Post by Therdde on Sept 26, 2010 21:45:52 GMT -5
Characters:
Kein - Male Cougar
Nayeli - Female Cougar
- Sloping Gradient -
It is only getting colder on the mountain, and though Kein has no love for the winter, his overall light mood has prevailed. But not now. He is searching for Nayeli with a specific purpose in mind, and there is no way this conversation is going to be pleasant. Not that any of them have been recently, but... As he walks along the cold ground, the winter sun is already beginning to drop in the sky. His tail is restless behind him, and though he keeps his nose low to the ground, he is careful to keep his gaze well in front of him.
In addition to heralding the coming of winter, there's an uneasy feel to the chilly breeze that gently ruffles Nayeli's fur, giving her pause in her strides back toward the main area of the tribal lands. Her head turns briefly to look up at the darkening sky, though her muzzle is devoid of any emotion. Apparently satisfied with whatever she was looking at, the matron sets her gaze once more ahead and resumes her journey toward the interior of their mountain domain. The scents of several of her Sisters that have passed through here are ignored, though the particular scent of one specific feline is given a slight grimace as its identified and recognized.
Holding his gaze high allows Kein to spot Nayeli is the largely barren section of mountain much sooner than he might have otherwise. Upon spotting her, he does nothing more than lift his head to stand and wait for her. Though he has come here with one purpose in mind, the unsocial Chieftain remains at a loss for words, and he attempts to use this time to form some way of saying this that might not result in any more pain and trouble than necessary, though to no avail.
Eyes narrow, then widen in surprise. The detached observation of her mate standing over there is suddenly eclipsed by the realization that he's waiting for her. That look in his eyes... Nayeli swallows hard, then, as if compelled, diverts her course to walk toward the male. Her feet feel as though they're made of stone but she stubbornly lifts and places each paw ahead of her in sequence. If this is about Kaya, she really is not in the mood to talk about her right now. Hopefully it's an apology for the last time they shared words, but from the look on the chieftain's face, Nayeli doubts such is the case. Her steps slow as she arrives within a few feet from her mate, and finally the slow arc of her tail is the only movement remaining. She'll let him speak first.
It takes a large amount of effort for Kein to keep eye contact with Nayeli, and it takes several moments after she stops walking for him to manage to say something. "Nayeli." There is regret in his tone, but determination as well, and he forces himself to continue speaking. "There's no-" At least as well as he can. The longer this takes to say, the more it worries him, so he cuts himself off only to begin again, soon after. "You need to know that... that Amaranth will be host to more cubs soon." Not for long, no. But for long enough that he has to mention it to her. It is, after all, her land too. The land of her ancestors.
Genuine surprise, and this time a lot of it. Not so much in that Amaranth will have new cubs--always a good thing--but that she's hearing the news from Kein of all cougars, rather than from the expectant mother. There are some things that are always shared through the Sisters first, and she can't remember if such news has ever come to her from Kein, rather than vice versa. Maybe.. Kein just happened to be nearby and the mother just happened to decide to tell him first in a moment of excitement? "That's.. great news," the matron finally says, residual surprise still evident in her voice. "Who is the mother?" More important than who the father is, of course. There are only so many males in the tribe, after all, and she can take a guess as to who. Still, better to hear facts than rely on assumptions in such matters.
Kein allowed two of his daughters to have litters here. Not that he could have turned them away, but he even allowed one of the fathers to remain here. But he is not so permissive as Nayeli's father, especially after last year's incredibly harsh winter. Surely, Nayeli knows that, and...? Rather than allow himself to become trapped in thoughts, he manages to answer, "Nyssa. I'm... not sure you've met her." Actually, Kein is rather certain Nayeli hasn't, at least in anything more than passing. He's sure he would have heard of that meeting from one of them. Especially since Nyssa's scent clings to Kein more and more with each passing day.
Nayeli is aware of who Nyssa is, though not with any great degree of familiarity. She respects that certain Sisters desire their own independence and anonymity, and she tries not to intrude on that. It starts to make sense though, why Nyssa wouldn't have come to her first. No doubt she happened to run into Kein and decided to pass along the news to him. "I know who she is, yes," Nayeli answers, feeling a bit of relief that this conversation seems to be not the awkward subject she was dreading. Or any number of potentially awkward subjects. "Will she be moving into the birthing cave, then?" She'll have to ensure that the cave is ready and keep others from making Nyssa feel crowded or cornered. Isolation despite being among others--it's a delicate balance for some.
