The Affectionate Side Of 'Evil'

[Mythri]

// Cast
Naira, female juvenile cougar
Revan, male adult cougar

// Theater
Wooded Terrain

// Scene
With her mother and siblings either asleep or elsewhere Naira is wandering along on her own sniffing here and there as she checks the place out. She pauses and crouches as she eyes a mouse some distance ahead that is eatting some seed and unknowingly sitting with his back towards the predator.

He's not deliberately disregarding Aylin's warnings. In fact, Revan is taking care not to approach the location where he last saw her. Best to avoid intentionally arousing her anger. This does not mean, however, that he is going far out of his way to avoid the entire area. Quite the contrary; Revan is still checking out the area over the course of several days before heading back to Whiskers and the cubs. The /other/ cubs. Seeing the young cougars here was definitely a surprise, but a welcome one, and Revan wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest if he happened to do so again. And, in fact, that may just happen; the faint scent of a young feline tickles his nose, and almost without thinking, his course is adjusted to head in that direction.

Naira crouches down, tail wiggling about in the air as she watches the mouse a few moments longer while she slowly creeps forward. Her tail twitches once more before she darts forepaw, forepaws going to slam down against the mouse. A screech escapes the mouse while he wiggles about trying to get away while the growing feline puts all her weight on the mouse which kills it without a problem. She has no idea that her feather is lurking about somewhere near by.

Isn't this interesting: one of Aylin's daughters, trying to hunt something. Revan isn't quite close enough to make out the particular prey, but the young girl's actions are easily enough interpreted. Someone unskilled in the art of hunting... but given the girl's age, she can't really be faulted for that. She /can/, however, be trained. With a silent rush forward, he positions himself... so that as the huntress pounces the prey, the older hunter pounces the huntress-turned-prey. Only Revan is not at all intending to kill his particular prey, but rather teach her. His paws are gentle and velveted even as they firmly hold the girl pinned to the ground. For effect, Revan lets out a low growl, but far from the menacing snarl he could do were he intending to scare the girl out of her mind.

Naira is about to grab hold of the mouse when the movement is heard and she blinks as she lifts her head staring wide eyed at her father as he leaps towards her. A yelp escapes her as she finds herself suddenly pinned to the ground. She doesn't go still though, instead she struggles about and growls out trying to get away. "Let me go!!"

"No. Not until you calm down." Revan is less concerned with the fact that the girl is scaring away any prey creature in the immediate vicinity than he is that she'll alert Aylin to his presence. Well, so be it if that does happen. He's dealt with her before, and he can do it again. "Stop struggling, girl." His paws remain immovable, keeping Naira from getting free. It's not too terribly difficult; were she a bit older she might have more luck, but Revan's strength is best matched against large prey animals. A mere young cougaress really has no chance whatsoever.

Naira struggles and kicks, nips sent towards the paws until she does stop struggling about. She lays there staring up at her father, ears pinned backwards and a faint growl escaping her. "Wat you want?" Is questioned with an unsure tone..

"There are several things that I want. The first, you've already given. Your attention." Revan slightly relaxes his paws, allowing Naira the chance to get free if she desires. He, however, lets himself lower slowly to the ground into a comfortable prone position, head next to where he had her pinned. "The next thing that I want is your name. You already know that I am Revan, your father, but I don't even know my own daughter's name yet." Is that possibly a hint of regret in his voice? Perhaps.

Naira ears perk as she watches him while she slowly shifts up to her paws but doesn't move to far away. She settles to her haunches, tail swaying a few times while she takes in a breath and just nods. "I'm Naira.." Is offered after a moment. Her head tilts while her bright gaze settles upon him watching him curiously. "Why does mom hate you?.." Right into the questions an't she?

