Auslief / Rime:
Auslief awoke with a horrible feeling that terrified her.
Since the first time the heat had come upon her, her mother had been hiding her away every time it returned. She knew that Auslief had no desires to become a mother, especially not when she was still young and certainly not from a random male either rogue or in the pride. It would be too tempting for one of the males and she might not have been able to physically resist it.
It was the middle of the night, she'd been taking care of Kohaku for a while now. Somehow she had gotten comfortable with him, maybe far too much so. And now she was hot and bothered and being snuggled up so close to him in that itty-bitty temporary den was not making it any better. Before he had a chance to wake up, she half snuck and half scrambled out, heading towards the beach. The water would help, yes, yes it would. And maybe she could walk off the unwanted ideas starting to flit through her mind.
Kohaku:
The lion had been on recovery duty for more than a few days. No, it had been a while now and he couldn't remember why or how they got there at this point. That they were there, was what it had meant to him. Like, swimming in the spring and playing. Or, hearing about each others' stories and hunting. It was too natural for him to seep in to a routine for. His paw was healing to some extent.. And having it set and be casted like it had, he didn't give it much thought anymore. Not enough attention til Rime would speak up about being more careful.
It was now, again, routine to cuddle like they had been for the last couple of days. Lazily, he had his arm over the girl he had come to like the company of. He had been all too asleep, til she moved. Moving, prior to the war wasn't a problem- but now he had the knack of waking and grabbing.. Just in case if it was an enemy but this time, and since Rime, he learned not to grab. Now, he let her slip away from him w
The sleep was pulling him one side while the other told him to wake. Mostly his physical, and when she was far and gone to the water.. A yawn escaped him, rubbing his eyes and lazily looking out to where she had went. He had come across females in heat, but honestly, most were already taken. Especially in his pride and after the war- well he was brought back with a whole other set of thoughts that didn't include such physical attraction but Rime.
He hadn't even felt himself get up as he dragged himself out of the den moments later. His ears were fallen and the ( for now ) gentle giant slowly followed until he had found her, and damn.. He was taken back with the mezmorizing sight of the brash female. A side he hadn't seen but he waited, quiet as to not spook her. A few feet away his body was stilled.. Even his breath had slowed down. If he had been fully awake, he wouldn't have gone up to her but the self concious was his driver and the smell of her drew him in. Slowly, he came up to her side.. Rubbing his muzzle in to her shoulder. "Your up late.." His voice quiet, tender, kindly but deep and rough but one could tell he was just barely dragging.
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief stopped her walking when she reached a certain point on the beach. Nothing but the stars and half of the moon lit up the world around her, but she didn't need light to tell her where she was. Here the sand was firmer, damp. It only took a heartbeat for the surf to wash up, gliding over her paws. It was cool, maybe even a little cold for her tastes and it did absolutely nothing to ease her mind.
At home she had friends. Barth, Dou, her brothers, maybe even Mini. And she loved them even if she'd never say so. Okay, so maybe she didn't love Mini, but that crazy b***h was hard to like on most days.
But this feeling... it was different from anything else. She liked Kohaku in a way she hadn't liked anyone else before. Sure, he could be kind of a jerk sometimes and he was even more stubborn than she was, which was saying something. But... she'd never had anyone protect her and still think of her as a capable individual at the same time. She'd never met a lion who could look at a female and not assume that she needed protecting because she was female. He didn't mind her teasing, he played with her, something she hadn't done since she was a cub. He told her stories and seemed to enjoy spending time with her. He wasn't the most clever of lions when it came to his own body's limitations, but even that was almost a compliment to his strength and his drive to press on.
She twitched a little in surprise when something rubbed against her shoulder. It was only Kohaku, though, his scent and his somewhat sleepy-sounding words told her that much. Over and over she told herself in her mind to keep her attention on the ocean, the endless ocean, but in the end she couldn't. Her head turned, ears tilted back ever so slightly as she stared up at him.
"I... needed some air."
