Kohaku:
The rain started to get louder and he hadn't even stirred when she had come inside. Likely he wouldn't haven woken up for when the winds turned, and the dakrness filled the sky off the storm to come. It was admittingly the worse if he were to have been awake. He'd only seen one storm before this one.. and that was when the Tsunami shook the Bahari'mtoto.. He was just a boy then.

A clap of thunder shook the land, and like a lion's roar- he woke from his near dead like state. Not completely moving, but lifting his head, and his eyes... Looking around..Blinking and slowly absorbing the world around them.. The storm had done multiple claps now... And he would simply lower his head, and when he went to curl up more in to himself, he felt an unfamiliar addition to his body. And when closer examination.. It the the girl whom he'd met..

The fact that she was snuggled close to him was unfamiliar yet.. so different yet not totally unwanted.. So he curled his tail around her to shield her rump from any more soakage.. and with his body towering her so much, it would be likely that anything above would hit him firstly. And she stayed watching her.. and slitted his eyes... absorbing the look of her sleeping. It was, oddly soothing and he hadn't realized what he was doing... But while she slept he felt the part of himself that was innocent tug at his heart.. But he didn't pay attention..

Auslief / Rime:
The storm had gotten increasingly worse as time went on and it wasn't long before Auslief was frowning in her sleep and starting to shiver just a bit. She didn't like storms. It wasn't that she was afraid of them, it was just that she knew they could be dangerous, especially for those living near the sea. It was worrisome, and the worse it was, the worry was worse and thus her agitation would grow.

A second booming crash of thunder jerked her awake, eyes wide. In her sleep she had lain on her side, with her back pressed against something large and warm. In an instant, the sensation clicked as another lion and her mind immediately began explaining it. She was on a trip with Barth and Dou. Dou was probably out, he liked the feel of the wind and rain. Barth didn't though, so he was probably the one curled around her, keeping her safe from worries and bad dreams. A small smile found its way onto her face as she rolled over and pressed her face into the lion's chest.

His scent washed over her like cold water and she remembered the past couple of days. She wasn't out with her best friends, this was a rogue male, dragging her along to the pride within the desert to fix a broken necklace. A male whose fighting scared her to her core, one who had been rather condescending most of the time to her.
Her head jerked back and she stared up into the face that was watching her, her own blue eyes wide.

Kohaku:
His slitted eyes, opt to meet her enlarged ones as she stirred awake. But from peaceful, and then frowning and now to surprised.. He didn't know how to take her emotions so he simply turned his face to watch outside."Did you have a bad dream... or did the thunder wake you too.." His voice was that manly, but somehow came out more gentle than even he would have thought.

No matter the roars of the winds- he remained unphased.. Not scared if even the ocean would swallow him. That's the kind of aura he gave off. Fearless, and yet determined. At least for his ojective. But then he moved his head back to watch her.. then almost unconciously he wrapped himself further around her like a guard dog would do. Offering himself as almost a hug protective shield.

"It ill get me surely before it would get to you.. you can go back to sleep.." This was him, aching to be kind again.. but that seemed a lot harder than he would have thought. No matter how much it tugged at him.

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief wanted to be petulant. She wanted to be cold and tell him to mind his own business. But the way he asked what had woken her, how he curled around her protectively and told her he would take whatever came at them first, it all made her stubborn pride melt away. After a moment, she shook her head once and turned her head back down, resting her cheek against his fur. He needed a bath, well they both did by now, but she wouldn't shy away from the comfort no matter how dirty he was.

"I don't sleep well when the weather gets this bad," she finally replied after a few moments. As if to punctuate her explanation, thunder crashed and lightning lit up the world outside their little den. Auslief jumped a little at the sudden sound and felt stupid and immature for it. It was just thunder, it wasn't going to hurt her.
But then, it was a lot easier to cling to those thoughts when she had her family or friends close.

She felt the weight of his attention on her and it made her frown against his chest. The position was awkward, but she didn't want to take the effort to move away just yet.
"Do I have something in my fur?" Why else would he be watching her so intently?

Kohaku:
Had... he been starring at her? He looked at her questionably. He probably wouldn't have believed it even if she inquired it to be so. But he was caught non the less, and he wasn't letting go.. til he found himself stuck in that position, then looked away to not further annoy her, oh yes he assumed that looking at her was annoying her. Why else would she speak up like she did. But he listened to her...

"No,...nothing" He paused for a good few moments."I can't change the weather but you can hide within me. I guess Im just more than just big, for no reason." Shrugging and looking at her from the corner of his eye. Girls were foreign now, with Luci it was so much easier to fall in love and show affection, but the heart had grown in to stone.. He had to admit that company was well welcomed now that they got over the harder parts. After the war- he alienated everyone he held dear, even his sisters. Any friends he had- he simply stopped talking to them..

