It's Raining Cats and Dogs in Here... [Veles]

Slipping through the forest, Veles stepped lightly, his boots avoiding every dry leaf and twig. His long jacket lightly dusting the ground as he made his rounds through the forest. Checking his markers, checking his snares, watching carefully for new tracks in his domain. These woods were his grounds, his home.

Fresh blood. Veles halted, the scent lingering in his nose. Instinctively crouching, he took in another long breath. And who is that? Veles smirked to himself. Dropping his coat to the ground, he knelt to unlace his boots. Shedding his human clothing and making his shift, his body was soon covered in a deep grey coat of fur. His dark claws extending and digging into the soil as he gained his bearings again.

Taking two steps before jumping a massive distance, Veles lands carefully before bounding again and again. He was soon right next to the object of his attention, a large black feline crouched over an elk, taking healthy bites from the creature, feeding her appetite. He had stayed downwind as he approached on her, careful not to make a sound, she seemed consumed with consuming the elk anyway. His instincts were strong, almost too much for him to bear, he wanted to chase her.

He

Needed

to

Chase.

Arching his back and letting out a howl, he leaned down on all four clawed paws. Gaining his best traction, he flung himself at this feline, jaws snapping and growling. This cat wouldn't get away so easily.

The chase was on. The sleek black feline had scaled the tree, the massive grey werewolf stood at its base staring upward. Letting his chest rise and fall, huffing his breath, letting her scent fill his mind. Carefully he stepped in a wide circle, walking a path around the downed elk. He nudges the carcass with his foot before leaning into a low crouch.

Shoving off with a clear display of his strength, his claws dig into the trunk of the tree a good 20 feet in the air. Still below the werepanther, but quickly closing the gap. Black claws digging into wood as though it were soft sand, Veles scaled the tree reaching her perch.

Edging out towards the crouched feline, he's very sure she has the advantage in agility. He however, definitely had the advantage with knowledge of the area. While he likely couldn't climb these trees as quickly, he had climbed nearly all of them before. He knew this land, the sturdy perches, the deceiving stone-dead trees. He might simply be able to catch her by not stepping in the wrong place. Maybe he could actually get her on the ground, where he would surely be able to out-sprint her. Especially if she accidentally fell into one of his prepared traps.

Stepping closer to her, Veles felt the branch remain sturdy under them. He couldn't help but continue to chase her. It was in his blood. Here kitty kitty kitty...

Feeling the branch shiver lightly was his fist clue; Veles dug his claws into the wood trying to gain more stability as the female panther shifted in front of him. Her bones popped and muscles shifted, yet she remained fairly quiet through the ordeal. An experienced were, at least where transforming was considered. She had still wandered miles into his territory and hadn't seemed to notice him until he was on top of her. Maybe he gave her too little credit. He had been a slave to his hunger more than once in his long life. He had done some outright stupid things just to fill his belly. Ignoring one scent out of so many in the forest wasn't exactly a big error, just one that had allowed Veles to get much closer than he should have been permitted. Her transformation complete now, she was sturdy, her claws were long and sharp, this was going to hurt.

Even though Veles was physically taller than the werepanther, he doubted that this natural intimidation factor meant much to the female crouched in front of him. He had made a mistake of his own, Veles thought to himself, he had interrupted her meal. His instinct to chase had fogged his mind, now he had to stay sharp or obtain many more scars from those vicious feline claws. Leaning down and using both his clawed hands and feet, Veles edged his way further out along the thick branch, finally feeling it begin to bow under their combined weight. His snapping jaws as he edged forward were swatted at by large claw filled hands of the werepanther. The branch let out a groan and a pop, its leaves shuddering with a rustle. It was now or never.

Veles jumped forward, fully anticipating the searing pain those claws and teeth would inflict upon him, fully aware that if he couldn't get a firm hold of her he would tumble unceremoniously to the ground below. He saw her rise to meet him. Brave. Stubborn. Fierce.

Worthy.

