Apart from an "Ah, shuddup," Janius didn't react to Lorag's comment.
Ariel held her shoulders hunched forward, she was enjoying the spring, but was still a little nervous. She turned her head to reply to Ahnasha. "Well, the friends I do have don't really go swimming, but even then," Ariel looked forward, "I never learned to swim. In the coven and otherwise, I've not really stayed long in any waters deeper than a bath. And bathing has normally been... a solitary affair."
Having finished cleaning the blood off himself before Ahnasha, Fendros was paying attention. He had learned to swim in none other than the waters near Cheydinhal with the assistance of his father. The biggest assistance being tossed into the water and left to struggle. "Wait, I've seen Runt swim before, was she taught by the pack?"
"I don't think either of us were taught to swim in the coven." Ariel added, "We didn't really live near many water bodies, and the ones that were nearby were not very clean."
Sabine seemed to stay quiet, content sitting with his eyes closed and her head above the water. She had submerged her head as well and it was a bit odd to see her hair flattened and somewhat straightened by the water rather than a mat of frizz. Fendros wasn't even sure if she was listening to the conversation, but he knew that it was her habit to take in everything anyway.
Muttonhawk Member
Let Slip the Corgis of War
- Last Seen: 4 mos ago
- Old Guild Username: Muttonhawk, probably.
- Joined: 12 yrs ago
- Posts: 7613 (1.67 / day)
- VMs: 0
-
Username history
- Muttonhawk 12 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
StarfrostedFox,
Scrawl Banditta,
Lord Zee,
SkyeOfStars,
Vec,
corneredbliss,
abc,
LaserGunPewPew,
EliteCommander
Status
User has no status, yet
Bio
Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
Most Recent Posts
Today's a bit annoyingly busy. Post'll be infrequent.
Meh, I'm pretty happy with my signs. Finding a theme song is going to be torturous, though :P
"Well, it would be nice to go to sleep not feeling so itchy." Janius stood up and made his way over to the pool to strip down.
Even Sabine got up without a word and followed Janius and Meesei.
Fendros joined Ahnasha in giving Ariel an encouraging look, but her reaction was neither here nor there. He attempted some more direct encouragement, "The water is nice, Ariel. Why don't you join us?"
"Well..." Ariel glanced away nervously, "I'm not sure, I don't normally... you know, undress in front of people."
Fendros smiled. He was empathetic to her, but from his perspective, it did seem silly to have a problem with nudity. He breathed in to try and console her, but Janius beat him to it from across the chamber.
"Come on! We saw you in your undergarments when we met you, we don't care!" Janius' words echoed through the chamber and caused Ariel to form a small frown and her face to redden. Janius lowered himself into the pool and followed up, "We won't stare, we promise."
Ariel held one of her upper arms in her hands and curled her lips. "I suppose there's no harm in it?" She asked rhetorically.
"Good, come then," Fendros said, standing up and making his way to the pool with Ahnasha's hand in his. Once the rest of the pack had submerged themselves in the spring and were sitting relaxed, Ariel furtively slipped off her robe and shoes and followed them in. She still wore her undergarments, but by her expression, the water seemed to be worth it anyway.
Janius held both his arms spread on the edge of the pool and held his head back. "See how nice it is to wash every now and then, Lorag? You've been missing out until now."
Even Sabine got up without a word and followed Janius and Meesei.
Fendros joined Ahnasha in giving Ariel an encouraging look, but her reaction was neither here nor there. He attempted some more direct encouragement, "The water is nice, Ariel. Why don't you join us?"
"Well..." Ariel glanced away nervously, "I'm not sure, I don't normally... you know, undress in front of people."
Fendros smiled. He was empathetic to her, but from his perspective, it did seem silly to have a problem with nudity. He breathed in to try and console her, but Janius beat him to it from across the chamber.
"Come on! We saw you in your undergarments when we met you, we don't care!" Janius' words echoed through the chamber and caused Ariel to form a small frown and her face to redden. Janius lowered himself into the pool and followed up, "We won't stare, we promise."
