Post by Sohtoh on May 16, 2009 1:44:45 GMT -5
Roscoe - Whitetail Buck
Velia - Whitetail Doe
Niabi - Cow Elk
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Clover Lawn
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As much as he hated to admit it, Velia was right. That dead deer in the pathway very well could've been him.. except for the fact that Roscoe was very good at defending himself. He figured that the cougar was the murderer, since lynx never went after very large prey. He knew he could fight against a lynx, and he believed he could fight a cougar, but he didn't know. "Don't worry about me, Velia. I've fended off small groups of wolves before, and I don't go looking for trouble." he said, with an emphasis on the 'looking'. His smile remained on his face, until she had mentioned summer being closer to something, which he assumed she meant the rut. It was quite awkward, and he blinked once or twice before chuckling, and speaking up again. "Yes, well.. ..these clover buds are great, aren't they?"
Velia can't help but laugh a bit. "Great? They're fantastic! I feel as fat as a hog already! Crisper and fresher than anything I've tasted and it's hardly spring yet! It makes me rather want to stay here, I think... Oh, well, yeah..." She perks up slightly, looking over at you.
The male's smile widened further, and he laughed yet again at her enthusiasm. At least she was enjoying the small meal, though by his standards it wasn't that much. Clover was one of his favorite things to graze upon, but he knew that all good things must be enjoyed in moderation. "There should be some different grasses up on some hills to the north. Would you like to try some?" he asked, and thought for a moment about his and her words. There weren't any insults this timee, by either of them! Things seemed to be shaping up, finally.
Velia blinks up at you, looking almost cautious. "Well, there's plenty of time you know... You might be young but there's no need to get hasty. I'm quite fine staying right where I am! Well, unless you wanted to go there..." She shuffles around on her hooves a bit, looking up towards the mountains and sniffing the air.
Her refusal didn't bug him one bit. She wanted to stay here? That was fine by him. He was mostly full for the moment anyway, and lifted his head back up, finishing the bite of clover sprigs that he had tore from the ground before speaking again. "You keep telling me that I'm young.. I'm not /that/ young, you know." he said, though he was only three years old. A year past his reproductive maturation age, but that didn't much matter to him. In his eyes, he had plenty of time to find a partner and have fawns. He didn't understand why so many bucks rushed into things like that; another way in which he differed from the vast majority.
Velia laughs capriciously, taking a few steps closer to you. "Well you smell young. And you act young. A few scars would probably toughen you up a bit, hah! It's clear you haven't seen much of the world yet..." She looks down at your hooves. "Well... Roscoe... To be honest..." She suddenly snorts and looks away. "Whatever, I'm just thinking, we have so much clover here, no point in risking another trip... We might as well just... Stay here a bit..."
Furrowing his brow, he senses another arguement brewing between the two. "A few scars? I've got more than a few scars, velia." he said in a matter-of-fact tone, though his heavy coat didn't show it. Though his winter fur had begun to shed, his dark red coat was still not very visable at this point. "I travelled all the way here from the cold lands alone, so I've been attacked quite a few times." he said, and noticed her sudden stammerin, and blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Are you okay?" he asked first, then, "..To be honest.. what?"
Velia shakes her head a bit. "Of course! I'm totally fine! What do you take me for, a mewling sickling? She doesn't really seem that angry at all, more that she's trying to cover for herself. "Well... If you have scars maybe you can show me?" She smirks. "Unless you forgot where they are."
Sighing, the buck shook his head. "No. Of course not.." he said, and then watched her some more. She wasn't angry, and she wasn't being overly sarcastic, but he had to wonder why she wasn't at least being honest with him. Hadn't he proven already that he was a relatively nice stag? Apparently not. Her inquiry to see his scares left him slightly confused, but he nodded and turned to his side. "You can't see them much now, but there are some near my ribs on this side.." he said, and turned around to the other side. "And some near my knee on this leg. Damn wolves." He remembered only little bits of the fights; like how he got away. But that story would be shared only if she asked.
