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In her sleep, it came again, as if insisting that it needed to be seen. She was not allowed to forget. The visions had no mercy as it took her swirling through landscapes and figures, familiar but she couldn't quite place it. How persistent it was, that even in rest Ruka could not escape her bloodline. If her visions were anything, they were a curse, a promise of pain and torment for a reward so little. Most of the visions never pertained to her. They were tragedies of the past or future, inflicted on those she would sometimes never come to actually meet.
How could she warn anyone when she could not even find them. It was a cruel joke, and as the vision began to replay its final shape she woke with a start, gasping for air.
Where... was she?
The day had drifted a little bit, but it had not been long since Ruka had passed out. Frantically she scoured her surroundings, trying to place herself back into reality. She looked to her side, and eyes widened as she noticed the form of male. Ruka sprang to her feet with youthful vigor, quickly turning to keep her back and blind spot from him. Her ears pressed flat to the back of her head, fur standing up along the spine of her back.
He was... familiar. "W-who?" she gasped out the inquiry, raising a paw to her head to try and clear her mind.
How could she warn anyone when she could not even find them. It was a cruel joke, and as the vision began to replay its final shape she woke with a start, gasping for air.
Where... was she?
The day had drifted a little bit, but it had not been long since Ruka had passed out. Frantically she scoured her surroundings, trying to place herself back into reality. She looked to her side, and eyes widened as she noticed the form of male. Ruka sprang to her feet with youthful vigor, quickly turning to keep her back and blind spot from him. Her ears pressed flat to the back of her head, fur standing up along the spine of her back.
He was... familiar. "W-who?" she gasped out the inquiry, raising a paw to her head to try and clear her mind.
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Ciro had watched as the lioness passed out. Whatever was plaguing her mind to cause the action must have terrible. The reaver could not remember the last he was in such pain to make him pass out. Still, he gave the lioness his word, and not one to go against it he stayed with her.
Hours passed, enough for the sun to move across the sky, casting more shadows on the ground. While one would think this the best opportunity to take advantage of a lioness, Ciro would never bring himself to do that. He enjoyed more willing partners. He stretched out a bit while the lioness rested, feeling the small pins in needs on his front paws. That was never a comfortable feeling.
He was shocked when the female jolted up.
"Oh, you're awake." He said casually, rising to his feet as his bones cracked from no use. "Are you feeling better? He watched her body language, making sure she would not collapse again. She seemed a bit more energetic than before.
"Do you remember what happened?" Ciro asked, avoiding the question of who for the time being.
Hours passed, enough for the sun to move across the sky, casting more shadows on the ground. While one would think this the best opportunity to take advantage of a lioness, Ciro would never bring himself to do that. He enjoyed more willing partners. He stretched out a bit while the lioness rested, feeling the small pins in needs on his front paws. That was never a comfortable feeling.
He was shocked when the female jolted up.
"Oh, you're awake." He said casually, rising to his feet as his bones cracked from no use. "Are you feeling better? He watched her body language, making sure she would not collapse again. She seemed a bit more energetic than before.
"Do you remember what happened?" Ciro asked, avoiding the question of who for the time being.
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She began to piece together what had happened to her, and the lion in front of her looked familiar enough that she could only assume he was the one who had insisted on helping her. Her mind hadn't exactly been sharp, nor her vision clear enough to get a good look at him until now. He was a handsome lion, but he was also a stranger, and she had no idea how long she had been out for and what had happened during that time.
Ruka did feel fine, however, for what it was worth. Reluctantly, she gave him the benefit of the doubt and eased out of her defensive posture. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... draining when it happens." She couldn't remember what she had told him before she passed out. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without all of the pieces there. "I should be able to manage well enough now, thank you."
His next question gave her pause. The pale lioness grimaced at the memory. "Yeah, it's coming back to me. Usually I don't pass out like that. I mean, there's a lot of 'usuals'..." This vision had behaved much more quickly than any in the past. She was starting to hope that this wasn't a trend, and that over time things wouldn't just get worse and worse. She couldn't survive anything worse than that.
