She was quite insufferable when she wanted to be and that very well could of been one of many words that her darling noble might now call her. There were some others she could sprinkle in as well, but internally Icefang enjoyed knowing that the outcome of their relationship pained @Lathan. Even if it was only because he wanted so desperately to be involved with the cubs. Not because of any intimate feelings with her. She slips out of her den in the middle of the night, instructing her sentries to prevent anyone from getting close to the entrance even if it was to seek a peak of the five bodies inside. She always covered them up with the layers of furs she slept on when she intended to do more than relieve herself or have a drink, so their appearances were left mostly to the imagination. The rest of the pride at least knew that there were 4 girls and 1 boy that she had birthed.

While she had spent most of the remainder of her pregnancy and the first few weeks of the cubs' lives avoiding Lathan, Icefang had noticed him quite often. Whether it was his scent lingering in the immediate area (most often noticed when she had left for a bit) or catching glimpses of him coincidentally patrolling near her when she took a walk. Even then, she had acted indifferent and at times acting as if she hadn't even realized his behavior or how she was impacting him with her cold shoulder. Tonight, she carefully treads towards that secret den he had deep within the brook far enough that most of the pride didn't come here often as most of their amenities had been built in the center of the territory by the flowing water inside the clearing. Naturally, she finds it easily and carefully she peers inside noting that it didn't look much different than the last time she came. There were no medieval torture devices crafted or any suspicious looking concoctions that she would assume he might of been brewing for her. Icefang never forgot in the midst of her pettiness how knowledge Lathan was regarding his poisons and his ability to easily slip something into her food or water. In fact, as time went on she had become a bit paranoid that the longer she held out the more tempting the idea might become to him. Though she is unsure how willing he is to test the consequences on a blatant attack against her.

Thankfully, he is not around when she does her snooping, but of course her partial blindness only opens the opportunity for him to catch her with her nose where it doesn't belong.

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The Noble had been busy, but he had been busy stalking his children- the ones the Queen kept from him. He didn’t really give a shit what orders she barked to the sentries, he was her Noble, they didn’t say much as long as he didn’t enter the den…which he hadn’t done. The man had noted just how petty she had been, how indifferent she tried to regard him. She had slipped, however, with a steeliness in her narrowed eye when she had found that almost corpse. He had felt the frigidness then, but he had accepted it with a polite dip of his skull and a polite tone. It was better to kill them with kindness, right? For now at least. Perhaps he had dwelled too much on the idea of regicide while hauling her prisoner rescued patron back to the pride lands. Arcania had been kind enough to help in that endeavor, easing some of the weight from his shoulders while the high queen sauntered ahead without a care in the world. Even while he had mended the broken man, he had contemplated the consequences of slipping her something that could allow her to peacefully depart the living…but he had decided against it. That was taking things too far, the cubs would be able to walk soon enough and even she couldn’t keep them from him then. At that point he had decided that maybe a bad trip would be punishment for her in place of all out poison. He had delved into this so deeply that he had went and collected the mushrooms for it. Those that would cause intense hallucinations and a high feeling to go along with it. He was familiar with it enough to know it made ones limbs like lead, each movement took literal effort to complete (aside from breathing and swallowing of course). This is where he had been when the Queen had sought to seek out his hidden den. When he came to the clearing, he would find her peeking into the den, he had come up on her blindside unintentionally. He watched her for a moment, the rabbit pelt dangling at his chest. She would find no pet here, the rabbit having long since died- in fact, it was the hide that bound the shrooms. He had no torture devices, his claws and teeth were fantastic instruments for that- though he could acquire some others if she so wished. Thus far, she hadn’t given him a prisoner to torture for information. Quietly, Lathan approached, very intent on startling her. He would stop just short of her white fur, far enough that he wasn’t touching her, but not much room rested between them."My Queen." He would greet, his rumbling voice slightly louder than usual. "Speech." @Icefang ♔

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She is crouched halfway into the den, her upper shoulders to her skull peering inside. The rabbit is gone, the makeshift cage of twigs empty and Icefang wonders what pitiful demise had befallen it. She doubted that @Lathan had merely let it go and with his testing it likely wouldn't of survived for much longer even if he did. Trained to be stealthy and much quieter than she without having to expend the same amount of effort, the queen does not notice when he sneaks up on her blind side. Suddenly, his voice rumbles in the air and she startles her ivory crown smacking into the ceiling of the den. A loud "oof" of pain slips from gritted teeth, specks of dirt marring her face and further naming her guilty.

