[FIN] I thought I lost you....( Riot x Nikita x Bob )

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Riot's tail swished in the water, and a ear shifted to angle towards Nikita as she entered the water.

Opening his eyes, a peaceful smile took his maw as he watched Nikita move into the water. Breathing a chuckle, Riot could easily relive the first time she had expranced the dreaded water....

He told her he would protect her, then....

Ears lowered a little and a sigh left Riot.

Quitely, Riot shifted his pink chin back into the water as he layed his head on his paws. Swishing the water with his tail, Riot took in the glimmer of what he could see of Nikita's white body exploring the water.

A sigh left the Tahtill past his nostrils, he wanted to join her....

He hoped he had helped, and the water...helped in some sort of way.

In the mean time, his fogged thoughts tried to gather ideas on what more he could do...

If only she knew how much she ment to him....  

[GunSniper]

Nikita swam back to the surface just long enough to release and take in a new breath. As if she were the fish that inhabited the lake. Once again she made a treck down to the bottom of that part of the lake, her paws carrresed the sands, the ruby still in her clutches. She didn't trust anyone to leave it on the shore...

Her eyes watched everything they could maintain while she 'walked' along the bottom. Behind, her tail acted as a rutter to help keep herself at a safe depth and not drift too far out into the lake. She didn't have the lungs for that.

Just as she begun to surface a silvery fish caught her sights. That might be useful. At least for Riot. Her own stomach was so knoted up that she did not wish to have any sort of meal at the moment. She couldn't. Not without it returning to sender.

As before Nikita refreshed her breath than dove down toward the silver flecks. She had fished before, impressed (so she thought) her capers with the ability. She could catch one for Riot... She waited for one to get into range, than, snapped at it!

It swam in the oposite direction, missing her jaws completely. Tricky thing... There were more. Nikita's eyes narrowed on a second school. She than waited for another fish to come by... this one was a big one.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

On the shallower end of the lake, Riot remained. Picking up his head and gently moved his maw to groom himself. Hoping to Help clear off sand and blood. Rolling on his side, he stretched out in the water, to his full leanth. With his body still only partway submerged, Tail tip curled while he worked. His paw raised to helped balanced himself out, in his lay.

Finishing his chest, Riot turned his head to lay back.
After his head been soaked a little, he picked it up and started at grooming his chest. Purring, and after a moment Riot turned his head to the water hearing Nikita surface.

Bob was going to be happy to see Nikita, he hoped she would be just as jouful to see him as well. Perhaps, he would know more, good-wise things to say. He always did.  

[GunSniper]

Nikita waited for the fat fish to come to her, which, she helped coax it over a bit by tilting her paw just slightly so the ruby would catch some light and attract the fish over, Her own white coat made for great camo while under the water.

Thankfully the fish, likely fat with its own greed, came within biting range just before she felt her lungs start to burn for a bit of fresh air. As a bolt of lightning she struck out against the fish. Her jaws just barely able to grasp the creature around its mid-section. It wiggled more and more in a panic, however, Nikita only mercelessly tightened her jaw to pinch the fat fish in place.

Her free paw reached up, index claw unsheathed as it moved, than ran across the fish's neck, gill to gill. Try moving now! Ah-ha!

Now it was a matter of time before it just stopped moving and accepted its fate altogether. By the time Nikita made it back to the surface the fish was only able to twitch slightly, in which Nikita responded to with another tightening if her jaw.

Paw reached the shallow water, where she lifted her head up as high as it could go in order to keep the rather large fish from touching the water. Loose water sprayed from her nostrils as she drew in a deep breath.

By the time she returned to the lounging Riot, the fish had completely stopped moving and it's large mass hung limply in Nikita's maw. Which, she was quick to release by Riot's front paw with a heavy splash. It wouldn't be going anywhere... and it was within reach so he didn't have to move much to grab at it. Besides, the current at this part of the lake was not bad. It wouldn't drift away that easily.

Her head shook a bit after releaseing the fish, out of habbit to clear the water from her ears.

Nikita didn't wait for a word to come from Riot before she begun to turn back toward the deeper part of the lake. If he wanted it, he would take it. That was his fish, she would now go catch her own... Once again, an ingrained habbit forged over the past long moths, and, perhaps in a way, a small tokin to show she did care. Even if the words were not yet there to express it.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

As Riot lifted his head from the water, water dripped from his fimir, causing a gentle sound of 'cain drops.' Turning his paw to his maw, he started to clean inbetween his toes, only to be over taken by Nikita's shadow.

