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Post by The Jenn on Nov 5, 2008 17:28:14 GMT -5
A fresh start. A new warren. Valeny's first warren, really, where she was tested on her own mettle instead of the status of "another Leveret child". Trading was over, and now she was here, in her first week of 'orientation' work. She knew it was going to be a bitch of a job but, dammit all, she was ready. Intimidating Jack? Demanding Does? Cliquey Leverets? She would take them all and show them what she was made of. Her caretakers had raised her, taught her how to be a good Leveret, and she was determined to be better than good. She would be the best. ...as soon as she could remember where the kitchens were, again. She silently cursed as she stalked through the halls, trying to go quick enough to appear to know what she was doing, but not so fast that she would inadvertently bump or break something. That would be a great way to start off her job in the warren, getting a talking to or... well, with the way the Jack had spoken to her before giving her to the head Leveret, probably a beating. Nope. She wasn't going to end up looking like an idiot just because she couldn't remember the directions. She was a Highlander, and finally in a Highland warren! There was no way she could afford to screw up this early. Still, the kitchen was proving an elusive target. Rawr. |
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Post by Nako on Nov 5, 2008 21:06:20 GMT -5
It was with great delicacy that Aleah walked through the hallways. When one was endowed with a set of claws like this leveret, one had to be careful with how they moved. Conservative with his movements, the tips of his claws gave the gentlest of 'tinks' upon the cobblestone floor. It was such weaponry that had slowly become more lethal with age, and even the action of running too quickly would ruin floors. Not even being the Czar's leveret offspring would save him from severe punishment for such a thing. Then there was an amusing sight. There was a leveret... almost marching with how she purposefully strode down the hall and around the bend. A few moments later, she strode on back around, marching just as purposefully as she had the first go around. Oh yes, how amusing! Especially how she seemed to try to seem as if she knew exactly where she was going. Yawning absently, he smiled in a sleepy manner as she began to walk past. "You... don't know where you are going, do you?" He tilted his head to the side curiously to evaluate her. Yes, she was certainly new, and most shamelessly Highlander. Had he gotten a few less hours of sleep that week, he might have actually dismissed the Highland coloration for that of his Doe sibling (They hardly looked alike, but the sleep deprived are prone to missing such major details.) but today.. there was no missing that blaze of fiery mane. "Need any help?" |
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 6, 2008 0:33:14 GMT -5
Val didn't notice the other Rabbit's presence until it was too late, stopping mid-step in surprise when she heard a voice. Her head turned slowly, careful until she saw that it was another Leveret, at which point she relaxed. Well, that was all right. It aggravated her to have to ask for help, but at least he'd made the offer so that she didn't have to suck it up and throw out the question on her own. If she could minimize the embarrassment to just one other Leveret, that would be acceptable.
"Yeah, I'm... still kind of new. It's probably really obvious, isn't it?" She sighed in aggravation. "I didn't realize it would be such a pain to memorize the layout of a new warren. Not that I'm complaining, mind. I just can't find my way back to the kitchens. I was supposed to report back there when I'd finished cleaning the main hall by the entryway. I can find the door easy enough, but getting back to the kitchen from there is my problem. My name's Valeny, by the way. The others at my old warren just called me Val."
And wow, weren't those some fascinating claws. And bags. Under his eyes, that was. "Are you... well?" she asked cautiously, turning her head to peer at him sideways. Awfully dark mane for his coloring. It was so good to see other Highlanders around, though. She and the older Doe who raised her had been the only ones at her birth-warren. Even her mother-Doe had only been half.
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Post by Nako on Nov 6, 2008 10:01:16 GMT -5
When her eyes drifted to his claws, his paws flexed self consciously at the scrutiny, but he managed a smile at her question. "Me? No... I'm not well at all... but never mind that.."
No he wasn't well. He was -never- well. A few extra hours wasn't enough to do anything for his tired body, and he was tired of lying to people when they had the audacity to ask him such a question. To this new girl though, anger and rage wouldn't rise from the curiosity. Instead, his sad smile remained on his face for a few moments longer before he looks down the hallway.
