[PRP] Let the Storm Rage On (Tikahn x Elsa)

[SilverLutz]

Tikahn always enjoyed coming home after a stint in the rouge lands. It was a nice break from the constant heat and unforgiving sun that baked the lands to a crisp. Walking in the snow soothed his dry paw pads and cooled his body to a comfortable temperature. His welcome home this time, however, was a raging blizzard. He had seen the angry clouds from afar and his stomach sank just a bit, knowing what he had to walk through to get to the island he called home.

While snow was quite enjoyable, when it was coming at you sideways and felt like tiny icicles pelting against your face, it wasn't very fun. That and the snow that was already on the ground would get caught up in the intense winds and swirl around, making it near impossible to see. It was a white out once Tikahn reached the lake that surrounded his island home, and all he had to go on was his instincts. One he got to land again he could hunker down under some trees and ride out the raging storm, but for now he had to battle through the blizzard. He kept his claws out as he bowed his head, sharp nails biting into the ice to make sure he didn't slide from the powerful wind. Now and again he did stop, the wind so strong it took every ounce of strength he had to hold on and stay in place.

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Elsa was as used to snow storms as the rest of her home, but she had a much different appreciation of the falling ice and snow than most of the other denizens of the island. To her, it was always a thing of beauty, even at its worse. A force of nature so raw, so powerful, she did not know how anyone else could do anything but respect it.

Though she was out in the middle of a storm, she had not been caught by surprise by it. She had been out on purpose, to witness it and feel it, though this was a bit more than she had anticipated.

Her goal was away from the pride, knowing a nice little spot to ride out the storm and watch it not too far, though she should have left earlier so she would have reached it before the storm kicked up so high. It settled a lot faster than she thought. She did not mean to bump into the soft, but solid, thing in her path, but she just had not seen it.

"Oh!" she yelped, her voice barely making it over the wind. "I'm sorry! I can't see much of anything!"

It did not help that whoever this was seemed to blend in to the ice and snow, much like she did.  

[SilverLutz]

Tikahn didn't smell, see, or hear anything other than snow and wind, so when he bumped in to something he was quite surprised. It wasn't hard, though, and smaller than he, so it only took a moment to realize it was another lion. The voice that carried to his ears was faint, even though the lioness stood directly before him, and he squinted to try to make out who it was.

"Queen Elsa?" he called back. The wind was whipping too hard to make out any definite shapes, but the blue pelt was a mark in the otherwise white world. Realizing his mistake, he quickly spoke up again. "I mean Elsa? Is that you?" During their encounter not too long ago, she'd asked him not to use the 'queen' title, and it was only now that he remembered that. His embarrassment before was nowhere to be found now. This storm was keeping his mind far too occupied to realize he'd bumped into the queen.

"Quite the storm!" he called out again, trying to grin, although it came out more as a grimace as the snow continued to pelt his sensitive eyes and nose. "What are you doing out on the lake?"

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

"Oh! Tikahn! I didn't realize it was you!"

It was very hard to see anything with the wind swirling around them as ferociously as it was. It was like a thick sheet that was constantly moving, sometimes sheer, but it never lifted. She was surprised by how difficult it was to see, and how heavy the snow was getting, but she supposed that was all a part of living in this part of the world. Their little island, with its dens and trees, offered a lot of shelter from the elements, but they would have to keep trying to find ways to reinforce it.

"I was going to a little den in the mountains! To watch the storm!"

She was not used to yelling, and did not much like raising her voice so much just to be heard, but she had no real choice there. It was that, or be lost in the snow silently. "Are you going back to the island? It's probably safer there than out in this mess!"  

[SilverLutz]

Tikahn pressed his ears back against his head, letting them hide in his mane as Elsa spoke. It was harder to hear this way, but they were getting very cold. What did she say? A glen in the mountains to watch the horn? That wasn't what she said, he was sure of it, so he simply nodded.

"Trying to!" he called back, lifting his hears again so he wouldn't miss what she said. "Do you know if I'm going in the right direction? I'm just kind of hoping to hit it eventually!" She and bumped into his side, though, so perhaps he wasn't going the right way. Maybe he'd been walking in circles around it this whole time...that would be just his luck.

"How long have you been on the ice for?" She seemed to know where she was, at least...or the direction she was heading in. Elsa did have a thing for the snow, though, it didn't disorient her like everyone else he knew. She'd probably tell him he was off on the other side of the lake from which he'd started, standing between her and the mountains like this. He certainly hadn't left the mountains when stepping on to the lake, he'd been coming from the flat rouge lands.

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Elsa nodded her head, though she could hardly hear Tikahn above the flurry of the ice and wind around them, either. She shivered a bit, not immune to the cold, though she did feel as though she could fend it off better than most. Maybe it was just in her head, or a part of her will, her determination, to be strong with something she was reportedly cursed with. The snow was her home, even at its worst.

"What's nice?" she called, not hearing his question, looking baffled as she blinked at him, snow flurries drifting through her vision constantly, enough to make his features blur a bit.

