It was just her, for once. After all the meetings and cubsitting that had been keeping her busy for the last few days it was a strange feeling to have a moment alone. Azarax was summoned by the regents and Uuo was training one of her apprentices. Ursa was with Kaanga and in general it seemed like everyone was preoccupied. Amazing.More amazing still, she didn't particularly feel like being alone, not just yet. She traversed the distance across the sands to find someone to socialize with that day, deciding to simply see who she'd run into first.
Iroh was enjoying himself. He was sitting near a watering hole, listening to the water. It was a new-ish experience. He often listened to the sands, and marveled that he hadn’t thought to listen to the water before that day. It had so much to say, even when it was still! He drew in a deep breath, pondering over the very unique smell the wet mud around the watering hole had. It wasn’t the nicest smell, but it he liked it anyway.
Opening his eyes, he put his paw in the water, washing off the mud that stuck to it only to get more on as he put it back on the shore to wash the other paw. Having white fur was… difficult, sometimes.
But he was grinning and content, taking a lazy day to himself, away from family and friends, and just seeing what he could learn on his own.
Yin-li approached quietly so as not to disturb the cub, but did not wish to startle him either. It occured to her that his senses by now were likely getting to be well honed enough that he'd hopefully sense her coming anyway, but still.
"Enjoying a mud bath, Iroh? I've heard it said those are supposed to be very soothing..."
She paused at the watering hole's side, looking to him quietly to ask silent permission to join him.
Iroh caught a familiar scent on the air and turned to see Yin-li coming closer. He grinned at her, just as she started to speak. He planted his paws in the mud, sinking a bit as he turned himself to face her. He looked down, frowning at the mud a bit before recovering his content attitude in a flash.
“I’m actually trying to get the mud off, but I can’t do it without getting more back on. I was thinking about going for a little swim, but I’m worried when I get out all the dirt and sand will cling to my fur.” He sighed, a bit vainly, wondering if darker lions put so much thought into keeping the coats clean.
“Do you want to join me? I was listening to the water, and that is very soothing. I’m not sure about mud baths, though. I don’t think I’d find it very calming at all… mud and bath shouldn’t be in the same sentence.”
The water seeker couldn't help but chuckle, settling down next to him as she took in his replies. When he'd finished speaking she picked him up by the scruff of his neck and pulled him over to rest between her forepaws, taking it upon herself to help him getting his fur clean, not complaining about the taste of the mud. Maternal instincts had kicked in fiercly a few weeks ago, ever since Azarax had told her how he felt. She'd yet to say so to him, not wanting him to think she had baby fever because of it, but truth be told maybe she did.
"Sometimes--" She answered between grooming licks. "--you just have to take the hit and clean up the old fashioned way. That's why you learn to avoid getting dirty as you get older and have to start grooming your fur yourself." She teased. "You're right--" She paused, taking a moment to clear most of the mud from her tongue. "--it is very soothing, and perhaps you're right again. We don't have much mud here so..." Yin chuckled. "Nukta, one of the lions I met with the Dawnwalkers, he's the one that suggested it, but he comes from a place where mud is plentiful. He said it said it helped him stay cool in the heat."
Iroh never declined a bath. He was easy to pick up, didn’t wiggle, and sat down where she set him, getting comfortable and moving in helpful ways for her. He purred the whole while, in his broken way. The goofy sound seemed to reflect how happy he was, and how genuine it was. He never had to feign being happy to see anyone, especially not someone he considered an extension of his family.
“I groom when I can,” he said with a nod, “I’m just not… fond… of some of the tastes. I know I shouldn’t let that get in the way of taking care of myself, but it’s hard. I like eating good things so much…” he smiled, still a bit too pudgy for his age and how active he was. He was beginning to think that was just how his body was built.
“Mud helps you stay cool in the sun?” he frowned, “wouldn’t you be hotter because you have more on your fur? Or… or does the water in the mud keep you cool?” The naturally curious cub was getting a bit excited by this simple piece of new information.
"Hmm..."