"It's a common mistake. Both hallways down the way will turn about and lead you to the main entrance again. You have to go down further before making the turn." And with that, he made his way down the hall, glancing behind him to gesture her to follow. It wasn't until a few moments later that he actually returned the exchange of pleasantries. "Aleah. I have two sisters as well. Aimili is another leveret. Aisha is a Doe. Also, Ashta.. my mother... be... wary around her. She'll be the only full blooded Hisstor in the warren."
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 9, 2008 17:42:54 GMT -5
Hookay, illness wasn't the chat to have with him. Val could take a hint, especially when it smacked her in the face like that. His Jack had to know. Maybe it was tolerated because he was a really good worker or something? Hopefully it wasn't contagious. Without the exhaustion, the other Leveret would be a pretty thing, maybe even pretty enough to attract a Jack's attention. Was that why the Czar kept her around?
...if it was a her? A him? Sometimes it was really hard to tell, and usually pretty bad form to ask, or so she'd been told. She shook her head, spiky mane swaying with the motion, and followed him down the hall. "Ahh, yeah. That was what I kept doing. Geez, you think I'd figure it out after the first time or two." She made a point to pay attention to the objects she passed this time around. At least he was being really good about helping out. She supposed that the more chore-bunnies they had who knew what they were doing, the less work shoved onto everyone. That seemed like a pretty good assumption.
She hoped that a little bit of banter would be okay, especially with how easy-going he seemed to be. She just had to get some of it out. Being so quiet was driving her a little crazy and she hadn't really found anyone to connect with enough to feel comfortable chatting around them yet. "Aleah, alright, I can remember that. Thanks loads. Your namer had a pretty big thing for the letter 'A', didn't they? And- whoa, really? A full-blooded Hisstor? Aren't they, like, bad luck or something? Is that why I should watch out? Do they really wear bones and stuff? Is that why you have claws like that?"
Aaaaand she was making an ass out of herself, wasn't she? Great way to make a first impression, Val. Bring up an illness he obviously doesn't want to talk about, then potentially insult his mother-Doe. Way to fit in.
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Post by Nako on Nov 9, 2008 18:29:05 GMT -5
Her voice had sort of... blurred every now and then. She certainly was a chatty sort, and at times he found it hard to keep listening to her as they walked. He 'mm-hmmed' an answer at her comment about the 'A' names. It wasn't uncommon for someone to comment on that.
When she had started speaking of Hisstors though, Aleah slowed down to a near stop, not quite looking at her at first. It was as if.. he was considering what she had said. This.. could have been easily misconstrued. After a moment though, he gave a soft, amused laugh, glancing over his shoulder at the creature following him. "Bad luck? No, not that I've noticed, anyhow. The Mistress is.. overly amorous to the servant types around here. If you are within grasping distance of her on the wrong day, you may not leave her clutches until you are nearly incapacitated with bows and ribbons. It's a terrible injustice to one if they are male." His tone lilted up just slightly and his brows raised over tired eyes, as if questioning.
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 9, 2008 19:37:00 GMT -5
That was a pretty tactful way to ask about gender, and neatly sidestepped the issue of Val having no idea how to maneuver the conversation down that road. She guessed from the question that he was a male himself, but couldn't say for complete certainty. At least she didn't have that kind of mild stigma to worry about. Some Jacks liked it, some resented it, and she wasn't sure which way the Czar went. Her own father had in general disapproved of the existence of male Leverets and made sure to trade them all away as soon as he could.
"I guess I don't have to worry about the whole boy-in-ribbons thing, but it would still be pretty humiliating. Does she do it just to embarrass us in front of everybody else, or as a sort of punishment, or what?" A clingy-touchy Doe. Bleh. Of course Val would do whatever she was told to do by the ranking female, but she would be mentally grousing the entire time. She certainly hoped she wouldn't serve the female on the 'wrong day'.
