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 Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 4:06 pm
 Asadaki was nervous at the idea of leaving his sister alone. They were too close to other creatures... and if something happened to her while he was away... No. No, he couldn't think like that or about that. The idea of something happening to her disturbed him to the very core of his being. Lately, he only ever left her on her own if it was absolutly nessesary.
And since they needed to eat, it was nessesary. Everything else they did, he was sure that they did together. But she was far too weak to go out on a hunt... she could be injured, or grow sick, and he needed to be sure that he was well.
But being away from her... well, she was all he thought about, which he knew was making his ability to find food suffer. They needed to find a less populated area if they could. Away from other creatures that might harm her, or might presume themselves worthy of being near her... But for now, he needed to find them food.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 4:43 pm
 Sinzia stretched and yawned. His normal morning routine. Of course, it didn't have to technically be morning for this ritual to apply. He was very often just waking up, after all. Shaking his head, large ears and thick neck making strange sounds as his furry mop of hair swatted against them, he let the motion move into the rest of his body, until the tip of his tail was shuddering.
Drawing a deep breath, he stretched his forepaws again and moved sleepily away from his temporary nest. He never really stayed in one spot for very long, having a few small dens and home-like places set up all around this area. It didn't limit him to one place, and he liked the freedom in it.
Not that he was anything but free. He had no family, after all, and no pack to worry about. He didn't even have friends to worry about. All he needed to care about was keeping himself happy, fed, well rested and entertained. Having already succeeded in one of those for the day, he set about looking for food.
And then he spotted a rather worried looking Hyena in the immediate distance. Looks like he just found his entertainment which, in turn, would make him very happy.
"Hey!" He called, trotting over, "what are you doing here?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:02 pm
Asadaki blinked and turned around, hearing the sound of another creature coming closer. He was suprised when it turned out to be another hyena, which had had not expected. He had seen few of his own kind since leaving his own pack... what seemed like ages before.
He turned slowly, now polite and all courtesy. Though his sister remained in his mind, he now had other social considerations which he must comply with. It would be rude to offend any other creature he came across, no matter how worried he was about his own flesh and blood. Biku would have to wait... for now, though it was not a very appealing idea in all honestly. Still, Asadaki was a gentleman, and he would behave as such no matter what.
Well... except in one situation, but as his sister was safely out of harm's way, he saw no need to be especially wary.
"Hello there friend." He offered in return, nodding to the other hyena, "What can I do for you on this fine day?" He was not suspicious or judging, of course, one could not be, lest he risk offence. Something he would not dare to do.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:17 pm
Sinzia arched an eyebrow at this chivalrous display, doing his best to keep from laughing. He bowed his head, trying to decide what character he might play. For now he would be neutral, and see where their conversation took him.
"Nothing, brother," he offered cordially, "I was just looking for some food and I spotted a worried face. Thought I might come over and see if you needed help. But if you're offering me it, I guess it can't be that bad, huh?"
He grinned wryly. Bowing his head slightly, more like an over long nod than anything else, he eyed this stranger. He didn't look too imposing, but Sinzia knew very well that it was not a good idea to judge a book by its cover. After all, he was dedicated to lying when ever and where ever he got the chance. Who was he to gauge another creatures 'trustability'? For all he knew, the hyena just wore a worried face to lull others into a false sense of power and security.
The way he saw it, he had two options of character. He could play an equally gentlemanly dude, or combat him with rudeness and insulting vulgarity. He was leaning toward the latter, but he would wait for a few more moments, to see what this guys story was.
"You look troubled."
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:44 pm
"Ah... yes, I thank you, my friend, for being so observant." Asadaki nodded, still unsure of this character, but he was naturally far more trusting when he was on his own than when he was with Biku, so he was willing to offer the benifit of the doubt, "It is a slightly private matter... but in truth, I was looking for food for mysef and my dear sister. She has no complexion for hunting I'm afraid... but I do fear leaving her."
