[PRP] The Weight of Worlds [Lessia & Growl]

[Tirokio]

[This is a Private RP between Cajmera and Tirokio, please do not post without permission.]

 

[Tirokio]

Life....life had been good.

It was different waking up and being in company, different than when he woke up under the protection of family or a caretaker. His eyes would open and if Lessia woke before he offer a morning salutation, and figure out what to do for the rest of the sun lit day. Before, as a solo traveler he would really just wander, eat....sleep...it was a mundane existence; so this new turn of events had a welcome change to it. This was in essence what normal souls did in their day to day lives, he'd missed so much growing up; this was what it meant to live in the moment.

In his constant company he'd watched carefully the relatively fresh wounds Lessia sported begin to heal and fade amongst her ivory pelt; it was comforting to know at least on the outside things were turning back to normal for her - even if inwardly she might be struggling. Since their first meeting he'd asked her nothing more about Seyx; like her wounds they needed to heal slowly in his mind.

However, as he was ripping the last meaty tendrils of deer leg from the kill he'd managed to hunt early this morning (What an awful display it was..) his mind wandered what do to today. Food had been eaten, he'd slept the evening, drank.....since all the essentials were completed, it was really anything goes.

Small flames licked along his lips in unison with his tongue, his eyes following to Lessia.

It truly was amazing she'd wanted to hang around this long - although hed never complain about it.

"What do you think today?" He gruffed out, his hoof giving a light nudge to the femur before him. "Seems nice enough the possibilities are endless..."

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

Lessia had not really been expecting...this. Whatever it was that you wanted to call 'this.' When she'd taken off for the depths of the woods to work on healing her body and spirit in solitude, she had meant to follow through on that plan. Yes, she had never been alone for longer than a week before; yes, she had no idea how to keep herself from going crazy with no one but herself and her thoughts for company. But that had been the plan, and she'd meant to stick with it. And then Growl had come along.

He was no Seyx, that was for certain. But he wasn't bad, either; in fact, it hadn't taken long for her to like the hulking stallion, unique as he was. In his own way, he was as damaged as she was, perhaps more; his origins had been darker, and his experiences...well, his experiences had been different. Talking with him had been therapeutic, and spending time with him had been oddly calming. It had definitely scaled back her desire to attack the trees, and her healing wounds were a testament to Growl's peaceful influence.

Originally, she'd thought he was just a wanderer, simply passing through. But he'd never said anything about moving on, and she never felt the urge to bring it up. Whatever it was you called what they had, it was...comfortable. And she liked that.

At Growl's question about thoughts for the day, Lessia gave a careless shrug, one that neatly segued into a deft snatch towards the still-meaty femur. It was nice, being able to eat with a companion; even as a foal, that had been a hit and miss thing, since half of her family ate meat and the other half didn't. Her previous experience being alone had always been when it was time to hunt; Seyx was tolerant of a lot of things, but she wasn't going to test their friendship by hunting around him. With Growl though, the point was moot. Mostly. Although she was getting a lot stronger, she still lacked the speed to bring down a deer on her own, a point that rankled her to no small amount. Deer were so tasty...

"Haven't really given it much thought, to be honest. Maybe some sparring, if you're feeling up to it; I could do with a bit of stretching. But otherwise I don't really know. Did you have anything in mind?"

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

Swallowing the last mouthful he was going to take, the beast of a stallion straightened his neck and gave his spine a little stretch. With his body back at full stature he'd glanced around absently, making note there was little willing to stick around an area laden with blood from their kill. He had never been one to take a kill and go hide with it...not many would come and fight him for a little deer and usually if it was really such a big deal he would let the other just take it.

But that was rare indeed.

He'd needed to help feed Lessia, in his mind, and he was happy she'd taken to being cared for with such stride. He recalled that she was atoning in solitude...but from their constant companionship perhaps she'd become fine to heal and recoup in his company. Growl was glad indeed, for he wasn't sure he was capable of letting her be alone; he'd thought once or twice to take a walk...but he'd immediately dismissed the idea. He'd always been one for stalker like tendencies, especially when it came to someone he got along with. It drew out a curious thought - it seemed he'd after some time left the care of his foster parents without rhyme or reason to determine when. Would it be the same again? Would his unease about harming those he cared about drive him from Lessia too?

Snapping back into reality from his absent far off gaze of their surroundings, Growl had at least heard what she'd said.

