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 Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:29 pm
Since leaving his hidey hole and rinsing himself in the surf Oddmund had felt rather like a new lion. Or at least, a slightly more palatable lion. For the first time in months he felt a spark of romance coming on, though onto who he hadn't yet decided. It was for that reason that he found himself headed toward the center of the pride's lands.
Normally he would never have made it this far in, accused of having some poor intention. No one had given him a second look today. Maybe there was something to that bathing thing after all. Certainly not worth the hassle all the time, but entertaining at least.
With his head held high and only a scant number of flies hovering around his coat he found himself happy enough to hum, and spry enough to catch a few passing thralls on the rear with an outstretched paw. They'd come looking for him later, that much he was sure of.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:41 pm
 Keir stretched languidly as he emerged from his den, making sure to take time to give each leg a bit of attention. He had woken up a little stiff and wasn't a fan of the way it made him feel. As large as the pride was, he couldn't help but always feel a little cooped up, whether in his den or out wandering around. He hadn't found a Captain willing to take him out Viking yet, so for now the outside world was all he could think of. Deciding to take a journey down to the sea for a little swim, he set off in the direction of the shore. It was a good walk from his den, unfortunately, so he knew he'd have to walk for a while before he reached his destination. No matter, though. As much as Keir longed to go outside his home pride, he did take great joy in watching the other lions. Some of them were just so strange... Like the fellow approaching him coming from the way he was heading. Splotchy in color and slightly damp, the male made a good show of 'assaulting' any passing Thrall he might see. The Freeborn snorted quietly, wondering when the other male would accidentally smack a female who was actually a Reaver on the behind. That would end well...for Keir, that is. Not for the green one. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked when he got within earshot. He raised a brow at the other lion, curious to see what had him so happy.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:23 pm
"What's not to enjoy?" the trapper bellowed, swinging himself up and over the gnarled trunk of a fallen tree, "The sun's shining, the women are out, and I've got a belly full of fat sow."
The last was perhaps an exaggeration to save face, the pig he'd caught was no so much fat as it was old and saggy. But it had been tasty nonetheless, even if others wouldn't share in his feast. Still, that never bothered Oddmund. He'd always been an outsider, even when he'd been young and clean. His family was odd, he was odd, hell it was even in his name. But life had been good to him.
"What's it to you boy? One'a them your dear mother? Salt wife maybe? Both?" he laughed, never much concerned for his own hide.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 4:46 pm
Keir snorted softly at the other male as he pranced about like a cub. Certainly full of energy, this one. The dark male remained where he stood, watching the other as he poked fun. It rolled off Keir like water off a duck, knowing better than to let the teasing of a stranger get under his skin. "Neither. I'd never take a Thrall for a salt wife, anyway," he added, arching a brow. There was nothing he wanted in a Thrall, and honestly, he didn't even want to have one. He'd leave them to the other lions of the pride to do with as they pleased, his own ambitions making him seek out females of higher stature. Of course, the ones that caught his eye wouldn't even look at him until he was a Reaver... "Congratulations on a fine breakfast, then," he added, steering the conversation away from females. "I'm surprised someone with your...boisterous ways managed to catch one." Fat or otherwise, the swine in the area were tough and fast. It was always a treat to eat one, the meat always juicy and the fat divine, but most of the time it wasn't worth the time to chase one down.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:05 pm
"Fair enough, fair, they're terrible timid creatures," Oddmund assented, coming down from the branches with an audible thunk. No graceful landing in sight, but well enough to save his pads from the craggy ground.
"That's where you lot know so little," he laughed, waggling a paw at the lion. "There ain't a need to catch a thing when they catches themselves in my traps." Which they did, sometimes. More often though it was a rabbit or rat or nothing at all. "There's things you learn in the mud."
