[PRP] Meet the family (Udongo, Cythraul, Aruná)

[Annchen]

Aruná couldn't remember when she last was this nervous. Probably never. It wasn't like her at all, but something about this situation made her feel shaky and queasy. She made an effort to keep her face neutral, and walk steadily. She might feel like a hyena’s breakfast, but she was not going to humiliate herself by letting it show. Steady like a Stormborn. Strong like a Stormborn. She had iron in her blood and she had proved it.

"This is us," she said to Cythraul when she closed in on the decent sized den she shared with Udongo, "Udongo? There's someone I'd like you to meet."

She forced a small smile, despite her sense of impending doom. What if Udongo didn't like him? What if Cythraul got cold feet and decided this wasn't worth it? What would he say when he realized Udongo was her thrall? What if that half eaten carcass from the other day was still in there collecting flies?

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DavyJnah

Pearlyblue

 

[Pearlyblue]

"Thrall" was such a strange word. It still felt unusual on Udongo's tongue. She did understand that it meant she was of lower standing than the others in this pride, but that really didn't bother her much. She'd mostly lived her life doing what others told her to do, anyway - it was just better that way, really. With her huge, muscular body and slow wit, she had more often than not caused physical harm to others without really meaning to, when she moved too quickly, or tried to think on her paws.

Besides, in the pride she'd been born into, she hadn't been of much importance anyway, with her dull colors. Not like Aruna, who sported both the dark colours of an old, experienced soul, and the fiery hues of a warrior.

Of course, Udongo knew that she herself took after their father more than any of her siblings, especially in build and physique, but she was far, far from the kind of mighty warlord he had been before the pride punished him for his arrogance. Sometimes she wondered what had happened to him after the bad years tore the pride apart. Sometimes she wondered if it had been better if she had told Aruna what she knew of their ancestry, but always decided against it. Knowing that she was directly related to such a shell of a lion - and a slave and a traitor at that - would definitely not have made her fiery sister any happier.

Udongo didn't mind, though. Just like she didn't mind being a thrall much. Except the word was a bit hard to pronounce. She'd bit her tongue three times already, so now she generally just tried to avoid saying it.

Aruna sure had been gone for quite a while now. There was nothing left to clean up in the den, and no need to go hunting for food anytime soon, so the big, brown lioness had started playing a little game by herself, while she waited for her sister to return. She was very carefully using her big, heavy paws to try to stack moderately flat rocks on top of each other. She hoped it would eventually help her get a bit better at controlling her fine motor skills. So far, it was going pretty well, actually. Her paw shook like crazy when she lifted the sixth rock between her claws, so she paused, exhaled, and moved even more slowly as she caaaarefully, caaaaareeeeefulllyyyy placed the new rock on top of-

Her sister's voice disturbed her concentration for just an instant, and all her rocks went clattering to the ground. Udongo heaved a little sigh and swept them away into their corner. She'd almost broken her old record. Oh well, next time maybe.

She plodded over to the entrance of the den to greet her sister.

"Are you bringing a guest, Aruna?"  

[DavyJnah]

The male had followed Aruná. Trepidation crawled through him like a adolescent about to go on his first hunt he did not let it show. How bad could this meeting really get with the sister to the lioness he cared deeply for? This was not worse than the raids he had used to go on or even meetings with his King or the crew members. A breeze, that was what this was going to be. Plus, he had iron in his blood as strange as that was for him to think. He was now Stormborn, a Stormborn Pirate. Meant that he had two powers keeping him afloat in this situation.

As he drew closer he noticed the den. Spacious to say the least. Then he noticed the other female voice. He noticed her darker fur, almost tinged with red like dried blood. Her marking stood out though, not as much at her sisters but he saw it.

"Aye. She's bringin' me." His voice was deep, not like someone commanding but someone who knew what they were doing. Someone who wasn't scared as much as he really was. "I be Cythraul. I dunnae what she be telllin' ye of me."

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Aruná forced herself to inhale, exhale and keep smiling. Sort of. She was sure she had talked a lot about about him, back when they first met and hunted together. When she finally found Udongo, she'd told her about how he had helped her look and comforted her... Yes, she must have talked a lot about the lion.

"This is Cythraul," she said, ignoring the dryness of her mouth, "Cythraul, this is Udongo."

So far so good, right?

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DavyJnah

Pearlyblue

 

[Pearlyblue]

Udongo blinked. Then she frowned. Then she tilted her head a bit to the side. The dark male's peculiar speech pattern had her stumped for moment. Then the words that her sister had spoken finally sunk in properly, and she straightened up with a surprised "Oh!"

Right. This was the guy her sister had been talking about. Right.

The guy she'd seemed a bit preoccupied with, actually.

Right.

"Um..." Udongo realised a little too late that she had stared at Cythraul, quite obviously letting her eyes wander up and down him. She forced herself to look at Aruna instead. "Eh... If... If you'd told me, I could have hunted something fresh for us..." Then she realised that she was still blocking the entrance to the den, and almost tripped over her own paws as she hurriedly stepped aside. "Oh, eh, do come in... Cys... Cyfs... Cythraul."

