A scorching wind swept through the rogue lands. It was reminiscent of the ones that the desert once brushed through his fur, but it didn’t belong here. This was far from the burning south and far closer to the cool breath of the ocean. So why did the wind feel so hot? Was the desert trying to stretch out its arms and drag him back? Xennek growled at the thought. He had fled to the desert to lose the ocean that haunted his memories, but he was a different lion now.
I’m stronger than this.
Still her eyes flashed through his memories and the lion found himself stumbling. Like a nightmare that wouldn’t let go her face continued to haunt his thoughts. Delicate features with eyes that shined like stars…a voice that rang softly and sweetly…could he bare to come back? The ocean was there, but she was no more. Xennek rolled to his side and shook of the dust. No! He refused to wallow in those pitiful feelings anymore. So instead he ran.
This time though he would be running not from the ocean, but towards it.
“Xennek?” Sekayi frowned as he stirred from his slumber. The group had decided to rest up before reaching the Stormborn, but the night’s wind was too rough. It almost didn’t feel like it came from the ocean at all. Actually does the wind normally blow from the South like this? It was a strange night indeed Sekayi decided. His judgement was even more so when he saw the normally relaxed lion running so strangely. Something was wrong, but what?
Frowning Sekayi kicked up from the ground to chase down the larger lion, “Xennek! Hey, Xennek!” Dammit what was up with him tonight? Roaring Sekayi did something he normally would never dare to do. Leaping from a higher rock the crimson lion tumbled into his companion and attempted to pin him down, “Hey! Stop running already-“ He trailed off as he was flung to the side.
Ouch.
In his mind he was fighting all over again. They were coming towards the pride’s borders, but he was refusing to let them in. As I should have. Wincing though Xennek watched as the dark figures turned into a familiar shape, “Sekayi?”
Groaning Sekayi butted against him again, “Yeah it’s me. Wake up you big oaf.” The younger lion winced as he rubbed a paw across his head, “You really know how to pack a good punch, Xennek.”
“Not my fault if you were chargin’ me.”
“How was I to know you were going insane on me?” Protested Sekayi gruffly, “At least it looks like you’re as sane as you can be again now.” Seriously though the younger lion was worried. The panic he had seen in Xennek’s eyes was haunting. I thought I had been through some things, but damn. He really does have a history to haunt him. It was rare to see, but he had noticed that Xennek was behaving oddly about the ocean. Back even when the two of them had traveled together before the Firekin his mentor had been skittish about traveling anywhere near the shoreline. The plains and deserts seemed to let him be much more relaxed. As the larger lion settled on the ground Sekayi shook his head, “You ever plan on tellin’ me what’s gotten up your a** about this place?”
“It’s not this place.” Xennek replied quietly, “It’s where this place leads to.”
Sekayi found himself staring. Who was this? Xennek would never look so serious or quiet. Something really big must have happened. He honestly hadn’t expected to hear anything from the older lion about it. Normally at this point in the conversation Xennek would have started up a fight or throttled him to distract him from asking about it, “The Stormborn?” He frowned thinking about what was up ahead.
“Nah, the Stormborns are babes compared to that place.” Xennek sighed, “The damned ocean, cub. It’s not as pretty a place for me as for others.”
“So you have been to the ocean!” Sekayi leaned forward, “Here I was thinking you preferred to be dried up in the deserts of this place.”
“Nah, I had my whole youth in the shores.” Xennek shrugged tiredly, “I don’t know why I should even ramble about it to ye.” It was much better buried. Buried and lost forever, just like those eyes. He would never get those back so why even bother? Here I thought I was tough enough to get down here and kick a**, but already I’m moping like some littlin’.”
Sekayi sighed and sat tall, “You know for you…I always wondered if there was something behind the foolish actions you always did.” He paused before pushing on, “Was it so important that you’ve spent the rest of your life distracting yourself?” All the fighting, all the ladies…all to cover up what was buried inside? Sekayi worried he would be throttled for asking, but already Xennek was telling him more than years of travel had about him.
“More important than my own life.” Xennek chuckled, “But that’s not worth much right? She was worth a million of me.” In his midnight gaze regret existed. Regret that he had turned away that night and let the whole pride down to its fate. He should have grabbed her and stolen her then…he could have kept her safe at his side. Instead he just left her there.
“Hey.” Sekayi frowned, “Stop moping someone would think you’d gotten sentimental in your old age.” He couldn’t stand to see that expression on his mentor’s face. It just wasn’t right, “Who can control what happens after all? I was there when I lost my home, but even being there did nothing.”
Xennek huffed, “If I wanted I could take down anything.” At least so he had thought until that day, “But yeah yeah I’ll stop moping now. Don’t ya worry I’m still full of life and kicking. Not going to go soft on ya yet.” He smacked the younger lion’s shoulder as he passed by.
“Hey Xennek.”
Pausing the lion looked over his shoulder to his student, “What?”
“Did she have a name at least?”
“Kaiya.” There was something strange in Xennek’s voice as the name passed his lips after so many years, “Her name was Kaiya.”
Sekayi stood and nudged the lion, “Then we’ll pay our respect when we get to the shoreline. It’ll show you didn’t forget her.”
