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 Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 3:23 pm
The princess remained quiet until the wolf was out of (what she presumed to be) audible range, glancing up at Faroth curiously. For whatever reason, she felt a bit awkward talking when the animal was there, particularly since she knew there was conversation happening that she was not able to hear. "You know this area? I do not believe I am familiar with it at all, though I am not familiar with much of this land, to be honest." A slight pause as she looked around for anything familiar, sighing and shaking her head. "No, nothing. Raina... I take it she is not of a regular sort of wolf?" The answer seemed obvious enough, but Celestia still was curious about what exactly was going on between them.
"Ah... The lake... I know this is not our reason for going that way, but how I yearn to wash myself again. You must forgive me for how unpresentable I must look~!" Laughing, she nodded. "Yes, it shall be nice to return home at last. Do you suppose we need to inform Rais of the event immediately, or have we time to rest first? I do assume he needs to know eventually." It seemed rather silly to think of that now, but it kept conversation flowing and kept her mind from focusing on how warm his skin felt and how natural this whole moment felt.
Unlatching her hands slowly to allow Faroth time to adjust how he held her, if needed, she reached under his arm and around his waist for the bag. He must have enjoyed quite the sensation having her pressed against him like that. Her fingers brushed on it once, missing, before catching the fabric and pulling it close enough to reach inside and retrieve the mix. Shifting back to a more comfortable position, and holding the bag against her chest, she looked up to him with an innocent smile. Well, most of the bag. There was once nut she held between her thumb and index finger, held up for him to eat if he wanted any.
"Would you enjoy having some~?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 4:35 pm
Faroth chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I'm more familiar with the forests here north of the river than the wilder jungle to the south. Got some friends who live out here," he commented casually. A visit would not be a good idea, he felt, given the understanding he had of Celestia's feelings on Angels and Demons. Besides, they both just wanted to get home at this point, he thought, and he felt comfortable enough back in the forest instead of trapped underground, thanks.
"She's..." he hesitated to answer, thinking carefully before trying to explain. "...she's a spirit," he shrugged. "At least, as I understand it. It's sort of a long story, but um..." he adopted an awkward, sheepish look. "She was an angry spirit once. May have sort of...possessed me...at one point..." he glanced aside, then chuckled. "Remember what I said about parties on the Isle not always being crazy? Nevermind that. Anyway, as I said, long story, but everything worked out okay. The spirits were calmed and apparently, decided to stick around with the Pae that they'd previously possessed." He paused, smirking at a memory. "Whenever I bring up how we met, she always argues 'I said I was sorry.' I'm not sure 'sorry' really covers it, but don't worry. She's harmless." Okay, maybe harmless wasn't the right word...she could be dangerous if she wanted to be, and she could if she felt there was some threat to her bonded.
"We're connected," he finished with a shrug. "I'm the only one who can hear her when she speaks, or at least, the only one who can understand her. Sometimes, that might be a good thing," he added with a roll of his eyes. "She's a spirit, as I said, but if she's close, she can be solid like a normal wolf. The further apart we are, the weaker and more...spirit-like she becomes." It occurred to him now that after so long being out of contact...she may have had quite a rough time herself while they were separated. Poor thing. Even if it wasn't his fault, he felt the need to apologize to her later.
Changing the topic was welcomed. "We don't need to wait for the lake if we can find a calm section of the river," he said hopefully. "Not that you have anything to apologize for, silly. You look just as beautiful as ever. A smudge here and there isn't going to change that."
A beat. Then, he flushed, realizing what he'd just said. He'd only intended to ease her fears, not blurt out certain passing thoughts. He hurried to cover, though he knew the attempt was weak. "Err...besides, I'm sure I'm much worse. Marring your poor eyes with my scruffy, muddy appearance." He tried to laugh it off, though his eyes kept dropping away and towards their surroundings.
The mention of telling Chieftain Rais made him think. He needed to find out from Raina what happened to the rest of the group. The serious discussion allowed him to push aside the awkwardness once more, focusing. "I think it depends on what else happened while we were trapped. If the other Faun in the group returned without us, maybe the Tree already knows. But, if...if they didn't..." He frowned, mind on his son...what had happened to the rest of the group?