Okay, beginning your first meeting with the guy who had been so kind to her sister by almost mispronouncing his name was probably not a great start. She glanced at her sister, hoping she hadn't caused Aruna any shame right off the bat.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

The male brushed off the pronunciation of his name. Were it anyone but her sister he might have clocked them with his great big paws. Instead he just grinned. "Nae. Dun be huntin' on me watch. Just relax. Ye can call me Cy. Less o' a mouthful of dem words. Or if you want ta, in da privacy o' da dens. Ye can call me Du Serpentis." Vaguely he wondered where Branderyn had gotten off to. Probably exploring the lands as she liked to. Maybe she'd make a small appearance later. For now he was content with just them. Both the females would learn of his feathered friend soon.

To say he hadn't noticed her staring was a lie but again he wrote it off. He as a handsome devil after all. Though he made the quickest of glances towards Aruná. She was nervous, he was nervous, but they kept everything rolling smoothly along.

"An' I be 'appy to meet ye Undongo." Giving himself the deepest of bows towards the female. It was a small courtesy even pirates had to those they respected.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Du Serpentis, that was new. She'd called him Cy before, but she was pretty sure he'd never mentioned that name. By now she knew that some lions had secret names in one form or another. Not like nicknames, just private names they didn't use with just anyone. It seemed to be a custom shared by several Outlander prides. Not everyone liked to talk about their old lives, but she'd picked up bits and pieces from those that did tell stories about their past or people they'd met while out VIking. She'd learned to be careful when talking about her own past, and deliberately left out some parts. Lion sacrifice was a controversial topic even among the most bloodthirsty Stormborn.

"I'm sorry Udongo," Aruná said, "I didn't know I was going to meet him today. I didn't even know he'd challenged his way in. We just met... again."

She wasn't sure what to do with herself, so she sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws.

"So... This is our place..."

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Pearlyblue

 

[Pearlyblue]

Udongo smiled with relief. "Cy" was a lot easier to pronounce. "Du Serpentis" was easier, too, but she made a mental note that it was a name best used in private. So she should probably go with "Cy," then. This male had a strange way of speaking, but he seemed pretty kind and patient. That was good.

But when he bowed to her, she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Nobody ever bowed to her. Not really knowing what she should be doing in a situation like this, she sleeked her ears back and lowered her head as deeply as his.

"Oh, eh, um... Pleased to meet you. Eh, Cy."

When she straightened up, she took a cue from her sister and sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws. Her ears, however, stayed in their backwards-pointing position, betraying her embarrassment.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

He near cringed when he saw Aruná's face. He realized almost a moment too soon that he had never told her his pirate name. "Oh, er. Me name wif da pirates was Du Serpentis." He felt like having told Udongo before her might not have been the wisest idea sharing something so personal with someone he didn't want to be mated with. "It be nice ta meet you." He then turned back to Aruná. "It be a beautiful den."

It really was overall nice. It wasn't lavish like the dens back at Maestros but it was cozy and comfy. Enough for him if that was what Aruná wanted. "So erhm." Now it was starting to get awkward for him and he was beginning to squirm. He felt like the two females, even though they weren't doing anything, were ganging up on him. The mighty Du Serpentis, taken down by two females just being there. He would never live this down.

"I been looin' fer ya fer a long time. I remembered what ye said an' 'en met a few folk who'd see ye pass by. It was a meetin' with the Captain Bousvor and 'is thrall who made me wanna come here. At first I dinnae even notice. I 'ad me suspicions 'bout 'im and 'e me. I be 'ere though." That was basically the gist of the tale that and had led him here. "An' then I just be seein' ye when I be walkin' 'bout. Glad it turned out ta be you."

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Aruná saw that Udongo was uncomfortable, and it made her wish she hadn't just invited Cy on a whim. She edged a bit closer to show her sister she was there for her. Why couldn't she had told him to come by tomorrow or something? They could have hunted something nice, and she could have given her sister some time to get used to the thought. But no, she had to follow her first instinct... Wait, what? Pirates?

"Thank you," she said mechanically as he complimented their home, "Wait, you were a pirate?"

It actually explained quite a bit. Cythraul had never had any good things to say about the Stormborn, and from what she had heard about "Filthy stinking pirates" in this pride the feeling was mutual. And yet he had joined the pride he used to hate, just because she might be in it?

"You were a pirate and you followed me here?" her smile this time was genuine, if a bit shy.

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Pearlyblue

 

[Pearlyblue]

Udongo's ears relaxed a bit when she noticed her sister's closeness, and she sent Aruna a little smile.

Saying nothing just yet, Udongo followed the turn of the conversation, and her black eyes didn't miss the change in her sister's behaviour. Udongo had heard about pirates, too, but hadn't really paid it much mind. She had figured that she was probably not going to meet one... but there he was now. And he mattered to Aruna.

