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 Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:32 am
Ruzanski was still just a little shell-shocked by the suddenness of his promotion and the sudden increase of pressure it came with. He had been charged to bring back glory to the pride with the tacit understanding that glory meant loot and thralls and herdbeasts, and that was a fairly mighty charge. He was determined not to disappoint the warlord and make him regret his decision in promoting an outlander-born youth to captain.
Captain. Captain Ruzanski. To be specific, he supposed he would be most formally called Captain Ruzanski Outlander, but unlike some who were particularly proud of their lineage, Ru's pride in his heritage was limited. He had done what he could for his family and it had never been enough. Now he had no family but what he might make for himself among the Stormborn, and so he did not care to call himself Outlander. He might as well call himself b*****d, for he was that, too.
What he called himself wasn't important though. What was important was what history would call him, and that would depend less on his name and more on his actions. That was the Stormborn way. Theirs was a meritocracy. So his first task was to find a crew. A good crew he could take out for his first viking. That would be a challenge, getting the right balance of reavers experienced enough to be useful, but also willing to take orders from a lion his age.
He should ask Vol.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:11 am
Bjorn was aging well, his vibrant blue pelt still glowed with the youth of his adolescent attitude, but it was easy to tell he was battle torn. Since cubhood he had been with the pride, learning their ways and rebelling probably when least needed, but seemed to find his way into good standings here and there with certain folks. His eye always fell to the reaver-lady, Zsaria when he had a chance, but he was still focused on his job for his pride. Regardless if he still didn’t agree with certain customs he had grown to call thishome.
The day was bright and almost cheerful,
echoes of tales crawled into his head from jaws to jaws. A young outlander-born lion had been promoted, and quickly according to the others. Bjorn, not
one for politics, didn’t find himself all to into finding out the who,
why or how, all he kept hearing was a chance to go Viking. It was no secret
that Bjorn himself was looking to become a Captain someday, but his priorities were a little out of wack when it came to golden chances like this.
Taking to the main paths of the pride Bjorn set out to hear what he could about what would be happening with the young Captain, he was sure if the Captain was chosen, no matter the age, he was more than likely experienced. That was something to be appreciated, for sure.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:34 am
Ru wondered how, exactly, a captain went about gathering a crew. He had been told by Voldemaras that Vol's usual captain, Nordik, wanted him to come viking with him on the strength of Vol's recommendation of his skills. After that, Ru had always been kept aware of Nordik's expeditions with the understanding that he was welcome if he wanted to come. And he had never refused that opening. But from a captain's point of view, how did it work?
He stood up and paced. Always an active lion, pacing was something he spent a lot of time doing. It didn't exactly help him think, but it didn't hinder the process and it wasn't as distracting as other forms of fidgeting he might indulge in. As he paced he considered the reavers he knew, considering whether they were part of any captains' permanent crews, or if they were more freelance. Theoretically all reavers were freelance, but some chose only to go out with one captain, as Vol did, and he would only be turned down if he asked them.
He couldn't think right now. He wanted to talk to Kazul and tell her the news of his promotion. It was already spreading through the pride, and he hadn't seen her yet. It bothered Ru that he had no idea where she was and that no one had seen her in days, it seemed.
"Hragh!" he snarled, almost half a roar, and he grumbled, "I have no enemies."
Difficulties, absolutely, but enemies none. Not real ones that he could face down. He would have to make do with whatever outlanders he met viking. If he could put together a crew.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:34 am
Greenie Hoping, mentally, that the new Captain would come into his sights, Bjorn roamed about the pride, eyes gazing for the unknowing target.
“Ah-hah!” Bjorn proclaimed quietly to himself, before him, quite a few feet away paced a very frustrated looking male, pride seemed to seep from the males pelt itself and he definitely had the structure for a Captain, it seemed he had fit the role before the role was his. Not completely succumbed to the idea of a younger male taking lead, Bjorn could certainly believe when he saw the youth in action.
“Ru.” He stated, hoping to halt the males smoldering and quickly fired up situation. Not sure if he was completely safe from whatever fury had struck Ru at the moment Bjorn chose to sit at a safe distance. He didn’t really know the male, he was glad he had seen him before though, not knowing another's pelt would make it considerably harder to find him.
“Congratulations, have you a crew?” Fiercely blunt, Bjorn had strut into the males bubble, struck up a conversation and all he could do was await a blow.
So to wait properly he simply stared, but allowed his muscles, not really visible below his fluff of fur, to tense. If he was to be hit, he’d be hit properly, he deserved it after all.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:43 am
"Bjorn," Ru said, bringing his pacing to a halt. It occurred to him that perhaps his temperamental outburst hadn't been the wisest thing to do. Too late now.
"Thank you. But not quite." He grinned. His mood wasn't really as black as it probably seemed. He was frustrated, but not enraged. Neither was he in one of his dark moods where the only things that could sate him were blood and pain.
Ru frowned very slightly as he tried to think why Bjorn seemed to be bracing himself for a blow. Was that the reputation Ru had garnered? What an unusual thing. He shrugged very slightly and went on without losing his grin, "To be specific, I have a captaincy, but I do not, in fact, have a crew."
His tail twitched and the fur down his spine settled. Subconsciously his body was preparing for a fight if need be. He let it happen. If he looked a little larger and fluffier, no harm there. He wasn't as large as most Stormborn, even though he was fully grown.
