Khaalida was smiling so broadly it was beginning to tire the
muscles that were rather unused. "What would you like? You know, I
could give you anything too," She whispered softly, just loving
everything in those precious moments, everything she'd remember for
the rest of her, well, existence.
Nathana grinned and allowed her form to change back into her
humanoid shape, her grin easily felt on Hecate's skin. "Is there
anything you want me to do again?"
Drayce landed and swiftly brought her through the cave and into her
bedroom, since they weren't dragons at the moment, he figured that
the bed would be more comfortable than the metals and stone. He
pulled the blankets up over them and snuggled in beside Eona.
Faolan chuckled, kissing her softly, sweetly. "Ahh, but you've
already given me everything," he murmured. "I don't know if there
is anything else I could ask for the to simply bask in your smile.
Though...a game of fetch might be nice..." he said, smirking. He
was half serious, the instinct to chase rearing it's head at the
words.
"Oh, yes," Hecate grinned, the kissed Nat. "Your kisses are
something I enjoy getting very much."
Eona smiled, snuggling into Drayce and tangling her toes with his.
"Thank you. For bringing me back. For taking such good care of me.
Of us," she said, eyes drifting closed with sleep.
Khaalida giggled quietly and gently returned his kisses. "A game of
fetch? What would you want to fetch? I've never really played with
a dog before, let alone a werewolf, so," Her curiosity peaked as to
whether or not he was serious, she shook slightly with suppressed
laughter. "What would you fetch?" A thought passed through her mind
after she asked him the question, she had an idea of what he'd ask
to fetch.
"And I love giving them, oh do I love giving them," Nathana uttered
as she indulged herself and kissed Hecate's cheek, jaw, and
neck.
Drayce kept his arm over Eona and placed a final kiss on her
forehead. "I love you Eona, good night." He whispered before
falling asleep himself.
"A stick," Faolan said, blushing. "Over the years, when I've grown
bored or the instinct to fetch became too great, I'd find a fallen
tree limb short enough to carry and throw it before running after
it," he explained, hoping he didn't sound incredibly childish or
crazy.
Hecate laughed, kissing Nat back with just as much fever.
Khaalida chuckled and it bubbled into soft laughter. "You go find a
stick and I'll see how far I can throw it," She smiled and gave him
a soft kiss. "That sound good?" Her deep blue eyes held no
condescendence towards him, she actually thought it rather cute
that the huge, scary werewolf would play fetch with a stick.
Nathana lost herself in the kissing and holding that the rest of
her world fell away.
"Really!?" Faolan asked, hugging her close. In his excitement,
Faolan gently placed her on the ground and began bouncing around as
a wolf, clearly very excited by the idea. He darted off, then back,
then off to the woods again. "Stick...alright....here!" Faolan
muttered from the tree line, holding his prize in the air before
shifting and catching it in his mouth. Running back to Khaalida, he
set it down by her feet, tail wagging. He knew he was more
animalistic then person right then but the excitement was too
much.
Hecate giggled, murmuring, "Should we head back too? Leave those
two on their own?"
"Of course!" Khaalida laughed heartily, her mind and body feeling
lighter than they had in a long time. She watched Faolan run about,
a huge grin on her face, which only spread further as he brought a
stick to her. She bent over and scratched his head as she picked up
the stick. "Ready? You ready?" She said in a playful tone, her hand
waving the stick back and forth before reeling back and throwing it
into the woods a decent distance until it hit a tree.
Nathana looked over to Khaalida and Faolan then looked to Hecate
and nodded. "We probably can do that, Khaalida did say that she
could sniff her way back, and I don't doubt that Faolan could too,"
Faolan bounced around her, a grin on his face as he waited
excitedly for her to throw it. When she did, he bolted for the
stick, using all of his speed to reach it quickly. Snatching it up
and running back to her. He decided to play keep away, the logic of
her not taking the stick, only throwing it, raising to his mind.
Growling playfully, he pranced around her, stick held just out of
reach.
Hecate laughed, kissing her. "Sounds good. Night Khaalida, night
Faolan!"
Khaalida had difficulty staying on her feet, due to her shaking
from laughter watching Faolan jump and hop and bounce. "G'night you
two!" She called off to Hecate with a wave before turning to Faolan
and attempting to grab the stick half heartedly. "Oh come now," She
chuckled thinking up her own game. "Well, if that's how it's gonna
be..." She raised her hands and walked over to a nearby tree before
climbing up in it and reclining on a branch, one of her legs
hanging down, dangling in the gentle breeze.
Nathana began walking a ways away before pausing to shift into the
almost feline crocodilian shape that she had learned from the book.
She turned her large head to Hecate letting her know that she could
climb on.