Iroh had always been one of the most cooperative cubs of the lot when she was helping to look after them (Though she was glad when Ilah stepped in to fill the role of caretaker, and mother. It had never been Yin-li's intention to do so, she was simply the babysitter, returning Kadogo's kindness from her slave days by giving him a helping paw while he let things settle down a bit with Ilahle.), and because of it it helped her to feel closer to him. She felt like she was wanted when Iroh and Ursa were around, for sure, and it made up for any of Lu-ten's escape attempts, and Sozin's attitude.
"There's a trick to that. I'll let you in on the secret." She nudged him with her nose lightly to prompt him to lift the other paw when she had finished with the first, taking up grooming it now. "I keep a good bone handy in our den, so that when I don't like the taste of something I'm cleaning off I have something to look forward to to help me wash the taste from my mouth." Grin.
She adjusted her paws then to prop him a little better to get the last of the mud off with a few rough strokes, but didn't push for him to move when she was done. She enjoyed this.
"Mm, it does. The mud blocks out the sun and it's easy to wash out with water, but for obvious reasons, it's a bit less plausible to try such a thing here." She did have to admit.
Iroh complied, lifting his paw and listening intently. He nodded, slowly at first, letting the information sink in. It definitely sounded like a good idea to him. Plus, it involved one of his favorite things to do. He liked to chew on bones, for the taste and to ‘sharpen his teeth’. Or that’s what he told his siblings he was doing when they asked him about it. It might not have been a lie. He didn’t really know if it was possible to sharpen teeth, so how could he know he was lying about it?
“Plus, if you were still wet and walked out in the sand you’d be a big clump in a few minutes,” he laughed, imagining himself in that situation. He didn’t think it would feel too nice, having all that sand rubbing against his fur and into it. Shaking his head, he laughed and purred again, “I want to see a place with a lot of mud, sometime, then. Just to see how it does work, and how it feels. It would be an interesting thing to know about.”
He rubbed against her affectionately, getting comfortable now that the cleaning was done, “mom and I went to this place called Singing Sands and on the way she taught me how to get water out of a cactus. I like learning about little tricks like that, or like with the mud, just in case I’ll need it in the future. When I’m serving the pride.” He puffed out his chest proudly.
Admittedly she was paying more attention to his purring and laughing than to the sounds of the water, but she couldn't help that. Happy sounds like that weree more or less things of the past for a long time, and even once in the Dawnwalker land, free, her family just sort of... didn't click like it had in the carefree days when they were too young to be taken over as slaves. She treasured the sounds of joy now that she had a loving mate and so many children about to share them with.
"That's true too." She chuckled again at the image of a big sandball. "That would be itchy, not to mention."
Her ears rocked gently forward, but she listened still to hear what he'd say about his trip with Ilah. He liked learning things like that, then she'd have to remember more to share with him, especially now that she herself had taken up the task of water seeker. Perhaps Ilah would have other tips she didn't know of yet that she could use. A soft grin, and she leaned down to tickle his exposed stomach and near his ribs with her nose. He might be growing, but that hardly meant he was safe from tickles!
"Is that so?" She teased, but she did think it was wonderful that he was getting a jump start on gathering knowledge. It was a good sign for the future generations.
“I was thinking that, too! I wouldn’t want to have that much sand sticking to me,” he decided with a nod. Definitely not. He smiled thoughtfully, wondering how he might prevent it. It really didn’t seem that difficult. Avoid large quantities of water. Around these lands, that would never be too difficult. He were looked up at her, finding her face near enough for him to rub his head against her chin.
He didn’t want anything, he just felt the impulse and went with it. He loved her, after all. He didn’t need a reason to show it.
Wiggling, ridiculously ticklish and trying his best not to giggling, having been told it’s a bit too girly for one of his future vocation, he smiled widely.
“Yeah! So long as my enemies don’t find out I’m ticklish I’ll be okay,” he pawed her face, catching on to her muzzle and holding her hostage awkwardly. “I think I could take them, though, if they tried anything so low as tickling!”
The large female gave a rumbling purr in response to his affection, brushing her chin over the top of his head in return. Such a loving child. She could only hope that she and Azarax would have such a brood of their own one day, so happy, optimistic, and loving, yet dedicated to the pride, loyal, strong...
Yin couldn't help but grin more at his responses, chuckling and letting him catch her muzzle, running her tongue over his paw.