She backs up, hopping on three legs as one paw comes up to grasp her forehead in pain, groaning softly at the throbbing sensation that plagues her. She still does not see him, but rather her shift backwards causes her to bump into his chest against the rabbit pelt holding the mushrooms. For a moment, she sits there leaning into him as she rubs the spot above her good eye, staring at the ground. “"Is it so wise to sneak up on me?"” She asks, a tiny huff of defiance following her words as if she wasn't clearly in the wrong here. Though by now, she was sure he knew it was like pulling teeth to get an apology out of her.

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There was some pride in the fact he had caught her so unaware, he didn’t count that she was missing an eye as cheating, so when she startled he would grin. His lips stretched into a wide toothy smile as her skull smacked the top of the den with an ‘oof’ becoming audible. She pedaled backwards, but she was hopping, and that made it all the more comedic for him and the laugh would burst free. Even as she bumped into his chest causing one of the laughs to wheeze slightly with the light thump. He didn’t mind her close proximity, he had become used to it and for a moment he would forget that she was being petty and keeping the cubs from him. When she spoke, asking if it was wise, he snorted and laughed again, though this time not as loudly. "Most definitely, Your Grace." He confirmed with a smirk, trying to quiet the laugh to a chuckle. "Is it so wise to sneak around an assassins den?" He countered, head tilting slightly so he could peer down at her with amusement gleaming in his eyes. @Icefang ♔ "Speech."

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His laugh does not help the situation. He is laughing at her and quietly it causes her fur to prickle in annoyance. Ugh, rude. After a few minutes of tedious rubbing, the throbbing of her head pauses long enough for Icefang to open her one eye and peer at him. She had remained pressed into his chest, longer than she had been in months since the last time they had joined their bodies together. Though she had engaged with him frequently, those times had never been more than the desire to satisfy her urges and be tossed around a bit before she was off doing whatever it was she felt like that night. Perhaps this is the most intimate form of contact they have had yet. Though it does not last as he snorts again, quieter this time as she finally pulls her pallid form away from him. Screw his manners as well. Even now, he managed to talk with that chivalry that had likely pulled himself into her bedroom.

At his question, she snorts now defiance soaking that singular eye. “"These are my lands. I can snoop around wherever I like!"” Blame it on her comfortability with the noble that prevents her from finding a way to lie herself out of this situation. No, for once she is openly honest not feeling a tiny bit of remorse for trespassing on his privacy or his things. It was her right as a queen after all. Slowly that leash of control over her family had started to extend towards her members as well.

@Lathan

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He enjoyed the precious seconds that she rested against his chest, peering up at him. Perhaps he shouldn’t have laughed…or snorted with amusement at her. He couldn’t help it though. She was the queen and to see her in any sort of undignified manner amused him greatly. She pulled away from him and a frown touched the edges of his lips, already missing her form against his own. He regarded her, however, with that same level of amusement on his face. Defiance settled in her singular gaze and he prepared himself for the onslaught. Her heated and indignant words came and he bowed his head slightly, accepting her words. "Yes, my queen, you can…that doesn’t mean you should." He nodded to the den. "Some of the poisons affect just by touch, a little deeper and to the right you could have ran into sap that burns the flesh." His tone lacked amusement here, it was hard and abrasive, etched lightly with worry- for her. The sap was not stored in a bundle, but rather smeared on a pelt and laid on a ridge in the den. He hadn’t figured out how to store it in something yet. He stared at her with a tilted head, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Did he really need to give her a lesson in the dangers of this den? "My other den is much safer to snoop around in." He purred quietly, a softer sound than she deserved, but it was still laced with amusement. He nodded towards his regular den, the safe den, the one with mild hallucinogenics and mild stomach ache causing poisons- like the ones he had given Nikandr at her instruction. This den, however, had the plants that could seriously injure or kill someone. Of course, he already knew she didn’t want to snoop around that den, he was there more now that she had made it clear he couldn’t see the cubs. On second thought, perhaps he should have let her bump into the sap. It would have taught her a lesson not to snoop and satisfied his desire to harm his queen because of her pettiness. @Icefang ♔ "Speech."

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Yes, my queen, you can…that doesn’t mean you should.

She huffs. Yes, she knew that. She wasn't a child.

Some of the poisons affect just by touch, a little deeper and to the right you could have ran into sap that burns the flesh.

Blue iris drifts back to the den. Hm, okay maybe she hadn't considered the severity of that. Though Icefang hadn't necessarily planned to touch his things, but she had definitely wanted to snoop with her eye. If she hadn't been so greedy and entitled to his space and him, perhaps she would of noticed the concerned tone in his voice. His warning and that despite their petty squabble that had lasted far too long, part of him still cared about her well being. No matter how hard she tried to shut him out and drown him in her icy exterior. "I see," she rumbles, though it is quiet and mostly to herself.

