Post by Mythri on Oct 20, 2010 1:09:19 GMT -5
Cast:
Mythri, adult female cougar
Tantallon, adolescent male cougar
Thrash, adult male cougar
Scene:
She probably took a lot longer to make the return journey than she should have, but there was no denying the reluctance that plagued every step of her paws through the lower forest and finally around the southeastern side of the mountain to these grasslands along the northeastern border. Were Cael still alive, he would no doubt tease her about the slow pace, despite knowing the real reason. She carries cubs within her, and it's been difficult to compensate for the changes in weight and balance to a figure that she's honed and trained all her life. Even her mental faculties surprise her at times, with emotion or odd thoughts threatening to get in the way of her task at paw. Return. She's barely visible as she slinks through the tall grasses, but stealth is only practiced out of habit, rather than intent. She's not trying to hide herself from the denizens of the mountain. Quite the opposite.
He's been crouched at the border for hours. Or has it been days? It's all blended together, the cold and silence solitude blending together into one long and unending time lapse. He's been there long enough for the snow to settle on him, bits of frost touching the ends of his whiskers until the young, angular cat appears a statue frozen in the landscape. Still, Tantallon is very much alive despite his glazed and unfocused expression, though no doubt his limbs must be weary from their extended wait and his body cold from the motionless exposure. He waits. He knows not why, only that he had to be here. That something was coming, something he must meet. Was this what Paoro meant when he knew who he'd come to meet? Had it not been Thrash at all, despite only discovering the cat was his half-brother? No. The feeling wasn't the same, that tugging insistence in his very bones. He would wait forever, for to do anything else would be too painful to deny. Still, it seems his wait might be over. At the motion of Mythri approaching in the distance, the young cat's head slowly turns, dislodging snow as greyed eyes clear and focus.
Another unpleasant change is how much quicker she tires, even with simple activities such as walking. Mythri does not find it a reason to complain, but it is still an undeniable fact and one that deserves attention to, as a tired feline can be easily ambushed and killed. But still, she perseveres in her journey back to the mountain. She can see the familiar slope now, leading up toward the mesa where she imagines the weather will be even more inclement. Perfect. Despite her upbringing, personality, and general view of herself, this is the one time where she has had to accept the simple fact that she's no longer the predator.. the hunter. She's pregnant, and by definition that makes her vulnerable. Not /weak/, per se. It just requires more attention on her part, more awareness. She continues through the grasses, casting a quick glance up toward the sky. The last thing she wants is to be caught in the middle of a snowstorm. And with the way the clouds have moved in and the snowflakes have begun, it's time to finish this. She doesn't yet notice the male, but her steps have taken her nearly to the base of the slope, and her focus is quickly shifting toward where she's sure she will encounter another feline before too much longer. Unless Amaranth has relaxed its patrols since she was last here, of course.
One by one he lifts his paws from the small wells they'd been progressively buried in, flexing toes gone to sleep with cold and the lack of mobility. Tantallon stands, giving himself a light shake to clear the last of the snow clinging to his fur and to wake himself up from his long wait. He squints down the slope and his ears tip forward, slowly picking out the approaching shape. Another cougar, female by outline, though the snow makes finer details hard to pick out. He exhales a soft snort that fogs up in front of his nose. He doesn't recognize her, but he can feel the tug in his gut that keeps insisting a steady ThisoneThisoneThisone and it's one he's all too familiar with. It's a useless one to ignore. So, with little ceremony or announcement, he leaves his waiting place to begin to approach this arriving stranger.
It's right when the male begins to move toward her that Mythri is alerted to his presence. Startled, she halts, gazing warily at the other feline. She doesn't recognize him, and with him being a male and coming from the mountain, all of these factors add up to an unpleasant conclusion. It's quite possible that Amaranth policy on allowing grown males to stay on the mountain has changed since she was last here, but she highly doubts it. The only other possible scenario she can come up is that leadership in Amaranth has changed. But as the male approaches closer, Mythri realizes that it's an adolescent, which answers none of her questions. Best to play this one close to the chestfur. There is, however, a small degree of confidence in the realization of the other's age and size. If things do break bad, she'll at least stand a better chance of defeating a smaller male, despite her pregnancy. Were she not with cubs and at her full strength and capacity, she'd barely give the other a second thought. But with the way things currently are... Yes, best to be cautious here. The cougaress continues to remain motionless, waiting for the male to approach even closer. The presence or absence of a greeting on his part will help determine her own course of action as well. Or will the situation go straight into combat? Her stance eases a little as she prepares herself for... what? Worst-case scenario.
He waits until he's within a reasonable earshot, close enough not to shout but far enough to respect personal space. Tantallon settles his paws in the snow, blinking steadily at Mythri through the snow. He's young, there's no doubting that, but there is an odd sort of detachment on his eyes. It's a strange expression and sensation, like they didn't belong to him but some older and wiser beast. "I'm Tantallon, and I've been waiting for you." Inwardly, he only registers his words once they've left his mouth. Has he been waiting for her? Something says yes, youthful incredulousness says it's ridiculous. He flicks an ear and utters a quiet clearing as a sidenote, muttering as if to break the possible awkward conversation starter, "I mean you no harm."