"Don't feel obligated to stay and watch over me. I'll be well now."
Ruka did feel fine, however, for what it was worth. Reluctantly, she gave him the benefit of the doubt and eased out of her defensive posture. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... draining when it happens." She couldn't remember what she had told him before she passed out. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without all of the pieces there. "I should be able to manage well enough now, thank you."
His next question gave her pause. The pale lioness grimaced at the memory. "Yeah, it's coming back to me. Usually I don't pass out like that. I mean, there's a lot of 'usuals'..." This vision had behaved much more quickly than any in the past. She was starting to hope that this wasn't a trend, and that over time things wouldn't just get worse and worse. She couldn't survive anything worse than that.
"Don't feel obligated to stay and watch over me. I'll be well now."
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"Don't you ever worry there isn't someone around to help you if this...happens again." She had already said this was something that she'd experienced before.
"If you passed out this time what's to say it won't happen again? And then what if it's in the company of someone with ill intentions on their mind? Would you want to risk that?" Ciro asked, concerned for the other. "My name is Ciro," he finally introduced, wanting to give the white female every reason to trust him.
"You may be well now, but my concern is for the future for you." Ciro wasn't one to take thralls, but there was exceptions to everything. "I can provide you with safety, should this attack ever happen again." It was a bold move, not knowing the female and she not knowing him. However, he had just watched over her. Had that not been a reason enough to not trust him?
"That is, if you want." Ciro said with a mild shrug. "There may be someone in my pride that would be able to...assist you with these attacks." Maybe a drug or something to help prevent them, or something to ease the pain during the attack. He wanted to entice the other to come with him. Taking her against her will was out of the question.
"If you passed out this time what's to say it won't happen again? And then what if it's in the company of someone with ill intentions on their mind? Would you want to risk that?" Ciro asked, concerned for the other. "My name is Ciro," he finally introduced, wanting to give the white female every reason to trust him.
"You may be well now, but my concern is for the future for you." Ciro wasn't one to take thralls, but there was exceptions to everything. "I can provide you with safety, should this attack ever happen again." It was a bold move, not knowing the female and she not knowing him. However, he had just watched over her. Had that not been a reason enough to not trust him?
"That is, if you want." Ciro said with a mild shrug. "There may be someone in my pride that would be able to...assist you with these attacks." Maybe a drug or something to help prevent them, or something to ease the pain during the attack. He wanted to entice the other to come with him. Taking her against her will was out of the question.
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"It doesn't happen often enough that it's a constant threat. I always have managed to make it through," Ruka explained with a small shrug of her pale shoulders. Now that her body wasn't tormented by pain, it was clear that she was an elegant looking lioness. She carried herself well, and moved with certainty as she stepped back over towards him.
"Look, I appreciate the gesture of kindness..." There was a 'but' hanging in the air there. Ruka had come from the Outlands, a small, vengeful pride. Taking shelter in a pride was something she was wary of. Prides could come and go - Ruka always remained, however. "I am no damsel in distress. These things typically have warning signs, and I can hole up somewhere and ride out the waves of pain." They could last hours or days - never had it lasted as short as this one she had just experienced.
She stared at him with knowing eyes. There was more she would not tell him, more about the nature of these attacks. He would just think her crazy, and she would almost rather be thought of as ill instead. "Trust me, there is no remedy, and there is no way to ease the pain. I have tried, nothing dulls it." The visions truly were supernatural in nature. They hunted her down like she was prey, and there was no dodging them, no escaping them, and no way that she had found to ease the pain.
"It is my burden. Don't burden yourself with it, too. It'll just tear you up," and one life had already been hindered enough by it.
