/magnadearel"
The last few hours had been nerve wrecking for the sturdy male. His emotions had been up and down more than the sun it seemed. While he was thrilled, Bousvor was glad it was over. He had had no idea that it was coming and didn't expect it. The brawny male dragged himself back to his den and threw himself down in front of his den.
He still needed time to let what happened soak in. Bousvor rested his head on his paws and stared out over the pride from his view from his den. It was an honor and privilege that the Warlord had noticed his hard work. He could forgive the Warlord putting him through the ringer. He was going to have more responsibilities but at the same time more rewards. It was now possible for him to form a band of his own with reavers that followed him.
Kisukari carried a hare carcass across her back - a pitiful attempt at hunting but she was still learning. She hadn't really had to hunt for herself, let alone anyone else, before coming to the pride, so it was only fair that she was bad at it. Or at least that was the excuse she had ready for Bousvor if he tried to sass her about her tiny kill.
She stalked up to the den, ready to defend her tiny snack, but noticed a rather thoughtful looking male staring out. She peered at him as she approached, but shrugged it off. Men were weird. She didn't understand men, and she sure as heck didn't understand Reavers. They were an all new brand of weird.
She tossed the hare down in front of him and began defending herself before he had even had the chance to open his mouth. "I know its a small meal, but you would not believe the antelope that just slipped out of my grasp early! It would have fed us for weeks!" She began her semi-prepared mini rant.
So lost in thought that a dead hare hitting the ground in front of him startled him back into the present. He blinked up blankly at the lioness standing in front of him for a moment before recalling he'd sent her out hunting earlier that morning. "Oh Kisukari. It's you." She'd left before he'd called up before the Warlord, so she'd no idea what had happened. He blinked at her a moment more.
A paw slowly reached out and pawed at the unlucky hare. Bousvor poked it a few times then left it. His eyes glanced at her as she spoke. He shifted and tilted his head. "Why didn't you bring the antelope?" He teased her, "are you dieting?" The male shook his mane and stretched slightly. "The Warlord called me to see him this afternoon." He let his voice drop dramatically.
Kisukari watched him poke the hare with an annoyed expression. What, was he checking that she actually killed it? She was a poor hunter, but she wasn't that bad at it! She huffed. His comments made her bristle, as she was sure he knew they would.
"Dieting?" She snapped, glancing down at her figure. She was quite petite though to her horror she was getting some muscles, and her fur, once pristine and well managed, was a little ragged. "There is no need to diet, I am already fabulous!" Kisukari was certainly not short of confidence.
His comment of the warlord stopped her confidence and her posture grew cautious. "He did?" She cautiously asked. She knew she had stepped out of her place with the other thralls. It couldn't be about her could it? "So what did you do?" She demanded. He must have done something. "You know what I've always told you, if you have nothing nice to say, keep your mouth shut." She said nothing of the sort, of course, but Kisukari wasn't going to let her nervousness show. Mocking him was easier.
Her cheek made him chuckle softly and sit up a little straighter. He had to admit the spunky thrall had possibly pulled him out of his shell. Bousvor could remember a time when he barely spoke more than a few words to anyone. Now he was having complete conversations. Over all he was happy to call Kisu his thrall, even if she hated being one. "Even so. Fabulous needs to eat. We'll go out hunting together later."
Bousvor made a snort in the back of this throat. "I went to see him of course." A reaver not obeying a summons would be in deep doodoo. He brooded a moment as he thought back on the interview, and his ears flattened back as the rollercoaster of emotions popped to the front of his mind again. Obviously the Warlord had enjoyed having him on the ropes, but he wasn't going to complain about the results.
"I was respectful, which is more than I could vouch for from you. The cheek you give your reaver is some concern," he case a sideways look at her with his head slightly lowered. "I was punished." He left the short phrase hanging. Trying to draw it out just a little bit longer before surprising her. Oh he'd probably get the sharp end of her tongue for it, but it'd be worth it to get a little worry or sympathy out of her.
Kisukari rolled her eyes. “Fine, lets see if you can do better,” she grumbled at him. She was pretty sure he could catch something bigger, but hey, she was trying. Maybe she should just bring back hares every day, and then he will have to do all the real work. Hmmm, well that was an idea, but Kisukari’s pride would never allow that. She might not be very much like a princess right now but she wasn’t a failure. She’d get a gazelle tomorrow.
She watched him with curious eyes, her stomach dropping a little as his ears fell back. Oh god, what had happened? Was she going to be killed? Was he going to be punished for her behaviour? She didn’t really want him hurt, which was odd but he had been reasonably kind to her. Minus the whole punishment thing.
