[PRP] Freedom (Sebor x Ulfric)

[SilverLutz]

Cubs were a pawful, that much Sebor had learned. Her request from the god of chivalry had been fulfilled far more than she had expected, and six cubs were brought into the world. She got a nice split of boys and girls and had raised them all well, as far as she was concerned. The fact that the Warlord had been uprooted and replaced with a much more liberal lion while she had been raising them only helped matters, and now that they were of an age where she didn't have to watch them and be at their beck and call she could finally breathe.

She loved them, she did. But she was glad to have some time to herself now. Sebor looked out to the rouge lands that used to be her home and started off to the border, hoping to find a captain or reaver that would help her with her original quest in coming here: to become a reaver herself. She paused when she noticed a lion making his way back from the rouge lands and, hopeful, she turned her paws in his direction.

"Excuse me," she called out, hoping to grab his attention. Hopefully he wasn't one of the lions stuck in the old ways and unwilling to give a female the time of day.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Ulfric looked haggard and bloody as he made his way back to the pride, but none of it was his own. He had been dueling and fighting while he had been out in the rogue lands, gathering what prizes he could to bring back to his home. He had settled on trinkets and reminders of his battles in the forms of severed tails, dried now from their time in the pouch he had wrapped around his side.

He looked over his shoulder when he heard a voice, not expecting anyone to call to him. He had not made many friends, exactly, though he had allies and that was what he really wanted in this pride. Lions he could count on if and when the time came.

That was a team he was always building. And now that he was a Reaver, he could build a true band of allies to bring with him as he continued his quest for true strength and power.

"Yes?"

He was not unfriendly to females. Nor was he overly friendly. He treated them as he did males, and he waited to make a judgement about this one until he could see more about her personality and potential. He watched her with an even, heavy gaze, holding himself upright and proud, despite how tired he was from his travels. There was something almost regal about him, though he was not born to royalty or status of any kind.  

[SilverLutz]

As the lion approached Sebor knew he must be a Reaver. He had trinkets and what looked like tails dangling out of a pouch that rode heavy against his side, and he was bloodied quite a bit. He didn't seem to be in pain, though, speaking volumes about the male without having to utter a word. The way he carried himself alone made it easy to see that he was a confident, strong lion that wasn't one to be trifled with.

While impressive, it didn't made Sebor flinch at all. She strode up to the male once he addressed her and fixed her gaze on his scarred face. There was very little beating around the bush with Sebor, and she wasn't about to start mincing words now.

"I wish to become a Reaver and am looking for someone to go Viking with. I was hoping you'd be able to assist me, or at the very least point me in the direction of a lion or lioness that might do so." She had been out and about once already with Asban, but that hadn't been a Viking. It had been something of a search and rescue mission gone wrong, as they had been ambushed. They had made it back alive, of course, and she would have gone to ask about a proper Viking then, but her cubs had come quicker than she had thought they would.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

"What makes you think you are worthy of being a Reaver? Are you strong? Dedicated to the pride?" He watched her passively, though his eyes flashed as he spoke. There was passion burning in him, but he would not betray his thoughts, or what his answers to these questions might be, so easily.

"What do you fight for?"

Ulfric watched her and had to admit that he was curious about her. She was obviously confident in herself, coming up to him and asking so directly for what she wanted. He had the feeling that was just how she was used to rolling, and he was like that too. He worked hard to be who he was, and he made sure he lived the way he wanted to. He would not let anyone tell him otherwise. He imagined she had a harder go of it, considering the role females had been given in the pride before.

He had never agreed with the idea that they were lesser than males. They could be just as strong, and had their own sets of skills that he would never be able to have. Everyone had a role to play, and each lion had their own strength to find. Ulfric was more interested in that than anything else. If someone was strong, they had his attention. Weakness had no place in his world.  

[SilverLutz]

Sebor was glad for the questions, in all honesty. She was used to going up to a male and having them scoff at her or just nod and continue walking. It was infuriating to be ignored or treated like a lesser being, so whenever a male actually gave her the time of day, her respect for them was instant.

"I don't think I am, I know I am," she said, not moving an inch as she spoke. Her tone wasn't cocky or belittling, but rather even and steady as if she were talking about the weather. "I'm strong enough to have lived in the rouge lands my whole life and bear six cubs and raise them on my own, and had said cubs for the good of the pride." That much was true, as she had wanted to raise them with the hopes of them bringing about change for the females in the Stormborn.

"I don't think you want to listen to me sing my praises, so perhaps if you take me out on a Viking you can see for yourself," she offered. She didn't like to toot her own horn, even though she had quite a few accomplishments under her belt since arriving, like fighting off the ambush that had attacked her and Asban while they had been out, and then helped the wounded male back to the pride. She knew she was strong and she was sure the male could tell, but he was looking for a little spark...something that would assure him she wouldn't waste his time.

"I fight for my pride," she said, lifting her head a bit higher. "The Stormborn, as well as my own personal pride. I may have been born and raised a rouge, but I've always been of the mindset that there is strength in numbers and to never back down. I suppose I've been a Stormborn at heart all along."