"Look, I appreciate the gesture of kindness..." There was a 'but' hanging in the air there. Ruka had come from the Outlands, a small, vengeful pride. Taking shelter in a pride was something she was wary of. Prides could come and go - Ruka always remained, however. "I am no damsel in distress. These things typically have warning signs, and I can hole up somewhere and ride out the waves of pain." They could last hours or days - never had it lasted as short as this one she had just experienced.
She stared at him with knowing eyes. There was more she would not tell him, more about the nature of these attacks. He would just think her crazy, and she would almost rather be thought of as ill instead. "Trust me, there is no remedy, and there is no way to ease the pain. I have tried, nothing dulls it." The visions truly were supernatural in nature. They hunted her down like she was prey, and there was no dodging them, no escaping them, and no way that she had found to ease the pain.
"It is my burden. Don't burden yourself with it, too. It'll just tear you up," and one life had already been hindered enough by it.
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"You'd rather ride that out alone, instead of being with someone to make sure you are alright afterwards?" Ciro continued to press. She looked like she could take care of herself after the episode had passed, but there was still the time that led up to the seizure like event and during it. And the aftermath? She said she normally holed herself up, but here she was in the middle of the rogue lands, with a stranger of a lion watching over her.
"I don't think of you as a damsel in distress. Just a..concerned by-passer who only wants what best for your well being." well, there was a little bit of truth in there, somewhere. There was something the lioness wasn't telling him, and the dark lion was not sure if he should continue to pry or now.
There was nothing to help ease them? He couldn't think she had tried everything under the sun to help them. The Stormborn were always raiding lands, sure they had come across particular herbs that the lioness had not tried.
Ciro frowned, knowing when and when not to push. He attempted once more.
He chuckled lightly. She considered this could be a burden for him? She had not met his previous company. "I'm a pretty tough lion," The dark lion started, quietly, approaching her cautiously. "I don't think this burden of yours could tear me up."
"I don't think of you as a damsel in distress. Just a..concerned by-passer who only wants what best for your well being." well, there was a little bit of truth in there, somewhere. There was something the lioness wasn't telling him, and the dark lion was not sure if he should continue to pry or now.
There was nothing to help ease them? He couldn't think she had tried everything under the sun to help them. The Stormborn were always raiding lands, sure they had come across particular herbs that the lioness had not tried.
Ciro frowned, knowing when and when not to push. He attempted once more.
He chuckled lightly. She considered this could be a burden for him? She had not met his previous company. "I'm a pretty tough lion," The dark lion started, quietly, approaching her cautiously. "I don't think this burden of yours could tear me up."
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"Yes," she answered earnestly. It was easier to ride out the pain alone. She didn't feel so vulnerable when there was no one around to witness her agony. The loneliness was something she had grown accustomed to, and after all this time she wasn't sure she was ready to embrace the idea of company again.
Why this lion cared so much about her safety was beyond her understanding. She was just a lone rogue female, there was little value to her, and so there was no reason for him to keep trying to take care of her. What honestly was in it for him? It was the skeptic in Ruka that made her doubt his intentions. She was wary still despite the fact that he had protected her.
She frowned at his approach, though held her ground as he closed the distance between them. Anxiously her tail curled back around her leg. Her gaze met his, knowing that it was the best way to divise his intentions. The eyes always spoke wonders when tongues would lie. "I don't doubt it, but I do not think you are lion enough for this. You have to be something beyond that," something more than just a strong male lion.
Ruka's head tuft was touseled by the wind, and she cast Ciro a wary, almost sad smile. "They say it's a gift from the gods, what I have. Does it really look like a gift to you?" A burden, an illness; that was all her visions were. She confided in him only because she believed he wouldn't assume her words were truth. They would cast him away, and then she wouldn't feel this pressure to take him up on his offers for safety and protection.
Why this lion cared so much about her safety was beyond her understanding. She was just a lone rogue female, there was little value to her, and so there was no reason for him to keep trying to take care of her. What honestly was in it for him? It was the skeptic in Ruka that made her doubt his intentions. She was wary still despite the fact that he had protected her.