“Yes, ’My’ Reaver,” she emphasized. “I can do what I want.” That wasn’t true at all, but his confession of punishment absolutely sunk her stomach. Her eyes went huge. “Punished?” She repeated, her tone obviously concerned now. “What happened?” Her eyes scanned his figure, looking for bruises or cuts or something that would give away what had happened but he seemed perfectly fit. Oh no, what had he done?
"I kept myself fed before you came along." He was more amused than angry. The male knew how much hunting could depend upon luck and the flow of the prey. A bachelor had few options and Bousvor wasn't a lion to let just anyone take care of him.
He let out a little snort. Her reaver only because she came running back to him. Not that he would blame her especially after her hopes were rather dashed with the others.
"Oh I know you can," he commented with a long suffering sigh to tease her. Bousvor rested his head down on the ground and placed a paw over his eyes.
"It was horrible. I can barely describe it." He peeked out between his toes at her.
Kisukari rolled her eyes at him, but she hesitated at his dramatics. She was very unused to Bousvor showing that level of emotion, especially negative emotions. She was slightly suspicious that he was teasing her, but when he placed his paw over his eyes, she actually grew worried.
She hesitated, stepping closer to him cautiously. She didn’t see him peeking out at her. She tentatively put a paw on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice quiet. “If it…was because of me.” God that was painful to admit. She was not one for apologies or being weak or anything like that. She could lie happily but telling the truth was a pain.
Bousvor lowered his paw and let out another dramatic sigh with his ribs heaving. Oh he knew he was going to pay for this in a moment, but yet he still couldn't stop himself. "I..... I'm not sure if you were the cause." He looked up as he felt the paw on his shoulder.
"Thank you. I'm sure I'll be able to get my pride and dignity back some day." He tried to act as if she'd perked him up a bit. Bousvor wondered when she might ask what his punishmemt was, or if she even would. He'd have to spill the beans if she did.
She didn’t really want to know what the punishment was. Actually, she did, she was super curious but at the same time, the fact that she could see no new cuts or bruises on him made her nervous. What was the punishment if it wasn’t one that she could actually see? It had to be really bad. Did they take away his Reaver status? Oh that would be horrible.
“W…what happened?” She asked, cautiously. She almost didn’t want him to repeat it. He may have said that it wasn’t because of her, but she was doubtful. It had happened right after she had spoken back and caused him hassle. What else could it be?
He glanced away when she asked as if he was nervous. Bousvor swallowed a few times, then coughed. "Well at first the Warlord spoke about honor and duty. Then some other stuff that I don't really think was important I think..." He scratched his ear as he pretended to think.
"But then he talked about taking my thrall away. I think I managed to talk him out of it though. But um.... you.... er... well.... how do I say this?" He ducked his head and muttered, "he granted me the rank of Captain."
Kisukari nodded along sympathetically as began to explain it, her heart racing in her chest. Honour. Duty. Yes, all of that seemed pretty important in this pride. Her heart sunk at his comment at taking away his thrall. She was his only thrall. But he had convinced the Warlord out of it? How? Why? Kisukari was pretty sure Bousvor would be happy to get rid of her.
His last words sunk in finally though, and her jaw dropped. Her heart, once racing with fear, raced with something completely different. She let out a shriek and threw herself at him, her paws (once delicate and dainty, now roughened with use) whacking at him with as much strength as she could must. “YOU…YOU JERK! YOU ABSOLUTE SWINE!” She shrieked. “YOU MADE ME WORRY ABOUT YOU, YOU – YOU… UGH! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU!”
It was priceless. The look on her face at the moment of realization. Bousvor bust out laughing helplessly and rolled over onto his back as his thrall "attacked" him. "Awwww I'm touched you were worried about me," he got out between laughing and the thumps to his belly and ribs. "But you know now at least I'm a captain. You should be proud."
He waved off the other reavers nearby that were looking at them oddly. Hopefully none of them would take into their heads to interfer, thinking she was really attacking him.
Kisukari let out a very unlady-like growl of annoyance as she continued to pepper him with attacks. He was too damn muscley, she decided, as she realised she was probably hurting her paws more than she was hurting him. She slowed her attack and panted, glaring at him. “Don’t get used to it!” She retorted angrily. “That’s the last time I’m going to be concerned for you, YOU JERK.” She rose to her paws, huffing. “Oh, I’m sorry, CAPTAIN JERK!” She scowled. That was probably as close to a congratulations about his promotion as he was going to get at that moment. At least she acknowledge it.
“UGH,” she groaned. “I can’t BELIEVE YOU. I can’t even look at you right now.” She growled, stomping away. She shot a death glare at the other reavers nearby, daring them to say a word as she stormed past