"I suppose that you must be Burningstar," came a deep voice as a pair of cats padded up. It was easy to see the relation between the two. He was larger than the she-cat who wore the flower crown, and his body had more fur, but they carried the same witch hazel eyes and a similar orange pelt. His had much less white than hers, and grew in longer spirts. Still, it was almost painfully obvious that the two were at least related. He carried himself in a similar way as his sister did, his shoulders back and eyes alert.

He looked at the leader, and then slid his eyes to Kerrigan, who nodded at him. His gaze slid back to Burningstar, the feline who was very possibly going to be his second mate. The phrase second sent tendrils of pain through his chest; it had been only a matter of moons since Ara died. He hadn't understood why his sister had selected him to fill this roll because of that. Couldn't Kellen had made a better selection, someone who hadn't experienced what it was like to love someone? Someone who didn't have children? Miles and Kya would be without both parents now. Kerrigan had promised him that they would be taken care of, had even offered that she could ask if they could come with him, to which he declined. After all, this was his duty and not theirs.

She had had to phrase it like that to get him to understand completely what this meant. Kerrigan had explained to Lindon that this was a mission, one that was for the good of the Monarchy. The gods had led her in selecting him to fit one the single most important role in foreign affairs other than Tsar. It was his duty to take up this burden, to integrate into another group for the betterment of the regime he was bound to. It was only then that he had accepted her offer, although he had known the whole time that it hadn't been an offer but an order the whole time.

---

Kerrigan looked far less aggressive than the last time Burningstar had saw her. There was even a smile on the face of the Tsar. After all, she had nothing to worry about now. Burningstar was right where she wanted her. The NightClan leader was under a two-fold threat. The first was an immediate one: if the leader did anything funny, she would be killed, if not by Kerrigan than by another member of the group. The second was more sinister: Kerrigan had the power of blackmail to keep the NightClan leader in the palm of her paw.

"I'm glad to see that you have made it, Burningstar,, I hope the trip was made in fair conditions," she greeted, as if the last time they had spoken, she hadn't debated killing the cat in cold blood. The threat lingered in the air, of course, but no one would have guessed it by her demeanor. This was for a particular reason: the cats of BrookClan did not know the rationale behind this union. They thought it was simply a marriage born of love and unity. Only Lindon knew its true cause.

"Welcome to the Monarchy's homeland. Feel free to make yourself at home. This, as you may have guessed, is Lindon," she meowed, before notioning to her brother.

Kerrigan nodded. "We appreciate that. It is quite different from territories of clans like your own, being that the territory is split in parts to the royal families. However, it suits us well." It was large, it was forested, it had a large source of water. It was perfect for the cats that preffered fishing to hunting. "It suits its purpose. I am glad you were able to find it with little problem, it seems. I can also understand why you may be overwhelmed." She nodded thoughtfully to this. It was clear she had no sympathy for this emotion, but she could understand it.

"As for how this will go, I understand the importance of you two meeting each other and getting to know each other in a private manner. Because of this, I will permit the two of you to spend a bit of time alone before the big announcement. There are several options for this. The first, you two could be invited into my den if you would like to be completely alone. Of course, I would be stationed not incredibly far from the mouth of my den, but I will only interrupt if it is made clear that my brother is in danger." She glanced over at Lindon, hoping this statement didn't bother him. "The second option is that we can lead you to the gathering area. If you are interested in BrookClan culture, this would be the ideal place. However, it isn't the most private, as felines linger there often. The final option is for you two to walk through the territory together. Since you are our guest, Burningstar, you may make the decision based on what would make you most comfortable."

She glanced to her brother and then back at Burningstar. "Whatever your decision, we will make the announcement at sun-high." or whatever the equivalent to noon is rip

---

Lindon was unbothered by the glance, for a two-fold reason. The first was that he knew that Burningstar could very well be forced into this against her will. The second was that, despite this being political in start, he understood that there was no reason to be aggressive towards a potential real connection between the two. if Ara had taught him anything, it was that love could be found in unusual places. In fact, he found himself doing the same thing, letting his eyes wander across her as he tried to become familiar with her shape. He did this as his sister spoke; he knew exactly what she was saying to the leader without even listening. After all, she had made sure he was aware of her plan several times. When she concluded her monologue, it was his turn to speak.

"The pleasure is mine, Burningstar," he meowed. His voice was sultry, yet it had a certain rasp to its deep tones. "As my sister explained, it would be smarter for us to get to know at least the basics of each other here while we are in a safe territory. The more we know each other, the more we can act as if we are truly mates." It was clear that the Harlow intellect that Kerrigan carried with her was not limited to just the Tsar. The whole family was strategic, each in their own way.

"I agree that that will make the front look most realistic. Kerrigan has explained that your warriors are not the most friendly towards those that don't belong, so our aliby should be as strong as possible." He offered her a smile. "As for sleeping arrangements, how close we come will be all up to you. I am comfortable with whatever will make you most comfortable, Burningstar." There was a kindness in his voice. Perhaps this was different from his sister. Even when her tone was light and she was being particularly charasmatic, there was seldom kindness anywhere close to the tonality of her voice. He was not so. Although he was strict in nature, Miles and Kya could both confirm that, he was not mean, nor even morally grey.

"I'm glad we are on the same page," he meowed at her, offering her a smile. He was nervous and uncomfortable at the presence of Burningstar. He didn't know what to expect. No one would be able to guess that from looking at him, though. The large orange feline looked perfectly relaxed. He had been trained well to never let other cats see you bat an eye.

