[ORP] Bonfire Games with The Mothers Club

[Ruriska]

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Someone has to keep an eye on the young'uns and make sure no one gets too close to the fire. Make sure they're healthy and happy however you see fit.

The Mothers Club arrived and it was no surprise to anyone when they immediately got to set to the task of looking after the young ones, marking out a designated area and putting someone on constant bonfire patrol, just to make sure no inquisitive foals got an accidental burn.

"Gather around," Peep called merrily, settling herself down in a small group of foals, legs tucked neatly beneath her and looking utterly content. "We’re going to play a game. What do you say?"

There was a chorus of agreement.

"Everyone can play with us. Just come join the circle." She cast the invitation out to any passing kin, including her tribe members. "Right then, we’re going to play ‘Continue the Story’. In this game, someone starts the story with one line and the next person continues it."

She smiled across at Empty Nest. The Kiokote doe was hovering at the edge of the circle, as if afraid to actually take part.

"Shall I start? A long time ago there was a young foal that loved to go swimming…"

Off to the side Lionhearted grinned and kept an eye out for any stray foals.



OOC: Please come and join The Mothers Club for some games and stories!
500 words will earn you a bonfire ticket.

 

[Chrystali]

Ugh. Socializing.

It was bad enough he had to ward stray passerby's from their territory, now he had to suffer all manner of strays on purpose. MotherFather bless his mother, but he was not cut out for the work she did, and to be doing the same thing here as in their territory was baffling to Still. Not only that, but somehow, he'd been roped into it. Tending to babies.

It wasn't like he didn't have experience with it, now, given that he had brought the four children of his...whatever the Kiokote was to him...to be raised in the territory. Beneath his watchful gaze, no less. As if they were his own. But this...

He basically had the choice to help maintain the safety of the children, or partake in trying to entertain them. MotherFather knows, Still was not exactly the perfect role model for anyone, let alone the young and impressionable. No, his clutch-sister and other-sister were more suited for that; they seemed to inherit some of their mother's good will and mirth, whereas he...was his father's son. The Acha huffed, pacing near his sister before he begrudgingly made the decision to join his mother, even if she was surrounded by other interlopers that didn't deserve her time--

Still clenched his jaw and grumpily folded his legs beneath himself, next to his mother. He didn't even try to grin, teeth slightly bared at the children. No, he was not good at this, but he was sure no one would care. His kids -- eeer, the Kiokote's kids never seemed to mind, and even thought it was funny he was as he was. These kids would either have to be as good as his children or just deal with it.

Since they weren't immediately jumping in to continue the story, he figured it probably needed to be encouraged. His sister seemed afraid to come into the light and Lionhearted...was Lionhearted. Grinding his sharp teeth for a moment, he gave his mother a plaintive 'do I really have to do this?' look but answered it himself, heaving a sigh through his nose. He fidgeted, hooves digging into the dirt and tail flinging it about, but after a moment, he finally managed to growl out, "The foal loved to swim so much, even the caimans were friendly to them." There. No horror, no abrupt derailing...at least, not with his mother. She of all living beings could get some decency out of him without trying.

He looked moodily towards his sister and Lionhearted. Daring them to join.  

[Aric Val]

Sometimes, it was strange to be walking simply in the open.

Cursed knew he was a creature of the dark, he didn't venture out so much, only in his solitary territory and he was fine with it. He was a danger, a cause for chaos and violence -- he had something he carried that was heavy but he had accepted it. A life of loneliness. Except, well, when he came around.

He had expressed his feelings once or twice to the acha, he knew his heart. The kiokote started walking, sniffing the area and recognizing the scent -- naturally following it. Immediately a whiff made his blood warm, chest beating hard against his heavy chest. His confession wasn't met with any real answer but --- he was alright with that. Just that the acha needed to know how he felt, that was important. He had lived too closed off to others to throw away this once chance of happiness.

And oh how happiness it was -- having a clutch of little beautiful babies, his mate --- well, as he'd like to think, took to them like natural. He knew the fanged acha was used to children and caring for them but the times he did see them with their children -- it was magical to him. Though the babies did mingle with his fear oh so deeply, one of them, particularly the boy who got his eyes and part of his hunger -- he held him so close one night till the morning, against his dark coat as if protecting him from the world. He loved his children and how Still took them in and in the Mother's club that he had spoke of many times.

The scent was closer, and he could smell more mingled scents of others -- it did worry him for a moment but he felt--- good today. He breathed in, taking courage and solace in seeing Still's face and walked more till he was met with a big crowd, and a pale acha who called out to all of them. For a moment he saw Still in her -- and he surmised a conclusion rather quickly.

He couldn't really hide, his big stature and being as thick as a tree trunk. His hooves were slow and careful though, dark hoof moving towards his one. bright red eyes focused.

