K'nahli

The anger in K'mih's voice reclaimed K'nahli's watchful gaze as large, ruby eyes that echoed interest fell back upon her tiny form that seemed even smaller from atop the rock where she stood, a rock whose height almost seemed to grow further and further with each passing moment. The archer remained silent as she allowed her younger sister to speak. Outside of the look in her eyes however, she may have otherwise continued to appear unphased. "K'nahli still has no idea of what being completely alone feels like!!" Kmih's final words before she abandoned the scene behind her in a flash of anger. The older sister's maroon eyes followed the younger as she quickly departed. K'mihs reaction was unusual for her ever-happy nature, but expected by K'nahli in some form nonetheless. "Is that supposed to make it okay..?" the miqo'te sighed quietly to herself before tearing her eyes away from the fleeting form of K'mih. Her eyes once again found themselves drawn back out toward the now-uninteresting sands where her mind sought the chance to wander as she stared blankly out across the monotone landscape for some time before swallowing hard against a complicated feeling. "You've done it now, K'nahli" the girl thought aloud to herself with a false laugh that was quickly shadowed by an equally false smile. She carried her hand up to comb through her silky hair, laced with wind-carried grains of sand, as she spoke - bringing it to a rest in the form of a closed fist against her cheek before allowing it to slip back down by her side once again. The dazzling glare of the brilliant sun caused her restless and watery eyes to glisten softly in the warming light while she remained still for a moment longer, captivated my her own thoughts as she had been the past few days. The young archer's gaze then turned back down toward her bow that lay patiently alongside her. She stared at it for a moment with uncertainty, blinking slowly in the process. She didn't want to train today either. [End Of Scene]

"We're not on bad terms. I am not so shallow as to wallow over what happened in the sense that you are thinking, I am just choosing not to be on friendly terms with her" she replied quickly once again with the same neutral voice as her glance took itself to look directly into the K'mih's vibrant eyes. "Is that so unreasonable?" When K'tahjha began to speak, K'nahli's glance carried over toward her with indifference though without the hesitation that the blonde archer had secretly anticipated. Her broken form struggled to speak her troubled mind as tears quickly overwhelmed and emotion swallowed her whole. In other circumstances, the sight might have tugged on K'nahli's heart and fed her with a poisoning sense of guilt, though that was not how it felt to the steely archer now. Instead, K'nahli couldn't help but wince a little at the sight of the girl, as though she were witnessing something very strange or even crude. Regardless, neither the girl's words nor her abrupt exit did much to phase the blue-haired archer, after all, she was not her friend... and it was not her problem. --((Assuming K'mih lingers long enough to hear K'nahli out))-- "K'mih..." the words came after a short pause following K'tahjha's exit. K'nahli's voice grew a little softer now as it naturally would when speaking to her sister, though her tone was still direct. "I have no interest in hearing an apology from her because I do not appreciate it's purpose" she began while turning away to face back toward the landscape that had previously captured her interest. Strangely, it appeared less vibrant than it had only a few moments ago; as if, the girl thought, the discomforting encounter was sapping the interest and life out of the scenery around them. "We have barely shared words. We know nothing of each other. To imply that she cares about my feelings on the matter is an insult" She paused for a couple of seconds before continuing. "She didn't come to make amends with me out of concern for my well-being... she just wanted to feel better about herself" K'nahli sighed softly while offering her sister a short, but noticeable sideward glance in inspection. The young girl was the most kind-hearted soul she had ever known. Even if K'mih believed what K'nahli had said, that surely wouldn't stop the girl from consoling K'tahjha, not that K'nahli minded. Her small but lone worry was that perhaps her words were earning disfavour with the pink-haired miqo'te. "If you still think me to be wrong then you should also be trying to have myself acquaint with the rest of the tribe because as I recall, you're one of the very few members who would dare to call me 'friend' " she added with an almost painful honesty as she took her glance completely away from her younger sister once again.

