[Finished] Longing For The Night

[Kitty]

It was roughly high noon and the sun was beaming cheerfully at the various flora and fauna that littered the area, especially the cheery birds and happy flowers, but she was not happy... not happy at all. Why in the name of the White Rabbit had she decided to run off when she had and continued to wander even as the sun had risen high? She was no infant, she knew very well that the sun, with no shady place to hole up in, was just simply murder by this time.

Her dull brown coat was riddled with burrs and foxtails, but she didn't even realize her... her fur was far to thick for such things to be blatant unless she were to stare at her own legs. However, she had better things to do, like finding a nice, cool place to rest. Sure there were bushes, but they wouldn't help much. Her ears, adorned with silver hoops, dropped as cobalt orbs scanned the area. This was looking rather hopeless, wasn't it? Well, she'd better keep moving, she wasn't solving anything just standing out in the open now was she?

She moved forward, mohawk and jewelry catching the sunlight and gleaming as they did, the shine and reflections shifting with every step she took. However, by now she was panting softly and looking thoroughly unamused, damn that coat of hers...

99 Figured I'd get something up for her now... she's tapping rather insistently on my mind... >.> ]]

[Nako]

It was such a beautiful day out... a little warm for Ashta's taste, but lovely nonetheless. Flicking her ears with delight, she hopped to and fro, stopping every now and then to delicately snip the flowers off the stems in the clover patch. Delicious! Humming in her normal voice, she bent down once more, ready to take another one of the tasty morsels in her maw before something glistened in the corner of her eye. Oh, what was that?

Her good ear perked up, turning to look in that direction. It was merely a reflection on the bush.. but from what? Finally, she was able to spot the culprit, the shining metal it adorned and a bright blue mane giving them away. It was immediately noticeable that it was a leveret, though she hardly believed the adornments it wore. What gave them the right? Oh.. but the poor thing was so tired!

Leverets, as all rabbits were taught, were the lowest of the low. This doe would not forget this ancient rule.. but Ashta was a strange one indeed. To her, leverets were playthings.. fun creatures to have around. She loved them, in a way.. like living dolls that she could dress up and play with at her own whim. Her nose wiggled with curiosity as she hopped forward. "Hello... Are you injured?"

[Kitty]

Why on earth wasn't there any suitable shade in her general vicinity? Generally she was so very good at finding some niche in the ground, or making one, near a well leaved bush but... she couldn't find one with a usable amount of shade. At this time of day all the shadows were minimized making this the absolute worst time for the leveret to be out and about. It was times like these that she wondered why she'd even run away at all, the Jack she'd come from simply adored her, gave her pretty things.... treated her more like a doe then a simple leveret... but she had her reasons. That of course didn't mean she couldn't question them.

The sudden appearance of the doe startled her and she jumped to the side, turning a bit as she did. Well, it was just a doe.... they were generally harmless so she relaxed, but she did mind her place and dipped her head respectfully to the Hisstor, especially when she noted her torn ear.

Hello my lovely lady.... I am just... hot. The sun, it's to much.

She hadn't been comfortable in any warren she'd been in since she was traded out of the Glaciers, everywhere was just so... warm.

[Nako]

Ashta smiled, pleased with the manners of the little leveret. "Why yes, it is indeed quite warm out.. far too harsh for your thick coat.." The Doe hopped closer, boldly reaching out to pet that brilliant blue mane.. but frowned when she came across the harsh brambles in her fur. How horrid! The little beast must have been running about without a decent bath for days!

"Oh no.. this won't do at all" She tsked, shaking her head. Then, she brightened, her dark, brooding brown eyes brightening as if she had just come up with a most wonderful idea. "No worries, little leveret. I'll take you back to the warren and get you cleaned right up.." She crooned, wiggling her tail excitedly. And to think she'd only come out to sample the clover flowers! Vikenti would be so pleased that she'd found another leveret to help around the warren. They were so sorely in need of more help in her opinion.. and they were always so busy.. not nearly enough to have a surplus which she could do with what she wanted. But Vikenti.. he wanted to do things so.. efficiently. Still, Ashta would never speak against his will.. but a gentle persuasion perhaps... She smiled.

