Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin hadn't really been much of a night owl back in the older days, days had been spent entertaining the normal otters of the reserve where he had lived with his gypsy brethren, evenings spent taking watch and then sleeping. But since he left, it had become more and more difficult to sleep at all, to the point where he would go days without and only sleep when he collapsed. He wasn't alone anymore, and La Esmeralda seemed quite intent on keeping him healthy, so he tried to sleep when she did. But it was so hard. He was close his eyes and see his songbird's face, hear her sweet voice.
It was one of those difficult nights, so he had fled the cave where his den was located. He had a nice little niche in a much larger cave, something like the old Court. But where the court had been colorful and loud and warm, his cave was dull and silent, cold and empty. Esme was doing her best to lift his spirits, but the charming femme could only do so much.
He sat outside of the cave's entrance, listening to the sounds of the darkened world around him, a stony expression on his face.
Esmeralda:
Esmeralda knew she wasn't doing enough, she could see it in clopin's eyes, the spark was gone. Maybe not gone but certainly dulled, at it tugged at her heart in ways she hadn't realized it could...or should. She had always looked up to Clopin, but then again what female hadn't? He was their bold, bright, fearless leader except now he was a shell of that. She wrapped her sheer scarf over her shoulders and slunk into the darkness following him.
Concern, thats what she told herself she was just concerned that he would drink or do something foolish. The truth was though she longed for Clopin in ways she hadn't dared admit when his mate was alive. Her heart had been his from the time she was just a pup and every alluring sway and sultry gaze had been aimed at him. It still stung to remember that he hadn't wanted her, he had looked right past her and fallen in love with his quiet mild songbird. Still she had accepted it, because what else could she do? She had thrown those flirtations into other tasks and used them to earn her living. She wasn't happy that Clopin's mate was gone, but a part of her had sparked with hope again certain that once his heart healed he would finally see her. Except his heart hadn't healed...and he had left them...and she...she followed.
"silly fool..." She murmured to herself quietly and slipped into the dark cavern after him. "Clopin?"
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin jumped a bit and turned around, a tired smile on his face.
"Esme? What are you doing up, chère? I thought you'd gone to sleep," he asked, a bit of concern in his voice. Had he woken her when he left? He didn't wish to keep her up or worry her. Even before the downfall of Frollo, she had been too sweet, too sensitive. She went out of her way to help those that could easily get her killed. God, that was a terrible thought, his little Esme not in the world anymore. His face paled slightly beneath his fur and he suppressed a shudder, swallowing slowly.
He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and giving her a tender smile.
"Is there something you needed?"
Esmeralda:
"I thought YOU had gone to sleep clopin...but you haven't been sleeping at all..." She moved in closer and sat beside him wrapping her scarf loosely over him. "Whats wrong?" She asked softly her eyes concerned as she looked over him saw him pale. He didn't seem the robust and wild otter she had known, as if this new reserve that withered him away. Perhaps it would do the same to her until the air held no more music and the desire to dance and move and live left her paws. It hurt to think that Clopin would never recover, never be what he once was. The worst part was he could pretend so well he probably fooled every otter here...the ones who didn't know him.
"I just needed to see if you were alright...and I see now your not..." She sighed sadly and closed her eyes her head falling a bit. Her hair fell in a dark curtain to conceal half her face for a moment before she looked back at him.
Clopin Troulifou:
She knew him too well.
Clopin gave her a sincere smile, though it was small. She looked so concerned and when she dipped her head with such a sad sighed it all but broke his heart. La Esmeralda wasn't supposed to be sad, she was supposed to be the light. She was the embodiment of the spark in their kind. And he couldn't let that fade from her.
"Nightmares, that's all it is," he replied honestly, knowing he could never lie to her. He brushed her hair from her face, tilting his head a bit. He'd never recalled seeing her ever hide behind the cascade of black before, not like that. He'd seen her do it to peak out with a seductive smile and a wink, but never this sad, almost shy look. Not since she was a pup.
