The Mute, and the Foreigner
Characters: Aikuen, Fira
Location: Near the Govi's house, Lake Silverwater, Shoreline, Forest
Another morning and seems it's Fira's turn to wake up first, at least this time she's been nice enough not to wander off but is still lying about next to Aikuen, a book in one paw, quietly reading. Well, trying to read anyway. The book's in some other language, rather like most of the books she chooses really, she likes a challenge.
Aikuen rolls over onto his side, and get a face full of Fira fur, and he sleepily rubs his nose in it. And of course he takes a long draw, through his nose. He doesn't even wake as he goes to wrap an arm around her instinctively, and pulls her closer to him. He just yawns and continues to sleep on. This is normal Aik in the morning.
Fira blinks and the movement and glances back to him, a little smile appearing when she sees he's still asleep. She happily snuggles on up to him, getting comfortable again before she reads on. Doesn't want to wake him up.
Aikuen continues to sleep, just enjoying a good lie in for a change, and of course the excellent company. After a good long while, he starts to rub her fur where his paw was resting and says sleepily, "MMmmmm, Eh. Morning Fi..." and he kisses her shoulder. All this with his eyes closed, and he may still be sleeping. Hard to tell.
Fira seems happy enough just comfortably lounging about with him. She can't really imagine anything better. She looks back over to him again when he starts moving once more. The little smile appears again and she just aims a soft little kiss at the top of his head. She's sure he's still asleep.
Aikuen, at the kiss, grins drunkenly, "Mmm... Alright... you convinced me... I'm up..." as apparently he was awake. He pops one eye open and looks to her. He smiles, "Hello Fira shoulder..." and with that, a small lick, to said spot. He blinks both eyes open and looks up at her, with a small grin, "Morning, My beautiful Fi..." he chuckles sleepily.
Fira leans her head back as there's more movement and she smirks when she sees the words and some more for randomly licked shoulders "Morning Aik...sorry I woke you"
Aikuen winks, "Hey... as long as its you... and its like that..." he sighs and scoots closer to her and gives her a proper kiss, "You can wake me anytime of the day... And i will gladly wake up!" he chuckles and looks to what she is holding and tilts his head, "Reading another foreign book?" he chuckles and places his head on her stomach looking up at her.
Fira chuckles quietly and kisses him back before settling back against him comfortably again "If you sleep long into the day it might be more likely" another little kiss aimed at his nose she looks back to the book briefly "Heh, yeah. Tricky one too. Pretty sure it's just a journal sort of thing"
Aikuen blinks, "I'm up... at least for now... sides i can't get to sleep, now!" a little small kiss to her stomach. And then he looks to the book, "A Journal? Meaning somebeast wrote in it... Like what they did in their day-to-day lives?" not much into that type of reading, unless its a medical journal. He starts to scratch her side just, playfully, as he listens to her.
Fira smirks once more at the stomach kiss and slips her free arm around his neck before she gives a little shrug "More a sort of travelling thing. Get the odd thing about woods, roads and pretty sure I've got down all the variations of walking in it. I'm pretty sure they were either a badger, cat or possibly just a random fox but not really certain" well she sounds fascinated with it anyway. It's a hobby.
Aikuen nods and places a paw lovingly on hers, the one around his neck, "A book about somebeasts travels? How interesting! Though it would be better to know what kind of beast it was that wrote it... Maybe i should wrote something, about my time in the militia... Except i cant write very well... just learned how to read and write a few seasons ago... couldn't even speak English till about 4 seasons ago... Seems like such a long time... so much has happened..." he winks at her, "Sorry, rambling again..." and with that he kisses her paw.
Fira smirks still "Yeah, well, beasts don't generally tend to describe themselves when they're writing. /Maybe/ the odd little note a the beginning if you're lucky" she puts the book out the way to one side, she can't read and hold a conversation at the same time after all "Well you could just write it in your own language" another smirk with the kiss "Or tell me and I'd write it"
Aikuen shrugs, "That might be a problem, as I'm beginning to forget my native language... hold on..." he moves his head closer to her just close enough so she can read him, "Et glacien tu, Fira..." he chuckles, "I still remember that part... Can't forget that i love you..." he chuckles, and gives a small kiss, and a cheek lick, "Plus my life story... lets just say... was a little... 'Keep away from dibbuns, and beasts with weak constitutions'... that type of thing... but, Ill think about it!" he laughs and nuzzles her.
