She didn't speak, not wanting to wake Lijen if he was still dozing. That would be rather rude of a good saltwife, after all.
--
It was warm. The air smelled salty and sweet and musky. There was a breathing, living body beside him. Lijen loved the stormborn.
Awakeness was slow coming but it came eventually. The sound of a yawn assisted in waking him up. He had to be a light sleeper, afterall, with all the dangerous placed he had to fall asleep at. Letting out his own yawn, he curled the female beside him, enjoying the few minutes of bliss. He would have to get up and leave. It was his policy, not to linger. But, he was so comfortable. So warm. So relaxed. Who was he laying next to again?
Sleepily, he opened his eyes. Oh yeah, this fiesty little treasure. Eydis. A lazy grin spread across his face as he watched her with hooded eyes. "Good morning, love," he murmured.
--
Thankfully Eydis didn't have to wait long for Lijen to stir. She gave him a lazy grin of her own before inching her head closer to his, pressing her nose to his muzzle affectionately as he spoke.
"It is a good morning, isn't it?" she murmured, stretching a bit once again. She could hear the steady crash of the waves on the cliff in the distance, signaling high tide. Perhaps they could walk along the sea back to the Stormborn. Would he have to challenge someone to gain entry, she wondered, or could she simply claim him and be done with it?
"Did you sleep well?" she asked.
--
"A very good morning," he said with a yawn, stretching as she nuzzled into him. It felt nice. But it was getting dangerous. Too affectionate. This was just for one night. He stood up, giving her a slow grin. "I slept very well, darling," he murmured, craning his neck down to touch his nose to her before straightening. "I have plenty of energy to finish my business here and head home now, thanks to you sweetie," Lijen told her with a wink. He didn't plan on leaving for a day or two still, at least. He didn't get what he had come for yet, which was rainbow scales. And besides... there were other stormborn women to love as well~
--
Eydis preened at the terms of affection. Oh yes, she could get very used to this. She closed her eyes and accepted the nuzzle, but snapped them open the moment Lijen stood. Wait. Waiiiit just a moment...
"Excuse me?" she said, any hint of the soft and snuggly lioness gone and replaced with hard, intent voice and stare to match. "I am your business now and I will show you home after I am ready to move." Which was definitely not right now, nope. She called the shots in this relationship and Lijen wasn't going anywhere anytime fast.
--
Oh no, he had made a mistake. Obviously, there was a misunderstanding. She thought... there was something more to this? More than just a warm body at night and thrilling pleasure? More than flirting? No, no, no, he had to set her straight.
"I'm sorry, dear," he began softly, ears drooping. "But my heart lays with the Nchi'mahadhi. And you live with the stormborn. I really wish there could be more between us but... we live in two different worlds. Can we not just look back on this precious night?" Lijen murmured softly, with a small smile. There. He had set her straight. Surely, that explanation would do.
--
The rejection was a massive surprise. Eydis couldn't remember the last time someone had stood up to her and flat out refused what she wanted. Her own ears pressed back against her head, but not in sadness. In irritation.
"We will look back on it from our den within the borders of my pride," she growled as she slowly got to her feet. Lijen was larger than she but from what she understood of the pride he called home, they focused more on things bards did. Songs, dance, silly things like that. She was sure if she had to she could best him in a fight and drag him back home as a Thrall and work on his loyalty there.
--
Oh boy. Apparently, the explanation hadn't worked out. He swallowed thickly. He'd really hate to hightail it out of there. He was certain he could get away. And defend himself. He never liked the idea of hitting a lady, though, and those two were his only options if he couldn't calm her down and make her understand.
"Sweetheart, I have duties to attend to at home. With all my heart, I wish I could be with you. But this can't happen. It's best if we have a pleasant goodbye," Lijen tried, though he began backing away towards the mouth of the cave.
--
The sweet words and apologies fell on deaf ears as Eydis stalked forward while Lijen backed up. "If you wish to be with me with all your heart then it should be no trouble staying," she snapped. Now it all came to light as they stepped out into the sun, the brightness blinding her momentarily. He was nothing but a tramp, a wanderer who would use his charm to get what he wanted, whether it was gems or a night of pleasure, and leave with the morning dawn. How pathetic.
"A male who doesn't take resonsibility for his actions is hardly a male at all," she seethed. "You're worse than a snake sliding on its belly all day and eating dirt. You will answer for your actions!" That is, if cubs did arise from their night together. There was always the chance that nothing would happen, and if that was the case Eydis would let the encounter roll off her shoulders. But by the gods, if she ended up carrying his children to term, he would have hell to pay if he left.
--
She was harsh, that was for sure. It was... a bit exciting. He liked danger. And this was certainly danger. Quickly, he shook the thoughts from his head. No, no. She was crazy. She expected more when nothing had been promised! "Come on, darling, I think we can both agree that I'm much better looking than a snake," Lijen teasingly said with a hesitant smile. He took another step back.
"Yes, of course. And I hear my actions calling now. I'm sorry sweetheart but, as you said, I have to answer them!" Lijen gave one final wink. Really, he shouldn't have been such a brat. He should have been a gentleman. But he wasn't sure Eydis would have accepted that. So, why not have a bit of fun? Quickly, he turned tail and leaped away from the cave, legs pounding the ground as he tried to put distance between him and his crazy, one night mistress.
--
Oh, he was going to get it, and not in a good way. Eydis snarled and pounced just as Lijen darted away, getting a good head start on her. She gave a furious roar as she set off after him, but as she suspected, he was very, very good at running away. She gave up the chase after a minute or so, slowing to a trot and finally to a standstill as she watched him run. Fine. Let him have a moment to think he succeeded. But if she ended up with cubs she was going to hunt him down and make him take resonsibility whether he liked it or not.
"Nchi'mahadhi," she murmured as he disappeared on the horizon. "Very well." She turned and began her slow walk back home, not at all eager to spend the next few weeks waiting to see if she would be paying him a permanent visit or not.
Silverlutz
w.c.: 1,436