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 Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:33 am
Azrael:
It had been several days since he'd taken Andais. Every night, no matter what happened between them that day, Az drew her close to him to sleep. It was a novel feeling, falling asleep with someone else pressed against you, one he hadn't felt since the death of his mother, and even that he barely remembered. Having Andais was... comforting, soothing even. He wondered if he would have felt that way with any of the other females he'd crossed paths with over his life.
But then, he'd never wanted to take one home as badly as he had Andais.
His eyes slowly opened, bringing him out of his reverie of the quiet female, one heavy paw still slung over her shoulder to keep her pressed against his chest. A glance around the cave and he knew it was cloudy outside. There were no glimmers of sunlight or color filtering through the water. His eyes fell on the pile of flowers and he frowned a bit. He had picked one for a completely different purpose, to take it to the healer's daughter. Both mother and daughter were too nosey for his tastes, but at least the daughter was too nervous around him to bother half the time.
Carefully, so as not to wake up his treasure, he extracted his paw from over her and slipped away into a standing position. He moved to the pile of flowers, sifting through it until found the plain, pale purple cluster. He looked to Andais with a soft sort of smile.
"I'll be back soon, sweetheart," he whispered, bent to pick up the cluster, and left, heading for and into the jungle.
Andais:
She stirred at his voice, though she didn't move. When she heard him leave the den, her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up. It took her a moment of focus, but when she finally did, she narrowed her eyes. Where was it he was going with those flowers? He had gone through the flowers he had given her and she didn't much care for indian givers. She stood quietly making her way out of the den. Watching as he sauntered away into the jungle lands she gulped. But he was close, so even if something happened she could yell to him. She was sure she could soothe over the idea that she had been following him if she had to. The orange flowers still decorated her ears and she tried to stay as close as possible, yet far enough to not create noise.
Azrael:
Az padded quietly through the trees, gaze focused ahead of him, though every now and then he looked upwards, scanning the branches overhead as if he was looking for something. It wasn't until he came to an opening in the trees, a rough circle of cleared ground strewn with flowers that he stopped. The flowers were mostly yellow, contrasting with the ones he carried.
And sure enough, there was a bronze-colored lioness sitting in the center of the of the field, her eyes closed as she meditated.
Sitting at the edge and taking the flowers out of his mouth with one paw, Az roughly cleared his throat, startling the lioness.
Sihiri:
Sihiri jumped a bit when a cough broke through her little trance and her bright blue eyes shot open. Only the only creature she saw was the Huntsman. Her ears perked up and she smiled sweetly at him.
"You know it's rude to sneak up on a lady like that, sir. Where did you get your manners?" Sihiri growled playfully. He bared his teeth at her slightly but she only threw back her head and laughed a bit.
"I could give you something for that throat of yours, you know? Wouldn't be too hard to whip something together... Although, you'd probably do a better job than I would, wouldn't you?" Her gaze caught on the flowers and her interest was piqued. She hadn't seen flowers like that and whenever he brought her something, it was always highly useful in her studies.
It all started when she was still a young lioness and her father was still around. She'd been hunting for new plants and came across what she didn't realize was a poisonous fern. The Huntsman had stopped her before she took a bit home to her father, had explained the danger of the plant. Ever since then, she would see him sometimes and he would bring her new plants. In exchange, she and her family never bothered him, never went into his part of the forest. A fair trade, she thought.
"Are those for me? What did you bring me, Sir?"
Andais:
She kept herself close, though when he started reaching a grove where the trees opened to the sky, and the grounds were cleared and level, she stopped in the shadows. She wasnt thinking of the jungle anymore, instead she was curious as to why he was bringing flowers to the lioness she saw. She saw their show of teeth, and she wondered if this was normal for the two. She craned her neck to watch them, curious as to what was going on. So curious she managed to step on a twig that made a cracking noise through the shadows. She gulped, ducking down to the earth and flicking her ears back. She didn't want to be caught but if she wasnt careful she was going to give her position away.
Azrael:
Az rolled his eyes at the lioness before holding out the flowers.
