Post by Therdde on Oct 23, 2010 19:01:29 GMT -5
Characters:
Nyssa - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Pine Grove -
It can't be much longer now, can it? Hunting has gotten strangely difficult though she is lucky that the father of her cubs has been so willing to stay nearby and help her. The first time mother has been feeling steadily drained and so much more tired as of late and all due to her charges, no doubt. Even resting has become something of a chore and Nyssa finds herself strangely agitated this afternoon. The young female had gotten up to stretch her cramped muscles but found that for whatever reason she could not return to any sort of comfortable position. On her side, her other side, her back, laying, sitting, standing -- nothing seemed to satisfy her. Her brow is wrinkled with concern and a strange sensation deep inside her has her pacing, belly swaying akwardly. She is not distressed, not in the grand scheme of things but with her lack of her guide's presence and feeling more than usually bogged down Nyssa is at a loss for what to do.
It has been several hours since Kein left Mythri. A large part of that time was spent just in travel, as Amaranth is by no means a small territory, but even the time it took him to get to Nyssa does not account for all of the time that has passed since he learned of his son's death. When he returns to her, it is not much earlier than it usually is when he returns, though this time he returns without food. Whether he is too distracted to hunt or whether he has no taste for killing at the moment, he will have to get over it soon. Winter does not leave much room for a hunter to be swayed by mood, after all. But right now he just wants to be with her, and as he follows her scent, he makes plenty of noise to announce his presence not only to Nyssa, but to every other creature in the area.
There is no mistaking the steady gait of a creature who is doing nothing to hide himself and even as the crunching of snow and rustling of branches reaches her, the cry of a startled bird and its flutter of wings alerts Nyssa to turn, albeit belatedly, to Kein's approach. At first she does not say anything at all, pausing for just long enough to make sure that it is indeed the Chieftain before her paws help to cover the remaining distance between them. For some reason unknown to her, her voice seems caught in her chest, but she manages a quiet, "Kein," before the expression on his face stops her. It is difficult to read and there are no whispers in her ear to help her. Nyssa fidgets uncomfortably and washes her shoulder for lack of anything coherent in her mind until at last she looks up at Kein again and breathes, "What is it?" Something is certainly the matter but she has no idea what it could be.
Kein does not answer Nyssa, at least not in words, until after he is close to her and can nuzzle at her neck. The action cannot be described as violent, but he is not so gentle as he normally is. Once he has been able to touch her, he manages to say, "I want a son, Nyssa." As though she has any more say in the matter than he does. Does she? Regardless, he is eager to take back everything he has said to her, whether in jest or otherwise, about not wanting to plague her with a son, about wanting only daughters.
It is very likely that this is the source of her own distress and when Kein touches her there is a moment of surprise that then suddenly melts away into worry. Flattened ears rise and curl out to the side of her head when he speaks and for a while all Nyssa can do is stay there and return that contact, squeezing her eyes shut in a silent plea to whoever is listening to her that whatever these ill-feelings are be taken away. Eventually she manages to sit back a little, resting her cheek against his when she asks again, "What is is?" It is absurd to promise him anything like that though she'd hoped to give him a son from the very moment she knew of their cubs arrival. However much so wants to so vehemently oblige she keeps that wish tucked away.
Kein finds it much harder to tell someone else, anyone else, that Cael is dead than it was to hear it. Had it been Crevan or Nuba... Well, for all he knows, Crevan and Nuba /are/ dead. He has not seen either of them since they hit adolescence and took their leave. He was always much closer to Cael, though, for a great number of reasons. "I... I found out today that..." Rather than finishing his sentence, the chieftain sighs as he does his best to keep his emotions from getting the better of him.
Something about his son, or sons, for all she knows, and whatever it is seems to be tearing him apart from the inside. Her own discomfort forgotten in favor of comforting the Chieftain, Nyssa returns his previous nuzzle with affection of her own though it is driven by the desire to heal and not simply for the sake of touch. She presses as close to him as she can, leaning against his shoulder with her own and reaching up with her muzzle to gaze against his neck. What does she say? What can she say? Kein still hasn't even fully told her what has happened and she's not sure if he will or if he will leave her to assume the worst, and because of this uncertainty she does not ask him to continue or offer vague and hollow words of remorse. Instead she presses the crown of her head into his chest deciding that the best thing that she can offer is her presence.
