Lost and Betrayed [Nako]

[Kitty]

Running had seemed like such a good idea at first. Between her mother, sister and that other Doe all trying to influence her and mold her personality at once, it was just too much. Too much pressure too soon, she'd felt so.... so constricted, smothered? That might be the better word. She was certain her mother would have been different had they not gotten sent to a warren with Magnolia, but..... that just wasn't how things worked.

She'd been lost then as well, only it hadn't taken her long to find that one group of leverets. They seemed nice, a little worse for wear and scarred, but nice. They'd cleaned her up, kept her fed, told her all kinds of stories .... she'd enjoyed their company so much.

Until the night before, when she hadn't been able to sleep all that well. She'd gotten up to seek out one of them for comfort when she'd overheard them talking. They were aiming to.... sell her? And in the morning? That, that just didn't seem right. But then another voice spoke up, confirmed and.... her heart sank.

Just because she wasn't fully grown yet definitely did not mean she wasn't intelligent, like they seemed to believe. She'd snuck away from the camp and had just started running. She ran and ran and... well, not she was tired, her paws were sore, her normally pretty pastel green and white coat was dirty and jumbled with briers and other types of thorns. The worst of it though, was the soreness of her paws. She was pretty sure she'd cracked at least one pad and, really, all she wanted to do was sleep.

She wiggled her way between a rock and the trunk of a bush and tried to settle in for some much needed rest, but she couldn't handle the emotional stress now that she wasn't focusing on getting away. She really should have just stayed home, mother would have made everything better eventually, right?

It didn't take long before the Esterberry/Midori hid her face in her paws and started to cry as quietly as she could manage. She desperately hoped the wouldn't be able to find her again.

[Nako]

It was a beautiful day. Then again.. it was a rare time when the Highlands was anything but. Aleah breathed deeply of the air and gingerly straightened his vest. Clothes.. so foreign, but he wouldn't dare run about without clothes outside of the company of his Doe. It just wasn't proper.

He also didn't make a habit on going on strolls for fun; this was a matter of surveying his territory to keep a nose out for the scents of other Jacks, or more dangerous, cards. It was a daily routine that he took pride in. Due diligence would no doubt be a commendable trait in a Jack so it was appropriate for him to cultivate it in himself.

What he hadn't expected, was to find a lone leveret amongst the brush of the small wooded area. He approached slowly, ears perked to the sounds of her quiet sobs. He could only assume she was lost. And if not lost… perhaps in a position to be talked into joining him. He made a note to lean casually against a tree a few paces away.

"There's no need to cry, little one. I won't have tears being spilled on my territory."

[Kitty]

She'd been half expecting to hear a voice, but not one from a stranger. She leaned back against the rock in her surprise. Well, damn.... she'd really put herself in a bad position to run again, not to mention she didn't think she could run. Not to mention this was a Jack. Trying to run from him was probably not the best thing to attempt.

Fuchsia eyes lingered on him for a moment before they dropped to the little bit of grass under the bush with her, ears hanging low as she tried to distract herself from her own state and try and be as respectable as possible. It was her place, after all. Although her mother always did add in a little tidbit about how most Jacks weren't worth a damn in the end, but they were to be respected until circumstances deemed them unworthy of such attentions. Yeah, Zafirah was definitely an odd one.

Oh I.... I'm sorry sure. I will.... take them elsewhere if you .... do not approve.

[Nako]

Hm. He had the thing in a corner. A conflict of emotions went across its neuter face, but he was careful to keep his own somewhat neutral. It talked… It.. she? He certainly hoped it was a she; it had rather pretty markings on its hide. Was that Midori pink?

Aleah picked his next words carefully. Not too much fluff, and not to aggressive. Unnecessary gallantry towards a leveret would make him feel as if he was being far too desperate, and that was no way to garner respect from anyone. His head canted to the side slightly, seeming to study her further.

"Nonsense." He moved away from the tree, moving around her yet maintaining the same amount of distance. He really didn't want to have to chase her down. A more tactful approach might mean a fight-prone leveret would stick around. "Such a young thing… you really shouldn't be out on your own. Are you hungry?"

[Kitty]

He certainly didn't seem aggressive, but the glimpses she'd gotten of his claws made her a little hesitant to settle her mind on that idea. Not that shed' ever been around an aggressive Jack mind you, but she'd heard stories. She'd heard a lot of stories actually, and it was hard to sift through them and pick out fact from fiction.... that was the hardest part about not having a lot of life experiences to draw from.

But that was exactly what she'd left to acquire, wasn't it? She wanted ot live her own life, as much as a leveret could anyway, and that's what had brought here all the way out here. She was assuming by his markings she hadn't managed to run out of the Highlands, but who knew. She was sure Jacks settled in places outsides their own realms sometimes right?

His next question made her pull her ears back a bit.

No thank you... I-

That's as far as she got before the temptation of food urged her body to tell on her with a growl. Her ears fell and she looked up at him with a rather sheepish expression, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

I guess I am a little hungry after all.

[Nako]

Good answer. When she'd begun to reject him, his calm expression turned into one of the slightest disappointment. It was only for a moment though. Her rebellious stomach caused his brow to raise and a smirk to form on his lips.

"Lovely. If you'll follow me."

It wasn't a long walk, but it was a backwardly intricate weaving between trees, turning them around a bit as he rather intentionally disoriented the leveret further before coming to a clearing that was encircled by trees, a grand oak in the very center that had the slightest hint of an entrance of a warren. Beneath its shade was a large blanket where a Torquehelm Doe lounged.

"Hello dear; oh no.. don't get up on my account." He bent over to run the palm of his hand over her mane before angling himself so he could should down the rabbit hole.

