[JRP Aim Log] A New Story (Nayla and Ruko)

[stella cinere]

Ruko was stretched out in a lovely patch of sunshine. The days had been mellow, though he was told they'd get very hot soon. He didn't mind the heat most of the time, at least not when he was without a fever. The warmth helped his joints not to ache so very much. The flowers were thick in the fields, and he and his siblings had come out under the watchful eye of the minders to play. He was laying deep in a bed of tiny yellow flowers, staring up at the clouds dreamily.  

[stella cinere]

Nayla peered around looking for something of interest, she had heard her mother mentioned that she was short on a certain type of plant and the small cub wanted to do nothing but help her by bringing her some back. Yet she wasn't sure exactly what it was, nor what it really looked like she just assumed that when she saw it she would know, yet Nayla's hopes were proofing to be harder than she had thought. Disgruntled the small cub looked at the sky noting that there were very few clouds drifting in the breeze high above, instead there was nothing but bright sunshine filling the place. Looking back, she spotted in the corner of her eyes something yellow covering the ground.

"Maybe that's it!" She cried happily as she moved as in a bit of a half run half walk movement.  

[stella cinere]

He rolled onto his back and waved his paws in the air, and began speaking aloud. "There once was a cub who was very sick. His mother wept and his father paced, but it could not be helped. Every time the cub touched the ground, he cried out in pain. Being carried did not hurt, though, so his parents learned to balance him on their backs, or to nestle him in a sling." He paused and stared up into the brilliant blue, gaze defocused as his mind laid out the details of this particular tale. He was unaware of anyone approaching, lost in his own little world of imagination and invention. "But the older he got, the harder it was to carry him. Soon his parents could no longer carry the cub, and his days were filled with pain. What was to be done? Ah, but all was not lost!" He waved one paw dramatically to emphasize the hope he was about to impart.  

[stella cinere]

As Nayla approached the flowers only to find that they were rather occupied by someone else, another cub who seemed to be off in his own world and didn't appear to notice her. She stopped opening her mouth to say something but as soon as she did he started to speak however it wasn't a greeting. It was a story, and interesting one at that, furrowing her brows (imitating what she had seen from older lions) she had to decide if she wanted to hear the rest of the story or if she wanted to go ahead and study the flowers to see if they were the right one. Yet even though she knew her mother needed them she could wait she guess. She couldn't help it but something about the cub's story seemed interesting, she only hoped he would finish it before noticing her.  

[stella cinere]

He had caught sight of a flicker of motion beyond the screen of flowers, but he didn't acknowledge it. He was used to audiences of all kinds, including ones that stayed quietly in the background to listen. He figured if whomever it was wanted him to stop, they'd say something or leave him to his weird ways. But since neither happened, he continued, though he did add some ebellishment now that he knew someone was listening.

"A wizened old hyena suddenly showed up at the den's entrance one wind-torn day," he took up the tale again with relish. "He was a pale grey, with wispy fur that made him look almost see-through. The parents of the cub stared at him in fright at first, even though they were so much bigger than he. They were afraid he was.... A GHOST!" He sat bolt upright, ignoring the sharp twinge his back and hips gave him for the abrupt motion. His eyes pinned the other cub he now saw nearby listening. But his expression, despite his words, was open and friendly, eyes twinkling with welcome and merriness. "Whether he was or not, noone ever found out, but he had brought a gift for the poor, painful cub." His smile invited her to stay and listen, to participate via reaction to his story.
 

[stella cinere]

"EEEEPPP!" Nayla cried as the other cub bolted up, she had almost tumbled onto her back has she attempted to bolt rather quickly however she had managed to trip over her own paws instead of getting away. She hadn't realized he noticed that she had been there listening causing her to be even more shocked then by the initial movement. She laid down in the grass as she tried to settle herself down, taking in a few deep breathes and releasing them slowly she got her heart to stop beating as if were in her head instead of her chest. Giving him a nod a bit of meek smile of her own to reassure him she was ok and wanted to hear more. She had little to no intention of leaving yet not when she had to know what this ghost of a hyena was going to give to help out the cub.  

[stella cinere]

"The cub's parents could only watch in fear as the ghostly hyena limped towards their writhing child," he went on, beaming at his new friend that wanted to hear more. "Frozen in horror they held their breath as he leaned close," Ruko leaned forwards, towards the little female. "A raspy voice emerged from the strange creature.... 'You must take this,' the hyena grated, his voice echoing weirdly. 'Swallow it and the ground will no longer pain you.' With those words, the mysterious hyena hacked, coughed, and spat out a bedraggled feather." Ruko made the appropriate noises, gagging and hacking, though carefully so as not to rock his body too much. He then stared at the ground as if looking with disgust upon the hacked-up feather. He flicked his glance up at his companion in amazement, inviting her to pretend with him that they could both see the repulsive thing.
 

[stella cinere]

Nayla was wide eye as the cub leaned a little forward towards failing to realize that she herself was leaning more towards him hanging on each of his words. She could imagine the raspy voice of the hyena speaking to the lion as he started to speak, and then when he started to hack and cough she was a little worried. She was afraid maybe he was really choking on something that maybe he was really going to hurt himself until he glanced back up at her. She only caught it for a brief moment as she was still peering at the ground as if he had really coughed up the feather right in front of her. Argh this story was so interesting! She had forgotten completely about the plants she was looking for but oh well she was sure her mother wouldn't mind.  