She frowned at his approach, though held her ground as he closed the distance between them. Anxiously her tail curled back around her leg. Her gaze met his, knowing that it was the best way to divise his intentions. The eyes always spoke wonders when tongues would lie. "I don't doubt it, but I do not think you are lion enough for this. You have to be something beyond that," something more than just a strong male lion.
Ruka's head tuft was touseled by the wind, and she cast Ciro a wary, almost sad smile. "They say it's a gift from the gods, what I have. Does it really look like a gift to you?" A burden, an illness; that was all her visions were. She confided in him only because she believed he wouldn't assume her words were truth. They would cast him away, and then she wouldn't feel this pressure to take him up on his offers for safety and protection.
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Ouch. Not lion enough for this? That was an unintentional cold statement for Ciro to comprehend.
"What do you have to be, if not a strong lion?" Ciro inquired, ears flicking with interest.
A gift from the gods? This female must've not known much about the Stormborn, as one of their beliefs was that they were descended from the divine beings. Whether it was the God of War, Warriors, or even the Goddess of Conquest, Ciro too believed him to have one of their bloodlines coursing through his veins.
He contemplated her words. "It may not seem like a gift right now," he paused, gold meeting her deep crimson, " nor in the past, but perhaps there is something that this gift is trying to tell you. What is it that you focus on when this happens?" After the violent attack, her thrashing stopped and her eyes found a focal point. There was something there she saw, and Ciro wanted to bring it out of her.
She may have sounded a little bit crazy, but he would not let those words echo from his maw. Instead, he wanted the lioness to see he believed her.
"What is your name?" He finally asked. He had given hers previously, and thought to make their conversation a little bit more personal.
"What do you have to be, if not a strong lion?" Ciro inquired, ears flicking with interest.
A gift from the gods? This female must've not known much about the Stormborn, as one of their beliefs was that they were descended from the divine beings. Whether it was the God of War, Warriors, or even the Goddess of Conquest, Ciro too believed him to have one of their bloodlines coursing through his veins.
He contemplated her words. "It may not seem like a gift right now," he paused, gold meeting her deep crimson, " nor in the past, but perhaps there is something that this gift is trying to tell you. What is it that you focus on when this happens?" After the violent attack, her thrashing stopped and her eyes found a focal point. There was something there she saw, and Ciro wanted to bring it out of her.
She may have sounded a little bit crazy, but he would not let those words echo from his maw. Instead, he wanted the lioness to see he believed her.
"What is your name?" He finally asked. He had given hers previously, and thought to make their conversation a little bit more personal.
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"Something I haven't seen yet," Ruka answered softly. The reply was vague, but not intentionally so. She knew what she meant, and in time Ciro would as well. There had been no one yet who could stand by her and not be unaffected. It was cryptic, but true. She was far better off on her own, she could handle that more than companionship.
The lioness eased herself into sitting down, watching Ciro carefully as the lion pressed her a little bit. It was almost endearing that he thought he knew her 'gift' had a purpose. She wasn't sure there was any purpose to any of it. The visions she had never helped her to resolve them. How could she warn prides that had already fallen apart? Or how could she predict when something would happen when time seemed so hazy? "It is more of a curse than a gift," she explained.
Ruka had to take a moment to reach back into the crevices of her mind, digging the memory of her vision out by the roots. She scrunched her eyes shut, trying desperately to bring clarity to the vision. "It's usually not so muddled. I don't know what's wrong this time. Maybe you broke me out of it too soon. I always assumed the pain was the price I paid for what I saw. I didn't pay enough." She sounded distraught, because in that moment she realized it would come back.
It had to, it wasn't finished yet.
"Ruka. Ruka'sabili, formerly of the Outlands." She paused then, her gaze locking with his as she tried to determine how he felt about her. Did he trust her words and believe her? Or was this just a show to comfort a lioness who lost her sanity? "It is all right if you don't believe me, you don't have to humor me, Ciro." Honestly, she could no longer tell if he did or did not believe her.
