|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:37 pm
Vilhelmas had a simple life. Occasionally, it was too simple.
Sometimes he found his mind wandering as he worked. What was it like out there, past the craggy rocks and the bite of the salty sea? What would it be like to be a reaver, proudly taking to the unknown in the roguelands and beyond? He was just as physically able to go out there and see for himself, wasn't he? As a strong, young male, he was quite sure of his abilities. Untrained and inexperienced, yes, but he was not weak. Some tutoring and practice and he'd be ready to go.
But he wasn't stupid either. He knew that these rebellious thoughts would likely gain him a quick reprimand. In reality he was just a thrall, brought to the pride border by a mother that didn't love him and found by a lioness who had young cubs of her own.
Oh well. Dwelling on what could have been would just put him in a bad mood. Still, he couldn't help but swat a rock over the side of the cliff in a small expression of his feelings.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:24 pm
Eldahildr was bored. Sometimes she'd shirk all the work she had planned for the day and just wander. Climbing rocks, navigating paths, avoiding unsavoury characters... It was as if she was living in her own little world on those days. Sometimes she found her thoughts were wandering too. She would imagine what it would be like to join a real viking... but what captain would look at her twice? They would see a female, not the fire of her spirit or the determination in her eyes. Not to mention that she would have to face a number of unpleasantries if she even brought such a thing up. Restlessness was putting her in a very bad mood. When she heard the clatter of a rock below her current resting place, it didn't get any better. "Thrall!" She snapped down at the dark brown figure below. "If you're going to fling things off that cliff, I hope you're prepared to go after it." The lioness frowned, deadly serious. What if he hit someone? That would have been precious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:07 am
At the sound of the lioness's voice, Vilhelmas turned to squint up at the rock ledge above him. Oh, right. She was still watching. He had been hoping that Eldahildr had dozed off for a while, but it looked like he wasn't going to get that pleasure.
He had known her since they were cubs. Jezebeth, her mother had been the one to take him in, after all. Her cubs had been older than him, but not so old enough that they hadn't spent a lot of time growing up together. Eldahildr had been as fiery as her fur even then, which had often ended badly for the both of them. While Jezebeth had always treated him fairly, from having been a thrall herself at one time, Eldahildr had been a cub without such restraints. And he... had had his own opinions about her. It was a miracle that neither of them had scars from their youthful encounters.
"Where," he started mildly, "would you like me to toss your refuse, then?"
It was a simple question, and anyone watching would have seen him just as a humble thrall wanting instruction. Eldahildr, on the other paw...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:38 am
Eldahildr groaned inwardly. Why couldn't Vilhelmas just... think for himself for once? Sure, he was a thrall, but they both knew he wasn't stupid. He wasn't exactly docile and subservient, even if he did act like it around anyone with a higher rank. As a cub he'd had a strong independent streak, and while time and circumstance had softened it, she knew it was still there.
If she was honest with herself, it was something she admired.
But Eldahildr wasn't that honest with herself.
Maybe he was messing with her. The way he had phrased the question... She narrowed her eyes at him, made the motion to get up, and stopped herself. No, the thrall here was going to do the work. She was content on her rock, thank you very much.
"The far side of the cliff. You know, towards the ocean? Duh." She said in her best condescending tone, while flicking her paw to the left.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:53 am
"Right. Of course, miss." He bowed, but he didn't quite lower his eyes from Eldahildr's. He knew that would annoy her, assuming she could see him clearly from up there. He knew she would probably yell at him some more too, but she wouldn't do anything else. Cubhood tussles were far behind them, and well, he was pretty sure she was fond of him, in her own way. Even if they only socialized through her snide criticism and his more subtle pushing of her buttons.
He ducked back into her den to hide a small grin. The den, however, quickly squashed his amusement. It was filthy. Eldahildr was such a giant slob. No wonder she needed him to clean it out every so often.
He sniffed at what was a half-mummified fish and seriously considered chasing after the rock he threw after all. Then he sighed, and started picking up garbage one piece at a time.
He placed them on the old shaggy hide she used for bedding.
Then dragged the whole thing out and towards the far cliff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:09 am
Eldahildr didn't respond to Vilhelmas, but an irritated twitch of her tail betrayed her feelings. That lion... he was lucky he actually had gone back to work just then. Or else Eldahildr may have decided to start chucking rocks herself. At him.
She lay there in relative silence, wondering about everything and nothing as she gazed into space. She probably didn't need to stay there, but she couldn't think of anything else to do. And she was lonely, even if she didn't exactly put her feelings right into those words. Because it would be sad to admit that a thrall was her best company in that moment.
Wait... was was he doing?
The lioness watched in stunned silence as he dragged her pelt halfway towards the far cliff.
Then she came back to earth with a cold fury. "What are you doing now, you idiot?!" Eldahildr was on her paws in an instant, rushing down the rocks with as much speed as she could safely muster.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:54 am
Vilhelmas had expected to hear the clatter of stones behind him much sooner than that. He chuckled, the dry hair of the pelt stifling the sound, and came to a sturdy overhang. Below, he could hear the ocean lapping at the rocky base. Cool, salty air caressed his mane, so he took a moment to breathe it in. He had a moment to enjoy it, after all.
Then, with a great tug, he shook the pelt and sent everything sitting on it into the ocean. Another good shake and he could easily have the thing catching air too. But not yet.
He turned back towards Eldahildr's den to watch her approach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:01 am
Eldahildr ran with such an absence of grace that she almost plodded right into Vilhelmas. She pinned the opposite end of the fur down with her paw and scowled as hard as she could at him, barely two inches away from his face.
"What are you playing at? I know it's something. So give up. Or else I might have a nasty thing or two to tell my mother about you," she threatened, breathing hard from her frantic run.
She tugged at the pelt with her claws. "You had no reason to remove this from my den!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:07 am
The thrall met the lioness's gaze steadily. If she had been anyone else but Eldahildr, he would have not hesitated to back off and hand over the fur. But she was Eldahildr, and her threats didn't frighten him at all. Especially when he had a good defence.
With one great tug, he ripped the fur out from Eldahildr's claws and flung it far into the air. The wind caught it and took it far out until it landed in the salt water with a sloppy plop. Much too far for any sane lioness to go after it.
Then he turned back to her, without even blinking. "You asked me to clean your den by throwing your refuse over this cliff. I was simply doing what you asked."
With a final nod, Vilhelmas turned away and set off towards the thrall keep, amusement humming though his heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:15 am
RIP!
Before she could stop it, Vilhelmas tore the fur away from her grasp with surprising strength and threw it away as far as he could. In a split second the movement had Eldahildr hitting the ground, hard and unsettlingly close to the edge of the cliff. She froze there as she watched, in horror, as her fur soared through the air, and drifted painfully slowly towards the ocean below, until it landed with a wet sound.
She was still frozen as Vilhelmas turned to her, spoke again, and left.
Oh... oh he would pay. He would be replacing that fur and much more when she was done with him!
1500 words (exactly, huh)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
