Post by abyss on Oct 8, 2008 17:15:25 GMT -5
Characters involved:
Yuma, Male Adol. Cougar
Chesmu, Male Cougar
Synopsis: Once again, Yuma tries to make peace within the tribe.
Setting: Wooded Terrain
In the middle of the afternoon, Yuma returns to the woods where he left his father, carrying a rather plump hare in his jaws. He had left Chesmu in Tohopka's care, but having only met his uncle a few days ago, he's not sure how reliable the cougar actually is. Better to come prepared... and a gift might help soften the blow that is to follow it. Adjusting his grip slightly, he weaves through the trees, keeping an eye out for Tohopka or his father.
Chesmu is sleeping again. Rather fitfully. His wounds are slowly getting better. After amoment, the former Chieftain yawns and opens his eyes to be greeted with the same somewhat snowy wooded terrain as before and instantly feels pangs of regret and remorse.
Yuma finally finds the small clearing Tohopka had led him to, prowling into view. His broad paws crunch through the half-melted slush as he moves closer to his father, glancing around briefly for any sign of his uncle. Tohopka must be out hunting, or sleeping somewhere out of sight... and for this, Yuma is glad. He would rather spare his uncle this talk. After all, the cougar probably has a poor enough impression of their tribe as it is. The young male is silent until he sets the hare down before his father, then he looks Chesmu over and asks, "How're you feeling?"
Chesmu looks up at Yuma and sighs, before reaching out to pull the hare closer. "Like something lesser than a cougar." Chesmu says flatly. "My wounds are still painful, but I can feel them getting better." Chesmu sniffs the hare and starts to bite into it hungrily.
Despite Chesmu's reassurance, Yuma continues to study his father's wounds, perhaps to avoid looking into his eyes. "That's good." A pause. "Kein is also mending." Only now does he look to Chesmu's face, gauging his expression.
Chesmu looks somewhat neutral. He does not want Nayeli leaving. Not until she's an adult. "Well, I suppose that is a good thing. He'll be able to leave soon, I suppose." Without Nayeli. Though Chesmu doesn't say that, instead he says, "Nayeli is not to go with him."
A very slight grimace flickers over Yuma's features. "That's what I've come to talk to you about," he says with slow reluctance. "I think that Nayeli is old enough to make her own decisions."
Chesmu looks up at Yuma. "All due respect, Chieftain, I disagree, I know what's out there, and I had been there when I was her age." Chesmu says. "It is too dangerous for an adolescent. It's really dangerous even for adults!"
Yuma frowns when Chesmu addresses him as 'Chieftain,' flattening his ears. For some reason it seems to rub him the wrong way, and his tail lashes once as he considers his reply, tail thumping onto the damp, leaf-littered ground. "Kein lost a sister out there," the adolescent says in a low voice. "I'm sure he's aware of the danger." Yuma shakes his head. "That's not the point, anyway. It's still Nayeli's choice - not yours, any more than it is Kein's."
"It *is* my choice. She's not an adult, I am her father. She stays here." Chesmu says. "I wouldn't let any of you leave the territory like that at this age." Chesmu is being a lot stubborn here, but he's being protective. "Adolescents out there... it's not a good thing, Yuma."
The younger male is beginning to look exasperated. His forepaws flex in frustration, sinking the tips of his claws in the soft ground. "You'll let me make decisions for the whole tribe, but you won't let her make this one choice," Yuma says. "Do you realize that you're /driving/ her away by acting like this?"
Chesmu looks a little frustrated himself. "It's not your decision to make, Yuma!" Chesmu says. "You aren't her father! There are things that even a chieftain can't decide for the members of their tribe, that's an important lesson for you. I understand Nayeli would be upset, but she's an adolescent, some of my decisions are bound to rub her the wrong way."
Yuma's eyes turn suddenly cold. Does Chesmu think that he /wants/ Nayeli to leave? Nothing could be further from the truth. He cares for Nayeli deeply, as he cares for all three of his sisters, but he knows that forbidding her will not stop her from leaving if she decides to. It will just make it much less likely that she will ever return. "I've been noticing that a lot of your decisions cause grief," the adolescent begins. He straightens himself up, lifting his head, all the while continuing to look directly at Chesmu. "Which is, I'm guessing, a big part of why you're not the Chieftain anymore," Yuma continues, his temper finally roused enough to make an open stab at his father. "Nayeli will leave if she wants to, with or without your permission. Do you want to drive her away forever?"
