The Cursed

[SkySong278]

“Oh, okay. Ah so he wanted to get revenge on us. Hm I wish father'll do something to him such as curse him like Evens. Possibly but we'll know that for sure if we see that their land has blight though I'm not sure if they're still around in this area for him to be able to do that. I'm not sure, and that sounds like a really good idea,” she said in reply to the first few statements or so before then also looking concerned when she heard his question and saw his frown. “I think you do a really good job and I'm really not sure what other lords, aside from you and Evens, are like. You two are the only ones I've experienced being around and you're much better than the latter,” she said as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek while trying to be supportive.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir blushes at her cheek kiss. Nami spoke up. "I agree with your wife. My partner Stephanie and I were in two different places while growing up, she was a fallen noble of a family who took care of their subjects like you do, although they didn't exactly go the route you do. Just less taxes during droughts and small amounts of food supplies for harsh winters, and I came from Gunther's land to here. Due to their artifact constantly needing a blood sacrifice to produce rain, their land is constantly needing other lands resources to feed their people, and by people I mean the middle class and most definitely the higher classes too. The poor there barley make anything, and are taxed too heavily. Most of the poor have to sell themselves as slaves for the nobility there.  " Nami spoke softly. "You are a outlier to the 'normal' and it's not a bad thing at all. A number of the crops did come from Gunther's land, and a few others from the western territories. Bartholin.... I think? The house with the Harpy eagle holding a snake as a crest." 

 

"Bolarion..." Quadir growls menacingly making Nami step back with a flinch. "Doesn't surprise me. They may have been my maternal family however they made it clear that they disowned their daughter. Seriously, I have done nothing to them and they insist that the Maelstrom family has been monsters from the beginning. You know that they're the ones who spread that rumor how we feed non obedient wives to the snowbeasts? All because three times a member of their house had fallen in love with one of my family over the centuries and they can't seem to fathom that they fell for the person they were instead of beauty! Bolarion is obsessed with looks and breeding. " He huffed. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia smiled a bit when she saw his blush, thinking it was cute. She then focused in everything Nami was saying, frowning a bit and also feeling a bit sad as well as a bit mad on how the people under both lands/governors she described were treated. She then grew a bit concerned when he growled menacingly when hearing the name of the land that the tainted crops had come from.

 

“They sound very shallow and mean,” she said before shaking her head in reply to the question he asked regarding how the rumors of how the disobedient brides were thrown to the snowbeasts started. “Well that was just mean of them to do,” she said in reply with a huff and crossed arms.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"They are. And also why I try not to associate with them. Nami, keep doing what you are doing and keep the ones that are affected in quarantine. I'm going to ask father to see if he can cure them so they can be planted sooner than later. How have the grain crops been?" 

 

"Abundant as always, and wheat crops that where already harvested and seeds sown for next year sprung up to full maturity at your wedding. So we have plenty of wheat for bread to last us till mid May perhaps even into June. " Nami said wit a grin. "Our alter to the deity here is overflowing with offerings." She said proudly.

 

Quadir nodded. "Good. Alright then we have someone to meet now so we'll be off now." 

Edited February 1 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

“Ah okay and good idea. I don't think I'd want to meet them anyway,” she said in reply before he had his attention go to being back on Nami and holding a conversation with her again. She hoped that her father would be able to cure the tainted plants when she heard the last bit of that conversation before hearing everything else that was discussed afterward.

 

She smiled again when she heard the news regarding that the wheat was doing well along with their alter with offerings to her father was overflowing, her smile being a bit bigger upon hearing that. She then started to have Storm move ahead some when she heard what Quadir said, but then had her stop again soon after.

