Post by Therdde on Nov 5, 2009 15:31:12 GMT -5
Characters:
Maul - Female Juvenile Cougar
Qaletaqa - Male Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Eroded Well -
By the looks of it, Maul cannot possibly be comfortable. The rock she has chosen is just barely large enough to accommodate her, and the fact that she is lying on her back, with her forelegs stretched out over her head as her body seems to bend nearly in half over the rock, might make it look painful to any observers. Maul, however, is simply enjoying the opportunity to let the sun warm her belly. She has grown a lot in the past couple months, though she remains dwarfed by the adults in the tribe. Not all of her growth has been physical, though, and it is probably for this reason that she prefers, more often than not, to be alone.
It's nice to see Qaletaqa in anything other than the bellyslink that is his usual method of locomotion. He, like Maul, has grown physically and mentally, though he still isn't used to being...accepted. Every time he thinks of the word, he smiles to himself. The male hasn't grown taller but he has broadened, gaining powerful shoulders and a stocky frame that will only fill out as the seasons become bountiful again. Looking about him, it's hard to miss the shape Maul makes. Qale's blood chills. Is she alright? The young male changes direction abruptly and comes bounding over, worry written on his face.
Her eyes are open. Ears too, apparently, as Qale is not too terribly close when she hears someone's rapid approach and rolls, quite fluidly, onto the ground before turning to look in the direction of the approaching creature. Nothing about Maul speaks of genuine alarm, but it is quite obvious that the girl was preparing for what might have been a less friendly sight, or else she would have continued to enjoy the sun on her fur. It appears more than a couple of her father's lessons have sunk in... Or else, Maul has other reasons to be wary of what might approach her, here in Amaranth.
As the younger cougar rolls off the rock, Qale experiences a new little thrill of panic. But when she lands, he slows with a sigh of relief. She's alright. Right? Yes. Now that he's part of the group, he's found himself jumping at nothing. Overcaring. Is such a thing possible? Qale continues towards her 'til he's in hailing distance, and of course, the first thing he calls: "Um, are you alright, Maul?"
Maul doesn't take her eyes off of Qale, once she spots him, and though she is plenty calm, her expression reflects none of the youthful joy it usually does when she encounters one of her adult friends. The girl is clearly in some kind of mood, but at least she's not angry at having her rest interrupted. "I'm fine." With those two words out, to reassure him, Maul sits. She has never been good at determining what, specifically, about her actions makes those around her concerned. Recently, she has stopped trying, just a little bit. "Are you...?"
Smiling a little in relief, Qale sits as well. "I'm...I'm alright. I didn't mean to...um, wake you? I just thought you were...well, anyway. You're fine." Tilting his head, Qale peers at Maul. "...you -are- fine, aren't you? You look a little...um...do you want me to go?" Maybe she -is- mad at him for waking her up. Or...or she just doesn't like him.
Maul immediately shakes her head when he asks if he should leave. "No. I want... I need to talk to you." Maul's head tilts after she speaks, as though, after making sure he won't run off, she's trying to figure out either how to respond to his other questions, or else just what he started to say, but didn't finish. It's only a brief look, and she straightens her head again before asking, "Do you have time?"
Qaletaqa raises his brows and his ears, curling his tail about himself. "For you, Maul? Of course. Is, um, is something wrong? Do you need a checkup...?" he hazards, glancing over her slowly from where he sits. Perhaps he missed something in his first look at her. What else could she want to talk to him about, after all?
Finally, Maul looks away from Qale, rather abruptly. Off to the east. It's a clear day, but even so, she can't see that far. Not far enough. "No. I'm fine. And..." Maul sighs softly before continuing. "I couldn't tell you before, because... I couldn't. You had to decide whether to stay or go. This couldn't be part of that." But it worked out. He's staying, and now... "You look like her, you know? Your mother." She may not be trying to figure out what about her makes others upset, concerned, worried... But she already knew this might not go well. Already knew it was one of those things.
Qaletaqa is listening intently. She sounds strange, like she's keeping something. But nothing - absolutely nothing - can prepare him for what she says. His...what? His mother? Did she just say 'his mother'? Perhaps he misheard. Maybe she thinks he looks like Maul's mother. Which...wouldn't be the greatest of compliments to Nayeli. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," he tries, his head tilted.
Maul doesn't look back at Qaletaqa. Even if she were, there's no guarantee that she would actually see him, since what she sees to the east is not actually what's there. Not within seeing distance, anyway. "It was..." No. Maul shakes her head. Besides that he'll have no reason to believe her, that's not what she had to say. Not what was important. "She's- She *would be* proud of you. Happy for you."
Qaletaqa's blood is running terribly cold in his veins. Though he is a healer, he has not had much experience with spirits. His mother did. His mother knew of them, and talked of them, but she was a little...no, this isn't...but what else could Maul be talking about? Without realizing it, Qaletaqa has risen, taking a few small steps towards Maul. He doesn't look out where she is looking - he's too busy trying to stare the puzzle out of her mind. "She's...Maul, this is...alright," he says, some of his old panic coming back to him. "What-what are you talking about?" He can't ask if she means his mother. He can't.
Maul takes a deep breath in response. She didn't expect him to believe her. Why would he? But she had to say it. She promised she would. "I met her once, when... Well, she was younger than you are. And she... Well, no one *ever* forgot her, but she was nice. I was glad someone was nice." Certainly, Maul probably would have remembered the eccentric young cougaress even had Qale's mother not helped her in some intangible way, but this is not so impersonal.
Just staring at Maul, Qale feels like he's missing something. Or maybe Maul is missing something. Like...like sanity. "But...Maul," he tries, trying his best to shunt everything else aside and focus on only the logical. "How could you have...I mean, you're-you're far younger than I am. How could you have met her...?" And how could she...no. No, this is just too strange.