He started to turn and look back in the other direction, but stopped short, surprised to find himself staring cross-eyed at a nut from the trail mix bag. "I--" Blink. He swallowed. Blinked again. The ghost of a smile touched his face. "I'd rather you take most of it. Only fair, since I've been enjoying most of the food up until this point. Not as necessary now though." Yeah, he knew. And now, she knew he knew. Still, he was carrying her, so... "As long as you promise not to argue and take the first of whatever fresh food we find though, yeah, I'll take a few pieces."
And then he thought about how they were to do this, with his arms otherwise engaged.
Oh, by the merciful spirits...did they never grow tired of finding amusement at his expense?
Hesitantly, he parted his lips, eyes suddenly finding something fascinating to stare at in the distance...
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:03 pm
Well, that was interesting. There was always much to learn of this island, it would seem, just as these planned parties and trips always seemed to end poorly. "Yes... Please intervene if I ever consider leaving the tree for a sort of planned event again." She said this in a matter-of-fact way, not seeing how he could say no if he planned on being in the tree. It would go something like:
Where are you going princess?
Oh, there was this party just by the forest and I-
No. You can't go. Remember?
Hmm... Ah, yes, that is correct! They do always turn out quite badly, do they not?
Yes. Yes they do.
Might you join me in some tea, then, as an alternative?
Of course! That would be wonderful. How could I ever say no to spending time with...
Well... Perhaps not quite like that, but similar. Maybe. Wait. Did he just... Did he call her beautiful? Her cheeks flushed brightly, her eyes averting as his did and mumbling. "Thank you... You are not so bad to look at yourself..."
She closed her eyes and brought her hands together as her face grew even redder at his admission. He had known, yet said nothing? Oh, how she felt quite the fool right now. It was almost as if a young child had just been scolded with how she acted. Nodding, she didn't look back at him as she took a few pieces to eat, first, before awkwardly holding one up for him to eat as he had before.
While it was the same motion as before, it felt incredibly more embarrassing. "Let us hope that we find something of more sustenance soon..."
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:19 pm
He wasn't sure why, but there seemed to be something rather...intimate...about having another Pae feed you. Not like before, when Celestia had been the one preparing their meals, but...literally, 'feeding' you. By hand. And there was a whole new...seemingly-unspoken protocol about how to go about it..and he had no idea what it was...which only made it more awkward for the poor Faun. Because he said he would, he allowed her to feed him a few pieces before he wasn't sure he could take the tension that was building from the simple act. "That's enough," he said quietly, "you keep the rest." Then, after a moment, "Thank you."
Their easy chatter from before had given way to quiet awkwardness, but Faroth soon found himself less concerned by this and more attentive to where they were going, as well as keeping his hooves firmly beneath him. He was managing fairly well, considering, however, he'd need to rest before much longer. And he'd rather they set up somewhere to stay for the night before it got too late. They were nearing the river, but as for getting to it, well...that might have to wait for the morrow.
He wasn't looking forward to trying to navigate down the cliff wall in the dark, muscles already trembling, just to get to the river below. Nope.
They were close to the ravine by the time he stopped. He'd stepped into a small...not quite a clearing, but the trees were a bit thinner here than the surrounding areas. Pausing, he offered Celestia a half-smile. "Alright, this is tonight's stop," he stated, crouching to place her gently on the ground beside a tree. He dropped the pack behind him less delicately, nearly giving in to the temptation to collapse heavily onto the earth. Not yet.
He pulled out the blankets and bedrolls, laying them out on a flat section of the ground. "We've still got the canteens for tonight. We'll try for the river tomorrow. Hopefully, Raina catches up with us soon," he muttered, pushing the pack away. He glanced down at the bedrolls...he really should get some wood for a fire...eh, it was warm enough...just for a moment, he decided....
Semi-dramatically, he flopped face-down on the bedrolls, his head resting on his arms as he muttered into the earth, "Imma' just lay here for a bit, 'k..."
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 1:25 pm
With each little nut she fed him, the princess could feel her cheeks reddening and her eyes looking away, unable to stand it. It was one hell of a relief when he told her to stop, and she merely nodded, looking back to the rest of it. "Think nothing of it." Maybe if they pretended like it hadn't happened, they could brush past it and continue the nice conversation they had been having. That would be nice.