"Sparring sounds like fun...its been a while since I went at it." It was nice learning a little more about tactics than his usual brute strength. Such a mentality wouldn't get him through life with the world out there in its current state; and he knew there would come a day where his mother would return and he wouldn't be able to beat her on his strength alone. She had claws, sharp teeth and the powers of hell itself.

If he were to take her on now he would surely lose.

"You know me. My mind is pretty empty..." Howl let out a rumbling chuckle from his deep tones; shoulders rolling slightly as if to loosen himself up. "Come at me..." He growled faintly, lips stretching into a coy smirk; but something changed in an instant as it seemed something caught his peripherals off behind her.

His smile faded completely; pupils shrinking as a swell of emotions rose from his gut.

"You..." He breathed, barely a hushed whisper on his lips. It had almost looked like he had seen a ghost; but in fact it was at first glance could have been portrayed as one but it was a grand white bird; feathers displayed in a beautiful display.

Morana stood regally as she gazed on at the pair of equine, it had taken some time to find Growl; for one so unique he was awfully dificult to track. Yet she had did so - her promise to him for saving her life. She had been sure she would be dinner - but luckily the brute of the stallion was more gentle than he appeared. She insisted she owed him, even if he would not take the items of death she collected as a hobby....but instead he had one favor to ask....and she'd taken it to heart.

The hollow look in his eyes told her all she needed to know about his mood to see her; but her eyes slid to the mare she'd never seen before. Well - it wasn't like she knew very much of the son of the walker either. "I suppose you know why I am here..." She spoke directly to howl, deep - near seductive vocals rang out....the look on his face and his body language sure made it seem like he did.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

It would be a while longer before Lessia was back to where she had been before in terms of strength; it was a matter of fierce pride for her that she would eventually get back to where she had been, if not even stronger. For the first time in her life, she had been vulnerable, truly vulnerable, and she didn't like it. It was a possibility that had always loomed out there, but it had been a boogeyman. When she was a small filly, she had never understood the grimness in her normally jocular father Antony's face when he was teaching her to fight. As she'd aged, she had continued to train with her father, listening with the half-detached manner of a girl who'd grown up in a loving environment to loving parents. She'd loved fighting for the adrenaline rush, and it had proved a natural segue to her adrenaline-junkie lifestyle after she left home.

She hadn't known when she was a child how much the idea of his children facing pure Kalona had terrified Antony; how well and truly established the hatred of 'mongrel' Kalona was among many in pure blooded circles. Lessia and her siblings were still in the dark about many elements of their pure-blooded mother's past, particularly the fact that there had been a time when she had seriously considered the path of violence. It was a testament to her connection to Antony, a half-blood Kalona, that Loveless had turned her back on that part of her life, forever.

But Antony and Loveless couldn't forget, so Antony had taken it upon himself to teach his children to fight. Fighting was a last resort, he had said; it was to be used for defensive purposes only. They weren't monsters; they should NEVER be the aggressors. But to defend themselves, or defend another...then all bets were off. Lessia had listened dutifully, but never imagined she'd ever regard her training as more than good exercise. How quickly that had changed; in one day, she had rediscovered everything she'd ever known...and then some.

Sometimes, she didn't know what was worse; waking up in a cold sweat with visions of Seyx as he'd been after the fight: bloodied, battered, and near death; or the memories of the two Kalona she had personally killed in that fight. At the time, it hadn't mattered; she had been filled with adrenaline, fighting for her life. Even now, she knew that they would have killed her in an instant; the hatred in their eyes was present in every dream, until it faded into the dullness of death. She knew that if she were to find herself back in that situation again, she would do the same. But that knowledge didn't make the nightmares go away...

Still, she enjoyed sparring with Growl. It was great exercise, he was a very focused pupil, and it helped test her memory. She was very large for a Soquili mare, but on the smallish average side for a Kalona. Her strengths had always been her speed and her cunning; her injury might have dampened the former (temporarily! only temporarily!), but it had only sharpened the latter. So she was always glad to pit herself against Growl, her true combative opposite. Grinning, she wolfed down the last bits of meat from the femur before casting it aside. She had already sank into her combative crouch when Growl's abrupt change in demeanor changed everything.

