[PRP] More Valuable Than Pearls (Tapiwa/Solenn)

[Epine de Rose]

It was a date! Well, sort of, wasn't that what they called it when friends met up? Solenn was a bubbly and sociable creature but some of the social nuances were still lost on her and she was surprisingly naive for someone her age. What a surprise she would be in for once she was advised that was normally reserved for courting! Alas, she had agreed to meet Tapiwa today and it wasn't for any type of nefarious purpose.

Today, they would be treasure hunting!

She'd picked the place, one that had technically been forbidden for quite some time as a result of some of the more awkward moments in their recent history. It had since been reopened and the pride were now permitted to wander around all of the regions again, according to all forms of the guard these places were now safe again... though given how long it had been she had been quite confused as to why it had taken this long to let the pride go into certain areas again.

To her these were just caves and since the bad guys were long gone there should have been no reason they couldn't get in! But hey, the patience had paid off, they were allowed back in and with the high tides so reliable lately that meant that they could find some neat treasure, maybe even some pearls.

Unsurprisingly she was feeling quite excited.

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa was very happy to be spending time with Solenn the area that had recently opened up where they were going to collect treasures held some dark memories for him, things he could not tell anyone else besides talking to the other guards. The clean up had taken a long time and they still did not know who was responsible for the thing they discovered in the caves that day, but it was over and done with, at least that was what Tapiwa thought, otherwise he would never have brought Solenn out to this area to hunt for shells and pearls. He considered if another pride had come into their lands and set up rituals to sacrifice to whatever gods they believed in. He didn't want to believe that one of their own pride members would do something so horrible and cruel.

He made his way to meet up with Solenn so they could go exploring together. He hoped they would have fun together and enjoy their day. He shook his head to let go of the dark thoughts of the past. This was going to be a great day he had to believe that, it was a nice day and they would be together.  

[Epine de Rose]

"Oooooh you're so late!" She teased, prancing from paw to paw like an excited cub. She wanted to be one of the first in, the first to claim some of the cooler pieces, and then she wanted to craft them into neat decorations of the dens. She was a bumani after all and if there was one thing she did want to do well, it was to make sure that the homes she built were comfortable.

With a second set of eyes and paws she'd be able to carry far more home and most importantly, she'd get to see what Tapiwa thought made good decorations. Sometimes the Bahari lions had odd tastes and while she loved pearls she might be missing a chance elsewhere.

"Come on!" she wiggled her rump and quickly bounded into the caverns. She'd been warned they'd be dimly lit but with the tide low the light was filtering into the small cracks above them to ensure that more light than normal guided there path.

She'd under estimated how big this place was and how many caverns there might be, even from the very beginning they were faced with choices in terms of direction but this morning she was going to pick the right-hand side path and see where it took them. Obviously she'd let Tapiwa pick some of the route but ladies first, right?

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa laughed at Solenn's silly teasing and he grinned "I hardly think I was that late." He had an old bag that he had made from an animal skin he had used it before when shell hunting with a young cub from the pride and he intended to use it again today. Shell and treasure hunting was a great way to spend time. The ocean provided so much to the pride, it was certainly one thing that Tapiwa believed fully since joining the pride. "Alright alright, I'm coming." He said on another chuckle. He had no issue letting her lead the way, since he was confident that everything here was safe. They had done a great deal of work to clean up the area so there was nothing frightening for her to find anyway.  

[Epine de Rose]

"Tsk, you can practically see the moon now!" she teased as she waved her paw, she'd already entered the cave and her voice echoed slightly, but the pristine blue sky above them made it all too apparent he was most certainly on time!

Fortunately he didn't let her get too quickly far ahead and the white lioness was easy to spot as she waltzed her way down the corridors towards each of the little caves. Most were quite small and for all intents and purposes the upper levels could totally have been turned into 'apartments' if they had permission to do it. Actually, in her mind she thought it would be a superb idea, she'd just have to present it.

"Once we get down to the bottom there's supposed to be like...loads of stuff, the sea likes to push it up here for us to collect," she grinned. "Then we can hand some over to folks to make jewellery and I can take the rest and make decorations for the houses," she paused in a doorway and posed.

"What's your thought on apartments?" she asked. "Like...single folks living in these lil caves? They'd need some light but, it could work?"

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa laughed "Well did you consider the tides and when it would be best to look for treasures?" He teased her, he wasn't sure if he had really thought things out or was making things up so he wouldn't get in trouble, but he figured it would be fine either way. He didn't realize that the sky was bright blue for a few moments his mind a bit far away. "Hey now." He laughed when he realized her joke. He smiled listening to her go on about bringing things back for others. "That sounds like a good idea." He thought a moment about apartments. "I think that would be nice." He wondered if she meant here and wasn't sure who that would be fitting for or perhaps the guards would be fine or perhaps the ground would be haunted. His mind wandered off once again as his thoughts wandered.  

[Epine de Rose]

She hesitated briefly to give herself time to do quick mental arithmetic, in the end this type of thing was more in line with her brother's area of expertise. He knew the tides as if they were his own life breath but then again he would have needed to in order to get the best fish. Given she had seen him this morning and he was nowhere near the shoreline though...

"I think we're good," she said finally and squinted at Tapiwa. "My brother isn't hunting today which should mean there isn't a tide," she pointed out and shook her head. Using her brother as a barometer probably wasn't the smartest thing any other Bahari would do but she was certainly firm in her convictions and she seemed to genuinely believe it.

...At least they would in fact be safe, the tide was to be far out today.

