Kohaku:
He hadn't, not once laid his head to rest. The lion was up the whole night, he was having terrors. The blackness plaguing him with retrobution. All the lives he had taken in the war. Even thoughs that were innocent. When blood stained his eyes- he closed them softly as dropplets woke him from his thoughts. He looked back.. Giving a roughed gaze at the female.. He had not touched another since Luci. What was he doing taking this girl in. A part of his heroic mind still clung, and wanted something... something deeply. To be needed and wanted- and for whatever price. Was this tainted by his childhood friend? He squinted his eyes as he watched her sleep... Then lowered his body to seem less threatening.. and just watched. But once she fell deep in to sleep.. He took the time to slip away, from his unrest and find them breakfast. The moon still held dominance, but he would give this a try.
Went off to find food.. And he would be successful, as this was now so easy after going through a war with so much blood shed. It wouldn't have stood a chance.. He remained stuck in the mentality of Luci. What he would do when he got back.. the necklace and how strong of a role it would play in bonding them. But that all came crash down when he heard the laughs of hyenas. His ears stood on end- as he went to hear closely.. they... they...
WERE NEAR THE NECKLACE.
Was his first thought- and almost completely disregarding that their was another soul there.. And ran full force back to his makeshift den for the night. Laughs started to swirl around him and now the dead elk's bones crushed.. forgetting he had them there as he bucked forward.
The girl!
And before he knew it they surrounded the place...
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief couldn't believe she'd fallen asleep. With that male there, how could she have done that? Well... he hadn't been... Okay, so he'd threatened her and made her come with him, but he hadn't hurt her or done anything really, truly bad. At least not yet anyway. So it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise when a sudden sound jerked her awake.
What did surprise her was that she was alone. Or, at least that's what she thought at first.
Then the sounds came to her.
With a quick paw, she slid her bag into a crevice, hidden for the moment by her still body. Hyenas. There weren't any in her pride, none that she knew. Her father certainly didn't have any in his crew. Of course, most of her father's crew were lions like herself, but she didn't think that was really Papa's prejudice, just how things happened to fall. Her mind flicked through what she knew about them. They were small, she could probably take one. Two if she was a grown lioness. But the fact of the matter was she wasn't. And she was small for her age. And by the sound of it, it wasn't just one out there. Damn.
Her mind worked at lightning speed. They were fast, but she could be faster if she put on a burst. And then it hit her.
Rime, the frozen queen, pride of her father's ship jumped up without a sound of warning and lunged out of the makeshift den. She met one of the intruders head on, knocking it back. But she didn't stop there, no. Instead of continuing the fight, she continued running.
Straight into a grove of trees and up she went, clawing up into the branches to wait quietly and see if any of the fools dared to follow her into her domain. She was nothing like a leopard when it came to climbing, but her father's pet genet had taught her well enough.
Kohaku:
The hyenas laughed as she froliced away in their eyes. How cowardly she was to run after taking one down like that. Well they weren't convinced much at all. Which some spread like wildfire and started in every in the bushes.
Haku didn't take much time in getting there and hadn't completely thought that the girl would go straight to where he was going.. And admittedly ran past her- and still having forgotten the elk was in his maw, he roared.. so harshly it was like initiating war as he went skull first in to one of the hyena, pulling the yeenur off the ground almost as it was thrown backward. He turned, with his meal falling to the ground as he was ready for some bloodshed. Though it hadn't completely triggered his chaos mode, he definately wasn't completely sane neither. But with one head butted like that, the gang didn't just stop there.
No- they got angry- especially the lead female in the group which opt for them to all attack. And like the lion of his father's blood. He fought them.. As if in the battle before. When one was throw off, another replaced it.. Growling.. Baring teeth and at one point taking down one of them, and pinning it as he fought off the rest. Once one grabbed the ball of his neck- he snapped. Clawing in to its face almost endless. He didn't look fatigued- he looked like he could keep going on without remorse....
Auslief / Rime:
They followed her. Idiots.
Her plan wouldn't work too well, not with all of them, but she could take another one-
The male's roar almost shook her from the tree. Her eyes widened as she saw him in the heat of battle. It was... terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. He was powerful, something her father admired in a beast. Cunning was his forte, he liked others to be his muscle. But there were still too many of them. She just needed one of them to move a little bit- There!