"Have you been caught like that before?" she asked after a moment, hoping Aleah would give her some hint as to gender. If not, she'd just keep wondering until it made itself apparent.
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Post by Nako on Nov 9, 2008 20:27:03 GMT -5
He began to resume his dainty walk, but at a generally slower pace than before. With the way he now looked over his shoulder and slowed to allow her to walk alongside him though, it seemed he was genuinely interested in holding a conversation. Beforehand, he might have been more than a little standoffish. It was a good thing that she was not male, though. He was quite certain that the Czar would have done away with any more that dared come into the Warren.
"Punishment? Oh, no. She just happens to think that every leveret in the warren is her personal plaything. Call me overly sentimental toward the Doe, but I don't believe she truly means harm."
At the next question though, he did give a laugh, an amused, yet gentle sound that was wispy with fatigue. "Oh, no, I don't have to suffer to much injustice. I'm not immune by any means, but the fact is that she recognizes me as male for the mere fact that I am her child. I suppose that fact alone made it hard to ignore... and yes.. too pretty to be easily recognized as male?" He gave an impulsive shudder before flicking his thick mane out of his face. "You're not the first, by far. I'm sure that if I stay a leveret in this warren, father Czar will do away with me in one way or another. I'm causing him constant embarrassment in my present state, I'm sure."
Goodness, he was babbling! He cursed himself for it as well, but it was something that had been on his mind for many, many weeks. He knew that the Czar disapproved of his leveret state. His mother reminded him of it on a weekly basis at least. If it weren't for the claws that had been such a curse when he was younger, he may not be as useful to the Czar today digging through the rockier portions of the underground when it came time to extend the warren. They were coming around the bend, and the kitchen soon came into view. It was well after the noonday meal, and it was empty. "I believe it is safe to say that you missed your shift..."
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 9, 2008 20:51:05 GMT -5
Val sighed and shook her head. "Servant, plaything, dress-up doll... I guess I don't care, really. If that's what I've got to do, I'll do it and pretend to smile." Her head jerked up and she looked him in the eye with youthful pride and ambition. "I was raised in a good warren, but now I'm in a Highland warren and I'm not going to screw this up. You get it, right?"
She paused and watched him flick the mane back. It really was pretty, just... weird for a Highlander. Wasn't it? "It's not that you're either really girly or really not. I just have a hard time telling. I mean, I grew up knowing what all the other Leverets were through gossip. I haven't had a chance to listen in on any yet around here. And, um, I'm afraid I don't get the 'present state' comment. It's not like you can turn into a girl or anything."
Her steps slowed to a standstill as they rounded the corner and came into sight of the empty kitchen. "I... I... oh. Oh, man." Her ears drooped and she looked utterly disheartened for a second, staring around. "I was told to come back here. Nobody specified a meal. They just told me to come back when I was done cleaning." Was this what she got for taking the time to clean it right?
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Post by Nako on Nov 9, 2008 21:54:10 GMT -5
No, of course he couldn't become female.
But he could become a jack.
It was quickly obvious to him that such things should be kept to himself. This... 'Valeny's' pride in being a leveret was obvious, and it was those sorts that one couldn't bring up Jackly ambitions to. He couldn't understand how a person could be content being.. property. Then again, females didn't have much of a choice.. but females had their role! Without Does.. there would be no Warrens. Leverets were useful of course... but... it wasn't for him.
His ears actually popped up curiously at the sudden anguish that entered the leveret's tone. Either she took her job ridiculously seriously, or the potential lashing from the Czar was enough of a deterrent to make any slip in performance grounds for near panic.
Despite himself, he gave a droll chuckle. "That might mean you aren't cleaning fast enough..." Of course, after that statement, he realized just how rude he sounded, and he frowned, turning to face the fellow Highland rabbit. "You'll... get used to the routine... what is expected of you. The leverets are generally a good lot. We all look after our own when they are still learning the ropes."
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