A Tale of Jaguars

Readjusting To Day To Day Life

Baal looked with immense displeasure as his ex-chief commander and his daughter disappeared into the jungle. He had tried to convince Myron to just send Mai away and for him to retain a post in their forces, but the old jaguar had refused. It had been a hard hit to the veteran's pride and honour. He felt totally responsible for his daughter's wrongdoings, as it had been him the one that had insisted to keep her after he had estranged his mate. He was going to accompany her into exile, and made sure that she would never return. They had only waited two days for her to recover from the birth. She still was complaining loudly and demanding her cub, even after being informed of the council's decision to exile her. She had been aware that they intended to pass her cub as Tygra's thanks to a letter that her mother had written her, reproaching her for what the noble woman saw as stupid actions. Mai had realized that her mother thought that the cub she was carrying was not hers, and had inferred the lie they had told to everyone. She had been frantic and had to be sedated most of the time. Myron had judged it wise to not let her go into exile alone. Who knew what she could manage if she was left to her own devices?

Baal was not satisfied. He was losing one of his best soldiers all due to a young female's delusion. He had almost caved to the temptation of letting Jareid kill her just because of that.

He growled in annoyance. Mai had been an unforeseen problem, and he planned to have a brief 'discussion' with each one of Jareid's past lovers, Saixa included. He wanted to make sure that he would not have more surprises like the one they had just sorted out, not now that things were going as they should. Tygra had been adapting pretty well, and Jareid had a family of his own to care for and protect. The jaguar prince was more centred and even reasonable. Baal was not going to allow anything to ruin all the hard work that they, particularly Bengali, had put on the two princes' relationship. The young nobles of the court had been behaving while the tiger had been pregnant, but Baal knew his court and now that all danger had passed and they had royal cubs to continue the line, the young jaguars were more likely to start again with their insinuations, still looking for the 'vacant post' of consort. The first on his list was in fact one of Mai's cousins, Mao. Bengali had reported the lad before as a possible troublemaker. It would be wise to make sure that he wasn't going to get any crazy ideas like his cousin. He also wanted to make sure that there was not going to be any other misled attempts to 'help,' like what had happened with the young shaman apprentice that had been tricked by Mai. Really. One would think that a shaman had a minimum of common sense!

He turned his back on the path that the two exiles had taken and returned to the city with the rest of his escort. He ordered his new commander to bring Mao to him right away. He was going to start his long set of 'talks' immediately. Everything had to work nicely for the heir's presentation to the council. He'd start with the most problematic ones and leave Saixa for the last. After all, she had been intelligent enough to make herself a spot near the princes without causing any major conflict. He expected fewer surprises from that front.

The days passed by and soon the twins were two months old. There was no more avoiding an official presentation to the council and the people at large. Tygra was very nervous because of it. He couldn't help but worry over the possible reaction that the elders would have, especially to Akbal and Ixchel. It was almost a given that everyone would dote over Itzamma, and Tygra didn't consider that a good thing either.

He was sulking over it while he gave Ixchel her milk. He had put a mat on the middle of the nursery, and was laying on his side, his little girl next to him, and holding the bottle for her to suck the tit comfortably. It had been the only position that allowed him to feed Ixchel without many problems. His daughter was a nervous cub, and was difficult to calm her down once she started crying. Tygra was worried, thinking about what he would do if Ixchel didn't feel comfortable in the council's meeting and subsequent celebration.