Instead, the trail ahead of them become quite interesting, and the princess more or less zoned out as she watched the trees passing by, silent save for the wind rustling leaves, Faroth's hooves on the ground, and the occasional crunch from her eating. As he slowed, her head turned to look up at him. She returned his smile, sighing softly as she looked back around. "It shall be nice to rest under the stars again, I do believe." This would be the first in so many nights they could rest feeling truly safe, or at least she could.
Once again, her instinct took some hold as he went to move her down by grasping his arms and bracing herself with them, letting her grip ease only as she felt the cool grass below her. Laughing lightly, she motioned for him to come sit beside her. "Come, now, before she returns. Surely she makes jokes at our expense, so we haven't long." Sighing again and shaking her head, she moved back onto all fours to crawl over to him. Thanks to the time being carried and the food, she had at least enough energy for that.
Faking a pout, she poked at him lightly. "Have you not heard that a lady's offer for company is not given lightly, and as such, should be taken seriously?" A laugh before she braced herself to move back onto her rump, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "Whatever are we to do about you?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 8:52 pm
Faroth twitched, suppressing a shiver from the unexpected, yet gentle poke. He shifted slightly, one blue eye emerging above his arm to glance aside at the princess. "Eh, I'd give up if I were you. I'm a hopeless case." His smirk was hidden by his arms until he rolled on his side, giving the princess room to settle in on the bedroll alongside. Better than just the bare ground.
"Still, I suppose if you want to try, that's your business."
***
Raina padded lightly through the forest, at home in the wild and feeling infinitely better than she had in days. Her strength had returned with the proximity of her bonded and she no longer felt as if she might scatter and fly away, lost without the strength to pull herself together again.
She'd likely never admit to Faroth how terrifying the experience had been. Not openly.
However, at the moment, she was momentarily regretting her returned corporeal nature as it meant stupid menial tasks for her bonded, like this one. Alright, maybe she didn't mind doing things for him...especially right now, so soon after their reunion...but the task was proving annoying in itself.
Hands must be such useful things to have.
'Next time, I'll just show him where the stupid trees are and he can pick his own stupid food,' she grumbled to herself, pausing to try to adjust her grip again. How was a wolf to carry fruit for a couple Fauns? That was the trivia for the day. She was actually quite proud of herself...at least for the idea, if implementation wasn't going as well...
At least she could sense she was getting close. Faroth couldn't be far; must have decided to stop for the night. It was starting to get dark, though she didn't rely on her eyes as much as the Faun seemed to, so it didn't bother her so much personally. He probably didn't want to keep going in the dark, however. Before long, she came upon the pair and their little-prepared 'campsite'. With a snort, she neared with her precious cargo.
'Really? Just lazing about while I do all the work for you?'
Seeing Faroth jump was rewarding.
"Raina!" He turned, starting to rise, then stared at her puzzled. "What is...?"
The wolf neared, some sort of bundle in her jaws. It seemed to be a large leaf, folded up and then held between her fangs. As she set it down, the leaf unfolded to reveal three apples, a pear, and a handful of blackberries. 'You're welcome,' she said smugly, settling on her haunches looking quite proud of herself.
She was mildly surprised when Faroth rose and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "You're a lifesaver," he said, sounding genuine. She'd stiffened at first, shooting a look at the female Faun over his shoulder, then sighed, rolling her eyes and relaxing.
She may have let her tail swish over the ground. Just once.
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 7:33 am
Nodding once, she closed her eyes, feigning absolute seriousness. "Ah... I see... Well, perhaps that would be best then, would it not. I haven't time to waste on one who cannot learn." There were a few, long moments of silence before she opened an eye up, her own childish smile on her face. "I jest, naturally. If I thought you hopeless, surely I would not have trusted you to save us from that cave." Opening her other eye, she nodded again, that grin still plastered on. "Besides, I made you a promise to teach you how to read, did I not? A princess, even if only in name, holds true to one, no matter the case. You cannot be rid of me so easily, my sir Faroth."
Taking the cue from him, she moved to lay on her back, her hands resting softly on her stomach as she looked up at the changing colors of the sky. She sighed, not turning to look back at him. "Have we worried those in the tree, do you suppose...?" After that, she left the question hang there, her eyes closing lightly as she felt the last of the sun's rays warm her skin.