Kein closes his eyes and breathes in deeply of her scent. The moment of silence gives him a chance to reign in his sorrow enough to let him talk. "You'd have liked him, I think. My son. He was a lot like me when I was younger." When he didn't have quite so many things haunting him. Quite so many guilts. "Everyone loved him." Perhaps it's an exaggeration. Cael never got on well with his older sister, and Ashen can't have been terribly fond of him. And of course, it's doubtful the animals that killed him were his friends. Those closest to Kein were always very fond of Cael, though, and it skews his view of his eldest son.
There can be no question on her mind now, and though Nyssa will never know Kein's son or how he died, it is certain that his father loved him very much and is very deeply wounded by this. "I felt that-- that something might have been wrong--" and there her voice fails her. Nyssa finds herself thinking of many different things just then, that it is not appropriate, that this 'feeling' should have been from her missing guide, a whole host of words that have no meaning for Kein right now, and with a deliberate slowness she draws breath and begins anew. "Though I have no doubt he loves you." Present, not past. "Your notorious, rapscallion son." She does not say that she is sorry and only closes her eyes and grazes his fur in silent apology.
"I wouldn't know about that, Nyssa. We parted ways many times, and very few of them did we do so kindly." Kein appreciate that Nyssa is trying to comfort him, but he's not willing to lie about such things. Cael was probably annoyed at his father's stubbornness right to the very end. "It's going to be different this time. If we have a son. He's not going to... to have to deal with any of the things that Cael did." For instance, being kidnapped by his future mate's father.
"I think perhaps you do not give yourself enough credit," Nyssa teases very softly though her concern is slowly easing away as Kein begins to talk and she even manages to smile as she listens about his son. She had asked him once before to name his children because she wanted to give him that very important task and now it seems more important than ever. "Your son must have been very strong," she begins with a hint of a smile as she touches his muzzle with hers, "to have had you for a father."
"Yes, well, even our son will have to deal with that one." Kein knows, perhaps better than most, that he cannot try to protect his children from everything. Not unless he would like for them to be crippled, much as Ashen was. There's little chance he could ever raise a weak child. But so help him, the first animal besides their parents to lay so much as an errant fur on their children will be that evening's dinner, provided there is enough left of them to eat once he gets done with them.
"And I don't think that there is anything wrong with that at all," Nyssa responds, though a moment later she is squirming in discomfort and sits back awkwardly on her hinds. Her impatience seems to have returned but the new mother does not want to make Kein feel as though he were the cause of it... even though, she thinks, he technically is. That brings just a little bit more cheer to her cheeks though she fidgets for lack of anything better to do.
Kein enjoys several moments just pressing his head lightly against Nyssa, but as she continues to fidget, he finally draws back. He is, at least, feeling a little better, and he turns his concern from his dead son to her. "Are you okay? Should I get you anything?" She's likely hungry by now. He should have forced himself to stop and hunt, and he chastizes himself silently for not doing so. Now, though, he is feeling a little bit better about his ability to actually catch something.
"No, I'm fine," she assures, for her hunger is tolerable, "It's just-- well, new, that's all." Nyssa smiles at him and grooms Kein's neck to keep her busy for a few moments, asking only briefly, "Just stay, please." It is a very simple request but now, more than ever, she does not want to be by herself. Not that she ever will be by herself for a long time to come but it is most important to her right now.
"You won't growl at me, will you?" Kein asks with amusement in his voice. It's still tinged with sorrow, but he is not at risk of breaking down. "I don't think Nayeli remembered, when she was first pregnant, that she agreed to have cubs. But if you promise not to growl at me, I promise not to go anywhere."
"Does that include biting?" Nyssa asks, her face a mask of innocence that dissolves at once into a light laughter. "Of course, Kein, I will try." After all, she has felt no reason to do so but that doesn't mean she knows what she's in for in a few more weeks. She tries to forget about it and instead enjoys the Chieftain's company. Perhaps one day he will tell her more about his son. For right now though, she silently hopes that there will be another son on the horizon.