Azure eyes opened a little wider as he noticed the bounty in her maw.

Whoa. That was a lot bigger then the one he had caught her...

Partly sticker out tongue fell limp as his maw slack slightly. It wasn't the fish that had caught his eye and slacked his jaw. Even drenched there was something so enchanting about her. Ears flicked back as she shook her head.

"T-Thank, you." Riot stumbled out smartly, clearly impressed with the catch.

Sitting up, he wanted to say more-as his thoughts scrambled with some effort to think of something mlre clever....but she was gone.

Most likily to get her own.

Curling his paw around the fish, Riot batted it a little bit before bring it closer to his body so it wasn't lost.

He would wait for her to eat it though.  

[GunSniper]

It was amazing at how fast Nikita's knotted stomach soon changed mind after tasting that wonderful fish's flesh. Suddenly unknotted and demaning something of the like in tastes. Fine. It was another excuse to hunt and "clear", more distract, her mind from her current burden.

There were a lot more fish where the big one had come from. They did seem more leery to her precence. This would be a bit more trouble than the last one.

Nikita waited near the bottom of the lake, once again using the ruby to attract unlucky fish over. This time a decent sized one came from the school, not even remotely as impressive as the last one, but decent enough for herself. She was not as big as Riot and did not have as much space to fill in her belly.

Carefully Nikita waited for it to swim by curiously. Her teeth poised as her jaw releaxed and prepared to snap.

Wait... for... it...

As it swam by Nikita snapped at the fish, this time managing to grap its tail, it was almost lost to her! The fish flopped about trying to wiggle free of its deadly captor. Nikita tried not to bite too hard that the tail would be severed... it was growing harder as the fish struggled.

Once again, she broght a claw up to have at the fish. This time, however, she used her claws to fully grab the fish so she could adjust her mouth. It had to be done quickly. This one had more of a fight than the last one did.

After a moment more in struggle, and not a moment too soon, Nikita finally managed to have the fish secirely in her own jaws. Quickly she made her acent, back to the surface for some fresh air. Her lungs were already starting to burn!

Unlike last time, Nikita made her way toward another part of the beach, one where more of the grass boardered the water than the sand. Nikita's frame was more turned away from Riot on this end of the beach. Her limbs bent only enough to get her chin to the ground, but her entire frame remained visbly tense. All of her mucles tightened, hertail lowered and stiffened, as if some sping was clasped togeather and could unleash at any given moment. Her ears posed backward, but constantly swiveled about the area, as did her crimson eyes. They focused toward the rest of the forest, allowing her ears to focus more on anything that might come from the water.

The fish, still somewhat wiggling in her maw, was than quickly torn into. Nikita's upper lip curled back in more of an intimidating snarl as she very quickly tried to finish off her meal. It was as if she were completely sure something very soon was going to have at her meal. Her fur even begun to bristle as she worked on finishing it off. Crimson eyes focused intently on her surroundings, as did her ears listen for anything that sounded as if it were drawing near.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Riot's tail happily twitched as Nikita resurfaced. He felt himself become excited once more. They where going to share a meal like they....use....too.

As Nikita walked away from him Riot's head tilted as he drew his fish closer to his body.

Lick.

It smelt so good too, he hadn't had fish in a while, not since leaving the water tribe area, which was before climbing the firetribe mountain.

Watching her move away, Riot sat up as if something interesting was happening. Which is was, I mean call him pampered, but he had never seen eating be so....strenuous.

His hind legs moved under him and he found the strength to rise from the shallow water. Gathering the fish in his maw, he eyes didn't move from Nikita. Even so as he moved over to her, not caring to be quite about it. He did however keep his distance, till he rounded the side of her and faced her a few feet away.

Fish in maw his head lowered, to level out his glassy Blue one to her firey red one.

He watched her over the fish, his tail flicked. He just curiously watched.

Amazing....in a sad kind of way, not to mention uncomfortable looking. Eating time was suppose to be relaxing.

She looked like he-someone was going to her meal at any second....

Stare...  

[GunSniper]

Nikita could hear the sudden shifting coming from Riot's direction. Her ears honned in on his approach, while she carefuilly calculated how much time she had top finish her meal based on how fas and how close he was. It wasn't intentional, it was just how she was used to functioning.

The paw not clutching the ruby moved forward to pin the fish and help making tearing it's sweet meat a bit easier. Each step Riot took she tried to finish faster. This could be the last meal in a while, she needed the strength. If she lost it, it was her own fault.

