Post by Therdde on Nov 1, 2008 15:28:53 GMT -5
Characters:
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
- Rolling Foothills -
It was not terribly early when they set out, but even so, it has been a long day of walking. The sun is beginning to set, and Kein is looking for a place for them to stay the night. The land is fairly familiar, and there has been no hint that Azriel is anywhere nearby... So he's considering just using the den that he knows is near here. His pace is relaxed, and before long, that familiar den does come into sight, which is when he glances at Nayeli.
He's not serious, is he? Kein's glance at her is obviously a question as to whether or not she's willing to stay in that same den. The thought brings plenty of unease with it, but Nayeli /does/ have to admit that they haven't seen so much as a trace of Azriel since that one night, and the chances of him wandering in on them again are most likely slim at best. And he didn't exactly harm them during their previous encounter, so what's to say that he'll have hostile intentions even if he /does/ come by the den during their single night stay there? Nayeli shrugs a little, then finally nods. It's not her first choice by any means, especially since it's not exactly raining this time, but if Kein wants the privacy and seclusion of the den, then she's fine with that as well. It /was/ a cozy place, after all.
Nice, cozy, and easy to defend against other things that might mean them harm. Kein gives a little smile at Nayeli's response. Since sleeping near the waterfall last night, he has been a little more cautious about security, at least until they get to Amaranth and find out what Paoro wants, which has been on his mind all day. As he approaches the den, his pace slows a little further, and he says, "We ought to be back in Amaranth tomorrow." Their trip back is shaping up to be quite different than their trip away, more like the last time he was traveling /to/ Amaranth, at least for Kein. More strenuous, if only because they aren't doing it for fun, for adventure, for the chance to make their way in life. He's doing it for Nayeli, for her grandmother, and out of a sense of duty, whether he is attached to Amaranth or not.
Nayeli nods, slowing her pace to match that of her friend. Hmm. No, forget that. She suddenly rushes forward into the den, intending to deal with whatever or whoever she finds there. But as she suspected, it's as empty as the other day when they first found it. "It's empty," she says back over her shoulder toward Kein. She turns around to wait for him, offering him a dazzling smile. He might be upset that she didn't allow him to check first for any danger, but she wants to emphasize that she's not helpless. Yes, she's not as big and strong and smart and experienced as he is, but she /can/ at least do /something/. She wants to prove that she can stand by his side in whatever they'll face back in Amaranth, rather than hiding in his shadow.
Quite the contrary. Kein doesn't like Nayeli because she's weak. There are many reason he likes her, but that is not one of them. He wants to do any- and everything he can to protect her because he likes her, because he needs her, not because he thinks she needs it. He's not smiling when she rushes off, but when he reaches the entrance to the den and sees her smile, it is returned in kind. "I'm glad. It /is/ a nice place to sleep." Unexpected visitors aside, at least.
Yes, it is, aside from the problem of random creatures dropping by at inopportune times. A dangerous cougar and a crazy raven. Who knows what it will be this time? Hopefully nothing at all. Hopefully it will be a peaceful night's sleep with nothing to disturb it. Once Kein reaches her, she gives him a quick headrub before heading to the back of the cave, and there lying down in a comfortable spot. Positioned in such a way that she can keep an eye out on the den entrance, of course. No sense taking foolish risks by not being prepared.
Kein follows Nayeli into the den and lies down beside her, after which he takes a deep, calming breath. As long as this day has been, it has been with her. That makes it worthwhile, especially now that they get a moment to rest. He lets the silence raign for a moment, just thinking. They have handled everything that has been thrown at them since they left Amaranth. They'll handle this. If Chesmu or Azriel orchesrated it, no matter what Paoro has to tell them, they will get through it just fine. It's just a temporary setback, and then they'll be back on track. He's sure of it.
