[PRP] Taking the Time [Wook / Roho]

[Kimaria]

The dark female had decided, for the first time since becoming a soldier for the Motoujamii, that she would so something other than train to feed her need for vengeance. Her encouter with Wook had awakened something in her; a realisation that she had more to offer than she was giving. A better and happier life to live if only she would face her fears and allow it. And so, a few days after their conversation she had sought out any willing appentices and had begun schooling them on the basics of combat. Many of the pride's cubs were too young to take part in any official drills or training, but instead she had devised some games in order to introduce it without them truly realising what it was.

And, somehow, taking time out of her hardcore training schedule had begun to lighten her heart a little. She had played chasing and hiding games and found herself laughing again for the first time in a long while.

Even now she was settled in the shade, keeping guard of a couple of cubs playing by the dens instead of labouring through some strict regime out under the sun.

Perhaps she could do this.  

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Rumors flew fast and furious in any pride and the Motoujamii were no different – majority of the time he paid little attention to the rumors, but today they held some meaning. Rumor had it that Roho, though perhaps not named in most cases, had made quite the life changing decision and had been spotted amongst cubs of all things. At first he decided against approaching, not for any reason besides worrying that his approach would negatively impact her change. He’d seen such things before between individuals. Where one recognized a positive change with reward only to see it negatively impact the one being rewarded – not that his presence was a reward.

It took Wook days to work up any form of courage and when he finally did he was rewarded immediately. The large, typical red firekin approached a casual scene of a lioness monitoring cubs as they wrestled about, playing. That had been enough of a confirmation for him. “Hello Roho.” He greeted, a large smile on his maw and eyes bright with joy. Without hesitation he joined her in the shade, not wanting to be out in the sun much longer than he had to.

“How are you?”

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

She turned an ear first, at his approach and voice, and couldn't help the brief flutter of a smile at it's familiarity. She owed this male. Apparently quiet words could be more powerful than a smack to the face.

A moment later, having tamed her expression back to indifference (old habits die hard) she turned to look at him as he settled in the shade beside her. She had not expected to bump into him any time soon, what with his presence mostly out on the borders on patrol, but to say that she was disappointed would have been a lie. Friends were a rare commodity and despite only conversing with him the once, she considered him as such.

"Well, thank you," she paused, thinking, "better."

"I wasn't expecting to see you again for a while. Everything okay, I hope?" She'd not heard any rumours about scuffles on the borders and he didn't appear injured. Ah, maybe it was something to do with the large number of new blood they had found down at the outpost. "How did the recruitment drive go?"

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

To be laying down was a gift in itself, he reveled in the moment and listened as she spoke with eyes closed and an ear turned attentively. When she finished speaking he opened his eyes, purple orbs moving to finally gaze in her direction once again. "Glad to hear." Wook smiled as he spoke.

"Oh nothing that I or any other guard can't handle." He mused, though of course he was blowing smoke. "In truth, there isn't much going on, not after the recruitment we recently had. The volumes of guards have perked up and so we are given shorter or more infrequent shifts." He looked away, gaze landing upon the cubs she had been monitoring. "Hopefully this means there is an opportunity to rise the ranks." His smile grew small now, not because the words made him feel small instead he seemed focused.

"So in my opinion, all of that to consider, I believe the recruitment went very well."

"So what have you been doing in your spare time?"

Of course he already knew, but he wanted to hear her talk about it and hoped that perhaps the recent opportunities to impress upon some cubs had done good things for her.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

She was glad that their military had been bolstered. New talent. New blood. The pride needed it if they were to continue to get stronger. She had no problems, of course, with the way they were drilled, but techniques could always be countered and it was nice to learn some new steps from an outsider of a different culture - though not all were so useful out in the desert. That got her to thinking how the Firekin would fight outside of their tricky terrain if they were to take the fight to the Nergui.

"All that free time," she smiled to herself, "what will you do with it?"

Then her head turned and she looked at him, taking a moment to admire how relaxed he looked. Just seeing him like that helped ease her further and she'd not been nearly as stressed today as she had been in the past. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you," she replied with a short laugh, "or maybe you would if you took into consideration that I thought long and hard of our previous conversation." She paused for a moment then, not sure quite how to word what she had been doing without sounding an idiot. "I...I decided to stop focusing on myself and my own anger for a while and...help others. The little ones. Apprentices, of sorts."

She paused again, turning her ears back in a sheepish expression, "it has been...worthwhile."

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

The smile she wore warmed his heart in a way he'd not readily admit, but of course his mouth had another idea. "Well, Roho, I will just have more time to bother you." To cover up such a sudden statement he gave a hearty chuckle and looked away, regarding the cubs again. "I can also continue with the idea of a possible promotion - seek out more opportunities and guide others, as you are." Wook remarked, eyes still on the cubs that couldn't seem to sit still.

"Everyone has to begin somewhere, you're giving them the chance at a very strong beginning." He meant that as a compliment, sure he hadn't had the time to see her in action or at least practicing to be in action, but her body gave away that she was well trained. Her last words before silence made the lion grin, a more dorky version of his original smile.

"You'd make a great teacher to some of the Guards themselves."

He finally took his gaze from the cubs, stealing a glance at Roho. "Some of the newer Guards need guidance, as I'm sure the other positions may need. The new members find themselves among elites and though they think that they may be at our level right away, they are not." Wook felt he was being honest, surely those individuals who found themselves part of the sand-dwellers pride would recognize such a thing as well. "Perhaps when you feel more comfortable with the idea you could give it a shot?"

