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 Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:34 pm
There were times that Lazarus didn't know if his caplata was intentionally being difficult or honestly needed such exotic materials. He didn't know. He wouldn't ask. He remained curious. It was a terrible circle of thought that kept him occupied for much of his long walk. It was typical for him to vanish for days, even weeks. He haunted the boarder of his homeland and with his niece grown, he lived in his hollow alone once more. Only when he was called on did the silent lion return and then following her orders he would be spirited away once more.
His tasks were getting harder and harder. Some pesepte were fortunate enough to have more...local tasks. Hyena teeth, fur, and bone didn't come easily. He had walked for days to find those materials. Fish bones were another hard find. Rivers often swept them away. Lakes, on the other hand, were known to have the unfortunate animals wash up or get caught in the shallows once they went belly up. Regardless, it was a long walk and Lazarus was growing weary. He managed to pick at corpses after driving the buzzards away, he'd caught himself a total of three hares, and had filled his aching belly with water to deal with the gnawing ache of hunger.
He'd found a small stream running from a lake in the distance to cool his paws in. The satchel he carried on his rump was cumbersome after several dasy' walk and his paws ached terribly from the various terrains that he was forced to cross to find the materials he needed. Just on a whim, he picked up a few seeds, flowers, and bits from his meals to keep his mistress' den stocked up on said supplies. It would save him a walk later.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:39 pm
 Turisas was ready to murder something. He'd been pursuing Nadja for absolute ages it seemed, and although she was perfectly receptive to his flirting, if he tried to push it any further she stopped being fun and games and switched right into scary poison mistress. The reaver was very, very frustrated in many ways.
It had occurred to him that maybe she was mad he hadn't congratulated her on winning her challenge and becoming a priestess without having to kill anyone, but he'd not been sure that she would be proud of that. She'd broken a really creepy but sensible family tradition by doing so. Turisas wouldn't have wanted to talk about it, if he'd been her.
Maybe if he brought her a gift. A nice thrall. Someone she could test her poisons and whatnot on. That might make her more inclined to let him get closer to her. Yes. That was what he would do. And lo! There was a lion collecting flowery bits. Nadja used plant bits, too. This was perfect. Turisas dropped into a crouch and began stalking.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:46 pm
He lifted a paw from the water and inspected what had gathered there. Bits of broken stems, small pebbles, and of course- the smell of water. Wrinkling his nose he dipped his paw back into the stream and rolled his head back, dull eyes focused on nothing in particular. The lion had a strange look about him. Distant, uncaring, detached. He was small in stature, thin as a lath, and about as intimidating as a baby hare.
But he was about as watchful.
He felt, more than saw or smelled, eyes on him. Frowning, he sat himself up and turned his head. Ears rolled forward as he listened and waited. Perhaps another lion... perhaps a leopard. Perhaps Takis' spirit had come to chew on the back of his mind. It could have been any of them.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:51 pm
It amazed Turisas how much attention the striped brown lion wasn't paying to his surroundings. A lone lion of such diminutive size in these parts ought to be quivering like a leaf just because of his location. He ought to be testing the wind for warning of dangerous lions like, well, Turisas.
At last Turisas finally got the impression that his approach had been noticed, at which point he gave up all pretense of stalking and began striding confidently toward the future thrall. Turisas was confident in his ability to menace, and he was wearing his best menacing face. He would have liked to be violent, but he didn't want Nadja to comment on the condition of her new thrall, so he'd be trying to do this through sheer intimidation.
"You," he growled. "Come here."
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:08 pm
The lion stared, unsurprised and unimpressed. Perhaps he wasn't all there mentally or perhaps he half expected something to happen. It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened really. There were rainstorms, floods, and fires after all. A rogue in these parts wasn't exactly a shocker. Then again...the male smelled of other lions. A pride? Mentally, Laz reminded himself to be a little more careful in regards to border markers. He'd not seen any...but then again he hadn't been looking. His quarry was lower to the ground and far more smelly.
