Fin-[PRP] Turtles can Swim (Azazel x Amoroso)

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Azazel paddled around in the lake waters for a while while she had free time. She was not usually taking time to herself these days as her focus was on being a damn good crewman so nobody questioned her gender or species. She had found that most of the crewman didn't seem to like the idea of more than flirting with a female on the crew, but that was fine for now. She was going to find herself a male that wasn't a crewman or captain to keep to herself if she could. Make him stay behind and care for any cubs she bore even if they weren't to him. It sounded very good to her.

The leopardess went to the shore and shook herself off before setting to bathing and drying her fur completely. She had very little puff to her fur from the drying process, but what little fluff she did get was not unattractive, so it was allowable. She would not stand for unattractive fur. While she was fussing over her looks, she did not notice the large spot on the shore that was not a rock or a bit of sand. This did not last for too long, though as she finished her bath.

The leopardess blinked at the odd looking thing not too far away and padded over to get a better view. Mass of fur on sand, just seemed a bit odd to her. She kept herself out of swiping range and inspected it further. Lion, male, not unattractive, looked healthy enough, soaked, and passed out, but he was definitely breathing. She poked him very carefully to see if he would wake. She did not want to hurt the thing if there were injuries she could not see, but she doubted leaving it here would be good for it.... she might be able to keep him for her own uses, after all.  

[RoseNightshade]

A large mass of some lake weed - rather resembling kelp - was laying over the lion's face and his back, still dripping water onto the sand which quickly sucked it up. For all intents and purposes it looked like the lion had perhaps.... washed up on shore from the lake.

The mass of pink and dark gray fur barely shifted at the leopard's initial prodding, only as much as a dead thing would at first, really. But after a minute or two - and perhaps another exploratory prod or three - the unconscious lion did in fact stir.

The first thoughts that came to Amoroso's mind as he woke were confusion, and haze. Then the definite feeling of being wet, followed by a burning in his lungs. He shifted enough to star coughing violently, hacking up water from his abused and oxygen deprived lungs. Only once he was able to breath again did he bother to look up and around, his head feeling light and his paws unsteady, the pink head turning from side to side, but barely lifting, and definitely not bothering to try yet to stand. It seemed he was too out of it to even notice the leopardess quite yet, despite her standing right there.
 

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Azazel studied the male as he came to and coughed up water. Nearly drowned from what she could tell. Hmm, he might be part of the pride, but she had not heard anyone say someone was missing. Then again, most of the pride was everyone for themselves. She shook her head as she watched the male looking confusedly around. What question to ask first, that was the important decision to make at the moment. His name? Maybe, then again, where he came from was just as important.

The leopardess decided to start with something that does not give away if she knwos the male or not. "What are you doing here?" She might be able to get away with claiming him if she played her advantages right. His confusion could be to her advantage... depending on the extensiveness of it. She would have to test the waters so to speak and see what advantages and claw holds she could find to use on this creature.  

[RoseNightshade]

Amoroso let out another few choice coughs, training his still confused eyes in the leopardess' direction once she spoke. His gaze finally seemed to lock on her after a moment or two's consideration, as if he wasn't sure what he was looking at, or if in fact she had been the thing that spoke.

What was he looking at....? It was... she was... that's right, he was looking at a female. But what was she? It suddenly came to him, floating out of the haze. A leopard was standing in front of him. She'd spoke, but what were the words, oh, she'd asked him what he was doing here. Good question. Abruptly Amoroso realized he didn't know the answer himself.

He tried to speak, to explain this, but he was hit with another round of coughs. Trying to get his throat and lungs to recover from whatever they had been submitted to, he took several long, deep gulping breaths, trying to breath slowly till he got his bellows under control.

"I... I'm not sure... actually" His words were interspersed with several coughs, but it sounded as if he had it back under control, even if it was shakey.  

