Post by tanniyn on Nov 18, 2008 5:47:14 GMT -5
Characters:
Chandani - female adolescent cougaress (Amaranth)
Nayeli - female adolescent cougaress (Amaranth)
(later)
Solace - female adult cougaress
Setting:
Wildflower Drop
Scene:
It is daytime in the Amaranth territory and Chandani has been spending a lot of time on her own lately it seems. The adolescent is making her way over towards the Wildflower drop hoping to find Pelutho wanting to talk with him about something since she has not seen him since the time she told him how she feels about him.
But is it not Pelutho that arrives from the northeast, but rather Chandani's sister. Looking happier than she's been in a long time, possibly /ever/, Nayeli walks toward the flowers, wondering if she'll find either of her sisters here. Or even Paoro; the shamaness hopefullye can answer the several questions that Nayeli needs to ask her. The weather is beautiful, and it seems like there isn't anything else that could possibly make this day any better.
Chandani notices her sister which came as a surprise to her not expecting Nayeli to be around. The adolescent fixes her attention on the arrival and says, "Hello, I thought you left with Kein. What happened?" She has questions of her own apparently.
She hasn't heard yet? Nayeli hasn't seen her sister in several days, so it's a bit surprising that she hasn't at least heard rumors. "Hey, sis," she greets with a warm smile, padding over toward Chandani to give her a friendly nuzzle. "Haven't seen you in a while." She pauses for a moment, contemplating how to break the news to her. Pleasant and unpleasant alike. "How.. much have you heard of.. what's happened?"
Chandani blinks her eyes a little, "Not much just some rumours but not many. Is it true that dad died?" She asks. "I have not seen much of any one around any where. I was looking for Pelutho to be honest. I did not know what to think or believe what happened."
Nayeli hangs her head for a moment, looking at the ground between their forepaws, and then finally nods. "It's true." She looks back up at Chandani, and there's sorrow in both her eyes and her tone. "He.." What's a nice way of putting it? "..was sick in his mind, and.. well.. he went crazy. He.. did some terrible things, and was finally executed." She knows that Chandani will probably ask what those terrible things are, and Nayeli knows that she needs to hear them. Mom's death, for one.
Chandani is shocked to hear the news and almost falls down then gets a look of sorrow on her own trying to fight back tears. "I have seen daddy and it did seem like he changed a lot. I did know what was going on with him." She says in a sad voice. "Who did he execute?" Not really wanting to hear this but knows she's going to have too.
"Once his mind was completely gone, he.. he raped and killed Kein's mother, and then killed /our/ mother." Nayeli's voice has dropped to a whisper by this point, and she nuzzles up against her sister, trying to comfort her. Trying to comfort /herself/--it's still difficult just to think about what's happened, let alone actually say it in words. "Paoro sentenced him to death and Kasim.. finished it."
Chandani finds her eyes starting to water a little, "Oh no!" Then lets out a sigh, "Thank you for telling me. It seems like I also heard a rumour that you are the new matron. I did not know rather or not to believe it. Because before you and Kein left Yuma was acting as the chieftain. I guess that one must be true too." Trying to get her mind off of the bad news for a while. "I wonder if Pelutho knows about it yet? You have not seen him have you?" She asks. "The last time I saw him. I told him. I loved him and not since then. I wanted to talk with him about something and did not know if he would know about it yet. I figure he probably does."
Nayeli is quiet for a few seconds, just trying to deal with the grief that's threatening to overtake her. It really hits her hard, once again, that she's so totally and completely alone. Chandani and her both. They'll never see their parents again, and that void is even more real now that she's sharing her sorrow with her sister. "It's.. true. Yuma is leaving us to go seek out a new place to live, and Kein is now the new Chieftain." She swallows hard, knowing that she'll miss her brother as well. It hurts to think of all the times she was jealous of how much attention he received from their father while they were growing up. Now she wishes she could take it all back, if only to spend more time with him. "I haven't seen Pelutho, but I'll keep my eyes open for him."
Chandani nods a little as her eyes water more, "I-I am g-going to miss m-mom, d-dad and M-Maulisho too." Her voice is starting to break. "I-I am gl-glad to hear that K-Kein is the new chieftain." She says which is hard to speak with the bad news she just heard. She is also going to miss Yuma and it hurts that she was also jealous of the attention that Chesmu gave him as well. Chandani then turns to face Nayeli, "Th-thank you. I will also keep an eye out for Pelutho."
"I miss them too, sis.. so, so much." Nayeli blinks away a few tears, continuing to nuzzle against her sister. When Chandani pulls away to speak, the Matron nods, trying to smile encouragingly. "I'm glad to hear that you feel that way toward him. I know that it would be so much harder for me right now if I didn't love Kein as much as I do." That's mildly putting it.
Chandani forces a slight smile, "That is understandable. I am sure that Kein will be a good chieftain and things can and will change for the better." She says trying to sound encouraging and trying to help comfort Nayeli and herself.
Nayeli laughs softly. "I think he will be a great Chieftain. 'Course, I might just be a little biased, being his best friend and all." Not to mention his mate as of earlier today, but she doesn't want to surprise Chandani that much yet. Her sister might become an aunt before too much longer! Another thing she needs to talk to Paoro about. "Paoro told me that she's going to be staying here in Amaranth from now on." Her voice is pleased, and expects the news to encourage Chandani as well. They may not have been super-close to the shamaness, but she /is/ still family, and with their parents dead, Paoro is pretty much all they have left.
Chandani giggles a little, "That is good to hear. I should probably speak to Paoro as well when I have the chance but first I need to talk to Pelutho. When I told him. I loved him he did not really say he loved me too. The way he was acting it seemed like he did. That was a while ago though and I want to know if he still feels the same about me and how much he loves me. That is why I was looking for him. I hope he does still care about me though and feels the same about me as I do him."
From what she knows of Kein's brother, he's rather quiet and shy so it doesn't surprise Nayeli at all that he might be reluctant to share his feelings toward Chandani; assuming of course, that he /has/ those feelings in the first place. "He probably just needs more time and encouragement," she replies, sitting down and letting her tail drag across the snow to curl around her hindquarters. "If he loves you, then I don't think that will change." Her smile grows a little. "Just keep loving him and he'll tell you before too much longer."
Chandani returns the smile and nods a little, "I will always love him. Even if he does not feel the same about me. If he does not feel the same way about me. I think it will be hard on me though. I am sure you are right. I am not surrprised he did not say anything either. I vaguely remember how he has been in the past. So it was not surprising to me either. I was nervouse and telling him was one of the hardest things..." She pauses for a moment. "I have ever done. I am sometimes shy too and did not think the words would come out."