"I am not as quick to declare strangers as family, K'mih" K'nahli's reply followed very closely after K'mih's words. Her gaze continued staring out ahead of herself while the two girls lingered just barely within the periphery of her vision. "All that girl is to me is someone who assaulted me without true purpose. Tell me, why should I offer her my concern when I haven't shared words with her enough to deem her worthy of something that would otherwise be so simple? I cannot feign to have trust in her" she continued coldly with a tone that revealed little emotion. She blinked slowly before calmly drawing her head away from the safety of her arms and turning it directly towards her younger siblings now. Her eyelids drooped slightly over her eyes, giving her an almost disinterested look as she spoke, something unusual for the girl. "To the point, tell me what brought you here. You wish to tell me I was wrong with my actions?" she questioned directly in hopes of short and simple explanation.

It wasn't until K'mih spoke that K'nahli finally threw a momentary, sideward glance toward the pink-haired miqo'te. Deep, maroon eyes trained on a timid K'mih for a few seconds before flicking upward to observe an equally anxious K'tahja lingering closely behind her. K'nahli's eyes narrowed subtly with disdain before her gaze returned ahead of her to look upon the vibrant landscape once more. "We could, but it seems you have company.." the older archer replied with a casual tone, albeit, it carried with it a sharp edge.

A young K'nahli, oblivious to the exchange that had been occurring not too far away from her, remained as still and as silent as before. Her maroon-saturated eyes continued to gaze out across the soft, saffron waves that decorated the desert floor beautifully as numerous, thin strands of blue hair swayed across her persisting stare through the warm and rolling breeze as though trying to steal her attention away from the unique scenery. The vibrant shades of cantaloupe, saffron and cerulean that were painted carefully across the landscape in the distance ahead of her continued to alternate at a calmingly, slow pace while it majestically offered a very simple but soothing and pretty show for the lonely archer as she resided in silence atop the humble rock. It wouldn't be long before the tips of the girl's fine, perceptive ears would flick and twitch minutely in response to the discreet, but noticeable approaching sounds that would emanate from the direction of the camp. Without turning to verify what she had suspected, K'nahli blinked slowly in what would almost appear to be a look of lament as she buried her face a little more deeply into her crossed arms, hiding the lower portion of her eyes from view in the process. ("Can I not be let alone to my thoughts..?") she thought to herself quietly.

Her chores has been completed with an almost unusual speed and efficiency the past couple of suns, like a child eager to complete all responsibilities as soon as possible so that they could return to play with their friends immediately after. Indeed, it was much like that, though it had lacked the same feeling of excitement and joy. The now free K’nahli Yohko was a short distance away from the camp, alone in her regular, isolated spot that she had frequently assumed for daily training. The young girl shared company with nothing other than the soft, desert breeze and the faint, distant cries of preying sandworms that impatiently searched for their growingly-scarce food many malms away. The young miqo’te sat quietly atop a rounded rock whose smooth surface offered a somewhat comfortable seating for her. Her legs were tucked in toward her chest, placing her knees at chin level as nimble arms neatly lay across them, creating a cushioned pillow of flesh for where to gently rest her head. Her lips pressed lightly into the skin that lay behind her crossed arms, concealing her mouth from view and causing the young miqo’te to almost look like a curious animal as her crimson eyes lazily peered out across the vast sea of sand with an odd vacancy while she mindlessly observed the continuously changing tints of tangerine and saffron that painted itself across the landscape through soft, clouds of sand that were occasionally carried along by the prevailing winds. Beside the girl, her beautifully-carved bow lay untouched – carefully placed as though it were an infant whom needed constant supervision and care. Its presence had so far served no physical use other than being around in case of an emergency, not that that was truly of any concern to the girl. The bow, however, was more than just a weapon to her. It was an extension of her being, something that gave per confidence and had somehow helped mould and refine her personality. It was without a doubt, always necessary. The girl blinked softly while continuing to observe the distant sands. Spectating in silence as reminiscent phantoms from memories past echoed toward her arbitrarily. The random order in which they appeared made no sense to the girl on the surface, yet somehow, they all granted upon her the same feeling of guilt.

Hee hee heeeee..... *flaunts about shamelessly with free Clover edits* I'll contribute here too I guess ^^/

I always thought the Sultansworn were more like the Secret Service but I'm not very lore savvy. I'm just going by what I've seen in-game.

