Cat Bath [ K-Tribe ]

[Lyraciilee]

Since leaving the home most of the K tribe had known all of its life, it had been a mere four days. Many of the miq'ote were unsettled about finally making the journey, but it had been a necessary move. Despite the tribe being excellent movers across the desert, the rather large number of extremely injured tribe members, and two tired healers, called for a short rest before the rest of the trek could be made.

 

The U-Tribe's oasis was only a few days from the K-tribe's last location, and by the time the tribe had arrived they were all very much ready for a short rest. A place to spend the night, not to mention the oasis springs the U-tribe used to bathe was quickly becoming a topic of interest for the tribe.

 

K'luha had woken up somewhere along the second day of travel, and only within the last few hours had been properly awake and able to sit up without too much pain. When they'd arrived to the U-Tribe and negotiated the night's stay, the first thing K'luha had noted were the springs. The second thing she'd done was insist for someone to take her there to bathe.

 

"Can't I walk yet K'zhumi?" K'luha huffed irritably to the healing, leaning over the edge of the cart she was yet again being hauled about it. She occasionally cast angry glances towards her brother K'hai, but had refused to sit near him or speak to him. "Can't Tahj help me over to the oasis? Please?" K'luha shot her best more charming toothy grin to the healer, hoping for a positive answer.

[Izmina]

Raising an eyebrow at the huntress, K'zhumi reaches over and places a hand on the hip in question. Noting the state of the fracture and reinforcing the aether pin holding it in place, then she sighs. "You are not place any weight on it. You are also not to go running all over the oasis. Go to the water and sit." Shaking her head in tolerant amusement, she goes to check on the rest of her charges.

 

Having heard the conversation, a very eager young K'tahjha was waiting impatiently at the foot of the wagon. She was happy to see her aunt up and around again. "Are we going to play in the water Aunt Luha? I've missed having a proper bath!"

[Twinflame]

K'ile had no interest in stopping to rest, and even less interest in bathing in the oasis. He knew he was being a prematurely old grump about this, as K'iara would likely remind him if he spent too much time frowning, but he didn't believe he had any particular reason to be in a good mood. He paced the sand in the U-tribe's camp, his spear swaying in the harness over his shoulders, and cast blue-eyed disapproval at the permanent stone buildings the U-tribe lived in.

 

"I don't like how they live. Setting up long-term trade stations inside the tribe. Ul'dahn soldiers living here." He spun to walk the other directions, turning his gaze towards K'iara as he moved past her. She might look too much like her father for his comfort, but at least she wasn't one of Yohko's women or children. Since he'd proclaimed his challenge -- and judging by how the Hipparion huntresses and even some of the Drake women were looking at him, everyone knew -- he was avoiding Yohko's cult of worshipers. K'iara made as good of company as anyone, even if he had never gotten to know her very well.

 

"And they follow their Nunh instead of Elders." He went on. "I don't even need to say why that's a bad idea. This Drake tribe is going to give our young strange ideas. Not good ones."

[Lyraciilee]

K'luha waited anxiously, watching her own hip and K'zhumi's hand for a moment. She was getting to those damn springs one way or another, regardless of what K'zhumi said. However, it would be much easier with K'zhumi's approval to get there. K'luha's eyes lit up cheerfully at the somewhat positive reply, and she grinned back to Tahj when her niece spoke up.

 

"Of course we're going to play in the water! You're not the only one here missing water baths." K'luha chuckled faintly and shifted herself forward at the edge of the wagon. "If only I could get do-" Luha blinked as she was lifted lightly from behind and set gently on the ground. K'yohko stood behind her, and looked somberly to Tahj. Although he said nothing, his eyes pleaded for Tahj to watch her aunt before the Nunh paced away. His arm had healed greatly, but the skin was still wrapped tightly up with bandages. K'luha glanced back to K'yohko's back with a small frowned before looking back to Tahj. "Here, help me get over to the springs." Luha resumed a more cheerful tone with her niece. "Or K'zhumi might kill me." She chuckled faintly beneath her breath, her ears having perked up for the first time in days.

