Nevermind, I Hate You

Zahira:

The massive stag faltered, confusion flashing across his face as he gave her an odd look that said be thought she was a weirdo. She didn't mind it, but drooped a bit mentally with disappointment as she realized he was about to turn her away. Well, shit. Their play could've been a lot of fun. However, to her immense surprise, the stag didn't stay in place or leave her. Instead he followed after her, though there was uncertainty in his gaze.

She practically exploded with excitement. Very rarely did the crooked-nosed doe display such childish excitement. It came randomly and now was one of those moments. "Sparring can be so boring, ya know? Practicing the same moves over and over and over.... Bah." She let out a soft snort, prancing forwards. "Sometimes it's good to take a break and have some play." Her prancing led her to a small stream. She snickered at him slightly as she pranced into the water, splashing about extravagantly.

Reichenbach:

“I believe the whole point is for it to be boring,” he mused in reply, following her with still no clue as to her ideas. “Especially if one is learning a new skill.”

He followed her to the stream, stopping at the water's edge while she practically dove in, kicking up water that flowed with her movements, glittering like diamonds It was almost like she was dancing, if a big, muscle bound doe like Zahira could dance. The water was her companion and every move was accentuated by the splash of water and dozens of trailing droplets.

Did he dare? Reichenbach wasn't sure how fun splashing in a puddle could be, but she seemed to be enjoying it.

It took a bit more thought, but soon Reichenbach had stepped into the stream, obviously willing to take the risk of getting very wet in this new endeavour Zahira had presented.

Zahira:

"I suppose that is a good point." The brown doe responded coyly, flicking her thick tail about slightly. "But, sometimes it's nice to spice things up a little bit. To have a little fun, ya know?" She circled around, picking her thick legs up high. "Come on, the water feels great." She smirked at him, turning and prancing off again, kicking up her heels. If wasn't very often that the older doe acted this way.... But sometimes she just felt like she needed to let loose. Hopefully Reichenbach would do more than just stand there and stare- it really would be much more fun with a playmate.

As the burly doe glanced over her shoulder she noticed that Reichenbach now stood on the shallows. So far, so good! The younger stag seemed to be struggling to let loose and enjoy himself. Zahira widely as she high-stepped over to him. She stopped before him, pointedly placing her muzzle close to his. She wasn't done flirting yet. Then, suddenly, she reached up and nipped gently at one of the stag's ears. After she did so she whirled, running as fast as her thick, short legs would let her, sending a splash of water his way while she was at it.

Reichenbach:

Reichenbach felt her encroach upon his personal space and resisted the urge to snort at her as she stared him down. But that was just the beginning.

One moment she was just grinning and the next she was nipping at his ear and then splashing him with a wave of water to seal the deal.

A drenched Reichenbach gawked at her gall, her laughter ringing in his ears as she retreated. Water dripped from his beard and mane, fur soaked thoroughly by her play. Oh, she was in for it now. He shut his trap and went after her, nipping her back and splashing her in turn. She wanted to play? He would oblige.

He tugged on one of her ears as he sidled up next to her, matching her pace as they thundered through the stream, water crashing up over the banks and behind them as they went. A new feeling, perhaps a good one, made his chest feel light as air and soon, once he had let go of her ear, he was laughing, a genuine laugh that held no sinister meaning behind it for once.

Zahira:

The massive stag reacted in just the manner that she had been hoping he would. At first, when he just stood there staring at her, mouth literally hanging open, she had been concerned that maybe she had angered him. However, a mischievous light came to his dark eyes and, soon enough, he shut his mouth and charged after her, moving rather quickly for a stag his side. Or, perhaps she was just super slow. Probably a mixture of both.

The green-eyed, crooked-nosed warrior doe squealed in complete and utter delight as Reichenbach pursued her. She bucked and whirled, feigning attempts to escape him. She couldn't help the laughter that slipped from her lips. She should play this a little more often- she was truly enjoying herself. He tugged upon one of her ears and she squealed, snaking her thick neck out and nipping right back. He was laughing and it certainly wasn't an unpleasant sound. Zahira didn't hear laughter very often in this damned land.

She whirled, taking their playful plight out of the water now. Zahira hauled herself up the bank, not hesitating or missing a beat before fleeing into the forest, laughing and calling back at Reichenbach invitingly. "Catch me if you caaaan!" Shouldn't be too hard for him.