Fira tilts her head slightly "Forget your language?...Don't think I could imagine that happening. Pity. Could have been fun to learn" she slightly grimaces at the description of his life though "Mmm, from what little I know I don't doubt it"
Aikuen shrugs, "Well, no beasts speak Ashurian. Everyone speaks English, or something of that nature... And i was forced to learn English the hard way... I stepped off the boat, into an English speaking world, and i knew nothing... I learned by doing... by making paw motions..." he sighs, "I haven't forgot it completely... i can still teach you... Might be fun..." he grins, "I've told you the most important parts of my life... anything you want to know, just ask... Maybe when im old and crusty, ill write out my memoirs." he sighs again going to rest his head against her stomach again.
Fira wraps her arms round his neck and aims a big nuzzle at the top of his head "Oh I know the feeling. Sort of. Most beasts can't understand mouthing and being a mute involved a lot of gestures" she smirks "I am a master of charades though at least I know what they were saying...To be honest I don't think you'll ever get crusty. Old sure but you're not the crusty sort"
Aikuen grins at the nuzzle and moves his head into it with a mmm. She does make him feel better. Makes his life with her, seem perfect in someway's. He looks over, "The mute, and the foreigner... that might make a good book." he chuckles, "I don't feel old yet... but i know its coming... just gatta keep on, keeping on... just being me!" he kisses her stomach again, "I wont be cynical if that's what you mean by crusty... or maybe i just need oil to keep the crust off me, and keep my joints from squeaking!" another small kiss to her belly.
Fira chuckles quietly "One of those feel good hidden message things. We probably would have to make fluffier pasts for that" she smirks at the stomach kisses again "If you start squeaking I'll hardly know about it" and she gives him a nudge "Come on, breakfast. Starving"
Aikuen gives one more kiss to her stomach, with an added nuzzle, just for fun. Her belly fur is very soft and warm to him, and he disapproves of himself moving from it. But there must be a limit, and he can always rest on it later. He sits up and gives a small yawn, "OH... Right... breakfast!" he chuckles and scoots over to the fire, to poke life back into it. He looks over his shoulder so she can keep reading him, "What's on the menu today, Fi, cookery of all things delicious!" he grins.
Fira stretches at last and finally gets up, just scratching the back of her neck lightly "Hmm? Well...I suppose fish, scones, hard tack or...um. I'm not sure we've got much else left to be honest"
Aikuen blinks a few times, "Wha? Already out of food..." he drags his pack near him, and begins to pull out the food that he packed. She was right. Besides the HUGE amount of fish that they had collected from the lake, there was not much left of the others. He drags out, three scones, one hardtack... A pack of Aik's rations, and a bottle of wine. He hmms and continues to dig. his shoulders almost disappearing from the inside of the pack. There is a light, "Ah-ha!" from inside and Aik returns back with a large oversized carrot. He grins at it before frowning at their meager remains, "Well..." he hmms, "I know what this means..." he sighs, and tosses the carrot into the pile.
Fira watches him dig but the carrot gets a chuckle "Either we're going to be typical otters and live off fish, it'll be time to go home or we have to go gather together some food about this place?" she did live in the area for seasons, it has to have food.
Aikuen tilts his head at her, then gives a small nod. He takes the carrot and breaks it in half, handing one over to her, "Id rather not go back so soon... I mean i can live off fish... but, only for so long... SO!" he stands up and shoulder the now empty pack, "Lets go scavenging!" he extends his paw to help her up.
Fira is already pretty much up already but she still takes the paw and the carrot too, eating that raw, leading the way on south "There's some berry bushes down the south side, few fruit trees here and there. Might get some nuts and there's all manor of rooty things if you can spot them. Mostly onions"
Aikuen is following next to her, listening to her talk about the foods that they might find, "I'm not very good at the whole scavenging thing... can make well enough. but that was during the time where i only ate once a week..." he shutters at that thought. He sighs and gives her paw a squeeze and stops to make her stop. He laughs and continues on, with her paw and his, "Ill get some of the more... visible foods... and can you please get some of the food that others might step on? And the ones i will miss..." he then tilts his head, "Onions?... Is there any ransoms?... I doubt i'm gonna find a tomato bush around here... I like tomatoes... " he laughs.