Not making a sound to betray her surprise attack once more, she leapt from the tree onto the exposed back of one of their attackers, this time her claws out for shredding. With the speed of a snake's strike, her jaws latched onto the back of its neck as she brought it to its knees by her weight, jerking her head back and forth to tear down to something vital. It was taking too long, though, another was coming she had to move fast.
Another blur fell out of the trees and landed on her new foe's head, sending it down to the ground with a force. It was a dark brown genet with a cream-colored face and a red pelt wrapped around his front half. Levi, her father's pet. She would growl at him later.
Kohaku:
The massive piece of a male would strike fear as almost without thought dove down.. and what was beheld in his maw. Well. One would not repeat. The grusome decapitation was sent flying in to another's face. He had no shame.. and had no sanity now. It wasn't just a fight to back them off.. It was a fight to the death and the heroic nature in his demour was gone and every fiber of him was used to take them down. Even if they were clawing in to his flesh and biting down deep. He would have no 'feeling' now of pain. Just adrenline.. and by the time he got two the third one, and ripping off a leg.. The others took a step back to regroup..
The lion heeved with a piece of a limb in his maw.. one could see that it wasn't going to be over til they were all dead- or until he was. That was probably not the brightest to come at him again without a plan. The leader still remained. With some now to the fledgling adol and two to her side. She wasn't going to lose anymore. Not to this brutality.. She wanted to fend for her lost members but she knew anymore would be suicide at this point. Though chunks may be missing of him, he still stood.. As if he were untouched!
She stood there- standing with shivers down her legs not in fear but in anger. What she would do next would scare her for life.
"BACK DOWN! RETREAT!" She yelled, but he would have already come at her full force.. picking her up off the ground. Where she would dangle in fear, and the two there were by her side backed off in shock.. Crushing her vocals and tossing her side like a wet rag.. Silence stilled the floor- and he would go after them if they were to move now... What could stop this beast..
Auslief / Rime:
Levi was by under her now, hiding behind one of her front legs. With the other one threatening her backed away, she had taken the time to put her original foe out of his misery. The female leader was felled, but her captor... Everyone was still. She worried if she moved a muscle he would turn on her, his bloodrage too consuming. She knew it, felt it sometimes. That urge to rip and tear through anything in her path until there was nothing left or they dragged her down. But hers was tempered by her cautious nature. She didn't think he had a cautious nerve in his body.
"Kohaku." Auslief's voice was low, just a little strained, and bearing a timidity belied by the bloodstains on her pristine white coat. There were leaves in her mane and bits of bark clung to her pelt in places. She looked a mess and the way she schooled her face made her look almost scared and very, very young.
She just had to hope it would work.
Kohaku:
From his standing, he might not have looked utterly beaten. He might of even still looked threatening and with the blood shot in his eyes, and every fiber of him wanting to tear through another set of those beasts, his body. Like any other tired, and with being stilled for just moments... He started to shake. The very feeling of his limbs almost collapsing, he had let out a roar- and just as quickly as he let it out, they took the chance to run. But if they would have stayed, they would have understood.. The roar wasn't of another igniting attack. It was of the collapse. And his roar was strangled in to an exhausting breath as he fell forward..
The floor beneath him let out a wave through the ground. Of not only his body but spirit falling. He was alive still, that was for sure, but his body had taken a beating to, and blood had seemed out of his maw. A mix of his own with the hyenas. At least they didn't have the balls to snatch of their meal neither. Stupid hyenas-... And not feet from then.. their leader suffrocating herself to death. In his wake- their was surely death and the fall of many now. Not as much as a veteran but now he could somehow hold his own in his record.
is breath was shaking.. and one eye had been squinted this whole time. With the hyenas attacking him- a handful at once he was not completely able to withstand it any longer than he had. In truth, they could have finished him off if they could have held out just a tad longer. All because of her calling his name- did he completely stop and make him fall to his knees. A name his mother gave him. A mother that was lost to war. His voice, his real voice came out exhaustingly. He tried to call her name but it was SO light that it might not have been heard. SUrely not between his heeving..