Xennek wanted to laugh. How could he forget her? That name would forever haunt him just as those eyes did.
Forever and always.
(wc 1100)
I’m stronger than this.
Still her eyes flashed through his memories and the lion found himself stumbling. Like a nightmare that wouldn’t let go her face continued to haunt his thoughts. Delicate features with eyes that shined like stars…a voice that rang softly and sweetly…could he bare to come back? The ocean was there, but she was no more. Xennek rolled to his side and shook of the dust. No! He refused to wallow in those pitiful feelings anymore. So instead he ran.
This time though he would be running not from the ocean, but towards it.
“Xennek?” Sekayi frowned as he stirred from his slumber. The group had decided to rest up before reaching the Stormborn, but the night’s wind was too rough. It almost didn’t feel like it came from the ocean at all. Actually does the wind normally blow from the South like this? It was a strange night indeed Sekayi decided. His judgement was even more so when he saw the normally relaxed lion running so strangely. Something was wrong, but what?
Frowning Sekayi kicked up from the ground to chase down the larger lion, “Xennek! Hey, Xennek!” Dammit what was up with him tonight? Roaring Sekayi did something he normally would never dare to do. Leaping from a higher rock the crimson lion tumbled into his companion and attempted to pin him down, “Hey! Stop running already-“ He trailed off as he was flung to the side.
Ouch.
In his mind he was fighting all over again. They were coming towards the pride’s borders, but he was refusing to let them in. As I should have. Wincing though Xennek watched as the dark figures turned into a familiar shape, “Sekayi?”
Groaning Sekayi butted against him again, “Yeah it’s me. Wake up you big oaf.” The younger lion winced as he rubbed a paw across his head, “You really know how to pack a good punch, Xennek.”
“Not my fault if you were chargin’ me.”
“How was I to know you were going insane on me?” Protested Sekayi gruffly, “At least it looks like you’re as sane as you can be again now.” Seriously though the younger lion was worried. The panic he had seen in Xennek’s eyes was haunting. I thought I had been through some things, but damn. He really does have a history to haunt him. It was rare to see, but he had noticed that Xennek was behaving oddly about the ocean. Back even when the two of them had traveled together before the Firekin his mentor had been skittish about traveling anywhere near the shoreline. The plains and deserts seemed to let him be much more relaxed. As the larger lion settled on the ground Sekayi shook his head, “You ever plan on tellin’ me what’s gotten up your a** about this place?”
“It’s not this place.” Xennek replied quietly, “It’s where this place leads to.”
Sekayi found himself staring. Who was this? Xennek would never look so serious or quiet. Something really big must have happened. He honestly hadn’t expected to hear anything from the older lion about it. Normally at this point in the conversation Xennek would have started up a fight or throttled him to distract him from asking about it, “The Stormborn?” He frowned thinking about what was up ahead.
“Nah, the Stormborns are babes compared to that place.” Xennek sighed, “The damned ocean, cub. It’s not as pretty a place for me as for others.”
“So you have been to the ocean!” Sekayi leaned forward, “Here I was thinking you preferred to be dried up in the deserts of this place.”
“Nah, I had my whole youth in the shores.” Xennek shrugged tiredly, “I don’t know why I should even ramble about it to ye.” It was much better buried. Buried and lost forever, just like those eyes. He would never get those back so why even bother? Here I thought I was tough enough to get down here and kick a**, but already I’m moping like some littlin’.”
Sekayi sighed and sat tall, “You know for you…I always wondered if there was something behind the foolish actions you always did.” He paused before pushing on, “Was it so important that you’ve spent the rest of your life distracting yourself?” All the fighting, all the ladies…all to cover up what was buried inside? Sekayi worried he would be throttled for asking, but already Xennek was telling him more than years of travel had about him.
“More important than my own life.” Xennek chuckled, “But that’s not worth much right? She was worth a million of me.” In his midnight gaze regret existed. Regret that he had turned away that night and let the whole pride down to its fate. He should have grabbed her and stolen her then…he could have kept her safe at his side. Instead he just left her there.
“Hey.” Sekayi frowned, “Stop moping someone would think you’d gotten sentimental in your old age.” He couldn’t stand to see that expression on his mentor’s face. It just wasn’t right, “Who can control what happens after all? I was there when I lost my home, but even being there did nothing.”
Xennek huffed, “If I wanted I could take down anything.” At least so he had thought until that day, “But yeah yeah I’ll stop moping now. Don’t ya worry I’m still full of life and kicking. Not going to go soft on ya yet.” He smacked the younger lion’s shoulder as he passed by.
“Hey Xennek.”
Pausing the lion looked over his shoulder to his student, “What?”
“Did she have a name at least?”
“Kaiya.” There was something strange in Xennek’s voice as the name passed his lips after so many years, “Her name was Kaiya.”
Sekayi stood and nudged the lion, “Then we’ll pay our respect when we get to the shoreline. It’ll show you didn’t forget her.”
Xennek wanted to laugh. How could he forget her? That name would forever haunt him just as those eyes did.
Forever and always.
(wc 1100)