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+--- Thread: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] (/showthread.php?tid=5795)
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Naunet - 12-22-2013
As K'haali made her swift exit, the old man in the back of the tent let out a low, rattling breath and stepped forward. Yellow eyes squinted for several seconds at K'tahjha in complete silence before his thin lips twisted the wrinkles in his face to pull into a smirk.
"Or not enough," he added to K'takka's comment.
K'deiki lifted a hand and moved forward so that she was less than a foot from K'tahjha. Milky eyes smiled sadly as she reached out with withered hands from the folds of her clothing to touch the girl's shoulders, then her face. "Your mother's is an unfortunate tale," she told the girl. "Tell me, how do you feel about coming to us?"
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Izmina - 12-22-2013
K'tahjha smiled hesitantly, not really understanding what seemed to be a joke between the elders,"I am nervous, it's a big change from what I'm used to." here she paused and sought eye contact with each elder before continuing,"But mama always told me that family was more important than anything, I'm excited to come to mama's home and the family she loved very much." falling silent Tahj stepped closer to her aunt letting her hand brush the top of her head seeking to draw comfort and confidence from the contact.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Nauta Lyehga - 12-22-2013
K'luha was just as nervous as Tahj, perhaps more so. Since it had all been her fault to begin with... she wanted desperately to make things right for Tahj. She should have been here all along with her family. Maka should have never had to die alone out in the burning forest.
For a moment, K'luha looked to the floor with pain in her eyes. Maka... if only Maka had told the truth to the elders. If she had just admitted it was all Luha's fault then... then Tahj could have still had her mother. And K'ailia perhaps would have been raised better by Maka than K'luha seemed to have done.
When K'luha looked back up it was because Tahj touched her hand. Luha took Tahj's hand in her own and gave her a reassuring squeeze. K'haali seemed to have vanished from the tent. It was just like her not to remain for longer than needed.
Luha looked to her grandmother with pained and pleading eyes. They couldn't send Tahj back now. Not when K'luha had dragged her out here to the damn desert away from her home. Not when... K'luha tried not to think on it and instead looked at K'deiki again.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Naunet - 12-22-2013
K'deiki kept a hand on K'tahjha's shoulder as the girl shuffled to K'luha in clear discomfort. The resemblance to her last, remaining daughter was almost painful, and the elder gave a silent thanks to the Warden that Her protective gaze had extended beyond the reaches of the Sagolii for this young girl.
"She looks as though her caretakers were soft," K'jhanhi rumbled, tone critical. "It's not a surprise. You said you found her in the comfort of those tree pople?"
K'deiki sighed at his words, the exhalation turning into a brief bout of coughing before she spoke again, "She is young. There may yet be time to teach her the right path. What say you, K'takka?"
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Twinflame - 12-22-2013
K'takka was looking at her fingernails. Her index finger on one hand was misshapen, rigid and dark. It looked as though it had been carved from wood and melded to her hand. The long, sharp nail of that finger was individually black, contrasting the pail nails of her other fingers. Her eyes rose to consider K'deiki as though she were trying to decide whether or not the woman had gone mad.
Then she flicked her gaze to K'tahjha and said to the tent as a whole, "There is nothing to consider. She is the daughter of the Nunh. The 'right path' is in her blood."
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Izmina - 12-22-2013
Her eyes closed with the waves of pure relief that were washing through her, Tahj let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her eyes reopen into a radiant smile,"Thank you, thank you very much!" Not thinking she leaned into K'deiki to scoop her into a hug, still mindfull of the elder's fragility.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Naunet - 12-23-2013
As the elder's body swayed under the hug, one arm shifted to rest lightly over K'tahjha's back, patting the girl. "As though there were ever doubt," K'deiki murmured, face creasing deeply with a smile. "It is an auspicious sign to recover family in such a way, on the eve of starting a new life." Her eyes shifted over the girl's shoulder to K'luha blurry form, locating her more by her scent than sight, and gave the woman, her own granddaughter, a knowing look.
"That is it, then," K'jhanhi spoke up once more. "But we have not yet heard report from all in the scouting party. What of our firedancer? And your daughter?"
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Nauta Lyehga - 12-23-2013
For a moment, all of her fears faded to a warm happy sensation. The elders were happy to have Tahj in their family. And so was K'luha. She was so happy they had no debate on it. That K'ile had been right about it. And Tahj was going to stay. Oh the things K'luha could teach her. Maka would have been happy to. In a way, it felt like regaining a part of Maka that she had lost so long ago. And finally, her worry over the others had faded for a happiness she hadn't known in the last few weeks.
But then her grandmother addressed her. K'luha's happiness felt somewhat muted and she instead looked ashamedly to Tahj. She had so much to account for... to own up to. She was not looking forward to it.
"Ah, yes. Tahj, you father is the man outside the tent on the left. His name is K'yohko. Go tell him you're Maka's daughter and have him show you to my tent." K'luha smiled warmly to Tahj, masking her mounting dread. "Maybe some of the others will come to greet you as well, though I suspect that it might take some time for them to warm up to you."
