okay- not the best medic because she found it kind of icky. Yet, she was wise and a Queen- and all the things that legend and stories talked about. The heroes and fantasies that children grew up hearing, and hearing that her Aunt Nymeria was all of that and more, filled her with a sense of glee- a sense that she too could be anything she wanted in life.

"Do you think I could be like Aunt Nymeria? An amazing huntress, a warrior who knows when to fight, and then is skilled when she has too- 'cause I don't want to all the time. I really like the idea of hunting 'most." She says. "I don't think I wanna heal though-" She says frowning at his scar with a wrinkle to her nose. "It's kinda icky." She admits.

Eisa sighs and looks up at the sky with a dreamy smile, and then a question makes her furrow her brow. "You said was- did somethin' happen to Aunt Nymeria?" She asked with a frown.

@Aquila

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Healing isn't really my thing either don't worry. Some of us have to give the healers things to do after all. He said with a loud chuckle and leaned over to nudge Eisa with his muzzle. Placing it between her ears and rubbing lightly there. There would be plenty of things for a hunter to do, unfortunately plenty for a fighter too. Whichever path of those Eisa followed at any point in her life would keep her plenty busy and hopefully feel fulfilling.

Well before you were born she had to defend us against someone who tried to steal our home. It was a very hard fight and she's been resting since then. At first physically, and then Aquila imagined mentally and emotionally since then. He'd been through the cycle of violence enough to know how it felt after the wounds were healed... especially with Nymeria having almost lost the Brook. A fact Aquila left out of the story for @Eisa. The truth tailored to something he thought more suitable for a child, a better image of Nymeria for Eisa to look up to. I absolutely think you can be like her, she's your family after all. It's already inside you._{ART — CODE}

Her nose wrinkled at the thought of healing, and the icky herbs and wounds, and when @Aquila reached over, rubbing his muzzle between her hears, she let out a giggle- her face relaxing into a wide smile. "Hunting seems like the most fun- a challenge. Having to be super quiet and super fast and smart!" She expresses with a bright look to her eyes. "What do you prefer to do, Uncle 'Quila?" she asks him, considering all of the things. "I think learning to talk and help solve problems could be a good skill to have too, and that's one thing leaders do, right?" She probes.

Eisa's eyes widened as she pictured in her mind, a single lioness standing against a giant monster of a challenger and defending their home- even if it was just barely. "Wow." Eisa whispered, amazed at the story. "Do you miss her?" She asked, because Eisa would miss her brothers or sisters if she hadn't seen them in a while, she thought.

Uncle 'Quila's words about being like her Aunt Nymeria warm her heart, and she looks down at herself, and considers that seriously, before nodding- but saying nothing further because she has a lot of thinkin' to do.

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He paused for a moment at her question. 'Like' to fight was not quite accurate. He was just as content not fighting. But it was also more his thing than anything else. So he took a moment to consider just how to answer. I like to keep my family safe. He lightly tapped her shoulder with his muzzle. That meant her too of course. And her siblings. Most yeah. I somehow got away with not being good at the "talking" and "solving problems" His voice heavily placed the air quotes in for him. He was fortunate to have always had a Nymeria, a Talisa, a Cassandra, to make up for what he lacked. And maybe that was the most important part of being a leader- having lions to support you where you faltered.

I do yeah, she is one of my best friends. She's younger than me but you wouldn't know it, she's like a big sister. And wherever Nymeria was, whatever she was doing, Aquila hoped she was still doing okay. They were doing okay here without her but it was not the same in the slightest._{ART — CODE}