{PRP} A Lovely Evening (Raiquen x Ili'ella)

[Sabra Knight]

It was a lovely evening with the stars just beginning to shine on the horizon. Walking slowly the guide took each step with graceful care as he checked his surroundings while walking. The last thing he wanted to do was mistake one landmark for the other in the darkness. All day though the guide had been stumbling about his job with a distant expression on his face. Thankfully he had managed to stay on track just enough to guide the visitors to the right shrines. He, himself, had already gotten a good teasing from the water shrine after missing a step and nearly falling into the waterfall. Her teasing had kept him motivated to stay on task. Still it was hard though to fully concentrate as his mind was focused on the image of one thing in particular and her only.

Ili'ella.

All he had done throughout the day was to hope that the lioness would be on the edge of their pride once again. He really missed seeing her and every chance that he could the lion would make his way towards the rogue lands where he would often run into her. He had told her after all that if she couldn’t come through the pride to find him then this was where he could wait and meet with her should she need him. “This should be the spot.” Patiently waiting once more Raiquen climbed up onto a rock ledge and beneath the evening sky laid there waiting.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

She was pretty sure she was late - not that they had a set time, but Ili'ella liked to get there early so she could prepare herself. While she wasn't a vain creature, she liked looking pretty when she saw Raiquen. After all, the male had met her mother and her mother was stunning, so she had a lot to live up to.

But she was late...and it was once again because of her mother, though this time indirectly.

"Damn it, Oua," she muttered angrily as she navigated the darkness. She was confident in the dark, though she was terrible at hiding things, considering she was a fairly bright lioness. It was a bit like trying to hide the sun in the darkness - not exactly efficient.

She approached the spot where they usually met and was pleased to find the male peacefully waiting.

"Raiquen!" she called out, her smile bright but her eyes were worried still.

 

[Sabra Knight]

Anticipation had managed to keep the lion fully awake. And as soon as the golden image came from the darkness towards him all tiredness was pushed away in renewed energy. “Ili’ella!” Calling back Raiquen sprung down from his perch with a bright smile in return. As the lion approached his dear friend he paused and tilted his head. Years of helping travelers and interacting with others had allowed him to read expressions quite easily. And he was especially sensitive to Ili’ella’s gaze.

Pressing up against her in a greeting of comfort the dark lion frowned, “Is something wrong?” His gaze sought her’s with worry. The last thing he wanted was for her to be upset and try to hide it. Like always he wanted to help.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

She nuzzled his fur as he approached, enjoy the softness on her face. A small tinge of pain across her muzzle reminded her of her encounter with her brother, though thankfully the cut was healing well and not going to scar. She was grateful for the darkness hiding it from Raiquen, but it seemed he already noticed something was wrong.

"I had an encounter with my brother," she said quietly. She'd never spoken of her brother, he'd left her life years ago and it was strange. "He is...not doing well." To say the least. His anger at their mother was getting potent and dangerous.

She was scared for him, and for her mother.
 

[Sabra Knight]

“Your brother?” Raiquen pulled back to gaze at her quizzically. “What’s wrong?” His tail brushed against her comfortingly as the lion looked at her with confusion. “What happened though?” He had never heard of Ili’ella’s brother before and was curious. Was he sickly or had she fought with him? Concern flickered in his gaze.

“Is there anything that I can do?”

Pacing before her the lion gazed up at the stars as they appeared in the night sky. It was such a pretty night too…a good night for talking then. He quietly told himself before forcing himself to stand still next to her. Noticing the slight chill in the air he stayed close to her as he waited. To see Ili’ella upset though really bothered him. Family bonds were something new to the lion that had been without siblings for so long. Still whatever her brother had done it really must have affected her.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

Oh Raiquen, she thought fondly as he reacted just so, so worried about her, and her brother that he didn't even know. Would he react the same way if he knew that Oua had struck her? She doubted it, but she didn't want him to know about that, not if she could help it. That would only end in more anger and there was enough of that in the family.

"You have met Mother," she said quietly, trying to think of how to explain it. "I coped with Mother's...unusual style of parenting...but Oua...well he never quite recovered. He looks so much like our Father, and his name...well, he was even named for Father. Everything wore on him much more than it wore on me and now...now I fear he's dragged my youngest half sister into this mess." She heaved a sigh. "Raiquen, he is....just so angry and I'm afraid that he is going to do something terrible..and Poor Hiana doesn't seem to realise that he is going to drag her into something that she can't handle. She is a sweet girl, but she is lost and I just...I just don't know what to do."