Velia looks around at you, nodding as you speak. "Wolves aren't the worst out there, but there are many... Hmmph..." She looks down at your leg, sniffing carefully and leaning your head close. "Thin skin indeed... Those fangs were probably blunt and they still cut you... Hah, it's like a leaf, isn't it. I..." She lowers her head a bit and then raises up to sniff at your flank. "I really do think that..." She leans a bit towards you, letting you just barely feel the side of her head rub across your thick winter hairs.
Feeling proud of himself for surviving the attacks, he took slight offense to her 'thin skin' remark, and wasted no time correcting her. "No.. their fangs were very sharp, as a matter of fact.." he said, and trailed off as she sort of rubbed her head against his pelt. He blinked, and cleared his throat again, stepping away slightly, and without a word. It was quite the awkward situation, and if deer could blush, he would be now. "What? What's wrong with you, madam?" he asked again.
Everything about her seemed agitated now, and he felt like a moron. "I'm sorry, ..I didn't mean anything by it." he said, and lowered his head a bit, trying to show her his empathy. He really was sorry, and didn't want another arguement like the one they had when they were first introduced. "Please, my deepest apologies." he said, and chuckled a bit. "It's just, you keep stammering.. what is it that you're trying to say?" Again, he tilted his head with this question, his ears perking up.
Velia stands there, looking strangely sad. "No no... Oh Roscoe, don't apologize... You're a buck, stop acting like a doe. You're just so..." She bristles up, looking more defensive now. "You're just so hard to talk to! So...! So... So tolerant... Affectionate... Accepting and... And..." She buckles slightly, looking like she might fall down.
How strange.. it was like.. she was complimenting him and insulting him all in one. He didn't know whether to chastise her for her confrontational nature anymore, or to thank her and be on with their day. It was when she looked as if she was about to fall over that he showed a look of concern, and her safety was the most important. Striding over to her side quickly, he chuckled again, and lifted her chin with his forehead, in an attempt to re-balance her. "I'm .. sorry?" he added, mid-laugh.
Velia trembles slightly, letting out a deep sigh. "Stop apologizing! I'm the one who should be. I just can't say it and I hate it so much." She seems to gain her strength back as you lift her head up, standing there in front of you. She seems ready to butt you or dash away for a moment but then she suddenly steps forward, pressing the side of her muzzle firmly against yours and leaning close to you.
Well, that was a very interesting gathering of creatures, indeed! But when Niabi started to graze afterwards, she realized she was actually thirsty and, excusing herself from Catori, she headed towards the river. Little did she know that she was headed straight for a familiar face and an unfamiliar one. When she sees them ahead of her, she quickens her pace and calls out, "Hello!" as she approaches.
He couldn't help but apologize to her when he felt that he did something wrong, and with her, we was constantly feeling that way, and so he was constantly apologizing. "I'm s--.." he said, and stopped himself, shaking his head instead. "You don't need to apologize, I just thought you might've gotten sick.. too many clovers or --" Again he was cut off, but this time not by her anger; quite the contrary! By her affection! In an instant, she had nuzzled up against him. Seeing no reason to push her away this time, he nuzzled back hesitantly, then relaxed a bit. TWITTERPATED! It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice that he stopped, and grinned at the cow elk. "Hello, Niabi." he said calmly, and looked at Velia. "This is one of the female elk I told you about. Her name is Niabi. Velia, Niabi. Niabi, Velia."
Velia suddenly stumbles back, almost tripping over her hind legs. She sways around and finally rights herself, standing up in a rigid pose with her tail up. "Ugh! Morons! I didn't know this place was a stomping ground for... For *them!* What are you here for, looking to edge out our field? How long were you watching us!?"
