[PRP] A Moment's Respite [Wook & Roho]

[Kimaria]

Roho dropped to the sand in the manner that suggested near-on exhaustion and let her eyes fall closed. Her mouth was still wet from her recent drink and her body hurt from the morning's training. Her dark pelt was perhaps more scarred than one would expect - if they did not know that her training tended to be far more fierce than what many would normally engage in.

She'd always had something to prove. To herself. To the Hongshan. To Nawvlee. To the Firekin. Showing weakness had never been an option, though she had slipped at times when her life had been torn from her by the Nergui. She had slowly smothered that grief with a bitter hatred that lingered even to this day. Even when there had been no new sightings of the Nergui for over a year. Part of her wished they would show themselves again so that she could enact her revenge. But part of her wished they had truly gone so that she'd never have to relive the past.

Ugh. Her body hurt.

She stretched her legs a little and shifted her weight so that she wasn't resting so much on her right side and cracked open an eye to look around her again. It was reasonably quiet. Perhaps she could relax a little.  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Mid-day had come far sooner than the lion had expected. Soon the sun appeared at it's peak and any training he had planned on continuing to do was put on hold temporarily. Once put on hold Wook became very aware of just how thirsty he had become, a drink was needed.

Once his thirst had been quenched he began to seek a place to rest his fatigued body. Between the training he had briefly participated in and the sun beating against him he found himself to be far more exhausted than he had expected, considering he ought to be used to the sandy prides lands. While he attempted to find a spot to rest he ended up coming across a female who clearly displayed the same idea of desiring rest.

Wook took in the female that was sprawled, quite a ways from him. There were scars covering a fair amount of her, marring her pelt in ways he hadn't anticipated. Sure, mild scarring occurred, this was something different. Beyond recognizing that she belonged to the pride Wook was unable to recall a name to match with the face and so he didn't try to call out, instead he took his chances and approached.

An opportunity to speak with another wasn't often presented to him, he often found himself solitary - with not a large numbers way to change this. He didn't often mind it, but did enjoy conversation from time to time.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

A pale blue eye turned his way, a slight frown forming between her brows as she tried to place a name to his face. The male was, it seemed, a typical Firekin and therefore not as easy to recognise to an untrained eye. He was that bold red and black with equally simple but striking markings that seemed to be favoured by the pride. He had old blood in him, then.

Roho did not offer him a smile, choosing to give an acknowledging nod instead and wondering when she'd become to anti-social. When revenge had slipped out from under her claws? No, before then. Perhaps even before the Hongshan had been cut down in their prime.

"It looks as if you have been working hard."

She'd know him if he had been a soldier, which meant that he was likely from the other branch of the military.

"Guard duty taking it's toll?" Her tone was carefully neutral, so it wasn't quite clear whether she was being serious or teasing.

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Things were off to a good start, though there was no open and warm greeting he hadn't been pushed aside nor threatened. The moment seemed to be in his favor, at least for the time being. Wook watched the pale eye, which was striking against the females deep red pelt, turn to gaze in his direction and when she had nodded in his direction the automatic reaction to follow suit took over.

"Working hard, or hardly working. Mid-days heat has made it feel like the latter of the two." Since he hadn't been chased away by cruel words or obvious body language he decided to seat himself, tail playing in the dust behind him. Ears perked forward as she began to speak again, something of a possible joke? He paused, notably, pondering his next words - even if there wasn't much to ponder.

"Yes."

The answer was simple and said purposely. She hadn't truly offered much of herself to him and so, as petty as it seemed, he was going to do the same. Yet he couldn't help himself, if she were a Guard herself than she'd have noted them as one - which meant she was likely a.. "How's the life of a Soldier? I imagine you're feeling just the same."

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Roho was a closed individual at the best of times but she saw no point in pretending that she wasn't exhausted. She felt it in her bones and in the backs of her eyes that felt heavy and dry. She'd been pushing herself too far. A part of her had always known that. She gave a short, unhappy laugh and realised that she wasn't getting any younger.

"I am," she replied. "The warning signs have been there for a while but I decided today was the day I'd listen to what my body is trying to tell me."

She set her jaw and frowned, turning pale blue eyes back out across the lands. "It seems I have been preparing for nothing, in any case. All the work and pain so that I might take action upon the Nergui and they disappear as if they had never been."

The next came as a whisper; "just like a mirage."

Part of her wanted to cry at the injustice of it all.

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

It seemed a barrier had been broken and suddenly the lioness appeared just as exhausted as she had begun to sound. Wook was relieved to see whatever wall had been built drop even in the slightest - as a pride they were one, there was no reason for the defense. Though he hadn't known pain or trauma in his life, which is where his lack of understanding stemmed from.

