Blacktail Deer Plateau assorted fruit flavored candy

@Kun

The plateau felt heavy. Ying wandered along the outskirts, keeping post at the northeastern quarter. She lay beside the border with her head on her paws and a simple melody flowing from her throat. It was quieter today than it had been during the days prior. 

She sighed and rolled over onto her side, pawing absent-mindedly at distant clouds.

kun, trying to keep up appearances like the talented thespian he is, had been on the hunt; betwixt his jaws swings a fresh caught rabbit. it wasn't much and had nearly gave him the slip three times but by a stroke of sheer luck it boxed itself in and allowed the seadragon to make the kill. navigating thru the plateau has become easier but of course he avoids contact with others like the plague though it could easily be claimed that no one else had sought him out so therefore he could not be the only one to blame.

it is the melody that draws him to the borders and right to ying. he is not surprised to find that it is her. unceremoniously he tosses the rabbit to the side and flops down dramatically. i hate hunting. he complains, sparing his cousin an affectionately shrewd look. this charade was her doing, as far as he was concerned. still, he loved her even if he was not happy about having to pretend like he enjoyed hunting on any sort of level besides to sate his hunger. and i really want fish. the fishier the better; bonus points if it was decorated in seaweed.

The scent of blood flooded the huntress's nostrils. She peeked up through one open eye, smiling as she watched her cousin's approach. Hey! she barked at him, You're going to waste that? Meat was meat, as far as she was concerned. Ying stood and shook the snow from her fur before walking over to retrieve the corpse.

A playful growl bubbled in her throat; was it too early for a game?

She hadn't seen or spoken to any of her family since the ordeal with Aningan. Being able to spend time with Kun was a welcome distraction that she planned to take full advantage of. You can't be that shit at hunting Ying teased, mouth full of plucked rabbit's fur, You did just catch my afternoon snack. It was an invitation for him to steal the meal back, should he so choose.

a heavy sigh escapes kun's muzzle. just because i'm not going to eat it doesn't mean i was going to waste it, kun rolls his eyes teasingly. i was going to put it in a cache since you told them i'm a hunter. but help yourself — a sardonic, toothy grin spreads across his muzzle as he watches her take the rabbit corpse. keeping this up is exhausting. kun complains a bit more, for extra measure.

he wasn't really trying to guilt trip her; he understands it was her words that he could be useful that granted him access and even that felt tentatively granted. yeah well, kun snorts. only because it boxed itself in. that's a lucky catch. not a skilled one. hanging on his pining for fish, however; kun does not make an attempt to reclaim it figuring she could have it if she truly wants it.

Had Ying not done the right thing? She paused her plucking to look up at Kun and examine his expression. The rabbit seemed less appealing with the slight tension thrown into the air. This is only temporary, she reminded him. Once the island was ready, the family could leave Rusalka behind.. but is that what she wanted?

Ying shook the thought from her head, though remnants of her worry remained clear in her expression. How could she leave this place without repaying her debt? The wolves of the plateau had cared for her and her sisters in a time of need; could she really abandon them?

Can I ask you something? She turned to Kun after a moment's silence and awaited his response.

her reminder that this all is only temporary causes kun to lay off his teasing, worried that he's pushed and complained too far. getting too wrapped up in the parts he plays is too easy and right now he enjoyed playing the petulant cousin ...but not at the expense of ying's feelings. he backpedals. i'm just giving you a hard time. he assures her, offering a sheepish grin. i appreciate what you've done for me. spoken genuinely, now.

he nibbles at his left forepaw as an itch begins, looking up as she asks him a question of whether she could ask him a question. yeah, sure.

I know, Ying assured him. She stood and walked over to bump Kun's shoulder in an affectionate show of forgiveness. The joke might have been better received under different circumstances but the pressure that she was under (imposed mostly by her own guilt) made it difficult to laugh.

Yuèguāng settled into a seat at her cousin's side. Please, don't tell my sisters. Before exposing her thoughts, she needed to be sure that he wouldn't tell Hua and Mei; they wouldn't— couldn't understand.

Would I be wrong to stay here? she asked, bright eyes downturned and focused on the ground. She would likely have to explain her motives but wouldn't begin until prompted.

words and a bump against his shoulder in assurance are given and kun places his worry to rest. air is clear and he shifts slightly so he can look at ying as she settles at his side, her plea to not tell her sisters evidence enough that what she wants to ask him is serious. i won't. it is kun's turn to assure her; he is many things but a teller of secrets isn't one. things spoken to him in confidence are things he would rather take to his grave than betray said confidence.

would it be wrong if i stayed here?

kun cannot immediately fathom what would make her want to stay but he can only go by his own experience with rusalka thus far which is based in lies. can i ask what makes you want to stay? kun breaks his perplexed silence, curious as to what she might tell him — if anything. if she didn't wish to tell him then he wouldn't pry.

The assurance of confidentiality allowed Ying to feel comfortable with sharing her feelings. She hadn't been able to share in a while because there hadn't been anyone to listen. She released a heavy sigh and looked over either shoulder to make sure that they were alone. 

