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Post by Anna on Jun 18, 2009 22:06:35 GMT -6
Stormfire shook her head as her tribemates ate and drank. She wasn't hungry--she'd eaten her share of ground-squirrel--and not quite so thirsty as she had been. But as she watched Mist head towards the river, she felt a mischievous urge take hold of her. Humming to herself, she headed to the river. A good wash would be nice. Her body felt caked with layers of sweat and dirt; Snowtreader would tell her, in the she-wolf's way, that that was merely layers of scent, but Stormfire preferred other smells to that of unwashed body. She was certain others had their own preferences too. She stopped as she caught sight of someone crouched at the river's edge. Stormfire held still, watching Mist cup his hands, fill them with water, and drink. She studied the curve of his back, so broad at the shoulders, narrowing to the waist and hips . . . there was a time, she mused, when just thinking of him as someone other than her father's best friend made her blush from forehead to toes. She'd had practice since then. She didn't know if she still blushed, but she was able to cherish the view for much longer. Still . . . he had no idea she was behind him. Beyond, the water rolled past, sparkling in the light of stars and moons, cool, inviting . . . Stormfire bit her lip again, torn. Mist? Bath? Mist? Bath? Mist and a bath? Decision made, she flung herself at him, propelling them both into the water. Mist reacted instantly, but instantly was a fraction slower than the crash into the water. He twisted, grabbing for whatever had hit him, and fought to get his feet under him and his head above the water. It was deeper than he had thought it was so close to the shore and when he finally managed to surge to his feet, he found it waist deep - - and his attacker was his chieftess. For a second he was dumbfounded. But the sparkle in her eyes was familiar and his own grey eyes narrowed as a grin started to twitch at the corners of his mouth. So, the cub wanted to play, did she? They'd done this countless times before! "Take a breath, Stormfire," he warned even as he tossed her further out into the river. He watched her fly through the air, then moved as soon as she splashed in so he was no longer near where he'd been when he'd thrown her. His grin was wide as he quickly shucked out of his tunic and tossed it on the bank. |
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Post by Kris on Jun 18, 2009 22:16:22 GMT -6
"Take a breath, Stormfire."
Stormfire barely had time to yell before she found herself launched out into the air . . . and crashed back into the water. She fought back to the surface, gasping with laughter when she broke free. Raking her hair out of her face, Stormfire saw Mist and dove back under the water, streaking towards him like an arrow. She resurfaced with a splash. "Hah! Your turn," she taunted, circling him.
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Post by Anna on Jun 18, 2009 22:39:55 GMT -6
"Go after the weak prey, chieftess!" Mist retorted, dropping into the water and rolling backwards, knocking Stormfire off her feet once more. He darted away, out of her reach, and waited for her to surface again.
He held his arms at the ready, prepared to sweep them across the surface of the river and send a wave of water straight at Stormfire as soon as she surfaced and blinked her eyes.
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Post by Kris on Jun 19, 2009 0:42:37 GMT -6
Oh, now that was a shot that deserved swift retaliation! Stormfire came up for air, and was nearly knocked over by a rolling wave that hit her right in the face. "Hoh!" She fell back, but managed to keep above the surface, and kicked her feet to send water splashing into Mist's face. "Take that, Mist! What fun is it to go after an easy catch?"
Mist, laughing, moved to keep her facing him, and Stormfire splashed water up towards his face again. He ducked, and did the same; she managed to avoid it. "Didn't you enjoy your bath?" she called out sweetly, and laughed.
"Did you enjoy yours?" Mist returned, grinning.
"Wonderful! I'm looking forward to making sure you stay soaked." Stormfire splashed at him again, and then dove back under the water. She sped towards him, intending to grab him by the foot and pull him under.
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Post by Anna on Jun 19, 2009 19:14:03 GMT -6
By the time Mist had blinked water out of his eyes, Stormfire had vanished. He looked around for her, but the reflected moonslight and starlight on the water made it opaque. He couldn't see a thing. Where had she gone?
Know she had to be aiming for him, but not knowing which direction she was coming from, he hurried to step away. He got no further than lifting one foot when both were jerked out from underneath him. His shout was cut off abruptly as he splashed down and his butt hit bottom.
He surged up, and bounced back down when he collided with another body. Blowing bubbles, he set himself and shoved with all the strength in his legs to reach air again, his arms sweeping up and out before him and catch Stormfire on the way. As he exploded out of the water, the chieftess was cradled in his arms and he grinned wolfishly down at her as water streamed from his silver hair.
