[JRP] Death to Monkeys! (Pirato Alta x Dru'etrosa)

[Dame NightFury]

Dru followed the shore line thinking without really watching where she was going. She was old enough to travel on her own farther than she ever had, and Dru was feeling ... almost lost. Not directional but . . . Dru hadn't really ever been this far from her family, her siblings and aunt and especially her mother. It was odd to feel so alone and yet so free at the same time. And alone wasn't nearly as scary as Dru had thought it would be. Instead she spend most of her time hunting for herself, finding treasures and shinies, killing monkeys whenever she got the chance and looking after cubs or juvies when their parents weren't around. Mostly from a far, but still she'd chased off a few bigger badder predators than the cubs. Dru had felt good about chasing them away. It felt right. Apparently she was more like her mother than even she had thought.

Focused on her thoughts and memories, Dru almost didn't see it. The furry, little, stupid, thief. Dragging a rather large jewel out of a crevice. An obviously hidden crevice.

Dru stopped, the waves splashing against her paws as she stared and studied the monkey. Her tail lashed and she had to bite her tongue to keep from roaring out at the thief. Making a split second decision, that wasn't even really a decision for her.

Dru moved around to sneak up on the monkey from behind.  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

He was happy no one had seen him sneaking into the treasure cove. It wouldn't have looked good, though he did nothing that would warrant any rumors that might have occured. He simply liked to sprawl out in the gold, letting his toes curl over the coins, and his head snuggle into the furs. It was definitely a good life, living the way they did. The cove was secluded, the darkness keeping most out, and the smell of the waves pierced the nostrils. He could hear the rush of hte waves as well, and it made it all the better.

Lying there for probably what was most of the day, he eventually decided enough was enough. He rolled onto his side, yawning and pushing himself up onto his paws in one fluid motion. For a normally drunk lion, he had a good deal of grace when he needed it. Though admittedly, he wasn't drunk right now. He had been far too preoccupied. As unlikely as that was.

He stepped out from the "mouth" of the cave, his eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness that almost blinded him. He stretched once the sunlight warmed his pelt, and his tail lashed back and forth. He hadn't been expecting company, but the sight of the leopon certainly wasn't really a bad thing. He waited to see what she was doing though, as she was posed to attack, and he didn't want to be on the recieving end.  

[Dame NightFury]

It didn't even realize it was being watched by a predator. And one not inclined to like it at all. Dru really did have a vendetta against monkeys. And this one chose the wrong time and place to start its thieving.

Dru waited a second longer and then pounced the monkey, crushing its skull in her jaws before it could scream. It's carcass hung limply. The stone it had been dragging was a lite orange almost clear gem. It was beautiful. She dropped the dead thing and looked down at the gem. She had a problem. Finders keepers, but then she knew that the monkey had taken it from someone near here, so was it really Finders Keepers?

Dru sighed, pushed the monkey to the side and sat down in front of the stone and sighed. "What am I going to do about you? How am I supposed to find your owner? Should I find your own? You are very pretty."  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

He arched his eyebrow as he watched her in one fluid motion dispatch the monkey and drop its dead carcass to the sand. He smiled a bit, wondering what the monkey had done to cause such rage in the female. Though he really didn't think it took much to hate a monkey. He personally didn't like monkeys. Or snakes, but snakes were a completely different story. The male pushed himself out of the entrance of the cove and cleared his throat. Normally one for stealth, today just didn't feel the day to be silent and observant.

"Might I be askin', just why ye be talkin' to a gem?" He asked, arching his eyebrow again and staring at her with a crimson gaze. He was aware there were a few oddballs to the pride. One even claimed to talk to rocks. Surely this female didn't share the same odd.. habits that Fraust did.

He looked at the dead monkey when he stepped closer, and grabbed it in his jaws before flinging it over his back.
"I be sure we can find something for this."  

[Dame NightFury]

Dru looked up at the male that made his way over to her and the dead monkey. When he spoke, she was reminded of the pirate she'd met a while back. Hopefully that was a sign that she'd finally found the pirate pride. Maybe she'd get some answers now. Or at least be able to look around and decide whether or not to stay. If she could make a home here for herself.

"Because a monkey, dead or alive, is even worse company than a stone. At least gems don't attempt thief on those that are bigger and better than they are. They sit pretty and shine."

She pawed at the stone, rolling it in the sand and tilted her head. "I'm assuming that I've reached the pirate pride. That means the monkey was probably trying to take this from the pirate horde." Dru picked up the gem and handed it to the male. She didn't know who he was, but if he was part of the pride, he would know where it was suppose to be.

If he didn't return it, it was no skin off her back. She didn't steal from the pride, so she could leave if it went noticeably missing.

