Post by Therdde on Oct 24, 2008 18:17:47 GMT -5
Characters:
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Azriel - Male Cougar (spoofed by Nayeli, with Azriel's permission)
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
It's a great combination. A cluster of tall trees, one of the taller hills in the area, and an old den carved into the side--all of these provide for a nice shelter from the storm outside. Nayeli is lying down right at the entrance, eyes reflecting the occasional flash of lightning that stabs down from the sky, closely followed by a deafening blast of thunder. It's definitely one of the strongest storms she's seen in quite a while. "I think we'll be stuck here for a bit," she finally says with a chuckle, crossing her forepaws in front of her. Not that she minds. The view is good and the company is great!
Though his leg hadn't begun to ache, Kein welcomed the chance to rest for a while that the storm provided them. He has done a lot of walking in the past two days, and he's not quite used to it yet. At what Nayeli says, he grins and says, "Maybe the spirits were afraid we'd overload on new experiences, so they decided to slow us down some." Kein really doesn't mind either. He had liked being outside, but this den is spacious enough. While Nayeli watches the storm, Kein just watches Nayeli.
Nayeli snorts in amused disbelief. "The spirits? Oh please. If they were trying to slow us down, they'd have made us both really sick, sent a pack of wolves after us, or just.. just eaten the sun!" She rolls her eyes and grins. After a few seconds pass, she turns her head lazily toward Kein and asks with just the right amount of dangerous sweetness, "And who's watching who now, hmm?"
Kein continues to grin when she asks her question and says, "Would you like it if I would prefer to look at dirt walls rather than look at you?" He is doing nothing but joking, teasing. Of course she's more interesting than staring at the walls... Unless, that is, the conversation were to suddenly turn uncomfortable, in which case, that might change.
If it weren't for the faint words seemingly coming from the ground beneath him, Azriel might never have known that he was near two other felines. He had reached the trees, too late to completely avoid the rain but soon enough to prevent the thorough soaking he had been dreading. With mild interest, he pads slowly down to the side of the hill where he's guessing there's an opening of some sort. Aha...! There it is, and look what we have here! A young coungaress in her prime! Azriel allows himself a dark smile, but just as quickly realizes that the girl's companion is not another female, as he'd been hoping. It's another male. Well, so much for /that/ idea. He doubts that the other male will be willing to share, but perhaps if the request is their shelter, rather than his female? He continues toward the entrance, blinking away the scattered raindrops that find their way through the arboreal cover.
Nayeli is about to make a wounded-pride retort back at Kein, but the sudden realization that there's another cougar quickly approaching brings her to a startled seriousness. Her first thought is that her father had somehow pursued them and was going to try and finish Kein off for good, but she quickly realizes that this newcomer is definitely bigger and stronger than her father, definitely male, and definitely scary. It's the piercing green eyes and huge scar on his chest that she immediately notices. She had always thought that her /father/ was the toughest cougar she ever knew, but when compared to this one...! One thing's for sure, if this stranger is hostile, then they're in big trouble. Especially since he's close enough now that they wouldn't really be able to easily escape past him if he chose to prevent it.
Kein doesn't catch the scent and sight of the other male until moments after Nayeli does, and when he does, he is quick to stand, rushing forward to stand beside his friend. Though this cougar is larger than he is, there is no fear too him, neither before nor after he realizes this male is a stranger. He is not altogether reckless. Though his hackles are raised, and his tail flickes rapidly, he forces himself to bite back his growling. THere is no need to make this a fight if it isn't one already... Especially since it would be yet another fight where Kein would be at a disadvantage. His speech is curt, once he is standing beside Nayeli. "Hello." The tone speaks more than the mild greeting ever could. Who are you, and what are you doing here?
"Relax," is the immediate response given as Azriel stops a few steps away from the entrance. It's spoken with such firm confidence that one can almost sense an implied warning: Don't make me crush you like an insignificant mouse. "I'm not after your female here; just looking to get out of the storm. If you would be so kind...?" His voice is silky smooth as he takes a step forward, clearly intending to enter the cave whether or not it's acceptable to the occupants or not. He hasn't smelled any cubs, so it's not as though it's protective parents that he's dealing with.
Nayeli finds herself instinctively wanting to back away, feeling both enormously intimidated and uneasy at the same time. He doesn't seem to be hostile at all, but there's no way of knowing for sure. She flushes at little at being referred to as Kein's 'female' but refrains from speaking. Her head turns slightly to look at Kein, pleased that he's obviously intending to defend her, but more than a little anxious as she knows that he is in no shape to be fighting just yet. He's barely healed, and surely tired after all their traveling so far. But surely it's okay to let this stranger join them in the cave, if only as long as this storm persists? It might be safer than refusing him entry, at least.
Kein isn't sure he wants this male in the den with him, and it's difficult not to bare his teeth when the other male advances. It is raining pretty heavily out there, though, and though large, the strange male doesn't seem to be agressive, so after a second of staring at the stranger, Kein backs up a step, trying to keep himself between Azriel and Nayeli. The two of them together would have a much better chance of defeating the stranger than he would alone, but he doesn't want Nayeli to have to fight, to maybe get injured. As he backs up, he says, "You can stay, until the storm passes." Of course, at that point, even Kein and Nayeli are probably not staying, but he has no problem letting the stranger thing that Kein would have the added incentive of defending his territory.
With a smile bordering on a smirk, Azriel nods, stepping forward into the cave entrance and settling down. His green eyes look carefully over the younger male, noting the scars and obvious wariness. Yes, this one is definitely concerned about losing his female. And speaking of which... his gaze moves to look at her, or, more accurately, up and down her, and his tight smirk leaves no doubt as to what's going through his mind. Azriel is halfway tempted to kill the male right here and now and take this female, as she definitely looks like one he'd enjoy, but the thought of battle in such a cramped environment and while he's still a little cold and wet... nah. It's not worth the effort and risk.
Nayeli feels relieved that any hostility or tension seems to have dissipated.. at least for now. She can tell Kein is still on edge--she is too!--but as they move to the back of the cave and let this stranger occupy the entrance, things seem to have deescalated. She's curious as to this older male's name and where he came from, as she doesn't remember ever seeing him before or noticing his scent anywhere in Amaranth. It's a little frightening to know that they're just barely out of Amaranth and already encountering the most intimidating cougar she's ever seen. And with the way he's looking at her... Nayeli swallows hard and gently rubs up against Kein, seeking reassurance that he's right there.
