Post by Curiosity on Nov 25, 2008 13:50:57 GMT -5
Characters:
Paoro, elder female cougar
Roki, male cougar
=== Pine Grove ===
It's spring once again, the aging shamaness' favorite season, and though her stiff joints make walking more difficult than usual at times, she doesn't want to spend the last bit of time she's got left on earth just lying around in one place. No, Paoro's been wandering about the Amaranth lands - and beyond - as much as she can lately, though she certainly doesn't turn down the opportunity to just nap and sun on the mesa. But today, she's been driven to visit an area she hasn't spent too much time in before - the pine grove that forms a barrier between her tribe's lands and the stone formations beyond. The pungent scent fills her nose as she pads slowly through the area, pale green eyes glancing about to take in everything that she can see.
Roki's back once again from wandering. Which is what males do of course. He's all fully grown now, even the feathers on his back are longer.. though he sports fewer now than that poof and a half of bird he used to carry around as a teenager. The half circle dye markings are full circles and they're painted on fur with a much more muscular tone than when he left these lands the last time. Now that winter is subsiding he thought he would travel back again and visit the family he was born into. He steps into the clearing and directly into the sight path of those green searching eyes.. and bright smile spreading across his strong visage. "Hello mother."
Paoro's own maw brightens with a big smile as she sees her long-missing son. "Roki!" She pads forward as quickly as her ankles will allow, embracing him with the sort of loving nuzzle only a mother can give. "It's so good to see you again, my son," she purrs genuinely, eyes simultaneously happy and sad - but not about the boy's wanderings. No, cougars are expected to do such...even she herself has recently left the tribe for several weeks. She's sad because seeing him again reminds her of when she was younger, and he was only a cub, and things seemed so much...brighter. "Have you found your own life beyond our borders?"
Roki purrrs loudly as he steps quickly over to her to close the distance a bit faster and meets her nuzzle with a loving very catlike bump with the top of his head. "I have.. I found what I was looking for." He shows his left side to her and the few more dye symbols there. "You have grandchildren on a new mountain." He happily informs her, hoping the news will lift that sad look in her eyes away.
Paoro does smile at that, very happy to hear that she's a grandmother once again. "That's wonderful to hear, my son. I believe I may soon be a great-grandmother as well...my granddaughter, Nayeli, may be expecting." A pained expression suddenly flashes across Paoro's face. But not from physical pain, no - this is more emotional. "Roki...your sister Ayashe is dead." There are others who've passed as well, but Roki likely doesn't know - or care - about those beyond his immediate family.
Roki splays his ears when he still sees her eyes so full of sorrow, despite her obvious happiness about his new family. Though of course its to be expected. "Well I guess our family is just growing by leaps and bounds. Youve done such a great job, mother.." He stops hearing about his sister. "Ayashe? .. what happened?"
Paoro doesn't really want to relive the situation, nor does Roki need to know the convoluted history leading up to her death. "She sacrificed herself to protect her tribe and family," she answers succinctly, managing to explain just enough to still allow Ayashe the nobility she deserves for her action. "But we've been rebuilding ourselves lately...I hope with the new matron's cubs, we can finally return to peace once again." It may be much to ask, but it's one of the aging cougaress' last wishes. She slowly settles down onto her haunches, resting her tired bones, looking over at Roki with at least an attempt to appear happier. "Will you be staying long, my child? Or do your cubs need you back again soon?"
Roki blinks in surprise. "Protect the tribe...?" The sensitive cougar can see the memory still brings alot of pain to her though so he asks no further.. though of course the curiosity about what happened to his sister will not be quelled so easily. He will find out in time. "The cubs are a year old and with their mothers. They are strong and can take care of themselves, but I will have to get back to them eventually." It hurts him to come home and see his family in such a poor state. "Is there anything I can do? Perhaps the spirits have a purpose for my return. I just wanted to come home and see you.. I can do whatever I can to help."