At first, she thought he was looking at her, but only for a second. "What-" Frowning, she pivoted to face the unknown 'you', taking in the blue and white bird standing behind her. She had never seen such a bird before, and she didn't like being snuck up on, so her expression was wary as she regarded the bird. She wasn't expecting it to talk; she was even less expecting it to be so cryptic. What was the point in birds being able to talk if they didn't get to the point, she fumed inwardly for a moment before having a light bulb moment: the bird was talking to Growl. Of course.

Without taking her eyes off the bird, Lessia asked the obvious question. "Growl, do you know what's going on? What's with the..." Pausing briefly, she stared hard at the bird again, trying to figure out what it was before giving up and finishing, "bird?"

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

He was shaking.

It was a truly awful concoction of foreign emotions bubbling to an inevitable boiling point in his soul; Anger, Terror, Sorrow, Confusion, and a near blinding rage. He'd made the promise halfheartedly to get the bird off his back for owing him something when really he'd only happened upon the scene by chance and with looks alone scared off her attacker. Yet he hadn't imagined that such a thing would actually happen...and happen so soon. He'd wondered what if he hadn't asked the bird to keep an eye on his mother, what if during the time he was growing there happened to be more? Was there slaughter? Did they escape? Was it the stallion who would be the one he was to call father? Was that stallion even alive after impregnating a skin walker?

His peripherals began to fade, his focus and attention on the great white bird just beyond Lessia; the excitement that was a sparring match gone. It was in that moment he'd knew his fun time with Lessia was over, their days of endless talk, sparring, hunting and just general companionship. He would not take her with him, it would be truly counter protective to take someone still healing to where he was going without the guarantee he would even return from it. In all honesty, he thought if the inevitable happened he would have more time; although his body was in its prime with strength and size on his side....the sparring lessons didn't give him a mastery of tactical skills yet.

Morana tiled her head slightly as her great wings adjusted on her side; taking a single step forward to get herself more out of the foliage surrounding her. "He knows." She chirruped, golden eyes containing such dark cunning quite blatantly sliding towards the one behind the large kalona mare. "I am here to repay my debt, he asked me to let him know of one thing and one thing alone." It was clear in her body image she was grinning, but not in an ominous way. Morana had always been one for death, mayhem, destruction; so it had obviously fascinated her to no end to be watching a skin walker in secret. Oh the things she'd seen. It had been frightening as it had been beautiful....but as she looked onto Growl; she could see the same possibility for mayhem in him...in a more safer and approachable demeanor.

"No..." Growl rumbled in a very bear like groan, his jawline was clenched tightly as the ethereal fires danced from his eyes, lips and various stitching a little more brightly in an impressive but harmless display. Lips began to curl back in a snarl, his breathing was heavy as his mind melted away into his thoughts.

He could see her, see the look in her eyes.

Howl always had the same look in her eyes, it wasn't until he had cognitive function that he could distinguish what it was lurking in those steely orbs. She'd always looked at him between the lines of prey and an insane feral instinct to preserve his life. There had never been love, nurturing....it was always a struggle between listening to her feral bear resulting from insanity and tearing him to shreds. She'd nearly done so after keeping him alive, thankfully he knew enough to be afraid of when she'd turned - a moment of sanity leading to what would have been his gruesome death.

She would have that same look with her next batch? How long would it take this time before she'd murder her foals...or would she do it as soon as they were born if she remembered that he wasn't a bear cub to her feral side.

Growl wouldn't allow this. He wouldn't allow another foal produced from that satanic monster to see that look in her eyes; not when he had four legs and a heartbeat.

Without notice he'd stormed past Lessia, stopping just short of Morana who didn't even flinch; his rigid posture screaming volumes from the rage in his soul. He knew the bird was a bit deranged, not many in their right mind would tail a skin walker. "Where is she!" He snapped, the bear like rumbling in his throat only adding to the volume of his voice. "How pregnant was she? Was it soon?"

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

Lessia had never been a shrinking violet. Even in her darkest moments, even in the terrifying heart of battle, she had always, always risen to the occasion. She was the sort of mare who knew what was going on; a planner, an instigator. She lead the herd, whether it was a herd of one or a herd of twenty. That was just her way; oldest child syndrome, her father had always teased her. But whatever the source, the end result was the same: she hated being out of the loop.

And right now, she felt further out of the loop than she'd ever been. 'He knows', the bird had said, meaning that there was a method to this cryptic conversational madness. But whatever it was that 'he knew,' was serious, serious enough to change Growl's body language, attitude, tone, and demeanor. 'No," he'd said before he went stalking past her, 'no,' he'd said in a tone that made the hair at her neck stand on end. Whatever was going on, whatever was inspiring the 'no,' this was no ordinary event. And she really, really hated being out of this loop.