Now that they're resting together, Nayeli takes the opportunity to rub her head up against Kein's neck, purring. It's been a long day of travel, and it feels good to finally get off of her paws. "You know," she finally murmurs, "I'm surprised you haven't gotten tired of my company yet." She's too tired to even try and make her voice sound joking, but she's confident that Kein will pick up on the intended humor. "All this time you've been stuck with me...." She finally cracks a smile, albeit a rather small one.
Kein can't help but laugh at what she first says, if only because the idea is so preposterous. Get tired of her company? Never. When she continues, though, his expression grows just a little more serious. Not much, because her smile makes it obvious she doesn't believe what she's saying, but still... "I'll never grow tired of your company, Nayeli. I missed you, you know... When we were in the desert, I mean. I thought about you a lot." Nevermind that those thoughts mostly centered around how she would never forgive him.
She had been intent on a little humor, which apparently didn't quite work out the way she planned. Nayeli pulls her head back and looks at Kein, quiet, as she thinks about what he's said. Did she think about him as much as he thought about her? Probably not, and now she's tempted to feel guilty about that. Was it an intentional distancing? She's honestly not sure, and that disturbs her slightly. She thinks that she's been forgiven enough to the point that she shouldn't feel guilty, but yet the feeling still remains. Small, but there.
Kein had no intention to make her feel guilty, and he really doesn't recognize that guilt. Whatever she thinks she has done wrong, it has completely escapes him, and so he goes on to say, "My mother and I spoke about you sometimes. She was always right about you." Well, okay, maybe not in every regard, but Nayeli /was/ willing to forgive after Kein hurt her deeply. Kein wouldn't have believed that, but his mother did. He takes another deep breath, then says, "I don't want to leave Amaranth before I see her again." Even if it will make leaving harder, it seems wrong to visit, for whatever reason, without seeing his mother, and he hopes Nayeli agrees.
Kein's mother talked about her? Nayeli looks rather surprised... why would his mother care anything about her? Especially out in the desert, where they had plenty of their own problems and issues to take care of? "Why did she say anything about me?" she finally asks, curiosity winning out over awkwardness. Perhaps it was just random speculation over how she was doing, the same they would feel for all the rest of her family member--or even the tribal Sisters as a whole, for that matter.
What, specifically, did Mom say about Nayeli... And furthermore, should he pass on that information? After a brief moment, Kein replies, "She let me know how important it was for me to try to fix what I did wrong. That you would do exactly what you did. Forgive me." Nothing Kein says come with sorrow. Indeed, he purrs lightly as he is speaking. He admires both his mother and Nayeli greatly. He doesn't know if he will ever be as wise as his mother or as forgiving as Nayeli, but they certainly give him something to try for, set a good example.
If possible, Nayeli looks even more surprised. "Your mom said that.. that I would forgive you?" How could she possibly have known that? If anything, Nayeli hadn't even intended on forgiving Kein after that horrendous nightmare of a dream. But when they met together again, for real, after his family had return... she just had to. She can't explain it and doesn't know if she ever /will/ be able to. It seemed as though it was just meant to be. Perhaps she will never understand why. But she /did/ forgive him, and that's what matters.
Well, kind of. Mom said that Nayeli was just waiting for him to make things right. That kind of amounts to the same thing, right? So, Kein gives a little nod of his head. "And I'm glad you did. I really..." Removed from the intense emotion, sorrow, and anger of her laughing, his stupid statement, and everything that followed, Kein can recognize everything that happened as cubish silliness, making mountains of of molehills, but his current emotion remains the same. "I'm really sorry for everything, and I would never do anything like that again." And he's not just saying it, now, to get her to stop hurting herself or stop yelling. He's saying it because it needs to be said. Because it's the truth.
Nayeli feels a sudden lump in her throat at the unexpected apologizing by her friend. She doesn't think he needs to say he's sorry anymore, but because he is, she leans back over to rub her head up against his neck once more. "I'm sorry too, Kein, for not thinking about you as much as I should have, and making you all angry at me in the first place. Even when we had that dream, I was mean to you even though I knew that you really were sorry about what had happened." She sighs, keeping her muzzle pressed up against his neck for fear of him looking her in the eye. "I'm so sorry I did that to you." By this point her voice is barely a whisper, and pretty well choked with emotion.