 

“It was really nice meeting you,” she said to Nami with the smile still on her face for both being happy but also to hide her concern about the tainted plants.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Nami smiles back at her with a curtsy. "Pleasure meeting you today my Lady.  Don't worry, we have dealt with minor blight before, and now that our artifact is happy having a child of his own, I'm sure he'll take care of things if his daughter expresses concern over it. I know I did everything I could for Carlos, although I was a step mom. Take care my Lords!" She said with a wave as Quadir mounted Lilith and headed off twords a path that lead up to the mountain nearest them. "First Karrrak the miners. " He said the name sounded similar to a cat chirping then purring with a sharp yap after. It was the name of his beast friend.  He continues on the narrow path heading into some forest. "Stay close. In a few more feet we'll have to get off and go by foot. The horses are understandably skittish around him. "

[SkySong278]

Alivia smiled back at her, nodding in understanding to the rest of what she said in regards to not worrying over the plants while feeling a bit less concerned. She then waved back before following after Quadir to and along the trail he led them towards that went onto the mountain closest to them. “Okay, and will do. Understood,” she said in reply to the last few things he said while looking around their surroundings curiously.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

At a felled log he dismounted and helped her off before putting on his mask and kneeling in front of her and grabbed her legs leaning forward as he stood so she was piggy back on him.  It made sense as to why  he did this as a few yards away from the log was a cliff face and a narrow path that lead steeply upwards, some stones where hidden in shadows and only wide enough for a single foot.   

 

Jumping from one narrow crag to a small ledge where a large cude stone house cave was in the mountainside.  Carefully he set her down and knocked on the large bark door. It swung out to a massive bipedal snow leopard that was twice the size of Quadir and was white with a rossett markings in a pale lavender and dark violet. The leopard tilted his head and his pink nose twitched and his lips pulled back in a mensing looking snarl. With a large fluffy paw he smacked the defined, fluffy and muscular chest twice and made a sign with his paw then held out his paw, pink paw pads upwards twords Alivia.

 

"Karrrak!" Quadir mimicked the chest pounding. "My mate Alivia. " He said doing a couple other signs. "Alivia my friend Karrrak. This is how you'll greet him as first timer " he said and showed Alivia to take her left hand and hit her chest with her palm once, flipped over his hand so it was palm up and waved outward with a lowering of his head in a bow. 

 

Once that was done they both got waved inside of the cave hut and Quadir let her step inside first before going in after her and shutting the door behind them.

 

(( His coloring is like this. This with pink nose and blue eyes  with a build like  This with a loingard of leather and amethyst stone on the belt with a necklace of raw amethyst on his neck. ))

Edited February 4 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

Alivia nodded in thanks to him as he helped her off of Storm's back when they got to a log and hen held onto his shoulders when he put her on his back to carry her piggy-back style soon after. She saw why he did that a little while later when she saw the narrow trail that was only wide enough for one person.

 

After he jumped from a crag and then also over a small ledge, she saw the big stone house in the mountainside before she was set down so that he could knock on the door. After he did, they were greeted by his friend who emitted a menacing growl before she saw the way ge greeted them.

 

She looked a bit confused as to what it could mean before looking over at Quadir when she showed her what to do. She mimicked those actions he showed her soon after before they were led into Karrrak's house and Quadir closed the door behind her.

 

((he looks very nice 😊))

Edited February 5 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"The motion you did has two meanings. One is to show that you hold no weapons or claws extended thus no harm to him. A single chest strike is for greeting. It announces your presence and shows you are defenceless by proving you have no armor over your heart. Strike twice and it's a greeting for a friend. A way of saying, 'i trust you with my life.' " Quadir explained as the snow beast went to a equality large grey and white snow beast, marked with slightly more angular eyes, a fluffier chest and a leather band pressing into the fluff. A few cherps and chuffs sounded from the both and the supposed female got up from the fire she was tending and greeted them in the same way Alivia greeted his friend. Quadir also mimicked the movements with a few other hand signals, slapping his arm with one indication the thick crude gold band that dawned on both of the snowbeasts upper arms.  She responded with a snarl, tail flick and a sneeze as the male shuffled his feet. "I said I didn't think Karrrak would ever find a life mate but glad he has. Her name is Chuli by the way.  Means in their language, 'large one' typically females are roughly slightly taller then me and more fluffy. Karrrak means 'One of value stone' since amythists are valuable and he bares the coloring of one. " He explained and waited until their hosts waved them to two wooden stumps for the pair to sit on and female went back to the fire while the male brought over a stone and sat on it opposite of them. 