"Why don't you come with me to the den? It's about the same distance back to the island! Maybe less! Watching the sun set or rise in a snow storm is the most incredible thing ever!"

She smiled at him, hoping he would come with her, though she was still not sure where he was going or what he was doing. She hoped she was not interrupting anything, and she suddenly got very self conscious about it. She shuffled her paws against the ice, thinking that, either way, they would probably need to move soon before they turned into icicles.  

[SilverLutz]

They'd never hear each other properly like this, Tikahn realized as Elsa asked him another question instead of answer his. Considering it started with 'what', he knew she was having the same problem as he. The wind was just too strong to hear a conversation. He bowed his head and leaned in, his face directly in front of Elsa's now, head tilted to the side so he could hear what she said. This time he heard her loud and clear.

"All right!" he called back, lifting his head in the direction of her ear so she could hear him as well. He decided to leave it at that. He had no idea where they were heading, so he quickly shifted to press his shoulder against Elsa's. If he fell behind he'd lose her in the storm, and he certainly couldn't lead. Walking side by side was the best way, and keeping close would help them not lose one another.

"I'll follow, you lead!" he said again, this time finding it easier to speak as close to Elsa's ear as possible. He waited for her to begin walking, the storm keeping his mind off the fact that he was getting pretty buddy-buddy with the queen of his pride. Not that he hadn't already, building snow lions and all. He couldn't possibly be getting used to the idea of having Elsa as a friend...could he?

Lithia_Brandon

....I just realized I posted this in the journals thread. WTF I am special XD;;;; Is there a way for you to move it? If not, I can always copy-paste what we have into the proper thread and then delete the posts in this one/lock it or something.
-fails-

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Elsa looked at him as he moved close to her, getting a little shy and shrinking into herself a bit, but doing her best not to move away from him. She was just not used to being so close to others, and she furiously nodded her head when he suggested she lead the way to her little den.

"Alright, it's not far!"

She moved forward, letting him keep her pace. She padded along and ducked her head down against the wind that was whipping all around them, snow seeming to be flying in every single direction. She was not particularly enjoying it, but she supposed there were worse things. She loved the snow, but it could wear on the body to be stuck out in it too long.

She led him where she said she would, though, to a small den in an outcropping of rocks, sheltered from the storm and offering a surprisingly warm little spot for the two of them to rest in. She sighed as she padded into the den, taking a breath and shaking snow from her fur as she looked back at him, smiling sheepishly.

"This is it," she said, knowing it wasn't too much. But the view really was lovely, and when the sun was in the right spot, it made beautiful colors over the snow.  

[SilverLutz]

By the time they reached Elsa's little den, Tikahn was covered in snow, so much so that his brown and blue markings were gone. He took a moment to thaw out before shaking himself, the walls of the safe spot growing wet as snow went flying. He shivered just a bit before moving away from the entrance and the now wet ground, thankful that it was sheltered in here.

"Very cozy," he said as he sat down, keeping just a bit of distance between them so they could dry off faster. Already the little cave was warming up thanks to their body heat and breath, so it shouldn't take too long for their coats to dry off a bit more.

"This storm kind of sprung up out of nowhere, huh?" he said, settling down a bit more as he wiggled his toes to get some feeling back in to them. Usually the day before a storm it would get cold, the clouds pushing the chilly air ahead of it. But sometimes there were howlers like this one that popped up over the mountains for a little surprise visit.

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

The Queen smiled, looking a little breathless after the quick walk to find shelter. She had not run, but it was difficult to walk against a snow storm without losing some breath. She was pleasantly worn, her muscles now burning from the effort, though she was sure some of the warmth in her body was from her embarrassment. She really could not help herself, blushing under her fur at him and wondering if she had been too forward, asking him to come to this little tiny cave with her.

She laughed as he shook himself off, though, despite herself. She took cover behind a rock, hiding herself from the splatters as best as she could. She did not want to have to shake out her fur again and then get him wet, creating a cycle.

"The snow has a way of doing that," she said, sitting down nearish to him, looking at him bashfully. She smiled, though, seeming more at ease than she really was. She was a very calm and collected lioness, quiet at times but at least she was kind. "But I suppose that's something we're all going to have to get used to. At least it's beautiful, in its way. I think these shows of power by the world around us are... amazing. Though I guess I don't think our snow lion will agree with me when this is all settled."

She sighed, looking out at the storm as it danced outside the mouth of the den, swirling snow flurries through the air and shimmering in the light of the angled sun.  

[SilverLutz]

The male nodded slightly, trying to ignore how heavy his mane felt now that the snow that had remained in it even after his vigorous shaking was starting to melt and make it feel heavy. While the surprise storms were intense, they did have an odd sort of beauty to them. The beams of light from the sun that shone through the storm proved that much, and he was positive he'd never seen a nicer sight than a blue sky with no clouds, and the ground covered in snow. It was very pretty and unique for this part of the world, and he was happy to call their island home.

