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 Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:25 pm
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 It was a cool, breezy day that found Shio wandering through the pride, meandering from the shore to the dens and through the forest and back again. He was pacing, if he had to be honest with himself, though it was a leisurely and long track that he was making. He had no real goal in mind other than to relax and let his mind wander and he did that best when his paws were in motion.
Things were...good, he decided. Everything had settled down as of late, both in and out of the pride, and though things were still a bit tense now and then Shio felt like the majority of the drama had come and gone. Or at least, that's what he hoped. Those that weren't pleased with the way things were being run by his brother had left or joined the Kizi and when that shaky alliance had fallen to pieces in spectacular fashion there was no more back and forth between the two prides. The Bahari were once again becoming secluded and Shio actually liked it. Things were more peaceful this way.
Reaching the end of his long trail, Shio turned and began to head back in the direction of the shore. Things had changed since his brother had taken up the task of ruling the pride and while there were certainly things Shio wished had gone differently, he was satisfied with where he was in life. He had a loving mate, fully grown children, and his home was getting back to the way things used to be.
Sort of.
"To be a cub again," he murmured to himself with a little chuckle. Things had certainly been simpler then.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:22 am
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It wasn't a scuffle by any means, but it was certainly the tone of someone thoroughly amused by the circumstances they found themselves in. Evidently there were some newer or younger members of the pride who had forgotten him in the years that he'd been recovering and as a result certain loyalist guards had rather abruptly frogmarched him away from the so-called 'royal' part of the pride.
...To the older lion the concept of that being a thing was entertaining, ridiculous, but entertaining. More amusing was the fact that he had to have an appointment to see his own son. There were certain things Shui had changed that he'd need a good smack upside the head for. Did he even know that he was guarded like this, did he know that certain individuals selected who was appropriate company for him?
Well, his little friends would be in for a rude awakening when they discovered that this particular 'grandpa' was significantly more influential than they thought. For example, if this kept up, Ram would simply instruct the 'Royal Guards' to clear him a path and put the children back in their boxes. Oh yes, the newfound loyalists of the pride may have thought those guards served Shui but in reality they had always been beholden to Ram.
Auberon was his brother.
Still, mild scuffles aside it wasn't long before the older lion strode in to full view of a less controversial son. Having accepted that for now he wouldn't be 'permitted' entry, he'd set off to explore and see what else had been done in his absence. He was relieved at the very least to see that nothing extremely significant had happened beyond something on the gigantic canyon that had opened up between them and a neighbour.
A momentary pause to admire his surroundings and then he did happen to spot said son.
Just as well Ram knew how to tell the difference between all of his offspring.
"Do I need an appointment to see you as well or can I just waltz in?" He asked teasingly.
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2020 3:56 pm
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Shio was so caught up in his own head he didn't recognize the lion that appeared before him a few long paces down the path he was on. He registered that someone was there, but he was far enough away that there would be time to go around him or, should they want to chat, focus his gaze and give a smile. It was the voice that made him pause, ears twitching as he pulled himself out of his little world.
He stood there for a moment, processing the face of the lion before him. It was one he hadn't seen in a long time and yet one he saw every day in the eyes of his siblings, of his uncle. There had been a few whispers that Ram had been seen, but with everything that had previously happened in the pride Shio hadn't taken those rumors to heart. Now, though...now there was no denying who the lion was.
"Um."
Well, that was a very eloquent way to respond. He swallowed thickly, his mouth suddenly dry, tongue sticking to his palate. Taking a slow step forward, Shio tried to get his mouth to work. When it did, his voice was a bit weak but there was certainly a joyful if uncertain tone to it.
"No- no, I don't require appointments. You- you're here."
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:18 am
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Shio stood still, wide-eyed and frozen to the spot as Ram spoke. He was seeing and hearing the other lion but his brain was still having a hard time processing it all. His father was presumed dead after his fall from the Cliff all those moons ago and, while a body had never been found, it was assumed the sea had taken the old leader into its eternal embrace. He’d come to terms with it and though he had missed Ram, he felt like his grief had found a comfortable place in his heart. There, but not oppressive.
Yet here he stood, clearly alive and well. He nodded slightly when asked to keep his return from Hima for the time being, knowing that the information would certainly send her into another emotional rampage. Best leave that for the two of them to deal with.
“It has,” he said, finally finding his voice. He stepped closer, cautious, as if getting too close would make Ram disappear in a puff of smoke. He drew close enough to tell this was no mirage. The comment about Shui drew a weak chuckle from Shio, fond but tired. He didn’t envy his brother’s position in the slightest but there were certainly some things he’d done - or been talked into - that made it hard to see him. Ram has been such an open leader that it was strange to have Shui so closed off. Even though they were siblings Shio found it hard to spend time with him.
“He...well...I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t see much of him.” Shio was quiet again, wondering if it would be unwelcome, but he decided if he ever disappeared suddenly only to return he’d be happy to accept any sort of affection his own children wanted to give. Closing the gap between them, Shio pressed his head under Ram’s, rubbing his cheek along his father’s mane in a heartfelt greeting.