That statement by Yuma penetrated Chesmu and pierced his heart. He visibly quivers at that statement. And Chesmu says nothing. He never would have thought Yuma, of all his offspring, would say that. "Of course I don't want to drive her away."
Yuma lets out a deep breath, his shoulders slumping a bit when he sees how his rash remark has effected Chesmu. He feels badly about speaking to his father in such a way, but it feels like he's exhausted every other option. "I don't want to, either," he says softly. "I wish she would stay here, with Kein..." But Kein and Chesmu hate each other, he thinks; instead he says, "But Kein isn't happy here. If you stop her from leaving with him, she might try to leave anyway... you can't watch her /all/ the time. And if she leaves days or weeks after Kein does, she'll be completely alone, without any protection at all."
Chesmu says nothing for the longest time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, it doesn't matter. Chesmu finally speaks. "I don't want to lose her, Yuma." Chesmu says. "If it means I'll be able to see her again, perhaps I should let her go."
Yuma seems willing to give Chesmu as much time as he needs, and as the minutes pass, the surge of frustration within him diminishes. His breathing slows, and the irate flicking of his tail-tip slows to a final halt. The male remains quiet for a moment even after his father has spoken, glancing skyward. "I think that would be better," he agrees quietly. "I worry about her too... but I don't want to lose her forever."
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "I want to talk to her... and Kein." Chesmu says. "Oh god, I wish I could put this all back together. I can't believe I did all this."
Yuma takes a few steps closer to Chesmu, lowering his head to give the adult a warm nuzzle. He knew his father would finally see things sensibly, just as he knows how easy it is for a matured (or in his case, maturing) male to let strong emotions overwhelm his thoughts. "You should let your wounds heal first... You've still got plenty of time to talk to Nayeli." Kein, after all, has a bit of healing to do himself, whether or not Yuma's sister ends up leaving with him or not. Wishing Paoro were here to tend to Chesmu's injuries, he settles down on his belly, lying down beside his father.
Chesmu starts to purr for the first time in a long time. Things really started to fall apart when Maulisho came home. "You're going to make a great Chieftain." Chesmu says. "Not like me."
Yuma spends a few minutes cleaning crusts of blood from Chesmu's fur, washing them away with his rasping tongue. Even if his father has cleaned himself up since the fight, there are bound to be a few places he couldn't quite reach. "I'm sorry I said that earlier," he says at length, pausing to speak. "It's just... so much to try to handle at once. I was frustrated."
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "What are you going to do to me for what I did to Kein?" Chesmu asks. "And don't tell me you won't do anything, I'm not supposed to get away with what I've done."
For a minute or two, Yuma is silent; the only sounds are the rustling of the trees' remaining leaves as the breeze picks up briskly. He knows what he would have done if Chesmu had refused to see things from the other side. Now that his father has had a change of heart, what can Yuma do but give him a second chance? Even after all of this, he still loves Chesmu. "All I want is a promise: you won't raise your paw against Kein, or any other member of his family, except in self defense." He pauses briefly and adds, "For Nayeli's sake, if no one else's."
Chesmu nods. "You have my word." Chesmu says. He means it, he is a cougar of his word, this... loss of judgment notwithstanding. He nuzzles Yuma.
Yuma feels a smile spread across his muzzle. After such a long period of constant stress and tension, the expression feels almost strange. "Thank you," he says, sounding genuinely grateful - and above all else, relieved. He trusts his father, believing that he will keep his promise.
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "Perhaps you can speak to Nayeli and Kein for now, tell them that I won't stand in their way ever again." Chesmu says. "Then I think you're due for a nicr border patrol. I'd go with you, but..." Chesmu chuckles.
A bit wryly, the young male wonders if 'Chieftain' isn't just a fancy title for 'messenger.' His smile remains, however; Yuma is happy that the talk with his father went so well, despite a few harsh words. "I'll talk to them, and let Nayeli know that you want to speak with her." Perhaps his sister would be more comfortable coming to see Chesmu here... but that, like other matters, is her own decision to make. Yuma gets slowly to his feet, once again stopping to nuzzle his father. "/And/ I'll do a patrol. Don't worry."
Chesmu smiles to his son, and finishes up the hare before lying back down carefully. "Don't let me keep you."
With a nod, Yuma turns and makes his way off, soon vanishing among the trees.