[stella cinere]

Ruko grinned at her and then went on with his story. "The parents started to protest, but the cub did not hesitate. He gulped that yucky feather right down without even making a face." He dove his own muzzle towards the ground and snapped his teeth shut and gulped audibly, thankfully not managing to get any dirt or grass in his mouth. "The hyena began to laugh, all high-pitched and creepy," he continued, his voice low and mysterious. "The laugh echoed and echoed, making it sound like a whole pack of hyenas, but meanwhile, something amazing was happening." He leaned closer to the other cub, eyes wide and pupils dialated excitedly. "The cub... began to float." He slowly raised one paw, then the other, rocking slowly back on his hind legs. He tried to hide the tremor of weariness this caused him. He didn't want his sickness to ruin the moment, to ruin the story. Even so, he soon had to let his paws drop back to the ground. "Soon he wasn't touching the ground at all, pain free for the first time!" He gave an excited wiggle of his hindquarters with a huge grin, but immediately sobered, as if something was going to happen soon that wasn't so happy.
 

[stella cinere]

Nayla didn't notice the pain the cub was in or how tired he was when he raised paw she was far too engrossed into the story to notice and merely assumed everything was just part of his act in the story. She peered wide eyed as she tried to imagine the cub floating much like his paw, what would have been like to be able float anyways? She had to admit there was a good chance that she wouldn't have been quite as bold to eat the feather so there was a good chance she would never float if she encountered such occasion.

She gave him a grin in return, everything was going to be ok right? But then the expression he bore afterwards struck a bit of fear in her, was the cub going to die? Was that the reason of the feather was that the cub had to lose his life to escape the pain? Knotting her brows she waited patiently not wanting to interrupt what was going to happen next.  

[stella cinere]

"So the cub kept floating upwards," he continued soberly, "unti he bumped into the roof of the den. His parents were too flabbergasted, "he relished the word, "at their floating son to notice that the hyena had disappeared when noone was looking." He cast a sly look left and right, as if perhaps the hyena had snuck away, or that perhaps there was more to his 'disappearing' than just leaving the den. "At first there was much joy at the cub's incredible rescue, but it would not last. Even as a celebration began in the den, the cub began to bump along the roof towards the den's entrance." He turned his eyes upward, nodding his head slowly as if watching the cub as he bounced along the roof. "His mother was the first to realize the danger, and she cried out a warning, but it was too late. He gave a last bounce and was free! Out in the open air, beneath the endless sky, unhurt by the ground beneath him." He gazed upwards mournfully, despite the apparent joy of the words themselves. He paused and gave his companion a long look. "Do you know why his mother didn't want him to do that?" he addressed her for the first time with a question.
 

[stella cinere]

Nayla was startled by the question he asked her she wasn't prepared to have to answer a question however she furrowed her brows as she thought about it. He kept bumping along the roof of the cave and then out into the sky without any pain how could that be bad? So far to her it seemed like a rather good idea that he was floating along but then a realization dawned on her, if he kept floating along the ceiling of the cave and out into the sky would he keep on floating? Would he just keep floating further and further into the sky, higher and higher would he reach the clouds and the stars? She didn't think being able to touch clouds were a bad thing however never being able to get back home, not to be able to see even her own mother seemed more or less a depressing thought.

"It's because he was going to float away from her wasn't it," she said in a rather meek voice hoping that it wasn't the end of the story.  

[stella cinere]

He nodded in somber agreement. "Yes, she knew if he left the cave, she'd never see him again." He took a deep, sad breath before continuing. "Everyone rushed outside to see their growing boy, dear son, beloved cub floating further and further into the sky. Though they wept and wailed, they could see that his head was turned upwards rather than down, looking into the bright blue sky." He nodded his head a few times, looking upwards, then bowed his head. "His mother knew, though, that her boy would become lonely, bobbing along up there all alone. So she prayed and prayed to the gods of sky and cloud, and begged them to look after her son, and to keep him company on the long lonesome nights." He was definitely wearing out now. His shoulders were sagging, and he was speaking with less animation. It seemed he'd reached the end of his ability, but the tale was not yet finished... almost, but not quite. "The gods of sky and cloud took pity upon the mother and cub, and sent the clouds to keep him company. They grouped together like flocks of birds, chattering to him through the day, and cradled him as he slept through the nights. So when you see a cloud go across the moon, ghostly and looking like it's so very close... wave! The cub might just be close enough to see your friendly face and might take comfort in being remembered." With that, he sank to the ground, exhausted but content. A good story told was like food to him, something he savored, especially with an excellent audience!
 

[stella cinere]

Well at least he wasn't alone if the gods were looking out for him and sending clouds that could keep him company, yet she couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the cub and the mother. She wasn't sure if the story was really true or not but it did give her something to think about at night when she saw a cluster of clouds floating along.

Giving him a smile she replied, "thank you for the story! Errr and I'm sorry that I just intruded on you when you started but it was rather interesting and I'm glad you finished it instead of shooing me away. Do you like to tell stories a lot?"

She seemed to not noticed that he had sunk to the ground due to exhaustion she merely assumed it was part of the end of the story.

"I'm Nayla by the way, I'm a little new here," she replied not wanting to make herself seem rude in not telling her name.  

[stella cinere]

He smiled at her, pleased beyond words that she liked his story. "Stories can be fun when I'm by myself, but are always better when I share them," he explained amiably. "My name is Ruko, and I do like to tell stories." He nodded, then paused. "I do mean stories and not lies. Lies are bad things, and my daddy has taught me better than that." He spoke stoutly of his father, determined not to cast a bad light on his amazing parent. "It's awfully nice to meet you, Nayla. You make a fun audience." He grinned again, slightly lopsidedly and with a touch of weariness, but no less enthusiastic for it. "There are lots of my sibs around to play with, if you like," he offered generously, "but right now I'm too tired to play or tell any more stories." He tone was very apologetic, for he truly felt bad that he was going to have made a friend only to abandon her to a nap now. "They make good playmates, though, I promise!"