Katapatan: 593
Bugie/Noir: 531
Emi: 848
Nyoka: 549
The night was upon them, and father hadn’t been home and mother looked rather worried since brother had left. It was hard, it was raining and things weren’t looking to hot. Well, it really wasn’t hot- not with this rain. The girl’s eyes shined as she closed her eyes to experience a time when they were happy. Remembering was believing. Mother cared too much about us to leave us and be done. She wondered when he come to visit. If the family over there was treating him right or if they accepted him and all was well. Mother was sitting outside the den for hours. Just staring at the world with the ‘eye’ that she gave us when we knew she was watching us for anything we were about to do. She gave us THOSE looks.
Emi pulled up beside her. Curious to what her mother could be thinking about but she knew very well that it was about her brother. She was just wondering the details, as mother looked terribly concerned over something. “Momma..?” She chirped, using those big eyes to her advantage to get mother to talk. Mother LOVED to talk when they were alone. Mostly about experiences that she told Emi about life. Lessons that were learned and lessons that needed to be said to the next generation. Her tail padding to each side as her mother only remotely looked down at her before looking ahead. Bowing her head. Emi’s ears went up fully as she looked at what changed mother’s grieving face.
A male came from the rain. Hissing a little as he saw the child with Nyoka before bowing his head to the boss lady. “My lady.” He spoke straight towards Emi’s mother. Becoming apparent to her in the darkness with his thick green eyes. The leopard was always proper when it came to the Boss lady and Boss man. There was no other way to be. His loyalty never had a fault in it so far and he would continue to be a dedicated member til he dies, even if it is lonely. But not as lonely as he might have thought…
“He’s fine. You have nothing to worry over.”A female came out. Slightly older than Emi and was truly beautiful in her markings but her demeanor was so strong that Emi’s ears pulled back. Lifting her head well above Emi’s, Katapatan bowed her head. “We saw him, and they welcomed him remarkably but don’t worry. We left a straggler.” The female reassured Nyoka. Another bow before she came up to mother’s feet.
Nyoka eyes slitted softly as she spoke words so direct that it was hard to tell it was a compliment. “Your shaping beautifully..” Nyoka’s voice was so soft as she looked on to the darker figure. Noir, the male whom she had originally sent along with Kata. “I also have a favor to ask.” Looking at Emi. “Could you please take Kata and Emi to the forest and show them how to hide. They will be doing a lot of this soon, I want them to learn the art of stealth.”
Noir looked rather disappointed at the notion and looked at the girls. “….” Then turned away as he quickly was followed by footsteps.
“Momma! I don’t wanna leave you!” She cried out and clung to her mother. The blue mass just about to ball as she wanted to be there for her mother in her time of need but she refused this.
“Go on Emi, you need to start training and who better than the shadow of stealth itself.” Lowering her head as she licked Emi’s head with a soft motherly warm feel. “My daughter.. you must start your training. I feel that being in the den will not teach you naught and you dwelling here with me will never show you anything as I am tired as of late of worry. Please. Go on.” Softly pushing her paw in to Emi’s stomach and pushing her away so to speak.
Emi’s face showed so much emotional detachment of hurt and pain before she whimpered and tossed her gaze away as she was pushed by Katapatan along. Nudging the side of her, as she looked at her with eyes of pain.. walking right out of the pride before Emi looked back with that sadness- she just wanted to stay by mommy… and daddy… But she was getting older. She needed to leave finally… If not to see the world. That’s what her mother truly wanted.
Her eyes went down as she watched her child go. It was almost as devastating as when she sent Shinubo away. It hurt so badly, the only children she could ever be proud of and want to keep to herself were growing up and she knew that it would plague her for telling them to go. See the outside, experience, love, hate and live. This was what she had always wanted but naught. Her heart extended out to Emi as she watched her walk. Still so childish, it made her perk a smile at the edges of her maw.
The leopard’s face was stern as they walked and once they started on the path where others have perished, he looked back at her. The rocky valleys were harsh and it was like a wasteland of hard dirt and rock that made it almost impossible to get through. The best thing about the pride… It took a lot to get to and knowledge of what safe paths there were and Emi straggled behind with her head low and he had to stop the pained look. It would be a long way if she didn’t keep up with them. Turning around and lifting his body so that she bumped in to him as she wasn’t paying attention.
Her paw to her chest, she wouldn’t move from this spot. Not until that blob of emi’s blue was no more. When she could no longer see her beautiful daughter, moments as her daughter walked, when the forest was just barely yards away. She had seen Emi look back, and it was breath taking. Her little girl was growing up, they all were. A tear slowly laced between her cheek fur. The feeling of someone behind her, strong and just as dedicated to them as her- made her feel just a little better. It still didn’t make up for the pain it was causing her but the excitement of seeing her soon. At the last minute, she turned her head. “Follow them.” She announced to the male standing not too far from them. With that, that other raced away in what looked like the opposite direction but when she sent out her spies… they had to be good. Especially if they were looking after her daughter. A smile perked when she saw her finally learning… though gave a small gasp, then a laugh as she knew Noir and Bugie too well to know that he would be the first to protect her daughter… and the first to teach her how to survive the harsh world out there.
“Oph~” The Emi replied, as if she hit a wall.
Katapatan turned around a few feet ahead and stopped for the moment to hear in on the conversation.