"Could you tell me about the pride? I met a pride a while back, but he wasn't very informative at all. Said I had to come to see for myself."  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

He was sort of inclined to agree with her on the monkey thing. He took a breath, and nodded. He was listening to what she had to say, albeit not very closely..
He did like a good shiny.. It was always nice when you found something that caught your eye.

"Aye. You have hit the pirate pride." He eyed the jewel she showed him, and held out his paw to take it from her. He looked it over for a moment, as if trying to figure out if it was theirs. Though they were both clearly aware that it was.

"What is it ye want to be learning about the pirates?" He asked, raising an eyebrow but smiling just a bit. He wondered who it had been that had told her of the pride. He smiled a bit bigger when he thought of how great life was lately.
 

[Dame NightFury]

What did she want to learn about the pirates? Everything. Anything? Where would she fit in best? Would she fit in at all? Should she settle here? Dru blushed just a shade. She didn't know how to handle this situation. Not knowing, well anything really. That old pirate hadn't been very helpful at all. She didn't know anything. "I don't-I don't really know. What should a rogue know about any pride that's piqued their interest? What are the rules? Is there room to join? How to join and are there ranks? Stuff like that I guess ... ?"

In a softer voice, though still clearly speaking, Dru asked, "Are there a lot of cubs?" In her mind, cubs were the greatest treasures that needed to be protected, nurtured and her experiences with cubs only confirmed that. Their confidences were so fragile that an adult could so easily squish something that shouldn't be squished. You don't squish treasures.  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

He listened to her questions, and they did indeed make him smile. Most times, the answer to that question was what sorts of treasures one could get, and how much of a share of those treasures. However she was more interested in learning about life within the pride.

Her last question had him arch an eyebrow and he grinned. Lately the piratelings they had were getting older. His first litter already to adulthood. However he thought of his second litter, all adorable little juveniles that wanted mischief.

"Aye, there are quite a bit of cubs running about. Come the spring, I imagine more will find their places among the lands."
He said with a smile and a nod. He looked at the stone she had given him and handed it back to her with an extended paw.

"Here. Have your first trinket. There are more out there. I won't be missing one." He said.  

[Dame NightFury]

More cubs would be coming in the spring. That's good. Dru really did like cubs.

Frowing she accepted the shiny and looked at him. "I? Did that monkey steal it from your horde?" She had been pretty sure that it was from the Pirates' horde but then Monkeys were really really stupid. And it wouldn't be the first time they're tried to steal from an individual. Maybe this monkey was slightly smarter than it's brethren. Still too stupid to live, but ...

The gem was beautiful but it was hardly her first trinket as well. That confused her too. But she didn't want to make the male angry. Not when he'd been so helpful. Well, as helpful as she was expecting most male pirates were. But he was definitely better than that last one. Dru wondered it she'd bump into him. Then maybe she could get some more answers out of people. Or maybe she should just go find a female.

New plan: find a female.  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

"He stole it yes. However all good deeds deserve some sort of reward, aye?" He asked, arching an eyebrow and cocking his head. She seemed the type that would fit right in. He always liked having others join.. It gave him a sense of pride.

"Come. I will introduce you to the Corsairs. They will be answering any questions you have." He said, standing and heading back into the bulk of the land. Though he didn't turn around to see if she would follow.

Somehow, he knew she would.  

[Dame NightFury]

Dru didn't let the male get very far ahead of her. She tucked the little treasure into her small pouch and quickly caught up with him. She had too many questions and while she would prefer a female to answer, because she had a feeling that they would give her those answers without making her dizzy. But still.

"Who are you? The pride welcomer or something?" That was the biggest question on her mind. She didn't think a pride of pirate would have a pride welcomer. She didn't think any pride would have that, but really, he was being very helpful so Dru assumed since she knew nothing of prides in general, it wasn't too far fetched. Maybe. "And what are Corsairs?"  

[Buffy_the_Bloody]

When she asked who he was, he found himself chuckling. If he had been a mean king, he likely would have reemed her for not realizing who she was speaking to. Lucky for her, he was one of the nicer kings in the area. A bit of a charleton, but a good guy. Well.. to his own people.. If you were a Stormborn, the good guy thing was generally non-existent.

"I am the Pirate King, and a corsair be a lovely term of endearment, love." He grinned, and chuckled again. He looked back at her, and looked slightly impatient.

"Now are you goin' to be followin' me? Or do ye have more questions that need answerin'?"  

[Dame NightFury]

Dru suppressed the need to roll her eyes. Obviously she could follow, and ask questions and guard against sneaky nasty monkeys all at the same time, but seeing as the kind male was actually the King of the Pirates, and was evidently getting impatient with her, Dru decided it was smarter to just nod and follow more closely than she had before.

"Lead the way, sire. I look foward to meeting more people." Especially the ones that were more willing to answer her questions, since she had a lot of those. General questions about how prides were run as well as questions about the Pirates themselves.

Remembering her new bauble, Dru smiled. She was going to like it her.