Faolan grinned, shifting and calling, "Goodnight you two!" He waved
them off with his raised tree branch before using it to waggle
tantalizingly at Khaalida. "Grab the stick," he said, then sing
songed, "You know you want toooo! I can run and get it again. Or I
can climb up after you."
Hecate laughed taking a moment to take Nat's head in her hands and
kissing her forehead before climbing on. "Thank you, honey. I can
carry you sometimes too, if you'd like."
Khaalida giggled as she peered down at Faolan from between the
branches. "Well, you said fetch, I'm just picking something other
than a branch to play with," She smirked as she leapt higher into
the tree, her actions definitely showing her hidden strength.
Nathana rubbed her head in Hecate's hands and took a few steps
before stopping once Hecate was on. She expertly crouched and
launched Hecate into the air and caught her in her giant dragon
claws. Would you want to carry me? She slowly shifted back
into a humanoid shape, her arms around Hecate. "My queen..." She
whispered huskily.
"That so?" Faolan asked, feeling warm and excited. "I'm coming to
get you...c'mere you!" Faolan said, jumping into the tree and
scrambling up after her. He cared little about the branches hitting
him as he climbed hole heartedly through them.
"Of course I do, my queen. In any shape you'd like. I love you and
carrying you is no burden. It is a thing of wonder," Hecate told
her, kissing her deeply.
Khaalida laughed, her voice echoing oddly off of the branches as
she leapt deftly across them. She was practically flying the way
she was getting higher, but before she got onto dangerous branches,
and branches she knew wouldn't hold Faolan's weight, she started
moving into the next tree. One big jump and she landed on a strong
limb and began racing across the tree and into the next.
Nathana hummed into the kiss. "It's up to you," She chuckled
slightly. "I could carry you, you could carry me, we could just
walk together... Up to you." The smirk that rested on her lips was
nothing less than mischievous.
Faolan laughed as well, chancing her down as fast as he could. He
was surefooted, even high above the ground. He lived off of the
sound of her laughter and her slim, sure frame slipping through the
foliage brought him great joy. As did the fact he was gaining a
small bit of ground on her. Focusing, he began to close the
gap.
"I'm happy with any of the above options. So long as I'm with you,"
Hecate told her, smirking back.
Khaalida risked a glance over her shoulder only to see Faolan
gaining on her. She grinned as she set about continuing at that
pace, preparing herself to lose to the predator, but in reality it
would be her winning, for she'd get to be in his arms. She
carefully glided through the branches and ended up running along
the limbs that were a bit lower to the ground.
"Well then, we might be here a while if you can't pick..." Nathana
looked around them as though she was sizing the place up to stay
the night.
Faolan grinned wolfishly and continued his easy lope towards her.
"If only these were apple trees. My mum had a saying about apple
trees," he called, closing in on her by a few more inches.
Hecate laughed, made sure she had a firm grip on Nathana before
setting off at an easy to maintain pace. "In that case, I'm gonna
get you home so I can snuggle you at my leisure when we get home,"
she whispered.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Khaalida called out softly behind her
as she let her pace slacken just a tad so she could "win" sooner.
She had only spent a few minutes away from him, and she already
yearned to be in his strong arms again.
Nathana grinned and kissed Hecate's neck and anything else she
could reach as she was being carried. "That sounds perfect, my
queen..." She smiled and resumed her kissing.
Faolan lunged, catching Khaalida in his arms and gently turning
them so his back would hit a tree trunk and bring them to a stop.
"Well," he whispered in her ear, "She said woman are like apples.
The best ones are at the top. Most men are too lazy or afraid to go
for the top ones and are content to stay with the bottom and fallen
apples. Looks like I've just picked one of the best."
Hecate hummed, then began to sing, not caring who heard. She didn't
really have a tune, just random notes and rhythms. She sped up her
pace, wanting to get there sooner but also wanting to enjoy every
moment of Nat kissing her.
Khaalida smiled and giggled at his "women are like apples" story.
"I don't think I taste quite as good as an apple, but it's been a
very long time since I've eaten one, so perhaps I've forgotten,"
She leaned closer and softly kissed his cheek, her breathing even
and calm, as though she had just gotten up from a rest.
Nathana began humming her own notes, attempting to match Hecate's
and form a harmony. "Oh my queen, my dearest queen..." She
whispered as she laid her head on Hecate's shoulder.
Faolan kissed her deeply, ending by nibbling on her lower lip
softly. "Hmmm...not quite apple like but I want you over apples any
day. Just to kiss and love. You are the best thing to happen to me.
And I will cherish you all our existences," he murmured, beginning
to climb down with her still in his arms.
"My beloved, my one and only...my soulmate, equal and queen," she
purred.