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 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:19 pm
 Pain shot up his foreleg, making him wince and growl softly under his breath. It had not been one of Brier's better days, that was for certain. The morning had started pleasantly enough with his sister waking him up as usual. He had gone hunting for the pair of them and shared the meal with her. Then she had talked about moving on and so the pair had left their temporary den and set out across the warm grassland. A quick stop at a watering hole had broken their journey but that was all. It had all seemed so calm.... but just after they left the oasis, Brier had picked up the scent of a male. Ever his sister's Guard he had told her to go hunt for a midday snack before hiding himself up a wind-blasted tree.
His suspicions had been confirmed with a lean looking leopard male had come along, nose down, clearly following the trail they had left not an hour before. The male had seemed strong but had a mean look about him and Brier had swiftly circled round and gotten back ahead of him, between the stranger and the direction his sister had vanished in. A short but brutal fight had erupted, and though Brier had managed to drive the unwanted male away, he had been left with several nasty wounds for his effort. Not least his paw which sported a deep gash right between the toes and no matter how much he licked, the bleeding wouldn't stop.
Irritated by the throbbing pulse that felt as if it were trying to seep from his paws along with his blood, he had settled down in the shade of an old beobeo tree and was now waiting for his wounds to quit bleeding. It wasn't walking on it that kept him there, but the knowledge that if his sister saw the state of his coat and knew he had been fighting, he'd not hear the end of it for days.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:59 am
Kita had lost track of Tailung.
It was infuriating to know that he was out there somewhere, and would hurt someone else like he had tried to hurt little Sitiri. Like he had injured that brave lion, Ulfric. Like he had injured her master and herself in the past. And all the lions and other creatures he had killed so far...
She knew she needed to stop him, but it was a matter of finding him. Stopping him.
He was always one step ahead.
She smelled blood and wondered if it was his. Ulfric had managed to severely injure Tailung, and it would not be difficult to pick up his scent if she had indeed come in the right direction. If she hadn't, she was likely walking further away from him. With hope in her chest, she moved in the direction of the scent and spotted another leopard up ahead. But it was not the male she was looking for, and her spirits dropped.
Still, she could not leave him now that she had seen he was wounded, just as she had done for the lion. She moved toward him carefully, making sure she was clear in her presence there so she did not startle him.
"Do you need some help?" she asked nicely enough, though her tone sometimes lacked a lot of inflection. She cared deeply, but it was difficult to show sometimes.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:41 pm
Shifting in place he paused from licking at his wounds to look around, a habit drilled into him as a young cub and one he had never let get rusty. That alertness had been the cornerstone in why they had picked him to be his sister's guard and it had served them both well out here in the roguelands. Resuming tending to his paw he heard movement a moment later and turned to look over, instantly catching the bright flash of orange and black fur.
Not a hostile leopard by nature he didn't immediately leap into action, instead he simply stayed where he was, content to see what would happen before picking his own reaction. And with his sister well clear some distance ahead, he didn't have to worry about protecting her. So it was with a curious look the red panda-coloured male waited for the stranger to approach.
Ears pricking at her voice he glanced at his wounded paw that was still bleeding heavily. Turning back he offered a friendly smile. "Umm.. I don't suppose you know the healing arts, do you?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:24 am
"I know a little."
She had been trained as a fighter, a protector, and she had learned how to tend to her own wounds and those of others. She was not the best at it, not a great healer by any standards, but it was enough to keep her alive so far and that was the most important part. As long as she found the herbs she needed, and big, soft leaves for bandages, she was fine.
Recently enough, she had put this knowledge to the test to help an injured lion, the one she considered brave and heroic despite his gruff attitude and the way he brushed it off as meaningless. She knew there was good in him, at least, and had tried to repay him for his efforts by tending his injuries.
Without her help he might have died, though he seemed the sort to not accept such an out come. Still. Leaving an injury open could get it infected and she didn't want this leopard to lose his paw or something traumatic like that.
"Let's find some shade to sit in, and I'll gather some herbs to help you out, okay?" She smiled again, this time a bit more successfully.
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:32 am
Brightening at her reply he smiled warmly, relief making him heave a breath. Truly, he had been out here a while now and had started to get a little bit worried about how much longer he'd be stuck here, and how much trouble his sister was getting herself into.
