[SRP] Chase the Morning (Ru & Odd)

[Princess_Feylin]

Odd

Sometimes it was difficult for Odd to sleep at night. His family was whole now, and had been for some time, so it wasn't missing his siblings that kept him up. In fact, since his mother found their father and brought her cubs to his pride Odd had learned that he had four other siblings through his father. Well, half-siblings if he was going to be technical about it, but either way, it was not for a want of family that Odd was unable to sleep at night.

His mother told him it was the spirits that kept him awake, and he should just try to find out what they wanted and do his best to please them so that they would quit pricking his mind and keeping him from sleep, and Odd didn't disbelieve her. On the other paw, he sometimes had a difficult time figuring out what it was the spirits wanted from him. It wasn't as if they usually chose to be straightforward and blunt about making their desires known or anything helpful like that.

Still, Odd had been raised with the idea of spirits being all around him and leaving signs for those who knew how to find them, and so when he couldn't sleep the young lion did not worry overmuch about what the spirits might want. They would offer him a sign if he was too slow about figuring it out, assuming it was truly important, or else he would probably dream of it when he went back to sleep. Either way, there was no reason for him to be perturbed.

Usually when he couldn't sleep Odd would wander the pride, letting his paws carry him where they would. Often it was in this way that he found hints from the spirits and was able to sleep with an untroubled consciousness. This evening he had so far come across no obvious hints, but he was not tired enough to sleep yet, so he walked on through the woods, uphill toward the pride.

Ru

Ru, too, found sleep to be elusive, but unlike Odd he did not attribute it to anything spiritual. Sleeplessness was something the green-eyed lion had been experiencing for as long as he could remember. Longer, in truth. He could remember his mother telling him that even as a newborn cub he would remain awake long after his sisters had succumbed to sleep. He had no memories of that time, but his mother had no reason to lie about that and it supported his theory that there was something wrong with his mind that kept him from sleeping a full night. So he accepted his sleeplessness.

He used to prowl around the pride in search of new places he had not yet seen and explored, but at this point Ru was familiar with just about every part of the stronghold, from the ice melts to the river and estuary, and even into the forest. Actually, he enjoyed the forest a great deal. He felt more at home there than he did anywhere else in the pride's lands. It was an argument he'd had several times with Kazul, who loved the rocky beach and the salty water, Every so often he would tolerate the beach to humor her, and she would come to the forest to please him in exchange.

His paws continued to carry him toward the forest as his mind drifted toward Kazul. She had been among the first Stormborn he'd met and although she had been undeniably aloof to begin with he had learned to read her and predict what she would do and say. In knowing her that way he had also come to realize that she had an almost-crippling sense of pride, and also that she did not make explicit declarations regarding her feelings on any subject. Instead she let her opinions and feelings be known in other ways, letting her actions speak for her.

He had been told she was not always like that, but although he was curious he had not asked any more for fear of his interest being misinterpreted. Now he regretted that bit of cautiousness because he'd not found any more opportunities to ask questions about the Warlord's dragon-child. Odd, his one-time informant was not someone he often saw without Kazul, and he couldn't very well ask questions about her while she was Right There.

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Odd

Odd heard the approach of another lion before he saw him. Unconsciously he had scented the other lion some time ago, but because the scent had registered as familiar and not a threat he had not paid it any mind. It was only Ru after all, and while Ru was certainly shaping up to be an impressive warrior from what Odd had heard and observed, he was not a threat to Odd's health or happiness.

"Good evening," Odd greeted the older lion. Normally he eschewed the traditional Stormborn greetings, since he really had no intention of killing anyone. In Ru's case, he highly doubted he would be able to kill him if he tried, unless he used poison or invoked the spirits' assistance. The dark lion was more of a warrior than Odd would ever be, and Odd had no desire to try to fight him on those terms. Not that he had any desire to fight him anyway.

Looking at Ru, now that he was close enough to see him, or at least as much of him as he could see in the light cast by the sliver of moonlight. Odd got the distinct impression that his half-sister's friend was distracted, maybe even troubled by something. Odd had known Ru for some time, and they got along well, but he had always thought of the Reaver as more Kazul's friend than his, since it was only when they were both with Kazul that they saw each other. It didn't stop him from wondering what was on Ru's mind though.

"Plagued by spirits, or just thoughts?" he asked with a friendly smile.

Ru

Ru noticed Odd peripherally, but much as Odd had unconsciously dismissed him as a non-threat, Ru had done the same for Odd, and probably with better reason. Odd could move more quietly than anyone Ru knew, and it seemed Ru knew a number of soft-pawed lions among the Stormborn, which was just a little odd, since stealth was not one of their defining traits generally. It was not until Odd actually spoke that Ru became consciously aware of the younger lion, Kazul's half-brother and favorite sibling.

"'Evening," he said, returning Odd's greeting as he noted that the mostly orange lion was getting noticeably larger, but not particularly muscular. This one would never make a fighter, but since that wasn't his goal, Ru supposed there wasn't anything wrong with that. Unfortunately, Odd would probably be best-suited to being a Priestess, which was an impossibility because of his gender. Ru wondered what he would do with himself instead.

"I think you're the only one who can honestly claim to be plagued by spirits at any time, Odd," Ru said, giving the younger lion a quick grin to show that he meant it in a spirit of fun. Hah. Spirit of fun. He wondered if such things existed. "So I suppose it's my thoughts."

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Odd

"Ah," Odd said simply, and then he waited.