Auslief / Rime:
The living hyenas were gone and Kohaku collapsed where he stood. Only then did Auslief move, walking towards him at first. But about halfway to him, she changed her mind and walked to the female that had been leading the attack. A swift motion and the female's neck was broken. She didn't like to see any creature, even a foe suffering. Only when that was done did she move to Kohaku, stopping out of striking range, Levi never left her side.
"If you swear not to hurt me, I'll look at what they did to you." She wasn't much of a healer, it wasn't her place in the pride, but she knew basics. Enough to see if something was dangerous or even life-threatening. It was amazing how calm she was being considering the carnage around them. And how angry she was over the genet following in her paws-tracks.
Kohaku:
With his eyes tightly closed, he released them with not the intent of killing but to acknowledge of the female. "Yes." His voice was attempting to be strong, but it was deep enough to act the part. He wanted to move, but he hadn't the strength.. Closing her eyes, he felt so... dead. But he was now remembering bits and pieces of why had to leave the chowke. Because the mere fact that he could no longer keep his sanity true to their beliefs. The god of peace would have to visit him himself to calm his madness now. He tried to even muster to ball up his paw.. maybe even to sit up, and when he did.. He shook.. every inch of his body. "That.. I can promise..." His ears pinned back.. and even his voice seems so weak, and he turned his head the opposite way of her. Chucks were literately gone from him. On top of the already made not so freshly scars of the war before.
Auslief / Rime:
"Lie back down, you great bloodied fool," Auslief snapped when he sat up, the command and the name-calling softened severely by the soft lilt to her voice. It was like the smoothest of pelts gliding over ice and while it could be as cold as a mountain storm, for this moment it was warm, almost soothing.
Having his permission, she moved to his side and started looking over the damage. She knew for certain, he would need time to heal. That was more time away from the pride, more time for...
She glanced down at Levi and bared her teeth, suddenly remembering her anger.
The genet smiled up at Auslief even though she frowned down at him. He was a skinny, muddy-colored creature with clever brown eyes in a creamy face and gold in his ears and hanging from the bright red pelt wrapped around his shoulders.
"Levi." Auslief's voice took on that chill. Levi just ignored the tone and slipped forward, nuzzling against her paw. The pirate was surprisingly gentle when she nudged him away from her and turned her attention back to Kohaku.
"Father sent you." It wasn't a question. Levi had sat down by then and was scratching at one ear. He paused to nod at her and give her an affirming trill.
"To watch me. You've been following this whole time?" Another affirmation.
"And you saw..." She finally returned her gaze to her father's pet, and titled her head at Kohaku. Levi followed her gaze and flopped to his side, rolling to the other, then mutely bared his teeth in a mock version of Kohaku's grabbing her and his anger when he caught her with the necklace.
Auslief wanted to crawl into a hole and die. While Levi never talked to anyone, he was a very expressive creature and loved to imitate others. He could easily tell her father exactly what had happened and she was furious over it. He didn't trust her, after all her training and practicing and hard work, he still didn't trust her!
It took every ounce of restraint not to lash out at the genet who only looked up at her with a cheeky fondness. Tears welled in her eyes at how ashamed she was. Her father didn't believe she could do this. His lack of trust hurt.
Levi must have seen her distress, for he finally found a frown, his large ears flicking down before he scrambled close and climbed up to her shoulder unbidden. With her small stature he looked completely out of place, more suited on her tall father's back, but still he nuzzled at her neck, trying to sooth the troubled lioness.
"I'm not mad at you," she finally said with a sigh and rose one paw, holding it slightly above the ground as a signal for him to climb down and off. Levi was reluctant at first, but finally caved, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying down, stopping at her side to stare up at her face. She was gently prodding at a spot on Kohaku's shoulder.
"Go back to Father. Tell him... I'm going on a journey and I swear by all the gods if he sends you or anyone else after me again I'll... I'll... Dammit all, I'll mutiny!" She let a bit of her anger out then, her words as sharp as a whip crack. In turn, Levi seemed completely unfazed by her outburst and just gave her a nod.