The tom noted when she discussed kittens, and he made an internal note of the fact that she desired it one day. Would this be his job? He wasn't sure, but he assumed it would be. He had never imagined having another litter after Ara died, so it was odd to think about. Very strange indeed. Yet, he let out a chuckle at the mention of the antics of the kittens. It looked like they all had spirit, which was something that he appreciated. He had been told to make sure that the kittens were protected in all circumstances by Kerrigan, but he doubted that they needed it. He could tell that Burningstar really loved them. "I'm sure they're wonderful," he meowed with a genuine smile.

"I have two kittens of my own. Myles and Kya," he meowed their names with a soft sort of inflection. He would miss the two. "Myles, well, he makes a habit to make sure everyone is underwhelmed by him. He didn't cope as well when his mother died, I don't think. I worry that I've been a bad father to him, that he hates me. But, he is a royal, and must act as one." He sighed gently at the thoughts of his son. "As for Kya, she is a brilliant young cat. I'm sure she will make an incredible warrior. I told her to look after her brother for me." He smiled softly, before blinking. "You'll meet them today at the meeting, I would imagine. Good kids, both of them."

"As for my other family. Kerrigan, of course, is my sister, the second youngest of our family. Our litter has never been close, though. We all have different hopes, different dreams. Her's was always to be on top, and, well, she made it. Our mother was particularly harsh on us, but it trained me to be an effective creature. Kellen and Hadley made our two full-siblings, but Sammy and Viatrix are both half-related." He spoke the name of Sammy in a dull voice, as if it was a sin to even mention the cat that questioned the Tsar. "We grew up average, though, only thrown in the limelight after Kerrigan performed her coupe."

He waved his tail at her, as if to stop her in her tracks. "There is no need," he meowed to her at her offer. "My children understand that I have been called to serve my clan and my gods. They will be taken care of. I do not worry about them. I, myself, will adjust. If the gods were against this arrangement, then they would have stepped in to stop it by now. Instead, they have given me the peace of mind to accept that this is what I am called to do. Each of us has a different call. I have accepted mine." He had been unwilling to do this at first. He hadn't tried to fight with the Tsar, as he knew how dangerous that was, but he hadn't been thrilled with the proposition. He then remembered his conversation with Silentheart. She had been the one who had made it easier for him to accept, and he had taken her knowing nature as a sign that the gods intended this to be how his life would turn to be.

"Their mother passed away shortly after their birth," he then murmured, as if to assure her that Ara was out of the picture. "Even if she hadn't, she would have understood. Her faith that things happened accordnig to the gods' plan helped me learn to accept things that I cannot change. This is one of those things." He offered her what could be considered a smile, although there was a sadness found deep in his eyes. He blinked the sudden emotion away.

"They must stay in BrookClan. It is where they belong, where they were born, where they have friends. My calling is not theirs, and I would never force that upon them. Plus, I believe that perhaps Myles is happy that I won't be around." He chuckled at the thought of his son, who was notorious for not seeing eye-to-eye with the rest of the royalty. "You'll meet them both after the clan meeting." He then let out another sigh.

"If I hadn't come to accept this as my mission, we would not be standing here. Do not worry about me, Burningstar."

"Once things get settled, we can determine if it would be good for them to come," he meowed. "I understand that your clan may not enjoy my pressence, though. I don't want to put them any more at risk than they absolutely have to be. I would rather just come back to see them." He said this with a half smile,his head tilted.

"I appreciate that. She was wonderful while she was here," he admitted, blinking twice. He then quickly moved on. "As for the gods, we worship them but they seldom interact with those of us not in positions of power. I have never interacted with the gods myself, alhtough I am dedicated to Cauil. "I am no scholar on the gods, but I know that they it is the gods who control things like disasters and births, and all things in between. Our ancestors meet them the day that they pass to the next side."

Lindon blinked before considering her next point. "Is that not how your clan is?" He had never existed in a space where the entire territory was communal. "Each royal family has their own space. However, others are more than welcome to walk on it. You must get permission to hunt on the territories of others, though."

"I do not have to follow StarClan, do I?" he asked, finally finding a concern with the situation. He did not want to end up in the Lost Lands, the land after death of those who stole and blasphemed. Those who believed in things like StarClan, especially after they had been taught the truth of the Gods. The hazel eyed feline shuderred at the belief. Of course, he was no missionary; he would not try to convince others that StarClan was a concept of their imagination. But having to denounce his own religion was one thing he was not keen on.

"There are four minor gods," he began. This was information that everyone knew. "And one major god. The beginning of time started with the major god, Nivet. They spoke the universe into existence, created trees, the territory, the world around us. They were allpowerful, a balance of good and evil, light and dark. It was a sad existence, though, to live in a universe alone. So, they created the first of the minor gods, Cauil. They gave him a share of their power, particularly the power over life." He flicked his tail. Reciting this was not hard, as these were the messages they had been taught since infanthood. "Cauil created cats like you and I, but their lives were as eternal as the lives of the gods. The lives were long, suffering."

"Nivet, then, out of sympathy for their creations, created another. Marli was her name. This god was given the power of death, to end the suffering. There are more details than that, though, but we haven't all day." He let out a smile. "Next came Devonei, who provided order to the world. He spoke the laws and rules of the Monarchy, created a society for the cats. After a while, Nivet found that there was no balance between order and disorder in a world where the latter didn't exist. They created Tiveronah, the god of chaos, and the world became balanced with life and death, disorder and order."

Lindon blinked his eyes. "Cauil is the god of life, of suffering. The God who values growth and overcoming obsticals." He felt like he had been talking for moons by this point, to which he gave a shy shrug to.

"Did I explain enough? Did that answer that question?"