FSE

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Chapter Sixteen

That afternoon passed into evening without anything of note happening, leaving her to occupy her own mind as the fall of water drenched any ideas of venturing outside. For what it was worth though, the storm had slowed as predicted by the time night came around. She let recollections of the past pass the time for her, so focused her mind was on them now. It perhaps wasn't ideal, but it was something at least, memories to hold on to.

Eventually her companions rejoined her and they ate what she thought would be their last meal at this inn, thinking that they would be able to set off in the morn. A typical fare from Humans she found, meat and some variety of plant they liked to eat. She ate it regardless, having learned to not scoff at food if it was set in front of you. She didn't talk much, simply giving a small smile as she watched Velanis keep her mate close. It served to remind her how she used to hold her mate, but she was glad the female was happy.

That meal too came to an end, and after allowing it a small time to settle, they decided that it would be best to rest early in case they were able to set off come morning. They all departed the room together, venturing up the stairs to their allotted rooms. She entered hers, locking the bolt into place before setting about removing her attire.

It was a methodical process she'd learned over the years, and it soon left the armor in a neat bundle on the lone chair. She sat herself down on the bed with a sigh, glancing to the wall beside her and giving her propped weapon there a fond stroke. It was about the only thing that had kept her company over the years, save for her recent companions.

She smiled slightly at that, still giving her a happy feeling to be reunited, even if that person didn't realize it. That... was something she'd confront at another time, when she was ready. Maybe it was cowardice on her part, but she simply wasn't sure if it would bring him pain or happiness to know who she really was. She tipped back onto the bedding, resting her head on the pillow as she made herself comfortable.

The quiet dark brought to the forefront that she was alone, making the fresh memories in her mind all the more sore. She tried not to let the past affect her too much, but her recent telling had forced her to relive it. It reminded her just how much she missed Vrelik, and having him with her. It made her feel the sadness she had worked to restrain earlier, bringing dampness to her eyes. Tears were not something she cared to shed, but she was by herself now, and she lacked the will to restrain them again.

She let them flow quietly, letting out the pent up emotion. Maybe she had been foolish back then, but she'd truly believed she'd be able to spend her life with Vrelik. It didn't seem like cruel fate wanted her happiness to last, although... that fate had led her to Falren and his mate. That made her smile despite her tears. He was her child, regardless of blood, and it made her happy to know he'd found someone. He certainly deserved it, after all the loss he'd seen as well.

She could still remember the first time she'd held him as a baby, Vrelik having brought the infant to her. She'd already been his mate for a time, but she'd never expected him to bring a human baby back to the clan. How he'd come into possession of the soon-to-be-named Falren was an unfortunate story in itself, one that he'd told her shortly after. It was in part her suggestion to name him so, and her mate had taken to agreeing with her on it. She'd thought it fitting at the time, given how he'd held on to life and hadn't shown fear to them.

It had been awkward at first, holding him. She hadn't even been sure how to care for a human, but... when the hatchling started to cuddle into the fur on her chest, she made up her mind to raise him. He'd liked the softness she imagined, and there were few times through his infant years when he parted from it. Only when she'd had to leave the clan, or fulfill her duties did she ever leave him.

She always thought of human children as wailing and squabbling things, but Falren had never made a sound, simply waited until she would hold him again. When he grew older that cuddling had obviously stopped, as Vrelik began training and teaching him. Still, she'd always continued to care and tend to him. It surprised her a bit that he couldn't remember her, but then, after his infant years she'd never unmasked herself around him.

She knew she had to tell him, though it was just a matter of how she would do it. How it would affect him, she wasn't sure. She remembered few times when his emotions had gotten the better of him, and all those occasions had been... significant events. She wasn't sure if he would be happy, angry, or perhaps even blame her when the time came she told him. But... he had said he wished he could thank that Sergal from his dreams: her.

Maybe then it wouldn't be so difficult to tell him, and there was so much she wished to discuss with him. She blinked her eyes, the tears having stopped to just leave her fur stained by them. Those memories served to improve her mood, especially since she knew now that Falren was still alive and well. She had to chuckle a bit, remembering all the little times with him. She hadn't been able to stop herself from laughing when Vrelik told her he'd punched him in the nose, much to his gruff embarrassment.

Falren had never tried to hit her so however, but he'd liked to stroke the end of her nose when she'd cradled him. It had always made him giggle too, when she'd licked him. Raising him had its difficult moments, but no more difficult than what she'd been through prior in her life. Some in the clan had frowned on her for adopting a human as her own, but she hadn't cared about that. He'd grown up to be just as strong as any of them, regardless of if he was human or not.

