Catfish and Swamp Gas

Akaelin growled slightly when he heard the voices of Faorn and Sarian behind him. "I do not believe I chose either of you to accompany me," he said, his tone giving away his obvious irritation. "When I said I was only chosing 5 people, I meant it. Turn back now and either find Arlyn or join the rest of the group outside of the tunnels."

((Actually, lesron, don't have Faorn leave just yet. With what happens next, *spoilerspoiler* Akaelin will actually probably let her and Sarian stay. ^^))

Nathifa looked back in surprise as Faorn and Sarian spoke. She hadn't noticed them following them before, but she had been a little too wrapped up in her thoughts and worries to notice much else. Plus she was only actively looking out for auras that mimicked those of the apocalyptic Riders. She would have thought that Faorn knew better than to follow Akaelin when he said otherwise. Not even Kitai, despite really wanting to go, staying behind stopped the younger girl.

"But when you go back, don't take the shortcut and fly," Nathifa said, gently but firmly. "It's too easily seen and could give away the location of those that stayed behind.

Akaelin heard a frantic rustling to his left and his heart rate sped up in reaction. Normally, you didn't run up to people you knew. So either a. Something was wrong with the two people he sent out, or b. it was an enemy. Since b. seemed a better possibility, the wolf braced himself for an oncomming attack. Instead, the first person he had sent out came charging through the bushes, panting and out of breath. Akaelin relaxed, his gaze curious. "Thera...went and..." the person wheezed. He tried talking again, but couldn't form the words. So he held up his left hand, then mimed his right hand sailing over it, finishing with a splat noise.

"Went and killed herself?" Akaelin guessed. The man nodded his head frantically in response. "Aw fuck my life," the wolf grumbled. Not that he really cared, this just meant that...

He turned his head towards Faorn and Sarian, his disgust obviously strewn across his features. "Come on," he mumbled bitterly.

When Nathifa heard the noise, she placed a hand to rest on the hilt of her sword in case that it should be an enemy. Though she could tell by the energy that it wasn't one of the gods or their riders, it could have been some kind of demon under their control. If it had been a definite one of their enemies, she would have readied a full blast to fire into said person's face.

"She killed herself?!" Nathifa asked in shock. "Why?!"

Akaelin waited until the guy had caught his breath before raising one eyebrow impatiently. "Thera was a little depressed before hand," the person said. "Then after...after Akaelins comment about her face, she started ranting about how she was never good enough in any aspect. Then...you know, splat."

Akaelins expression was one of mild curiosity mixed with impatience and a slight hint of...something else. He was trying to care, really he was, but was finding it extremely difficult. Still, he felt like he was accomplishing something by at least making an attempt, even if it was a failed one.

Nathifa bit her lip tensely. Maybe she should have caught up to the two earlier to apologize for Akaelin's words. People that hadn't been with the Rebellion for very long tended to take his usual self a bit too seriously, not knowing that he was that way towards nearly everyone.

"Well, uh," Nathifa was trying to think of something to say, but failing miserably. "She might be happier now than she was in the mortal life. Many underworlds or afterlifes can be quite pleasant."

((I'm really sleepy. We rehearsed for 5 hours before the show, so I'm going to sleep))

Faorn wanted to say that it wasn't her fault that she came along; it was Sarian who wanted to come along and see the swamps. Sarian was curious... Faorn was scared. Sarian managed to convince her to go, and so there they were. Mother to daughter time-- really, guardian to daughter time.

"Wherever I go, I'm not wanted. And whenever you want to go somewhere, I still take the blame. You're lucky you're Elain, you know that? Nothing seems to happen to you." Faorn mumbled to Sarian.

"Being Elain does not make me invisible." Sarian told her. "You're the one who's tall and noticeable."

Akaelin was trying to act like he cared. Really he was. Still, he couldn't help the fact that he found it a bit...well...unsuccessful. Oh well. "There is the fact though, that I didn't want more then five people." He made a quick head count, mumbling the numbers under his breath, making sure to include Tynan. "Ahh... Seems we have six. Guess we'll just have to kill you off," he said with a quick glance at the person who's name he still didn't know. The guy flinched, shivered for a second, then turned and ran back in the direction they had came. "I was kidding. Jeez," Akaelin mumbled. Still, he wasn't worried. The guy would find his way back to either the main group or the one travelling with Arlyn. "Come on. We'll continue on for a few more hours until it gets dark."