Fira chuckles quietly "You learn from practice. You're just lucky enough to have the money that means you don't have to do it. Yes there's ransoms, think they're mostly round on the east side. That's the pretty side. Tomatoes...hmm, unless there's some hidden in one of the old gardens I don't know about that. I'll just point you at the trees and bushes and deal with the hidden stuff"
Aikuen nods, "I lived off hardtack and military rations for so long... Never really felt the need... Oh well!" he stands in front of her quickly, picks her up twirls her behind him, and plants a long kiss on her, "Good thing i have the best teacher around!" he chuckles and continues on, "Really? Ransoms? If i eat some, will you still kiss me? Even though my breath will be just awful!" he laughs, "Just point of the vegetation m'lady, and i shall pick them!"
Fira smirks back at him "Think I'd prefer the foraging" she eeks at the twirl but mms at the kiss and then the smirk's back again "I may retaliate and eat a couple of onions perhaps but I'm sure I'll still kiss you" walking along she carries on round to the south of the lake, passing the tree rope and going on a bit further till a few berry bushes can be seen. She points them out with a nod of the head "Collect a few of them and there's an apple tree a little further in the woods if you can get past the undergrowth in one piece"
Aikuen nods and gives a quick nuzzle, "Love yah Fi, be back soon with berry's to spare! And maybe some apples if i can take it!" he laughs and he is off to the bushes. He gets to the first one and starts to pick them. Blackberries. He tosses them in his pack behind him as he picks until he believes that they got a good enough supply for the both of them. Then its off to another bush, and another berry. Blueberries. Never seen a berry like that. He thinks that they might be poisonous. He takes an exploratory nibble and spits out the bulk. He runs the juice through his teeth, and the layer of his gums. He gives a small nod, and starts to fill up on them. Then he is off to the apple tree she pointed out. No undergrowth can stand in the way of Aik! He draws his sword, and cuts a path to the tree. He is soon lost to view in the woods.
Fira meanwhile thinks of it just like the old days. She quickly finds the remains of someone's vegetable patch which has long got out of control and grown all over so she can easily find potatoes, carrots, couple of funny looking turnips, some onions and even a few grapes, the vines of which are rather taking over the remains of their former owner's house. She keeps an eye on Aik too, looking over every so often and when she sees him hacking his way into the woods she does give a quick yell "Don't cut too much, it's what keeps this place so quiet"
Aikuen turns just in time to hear that last bit, "Oh!... Okay!" he yells back, even though she probably wont be able to read him from such a distance. He stops hacking, and just uses the blade to push the flora away from him. Though he gets bushed whacked more often now, she does prove a valid point, and it is her. He gets to a very small clearing in the area, a tall apple tree stands in the middle. He looks up at it and drops his mouth, "Whow..." he goes over to the tree and sits the pack down, open face toward the tree. The only way to get apples, by being a squirrel! He starts to climb up, and in no time, is tossing apples near the pack, in the grass. He finishes with that chore and is about the climb down, when his footing slips and he falls out of the tree. Landing on his shoulder and it dislocates with a pop. He grunts with pain though he is not out.
Fira simply assumes he gets the message when she just about sees the sword hacking stop and so she goes back to gathering supplies again, quite happily and sadly very oblivious when it comes to him falling out of the tree. He's too far in to see and she can't hear him.
Aikuen knew she was too far away. And if he did knock himself out, after a bit, he would just assume that she would go looking for him. Well, he is not out. He stands and holds his drooping arm in his other as he goes to stand next to the tree. Using his paw to guide the other floppy one, he locks the arm, straight at the tree. He turns quickly in the opposite way, and the arm relocates itself in the socket. This is a very painful process when done alone, and he falls to the ground as grunts with pain again. Now he did this so Fira wouldn't worry. He has done this many times before, and he just thinks its a part of life. After a bit, the pain is beginning to subside and he stands up. He gives his arm a small twist. It works fine, though still twinges him. He sighs and goes to pick up his pack, on the other shoulder. And walk back to Fira. He enters back in the area. Unbeknownst to him, a line of red bruising as surround his arm.
Fira would have probably have seen where he was by now anyway but she's always so sure he can look after himself and she's distracted by rhubarb. All in all she could probably make soup for a week already by the time he reappears and she finally leaves the garden alone "Hey, find the apples alright?" She's not noticed the arm, yet.
