[FIN] The Childish Notion of an Adult (Riot, Nick, Bob)

[GunSniper]

Nikita continued her impressive trot until Bob's bold calling grabbed at her ears. Her paws thrust forward while her back hunched in an attempt to make a quick stop, just before touching the sandy beach of the lake. Wide eyed, she looked back at Bob. She had never heard such a tone and, as Riot had, her tail had puffed to resemble a "baseball bat" while her toes spread apart and tiny claws unsheathed. Her head tipped downward to show the top of her head and horns. She looked ready to strike. Fight or flight, it was now very obvious she had a fight reflex.

"Wh-what happened?" Nikita tried to sound as bold as less shaken as possible. Slowly she eased out of her strange attack stance to look up at the approaching Bob.

Once the initial fear melted off, her tail slowly begun to tuck while her ears begun to lower.

The helmet was for now forgotten as he ran up to the frightened Nikita. Worried breaths panted from his maw as he thanked her willingness to listen before making it to the lake.

He drew in a slow, deep breath.

"...You need to be careful." He assured her in as gentle a tone as he could manage. "...None of us are of the water. It might not be as nice as you think. You have to be very careful around it."

Bob lowered his head to give Nikita a gentle nuzzle, assuring her that everything was okay. To be honest, the scared look from either of them near broke his heart to see. A deep coo-like rattling rumbled deep within his chest as a further way to calm the young cub. When she offered a tiny head-but back, Bob look up to see if Riot had followed.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Reaching the break in the trees, Riot lept out in the open and with a sudden grab on his landing in the sands. Just like hand reaches out form the sands and grabbed his paw, Riot flopped forward in the fine partical rocks.

*ufff*

Tail remained stuck steadfast in the sand as his top half barried it's self in sand. Pulling his head free, Riot's head popped up and shook it's self off. Paws reached and grabbed at the softness of the sand. He found he really liked the feel off sand. He had been away from it long enough, he had almost forgotten what it had felt like and how he liked it. the grains between his toes and claws, the dry salty smell....

Pulling his attention frm the sands, his ear flicked as it picked up on some silance. he looked up to Bob and Nikita.

Oh right!

"Is everything okay?" The Cub asked, hopping to all fours, the cub moved over closer to Nikita and Bob. Looking them over making sure everyone was okay....  

[GunSniper]

Nikita looked up from Bob just in time to see Riot's grand entrance into the beach. Her eyes widened as she watched him become one with the beloved sands. Riot always had a way with style.

"Yes!" Nikita answered as she pushed off from Bob and trotted gracefully over t Riot's side.

Her tail had since calmed down and formed a "c" almost over her back. Once she was close enough, Nikita offered Riot a light headbutt to the shoulder. The more she did that, the more she found she liked the notion of headbutting. It was a way to communicate so much in such a simple gesture. Nikita loved it.

"Bob says we have to be careful of the water. None of us know how to tell it what to do. So if it is mean, we can't talk to it like we can the earth or fire." Nikita nodded slowly.

Though, crimson eyes couldn't help but look back a the vast watery surface. It was just so... big! Like a beautiful jewel nestling comfortably in the bed of sand. They had that in common with the water, they both liked the sand.

Bob released a gentle sigh as Nikita took off to be at Riot's side. She seemed to understand the concept. Hopefully.

As Nikita moved over to Riot, Bob took the quick moment to go retrieve his helmet, using telekinesis to bring it closer without having to leave the visual area of the cubs. The well sculpted metal would have to be left off, which was fine. It would be safe under the trunk of the tree closest to the beach's sands.

"...Riot, Nikita, please come here." He called to the two as he begun to remove his armor and pile it under the tree.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Nikita answered him, Riot paused in his walk to feel the gentle bump on his shoulder. Turning his head down he looked back at the Nahtill, a smile relaxed on his maw replacing the concern look that had once rested there over the excitement of water.

"Oh okay." Riot answered simply, that made sense. They could still play with the water right?

"It's still okay to play with right?" The cub was keen to ask, because Bob seemed really worried about Nikita getting close to it.

Just then, Riot's ear flicked to the call of their protector calling them over.

