and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

As she gets more portly by the day, so does her anxiety grow. Though not for any vain reasoning. Sláine could not escape her past and every day that she grew rounder she was reminded of those she has lost. Then comes the sickening feeling, deep down within, twisting her insides until she cannot breathe for fear. History has a habit of repeating itself and she has a habit of being too headstrong, too eager to fall into a cause.
Supple limbs deliver the lioness to the side of the river, she had found a narrow spot where the current did not rage past, but rather flowed, peacefully, steadily. She hoped that she could learn from it, be soothed by it.
Attempting to learn from lessons of the past, Sláine did not now venture far from the Mire, even though she was only half way through her pregnancy. However, living in a swamp had its drawbacks and today she was out in the surrounding jungle, seeking out a place to clean off her filthy, dirt ridden limbs.
The briskness of the water felt refreshing against her blue fur as she used her forelegs to splash the liquid across her body, not wanting to risk wading in even here, lest it carry her cubs to doom.

@Alaric

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Why was it that he always found her?

Drawn as if a moth to her flame (and she burned bright, he would have to admit) he wound through the forest with her scent in his nose. Alaric had intended to track her down soon enough, and so when he came across her trail he saw no reason to avoid it.

There were things to discuss, but as he came to a stop at the water's edge the first words from his lips were -- "I suppose I owe you congratulations?" Even if he wished it were his cubs she carried, and not those of his sovereign.

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and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

Sláine had all but finished her cleansing ritual when the familiar voice of her chieftain danced across her ears. The ocean blue gaze of his former lover looked up to greet him, her lips forming a natural -and somewhat relieved- smile.
Her now shining fur was water soaked and droplets dripped from her speckled sides as she stepped a little closer to her wheaten King.
Skull nodded as he referenced her obvious pregnancy. "Aye." She replied simply, but then added. "Was unexpected, I didnae think I would hae any more cubs again."
Sláine watched Alaric with a level of warm regard that she only really afforded to lovers and close friends. Her chieftain had been the former and now he was the latter. Though she could not deny to herself that a lingering attraction to @Alaric remained. His strong features, his wilfulness and the fact that, well, he was her master.

Feeling tired, the warrior let her rear limbs fold as she moved to sit down and rest the heavy weight of her stomach across the tops of her back feet.

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there were few in his life that he trusted, fewer still that were female. erna and aidoneus were the only two that came immediately to mind, and yet slaine had managed to work her way in there as well. something about her put him at ease, and he knew that she would be truthful with him no matter where her heart lay. even if erna worried that she might lie he did not think she would, and so he dove straight in to the heart of the matter. "i am glad for you," he says first, and he is. alaric is glad for her, even if he has concerns about her husband, even if he wished they were his. a brief pause, but he does not keep her waiting long. "i wanted to ask you about ronin. slaine. i trust you, hmm?" he wanted her to know that, and though he trusted the sovereign, too, he had concerns he thought were valid. "it concerns me that he asked asylum to bite him." testing the waters, for though ronin had explained his reasoning he was still... worried. not to mention the brynja situation, though that one he did not know the extent of.

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and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

Sláine moved her nose slightly, a blithe gesture of acceptance of Alaric's well wishes toward her pregnancy.
The clanswoman was momentarily distracted by the movement from within, the shift of her protruding stomach that meant that, when she looked down as she did then, she could see her blue fur ripple visibly as the lives inside her moved (or fought).

Pale lips drew back into another smile, tender, thoughtful. Her anxieties both briefly forgotten and yet, renewed.

@Alaric spoke to her then, stealing the female's attention up and away from her present condition. Skull tilted as she listened to him. The slate woman was somewhat heartened to hear that her chieftain held her in such high regard. Though perhaps it would have been sorely disappointing if he did not. Sláine was an honest woman with little agenda of her own and she was fiercely loyal to Alaric, in payment for all that he had given to her.

It would not take long for her to realise the Sovereign's conversational intentions, when his words turned to the topic of her husband. If she is shocked by the news that Asylum had bitten Ronin, then it does not immediately display itself across her composed features. Though in truth, she had not known of the event. "An' what does this 'bite' mean fur ye tae be so concerned?" She asked, not understanding the relevance but her gaze narrowing ever so slightly. . Was Alaric here to tell her that Ronin had some kind of 'biting' fetish and had been unfaithful to her?

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it was an oversight of his, and one he quickly tried to rectify. "Asylum is a newer member, one with a bite that is potentially deadly. She is very... open about this. Evidently Ronin wanted to test out the effects himself." It bothered him still, even after having spoken to the sovereign about it. "In addition to that, another new member Brynja? I was not there, but I hear that when she joined there were concerns about her... health. As she was not willing to let a healer look at her, Ronin rubbed all over her. His plan, from my understanding, was to prove that she was well by using himself as a test subject." Erna had spoken a lot more angrily about the situation, but Alaric knew that his wife had a tendency to let her emotions guide her. "He also let Brynja know that we had cubs, after she had all but argued with my wife." Now that he had begun he let her hear all of his concerns, and then paused briefly before finishing with -- "his actions seem... dangerous to me. I know we are warriors, but the risks..." A slight shrug, "I would like to hear your thoughts."

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and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

Once again @Alaric gained the woman's full attention. Sláine listened in silence as the High Sovereign laid bare a number of concerns. Though Sláine had been present for the incident with Brynja, she had been unaware of the lioness Asylum and the nature of her.. bite?
Sláine was not sure exactly what that meant, presumably the woman either deliberately poisoned her fangs (and is immune?) or she was terribly diseased in some way. Either way, she would be sure to keep an eye on the female.