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Ulfric liked her answer, though he did not show it. His expression remained even and he nodded his head as she spoke, slowly digesting her words for what they were, and watching the way she said them as much as he was listening to what she was saying. There was a lot to take away from body language.

"I would not have asked if I did not want to listen," he said almost passively, though he allowed her to change the subject as she wanted, and did not interrupt her again until she was done speaking about what she fought for. So far, her answers struck him as what a real viking, or rather a real lion of any kind, should be.

He was impressed.

"You want to come out on a viking with me. I do not see the harm in it, if what you say is true, and you can hold your own. I do not care where you were raised, or what you have experienced so far. If you are a true lion, a true stormborn, then you will prove it easily enough. You speak well, and I am curious of your actions. I will take you out to the rogue lands, and together we will put you to the test."  

[SilverLutz]

The male's reply made Sebor snort very softly. Very well, then. She didn't feel like hefting her accomplishments over her head like some battle trophy. She preferred to let actions speak for themselves, and that was hard when no one was around to see. Still, it seemed the Reaver was going to give her a chance, and for that she was grateful.

"Thank you," she said with a little bob of her head. "I'm Sebor, by the way," she added, realizing she had yet to introduce herself. She had stopped with the courtesy when nine times out of then she was snubbed by whoever she was speaking to.

"It seems as though you've just returned from an outing yourself. Is there a time and place you'd like me to meet you later?" Sebor could only imagine he was tired and wouldn't mind a quick break. She had no where to be and while she'd rather get out tomorrow or the following day, she really couldn't dictate when he would go.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

"My name is Ulfric," he said, once she introduced herself to him. He was not too concerned, as he was sure they would have to learn each others names at some point, if he was taking her out on a viking. Or they would find out something else to call one another, if they needed to communicate. But he supposed names worked well enough.

Made it easier, anyway.

"I will go and drop my things at my den, and perhaps clean my fur a bit. I will rest tonight, and eat, then tomorrow we can set out to find something fitting of your first raid. Does that suit you?"

He was not really of the mind to bend around her schedule, since she had asked him to take her out. He imagined anything he suggested would suit her just fine, since she was chomping at the bit to get out there and earn her rank. He was looking forward to helping her with it, as he saw her potential already.

"It will not be an easy journey: we can be out there for a very long time, and perhaps our battles will be difficult. Are you ready to face that?"  

[SilverLutz]

Sebor nodded a Ulfric gave his name. A fitting one of the Stormborn, that was for sure. She herself hadn't been given a very harsh or tough sounding name, but she had tried to name her children in the fashion of the pride they were born into. Hopefully it would make them feel as if they had family in the pride for generations, when really it was just her. Their father wasn't even in the pride, as he was a god, of chivalry at that. She hadn't seen much chivalry while she was here, which might explain why he didn't hang around after their brief encounter.

"Tomorrow? Really?" she asked, trying to remain calm. That was much faster than she had thought it would be, and she nodded to let him know that would be fine. She thought he might want to take a full moons worth of days to rest and recover. Although, she thought to herself as she surveyed the male once again, none of the blood seemed to be collecting in one place, meaning he himself was free of any grievous wound.

"Yes, I'm ready for whatever the Viking has to throw at me," she said, holding her head a bit higher. "I understand the risks and want nothing more than to take them head on." After the past few months of doing nothing but raising cubs, she was ready to tear an enemy to shreds to get out the pent up energy and frustration that came with being a mother of six.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Ulfric was born into his name, but he had not belonged to the Vikings back then. Maybe that was just a part of his destiny, guiding him to those lands. He had never planned on joining a pride like this, or like any at all. He felt he was too strong, destined for too much: he was meant to rule, not follow. But this place gave him a purpose, and he continued to strive for more and more power.

He saw that drive, though perhaps for different reasons, in the female before him. Her potential and her passion were the only reasons he was willing to take her out with him, and he was almost looking forward to it. He tried not to get excited about things, as it was a waste of energy most of the time, and could cloud the senses.

But this seemed like it was going to be fun, and worthwhile for both of them.

He offered her a proud and knowing smile, nodding his head at her. He rolled his mighty shoulders back and then shook out his mane a bit, stretching his front legs and then his back.

"Then I will see you here in the morning. As soon as the sun rises, we will set out. Rest well tonight, and if you have not eaten yet today, you should."

He nodded his head at her and then made to head off, toward a place where he could clean himself up and get back to his den for some much needed rest. He was not concerned about leaving early the next day, though, as he was a lion who needed to be active at all times.  

[SilverLutz]

Sebor was glad that Ulfric seemed eager to go, and the smile on his face gave her the confidence she needed: this would be an enjoyable experience, that much was for sure. He didn't discriminate against her for being female and he was more than willing to set out with her at the soonest possible moment.

"I will, and thank you," she said as she bobbed her head in farewell. Tomorrow they would leave, and she'd be sure to find some food today and inform her children of her outing. They were old enough to take care of themselves should something happen to her, but they were a very close family. She knew they'd be distraught if she disappeared without a word to them.

Turning to find her children first, she set off in the direction of her den, knowing that quite a few of them still hung around there this time of the day. They could at least pass the word on to their siblings if she couldn't see them all before she left.

Lithiasaur

Last post! If you want, we can start up the Viking RP.