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 Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:09 pm
The Night Before Nav'hian watched his newest, and only, female sleep beneath a tree nearby. He had given her the best spot, curled up against the base and was laying nearby to keep watch. He felt guilty at the force he exerted on her earlier to get her to follow him, which had really been unnecessary. She was a sweet female and Nav had a feeling that if he had just asked, or flirted (not that he knew how) a little, she probably would have come. He didn't have to pin her down, snarl at her that she was his now and drag her away. She had fought, as most would, but Nav hadn't let her go, no matter what. When they had both become exhausted, Nav had spotted a tree for her to rest at. His positioning of where he laid had a double effect, he could protect her and also, he could make sure she didn't leave without his knowledge.
Sighing heavily, Nav shifted and tried to get comfortable, lowering his head to his paws as he watched her. She was pretty enough, he supposed, but being pretty wasn't the main objective. She was female, thank god, and she was his. It helped that she was pretty though, and Nav resisted the urge to smile in pride. He had a female. He wasn't a failure.
He didn't have the urge to go out and try it again though. He was content with his one. Maybe, one day when they had made a home in the pride, he would find another. If he was lucky. At least now, the pressure was off. No one would call him a failure now! He had a banu, and a pretty one, and she was sweet and...probably hated him. Navi groaned to himself, keeping it quiet so he wouldn't wake her. Brilliant. He had attacked her, what a way to start off a relationship. She would probably run away at the first chance. Damn it.
He would just have to convince her to stay, he decided, firming himself to be the best Pad for her. He shifted, glancing over at her. She was shifting in her sleep, probably cold because of the sudden drop in temperature. The rogue lands were so different from the pride, he mused, getting to his feet. Trying not to hesitate, he lowered himself beside her, keeping himself on the opposite side of the tree, effectively caging her in. He lowered his head beside her, revealing in the feeling of being beside someone for the first time in years.
Nav'hian woke early, from probably the first good night he had slept in the past few months, out of eagerness or trepidation. He had found his girl, and she was just what he wanted (female and an adult, perfect). It was now time for him to take her with him back to the pride. He had been away for far, far too long.
Climbing to his feet with a slow contentness, he moved away from his sleeping female with light paws. He stretched, firm muscles tensing and untensing pleasantly as he moved.
Nav'hian couldn't help but wondered what his old pride was like now. How had it changed since he had been gone? He had thought of going home without a female, once or twice, but had been too terrified of being sent away. He would not have been counted as a pad, had he returned alone. He would have been nothing in the pride without a female.
But, now he had one. Glancing back at the figure under the tree, he felt pride blossom in his chest. She would be a wonderful banu, perhaps even his beybanu. Yes. He let out a low rumbling purr, his voice deep and husky. He would simply have to show her how. Of course, first he would have to explain the pride, and why he had been so forceful with her earlier.
He slumped a little, big body folding in as he remembered how he had been rude with her earlier, perhaps a little too forceful as well. She would not be pleased with him when she woke. What was he going to say? Sorry, you were just so pretty, I had to have you for myself so you can help me redeem myself in the eyes of the pride I left when I was younger. Oh yeah, you're going to be one of many females of mine when I expand my harem.
What a good way to start.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:53 pm
That was what it finally took to remind her of yesterday.
Her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, brushing aside the vehemant outcry of her somewhat battered body. The male! From yesterday! Visions of their battle and her subsequent forced submission flew through her mind, and she turned her head in search for him. Had he left her, after all that? Just beat her, pushed her ahead of him, pinned her against this tree, only to leave? But no, there he was, not far away. She froze, regarding him with clear trepidation and not a little fear. Was yesterday only the beginning of a life that even she might find difficult to find the up-side of?
She watched him warily and held her breath, muscles coiling defensively as she waited for whatever would come next.
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:17 pm
Nav'hian was caught up in his own thoughts, so he did not immediately notice that his new banu, and yes, she would be his banu, or perhaps even his beybanu, well, whatever she was, was now awake. Focusing instead on his paws as he sat not far away, attempting to figure out how, exactly, to explain the pride, his own quest, or her new position to the female.
After a few moments, something seemed to click in his mind and he glanced back towards the tree where he had left his banu resting. She was now awake and tensed. Immediately, the male tensed as well, wondering if she was preparing an escape. When she made no immediate moves to run, he got to his feet.
