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 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:25 pm
((Biroki is a cameo, acting as a frame to the story, which takes place in Ruelash and Zuri's childhood in Zena. Though this will be recorded in Biroki's journal as part of his progression in his relationship with Zuri, it will only count as credit to Ruelash.
Any present-time asides will be on a separeate line enclosed in squiggly brackets... and are in Jahuar unless it is a direct aside from Ruelash... This disclaimer is too long
edit: and dino had a better idea anyway. ))
Biroki had managed to get Zuri to his favorite bluff this time, a dark loamy cliff face covered with Jahuar's life, spilling over onto itself. Sunset had dyed it red and gold as they sat next to each other, perhaps a little closer to each other than they would have sat even a few days before. He was still shy, but felt more relaxed around Zuri than he had ever been... even around Reshel... and he loved and trusted his mentor absolutely.
The golds and reds had faded to a deepening, somber blue, and the glowflies and illo had slowly emerged, the illo like a river of crystalline silver moonliht, the glowflies a collage of bright rubies and emeralds and Blues and sulfurous yellows. It was as if they caught the sun's light and carried it into the night.
As it got darker, Biroki set up a fire and toasted them some dinner- roots, which seemed to be his staple meal... and Fish this time. A special occasion for Biroki.
In the light of the coals and the glowflies, they ate their meal.
"So... How... Did you like it?" he asked, smiling. "D-do they have anything like it in Zena?" He wasn't bragging. He was curious.
~~~
Ruelash loved sunsets. He loved sunrises too. When he was in the village, he would climb onto the roof of his sister's hut and watch them stain the world in a swirling mass of pink and gold, red and orange. It almost made the nest of whiny earthlings beautiful... then he would hear their obnoxious voices and the illusion would be broken.
He much preferred to watch them from the dangerous ridges of some desolate mountain, or on the peaks in some snowy and flat part of the tundra. Alone. Nothing but land for miles, with only Bergchi for company.
So, he was a bit grumpy about the blizzard that kept him from leaving his hidey hole in the mountain. The blizzard roared and whooshed, threatening to rip the furs that served as a door and barrier. It was too much even for him. Clearly the elders wanted him dead this time.
He didn't actually mind. This was exactly why he liked to leave the village. Danger. The fickle nature of Bergchi's lands. The wild fury and power of a storm.
He could respect that.
He was prepared. He had food, he had water, he had fire. He knew that at some point there would be a break in the snow and he could get up and find things, and then return. This was what he lived for.
For now, though, he had to admit he was bored. He was too prepared. There wasn't a challenge in surviving. Not enough for him, anyway.
Bored, he began to reminice.
Who WAS he reminicing about anyway? Someone his brother knew.... OH! That... light blue halfbreed? the girl of one of the big shots? She was annoying. Didn't her family adopt those two twins? They were even more annoying... that sniveling boy and that stuck up kleptomaniac girl... Ugh. Why was he bothering to remember someone like her....
Oh.
Right.
Her family had let him and Veshki stay with them once... That was the one time he remembered being annoyed at his brother. Heh. Well, maybe this would be an interesting memory.
Ruelash sat back and tried to remember.
~~~~~
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:41 pm
It was so nice, being with Biroki. It seemed that every day it got better and better for them also. The sunset had been beautiful and now as they sat together eating they talked easily, as if they had known each other forever. When he asked if she liked it, or if there was anything like it back home she nodded and started to think about that one time when her father had taken in Veshki and Ruelash. It wasn't her favorite memory, that was for sure. "It's different. The sun reflects off the snow. It's beautiful, but a different kind of beautiful. And I never had such good company to look at it with while in Zena." she said with a smile.
-------
Thinking back to that night she remembered looking out her window at the sun setting. Her father was in the kitchen cooking with Alek, and she had no clue where Kayin was. She wouldn't be surprised if she was out stealing something. As she looked out the window she saw two figures coming towards the house. It was snowing hard, and she didn't know what anyone would be doing out in the snow. "Papa! Papa! There are people in the snow!" she said running into the kitchen.
Quickly her father grabbed two blankets and went out into the snow. Her and Alek rushed to the door to try to see him and within moments he was back in the house with two boys that appeared to be both older then her, though she wasn't sure how much older. "What were you doing out in the storm? That isn't smart." Zuri said with her hands on her hips while Alek stood behind her. Her father laughed and told her to be nice while the boys dried off. He told them that they were welcome to sit by the fire to get warm, and that he was making enough food for all of them so they could stay and eat till the storm blew over.
