[PRP] Strangers in the night (Samar & Yoruhane)

[Tanakako]

Another night, shadows playing across the landscape, rising up out of the ravine like morbid ghosts, devouring the pride in gaping black maws as if in retribution for the suffering inflicted on the innocents lost within the stone prison.

Samar's expression couldn't get any more stony yet he managed it as he regarded the prison where he had served time under Toka directive. His crime? Defending a pregnant druid female from the attentions of some less than pleasant Toka males. So maybe he hadn't held back, but seeing a band of cocky young upstarts picking on a heavily pregnant female had made his usually cold temper explode. He had given the youngsters a few cuts and scrapes and knocked them about the head, but he hadn't seriously hurt them... Still, it had been no surprise when he wound up finding himself in the cold, dank depths of the Prison Ravine.

Turing his back on the black featureless smudge that was the ravine, Samar set off through the pride, his pawsteps silent, large body moving with calm purpose through the shadows. Only his moonlit eyes and the shimmering symbol on his brow betrayed his presence in the darkness of the night.
 

[Neon Fly]

Given the amount of activity throughout the Tokakinji that transpired during the day, one would have thought that the nights would be relatively quiet. Most knew better, particularly the Slayers who worked vigilantly to keep the peace within the pride. All those who possessed the mantle of unofficial pride guardian had their own reasons for why they had chosen the often thankless job, given that they were neither recognized by the Royalty or the council. For Yoruhane, known better in Uliacha as "the Grim" or Stark, it was his effort to make good on the promise he had made to his father.

An aged lion who had spent his last months in a ravine for crimes that no one could prove he had committed. Unfortunately when it was the voice of the council against one, there wasn't much chance of combating their verdict, no matter how innocent you were. Scowling at the thought as his olive green eyes narrowed into the darkness that housed the current prisoners of the pride the dark lion turned away from the ominous void in just enough time to see a glimmer of white. Trailing sprinkles of paleness flexing over a dark coat.

Much like himself, the other seemed to be a part of the night that surrounded them except for small imperfections. Flaws that revealed them to those around them. For Grim it was the wicked golden grin that curved along his sides. A flash of color that revealed itself just in time for his prey to realize they were being followed, granted by then Yoruhane had already captured them.

Wondering just what a Druid was doing so close to the ravine at this hour, the Slayer decided to follow the stranger. Silently veering his path to trail behind the lion that he tracked.
 

[Tanakako]

It didn't take a genius to realise when one was being followed in the silence of the nighttime shadows. Samar had grown up a nocturnal creature even before he had been tried and condemned to the Ravine prison. The faint but recognizable pad of paws trailing his own instantly set off his internal alarm, though nothing externally betrayed him as he continued padding quietly along a well known trail, weaving his way between rocky outcroppings. This land had belonged to the druids long before the Toka invaders had taken over and its rough craggy stone was bred into his blood.

Glimpsing the male trailing him, he simply continued in the same casual pace as before. Darker of coat with only the gleaming crescent moon and the delicate pattern of stars trailing along his sides, the Druid male had a slightly easier time of it than the Toke with his vivid golden branding, though truly the Toka was a lion who deserved the attention his markings merited and such a fact did not escape Samar's attention via the brief glimpses the other male offered as they padded through the pride.

Rounding a small bluff he slipped up a steep path to a small flat area which served as both a lookout and a resting place for Samar most nights. It was secluded, elevated from the main drag of activity down below, and afforded him a place he could go to and be alone yet still keep an eye on the pride and its members. It was there that he went now, intentionally making just enough noise for the stranger to notice the well hidden track between the gorse bushes. Upon reaching the end of the trail Samar stood silently, gazing out across the valley. It barely held one male laying down, so there would be barely enough room for two lions on the cut away ledge.
 

[Neon Fly]

Following someone didn't always have to imply secrecy. Granted, perhaps Grim's intentions could have been made clear if he'd only spoken up, but he'd hardly been given the chance. His guide kept a brisk, albeit easy pace but he seemed to be no more interested in losing his tail than Yoruhane was in pretending he wasn't blatantly pursuing the Druid. After all, he had nothing to hide.

At the moment it certainly seemed as though the powerful silhouette didn't either given that he moved without haste or concern. With just enough noise to be certain the Slayer would be able to track him. That thought along made the young peace-keeper's hackles raise, offended. Yoru may have been one of the younger members of their rag-tag group and he may not have come from warrior stock, but he wasn't incompetent!

When they reached the rising cliff that left his strange guide in a position that no guilty party would have wished to find himself in the olive eyed lion simply stared. Inadvertently puzzled though his maintained a composure that appeared unruffled. So tell me stranger.. are you always this cryptic?
 

