[PRP] Farmer Wants A... Friend? [Hope-Still/Fierce Warrior]

[Ruriska]

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Hope wasn’t as good of a farmer as his father but he was earnest and hardworking and even with winter closing in and covering the world in harsh white snow he was still giving his all. When he had made the decision to make his own way and claimed a small plot of fertile land, he hadn’t counted on the weather making his life miserable so soon.

A little bit of snow was one thing (beets were pretty hardy) but this was a ridiculous amount. He was kept constantly on the move, sweeping it away before it could settle and freeze the leaves poking up out of the soil. The thought had now crossed his mind once or twice that perhaps he should have waited for spring.

But he had been determined and he still was, for hope springs eternal even in the face of endless swirling snow.

And so he was once again busy at work, tending to his modest field and feeling particularly cold today. It sure would have been nice to be with his family right now, with his many brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. There was always someone around to cuddle.

“Hang on now,” he told the beet shoots as he gently brushed away the snow. “You've gotta grow nice and strong for me.”

[rexcorvus]

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] For the first time in a long time, Fierce Warrior was alone.

He had taken none of his familiars with him on the current traipse through the woods, though he somewhat suspected that Sharp Eyes was still following him somewhere behind, just out of sight. The noise and bustle of the inhabitants of the Crescent Bay had never bothered him in the past - and yet Fierce couldn't explain why it was grating on him now, of all times.

Perhaps it was the cold air, or the way the water had lapped at the sand, just a little too loudly. Perhaps it was Breakwater's persistent whining, the shuppy lumbering along as it dug holes in the ground everywhere they went until, inevitably, Fierce or one of his other familiars fell into one of the holes unexpectedly. He had a great deal of admiration and pride for the tribe he was a part of, and an even greater joy in his familiars.

Still, here he was now, alone.

Or - perhaps not so alone after all. Fierce became aware of a noise nearby, a soft voice and some shuffling that sounded like soil being packed away, or perhaps someone stomping. He moved quietly, pushing past a small cluster of trees, and came upon a field of sorts, small and humble. A buck was stooping near, snow shifting at his hooves, his bright colored hide standing out amidst all the white of the season around them.

Fierce paused on the edge of the field, watching, wondering if he was intruding. Then decided he was, and began to slowly back away.

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

Something caught his attention, movement in his peripheral vision that instantly brought his head up, expecting to have to hunt down another one of those pesky rabbits. They sure were hungry this winter season and his growing beets were their favourite treat.

Instead he saw another kin backing up to leave, a striking fellow with a sinuous tail. “Hang on there a moment,” he called hopefully. It would be a real treat to have someone to talk to on such a lonely day. 

For someone so large, he was ever so careful as he stepped around his plants and towards the other kin. “No need to leave so soon!”

@kuropeco

[rexcorvus]

Before he could slip away, a voice called out to him. Fierce's back hoof slowly sank back down, his head twisting around to catch sight of the buck looking over at him, expression unreadable at this distance. A part of him still felt a little like an intruder, wondering if he'd be chased away out of irritation - but the voice was warm and kind, with no hint of aggression to it. Fierce felt some of the tension ease just a little from his back.

"My apologies," he said, by way of greeting. "I didn't meant to interrupt your work."

He glanced over at the little garden, his tail sliding through the grass. "Is this all yours, then?"

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

When the buck turned back to him, Hope-still's joy was obvious as a wide grin spread across his face and his eyes lit up. He continued to move closer until he was standing only half a kin’s length away from the newcomer.

“No apologies needed. In fact, you’ve done me a favour. Sure does get lonely out here on your own. Just me and the rabbits mostly and can’t really call ‘em friends.” He grinned. While he wasn’t on friendly terms with the local rabbit population, they did make a tasty meal. 

“Sure is,” Hope said proudly, looking back over his shoulder at the neat rows of beetroot plants. “Did it all myself too.” He hadn’t needed to ask anyone for help. Not even his sister or father!

His gaze swung back to the other buck. "You like beets?" He asked hopefully. 

@kuropeco

[rexcorvus]

The buck smiled so easily and without menace. Fierce, who was a solitary kimeti who found little to embrace these days found he was slightly in awe of that ability; he had never been able to let go with such freedom before, loose and light and bright.

It was almost daunting. Fierce gave his head a little shake, hair falling around his neck. "Rabbits?" Fierce repeated, automatically glancing around to see if he could spot one. "One would think they would be a nuisance to your garden, wouldn't they?"