Was she nervous when she first Kein that she loved him? /Yes/! "It's okay to be nervous," Nayeli says, with a touch of amusement in her voice. "I bet pretty much everyone is, their first time." It's one of, if not THE most profound thing that one can say--who /wouldn't/ be nervous? "And Pelutho is probably even more shy than either of us, so I bet he's /really/ nervous." She laughs softly. "Just be the best friend you can to him, and hopefully he'll get past his shyness." And nervousness too, of course.
Chandani giggles a little. "That is true." Then she giggles a little, "I do know that Pelutho has always been shy from the whole time I have known him. I will be more than willing to be a best friend to him. I will do anything for him at all."
Pretty much the way Nayeli feels toward Kein. And, from what he's told her, it's how he feels toward her. "That's all you have to do," she says, smiling, thinking about everything that's happened so far between she and Kein. "Do you know if he's planning on staying here in Amaranth?" One thing Kein was going to try and find out; and for all she knows, he might have already found and talked to him. Kasim was another question mark. After the death of Maulisho, is he planning on still staying here, or once again becoming a wandering male?
Chandani shakes her head, "I have no idea. We did not talk about it at the time. I was wondering if Pelutho was going to stay or leave myself. I do hope he stays though after all that happened. I think it will be for the best to be honest. If Pelutho did decide to leave I might follow to make sure he is safe..." Then lets out a soft sigh, "I do not want anything else to happen to some one I care a lot about." Then fixes her attention back on Nayeli. "I love Pelutho so much. I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I did not think..." She pauses for a moment swallowing hard, "I would care so much about him."
Nayeli nods, looking away toward the northeast where she last saw Kein. "I know what it's like, wanting to follow the one you love." She /did/ already leave with Kein at one point; it was only due to rather exigent circumstances that they returned, after all. Her gaze comes back to rest on her sister. "I hope you know that you both are more than welcome to stay here if you want. But.. if you want to go, I.. I understand." She takes a deep breath. "We'll miss you, but wish you the best." The irony of this conversation isn't lost on her... it wasn't that long ago when she was telling her sister goodbye before /she/ left. And now the opposite might be happening. Amazing how life can change so quickly.
Chandani keeps her attention on Nayeli, "I will let you know what happens once I speak with Pelutho. Knowing him he will probably want to stay here so he can be closer to his brother any way so we will probabbly not leave. I will be honest. I do not want to leave. I love it here in the Amaranth lands. It will be up to Pelutho though." It is kinda ironic that is for sure with the goodbye. "I hope that it will be soon."
It's amusing, ironic, and ultimately very cute to see Chandani have the same dilemma that Nayeli was facing not that long ago. She grew up here in Amaranth. She would have loved to stay, and live out the rest of her life here, with family and friends. And yet.. when faced with the choice of whether or not to go with the one she loved, it suddenly became quite a difficult decision. And, like Nayeli, Chandani seems to be leaning toward the direction of going off with the one she loves. "I think Kein is looking for him as well, so if he finds him, he can tell you where Pel's at."
Chandani nods a little to Nayeli, "Alright thank you." She says. "I will keep on looking for Pelutho as well. If I can not find him. I will look for the Chieftain Kein." Before blinking her eyes, "That is going to take some getting used too."
Nayeli smiles at the use of Kein's formal title. Yes, it will definitely take some getting used to. "Thanks, sis." She takes another deep breath, looking her sister over carefully. "Are you doing okay? I know this is a big shock to hear. /I'm/ still having trouble getting used to it." She sighs. "I just want to make sure that you're doing well. There's Paoro, yes, but... you and Misae and Yuma are all the family I have left."
Chandani nods a little, "I think so. I am still hurt and upset as to what happened." She admits, "You and the others are the only family I have left too." Then sighs as her eyes start to water again. "Are you okay?"
Nayeli swallows hard, and nods, her smile nearly a grimace. "Yeah." The initial shock has worn off, and with her time with Kein, she's definitely feeling better. "I owe everything to Kein. He's.. been the best friend anyone could ask for." She scuffs at the ground with a forepaw, suddenly looking embarrassed. Yes, he /has/ been a wonderful friend, and she sincerely hopes that Pel can be that same kind of friend to Chandani.
Chandani nods a little then notices that you seem embarrassed but does not say anything about it. "I am glad that the new chieftain was there for you Matron Nayeli."
Nayeli laughs and playfully swats at her sister. "No no no.. I may be the Matron, but I'm still your sister." The last thing she needs is for everyone reminding her of her position. With a playful growl, she suddenly lunges at Chandani, intending to wrestle with her a bit in the snow. Hey, they used to do this all the time while growing up, no? And what better way than this to demonstrate that she's not going to let her new title change who she is!
Chandani giggles a little as she falls down in the snow. "Hey no fair." She says then playfully growls back as she also joins in the wrestling.
Nayeli swipes some snow at her sister, growling back and rolling around for a bit before jumping back to swipe some more snow at her. It worked well against Kein, so how about against Chandani! "I bet you could teach Pelutho to be a great wrestler too, y'know!" She grins and bats at her sister some more, enjoying this little.. undignified moment as Matron. Well, if someone complains that the new leader of Amaranth shouldn't be wrestling around in the snow, then.. too bad. She's still Nayeli, and she doesn't feel like losing her playful side just because she has a title now. She can be serious when needed, but that's going to /become/ who she is!
Chandani can not help but giggle as she gets her balance after the wrestling and snow that her sister is swiping at her. "Maybe I could teach Pel how to wrestle." Then swipes some of the cold whie snow back at her sister. "He might be surprised at first though. I might try that though it will be fun."
Nayeli laughs as she gets a faceful of snow. Cold! /Very/ cold! Her growl grows louder, though perhaps a bit less convincing than it could be. Her tail twitches behind her as she crouches down, giving her sister a mock-ferocious look. "You gotta be fierce, though!" And suddenly she relaxes, smile returning. "I'm sure he'll probably be surprised, but I bet he'd enjoy it nonetheless. I know /you/ will, anyway." Grin.
Chandani giggles a little as she crouches down as well returning the ferocious look. Then breaks into more laughter. "You are right I will enjoy it." Then lets out a playfuly growl as her tail swings back and forth behind. "Why you make that seem as though that is a bad thing."
The Matron stretches a little, still grinning at her sister. "I think that you might be the cougaress he needs to help him overcome his natural shyness. You've just got to work at it a little, I guess. Think of things that you two can do together just for fun." She shrugs a little. Wrestling in the snow... why not? Seems like a good idea to her!
Chandani nods a little, "That is true. I am sure it will work." She says before swiping more snow at the new matron. "I might not play fair though." She adds before trying to pounce Nayeli playfully.
So aptly put! Nayeli is caught off guard, and as she's trying to recover from the sudden snow flung in her direction, she's easily pounced. Hmm. That wasn't supposed to happen. Pressed onto her back, she giggles up at her sister. "You sure /don't/ play fair!" Then again, she's also done some of the same toward Kein at all, and he to her. All in the mischievous fun of playing, right?