Howling in pain as his skin was lacerated, Veles managed a bit of damage of his own. His strong jaws clamping along the scruff of her neck. He was attempting to catch her spine with that bite, but she had slyly evaded sinking her own teeth into his shoulder. New blood filled the air with strong scents. Werepanther and werewolf blood dripped to the soft soil below, its scent would linger through many rains before being diluted.

She did the unorthodox. As he was snapping at her trying to gain leverage over her powerful feline form, she grasped his muzzle wit both hands, forcing his mouth open before lifting her own feet from the branch, applying all her weight to his mouth just moments before kicking him with her enhanced strength directly in the gut. Veles tumbled backwards, scrambling to catch any grip on the tree limb. Judging from the crunch he heard echo in his head and the blinding pain turning his vision white for a moment, she had broken two ribs, maybe three.

Pain consumed him as Veles let out a roar, facing the werepanther again. Pain burned him as he tensed up again for another leap into the fray. Pain fueled him as he pounced Sybil, determined to catch her.

Poised too attack the werepanther again, Veles was very glad he hadn't lunged. She had barely crouched before clearing his entire height in a jump, easily landing on the tree branch again. The limb had shaken from her effort, but now she had the upper paw on stable perches. Veles took another long swing at her, hoping his slight advantage in reach might account for something. Quick as ever she batted at him, sometimes catching his hand, sometimes narrowly missing. Even when his claws found themselves close to her, he was attempting to pull back before she swatted his muzzle. A defensive game certainly wasn't going to work for him. She had placed herself in and easy to defend location, he couldn't attempt the same stunt she had, even if he could actually land it, because she was too close to the tree's trunk.

Maybe that was the key. He couldn't let her have a defence. He needed to turn it on her. His clawed feet dug into the wooden limb as he rushed forward at Sybil, black clawed hands stretched before him. While not much heavier than her, he guessed than he was just a hint more apt at using his momentum and brute strength than she was. Maybe he had actually managed to surprise her. As his hands found a strong grip on her, one around waist level, the other against her shoulder, he shoved her backwards. Leaning in his snapping muzzle to her free shoulder he attempted a few debilitating bites to the muscle and tendons. He threw his leverage at her over and over again, bouncing her back against the rough surface of the tree trunk painfully.

Effective or not, he couldn't gage very well, but one thing he was sure of was his actions were pissing her off. Her claws dug a little deeper, her howls and bites becoming far more aggressive. Good, let her build up.. Veles thought slowly. While in his werewolf form, his animal instincts did come to the forefront, but he had years of practice tempering himself with conscious thought. This fight would go his way, or at least he thought so, because he wouldn't be consumed by his inner beast. He would use it, not just for short frantic moments, but always. He was the beast.

Releasing her hip, he balled his hand into a massive fist and slammed into her abdomen. Aiming up and through her, he was sure the blow would have damaged the tree had she not been in the way. Attempting to compress her diaphragm and cause her to lose her breath, effectively stunning her for a few moments, he was sure he succeeded. But she certainly wasn't stunned. Her claws found his face, raking at his eyes and trowing him off balance. His foot slipped from the branch as he tried to back away from her swipe. His back hit the branch horizontally, he was falling. He had to catch himself. Slowly tumbling from the limb, he spun himself and reached. One clawed hand sunk into the bottom of the wide limb. His body wrenched as he halted his fall but he pain searing throughout his body from the multitude of bites and scratches was just too much to contain. Veles released an agonized snarl before gripping his forearm with his free hand, steadying himself and quickly pulling himself up to the limb again.

He had barely gained any sort of footing before she was swiping at him again. She simply never stopped. He hadn't been this injured in years. He hadn't had this much fun either. Inhaling deeply, he howled, loud, long, full of excitement. His amber eyes gleamed and a wolfish grin spread across his face. Even as blood poured from his wounds, he was having the time of his life.