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Izmina - 12-23-2013
Tahj smiled and nodded to her aunt, then she knelt down and gently hugged K'luha and stepped out of the tent.
Pausing a moment to let her eyes adjust to the change in the light, Tahj felt the butterflies start up in her stomach again. Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, Tahj stepped towards the male, her voice shook slightly but she attempted to speak clearly and make eye contact,"My name  is K'tahjha Yohko, aunt K'luha told me to ask you show me to her tent."
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Naunet - 12-24-2013
Shuffling back a few steps to give K'luha some space, K'deiki thought first of the beads behind her in their shallow bowl, the weathered bone smoothed over by countless tiny gestures. She left a prayer in those bones as her old eyes squinted at K'luha, that Azeyma's light may give her guidance.
"Do not draw it out, child," she encouraged, the affectation of K'luha's name spoken with comfort.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Nauta Lyehga - 12-26-2013
K'luha waited until Tahj was out of the tent before looking back to K'deiki and the other elders. This part was... Luha looked to the ground nervously, her stomach turning nauseously. This was... she had to tell. She had to take the blame for this and..
Luha looked up when her grandmother called to her. She was trying to be comforting but... K'luha's ears dropped to flatten into her hair and she grasped at her tail to pull on it nervously.
"I don't know where K'ile went. We were talking one night and then he just... walked away. He said he would meet us in Drybone but he wasn't there. There was no sign of him. And K'ailia she... she's abandoned us." K'luha hung her head low and tried not to cry. "I'm sorry... this is my fault."
K'yohko glanced down as the child came out but K'luha did not. She seemed to have something to say, and so he listened. K'tahjha Yohko? So she was his child then. An Aunt K'luha...? The Nunh took a few moments to look her over before letting out a long breath of air.
"Whom was your mother?" He questioned in a smooth deep voice that was rather monotone.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Izmina - 12-26-2013
K'tahjha was quite sure she'd stop breathing entirely if the butterflies didn't leave her stomach, the sense of relief she felt somewhat fading in front of her rather taciturn father. Still she attempted to project confidence by keeping her ears and tail in a neutral position and seeking eye contact,"K'makanee Haaz, sir." managing to keep her voice steady.
Glancing back towards the tent should couldn't help but worry about her aunt and wishing she'd been allowed to stay with her, like K'luha had supported her.
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Naunet - 12-26-2013
K'deiki's ears, the fur on them thin and patchy, lowered as K'luha spoke. The young woman's words hung heavy in the thick air of the tent between them, an aching silence following. Their firedancer and young K'ailia... gone?
Closing her eyes, she recalled the way the girl had come to them with bold ideas and even bolder actions, speaking of a world well beyond the Sagolii, beyond even Thanalan itself. She had worried then that K'ailia had started down a strange path, but she had put her faith in the strength of blood and the guiding light of Azeyma. She wondered if it had been a mistake to allow the scouting party.
"We will share your grief in your daughter's leaving," K'deiki spoke after a moment, clouded eyes on K'luha's vague shape. "To lose blood, and in times such as this... Having born witness to your daughter's words and goals, K'luha, I know there is no blame for you in this."
"The girl has already made her decision and we cannot change it. There is no good in worrying ourselves over it," K'jhanhi said behind her, leathery skin creased into a frown. His tone is somber, heavy with the weight of the news. "But our firedancer," something shifted in his voice, "Did you not search for him? It is not his way to disappear."
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Nauta Lyehga - 12-26-2013
"K'makanee..." Yohko repeated, looking at Tahj's eyes for a few moments of silence. Maka's daughter then... and then she had been... when she was exiled. A brief and small sadness flitted through his features before it was gone, replaced with the same stony appearance as before. "Then welcome home my daughter." He faintly smiled towards Tahj and pushed himself upright to show her towards K'luha's tent. "Come." He asked before walking off towards the outer ring of tents.
K'luha on the other hand, felt a deep guilt biting into her chest. Had they looked for K'ile? She had looked. She had tried the best she could but...
"I... I tried. To look. We went to Drybone. I asked around. I searched for him the few nights we were their but I couldn't look far... my hip..." K'luha looked back down at the floor, ears flattening. "I should have looked better... I haven't the slightest clue where he could have gone..."
RE: Homecoming [ semi-closed, Hipparon Tribe RP ] - Twinflame - 12-26-2013
"Yes, you should have looked better." K'takka's voice was a grinding, earthy sound from where she huddled in the rear of the tent. The leathery skin on her face shifted in displeasure, her shining eyes squinting darkly at K'luha. "But you're here now, and he is not. Wherever he is, he has gone alone."
She ran her long fingernails through the fur that surrounded her, acquisitions from Ul'dah given to her by her children and grandchildren. She was sparsely decorated with gold from the city, including a band that flickered as it shook on her shivering, misshapen index finger. "Whatever his state, I am as concerned for the gemstones that he hoards upon his wrist. They could never be replaced. He needs to be found."
Her eyes still boring into K'luha, she said, "Why did he leave? Why? What clues did he give?"