For Kein, it is no less awkward than at the beginning. Still, he manages to respond quickly, first with a shake of his head, and then verbally. "I don't believe so. She... /We/ prefer staying to the north." If Nayeli truly has not guessed by now, than this should leave no doubt, and though Kein might prefer to leave whatever tiny amount of peace there is between them intact... sooner or later, he must let her know that his time here is coming to an end.
It has been said that denial is the most predictable of all emotions, and that seems to prove true as Nayeli listens to what she can't believe. Even her tail has stilled, and her mouth works as if to say something, but she can't seem to form words. Denial. He's not really meaning what it sounds like. He's only going to help Nyssa find a place to be, or only protect her while she travels north, or.. or.. "How.. far north?" she finally whispers, trying to ignore that damning word 'staying' that Kein couldn't have meant, or shouldn't have said. "We can make her a comfortable spot around the stone formations, or perhaps find a crevice somewhere where she can..." She trails off, seeing something in Kein's expression--no. He can't possibly... Denial.
Kein watches Nayeli closely, and quickly he finds himself grateful that, since he has no doubt she must know, she is taking it so well. It is not how he would have expected this to go, given things between them as of late. It also allows him to open up to her more than he has in a very long time. "I'm quite capable of taking care of a young mother-to-be, Nayeli. I don't seem to remember that you had many complaints." It is a cruel statement, perhaps, but not intended as such, as he goes on to say, "I know... I know that I haven't said in in a while. But I do love you. And... I don't regret anything that happened between us, back... back then." Now, sure. But if there is any way to fix this, after so long, he doesn't know what it is.
As comforting and reassuring as denial can be, it always dissolves in the ugly presence of inescapable truth, and as much as Nayeli would like to believe that she's simply misunderstanding Kein, that point is now past. He's never been so protective of another 'mother-to-be' up until now, and certainly not to this extent. That implication is only confirmed by his next words, and they cut deeper than anything he's ever said before. The full impact still hasn't crashed over her yet--the realization that this has been a long time coming and that everything will be different from now on--but it's getting close. Where did she go wrong? Was it that Kein thought her weak? Incompetent? Simply not good enough for him? Denial fades to something between a stunned silence and horrified realization. A dozen expressions flicker across her face, and finally she whispers hoarsely, "/Did/ love me. Your mother would be ashamed of you." And ashamed of her too, perhaps, but she'll face her own guilt later, alone. Feeling her breathing begin to turn to panting, Nayeli does her best to gracefully turn around to leave, but nearly stumbles as vision blurs with sudden tears. There's an odd awareness of how every muscle seems to have stiffened, turning her departure into a battle of dignity against awkwardness.
Kein cringes as Nayeli mentions his mother. It isn't a comfortable thought, and it creates a lot of conflict in Kein, even if he doubts the truthfulness of it. It is not, after all, as though he forced himself on Nyssa. Far from it. He forces himself to push that conflict temporarily from his mind and takes a step toward her. With a frown and a hint of a growl, he says, "I've let you say a lot about me, Nayeli. More than maybe I should have. Would it have saved us if I stood up to you a long time ago? But I have let you say those things, and never spoken ill of you in return, /because/ I love you. I will /always/ love you." But spirits help him, he cannot bring himself to be with her anymore. Not when this is his payment.
Would it have.. saved them? And to pretend as though he's innocent of wrongdoing because he never /said/ anything, but then this-! All traces of dignity quickly vanishing, Nayeli breaks into an ungainly run, heading southwest toward the rest of the tribal lands. Where she'll end up is still irrelevant. Just anywhere but here. Anywhere away from Kein. Tears flow freely now, and even if she wanted to say something in response to Kein's accusations, she knows she could never get the words out. The matron of Amaranth, descendant of the tribe's great ancestors, leader of... it's all over. She can't continue anymore.
In times past, Kein surely would have followed her. Perhaps he should yet, but... no. No, his own emotions are far too raw at the moment. The fact that he spoke to her so harshly, perhaps for only the second time in his life, should be clue enough as to that. No. He'll let her be, and find someone to take her a message. Who, he's not sure. This is sure to cause trouble in the tribe, despite his attempts to minimize it. But it doesn't matter. All he needs for Nayeli to know is that when she is ready to speak to him again... he will speak to her. Until then, he'll let her be.