He moved to stand in front of Kohaku then, a pinched, mistrusting look on his little face as he made a short, sharp sound to gather the lion's attention. With one paw, he pointed at the huge lion, then curled as if his body was wrapped around something, then finally pointed at Auslief. After a moment, he pointed at Kohaku again and shook his head, his expression that of one starting a threat. He followed the gesture quickly by pressing his paw to his own chest, then running it across his neck and making a face that suggested death.
The pride's warning given, the genet ran off before he could be questioned.
Kohaku:
And he did what she said without complaint. He would have, if he had the mental compassity for that. So he instead complied without thought. But while she was continuing on with her genet. It was clear that Kohaku was 'somewhere else' in his mind. May possibly be cooling down from what had happened. Now, the wounds would sting and may possibly gruff at some of the more painful ones she touched but like he promised- he didn't turn on her just yet. Instead he plainly looked the other way while the genet was trying to talk to him. Make him exactly understand WHO he had taken in to his care... but Kohaku didn't much care to understand nor hear. The loving heroic Haku was not back yet, still the straight faced lion that they saw before them.
With all his muscle easily shown up, but wasn't outspoken that he could take the genet down with a HUFF. The thoughts around him circled the fact that they attacked and whomever now knew where they were. They would have to move tonight. Then he looked back at his foe- and gave her a once over. The body seemed not not smell rotten as of yet, and then he recollected exactly what happened and what Rime did.
"You did good." He finally broke his own silence.
Remembering that she had been the one to put her out of her misery... not him. He would watch her suffer if he were alone. Moreso, he wouldn't have cared to waste another minute on 'easing' her pain. Yes, he had touched darkness within his heart... But he... almost admired Rime to have done it.
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief huffed at Levi's show, shaking her head. She raked her claws through the dirt in annoyance at the message he had given her companion.
"Well, you got your way. I'm not going to try getting home after all," she grumbled and started muttering under her breath about trusting and growing up and patronizing males who needed to mind their own noses and stop butting into her business.
Not really giving it a second thought, she sat down and started grooming some of the grime out of one of his more shallow wounds. She wouldn't touch the deeper ones just yet, it would hurt him.
"Mmm. I'm creative. Don't think I would have come back down on the whole group, though, but then you showed up and, well... Ne'er did see a lion fight like that before," she replied between careful licks to his fur.
Kohaku:
Slight hisses and growls hid under his breath. Not out of pain but annoyance of the wounds, but again not of her neither. He was still almost in his own world but the partial had given him the mind to follow her words.
"I don't know what your friend said but maybe he was worried about you.. So it seems." He seemed uninterested for the most part, partially thinking over still the plan. Then slowly he turned his head to her. "To fight like that is to have darkness at your paws and death sharpen your claws." He knew of his travisty. "Why defy your little friend.. What do you get out of it."
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief growled, but not at him.
"He's my father's pet. He warned you if you didn't protect me, they'd kill you for it. And I hate that," she replied, her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the wound she had cleaned out.
"I can take care of myself and they had damn well better get that through their thick heads." Of course, she hadn't threatened Levi not to tell anyone about her botched thievery. She wanted to tear out her fur in frustration over the fuss waiting for her when she got home. Her eyes, a blue hue the color of soft, spring flowers and more deserving of a softer maid, found his and within them burned her conviction.
"I am not a cub anymore and I will not be treated like one." The blood-spatters on her fur and maw certainly helped to emphasize her demand.
Kohaku:
A growl rumbled when he felt some of his other wounds pulse. Which made him snarl, shaking his head and lowering it down to his paws. Sending his gaze towards her.. A softness was growing in his demour, but not for her. Not yet anyways, he merely watched her lick his wounds and closed his eyes.
"That sounds familiar..." His voice was still raspy but less annoyed. "hm." He looked at her and lifted his head. Then lowered it again.. He wanted to give her some wise advice but he simply stayed quiet.
She would realize his advice as they would go on their adventure to realize his future. With that, he with her conviction, he would aid her in her paws to fill. A yawn escaped him and he quieted down almost right after. Looking as though he was ready to sleep.
"We must move..."
