Territorial|Clan Beleg | Beastlands

[Kender Bard]

Thavan relaxed and smiled back, shyly. He wanted to ask what that was all about, but for now it could wait. Picking up the knife, he tucked it into his belt carefully and grabbed the lioness's lower half, grunting as he strained to carry her. "Geez, she's heavy. Lady, you could do to miss a couple meals."

[Toyoll]

Aakel snickered, a familiar, sarcastic smirk reapearing, "Yeah, I'm sure she won't mind sharing a few buffalo with us."

With a confident air, she lead Thavan deep into the woods so that they could dump their "catch" and get back to the village. She hummed an incoherent tune as she skipped over wizened branches and mossy boulders. Eventually she came to a stop. There was a large tree who's roots have been exposed, creating a small cavern. With a smirk, Aakel patted the tree and beckoned Thavan to leave Mahne under there.

"Oh! Don't forget to leave these here too!" Aakel reached into her sack and pulled out four white feathers, down from a goose. She stuck them in the ground, so that they stood up. "It's a tradition 'round here." she drawled, "Four feathers of cowardice."

[Kender Bard]

"You'll have to tell me how that originated," Thavan chuckled, trying to hide his wheezing. All the exertion was making him a little light headed. "As well as a few other things?" He heaved Mahne into the little cavern and dusted his hands. "While we're heading back is good."

[Toyoll]

Aakel whinced and cast her eyes downward, "Ah...You're wondering 'bout the whole cut-her-throat-out thing..." She squeased her arm with her right hand, feeling terrible.

She slowly started her way back, waiting for Thavan to follow, "I-I'm really sorry...I didn't want to make you chose like that, but...." she said her words carefully, "I needed to make sure you weren't cold-blooded--Not that I thought you were! I-It's just....we gotta make sure we don't over do it, y'know..?" Aakel made a small whine, "Y-you don't hate me for it, do you?" she groaned.

[Kender Bard]

Thavan blinked. "No! Of course not. Aakel..." He hastened up to her, wrapping an arm around her on his uninjured side. "I couldn't hate you. I was a little mad, because I thought you wanted me to cut out her throat. I don't.. I didn't know what the limits of the Beasts are. I mean those back there were going to happily roast us on an open campfire, I'm sure. They're from Beleg, so I expected that. And Seere is all peaceful. But Poldora really is the gray area so I was.. well, confused."

[Toyoll]

"Yeah...Well, hopefully our limits are clear now...." she said with an appologetic smile. Aakel put her arm arround Thavan, too, careful not to touch any of his injuries, "If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else...It's not like Sloan is the most... sympathetic Beast..."

The vixen shook herself and ran her fingers through her copper hair, as if to shrug off the terrible feeling. Aakel chuckled, looking at Thavan in that sly way of hers, "You don't have claws or fangs, but you're scary when you want to be. That lizard didn't even know what hit him..." she nipped him affectionately on the neck, "Thanks again, hedgehog..."

[Kender Bard]

Thavan blushed brightly. He stood up a little straighter, winced, and held his shoulder tenderly. "You don't need to thank me, it's my duty and pleasure to look out for you and my other clanmates," he mumbled modestly. "I think you put the fear of the wild into that lioness though." He chuckled softly. "This should make a good story for the others, huh?"

[Toyoll]

Aakel laughed, then rolled her eyes with a snort, "Yeah, it'll be great!...Until Sloan decides to post sentries. Speaking of which, the herbivores should be here by now."

-----------------------------------

When they were almost upon the village, Aakel froze in mid stride. She remembered that she has yet to announce who her mate was, or even that she had taken a mate.

It wasn't that Aakel was ashamed of Thavan, he was just as strong as any Beast, he's proven that many times over. But she was nervous, she hoped the older Beasts wouldn't give them much trouble...

But being true to her nature as a poldoran, Aakel sneered, so what? As far as she was concerned Thavan was a Beast elemental. Looking up at him with pride she drawled, "Let's get cleaned up for tonight. There's hunting party out, so they'll be a community meal today..."

