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Having been walking for several days, the cheetah tops a small hill and stops for a moment to admire the view. In the distance, he sees the familiar outline of the mountain temple, the Temple of Life, home to the Sisters of the Tail.

With a smile, Kaa shifts his pack and begins walking again. His lean build, his light leather armor, even his walk tell of his physical prowess. Under his pack, his armor creaks softly as he walks. His short swords gently slap against his legs with each step. He's not headed to the temple, but to a barely visible house near the base of the mountain. His home. It's not much, but it is his.

Two years ago, he had come here at Mis'Alia's request. She offered him employ at her new school. As she learned of his skills and abilities, and he earned her trust, his position quickly changed and grew. Now, he's practically her right hand and does things that she can't afford to leave the school to do. He doesn't mind, he loves the adventure.

When he finally walks through the door of the two room house, it's already dark. With a flick of his fingers, he lights the wall torches. He's a Solarin mage, making fire comes easy. He sets his pack and satchel on a table, then opens a pair of valves above his iron tub, allowing fresh water to slowly fill it. Thanks to the temple's mistress, who's also his employer, one of the taps' water flows from the same source that feeds the healing pool in the temple, the other is fresh, drinkable water.

After starting a small fire to heat the tub, he sets aside his satchel and then hangs his recurve bow and quiver on their hook by the door. He then sets his short swords and bandolier of daggers on his workbench, he'll clean and sharpen those later. His leather armor also needs cleaning, so he sets that next to the workbench.

As he removes his padded shirt, he reveals four, recent slash marks on his chest. He groans at the pain and rubs at them. He received them while in Olsor from a welderbest's claw. The fight he was in was unexpected, and he wasn't in his armor.

He turns his attention back to the water, It's warm enough. He closes the baffles smothering the fire under the tub, and then slides into the water. With a long, tired sigh, the cheetah relaxes and lets the water work its magic.

After a few minutes, a pair of familiar hands start gently rubbing his shoulders. He purrs in response. "Lynna..." he sighs. "I have missed you."

The brown rabbit leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. "I've missed you too."

He moves slightly and returns her kiss, muzzle to muzzle.

She slides her hands down his chest and gasps. "You cauterized your wounds again, didn't you?"

He smiles and nods. "How else am I gonna stop the bleeding in a hurry?"

She drops her robe to the floor, climbs into the tub and straddles him. "You know, one of these days you're gonna show up too late for me to properly fix them." She begins to rub her hands down his chest and he feels the familiar work of her Cronin magic on his wounds.

He relaxes and purrs, letting her work and enjoying her touch.

When she's near done, she says, "While you've been away, I started my training."

He opens his eyes to look at her. Her familiar soft, feminine curves fill his vision, and he smiles. "I thought she wouldn't take you because your tail wasn't black?"

"It took some convincing, but she conceded when I pointed out that my ears have black tips, and I could use those as my foci. She said it would be interesting to see if it works."

He pulls her down to him and kisses her again. "Does it?"

"Not that far into training yet." She then giggles, sinks down into the water and presses herself to him as she kisses him deeply.

In the main room, a silver draako collects the satchel. She needn't open it, she knows what it contains. Kaa would not have returned without it, and she can't wait for him to deliver it to her in the morning. In its place, she leaves a different satchel, this one has his well-earned payment.

Hearing them giggle and purr, she looks toward the bathroom and smiles. She can wait till morning to speak to him. Right now, she needs to examine the piece he has brought her.

Leaving them to have their fun, she heads outside and back up the long flight of steps to the temple

* * *

Having passed through the main gate, Kaa stops to watch Lynna continue on to the training field, to join the other students in their exercises. He smiles after her. She had come to the school to help with the students' care. Later, after she had treated some of his wounds, they'd become friends, and finally, lovers.

He turns and walks through the main doors into the school. In addition to this being a school, it also serves as home to the students while they're here. Despite being carved from stone, the decor is surprisingly warm. The walls are a marble of grays, and there are yellow drape-like tapestries hanging along the top of the walls. The floor is a dark shade of lavender and is always warm.

He passes several doors as he walks to the end of the main corridor. Unlike the others, which are either curtains or wood, this one is stone and has no knob. To open this door requires a method of elemental magic, and to do it blindly.

A Cronin would simply move the weights holding the door closed. An Avin would need to create a breeze on the other side to move a paddle, and Aqanin would use the water in a nearby pitcher to do the same. For a Solarin, there's a torch on the other sides to light, and Kaa has set himself on fire more than once doing this.

He begins to focus and sways his hands with a few select motions. After a moment, he feels the torch light, the door opens inward. As he relaxes, the back of his right hand begins to smolder. With a heavy sigh, he dips his hand into the water pitcher next to the door then shakes it dry before entering.

Before him is a table, and beyond that sits the silver draako. Today, her dress is conservative, an elegant, long double-wrap dress that he's not seen before.

"You burned yourself again, I see."

He rubs the back of his hand and bows. "Apologies, mistress."

Mis'Alia smiles. "You're still holding your focus too long." She takes his hand and examines it. "At least this time it was just your fur."

Kaa sighs and looks down at the table. He immediately recognizes the small stone tablet sitting there. "So, did you learn anything from this?"

She nods. "A little. I still need to translate the rest." She then hands him a paper. "Your next assignment."

He looks at it a moment, then asks, "So soon?"

"Sadly, yes. Time is important with this one. If you take too long, they'll be gone."

He continues to read, then states, "The nomads of north Morin."

"Frankie will meet you at the port in Asamar. She'll have your passage booked and will help with extra supplies."

Kaa nods. "All right. I'll leave first thing in the morning."

With another bow, he retreats out of the room. As he snuffs the torch, he sees Mis pick up the tablet and head out the other door into her private hallway.

Lynna lays next to him in bed, slowly running her fingers through his chest fur. "I wish you didn't have to go so soon."

He takes her hand and kisses it. "I would like a few more days too, but I gotta be in Asamar in three days to catch the ship to Morin."

She sighs and snuggles up to him. "No wonder you packed light. You're going to be running part of it."

He gently kisses her. "Maybe a little. It's a clear road. I should make good time."

She starts to softly purr. "You should get your sleep then."

He pulls the covers over them and snuffs the candle's flame, leaving them in darkness.

When morning arrives, she awakes to find him already gone. This comes as no surprise to her. What she finds on his pillow does; a single red rose.

She smiles and breathes its aroma. "Be careful my love," she whispers.