Auslief / Rime:
"I'll bet," she grumbled and backed away from him. He looked tired. She needed to get him to a safe place, didn't need to be worrying that the hyenas would come back in greater numbers. As much as she was one of the crew, she was still a female in a patriarchal society. She would pretty much always be second-guessed by the rest of the crew. Sure, they would fight at her side just as any other crew member. But would they really let her protect their backs? Doubtful. Even Barth, her best friend, he didn't trust her in most physical confrontations. It was why whenever he and Dou took her out on side trips, she was always the look-out or the scout or the sneak-attack. They didn't trust her not to get in the way.
Auslief sighed and shook her head, trying to clear it of her anger. What was done was done. She had given the pride her message and she would return after this was all over and they would learn to trust her to get by on her own.
"Aye, we should. Can you move?"
Kohaku:
He turned to her to show that his furthest eye was bleeding and was looking almost permanently closed. "Yes. But I can't see to well." Partially because one of the hyenas tore pieces from his face... He lifted, and grunted almost all the way through and settled in his paws for a moment. Standing still to regain balance, his head was slightly spinning though. "I don't know these parts.." His voice was rough and shook himself off.
"Is there a place safer.." He lowered her body to her. "To get there faster you can get on my back and direct me. I won't be able to see where your going.." Lowering himself and surely he had wounds there too but he was strong enough to withstand it. Facing her with a heavy nod of acceptance.
Auslief / Rime:
She moved to his side and carefully touched her shoulder to his.
"You're not carrying me. Come on, we need to get the stuff from the cave," Auslief replied with a shake of her head. After all the fighting, she was not in the mood for food any more, so she had no qualms leaving all of the bodies for the scavengers, even the kill Kohaku had brought back.
She set the pace, slow at first to see how well he could manage. Carry her, bah. She could move just as fast as he could and he didn't need to be putting any more strain on his body. The only shelter she knew of was a couple of caves closer to the shore, and that would be a bit of a trek. He'd need to keep his strength up.
Kohaku:
The male was definately not in the ability to move quite alone. Regardless he would though. When he offered and she denied.. a part of him- not all of him showed admiration and he slid a chuckle out of his form. Other girls- were not like his mother. Other girls- could try to be like her, but this one almost mimicked her in expression alone.
They used to do that to their sick brother all the time- which made him believe someone carrying you made you look 'weak or sick'. He agrred with her inwardly, then lifted his body- his body waving side to side as if he'd fall at any moment. She could probably see the struggle if she knew what fighting was as well. When the body could not take anymore?
Yes. He was getting close to there, and when she started to move- he did as well. Following her.. Something he would have likely never done if she had not shown him the display of fighting that she did. Maybe she was worth something after all. So he pushed on, shakily but did- as if he wasn't hurt and held his head up. Taught to him by his mother. ALWAYS. Keep your head up...
But he was dragging they had taken chunks from him.. But still wobbley they went on.. "You fight well." He commented beneath his breath..
Auslief / Rime:
She heard his comment and scoffed. Really, she couldn't help it. Sure, she fought well, for a child. She knew she wasn't much good in a fight, not like someone like him. She was all about the sneak-attack and that was only good when she had the element of surprise. If it hadn't been for him, she probably would have stayed in the tree, or picked them off one by one in the trees. Hell, if it hadn't been for Levi's interference, the hyena that came at her after she'd felled the one with her tree-attack might have killed her. The momentary distraction probably saved her life.
"Don't patronize me. Even on my best day I'm half useless in a direct confrontation," Auslief replied with a low, icy tone. The bitter chill in her voice was enough to freeze the heart of the sun. She shouldn't care that he was hurt, he had come close to striking her on several occasions, or had seemed like it at least. And he had kidnapped her and torn up the only thing she had ever made with her own paws. But she did care that he was so banged up. It wasn't like it was her fault, but in the end she hadn't been much help to him. She'd only managed two after all.... Well, one, that first one she'd only stunned.
Her father's genet was more useful in a fight than she was.
They reached the cave and she left him outside for the slightest of moments to run in and get her bag. One strap was somewhat intact; she had slipped it around her neck before returning to him.
"The sea is that way, it's the only place around here I know with shelter." Her head nodded to where the sun started its daily journey.