Kein didn't apologize with the intention of making her do the same, and her apology surprises him. Even so, he is fairly quick to respond, especially knowning how much forgiveness means to him. "It wasn't your fault, and-" Oh geez. Should he even say this? It requires swallowing a lump in his throat before he continues, but it doesn't take him too long. "It wasn't my fault. We were both... Mistaken... About each other... I never want to hurt you, Nayeli... And I know, now, that you never want to hurt me either." Mistakes happen, but that intention... It /has/ to count for something. If not everything. His encounters with Mateka and his subsequent discussions with his mother have taught him that. Why they do what they do means so much, and while Nayeli's why was never to hurt him... Once, and only once, his why was to hurt her, to make her feel what he felt when he thought she meant to hurt him, and he has regretted it ever since.
Nayeli almost interrupts when Kein tries to claim that it wasn't her fault. It /was/ her fault! But he's not finished talking, so Nayeli refrains from saying anything. Her eyes widen slightly at his next words. Neither of them were at fault? Yes, they were both mistaken, but.. still.. surely there's /some/ blame for what happened? The lump in her throat gets bigger as Kein moves on to insist that neither of them ever wants to hurt the other again. She already knows that much is true, but the way he says it, with such gentleness and conviction, it means so much to her. With a shaky breath, Nayeli moves her head up just enough to look at her friend's eyes, knowing that she's probably beginning to tear up a little. "Of course I don't ever want to hurt you, Kein. I.. I love you, remember?" She's said it once before, a while back, but somehow it seems the right thing to say again. Confirmation of how deeply she values him as a friend. Reassurance that she views him as more important than herself. That's love, isn't it?
The whole point is that Kein knows that /now/. He didn't, when he was a cub. If he had believed that, he might not have been so hurt at what he imagined was her laughing at him. He keeps his eyes on Nayeli, and while his expression is serious, he is far from upset. "I know, and that means... That means everything, Nayeli. That makes everything okay." It doesn't mean that everything will be easy, but with the two of them together, anything is /possible/. It may take some work, and it may be hard, but they can do anything they want to do.
"It does mean everything, doesn't it?" Nayeli feels a tiny bit of excitement creep into her voice. There's something thrilling about the fact that they're both open and transparent to each other in this regard. And as Kein so truly stated, that /does/ makes everything okay. The implication that everything will be okay even when everything is /not/ okay, which might very well be the case once they return to Amaranth, is very comforting, and something that Nayeli thinks will provide the boost of confidence that she needs.
Kein smiles and presses his head against Nayeli's. He wasn't sure how he would do, trying to be reassuring when he's really not feeling too reassured himself. The act of trying to comfort Nayeli seems to help him too, though, dispel his own worries. Maybe it's just the act of voicing his thoughts outloud, giving them weight instead of just letting them get lost with everything else in his head. He doesn't know, but he's glad it works. As he lies beside her, he purrs softly, but he doesn't try to force any more conversation.
Nayeli falls silent, save for a low purr, as her head presses back against her friend's. It's kind of special, being able to sort of feel the combined vibrations rumbling through them from the mutual purring. Her tail twitches over toward Kein's, almost without her knowing. Almost. She takes a deep breath and lets out a contented sigh, not feeling the need to talk any further for right now. Sometimes the most enjoyable time they've spent together has been with silence, just appreciating each other's company and friendship.
Kein will probably never be as talkative as he was when he was younger, and, like Nayeli, he is content to remain silent and just enjoy her company for a while. After several minutes, though, he finally voices what has been on his mind all day. "What do you think Paoro wants?" He has more or less come to the conclusion that it probably isn't that something is wrong with his family. Unless all three of them were hurt, why wouldn't /they/ have sent the message? And would the message really have been sent with the minimal amount of urgency that it was if someone in his family were hurt? Knowing what it probably isn't doesn't help him to know what it /is/, though.