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Azazel poked the lion to make sure he wasn't going to tumble over. He didn't seem too unsteady on his paws, but she did not want to have to drag the male to a healer all on her own. THAT was not the type of thing that any leopardess wanted to do with a full grown lion. The fact that he was not sure why he was here, made her quirk an eyebrow at him. More and more she was liking what she was hearing. She would need to find out just how much he didn't remember. It would be nice to keep him if he didn't remember a mate or a female of importance to him. But he had only said he so far he did not know why he was here. She would have to calm her eagerness and probe a bit more.

"Do you remember your name? Or anything before getting here?" Azazel was trying to probe and still maintain her middle ground. Nothing that gave away if she knew him or not. She had to tread carefully. If he was a member of the pride, she would have to assist him back, if he was not, she did not want to give anything away lest he be one of those despicable Vikings. There were so many facets of the situation to consider. So many things that her mind raced through so she did not make a misstep that would cost her an angle later.  

[RoseNightshade]

Amoroso lifted a paw to rub at his fuzzy head. Why wouldn't his thoughts come to him properly?! It was hard to focus on what the leopardess was saying to him, and harder to remember a single thing. So when she asked him questions, all hell broke loose in his head.

"I... my name?" He questioned to make sure he'd heard what she's said correctly, and just as much to ask himself. Did he remember his name? What was it again.... it seemed like something that he should know.... The pink and gray lion stared at the sand like he was trying to turn it to glass with the intensity of his gaze. This was information he should know! What had happened to him that made him forget everything, even something as terribly important as his own name?!

After was seemed like forever - to him at least - but had in reality only been a few short minutes, an answer drifted to him out of the watery haze that seemed lodged between his ears. "I... I'm... Amoroso. Yeah, that's right, that's what my name is..." He blinked a few times slowly, lifting his head to look up at the leopardess. Who was she? Did she know him....? He was thankful someone had come to his aid.

"I don't know what happened to me, I can't remember..." He winced as if thinking gave him pain, then coughed a time or two more. Seemed like all the water wasn't quite out of his lungs. He wouldn't be running any marathons any time soon, or chasing down any swift prey, but at least he could breath properly again, and was able to get his feet under him and keep them there once he stood.
 

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Azazel frowns at the male, pretending to be irritated with him. It was making her nearly squeal inside with pleasure that he was answering her questions the way he was. Could she be so lucky as to find a male that had no memory of himself? Oh she could do so many things, like claim him as her own little love slave. Well, not slave, he was rather a lot bigger than her. Best to just tell him that he was her lover and see if he would play Corsair for her "Amoroso, do you remember nothing from before you came to be here? Nothing at all?" Oh may he answer no so she could use him.

The leopardess made sure to keep her body language and expression to concerned curiosity. She had a lot of practice playing a part she did not really belong in. She was a devious little actress and it always got her what she wanted or information to get what she wanted. She was the picture of a concerned and friendly face as she sat there in front of the lion. She was already plotting just how nice it would be to have him around to be her male and have him warm her den when they were not busy.  

[RoseNightshade]

"Before here... I....." Again he stared at the sand, focused, mind swimming in a hazey ocean of confusion. Did he? Was there anything he could remember before waking up on the beach? Nothing immediately came even though he tried. Maybe he'd breathed water as far into his body as his brain, uck.

"No... I don't think so... maybe... drowning? I remember water... my head seems to be full of water." He whined softly, laying back down on the sand and putting his paws over his head, clawing at one ear and shaking his head like a dog trying to shake the water out. "It feels like it's stuck in my brain! It's all hazey like I'm swimming underwater and all my thoughts are trapped!"

He turned a piteous gaze up to the leopardess. "I don't know what happened to me...can you help?"
 

[Kathryn Dragonna]

"I am sure it will come back eventually." Azazel gives an internal whoop. He was perfect. Oh so perfect. If he remembered things later, eh, whatever, she would still use him in the meantime. She looks very sad and gets down nose to nose with the male before licking his forehead and nuzzling his cheek. "I might be able to help, dear, but I do have duties to my pride... I could share my den if you need. I am all by myself in a large den." The whining was a little annoying, but if it kept him pliable she wasn't going to complain about it.