Waiting for her? The full implication of that statement is startling, if not downright unsettling and.. creepy. The male's name is filed away but the full force of her attention is on the figure in front of her. Mythri stares at him as if trying to figure out what would possess him to say such a thing. Waiting for her? Aside from the more rational explanations that all vie for her mental attention, there's an unpleasant thought nagging at the back of her mind. Something about the spiritual significance that several of the Amaranth felines seemed to attach to the mountain. Something about the near-creepy mysticism that she had dismissed off-paw. Regardless of the explanation for this male's presence and greeting, he's obviously expecting some sort of response, and the circumstances of this encounter can be pondered over at a later point in time. Mythri hopes the uncertainty does not show in her expression; her tone is neutral at best, if perhaps a touch hesitant: "I seek.. the chieftain of this mountain." She had almost named Kein, but then decided that if a change in leadership had indeed happened, no doubt the former chieftain would not be remembered with any great love.
Whatever creepy-factor Tantallon had been exuding seems briefly lost under the guise of a normal, if slightly awkward seeming, adolescent male. "...oh. Kein? Well, he's around, though I hear things have been a little... well, it's a long story and I don't really know the details. I got enough to keep me occupied, I don't need gossip. But, he's here. Somewhere. Thrash may know where to find him. I can see if I can find him. Who are you?"
Finally. Answers. At least to one of the major questions, anyway. If Kein is still the chieftain, then perhaps this will be easier than she had been expecting. They had never been on good terms, but she hoped that he would at least remember that she was most certainly not her father, and never would be. But if he insisted on remembering familial deeds... No. She will just have to convince him, and that's that. Her dark, amber-rimmed eyes note the change in demeanor, and her confidence grows. "I am Mythri, daughter of Revan," she answers, feeling neither pride nor shame in the naming. It is simply who she is. "What has been happening in Amaranth?" A shade of curiosity in the question. She's tempted to add that it's been a while since she last walked on this mountain, but until she knows more of what has transpired in recent months, perhaps informational discretion would be the best course of action. She takes a few steps toward the male, angling slightly as if to begin walking alongside him, were he to begin heading back up the slope. A not-so-subtle hint, perhaps, that her desire to see Kein has not been tempered with patience.
If she was expecting a bold reaction from Tantallon, be it good or bad, there is none forthcoming. Only a quiet and neutral acknowledgement. "Mythri." He seems to linger faintly on the name, considering, as if something about it should be familiar. He was not born of this place nor has he heard the stories, the names of the past have no weight to him. "I am just... Tantallon. Orphan of Toya. I never knew my father, so, I suppose he's not very important. Thrash mentioned some guy named... Mack? Malkan?... Marlek? I don't remember. He said he thinks that's who my dad was, but, I never met him. I was... raised by wolves, if that's not more odd than I should probably be admitting in public."
Mythri nods briefly, though she arches an eyebrow at the mention of wolves. She doesn't share her father's genocidal tendencies toward lesser species, but she does still view them with plenty of contempt. A sharp look-over is given to the male, as if making sure she didn't miss anything the first time she examined him. What would being raised by wolves do to a cougar? Just the thought is a bit.. unsettling. Maybe that's why she felt uneasy when he first spoke, or when she first saw him. Something about this Tantallon is rather.. odd. Not something she can put a claw on, but she's determined to figure it out. But for now: "Shall we start upward, then? I must speak with the chieftain as soon as possible."
"Ah, right, right." Tantallon says with a quiet cough, briefly glancing to the distinct roundness of her belly and sides. "Let's go and see if we can find somewhere warmer and see if we can't find Kein." Gesturing with a nod of his head, he turns to begin the climb back up the mountain. "So, are you... from around here?" He asks as he walks, "Or just visiting?"
"Everytime we touch! Emotions that I can't contain, are sweeping over me again. Everytime we touch! Sensations I can not explain are washing all away my pain. Everytime we touch! A magic spring from deep inside, comes into me like a breath of light. Everytime we touch, something takes ahold of me, everytime we touch!" The voice of Thrash can be heard singing in the distance as he trots through the snow, swaying a bit side to side, allowing his deep voice strike powerfully. "Everytime we touch, heaven and earth collide, everything feels so right!" He pauses as he spies Tantallon and an unfamiliar female in the distance, licking his lips for a moment, before shoving himself onwards towards them, picking up the pace a bit.
"I used to live here," Mythri says simply, falling into step beside the male as the two of them ascend up the snow-dusted slope. Not too close, yet not quite enough of a distance to seem like she's awkwardly avoiding him. "For a short time, anyway." Enough time to go through a flurry of events. The terrible punishing her father gave her for running away from him. Her first heat. The attack on the matron. Her departure. Her reunion with her father. It does seem like such a long time ago, now, yet Mythri knows she's not all that old. This will be her first litter, after all, and motherhood is supposed to be a large part of one's life. If she survives this, that is. Her tail sways a bit uncertaintly as they continue, and her gaze is everywhere at once. Waiting to see when they'll run into any more felines, and waiting to see if they'll be ones she recognizes. Her ear catches the faint sound of... singing? That.. definitely wasn't what she was expecting. She throws a sharp look in the direction of the sound, and can see a vague shape making its way through the snowy haze. Another cougar, for sure. But who?
"Ah, well, I suppose it'd be an interesting thing to grow up here. I came to learn of my own kind, though, the solitude is.. not something I'm used to." Tantallon murmurs as he treks ahead through the snow, leaving a trail of pawprints forged for her to follow in. Before he can make more conversation, however, the singing hits his ears and brings the young cat up short with a perplexed and startled look screwing up his face. "...he can't be serious..." He shakes his head before raising up his chin and calling out, "Thrash! Hey! Come down here."