Reichenbach:

He jumped over the bank, the edge sinking under his massive weight, but did not falter and loped after her, smirking.

“So quick to run away?” he teased as he followed, going a little faster to nip at her tail only to get smacked with it later but it hardly hurt and meant no harm. He laughed again. “You wound me, Z!”

The forest seemed to open up to their frolicking, their path hardly interrupted by trees and the ground lacking any hazards. A few crows cawed overhead, their tones perhaps not as mocking and when they reached another clearing the sunlight was glistening, peeking shyly through the overhanging clouds as if to catch a glimpse of their playing for itself.

Reichenbach slid to a stop, needing a break as he had no speed and running took energy out of anyone. He chuckled a bit, breathless, but looked alive and alight.

“You are certainly an interesting character, Miss Z,” he commented, watching her. “Full of surprises.”

Zahira:

The brown doe laughed heartily as she fled from him. He wasn't quite as quick as she was, though he remained directly behind her. She felt the gentle nips that the massive stag delivered to the tail. She immediately switched her tail, feeling some contact, though she hadn't hit hard. She had a very thick tail- if she had really wanted to she probably could have knocked the daylights out of him. But, she had no desire to do any such thing. He wouldn't be any fun unconscious.

"I'm no easy catch!" The burly doe called back over her dark shoulder, chuckling with humor at his words. She truly was loosening up with her now and they were having a lot of fun. They broke into a clearing now and it was here that Reichenbach slid to a stop, running out of steam. Zahira went ahead slightly before slowing to a prance, circling back around towards him. "Giving up already?" She asked him with humor, though she too was dripping with sweat and a little bit out of breath. She let out a little chuckle at his words. "You certainly aren't a boring stag either, Reichenbach." She wasn't flirting anymore- now she was just enjoying talking to him more. "So...now that we are both exhausted... Tell me a little bit more about yourself?"

Reichenbach:

The stag flicked his tail, long hairs dusting the grass. “What do you wish to know?” he asked in turn. It was not often one shared a personal conversation that was so innocent within Blackwood. Fawnlings held their opinions and secrets close, hoarding them like precious jewels to be guarded fiercely as the smallest note could be turned against you one day.

Reichenbach doubted Zahira would do anything stupid with anything he shared, but old habits told him to remain cautious and so he did, waiting for her to tell him what she wished to know.

Zahira:

Zahira frowned slightly when the stag answered her question...with a question. Ugh, how she hated it when someone did that to her. She supposed she couldn't really blame him, not everyone was trustworthy here and they really didn't know one another. So why would he tell her very much? Oh well. "Well, I don't know." She said simply. "I was just looking to hear more about you. Your rank, your family, what you like to do to make the time pass, so on and so forth. No set questions, really." She flicked one tattered ears slightly before smirking at him in quite a devious manner. "If you tell me about you, I'll tell you about me."

Reichenbach:

He saw the momentary look of displeasure cross her features but she either decided against saying anything or or had decided it wasn't worth it.

When she responded he settled back and pondered his reply, eventually coming forth with something. “I have no set rank at this point in time. I suppose I could be a warrior, or a raider, but I find I am content doing more for myself before I take on a job.” He would not tell her of his aspirations to maybe become the leader of Blackwood, as that was not something for her ears, but it did linger in the back of his mind. He continued. “My parents are alive, as I haven't heard that they have passed, and my pastimes include training and tutoring my charge.”

“And what of you, Miss Z?”

Zahira:

The brown doe couldn't help the disappointment that suddenly came crashing over her. No rank? Why the hell didn't he have a rank? He was a large stag who was obviously capable of helping the herd. Yet, he chose not to. All of the friendly, playful affection seemed to suddenly be stripped away. She stepped away from him slightly, wanting her own space now. Her ears slicked back slightly and when she spoke again her tone was not nearly as warm as it had been before.

"I am a warrior. My main magic strand is illusion, a rare one." She said bluntly. "I'll be going to Glenmore in just a week or so to undergo training to be a warrior. I am a mother of four. I am certainly doing my part for the herd and pulling my weight." That last statement was a direct slam at the stag's lack of a rank within the herd.

Reichenbach:

The frosty tone did not go unnoticed.  

Did she think he was lazy? Her narrowed eyes and distant way of speaking, not to mention the rather bald faced insult surely suggested such and he ground his teeth together at the anger that started to boil in his belly at her gall.

