[PRP] I'm Getting Tired of Men (Raidon x Nuishan)

[NymiiNym]

Nuishan was content being a mother. It was easier. Being a mate was hard, she had realized. After the third attempt and third abandonment she realized that having and raising children was far easier. And rewarding. Her children were lovely, mature, and beautiful creatures. Even the ones her ex had stolen from her. Rush, Hikaru, and Kaoru were mature (if that was a loose term when naming the twins), and even starting families of their own. What did she have to say about her exs? About the men she had thought were her family?

Nothing.

She knew that being a mother was the only thing she could contribute to her tribe. She wasn't a hunter. She wasn't useful. She was, hopefully, going to become a carer and currently that was a useless job. When was the last time Lunarie had children? Wasn't her batch the last? No.... She swore.... Thea had kids, right. But then after that? Lunarie was quiet these days, and awkward. Full of drama and a pregnant silence had hit home. No one spoke anymore. No one even spoke of one another anymore. Except for the newest generation she was sure the tribe was becoming mute.

However, her children and Thea's kept some life within the tribe. Nato's kids, as well. She hadn't seen those rascals in forever, to be honest. She hadn't seen much, actually. She had been too busy keeping tabs on her children and trying to establish some bond with the others. Razor, Trump, and Kishen weren't too fond of the idea of establishing a bond. Well.... maybe Kishen, but the other two? Ha. She was sure they favored their father more. Which was fine. As long as they knew she was there if they needed her.

And then there was that male she met. Raidon. A strange male who had brought her berries. She hadn't seen him since, but it was amusing to say the least. Rarely did Lunarie receive visitors, and he had just come and gone like the wind. Probably she was dreaming, she didn't doubt that. Her children had scuffed at her when she mentioned it. Visitors avoided Lunarie unless they were mates, family, or potentially enemies. No one unattached to a fox within the tribe visited. It just wasn't done!

Still, it'd be nice if she saw him again. No, it wasn't some stupid school girl crush. She was far too old for that nonsense. She wanted a friend. Someone who wasn't inside the forsaken, quiet tribe. Someone who didn't ask her how she was whenever Hatsu or Rendo was mentioned. Just a person she could relax with. Hell, even she could want such a thing.  

[jinxgirl5]

Raidon moved stealthily through the trees. The stealth wasn't a deliberate act on his part, more like a subconscious grace that he just exuded without even thinking about. He was careful to note as much as he could while he walked, taking in the state of the land. This was an area he'd been to only once before, and frankly it wasn't somewhere he normally would have visited a second time given all the signs of inhabitation by what was clearly either a tribe or a very large family.

He couldn't forget that woman.

Raidon scowled and shook his head at himself as he maneuvered through two scraggly bushes. He should know better, really. Wasn't it bad enough that he had a family of his own to worry over? Nuishan didn't need some stranger fussing over her. She already had a family and who knew how many friends in this large group. He was the outsider who was probably quite unwelcome to those people, just a suspicious character they knew nothing about tromping over their home. It was the reason why he was being so careful to leave no trace of himself behind.

It wasn't like Nuishan was easy to find either. With all this land and all its inhabitants, any scent he thought he got of her was old and faded. Now he wasn't even sure he could properly remember what she smelled like. This was a fool's mission, and he knew it.

But...

Every time he thought he should give up, just leave this land and forget Nuishan, go on with his life, those startling orange eyes would swim before him. He had seen the pain in them, that night when he'd walked in on her sitting by herself. She hid it quickly, and for a time he'd wondered if he'd even seen it or if it was just imagination and a dark night playing tricks on him.

Then the image would shift, and he would see Nuishan sleeping as he returned with some berries he promised to find for her. Those eyes again, fluttering open and filled with tears. How she'd smiled, a sweet, child-like smile so out of place with the pain and tears, and reached for him. He couldn't help but instinctively reach back, offering her the comfort she so desperately seemed to need. It was only a brief moment, but Raidon felt that for that moment he'd been a harbor protecting her from what was probably a sea of pain.

'Or maybe you're just giving yourself airs and it was all very awkward,' whispered his inner voice, effectively puncturing the mood of his thoughts and causing a sigh to escape into the silence. Perhaps that was also true. If he even did find Nuishan again, what would he do? That kind of thing had been very much a "mood", and once those passed you couldn't just recapture them. He wasn't much of a conversationalist either. Seriously, how much more hopeless could he get?

The vegetation before him suddenly opened up. Raidon blinked and felt a powerful sense of deja vu wash over him, not to mention just a touch of irony. He slowly walked into the open, eyes fixed on the rock where he'd first met Nuishan. It was empty now, just like his entire purpose for being here appeared to be.