[Tanakako]

It certainly hadn't been the druid's intention to offend and he would never have considered his actions thus. He was not offering a commentary on his pursuers talents by making some kind of noise as he walked, he only did so to let him and anyone else in the area know he was about and so that any Toka in the area wouldn't immediately peg him as suspicious, though they certainly would be lax to think him innocent. He was, after all, a Druid-born warrior and had served time in the ravine, though whether or not his crime had required such a sentence changed depending on who you asked. As was typical in the divided pride, a druid's defense was often taken as an attack on Toka rules and regulations, no matter the circumstances or situation within which it had transpired.

So naturally, an air of disharmony was prevalent in the further flung provinces and in those with more Druid blood.

Once the dark-coloured male appeared from the narrow pathway onto his small lookout, Samar simply watched him, an ear twitching forwards as the other spoke. "Quite possibly." Came the low, rumbling reply, the druid male's voice vibrating from deep in his broad chest. "Do you always follow strangers about the pride?" It was not a common thing for Samar to engage in conversation, but the golden-streaked male before him seemed to have touched some hidden button deep in his psyche, prompting a reply which surprised Samar quite possibly more than it did the handsome Toka stranger.
 

[Neon Fly]

Quite possibly? Well, at least he was honest about it, Stark would give him that much. Examining the cool mannerisms of his company it almost felt as if this entire situation was a set up. The stranger was so collected and calm that Yoruhane half expected a group of thugs to appear out of nowhere to deliver some underhanded Druid justice. Even if that was the case, he was far too proud to actually cave to any such cowardly desire to twist his head around and glance at his surroundings and flank. Actually, the thought never even came to mind. Expertly trained eyes remaining level upon his target with a quiet confidence finding himself vaguely amused by the question that immediately followed from the brazen figure.

If the young Slayer were anyone else he might have received punishment for such insolence, but Stark was hardly so pious as to act as superior as the blood born Toka did. Answering with a note of humor in his silky, tenor tone, Only ones who wander suspiciously close to the ravine in the dead of night.

With a raised brow he questioned lightly, Planning a jail break?
 

[Tanakako]

Pale eyes framed by the shimmering moon symbol remained settled on the shadowy form of the Toka warrior meeting Stark's own steady look. The Druid's gaze remained calm and impassive as if the entire world were kept at a distance, not even a hint of wariness or guilt revealed itself in those pale orbs under the Slayer's watchful attention. Proving that the druid was either a very good actor, or he was actually innocent.. at least for tonight.

The faintest hint of a grin met Stark's comment as Samar accepted the truth of the statement, though the brief flicker of amusement in pale orbs remained undaunted. "Unless of course one happens to live near the ravine, in which case such proximity is difficult to avoid." Once again that deep tenor rumbled through the darkness, that trace of amusement that had been in the druid's expression now audible in his voice.

He didn't know what it was about the golden-streaked Toka male, why it was that what usually irritated him was now offering the promise of brief amusement. Typically he was at best detached or felt the faint trace if irritation, at worst he was downright annoyed when another lion tried to make idle conversation. The lack of each of these usual states of being had him feeling a little disorientated, but as was his habit he simply hid any honest emotion, only letting the tiniest smirk escape to feel the novelty of it.

"If I was, I wouldn't simply admit to it would I." He returned calmly, that tiny hint of amusement lighting his eyes despite the stoic, almost dour expression on his maw.

Perhaps it was dangerous to bait a Slayer as he was doing, but if he truly thought this one was the same as most of the prideful Toka males in the valley then he wouldn't have engaged in such chit-chat, but would have simply vanished out of sight back when he was being tailed, leaving them empty pawed and angry at the same time. The fact that he might, just might, be enjoying this small verbal play was stoutly ignored by the Druid as he regarded the male before him, waiting for the Slayer to play his next card in their subtle sparring match.

Neon Fly

 

[Neon Fly]

Taking the quip in stride Stark felt the sharp edge of a grin cut the corner of his mouth as this unexpected nocturnal encounter began to take the shape of immediate kinship. He recognized a fellow wiseass when he met one and though others would have huffed with impatience at this game the young Slayer was admittedly enthralled by it. Perhaps that's why he had chosen to take residence in Uliacha. It was considered the slums by most born Toka and only those who sought to exact their strength without restraint or any immediate repercussions usually took watch here. Luckily for the residents there were a few who evened the balance of power, though not nearly enough. Proximity alone wouldn't be enough to turn my head, we both know many families to the prisoners inhabit this area. It's proximity and present hour that raises my interest, since we also know that those families are all tucked safely in their dens at this current time least they be thrown into the ravine with their kin for suspicious activity.