For once, Nayeli doesn't move her head back, but instead continues to press against Kein as she replies in a low murmur, "I really don't have any idea. Probably just wants to know that we're doing okay and find out what our plans are." That's what she would guess, anyway. She's silent now, going through various possibilities in her mind and discarding most of them as being too farfetched. Paoro has all of the mystery of being the shamaness, but surely she has a logical reason for wanting them to return, right?
Kein supposes that's possible. They'll never know for sure until the return to Amaranth and speak to the shamaness... But he does wish the squirrel had been given some details. "You're probably right." Then, with a slight grin, he says, "Maybe we ought to look around for anyone else who wasn't there the last time we left, to make sure we don't get called back again." Because, as long as they're safe, he would never turn down a request from Amaranth, but he would rather not get called back again before they manage to get very far.
"It might take a long time to find everyone, though." Nayeli isn't completely against the idea; she's just anxious for them to be back on the exploratory journey again as soon as possible. "And I don't think anyone else would be able to request us to come back." Maybe Yuma, as he /is/ the Chieftain. And knowing Kein, he'd probably go back at a summons from his mother.
Kein doesn't even know who all is in Amaranth, anymore. There was that strange male who came the night when Chesmu attacked him and his mother retaliated, and who knows who else? He was mostly just joking, though, and his grin remains as he says, "Maybe just leave someone with a message that we'll be back eventually, if anyone else wants to talk." Then again, anyone else might be young enough to seek them out, since they aren't exactly trying to travel quickly or anything.
Nayeli chuckles softly. "I think that's what your mother is for." She certainly got the impression that Kein's mother was eager for them to return, so why not have her be their contact with Amaranth? Somehow, Nayeli doesn't think Kein will mind that at all. "Yuma already knows that we'll be returning eventually, so I don't think he would summon us back unless there was an emergency or something." Maybe that's why Paoro called them back? Nayeli hopes that nothing bad has happened. They've only been gone a few days, after all--what could possibly have happened?
"It will be easier when we really know where we'll be living, I think, so that others will know too." And until then... Yeah, maybe asking Mom to tell everyone that they'll be back sometime will work, and maybe they can send word back and forth until that time. "That'll probably work until then, though." Kein stretches his forelegs out, fighting off a yawn.
Nayeli giggles. "You can always tell her that we live near a mountain of falling water, at least until we find an even crazier spot to settle down at." Trying to explain that phenomenon... is that even possible? It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed. Her thoughts are somewhat interrupted by her yawning as well, which she realizes has been caused by Kein. With a hmph, she lightly swats a paw at his ear, grinning. He's trying to make her yawn, is he? Well!
Kein ducks his head away as she swats at his ear and, with a grin, noses at her head. He is getting rather tired, and after a moment, he says, "At least it's quieter here. Should be easier to fall sleep." And less likely that someone will be able to sneak up on them, and even if they do, it's not like they could attack them from behind, so...
"As long as it's next to you, I don't care where we fall asleep. Loud or quiet." Nayeli lets out another yawn, followed by an amused/annoyed look at her friend. Tomorrow will be quite an interesting day. Seeing family and friends again, and especially her grandmother. It's been... how long since she last saw and talked with Paoro? A /long/ time. With a contemplative smile, Nayeli settles her head down on her forepaws, closing her eyes and willing the tomorrow to arrive as soon as possible.
Kein lowers his head shortly after Nayeli does, still stretched out instead of curled up. It's warmer here in the den than it is outside, and it feels good to lie down all stretched out. After another wide yawn of his own, he says, "Good night, Nayeli. I hope you have pleasant dreams." A relaxing night before reentering Amaranth tomorrow, where they'll have to keep an eye out for Chesmu at least until they find Paoro. Hopefully it won't take them long.