 

K'yohko stalked back over to his grandmother K'takka, and remained in silence. His ears had been pressed about half-way down since they'd left camp and the immediate danger of an Amalj'aa strike had been gone. K'yohko had also all but refused to leave the elder's side, apparently paranoid for their safety. Since his outbursts and his thanking of his daughter, he had yet to speak a word to anyone besides K'takka. His grandmother and most of the older tribe members might have remembered K'yohko being quite the mother's boy for a very long time, and in some ways his refusal to leave the elders mirrored some of his younger behaviors.

 

K'iara stretched her arms out and yawned as K'ile paced about in front of her. Thick bags remained under her eyes, as the weariness from traveling with so many was catching up. While they often moved, it was never so many days at a time. It was beginning to wear on the flaming huntress. She didn't see how K'ile could be so much like K'yohko when he hated the other so much either. She flicked an ear down, tilting her head and rolled her eyes lightly at his ranting.

 

"K'ile, you've given our young bad ideas before and we don't shun you." K'iara snorted roughly, pushing herself to stand properly for a moment before squatting down to stretch out her sore muscles. "If you're so anxious about fighting K'yohko, take a spar with me. But please, whatever you do stop pacing." The huntress stood again and shifted to stand in front of K'ile. "Or I'm going to throw you in the damn springs. You smell anyway. You could use a water bath since they've got so much to spare." K'iara sneered at her uncle. Unlike K'ile, she was a tall miq'ote and easily stood at his height. "Why don't you go spend some time with your backer? If you don't spend time with her, who knows if she's still going to back you when we get to Drybone." K'iara remarked more lazily, shifting to bend backwards with her hands on the floor in a bridge position. Her back cracked loudly, and K'iara flicked her tail with delight. It felt good to stretch out all her muscles again.

[Twinflame]

"She'd still vouch for me," K'ile replied. His pacing had paused when she'd been in front of him, but as K'iara dropped into ehr stretching, he began to pace again. He wasn't in the mood to spar. He had to save his energy for the migration and his violence for K'yohko. "Even if she didn't, there are other women who would. Azeyma knows half the women in this tribe have been taunting me about it. And I haven't given our young any bad ideas!"

 

On the wagon, K'takka sat hunched over, with vibrantly colored purple and blue clothes wrapping her wiry form. She held an ornate pillow to her chest, her wrist clattering with golden ornamentation that had been gifts from her many children, and with the firedancing stones that had been claimed from K'ile Tia. She watched K'yohko return from helping K'luha off the cart, smiling at him fondly. "Graceful," she muttered to him, in a tone that only they and perhaps the other Elders could hear. "Showing no bitterness to the woman who supports K'ile Tia's challenge against you."

[Lyraciilee]

K'iara rolled her eyes to K'ile again. It was pretty arrogant to think anyone would support him after abandoning the tribe like he had. The Elders had taken away his privileges to dance with the fire as well. K'iara couldn't see why he thought so highly of it. People teased K'rahto just as often about being a Nunh ( or maybe it was just K'iara teasing him ) and no one was about to support him.

 

"Taunting, and seriously considering having your kits are two very different things K'ile." K'iara dutifully reminded him. Watching her uncle pace around was both annoying, and making her dizzy. K'iara stood again, shifting to stand in front of K'ile as best she could was a small frown. "And you up and abandoned Tahj, K'luha, K'haali, and the entire tribe! For weeks! How is that not a bad idea? And then you brought an outsider back to the tribe? Also, a bad idea." K'iara snorted at him again, shaking her head flicking her tail in slight agitation. "And you wanted to challenge K'yohko right on the spot. And you wanted us to have a feast right before we were about to move and when we were all starving to death. And, you're standing here bitching about the tribe that was kind enough to let us stay for the night when they are also standing right around here and can probably hear you. The list goes on K'ile. You're an idiot Uncle." K'iara chuckled lightly and stepped away to let him pace some more.