Aikuen tries to hide the fact, "Hey! Yep, got enough of those red jewels to last a good while! And enough for a pie, if i knew how to make one!" he laughs, "Got all you need? I got some blackberries, some purple/blue like berries, and the apples. Need anything else?" he asks. The bruising on his arm is nothing serious, just the blood lost during relocation. It will heal, its just unsightly. And if the otter knew about it, he would just shrug it off.
Fira smirks faintly "I could make pie but sadly we don't have the pastry. I'll make you some when we get back home...I think we have everything but your ransoms now. Come on, I said they were on the east side" walking off oblivious with arms full of vegetables.
Aikuen follows her quickly and helps her to lighten her load of veggies into his pack. Meaning, all of them. Being of course careful not to squish the berries. He takes her paw, as she leads them to the east side, "Ooo! Pie!... I like pie... Course... who doesn't like pie!" he licks his lips, and grins at her. He starts to rub her paw as he says, "Just want a few ransoms... not much, just enough to... change the flavor of other things... even me can only take so much, plus i don't want you to have a retaliation of onions on me!" he stops quickly and gives her another long kiss, "Your already tasty enough!" he grins.
Fira is happy enough to relinquish her vegetables to the bag and with her arms now free she takes hold of his as they walk "Now now, you know from experience pike bite back. You don't want to go eating one of us" she's smirking a little as she finally notices the marking on his arm and she's sure that wasn't there before. She points at it "What's that?" not so far concerned.
Aikuen grins, "Well, do you mind, if i went ahead, and ate you... " he then blinks a few times, and looks to where she is pointing, completely confused "Hmm?... Oh..." he wonders how to word this, "Lets just say, I had a run in with the ground, while picking the apples... its nothing to worry about... I just popped my shoulder out. And i popped it back in... just bruised my arm..." he wonders on how she is going to take this.
Fira tilts her head but as soon as she understands she just tuts, rolls her eyes and aims a light bat of the paw further down his arm "Well you should have said earlier"
Aikuen eyes her for a minute at the bat, and then chuckles, "I didn't want you too worry... it just a small accident... and you know i get in those, all the time... I just..." he rubs her paw, "didn't want you, to worry..." he sighs, "Do you think i should have said something earlier?..." He is generally asking.
He's clearly fine so Fira is free from worrying as she aims a poke at his arm this time "Yes you should! I can't laugh at your clumsy self falling out of trees if I don't know about it"
Aikuen fakes ows at the poke, as it clearly doesn't hurt him anymore, "Okay! Okay! I tell you next time... But not if your going to laugh at me... Rude otter you!" he grins and laughs, going to pull her closer in front of him, so he can properly wrap both his arms around her middle. He peers his head around so she can read him "Cant let this rude otter go anywhere, or else she is going to laugh at me... when i do stupid stuff, like land on my nose... and on my shoulder..." Yep, he is just fine.
Fira smirks back at him and aims a little kiss at his nose "She'll make up for it by being nicer about other things...Right now though we better start being quiet. Swans like this bit and I'm still not sure if they're here or not" sneaky time.
Aikuen blinks a few times, and mouths 'swans?'. He looks around quickly expecting to see one. You will only see Aik jumpy about this type of beast. And of course other brainless birds. Hawks and falcons, he can deal with. Course, he can talk with them. Swans, he is actually afraid of. He wonders if the ransoms are worth it. Fira seems okay with it, and he just blinks at that. He moves closer to the ground, as he starts to follow her, paw near his hilt.
Fira doesn't seem too concerned about it. She's wary but she has a long standing idea of leave them alone and they'll leave her alone and generally it's seemed to work so far. Still, she gives the lake a wide birth now and quietly sneaks through the longer plants closer to the woods. The swans are indeed in residence complete with a few fluffy grey little ones with them too. Luckily it's a big enough lake to give them their own little bit all to themselves.
Aikuen continues to follow her through the woods, he keeps his gaze upon the swans, and he gulps. Mother swans are the most vicious. He keeps from, having a freak out, as he follows her, and Aik keeps a paw on her lower back so not to lose her in the woods.
Fira knows the path well and only slows for a brief little moment to look at the little swans. Parents don't seem to notice they're there thankfully so she's soon out of their way again and to the east shore of the lake before she finally moves back out of the woodier area. A quick glance back and the swans are nicely hidden among a lot of reeds.