She had clawed him. She had bitten him. She had broken his bones. He had still wanted more, jumping back into the fight with a snarl. Then she had done it, shoved herself out of the tree, making sure he went just a moment before. He felt her clawed hand press against his abdomen, his mind blanked for a moment in pain. She had stepped deftly inside his guard and pressed up against his broken ribs. Veles felt his feet leave the clawed wood of the branch as his thoughts rushed back to him. Nothing to do, no way to change his fate, he was falling. Judging by her continued clawing and hissing, Sybil fully intended to land on him. That would simply give her too much of an advantage; he couldn't allow it.

With an agonizing twist of his spine, Veles reared back and opened his jaws wide. Lunging forward with frightening speed his teeth snapped shut on air, she had barely pushed away in time. His plan worked, she wouldn't have the advantage of him to cushion her fall. He almost smirked with satisfaction but ran out of time. His back hit the ground first, his head and limbs a fraction of a second later. He hadn't landed properly at all, his body even bounced like a rag doll off the stone littered forest floor. Somewhere in his awareness he heard her land as well, ungracefully he hoped.

Pain seared through his mind, vision fading into a dark haze with each of his heartbeats. No! Not now! Veles screamed within his mind, but his body was through listening to him. His shift began slowly, muscle and sinew stretched and repositioned themselves. Bones cracked, joints shattered, his whole body shrank. His tall ears melded back into his scalp, his tail disappearing into his spine. His tough hide thinned out into soft skin, dark gray fur seeming to vanish into thin air. Gasping for every breath, Veles finished his shift back to human, his ribs still broken, his skin lacerated. He couldn't think in the has of pain but he had heard it, the hisses and growls of pain, she was shifting too, very close by.

Covered in sweat, Veles couldn't even think of moving. Lying on his back, he let it all fade away to nothing, he closed his eyes and slept deeply. Healing slowly, his skin stitched itself and his ribs mystically bonded back together. His body was keeping him alive, but he would surely not forget this pain when he woke.

Sunlight blinked across Veles' eyelids, only occasionally making its way down to the forest floor through the canopy above. Pain was the first thing on his mind. Sprawled on his back on the uneven forest floor, naked having shifted after his fight. His fight. He smirked, he was still alive. He lifted his heavy eyelids, willing his vision to focus. His opponent was alive too. Typical cat... he murmured. She was quite comfortably using his aching abdomen as a pillow. Her form curled into a small ball.

What have I gotten myself into now? Veles couldn't help asking himself.

A part of her couldn’t believe she’d done it. The feline portion of her brain hissed and sputtered its protest. She’d deliberately leapt so that she didn’t land on her feet. The girl smiled despite herself, however. For a few moments, she’d flown.

The smile was gone in an instant as the pain returned. She thought she heard the wolf’s bones creaking as he shifted somewhere near her, but she gasped as her own began to knit themselves back together. Her feet hadn’t been beneath her when she hit the ground, but her arm had been. She hadn’t even noticed the break until now. A hiss of pain escaped her pink lips and she rolled again, arching her back as the rest of her body began to scream in protest. The rest of her wounds were closing, but it seemed to be taking forever.

One green eye flashed opened and she managed to turn her head in the direction of the wolf’s creaking, shifting body. She could feel the darkness sinking in, but she had to fight it, just for a few more moments. Gritting her teeth, Sybil dragged her broken body across the forest floor, grunting as she did. The plan was to pin him down for when he woke. But what if he woke first? She hadn’t quite thought about that. She was too close now to care, though. As the strength left her and the blackness consumed her, she let her head and hands fall onto his chest, effectively using him as a pillow instead of pinning him.

The steady rhythm of her pillow’s breathing faltered. Sybil’s eyes flashed open, a pang of fear filling her. Shit! He’d woken first. Instinctively, she remained deathly still, not even daring to breathe as she waited for an attack to come.

Instead, his voice entered her ears. The words confused her. Typical cat? Lifting her head, it was then that she realized what he must be speaking about. A bright blush filled her cheeks and she pushed off of him, scurrying back a few feet. Bright green eyes stared across the gap, gauging his every move, still waiting for an attack.