Kein presses against Nayeli, but he doesn't take his eyes off of the stranger. He doesn't like the way the stranger looks at him, but more than that, he /really/ doesn't like the way the stranger looks at Nayeli. All of it is making it impossible for Kein to do what the older male suggested moments ago. Relax. It takes real effort to continue to not growl, especially once he speaks. "Where are you going?" His tone is as civil as it will likely get, and that isn't very. If this male is on his way up the mountain... Should they send warning? The stranger is larger than any of the four males Kein knows are currently in Amaranth, and he really doesn't seem the most pleasant of males. In fact... Kein really has to wonder if this is one of the males his mother has told him about before.
Azriel continues looking at Nayeli, resisting the strong urge to lick his lips. It's a very tempting possibility, to kill the younger male and take her... He forces his gaze to meet Kein's. "I roam wherever I want, so where I go one day is likely to be quite different from the next day." A perhaps not-so-subtle way of informing the boy that it really isn't any of his business. "And what about you? Where are you taking your female?" His eyes flick back over toward Nayeli, and this time he can't help but lick his lips. So very tempting. It's not hard to figure out that he's not intruding into their territory. He's been this way before, several times, and having never seen them before and not having noticed any scent markers, especially around this den--it's an obvious conclusion that they're just taking shelter here as well.
That much doesn't surprise Nayeli. For one who's as big, strong, and confident as this male is, why shouldn't he explore around as he wants? Who's going to stop him? And then he's looking back at her, causing her ears to splay and a chill to go down her spine. Something about that gaze... She glances at Kein, wondering what his response will be. Ironically, something similar to this male's, perhaps. They /are/ exploring, after all!
Maybe his response would be similar to the older male's, if he weren't so angered by the way the stranger refers to and looks at Nayeli. Kein bares his teeth, speaking though them as he answers, "I'm not /taking/ her anywhere. /We/ are exploring, looking for a new home." He does not own Nayeli. She is not his /female/. She is his /friend/, not a possession, and definitely not something that could be taken away from him, at least not by force, which the stranger is making it plenty clear he would like to do.
"Oh, do forgive me. I guess I am deeply mistaken." But as might be expected, there is nothing remotely apologetic in Azriel's voice, nor in his demeanor. He doesn't look the slightest bit concerned with Kein's display of bravado, choosing to display his own teeth in a nonchalant yawn, stretching a bit as well to allow his claws a moment's extension. "Pardon me," he says smoothly, gaze moving back and forth between the two. "I tend to get a little restless during storms. Prefer to be outside, y'know?" There's something about the male that's making Azriel curious. Something about his scent. Or rather.. the scent of someone that he still carries faintly on him. It's barely noticed, and although he doesn't recognize it, something about it seems to trigger some memory or remembrance. It's a smell that he's known before, but as to who or where or when, Azriel has no idea. "A new home, you say?" he continues, masking his own curiosity as to the scent. "What happened to your old one? Not the humans, I hope?"
Well, he /is/ leading her, but as to whether or not that constitutes 'taking' her.. a question of semantics, perhaps. Nayeli doesn't really think it matters as she's more concerned that Kein looks more and more like he's going to launch himself at this newcomer any moment now. She presses gently into him, trying to calm him down. Just don't antagonize the new guy and maybe he'll leave us alone!
Kein takes a deep breath as Nayeli presses against him. It causes him to hesitate before answering, as he tries to do what Nayeli obviously wants him to do. Calm down, even if only a little bit. When he answers, it is not through gritted teeth, and there is no hint of a growl in his tone, but he clearly still isn't feeling very friendly. "We outgrew it." That's more or less the truth, without going too far into detail. He's not about to spill the details of Amaranth's current status to some stranger. He doesn't hate the entire tribe, after all. Just one particular cougar in it.
They outgrew it? /Really/... And that would explain why both both carry the smell of other cougars on them. "There's only one place around here that I know of where cougars grow up, and that's to the south. I'm going to take a guess that you both came this way from Amaranth?" Azriel arches an eyebrow, fairly confident that he's guessed correctly. It would certainly explain why he's never seen either of these two before.
He's familiar with their homeland? Nayeli's eyes widen slightly in surprise. Though perhaps she shouldn't be /too/ surprised. Her father marked the border to let those on the outside know that Amaranth territory began there--why shouldn't strangers here on the outside know about the tribal lands? But regardless, it just seems strange to be talking to a cougar who's not from or associated with Amaranth. It's all she's known, after all.
Kein is probably as surprised as Nayeli, but he hides it a little better. There is little hesitation before he answers, "We are." What harm could answering that cause, really? The older male obviously already knows of the tribe, and two adolescents setting out on their own is hardly unusual.
Ahh, Amaranth. Potentially a male's dream, if he happened to be the Chieftain. From what Azriel has heard, said Chieftain isn't allowed to mate with one of the females unless they're willing, so that rules out any interest in the position that Azriel might have had. Not that he cares much for such trivialities, anyway. "Can't say that I've ever been much in those lands.. tends to be rather dangerous for foreign males like me, no matter how tempting the prospects are." His gaze returns to Nayeli, again with the lecherous smile. But suddenly the smile disappears as his eyes look back over toward the male, recognition dawning as a stray memory clicks. That faintest of scents... "I knew a cougaress from Amaranth once, a long time ago." He stares at Kein, eyes narrowing.
Nayeli feels herself reddening, deciding once again that she really doesn't like this male. Or could it be that this is simply how others act on the outside? But whether this is normal or not, she doesn't like it. Her curiosity is aroused, though, as the stranger seems to notice something about Kein. He knew one of the Sisters? Which one?
Suddenly, Kein wishes he had asked his mother more about the males she mentioned. Green eyes are not common, and those scars... If Kein had asked, surely he would know who this male is, or at least, who he is not. Regardless, he really doesn't like the way he is being studied, and once again, he grows tense, as though ready for a fight. Only half expecting to get an answer, and dreading what it might be, he asks, "What is your name?" As soon as the words have left his mouth, he finds himself praying that the name the stranger gives is not familiar to him. Despite everything his mother has taught him, he would love a chance to make any one of the males pay for the evil they visited upon his mother, but he stands no chance against this male. Even if Nayeli were to fght with him, it is too risky.
