[PRP] A Heart at Home (Vigo, Cor)

[Talencia]

Vigo heaved a deep sigh. He had come home empty-pawed this time, and it dragged at his spirit. Somehow it felt as if he was not doing his duty, nor making up for his mistakes, if he returned without cubs to help the pride grow stronger. It wasn't that he felt especially tired, but his heart felt heavy. It was a strange experience to be home-sick, for this was why he had returned. Oddly enough, the life-long rogue now couldn't stand to be away for very long periods of time. At least, he didn't want to. If he did manage to convince a female to bear him cubs, obviously he'd remain with her for as long as he was needed before returning with the cubs. But without that to hold him in the open expanses of unclaimed territory, he eventually felt himself pulled back home.

Home. He glanced around as he padded into the den areas, noting small changes, seeing new faces, wondering about those he'd not see again in this lifetime. Who had they lost while he'd been gone this time? That made his heart sink further, so he firmly changed his attitude. Had any of the females had cubs while he was gone? He'd have to go look. Perhaps one of them might like some of the baubles he carried with him.

He patted the lumpy sack strapped around him. He'd made a habit of stopping to look at the wares of any merchant he met, gathering pretty things to offer the lionesses he met as a token of his esteem. None of them were really worth all that much unto themselves, but he hoped that they might bring some goodwill towards him if he had such a thing to offer.

Being a newer member, his den was towards the outer edge of the area, newly dug and prepared. He had had the opportunity to take a den vacated by the death of its previous owner, but that had somehow felt wrong to the big red and black lion. So he'd opted for something newer. It also gave him an excuse to pad through the more populated areas and greet those he saw. Any small thing to make the lives of those around him better seemed to ease the stain from his soul.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Always something of a drama queen at heart, Cor Oxidat's self-imposed isolation sometimes wore on her. Very few people had seemed to notice that the bard lioness had virtually withdrawn from the pride, spending almost all of her time alone watching the borders and the comings and goings there, hoping not to see a particular rogue lion. The fact that nobody had ever come looking for her, not once irritated her enough that she couldn't sink completely into despair and misery. How could they not care?!

She couldn't spend all of her time on the borders though. She had to eat, and she felt too weak many days to hunt for herself, so she had to return to her den from time to time. It was on her way back from a solitary and unenthusiastic meal that she noticed the return of an unfairly vital lion. She didn't know his name, but her mind immediately made up a name and entire history for him. She had stopped telling stories to others, but she couldn't help coming up with them.

A dip in the land tripped her up as she was staring rudely at the healthy lion and she went down in an embarrassed heap. Without thinking she immediately asked, "Did anybody else see that snake?"  

[Talencia]

He had unwittingly not noticed the dark lioness nearby, his mind on what trinkets the cubs might make use of, and which were better to keep to take on his next trip. Her words, however, caught his attention. He turned to see her sprawled in a heap along a nearby walkway. Concerned, and also stifling his first instinct to appraise her prettiness, he broke into a lope to reach her quickly. "Snake?" he asked glancing around. "I'm afraid I didn't. Here, let me help you up."

He did so gently, giving her a warm smile. "I don't think we've met yet," he said, ignoring the dust that now marred her coat. It wasn't a matter of his not wanting to see it, but he didn't want her to be embarrassed. "My name is Vigo. I'm sort of new here," he added, tipping his head back and forth to indicate he wasn't brand-spanking new, but new enough not to know everyone. "Are you hurt?" Without thinking, he had already put on his solicitous demeanor that he used with rogue females. Truth be told, he wasn't sure anymore how to treat lovely ladies. He feared overstepping his bounds once more, worried that he'd mistreat them somehow in his admiration for their natural beauty. He was still a work in progress, to say the least!  

[Princess_Feylin]

Sometimes the lies just happened. Like the snake thing. It had been a long time since someone paid Cor the attention her personality and ego demanded. Trying to be invisible as she had for the past while went against the grain. Hence, she supposed, the outburst about a fictitious snake. She wanted to beat her head against a rock for the stupidity.