"Cooky! We've a guest to feed!" He'd gotten into the habit of calling the leveret such; after all, she was the cook. And the cleaning lady. And his personal digging assistant.. but her true skill was in making things found in the woods into savory dishes.

A faint call responded, chipper yet with that slight lilt that sounded like something akin to panic that a leveret would take on when they were put under pressure. Good; he'd have to snatch a complacent leveret up by the ears.

That dark thought, thankfully, was kept in his own mind. He looked over his shoulder and flashed a smile.

"Lovely, isn't it? The shade of this tree means we've a place to lounge in the breeze without fear of being seen by air."

[Kitty]

She hauled herself up onto her paws and followed with steps that were as normal and quick as she could muster without causing her paws to hurt more then she could necessarily handle. Although she did slow down a bit toward the end of this jack's 'scenic tour'. She had a good grasp on what he was doing, but she was already hopelessly lost, what harm would it do to follow if it meant food and possibly a place to sleep that wouldn't be as out in the open as shrubbery was.

Her ears twitched upward for a moment when a doe with the coolest looking whiskers she'd ever seen came into the picture. She nodded a greeting to the Doe before continuing to follow the Jack. When he called out to what was most likely another leveret, her ears crept forward a little more, and then the rest of the way when he spoke to her once again.

She nodded, whiskers twitching a bit as she debated a proper sort of answer. Might as well go with what was on her mind.... couldn't think of anything better anyhow.

I must agree, it's quite a nice touch. And it's so much.... drier here. I like it.

That was true, she'd enjoyed the highlands themselves. The greenness of the land and the lack of water being visible at all times made her feel a bit better. She'd never liked the Selkie Lakes, not one bit. Although she'd been teased and told that was simply the esterberry in her coming out. Pfft, what was so wrong about not liking water?

Was that tree the reason you picked this location?

for a moment she looked fully intrigued before a thought crossed her mind and she schooled her expression into a less excited, more apologetic expression. Damn her insatiable thirst for knowledge. If she asked the wrong things she was quite likely to be responded to in a negative manner but.... damn. She was just... curious.

Sorry.

[Nako]

Oh, how droll. Aleah laughed gently at the leveret as he seated himself next to his Doe on the blanket, gesturing to the soft prairie grass in front of him where the leveret may sit. "Well, you could say it was certainly a factor. I'd like to think I had an array of other tactful reasons up my sleeve."

Layla emerged from the hole in the earth, a large bowl between her bone wings and another set of smaller ones perched haphazardly between her foreleg and chest. She absolutely beamed at the other leveret as she filled the bowls and set them out for the Jack, his Doe, and finally the new leveret. It was a simple salad of dandelion greens, topped with seasonal berries and a honey drizzle. The 'meat' of the meal was in fact a lightly baked orange mushroom that tasted remarkably like lemony chicken, diced into cubes. Napkins were pulled from(nowhere! Magiclulz)

"Oh… Cooky. Go get the teacups. Lets do that thing you can do! Oh, it truly is a delightful party trick. Terribly bizarre for a leveret but it's quite harmless." He shooed the leveret off with a wave of his hand, which quickly darted off only to return with tea cups stacked on her horn.

---

How delighted Layla had been when Aleah accepted her having a power! It had all be so accidental during the whole mess at the nightmare of a warren. She'd broken a teacup and.. and.. She'd told Aleah right away. She'd never dream of lying or keeping anything from her Jack. He'd been worried at first. Quite worried. But as he examined her power in action on several occasions, he gave his blessing, admitting that the power was 'unique and somewhat worrisome', but as fitting a power for a working leveret as one could get.

The warning not to pursue other powers though…. That had chilled her blood. She'd sworn most passionately that she'd never dare cross her Jack.

With a bright smile on her face, she passed out the cups. A flip of her paw(entirely unnecessary for the spell, but never mind that), a pot of tea magically appeared. Hot and fresh raspberry tea. She poured them all a helping and sat down, watching expectantly.

[Kitty]

She was thankful when they were able to sit out in the grass finally. Her ears remained forward as she listened to his explanation about the tree. More tactful reasons? Her whiskers started to wiggle again with the urge to ask more questions, but refrained from doing so. He hadn't just said these reasons out loud, so either there weren't any ... or he didn't want to throw them right out onto the table. Pity she couldn't pry a little more though.

At least the appearance of the older leveret was a welcome distraction. Her little brown tipped tail wiggled ever so slightly when the salad was set out. Oh, damn... that just looked so ... so wonderful. Better than anything she'd eaten whilst out with those slimy, back stabbing rogues.

But, what? A trick? She awaited the other leveret's return and then watched her 'show' with twitching whiskers. Now that was the most fantstic thing she'd eve seen a levret do, and delight was clearly displayed in her eyes. And more questions were bit back, for now at least.

Maybe this day was turning around after all?

She turned back to Aleah and Dafina and awaited their permisssion for food like a good little lev.

[Nako]

That was a surprisingly good trait to find in a young homeless leveret. Even though the thing was hungry, it was awaiting his command. The slow grin that spread on his face told of his approval.

"You may eat now… Good to see though, that you haven't lost your manners during your adventures." He used the word 'adventures' in more of a way that a parent would say it when they knew their child had probably been up to no good, but his smile remained wan, but still pleasant as he sipped his tea and gave a soft yawn.

He waited until the leveret was eating, watching her in the most casual air. Leaning toward his dear doe, his face buried in her hair to murmur softly in her ear, with such a look on his face that it would seem that it were just sweet nothings meant only for his Doe's ears.

"The thing must have cut and run from its old warren. Perhaps if we feed it, it will have a mind to stay, hmm? How does that please you, Darling?"

He then looked back toward the leveret. "Tell me, what is your name, little one?"