As he makes his way through the haze, Thrash pushes through the curtain of snow that whips into his face to fully come into view. His amber eyes are critical as he takes in the sight of the pregnant Mythri, then soon turns his gaze upon his brother. He high steps through the cold blanket towards them, rumbling out in a deep tone towards them. "Tantallon, is everything alright?" He asks of the younger cougar, glancing back and forth between them quickly. "You have a new friend I see."
So, this is Thrash? Mythri narrows her eyes as she takes in the newcomer, unsure of what to make of him. A cougar, singing? She refrains from saying anything, letting the two males converse. If asked a question or if another introduction is needed, then she'll speak. Again, she is conscious of her current physical state, and allows herself to ease into a ready stance, just in case this newcomer--obviously an adult, and more of a threat than the adolescent--decides to drive her away. Or persuade the younger to assist.
"Her name is Mythri." Tantallon explains as he takes a few steps forward towards the older male. It puts him between Thrash and Mythri, though it's more by chance as opposed to actively serving as some sort of ineffective shield from nonexistent dangers. "She's here to see Kein. Where'd you last spot him? I.. haven't seen him in awhile, but, I don't pay much attention. I figure you'd have a better chance at knowing where he is or having seem him than me."
"Mythri? You are Cael's Mythri?" Thrash asks, practically bewildered as his eyes widen to saucers. "Hey! Where's he at? I still owe him a wrestling match." He says with a bolstering grin upon his face, looking excitement at the prospect of reuniting with his sparring partner. "I've heard a lot about you, mostly from Kein though. Last I saw him? Uh... awhile ago. He was off to see Nyssa again, wherever that may be. I don't know where the two have settled in at." Turning back to Mythri, he can't stop the grin across his face. "So, Cael's 'bout to be a daddy, that's so cool. That means I'm gonna be an Uncle, which means -you're'- going to be an Uncle too, Tantallon!"
Cael's Mythri. Where once those words might have brought a glow of pride, now there's only emptiness. Cael, dead from an enemy no amount of strength or cunning could have possibly defeated. Dead without the chance for a honorable defense. The sting of memory keeps her from speaking at first, though she's a bit surprised at the realization that she's apparently distantly related to these two males. At least they don't appear to be hostile. Finally, as her gaze moves from one to the other, and finally back to the older, she speaks in a carefully controlled tone, "Cael is dead." If they demand to know more, then she'll expound; she'd prefer to leave that topic unspoken, as it's still quite a bit too recent for her to speak comfortably about it. Her ears tilt back a little, and she glances to the side, as if looking for an escape route.
Tantallon furrows his brows at Thrash. Wait, he has more unknown relations? "Uh... I don't get it." He says to his older half-brother with a perplexed look on his face before Mythri's statement robs him of his train of thought and intent to squeeze this new information from Thrash. "Oh.... sorry to hear. I didn't know him, but, I know what loss is like. Look, we're just sitting here yammering... let's find you a place to settle down out of the cold and we can find Kein for you."
When Mythri says that Cael is dead, it knocks the smile, as well as all the joy out of Thrash's face. He looks stunned, his mouth working to try and get something out. ".. He's... dead..." He trails off dumbly, settling himself backwards upon his haunches. Taking in a deep breath, his ears flatten back against his skull, then finally says. "I.. yes.. we should... get further into the territory." Swallowing tightly in his throat, he looks devastated to hear that news. Blinking a few more times, he turns his large bulk and starts to head back off through the snow, his tail dragging behind him in the snow.
Good. No demands for an explanation. And while she's not the best judge of honesty, the two /looked/ genuinely upset at the news of Cael's death. Still, it won't hurt to continue to be wary. Mythri walks in near-silence, the only sound being the faintest crunch of snow under her paws. The cold doesn't bother her all that much; one of the advantages to training on one's focus and concentration is that concerns like environmental discomforts become less and less important. As the snow and cold aren't dangerous, they're more or less ignored. Still, it /would/ be nice to get to somewhere more representative of shelter, as Mythri has growing cubs to be concerned about as well. She doesn't know enough about pregnancy to make an accurate assessment as to how vulnerable they are, growing inside of her, but she's not going to take chances.
"I know I'd found a cave around here somewhere, once..." Tantallon says as he paces along behind his brother, squinting through the lightening snow towards the mountains and trying to find the cleft he'd once seen. "It's probably bound to be the warmest and driest spot around. Then we can find Kein. Oh!" He says, taking a quick jump forward to more match Thrash shoulder-to-shoulder, "I forgot.... that guy you said mom had met, who you said might be my dad... what was his name? I only heard it once and I forgot."
"Your father is Malak." Thrash says to Tantallon as he shifts his eyes over towards his brother somberly, his mind unable to really stray away from the news that Cael is dead. Taking in a deep breath, he shifts his gaze over towards him. "Why is this real important right now?" He asks curiously as his ears lift upwards upon his head, eyes squinting a bit through the snow.
