Following her, he decided to converse. ”What sort of place is it,” he asked while minding his step. He wasn’t a fool to believe he could easily step along the slippery rocks as though he were a stormborn. Being well traveled, he was very aware of what he was capable and what he was incapable of. And he really didn’t want to have a full face of rocks in front of this lady.
--
His non-verbal but physical reply made Eydis smirk as she turned away from him to show the other lion the way. Excellent. Hopefully there would be some nice treasures for him in her little secret spot and he'd be feeling generous with his own gift-giving.
"A place that is completely under water when the sea is high, but when it is low it runs far, far out, leaving lots of rocks and sand littered with prizes. Wood, strange things I've never seen before, strong spider web with fish inside sometimes...it's always a surprise."
She led the way around the top of the cliffs before dipping down a rather narrow pathway that animals with hooves might have an easier time using rather than paws. The rocks were jagged, uneven, and a bit painful to step on, but Eydis didn't flinch as she made her way carefully along the ledge. She stopped at one point on a bend and carefully jumped from the ledge down to a wider expanse of rock, one that any other passerby would have missed due to walking along the top of the cliff rather than on the strange little path under it.
"Careful now," she cautioned with a grin. "It's a little slippery."
--
Just as she said that, his foot skidded across a rock. Wincing as the sharp rocks jabbed into his paw, he quickly got his footing, letting out a breath. Looking like a fool wasn't ideal. "A little slippery?" he murmured with slight dry amusement. Watching where he stepped, he kept close. "What an interesting sounding place," he replied idly.
He was interested but concentration was on not landing on his a**. He... wasn't used to this sort of terrain. Sure, he's been to lakes and beaches, swamps and icy terrain. But this was certainly not something he was used to. "How did you find this place?"
--
Now on safer ground than the initial pathway, Eydis slowed to glance over her shoulder at the lion, smirking just a bit at the look of focus on his face. Despite his calm, collected tone of voice she could tell he was working hard not to fall.
"By chance," she said with a flick of her tail. "I spotted the place we are going from atop the cliffs and by luck I found this way down. It's a bit treacherous but worth it in the end." She had been hoping a male would bring her trinkets and pretty things from the rogue lands, but in finding this place on her own she could secure anything shiny for herself. Well, after sharing with Lijen, of course.
"Almost there," she said, pausing to hop down to another ledge, this one a massive stone sticking out of the sand of the beach. "Just around the side of the cliff." This part was inaccessible at high tide, but thanks to the water being low it was easy to get to.
--
He let out a breath of relief when thet reached safer ground, though immediately tried to cover it with a smirk. No need to show what areas he was weak in. "What luck you seem to have," Lijen murmured, looking around now that he didn't have to focus as much. Down towards where the water met the sand, Lijen could see signs of where the water had receeded. Interesting.
"Do I get to know what this favor is," Lijen hummed, curiosity building now that he no longer had to watch his steps as closely. "I cannot imagine what a lovely and talented stormborn such as yourself would have need of."
--
Eydis waited for Lijen to come up beside her before leading the way around the edge of the cliff face, a smug expression settling on her own. "Later, once you've made it up the same way with your treasures," she teased. She wanted to make sure this male was worthy of her affection and attention, after all. He might not be a fighter but there were other qualities she admired in a male - going above and beyond to secure pretty things, for example. A lot of Stormborn wouldn't venture down here just for treasure because there was no glory in it, but Eydis didn't care much about that. She cared about looking and feeling like the most beautiful thing in the world.
"Oh, I have many needs, Lijen," she said with a little laugh as they rounded the bend and came into view of her little spot. "It's just a matter of if you're willing to meet them." She paused and motioned for him to continue. Even from where they stood it was clear to see that the rocky cove was hiding quite a few sparkly treasures. It was just a matter of the treasure hunter going in and getting them.
--
Lijen squinted, looking at the objects in the distant as they caught the light and glinted. Quite a few treasures. Lijen was excited to get there and sort through it. Immediately, he was considering what would be worth taking and what wouldn't. Nothing to extravagant. Many wouldn't be able to afford the value, rendering the objects pretty but useless. But nothing that could be found elsewhere. Sea glass would be something to collect, if he could find any. The smoothed, colorful clear glass was valuable and hard to get. The better the condition and the larger the piece, the more rarer and valuable. He could turn those for a pretty good amount.
His attention went back to the lioness. She was a good find. Her information about this place was invaluable. And she wasn't hard on the eyes. It was just the matter of what she wanted from him, in exchange for this pricelss information. He pasted on a grin, moving closer to her. Perhaps... a bit of flirting would lessen the price.
--
Eydis expected Lijen to go right over to the area where the treasures caught in the small rocks and sands, eager to see what there was. But when he instead turned his attention to her and moved a little closer her ears perked up with interest. Oh? Perhaps his treasure wasn't the material objects after all.
"Lijen, the treasure is over there," she said with a coy smile of her own, nodding to the rocks. She took a small step closer to him despite her words and tucked her head under his, giving him a little nuzzle. "It wouldn't be too comfortable to accept payment down here," she added, the contact and her words hopefully hint enough at what she was expecting in return.
"Go on. Find what you want. I'll show you the way back up and you can repay me."
--
He swallowed thickly as she nuzzled under his chin. It felt like he swallowed an orange whole. Was she suggesting...? A slow grin crawled up. Why, that sort of payment was hardly a payment at all! Not that he minded. Suddenly, he couldn't wait to get the treasure and back above sea level. Warning bells should have went off with this forwardness but Lijen summed it up to it being a stormborn nature. And boy, was he loving it. "Why, of course. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable," he nearly purred before picking his way to the treasure.
He had to focus. He pressed away thoughts of Eydis and what was to come and looked around as he moved carefully around the treasures. Nothing too big. Nothing too common. He picked up mostly sea glass and hard to find jewels. He wanted to haul many things back; surely someone would pay for these trinkets? But, he had to think critical. His main customers needed raw materials for another product.
Lijen approached the edge where the waves gently lapped at the treasure, ready to turn away and head back towards his lady companion, when a glint caught his eye. An emerald necklace. Simple and dangling but eye catching. He scooped it up, pleased with the finding. Perhaps he'll use it as a parting gift.
Quickly, he went back to the lady, pouch slightly bulging fron sea glass, gems, and a few perfect condition shells.
--
Eydis watched Lijen as he picked his way over the rocks, collection whatever treasures he wished to bring back to trade or sell. She kept a close eye on the tide, not wanting it to rush back in before they had time to get out. Although it was true that this place was safe for combing for treasure when the tide was low, she didn't mention that it wasn't exposed for very long. There was a short window in which it was safe, and after that the water would come back in very quickly and start to block their exit.
But Lijen was efficient and the tide was just barely starting to lap at the rock that she marked as the 'time to leave' indicator. Once it was under water it was, as the name suggested, time to leave. They had some time yet, though, so she was in no rush.
"Satisfied?" she asked with a little smirk, turning to head back to the pathway they had taken to descend, her tail lifting to lightly flick him over the nose. "Come this way, then. I'll lead you out." She began the climb to see them to safety, glad that he seemed keen on repaying her as she wished.
Silverlutz
w.c.: 1,733