Mally laughed again, a sweet mysterious sound that kyera couldn't help but chuckle at. "You know me too well Ky." it sounded like a compliment. Mally began steeping the leaves in the kettle, filling the room with a gentle aroma of calm and healing. Kyera breathed deeply letting the sensations of the scent flood over her.
"Well I should. At any rate… this gathering party just went hunting squirrels." The tigress chuckled and the leopardess nodded. Her face got slightly more serious as she poured tea for them both.
"Well, I need to explain the Garden a bit. This could take a while." Mally warned her and Kyera nodded sitting down on the edge of the platform.
"I got time." she replied with a shrug of her good shoulder. Mally took a seat by her.
"So there are 3 categories of creatures here, 4 if you count the fresh blood." Mally began pausing to collect her thoughts a bit. She was literally trying to condense down 5 years of learning to a single bite sized chunk. It wasn't the easiest thing to do.
"First of course, are the Wild Ones. They are kinda basic of the basic like back home. Just animal forms, simple intelligence and most of them have grown dependant on the beauties who feed and groom them." Mally began with the easiest and Kyera frowned. The look on her face between confusion and surprise.
"Groom?" Kyera's single word response gained a slow nod.
"Yea, i know perhaps Domestic ones is a better word, but… it sounds insulting." Mally replied shrugging both shoulders. "Anyway, second tier is the Domestic Shifters." the irony of this title did not escape Kyera's notice. It was a blatant contradiction at that point. "We intended it to sound insulting. These are the shifters who obey the third group."
"The third we call the Royal Pains. They are the Shifters who have snuggled up to the humans and try to force all of us to obey. They get the best food, best care, and work as a group to torment anyone who doesn't fall in line." Mally explained yet again, her voice filled with hatred and disgust. Kyera waited patiently, continuing to drink the soothing tea. "We have tiger shifters and rabbit shifters obeying A lion! A lion Kyera." her pain and anger was clear as day in her voice. The hairs on the back of Kyera's neck stood on end.
"What?" Kyera's voice was sharper than she had intended it to be. Much sharper. Mally nodded.
"What's worse is they try to make us behave like lions. Hunting in packs, offering our kill to the head lion and lionesses first then eating leftovers… it is ridiculous. If you refuse things get bloody." Mally continued to voice her grievances for several long minutes. The tea having been long gone from their cups, Kyera poured them both more, which they threw back like shots of calming rather than tea.
"Alright, before we go any further what's the last group, you said four?" Kyera asked keeping her head. Something didn't seem quite right. With all the powerful animals she had scented in this place, why would Lions rule?
While she mulled that over Mally took several deep breaths till she felt calm. Followed by ten more full breaths to make sure, before continuing on. "The last topic is the Rebellion. We do not obey their rules. And have found ways to fight them." Mally's voice was filled with pride. "You see we make our kills and return here. To our hidden base while those Royal Pains all stay close to the human gardens. Leor tried to kill me, but I am too close to the prince. If i die human, then he will be put down!" the excitement and triumph in Mally's voice made Kyera grin. There was a slyness to that plan that screamed that the jungle wasn't dead in this woman.
This was the Leopardess
Who faced down her elders and protected her friends from poachers. The first to sell wares in the Bazaar. The little hellcat that Kyera couldn't help but love.
"I managed to get most of us places among the palace staff. We hide out here when we are off work, and since we all have to do with tending the gardens… we help each other cover and prove our 'abilities'." Mally began laying out the intricate details of her plan and how each member of the rebellion could protect themselves. Kyera smiled, this was something worth doing.