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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2016 19:58:15 GMT -5
Her curiosity was, at best, beyond peaked. Carl seemed to be interested in telling her about the things that had happened, and for a moment Jailean had forgotten about the odd feeling she had with asking on Avery and Leo's past with this girl. Yes, she wanted to know if she was safe being around Leo, but then again, she wasn't sure if the answer would've changed her opinion on him all too much. Jailean liked to base her thoughts on others based on what they did to her. If they had no interaction with her, she would hardly even bother thinking of them. If they were good to her, she didn't see any bad in them. Vice versa if they treated her wrongly. Both Leo and Jua had done nothing bad to her. They'd been kind. She even felt stupid asking about Leo's past now. What good does the past when the present is different?
Sure as hell didn't stop her fro wondering.
"Oh boy," she commented to herself once the ruckus started to happen in the other room, leaving her mildly disappointed as Carl left the room. She took this opportunity to get up and take a good long look around the kitchen, not really having any opinions on it other than it was what it was - a kitchen. Yes, she was simply stalling for time. Didn't know what else to do, and still felt alien in this home, so she dared not wonder around and peek here and there. After all, she was just a human among beasts. She smiled softly at herself at that word. Beasts. Most of them were anything but that. Funny enough, a few were more human than people she had met in their lives.
The ruckus in the next room over concerned her for a few moments but she pushed those thoughts away, not even bothering to look inside the room to see what was going on or how it was that Carl was handling it. Yeah, it really did become clear to her that Leo had not won over much of the popularity vote. But she had seen enough fighting to last her the entirety of her life, at least for now. It wasn't like it all had happened months ago. If she really tried, Jailean could probably still smell the blood that was on her. If she closed her eyes she could probably still see it as if it were happening right then and there. Hell, the monster that nearly killed Leo was very clearly a living thing that was out there, somewhere.
Jai blinked. "Oh yay, new people." There was a small hint of sarcasm in her voice, and she said it more to herself, but at the same time she was trying to make it obvious that she was merely telling a joke. Of course she'd be glad to meet someone else, even if they didn't get along with Leo. Jailean looked around the corner of the room, towards where Carl had spoken her name, and looked at towards him and the new arrival. She hadn't caught his name, having been too engrossed into her own thoughts, but still she stood up a little straighter and waved slightly in the person's general direction. "Hi there."
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Sept 6, 2016 0:19:26 GMT -5
Zacharie was a tall boy. He was pale compared to Jaye's darker complexion, with a smatter of freckles across his cheeks and nose. His bright red hair was buzzed short, military grade, and to match it was a stance that only soldiers or veterans seem to have. The only thing he didn't have was a poker face. Otherwise he would be a perfect soldier.
Right now, his eyes exuded such pain that one could believe easily he had been in a car accident. Save for the scattered bruises across his rib cage, he was physically fine. Instinctively, his hand tightened on the top of the skateboard he held as he glanced down at Leo in loathing, but he forced it away. He had to. From what he could tell Leo always liked to pick fights.
"Hey," he said gruffly, in a voice that was too deep for any 18-almost-19-year-old boy. Slowly, he propped his skateboard against the wall and shrugged Carl's hand off his chest. He stepped farther into the house, the pain leaving his expression only to be replaced with more seething hatred. But also … a tinge of grief and shame. It took all he had not to spit in Leo's face as he stepped over him. Instead, he kept his gaze forward, on Jailean, until he stood a foot or so away from her. For a few moments, he hesitated. Debating on whether or not to be friendly and give a handshake. But he didn't want to feel what Jai was feeling on top of the already-oppressing emotions in the room.
So he just stood there until she moved out of his way. "Name's Zach," he finally said, having had enough manners to introduce himself.
"Zach is Jaye's friend," Carl continued, bending down and offering a hand to Leo. He figured that his body healed enough for him to move around for just a little bit. Besides, he didn't feel like spoon-feeding him while he was on his stomach. "His family and ours go a bit back."
"Yep," Zach said. Then continued with a question, addressing anyone but Leo. "So why is there a near-dead Leo in the house?"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 5:24:25 GMT -5
She didn't like jumping to conclusions. In fact, it was of the few things that Jailean hated. With this new person, Zach, she just couldn't help herself. Something about the way he looked, or perhaps it was the manner with which he held himself. Jailean had to do her best not to make a face as soon as she got a good look at him. It wasn't that the man was hideous. Far from that, in fact. It was simply the fact that something about him bothered Jailean just enough for her to know that she didn't like him as much as she did the others she had come across already. But what did it matter? It wasn't like they knew what she was thinking. Besides, Jailean doubted that she'd be seeing them for much longer. Not until Leo healed. If he had avoided them before, she logically concluded that he would continue to do so. Not knowing where else to go, Jailean would end up going wherever he went, like it or not.
"Friends then? That's nice." She looked at Zach, then moved her eyes leftwards to glance at Carl and Leo. Yeah, friends, but not Leo's. It only further reinforced this desire to know what happened. Leo wasn't the most likable of people, Jailean was all too aware of this. She didn't mind him, but she could very easily see how he could get under someone's skin. Be it his attitude, his voice, or his actions. Jai had observed him for just long enough to come to this conclusion, be it right or wrong. However, the hate that she was witnessing, first from Jaye and now from Zach, was something else entirely. This wasn't simply a get under your skin and irritate you kind of feeling. Hell, Jailean could have probably felt the hate in the air had she reached out and aimed to touch it. It wasn't tactfully hidden nor cleverly disguised. No front was made to make thing seem as if they weren't, not even with her, a human, in the room with them. This anger ran deep, and it scared her ever so slightly.
It really made her not want to know. Yet, again, Jailean's curiosity only grew ever more.
"We had nowhere else to go," she replied almost instantly, making a careful note of having said 'we'. She didn't want any problems with either Zach or Jaye, yet at the same time, she couldn't just turn her back on Leo either. "And I wasn't about to just let Leo die either." Jailean bit at her lip and glanced over at Jua, then to the left back towards Leo and Carl. She took a deep breath, reached up and scratched at the back of her head, turned around, and walked to the chair she had claimed as her own. It took her a second to adjust herself as she brought both of her legs under her body to an uncomfortable yet comfortable position. Jailean personally chose not to say any more than that, opting for someone else to describe the finer details of the incident that had brought Leo to his near-dead state, as Zach had so eloquently described it. She had already done more than enough to try and rid herself of the memories and the last thing she needed was a fresh image of the monster that almost killed Leo. She closed her eyes tightly for a second, and then two, then opened them again. Her left index finger tapped over and over again against the arm of the chair, and with a sigh, she wondered how it was that Leo was feeling at the moment.
Yeah, they healed faster. In fact, had that been her, she was more than sure that she would've bled out long before they had even gotten her in the car. But the injuries were still grave. If Leo could be described as being near-dead, even after getting some rudimentary medical attention from people who vaguely knew what they were doing, then Jailean really needed to reevaluate just how close they had cut it to the edge. In her hands, Leo had been slipping. Yet even now she felt like he was invincible. A childish, naiive idea, though. Everyone could die, even someone as strong as Leo.
Jailean bit her lip and simply chose to watch them interact among each other. These were issues that didn't involve her; they probably should never involve her, yet she wouldn't argue if they decided to bring her in. Jailean just wanted to... watch and learn, fearing that they may censor things if they were given a reminder that she was there all along. Jailean could easily summarize it as the more in the background she was, the better she felt about the whole situation.
Or... perhaps it was simply the exhaustion talking. She wasn't sure. A yawn came out of nowhere yet with a slight shake of her head from side to side and a stretch of her arms, Jailean was once more wide awake.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Sept 11, 2016 0:33:19 GMT -5
"You should have."
Zach was used to the outbursts that he had. He had them quite often with his mother's boyfriend. With so much emotion in the house – so much anger and hatred – there must be an outlet. Zach had his outbursts, sentences that were created and shoved out his mouth by these emotions, leaving him with no filter.
He didn't regret them until later on; undoubtedly he'd regret his statement to Jailean.
Leo's fist clenched Carl's shirt where it rested, making him grunt before shuffling into the kitchen. "You punk –" he started to snarl before wincing. Maybe it was one of his stitches. Or his bruises. Or his ego. But he hurt. He felt an undeniable ache. And his head felt light.
"We're pride, Zach," Jua said, turning the stove off before looking over his shoulder at the growing crowd in the kitchen. "We take care of each other. No one would let another die. Unless it's a Challenge." Then he moved his eye sight back to the food, separating it and slapping servings onto plates. "D*mn things needed to go with the 'one man in the pride' rule."
Jua's own bitterness did little to help ease the tension in the room, mind. But with how Zach was more in-tune with Jaye that only physical touch can intercept it, he could only feel the hatred Leo had against him. "So I'm guessing Leo had been Challenged?" Zach asked, a bitter smirk on his lips. "What goes around comes around."
"Let's see how you fair with a mutant," Leo snapped, an urge to rip Zach's tongue from his mouth so prominent that the only thing that kept him from doing it was his multiple wounds. "You know, one that isn't scared of his own shadow."
"I'm not scared of my shadow!" Jaye interrupted, his face turning red with anger and embarrassment. But he was ignored, which only had him scowling as he moved around the slow-paced father/son burlap racing team to stand beside Zach.
"A mutant?" Zach asked, disbelief lacing his tone. "Or are you just making excuses because you were taken down by someone who is better suited for the job as Alpha?"
"E-nough." Leo winced once again, and so did Jaye and Zach and Jua. Carl never raised his voice. Not since Freida's passing. And to stop an argument with just one simple word was a magic in and of itself. "Leo is not fit to bicker like five-year-olds." Carl glared at the younger boys in front of him as he sat Leo slowly down at the dining table a few steps from the bar. "So before you anger not just him but the people that care for him, I suggest Zach, that you and Jaye go cool off for a bit."
The explanation of why Leo was here, and why there was a human that cared about Leo when he was younger Leo felt that shifters were superior to them was never given. At least, not properly. The younger boys did as was told, retrieving cold looks from Leo and vice versa.
Carl didn't speak again until he heard the door slam. But he felt the tension lift like fog. And he breathed in deep before shaking his head again. "Breakfast ready, Jua?"
At Jua's nod, Carl said, "Great!" Then he turned to Jai slightly as he fiddled with Leo's sitting. "Zach is an empath. Literally can feel others' emotions as if they were his own. Jaye's feelings for Leo are little under par –" this had Leo snort, then wincing, in bitter amusement – "and Zach and he are so close together, it just doubles. Zach is still young. He hasn't yet been able to fully control it."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2016 1:06:10 GMT -5
((I'm really REALLY sorry for the shitty reply. I won't make excuses, but I wanted to at least write something to keep it moving along. I promise the next one will be better.))
Jailean took a seat as close to Leo as she could for two reasons: she wanted to make sure that he was well enough and didn't need any help with anything, and she also felt better being around someone she knew a little more, especially in the house of strangers. It did bother her mind a little as she figured that now that Leo was around Carl wouldn't be telling her about Avery, at least if it was to keep some awkwardness away. Besides, Jai didn't want to seem like the nosy type to Leo, even though being nosy was exactly what she was doing as soon as she asked about Avery.
"Empath, huh?" Jailean nodded, knowing that she had never heard of such a thing before and yet she couldn't bring it in herself to seem even slightly shocked. "To be honest that all sounds fascinating, really, but I've just been so bombarded by new things I didn't even know existed that I feel like I've become numb to them." She did laugh a little, somewhat nervously, and touched at her hair just to do something to keep her hands busy. "But I think I see what you mean. Tension is... an infectious feeling, I think." She didn't want to think about how it felt to Zach, but then again she didn't really want to think about Zach. That thought alone made her blink in amusement, feeling slightly ashamed of admitting to herself that she didn't much like the man despite him not having done anything wrong to her.
She scratched at the back of her head gently and then shrugged her shoulders. "So Leo," she looked at the man, then at Jua, "Jua. What's next?" She turned her head back at Leo. "I've got a feeling you won't want to stay here for too long, Leo."
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Sept 13, 2016 17:49:03 GMT -5
Leo's body ached. If this was what Avery felt that day, he betted he felt worse. Avery only had to deal with him, at the time a mere boy who hadn't shifted yet. Oh yes, he did hear Jailean and Carl talk about Avery. But … he didn't stop them. One would think that he would have. After all, it was a dark time for him. He wanted to bury it in the past where it belonged. He also didn't want Jai to think … illy of him. As much as Leo hated to admit it. He's already let her down. If Jai knew that he was a complete menace before he moved out of his parents' home… And yet, there was the fact that he didn't interrupt. In his shame of losing the challenge and his guilt for having Jailean kicked out of the only home she liked – at least, he hoped – he knew she didn't deserve what he brought her into. Gaining insight to what he had done all those years ago, there was a high chance that she would leave him. He deserved it. His left hand laid limp in his lap, and with his right hand gripped the fork tightly (which hurt really bad, but he toughed it up). As Jai sat down beside him, he turned his face away, not able to look at her without his shame drowning him. A lion is not supposed to feel shame. He his a king. From the corner of his eye he saw Jua sit down across from him. But his father was nowhere nearby. Not that he cared where his father was, nor if he heard his answer to Jai. "No, we're not." Then he shut his mouth, not because he refused to answer her question of where to go, but because he didn't have one. "Hey, now," Jua said to him, a mouthful of food muffling his words. "I didn't slave over the stove just so you could pick at it." A quick glance at his best friend since childhood later, Leo could tell he was trying to lighten the mood. "Anyway, I was thinking we could take the pride back eventually." ((It's not your fault lol. I didn't give you enough to reply too. I promise I did better this time. ))
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2016 2:49:58 GMT -5
Jailean looked away from Leo and at Jua's reminder that there was food she began to eat slowly, mouthing a small hum of approval. Although she wasn't exactly sure if Jua was a master chef or if his food sucked, but anything at that point would've tasted like five stars to her. She hadn't honestly realized just how hungry she had been until she swallowed her first bite, at which point her stomach growled loudly and she began to eat faster. Simply enough, as well, it distracted her from the fact that Leo was trying to avoid his gaze on her, and any bad thoughts that she may have been having.
Between mouthfuls, Jailean looked up at Jua and pointed at him lazily with her fork? "Could?" she muffled with food in her mouth, and paused to chew for a few seconds and swallow. "Or will?" She took a second to catch her breath as she twirled the fork around between her fingers continuously. "I mean, it's not like we can waltz back in there take it back by force. I mean... we could! It wouldn't be a smart idea. We'll probably be killed. But we could." Jailean, realizing that she wasn't saying anything positive to contribute to the discussion, shook her head. "We need, you know, friends. Yeah, something that right off the bat seems to be lacking," she quickly thought about the two boys and shook her head in disapproval, "but we can put that off as a work in progress. Make new friends. You know, people to help us."
She dug her fork back into her meal and began to eat once more. "It's weird," she continued shortly after, "and we'll be going down a fine line between success and fuck-up, pardon my language. But see, if we go back there, that thing will probably challenge again, and Leo, no offense, but it might kick our asses. Not only that, but if we go and take a less... well, honorable route," she said that while making quotes with her fingers, "well, I doubt we'd be doing too good when it comes to the public opinion of the people in the Pride. Most... uhm... seem a little dead set on following long-standing-tradition. Which sucks, because I believe that would be the better option to take. Reasoning, it seems, is beyond that person." She shrugged her shoulders slightly and ate a little slower.
"Just throwing thoughts around. I don't really know anyone that could help us... obviously." Jai gritted her teeth for a second and looked away from Jua as she finished her sentence, but merely for a split of a second, before looking right back down at her food. Lying to him and Leo wasn't the easiest thing, but she couldn't suggest the person she was thinking. No, not only could she not, but she dared not to either. He would demand too much, things that she didn't think either of them would give up. Plus, she wasn't really looking to build that bridge after working so hard to burn it. Jailean stuck the fork into her food and balanced it with her telekinetic powers for a few second, idly thinking. "The best I can do as of now is keep training with you, Jua, on my fighting skills. I know we haven't done much, but I'm still willing to learn if you still want to take some time and do it. That, and," she turned her head to look at Leo, "I still need to develop my thing more, so that it can be a little more useful than throwing pebbles hard enough to give you brain damage."
"It's... a little of a grey area for me, of course, take my suggestions with a grain of salt. You know more than I do, eheh," she nervously scratched at her hand before stuffing her mouth full of food as her eyes slowly trailed from Leo to Jua and then back to Leo before finally settling down on her own plate.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Sept 26, 2016 21:18:50 GMT -5
In between his painful jaw movements, he found their mururings of taking the pride back absurd. Ludicrous, even. He kept shaking his head. There was no way to take back his home. Not when the people that he used to take care of wanted him gone. Everyone would be rooting for Taji in the Challenge. And if he did so happen to win - which, Jailean had pointed out, was a slim chance if he ever was to be in the best shape again - everyone would be more upset than before.
He'd rather not have them whispering behind his back.
"Friends," Jua and Leo said simultaneously, but whereas Jua's voice held an open, hopeful invitation, Leo spat it out, as if it was venom. He didn't look up from his plate, but Jua's gaze peirced his skulll, seeming to see what was really wrong. "Yes, we need friends," Jua continued his musing, as if Leo hadn't spoken a word. "Starting from scratch. Our allies would side with Taji, since he is now the alpha." He knocked back half of his juice, then set it down gently. "We also need to get people from the pride on our side."
"How would you manage to do that?" Leo countered coldly, but continued to look down, not feeling it within himself to meet his friend's gaze.
Jua narrowed his eyes, a flicker of irritation dancing underneath his expression. "What do you mean, 'you'?" For a few moments, Leo was silent; it was then Jua saw a tightening of his jaw. Something he hadn't seen since his mother's passing. "You're seriously not thinking of leaving us high and dry, are you?"
"No," Leo snarled, glancing up in what was supposed to be a glare. "I just don't understand why you guys would want to go back there, when they got what they wanted."
This was met with a derisive snort. "They didn't 'get' what they wanted. What they got was a ... monster. That -" he pointed to the wall on his right with such emphasis one would think Taji was standing there, watching the whole conversation. "Is not your grandfather. Not the same man that brought happiness everywhere he went. Whoever beat the living sh*t out of you just looks like him. As far as I can tell, Taji is dead."
"Sounded a hell of a lot like him to me."
"Well, it's not." He tilted his glass to his lips, swallowing the rest of the drink within it with one gulp. "And I bet you that car out there that it's because of the b*stards he had with him. Speaking of, we need to find out who they are. Preferably before all we know goes down in flames. Anyway." He stabbed a few times at his plate, then pointed the food-laden fork at Jailean. "I was thinking that I could go back there, pretend to be a loyal follower and blah blah blah." He waved his fork in circles, and a bit of food flew across the table and hit Leo in the forehead. "Then sweet-talk, ya know? Not all of the pride agrees with the traditions. Right now, Amra is probably reconsidering it. He knew something was wrong with Taji."
"You'll be dead before you step one foot over the border." Finally, Leo looked up, a fire burning in his gaze that ached to spread and wreak havoc elsewhere. "And I'd rather not have you dead. Let them suffer. Teach them to be careful what they wish for. As far as I'm concerned, we should just sit back and grab the popcorn. Watch what unfolds. They're not my pride anymore." Then he shifted that gaze to Jailean, still burning, giving the illusion that his cat-eyes are lit up from within. "You two are."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2016 2:23:11 GMT -5
Jailean ate quickly and found that once her plate was empty she wanted more. Not that she was hungry anymore, but anything was better than sitting in between the bickering of Jua and Leo. For the moments that she was not involved, Jailean felt entirely out of place. Nothing that she worried about, though. Just a sensation. She was glad that Jua seemed to agree with her suggestion, but turned to look at Leo when she noticed his tone of voice.
"I don't know. Even you going back there sounds risky." She paused and listened to Leo as he toyed around with her fork, then sighed and met his gaze. There were a thousand things that Jailean wanted to start out with, but the word "Unacceptable" was the only thing that she managed to utter. She paused just long enough for her to realize that she should probably filter herself, but quickly enough also came to the conclusion that she was going to say it anyway. "You know," she continued after her rather abrupt jump into the conversation, "I knew there was something off about you people since the day I met you. Your stories didn't really add up. Then, of course, I learned you guys were, well, lions, and I thought to myself 'wow. That makes sense'. You see," Jailean scrapped what little food there was on her plate with the fork and shoved it into her mouth. "I thought you lions were territorial," she continued as she chewed. "It made sense to me as to why you would want me gone so quickly after I got there the first time. One part, oh no a human is gonna figure us out. Another part there's a stranger in my territory and I don't like it."
She pointed a thumb over her shoulder as her gaze turned from Leo to Jua and then back at Leo. "Right now there is a stranger in your pride and now that someone beat you to near death you're gonna turn and walk away from it and from them with your tail between your legs like... like a - a sissy puss?!" She shook her head, unaware that she was getting herself worked up as she spoke. "Unacceptable. So a few people really do not like you. Well then can suck it up or go back to Russia or wherever the heck they came from. Trust me when I say there's plenty of people who do like you. Give it time for the fact to settle in that this monster in charge is worst than you, and you've got yourself allies from within. Open your fucking eyes, Leo, and you'd see it. But nooooo! You'd rather just go ahead and let them suffer because of a split second of stupidity. I-I mean.... Wow."
She shook her head, taking in a deep and shaky breath of air as she clasped her trembling hands together simply to calm herself down. "Jua and I may be your pride, but I refuse to sit idly by knowing that people are going to be worse off due to my inaction. Even if it'll be insignificant, and even if it won't make much of a difference, I'd rather die trying to get it back than to do nothing. Those are the people I chose to protect because they protected me, and as far as I had it understood, the Alpha is supposed to protect those people too. S-So if you're just going to keep on being a sissy puss, then do so somewhere else! Jua and I will let you know when we reclaim what belongs to us." Having closed her eyes, Jailean opened them to realize that her fork was quivering on the plate, as if a trembling hand were holding on to it. It threatened to lift off and plunge itself against a wall. Jailean quickly took a hold of it, pressing her fingers tightly against the metal, then gently placed it back down on the plate. It held itself still. "Or you could stop being so stubborn and realize that we really could have a shot at pulling this off, even if it takes quite a lot of time." He looked at him, then added softly: "I'd rather you be here to help."
With that out of her system, she turned her head to Jua and stared at him for a few seconds. "I think that by now it has figured you helped Leo and I. I think Leo is right in saying that you'd be killed before you even got to the border. But..." She paused, blinked, and then continued as she linked her fingers together, "I do have an idea. To start making friends, that is. Or, well, at least allies. That's... if you're willing to hear this out with an open mind." Jailean turned her head and stared at Leo with a pointed look, a manner of seriousness in her face that said, clearly, that she was not joking around. "Both of you."
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Oct 7, 2016 9:58:36 GMT -5
Leo was ... stunned.
He didn't expect - well, he did. In retrospect he should have seen it coming. Jailean might be small and human, but she had the heart of a lioness. Fiercely protective, and equally as loyal. He wouldn't admit it, but she was more like the courageous feline than he. If he had to admit it, though, he'd say that it was solely due to the fact that there was a time and place for courageous. Now wasn't the time. Because courage equates to stupidity. Trying to gain back the pride when no one wanted anyone at the table except Jua - maybe not even then - was stupid.
Even if he expected it, he was still alpha. It was in the way he (barely) held himself. It was in the superior gaze and the indignant clench of his jaw. There was a flash of righteous anger, lighting up like a flare and igniting his movements and mind. The only reason why he didn't flip the table and start yelling was because he was too weak to do so. Leo did the next best thing.
Both arms were bad. He wasn't about to deny that. Jailean might call him a sissy puss again. But with the one closest to her, he wrapped his fingers under the seat, thumb accidentally brushing her leg, before he pulled her closer to him. His cat eyes narrowed to slits, and the smile on face was anything but friendly. "Before you tell us what you have in mind I would like to say that calling me a sissy puss is not a good way to call me into action." He saw the fork in her hand, then quickly dismissed it. "In fact, it makes me want to bend you over my knee like a bad child. Don't say that I'm walking with my tail between my legs, because I'm not. I simply am giving what the pride wants. As the good alpha that I am, I am not worried so much about the territory as I am about their desires right now. They'll realize soon enough that what they want isn't what they need. And I will be there to say 'I told you so', when it is all over. So I'm telling you - not asking - not to attempt to humiliate me again."
Then he let go of her chair, turning to face Jua, who had looked at the two of them with an expression that showed that he didn't approve at all what Leo said to Jailean. There was a hard line his lips formed. Though it was better than him becoming violent and ripping his stitches. "You could have taken the revelation of your attitude with more grace, Leo."
"Given that I look like Frankenstein, this is about as much grace as I'm willing to give, Jua." Then he went back to poving his fork around his plate. "What is that idea, Jai?"
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Post by Orfeo on Oct 10, 2016 2:32:53 GMT -5
It wasn't fear or shock that surged through Jailean as soon as Leo had pulled her chair rather abruptly toward him. Instead she felt a strange irritated anger which was undoubtedly clear with the glare she immediately gave him, and endured, as she unwaveringly stated right into his eyes without so much as flinching. Though despite her best to show she was in control of her emotions, Jailean couldn't help the fact that her right hand was clenched tightly and her arm was tensed up, ready to strike out if need be. It wasn't a reaction that she had thought of willingly, but rather some innate survival skill which was seeded deep into her psyche. It didn't really hit her until he had let go and she had pulled her chair away from him that, even if it had been for a brief second, she had considered Leo to be a threat.
Jailean coughed under her breath and moved a few rouge strands of hair away from her face and over her left ear, at the same time averting her gaze from both Leo and Jua as she took a few seconds to compose herself once more. "Attitude," she mused briefly as she finally looked up at Jua. Then, after another brief moment, she turned her eyes to Leo. "Frankenstein monster, Leo. Frankenstein was the doctor. So refrain from comparing yourself to that, you're no monster. Just a man with an," she turned her eyes back to Jua and managed a small smile, trying to show that the incident hadn't put her off, "attitude."
"Anyway," she quickly continued, "I was thinking that-" but then she stopped herself and gulped as a sudden dryness to her throat suddenly settled in. Jailean found herself needing to take in a deep breath, then letting it go slowly. "Well... the pride. It had exiles. I'm sure there's been more than just one in recent history. If not, well, the point is getting help from those exiles." She looked up at Jua and stared at him. "Or, at least trying. I know it might be somewhat of a longshot, but then again, what isn't in our situation?"
She got up with her plate in hand and walked over to where the leftovers where at. She silently scooped more food unto her plate, thinking to herself of any other plan that she could suggest, then slowly walked back to her seat beside Leo. "Yeah, I know. It isn't the best idea out there and I may have made it seem like I had a miracle solution. I'm sure there's alternatives, I just haven't thought of any other and-" she finally forced herself to shut up by stuffing her mouth full of food, then chewed slowly.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Oct 21, 2016 23:59:24 GMT -5
Leo couldn't bother with Jailean's correction. He just waved his hand, as if to shoo away a fly, before he placed it gingerly down on the table. Though the dangerous glint in his eyes after the word attitude went past her lips showed that she would pay for it later.
With that glint still in his cat eyes, he listened to her idea of the exiles. It would have been a sound idea, had she not hesitated. In the time he spent with the woman, he found that she didn't hesitate. She stopped to think about what she was going to say (sometimes), but never hesitate. Her Adam's apple didn't bob like it had right now when she thought better of what was demanding to escape her mouth. The slowness to the beginning to her idea was uncharacteristic, as well as cutting herself off with the shoveling of the food in her mouth.
The woman loved food, he knew, but certainly not that much to keep herself from her babble.
"There's Harrison and his buddies," Jua said slowly, getting the exact same feeling of Jailean hiding something as Leo. "But they came back with Taji. More than likely enjoying the status of being higher members of the pride right about now." He shook his head, rubbing his cheek slowly in big, scratchy sweeps up and down. After eating, he felt as if he could sleep for a year. "Then there's Ezekiel. He was exiled after he tried to take the title of alpha solely for Tatania. Ooh, boy, was Taji mad." He chuckled at the memory, before shaking his head again. "Leo, do you remember any exiles?"
"Nope," Leo answered after a minute of consideration. "He was the only one that I can think of, and no one wants Ezekiel's help." Then he narrowed his eyes slightly to Jailean, did you want to add anything else to this pile of plans before we have to start from scratch?"
Just then, there was a scent that traveled faintly into the kitchen. Not nearly strong enough for Jailean to pick up on, but she would be able to clearly see Leo stiffening beside her before making to stand up. Although his face gave nothing away to his sudden nervousness, he couldn't help but clench his jaw at the soft pads of small sneakers on the top of wooden floor. He knew in just a few seconds, Avery would come into the kitchen.
He had to get up -
"Sit," Jua said, but his tone didn't sound like a command. Leo refused for it to be one.
That was when Avery came in. The hazel-eyed woman had her arms folded in a protective manner, her hair down in its wild, unruly manner. It was hard to tell that the eagle and lion were brother and sister, but if Leo grew his hair out to where Avery's was, one could see the only trait they actually shared: their mother's curls. "Hey. Hi. Uhm." She glanced at Jai with a question, but Jua was quick to answer it.
"She knows everything."
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Post by Orfeo on Oct 28, 2016 2:15:17 GMT -5
She wondered why this Ezekiel person wouldn't work out as a plan. Jailean quickly settled on some kind of stubborn pride in part from Leo (she wouldn't be surprised) but also figured that this person sounded as useless as she could imagine. Or perhaps untrustworthy, maybe even a combination of them all. The idea was... well, it was out there, but listening closely she knew that it wasn't really going to work out. Not enough exiles by the sound of it, or no willingness to go to the available ones for help.
And it wasn't like they could just go to any other stranger to ask for help. Very quickly had Jailean learned that the pride liked to keep, mostly, to themselves. The location of their homes, who they were, what they were; to say that it could be called a closely guarded secret would be an understatement. When she first stumbled upon them they did everything they could to pull a ruse over her head, and it worked. If they were to get any help, it would've had to be from people who already knew about the Pride. In other words, exiles. But exiles wouldn't work. She couldn't honestly think of anyone else that could help, not without risking the integrity of the Pride's secrecy - not something she was willing to throw into the wind on a whim.
So, no. She didn't have any other ideas to bring forward. Starting from scratch was the only thing they could really do, but before she was about to say anything in return, Jailean was cut off by Leo's behavior. She held back her words and bit at the inside of his cheek as her eyes moved to Jua when he told Leo to sit. She tracked his eyes, and took in a small breath of air when he looked over her shoulders behind her. It really didn't register to Jailean that someone else was inside the room until long after it had been obvious to Jua and Leo. Not until after she heard her speak and listened to Jua reply.
And so Jailean turned in her seat to look up at the new arrival, and managed a genuine smile, figuring that this was yet another shifter that Leo and Jua already knew. "I'm Jailean," she introduced herself with a soft voice to the hazel-eyed woman, "and yeah. I know everyone's capable of turning into some thing or the other, so no need to worry." In the back of her mind though, as she stared at the woman, Jailean was working on trying to figure out who it was. She knew she'd never seen her before, not in person nor in pictures, and without a name she was pretty much clueless. Though, most importantly, she couldn't help but wonder on what her relationship with Leo was. So far, Jailean had seen hostility and disrespect from two, and something of a cold kindness from a third. Although she wanted to believe that they'd be on better terms than the previous batch of people, she knew that Leo wasn't the easiest to be around.
At this point nothing would really surprise her.
Not wishing to keep her gaze lingering over the newest arrival, Jailean turned in her seat once more once all of the formalities between the two had been over and done with and went back to slowly eating while thinking of some other plan to help them take back the Pride. Though, with her back now to the woman, she looked at Jua and questioned, silently, with her eyes, some concern, and hoped for some sort of reassurance that everything was going to be alright with Leo and this new person.
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Jewel
Healer
Loyalty comes in many forms. Some are more obvious than others. -Thorn
Posts: 2,195
Pack Status: New Dawn, Nighstar, Rogue, Other
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Post by Jewel on Oct 29, 2016 21:52:10 GMT -5
Leo didn't look at his sister. His pride wouldn't let him. Maybe it was because Avery believed that he was indestructable when they were younger, and here he was, his life depending on haphazard threading. Or maybe the animal side of him didn't like showing weakness to people outside his pride. Perhaps he was still embarrassed for getting his tush handed to him by Avery's mate.
Whatever it was, he kept his gaze locked on the wall above Jua's head.
"That's good," Leo heard his sister's relieved sigh. Then his good hand clenched in irritation as she walked closer to them as she pressed her glasses up in habit to where they were supposed to be. It still seemed funny to him that, even though shifters were supposed to be physically fit beings, Avery couldn't see very well. And a bit ironic too; bald eagles were supposed to have excellent vision. "I-I mean, Papa told me that there was a human that came along, but I ... just wanted to make sure. So that I don't say anything I'm not supposed to." Her statement was followed by a luagh, but it was hollow. Just a shell of the unusual optimistic joy that always followed her like a love-sick puppy.
Slowly, she sat down beside Jua, across from Jailean. She made herself comfortable by sitting criss-cross, gathering her unruly mess of curls that she called her hair to the nape of her neck, there was a hesitance in her movements just before she pulled the black band on her right wrist over to pull her hair through it, as if she wasn't sure whether this decision to get it out of her face was a good one or not. Then she pressed her lips in a thin line, and rougly tying it in a bun. There were still bumps in her hair, yet she left it, not caring anymore about anything other than what she came here to ask.
"Papa said that Grandpa took the pride back," Avery said out loud, more to Jua and Leo, but wanted to keep Jai into the conversation. After all, she lost her home too.
"That's not Taji, Zazu," Jua said, using the childhood nickname that he gave her. The way he said it, it was as if he was trying to tell a five-year-old that Rover lived happily on another farm. "Otherwise Leo wouldn't be half-dead."
"Yeah..." she took one shaky breath, before letting it out, equally as shaky. It was hard to see Leo like this. Especially when her grandfather was the one that did it. Last time she saw her grandftaher, it was only in passing, when he saw the twins for the first time. Well, for the only time.
Then there was a silence. Only a few minutes long, but it was thick with ... something. Awkwardness? Tension? For Leo, his irritation turned into anger. This was stupid. What was? He was not sure. But something was stupid. She shouldn't be here. "What do you want, Avery." it was said with gritted teeth. "Carl wouldn't have called you to come see me. Or Jua. Or to gawk at the human who knows about us."
He still didn't look at her, but he could feel her shocked gaze on his face. "I ... was wanting for you guys to do something. I was heading my way to the pride, and since Papa's house was on the way, I was going to ask the same favor too. When he said you were here, I was relieved. A coincidence, or fate. Or whatever.
"Then Papa said you got hurt. I wanted to see if you were doing okay." She shrugged her shoulders softly. But Leo didn't see it. Jua did, and he leaned forward, tilting his head to the side in a feline way.
"What's the favor? Even though Leo isn't able to help, we can do it." Then he glanced at Jailean, to see if Jai was up for whatever Avery laid out on the table.
"I wa gonna see if you guys would help me rescue my daughter and her mate."
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Post by Orfeo on Nov 2, 2016 1:52:11 GMT -5
Jailean opted to sit this one out and merely listen for the time being, honestly enjoying the meal that Jua had cooked. It was clear that between here, Jua, and Leo, there was some history; history which she clearly did not share, and thus she wasn't about to butt in on conversations. Besides, from what she was listening too, Jailean was pretty sure she didn't know what they were talking about. For a moment, that was. She didn't want to seem like that person who wanted to know everything. In fact, she tried to make it look like she was just minding her own business, along for the ride, keeping her eyes down and focusing only on her breathing, especially during that short time of silence during which she didn't know if she was supposed to say something or not. But what could she say? She figured she already said everything that needed to be said from her part. Jailean didn't want to come off as rude, but nosy wasn't any better.
Of course, she almost immediately dropped the act at Leo's tone of voice. She kept eating, slowly, but Jailean had turned her head to look at Leo dead on the side of his head, her gaze unwavering. She didn't say anything but, for some reason, she wanted him to know that she was looking at him in some disapproving manner.
"Yeah," she followed up after Jua had spoken, finally looking away from Leo. Her eyes fell on Avery and she smiled a little. "I'm up for anything." Then she heard the request, and immediately almost regretted saying that, as the rescue of someone fell into that category of anything. Not just one person, but two people. Her daughter? And a mate... the word rang a bell, somewhat. It took Jailean a couple seconds for her to remember what a mate was, at which point she felt a little more dread than she had before.
"A... rescue?" She said in disbelief, then quickly blinked and checked her own tone of voice. Again, Jailean did not want to come off as rude, and if Avery had come to them for help she didn't want to look like she was unwilling to at least hear her out. Her eyes fell on Jua for help, finding that she was personally at a loss of words.
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