Post by Therdde on Nov 28, 2008 0:21:20 GMT -5
Characters:
Paoro - Female Cougar
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
Moonseeker - Female Cougar
Hinto - Male Wolf
Solace - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Kasim - Male Cougar
Sara - Female Cougar
- Eroded Well -
After a lovely night of rest and fresh meat from her granddaughter Nayeli, Paoro is feeling much more active this morning, moreso as a result of today being the warmest day of spring yet. Stretching out her limbs as she heads west from the mesa to get a drink from one of the eroded stone pools found in their territory, the shamaness seems to be in a rather pleasant mood today - then again, at her age, not feeling pain from her stiff joints on any given morning is definitely a cause for celebration. Pausing at the edge of one of the larger pools of cool water, she slakes her thirst, pink tongue darting out to lap up the liquid as she crouches.
Nayeli is a few minutes trailing behind the shamaness, having woken up as her grandmother passed by. She's not entirely thirsty just yet, but she does take the opportunity to stretch out as Paoro satiates her thirst. It looks to be a pleasant morning, and although Nayeli doesn't have any particular plans for the day, she's sure that something interesting will happen. Hmm. Maybe she will take a drink after all, once the shamaness is finished.
When was she here last? Moonseeker isn't sure, an the thought is not in her mind as she slowly makes her way through the lands she still considered home. Her shoulder hurts, body sore from the travel to get back here, her wounds are still healing and in fact her shoulder wounds have reopened to some degree from all the movement. At first glance she might look fine, though this is not so, healing claw marks rest across the left side of her face, and her shoulder carries the same, these stand out from the rest of the healing marks across her form. The one other thing that might stand out is the face that hare markings of the tribe which was once across her injured shoulder are nearly faded away, the only ones left are found upon her chest it would seem. Moon slows her movements as she reaches the rocky area, ears perking forward slightly while her gaze drifts one way and then another before she catches sight of a pair some distance away and she watches them a few moments before starting to move towards towards them.
Hinto has his wanderlust to blame for this. All the way up in the mountains now. Sometimes Hinto questions whether he is cursed or just plain unlucky to have this pulling desire to go many places. He joins a pack only to leave again. He had even decided t stay with Skelaghe and her group until that feeling tugged at him again. Now the wolf is here and thirsty.
Arriving from the north comes Solace. She has been an infrequent sight around the well in the previous three days or so, both out of a desire to learn more about the land she has decided to stay in and to avoid a perceived lingering awkwardness in her last conversation with the Amaranth Chieftain. A few nights of reflection and consideration has done a good deal in bringing up her spirits, and it's reflected in the way she moves -- her walk is confident and cheerful, and not the creeping cautious prowl that she first met Nayeli in. She pauses on top of a small ridge, noticing the movement Nayeli and Paoro at the well and, a bit closer, Moonseeker. Solace falls into the footsteps of the latter, shadowing her closer towards the former.
Kein's arrival here is not by accident. While he was on patrol, he encountered an unfamiliar scent. A lupine scent, heading into Amaranth. If it had been the scent of that young wolf from before, he might have ignored it, but he does not recognize it at all. Therefore, even though there are no cubs in Amaranth currently, and the single wolf he smelled could offer no serious risk to any of the cougars he knows of in Amaranth, he is currently tracking it. His pace is faster than normal and has steadily gotten faster, the further into Amaranth they've gotten, though he still works to travel silently, preventing him from running forthright after the wolf's scent.
Not too far away from the gathering group, Kasim walks towards the well at a slow pace with the still injured Sara at his side. Even though she seems to have healed enough to be able to walk, the cougar makes sure to check if she's doing ok while walking, offering himself as a leaning post if she needs it. Right now, the only thing he is concerned about--aside from the cougaress beside him--is finding Paoro so she can hopefully help with the wounds Sara still seems to have. "You doing ok?" he asks her, looking over to see if she is still holding out alright.
Sara smiles at kasim as she kringes in pain keeping at his side though she feels a little better she has recovered quite a bit but some of the wounds stil need to heal she follows kasim as she wants to meet his friend he spoke of paoro.
Paoro licks her lips dry of water droplets, turning back to notice her granddaughter lingering behind. She smiles and offers the young matron a nuzzle, purring softly. "Good morning, Nayeli." Her pale green eyes are drawn towards the sight of activity in the near distance, and she notes quite a few creatures moving around through Amaranth territory - apparently it's not just a good morning for her. It's difficult to make out who everyone is from such a distance, with her slightly faded eyesight, but she knows she's got plenty of backup from Nayeli, and the new Chieftain as well. "What's all the bustle about this morning?" she inquires towards her granddaughter, wondering if she has any idea of who's around or what's going on.
Nayeli can only shrug toward her grandmother, not knowing either. "I'm not sure, honestly." Her eyes flick around the area, greeting a few of the newcomers with a warm smile, but her expression turns guarded when she notices a wolf that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. Coincidence that there's a second wolf trespassing in less than two days' time? Perhaps, or perhaps not. The Matron immediately starts toward the lupine, trying to look calm, polite, but above all, confident. The fact that this wolf is this deep into Amaranth proves that he's deliberately ignoring their territorial claim, and that cannot be allowed or ignored.
Moonseeker gaze drift one way and then another as she pauses suddenly, closer to where her mother and Nayeli is by now. A glance is turned towards the movement behind her, head lowering slightly while her ears flick back and she clears her throat turning her attention back to her mother. Its been some time since they last saw each other. She clears her throat slightly. "Mother?" Moon questions softly, half pondering if anyone remembers her here as she has not be through the area for some time. The last time she was here was after everything happened and she did not stay long. She's tired and the pain has started again, so much for telling Malak that she wouldn't overdo it. She knew that the tribe had to know about Azriel, especially with Kein being the new chieftain and he spoke of visiting his son, she wants no harm to come to anyone here, not if she could possible stop it somehow.
Hinto freezes when he sees Paoro heading for him. He *knew* he should have turned back north when he smelled that marker. He takes a step or two back. He doesn't look confident like Paoro. He supposes he might stand a better chance if he says something. "I... I'm sorry, I come in peace!"
Solace hesitates midstep as Moonseeker turns her head to glance behind her, her movement caught in the female's field of vision, though she relaxes once Moonseeker begins moving again -- it wasn't Solace's intention to stalk or intimidate and she lets this be known by holding still and unthreatening. It's now that an unfamiliar voice registers in her head and she looks over in Hinto's direction. There's a moment's pause as she sees not only Hinto, but also Kasim and Sara, along with another figure moving behind the wolf. She pauses, waiting to see what's going on. Should this wolf be here? Kein had said that the Amaranth lands were secure.
Up ahead, Kein can hear an unfamiliar voice. An unfamiliar /male/ voice. There is no anger or violence in the voice he hears, but when he spots the wolf and, not far away from him, Nayeli, he speeds up a little more again, coming up behind the wolf rapidly. He isn't growling, doesn't appear like he's going to attack immediately, but he does intend to be very close to that wolf and his mate, incase the situation becomes dangerous.
The first thing that the cougar notices when he and Sara arrive at the well is Nayeli approaching some unknown wolf. Erf. The last thing Kasim wants right now is drama, especially this early in the morning and when he has an injured cougaress to look after. Moonseeker's words, however, draw his attention away from Nayeli over to where she is... with Paoro! Finally. A smile comes across his muzzle. "That's her over there," he says softly to Sara, nodding his head over towards Paoro's direction. "Lay down here and relax. I'll take care of it."
Sara smiles and offers kasim a nuzzle saying "I can follow you up to her I am feeling a lot stronger kasim" she smiles at him as she looks up at paoro thinking of how old the cougress must be. thinking of how many things she must have seen
Paoro's ears prick forward as she hears the sound of one of her children calling for her, immediately alert. Peering into the distance, she's able to recognize the well-known frame of her daughter. "Moonseeker? It's good to see you again," she calls out, her friendly tone genuine. Paoro is never upset to see one of her children, no matter how long they've been away - after all, it's only natural for their kind to wander - and especially with how quickly she seems to be losing them lately. She can't make out the half-healed scars littering her daughter's frame yet, however, until Moon pads up closer. Until Kasim and Sara draw nearer as well, she doesn't notice their approach either.
Nayeli has never seen the wolf before, has no idea what his name is, what pack he's from, what his intentions are, or, most importantly, why Kein seems to be chasing him. The lupine's words cause her to narrow her eyes, and this time her voice is a little cooler than what it otherwise might be. "The fact that you have deliberately ignored our very obvious borders does not speak well for your intentions, wolf. You claim to come in peace, yet your trespassing this far into our territory suggests disregard for 'peace', if not indicating outright hostility." There's the faintest hint of a growl behind her last words, and her tail lashes behind her.
If he decides to be uncooperative, she'll let the Chieftain, even now coming within striking range of the wolf, deal with him as he sees fit. If she knows Kein, he's probably already upset that the Amaranth border has been breached yet again. Not that anyone can really fault him; the Chieftain can only be in one place at any given time, but seeing how new he is in the position, she's sure that he probably wants to make a good first impression to the tribe.
Moonseeker gaze drifts towards the wolf and then Kein, whom she watches a few moments as if perhaps seening someone else. She soon shakes her head and moves closer to Paoro. "I must talk to you.." Moon murmurs softly once she's at her mother's side, her gaze moves towards Nayeli and then over the others that have suddenly gathered around. She can't fully recall ever seeing this many cougars here before, an she can only wonder who many others are indeed in the tribe that she has no idea about. A frown rests upon her muzzle before she turns her tired gaze back to her mother. Being closer to the elder female would show off her new and still healing scars to show the news she has is nothing good.