It wasn't until she felt him move beside her that the princess's eyes opened again, blinking to see him sitting up so quickly. Her head turned in the direction he looked, smiling lightly at the wolf nearing. Moving to sit herself back up, she pressed her hands into her lap and addressed Raina. "Thank you." While a little awkward, it still sounded warm and sincere.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:29 pm
Raina seemed to look the fauny over from head to hoof approvingly. Well, she was polite at least. In answer to the thanks, she gave a slow dip of her head as if saying 'you're welcome'. She backed away as Faroth gathered the fruit to distribute, though she did lay herself at the edge of his bedroll. 'There's not much, but it was hard enough to get that back. You can get more in the morning.'
"No, this is just fine," Faroth answered, moving to retrieve one of the pocket knives from the pack. "Too much and we might be sick anyway. This will get us through the night, easy." First, he halved the blackberries, pushing one of the two piles towards Celestia on the leaf he'd set between them. "Alright, start in, princess. You promised." He shot a quick smile up at Celestia before turning his attention downward again. He used the knife to cut the pear in half, then did the same to one of the apples. An apple and a half, plus a half pear for each of them. It was more food than they were used to seeing at any one time. That thought in mind, he added, "Eat slowly. But, from here on, we split everything evenly, got it?"
He leaned on one arm in a relaxed, lounging position to eat. The blackberries were sweet and went quickly before he turned to the first apple half. "Quick rest and a bite to eat, then I'll see what I can do about getting a fire going. Unless Raina knows where there's some convenient brush wood around here to burn."
'Do I look like a dog? We're not playing 'fetch' here,' Raina snorted, lifting her head from her paws to glare up at Faroth.
Faroth chuckled, reaching down to scratch her ears. "Just kidding." He knew better than to answer that question, even if he was feeling elated and silly at the moment. "I can take care of it."
'Why do you need a fire anyway? It's warm enough out here. And besides, you have blankets, it seems,' she cocked her head questioningly. There was a bit of her own curiosity nagging at a secondary question here; one she wasn't going to ask outright, but curious to see how he answered. 'Looks like you already set up for sleeping. I figured you were sharing the blankets as well.'
"Well...yeah, I mean...it's not that. It's pretty open out here," Faroth shrugged. "We need something to keep any trouble away while we sleep."
Another snort from the wolf. 'You're more likely to attract trouble with that light out here in the middle of nowhere. I'll keep watch.'
The faun frowned. "Are you sure? You'd do that? All night for us?"
A soft bark, not unlike laughter came from the wolf's muzzle. 'Not like I need to sleep anyway! Besides, I don't feel like trekking all over this forest all night with you looking for stupid firewood.' She narrowed her eyes at him, poking his leg with her paw. 'But this service isn't free, kid. I want some answers on where the hell you've been and what happened.'
Faroth chuckled, relaxing. "I think that's adequate payment," he agreed, reaching down again to rub her ear...then grin as she tried not to wag her tail in response. To Celestia, he tried to fill in their conversation. "Guess we're sleeping in the dark tonight; no real need for a fire. Raina's going to keep watch over us while we rest. In exchange, looks like I have some questions to answer about what happened to us." With a quick glance to the wolf again, he added, "I'll admit, I have a few questions of my own, missy." Back to the fauny, "But, for now, we have a fine feast, then business can follow."
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:47 pm
Smiling back at Faroth, Celestia nodded, smiling earnestly as she reached for her pile of blackberries. "With pleasure~" The tart, yet sweet juice was like nectar as she slowly ate through the pile, savoring each of them as if it might be the last. It was wonderful, truly a blessing. If they had been the only things, she still would have finished them with an astounding satisfaction; the fact that there was more to eat was just the icing on the cake. "Of course," she almost hid her impulse to smirk perfectly, "I needn't restrain myself now that we are out."
As if catching a hidden meaning to that sentence a few seconds after speaking it, her eyes glanced back down to the rest of the fruit, finding the apple half to be suddenly rather intriguing. She took it into her hands, raising it delicately to her lips before biting in, again savoring the taste fully before she continued to eat. "Fire... Pardo-...?" Oh, he wasn't talking to her anymore.