A comment said in a curious tone, nothing disparaging. Fierce found a faint smile tugging at his own face. "All of it? That's quite impressive. I can't really say I've ever been this dedicated to harvesting, mostly because I have very little idea of how to do it."

His tail switched back and forth, catching on some of the grass; Fierce gave a slight, unconscious tug to free it. "I've never had a beet before, so I can't say if I do or not. Is that what you're growing?"

@Ruriska

[Ruriska]

Hope laughed, a warm rumbling sound from deep in his belly. “They’re a gosh darn nuisance! Scurrying all over the place, digging the soil and nibbling on the new shoots. Well, just this morning I had to evict two of the braver ones.” He was grinning, his shoulders giving a little roll in a playful shrug. “At least that’s lunch sorted.”

This buck wouldn’t be the first with little knowledge of growing and harvesting. Most kin liked to wander and didn’t like to be locked down to one location. But Hope-still enjoyed waking up to the same surroundings and watching something he’d worked hard on flourish.

His head dipped slightly with pleasure. Quite impressive? Not as impressive as it could be but yeah he was happy.

But wait a second - “You’ve never had a beet?” Hope-still’s brows raised with shock. “Not roasted or boiled or even fresh? Never nibbled the yummy green tops and then crunched on the root?” He turned in a circle, inspecting his crop that was nowhere near harvesting, hoping one would magically appear.

“You’ve gotta try one!” He concluded. “This lot will take some more time to grow but that just means you’d better come back when they do.” 



@kuropeco 10 years later!!!

[rexcorvus]

The sun overhead was bright, casting a yellow-golden hue across the field and the little garden by which they stood. Fierce could feel it warming his skin, pressing gently against his sides as though reminding him that it existed. One hoof shifted, not quite a restless gesture, as he raised it and then let it fall back into the earth again. Grass crumpled underfoot.

"How exactly do you evict them?" Fierce asked, with a small laugh. It felt a little hoarse, like he'd forgotten how to do it so easily. "If only herding shuppies out would get me the same sort of satisfaction..."

He thought of Breakwater, who was likely wreaking havoc somewhere back at the Bay, and then refocused back on the buck, who was a far more promising subject (and one that was likely not going to continually drive Fierce up a wall in annoyance - maybe). "No beets here. A lot of fish - most of my time is spent near the shorelines - and some herbs now and then, but I'm admittedly a bit unfamiliar with the more...green leafed things."

Not opposed, though. Fierce smiled. "What else do you grow here other than beets? I'm happy to come back and try them when they're grown."

@Ruriska - (gasping noises)

[Ruriska]

“How exactly do you evict them?”

The question came as a surprise, Hope-Still had thought he had made it quite obvious but the buck hadn’t caught on and oh dear that was awkward. Perhaps he was one of those kin preferred to eat only plants? He certainly didn’t look like the sort but one didn’t want to presume.

Fierce followed up with mentioning eating fish, so at least he didn’t have to worry about offending him too much.

“By evict, I, uh, I mean that I eat them,” he said with a nervous chuckle at the end. “Waste not, want not and all.” That was the best way to deal with an overly eager rabbit population.

He pawed at the ground with his hoof, turning up the soil and snow. “It’s just beets at the moment. This is kinda my first real go at my own farm. But Pa grows a lot of things, heaps of new ones each season. I thought it was about time to set out on my own and I guess I’m just real fond of beets.”

Hope-Still’s ears perked hopefully. “You’ll really come back? I’ll save you the best ones!”

@kuropeco i live!

[rexcorvus]

All at once, the comment about lunch became much clearer. Fierce blinked at the other buck, caught in a moment of surprise, and then he let out a small, amused laugh in spite of himself. "I'll admit," he said, considering Hope-Still, "I've never eaten a rabbit before. I'm not opposed; I just haven't really had a moment to really sit down and take my time to hunt them, I suppose."

He made a soft noise of wryness. "Too busy chasing after shuppies on the beach." Maybe he could send one of his daughters out to hunt a rabbit; he was quite sure that Strength in Numbers would do so very joyfully and with a great amount of vigor and intensity.

The buck's ears had popped up, and there was a note of - something - in his voice that Fierce wasn't quite sure of. Slightly more than politeness; genuine delight at the prospect of him coming back? It would be nice to think about it that way. He found his smile stretching slightly, a little bigger than it had been before, which was an unfamiliar feeling.

"I'll come back," he said. "I'm sure I could find my way back here again, and I like to make sure I keep my promises."


@Ruriska what is living anyway.........