Oh, she can see what's happening here. But she has the good grace to pretend that she has absolutely no idea. "If you're looking for a spy, I'm sorry, but you have the wrong elk," Niabi says with a friendly smile. Considering the situation she's stumbled upon, she doesn't blame the young whitetail for anything she's said. She was young once herself! No, wait a minute, she's still young! "I saw nothing, I swear," she adds, lying through her teeth. And it's a lie that she's going to hide behind forever if she has to. (repose)
Roscoe is slightly disappointed when Velia recoils the way that she did, and sighs lightly. "Velia, please. Niabi is a friend." he says, and huffs a breath of air from his nostrils, pacing back over to her side and holding his head above hers. "We all share these lands here.. look, there's plenty to go around." he said, trying to keep the peace between the two females, though he didn't have much to worry about with Niabi, as far as he knew from his brief encounters with her in the past.
Velia stands there, looking alert. "Yes, yes, plenty of food... I'm more concerned about space. With her bulk it's like being stuck in a cave even in the fields." She scratches at the ground with a hoof, looking as if she feels a bit awkward. She mutters, "Right when I was going to..."
Niabi gives Velia a sympathetic smile. "If you think I'm big, you should have seen who I met this morning," she glances at Roscoe, "It was a moose! A /bull/ moose. He was to me what I am to you, and then some." She turns back to Velia, and says, "Really, I'm quite small, I swear." The elk figures that if she keeps acting good-natured enough for long enough, sooner or later she'll start to grow on Velia. Works every time.
When was Velia going to give up this tough doe act? He may have understood more if they had a chance to talk about her past, but she seemed so keen on forgetting about it.. and he figured that something bad must have happened to her before. With a look of almost sadness, the buck leaned up against the doe and nuzzed against her cheek softly for a moment. "Please, be nice. She can help us." he said sort of quietly, trying to talk some sense into the doe who he knew was just defending what she believed to be their territory. Niabi caught Roscoe's attention when she mentioned a bull moose, and his jaw hung open slightly. "A.. a MOOSE?" he asked, and laughed light heartedly. "Where in the world did you find a moose?"
Velia glares at the elk, realizing that she might actually be worth respecting. At least she has a good attitude for her kind. "It's fine, I just didn't expect... Well, I don't like being caught off guard. And I was just about to, you know, talk about something. Personal. Not exactly something for an elk to be spreading around." She trails off and stops speaking as Roscoe presses up against her, freezing as if caught in some kind of mental trap.
Niabi chuckles at Roscoe's reaction. "He was across the river, directly west of here, in that really dense part of the forest. His name is Lempo and he's really nice. A he's /HUGE/," she says, as if she can't emphasize that last point enough. To Velia she gives a nod and says, "I grew up in a very large herd, Velia. I know exactly what happens when idle tongues spread things around. So I don't. End of story." Her tone is firm and suddenly serious as she remembers the inevitable fights that brought in her old herd, all for stupid reasons.
"You were?" he blinked at the doe, and then smiled sort of nervously, with a short laugh. He stays close to her, and even nuzzles her once again, since that seemed to sort of calm her down. She seemed to want to be close anyway, and he had to admit that it was nice. After showing slightly more affection towards Velia, he paid attenion once again to the cow elk. "Well, we'll have to meet him sometime soon, then." he said, referring to all three of them, though he wasn't particularly sure if these two were ever going to be the best of friends.
Velia stands there leaning against Roscoe, holding her muzzle against the side of his chest. She even seems to close her eyes a bit, perhaps giving up on the words that she was having such trouble expressing earlier.
Niabi lets them have a quiet moment before she speaks again. "Hmm, perhaps it would help if I introduced myself fully, Velia," she says quietly. After all, very few who know her well can do anything /but/ like her. "My name is Niabi; I was a member of the guard in a very large herd. I'm very loyal; I risk my life for my friends whenever I have to, and I'm happy to do it. I've had more than my fair share of tragedy in my life; much more. And I would like your friendship, either now or later, if possible." She smiles a little when she's finished, obviously pleased to give such a report of herself.