[Kitty]

The touch didn't make her flinch in the least bit, she'd not been treated poorly since she'd left her homeland. In Solandria she was terribly plain and run of the mill but everywhere else.... well, that mane of hers got her a lot of attention as did her blotchy, thick fur. She didn't really understand it, there were leverets far prettier then her and yet... Jacks seemed to take a liking to her. No matter how strange it was she'd grown to appreciate it. Thus the paw was mildly welcome, and she peered up at Ashta from underneath it, noting her frown.

At her words an ear flicked forward inquisitively, the end being pulled downward by the silver hoop which gave the dirty leveret a rather comical look. Whenever her paw was removed fro the leveret's head, that stubborn mane of hers would spring back forward as it had been before, almost standing on end. And that ear, well, it would flick back down again at the mention of a warren, she hadn't exactly been looking to get carted off to one but... the coolness of the underground certainly appealed to her.

A grin sprang to her muzzle, not at the thought of potentially being chained to another warren but at the thought of the doe, or anyone, trying to give her a bath without losing their mind... or temper. Her coat was a pain in butt in more ways then one.

She pulled a paw up to her chest and dipped herself in a slight bow, still grinning even though she had started panting again.

If you wish me to follow ye only need to lead the way.

Sucking up to others.... sucked, majorly.

[Nako]

The doe might have noticed that the leveret seemed.. unhappy at the prospect of coming along... but Ashta did her best to ignore it. Leverets, and sometimes even does didn't always understand what was best for them. Silly things. How funny though, that even when the leveret desperately needed the solace and protection of the warren was she still.. resistant. It was a she, right? It seemed too pretty to be a boy. She giggled at how her mane just sprang back up, giving it one more sweep with her paw before turning tail and hopping away.

She paused though, looking over her shoulder with a small grin to make sure the little leveret was following. If she knew what was good for her, she would. Still though.. the fact that she had jewelry... it bothered her a bit, even if it added to the little servant's charm. Maybe Vikenti would buy her something.. kind of like how her old jack had given her the bone ornaments she still wore? She'd probably never ask outright. She was learning quick that her new Jack had very strict rules.. much like her old Jack.. except the rules didn't change every day. Ah.. but never mind that though.. she'd be best off not thinking about such things. Oftentimes it felt like her old Jack could read her very mind.. either that or he was always so suspicious that he could catch her on even the slightest twinge of apprehension.

With a shake of her tail, she opened up the door of the warren, eagerly gesturing for her new little pet to follow her inside. Oh yes, she should find Vikenti! Oh.. well maybe not until she cleaned the leveret up a bit. She was an outright mess.. and her new Jack didn't seem to like messes very much. "Come along now, we mustn't waste time. The bath is just down the hall.. Come now!" Ashta said with a slight hiss in her tone, if only because she was trying to keep her voice low. It wouldn't do to ruin the surprise before it was ready!

((I'm moving things along a bit fast.. hope you don't mind XD feel free to assume she leads her to the bathing room and begins to get the bath ready.))

[Kitty]

She followed, her expression slipping into a look of resigned boredom, the Doe didn't even talk to her on the way to wherever they were going. Oh well, she'd take the time to chart the layout of the land in her mind placing a special interest in the flora and where the best hiding spaces were. While giving her the knowledge of the best 'rest' bushes, it would also help her learn the lay of the land, bushes and trees made excellent landmarks if you remembered the little things about them. Talaith had a strange obsession with plants, then again there weren't' so many in the Glacier.

