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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 21, 2012 19:40:24 GMT -1
After spending a couple of nights in his temporary cave in the cliffs of Coral Bay, Kurai had woken with the sunrise to explore the coastlines of Tialka. He had already familiarised himself with he east, and now moved west, memorising key landmarks and shapes of the land. Never had he experienced such a variety of regions, from sunny beaches to open plains and once on his journey he spotted the peaks of mountains concealed in a distant mist.
So much to do, he thought to himself as he picked his way across the winding peaks of the Naviga cliffs, kicking little lumps of chalk into the sea as he went. I pretty much know my way around this place, but barely know the inhabitants. Well, none that are worth my time. He needed to find an ally and fast. The longer he lingered, the more lies he would have to tell. A companion with an easily maleable conscience was what he needed.
"Ohhh! The waves go crashing and the wind is lashing and the rocks go smash, smash, SMASHHH!" Kurai smirked to himself as he sang, kicked a small boulder over the cliffside. "For there must be another who can help me kill my brother and turn his world to asssshhh!"
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 21, 2012 20:45:12 GMT -1
Seema was wandering along the shore at the base of the cliffs when a boulder came smashing down right in front of her. Looking up at the origin of the boulder, she scowled. "There are children down here! Watch what you're doing!" She bawled up. Sure enough, fifty yards ahead of her, the three male cubs were playing. Sai and Kai were tumbling around while Artemis sat back and laughed.
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 21, 2012 21:43:03 GMT -1
Kurai's gleeful singing was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice that sounded fairly distant. Peeking over the edge of the cliffs, he spotted a disgruntled white fox on the pebbles below. "Not my concern where it lands," he called back, chuckling. In three swift movements he bounced down the chalk slope and down onto the beach where Seema stood, glaring at him. There was something dark about those eyes that caught hold of him. Somehow, he felt like there was no need to pretend. Those eyes were so sharp they would see through anything. "What do they call you then, little fox?" He heard yipping in the background and Kurai turned to see three pups playing a short distance away. His body tensed when he realised he'd seen them before. They were the pups of his brother, and who was it? He looked back at Seema. She looked remarkably like the mother. Was there a connection? Was she the key?
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 21, 2012 21:52:22 GMT -1
"I'm somebody you don't want to annoy, let's put it that way" she growled. "Those cubs aren't even mine and if just one of them had a single scratch you'd be waking up next week... if you were lucky." She eyed up the newcomer suspiciously - Seirei had not mentioned the arrival of another wolf. It was strange that something so significant should go past his attention. "And I think you'll find that it's not your size that matters - it's your strength." There was a dangerous glint in Seema's eyes. If Seirei didn't know this wolf was here, then it seemed logical that he was trying to hide from Seirei. But then why was he here?
"Auntie Seema, who's that?" piped up a very soft young voice. Wheeling round, Seema found Artemis at her feet. Sai and Kai were still tumbling obliviously. "Artemis, Auntie Seema is busy right now" she said softly with a smile, bending down to his level. "Why don't you be a good boy and go play with Sai and Kai?"
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 21, 2012 22:19:40 GMT -1
Artemis frowned a little, but he was a good pup that always did as he was told, so he went off to rejoin his two brothers.
Kurai smiled approvingly; this little fox had some spunk to her. "Oh I know those adorable creatures aren't yours. Now the question you should be asking is, how is it that I know these things, hmm? As for the matter of who I am ... let's just say those pups and I are connected by more than you know."
Distractedly, he paced around her, looking back to the pups than back to her continuously, a chuckle starting to emit from his chest. Suddenly his mood seemed to change. His pace changed to a bouncy skip, like he was enjoying his thoughts. "Tell me, what is it that you want most in the whoooole world?" His pace quickened, he circled round her faster and faster, hissing in her ear again and again: "Tell me ... Tell me ..." all the while laughing to himself, quite disturbing to hear.
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 21, 2012 22:29:36 GMT -1
She laughed a little. "Don't think you can play mind games with me" she grinned, putting out a paw and catching Kurai's chest, stopping his circling motion. "I practically invented them."
She looked Kurai up and down. "So you're the long lost brother then. I must say I expected more than just a nasty laugh, Seirei clearly overestimated you." she raised an eyebrow.
"As to what I want most in the world, I don't really see how it can possibly interest you. We've only just met, after all." her expression was quite blank, but her eyes gave her away - this was a delicious find.
"I'm Seema Tara. And in case you didn't guess, I'm Tersias' older sister." she held out a paw for Kurai to shake.
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 25, 2012 19:56:09 GMT -1
Kurai stopped his taunting and frowned. "Well you're no fun." He had been right in suspecting that this fox had the connections he desired. Sister to his brother's mate was a useful coincidence. Kurai snorted when Seema held out her paw. "Clearly you don't know me either." He could see beneath the tough facade that Seema wore. Her loyalty to her sister and her pups was unwavering, he wouldn't be able to mess with that, no matter how much he tempted her. When it came to Seirei, however, there seemed a lack of respect, the way she said his name. He could be overthinking this, but it was worth a shot.
