This place was.. if she had to put it in one word without offending someone, difficult. Much of the place was filled with mud and rancid-smelling water and algae. In the height of summer, much of the ground might dry up and become baked, but she imagined the whole of the place was almost uncrossable in times of heavy rainfall, at least so far as a tiny female like her was concerned. Perhaps the only silver lining to it all was the pleasing symphony of frogs that chirped and croaked their mixed melodies at night.

She avoided much of it, keeping to the more northern fringes of the territory where the trees were taller and the ground dry. She might also keep to the outer edges, the ocean enveloping all other sides of it. She supposed in the event she did get muddy she could at least wash herself off in the ocean, though she preferred fresh bodies of water. Grooming fur out after a bath in the salty water often resulted in having to taste a bit of salt residue.

Today she was searching the area for anything she might use in building a den, though not one for herself. She had managed to find one of decent size near the coast. It overlooked a distant island that intrigued her. She wondered if one might reach it by swimming during low tide, but she dare not take such a risk. Her priority was the den site anyway, all other leisure activities could wait until she completed the task. Currently, she was gathering various items onto a large leaf she had obtained in the jungle. Fatigue was heavy and despite her determination to continue, she found herself laying down in a patch of sand, the much prefered variety of dirt.

image by moogle/code by saph

if he were to have his way he would not have picked a swamp. it was, however, the only place that had made sense (at least after his failed attempted at the hollow) when he had thought to ruffle as few feathers as possible. the mire had seemed small, a newer pride, and yet... well, look how things had gone. the starke king had enemies all over the place, now, and all because he had wanted a home for himself.

he does what he can to focus on the positives, building his pride up bit by bit. he was pleased to see other members recruiting, too, and a successful hunt under their belts. perhaps they would be okay after all -- he was hoping for a period of peace in the wake of all the chaos.

@Patchouli had been the jewel of his week, though he imagined she hated it here. it wasn't the kind of home she was suited to, even as he hoped she would be comfortable. when he spots her near the coastal border she looks exhausted, and he softens to think that she had not had a den to sleep in. there were some empty ones, but perhaps she had higher standards. he approached her with a chuff, wondering if he might help in whatever task she had at hand.

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She had thought only to shut her eyes for a few minutes, made dry in the afternoon heat and occasional wind gust that occurred more and more frequently as the day marched on. Unknown to her was the storm front that the winds carried, a mass of steel gray clouds over the ocean to the east. It would likely bring some relief and renewed vigor in the small female when it did eventually arrive, though the rain might slow her efforts. The lul of the tide and cooler air would make that brief refresh of her dry eyes more than was bargained for, falling instead into a place between sleeping and waking. Her head would remain upright, appearing something akin to a sphinx in the Egyptian desert.

@Alaric would arrive then, one could not blame him for not being aware she was dozing at the moment. Ears would still shift towards the sound of his announced arrival, but she did not move to bow to him or properly address him. Instead, she would speak quietly, words that would seem an inaudible murmur unless he was listening closely. I'm sorry sir.. it isn't ready.. I need to get it ready. I need to hurry and get things.. ready. A slightly panicked tone towards the end. Even in her fleeting dreams, there were only the tasks at hand on her mind. A long exhale and she would quiet again, head drooped slightly lower now and tail gently twitching.

image by moogle/code by saph

evidently she had fallen asleep, and he softened a little at the sight of her. it seemed a cruelty to pluck such a soft and delicate creature from the world and bring her here, in this muddy and foul place. would she come to hate him for it?

"@Patchouli," he murmured as he he drew near, reaching to touch her lightly with his nose before pulling his head back. he waited for her to wake, and if she did not stir immediately he would nudge her again. "hardly a nice place to sleep, hmm? can i help you find a proper den?" or dig one, if she needed -- the mire was wet and gross but it had a few dry spots where a den could be dug beneath the roots of a tree. assuming she wanted to have a better place to rest.

