I just wanted to say....(Mooo and Haisyn, Riddick & Raven)

[-Shady Mooo-]

Raven slept soundly, her coat was slung over a chair and her wings were tucked snugly against her back, and her limbs were sprawled out, her wavy hair unkempt and everywhere. She twitched a few times, but for the most part her chest rose and fell rhythmically. The way she was positioned, her scars were clearly visible.

It was a rare thing for the female. Normally when she slept, it was curled protectively in a ball, and she twitched or full out ran in her sleep. But lately, she slept soundly, sprawled out and content. 

Her slumber went on most of the morning, until she finally stirred and woke up. She gave out a soft grunt, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and let out a yawn. Glancing around she didn't see any sign of Riddick, but that didn't mean he wasn't around. She stretched and shook her body, waking it up. Briefly she thought about putting her coat on, but dismissed the idea, she was comfortable with her scars now, and didn't want to hide them anymore.  

Raven padded around and nibbled at a piece of fruit, before heading to flop by the opening, and sit in the sun, basking in the warmth. Her mind drifted around and around, circling everything that's happened recently, and everything that's happened not so recently. 

Was she better? 

No. But she was ok. And she felt different. She felt safe here, she felt strong here. When she was back at the valley, surrounded by everyone, she felt weak. She felt helpless. 

But here, she felt empowered. 

Raven smiled. A wide, honest, true smile, and her tails swayed softly as she waited for Riddick to get back. She had to thank him. She owed him so much.  

[Haisyn Fierra]

Riddick had spent the morning in some rather unexpected company. He was starting to wonder if he'd wind up meeting Raven's entire family out here in the deep woods eventually. Crow had been pleasant company though, and while concerned for Raven he hadn't pressed for any further details on her location, just to know that she was all right. Riddick hadn't given any real indication that he knew Raven's location either, just that she'd been through the area. He'd tried to make sure Crow's little birdy friend hadn't gotten nosy and tried to follow. While he was pretty sure Crow would let the matter lie until Raven was ready, he wasn't entirely sure about that bird.

He didn't seem to have an entourage after wandering around for the better part of an hour after he and the winged male had parted ways, so Riddick had decided to head back to the cave and check on Raven. He even grabbed some early berries he passed on his way back so they could have something a little more pleasant to snack on than yet more winter roots or dried fruit.

He clambered up the tree that hid the ground entrance and slipped off his goggles now that he was finally in a dim space. Raven wasn't where he'd left her snoozing earlier... but he did find her basking in the sun at the skyward entrance. He didn't really feel like putting his goggles back on so quickly.

"Raven. I found some berries." This was said as he was depositing said berries in one of the many small bowls he'd managed to accumulate. Then mirrored silver eyes turned to peer at her from the dimness in the back of the cave. "Oh, and your dad sends his love and all that." No point holding back on that little bomb drop, really.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

 Raven turned at Riddicks voice, she gave him a smile, trotting over to greet him and investigate the berries. She gingerly picked one out and nibbled it, much better than roots. "they're wonderful thank you" she said with a wag of her tails. 

At the mention of her father she tilted her head to the side, cheek full of berries. "my father was through here?" she asked softly. Her eyes clouded over, as her emotions followed suit. She didn't know how she felt about that, and eventually just nodded and stored away the information for later. 

She tilted her head to the side, as she looked at his mirrored eyes "I never noticed your eyes before...they're wondrous" Raven exclaimed softly, and then like everything else today, changed the subject. She began fidgeting with one of the berries she had yet to stuff in her face. She chewed on her lip and gave Riddick a determined look, then she quickly leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I wanted to say thank you, for everything you've done" she gestured around to his hideaway "I've never felt safer, or stronger here...and that means..." she paused and gave a light shrug "I can't say how much that means to me..." she said with a cocked grin, there was a sparkle in her eyes, that hasn't been there since he was teaching her to fight, and her stubborn side came through.  With that being said she made her way back to the sunny spot, her scars showing through as she moved, and she stretched her wings, before resting them against her back. 

"it's...a beautiful day" she said offhandedly. 


   

[Haisyn Fierra]

"Told him you'd been through here, but not that you still were. Though after our chat this morning I think it's safe to say he's glad you're safe, and sorry he stifled you, and he understands why you left. And everyone misses you but he wants you to come back when you're ready." He'd let her chew on that when she felt up to it, but he figured he might as well lay it out on the table. It was something she needed to know, whether or not she knew what, if anything, to do with it at the moment. Figuring that out could come later.