He came closer still. Nikita's muscles begun to quiver in anticipation for having to attack something. It was just Riot, somewhere in her mind she knew that, but meal time had put her in a defensive trance. The closer he got the faster her breaths became, her chest heaved rappidly as adrenaline begun to kick in.

Crimson eyes looked up to see azure ones curiously staring back to her. Already narrow and allert eyes silently, and unintentionally, threatened himshould he dare to move any closer and try to take her fish. A low growl begun to rattle within her throat. There would be bl-

Nikita's upper lip begun to relax before she dropped what was left of the fish. It was just Riot... It was just Riot, he didn't want her fish, he had his own, it was just Riot, he wouldn't do such a thing. Each breath she drew continued to be at a quickened pace for a moment more. It was just Riot...

Her maw thinned before she looked away again. Nikita's entire body followed in turning and walking just another few feet away so Riot could have his space for his meal. Embarrassment over what he had just seen also played a part in the sheepish, adverting of eyes as well.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Seeing Nikita's defensive posture, Riot watched her unmoved and even as she bared her teeth and rattled at him, like some kind of deadly snake. He just waited, and looked at her.

As she turned around, a breath passed though Riot's nostrils. He moved once more, slowly his larger paw carried him around at her parameter. Cetching the corner of her gaze. Riot's maw clinched down on the belly of his fish and at the same time he pulled a good portine of the the fish from what was in his maw using his telakanious. It lazily but purposely layed by Nikita....

He was giving it to her, for a number of reasons. One being she needed to eat more to help regenerate the blood she lost. Two, she looked hungry. Three, she had to have been to eat as seriously as she did. Four, because honestly Riot didn't feel he could really eat anything, and the only reason he took what he did-was because he knew he had to eat something. Even if he ended up throwing it up, food the second time down wasn't as good as the first....

Heavy paws moved him over to dry ground, giving her friend the space she needed. As he reached grass, still morsle in maw he shook out his coat. And with a grunt laid down.

Dropping his food, he liked his maw and looked down to the fish....

He didn't even know if he could eat it, his bruised brain made his stomach swim with neasua.

Tapping the meat with his paw, Riot release a breath and moved his maw to the dead creature, and he took his time trying to eat it. Starting off with a few little slow licks, maybe that could help remind his body to feel hungry  

[GunSniper]

Nikita's ears flicked to the sound of the fish being ripped appart and Riot continuing to approach. Her head remaiend level where she watched the lake and side-glanced the reflection of Riot's approach. Why was he offering her part of his meal? They used to do this as cubs, but he obviously needed more than she did.

She turned her head slightly to see what half of the fish she had gotten. That was not her's. That was Riot's. Despite it being offered to her, Nikita could not bring her self to even nibble at the fish. She didn't want it. Her stomach had already knotted back up and refused to take on any more passengers. Besides, she would not want to eat infront of anyone again. Especially not Riot. Not right now...

Picking up her own slender paws, Nikita moved away from the lake and the half-a-fish that had been left for her.

The actions all felt normal to her. She had carried on like this for so long it took a second thought to realize that she wasn't where she once was. And even that second thought was minesquel. Here she had realized that she had been lied to, her friends were still alive, and she was free for the most part. No doubt they would try to hunt her down and claim her pelt at some point, but for now she was physically free. But why did she still feel so chained up?

Once a good few feet away from the lake, Nikita carefully lowered her belly to the grass. All her limbs but the paw holding the ruby tucked under her frame, in case she needed to spring up for any reason. Crimson eyes continued to watch the precious gem while her mind sunk deep into thought.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

After a moment of attempts, Riot released a breath. Grabbing the hunk of meat, with his teeth, with a throw back of his head he launched the meal up. In a snap, he swallowed the portion.

Releasing a breath, Riot lightly shook his head. Only to halt it in a wince.

Right, he went 'head-to-head', with a fire-kin...not a good idea. He won't be doing that again....maybe.

Reluctantly so, Riot pulled himself up on all four paws. Alas they needed to keep going, as much as he wanted to rest and stay. Riot was wise to the dark soon comming, and this place-the lake was too familure to Cain.

Moving Over to the untouched and remaining fish, Riot's head turned slightly to the side. Just as he did, his sight caught that of a large leaf. Looking to the fish, his telakanious unattached and brought the leaf infront of him. Using his maw he moved the fish to the leaf. The blue cloth around his next untied with his unseen paws. Moving the fish wrapped morsle, he folded it up in the cloth. They could save the meal for another time.