Naira, hmm? That's not necessarily a name that inspires fear into those who hear it, but maybe it's just because the face the name belongs to is such a tiny and inquisitive one. Yet still, was Revan so different when he was her age, years ago? "That's not an easy question to answer, Naira. I don't think she really /hates/ me.. but rather just doesn't understand me. Or maybe it's that she doesn't understand herself." The big male sighs, shrugging a little. "It's complicated." But this isn't why he initiated this encounter in the first place. "But regardless of whatever you hear from her, I want you to understand that I do not, and will not hate you, nor will I ever hurt you. You are my daughter, and that means a lot to me." With a smile, Revan leans his head forward to give the girl an affectionate nuzzle.

Naira ears lower slightly while she listions and watches her father, blue gaze unblinking for a few moments while she takes in a breath. "Mom told us all males are evil and we shoudln't trust 'em.." She points out with a confused tone, her tail sways a few times while she smiles at up at him upon hearing what he said and beams happly. Her forepaws lifting to try and hug onto her father's maw while a soft purr escapes her. Taw.. How cute. "I didn't think you would! I didn't want to believe that from ma.."

Revan should have figured as much, and is silent for the better part of a full minute while he tries to think of how to best respond to that. It's a chance to enjoy the physical affection, besides. Finally, he pulls his head back to look at his daughter. "Your mother feels that way about males because she doesn't understand them, and.. what you don't understand, you're afraid of." He puts a comforting paw around Naira, intending to draw her closer. "For example, before you understood why I was playfully pouncing you, you were afraid of me. But now that you understand why I'm here, that fear is gone." Well, he's making an assumption, but /hopefully/ she's not afraid of him anymore.

Naira drops back to her haunches and watches her father curiously, her ears perking forward and her tail slowly twitching at her side while she nods a moment. "Right.. I mean.." There is a pause while she eyes the male who is her father. "You sure you wouldn't harm me?" This questioend with a soft unsure tone while she takes in a slight breath. If her mom found her here there will be hell to pay that's for sure.

Revan mmms softly, nodding an affirmative. "Whether you've heard it from Aylin yet or not, I'll go ahead and tell you. I am very good at killing, and many would consider me to be one of the most dangerous creatures alive. My brother and I both." However, any foreboding or intimidation is lacking in his voice as he continues: "But, you are my /daughter/. It is my duty, now, to protect you, and train you, and watch out for you. Even though you live with your mother, and even though you may hardly ever see me, I /will/ be there." It's a rather long and emotional speech for the normally cold feline, though there is no mistaking the heartfelt intensity behind his words. Naira might not be one of Whiskers' cubs. But she is every bit /his/ daughter.

Naira ears lower and her eyes widen while she watches Revan, she gulps a tad at the talk of 'killing' is brought up. Though she has to wonder who or what he kils, does he kill for food like mom or other reason? Her ears lift and she soon ohs. "What sorta training stuffs?" Is questioned with a curious tone.

Revan can't help but chuff softly in amusement. He remembers being young and eager to learn when he was a lot younger. "There are many things I can teach you, and I hope that I will have many opportunities to do so. For example, how to hunt without giving away your position." His tail suddenly twitches up into the air, mimicking what Naira's did when she was stalking the mouse. "You must learn to control every part of your body while you hunt, so that nothing gives away your position." Easier said than done, but he's just providing an example.

Naira lifts her gaze towards the movement of his tail, her ears perking forward and she oohs faintly a few moments. "I almost got it.." She offers while a faint snuffle escapes her and her forepaw paw at the ground. "Mom is teaching me and Neena to hunt too.. But.. I know your teach me good stuff too right?"

"Almost got it?" Revan repeats, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Unless I saw wrong, you /did/ get it. Your hunt was successful." His eyes narrow ever-so-slightly. "However, mistakes must be fixed, otherwise there's a good chance that your hunt next time will not be so successful... and then you'll have to go hungry." His expression and tone soften, and he gives her another nuzzle. "Never be satisfied with the way things are. Always try your hardest to get better, even when you think you're doing just fine. That's the best thing I can teach you right now, Naira, and it's also one of the most important things you'll ever learn." Never, /ever/ be content with the status quo. Improvement demands dissatisfaction.