Though she managed to stand quietly long enough to hear the follow-up to the 'no.' Pregnant? This sound, this fury, this was over a pregnancy? Lessia's eyebrows rose in mild skepticism, wondering what the big deal was. And in spite of herself, she wondered just what the connection was to Growl. Was he the possible father? Was that what had gotten him all riled up? If so, it obviously wasn't planned, which she supposed was irresponsible, but was it really worth getting this worked up about?

Except...that didn't seem right. She hadn't spent a HUGE amount of time with Growl, but she'd spent enough that she thought she knew him. And he was a lot of things, but he wasn't irrational. Something else was going on.

And that was as far as her patience went. In a low but focused voice, she asked, "Would someone please tell me what this is about?"

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

"My dear...no need to shout..." The feathered fowl ruffled her feathers, preening back a few in a submissive manner. She had no problems with Growl, none at all...in fact after the short but monumental moments they had shared she was quite fond of the brute of a stallion. Given he was no skinwalker, he was still a sight to behold with so much mystery shrouding his true demeanor. Whatever may that be.

Everyone had their demons, but his were practically clawing at the surface to be released.

Growl had finally picked up another voice amongst his own pounding heart, the blood coursing his body in such a way it drowned out a lot of external noise one would usually be able to appreciate. Snapping his head back with eyes ablaze he'd nearly snapped his response at Lessia...but when he looked to her, truly looked at her; he could see the confusion written in her body language. As much as he was riled up, and panic welling in his soul amongst other more malicious emotions...it wasn't fair to snap at her. She'd done nothing wrong, and one was supposed to be kind to their friends.

Considering how little he had in that category he needed to keep them close.

Closing his eyes for a moment the stallion took a deep inhale before letting out a shaken exhale; calming himself the best he could. He wasn't a wild beast, he needed to be collected and compose himself in a decently intelligent manner.

"This bird...Morana...I happened to save her a while ago. She wanted to repay my kindness...so I asked if she could keep an eye on the monster which is my mother." Growl explained, lowering his head as it was clear he was focusing on his own breathing to remain calm. "She's pregnant. She will have more foals like me. Maybe they'll be fully skin walker, maybe not. Its a chance I can't take. I had always hoped my existence was just a one time fluke...but its clear now she is capable and able to get pregnant in one shape or form. She will turn on them as she turned on me."

It was only a matter of time, depending on if she had any recollection that he even existed.

"She is showing, I don't know how long till she gives birth though. I don't know about horse's gestation..." Morana finally answered, her wings tucking back against her sides.

Growl nodded a silent thanks to the strange avian, knitting his brows in thought for a moment before seeming to make up his mind. "I had pondered before about the possibility; but wrote it off as improbable. Now...there is no choice. I'm going to go take those foals; I'll raise them as my own." Growl stated, turning his head towards Lessia. "Or at least die trying." He offered a haphazard grin, his resolution seeming to give him a little more peace. Still a stallion in his prime, he knew he probably wasn't the best fatherly figure one could hope for. There was lots he lacked from the years lost in the 'care' of his mother...but he'd cope. There was a very good chance he probably would be slain by his dame; but he would never be able to live with himself if he didn't try to save his sibling...half, or whatever they were.

In reality...the growing foals in that monster was the closest possibility of family he'd be able to get.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

The fact that Growl, a truly massive stallion, was clearly riled up was not intimidating to Lessia. She'd grown up among Kalona and half-Kalona after all; size didn't phase her. Neither did agitation, not on its own. She had no fear that Growl would 'lose control' of himself and attack her, or otherwise turn on her; the time they'd spent together had made her a good enough judge of his character on that account. But seeing him like this was something new in their shared experience, and even without knowing why, she hated seeing him like this. There hadn't been many things to rile up the big stallion before, so clearly the bird's tidings were dire.

Though 'dire' was apparently too mild a word, too mild a word by half. Cutting through the embellishing information about the bird, she zeroed right in on the meat of the issue: Growl's mother, the skinwalker, the one who'd tried to kill him while a foal (though really, what else could be expected of a skinwalker?), was once again expecting. The bird had come to report that fact, and now that he knew, Growl had decided to waltz off to go toe-to-toe with a skinwalker, somehow filch her foals, and set up a happy home with them.