Maul looks back to Qaletaqa with a frown. Of course. "It was... It wasn't me. But I've seen her. Twice. When she was younger than you, and then..." Even Maul doesn't know exactly why she's saying what she is. She knows that some of what she's saying isn't "real". It never "happened". She doesn't even remember it, so much as she is allowing it to alter what she does remember, which make even her wonder if she's just making it up. "And then, when you lost her... I promised her I would tell you, someday. That she still- That she would always love you, and be happy for you, and that she would be proud." There. It's out. Everything that was important to say.
No words come from Qale for a long time after Maul says what she's had to say. He stares at her, bright, fierce eyes trying to understand exactly what's going on, why she is saying what she's saying, how she could possibly know, and...just...everything. Nothing makes sense. She saw her, but she didn't see her. He opens his mouth, he wants to say something - anything at all. But nothing comes. He just watches Maul.
It doesn't take much staring for Maul to grow self-conscious, and her instinct is to be apologetic. She doesn't want to lose Qale as a friend because he things she's weird, and the thought upsets her. And so, without further hesitation, the young cougaress says, "It was like... a dream. I saw it, but... it was a really long time ago. Before I was born. But... it was supposed to make you happy, so... I had to tell you about it." Yes. A dream. And why not? That's how she has come to think of many of the things she sees, even if her eyes are open when she sees them. If describing them that way saves her a friend... then does it really matter if it feels like a lie, and if she'll have to worry about if it lessens the necessary impact of her words?
Slowly, Qale's hindquarters sink out from under him and he sits unsteadily, still watching Maul as she talks. He frowns deeply. "So...you...you saw my mother..." he says slowly. "Maul..." What was it her mother used to tell him? How did she describe it? It was never very clear. "Was...it...was it her spirit?" he tries, shutting his eyes as memories of his mother flood back.
Was it...? Maul looks away again. "Only... Kind of." So far as Maul knows, Qale's mother's incorporeal spirit has never visited this world. "She can't... She's better where she is, Qale. It's better for her. She shouldn't come back." She *could*. It's even possible that she might... like Maul. But she shouldn't... "Don't be sad, okay? She doesn't want you to be sad."
Qaletaqa looks at Maul sharply. "Maul, if you weren't...do you know, if you, if you weren't you, I'd say this was all...but...did someone tell you to say all this?" he asks quietly, a tense ripple through his body indicating either growing discomfort or irritation...or both. He doesn't blame Maul, he would never blame Maul. But if someone thought this was a clever joke, to get the young cougar to mess with him like this...
Maul winces at the look she gets from Qale. If anyone else in the tribe was saying this, or told her to say this, Qale would be angry. That's clear enough. He doesn't want to be angry with her, but... Will he be able to keep himself from being angry? "I'm sorry. It's... I promised... You can't be mad at her. You *can't*." Yes, someone told her, asked her, to speak to Qale. But it's not what Qale is thinking, and Maul is so confused just by remembering things she can't possibly remember, so upset that she might have upset Qale, that she can't look at his question logically, to avoid further confusion between the two of them.
Ah-hah. So it was somebody. Qaletaqa shuts his eyes, trying to calm himself. This is a cruel joke. How could he not be furious. But Maul looks so...worried, so...Qale sighs. "Alright. Alright, I won't...I'll try not to be mad, Maul. But...but who would tell you to say this? And...and why?"
Who? Why? Some of the worry is replaced by confusion, but Maul speaks a little more clearly, now. "Your mom. She asked me to tell you, and... I promised. I *promised*." When... She can feel it, but not really remember. She knew she would be coming here, where Qale was, and... Qale's mother couldn't come. She needs to be where she is. But Maul was going to be here. Going to know him. "Because... Because I could be here, and she couldn't... And she was nice, once. So I said I would tell you."
Just when he thought the matter might be cleared up, it has returned full circle. Qale can feel his throat burning - whether the tears are from frustration or from the sudden revival of his mother's memories, and what Maul is telling him, is anybody's guess. His mother as a spirit, but Maul says that's not entirely right. She says they've met...before he was even born. He shakes his head, trying to puzzle it out slowly, searching the ground with his eyes.
Maul doesn't look away from Qale. Slowly, though, she walks towards him, intending to nuzzle against him. He definitely looks like he needs comforting, and Maul could use some reassurance that she hasn't lost her friend. Softly, as she approaches, she says, "You should be happy, Qaletaqa. Just be happy. That's what... That's why I was talking to you." Not to make him sad. Not as a cruel joke. Just to try to make him happy.
It's a sign of how much the young cougar has changed over winter since his acceptance, that he does not cringe away from Maul as she approaches. He does look up, though, and the expression that meets hers is wide-eyed, worried, fearful...and yet, just a little eager. He may not understand it at all, but he trusts Maul, and she hasn't steered him wrong before. He learned that the hard way. "I...I'm not unhappy, Maul," he tries. "I'm just...a little puzzled. How...how could you have met her?"
How truthful can Maul be, when even she doesn't understand why she remembers what she does, much less how? The girl rubs her head against Qale, then takes a step back. "Before I was born... I remember things... From before. Things that are important. But only..." He's doubting her, just because he can't believe. Maybe... "She wasn't normal. Not like Mommy, or Sweet Rain. She saw things other cougars couldn't. Knew things others didn't. Sometimes, she didn't seem right. She was too... strange. But she cared. She cared a lot. Even if she couldn't be normal." Proof. Or at least, Maul's attempt at it. She might not be able to explain how, but she can try to show that she's telling the truth, instead of just making it all up.
The affection, that Qale is so unused to, and the unexpectedly spot-on description of his mother at last draw a tear from the male's eye. He dashes it away fiercely with a paw. He doesn't cry. He hasn't cried since he was a little cub. "I don't know how you know all this, Maul..." he says quietly, after swallowing a few times. "But that's her."
Maul rubs her head against Qale again. Yes, that's her. And now, like Maul, even though Qale doesn't know *how* Maul knows, he knows that she *does*. Even once she stops rubbing, she still tries to press her head against Qale's leg, and leave it there. She doesn't speak again, because she doesn't know what to say. She has said everything that was important, and she made Qale believe. Now, she can only think that she should be here as a friend, and that doesn't necessarily mean she has to talk.