Kohaku:
This relationship had caught him and wrapped him up. It was that kind of snakey underhanded work that got him to calm the horrifying storm that had developed within him. Rime, Rime.. Rubbing his nose in her fur then softly rose his face when she went to face him. That look.. He tilted his head towards her. "Apologizes for having so much fur then~" It was truthful, but playful and quieted. Then came up to her neck and ear to pass a soft lick at them both, by nature effecting him the way it did.
Letting the tide pull over his digits, didn't sway him. He was waking, slowly but he still couldn't shake not giving her affection. Not like he wanted to, it was aching him not to. Grazing soft licks against her ear and cheek as if to groom before finally raising her head up with his snout. "I don't know whether to worry or not." Then took a heavy step forward and lifted his head looking out in to the ocean, then down at her. Lowering himself so he was at her level at the least. "I didn't recgonize you against the water... You look like a ghost..something untouchable." A compliment. "I hate that feeling."
When he'd see his 'father' walking beside him.. and not being able to touch him. THAT. Ached, so he had to touch her. Make sure she was still real, and here with him.
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief's eyes closed at the grooming. It was a nice feeling, also something she hadn't really had since she was young. But it didn't feel like how she'd been groomed as a cub. There was a difference between a mother's touch and this. She smiled at his little joke.
"Not your fault, it's just a small space." Her words were barely out before he moved even closer, his mood seeming to change in an instant. She couldn't resist leaning against him, her small smile still on her maw.
"I'm not a ghost. I'm right here..." No, she wasn't a ghost, and she certainly wasn't the icy princess she had named herself. At least, not anymore. She didn't want to be that way, at least not with him. He didn't expect anything from her, she didn't need to work hard to prove she was worthy of being an equal, she didn't have to put the rest of her emotions aside. She could be herself, she could be Auslief.
Kohaku:
These feelings, he could have just hid from her. But, instead, these tender moments he had wanted all his life to have for himself. Where they were here, even that small space was becoming too familiar. Looking down to his digits as the water brushed against them, he was still lazily dragging on the inside but on the outside he was awake but tired. But her comment bumped him out of his inner thoughts and made him look to her. A grin happened about the edges of his cheeks as he softly lifted his paw and pulled her close to him.
Taking the time to rub his face against the back of her head and down to her neck.. This feeling of someone just being there. Felt nice, felt.. right. The pieces were together. "Mmm sometimes you seem like it, thats why I sometimes have to push or poke you to make sure your still here with me." A soft chuckle and hum. But bringing her close, made him dip his head til his chin was on her shoulder and against her own cheek.
"You know. Im not one for complimenting females on their beauty but you have skill and this ocean.. " He licked her cheek. "Has nothing on you Rime.." A soft purr errupted from him but he was honestly saying the truth. Looking out to the ocean and back to her. Keeping his face close to hers as he watched the ocean.. It was relaxing being here, maybe too relaxing...... Then abruptly he got up and moved back out of his own surprise and lifted his body to shake himself off. An own discomfort to not ruin a perfectly good moment.
Auslief / Rime:
She sighed and leaned against Kohaku when he pulled her close. She was still a little bothered, but being near him again was somehow helping. She didn't really understand why, since she'd been uncomfortable in the den... maybe it was the cool night air combined with his warmth that made her feel better. A part of her, what she would call her prissy consort side, wanted to snuggle into his fur and stay there until the sun rose.
Heat roes in her cheeks when he complimented her. No one ever did that. She'd gotten comments like "Pretty little thing" before but not something as poetic as that. She was more than a little surprised that he'd be the one to say it. Kohaku didn't strike her as a very poetic male. But then he did seem full of surprises.
When he moved away from her, she felt cold again, she missed the warmth. But maybe it was better, this way she had enough room to ask him something she deemed quite serious, though it would probably be insignificant to anyone else.
"Kohaku? ... I... Can you call me Auslief?" She couldn't look away, she just hoped he'd understand that she hadn't lied to him about her name, just that she technically had two.