Playfully, Riot's head turned back to his wild cub friend. Raising his dirty paw he kindly batted at Nikita, before he reared on his hind paws and turned in mid prance. With a gentle thud on the ground, light brown paws kicked off to be over by Bob.

Reaching The bigger Puma Riot skidded to a halt and with a plop he rested back on his hunches.  

[GunSniper]

Nikita didn't get to answer RIot's inquiry, her mind immidiately shifted to the muddy paw she had been given, and the call of their guardian. With a playful mewl she loped after RIot, her paws awkwardly flug forward while her chin pressed against her neck. Her tail stuck streight up.

Her stop was mot nearly as sucessful as Riots. Instead her head tilted downeard so that her slidding stop would hopefully end in a playful headbut. Her paws shot forward to grab onto Riot's back side.

"Yes?" She laughed and continued to try and light wrestle with Riot. Her maw tried to n** lightly at Riot's fur.

Bob watched the cubs engage in their play for a brief moment more. However, his crimson eyes narrowed before he begun to speak.

"It is still okay to play in the water, however, you must stay close to me at all times. As long as you follow that, it will be okay." Bob spoke sternly, his normal quiet pause was bypassed to stress the seriousness in this rule. Even Bob's frame puffed a little. "Are you two clear on this?"

He lifted a paw to ward the two cubs as NIkita seemed more interested in playing with Riot.

"Are we clear?" He repeated as he finally managed attention from at least NIkita.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Nikita skidded to a halt, and her paws landed on his back with a little head butt, Riot's head whipped around. Tilting his head back, his maw opened as his head rotated trying to bite Nikita back.

To no avail.

Rising on his hind legs, Riot attempted to flop backwards to try and tackle Nikita.

In hopes.

Though as Bob spoke, the cub turned to flop on his side to look back at the older puma. Blue eye focused on the other male, as paws remained dangled in the air. Tail ticked and tocked from side to side.

So, they had to stay close to Bob.

Turning his head, Riot looked back at Nikita.

They could do that right?

Yeah.

"Clear. " Riot answered, his tail flicking to the side....

What ever 'clear' ment....  

[GunSniper]

Nikita had no concept of 'cear', but she did understand 'stay close'. Maybe the water was just scared of things that were big, and Bob was big. Even without his armor on he was pretty big. The water must listen to him to some extent.

"Clear!" Nikita chimmed in as she tried to capture Riot's tail under both her forepaws at the same time. Her chin tucked to her chest again as she watched the tail, pouncing just a second to late with each movement.

Than, without warning, she sprung with her hind legs toward Riot with arms wide and head stil angle downward. It was still play time.

"I am clear. Stay close!" Nikita confirmed in mid air.



Bob released a long sigh to their confirmation. They seemed to understand, however, he should still try to be close just in case. This was very important, and he did not want them to be hurt.

"Good, just stay close to me. That is all you need to do, stay close... have fun."

The smile returned to his maw before he crouched down to give the two playful cubs a gentle nuzzle. His own way to 'play' with the cubs. A massive paw moved forward and hovered by the cubs, ready for a playful (and gentle) bat.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Nikita sprung at him, Riots maw opened as his body curled around Nikita. Hind legs 'bicycles' kicked her gently with his hind legs. Maw opened as he made a chomp of those gray horns.

Play time, was indeed on.

Riot's maw clinched down and with a shake of his head he was determind to win the bout.

It was only till he saw Bob's paw his forepaws opened wide and reached up for Bob's paw, both paws made to wrap and grab around the Elder's paw and pull it closer to him and Nikita.  

[GunSniper]

Nikita struggled around Riot's maw and paws in a wiggle maneuver, which only brought her horns closer to Riot's maw. Her forepaws tried to grab at his bicycling legs, however she could not grab onto them and ended up batting at them.

That is, until Bob's paw drew close. Double team time. Almost on que with Riot's grab, Nikita made a leap for his other paw. Her and Riot could take Bob! Just like they almost might have done in the past. Though, part of her was suspicious that he was rolling over and letting them win.

Carefully Bob had begun to drag them toward the water, slowly so they would be able to keep hold of his paws as he drew closer to the water.

