[PRP] Pains of War (Coeur and Kureiji)

[Mogami]

Kureiji of House Azrael left the den with soft steps, doing his best to be as silent as possible. He couldn’t sleep and he felt confined in the small den with the peaceful shapes of his family members where even a tiny yawn sounded ridiculously loud. He didn’t stray from the den. In fact, the young lion rarely left the den on his own these days and much less walked too far from its entrance. He was cautious – far more cautious than a lion his age should be – but unfortunately he’d gotten the answer to the question he’d once asked himself as a cub: what was war?

He knew now even though the words often failed him if he tried to explain it. He knew of War, what it felt like and what it did to families. And he wished he didn’t but it seemed this was a kind of knowledge one couldn’t forget even if he tried. Eiji sat down and looked up at the stars and a shiver ran down his spine when a cold breeze hit him from behind and ruffled his growing mane.  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

Coeur had awoken in the middle of the night, alone in her den. She hadn't had a bad dream or anything, but for some reason she was awoken. Quickly she got up from her resting spot and walked out of her den, taking in a deep breath of the night air. The stars twinkled above her in the night sky and she smiled a bit. Even though they were in the middle of a war she felt that in that very moment the pride was peaceful. Maybe that was because most everyone within it was asleep. Or should be anyways. With a smile written on her maw the newly adult lioness made her way from her den and down a path through the pride, not really caring or knowing where she was heading.

After a while of walking she found herself in the L1 colony. She was a long ways from the mainland and most certainly felt like she did not at all belong there. Then again, she really didn't. She was a duchess and most of those that lived here were not. Not that she thought herself better then them or anything like that, just she didn't have anything in common.

After a little while longer of walking Coeur found herself looking at a white and brown cub who seemed to be looking up at the stars. She instantly knew that he should be tucked safely in his den lest someone try to steal him too. Unless they already had. And then it hit her. She knew who this cub's mother was! Coeur drew on her memory of her memory with Yofiel as she looked at the cubs pelt. He didn't match the description of her missing cubs. Well, not entirely. She smiled and walked over to the cubs side. If he was going to be out then he needed someone to watch over him. Coeur certainly wasn't going to let another cub of Yofiel's get taken away while she had the chance to stop it. "You're a cub of Yofiel's aren't you?" She asked, even though she knew the answer. There was a warm and kind smile written on her maw that hopefully gave the young juve reason to believe that she really didn't mean him any harm.  

[Mogami]

Eiji jumped a little when he heard the lioness’ steps and his head turned to face Coeur with obvious wariness in his dark eyes. That didn’t really mean he found the blue lioness particularly suspicious, not really. The young lion had simply lost trust in most adults and anyone outside his family was part of a different world where doubt and disappointment prevailed and betrayal was possible at every turn. At this point, Eiji trusted no one but his blood.

He’d seen this lioness before and even though he didn’t remember actually speaking to her, the fact that she knew his mother’s name did put him a little at ease – until he remembered that whoever had taken his siblings probably knew their mother’s name by now, as well. He nodded his answer to Coeur’s question before looking over his shoulder in the direction of the den.

“Mom is sleeping.” He said in a whisper, eyes looking filled with suspicion. “We have to be very quiet or she’ll wake up.” Somehow, in his mind, this translated into a clear threat: Do something dodgy, and I’ll squeal until I wake up the whole neighborhood.  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

Her pink eyes shifted to their den before she nodded. "I suppose you don't want her to know you're out here." She said with a gentle laugh as she sat down. "You should be more careful though, Yofiel would be devastated if she lost anymore cubs." Coeur frowned at this thought. Hopefully she wouldn't have to loose anymore cubs. And maybe, if luck came to their side, Yofiel could even get her cubs back. Coeur smiled. "Until you are ready to go to sleep I'll stay here and make sure no one sneaks up and tries to carry you away." The lioness playfully winked at the cub. Yep, he was now stuck with her until then, no matter how hard he tried to shake her loose.