Chandani giggles, "I did warn you that I might not play fair." She says playfully before trying to get up off of her sister. "Maybe I should try that with Pel sometime."
Nayeli grins as she gets back up onto her paws. "Yeah, I think it would work pretty well with him. Of course, you'd better be careful about him wanting to get revenge, because I bet he's a /little/ bit stronger than you!" She knows that Kein could certainly outrun and outwrestle her on any given day, so it's always a challenge to see how she can hold her own when they're playing around.
Chandani giggles a little, "That is true. I am sure he can beat me any time with just about anything. Then again it will be fun as well." She adds. "Any way how do you like being the new matron of Amaranth?"
Nayeli shrugs slowly. "It's actually a little scary, I guess. I feel like I'm going to be in way over my head. I always thought that Misae would have the position, so.. it's somewhat of a shock. Paoro seems to think that I'll be able to handle it though, so I guess that makes me feel a little better." Her smile increases. "Plus, I've always got Kein, so he'll be a huge help in multiple ways."
Chandani nods a little, "I always thought that Misae would be the new matron too. Then when Yuma weas acting as the chieftain. I was wondering what exactly was going to happen. I do not blame you for being scared if you are." She looks down at the snow and kicks it a little. "I would not want to be a matron. I would not be good at it and do not see myself as a leader type." While raising her head to face Nayeli again. "I am glad it is you and Kein that will be the leaders of us now. If you ever need me to do anything for you let me know and I will do as you have commanded."
"Yeah.. I didn't really want to be either, but.. Paoro said that I needed to be." True, the shamaness /did/ say that it was her choice, but for plenty of reasons Nayeli knew that it was ultimately what was going to happen, no matter how she felt about it. It needed to happen. "I don't really think I'm a leader either, but that's what I have Kein for." She grins, as if sharing a private joke with her sister. Kein was always a leader in her eyes, and so it seems natural that he will do well as the tribe's Chieftain.
Chandani nods a little, "I am sure that you and Kein will be good as the new leaders of Amaranth." Then giggles a little at the thought about what Nayeli has Kein for. "As a leader. I think it will be bad if it was up to Pel and myself." She says playfully. "It will not turn out good."
Nayeli pffts, laughing. "I think you and Pel would do just fine if Paoro asked you to." It's an interesting thought. /Would/ Chandani make a good Matron, with Pelutho as her Chieftain? Hmm. Then again, Nayeli's not convince that she and Kein are qualified, so apparently it's not the qualifications that are all-important.
Chandani can not help but giggle a little at that, "I think you and Kein will do a lot better than I would with Pel. Especially with his shyness. I can just see it now. You and Kein will be a lot better at it in the long run."
Hopefully. And if everything goes well, their leadership will last long enough for them to have cubs. Nayeli would love to be able to tell her sisters the wonderful news that they'll be aunts! And, of course, tell Yuma, should he happen to visit. "I sure hope so," the Matron admits, stretching some more. She should probably start making her way around the territory again to look for Paoro.
Chandani giggles a little, "I am sure you will be good. You just have to trust in yourself." She says before swiping some snow at Nayeli. "If you want to go look for Kein or have something else you need to do. I will not keep you Matron Nayeli. I am still not used to calling you that."
Nayeli is quick to shake her head. "And I don't /want/ you to get used to calling me that! I'm always just 'Nayeli' to you, or anyone else in our family, mmkay?" She laughs softly. "Otherwise it would feel too weird, like we weren't sisters anymore or something. I don't know. Just.. no more titles." The girl smiles and starts to swipe a little snow at Chandani, as if threatening to punish, but stops and just laughs again. "Oh.. you! Go find your love, and tell him hi from Kein and myself."
Chandani giggles a little as she turns to face Nayeli, "Alright no more matron just Nayeli if that make you feel better." She says playfully. "I will tell Pel hi for you and Kein like you asked. When I find him that is. Was there anything else you want me to do?"
Nayeli slowly shakes her head, starting off toward the west. "Just be my sister like you've always been," she says with a grin over her shoulder. "I wouldn't give you up for any title in the world." With a flick of her tail, she trots off, hoping to go find Paoro. They really need to talk.
Chandani giggles a little, "I will not give you up for anything in the world either." She says as her own tail flicks turning towards the east to head off in that direction to continue searching for Pelutho.
... later that night ...
- Sprawling Mesa -
The moon is high in the sky and the cougars are out. Moving quietly across the mesa is Solace, the large feline having waited until nightfall before skirting across to the north, heading back towards the river that she noted earlier in the day. Her movements are very cautious, though she can't quite help making the odd sound here and there due to her sheer unfamiliarity with the area. At her current angle, she'll soon be at the largest boulder near the middle of the mesa, where she'll pause for a few moments before continuing onwards.
Perhaps it's due to the simple fact that she can't sleep. Or maybe there's another reason why Nayeli is walking around at this time of night. For whatever reason, she has chosen to walk toward the mesa, deep in thought. Thinking about the near future, no doubt, and the difficult choices and decisions that she'll have to make. If she didn't have Kein as her best friend, Chieftain, and mate, or if she didn't have Paoro as her grandmother, Shamaness, and close advisor... would she be able to make it as the tribe's new Matron? Would she be able to handle all the responsibilities? Most likely not, and the thought is rather daunting. Her pawsteps are quiet, yet not as stealthy as they could be. And why should they be? This is her home. She has nothing to hide. Her presence should hopefully be a welcomed thing, or at least that's her eventual goal. Her gaze is definitely distracted though, and she does not immediately notice the newcomer.
Solace, on the other hand, is in entirely unfamiliar territory -- it's the first time that she's ever seen the mesa, much less try to navigate in the pale light offered by the waning moon, and with all the unfamiliar scents in her nose, it's understandable that she's a little on edge. The hairs on the back of her neck begin to prickle when she notices another form moving around, almost directly blocking her path towards the relative safety offered by the boulder. There's a single moment of calculation as she weighs her options and surroundings before making a decision: straightening up, she discards sneaking around for standing up at her full height, saying in a voice loud enough to be heard, "Identify yourself." Her voice isn't particularly one way or another -- neither angry, frightened or commanding.
Nayeli is rather surprised, to say the least, to be ordered to identify herself. The voice isn't one that she recognizes, and as she turns to peer in the direction of the voice, she realizes that she doesn't recognize the individual speaking, either. "My name is Nayeli," she answers smoothly, proud of herself for not sounding shy or intimidated. Maybe she /feels/ a little bit shy, but she can't afford to show that. Especially since this is obviously a newcomer, and needs to be shown welcome and courtesy and all of that. "You are new to Amaranth lands, I take it?"
Solace relaxes somewhat when she hears that the voice isn't overtly offensive -- a fight really isn't what she's looking for right now. She takes a couple of steps forward, keeping a respectful distance while still coming close enough that she can better look at the other female. If Nayeli is being particularly observant in the dark moonlight, she might notice that the large cougar is favoring her right front paw when she moves, too. "This is the first time that I've been here before," she admits freely, voice confident as she goes on to say, "I only wish to go to the river I smelled earlier. I'm not here to make trouble."
Visitors aren't entirely unfrequent, though it's been a while since Nayeli remembers the last one who passed through this way. "You are welcome to rest here for as long as you need." She gives the other female an encouraging smile, sitting down easily on her haunches. "This mountain belongs to the Amaranth tribe, and visitors are always welcome." Her head nods off to the north. "The river you are looking for is down that slope and past the grasslands. Probably a.. hmm.. day's journey or so. Maybe a little bit longer, if you're taking an easy pace." Her eyebrows arch inquisitively, as she obviously has questions she'd like the newcomer to answer, but she's not bold enough to start interrogating her on the spot. Hopefully the stranger will answer some of them simply by talking some more.
Solace allows herself to relax a bit more; her instincts are telling her that there's no immediate danger at hand and she's prepared to trust them. She follows Nayeli's gesture towards the river to the north and marks the spot into her mental compass before turning her attention back to the cougar, studying her for a moment. There's a moment's hesitation as she deliberates and then makes up her mind, similarly settling down on her haunches and bobbing her head in a formally friendly gesture. "Thank you for your generosity, Nayeli. I'm Solace, and I'll accept your offer for rest. Where is the safest place to rest in your lands?" In truth, she's happy for the respite -- traveling on her injured footpad had been starting to become painful.
It's a rather sobering question, though this newcomer can't possibly understand why. The safest place? Probably the birthing cave, and yet just recently the Chieftain's mother was raped and killed there. By Nayeli's own father, no less. But.. with Chesmu's execution, the tribal lands should be safe anywhere within their borders. All of this crosses Nayeli's mind in a flash, perhaps explaining the slight grimace that proceeds her smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Solace. And as to your question, you are welcome anywhere on the lands. Danger is relatively rare here, though if you would desire protection during your stay, I would welcome you to join my mate and myself while you rest, if safety is what you need." Her tail curls around to wrap against her forepaws.
In the gentle moonlight, Solace isn't quite sure if she saw the pained look pass across her host's muzzle or not. She pushes the thought out of her mind for the meantime, bobbing her head and responding, "I would be pleased to join you." In truth, she's not immediately sure why she agreed -- the wound on her foot isn't so horrible that it'd stop her from defending herself, a feat that she's certainly capable of. Otherwise she wouldn't of made it this far. It's the thought of companionship she idly registers, realizing that the exchance has already exceeded the length of any of the other conversation she has had in the previous weeks of travel. She bobs her head again, adding, "I won't trouble your hospitality for very long."
Nayeli gives an easy shrug of dismissal. "It's not a trouble at all, really. As I mentioned, visitors are always welcome. Some of us don't get to leave the tribal lands very often, so news from the outside is always appreciated." She doesn't expound further, intending the implication to be that news is appreciated... but not required. She acknowledges that some visitors are more open than others. "Perhaps you would like a drink, now that you have the opportunity to rest yourself?" Nayeli tilts her head slightly to the side, inquisitive.
The way that Solace's muzzle subtly tightens at the perceived probing for possible news will probably go unnoticed in the shadows of the moonlight. Her head dips down graciously, recognizing the hospitality in her host's statement. "Thank you," she rumbles before going on to agree, "I've been following the scents of water for a day, now." Her eyes drift towards the direction that was motioned to earlier before hopping back upon Nayeli. "Are you and your mate bedded in that direction too?"
Nayeli gives a simple nod in response. "Yes. My mate is actually asleep there now; I was.. well.. having a little difficulty in falling asleep, so I figured a short walk might help." She chuckles a little, turning to the west. "I hadn't imagined that I would run into a visitor while doing so, but I'm glad that worked out. Our drinking well is off this way, as is the majority of our lands here on the mountain." The Matron begins slowly padding off to the west, looking back to make sure that the other female is following.
The tips of Solace's ears perk in hearing the other female speak about difficulties in sleeping but, just as the same courtesy of not prying too far into the details was granted to her, she makes no mention of it aloud. Instead, she inclines her head politely and pushes herself back onto all fours, giving herself a stretch to work the life back into her body before falling into line behind the younger Matron, moving quietly now that the need for words has momentarily passed.
- Eroded Well -
It's a short walk along the mountain to where Nayeli had been only a little while ago. Her paws step lightly across the smooth, black rock as she leads Solace toward the well. Sure enough, Kein is still fast asleep, and Nayeli pauses just long enough to give him a gentle nuzzle before stepping over toward the edge of the well and leaning her head down. A drink sounds like a wonderful idea to her as well, and she hopes the cold water will help her fall asleep a little easier.
Solace, too, moves as quietly as she can, though there's a faintly discernable imbalance in the sounds of her paws moving across the stone from her reluctance to put weight on one paw and the extra weight shifted into the others to take up the slack. Her eyes glance around, taking in the other cougars gathered before she moves over to join you at the well. For the moment, problems are forgotten as she exults in the feeling of water in her throat, regardless of it's slight warmth.
As she finishes, Nayeli lets out a contented murr and lifts her head up, a faint trickle of water dripping from her whiskers. Mmmm, yes. That was what she needed. And apparently the other female feels the same way, based on her enthusiastic drinking. A faint smile crosses Nayeli's expression, and she slowly backs away, waiting for Solace to finish. There's the temptation to ask her if she's at all interested in a place to live, but for all she knows Solace is content to remain a wanderer. Assuming that she doesn't already have a home that she's returning to, of course.
The larger cougar is a little longer in using the craved cave water to sate her thirst; while she doesn't gorge herself, which leads straight to stomach aches, she does take the opportunity to replenish herself, letting days of travel shed over the course of her drinking. It's a few moments before she straightens back up, her tongue journeying around the circumference of her muzzle and a restrained pleased look settling over her features. Speaking quietly but a touch more heartfelt, she inclines her head and gestures her attention back to Nayeli. "Thank you. Your hospitality makes all the difference." Solace is unable to entirely suppress the immediately following yawn -- she's obviously travel-weary and it's catching up to her.
Nayeli chuckles. "Well, don't let me stop you from a nice, long sleep. As I said, you'll be safe here, so go ahead and picking a spot that's of your liking." There's no question about where /she/ prefers sleeping, as the Matron can't help but smile as she lies down next to her mate. Ahh yes. Kein's side... it's where she belongs. With a glance back at Solace to make sure that she's found a spot, Nayeli gives her one last friendly nod before resting her head down against Kein's neck, purring a little before falling asleep.
Solace nods, grateful for the respect that Nayeli is allowing her privacy and her trustfulness in allowing her to bed with the tribe for the night. She doesn't intend to break that trust, either. She moves over to settle herself down a couple of steps away from the main bulk of the bodies before curling tightly in on herself. Meeting the glance, she gives one last thankful nod before drifting off herself.