After a few moments of silence, she finally decided that he wasn’t going to attack. In all honesty, she was glad. Their fight in the branches above had taken a lot out of her, though she’d never tell him that. The wounds she’d received were sure to cause her aches for a good, long while – most especially the deep gouges across her nose that had healed into bright pink scars beneath the clotted blood still coating her face.

She couldn’t think of anything smart, or witty, or cruel to say to the man, so she resigned herself to simply stare. As a man, he wasn’t quite so frightening. He was still taller than her, she was sure, even without the pair of them standing, but he wasn’t an overly large man. He also wasn’t a very ugly man. That thought brought another blush to her cheeks and she pulled her knees up to her chest. Long arms wrapped around her legs and she placed her chin on top of them, waiting to see what he said next.

Pain continued to flare in Veles' mind, the aches of his body healing had left him thoroughly drained. But his waking wasn't all bad. The soft brown hair draped across his chest. The clearly feminine curves that he had a moment to admire as he looked down. Her back in clear view as she lay against him. He had marred that soft skin during their brawl and he noted each tender scratch and puncture mark. He didn't notice her breathing, but she was very warm against him.

PAIN!

She just had to shove off his stomach to scurry away, his ribs crying out in pain. Oh it hurt, but he couldn't be mad. He'd hurt her too. And he'd gotten to let loose for they first time in a long while. He'd had some very painful fun. Plus there was the added bonus of waking up in the middle of nowhere with a lithe young lady, not a scrap of clothing within a mile. He smirked and sat up, while he did, the cocky smirk turned into a grimace of pain. You sure know how to show a wolf a good time. You should check if that elk is still any good, otherwise I'll rustle something up. If I feel this well, you must be loving every ache and bruise too. Veles grumbled, his pain getting the better of his mood as he slowly brought his knees under himself and stood. You've certainly earned a good bite to eat.

He stood in the clearing of the forest and slowly rolled his shoulders, letting his joints pop audibly. He was completely calm, and even smirked as he looked the young lady over. He was completely sure of himself even though he was in the middle of the Wastelands, even though he was completely naked My name is Veles Canis, and these woods are where I call home. What brings you out all this way? And don't say the elk, that one is too small to have made you chase it this far. he questioned. Even though his voice was deep, his ending comment held enough jest to assure here that he wasn't angry.

Despite coming into his territory, despite having effectively kept up with him in a brawl, despite being feline, Veles admired her resilience. She was staring at him with those vibrant green eyes, holding her limbs close in modesty and splattered with dried blood. Cute, Veles admitted silently to himself, even if she was a cat. Waiting for her to respond seemed to take forever, at least long enough for a teasing comment to float into his mind. Why so quiet, cat got your tongue? Veles quipped with an extra helping of smarmyness.

A cat with an ego and a superiority complex, go figure... Veles bantered right back at Sybil. And here I thought I had met the only cat who can't manage to land on her feet. I must have hit my head harder than I thought to have forgotten the hours long ass kicking that resulted in you snoring your pretty little head off all night on me. Veles quipped with a smirk. His hand reaching up to ruffle his hair lightly, he couldn't help but notice her form as she slipped over to the elk, she was a damn cat, but he was also male.

Sybil huh? I would say the pleasure is mine, but I don't think you need another stroke to your ego. So how about this instead, I ever catch you in my woods again, you can expect to get another good workout of those claws. Veles commented while walking to a foot-diameter ash tree and leaning to heave a heavy stone at its base over. A small metal lined hole revealed, he snatched a plain black duffel bag out and tossed it her way. For now you can use he knife in there to avoid making any more of a mess out of that elk.

The small duffel was simply zipped shut, inside there was a large utility knife attached to a thick leather belt. Along with the belt was a paid of black canvas cargo pants, a black cotton tee, black boots and a large green and brown trench coat. This was a supply stash he had hidden out in the middle of the woods, likely not the only one. This really was his territory, these were his woods, just as much as he was theirs.

He leaned his shoulder against the tree, casually crossing his arms and smirking as she ruffled through the bag. Observing her shoulders and arms, covered in the faint pink scars of recent healing. He had really bitten her up. Those must sting like crazy, but she was toughing out the pain. She was strong willed, that much was certain. A cat and dog in the middle of the woods, the situations I put myself in... Veles mumbled softly to himself.