Hinto whimpers. His fear becomes very notable. Hinto is afraid of cougars. "N-no, p-please don't hurt me, I'm sorry!" Hinto squeezes his eyes closed. "I was just curious about this place is all, please don't-- JUST GIVE ME SOME SPACE!" Hito says, feeling a bit cornered by the cougars.
While Solace isn't close enough to hear the specifics of what's going on, she is able to deduce from Nayeli's stance, along with Kein's speed, that the wolf isn't exactly here on the friendliest of terms. She finally diverges from the path that has her trailing along behind Moonseeker, angling out in a way that will put her body to one side of the unknown lupine, with Nayeli at his front and Kein rapidly coming along at his rear. Her movements are calm, almost eager and it's not long before she has herself settled down on her haunches some space away from the wolf, forming up a natural barrier along one side of Hinto just as, ironically, he makes his plea for space. She's still a good deal away from the crowd, but close enough that she could be of assistance were Hinto to make a dash for it.
Kein can't help but growl when the wolf begins yelling. He understands that the wolf is frightened. That's obvious enough. Shouting at them, shouting at his /mate/, while in their territory is hardly the way to behave, though. It is not a crime calling for the canine's death, or even for an immediate physical attack, but he does leap forward several steps to place himself between Hinto and Nayeli, making certain his back is never turned to Hinto. The growl still in his voice, he says, "If I hear you yell at any of the other Sisters of this tribe again, space will be the least of your concerns. You are not welcome here, wolf, and as I see it, you are giving us no reason to change that." As far as Kein is concerned, Hinto has very few choices for getting out of this well and whole, but as long as the threat to the Sisters is basically non-existant, as it is now, he is willing to be merciful. It is probably very lucky for Hinto that Ajax was the first wolf to wander into Amaranth, and that they had the chance to talk about Maulisho and that lesson in mercy.
Kasim can't help but look over at Kein when he hears his 'son' speak up, a wide, proud smile coming across his muzzle. Kein is already showing great promise to help lead Amaranth as Chieftan, and that makes Kasim all the more proud of him. "If you say so," he says back to Sara, not stopping her from nuzzling him but not returning it either. If he had heard what Moon had said to Paoro, he might think twice about approaching them but, since he was too far away to hear her, Kasim begins to slowly pad towards the Shamaness and her daughter, letting Sara lean on him if she feels the need to.
Sara smiles as she does not concern herself with the others nerby she simply moves with kasinm watching him and the Paoro they are haeded towards them. she perks her ears to listen to see if Paoro will notice them yet.
Paoro's attention is briefly distracted by the wolf's outburst, but is more than confident that Amaranth's newest leaders can take care of things quite easily. Besides, her daughter is more of a concern at the moment than one lone wolf, both with her apparent injuries and troubled-sounding voice. "What is it, Moonseeker? Are you all right?" she quickly asks, looking her daughter over fully to see if she needs some herbal attention.
An unstable predator. That is the last thing Nayeli wants right now, and she's immensely grateful for Kein's presence suddenly becoming a large factor in this. She's not going to speak again just yet, as Kein has taken over the primary role in dealing with this wolf, but she does step up to stand next to him, still keeping her guarded expression. They need to escort this lupine to the border and see him off of Amaranth with a stern warning, and hopefully before he snaps and starts attacking someone.
Moonseeker gaze turns towards the wolf an she slips quiet a few moments just blinking, with the three other cougars near him she figures its all taken care of. Her attention is soon back to her mother watching her a few moments before speaking again. "I'm fine.. its healing." Save for her shoulder which has given her trouble since the fight as it was rather deep, it'll heal over time if she's luck. "Azriel is back." There's a pause once this is said, her voice low enough she hopes so only her mother hears it. "He know Kein is Chieftian.." She frowns slightly and lowers her head. "I don't know what else he might be planning. I was unable to come back until now to warn you and the rest of the tribe of him."
Hinto starts to cry. He's scared to death. He wishes he never stumbled into this place. "Don't hurt me, please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He's pleading now.
Solace stays where she's at, ears perked as she listens to the conflict between the three others in front of her. It appears that things are well in hand and that the wolf wasn't the threat that she initially thought he was, and this suspicion is only confirmed in Hinto's crying pleads. She holds fast, waiting for the conflict to play itself out.
A name from behind him demands Kein's attention for a moment. He doesn't take his eyes off of the wolf, but he perks his ears in Moonseeker's direction. Azriel. Apparently, his biolagical father has found out about his new position. How, Kein has no idea, but... It doesn't matter. Azriel is a threat, yes, but he is is threat that will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly, if neccesary. He hasn't seen Moonseeker, and so doesn't realize that she has been recently injured. During this time when he is listening and thinking, he does not say anything back to the wolf. He knows, though, that they will have to handle this wolf before they can devote their attention to the the threat Azriel presents. Finally, he says, "You will be escorted to our nearest border." He and Nayeli talked about this part of how to handle unwelcome guests, after all. "If you require an audience with a member of Amaranth, you can wait there. Your safety is not guaranteed in these lands."
Kasim comes to a stop the instant he hears what Moon says. Azriel. The cougar's breathing starts to pick up as his eys contort in anger. Not him again. That's the last thing they need, especially at this point in time. A low growl escapes him, remembering all the aweful things Maul once told him about Azriel, not even caring if anyone hears it or not.
Sara looks at Kasim as he starts to growl she wonders who is this Azriel she never heard of him. she limps forward as she wonders what they mean
No. No more of this. The shamaness won't have it. Any other threats to her family will proceed over her dead body. When that name is uttered, Paoro's early-morning warmth seems to evaporate from her body, leaving her cold. She glances back towards Kein and Nayeli, and, seeing that the chieftain is more involved with the strange wolf, calls for her granddaughter instead. "Matron Nayeli." The formal title and tone easily conveys the importance of what she needs to tell her. Kein can join once he's ensured that the wolf has retreated, as directed. A low growl from her other side causes the shamaness to immediately turn towards the source, the elder female visibly relieved when she sees that it's only Kasim...and an apparently injured cougaress. She'll tend to the visitor shortly, but her family always comes first.
Nayeli is focused on the wolf in front of her and Kein, and she doesn't catch what was whispered behind her, but she does give her mate a very quick glance as his expression and scent change slightly. What was mentioned that she couldn't quite hear? They'll have to discuss it later, as it would seem their most important priority right now is to evict this wolf from their lands. To the north? That would seem the logical direction, though it'll still be a bit of a travel. Foolish wolf; he really /did/ travel quite a good distance into cougar territory. Lucky for him, Kein seems to be in a rather.. compassionate mood. But suddenly, the Matron /does/ hear something. Her name. Backing away from the wolf until she's more or less behind her mate, Nayeli finally turns around, looking for.. ahh, Paoro. An inquisitive look replaces the earlier guarded expression as she walks toward the elder cougaress, noting for the first time the recent injuries on her aunt. What happened?!
Moonseeker gaze turns towards the growl and she merely eyes Kasim a few moments, watching him with a rather unsure look. Seeing that he is merely angered she slowly eases down to her haunches to give her shoulder a much needed rest. Her eyes close as she waits for Nayeli to approace, a ear slowly twitching forward at the movement and she takes in a slight breath before she opens her eyes to look at her neice. They did meet before, long ago it feels to Moon now. She never was very close to the cubs after everything that happened with LaVeaux so long ago.
Hinto looks north. "I'll... I'll go back where I came from!" The wolf says, and starts heading that way.
Solace is attentive enough to notice that something is brewing with the aged cougaress and the others that have gathered around her and she's similarly perceptive enough to notice that Kein appears to have his attention divided with it as well. At the same time, she becomes vaguely aware of something else that has been lurking inside of her -- the need to prove her usefulness to this tribe which so graciously accepted her company, a lone cougaress found lurking in the night. She glances at the crying wolf and then makes up her mind. Solace straightens up and hails the Chieftain. "With your leave, I'll take care of escorting the wolf away whichever which way you'd have me take him. You don't have to trouble yourself with this." She sits alertly, waiting eagerly for Kein's approval and already moving to intercept the now moving Hinto.
Kein follows after Hinto for a couple steps before Solace catches his attention. Her paw seems to be better. She's large, for a female. And after hearing Azriel's name and after Paoro summoned his mate, he would like his attention to be here. Slowly, he nods, and says, "Thank you, Solace. If he tries to go anywhere but north until after he is out of Amaranth... Well, use your best judgement... And be careful." She is not a member of the tribe, not yet, but if Kein were to find out that Hinto somehow managed to hurt Solace, nothing could stop him from making sure the wolf never makes such a mistake again.
The only thing that snaps Kasim out of his blind anger is when Sara starts to limp off away from him towards Paoro. Not good. Shaking his head to rid him of Azriel for the moment, the cougar trots in front of Sara to stop her from going any further than she has. "Don't move Sara, you're still hurt. Lie down," he says to her, the last part of his statement sounding more like a command than anything. "We'll talk with Paoro later, just not right now." This part is whispered only to her, so she knows not to interupt what will happen next
Sara lies down she turns her head to kasim and looks at him curiously as she waits for him to instruct her. she wonders whats going on the young cougress is not sure of things as she simply lays there. she smiles at him letting a bit of her chidish nature show she gives him a playfull bat with a paw saying "whats the mattrer?"
