Sasoriza and Bloodlet [ONE ON ONE]

[SasorizaKitty]

That didn't matter to Frey. In fact, "crazy" was usually very interesting to the feline woman. Her expression, however, showed no immediate change. "Those books might help you remember?" she repeated softly, her tail giving a few flicks. "How so? What is contained within those pages that is the key to your locked memories?"

Maverick murred deep in her chest, looking to Fern with a cat-like grin. She liked to see Frey so intrigued. Usually Frey found other people boring and grim, so the woman usually ignored them. Some people called her stuck-up for that, but that was just how Frey was.

Well, they wouldn't be able to stay outside much longer. It was going to get dark soon, and clouds were coming in and starting to block the remainder of the sunlight. The scent of rain lay heavy in the air, and Frey glanced upwards for a moment, then back to Fern. "Perhaps we should find shelter from the rain first. I know of a nearby cave, if you would follow me."

Maverick gave a happy chirping sound, which sounded strange coming from such a large beast, but Frey only shook her head a little. The pair started heading west, towards the nearest mountain, where the promise of a dry cave awaited.

[BloodletLove]

Fern shook her head at the question, not really knowing the answer herself. "I don't know," she said. "I just...there might be something in one of the stories that will let me remember. I don't know." She couldn't explain it very well, and the words coming out of her mouth sounded to her like jargon, jumbled and nonsensical. She nodded at the suggestion of finding shelter, following alongside the two as they headed westward, into the mountains.

[SasorizaKitty]

The cave Frey and Maverick led Fern to was huge. It was a large cavern, at least 30 feet high, and carefully set into the side of the mountain. Bats roosted above them and the cave smelled like them, the floor littered with their dung. Frey and Maverick moved inside without a second thought, just as a huge gust of wind blew strongly against them. A clap of thunder was followed by a downpour of thick droplets of water.

Slipping from Maverick's back, Frey set to work building a strong and steady fire. She gathered what wood she could from the cave around her and using a flint rock, starting a dancing and warming fire. It lit up the cave around them, but startled the bats. The night fliers squeaked in dismay as they flew away from the heat and light, but Frey paid them no mind whatsoever. She glanced briefly to Fern as she settled beside the blazing fire. "Your books are still dry I hope."

[BloodletLove]

Fern looked around the cave as she followed Frey and Maverick inside, smiling at the bats. She liked animals, even if they didn't like her sparks and fire. She smiled at Frey and settled down by the fire, which blazed up happily as she neared it. "Yes, they're dry, thank you," she said, whispering something softly to the flames, causing them to dance and become hotter, then take shapes. People, places, animals, anything could pop up in the flames.

[SasorizaKitty]

Maverick, the cave lioness in her infinite curiousity, moved closer to the flames to stare in wonder at the shapes that were dancing within the fire. The great lion was a fierce creature, but a feline through and through, and odd things filled her with interest.

Frey, too, was a curious being, but less obvious about it. She leaned against the cave wall, her scarlet eyes settling on the rain that was coming down outside. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled overhead, making the cave around them quiver a little. She smiled to herself, her cat ears flicking at the sounds. She found a strange joy in storms.

[BloodletLove]

Fern laughed at the cave lioness's obvious curiosity. "You like that, don't you?" she asked, looking up at the great feline, a smile on her face. "I can make the flames do more than just shapes, you know." She whispered something to the flames, and they started to play out stories - at one point, they portrayed Maverick and Frey and how Fern imagined them charging into a fight, fierce and beautiful at the same time. They portrayed love stories and war stories and comedy stories and tragedies, any kind of story one would imagine. Fern herself turned from the flames to face Frey, not having to look at them to make sure they were still portraying the stories.
"You like rainstorms, don't you, Frey?" she asked, looking outside. "I like drier weather myself, but...then again, I like fire. What are you and Maverick doing out in the middle of nowhere, anyway?" She shifted her gaze back to Frey, curiosity of her own replacing her glee that Maverick liked her flames. "I thought those robbers and I were the only ones this far gone from civilization."

[SasorizaKitty]

Maverick's eyes grew wide and she grinned in delight as she settled down before the fire, crossing her paws neatly over each other. Her ruby eyes reflected the firelight as she stared into the flames, amazed and enchanted by the stories that were playing out. When she saw herself charging into battle, her ears pricked forward and she made a pleased grumbling noise deep in her chest. She liked this woman, who could make the fire dance!!

Frey glanced to Fern and gave a brief nod. "I like the fury that this kind of weather offers. It is fierce and strong and unforgiving. Yet no one will judge it because, after all, it is only a storm." A hint of a smile played upon her lips. "Maverick and I actually live in this forest. We patrol the edges of our territory every day. You and those bandits happened to be within my territory. It was actually very lucky of you."

[BloodletLove]

Fern giggled a little at Maverick's wonder in the flames, and at the feline's happiness. She turned back to Frey then, nodding at her reasons. "I like dry heat because that's the best weather for a fire," she said. "It makes the flames burn hotter and brighter and bigger." Her eyebrows arched up when Frey mentioned their territory. "That's really interesting...this is your territory? I never realized...huh. I never saw anything like that before."

[SasorizaKitty]

Frey shrugged gently. "It is a territory marked by smells and other vague markers. I do not doubt that you did not realize this place belongs to Maverick and I." Frey shifted her gaze back out towards the pouring rain. "Besides. Its more for Maverick, to keep other large hunters from invading and killing all the food. Its not really meant to ward off humans."

Maverick gave a grunt of agreement. Lions were territorial, though most resided in prides that were fiercely guarded by males. But Maverick and Frey lived alone, so Maverick had to work extra hard to keep their territory free of other lions. If there were too many predators hunting the elk and deer here then they would run out of food. It was a troublesome thought.