Paoro smiles, leaning forward to offer the sweet boy another affectionate nuzzle. He's so different from what his other brother was like...and she's grateful for that. "Just seeing you again is enough to make me happy," she replies with a purr, grateful to the spirits she was able to see the boy again before her time came to an end. "Though I'm sure there are other things you can do while you're here. Matron Nayeli's mate - and the chieftain - is named Kein, and I'm sure he'd appreciate any help protecting our lands, especially if cubs are potentially on the way."
Roki grins and happily starts purring again, giving the old matron shaman affectionate nuzzles and kisses just like he used to do when he was young. Nothing has changed with him except for his size.. and perhaps a bit of added wisdom. "Help protect the lands. Im sorry I wasnt here sooner to protect the family.. is there something in particular that still plagues this place?"
Paoro sighs and nods. "Unfortunately, yes. I was hoping for peace when your father and I moved to these lands, but...well, I suppose there's no use dwelling on what could have been. An old threat has returned to the area - a male cougar who's already terrorized at least a couple of our Sisters before, and we certainly don't want him returning again. So no unfamiliar males are to be allowed within our borders, at whatever cost." The shamaness isn't taking any chances, not after everything that's happened so recently.
Roki looks surprised at first, and then a determined look becomes quite evident on his features. "I knew there was a reason for my return. Dont worry, Mother.. I'll help protect our tribe." His own family is more than able to take care of themselves. Roki has become quite a strong and impressive adult male himself, but some of these females he went out and fathered cubs with... well lets just say they are quite capable of handling their own.
Paoro smiles again at the strong male her cub has become. "I'm glad to hear it, Roki. You always make me proud." She pushes herself back up onto all fours, the elder cougaress brushing her body against that of her son's, then turning to pad back towards the heart of their lands, intending to lead him as an escort so that Chief Kein won't immediately be on the defensive against a male he hasn't seen before.
Roki purrs happily and flitflicks his tail. He always did enjoy making his mom proud. That hasnt changed either, though of course he has his own motives for life now as well. Seeing that shes going home he pads up right next to the old shamaness, nuzzling at her neck affectionately as well as giving her a strong flank to lean on. He has all the right markings and would be very surprised to be attacked on the lands he was born to, though all the strifes and hardships that have befallen it were missed during his wanderings.
Paoro, elder female cougar
Roki, male cougar
=== Pine Grove ===
It's spring once again, the aging shamaness' favorite season, and though her stiff joints make walking more difficult than usual at times, she doesn't want to spend the last bit of time she's got left on earth just lying around in one place. No, Paoro's been wandering about the Amaranth lands - and beyond - as much as she can lately, though she certainly doesn't turn down the opportunity to just nap and sun on the mesa. But today, she's been driven to visit an area she hasn't spent too much time in before - the pine grove that forms a barrier between her tribe's lands and the stone formations beyond. The pungent scent fills her nose as she pads slowly through the area, pale green eyes glancing about to take in everything that she can see.
Roki's back once again from wandering. Which is what males do of course. He's all fully grown now, even the feathers on his back are longer.. though he sports fewer now than that poof and a half of bird he used to carry around as a teenager. The half circle dye markings are full circles and they're painted on fur with a much more muscular tone than when he left these lands the last time. Now that winter is subsiding he thought he would travel back again and visit the family he was born into. He steps into the clearing and directly into the sight path of those green searching eyes.. and bright smile spreading across his strong visage. "Hello mother."
Paoro's own maw brightens with a big smile as she sees her long-missing son. "Roki!" She pads forward as quickly as her ankles will allow, embracing him with the sort of loving nuzzle only a mother can give. "It's so good to see you again, my son," she purrs genuinely, eyes simultaneously happy and sad - but not about the boy's wanderings. No, cougars are expected to do such...even she herself has recently left the tribe for several weeks. She's sad because seeing him again reminds her of when she was younger, and he was only a cub, and things seemed so much...brighter. "Have you found your own life beyond our borders?"
Roki purrrs loudly as he steps quickly over to her to close the distance a bit faster and meets her nuzzle with a loving very catlike bump with the top of his head. "I have.. I found what I was looking for." He shows his left side to her and the few more dye symbols there. "You have grandchildren on a new mountain." He happily informs her, hoping the news will lift that sad look in her eyes away.