When both Nayeli and Kein approach, the wolf dealt with, Paoro glances between the tribe members gathered around her. "Moonseeker says that Azriel is back in the area. He hasn't made any direct threats towards our tribe," her gaze turns to focus on the chieftain, the son of the cougar in question. "But the last thing we need is another tragedy on our lands. Until he is confirmed to be dead, no unfamiliar male cougars will be allowed within our territory. And if they refuse to leave...well, it might be best to attack first and ask questions later." The no-nonsense shamaness is not going to let any other mistakes have a chance to occur, not after what they've all been through so recently.
In one sense, Nayeli is relieved to have Paoro take charge. The elder cougaress is obviously far more experienced in dealing with difficult situations like this, and so the Matron will gladly defer to her wisdom and insight. And yet, she's also a bit surprised that Paoro isn't even going to consult with the Matron and Chieftain before making such a broad, sweeping decision like this. Nayeli isn't about to argue with her grandmother, especially in front of everyone else like this. It sounds like the right decision, anyway, and she's sure that Kein will understand the reasoning behind it. As Paoro doesn't seem to be expecting any feedback from her specifically, she only nods her acknowledgment, glancing over to Moonseeker again. Azriel didn't make any threats toward them? Then who injured Moonseeker? Those look like claw wounds from another large feline.. perhaps another male somewhere beyond their borders?
Moonseeker ears twitches as she listions to her mother and speaks up suddenly. "There are two males who met in the valley. Malak and Revan, brothers, they are not a threat." At least not to cougars. "They protected me and watched over me while I was healing." Well mostly Malak but Revan helped as well. Moon would call it a threat as Azriel attacked her because she belonged to the tribe and the fact that she told him no, which he didn't seem to understand at that moment in time.
Hinto doesn't seem to pay any attention to this, he just heads north until he is out of sight.
"It will be done. Don't worry about me," assures Solace, bobbing her head diligently as Kein gives her the instructions. She's excited! It has been a while since she has shouldered any real responsibility for anyone other than herself, and it feels pleasing to be doing something useful again. She forces a bit of cautiousness into her awareness -- even though she doesn't think the wolf will be much of a problem based on his behavior, it's still best to be careful -- and falls into step behind Hinto, shadowing the wolf's footsteps as he travels north towards the Highlands.
Strange males are already not allowed within the territory. That was the decision Kein first made, although he has not had much opportunity to broadcast that to the other members of the tribe, yet. Paoro was there when he made that decision, though, so why is she looking at him as she says that? Is she truly concerned that Kein might have any compassion toward his biological father? Holding his head high, Kein replies with, "I understand, Shamaness. I would suggest that everyone remain in pairs, at least, until we have proof of his death." Azriel can attack a single cougaress. With two of them, defending each other, it is much less likely that one of them would be seriously injured. With three it would be even better, but Kein can accept pairs.
Kasim smirks a bit as Sara bats a paw at him, letting it hit him before taking a seat next to her so he can listen in on the conversation. "Azriel is an enemy to us here. Be sure to watch out for him," he says softly to Sara so that he doesn't interupt anything Paoro says. The last thing Sara would need would be to run into Azriel, especially with the state that she's in. He remains silent for now, letting the other cougars talk while he just soaks it all in.
Sara smiles and looks up at him saying in a soft voice so to match his "you mean like chesmu right?" she tilts her head and looks curious at him wondering what this azriel is so bad for she wants to help if he is bad as chesmu was. she goes to give kasim another playful swat saying "dont worry I will be safe kasim"
Travel in pairs? That won't be difficult for Nayeli, as she intends to stay quite close to Kein from here on out. Azriel might feel obligated to try and 'deal' with his biological son, and she certainly isn't going to let him face that alone. The real question she has for her mate is what he intends to do about this. Hunt Azriel down? Wait for his father to make the first move?
Moonseeker ears perk slightly at the talk from Kein about everyone staying within the lands, she told Malak that she would return to him and can only wonder the response she would get if she brought this up now. She stays quiet and glances off slightly. Her shoulder needs to heal more before she makes any plans on leaving to start with so she'll deal with it once that time comes.
No. The next time they have to deal with Azriel, it would be best to do it when they do have the advantage of being in familiar territory. Kein does not intend on being caught off guard, though. Not like last time. He will have to be even more vigilant in his patrols... And probably enlist the help of others. Kasim comes to mind. Tohopka too, potentially, but he still hasn't found Chesmu's brother, or any hint that Tohopka has left. As Paoro drifts into silence, he feels that he ought to say more, but... What? He looks around, but he does not say anything, yet. Perhaps next he will talk with Kasim, but right now, Kasim seems to be busy with an unfamiliar cougaress.
"Only Chesmu had gone mad. Azriel is just plain bad." Evident of what he did to Maul and, apparently, Moonseeker. The idea of what drives such a cougar to do that is beyond Kasim's understanding. For now, he simply holds back and waits for Paoro to become available for talking to, hopefully so she can heal Sara.
Now that the most pressing issues have been dealt with, the shamaness turns to face Kasim and his injured friend, leaving the details to be sorted out between the two primary leaders of the tribe. "What happened to her?" she inquires towards the pair, glancing her over in an attempt to try and determine what can be done to help the injured cougaress. "Hello, sister. My name is Paoro, and I'm the shamaness of the Amaranth tribe. Can you tell me what's wrong?"
Sara smiles and eeping close to kasim she nervously answers "well um I was attacked by a cougar named chesmu and recieved several iinjuries to my sides and sholders kasim said you could help me miss um paoro mame" being as respectfull as she could not used to being anything but childish
Nayeli is grateful to Kasim for making the distinction clear. Though she still feels a little bit of resentment toward her father for his long apathy toward his daughters, focusing instead on his only son, she doesn't hate him for what he did. She wouldn't consider him /evil/ in the same way that Azriel seems to be. The Matron still remembers with somewhat of a shiver the unexpected meeting at the cave, with Azriel coming in suddenly to get out of the rainstorm.
Moonseeker ears twitch as she listions a bit longer before she slowly shifts to her paws and paces away a bit to settle on her own. With the conversation turned to something else she figures now is a good time to get some rest in. Laying down with a faint grunt escaping her her head soon settles upon her forepaws. Her mind going to Malak now that the tribe knows of the threat.
Kein is not so appreciative of the distinction. Chesmu's state of mind does not make the outcome any different, and besides... Shaking off the line of thought, Kein walks towards Kasim as Sara speaks with Paoro. He waits until it is obvious that he has Kasim's attention before he says anything, though.
"I found her one day pretty beat up. She says that Chesmu did this to her," he repeats for Paoro, feeling a bit of anger bubble up in him but pushes it aside for now. "I figured that you would be the best one to turn to to see if you can try and heal her." That said, he turns his head to look over at Kein as he begins to walk over to the group, givnig him a smile and nod of his head.
Paoro smiles thinly and nods. So Chesmu did other damage, as well. She pushes the thoughts away, however, and does her proper job. "Of course." She walks away a short distance to where the rock gives way to grasses, picking through the sparse herbs and dried berries found there until she can gather together enough plant material to crush them into a soothing salve, which she smears onto her paw before turning to dab it across some of the worse wounds on Sara's form. "There's not much I can do for you until the plants thrive again, but this should at least help the healing process a bit."
Sara smiles and lets the older cougar the other cougar pat her wounds she tenses and says "oh thanks" she cringes as it stings andhopes the cougress is right about it helping her heal faster she says "would be great to chase buterflies again mame"
Moonseeker ears twitch slightly as she still listions to the conversation, her gaze soon turns to the other couars quietly watching. So Chesmu really had went crazy, she missed that as well it seems.
Kein stops a couple feet away from his adopted father. He spends a moment in silence to chose his words, then says, "I would appreciate your help in patrolling the border, Brother Kasim." Not Father, or Dad. Kein intends to make the same request of Tohopka, if he can find the other male. Pelutho too, if his brother finishes his period of mourning in the near future. He is not asking as Kasim's son, but as his Chieftain.
Kasim can only grin at Kein as he speaks to him, even when he calls him 'Brother' instead of what he called him earlier. Oh well. "I'm always here for when you need me Kein. I'd be glad to help you out with that." Not like he has anything else to do now. Look out for Sara maybe, but he's sure that she'll be able to look out for herself once she gets better.
Sara smiles and says thank you miss paoro um I dont mean any disrespect but why you refer to me as sister miss paoro?" she tries to pay attention to paoro but is starting to look over to kasim as if distracted by him
And now that Kein is off to check the border, bringing Kasim along, Nayeli is pretty sure that her mate is hoping for some private conversation with his adopted father. She remains silent, watching Paoro deal with the injuries. Something that she'll have to learn how to do, eventually. The thought of going from Matron to eventually shamaness causes her to smile a little, perhaps wistfully. Her being that old and wise? Hmm.
Paoro chuckles at Sara. "I call all females of my kin sisters," she explains with a slight smile on her maw. "Which is why the cougaresses of the Amaranth are called such as well."
"Thank you. Sara and the others will be in good care here." Kein gestures off to the north with a nod of his head, intending to walk with Kasim that way. He'd like to check to make sure that HInto was shown off of the land, and pick up his patrol where he left it off.