She didn't know his aspirations, or why he chose to train before taking on a direct job. It really wasn't much of her concern, if he was blunt, but he kept his tongue in check.

“You seem to have misunderstood me,” he rumbled, an edge to his voice now. “Though I do not bare a direct rank, such as yourself, Miss Zahira, I would like to think I do as much work as any of those who do.”

“My strength is unmatched, my magic, though not rare, is competent in two strains, and I have enough brains to make sure the weak filth of this herd works hard enough to become strong so that we might actually build up our numbers.” He pulled his head up higher, looking down his nose at her. “I see the faults within this herd, how the young go uneducated and in turn spread their weakness like wildfire. So far I am the only one that I know of that has taken a stand and turned one of those mongers into a personal project to see to it the betterment of Blackwood.”

“So while you travel to Glenmore, no doubt leaving your children without a teacher, to train on enemy soil, I am here to make sure our herd doesn't waste away with ignorance and incapability.” He swished his tail, eyes narrowed. “So, I suggest you read between the lines before you comment. I am no raider, nor warrior, but I pull my weight.”

Zahira:

Well, it seemed that this friendship was quickly going down the drain. She had every reason to be dismayed at the stag’s lack of rank. If he had a problem with her dismay, he should’ve gone about it in another way. Instead, he seemed to practically verbally attack her. Had he explained himself calmly she would’ve calmly disagreed with him, but agreed to disagree. However, his hostility and his rudeness… It did not settle well with the crooked-nosed doe. Not. one. bit.

She flung her head up into the air, green eyes becoming piercing with anger. “Excuse me, you ignorant asshole!?” she exclaimed shrilly. “I was willing to agree to disagree on this matter, yet you have the audacity to use that tone of voice with me? I am far above you, herd member you should know your place!” She didn’t even care that he had called her by her full name. She was too pissed off with what else he was saying to even care about that at the moment.
“Oh please, you’re not even in your prime yet, stagling.” she snapped at him. “I can think of many, many stags who can match your strength, you moron, and overcome you with ease.” She let out a loud snort. “One. One of those mongers.” She let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. “So, you’re telling me that teaching one little monger is so challenging and demanding that you can’t do anything else. Puh-lease, I have been a teacher to many students at once, yet still managed to keep my duties. The fact that you think being a mentor to one student is enough is absolutely hilarious to me.”

The anger turned in her eyes turned into fury now. “Don’t you, dare bring my children into this!” she snapped at him. “You have no right to mention a doe’s children.” she snarled at him. “I suggest that you get off your lazy ass and do something other than teaching one student.” And with that...she spat upon his hooves.

Reichenbach:

“You are the one to assume,” he said, snorting get at her as she lost her cool, the stag keeping his own head far better than her. “I answered your question and you changed your tone. If you don't like the tone given, then perhaps you should watch what you give out.”

He barked a laugh, ignoring her other comments. “If I remember correctly, you are still in training.” He pointed out, her words from earlier suggesting such. “You haven't even brought your first converter over the border yet. Maybe once you have I'll give you that, but you are only above me in name alone. You have yet to make a title for yourself.”

When she spat at him he flattened his ears, picking his hoof up and flinging the nasty spit aside. Wicked snake. His mother had told him to mind a doe but she was pushing his limits. He ground his teeth together once more.

“I have no time for does who cannot remain civil,” he puffed, deciding now it was time to leave before he did something to anger the Mother by hurting one of her children. He turned to walk away, no longer thinking of Zahira the same way he had just moments before. She wasn't nearly as intelligent or good company as she let on. “Good day to you, Zahira. I hope your mission does not end in failure.”

He stalked off towards the way they had come, skin itching from a wet coat and a tick in his jaw. The nerve of her. Nasty doe.

Zahira:

The heavy brown doe laughed. "You just proved my point, darling!" She exclaimed. "Yes, I am in training. In training to be SOMETHING. And I DO have a title for myself, doll. I am a warrior, an esteemed rank in itself, and now I'm training to be a raider. So your research before you open your mouth." She flicked her tail at him sassily as he turned away. What a shame. She had really, REALLY liked this stag and had been willing to look past the fact that he had no rank, if only for a conversation. But, then he'd lost her temper and started an argument he was so obviously uneducated about.

"And I have no time for lazy morons who have no idea what they're talking about." She said smoothly in return. Good day to as well, have fun relaxing lazily in between training sessions." She added on smoothly, now also turning to leave. Goodbye and good riddance.