Reisx:Reisx looked up to the sky, the colors were fading now. Blinking she drew in a breath and let herself feel the rise and fall of her chest. The air was growing colder tonight, as ominous feeling before her task. She would never admit she was nervous, never to him, and didn't want to to herself either. She was ready for this, and so was he. Afterall, Reisx couldn't have him stay there any longer. Yes, the fruit helped, but it still didn't fix this problem, it didn't fix the distance, the imprisonment, his collar. He was bound to fight, as she had been, but he had helped her then, and she would bring him back.
Standing she moved quickly, as silent as possible though the leaves rustled around her, the fur on her back spurting upwards, eyes narrowed, hackles rising. She sniffed the air and a scent came to her nose, but she couldn't place it. Her mind was reeling, and she couldn't focus, no, not good. Remember, she repeated in her head, sight, sound, strength, speed. Focus.
"Whose there?" she called, she doubted he would come alone. She always went to him, didn't want to risk the two-legged beasts, the masters there, to see him go too far. She didn't want to be close to them either, but it was a sacrifice she willingly made to be close to him. "Show yourself," she said aloud again, if no one answered, she would keep going, head to the compound, the city, for him.
Ualani:Ualani had been hunting, or trying to hunt, not far from where she and Rylis currently called home. He was out hunting, too, and she was certain he was doing a much better job of it than she was. She felt absolutely useless sometimes! Sure, she could hear things well and her sense of smell was pretty good, but when it came to running and moving quietly she had much to learn.
A voice suddenly called out behind her and she stifled a yelp, hiding in a clump of bushes. Though, in retrospect, they probably did nothing. When the voice told her to show herself, and she saw it was another Mokai, she carefully moved out of her cover, position somewhat low, but ready to spring into a run at any moment's notice.
"I'm sorry if I startled you," she apologized to the dark female, wondering who she was. Did Rylis know her? Was she some rogue feral? Would she try and hurt her?
Reisx:
She watched as the undergrowth moved and a small female came into view. Reisx quirked a brow, huffed a little, and watched the small thing. She was so…small, and so…Reisx couldn't place it, or word it. She could tell, however, that something was up, or not working for this young female, as she seemed to eager to speak right away when Reisx on the other hand, was a little more reserved, more brash. "What are you doing out here?" She wasn't startled, just confused. She didn't want to say it aloud, but this female, indeed, looked to be a little small to be in the wild.
Blinking, Reisx cocked her head to the side, looked to the female's neck and saw a distinctive crease to the fur. She cringed her nose and then let her muscles relax. "So, you gave it up. What drove you to it hmm?" Your first day, oncoming night here?" She swayed her tail and shook her head but kept it high, as well as the posture of her tail. Her instincts were intact, one thing the humans could never erase.
Ualani:
Lani relaxed a little when the other feral didn't seem eager to attack her right off the bat. But still she remained ready.
"I-" She began to explain that she was trying to hunt, but the female just kept on, asking her what it was that drove her from her masters. Her gaze flicked away for a moment, but just a moment and her eyes were back on the larger female. She was a fighter, that Lani could tell. Rylis was one, too. She was starting to wonder how often pets went feral, if she was the only exception.
"No, I've been living out here for a few nights now. With the fighter who helped me escape." There, she hinted that she wasn't alone out here. Let the female assume what she would about that.
Reisx:
Reisx flicked her ears, let them turn a little, and listen. She didn't hear anyone else close by, however, if it was an experienced fighter, one who went ferlal, or had been wild and returned home, she had to be careful. Could this female be the male mate? Reisx sneezed slightly, blowing air from her nose and taking in a fresh survey of the area. No, nothing different, yet. She was curious though, which fighter it could have been. Had Reisx known him, fought against him, was it Cellen? No, she assured herself, he wouldn't have gone without her, not without her coming back. "Coming here from that life, if you've not lived here before, can be hard, but it worth it," she said simply.
Rolling her shoulders, Reisx stretched and watched the female, took her in, "what were you?" She didn't want to give her name, not just yet. Reisx found it hard to trust others, sometimes, hard to trust her own judgements. While waiting for the female's response, she looked around, sniffed the ground, tried to pick up on what the stranger was doing before, but as night was falling, her eyes had not settled yet, and were not as quick to detail.