 

K'yohko lifted his gaze briefly to meet K'takka. Although he wanted to reject the idea of gracefulness, he found himself unable to disagree with his grandmother. His eyes followed her ragged form for a moment before trailing to K'luha with Tahj, and finally back to K'takka.

 

"How could I show her bitterness? She has found such distaste in me for so long, it does not come as a surprise." K'yohko glanced to the sand at K'takka's feet, his face struggling to twisted but unable to pick a particular emotion to display. "Both kits she bore from me have died now. I cannot blame her for wanting to try another male. After my outbursts, I could not blame anyone from wishing me away." K'yohko paused, gripping lightly at his wounded arm and looked back to K'takka. Although his face remained hardened and straight, his eyes seemed to be searching for something. "I have tried with everything I am to do the right thing, but K'ile has always hated me. I have tried to be his brother, but he does not want me. How many here would be happier to have seen K'thalen come back from Cartneu in my stead? K'piru would still be here. Her daughters might still be here as well. If I could have given myself to save him, I would have done it a thousand times over by now Grandmother. To save him, and to save mother, I would give my everything to do... But it cannot be done, and I do not know how to fill the gap they have left." K'yohko brought his eyes back to the floor, gripping more harshly at his wound. The first words he'd spoken for days, and all he could do was pity himself. He was as pitiful as K'ile was in his own mind, and if K'ile beat him then he hoped K'ile beat him into the embrace of Azyema.

[Izmina]

K'tahjha eagerly steps up and wraps an arm around K'luha's waist to support the injured hip. The constant practising with the bow and working around the camp had developed the young girl's upper body strength and she easily supported her aunt as they slowly made their way to the inviting water. Thinking ahead to their new home, Tahj looks up to Luha,"What kind of animal will I kill to take my trial now?"

[Xha'li Moui]

Xha'li sat up and stretched when he was awoken by Rin stopping along with rest of the K-Tribe.  Closing his eyes he cast his mind to ensure his aether was still keeping K'hai alive, and finding it was he grinned and reached for his canteen and took a sip casting a glance towards the springs where Tahj and Luha were sitting.  Dismounting quickly he fished out a pair of shorts and his comb and made his way over towards the springs before sitting down at the edge and bring his tail around him.  Humming softly he began to run the comb through the fur there bringing out the sand that had gotten lodged deep in the fur.

[Twinflame]

"I've already apologized for what mistakes I can." K'ile crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at K'iara. "Bringing Xha'li here was not one of them. We weren't always afraid of outsiders, and there's no reason to be. I know K'yohko's gotten all territorial and started marking every tent in the tribe, but we can't let that start rubbing off on everyone. One of the reasons we're moving north is so we can trade with outsiders more easily, remember."

 

*

 

K'takka lifted one hand, her shivering black finger set apart from the rest of her digits as she waved her hand in the air. "K'ile's hatred comes from his jealousy. He has been too much of a coward to challenge you, so he groans. It has no weight." She bundled her hand back against her chest, the points of her claws sinking into the fibers of the pillow she held. "Yohko, remember that you will not be Nunh forever. Nor would K'thalen have been. You will be an Elder one day, Yohko, and a better one than any other man or woman in this tribe. Do not bargain that away."

[Clover]

To K'mih, home was with her family, no matter the place. Her father, her mother, her sisters and brothers, everyone; everyone was walking the same path she did, through the sands they'd known for so long. And only the sands would be left behind, for every memory, every scar would follow them, like shackles they'd forever drag with their feet.

 

K'mih was a lucky miqo'te who knew nothing, thus very little was the weight she carried.

 

[...]

 

She'd heard about the U tribe oasis before, but it was the first time K'mih had the chance to see it with her own eyes. Perhaps, were the circumstances different, she might have appreciated the unfamiliar green and the mere idea of trying out the springs. It wasn't the right day for that, however. Not when several family members had been injured. Not when her dear sister K'nahli had been so silent. Not when...

