[PRP] Compliments for Two (Survival, Ruination, Perfect)

[anemosagkelos]

It was Survival who ultimately approached the buck with the owls. Ruination hadn't wanted to impose but then she wasn't the one who was mooned over and left kin tongue-tied. She was beautiful, of course, but next to the buck beside her, she did fade a little into the background. And so, against her wishes, she followed him to Perfect and tried to ignore the damn crane that followed. He was too much like his owner, a beautiful nuisance, and she usually ended up the one being annoyed.

"Excuse us, Perfect, is it?" Ruination started, kind and bashful. Only to be utterly interrupted and rolled over.

"Don't you have any prettier owls? One more like me and one more like her, specifically," Survival cut to the chase.

"You can't just demand--"

"I don't have the patience nor the time for beating around the bush." He didn't even sound flustered or upset; his voice was calm and pleasant and, on any other kin, it would've looked bad. On Survival, it just seemed right.

Ruination simply sighed, dipped her head in apology, and hoped the buck wouldn't be offended.

@Muffinsbaby

[Muffinsbaby]

Perfect was completely taken aback by the words of the buck and was temporarily rendered speechless. He'd been prepared to answer questions about the owls but he was fully surprised at the demands of the buck. He became very defensive of the owls present and he drew himself up straighter.

"I believe all the owls in my care are quite handsome," He declared proudly, "and it isn't I who chooses, the owls find their companions in their own time. I am merely a guide."

He remained standing tall, though he glanced back at the owls hoping they hadn't heard and weren't offended. He then glanced at the doe who seemed apologetic for the whole thing, but it wasn't she who had offended. He'd seen her dutifully gathering feathers and glancing admiringly at the parliament present so it wasn't she that would have to prove worthy of companionship, but him.

"If you've neither time nor patience, I wonder at your wanting a companion at all," He was really fired up now and he couldn't stop the words from going forth, "I truly suggest that if you admire these animals in any way, and wish to be entrusted with their care, you gain both. I'd also recommend truly meaning to take an owl in your care for the one that chooses you may not be 'pretty', and, once chosen, they will stick with you for life."

@anemosagkelos (Thank you for your patience, and I'm sorry Perfect got so mad)

[anemosagkelos]

Survival tilted his head, not at all bothered but slightly flummoxed. He squinted his eyes and then pressed far too close for comfort, his nose drawing a smell from the air near Perfect's ear.

"You must be hard of hearing," he thought, aloud, and then pulled back. "I never said I didn't have patience or time. I said I didn't have either for making moon eyes and foal compliments in some bullshit dance of manners. I believe in being direct and to the point. I know what I stand for and see no reason to hide it." Again there was no anger or irritation in his voice. It was pleasant and even keeled.

Ruination, sighed, "Survival doesn't mean to offend you and I'm not excusing his behavior. He simply doesn't have any tact or see much reason for it." They were opposites in that way. She enjoyed the courtship and ulterior motives of covert affairs. It was interesting and difficult and exciting in how unexpected things could be. But then she'd seen kindness in her dreams and he hadn't.

"I am alive because I know what I want and I do what is needed to get it. If you want to be sucked up to, well, that's a poor reason to do anything," Survival added. He didn't understand adoration; he understood competition and his was with anything that wished to take him down. Regardless of size, he was still prey but his predators were life and death not caiman or crocodiles. Not even other kin. It might have explained his unbothered affect.

"I want an owl. One that looks like her," he began, direct as always, "because she likes them and I like her. If for any reason we should be apart, I'd rather not be without her entirely."

Ruination blushed despite herself. It was sweet in a possessive terrible way but that was Survival, really. Beautiful and terrible. She was plainer and kind.

"I don't know that an owl will choose me," the doe cut in, "but if one were, well I wouldn't want it to be lonely. Everyone deserves a friend and I do love him, even if he is a bit useless at introductions and getting to know kin and pet. I'm sure the crane chose him because they're both a bit too beautiful to be upset with eternally."

Survival blinked; why would anyone be upset with him? That was a puzzle. He was perfectly nice by directly telling others what he thought and wanted. Kin just didn't appreciate him right.