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/CRASHES THE PARTY WITH BIG EMO-WOLF

 

[Chrystali]

Even with the flickering light from the bonfire, Still would be hard pressed to not know the presence that made himself known in their story telling circle.

Lifting his head slowly, jaw slack, he lifted one front leg to arch in front of his body, as though he might get up. "What -- what are you doing here?" Why yes, that was how Still greeted the father of his -- their -- ugh, whatever, the father of the children he took care of like his own.  

[Aric Val]

The big dark figure looked over at Stillborn, closing in and immediately pressing his head against his neck.

"...Should I not be? You're here." He answered simply, eyes looking at the gathering crowd and the acha in the middle of it all with a little smile before looking back at Still. Immediately he laid practically on top of the acha, large fur covering most his body.  

[Chrystali]

The Acha uttered the most undignified sound as he was blanketed in thick black Kiokote fur, his head and front legs all that really could be seen. Having been around The Mothers Club enough to know better, he snapped his teeth against the other's chest, muffling the cursing that way. Another bite - and then an indignant lick to put the fur back in place, the much smaller Acha glared up at the over-large Kiokote, as if he had any sort of threat over the other.

"If you want to stay, you have to participate." There was a sullen tone that suggested he already had to play his part. He explained the rules and caught him up on the story:

A long time ago there was a young foal that loved to go swimming…
The foal loved to swim so much, even the caimans were friendly to them.

"Now it's your turn. Add another line to the story -- and keep it foal friendly." And with one last stubborn motion of trying to pull himself out (and failing), Still snorted and gave in, resting his forelegs over one of Cursed's, chin resting on his knees and eyes closing. He still looked grumpy, even though he was, for all intents and purposes, relaxed.  

[Aric Val]

The struggle underneath him merely made the kiokote smile, nose pressing against the acha's neck, chuckling and licking back.

"Ahhh---?" He blinked slowly, looking up at the others around them and back to Still as he explained things to him, Cursed understood but was still baffled. He'd never done anything like this before.

"Um." He paused, resting his heavy head a little bit on Still's head. "..." All he could think with caimans were quite ugly scenes, to be frank. "...One caiman in particular liked the foal very much." He said after struggling a little with his thoughts. And then he looked very pleased with himself, eyes looking down at Still and smiling before he rested his head fully on the acha.  

[Ruriska]

As her son settled down beside her, Peep’s nose wrinkled with warm approval. She didn’t answer his look with words, simply smiled and waited patiently. All of the youngsters seemed to have decided this was a story rather than a game and were waiting for the adults to play it out for them, all sitting with pointed ears and eager expressions (except for one that kept looking towards the fire, itching to feed it some sticks).

When the dark Kiokote first appeared, there was a brief moment in which Peep’s breath caught in her chest. She caught sight of him from the corner of her eye and froze, almost, just for a second, seeing someone else in his place. But when she turned her head, there was too much fur and not enough teeth. There wasn’t the feral scent and the edge of a cliff wildness that clung to that other buck.

She relaxed when it was obvious the large Kiokote was not looking at her but instead focused on Stillborn. Not just focused but utterly intent, as if he could hardly bare to look anywhere else. Peep smiled.

“Welcome,” she breathed out softly, leaning over a bit to smile at Cursed. She too had come to a conclusion, well, of course and she was content, glad for her son.

Lionhearted had moved in closer to the group, neatly nudging the errant foal (he’d started edging his way away from the others) back in line and now she added her part of the story, loudly and with the biggest of big grins, “The caiman wanted to be friends with the foal but he was worried about scaring him.”

Off to the side, Empty Nest stood frozen watching her brother and his amorous friend.

Chrystali

Aric Val

 

[Chrystali]

Still cracked open an eye when he heard his heartier sister's voice, head lifting slightly and tilted to the side, used to the enormous Kiokote's antics, it would seem. His gaze flickered to his mother, who seemed to be observing Cursed with amusement, and then to Empty Nest, who was staring at him like he'd grown a second head.

The Acha scowled. Why were they leaving this all up to him? It's not like he had asked for Cursed to show up. (Nor was he telling him to leave, he knew.) His tail would have been lashing if it wasn't pinned beneath a ton of fur. "This is The Beast Inside. This is my mother, Peep," he tipped his head towards the Acha, and the siblings as they were introduced, "my sisters, Empty Nest, Lionhearted." And that was the end of the story there was nothing else to say so help him MotherFather--

He looked pointedly at Empty Nest, eyes flicking to the foals and then back to her. It was her turn for the story, if she could come out of the bonfire-cast shadows. He really didn't want to have a confrontation about Cursed and their...relationship in front of a bunch of rapt foals. Now was not the time. (Never was looking like a good time, though.)  

[Aric Val]

His eyes were half lidded for a while then, relaxed and wrapped around Stillborn contently. But he was slowly at attention when the acha introduced him to the others, lifting his head slightly from him but his body and fur still clearly burying and pinning the other in place this way.