I'm really, really, really sorry. I never read the topic after this. I didn't want to step on the chance for someone who could play her better so that's why I withdrew so hastily. It wasn't until I checked the forums after the event had started(Clover asked me to come along and she told me of her confusion about the gathering spot) that I noticed you had still thought I was going to play the character @_@ I really hope I didn't spoil anything. I'm so, very sorry x_x ;;

Andre's expression quickly returned to it's normal, content state upon hearing her words, a shy smile finally breaking through the surface of his once solid expression and restoring him to his typical composure. He was satisfied with that answer. "I see" he replied softly. His gaze drifted away from her and returned to face ahead of himself once more. His softened, sapphire eyes focused on the surface of the rolling stream as it scurried and tumbled over it's uneven, rocky bed to try and quickly make its way down to the placid safety of the pool near the bottom of the hill. He blinked slowly as he articulated his thoughts on the matter before parting his lips to speak again. "Though if you don't mind me saying, I do believe in what I had mentioned earlier" he added after a moment without taking his eyes away from the fleeting river water. "Everyone's melody is different, unique. Should you find yourself as audience to the music eventually then I'm sure it will be with someone who understands and knows best how to keep your lack of certainty at bay. Or..." he trailed off for a moment. "...or perhaps the music will be so overwhelming that you'd be willing to openly embrace what you fear now" he concluded in speculation. In truth, there was only so much he could say being that he too, had yet to hear the music, though at the very least he wanted to reassure the girl. There were much graver things to fear in this world after all. "I'm sorry..." he added with a small laugh in embarrassment after another short pause before continuing. "As I have said, I am not certain myself, but... be it fairytales or genuine instances like that with your grandparents... doesn't it make you feel as though its something you cannot truly comprehend until it comes to you? Every song is different and yet, somehow...... they all sound the same" His voice began soft and carefree, but as it continued it slowly drifted into something more somber and passionate, as though lulled by the intensity of his own words. Andre was not ready for such things either, but from everything he had heard and even from the songs he had sang so often before, the mysterious tales of lovers and the loveless had left him curious of the one emotion he did not fully understand. In a brief moment of hindsight, his mind returned to that of Clover's predicament. As innocent as her spoken feelings made her sound, it also sparked a feeling of sadness within the male. ("Is love really something to fear?") [Close Curtain] [End of Scene]

The hyur's eyes narrowed at her words. So it wasn't a worry for never hearing it but rather the opposite. Andre was struck silent for a moment as his eyes travelled waywardly across the sun-bathed scenery in thought. His upbringing had turned him into an unusual character, a romantic that hesitates little when it comes to honeyed talk, though it was likely only an emphasis toward Clover's discomfort judging by her response. "I hope by that you mean you are a being that does not find comfort in the concept of love and partnership rather that someone who believes themselves unworthy of it" was his response after a moment. His voice had become solid and less friendly now as he looked down at the young girl carefully in anticipation, genuinely uncertain of her words' meaning.