“Welcome home. I missed you,” he said, his voice trembling just a bit as the shock was slowly making way for surprise and happiness.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2020 7:29 am
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The embrace was both appreciated and a long time coming, Ram certainly had priorities on his return but he returned the rub with one of his own and offered a warm smile. In the grand scheme of things, to all but Huo who had pursued a rumour at best, the vast majority of his family had come to the conclusion that he had left this world. To be entirely honest he wouldn't have been surprised if most have moved passed their grief and continued with life as normal.
"I missed you as well," he replied. "It seems I've missed more than just political intrigue," he admitted. Sure, he did have to deal with Shui and his new assistants but this wasn't something that he considered to be much of a challenge. Truthfully, he'd been a puppetmaster for a considerable amount of time in this little game and Shui's companions were about to find out that a King could still rule from beyond the grave.
"Your brother's antics aside," he raised a brow. "How have you been?" he pressed.
Huo had briefed him on several of the incidents within Shui's world, as had Auberon through his own communications. Unfortunately neither of them had really had as much of an awareness and insight into the rest of his family. Whether it was because they hadn't considered it pertinent information or not was irrelevant, they simply hadn't included and he was almost entirely aware of what his other offspring had been doing with their lives.
...They were entitled to tell him and he wanted to know.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2020 6:50 pm
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Shio pulled back as Ram spoke, though he didn't retreat any further than that. He had thought he'd never see his father again and now here he was, flesh and bone, talking and looking him in the eye. Earlier he'd wondered if he was dreaming, but now that he'd touched him he knew it to be true.
He gave a wry, forced chuckle at the mention of Shui's rule. Shio had remained as loyal to his brother as he could, but sometimes it was difficult to stand for someone who continued to hold you at arms length. It had been a trying few years to be sure, though the more time went on the less Shio tried to be active in Shui's life. The time he did spend with him always seemed less than genuine and watched.
"I've been well," he said quietly, a tired but honest tone to his voice. "It's been...difficult at times, we'll say. You seem to know what's been going on here so I won't bore you with that. I've married, have a fully grown litter of cubs. For all the unrest that followed your...er...absence-" It wasn't really a death anymore, was it? "-has settled for the most part and a sort of peace has returned. I'm enjoying it as much as I can knowing it's built on low tide sand." He wasn't sure how long things would be stay this way, but he didn't have the head for politics.
"How did you...where..." The questions tumbled out of his mouth, unable to hold them back any longer. "You fell from such a height, you seem well...how did you manage it?" Surely he'd had help.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:34 am
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"It turns out our little Viking friend was being watched," Ram replied simply and rolled his shoulders in a low shrug. "Forces beyond his sight were aware of what was occurring here and intervened... I washed up, I was found and I was tended to," he admitted. It was just fact at this stage, the events had occurred and he had been saved by individuals who hadn't introduced themselves until that point.
...Now that he'd been around them, he knew why.
"They're particularly skilled in tending to more complex injuries, I suspect there would be a few of our own curious to know how they learned those skills," he continued and released a sigh. Had he heard that right, his own son was now married and he'd missed it? He even had grand children!
"So who is she then?" he pressed with a wry smile.
"And what are their names?" he added.
He'd focus on the more tedious elements of political intrigue at a later date, that could wait a little more, he had other priorities at this point in time.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:46 pm
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The Viking friend...Tethys was it? Shio pressed his mouth closed tightly, nodding slightly. Those Stormborn had been harbingers of bad luck, it seemed, whether or not they had meant to. It was all over with now though and Shio believed in second chances, so although he wouldn't be overly excited to meet another Reaver, he would give them their own shot at making a good impression.
"Sounds like it," he murmured. Ram looked...good. Great, even, for being dead. He'd surely been pretty badly injured falling from that height to the rocks below but the fact that he survived proved something, didn't it. The sea had saved him. It could have claimed him and yet it bore him to his saviors. Shio was curious about who had done the healing and where it had been done, but the topic turned to happier things and he figured he'd run with that for now. There would be time for other questions later.
"Kelpie," he answered, his voice fond. "And their names are Mor, Halwyn, Brin, and Whiwin. All boys," he added with a little chuckle. "It was quite the time bringing them up." He hesitated for a moment, his lips curling into a little grin as he nodded towards the dens.
"Want to go meet them?" Or at least whoever was around.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:10 pm
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There would be time for plenty of questions at another point, in fact, Shio could pick his brain as often as he wanted and even receive directions to meet Ram's benefactors if he became genuinely curious some day. For now though, Ram was more concerned about catching up on matters that were genuinely important to him and given he now had grandchildren it was pertinent that he meet them.
...Wait until he found out that he had more than just Shio's batch too, he'd be a rather delighted old fool. Well, not quite, he'd just be an even more delighted old fool. His family had expanded and while he had missed a hefty chunk of it, it was more important than ever for him to fix it so they could enjoy the pride lands for what they were meant to be.
"I would love to," he confirmed with a nod and motioned for Shio to lead the way. It wouldn't suit for him to walk ahead of his son for this one, it was better that he was introduced rather than intruding. He fell into step with his son and took a breath - it was time to say hello to some more of his own, new blood.
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