Fill: Challenge #129 (Orig)
Nov. 14th, 2022 08:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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I'm still doing pretty well with
mini_wrimo - I've missed two days so far, but otherwise have been doing more than my target of 100 words/day - I'm probably at 250 on average. I did finally post one of the stories I've been stalling on for a while! Nothing special but it was nice to post something.
The following is two nights' work - doesn't make much sense out of context and in parts, I ignored description and only wrote dialogue.
A couple of notes to understand some of the weird pronouns. Kerori in their natural form are not gendered and they use "it" rather than "they". Alex, as a keror who has (not entirely by choice) left his world and joined the humans, has by this time accepted his human gender, so he is referred to by "he".
Lara tapped Gray on the shoulder and jerked her head in the direction of the cloaked figure approaching them. “Ah, thanks.” He climbed to his feet and positioned himself so that he blocked the entrance to the makeshift shelter.
Azhor made no attempt to keep the cloth around her closed. She stopped a respectful distance from the man guarding the opening and bowed. “I do not mean you nor your ward any harm. I have come to speak with it.”
Gray refused to move. “You understand that he is not to be tried for any offences, and that attempting to take him will be considered an act of aggression against Kit’s pride?”
She nodded. “I will not take him. I agree with you that it should not be held responsible for its actions while under the being’s duress. In that, at least, my pride and your pride are aligned.”
Gray stepped aside and motioned for her to proceed. “Then you’re welcome to talk with him.”
Alex lay curled in a corner of the shack, his gossamer wings wrapped about him like his original wings once had. As Azhor stepped in and shifted, shaking the cloth off its back, his eyes opened and tracked its movements, though he made no attempt to move or speak. When it growled a greeting at him, he merely blinked.
“Are you healthy?” Azhor asked in their language. “Your wounds must have closed by now.” It sat with its back to the entrance.
“I am, but it’ll only give you more work. You should have executed me while I was still injured.”
“I am not here to execute you. I have come to offer an apology. It helps nothing but it must be done.”
Alex frowned, and he pushed himself up to sit back on his haunches. “An apology? For what? You’re not the one who rampaged across the land torturing and killing every keror, otan, and fae you could find.”
“You are not at fault for that. You were at the command of a greater being and could not refuse to do its bidding. When meting out guilt, one does not blame the tool.”
“The fae and the otani are ready to melt down this tool, and I have to admit, I’m surprised the kerori aren’t with them. I’d expect Chief to be the first to condemn me.”
“I have not consulted Corgrahl on this matter.”
Alex stared. “Corgrahl? You’re using its name?”
“Yes. I am Chief now.”
Alex jumped up on all fours and touched his nose to the ground. “Chief.”
“Sit down. You are not my pride.”
He sat back, though in a rigid formal pose rather than the casual stance he had taken earlier. “You’re still a pride leader and deserve respect.”
“Perhaps, but we are nestmates, and will always be. I would prefer you call me by my name.”
“Do I have to?” His growl wavered, and though he barely moved, he was obviously cringing away.
“If the concept is that frightening, then no, you do not, though I should like it if you would do so when we are alone.”
Azhor waited, but no reply seemed forthcoming, so it resumed its purpose. “I want to apologise… no, I must say, I apologise for the way you have been treated, the way you have always been treated by Corgrahl and the pride for which I stand. You deserved none of it. I cannot make up for all that you have endured, but I would ask that you accompany me back to the pride so that I may issue this apology so that all may hear it.”
Alex looked around the shack, everywhere except at the new chief of his former pride, as he tried to make sense of what it had said. At long last, he shook his head from side to side. “I don’t understand. Why are you apologising? Are you mocking me?”
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The following is two nights' work - doesn't make much sense out of context and in parts, I ignored description and only wrote dialogue.
A couple of notes to understand some of the weird pronouns. Kerori in their natural form are not gendered and they use "it" rather than "they". Alex, as a keror who has (not entirely by choice) left his world and joined the humans, has by this time accepted his human gender, so he is referred to by "he".
Lara tapped Gray on the shoulder and jerked her head in the direction of the cloaked figure approaching them. “Ah, thanks.” He climbed to his feet and positioned himself so that he blocked the entrance to the makeshift shelter.
Azhor made no attempt to keep the cloth around her closed. She stopped a respectful distance from the man guarding the opening and bowed. “I do not mean you nor your ward any harm. I have come to speak with it.”
Gray refused to move. “You understand that he is not to be tried for any offences, and that attempting to take him will be considered an act of aggression against Kit’s pride?”
She nodded. “I will not take him. I agree with you that it should not be held responsible for its actions while under the being’s duress. In that, at least, my pride and your pride are aligned.”
Gray stepped aside and motioned for her to proceed. “Then you’re welcome to talk with him.”
Alex lay curled in a corner of the shack, his gossamer wings wrapped about him like his original wings once had. As Azhor stepped in and shifted, shaking the cloth off its back, his eyes opened and tracked its movements, though he made no attempt to move or speak. When it growled a greeting at him, he merely blinked.
“Are you healthy?” Azhor asked in their language. “Your wounds must have closed by now.” It sat with its back to the entrance.
“I am, but it’ll only give you more work. You should have executed me while I was still injured.”
“I am not here to execute you. I have come to offer an apology. It helps nothing but it must be done.”
Alex frowned, and he pushed himself up to sit back on his haunches. “An apology? For what? You’re not the one who rampaged across the land torturing and killing every keror, otan, and fae you could find.”
“You are not at fault for that. You were at the command of a greater being and could not refuse to do its bidding. When meting out guilt, one does not blame the tool.”
“The fae and the otani are ready to melt down this tool, and I have to admit, I’m surprised the kerori aren’t with them. I’d expect Chief to be the first to condemn me.”
“I have not consulted Corgrahl on this matter.”
Alex stared. “Corgrahl? You’re using its name?”
“Yes. I am Chief now.”
Alex jumped up on all fours and touched his nose to the ground. “Chief.”
“Sit down. You are not my pride.”
He sat back, though in a rigid formal pose rather than the casual stance he had taken earlier. “You’re still a pride leader and deserve respect.”
“Perhaps, but we are nestmates, and will always be. I would prefer you call me by my name.”
“Do I have to?” His growl wavered, and though he barely moved, he was obviously cringing away.
“If the concept is that frightening, then no, you do not, though I should like it if you would do so when we are alone.”
Azhor waited, but no reply seemed forthcoming, so it resumed its purpose. “I want to apologise… no, I must say, I apologise for the way you have been treated, the way you have always been treated by Corgrahl and the pride for which I stand. You deserved none of it. I cannot make up for all that you have endured, but I would ask that you accompany me back to the pride so that I may issue this apology so that all may hear it.”
Alex looked around the shack, everywhere except at the new chief of his former pride, as he tried to make sense of what it had said. At long last, he shook his head from side to side. “I don’t understand. Why are you apologising? Are you mocking me?”
no subject
Date: 2022-11-15 03:41 pm (UTC)But Ahhhh!! I keep forgetting about Mini Nano. I follow them but haven't entered any of my counts yet
no subject
Date: 2022-11-18 07:42 pm (UTC)I often go dialog first, too and go back with descriptions later.