"Good morning," he said, as he moved towards her, pausing suddenly, "Say, I never got your name." That was not a good start! He had attacked her and had not even thought to ask her name before hand? He felt foolish and scowled to himself, unaware of the angry picture he painted to someone who didn't know what he was thinking and that his annoyance was directed to himself. "My name is Nav'hian, I am from the Ukuucha'Wafalme pride not far from here," he said, hoping to start the explanation smoothly. Perhaps she had heard of them already, and he would not have to explain the pride to her?
It was wishful thinking but still possible, though he doubted it.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:26 pm
She watched him singlemindedly, like a prey animal watching what it knows will eat it if given the chance. Her ears swiveled to the side at his first greeting, confusion drawing her brows upwards. His next words, however, landed her ears flat against her skull. What kind of idiot was this? However, her own inner sunshine fought against her good sense, rising like bubbles within her, showing her the amusing side of this. First he attacks her, captures her, then noncalantly asks her name the next day? She had to almost forecefully shove the laughter down deep so it could not get out.
The further he got in his speech, though, brief as it was, the more she puzzled at it. With the way he'd captured her yesterday, she was reasonably convinced that she'd been taken as a slave. His scowl seemed to work counter to his benign words, and she was baffled as to which communication to believe. Did he despise her, or wish to make her acquaintance? Was she his slave or his new friend? Though admittedly, she couldn't imagine how or why someone would try to make a friend by pummeling them first. She shifted her weight uneasily and immediately regretted it, wincing visibly. Apparently their fight yesterday had truly been bruising. Her right forepaw at the wrist protested her pressing too much weight onto it. It didn't exactly feel like a major injury, but she was sure to be in for some pain the next few days.
She glanced at him again after contemplating her paw. It was his fault, but she couldn't quite find it in herself to hate him for it, or even be terribly angry. She resented him somewhat though, and very much was confused and wary by his conflicting approaches. She huffed lightly through her nostrils, spreading her whiskers as she tried to decide what to do. Well, he had offered her the courtesy of his name at least. An equal offer could hardly go too far awry.
"I am Furaha'ini," she said with as much dignity as she could manage. She shifted her weight again the wrong way, having forgotten the paw in her internal struggle. She winced once more, hunching her shoulders against the dull throb. Almost appearing to ignore the male for the moment, she bent her head to carefully groom the paw in question, taking long, measured licks from wrist to toes. It felt good in a strange way, putting just that little bit of pressure on the outside of it. She flipped it and began grooming the inner surface of the wrist, which proved to be slightly more tender that the outer portion. Yes, the next few days would be interesting. An ear swiveled towards the male as she mentally added to the though. Yes, interesting for many reasons.
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:25 pm
For the male, waiting rather anxiously for the female to speak, what he had done the day before was a disgrace. He hated to act out in anger, too reminded of his father with everything he did, but to have struck out and perhaps seriously injured a female? It was a despicable action but since he could not take it back, he would simply have to make the female in front of him forgive him, one way or another. She was watching him closely, but she did not seem afraid of him, but he was horrified at her wince.
"Furaha'ini," he repeated her name softly, his voice gruff but not unkind. "A pretty name," he said, almost awkwardly. He was not a charmer, not by nature at least, in fact he was much more content in silence then he ever was trying to make conversation, but he was telling the truth. Her name slid over his tongue easily, a pretty name for the female. Furaha'ini.
He moved closer to the female, though not enough to crowd her, just enough to catch a closer glimpse at her paw. He couldn't see anything immediately wrong with it, not having been a medic in form, but he knew it had pained her by the winces she showed. "Are you injured?" He asked, simply to confirm, since he knew that she was. "Will you be able to walk?" He felt badly for what he had done and that he had injured her, but he didn't wish to delay his return to the pride any longer then necessary! He had been away for far too long to pause and hesitate about going back. She would come with him, he knew, she was too pretty a prize to pass up, though he did not think she was overly eager.
Just wait until she sees the pride, he reasoned with himself, she would not be able to resist. He was assured with that knowledge, though he did not know for sure that she would.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:20 pm
She reined in her temper firmly, taking long, slow, deep breaths. This male seemed more able to raise her negative emotions than even her closest of kin could! She relaxed her jaw against gritting her teeth together, and counted to ten in careful, measured beats. Instead of snapping, "Of course I am hurt, you beat me up yesterday!" or snarling acidicly about his wanting to be sure she could move along at his bidding, she merely replied, "I will do my best, but if I can't, I can't." Her tone brooked no argument with this statement. Her paw truly did hurt, and would continue to if she pushed it.