"Mallow blossoms. There's a bunch of them growing towards the setting edge of the jungle. Crush them or the fruit, mix it with water, and it relieves pain at the source. Drink the water and it'll easy the sto-" He turned quickly at the sound of a twig snapping, his eyes narrowing as he looked around for the source.
A paw landed on his cheek and turned his attention back to blue eyes and a smiling face.
"Mallow, you say? And it really does all that?" Sihiri asked him and he flicked his face away from her paw.
"Touch me again, little healer, and I'll leave you to your own devices from now on," he growled back and handed her the plant.
Sihiri:
Sihiri listened to his description of the plant, up until they heard the snapping wood. She caught a flash of someone ducking down, but the lion before her hadn't turned fast enough to see. Unsure of who had followed her "teacher," Sihiri kept cool and drew his attention back to her. When he growled at her not to touch him again, she jerked her paw away and took the flowers.
"All right, Sir. No more touching. Thank you for telling me about the mallow," she glanced back at where she saw the head duck down, hazarding a guess before she glanced back at the only slightly larger lion.
"Now, what is this Kije was saying about a lady you were keeping? Really, now, I must know. Is she all right?" She shrank back a bit when he glared sternly at her, growling.
"That's none of your concern," she heard him say.
"Oh, well, I just thought, since you're always... you know, pointing out... I thought... Ugh, here, just take it." While she stumbled through her words, she fumbled in the little bag she had slung around her neck until she pulled out a necklace and thrust it back at him.
"You'll find more use for it than I would," she huffed, standing and backing a way a pace, in case he was still annoyed at her.
Andais:
She saw the lioness' eyes fall on her and she gulped. Surely she would give away her position and then Az would stalk over and she would feel like a cub once again. When the female didn't tell on her, but rather take his attention away from her, she let out a sigh. She hadnt been aware she was holding her breath.
She wondered who this female was, and what she was giving him. Her eyes strained to see, but all she noticed was that it was a satchel of some sort.
Azrael:
Az frowned when the necklace was shoved into his paws, but he looked at it for a moment before accepting.
"Very well, little healer. But stop following your mother's pawprints and nosing your way into my business," he grumbled at her, his nose scrunching slightly at her happy smile in return.
Sihiri:
"All right, all right. I'll stop being nosey," Sihiri replied with a grin, then glanced away again. She cleared her throat.
"You should go," she said rather loudly, intending for it to be to the spy she had seen. When she got a funny look from her teacher, she just smiled again.
"I mean, I should go. Mother will be wondering what's taking me so long," she replied a little nervously. With one more glance to where the onlooker had ben, she put the flowers into her bag, stood with a dip of her head and ran off towards the part of the jungle nearest the rising sun.
Andais:
She heard her speak, and with one sudden burst she took off. She wasnt waiting around any further. Her paws carried her as fast as she could, her breathing heavy as she darted around trees. Granted they were very unfamiliar lands, the drive to get away before he saw her was strong within her. She did well navigating them, before she tripped over a large log that she didn't quite clear. She tumbled a bit, but shaking it off, she was back up and running.
She didnt stop until she was "home" and she lay down on the earth and panted. She placed herself in front of the water, so she could make it look like she had maybe been swimming.. Course..She would just have to say she dried quickly.
Azrael:
Az shook his head at the healer's behavior, but wrapped the necklace around his paw a few times anyways and left the way he came.
Unfortunately for Andais, he decided to take a small detour, catching a small deer for their breakfast and dragging it back home. He found her lying by the water and smirked lightly at her.
"I had expected you to be asleep, still. Did I worry you, sweetheart?" She didn't look particularly troubled, but he wasn't sure. He had promised not to leave her alone, but he hadn't been gone too long, and it was to get her something to eat... And give Sihiri the location of the Mallow, but Andais didn't need to know about that. It was business, after all.
Andais:
She had enough time for her heart to slow down and stop pounding so wildly from within her chest. She was sure that he could smell the sweat that clung to her fur. but that could be caused by anything..
She saw him in an instant, and her eyes quickly scanned over him, and then the deer. Her belly rumbled but she was more curious if he would tell her about where he had been. She wouldnt tell him seh had seen him.. But that didnt stop her curiosity. Maybe she would make her way to the lioness one day, to thank her for her cover.
