[LOG] Not So Different (Kroff & Brynja)

[ChaosTheories]

This rp is between my Brynja and Buffy_the_Bloody's Kroff!

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Brynja huffed loudly as she cooled off from her workout. She may have been female, but she worked as hard as any of the young males that were around, and ignored their jeers. They probably expected her to grow up to be a useless little saltwife, keeping the den and having litters. But Brynja believed she was worth more than that. That she had something more to offer than her male cubs.

She climbed up the slope to watch some of the other young adolescents train. They weren't perfect, but they all appeared to be putting effort into their movements, and swinging their paws with confidence. Maybe they'd make good captains someday.

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Kroff had seen the female a few times. She had drawn his attention not because he wanted to insult her.. or humiliate her. No she was something a bit different. Wasn't often you saw a female out in the training camps. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember having seen one besides her. But he supposed that might have something to do with the now ex-warlord's dislike of female reavers.

He had done his work out earlier that morning, but he still parused the grounds. It gave him something to do, and he was able to watch what competition he would one day face. Not not normally one to go out of his way in conversation, he was inwardly debating the pros and cons of such.

"You come here often." He finally said. The statement not a question, but an observation he had made over time.

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Brynja raised her paw to tuck a strand of her hair back into place. Her workouts always seemed to loosen the braid, so she made a mental note to ask one of her sisters or a thrall to put it back into place.

She didn't react when Kroff approached. She wasn't a stranger to guys asking her why she was there, or if she needed help with something, or whatever other nonsense they could come up with. She sighed inwardly, preparing one of her usual, canned answers.

What she got wasn't what she was expecting, however. He pointed out the fact that she came there, and nothing more. She composed herself a little by sitting up straighter, and curling her tail neatly around her body.

"Yes," she said matter of factly, watching him with curiousity. What would he say next? Sometimes she wished she could See such things.

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"It's inspiring." He offered. Though his eyes were trained on the males that were still working on their skills.
"Be nice to see a few more ladies out here." He said, and his mind went to Ansa. He had hoped she would be more than a wife, but she seemed to enjoy the idea of marrying.

"My name is Kroff." Why was he so chatty? He was normally shy and this was a bit out of character for the guy. Then his eyes met hers, and it was clear he was waiting for her to tell him her name as well.

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Inspiring? The word warmed her heart. It wasn't every day that she met someone who thought that way, and they were certainly not often male. She nodded, turning to look at the trainees for a few moments.

"They are afraid," she said, nodding more to herself than to Kroff. "They will be judged, pushed around, shut out. By the old ones and the arrogant."

She turned back to him, with a flash of a smile. "My name is Brynja. It's a good day to die, Kroff."

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"Being fearful leaves room for error." He nodded. He was a very logical guy, not leaving much up for debate when it came to his thoughts. But if there was one thing someone couldnt say to him, was that he didn't work hard for what he wanted.

"If they fear their place in the Stormborn then maybe it's because they know they are weak." He wasn't being mean, merely matter of fact. Though sometimes he didn't make the best of friends. But he had aspirations to be a captain, and no fear would stop him from that. He'd die first.

"It's a good day to die, indeed, Brynja." He smiled himself, with a nod of his head. Why was he in such a good mood today? Perhaps because this was refreshing..

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Brynja's fur prickled a little at that. "It's not that simple. Girl cubs are taught that they are weak and that their place is firmly in the paws of the reavers. How can they believe something, if they are taught the opposite!"

Realizing that she was beginning to raise her voice, she calmed down. She took in steady breaths before continuing. "Of course, I do not mean to say that every female - or every male for that matter - desires to be in a position of power or strength. The pride does need those who can tend to other matters." She paused, then smiled at herself. "Warriors don't make very effective basket-weavers, after all."

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He smiled a little and nodded. "I didn't mean to insinuate this was easy. But nothing worth doing is easy." He looked at her and noted how pretty her markings were. He caught himself staring and cleared his throat before looking away.
"No daughter of mine will be taught to be weak. If she wants to be a wife.. I won't complain. Her life after all." He looked back at Brynja. "But if she wanted to be a warrior? I think I'd feel as if I did a good job."

"Your parents did a good job." Though he had no idea who they were. They could be terrible but she had turned out alright.

 

[ChaosTheories]

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It was pleasant that Kroff didn't immediately raise his voice or get defensive. Brynja was passionate to the point of being unreasonable, sometimes, so his calm explanation helped cool her down.

"No, nothing worth doing is," she said, thinking about it. He was right; sometimes even tasks that didn't really appeal to her would take effort. She just didn't think about them that way. She was smiling at him again, this time admiring the way he thought. He wasn't destined to be a rock-headed brute like some of the trainees below them.

"The freedom of choice means a lot... you would have some very proud daughters." For some reason she had to look away, feeling awkward for reasons she couldn't explain. So she focused on her parents.

"My father has a ton of other kids and my mother has... an attitude," she explained with a laugh. "But I suppose my littermates and I turned out all the same."

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He chuckled and stood up a bit taller. He always liked hearing people who agreed. Too often he kept his view on females to himself. He had been the target of some jest. But that hasn't stopped his mindset.

"I like to think so. My mother offered us the same option. My sister just has a different dream I'd imagine. Though my other sisters.. They may one day be brave enough to try." His mother and father were about as understanding as anyone he'd ever met. He was thankfully for them. His dad was why he was strong. His mom was why he had compassion.

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Brynja was happy that he seemed pleased by the conversation. It didn't really occur to her that his opinions would make him a target, too. She was too wrapped up in the fact that she was having such a conversation with someone close to her age, and who wasn't an outsider!

Of course, his parents... "Your mother and father sound like they were great parents," she said, her voice cheerful. "Were they outsiders?" The way they thought made her wonder if that was why they were different.

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He thought on it before shrugging.

"Father was born here. Mother was a thrall. When she grew pregnant my father took her as his wife." He looked at her with bright colored eyes.
"So you could say they come from outsider blood. What of your parents? Were they born here?" He asked curiously.

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Brynja shook her head. "No, they weren't born here, either... Father came from another pride. Mother... I'm not sure how she got here, but I think it was my father's fault." She laughed, looking at Kroff warmly.

"Maybe that's why we think differently... We come from families that weren't completely molded to the old ways. Like soft clay."

She was silent for a moment, then her eyes widened. "Oh! Have I kept you from other duties? I should get to mine soon."

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It was good to know that she didn't come from pridal old blood. He always felt inimdated when he came into their presence. Like he had to prove himself more, or something. It actually made sense, her not being old blood, that she would be breaking the mold to become a reaver herself.

"Yeah I like to think so." He was terrified of a life otherwise. "We are of a different claw it seems. Though I suppose we adapt well enough." He chuckled, before shaking his head.

"You were keeping me company, there was no keeping me from doing a thing. Though I suppose it's time to return home. Mother will be worried." He stood and bowed his head respectfully.

"It's a good day to die, Brynja."

 

[ChaosTheories]

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Brynja held nothing against old blood Stormborn, but they were like the cliffs. Solid and difficult to chip into a different shape. They frustrated her sometimes, and sometimes she hated the fight she had to put up in order to get what she wanted, but she knew that the only creature she could chnage was herself. And she was going to continue doing exactly that.

She grinned at Kroff, delighted that their conversation had gone the opposite way from what she expected.

"I signed up to help clean up here..." Brynja winced, jokingly. "Poor thralls can't do it all themselves, I guess."

"Not today, my friend. You've gotta come spar with me sometime." With that, she let out a laugh and went on her way back down the hill to the training grounds.