Tollak had nothing of importance to do today. No vikings to saunter about on and no rogues to challenge that would prove amusing enough to make him feel less bored. He was utterly and completely out of ideas for entertainment and currently was sunbathing upon a rock, even though it was an overcast grey that taunted the sky this morning.
He sighed, and rolled over on his little perch, placing a paw in front of his eyes to shield them from the light. He figured he could sleep here, distracted but hardly amused. Sleep was only a temporary solution to his lack of entertainment problem. His mane was shifting as a wind curled around him and for a moment Tollak looked lost to his dreams, that was until, his eyes snapped open as he heard the approach of someone nearby. It was hard for him, a skilled reaver, to not notice the scraping of claws across stones and dirt. To not sense the breathing of someone uncertain of what they wished to do.
The gray lion pawed at his ears, praying the noises would go away and he could rest somewhat in peace until he decided what he'd do to make his boredom go away.
He snarled slightly at the approaching lion, despite not knowing who it was. Tollak had assumed it to be a captain or fellow reaver trotting towards him. "Someday I will kill you."
Aajamaak had spotted and recognized Tollak far earlier then he had her. The cloud printed lioness was a bit nervous about nearing her gray-pelted friend, and it took her a moment to realize why.
He had near scratched Stigtyr's eye out. Aaja had always known those two were cut-throat with one another but she had dismissed such behavior as typical viking brethren. She hadn't thought Tollak would actually cripple his brother to prove his point, but he had. He did. He shouldn't have, it was awfully mean, but he did.
She felt something like a flush of relief when Tollak spoke, his usual groggy sourness accompanied with it. He was still the Tollak she knew, the Tollak she had spoken with as a small cub and when Dagny and her craved more then just themselves for playing games was there. He was still her friend's brother Tollak, and this was something of a relief.
"Not today." Aajamaak replied. She had heard that saying far too often in recent days with her growing healing abilities and reaver visitors stopping by. It didn't bother her that much though. There was worse sayings then false promises of death threats.
The grey lion twitched, he knew that voice. It belonged to a female, and a female who was far from ever being a warrior. Tollak spun himself around, and sat somewhat upright on his little sunbed, so that he could face Aaja and look at her.
Good gods had it really been so long since they had last since one another? She was all grown up now. Then again, so was he, it was just something was a surprise to see how fast time had gone by.
It was also a surprise just how charming Aaja had turned out to be. She was not a little cub who stubbed her toes anymore...
"Aaja!" He cried in joy, a somewhat out of character response for the grey lion. Tollak was usually always serious, but being happy wasn't impossible. "Is that really you under all those furs?"
Yes, Aaja was wearing a few furs at the moment. She was chilly, and these were gifts and thank you presents from reavers who felt her healing deserved a little retribution. She wore them happily, but had almost forgotten she was wearing them.
"Afraid so." She told him in a jokingly manner. "I'm a bit surprised to see you here. Shouldn't you be out harassing some innocent folk about now?" Aaja wished she could bite her tongue. She sounded like Stigtyr the way she had said that, and she knew just what Tollak thought of Stigtyr and his opinions on raiding. She tried to play that little slip up off as a joke and smiled somewhat sheepishly.
"Hmph." Tollak snorted, he was wearing a smile as well, for he was actually in a pleasant mood. "You been talking to thralls lately?" He asked. "That's all the nonsense they ever spout. 'Harassing the innocents!' and stuff like that."
He stretched on his rock, and then walked down and towards his 'guest'. He needed to educate her on the nonsense ways of thralls. "Humph. Nothing but a bunch of pointless squawking. Nobody's innocent, we've all done things worth being enslaved for." He certainly had. What was to say others weren't like him too?
Aajamaak frowned. "Not everyone thinks like that you know." She didn't. If someone hadn't done anything terrible or horrible then they really didn't deserve to be punished at all. Slaves didn't deserve to be slaves, it was just that fate was cruel to them and they had run out of good luck. Slaves didn't deserve to be beaten or anything either, they just were there to serve. Servitude did not include being punished for pointless things. But Tollak wouldn't understand that train of thought, so Aaja remained silent on that subject.
Tollak eyed Aaja. She looked nervous and this in turn made him agitated. What was wrong with her? It wasn't like Tollak was some stranger or anything, and it wasn't as if she had anything overly important to rush to.
"Only slaves and idiots think other words. Idiots like Stigtyr, who can't even battle if his life depended on it!" He laughed, expecting Aaja to laugh too, but when she didn't Tollak stopped her in her tracks. He stood in front of her, to catch her attention since it seemed like she hadn't even looked at him once! Maybe she thought the whole 'idiot because he can't fight' thing applied to her too? If so, Tollak had to set that straight.
"Don't get me wrong Aaja, there is a difference between not being able to fight and just choosing not to. You chose not too, Stigtyr just can't."
When Tollak stopped her Aaja's frown grew. Oh yes, she chose not to fight already. She even chose not to fight Tollak because he was acting like the stupid one.
"What about bards then? Are you saying bards are stupid? I know of a few bards who simply cannot fight at all, by your train of thought that makes them stupid." She didn't know why this was making her so angry. She should have just agreed and went along with Tollak but for some reason she simply couldn't.
It was strange because she usually went along with all reaver's talk. She also scolded reavers about hurting themselves and others being stupid, so maybe this was where it came from. Yes, it probably was... Thinking that it was that made this whole conversation easier.
"I don't chose not to fight Tollak, I just know that fighting will end up with me getting hurt, and the person I'm fighting hurt too. As a healer that sort of goes against everything I do, doesn't it?" Saying all that made her feel better, and with a sigh of frustration Aaja turned to leave, satisfied with her words. Only Tollak stopped her again.
"Wait." He was surprised she actually listened, and stood with her tail swaying in anger across the ground. Tollak really didn't want to make Aajamaak his enemy, she was Dagny's friend and his friend too! Maybe he had just caught her at a bad time.
Whatever. He had all day to make her forgive him.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is but I was trying to make a joke. Don't take it so personal alright?"
"I..." Aaja sighed heavily. "It's been a long day, I'm sorry Tollak. I'm just... I'm just not up for a social call right now." Really, she had no idea what had overcome her. It was rather odd for her to act so... Hostile.
Once she got home and slept Aaja was certain she could interact with her old friend without blowing up like this again. She was tired, yes that was certainly it. That and... and...
Tollak let Aaja leave that time, though he looked over his shoulder as she left. Hmm. If he got her a gift like all those pelts other reavers had given her no doubt Aaja would cheer up again, right? In the mean time though...
"Stop listening to thralls Aaja! Seriously, they make you a real piece of work to be around!"
Tollak was a jerk.
1444 Words in Total.
762 words for Tollak
682 words for Aajamaak