[PRP] Problems [Gjenferd x Astrid]

[ChexaRain]

Astrid had felt the crushing weight of the world repeatedly over the past few days, seeing her best friend interacting with her family much the same as usual, despite the dark cloud in the air whenever Hel and Astrid would be in the same area. She supposed, with all the stress of her mother being gone and the cubs far away, luckily in a place where even they didn't know, since they'd had help along the way to hide them.... Well, Freya was just ignorant to Astrid's inner screaming, and she was hiding it well.
Except today.

Today was a day when, looking at the skies, she was half-tempted to drown herself in the salty sea waters in which she'd seen the lioness thrown, which no one knew besides her and one other that liked to taunt her with his presence constantly, though he'd never said more than a few words to her, and she'd hoped it was out of regret.

It was in this distracted state she'd approached the beach and heard the curse, looking up and registering the white body and, at first glance, assuming it was Freyja and puffing up at the ghost.
When she came to her senses, her fur didn't seem to want to to go flat, and she tried to shake herself mentally, "Oh, I-I'm.. sorry I didn't think anyone would be...." She picked up the tense atmosphere and, rather than run, she took a step forward. "Are you... alright?"  

[ChexaRain]

Astrid's responding smile was just as brittle as his, though she was unaware of it.
"Not long... I just.... I suppose I expected it to be empty, too."
Her gaze drifted off to the open waters, a soft sigh escaping her lips after she took in a deep breath of fresh air.
The weight on her chest was still there, but in light of the lack of company, it was a little less stifling than being home.
Making a split decision with herself, she sat down, keeping a comfortable distance from the larger male.

"It's certainly quiet out here..." She murmured, looking at the cool water dreamily. "It's almost like disappearing from everything else in the world." Or everyone, she added silently, her gaze drifting back to Gjenferd. Of course, she didn't expect to be the only lion with problems among the pride, but she wouldn't force him to speak if he didn't wish to.

Alpaca Chobi

 

[ChexaRain]

Alpaca Chobi

She offered him a small smile, "And here I had asked you the very same. I take it we both needed to escape, then." Her smile faltered and, when the weight on her chest felt like crushing her, she opened up.
"Someone I have known for a long time has done terrible things... and I cannot bring myself to tell anyone of it, much less his own family. I suppose the coward I was told I was since coming here is indeed true."
Rather than feel better, she only made herself feel worse with the realization that Freyja was right, and it took her death to see it.
She shook her head, "And yet, I manage to tell you of it in part, a complete stranger to me... I'm sure you have your own woes, and here I am to take away your little moment of peace."  

[ChexaRain]

Alpaca Chobi

Astrid frowned, a sad look passing over her face, "I am so sorry for your family, to be broken up in such a way...." She pitied him for a mere moment before sighing, "I may not look it, but I'm actually a Reaver." She gave an eyeroll, "I have a best friend here, one of few, who made sure I was worth my salt in one way or another... The one I speak of is her son, whom I've seen from a cub as my nephew and who-" She broke off to catch her bearings.

Murmuring to herself that it was the beach, she found the strength to continue, "I've seen him murder his own grandmother, and he knew I witnessed it.... and then he.... cornered me, as if to further add to my shame and inability to tell his own mother of what he has done, and... took advantage of me." A tear slid from her cheek and she growled, quickly swiping it from her face. "I understand we are a pride of strong lions, but that? He has crossed a line that goes beyond trying to prove yourself."  

[ChexaRain]

Alpaca Chobi

She offered him a grateful look, half-tempted to turn into his touch for the comfort of it, "If I could prove anything was done, I'm sure I would've said something by now to the Warlord. My situation.... "She frowned, trying to consider her options, "I'm afraid even I don't know."

At his offer to help, she formed a small wrinkle in the shape of a 'v' between her brows, "I wish I knew the answer to that. I can hope nothing comes of it, but erasing it from history, much less my memory, isn't quite possible."

She turned her gaze out over the churning waters, a small smile warming her features, "All this, and we didn't even exchange names. Such fearsome, born of the storm creatures we must be."  

[ChexaRain]

Alpaca Chobi

Astrid smiled, the first genuine one she'd had all day to spare. "I thank you for that."
She gave it a considerable amount of thought before adding, "To be honest, I wouldn't just mind your company. It's already helped me considerably, and I find it would be only fair if you could share with me as well what troubles you."
She looked around the beach for good measure, "We've got all the daylight hours in the world out here, and I've told you a great deal about my life that I haven't shared elsewhere."
She nudged him lightly in the shoulder, "I can't be the open book and expect you to bear the weight of it all and your own... I assume you love your parents very much for it to bother you to see them separate."