 

Her eyes scanned the place, only stopping when they found the figure they'd been searching for. K'ile Tia, her ambitious uncle. The girl could feel her heart racing as she approached both him and K'iara, but she appeared calm when she spoke.

 

"Uncle, may I speak to you for a moment?"

 

The question was posed with a soft smile and hands crossed behind, her posture innocent and slightly shy. There was a reason behind her sweet attitude; she might have interrupted something important, but she really wanted to speak to K'ile.

[Twinflame]

K'ile Tia did not balk at having his attention pulled away from K'iara. He seemed to be having this same conversation constantly, each member of the tribe taking turns in confronting him about his actions. K'iara deserved her turn, he supposed, but it wasn't often that K'mih -- one of Yohko's children, though he couldn't hold it against her -- was forthright enough to request his attention. His ears standing up and his expression softening, K'ile turned his gaze down to K'mih, blinking at her. "Uhm. Sure. What's up?"

[Lyraciilee]

K'luha grumped quietly as her niece helped her over to the water. She was grateful to reach it's warm edge, and more grateful still to shed her ragged clothing, retaining undergarments and such so as not to be too unsightly in front of strangers, and enter the warm water. K'luha settled down into it's cool freshness easily, and glanced to Tahj when she had properly considered the question.

 

"Well I'd think some sort of goat creature that we'd seen there. Maybe a billy or something I think it was called?" K'luha reached up to run her wet hands through her hair and sigh. "Ah, cool water. How I've missed being clean."

 

K'iara could only roll her eyes at her Uncle. He was far too stubborn. Both he and K'yohko were too stubborn for their collective goods. The huntress was sure between the two of them, they'd argue to death in a pit of sand drakes before either would actually budge to fight them.

 

K'iara flicked her tail backwards, her eyes shifting towards the small pink-haired mini huntress as she came. Unlike most people in the camp, K'iara couldn't particularly say she liked K'mih. The girl was pretty much useless for hunting, and really did nothing but look cute and expose her midsection. But K'iara supposed the boys needed something cute to look at or something. K'iara glanced down at herself, feeling somewhat self-conscious in the presence of the child. She looked dirty and gruff. With all her lack of curves and chest, and with all her muscles, K'iara was sure she could have just as easily passed for a Tia. And a damn better Tia than the rest of the lot.

 

"Hey, you know it's rude it interrupt people's conversations." K'iara muttered under her breath in a voice so gravelly it was unlikely anyone would understand it. Her normal voice was so raspy people had trouble understanding her when she spoke in the first place, not to mention the strain of speaking on her voice made her always speaking softly. But K'iara settled for looking a bit disgruntled and leaning back on one of the wagons.

 

K'yohko followed his grandmother's darkened finger with rapt attention. Jealousy? For some reason, K'yohko had not entirely pegged K'ile as a jealous sort. But he suppose it made sense when she put it in that manner. His eyes fell slowly back to the sands at his feet as her hand withdrew, his ears twitching softly with the sound of K'takka's voice.

 

"It has been a long time since being a Nunh has mattered..." K'yohko flicked his tail softly behind him, his eyes trembling as they looked at the sands. He could almost see his shameful form tainting the sands beneath him with a dark black poison. "I do not care about being Nunh. The better of us should win. It will be best for the tribe that way. I trust you Grandmother... I only feel a bit... lost right now. I worry that I am... not doing what is best for the tribe. I fear I cannot see so clearly as I used to..."

[Clover]

K'mih had been, indeed, quite a useless huntress. Just a happy looking miqo'te who would often find herself unrelated to the real problems her tribe had. She had yet to suffer many scars and it showed.

 

Her eyes fell on K'iara's strong figure for a moment, noticing her annoyance even if her words hadn't been clear. While intimidating to the young girl, that didn't seem to stop her; not at this moment. K'ile had given her permission, and hopefully she wouldn't steal much of his time anyway. With her gaze traveling down to the ground and her fingers toying with one another behind her back, K'mih maintained a soft smile when she spoke again.