Zuri didn't think she was being mean, it was stupid to go out in the snow when it was like that!
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 5:45 am
Veshki laughed.
"No, little one, its not very smart... but its my job." the older man, a bit out of his prentice years, gave her a pat on the head.
He gave a bow to her father.
"Thank you! My brother and I are very grateful to you for your hospitality."
He gave the younger boy, not quite a prentice, but definitely a few years older than Zuri, a shove.
"Aren't we, Ruelash?"
"I wanted ta stay outside." said the boy grumpily, "'s boring in 'ere." he pouted, glaring at nothing in particular. Ruelash wanted to camp out. He thought that was the most awesome thing ever. Veshki knew how to make the best smoked fish, and a good tent, and a good fire... and Ruelash was learning. Veshki was the best ever. He had married an annoying lady, but Ruelash could forgive him for that. Because it was Veshki.
He turned away from the old codger who was 'letting them stay with them' and stuck his tongue out at the girl.
"'m not stupid. You're stupid." he said, glaring at her now and sticking out his tongue.
If she was a male, he'd already be fighting. But he didn't hit girls. Not the first hit.
Veshki sighed.
"Lash... Behave. Please."
Ruelash didn't say anything. Just glared. at the girl. not at his brother. Oh, and at the wimp behind her.
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:07 am
When Veshki patted her on her head Zuri smiled. "Your job? What is it that you do?!" she asked eagerly. It seemed like such a dangerous job, to be out in the open when there was such a snow storm! However dangerous was also exciting. "You have to be very brave to go out and do that, especially if it is your job so you do it a lot!"
When Ruelash called her stupid her eyes crossed and she stuck her tongue back out at him. "No I'm not! Your brother doesn't seem to think so either." she crossed her arms. He was a little older then her but that didn't matter. He could still be stupid. She liked Veshki, he could stay, but maybe they could put Ruelash back out in the cold. Maybe it would make him nicer. Alek was quiet behind her, already looking for a way out of the situation. She didn't blame him, this Ruelash boy wasn't fun to be around. But she wanted to know more about Veshki's dangerous job.
Zuri's father laughed. He told Veshki not to worry, that children would be children. Raising three children, especially with one being Kayin, he knew they were adapt to not being the nicest person when first meeting others. He was just grateful for once that Kayin wasn't around them. He knew, as well as Zuri and Alek, that she would have already tried fighting the boy for calling Zuri stupid.
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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:23 pm
Veshki smiled gratefully with some relief at the older man... though he wondered if his little brother's reputation- if you could call it that- as a hellion was known here. He wondered if it would be better for it to be known or not.
"My job? I.."
"... 'e's a scout." interrupted Ruelash, still glaring to his brother's dismay, "'e goes out inna da snow and makes sure all 'a da paths are clear." The boy stuck out his chest proudly, "'es really tough and brave 'an I get ta help 'im!"
It was very clear that Ruelash was proud of what his brother did... as well as his part in it.
"... Yes. Right. Our father and mother were scouts too. They used to be gone for months at a time, clearing trails and such..." Veshki laughed. "I guess we all have an adventurous streak, my family..."
"'ana ya would know dat if ya weren't stupid." Ruelash stuck out his tongue again.
"Lash..." Veshki shook his head. He was just happy that fists and teeth weren't flying, "Why don't you bring the rest of our things inside so that the snow doesn't get in them?"
Ruelash crossed his arms and looked away stubbornly.
"Don' care if the snow gets in 'em. I wanted ta sleep outside."
"Well, I do. If you sleep in wet things, you'll catch cold. Would Mom have wanted you to catch cold, Ruelash?" Veshki tried the only trick he knew.
Ruelash faltered.
"... No..." He stalked off towards the door, "I'll get 'em..."
That would keep him busy for a while.
Veshki smiled back at Zuri.
"What do you want to do, little one?"
He realized he had forgotten to ask her name. Ah the nicities that looking after one's... energetic... younger brother made you forget!
