Nemeios:
Out in the roguelands, hunting for treasure, Nemeios had broken away for a few moments of peace from his crew. They'd made a little camp just outside a small grove of trees between the roguelands and a long beach, though it was near a river. The trees were old, worn by the salty sea air and dripping with plant debris, the ground beneath his paws was muddy and a bit under half-a-leg submerged by murky water. There were perils to walking in this swampy area, mostly snakes, but he didn't seem bothered by them. Levi, silent as ever, was settled on his back, clever brown eyes flicking around.


Nem had heard of prides living in swamps like this, though he doubted it was here. This area was too small for a pride to live in, but possibly enough for a lion or two. And plenty of hiding places. And, frankly, it was the kind of place the two-legged creatures walked in and died. That meant whatever they had on them at the time would be lost in the swamp, and two-leggers had wonderful treasure.

Katerina:
She was hunting. Not just hunting, but hunting for a prime spot that would make fishing an easier task. The sisters were good at their trait, but they were always out to make sure it couldn’t be done in a more efficient way. Or at least, that was her task. When she wasn’t training, or when she wasn’t out helping her sisters, she could be found around the little waterways near the ocean. The river led to the ocean, and so she followed the river today. Her ears were twitching, careful to listen for any sound that would be made from anyone approaching. She wasn’t the type to be carefree. There was one thing about Katerina, and that was that she was always cautious.

She stepped into the river water, walking up it, rather than following it on the earth. No, she had to touch water at all times. She just had to.. She yawned, and stepped onto a large bolder, though not so large as to remove her completely from the water. Her tail still swished side to side, as if it was a mermaid itself, and that was good enough for her right now.

Nemeios:
Levi twitched a bit on Nem's back, prompting the pirate captain to freeze where he was, tilting his head a bit so that one ear was closer to his small companion. The genet made a soft huff sound and climbed closer to Nem's shoulders, tail out straight for balance. That was enough of a warning for Nem. Ever since he'd gone after that eagle (in truth, it had been for the feathers), the long, silent creature had been a faithful and ever alert companion. A second set of eyes and mouth, so to speak. So when Levi was alert, the lion knew it was best to be as well.



He moved more slowly in the water, trying to make as little sound as possible as he moved in the direction of Levi's twitching nose. When he was going in the right direction, the genet burrowed into his mane and poked his head out, sitting so that his front paws where on Nem's head and the back paws were still on Nem's back, tail waving for balance.

The dark little creature ducked back down again when the lioness came into view.

All that showed the surprise on Nem's almost bored face was a slight raise of one eyebrow.

"Well, hello there."

Katerina:
Katerinas nose twitched. Someone was coming, and her ears flicked towards the sound of paws. She had grown used to hearing sounds some others wouldn’t be able to hear. Or they could..but they paid little attention most times. Her aqua colored eyes gleamed as she saw the male approach. She began humming, the same soft tune that she used to snare most lions that came around. She narrowed her eyes, though they held a seductive gaze rather than an annoyed one. She stood, and started to sway a bit, jumping down into the river water, and standing there, watching him. She continued humming, her tail waving through the water, her paws sinking into the wet earth.

“Hello.” She purred, her voice still humming. That was her trick, the song, the beautiful voice, those eyes.. She was indeed just as much a siren as the rest of her sisters.

“You’ve been traveling awhile I see..How about joining me.”

Nemeios:
Well, if this wasn't a lovely specimen of the female species, he'd never know one. And yet... He caught himself comparing her to a beauty with red eyes. Nem wanted to almost sigh in frustration at the thought as he roughly pushed it away to the back of his mind.



"Joining you where, lady? As by the definition, I do believe I am with you," he replied coolly, a smirk crawling smoothly onto his face. Ah, yes, teasing would make him feel better, it always did. Levi didn't seem to like the situation. He was squirming on Nem's back as if he wanted to get off, but Nem knew he wouldn't. They lived by the sea and it wasn't uncommon for any of the pirates to take to some body of water for travel or for hunting, but Levi still managed to be very adverse to water, almost to the point of fright.

Katerina:
“Why to see the sights, silly. You seem such a strong man.. I assumed you wanted to see beauty..riches. Power maybe? What calls to you?” She asked, her eyes roving him. He was handsome, if she was into that kind of thing. It was clear what he was..Pirate. His trinkets, and his little pet gave him away easily. She had been, and killed, many a pirate.. But then again she had killed many males before, she didn’t just kill pirates.

She didn’t like the cool remark he gave, for that meant that her charms weren’t working as they normally did. She wasn’t sure why, because it really had never happened before. She would just have to try harder..