 

"I've heard you plan to challenge my father soon. Is it true?"

 

[...]

 

As always, K'rahto had just been there, doing his thing. In this case, his thing involved taking care of their supplies while his sisters likely did some tourism around the place. So he stood beside the carriage with arms crossed, like a good and loyal guardian hound. The U tribe was famous for their springs, which he likely wouldn't be able to touch. It wasn't strange that his thoughts would return to K'nahli then. Would she try them...?

 

The Tia shook his head and lowered his gaze, frowning. It hadn't been K'nahli's body what caught his attention to start with. In fact, he'd barely paid attention to anything that wasn't her eyes back then. But, now, he'd lie if he didn't admit having secretly looked at her figure, at everything he'd never be able to have. Not even a mere touch from her skin would be granted to a Tia like himself; not even that.

 

It was maddening. She was. And all he could do about it was curse under his breath when no one was looking.

[Izmina]

Quickly copying her aunt, K'tahjha was also down to undergarments and into the inviting water in a flash. Grinning happily Tahj scooped up hand fulls of water, in an attempt to help Luha properly wet her hair and back. She then turned her attention to her own hair which had gotten so long she kept the sides braided back to keep it out of her eyes. As she worked to get her hair out of the braid Tahj looked around. She was curious about the tribe who lived here and if any of her family were going to come join them in the bath.

[Twinflame]

"Yes, I do. As soon as I can manage it." K'ile's tail flicked behind him. He'd noticed K'iara's grumbling, but hadn't been able to discern it. When she kept her words beneath the scar tissue in her throat, it was like she was trying to speak by rubbing rocks together. He kept his attention on K'mih. "Being Nunh doesn't mean anything if there are no Tias challenging it."

[Xha'li Moui]

Sighing slightly Li looked down at the small pile of sand he's combed out of his tail before stowing the comb in his pocket and making his way to a shallow alcove in the rocks where he quickly changed into his swimming trunks.  Carrying his clothes in his hands he header over to the other K tribe cats and set them on the sand nearby before heading into the water and relaxing with a sigh, "Glad to see you're doing better, even if you did apparently ignore my advice about staying off the leg." Xha'li said flicking an ear at K'luha.

[Lyraciilee]

K'iara looked to the sands, her ears twitching as she listened closely to the small pink haired girl's voice. It was grating to the huntress. Dripping with sweetness and innocence she should not have retained past this age. The girl was too shy, too frail, too sweet, too flashy with her silly cute clothing and silly pink hair. All K'iara wanted to do when she looked at K'mih was to break her in two so she could feel pain and see how foolish she was. How could the king of brooding bring forth the daughter of sweetness? And now the hell was K'mih's hair even pink when K'yohko's was purple? K'iara would never understand it.

 

Deciding she'd had enough to the pink haired mongrel, K'iara pushed off the cart and stalked over behind K'ile to butt into their conversation. She swung an open hand to K'ile's back in an effort to pat his back hard, shooting K'mih a toothy grin.

 

"Of course K'ile's challenging Yohko. No one's challenged him in years and he's getting too comfortable. K'ile's right, without a challenger there's no point to being a Nunh. We haven't had a woman pregnant in five years either. It's about time someone else knocked some kids up. Say K'mih, you're of age. Think you'd like to have some of K'ile's kitten?" K'iara snorted, still giving a toothy grin to K'mih. Albeit with K'iara's raspy voice, she might have sounded and looked more intimidating than she really intended. All she wanted was to fluster the girl and watch her run off like a windup toy.

 

K'luha chuckled cheerfully as her niece ( she was quickly accustomed to calling her daughter however ) joined her in the pools. She ducked and moved, trying to avoid the water but laughed as it wet her anyway. Dripping with water, K'luha's miscolored eyes turned to Xha'li when he spoke up. Although she had been with K'ile when they picked him up she vaguely remembered him. The entire trip had been a haze, and the last proper thing she could really remember was all the way back in Ul'dah. She smiled coyly to the boy and leaned back. Even being so sick and losing too much weight, K'luha retained her shapely curvaceous figure.