Replacing the cloth around his neck, Riot's moved over to the white And red b'alam. Comming along side her, he made subtle nosies announcing his encrouch.

"I am hate to say this, but we need to keep moving..." Riot started lowering his head a little to be at closer ear level with Nikita.

"Are you able and alright to continued, Nikita?" The Tahtil asked being respectful, but assertive at the same time. They had to keep going...  

[GunSniper]

Nikita had been so lost in thought that she had not noticed the passage of time. Her thoughts aimlessly wandered about her past, mostly from when she was in the company of Morning Star and Cain. Every deed she had done played back in a backward chronological order until she reached the very night she had been taken. This was where her mind stopped and continued to try and remember every detail of the traumatic event. Most of it was a blur. Her paw was injured, Cain took her. This was where she had first been lied to. They had told her that Riot and Bob were killed by a malicious beast and that they had managed to save her just before it had taken her life as well.

Nikita remembered every hunt she had been on and not once had she ever seen such a beast as they had described. The creature was never mentioned again between the two.

The thought caused her fur to bristle. Why was it so obvious now that she had been tricked? Now, of all times.

Crimson eyes continued to stare into the void of the ruby. Her eyes adverted looking directly at her reflection while she continued to look. The mere sight of herself she found to be repulsive. There was very little left of who she used to be as a cub now. That small fraction was only brought about by Riot, but only for a brief moment. Now all she saw was the twisted figure Morning Star and Cain had been so careful to mold since she had been taken all those moons ago.

Suddenly her ears turned backward to the steady movement Riot made. Her tail twitched while she watched him approach from the corner of her eyes.

"...Yes." She answered softly.

Nikita had always been taught that short answeres were prefferd. There was no need to elaborate on any situation. Just relay what was needed, leave out the unessisary decorations.

Carefully Nikita reached with her maw to take the ruby. It would be far easier to travel with the ruby in her mouth than it would in her paw. Had she tried to continue to carry it in her paw, she would have to walk awkwardly the rest of the way... to wherever they were going.

Nikita rose to her paws than glanced up to Riot through her long snow-white and crimson fur. She was ready to go when he was.  

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Riot's tail twitched, as Nikita simply answered him. Gripping the earth with his paws, blue eyes watched her back for a moment and the precious rock in her maw. He was happy to see she like such a gift, she hadn't let it out of her keep since he gave it to her. He would have to find some way to fasten that around her so her maw and paws could be free.

Pulling his paws from the Earth, Riot turned himself and started to walk toward the direction where Bob and him had agreed to meet. A place that was safe, and they both new of and agreed to wait till they both had showed.

"You going to start to walk along side me." The Tahtil spoke, as he stepped infront of Nikita, his tail he meaned to sweep under her maw, just as he did.

" or do I have to flop down on my tail again?" Riot asked as his head turned to look back at his friend.

Looking back, he knew Nikita was lost and he was determind. He would help find herself, but he knew it wasn't something he could alone. The cub turned Adult was still in her and knew it....  

[GunSniper]

Nikita was ready to walk in a short-ish stride somewhat behind Riot's head. She didn't quite feel she could walk along side him, on moral grounds... or some other reason she had come up with among her thick fog of dispaire.

Her eyes were already focused forward. However, she could not foresee Riot's tail flicking under her chin in a short flick. Her nostrils flared as her eyes winced. Touch. Despite her calloused heart, Nikita was always sensitive to touch. Very sensitive. That much had not changed over time.

Her tail flicked about before she unleased a soft squeak-meow. The Ruby that had been safely in her maw rolled out and fell to the muddy ground.

From nose to tail, her frame quivered until the tail was removed from her chin. Whatever Riot said was lost in the moment of the chin tickle. It wasn't until a moment more that she finaly gained enough thought to turn her head away from the tickle tail.
 

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Riot's ear turned and angled toward Nikita as she sqeaked. Turning his head he looked back at his friend, eyes dropped to the ruby, then rose back to Nikita. Ears peaked as a thought to pounce her and contuine to tickle her ce to mind, however-he did realize it was the best idea with head the way it was.

"Still ticklish." Riot chuckled, before moving his maw down he picked up the ruby, and wiped the mud on himsel. With unseen paws, he lifted the Ruby back for her to have.

"Sorry..." The Tahtil grinned. Was he, really? Not likely....

At least that was one thing that didn't change, she was ticklish-just like when she was a cub. That had ways gave him an edge in their play.