Hmm. Azriel toys with the idea of giving some other name, perhaps one belonging to another male that he's killed before. But he really wants to know who that particular scent belongs to, and so he decides on a compromise. "I'll tell you my name... after you tell me a name." His eyes narrow a little more. "Your mother's name." The boy is too young to be the mate--he would have to be a son, instead.
His mother's name? Nayeli looks surprised and somewhat confused. What does Maulisho's name have to do with anything? The way he's looking at Kein, and the way Kein's looking at him... what's going on here? Her gaze goes back and forth between the stranger and Kein.
Confirming something that the stranger already knew was one thing. Telling him something he doesn't know? Kein isn't so certain about that. It takes him a moment, during which he tells himself that his mother is safe, protected by Kasim and all of the tribe, and that it really /is/ that important for him to know who, specifically, this male is, before he can answer. "Maulisho." His tone betrays his reluctance and distrust, masking what anger he hadn't already managed to remove from his voice. He is still tense, prepared for any reaction to that. He wouldn't be surprised if the older male didn't live up to his end of the agreement, didn't reveal who he is.
Ahh, yes. Maulisho. He definitely remembers that name. A young and foolishly naive cougaress. A bit emotionally unstable, perhaps--she had mentioned something about being afraid of males? But still, it had definitely been one of his favorite conquests, even though she had turned rather.. unpleasant and uncooperative at the end. "Hmm," Azriel says softly, seeming to mull over the name. "Interesting. And your father's name?" His green eyes bore into Kein.
"You first. We had a deal." There is no hesitation, this time. This stranger will be getting no more information from Kein until he finds out who the stranger is. Kein keeps eye contact with the stranger, paying no real attention to Nayeli's silence. He remains pressed against her, still tense.
The larger male stares at Kein for a long moment, tail twitching, before finally saying in a low growl, "I am altering the deal." Azriel is halfway tempted to add, "Pray I don't alter it any further!" but decides that further hostility might not be the best move just yet. He just wants to know a little bit more information--is that too much to ask? He doesn't pay any attention to the female either; as long as she's silent and not interfering, he won't have to deal with her. Whether or not he has any.. plans.. for her later on is still to be decided.
And just like that, the tension starts to escalate again. Nayeli can't help but wonder how they'll ever manage to fight off this cougar if it does comes down to combat. Given that she's never fought another feline before, Kein is still more or less recovering, the cramped confines of this den, /and/ the obvious size and strength difference... it doesn't look good at all. She swallows hard and presses back into Kein, hoping that he realizes that antagonizing this stranger is /not/ in their best interest.
Kein can't best the stranger physically, which means he has three choices. One is to attempt silence. He's not sure that would work, that it wouldn't just make the stranger angry. He /could/ play the other male's game, could name Kasim as his father and try to work from there. Or he could try to turn this around now. "My father's name is Azriel. But you already knew that." It is an assumption. He can't know for certain. The growl in his tone suggests otherwise, though, suggests he /knows/ who he is speaking to, and that he doesn't like it at all. How could this male be anyone else? The stranger knows his mother. That much was obvious. Did he know he impregnated Maul when he forced himself upon her, before today, though? And how will he react to this?
Really and truly amazing. Azriel had never known that he had offspring running around all this time.. and to encounter one like this? It's somewhat of an odd thought, thinking of this obviously unfriendly younger male as /his/ /son/. "No," he says, perhaps a little bit sardonically. "I have no idea how many males your mother threw herself at, begging them to mate with her to relieve her distress." He looks Kein over again, trying to imagine himself passing along his own attributes and characteristics. Quite fascinating, the knowledge that his own flesh and blood is right here before him.
Mere surprise aside, Nayeli is absolutely dumbfounded. Kein's father... Azriel? But.. what about.. Kasim? She listens in stunned disbelief, her mind generating more and more questions that she's almost certainly going to have to ask Kein once this encounter is over. Assuming, of course, that it ends somewhat peacefully. The last thing she wants to have to deal with is another broken and bloody Kein. But why wouldn't her best friend have told her the truth about his father? And who's Azriel? Certainly nobody she's ever heard of before, at least not that she can remember. It's possible that someone might have mentioned it before, but she doesn't recall such a thing.
Kein's growling grows slightly louder at what Azriel says. Through gritted teeth, he says, "You have no right to speak about her that way, after what you did to her." It hasn't even occurred to Kein, what kind of a shock this must be fore Nayeli. He is too focused on the strange male. His father. Is he anything like this? His mother was worried, once, that he would turn out to be just like Azriel. How much of that worry was justified?
After a slight pause, Azriel arches an eyebrow. "After what I did? I did exactly what she wanted me to do--begged me, even!" His smile twists a little. "You seem rather defensive... perhaps she told you some false story to justify your existence?" He's sure the boy will catch the implication, even though he's obviously still a bit young. "Really, though. I must say I'm a little disappointed. I thought your mother would have had.. fonder memories of me, shall we say?"
Wait, what did this Azriel do to Kein's mom? Nayeli starts to wonder if this stranger is the Azriel they mentioned.. this stranger would be Kein's father, then? But why would Kein be so defensive and hostile toward him? And what's with the reference to 'fonder memories'? Nayeli feels like she's being told a story but with all the details left out.
If there is one thing that Kein will never believe, it is that his mother would lie to him about anything. He would sooner believe that Chesmu is a kind, loving cougar who has the best interests of everyone in mind. His mother has never lied to him. She has had no reason to lie to him. Azriel, on the other hand... "Save the lies for someone who doesn't know you. You know as well as I do that she has no reason to have fond memories of you." /Maybe/, had Azriel been more pleasant from the beginning, Kein would have has cause to wonder. As it is, there is not even the slightest bit of doubt to him.
"If you want to delude yourself, boy, then feel free to do so. But don't say I didn't tell you." Azriel shrugs, yawns, and seems to relax a bit, though there's still a bit of tension evident in the way he's lying down. Prepared for a fight, no doubt. "You might want to explain to your female, though," he adds with a smirk, turning to glance at Nayeli. "She looks a little surprised, though I would wonder why." His eyebrows raise again. "Why would you keep anything hidden from her? Why have her believe something that's almost true, but not quite?" He snorts. "I guess it runs in the family, if that's the story your mother has told you all this time."