Ariel held one of her upper arms in her hands and curled her lips. "I suppose there's no harm in it?" She asked rhetorically.
"Good, come then," Fendros said, standing up and making his way to the pool with Ahnasha's hand in his. Once the rest of the pack had submerged themselves in the spring and were sitting relaxed, Ariel furtively slipped off her robe and shoes and followed them in. She still wore her undergarments, but by her expression, the water seemed to be worth it anyway.
Janius held both his arms spread on the edge of the pool and held his head back. "See how nice it is to wash every now and then, Lorag? You've been missing out until now."
"I still say that was a lucky hit," Janius retorted, lightly touching at his bruise, "it's not as if the witches are likely to grab my shield, pull it off my arm and sock me in the cheek with it."
Ariel tried not to breathe too deeply as Ahnasha shifted to reassure her, but she tried to keep up the act of not being too bothered by it, to varying degrees of success. The nudity and the blood was one thing, but the smell only made things worse. "Oh, I'm-I'm not worried, thank you." Ariel glanced to Sabine, then back to Ahnasha, "I remember what Sabine was capable of before we restrained her, as well as the night that she was infected." Ariel looked down for a moment, but didn't dwell on the memory. She looked back up at Ahnasha, "I'll be bringing along the potions from our scouting run, so I think we'll be keeping each other safe." Ariel nodded quickly. She was a bit out of breath by this point.
Sabine leaned around Ariel to look at Fendros and Ahnasha with her blank stare. "Wash," Sabine said in an almost demanding tone.
Ariel was slightly relieved that Sabine had picked up on her insecurity in the situation, but didn't want to impose. "Oh, it's nothing really- I mean, y-you don't-" She stammered along, then Fendros raised his hand and bowed his head.
"It's alright, calm down," Fendros moved his hand to Ahnasha's shoulder, "How about we clean off this blood, Ahna? A bath will be relaxing before sleeping."
"Wear yourselves out a bit today?" Janius asked them from across the fire, observing their fatigue.
Fendros chuckled. "It was a big kagouti, the hunt was tiring." He replied.
"Right." Janius said sarcastically with a knowing smile. It was still fun to tease them.
Ariel tried not to breathe too deeply as Ahnasha shifted to reassure her, but she tried to keep up the act of not being too bothered by it, to varying degrees of success. The nudity and the blood was one thing, but the smell only made things worse. "Oh, I'm-I'm not worried, thank you." Ariel glanced to Sabine, then back to Ahnasha, "I remember what Sabine was capable of before we restrained her, as well as the night that she was infected." Ariel looked down for a moment, but didn't dwell on the memory. She looked back up at Ahnasha, "I'll be bringing along the potions from our scouting run, so I think we'll be keeping each other safe." Ariel nodded quickly. She was a bit out of breath by this point.
Sabine leaned around Ariel to look at Fendros and Ahnasha with her blank stare. "Wash," Sabine said in an almost demanding tone.
Ariel was slightly relieved that Sabine had picked up on her insecurity in the situation, but didn't want to impose. "Oh, it's nothing really- I mean, y-you don't-" She stammered along, then Fendros raised his hand and bowed his head.
"It's alright, calm down," Fendros moved his hand to Ahnasha's shoulder, "How about we clean off this blood, Ahna? A bath will be relaxing before sleeping."
"Wear yourselves out a bit today?" Janius asked them from across the fire, observing their fatigue.
Fendros chuckled. "It was a big kagouti, the hunt was tiring." He replied.
"Right." Janius said sarcastically with a knowing smile. It was still fun to tease them.
Wee Ninja, sure our writing is a little different, but I don't think you have too much fluff in yours. As long as the pace of the situation is still apparent, you're doing fine.
Mkay, I have to make a curry now. I'll be offline for a couple of hours. If you've retired for the night by the time I get back, g'night!
"You ate a kagouti?" Ariel said, sounding a contrived surprise tone to try and mitigate her uneasiness, "That would explain the blood." She attempted a smile and laughed nervously. Perhaps she didn't see the jest behind Janius' previous words.