Finally, it seemed that the two would be inseperable from then on out. Or at least, be comfortable with their affection for one another. He smiled widely when she just leaned against him calmly, and rested his chin on her forehead, keeping his attention focused equally on both of the females. Niabi had gone ahead and introduced herself formally, and his smile only grew wider and wider, until he lifted his head from Velia's. "We can trust her, she's a good friend." he said, and held his head in his usual, regal pose.
Velia nods slightly. "It's fine... I'll say that you seem like a good sort. For an elk. I... I'm sorry, I've not been myself the past few days. Or, I mean, I have been myself, but it's just... Oh, damnit, why do I keep on staying with you people?" She rubs against Roscoe almost affectionately and smiles a bit. "Hmm?"
Niabi smiles again, satisfied with that answer despite the obvious flaws in it. "It's because it's too hard for /anyone/ to go it alone," she says firmly in answer the question, nevermind that it what rhetorical. "Well, I'm actually just passing through to get a drink from the river," she says, her tone going business-like, "I'll let you two get back to whatever it was you were doing." It's hard, but she manages to suppress a knowing smile as she turns away.
Roscoe can't help but keep that smile plastered on his face while Velia is showing such affection, and is very pleased with how things went between the three deer. The couple had gotten a meal, and the two females had befriended each other. It seemed as if the day could only get better as it progressed. Nuzzling up against Velia more, the buck nodded a goodbye to Niabi, and spoke one, too. "Goodbye, and it was nice to see you again." he said, and then looked down at the doe that seemed quite content where she was. Laughing a little more, he shrugged gently. "I don't know. Why /do/ you stay with me?"
Velia nods to Niabi and then turns to Roscoe again as the elk leaves. "I don't know myself. Weren't you the one who couldn't wait to be rid of me?" She smiles slightly. "I was still going to say something..."
"Well, we both weren't in the best moods.." he said, defending both her and himself. "You're quite nice company, actually. I'd love it if you stayed with me." he said with his grin still on his face, and then perked his ears forward, his eyes opening fully. "What is it that you wanted to say?" he asked, pretty curious as to what it was, since she had been struggling to say it for a while now.
Velia nods gently and presses towards you slightly. "It's... It should be clear to you now. Unless you're even stupider than I first thought you were. I didn't mean to, well... Upset you..." She paces up to stand side by side with you, holding her head right under yours and nuzzling under your chin. "I knew it clearly when I smelled you earlier, before you could even see me."
A nervous, semi-shy laugh escapes the prince, and he lifts a brow in response to her light hearted insult, but lets it go. "Well.. maybe I'd just like to hear you actually say it?" he said, caught somewhat by suprise when she re-appeared beneath his chin and continued to nuzzle him. Yes, he certainly /was/ glad that he came to these lands now.
Velia laughs gently as she presses up against Roscoe's muzzle from below. "Ahh, Roscoe, don't be silly. I'm no good with words. I always seem to make people angry. Even you. I wasn't expecting that to hurt so much, but now I know why."
Roscoe gives the doe a rather serious look, and shakes his head. "I could help you with that. It always helps if you can talk yourself out of danger.. so it's a good skill to learn." he said, and continued his nuzzling. He incorporated his forehead into the affection, as eventually he wouldn't be able to, what with sharp antlers erupting from his skull and all. "I know you don't want me to apologize.. but I am sorry for the way I treated you yesterday. It was a bad day.. but I know that's not an excuse." The buck did feel extremely bad about their first encounter, but supposed that it turned out well in the end.
Velia snorts. "I should kick you! Stop apologizing all the time, fah! You're terrible... And I love you for it."
Chuckling, Roscoe remembered a lesson taught to him by his father, even when he was still in his mother's care. "I can't help it.. something that my father taught me at a young age." he said, and was caught off guard when she said that she loved him. It was quite strange, after only knowing this female for little more than a day, but he felt the same. It was a strange connection that he felt, that he couldn't really explain. With one more nuzzle, he closed his eyes half way and sighed. "Love you, too."