Yuma, Male Adol. Cougar
Chesmu, Male Cougar
Synopsis: Once again, Yuma tries to make peace within the tribe.
Setting: Wooded Terrain
In the middle of the afternoon, Yuma returns to the woods where he left his father, carrying a rather plump hare in his jaws. He had left Chesmu in Tohopka's care, but having only met his uncle a few days ago, he's not sure how reliable the cougar actually is. Better to come prepared... and a gift might help soften the blow that is to follow it. Adjusting his grip slightly, he weaves through the trees, keeping an eye out for Tohopka or his father.
Chesmu is sleeping again. Rather fitfully. His wounds are slowly getting better. After amoment, the former Chieftain yawns and opens his eyes to be greeted with the same somewhat snowy wooded terrain as before and instantly feels pangs of regret and remorse.
Yuma finally finds the small clearing Tohopka had led him to, prowling into view. His broad paws crunch through the half-melted slush as he moves closer to his father, glancing around briefly for any sign of his uncle. Tohopka must be out hunting, or sleeping somewhere out of sight... and for this, Yuma is glad. He would rather spare his uncle this talk. After all, the cougar probably has a poor enough impression of their tribe as it is. The young male is silent until he sets the hare down before his father, then he looks Chesmu over and asks, "How're you feeling?"
Chesmu looks up at Yuma and sighs, before reaching out to pull the hare closer. "Like something lesser than a cougar." Chesmu says flatly. "My wounds are still painful, but I can feel them getting better." Chesmu sniffs the hare and starts to bite into it hungrily.
Despite Chesmu's reassurance, Yuma continues to study his father's wounds, perhaps to avoid looking into his eyes. "That's good." A pause. "Kein is also mending." Only now does he look to Chesmu's face, gauging his expression.
Chesmu looks somewhat neutral. He does not want Nayeli leaving. Not until she's an adult. "Well, I suppose that is a good thing. He'll be able to leave soon, I suppose." Without Nayeli. Though Chesmu doesn't say that, instead he says, "Nayeli is not to go with him."
A very slight grimace flickers over Yuma's features. "That's what I've come to talk to you about," he says with slow reluctance. "I think that Nayeli is old enough to make her own decisions."
Chesmu looks up at Yuma. "All due respect, Chieftain, I disagree, I know what's out there, and I had been there when I was her age." Chesmu says. "It is too dangerous for an adolescent. It's really dangerous even for adults!"
Yuma frowns when Chesmu addresses him as 'Chieftain,' flattening his ears. For some reason it seems to rub him the wrong way, and his tail lashes once as he considers his reply, tail thumping onto the damp, leaf-littered ground. "Kein lost a sister out there," the adolescent says in a low voice. "I'm sure he's aware of the danger." Yuma shakes his head. "That's not the point, anyway. It's still Nayeli's choice - not yours, any more than it is Kein's."
"It *is* my choice. She's not an adult, I am her father. She stays here." Chesmu says. "I wouldn't let any of you leave the territory like that at this age." Chesmu is being a lot stubborn here, but he's being protective. "Adolescents out there... it's not a good thing, Yuma."
The younger male is beginning to look exasperated. His forepaws flex in frustration, sinking the tips of his claws in the soft ground. "You'll let me make decisions for the whole tribe, but you won't let her make this one choice," Yuma says. "Do you realize that you're /driving/ her away by acting like this?"
Chesmu looks a little frustrated himself. "It's not your decision to make, Yuma!" Chesmu says. "You aren't her father! There are things that even a chieftain can't decide for the members of their tribe, that's an important lesson for you. I understand Nayeli would be upset, but she's an adolescent, some of my decisions are bound to rub her the wrong way."
Yuma's eyes turn suddenly cold. Does Chesmu think that he /wants/ Nayeli to leave? Nothing could be further from the truth. He cares for Nayeli deeply, as he cares for all three of his sisters, but he knows that forbidding her will not stop her from leaving if she decides to. It will just make it much less likely that she will ever return. "I've been noticing that a lot of your decisions cause grief," the adolescent begins. He straightens himself up, lifting his head, all the while continuing to look directly at Chesmu. "Which is, I'm guessing, a big part of why you're not the Chieftain anymore," Yuma continues, his temper finally roused enough to make an open stab at his father. "Nayeli will leave if she wants to, with or without your permission. Do you want to drive her away forever?"