It wasn't a guarantee that Ru would decide to unburden himself to Odd. In fact, Odd would be a little bit surprised if he did. The dark-coated lion kept things very much to himself, he had noticed, and did not really seem to have anyone that he confided in, even though he was generally well-liked among the pride.

Odd could understand that sort of reticence, especially from an outlander, which Ru was, despite how quickly he had been accepted. Odd, too, was an outlander of sorts, and less readily accepted than Ru. Odd did have his half-sister, though, and any of his full-blood siblings would listen to him if he ever felt the urgent need to bare his soul. He just didn't. When he was not at peace, he went out into the forest, among the spirits.

He did think he could guess at part of what was troubling Ru though, and so he took a chance and offered, "She's not really interested in him, you know."

Ru

One syllable from Odd and Ru found himself thinking of Kazul once again. The golden-eyed lioness would never have let him get away with saying what he'd said. She would have demanded to know what he was thinking. Odd made no such demand, and for some reason Ru rather wished he had, for his thoughts were actually running parallel to Odd's on some level. He didn't have anyone to confide in about this.

Instead of saying anything though, he sat in silence with the fox-colored lion, trying to relax and finding it easier in Odd's presence. He had never noticed that Odd had a particularly calming presence before, but then he realized that he had never really been alone with Odd. Always Kazul was there when Odd was, and Ru was never fully relaxed around that one. He couldn't let his guard down that much. She was too prickly, even when she was predictable.

Not that she had been all that predictable lately. Lately she'd been spending a lot of time with an older lion, a Freeborn named Solvtorn. He wasn't a very likable lion, Solvtorn, and his tongue was very sharp. Kazul's had become sharper since she'd started spending time in his company, and he occasionally found himself on the receiving end of one of her barbs. He didn't think she even noticed when she did it at times.

He hadn't realized that his silence and relaxation would offer Odd insight into his thoughts, however. At least, that was his first inclination when Odd spoke again. Then he decided that was ridiculous, and Odd was simply observant. He'd proven that much about himself before.

"I don't know what you mean," he lied.

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Odd

"Oh, all right then," Odd said affably.

He wasn't going to push Ru into talking. He had said his piece, and Ru could make of it what he would. If he was any kind of intelligent, the outlander Freeborn would take the knowledge that Odd rarely made declarative statements if he wasn't certain they were true, and combine it with the knowledge that Odd probably knew Kazul better than anyone else in the pride. the end reasoning should come out that Odd knew what he was talking about.

"Would you mind walking with me for a bit? Technically I'm not supposed to leave the pride, but there's a place I'd like to check out. I heard of it from one of the Reavers and it seemed like an interesting place to meet spirits."

Well, spirits of the leonine kind, which Odd had limited experience with. He was more familiar with the fey creatures and spirits of the wood. It was past time he got more experience. He might never be any sort of Priestess for the pride, but he didn't want to be. Two of his sisters were already taking that route. He just wanted to develop his skills to their full potential.

Ru

When Odd seemed willing to drop the subject completely, without even any names being said, Ru was awash with relief at first, but then he felt a hint of disappointment. He knew both of the things Odd had hoped he would suppose, and in putting them together he could only assume that Odd wasn't wrong, but a part of him would have liked some more concrete evidence, or assurance, or something.

"You've piqued my curiosity," Ru said to Odd. "I will gladly come with you to this place where you can meet spirits. I've never met one before."

He didn't expect that he would meet one this evening, either, but at the same time it would give him something to do when he wasn't sleeping, since he wasn't likely to sleep any time soon. When he closed his eyes he sometimes saw what he imagined his sisters' deaths had been like. Other times he was treated to thoughts of Kazul and Solvtorn with their heads close together, working on a story or laughing at something sharp one or the other had said. He didn't remember his dreams, but he remembered what he saw before sleep. It wasn't good.

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Odd

"I can't guarantee you'll meet any now either," Odd reminded Ru, lest the older lion think that accompanying him to a place that may or may not have spirits would work like some sort of summoning talisman. Odd had been kept awake by spirits this evening, but he did not think it was really their design that he visit this place. That idea had been his own when he saw that Ru was neither in a mood to talk nor to be alone.

"But then, maybe you will. If any do put in an appearance, I hope you will be respectful. Unless they seem intent on injuring us, in which case I hope you will put all that practicing you've been doing with Voldemaras to good use."

In all likelihood, Odd doubted Ru would be able to do much against an angry spirit. Odd's own defenses and instincts were probably better. But it did give Ru some role to fill that involved more than simply following Odd around. The fox-colored lion had already figured out that Ru liked to be useful and resented being baggage. Odd could certainly relate to that, but he was also able to recognize when it was inevitable, unlike Ru.

"My sister might think this place is interesting," he remarked casually as he set off.

Ru

"I think I'm more likely to meet them with you than without you. You and your siblings are far more attuned to the otherworld than anyone I've ever met, including the Priestesses here." Ru grinned, amused by the prospect of maybe meeting a spirit.

"I don't think I'll be very useful should anything you conjure turn out to be unfriendly, but I promise you I will be very polite," he said. "Will that do?"

Spirits might have a different idea of what constituted good manners, of course, but Ru's mother had trained him in many forms of polite address, and he had learned what passed for Stormborn manners quickly enough. He didn't think he was likely to give offense unless his very presence was sufficient to rouse the spirits' wrath. Assuming there were any spirits with wraths to rouse. He was thinking of this when Odd mentioned Kazul.

Ru stared after Odd for a few moments following his last words, which were completely unrelated to the subject of spirits. After those moments passed he took a few jogging steps to catch up with the younger lion, who was not being particularly subtle in his meddling.