[SkySong278]

“Ah okay good to know,” Alivia said in reply to his first explanation of what the motions both he and she did meant before she watched him do a few others that caused Karrrak to shuffle his feet which she thought was cute and his mate to chuff and swish her tail in acknowledgement. She then had her attention go back to being on Quadir when she heard his other explanation of what those other motions meant. “Okay that's also good to know. I like what their names mean,” she said with both a nod in understanding and a smile before they were invited to sit on some stumps that both Chuli and Karrrak brought over for them to sit on. She sat down on the stump closest to her while watching as Karrrak brought over a stone to sit on.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"I was very happy that you came to my mating ceremony Karrrak. It was surprising you came considering you don't like humans much.   My mate wanted to meet you. She broke the curse so I don't need my mask but you're used to it so I kept it on. " He said with signs as well. 

 

Karrrak chuffed and waved his paws as Quadir translated. "The humans don't bother me much, they where respectful and avoided eye contact with me. So you don't have borson tusks then?" Quadir chuckled "No, no tusks for me.  Alivia do you want to ask him things? I can translate for you."

[SkySong278]

Alivia smiled a bit more when she heard what Quadir said to him and then watched him use signs as well. Then she had her attention go back to being on Karrrak when she heard him chuff a bit.

 

She watched him use signs as well with his paws while hearing what Quadir said as a translation of what the snowbeast was saying before hearing the question Quadir asked her regarding if she had any questions for Karrrak.
 

“Um maybe just three for now which are did the jewelry I made for you help with attracting Chuli and would she like me to make any for her? Also, how did you and Quadir meet?” she said and asked in reply with both a nervous and curious expression in her face.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

At the first question, Quadir translated for her and Chuli chirped and dug into the fluff around her neck showing the thick silver chain with the amethyst leopard head as a medallion was hidden in her fur, then waved to a wood log carved into a bowl that held the two other pieces of jewelry Alivia had made, it was placed in such a way the light from the fire could bounce off of the amethyst inside the bowl, and around it where a few more geodes where carefully placed around the bowl.  Chuli chirped again and waved her arms. "She said it was his coloring that caught her eye, but the work of the human hands who made these pieces made her stay. She said her tribe mates are jealous of her jewelry and the other females are ashamed they didn't choose a fine specimen for themselves if he had such valuable work. " He then translated Alivia 's second question at this time.  More excited chirping followed. "She would love a head piece, typically females would make it themselves but she was raised by two males, and thus doesn't know how. Daughters honor the males by wearing their fangs on their head with amethyst and onyx or turquoise beside them indicating if they have passed on or not. She has one father left, and her brother is still small so his gang is his first lost one. She can show you designs for one that was her aunt's." He said softly.  Then he translated the third question. 

 

Karrrak chuffed and waved his paws. "We met wile stalking the same troublesome warg pack. They ate my chickens and killed three of his men. We both got lost in the maze and fought at first and found we were evenly matched. Called a truce before tracking down our quarry and killed them, split the meat with him giving me the better half although he made first kill and left. Another day we met at a river when I got into a fight with another male, and he patched me up finding that I nearly lost my life. Indebted I followed him and found out he was talking to the chief who hurt me and made a deal, when Chief and three others attacked him and he held his own. He killed all three, told the others not to harm humans and gave the tribe sweet flowers that made us happy.  Since then I admired him and befriended him."

[SkySong278]

Alivia listened as he translated for her what all Chuli said in reply to her first two questions, feeling glad that she looked her work and smiling a bit shyly because of it. “I'm glad you like my jewelry and the headpiece might be a bit of a challenge for me to make for you but I'll do my best with the design you give me to work with,” she said in reply to what Chuli said before then turning her attention over to be on Karrak when she saw the gestures he made.

 

She then listened to everything that Quadir said as a translation for what he said, her smile fading slightly when she heard how he had gotten injured by his chief before her love intervened. “I'm sorry your leader did that  to you, but I'm glad you guys met. It sounds to me like you both needed each other. I'm also glad to have met the both of you and to also see where you live,” she said in reply with the smile back on her face again.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Karrrak chuffed and did more signs before getting up and getting some tea ready. "The old chief was not very nice to begin with. The new one is very kind and wise leader. Would you care for gooseberry tea?" Quadir asked her and took a cup from the leopard. He then took off the mask and took a sip getting two startled responses from the mountain beasts. Chuli chirped and pinched Quadir's cheeks with one massive paw tilting his head one way then another.  "Whath with thhhhith?" Quadir moaned from the pressing black pads of the female's pawed hands pressing his cheeks inwards.  Chuli released him and chuffed at her mate when Karrrak pulled her away from Quadir.  The two hand a rapid conversation with a flurry of movement and sounds as the female stalked back and forth the length of the house. Quadir looked completely confused trying to make out that the signs they where using where. 