Nyssa - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Cougar
- Pine Grove -
It can't be much longer now, can it? Hunting has gotten strangely difficult though she is lucky that the father of her cubs has been so willing to stay nearby and help her. The first time mother has been feeling steadily drained and so much more tired as of late and all due to her charges, no doubt. Even resting has become something of a chore and Nyssa finds herself strangely agitated this afternoon. The young female had gotten up to stretch her cramped muscles but found that for whatever reason she could not return to any sort of comfortable position. On her side, her other side, her back, laying, sitting, standing -- nothing seemed to satisfy her. Her brow is wrinkled with concern and a strange sensation deep inside her has her pacing, belly swaying akwardly. She is not distressed, not in the grand scheme of things but with her lack of her guide's presence and feeling more than usually bogged down Nyssa is at a loss for what to do.
It has been several hours since Kein left Mythri. A large part of that time was spent just in travel, as Amaranth is by no means a small territory, but even the time it took him to get to Nyssa does not account for all of the time that has passed since he learned of his son's death. When he returns to her, it is not much earlier than it usually is when he returns, though this time he returns without food. Whether he is too distracted to hunt or whether he has no taste for killing at the moment, he will have to get over it soon. Winter does not leave much room for a hunter to be swayed by mood, after all. But right now he just wants to be with her, and as he follows her scent, he makes plenty of noise to announce his presence not only to Nyssa, but to every other creature in the area.
There is no mistaking the steady gait of a creature who is doing nothing to hide himself and even as the crunching of snow and rustling of branches reaches her, the cry of a startled bird and its flutter of wings alerts Nyssa to turn, albeit belatedly, to Kein's approach. At first she does not say anything at all, pausing for just long enough to make sure that it is indeed the Chieftain before her paws help to cover the remaining distance between them. For some reason unknown to her, her voice seems caught in her chest, but she manages a quiet, "Kein," before the expression on his face stops her. It is difficult to read and there are no whispers in her ear to help her. Nyssa fidgets uncomfortably and washes her shoulder for lack of anything coherent in her mind until at last she looks up at Kein again and breathes, "What is it?" Something is certainly the matter but she has no idea what it could be.
Kein does not answer Nyssa, at least not in words, until after he is close to her and can nuzzle at her neck. The action cannot be described as violent, but he is not so gentle as he normally is. Once he has been able to touch her, he manages to say, "I want a son, Nyssa." As though she has any more say in the matter than he does. Does she? Regardless, he is eager to take back everything he has said to her, whether in jest or otherwise, about not wanting to plague her with a son, about wanting only daughters.
It is very likely that this is the source of her own distress and when Kein touches her there is a moment of surprise that then suddenly melts away into worry. Flattened ears rise and curl out to the side of her head when he speaks and for a while all Nyssa can do is stay there and return that contact, squeezing her eyes shut in a silent plea to whoever is listening to her that whatever these ill-feelings are be taken away. Eventually she manages to sit back a little, resting her cheek against his when she asks again, "What is is?" It is absurd to promise him anything like that though she'd hoped to give him a son from the very moment she knew of their cubs arrival. However much so wants to so vehemently oblige she keeps that wish tucked away.
Kein finds it much harder to tell someone else, anyone else, that Cael is dead than it was to hear it. Had it been Crevan or Nuba... Well, for all he knows, Crevan and Nuba /are/ dead. He has not seen either of them since they hit adolescence and took their leave. He was always much closer to Cael, though, for a great number of reasons. "I... I found out today that..." Rather than finishing his sentence, the chieftain sighs as he does his best to keep his emotions from getting the better of him.
Something about his son, or sons, for all she knows, and whatever it is seems to be tearing him apart from the inside. Her own discomfort forgotten in favor of comforting the Chieftain, Nyssa returns his previous nuzzle with affection of her own though it is driven by the desire to heal and not simply for the sake of touch. She presses as close to him as she can, leaning against his shoulder with her own and reaching up with her muzzle to gaze against his neck. What does she say? What can she say? Kein still hasn't even fully told her what has happened and she's not sure if he will or if he will leave her to assume the worst, and because of this uncertainty she does not ask him to continue or offer vague and hollow words of remorse. Instead she presses the crown of her head into his chest deciding that the best thing that she can offer is her presence.