It was rather frustrating to be privy to only half of a conversation going on, particularly when it involved her. Not that she would admit to it, or show it.
At least he was quick to let her know of the necessary information for her. Blinking, she shrugged. "Is it really dark, though?" Her eyes looked up to the sky. "We have the light of the moon and the stars to shine for us. While different than the day, it is still beautiful in how it embraces the land. Perhaps my sister is out this day, wondering where has the sun disappeared to, why it has been missing for so long..." Sighing lightly, she reached for the pear half, deciding to leave that conversation at that. For the moment. Suppressing a silent laugh, she added in, "Though, while the night does not often mean it, she can be quite cold. I hope that we shall be warm enough in sleeping as we have been."
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 2:36 pm
'Ha! I knew it! You've been sleeping together!' Tail swishing lightly over the ground, Raina was the picture of innocence, though there was a sparkle in her eye for those who might notice it.
Suddenly thankful for whatever darkness there was to hide the redness in his cheeks, Faroth turned a glare on his canine companion while trying to do so slowly and discretely. He did NOT want to have to acknowledge that Raina had said anything just now, for fear of having to make something else up on the spot. He did manage to fit quite a lot into a mere glare, including but not limited to the threat of a second death, and he did mutter JUST loud enough for Raina to hear, "...no, bad doggie."
Raina's ears flattened, and she growled briefly while lifting her lip. Silly boy thought he could threaten and insult her. And he's just given her all the cards with that response! Oh, this could be a FUN game afterall! The power was solely in her paws, if all she needed to do was make enough of a scene to embarrass him in front of his new girlfriend...
Faroth cleared his throat and Raina quieted (for now). "I'm sure we'll be okay. It's generally pretty warm this time of year. And if it does start to get chilly, well, I'll find something to work then." Only after he'd hurried to cover with a simple response to her last observation did he notice...was that a note of sadness in her tone? "Hey, I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to see you again when we get back. You might be lucky to get much rest, between your sister and her kids and everyone coming to visit. Besides, it can't have been too long yet, even if they have worried a bit..."
He was interrupted by a loud snort from Raina and he turned to take in the incredulous look on the wolf's face. 'Really? Not that long? Just...how long do you think you were down in that hole?'
"How long were we down there?" he echoed, looking puzzled. He shrugged, "I dunno, it was hard to say. I figured...three to five days maybe?" He looked at Celestia. "I'd say more like five, probably, right?"
'Try nearly two weeks.'
Faroth's jaw dropped and he turned to blink at Raina. He couldn't say anything at first as the response sunk in. Two weeks? Then...that...that explained... "Two...weeks...?" Still in disbelief, he turned to Celestia. "That explains why we ran out of food," he said simply.
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:28 pm
Shaking her head before laughing, she nodded, "Yes, I believe I will sleep through a day from start to end when we return! After a bath, of course." Shrugging lightly, she looked away, "It has been far too long since I saw them last... I have yet to see my great nieces and nephews from Cadance, so I mussn't forget them... Even if we have not been gone for..."
Her voice trailed off as she heard the wolf's snort. Blinking, she looked to Faroth for clues as to what was going on between them, tilting her head at his words. She nodded, shrugging lightly. "It was so hard to tell, really, with the lack of the sun. I would say 5 days is a reasonable estimate. No less, though I doubt much more."
Her mouth opening lightly, soundlessly, she would have paled were she not already white. Two... Two weeks...? She and he had been missing, been starving, been trapped... for two... They had shared a bed for two... "Surely she jests, yes?" the princess suggested, not wanting to believe how long it had been. Catching a bight of light-headedness from the revelation, she rested her head on the palm of her hands, closing her eyes for a moment and breathing in and out carefully to calm herself.
Opening them again, she smiled weakly. "Yes, we hadn't enough for that long..." It was a good thing she had mostly gone without then. Suddenly feeling rather impatient, she shifted on the sheets as a child might. "Perhaps... We should sleep soon, so that we may wake and return to the tree as quickly as the wind may take us." A pause. "Well... Figuratively speaking, at least." She had little confidence in her wings at the moment, considering her legs were failing her.