Andre's curious gaze returned over his shoulder towards Clover at the mention of the song. He was indeed familiar with it. It was a song seldom played in the places he frequented but one absolutely worth knowing for its gentle and lulling composure. Though it was out of curiosity for where she was leading with the topic that intrigued him the most. "In my case, I don't think I've heard the music. I don't hear anything..." Andre quickly responded with an entertained laugh upon Clover's admittance. He tried to allow himself to sound friendly in the process, though it couldn't be helped if Clover would initially interpret it as some form of teasing. "Aren't you a little young to be harbouring such worries? You're starting to make me feel anxious for myself" he mused, referring to him appearing to have at least a few summers on the mysterious girl. Her slight but apparent frustration coupled with the posture she had taken made the situation all the more humourous for the bard though he picked on it no further out of consideration. He sighed loudly in contentment before pushing himself back to his feet, walking a little ahead of where Clover sat quietly and proceeding to loosen up his stiff joints with some simple stretches. "I may not know much about love nor relationships, but I don't believe that it takes that kind of experience to be certain of what I feel I am" he began in honesty. His tone of voice had changed slightly. It was still conveying its normal and friendly tone though it was somehow more serious - more assuring and confident rather than being conscious of interpretation. "Everyone, or rather... every couple has their own unique melody. I cannot make too many presumptions about you being that I haven't known you for very long, but you are certainly something unusual" he continued while engaging his arms in a different stretch. His sea-blue eyes were focused out ahead of him. Staring blankly into the distance until everything grew blurry as he focused intently on what he wished to say, though remaining ignorant of so much as making eye contact with the girl. "Much like sounded to be the case with your grandparents, I'm sure that your melody will be far more beautiful than even the sweetest composition ever created by man" were his words as the man clearly revealed himself to be unafflicted by his own honeyed talk. His arms fell back down by his side in satisfaction before he allowed himself to turn back toward Clover with the familiar, warm and reassuring look that he often boasted. "But like music made by man, such melodies cannot be obtained so easily" he admitted without reluctance as he stepped back toward the girl and casually leaned his back against the tree, standing alongside her this time. "But it will come. And you will hear it" he added while looking down at her with a warm smile and an encouraging sense of certainty. To her, his words may have sounded like ridiculous claims just for the sake of easing her mind, though to Andre, the girl was indeed as special as he insisted upon. Friendly bias could only extend so far.

A gentle smile quickly returned upon hearing Clover's question. The golden-haired hyur paused for a moment in thought, his eyes tracing along the ground through the swaying grass before leaning his head back against the tree once more to face back up toward the obscured sky. "I wouldn't know, truthfully..." he answered with an audible sigh. "I'd like to think that its one of those feelings where such a question wouldn't be necessary" the hyur continued, pausing shortly to observe a weightless piece of emerald - disturbed by a nesting bird - flutter gracefully, down from the painting above to reacquaint with its fallen friends nearby. The topic at hand made him briefly recall an old friend, the girl his father had wanted him to marry back in Ul'dah. The daughter of another wealthy family, of course. Andre dragged one of his free fingers through the soft topsoil alongside himself, drawing nothing in particular as the thought stole him away for a second. She had indeed been a very sweet girl and very beautiful as well; though even in spite of her being equally fond of him in return, it was never a relationship that was considered "love" by either of them. ("Some people just operate better as friends...") was his unspoken opinion. Returning from his train of thought, he offered a soft, half-laugh before speaking again. "But then again, since when has the hyur heart been an easy thing to understand?"

For the longest moment it felt as though his eyelids were glued shut... or perhaps too heavy to open as, soundlessly, he struggled to reopen them and return to the vibrant embrace of the Gridanian woodlands whose natural sounds faintly called out to him in the form of indecipherable whispers, quietly informing him that it was time to his return to the real world once more. When he finally succeeded, glassy eyes of deepening sapphire revealed themselves to the warm and welcoming light that filled the forest around them with a pale glow. They stared blankly on out ahead of himself for a short moment as his thoughts struggled to catch up to his fleeting mind. "That is the end of the story" The concluding words of the green-eyed girl finally processed with Andre as he snapped out of the drowsy state Clover had bestowed upon the Ul'dahn hyur with her enchanting story. Perhaps he hadn't given himself enough time to rest since his return, the thought occurred to him. The story wasn't even that long in truth, and yet.. he felt oddly drained of his energy. Blinking a few times in response to Clover's voice, Andre recalled the entire story as it was told as though he were just awoken from a nostalgic dream. Regardless, no detail was left forgotten. He found the story to be beautifully mesmerizing in its teaching of sacrifice. A tragic tale that succeeded in aching the hearts of it's audience could never be discredited. Its beauty of course, only enhanced through the soft narration of a young and enthusiastic Clover Blake who, with a sweet but moderated voice, depicted the sorrowful tale of unconditional love with a perfection that left nothing to be desired. Andre breathed in a long but soft breath as he contemplated a fitting response to such a tale, one that had carefully toyed with his heart.... though for once, he found himself at a loss. Perhaps it was his fatigue or a momentary loss for the right words, though whatever the reason had been, the response was not something that could have been said on a whim. Tales like the one she had told were peculiar, as though they always needed some time to effectively sink in. He released the breath again, its quiet and unseen escape into the rising air bringing with it a faint smile. "Beautiful.." His awaited response in the end was so simple, though in the end, to him it was somehow very befitting - summarizing everything that he had felt from the short and isolated experience in the woodland. His eyes lowered to the ground as they gazed upon the leaf litter and random assortment of small twigs wistfully, his faint smile slowly fading in reflection of the tale and himself.