Velia - Whitetail Doe
Niabi - Cow Elk
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Clover Lawn
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As much as he hated to admit it, Velia was right. That dead deer in the pathway very well could've been him.. except for the fact that Roscoe was very good at defending himself. He figured that the cougar was the murderer, since lynx never went after very large prey. He knew he could fight against a lynx, and he believed he could fight a cougar, but he didn't know. "Don't worry about me, Velia. I've fended off small groups of wolves before, and I don't go looking for trouble." he said, with an emphasis on the 'looking'. His smile remained on his face, until she had mentioned summer being closer to something, which he assumed she meant the rut. It was quite awkward, and he blinked once or twice before chuckling, and speaking up again. "Yes, well.. ..these clover buds are great, aren't they?"
Velia can't help but laugh a bit. "Great? They're fantastic! I feel as fat as a hog already! Crisper and fresher than anything I've tasted and it's hardly spring yet! It makes me rather want to stay here, I think... Oh, well, yeah..." She perks up slightly, looking over at you.
The male's smile widened further, and he laughed yet again at her enthusiasm. At least she was enjoying the small meal, though by his standards it wasn't that much. Clover was one of his favorite things to graze upon, but he knew that all good things must be enjoyed in moderation. "There should be some different grasses up on some hills to the north. Would you like to try some?" he asked, and thought for a moment about his and her words. There weren't any insults this timee, by either of them! Things seemed to be shaping up, finally.
Velia blinks up at you, looking almost cautious. "Well, there's plenty of time you know... You might be young but there's no need to get hasty. I'm quite fine staying right where I am! Well, unless you wanted to go there..." She shuffles around on her hooves a bit, looking up towards the mountains and sniffing the air.
Her refusal didn't bug him one bit. She wanted to stay here? That was fine by him. He was mostly full for the moment anyway, and lifted his head back up, finishing the bite of clover sprigs that he had tore from the ground before speaking again. "You keep telling me that I'm young.. I'm not /that/ young, you know." he said, though he was only three years old. A year past his reproductive maturation age, but that didn't much matter to him. In his eyes, he had plenty of time to find a partner and have fawns. He didn't understand why so many bucks rushed into things like that; another way in which he differed from the vast majority.
Velia laughs capriciously, taking a few steps closer to you. "Well you smell young. And you act young. A few scars would probably toughen you up a bit, hah! It's clear you haven't seen much of the world yet..." She looks down at your hooves. "Well... Roscoe... To be honest..." She suddenly snorts and looks away. "Whatever, I'm just thinking, we have so much clover here, no point in risking another trip... We might as well just... Stay here a bit..."
Furrowing his brow, he senses another arguement brewing between the two. "A few scars? I've got more than a few scars, velia." he said in a matter-of-fact tone, though his heavy coat didn't show it. Though his winter fur had begun to shed, his dark red coat was still not very visable at this point. "I travelled all the way here from the cold lands alone, so I've been attacked quite a few times." he said, and noticed her sudden stammerin, and blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Are you okay?" he asked first, then, "..To be honest.. what?"
Velia shakes her head a bit. "Of course! I'm totally fine! What do you take me for, a mewling sickling? She doesn't really seem that angry at all, more that she's trying to cover for herself. "Well... If you have scars maybe you can show me?" She smirks. "Unless you forgot where they are."
Sighing, the buck shook his head. "No. Of course not.." he said, and then watched her some more. She wasn't angry, and she wasn't being overly sarcastic, but he had to wonder why she wasn't at least being honest with him. Hadn't he proven already that he was a relatively nice stag? Apparently not. Her inquiry to see his scares left him slightly confused, but he nodded and turned to his side. "You can't see them much now, but there are some near my ribs on this side.." he said, and turned around to the other side. "And some near my knee on this leg. Damn wolves." He remembered only little bits of the fights; like how he got away. But that story would be shared only if she asked.