 

"Hey, a girl's got to move about a little bit. Besides, K'zhumi gave me the okay and Tahj helped me over. You ought to cool it." K'luha giggled mischievously, sharply splashing a large wave of water at Xha'li's head to accentuate her 'cool it' pun.

[Xha'li Moui]

Xha'li grinned and laughed as the water washed over him.  "Oh don't worry, I'm quite capable of relaxing.  Just an unfortunate tendency I picked up from my Master while studying conjury at Still Glade Fane; he had even less sympathy for people who went and got hurt though ignoring a healers orders or suggestion."  Splashing K'luha back Xha'li continued chuckling, "And I can still act like the kit I'll be for several more moons yet when my healing duties aren't in the way."

[Clover]

The young girl had remained calm at the confirmation that K'ile was, indeed, going to challenge her father. What made her eyes raise and open wider were K'iara's words; intimidating, challenging, and highly unwelcome. K'mih looked troubled, losing her voice for a moment. Even if K'ile was much older than her father, it was a fact that he would be her Nunh if he won the challenge. What was no fact was that the new Nunh would accept a miqo'te like her, however.

 

Her gaze lowered again. Out of sight, her fingers squeezed each other in nervous movements.

 

"The Nunh must be challenged," she agreed, managing to sound calm again. So calm her voice didn't raise much. "I only have a favour to ask..."

 

K'mih looked into K'ile's eyes, with both determination and innocence, before she spoke again. "Will you wait until the Nunh recovers from his wounds?"

[Izmina]

K'tahjha was happy to see her aunt up and around and having a good time. Smiling happily to herself Tahj busies herself thoroughly wetting and cleansing her hair. Luha's giggling distracts her from her bath and she looks up in surprise at the two adults playing in the water like cubs. With a mischievious grin Tahj scoops up as much water as she can attempting to drench both adults.

[Twinflame]

"K'yohko Nunh gets one week. Just until we get to the new camp site." K'ile replied, deliberately ignoring K'iara's teasing. He was glad that K'mih was as well. "K'yohko's primary role in the tribe is being a father. Besides that, the most important job he has is to defend his title against Tias. That's it. He should not have gotten himself injured. He let his guard down, and if he loses because of that, he deserves to." His ears twitched, and he quirked his features. He tried to soften his tone. "Anyway. I hope he is at full strength when I fight him. I don't want him to lose too easily or get injured in the fight."

[Clover]

It might have been half a second, maybe less. With her face still slightly lowered, only K'mih's eyes raised for a small fraction of a second to look at K'ile. It was like an ephemeral sigh, like a blurry vision you couldn't quite determine if it'd been just a part of your imagination. It was like stabbing him, like a deep declaration of hatred. And it was gone as soon as it appeared, hidden behind innocence and fragility.

 

With her gaze lowered again, K'mih simply nodded, submissive and apparently understanding, and turned to take her leave. There was nothing more to add.

[K'nahli]

Wounds heal with time and so too do scars fade. It had been four days. K'nahli had assured herself before laying her head down to rest on the night they had begun their departure that she would soon forget all and get on with everything else that was happening within their lives, the more pressing matters that concerned the tribe as a whole rather than just herself - as was one of her loathsome tendencies. Time, however, can be just as unforgiving as it can be be an effective healer of minds. Petty as she wanted to convince herself that her emotions at the time had been, they had only fermented into something more bitter that slowly drew through her like a thickening poison. She became more angry, more aspiring for the solitude she had - luckily - so far succeeded in claiming for herself for the majority of the trip. Very few words had been exchanged with her kin and more than likely, even if there was anyone to show any concern toward this particular girl's mood, they would never discern it from her usual brooding nature. She was, after all, K'yohko's firstborn child.