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Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:04 pm
Zuri never even took her eyes off Veshki as Ruelash spoke. Although the younger boy spoke as well, it was Veshki's words that she hung on to. "That sounds so exciting!" she said happily with wide eyes. She ignored Ruelash's comment about her being stupid, again, but smiled deviantly when his brother told him to go get all their stuff. "Yeahhh, go get all the stuff." Zuri said sticking her tongue out at him before turning her back to him and focusing on Veshki once more.
"Well I want to have a mount, and protect people. Though I want to travel also! I want to see all that I can see. I bet that being a scout you get to travel and see everywhere don't you!" Zuri said excitedly. She wasn't a shy one, she was more then willing to talk about herself. Zhezald realized they knew the strangers names, but they hadn't introduced themselves. Introduced himself as Zhezald and then Zuri quickly took over. "My brother Alek is behind me, he doesn't talk much and is shy. He has a twin Kayin, but she is somewhere else. Which is good because she likes to fight so I don't think she would be good around.... Him. Oh and my name is Zuri!" she said motioning towards Ruelash.
She really considered locking the door, making it so Ruelash couldn't come back in, but she didn't think that Veshki would like that and she wanted the man to like her. Plus her dad would be very disappointed. "Your family has a fun but dangerous job. Though it sound important, like my fathers. He sits on the council." Zuri said proudly.
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 4:03 pm
Veshki smiled and waved at the shy boy.
"Hello Alek" he said amiably. But he was worried. Her father was on the council? Surely then... he must know about Ruelash.
What if Ruelash did something here to these children? Ruelash had been better behaved as of late, but Veshki knew that his little brother was... energetically unstable.
"Well.." he kept smiling. You dont want to let children know you're worried. He had learned that when he had to raise Ruelash and his sister, after their mother died. If you worry, they worry. Of course, his sister was normal- if she worried, she just worried. Ruelash, if he worried, he wanted to attack the problem and, without an attackable problem, he would attack something anyway.
"We scouts travel a lot, but we have to stick to a territory, because we need to know the area well enough to help others through it, and to know what trails to check." he paused, "Riding?!" ... actually, he could see that. "Well, Zuri, if you're riding you wont be bound to an area. You could go anywhere you want"
Ruelash clambered in from the snow, carrying the stuff with an expression on his face like he had drunk the worst thing on tendaji. Spoiled.
"got the stuff." he said, plunking it down by Veshki.
"Oh, good! thank you, 'lash." he smiled at his brother. actually, Ruelash really was being well behaved. Veshki was grateful, but wondered how long that would last.
"You know, Ruelash, Zuri here wants to be a rider! That might be something for you to do when you get older!"
It would keep him moving, and Veshki knew that Ruelash liked that sort of thing.
Ruelash glared at Zuri, appraising. Riders? Riders were neat, he supposed. They were tough. He could respect them. the annoying, loudmouthed stupid girl had a little respect now, because of her ambition.
He wasn't very good at riding, though. He didn't mind animals, but he had tried to ride one of the large mammoth beasts. It hadn't been comfortable.
"Dunno." he said, dragging the stuff to a wall, "Maybe."
He dusted off his hands, and glared at Zuri... then at Alek.
"You." he said, crossing his arms, determined to be a pain in the a**, "Wimp." he frowned, "Ya gonna be a rider too?"
Of course not! Wimps didn't go into strong classes!
Veshki just sighed. His brother was going to do this anyway, no matter what he said. So long as it wasn't a fistfight... Please, Bergchi.... don't let him get into a fistfight with a councilman's daughter... He stood up, looking at Zhezald with a resigned expression.
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:21 pm
When Veshki said hi to Alek the boy smiled and waved at him from behind Zuri's back. Zuri smiled at her brother before looking back at Veshki. When he said that as a scout he didn't get to go anywhere he wanted, he was stuck with a territory her smiled faltered slightly. She thought that being a scout meant that you could scout, well just about anywhere. Though when he said that riders could go anywhere she smiled.
Zuri was about to say something but then Ruelash came back inside. Oh dear. She was proud that Veshki told him that she was going to be a rider. If that was the case then he believed in her! Though she wasn't happy that he suggested that Ruelash do the same. She couldn't imagine working with him. When he spoke to her brother and called him a wimp her eyes narrowed.
"Alek is skilled in magic. He is going to be a mage. And he is no wimp...." okay maybe he was a little, but she wasn't going to say that. "He just doesn't like to talk to strangers."
