[PRP] Hello stranger (Cythraul, Aruná)

[Annchen]

Aruná was watching the steel gray waves from up on the cliff. Tiny water droplets covered her pelt, but a thick layer of underfur made sure she wasn't really wet. She'd spent the better part of her life in the Stormborn, longer than she'd lived in her birth pride. It was strange, but she'd flourished here. To some people she would always be an Outlander, but she looked and behaved like a Stormborn.

At first her plan had been to leave as soon as possible, taking Udongo with her. Only problem was... Udongo didn't want to leave. She was a thrall, a slave, but she was... happy?

Akatta had advised Aruná to claim Udongo as her personal thrall to be able to offer her some measure of protection. They'd lived together since then. Udongo was happy and Aruná was getting used to safety again. Few people knew that they were really sisters. When she learned that one could become a freeborn if a family member was a freeborn - without fighting for it - they had already lived together as freeborn and thrall for several seasons. She had told Udongo immediately of course, but the other lioness had just changed topic. Udongo seemed to quite like being a thrall and she had gained a reputation of being good with cubs. Other freeborn females even asked to borrow her for cubsitting now and then.

She could just go to a Lawspeaker and get it over with, but she somehow doubted Udongo would be grateful. Perhaps it was better this way? The two of them, like always.  

[DavyJnah]

He could see a familiar pelt upon the cliff. A pelt that he had been searching for and gotten into this pride particularly for. Only problem was, now that he was here the male was skittish. He was to go on his first Viking soon. Although he had gotten in he felt that this would prove that he was also one of them. Not that anyone really knew that he was a pirate.

"Aruná?" He asked as he approached her. Did she remember him at all? Did she know his secret of being a pirate before this?

She still looked so beautiful. Like a vision really. He wanted to nuzzle her, go back to how everything seemed to be so many years ago.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

"Aruná?"

The voice was familiar, but she couldn't place it at first. When she turned she blinked a couple of times, unsure if she could trust her nose and eyes. It was truly odd to see him standing there. Someone from her past, from a turbulent and confusing, and very angry time. She remembered their good times, but circumstances had pulled them apart.

"Cythraul?"

She felt a pang of guilt. What was supposed to be a quick raid to get her sister back had turned into... A life. A home. She had meant to try to send word to him, but Freeborn didn't really leave, and she had a feeling getting a Reaver to take a message would have turned ugly. The dark lion had never had much good to say about "vikings" so it was very surprising to see him here.  

[DavyJnah]

When she said his name he nearly melted right there where he stood. If his heart stopped beating he would be happy to at least have seen her face one last time before his passing. He was going on his first Viking and really anything could happen.

"Aruná." He said her name again, like a mantra to get him through everything. "Strange ta see me 'ere." He chuckled.

When he was a pirate he hated the vikings. As it was his prides way of life to dislike them. After they disbanded his outlook on it grew to a dislike and then not caring. It was the place he had heard she was at and he thought day by day on how to get to her. When he was given a chance to get it, he took it firmly between his paws.

"I be truly 'appy ye decided ta stick around with this 'ere place." Taking a few steps forward but not getting too close. He feared that maybe she was someone else's mate. The thought would kill him. "Why're ya 'ere by yerself? Did ye find yer sister?"

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Aruná was a bit shell shocked by the encounter, and didn't know what to say at first.

"Yes," she finally said, but it wasn't entirely clear which of his questions she had answeed. Yes, it was strange to see him. Yes, she found Udongo. Yes to both? She decided to elaborate. "I found my sister, she's here too."

She took a few steps towards him, unsure what to do. She was happy he was here, but wondered why he was. He didn't act like a thrall, but then they knew each other. He wouldn't be submissive to an old friend, right? The thought ran through her head 'If someone took him as a thrall I could claim him as family.' From what she know of him she doubted he'd fare well as a thrall, but then again it had been years. Did she know him still?

"Did you... challenge your way in?" she asked.  

[DavyJnah]

"I'm glad ye found 'er." It was as if he had just seen her. To him it was as if time had never passed. His heart was still hers. Was it the same for her with him? He hoped so as she started to get closer and closer. One paw in front of the other slowly as if he would frighten her otherwise.

"I did challenge. I fought a Captain named Bousvor. I be official. I be goin' on a viking soon, ta become a Reaver." Then of course after he would become a Captain too. Get to know others. Get them to trust him as an equal and not what he was before.

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Aruná was relieved to hear that Cythraul had fought his way in like she did. It made this much less complicated. If he'd travelled to Stormborn lands looking for her and then been caught... But she was getting ahead of herself. She didn't know if he'd come here looking for her, or if it was just chance leading him here.

"I fought the one called Lesedi," she said, grinning at the memory. "I think he expected me to lose, but I didn't."

She hadn't fought anyone since then. When she joined the pride females were strongly encouraged to leave the fighting to the males. The current Warlord allowed females to become reavers, but it hadn't occurred to her to pursue that path. She was a hunter, not a fighter, even if her hunting skills had served her well in the fight to be accepted as a Stormborn. It was strange to her that mostly Thralls hunted, but she had got used to that too. Now and then she joined a hunt for fun, pretending to go with them to supervise her Thrall.

Cythraul was standing very close to her, so she leaned in and rubbed her chin against his.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

Lesedi. The name did not ring a bell to him then again the pride he had noticed was huge. Much different than the pirates. He grinned at her glad that her fighting spirit had not diminished at all. That was his girl. Was he allowed to think of her that way? Glad though that someone didn't expect her win when he knew that she would. Oh how he wished he had been there to see the look of defeat on their face.

When her chin rubbed against his own he tried now to show how startled he was. He had wanted to get close to her. To be affectionate but he had been so scared that it had been too long that his feelings might not be reciprocated. Glad to know they were.

"I've never stopped thinking about you." He said as he nuzzled her. "Aruná. If you would make me the happiest lion... would you maybe consider being my mate?" The question nearly faltered until he regained his composure. How dare an ex first mate of the Pirate King falter on his words. "I have sorely missed you."

Annchen

 

[Annchen]

Aruná fell silent. How could she answer that after all this time? She recognized him, but could she say she knew him? Still, she wasn't sure she wanted to decline either. Cythraul must have felt her tense up. She rested her chin on his shoulder, still staying close to him but avoiding eye contact for now.

"I have missed you too," she finally said into his mane, "but I can't answer that question right now."

Breathing into his mane was simple, but as soon as she removed her muzzle from it things would go back to being complicated. What would he think about how they lived here? With Udungo as her thrall. There was only one way to find out.

"You need to meet Udongo," she said, "Come."

If that didn't scare him away, she could start thinking about it.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

The male had tensed when she had said that she couldn't answer the question and he understood. Things had changed. She had come here for her sister. She had gotten in. He had lost his home and came here looking for her. Despite her answer he did want to meet her sister. It would be best.

"I be 'appy ta meet 'er." The male said following after her. Might as well get to know the sister to the lioness he cared so deeply for.

Annchen

FIN