Ember mane stood up to get a drink of refreshing water. Upon returning he hears Orchidstar's question.
He flops down next to her and with a spark in his eye he smiles and say: "I actually still have my favourite pride member "he smiles "I made her my queen; her name is Steel gaze, and she has raised two great daughters."

He looks sad for a moment: "I can't even think of losing her anytime soon..."

"Anyway, next question, mmmmmm....mmmmmm....... I got it!"
He looks to the ruler next to him.
"Have you ever accidently chased or abandoned a cub you wanted to keep without realizing it?"

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Orchidstar was surprised at the question, thoroughly considering it before answering. "Well, I don't think I've ever done it by accident. Of course, I've made the wrong judgment and realized I should have kept a cub after the matter of giving it away," the queen sighs heavily, "but other than that, I don't think that has ever happened while I have been a leader."

Orchidstar's muti-coloured eyes shifted to the next ruler, a mischievous glint in them. "Have you ever bought a night with an outsider lioness? Or a "reverse heat"? All without telling your own lionesses?"

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Cobalt scowls, shaking his head decisively.
"I don't like to leave my pride unattended, so visiting another king's lionesses usually isn't an option unless they live close by. And besides," a weary look crosses his face, "We're a very large group, usually with lots of cubs to take care of, most of them sired by myself. There's no need for me to bring in more of my offspring from elsewhere."
He shrugs a little, then turns his attention to a nearby lion, clearing his throat to get their attention.
"If I may ask... What are your thoughts on other predators on your territory - leopards, hyenas and so on? Do you think it's best to live and let live, or do you believe in getting rid of any competition for prey?"

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Afelis nodded thoughtfully at the question before answering.

"If we were to get rid of all other competition in our territory, it would entirely offset the circle of life. Plus, competition can be healthy at times, not to mention the fact that other predators are just trying to survive, like us. Sure, some predators may get aggressive at times, but we cross those boundaries when we get to them."

The adolescent paused momentarily, taking a second to think before continuing.

"Of course, there's nothing wrong with claws meeting claws every once in a while, it's just a complete wipe-out that seems absurdly unnecessary."

The young king turned his gaze to the next king/queen.

"How do you raise your young? What type of ideas and actions do you apply when teaching them? If any."

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Igneous flicked his ears, finishing his grooming session as he gazed at the adolescent.
"I raise them strictly, their training is important, cubs who can't catch up with the others have no place in my pride. I prefer to teach them how to survive, even if I don't intend to keep them, I used to kill them, but I've had enough of that. They'd be better off in some poor fleabag's pride." Igneous scoffed, despite his small body, he held a large ego.

"You there." He turns his gaze to the next ruler, his teeth bared in a contemptuous snarl. "What are your thoughts on the plague of humans in our lands?"

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Orchidstar turned to the king, narrowing her eyes at his bared teeth. The queen sat, thinking for a moment. "I believe that good humans are welcomed, they are in no way a plague. My pride and I don't mind being the cover of some newspaper somewhere, after all, we do have some lovely lionesses to showcase." Orchidstar's face darkened, "but we do not allow for poachers or any other malevolent human. In fact, I offer rewards to my huntresses and submales who bring me the bodies of humans that tried to harm our pride or the animals within our borders."

Satisfied with her answer, the queen turned to the next ruler. "How do you choose whether a lioness becomes a huntress or a broodmother?"

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Unholy Worship tilts her head at the queen. "My Broodmothers not only protect the cubs, but our caves and den. My lead Broodmother, StarGazer, is my assistant. She works to keep the pride in order while I am away. I choose her because, like her mother, she is a natural leader." Unholy Worship smiles softly, remembering her departed pridemate before continuing. "A lioness like Mushroom is a follower. Mushroom is the only Broodmother who spends her whole time inside the nursery die to her playful attitude and love for cubs." Unholy Worship reconnects her gaze with the queens. "Basically, I choose lionesses based off specific talents and the roles I need done, and unless I do so, they are by default huntresses."

Unholy Worship bows her head respectfully towards OrchidStar. She then turns her head to the next ruler. "Does your clan have a belief system? A religion of sorts? If so, any symbols to show dedication?

