[PRP]A Funny Thing Happened While I Was Away (Deneb and Req)

[Ktns]

He just watched her quietly, not sure really what to make of it, even when he pushed his own feelings and thoughts aside. Even if it was confusing, even if things seemed a little raw and tho it was shaky at best at the moment, he nodded to her and overall was pleased she was 'home'.

It was then he realized her looked at her as he would look at his own child. Whether or not he would admit it, he was worried about her when she was gone, and the fact that she came home and would stay with them made him even more pleased. It meant she considered it home too, and that he had done a good job for himself.

He settled a bit more, laying his head down a bit as he rested before falling into sleep, and again, the call of his 'fate' that pulled him to go to yet another dying, slowly ebbed out as the missing puzzle piece fell back into place.  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb glanced back at the now resting angeni from the safety of the bulk of the group. Although things had been turned upside down in her life in the span of just a few short months, seeing Req put her at ease. He was like a big rock in a storm. A safe harbor, that if you clung tight enough, he'd keep you safe and let you see the morning sun again.

She smiled a bit to herself, and idly wondered if this was what having a father was like. She'd never known hers, he'd left shortly after her mother had become pregnant and until now had never lamented a strong male influence in her life. It was now of course she realized what she'd been missing. Yes, they'd had a misunderstanding, and someday in the future it was possible they'd have another. No one could understand another being one hundred percent of the time, it was impossible. They'd worked through it though, and she felt understood the other just a little bit better now.

She smiled to herself, "It's I that should really be thanking you, Requiem." she said quietly, before her attention was pulled away to coo over the new basket.  

[Ktns]

He would be able to rest through the rest of the night and well into the next day. His healing didnt take too long, at least enough of it to where he could move without too much pain. He still had to be careful of splitting the wound on his shoulder open and his wings felt a bit bruised, but otherwise he was fine.

As the next night fell, he shifted awake, yawning wide before getting up and stretching a bit, testing his wounds to see what he felt he could do and not do comfortably. He had taken note that since she returned, he hadnt felt the calling at all and it started his mind thinking. He started to look for her in the camp a bit, if he was okay enough for long walks and she was up for it, he wanted to try something out. As silly as a theory as it might be.  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb was grazing just a short distance away from the camp. Nothing much on her mind. Or at least she was trying not to have anything on her mind. Truth be told certain parts of her encounter with Xelloss were running through her mind and no matter how hard she tried to push them away they kept coming back.

Even injured he'd be quite a sight, and besides that there had just been something about him that caused her blood to start pumping. She sighed a bit and stamped a hoof staring at the ground before taking another bite. It was then that movement caught her attention. She looked up and then over at Requiem. She was a bit surprised he was up and about already, but shrugged that off and trotted over. "Looking for something in particular?" she asked.  

[Ktns]

Ah, there she was. He nodded a bit when she had trotted over, his wings hung loosely at his side, allowing them to rest comfortably. 'As a matter of fact.. yes... I noticed something while you were gone. Do you care to take a walk with me?' he asked, seemingly having something on his mind. He looked at her easily with his piercing blue eyes, and it was obvious he wasnt really asking. He needed to know the answer to his question, although, it was likely to open even more question for him.

He was still sore, but he got restless easily. If anything, it would at least prove to be a nice walk...hopefully.  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb tilted her head and wondered what was on his mind. "I don't mind at all." she said nodding slightly. "Anywhere in particular?" she asked at least starting to move away from the bulk of the others towards the surrounding area back toward where she'd been grazing before spotting the male.  

[Ktns]

He already started on his way, the night was still relatively young so he could explain as they walked. At first he would have just as well kept it a secret, or... not really a secret rather he didnt want to bother her with the details had he been wrong. And something she kind of knew already wasnt really a secret now was it.

As he started to lead, although it wasnt as if they were going anywhere in particular, he started to elaborate on exactly what it was he was searching for. 'When you and I first met, and for a short while after that, I didnt feel the same calling,' he paused a moment. 'The same one, you know, that led me to you.'  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb listened nodding slightly as they walked. She then stopped just for a moment before catching back up. "You mean what brought you to my mother." she said trying to keep everything matter of fact. Although she was keeping them hidden her emotional state was still a bit fragile and even though some time had passed since the death of her only parent, anything could make her break down right now.

"Do you have any idea why that is?" she asked. "Has it ever stopped before?" she added trying to get a better idea of the calling the angeni seemed to suffer from, and why her presence seemed to affect it. It was that last part that didn't make much sense to her the most.  

[Ktns]

He took a deep breath, just leading them both, tho it was more of a wandering. It was the same thing he did just about every night, and when he thought about it, it more than likely increased the odds he would feel something, if it were to occur.