Velia looks around at you, nodding as you speak. "Wolves aren't the worst out there, but there are many... Hmmph..." She looks down at your leg, sniffing carefully and leaning your head close. "Thin skin indeed... Those fangs were probably blunt and they still cut you... Hah, it's like a leaf, isn't it. I..." She lowers her head a bit and then raises up to sniff at your flank. "I really do think that..." She leans a bit towards you, letting you just barely feel the side of her head rub across your thick winter hairs.
Feeling proud of himself for surviving the attacks, he took slight offense to her 'thin skin' remark, and wasted no time correcting her. "No.. their fangs were very sharp, as a matter of fact.." he said, and trailed off as she sort of rubbed her head against his pelt. He blinked, and cleared his throat again, stepping away slightly, and without a word. It was quite the awkward situation, and if deer could blush, he would be now. "What? What's wrong with you, madam?" he asked again.
Everything about her seemed agitated now, and he felt like a moron. "I'm sorry, ..I didn't mean anything by it." he said, and lowered his head a bit, trying to show her his empathy. He really was sorry, and didn't want another arguement like the one they had when they were first introduced. "Please, my deepest apologies." he said, and chuckled a bit. "It's just, you keep stammering.. what is it that you're trying to say?" Again, he tilted his head with this question, his ears perking up.
Velia stands there, looking strangely sad. "No no... Oh Roscoe, don't apologize... You're a buck, stop acting like a doe. You're just so..." She bristles up, looking more defensive now. "You're just so hard to talk to! So...! So... So tolerant... Affectionate... Accepting and... And..." She buckles slightly, looking like she might fall down.
How strange.. it was like.. she was complimenting him and insulting him all in one. He didn't know whether to chastise her for her confrontational nature anymore, or to thank her and be on with their day. It was when she looked as if she was about to fall over that he showed a look of concern, and her safety was the most important. Striding over to her side quickly, he chuckled again, and lifted her chin with his forehead, in an attempt to re-balance her. "I'm .. sorry?" he added, mid-laugh.
Velia trembles slightly, letting out a deep sigh. "Stop apologizing! I'm the one who should be. I just can't say it and I hate it so much." She seems to gain her strength back as you lift her head up, standing there in front of you. She seems ready to butt you or dash away for a moment but then she suddenly steps forward, pressing the side of her muzzle firmly against yours and leaning close to you.
Well, that was a very interesting gathering of creatures, indeed! But when Niabi started to graze afterwards, she realized she was actually thirsty and, excusing herself from Catori, she headed towards the river. Little did she know that she was headed straight for a familiar face and an unfamiliar one. When she sees them ahead of her, she quickens her pace and calls out, "Hello!" as she approaches.
He couldn't help but apologize to her when he felt that he did something wrong, and with her, we was constantly feeling that way, and so he was constantly apologizing. "I'm s--.." he said, and stopped himself, shaking his head instead. "You don't need to apologize, I just thought you might've gotten sick.. too many clovers or --" Again he was cut off, but this time not by her anger; quite the contrary! By her affection! In an instant, she had nuzzled up against him. Seeing no reason to push her away this time, he nuzzled back hesitantly, then relaxed a bit. TWITTERPATED! It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice that he stopped, and grinned at the cow elk. "Hello, Niabi." he said calmly, and looked at Velia. "This is one of the female elk I told you about. Her name is Niabi. Velia, Niabi. Niabi, Velia."
Velia suddenly stumbles back, almost tripping over her hind legs. She sways around and finally rights herself, standing up in a rigid pose with her tail up. "Ugh! Morons! I didn't know this place was a stomping ground for... For *them!* What are you here for, looking to edge out our field? How long were you watching us!?"