If I find a mate, she asked, I'm supposed to leave the family, right? Aningan wasn't her mate and she wasn't sure that she wanted him to be, either. The thought of mateship and children, living with one another; it was terrifying to Ying, who had only ever known the life of a slave or a vagrant. She liked him, but she was afraid to be hurt again.

whatever kun had been expecting her to say, it clearly hadn't been a desire to stay and it shows in his quiet pondering. her reasoning makes sense, in way, but still...his own stilted views of rusalka make it hard for him to try to wrap his mind around her desires. wait...did you find a mate? had she been courting in secret and not told her sisters? even if she was, even as scandalized as the mere idea was, kun was sworn to secrecy. i mean, traditionally, yes. it is here he treads carefully. tradition was important to him but so was family. do you really want to stay here, in rusalka? if you do then i'd say do what makes you happy. your sisters will understand, if that's what you choose. with or without a mate as a reason. at least, he hopes they will otherwise he's given some very bad advice.

I don't know. The question, albeit simple, was too difficult to answer. She knew that the process was being rushed, but what more could one expect? Ying would never admit to the self-hatred which she harbored. It was strange for Aningan to have been so kind to her; would she not be a fool to reject him? 

She looked up at Kun and sighed. I want to stay with my family, she told him, but I want a family of my own, too. Ying wasn't sure if this was entirely true, but she felt like the right thing to say. A woman of her second year should be mated and with child, both of which she assumed Aningan would be willing to give. Who else would be willing to make a sacrifice for a woman so damaged?

The vulnerability shown to her cousin made her uncomfortable. She stood and walked a few steps away, just out of his reach. I guess...maybe I'm just confused, or something.

you don't know if you have a mate? if kun would've had eyebrows they would've risen. as it is, he flicks an ear and lets out a small noise of contemplation as if he could make sense of that. he couldn't but he gives it an effort all the same. i mean, i think those are normal things to want and war with each other. he understands even though others might not; a plus growing up with sisters. he doesn't have the same pressures ...oh, he has the pressures of passing on the family name, yes but at least if he finds a mate he wouldn't have to leave his family for her.

kun watches as she moves away from him, out of reach; sorrow sparks to life in his aquamarine gaze and slowly he shifts and sits up. if it's confusing you bad then maybe you shouldn't be trying to rush your decision. kun tells her softly. take the time you need to decide.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. It's complicated. Ying was sure that Kun had known his fair share of women; surely, he would know what she meant. She brushed past his words of comfort, deciding that she didn't want to feel pitied. Maybe I'm meant to be single, the huntress joked, I'd be a decent crazy-woman. 

Her words carried a dash of truth. Ying knew that at some point, she would have to stop looking. If mateship didn't find her, she would be semi-content with living a life of singlehood. Another sigh was released, this one through lips curled up into a smile. I think I'm a little lost in life. Who was she, if not her sisters' protector?

it shouldn't have to be, though. kun murmurs to ying's 'it's complicated'. maybe kun was just a romantic at heart but he didn't think mateship and love needed to be complicated. in his ideal world, it was right. it made sense. it was as easy as breathing. maybe not always — because differences were bound to cause fights — but even so ... but! what do i know? he chirrups cheerfully. it's not like i'm swimming in marriage offers. his lips twist and quirk up as he shrugs.

you'll find someone, ying. i wouldn't settle for the crazy-woman future just yet. he assures her with a nod to emphasize his confidence in his words; only to feel the weight of her next words. his smile sobers and he draws in a deep breath and glimpses around, unable to help the wrinkle of his muzzle that he can't smell the sea this far inland ( and they weren't even that far inland ); trying not to focus on the fact that he feels so claustrophobic surrounded by nothing but earth as he yearns for the sea.

well, it wouldn't be life if we didn't get a little lost, right? that's all apart of our growth. i think that The Sea will guide us to things in Her own time. She does not always rage. She is patient, too; unhurried. though, unlike them, she is timeless and exists outside the constraints of mortality that bind them. even so, kun is confidence that things will happen for ying in their own pace and time and hopes that he can offer her some small measure of assurance.

The family tended to produce attractive members. Kun Kun was no exception, so Ying was somewhat surprised to hear that he wasn't "swimming" in female attention. She looked him over and frowned, Aren't you the only boy? she asked, You better get on it before your juice expires. A small laugh blew from her mouth to clarify that it was only a tease.

It was unfortunate that Kun didn't think she would make for a good crazy-woman. She had become quite fond of the idea in the moments after suggesting it. Might be nice..., Ying mused.

Unlike most of the others, she was not particularly religious. Ying didn't understand the purpose of devotions and offerings, or whatever else they did. The sea was just water, and while she did enjoy looking at it, she didn't think that there was some big secret hiding at the bottom. Maybe, Ying said with a shrug, I wish she would hurry. Aningan was being a goof. If the Sea could change that, then She might earn a new follower.