Motherhood feels... Strange. A weight, very different from the weight of a crown, that settles into every vein and nerve of her body. A reminder of the lives she'd brought forth into the world, like some karmic justice wrought against the lives she's taken from it. It's both pleasant and unsettling, something the cannibal monarch had yet to truly learn to overcome. Even a couple months after their birth, it's... Odd, to see her own flesh and blood tumbling around the undergrowth of the rainforest — growing, so that one day they may seal its borders with the blood of their own enemies.

But that's not now. Now... They are barely able to tumble their way out of the den long enough to play with sticks and rocks. Pieces for her chess board one day — but not yet.

Ludivine leaves the den in the early morning, a phantom blending in with the dark of the night and the glow of the sunrise. This is her domain, and she wanted to share it with her own children. A soft huff leaves her lips, just quiet enough that only one child would hear her call — it was time to spend some quality time with her cubs one on one. To see what they may become as they grow — learn their quirks that they're slowly adopting as they age.

Little devils, the lot of them.

Like many nights, Mélisande felt restless. She was snuggled close to Madalina, a paw resting on top of her twin's back as if keeping her in place while the other slept. She would doze off here and there, but the slightest of noises would reawaken the piranha, ember eyes eyes staring at nothing. During one of these times she hears the softest of calls, one coming from manan, and it is enough to rouse the girl to stand on all fours. Giving herself a good shake she then sets off, stepping out of the den right as a soft ray of light shines down upon her.

"Where you going?" Her voice is soft and curious, little paws and legs carrying her as quick as they could toward @Ludivine. The outside world was still so new to the cub, causing for eyes to widen as she took it all in. Nostrils flare as she takes in the many scents around her, ears twitching and pricking forward in attention at all the noises. As her head turns back and forth she makes it beside her mother, softly brushing the outer side of one of her forelegs with her own little body.

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It's one of the twins that makes her way out of the den first — a light sleeper, dear maman has noticed she had a tendency to sleep light. As though expecting trouble to haunt her in the night. But she had nothing to worry about — not when her very own parents were the things that go bump in the night.

“@Mélisande,” she greets her child with a low purr, tail flicking back and forth as she halts her pace just long enough for the pudgy little thing to catch up. A daughter within her bloodline was meant for great things, and she was determined to ensure she would become exactly that as she grew. But for now... For now, the child had a lot of growing up to do. Ludivine lets out a small huff as she looks skyward, to the stars in the inky night sky between boughs of the forest canopy.

“Il y a quelque chose sur ces terres dont je dois m'occuper. Vous souhaitez venir voir?” There's something in these lands I must tend to. Do you wish to come see? She looks down at the young cub as she speaks.

Her attention follows where @Ludivine is staring at up above, watching as the stars twinkled and glistened in the blanket of darkness. The scene was mesmerizing to her, Mélisande wishing she could figure out a way to get closer to them, to try to touch. A tilt of her head is then given at maman's words, brows knitting together as curiosity began to get the better of her. "Oui," she says with a nod to enunciate her answer, tail curling before flicking to the side. "Qu'est-ce que c'est?" What is it? What was her mother going to show her? Was it something only she had the privilege and access to, or would it be something that would be shared with the rest of her siblings - a thought she could rather do without.

art by lars / background from unsplash / lines by liktar on DA / code

Her child seems curious to know what she has to show her — good, curiosity will do her good as she ages. @Mélisande questions directly what it is she has to show her but Ludivine merely gives the cub a small grin before she tilts her head sideways, inviting her to follow as she takes off deeper into the forest's territory. She's careful not to go too fast, aware of their size difference and how many steps Mélisande has to take just to catch up with her one. But the exercise will help her grow. It doesn't take long until Ludivine approaches a patch of vegetation, different and more tended to than the rest of the area.

“Un cadeau que nous ont laissé les précédents habitants — un de la mort.” A gift left to us by previous inhabitants — one of death. A garden filled with plants used by assassins.