Oh, she can see what's happening here. But she has the good grace to pretend that she has absolutely no idea. "If you're looking for a spy, I'm sorry, but you have the wrong elk," Niabi says with a friendly smile. Considering the situation she's stumbled upon, she doesn't blame the young whitetail for anything she's said. She was young once herself! No, wait a minute, she's still young! "I saw nothing, I swear," she adds, lying through her teeth. And it's a lie that she's going to hide behind forever if she has to. (repose)
Roscoe is slightly disappointed when Velia recoils the way that she did, and sighs lightly. "Velia, please. Niabi is a friend." he says, and huffs a breath of air from his nostrils, pacing back over to her side and holding his head above hers. "We all share these lands here.. look, there's plenty to go around." he said, trying to keep the peace between the two females, though he didn't have much to worry about with Niabi, as far as he knew from his brief encounters with her in the past.
Velia stands there, looking alert. "Yes, yes, plenty of food... I'm more concerned about space. With her bulk it's like being stuck in a cave even in the fields." She scratches at the ground with a hoof, looking as if she feels a bit awkward. She mutters, "Right when I was going to..."
Niabi gives Velia a sympathetic smile. "If you think I'm big, you should have seen who I met this morning," she glances at Roscoe, "It was a moose! A /bull/ moose. He was to me what I am to you, and then some." She turns back to Velia, and says, "Really, I'm quite small, I swear." The elk figures that if she keeps acting good-natured enough for long enough, sooner or later she'll start to grow on Velia. Works every time.
When was Velia going to give up this tough doe act? He may have understood more if they had a chance to talk about her past, but she seemed so keen on forgetting about it.. and he figured that something bad must have happened to her before. With a look of almost sadness, the buck leaned up against the doe and nuzzed against her cheek softly for a moment. "Please, be nice. She can help us." he said sort of quietly, trying to talk some sense into the doe who he knew was just defending what she believed to be their territory. Niabi caught Roscoe's attention when she mentioned a bull moose, and his jaw hung open slightly. "A.. a MOOSE?" he asked, and laughed light heartedly. "Where in the world did you find a moose?"
Velia glares at the elk, realizing that she might actually be worth respecting. At least she has a good attitude for her kind. "It's fine, I just didn't expect... Well, I don't like being caught off guard. And I was just about to, you know, talk about something. Personal. Not exactly something for an elk to be spreading around." She trails off and stops speaking as Roscoe presses up against her, freezing as if caught in some kind of mental trap.
Niabi chuckles at Roscoe's reaction. "He was across the river, directly west of here, in that really dense part of the forest. His name is Lempo and he's really nice. A he's /HUGE/," she says, as if she can't emphasize that last point enough. To Velia she gives a nod and says, "I grew up in a very large herd, Velia. I know exactly what happens when idle tongues spread things around. So I don't. End of story." Her tone is firm and suddenly serious as she remembers the inevitable fights that brought in her old herd, all for stupid reasons.
"You were?" he blinked at the doe, and then smiled sort of nervously, with a short laugh. He stays close to her, and even nuzzles her once again, since that seemed to sort of calm her down. She seemed to want to be close anyway, and he had to admit that it was nice. After showing slightly more affection towards Velia, he paid attenion once again to the cow elk. "Well, we'll have to meet him sometime soon, then." he said, referring to all three of them, though he wasn't particularly sure if these two were ever going to be the best of friends.
Velia stands there leaning against Roscoe, holding her muzzle against the side of his chest. She even seems to close her eyes a bit, perhaps giving up on the words that she was having such trouble expressing earlier.
Niabi lets them have a quiet moment before she speaks again. "Hmm, perhaps it would help if I introduced myself fully, Velia," she says quietly. After all, very few who know her well can do anything /but/ like her. "My name is Niabi; I was a member of the guard in a very large herd. I'm very loyal; I risk my life for my friends whenever I have to, and I'm happy to do it. I've had more than my fair share of tragedy in my life; much more. And I would like your friendship, either now or later, if possible." She smiles a little when she's finished, obviously pleased to give such a report of herself.