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Patchouli had already found a good den site location. It offered a view of the ocean and was a naturally formed rock structure, her preferred type in which to work with. Often she found ones dug out resulted in one getting dirty and was always at risk of eventual collapse. Smooth stone walls and a carpet of sand had been a lucky find for her and she would undoubtedly spend a lot of time there when it was completed, provided Alaric wasn't using it for himself or anyone he opted to entertain within.

She needed to continue bringing all manner of items inside, it would be a tragedy when she woke to the realization all of her current work being done on it was all just a dream. She would be pulled from the dream with a call of her name and a touch, but these things would invade her dreams first. Stopped in her haste by someone who was displeased with her. It was never fast enough for some, never done to their level of perfection. Physically she would become stiff and recoil from Alaric's touch as if pricked with claws, a sound of a whimper, and a scent of fear on her fur.

Moments later she would open her eyes, blinking rapidly to clear her vision as she looked around herself in alarm. @Alaric was there, and having located him her eyes would immediately fall away. Magesty! I.. fell asleep. Less a question really and more a horrifying realization. She was almost afraid to look and see if everything she had done was a dream, while she had laid there uselessly, wasting valuable time. He would speak of finding her a den but she had already gotten a brief nap in, she saw no excuse for sleep's continuance.

image by moogle/code by saph

his gaze roamed over the items she had gathered, his expression one of distant curiosity. when she jerked from his touch, even in sleep, he frowned -- just what had the girl been through?

a part of him was of half a mind to press her down and seek submission in the same way he always did. a more rational side told him that would not work with the soft coated girl, whom seemed much like she might jump at her own shadow. it made no sense to be drawn to her, when she was the opposite of the ones he admired (the warriors, like his wife, who could earn their place and fight to keep it). the thought disturbed him -- was she a weakness he must be rid of?

but then she woke with alarm and he was tripping over himself to reassure her. "you're entitled to a rest, @Patchouli. you'll do me no good if you're half-dead in a ditch because you haven't had a proper sleep." that was all there was to it, surely.

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Patchouli did not know of her significants to this king or his lands, yet he had wanted her to come here. Did he see value where she did not? Did he hope for something more from her than just quiet obedience and meager tasks that might be of little actual benefit? In the end, she didn't know what her king wanted, and to anticipate and complete tasks for a king was something she was meant to know how to do. Building up a den was all she could think to do, thus she was driven to complete it. Her first real task and she was off to a terrible start.

@Alaric would not show anger as she feared, not annoyance and not even a pitying smirk. He seemed to be trying to soothe her instead, encouraging her to rest even. To her surprise, she would come to realize she had been staring at him for several seconds, in complete awe of his response. Mismatched gaze was soft, as was everything else about her. Soft, and touched with a certain sadness that had always been there. She would look away as soon as she realized it, getting slowly up on her feet. I'm sorry sir.. I have endured hard labor absent sleep for much longer than this in the past. I assure you my task will be completed and I will still be able to serve when it is done. She offered. In her mind he was more concerned she would become useless to him and the pride if she pushed too hard, as opposed to him worrying anything about her wellness or happiness. Her happiness and wellness came last, she was meant only to care how she improved the lives of others.

A distant rumbling would draw her attention to the ocean, noting the looming storm clouds that were approaching. She had perhaps an hour to get what she had gathered to the den she had picked out before she was pelted with rain. Likely she would work even then if Alaric wasn't here to discourage it. A storm is coming. I should get all of this to the den before it gets wet.