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:31 pm
Keir narrowed his golden eyes as the other male came closer after a rather rough landing. He didn't seem phased at all by it and he wondered if he'd gone and eaten some fermented fruit before walking about the pride. As he drew closer a very...interesting odor reached his nose. It was a mix of salt water, dirt, and something akin to an animal that had died weeks ago and was no longer fit to eat. Nostrils flaring slightly, he pulled away from the lion as he continued closer. It wasn't repulsive, per say, but he certainly didn't want to get another whiff. And...were there flies buzzing around the other lion? "Traps. How inventive," he said as he unsheathed his claws, digging them into the dirt to try to force himself to stay in place. "I prefer using my body, though, as opposed to laying around and waiting for my dinner." Generally it was the Thralls that did the hunting, but as Keir was not yet a Reaver and had no intention of letting someone so beneath him bring him food, he hunted for himself. "But if it works for you," he added with a little shrug. Who was he to say what was or what wasn't right for someone else? It was odd, yes, and he couldn't stand to live in the marshy mud that the sea turned into a mire of stench twice a day with the low tide, but if this lion enjoyed it? Fine.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:37 pm
"It lets me keep to my own," he said with a nod, "I go days without seeing another soul. Suppose I go hunting an' get hurt, I gotta find someone to coddle me. Rather not."
While some may not consider that the mark of success, Oddmund happened to enjoy the solitude. That wasn't to suggest that he wanted to be alone forever, of course. He supposed he'd like a wife or two, maybe a gaggle of salt wives. Realizing he had drifted off into his own mind he shrugged it off, turning toward the other with a smirk, "Works for me, good take on life. And what works for you there, suppose you're the fightin sort?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 11:29 am
As the other male went on about his living situation, Keir wondered if being alone like that was really so enjoyable. He had come from a fairly large litter and had been around others his whole life. Not to say he was that old yet, but all he had known was family and friends. Admittedly there were time he wished he wasn't so surrounded, but for the most part he enjoyed having others around. The question drew him out of his own thoughts and he rolled one shoulder in a shrug. "As much as the next Freeborn aspiring to be a Reaver is, I suppose," he said, an almost bored tone to his voice. The only thing he didn't like about this life was how predictable it was. Yes, Vikings were fun to go off on and return from successfully, but that was about as diverse as it got here. Keir wanted something more, something...unpredictable. He wanted adventure and glory and something to give his life to, rather than chasing ranks. He had no doubts he could aspire to be a Captain, but...isn't that what everyone did? "I'm more of the...seeing what's beyond the horizon sort," he said after a moment of careful consideration. "I want to be a Reaver so I can leave the pride whenever I want and go find new things. Fighting is a fun pass time, but not something I'd do for sport every day."
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:02 am
"A venturer's spirit then," Oddmund said with a sigh, "Always had one'a them myself, but I been here forever and I'll be here forever an a day more." Not that he was complaining. His roots were here, and his gear beside.
Not to mention his dear departed mother would roll in her grave should she come to know that her only son was lost to the roguelands. He had no misconceptions that he might survive such a journey, fighting after all was not his strong suit.
"What's keepin ya then? Why not take two steps out the border an then two or a hundred more?" he questioned, curious of the other's motives for staying in a place he seemed bored by.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:11 pm
A venturer's spirit that didn't venture. Keir found this to be a bit odd, but he wasn't about to question the other male why. He was sure he had his reasons, and perhaps hew as satisfied in daydreaming about what lay beyond the borders of their pride or the sea. Some lions were content with that, he knew, but Keir wasn't one to live in his own head. He'd rather go out and experience things for himself. "I need a Captain to take me out first," he said with a little shrug. "And as I just grew into my mane, I haven't had the time to hunt one down and ask to join his crew. Soon, though," he added, yellow eyes gleaming just a bit. He knew a few lions his own age that had become Reavers not long ago, and he was sure they'd go out with him on an adventure. Some of the older Reavers and Captains didn't go out as frequently anymore, so Keir had his eyes on the younger ones. They were a bit more careless, sure, but he didn't mind. He could keep himself out of trouble. "Well, I'll leave you to your Thrall-slapping and enjoying the day," he said as he stood, deciding he should go try to find someone now. He wasn't going to get out into the rouge lands just sitting here, after all, and while Oddmund was certainly an interesting character, there was more he wanted to see.
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:24 pm
"Best of luck to ya boy, don't go gettin so caught up ya forget yerself," Oddmund laughed, "I'm sure ye'll be a fine reaver." He'd seen many in his day, and this young Keir certainly had the heart for it. Whether he'd have the mind for politics, well, Oddmund couldn't speak to that. His own mind had always been better suited for outsmarting lesser beasts than it had his own kind.
With a nod he turned back toward the forest, pausing to add one final bit of what he considered to be good advice, "An' don't forget bout a full belly an a warm bed, better for the soul than any honor." With that he took to a run, disappearing back among the brush that matched his coat so closely.
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