Kasim gets to his paws and starts to walk in the direction Kein gestured to, giving the three females a small nod and smile as he leaves. It's been a while since he and Kein have had a one on one talk and the cougar is certainly looking forward to it. Kasim falls into step next to his 'son' as he begins to move off, a small smile still on his muzzle.
Sara quarks her head and says "amarath um thats the cougar tribe right?" probably prenouncing it wrong but she is trying at least. she smiles and says "well how do you know wich herbs of mother earth are good for healing do the spirits speak to you more clearly then others?"
Paoro nods to Sara at her first question, then smiles wanly at the second. "The spirits do guide me, but much of what I know I learned from my mother, and simple trial and error. Most of these herbs won't kill you if you eat just a small amount - they might make you sick, though. But they can also make you feel better."
Sara nods and says "maybe sometime you can teach me some of your knowledge." she smiles at her looking around she wonders where kasim went she asks paoro "um you are a friend of kasims right and you know this chesmu fella um what happened I mean I did nothing to him and he attacked me."
Paoro just looks tired at the mention of Chesmu's name, a frown crossing her maw. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel like talking about him right now." Wiping the excess salve off her paw onto the stone beneath it, she turns to make her own leave, heading west towards one of her favorite spots to rest.
- Snowy Highlands -
Kein does not speak for a while. He knows he ought to be telling Kasim what he would like the other male to do, in a lang term sense, but for now, he is content to walk in silence and think. About the second breach of territory in as many days, and about his father. His biological father.
Thinking has always been on of Kasim's favorite things to do while taking a walk. Thinking about life in general, about his past, what the future may hold for him... that kinda stuff. Of course, he'd be lying if he said that he'd rather be talking with Kein, but the teen doesn't really seem to be in the mood right now. So despite his wanting to start a conversation up, Kasim is content to just remain silent for now... and think.
After some time, after they reach an area where the snow is still thick on the ground... The area where Chesmu attacked him... Kein finally speaks."I cannot always patrol, Kasim, and I cannot be along all areas of the border at once. Whatever you can do to help... It is the best thing you can do for the tribe, I think. And... If you spot any males, even if they belong here... If you could direct them to me, I would appreciate it." It feels weird, to be telling Kasim what to do. It is the reason he continues using the older male's name.
That proud smile once again returns to the male as Kein speaks, taking in everything. He has no doubt in his mind that Maul would also be very proud of him if she were still around. She was always proud of both her sons. "Kein, I'll do anything I can to help you out," he tells the younger cougar, not so much concerned with using formal titles.
That proud smile once again returns to the male as Kein speaks, taking in everything. He has no doubt in his mind that Maul would also be very proud of him if she were still around. She was always proud of both her sons. "Kein, I'll do anything I can to help you out," he tells the younger cougar, not so much concerned with using formal titles. "I've always tried to be there for you Kein, and that won't ever change. If you ever need me to help you out with something, just let me know, ok."
Kein gives a slight nod of his head, along with a smile. "I will. And, thank you." Kein takes a deep breath, redevoting his gaze to his surroundings, the path ahead of them. He can tell that Solace and that wolf passed through here. The wolf is the only unfamiliar scent, though, so his pace and posture are relaxed.
Drifting down from the north and heading south is Solace. The large female is taking a more leisurely pace than she took when she was escorting Hinto, allowing herself some time to become more knowledgable about the land which she is, admittedly, a bit unfamiliar with. In all truth, she wasn't entirely sure where exactly Amaranth land ended and she's hoping that she did well enough in taking Hinto north until the familiar scents of cougars she knew started to fade. Now on her way back and thinking what she discussed with the wolf, she pauses as the movement of two forms comes into view. Ahh, Kein and... what was his name? Kasim? Solace begins to move forward making no attempt to hide her approach.
Kasim returns the smile with his own, still padding along quietly. He knows that he'll be needed a lot around here, and even more so if Nayeli will do what he expects her to do, which is give birth to a litter of cubs. Yes, he'll be /quite/ busy when that time rolls around. He's about to say something else to Kein when the form of another cougar catches his eyes. At first, Kasim is alert, but soon relaxes when he recognizes her as the female who escorted the stranger wolf off. "Hello there," he greets to her, giving her a smile and a nod.
Cubs. For all either of the new leaders know, Nayeli is already with cubs, but... Until Nayeli tells him, for certain, Kein will not be spreading that news. The news that /he/ is a father. Kein sees Solace quickly, and looks her over for a second. She still looks well, so he can assume that everything went well, but even so, when they are close, he asks, "Did you have any trouble?"
The cougaress draws closer. She does indeed seem to be alright -- even the pain in her paw that originally caused her to stop on Amaranth lands in the first place has healed over, fading away to all but the most heavy of pressures applied to her paw. "Hello, Kasim," she greets, offering the cougar a smile before turning her attention to Kein, whose question she replies to with a shake of her head. "He went without a problem and I watched him go entirely out of view. For what it's worth, I seriously think he was that clueless. I didn't get the feeling that he was part of a bigger group."
"I may have to spend more time marking our borders, but him being here was not the reason he was forced to leave. He was forced to leave for his behaviour once he was here." Had the wolf been polite, respectful, once he was confronted for trespassing, Kein could have let Nayeli handle the situation, could have let her inform him that trespassing is not viewed kindly. Once the wolf started shouting, though, that became impossible. "If you see him within our borders again, I trust that you will let me or Nayeli know."
Solace indicates her acceptance the decision with a bob of her head. Regardless of the conversation she had with Hinto, she isn't going to disagree with Kein. "Of course, Chieftain." She makes a sidelong glance at Kasim -- it's the first time she has been nearby enough to study him, and she's limited to enigmatic tidbits overheard from other conversations. Kein's father? She's not actually sure. All this passes in a moment, and in the next she's looking back at Kein himself. "Is there anything else that I can do? I was planning on catching something to eat before heading back, if not."
From what he had heard of the 'conversation' with the wolf, Kasim could only guess that the wolf started yelling because he was scared out of his mind. He probably knew he wasn't a match for two cougars and most likely got scared and started acting differently. Fear has a very odd effect on the mind. Oh well, what happened happened. Giving a mental shrug, Kasim stays quiet for now, since it's obvious he's not really a part of this conversation.
Kein shakes his head in response to Solace's question. "No, you've done enough. Thank you, Solace, and I wish you luck on your hunt." Kein remains standing still, rather than moving off, in case Solace changes her mind and wants to bring something up, or whatever else may happen. Once she leaves, he'll continue on his journey morthward with Kasim, but for now...
Solace has nothing else of concern. She dips her head respectfully to Kein and offers Kasim a polite nod -- "good evening, then." --, then starts to make her way back towards the well, angling off when she finally detects the scent of something small and delicious.
Kasim returns the nod with is own and offers her another smile before he watches her take her leave before returning his attention back to Kein. "It's almost funny," he says suddenly to Kein. "You sounded so Chieftan-like just now. So professional." It certainly is a change from the cub who he remembers would always be out exploring whenever he could and always looking for a fun time. He really has grown up.
There is only one thing Kein could think of to ask in response to what Kasim says, and he certainly doesn't ask it, because he's afraid of what the answer might be. He begins walking again and, after a second, says, "I'm doing my best. Nayeli and I both are." He likes to think that he has been doing well, but it is entirely possible that it is just way too early to tell.
"I know you are, and I'm very proud of you Kein," Kasim tells his 'son', leaning over to give him a small nuzzle. "Being Chieftan aside, there's nothing better than going through life with the one who you love with all your heart, and I'm proud of you for finding that special someone... and I know your mother would be proud too." Just something he had to add in, thoug he's sure Kein already knows it. "I know you will make a great Chieftan, Kein."
Kein still doesn't return any nuzzling from Kasim. He is just not as casually intimate as the other male. He does smile, though. "I'm glad you're staying, Dad." His formal requests are over, apparently. "I know... I know that it's hard, with all of the memories, but... We'll make new ones. Happy ones." He suspects it will be a lot longer before he can remember his mother and not be upset. He can only hope that time will come eventually.
Another wide smile comes across the cougar's muzzle at the title given to him yet again. This time, however, he doesn't say anything about it, simply content to let it be said. "The painful memories can always be there, especially when you loose a loved one." It sounds as if Kasim is talking out of experience more than anything. "But life goes on, and the best thing you can do is make happier memories with the loved ones you still have. You are a very lucky cougar to have someone like Nayeli by your side, Kein. Enjoy every day you can with her... as if it was your last day together."
What would he do if something happened to Nayeli? It seems like a very long time, but it has been less than a couple months that they've been back together. They should be allowed to have a great, long life ahead of them yet. They have to. And, for that reason... He turns most of his attention back to his surroundings. "When Nayeli and I left... We met Azriel." So Azriel knows he has a son, and knows where that son is... But at least Kein and Nayeli will be able to identify Azriel easily. "I hated him for the way he looked at her. I want him gone. Forever."
Kasim perks his ears up in surprise when Kein tells him this. Normally he would be rather worried about Kein, but since nothing seems to be wrong with him or Nayeli, the worrying is pushed to the side for now. "He... he looked at her?" he repeats again, his eyes contorting with anger knowing perfectly well what Azriel could very well have done if he so desired. "It's good that you want to protect those close to you Kein, yet you cant just /wish/ him gone. You have to be strong, and always make sure that those who you care for are protected." Do what he failed to do...