Kohaku:
Shaking out his body, that jolted him awake then he gaimed some sort of composure and slid beside her and went to lay. Looking out in to the ocean and letting her have some space as he needed his own at least for a moment, but the only thing that one could remotely tell, is the way he looked away.
Ears twitched, and he moved his head slightly to her but as to not look at her. ".....Auslief?" He questioned.. But he didn't seem remotely phased, he in fact was simply slightly surprised maybe, but that again didn't show in his demenour. "Anything else you want me to call you?" Curling his tail on top of hers.. He was quiet, for the most part, and he let the water damp his chest mane idly.. The sound, this place, was becoming familiar- and like home..
Auslief / Rime:
She shook her head.
"No, just Auslief. In my pride when hunters, warriors, well, when the males grow up, they take a second name. I'd really like it if you'd call me Auslief." He'd said it in a questioning tone of voice, but still hearing it... She couldn't stop herself from curling close and nuzzling against his neck.
She didn't tell him how significant this was. No one called her Auslief anymore. Even her closest friends called her something else, Lass or Rime. Her family had other nicknames for her.
Kohaku:
"Your name, in my pride means everything.. and your parents." When she leaned against him, he softly put a confident paw over hers. Letting her cuddle, this had been a side of her- that without the brash commentary, he couldn't believe- these were the times she was like a ghost.. but he loved the torture they brought. Leaning her chin over her head to be snuggled, then put his chin on top of her head and pulled her closer in with in. "Aus-lief- Auslief~ " He tried to use it, if it was her name, it was important. Gin Matsuba. That name... was now a legacy. "Your torturing me yea know that."
Leaning his head down to softly groom and lick over her ears and neck.. To try and show her exactly what she was making him feel and do. Though, he didn't feel it wrong to cuddle her, not yet anyways.. Because those moments of playing- fun- and just talking and living.. Made his world.
This was what he was missing out on and finally having it.. The male smirked, as he nibbled down on her ear.
Auslief / Rime:
She shivered at when he told her she was torturing him. She was torturing herself too, but not in the way she was sure he was referring. For some reason, she didn't want this adventure to end. Auslief wanted Kohaku to get his necklace fixed and then come back with her. She wanted him to come be a pirate, she knew he'd never steal, but they could hunt for treasure, he could protect the others, train new crew. They could work together, he'd never leave. Her papa would like him, she was sure of it, as long as he helped to protect her, which he did.
In that little part of her heart, the one she'd tried so hard to keep buried beneath the icy shell, she knew she'd already lost. How it had happened, she wasn't sure but her heart wanted his, if he'd let her have it.
"I'm sorry," she replied, but didn't really sound like she was. She slipped away again then, giving one of his ears a lick before backing away. As soon as she was out of the reach of the water, she paused and tilted her head.
"As much as I like standing and walking in the surf..." She trailed off there.
Kohaku:
Kohaku just couldn't believe what he was getting himself in to, diving in to the life he wanted... And took it as if it was what he wanted, with confidence.. And when she moved away, he rose after her almost immediately in sync with her. Turning around and letting her lead him. He had his body semi low, but when she spoke he lifted his head up to look at her. Those eyes, he wouldn't forget, like an invitation to the beyond..
A smile crossed his maw and he soothingly followed, rubbing the side of his body against hers.. Still hanging behind a stride and half. Careful, yet playful as to 'play' bite' her rump.
"I rather liked the ocean~" He cooed after her and pushed her side a little.
Auslief / Rime:
Auslief smiled when he followed her.
I rather like you. But the words wouldn't come out. He seemed to like her, at least she thought maybe that was the case, but she wasn't sure. he hadn't said anything of the sort. And as open as she'd become with Kohaku, she just couldn't be the first one to take that step. She was far too scared to.
But it did make her happy that he liked the ocean. He hadn't come from a place near here. It gave her more hope that he would want to stay here... with her.