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
- Rolling Foothills -
It was not terribly early when they set out, but even so, it has been a long day of walking. The sun is beginning to set, and Kein is looking for a place for them to stay the night. The land is fairly familiar, and there has been no hint that Azriel is anywhere nearby... So he's considering just using the den that he knows is near here. His pace is relaxed, and before long, that familiar den does come into sight, which is when he glances at Nayeli.
He's not serious, is he? Kein's glance at her is obviously a question as to whether or not she's willing to stay in that same den. The thought brings plenty of unease with it, but Nayeli /does/ have to admit that they haven't seen so much as a trace of Azriel since that one night, and the chances of him wandering in on them again are most likely slim at best. And he didn't exactly harm them during their previous encounter, so what's to say that he'll have hostile intentions even if he /does/ come by the den during their single night stay there? Nayeli shrugs a little, then finally nods. It's not her first choice by any means, especially since it's not exactly raining this time, but if Kein wants the privacy and seclusion of the den, then she's fine with that as well. It /was/ a cozy place, after all.
Nice, cozy, and easy to defend against other things that might mean them harm. Kein gives a little smile at Nayeli's response. Since sleeping near the waterfall last night, he has been a little more cautious about security, at least until they get to Amaranth and find out what Paoro wants, which has been on his mind all day. As he approaches the den, his pace slows a little further, and he says, "We ought to be back in Amaranth tomorrow." Their trip back is shaping up to be quite different than their trip away, more like the last time he was traveling /to/ Amaranth, at least for Kein. More strenuous, if only because they aren't doing it for fun, for adventure, for the chance to make their way in life. He's doing it for Nayeli, for her grandmother, and out of a sense of duty, whether he is attached to Amaranth or not.
Nayeli nods, slowing her pace to match that of her friend. Hmm. No, forget that. She suddenly rushes forward into the den, intending to deal with whatever or whoever she finds there. But as she suspected, it's as empty as the other day when they first found it. "It's empty," she says back over her shoulder toward Kein. She turns around to wait for him, offering him a dazzling smile. He might be upset that she didn't allow him to check first for any danger, but she wants to emphasize that she's not helpless. Yes, she's not as big and strong and smart and experienced as he is, but she /can/ at least do /something/. She wants to prove that she can stand by his side in whatever they'll face back in Amaranth, rather than hiding in his shadow.
Quite the contrary. Kein doesn't like Nayeli because she's weak. There are many reason he likes her, but that is not one of them. He wants to do any- and everything he can to protect her because he likes her, because he needs her, not because he thinks she needs it. He's not smiling when she rushes off, but when he reaches the entrance to the den and sees her smile, it is returned in kind. "I'm glad. It /is/ a nice place to sleep." Unexpected visitors aside, at least.
Yes, it is, aside from the problem of random creatures dropping by at inopportune times. A dangerous cougar and a crazy raven. Who knows what it will be this time? Hopefully nothing at all. Hopefully it will be a peaceful night's sleep with nothing to disturb it. Once Kein reaches her, she gives him a quick headrub before heading to the back of the cave, and there lying down in a comfortable spot. Positioned in such a way that she can keep an eye out on the den entrance, of course. No sense taking foolish risks by not being prepared.
Kein follows Nayeli into the den and lies down beside her, after which he takes a deep, calming breath. As long as this day has been, it has been with her. That makes it worthwhile, especially now that they get a moment to rest. He lets the silence raign for a moment, just thinking. They have handled everything that has been thrown at them since they left Amaranth. They'll handle this. If Chesmu or Azriel orchesrated it, no matter what Paoro has to tell them, they will get through it just fine. It's just a temporary setback, and then they'll be back on track. He's sure of it.