"Caught now, little fish. What are you going to do?" he taunted, just as he always did when they played this way and he, inevitably, snared her. The catch was part of the game.
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Post by Kris on Jun 19, 2009 23:14:27 GMT -6
Stormfire beamed and wrapped her arms around Mist's neck.
"Land my catcher?" she suggested, raising a hand to caress his cheek and jaw.
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Post by Anna on Jun 20, 2009 7:43:14 GMT -6
Mist laughed, "But you didn't -"
And stopped cold as the sense of what she said, and the realization that the hand she'd laid on his face was simply touching him, but was caressing him exactly as a lovemate would, exploded through his awareness.
His mouth went dry as he stared down at her, their play forgotten as he was shoved, once more, into the uncomfortable realization that Stormfire was not a cub anymore, despite her age. Her build, so slim and delicate, narrow-hipped and small-breasted, preserved the illusion of childhood on her, a girl-cub poised forever between childhood and maturity, just on the verge of taking the last step.
Now, with her in his arms, and staring into those wide, soft grey eyes, he couldn't pretend not to see that she had, indeed, taken that final step. She would always be as slim and lithe as a river reed, but she was no girl-child waiting for her body to mature into what it would be. The subtle curves of her body, hidden and disguised by clothing, were made clear when she was held close, even through the leather's she hadn't bothered to discard before tackling him into the water.
Without thought, his healer's sense touched her, reading her body and this slow, steady stroll through life. No, no cub was in his arms. Her body was fully mature, and knew pleasure of all kinds - a gentle touch on the air, a full belly, rest - and matings. Intellectually, he had known she'd shared her furs with others. Emotionally...he'd never thought about it or connected the 'sharing of furs' to the activities that often happened there. Stormfire was a cub, and cubs did not mate.
His body knew and accepted what his mind gave one last struggle with. His arms held her just a little closer, lifting and and turning so that her torso pressed more closely and fully against his chest. "You were just a cub," he murmurred in faint protest.
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Post by Kris on Jun 20, 2009 22:24:20 GMT -6
Stormfire felt her breath catch in her throat as Mist responded to her touch. His words to her awoke old memories. You were just a cub. But she had been two-eights-and-two when she had first seen him as more than just the tribe's healer, more than just Sureshot's closest friend. Not a cub, if not quite what she was now.
She drew a deep breath and smiled at him, reaching up to slide her fingers into hair as soft and fine as any she'd touched. "Mist," she said, "I haven't been a cub since I earned my name. And that was nearly eight-and-five years ago." Stormfire brushed her lips against Mist's jawline. "I know I'm young, still," she murmured, "and I have much to learn. But I do know my own heart, Mist. I'm no cub, dazzled by the thought of joining with a healer. It's you, my quiet, calm friend--so wary, and so steady--that I want."
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Post by Anna on Jun 20, 2009 22:42:46 GMT -6
"Someone has been listening to stories," Mist mumbled, eyes sliding closed as silken lips touched his skin. He shuddered and swallowed hard. A thousand protests sprang to mind, but each was unfounded and he knew it. He couldn't say that she was turning to him to so he could make the chief's decisions for her. She wasn't doing that, and hadn't ever done that. He might disagree with some of them, but she'd not hesitated in taking up her responsibility.
He couldn't say she was looking for new experiences, either. With two handsome strangers just met and her barely giving either a look, new experiences were not her driving motive.
His flickering thoughts returned to her assurance that she knew her heart, and that gave him pause. Eight and five years to learn her heart was fine for her - but until a mere day or so ago, he still thought of her primarily as a cub. His awareness of her maturity had been slow in coming, and he couldn't honestly say that his own heart matched hers in this.
He dropped her legs, shivering again as her body slid against his as her feet settled on the riverbed. He reached up and cupped her face, pulling back so he could see her eyes. "Stormfire. If it's a joining you want, I would not - could not," he clarified wryly, "say no. But though you've felt yourself adult for eight and five turnings of the season, I haven't had so much time. I know the cub that was Trill, and in my heart you've been Trill until the day Sureshot made you a chieftess. I'm not so sure I know the maiden is how Stormfire."
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Post by Kris on Jun 20, 2009 23:16:36 GMT -6
Stormfire felt her smile fade, until Mist's words sank in. "I see," she sighed. She leaned against him, swallowing as things became quite clear. "If it's time you need, Mist," she said, looking up to meet his eyes, "I can be patient. Besides, there's more to you than I know, as well. A mutual discovery can be good for us both.
"But as for now . . ." Stormfire slid her arms back around his neck, smiling wickedly. "Shall we find someplace where we won't be disturbed for a while?"
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