[WP06] Watch Me, Wasp

[Ruriska]

Quote:

1. A wind sweeps down over the plain, rippling the grasses, and when it passes over you you are overcome with sleepiness. You cannot help it: you must find a place to rest. For some reason you feel you must do this at the foot of the standing stone.

Watch Me was still talking about the tribe. Since there really wasn’t anything else to do (and he was still trying to get a sense on how Wasp might feel about dalliances with the same gender), rattling off the extensive list of his tribe members and all their skills seemed like the best option.

"… and then there’s Quiverstep. Oh, he’s quite delightful and so charmingly loyal. Even in the face of death, he stood by me, when I thought my final moment on earth had come, he chased away his own fear in order to encourage me. He sings very well too. That stunning voice makes me shiver every time."

He paused, looking out over the vast plains.

"My daughter was there too that day. Sweet girl. I think she would like it here…"

As he stared, the grass began to bend and soon enough the wind responsible swept over the two bucks. Watch Me closed his eyes against it, caught in memories of days long past. He let out a sigh and with that puff of air went all his energy. His legs suddenly felt heavy and his head drooped.

"Aaah, it seems… it seems I’ve grown rather sleepy…" He looked to his companion through drowsy eyes and smiled. "Shall we find a place to rest?"

Tiarana

 

[Tiarana]

Wasp mostly just smiled and nodded amicably while Watch Me waxed poetic on the many members of his tribe. "They all sound wonderful," Wasp gushed, not without sincerity, when finally it seemed he had been introduced to everyone. "I can't wait to meet them!"

Wasp gazed across the horizon as the older buck trailed off, realizing suddenly that this was the first time he had actually seen the horizon. He chuckled to himself and stifled a yawn as that soothing, warm wind washed over him. "I could do for a rest myself." He gazed up at the spire of rock - when had it become so close? - and gestured vaguely to it with one hoof. "Under there looks good. Won't the kiokote be surprised when they find us there!"

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

“That is a marvellous idea,” Watch Me replied with a yawn. “It’s about time that silly rock was useful.” He bumped his shoulder companionably against the Acha’s and then started towards the tower stone with brisk steps.

He remembered a day long, long ago when he had been brought here by his father. They’d had stood together before the stone and he had been instructed to give a small prayer. Watch Me had asked not to have to race anyone that day and had been disappointed immediately. They were such a ridiculously competitive group.

Tiarana

 

[Tiarana]

Wasp followed Watch Me and dozily settled down in the shadow of the tower. "Hmm...well, I suddenly can't keep my eyes open...goodnight," he murmured before slipping off to sleep.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

Tiarana

"I do believe I have the same... the same problem..." Watch Me settled down next to Wasp, leaning against the smaller kin. He gave his old home one last look, briefly overwhelmed by a flood of fond memories along with the bad before slipping into a deep sleep.

....

.....

When Watch Me woke, another body resting beside his own, for a long moment he believed he was still on the plains. Then as the smell of mud and earth hit his nostrils and he heard the familiar ringing laughter of the tribe as they practiced nearby, he realized he was home. When he turned his head to inspect the Acha sleeping at his side he was momentarily surprised it wasn't the striped male but instead a moody, suddenly awakened Prize.

Just a dream then.

"What?" She asked groggily.

"I had a dream," he answered, his mind still far away. "It was about the plains. I was back where I started and I think it was a sign. We need to take the tribe there! Fill that dreary place with life!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Prize shifted, stretching her neck to flick a long blade of grass out of Watch Me's hair with her nose.

He stared at it for a long time but then it was time to prepare for the next show and slowly everything was forgotten in song and dance and good cheer.  

[Tiarana]

Wasp woke up to a turtle gnawing on his tail and Chrysanthemum Ashes poking him with a stick. He groaned and batted the stick away first.

"Ah, you're awake," Ash said with a smirk. "Good thing, another five minutes and I would have thrown you in the fire. And the turtle. I keep telling you we should just eat that thing." Ash waved the stick around in front of the turtle's face until it latched on to it and let go of Wasp's tail.

Wasp inspected the damage to his tail. The turtle had made a right mess of the fur, but not actually made it to any flesh, at least. Wasp smoothed his new haircut down as best he could. It was hard to defend his decision to keep the thing. "If nothing else it's very good at carrying things."

Ash snorted. "As long as they aren't edible. What was that all about, anyway? You wouldn't wake up."

"I was having...a dream. From...the Swamp?" Wasp squinted, trying to remember. "I was on the plains, and there was this tall, straight rock...and...I think there was another kin, too."

Ash rolled her eyes and cuffed his head with her hoof. "Why would the Swamp be sending you dreams about the plains? You're an Acha! Acha have nothing to do with swamps or plains. It was just a dream!" Something he said seemed odd, though. "A tall, straight rock?"

"I didn't get a good look at it, but it was definitely a rock...and it stuck straight out of the ground. It was tall, too." The rock was hazy in his mind, but he was pretty sure that was what it had looked like.

"There was one of those in the desert," Ash said, and grinned fondly. "I tried to burn it down."

Wasp rolled his eyes and got up to find some food. He tried to remember the name of the kin from the dream. He couldn't even remember what it - he? -looked like. An excitable...kiokote? Wasp sighed. Maybe the kiokote would remember him if they ever met again. If in fact it had not all been a dream.

Ruriska

thanks for playing with me <3