Aikuen blinks and sighs as the swans are lost from their view. He gets up from his lowered stance and stretches his back, having not done that in seasons. There is a loud pop and he mouths, "Ouch... I hate swans... I really do..." he looks around a bit and continues, "Lets get the ransoms and head on out... They... might still be... you know..." he is obviously scared.
Fira in theory knows they're dangerous but they've never bothered her too much so she still doesn't seem all that concerned "They're not so bad when they've not got chicks with them, not that I've ever been able to talk to them or anything, I don't get on with birds. You cannot lip read that which does not have lips" she points out the ransom "There's a few patches over there. I think we'll just swim back to the tent, probably easiest"
Aikuen frowns, "You cant talk with swans... they are mindless... with huge killing beaks... just..." he sighs, "You cant talk with them, believe me." he knows, from experience. When she points to the ransom patch he nods and says, "Aye, swim back... avoid the swans, and the little swans..." he nods sternly, "Come on, the sooner the better..." and he 'drags' her toward the patch.
Fira smirks, even as she's dragged along "I always thought the little ones looked rather sweet and there's nothing so majestic looking as a swan, you just don't want them seeing you. /Relax/ Aik. They stick to their little bit, we're fine here"
Aikuen looks into her eyes, and says fiercely, "I have seen what they can do! I have seen it!" he blinks a few times and looks away, then back at her, "Sorry... just... i have seen them do things... rip... beasts apart... with their non verbal clacking..." he stops dragging her, and places his paws on her shoulders, "I just... don't want to lose you... Sorry for yelling..."
Fira kind of stares at him, her head backing up a bit "Ok, alright. I wasn't about to go walk up and say hello. I've heard the stories, just cause I'm not afraid doesn't mean I'm foolish...now grab your ransom and we'll go eat at last"
Aikuen now feels really bad for snapping at her. He gives a small nod as he starts to collect some of smelly Ransoms. After he collected a small arm full, he says, "Okay... lets go..." and waits for her to lead on. She may have heard stories but he has seen it happened. Out of the blue, swan attack, so many times before. What those beast suffered... was worst then death. That's why they are the only beasts he fears. And is sorry for yelling that at her, just didn't want her to have the same fate as them.
Fira has a healthy caution for them but nothing more. She'd probably be rather thankful that she hasn't seen all this sort of thing. Still, soon as Aik has his ransoms she heads straight for the pond, down the little beach the east side has and off into the water, headed right back to the south west side again.
Aikuen sighs, and places the ransoms in his pack. He makes sure that the pack is water sealed before quickly following her exact course. As he doesn't want to upset the balance of the swans. He was kinds sadden when she didn't reply to him. Maybe, he thinks, that she just wanted to leave quickly. At least, he hopes, that she is not mad at him. He cant stand that. Well have to make it up to her somehow.
Fira isn't mad at him, she gets the whole reasoning really. Her quietness was only because she didn't really have anything to say at that second. The silence takes her all the way back to her side of the lake without so much as a glance swanwards "Alright, set everything out and I'll see what I can make...probably soup" it's like nothing ever happened really.
Aikuen did the whole trip, just keeping eyes on her back. Thinking of other things than deadly swans. When they get back, he blinks and nods, with a faint smile, as she is speaking to him. Hoorah! He gives a small salute, "Yes Ma'am" as he starts to set out what they had collected into neat piles on the cloth so as not to get dirty, "You, Oh ottery, Fi of mine, think of the soup..." he pulls his small cooking cauldron, "and ill, be back soon, with some water!" and he is off to lake, to get some.
Aikuen gets back and places the semi full cauldron of water, into the fire, and sets it so it doesn't tip over. Fira was already cutting up ingredients before he gets back, and she places them quickly into the water. She names the off what she does, as she does this, and gives the soup a bit of a stir with her claw. Aik continues to watch her do this, mostly her. And when her paw goes free of working, Aik automatically goes to grab it. He gives it a small kiss, "I'm sorry for snapping..." Fira smirks at him, and plants a small kiss on his nose. Aik blinks and grins, going to give her paw a loving rub, going back to watching her cook.
The soup has been cooked, eaten, and enjoyed by all. Fira now lounging on the cloth, her book in one paw, and Aiks neck in the other. Aik's head is resting against her open belly, and he gives it the odd kiss or lick, every so often. The deaf otter of Fira. The mute. And the otter of Ashurah. The foreigner. Resting near the lake of Silverwater. It would make a good story.