Veles continued leaning against the tree for a short while, watching her work efficiently. Not her first time doing this.. he thought to himself, seeing her clean and butcher the elk with ease. He supposed that she was raised as the werepanther she was, rather than turned late in life. None could learn the ease and comfort with being coated with blood and entrails, if they were bitten later in life. They always seemed squeamish around carcasses, as if their human mind was doing battle with their inner animal.

She had sent little verbal barbs his way, but she had also offered him food. She was certainly an oddity out here in the Wastes, but a good one. Her quip about repetitive birds even got him to chuckle. Oh he was in trouble, he already felt comfortable around Sybil, a dangerous mindset to be in around any newcomer. His wolf instincts urged him to be more cautious, but also were urging him to recognize the familiarity with her. Anyone who managed to confound his wolf instincts was surely someone he had to know more about.

Reaching into the small metal storage box, Veles pulled a small bundle of balsa wood and a small bundle wrapped in aged leather. Stepping around the clearing, he gathered many small twigs that had fallen from all the jostling they had given the tree the night before. Carefully gathering them all into a pile, he unwrapped a small fire starting kit, scraped a few shavings of magnesium onto the dry balsa wood and striking against the flint. The flames caught instantly, the prepared tinder was the perfect choice, many of the twigs were being consumed quickly. He had a large pile though, some of them much thicker, which he added slowly once the fire was hot enough to igniting them. It wasn't his cleanest starting fire, as much of the wood was still green, so he walked to a nearby downed tree and let his claws edge out. Gripping into the dry tree Veles carefully tore out piece of dry wood after piece. Keeping them small would be the trick to maintaining this fire, tossing a whole log on there would simply smother it. He allowed his fire to burn through the green wood, slowly adding his their aged counterparts to the pile. Within fifteen minutes, his fire had a small bed of embers and wasn't spewing the obnoxious thick smock of burning green wood.

Me? Well I generally spend as much of my time out here as I can. I run jobs for those who are too scared to make it this far out from civilization. I've also run a few covert trips between here and Bastion. People pay a premium for trips that avoid any and all roads. I also have a knack for hunting Beasts. Everyone wants to know more about the things that come through the Rifts, I just provide them. Veles rambled, he was talking too much, giving too much away, and he knew it. But it felt right to do, so he continued. I came here a few decades back from up north. I joined Lycus on his last journey, then continued on. I've made a home in these woods, the remind me of back then, but are still different enough not to bring up specific memories.

Turning to the young werepanther, Veles noticed she was done and happily crouched with her head slightly tilted, listening to him. Such a cat. He couldn't help but grin. And how about you Sybil? What brings you out to these woods, besides falling asleep on the wolf who just tried to eat you?

Lycus was my... Alpha. I grew up in a Pack up north, when some younger wolves wanted his position, he was attacked. I jumped into the fray to defend him, but there were too many. When we were overcome, the Pack moved on under their new leader. We were left to die. We didn't that day but Lycus somewhat lost his will. He ate less and less... When we finally came across something that was a legitimate hunt, he just wasn't up to the challenge. He died honorably, during a Hunt. Veles explained, his tone carrying a bit of pain, but also pride.

As she moved closer, Veles couldn't help but admire Sybil graceful steps. She must be as sore as he was, but she certainly didn't show it. She even tossed a large hunk of meat at him, which he managed to catch before it smacked into his face, but barely. She plopped down and began cooking her own portion. Everything about her was clicking in his mind as attractive except that little bit about her being a cat. He couldn't keep the grin from his face as she energetically described her initial desire to pin him. He tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh as she attempted to point out her scars, only to smear grime all over herself.