((Sorry for not replying for awhile. My shit hit the fan...again, with an even worse situation than the one with my dad.))

((That's okay))

Nathifa sighed and looked after the man who ran off. He may be able to make it back to the group or join up with Arlyn, but perhaps not before he stumbled into a town and accidently gave their position away. She blew gently into her cupped hands, and a small, golden scarab flew out of them when they opened. It would watch him and guide him in the right direction so that she wouldn't need to worry.

((I'll be gone from tomorrow until monday for BoA))

((I'm sorry I'm sorry. Shit just keeps hitting the fan and life has been hell. Happy late birthday Kitai. I have a present for you in progress. Sorry it's not done yet.))

"I was just kidding," Akaelin mumbled second time. The sun was starting to set, tainting the sky with smears of yellows and oranges. Tynan touched down a few minutes later, doing them all the favor of shifting back to his human form.

"Je croyais que vous etiez un chimera," Akaelin asked, remembering Nathifa's comment about the whole chimera or not thing. Tynan gave a small smile before he replied. "Nous sommes tous comme cela. Pour nous, la chimere est simplement un terme designant un tas de differents animaux eleves ensemble. Un griffon est juste un gros chat de race avec une espece de rapace. Leviathans serpents sont eleves des baleines. Les seules creatures vous pourriez vraiment considerer comme 'mythique' sont les licornes et de dragons."

"He says that the chimeras, gryphons and leviathans aren't really the creatures of legend, just animals carefully bred with others," Akaelin translated for his mate. "Only the dragons and the unicorns are supposedly 'real'."

((I've had a pretty shitty week too, but now at least marching band is over so I'll actually have some free time to draw and stuffs))

"That's still pretty interesting," Nathifa said. The people who were behind careful breeding like that must have had to have been geniuses with calculations and things like that to make the exact outcome they desired.

((sorry for the really short post, I have a lot of Calc to study for today))

((Lucky. I still have band, drama, and senior project to work on. TT^TT I'm dead inside.))

"Interesting as it is, it's getting late," Akaelin said as the sun started to dip below the horizon. Arlyn had always told him, 'day looks upon nights work and laughs', meaning that if you worked all through the night, you were bound to screw something up royally. "If we camp now, we'll reach Nara by early afternoon tomorrow." Assuming they were on the right track at least. It had been a long time since Akaelin had been anywhere near this general area.

((My school quarter is almost ending... ah. I think that includes you too, Kitai, right?))

"Huh, I really wish Syn went along with us." Faorn whispered to Sarian.
"You always want him to be with you everywhere." Sarian shrugged. "I'm even surprised you decided to come along with me."
"I didn't want you to get killed." Faorn muttered.
"I'm sure he doesn't want you to get killed." The Elaine replied quickly.

Faorn scowled at her guardian's words. After hearing Akaelin say 'camp', she waved her tail eagerly. "Lovely." She said.

((most of the shit in my life is sorted out now with a few exceptions, but for now at least I'm back))

Nathifa nodded when Akaelin announced that it was time for them to set up camp and rest for the night, taking a saddlebag off one of the horses that contained materials for pitching a tent. Rather than doing it herself, Nathifa tossed the heap of canvas and poles to the approximate area she wanted to set up and erected the tent with a wave of her hand. When that task was accomplished, Nathifa walked over to her mate and snaked one of her arms into his back pocket while brushing a loose strand of hair from his face.

"Tonight?" she asked, hoping that Akaelin would get what she was asking about. Since she had just gotten plain frustrated at the inn they hadn't gotten around to it then. "We could camp a bit farther into the woods." Some privacy, especially from the prying eyes of Faorn, would be nice

((Happy Turkey day!))

((FINALLY!!! XD *starts humping Kitai with delight*))

"With what I have in mind, a tent would only get in the way," Akaelin replied slyly, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her up next to him.

While Tynan didn't understand English, their body language was obvious enough to him. He set up his own little area to sleep in, but didn't bother with a tent. He had a bit of a thing concerning small enclosed spaces.