"Tell me, does your darling sister enjoy living here? I mean, is her mate really offering her the full deal? He's a prince you know. Yes, he is. Even his mate doesn't know, I'm guessing. He isn't one for letting secrets slip. He could offer her a life of luxury back in his home world, if he wasn't so selfish as to abandon his clan." He nodded in the direction of the three pups still playing in the pebbles. Kai had fallen head-first into a small hole in the beach and his brothers watched laughing as his little legs waved around frantically. Kurai sighed heavily. "But I suppose he's happy to force his family to live in the dirt and not even be around to watch his pups grow and blossom. I know what that feels like. I wouldn't want you to watch them struggle the way Seirei left his own kind to suffer." Kurai gazed off in the distance, his face seeming to show genuine remorse. He turned back to Seema. "I could help, Seema," he said seriously.
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 25, 2012 20:05:15 GMT -1
"Tersias has given up a place on the counsel of elders to be with him. I would never for a moment question her love for him, but - saying no to the elders, that's no small feat." Her eyes flashed with anger. "Mother clearly never expected that, and I'm loathe to admit that that's the situation, if I'm honest. The fifth chair is an honour beyond any other our people will afford Tersias again. They won't have said this, but she couldn't go back now if she wanted to. She's stuck. Whatever befalls this land will be her fate."
At that point a squeak came from kai. "Aunty Seema, Sai hurt me! Using wings is cheeeeating, Aunty Seema!" He ran over and curled up at her feet. "It's cheatinggggggggg!"
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 25, 2012 20:43:34 GMT -1
Kurai was gleefully aware that Seema was taking the bait. He had touched a nerve, clearly. "Sacrifices have been made and now even more now it seems. How long do you expect Seirei will just stand by and watch as he makes others bend to suit his own idealistic world?" He chuckled as one of the pups came rushing up to them. "Such energy and spirit. Such a waste in a place like this. A bit of culture could really make them grow into fine adults. It isn't too late, Seema. We could work together to make this happen."
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 25, 2012 20:50:16 GMT -1
"It's not that I wanted them to be brought up among our people specifically. I just don't think it should be a door that is closed to them. This place, it has no structure, no culture, no tradition - I'm scared that the cubs will grow up with no direction and no purpose other than to take their father's place. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that with five cubs and one father they can't all do that." Seema's face was deadly serious. Suddenly, she nodded as if she had made a decision. "These cubs need more than this. If you help me to get them out of here, then we have a deal." She looked at Kurai "I know that there's a catch. And I can guess what it will probably be. But as long as the cubs don't find out, I'm comfortable with that. I've come close enough to doing it before anyway."
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 25, 2012 21:05:35 GMT -1
I have her now ... But is she willing to go as far as I think she is?
"Here's how it'll go." Kurai kept his voice low so only Seema could hear. The pups wouldn't necessarily understand, but loose tongues could ruin the entire operation that he had been planning for years. "I promise that I can get the pups out of Tialka and back to either my world or yours, whichever you prefer, and in return, you distract Tersias long enough so I can teach my brother a lesson and bring him back to his clan." Not that he'll make it back in one piece ...
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 25, 2012 21:11:18 GMT -1
She looked at him coolly, balancing up her options. "Two conditions - One, you either join the pups and I or make regular visits so I look less suspcious just appearing with 5 wolf pups in tow. And Two - he gets to see my face and know that this is my revenge." her voice was cold, but quiet, so as to not be heard by the cubs. Seema was angry at how Seirei had treated her lately - she had come out of genuine concern for her sister and had been treated like dirt in response. So her patience with Seirei was wearing very thin.
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 25, 2012 21:27:14 GMT -1
Kurai grinned to himself at this sudden change of character. Oh how I love a capricious character. This'll be more than entertaining. He placed his paw on his chest as he made a solemn vow that would, from here on in, change the future for the whole of Tialka, for better or for worse who knew? "I swear to keep to these conditions that you set and let us vow together that we will stick together until all is done and dusted." Kurai nipped his paw so a little trickle of blood came out. "Blood and blood together both you, Seema, and I, Kurai Hisakata, are in this together until justice is met."
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 26, 2012 11:10:07 GMT -1
"I'm not cutting my paw. Especially in front of the pups" she said, simply and bluntly. "You can choose to trust me or you can choose not to, but my word should be enough for you to make that decision from." For Seema, trust was a big deal - people who had to resort to shows of commitment or loyalty generally had something to hide.
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Post by Kurai Hisakata on Mar 30, 2012 21:00:14 GMT -1
"Such a waste." Kurai muttered to himself, slowly licking the small trickle of blood that had escaped his paw, relishing it with his tongue as it moved up to the cut. "Words will have to do. This new scar will remind me not to mess with someone like you." Compliments rarely came from Kurai's mouth, and seeming as Seema had just rejected his own blood, he had to work hard not to strike her down. Then again, he needed her and would have to be tolerant until they had both acheived what they now set out to do. "I'm afraid that I've lingered too long ..." Kurai had noticed that the pups had stopped playing and were now staring at him curiously. "I shall remain in hiding for now. I suggest you start placing ideas in some minds while I work out the finer details. We shall no doubt run into one another soon." With that, and a final worried glance at the pups, Kurai dashed off north up the beach with great speed for such a diminished animal, and was out of sight.
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