He /must/ be Azriel! Nayeli stares wide-eyed at him--at Kein's /father/!--while trying to gather her swirling thoughts. But when he continues speaking, she feels even more confused, and not just with what she doesn't know or understand. It's now a matter of /why/ she doesn't understand. If this really is Kein's father, then he has a very valid reason to ask Kein why he would keep this a secret from Nayeli, instead having her to believe that Kasim was his father this entire time. What else hasn't he told her?
Kein looks back to Nayeli. Not for very long. He's reluctant to keep Azriel out of his sight for very long, and besides, what he sees in Nayeli's expression worries him. Hopefully she'll understand. If she doesn't? If she's angry, or hurt, and goes back to Amaranth... No. Once Azriel is back in his line of vision, he says, "I never tried to hide it from her." She was, after all, standing right there when he told Chesmu that Kasim wasn't his father, in the same breath that he said Amaranth territory was not his home. They just never got around to speaking about it. Yet. "Having you as my father isn't the kind of thing /I'd/ boast about, but I never tried to hide it."
"You mean that you wouldn't boast about having the kind of father that you were told about. That your mother portrayed me as." Azriel shrugs dismissively. "You're a fool if you're going to only listen to one side of what happened." He looks back over toward Nayeli. "And if your female believed it was another male that you both know, apparently I was right, then, in that your mother only did what she does best: go for yet another male." A dramatic yawn. "It's not my fault that your mother is the type that always needs someone up on her back." Not that he really cares if Kein thinks it's his fault or not. Azriel certainly isn't going to lose any sleep over it.
Nayeli stares at her friend. He never tried to hide this from her? Well, that might be /technically/ true in that she never asked, but that was because she never /knew/ to ask! He certainly did /not/ come out and tell her, and she's just now finding out? She definitely does not look very pleased at all, though it's still somewhat masked by her anxiety over what's taking place. Though the stran--/Azriel/.. Kein's /real/ father.. though he seems like he's not looking for a fight, that could always change in a matter of seconds. Nayeli more than ever wants him to leave, or at least move so that /they/ can leave without having to worry about getting in a fight.
"I wouldn't boast about having the type of father who speaks about females like that, especially females they were close to." Kein is angry, and, as such, that's the /calmest/ thing he could have said. He /is/ trying to avoid making this worse, but with how Azriel keeps rubbing him the wrong way, it isn't easy. He /wants/ to defend his mother with something more than words, /wants/ to drive Azriel far away. Knowing that such a thing would probably just lead to his death... And what would Azriel do to Nayeli then? That, more than anything, has Kein struggling to keep his temper at bay.
Azriel just shakes his head. "If you're getting close to a female-" He deliberately looks at Nayeli, "-then you're already in trouble. It doesn't cause anything but difficulty, especially once her time comes and you find another male on top of her. Going to still be a fool and believe that it's always the male's fault? That your 'close' female can't possibly help herself? Just like your mother couldn't?" His eyes narrow a little. "Of course, with you being younger than me and obviously so much more knowledgeable in these sorts of things... I feel humbled." Mmm. The bite of sarcasm.
Nayeli's ears splay at the rather harsh implication, feeling herself even cowering down a little. He speaks so convincingly, even though the words are difficult to swallow. But is it really true that she won't be able to help herself? Is it really true that Kein's mother couldn't help herself? Nayeli still isn't entirely sure what happened between her and Azriel, but she's beginning to think she can take a guess. It isn't a pleasant thought, either way.
Kein's growling grows louder again when Azriel brings Nayeli into the conversation. He digs his claws into the ground, reminding himself to keep his distance from the cougar who, despite being his father, /is/ a complete stranger, and speaks up, his voice louder than before. "My mother fought with everything she had to get away from a male who wasn't her mate, and to make sure he couldn't do the same thing he did to her to anyone else." Even Chesmu is smaller than Azriel, and besides, if Kein remembers correctly... Didn't Azriel threaten Mom's wolf friend, or something like that? "And if I /ever/ speak about my /friend/ the way you're speaking about my mother, I hope she has the wisdom to find herself a male who can treat her better than that." Anger, yes. Azriel is getting to him. But the anger is not with anything Nayeli might do in the future. She has the right to be happy, and if it isn't with him... So be it. He would fight to keep her interest, but not against her will. Never against her will, because he never wants her to speak of him the way his mother spoke of Azriel. He never wants to be like this foul creature before him.
Apparently the sarcasm was missed, as Azriel has to continue to listen to this younger boy lecture him. It's met with a mock-wearied roll of the eyes, but for once he does not verbally respond, instead turning his head slightly to look out at the storm. Idly, he wonders how many other sons or daughters he might have, and if they're all as.. foolish.. as this particular one. It might be something worth looking into, as he has a few contacts that might be able to obtain this information for him. In a subtle manner, of course; no need to arouse any suspicions or cause any false assumptions that he's planning to do something drastic.
Ooooh, now she's definitely getting angry. Nayeli continues staring at Kein for a few moments, then deliberately looks away, first at Azriel, and then at the opposite wall of the den. If Kein honestly thinks that she's just going to /leave/ him when he makes a mistake...! Does he really have that low of an opinion of her? Can he honestly think that's the best she's capable of doing: just running from a problem, rather than confronting? Or forgiving? Wow. It seems that there definitely is more to Kein than she had at first thought... some of his negative traits coming to the forefront during this conversation. He has a /lot/ to answer for, now--/that/ much is certain.
Kein stares at the older male for a moment. Kein doesn't want him here, or else doesn't want to be here, like Nayeli, but the storm doesn't seem to be letting up. When Azriel finally lets the silence drag on, Kein glances at Nayeli again. He isn't really confused by the anger, but he assumes she's angry at Azriel, like he is. Still, he doesn't look at her for long, looking back to Azriel, wary of him.
He's definitely not going to sleep while here with these two younger cougars, but Azriel doesn't feel much like talking anymore either. He's said all he felt obligated to, and now that he knows that this boy is actually his son... Yes, he's definitely said all he needs to. The only thing to do now is just wait patiently until the storm dies down and he can be on his way again. His eyes continue to watch the rain, occasionally flashing with the reflection of a jagged streak of lightning outside.
