[PRP] A reminder... (Letobe x Elsa)

[tani duh!]

Letobe had finally returned to his home, a cold, fresh powder lay on the ground and made the familiar crunch as he walked. He and some of his team were returning from a hunt to the rogue lands, as the season on the island was not permitting to most prey. They returned now, happily, with what they needed for the pride for the time being. His companions were up ahead. He preferred to trail the meats, be sure no one dared follow or intercept them before their delivery.

He took a deep breath, the cold air hitting his lungs and refreshing his energy. He hoped they would return to good news, or at least no bad news. Many are often not ready for the weather of the island; it seemed every trip he returned there were more who were either ill or passing. He tried to do everything he could to make sure the others had enough to eat, but he wasn't a doctor. There was nothing he could do for those who were beyond his expertise. He was just a brutish lion, could hold his own in battle, and singlehandedly run down some of the savannah prey.

"I will meet you all ahead!" he boomed out to his crew, who had slowed because he fell so far behind. He was no longer worried about their arrival with the food. He was worried about someone else, though. Elsa. He had heard many of the rumors going around, had heard the bad things some of the pack were saying about her and how she was cursed. They looked at him with judging eyes too, sometimes, his heavy grey coat seemed a little too wintry for them to like him lately. But he took no matter. He wanted to speak with his rightful ruler, update her on the hunt, and see how she was fairing.

lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

tani duh!

Queen Elsa loved her home. For all the troubles they faced, for the terrible snows and storms, for the suspicions laid on her by her own pride members, there was nothing in the world she loved more than this pride. She knew very little of love, really, and though she knew something like it was blossoming, her feelings toward that male were not of the same like to the ones she felt as she looked over her island, her snowy frozen lake and plains, and her mountains all around them. Hers, because she ruled here, yes, but also hers because this was her home.

No matter what happened, she knew that her bond to this place would never be shaken.

It was sometimes difficult to handle other emotions piling on top of that honest and deep love, though. She got wrapped up in the more shallow events of her life, like the opinions of the lions around her, and her self doubt. Sometimes, she felt she let go too much of the one thing she needed to have confidence in. She let words hurt her more than they should, and she hid herself away as a result.

The God of Royalty had told her to conceal her fears and feelings, and to not let herself feel the arrows that were slung at her. It was advice she meant to heed, and she held herself regally as she walked, head high, eyes set on the path ahead of her. She was surprised and relieved to see some hunters returning with food, walking toward them gracefully and nodding her head toward Letobe.

"Welcome home!" She called gently. Some royals preferred to keep themselves aloof, and Elsa was certainly very good at it when she needed to be, but in this time of unrest she knew she needed to be available to the pride. She needed to take as active a role in supporting and rebuilding it as those she was asking to help her with it.  

[tani duh!]

Lithiasaur

Ah, there she was. Letobe let a smile creep over his face. Normally a stoic lion, there were a few things that touched him in that special way and broke that shell: seeing his cold homeland prosper, seeing the pride, his real family, give birth to new kin, and seeing his queen, Elsa. He remembered her as fondly as the day he had met her, many moons ago, before the first cold. He was younger, then, stronger, faster, more naive. He watched as the young princess was brought out, eyes barely open, her bright blue pelt standing out. He heard others gasp, heard others as they said she was the most beautiful lion they had ever seen, and heard others as they questioned where she was from. It started from there... And snowballed into what it was now.

These thoughts ran through his mind until she spoke. Her voice was sobering to him, a reminder of everything he worked daily to keep alive. She was the queen of the island and the leader of his family, and each word she spoke reminded him of these things. "Elsa," his smile still visible as they neared each other, "it is good to be home." Elsa was much like the snow; both were always around, somewhere, on the island, both always looked the same from day to day yet had different types (or in Elsa's case, moods), and both were complained about sometimes. This was her family, as it was his, and he knew the cared deeply for it regardless.

"Things went relatively smoothly this hunt. We caught a herd early on of assorted prey, mainly antelope type, and followed them as they moved. They were not a large group, I believe they were separated because they had an injured amongst them." He nodded ahead, to the lions she had already passed, "as you can see, we were quite lucky with our find. There is another food until a next hunt goes out." His tired steps were lighter now with her presence. "How are things here? What has passed since my departure?" He paused for a moment before adding, ".. How are our numbers?" And hopes for good news.  

[Lithiasaur]

tani duh!