He knew he shouldn't have even said that much, but so long as this hyena was close by, he knew he would be able to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't double back to try and find Biku.
For while Asadaki had a tendancy to be very sweet and kind on most occasions, his sister's saftey was quite another matter. For he had always been trained as a knight of his pack, and to defend her with the utmost love. And that he certainly did, whether it turned him into a monsterous killer or not.
"Forgive me, I should have introduced myself. My name is Asadaki." Silly of him, to forget the most basic politeness. He had merely become so used to being with Biku, and avoiding anyone they came across when they were together... he was not often alone to meet company.
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:39 am
"Your sister, eh?"
Sinzia grinned. He enjoyed it immensely when his encounters gave him information he could work with. Now he could use this sister in his lies, and see what came of it. Of course, he didn't want to get his throat ripped out, but he was feeling spry enough for a fight if one arose. Hyenas fought all the time, after all.
"I thought your colors were familiar," he dared, knowing full well that some siblings didn't look anything alike, "I've seen your sister around. Pretty little thing. You must be with her a lot, though. Tough getting to see her on her own." He grinned wickedly, finally deciding that his character was going to be an a*****e. Why strain himself and act away from true form, anyway?
"I'm Sinzia. Sin, for short. Heard of me?" If he had, there would be no point in playing this game any further.
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:46 am
"We're twins, so yes, it could be said that we look alike." Asa offered, still perfectly polite, "Strange that you would have seen her around though... for we've only been in this area a day or so, and this is the first time I've left her alone." Unless this hyena had been following, and idea that Asadaki did not particularily like. He knew full well that some hyenas could be scowndrels... and though in his old pack, touching his twin had been forbidden and punishable by death, that was not the case in the outside world.
"And no, I'm afraid I've never heard of you before. Are you famous around these parts?" Asadaki asked, unsure whether this would be impolite or not. Some packs had such very different laws... perhaps this hyena was famous for something he had done?
Asadaki was not sure at all. After all, he had been well known in his old pack, for his and his sister's religious significance... perhaps it was something like that? How terrible if he had inadvertantly stumbled on a religious wrong-doing...
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:29 pm
"Oh, don't think it's strange. I'm the eyes and ears of this place. I've got homes all over the place, and I at least see everyone who comes in here. Don't always go out of my way to speak to them, though."
He grinned. He certainly had a reputation, but he wouldn't call himself famous. He was mostly just concerned that they had heard about him being a dastardly liar. If they were new, however, he was in luck. Grinning, he wagged his tail and shook his head, "not famous, so much, but a bit well known. People just... know me."
"But since we're talking, I'd like to meet your sister, you know, and get to know you guys better. You just passing through? Gonna stay here a while? I have to warn you, it gets pretty dangerous around here. Prowlers about. You know. Those kind of guys you can't trust near a female?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:10 am
"I see... that's very interesting." He was not entirely sure he trusted what the hyena had told him. While he often gave others the benifit of the doubt, where his sister was concerned he was not so liberal with his thinking. He was very careful when he was around her, and always carefully hid her before he even considered leaving her alone. He was certain he would have seen any creature that was watching them...
"Ah, yes," He nodding, keeping up with being friendly, though he was more happy to stay away from the topic of his sister at that point, "Are you social with many of the creatures of this area then?" He supposed that was one way of making yourself known.
Then came the offer about his sister. If anything could quickly shut off Asadaki's friendly and gentlemanly disposition: That was it. "No. No I'm afraid it will not be possible to meet her. She does not welcome strangers warmly... nor is it likely we will stay long enough to meet anyway. I plan on moving us out of this area as soon as possible, especially if there are prowlers here as you claim there are. Especially if you have infamously associated yourself with them."