Paoro - Female Cougar
Nayeli - Female Adolescent Cougar
Moonseeker - Female Cougar
Hinto - Male Wolf
Solace - Female Cougar
Kein - Male Adolescent Cougar
Kasim - Male Cougar
Sara - Female Cougar
- Eroded Well -
After a lovely night of rest and fresh meat from her granddaughter Nayeli, Paoro is feeling much more active this morning, moreso as a result of today being the warmest day of spring yet. Stretching out her limbs as she heads west from the mesa to get a drink from one of the eroded stone pools found in their territory, the shamaness seems to be in a rather pleasant mood today - then again, at her age, not feeling pain from her stiff joints on any given morning is definitely a cause for celebration. Pausing at the edge of one of the larger pools of cool water, she slakes her thirst, pink tongue darting out to lap up the liquid as she crouches.
Nayeli is a few minutes trailing behind the shamaness, having woken up as her grandmother passed by. She's not entirely thirsty just yet, but she does take the opportunity to stretch out as Paoro satiates her thirst. It looks to be a pleasant morning, and although Nayeli doesn't have any particular plans for the day, she's sure that something interesting will happen. Hmm. Maybe she will take a drink after all, once the shamaness is finished.
When was she here last? Moonseeker isn't sure, an the thought is not in her mind as she slowly makes her way through the lands she still considered home. Her shoulder hurts, body sore from the travel to get back here, her wounds are still healing and in fact her shoulder wounds have reopened to some degree from all the movement. At first glance she might look fine, though this is not so, healing claw marks rest across the left side of her face, and her shoulder carries the same, these stand out from the rest of the healing marks across her form. The one other thing that might stand out is the face that hare markings of the tribe which was once across her injured shoulder are nearly faded away, the only ones left are found upon her chest it would seem. Moon slows her movements as she reaches the rocky area, ears perking forward slightly while her gaze drifts one way and then another before she catches sight of a pair some distance away and she watches them a few moments before starting to move towards towards them.
Hinto has his wanderlust to blame for this. All the way up in the mountains now. Sometimes Hinto questions whether he is cursed or just plain unlucky to have this pulling desire to go many places. He joins a pack only to leave again. He had even decided t stay with Skelaghe and her group until that feeling tugged at him again. Now the wolf is here and thirsty.
Arriving from the north comes Solace. She has been an infrequent sight around the well in the previous three days or so, both out of a desire to learn more about the land she has decided to stay in and to avoid a perceived lingering awkwardness in her last conversation with the Amaranth Chieftain. A few nights of reflection and consideration has done a good deal in bringing up her spirits, and it's reflected in the way she moves -- her walk is confident and cheerful, and not the creeping cautious prowl that she first met Nayeli in. She pauses on top of a small ridge, noticing the movement Nayeli and Paoro at the well and, a bit closer, Moonseeker. Solace falls into the footsteps of the latter, shadowing her closer towards the former.
Kein's arrival here is not by accident. While he was on patrol, he encountered an unfamiliar scent. A lupine scent, heading into Amaranth. If it had been the scent of that young wolf from before, he might have ignored it, but he does not recognize it at all. Therefore, even though there are no cubs in Amaranth currently, and the single wolf he smelled could offer no serious risk to any of the cougars he knows of in Amaranth, he is currently tracking it. His pace is faster than normal and has steadily gotten faster, the further into Amaranth they've gotten, though he still works to travel silently, preventing him from running forthright after the wolf's scent.
Not too far away from the gathering group, Kasim walks towards the well at a slow pace with the still injured Sara at his side. Even though she seems to have healed enough to be able to walk, the cougar makes sure to check if she's doing ok while walking, offering himself as a leaning post if she needs it. Right now, the only thing he is concerned about--aside from the cougaress beside him--is finding Paoro so she can hopefully help with the wounds Sara still seems to have. "You doing ok?" he asks her, looking over to see if she is still holding out alright.
Sara smiles at kasim as she kringes in pain keeping at his side though she feels a little better she has recovered quite a bit but some of the wounds stil need to heal she follows kasim as she wants to meet his friend he spoke of paoro.
Paoro licks her lips dry of water droplets, turning back to notice her granddaughter lingering behind. She smiles and offers the young matron a nuzzle, purring softly. "Good morning, Nayeli." Her pale green eyes are drawn towards the sight of activity in the near distance, and she notes quite a few creatures moving around through Amaranth territory - apparently it's not just a good morning for her. It's difficult to make out who everyone is from such a distance, with her slightly faded eyesight, but she knows she's got plenty of backup from Nayeli, and the new Chieftain as well. "What's all the bustle about this morning?" she inquires towards her granddaughter, wondering if she has any idea of who's around or what's going on.
Nayeli can only shrug toward her grandmother, not knowing either. "I'm not sure, honestly." Her eyes flick around the area, greeting a few of the newcomers with a warm smile, but her expression turns guarded when she notices a wolf that seems to have appeared out of nowhere. Coincidence that there's a second wolf trespassing in less than two days' time? Perhaps, or perhaps not. The Matron immediately starts toward the lupine, trying to look calm, polite, but above all, confident. The fact that this wolf is this deep into Amaranth proves that he's deliberately ignoring their territorial claim, and that cannot be allowed or ignored.
Moonseeker gaze drift one way and then another as she pauses suddenly, closer to where her mother and Nayeli is by now. A glance is turned towards the movement behind her, head lowering slightly while her ears flick back and she clears her throat turning her attention back to her mother. Its been some time since they last saw each other. She clears her throat slightly. "Mother?" Moon questions softly, half pondering if anyone remembers her here as she has not be through the area for some time. The last time she was here was after everything happened and she did not stay long. She's tired and the pain has started again, so much for telling Malak that she wouldn't overdo it. She knew that the tribe had to know about Azriel, especially with Kein being the new chieftain and he spoke of visiting his son, she wants no harm to come to anyone here, not if she could possible stop it somehow.
Hinto freezes when he sees Paoro heading for him. He *knew* he should have turned back north when he smelled that marker. He takes a step or two back. He doesn't look confident like Paoro. He supposes he might stand a better chance if he says something. "I... I'm sorry, I come in peace!"
Solace hesitates midstep as Moonseeker turns her head to glance behind her, her movement caught in the female's field of vision, though she relaxes once Moonseeker begins moving again -- it wasn't Solace's intention to stalk or intimidate and she lets this be known by holding still and unthreatening. It's now that an unfamiliar voice registers in her head and she looks over in Hinto's direction. There's a moment's pause as she sees not only Hinto, but also Kasim and Sara, along with another figure moving behind the wolf. She pauses, waiting to see what's going on. Should this wolf be here? Kein had said that the Amaranth lands were secure.
Up ahead, Kein can hear an unfamiliar voice. An unfamiliar /male/ voice. There is no anger or violence in the voice he hears, but when he spots the wolf and, not far away from him, Nayeli, he speeds up a little more again, coming up behind the wolf rapidly. He isn't growling, doesn't appear like he's going to attack immediately, but he does intend to be very close to that wolf and his mate, incase the situation becomes dangerous.
The first thing that the cougar notices when he and Sara arrive at the well is Nayeli approaching some unknown wolf. Erf. The last thing Kasim wants right now is drama, especially this early in the morning and when he has an injured cougaress to look after. Moonseeker's words, however, draw his attention away from Nayeli over to where she is... with Paoro! Finally. A smile comes across his muzzle. "That's her over there," he says softly to Sara, nodding his head over towards Paoro's direction. "Lay down here and relax. I'll take care of it."
Sara smiles and offers kasim a nuzzle saying "I can follow you up to her I am feeling a lot stronger kasim" she smiles at him as she looks up at paoro thinking of how old the cougress must be. thinking of how many things she must have seen
Paoro's ears prick forward as she hears the sound of one of her children calling for her, immediately alert. Peering into the distance, she's able to recognize the well-known frame of her daughter. "Moonseeker? It's good to see you again," she calls out, her friendly tone genuine. Paoro is never upset to see one of her children, no matter how long they've been away - after all, it's only natural for their kind to wander - and especially with how quickly she seems to be losing them lately. She can't make out the half-healed scars littering her daughter's frame yet, however, until Moon pads up closer. Until Kasim and Sara draw nearer as well, she doesn't notice their approach either.
Nayeli has never seen the wolf before, has no idea what his name is, what pack he's from, what his intentions are, or, most importantly, why Kein seems to be chasing him. The lupine's words cause her to narrow her eyes, and this time her voice is a little cooler than what it otherwise might be. "The fact that you have deliberately ignored our very obvious borders does not speak well for your intentions, wolf. You claim to come in peace, yet your trespassing this far into our territory suggests disregard for 'peace', if not indicating outright hostility." There's the faintest hint of a growl behind her last words, and her tail lashes behind her.
If he decides to be uncooperative, she'll let the Chieftain, even now coming within striking range of the wolf, deal with him as he sees fit. If she knows Kein, he's probably already upset that the Amaranth border has been breached yet again. Not that anyone can really fault him; the Chieftain can only be in one place at any given time, but seeing how new he is in the position, she's sure that he probably wants to make a good first impression to the tribe.
Moonseeker gaze drifts towards the wolf and then Kein, whom she watches a few moments as if perhaps seening someone else. She soon shakes her head and moves closer to Paoro. "I must talk to you.." Moon murmurs softly once she's at her mother's side, her gaze moves towards Nayeli and then over the others that have suddenly gathered around. She can't fully recall ever seeing this many cougars here before, an she can only wonder who many others are indeed in the tribe that she has no idea about. A frown rests upon her muzzle before she turns her tired gaze back to her mother. Being closer to the elder female would show off her new and still healing scars to show the news she has is nothing good.
