Miu:
It was an average day in the Dawnwalkers.
Well, at least for the younger pair of Rembo and Kauli's four cubs. They were all grown up and there was still no change from cub-hood.
"Sudi, for the last time! Leave. Me. Alone!" Miu was a pretty lioness, with a normally sweet personality. But her older brother Sudi, could be so insufferable sometimes that she just wanted to thrash him! Honestly, she wasn't sure who would win in that match. She was the huntress, after all, and he was the artisan, but he had always been very keen on making it clear that just because he liked to make make-up, specifically for the females of the pride, it did not in any way, shape, or form make him a push-over in a fight.
Sudi:
"And I told you that I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me just exactly where you're off to," Sudi snapped back, walking at her side with his head held high. She wasn't going to tell him and that made him think all the more that she was going off to see a lion. Over his dead body! There was no way he was going to let his baby sister go meeting with some guy, especially one he didn't know!
She was their little sister, in such a small litter, and she deserved to be protected, like a precious gem. He felt the same way about Oseye, but he knew exactly where she was, off with her mother.
Miu:
Miu let out an angry sigh before stopping and rounding on her brother, ears back, her fur fluffed ever so slightly.
"Why does it matter, Sudi?! I could be going on a hunt for all you know! I'm grown up, and so are you, we're independent from our parents and yet you still hound me as if I'm a cloud that the slightest breeze will dissipate! I'm not some wilting flower, Sudi!" she snapped, losing her temper a little more than just a bit. She didn't want to yell at her brother, but sometimes he could be so thick! Why couldn't he just leave her alone for a little bit, let her go do things on her own? She wanted to go see Maa'sen today, but if Sudi was there, he would just bully her potential friend to the point where she doubted the poor male would ever want to see her again. Sometimes, she really hated her brothers!
Sudi:
Sudi's ears flicked back as he stopped short so that he wouldn't run into Miu when she leapt in front of him. She started to rant at him and his heart sank a bit. He didn't mean to upset her... He was just worried about her. He wanted to protect her from all the hurt in the world and sometimes the worst hurt came from someone you cared about. Miu was very special to the family and he didn't want anything bad to happen to her...
But by trying to keep her safe, was he inadvertently hurting her?
"I just... Dammit, Miu, I worry about you..."
Miu:
All of her bluster left her at that contrite look on his face. Oh, Sudi could be more annoying than a beetle in her fur sometimes, but he was still her brother, and when his ears flicked back and his head drooped like it was doing now, she knew that he was being absolutely serious. Which was rare, because he was a very tough-front individual if he could help it. He had this weird chip on his shoulder that she never understood, something about him thinking he had to be extra masculine because he was an artisan.
Miu let out a sigh and stepped to him, pressing her head to his shoulder.
"I know you do, but you worry too much, Sudi. I'm a big girl now, even Mama and Papa have acknowledged that. Why can't you?"
Sudi:
Sudi let out his own sigh and sat down, letting his chin plop down on his baby sister's head. Barely moments apart in age, he still saw her as his little sister, someone he needed to protect. And every step of the way whenever he tried to do so she fought him.
"I know we're all grown up, but even when we're big we can still get hurt..." he replied, not really thinking about physical hurt. In the back of his mind, he could see the worry he had that for some reason Osy's parents wouldn't like him, that something were go wrong, that he wouldn't actually be able to marry her. How he loved her, the thought that she could be taken away from him.
Or worse, that she would realize that he was wanting for something and would leave him.
Knowing that feeling, he worried about Miu and boys, should that happen to her he didn't know how he could help her heal from that kind of blow.
Miu:
Always worrying about her getting hurt.
Miu remembered when they were little, and she had tried climbing one of the few trees near their home. She'd gotten pretty high too, when her brothers found her and insisted she come down before she hurt herself. And she did, only she had fallen about half way in her descent and scrapped up her paws and got a fairly nasty bump, too.
Sudi had fussed over her the most in the next few days, refusing to leave her alone for even a few moments She even thought he might not have slept most of those nights, either.
She slipped her head out from under his and looked up at him, gray-green eyes and green.