Maybe she should have cared a bit more.

"What... eh, what is a pirate?" She asked, quietly. "I mean, I've heard people talk, but I've never actually met one..."

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

"Aye. I am a pirate. I still be a pirate in me 'eart. Even iffin' I be a Stormborn now." Saying the words almost hurt but he could do it. "O' course I be only sayin' dis in private. I be trustin' ya ladies ta keep me secret safe." He gave them both a knowing look. He didn't think either would say anything but just a small confirmation of it was nice. "I be followin' ye wherever ye go iffin' ye would take me Aruná. I be protectin' Undongo ta me last breath iffin' ye asked me."

He chuckled at Undongo's words. "Well now ye met one. Even if our pride is fallen and our King missin', we be keepin' the spirit alive in us. Dis may be my 'ome now, but I still be keepin' a torch for me old one." How to explain a pirate. "Pirates are well we be like da vikings. We just be more drunk. More sea smell ta us. We be very similar anyway. Just be different groups."

The two prides were pretty similar. Different ranking system too but overall they were similar in the fact they went out, raided or did aviking, took pretties of all shapes, and came home. Though the pirates did out drink the vikings. "Yar, much more drinkin'." He chuckled, remembering a few fun nights and the dizzy feeling he experienced. Oh those were the days.

"Be enough talkin' 'bout me. I want ta 'ear about ye two." He needed to get reacquainted with Aruná and learn more about Udongo.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

More drunk? Aruná wondered if Cy had been at a real Stormborn party yet. The reavers could get quite drunk and disorderly, and if the Pirates were worse... No, she didn't need to see that. The Freeborn and reavers were far from smelly, however, sea smell or otherwise. Might was right, but a well-groomed exterior didn't hurt. Some took it further than others, but it was just sensible to have a talented thrall braid the mane to make sure they'd stay neat in battle.

"Well," Aruná started, "Last time you saw me I was going here to see if a Stormborn had stolen Udongo away."

The real start of the story was Udongo's, but it didn't feel right to tell it.

"I.... uh..." she continued, "I got in on the first try actually, and then the reaver took me to a Lawspeaker to make a record that I was a new Freeborn."

That wasn't really a necessary part of the story, since Cy already knew what happened after a successful challenge. She was stalling and she knew it.

"Anyway, I found Udongo here," she said, "No one had claimed her so my friend Akatta advised me to claim her as my personal thrall. For protection."

It had worked well so far. Recently she'd learned that she could have just claimed Udongo as family instead, granting her the status of Freeborn. She'd told Udungo about it, but wasn't sure what her sister thought about it.

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Pearlyblue

 

[Pearlyblue]

Udongo was feeling a bit warm under her skin. Mostly because she knew she'd have to tell this lion the full story, and reveal that she wasn't considered a freeborn just yet, and she really hoped that wouldn't reflect poorly on Aruná.

Oh, crap, she shouldn't have been so "whatever" about changing her status.

Then again, that still wouldn't change the past, or the story she'd have to tell.

But there was another reason why she felt her temperature rise, and that was all this talk about "protecting" her. She had no idea that Aruná had felt that way when she "claimed" her. And now Cy, too, had said it like it was nothing. But nobody had ever said they wanted to protect her before. She knew she was a big girl - bigger than most males, even, and with raw strength to match her size.

Even though she was pretty clumsy, and not too bright, she'd never figured anyone could see her as one who could be "protected"... And the thought of it made her feel just a little bit happy.

Oh well, all things considered, they might have a point, though...

"I... Um... I was hunting... When a Viking came by. I guess I killed the beast that he wanted, 'cause he got real mad. Like, really crazy angry. And... Um..." She looked down at her paws, her ears drooping a bit. "He was just so young. And so much smaller than me. I... I couldn't figure out what to do. I mean, I can't fight someone who's that small and young, just because they're angry. So he said that if I wouldn't fight him, I'd have to come with him and be a... A... A sra... Thrall. And I didn't know what to do, just that I had no reason to hurt him, so I went with him and did what he said."

She glanced over at her sister.

"And I'm sorry again. For worrying you like that. I just... Couldn't think." She gave Cythraul a very embarrassed glance. "I'm... Not really good at thinking."

Oh, she was making SUCH a bad first impression...!! But it was probably better to just get it all out there, right away.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

The male shook his head. "Yer fine Udongo. Ye need not be worryin' anymore 'bout anythin'." He glanced at Aruná. He wondered when the best time to ask her to be his mate again would be. Or if she'd get annoyed at him if he were to ask too soon. He pushed it from his mind, he was already in love with both of them and regardless of outcomes, would protect them both. He would push for his ideals that he wanted, his goal.

"I be goin' ta be a Captain 'ere. I already be a Reaver meself. I hope ta go on another Vikin' soon." He nuzzled Aruná, hoping his affections would not be met with claws. "Would ye care ta come wif me on one after?" Asking both the girls now.

Annchen