Naira grins a bit, well that is true, she did get it, but then he caught her and she sorta forgot about it to say the least. "I will fix it.. Promise." She says while lifting her head, tail slowly swaying and curls to her side. "I will try my hardest, I promise!" She states happly while her chest puffs up slightly and she grins a moment.

Revan smiles in return, touching noses with her. "That's my girl," is his warm response. Of the things he wants from his daughter, he's making good progress. Her attention, her confidence, her interest, her trust... He's not fool enough to believe that Aylin will do her utmost to counter anything and everything that's occurred here, and he deeply regrets the conflict and torment it will no doubt cause Naira, but he's entirely confident that it's for the best. Life is not easy, and most definitely not forgiving, and as long as Naira is learning about conflict and the grey areas of life while both sides involved love her, she's safe. Best to learn now, rather than later on when it could very well harm her or even lead to her death.

[braxton]

Oh wow. I new that Revan was a daddy. I didn't realize that he never knew his cubs, though. I seem to recall that Malak didn't quite approve of what Revan had with Aylin. But it's interesting to see a father bond with his cub nonetheless. I always thought that Revan was the more caring type of the brothers.

But what is this? A thought occurring to me? Let it not be so!

But it is so!

Naira, Naira, Naira. Is it possible you could be caught up in some nasty business later? The thought I had was such that it cold be unpleasant for a lot of cougars.

Consider this:

Kein, while still sane, is being a tad off his game recently, what with being supremely agitated and a bit emotionally distant to others because of what happened to Nayeli and Sketch. He's already made his eldest daughter angry with him and there seems to be some implications in his poses that he's too exhausted to emotionally care what happened there. He scared the snot out of poor Ashen, and there's what happened to Cael.

So what does this have to do with Naira? Think about the cougar cub Ashen really likes right now. Kaya has her Scuddle, it seems Ashen has his Naira. Since Naira is the daughter of one of the cougar's Kein really loathes right now, it could result in some... VERY unfortunate... events.

Consider this: Jinx has ICly been feeling less and less comfortable in the Amaranth. Kein scaring the living daylights out of Ashen seems to have given her a push closer to leaving with her cubs. What might just prove to be a truly violent act against Ashen, say, if it's ever learned by Kein that Ashen is affiliating with a cub who has blood ties to the brothers, would likely result in Jix deciding, for the good of her cubs, to get the heck out of there.

And finally, this makes me think about a bit of a reversal here. What could happen would be like Maulisho's flight from Amaranth after Chesmu almost raped her. Except in this case it is Kein, a cougar who was Maulisho's cub at the time of her flight, who sparks this departure. Even more similar is that a cub who is liked by the Chieftain's daughter is, again, going to be taken away from her.

I am not going to suggest Kein is a second Chesmu. I doubt Kein would do that much damage, but it is interesting to see what could be brewing into a one-familiar situation that happened a generation before!

Now, as for Revan, I still think it might be interesting that just ONCE Cheveyo meets him. Not to try to recruit him or anything, but in wake of news of some terrible (To him: Delightful.) news of things happening at Amaranth. And of course to posit the question:

"Why didn't you kill Nayeli?"

That's an important question for a cougar who blames almost the entire power structure of Amaranth (Kein and his family.) for a lot of the problems in his life, most prominent of which is Chesmu's death.

Kaya herself is a bit angry at Kein. she's staying with Jinx and her cubs for the time being just because she does not want to talk to Kein. If Jinx were to depart NOW it could mean that Kaya might have to face her father again. She'll likely stand stubbornly before her father and stick with the changes she is committed to making for herself: A less selfish Kaya who wants to be Matron after all for the good of the tribe.

Though not central to this story arc, I really believe Kaya's actions with her father are still going to be quite important to the outcome.