Kein - Male Cougar
Nayeli - Female Cougar
- Sloping Gradient -
It is only getting colder on the mountain, and though Kein has no love for the winter, his overall light mood has prevailed. But not now. He is searching for Nayeli with a specific purpose in mind, and there is no way this conversation is going to be pleasant. Not that any of them have been recently, but... As he walks along the cold ground, the winter sun is already beginning to drop in the sky. His tail is restless behind him, and though he keeps his nose low to the ground, he is careful to keep his gaze well in front of him.
In addition to heralding the coming of winter, there's an uneasy feel to the chilly breeze that gently ruffles Nayeli's fur, giving her pause in her strides back toward the main area of the tribal lands. Her head turns briefly to look up at the darkening sky, though her muzzle is devoid of any emotion. Apparently satisfied with whatever she was looking at, the matron sets her gaze once more ahead and resumes her journey toward the interior of their mountain domain. The scents of several of her Sisters that have passed through here are ignored, though the particular scent of one specific feline is given a slight grimace as its identified and recognized.
Holding his gaze high allows Kein to spot Nayeli is the largely barren section of mountain much sooner than he might have otherwise. Upon spotting her, he does nothing more than lift his head to stand and wait for her. Though he has come here with one purpose in mind, the unsocial Chieftain remains at a loss for words, and he attempts to use this time to form some way of saying this that might not result in any more pain and trouble than necessary, though to no avail.
Eyes narrow, then widen in surprise. The detached observation of her mate standing over there is suddenly eclipsed by the realization that he's waiting for her. That look in his eyes... Nayeli swallows hard, then, as if compelled, diverts her course to walk toward the male. Her feet feel as though they're made of stone but she stubbornly lifts and places each paw ahead of her in sequence. If this is about Kaya, she really is not in the mood to talk about her right now. Hopefully it's an apology for the last time they shared words, but from the look on the chieftain's face, Nayeli doubts such is the case. Her steps slow as she arrives within a few feet from her mate, and finally the slow arc of her tail is the only movement remaining. She'll let him speak first.
It takes a large amount of effort for Kein to keep eye contact with Nayeli, and it takes several moments after she stops walking for him to manage to say something. "Nayeli." There is regret in his tone, but determination as well, and he forces himself to continue speaking. "There's no-" At least as well as he can. The longer this takes to say, the more it worries him, so he cuts himself off only to begin again, soon after. "You need to know that... that Amaranth will be host to more cubs soon." Not for long, no. But for long enough that he has to mention it to her. It is, after all, her land too. The land of her ancestors.
Genuine surprise, and this time a lot of it. Not so much in that Amaranth will have new cubs--always a good thing--but that she's hearing the news from Kein of all cougars, rather than from the expectant mother. There are some things that are always shared through the Sisters first, and she can't remember if such news has ever come to her from Kein, rather than vice versa. Maybe.. Kein just happened to be nearby and the mother just happened to decide to tell him first in a moment of excitement? "That's.. great news," the matron finally says, residual surprise still evident in her voice. "Who is the mother?" More important than who the father is, of course. There are only so many males in the tribe, after all, and she can take a guess as to who. Still, better to hear facts than rely on assumptions in such matters.
Kein allowed two of his daughters to have litters here. Not that he could have turned them away, but he even allowed one of the fathers to remain here. But he is not so permissive as Nayeli's father, especially after last year's incredibly harsh winter. Surely, Nayeli knows that, and...? Rather than allow himself to become trapped in thoughts, he manages to answer, "Nyssa. I'm... not sure you've met her." Actually, Kein is rather certain Nayeli hasn't, at least in anything more than passing. He's sure he would have heard of that meeting from one of them. Especially since Nyssa's scent clings to Kein more and more with each passing day.
Nayeli is aware of who Nyssa is, though not with any great degree of familiarity. She respects that certain Sisters desire their own independence and anonymity, and she tries not to intrude on that. It starts to make sense though, why Nyssa wouldn't have come to her first. No doubt she happened to run into Kein and decided to pass along the news to him. "I know who she is, yes," Nayeli answers, feeling a bit of relief that this conversation seems to be not the awkward subject she was dreading. Or any number of potentially awkward subjects. "Will she be moving into the birthing cave, then?" She'll have to ensure that the cave is ready and keep others from making Nyssa feel crowded or cornered. Isolation despite being among others--it's a delicate balance for some.