Elsa smiled at the older lion, feeling comfortable around him because he had always treated her kindly. She padded up and came to an easy stop in front of him, canting her head to the side slightly as she regarded him. She always just took stock of those coming back from outside the pride, looking for any signs that things had not gone well, or they were tired or hurt in some way. She would do her best to make sure they were tended, if so, but it was just information she needed as well. If things were dangerous out there, it was her duty to prepare for it.

"You all did so well, the pride is always in your debt, as ever. I am very thankful for your hard work, I know it's not easy." She felt a great relief wash over her, knowing that they had enough food for a little while, at least. With the snow and the unpredictable storms, they had to be prepared for getting snowed and iced in to their little island, and potentially facing a long winter stranded with few options for food. After what happened before, and the difficulties they were facing as they rebuilt, Elsa did not want to take chances with her home.

At his questions, she looked up at the sky thoughtfully, though it had none of the answers she needed.

"We are growing, in slow steps. There are a few new faces, and some of the old are venturing out, doing their best to bring new members home. We are all trying, and because of that I believe the pride is going to be much stronger than it ever was before... it's just a slow process." She looked a bit sheepish, but she knew that even the smallest of steps were important right now. One new member, one successful hunt, meant one more chance at surviving.  

[tani duh!]

Her words warmed him, like someone throwing a little kindling on a fire. To be thanked and appreciated by Elsa was more than he needed for his work. Her calm composure and relaxed stance made Letobe more relaxed as well. Just being home eased his nerves, but, combined with Elsa's presence, he felt completely relaxed for the first time since he returned from the last hunt. "No one is in my debt. This pride is everything to me, to help feed my family is the least I can do." He knew how the winter was and he knew, especially now, there were not many who were able to make the trek he just had. Many were either too valuable, females who were more necessary to repopulate the pride and had other jobs, or too young. He took a lot of pride in what he did for them.

"Ahh, but a slow process is still a process. One may not see that the grass grows after the winter when they watch, but, day by day, it emerges from the soil and soon covers the land once again." He had watched as Elsa struggled with the loss of so many in the long winter. He listened as people said she was cursed. He, however, believed that the long winter was a sign of the right to rule. Her reign was being watched, closely, by a deity above, and that deity brought the snows to prove their presence. It was just an adaptation they had to make.

These ideas flickered through his mind quickly and disappeared much like a firefly into the night. "Under your rule, I know that we will prosper. Do not heed what others claim." When she looked at him as she just did, she looked so young again, so unsure. He knew this was not a face she would show to anyone. "You are our queen, and you rule with the grace of one. You are our queen, and we will stand behind you. I will stand behind you until my bones are buried beneath this snow!" His voice grew in volume as he spoke, "We will survive any obstacle the Gods throw at us!"

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

tani duh!

"Well, whether you think so or not, I am indebted to you, and I will do my best to return all the hard work you put into this pride. It is not unnoticed and it is vital to our home. I really do appreciate it." She smiled brightly and swished her tail behind her. She needed all the loyal and kind members as she could get, but few were as dedicated and honest as Letobe. That was probably why she found herself gushing so much, as he was a rare and important part of the pride.

She just wanted him to know that she respected him for it, and that his efforts were never in vain and did not go unnoticed. None of the hunters, the fishermen, or any of those that helped support the pride through their labors were viewed as simply cogs in the machine. She appreciated them all, and wished she had ways of returning the favor to each of them. Instead, she just tried to be the best leader she could be, and put in as much as they did to the pride.

Their home, which they all made strong, working together to rebuild and see flourish once again.

At his words, her expression softened, and for a moment she looked sad. Thinking about her rule, how it came about, was always difficult. More than anything, she missed those that had been lost. Her family, and those she had known as a cub. Most were gone, and she bore the blame, though she had none of the guilt. She carried those that were lost with her every day.

"Thank you for your kindness. If everyone in this place were as loyal as you, I would have no worries whatsoever. But then, I suppose there would be no need for a Queen." She chuckled, shaking her head slowly. "I will do my best to lead our pride, and I do not have any doubts that we will come through these harsh times stronger than we ever were before. It might be difficult, but I can almost see it! I... I'm sorry. I don't usually have out bursts like that... but you understand what I mean..." She looked sheepish, embarrassed but feeling positive for a rare, confident moment.  

[tani duh!]