"I suppose since we both seem to be getting no sleep, we should find something productive to do, hmm?" Anything to get her mind off of his troubles. And maybe it would get his off the past.
Esmeralda:
She felt so helpless, she couldn't seem to find a way to push away his bleak moods. She had hoped moving into the den would help, but instead it made her even more keenly aware of just how sad he was. She relaxed a bit at his small smile and moved to touch his paw. She wanted to lean forward...in that moment the way he brushed her hair back. How easily it would be to touch her nose to his, but she knew she couldn't, shouldn't. He was still so pained by the loss of his mate she knew better then to try and push for emotions that weren't there, that might never be.
She forced a smile and tugged the ends of her scarf lightly to get him up. "It's dark...we should do what we do best and find a little trouble...I'm certain we could get into that rangers station." Her forced smile slowly turned into a genuine sly smile before she pulled her scarf away and twirled happily.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin nodded in agreement to her suggestion, following her towards the station. A part of him had missed this, being naughty. His gypsies had been rather controlled in their thievery, never stealing from other creatures and only some things from the humans. He had to make sure things didn't go missing too often or the humans might get suspicious of them and start to question their behaviors. It felt strange, though, doing this with Esme. Usually it had been himself and some of the other males, usually a small group, but never just a pair. Couples weren't allowed to go, either, since they might get distracted.
But this wasn't their old home and they didn't have anyone else but each other and they weren't a couple. He was much too old for her and there had been plenty of other males who wanted her attention. Something caught his memory and he gave her a thoughtful look.
"What happened to your friends, Esme? It didn't occur to me until now, but they didn't come with you."
Esmeralda:
Esme felt giddy, she had been away from others for so long, her travels had been exciting but difficult. Talent and beauty had seen to it she found shelter and food from their old home to the oasis. Humans had been enchanted with the fabric draped otter who twirled and jingled like some magical apparition. Still some nights had been only a camp out on the cold hard ground with her scarf wrapped close for a slight bit of warmth. It was all worth it though because she was with Clopin now, like a fantasy finally come true. She saw the ranger station loom into view ahead and motioned towards it.
"That's the place?" She snorted a bit and smirked. "Too easy..."
Then his words caught her and she froze for a moment, her friends...yes it had been hard to leave them. Especially...but then he had been from a different world, a world of honor and duty. A world where she would never really be accepted, where she would just drag him down. They had parted as friends neither willing to cause more pain by questioning what more there could have been there.
"I think they both still felt they owed something to the city...they stayed...usually when someone tries to burn me at the stake I take the first chance I get to leave." She gave a half laugh trying to turn the nasty memory into a joke.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin's eyes narrowed when she mentioned her near-death experience, but it was a barely noticeable change in his expression that another otter would likely miss it. Oh, how he wished he could have been the one to kill Frollo. He would have made the judge suffer much more than he had before finally being allowed to go to hell. The former king of the gypsies was a nice male for sure, but when crossed he could be one of the most evil and vicious of creatures.
He ran up to the box for firewood that was under a window of the station, leaping up on top of it and turning back to Esmeralda. He laid down on his stomach and held both his paws over the edge of the box, intending to pull her up if she wanted the help. He didn't want her ruining her lovely dress, that type and color of fabric was hard to find and even harder to tailor.
Esmeralda:
Esme was torn between showing off for Clopin and not wanting to ruin her dress, she took his paws and let him pull her up. She balanced carefully on the wood and swept her dress back. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed into the window and then she placed a paw on the frame lightly testing for traps.
"It's almost too easy..." She glanced at Clopin curiously, they lived by the gypsy code. They worked hard, they took what they needed, and shared with one another. Esme had been looking to Clopin for leadership for so long that it was only natural for her to look to him now for direction. Once a king, always a king it seemed.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin smiled as he picked up a strip of wood he hid between the box and the wall of the building just for this occasion. He carefully wedged it under the window and levered it up enough so that he could slip a paw beneath and push upward until it was open.
