[LOG] Ruined Bath (Rime x Kohaku)

[Reeshie Hack]

Auslief / Rime:
Sunlight streaming into the little cave from the sunrise out on the ocean glared on Auslief's face. The storm had passed sometime during the night and it was the sound of the gulls finally awakening that woke the small lioness. It took a minute to banish the sleep from her mind, to allow herself to register where she was and the events of the previous night. Had it only been one night? They had been attacked by hyenas and had to come here, the storm woke them and he... Kohaku had told her stories to help them fall asleep.

This was certainly a strange male, Auslief thought to herself. She was lying on her side facing the tiny den's entrance, her back pressed to the huge, warm chest of her "kidnapper." Sometime in the night she must have rolled over, for she thought she remembered falling asleep with her face pressed into his mane. But now she was faced away and one huge paw was draped over her side, securing her close to him.
She couldn't tell, was he still asleep? She wanted to move away, to put some space between them or even to get up and go hunting for breakfast, but if he was still asleep she didn't want to wake him by moving. Somehow she had softened a bit towards him and despite how she knew she shouldn't, she was actually rather relaxed in this position and a part of her didn't really want to move from it.

But they were both filthy and they hadn't eaten in a while and she really should be getting up.
"Kohaku?" Her voice was the softest whisper. If he was awake, he could hear it, but she was hoping that it wouldn't stir him if he was still sleeping.

Kohaku:
The stories, laid fresh in his mind that night... And the stories he spoke- were continued in his dreams. It was sickening, the good times him and his best friend had. It stained his heart and let it continue on til a feminine voice spoke up.. He was still quite asleep, the events that took place the night before was just a wreckage of energy wasted..

But he stirred non the less and shook his head slightly before grumbling non sense. His brain was still keeping him heavily asleep, but he could hear her speaking his name.. Then out of the blue, a "Hmm." Escaped his maw.

Auslief / Rime:
"Did I wake you?" How soft and tender a question to ask, doing so even surprised herself. What was she doing? They weren't friends, she didn't need to be taking that low, companionable tone of voice with him. Maybe it was the early morning affecting her, and how he had been acting towards her and the position they were in. She needed to get out and clear her head, and she really needed a bath. But Auslief's body wasn't listening to reason. It was still slowly waking up and was perfectly content to rebel against her mind and stay in the comfortable, warm position for a while.

"How did the story end? The last I remember... the best friends got in a fight because one of them was making the girl upset. I think I might have fallen asleep."

Kohaku:
Her voice yet again, errupted in to his ear and sent the signals to his head to wake but he was tugging along. Another grunt, then movement before he sighed and finally slitted his eyes... It took him a minute, a few blinks to clear the shine off of them before he softly nodded, he was now awake..

"Fighting.." His voice still slurred and rubbed his face within his mane and yawned. "Mmm..." Trying to think back on what he did say, and that took a few moments.. "The fight... ended one of the friends..." Trailed off.. "Exiled. From both families..." The event was etched in to his memory so thickly that it HURT to say the least to even remotely remember, but he was too tired to recgonize how much it hurt.

The he moved his head closer to hers, but enough for some respected space. Again, the first time he slept with someone other than a sibling... Which he didn't take in to serious account how she would feel about the closeness. He just realized he lacked it, and it was ...nice. He stayed there for a moment before a drawn out roar of his stomach called out to him. It rung in his ears and made him squint.

"Sounds like breakfast time I suppose." A soft ginger smile crossed his maw, a genuine smile.. He had lost that so long ago.. That brotherly welcoming smile. She brought it back and he didn't even notice.

Auslief / Rime:
"Hmmm..." Auslief sort of hummed as she thought about it. That didn't really seem fair to her, exiling the one for no reason.
"The one friend isn't a very good one. Letting his friend take all the blame for things. And if I ever had a male try to tell me I was his without me giving him permission to say so, I think I'd tear his tongue out or something equally vicious. Gods," she finally said after thinking about it and finally crawled her way out of his hold, missing the small smile. It was a rather sad story, and didn't end happily at all. She wondered if the female ended up with her love and was happy, or if the one male made good his threat, found out who it was and killed him. She may have been a thief, but she had her code. A heart was not something you could take. Her mother had taught her that one. It was why no other male in the pride touched her. She belonged to Father, and he to her, no buts about it.