A frown creases her lips when she's not given an answer, but Mélisande knows better than to pout. It wouldn't get her anywhere and she didn't wish for her parents to see her as some sort of whiny cub. So, instead, the girl follows beside her maman, doing her best to keep up with her. It took a bit out of her and she inwardly cursed having such little legs - having such a little body. She couldn't wait to be bigger, to be able to do the things she couldn't do now.

Silent she pads along, only stopping once @Ludivine herself does. Ember gaze looks over toward the garden while her mother speaks, a brow rising now in curiosity. "La mort, maman ?" Death, mom? Mélisande takes a tentative step forward, surpassing Ludivine and growing closer to the garden. Nostrils flare as she inhales deeply a few times, taking in all the new scents that wafted around in the air. "Qu’est-ce qui les pousse à causer la mort ?" What makes them cause death? Because, to her, all they looked like were mere plants and herbs.

art by lars / background from unsplash / lines by liktar on DA / code

She watches her child as she drifts ever closer to the garden of death — patient in allowing the cub to wander, to explore, but ever vigilant all the same. Like a guardian angel, ready to pluck the plump little thing from the ground should she take a step too close for her mother's liking. Her ears twitch slightly at @Mélisande curious comment, probing her mother for more information about how death could relate to the herbs and toxins in front of her.

“Le monde entier est un endroit dangereux, ma fille chérie,” The whole world is a dangerous place, my darling daughter, she muses, taking a step of her own closer now as she once more hovers over the youngster. “Mère Nature ne fait pas exception. Des plantes qui peuvent arrêter votre cœur, provoquer des infections... Des toxines qui peuvent être utilisées dans la bataille contre votre adversaire.” Mother Nature is no exception. Plants that can stop your heart, cause infection... Toxins that can be used in battle against your opponent. She knows that one too well.

Her eyes widen while she listens to her mother's words. Just because they looked innocent didn't mean that they were - perhaps just like her. A paw rises to bat at one of the taller growing herbs, watching as the leaves bend to her will before bouncing back to its original state. "Que penses-tu d'eux?" What do you think of them? Did Ludivine enjoy this side of herbology, learning which ones were dangerous and which ones weren't? Or did her mother shy away from such things, something that Mélisande herself felt as though she would do. It wasn't as interesting at the moon and its grasp upon her father's heritage, but it did bring out a curiousness where the girl wished to learn more. She baps the same plant once more before her body twists so that she could glance back at Ludivine, an expectant look across her face.

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What does she think of them?

“Un vrai guerrier n'a besoin que de sa force et de son intelligence pour dévorer ses adversaires.” A true warrior needs only their strength and intelligence to devour their opponents. Her reply is immediate — perhaps schooled with old thought, but nothing brings her greater pleasure than to kill an opponent through her own natural weapons and wit. Those that rely on poison to do their dirty work for them are nothing more than cowards, weasels that slink in the night. She's ever vigilant as @Mélisande bats at one of the nearby plants, ready to scoop her up should she attempt anything more.

“Mais ceux qui vivent sur ces terres sont des lâches, et connaître ces plantes pourrait un jour vous maintenir en vie,” But those that live in these lands are cowards, and knowing about these plants might one day keep you alive, she speaks with a sigh. Knowing how to combat against those that do use these plants to their own advantage... Would make Mélisande much less susceptible to their tricks in the future.

It was as if it were on cue when her mother spoke of strength that Mélisande's toes flex, allowing for claws to unsheathe. Without warning, she slashes at the plant, ribboning its thick leaf and watching as smaller pieces fell to the ground. She wasn't sure if doing that meant she now had to wash off her paw thoroughly, but for the time being she felt... invincible. Only cowards used these plants Maman had said, and Mélisande was anything but a coward. So to rip apart the very plant that another may use on her in the future felt as though she held all the power in her paws.

She was growing bored of the garden, turning toward @Ludivine and glancing up at her. "Pouvons-nous patrouiller?" Can we patrol? Brows rise with hopefulness as she awaits her mother's answer, hoping that the two of them would take on a piece of their pride's borders so that Mélisande could learn more about her home.

art by lars / background from unsplash / lines by liktar on DA / code