She knew this voice very well and this raging face of his. Although it had been a long while since she heard him be this loud.
"Do you have no restraint?!" Raki yelled, pulling at her neck and pushing her away.
"Leave her!" warned Bazil, who froze as soon as he saw Salīa's neck. "Wait. Did you…Did they?"
He spun to the smirking leopards, lifting his xira yet pulling it back as their glares darkened. It's not as if he could attack the leaders of the village.
"What will the people say?" Raki continued.
"Hmm, I don't know," said Letu. "But what I do know is…"
Lefu grinned and added, "That the rumor of what happened with these leopards and the tigress will be far more pleasant than that of the rumor of what happened with this lion and her."
"Don't you think?" they eyed him on both sides.
This was a cold shot. Even Bazil seemed angered by this. Salīa couldn't bring herself to speak. Especially not of that incident.
Raki's jaw clicked as he raised his xira.
"Forget rumors," Bazil spoke, unable to face her. "Why would you?"
"It's not like I—"
"You do not need to justify yourself to reduce the shame they force on you," Lefu stood by her, staring affectionately.
Letu joined beside her and said, "It's not the role of the guardian to question its leader. Especially when they already know the answer."
"She let us mark her," they said, staring at Bazil and Raki. "Because she wanted it."
Salīa's heart raced ahead.
It's true. They're not saying anything that's wrong, but why do I feel like I did something wrong? Why are they so disappointed in me?
"They speak truth. But don't be mistaken. It's not like this mark comes from an intimate act and—"
"Please," Bazil said pleadingly with fiercely clenched fists. "I cannot request anything of you, I know. But marking is an intimate act on its own."
"It's just the nature of cats, no need to pester," Letu yawned, and his brother nodded.
"If she were a king or a prince, you would think thrice before shaming her for such things," Lefu added.
Raki and Bazil's eyes both widened, and then their faces turned. It's because they couldn't deny that the twins were right. Yet then their heads turned to the twins, observing.
"Shameless," the twins said, scoffing.
Salīa had quickly realized they were looking to see if they had any marks.
"I didn't…"
Bazil saw her pouting face and quickly said, "You don't need to ex—"
"You better not have," Raki interjected. "You are not a king or a prince, so do not hide behind their sly maneuvers that make you feel free of reason."
"Rakire," Bazil warned.
"Bazilani, quiet if you don't actually disagree. Let me be clear," he looked to Salīa, then glared at the twins. "Being marked is already disgraceful enough on its own, but it's especially so with the time of what's happening to our land and with its people and your family. Yet if you were to mark them, do you understand what this says?"
A throat was cleared, and all eyes turned to Chief Raino, who stared coldly ahead. He bowed to Salīa, then studied her neck.
His eyes cast to his sons, and they stood in their guardian's stance and quieted. He then looked at the twins, who had an amused look on their faces, yet took a step back from Salīa out of respect.
"Tigers use strength, leopards use stealth," Chief Raino said. "Lions use pride."
His eyes shifted between them as he stood at the center. His eyes linked with Salīa's, yet she could sense their shift, feeling a hint of what she could only assume was disappointment.
"Leopards tease and tempt with tantalizing offers, and tigers crave and consume that which satiates their deepest hunger."
"What of lions?" Letu teased, winking at Bazil and Raki.
"How do they fit?" asked Lefu. "Or do they not?"
"The real disgrace," Chief Raino spoke on as if nothing disturbed the air a moment ago. "Is not as you said, son. A tiger always dominates, and leopards adapt."
The twins licked their lips as their eyes traced back to Salīa, who felt the heat fill her neck.
That's exactly how it felt. That even though they were seemingly leading, they seemed to be surrendering. Didn't they?
"As a guardian, you may ask her to help guide her, but not to lead her. Do you understand?"
He stared at Raki and Bazil, who kneeled and responded that they did instantly.
"It is her choice if she gets marked or marks. Yet I must ask if you know what this means?"
This time Chief Raino's eyes matched Salīa's.
"I just…" Salīa felt shame welling up inside her tears, begging to form fully. "I don't know. Is it bad? Did I do something wrong?"
She meant for the words to come out smoother, yet felt like a hopeless young girl being scolded.
All looked to her, and it seemed Bazil wanted to step in.
Yet the twins were quicker to it, their eyes looking pleadingly into hers, and they reached out their arms to comfort. All the lions gritted their teeth.
Salīa wavered her hands to stop the twins. It's true she felt an urge to indulge them, but it was all becoming too much.
"You didn't do anything wrong," said Letu. "If blame must be given, then I guess we'll take it. Won't we, brother?"
This surprised all. It was almost unheard of that the twins said such things.
"Yes, brother. We wanted to mark you. We could've given you what we offered in another way, but we wanted to taste you and have you taste us."
"And since the pride of lions are so curious, we begged for her to mark us."
Salīa looked to them instantly.
Why are they exposing themselves like this?
"It's true," said Lefu. "This tigress let herself be marked because the marking isn't permanent and therefore is not as telling. But if she were to mark us, that would be a sign of her true submission."
"That's what you all want to say, but cannot," they said in unison.
From the averted gazes of all three, Salīa could tell that the twins had caught them out. Yet the twins didn't stop there.
They bowed and showed an x.
"Travel safe," they said. "We shall do our best to protect our land in your absence and humbly await your return."
The silence that took the air after was quite deafening. Yet Chief Raino was quick to clear it, but pointed to his sons.
"Do you think the role of Commander Guardian is just a sinecure?!" he scolded. "Go to your zazi now and return once you've given the orders."
And so, they did.
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