"Sun's coming up. There's a spring not too far from here. You can start cleaning up and I can go get something to eat."

Kohaku:
"Mmm." He commented after her conclusion. Though entirely too early for him to think HARD on what she said. It still felt the weight on him. It still hurt. The things he had done wrong- verses how many things Kowab did wrong. Everyone said he was just a bad apple- but in reality... They were best friends. Destined to be.. He didn't know where Kowab was now. Likewise, he heard that he fled out in to the roguelands. Where could he be now...His ears panned back and he yawned again.

Then right after she slipped away, he 'tried' to get up and slowly fell right back in place. A sigh escaped yet again and tried to chug his weight up once more. This time, pulling out of the small space... There were still many gashes and wounds still fresh but at least he didn't bleed to death while asleep.

Kohaku still looked tired- dragging almost even half dead, but still he shook himself off and tried chugging on. One eye was still swallon. "Mmm. Or... We can do both together. Don't want a repeat of last night." Meaning the hyenas surprise attack...

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief stood in the growing sunlight outside of the den, the sound of the ocean nearby, but not so close that she had worried about flooding. She didn't really like the idea much, it would be easier to have one of them hunting and the other bathing. Firstly, it would be faster to have her hunt while he bathed. And then... eh, it would give her time on her own.

Ah, but then he was right, she admitted to herself with a sigh. If they stayed together, they wouldn't have to worry about one being attacked while the tither wasn't there.
"Okay, I s'ppose you're right. I think..." She paused there, looking around for a minute, trying to get her bearings. When she finally got where she was, she nodded back away from the sea.
"Follow me." She took a couple of steps and paused to look over her shoulder at him, to make sure he could follow.

Kohaku:
Kohaku was dragging, more and more until he lowered his body in to a stop. Staring at her for a moment, before straightening his back again. It was all hurting still but he didn't make a single complaint. Just took him longer to walk and hold a steady stride.

"I'm following. Slowly. But following." A slight chuckle flowed out of him, how did he get like this? So torn up and weak looking. "I don't think I'll be able to hunt." He finally said as he came up next to her. Looking down and ears went up to hear her react. "Regardless we should try and stay close- I can push another hyena fight if must."

Auslief / Rime:
"Mmm, I'll walk slow, then," she replied with a shrug, taking one last glance to make sure her bag was safely secured. He was so possessive of that necklace, he'd probably flip out on her if she lost it.
She didn't think he'd be able to hunt, either, that was a stupid thing to say really. She knew that he was hurt and still need to heal. But she wouldn't say anything about it. If she were in his place, she wouldn't want him addressing it.

"If we're lucky, there'll be fish in the spring." She couldn't remember if there was or wasn't.

It took them a few minutes to get there, but what little Auslief had said about the place had been something of an understatement. It was a fairly large pond with a stream leading through the trees towards the sea. The size might have caused worry over crocodiles, but the water was far too clear for that. A few silver shapes glinted in it, but they were much too small and few to be able to feed the two lions.
She nodded to it and moved to the bank, sort of jumping in because of a drop off there. The water was cool and higher than she would have expected, but that was probably because of the rain from the night before. The water that this end only came up to her belly, it would probably only reach Kohaku's knees.

"Here, it's deeper over here," she said slipping the bag off her neck to lay on the bank before moving towards the center, stopping when the water was up to the top of her chest.

Kohaku:
For the moment, it was a lazy walk til they got there. He had expected something FAR smaller than this and it gave him some comfort that it was clear enough to see the bottom. His blood would have sent more predators after them for sure. When she jumped in, he made his way closer and with the little jump she did, he would only walk through.

And he did, almost slipping but hopped in, sending a minor wave rippling over as he pushed further in. Like she had expected, the water only came to his knees and he walked with his head held high as he deepened.

But so did the color that trailed after him. The blood dancing in to the water and down below him. Nothing like the Nile River.