"It'll be our secret then. I certainly wouldn't want that getting out to them. And if they tried tickling... fight fire with fire."
“Are you ticklish?” He asked, releasing her and grinning, bouncing back.
He crouched, tail high, his hind wiggling as he readied to pounce. He watched her with his big, soft eyes, his face falling to an expression of concentration and determination. He couldn’t hide his playfulness, of course, and his bright grin was quick to return as he bounced to the side and then jumped on her from the side.
Not really knowing how to tickle, he rubbed his nose against her side, shaking his head and pawing at her gently, in an effort to find a ticklish spot. “Fire with fire!”
Her eyes flashed with mischief and mystery as he jumped back, and her answer was to rumble softly with a playful warning. Coal eyes followed the cub's movements as he danced briefly in front of her (He looked so determined, but so comical and adorable with his hind end up in the air and tail waving like that, and those imploring, warm eyes!), coming around to pounce at her after. She mocked defeat and fell to her side with a laugh, actually feeling a bit of a tickle from his teasing nose-- just not much of one given his size. A good effort, though!
"Oh, no, mercy please! I cannot withstand the assault! Oh!" She went on, unable to help a giggle of her own, not recalling a time when she had played this freely with anyone but Azarax since she was a baby.
“Ha!” Iroh pronounced triumphantly, standing on her in victory. He was careful to not put his weight on his paws. He knew he wouldn’t crush her, but he was still aware that he wasn’t the lightest juvenile around, and his pads probably dug in a bit.
“I’m the winner! But you fought well,” he laughed, looking down at her for a moment before backing off chivalrously, nodding his head in a gallant, theatrical bow, “a worthy opponent. I think with a bit more practice you might make a fine tickle warrior one day!”
He beamed at her, purring and flicking his tail, trying not to laugh as he gave his noble decree.
It was really almost too much. Yin was doing her best not to start laughing again and somehow contained it to a grin, sitting up slowly once he stood, moving into a sphinx like position before him and from there she lowered her head drastically in submission.
"Thank you, oh great Iroh, you are merciful as you are wise! I shall seek to better myself in the ways of the tickle fight!"
“See that you do!” Iroh said, still in the character he had created, “and come find me when you think you’re worthy enough for another match! We’ll see how far you can come. I won’t go easy on you next time, either.” He broke character and laughed, bouncing up to her and nuzzling her affectionately.
“I don’t think I really won,” he said slyly, looking at her critically, “I think someone gave up, but that’s okay. Since you helped clean off that mud earlier I guess I can’t be mad at you for letting me win. And I think we both win in a tickle fight, anyway!”
His stomach rumbled and he looked down in its general direction.
“I think it’s food time back home,” he said, his stomach a good watch for these kind of things. It usually never failed to bring him home in time for food or to go out and watch his dinner being caught.
The female's grin did not cease in the least. She listened with the image of total attention as she gazed up at him from where her chin rested between her paws until he broke character, and she laughed softly along with him, brushing her head back against his smaller form. "I would have to agree, and I do believe you're right. Your mother is probably on her way back with dinner--" She paused to pull herself back to all fours again, towering over him once more even as she leaned her head dosn. "--as we speak."
Once she'd spoken she gently picked the cub up by the scruff of his neck. She knew that he could walk just fine, but she did sort of miss this, among other things and reasons (Such as her worry still about stray vultures trying to make easy pickings of a cub wandering between the dens and the watering hole, and wanting to get him home quickly to avoid him suffering a growling stomach longer than he had to.
"Then we'd better get you home, hm...?" She smiled, speaking as well as she could around a mouth full of loose skin and fur, setting off in the direction of the dens.
Iroh kicked a bit as she picked him up. Not out of protest, but rather because he hadn’t been expecting it. His feet were moving to walk on his own, and the momentum stayed as they left the floor. He was soon to hang limp, though he kept his limbs tucked near him, his tail dangling down. He continued to purr brokenly.
“It would be nice,” he said dreamily, his tone reflecting something wistful but he seemed to know he was talking about silly things now, “if I could travel like this all the time. I bet I’d get too heavy to pick up pretty quick that way, though. Walking is nice, too.”
He hummed, and saw the familiar layout of his home. Food!
End!