The lion rose up to his feet, shook off his paws, then took a few steps closer. Rather than inquiring outright he raised a brow and tightened his jaw.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:16 pm
Turisas' tail lashed irritably and he showed the slight lion his teeth. The idiot was supposed to be afraid of him, not staring at him impassively and waiting for him to do something. Maybe there was something wrong with him mentally, and the plant gathering was just an example of crazy, rather than proof that the lion knew anything about plants.
No. Turisas would not accept that. He was convinced this would be the perfect thrall to present to Nadja. No amount of acting stupid would change his mind.
"I can't decide if you're stupid or just dumb," Turisas growled, and then chuckled at his joke. He rarely made plays on words, not being much of a linguist other than the ability to speak the Stormborn dialect and the common language understood by all the beasts. He would have to remember that one for later. Nadja would surely be impressed.
"I'm a reaver in the Stormborn," he informed the silent lion as he watched for signs that he would attempt to flee. "You'll be coming back to my pride with me."
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:26 pm
Stupid or dumb? They were the same thing. Lazarus' blank became critical as the lion chuckled. Perhaps he thought himself funny. Maybe he realized he'd just repeated himself. Whatever. He watched the lion and took a slow look just behind the male. No one. Her was alone at least. No witnesses to that one. Perhaps they were both fortunate, he could go on pretending that neither of them had been insulted.
Looking back to the male he stared again. A reaver? Stormborn? Neither word had any meaning to him and he showed it with a flick of confusion in his expression. Leaning his head to the side he studied the male. He was big. Built like a tree trunk and likely just as solid. He'd be broken over the male's paw if he decided to ignore him.
The news, command? Was met with a narrowing of the male's eyes and a slow look over one shoulder. But... he had a pride.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:32 pm
Stupid. Right, then. Turisas could handle stupid. Perhaps he could impress Nadja with the thrall's docility and silence. Those were desirable traits, right? They were in a female thrall, but this lion wasn't a female even if he was small.
That throught gave Turisas pause. Maybe he shouldn't bring Nadja a male thrall. What if she used him like a freeborn might use a female thrall? Turisas would be furious if that where the case. But then, this was a very slender lion, and Nadja didn't like slender lions. She liked meaty, manly ones like Turisas.
"I wasn't asking," Turisas pointed out. "If you like I can move on from telling to threatening, but after threatening comes hurting, and I don't think you'll enjoy that at all, so let's not start that progression, hm?"
He smiled with a lot of teeth.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:47 pm
Threatening. Not pleasant.
Hurting. Even less pleasant.
Lazarus gave the stranger another slow inspection, his eyes shifting from a dull inquiry to something a little more tactful. He was large. Strong. And likely backed up his threats with those paws of his. Lazarus could run, of course, but this was strange territory. Running would only do him so much good...and he didn't know if this male was swift or what kind of endurance he carried. On Lazarus' part, he was quick enough. He could lope for a good long while but he'd never had to outright run for a long span of time. He made a point to avoid too much motion in fact.
Sighing, he took another step forward and motioned for the male to lead the way. He wasn't even sure where they were going. Stupid. Right. If he was supposed to go somewhere, the male should have given him some directions or landmarks to go by.
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Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:20 pm
Huh. That was easy. Turisas hadn't even had to do anything overtly terrifying. That was actually a little disappointing. The reaver had been hoping for an excuse to commit a bit of the old ultraviolence to relieve his frustrations. Well, perhaps with this gift he could relieve his frustrations with the priestess who was frustrating him, he thought optimistically.
Turisas grunted at the other male's gesture for him to lead the way. Such pretty manners. Nadja would definitely like this one. but not too much. Not enough for him to be competition for Turisas. She would appreciate him. There. That was the right word. Turisas was trying to improve his vocabulary so he'd sound smarter when he spoke to Nadja.
And now...back to the Stormborn!
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