Fendros seated himself beside Ahnasha by the fire. As soon as he sat down, he breathed out a long, relaxed breath through his nose and his eyes began to droop. He hadn't felt this tired since the first time Lorag dedicated a day to 'intensive' training with Fendros. Well, technically back then he felt like throwing up after that day. Tonight was more settled. Judging by the welt across Janius' face, Fendros figured that their sparring this afternoon may have been an 'intensive' one. Either that or Janius didn't keep his guard up. It would heal by the middle of the night anyway.
It was good to hear that Meesei was successful in finding something to deal with the sentinels. If they were as tough as Ariel had mentioned, then the danger they presented was more than worth putting the extra time into such an advantage. Fendros opened his eyes again to speak with the pack. "Have there been any changes to the plan?" He asked Meesei.
Fendros seated himself beside Ahnasha by the fire. As soon as he sat down, he breathed out a long, relaxed breath through his nose and his eyes began to droop. He hadn't felt this tired since the first time Lorag dedicated a day to 'intensive' training with Fendros. Well, technically back then he felt like throwing up after that day. Tonight was more settled. Judging by the welt across Janius' face, Fendros figured that their sparring this afternoon may have been an 'intensive' one. Either that or Janius didn't keep his guard up. It would heal by the middle of the night anyway.
It was good to hear that Meesei was successful in finding something to deal with the sentinels. If they were as tough as Ariel had mentioned, then the danger they presented was more than worth putting the extra time into such an advantage. Fendros opened his eyes again to speak with the pack. "Have there been any changes to the plan?" He asked Meesei.
Well, I might end up having the odd short post in the future if there isn't much to do. There's only so much fluff you can put into one line of dialogue before it gets too superfluous. Thankfully that three post buffer rule seems to be consistently delivering on material.
As much as Fendros would have liked assistance from his beast spirit in getting back to the hunters' cave, he and Ahnasha had transformed on their way back. Fendros was in a similarly glowing mood to Ahnasha as they reached the end of their trek. This was probably a day that he would never forget. Even with the stench of blood over their nude bodies capping it off.
"I didn't either. My beast spirit seemed to be the main driving force. It was a different experience, I have to say. Here I thought my urges were strong in adolescence." Fendros shook his head and grinned. "You know, after all this, I think I understand what you mean when you talk about your beast spirit. Before, I was afraid, now," Fendros looked at Ahnasha, "Ahna, I feel as if I can trust it now. Thank you again." Fendros smiled gratefully and kissed Ahnasha on the forehead. "I look forward to hunting with you again."
They entered the cave at the end of dinner, but Fendros wasn't hungry, in fact he always felt slightly overstuffed after feeding his beast spirit. The rest of the pack as well as Ariel were gathered around the fireplace. They all turned to see the pair as they walked in. Ariel's look was uneasy at all of the dried blood that coated them, but was slightly relieved when she realised that it wasn't their own. Slightly relieved.
"Hey! We were wondering when you'd get back." Janius said, leaning to one side and seeing their state, "I take it you already ate," he said, looking them up and down, "I hope not the townsfolk."
"I didn't either. My beast spirit seemed to be the main driving force. It was a different experience, I have to say. Here I thought my urges were strong in adolescence." Fendros shook his head and grinned. "You know, after all this, I think I understand what you mean when you talk about your beast spirit. Before, I was afraid, now," Fendros looked at Ahnasha, "Ahna, I feel as if I can trust it now. Thank you again." Fendros smiled gratefully and kissed Ahnasha on the forehead. "I look forward to hunting with you again."
They entered the cave at the end of dinner, but Fendros wasn't hungry, in fact he always felt slightly overstuffed after feeding his beast spirit. The rest of the pack as well as Ariel were gathered around the fireplace. They all turned to see the pair as they walked in. Ariel's look was uneasy at all of the dried blood that coated them, but was slightly relieved when she realised that it wasn't their own. Slightly relieved.
"Hey! We were wondering when you'd get back." Janius said, leaning to one side and seeing their state, "I take it you already ate," he said, looking them up and down, "I hope not the townsfolk."
© 2007-2026