"I woke and you were gone. I felt alone, and cold." She said, and then looked back at her paws. The sun was warming her quite well now, radiating off her ebony colored pelt.
But she could say she was cold..right?
Azrael:
His ears flicked back and he left the carcass where it was, stalking towards her rather quickly. Az walked around her, flopped onto his side, wrapped his paws around her, and pulled her close.
"I had business to take care of and I didn't want to wake you up, you looked so beautiful sleeping," he sighed in her ear. It really would have been a waste to wake her up. And, to be honest, he had rather hoped that he wouldn't be gone long enough for her to wake, but apparently he'd been wrong.
"What can I do to make it up to you?" he asked, already intending to give her the necklace Sihiri had given to him.
Andais:
She looked up at him with a smirk on her features. Her eyes were teasing as she chuckled, headbutting him gently as she grinned.
"You could take me out of the jungle." She teased, and stood up, sauntering over the the shadows. She was trying to be enticing, but she knew that her suggestion wouldnt bode well. She was serious, however.. She wanted out of this damn place.
"What could go wrong?" She asked.
Azrael:
Az had hoped she would ask for any number of things, besides that. It was something he just couldn't give. He couldn't let go of her. While her tone was teasing as she stood up and smoothly walked over to the shade from the trees, his look was not quite. He sat up, but didn't move to follow her.
"No, Andais. That I will not do," he replied, a hint of a growl in his voice. Why couldn't she understand? This was her home now, he wasn't going to let her go. But, dammit, he wanted her to be happy here. He was trying to make this place comfortable and safe for her, trying to make her like him. Wasn't he being kind?
"You'd do well to stop asking."
Suppressing a growl, he walked to his kill and tore a leg off, moving away from it to eat it slowly, quietly.
Andais:
His response made her frown, and she looked away. She felt her heart drop. She had expected as much but still.. hearing it was different than thinking it might happen.
"You wouldn't hurt me.." She said, but she wasnt looking at him. Truth was she rather feared what he might do to that comment, but it was true.
"So I don't see exactly that you could do to make me stop dreaming of freedom.." Sure she was growing comfortable here, but this wasnt her home..Yet.
She watched him start to eat the meat, and her stomach growled. She wanted to go to the kill, but here again she knew she might have angered him. Best not to get close to a kill when you werent sure what the killer would do.
Azrael:
Az looked up from his food, eyes narrowed.
"Never. I would never hurt you and I won't do anything to stop you from dreaming, but they're not dreams that will come true," he replied rather gruffly, but he didn't sound terribly angry. More annoyed than anything, really. He hated hearing her say she wanted to leave the jungle, mostly because it meant that she wanted to leave him. And that bothered him in a way he didn't even want to understand.
"You're hungry, Andais. Eat something," he finally said after a moment's pause, looking back to his current portion.
Andais:
She nodded, as he was right.. She was hungry and she really couldn't hide the rumble in her belly. She walked over to the kill, and starting digging into the chest cavity. It gave her something to take out her aggression on, and it made her feel like a hunter again.. Even if she didnt hunt it.
A few moments later, after her maw was stained in blood, she pulled back from the meal and licked her lips. Stepping over to Azrael, she nudged his neck with her head.
"I didn't mean it." She said, admitting the truth about the question. She really hadnt expected him to say yes after all..
"I promise."
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:25 pm
Azrael:
"You still said it," Az replied, looking away with his ears still back. Why he had any hope that she wouldn't wish to leave anymore, he didn't know. She had made it clear she was terrified of the jungle, she didn't want to be here, she didn't belong here, why did he delude himself into thinking that would just change? He wanted it to change and yet he really wasn't sure why he even cared. He hadn't cared for her feelings when he had taken her.
When he finally looked to her, he was still frowning. His gaze went from her eyes to the clivia flowers still behind her ear. He sat up and carefully unwrapped the chord from around his leg. It was a simple braid of orange-ish and dark brown rope. Hanging from it was a polished tiger's eye stone wrapped in more decoratively fringed rope. Without saying a word, he slipped it over her head and moved back to what was left of the kill, now that she had seemed to have her fill of it.