Qaletaqa shuts his eyes, and while he doesn't actively return the affection, he doesn't push Maul away. Every intake of breath is quivering. This is not what he expected when he woke up this morning, and he still isn't quite sure what's just happened. But moving now would break everything, and he doesn't want that to happen, not yet.
They weren't being particularly loud, but all the same, it was voices that brought Kein to the well. Spring is approaching, and he and Nayeli decided it would be better he did not leave his family to seek out Lazuli until after the snows disappeared from the lower parts on the mountain. With that departure imminent, he has been trying to pay more attention to the goings on in his tribe. He can't help but worry that he might be leaving his family in a more dangerous predicament than the one he's trying to save them from. His approach toward Qale and Maul is slow, quiet, but determined. If only he could observe all interactions between all members fo the tribe at the same time... But since he can't, he'll devote his attention to this one.
His attention focused within him, Qaletaqa is barely paying attention to his immediate surroundings, let alone anyone else who might be approaching the two of them. He stares blindly at nothing, his gaze unfocused, his thoughts reeling between memories of his mother and his conversation with Maul. Well, he calls it a conversation, but it wasn't really, was it? Absently he leans against the cub a little, more for his comfort than anything else. Maul's revelations were...unexpected, to say the least, but what little understanding he has - and his willingness to believe his mother is still out there, somewhere, watching over him or some such - help him believe her.
Maul hasn't attempted to start talking again, and though she heard Qale coming from a fair distance away... Well, Qale was running, and at that time, there was nothing more on Maul's mind than letting the sun warm her up. Now, she is trying to figure out if anything else needs to be said, or if she can just stand here. While she /is/ here, she rubs her head against Qale's leg in what she hopes is a comforting nuzzle, and after a couple rubs of her head, she purrs to him softly. She's no stranger to how children who have lost their parents only to be confronted by them again, so much later, need to be comforted.
If only Kein had ever been the recipient of that comfort. It's hard enough for him to get his daughter to even consent to play with him. The serious talks they've had have never been pleasant, probably for either party. Will there ever come a day when Maul might consent to just sit by her father and... And what? What exactly has he walked in on? Maul is less than half Qale's size, and he can't imagine... But the sight of the two of them appears far too intimate for the father's taste. It is with a frown that he continues to approach, and he is close before he lets out a soft growl to announce his presence.
For the...well, he's lost count how many times the blood's run cold in his veins, but this is the first time since he's woken up that Qaletaqa feels with it a familiar thrill of guilt and terror at the sound of the quiet growl. He's heard that sound many times in his life, and the recognition comes rushing back. The younger male's head snaps up and he sees that which he doesn't want to but he knows he will - a...rather unhappy-looking Chieftain. "K-Kein?" he says, the stutter coming back to him instantly. He looks down at the cub at his shoulder and, with a swift and undeniably guilty movement, he shuffles away a little so that they are no longer touching. Qale's paranoid mind is fairly sure it knows how this tableau must appear, especially considering he's still a new male, and Maul is the Chieftain's little daughter...
The growling catches Maul by surprise just as certainly as it does Qale, but unlike Qale, Maul is surprisingly unfrightened by it. Clearly, her father does not scare her like, perhaps, he wishes he did. Oh, she never likes to anger him, and she knows well enough that she doesn't like it when he punishes her, but more than that, she knows she and Qale have done nothing wrong. She opens her eyes to look at her father, her expression set in a tiny scowl that says what she can't put in words. Kein is *not* being nice, and she's *not* happy about it. Especially since Qale needs niceness right now.
The guilt in Qaletaqa's expression does not help how Kein views this little... Whatever he walked in on. While Maul's behaviour might lend more credibility to the idea that whatever was happening was innocent, when he combines the scowling of his daughter with the guilt Qale shows... No, Kein is not very pleased at all. Still, he gives them the benefit of the doubt, at least in words. "What's going on here?" He may not have actually accused Qale of anything, but after asking his question, he watches the other male closely for any signs that he's lying.
"N-nothing!" Qale's response is quickly and desperately delivered, close on the heels of the question. While he doubts that Kein would maul him in front of...well, Maul, it would be but the work of a moment to send the little cub away. He prays silently that, if her father does suggest she leave, her clear stubbornness wins out. "We-we-we were just, um, talking. About..." He hesitates for a few moments, looking down at Maul. "...things," he finishes lamely. He doesn't want to tell Kein about what Maul said, not in this atmosphere. It would somehow ruin everything he remembers about his mother, to talk about her at this moment.
Maul's anger does not lessen as her father continues to act mean. It clearly upsets Qale. Can't he see that? Continuing to scowl at her father, she says, "Qale was sad, and I was trying to help him feel better. Now *you're* making him sad again!" Maul might try to keep a wedge between herself and her father, but she's plenty empathetic. It's hard for her to hold herself back from comforting Kein when Kein is feeling sad. How is she supposed to ignore anyone else's pain?
Kein gets a feeling that the "things" Qale and Maul were discussing would not be on his list of appropriate topics for his daughter. Does he feel a momentary twinge of guilt at the brief lecture he gets from Maul? Perhaps, but it's shadowed by his own temper that springs up as she raises her voice to him. "That's enough, Maul. Go back to the cave. Qaletaqa and I need to talk." Just talk, at least for now. He intends to make it perfectly clear that there are some things Qale should /not/ be talking about with Maul.
For all the warmth that Qale feels when Maul defends him - after all, it doesn't happen often - it vanishes quickly when Kein orders Maul away in order to give him a...talk. This doesn't sound like it will end well. He opens his mouth to tell Kein not to be angry at Maul, that nothing untoward was happening, but his courage fails him and he shuts it again miserably. Looking down at Maul apologetically, he shrugs and then attempts an encouraging half-smile.