Hinto whimpers. His fear becomes very notable. Hinto is afraid of cougars. "N-no, p-please don't hurt me, I'm sorry!" Hinto squeezes his eyes closed. "I was just curious about this place is all, please don't-- JUST GIVE ME SOME SPACE!" Hito says, feeling a bit cornered by the cougars.
While Solace isn't close enough to hear the specifics of what's going on, she is able to deduce from Nayeli's stance, along with Kein's speed, that the wolf isn't exactly here on the friendliest of terms. She finally diverges from the path that has her trailing along behind Moonseeker, angling out in a way that will put her body to one side of the unknown lupine, with Nayeli at his front and Kein rapidly coming along at his rear. Her movements are calm, almost eager and it's not long before she has herself settled down on her haunches some space away from the wolf, forming up a natural barrier along one side of Hinto just as, ironically, he makes his plea for space. She's still a good deal away from the crowd, but close enough that she could be of assistance were Hinto to make a dash for it.
Kein can't help but growl when the wolf begins yelling. He understands that the wolf is frightened. That's obvious enough. Shouting at them, shouting at his /mate/, while in their territory is hardly the way to behave, though. It is not a crime calling for the canine's death, or even for an immediate physical attack, but he does leap forward several steps to place himself between Hinto and Nayeli, making certain his back is never turned to Hinto. The growl still in his voice, he says, "If I hear you yell at any of the other Sisters of this tribe again, space will be the least of your concerns. You are not welcome here, wolf, and as I see it, you are giving us no reason to change that." As far as Kein is concerned, Hinto has very few choices for getting out of this well and whole, but as long as the threat to the Sisters is basically non-existant, as it is now, he is willing to be merciful. It is probably very lucky for Hinto that Ajax was the first wolf to wander into Amaranth, and that they had the chance to talk about Maulisho and that lesson in mercy.
Kasim can't help but look over at Kein when he hears his 'son' speak up, a wide, proud smile coming across his muzzle. Kein is already showing great promise to help lead Amaranth as Chieftan, and that makes Kasim all the more proud of him. "If you say so," he says back to Sara, not stopping her from nuzzling him but not returning it either. If he had heard what Moon had said to Paoro, he might think twice about approaching them but, since he was too far away to hear her, Kasim begins to slowly pad towards the Shamaness and her daughter, letting Sara lean on him if she feels the need to.
Sara smiles as she does not concern herself with the others nerby she simply moves with kasinm watching him and the Paoro they are haeded towards them. she perks her ears to listen to see if Paoro will notice them yet.
Paoro's attention is briefly distracted by the wolf's outburst, but is more than confident that Amaranth's newest leaders can take care of things quite easily. Besides, her daughter is more of a concern at the moment than one lone wolf, both with her apparent injuries and troubled-sounding voice. "What is it, Moonseeker? Are you all right?" she quickly asks, looking her daughter over fully to see if she needs some herbal attention.
An unstable predator. That is the last thing Nayeli wants right now, and she's immensely grateful for Kein's presence suddenly becoming a large factor in this. She's not going to speak again just yet, as Kein has taken over the primary role in dealing with this wolf, but she does step up to stand next to him, still keeping her guarded expression. They need to escort this lupine to the border and see him off of Amaranth with a stern warning, and hopefully before he snaps and starts attacking someone.
Moonseeker gaze turns towards the wolf an she slips quiet a few moments just blinking, with the three other cougars near him she figures its all taken care of. Her attention is soon back to her mother watching her a few moments before speaking again. "I'm fine.. its healing." Save for her shoulder which has given her trouble since the fight as it was rather deep, it'll heal over time if she's luck. "Azriel is back." There's a pause once this is said, her voice low enough she hopes so only her mother hears it. "He know Kein is Chieftian.." She frowns slightly and lowers her head. "I don't know what else he might be planning. I was unable to come back until now to warn you and the rest of the tribe of him."
Hinto starts to cry. He's scared to death. He wishes he never stumbled into this place. "Don't hurt me, please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He's pleading now.
Solace stays where she's at, ears perked as she listens to the conflict between the three others in front of her. It appears that things are well in hand and that the wolf wasn't the threat that she initially thought he was, and this suspicion is only confirmed in Hinto's crying pleads. She holds fast, waiting for the conflict to play itself out.
A name from behind him demands Kein's attention for a moment. He doesn't take his eyes off of the wolf, but he perks his ears in Moonseeker's direction. Azriel. Apparently, his biolagical father has found out about his new position. How, Kein has no idea, but... It doesn't matter. Azriel is a threat, yes, but he is is threat that will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly, if neccesary. He hasn't seen Moonseeker, and so doesn't realize that she has been recently injured. During this time when he is listening and thinking, he does not say anything back to the wolf. He knows, though, that they will have to handle this wolf before they can devote their attention to the the threat Azriel presents. Finally, he says, "You will be escorted to our nearest border." He and Nayeli talked about this part of how to handle unwelcome guests, after all. "If you require an audience with a member of Amaranth, you can wait there. Your safety is not guaranteed in these lands."
Kasim comes to a stop the instant he hears what Moon says. Azriel. The cougar's breathing starts to pick up as his eys contort in anger. Not him again. That's the last thing they need, especially at this point in time. A low growl escapes him, remembering all the aweful things Maul once told him about Azriel, not even caring if anyone hears it or not.
Sara looks at Kasim as he starts to growl she wonders who is this Azriel she never heard of him. she limps forward as she wonders what they mean
No. No more of this. The shamaness won't have it. Any other threats to her family will proceed over her dead body. When that name is uttered, Paoro's early-morning warmth seems to evaporate from her body, leaving her cold. She glances back towards Kein and Nayeli, and, seeing that the chieftain is more involved with the strange wolf, calls for her granddaughter instead. "Matron Nayeli." The formal title and tone easily conveys the importance of what she needs to tell her. Kein can join once he's ensured that the wolf has retreated, as directed. A low growl from her other side causes the shamaness to immediately turn towards the source, the elder female visibly relieved when she sees that it's only Kasim...and an apparently injured cougaress. She'll tend to the visitor shortly, but her family always comes first.
Nayeli is focused on the wolf in front of her and Kein, and she doesn't catch what was whispered behind her, but she does give her mate a very quick glance as his expression and scent change slightly. What was mentioned that she couldn't quite hear? They'll have to discuss it later, as it would seem their most important priority right now is to evict this wolf from their lands. To the north? That would seem the logical direction, though it'll still be a bit of a travel. Foolish wolf; he really /did/ travel quite a good distance into cougar territory. Lucky for him, Kein seems to be in a rather.. compassionate mood. But suddenly, the Matron /does/ hear something. Her name. Backing away from the wolf until she's more or less behind her mate, Nayeli finally turns around, looking for.. ahh, Paoro. An inquisitive look replaces the earlier guarded expression as she walks toward the elder cougaress, noting for the first time the recent injuries on her aunt. What happened?!
Moonseeker gaze turns towards the growl and she merely eyes Kasim a few moments, watching him with a rather unsure look. Seeing that he is merely angered she slowly eases down to her haunches to give her shoulder a much needed rest. Her eyes close as she waits for Nayeli to approace, a ear slowly twitching forward at the movement and she takes in a slight breath before she opens her eyes to look at her neice. They did meet before, long ago it feels to Moon now. She never was very close to the cubs after everything that happened with LaVeaux so long ago.
Hinto looks north. "I'll... I'll go back where I came from!" The wolf says, and starts heading that way.
Solace is attentive enough to notice that something is brewing with the aged cougaress and the others that have gathered around her and she's similarly perceptive enough to notice that Kein appears to have his attention divided with it as well. At the same time, she becomes vaguely aware of something else that has been lurking inside of her -- the need to prove her usefulness to this tribe which so graciously accepted her company, a lone cougaress found lurking in the night. She glances at the crying wolf and then makes up her mind. Solace straightens up and hails the Chieftain. "With your leave, I'll take care of escorting the wolf away whichever which way you'd have me take him. You don't have to trouble yourself with this." She sits alertly, waiting eagerly for Kein's approval and already moving to intercept the now moving Hinto.
Kein follows after Hinto for a couple steps before Solace catches his attention. Her paw seems to be better. She's large, for a female. And after hearing Azriel's name and after Paoro summoned his mate, he would like his attention to be here. Slowly, he nods, and says, "Thank you, Solace. If he tries to go anywhere but north until after he is out of Amaranth... Well, use your best judgement... And be careful." She is not a member of the tribe, not yet, but if Kein were to find out that Hinto somehow managed to hurt Solace, nothing could stop him from making sure the wolf never makes such a mistake again.
The only thing that snaps Kasim out of his blind anger is when Sara starts to limp off away from him towards Paoro. Not good. Shaking his head to rid him of Azriel for the moment, the cougar trots in front of Sara to stop her from going any further than she has. "Don't move Sara, you're still hurt. Lie down," he says to her, the last part of his statement sounding more like a command than anything. "We'll talk with Paoro later, just not right now." This part is whispered only to her, so she knows not to interupt what will happen next
Sara lies down she turns her head to kasim and looks at him curiously as she waits for him to instruct her. she wonders whats going on the young cougress is not sure of things as she simply lays there. she smiles at him letting a bit of her chidish nature show she gives him a playfull bat with a paw saying "whats the mattrer?"