Akaelin looked back over his shoulder at the chimera, with just one thing to say. "Nous serons campé un peu plus loin ce soir. I don't care if Hel-même attaque. Ne me dérange pas."

We will be camped a bit farther tonight. I don't care if Hel herself is attacking. Don't bother me.

Tonight was going to be about him and his mate. The world would freeze over before anything got in the way of that. He needed a night off anyways. He was a bit tired and becoming prone to headaches more and more each day. It wouldn't be long before he started getting sick from the stress, as most canines did.

((Aaaack! *tries to escape humping* as if my dog wasn't bad enough XD))

Nathifa let out a little sigh of contentment as she was pressed up against her mate's body. Because of all the stress of the impending war, it felt like it had been years since they were simply able to hold each other like this and let all the tensions of the day melt away. Her mind found it hard to wrap around the fact that just three short years ago, she had been trying to kill Akaelin. Trying and failing, but it was hard to believe that just that long ago she had been in the Society.

"Let's find a good place then," she said, sliding away from him a little bit to grab his hand and start walking into the woods, leaving the tent she had set up behind.

What Akaelin really wanted to do was just throw his mate over his shoulder and find the nearest tree to hide behind. That wouldn't do however and he resisted that urge as he laced his fingers inbetween hers, allowing her to lead the way.

"Essayez seulement de ne pas faire trop de bruit!" Tynan said with a slight yawn. He was unsure as to whether or not Akaelin heard him, but it didn't nessicarily matter. He settled down in the spot he was standing in, a small fire going to keep him warm until he decided to put it out. He felt rather...jealous, towards Nathifa and her mate. It hadn't been too long ago when he had had a love like that. It had been years since Tynan had seen him however. If he finally got that promotion he had been working for soon though, he wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

((If you haven't read Tynans profile and lengthy history, yes, he is openly gay. ...Unlike Vane who's hiding way deep in the back corners of the closet. XD))

((*throws open closet door* Oh Vane! Come out come out wherever you are!))

It wasn't that Nathifa didn't care about Tynan, it was just that she had no idea what he was saying and she was too focused on Akaelin to pay attention. Keeping a hold on her mate's hand, she started running into the trees and stopped when they were a few hundred yards away from where the rest of their group had set up camp. She wasted no time in pulling them both down to the forest floor for a kiss.

((Nathifa: It's about time that I got some!))

((Jetta: Wrong closet. Vane's next door.
Me: But I thought you were an open lesbo.
Jetta: I am. I just have so many fond memories here. *starts going through pictures of Ryn*))

For the first time in awhile, Akaelin could almost completely forget about his stress. He felt that until this war was over - whatever the outcome - there would always be that nagging voice in the back of his mind telling him to get moving. However, that would have to wait for tonight.

(( Sooo we all know what's gonna happen next. XD We can wait a bit to see if Faorn replies, if not, we'll just time skip.))

((are we still wating on faorn?))

((Naw. Just go ahead and post. We need to get this thing moving.))

Nathifa woke up in the morning as the sunlight hit her eyes, slowly opening them to the sight of her mate's body. She snuggled up closer to him and planted a light kiss on his forehead.

"Time to get up," she said, reluctantly groping around in an attempt to find were her clothes had ended up.

Akaelin opened his eyes reluctantly as Nathifa kissed his forehead. He gave a small growl and pulled his mate closer for a much less chaste kiss. Finally, he rolled over, grabbing the first article of clothing his hands touched. However, when he started to try and put it on...he realized they were Nathifas. Yawning and too sleepy for embarrassment, he pulled off the garment and handed it to his mate, finally finding his own clothes.

"You in a dress," Nathifa commented, giggling at his attempt to put on her clothing. "Now that would be fun to see." She pulled the dress over her own head, fastening the clasps that connected to her neck ornament and kept the strapless dress in place.

((shortpost is short. I have to study for a microeconomics test))

"Maybe for you," Akaelin commented. "But I'm not too into the idea of me in drag." He yawned and stretched his hands up over his head. Morning agitation didn't exist when it was just his mate and himself. Any other time, or to any other person, he didn't normally say much of anything in the mornings. "We should probably go back and see if the others are still alive." Personally, he didn't really care if something had happened to them in the middle of the night. They had at least obeyed his instructions and left him alone for an evening.