Andais:
“But I didn’t mean it.” She said, her eyes holding the genuine honesty that she was speaking. Sure she may have liked such things but if they weren’t going to happen it was like she was deluding herself. She shook her head, licking her lips and lying on the ground on her side. Her head rested against the earth on its cheek and she stared at him at a sideways angle. When he approached her, she perked but all he did was place the necklace the healer had given him around her neck, and go about his business.. She frowned, her paw touching the stone as she examined it in the sunlight. For a moment she was lost in trying to figure out why the healer had given this to him.. But then she was left with the idea that whatever the reason, he had given her the lovely token.
But what was it a token of? She felt more coolness from his demeanor rather than an affectionate one. She knew there was only one way to make the male happy. He was after all, a male.. She walked over to him, nudging her head against his gently. When she pulled back, her eyes searched his teal ones. He was a larger l ion, definitely one not to mess with.. But she didn’t fear him. He had never given her reason to.
“Thank you.” She responded, her nose reaching out to nuzzle into his neck.
Azrael:
But behind every word spoken in haste, wasn't there a bit of truth? He left the words in his mind, not wanting to voice how... How what? How hurt he was? He wasn't hurt... was he? Maybe just a little, he could admit. He'd been doing everything in his power to make her happy, but it wasn't enough.
He was about to lean down to eat when he caught her movement out of the corners of his eyes. They lifted passively and she surprised him by nudging their heads together to get his attention. He stared down at her for a moment until she thanked him and nuzzled his neck.
Az suppressed a sigh as he gave up. There was no use being cross with her, it didn't last long. Especially not when she acted like that. He moved his head to rest his chin upon her head, closing his eyes as he took in her scent.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," he replied softly, unable to say anything else.
Andais:
She felt the tension in his body when she had nudged him, but she felt that tension dissapate whenever he spoke to her. His voice so soft and caressing.. She was beginning to like the sound of it. Wait.. Ugh that wasn’t right. She wasn’t supposed to like anything about her captor.. Yet she was starting to see him less as a captor and more of a companion. If he was who she would see for the rest of her life, she might as well make the best of it.
She looked at the jewel around her neck, and smiled, looking back up into his eyes. “Its beautiful..” She responded, and then her eyes went to looking at it once more. No one had ever given her anything like it before, and suddenly the flowers behind her ear became less important. She clutched it to her chest, and gave him a knowing look. She saw the worry in his eyes when it came to her, and she supposed there was only one way to get him to believe what she said was true. She didn’t really want to leave, or at least not this very moment. Maybe tomorrow, but not right now.
“How can I make it up to you?” She asked, but her voice was teasing, playful, almost as if she was trying to hint to him that what he had been trying for each night these past few moons could happen. She wanted his fear of her leaving to ease. She didn’t like seeing him upset.
Wait..something was wrong with this scenario. For the moment she didn’t care.
Azrael:
The smile Az gave Andais was so very tender when she looked up to tell him the necklace was beautiful.
"It pales in comparison," he replied, touching his nose to her cheek and rubbing it slighting. She smelled of herself and of the flowers he had given her and he decided he would have to find more for her. Or a fountain bush if he could find one. The flowers would smell even better and the blossoms always had a calming affect. They would look equally as beautiful on her as the clivia and smell just as nice. But nothing would smell as lovely as she did.
And then she looked up at him with those bright amber eyes and asked him a question that made a slow, cocky grin spread on his face. Oh, he was certain what she was getting at, but she was teasing him, too. He didn't think she was completely serious, but just the fact that she mention it even in jest seemed like a step closer to his goal. He was slowly whittling away at the walls around her heart and he felt that they were starting to crumble at an increasing rate.
"Ah, sweetheart, you're teasing me, aren't you? So cruel." His own tone held just as much teasing as hers did, the grin never leaving his face.
Andais:
She may have been teasing, but to thank him for being so kind she might have if he had asked. But she wasn't sure she would ever come outright and say that. So she would just keep that to herself until he brought it up.