"I, too, can almost see it." Letobe spoke quietly as he began walking again. He looked up, grey clouds covered the sky. Not an uncommon sight, constant snows need constant clouds. He knew somewhere up there someone was watching, he gave them a small smirk as if to say we will prevail, just watch us. "

Her words all made him feel appreciated, as he knew he was every day, but it made him feel as thought he made a difference to so many. He rarely thought about how what he did was such a vital part. And seeing the queen be so comfortable around him, it was very intimate. He enjoyed seeing her so happy, and it again reminded him of when she was younger, more carefree. Before she endured such trauma as the loss of her family and taking on such a burden as leading a pride. But she held all that weight on on shoulders like she was born to do it, and he believed she was born to do so, and she remained a figure to the public as well.

"We would always need a queen," Letobe laughed at her statement, considering what would happen if the pride were full of lions such as himself. "If there were 100 of me running around... it would be a disaster." He trotted forward a few steps and did a quick half turn, "We would all be ready and willing to help, to support each other, but not know what to do!" He sat down and comically turned his head left and right a few times with a puzzled look as he spoke, trying to act out what would happen. He laughed again, in one of his seldom breaks in behavior. "We Letobes are fighters and followers. We are not leaders of large groups." He picked up a heavy grey paw and pointed a claw at her, "we need Elsas to tell us what needs to get done!"

He stood back up and began walking again. "With you leading us, we will be stronger than before, I am sure of it." She was, without a question, a good, just queen; even those who spoke ill of her behind her back would never argue that point.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

tani duh!

Elsa walked with Letobe, smiling thoughtfully as she looked around their home, and understood that though there was a long way to go, the pride had made good strides following the disasters that were set before them. She felt honored to be a part of this place, even with all the doubt and the rumors about her. There were more than enough lions who supported her, she hardly needed to worry about the rest.

She laughed and smiled at the older lion, nodding her head. Her laugh was small and bashful, but she was still mostly hiding in her shell. She needed to work on being more out going, in a non-official way. As important as it was to be Queen, she needed to be Elsa, too.

But she would never let herself really be free, as she could never forget her place in the pride.

"Well, I will keep telling you all what to get done, as long as you keep doing it with such a good attitude, and with such prowess. I will lead to the best of my ability, though I think I'll have to work a lot harder to be on the same level as you, as far as work ethic and ability goes." She chuckled again, teasing but meaning her words at the same time.  

[tani duh!]

Letobe smiled at the compliment. "Well," he paused, choosing his words carefully, "if you were anyone else, and your king or queen acted as you do currently... You would find no trouble with work ethic or loyalty." He smiled and cocked his head to one side as he walked.

Through all the hardships they had faced, Elsa stayed true to the pride. To Letobe, this was one of the biggest things that made him the lion he was there. He heard stories of other prides that encountered a little hardship and their pride went to ruin. Leaders leaving or unapproachable or becoming greedy and malicious. Elsa never budged though, she was an evergreen in the snow. Never shedding her leaves because of the weather, the same during hard times as before.

"You have stayed true to us," Letobe had a very serious tone now as they approached where others were currently gathered, chattering away. "And even those who scorn you for your colors know that: you have not left our side. We will remember that." He stopped so that he could finish what he wanted to say without the others hearing, or at this point even noticing yet were close by. "And those of us here have not left yours, either. Let that serve as a reminder that we all do believe in you; somewhere or somehow deep down for some, though." He hoped she would remember those words, and use them as encouragement in dark (or should we say cold?) times.

Lithiasaur

 

[Lithiasaur]

tani duh!

Elsa smiled at him and nodded her head, though she knew she would always have more doubt that she wanted in her heart. She had a lot of good friends and lions that believed in her, but the negative voices would always be easier to hear. She had to keep the advice of the God of Royalty in her heart and soldier on, with the same kind of tenacity as Letobe. She looked to her friends as examples, and tried to better herself through their actions.

"I appreciate your kindness, Letobe. But I have taken up so much of your time, and I should return to my own duties. Thank you for speaking with me, and for your hard work. I look forward to catching up with you again!"

She stepped back gracefully and bowed her head, her fir glimmering in the cool sunlight. She looked up at him and was glad for his help, whether he knew how much he was doing or not. Knowing that those that lived in this pride would follow her was a comfort, and she had to do her best for them.

She would see this place restored, for them, so they could all live without constant strife. It would be hard, getting the pride back to what it was, to surpass it, but she had faith that, if there were more like Letobe out there at least, they would be able to do it.

"Have a good rest of your day. Don't work too hard."