[Kender Bard]

"Good!" Thavan exclaimed cheerfully. "I like those. Too bad there's no lakes. That's the one thing I miss about Ronduin, the River is right there. Oh well." Giving Aakel a little wave he headed off to do as she made and make himself more presentable for the night.

((Feel free to jump ahead to the dinner if you want))

[Toyoll]

((Oki dokis!))

Sloan nodded approvingly, the hunters returned with quite a catch! They had managed to take out a buffalo without the usually watchful Beleg sub-tribes catching them. But the animal was so huge, it took six two-signed Beasts to haul it back home.

The buffalo was now laying down by the fires being built by the cooks. The general made a note to thank the hunting captain come dinner time.

Just another year down south.

Meanwhile, Aakel had been cleaning her Officer's gear. She event replaced a couple of her old, now auburn-colored feather with bright, new crimson ones. She smiled at her handiwork. If she was going to wear bandages, she might as well have an impressive uniform.

[Kender Bard]

Thavan washed out his wound with a small dose of healing water, wincing as the innate elemental properties burned away the lingering poison there. He was lucky that the snake's bite wasn't poisonous enough to stop his heart or something equally drastic; it'd merely inflamed the flesh around the wound, aggravating it. I really should start stocking up on my water, he mused thoughtfully. For the others. That in mind, he reached into his pack and took out a smaller water flask that was empty and filled it with the rest of healing water, deciding to just wrap the wound and let nature take it's course until tomorrow when he could finish his handiwork. Satisfied, he attached it to his belt and fussed over his outfit; fussing being straightening and a quick cleaning. Thavan wasn't exactly fashion conscious, that had been his sister's job.

Satisfied with his slapdash job, he went looking for Aakel to present her with his 'gift'.

[Toyoll]

Aakel smiled when she saw Thavan, she had her gear spread out infront of her, freshly polished and scrubbed, she only wore her basic leathers. The vixen was attaching her arm-guard, a rather awkward process, but one she had practiced many times, "Dang arm-guard...." she grumbled jokingly, after fighting with a rogue strap, she gave up on the whole thing for now. Aakel rolled her eyes and smirked, "How's it goin'? Not to bad I hope?" she indicated his wounds with a vague gesture. Aakel's own bandages where a little crude, but efficient. Although, being the slightly vain creature that she is, the vixen hated how it covered most of her mid-section.

She absent-mindedly scratched the cloth over her Fire sign, "...That was kinda stupid of me..." Aakel said to herself.

[Kender Bard]

"We all make mistakes," Thavan reminded her. "And my wounds are better, but I want to give you this." He offered the flask. "It's got healing water inside. I don't know how long healing water keeps, but I figured it might be wise for you to keep some on you. I'm thinking of stocking up on the stuff for the clan. Think they'd like that?"

[Toyoll]

Aakel thanked him for the healing water and she tied the flask to her utility belt. This may come in useful! "Not a bad idea, hedgehog! Not a bad idea.." remembering her own experience with active powers she added, a little more softly, "But don't run yerself into the ground tryin' to get some for everyone..." she winked slyly, "It'd make for great trading, though."

"YO!"
Aakel nearly jumped out of her skin before rounding harshly on a familiar gila moster, "Ruurl!How many times do I have to get it through that thick skull of yours! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Ruurl just laughed with that odd, toothy grin, "Aw, didn't you miss me? Not even a wittlebit?" this was followed by another raucous laugh, "I hardly saw you at all! You just hang around with the hedghog nowadays! I'm kinda jealous!"

Aakel rolled her eyes at her anoying friend

Seeing Thavan's bandages, Ruurl smirked, "Wouldya looki at that! The Hedgehog's been in a wittle scuffle-wuffle!" She punched him amicably in the side. Aakel growled suddenly.

[Kender Bard]

Thavan chuckled, Aakel's growl going unnoticed. "Aye, you could say that. But I paid the guy who gave me this back double. With interest." Puffing up, he remarked to Aakel, "Trading? That's not a bad idea. I won't withhold it where needed but if we find out it keeps for a good while.. Then yeah! I wouldn't mind trading surplus. I promise to be a good little boy and not dry myself out though." He gave her a mock salute.