“As the daughter of the Boss lady and Man, you need to show some self-control. Your mother should have taught you that. If she hasn’t-“ He stopped and pushed her back. “The roguelands will.” Seeing her stumble back a few. “If you keep hanging your head low and not paying attention, it will cost you, you’re LIFE. Not only that, but your comrades too and death may or may not be painless. Not paying attention, knowing every detail could get you capture, or kill, or worse.” Little did they know about the worse? Not even Kata knew about what ‘worse’ could happen.
The dark brown orange cheetah sat down and nodded in the times that she should have and other times she looked as though she was not listening. In her preference, leaving the princess out in the roguelands to fend for herself like she had to would have made her stronger. Or going out on missions but this girl seemed utterly clueless to both the facts of life and the facts of survival. Looking away as to not upset Noir from being slightly pissed and showing the girl just how real this really was. Her method would have been a lot more sufficient.
“It almost sickens me that you act so clueless when your bloodline is only done up in survivors. Not everyone is nice. Not everyone will escort you. You WILL die. You wouldn’t even make it out here a day on your own without us. So grow up!” Before taking another step and pushing her even harder in to the ground, princess? That was not a title in the roguelands. You were just another rock under someone’s foot. “So keep up and grow up.”
Did sister dearest had to grow through this treatment. She never thought she was above anyone, no. Just because she was a princess that didn’t mean she wasn’t with the commoners all the time. It was in her nature to care for them. Listen to them, but Noir… Bugie, whoever he was now made it apparent that being nice was not appropriate for the outside world. She was scared, and confused, wanting to know why she had to leave.. Was it because of Ajani? Did they not like him just because he was an entertainer?! Why did she have to move away… All her family and friends… Gone. Looking up at him terrified when he pushed her and simply bowed her head and tears slowly came down her face. It was hard to forget kindness, it was a part of her..
His dark green eyes watched for fill with emotions and even cry before tossing his gaze away. “And stop that crying. You look weak.” Then pushed on and right past Katapatan, only she knew what he was really doing. His posture was lower, and stalker ready all the time which made him look short but when he raised his body to its fullest, he looked monstrous. His ears back as he moved with a wave of motion that seemed so strong and thick that one could even be taken back by the aura he gave off. Untouchable, angry and straight up, ’I will kill you’
Kata watched as Noir left the female’s face alone before slowly coming back and being the helpful hand to it. Softly pushing Emi’s head up by her chin. “Come on. He will only b***h more when you are not doing as he says. Despite that, you should listen to what he says no matter how mean or bad it sounds.” Then taking a step back. “My father taught us very little, but who really taught me was my nanny Tomkrie and Noir here. Complex, but he knows things that you wouldn’t even begin to think about. Listen to him- he won’t steer you wrong and if he does….” She trailed off and watched him for a moment as he walked now a few long paces away from them. “I’m here. It is my duty to take care of the royal family. I will lay my body on the line if not to save yours.” Kata gave her a soft smile, a sly one as she looked like a jack of all trades as far as the pride was concerned. She is a beauty that declined being a geisha, but accept a full time assassin rank.
“Thank you for serving my family… and yes. I know he is right but… I didn’t want to leave.”
“But that isn’t a choice that you can make. Only the Boss can tell you where to go.. because that is where your true loyalty lies. Within your mother and father.” Putting up her paw as she caressed the other’s cheek. “Always know who you are around, hear the sounds and feel your gut. It will never let you down. Keep yourself calm. Learn to ‘feel’ the earth below, above and around you…Understand. Keep that in mind, live by it.” As she slowly turned and left her side only to nudge Emi’s rump up. “Come on.. We don’t wanna ‘fall behind again’.” Trying to shrug it off as a joke, when Emi sat up, she would quickly move behind her some so that she could keep a full eye on the rear and Noir the front. It was easiest when the Princess was in the middle.
“How long does one take to learn that? How do I even begin?” Looking behind her in dismay of her pushing her like that. One pushed her down while the other tried to help her up… How odd were these two. Maybe they worked well because they seemed opposites, maybe it was just the other’s teacher. It had to be it. Whipping her eyes off of the tears before getting up and turning around to look at who aid.
“It comes with time and expirence, don’t rush it- it will happen in the moment if it needs to happen… Open your ears, hear what is natural and what is unnatural. My footsteps, hear them. Home in on them soully, then your own. When you can master that, against all the noise of the world, you will know what to do.”
“Thank you, … Kata…” Her voice was soft, and tender. It shook others on the inside how she became so kind.. But in the journey ahead. Her trails will only get harder. Sucking up her tears, he had been right. She was so connected to her mother, her suability, and relied so much on her land and never once thinking about the beyond. His words were harsh but she something in her finally clicked. Having her head low only by instinct, she lifted her head. Ears back as she finally started upon her path… If he wouldn’t have said what he said, did what he did. She wouldn’t have ever changed her outlook. In that instant, it was all coming to her. She was new, like a newborn child and like how she learned the pack mule rank- she must learn this rank. Learn the outside… and like Katapatan said. Her loyalty relied in her blood, and that she would never betray of dishonor. How he spoke of her being so weak compared to her mother and father, it seemed all so true. Now, she was determined to make her family and pride proud. Maybe then she could come back once more to the open arms of her mother and father. Accepted with skill, and experience under her belt now.
When she couldn’t see them finally, she still sat at the edges of the forest ring. The longing in her eyes before she had to turn and finally walk back. Brushing against the strong figure that had been behind her that whole time. Thinking that she wouldn’t notice, but she always did… always did…
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