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Azriel - Male Cougar (spoofed by Nayeli, with Azriel's permission)
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
It's a great combination. A cluster of tall trees, one of the taller hills in the area, and an old den carved into the side--all of these provide for a nice shelter from the storm outside. Nayeli is lying down right at the entrance, eyes reflecting the occasional flash of lightning that stabs down from the sky, closely followed by a deafening blast of thunder. It's definitely one of the strongest storms she's seen in quite a while. "I think we'll be stuck here for a bit," she finally says with a chuckle, crossing her forepaws in front of her. Not that she minds. The view is good and the company is great!
Though his leg hadn't begun to ache, Kein welcomed the chance to rest for a while that the storm provided them. He has done a lot of walking in the past two days, and he's not quite used to it yet. At what Nayeli says, he grins and says, "Maybe the spirits were afraid we'd overload on new experiences, so they decided to slow us down some." Kein really doesn't mind either. He had liked being outside, but this den is spacious enough. While Nayeli watches the storm, Kein just watches Nayeli.
Nayeli snorts in amused disbelief. "The spirits? Oh please. If they were trying to slow us down, they'd have made us both really sick, sent a pack of wolves after us, or just.. just eaten the sun!" She rolls her eyes and grins. After a few seconds pass, she turns her head lazily toward Kein and asks with just the right amount of dangerous sweetness, "And who's watching who now, hmm?"
Kein continues to grin when she asks her question and says, "Would you like it if I would prefer to look at dirt walls rather than look at you?" He is doing nothing but joking, teasing. Of course she's more interesting than staring at the walls... Unless, that is, the conversation were to suddenly turn uncomfortable, in which case, that might change.
If it weren't for the faint words seemingly coming from the ground beneath him, Azriel might never have known that he was near two other felines. He had reached the trees, too late to completely avoid the rain but soon enough to prevent the thorough soaking he had been dreading. With mild interest, he pads slowly down to the side of the hill where he's guessing there's an opening of some sort. Aha...! There it is, and look what we have here! A young coungaress in her prime! Azriel allows himself a dark smile, but just as quickly realizes that the girl's companion is not another female, as he'd been hoping. It's another male. Well, so much for /that/ idea. He doubts that the other male will be willing to share, but perhaps if the request is their shelter, rather than his female? He continues toward the entrance, blinking away the scattered raindrops that find their way through the arboreal cover.
Nayeli is about to make a wounded-pride retort back at Kein, but the sudden realization that there's another cougar quickly approaching brings her to a startled seriousness. Her first thought is that her father had somehow pursued them and was going to try and finish Kein off for good, but she quickly realizes that this newcomer is definitely bigger and stronger than her father, definitely male, and definitely scary. It's the piercing green eyes and huge scar on his chest that she immediately notices. She had always thought that her /father/ was the toughest cougar she ever knew, but when compared to this one...! One thing's for sure, if this stranger is hostile, then they're in big trouble. Especially since he's close enough now that they wouldn't really be able to easily escape past him if he chose to prevent it.
Kein doesn't catch the scent and sight of the other male until moments after Nayeli does, and when he does, he is quick to stand, rushing forward to stand beside his friend. Though this cougar is larger than he is, there is no fear too him, neither before nor after he realizes this male is a stranger. He is not altogether reckless. Though his hackles are raised, and his tail flickes rapidly, he forces himself to bite back his growling. THere is no need to make this a fight if it isn't one already... Especially since it would be yet another fight where Kein would be at a disadvantage. His speech is curt, once he is standing beside Nayeli. "Hello." The tone speaks more than the mild greeting ever could. Who are you, and what are you doing here?
"Relax," is the immediate response given as Azriel stops a few steps away from the entrance. It's spoken with such firm confidence that one can almost sense an implied warning: Don't make me crush you like an insignificant mouse. "I'm not after your female here; just looking to get out of the storm. If you would be so kind...?" His voice is silky smooth as he takes a step forward, clearly intending to enter the cave whether or not it's acceptable to the occupants or not. He hasn't smelled any cubs, so it's not as though it's protective parents that he's dealing with.
Nayeli finds herself instinctively wanting to back away, feeling both enormously intimidated and uneasy at the same time. He doesn't seem to be hostile at all, but there's no way of knowing for sure. She flushes at little at being referred to as Kein's 'female' but refrains from speaking. Her head turns slightly to look at Kein, pleased that he's obviously intending to defend her, but more than a little anxious as she knows that he is in no shape to be fighting just yet. He's barely healed, and surely tired after all their traveling so far. But surely it's okay to let this stranger join them in the cave, if only as long as this storm persists? It might be safer than refusing him entry, at least.
Kein isn't sure he wants this male in the den with him, and it's difficult not to bare his teeth when the other male advances. It is raining pretty heavily out there, though, and though large, the strange male doesn't seem to be agressive, so after a second of staring at the stranger, Kein backs up a step, trying to keep himself between Azriel and Nayeli. The two of them together would have a much better chance of defeating the stranger than he would alone, but he doesn't want Nayeli to have to fight, to maybe get injured. As he backs up, he says, "You can stay, until the storm passes." Of course, at that point, even Kein and Nayeli are probably not staying, but he has no problem letting the stranger thing that Kein would have the added incentive of defending his territory.
With a smile bordering on a smirk, Azriel nods, stepping forward into the cave entrance and settling down. His green eyes look carefully over the younger male, noting the scars and obvious wariness. Yes, this one is definitely concerned about losing his female. And speaking of which... his gaze moves to look at her, or, more accurately, up and down her, and his tight smirk leaves no doubt as to what's going through his mind. Azriel is halfway tempted to kill the male right here and now and take this female, as she definitely looks like one he'd enjoy, but the thought of battle in such a cramped environment and while he's still a little cold and wet... nah. It's not worth the effort and risk.
Nayeli feels relieved that any hostility or tension seems to have dissipated.. at least for now. She can tell Kein is still on edge--she is too!--but as they move to the back of the cave and let this stranger occupy the entrance, things seem to have deescalated. She's curious as to this older male's name and where he came from, as she doesn't remember ever seeing him before or noticing his scent anywhere in Amaranth. It's a little frightening to know that they're just barely out of Amaranth and already encountering the most intimidating cougar she's ever seen. And with the way he's looking at her... Nayeli swallows hard and gently rubs up against Kein, seeking reassurance that he's right there.