@Muffinsbaby (It serves Survival right. Just because he's beautiful doesn't mean everyone should drool and make heart eyes.)

[Muffinsbaby]

Perfect had never felt the desire to respond with violence to any creature but he had the growing urge to lash out with each second passing interacting with this buck. He was slightly surprised to find his hackles raising in response to Survivals proximity and responses. Taking a deep breath he stretched slightly to stand a bit taller. He didn't want to react this way and restrained himself as much as possible - making the excuse it was for the doe's sake and the fact he was outnumbered with no experience in retaliation.

"As I was saying," he began, his voice slightly strained with his tense mood, "you don't need to like me and I certainly don't need to like you. The owls don't belong to me, more I belong to them as they allow me to care for them."

Survivals declaration of why he demanded the owls hit Perfect hard. He'd felt the same way about Song but had nothing of her other than her offspring - all of whom left him to his own devices for their own pursuits. The pain and loss of her disappearance was never far behind and never lessened no matter the time that passed.

With a heavy sigh, as if trying to expel his sadness, he continued, "I don't choose who goes to who. The owls do. Therefore I cannot guarantee you receive exactly whom it is you're looking for. I can't even guarantee an owl will even choose you. Do you understand?" He looked at buck and doe both, no malice in his words, only truth.

[anemosagkelos]

The buck stared, silent. It might have been a nice change and yet. . .

"Then why are we talking to you?" he asked, bewildered. What was the point of it all to talk to this buck who held no use? He shook his head, bypassing the buck completely and began to look at the owls themselves. "I don't speak owl but it sounds like I have to talk to the whole lot of you, to get anywhere at all," he eventually addressed them.

Ruination, sighed. He wasn't entirely wrong, at least in his sentiment of doing rather than waiting, but it was still rude.

"We, or, at least, I understand that," the doe said with a nod. "And please don't listen to him. You are of use and quite kind. He's never had much gifted to him and believes he has to do it all on his own."

[Muffinsbaby]

"Please don't harass the owls that have already chosen companions," Perfect requested flatly before turning to Ruination, "He's mostly right, though. If you want to learn the habits, migrations, little quirks of personality and needs of each owl, I am the one to speak with, but if you are wanting one as a companion yourself, its mostly waiting for one to choose you or attempting to impress in some way as you've done for yours these past days."

He tilted his head to the side, listening to something not quite discernible, with a slightly confused expression. It seemed a few owls had followed without his knowledge. As he searched for their perches he found a group among the trees, curiously peering about. He watched in slight amusement as two owls made themselves known to the trio.

One that elegantly blended into the scenery of winter and trees glided down and joined the exuberant owl that ruination had been frolicking with. It brushed the doe with its soft feathers before lighting and swept its gaze over the darker owl. If it could have sniffed haughtily, it would have.

Another, dark as night and slightly intimidating with a small scar marring it's features reeled back before reaching Survivals head, screeching loudly as if yelling like an angry sibling. It flew off to a nearby branch, screeching in his direction again before settling to glare at the buck. "It seems you may infact have some compliments to pay to someone after all," Perfect says smugly to Survival in response to the obvious choosing but reluctant owl.

(anemosagkelos has permission to bribe or commission a total of 2 owls, one each for the kin Survival and Ruination)

[anemosagkelos]

"You are a finicky fellow, you know," Survival pointed out. "You say it's the owls that choose and yet when I deign to speak to owls to learn about them you call it harrassing them. I don't think you quite understand who you are." It was a sound observation, in his opinion.

Any other conversation was ended as the two owls made themselves known. Survival's lips twitched at the elegant owl's disdain for its new found sibling under Ruination's watch. And then the screeching.

"I can work with that," he grinned up at the irritated wraith.

Ruination would have thanked the buck for his help but Survival's parting words made her think better of it.

"We have to go. I believe our great granddaughter has someone she wants to fuck and I'd like to make sure he or she is suitable."

Ruination was too used to the frankness to blush or stutter anymore, "I do apologize for him. At least he didn't introduce himself that way to you." Small favors, that. She'd come back later, on her own, to give Perfect a thank you. Although that alone might be enough. She didn't think he'd want to see Survival again.