Andre's sapphire eyes widened in surprise as the girl suddenly slipped into story-telling mode without much of a delay. His request had of course been genuine, though he didn't expect her to trouble herself by doing so in that moment on a whim. Maybe.. his request was an unconscious attempt to meet her again at a later date, an honest thought occurred to him. While he didn't know her very well, her presence and voice felt oddly warming to him. Perhaps because it was so unlike the more energetic and charismatic females he was accustomed to meeting back in Ul'dah when he and the others played music; however, whatever the reason was, she undoubtedly stole from him his sense of worry. Her innocence as it were, was oddly soothing, a reassuring blanket that wrapped itself delicately around him during their short meetings. ("Wasn't something troubling you...?") a small thought struggled to bubble to the top of his mind through the ongoing activity as he recalled the way she had summoned him the other night, though it was soon forgotten amidst the proceeding tale. A soft smile passed along his features as he returned to a comfortable position by placing his gaze forward along the sloping, grassy hills. A deep but silent inhale filled his lungs with the sweet scents of the forest and echoed the lowering of lazy eye lids as they contently bid temporary farewell to the vibrant world around them so that his imagination may embrace the world that was slowly being painted by the words that carefully slipped over the young girl's lips; words that were a youthful reminiscence of aged but lively echoes of an old man's tale, a man now lost from this world to what they could only hope was an afterlife inspired by his tales. Andre hung on to every description carefully, using her words as the paintbrush to fill in and colour the empty canvas that was slowly coming to life before him in the solitude of his own mind. His smile grew a little wider as he briefly imagined the story being told with the voice of a loving and curious grandfather. He imagined his storytelling to be one that would always keep even the most disinterested of hearts entertained through the genuine mystery and wonder that resonated through the confident tone of an aged voice. The fictional voice that he had imagined in his head slowly faded however, returning Andre to the sweet and heartwarming tone of Clover's young and feminine voice as she spoke slowly but enchantingly, revealing one of her sacred tales to Andre and the whispering trees around them. It was strange Andre thought, it was almost as though she were a different person when she was like this. It wasn't that she seemed more confident, but rather... ("...this is your world..?") His thoughts concluded seriously. He smiled again as she continued telling her story, oblivious to his thoughts. Perhaps it was a biased preference but he somehow doubted he would rather hear stories being told by anyone else. This girl is so engaged with the tales that she speaks of, and because of her they almost feel... real. ("I see...") he thought quietly to himself after a moment's thought, his smile growing subtly wider in return. His head slowly leaned back against the tree's smooth bark cosily, allowing the warmth of the morning sun that eagerly pierced through the emerald leaves above to blanket itself soothingly across his exposed neck and relaxed expression while he listened contently to Clover's melancholic tale. Her voice was like an unceasing lullaby.

- "...Almost all kinds. That's why..." - Andre's expression fell vacant for a moment in uncertainty. His eyes remained trained on her with some confusion as his brow furrowed slightly in thought. ("Did she not find the stories entertaining enough?") he thought aloud in his head before suddenly the realisation came back to haunt him. ("OH....... those...") he narrated silently in his head, cursing himself for failing to remember such an obvious and embarrassing detail. A faint blush and awkwardly humoured expression on behalf of the innocent, young girl was all he could display for a moment while he broke eye contact with her shyly. "No.... no, I'm afraid I didn't sing. I suppose I didn't want to impose upon the young host's performance nor bore the audience with my less polished skills" he chuckled in dismissal as he returned to his previous position facing away from the girl. Her question had inspired a moment's interest within him though it was quickly interrupted and forgotten due to another and overshadowing thought. His eyes flicked away to the ground for a moment in thought. Upon returning, a slow and mischievous smirk slowly formed across his face. He couldn't help himself. "Ahh... but this is still disappointing. I feel I am owed at least one story now.." he sighed with lament while throwing his eyes up the sky eagerly. It was obvious through the tone of his voice that he was just being playful with the idea. As much as he doubted it to be the case he didn't want to pressure the girl into accepting such a 'request'. ((OOC: In another scene, no worries Clover >w<))