"Oh...the poor thing," he said with a tiny laugh, remembering their artistic adventures not too long ago. "Perhaps he likes it...who knows." If he were a snow lion he wouldn't mind being blanketed in the stuff. It would be paradise, wouldn't it? Surrounded by the stuff you loved and were made from. Although, the thought of being surrounded now by hundreds of other lions was a bit uncomfortable. Ah well...maybe it was different with snow creatures.

"I do enjoy a nice snowfall," he went on to say. "But this one caught me off guard, and coming back from the rouge lands...I suppose I could have stayed out there a bit longer to let this blow over. But then I wouldn't get to be here with you," he said, offering the queen a little smile. He had enjoyed their time together before, even if he had been startled to learn of her title. He was still getting used to the idea that she was the queen, but the more time he spent with her, the easier it was to forget.

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Elsa looked up at him and smiled timidly at him, watching him long enough to realize that, though they were no longer in the howling wind of the storm directly, she was not listening to him. She was just looking at him. Oh God, what was she doing? Why was she just staring at him like a creepy, love struck cub that did not know tact?

She looked mortified for a fraction of a second before she hid it all away, smiling pleasantly and demurely, catching the last of his words and chuckling, nodding her head in agreement.

"I am glad you're here with me," she said before she could catch herself, letting herself get too comfortable with it. She smiled at him in embarrassment, blushing under her fur. She wondered if he could see it in the lighter parts of her fur, though the little, smarter voice in the back of her mind told her not to be silly. Sillier, anyway, than she was already being.

She couldn't help but smile at him, though, even with her head bowed down a bit and her gaze constantly dropping to the floor for safety.

"I... I mean. You're the nicest lion I know, and one of the few friends I can really relax with... with you, I don't feel cursed."  

[SilverLutz]

The male couldn't help the little grin that crossed his lips when Elsa spoke. She was glad he was here with her...that was great! He had had time to think about their initial encounter during his small stint in the rouge lands, and he had hoped that he hadn't put her off by acting so startled and standoffish when he was told who she was. He also hoped he hadn't been too goofy before that...slipping on the ice like he'd never walked on it before. Gods above, it was embarrassing.

Her rather shy way of continuing made him tilt his head, and when she mentioned she didn't feel cursed when he was around, he felt his chilly toes finally warm up with the happiness that welled in his chest. "Oh...that...that's great to hear, actually," he said with a weak laugh. "I was kind of worried I had made you nervous last time...so...I'm glad that's not the case." He shuffled his paws for a moment before pressing on. "I never really did apologize for how I acted when you told me your name. It wasn't...being afraid of you or anything, but I think you got that. You're just so poised and graceful and there I was slipping like a newborn cub on the ice and making a great goof of myself so...the fact that you were the queen was just extra reason to be embarrassed."

He offered her a little grin, although it was obvious he was embarrassed to bring it all up again. She looked to be just a little flushed as well, so at least they were in the same boat. "And thank you...that's a lovely compliment." He did try to be nice to everyone he met, Elsa no exception. "I'm glad you feel like you can relax with me. I can't imagine it's very fun to be in queen mode all the time."

Lithia_Brandon

 

[Lithiasaur]

SilverLutz

Elsa smiled at him gently, shaking her head slowly.

"Oh, no, I did not get that impression at all. I thought you acted like anyone else might have, meeting the Queen. Better, in fact. You're very patient and kind, and I do like that. It's nice to have a friend that treats me like... a friend. Just another lioness out in the snow."

She shook her head and felt guilty for him feeling bad. She knew that it was strange, meeting a King or a Queen.

"You don't have to apologize, you really don't. I'm sorry you fell. I thought it was sweet... I fall on the ice all the time. I promise I won't tell anyone about it, of course. It will be our secret. If, of course, you agree not to tell anyone about this cave... I'd rather keep it as my quiet little get away. And yours, too."

She smiled at him and tried to relax. She was often told she needed to relax more often. She agreed, but just did not know how. He was helping her learn more about just being a normal lioness, rather than a Queen, or some sort of curse bearing creature.  

[SilverLutz]

"You do?" Tikahn asked in surprise, his blue eyes widening. "Well...I've never seen you slip, so you must do it not very often," he said, a more relaxed smile gracing his features. So...even the queen slipped, the one who was supposedly 'cursed' with bringing these storms upon them. That was nice to know. Maybe even gods slipped on the ice from time to time! It was a slippery devil to conquer unless you had wings to simply fly over it.

As she asked him to keep this place a secret, he nodded and shifted to lay down. It brought them a bit closer, but now that he was mostly dried out he felt like it was all right. They wouldn't share soggy fur but body heat, even though he was nice and toasty already. "As of this moment I'm not sure how we got here, so its' definitely safe. Hopefully I'll figure out where we are on the way back," he said, glancing out into the storm. It was starting to calm down a bit, enough to let the sunlight catch more snowflakes as they spun by, making them look like little drops of fire in the otherwise white world.

"Wow...it really is beautiful," he murmured, resting his chin on his paws, his eyes fixed on the entrance of the cave. "If you brought all the lions here that didn't like the snow I think they'd change their minds...you can't see stuff like this without a storm."

Lithia_Brandon