The leopardess stands and looks back at the male. "In exchange for some company and a bit of looking after my den, perhaps? It isn't much, but I would hate for you to be out here all by yourself if something nasty came along." Oh this was going to go well. She would make herself seem oh so lonely and he'd probably eat it right out of her paw. Usually when one felt another was as 'lost' as they or close to it, they were all the more willing to do what that other wanted. It was sad but true how easy it was to control someone that 'identified' with you.  

[RoseNightshade]

Amoroso sighed at the reassurance and in exasperation with himself both. Why couldn't he remember? Being drowned didn't normally cause something like this, did it? He realized he hadn't a clue. He closed one eye and blushed when the female leaned down to lick and then nuzzle him. ....Was she someone he knew then? He wasn't sure about that... but then, there wasn't anything that he seemed to be able to recall clearly. But if he knew her, things would feel more right, wouldn't they? But then again, nothing felt right at the moment, especially his darn head. Seemed like his mind was full of nothing but second guessing. But she was offering him help, and help was help, even if it cost a bit.

"Ah, you're pride? I guess you would, that makes sense." Did he have a pride? Was it the same as hers? Probably not, or she would have recognized him, and said so, or at least he thought that would make sense.

He stood again when the female did, looking at her and trying to focus on her face without it making his head swim. She was offering him a place to stay, and only wanted his company and for him to look after things a bit.. he felt he should be more suspicious, but his head hurt and his world swam, and he didn't want to say no, he needed to say yes, so he did. "Yes, that would be okay... it's not far, is it?" It didn't seem like he'd be able to make it very far without resting first.
 

[Kathryn Dragonna]

Azazel smiled at the male, keeping up her concerned act. "No it is not far at all." She slide up beside him to give him a shoulder to lean on. Not that she wanted to lug his whole weight if she could help it, but eh, sacrifices and all that. One did not get what they wanted by slacking off or being all nicy nice for no reason. Everything had a reason behind it and every act of the play had to be thought out carefully to keep the advantage. This was just as any other act, she had to do what she had to do to keep it going.

"If you need to lean on me, go ahead. I am sure after a bit of food and rest you will be much better." She didn't think the fermented fruit would be a good idea for him, though. He was already having problems with his head. He certainly did not need that yet. She would have to make sure he drank water and ate only meat. Maybe get out those furs she'd stuck in the corner in a ball and make a bed for him. Right next to hers of course. She started back toward the den with the male. Oh this was going to be a wonderfully fun set up!  

[RoseNightshade]

He was immediately thankful for the shoulder to lean on, not because he couldn't keep his feet under him, but because the ground didn't seem to want to stay level. What, had the water gotten into his paws, too? He figured maybe it would just be best to assume all of him was waterlogged, after all, it felt like it. "Oh, good, that's really good. I don't think I can walk really far..."

He leaned less weight on her more than he used her as a balance post. Stupid ground, not wanting to stay level... He was starting to get irritated, both at the ground - what the heck was wrong with it?! - and at his inability to recall any meaningful details. Still the only thing he could remember was water, blue, then dark water. Was there a faint memory of someone shouting at him? Belatedly, he realized the female had spoken again. "Ah, thanks, yeah, I'm sure you're right... "

He was starting to get hungry, and his head had begun to hurt again, he hoped the female would let him rest before she expected him to do anything... And maybe she'd even feed him as well. Since there was no way he'd be able to catch anything on his own in his state. She was being awful kind to him, and he was grateful. Although, somewhere in the back of Amoroso's waterlogged mind, he wondered if this female would turn out to be more trouble than she was worth at some point... But it was a tiny thought, and he let it float away in favor of trying to focus on walking, primarily, and second, on trying to remember any scrap of knowledge he could. Worry was a thing that could come later.

~End