Chandani - female adolescent cougaress (Amaranth)
Nayeli - female adolescent cougaress (Amaranth)
(later)
Solace - female adult cougaress
Setting:
Wildflower Drop
Scene:
It is daytime in the Amaranth territory and Chandani has been spending a lot of time on her own lately it seems. The adolescent is making her way over towards the Wildflower drop hoping to find Pelutho wanting to talk with him about something since she has not seen him since the time she told him how she feels about him.
But is it not Pelutho that arrives from the northeast, but rather Chandani's sister. Looking happier than she's been in a long time, possibly /ever/, Nayeli walks toward the flowers, wondering if she'll find either of her sisters here. Or even Paoro; the shamaness hopefullye can answer the several questions that Nayeli needs to ask her. The weather is beautiful, and it seems like there isn't anything else that could possibly make this day any better.
Chandani notices her sister which came as a surprise to her not expecting Nayeli to be around. The adolescent fixes her attention on the arrival and says, "Hello, I thought you left with Kein. What happened?" She has questions of her own apparently.
She hasn't heard yet? Nayeli hasn't seen her sister in several days, so it's a bit surprising that she hasn't at least heard rumors. "Hey, sis," she greets with a warm smile, padding over toward Chandani to give her a friendly nuzzle. "Haven't seen you in a while." She pauses for a moment, contemplating how to break the news to her. Pleasant and unpleasant alike. "How.. much have you heard of.. what's happened?"
Chandani blinks her eyes a little, "Not much just some rumours but not many. Is it true that dad died?" She asks. "I have not seen much of any one around any where. I was looking for Pelutho to be honest. I did not know what to think or believe what happened."
Nayeli hangs her head for a moment, looking at the ground between their forepaws, and then finally nods. "It's true." She looks back up at Chandani, and there's sorrow in both her eyes and her tone. "He.." What's a nice way of putting it? "..was sick in his mind, and.. well.. he went crazy. He.. did some terrible things, and was finally executed." She knows that Chandani will probably ask what those terrible things are, and Nayeli knows that she needs to hear them. Mom's death, for one.
Chandani is shocked to hear the news and almost falls down then gets a look of sorrow on her own trying to fight back tears. "I have seen daddy and it did seem like he changed a lot. I did know what was going on with him." She says in a sad voice. "Who did he execute?" Not really wanting to hear this but knows she's going to have too.
"Once his mind was completely gone, he.. he raped and killed Kein's mother, and then killed /our/ mother." Nayeli's voice has dropped to a whisper by this point, and she nuzzles up against her sister, trying to comfort her. Trying to comfort /herself/--it's still difficult just to think about what's happened, let alone actually say it in words. "Paoro sentenced him to death and Kasim.. finished it."
Chandani finds her eyes starting to water a little, "Oh no!" Then lets out a sigh, "Thank you for telling me. It seems like I also heard a rumour that you are the new matron. I did not know rather or not to believe it. Because before you and Kein left Yuma was acting as the chieftain. I guess that one must be true too." Trying to get her mind off of the bad news for a while. "I wonder if Pelutho knows about it yet? You have not seen him have you?" She asks. "The last time I saw him. I told him. I loved him and not since then. I wanted to talk with him about something and did not know if he would know about it yet. I figure he probably does."
Nayeli is quiet for a few seconds, just trying to deal with the grief that's threatening to overtake her. It really hits her hard, once again, that she's so totally and completely alone. Chandani and her both. They'll never see their parents again, and that void is even more real now that she's sharing her sorrow with her sister. "It's.. true. Yuma is leaving us to go seek out a new place to live, and Kein is now the new Chieftain." She swallows hard, knowing that she'll miss her brother as well. It hurts to think of all the times she was jealous of how much attention he received from their father while they were growing up. Now she wishes she could take it all back, if only to spend more time with him. "I haven't seen Pelutho, but I'll keep my eyes open for him."
Chandani nods a little as her eyes water more, "I-I am g-going to miss m-mom, d-dad and M-Maulisho too." Her voice is starting to break. "I-I am gl-glad to hear that K-Kein is the new chieftain." She says which is hard to speak with the bad news she just heard. She is also going to miss Yuma and it hurts that she was also jealous of the attention that Chesmu gave him as well. Chandani then turns to face Nayeli, "Th-thank you. I will also keep an eye out for Pelutho."
"I miss them too, sis.. so, so much." Nayeli blinks away a few tears, continuing to nuzzle against her sister. When Chandani pulls away to speak, the Matron nods, trying to smile encouragingly. "I'm glad to hear that you feel that way toward him. I know that it would be so much harder for me right now if I didn't love Kein as much as I do." That's mildly putting it.
Chandani forces a slight smile, "That is understandable. I am sure that Kein will be a good chieftain and things can and will change for the better." She says trying to sound encouraging and trying to help comfort Nayeli and herself.
Nayeli laughs softly. "I think he will be a great Chieftain. 'Course, I might just be a little biased, being his best friend and all." Not to mention his mate as of earlier today, but she doesn't want to surprise Chandani that much yet. Her sister might become an aunt before too much longer! Another thing she needs to talk to Paoro about. "Paoro told me that she's going to be staying here in Amaranth from now on." Her voice is pleased, and expects the news to encourage Chandani as well. They may not have been super-close to the shamaness, but she /is/ still family, and with their parents dead, Paoro is pretty much all they have left.
Chandani giggles a little, "That is good to hear. I should probably speak to Paoro as well when I have the chance but first I need to talk to Pelutho. When I told him. I loved him he did not really say he loved me too. The way he was acting it seemed like he did. That was a while ago though and I want to know if he still feels the same about me and how much he loves me. That is why I was looking for him. I hope he does still care about me though and feels the same about me as I do him."
From what she knows of Kein's brother, he's rather quiet and shy so it doesn't surprise Nayeli at all that he might be reluctant to share his feelings toward Chandani; assuming of course, that he /has/ those feelings in the first place. "He probably just needs more time and encouragement," she replies, sitting down and letting her tail drag across the snow to curl around her hindquarters. "If he loves you, then I don't think that will change." Her smile grows a little. "Just keep loving him and he'll tell you before too much longer."
Chandani returns the smile and nods a little, "I will always love him. Even if he does not feel the same about me. If he does not feel the same way about me. I think it will be hard on me though. I am sure you are right. I am not surrprised he did not say anything either. I vaguely remember how he has been in the past. So it was not surprising to me either. I was nervouse and telling him was one of the hardest things..." She pauses for a moment. "I have ever done. I am sometimes shy too and did not think the words would come out."
Was she nervous when she first Kein that she loved him? /Yes/! "It's okay to be nervous," Nayeli says, with a touch of amusement in her voice. "I bet pretty much everyone is, their first time." It's one of, if not THE most profound thing that one can say--who /wouldn't/ be nervous? "And Pelutho is probably even more shy than either of us, so I bet he's /really/ nervous." She laughs softly. "Just be the best friend you can to him, and hopefully he'll get past his shyness." And nervousness too, of course.