There was something in his eyes when she was brought up that was quite obvious now. An anger of sorts, though perhaps it was somewhat more brutal than that. Asadaki had been trained to do three things in his life: Protect and love his pack, defend his sister, and kill anyone but himself and the priests who touched her. Asadaki had always taken the last job to a bit of an... extreme. Touch was a little too close for him. Looking at her the wrong way was substantiel reason enough for him to want to kill someone. He had done it before.
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:08 pm
"I've talked to a lot of people, some more than others. Most people just know me by sight. Or smell. And they know to look out for me if they're starting trouble. Or, if I'm in the right mood, looking to be a part of some," he grinned and wagged his tail again, large ears perking forward. Only the last part of that statement would qualify as being true.
"Are you sure it's her that doesn't welcome strangers warmly?" Sinzia challenged, grinning just to bare his teeth. He kept up his jovial expression and air, but his words with edged. He noticed the way the other hyena changed when he mentioned his sister, and Sin saw in that an opportunity for a little instigating. There was no reason behind his sudden desire to push this stranger to his limits, beyond the very simple excuse that Sin was bored.
Sinzia was not a proud hyena, in many ways. He did not find it necessary to constantly worry about his reputation or what others said and thought about him. He didn't care if he was the lowest creature on the earth, so long as he was having fun. Boredom was murderous, though he was one of the laziest fiends in the savannah. But it was his choice to be lazy, and boredom was certainly not the same thing. Boredom was involuntary. It was forced on him. He did not like being subject to someone, or some thing, else's will.
"I'm a protector, like you seem to be," Sin said offhandedly, "I don't like those prowlers any more than you do. But one hyena can only do so much. Maybe it would be best if you got her out of here, particularly if you don't think you can handle it here. I wouldn't want to hang around a dangerous place if I wasn't equipped to protect the ones I care about, either. Of course. I do hang out here, because I am equipped. But that's just me."
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:56 pm
If Asadaki's trust and general politness could be tested, this hyena was certainly pressing all the right buttons, but he also pressed one or two that kept Asadaki from getting upset enough to attack. After all, he was a gentleman and a knight by all accounts, which meant that mere provacation was not an excuse to attack, let alone kill, another. Only if his sister were in direct danger would he go to such extremes. He was not by nature a wicked creature. But stilll... something about this hyena simply wasn't right. Perhaps it was Sin's directness of being generall impolite and proud, or perhaps he could somehow sense the lies of his character... but Asa did not particularily like him.
"Yes... my sister would be indignant at meeting those who she does not know. She had no love of strangers who do not suit her tastes, and would not stand for it. She was not raised to trust strangers." Or, frankly, anyone except him and other gods like her. Biku didn't like having those she didn't know around her. And Asa could hardly blame her, from the stories they had often heard of the outside world. Perhaps she could have made friends if Asa allowed it... but he had been trained as well. And anyone who touched, or talked to his sister without the proper rituals had a death sentance on their heads when it came to Asadaki's rules.
"Forgive my saying so, but as you have only yourself to protect, I would say that you have significantly less to lose than one who protects others. I mean no offence of course." Asadaki said, perfectly honestly, not blunt, but honest, and not meaning any word in a cruel way, "And having someone who depends on you for protection is much more trying than protecting only yourself. So yes, I would keep my sister out of dangerous areas, as any intelligent beast would be if those they cared about were in danger. So yes, as you say, it is just you. Just. You. And keeping a lady in such a place as to put her in danger merely to prove your own worth is selfish and vain. I need to prove nothing. My devotion is clear." He spoke with the religious zeal of someone completely set in his ways.
Asa had never been particularily prone to change.
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:59 am
"That's not true at all," Sinzia said with a shrug of his large shoulders, tail wagging discreetly behind him, "just because I don't have other lives to care about, doesn't mean I don't care about my own. I don't know about you, but I love being alive. It's actually really cool, and probably my favorite thing to be. That, to me, is worth protecting as much as a thousand sisters and a million duties."