Kein presses against Nayeli, but he doesn't take his eyes off of the stranger. He doesn't like the way the stranger looks at him, but more than that, he /really/ doesn't like the way the stranger looks at Nayeli. All of it is making it impossible for Kein to do what the older male suggested moments ago. Relax. It takes real effort to continue to not growl, especially once he speaks. "Where are you going?" His tone is as civil as it will likely get, and that isn't very. If this male is on his way up the mountain... Should they send warning? The stranger is larger than any of the four males Kein knows are currently in Amaranth, and he really doesn't seem the most pleasant of males. In fact... Kein really has to wonder if this is one of the males his mother has told him about before.
Azriel continues looking at Nayeli, resisting the strong urge to lick his lips. It's a very tempting possibility, to kill the younger male and take her... He forces his gaze to meet Kein's. "I roam wherever I want, so where I go one day is likely to be quite different from the next day." A perhaps not-so-subtle way of informing the boy that it really isn't any of his business. "And what about you? Where are you taking your female?" His eyes flick back over toward Nayeli, and this time he can't help but lick his lips. So very tempting. It's not hard to figure out that he's not intruding into their territory. He's been this way before, several times, and having never seen them before and not having noticed any scent markers, especially around this den--it's an obvious conclusion that they're just taking shelter here as well.
That much doesn't surprise Nayeli. For one who's as big, strong, and confident as this male is, why shouldn't he explore around as he wants? Who's going to stop him? And then he's looking back at her, causing her ears to splay and a chill to go down her spine. Something about that gaze... She glances at Kein, wondering what his response will be. Ironically, something similar to this male's, perhaps. They /are/ exploring, after all!
Maybe his response would be similar to the older male's, if he weren't so angered by the way the stranger refers to and looks at Nayeli. Kein bares his teeth, speaking though them as he answers, "I'm not /taking/ her anywhere. /We/ are exploring, looking for a new home." He does not own Nayeli. She is not his /female/. She is his /friend/, not a possession, and definitely not something that could be taken away from him, at least not by force, which the stranger is making it plenty clear he would like to do.
"Oh, do forgive me. I guess I am deeply mistaken." But as might be expected, there is nothing remotely apologetic in Azriel's voice, nor in his demeanor. He doesn't look the slightest bit concerned with Kein's display of bravado, choosing to display his own teeth in a nonchalant yawn, stretching a bit as well to allow his claws a moment's extension. "Pardon me," he says smoothly, gaze moving back and forth between the two. "I tend to get a little restless during storms. Prefer to be outside, y'know?" There's something about the male that's making Azriel curious. Something about his scent. Or rather.. the scent of someone that he still carries faintly on him. It's barely noticed, and although he doesn't recognize it, something about it seems to trigger some memory or remembrance. It's a smell that he's known before, but as to who or where or when, Azriel has no idea. "A new home, you say?" he continues, masking his own curiosity as to the scent. "What happened to your old one? Not the humans, I hope?"
Well, he /is/ leading her, but as to whether or not that constitutes 'taking' her.. a question of semantics, perhaps. Nayeli doesn't really think it matters as she's more concerned that Kein looks more and more like he's going to launch himself at this newcomer any moment now. She presses gently into him, trying to calm him down. Just don't antagonize the new guy and maybe he'll leave us alone!
Kein takes a deep breath as Nayeli presses against him. It causes him to hesitate before answering, as he tries to do what Nayeli obviously wants him to do. Calm down, even if only a little bit. When he answers, it is not through gritted teeth, and there is no hint of a growl in his tone, but he clearly still isn't feeling very friendly. "We outgrew it." That's more or less the truth, without going too far into detail. He's not about to spill the details of Amaranth's current status to some stranger. He doesn't hate the entire tribe, after all. Just one particular cougar in it.
They outgrew it? /Really/... And that would explain why both both carry the smell of other cougars on them. "There's only one place around here that I know of where cougars grow up, and that's to the south. I'm going to take a guess that you both came this way from Amaranth?" Azriel arches an eyebrow, fairly confident that he's guessed correctly. It would certainly explain why he's never seen either of these two before.
He's familiar with their homeland? Nayeli's eyes widen slightly in surprise. Though perhaps she shouldn't be /too/ surprised. Her father marked the border to let those on the outside know that Amaranth territory began there--why shouldn't strangers here on the outside know about the tribal lands? But regardless, it just seems strange to be talking to a cougar who's not from or associated with Amaranth. It's all she's known, after all.
Kein is probably as surprised as Nayeli, but he hides it a little better. There is little hesitation before he answers, "We are." What harm could answering that cause, really? The older male obviously already knows of the tribe, and two adolescents setting out on their own is hardly unusual.
Ahh, Amaranth. Potentially a male's dream, if he happened to be the Chieftain. From what Azriel has heard, said Chieftain isn't allowed to mate with one of the females unless they're willing, so that rules out any interest in the position that Azriel might have had. Not that he cares much for such trivialities, anyway. "Can't say that I've ever been much in those lands.. tends to be rather dangerous for foreign males like me, no matter how tempting the prospects are." His gaze returns to Nayeli, again with the lecherous smile. But suddenly the smile disappears as his eyes look back over toward the male, recognition dawning as a stray memory clicks. That faintest of scents... "I knew a cougaress from Amaranth once, a long time ago." He stares at Kein, eyes narrowing.
Nayeli feels herself reddening, deciding once again that she really doesn't like this male. Or could it be that this is simply how others act on the outside? But whether this is normal or not, she doesn't like it. Her curiosity is aroused, though, as the stranger seems to notice something about Kein. He knew one of the Sisters? Which one?
Suddenly, Kein wishes he had asked his mother more about the males she mentioned. Green eyes are not common, and those scars... If Kein had asked, surely he would know who this male is, or at least, who he is not. Regardless, he really doesn't like the way he is being studied, and once again, he grows tense, as though ready for a fight. Only half expecting to get an answer, and dreading what it might be, he asks, "What is your name?" As soon as the words have left his mouth, he finds himself praying that the name the stranger gives is not familiar to him. Despite everything his mother has taught him, he would love a chance to make any one of the males pay for the evil they visited upon his mother, but he stands no chance against this male. Even if Nayeli were to fght with him, it is too risky.
