Raised by Lions

Chapter 29: Gumi Meeting

Louis straightened his tie as they pulled into the parking lot of the meeting place. It was a bar that none of the Gumis had a handle in, a place smack in the middle of all four territories and mutual ground.

Sabu stayed in the car while Free and Miguel placed themselves at the bar. Louis followed Ibuki up to the meeting room.

In the middle of the room was four chairs across from each other with a small coffee table in between them. Louis and Ibuki were the first to arrive.

A few minutes later, Legosi and Gosha appeared. Gosha and Ibuki greeted each other, nodding to acknowledge the other heir. Louis and Legosi greeted each other as well. "You ready for this?" Legosi whispered. Louis let out a soft sigh, "Ready as I'll ever be."

Legosi gave Louis a nod and a gentle smile, before schooling his facial features into a neutral look. Louis did something similar.

Not five minutes later, the Madaragumi arrive. Mercia greeted the other two leaders. She was a slender, yellow leopard with sharp brown eyes. To her side stood a male that appeared to be a Gazelle-Leopard hybrid, judging by the horns and tail. Mercia introduced him as her son, Melon. He looked somewhat older than them, maybe in his early twenties, but it was hard to tell.

Shortly after, Ten arrived, the red fox vixen looked done up as usual. By her side was a younger red fox vixen, possibly 14 at most, introduced as her daughter, Sora.

After everyone was greeted, they took their seats. With there being only four seats, the heirs had to get creative. Their choices were very telling of their positions in their respective Gumi hierarchy.

Sora sat on the left of her mother on the chair's armrest, her legs crossed one over the other and hands folded in her lap. She looked like a right lady.

Melon sat on his haunches on Mercia's right side on the floor, his eyes and horns just sticking out over the table. He seems less than enthused to be there.

Legosi stood behind Gosha's chair, to the right side, arms crossed and knees locked. He was in it to stand the whole time, it appeared. With his stature, he appeared more like a guard than an heir.

Louis had taken a seat on top of the backrest of the chair Ibuki was seated in, his one foot on the right side armrest and the other one crossed over it. He'd checked with Ibuki earlier, who had said it was fine if he chose to sit like that. He hadn't wanted to cross any boundaries he may not know about, but he was assured he wouldn't.

One of each of their respective people had come in and brought them drinks. Miguel had given Ibuki a glass of whiskey and handed Louis a glass of his favourite red wine. Ronan had appeared to hand Gosha a bourbon and Legosi had what appeared to be whiskey. Mercia had white wine, with Melon drinking a beer and Ten had a cocktail, while Sora sipped a cider.

Once the others had left, the Gumi bosses got straight to business.

Louis surveyed their words carefully. Everything they said and every way their eyes moved during those sentences. It told him a lot more than one would think.

Sora seemed lost at what was happening, staying quiet as her mother handled the negotiations and business. Ten was deadset on getting the smaller gangs out of her territory and was mildly furious that they didn't seem to be a problem for any of the other Gumis.

Melon wasn't interested, instead playing with the notches in the floor next to where he sat. His mother's tail would whack him upside the head every now and again to get him to pay attention. He would scowl at her, try to pay attention for a few minutes and then go back to fiddling with the floorboards. Mercia was still hung up on the shootout years ago, about how a kid and one young lion could take out half her Gumi alone. Ibuki simply shrugged and commented that the ones who died were subpar if they couldn't even win against a child and a teenager.