My other den is much safer to snoop around in.

She stares back at him and the words are tumbling from her mouth before she can consider if it wise to do so. "The one you watch me from?" She locks her attention onto him, seeking any betrayal of emotion from him at her accusation. The queen holds herself level in her sit, falling into silence as she sees what her lovely noble has to say about that.

@Lathan

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Her blue eye drifted towards the den and the peril she could have been in. That sap was a bitch to remove due to the burning effect it had- it couldn’t just be licked off for obvious reasons. The Queens rumble would be heard, but it was so low he doubted it was for him. Still, he was glad that she understood. He didn’t like her being so far away- even if only a few feet separated them as she stared up at him with that icy blue eye. He kept his dislike to himself, however, reminding himself to kill her with kindness and not the shrooms against his chest. His mention of the other den seemed to rouse some sort of feeling within her based on her retort and his head cocked to the side. "Yes." He answered simply, a slight pull of his lips. "I wouldn’t have to watch you if you would let me see them." He huffed, letting a little of his frustrations leech into his polite, rumbling voice. He wouldn’t hide that he had watched the den, what sort of noble would he be if he didn’t watch and look after her in her weakened state? Did she prefer him not to care? Did she wish for him to ignore and forsake what he knew was his? He regarded her curiously, his silver gaze fixated on her own icy blue eye. The wheels churning behind his gaze, as if he were trying to figure out what she wanted, what she wanted from him. He had been dutiful, loyal, and had served her well over the months and her reward was to keep him from his their children. That wasn’t very gracious or rewarding…now was it. @Icefang ♔ "Speech."

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What she was not expecting was for @Lathan to openly admit that he had indeed been stalking her. Icefang blinks, so wrapped up in her authority that she would expect anyone else to glance away or fumble for an excuse or lie. Yet, here is her noble regarding her with a cool gaze and yanking on the elephant in the room. Tugging on the topic that has brought them together, yet also separated them. Them. The children. She puffs out her chest, defiant and always searching for a fight as she lifts her chin slightly as if to taunt him. So, what? Didn't he realize yet what he needed to do? She had allowed him inside the den during her birth even if it was to grant herself access to a chew toy.

“Perhaps if you had apologized by now you would of been at my side everyday watching over them.” Her tone drips with malice, clearly hurt and jealousy laced in her words that he had allowed his eyes to fall for another. Even if their relationship had sat mostly on the sexual side, the queen was greedy and most importantly controlling. There were certain toys she just preferred not to share, especially when Lathan had been so giving, dutiful, and loyal despite the harsh treatment he had received as of late. She might lose that if he became wrapped up in another's embrace. She does not release his stare, talons digging into the ground as a soft growl emits from her. A challenge. Either obey or continue to suffer.

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"Nullam sodales posuere leo, sed dictum magna feugiat eget."

There. She fumbled. Stunned by his honesty. He had stalked her, though he wasn’t sure why that surprised her. Her rapid blink would have his head tilting ever so slightly. Silver gaze drilling into her cooly and calmly with a level of patience that he was pretending to have. Beneath it was a swirling rage at the notion she had intentionally kept the children from him for what? Because he had asked to court her daughter? Someone closer to his age, someone he wanted to get to know better… He’d had the decency to ask her permission and she-whether out of anger or not- had granted it.

Her chin lifts in a show of defiance, or perhaps it was to taunt him? Either way, his brow quirked upward ever so slightly. Challenging her in his own way without breaking her gaze. When her words came, malice dripping from each word his ears fell back and there was a slight narrowing of his gaze. For a moment, he did nothing, simply processed her words and observed her. She was hurt, he could hear that in her voice as much as he could hear the hate and jealousy. A low rumble of a challenge bubbling in her throat for him. There was not much space between them, but Lathan stirred without a word, taking a large step forward to devour that distance as his skull lowered towards her own. A low vibrating rumble in his own chest as he took that decisive step forward.

"I have nothing to apologize for." Low growling tones spoken in such a way that it were towing that line of lethal insubordination and overwhelming need for her. It dripped from his tones and flashed in his silver gaze, reflecting in the taunt muscles of his shoulders and hind legs. He still wanted her, but he was also livid with her. He was not the one that needed to apologize, as he had done nothing wrong. He wasn't the one throwing a tantrum, she was. He did not submit to her challenge. This would either make or break them, but the dutiful Noble did not care.


@Icefang ♔

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