[PRP] Sulky and Snarky (Yoru and Galdric)

[belloblossom]

Yoru had been seeing more and more of his siblings lately, it seemed. Kasai and he were probably the closest between he and his siblings. After all, she was the one who had hounded him the most, even more so than their mother, to get his life together. At first, he had resented her for it, but now... He had to admit, he grew fond of his sister's pestering. She meant it from a good place, he had realized and maybe he did need a nudge in the right direction.

Although all of those nudges didn't get him anywhere when she wasn't around. Like how she hadn't been around during the announcements, when he "re-connected" with his twin. His twin who barely spoke two words to him before snuggling up to the unfortunate soul that was Belial. Why did Miyako insist upon keeping such distance from her family? Didn't she care about them?

He growled and stopped where he stood, digging his claws into the earth below. He hated that he couldn't just go up and talk to her, ask her why she was being so distant. He hated that he felt so insecure all the time. He hated that the one lion that he had the chance to befriend was also the lion his twin was courting. He hated that despite the fact that he was trying to reach out to his family, he still felt so alone.

And the blasted dreams he kept having, regardless of whether he was asleep or awake plagued his mind and confused his memories. He had seen his mother in one of them, but she had been in her adolescence and so full of life and energy. She spoke excitedly to Kimondo, before his pale aunt had become Queen about how she would protect her family, even if she was feeling a little uncertain about how things were going in the rebellion. They had been planting moon flowers by the lake at the time. When the vision passed, Yoru had gone to the lake himself to find that the flowers were really there, now looking much more healthy than the seedlings that his mother and aunt had planted. That's how he knew what he was seeing had been real and not imagined.

Trying to deal with this on his own and not go crazy was a feat in of itself. He still tried to reach out to his family members, hoping they could ground him in some way and so when Galdric had turned up during the night of the announcements, Yoru had asked him to go walking along the pride borders with him, away from prying eyes. That way they could actually talk, though about what, Yoru didn't know. It wasn't as though he could tell Galdric about his dreams, he wouldn't understand. Yoru wasn't sure he could understand them yet himself, come to think of it.

Finally coming out of his brooding at the sound of pawsteps approaching, Yoru raised his head to see the purple coat of his brother drawing near. Shaking his pelt and trying to regain a calm, open mind, Yoru gave a half-smile when Galdric reached him and then turned towards away.
"Let's be off, then." He said, starting to walk off towards the boundaries of the pride, trying to come up with something worthwhile to say on the way.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

It had been a while since the male had gotten out of his own head and seen his family. The gathering at the announcement seemed to have been the perfect segue back into being with his family. It had been nice to see them really. So much into what was going on in his head of his path that he wanted to take. Plus meeting Pueo was a lot for him too. Gorgeous and socially awkward like him. Seeing her at the announcement wasn't too far of a surprise. There were many lions there needing to hear what their aunt had in-store for the pride and the changes that needed to happen.

"Where exactly are we going?" The male asked as he greeted his brother who looked like he wanted to just get up and go. "You alright brother? You seem tense."

There was just something that he couldn't place about his brother. Something had changed him and he was somewhat bothered that he didn't know what exactly was wrong. Great Lion he had been gone far too long. He followed the other however, his brother would not lead him astray. There was no fear when he was with his brother, why would their be. Whatever secret or thing Yoru needed to tell him, he would listen unbiased.

belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

When Galdric caught up to him, Yoru shrugged his shoulders. He was almost snorted at the comment on his being tense. Of course he was tense. Galdric ought to try having a dream about their aunt sinking her fangs into the tyrant king's throat and not feeling tense. Galdric had another thing coming if he thought this meeting was going to involve Yoru pouring out his heart to his brother whom he'd rarely spoken to before them.

"It's none of your concern." Yoru replied, sounding a bit colder than he meant to. Knowing his mother (or Great Lion, Kasai) would scold him for not being more gracious, he went on. "I'm just eager to move."

