|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:38 pm
 Pur had just returned to her den from dropping Brigh back off with Finna. Things were a little complicated since the tiny cub came into the world, but they were working themselves out in the end. One of the priestesses (or at least Pur thought she was a priestess) managed to scrounge up something for Pur to give to Brigh to chew on after she had a vision that would quell her stomach and keep the poor babe from vomiting up breakfast, lunch or dinner and Pur was quite thankful for it.
Still... it was a short-lived victory. Finna was still upset about Erryk, and Ombra was still nowhere to be seen. Pur still needed to claim Chayah and Kifuani to remove them from thralldom and she was worried about the state of her own family. She saw each of them becoming more and more like those within the pride and it made her stomach turn. She didn't want her children and grandchildren being like those in the pride. They were brutes and many hurt for sport, and broke families and homes. What good were most of them?
Plopping down on the piles of leaves and hides, Pur rubbed her face into the bristly fur attached to the hide. She was tired, and while she had grandcubs to attend to in an attempt to keep her mind off things, she couldn't help coming back to the fact that her family was oddly fractured and there wasn't anything she could really do to fix it.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:46 pm
 Herryk was very, very troubled. It was not such an easy thing, being a grandpa. It was especially not easy because his wayward daughters were making things incredibly difficult on him. First Klona, and then Finna, and he had no idea where Ombra was, and the only thing that was keeping him at least marginally sane was Pur. Pur and his grandcubs - even Klona's cubs. He'd tried not to love them, but he was a family lion and his family was the only constant in his life. And, despite Njal's blood that ran thick in the veins of his precious grandcubs, Herryk loved them. Most of them. It was hard to look at Vidar sometimes, but the adolescent couldn't be blamed. He was a little standoffish and distant, and Herryk hoped the Gods would help guide him. Exhaustion was heavy on Herryk's shoulders as he made his way to the den he shared with his wife, and it was surprising to see her. He nuzzled her cheek with his nose before settling down next to her. "You look troubled, wife. Tell your husband what plagues your thoughts."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:07 pm
Pur felt Herryk's nose before she heard his voice, but it was still very comforting for him to be there. She sighed heavily into the furs, and turned her head towards him, pale eyes looking you sadly and mumbled.
"I want to throw Erryk off a cliff."
She didn't really want to throw Erryk off a cliff, because that just wasn't in her nature to do so. Even having gone through everything she did with her mother, Aesir's defeat, their banishment, and the loss of time with some of her children Pur was still not the type who could actively wish harm to come to others. It didn't mean she didn't hate, or feel hatred, but she just couldn't bring herself to be that cruel.
"He's nothing more than a huffy boy-cub and he's hurting Finna and missing out on wonderful cubs," She sniffed, her brows furrowing as she buried her head back into the furs and muttered, "It's not fair to them. He's infuriating."
She paused for a moment before she turned back to Herryk, brows still furrowed but this time with worry and not anger, "...Ombra is still missing. No one's seen her. She's been missing for so long... What if something happened?"
Pur didn't like thinking of that possibility. That something had happened to Ombra and that there would be no coming back. Pur had seen many things about her children. The births of their cubs, parts of their lives she was not in attendance for, but never did she see any of them dead. Maybe in a bit of trouble, but never hurt, or wounded. She didn't want there to come a time where she would, either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:35 pm
Herryk merely sighed softly and thought about how he'd like to throw all of the males in the pride off of a cliff. Except his own sons and nephews and such. They were good boys, and besides, it was easier to ignore the terrible things that his sons did because they were boys.
Which... might have been a little hypocritical but Herryk didn't ruminate too long on the matter.
"They are wonderful cubs, yes, but perhaps they are better off without a father like that in their lives. The cubs are well-loved. Finna is a fine lioness, and I hope that someday she can find a male that understands and appreciates her." He did not make mention of Klona, because Klona was a lioness that only a father could love, or someone as patient as Herryk was.
"And Ombra." It had been too long since Herryk had seen his dark daughter, and he let out a low grunt. "I have not seen her for some time, but I do not think she is dead. I do not think anything has happened. As her father, I would know."
He tried to sound as convincing as possible.
"Our family will be together soon, wife. I feel it deep in my bones."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:26 pm
"Promise?" Pur asked, before scooting herself closer to Herryk.
She smiled sadly, looking down at her own stomach and patted it slowly, "I would like them all home. It's been so long since they were all here...and they used to be so small."