"And you think so? I figured these lil caves in here would be big enough for single folks, bit small for those with family but it's not a bad place to start you know?" she patted one of the entrances with her paws. "Find some pelts and you'd warm the place right up, minimal effort from the Bumani too, fit to move in to basically right away."

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa wasn't really sure what to say and if he said nothing it would not taint her view of the caves or the view of the rest of the pride, besides the other guards who knew why this place might be considered creepy. "Yes, I would not think it would be suitable for families, far to small for a family that might be planning for cubs." He smiled at her over the comment of her brother and hunting with the tides. Tapiwa still had a lot to learn about the tides. The ocean had a very interesting nature. Gentle at times and angry at other times. "What cave do you want to explore first?" He asked.  

[Epine de Rose]

"Let's go into the deep ones first," she said with a firm nod and moved away from the cave she had been in. The tides may be out for now but she'd been warned more than once by her brother and others that it tended to change quite quickly. If she wanted to find treasure down there she'd have to make sure she did it early or else Tapiwa would have to be a superhero and drag her out!

"Let's take a look down there first so we don't worry anyone," she added and began to make her way towards the deeper regions. Every now and then she'd pause briefly to peak into a cave but with nothing of immediate note it was clear that those closest to the entrance had been properly cleaned out and were blank slates.

...Hardly exciting.

"You'll have to listen to my presentation before I make any suggestions about the caves," she mused. "Make sure I'm sounding like a proper Bumani and everything before I suggest it, you know?"

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa continued on with Solenn each cave they searched made him more comfortable they would be fine and there was nothing to worry about, he hoped they would find shells and shiny stones so Solenn could have the treasures that she wanted, he didn't want her to be disappointed. He couldn't help but be relieved that they had not found anything horrible. It was nice that this place could become homes like Solenn wanted and the guards could in time forget the alters it would be no big deal.

"Alright let's go." He followed along with her and smiled "Sure I'd love to hear it all I'm sure it will be great Solenn, you have a very clear sharp mind. I'm sure others will see that as well."  

[Epine de Rose]

"Not when it's serious," she admitted. She was a creature filled with ideas, each more extravagant than the next, yet when she finally got the opportunity to present them she choked. The confidence others were used to seeing left her and she was left floundering like a school of nursery fish! Ah, but this time... this time she would make it.

Nevertheless as they finally got deeper into the caverns the light began to abandon them. Such was the way of things, save for the rare splintered ray through a crack there wasn't much to guide their paths.

"Least these aren't really habitable," she murmured as she shuffled along, turning the corner into yet another room. Now that they were deeper the tide would give them a chance to find something far more interesting. The jewels would show up here.

Shells.

Seaweed.

Pearls.

Dead bodies.

Wait, what? It took a moment of her brain to process what she had stepped in on. What should have been washed away was not, the salt water merely caking the now stale blood on her paws. Long dead, there lay a prone figure who hadn't been treated kindly, though to the macabre there was probably a measure of beauty about manner in which it was displayed.

It should have come at no surprise that she screamed.

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa considered what she was saying "Well then you can practice on me, till you are ready and then you will be able to appear serious when you make your presentation." He offered, figuring it would be a place to start and give her what she desired. He went deeper into the cavern with her picking up shells and pearls as they went. He frowned deeply when he saw the bodies, he had hoped this was over. Clearly that was not the case and Solenn might very well figure out that the guards knew something she did not. He could only hope that she would understand it was for the good of the pride. He moved in front of her moving her away from the bodies. "It will be alright, we must go report this. We will figure out who has done this and put a stop to it." He put as much conviction into his voice as he could to try to end her panic.  

[Epine de Rose]

He'd done the right thing, by moving her away from the body she couldn't fixate on it. She couldn't continue to stare, continue to gaze into the eyes of those long devoid of life and lose herself as well. Unfortunately it did take her some time to come around and despite the fact he was talking to her, she didn't necessarily hear it at first.

She was physically there, mentally she had checked out.

Fortunately she did eventually come round and despite her strained expression and panicked eyes she shifted her gaze towards him and what he had said. She wasn't sure it would be alright, not if more of them were down there... But he seemed so calm, so sure of himself. It was better to believe him and she had no reason not to, if he said it was going to be all right then maybe it would be.

However he did make a very good point, he needed to tell someone, he needed to let the right people know that the dead were down there. Something was there and it had hurt her home.

"R-Right," she nodded agreeable as she began to make her way unsteadily back the way they had come. As excited as she had been at the prospect of making these caves into homes, should she really do so if something like this had happened there? Now she wasn't so sure...

"Uh...who are we going to tell, exactly?" she added.

Were they supposed to tell his bosses or someone else, and even then, what the hell did you even say to that?

MiddyGlow

 

[MiddyGlow]

Epine de Rose

Tapiwa frowned and considered who he was going to tell, if he told the king would it start a witch hunt for Kizi members or a war? If he told the head of the guard and the king found out that Tapiwa didn't tell him first would Tapiwa be called a traitor to the crown? He sighed "I'm not sure if I tell the king I'm not sure what he will do and if I tell the head of the guard and the king finds out I didn't tell him first I'm not sure that will go well."  

[Epine de Rose]

Solenn was largely silent as she picked her way back out of the caves, though she seemed to be quiet intelligent when she was in a more sober state. He had concerned in regards to who to tell and whether or not it would affect him, whether it would harm his reputation...and yet he could at the very least go one step fruther.

"Why don't you tell them both?" she asked quietly.

"You could go and ask for an audience and if they say he's busy then you can always find the head guard. Or you can ask for that and after you've told him then maybe you can tell your boss too? That way everyone knows what to do..." she offered.

"At least that way you tried to do the right thing no matter who looks at it...?"

MiddyGlow