"Or you may stink." A very dry joke... but he ctacked a smirk, just to ruffle her feathers a little.. Because oh he probably knew he needed one as well. they should have just slept out in the rain, but that would have beem... Sickly after...

Auslief / Rime:
"Oh." Was he just... curious then? She supposed that could be it, his social skills seemed a little lacking, when was the last time he had spent any lasting period of time with another individual, or a female for that matter? But that was a private thing and she wouldn't ask.
Auslief didn't move away or closer when he gave her permission to take comfort over the storm from him. She didn't want to be coddled, but it was easier to deal with when there was someone else there with her, she couldn't deny that simple fact.

She huffed when he made the crack about her current state.
"You're one to talk. When was the last time you took a bath?" she asked, smiling a little as she began to forget about the storm, though she still didn't look back up at him. He could probably hear a bit of it in her voice, though.

Kohaku:
"Hmm.... Almost a half a season ago..Or was it....." He looked down trying to find an answer, and only saw the pitter patter that made him sigh-chuckle against it. "But I don't smell as bad as you." Then another clap sent a rumble through the ground, and he got closer around her, almost engulfing her with his body. Circling round her, But on his side. Which looked weird, but he did so anyways. LIfting his head up to speak to her.

"Before the war, I bathed- to get ready for battle. After that.. it is merely a blurr.. I'm not sure when I last but it would be nice to have a bath.. But I am oblivious as to exactly how. I might even smell worse if I just dip myself in the salted ocean- will I not?" He looked out in to the storm..

"Either way I do not hear any complaints." His body was closer, therefore his face was closer to her body and his ears fanned back. "So where exactly did you come from. So I know more of whom I am suppose to be defending myself from..." If it were vampires... he wouldn't know what he would do- but the thought hadn't crossed his mind til he asked... and his heart laid silent... Awaiting an answer.. Would he truly kill her if she were from there? She didn't fit the description at all but one could never trust too much..

Auslief / Rime:
"Hmph, well I certainly smell better than you do. And you look a sorry state," Auslief replied, though she listened and took in everything he had to say. It was something her father had taught her to do. Always listen and learn about those around you. It was a heck of a lot easier to throw them off their paws if you had the advantage. And she needed all the advantages she could get in life.

He'd been in a war, a warrior. Well, she could have figured that out by the way he fought and his battle wounds. But to finally hear it really put it all together. It sounded like something bad had happened to him during the fighting, but he didn't elaborate. Maybe the necklace had something to do with it. A mate, maybe? He looked too young to have lost a child in it.

"You can't wash in the ocean, especially not with the state of your body. If you don't attract sharks, you'll at least get sand and salt in your wounds and that will just make them worse. We'll go back inland, for freshwater for that," she explained with a shake of her head as she considered how much to tell him about her pride. She let her head rest on one of his legs as she considered what he may and may not know about the pirates.

"We're a small pride that lives near the sea. The females tend to stay at home while the males go out in small bands for hunting and searching for treasures to bring back to the pride. Sometimes a female will prove herself enough to get to go out with the males, if a leading male lets her into his band that is. There isn't much more besides that." So she left out the drinking and the stealing and the kidnapping parts, but he didn't need to know all that business.

Kohaku:
"A sorry state- that can still put a dent in to someone else's plans though." He chuckled more, and let his face rub in to his paw. He was way beyond learning to groom himself. He hadn't done that since he was... early years of his teenage years. Now older- he had let someone else bath him- not out of being that grand, but because he was a sorry excuse to show off to ladies! Though he hadn't really a reason to be well groomed for any lady except Luci.. He closed his eyes, and then returned his gaze to the one in front of them. Only a day at most and already he was beginning to acustom himself to her company.

At least she wasn't bad company..
"I see..." Nodding and yawned. "A sea pride.." Thankfully- he gave a long roughed sigh of relief, she wasn't a vampire.. Thank the gods above that she wasn't.. "And you are apart of the hand full of females whom got to be apart of a.. um.." He thought back to her words. "Band." He rolled over some thoughts in his head before speaking again. "So this means- your more useful than you seem~" A stale joke. "I come from a pride.. that believes in bringing justice and fighting for the rights of others.. But with the recent war against a terrible enemy... I am no longer the same as I was..." He had looked down as he spoke, but rose his head at the end.

"Which is why now, I still apologise for .. my ... I just.. when fighting sometimes... I black out..." But it had only been via the war that he developed that terrible habit..