As she spoke Wook could feel his own bones settle in ways he had grown used to, but still shocked him none the less. Having seated himself the weariness set on pretty quickly and though he didn't move from his spot he did stretch his toes. "Ah." The guards head gave a bob. "It's good to push yourself, but even the well trained need a rest." He tried to fit a compliment in, in a way that may speak to her.

Words couldn't have touched him more than when the female spoke next. It was as though everything came together and the reality of her need shone through. She was a victim of what had basically become a ghost, a none issue. There was no way to exact revenge against something that didn't exist - it took some many years to find this out for themselves and by then their entire lives had been lost to a 'cause' that no longer remained.

"Not nothing." Wook spoke slowly, the next words he chose could truly impact a life in a positive or negative way. They could mean the difference between a friendship or a blood soaked fight that he wouldn't lift a paw in. His worst fear, was providing to much hope - one never knew what the future might hold for them or their home. "Sure, the Nergui have driven you to the peak of battle perfection.." again he reached for a compliment "..but you haven't been doing all of this for nothing."

He swallowed slowly, nerves creeping up. "Your pride needs you." In this moment he realized he didn't even have the other lioness' name - nothing he could say would be more personal than adding her name and so he was truly flying on a hope and perhaps a prayer to the Gods. "You're an asset to your home and yourself. Should the Nergui return you can exact revenge - but should they not you have at least readied yourself for any other possible outcome."

Finishing off he realized he could likely have taken a harsher route, perhaps thrown in a couple different octaves of supportive loud tones, but he went for a more gentle approach.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

Her ears sank backwards against her head but his compliment seemed to soothe her. It was true enough. A rested body could fight far better than a broken one. Why was she only just realising this now? Is this what people had been trying to tell her all this time?

If she had realised how carefully the male had chosen his next words, she would have been touched - and shocked - by how he (and perhaps others) had tip-toed around her. He wasn't wrong, either. She could be a loose cannon at times and if she'd had her way in the past, there would have been bloodshed at a far earlier stage. Although, if she'd had her way, perhaps the Nergui would have been filed away as a story to frighten cubs into obedience by now. Instead, maybe they had simply moved on to terrorise another pride that was easier to break. More needless death. More broken hearts and souls.

"I am a soldier without an enemy to fight." All she seemed to be fighting these days was nightmares and her own conscience.

"We are a powerful force that sits in the desert testing ourselves only against the environment and not foes that bleed. I have agonised over certain...thoughts, as of late. Before the Nergui, I was happy - believe it or not. I could laugh and smile and relax. Now, all that is gone...chased away by those monsters. Perhaps that means they have already won."

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Wook realized he had been holding a breath subconsciously awaiting what he had thought would turn out to be a violent outburst - when that didn't happen he let it go as quietly as he could. Instead he watch her body language change from defensive to a more open and free flowing attitude. Though he wasn't so sure it would turn out to be a good thing, some of the emotions she seemed to harness went much deeper than a single conversation he felt.

"You are a soldier preparing for War."

He countered he note of not having an enemy to fight, making himself appear sturdier than he had before. His words faded briefly as he silenced himself to hear her speak. A nod of his head acknowledged that he was listening to her and once she had finished only then did he speak again.

"I understand." Wook inhaled and exhaled slowly, checking himself before continuing. "Though, I reiterate - you are a soldier preparing for War." He hadn't missed her note of thoughts - what thoughts? He found himself wondering about that in a silence that fell between them. "War can be the present or future. You do not need a war now to continue your training. The world keeps turning and eventually our past is, just that, our past." Though he knew that wasn't a complete truth, she was living proof of the cases where the past haunted the present, well into the future.

"What kind of thoughts have you had?"

His question was gently asked, purple gaze softening beyond that of a normal Firekins typical generosity. It seemed fitting in the moment, not all times had to be tough and those in them didn't have to act that way - not all the time.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

She released a long, slow breath and let her body relax a little further. It had been a long time since she had spoken to someone like this male. She'd only really known brash males in the pride. Those who had few her aggression rather than attempt to tame it. It was somewhat refreshing...maybe even welcome.

Roho was silent for a long time, absorbing his words and mulling them over, turning them into other thoughts that swept through her mind and using them to alter her perceptions - or attempt to, at the very least. How long she had been lost to her thoughts, she did not know, but it was perhaps a longer time that socially acceptable and, stirring, she realised she had been asked a question.

She answered him, then, without apology for her lapse of concentration. "Who would I be now if not for the Nergui? What would I be doing? Would I have been happy?" It was not a healthy train of thought, that was for sure. But it could not be helped. She seemed to be grasping more and more at the past these days.