She curled onto her side, nestling into the bedding as she peered around the dark room. It was getting late, and she supposed she'd delayed sleep long enough for one night. At least she had somewhat alleviated her mood, enough so that sleep would hopefully come easy. And, surprisingly, Velanis' gesture had been oddly welcome. She hadn't allowed any to touch her for many moons, but it was nice of the female to care. Velanis didn't seem truly upset at her after her confession, but she knew she cared about it more for her mate than herself.

Naleen closed her eyes, letting out a breath as she relaxed her body. The storm outside didn't sound as bad as it was, so it was time she get some sleep before morning came...

***

Falren slept peacefully that night, with Vel keeping him locked against her. He inevitably woke come the early morning, but he kept still and simply laid with his mate, thinking. He still had to wonder the significance of Vrelik's name to her, but it was a fruitless subject to dwell on. Perhaps she had only heard it amongst her clan, or maybe even in Amara. The latter seemed unlikely, and even the former didn't answer why she was so secretive about it.

He let out a breath; glancing over out the window and stroking the arm she had around him lightly. The day was looking promising at least, the rain still falling against the roof but not nearly as hard. So long as the wind wasn't blowing as strong as it had, and the lighting as frequent, he didn't mind the rain. Hopefully rain would be the most of their troubles on this journey.

Velanis shifted against his side, murmuring quietly in her sleep. He moved a hand up to rub one of her ears gently, making her nestle into him tighter. She gave a groan, blinking her amber eyes open to peer at him as she held him.

"Morning." She mumbled, licking at his neck.

"Hi Vel." He replied, keeping his motions on her ears. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright." She said with a hum, rolling on top of him. Her ear flicked as she listened, glancing at the window. "Will we be leaving today?"

"I think so, yes." He told her, rubbing her chest. "Don't see any reason to delay if it's only showering now."

"Ah." Vel aired, resting her head down against his.

She seemed content to lay with him in the gloom, while they waited for the hour to progress a bit. At least... until she started slowly grinding her hips against his, tail swaying behind her.

"Vel?" He questioned, the Sergal giving a murmur as she licked at his neck.

"Yes?" She replied, sitting up and placing her hands on his chest.

"Do you... want to do this again?" He asked, looking up at her amber eyes as she watched him.

"Well... yes." She mumbled, rubbing her hands on him slightly.

He chuckled up at her, making her quirk her head curiously as he reached a hand up to stroke her face. She smiled slightly, pressing her head into his touch.

"You're insatiable, aren't you?" He said to her.

"No..." She replied, ears drooping. "I just like being with you, and I thought that since we'll be setting off again it would be better if... we did it here..."

Falren sat up, making her twitch as he wrapped his arms around her back. She relaxed into it though, bringing her own arms around his shoulders and nuzzling into the top of his head.

"We do have some time before the sun starts to rise..." He hinted into her shoulder through the gloom.

He couldn't see it, but he knew she'd grinned at that, starting to resume her grinding against him. He stroked her sides, urging her on until she pushed him back down onto the bed with a growl. She quickly worked on freeing him then, taking him in her padded hand and gripping him firmly. She had a hungry look in her eyes, grinning toothily at him. Clearly she wasn't intent on going slow with this one, taking him inside and sliding down. She only waited a few moments before her hips started to rise and fall, working up to a faster pace steadily.

She kept up like that for the following minutes, arms braced on the bedding as she lent over him. Vel didn't leave him much room to argue, not seeming to care about how fast her pace was pushing him towards the edge. Not that he could find any particular reason to argue anyway...

Vel lowered her chest down to his, breathing heavily on him as her hips undulated. He gripped those hips, pressing his face in below her ear as the feeling swelled. She licked at his jaw insistently, working her tongue along his face as she urged him on. It didn't take much more of her motivation before he reached the end, gripping her hips down against him as he released with a low groan. She gave a happy growl of her own, claws pressing into his chest and tail batting against his legs.

When he refocused his eyes she was staring down at him with a smile, still keeping her hips joined with his and grinding them gently.

"Feel better now?" He asked, now fully awake after their quick session.

"Yes." She chuckled, tail wrapping around his leg as best it could.

"Good." He replied, laying his head down and taking a look outside.