Inclining his head towards his brother, he forced himself to be chatty. He didn't usually talk. Usually, he let others do the talking. His mother and Kasai were both rather good at it. He didn't know what kind of lion Galdric was, however, so he voiced an open-ended question.

"So, what've you been up to lately? I haven't seen you around much."

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

Galdric bristled as his brother when he told him it was none of his concern. Of course it was his concern. Were they not family? Though he felt that maybe pushing the matter would be a terrible idea at the moment. Another time then.

What had he been up to lately other than attempting to court that beautiful lioness. "I have been busy." He responded a bit more curtly than he wanted. aybe it was because of how Yoru had responded to his note of concern. "Figuring out what exactly I want out of my life." He did not want to stay as a hunter, that is not what he felt his calling was.

"You?" The male expected a short answer from his brother.

belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

"Trying not to scream." Was Yoru's reply, eyes having narrowed at the sudden change of attitude from his brother. "You don't have to get so defensive, you know. I have a right to be hesitant, considering you've only recently decided to get back into our family affairs."

He sniffed once and continued.
"Great Lion knows I'm not perfect, especially with..." He trailed off, glancing at the sky and then shook his mane and went on. "But at least I made somewhat of an effort to keep in touch with our family-with our mother." He added for emphasize and stopped to turn and look at Galdric. "What excuse are you going to give me for leaving us behind? Soul searching? You know you have family you can depend on-you don't have to do that sort of stuff on your own."

Listen to yourself preach, He thought sadly. You can't even take your own advice. But he still didn't feel like pouring his heart out to his brother who very well could have been a stranger, for all they talked these days. Nothing's going to change until one of us volunteers something vulnerable about ourselves, but before I do that... Before he did that, he needed to figure out why Galdric was coming to the family now.

"What I don't get is why disappear from our lives to do whatever you've been doing and then come back suddenly wanting to 'protect' us all. You're aggressive when it comes to other males looking at our sisters and you're defensive at the drop of a pebble. We came out here to talk, didn't we? So, start telling me what happened." He took a deep breath. "And then... Then we can get to me." He looked imploringly at his brother. "Okay?"

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

A few blinks and Galdric dropped his head a little. Yeah okay that was true what Yoru was saying. He hadn't been there, he had been a terrible brother and a worse son. His soul searching had made him and outsider and a stranger to the family he should have been keeping up with. He honestly couldn't give an actual good reason for his leaving.

"I..." He started, feeling as if the other male had slammed him in the stomach with the words. "I'm sorry." Was the best he could say at the moment. Any comeback he wanted to give was drowned out in his head by the current guilt he had.

So much to tell him, where to begin at? "I have felt out of place, for a long time. I felt like hunting just wasn't something that called to me but I threw myself into that. Going out more often than I care to admit, sometimes just strolling the border and watching the guards. That isn't out place but I wanted it to be. The Great Lion didn't see what I saw in myself and it angered me more than I let on to others." He shifted his weight from one paw to another. This was going to be long.

"Then I started to feel lonely. Trying to take this all on was wrong. I wanted to be with family. I neglected my duty to my family and I needed to reconcile that. I met a lioness whom I want to share my life with. I guess I turned into father for a time."

belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Yoru observed his brother, who seemed finally ready to share what on earth had happened, with a reserved look. His tail twitched once, before the Hunter fell completely still, unmoving as he waited and listened.

The apology was expected, he supposed. Perhaps Yoru's words had finally broken through the arrogance that his brother showed upon his return. Perhaps said arrogance had been an act this whole time. His eyes narrowed slightly, prompting his kin to start speaking in more than apologies and Galdric did so.

Galdric said he didn't feel comfortable as a Hunter, but the Great Lion had put them there. Sometimes, they just had to accept their fate. Yoru had, despite his initial reservations of his own. And in practicing he found that he was better at Hunting than anything more and that he wouldn't have been able to make it as a Lord or a Guard had he the chance. A rank made for those of the high class whispered at him. Historian. No, he wouldn't hope for what he couldn't achieve. It would be foolish to do so.