It is not hard, at all, to tell that Kein is angry. Maul, of course, is angry too, and as her father orders her back to the cave, she opens her mouth immediately to argue. It is only a combination of Kein's stern expression and Qale's apologetic look that get her to shut it again before she says anything else that would, probably, just get them both into more trouble. So, instead, she takes a breath before speaking, so she can avoid yelling more, before she says, "If I were acting like you, *I* would be in trouble." Her message is clear, in her own mind. Kein is not doing a very good job of leading by example. She doesn't wait around longer, though. Instead, she turns to head back to the cave. Ooooh, just wait 'til she talks to Mommy, and tells her that Kein was being mean!
Kein watches as his daughter walks off. Is she right? Right or not, her statement causes another twinge of guilt. He's not going to back down, though. Not right now. Maybe when he gets back to the cage, he'll apologize for being mean to a cougar she obviously thinks of as her friend... Try to explain it in a way she understands. For now, though, he simply looks at Qaletaqa, his exression still stern, still unhappy. He doesn't speak right away, though, instead giving the other male a chance to explain himself without Maul nearby. If nothing is forthcoming, then he'll launch into the lecture he had in mind.
Even if Kein had intended on talking as soon as Maul was out of earshot, Qaletaqa would have tried to speak first anyway. When Kein's stare comes back to him, the defensive, explanatory, desperate words tumble from the younger cougar's mouth as he hurries to explain. "K-Kein, look, we were really just talking," he stammers, his words coming quick and uncertain as he trips over some of them verbally. "I-I-I came here, and, um, I thought she was in trouble, and then...and then she started...she, um, she started talking about all-all-all these things she..." His breath catches, but he knows he has to forge on. He doesn't want Kein to think less of him, and to do that, he has to tell the truth. "All-all these things she...she shouldn't know." And then, because he can't help his own simmering resentment at the world in general, "I-I wish you'd, um, mentioned she could...you know...talk to....talk to spirits or...something." He trails off almost as soon as he begins, until he ends up whispering the final few words, staring fixedly at Kein's left forepaw for no good reason.
Oh. Oh. It is very sudden that Kein backs down a little. He never thought... How could he have known that Maul could possibly remember anything about Qaletaqa? How...? "I didn't warn you, because... Well, she doesn't talk to spirits. At least, I don't think she does. How could I have known she had a link to your past?" His mother once told him she had traveled long and far. Apparently, she must have spent some time in the land where Qale grew up. That seems the only explanation, since, up to this point, she has only ever spoken about things his mother experienced. It's not as though she knows absolutely everything... Or does she?
The change in Kein's tone isn't enough for Qale to lift his head and look at him, though he does twitch his ears a little from the flat position that is their most common state. He does frown a little, though, as he puzzles through what Kein's just said. Only then does he look up, his brow creased, looking very confused. "But...but if she doesn't talk to spirits, um, how could she know so much about...?" He trails off again. Maul had been evasive when she'd been asked if it was spirits that came to her. "Um. It was just a...kind of a shock I wasn't really...expecting."
Kein looks back in the direction of the cave. The first thing he's going to have to do is apologize to his daughter. He had no idea... Turning his gaze back to Qaletaqa, he says, "She's... My mother died... Many seasons ago. After she was dead, for a while, we were visited by my mate's grandmother's spirit. She told us my mother would be returned to us, in the body of one of my children." Of course, Kein had no idea what that would mean, at the time.
"Oh..." Qaletaqa shifts uncomfortably. He hopes he hasn't just made Kein share something he didn't want to share, especially not with Qale, though there is a small selfish part of him that is ecstatic the Chieftain saw fit to talk to him so. He squashes that small part before he speaks again. It doesn't need to have an undue influence on the conversation. "I see. I, um, I guess that means that she...she must have met my mother?" he ponders aloud. "That, um, I guess that'd be why Maul knows so much."
It had to have been before Kein was born. Before Qale was born. Kein doesn't respond immediately. At least when he does talk, his voice remains calm. "What did she have to say? I don't... I mean... I'm not trying to pry, but... Eh, nevermind." Kein will probably just have to hope that Maul isn't remembering anything traumatizing. "Listen. She doesn't remember everything. And there are a lot of things she shouldn't remember. Don't... Don't try to force her into talking about things. Okay?"
Qaletaqa nods hesitantly. He wouldn't dream of pushing Maul to try to remember things that she can't, or she won't, remember. Not now he knows basically what's happening with her. He thinks, for a moment, on how hard, how peculiar this whole thing must be for Kein. Qale lets the silence stretch out for an overlong moment before he speaks again, very quiet and still looking away from Kein. "She just talked about...remembered...my mother. It wasn't bad." Not for Maul, anyway, or so he hopes. From how she spoke, Kein's mother must have met Qale's back before most of the...unpleasantness. Because Qale certainly remembers that part. "She said my mother would be...p-proud." He swallows hard and goes silent, feeling his throat start to burn again. He stares at a featureless rock to clear his mind. Imagine, what would Kein say if he burst into tears now?
Kein's muzzle twitches in what might be the ghost of a smile. How much would it mean for Kein if someone could tell him the same thing about his mother? Nodding faintly, he says, "She knows what she's talking about. You should trust her on that." Kein looks back toward the cave again. As he's looking in that direction, he says, "I should go apologize to her." Maybe if he wants his mother to be proud of him, she should behave in a way to make her proud... But, dammit, she is still just a child, most of the time.
Completely missing the maybe-smile, Qale nods absently. He's always tried to do his mother's memory proud, and he wants so much to believe what Maul told him. He's unprepared for the sudden idea that hits him, that Kein's comment might be a roundabout compliment to him. Then again, he thinks as he lifts his head to look at Kein, he probably just means exactly what he says. Trust Maul. "Y-yes, I, um, I won't keep you." He hopes that Maul isn't too mad at Kein, or vice versa. No wonder Maul looked so comfortable standing up to her father and telling him off. The thought brings a brief smile to his face.
Kein is not so hopeful that Maul will not be terribly angry with him... But at least for today, Kein is not angry with the girl. She has things hard enough without Kein getting angry with her for things she can't control, especially when she really is trying to help others. How much longer will it be before she has to assume Maul is right, even when what she's doing seems dangerous or otherwise makes him angry? Suffice it to say, he is not overly enthusiastic as he begins making his way in the same direction his daughter took.