Kohaku:
The male was still gruffed and hadn't fully recovered his kinder self- would he ever find that now? "If it hadn't been for you I wouldn't be standing. Take credit when credits do." It was almost a thank you, which was what he was trying to say.. And when he saw her disappear in to the cave.. He remembered. "My necklace. Did they-?!" His muscles tensed with the thought and he grunted with pain from them. Hissing with a definiate hiss if they did take it..
When he took another step forward, she was already coming out.. for some reason that calmed him, because she looked calm.. His ears fanned back. "First necklace. Do you have it." The direction of his words seemed a lot harsher than what he wanted. "The sea...." The trickling memories of the water.. he closed his good eye now and let himself remember. Kowab... The sweet kindness of his brother Utsuki.. The times they laughed. Then the memories of how he backed stabbed him.. Letting his chin up.
"......" A hard nod was given to her in response of her direction. Yes. He would follow- if he had a choice, he still wouldn't waver from her.. not when he saw the shine of the necklace..
5:14:02 PM Reeshie: Auslief had made a face as if she still didn't believe him, but wisely kept her mouth shut. It was a futile argument, no reason continuing it for no reason but to make him see that she was in the right with this.
"The necklace is fine, or at least in so much as a damaged necklace is," she replied and resumed her place at his side, giving him something to lean on if he needed it. Without a word, she started walking towards the sea, toward caves that were more hidden and sheltered. She wouldn't be stupid this time, she would scatter the trail. No one would track them this time.
She wasn't by nature a very talkative individual. Her presence was to be like the lightest of breezes, neither seen nor heard until it was right upon you and at that point all you really did was feel it. But the silence was aching for some reason. Maybe it was because this little adventure reminded her of the trips out with Barth and Dou. And she always talked with her closest friends. When it was appropriate at least.
"Are all lions as big as you are where you come from?" It was a stupid question, but one she couldn't resist asking.
Kohaku:
They seemed to be miles apart, even if they were not feet away. Within arm's reach but she seemed like him, void of conversational skills. The animal inside him- the brutality that he could cause. Yet he could stand next to someone he 'kidnapped'... with a strong sense of self confidence... or was that what he was inside.. Something was holding on to his heart, as if tainting it... and strangling it. It was the animal.. and his inner demons. But yet he walked as though he had none, and was strong as if he had many...
But relief was found in that necklace, and he left his body to slowly calm itself.. and continued to follow her without a word. His steps seemed to weigh on him more and more... and when the ground started to get softer, his body wavered and he felt as though he would go down at any moment...
"Some." He replied rather toughly. "I get it from my mother mostly, huge beyond her gender and my father as well. But my mother was a big lioness.." The tinge of her absence and when she was announced dead was cruel... and the pain of having lost her was apparent in his voice. His father now gone, he was feeling more responsible for letting the pride condemn him the way it all happened. He'd hold their deaths on his back.
"And you are the only small one of your litter. Aren't you." He only said so- because of his own conclusion with her younger brother. From a huge litter of massive lions, his younger brother was tiny... Compared to them of course.
Auslief / Rime:
"I'm the only female." As if that answered it. Yes, she was smaller than her brothers, though she would maintain that Jakk was far scrawnier than she was. It was because she had to be strong. Ever since she had been little, she wanted to be more than just a home-lioness, making drink and waiting for some, hopefully, first-mate or captain to take a shine to her and have a stable family and all of the treasure lavished upon her if he was generous. No, she wanted to be more than that, she wanted to be like her father. Oh, not a captain, her aspirations never went that high, but crew, maybe even a first-mate.
But the obstacles before her seemed almost impossible at times. She had to prove she was worthy, even though she was small and less powerfully built than the males around her. She had shown enough of her worth that they no longer wondered if she was only crew because her father was her captain, her uncle the first-mate. But there was still mistrust. Sometimes she almost felt like a sort of mascot, the figurehead of the ship and nothing more.
Not to mention any other crew might see her gender as bad luck.
"Father says it comes from his father's mother," she finally said about her size. The rest of her ancestral lines being huge lions, it was no surprise she felt like she got the genetic short-straw.