But the color did take a red and black tint as the older blood from battles before and the now were softening on his fur and ready to leave his body finally. By now he couldn't feel the pain- the water was too soothing as he turned to Aus and smiled. "Your.... short." The obvious.. but seeing her finally in the water compared to how he simply stood was amusing..

Dunking his head in and when he pulled him, his mane and fur sagged way below. the norm and made his head seem smaller than it really was. The mane covering his eyes as he looked to her. "No more complaining about smell after this.. " Not being able to completely see her- he waved his paw around to find her.

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief dipped her head beneath the surface of the water when Kohaku joined her, carefully using one paw to scrub at the dried blood on her muzzle and chest. For the most part, that was all that was there, she didn't know, couldn't see the smear on one shoulder where she had let him lean on her. She came up, blinking water from her eyes to look at him. He was seriously something of a mess.

Her looked turned rather deadpan when he brought up that she was short.
"Yeah, well you're a pushy jerk," she replied, but there was something lacking in her tone, as if she only half meant what she said. He dunked his head down into the water, when he came up she knew almost immediately that he couldn't see her. Oh, it was too good a chance to miss!

Without a sound, she moved out of his way, backing slowly through the water to stay out of reach, a small smile on her maw.

Kohaku:
"A pushy jerk- that's a new one."

He kept swatting. "I ..I can't see.. Rime, I can't see.. Are you around?" He faced every which way and lowered his face in to the water again before pushing his mane backward, whiplashing his back and looking about. "Rime? Where are you?" His tail was floating mindlessly in the water and still dirt and grime started to come off his fur even without scrubbing.

He was THAT dirty.

Auslief / Rime:
She had quietly circled around behind him and stayed every so quiet until he had stopped calling out for her. It was strange to hear her name from the maw of an outsider, even if it was her crew name. But even if they were both tired and hungry, she couldn't help being a little playful. She needed to... well, assert some sort of dominance somehow. And if sneaking around was what got it, then so be it.

He had tossed his mane backward, it wouldn't be long before he saw her so she took what was left of her chance and sort of surged her paws forward, sending a small splash over him. She waited, smirking as she waited for him to turn around, ready to dip back under the water. It would do her much good, since it was so clear, but she could probably get to the other side of the lake and get out before he caught her.

Kohaku:
He really didn't know where she went, by the time he turned around in the water, it was too late. She had caught him by surprise, and was half way to turning before she dunked back in. But at least he found her and he smiled and dunked his head under too. Lowering himself all the way down to the bottom and weaved below her.. Trying to catch up but of course she was smaller and may kick faster. He was massive and pushed off the ground below to raise up under her. Sending himself up to the surface with her on top of his head.

Gasping for air as he laughed- a wholesome soft brotherly laugh... One he had lost for quite some time. "Where did you think your going~"

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief gasped when Kohaku was suddenly under her and pushed them to the surface, her paws folded on his head. He was laughing, a sound she wouldn't really have expected from him, not the way he had fought or how he had previously talked to her.
"Pfft," she said, tipping her head back to get her own wet mane out of her eyes.
"Trying to get away," she added, tilting her head back so that she could stick her tongue out at him, even though he wouldn't be able to see it.

"Feelin' better, then?" she asked with a snort into his mane. He was certainly acting better. Or maybe he was far stronger than she had first thought. Either way it didn't really change anything.

Kohaku:
"Away? Didn't we decide you were coming with me." Holding her wasn't a task for him, in the water. Soon it would start to hurt... But for now he was happy looking at the dirt leave his body. He even tried combing his paw through his mane chest fur and grumbled when he couldn't get some of the deeper stains out.

Then his head looked 'up' but he could only see the top of her head. "In the water, doesn't everyone feel better." He held up his spirits for just a minute.. These moments he was creating were something of a trigger to his past. How happy he used to be. "But I guess you can say that. Even better that you didn't get too far away." Slowly he started making his way back. Pushing on til the water was at his knees again and every piece of him weighted a ton more. Now one could see the fur down, and how much muscle mass he did have.. Refined- and bulk. Due to the training from when he was just a child.

Auslief / Rime:
She huffed.
"Nope, just tryin' to get away with my mischief. I figured, if I got out of the water, you couldn't retaliate," Auslief replied with a shrug. He was moving away from the deep water now, and she knew at that point she was much too heavy for him. She slipped off and climbed back onto the bank, shaking the water from her coat when she got there.

