Forum - in which the princess demands to see the dragon (1 LS 09 OPEN)

Zane paused on his way to the fresh kill pile as he passed the centurion's den and the whine of Andromeda's voice reached his ears. It stirred awake old memories of his sisters' bickering moments back when they were kits and quick tinge of longing to see Nagini tickled the edges of his consciousness. Chuckling softly to himself the dark tom cat moved closer to the den, food forgotten, in order to hear how Mintaka would take such a rude awakening. Training and other such daily activities could stand to wait a few moments longer; after all, how often was it that he got to hear a good story?

Mintaka groaned and rolled over, forcing the demanding she-kit off her.

After yawning widely, Mintaka glared rather blearily at the Caesar-daughter, then mewed tetchily, "Yesterday, when I said I'd tell you a story tomorrow, I meant after the sun had risen."

Knowing there was no way to be rid of Andromeda now, and thus no chance to return to sleep and pleasant dreams, Mintaka arched her spine in a stretch, then settled down on the floor of the den.

At the sound of male chuckles, her ear pricked. "General Zane? Is that you?"

With a wry smile, she asked, "Come to hear our princess's story? I think-" she eyed Andromeda significantly. "I think I'll begin with our Andromeda's namesake, who was a princess too, and whose fame was so great that her image was written in the stars above."

Mintaka gazed at the seal mink she-kit, who was nearly larger than her now, then flicked her pale green eyes in the general's direction. "So, how much do either of you know about the story of Princess Andromeda?"

The Egyptian Mau came trailing after Zane, having just finished a meal when the ruckus of the two young cats reached her ears. Her elegant pelt neatly groomed, Jade stood behind the General outside of the den. Although she was sufficiently close to listen in on the conversation, Jade was likely obstructed from the view of the pair of she-cats.

Andromeda's aggressive mannerisms struck the Mau as unbecoming of a princess, and she briefly wondered where Drusilla was. Jade figured such conduct was perhaps permissible amongst kits in the wild, though she knew such behaviour would have been chastised in her society of origin.

Mintaka's mention of one of the most famous pieces of Greek mythology grabbed her attention, and she moved closer to the den. Being somewhat well-versed in the tales of the stars herself, the bronze queen took this as an invitation to join the exchange. "Ah, the story of the Princess of Aethiopia?," came Jade's soft purr. "I know of it. It never hurts to brush up however, and I'm sure the rest of us are just as eager to hear your storytelling," she said, briefly casting a warm look in the direction of princess Andromeda.

As Jade sidled out of the shadows to gracefully sit by his side, Zane felt no need to respond. This story was, of course, for the princess. Seeing Andromeda's eyes light up at the mention of her namesake was enough to make the day significantly more enjoyable. As usual, the general had planned on making a few rounds to scout for any changes before meeting up with Caligula for a briefing; however, this small break would not harm his schedule in any way.

Giving a small nod towards Mintaka as a sign to go ahead and continue, Zane set back on his haunches, firmly setting his dark paws in front of him. This stance was not casual and if there were to be any danger, the dark cat would be more than ready to react yet he was comfortable, attentive. Mintaka had a way with words and it was always a privilege to watch the small she-cat grow with confidence as she narrated a tale.

Jade on the other hand was still a stranger to him on most accounts and his ease was only present due to the fact that he expected respect from her. As acting general for the Cabal he was not about to be intimidated by any cat; yet her dark eyes were a mystery to him and he noted the need to further understand her. Perhaps a training session was in order? Letting the thought slip away for the time being, Zane quieted his mind and allowed Mintaka's voice to fill the air.