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 Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 8:56 pm
Well, that was one of them that believed in him, at least--all he could think of was how he had only become elder by virtue of being Kazuki's mate.
And Thea was even cutting him off there, too.
"The Moon Fox works in odd ways," and this was true. Ari couldn't even pretend to understand what went through her mind half the time. The fact that she was perhaps the most uncommunicative higher being in existence may have something to do with that, though.
((Ari, you really suck at remembering the past--that whole thing is a terrible, horrible, lie xp ))
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 12:09 pm
"But not so odd that she would trust the Tribe that worships her to an incompetent Elder," Thea returned very quietly, not used to talking this much, especially to Ari. "I do not pretend to know what the Moon Fox is thinking--her mind is unfathomable to someone like me, of course-- but...but I do not believe that she would have had Kazuki leave and you stay if she did not think you could handle it,"
Thea looked down now, embarrassed and feeling rather silly. Here she was, putting words in the Moon Fox's mouth. She half-expected to be smote from above any minute.
"All...all I'm saying is, our Tribe might be...happier...if you were," Thea finished quietly, peeking up at him hesitantly. "I know...I know it's hard, Ari, really, I do, but...but even faking it might help a little. And a little could turn into a lot and a lot could turn into really...helping us, as a whole Tribe."
Not to mention, Thea was sure she wasn't the only one who missed her Elder. But then again, she couldn't put the entire blame on him--it wasn't just his fault (or hardly his fault) that the Tribe had been so down lately. It was everyone's fault, and everyone needed to fix it.
...If only they had something to rally around...
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 12:43 pm
"Not incompetent, no." Just...mediocre. He was a mediocre elder. Rina was better by far--seemed born to be an elder, really--and while she was head and shoulders above all of them, even the other elders were better than Ari himself. And he knew that from experience, he had met all of the others already. And he was by far the worst of the lot.
While the tribe had yet to go up in flames, they were barely hanging on. Had been barely hanging on since...it felt like ever since Ari could remember. He knew that they had been happy, once, but that was so long ago it felt more like a dream than a memory.
And Thea was talking again, and he really should be listening, instead of drifting off into his own little world. Again.
And she was right, of course--he really should be putting the tribe before himself. That was what made Rina such a great elder: her duties came before herself, all of the time.
"I suppose I could try to fake it." There was no way he could be happy right now, with most of his family gone on their mission.
But some elder he was. He was supposed to be the one giving the advice to his tribe members, rather than the other way around.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:29 pm
"Besides," Thea murmured softly to her elder. "Both Aysu and Kavi are back now, and that is something to be happy about, isn't it?" Thea chanced a small smile up at her Elder.
"I...er, well, I suppose I should let you get back to work...and catching up with your children," Thea added, smiling softly.
But then she couldn't help herself. "I...what's it like, Ari? Having...having children?"
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:37 pm
"It would be better if they were all back, safe and sound..." Kavi had already gotten hurt on the mission, and he didn't want to think about what might happen to the others before the mission was over.
He really was grateful to have Aysu and Kavi back, to know that they at least were okay. But that didn't stop him from worrying about the others.
"Having kit, it's..." he tries to think to how to even begin to describe it, "it's the best and worst feeling in the world. You love them so much that it hurts...and they're cute when they're kits, but you know that some day they'll grow up, become their own person...you look forward to that...and dread it..."
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:42 pm
"Why would you dread it?" Thea couldn't stop herself from asking, even though she knew it full well herself: when kits got older, they left. They found themselves, found happiness and generally forgot about who had helped raise them and all the fun they'd had, because it was Time To Be Responsible.
But still, she was curious as to why Ari would think that...
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:46 pm
"They grow up, find mates of their own...join different tribes, and only rarely come visit..." He had seen Sigal recently, at least. But Twilight--he didn't know how she was doing. Or even where she was, now that the Tribe of Amores had ended. He wished he knew, so he could go visit her, so he could see for himself that she was doing alright.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 1:56 pm
"Yes," Thea agreed sadly, nodding. "How...how is Sigal?" Thea tried, hoping to avoid another subject that would make him more depressed--she imagined he wouldn't look half-bad with a real smile on his face.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:03 pm
Ari smiled, remembering his daughter's (and granddaughter's) recent visit to the tribe.