 

 

The warmth of Azeyma seemed less harsh in the upper reaches of Sagolii as it landed upon the pale, exposed portions of her skin with a less-than-common sensation of comfort. Or perhaps it was just in this particular spot where the U tribe had taken up residence. K'nahli's gaze wandered around herself, carrying a potent sharpness beneath her lowered brow as she studied the sons and daughters of the Drake tribe from the distance carefully. It didn't take long for her to decide on her personal impression of them. She loathed their chosen lifestyle.

Convenience and luxury had intentionally been made so readily available to them and yet they appeared to be more than content with that fact. It was disturbing. Had they no pride in their ancestors' culture? Their own heritage?

 

K'nahli blinked slowly, almost pompously, as an expression to her own disappointment. No doubt they had grown weaker as a result. Even Azeyma's ferocity had seemed to have grown weaker to spare them the burden of excessive heat, at least by Hipparion standards.

 

It was a pity.

 

Before arriving here she had set her mind on exploring and perhaps seeking out their warriors to learn something, anything from their ways. But now it was clear that there was nothing that they could offer her to earn her genuine interest. Their lifestyle was weak and shameless.

 

 

With a near-inaudible grunt of dissatisfaction, the girl's eyes briefly skimmed back over to the famous U tribe springs, a glorious yet modest body of azure that lay a moderate distance away from herself as it's refreshing sounds alongside the happy chirps of it's many participants once again reclaimed her focus. A thin sheet of brilliant, white light graciously lain down by the sun was iced across it's rippling surface and glistened magnificently as the water ceaselessly shifted and rolled with every small movement made by the happy miqo'te that bathed within. A light band of large trees, decorated with massive, lush green leaves stood tall out of the golden sands that gently slipped below the surface of the water's edge and encircled the spring at a respectful distance, with a few congregating more thickly in one corner and arching low enough to allow their foliage to take a modest sip of the refreshingly, cool water that resided below their emerald-tinted shade. In the centre lay a large boulder, bleached almost entirely white by the sun's rays and revealing grainy traces of minerals which shimmered dimly in the light that caught them. The boulder's summit had been covered with a thick bedding of shrubbery and moss that hung lazily down over the decorative rock's smooth descending edges that provided a comfortable rest for any to lay their back against.

 

For the briefest of moment's, the girl's expression softened mildly. The sound of it's splashing was unlike any that she had ever heard before. Nothing that could be compared against the measly sounds one would hear bouncing uncomfortably against the containers which they would drink from. No, the sounds of the spring were much more different and unique, like a soft yet inconsistent melody that seduced all into looking it's way to earn their immediate affection. Never had she bathed in such a way and without knowing of how it would even feel like, it seemed oddly alluring to the girl, far beyond the mere curiosity that it naturally bestowed upon her as it had with many of her kin. It's unparalleled beauty stabbed at her inner temptations incessantly as she silently fought to subdue them. The gentle sounds of it's trickling and splashing reverberated so loudly within her head, as though it were calling for her to explore it's joys and comforts that were yet unknown to her and escape all other thought.

 

".........."

 

With a hesitant jerk of her head, however, the girl finally managed to tear her gaze away from the springs.

Such thoughts were to be hidden away, even to herself, beneath her own pride.

An unusual pride that seemed to have falsely grown more prominent in recent days alongside her anger and frustrations.

 

 

 

Continuing to ignore the existence of her curiosities and innocent desires, the maroon-eyed huntress remained idle amidst the bustling activity of her tribekin whom had all involved themselves with their own individual tasks and leisures. She had distanced herself just enough so as to hopefully not be picked up on to aid with any idle and unimportant activity by anyone nearby, but also not so far that she stood out to any who would happen to survey the distance. Wearing a discontented expression, the girl gripped the elbow of the arm that hung loosely by her side as she loitered around without apparent intent. The reality of her own situation, her own choice of lifestyle following the calamity, was suddenly becoming very clear to the girl. The thought of such a scenario, in truth, had always known to her - it's presence a niggling fear that hid away in a dark corner at the back of her mind should anything ever happen; though now that something finally had happened, as disproportionate as it had been to her idea of "anything", it had struck a painful chord with the girl.