Chandani giggles a little. "That is true." Then she giggles a little, "I do know that Pelutho has always been shy from the whole time I have known him. I will be more than willing to be a best friend to him. I will do anything for him at all."
Pretty much the way Nayeli feels toward Kein. And, from what he's told her, it's how he feels toward her. "That's all you have to do," she says, smiling, thinking about everything that's happened so far between she and Kein. "Do you know if he's planning on staying here in Amaranth?" One thing Kein was going to try and find out; and for all she knows, he might have already found and talked to him. Kasim was another question mark. After the death of Maulisho, is he planning on still staying here, or once again becoming a wandering male?
Chandani shakes her head, "I have no idea. We did not talk about it at the time. I was wondering if Pelutho was going to stay or leave myself. I do hope he stays though after all that happened. I think it will be for the best to be honest. If Pelutho did decide to leave I might follow to make sure he is safe..." Then lets out a soft sigh, "I do not want anything else to happen to some one I care a lot about." Then fixes her attention back on Nayeli. "I love Pelutho so much. I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I did not think..." She pauses for a moment swallowing hard, "I would care so much about him."
Nayeli nods, looking away toward the northeast where she last saw Kein. "I know what it's like, wanting to follow the one you love." She /did/ already leave with Kein at one point; it was only due to rather exigent circumstances that they returned, after all. Her gaze comes back to rest on her sister. "I hope you know that you both are more than welcome to stay here if you want. But.. if you want to go, I.. I understand." She takes a deep breath. "We'll miss you, but wish you the best." The irony of this conversation isn't lost on her... it wasn't that long ago when she was telling her sister goodbye before /she/ left. And now the opposite might be happening. Amazing how life can change so quickly.
Chandani keeps her attention on Nayeli, "I will let you know what happens once I speak with Pelutho. Knowing him he will probably want to stay here so he can be closer to his brother any way so we will probabbly not leave. I will be honest. I do not want to leave. I love it here in the Amaranth lands. It will be up to Pelutho though." It is kinda ironic that is for sure with the goodbye. "I hope that it will be soon."
It's amusing, ironic, and ultimately very cute to see Chandani have the same dilemma that Nayeli was facing not that long ago. She grew up here in Amaranth. She would have loved to stay, and live out the rest of her life here, with family and friends. And yet.. when faced with the choice of whether or not to go with the one she loved, it suddenly became quite a difficult decision. And, like Nayeli, Chandani seems to be leaning toward the direction of going off with the one she loves. "I think Kein is looking for him as well, so if he finds him, he can tell you where Pel's at."
Chandani nods a little to Nayeli, "Alright thank you." She says. "I will keep on looking for Pelutho as well. If I can not find him. I will look for the Chieftain Kein." Before blinking her eyes, "That is going to take some getting used too."
Nayeli smiles at the use of Kein's formal title. Yes, it will definitely take some getting used to. "Thanks, sis." She takes another deep breath, looking her sister over carefully. "Are you doing okay? I know this is a big shock to hear. /I'm/ still having trouble getting used to it." She sighs. "I just want to make sure that you're doing well. There's Paoro, yes, but... you and Misae and Yuma are all the family I have left."
Chandani nods a little, "I think so. I am still hurt and upset as to what happened." She admits, "You and the others are the only family I have left too." Then sighs as her eyes start to water again. "Are you okay?"
Nayeli swallows hard, and nods, her smile nearly a grimace. "Yeah." The initial shock has worn off, and with her time with Kein, she's definitely feeling better. "I owe everything to Kein. He's.. been the best friend anyone could ask for." She scuffs at the ground with a forepaw, suddenly looking embarrassed. Yes, he /has/ been a wonderful friend, and she sincerely hopes that Pel can be that same kind of friend to Chandani.
Chandani nods a little then notices that you seem embarrassed but does not say anything about it. "I am glad that the new chieftain was there for you Matron Nayeli."
Nayeli laughs and playfully swats at her sister. "No no no.. I may be the Matron, but I'm still your sister." The last thing she needs is for everyone reminding her of her position. With a playful growl, she suddenly lunges at Chandani, intending to wrestle with her a bit in the snow. Hey, they used to do this all the time while growing up, no? And what better way than this to demonstrate that she's not going to let her new title change who she is!
Chandani giggles a little as she falls down in the snow. "Hey no fair." She says then playfully growls back as she also joins in the wrestling.
Nayeli swipes some snow at her sister, growling back and rolling around for a bit before jumping back to swipe some more snow at her. It worked well against Kein, so how about against Chandani! "I bet you could teach Pelutho to be a great wrestler too, y'know!" She grins and bats at her sister some more, enjoying this little.. undignified moment as Matron. Well, if someone complains that the new leader of Amaranth shouldn't be wrestling around in the snow, then.. too bad. She's still Nayeli, and she doesn't feel like losing her playful side just because she has a title now. She can be serious when needed, but that's going to /become/ who she is!
Chandani can not help but giggle as she gets her balance after the wrestling and snow that her sister is swiping at her. "Maybe I could teach Pel how to wrestle." Then swipes some of the cold whie snow back at her sister. "He might be surprised at first though. I might try that though it will be fun."
Nayeli laughs as she gets a faceful of snow. Cold! /Very/ cold! Her growl grows louder, though perhaps a bit less convincing than it could be. Her tail twitches behind her as she crouches down, giving her sister a mock-ferocious look. "You gotta be fierce, though!" And suddenly she relaxes, smile returning. "I'm sure he'll probably be surprised, but I bet he'd enjoy it nonetheless. I know /you/ will, anyway." Grin.
Chandani giggles a little as she crouches down as well returning the ferocious look. Then breaks into more laughter. "You are right I will enjoy it." Then lets out a playfuly growl as her tail swings back and forth behind. "Why you make that seem as though that is a bad thing."
The Matron stretches a little, still grinning at her sister. "I think that you might be the cougaress he needs to help him overcome his natural shyness. You've just got to work at it a little, I guess. Think of things that you two can do together just for fun." She shrugs a little. Wrestling in the snow... why not? Seems like a good idea to her!
Chandani nods a little, "That is true. I am sure it will work." She says before swiping more snow at the new matron. "I might not play fair though." She adds before trying to pounce Nayeli playfully.
So aptly put! Nayeli is caught off guard, and as she's trying to recover from the sudden snow flung in her direction, she's easily pounced. Hmm. That wasn't supposed to happen. Pressed onto her back, she giggles up at her sister. "You sure /don't/ play fair!" Then again, she's also done some of the same toward Kein at all, and he to her. All in the mischievous fun of playing, right?
Chandani giggles, "I did warn you that I might not play fair." She says playfully before trying to get up off of her sister. "Maybe I should try that with Pel sometime."