Now that they're resting together, Nayeli takes the opportunity to rub her head up against Kein's neck, purring. It's been a long day of travel, and it feels good to finally get off of her paws. "You know," she finally murmurs, "I'm surprised you haven't gotten tired of my company yet." She's too tired to even try and make her voice sound joking, but she's confident that Kein will pick up on the intended humor. "All this time you've been stuck with me...." She finally cracks a smile, albeit a rather small one.
Kein can't help but laugh at what she first says, if only because the idea is so preposterous. Get tired of her company? Never. When she continues, though, his expression grows just a little more serious. Not much, because her smile makes it obvious she doesn't believe what she's saying, but still... "I'll never grow tired of your company, Nayeli. I missed you, you know... When we were in the desert, I mean. I thought about you a lot." Nevermind that those thoughts mostly centered around how she would never forgive him.
She had been intent on a little humor, which apparently didn't quite work out the way she planned. Nayeli pulls her head back and looks at Kein, quiet, as she thinks about what he's said. Did she think about him as much as he thought about her? Probably not, and now she's tempted to feel guilty about that. Was it an intentional distancing? She's honestly not sure, and that disturbs her slightly. She thinks that she's been forgiven enough to the point that she shouldn't feel guilty, but yet the feeling still remains. Small, but there.
Kein had no intention to make her feel guilty, and he really doesn't recognize that guilt. Whatever she thinks she has done wrong, it has completely escapes him, and so he goes on to say, "My mother and I spoke about you sometimes. She was always right about you." Well, okay, maybe not in every regard, but Nayeli /was/ willing to forgive after Kein hurt her deeply. Kein wouldn't have believed that, but his mother did. He takes another deep breath, then says, "I don't want to leave Amaranth before I see her again." Even if it will make leaving harder, it seems wrong to visit, for whatever reason, without seeing his mother, and he hopes Nayeli agrees.
Kein's mother talked about her? Nayeli looks rather surprised... why would his mother care anything about her? Especially out in the desert, where they had plenty of their own problems and issues to take care of? "Why did she say anything about me?" she finally asks, curiosity winning out over awkwardness. Perhaps it was just random speculation over how she was doing, the same they would feel for all the rest of her family member--or even the tribal Sisters as a whole, for that matter.
What, specifically, did Mom say about Nayeli... And furthermore, should he pass on that information? After a brief moment, Kein replies, "She let me know how important it was for me to try to fix what I did wrong. That you would do exactly what you did. Forgive me." Nothing Kein says come with sorrow. Indeed, he purrs lightly as he is speaking. He admires both his mother and Nayeli greatly. He doesn't know if he will ever be as wise as his mother or as forgiving as Nayeli, but they certainly give him something to try for, set a good example.
If possible, Nayeli looks even more surprised. "Your mom said that.. that I would forgive you?" How could she possibly have known that? If anything, Nayeli hadn't even intended on forgiving Kein after that horrendous nightmare of a dream. But when they met together again, for real, after his family had return... she just had to. She can't explain it and doesn't know if she ever /will/ be able to. It seemed as though it was just meant to be. Perhaps she will never understand why. But she /did/ forgive him, and that's what matters.
Well, kind of. Mom said that Nayeli was just waiting for him to make things right. That kind of amounts to the same thing, right? So, Kein gives a little nod of his head. "And I'm glad you did. I really..." Removed from the intense emotion, sorrow, and anger of her laughing, his stupid statement, and everything that followed, Kein can recognize everything that happened as cubish silliness, making mountains of of molehills, but his current emotion remains the same. "I'm really sorry for everything, and I would never do anything like that again." And he's not just saying it, now, to get her to stop hurting herself or stop yelling. He's saying it because it needs to be said. Because it's the truth.
Nayeli feels a sudden lump in her throat at the unexpected apologizing by her friend. She doesn't think he needs to say he's sorry anymore, but because he is, she leans back over to rub her head up against his neck once more. "I'm sorry too, Kein, for not thinking about you as much as I should have, and making you all angry at me in the first place. Even when we had that dream, I was mean to you even though I knew that you really were sorry about what had happened." She sighs, keeping her muzzle pressed up against his neck for fear of him looking her in the eye. "I'm so sorry I did that to you." By this point her voice is barely a whisper, and pretty well choked with emotion.