That statement by Yuma penetrated Chesmu and pierced his heart. He visibly quivers at that statement. And Chesmu says nothing. He never would have thought Yuma, of all his offspring, would say that. "Of course I don't want to drive her away."
Yuma lets out a deep breath, his shoulders slumping a bit when he sees how his rash remark has effected Chesmu. He feels badly about speaking to his father in such a way, but it feels like he's exhausted every other option. "I don't want to, either," he says softly. "I wish she would stay here, with Kein..." But Kein and Chesmu hate each other, he thinks; instead he says, "But Kein isn't happy here. If you stop her from leaving with him, she might try to leave anyway... you can't watch her /all/ the time. And if she leaves days or weeks after Kein does, she'll be completely alone, without any protection at all."
Chesmu says nothing for the longest time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, it doesn't matter. Chesmu finally speaks. "I don't want to lose her, Yuma." Chesmu says. "If it means I'll be able to see her again, perhaps I should let her go."
Yuma seems willing to give Chesmu as much time as he needs, and as the minutes pass, the surge of frustration within him diminishes. His breathing slows, and the irate flicking of his tail-tip slows to a final halt. The male remains quiet for a moment even after his father has spoken, glancing skyward. "I think that would be better," he agrees quietly. "I worry about her too... but I don't want to lose her forever."
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "I want to talk to her... and Kein." Chesmu says. "Oh god, I wish I could put this all back together. I can't believe I did all this."
Yuma takes a few steps closer to Chesmu, lowering his head to give the adult a warm nuzzle. He knew his father would finally see things sensibly, just as he knows how easy it is for a matured (or in his case, maturing) male to let strong emotions overwhelm his thoughts. "You should let your wounds heal first... You've still got plenty of time to talk to Nayeli." Kein, after all, has a bit of healing to do himself, whether or not Yuma's sister ends up leaving with him or not. Wishing Paoro were here to tend to Chesmu's injuries, he settles down on his belly, lying down beside his father.
Chesmu starts to purr for the first time in a long time. Things really started to fall apart when Maulisho came home. "You're going to make a great Chieftain." Chesmu says. "Not like me."
Yuma spends a few minutes cleaning crusts of blood from Chesmu's fur, washing them away with his rasping tongue. Even if his father has cleaned himself up since the fight, there are bound to be a few places he couldn't quite reach. "I'm sorry I said that earlier," he says at length, pausing to speak. "It's just... so much to try to handle at once. I was frustrated."
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "What are you going to do to me for what I did to Kein?" Chesmu asks. "And don't tell me you won't do anything, I'm not supposed to get away with what I've done."
For a minute or two, Yuma is silent; the only sounds are the rustling of the trees' remaining leaves as the breeze picks up briskly. He knows what he would have done if Chesmu had refused to see things from the other side. Now that his father has had a change of heart, what can Yuma do but give him a second chance? Even after all of this, he still loves Chesmu. "All I want is a promise: you won't raise your paw against Kein, or any other member of his family, except in self defense." He pauses briefly and adds, "For Nayeli's sake, if no one else's."
Chesmu nods. "You have my word." Chesmu says. He means it, he is a cougar of his word, this... loss of judgment notwithstanding. He nuzzles Yuma.
Yuma feels a smile spread across his muzzle. After such a long period of constant stress and tension, the expression feels almost strange. "Thank you," he says, sounding genuinely grateful - and above all else, relieved. He trusts his father, believing that he will keep his promise.
Chesmu looks at Yuma. "Perhaps you can speak to Nayeli and Kein for now, tell them that I won't stand in their way ever again." Chesmu says. "Then I think you're due for a nicr border patrol. I'd go with you, but..." Chesmu chuckles.
A bit wryly, the young male wonders if 'Chieftain' isn't just a fancy title for 'messenger.' His smile remains, however; Yuma is happy that the talk with his father went so well, despite a few harsh words. "I'll talk to them, and let Nayeli know that you want to speak with her." Perhaps his sister would be more comfortable coming to see Chesmu here... but that, like other matters, is her own decision to make. Yuma gets slowly to his feet, once again stopping to nuzzle his father. "/And/ I'll do a patrol. Don't worry."
Chesmu smiles to his son, and finishes up the hare before lying back down carefully. "Don't let me keep you."
With a nod, Yuma turns and makes his way off, soon vanishing among the trees.