Ualani:
"I was... a pet." The word seemed to stick in her mouth a bit. Lani did miss the young masters so, but not her former life. She had been a toy to her masters, a tool until they found her unsuitable for the task they wanted to attempt. They would have tried using her in another way if they could. They hadn't been bad people, she had heard horror stories of cruel masters. They had just been... thoughtless.
"I don't think anything could ever make me go back there and risk getting caught," she added with a shake of her head, not explaining why she had left in the first place. Sure, it was difficult out here, especially for her, but she would persevere. She would not go back.
Reisx:
"Ah," Reisx said, watching her idly. "I've heard stories," she said softly, drawing her words out a little, "not the best life, some masters make pets live what fighters have to experience." She sat for a moment, closed her eyes and thought, then spoke, "whatever the reason you left, be glad you are away. You will learn as you are here how to live, and you will learn to love it. There is so much more space than a fenced area the two-leggers provide you, more than a fighting stall, or temporary cage gives fighters." She was talking from her own experience. Reisx hated the shape, the feel of metal. The cage she had been kept in, poked and prodded within, was so small she could barely move.
At the female's other statement, Reisx sighed and smirked a little and looked to the flickering lights of where the humans were now coming to sleep. "I am going back," she said aloud, "tonight."
Ualani:
"My masters were good to me... They just wanted to get a mokai that could earn money, the easy way," Lani replied, looking away again. It felt shameful to talk about it, that in the end she had almost been reduced to a breeder. The concept had horrified her when she had first figured it out and it continued to do so now.
Her ears perked up when the female said she would be going back, tonight in fact. She frowned, tilting her head.
"Do you rescue captive mokai, too? Do you know Rylis?" she asked, wondering if this female might be a friend of her savior. She hoped she was, it would be nice to have a female she could be friendly with, for some reason she felt she would be more comfortable learning this way of life with another girl instead of Rylis... Although, that was probably because she wanted to look good for the fighter who had saved her.
Reisx:
Reisx's fur bristled as she listened to the female talk. How dare they even consider an act, "I wish I had more time, or I might try and do something, pay them a visit," bite one of them even, she thought. "I'm sorry, for what you experienced, but know this, what you have gone through will only help you become stronger here, let your past experiences give you the strength and fire to survive here," Reisx said with a nod. She shook her entire body, her fur standing on end for a second, then settling. "Rylis? No, I don't think so, I may have forgotten though," it had been a while since she had been within the settlement, perhaps he had escaped long before she had been captured and brought there. The thought of another Mokai trying to rescue those within the settlements made Reisx happy though, and gave her hope. "He'll do good for the Mokai left behind, but no, I'm afraid not, there is only one Mokai I'm returning for," she said with a smile.
Reisx stood again and took a few steps, stretched her limbs and turned her neck several times, "I need to go back for him, and bring him home. He helped me get out but he…in a sort, took my place by being caught." She still wished she could have done something to stop them, those men, the barbarians. Her eyes narrowed as she looked to the last few lights flicker, dim and go out, "It is time."
She looked to the small female, and let her silver eyes meet those of the newly feral pet before her, "I will return, and if you need help, or want to get away from the boy, as sometimes it is good for us," she said, trying to be more conversational, which was hard, "don't hesitate to find me. I am Reisx," she said with a small tilt of her head.
Ualani:
Still a fairly young female though she had reached adulthood, Lani first ruffled with pride at the female's encouraging words and then gained a rather bright-eyed look on her face.
"Oh, that's so romantic," she burst out before she smiled sheepishly. She hadn't really meant the outburst, it had just slipped out. But it was romantic, after all. She was going back for him after he helped her escape at his own expense... Oh, she wished there was something she could do to help.
She just continued smiling, straightening with a small nod of her head.
"Ualani, but Lani is fine, too. I'll come looking, Reisx. I would like to learn how to hunt better, and how to use my new horns. I wish you luck in rescuing your friend," she said, glancing to the town. Had Rylis gone looking for more Mokai to bring home? Would he run into Reisx on her own rescue mission? Her mind was full of questions.
"I hope to see you again soon. And your friend, too."
Reisx:
Reisx nearly chocked when Lani said romantic. She just puffed her chest out a little bit, ruffled her fur, and gave a smirk, "He'd like to think so I think," she said with a wink. "I can help you with that, depending on the male, they can be troublesome trying to teach you how to do things 'their way' when you are built and think different than them. SO don't hesitate, and remember, don' give up on what you can become out here…happy."
Reisx smiled, "Welcome home, Lani," and then she ran off. It was time to go back, to take the risk, it was time to bring him home.