Pulling himself to his paws he nodded, violet eyes meeting her's briefly, but long enough to catch that little half-smile she wore. The sight of it, and of her now that he was truly looking, made his breath catch. She was clearly a very powerful and skilled feline, he could tell by the way she moved and walked, all flowing movement and strength. That someone like her would stop and aid a lowly footloose and prideless male like himself made him fight against a slow burn of heat in his cheeks.
"Of course. Thank you for helping me..." He replied, a little surprised but intensely grateful. Turning he followed her to the patch of shade she deemed useful, hoping against hope that she hadn't spotted his blushing through his crimson and black fur.
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 9:20 am
Kita had keen eyes, but not keen enough to see his skin burning red under his fur. She did, however, see the way his eyes were moving, the face he was working to not make, and the way his body language shifted a bit. All he had done was look at her for all of that to happen, and she felt herself blushing despite herself.
Males and their looks had never interested her too much.
Generally, she had no time or inclination to think about males. Yet recently she'd been forced to slow down and linger in their company. The first had been that brave lion, not someone she was interested in on a basic level but a creature she respected and saw good in despite the rest of his behavior.
But now she was with a male of her own kind, and one that was not trying to kill her. Two steps in the right direction, as far as she was concerned. She tried not to look at him too closely, or seem like she was trying to take advantage of him being injured.
Once they were in the shade she started looking for herbs, straining for something to say to fill the awkward quiet that had descended.
"What happened?"
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:00 am
Unlike the warrioress, Brier wasn't so adapt at reading another's emotions and he entirely missed her own reaction to him. And while he did not realise it, they were much alike in their previous lack of interest in other members of their own species. Brier looked after his little sister and that in itself was a full time job. Added tot he fact that no female in their old pride had ever piqued his interest and since leaving he had simply been too busy with Dahlia to think about it, you ended up with a male who was both oblivious and almost shy.
Padding after her he settled obediently in the shade of the tree, he watched as she went about searching for her ingredients. Her sudden question made him blink and look up from the patch of grass he had been studying. He simply couldn't help but admire her as she moved about, sleek and powerful and yet.. she appeared to be kind and generous of heart, for was she not helping a total stranger? And one who had certainly been on the wrong end of a set of powerful claws..
Clearing his throat he considered her words for a moment. "I ran into a male leopard... My sister is close by so I distracted him from our trail, he was hostile and we ended up in a fight. But the distraction worked, he didn't go after Dahlia." he almost shrugged but remembered the viscous bite the other male had landed on his shoulder and managed to keep still.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 12:26 pm
Kita tensed on instinct at the mention of a male leopard. She was on guard, looking for any sign of Tailung, and the mention of a hostile leopard that was willing to attack someone at random was certainly befitting her nemesis and former companion.
They had trained together, but their paths had greatly diverged. Tailung was a mistake that had to be corrected, and she was the one to do it. However she could.
"Was his gray? Spotted? Fairly large?" She asked warily, looking at the leopard to gauge his reaction as she came over again to sit near him. She crushed some leaves to help his wounds, carefully applying the paste to his injury.
She had a bad feeling that Tailung had hurt yet another innocent creature, and it was once again her fault.
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:34 pm
He tipped his head slightly as she tensed, sensing that something had made her suddenly wary. Her questions made him pause and think back to the fight, slowly nodded as he fitted the description she had given to the leopard he had fought against.
"Yes... with orange eyes and black ears..." He replied as she came over, extending his injured paw for her treatment even as he looked thoughtfully off in the direction that male had vanished. "He was fast... and fought like no one else I have ever met. I am lucky he seemed to be distracted at the time or I doubt I'd have made it through as well as I did. He also seemed to be injured... " He squinted, trying to remember details of a fight that, if he were honest, had been so fast and furious, he could barely recall a specific moment.
Hiding a wince as she applied her balm to his wounds, he made himself keep still under her paw, wondering if she knew the male that had attacked him.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:38 am
"I'm sorry you met him," she said, ears drooping a bit. That was unfair, and she hated that the other leopard was running around and fighting other creatures. Hurting them. He could have killed this innocent leopard and for what?
Just because it was fun. Just because he could.
Thankfully, he hadn't, and that was good.
"Well, I will find him, and make sure he does not hurt anyone else. I'm very sorry... I should have done it already. I should have defeated him... it is my fault he's still out there... we grew up together. But he turned... cruel. After training."