Auslief / Rime:
"A lot of the males think I'm only taken out with them because my father is one of the band leaders and my uncle his second in command." The words came out before she could stop them and her gaze fell. It was an insecurity Auslief couldn't seem to shake, for sometimes even she believed that was the case. She was smaller than her father and brothers, even her mother was a larger lioness than she would ever hope to be. Dou was always looking out for her, something she respected and yet hated. And while she had shown her usefulness in the past, her abilities were still not completely trusted. Why else would her father have her followed?

"So you coddle those who should learn to fight for themselves?" It was a mean question, but in the end she wouldn't do something like that. She would protect cubs while they learned to fight, and any of the pride who chose to stay behind to make their home better, but there were far more pirates than other members. As a pride, they had their places and could band together to protect themselves. Any beast that didn't know how to fight back, well, were they really worth protecting?

"Don't apologize. You came out of it and you probably fought better for it."

Kohaku:
"Then it is admirable that you show this to not only them, but yourself." Though his mother wasn't a small lioness, there were times that she would tell the cubs about a partner she once had. Small, dianty,and she fended off against a war... Along side his mother. His parents had seen 5 wars between them, and now looking back- he couldn't imagen going through not one single one more. That- or he would reign terror til he had to be killed.

"We do not coddle- that means they have use somewhere else. Not all animals can fight. Those who fight, are not all strategic neither." His ears fanned up then back again, with his tail whisping against the ground beside her. "Of the broad, my youngest sibling was illed- he too could not fight but he had the use of knowledge at his digits and made quite use of it... or so I have heard. Beyond his years. Or so they say."
Leaning inward towards himself and almost towards her. The storm had made him not sleeping but wanting to 'cuddle' though he would not admit it. It was how their father showed his affection.. and thus mother would try to imitate when possible.. but she wasn't for the flowery.

"And hurt ones that need naught to." He gave her a look, where it said- not pleaed he was sorry still. "Did you find anything to eat before the storm.."

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief sighed and shook her head.
"I don't think I'll understand. I understand protecting those in your own pride, but rogues or other prides?" She trailed off there and shook her head a second time. It just didn't make sense to her, when she had grown up in a place where more often than not you were expected to be able to take care of yourself or fall behind.

She didn't mind the close contact anymore. What did it matter? Sure, he was getting her dirty, but she needed to take a bath anyways. She didn't even consider that it might be inappropriate.

"I... found some prey, but I was a little off..." She hated admitting that she had failed, but she wasn't going to lie. Lies were boring, the truth was more useful most of the time.

Kohaku:
"... ..They protect those that do not have enough strength to protect themselves because they ARE worth protecting...Not because they have the strength of muscle but the strength of hearts and minds. Everyone is worth... saving." He looked at his paws... and remembered when he took that oath- and he destroyed it... with every fiber. He once stood for so much and now he was just like his enemies and it was eating him through the inside and out...

Then he snapped out of it when her voice trailed away. Looking at her, the darkness was there- like it was crawling up on him. "Don't.. worry." He was still battling his demons."We'll get something when the storm passes.." Shaking his head off and laid his head back down. "Why don't we past the time with something my younger brother came up with..stories. " He inhaled and blew through his nose. "Or about yourself..Know who we're traveling with. If you can trust me or not. Though... I noticed you can trust no one.." Something he felt he did to his family..

Auslief / Rime:
It was a noble pursuit. But it wasn't her place in the world. She wasn't a noble heart, she was rather naughty, really. She was a thief, a pirate raised to steal from others. Sure, she didn't really steal anything they needed so much. Just fancy things like jewelry and pelts and things like that. Kidnapping wasn't her thing, though she helped if someone needed it.
Thunder rolled again and Auslief pressed her face back against his chest. She just wanted to get some rest, without bad dreams or waking up to the sound of thunder.

"I don't have any stories. And I've pretty much told you all you need to know about me." He didn't need to know anything else, or at least she didn't want to tell him anything else.

Kohaku:
"Then... I shall tell you a story.."
He began, and lowered his voice and head when she curled up close to him. He hadn't had company like this, except for when his siblings were younger. It was- nice to feel like someone was there. Not thinking that this would be something he wanted from anyone but Luci but the fact he was exhausted..

"When two boys- friends- more like partners in crime.." Which he then continued to talk about, as if it were just some story but in reality, it was the past adventures he had with Kowab. All the silly things they'd do, the imagenary beasts that they protected the world from. How he was this master mind villian at times.. The stories would be short- not too long... Enough that he told them straight to sleep....