Tilting his head to regard the dark frame of his new acquaintance with a comically raised brow Stark finally decided he'd tormented the stranger long enough. Adding with a lazy roll of his shoulders as if the information he now provided wasn't in fact anything of any particular importance. Anyway, whatever your intentions, I am neither Soldier nor Keeper so I have no particular incentive, duty or inclination to stop you.

That might have been true, so was the following, his eye turning critical upon the dry-humored Druid. What I am is a countermeasure against injustice between the two bloods and I do have the incentive, duty and inclination to prevent imbalance between them when and where I see it.

Yoruhane had always been a practical, unbias sort when it came to judging the actions of others. His instincts were solid and his gut told him that he was staring at a lion who could be more ally than opposition. However, I don't see anything of concern at this particular moment, do you?

Tanakako

Working on catching up/reply to ancient tags. You happen to be on the list. X3;; Also working on a pm reply, but your pm is long and detailed and there's a lot to cover so I'm waiting for a good moment to sit down and focus on it. :heart gaia_up heart:

 

[Tanakako]

Ok, so the Toka were not quite as evil as the Druids liked to believe. But even so meeting one not immediately set on ‘showing him his place’ was a particularly rare occurrence and Samar couldn’t help the surprise that flashed across his expression. Was this male…. Well, Samar wasn’t sure what he expected, but it certainly hadn’t been this.

It took more restraint than he wanted to admit not to respond to the Toka’s broad grin and raised brow. The effect both dangerous and pleasingly cocky on the gold-marked male. Here was a Toka that he not only didn’t want to clout, but who might also be .. while not a friend, but someone of like mind. And that was something Samar had found difficult to come by, even among his fellow Druids. Allowing his own expression to crack a razor-fanged grin, he eyed the Toka male before him. Still wary, still half expecting some kind of aggression, but considering the pridal traditions, their meeting was surprisingly civilised.

His grin sharpened as the Toka spoke, and the cocky expression of the other was mirrored in the Druid’s gaze. “Well, since there is no injustice here for the moment, your incentive, duty and inclination can rest for a bit.” The hard-edged amusement faded slightly as he continued. “As unbelievable as it sounds, there are some Druids who follow the same.. even if we aren’t recognised for it.” The large star-dappled male glanced away towards the ravine, though nothing of his thoughts showed. Turning back to his strange conversation partner he gave a faint shrug, the grin returning.

“I would wonder at your sense if you had not just proved yourself with all your wits about you. A Toka and a Druid are talking. I think that counts as strange enough for concern, do you not agree?” The smirk had become a genuine grin, the lingering tension fading from the big Druid’s body. Though he was still ready to move, to run or to fight, it was no longer visible in the male’s muscular frame.

Neon Fly

Huu.. I never got an alert for your quote... what the heck Gaia??
Sorry this is a little shorter, Samar is a hard personality to get back into. X3

 

[Neon Fly]

Thank the gods for that. Grim agreed, glancing out across the ravine in time with starlit Druid at his side. Had they been lovers, it might have been a romantic moment though the thought of it caused Yoruhane to sneeze in amusement. The more like-minded lions we have in this pride, the better off it will be.

Too bad the majority were too busy fighting against one another to realize that they had more in common they might have initially wished to admit. It was a sad, sorry state of affairs for all. Glancing back at the stranger, the young Slayer realized he still didn't know the other's name, but then--given his blood perhaps it was better off that way. Heh. Talking no. I see Toka and Druid talking all the time. The fact that we haven't yet exchanged unpleasantries? Now that is strange.

Stepping away from the cliff face, a long, dull stare flicked out toward the darkness of Uliacha. Most of the fair colored Toka were nestled in their dens while the dark pelted Druids ran amuck. Most didn't dare travel at night for fear that they might run into an unsavory character like the male with the crescent moon on his brow. It was that fear that kept the Grim on patrol, determined to prevent encounters which might ultimately result in a fight due to misconceptions.

Almost as if he had summoned the conflict to life with the thought a series of growls broke out in the den area of the terrain below, followed by the thumps and scuffles that signaled a fight had broken out somewhere in the Province. Ahh, a Slayer's work is never done.

Chuckling mirthlessly Yoruhane glanced at the mysterious lion who still, even after their brief discussion, remained mostly a mystery to him. Ducking his head in a small nod of respect to the other. It's a relief to know that not all Druids act out of blind resentment. Stay out of the ravine, stranger. I look forward to crossing paths with you again.

Sweeping past the Druid in a streak of gold, the Grim was off to save the day, bounding down the rocky path in long, strides of his dark legs.

Tanakako

Your post was fine! This is a short post, but I'm trying to wrap it up to get Yoru ready for breeding with Reghan. ^^;