Riddick wasn't expecting the compliment about his eyes. He smirked slightly and responded in an amused drawl. "I bet you say that to all the guys that offer you a place to stay and help with your inner demons." Was that flirting? Sort of. It could be if Raven wanted to take it that way. It wasn't always easy to tell whether he was serious or not when he made flippant comments like that.

He stayed very still after she leaned forward to kiss his cheek, watching her silently as she moved away again, and perhaps a bit more intently than usual. "I offered some advice and a place to stay. You've done most of the work, birdy." Well, maybe he'd given her more than a gentle nudge in helping her convince herself to change directions when they'd first met, but she'd still done the more difficult share of that decision and the work that came after.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

 Raven gave a soft nod, at what Riddick said about her father. She didn't know when or if she would be ready to go back, she had to find herself first. Or rather she wanted to find herself first. 

After a few moments of contemplation, and silent inner reflection, she turned back to face Riddick. There was still a blush on her face from when she kissed his cheek, but she paid it no mind, she watched him with her golden eyes. 

"well, most of the ones I've met, either create the inner demons  and fear of their own damn shadow, or pretend the world is sunshine and rainbows and that nothing like that could ever happen again..." Raven chewed on her lip and sighed, looks like she still had a few demons to deal with. 

Raven took a few tentative steps towards Riddick, her gusto from earlier had burned off. 

"you did more than just offer advice and a place to stay. You saw past the fear and scars. Saw that I still had something left to offer...." she dropped her gaze, and gave a light shrug "for someone like me...for what I've been through...you might not believe you've done anything special, but you have." Raven brought her eyes back up to meet his "just accept my gratitude and I won't be forced to make you accept it ok?" she said with a small crooked grin. 
Getting a small amount of courage back she moved to sit beside Riddick, and leaned against him. "so, what's on the agenda for today?" she asked as she tilted her head to look up at him. 
   

[Haisyn Fierra]

Riddick ate a few berries and set the rest aside for Raven to have later, ears flicking slightly in response to her words about the "other guys" even though he remained silent for some moments afterward. "The happy sunshine people... haven't had to face that kind of test yet. They don't get it, maybe never will. Kind of frustrating to deal with them sometimes, but I can't begrudge them their innocence." He paused for a second, then stretched. "The other guys? I usually wind up kicking their teeth in." He shrugged. "Not so many people in the group with you and me."

His initial intent to get up and move toward her was thwarted when she started back toward him, so Riddick settled back down on the floor and watched her approach with his ears up and head canted to the side. A curiously intent expression settled on his face for a moment while she spoke, but it smoothed away and was replaced by a smirk at the end. "Oh, you think you can make me do something? How do you intend to do that?"

He was used to sitting by her, but being leaned on was something new. He couldn't resist noting the faint blush still visible through her pale cheek fur as he looked down at her, and looked up to the ceiling. "Ah, I think I'll be lazy and make you do the decisions today." He scratched his chin thoughtfully, staring off into space for a moment. "You know I think the last time a pretty girl tried to snuggle up to me was before I got here." His tone seemed so offhanded he might have been commenting on a funny shape in a cloud.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

A little squeak of a yawn escaped Ravens maw, and she pulled herself up, in her leaning she had begun to slide down the male, and continued sliding would lead to all kinds of awkward moments. 
Back at an acceptable level she once more rested her head on his shoulder. "....in my fathers previous life, his wife and child were murdered, and then they killed him. I asked him how he ever got over it, was able to move on... Know what he told me?" she paused and glanced up at him before continuing on "he told me you don't. Some things you never get over. Some things you carry with you forever. But then one day, quite unexpectedly, the load doesn't seem so heavy...the pain doesn't seem so deep..." she gave a soft shrug. "the rest at home, well they are just innocent and concerned..." another shrug, and having said her random tale, she moved on. 

At his lack of faith in her abilities to make him do something, she pulled herself up and put her paws on her hips, she opened her mouth to say something, but then realized it was indeed a hollow threat. She gave a little pout and then assumed her previous position of leaning against him "I'll think of something. If I warned you, then you'd be prepared against it..." that was her big defense. 

And then Riddick complimented her, and her blush deepened ten fold. 
"well I....it's...." her body stiffened as she glanced up at him "it's..I just...your..." she abandoned what she was trying to say, and settled with "I'm not pretty...I'm just me..." she said softly, letting her hair hide her scarlet face.
   

[Haisyn Fierra]

Part of him felt guilty right now, because he was enjoying the feel of her next to him. But another part... Well he'd never really claimed he was a nice guy. He turned his mind from it and back to what she was saying. That sort of thing... should be her call.