"Do you have any suggestions?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:07 am
Greenie Bjorn had done it again, over reading the situation when there really was none, if his pelt was lighter some would have seen a quick embarrassed flush across his cheeks that quickly faded into a friendly, warming grin. It was certainly a good thing that Bjorn was no more than a brute, he obviously couldn’t read others like he thought he could. He watched the fur grow and tail twitch, the signs of a lion prepping to attack, that was Bjorns fault, and he knew it. “Ah..” He stated simply, his smile grew largely as the youth spoke, his manners were well established and he was certainly experienced. Bjorn felt sure of this. He thought, not hard, but thought about the question. He himself hadn’t known to many Reavers personally, the ones he did know were thought to be dead. His heart sat heavy as he thought of Zsarias brothers. He let his eyes show this only slightly and then vanish. He only had himself and Zsaria ofcourse. Their last conversation wasn’t one to promote her going with anyone else, but she might consider it if he was there. “I only have myself and Zsaria in mind…” He said his words slowly, actually trying to think of others, but the idea of going out again was causing almost blinding excitement. He was deemed useless in knowing others.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:19 am
Ru watched and considered. He didn't know much about Bjorn, except that he had lived in the pride far longer than Ru had. He didn't even know if he was Stormborn or Outlander. Well, they were all Stormborn once they won their askorun, but his mother's upbringing had made it impossible for him not to see further distinctions based on birth. She had cared so much for such things, even though it made little sense to Ru to do so.
"I don't know much about either you or Zsaria," he said, deciding it was better to be honest and forthright in the hope that Bjorn would act in the same way. "I am curious as to how you - or anyone - came to learn that I would be leading a viking."
Well, that was one of his questions anyway. Another, more important, probably, was, "Do you think you can obey orders coming from a captain who is outlander-born and younger than you are? I will ask for advice, but once I have made up my mind I do not wish to be put in the position of defending my choices."
He did not believe that a viking crew could function if run by committee, though he knew of at least one such crew's existence. He had never met any of the lions in it. They were like celebrities among the Stormborn, but more for their musical talents than their fighting abilities, from what Ru understood, which made absolutely no sense to him at all.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:29 am
Bjorn had an admiration for Ru that simply kept growing, this male did not carry the usual functions of a younger lion, he was right, the experience must be there. "I heard, like others, through listening. It doesn't take conversation for gossip to blossom." He stated simply enough, his tail thumping the ground as he moved it through the grass.
The next question was no suprise to Bjorn. "I am outlander born, and age has no value to me. Experience, a different way of aging all together, carries more value between the two."
Bjorn chose to become quiet, he had defended himself by answering the questions laid out before him, he had nothing to hide, and he felt answered them as honestly as he could, all he could do was hope that was fine, or see if Ru would dig deeper. So he waited.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:45 am
"Fair enough," he said, referring to both pieces of information.
There wasn't much more Ru felt he needed to ask of Bjorn. It did little good to ask most of the things he needed to know anyway, since they were matters that could only be observed. Ru wanted to know what kind of a fighter Bjorn was, but the best way to see that would be to watch him in action, or else to spar with him, himself, but Ru had already determined that it would probably not be the best policy for him to challenge his reavers to sparring matches. There was, after all, the chance he could lose, and then it could only have a detrimental effect on his band's discipline. It would be better to let his reputation speak for him, what reputation he had.
"I suppose the news must have started with Aesir or Lawspeaker Tuomas," he mused, not really fishing for more information, just thinking aloud. They had been the only other people around when he was promoted, and Ru had not said anything to anyone about the matter because he had hoped to tell Kazul first, and have her first hear it from him.
"At any rate, I would be pleased to offer you a place in this viking," Ru said. "And if you will extend the offer to Zsaria, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, I suppose I can send a thrall to seek her out."
It really made no difference to Ru. He wanted to have some time to talk to Vol though. The older lion didn't pay too much heed to gossip, but he did seem to know most of the lions in the pride, at least a little. Ru would be relying on him at least initially to help choose his band.
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Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:18 am
Bjorn felt a small amount of tension between the two break and crumble, Ru appeared to be at least a little pleased by what he had heard and Bjorn gave a short smile. The rest of the tests, he thought, were probably sure to come. There was much more than following orders when it came to a Viking, any sane lion/ess would know this.
"Could be so,they take a lot of pride in whom they pick." Bjorn stated coolly. "I can seek out Zsaria myself, I don't think she'd be to thrilled to be told by a Thrall." Bjorn stood, his tail still a bit loose and touching the ground. He gave an unnoticeable stretch and gave a small bow of his head as goodbyes.
Seeing as the conversation was seemingly over and Ru already had his head somewhere else, Bjorn took this as a good time to leave. "I will seek you out with Zsaria's answer soon." He said before turning and making his way. Immediately his eyes began seeking out the female and soon he disappeared from the other lions view.
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Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:30 am
Ru should have asked Aesir and Tuomas not to say anything. He would have preferred to keep the news of his promotion and the viking to follow to himself until after he and his band returned. That way if things didn't work out as planned, there would be fewer people who had known in advance to shake their heads and mutter about his unsuitability for a position of authority at his age.
"Thank you. I'll try to give you as much warning as possible before I set out so you can make arrangements."
And then Bjorn had departed, presumably to seek out Zsaria. At least, it would be nice to think that was where he had gone. But maybe he hadn't. Either way Ru couldn't help feeling pleased, despite the non-secrecy of his promotion; he had just acquired two members of a band!
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