"Oh, it's very easy, chère. It's finding things to take that is the hard part, he replied, slipping in and landing on a cabinet. He blinked in the darkness, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, and glanced back to make sure she was coming. An old spark was back in his eyes, and though it was small, it was still there. Breaking into the ranger's station made him feel back home again, when things were easy and he was surrounded by those whom he cared for and those that cared for him. And though he only had Esmeralda now, having just her with him made the difference.
Esmeralda:
Esmeralda quickly followed him in and blinked letting her eyes adjust to the dim indoors. She glanced around curiously and slowly hopped down from the cabinet. "I'm sure two resourceful minds like ours can manage to find something in here..." She grinned back at him and then leapt onto a desk.
"Hmm...some of these things require keys..." Of course that didn't mean the same thing to them, it meant they needed a set of lock picks or some sharp nails.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin smiled at her enthusiasm, she reminded him of when she was young. He leapt down to the floor and walked up to one of the desk drawers, finding it locked. Smiling still, he slipped his hat off his head and removed the feather, using the pin-tip at the end of the feather to pick the lock. He had it open in a shake of his tail and found the ranger's secret stash of treats. He avoided the chocolates and pulled out a package of sugar cookies.
"Never leave home without the pick," he commented, twirling the feather deftly.
"Do you see any pillows or cushions?"
Esmeralda:
She watched with a smirk as Clopin expertly picked the lock and then her nose twitched at the sweet smell. "Ohh what are THOSE?" She moved in closer to get a better look curious about the sugar cookies. She had never had a sugar cookie before, or a cookie of anykind, back in their old home fish had been the staple diet with clams as a rare treat. Stealing bits of humans beef jerky or broth was the best they could get away with. Sugar was just...rare.
She looked around for any pillows or cushions and grinned motioning to a rather comfy looking chair. It had a cushion and a throw pillow on it. "Those will do nicely..." She glanced at the window. "Hmm might have to fold them a bit to push them out..."
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin too the bag in his teeth, careful of his tusks and heaved himself up onto the desk beside Esme, dropping the bag once he was up there.
"Close your eyes and open your mouth," he said with a smile, taking one of the cookies out and breaking it in half. He'd left his hat on the floor by the open drawer. He was conscious of it, but held back going down to get it back. He wouldn't let La Esmeralda know that he worried about his hair.
Esmeralda:
Esme smiled and closed her eyes opening her mouth slowly and waiting curiously. It was a true sign of trust that she would just close her eyes and leave herself so open in the middle of their caper. It was a dangerous situation after all if the ranger burst in and caught them. Still she trusted Clopin and they were both quite alert ears perked to catch any sound.
Clopin Troulifou:
With that, Clopin placed the cookie half in her mouth, sitting back so that he could nibble on the other half. It tasted like they had been baked not too long ago.
"What do you think?" he asked, tilting his head a bit to one side. He carefully twisted the opening of the bag closed, giving her a questioning look, one eyebrow raised.
Esmeralda:
Esme felt something touch her tongue and she eagerly started to chew then swallowed and almost purred as the delicious soft doughy cookie melted. "Oh Clopin that's delicious! I think thats the best thing I've ever tasted!" She licked her lips of a few stray grains of sugar. She smiled and leapt down to retrieve his hat for him.
"Careful wouldn't want to loose this..." She had always wondered why it meant so much to him. Ah well they all had their little quirks, she scampered over to the chair and tugged off the pillow and cushion. The pillow was fairly easy, but the large seat cushion would be a challenge.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin took the hat from her with a grateful smile.
"Thank you chère," he replied, carefully putting the feather back and setting it carefully back on his head. He had to wonder if she had caught on about his hair. She seemed to see through him more often than not. He watched as she took the cushion and pillow, considering his companion. Watching her stealing things with him, the image of her as a pup melted away. And she wasn't just one of the entertainers of the gypsies either. She was an all around aid to the cause. She stood up for those who couldn't, fought against those that wanted to persecute them... She was even trying so very hard to get him out of his funk.