Paoro does smile at that, very happy to hear that she's a grandmother once again. "That's wonderful to hear, my son. I believe I may soon be a great-grandmother as well...my granddaughter, Nayeli, may be expecting." A pained expression suddenly flashes across Paoro's face. But not from physical pain, no - this is more emotional. "Roki...your sister Ayashe is dead." There are others who've passed as well, but Roki likely doesn't know - or care - about those beyond his immediate family.
Roki splays his ears when he still sees her eyes so full of sorrow, despite her obvious happiness about his new family. Though of course its to be expected. "Well I guess our family is just growing by leaps and bounds. Youve done such a great job, mother.." He stops hearing about his sister. "Ayashe? .. what happened?"
Paoro doesn't really want to relive the situation, nor does Roki need to know the convoluted history leading up to her death. "She sacrificed herself to protect her tribe and family," she answers succinctly, managing to explain just enough to still allow Ayashe the nobility she deserves for her action. "But we've been rebuilding ourselves lately...I hope with the new matron's cubs, we can finally return to peace once again." It may be much to ask, but it's one of the aging cougaress' last wishes. She slowly settles down onto her haunches, resting her tired bones, looking over at Roki with at least an attempt to appear happier. "Will you be staying long, my child? Or do your cubs need you back again soon?"
Roki blinks in surprise. "Protect the tribe...?" The sensitive cougar can see the memory still brings alot of pain to her though so he asks no further.. though of course the curiosity about what happened to his sister will not be quelled so easily. He will find out in time. "The cubs are a year old and with their mothers. They are strong and can take care of themselves, but I will have to get back to them eventually." It hurts him to come home and see his family in such a poor state. "Is there anything I can do? Perhaps the spirits have a purpose for my return. I just wanted to come home and see you.. I can do whatever I can to help."
Paoro smiles, leaning forward to offer the sweet boy another affectionate nuzzle. He's so different from what his other brother was like...and she's grateful for that. "Just seeing you again is enough to make me happy," she replies with a purr, grateful to the spirits she was able to see the boy again before her time came to an end. "Though I'm sure there are other things you can do while you're here. Matron Nayeli's mate - and the chieftain - is named Kein, and I'm sure he'd appreciate any help protecting our lands, especially if cubs are potentially on the way."
Roki grins and happily starts purring again, giving the old matron shaman affectionate nuzzles and kisses just like he used to do when he was young. Nothing has changed with him except for his size.. and perhaps a bit of added wisdom. "Help protect the lands. Im sorry I wasnt here sooner to protect the family.. is there something in particular that still plagues this place?"
Paoro sighs and nods. "Unfortunately, yes. I was hoping for peace when your father and I moved to these lands, but...well, I suppose there's no use dwelling on what could have been. An old threat has returned to the area - a male cougar who's already terrorized at least a couple of our Sisters before, and we certainly don't want him returning again. So no unfamiliar males are to be allowed within our borders, at whatever cost." The shamaness isn't taking any chances, not after everything that's happened so recently.
Roki looks surprised at first, and then a determined look becomes quite evident on his features. "I knew there was a reason for my return. Dont worry, Mother.. I'll help protect our tribe." His own family is more than able to take care of themselves. Roki has become quite a strong and impressive adult male himself, but some of these females he went out and fathered cubs with... well lets just say they are quite capable of handling their own.
Paoro smiles again at the strong male her cub has become. "I'm glad to hear it, Roki. You always make me proud." She pushes herself back up onto all fours, the elder cougaress brushing her body against that of her son's, then turning to pad back towards the heart of their lands, intending to lead him as an escort so that Chief Kein won't immediately be on the defensive against a male he hasn't seen before.
Roki purrs happily and flitflicks his tail. He always did enjoy making his mom proud. That hasnt changed either, though of course he has his own motives for life now as well. Seeing that shes going home he pads up right next to the old shamaness, nuzzling at her neck affectionately as well as giving her a strong flank to lean on. He has all the right markings and would be very surprised to be attacked on the lands he was born to, though all the strifes and hardships that have befallen it were missed during his wanderings.