"Ah..." he began while slowly taking a seat against the tree. The enclosing bark of the Gridanian giant was particularly even, allowing him to comfortably lie against it even with the absence of any cushioning moss. He sat at an angle to the girl so that he was facing away from her and down toward the nearby incline that steeped down to meet the running stream below. "When you put it like that, I must admit that it was a nice chance to see the world outside of the twelveswood again.." Andre paused for a brief moment as a soft breeze gently brushed across his face, its delicate touch vainly attempting to capture the hanging strands of blonde hair that fell decoratively across his sun-warmed cheeks; the sensation, silently and slowly encouraging a modest smile along with it. "Although I found myself quickly missing this place..." he added with a halfhearted laugh as he flopped his head backward against the tree, angling his view upward to the partially-obscured, cerulean canvas above that was carefully dotted with clean and perfect puffs cotton. "Ah..! By the by!" he spoke in a sudden, but moderated burst of energy while turning back toward the girl. His right arm extended firmly down into the soft ground like a beam, supporting his upper body as he leaned in closer to Clover with great interest. "I was surprised you didn't participate in the story telling the other night. Had I noticed you earlier I would have found myself disappointed" he added almost too seriously while meeting her unblinking, emerald gaze. He smiled. ("Then again... maybe its not that surprising") he thought quietly to himself while watching the quiet girl sitting curiously before him, anxiously awaiting her response.

"Its been a while, Clover" Andre's naturally relaxed voice announced his presence as he quietly drew within range of his young acquaintance. A genuine smile would warmly greet Clover when she would look upon her expected guest who lingered but a few yalms away as though awaiting permission to come any closer. A small laugh would quickly follow, escaping past his lips after taking a short moment to study her expression. "You're the same as ever I see! I wonder who it is that has been doing the most traveling" he added brightly before slowly stepping in a little closer toward her, creating a discreet crunch of twigs and foliage beneath his feet as he did so.

I hardly participated in this because of a few unexpected happenings but it was a very fun event and and an extremely talented job performed by the host with the song interpretations. I loved it and hope you plan on doing more in the future ^^/ Thank you again!

K'takka's reply was not one K'nahli had expected... nor one that she had wanted. The young girl's expression gradually softened though it still bared hint of her slowly fading agitation. Her crimson eyes narrowed in focus upon her weary elder's back that silently spoke of only the disappointment she held for K'nahli in that moment. ("You won't even try...?") It was a strange realisation that had only occurred to her after the fact. Though her words were sincere, she did not want a K'takka to submit so easily. "...do you yet see what you are dealing with?" the girl inquired after a short period of silence as her eyes fell to the ground shamefully. K'nahli had regrettably proved her initial point before even a minute had passed, but it was not something she could feel any form of satisfaction from. She sighed quietly to herself in lament. "Though I do not deserve it, I pray you can forgive me..." she added downtroddenly before offering a modest bow in silence and turning to exit the tent.

The scratch mark left by K'takka stung fiercely as her nail sliced through the girl's delicate skin causing it to bleed lightly. Without a moment's delay, the young archer's expression quickly grew fierce with anger as K'takka's outburst summoned the burning, fighter within her. Defensive K'nahli had arrived. "Your claim to being a better judge of someone you know nothing about is no better!" the girl spat with a vicious tone in response. In her mind, no matter how well she thought she knew K'nahli, it was nothing that would put her in a position to make such claims. "Knowledge and experience can only make you so wise, elder. Treating your audience as though their opinions are of little value next to yours is obscenely arrogant" she continued with a decreasing resonance, though her anger still prevailed throughout the way she spoke. The girl glanced away in disgruntlement, taking a second or two before speaking again. "You are right in that I am selfish, but I do not seek redemption. I.. cannot change" K'nahli added more somberly, though her expression retained an irritated appearance as she eyed the weatherproof fabric of the tent that enclosed them with an absent stare. "And I am not one who learns more effectively through fear or punishment..." were her final words spoken as a form of jab toward K'takka's unnecessary outburst. Ironic as it was for her to think such a thing.

