[ORP] Slice of Life

[HuniPi]

Sometimes, there's just a scene, a moment, a quick exchange of sorts between specific kin, or random kin that you want to write out, or explore, or play with. Maybe it's bread crumbs that you want to see build over time that can't or you don't want to resolve within a few posts. This thread is meant for those snippets of RP for my kin, your kin, anyone's kin.

No pressure to use this, of course, but it's going to be a very disjointed sort of thread as some are less plot bunnies and more just plot crumbs I have in my head that I plan on playing out. It's not exactly a solo as people are free to respond to my posts, though doomsayer and I plan to use this for a variety of our kin. It can be set wherever you want it to be set, though for clarity's sake, I might state/specify the location atop the post.

[doomsayer]

THE SWAMP

Life in the swamp is much less... life-and-death compared to the magma tunnels of the mountains that Iron's bloodline used to call home. Sure, you still have to hunt so that you don't starve, but he recognizes that prey is in abundance out here in the flatlands. Not every hunt is a fight for your life. If you happened to not succeed, there was always wild fruits and berries free for all to eat--one only need to ask a friendly neighbor for directions.

As all of this security is new to him, he finds the worries and trivialities of kin here completely strange. They care about appearances and knickknacks and travel and dens and relationships beyond their children and mates. They feel feelings about flowers and the sky and the weather and shiny rocks. It was all so.... odd. Yet this is where he lives now, and he is glad for the change. Slowly he will take on the tendencies of these kin. Maybe when he fully understands them, they will eventually accept him.

[doomsayer]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens

It was a cool shaded afternoon--a typical level of light thanks to the cover provided by the interwoven mangrove branches overhead. The time for the sun to set was nearing, so Sun-Cursed was already newly awake, waiting for time to pass in the shade of their shared den.

Smoldering Ember had just returned from helping another kin muck out some mud that had inhibited the flow of water to their tributary. He was about to head back into the den after cleaning up when a Kiokote that lived just a few trees away came over and caught his attention.

Loud enough for even Sun-Cursed to hear inside the den, the Kiokote declared; "I need tuh 'ave a word wityu 'bout yer new denmate there, Smoldering Ember."

Ember stopped to put on his best neighborly face. He knew that this particular Kiokote was the neighbor that was most prone to voice out their complaints. ""Of course. My new denmate Sun-Cursed recently moved in. What seems to be the issue?"

One of the Kiokote's eyebrows popped up as if expecting that Ember was already supposed to know what the issue was. "Well, yer new denmate's walkin' 'round at unreasonable hours of the night. She's got that glow too, it be startlin' kin around here!"

""Really now? She's been here for a while now and you're the only one I've heard a complaint from so far. Is she really startling others or just you?"

The Kiokote stammerred a bit, clearly affected by Smoldering Ember's implication. "Well, it's definitely startled me! Her walking 'round when erryone's a sleepin' ain't normal, I tell ya!"

""My denmate has a condition and her lifestyle is a bit different from yours. But she doesn't pose a threat to anyone here and she definitely doesn't mean to startle you at night. Regardless, I'll tell her to avoid walking around your part of the cluster for everyone's peace of mind. How does that sound?"

The Kiokote harrumphed and looked around to see if any of the other neighbors were listening to their conversation. "You best tell her to do that then!" With a dismissive nod, the Kiokote turned and left.

[HuniPi]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens

Sun-Cursed didn't used to have the luxury to laze about when she first woke up. She used to have to get a head start if she wanted to be certain she had enough time to return to her temporary lodgings. Moving in with Smoldering Ember, she was able to indulge herself just a smidge.

But old habits die hard and try as she might, she couldn't go back to sleep. So she got up to go about her day, trying to recall the distance she'd travelled the night prior to know where she should pick up in committing the mangroves to memory. As she headed out of the den, she heard voices and recognized Ember's immediately.

A smile formed on her face before she realized it and she made her way to him to join in. Except she arrived during the tail end of the conversation, just in time to hear the gruff remarks from the kiokote neighbor about someone walking around when everyone was asleep. The acha's halo dimmed slightly in its glow as her ears drooped. Even though Smoldering Ember's expression was civil, she could see the defensive mien to his stance. Was he in trouble with the neighbors?

The other kin mentioned a she. It must be about her and her nighttime jaunts. She felt her stomach knot in dismay, upset that she might be causing problems for her friend. She'll have to take better care to avoid the kiokote's portion of the mangroves. The last thing she wanted was to create some sort of rift.

Because she'd approached Ember from behind, he hadn't noticed her. So she went back into the den, pretending that it was only now that she was coming to see him. With a smile on her face and feigning complete ignorance of the conversation between kimeti and kiokote, she greeted cheerfully, "Good evening, Em!"

[doomsayer]

He had been watching the entire conversation between the large Kimeti and the neighboring Kiokote from a clear vantage point offered to him by this new subterranean mud tunnel he had dug. It gave him an unimpeded view of the entrance of the large Kimeti's den and deeper within.

He had already despised this neighboring Kiokote because they reprimanded his love during one of her first nights in the area. But what the Kiokote was saying about her now made his blood boil. Such outright lies and nonsense! His love was perfect and all kin would be lucky to look upon her glow! To criticize that would be worthy of punishment!

It was when he saw her come into his vision, clearly on her way out of the den, and hearing the conversation about her that his heart sank. Her glow dimmed and he could see the sadness in her eyes as her ears drooped before she made anyone aware of her presence. Yet she turned back and pretended to the large Kimeti that she was unaffected by the words that have been said. This was just another secret shared between her and him. But this, he would not let by without consequence.