Maul - Female Juvenile Cougar
Qaletaqa - Male Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Eroded Well -
By the looks of it, Maul cannot possibly be comfortable. The rock she has chosen is just barely large enough to accommodate her, and the fact that she is lying on her back, with her forelegs stretched out over her head as her body seems to bend nearly in half over the rock, might make it look painful to any observers. Maul, however, is simply enjoying the opportunity to let the sun warm her belly. She has grown a lot in the past couple months, though she remains dwarfed by the adults in the tribe. Not all of her growth has been physical, though, and it is probably for this reason that she prefers, more often than not, to be alone.
It's nice to see Qaletaqa in anything other than the bellyslink that is his usual method of locomotion. He, like Maul, has grown physically and mentally, though he still isn't used to being...accepted. Every time he thinks of the word, he smiles to himself. The male hasn't grown taller but he has broadened, gaining powerful shoulders and a stocky frame that will only fill out as the seasons become bountiful again. Looking about him, it's hard to miss the shape Maul makes. Qale's blood chills. Is she alright? The young male changes direction abruptly and comes bounding over, worry written on his face.
Her eyes are open. Ears too, apparently, as Qale is not too terribly close when she hears someone's rapid approach and rolls, quite fluidly, onto the ground before turning to look in the direction of the approaching creature. Nothing about Maul speaks of genuine alarm, but it is quite obvious that the girl was preparing for what might have been a less friendly sight, or else she would have continued to enjoy the sun on her fur. It appears more than a couple of her father's lessons have sunk in... Or else, Maul has other reasons to be wary of what might approach her, here in Amaranth.
As the younger cougar rolls off the rock, Qale experiences a new little thrill of panic. But when she lands, he slows with a sigh of relief. She's alright. Right? Yes. Now that he's part of the group, he's found himself jumping at nothing. Overcaring. Is such a thing possible? Qale continues towards her 'til he's in hailing distance, and of course, the first thing he calls: "Um, are you alright, Maul?"
Maul doesn't take her eyes off of Qale, once she spots him, and though she is plenty calm, her expression reflects none of the youthful joy it usually does when she encounters one of her adult friends. The girl is clearly in some kind of mood, but at least she's not angry at having her rest interrupted. "I'm fine." With those two words out, to reassure him, Maul sits. She has never been good at determining what, specifically, about her actions makes those around her concerned. Recently, she has stopped trying, just a little bit. "Are you...?"
Smiling a little in relief, Qale sits as well. "I'm...I'm alright. I didn't mean to...um, wake you? I just thought you were...well, anyway. You're fine." Tilting his head, Qale peers at Maul. "...you -are- fine, aren't you? You look a little...um...do you want me to go?" Maybe she -is- mad at him for waking her up. Or...or she just doesn't like him.
Maul immediately shakes her head when he asks if he should leave. "No. I want... I need to talk to you." Maul's head tilts after she speaks, as though, after making sure he won't run off, she's trying to figure out either how to respond to his other questions, or else just what he started to say, but didn't finish. It's only a brief look, and she straightens her head again before asking, "Do you have time?"
Qaletaqa raises his brows and his ears, curling his tail about himself. "For you, Maul? Of course. Is, um, is something wrong? Do you need a checkup...?" he hazards, glancing over her slowly from where he sits. Perhaps he missed something in his first look at her. What else could she want to talk to him about, after all?
Finally, Maul looks away from Qale, rather abruptly. Off to the east. It's a clear day, but even so, she can't see that far. Not far enough. "No. I'm fine. And..." Maul sighs softly before continuing. "I couldn't tell you before, because... I couldn't. You had to decide whether to stay or go. This couldn't be part of that." But it worked out. He's staying, and now... "You look like her, you know? Your mother." She may not be trying to figure out what about her makes others upset, concerned, worried... But she already knew this might not go well. Already knew it was one of those things.
Qaletaqa is listening intently. She sounds strange, like she's keeping something. But nothing - absolutely nothing - can prepare him for what she says. His...what? His mother? Did she just say 'his mother'? Perhaps he misheard. Maybe she thinks he looks like Maul's mother. Which...wouldn't be the greatest of compliments to Nayeli. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," he tries, his head tilted.
Maul doesn't look back at Qaletaqa. Even if she were, there's no guarantee that she would actually see him, since what she sees to the east is not actually what's there. Not within seeing distance, anyway. "It was..." No. Maul shakes her head. Besides that he'll have no reason to believe her, that's not what she had to say. Not what was important. "She's- She *would be* proud of you. Happy for you."
Qaletaqa's blood is running terribly cold in his veins. Though he is a healer, he has not had much experience with spirits. His mother did. His mother knew of them, and talked of them, but she was a little...no, this isn't...but what else could Maul be talking about? Without realizing it, Qaletaqa has risen, taking a few small steps towards Maul. He doesn't look out where she is looking - he's too busy trying to stare the puzzle out of her mind. "She's...Maul, this is...alright," he says, some of his old panic coming back to him. "What-what are you talking about?" He can't ask if she means his mother. He can't.
Maul takes a deep breath in response. She didn't expect him to believe her. Why would he? But she had to say it. She promised she would. "I met her once, when... Well, she was younger than you are. And she... Well, no one *ever* forgot her, but she was nice. I was glad someone was nice." Certainly, Maul probably would have remembered the eccentric young cougaress even had Qale's mother not helped her in some intangible way, but this is not so impersonal.
Just staring at Maul, Qale feels like he's missing something. Or maybe Maul is missing something. Like...like sanity. "But...Maul," he tries, trying his best to shunt everything else aside and focus on only the logical. "How could you have...I mean, you're-you're far younger than I am. How could you have met her...?" And how could she...no. No, this is just too strange.
Maul looks back to Qaletaqa with a frown. Of course. "It was... It wasn't me. But I've seen her. Twice. When she was younger than you, and then..." Even Maul doesn't know exactly why she's saying what she is. She knows that some of what she's saying isn't "real". It never "happened". She doesn't even remember it, so much as she is allowing it to alter what she does remember, which make even her wonder if she's just making it up. "And then, when you lost her... I promised her I would tell you, someday. That she still- That she would always love you, and be happy for you, and that she would be proud." There. It's out. Everything that was important to say.