"Oh but you tease me." She chuckled, and lifted her tail to lick the fluff of it and then she dropped it with a look to him. Her belly full, and a new necklace around her neck caused her to smile again. She blushed and shook her head. She wasnt sure why he always told her how beautiful she was. She was average at best! Or at least she thought as much. Maybe he was teasing her. But then agani he had kidnapped her to get her here..Even the leopard said he had never done that before.
Stepping closer to him she jutted her head under his chin and sighed.
Azrael:
Az chuckled and shook his head though it was on top of hers. How could they go from tense feelings and thick silences to this? It boggled his mind and yet he welcomed anything over what he was feeling earlier. He'd even be happier if she was yelling at him.
What was she doing to him?
Before... he didn't think he would have ever thought something like that. A female, yelling at him? He would have chased her off his lands and warned her never to come back. And yet... he didn't think there was anything Andais could do that would make him ever want her gone. Except maybe if she attacked him, but he would have no other choice than.
But then, he didn't think she would have it in her to really hurt him.
"It's because I love seeing the look on your face when you're flustered," he finally said, nipping playfully at her ear.
Andais:
She may not have been yelling now.. But Andais tended to be a strong personality. She would always tended to find something to fight about. But his head on top of hers was almost.calming. She leaned against hom and felt his heart beating. With a roll of her eyes she pushed him a bit when he said the comment. Though a snile was plastered on her maw. "The maybe Ill be the one to do the flustering from now on."
Azrael:
"I doubt that, sweetheart. I highly doubt that," Az replied, wrapping his paw around her shoulders and hugging her tightly. How in the world did she ever think she would fluster him, he wondered. He was not an individual easily knocked off his paws. He had to be, after all. As a cub, he couldn't be overly trusting or even wear his emotions on his pelt. If he had, the action might have gotten him killed. In retrospect, it probably would have gotten him killed, or at least injured more often.severely. And Crue would have had a long, hard laugh over it, too.
His grip on her shoulders tightened just a bit at the thought of his cubhood friend. No, Crue would never find him here, there wasn't anything to worry about. Andais was safe here.
He gently gave her cheek a lick and loosened his grip.
"Now, are you going to let me finish my breakfast, or are you going to want cuddles for the rest of the morning?"
Andais:
Well now he had challenged her. She could do it. She knew she could do it if she really really tried. She smiled and rolled her eyes again. "Would that be a problem if I did, Azrael.. Would you deny me?" She asked with a teasing note to her voice. She wasnt normally so forward but he had challenged her and well.. She did well in challenges.
Azrael:
Az looked down at her with one eyebrow raised.
"Deny you cuddles?" he asked, then had to really think about it. He was still hungry, there was still food left... He could do both, couldn't he? Yes, he figured he could. He smiled and shook his head, then gave her another lick.
"No, I don't think I could do that. But I think in this case I can do both," he finally said and settled back down onto his stomach and bringing what was left of the kill close with one heavy paw. His side was still pressed firmly against her fur.
Andais:
When he said he wouldnt deny her she couldnt help but smile. A purr began in her throat and she kept pressed to hin as he began tearing into the kill. She watched him eat.. Watched how he tore into the meat. She wasnt sure why she was interested but that was no matter. The point was she was. She chuckled and rolled onto her back. She stayed next to him but closed her eyes and smiled. Life could be worse.
Azrael:
Thunder broke overhead just as Az finished his food. He looked up and a drop of water landed hard on his muzzle, causing it to wrinkle in distaste.
"Shall we go inside before we become properly drenched, sweetheart?" he asked, turning to her as more droplets began to fall from the darkening clouds. He was certain it would be a proper thunderstorm. He didn't like thunderstorms, they reminded him of hard times when he was young and it had been a thunderstorm that had separated him from Uriah, he blamed it in part for his companion's death.
Ignoring the hateful memories, he stood and looked down at his Andais, waiting for her verdict.
Andais:
She felt a few drops and her eyes stayed closed. Though with each drop her face tensed as if it surprised her. When she finally opened them he was standing over her. She rolled to her belly and stood in a fluid motion. She smiled though she looked down at the earth. "Yeah. No reason to get soaked. If I wanted that.. id have gone swimming." she mused and followed at his side.