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:57 am
"Dinna think so" said Ruelash, smugly, "E's too wimpy ta be a rider."
He stuck his tongue out at the young mageling.
"An, I don' wanna be a rider. I wanna hit things."
Not that he didn't think having a pet wouldn't be fun, especially a tough one like a Raptrix! But the idea of relying on something ELSE in a fight seemed so frustrating.
"Er... Yes." Veshki interrupted, "Ruelash..."
"... An' I bet you wont be strong 'nuff to be a rider, if yer protecting a wimp like that!" he made a rude gesture to Zuri and Alek.
"Ruelash, thats enough. Help me put out the sleeping things so that they can be warmed up."
"But..."
"Ruelash." Veshki gave him his sternest stare and his sternest tone.
"...Fine" Ruelash grumbled, detaching their sleeping things and dragging them off.
Veshki gave Zuri's father an apologetic look as he half shoved Ruelash into the room.
"Ruelash. Please, please do me this one favor and play NICE." Veshki hissed,
"These people were very nice to let us stay, and I'm not letting you s**t all over their generousity. So play nice."
"But I don' wanna. 's stupid to play nice. 's boring."
Ruelash shuffled and glared up at his brother, still a few heads taller.
"An' she's annoyin'!"
If it were anybody but Veshki then there would be a fight.
"I don't care, 'lash." Veshki crossed his arms, "What would mother say?"
"Momma would have said that I should fight with her 'cause it makes everyone stronger..."
"Nope. She would have said to make friends now because bergchi only knows when you need a hand later." Veshki shook his head, "I don't know where you got that idea, but it's wrong." He put a hand on Ruelash's shoulder, "Now. I need to talk to the man of the house. You will play nice with his children, or keep to yourself. Got it?"
Ruelash glared at him, testing him.
Then looked down and away.
"Fine." For veshki he would give it a try
"good..." Veshki tried to not let his face show his relief.
They returned walked out, Veshki started towards Zuri's father, then watched ruelash for a moment.
Ruelash went over to their packs and started messing with their stuff, deliberately ignoring the two children with probably the most prickly air ever. He still wanted a fight...
Veshki smiled a bit, relieved, and went over to talk to Zuri's father.
~~~
(Present Time)
Biroki chuckled at Zuri's description of the scene.
"So? D-Did he? Not pick a fight?"
This Ruelash person seemed like a real bully.
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:57 pm
Zuri laughed at Biroki. "Well I wouldn't say it was him picking the fight exactly..." she gave a little ashamed face for a second. "I didn't handle opposition then like I can now. He's a bully, but it was my fault for taking the bait." she admitted before continuing the story.
-------
When Ruelash stuck his tongue out at Alek Zuri rolled her eyes, trying to piss him off. "Oh that was very grown up of you. I told you he isn't a wimp, to be a mage you have to be very powerful and strong of mind. Something someone as stupid as you would never understand."
This time even Veshki's interruption didn't differ her from glaring at Ruelash. He had crossed the line. "I will to be a rider one day! And I'll show you! And when Alek is a great mage and you need his help I'll make sure he remembers this day and doesn't help you!" she practically yelled at him. This whole incident had both her father and Alek wide eyed. It wasn't like her to yell. Zhezald apologized to Veshki, still startled at his daughters behavior, and when Veshki and Ruelash walked into the other room he kelt besides her. "I don't know what has gotten into you but we do not scream in this house. These two are our guest and we will treat them as such." he said sternly. Zuri nodded. "I'm sorry papa... It won't happen again."
Zhezald walked away with Veshki, leaving Ruelash messing with their packs and Zuri staring at him. She wanted to be good, she didn't want her father to be mad at her, but she couldn't let him pick on Alek like that. If she let him get away with it then he would tell others and then they would do it as well. Plus he thought she wasn't strong enough. Oh she would show him.
"What happened Lash? Did your big brother tell you to behave?" she teased. Oh she didn't want a fight at first, and she wasn't someone who liked fighting, but this wouldn't be her first fight and she had a feeling it wouldn't be her last. He was bigger then her, and older, but she had been fighting with her sister since Kayin came to live with them, plus she had a feeling she would be a little faster on her feet then he would be.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:43 pm
Grumble grumble grumble stupid girl grumble grumble grumble.
Ruelash didn't like to be called stupid.