He owed her so much, but had no idea how to repay her.
He grabbed the bag of cookies again and jumped down, throwing them up onto the cabinet before joining her at the chair.
"I'll get the cushion," he said with a small smile.
Esmeralda:
"But of course..." She wanted to tell him she would do anything for him, always be by his side, but it all sounded...wrong. His heart had been given already and she had to accept that. Despite his mates death she lingered still there, she might forever. Besides she wasn't some sap, there was no point promising forever and devotion. She had already shown her devotion to Clopin, words were cheap, her actions could show him her love better then anything she could think to say. She smiled and grabbed the pillow hauling it towards the cabinet and then typing her scarf to an edge. She leapt up onto the cabinet and carefully hauled the pillow up.
Clopin Troulifou:
She was so clever, using her scarf like that. The former king nodded once in approval before pushing the cushion up a bit so that it wasn't so wedged on the chair. He was careful when he grabbed it between his front two paws, using his tail like a third leg to keep himself from falling over as he tugged it out inch by inch. But he miscalculated the last bit and he fell backwards with an audible thump.
Esmeralda:
"Clopin?!" Esmeralda untied the scarf leaving the pillow ontop of the cabinet and leaping down to make sure the other otter was alright. She walked over and pushed the cushion a bit trying to look him over. "Need a paw?"
Clopin Troulifou:
"I'm alright Esme, no need to worry," Clopin replied as he stood up, arching his back a bit until he felt it pop. Maybe he was getting too old for this sort of thing... he inwardly shook his head to rid it of that thought and grabbed the cushion in his teeth, flinging it up on top of the cabinet. He smiled a bit at the feat, feeling his ego recover from the fall.
"I think that should do i-" he was interrupted by the soft creak of a door being pushed open. He turned to see a rather big, rather angry looking dog staring at them from the other side of the office. He didn't know if it belonged to the ranger or if she had found it or if she was watching it for someone, and he didn't care. What mattered to him was that it was growling at them and Esme was at ground level with him.
Clopin's fur bristled as he took a warning pose, baring his sharp teeth and tusks at the dog.
"Get out the window, Esme. Now," he murmured to her, moving slowly to put himself between her and the canine.
Esmeralda:
Esme would have laughed at how triumphant he seemed at the pillow toss but then she turned sharply. The door slowly opened and the growling dog was revealed. She tensed a bit and then her muscles relaxed as she readied to spring into action. Clopin's words however caught her off guard.
"Leave you to face that alone?" she huffed and shook her head. "We both leave...or we both stay." She swept her dress back with a flourish like a bullfighter waving the red flag before the beast.
Clopin Troulifou:
Something tugged at Clopin's heart when she refused to leave him, a memory. With it could have come a dilemma, would sending her to safety really keep her safe? But in this instance, he knew that Esmeralda being out of harm's reach was the safest place for her. He'd lose it if something happened to her, but she was so stubborn. Why couldn't she just let him protect her?
Heart aching with what he had to do, he steeled himself and shot her a kick look of anger before returning his attention to the dog. It was slowly stalking forward, growling all the while.
"Get. Out. Esme," he growled, taking a warning step towards the angry beast. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, not his Esmeralda. He needed her. If it ever came down to it, he would gladly take her place, being happy to die if he knew she was safe.
"I. Mean. It."
Esmeralda:
She growled for a moment before huffing and throwing down a small glass vial. A cloud of smoke exploded in her place and she leaned down watching him from ontop of the cabinet. She tied her scarf back around her waist and kicked the throw pillow out the window. It would make for a soft for a soft landing if they had to jump out quickly.