"Perhaps it wasn't a snake. I wasn't looking where I was going," Cor amended, accepting the lion's aid in regaining her feet. She was not usually a clumsy lioness, although she had never been considered particularly graceful either. On her feet Cor offered a rusty smile. "I'm fine."

"I'm Cor Oxidat. It's nice to meet you, Vigo. How new is sort of new?" she asked, hoping to turn the conversation away from her. She did not want to be a person of interest to anyone, she reminded herself even as she was unconsciously thrilled to have been noticed. She couldn't help it, even knowing it was exactly wrong for her.  

[Talencia]

He nodded in solemn understanding. "Perhaps it was a tree root," he offered kindly, despite the lack of trees nearby. "I'm glad you aren't hurt, though." He pondered how best to answer her question. He really didn't need to tell her his life story, though it certainly was relevant to why and how he was new. He rolled his shoulders in a kind of shrug and looked vaguely sheepish. It gave his face a boyish look, despite being long, long past his cubhood.

"I am new enough to not have met you yet, Cor Oxidat," he responded with charm finally, "but not so new that I do not know the ways of the pride." He had meant to leave it at that, but amended his decision. "I haven't been spending much time in the pride's lands," he admitted, "so even though I've been a member for a bit, I feel like such a newcomer most of the time." He gave her a regretful sort of look that changed to one of interest. "How long have you been in the pride?"  

[Princess_Feylin]

"Probably," Cor agreed, happy to have the subject brought to a satisfactory close without too much discussion but also sad for much the same reason.

She watched him decide what to say and did her very best not to notice that he was a good-looking lion, past youth but undeniably attractive nevertheless. She had no call to be interested in handsome lions with boyish good looks. That way lay trouble.

"I've been here all my life," she said hastily, tearing her thoughts off of how much she missed being around people and working on a way to turn the subject back onto Vigo.

"You should find yourself a bard to sing you some of the histories," she suggested. And then hoped that he would not find out she was a bard. She had never been that kind of bard. She was more the make-up-stories sort. Good for amusing people, but not for remembering history. She tended to embellish where she shouldn't.

"But if you don't mind my asking, why join a pride and then spend little time in it?"  

[Talencia]

His ears pricked in noticeable interest as she confessed to being born in the pride. Ah, a native! He nodded a little at her suggestion of listening to a bard sing the pridal history. "I've talked with some of the priestesses," he admitted, "but not listened to the bards just yet. That's a good idea for days when travel isn't a good idea." For one reason or another.

He again paused to consider how to respond at her next question. She was rather good at asking the questions that weren't the easiest to answer! He cast her a quirky smile as he pondered, but settled on the easiest means. "Since you were born here, you know of Sliabh, yes?" Everyone knew of Sliabh and his brood, of course. "He's sort of retired from bringing in new blood," he continued, "so, since I was immune, I thought I could try to do the same." The further into the sentence he got, the lower and softer his voice became, dropping his eyes from hers and keeping them down.

It wasn't exactly that he was ashamed of his task. He'd taken it on willingly, with a purpose (several of them) after all. But it felt odd to admit it to a female of the pride. It felt wrong to admit to flinging around with strangers when addressing a member of his own pride. He swallowed, thinking of all the times he had done just that, but not cared one whit what anyone thought. My how times changed! He cleared his throat, but kept his eyes down. "It's a sort of penance, truthfully," he said quietly. "A way to make up for things I did wrong while I was a rogue." Better to leave it there, he thought desperately.

"I haven't managed to bring any cubs back yet, though," he hurriedly added with genuine regret, though he still avoided her eyes. "I'm not sure why, but I just haven't managed... it... yet." He stumbled to a faltering halt, realizing just how awkward a subject this was, mortified to be caught trying to discuss it with such an appealing lady. "I...," he tried again, failing to manage to move on past his difficult moment, glancing around in distress.  

[Princess_Feylin]

"I do," she admitted with a wry smile. Few in the pride did not know of him and his quest to impregnate as many lionesses as possible. There were several bawdy songs about his prowess in that matter and the enthusiasm with which he went at it. His was an unusual mission, to say the least, and his retirement had not taken place without comment. Most of the comments had been complimentary, but more had been risque.