Kohaku:
The only female, he chuckled. If he had only one sister- be damned anyone whom would lay a finger on her- but he had some sisters. Which made everyone see them as equals. Nothing too -special- but one... The only girl, he started to hint on thinking about how her father and brothers must feel.. But that was short lived.
"So your special. And the odds of someone coming after us because of you is high isn't it."
He wanted to be prepared on what was coming- or could be coming. Honestly he needed a LOT of rest before he could think on taking on another lion. The more they walked, the slower he was getting, and for his stride- it was now at her speed. The change was making his breath heavily. "I know know... anyone.. past my... mother... and father.." His vision was getting blurry by this time and had ended up leaning against the smaller one.. But not fully as to tumble down. He was dragging now but he still tried to keep his chin up, and his head high.
He had to. He was the head of his family now.
Slowing down to shake himself off. He would be losing sight soon in the eye that they were trying to tare out of his face, but this wouldn't be realized for a bit. He could see forms at least. "Your... family must miss you.." A chuckle errupted from the massive lion. "I would.."
Even still he was moving, slowly be kept moving.. He wouldn't stop- until she said so. In some way, he had lost direction- and she would be his guide.. and little was he not noticing that he was depending on her.. and letting himself do so, without a second thought..
Auslief / Rime:
"Doubtful. You heard what I told the genet. Father sends someone after me and I won't be coming back," she replied with a shake of her head before turning him slightly. He was leaning on her now, just a little bit, but he was still a huge lion. She thanked whatever gods were up there watching her that she knew where she was and the shelter wasn't far.
She had him in another, larger grove of trees, between the savannah and the seashore, before she answered the second part of his rambling.
"Mother and Father are, but Mother knows I need my space. Father's the one that needs this lesson. I don't care if I'm a part of his cr- group. I'm like all of the others and he sure as hell doesn't go sending spies and rescue-teams out for any of my brothers or the other males." It was clear her dad had issues in regards to his baby girl, and she needed her freedom. She was like a prized pet bird sometimes. Sure, they let her out, but it was never without some handler or another.
They reached the largest tree in the tiny forest and led him around behind it. Facing the sound of waves crashing on the beach, the ground had been eroded and dug out by other creatures, leaving a hollowed space among its roots. Thankfully, it was empty and any scents within were stale. She would have to snuggle pretty close to him if they were both going to sleep there until he was healed, but she had no intentions of repeating that first night. She'd sleep in the branches above before that happened.
"Go on in. I'm going to scatter the trail. And maybe see if I can find something to eat," she finally said, slipping the bag off and sliding it into the small "cave". She was tired, but they both needed food and the trail needed seeing to.
Kohaku:
The lion literately had felt the world beneath his feet start to shift, and he felt so light headed.. It was not too far from the war- maybe a week's time if even that. And now off to fight more? The scars he had already hadn't even healed yet.. He didn't realize he could have been crushing the poor girl- but he himself didn't want to lean to much. For the sake of the pride he had. Then jerked himself to the other side right before they had gotten to the tree- and almost snapped it in half with his weight.
But with that same force- he pushed on like the warrior he was- he would have looked drunk if they didn't exactly know him well.The ailing feeling of his body just giving out was apparent when she finally announced they were here and the lion fell to his side. Giving in to the tiredness he was feeling.. "Mother..."... Out cold.
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief came back a little while later, the trail scattered and ready to get some rest. She had tried getting something to eat, but it had been too much and after trying to chase something, anything, down she was too tired to try climbing up into the tree. She'd probably just fall out and break her scrawny little neck.
For a moment, she just stared into the little cave, watching Kohaku in his unconscious state. He was so big. If he wanted to, or even if he was taken in by a harsh dream he could crush her without too much effort. it was daunting. But a chill was settling in the air and she heard thunder boom out from over the waves that told her it would be best if she let caution and her pride fly away on the wind.
She crawled down into the shelter with a frustrated sigh that quickly turned to one of contentment. He was injured and caked in blood and they both needed a bath, but she had to admit curling up beside him reminded her of when she was younger and curled up next to her papa or Barth. His warmth and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the beginnings of the rain coming down lulled her to sleep.