Oh yes. He wanted that stupid girl and that wimpy boy to remember this day! As the day he beat the snot out of them! Yeah!
But Veshki said to, and Veshki had invoked mom, so Ruelash tried to keep to himself, and keep the fighting to his imagination only. He imagined rolling the girl into a snowball and then down a ravine. He imagined punching a tooth out of the boys head. He even imagined the girl punching him.
It helped a little to calm him down.
And then she came over.
Did his big brother tell him to behave? Yes! And Ruelash was pissed.
But it was Veshki, and Veshki had been upset so Ruelash was in a rare gracious mood. He was actually giving ignoring the obnoxious girl a try.
It wasn't that hard when he tried it. All he had to do was shoot her a glare that could melt snow and then turn his back to her, pretending she wasn't there in the most prickly way possible.
Easy.
~~~ "S.. so... you... started something"
asked Biroki, in admiring awe. Zuri was stronger and braver than he ever could be.
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:02 am
Zuri shrugged. "It wasn't my proudest moment, but I was you and a little on the hot headed side sometimes. Plus I didn't like people talking bad about my brother or myself. And there was just something about Ruelash that I didn't like." Part of her wished she hadn't started anything, but then again she didn't get that hurt and it was kind of exciting.
-------
Zuri laughed turning around towards Alek. "He must be scared of a girl." she said with a chuckle. Alek's eyes were still wide, he couldn't believe she was doing this. This was something maybe Kayin would do, but never Zuri! With her back towards Ruelash. "I guess I'm too strong for him. He doesn't want to take his chances and lose to a girl." she said stressing the word strong. She was strong, strong enough to be a rider or whatever she wanted to be, and she was just itching to show him. Making a face at her brother Alek laughed, to someone who didn't see the face she was making at him it would appear as if he was laughing at what she said about Ruelash, which is exactly what she wanted.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:04 am
"'m not scared! He snapped at her, turning around to fire a glare at her before turning back to the pack. Really, he didn't need to do too much more with the packs.
Ruelash wasn't scared! He wasn't scared of anything!
But Veshki had said to behave himself.
No! He didn't care! She had said he would lose?! No he wouldn't! She was just a brat! JUST A BRAT.
Besides, Veshki hadn't said anything about getting provoked. Ruelash wasn't starting this fight... She was, right? She was. That made it okay.
Oh, Ruelash wanted to beat her up. Show her just how wrong she was.
The wimp's laughter was the last straw. Laugh at him, would he? Ruelash would show him! Ruelash turned around like a flash with a punch ready... at Alek's laughing face.
He would never hit a girl, not even this obnoxious brat! At least not the first hit. That would be wrong. But this little wimp had DARED to laugh at him. HIM. Oh he would show them how strong he was. He'd shut them up!
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:32 pm
As soon as Ruelash turned Alek started laughing, but Zuri's face was nothing less of triumphant. However when the punch coming from Ruelash was aimed at Alek her eyes widened in terror, and Alek's face was much worse. Alek threw up his arms, casting a little flame in his palms as he did so, but Zuri pushed him out of the way, the punch landing on her instead.
"DON'T TOUCH MY BROTHER!" she screamed before launching herself at Ruelash with all her weight. She was smaller then him, but she was faster and had at least some practice from Kayin. She went for his chest once quickly before trying to move to behind him to get his back. Alek had already went running to their father and Veshki, the fight wouldn't last too long before they arrived.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:10 pm
Whoa, he hadn't been intending to hit her. He didn't hit girls first.
But that didn't count, did it? she had gotten in the way
His momentary surprise at hitting Zuri instead of Alek gained him a hit in the chest. It hurt, and suddenly it was hard to breathe.
Ruelash got a rush of adrenaline and delight. A fight! He'd been waiting! And now, since she had hit him, he could hit her! The fight was on!
Grinning like a maniac, he spun around with her and flung a punch towards her. Aiming? Ruelash didn't aim. As long as he hit, he was happy.
After that punch, he jabbed with his fist and sidestepped.
Oh yes! He had missed this! He hadn't fought in so long. It felt...
Good.
Veshki heard the shout.
"Oh no..." he said quietly, growing pale. Ruelash would get in trouble. They would be thrown out. Or worse.
"I told him to behave!" he said, as he stood up and rushed to the other room.
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