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Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:45 am
Faroth shook his head, still in disbelief himself. "She said nearly two weeks...so give or take a couple days...yeah, we've been gone a while." He frowned in thought. Surely, she knew where the others were, right? What had happened in those two weeks? Hard to believe that the lack of sunlight to mark the time could have thrown them off so far, but...without the sun, all he'd had to go by was eating when he needed the energy most, working until he couldn't work anymore, then sleeping when needed. Maybe he'd unknowingly stretched his schedule to where a 'day' in his reckoning was longer than a day marked by the sun, so...
He shook his head, looking towards Celestia at her suggestion. "Sleep is a good idea. But, we've been gone this long. While I'd like to get back as soon as possible too, we need to take it easy, at least to start, until we build our energy back up. Hopefully, won't take long with luck like this," he smiled, holding up his pear half. "Let's just...not hurt ourselves now after coming so far," he finished.
"I agree though," he said, straightening out the blanket. "Rest is a good plan for the night, one way or another." He finished the last of his fruit, feeling more than full at this point. His stomach must have shrunken from so many days with little food. He should sleep well on a full stomach tonight though. Tossing the cores of the fruits into the forest beyond, he started to settle down into the bedroll, Celestia on one side, Raina curled up by his hooves. He wasn't quite ready to sleep, even if he was trying to wind down, however. "You can go ahead and sleep if you'd like," he told the fauny, smiling and patting her arm. "I just have a few more questions for Raina before I'll be able to sleep."
Lying on his back, he crossed his arms beneath his head. Sensing the conversation was shifting, Raina moved as well, moving closer so that Faroth at least wouldn't have to speak so loud if the other faun decided to sleep. "Raina? What happened to the others? Where's Ranuin?"
The wolf, if it could be seen, cringed. 'I...don't know. Everyone was just...scattered. Dunno' how. I...I couldn't find him. When you disappeared, you must have been taken far, far away. I was weak...losing form. I tried to look for you both, but with nothing to go on...well, I had to focus on you. Even then, it took me nearly two weeks to find you.' Even her telepathic voice had gone quiet. 'I...didn't think I'd see you again.'
Faroth looked down in sympathy and irrational guilt. Even if he couldn't help the circumstances, it tore him up to think that she had gone through so much because he hadn't been there. She sounded sad...even a note of what the living might call fatalistic thinking. Could spirits have thoughts of their own death? Was it death so much as just...ceasing to exist?
Philosophical thinking didn't suit him. Her either, it seemed. They'd prefer to leave it all behind instead, thankful that they could and hoping that they might forget. She rested her head on Faroth's leg, and he his hand on her head, scratching her ears lightly. "I'm sorry, Raina," he muttered quietly, closing his eyes to block out the stars above. "I'm sure he's fine, right? He's a smart kid. We've taught him well...right?" In answer, the wolf made a sound halfway between a whine and a sigh, nuzzling her head against his hand. "Yeah, I thought so too."
Weariness seemed to settle over the grey Faun. Though he was still uneasy, there seemed to be little more he could do to answer his concerns for tonight. "Is it alright if we talk more tomorrow? We all need sleep," he said, shifting to lie down fully, pulling the blanket up over his shoulders. He gave the wolf one more fond pat before pulling his arm beneath the blanket, away from the cool night air. "Goodnight, girls," he muttered with a smile, unsure if Celestia was even still awake. Raina shifted, lifting her head with ears twitching slightly in an alert fashion, now focused on her guard duties if distracting speech was finished for now. She made a private note to grill Faroth in the morning about the female Fauny...but that could wait until then. She had work to do.
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Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:41 am
True, what he said did make sense. If they had only been gone for 5 days, as they had thoughts, then perhaps it might be a higher concern to return quickly. At two weeks, give or take a few days, what difference did one or two more make? They were still weak, malnourished, and there was still the possibility of something happening to them before they returned. "Perhaps... No, you are right. While I do yearn for my family and the tree again, it is better that we ensure our own safety as the greater priority. They will remain, waiting, for our return, no matter how much longer it may takee...~" Her words ended sloppily, in a yawn, as she moved to quickly cover her mouth.
Nodding to him once, smiling hesitantly, the princess moved to situate herself on the side of the bedroll, pulling the blanket carefully over her form. "If you insist on such a thing..." She mumbled, pulling the blanket over her eyes and curling up underneath it. The words he spoke seemed to blend in with the melodies of the night, with crickets and owls, as she drifted to sleep.
