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The air hung heavy with the scent of brine and sun-warmed stone as Neptuneus strode through the heart of his kingdom. The sea was calm today, its gentle waves lapping against the cliffs like a soothing lullaby. But as he approached the pride’s resting grounds, he felt another presence—one that carried no such tranquility.
Cobrose.
She lay sprawled upon a smooth rock, her elegant frame draped lazily beneath the dappled light. Her coat, once sleek and polished, bore the faintest touch of age, but her blue eyes still burned with the same intensity they always had. Watching. Calculating. Waiting.
“My king,” she purred, her voice slithering through the air like the namesake she bore. “How kind of you to grace me with your presence.”
Neptuneus slowed his stride, regarding her with a calm, unreadable expression. “You seem comfortable,” he remarked.
Cobrose stretched luxuriously, her tail curling like a serpent around her paws. “Oh, I make the best of my circumstances,” she mused, her gaze flickering over him with something between amusement and contempt. “But then again, I suppose I must, given how… quickly things change.”
Neptuneus met her gaze without flinching. “The pride has flourished since Kikajo’s passing. We are strong. We are at peace.”
Cobrose’s lips curled into a smirk. “Peace.” She rolled the word over her tongue as if tasting something bitter. “Kikajo did not lead for peace. He led for power.” Her claws unsheathed, tracing idly against the stone. “You rule with kindness, Neptuneus. It’s… sweet. Admirable, even.” Her tone turned sharper. “But kindness makes a king soft.”
Neptuneus remained steady, his golden eyes unwavering. “Kindness is not weakness, Cobrose. Strength is not measured by cruelty.”
Cobrose chuckled, a low, velvety sound. “Oh, you believe that, don’t you?” She stood gracefully, circling him like a shadow. “But tell me, dear king… if kindness is strength, how long before someone stronger comes to take it all away?”
Neptuneus turned his head slightly, watching her without alarm. “The world has its dangers. But I will not rule through fear.”
Cobrose paused beside him, leaning in just enough for her whisper to slither past his ear. “Perhaps that is why Kikajo’s blood still stains this land… and why mine does not.”
Neptuneus did not rise to the provocation. Instead, he exhaled softly, letting the sea breeze carry away whatever venom she intended. “You remain part of this pride, Cobrose,” he said. “Whether you truly stand with us… or simply haunt what was lost, is your choice.”
Cobrose pulled back, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her gaze. Amusement? Resentment? Perhaps both.
She stepped away, her tail flicking against his side as she passed. “Oh, I stand exactly where I choose, my king.” She glanced back with a slow, knowing smile. “You’d do well to remember that.”
And with that, she disappeared into the sun-dappled brush, leaving Neptuneus standing amidst the sound of the ever-crashing waves.
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