When both Nayeli and Kein approach, the wolf dealt with, Paoro glances between the tribe members gathered around her. "Moonseeker says that Azriel is back in the area. He hasn't made any direct threats towards our tribe," her gaze turns to focus on the chieftain, the son of the cougar in question. "But the last thing we need is another tragedy on our lands. Until he is confirmed to be dead, no unfamiliar male cougars will be allowed within our territory. And if they refuse to leave...well, it might be best to attack first and ask questions later." The no-nonsense shamaness is not going to let any other mistakes have a chance to occur, not after what they've all been through so recently.
In one sense, Nayeli is relieved to have Paoro take charge. The elder cougaress is obviously far more experienced in dealing with difficult situations like this, and so the Matron will gladly defer to her wisdom and insight. And yet, she's also a bit surprised that Paoro isn't even going to consult with the Matron and Chieftain before making such a broad, sweeping decision like this. Nayeli isn't about to argue with her grandmother, especially in front of everyone else like this. It sounds like the right decision, anyway, and she's sure that Kein will understand the reasoning behind it. As Paoro doesn't seem to be expecting any feedback from her specifically, she only nods her acknowledgment, glancing over to Moonseeker again. Azriel didn't make any threats toward them? Then who injured Moonseeker? Those look like claw wounds from another large feline.. perhaps another male somewhere beyond their borders?
Moonseeker ears twitches as she listions to her mother and speaks up suddenly. "There are two males who met in the valley. Malak and Revan, brothers, they are not a threat." At least not to cougars. "They protected me and watched over me while I was healing." Well mostly Malak but Revan helped as well. Moon would call it a threat as Azriel attacked her because she belonged to the tribe and the fact that she told him no, which he didn't seem to understand at that moment in time.
Hinto doesn't seem to pay any attention to this, he just heads north until he is out of sight.
"It will be done. Don't worry about me," assures Solace, bobbing her head diligently as Kein gives her the instructions. She's excited! It has been a while since she has shouldered any real responsibility for anyone other than herself, and it feels pleasing to be doing something useful again. She forces a bit of cautiousness into her awareness -- even though she doesn't think the wolf will be much of a problem based on his behavior, it's still best to be careful -- and falls into step behind Hinto, shadowing the wolf's footsteps as he travels north towards the Highlands.
Strange males are already not allowed within the territory. That was the decision Kein first made, although he has not had much opportunity to broadcast that to the other members of the tribe, yet. Paoro was there when he made that decision, though, so why is she looking at him as she says that? Is she truly concerned that Kein might have any compassion toward his biological father? Holding his head high, Kein replies with, "I understand, Shamaness. I would suggest that everyone remain in pairs, at least, until we have proof of his death." Azriel can attack a single cougaress. With two of them, defending each other, it is much less likely that one of them would be seriously injured. With three it would be even better, but Kein can accept pairs.
Kasim smirks a bit as Sara bats a paw at him, letting it hit him before taking a seat next to her so he can listen in on the conversation. "Azriel is an enemy to us here. Be sure to watch out for him," he says softly to Sara so that he doesn't interupt anything Paoro says. The last thing Sara would need would be to run into Azriel, especially with the state that she's in. He remains silent for now, letting the other cougars talk while he just soaks it all in.
Sara smiles and looks up at him saying in a soft voice so to match his "you mean like chesmu right?" she tilts her head and looks curious at him wondering what this azriel is so bad for she wants to help if he is bad as chesmu was. she goes to give kasim another playful swat saying "dont worry I will be safe kasim"
Travel in pairs? That won't be difficult for Nayeli, as she intends to stay quite close to Kein from here on out. Azriel might feel obligated to try and 'deal' with his biological son, and she certainly isn't going to let him face that alone. The real question she has for her mate is what he intends to do about this. Hunt Azriel down? Wait for his father to make the first move?
Moonseeker ears perk slightly at the talk from Kein about everyone staying within the lands, she told Malak that she would return to him and can only wonder the response she would get if she brought this up now. She stays quiet and glances off slightly. Her shoulder needs to heal more before she makes any plans on leaving to start with so she'll deal with it once that time comes.
No. The next time they have to deal with Azriel, it would be best to do it when they do have the advantage of being in familiar territory. Kein does not intend on being caught off guard, though. Not like last time. He will have to be even more vigilant in his patrols... And probably enlist the help of others. Kasim comes to mind. Tohopka too, potentially, but he still hasn't found Chesmu's brother, or any hint that Tohopka has left. As Paoro drifts into silence, he feels that he ought to say more, but... What? He looks around, but he does not say anything, yet. Perhaps next he will talk with Kasim, but right now, Kasim seems to be busy with an unfamiliar cougaress.
"Only Chesmu had gone mad. Azriel is just plain bad." Evident of what he did to Maul and, apparently, Moonseeker. The idea of what drives such a cougar to do that is beyond Kasim's understanding. For now, he simply holds back and waits for Paoro to become available for talking to, hopefully so she can heal Sara.
Now that the most pressing issues have been dealt with, the shamaness turns to face Kasim and his injured friend, leaving the details to be sorted out between the two primary leaders of the tribe. "What happened to her?" she inquires towards the pair, glancing her over in an attempt to try and determine what can be done to help the injured cougaress. "Hello, sister. My name is Paoro, and I'm the shamaness of the Amaranth tribe. Can you tell me what's wrong?"
Sara smiles and eeping close to kasim she nervously answers "well um I was attacked by a cougar named chesmu and recieved several iinjuries to my sides and sholders kasim said you could help me miss um paoro mame" being as respectfull as she could not used to being anything but childish
Nayeli is grateful to Kasim for making the distinction clear. Though she still feels a little bit of resentment toward her father for his long apathy toward his daughters, focusing instead on his only son, she doesn't hate him for what he did. She wouldn't consider him /evil/ in the same way that Azriel seems to be. The Matron still remembers with somewhat of a shiver the unexpected meeting at the cave, with Azriel coming in suddenly to get out of the rainstorm.
Moonseeker ears twitch as she listions a bit longer before she slowly shifts to her paws and paces away a bit to settle on her own. With the conversation turned to something else she figures now is a good time to get some rest in. Laying down with a faint grunt escaping her her head soon settles upon her forepaws. Her mind going to Malak now that the tribe knows of the threat.
Kein is not so appreciative of the distinction. Chesmu's state of mind does not make the outcome any different, and besides... Shaking off the line of thought, Kein walks towards Kasim as Sara speaks with Paoro. He waits until it is obvious that he has Kasim's attention before he says anything, though.
"I found her one day pretty beat up. She says that Chesmu did this to her," he repeats for Paoro, feeling a bit of anger bubble up in him but pushes it aside for now. "I figured that you would be the best one to turn to to see if you can try and heal her." That said, he turns his head to look over at Kein as he begins to walk over to the group, givnig him a smile and nod of his head.
Paoro smiles thinly and nods. So Chesmu did other damage, as well. She pushes the thoughts away, however, and does her proper job. "Of course." She walks away a short distance to where the rock gives way to grasses, picking through the sparse herbs and dried berries found there until she can gather together enough plant material to crush them into a soothing salve, which she smears onto her paw before turning to dab it across some of the worse wounds on Sara's form. "There's not much I can do for you until the plants thrive again, but this should at least help the healing process a bit."
Sara smiles and lets the older cougar the other cougar pat her wounds she tenses and says "oh thanks" she cringes as it stings andhopes the cougress is right about it helping her heal faster she says "would be great to chase buterflies again mame"
Moonseeker ears twitch slightly as she still listions to the conversation, her gaze soon turns to the other couars quietly watching. So Chesmu really had went crazy, she missed that as well it seems.
Kein stops a couple feet away from his adopted father. He spends a moment in silence to chose his words, then says, "I would appreciate your help in patrolling the border, Brother Kasim." Not Father, or Dad. Kein intends to make the same request of Tohopka, if he can find the other male. Pelutho too, if his brother finishes his period of mourning in the near future. He is not asking as Kasim's son, but as his Chieftain.
Kasim can only grin at Kein as he speaks to him, even when he calls him 'Brother' instead of what he called him earlier. Oh well. "I'm always here for when you need me Kein. I'd be glad to help you out with that." Not like he has anything else to do now. Look out for Sara maybe, but he's sure that she'll be able to look out for herself once she gets better.
Sara smiles and says thank you miss paoro um I dont mean any disrespect but why you refer to me as sister miss paoro?" she tries to pay attention to paoro but is starting to look over to kasim as if distracted by him
And now that Kein is off to check the border, bringing Kasim along, Nayeli is pretty sure that her mate is hoping for some private conversation with his adopted father. She remains silent, watching Paoro deal with the injuries. Something that she'll have to learn how to do, eventually. The thought of going from Matron to eventually shamaness causes her to smile a little, perhaps wistfully. Her being that old and wise? Hmm.
Paoro chuckles at Sara. "I call all females of my kin sisters," she explains with a slight smile on her maw. "Which is why the cougaresses of the Amaranth are called such as well."
"Thank you. Sara and the others will be in good care here." Kein gestures off to the north with a nod of his head, intending to walk with Kasim that way. He'd like to check to make sure that HInto was shown off of the land, and pick up his patrol where he left it off.