"And why do we just sit here? What is the point of our strength if we keep it to ourselves and do nothing with it?"

She wanted to make a difference.

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

The silence that fell between them wasn't any bit as awkward as Wook had expected and so he reveled in it while she lost herself to those thoughts he'd asked about. With time he's lost himself to a whole series of thoughts all his own - ones that hadn't a thing to do with the current situation, but alas had demanded some attention so when she had begun to speak and he was yanked back to their reality he was almost shocked.

Holding back any appearance of the shock he had felt Wook gathered himself and returned to a calm state. Hearing her out he sort of got an idea where exactly her head was at, the thoughts certainly weren't uncalled for and yet when he spoke he realized that perhaps there was no sensitive way to go about this type of situation and so he tried his best.

"You'd be the exact same lioness." A deep breath interrupted him as he gathered his opinions of her from this conversation. "From what you have told me you are devoted, developed and could easily amount to anything you set your mind too." Another breath, though not as deep interrupted him one more time as he found his center.

"You bring up a valid point, have you considered voicing your opinions to anyone else?"

Wook was sure he hadn't been the first to hear these words and if he was he'd be rightly astonished by the news. In his eyes, the lioness he first met was strong, perhaps to the point of defiance, and capable of so much more than she appeared to put out - he was amazed at the amount the Nergui had mentally inflicted her.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

She blinked, looking up at him in surprise. After a moment her eyes narrowed as if to scrutinise him. However, if she was looking for anything that might have grated on her, she didn't find anything. Her face relaxed again and she nodded thoughtfully - not quite sure whether she agreed or not. Would she have been the same? It was something to think about.

"Valid, perhaps," she replied, "but unpopular. I earned myself few friends in the past by voicing my opinions." Like when that Nergui scum, Miah, had been found on the borders. She'd demanded his death but most of the others had shunned the idea.

She still considered their decision foolish.

"I am still uncertain of our new rulers, however. At least one of them might be willing to listen." The female with Hongshan blood in her veins. Surely she must feel the same? Or maybe everyone else was letting go? Leaving her behind to dwell alone?

"Apologies. I did not mean to burden you with all of this." In fact, she was rather embarrassed. This was not like her and yet this male had weedled out this emotion with barely the flicker of an eye. Interesting, to say the least. He had a rare gift for a Firekin male.

"My name is Roho, by the way."

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Wook felt his most calm at this point, even with her eyes narrowing. He'd spoken his mind and felt strongly about what he had stated, it seemed she weighed her thoughts on the matter before speaking.

"Unfortunately, in most cases, the unpopular statement is the one that needs to be said the most." The lion was sure of himself, sure of the lioness before him as well, whom had revenge on the brain, but with the best of intentions fueling it. "Sometimes your future is more important than friends - in fact that is true a majority of the time. Those who would be considered true to you ought to support you... or give you a tap on nose should you ever get to foolish. Of course that would mean you'd have to trust someone enough to be honest with you." His face had changed numerous times, from tough and ending with a warm grin that followed a chuckle at his 'tap of the nose' comment.

"I hope that is the case for you, your feelings and ideas are just as important and may lead the pride in a new direction." Purple eyes searched for pale blue as she began to apologize. Wook dismissed the words with a wave of a paw and his never ending smile.

"You have nothing to apologize for Roho, I'd happily listen again if you needed. My name is Wook and unfortunately, if you'd excuse me, I have some Guard duties that likely need my attention. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around though?" The hope that sounded in those words weren't a choice, he did want to see her around again - it was the most bizarre emotion he had ever felt, a desire to know that she had someone to speak with. Oh boy, what was this soft spot.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

She had never met anyone quite like him - or not since joining the Firekin, anyway. He was a breath of fresh air. Someone who was easy to talk to. It had been so long since she had opened up to anyone that it frightened her to think that she had just done so. Yet, even as her doubts came creeping up, she pushed them away - determined not to let her paranoia ruin this potential friendship.

"I am often here," she replied, not moving from her spot. That, in itself, was unusual. She had rested long to speak with him and even now that he was leaving, she was remaining.

Perhaps, she thought, she had earned an afternoon off.

"Safe patrol, Wook."

And as he left her to her own devices she lapsed back into deep thought, trying to piece together all that had been with all that might be and wondering why she had spent so much time being foolish and burying her head in the sand when life was passing her by. She had become something she hated because of her past, but perhaps it was time to acknowledge it and change it.

A single tear escaped down her cheek.

Mysses Greenie

fin! (: