| Logs |
2012 April 02
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
The Men on the Chessboard Get Up
The night spent with Malachai in 'Chana's wagon is a little odd for the silvery wolf. He badly wants to get rid of the interloper male, but this place smells strongly enough of the man for the wolf to know that it is Roy's territory as well as Sulochana's. Aside from that, the alpha doesn't want to start a fight with his mate and the cubs right there between them.
In the morning, when the very first people begin waking, Malachai slips out of the wagon, planning to creep carefully around the encampment to see what the morning rituals are like for his mate's people. The two little girls are used to getting up at dawn with everyone else, though, so when the silvery wolf rises and shakes his fur into place, they carefully get up and grab some clothes to follow him -- having a beautiful, big new wolfie to play with is a win in their book! Their whispers to each other and occasional thumps don't wake up the energy-depleted Suraksha, but do start to awaken Roy.
Once outside, the girls call out for the big wolfie to wait for them, trotting eagerly after him. When he pauses for them, glancing inquiringly back over his shoulder, they both happily sink their fingers into his thick fur and give him big hugs around the neck. Then Rohana guides them all around the encampment, introducing "Mr. Wolf" to everyone and making sure they all get some food. In comparison to her cheerful running commentary, Rishima tends to simply toddle along next to Malachai, keeping her balance with his swifter gait by closing one small hand on a fistful of his heavy ruff. Several of the other kids end up following along in a playful and chattering group. To Malachai's eyes the morning encampment looks very much like chaos -- but no one seems disconcerted, and everything that needs to get done does indeed get done.
Inside the gaily painted wagon, the roustabout/king carefully unties the wolf pelt wrapped around 'Chana and lifts her into the bunk before he heads off to help Del with the animals. Last night he'd simply been relieved that she'd come back, but this morning anger at Malachai is topmost in his mind. He knows from talking with his beloved that for her to shift into that form requires the drugged drink and the wolf pelt. To him it seems very much like Malachai is trying to brainwash his cherie by repeatedly drugging her and inducing her into this wolf shape. The quiet intensity of his anger is recognized by those that have been working with him on the road for a while now; they give him a wide berth, nodding and raising hands in greeting but otherwise leaving him to his own devices. After he's done helping muck out the livestock's accommodations, Rattler heads down to the stream to clean up. He knows there's more work ahead, but there's a world of difference between smelling of sweat and smelling of manure.
The kids of the caravan get to have a little fun with the big wolf, but then they too start getting called away to their chores; in a traveling caravan, everyone that can do something, does. Rohana and Rishima are the last to leave Malachai, and they both giggle when he gives them wet, wolfy kisses on their faces. As the two girls head off to their chores, the elder whispers to the younger, "I like him better as Mr. Wolf! Don't you?" The smaller one nods solemnly, her eyes sparkling. Once they're on their way the silvery wolf heads back to town for his own morning duties. The previous night has only served to make him more certain that 'Chana is indeed his mate. After all, she invited him into her territory, and to stay with her and the cubs last night. It's definitely time to have a talk with this "Rattler" who thinks he has a continuing role in 'Chana's life.
Thus it is that the town's alpha comes upon a mostly-undressed Rattler at the stream that marks one border of the caravan's territory. Normally the roustabout/king would be humming, or even singing to himself as he washed. The water is his element, after all, and bathing is a pleasure for him. However, he's still angry -- despite having worked some of it off with physical labor -- and he's still very quiet. He's up to his hips in the stream when the foliage ruffles and Malachai steps into view. The two men are rather a contrast at the moment: Malachai soberly dressed and silver-haired; Rattler nude, water-soaked, and dark of hair and skin. The town alpha hails the man he thinks is a simple roustabout, "Good afternoon. It's Rattler, yes?" There's a large stone on the bank and Malachai moves to sit on it. Even then, his head is still higher than Roy's.
The king-in-exile pushes his wet hair back off his face with both hands and says, "You know well who I am, Malachai." His voice is quiet and level.
Malachai says, "I know what you call yourself, yes, and I know what you feel you are. It's time you and I had a talk about that, man to man." The alpha leans forward a little, elbows on his knees -- the very picture of a man getting ready to explain something very simple to someone who has not quite grasped it.
Rattler's posture is still loose and easy; one corner of his mouth lifts in a bit of a smirk, "Oh, good. I've been waiting for this. I figured after last night that you'd either missed something about that little incident in the rain the night before, or you're just being purposely dense."
Malachai's eyes flash at being called dense and at the insolence he perceives from Rattler, "I believe, young man, that you're the one being a little dense here. You know what an amazing woman Sulochana is -- you must, if you have been with her long enough to sire her children." Here Malachai has made an assumption, but Roy isn't about to correct him on it. After all, both girls consider him Daddy Roy, just as they consider Jerome Bradley their father as well. "It is presumptuous and selfish of you to want to keep such a bright and powerful woman tied to a... a... roustabout."
Roy's smirk has grown to both sides of his mouth now and one brow is up, but he's still sounding calm as he says, "Mister, you are seriously blind, stupid, or both if you think I could keep her tied down in any way if she didn't want to be. Believe me, I worked hard to be worthy of that woman, and you just best be careful what assumptions you throw around." Roy's hands are slowly stirring the water at his sides, taking strength from it; trying to calm himself with it. It's not doing a great deal of good. After all, in his mind this man has been doing something akin to rape by repeatedly giving his cherie some kind of drug. It's only the fact that 'Chana hasn't protested it that has kept Roy from saying something... right up 'till now. His voice is still deceptively calm and almost friendly as he says, "After all, I never had to drug her to get her to be with me."
Malachai's eyes flare and he throws himself at Roy with a growl -- the roustabout has been insolent and dense and now he has impugned the alpha's honor! Any townie that made such comments would know they were fighting words -- and would expect it to lead to a fight. Even in human form Malachai is fast and powerful, and he thinks that he's dealing with just an uppity human -- and that is where Malachai's assumptions get him in trouble.
Malachai is far too angry to see the grin and the gleam in Roy's eyes as the alpha attacks. The human may be naked, but he's in his element -- as a Water Tap, the stream helps him. He slides out of the way, ducking under Malachai's lunge and letting the townie plunge into the water. Roy knows 'Chana isn't going to be entirely happy that there was a fight at all, but he knows she'd be furious if he fought with every dirty trick in his arsenal, so he lets the older man surface again before engaging.
Aside from his years as a down-and-dirty brawler and even more years as a soldier, Roy has now been trained by Sna'thaid. When Malachai surges out of the water and toward him, Roy ducks to one side and whips a blow at Malachai's face. The alpha is half-blinded by the water and not expecting such grace and speed from someone he thinks has only human abilities. The blow takes him by surprise as it lands hard against his left eye. Even more surprising is the sweep of Roy's leg beneath the water that takes him back down. Once he's under again, Roy moves back to let him resurface, dark eyes gleaming and all teeth showing in a gloriously vicious grin. Once Malachai's up and spluttering a little -- it's been decades since anyone has come close to matching him in a fight -- Roy says, still in that calm, drawing-room voice, "You really might want to rethink this plan, old boy. It doesn't seem to be working out the way you wanted."
Malachai's voice isn't entirely human, and his teeth have gone sharper than a human's as he growls, "I see you aren't going to do this gracefully." He launches himself again, voicing a battle-roar. His arms are out and he's coming in low to try and tackle Roy. Roy, with a fine sense of how taunts affect proud people, was waiting for the attack -- he's had enough of being talked to as if he were just some schmoe off the trail. When Malachai comes at him he throws his head back and almost crows, sweeping his arms forward. With the gesture, he reaches out to the water -- and the stream answers his call, rushing forward and up, creating a wall of water that lifts Malachai eight feet into the air and holds him there.
Meanwhile, back at the encampment, Suraksha is by the campfire, helping Buddy, Rachel, and others with prepping for lunch. The slight woman is ravenous again, after her second use of the herbal drink, and surreptitiously wolfing down the occasional slice of bread from where she's helping out by slicing up one of the fresh loaves. She looks up in surprise, though, at the angry roar of a man from over by where the stream winds between trees and undergrowth, "What's that all about?"
Alg snorts and dismissively rolls his eyes as he reaches for a piece of bread she's holding, pragmatically answering, "Stupid. Males fight over mate. Should just ask."
Suraksha puzzledly says to the goblin, "What? But we don't have any mating ma..." Her voice trails off as she suddenly starts making mental connections -- then she gasps, "Oh, dear Goddess!" Dropping the knife, she runs for the stream, dreading what she'll find. Alg grins, grabbing the last slice of bread and stuffing it in his face as he lollops easily along after Suraksha -- this should be interesting!
When Suraksha arrives at the stream's edge she spots Roy standing almost nude in the water, waving the water up into a sort of fist that's grabbed a furious, struggling Malachai -- and it looks like it's about to smash him into pulp! Suraksha blanches -- despite how she feels personally about Malachai, harming him could have dire consequences for the caravan. Reflexively she leaps from the bank, crying out, "No!" and shifting to tiger form in mid-leap. Bursting through the water, she slams herself and Malachai both out of its grasp. She hastily wraps both forelegs about Malachai as she falls, curling around him to protect him from being smashed, and rolling so as to hit the ground shoulder-first. With a heavy grunt of air knocked out of her, she impacts -- then carefully releases Malachai, praying he's all right.
'Chana's sudden and dramatic arrival startles Roy, and the column of water collapses with an enormous splash, sending the stream out of its banks on both sides before subsiding. Bounding up to the bank's edge, Alg finishes chewing his mouthful, then snorts amusedly at Malachai's condition. In an aside to Roy he grunts, "Good fight." He knows both his pretty lady and the river-rat king well enough to figure out what's going on -- in this mate-battle, he's on Roy's side.
He smirks at Alg and mutters, "She's gone be pissed..." Alg gives a cackle of laughter, bouncing in place a bit as he nods! He finds this tremendously entertaining.
On the other side of the stream Suraksha rolls carefully out from under Malachai and shifts back into human form -- and that's when she realizes the wincing, wheezing Malachai has a black eye and a bloody mouth. She doesn't explain all her concerns, not wanting to give the town elder any ideas about vengeance or demanding any sort of weregild. Instead she sits next to the still recumbent Malachai, carefully settling his head on her knees and calling worriedly to the goblin, "Alg, sweetie, run get Suze quick please?" As the goblin amiably snorts and heads off, Suraksha turns her attention to Roy. Her voice is both sharp and upset, "Fighting with the town's elder while we're camped and waiting for repairs, Rattler? For heavens' sake, WHY?! You know better! Don't you understand we have to come back this way, dammit?!"
Roy takes a deep breath and blows it out, then another, calming himself. He starts toward the bank, "He's fine, cherie... and he threw the first punch. Well, wa'n't so much a punch as tried to tackle me." Malachai is catching his breath and trying to push himself into a sitting position as Roy continues, "Dunno how his mouth got all bloody. I only gave 'im the black eye." The river-rat king pauses on the side of the stream to strip the water off his limbs -- then, seeing they're alone and Malachai has already had a demonstration of his Tapping ability, he uses it to send the water sliding off his skin before pulling on his jeans.
Suraksha snaps down at Malachai as he shifts position, "You just stay right there, Malachai! Don't you move a muscle until Suze gets here!" She brushes his wet hair out of his face, adding more gently, "Hold still, please; I have your head elevated. Swallow carefully, too -- we don't want you choking on blood, dear."
Malachai is unhappy at having Roy standing over him and he's still not exactly in his right mind, so he continues trying to sit up, "I'm fine!" He turns his head to the side and spits out blood, careful not to get any on 'Chana.
Roy hunkers down beside 'Chana and puts a hand on Malachai's chest, pushing him back, "She's right, you know. Y'all landed pretty heavy." To 'Chana he says, "You know, I was just gonna hold him up there till he calmed down. What'd you think I was gonna do? Smash 'im on the boulders?" He's a little hurt, but he's careful not to let it show in his voice.
Suraksha tchs and pushes Roy's hand away, "Don't do that, Rattler! That'll just make him feel he has to be taller than you or somesuch -- it's some wolf thing, I think. Back up a bit; give us some room, please." Roy backs off and Malachai subsides, letting 'Chana sooth him. Then she gives Roy a puzzled look, "Wait, what? I was careful -- I took all the impact. Also, why would Malachai try to tackle you? That doesn't make sense!"
The king-in-exile doesn't get a chance to answer before Malachai snarls, "He accused me of a dishonorable thing!" He's almost thrumming with anger, but still holding it in. It's about then that folks come running from the caravan. Rachel is there too, following after Suze and Fantine with an increasingly worried look. Alg, ever the pragmatist, has brought a blanket. He bounds from bank to tree to other overhanging tree to further bank, draping the blanket about Sura's shoulders so she's not cold. Fantine tchs and starts gathering up the remains of Sura's clothing, while Suze wades across and simply does not listen to Malachai's protestations that he's all right. Instead she instructs Suraksha to gently hold the man's head, where it rests on her knees as he lies on the ground.
Suraksha quietly thanks Alg, nods to Suze to show she understood, then continues to lightly hold Malachai's head. She murmurs soothingly to the angry man, "Just hold still, please, dear? Now, tell me what he said, please?" She glances unhappily at Roy -- she really doesn't want to think he deliberately incited a fight so the caravan wouldn't be able to come back this way. She's not sure what to think, in fact, which is why she's trying to get both men to tell her their stories.
Roy knows better than to put his two cents in at this point, so he goes for the rest of his clothes, sitting on his butt to pull on his boots. He figures 'Chana will eventually get around to asking exactly why Malachai was there. Malachai snarls, "He accused me of -- of..." The elder is too angry even to articulate it at first, and though Roy didn't use the word rape outright, it was implied: "-of taking unfair and immoral advantage of you."
Suraksha blinks down at Malachai, then gives Roy a confused look, "Rattler? What did you say, please?"
Roy takes a deep breath and sighs, "He came down here talkin' all about me holdin' you back. I figured he still ain't got it through his head that you ain't stayin'... an' I told him I'd never had to drug you to get you to be with me." Roy knows he was a little rash, and he knows better than to voice the opinion that the only thing that was going to get through to Malachai was a good old-fashioned ass-kicking.
Suraksha confusedly echoes Rattler, "Holding me back? What's that supposed...?" Her voice trails off as the ramifications of Rattler's words sink in, and Malachai can feel how her nude body unwittingly tenses, where his head rests on the cradle of her hands and knees. She takes a slow, deep breath, anger starting to flare up from deep inside her, but her voice is commendably calm as she looks down at Malachai and murmurs, "Malachai, is that true?"
Rachel is looking more and more uncomfortable and worried. She has never seen her Nonnu lose a fight; it makes her feel strange and discomfited. She looks over at Roy from the corner of her eye, re-evaluating him. By now she's got her shoes and socks off, and her pants rolled up; she wades across the stream and crouches down by, and slightly back from, Suze. Malachai has let Suze tend to him and he senses 'Chana's discomfort. If she lets him, he pushes himself into a sitting position, "I came down here to try and get him to see reason, yes." Roy snorts, but then keeps his mouth shut.
The healer is quickly and thoroughly checking the town elder, and when he wheezes slightly in pain despite himself, as she presses her fingertips to his chest, she snaps, "Keep 'im down, Sura!" Hastily Suraksha grabs the man's shoulders, "Malachai, please relax for a moment! Let our healer see to you." More calmly, Suze adds, "Think we're looking at cracked ribs here," which causes Sura to swear under her breath.
Roy holds his hands up, "Swear to any god you want, cherie, I wa'n't tryin' to crack his ribs."
Malachai snarls, "I went down on some boulders in the stream when he knocked my feet out from under me."
For a moment as Suraksha looks down at the man resting on her lap, her eyes narrow in icy anger... but then a sort of distant, resigned calm crosses her face. She stops stroking Malachai's hair out of his face and says -- with a small, dispassionate smile that doesn't reach her eyes, "I understand. Malachai, once Suze has finished bandaging you up, I believe you, Rattler, and I shall have a small talk."
Roy, who knows that look and that voice, is not looking forward to the talk. Suze gives a small, absent-sounding grunt of assent, busily cleaning blood off the town elder's face and dabbing witch hazel on the bruises. To Rachel, Suze mutters, "Open the leather valise, girl, 'n get out some a' the rolled-up bandages -- going to need to wrap these ribs."
Malachai stiffens a little and winces as Suze grimly dabs the stingy liquid near his black eye. Rachel clears her throat, "Miss Sulochana, if it please you, I would like to be there as well. He is my Nonnu and he is hurt."
Suraksha looks up at Rachel, her face very, very calm as she murmurs, "Your loyalty to your grandsire is commendable, my dear. However, this is between the three of us. If it would put your fears to rest, I can assure you there will be no physical fighting whatsoever -- I shall personally shift shape and sit on whomever tries anything until they behave themselves."
There are several almost-smiles at that comment, but Rachel hesitates until Malachai says, "Go on, child. I am not yet in my dotage."
Suze nods once, putting away her bottle of witch hazel, "All right, help him sit up enough that I can wrap his chest. Think we've got one, maybe two cracked ribs there."
Suraksha smiles a bit bleakly at Rachel as she shifts her hands to brace Malachai enough to sit up, adding, "Perhaps you'd like to help your elder with his shirt?" Rachel moves to help get Malachai's soaking-wet shirt and vest off. The elder grits his teeth and does his best not to wince during this operation. The young townie doesn't meet Malachai's eyes, knowing he's feeling angry and perhaps humiliated. She's also nervous about what this means for pack structure. Of course, Roy isn't part of the pack.
Malachai says, "I can fix this by shifting, but I don't believe I should just yet."
That statement causes Suraksha to blink and refocus on Malachai, "You can? Wait. I thought you needed the moon to do that, no?" She frowns thoughtfully, adding, "Or at least... that's what the other werewolf I met said he needed?"
Malachai sighs and his eyes squint slightly, "Most of us do need the moon, but you already know I don't need it. We become less dependent on the moon, the older we become."
Suraksha nods thoughtfully, "Interesting. All right, so why do you think you shouldn't shift just yet?"
Malachai's smile is tight, "Because my temper is less well-controlled as a wolf."
Suraksha tchs at that, "You're telling me you'd be enraged even if I kept my arms around your neck?"
Malachai considers that. "Let us say that I would rather stay in this form for the moment." He doesn't say that he doesn't want to be that vulnerable around Roy.
Suraksha tilts her head thoughtfully again, bluntly asking, "Why?"
Malachai sighs, wincing again as Suze wraps bandages around his torso, "I just feel it best."
Rachel's eyes are wide and interested, "There are other sorts of wolf-spirited people?"
Suraksha nods once to Rachel, then stops Suze in wrapping Malachai's ribs. The small woman touches her fingertips under Malachai's chin to get him to look at her. Her expression is grave, "Are you suggesting you do not trust me to keep my promise, Malachai?"
Malachai looks up at her and says, "I am saying that I feel more comfortable staying two-legged for the moment."
Suraksha studies Malachai for a long moment, her golden-eyed gaze slowly darkening and her lips tightening a bit. Finally she simply nods once to Malachai, then rises to her feet and steps deliberately away from him. Walking slowly towards Rattler, she doesn't look back as she says over her shoulder, "I'm sorry to have interrupted you, Suze. Do please finish."
Roy has been sitting quietly aside for the last few minutes, but he pushes himself to his feet to meet 'Chana. She slides an arm about his waist as she turns to face back towards Malachai and the two women, leaning her head tiredly against Roy's shoulder. Roy rests his arm around 'Chana's shoulders and lowers his head to kiss the top of her head as they watch Suze swiftly and competently finish taping up the elder's ribs, then give him a quick lecture on how to take care of himself so he heals cleanly. The healer concludes with a bleakly amused, "Not that any a' this really matters, I s'ppose -- since you're just going to change shape when you're alone again, 'n waste all my efforts." She dusts her hands off and rises to her feet, muttering an exasperated, "Men!" to herself.
Malachai smiles tightly, close-lipped, and thanks Suze very much for her tending of his wounds. She gives one sharp nod at that as she repacks her valise, snaps it closed, and marches off without another word. Suraksha calls quietly after her, "Suze, sweetie, thank you. Sorry for the false alarm."
The older looking woman nods and smiles ruefully at the Hetaera, "You take care, dear," before she starts wading back across the stream. Rachel looks torn; Alg has, of course, vanished.
Malachai pushes himself to his feet and murmurs to Rachel, "I'm perfectly safe here, cub. Get back to town." He rests his hand on the side of her face, adding, "Wipe that worry off your face. We'll speak of this later." Rachel hesitates and then nods before heading back townward.
[Previous Log] [Index] [Next Log]