That Kiokote would learn a very painful lesson in appreciating true beauty.

-----

He waited for an evening where Sun-Cursed would travel directly opposite of the territory of the Kiokote. Some of the other neighbor kin had already made her presence part of their routine, greeting her as she graced their lives with her light. These would be witnesses to prove that she would not be involved in tonight's incident.

In the dead of night, he traveled from shadow to shadow, creeping ever closer to the den of the Kiokote that dared cause Sun-Cursed to be sad. He silently appeared at the entrance of the Kiokote's den. Tonight he would enact violence on one who deserves it.

[doomsayer]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens
A few days later...

There was a commotion going around the mangrove cluster dens. Apparently, the Kiokote neighbor to the south was found in their den this morning severely beaten, their eyes swollen that they could barely see and their legs so bruised that they couldn't stand. Rumors say the attack happened in the night when everyone else was sleeping.

Upon hearing this, Smoldering Ember immediately returned to the den that he shared with Sun-Cursed. There was a relief to see her there, tidying up from her first meal after waking. He relaxed a little, smiling at her as he entered.

"Good morning roomie. Had a good night's sleep? I've got some news I think you should know before you head out tonight."

[HuniPi]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens

Sun-Cursed turned her attention towards the kimeti, feeling her heart flutter at the sight of Smoldering Ember. She tamped down the feelings but she couldn't stop her halo from brightening ever so slightly at the sight of him. With a smile on her face she greets back, "Good evening, Em, and I've been sleeping a lot better since moving in."

She got to her feet, having finished her meal. "So, what's the news?"

[doomsayer]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens

Smoldering Ember thought about how to phrase the news in a way that wouldn't deter Sun-Cursed from walking around at night--that was her time and for her to be trapped in the den from fear of an unknown assailant would be the last thing he wanted her to experience.

But at the same time, there was a nagging in the back of his head from what Steals Kisses told him. Many other kin saw Sun-Cursed north of the dens last night, so there would be absolutely no suspicion that she could have done such a terrible thing to the neighbor. But he could not discount the possibility that the thing that watches and follows Sun-Cursed could be to blame.

"You remember that rude Kiokote neighbor we have to the south, the one whose den I asked you to avoid walking through so they wouldn't have anything bad to say about you?"

"Well it looks like they were brutally attacked last night. There were no witnesses and the Kiokote themself wasn't able to get a good look at the assailant."

"It's all a big commotion and I'm a little concerned about your--about everyone's safety at night. So I've decided to do some night patrolling to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else. It would be great if you could accompany me, your glow will be really helpful, and I can make sure you're safer when you're close to me. We can follow a route and then I can go with you where you want to go. How about it?"

[HuniPi]

Sun-Cursed felt her blood run cold. "Oh no, when did this happen?" Apart from seeing the kiokote complaining to Ember, she'd purposely stayed away from the south. Surely they wouldn't be blaming her, would they? Or worse, "They're not saying you did it, are they?" she quietly asked. She couldn't help but feel bad about the situation even if she had nothing to do with it.

"A-and of course I'd be happy to go with you!" she answered a little too quickly, recalling her conversation with Hang the Moon. She felt her face flush a little at the memory and her halo unconsciously brightened.

[doomsayer]

THE SWAMP, Mangrove Cluster Dens

Smoldering Ember saw the emotions flash on Sun-Cursed's face as he told her the news, and her responses were filled with even more unconcealed concern. He moved to stand beside her and touch his flank to hers to give her his quiet reassurance.

"No one knows exactly what time it happened, but I assure you no one is blaming you or me for it. Lots of the other, nicer neighbors say they saw you pass by their dens to the north, so it's impossible for anyone to blame you. And everyone here knows that I'd never do anything like that, we all help each other here and treat each other like family. I would never get into a scuffle with another kin except if it were to protect someone else, and never without giving them the opportunity to defend themselves.

I'm happy you don't mind tagging along with me. If you want me to hang back if you ever want to talk to another kin solo, just tell me and I'll keep my distance while you do your thing. I promise I won't be a bother."

[HuniPi]

Sun-Cursed leaned into his side, finding her anxiety calming at his warmth and presence. She didn't know how Smoldering Ember could ground her and give her a sense of stability just by being there. "Thank you," she sighed, relief washing over her that there wouldn't be any trouble to Ember because of it. "And I like spending time with you. Not just on these rounds..." she murmured shyly.

"A-and you introduced me to everyone here," a beat, "Almost everyone here, so there's no reason for you to hang back or anything."

There was something she wanted to tell him but given this kerfuffle, this didn't seem like the appropriate time. Instead, she asked for something else, "But I know you can't spend all your time with me so if, if whatever or whoever hurt the kiokote came and you weren't there, I think I should know how to protect myself other than by running."

[doomsayer]

Her willingness to have him close to her not only allowed him to reassure her, but also gave him a peace of mind in making sure she was safe. He leaned down as well to playfully tap the tips of his horns to hers, "I like spending time with you too, roomie."

Her request to learn how to better defend herself gave him pause for a moment. On one hand, he did not want her to ever be in a position where she would have to defend herself. On the other hand, she was right in that he wouldn't be at her side all the time to protect her, and he was not arrogant nor delusional enough to promise her otherwise. Ultimately, to teach her himself was another way that he could protect her.

"Although running is always the best thing to do when you find yourself in a dangerous situation, I agree that it won't hurt for you to know how to fight back if it becomes absolutely necessary. I know a good fallen tree trunk we can practice horn charges on. We can pass by it later tonight."