No words come from Qale for a long time after Maul says what she's had to say. He stares at her, bright, fierce eyes trying to understand exactly what's going on, why she is saying what she's saying, how she could possibly know, and...just...everything. Nothing makes sense. She saw her, but she didn't see her. He opens his mouth, he wants to say something - anything at all. But nothing comes. He just watches Maul.
It doesn't take much staring for Maul to grow self-conscious, and her instinct is to be apologetic. She doesn't want to lose Qale as a friend because he things she's weird, and the thought upsets her. And so, without further hesitation, the young cougaress says, "It was like... a dream. I saw it, but... it was a really long time ago. Before I was born. But... it was supposed to make you happy, so... I had to tell you about it." Yes. A dream. And why not? That's how she has come to think of many of the things she sees, even if her eyes are open when she sees them. If describing them that way saves her a friend... then does it really matter if it feels like a lie, and if she'll have to worry about if it lessens the necessary impact of her words?
Slowly, Qale's hindquarters sink out from under him and he sits unsteadily, still watching Maul as she talks. He frowns deeply. "So...you...you saw my mother..." he says slowly. "Maul..." What was it her mother used to tell him? How did she describe it? It was never very clear. "Was...it...was it her spirit?" he tries, shutting his eyes as memories of his mother flood back.
Was it...? Maul looks away again. "Only... Kind of." So far as Maul knows, Qale's mother's incorporeal spirit has never visited this world. "She can't... She's better where she is, Qale. It's better for her. She shouldn't come back." She *could*. It's even possible that she might... like Maul. But she shouldn't... "Don't be sad, okay? She doesn't want you to be sad."
Qaletaqa looks at Maul sharply. "Maul, if you weren't...do you know, if you, if you weren't you, I'd say this was all...but...did someone tell you to say all this?" he asks quietly, a tense ripple through his body indicating either growing discomfort or irritation...or both. He doesn't blame Maul, he would never blame Maul. But if someone thought this was a clever joke, to get the young cougar to mess with him like this...
Maul winces at the look she gets from Qale. If anyone else in the tribe was saying this, or told her to say this, Qale would be angry. That's clear enough. He doesn't want to be angry with her, but... Will he be able to keep himself from being angry? "I'm sorry. It's... I promised... You can't be mad at her. You *can't*." Yes, someone told her, asked her, to speak to Qale. But it's not what Qale is thinking, and Maul is so confused just by remembering things she can't possibly remember, so upset that she might have upset Qale, that she can't look at his question logically, to avoid further confusion between the two of them.
Ah-hah. So it was somebody. Qaletaqa shuts his eyes, trying to calm himself. This is a cruel joke. How could he not be furious. But Maul looks so...worried, so...Qale sighs. "Alright. Alright, I won't...I'll try not to be mad, Maul. But...but who would tell you to say this? And...and why?"
Who? Why? Some of the worry is replaced by confusion, but Maul speaks a little more clearly, now. "Your mom. She asked me to tell you, and... I promised. I *promised*." When... She can feel it, but not really remember. She knew she would be coming here, where Qale was, and... Qale's mother couldn't come. She needs to be where she is. But Maul was going to be here. Going to know him. "Because... Because I could be here, and she couldn't... And she was nice, once. So I said I would tell you."
Just when he thought the matter might be cleared up, it has returned full circle. Qale can feel his throat burning - whether the tears are from frustration or from the sudden revival of his mother's memories, and what Maul is telling him, is anybody's guess. His mother as a spirit, but Maul says that's not entirely right. She says they've met...before he was even born. He shakes his head, trying to puzzle it out slowly, searching the ground with his eyes.
Maul doesn't look away from Qale. Slowly, though, she walks towards him, intending to nuzzle against him. He definitely looks like he needs comforting, and Maul could use some reassurance that she hasn't lost her friend. Softly, as she approaches, she says, "You should be happy, Qaletaqa. Just be happy. That's what... That's why I was talking to you." Not to make him sad. Not as a cruel joke. Just to try to make him happy.
It's a sign of how much the young cougar has changed over winter since his acceptance, that he does not cringe away from Maul as she approaches. He does look up, though, and the expression that meets hers is wide-eyed, worried, fearful...and yet, just a little eager. He may not understand it at all, but he trusts Maul, and she hasn't steered him wrong before. He learned that the hard way. "I...I'm not unhappy, Maul," he tries. "I'm just...a little puzzled. How...how could you have met her?"
How truthful can Maul be, when even she doesn't understand why she remembers what she does, much less how? The girl rubs her head against Qale, then takes a step back. "Before I was born... I remember things... From before. Things that are important. But only..." He's doubting her, just because he can't believe. Maybe... "She wasn't normal. Not like Mommy, or Sweet Rain. She saw things other cougars couldn't. Knew things others didn't. Sometimes, she didn't seem right. She was too... strange. But she cared. She cared a lot. Even if she couldn't be normal." Proof. Or at least, Maul's attempt at it. She might not be able to explain how, but she can try to show that she's telling the truth, instead of just making it all up.
The affection, that Qale is so unused to, and the unexpectedly spot-on description of his mother at last draw a tear from the male's eye. He dashes it away fiercely with a paw. He doesn't cry. He hasn't cried since he was a little cub. "I don't know how you know all this, Maul..." he says quietly, after swallowing a few times. "But that's her."
Maul rubs her head against Qale again. Yes, that's her. And now, like Maul, even though Qale doesn't know *how* Maul knows, he knows that she *does*. Even once she stops rubbing, she still tries to press her head against Qale's leg, and leave it there. She doesn't speak again, because she doesn't know what to say. She has said everything that was important, and she made Qale believe. Now, she can only think that she should be here as a friend, and that doesn't necessarily mean she has to talk.