Retrieving a sturdy stick for himself, he skewered his own portion of meat and leaned it over the fire. Stepping over to his ruffle bag he collected the plain tee shirt and walked back to Sybil, offering it. You can wipe off with this. I'll bring us to water after we've eaten. stepping back around the fire, he rotated his roasting elk to cook evenly without charring. I always thought cats licked themselves clean... then again, that little tongue of yours might not get it all. Wolves are renowned for their long tongues however. he teased, a wide grin spreading over his face.

Thy just met, had beaten each other senseless, traded some playful verbal barbs, and were now sharing a meal. He couldn't figure out which part of her amused him the most, feline or female. He was having fun regardless, and the idea of dunking her in some chilly water brought a smirk to his lips. Oh he was in trouble, he was having far too much fun. Pulling his skewered elk away from the flames, he gently poked it with his fingers, checking how well it was cooked before holding it in front of himself, letting the sizzling surface cool. You did a good job with this, thank you for giving me such a good cut of meat. he said, smile still on his face, before raising the meat and taking a bite.

The meat was tasty in its own right, exceptionally fresh, cooked just the way he liked, but his Wolf reminded him of just how much energy he had used during the little fight and hours of healing afterward. He took large bites, chewing hastily so he could swallow and take in more. Ravenous would be a good description, if a bit understated. He had finished in mere minutes, but hadn't looked away from his meal the whole time. As he glanced up from his now empty skewer, he saw her smirking at him. Wolves are also known for their large appetites. Veles offered with a smirk of his own. His body was heating up, turning that much needed meal into fuel for regeneration. He could feel each of his aches and pains, some were even beginning to fade already. Thank you. he offered again, this time his voice carrying a more serious tone. He leaned back rolling his shoulders and stretching before settling down had watching his feline companion.

Smirking as his feline companion dove into the chilly water, he could make out the tiny bumps of her skin protesting to the cold, but she continued on. Stubborn. Another grin crossed his face as he made his own way into the water, wading slowly in and catching up with her as she made it back to the middle of the pool.

Letting the water clean and sooth him, the recent meal fueling his recuperation, Veles was quite pleased with how the morning had progressed. And what will you do now that you've finally cleaned up but are still squarely in a wolf's domain? he quipped, letting his smirk let her know that he hadn't meant a serious threat. If he was still this achy, she would be too, and another fight, while possible, wouldn't be nearly as much fun. But that wouldn't stop him from playing.

Letting his knees bend, he slowly slipped under the surface of the water, barely causing a ripple. Lurking below in the deep pool of water, he was sure she could see his form under the waves. She would know where he was, so he couldn't very well sneak up on her and grab an ankle. But he could surprise her. Letting her think she was clearly superior was just a portion of it. Let her get comfortable thinking she knew exactly what he was up to. As he circled slowly, he even reached out clumsily, as if he were really reaching for her leg. Oh, now she was confident, she had let him get behind her. When he broke the surface, she was grinning at him, a cat toying with something new. Supreme. Confident. Utterly surprised as he casually tossed the fish he had plucked from the bottom of the river at her. Its flails causing even more of a ruckus than he had anticipated as it bounced off her shoulder and splashed wildly swimming away.

Howling with laughter, Veles knew he was in for it. The look on her face had been priceless. He could barely manage the joke he had prepared while underwater. The bursts of interrupting laughter made it even more corny. I was just trying to return the favor of the meal. I thought cats loved fresh fish. he managed to get out before she promptly swam to him and shoved his head underwater.

Now he could tease her a bit more, because she had closed the gap and accidentally given him leverage. As he wrapped his arms quickly around her, he used his crouched stance underwater to shove off from the stony riverbed. Hoisting them both high, but barely out of the water, he proceeded to upend her, tossing her into the water playfully before splashing down himself.

He couldn't help but be playful, he was just feeling too good, despite his injuries. This day had been fun, something he hadn't spent much time enjoying in quite a while. She seemed to be ok with the water prior to him getting in, hopefully she didn't sulk off like a dunked cat after his little toss. Then again, hopefully she didn't come at him claws flaying either.