Kein didn't apologize with the intention of making her do the same, and her apology surprises him. Even so, he is fairly quick to respond, especially knowning how much forgiveness means to him. "It wasn't your fault, and-" Oh geez. Should he even say this? It requires swallowing a lump in his throat before he continues, but it doesn't take him too long. "It wasn't my fault. We were both... Mistaken... About each other... I never want to hurt you, Nayeli... And I know, now, that you never want to hurt me either." Mistakes happen, but that intention... It /has/ to count for something. If not everything. His encounters with Mateka and his subsequent discussions with his mother have taught him that. Why they do what they do means so much, and while Nayeli's why was never to hurt him... Once, and only once, his why was to hurt her, to make her feel what he felt when he thought she meant to hurt him, and he has regretted it ever since.
Nayeli almost interrupts when Kein tries to claim that it wasn't her fault. It /was/ her fault! But he's not finished talking, so Nayeli refrains from saying anything. Her eyes widen slightly at his next words. Neither of them were at fault? Yes, they were both mistaken, but.. still.. surely there's /some/ blame for what happened? The lump in her throat gets bigger as Kein moves on to insist that neither of them ever wants to hurt the other again. She already knows that much is true, but the way he says it, with such gentleness and conviction, it means so much to her. With a shaky breath, Nayeli moves her head up just enough to look at her friend's eyes, knowing that she's probably beginning to tear up a little. "Of course I don't ever want to hurt you, Kein. I.. I love you, remember?" She's said it once before, a while back, but somehow it seems the right thing to say again. Confirmation of how deeply she values him as a friend. Reassurance that she views him as more important than herself. That's love, isn't it?
The whole point is that Kein knows that /now/. He didn't, when he was a cub. If he had believed that, he might not have been so hurt at what he imagined was her laughing at him. He keeps his eyes on Nayeli, and while his expression is serious, he is far from upset. "I know, and that means... That means everything, Nayeli. That makes everything okay." It doesn't mean that everything will be easy, but with the two of them together, anything is /possible/. It may take some work, and it may be hard, but they can do anything they want to do.
"It does mean everything, doesn't it?" Nayeli feels a tiny bit of excitement creep into her voice. There's something thrilling about the fact that they're both open and transparent to each other in this regard. And as Kein so truly stated, that /does/ makes everything okay. The implication that everything will be okay even when everything is /not/ okay, which might very well be the case once they return to Amaranth, is very comforting, and something that Nayeli thinks will provide the boost of confidence that she needs.
Kein smiles and presses his head against Nayeli's. He wasn't sure how he would do, trying to be reassuring when he's really not feeling too reassured himself. The act of trying to comfort Nayeli seems to help him too, though, dispel his own worries. Maybe it's just the act of voicing his thoughts outloud, giving them weight instead of just letting them get lost with everything else in his head. He doesn't know, but he's glad it works. As he lies beside her, he purrs softly, but he doesn't try to force any more conversation.
Nayeli falls silent, save for a low purr, as her head presses back against her friend's. It's kind of special, being able to sort of feel the combined vibrations rumbling through them from the mutual purring. Her tail twitches over toward Kein's, almost without her knowing. Almost. She takes a deep breath and lets out a contented sigh, not feeling the need to talk any further for right now. Sometimes the most enjoyable time they've spent together has been with silence, just appreciating each other's company and friendship.
Kein will probably never be as talkative as he was when he was younger, and, like Nayeli, he is content to remain silent and just enjoy her company for a while. After several minutes, though, he finally voices what has been on his mind all day. "What do you think Paoro wants?" He has more or less come to the conclusion that it probably isn't that something is wrong with his family. Unless all three of them were hurt, why wouldn't /they/ have sent the message? And would the message really have been sent with the minimal amount of urgency that it was if someone in his family were hurt? Knowing what it probably isn't doesn't help him to know what it /is/, though.