But Galdric had been that very fool, if Yoru understood what he was saying. He wanted a different life and he felt the conflict within him and so he left. In leaving, he chose to abandon his family. The family carried on without him, developed lives of their own and now, with his return, it was likely confusing for his kin to come back to see that they hadn't waited up for him. Yoru suppressed a growl forming in his throat. Galdric would be selfish to believe that his family would have waited around for his return, but... But he could still understand where his brother was coming from. It was maddening.

"I doubt Azhar did any sort of soul searching." Yoru growled instead. "He just left." He would never address his biological father by anything other than his name. His respect for his mother was too great for that. "You, at least, chose to come back. That is far more than he did and... and I think you'll be able to find your way back into the family. We're too close to abandon one of our own, after all." He smiled a little and then indicated his head towards the horizon, were they were to continue their walk. He set off again.

Now, he supposed, it was his turn. The thought of confession made his fur bristle. He didn't want to say anything, not until he knew what was going on, but maybe... Maybe he could just let a little bit out, not all at once, but bit by bit. No one needed to know about his silly dreams. Not yet.

"I know some of what you mean, about feeling out of place. I never felt like I could really talk to anyone, even Mother, sometimes. I started drifting away from the family, like you had, but I suppose Mother didn't wish to lose another son, because she came after me. She accompanied me everywhere I went to make sure I didn't disappear like you or Father. She tasked Kasai," He rolled his eyes and smiled, "Of all lions to watch out for me too. I acted like I hated it, but... They did their jobs. They kept me grounded." He sighed.

"I still don't completely fit in. I have to leave to go hunting on my own from time to time, but I'm in no danger of leaving now... now that I know there are people who depend on me. I know how much it would affect Mother and I'm not going to break her heart like that. That's happened enough, don't you think? And Kasai would come after me like a shooting star and kill me if I tried to leave anyway." He huffed a chuckle, shook his head and that was the end of it. No need to mention his dreams. He had to change this to a different topic.

"So, you leave to be alone and you come back a lovestruck lion. Who's the lucky lady? Are you going to marry her?" He asked suddenly, grinning at his brother as though they hadn't been talking about such deep, brooding things before. Let them move on, let them act like family. Let them be family again.

DavyJnah

 

[DavyJnah]

Maybe he should do what Yoru was doing and not call their father 'Father' anymore and stick with Azhar. After all the male had never returned after that meeting with them as cubs. He wanted to get closer to family but he wasn't sure what the reactions from the others might be.

He understood Yoru and how the male felt in a way. "I won't leave again Yoru." The male said the words as a promise, vowing that he'd never go again. Even with the female he pursued he would make time for family. Family was always there for you. "Well if you need to hunt, I would be grateful if you brought me along." He gave a brotherly grin to the other. "I want to get into mother's good graces, even Kasai's."

Then came the tone of the stars in his eyes for this lioness. "Her name is Pueo. I think the Great Lion put her on my path.: Shaking his head, "No he definitely put her in my path. She's beautiful a bit socially awkward but she's just... wow. I want to. I just don't want to scare her off. Knowing me I just might." Hanging his head a little.

belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Yoru watched his brother carefully and then dipped his head, accepting the promise his brother made to him.
"If you should stray, I will put you back on the right path." He declared in return and came up to stand beside his brother, bumping into his shoulder with his own. "I will see it my job to make sure you stay on the straight and narrow this time." He rumbled, before listening more closely to the description of this lioness his brother was seeing.

"Pueo? I believe Mother knows her. Is she a guard too?" He asked, smiling at his brother. "I'm glad you found someone that made you happy." He said and flicked his brother with his tail when he mentioned scaring you off. "I don't think you have it in her to scare her off, so long as you don't start spouting ballads at her or something of that ilk." He joked. "Stay with her, show her that she matters and... I don't know, maybe ask Mother for advice or Miyako, since they were both successfully wooed? I'd give a gazelle to see you have that conversation with our mother." He said in a jovial tone, his smile relaxed and happy to be speaking of easy things.

DavyJnah

So sorry for the delay! I hope you're still interested in finishing this RP?