She shook her head and frowned. She felt guilty, seeing him there, but she tended his injuries as best she knew how and not explaining herself very well. In fact, she remained quiet after that, and once she was done with the balm and leaves she moved to sit beside him.
"I'm very sorry," she said, her strength draining out of her. She looked like a sad, scared young female, instead of the strong warrior she had become.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:14 pm
Brier looked up as she spoke, expression confused as she started to apologize. It was hardly her fault that this other leopard was going round hurting others, but as he listened to her, that was clearly what she did think. Shaking his head he wanted to reassure her somehow, tell her that she was wrong, that the only one responsible for the male's violence was the male himself. Yet he had never been very good with words and soon she seemed engrossed in her task, smoothing the pain-calming salve over his woulds.
When she finally withdraw only to sit beside him, looking so forlorn and.. young, he could not help himself, for all that he knew he was a bumbling fool around strangers, he had to say something, he simply couldn't let her keep blaming herself and looking so dejected.
"It is not your fault, you know..." He replied softly, sitting up and tilting his head to face her, crimson eyes soft and concerned for her. "Even if you were friends before, you are not he... and only he can answer for his actions. You can't shoulder such a burden when it isn't even yours..." He understood that she felt she had o do something about this rogue male.. but this guilt she held... his heart broke to see her suffer so. She was a strong female, of that there was no doubt, but he didn't think it right that she should suffer for this other male.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:04 pm
Kita frowned softly, nodding her head slowly. She had not been comforted in a while. No one took the time, and she rarely sought it. Never sought it, in fact. She was strong enough to manage on her own, and that was what she was used to.
She watched him quietly, feeling very much like a helpless female, and finding she needed the comfort. One could only go so long bearing all the responsibility for another creature's evil actions. She took a slow breath.
"I know. Thank you. I know I shouldn't take the blame for his actions, but if I had stopped him earlier... I could spare so many people..." She sighed and shook her head, moving to lay down and looking up at him.
"You should be resting, those injuries need rest and you need to heal. I think you will be okay, but you shouldn't strain." She tried to shift back into gear, smiling at him quietly. He was kind to her, and she didn't want to make him feel obligated. he didn't need to pity her, and she felt silly for letting her emotions slip.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:16 pm
He gave her a genuinely soft smile as she accepted his words in the way they were meant, as support and encouragement. Though she still blamed herself and he knew arguing the point would be counter productive. Instead when she stretched out beside him, he carefully lowered his body beside her, avoiding tugging at his slave-covered wounds until he settled. After a moment he shifted his weight, letting his black and crimson fur brush against her side. He and his family had shared comfort like this, the simple warmth of touch was so much more potent than words alone.. the reassurance that you weren't alone... and while they had only just met, he wanted her to know he was there, even if it was only for this brief period.
"You couldn't have known the future... and nothing will change the past. But you need to take care of yourself as well or who will eventually stop him?" He spoke gently, his tone respectful and full of genuine concern for her welfare.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:54 pm
Kita smiled and nodded her head, watching him.
"You are a very kind leopard," she informed him, though she was sure he heard that all the time. He was a very nice guy and she imagined that by being so he was often told as much. It was inevitable, right? Be nice, get complimented on it. Simple.
She liked simple quite a lot.
She wished there was more simple in her life.
A blush spread under her fur as he settled beside her, but she leaned toward him on instinct. Careful, but she liked the touch as well. She smiled and rested against him. She put her head down, resting it on one of his paws carefully. She smiled and closed her eyes, sighing. Maybe just letting the quiet last for a little bit, not worrying about everything for once, would help.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:27 pm
He relaxed when she settled against him, enjoying the warmth of her at his side. Her comment made him chuckle lightly, a pleasant sound. "Thank you, it is very kind of you to say so." He returned, a smile curling cross his muzzle as he gazed down on her where she had settled with her chin across his paws.
He wanted to help her, just as she had helped him by tending his wounds. She was certainly not wounded, at least physically, and he'd wager she could take him in a fight with not that much effort. But for this moment, with her curled against him, he felt as if he did have something he could offer her... It was not much, but sometimes it was all that mattered. Friendship. Smiling as they rested he turned his head and gazed out across the grasslands, feeling her breathe against his flank where she lay warm and solid at his side.
"My name is Brier..." He offered, voice soft so as to not disturb the calm that had settled around them.
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