Nayeli grins as she gets back up onto her paws. "Yeah, I think it would work pretty well with him. Of course, you'd better be careful about him wanting to get revenge, because I bet he's a /little/ bit stronger than you!" She knows that Kein could certainly outrun and outwrestle her on any given day, so it's always a challenge to see how she can hold her own when they're playing around.
Chandani giggles a little, "That is true. I am sure he can beat me any time with just about anything. Then again it will be fun as well." She adds. "Any way how do you like being the new matron of Amaranth?"
Nayeli shrugs slowly. "It's actually a little scary, I guess. I feel like I'm going to be in way over my head. I always thought that Misae would have the position, so.. it's somewhat of a shock. Paoro seems to think that I'll be able to handle it though, so I guess that makes me feel a little better." Her smile increases. "Plus, I've always got Kein, so he'll be a huge help in multiple ways."
Chandani nods a little, "I always thought that Misae would be the new matron too. Then when Yuma weas acting as the chieftain. I was wondering what exactly was going to happen. I do not blame you for being scared if you are." She looks down at the snow and kicks it a little. "I would not want to be a matron. I would not be good at it and do not see myself as a leader type." While raising her head to face Nayeli again. "I am glad it is you and Kein that will be the leaders of us now. If you ever need me to do anything for you let me know and I will do as you have commanded."
"Yeah.. I didn't really want to be either, but.. Paoro said that I needed to be." True, the shamaness /did/ say that it was her choice, but for plenty of reasons Nayeli knew that it was ultimately what was going to happen, no matter how she felt about it. It needed to happen. "I don't really think I'm a leader either, but that's what I have Kein for." She grins, as if sharing a private joke with her sister. Kein was always a leader in her eyes, and so it seems natural that he will do well as the tribe's Chieftain.
Chandani nods a little, "I am sure that you and Kein will be good as the new leaders of Amaranth." Then giggles a little at the thought about what Nayeli has Kein for. "As a leader. I think it will be bad if it was up to Pel and myself." She says playfully. "It will not turn out good."
Nayeli pffts, laughing. "I think you and Pel would do just fine if Paoro asked you to." It's an interesting thought. /Would/ Chandani make a good Matron, with Pelutho as her Chieftain? Hmm. Then again, Nayeli's not convince that she and Kein are qualified, so apparently it's not the qualifications that are all-important.
Chandani can not help but giggle a little at that, "I think you and Kein will do a lot better than I would with Pel. Especially with his shyness. I can just see it now. You and Kein will be a lot better at it in the long run."
Hopefully. And if everything goes well, their leadership will last long enough for them to have cubs. Nayeli would love to be able to tell her sisters the wonderful news that they'll be aunts! And, of course, tell Yuma, should he happen to visit. "I sure hope so," the Matron admits, stretching some more. She should probably start making her way around the territory again to look for Paoro.
Chandani giggles a little, "I am sure you will be good. You just have to trust in yourself." She says before swiping some snow at Nayeli. "If you want to go look for Kein or have something else you need to do. I will not keep you Matron Nayeli. I am still not used to calling you that."
Nayeli is quick to shake her head. "And I don't /want/ you to get used to calling me that! I'm always just 'Nayeli' to you, or anyone else in our family, mmkay?" She laughs softly. "Otherwise it would feel too weird, like we weren't sisters anymore or something. I don't know. Just.. no more titles." The girl smiles and starts to swipe a little snow at Chandani, as if threatening to punish, but stops and just laughs again. "Oh.. you! Go find your love, and tell him hi from Kein and myself."
Chandani giggles a little as she turns to face Nayeli, "Alright no more matron just Nayeli if that make you feel better." She says playfully. "I will tell Pel hi for you and Kein like you asked. When I find him that is. Was there anything else you want me to do?"
Nayeli slowly shakes her head, starting off toward the west. "Just be my sister like you've always been," she says with a grin over her shoulder. "I wouldn't give you up for any title in the world." With a flick of her tail, she trots off, hoping to go find Paoro. They really need to talk.
Chandani giggles a little, "I will not give you up for anything in the world either." She says as her own tail flicks turning towards the east to head off in that direction to continue searching for Pelutho.
... later that night ...
- Sprawling Mesa -
The moon is high in the sky and the cougars are out. Moving quietly across the mesa is Solace, the large feline having waited until nightfall before skirting across to the north, heading back towards the river that she noted earlier in the day. Her movements are very cautious, though she can't quite help making the odd sound here and there due to her sheer unfamiliarity with the area. At her current angle, she'll soon be at the largest boulder near the middle of the mesa, where she'll pause for a few moments before continuing onwards.
Perhaps it's due to the simple fact that she can't sleep. Or maybe there's another reason why Nayeli is walking around at this time of night. For whatever reason, she has chosen to walk toward the mesa, deep in thought. Thinking about the near future, no doubt, and the difficult choices and decisions that she'll have to make. If she didn't have Kein as her best friend, Chieftain, and mate, or if she didn't have Paoro as her grandmother, Shamaness, and close advisor... would she be able to make it as the tribe's new Matron? Would she be able to handle all the responsibilities? Most likely not, and the thought is rather daunting. Her pawsteps are quiet, yet not as stealthy as they could be. And why should they be? This is her home. She has nothing to hide. Her presence should hopefully be a welcomed thing, or at least that's her eventual goal. Her gaze is definitely distracted though, and she does not immediately notice the newcomer.
Solace, on the other hand, is in entirely unfamiliar territory -- it's the first time that she's ever seen the mesa, much less try to navigate in the pale light offered by the waning moon, and with all the unfamiliar scents in her nose, it's understandable that she's a little on edge. The hairs on the back of her neck begin to prickle when she notices another form moving around, almost directly blocking her path towards the relative safety offered by the boulder. There's a single moment of calculation as she weighs her options and surroundings before making a decision: straightening up, she discards sneaking around for standing up at her full height, saying in a voice loud enough to be heard, "Identify yourself." Her voice isn't particularly one way or another -- neither angry, frightened or commanding.
Nayeli is rather surprised, to say the least, to be ordered to identify herself. The voice isn't one that she recognizes, and as she turns to peer in the direction of the voice, she realizes that she doesn't recognize the individual speaking, either. "My name is Nayeli," she answers smoothly, proud of herself for not sounding shy or intimidated. Maybe she /feels/ a little bit shy, but she can't afford to show that. Especially since this is obviously a newcomer, and needs to be shown welcome and courtesy and all of that. "You are new to Amaranth lands, I take it?"
Solace relaxes somewhat when she hears that the voice isn't overtly offensive -- a fight really isn't what she's looking for right now. She takes a couple of steps forward, keeping a respectful distance while still coming close enough that she can better look at the other female. If Nayeli is being particularly observant in the dark moonlight, she might notice that the large cougar is favoring her right front paw when she moves, too. "This is the first time that I've been here before," she admits freely, voice confident as she goes on to say, "I only wish to go to the river I smelled earlier. I'm not here to make trouble."