Kein closes his eyes and breathes in deeply of her scent. The moment of silence gives him a chance to reign in his sorrow enough to let him talk. "You'd have liked him, I think. My son. He was a lot like me when I was younger." When he didn't have quite so many things haunting him. Quite so many guilts. "Everyone loved him." Perhaps it's an exaggeration. Cael never got on well with his older sister, and Ashen can't have been terribly fond of him. And of course, it's doubtful the animals that killed him were his friends. Those closest to Kein were always very fond of Cael, though, and it skews his view of his eldest son.
There can be no question on her mind now, and though Nyssa will never know Kein's son or how he died, it is certain that his father loved him very much and is very deeply wounded by this. "I felt that-- that something might have been wrong--" and there her voice fails her. Nyssa finds herself thinking of many different things just then, that it is not appropriate, that this 'feeling' should have been from her missing guide, a whole host of words that have no meaning for Kein right now, and with a deliberate slowness she draws breath and begins anew. "Though I have no doubt he loves you." Present, not past. "Your notorious, rapscallion son." She does not say that she is sorry and only closes her eyes and grazes his fur in silent apology.
"I wouldn't know about that, Nyssa. We parted ways many times, and very few of them did we do so kindly." Kein appreciate that Nyssa is trying to comfort him, but he's not willing to lie about such things. Cael was probably annoyed at his father's stubbornness right to the very end. "It's going to be different this time. If we have a son. He's not going to... to have to deal with any of the things that Cael did." For instance, being kidnapped by his future mate's father.
"I think perhaps you do not give yourself enough credit," Nyssa teases very softly though her concern is slowly easing away as Kein begins to talk and she even manages to smile as she listens about his son. She had asked him once before to name his children because she wanted to give him that very important task and now it seems more important than ever. "Your son must have been very strong," she begins with a hint of a smile as she touches his muzzle with hers, "to have had you for a father."
"Yes, well, even our son will have to deal with that one." Kein knows, perhaps better than most, that he cannot try to protect his children from everything. Not unless he would like for them to be crippled, much as Ashen was. There's little chance he could ever raise a weak child. But so help him, the first animal besides their parents to lay so much as an errant fur on their children will be that evening's dinner, provided there is enough left of them to eat once he gets done with them.
"And I don't think that there is anything wrong with that at all," Nyssa responds, though a moment later she is squirming in discomfort and sits back awkwardly on her hinds. Her impatience seems to have returned but the new mother does not want to make Kein feel as though he were the cause of it... even though, she thinks, he technically is. That brings just a little bit more cheer to her cheeks though she fidgets for lack of anything better to do.
Kein enjoys several moments just pressing his head lightly against Nyssa, but as she continues to fidget, he finally draws back. He is, at least, feeling a little better, and he turns his concern from his dead son to her. "Are you okay? Should I get you anything?" She's likely hungry by now. He should have forced himself to stop and hunt, and he chastizes himself silently for not doing so. Now, though, he is feeling a little bit better about his ability to actually catch something.
"No, I'm fine," she assures, for her hunger is tolerable, "It's just-- well, new, that's all." Nyssa smiles at him and grooms Kein's neck to keep her busy for a few moments, asking only briefly, "Just stay, please." It is a very simple request but now, more than ever, she does not want to be by herself. Not that she ever will be by herself for a long time to come but it is most important to her right now.
"You won't growl at me, will you?" Kein asks with amusement in his voice. It's still tinged with sorrow, but he is not at risk of breaking down. "I don't think Nayeli remembered, when she was first pregnant, that she agreed to have cubs. But if you promise not to growl at me, I promise not to go anywhere."
"Does that include biting?" Nyssa asks, her face a mask of innocence that dissolves at once into a light laughter. "Of course, Kein, I will try." After all, she has felt no reason to do so but that doesn't mean she knows what she's in for in a few more weeks. She tries to forget about it and instead enjoys the Chieftain's company. Perhaps one day he will tell her more about his son. For right now though, she silently hopes that there will be another son on the horizon.