It took a second, only a second to know something was missing.

"My bag..." she said softly, her body immediately going on the alert.

Auslief / Rime and Bartolomeu / Black Bart:
"Bravo, bravo lass. I thought you'd never notice me," a male's voice suddenly spoke out and another lion walked out from behind a tree. He stopped to grin at her, one paw rising to show the torn bag dangling from it, the necklace no doubt still inside.
"Lose something while ye were havin' a tumble in the water?"

With a feral growl, Auslief lunged at the golden male. He was smaller than Kohaku, but still bigger than she was and still she attacked. And managed to flip him onto his back and pin him to the ground so that she could yell at him. Of course, it probably helped that he had no intention of fighting her...
"No one was to follow me!" The male held up his paws in submission to the angry female and leaned up to give her jaw a hesitant lick.
"Nay, lass. You told your da' not to send anyone after you. I came o' my own accord," he replied, letting his head fall back so that he could smile up at her.
"Ugh!" Her frustrated growl was enough to part his tidy mane before she got off of him and let him rise. Barth moved to her side, pressing his shoulder against hers and nuzzled at her cheek.

"Come now, lass. Your da' is beside himself, and you know how that worries your mom." He paused there to glance over her head at the large, red-maned male, his eyes narrowing for a moment before he turned a gentle smile on the lioness. "Come home. Trounce your brothers a bit to save tha' ego o' yours and later we'll have a spot o' fun. What say you?"

Kohaku:
He was calm, and even playful til she gave off an alarming look. All his features literately tensed up, and he took faster steps out of the water before he saw a male. Instantly he laid down a low growl and saw the bag. MOTHERS NECKLACE. That instantly meant war- but as soon as he took a step, Rime had already launched herself at him. Therefore- in his eyes would wait to see if she needed back up. Surely the features on him showed he was more than upset and ready to tackle him too... Til he saw the affection.

For some reason, that unsettling feeling surged through him like wildfire. Imagening the same feeling Luci gave him and imagened Kowab and her. Made him pushed forward and almost pluck her off of him but he had already showed submissiveness to her which again made him stop in his tracks. Merely watching with a heavy eye as he came up to Rime's side. "Surrender the bag." The most he could get out- and his words were shaking.. and trying to contain his anger. Regardless.. seeing another male made him more than upset.

Auslief / Rime and Bartolomeu / Black Bart:
Barth growled at the male.
"Bugger off, savannah ra-"
"Shut up Bart," Auslief snapped at him. Which was strange, because she never snapped at him. Generally she was far more submissive than this. But then, she didn't have him trailing along after her all the time trying to make sure she didn't stub her toe.

Despite her anger, though it was still rather tempting. Go home, sooth her wounded pride by showing she could be a part of the crew, then go fishing and cowrie-hunting with Barth and Dou. It would be nice, relaxing after the stressful trip this had been so far. But no! Her father was worried and he damn well should deal with it. She could take care of herself. Her mother wasn't worried. Her father needed to learn.
She shook her head and moved so that she was facing him rather than at his side.
"Go home, Bart. My father needs to realize I'm not a baby anymore. And you do, too." He moved close again and his paw rose to cup her cheek then.
"Aye, I can see you aren't," he agreed in a soft tone of voice. He leaned down then, pressing his head to hers, his maw next to her ear. His black eyes glared at the stranger. "You know I love you, lass. Donno what I'd do... what any of us would do should anything happen to you. Be careful, for me?"

Auslief sighed and leaned against him for a moment. As much as he was Black Bart to the others, to her he would always be Barth, a loving lion with a heart as pure as the gold of his coat. She loved him, too, just as much as she had when he curled around her to protect her when she was much too young for someone to have taken her out of the pridelands. But he had, he saw how eager she had been and taken her under his wing, so to speak. She counted him in among her big brothers, just as he saw her as the little sister he never had.
"I'll come home safe and sound, Barth. I promise," she replied, her own voice matching his in volume. He pulled back with a nod and pressed his nose once to her forehead. One more glare at the red-maned giant and he turned away, setting the bag back down on the ground and heading away. Dou would be waiting for him, and no doubting at least one of her actual brothers had caught up by now as well.