Nemeios:
Nem chuckled as he finally moved, walking closer to her and then past her. Putting his back to her was a mistake, one never put one's back to another. Unless you were ready for it, of course. It was why he kept a sharp ear out. Levi's big brown eyes stared at her, his head sunk low to Nem's back.


"Beauty, power, riches, why lady, I already have those. Surely there must be something else a... charming and clever girl such as yourself could come up with?" Oh, she was charming indeed. The way she moved, her voice, everything made him want to sit at her side and purr for her attention, at least until he got bored. But it wasn't good enough. She didn't have a cheerfulness in her voice or a poorly concealed and seemingly misplace modesty in her eyes or a youthful curiosity in her body language. He only heard empty promises, saw only dangerous temptation, felt only aged cunning. What bothered him so much was that since when had he ever cared? A female was a female and as long as she wasn't about to claw his eyes out, she was a female good enough for him. That just didn't seem the case anymore. Let him tease and play, flirt and pet, but in allowing himself to favor one over all others, he'd chained a part of himself to her, something he couldn't share anymore.



When he thought about it, it wasn't so bad. It just made him want to get home all the more, though, and this mysterious lioness was just making that want grow.

Katerina:
She was failing at her task. Especially when he walked past her. She felt a flare of anger, her eyes taking a quick flash of rage. Quickly she hid it, her fur bristling. She was sure that if the pet was looking, he may have caught the look in her eyes. But she knew the green male had not. She turned to look at him, her tail swaying to touch his leg gently.

“Come now, surely theres something else I can..help you with.” She said, stepping closer and her eyes narrowing seductively. With a purr, she began humming again.
“Come all ye pretty fair maids, wherever you may be, who love a jolly sailor bold..who ploughs a raging sea..” She sang, voice soft, melodic yet eerie.

“My heart is pierced by cupid, I disdain all glittering gold, there is nothing can console me…but my jolly sailor bold.” She said. If her song didn’t work, she would just have to attack, it was clear his mind was elsewhere and she needed it back with her.

Nemeios:
Nem stopped moving and turned back to her when she started singing. Levi began to fret more, kneading at his shoulderblades but he ignored it. She was persistent and it intrigued him, though most of her charm was lost.
He stepped towards her, a small, contented smile on his face as realization finally hit him.

"A fair, sweet maid," he answered to her singing, moving his head to rub his cheek against hers affectionately. His maw stopped at her ear and he gave it a playful little n** before he growled out a challenge.
"But no siren with a pretty voice is going to take the dragon from his lady."

Katerina:
She thought she had him. In fact, she swore she did. A knowing smile came upon her maw, and she let him n** her ear. Normally physical touch not initiated by her was a no go. But with this one, she felt that was what she had to do.
Until he spoke.

With a hiss, she snarled, throwing out her claw to bat at his face. He had feelings for another. That was why. It happened like that sometimes. Men with other women, didnt always fall for her seduction. Syrena would think less of her for losing this one, but now it was about pride.

"How dare you talk to me in such a way. It is clear you have no idea who I am. And you have a lady? Are you mad? You think she will love you forever?" She snarled.

Nemeios:
Nem leapt back from her claws with a snarl, though his face was actually split in a confident grin. As soon as the captain's muscles had bunched to move, Levi had crouched low and leapt from his back, latching onto a tree branch and scrambling up it to stay clear of the fight and the water, hissing angrily.

"Doubtful, I'm a right b*****d, really," he laughed back as her accusation of Makena's affections. Honestly, he didn't think she would favor him for very long at all. Not to say she was flippant or anything like that, but when he said he was a self-centered b*****d, he meant it. She'd get sick of it eventually.

"But, if I've got her now, no sense in doing something stupid with a harpy that'll most likely eat me after a good night's fun. Thanks, but I'd rather wake up with a lovely lady than be eaten by one." He dodged away from her, not striking back. He didn't really see a point in taking up the offense. Not yet anyways.

Katerina:
So not only would he stay lonely but his female was stupid. She knew he was a b*****d and stayed with him. Some lionesses were so weak and it made her spit. She wondered what Syrena would do in this situation. Obviously it wasnt often that she was rejected. In fact she couldnt maybe think of one or two times.. And they had ended up dead. She grinned again, stalking around him. "oh? Then maybe you need a siren to show you what a female is made of. Or maybe youd prefer me to eat you now."

Nemeios:
Nem had a quip on the tip of his tongue ready, something about cheating death and places to go, people to rob and all of that, but it vanished when she questioned Kena's merit. His pet was a lot of things, but she was nothing to be trifled with and he would not stand for her to be insulted. On top of that, by questioning Kena's value, this wench was questioning his judgement. And he was a lot of things, but stupid in his decisions was not one of them.