[SkySong278]

“I'm glad to hear that your new chief is much kinder as well as wiser as the previous one. Yes thank you,” Alivia said in reply before also talking a cup from Karrrak as he offered one to her after Quadir took one as well. She took a stop soon after, thinking it was really good before getting confused when she saw the signs they made in response to her love's face after the mask was taken off. She then briefly looked over at Quadir, seeing that he also looked confused although his stemmed mainly from trying to follow Karrrak and Chuli's motions and what they were saying before having her attention go back to being on them afterward.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

After a moment Quadir snarls and got in between them waving his hands. "What is going on? What about your fathers Chuli?"

 

Chuli stopped and started to sign slower as Quadir translated out loud. "Two years ago your father found a man who looked like me on the river bank... Further into the mountains? He was covered in wounds and had no weapon, but seemed to have lost all memory and you.... helped him heal for a few months?" He said confused. "You think it may have been my dad? My dad was killed by a black drake and only his sword and mask where found by the cliff." He said. "It couldn't have been him, not even with his strength could he survive the fall. " He muttered. 

[SkySong278]

Alivia continued to watch without a confused expression on her face but then also with wide eyes as Quadir got in-between the two, signing and also asking the questions aloud for her sake. She watched Chuli sign slower what she thought was an answer before having her attention be mainly on Quadir as her confusion faded slightly.

 

She listened to everything he asked that was in reply to her signing, her confusion then returning soon afterward when she heard the bit about his father. “Um could it be possible that your father was assumed to be eaten in the chaos with the black Quadvern when maybe he wasn't? I don't think she'd lie about something like that, and I also don't know who else it could be since the majority of your ancestors were turned to stone and are in the catacombs. I think it's possible that he's still alive and with amnesia while being out here somewhere,” she asked and said after a little while of silence while finding something she could say after getting over her confusion.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Quadir shook his head. "I refuse to hold out hope... It's been two years now anyway... Amnesia or not, it's impossible to live in the monster mountains without a weapon or armor. At least... The black quadvern didn't eat him. " Chuli chirped again and signed some more. "She says he hasn't been seen since so it is more likely. She comes from deep into the mountains near the black quadvern and monsters there are very strong.  She smelled some kind of blessing on him though and if he was strong enough to throw her father across the den while tending to his wounds he could survive a bit longer then most. However it seemed to be more muscle memory then actual memory." He translated.

 

"Thank you for letting me know about this Chuli." He said signing it to the snowbeast making her ears flatten and her to let out a soft purr like sound. 

[SkySong278]

“Oh okay never mind then,” Alivia said in reply to what he said first before hearing the rest of what he said afterward which included his translation of what Chuli signed. She nodded in understanding, smiling a bit when she heard the latter purring at Quadir's thanks.

 

“Um so what should we do now? Stay here a bit longer or go see the miners if we're done visiting?” she asked after a few more minutes or so of silence.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Oh! Thank you for the reminder love!" Quadir perked up at her mention of the miners. "Karrrak, Chuli, have you two spotted or smelled any wargs around the mines in your late night patrols?" He asked with signs. 

 

Karrrak chuffed and nodded, while Chuli made a worried merp sound as they both signed. "Unfortunately yes, near the emerald minds and a few scratches near the quartz mine. Two packs of three females and two pups each with a male leader." He translated. "Hmmm. That's a big issue. From pandasantias to horns now wargs. It seems your grandfather is getting closer now." 

[SkySong278]

“You're welcome,” Alivia said in reply to his thanks before hearing what he asked Karrrak and Chuli aloud while also watching him sign the question regarding the wargs. Her smile faded somewhat when she heard them make different noises while also hearing what all he said as a translation.

 

“Oh dear. How should we fight them off or get rid of them again? You might have said how earlier before coming here to visit them but I forget now what you might've said then,” she said and asked in reply while having her attention turn to be on him from their hosts.