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Afelis nodded his head respectfully.

"The Colony follows the Raven and the Buzzard, two magnificent birds."

Afelis glanced to a large tree where the two birds sat on the twisted branches. The Raven on one side, the Buzzard on the other, both spectating the gathering with watchful eyes.

"These two birds symbolize The Colony. They each stand for specific things, and they marked my arrival to my territory, as well as my travels to reach the marvelous forest where I reside."

The adolescent held a patient gaze, and murmured:

"When I arrived in Mirewood, the Raven and the Buzzard were there."

Afelis looked to the next king/queen.

"Do you believe in life after death?"

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Orchidstar twitched her ears in surprise at the king's question, then respectfully nodded her head in his direction. "I do believe in life after death. I believe that the pridemates that choose to come back will come back, and those that don't will forever be content in their existence in a realm beyond even the strongest medicine lion's understanding. Or even, perhaps, that they solely remain living in our memories." The queen lowers her head solemnly, "I would love to believe that some of my beloved lionesses have come back to follow me again in their second, or even third lives, or even that they await me in some land beyond."

Shaking her head as if to clear the fog, Orchidstar turns to the next ruler. "Do you have any immortals that wander your pride? If so, why did you make them immortal?”

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"I do not believe the honor given to such lions is necessary," Kair drawled. "A ruler is there for a reason: to lead and to be respected. When respect is divided, it dwindles." He lifted his head, staring at the king next to be questioned, his scarce vision inspecting them.

"Do you say any adornments for your lions are essential?"

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Venus shook her head slowly. “Heavy is the crown, they say. I’d not have my lionesses weighed down.” She replied curtly with a flick of her tail. “Though I’ll respect the desire to adorn oneself, of course.”

Her response was almost too polite given the queen currently bore strange orange markings. “‘m tryna get cubs with more markings. Shoo.” Venus grumbled in a whisper to a lion giving her a curious look. “I’ll be back to normal in less than a moon.” She added, a hint of embarrassment showing in her body language.


“Right. Do *you* breed for appearances? Or are you a more… strength type of breeder?”

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Orchidstar turns to the queen and nods respectfully. "I love to breed for appearance, specifically "colorbombs". I am hoping that further down the royal line, a colorbomb leads the pride and sires our cubs. They're just so peculiar." The pink queen considers for a moment, then continues, "however, I primarily breed for mutations. Many of my lionesses are mutated and I love the way they look."

Orchidstar turns to the next leader. "Do you have a favourite primal variation?"

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Afelis did not hesitate in his response; Short and quick to the point.

"Smilus and Felis are the only two primals I care for. I have a strong dislike for Primal and an even stronger dislike for Ferus. Though, not to say I would hate the lion themselves, depending on what they're like."

The adolescent king nodded and turned his bright gaze to the next king/queen.

"All lions are afraid of something, no matter how big or how small; The fear or the lion themselves. What might that something be for you?"

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~Hearing an inquiry that caught her attention, the rainbow-hued infernal abomination known -to mortals, at least- as "Drug-Induced Rainbow Terror" emerged from the unknowable, alien corridor called "Todash" that stretched between universes, arriving as an uninvited guest to the gathering.~

"That's easy," Her voice, as hollow and unpleasant as the ring of a gallows chain, held a hint of amusement, "Stasis... or rather, stagnation. When nothing changes, boredom begins to set in- and the threat of madness is always worrisome."

The purple-eyed creature nodded at the young king as she finished speaking, settling herself at the edge of their gathering; just close enough to not seem rude and turned her attention to the other monarchs: "In numerous locations -including places you can likely only dream of visiting- color holds considerable meaning... and in our own pridelands, it holds whatever significance we want to give it. Keeping that in mind, is there a color you detest seeing any of your own followers wearing- and if there is, what color would it be and why?"

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He snorted, hot air hissing out of his nostrils. "Green is too garish for my already lessened sight. My lions are punished for having such a color upon themself; their punishments vary..." His claws tapped against the ground, seeming a bit too sharp.

His tail flicked in the direction of another ruler. "Is your pride welcome to those who call themselves 'Wandering?' If not, what's your reasoning?"

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