How had she never realized how incredibly stupid her friend was???

Growl had resumed talking to the bird, giving Lessia time to process the situation. She was vaguely aware of the expression she was giving Growl, somewhere between shock, disgust, and incredulousity, but she'd never been one to censor herself. Besides, her brain had more important things to do than puzzle over facial displays.

Lessia had never seen a skinwalker in the flesh, and she was profoundly grateful for that. She'd heard the stories, though; stories about how they made even the most vicious and brutish of Kalona look tame; how they had no soul and no heart, living only for death and the thrill of the kill. Killing anything and everything in their paths...sometimes in their equine shape, sometimes in the shape of their animal form. An animal form that could be anything, and you'd never know until your body was being ripped into a million pieces...

Unconsciously, Lessia rubbed a wing against one of her nastiest scars. Time and relative gentleness were doing wonders for healing, but her wounds were still there. She couldn't say how much of their pain was actual and how much was in her mind, but in moments of stress she couldn't help but reach for them, the touch causing real pain that reminded her of what she'd seen, what she'd done, and what she was working to overcome. A vision of Seyx, covered in blood amidst the carnage of the Kalona battle, a battle they never would have been in if it wasn't for her.

Now she was being presented with a new vision. A vision of Growl, alone on a battlefield except for a massive bear. A bear with claws the size of Lessia's horns and eyes glowing red...

No, she was not going through this, not again. She was NOT going to see another friend in that condition, or worse; with a shudder at the image that followed, she snapped herself out of her thoughts and abruptly barked out, "Growl, are you a complete idiot? You CANNOT fight a skinwalker, don't you see that? It's suicide, and not a pleasant one, at that." No sense skirting the issue; it was what it was.

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

Well. That escalated quickly.

Morana looked between the two once the female had spoken, condemning Growl for such a moronic plan. While the feathered manic enjoyed the darker and morbid sides of things...quarrels were just not that interesting to her. "I will let you know of developments Growl. She seems to be heading north; to a caved area." Morana said little more, before heading back into a foliage and disappearing from view.

Growl had been gazing at Lessia as she had finally spoke up, staring in a confused fashion that was very akin to his demeanor; as if she was speaking a whole other language to him. He was not upset that she accused him of people an idiot; the stallion knew full well he was well behind the mental capacity of plenty of normal Soquili. The gap between him and rather intelligent souls even greater.

Why could she not see it the way he say it?

"I guess I am, Lessia." He confessed, staring hard at her to make his point on just how serious he was. "I am not a smart stallion by any stretch of the imagination, but if doing what is right makes me stupid then i'll be the stupidest one for miles." He snorted his breath, before speaking up once more. "I can't ignore the fact she is pregnant, there will be foals, foals possibly like me. I don't know if I have any siblings, maybe she killed them. How can I condemn them to die, what if they are not as fortunate as I to get away from her? My heart cannot let me do that...so yes, I cannot fight a skinwalker - but I will. I would much rather die doing what is right than live with myself for doing the wrong thing."

It was absolutely suicide, even he knew this much...but the more time he had to think about his position, there was one path and one path only.

"If they happen to be skinwalker through and through...then I need not to intervene. But my mother had me with someone who was not, so there is a good possibility they will have good hearts like me. If I don't go, they will die - its as simple as that."

Besides, he'd been called fortunate, lucky by his foster families to escape a walker; let alone at such a young age.

"The spirits kept me alive for a reason...I've been unable to find any kind of direction as to why until now. There has to be purpose in me surviving, meeting Morana....and now there are more foals. Perhaps there is some destiny in all of this. As much as I do not want to die, I don't want to see what would happen if I don't intervene." Plus, he didn't really want to leave Lessia, they had such a good time, and he really enjoyed her company and her as a whole. However that was not a compelling part of arguing why all of this was a good idea. "I guess what I am saying, is that I've had a lot of fun with you the last while. I haven't smiled this much in a long time since setting out on my own. If I make it, maybe I can see you again?" Growl inquired, his head tilting a little to the side; even if she said no there was a great possibility he'd probably stalk her for a bit anyways.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

Lessia had been prepared for an argument. She had a vast array of responses already prepared for any rebuttal Growl might offer, and all she needed was for him to make an ATTEMPT at rationalizing this mad escapade for her to truly let him have it with both barrels.

What she was NOT expecting was for him to agree with her.