"My name is Coeur and I have no intention of stealing you away from your parents." She laughed and gently ruffled the tuft of hair on his head with her right paw. "Although you are rather adorable." The lioness smiled before tilting her head up to the stars as she once more wondered what the cub saw up there that had captivated him so. Maybe it was better to ask. "You were looking up at the stars. Did you see something?" She asked, directing her attention back to the cub.  

[Mogami]

Coeur’s knowledge of his mother did put the cub a little at ease and his eyes softened a little when he looked up at the lioness.

“I wouldn’t let them.” He said very seriously when the blue lioness spoke of being taken away by a stranger. His siblings might’ve been taken by surprise when they were smaller but now Eiji was fully prepared for the possibility and he knew that he would bite, scratch and kick anyone who tried and make such a racket that all the lions in the area would come running. “I’m Kureiji.”

He made a deliberate pause, making it clear that he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue the conversation but eventually he gave in to the adult’s smile. Mom probably wouldn’t want him to be rude to her, that was his excuse to his cautious side.

“The sky is pretty at night. I was wondering how far away the stars were.” But that wasn’t all, was it? No, his thoughts were far more personal and the cub wasn’t sure he wanted to share them with anyone. And yet, this was something that he couldn’t talk to his mother and sister about – it would make them sad, he believed and he didn’t want that – so perhaps breaching the subject with a near stranger would be better. And in any case, Coeur had already mentioned his siblings. “I was wondering Vassago could be watching the sky, too. Wherever he is. And if he’ll bring Haziel and Emiko back soon.”  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

"It's very nice to meet you Kureiji." Coeur replied, a light laughter escaping out at his 'I would let them' response. "You seem to be rather feisty." She said before noticing his hesitation. It finally dawned on her that this cub probably didn't know she wasn't out to get him. Maybe he would get the hint that she really wasn't a danger to him at all. Coeur knew that simply telling him wouldn't prove anything to the young cub. "I've heard that the stars are beyond even the clouds." Coeur noted as she glanced at them for a moment. Her eyes softened at the mention of his siblings and his wonderment about if they were looking up at the sky right then as well. "I'm sure he is." She paused. "They will find their way back home when it's time." Coeur said, trying to reassure the cub despite the reality that they might not even be alive right now. However, she believed deep down that they were and that they would be found.

Coeur scooted just a bit closer to the cub and wrapped her paw around him, pulling him in tightly against her and rubbing nose against the top of his head and purring lightly. "I'm sorry your siblings have went missing for the time being. But try to remember, they will be found and one day soon you'll all be together again." Coeur smiled once more as she looked down into the black eyes of the cub. "Tonight why don't you let out all your sadness? All the tears you haven't shed in front of everyone. You'll feel a lot better." She rubbed her nose on his head once more, once again trying to reassure the cub that everything would be okay in the end. Coeur would have told him more that it would be okay but she felt like words were not enough. "I promise Kureiji that I will help find them."  

[Mogami]

Kureiji eyed the lioness in silence wondering if she’d meant what she’d called him as a compliment or if she even truly believed it herself. In all honesty, for all his bravado the young lion wasn’t completely sure he could actually repel a cubnapping attempt on his own no matter how much he liked to think it possible.

“When will be… time for them to come back?” Eiji asked quietly, knowing the lioness probably couldn’t answer the question. The thing was… even though he knew than Coeur was simply trying to comfort him and that she didn’t have any real knowledge regarding his siblings – nothing but hope – he still couldn’t help but to feel something stir within a deep part of himself that he’d closed off in dark and tight corner of his mind. When the adult spoke of shedding tears he almost replied that he didn’t cry and that he had to remain strong for the sake of his remaining family. He was strong and reliable. He was tough!
And then he felt the little nuzzle and somehow something inside him broke. He looked up with his dark eyes shining brightly in the moonlight as the blue lioness made him a promise and a sad little pout started to form. Eiji let go altogether and unable to hold the tension in any longer he buried his face in her chest while sobbing quietly.

“You can’t tell mom about this. It would make her sad.” He said in a firm whisper without looking up when he managed to get some control over himself. He did not know why the lioness’ kind words had affected him so much but he felt like hiding in a dark hole somewhere and not move for a while.