"She and Ame--her mate--are doing well. And their children are doing well as well. Her daughter, Lee came with--and Lee brought RickRack, who sends her love to you." Well, actually...
Before he could think better of it, Ari leaned down, and quickly licked Thea's cheek. He felt his face flushing as he glanced away.
"She sends that, too."
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:23 pm
Thea smiled faintly as he began to speak of his children and grandchildren. Lee and RickRack? Wha--
Thea got very still and was only confused for a moment as she tried to figure out what in the name of the Moon Goddess had just happened.
Think through it, Thea urged herself, making herself breath. Why? Her brain slowly kicked back into gear. Ricky...oh! Oh.
"Th-thank you," Thea murmured, feeling her cheeks warm brightly. "Er, I meant, for, um...passing it on?" Thea ended with a question completely on accident. "I...erm, yes, my sister is rather affectionate..."
Thea was looking firmly at her paws, willing herself not to do any of the following: run away, squeak or melt into a puddle of paint-splattered Thea goo on the ground.
...And now she wasn't making any sense.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:34 pm
"Er, yes...um, you're welcome," Ari stuttered, making himself not comment on how well the blush suited Thea--it really highlighted her yellow and black markings.
"Yes, she certainly seemed so," and now Ari was determined to steer the conversation back onto more solid ground. "Lee seems so as well. I suppose that's why they get along so well. Lee called Ricky...her 'besty best bestest friend', I think it was?" Ari grinned and shook his head at his granddaughter's antics.
She really did take after Sigal a lot...
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:47 pm
Thea chuckled sodtly and nodded, relieved to be back onto a less awkward, less unusual, less brain-melty subject.
"RickRack has a lot of besty best best best friends, though she makes most of them up," Thea admitted with a soft chuckle, looking up at him. Her smile widened slightly at the grin that had spread across her Elder's (because that's what he was) face--it made him look...younger.
"They are...together, then?" Thea asked softer, tilting her head slightly to one side. If Ricky had found someone and Thea hadn't--
But no, she wouldn't go down that road. She needed to be happy. For Ari.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 2:51 pm
"Together...? Oh, no, they're just friends. Well, Lee did decide to adopt Ricky into our family, because..." he paused, trying to remember. "Oh, because Lee thought it wasn't fair that she had parents and grandparents, and Ricky didn't."
Sigal hadn't shared her suspicions about Lee and Ricky with her father--they were just suspicions after all, and she had decided to let the girls figure out for themselves exactly what they meant to one another.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:04 pm
"Ah," Thea said with a nod. "Well, she and I do have parents. We just don't know them," Thea said with a small shrug, pointing out the obvious.
"But...that was very nice of Lee," she added, changing the subject--away from Thea herself. "I know Ricky's always wanted 'real' parents," she added with a soft chuckle. "I'm very glad she has your daughter now as a mother. I...I don't think she could do any better," Thea admitted very softly, smiling hesitantly up at him.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:03 pm
Michie was a bit shocked by the elder's announcement. True, he hadn't known the other elder and their children much at all (though he didn't know anyone very well), but he still felt the sadness seeping from Ari. Frowning a bit, he laid near Yudoku's feet, and watched his elder. Thoughts began to enter his mind, and they were all along the same line; what was it like to grow up? To find a mate? To have kits of your own? And, even though he knew it had to hurt to loose those loved ones once you had them... he had no idea how much. He knew, deep down, that he should be grateful for the fact that he'd never know. Seeing as how he, being a perma-kit, would never get the luxury, or privilege, to grow up. Never be able to experience an 'adult' life... sure, he'd get wiser and all that... of atleast he thought he would. Even that was unknown. He was tempted to apply the word 'unfair' to his situation, but didn't allow it.
Sighing, the small kit nuzzled his head against his own paws, and then re-entered the real world. Only then did he notice a paint-spattered fox walking away from him, the echo of her unanswered greeting finally ringing in his ears as everything caught back up with him. Sighing again, he frowned at his rudeness. Yes, it was unintentional, but he still felt bad about it. Apparently, though, he would have no chance to apologize to her as she went off to talk with Ari. Not wanting to seem rude, he did his best to not watch or listen to them, but being a curious kit was working against him. He ended up watching them out of the corner of his eye, but they were out of hearing distance.
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