She looked back up to Herryk her smile a little less sad and managed to croak out a laugh, "I was so fat with them. By the end I could only waddle. But we were so happy. Just like I saw."
She beamed at the thought of their children's birth and the events that lead up to it. Sometimes she still thought that it would be a dream and she'd wake up alone back underneath all the stars, but her eyes open and there was Herryk. He was always there.
"Remember when you ran from me?" She teased, poking her nose against him with a grin, "I almost thought you were never coming back, but you did. Again and again. And one day you called me wife, and I was so happy... I am still happy. I am happiest when I'm with you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:06 pm
"I promise," was all Herryk could say, because he longed to see his Pur happy again. He, too, could remember when his babies were all babies, and they'd grown so fast. He hardly saw them these days, aside from Finna and Klona. Skogund was lurking about somewhere, Burzum as well. It did not bother him so much that the boys were off doing what boys did - but he always worried for his daughters.
"I remember," he chuckled gruffly, shaking his head. "It was not one of my prouder moments. I was not very smart, but I have learned to accept things as best I can. I am glad I did not run from you forever. I have never known happiness like I have with you," Herryk nuzzled Pur's cheek.
He would not terribly mind being a father again. For all of their mistakes, Herryk strongly believed that he was a good father, and there was no mother with more love to give than Pur.
"I will never leave you," Herryk added, though he knew he did not need to speak the words.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 7:35 pm
Pur smiled and nuzzled Herryk back, enjoying the small moment of peace in their otherwise troubled lives. Even in their darkest times, he was there for her and was patient with her when her own patience or will had faltered. Out of all the gifts she had been given since she came to this pride, it was him that meant the most to her.
"And I will never leave you," She murmured, sweetly as she gave him a quick nuzzle back and kissed his cheek.
"Home feels like home again," Pur mused, settling into the bedding tiredly. "Even with how much things have changed. The forest still feels the same. Like it didn't even notice. I think that's one of the things I like best about it."
"Speaking of forests," Pur said, glancing back up at Herryk with a sort of expectancy, "Finna's brood are already trying to climb up the tree roots. They keep asking me to show them, but I'm no good of a teacher. It took me forever to learn, and I had you and Odd occasionally showing me. Maybe you could teach them, husband."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 5:55 pm
"The forest will always be the same," Herryk chuckled softly. "It is the one constant in our lives, I think. Even when it changes it will always be the same. Our family is strong like the trees that have taken root here." He was silent as he curled up next to Pur with a low, content sound. "I will see to them tomorrow. If Skogund were around, he could show them. Our son is quite the accomplished tree climber." She was, and always would be, the very center of his world. If Pur was hurting, Herryk would do whatever he could in order to fix it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 6:42 pm
"He is," Pur smiled albeit a bit sadly.
All her children were grown, and now some of her grandchildren were grown. Perhaps it was time for them to try again. Hopefully, this time, there would be no unpleasantly surprises that would uproot their family and tear them apart. Pur and Herryk had done their best with the situation presented to them. Even when Pur was at her worst dealing with everything, Herryk was still there keeping the rest of them together and strong in ways she was simply not capable of at the time.
"I've been thinking," Pur said, starring down at her stomach before looking back to her husband, "Maybe we can try for another litter, if you are up for it. Klona's brood is grown, and Finna doesn't need our help like Klona did. Maybe this quiet is our chance for another little brood of our own."
Pur watched Herryk for a reaction to her proposal. Quiet times were things to take advantage of, whether they came about to anything or not. And she felt like Herryk and her deserved another chance to raise cubs in the way they had wanted, without the turmoil and danger attached to it. A peaceful time where they could be more lenient with their children and less paranoid about whoever found them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 8:43 pm
Herryk had been terrified of being a father when he'd first met Pur. Well, terrified was a stretch, but he was worried. Being a father had stressed him out, because he loved all of his cubs so dearly. And he loved his wife, as well - and Pur was a fantastic mother, always had been. His first litter hadn't turned out so badly. He could say, without a shadow of doubt, that he was proud of how they'd all turned out -- even though he could easily say that every white hair on his head was because of each of them, in their own right. Herryk was older now, more prepared and pretty well-versed in being a good father. When Pur spoke of having another litter, he could not help but give a small smile and a nod. "The pride is peaceful, as well - or as peaceful as it can be, I suppose." He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. "I would like to see you fat with my cubs once more, wife," Herryk grinned softly as he fell silent. Yes, it would be nice to see her fat with his cubs again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
