Tell Me What You Want to Hear

Ralla · 10-15-2011, 08:41 PM

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(Nootau: Visible)

Ever since Anu's escape, Ralla had scarcely left her house during daylight hours, and when she did, it was only for the bare necessities. Instead, she let herself wander in the dark of the night, comforted by the shadows and pale light of the moon. She was like moon-mist, the way she moved--or perhaps it was just because she had become a waif of what she once was. What with the lack of food and stress, Ralla had lost weight, and her once vibrant eyes seemed tired. She missed the peaceful tranquility of her home--the green hills and forests, and knowledge that it was her haven and that she had family that was safe. It was all no more, and she wanted it to end. She knew in her heart what was right, and knew that what she had done was right as well. Perhaps Chitsa had been right: Their values could never be the same, since she came from the Great Tribe and Ralla from the Moon Tribe. But Ralla knew AniWaya, and knew that what Maska doing wasn't right; her vision hadn't lied. Nootau had stood by Ralla for the entire time of the usurpation, and still, Ralla felt weak. J'adore had been kind enough to teach her how to fight, and still, Ralla felt helpless.

How were her children doing? Ayasha grew more rebellious and brave against Maska by the day, and she was steadily loosing control on what her daughter might do. But how were Ahiga and Alaster? Little Aleu? Her children were growing up without her, and she wondered what Noss and Strel were seeing of them. After the raid by Cour des Miracles, Ralla was more nervous than ever about the foreign pack's stability, and her spirit raged for it all to end. Her fire was riding the calm before the storm, when it would break loose like lightning.

Nootau hooted sharply from his perch in one of the branches, taking flight shortly after to the east. The sudden noise startled Ralla, and she jogged to catch up with her silently capricious spirit guide, following him as he glided beneath the milky night sky, curious to his actions. It wasn't long after that they crossed over the AniWayan borders, but still, Nootau persisted. "Nootau? Hatlvno hnadvga nihi daye--?" she called out before stopping mid-sentence, smelling a strangely familiar and yet not familiar scent in the air. One half the scent was of Anathema--she had smelled enough of that pack to recognize its odor--and the other half... It can't be...? Ralla's steps increased as she then ran after Nootau, eager to see if her suspicions were correct. Spotting the figure just a few yards away, Ralla let a smile burst onto her features as she continued her sprint to the familiar face--a face she had thought had disappeared into the void of the world, leaving her the weaker for it to stand against the tyranny in her home.

"Leon!"

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

León Austral · 10-16-2011, 06:54 AM

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Big Grin

It had seemed a long time that the man had been traveling but in reality it had been a day or so at the most, the original lone wolf had not travelled alone for quite some time. Saxif and Analise had been left up close to Cour des Miracles and he was confident that the pack of kings and dogs could protect them in the event of more fighting and the two females were not defenseless in the least, Analise had her own sword now and Saxif had her bow and arrows. Faith had been painted as a true horse of war, elegant designs adorned her ebony pelt in a brilliant mahogany hue, symbols of strength, honor and family etched with the red paint. The man himself was also decorated in the same symbols but in colors of canary yellow and bloody red, the colors of the Spaniards, the only thing missing was the Spanish standard and flag. Finally the contents of his many, many saddle bags were revealed; Armour of hardened leather covered both horse and rider, Drolengur was belted at his waist gleaming in the moonlight.

León had also hacked off a substantial length of his black hair leaving a shoulder length of hair that hung about his face and neck in a lion's mane. The hair was spiky and woven with short bands of ribbon and beads, all this he had done on the day journey down to Aniwaya. Along the back of Faith swung a brace of six or seven pheasants killed with a stone swung from his slingshot in a way similar to the bow and arrows Saxif used. Half of them would be presented to whomever he could find at the borders that was against Maska to be distributed against those trapped within AniWaya's fences. Soft snorts brought his attention to the barn owl that settled on a tree branch above their heads. His face split into a toothy grin despite the dire reasons for him returning, mistress of the moon and caretaker of fire... Etikaiele Gata... sister... mother... beloved; Ralla was coming.