K'nahli's eyes opened carefully once K'takka began speaking though they did not release themselves from the safety of the sand that lay beneath her remarkably larger shadow. To K'nahli, the tent seemed to fall into a dead silence all except for the steady, aged voice of the frail miqo'te who spoke her wisdom down to the lost child kneeling before her. The young archer clung to them as though they were a safety line extending out to her in the void; feeling that she had to try hard to understand what her elder had to say. K'takka was a being whom offered little comfort where it was without necessity, though she was not a fool whose words held little to no meaning. A prickling sensation caused K'nahli's eyes to grow more wide and behold her great-grand mother as a feeble, bony finger poked beneath her chin and drew it upward to face ahead. Various layers of silk and cotton decorated with gold adornments enclosed the frail and once intimidating form of the hunched old woman whom revealed a notably different expression in comparison to the one K'nahli had seen before. It was a peculiar side of the woman that the girl was not familiar with, though it was distinguishably genuine; perhaps even the closest display of warmth she could provide to the girl, at least in these circumstances. K'nahli listened carefully as K'takka continued to speak, illustrating her father in a positive light and drawing out a lesson that K'nahli should take from him and his actions. The mention of his name still did not sit comfortably with her though she had to agree, for even she had felt something when K'yohko had submitted in the way that he did. When her elder concluded with her teachings, K'nahli's lips parted to speak, though hesitation stole all sound from her throat. She wanted to tell K'takka that it was actually neither her nor the rest of the elders that she had fled from, nor was it the fear of consequence at their hands. However, the girl realised, that was besides the point. In the end she did run away from something; K'yohko. She ran from reality, from the consequences of her actions, even if it had already been administered. It did not matter in what manner she did so, the lesson was the same. Aside from that, it was not a topic she wished to bring up recklessly. The girl's eyes averted away to the side and back down to the ground as a thought crossed her mind. Perhaps the topic was too uncomfortable for her to speak while retaining her gaze within the depths of K'takka's clouded eyes or maybe it was just a natural reflex. Regardless, her gaze would not return as she offered her response. "Do you believe I can be redeemed, elder.... even when I do not?" she began with an honest and inquisitive tone as her eyes softened into a melancholic appearance. Her words in fact referred to her behaviour as a whole over the past five years and not merely this evening's incident, though she felt assured that that much was obvious to the elderly miqo'te. "You would ask me if I understand, and to it I could truthfully confirm that I do, but..." She paused. "...understanding is not enough. I cannot trust myself to follow true to your words for long even were I subjected to ceaseless sanction.." she admitted dangerously with an indifferent blink. The truth in her words simply poured out of her as though she failed to understand that they carried tremendous risk. "It is not out of disrespect... nor is it because I am..... st-..ubborn.." the girl trailed off in reluctant admittance to her own nature as the weight of her own words was finally realised when it came to a self critical comment. A soft sigh escaped past her lips before her eyes momentarily returned to meet with K'takka's before quickly fleeting away again. "Mayhap I am a case that is unsalvagable.."