Qaletaqa shuts his eyes, and while he doesn't actively return the affection, he doesn't push Maul away. Every intake of breath is quivering. This is not what he expected when he woke up this morning, and he still isn't quite sure what's just happened. But moving now would break everything, and he doesn't want that to happen, not yet.
They weren't being particularly loud, but all the same, it was voices that brought Kein to the well. Spring is approaching, and he and Nayeli decided it would be better he did not leave his family to seek out Lazuli until after the snows disappeared from the lower parts on the mountain. With that departure imminent, he has been trying to pay more attention to the goings on in his tribe. He can't help but worry that he might be leaving his family in a more dangerous predicament than the one he's trying to save them from. His approach toward Qale and Maul is slow, quiet, but determined. If only he could observe all interactions between all members fo the tribe at the same time... But since he can't, he'll devote his attention to this one.
His attention focused within him, Qaletaqa is barely paying attention to his immediate surroundings, let alone anyone else who might be approaching the two of them. He stares blindly at nothing, his gaze unfocused, his thoughts reeling between memories of his mother and his conversation with Maul. Well, he calls it a conversation, but it wasn't really, was it? Absently he leans against the cub a little, more for his comfort than anything else. Maul's revelations were...unexpected, to say the least, but what little understanding he has - and his willingness to believe his mother is still out there, somewhere, watching over him or some such - help him believe her.
Maul hasn't attempted to start talking again, and though she heard Qale coming from a fair distance away... Well, Qale was running, and at that time, there was nothing more on Maul's mind than letting the sun warm her up. Now, she is trying to figure out if anything else needs to be said, or if she can just stand here. While she /is/ here, she rubs her head against Qale's leg in what she hopes is a comforting nuzzle, and after a couple rubs of her head, she purrs to him softly. She's no stranger to how children who have lost their parents only to be confronted by them again, so much later, need to be comforted.
If only Kein had ever been the recipient of that comfort. It's hard enough for him to get his daughter to even consent to play with him. The serious talks they've had have never been pleasant, probably for either party. Will there ever come a day when Maul might consent to just sit by her father and... And what? What exactly has he walked in on? Maul is less than half Qale's size, and he can't imagine... But the sight of the two of them appears far too intimate for the father's taste. It is with a frown that he continues to approach, and he is close before he lets out a soft growl to announce his presence.
For the...well, he's lost count how many times the blood's run cold in his veins, but this is the first time since he's woken up that Qaletaqa feels with it a familiar thrill of guilt and terror at the sound of the quiet growl. He's heard that sound many times in his life, and the recognition comes rushing back. The younger male's head snaps up and he sees that which he doesn't want to but he knows he will - a...rather unhappy-looking Chieftain. "K-Kein?" he says, the stutter coming back to him instantly. He looks down at the cub at his shoulder and, with a swift and undeniably guilty movement, he shuffles away a little so that they are no longer touching. Qale's paranoid mind is fairly sure it knows how this tableau must appear, especially considering he's still a new male, and Maul is the Chieftain's little daughter...
The growling catches Maul by surprise just as certainly as it does Qale, but unlike Qale, Maul is surprisingly unfrightened by it. Clearly, her father does not scare her like, perhaps, he wishes he did. Oh, she never likes to anger him, and she knows well enough that she doesn't like it when he punishes her, but more than that, she knows she and Qale have done nothing wrong. She opens her eyes to look at her father, her expression set in a tiny scowl that says what she can't put in words. Kein is *not* being nice, and she's *not* happy about it. Especially since Qale needs niceness right now.
The guilt in Qaletaqa's expression does not help how Kein views this little... Whatever he walked in on. While Maul's behaviour might lend more credibility to the idea that whatever was happening was innocent, when he combines the scowling of his daughter with the guilt Qale shows... No, Kein is not very pleased at all. Still, he gives them the benefit of the doubt, at least in words. "What's going on here?" He may not have actually accused Qale of anything, but after asking his question, he watches the other male closely for any signs that he's lying.
"N-nothing!" Qale's response is quickly and desperately delivered, close on the heels of the question. While he doubts that Kein would maul him in front of...well, Maul, it would be but the work of a moment to send the little cub away. He prays silently that, if her father does suggest she leave, her clear stubbornness wins out. "We-we-we were just, um, talking. About..." He hesitates for a few moments, looking down at Maul. "...things," he finishes lamely. He doesn't want to tell Kein about what Maul said, not in this atmosphere. It would somehow ruin everything he remembers about his mother, to talk about her at this moment.
Maul's anger does not lessen as her father continues to act mean. It clearly upsets Qale. Can't he see that? Continuing to scowl at her father, she says, "Qale was sad, and I was trying to help him feel better. Now *you're* making him sad again!" Maul might try to keep a wedge between herself and her father, but she's plenty empathetic. It's hard for her to hold herself back from comforting Kein when Kein is feeling sad. How is she supposed to ignore anyone else's pain?
Kein gets a feeling that the "things" Qale and Maul were discussing would not be on his list of appropriate topics for his daughter. Does he feel a momentary twinge of guilt at the brief lecture he gets from Maul? Perhaps, but it's shadowed by his own temper that springs up as she raises her voice to him. "That's enough, Maul. Go back to the cave. Qaletaqa and I need to talk." Just talk, at least for now. He intends to make it perfectly clear that there are some things Qale should /not/ be talking about with Maul.
For all the warmth that Qale feels when Maul defends him - after all, it doesn't happen often - it vanishes quickly when Kein orders Maul away in order to give him a...talk. This doesn't sound like it will end well. He opens his mouth to tell Kein not to be angry at Maul, that nothing untoward was happening, but his courage fails him and he shuts it again miserably. Looking down at Maul apologetically, he shrugs and then attempts an encouraging half-smile.
It is not hard, at all, to tell that Kein is angry. Maul, of course, is angry too, and as her father orders her back to the cave, she opens her mouth immediately to argue. It is only a combination of Kein's stern expression and Qale's apologetic look that get her to shut it again before she says anything else that would, probably, just get them both into more trouble. So, instead, she takes a breath before speaking, so she can avoid yelling more, before she says, "If I were acting like you, *I* would be in trouble." Her message is clear, in her own mind. Kein is not doing a very good job of leading by example. She doesn't wait around longer, though. Instead, she turns to head back to the cave. Ooooh, just wait 'til she talks to Mommy, and tells her that Kein was being mean!