For Kein, it is no less awkward than at the beginning. Still, he manages to respond quickly, first with a shake of his head, and then verbally. "I don't believe so. She... /We/ prefer staying to the north." If Nayeli truly has not guessed by now, than this should leave no doubt, and though Kein might prefer to leave whatever tiny amount of peace there is between them intact... sooner or later, he must let her know that his time here is coming to an end.
It has been said that denial is the most predictable of all emotions, and that seems to prove true as Nayeli listens to what she can't believe. Even her tail has stilled, and her mouth works as if to say something, but she can't seem to form words. Denial. He's not really meaning what it sounds like. He's only going to help Nyssa find a place to be, or only protect her while she travels north, or.. or.. "How.. far north?" she finally whispers, trying to ignore that damning word 'staying' that Kein couldn't have meant, or shouldn't have said. "We can make her a comfortable spot around the stone formations, or perhaps find a crevice somewhere where she can..." She trails off, seeing something in Kein's expression--no. He can't possibly... Denial.
Kein watches Nayeli closely, and quickly he finds himself grateful that, since he has no doubt she must know, she is taking it so well. It is not how he would have expected this to go, given things between them as of late. It also allows him to open up to her more than he has in a very long time. "I'm quite capable of taking care of a young mother-to-be, Nayeli. I don't seem to remember that you had many complaints." It is a cruel statement, perhaps, but not intended as such, as he goes on to say, "I know... I know that I haven't said in in a while. But I do love you. And... I don't regret anything that happened between us, back... back then." Now, sure. But if there is any way to fix this, after so long, he doesn't know what it is.
As comforting and reassuring as denial can be, it always dissolves in the ugly presence of inescapable truth, and as much as Nayeli would like to believe that she's simply misunderstanding Kein, that point is now past. He's never been so protective of another 'mother-to-be' up until now, and certainly not to this extent. That implication is only confirmed by his next words, and they cut deeper than anything he's ever said before. The full impact still hasn't crashed over her yet--the realization that this has been a long time coming and that everything will be different from now on--but it's getting close. Where did she go wrong? Was it that Kein thought her weak? Incompetent? Simply not good enough for him? Denial fades to something between a stunned silence and horrified realization. A dozen expressions flicker across her face, and finally she whispers hoarsely, "/Did/ love me. Your mother would be ashamed of you." And ashamed of her too, perhaps, but she'll face her own guilt later, alone. Feeling her breathing begin to turn to panting, Nayeli does her best to gracefully turn around to leave, but nearly stumbles as vision blurs with sudden tears. There's an odd awareness of how every muscle seems to have stiffened, turning her departure into a battle of dignity against awkwardness.
Kein cringes as Nayeli mentions his mother. It isn't a comfortable thought, and it creates a lot of conflict in Kein, even if he doubts the truthfulness of it. It is not, after all, as though he forced himself on Nyssa. Far from it. He forces himself to push that conflict temporarily from his mind and takes a step toward her. With a frown and a hint of a growl, he says, "I've let you say a lot about me, Nayeli. More than maybe I should have. Would it have saved us if I stood up to you a long time ago? But I have let you say those things, and never spoken ill of you in return, /because/ I love you. I will /always/ love you." But spirits help him, he cannot bring himself to be with her anymore. Not when this is his payment.
Would it have.. saved them? And to pretend as though he's innocent of wrongdoing because he never /said/ anything, but then this-! All traces of dignity quickly vanishing, Nayeli breaks into an ungainly run, heading southwest toward the rest of the tribal lands. Where she'll end up is still irrelevant. Just anywhere but here. Anywhere away from Kein. Tears flow freely now, and even if she wanted to say something in response to Kein's accusations, she knows she could never get the words out. The matron of Amaranth, descendant of the tribe's great ancestors, leader of... it's all over. She can't continue anymore.
In times past, Kein surely would have followed her. Perhaps he should yet, but... no. No, his own emotions are far too raw at the moment. The fact that he spoke to her so harshly, perhaps for only the second time in his life, should be clue enough as to that. No. He'll let her be, and find someone to take her a message. Who, he's not sure. This is sure to cause trouble in the tribe, despite his attempts to minimize it. But it doesn't matter. All he needs for Nayeli to know is that when she is ready to speak to him again... he will speak to her. Until then, he'll let her be.