Finally, it seemed that the two would be inseperable from then on out. Or at least, be comfortable with their affection for one another. He smiled widely when she just leaned against him calmly, and rested his chin on her forehead, keeping his attention focused equally on both of the females. Niabi had gone ahead and introduced herself formally, and his smile only grew wider and wider, until he lifted his head from Velia's. "We can trust her, she's a good friend." he said, and held his head in his usual, regal pose.
Velia nods slightly. "It's fine... I'll say that you seem like a good sort. For an elk. I... I'm sorry, I've not been myself the past few days. Or, I mean, I have been myself, but it's just... Oh, damnit, why do I keep on staying with you people?" She rubs against Roscoe almost affectionately and smiles a bit. "Hmm?"
Niabi smiles again, satisfied with that answer despite the obvious flaws in it. "It's because it's too hard for /anyone/ to go it alone," she says firmly in answer the question, nevermind that it what rhetorical. "Well, I'm actually just passing through to get a drink from the river," she says, her tone going business-like, "I'll let you two get back to whatever it was you were doing." It's hard, but she manages to suppress a knowing smile as she turns away.
Roscoe can't help but keep that smile plastered on his face while Velia is showing such affection, and is very pleased with how things went between the three deer. The couple had gotten a meal, and the two females had befriended each other. It seemed as if the day could only get better as it progressed. Nuzzling up against Velia more, the buck nodded a goodbye to Niabi, and spoke one, too. "Goodbye, and it was nice to see you again." he said, and then looked down at the doe that seemed quite content where she was. Laughing a little more, he shrugged gently. "I don't know. Why /do/ you stay with me?"
Velia nods to Niabi and then turns to Roscoe again as the elk leaves. "I don't know myself. Weren't you the one who couldn't wait to be rid of me?" She smiles slightly. "I was still going to say something..."
"Well, we both weren't in the best moods.." he said, defending both her and himself. "You're quite nice company, actually. I'd love it if you stayed with me." he said with his grin still on his face, and then perked his ears forward, his eyes opening fully. "What is it that you wanted to say?" he asked, pretty curious as to what it was, since she had been struggling to say it for a while now.
Velia nods gently and presses towards you slightly. "It's... It should be clear to you now. Unless you're even stupider than I first thought you were. I didn't mean to, well... Upset you..." She paces up to stand side by side with you, holding her head right under yours and nuzzling under your chin. "I knew it clearly when I smelled you earlier, before you could even see me."
A nervous, semi-shy laugh escapes the prince, and he lifts a brow in response to her light hearted insult, but lets it go. "Well.. maybe I'd just like to hear you actually say it?" he said, caught somewhat by suprise when she re-appeared beneath his chin and continued to nuzzle him. Yes, he certainly /was/ glad that he came to these lands now.
Velia laughs gently as she presses up against Roscoe's muzzle from below. "Ahh, Roscoe, don't be silly. I'm no good with words. I always seem to make people angry. Even you. I wasn't expecting that to hurt so much, but now I know why."
Roscoe gives the doe a rather serious look, and shakes his head. "I could help you with that. It always helps if you can talk yourself out of danger.. so it's a good skill to learn." he said, and continued his nuzzling. He incorporated his forehead into the affection, as eventually he wouldn't be able to, what with sharp antlers erupting from his skull and all. "I know you don't want me to apologize.. but I am sorry for the way I treated you yesterday. It was a bad day.. but I know that's not an excuse." The buck did feel extremely bad about their first encounter, but supposed that it turned out well in the end.
Velia snorts. "I should kick you! Stop apologizing all the time, fah! You're terrible... And I love you for it."
Chuckling, Roscoe remembered a lesson taught to him by his father, even when he was still in his mother's care. "I can't help it.. something that my father taught me at a young age." he said, and was caught off guard when she said that she loved him. It was quite strange, after only knowing this female for little more than a day, but he felt the same. It was a strange connection that he felt, that he couldn't really explain. With one more nuzzle, he closed his eyes half way and sighed. "Love you, too."