Kasim gets to his paws and starts to walk in the direction Kein gestured to, giving the three females a small nod and smile as he leaves. It's been a while since he and Kein have had a one on one talk and the cougar is certainly looking forward to it. Kasim falls into step next to his 'son' as he begins to move off, a small smile still on his muzzle.
Sara quarks her head and says "amarath um thats the cougar tribe right?" probably prenouncing it wrong but she is trying at least. she smiles and says "well how do you know wich herbs of mother earth are good for healing do the spirits speak to you more clearly then others?"
Paoro nods to Sara at her first question, then smiles wanly at the second. "The spirits do guide me, but much of what I know I learned from my mother, and simple trial and error. Most of these herbs won't kill you if you eat just a small amount - they might make you sick, though. But they can also make you feel better."
Sara nods and says "maybe sometime you can teach me some of your knowledge." she smiles at her looking around she wonders where kasim went she asks paoro "um you are a friend of kasims right and you know this chesmu fella um what happened I mean I did nothing to him and he attacked me."
Paoro just looks tired at the mention of Chesmu's name, a frown crossing her maw. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel like talking about him right now." Wiping the excess salve off her paw onto the stone beneath it, she turns to make her own leave, heading west towards one of her favorite spots to rest.
- Snowy Highlands -
Kein does not speak for a while. He knows he ought to be telling Kasim what he would like the other male to do, in a lang term sense, but for now, he is content to walk in silence and think. About the second breach of territory in as many days, and about his father. His biological father.
Thinking has always been on of Kasim's favorite things to do while taking a walk. Thinking about life in general, about his past, what the future may hold for him... that kinda stuff. Of course, he'd be lying if he said that he'd rather be talking with Kein, but the teen doesn't really seem to be in the mood right now. So despite his wanting to start a conversation up, Kasim is content to just remain silent for now... and think.
After some time, after they reach an area where the snow is still thick on the ground... The area where Chesmu attacked him... Kein finally speaks."I cannot always patrol, Kasim, and I cannot be along all areas of the border at once. Whatever you can do to help... It is the best thing you can do for the tribe, I think. And... If you spot any males, even if they belong here... If you could direct them to me, I would appreciate it." It feels weird, to be telling Kasim what to do. It is the reason he continues using the older male's name.
That proud smile once again returns to the male as Kein speaks, taking in everything. He has no doubt in his mind that Maul would also be very proud of him if she were still around. She was always proud of both her sons. "Kein, I'll do anything I can to help you out," he tells the younger cougar, not so much concerned with using formal titles.
That proud smile once again returns to the male as Kein speaks, taking in everything. He has no doubt in his mind that Maul would also be very proud of him if she were still around. She was always proud of both her sons. "Kein, I'll do anything I can to help you out," he tells the younger cougar, not so much concerned with using formal titles. "I've always tried to be there for you Kein, and that won't ever change. If you ever need me to help you out with something, just let me know, ok."
Kein gives a slight nod of his head, along with a smile. "I will. And, thank you." Kein takes a deep breath, redevoting his gaze to his surroundings, the path ahead of them. He can tell that Solace and that wolf passed through here. The wolf is the only unfamiliar scent, though, so his pace and posture are relaxed.
Drifting down from the north and heading south is Solace. The large female is taking a more leisurely pace than she took when she was escorting Hinto, allowing herself some time to become more knowledgable about the land which she is, admittedly, a bit unfamiliar with. In all truth, she wasn't entirely sure where exactly Amaranth land ended and she's hoping that she did well enough in taking Hinto north until the familiar scents of cougars she knew started to fade. Now on her way back and thinking what she discussed with the wolf, she pauses as the movement of two forms comes into view. Ahh, Kein and... what was his name? Kasim? Solace begins to move forward making no attempt to hide her approach.
Kasim returns the smile with his own, still padding along quietly. He knows that he'll be needed a lot around here, and even more so if Nayeli will do what he expects her to do, which is give birth to a litter of cubs. Yes, he'll be /quite/ busy when that time rolls around. He's about to say something else to Kein when the form of another cougar catches his eyes. At first, Kasim is alert, but soon relaxes when he recognizes her as the female who escorted the stranger wolf off. "Hello there," he greets to her, giving her a smile and a nod.
Cubs. For all either of the new leaders know, Nayeli is already with cubs, but... Until Nayeli tells him, for certain, Kein will not be spreading that news. The news that /he/ is a father. Kein sees Solace quickly, and looks her over for a second. She still looks well, so he can assume that everything went well, but even so, when they are close, he asks, "Did you have any trouble?"
The cougaress draws closer. She does indeed seem to be alright -- even the pain in her paw that originally caused her to stop on Amaranth lands in the first place has healed over, fading away to all but the most heavy of pressures applied to her paw. "Hello, Kasim," she greets, offering the cougar a smile before turning her attention to Kein, whose question she replies to with a shake of her head. "He went without a problem and I watched him go entirely out of view. For what it's worth, I seriously think he was that clueless. I didn't get the feeling that he was part of a bigger group."
"I may have to spend more time marking our borders, but him being here was not the reason he was forced to leave. He was forced to leave for his behaviour once he was here." Had the wolf been polite, respectful, once he was confronted for trespassing, Kein could have let Nayeli handle the situation, could have let her inform him that trespassing is not viewed kindly. Once the wolf started shouting, though, that became impossible. "If you see him within our borders again, I trust that you will let me or Nayeli know."
Solace indicates her acceptance the decision with a bob of her head. Regardless of the conversation she had with Hinto, she isn't going to disagree with Kein. "Of course, Chieftain." She makes a sidelong glance at Kasim -- it's the first time she has been nearby enough to study him, and she's limited to enigmatic tidbits overheard from other conversations. Kein's father? She's not actually sure. All this passes in a moment, and in the next she's looking back at Kein himself. "Is there anything else that I can do? I was planning on catching something to eat before heading back, if not."
From what he had heard of the 'conversation' with the wolf, Kasim could only guess that the wolf started yelling because he was scared out of his mind. He probably knew he wasn't a match for two cougars and most likely got scared and started acting differently. Fear has a very odd effect on the mind. Oh well, what happened happened. Giving a mental shrug, Kasim stays quiet for now, since it's obvious he's not really a part of this conversation.
Kein shakes his head in response to Solace's question. "No, you've done enough. Thank you, Solace, and I wish you luck on your hunt." Kein remains standing still, rather than moving off, in case Solace changes her mind and wants to bring something up, or whatever else may happen. Once she leaves, he'll continue on his journey morthward with Kasim, but for now...
Solace has nothing else of concern. She dips her head respectfully to Kein and offers Kasim a polite nod -- "good evening, then." --, then starts to make her way back towards the well, angling off when she finally detects the scent of something small and delicious.
Kasim returns the nod with is own and offers her another smile before he watches her take her leave before returning his attention back to Kein. "It's almost funny," he says suddenly to Kein. "You sounded so Chieftan-like just now. So professional." It certainly is a change from the cub who he remembers would always be out exploring whenever he could and always looking for a fun time. He really has grown up.
There is only one thing Kein could think of to ask in response to what Kasim says, and he certainly doesn't ask it, because he's afraid of what the answer might be. He begins walking again and, after a second, says, "I'm doing my best. Nayeli and I both are." He likes to think that he has been doing well, but it is entirely possible that it is just way too early to tell.
"I know you are, and I'm very proud of you Kein," Kasim tells his 'son', leaning over to give him a small nuzzle. "Being Chieftan aside, there's nothing better than going through life with the one who you love with all your heart, and I'm proud of you for finding that special someone... and I know your mother would be proud too." Just something he had to add in, thoug he's sure Kein already knows it. "I know you will make a great Chieftan, Kein."
Kein still doesn't return any nuzzling from Kasim. He is just not as casually intimate as the other male. He does smile, though. "I'm glad you're staying, Dad." His formal requests are over, apparently. "I know... I know that it's hard, with all of the memories, but... We'll make new ones. Happy ones." He suspects it will be a lot longer before he can remember his mother and not be upset. He can only hope that time will come eventually.
Another wide smile comes across the cougar's muzzle at the title given to him yet again. This time, however, he doesn't say anything about it, simply content to let it be said. "The painful memories can always be there, especially when you loose a loved one." It sounds as if Kasim is talking out of experience more than anything. "But life goes on, and the best thing you can do is make happier memories with the loved ones you still have. You are a very lucky cougar to have someone like Nayeli by your side, Kein. Enjoy every day you can with her... as if it was your last day together."
What would he do if something happened to Nayeli? It seems like a very long time, but it has been less than a couple months that they've been back together. They should be allowed to have a great, long life ahead of them yet. They have to. And, for that reason... He turns most of his attention back to his surroundings. "When Nayeli and I left... We met Azriel." So Azriel knows he has a son, and knows where that son is... But at least Kein and Nayeli will be able to identify Azriel easily. "I hated him for the way he looked at her. I want him gone. Forever."
Kasim perks his ears up in surprise when Kein tells him this. Normally he would be rather worried about Kein, but since nothing seems to be wrong with him or Nayeli, the worrying is pushed to the side for now. "He... he looked at her?" he repeats again, his eyes contorting with anger knowing perfectly well what Azriel could very well have done if he so desired. "It's good that you want to protect those close to you Kein, yet you cant just /wish/ him gone. You have to be strong, and always make sure that those who you care for are protected." Do what he failed to do...