Hmm. Azriel toys with the idea of giving some other name, perhaps one belonging to another male that he's killed before. But he really wants to know who that particular scent belongs to, and so he decides on a compromise. "I'll tell you my name... after you tell me a name." His eyes narrow a little more. "Your mother's name." The boy is too young to be the mate--he would have to be a son, instead.
His mother's name? Nayeli looks surprised and somewhat confused. What does Maulisho's name have to do with anything? The way he's looking at Kein, and the way Kein's looking at him... what's going on here? Her gaze goes back and forth between the stranger and Kein.
Confirming something that the stranger already knew was one thing. Telling him something he doesn't know? Kein isn't so certain about that. It takes him a moment, during which he tells himself that his mother is safe, protected by Kasim and all of the tribe, and that it really /is/ that important for him to know who, specifically, this male is, before he can answer. "Maulisho." His tone betrays his reluctance and distrust, masking what anger he hadn't already managed to remove from his voice. He is still tense, prepared for any reaction to that. He wouldn't be surprised if the older male didn't live up to his end of the agreement, didn't reveal who he is.
Ahh, yes. Maulisho. He definitely remembers that name. A young and foolishly naive cougaress. A bit emotionally unstable, perhaps--she had mentioned something about being afraid of males? But still, it had definitely been one of his favorite conquests, even though she had turned rather.. unpleasant and uncooperative at the end. "Hmm," Azriel says softly, seeming to mull over the name. "Interesting. And your father's name?" His green eyes bore into Kein.
"You first. We had a deal." There is no hesitation, this time. This stranger will be getting no more information from Kein until he finds out who the stranger is. Kein keeps eye contact with the stranger, paying no real attention to Nayeli's silence. He remains pressed against her, still tense.
The larger male stares at Kein for a long moment, tail twitching, before finally saying in a low growl, "I am altering the deal." Azriel is halfway tempted to add, "Pray I don't alter it any further!" but decides that further hostility might not be the best move just yet. He just wants to know a little bit more information--is that too much to ask? He doesn't pay any attention to the female either; as long as she's silent and not interfering, he won't have to deal with her. Whether or not he has any.. plans.. for her later on is still to be decided.
And just like that, the tension starts to escalate again. Nayeli can't help but wonder how they'll ever manage to fight off this cougar if it does comes down to combat. Given that she's never fought another feline before, Kein is still more or less recovering, the cramped confines of this den, /and/ the obvious size and strength difference... it doesn't look good at all. She swallows hard and presses back into Kein, hoping that he realizes that antagonizing this stranger is /not/ in their best interest.
Kein can't best the stranger physically, which means he has three choices. One is to attempt silence. He's not sure that would work, that it wouldn't just make the stranger angry. He /could/ play the other male's game, could name Kasim as his father and try to work from there. Or he could try to turn this around now. "My father's name is Azriel. But you already knew that." It is an assumption. He can't know for certain. The growl in his tone suggests otherwise, though, suggests he /knows/ who he is speaking to, and that he doesn't like it at all. How could this male be anyone else? The stranger knows his mother. That much was obvious. Did he know he impregnated Maul when he forced himself upon her, before today, though? And how will he react to this?
Really and truly amazing. Azriel had never known that he had offspring running around all this time.. and to encounter one like this? It's somewhat of an odd thought, thinking of this obviously unfriendly younger male as /his/ /son/. "No," he says, perhaps a little bit sardonically. "I have no idea how many males your mother threw herself at, begging them to mate with her to relieve her distress." He looks Kein over again, trying to imagine himself passing along his own attributes and characteristics. Quite fascinating, the knowledge that his own flesh and blood is right here before him.
Mere surprise aside, Nayeli is absolutely dumbfounded. Kein's father... Azriel? But.. what about.. Kasim? She listens in stunned disbelief, her mind generating more and more questions that she's almost certainly going to have to ask Kein once this encounter is over. Assuming, of course, that it ends somewhat peacefully. The last thing she wants to have to deal with is another broken and bloody Kein. But why wouldn't her best friend have told her the truth about his father? And who's Azriel? Certainly nobody she's ever heard of before, at least not that she can remember. It's possible that someone might have mentioned it before, but she doesn't recall such a thing.
Kein's growling grows slightly louder at what Azriel says. Through gritted teeth, he says, "You have no right to speak about her that way, after what you did to her." It hasn't even occurred to Kein, what kind of a shock this must be fore Nayeli. He is too focused on the strange male. His father. Is he anything like this? His mother was worried, once, that he would turn out to be just like Azriel. How much of that worry was justified?
After a slight pause, Azriel arches an eyebrow. "After what I did? I did exactly what she wanted me to do--begged me, even!" His smile twists a little. "You seem rather defensive... perhaps she told you some false story to justify your existence?" He's sure the boy will catch the implication, even though he's obviously still a bit young. "Really, though. I must say I'm a little disappointed. I thought your mother would have had.. fonder memories of me, shall we say?"
Wait, what did this Azriel do to Kein's mom? Nayeli starts to wonder if this stranger is the Azriel they mentioned.. this stranger would be Kein's father, then? But why would Kein be so defensive and hostile toward him? And what's with the reference to 'fonder memories'? Nayeli feels like she's being told a story but with all the details left out.
If there is one thing that Kein will never believe, it is that his mother would lie to him about anything. He would sooner believe that Chesmu is a kind, loving cougar who has the best interests of everyone in mind. His mother has never lied to him. She has had no reason to lie to him. Azriel, on the other hand... "Save the lies for someone who doesn't know you. You know as well as I do that she has no reason to have fond memories of you." /Maybe/, had Azriel been more pleasant from the beginning, Kein would have has cause to wonder. As it is, there is not even the slightest bit of doubt to him.
"If you want to delude yourself, boy, then feel free to do so. But don't say I didn't tell you." Azriel shrugs, yawns, and seems to relax a bit, though there's still a bit of tension evident in the way he's lying down. Prepared for a fight, no doubt. "You might want to explain to your female, though," he adds with a smirk, turning to glance at Nayeli. "She looks a little surprised, though I would wonder why." His eyebrows raise again. "Why would you keep anything hidden from her? Why have her believe something that's almost true, but not quite?" He snorts. "I guess it runs in the family, if that's the story your mother has told you all this time."
