[b] Faced with the unknown [Born of Death/Fierce Warrior]

[Beejoux]

To say Born of Death wasn't excited about the new life growing inside them would have been a lie, but the petite Zikwa was finding there was much more to their current situation than just simple joy.

They were joyful. Death would make an excellent father, and Born knew they would love their babies with every fiber of their being. Joy and excitement had been expected.

Anxiety and worry had not, though why Born had not assumed those would come with the territory they couldn't have said. They found at any given moment they could be any combination of complimenting or contrasting emotions, and sometimes they found it completely overwhelming.

They just needed to step away. Just for a moment. Haven was with them, always with them. Mindful and protective as the Zikwa let their mind wander along with their feet. Completely aimless.

hi it's me

[rexcorvus]

Somewhere close by to where Born of Death was milling about, there was a gentle rustling of leaves. A bush shuddered, the underbrush shifting, twigs snapping and leaves falling, twirling to the ground in merry little waves.

One glowing blue appeared within the dense foliage, followed by another, blinking, and then an eaglehound stepped free, shaking debris from its back. It gave Born of Death a long, curious look, its unusual tail sweeping over the grass behind it.

[Beejoux]

Haven heard it first, that subtle rustle, and the sanddog sidestepped to brush into Born's leg, a silent cue for the zikwa to stop. They did, ears flicking curiously before angling towards the sound of shuddering leaves. "Hello?" Something, or someone, was approaching. There, they could hear the snapping of twigs and subtle crunch of fallen leaves. Haven's focus was glued to the underbrush, lean frame taunt.

When the eaglehound emerged the sanddog gave a bewildered whine, a little yip. Born's head tipped, nosing at the dog before lifting again to turn more or less towards whatever had stopped before them. "We're sorry if we've stumbled into someone's home."

[rexcorvus]

For a few seconds longer, the eaglehound just looked at the zikwa, head cocked slightly to the side. Then there was another gentle rustle, a gust of wind sifting through the grass, and where the eaglehound had once been there now stood a kimeti, long and lean, his tail whipping through the grass with a sense of slight agitation. He gave himself a little shake, as if to rid himself of a fly that was bothering him.

He was still getting used to this. It still felt strange and uneasy and there was a nagging part of Fierce's mind that said he still didn't deserve this, didn't deserve any of this. But he took a breath and offered the zikwa a small smile.

"Hello," he said, voice low and a little rough, like coarse sand on rock. "What's your name?"

[Beejoux]

The petite Zikwa didn't seem to react to the change at all beyond the flick of pale ears, but Haven did; hopping back a step before reclaiming it bravely with a curious bark. Born haunted their head, ear twitching to listen to the dog that now stood between the kimeti buck and themself. It was a curious reaction from the sanddog, but not one Born could decipher.

The voice wasn't familiar, but it was low and rough, and not entirely unlike Death's. "I'm Born of Death," they answered, hooves shifting on the ground and tail swaying.

"Did we disturb you?" They didn't want to be a bother. There was plenty of swamp to wander through.

[rexcorvus]

"Uh, no," said Fierce quickly, and shuffled forward in the grass, trying to shake off some of the nerves. It took him a moment to register that the zikwa was one without eyes, their head smooth and sleek, long hair a bit ragged over their ears and neck. He wasn't as familiar with zikwa; he seemed to be drawn mostly to kimeti (though he tried to pretend this wasn't the case), a flicker of curiosity slipping through Fierce.

He squashed it and, realizing he'd been awkwardly silent for far too long, said, "I thought - I thought I noticed that, er...someone was calling for me."

There was a slight pause.

"Well," Fierce clarified, "perhaps not me, specifically. But you give the impression you're in need of something."

[Beejoux]

Born's worried expression lingered even after that assurance that they had not intruded upon the other kin. They certainly hadn't wanted to be a bother, but that was not the only anxiety eating at them that day. Pale ears did slowly perk, at least, listening intently, even as the silence stretched long enough Born might have wondered if he was still there, if not for the soft sound of his breathing.

Their head tilted when mentioned being called. No one had been yelling, they were sure of that, so they suspected the call he was talking about wasn't the usual sort.

Was he...?

"Are you..." They frowned searching for the right words. "Chosen by the Motherfather?" They weren't sure if that was right, even, but it would have to do. "I didn't call anyone on purpose, but I suppose...I have been worried."

[rexcorvus]

It was a question that, on a surface level, should have been easy enough to answer. Fierce felt it ripple through him nonetheless, the uncertainty, the desperate urge to not disappoint, the continual wondering if he was even doing the right thing. If there hadn't been some mistake somewhere down the line, a flinch passing his face before he could stop it. He was grateful for the fact that it couldn't be seen, even if that was selfish.

"One could say that, I suppose," said Fierce evasively, and then added, "Are you worried for your future children? I have a feeling they'll be all right, but if you'd like I can try and give them some of my blessings. If that would reassure you."

[Beejoux]

Their ears perked at what sounded like a confirmation to them, then fell again at the following question, muzzle dipping slightly. "For them, for my mate," they admitted in a quiet voice. Haven whined at their feet, bumping his head against one of their spindly ankles.

"I'm worried I won't be able to help care for them, that the burden will all fall on Death, when he already does so much for me." Born sighed, the quick flick of their tail highlighting their worry. "I...I'd want them to be adaptable. To learn quickly, and have keen senses. To be agile and able, even if some of them can't see." Motherfather knew, born was not graceful.