Kein watches as his daughter walks off. Is she right? Right or not, her statement causes another twinge of guilt. He's not going to back down, though. Not right now. Maybe when he gets back to the cage, he'll apologize for being mean to a cougar she obviously thinks of as her friend... Try to explain it in a way she understands. For now, though, he simply looks at Qaletaqa, his exression still stern, still unhappy. He doesn't speak right away, though, instead giving the other male a chance to explain himself without Maul nearby. If nothing is forthcoming, then he'll launch into the lecture he had in mind.
Even if Kein had intended on talking as soon as Maul was out of earshot, Qaletaqa would have tried to speak first anyway. When Kein's stare comes back to him, the defensive, explanatory, desperate words tumble from the younger cougar's mouth as he hurries to explain. "K-Kein, look, we were really just talking," he stammers, his words coming quick and uncertain as he trips over some of them verbally. "I-I-I came here, and, um, I thought she was in trouble, and then...and then she started...she, um, she started talking about all-all-all these things she..." His breath catches, but he knows he has to forge on. He doesn't want Kein to think less of him, and to do that, he has to tell the truth. "All-all these things she...she shouldn't know." And then, because he can't help his own simmering resentment at the world in general, "I-I wish you'd, um, mentioned she could...you know...talk to....talk to spirits or...something." He trails off almost as soon as he begins, until he ends up whispering the final few words, staring fixedly at Kein's left forepaw for no good reason.
Oh. Oh. It is very sudden that Kein backs down a little. He never thought... How could he have known that Maul could possibly remember anything about Qaletaqa? How...? "I didn't warn you, because... Well, she doesn't talk to spirits. At least, I don't think she does. How could I have known she had a link to your past?" His mother once told him she had traveled long and far. Apparently, she must have spent some time in the land where Qale grew up. That seems the only explanation, since, up to this point, she has only ever spoken about things his mother experienced. It's not as though she knows absolutely everything... Or does she?
The change in Kein's tone isn't enough for Qale to lift his head and look at him, though he does twitch his ears a little from the flat position that is their most common state. He does frown a little, though, as he puzzles through what Kein's just said. Only then does he look up, his brow creased, looking very confused. "But...but if she doesn't talk to spirits, um, how could she know so much about...?" He trails off again. Maul had been evasive when she'd been asked if it was spirits that came to her. "Um. It was just a...kind of a shock I wasn't really...expecting."
Kein looks back in the direction of the cave. The first thing he's going to have to do is apologize to his daughter. He had no idea... Turning his gaze back to Qaletaqa, he says, "She's... My mother died... Many seasons ago. After she was dead, for a while, we were visited by my mate's grandmother's spirit. She told us my mother would be returned to us, in the body of one of my children." Of course, Kein had no idea what that would mean, at the time.
"Oh..." Qaletaqa shifts uncomfortably. He hopes he hasn't just made Kein share something he didn't want to share, especially not with Qale, though there is a small selfish part of him that is ecstatic the Chieftain saw fit to talk to him so. He squashes that small part before he speaks again. It doesn't need to have an undue influence on the conversation. "I see. I, um, I guess that means that she...she must have met my mother?" he ponders aloud. "That, um, I guess that'd be why Maul knows so much."
It had to have been before Kein was born. Before Qale was born. Kein doesn't respond immediately. At least when he does talk, his voice remains calm. "What did she have to say? I don't... I mean... I'm not trying to pry, but... Eh, nevermind." Kein will probably just have to hope that Maul isn't remembering anything traumatizing. "Listen. She doesn't remember everything. And there are a lot of things she shouldn't remember. Don't... Don't try to force her into talking about things. Okay?"
Qaletaqa nods hesitantly. He wouldn't dream of pushing Maul to try to remember things that she can't, or she won't, remember. Not now he knows basically what's happening with her. He thinks, for a moment, on how hard, how peculiar this whole thing must be for Kein. Qale lets the silence stretch out for an overlong moment before he speaks again, very quiet and still looking away from Kein. "She just talked about...remembered...my mother. It wasn't bad." Not for Maul, anyway, or so he hopes. From how she spoke, Kein's mother must have met Qale's back before most of the...unpleasantness. Because Qale certainly remembers that part. "She said my mother would be...p-proud." He swallows hard and goes silent, feeling his throat start to burn again. He stares at a featureless rock to clear his mind. Imagine, what would Kein say if he burst into tears now?
Kein's muzzle twitches in what might be the ghost of a smile. How much would it mean for Kein if someone could tell him the same thing about his mother? Nodding faintly, he says, "She knows what she's talking about. You should trust her on that." Kein looks back toward the cave again. As he's looking in that direction, he says, "I should go apologize to her." Maybe if he wants his mother to be proud of him, she should behave in a way to make her proud... But, dammit, she is still just a child, most of the time.
Completely missing the maybe-smile, Qale nods absently. He's always tried to do his mother's memory proud, and he wants so much to believe what Maul told him. He's unprepared for the sudden idea that hits him, that Kein's comment might be a roundabout compliment to him. Then again, he thinks as he lifts his head to look at Kein, he probably just means exactly what he says. Trust Maul. "Y-yes, I, um, I won't keep you." He hopes that Maul isn't too mad at Kein, or vice versa. No wonder Maul looked so comfortable standing up to her father and telling him off. The thought brings a brief smile to his face.
Kein is not so hopeful that Maul will not be terribly angry with him... But at least for today, Kein is not angry with the girl. She has things hard enough without Kein getting angry with her for things she can't control, especially when she really is trying to help others. How much longer will it be before she has to assume Maul is right, even when what she's doing seems dangerous or otherwise makes him angry? Suffice it to say, he is not overly enthusiastic as he begins making his way in the same direction his daughter took.