She wasn't just going to leave though, but she'd let him protect if he felt he had to. She just couldn't turn her back and escape while he remained. She paced ontop of the cabinet watching the dog and the gypsy king below.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin inwardly sighed in thanks that she finally got out of harm's way. He bared his teeth with a growl before rushing a couple of steps towards the dog, his spiney tail curled over his back in warning. The dog wasn't threatened by the demonic otter's display, however, and instead rushed the gypsy. With a short growl, Clopin jumped up and landed on the dog's head, driving it into the floor and launching him back up onto the desk.
"Esme, Go!" he called, not wasting time for the dog to recover from the blow. He ran across the desk and leapt onto the cabinet, his back claws scraping across the edge and his tail yanked just in time out of the dog's mouth. He grabbed the bag of cookies in passing and was out the window, shutting it behind them to leave a very angry dog barking at them from behind a pane of glass.
Esmeralda:
Esme waited until he was on the desk and then leapt out the window. She landed on the pillow and then turned to see Clopin sail out as well. She was about to shout a warning until the window slammed down leaving them opposite the angry dog. She exhaled and slowly relaxed looking at Clopin.
"Are you alright? I didn't know there was a beast guarding this place..." She tossed her hair back and then smirked. "Still wasn't so bad..." She walked over wanting to make sure he was alright.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin huffed wordlessly for a moment, just staring at the dog after having taken the bag out of his mouth to sit on the wood box. But then Esmeralda spoke and he rounded on her, eyes wide and ears still set back from the ordeal. In a flash, he had his arms around her, holding her in a fierce hug, almost a death-grip.
"Don't do that again," he murmured in her ear, giving her a squeeze when he all but pleaded with her.
Esmeralda:
Esme was surprised by the forcity in his voice but she slowly moved her arms around him and nuzzled his neck. She rested her head on his shoulder and relaxed against him.
"You should know I could never just leave you in danger and save my own skin like a coward."
She closed her eyes for a moment to relish how it felt with his paws wrapped tight around her. Despite the snarling dog at the window this felt like a dream. She knew he was worried, but didn't he see that she worried about him too? They had to stick together, especially in this place where strange new dangers seemed to lurk.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin shuddered once before slipping back, but just enough that his paws could rest on her shoulders and look at her in the eyes.
"I know, but please Esme. When I tell you to get out of a dangerous situation, please do it," he said, his voice low, tone pleading. He move one paw and ran the back of it across her cheek to brush some hair out of her face.
"I don't want you to get hurt. You're all I have..."
Esmeralda:
"What if I told you to get out of danger?" She leaned into his paw and sighed softly.
"I promise I'll move to a safer location...but I'll never just leave you Clopin...I...I couldn't." She softly touched his chest and lowered her head. "You forget that...if I'm all you have, you're all I have too."
Clopin Troulifou:
"I couldn't get out, not until you were out of the danger zone, chère," Clopin replied, rubbing one pad on his paw against the side of her head. He sighed again and dropped his paws, looking over to the dog again. It was still at the window, glaring at them.
"We should go," he added and pushed the cookies towards her. He slipped under the biggest cushion and braced it carefully on his shoulder so that it wouldn't fall off on the way back to his- their den.
"Can you get the others?" he asked, tilting his head a bit to one side.
Esmeralda:
She smiled at him and nodded softly, she would have to trust him...and he her. She tossed her hair back and nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah we'd better...he looks...upset." Esme eyed the dog with uncertainty before grabbing the cookies and tugging along the other pillow.
"We make a good team..." It wasn't the romantic admittance she had thought to herself a hundred times, but it was fitting.
Clopin Troulifou:
Clopin smiled at her and nodded as he carefully slipped off of the wood-box, balancing the cushion on his back. He glanced back at her, his eyes softening a bit.
"We always have, Esme," he replied softly before heading back towards home. She always was his moral compass, it was why he listened to her above all of the other gypsies. When she said stop, he froze.
"Come on, chère, let's go home."
:: The Otter Oasis Guild ::