"The way I see it," Sin said, stepping closer, "is that if you devote yourself to protecting someone, that becomes your life, right? But that's a fallacy, don't you think? It sets you both up with a weakness. You get blinded, and you get reckless. You do noble things and you sure as hell do a great job, but then one day you go and do what you promised you would: you give your life to protect them. And then what? They're alone with no one to protect them from the big bad world, and you're dead for no reason. Because one way or another, something is going to cross that line you fought to hard to protect, and without you being alive, there's not one damn thing you can do about it."
He heard himself growling, which was a surprise. He set a calm expression on his face, shaking his head and rolling his shoulders back, "I can care about a lot of folks, but in the end, the best thing I can do by them is let them take care of themselves. It's cruel to leave them once you've started that whole 'devotion' thing, and it's a hell of a mess when the rules change. That's another thing you never know. When you're stepping over the line of protecting them, and just being a possessive jerk."
He grinned, echoing the others tone, "I mean no offense, of course."
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Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:07 pm
"No offence taken." Asadaki informed him, "Because you have obviously never taken care of another being except for yourself before. That much, I can see." Whether or not Sin was correct had no bearing on Asadaki's feelings, "You judge me, that much is obvious. Yet you have no knowledge of my reasons, nor my desire to defend the one closest to me, who has always been destined to die before me." He said the last part bluntly.
"Her death is unavoidable, it will come, most likely before my own." Asadaki said simply, being frank, though he did not seem entirely happy about the words that came out of his mouth. He had no love of the knowledge that it was his duty to ensure that his sister would die, and to keep her safe until that time - when he would kill her. "One who loves no one but himself could not understand what it is like to be devoted to something greater."
He glanced over at Sin, eyes narrowing, "And make no mistake, I do care about myself. I would not die over something foolish and leave her to face the world alone: But not everyone is strong. Not everyone can stand on their own, and some people must support them. My job is to protect those who do not protect themselves. That requires the knowledge that I am strong enough to defend her. That I can't let someone down. That's much better than living only for myself."
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:33 pm
Sin shrugged. He knew he had never taken care of anyone. He didn't even go out of his way to take care of himself. He had no idea what loyalty was, or why anyone would want to devote themselves to someone else. He didn't even have friends to associate with, to build up that sense of loyalty. All he knew were lies, and that's all he shared.
"I'm not judging you, I'm just saying," he shrugged his big shoulders, ears parked forward, "I mean, you could tell me why you're so gung-ho about it, but I probably don't care. I'm just looking out for these lands, and if you're just passing through I guess I can't offer much. You don't like me, anyway, so that's fine."
He grinned, "but what if you did die too soon, huh? How strong are you? Not that I want to fight you, of course. I'm not much for fighting. I'm more... a lover, than a fighter." He cackled, "but hey, to each his own. If that's how you want to waste - er - spend your life, more power to you. I just hope whoever you're protecting is cool with it."
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:08 pm
Asadaki, who had known nothing in his life except protecting others, knew everything about defending others with his life. Really, it was all he knew and all he understood. He knew nothing else but to do anything to keep his sister safe, and stay with her until her death.
"Really? Not judging?" Asadaki asked, raising an eyebrow. He had gotten a very different sense from the hyena. He was an untrustworthy fellow, Asadaki knew that much. Far too interested in his sister, and not in a good way. He was glad he took so much trouble in hiding her, "I am sorry if I offended you, I didn't care to. I am merely... defensive. I find that most hyenas, or other creatures in this world aren't looking out for anyone but themselves."
He watched Sin carefully, "If I died... I prefure not to think about that." He never really had. He just had to assume he would be alive... because without him, she would die. She couldn't do anything herself, and it went against everything he believed in to teach her otherwise. "I'm strong enough to keep defending her. Stronger than I look. And what you do is never a waste - so long as you love doing it." And Biku... "She's all I know. I'm all she knows. There is nothing else."
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