'No,' he responded, his thoughts seemed scattered, almost as if he lost why they were even doing this in the first place. It wasnt that something was wrong, it was that he was trying to sort everything out. He had never before even thought about stopping it, or what really caused it. And gods he was actually a little afraid of what would happen if he really couldnt control it. Now that he had a 'family' of sorts, now that he had some semblance of himself, he realized there could be so much more than just... wandering endlessly and dealing with all of the suffering. But on the same hand, maybe it was selfish, maybe others needed him and he shouldnt stop.

The other thing that came to his mind, were the types of souls he had comforted. Maybe it wasnt just everyone, maybe it was for those who were good. Although he felt a little as if that were an egotistical thought, his ears docked silently.  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

"Oh," the mare said quietly, looking down to pick her way over the ground. She followed along silently for several minutes trying to think of something to say that would be relevant to the situation. This calling or what ever it was...it was what had brought the angeni to her mother and by default herself. Although it hadn't been herself he'd been drawn too, but her mother...the dying...the dead. So he followed his calling to the ones passing from this life to the next and somehow she affected it, negatively or positively she wasn't sure. Did he enjoy what he did? There was only one way to find that out.

"Do you...enjoy it?" she asked realizing that enjoy was probably a poor choice in words. How could anyone enjoy dealing with the dead all the time...although it sort of explained the big stallions apparent distance from the living.  

[Ktns]

He blinked at the question a bit and stopped, his first reaction was to blurt out something as if she were insane. Of COURSE he didnt enjoy it. He only turned his head to look at her, ears moving a bit as his tail moved from side to side in thought on how to answer something like that. He was careful to choose his words, not wanting to offend her or seem like he was truly responding as if she were crazy.

'Not at all. Ive always felt it was a curse... like I had done something previously that I dont remember, or in a past life, in which I was something horrible. That every time I come to one that is dying, every time I feel the horrible tug to them, that Im paying for whatever I had done before,' his voice grew quiet as his eyes held her, showing a sort of cold, dead feeling. 'I want it to stop,' he added. 'I long for a release... and when I met you, it did for a while. When you left... it came back.'  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb nodded. "I'm sorry, it was a poor choice of words. I only asked because I wanted to know how you felt about your calling and if the impact I was having was positive or negative." she shuffled a bit. "I should have figured it was positive, but I didn't want to seem cocky."

She sighed and looked up at the sky trying to think of what to say next. "...I wish I knew what to say...the burden you bear is so much bigger than anything I've ever experienced. It puts so much stress on you, constantly dealing with the dead and passing..." she paused for a moment then shook her head. "Perhaps its because even the dead can't bear to be alone in their final state...perhaps they need the presence of someone else to pass on in peace...Not everyone dies with loved ones around..." she trailed off and shrugged a bit unable to think of anything else to say.  

[Ktns]

He kept walking a long time, quiet for just as long. His head was low, and his mulled over her words, trying for once, to really put the pieces together of everything he could remember.

For so long, he just accepted things as they were, and it was a curse. Even the word 'curse' could never fully explain how he felt. He felt the pull again, it was faint, not as tormenting as it usually was, but he could feel it none the less.

He looked back at her, speaking quietly. 'Do you want to come with me... I can feel it..'  

[Lady Argentum Draconis]

Deneb looked at him then slowly nodded. "Yes, I'll come with you." she said slowly in a quiet voice, a little fearful of what they might see and unsure of what any of this meant.

She waited for him to get his bearings then followed after him, waiting to see where he'd take them.  

[Ktns]

He could feel her apprehension, and honestly, he couldnt say that he blamed her. It wasnt normally too horrible tho, by the time he usually got there, whatever deed it was, had been done. It was just the final moments, however, he could have been jaded to it all as well.

He lead them quietly until they had come to what seemed to be a bit of a clearing. There among the small rays of moonlight, lay an older, noble looking soul of a unicorn. His coat was of silver speckled with darker grays, his eyes were closed a moment, his ears moving to the soft sounds of the two as they came closer.

There was no doubt in Requiem's mind that this was the one he was looking for. He stood over the older male for a moment before the other spoke to him with a soft, strong voice, 'Ah... Ive been waiting for you'. The unicorn knew clearly who and what Requiem was, and only welcomed the company in the last moments as he lay there, his legs folded under him.

Requiem nodded a bit, his expression unchanging as he shifted to settle next to the passing male. The uni closed his eyes, a soft smile across his lips before he started to talk a bit more, telling Requiem about his life, every memory seemed so alive, so happy.