"That's generous of you," Cor replied with a grin that she couldn't repress. The implications in her tone were easily read. She was teasing him, but she refrained from teasing him too much since he didn't seem as comfortable discussing the subject and joking about it as Sliabh had been. The temptation to remark on what a harsh penance it must be was still there, but she was being good and doing her best to be unremarkable and not memorable in any particular.

"Bringing healthy blood into our pride is certainly a boon," she said. There was no way she would pry into his past. She had her own sordid secrets.

"I know any number of lionesses who would love to be mothers but daren't have cubs because of their health." Realizing how that might be interpreted she hastened to add, "I'm not one of them. But...on behalf of the pride I must urge you to...um...keep at it."

She snickered. She couldn't help it.  

[Talencia]

If a lion could have blushed, he would have. This was not going at all as he had planned. He cleared his throat to buy time, then caught sight of his own sack full of goodies. Aha, a means to distract her! That and pay her the compliment she deserved, but might not believe him if he gave. He tugged it off and began digging through it. He touched and mentally discarded several items, but when his paw brushed a length of soft cloth, his eyes lit up. Yes, this was the right thing!

Without pulling his paw out of the sack, he met her eyes once more, his expression solemn once more. "May I present this to you, as a token of my great regard and esteem for you... my new friend Cor." With a dramatic flourish, he pulled out the length of gauzy golden fabric. It billowed and floated, glowing in the sunlight. He still rather would have liked to know her a little better than just as a friend, but one had to start somewhere. A gift was a good way to start, thus why he thought it might work while out in the wilds. "I think this would look lovely on you," he said grandly, "and bring out the color of your eyes." He gave her a winning smile and moved gingerly to try to loop it about her neck, if she'd let him. Surely, surely this would be enough to distract her from discussing his intimate excursions!!  

[Princess_Feylin]

"What are you doing?" Cor asked as Vigo began rummaging through the strange pack he had been carrying and she had not been asking about. It seemed like an unusual sort of thing to do at this point in their conversation. Although in all fairness Cor wouldn't have blamed him if he was just trying to find anything else to do rather than face her. She shouldn't have teased him.

"Oh!" Well, that answered her question at least. "That's very generous of you, but isn't that intended for somebody else?"

Even as she demurred Cor's eyes lingered on the fabric. She had never seen anything like it. It was so...pretty. And floaty. Skins didn't float like that. She would have bet that it had no weight at all. Wherever it came from, they must have very clever artisans. No one in the Kitwana could do that sort of thing. Cor wouldn't even know where to begin.

As he looped it around her neck she beamed. It was nice to be flattered and gifted. "Thank you, Vigo. I really shouldn't accept this but...I will!"  

[Talencia]

Ha, it had worked! He beamed at her pleased expression. "Of course you should," he assured her. "It wasn't meant for anyone but you, I must say!" He put a light knot in the fabric, letting it drape across her shoulders and trail down one leg. "There, just right." He gave her a quick but sincerely affectionate nuzzle. For all her teasing, he found her pleasant company. Still, best to make off when the getting was good, before she remembered to tease him more!

"And now, I have cubs to amuse," he said a little hastily, though his grin to her was still warm. "I think they'd get a kick out of some of these things." He hefted the sack again and waggled it to indicate his meaning. A few things inside clicked and tinkled against each other. "Can I come see you again later?" he paused to ask hopefully, pack slung haphazardly over his neck. He was poised to leave the moment she answered him, but he did hold still to await her decree.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Cor tried to watch as he knotted the fabric, but she couldn't tell exactly what he had done. She understood knots, in theory, but that didn't mean she knew how to tie or untie them. This would be something for her to puzzle out in her den after much paw cleaning. It wouldn't do to soil this bit of pretty with dirty paws.

"Thank you," she replied with a pleased purr that she couldn't suppress. "I would like that."

She nodded, still a little dazed. Vigo had charmed her thoroughly and her past experiences couldn't keep her from enjoying the attention he paid her. It was probably for the best that he left to tend to his other duties, before Cor formed some sort of girlish crush on him.