[PRP] Wretches and Kings (Sungus/Gaspard)

[Meepfur]

Sungus sim Sazhan was restless. Things had been quiet since their victory here at Baj-Jer, and he did not like quiet. If it was quiet for the Burkuteshti, it was also quiet for the Qyrhyeshti, and there was nothing to like about that. He was only content when he was fighting them, when they were suffering, and denying them this place of plenty was not enough. He wanted to drive them back even farther, over the Hareket and beyond, but his pride was not ready.

Their losses had been almost as heavy as their rivals', so they did not now have the numbers to force those scum off their lands. For the time being, they were stuck with a stalemate, which left Sungus ill content indeed. He wanted to kill something that wasn't one of these damn noisy seals.  

[oo Ded]

Meepfur

It could go without question that the gruff lion was just has restless as his brother, if not more. Gaspard sim Sazhan moved through the sand in slow, deliberate movements. His steps took him in long paces back and forth through the territory, avoiding where the sound of the seals would drive him from his thoughts. Occasionally he would pause, his eyelids falling to make his olive gaze into a stern stare as his claws raked through the sand where he stood. It had been too long since those claws had felt something over than the sand and seal. They ached the cut through fur and flesh once more. The thought made his lip curl.

The lion snorted and shook his mane, raising his head to stretch his waiting bones. The movement brought an all too familiar being into view. A view of kin. Gaspard said nothing as he saw his brother. His Bey. He only watched, examining and calculating each of the other lion's movement with a flat face as the breeze swept through the sea of sand around them.  

[Meepfur]

oo DeD

Sungus was pacing back and forth as Gaspard approached, the movements making his restlessness and ill mood obvious...which was to say, he looked more or less the same as he always did: pissed about something and wanting to kill someone.

It took no more than half a moment for the Bey to realize he had company, however, and he stilled his pacing and turned to regard his sibling with his good eye.

"Brother," he rumbled, his tone carefully neutral.  

[oo Ded]

Meepfur

As he was addressed, Gaspard neared his brother. Stopping at a reasonable distance, the lion tilted his head back, looking to Sungus with a calculating gaze. "The lands are silent." He spoke with an edge, his words sharp and precise. "The Qyrhyeshti, they plot and connive." The lion spoke of their enemies as if their names were poison. He paused, adjusting his position. His heavy frame settled into the sand as he shifted. "Do you think us ready? For whatever they had planned?"

The Muharip's voice made the words that, from another may come with concern, come instead with what seemed to be critical judgement. Still, he addressed his Bey with care. Best not to step on any paws.  

[Meepfur]

oo DeD

Sungus had been annoyed with his own mate when she'd questioned their inactivity, and coming from his brother, the implication behind his words was even less welcome. There was an old, quiet tension between them, a brotherly rivalry turned slightly sour. Still, he made no reference to it, and watched his larger brother calmly. It had once bothered him that Gaspard was bigger than he was, but since he'd become Bey, he'd stopped caring.

"We are always ready," he answered, lashing his tail. "And once more warriors come of age, we will be even more ready." There was only slight, carefully measured annoyance in his tone.  

[oo Ded]

Meepfur

Gaspard remained silent after his brother had spoken, picking out his words before speaking. He wanted to say how, as more warriors came of age more would grow out of it. How, the longer they would wait the less use the claws and fangs of the pride would become. But instead, taking notice from the lashing of the other's tail and the tone of his voice, he gave a brief, "You seem restless, Brother."

After speaking, his gaze left that of Sungus's, scanning over the sandscape, towards where the rest of the pride probably lay, where the seals resided in the distance. Olive eyes came to rest on where he knew the Qyrhyeshti lands lay. It all seemed so tense, as if the land itself was waiting.  

[Meepfur]

oo DeD

If Gaspard had spoken his mind, Sungus would have been more than happy to correct him with his logic, but as the white-patched lion did not, such an exchange was avoided.

"No, really?" he grumbled, plunking unceremoniously into a sit. "How observant of you." He didn't follow his brother's gaze, didn't need to; he knew full well what lay in that direction, and it was constantly on his mind. Even if everyone hadn't been so intent on reminding him, it would have been on his mind.

"I haven't killed anyone in weeks." If he hadn't been convinced that waiting was he best course of action for the moment, he would definitely not be sitting here waiting. He wanted their rivals dead and gone at least as much as anyone else.  

[oo Ded]

Meepfur

"Then go kill someone," he replied bluntly. He raked his paws, claws extended, though the sand before mirroring his brother's movements and falling to a sit. Though Gaspard would never come to admit, the two of them shared more than just blood and similar markings. And regardless of if it was forced or not he still had a good amount of respect for his king. They had, after all, won the last Baj-jer.

The thought was quickly dismissed from the lion's mind, followed by a brief rumbling from the depths of his throat. Yes, he was aching for bloodshed as well.  

[Meepfur]

oo DeD

Sungus was silent for a moment, then burst into abrupt laughter. Sometimes, when he least suspected it, and though he often quickly forgot, somewhere in Gaspard he had a brother. It was a brutally simple, brilliantly obvious suggestion, and one he would have loved to take.

"If only it were still that simple," he said regretfully. While there were more advantages to being Bey than disadvantages, there were still a few of the latter. Staying alive became more than just a matter of self-preservation, at the very least until he produced heirs. Shan had had a son to step and and take his place when he died, and so should he.

It was that or Gaspard.