Visitors aren't entirely unfrequent, though it's been a while since Nayeli remembers the last one who passed through this way. "You are welcome to rest here for as long as you need." She gives the other female an encouraging smile, sitting down easily on her haunches. "This mountain belongs to the Amaranth tribe, and visitors are always welcome." Her head nods off to the north. "The river you are looking for is down that slope and past the grasslands. Probably a.. hmm.. day's journey or so. Maybe a little bit longer, if you're taking an easy pace." Her eyebrows arch inquisitively, as she obviously has questions she'd like the newcomer to answer, but she's not bold enough to start interrogating her on the spot. Hopefully the stranger will answer some of them simply by talking some more.
Solace allows herself to relax a bit more; her instincts are telling her that there's no immediate danger at hand and she's prepared to trust them. She follows Nayeli's gesture towards the river to the north and marks the spot into her mental compass before turning her attention back to the cougar, studying her for a moment. There's a moment's hesitation as she deliberates and then makes up her mind, similarly settling down on her haunches and bobbing her head in a formally friendly gesture. "Thank you for your generosity, Nayeli. I'm Solace, and I'll accept your offer for rest. Where is the safest place to rest in your lands?" In truth, she's happy for the respite -- traveling on her injured footpad had been starting to become painful.
It's a rather sobering question, though this newcomer can't possibly understand why. The safest place? Probably the birthing cave, and yet just recently the Chieftain's mother was raped and killed there. By Nayeli's own father, no less. But.. with Chesmu's execution, the tribal lands should be safe anywhere within their borders. All of this crosses Nayeli's mind in a flash, perhaps explaining the slight grimace that proceeds her smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Solace. And as to your question, you are welcome anywhere on the lands. Danger is relatively rare here, though if you would desire protection during your stay, I would welcome you to join my mate and myself while you rest, if safety is what you need." Her tail curls around to wrap against her forepaws.
In the gentle moonlight, Solace isn't quite sure if she saw the pained look pass across her host's muzzle or not. She pushes the thought out of her mind for the meantime, bobbing her head and responding, "I would be pleased to join you." In truth, she's not immediately sure why she agreed -- the wound on her foot isn't so horrible that it'd stop her from defending herself, a feat that she's certainly capable of. Otherwise she wouldn't of made it this far. It's the thought of companionship she idly registers, realizing that the exchance has already exceeded the length of any of the other conversation she has had in the previous weeks of travel. She bobs her head again, adding, "I won't trouble your hospitality for very long."
Nayeli gives an easy shrug of dismissal. "It's not a trouble at all, really. As I mentioned, visitors are always welcome. Some of us don't get to leave the tribal lands very often, so news from the outside is always appreciated." She doesn't expound further, intending the implication to be that news is appreciated... but not required. She acknowledges that some visitors are more open than others. "Perhaps you would like a drink, now that you have the opportunity to rest yourself?" Nayeli tilts her head slightly to the side, inquisitive.
The way that Solace's muzzle subtly tightens at the perceived probing for possible news will probably go unnoticed in the shadows of the moonlight. Her head dips down graciously, recognizing the hospitality in her host's statement. "Thank you," she rumbles before going on to agree, "I've been following the scents of water for a day, now." Her eyes drift towards the direction that was motioned to earlier before hopping back upon Nayeli. "Are you and your mate bedded in that direction too?"
Nayeli gives a simple nod in response. "Yes. My mate is actually asleep there now; I was.. well.. having a little difficulty in falling asleep, so I figured a short walk might help." She chuckles a little, turning to the west. "I hadn't imagined that I would run into a visitor while doing so, but I'm glad that worked out. Our drinking well is off this way, as is the majority of our lands here on the mountain." The Matron begins slowly padding off to the west, looking back to make sure that the other female is following.
The tips of Solace's ears perk in hearing the other female speak about difficulties in sleeping but, just as the same courtesy of not prying too far into the details was granted to her, she makes no mention of it aloud. Instead, she inclines her head politely and pushes herself back onto all fours, giving herself a stretch to work the life back into her body before falling into line behind the younger Matron, moving quietly now that the need for words has momentarily passed.
- Eroded Well -
It's a short walk along the mountain to where Nayeli had been only a little while ago. Her paws step lightly across the smooth, black rock as she leads Solace toward the well. Sure enough, Kein is still fast asleep, and Nayeli pauses just long enough to give him a gentle nuzzle before stepping over toward the edge of the well and leaning her head down. A drink sounds like a wonderful idea to her as well, and she hopes the cold water will help her fall asleep a little easier.
Solace, too, moves as quietly as she can, though there's a faintly discernable imbalance in the sounds of her paws moving across the stone from her reluctance to put weight on one paw and the extra weight shifted into the others to take up the slack. Her eyes glance around, taking in the other cougars gathered before she moves over to join you at the well. For the moment, problems are forgotten as she exults in the feeling of water in her throat, regardless of it's slight warmth.
As she finishes, Nayeli lets out a contented murr and lifts her head up, a faint trickle of water dripping from her whiskers. Mmmm, yes. That was what she needed. And apparently the other female feels the same way, based on her enthusiastic drinking. A faint smile crosses Nayeli's expression, and she slowly backs away, waiting for Solace to finish. There's the temptation to ask her if she's at all interested in a place to live, but for all she knows Solace is content to remain a wanderer. Assuming that she doesn't already have a home that she's returning to, of course.
The larger cougar is a little longer in using the craved cave water to sate her thirst; while she doesn't gorge herself, which leads straight to stomach aches, she does take the opportunity to replenish herself, letting days of travel shed over the course of her drinking. It's a few moments before she straightens back up, her tongue journeying around the circumference of her muzzle and a restrained pleased look settling over her features. Speaking quietly but a touch more heartfelt, she inclines her head and gestures her attention back to Nayeli. "Thank you. Your hospitality makes all the difference." Solace is unable to entirely suppress the immediately following yawn -- she's obviously travel-weary and it's catching up to her.
Nayeli chuckles. "Well, don't let me stop you from a nice, long sleep. As I said, you'll be safe here, so go ahead and picking a spot that's of your liking." There's no question about where /she/ prefers sleeping, as the Matron can't help but smile as she lies down next to her mate. Ahh yes. Kein's side... it's where she belongs. With a glance back at Solace to make sure that she's found a spot, Nayeli gives her one last friendly nod before resting her head down against Kein's neck, purring a little before falling asleep.
Solace nods, grateful for the respect that Nayeli is allowing her privacy and her trustfulness in allowing her to bed with the tribe for the night. She doesn't intend to break that trust, either. She moves over to settle herself down a couple of steps away from the main bulk of the bodies before curling tightly in on herself. Meeting the glance, she gives one last thankful nod before drifting off herself.