"I'm not going to get anything if you keep this up. Hurt or knowledge or a family of my own, I won't be able to have any of that if you don't let me try and find it. And some things I can only find by myself. Don't you realize that?" she asked, tilting her head a bit to one side, watching his face to read his reaction.
Sudi:
She was right of course. Miu always seemed to be right about these kind of things.
How could he really be one to judge? He had known Osy since they had been near-cub and yet she had never met any of his family. At least, he had never introduced her to any of them. They had always met one another when they were apart from their families. She had talked about having brothers, he had worried that they would view him as an outsider, trying to steal their sister's affection. As he thought he might feel with any male that Miu brought home.
He felt his resolve weakening as her words sank in, wondering all the more if this conversation was hinting that she was going to meet a young male. He didn't think he liked that idea. Even if he was being something of a hypocrite who refused to combine his feelings with another male's, he still didn't like the idea of someone stealing his sister away.
But she had a good head on her shoulders, she could see through any tricks, right? Maybe she would be okay...
Miu:
There, she could see his resolve wavering. He was trying to figure out her point and it was becoming more and more of a good chance to leave.
When she finally saw him start to waver again, she gave his chin a little nuzzle.
"Thanks for at least trying to see it my way, Sudi," she replied and slipped away from him again, moving quickly into a run. She didn't want to run, didn't want to have to run away from her own brother, her blood, but he was giving her no choice in the matter!
She still didn't want to have to run, her fur was going to be all out of sorts when she met Maa, but she was determined to get away from her brother. If only the gods would send a distraction! Something to catch Sudi's eye and keep him occupied long enough for her to get out of sight.
Sudi:
Wait, what?! One moment, Miu was being nice and cooperative, and the next she was running off again! With a growl of frustration, he stood and took off after her.
"Seriously, Miu! I'm not letting you just run off," Sudi growled as he chased after his sister yet again. This was beginning to get really old. Why couldn't she just tell him where she was really going? He knew she wouldn't lie to him, which made him suspect even more that it wasn't just going on a hunt like she had implied. He worried about her, for crying out loud, hadn't that gotten into her head? And no thanks to anyone else, really, she was always trying to sneak off somewhere.
What worried him the most was her going off to see a guy. Sure, he trusted the males in the pride to not hurt the females physically, but emotionally? A male could break her heart and he would have no idea on how to make that wound go away.
Miu:
"And I told you, Sudi, please just leave me alone! For one day, just leave me alone," Miu replied, snapping just a little bit at her brother, still trying to walk away from him, knowing that it would be futile to run away from him. It wasn't that she wasn't faster, but it wasn't like she was going to try. They would both tire out eventually and even if she got away, she would be all hot and sweaty when she went to see Maa'sen.
He had said she was pretty, she didn't want to look all worn out when she got to see him again.
Oseye:
She was exiting the golden temple, her favorite place in the entire world. It was beautiful, and made her feel strong, and powerful. Almost like a king or queen might feel. However she knew it was all a daydream, and once she left that golden room she was once again Oseye, humble little sweetheart. She flicked her mane fluff from her ocean blue eyes. She had grown used to always having her vision impeded, however it still annoyed her once in awhile.
She had been thinking of Sudi.. She had been thinking of him -alot.- She had told her mother about them, and Valenera had celebrated with happiness. She knew her daughter would find someone special..
Her thoughts were so stuck on Sudi, that she hardly heard the voices shouting at each other.
She still heard the bit of it however, and her ears flicked. That voice, was unmistakable. With a grin, she followed the voice with quickness, feeling her heart flutter.
"Sudi?" She called
Sudi:
Sudi looked away from his sister at the sound of a familiar voice calling his name. As dedicated as he was to keeping track of his sister, when Osy called out to him it was like a thread tied within his heart was tugged and he had to go to her. He smiled at his intended, his spirits brightening almost instantly, though a part of him was still frustrated at Miu.
"Osy!" he called back taking a couple of steps towards her.
Miu:
Seeing an opportunity suddenly open for her, Miu waved to the other female, who she could only assume was the girl her brother had proposed to. Almost as quickly, she put her paw to her mouth, asking "Osy" to not say anything as she turned away and snuck off.