Ili'ella gazed at Raiquen, worried, lost and just wanting someone to tell her it was going to be ok.
 

[Sabra Knight]

Raiquen tilted his head thoughtfully. He did remember meeting her mother. His cheeks flushed at the memory and how he could only begin to imagine what the lioness was like as a mother. The lion’s gaze sharpened as she said the word mess. This didn’t seem like a typical family quarrel. She was much too upset for that. Could her brother really be that angry?

“What do you think he is planning?” The question escaped him before he could help himself. Her worry about her youngest half-sister as well was obvious in how she spoke. This really did seem like it didn’t bode well for Ili’ella and her family. It was worse because it was her brother being the danger…he did know one thing about family bonds and those were the worst to fight against even if the member was dangerous. “Oh Ili’ella.” His voice was soft as he rubbed his cheek against her’s. He just wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay…but even he wondered about this situation. Still he couldn’t help, but to murmur for her sake. “It’ll be alright. Don’t forget I’m here for you as well.”

Pausing he thought about it, “Isn’t there anyway to stop Hiana from joining with him?” He mused quietly, “Any way to talk her out of it?” Even better yet...was there a way to quell her brother's anger? He frowned worrying what this situation would result in. Was her brother planning on shedding his own family’s blood?
 

[Velveteen Angel]

She shuddered when she thought of what her brother was planning. She didn't know for sure, but she knew what he wanted to do. "He's planing to confront Mother," she admitted, the worry in her voice evident. "But with his anger in the state that it's in, and mother's reactions to confrontations, I fear it's only going to end in blood shed, and it won't be Oua's that is shed..." She rested her cheek against his, soaking in his warmth more than his words - she knew he couldn't assure her of that, but he was sweet for trying.

"Thank you, Raiquen," she whispered softly, honestly grateful for him right now. "Hiana is...not angry with mother, but her mental state is vulnerable and I fear she's taking on his anger because she thinks it's the only way to cope..." She heaved a heavy sigh and stared up at the stars. "I tried to talk her out of it, but Oua...reacted badly...to my attempts." The cut pulsed in pain a little, even though it was healing well. A slight reminder of her sister that she had tried to save.

 

[Sabra Knight]

Raiquen frowned. This did not seem like it would be a calm confrontation at all. Her worries confirmed his own. “Does your mother know about this?” He asked quietly. Surely her mother would care a little bit about her cubs safety. His golden gaze flickered. “If not for your own sake what abou hers?” Didn’t she care at all about angering her son when he could react harshly? Better yet…”Do you want me to help?” He asked quietly. “The last thing I want to do is fight against your own family, but if I can offer protection then I will.” He hadn’t been a guide his whole life after all. There was a reason he was one of the few to wander without a guard in the pride.

“You already tried talking to her?” He frowned. Even if she was vulnerable…shouldn’t she care about her mother’s safety? “So HIana cannot be reasoned with because Oua is there…” His sighed before opening his eyes again, “Reacted badly?” The lion found a low growl rising in his throat, “What happened? Did he do something to you?” His heart tightened in his chest. Brother or not if this Oua had laid a claw on Ili’ella then it would be hard for Raiquen to forgive him.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

Ili'ella shook her head sadly. "I sent a raven to mother but I haven't heard anything back. She always thinks I worry too much but I know Oua is on his way to the Kizingo where mother is, and if he has Hiana to guide him there, he will find the pride and," she trailed off, her heart pounding in her chest. "I need to warn her, but I don't think I can get there faster than Oua, and if she's not reacting to my raven then she probably hasn't even taken precautions for when he arrives." She shook a little, the realisation that there was nothing that she could do was slowly eating away at her. "I want help," she said quietly, and it took a lot of strength from her to do so, " but I don't think you can help..I don't even think I can help now..." She blinked her eyes rapidly. "How did this get so far out of hand, Raiquen?"

She nodded. "When I spoke to Oua, Hiana was with him and I tried to show her that it wasn't the only path she could walk but she is so afraid of everything, and Oua represents safety to her - she won't believe me when I say he is dangerous." She startled when he growled, and knew he suspected what had happened. "It wasn't serious," she explained, pressing her cheek against his, eyes closed. "He thinks he is stronger than he is, and his claws missed my eyes, so."