The lioness eased herself into sitting down, watching Ciro carefully as the lion pressed her a little bit. It was almost endearing that he thought he knew her 'gift' had a purpose. She wasn't sure there was any purpose to any of it. The visions she had never helped her to resolve them. How could she warn prides that had already fallen apart? Or how could she predict when something would happen when time seemed so hazy? "It is more of a curse than a gift," she explained.
Ruka had to take a moment to reach back into the crevices of her mind, digging the memory of her vision out by the roots. She scrunched her eyes shut, trying desperately to bring clarity to the vision. "It's usually not so muddled. I don't know what's wrong this time. Maybe you broke me out of it too soon. I always assumed the pain was the price I paid for what I saw. I didn't pay enough." She sounded distraught, because in that moment she realized it would come back.
It had to, it wasn't finished yet.
"Ruka. Ruka'sabili, formerly of the Outlands." She paused then, her gaze locking with his as she tried to determine how he felt about her. Did he trust her words and believe her? Or was this just a show to comfort a lioness who lost her sanity? "It is all right if you don't believe me, you don't have to humor me, Ciro." Honestly, she could no longer tell if he did or did not believe her.
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"Well, Ruka," Ciro bobbed his head in a greeting. "I apologize for...interrupting you," he hoped that meant she would not get another bout of whatever had happened to her in the near future. Ciro had offered his assistance to her, but he would not press her. If she wanted to stay by herself, then he would not push her to go with him. It was her choice, and it seemed as if she had a clear mind of what she wanted.
"I have no reason not to believe what you have told me so far," he stated to her, taking a small step back. He had been away longer than he should have, and his captain was not the most kind of such actions. He'd bear it though - something about this lioness stuck with him.
"The offer still stands if you ever change your mind." His gaze met hers once more, to show truth in his words.
"But I must leave." He did not want to, but Ciro was a lion based on his career. He couldn't drop everything for a pretty face, no matter what he desired. "I bid you farewell, dear Ruka."
"I have no reason not to believe what you have told me so far," he stated to her, taking a small step back. He had been away longer than he should have, and his captain was not the most kind of such actions. He'd bear it though - something about this lioness stuck with him.
"The offer still stands if you ever change your mind." His gaze met hers once more, to show truth in his words.
"But I must leave." He did not want to, but Ciro was a lion based on his career. He couldn't drop everything for a pretty face, no matter what he desired. "I bid you farewell, dear Ruka."
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"If I see you again, perhaps I really will have to reconsider it," she replied with a small smile. The chances of running into the lion again were slim to none. While she appreciated the help he had offered her, it wasn't enough yet to convince her to remain in an area she was unfamiliar with. His pride was likely nearby, and if she wanted to avoid interaction with them, her best bet was to get moving.
"Farewell, then, Ciro. I do hope that I do not meet you again, in any capacity." The words could be mistaken as cruelty, harsh and unkind. But her intent was clear. She felt like the lion was better off away from her, and if she saw him in her visions she feared it would only mean disaster for him. Her visions were never tame, and always seemed to hold something catastrophic. Ruka did wish he would not get tangled up in her visions.
"Good luck in your adventures..." Something struck her then, and crimson eyes widened with realization. She glanced back to him for a brief moment, "And do be careful." With her warning given, the lioness turned around and began to head off in the opposite direction.
"Farewell, then, Ciro. I do hope that I do not meet you again, in any capacity." The words could be mistaken as cruelty, harsh and unkind. But her intent was clear. She felt like the lion was better off away from her, and if she saw him in her visions she feared it would only mean disaster for him. Her visions were never tame, and always seemed to hold something catastrophic. Ruka did wish he would not get tangled up in her visions.
"Good luck in your adventures..." Something struck her then, and crimson eyes widened with realization. She glanced back to him for a brief moment, "And do be careful." With her warning given, the lioness turned around and began to head off in the opposite direction.