K'nahli did not stir as those around her continued speaking as though her presence was no longer recognised. K'takka, the bitter woman's words toward her father, they were very harsh, insulting even... but sadly, they were also true. Perhaps it was too much coincidence indeed for so many of his daughters to be demonstrating some form of weakness, be it psychological of physical. Was there something wrong with K'yohko? With his parenting? With his blood? K'nahli exhaled a little more heavily at the thought, though it would be perceived as insignificant and fall unnoticed to all else. No. K'yohko was fine. For the girl to accept such a convenient excuse like that... it would be unacceptable. He was not the reason for her flaws; only she could be held accountable for herself, as K'ailia could for her own. Momentarily distracted by the thought and before K'nahli had realised it, K'yohko was bowing humbly alongside her, submitting his dignity and pride in exchange for some discreet counsel with his wayward daughter. The gesture tugged at K'nahli's heart a little as crimson irises concealed behind the veils of her eyelids peered past the corner of her eyes where the warmth of her father's presence resided next to her. She was unsure what the emotion was that leered over her in that moment. Could it have been a form of respect? Annoyance even? ...envy? The young girl herself could not be certain. It was a painful feeling when one could not understand their own feelings, yet K'nahli was a victim to such moments all too frequently. K'nahli's ears twitched minutely as the silent patter of weightless feet carried themselves across the dry sand and in her direction. K'takka's approaching presence was unmistakable as she slowly and quietly drew nearer to K'nahli, the elder's attention clearly focused upon the young huntress now, at last. K'nahli strained hard against all natural instinct not to tense her muscles to brace herself for whatever would come next. Even for likes of the weary-eyed elders, she did not doubt their perception - and the last thing she wanted was to agitate neither them nor her father any further. Despite her best efforts however, the moment her blue hair shifted under the very tender press of K'takka's leathery fingers the girl's muscles submitted defensively. Her ears collapsed in anticipation and her eyes tightened slightly for a few seconds. Though nothing happened. ("....?") The total surprise in response to K'takka's unforeseen gesture nearly caused the girl to open her eyes in bewilderment. Was she trying to say that she understood K'nahli? Or that perhaps her actions were simply forgiven? The girl hesitated at the thought. No, that couldn't be right... as strange as it was, things were not that simple. She remained silent and motionless despite her confusion. It was all she could do until she was formerly addressed. At the very least, her father had departed from their presence now. A significant amount of tension had been lifted from her weighted shoulders.

K'nahli offered no resistance toward her father as he briskly forced her down low to the ground with a swift and rough motion, in total submission before the elders. She couldn't. After all, he was right and she was wrong. Denying such a thing would only be further deceiving herself, a sickening trait that the girl so badly wanted to abandon to the coming night before it poisoned her mind completely. Her face, one painted with a neutral expression - a false facade - came into close contact with the cool ground causing the dry, grains of sands to gently kiss and tickle the tip of her nose. In spite of the humiliating treatment, the once proud archer made no sound all the while, for her thoughts were clouded entirely with heart-aching images of a disgusted K'yohko. A father whom had tolerated so much more than was ever warranted. The girl relieved her dry throat as she swallowed again in a petty and discreet attempt to contain herself, to not make a fool of herself again, to not reveal her emotions and come bearing the truth of her hideous weakness; something that would only give further reason to earn herself contempt in the eyes of father.

After what seemed like too short a time, the blue-haired huntress found herself outside of her destination, lingering within the long shadow cast by the tent of her elders' that loomed intimidatingly over her shrinking form. The group of curious tribekin whom had congregated outside earlier had since dispersed, probably having either lost interest with the lack of activity or, more likely, because they had been shooed off by the unimpressed occupants. A bead of sweat formed over the girl's notably, anxious expression as she loitered for a moment in silence. Though the elders would likely not see her leave without sanction, it was not them that she feared most. The thought of seeing her father again made her feel incredibly uneasy, not to mention the fact that her sudden and unexplained disappearance will only have exacerbated the issue. Perhaps it would even have been seen as a voluntary act of defiance. Swallowing hard, the girl slowly stepped forward and reluctantly passed through the tent flaps with a noiseless stride into the heavy atmosphere that awaited dogmatically within. "Forgive me..." she whispered humbly while bowing her head in respect. She had chosen a moment where her entry would not interrupt any dialogue though it wouldn't surprise her if she was scolded for speaking out of place. "A moment of weakness stole from me my sense of priority. I am entirely responsible.." she added coolly with a soft, despondent blink without lifting her head from the compounded sand that was carpeted beneath the tent. Though she could not see her father, she could feel his dominating presence lingering further within. It made her so painfully uncomfortable. Like a parasite, it quickly leeched her already-weakened sense of control and collection away from her body. However, she was in the presence of her elders now. She could no longer shield her vulnerability and fear behind anger while she held them as audience. Her tiny existence before them was comparable to a thin sheet of glass that lay daringly in the path of an enraged primal. Fragile and weak - so very close to being broken.