She heard the soft, thumping hops of the doe cease and she paused as well, turning her attention back to the doe. So she still intended to give her a bath, eh? Well this should prove to be rather amusing, especially if the doe did it herself.... they generally didn't even bathe themselves much less a super hairy leveret. The thought brought the grin back to her face and helped her ignore all the other annoyances.

Very well, my pretty one.

She wished she had a name for the doe, but asking for it might be to straight forward.... she'd been sent flying head over heels for less by a cranky doe, so she'd wait it out. She did hate fluffing the girls ego every time she spoke to her though, oh well, she was nothing more then a genderless servant at the moment anyhow.

She stepped through the door, head up, ears perked slightly and eyes roaming. The temperature difference was noted, and she was thankful, maybe she'd stop panting soon? One could hope. She made her way down the hall as instructed, oh how she hoped the doe made the water ice cold, that would be such a damn pleasant experience. She'd been given a hot bath before and nearly passed out, she didn't wish to repeat that.

[Nako]

"You can call me Miss Ashta" The Doe said lightly, humming to herself pleasantly as she drew a bath. In temperature she allowed it to be cool, but not too much so. It would do not good to shock the little leveret's system. Ashta was by no means an expert on such things, but being from a cooler climate herself she had learned early about the dangers of overheating.

Her gaze wandered across the bath soaps that were laid out, as well as the various grooming tools. She grabbed an assortment of brushes, but paused as she considered the different scents to use. She'd considered the lavender, but went for a more neutral soap. After all... one couldn't fix leverets up too well. The last thing she needed was her new Jack turning his attention to female leverets when he already had more than enough does.

"Do you have a name?" Ashta questioned, her expression oblivious and overall pleasant. To some, that would be a very offensive question, but honestly.. it really seemed like the Doe didn't know any better. She'd always given names to her leverets to call them by, but that might very well be because her Jack was.. odd about names to begin with. In fact.. she'd never even known her Jack's name, for he had always insisted on being called 'Sir'.

[Kitty]

Thank you, Miss Ashta, I will remember it.

Well, at least she didn't have to compliment her every time she addressed the doe, that was a small comfort at least. She was not, however, comforted at all by the gathering of brushes and the sound of water. She'd much rather remain a scruffy little thing then be groomed. As much as Ashta didn't want for her to attract attention, Talaith didn't wish to get it either. Jacks were pushy, annoying and so far ... completely unworthy of her attention.

Do you have a name?

Now that was downright offensive, but she'd force herself to dismiss it with a simple twitch of her nose and ears. Was this doe truly that disillusioned that she would think leverets were so lowly that they didn't have names? She resisted the urge to sigh and nodded, speaking while she stood ready to be ordered into the water and unnecessarily fussed over.

I'm known as Talaith.

She enjoyed the utterly neutral, but bordering on masculine ring to her name. It hadn't helped her in the past but, perhaps... perhaps this time around it would would be a turn off to this Jack. Oh she so didn't want to meet him, but she was nearly certain she'd be forced to. This was all such a.... bother.

[Nako]

With a wiggle of her tail, Ashta turned toward the leveret with a smile, but it dropped when she noticed the apprehensive stance the leveret held. "No worries, the water is cool.. we just.. honestly must get those burrs and such out of your coat. It won't do at all." Wanting to urge the leveret on before she decided to be.. difficult, she made a gesture for her to get in the tub.

"Talaith?" It was obvious she was very thoughtful about the name and its ambiguity. For a moment, she stared off, but shook it away with a smile. "A name is a very important thing. My.. former Jack didn't really allow the leverets to have names.. so I gave them names." She smiled so brilliantly that one would think that she had done some great justice to her servants. "Having a name.. and knowing names are a powerful thing. That's what Sir always says. I.. never even knew his name. He always had me call him sir."

Her tone was so... cheery. It was as if she were reminiscing about some fond memory.. or maybe about how the weather was.. Yes, more neutral than a fond memory; cheerfully matter-of-fact would be more like it.