[Random Melody]

Vexy tipped her head when Kiara laughed, and the concern in the desert Princess's eyes faded into amusement, her bright blue eyes sparkling slightly. Well, at least the Princess didn't seem upset! That was good. Vexy didn't like it when others were upset, not at all. And she certainly didn't like being the reason for someone being upset. Perhaps she should had kept her mouth shut, then this whole thing wouldn't have been brought up in the first place. She glanced back at Kila, then looked up at Kiara. "Well, that's good." She purred, letting her tail touch Kiara's shoulder lightly before she whisked it away again, chuckling. "Don't let it bother you too much. You know Kilana - Guarded beyond belief."

Kila jumped a little when she heard Jelani speak up, not expecting the tigon to ask that question. She'd sort of zoned out, her thoughts going back to that horrible day at that... "zoo", Kiyu had called it. The cub shook her head and looked over at Jelani, blinking, and replied quickly. "Oh, yes, I'm okay. Thanks, 'Lani," She said briskly. Kila had never been one to talk about her feelings, or anything bothering her. Jelani was an okay girl in her eyes, but still. Kila had her walls, and she didn't let them crumble so easily. Emotions just weren't something she was good at.

Tiifu nodded her agreement as she padded alongside Zuri, staring ahead with a frown on her face. "Yeah, exactly." She mumbled back, tail twitching almost irritably. "We'll be better sisters - We don't keep things from her." She sighed, giving Kila a disapproving look before looking over at Kiara again, concerned, then turned back to Zuri, blinking softly. "Yeah, maybe," She echoed. "Still, Kiara doesn't need someone like Kila." She wasn't fond of the young Princess, not at all.


~~~O3O~~~


Nigel grinned as he began leading the way. It didn't take long for them to cross into the desert, and he took the silence as he walked to think about things. Kion seemed different but that was to be expected. The golden cub was pampered and had probably forgotten most of his training, but Nigel was sure that could be fixed. As for Kopa... Well hopefully, they could fix him, too. Or, break him. Ha. It shouldn't be too hard right? Lucifer could break anyone. Kopa should be easy. Easier than Kion, maybe. Maybe not. Either way he was sure the saber-tooth could do it. He walked in silence, glancing back at the cubs, then dropped back to walk beside them on the opposite side of Sam, padding along beside Kion. "So Runt," He said casually. "Lookin' forward to seeing your Master again? He'll be pretty pleased to see you."

"Uh-huh." Kion's tail twitched irritably, and he narrowed his eyes ahead. Thinking of Lucifer sent rather violent shudders through him, the fur along his spine pricking up slightly. Yeah, Lucifer would be just thrilled. Thrilled to put more fear into the cub, make sure he wouldn't dream of escaping again. Kion's claws sunk into the ground unconsciously as he walked. He didn't want that. He didn't want to be broken again. Then, he realized... He had always been broken. At least, after the whole Sabers thing. He'd been broken since, and he'd stayed broken, that hadn't changed. But it had been shoved back, and he'd tried, so hard to forget it. But now all those bad memories, those broken feelings were being dragged back to the surface. His mask was slipping, walls crumbing and he tried desperately to keep them in place, but he couldn't. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to be broken. And he most certainly didn't want to bring Kopa into the middle of this. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair. Kopa didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to know this kind of pain and fear. The cub looked up when Nigel padded ahead again, then looked over at Kopa before returning his gaze to his paws, narrowing his eyes down at the sand. He hated sand. Hated anything that reminded him of that horrible place. The horrible place that he was going back to. The horrible place that he had, accidentally, managed to drag his brother into. Yeah... It wasn't fair.

@Constellation