 

Without K'mih to talk to and with K'rahto behaving oddly, she had nowhere to lay her trust and comfort. Four days of thinking had caused her enough damage. She couldn't stand the thought of isolating herself further to leave herself alone to such thoughts again. She needed a distraction.

 

For the first time in a long time, K'nahli actually wished she had made more of an effort. Had worked harder so that maybe, at a time like this, she would have someone else to turn to. She wished that she had more friends.

[Twinflame]

K'ile leaned away from K'mih, eyeing the young woman. Then she turned and left, and K'ile just watched her go, frowing, for several moments before turning to K'iara. "Now what'd you have to talk to her like that for? You know it's not like you're piling on the children either. Not that I'd blame you with K'yohko around, but that could've been turned around on you pretty fast." He stepped forward and turned to her, trying to imitate her mocking tone, though he notably did not imitate the raggedness of her wounded throat. "Say, K'iara, you're of age. Think you'd like to have some of K'ile's kittens?"

[Lyraciilee]

K'luha giggled as she was splashed by Xha'li and Tahj. It finally soaked her front completely and left her feeling cool and refreshing. She wiggled her tail behind her, getting a devious look and looking to Tahj.

 

"Splash fight!" K'luha announced so loudly the entire U tribe and K tribes probably heard it. She was loud like that. Luha splashed Xha'li first, sending a huge wave his direction before her eyes turned towards the less social members of the tribe. K'ile and K'iara weren't so far she couldn't hit them. And neither where the elders and K'yohko. Even K'mih and K'nahli would not be spared!

 

Luha grinned back at both Tahj and Xha'li, pointing her finger generally in the direction of the rest of the tribe in hopes they'd get the idea. She wouldn't try to dodge any splashing, as nothing felt better than being hit in the face with water at the moment. Her first target was K'ile and K'iara. Using perhaps a tiny bit of magic she'd learned when she was out and about, along with her strong arms, she sent a large water ball in their direction. There was no hesitation before she launched one at K'yohko, K'nahli, or K'rahto either.

 

K'iara's ears twitched with irritation, but she straightened herself out to her full height and left her arms crossed over her chest. Seriously, did no one remember how to laugh anymore? Sharply on questioning that, the sound of laughter floated through her ears. She glanced to the oasis where K'luha, Tahj, and Xha'li seemed to be having fun, and she smiled faintly. Guess it wasn't everyone these days. Just a few sticks in the mud.

 

Her ears twitched again as the sound of K'ile moving caught her attention. She snorted briefly as her tail swung a bit agitatedly behind her. She didn't really think twice of K'luha screaming about a water fight.

 

"One of our tribe members needs to be dedicated to finding food to feed our current brood. Nothing good would come of any of this having kits right now K'ile. When the times comes, I will bear children for the tribe as is my duty, but to be honesty I-ECKKHHHHHH!" K'iara was cut off from her serious conversation mid topic as the water ball thrown by K'luha hit her squarely in her shoulder and exploded into drenching water in all directions. K'iara couldn't see through her wet hair if K'ile'd been hit, but she was sincerely hoping he was. "Wet. I don't like wet." She mumbled, standing awkwardly still and shaking a bit.

 

As K'yohko stood in silent vigil with K'takka, his body seemed to tense further and further. It looked perhaps like he wanted to curl into himself, but was refraining hardly harshly. His ears twitched at the mention of a splash fight, but he didn't move to address it. He assumed it was only K'luha having fun with the others in the oasis. But then he heard K'iara screech and turned his head to look. A mistake he probably shouldn't have made as K'luha's second ball of water hit him squarely in the face and drenched him entirely. Yohko was far too stunned to have a reaction, and simply looked back to K'takka.

 

"Grandmother are you alright?" he mumbled worriedly, his hair also flopping over his eyes he couldn't see. It had been too long since it was last cut. Perhaps someone could cut it for him today.