 

[Sabra Knight]

Raiquen sighed. The more he listened the worse the situation sounded. Her mother lived in a pride though? “Surely she should be protected there?” He paused and looked at Ili’ella, “Doesn’t she have anyone to care for her there that can keep her safe from your brother?” His claws dug into the ground thoughtfully. If there was no way to beat her brother there then he couldn’t do anything to help her mother. All they could rely on was Ili’ella’s own mother’s decisions it seemed. “It seems you have to rely on your mother to stay safe..” He trailed off as he remembered what the other lioness had been like during their meeting. Staying safe didn’t seem to be her thing. He kept that comment to himself though as he didn’t wish to worry Ili’ella any more than she was. If that’s even possible at this point.

He sighed at her question though, “In this life many things can go crazy in an instant.” He paused as he studied the stars, “I’ve guided lost souls so many times through the shrine lands that I’ve heard stories of all sorts. Lovers hurting each other, families divided, lost from each other, separated by fighting and hatred…then rejoined at the end. Or for some reason forever separated, but found happiness in the separated lives they took.” He trailed off, “It’s not always the best beginning or middle, but some do have good endings. That was a reason for some of the visitors so that they could offer thanks to the god which they believed saved them the most.” Raiquen smiled faintly, “What I meant by all that rambling is that sometimes the most dire situations can have a happier ending than the beginning which started them. Maybe things will work out…and your mother will be safe in the end.”

“Perhaps then Hiana will be safe with your brother despite this.” He frowned, “If he has a quarrel with just your mother surely he wouldn’t take Hiana along just to hurt her as well. Even more so he should guard her…” The lion shook his head. This really was a mess. Still his growl deepened as she commented about her eyes, “Still he hit you?” Raiquen’s voice was soft, but dangerous and hard. Perhaps it was a good thing that her brother was out of his reach. “Ili’ella…how bad is it?” He questioned wishing that it wasn’t so dark out now, “I can take you to Faliha in the morning…or even now if you need. She follows the god of healing and is a good healer herself.”
 

[Velveteen Angel]

"Mother doesn't always stay within the pridal walls, and she lives with her partner - a very old, almost blind male - so I fear she won't always have the safety of pride or companions to protect her." She shook her head in annoyance, her mother had such a disregard for her own personal safety, and it could end up with her death.

She listened to him speak, eager to hear what he had to say and easily getting lost in his story. She found his pride fascinating, and it was always interesting for her to hear about it, or see it when he took her on tours. She had never been a 'pride' person, but she was thinking that she may have found an exception. "I hope so, Raiquen," she said, at the end of his talk, comforted a little by the story. "She may not have always been the best mother, but she tried her hardest, especially after Father died." She shook her head, "I hope this has a happy ending."

"I don't think he would ever purposely hurt Hiana," she admitted, "but if he attacks mother inside the pride, and the pride reacts, Hiana would not be seen as an innocent bystander." Hopefully he was not stupid enough to attack in full view of the pride, she would not stand for him harming Hiana as well.

She placed a paw over his, trying to soothe him. "I am alright, Raiquen. This happened a few days ago, it's healing well, and there is little that can be done for it at this stage. He did not mean to harm me badly, merely warn me of what would happened if I interfered further." She shook her head. "I swear he is a good lion, somewhere inside him, but he has left his anger to fester for so long, I fear it's consuming him now."
 

[Sabra Knight]

Raiquen sighed. “If she’s fortunate then perhaps the fates will guard her and allow things to work out for her sake.” He paused and shook his head, “Even I believe in the gods, but I still wish that I could be there.” That way he could take away the pain and worry which was flickering across Ili’ella’s face. He nuzzled her comfortingly, “Surely it will have such an ending.”

The lion nodded. It was true. He had been worried about the pride’s reaction to this situation. Her sister very well could be in danger. “Surely it won’t blow up to include the pride…even then surely the pride can see that she was not the one involved in the…conflict.” His heart felt heavy. Even if they weren’t his own family they meant so much to Ili’ella and he himself was one to not idly stand by when anyone was in danger. For them to be connected to Ili’ella made it even worse for the lion. He wished there was some way he could save them all for her. But all he could do was pray.

Raiquen still frowned even as she pushed off her injury, “I trust you then.” He sighed, “But still…I don’t like hearing this.” His voice softened though he still wasn’t too happy with hearing she had been hurt. “Even a warning…should not go about like that.” She was his sister! Maybe it really was a good thing that he couldn’t reach her brother at the moment. His gaze saddened. He had known some to get lost to anger and it never ended well for those lions. “Maybe then your mother or someone can reach inside of him and find that good lion before it’s too late.”

"After all only some things the gods can tell." He nuzzled her comfortingly, "Come if you wish, Ili'ella. I'll show you a beautiful spot of stars to distract you from these worries." After all it was all he could do for the lovely lioness. He just prayed that things would work out for her family, for her happiness.