It occurs to Mythri that in order for Thrash to know anything about her relationship with Cael, he must have said something about it before leaving Amaranth... before he knew that he would even find Mythri again, let alone win her heart. And convince her father not to rip his throat out for even /trying/ to woo Mythri. And he still called her /his/ Mythri before leaving Amaranth? Now it's Mythri's turn to have a lump in her throat. But her attention is arrested by what the older male says. His father is... but that would make.. Cousins. Revan had never said anything about them. Because he didn't know, or because he intentionally kept it hidden from her? Wouldn't be the first secret of his that Mythri found out about after the fact. She continues walking, knowing which crevice they're heading toward. Part of her residency earlier in her life involved the complete tour and deliberate familiarity of the mountain. Knowledge of the surrounding terrain is everything, when it comes to tactical supremacy.
"Oh, yah. I knew it was something like that." Tantallon says as he glances aside to his brother and then away, letting out a long and silent breath, though it's clearly displayed by the fog around his muzzle. Thrash's somber mood seems to affect the youngest of the three as his ears slowly wilt and he settles into silence as he walks along. It's only after a short time he remarks, "...well, maybe now that you're home and all.... maybe he might come to me with a message." He says it so plainly as his eyes wander up to the high, white mountain, as if speaking to ghosts was the most normal thing in the world.
"Tantallon can speak with the dead." Thrash explains over his shoulder to Mythri as his ears perk forward a bit. "Perhaps he can find Cael in the spirit world. I've come to learn that once you pass, you aren't truly ever gone." A look of hope passes over his eyes as he turns his attention back towards Tantallon, then presses on forward once more. "Mythri, I will hunt for you tonight and make sure you are fed, alright? If you need -anything- at all, please let either myself or Tantallon know and we will do whatever is necessary to make you comfortable."
Mythri blinks, looking more taken aback than she has at any point so far during her return. Hunt for her? The very idea! "I can hunt for myself just fine," she says flatly, narrowing her eyes. And all this talk about the spirit world and communicating with Cael? Nonsense. Cael is /dead/, and that's that. She's learned to accept it, and move on. Talking about what happened and foolish notions of talking to spirits aren't going to help her feel better about it. "I just need somewhere to stay for the night, and as I recall, there's a small cave just up here to the right?" Somewhere where she can have solitude for the night, at least until she gets a chance to speak with Kein. Telling him that his son is dead is not going to be one of the highlights of coming back, but it's something that needs to be done, regardless.
"We'll see." Tantallon remarks sidelong to his brother. "You know I can't promise anything." There's a glance cast back to Mythri over his shoulder, his expressions distant as though he were looking through her and not at her, as if something walked behind her. But that'd be silly. They're the only three here. With the faintest and neutral sounding noise his grey gaze shifts to the right, spying the crevice he'd been looking for. He says nothing further as he moves towards the cave with slow, heavy steps.
"I insist that I hunt for you, Mythri. You could use the chance to just relax and take some time off your paws, that, and I would be honored to hunt for Cael's mate. It's the least I can do." Thrash says as he walks along Tant's side, giving his brother a bump. "I am Maul's mate by the way. I only met Cael a few times, but I considered him like a brother to me. I was hoping that I would see him one last time, so that he could see I've grown up and no longer act like a jerk." He says with a heavy breath.
"How do you know that I am Cael's mate?" Mythri's voice is borderline dangerous. "Such a decision was not made until long after he left Amaranth." The nerve of him, claiming to be her mate even before he /found/ her... Mythri feels a burst of affection for her deceased mate, but quickly reverts her attention back to the two males, particularly to the older. "No. I could not 'relax' in a situation like this, even if I did want to, which I do not. I will hunt for myself, and you impede me at your own risk." Bluff, mostly, as she's not really in the mood nor the best state to challenge a bigger male, let alone with his brother alongside of him, but she's hoping that he'll not bother pushing the issue. She gives him a flat stare, then deliberately looks toward the crevice opening. "You have my gratitude for a kind welcome; please inform the chieftain that I will speak with him at his earlier convenience." The cougaress gives another glance up at the sky, and wonders how soon it will be before the weather turns more violent. The snow is definitely falling harder now that they've gained elevation, and it looks to get worse. Not that she minds; she has a place for the evening where her cubs will be sheltered.
It doesn't take much longer for them to reach the crevice and Tantallon comes to a halt a short ways from the entrance. He regards Mythri once more, his voice quiet and still sounding distant as he speaks, "We'll leave you be, but, we wouln't go too far so shout out if you need, though if you were born here I don't doubt you at least know your way around." There's a faint ghost of a smile but it's brief as he turns back to Thrash. "Come on, let's go find Kein."
Turning around to face her, Thrash says simply, "I know because Kein told me that Cael left him and the Amaranth, to be with -you-." He curls his tail about his haunches in a tight manner. "And even though it angered Kein to know that he was leaving, he accepted Cael in making his decision because he knew it made him happy." He tilts his chin upwards a bit, nostrils flaring. "If you don't want me to hunt, fine, but my services are still at your beck and call if you do need my help." Leaning over, he gives Tant' a nudge, then starts to head off down the snowy path.
And if Cael had not found Mythri? Or if she had rejected him? Or if Revan had prevented him from seeing her? Would he have returned to Amaranth? "I will keep your offer in mind," she says simply, letting her tone return to a neutral cool. She gives the younger male a nod and the barest of smiles, then turns and heads into the crevice, tail flicking behind her. Yes, it's more or less as she remembered it, though the scents are different. Still cramped, but still a welcome shelter. It will do, for now at least.
