[Kitsune_Beauty]

Ssendrek remained calm, but a mocking air eminated from his flaming body. "You misunderstand me, sister. I merely wanted you to share these fun times with me." He laughed coldly as a recent memory came back to him. "Why, me and my followers have just recently set a prissy little Tali straight. If I heard correctly, it's archived somewhere. Little Skelec, how she coward before me. Oh yes, I gave her love his life back, but it wasn't I who made him decide to become my follower." Ssendrek's flaming tail swayed on the ground, and the grass and plants seemed to shrink away from his presence.

Poppi had been growling in a cattish way as she listened. "So it was YOU who did that to Skelec!" she snapped in disguist. Illiana was trembling beneith her mother. The kit remembered seeing Skelec. The hallow tali lived in the catacombs back home and, right now, was out somewhere else. "Your terrible..." Illiana squeeked softly.

[Ameratasu]

Symona recoiled from such callous words as if stricken by his paw and not merely his contemptuous words. Yet fire kindled within her eyes now, and her muscles grew taut and nearly trembled with such tension that coursed through the whole of her being. Her claws unsheathed unbidden, and her tail, once moving in such serene whims of motion, began to lash the air harsh enough to crack like a whip in the face of her sudden ire.  " 'Fun times?' She repeated incredulously. "You are despicable,"she murmured, voice low and intense. Yet she was still collected in her temperament as of yet.  "You're despicable, and you're cruel."

She mourned the fate of the Tali, and she grieved as the poor Skelec must grieve. Yet suddenly, her voice grew in authority. "You have entered a holy city, brother, and in doing so, you've made a grave mistake."She began to advance slowly upon him. "Look at me, brother,"she spat. "You know well enough what these markings mean. Just as you know the consequences of crossing me when you defile boundaries and cities I protest. Just as you cross me when you toy with innocents."

She paused. "I have the authority to forcibly remove you from this place. I ask you now to go of your own accord. If you really must speak to me, then speak. Don't drag other creatures into this that have done nothing wrong."

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Ssendrek yawned as if he was bored. Not being phased by Symona's outburst in the least. "It was only business, as usual, sister." he said casually. "One of my followers came to me with an accomplice and asked for my assistance. Turned out to be a better job than most." His tail was still swaying idly, a sort of spectral trail following it.

Ssendrek stood up, keeping a wary eye on Symona, and went closer to Poppi. Illiana shrank back, but Poppi stood ferm as she protected her kit. "So, you both know which Tali i'm talking about, do you?" Poppi's eyes were defiant. "Why should I tell you!?" she spat. Ssendrek shrugged and began to walk away. "I do grow bored, sister. I suppose i'll be seeing you around. I have many things to do." With that, he began to head torward the city gates and dissapeared.

Illiana cautiously krept out from against her mother's stomach, and went over to Symona. "That flaming tail i'v seen around the forests of the pens must have been him." the kit said in a shaky voice. Poppi stepped beside Symona. "Luckily, he doesn't know Skelec lives with us. I think she said something about going to the Falls." The bubblegum girl's tails were twitching. She had heard Skelec's story before.

[Ameratasu]

Symona growled in the depths of her throat once more, yet this was less a vocalization of ire as exasperation. For all his fallibility, part of her would always love him for who he had been, and what he had meant to her. Yet she could not bring herself to either condone his acts, nor him. She had readied herself to retaliate as he drew nearer to Poppi and Illiana, yet as no harm befell them, she found herself relaxing ever so slightly, though her guard was far from lowered entirely. "Yes, do go,"she said gravely in return. She did not move as she observed his departure through narrowed eyes, and only when she was entirely certain that he was gone did the proud set of her shoulders slump.

Her head lowered for a moment, yet raised again as Poppi and Illiana drew near again. "Yes, I suppose so,"she murmured, giving an absent lick across the top of Illiana's head. "Let me know if you see him again, won't you?"She nodded gently. "It is a very good thing he isn't aware of that fact,"she said, addressing Poppi. "Otherwise, things would have been far worse for you."

And then, little more an aside, "This is not good,"she muttered beneath her breath.

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Illiana had climbed on Symona's back after the feline had licked her. "What isn't good? I thought beings like Ssendrek tended to wander about too." Poppi looked at Symona with questioning eyes. "Yeah, Symona. I know you have mixed feelings for him since he is your brother, but..." Her tails were swaying thoughtfully.

Poppi shook herself. Ssendrek was gone, so she wanted the peaceful feelings to come back. She began thinking of the next kuhna she had a breeding with. It wouldn't be for a wile since Sundea, Aunt Bri, and her father had breedings lined up before her, but she still thought it best to think about it. "She's a kamo, at least that's what I was told." Poppi said thoughtfully. "What, Mother?" Illiana said, looking over Symona's shoulder. "That girl I have a breeding with."

[Ameratasu]

Though the remarks of mother and daughter had been void of rebuttal, Symona could not help the slight twinge of guilt that assailed her at their questioning. "I don't mean his wanderings are not good--every being deserves their freedom. But the way he abuses that freedom to inflict pain--that is what I mean by things not being good."Her tones were meant to serve as a protesting justification, and yet the tension and adrenaline that had plagued her since her brother's arrival faded away entirely as Illiana once more clambered onto her form.

Muscles relaxed as if ice melting in the heat of the sun, and her eyes shone with gentle contentment once more, the fire within extinguished. Symona once more found her attention claimed by the simple pleasure of companionship...and, she was somewhat pleasantly startled to realize, friends. For friends they were. "Are you nervous?"She asked of Poppi gently.  "New things are always somewhat frightening. But I'm sure she will be suitable. She sounds pretty enough,"she murmured.