She thought to invite him to look at it, but she would hate for him to see how little she had done. All that she had inside was a nest, crafted with a strong base of sticks and mud and topped with carefully chosen items that offered both softness and support. To top it all off, a very lucky find, a pelt of a winter animal she had traded a plum-colored lion for in exchange for a majority of the herbs she had gathered along the way. Off in the back corner she had assembled a small bundle of dried grasses, that she would have a place to lay her head. I can show it to you if it pleases you. She could only hope he would decline and come back when it was finished instead.

image by moogle/code by saph

patchouli reminded him strongly of the women of his home, the ones who knew their purpose and worked hard to fill it. they were the ones that tidied his den and kept his bed warm, the ones who bore his children without complaint and never asked for more. would patchouli bear his cubs, too? he could not help the thought once it had reared its head, and he blinked at her in a moment of quiet contemplation.

"you have no task that is more important than rest when it is needed," he assured her, again not wanting the girl to work herself to the bone. "i am not sure what was expected of you in the past, but in the mire i expect you to look after yourself first and foremost." while not entirely true -- he would expect any member to put the lives of the heirs before their own -- it is close enough to truth for the time being.

"i will help you," he offered, as he moved to see what he could carry for the girl, "and i would like to see this place." he expected it would be nicer than the dirt den he had with erna, the one they had claimed when they had come. the prior leaders had no doubt used it themselves, but it was sparse and simple and plain -- alaric found no reason for anything more. but it was important to this soft creature and so he would entertain her, for now.

he waited patiently, watching her with some measure of expectation, eager to see what she had done despite his own reservations.

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He would give her an order that left her feeling nervous, for habit was a difficult thing to break from when it was with you all of your life. She was meant to make sure she was rested and cared for above all else, a kind gesture, but one she would struggle with finding a satisfactory balance between being rested versus feeling like she was being too slothful. She would visibly look troubled by this command, but she would nod her head in understanding. She could try.. perhaps force herself to eat a bit more in the mornings and take some time for leisure activity.

It was probably for the best he not mention his thoughts at that moment when it came to potential children. The female could only take so much change in her life at once before she became overwhelmed, a state in which she tended to completely shut down. Her first days in a new place had done it to her once before, which had led to her living as a recluse in the edges of the forest for nearly a year before @Alaric had found her there and coaxed her out into this mire.

He offered then to help her, picking up her small collection before she had a chance to protest. It wasn't a king's duty to perform grunt work. He would likely be angry if she opposed it anyway, given what he had just said to her about taking things easier. She was at a loss for words in that moment of conflict, looking on stupidly for a moment before moving quickly to gather at least a few things herself. Mouth full, she would simply lead the way at a hastened speed, one he might match simply by taking long strides at a walk.

Upon reaching the stone walled and sandy carpeted den, she would stop outside of it, motioning towards the feathered and fur pelted nest within the snug cave. She would allow him to step inside first if he wished to, tucking the items in her possession just outside of the entrance. She needn't mention the smaller grass one haphazardly constructed in a small nook of the den. It's.. only the nest for now your majesty. I wanted to make sure it was satisfactory before I did anything else. A stranger was kind enough to make a trade with me for the pelt. She informed him.

image by moogle/code by saph

she was a nervous and flighty little thing, and for some reason he could not help but be drawn to her. a part of him wanted to bark at her to relax and stop acting so afraid of everything, but he bit his tongue and held back his words. another part of him (much smaller) wanted to tuck her to his side and keep the world at bay, curled up on soft nests with a soft wife and soft babies. this was a part of him never shown to the world, and even the thoughts made his expression harden.

he followed her as he grappled with these notions, interested but aloof. when the reach the den he is decidedly impressed, setting down the things he had brought for her and moving forward. a paw reached out to prod at the soft nest as she called it, before his head swung back her way. "much softer than anything i've slept on," he grunted, thinking of the less-than-tidy den that he shared with erna. sure they had a bed of sorts, but this was a piece of art in comparison. perhaps he would have to ask @Patchouli to fix up the other den, too. in time.

he notes the other pile of grasses and is interested, jerking his head to indicate them. "what is that for? cubs?" blunt and straightforward, as was his way. even as he asked it seemed wrong, though -- cubs should be curled up with their mother, not tucked away in some nook. unless it was for more grown cubs...

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