Azrael:
Az nodded and picked up a leg bone that still had some chunks of meat left on it. For a snack. And with that he all but ran to the den's entrance, being careful as he walked over the damp stones, but quick-like nonetheless. He'd rather not be wet in the cave. Dry as it was, it was rather cool inside the stone cavern, so it wouldn't be good to be wet.
Once he was inside, he set the snack down and turned, looking for his treasure.
Andais:
She tried to keep up with his quick graceful leaps but she ended up slipping here and there on the mossy rocks. The rain didn't make moss very forgiving. She had been learning that here in the jungle. Once she was inside, she shook the water droplets off her pelt and smoothed down her mane fluff. She flicked him with her tail fluff as she walked by, and then rolled into the bed of furs, kicking her legs into the air. She wriggled, scratching her back and burrying herself deeper into the pelts. She loved the softness of these pelts.. Even if some of them smelled of lion.
Azrael:
Az watched her roll about, that smirk back on his face. She certainly was getting comfortable here, it seemed. Which was all the better for him. He shook the water from his own fur and walked slowly to join her. He sat down at her side and wiggled his toes against her belly in an attempt to tickle her.
"Comfortable, sweetheart?"
Andais:
She snuggled into the furs, and was quite content there for a moment until his paw landed on her belly and his toes tickled her. She squealed, rolling onto her belly quickly. She looked into his eyes, and began thinking. She had grown rather comfortable here.. So much so that she was okay here, him sitting next to her. Her thoughts for the first time werent on escaping.
"I am. Though if you do that too much Ill have to sleep outside. I hate tickling." She said with a grin, and flicked her tail against him again.
Azrael:
"Well, then, we can't have that. I wouldn't want you getting all wet in the rain," Az replied, pressing his paw to her cheek. His smirk softened slightly, if only for a moment, and he laid down next to her, drawing her close. He pressed his face into her neck and let out a little sigh against her fur.
He completely forgot about the rain and he had just one more reason for him to appreciate her presence. She was becoming far too important to him and yet he couldn't protect himself from it. The only way he could do it was by letting her go, and that was something he would never do.
Andais:
When he sighed, she found herself wondering about why. She snuggled into him some more, pressing her cheek against his plush, full mane that smelled of him. She took a few breaths before pulling back to look in his eyes.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked, blinking up at him in an attempt to learn more about him. She was curious, and he was mysterious. It was a dangerous combination.
Azrael:
"You, of course," Az replied honestly, though he didn't elaborate. As important as she was becoming, he couldn't tell her that, couldn't tell her about his fears or his past. The first would just give her a hold over him, the second something she could bother him over, since he was sure if he told her she would ask him why. And he would never tell her about his past. The things he had done, had let happen when he was young... they would terrify her. She would see him as a monster for certain and he didn't want her to see him like that.
He could accept her seeing him as a bit of a b*****d, he had kidnapped her after all. But he would do everything he could to make sure that she didn't see him for the mistakes of his youth. She would never see the bloodstains on his paws.
He closed his eyes, pressing his face back into her neck as he tried to forget about what was long since passed, the life he had left behind, and instead tried to focus on the life he know led.
Andais:
“That’s all?” She asked, cocking her head and examining his face. She could tell he was hiding something but she wasn’t going to pry. She hadn’t told him much about her past but he hadn’t asked either. The first time she had mentioned something of her past, he had made her feel three feet small. She gulped, but cuddled into him more. Her eyes looked out at the exit of the cave and she looked longingly. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling right now. She wanted to know about him, but something about the look that had been on his face made her refrain from asking. Though god she wanted to know what he was thinking..and why..What he was like before.
She wanted to thank him for being so kind to her.. For not trying to hurt her.. But she refrained again..She was unsure of what to say, and so she listened to his breathing and inhaled his scent.
Azrael:
"There's nothing I'd rather think about more," Az replied into her fur, nuzzling her neck. The thunder boomed outside, but he didn't hear it over the sound of Andais' heartbeat. For once in his life, he was thankful for the presence of another. He was thankful for her.
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