She weighed her options on what else to say, and finally opted for a relevant question. "Where are we going? It would help if I knew how far you wanted me to travel, so I could answer you more truthfully." Her demeanor was cool, very detatched from him. She still eyed him warily, but otherwise was completely aloof from him and any attempts he might or might not be making to be friendly with her. He had broken the trust she might have even felt for a stranger, and would now have to earn it with more than just solicitous words that masked some other driving need, beyond just beating her up and holding her against her will. Her silver eyes regarded him with the chill of genuine superiority and disenchantement.
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Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:15 am
Nav'hian could feel the coolness coming off her in waves, and knew she was holding her temper in check, which was, admittedly, what he himself should have done when meeting her for the first time. He felt the guilt coil and turn his stomach inside out as he thought of how he had acted, though none of the guilt showed on his face which was firm and blank. He would not let his emotions cloud his judgment. He wouldn't. This had nothing to do with emotion. This was his duty and it was what he needed to do. "You will walk," he said, firmly. Even if he had to carry her across his back, they would make it to the pride. No sprained, or heaven forbid broken, paw was going to stop him, not when he was so close to home that he could almost taste the sweet air of his pride.
She watched him warily and he moved even closer to her, surveying her injured paw with faint worry, though he kept it masked behind annoyance. "We will travel to the Ukuucha'Wafalme pride," Nav'hian announced, with his jaw tilted upwards in what could only be obvious pride for his homelands. "It is not too far from here, perhaps a day or two travel. It is my pride. My...home." It was the first touch of something not firm, not roughly said. It was softly spoken, with a touch of affection hinting through. It was completely different from his earlier order. "You will come with me, be my female, my lead female" he added, knowing that had she not heard of the pride, she likely didn't know the rules. "You will obey me, or you will face the consequences of the pride." He eyed her and hoped, for his sake and hers, that she would obey. "You will not be mistreated, if you behave."
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:38 pm
Her ears twisted as she listened to him speak of the pride. She'd never heard of them, but that was unsurprising. In truth, she knew next to nothing of any of the prides, being born a wanderer. Her mother had not been the sort of lioness most prides would treasure. The reminder of her mother left a slightly sour taste in her mouth, leaving her vulnerable to the male's next attitude. Her anger rose as he spoke of her obeying, of being dominated. Her normally sweet and even-tempered nature ebbed beneath a rising tide of resentment and justified rage.
His last words however completely broke any control she had over herself. It all was just too much.
"If I behave?!" she finally bellowed, a ridge of fur rising along her neck and back, bristling with her emotions. "If I behave?!" she repeated in complete incredulty. "Would you mind telling me just how I have misbehaved until now? How I deserved to be beaten, cowed, and now driven before you to a life of slavery, no matter that you call me your lead female!" Yes, Fura was a habitual optimist, but even such as she must break down sometime in despair. "You tell me you will not mistreat me, but your actions belie your words!" Her tirade was more outcry than fury, more betrayed than enraged. "What have I done to deserve your dominance, your heavy paw? How did I come to fall into a trap of violence and subjigation?"
Her railing was futile though, and she knew it. Tail lashing, she began to limp the direction he'd so casually indicated. Her ears pinned, lips drawn back in a grimace both of physical pain and emotional anguish, she set determinedly off on the journey he clearly expected her to make, regardless of what he'd done to her. Fueled by her anger, she gamely hobbled along, no longer a picture of agile grace she'd been but a day ago. No, instead she felt like a gnarled, ancient, ugly crone, worn and warped by cruelty. Perhaps she had gained a flair for the dramatic from her mother, but given time, her attitude would naturally swing back towards sunny, regardless of the situation.
For now, all she had was the simmering resentment this male had so blithely garnered.
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:18 pm
Nav'hian's maw pulled back, revealing sharp teeth as he snarled at her rising fury. Had he been in his normal frame of mind, he would have been terrified of her anger, but he was desperate and he was not willing to let her get away just because she didn't like the way he acted. "I have not mistreated you," He growled, his paws digging into the dirt beneath him. "To mistreat you would imply I harmed you for nothing, my actions were not for nothing. I was warning you of what would happen should you misbehave, should you disobey me. You would have left, had I not attacked you. You would have betrayed me by walking away, you had to be punished." His words, and his actions, were a mess of communications and confusion. He made little sense and that was obvious.
As much as her fury and betrayal was obvious, she still listened to him, and he had to smirk at that, as he followed behind her. He would walk behind her, so she could not run away without him knowing. He would not let her go, injured and hateful, he would not let her go. She was his, his.