In the morning, perhaps due to an unconscious search for warmth, he would find her curled up against him, her head against his chest, her arms pulled in together just above hers, and otherwise in a very innocent-appearing, curled, posture.
Funny how the body acts when there is no thought to control it.
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Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:12 pm
Raina had been amused for hours.
She could barely wait until Faroth woke to her staring at them both. Then it would be hilarious.
The grey Faun woke slowly, though the sun was well above the horizon by now. It was a much needed, restful sleep, fueled by a full stomach for the first in many, many nights. It had grown somewhat chilly in the early hours of the morning, however, he was warm when he woke, making it hard to want to move. He yawned, shifting to stretch, then pausing when he realized he'd wrapped his arm around Celestia's lower back, beneath her wings, when she'd apparently curled up beside him at some point in the night. He should have been embarrassed...but by now, this was far from the first time it'd happened. It was exhausting to try to keep apologizing for something they couldn't seem to help. Besides, it kept them warm during the night chill. That's all.
He did stretch his free arm out to the side and upwards, folding it beneath his head as he took a few more moments to rest before needing to wake his companion. That's when he noticed the intense blue stare that met his own. Below that, a bemused grin, and further beyond, a wagging tail. Immediately, the embarrassment returned that had first hit him upon waking in a similar situation nearly two weeks previous.
"Not. One. Word." He kept his voice quiet, so as not to wake Celestia, but filled his tone with all the threat he could manage.
'Oh, I can think of so many more than that. Why pick just one word when there are so many?' The devious grin Raina shot him showed no fear of his perceived threats. 'I noticed you didn't even hesitate at the talk of you two sharing a bed. How long has this been going on, eh?'
"It's not like that. We're not...all 'sleeping together' has been in the literal sense only!" He winced, hoping his earnest protest hadn't gotten too loud. Then, he noticed something else about the way Raina kept grinning at him. "...and you know that, don't you?"
'Course. I just don't get why you keep getting all defensive about it. It's kinda' funny.' Cue amused tail wagging.
"Remind me why I keep you around?"
'You'd never manage without me.'
He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Look, just drop it, okay?"
Raina tilted her head curiously. 'I don't get it. What's the big deal? So, you find her attractive. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with acting on that attraction? Whatever you two wanna' do is your business...'
"Get out of my head," Faroth grumbled, glaring. Darn bonded spirit familiar reading his emotions. "Besides, like I said, it's not like that. I'm sure it's just a result of being locked up for a couple weeks with each other and...other circumstances." He waved his hand, not willing to explain, despite Raina's curious look. "It's one-sided if anything and likely going to fade when we get back home, so stop trying to make something of it."
He lay back, trying to relax, but noticeably more tense now. Hopefully, he hadn't woken Celestia with any of that exchange. Though he'd been tempted to move before, he seemed to prefer staying where he was now, allowing her to rest as long as she liked, even using him as a pillow. Might as well enjoy the calm peace while it lasted. Especially now that they only had a few days 'til they were back home again.
Raina was about to say something, but fell silent again deciding to leave the matter for now. Stupid bonded.
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Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 12:33 am
--teral sens--!
Hmm... Her ears twitched as she moved slightly, curling up closer as she resisted waking. It was too warm, to early to move. Even though it mostly seemed so since her head was below the blanket.
--ircumstances... one-sided... likely to fade...
What, one sided? Had he found out? There was something very sad about this thought, something that made her want to return to her sleep, but which occupied her mind. There would be no falling asleep again, it was simple as that.
Feigning awakening, after waiting some number of minutes of course to make sure there was nothing else to be said and to try and disassociate her waking with his conversation, she stretched her arms in front of her and slowly pulled herself up, yawning. Lifting an arm to shade her eyes, she squinted and blinked against the bright sunlight coming from the sky.
"Good morning, Faroth..." the princess mumbled lightly, flexing her wings behind her, up and down, before folding them again against her back. As an afterthought, remembering they were no longer alone, she looked for the wolf. "Good morning to you as well, Raina." Another yawn, another stretching of her arms, and her eyes opened fully, a small smile on her face. "Were your sleeps pleasant?"
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