Hauling himself from the great mare's back, the Spaniard landed on his feet and began towards the noise he could hear, the parting of bushes, snapping of twigs and leaves. Of all of AniWaya despite the obvious exception of his brother it was she whom he had missed the most, and he often found himself mourning for the loss of her company, wishing he could ask her for help or for her ideas on his decisions, and her forgiveness for the horrific crime he had committed. She was grinning as he was when she came into view and even Faith picked up her head from gazing and trotted forwards a few steps, eager to see the Ivory queen. A few paces from her he fell to his knees, bringing their heads level and pulled her into his body, hugging her close, his words whispered exclamations of spanish

Ralla! Ralla! He perdido a tanta, amante de la Luna!

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Ralla · 10-17-2011, 09:22 PM

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<3 (Sorry for the crappy ending to this post >_>)

Certainly Leon had not looked as Ralla remembered him, paint and adornment aside. He had grown somewhat more muscular, and his hair had been cut--a shame, too, since it had likely taken as long as Ralla's own to grow as long. But not much of conversation--at least for a few moments--escaped Ralla's lips as she buried her face into the man's neck, letting only a single sob catch in her throat as joy overwhelmed her. With Leon, Ralla felt a very close kinship and bond of trust--much like she did with J'adore, but different, as were all her bonds--and his disappearance had marked a very sad day and loss: It had been all too much like Kemo's loss, and had struck deep. To see the Spaniard well and even better than that brought great joy to the woman, and for a moment more she let it soak in that he was before her. Lifting her head from the embrace, Ralla let her hands travel over the man's face, tracing the new contours and marveling at his reappearance, a choked laugh coming through when she spoke, at first.

Leon, is that really you? Where have you been!? Mixed with the feelings of joy, Ralla felt an anger at his disappearance well up, but it did not come out angry--only relieved and concerned and curious as to what he really had been doing. Where have you been!? she repeated, slightly sadder than the first time as it all sunk in. So much has gone wrong! And after Shiloh and Liliana and Nayati--everyone!--with you disappearing, too, I didn't know what to do! Ralla took a moment to recompose herself. But I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different; all of us should've left the moment we saw Dawali dethroned. Maska is the plague, Leon: He's torn us all apart. With that reminder, Ralla's left arm ached in sympathy. Although there were no scars from Wematin's cutting, and the bandage had long been removed, the pain remained, and would always remain whenever she remembered the injustices brought about the past few months--those which seemed like years. On a perch above, Nootau cocked his head and watched as his charge became overly-emotional, thinking how it would not do for her to be in such a state in the coming days. He would let her have her moment then, but would advise against it after: After all, even spirit guides, while not truly living, were not heartless.

Back below, Ralla soon realized that she was being greeted, also, by Faith, and paid her attention as well in the form of a few soft strokes to the nose and a greeting in low speech. The horse was kind and faithful--a truer companion Leon could not have wished for. And then it all suddenly made sense: Leon's war-paint, Faith's outfitting... You are not here for the war...are you? 'War' was a term that absolutely terrified Ralla; it meant blood and death. Maska had only recently declared the battle to be held, but to think that news and drafts had occurred so swiftly was amazing; the fact that Leon was a participant was not. It was not that he would be fighting against the tyranny that bothered her, but the dangers it posed--she was already troubled that Ayasha had offered herself to be used in the battle, and that there seemed to be little that Ralla could do to dissuade or pull her out from the impending dispute.

It was all so very sad, and so very terrifying.

Moon walks. Moon talks. Moon thinks.

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León Austral · 10-24-2011, 03:10 PM

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(5+) Very badly worded >< and somehow leon has a russian accent when written down XD

The sob did not go unnoticed and the giant sinning brute stroked her long moon white hair, making comforting noises and words that had no meaning, soft sounds that ranged through the collection of languages that he spoke. He sat through her stroking his face, knowing that she was trying to accept that he really had returned, white eyes filled with mirth and good nature that showed in his lazily smiling mouth. Her panicked mini breakdown only increased his certainty that Maska had to be removed once and for all,

"Si senorita, it ees really me. J'adore did not tell you? I left a letter for him to read to everyone." His departure from AniWaya was not something he was proud of but at the time it had seemed the only option to the man, he could not let his only child, the last link he had to Kailypso, endanger herself, Analise was so precious to him even if the girl hated him at the moment for what he had done to Io.