Kohaku:
Haku, unfortuneately didn't back down.. He stayed firm and though this closeness was irritating him but he could do nothing. As soon as the bag was left unattended, he pulled it up by his maw and continued to look like he was standing his ground. When really he was about to fall down, the weight of himself was wavering under him. The closer he got to Rime, he had to simply look away for a moment as if he meant to look at something else. As in, something in the distance like a sound of rustling. As long as he ACTED like he didn't care.. but deep inside. It was bothering him. How she got so close then the word came out... And he immediately moved- almost uncomfortably. This past days, how the events played out.. His ears fell backwards. He reminded himself that he too had said that to Luci.. But hearing it from her- to him just ached and pulled at his very heartstrings.

He stayed in silence... Then as soon as the male left, he gave himself a shake and though his body was still exhausted.. He pushed forward with the bag still in maw. The male didn't know what to say now, what could he say. That he was getting jealous? He shouldn't be! Luci was waiting for him. Love... that word just was crushing down and he was holding on to the bits and pieces now. But on the outside, the male remained unphased and merely stayed insanely distant. Like an on and off switch. Even if she lagged behind with the male, he couldn't stop her so what was the point? They knew each other and she was using this as her escape. Both were being used so why did this hurt? But he decided they were wasting time and opt to look for a safe place for the bag enough to go find them food...

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief watched Barth disappear with a frown on her face. Yeah, she loved him, but when it all came down to it she loved all her brothers and hated them just as much. There was nothing in this world that she wouldn't do for any one of them, but damned if they weren't bloody annoying way too often.
An angry sigh left her maw before she turned away and walked to Kohaku, grumbling as she went.

"Bloody males... Mind their own damned business, 's what they should do... Leave a girl alone for once... He'll never have a mate, oh aye, not with that misogynistic attitude.... Treat me like a baby, I outta tan 'is 'ide," she growled under her breath, her somewhat cultured accent slipping as she walked past Kohaku, not giving a damn if he heard what she said. On second thought...

She rounded on Kohaku and pointed a paw at him in a very authoritative manner that was completely lost because of her small stature.
"I swear, you try an' treat me like a cub an' coddle me, I'll make you regret it. Donno how just yet, but so help me I will," she snapped, determination in her eyes. She got it enough at home, she didn't need it out here, too.

Kohaku:
Ignoring her would have been the better idea. But he couldn't. Instead he had heard every word and he remained quiet throughout. It had been his self defense mechanism which caused him to shut down emotionally. That feeling that he needed to give to Luci, and Luci alone was beginning to pull and he would not let it waiver. No matter how much 'fun' this girl was. No matter if she had wiggled her way- no. That COULDDN"T happen. Looking at her finally, a big weight fell on his chest again. Tearing apart but his face remained emotionless.

Acknowledging her statement. Then turned to a tree, up on his hind legs to hide the bag inside a tree. As if to show her that this was a completely different him. Back to square one.

Auslief / Rime:
Auslief glared at him. Fine, if he was going to be mute, two could play at that game.
"Donno what bug's crawled up your rear, but if you're jus' gonna keep your mouth shut, no reason for me to chatter on, either," she snapped with a huff and moved slowly into the forest, a part of her still conscious of his injuries and keeping her pace slow so that he didn't have to work too hard. Damn her soft heart, she didn't need it. She needed to stay cold and frigid. A soft-hearted female was no good as crew. She needed to be just as mean and snappy as the males.

Being angry was no way to hunt, though. She needed to calm down. But how could she? Her father had made Levi follow her. And then Barth came after her. What did that say about how they felt about her abilities? It said too much, that's what. They treated her with care that no other crew member got. And she hated it. If any more of the pride showed up and tried to take her home, she might just attack and show just how not-weak she really was.
She let out another frustrated sigh before going quiet again, trying to force her mind onto the task at hand. Sad to say, though, her current mood made her appetite flitter away like a startled flock of birds. Even if she did manage to catch something, it would probably just all go to Kohaku.