"I figured." He looked over to Peep, nodding his head in respect. "It's a pleasure" Cursed looked around finally and saw foals all around and Stillborn's sisters he had introduced, the kiokote suddenly strangely nervous for a moment. "Forgive me if I just so suddenly -- showed up." He pressed his nose to Still's head in a slightly possessive gesture.

"But I am --happy to meet all of you -- Stillborn's family." He added at the end, slightly awkwardly, he wasn't exactly nervous around other kin but this time he was.  

[Soldier of Song]

One little Totoma lamb seemed to miss the cue that (somewhat scary, but she wouldn't admit it) Acha buck was trying to give his sister to pass the story along. She'd been leaning comfortably against her adoptive mother's remaining foreleg and listening to the story with rapt attention, but grew impatient at the pause for introductions. This story had a caiman! It had to be good! Nudging Fury, she whispered, "Do you know the next part?"

Fury tore her eyes away from the two bucks to glance down at the lamb. Ah, the story. Right. She'd been so focused on watching Stillborn and the interloper that she'd nearly lost track. Again, the Totoma helpfully prodded, "What about the caiman?"

How fitting. The doe looked up again, this time leveling her gaze to the waiting foals. She supposed she could pick up the slack and let them have their introductions. "So, the caiman decided to disguise himself," she spoke up, sounding more sure of herself than she felt. She was a protector, not an entertainer, but she'd do a better job of it than Stillborn and his sour attitude.

 

[Chrystali]

He could hear Cursed's uncertainty, lifting his chin to lightly lick and nuzzle his cheek without apology. The Kiokote was among family now - literally - something Still wanted to make sure Cursed knew. "They love you just for being here," he said simply, lightly shifting his leg against the other's.

Still slid his gaze to the speaker, having missed her presence among all the foals (and the big black furball on top of him). His brows lifted slightly, impressed by her visage alone - she looked like the war he fought in himself. That was something he could appreciate, even if 'appreciation' was rarely something tied to the Acha. Ever.

He made a soft 'hmph!' sound of amusement, again looking to Empty Nest. Your turn isn't going to just go away.

Soldier of Song

*waggles brows at* *SLAPPED*

 

[Ruriska]

"It’s wonderful to finally meet you, The Beast Inside," Peep looked positively joyous, now that their new companion had been properly introduced. “You are welcomed as part of our family.” She could see the resemblance between the kin she called her grandchildren and the large Kiokote.

One Angry Shot earned a warm grin from the Mother for her efforts. The battle-hardened doe was fairly new to the tribe but had proven her worth with her tireless vigilance.

Empty Nest looked close to panic. She opened her mouth, once, twice-

And was completely drowned out when Lionhearted boomed happily, "SO HEY. Are you guys together together? Still, little bro, I didn’t know you had it in you. He’s a stud." The Totoma did a little dance that made the earth quiver. “And the caiman covered himself in mud and flowers and vines finally had the courage to swim over and say hello.”  

[Aric Val]

The Beast Inside turned his eyes only slightly to the next speaker, listening intently to this story. It was a very interesting 'game' to him. Though he was calm and comforted by the acha below him, he did feel slightly anxious with the fact that so many kin were around him. This was probably the one time he was around so many kin in his life.

"...Thank you." He said to Stillborn gently, covering him up even more in his dark thick fur after he had looked over to the other acha who spoke. It was a strange feeling.

Cursed spoke deep and gentle to Still's mother, nodding his head politely at her. "I feel the same way. You are as lovely as Stillborn has spoke of."

The large kiokote did turn to the question of the totoma, tilting his head a little perplexed for a moment and then merely smiling to himself, eyes lowering at Still and not really answering the question.  

[Chrystali]

"What does that even mean?" came the immediate snapped reply, all pretense of being at ease thrown to the wind, the small Acha rigid beneath the great blanket of Kiokote. If one could listen over the bonfire, they might hear his hooves digging uselessly into the land as though trying to hurl himself at his sister. (Not that he'd do anything to Lionhearted. She'd win any altercation and they both knew it.) Still's back leg jerked, not to kick the land this time, but the beast on top of him, as if the smaller male's unwillingness to discuss things just then was somehow Cursed's fault.

The Acha's ears flattened, and when Cursed didn't speak - not even to continue the story - he growled, baring his teeth. It was almost belatedly that he remembered he had many pairs of little eyes on him, and they were supposed to be entertaining...

"...that's how the caiman usually would have greeted someone in his stretch of the waters," Still tried to recover, not exactly smoothly, "but he was friendly to the kin - the foal didn't know what the caiman was, but was excited to make a new friend, believing it to be a spirit of the swamp."

Still grumbled something about 'being lucky' he was 'buried under a mountain of beast, or else...'

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SORRY FOR DELAY, wanted to see if Soldier was going to respond. >u< ONWARDS.