He /must/ be Azriel! Nayeli stares wide-eyed at him--at Kein's /father/!--while trying to gather her swirling thoughts. But when he continues speaking, she feels even more confused, and not just with what she doesn't know or understand. It's now a matter of /why/ she doesn't understand. If this really is Kein's father, then he has a very valid reason to ask Kein why he would keep this a secret from Nayeli, instead having her to believe that Kasim was his father this entire time. What else hasn't he told her?
Kein looks back to Nayeli. Not for very long. He's reluctant to keep Azriel out of his sight for very long, and besides, what he sees in Nayeli's expression worries him. Hopefully she'll understand. If she doesn't? If she's angry, or hurt, and goes back to Amaranth... No. Once Azriel is back in his line of vision, he says, "I never tried to hide it from her." She was, after all, standing right there when he told Chesmu that Kasim wasn't his father, in the same breath that he said Amaranth territory was not his home. They just never got around to speaking about it. Yet. "Having you as my father isn't the kind of thing /I'd/ boast about, but I never tried to hide it."
"You mean that you wouldn't boast about having the kind of father that you were told about. That your mother portrayed me as." Azriel shrugs dismissively. "You're a fool if you're going to only listen to one side of what happened." He looks back over toward Nayeli. "And if your female believed it was another male that you both know, apparently I was right, then, in that your mother only did what she does best: go for yet another male." A dramatic yawn. "It's not my fault that your mother is the type that always needs someone up on her back." Not that he really cares if Kein thinks it's his fault or not. Azriel certainly isn't going to lose any sleep over it.
Nayeli stares at her friend. He never tried to hide this from her? Well, that might be /technically/ true in that she never asked, but that was because she never /knew/ to ask! He certainly did /not/ come out and tell her, and she's just now finding out? She definitely does not look very pleased at all, though it's still somewhat masked by her anxiety over what's taking place. Though the stran--/Azriel/.. Kein's /real/ father.. though he seems like he's not looking for a fight, that could always change in a matter of seconds. Nayeli more than ever wants him to leave, or at least move so that /they/ can leave without having to worry about getting in a fight.
"I wouldn't boast about having the type of father who speaks about females like that, especially females they were close to." Kein is angry, and, as such, that's the /calmest/ thing he could have said. He /is/ trying to avoid making this worse, but with how Azriel keeps rubbing him the wrong way, it isn't easy. He /wants/ to defend his mother with something more than words, /wants/ to drive Azriel far away. Knowing that such a thing would probably just lead to his death... And what would Azriel do to Nayeli then? That, more than anything, has Kein struggling to keep his temper at bay.
Azriel just shakes his head. "If you're getting close to a female-" He deliberately looks at Nayeli, "-then you're already in trouble. It doesn't cause anything but difficulty, especially once her time comes and you find another male on top of her. Going to still be a fool and believe that it's always the male's fault? That your 'close' female can't possibly help herself? Just like your mother couldn't?" His eyes narrow a little. "Of course, with you being younger than me and obviously so much more knowledgeable in these sorts of things... I feel humbled." Mmm. The bite of sarcasm.
Nayeli's ears splay at the rather harsh implication, feeling herself even cowering down a little. He speaks so convincingly, even though the words are difficult to swallow. But is it really true that she won't be able to help herself? Is it really true that Kein's mother couldn't help herself? Nayeli still isn't entirely sure what happened between her and Azriel, but she's beginning to think she can take a guess. It isn't a pleasant thought, either way.
Kein's growling grows louder again when Azriel brings Nayeli into the conversation. He digs his claws into the ground, reminding himself to keep his distance from the cougar who, despite being his father, /is/ a complete stranger, and speaks up, his voice louder than before. "My mother fought with everything she had to get away from a male who wasn't her mate, and to make sure he couldn't do the same thing he did to her to anyone else." Even Chesmu is smaller than Azriel, and besides, if Kein remembers correctly... Didn't Azriel threaten Mom's wolf friend, or something like that? "And if I /ever/ speak about my /friend/ the way you're speaking about my mother, I hope she has the wisdom to find herself a male who can treat her better than that." Anger, yes. Azriel is getting to him. But the anger is not with anything Nayeli might do in the future. She has the right to be happy, and if it isn't with him... So be it. He would fight to keep her interest, but not against her will. Never against her will, because he never wants her to speak of him the way his mother spoke of Azriel. He never wants to be like this foul creature before him.
Apparently the sarcasm was missed, as Azriel has to continue to listen to this younger boy lecture him. It's met with a mock-wearied roll of the eyes, but for once he does not verbally respond, instead turning his head slightly to look out at the storm. Idly, he wonders how many other sons or daughters he might have, and if they're all as.. foolish.. as this particular one. It might be something worth looking into, as he has a few contacts that might be able to obtain this information for him. In a subtle manner, of course; no need to arouse any suspicions or cause any false assumptions that he's planning to do something drastic.
Ooooh, now she's definitely getting angry. Nayeli continues staring at Kein for a few moments, then deliberately looks away, first at Azriel, and then at the opposite wall of the den. If Kein honestly thinks that she's just going to /leave/ him when he makes a mistake...! Does he really have that low of an opinion of her? Can he honestly think that's the best she's capable of doing: just running from a problem, rather than confronting? Or forgiving? Wow. It seems that there definitely is more to Kein than she had at first thought... some of his negative traits coming to the forefront during this conversation. He has a /lot/ to answer for, now--/that/ much is certain.
Kein stares at the older male for a moment. Kein doesn't want him here, or else doesn't want to be here, like Nayeli, but the storm doesn't seem to be letting up. When Azriel finally lets the silence drag on, Kein glances at Nayeli again. He isn't really confused by the anger, but he assumes she's angry at Azriel, like he is. Still, he doesn't look at her for long, looking back to Azriel, wary of him.
He's definitely not going to sleep while here with these two younger cougars, but Azriel doesn't feel much like talking anymore either. He's said all he felt obligated to, and now that he knows that this boy is actually his son... Yes, he's definitely said all he needs to. The only thing to do now is just wait patiently until the storm dies down and he can be on his way again. His eyes continue to watch the rain, occasionally flashing with the reflection of a jagged streak of lightning outside.