She couldn't believe this. There they were, Growl talking about going off on a potentially (and probably) suicidal Skinwalker interference mission, and the infuriating fellow was agreeing with her! Agreeing that he was being astonishingly stupid, that it was impossibly dangerous, that the chances of success were low; not only agreeing with her, but smiling while he was doing it! Unbelieveable. Un-be-lieve-a-ble. How was she supposed to rebut a complete agreement???

And really...how could she?

Lessia didn't want to admit the logic in Growl's reasoning, that there were some times when logic had to take a back seat to compassion. Really, if she were in a similar situation, could she turn her back on [i[her siblings? Sure, she knew all of her siblings and had grown up with them, but were these singlings of Growl's any less worthy of defending? It was hardly their fault they had a skinwalker for a mother, and that being the case, the foals were facing an uphill battle for survival before they were even born. Could Lessia condemn them to death, sight unseen, if she were Growl and knew what she knew? Damn it, could SHE, she herself, condemn them to death knowing what she knew?

If she had hands, they would be rubbing her temples right about now. Since she didn't, she had to content herself with rubbing a wing at the side of her head. What a stupid, suicidal, idiotic, overly sentimental idiot...she was turning out to be.

By the time he'd reached the 'if I survive' part of his speech, she had made up her mind. Raising one wing up in a gesture of silence, she cut in in the same somewhat dry voice. After all, she still wasn't happy with this situation, and that wasn't likely to change any time soon! "Well, I'm glad you've had fun, Growl, but you can save your dramatic speeches and requests, because they're rather moot. If you're bound and determined to be a hero, I'm hardly going to let you go on your own." With that, she tossed back her hair and gave him her most intimidatingly white-eyed glare, challenging him to argue with her. "Because one thing I don't do is wait and worry."

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

He'd barely had time to finish his own words spewing from his lips in a mixture of heed and necessity, Growl had wanted her to hear him. Yet when her wing raised, wishing to cut him off he'd complied and shut his mouth; stitches meeting together to look as if he'd zipped said lips. Besides, challenging Lessia in a war of words would really only end up badly for him.

He wasn't prepared, though, for what she had to say in return.

Immediately his ears flattened as he definitely was taken back, she was going to come with him? After everything she'd said about how stupid and suicidal his plan was? The meaning of his words had been intended to make her see the situation as he did, but recruit her into his health hazardous plans. He'd opened his lips to protest, to try and reason with her that there was truly no need for both of them to be so at risk...and immediately shut them.

Oh, he didn't want to tempt that look.

"Lessia..." He mumbled, his tones showcasing the awe he was in. He'd never expected something like this, although if he was a smarter stallion the signs might have been caught that she was noble of heart and mind. Growl had been so used to be alone in his vegabond journey; he supposed he never would imagine someone would stay by his side without the premise of adoption - let alone someone wanting to fight by his side for a cause purely his own. His eyes shifted to her wounds, not as fresh as when they met but it was still a fair disadvantage. One he imagined a skin walker would utilize, especially one so feral as his mother who would try and pick off the weakest of a herd. He only hoped he could enrage her enough, it seemed pretty enticing for someone who got away; but he didn't know how deranged walkers operated.

"Are you sure..? What of your wing...?" His tone wasn't abrasive, there was no denying the mare could hold her own and then some; but he also wanted to make clear he had concerns; that he cared. He'd never had just a friend before, all of them falling into his estranged adopted family; and Growl didn't want to lose said friend. Besides, she had so much more on the line than he...yet he supposed she'd follow him even if he tried to say no.

Or worse. Probably worse.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

Well, at least he wasn't arguing. But Lessia could have wished he'd avoided reference to her injuries, an issue that definitely hadn't escaped her mind even when she was making the decision to accompany Growl. Just because she could walk on it didn't mean it was healed; it wouldn't take much for her to be back where she started, or worse, with regard to not only her wing but her leg and even her side. What she was doing was definitely risky, definitely stupid, but hadn't she said that already? Why should Growl get the monopoly on risky stupidity?

In the end, the idea of going into a fight with an injury was much less terrifying to Lessia than knowing yet another friend was going into danger alone and unaided. Life had been easy for her for a very long time, but she now knew the ugly reality behind life for those of dangerous parentage and bloodlines. She herself might have wonderful, kindly parents, but that didn't protect Lessia from the dangers of militant Kalona purists. Growl might be rational (well, mostly rational) and gentle, but that didn't protect him from his skinwalker mother or the knowledge of what she was capable of doing.