Nikita latched onto his paw tightly, in addition she pressed her forehead against his paw. Her hind legs carefully walked with Bob's careful movements toward the water. She took no notice of how close the world-sized water was approaching. The task was to double team with Riot...  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Bob moved, Riot was stubborn to remain latched on the behemoths legs. Both hind and forward paws wrapped tightly around the silver puma's forepaw.

'Vicious' maw, nipped and grabbed at Bob's fur as he was unknowingly moved closer to the large body of water.

A sharp determined mew left the wild cub as his tail whipped around, to try and keep balance and the strong hold he held. His little cub grip only tightened as Bob moved forward. He was trying to stop him, since Bob was still moving-it meant that Bob was not being hindered.

The cub must work harder!!  

[GunSniper]

Bob could feel teh little cubs working harder to resist each step he took. Purposefully he slowed his pace enough to notice, but stilll he continued toward the water. A wide smile formed on his face.

First the paw being viciously attacked by Riot dipped into the sallow water. A dust coud of sand rose up from around his paws as they submerged into the barely three inches of water.

He didn't wait for a reaction before moving the paw Nikita had to join the other in the water.

Unfortuneately, he had no idea that fire and water were not a good combo. At least not to ease into.

As soon as the cool water made contact with Nikita's tiny paws and tail, the rest of her still dry fur puffed out while her whole frame wiggled and squirmed before pushing off Bob's leg and moving back up to the beach. Her tiny claws unsheathed while her small teeth peeked from a wrinkled lip. A soft hissing noise slithered past a curled tongue.

The great red rocks was that!? Tiny heart felt as if it were going to pound right out of her chest! Her whole frame puffed and heaved with each quickened breaths she took.

Whatever it was, her body didn't like it. It was cold, it was strange, and something told her it was not something to be around. Wide crimson eyes continued to watch the water, as if expecting it to come put and attack again.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

The 'struggle' Bob shown to get to the water didn't go unnoticed as the cub was encouraged to fight his string leg all the more. Being spurred on by the fact his attack was making an diffrance.

However.

As the cool water touched his tail, Riots head and maw turned from its assult to look at the lake. It was a strange feeling, to feel the wetness start to over take his brown fur. Darkening it all the more, it was so....

Nikita's plight took Riot's ears and attention as he felt his own body puff with alarm. Nikita was hissing and sensing some kind of danger! It must be true!

Little claws dug lightly into Bob's Leg in the wake of the alarm as his tail puffed.

Wide alarmed eyes looked under Under Bob's body.

"Did the water bite you?" Left Riot In a wonder. Eyes turned to look at the water, ears flicked back as one paw freed it's self to make a swat at the water.

How dare it hurt his friend.  

[GunSniper]

Bob quickly looked over the water, ears perked forward, to see if there was anything in the water that might have bitten Nikita. His own tail had puffed a little to the startle. Nothing was there, or even a hint of something being there.

If there had been something, it should have gone after Riot as well. However, there was not even a kicked up bit of sand.

Mindful of Riot, Bob turned around to face Nikita.

"Is everything alright?" Bob inquired gently with a deep 'purr' (as close to one as a big cat can manage) rattling in his throat.

Nikita inched closer, but remained puffed.

"It's... weird." Nikita peeped as she watched the water, half expecting it to leap out at her. It didn't seem to be harming RIot or Bob. Maybe it liked earth better. "Water doesn't like me Bob, I want to play, but it doesn't like me."

Her nostrils flared a little to the distress, and a successful attempt to hold back cub tears. It was more frustrating than anything. She really wanted to play with Riot and Bon in the water. But it didn't like her. Though, seeing Riot slap the water oddly made her feel a little better. HA! Take that water. It should listen to Riot.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Nikita shared her woe, Riot felt the resolve to show the Water better. Releasing Bob's leg fully, Riot flop into the water. The little splash caused a little wake and torrent to cover the little cub, but he was ready. Claws out, Riot slap the water more. Teeth bared, he bit into wake repeatly.


A little rumble left the Cub, as his head raised from the water. Azure eyes watched the ripples still.

Yeah. That would teach it, it must have-because it wasn't biting him....

With a turn, Riot hopped in a weird lope as if to be actually on top of the water as he made he way back to sand, but more importantly Nikita.

Reaching her, Riot gently head butted the side of her head with a nuzzle.

"I beat it for you." The little cub purred softly. Wanting to encourage his friend.