In the back of his mind, Nav'hian felt horribly guilty for his actions, but they had been necessary. He would not harm her again, unless she misbehaved, or betrayed him. She knew the pain that could come from his paws, she would know better than to betray him now. She had to know better now. She would not betray him.
He moved up to her side, walking firmly beside her. He made sure not to walk too fast, so she fell behind, but not too slow that he made it obvious he was waiting for her so she could keep up. " You will be happy there, I assure you," he told her quietly, not looking at her. The guilt gnawed at his gut, his earlier fury fading. He didn't want her miserable, but she had to be taught. He would treat her well from now on. He would make her happy.
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 7:32 pm
"Your assurances mean nothing," she ground out equally quietly from between gritted teeth. Her ears were still pinned, and she had flinched away from him when he'd drawn up near her, ducking as if expecting a blow. "You have yet to say a kind word, to give me a kind gesture. You have yet to give me any reason whatsoever to trust a word you say." Her tail lashed, but she continued on, trying hard to fight down the tears that wanted to come. Tears of pain, tears of despair. It was bad enough to have to leave her mother behind so permenantly. It was bad enough to wander alone beneath sun and stars. But this? This made it all seem trivial by comparison.
Now that her tongue was loosened, it seemed to have let loose a flood of words. "What exactly is supposed to make me happy in this utopia of yours?" Her teeth still gritted, her tone was bitter. "You have shown me no mercy, no understanding. You have punished me for things you think I might do. Why am I supposed to believe you will not continue to do so?" She finally cast her eyes at him, her gaze a mixture of pleading and challenge.
"You are not my mate. My mate was supposed to be someone who loved me, who held me in high respect, who would never raise a paw against me!" This last was a cry of lost hope, and it was then that the tears came. They streamed silently down her face for her dreams lost, her hopes crushed, her future set before her like a burning plain, full of pain and suffering. "No, I am not your mate. I am your slave, and don't pretend anything different." Head bowed, she finally shut her maw, concentrating on putting her three hale paws to the ground, concentrated on favoring the one that ached deeply, concentrated on walling away the dark feelings that swamped her heart. This one was going to be hard to find a sunny side for.
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:06 pm
Nav'hian stared at her as she spoke, the tirade of words spilling from her mouth that washed over him harshly. The guilt was drowning him, pushing him down and making him miserable. He hated how much he had broken her. No other female had reacted like this, perhaps because he had never gone this far with any of them. Usually they got away from him, far from him, before he could explain about his pride or tell her what was going to be expected of her, but now he had finally got his girl...she hated him.
'Even when you succeed, you're a failure' a familiar voice taunted him inwardly and he tensed, ready to fight back the guilt the only way he knew how, with anger, but the sight of her tears streaming down her cheeks and all of it disappeared in a rush. He felt his shoulders slump slightly.
She was telling the truth, he did not love her and he was not going to promise her that he would never raise a paw against her again. It was the only way he knew how to stop bad behaviour and he would continue to do it, even if she disagreed with his methods.
He did not look at her, and continued to let her cry. He wouldn't tell her to stop, he couldn't. He had caused them and she deserved to feel what she felt.
"You're correct," he said, his voice low and rumbling. "I treated you badly, and I can not promise you you'll be happy, nor do I love you." He frowned, and paused in his steps, staring at her slumped form, his guilt eating at him. "But what else do you have here? Do you think you would survive on your own with an injured paw? Without anyone else around? You have already been punished, why not reap the rewards now?" He couldn't guarantee she would be happy with her new life, but it had to get better now, she had already hit rock bottom. She wouldn't survive on her own without help, with an injured paw.
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:16 pm
How it hurt to hear him say the very words she'd thrown at him in anger and despair! This was not how it was supposed to be! She swallowed hard against a massive lump that constricted her throat, making her feel hoarse. His words thereafter fell on deaf ears. She responded not, but plodded on, one paw after another, marred by the half-step of her injured limb. There was a roaring in her ears, a distant sound of misery howling for her soul. One paw after another, she kept walking, facing her new fate with a bowed head and a tear-streaked face. Tomorrow's sun would rise, and eveni n her miserable state, she had to admit that there was no telling what its light might bring. Good, bad, or something that carried the taste of both? Only the dawn would know, could show. All she could do now was to determinedly put one paw down at a time, one after another. One paw after another. One by one by one step.
Sometimes that was the only way to make it through life's trials. One paw at a time.
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