His ears flicked back and all the arrogant teasing fled his face in a flash to be replaced by barely constrained fury. No one had seen his temper flare, not even his brother, his womb-mate. But a white heat ran in his blood, the chance for wrath, for hatred, for beasts of cruelty as well as compassionate protectors. Nem fell somewhere in there, but where his heart truly lay even he didn't know.

"Retract your statement about my female before I forget that it's bad luck to kill a mermaid... Unless that's just a rumor."

Katerina:
She had hit a trigger. She was rather good at that, as she was a bit more confrontational than some of her sisters. She just couldnt help herself, her temper got the best of her sometimes, and this was one of those times. She smiled, a roll of her ocean blue eyes. She knew she was beautiful, and she was positive she was more beautiful than any wench he had taken as his own back in his own pride. Pirates were notorious for having horrid tastes in women.

"I will not retract what Ive said, pirate. I speak the truth and if you dont like it that is your own cross to bear. It has nothing to do with me."
She grinned, a knowing, mischevious grin.

"First youd have to catch me. And if on the offchance you managed.. Id be afraid of your luck for you, once my sisters found you,"

Syrena:
"And what would we do, dear sister, if our own Lady was bested by an outsider, after she insulted his female?" a soft, more dulcet voice than Katerina's sultry purr asked from the trees above them. There was another female, slightly smaller than the agitated black lioness, but radiating a power all her own. Levi had actually cuddled up to her, allowing her to stroke his head with one paw.

Syrena had been there almost the whole time, watching as her cub-sister had enticed and then attacked the male and the idea of the lady he had at home. The well-tempered queen found this a good quality in the male. He was aware of his faults and though her sister probably had not heard it, he had admitted that his female would likely leave him before he left her, a sign of loyalty. A strong advocate of their lifestyle, Syrena was still a romantic at heart and some day wished that she could have a male that she could come back to every time, to bear his cubs only, to lie with him while she was too large to traverse the island.

"Don't you think it's a fine thing that he should remain loyal to one of the lost sisters? Why do you try to steal, sister, when there are so many more willing candidates?"

Nemeios:
"My Kena is twice your worth," Nem growled back, partially unaware that he was even admitting it. Maybe it was because he was alone, that his favorite would never find out just how much of a hold she had on him. Either way, the words were coming out before he could stop them.

He looked up when another voice broke the air around them. He hadn't noticed this lioness and he almost felt stupid for it. She could have ambushed him, he could have been dead.
But no, she was chiding the other lioness. Another mermaid? Had some bad fortune fallen upon him?

Katerina:
Katerina quickly held her tongue when she heard Syrenas voice. Her queen had far more authority, and kindness than she did. That was one of her biggest advantages. She could be nice, and then she could be cruel. It depended on her mood. Inside, Kat was furious at her sister for calling her out in front of the male. She gulped, holding her tongue as she looked away, not meeting any of their eyes. Her tail thrashed angrily and she then looked up to glare at the male.

"What if I was doing the lost sister a favor? Maybe he isnt worthy of a female.. Maybe Im helping her escape him."

Syrena:
Syrena shook her head and left the genet in the tree. He seemed happy enough having had some feminine attention. She slipped carefully out of the tree and into the water, immediately sitting down to hide the intricate markings on her hind end. Her tail swished like a fishtail in the water behind her.

"I think if she chose him, and if he's loyal enough to turn even you away, I say he's a catch worth letting swim home, sister," she replied, dipping her head and raising one paw to slip something from around her neck. She held out a necklace to the male.
"I found this, here in the swamp. Give it to your lady and it will bring her luck, but do not tell a soul where you obtained it."

Nemeios:
Nem looked a little uncertain about this gift, but then again he probably shouldn't turn it down. Mermaids were dangerous and while the female who had attacked him hadn't injured him yet, he wasn't entirely certain he could have won the fight. Especially not against two of them. His paw reached for it, only to have Levi land on his leg, snatching the necklace as he did so, and hop onto his back before his leg could dump the sometimes bothersome creature into the water.

"Thanks for that," he grumbled back at his companion, rolling his eyes a bit before nodding his thanks to the kinder lioness.
"I'll do as you ask."

Syrena:
Syrena nodded back to the male before turning to her sister.
"Come, sister. We'll find you a male more worthy and accepting of your gifts," she said before turning and walking away into the swamp.

Katerina:
She took a deep breath, accepting defeat this time, but still the fire within her burned. She didnt like being denied.. That was rather bothersome.
"Yes sister." She said, but as she walked a glare was passed at the green male, and she looked at the genet and raised her lip, though quietly. She quickly turned her head away, and padded foward with her sister. She had other times, many other males to set her claws in.