"You don't really get over that sort of thing. You just... learn from it, if you can, do your best to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's purpose that gets you through life when s**t hits the fan. Sometimes comfort and support can help, but you have to find a reason to keep going." He shrugged. It was obvious from time to time that he had his own story to match Crow's, but he just wasn't the sort to talk about it of his own accord. It was all a long time ago now, anyway.

He raised an eyebrow as she deflated in her attempt to defend her ability to keep him in line and smirked. "Oh, well, fair enough then. If you think you can actually come up with something that will catch me off-guard, I'm game." He couldn't help wondering if she'd actually try something.

And then he got her blushing and stammering madly. He couldn't help a cocky grin at that point, or attempting to lean forward and peek around her hair at her face. "So... you're just... pretty, then?" Maybe it was a little bit mean, but he was having fun teasing her now that she wasn't so closed off all the time.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

Raven gave a soft nod, and decided to let the heavy stuff go, it was a day to relax she decided. 

"oh just you wait...I'll think of something..." she muttered, resting her head back on his shoulder. She made a mental note to do something spontaneous to throw him off his game, but then it wouldn't be spontaneous then would it. "dammit" she muttered under her breath. 

And then he did it again. He made her go as red as a tomato. She could never consider herself pretty, she's too damaged and broken to be pretty. "oh will you stop with th-" she stopped suddenly and using her back leg as leverage, she tackled him, aiming to throw him off his guard and pin him. In theory anyways. 
   

[Haisyn Fierra]

"I'm sure you will think of something," Riddick replied sweetly, still grinning in that cocky way. He felt her weight shift when she tensed to pounce, but instead of responding in the usual evasive way... he relaxed and let her bowl him over. He shifted the rotation to make sure she wound up standing squarely over him. Resting his paws just above hers on his shoulders he peered up at her, ever so slowly arching a brow. "Aren't we supposed to do dinner and a movie first, or something?" He wasn't done with his little teasing game yet, and there was more than one way to win a fight.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

Raven was surprised it worked, but then came to the decision he let her win. She decided to take the victory. 
Raven raised an eyebrow at his comment, and then when she got his drift, her face went scarlet all over again, but she didn't move away. "well...it's..." she wiggled her nose, and brushed the hair from her face as she looked down at him "Mr.Riddick, are you coming onto me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow "or are you trying to see how red I can go?" she asked, feeling her face burn up. Her tails swayed softly behind her, she thought about sitting, and then realized given the location, that might not help, so she just kept her paws on his shoulders, her back legs on either side of his. 
Needless to say, this was not how she imagined the day going. 
At all.
And she had no idea what had come over her. 
   

[Haisyn Fierra]

Riddick swatted at Raven's hair playfully. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me "Mr." now? About a thousand?" He watched her for a long moment then, with a very intent and serious expression... and then the grin came back. "You know you're awfully cute when you're blushing like that." ...Okay, he might be having a little too much fun with this. Just a bit.

He'd answer her question in a more serious fashion in a minute. Maybe. But she'd probably pick up on the fact that he basically just said yes to both, she was a smart girl.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

Raven squeaked as he batted at her hair, then she grinned crookedly "tell you what mr, I'll stop calling you that when you start giving straight answers." she said with a nod. Her face stayed a shade of crimson, it appeared it would remain that color for the foreseeable future. 
She squeaked again at his comment "you know, you look quite hunky when your relaxed." she said with a grin similar to his. Then she quickly leaned down and licked his cheek before sitting back on his back legs with a cocky grin. 
   

[Haisyn Fierra]

Riddick snorted softly when she stated her requirements for her to stop referring to him as Mr. Then he laughed when she decided to play the game back at him, but after she sat on him the grin faded from his face and he gave her a long, thoughtful look. "Straight answers, hm?" He scratched his chin for a moment as he mulled his thoughts over, then looked back up at her and brushed across her lips with a feather touch of his paw. "Are you sure you want a serious answer?" he asked her first, his voice suddenly gone a bit husky.  

[-Shady Mooo-]

A shiver ran along her spine as he brushed a paw along her lips, and she moved off of his legs, her wings folded against her back. Raven watched him intently with her gold eyes. She tilted her head slightly to the side, as she subconsciously chewed on her bottom lip. 
After a few moments, she nodded "yes. I want to know about you, what you like, what you want. I want a serious answer, no bulls***." Raven briefly wondered what had gotten into her, but decided too much thought would just not be good right now. She was going on gut right now. Strictly gut. She leaned close to him, and brushed his ear softly, "I know what I want, but I'm curious about you" it was an honest comment.