For once, Nayeli doesn't move her head back, but instead continues to press against Kein as she replies in a low murmur, "I really don't have any idea. Probably just wants to know that we're doing okay and find out what our plans are." That's what she would guess, anyway. She's silent now, going through various possibilities in her mind and discarding most of them as being too farfetched. Paoro has all of the mystery of being the shamaness, but surely she has a logical reason for wanting them to return, right?
Kein supposes that's possible. They'll never know for sure until the return to Amaranth and speak to the shamaness... But he does wish the squirrel had been given some details. "You're probably right." Then, with a slight grin, he says, "Maybe we ought to look around for anyone else who wasn't there the last time we left, to make sure we don't get called back again." Because, as long as they're safe, he would never turn down a request from Amaranth, but he would rather not get called back again before they manage to get very far.
"It might take a long time to find everyone, though." Nayeli isn't completely against the idea; she's just anxious for them to be back on the exploratory journey again as soon as possible. "And I don't think anyone else would be able to request us to come back." Maybe Yuma, as he /is/ the Chieftain. And knowing Kein, he'd probably go back at a summons from his mother.
Kein doesn't even know who all is in Amaranth, anymore. There was that strange male who came the night when Chesmu attacked him and his mother retaliated, and who knows who else? He was mostly just joking, though, and his grin remains as he says, "Maybe just leave someone with a message that we'll be back eventually, if anyone else wants to talk." Then again, anyone else might be young enough to seek them out, since they aren't exactly trying to travel quickly or anything.
Nayeli chuckles softly. "I think that's what your mother is for." She certainly got the impression that Kein's mother was eager for them to return, so why not have her be their contact with Amaranth? Somehow, Nayeli doesn't think Kein will mind that at all. "Yuma already knows that we'll be returning eventually, so I don't think he would summon us back unless there was an emergency or something." Maybe that's why Paoro called them back? Nayeli hopes that nothing bad has happened. They've only been gone a few days, after all--what could possibly have happened?
"It will be easier when we really know where we'll be living, I think, so that others will know too." And until then... Yeah, maybe asking Mom to tell everyone that they'll be back sometime will work, and maybe they can send word back and forth until that time. "That'll probably work until then, though." Kein stretches his forelegs out, fighting off a yawn.
Nayeli giggles. "You can always tell her that we live near a mountain of falling water, at least until we find an even crazier spot to settle down at." Trying to explain that phenomenon... is that even possible? It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed. Her thoughts are somewhat interrupted by her yawning as well, which she realizes has been caused by Kein. With a hmph, she lightly swats a paw at his ear, grinning. He's trying to make her yawn, is he? Well!
Kein ducks his head away as she swats at his ear and, with a grin, noses at her head. He is getting rather tired, and after a moment, he says, "At least it's quieter here. Should be easier to fall sleep." And less likely that someone will be able to sneak up on them, and even if they do, it's not like they could attack them from behind, so...
"As long as it's next to you, I don't care where we fall asleep. Loud or quiet." Nayeli lets out another yawn, followed by an amused/annoyed look at her friend. Tomorrow will be quite an interesting day. Seeing family and friends again, and especially her grandmother. It's been... how long since she last saw and talked with Paoro? A /long/ time. With a contemplative smile, Nayeli settles her head down on her forepaws, closing her eyes and willing the tomorrow to arrive as soon as possible.
Kein lowers his head shortly after Nayeli does, still stretched out instead of curled up. It's warmer here in the den than it is outside, and it feels good to lie down all stretched out. After another wide yawn of his own, he says, "Good night, Nayeli. I hope you have pleasant dreams." A relaxing night before reentering Amaranth tomorrow, where they'll have to keep an eye out for Chesmu at least until they find Paoro. Hopefully it won't take them long.