And then with a gentle chuckle, "Your paws will be quite full belong too long, Poppi,"she said, with an endearing glance in the female's direction.

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Poppi smiled as Symona spoke to her. "Let's hope so, at least." the bubblegum replied. "What's ironic is the kuhna my father wants to try this new breeding style with is a kamo as well." Her tails had wrapped around her feet as she sat down, feeling the peace that eminated from Symona once more.

"I wonder if i'll ever get into breeding." Poppi looked at Illiana as the young one spoke. The bubblegum nodded silently, knowing the fact that ancient gens couldn't breed.

[Ameratasu]

Symona blinked and smiled politely. She was somewhat startled to learn that Poppi's father was still of breeding age. Yet as she regarded the female before her, she realized that she was far younger than Symona would have first guessed. A soft inward chuckle. Everyone was younger in the eyes of the ancient feline. Some simply more than others.

"You will soon have quite a large family on either side," Symona laughed. "How delightful that must be for you and yours." She swiveled an ear backwards to catch the sentiments of Illiana. "Perhaps one day. And if not," she murmured, "One can love without the need to mate."

Her tones had turned wistful at this last, and for a moment she regarded the earth at her paws. "Don't be an any real hurry to grow up, Illiana," she said with yet another gentle chuckle. "There is always time for that. All the time in the world."

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Illiana yawned with a little squeek in her throat, and purred loudly as she curled into a little brown ball on Symona's back.

Poppi smiled as she watched her daughter. "I imagine Kanali has probably fallen asleep too." the bubblegum said softly, trying not to wake Illiana up. "Um...Sorry if i'm getting too personal but, what was Ssendrek like before he turned on the wrong side?"

[Ameratasu]

Symona tucked a forepaw beneath her chest as she considered the question phrased by Poppi. It was personal, to be sure, but the pain associated with such memories had long ago faded--a rose that had long ago lost all but the faintest suggestion of its colors, but had not withered away entirely. "I don't mind," was all she murmured in gentle assurance. "There's no harm in curiosity, and many have asked me the same before."

She trailed off then, eyes taking on a distant, wistful look. After some time, she spoke once more. "He was kind. Compassionate and, as typical of males, somewhat cocky. But he was also wise, and I looked up to him. He used his strength for matters of good back then--to help the weak, not terrorize them as he does now."

She smiled demurely. "He was never content with what he had, though, try as he might. He was alway so sure he was missing out on something better just around the corner. As a result, he was restless. But he was good. Once. He could love, once."

She glanced at Poppi then. "He wasn't always...'wrong.' Maybe that's really the sole reason we haven't fought to the death yet. I have to believe he's still in there, somewhere." Shaking herself slightly, she smiled once more.

"Rather grim talk," she tried lightly.

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Even though Illiana had been dozing, her ears heard every word. Poor Symona she thought to herself without moving or opening her eyes.

Poppi listened intentily, trying to imagine Ssendrek without his flaming body. Actually looking like Symona. "Maybe he thought that 'something better around the corner' was turning to that side." she suggested quietly. After what happened to Skelec, it was hard to believe that something so cruel had once been so kind.

[Ameratasu]

"I believe you're right," she murmured. "He was reckless enough to be swayed by the promise of power...or things coming easily. By the time I realized he was even contemplating such a thing it was already too late." She sighed, then, and laughed somewhat mockingly, addressing such wry humor only to herself and bitter memories.

"Perhaps one day he'll have something worth saving in him. But for the moment, he's far out of my reach." She glanced then at the flawless sky, and let out a gentle hum. "But that is why it makes a day like this all the sweeter. It makes things worth fighting for."

She cocked her head. "Besides," she added with a silver laugh, "I'm lucky enough to find people like yourselves."

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Poppi looked at Symona, smiling. "I'm honored to hear you say that, Symona." The buublegum girl's tails swayed peacefully across the ground, brushing against the soft grass. "Maybe it isn't too late for Ssendrek."

Illiana opened her eyes and yawned before piping up. "Yeah. He roams around the pens often, but he doesn't harrass the gyrophant or the sun learf, Maple." She put a paw to her chin, thinking. "It makes them uneasy whenever he passes by, but he doesn't pay them any attention."

[Ameratasu]

"Just as I am honored to fill my hours spending time with you both." She was entirely sincere in such sentiments, and the agitation from moments before had now vanished from her tones entirely. She titled her head slightly, eyes sliding shut in contentment. "Perhaps it's not," she agreed. "One can hope." She was somewhat astonished to find that he had not sought to torment the two creatures.

Perhaps there was something of his old self still within him after all, as she'd long hoped. "I'm glad to hear that he doesn't bother them. I only wish he had left your Tali friend well enough alone, as well." A soft smile graced her features, and she settled to the task of gently grooming a single paw.

[Kitsune_Beauty]

Illiana rolled off Symona as faintly colored markings began forming on her growing body. "Do you think Kanali is getting these markings too, Mother?" Illiana asked as she looked herself over. The ends of her tails had begun to fluff out.

Poppi grinned as her daughter began to mature, then her ear perked up and she seemed to be listening. "No way!" she piped after a mental message came to her. "We have a Lucain living in the pens now!" Illiana tilted her head to the side. "One of thoughs doggy-like things?" Poppi nodded and Illiana squeeked in excitement.

The bubblegum girl reluctantly turned to Symona. "We'd better get home. I also heard Sundea brought home some more kits." Illiana nuzzled the feline's shoulder. "Also we need to make sure Kanali doesn't tease any of the newcomers. I'll see ya again soon!"