The pregnant lioness shifted a little, allowing the male to draw to his conclusion, which was to ask for the gentry's opinion. So that was why the wheaten King had approached her with such flattery.

"Aye, that is a lot tae think about." She began, allowing her pale mouth to form a concerned frown as she thought it over. Alaric trusted her and Sláine very much felt the same about her chieftain. So although it was her natural instinct to come to her new husband's defence, it was important for her to make up her own mind too.

"I was there fer th' incident wi' bryjna, th' lioness an' erna were at a tense stalemate. Ronin stepped in, usin` his authority tae diffuse th' situation offering his-sel up in attempt tae alleviate erna's concerns. It would hae ended in a fight otherwise, ah hae na doubt." Perhaps Alaric and Erna would have preffered that, but where would the Mire now be if not for bringing in and trusting newcomers?

That Ronin had let slip information about cubs within the pride was perhaps not as much a concern for the slate woman as it was for Alaric. "Wi' men an' lasses in th' pride, it's a safe assumption that there wull be cubs? Ronin didnae divuge any secrets, nae would he." They were a strong pride, stronger than most. The presence of cubs did not weaken them as much as others.

"Alaric, I cannae claim tae ken Ronin in th' fullest way that comes wi' time. But fae what I hae seen o' him, afore our mateship an' in private afterwards. He is a brave man an' a bonny fighter. He is loyal, protective an' insae afeared tae admit his failings. He is willing tae extend a paw tae others in a way that inspires trust an' friendship. We should trust him." The lioness lifted up a paw and used it to rub the underside of her cheek.

When she returned the foot to the floor, she spoke again, holding Alaric in her steady gaze. "Afore I came 'ere, I lost my grown bairns, my only bairns, tae war. My war." Her sapphire stare faltered a little, eyelashes fluttering momentarily before her she composed herself once more. "Ah ken (I know) what it is tae worry about danger around every corner. But Ronin, nae, he isnae one to worry over."

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It was news to him that she had been there, and he was relieved to hear it. Alaric was not blind, he knew how things could be painted differently depending on what side you stood on -- he knew, too, the temper of his wife. It was something he had spoken to her about, seeking to ease her anger even a little, and since he had heard little of any incidents lately he hoped it was working. He didn't doubt that there would be a day it would boil over, though. "I understand. I know Erna can be... hot tempered. I am only concerned that he seemed to show no concern for his own health." He trusted Ronin, to an extent, but he did not feel as though his concerns were entirely misplaced. Alaric knew the risks of leading, knew that he would often have to put his life on the line for the sake of those that lived here, but those were risks he was willing to take. To take risk without reward (or in a situation where it was not necessary) seemed foolish to the wheat king. Of course her words were applaud him, he was her husband, but he knew that was not all there was to it. Slaine would not speak without believing what she said, and it gave the man some measure of reassurance to hear her so certain. "I would just like to see him taking less unnecessary risks. Leadership comes with many, for sure, but..." He rolled his shoulders in a slight shrug, and then offered her a wry grin. "I'd rather him live a long time, hmm?" Surely they could both agree with that. As for the last bit, his expression clearly softened as she spoke of her losses. "I understand your loss, and I'm sorry you've faced it too." He reached out to give her a gentle touch, nose to shoulder, a gesture of reassurance.

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and we don’t need saving

We’re hell raising

The difference and similarities between @Alaric's style of leadership and Ronin's was apparent to the slate woman. Each man was reckless in some aspects of his life and careful in others. This left the men at odds. "Aye, I know." She conceded, speaking of Ronin's lack of concern for his health and taking risks. "But ye dae nae need tae worry about managing him. He's a good, loyal man. He does th' right things, even if th' method isnae like yer own."

It's obvious that Sláine has no inclination of asking Ronin to adjust his behaviour, she had taken the male on as her partner in life because he was everything she admired. If he had oddities or some minor failings, well, didn't she too? "Life is fleeting fer us all. If he should fall then I should be grateful fer th' opportunity I hae had tae love him." Sláine felt much the same about her lost children, she was pleased to have seen them grown into strong adults. It would have been easier to stomach their deaths had she not had an active part in it.

Sapphire eyes crease at the edges as the pregnant lioness caught the gentler expression across Alaric's face. Though they had tried to avoid physical contact until now, the woman leaned in to her King's touch. As his nose pressed against her shoulder she sought to graze her mouth briefly against his cheek before retracting and looking up into his green eyes. "Ye hae proved yersel' again an' again tae be a wise leader an' an even better man, alaric." She smiled softly.

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There was a way about her that put him at ease. It was, perhaps, merely wisdom. The knowledge that came with years of life, of experience, and her way of speaking about it that made it obvious to him that she was an intelligent woman. It was rare for him to hold such a measure of respect for a woman, but @Sláine had earned it several times over.

"I trust you. I trust him, too." The latter is added almost as if an afterthought, as if he wanted to assure her that he didn't have anything against her mate. Only concerns that he felt were founded, and ones that he was now willing to put to rest.

She leans to his touch and he is surprised to find that there are still lingering yearnings, there. Not on her behalf (for she is better than he, no doubt) he is certain, but he feels the stirring in his loins and hurries to tamp it down. "Not such a good man," he huffs, with amusement alongside sincerity, as his eyes met hers. "You will always be the one who got away, after all."

And if that was true, then surely he wasn't the good man she thought him to be.

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