Even if she was injured, Lessia knew she was still capable of being a force to be reckoned with. Growl would need help; whatever happened, she would give it.

But her injuries and how she dealt with them were her business; the last thing she needed was for Growl to decide to be doubly noble and try to weasel away from her so she wouldn't get hurt! So she simply shook her head in response to his question, replying in the same clipped tones, "I'll be fine. Now then, how long do you think it'll take to get where we're going? We might want to bring the rest of the deer along, so we don't have to worry about hunting along the way for a while," she said as she nudged at the partially gnawed femur. Strange to think that they'd only minutes ago been eating that deer without a care beyond figuring out what to do after breakfast.

Needless to say, going off on a potentially suicidal mission against a skinwalker had NOT been high on her list of options, but what could you do?

Tirokio

 

[Tirokio]

While he was still not wholly convinced that she was weighing her own temporary disability, perhaps letting his stupidity contaminate her sound judgement, Growl had made a mental note to himself to assure that little happened to her. Especially something that would allow any of her healing injuries to become permanent. She had family to return to, friends to return to. Growl had his adoptive families...and while he cared for them a great deal he was also aware that he could lead danger to them in the form of his mother or even himself. With Lessia though, he was less worried about her for some reason; perhaps the fact she'd lived through a war and knew what battle tasted like.

If anything she could flee easily, or drive him off. While his families had vulnerabilities to them he didn't want to chance.

Although he deserved her short tone for coming to such drastic conclusions without even allowing her a say....or one he would change is mind to, it still made him uneasy. To think just prior they'd been so contented and now the air was plagued with tension and unease. Truth being, he'd already begun to question his own abilities to step into the roll of a fatherly caretaker...but if it spared them the knowledge that they were born from a monster than he'd make it work. It had been a fact which held him back from so much growing up, but it still didn't make the fact he'd be essentially telling his half siblings he was their dad.

It was for the best this way though....anything was better than what he went through.

"I don't know...She said north...so we go north. Once we find her we'll figure out how much time we have....obviously she needs to have had the babies...or having..." Ew. He didn't quite want to think about that as a sour look crossed his face. "If she was showing as much as she was for a bear, I gotta imagine she's almost there." His eyes trailed to the breakfast they'd shared, and although he knew it would be wise to bring it...it would also slow them down. "Maybe grab some for the rest of today...but we'll have to hunt along the way; I remember roughly where I grew up in a cave up there..." As painful as those blurred memories were. "....so maybe she'll be there again. Its my first assumption but we stayed there for some time."

Approaching her quietly, he leaned down half way to grab the femur...but stopped a moment. Lifting his head again he moved his head forward and pressed his nose on her own; knowing full well he was risking being bit - but things seemed so trivial when they were heading into something so serious. "Lessia...Thanks. I don't want you to come....but i'm kind of glad you are...its weird..." Typical fashion of Growl for not fully understanding what he was saying but blurting out whatever he was feeling.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

It would take some time for Lessia to come to terms with the implications of this little excursion, and perhaps that was for the best. If she stopped to think, to really think about what they were getting themselves into, it would be enough to make even the hardiest of souls quiver. She'd never fought a skinwalker; she'd never even seen one, but hearing stories was enough. She hated the idea of putting excess strain on her injuries, she hated the idea of trekking...but again, at the end of it all, she hated the idea of Growl dealing with everything alone more. They would have to deal with any problems as they came up; there was no sense in borrowing any more trouble than they already had!

"North it is then," She said with a wistful look at the remains of the deer. She hated to leave so much uneaten, but Growl definitely had a point about dealing with the weight. This wasn't a pleasure trip that they could allow themselves to take time with; they needed to be on the move, and briskly! Once again, she shifted her weight, testing the bad leg; it supported her nicely without a quiver, which was a good sign, but this excursion was going to be a test in more ways than one. "North, at a rapid pace. About how many days do you think it'll take to get there?"

She was trying to focus on the 'business' aspects of the journey; the hows and whys and wherefores. It was easier to do that, easier to distract herself. But she did allow herself to crack a slight smile at Growl's bold nose touch. How could she do anything but go with him, the big sweet idiot? "Don't mention it, Growl; we're in this together now, even if they aren't my relations. Let's just try to keep any additional sentimental idiocy to a minimum, hmm?" That seemed prudent.

Tirokio