Had their previous conversation gone differently he'd have probably not been so bold, but he had pushed back before so he didn't feel the need to hold back now. They were just ideas and words at this point, he left the rest to her.

Kimaria

 

[Kimaria]

"Bother me?" she replied, arching a brow, "then I suppose I better practise my stealth to better avoid you," she had meant it a joke but to her ears, it sounded a little too serious. She shook her head and smiled wider at his laughter.

Talk of promotions was much more in her comfort zone.

"We could do with some fresh blood in the higher ranks. With new regents it is only to be expected that they might try and shake up the rest. Some grow stale on their seats and change within the military can be a good thing - even if it is sometimes a cause for concern. The unknown can be a scary thing, after all." She'd never truly thought about trying for a promotion. She liked the grunt work. Liked being out on the front-lines, but, she supposed you could make the role what you wanted and middle-management had far better balance in the practical than those who sat up amongst the council.

"You should definitely go for promotion, Wook. You would be a good role model for young Firekin and rogues alike. I think you have found a good work-life balance...from what I see, anyway. And, with an abundance of new blood, there'll be a lot of Firekin to influence and steer in the right direction." He was easy to talk to, as well. His aura exuded calm and, in panic situations, such an ability would be priceless. Ha, if she had been a guard, she would have been more than happy to follow him into battle.

She met his gaze for a moment, considering. "The learning curve is steep, I remember it all too well. Some will have natural talent but others may not be suited at all. I...maybe...could offer some assistance, but you know what soldiers and guards are like. That age-old rivalry might have them plotting to take me down." She shifted against the sand and turned her eyes back out to the horizon. "Or try to, anyway." Her smile grew sly, "I very much doubt they would succeed."

She paused then, after some obvious hesitation she offered; "if you need some help to prepare for promotion, I would be more than happy to...if you...if you should need it." She cursed how unsure she sounded - it was not like her - and curled her forelegs tightly against her chest.

Mysses Greenie

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Wook found comfort in the way Roho had come about responding to his abruptness. Had she answered in any other way he'd have likely found himself in a very awkward position, but instead she had teased right back - though the tone was a touch more serious than a normal individual would expect, given their previous engagement he brushed that off.

"Don't get to good at it." He retorted.

Then the gears switched and he was greeted with full support from her in regards to aiming for a promotion - he couldn't have been happier. "I'm pleased to hear that it isn't so much a dream that will simply stay a dream." Wook stated with his seemingly never ending smile. Of course this was a dream, but one that he had been striving for to the best of his ability and based on what he was hearing it was beginning to show to others - not just him.

Soon their gaze met and he was gifted an opportunity to study her eyes. "You're right about the learning curve. Some are looking promising, but of course I haven't seen them all with my own eyes, I could be hoping for to much all to soon." It seemed he had put his foot in his mouth though, forgetting for a moment of her own rank and automatically including her alongside him with the guards. "You're right on both accounts." The red lion couldn't help a hearty laugh at her use of the word 'try'. "They'd have a hard time coming toe to toe against the mighty Roho." He mused, teasing her a little.

"You would?" His purple eyes, which had moved back to the cubs after their gaze had broken, was snapped back to Roho at her offered. They had widened slightly, but so had his grin. "Do you promise?" Wook narrowed his eyes playfully, attempting to break whatever tension she had begun to feel as he noticed her tighten up.

Kimaria

Sorry for the wait on this! <3

 

[Kimaria]

"Hard work and talent should be rewarded. The Firekin are full of fighters but just because one can best another in a duel does not make them a good leader," she blinked and looked at him carefully, "we need good leaders amongst the military. More than anything. Lions with a cool head who can steer the young into the right direction. In that, you fit the bill."

She turned her head away a moment, clearly thinking, and then with popping joints, got to her paws and stretched. When she looked back at Wook she was smiling a little. "That doesn't mean that you can't continue to improve. Everyone has a weakness, after all. I'll just need to find that and exploit it. An acceptable challenge, even for a soldier like me," her expression grew teasing, though in truth she did not expect to best him (not that she'd ever admit that out loud!)

"How about we make a start in the next few days? Come find me? Between here and the training grounds, I won't be too far."

The very idea was both exciting and nerve-wracking. Part of her was thrilled for the challenge and then another part of her was already trembling with anxiety. Her heart was already pounding and they weren't even in the ring yet.

Mysses Greenie

No worries m'dear <3

We can either end this with your next post or a last one from me. Then we can start a duel with them - either an official rolled one or an informal one - I don't mind which.

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

"Thank you." The words had set him into a warm, fond silence and the two words were merely to recognize she'd even spoken. Of course he knew eventually the day would come where he'd have the chance to promote and move up in the ranks, get somewhere, but when she spoke about it the whole thing seemed real, not in such a way that he was overwhelmed.. it just meant he had to start taking things a little more seriously when situations came up.

His eyes followed as she stood, stretched and rotated to look back at him - the fluidity of her movements were impressive (even with the popping). "You mean... I'm not perfect!?" A perfectly playful gasp followed his statement and he slowly began to crawl up into a standing position himself allowing joints to pop and eventually finishing with a rather relaxed look upon his face - a quick roll of his shoulders rounded things out just nicely. "I look forward to my perfect a** giving it a go against you, Roho." The words were out of his mouth before he could realize what he had said - fool. "I mean.. I'm perfect. Not my a**." A half giggle left him feeling vulnerable, which wasn't all that bad when the vulnerability was shown to her.

"See you soon then, don't forget to limber up." Wook was all smiles, even with his foolish almost schoolboy fuss over his previous words he had no concerns.

Kimaria

Fin~ 8D Derp-Wook at your service~