Mythri, adult female cougar
Tantallon, adolescent male cougar
Thrash, adult male cougar
Scene:
She probably took a lot longer to make the return journey than she should have, but there was no denying the reluctance that plagued every step of her paws through the lower forest and finally around the southeastern side of the mountain to these grasslands along the northeastern border. Were Cael still alive, he would no doubt tease her about the slow pace, despite knowing the real reason. She carries cubs within her, and it's been difficult to compensate for the changes in weight and balance to a figure that she's honed and trained all her life. Even her mental faculties surprise her at times, with emotion or odd thoughts threatening to get in the way of her task at paw. Return. She's barely visible as she slinks through the tall grasses, but stealth is only practiced out of habit, rather than intent. She's not trying to hide herself from the denizens of the mountain. Quite the opposite.
He's been crouched at the border for hours. Or has it been days? It's all blended together, the cold and silence solitude blending together into one long and unending time lapse. He's been there long enough for the snow to settle on him, bits of frost touching the ends of his whiskers until the young, angular cat appears a statue frozen in the landscape. Still, Tantallon is very much alive despite his glazed and unfocused expression, though no doubt his limbs must be weary from their extended wait and his body cold from the motionless exposure. He waits. He knows not why, only that he had to be here. That something was coming, something he must meet. Was this what Paoro meant when he knew who he'd come to meet? Had it not been Thrash at all, despite only discovering the cat was his half-brother? No. The feeling wasn't the same, that tugging insistence in his very bones. He would wait forever, for to do anything else would be too painful to deny. Still, it seems his wait might be over. At the motion of Mythri approaching in the distance, the young cat's head slowly turns, dislodging snow as greyed eyes clear and focus.
Another unpleasant change is how much quicker she tires, even with simple activities such as walking. Mythri does not find it a reason to complain, but it is still an undeniable fact and one that deserves attention to, as a tired feline can be easily ambushed and killed. But still, she perseveres in her journey back to the mountain. She can see the familiar slope now, leading up toward the mesa where she imagines the weather will be even more inclement. Perfect. Despite her upbringing, personality, and general view of herself, this is the one time where she has had to accept the simple fact that she's no longer the predator.. the hunter. She's pregnant, and by definition that makes her vulnerable. Not /weak/, per se. It just requires more attention on her part, more awareness. She continues through the grasses, casting a quick glance up toward the sky. The last thing she wants is to be caught in the middle of a snowstorm. And with the way the clouds have moved in and the snowflakes have begun, it's time to finish this. She doesn't yet notice the male, but her steps have taken her nearly to the base of the slope, and her focus is quickly shifting toward where she's sure she will encounter another feline before too much longer. Unless Amaranth has relaxed its patrols since she was last here, of course.
One by one he lifts his paws from the small wells they'd been progressively buried in, flexing toes gone to sleep with cold and the lack of mobility. Tantallon stands, giving himself a light shake to clear the last of the snow clinging to his fur and to wake himself up from his long wait. He squints down the slope and his ears tip forward, slowly picking out the approaching shape. Another cougar, female by outline, though the snow makes finer details hard to pick out. He exhales a soft snort that fogs up in front of his nose. He doesn't recognize her, but he can feel the tug in his gut that keeps insisting a steady ThisoneThisoneThisone and it's one he's all too familiar with. It's a useless one to ignore. So, with little ceremony or announcement, he leaves his waiting place to begin to approach this arriving stranger.
It's right when the male begins to move toward her that Mythri is alerted to his presence. Startled, she halts, gazing warily at the other feline. She doesn't recognize him, and with him being a male and coming from the mountain, all of these factors add up to an unpleasant conclusion. It's quite possible that Amaranth policy on allowing grown males to stay on the mountain has changed since she was last here, but she highly doubts it. The only other possible scenario she can come up is that leadership in Amaranth has changed. But as the male approaches closer, Mythri realizes that it's an adolescent, which answers none of her questions. Best to play this one close to the chestfur. There is, however, a small degree of confidence in the realization of the other's age and size. If things do break bad, she'll at least stand a better chance of defeating a smaller male, despite her pregnancy. Were she not with cubs and at her full strength and capacity, she'd barely give the other a second thought. But with the way things currently are... Yes, best to be cautious here. The cougaress continues to remain motionless, waiting for the male to approach even closer. The presence or absence of a greeting on his part will help determine her own course of action as well. Or will the situation go straight into combat? Her stance eases a little as she prepares herself for... what? Worst-case scenario.
He waits until he's within a reasonable earshot, close enough not to shout but far enough to respect personal space. Tantallon settles his paws in the snow, blinking steadily at Mythri through the snow. He's young, there's no doubting that, but there is an odd sort of detachment on his eyes. It's a strange expression and sensation, like they didn't belong to him but some older and wiser beast. "I'm Tantallon, and I've been waiting for you." Inwardly, he only registers his words once they've left his mouth. Has he been waiting for her? Something says yes, youthful incredulousness says it's ridiculous. He flicks an ear and utters a quiet clearing as a sidenote, muttering as if to break the possible awkward conversation starter, "I mean you no harm."
Waiting for her? The full implication of that statement is startling, if not downright unsettling and.. creepy. The male's name is filed away but the full force of her attention is on the figure in front of her. Mythri stares at him as if trying to figure out what would possess him to say such a thing. Waiting for her? Aside from the more rational explanations that all vie for her mental attention, there's an unpleasant thought nagging at the back of her mind. Something about the spiritual significance that several of the Amaranth felines seemed to attach to the mountain. Something about the near-creepy mysticism that she had dismissed off-paw. Regardless of the explanation for this male's presence and greeting, he's obviously expecting some sort of response, and the circumstances of this encounter can be pondered over at a later point in time. Mythri hopes the uncertainty does not show in her expression; her tone is neutral at best, if perhaps a touch hesitant: "I seek.. the chieftain of this mountain." She had almost named Kein, but then decided that if a change in leadership had indeed happened, no doubt the former chieftain would not be remembered with any great love.
Whatever creepy-factor Tantallon had been exuding seems briefly lost under the guise of a normal, if slightly awkward seeming, adolescent male. "...oh. Kein? Well, he's around, though I hear things have been a little... well, it's a long story and I don't really know the details. I got enough to keep me occupied, I don't need gossip. But, he's here. Somewhere. Thrash may know where to find him. I can see if I can find him. Who are you?"
Finally. Answers. At least to one of the major questions, anyway. If Kein is still the chieftain, then perhaps this will be easier than she had been expecting. They had never been on good terms, but she hoped that he would at least remember that she was most certainly not her father, and never would be. But if he insisted on remembering familial deeds... No. She will just have to convince him, and that's that. Her dark, amber-rimmed eyes note the change in demeanor, and her confidence grows. "I am Mythri, daughter of Revan," she answers, feeling neither pride nor shame in the naming. It is simply who she is. "What has been happening in Amaranth?" A shade of curiosity in the question. She's tempted to add that it's been a while since she last walked on this mountain, but until she knows more of what has transpired in recent months, perhaps informational discretion would be the best course of action. She takes a few steps toward the male, angling slightly as if to begin walking alongside him, were he to begin heading back up the slope. A not-so-subtle hint, perhaps, that her desire to see Kein has not been tempered with patience.
If she was expecting a bold reaction from Tantallon, be it good or bad, there is none forthcoming. Only a quiet and neutral acknowledgement. "Mythri." He seems to linger faintly on the name, considering, as if something about it should be familiar. He was not born of this place nor has he heard the stories, the names of the past have no weight to him. "I am just... Tantallon. Orphan of Toya. I never knew my father, so, I suppose he's not very important. Thrash mentioned some guy named... Mack? Malkan?... Marlek? I don't remember. He said he thinks that's who my dad was, but, I never met him. I was... raised by wolves, if that's not more odd than I should probably be admitting in public."
Mythri nods briefly, though she arches an eyebrow at the mention of wolves. She doesn't share her father's genocidal tendencies toward lesser species, but she does still view them with plenty of contempt. A sharp look-over is given to the male, as if making sure she didn't miss anything the first time she examined him. What would being raised by wolves do to a cougar? Just the thought is a bit.. unsettling. Maybe that's why she felt uneasy when he first spoke, or when she first saw him. Something about this Tantallon is rather.. odd. Not something she can put a claw on, but she's determined to figure it out. But for now: "Shall we start upward, then? I must speak with the chieftain as soon as possible."
"Ah, right, right." Tantallon says with a quiet cough, briefly glancing to the distinct roundness of her belly and sides. "Let's go and see if we can find somewhere warmer and see if we can't find Kein." Gesturing with a nod of his head, he turns to begin the climb back up the mountain. "So, are you... from around here?" He asks as he walks, "Or just visiting?"
"Everytime we touch! Emotions that I can't contain, are sweeping over me again. Everytime we touch! Sensations I can not explain are washing all away my pain. Everytime we touch! A magic spring from deep inside, comes into me like a breath of light. Everytime we touch, something takes ahold of me, everytime we touch!" The voice of Thrash can be heard singing in the distance as he trots through the snow, swaying a bit side to side, allowing his deep voice strike powerfully. "Everytime we touch, heaven and earth collide, everything feels so right!" He pauses as he spies Tantallon and an unfamiliar female in the distance, licking his lips for a moment, before shoving himself onwards towards them, picking up the pace a bit.
"I used to live here," Mythri says simply, falling into step beside the male as the two of them ascend up the snow-dusted slope. Not too close, yet not quite enough of a distance to seem like she's awkwardly avoiding him. "For a short time, anyway." Enough time to go through a flurry of events. The terrible punishing her father gave her for running away from him. Her first heat. The attack on the matron. Her departure. Her reunion with her father. It does seem like such a long time ago, now, yet Mythri knows she's not all that old. This will be her first litter, after all, and motherhood is supposed to be a large part of one's life. If she survives this, that is. Her tail sways a bit uncertaintly as they continue, and her gaze is everywhere at once. Waiting to see when they'll run into any more felines, and waiting to see if they'll be ones she recognizes. Her ear catches the faint sound of... singing? That.. definitely wasn't what she was expecting. She throws a sharp look in the direction of the sound, and can see a vague shape making its way through the snowy haze. Another cougar, for sure. But who?
"Ah, well, I suppose it'd be an interesting thing to grow up here. I came to learn of my own kind, though, the solitude is.. not something I'm used to." Tantallon murmurs as he treks ahead through the snow, leaving a trail of pawprints forged for her to follow in. Before he can make more conversation, however, the singing hits his ears and brings the young cat up short with a perplexed and startled look screwing up his face. "...he can't be serious..." He shakes his head before raising up his chin and calling out, "Thrash! Hey! Come down here."
As he makes his way through the haze, Thrash pushes through the curtain of snow that whips into his face to fully come into view. His amber eyes are critical as he takes in the sight of the pregnant Mythri, then soon turns his gaze upon his brother. He high steps through the cold blanket towards them, rumbling out in a deep tone towards them. "Tantallon, is everything alright?" He asks of the younger cougar, glancing back and forth between them quickly. "You have a new friend I see."
So, this is Thrash? Mythri narrows her eyes as she takes in the newcomer, unsure of what to make of him. A cougar, singing? She refrains from saying anything, letting the two males converse. If asked a question or if another introduction is needed, then she'll speak. Again, she is conscious of her current physical state, and allows herself to ease into a ready stance, just in case this newcomer--obviously an adult, and more of a threat than the adolescent--decides to drive her away. Or persuade the younger to assist.
"Her name is Mythri." Tantallon explains as he takes a few steps forward towards the older male. It puts him between Thrash and Mythri, though it's more by chance as opposed to actively serving as some sort of ineffective shield from nonexistent dangers. "She's here to see Kein. Where'd you last spot him? I.. haven't seen him in awhile, but, I don't pay much attention. I figure you'd have a better chance at knowing where he is or having seem him than me."
"Mythri? You are Cael's Mythri?" Thrash asks, practically bewildered as his eyes widen to saucers. "Hey! Where's he at? I still owe him a wrestling match." He says with a bolstering grin upon his face, looking excitement at the prospect of reuniting with his sparring partner. "I've heard a lot about you, mostly from Kein though. Last I saw him? Uh... awhile ago. He was off to see Nyssa again, wherever that may be. I don't know where the two have settled in at." Turning back to Mythri, he can't stop the grin across his face. "So, Cael's 'bout to be a daddy, that's so cool. That means I'm gonna be an Uncle, which means -you're'- going to be an Uncle too, Tantallon!"
Cael's Mythri. Where once those words might have brought a glow of pride, now there's only emptiness. Cael, dead from an enemy no amount of strength or cunning could have possibly defeated. Dead without the chance for a honorable defense. The sting of memory keeps her from speaking at first, though she's a bit surprised at the realization that she's apparently distantly related to these two males. At least they don't appear to be hostile. Finally, as her gaze moves from one to the other, and finally back to the older, she speaks in a carefully controlled tone, "Cael is dead." If they demand to know more, then she'll expound; she'd prefer to leave that topic unspoken, as it's still quite a bit too recent for her to speak comfortably about it. Her ears tilt back a little, and she glances to the side, as if looking for an escape route.
Tantallon furrows his brows at Thrash. Wait, he has more unknown relations? "Uh... I don't get it." He says to his older half-brother with a perplexed look on his face before Mythri's statement robs him of his train of thought and intent to squeeze this new information from Thrash. "Oh.... sorry to hear. I didn't know him, but, I know what loss is like. Look, we're just sitting here yammering... let's find you a place to settle down out of the cold and we can find Kein for you."
When Mythri says that Cael is dead, it knocks the smile, as well as all the joy out of Thrash's face. He looks stunned, his mouth working to try and get something out. ".. He's... dead..." He trails off dumbly, settling himself backwards upon his haunches. Taking in a deep breath, his ears flatten back against his skull, then finally says. "I.. yes.. we should... get further into the territory." Swallowing tightly in his throat, he looks devastated to hear that news. Blinking a few more times, he turns his large bulk and starts to head back off through the snow, his tail dragging behind him in the snow.
Good. No demands for an explanation. And while she's not the best judge of honesty, the two /looked/ genuinely upset at the news of Cael's death. Still, it won't hurt to continue to be wary. Mythri walks in near-silence, the only sound being the faintest crunch of snow under her paws. The cold doesn't bother her all that much; one of the advantages to training on one's focus and concentration is that concerns like environmental discomforts become less and less important. As the snow and cold aren't dangerous, they're more or less ignored. Still, it /would/ be nice to get to somewhere more representative of shelter, as Mythri has growing cubs to be concerned about as well. She doesn't know enough about pregnancy to make an accurate assessment as to how vulnerable they are, growing inside of her, but she's not going to take chances.
"I know I'd found a cave around here somewhere, once..." Tantallon says as he paces along behind his brother, squinting through the lightening snow towards the mountains and trying to find the cleft he'd once seen. "It's probably bound to be the warmest and driest spot around. Then we can find Kein. Oh!" He says, taking a quick jump forward to more match Thrash shoulder-to-shoulder, "I forgot.... that guy you said mom had met, who you said might be my dad... what was his name? I only heard it once and I forgot."
"Your father is Malak." Thrash says to Tantallon as he shifts his eyes over towards his brother somberly, his mind unable to really stray away from the news that Cael is dead. Taking in a deep breath, he shifts his gaze over towards him. "Why is this real important right now?" He asks curiously as his ears lift upwards upon his head, eyes squinting a bit through the snow.
It occurs to Mythri that in order for Thrash to know anything about her relationship with Cael, he must have said something about it before leaving Amaranth... before he knew that he would even find Mythri again, let alone win her heart. And convince her father not to rip his throat out for even /trying/ to woo Mythri. And he still called her /his/ Mythri before leaving Amaranth? Now it's Mythri's turn to have a lump in her throat. But her attention is arrested by what the older male says. His father is... but that would make.. Cousins. Revan had never said anything about them. Because he didn't know, or because he intentionally kept it hidden from her? Wouldn't be the first secret of his that Mythri found out about after the fact. She continues walking, knowing which crevice they're heading toward. Part of her residency earlier in her life involved the complete tour and deliberate familiarity of the mountain. Knowledge of the surrounding terrain is everything, when it comes to tactical supremacy.
"Oh, yah. I knew it was something like that." Tantallon says as he glances aside to his brother and then away, letting out a long and silent breath, though it's clearly displayed by the fog around his muzzle. Thrash's somber mood seems to affect the youngest of the three as his ears slowly wilt and he settles into silence as he walks along. It's only after a short time he remarks, "...well, maybe now that you're home and all.... maybe he might come to me with a message." He says it so plainly as his eyes wander up to the high, white mountain, as if speaking to ghosts was the most normal thing in the world.
"Tantallon can speak with the dead." Thrash explains over his shoulder to Mythri as his ears perk forward a bit. "Perhaps he can find Cael in the spirit world. I've come to learn that once you pass, you aren't truly ever gone." A look of hope passes over his eyes as he turns his attention back towards Tantallon, then presses on forward once more. "Mythri, I will hunt for you tonight and make sure you are fed, alright? If you need -anything- at all, please let either myself or Tantallon know and we will do whatever is necessary to make you comfortable."
Mythri blinks, looking more taken aback than she has at any point so far during her return. Hunt for her? The very idea! "I can hunt for myself just fine," she says flatly, narrowing her eyes. And all this talk about the spirit world and communicating with Cael? Nonsense. Cael is /dead/, and that's that. She's learned to accept it, and move on. Talking about what happened and foolish notions of talking to spirits aren't going to help her feel better about it. "I just need somewhere to stay for the night, and as I recall, there's a small cave just up here to the right?" Somewhere where she can have solitude for the night, at least until she gets a chance to speak with Kein. Telling him that his son is dead is not going to be one of the highlights of coming back, but it's something that needs to be done, regardless.
"We'll see." Tantallon remarks sidelong to his brother. "You know I can't promise anything." There's a glance cast back to Mythri over his shoulder, his expressions distant as though he were looking through her and not at her, as if something walked behind her. But that'd be silly. They're the only three here. With the faintest and neutral sounding noise his grey gaze shifts to the right, spying the crevice he'd been looking for. He says nothing further as he moves towards the cave with slow, heavy steps.
"I insist that I hunt for you, Mythri. You could use the chance to just relax and take some time off your paws, that, and I would be honored to hunt for Cael's mate. It's the least I can do." Thrash says as he walks along Tant's side, giving his brother a bump. "I am Maul's mate by the way. I only met Cael a few times, but I considered him like a brother to me. I was hoping that I would see him one last time, so that he could see I've grown up and no longer act like a jerk." He says with a heavy breath.
"How do you know that I am Cael's mate?" Mythri's voice is borderline dangerous. "Such a decision was not made until long after he left Amaranth." The nerve of him, claiming to be her mate even before he /found/ her... Mythri feels a burst of affection for her deceased mate, but quickly reverts her attention back to the two males, particularly to the older. "No. I could not 'relax' in a situation like this, even if I did want to, which I do not. I will hunt for myself, and you impede me at your own risk." Bluff, mostly, as she's not really in the mood nor the best state to challenge a bigger male, let alone with his brother alongside of him, but she's hoping that he'll not bother pushing the issue. She gives him a flat stare, then deliberately looks toward the crevice opening. "You have my gratitude for a kind welcome; please inform the chieftain that I will speak with him at his earlier convenience." The cougaress gives another glance up at the sky, and wonders how soon it will be before the weather turns more violent. The snow is definitely falling harder now that they've gained elevation, and it looks to get worse. Not that she minds; she has a place for the evening where her cubs will be sheltered.
It doesn't take much longer for them to reach the crevice and Tantallon comes to a halt a short ways from the entrance. He regards Mythri once more, his voice quiet and still sounding distant as he speaks, "We'll leave you be, but, we wouln't go too far so shout out if you need, though if you were born here I don't doubt you at least know your way around." There's a faint ghost of a smile but it's brief as he turns back to Thrash. "Come on, let's go find Kein."
Turning around to face her, Thrash says simply, "I know because Kein told me that Cael left him and the Amaranth, to be with -you-." He curls his tail about his haunches in a tight manner. "And even though it angered Kein to know that he was leaving, he accepted Cael in making his decision because he knew it made him happy." He tilts his chin upwards a bit, nostrils flaring. "If you don't want me to hunt, fine, but my services are still at your beck and call if you do need my help." Leaning over, he gives Tant' a nudge, then starts to head off down the snowy path.
And if Cael had not found Mythri? Or if she had rejected him? Or if Revan had prevented him from seeing her? Would he have returned to Amaranth? "I will keep your offer in mind," she says simply, letting her tone return to a neutral cool. She gives the younger male a nod and the barest of smiles, then turns and heads into the crevice, tail flicking behind her. Yes, it's more or less as she remembered it, though the scents are different. Still cramped, but still a welcome shelter. It will do, for now at least.