She had latched onto him as he sprung from the water and splashed down with him, squeezing her long legs around his abdomen, just enough to hold on, not enough to hurt his aching ribs. He even felt her clawed fingers along his back before she retracted them to hang on then she bit him! Oh she did consider this all fun and games. Good.

As his lungs slowly began to ache with the pain of holding his breath so long against sore ribs, he reached his arms wide and gave a powerful stroke, bringing hem both towards the surface, her still firmly wrapped around him. His gasp was loud compared to hers, but she likely wasn't as short of breath as he was. With a quick kick of his legs while his back was arched, he then pulled with the strength of his upper body, completing a slow back flip under the water's surface. She was still clinging, but now positioned below him' which he certainly didn't mind. Her naturally warm body against his under the cool water. Without her overpowering scent he nearly forgot for a moment that she was a cat.

He gave her own neck a bite with his human teeth before using another powerful stroke of his arms and legs to push them towards the bottom of the pool. The small school of fish that he had plucked a single fish from before tore at the water as they struggled to avoid the tangled pair of weres. Veles knew just what he wanted to grab own this far, and reached for a handful before she began to struggle for the surface, both needing another few gasps of fresh air. He even helped pull them to the surface, Sybil managing to angle herself on top again. Must have been a feline thing to always want her back facing up and limbs below her. As he surfaced just below her, his arm reached up behind her and slopped the gooey mess that he had collected from below the rippling waters directly onto her head with a splat.

Bursting into laughter, Veles couldn't contain himself anymore. Looks like I've gotten you all dirty again! he practically hooted at her shocked expression, mud and slime slowly dripping down her face and onto her shoulders. She hadn't even dunked him immediately, she had just clenched a bit tighter around his waist as her hands slowly reached up to clear the thick brown ooze from her eyes and face. Maybe I should be a good host and wash you off instead, a cold shower might earn me fewer bite marks after all. he quipped to her still stunned form. Oh she was getting riled up, he could feel her blood simmer as she held onto him.

With a slow few back strokes, Veles edged the to the waterfalls again, the consistent flow of water dunking him under the water and splashing all the mud clear from her. He felt his edge numb against the stone edge of the pool, where the water hadn't eroded the stone away. Carefully he angled his back against the smooth surface. He didn't want to painfully scuff her feet and legs which were still around him. Slipping his hand to her lower back he pulled her forward out of the strong waterfall. There there, all clean.. he grinned with each word, his amber eyes playful, mischievous. All better, kitty cat? he added as just a small additional tease.

She had leaned in quite close against Veles, she was comfortable and relaxed against him. He certainly felt unnaturally at ease around her. Sybil was still grinning, legs wrapped around him, her body warm against his. The chill of the water finally beginning to set in, now that he wasn't incredibly active. She was more than warm against him, and he was sure that she was clinging quite close to bask in his own heat as well.

The waterfall cascading behind her, light flickering through. Turbulent waters churning with a loud white noise. "What now kitty kat? Just gunna sit here all day on my lap?" He playfully dipped lower into the water, splashing the water up to both of their shoulders before lifting again. "Or maybe you need another dunking?" Veles asked with a wolfish grin.

With a soft growl to accompany his grin, "Or maybe I should escort you to the edge of my woods, before I forget that previous bite to eat and get hungry again." just prior to nipping her shoulder. His hand still on her lower back, tugging her against him. She felt rather good against him, even if she was feline.

With a gentle push, Veles edged both of them out from the hollow behind the cascading water, through the falls themselves, and out into the deep pool again. He easily swam through the water, even with his arm wrapped around her and her wrapped around him. Whenever he occasionally jostled her, she had a habit of hanging on with her claws. It stung, but was certainly acceptable. Just before coming to the edge of the wide river basin, he had come to terms with the fact that he enjoyed her smile.

As Veles stepped onto the shallow shore of the river, and out onto the dry ground, he continued carrying Sybil. He couldn't help but notice how much warmer she seemed now that he wasn't soaking in cold water. "What am I going to do with you..." Veles asked just before stopping. Water dripping from both of them, his recovery allowed him enough strength to hold her easily, though his ribs did still burn.

Cats...