"I haves better start from zee beginning. A dia or so before I am leaving Aniwaya an amiga of mine come to me to ask eef I will help her and she girlfriend haf children. I am refusing theese of course, I have to stay een Aniwaya and protect. But my daughter, she es listening in de bushes, she decides she no wants to live in AniWaya anymore for because of Maska and ze war. So she runs away, she meets up with Io and Aeron and they are taking her to Anathema." The man grabbed at his hair in frustration that she would just up and vanish on him like that, his ears pulled back against his head,

"I am waking up in ze morning, and I find ah letter saying she has gone so I am writing letter myself for J'adore, and packing up and leaving to get her back. She does not wanting to come back here, and I cannot be forcing her, I am not wanting to leave her either. AniWaya is a home for me but without Analise I haf nothing inside." He moved to his feet now although still trying to hold the woman close, her words about the war were spot on, ever the observant and intelligent female,

"Yes, we come to fight. For AniWaya, for familia, for you. We join the army waiting, we come for justice and peace. Maska es kind of evil that is never stopping, will spread outwards, I have to protect, the family I have now and the family that will be born soon." His eyes glittered in the moonlight, his unborn children would not be born into a world threatened by war and violence, of that he would gladly die for. Now his thoughts turned to those that would never know their mother, the two that had lost their light and guide,

"Thar is something else as well..." The Austral's voice filled with dispair and mourning, "Senorita Liliana, she had an accident in Crimson Dreams. Ralla, Liliana is dead."

Ralla · 11-17-2011, 09:57 PM

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Sorry for the super-lateness >_> And yes; I was wondering if he had run away to Russia for a time :< Or maybe he took speech lessons from Gen? XD *is shot*

I have been...predisposed, she said as way of explanation for her ignorance of his departure. Truly a person could not be in so many places at once, much as Ralla tried, and she had been so preoccupied with other matters that she had let other slip through her fingers. Patiently she listened to Leon and soaked it all in, grimly accepting some facts. Poor Leon, to have Analise run away like that. Ralla knew the feeling of having to deal with rebellious children, but Analise was Leon's one and only--to have her disappear in such a way would've thrown Ralla for a loop as well. And such an odd event to occur--Leon fostering children. It was not odd 'weird' or odd 'strange', just odd 'out of place', but that was the least important thing on her mind...

I understand, Leon, Ralla said. While she herself could never leave AniWaya--it was too much like her old home and too much like her soul to abandon it--she could understand Leon's reasons, and respected them even if she could rarely see her dear friend as often as she once had. Maska had caused such grief, had she not been so deeply tied to the tribe by her heart alone she would've left as well. But as it was, she was to stay in a tribe that had caused a war--the most grievous of atrocities. The mother's ears went back as Leon spoke of the war as if it were glorious to fight, even if he meant it to protect them. I wish no one would fight, she said softly. All war brings is sadness, even if peace follows for a time. I don't think I can bear losing anyone else; and you are to have more children! Leon, you must not put yourself in such danger--they need you. After Kemo, it had seemed like one family member after another had to leave and go away; Nayati, Liliana, Saxif, Shiloh, Leon...the list was endless. One by one they had left, and the only consolation was that they were still alive. And then Leon's voice dropped low, and Ralla's heart sunk with every note that it descended into the sentence.

Ralla's body was ramrod still for a moment before she shook her head, ears flat against her head now and tail between her legs as her fingers gripped Leon's arms tightly. Liliana...? She swallowed hard, but found herself cotton-mouthed. Liliana was among the first that she met in AniWaya, and one among the most loyal and dedicated. Liliana had gifted her Sugar, a quarter horse that Ralla counted as a close friend, and had confided in her as Ralla had in her. From the trees Nootau let out a mourning screech as tears fell from Ralla's face again, although she did not sob loudly or make a display; she merely stood there looking up at Leon with those tears, too shocked in one day to really have enough emotion to cry out and throw a temper. How...? Why...? Liliana was such a good soul; why would the spirits take her so early? And with such young children, nonetheless. What about the little ones? Kuruk and Saqui? What about Nayati...? What had happened to her dear friend's family, and why hadn't she been there to help...?

Moon walks. Moon talks. Moon thinks.

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