The sun had started its rise, turning the morning gray as it tired to shine through the clouds. They had some time to enjoy each other's company a little longer, before they'd have to attend the morning meal and get ready. Vel made sure to use every moment of it too, covering him in her fur as she lay on top of him and keeping him enveloped in her soft warmth. He didn't mind though, rubbing a hand on the back of her neck as he was. They stayed like that until the dawn brightened, shinning gray light into the room.

"I think it's time we get up." He mumbled to Vel, stroking her ear.

"Alright..." She said with a grumble, finally separating her hips away from his and swinging them over the side of the bed.

Falren couldn't help but look her over as she stood and gave a stretch, muscles going taut under her fur. The way she looked had become steadily more appealing to him now that he'd accepted her, and he found himself looking her over more often. He blinked, taking his gaze off her and swinging his legs off the bed. She probably wouldn't mind his attention, but it was still an odd thing for him to be looking her over like that.

He stood and made his way over to the washbasin, pouring some water from a jug, courtesy of the rainfall. He splashed water onto his face, cleaning himself up a bit. Vel walked up beside him after a moment, dunking her hands into the water to do the same.

"I'm going to see if Naleen is awake." She stated to him, flicking some of the loose water free.

"Aye, I'll get dressed while you do." He replied, looking up to her as she made her way out of the room with a smile to him.

When he finished cleaning himself he moved over to his things, beginning to dress himself in his attire once more...

***

Velanis stepped across the hall after she'd left, knocking on Naleen's door quietly. She had to wait a few moments, making her wonder if the female was still asleep, before the latch made a noise as it was pulled. Naleen was clad in her armor again, standing behind the door with a smile.

"Hello, youngling." She greeted.

"Hi Naleen." She replied, ear twitching.

Naleen stepped out into the hallway with her, closing the door behind her. The female cocked her head at her, smiling.

"Is something wrong Vel?" Naleen asked curiously at how she was watching her.

"Ah, no..." She responded.

Like last night, she was only wondering if the female was all right after what she'd told. Shuffling her feet a moment in indecision, she ducked her head in to give Naleen another comforting lick. She twitched like before at the touch, but she didn't stop her. Velanis could taste something different in the fur on her cheeks, a slightly salty hint that made her frown. Naleen pushed her back gently with a chuckle, patting her shoulder.

"I do appreciate it youngling, but you needn't worry about coddling me." She said with a smile.

She opened her mouth to voice a question, but then closed it again. She was going to ask her about the taste clinging to her fur, but... Velanis already knew the answer. Naleen had been crying to herself, and she didn't need to question why, even if she would have answered. She felt sorry for how much sorrow the female contained, yet she was adamant in hiding it. Naleen was strong, she knew, but she didn't mind giving her company if it helped; even though she insisted she was fine by herself.

The sound of a door opening behind her drew those thoughts to a close, turning her head to see Falren stepping out into the hall, fully dressed. He gave Naleen a nod when he saw her, looking to her with a quirked brow.

"Come." Naleen said, placing a hand on her shoulder and gesturing to the stairs. "Let us go eat, yes?"

She wordlessly agreed, stepping up next to Falren as Naleen led the way towards the staircase. She nuzzled into his neck quickly as they walked, a quick affection before they descended. There wasn't quite a crowd yet, and they laid claim to the familiar table easily. It didn't look as though any food had been served yet, but she could recognize the time drawing close by the scent hanging in the air. She nestled up against Falren, licking her thin, black lips slightly as she wrapped her tail around his waist and waited.

Velanis looked between Naleen and her mate, the former sitting patiently, her green eyes looking to be thinking about something. She was apprehensive for when the female would tell her mate the whole story, but it was a bit pointless to be so right then. It was unlikely she would tell him before a few days at least, if only because she had to find the right way to tell it. Velanis didn't think there was any "right" way; Naleen was a very significant person to him, and she believed the female should come out and say it.

But, well... perhaps she couldn't blame Naleen for wanting to approach it the right way. Falren was calm and stoic about things, but he had sad and painful memories as well; most of them about that one time in his life, she imagined. Soon though, she was distracted as the morning meal was brought out, plates of food set for each of them. After the server left, she parted herself from Falren just enough so they could eat without being in each other's way.

The rain still fell outside as they ate, but it was only a steady fall on the roof now rather than the thundering torrent it had been. They ate methodically, staying quiet for the most part until she couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"Will we enter Rain Wood today?" She asked Falren, tail closing tighter around his waist.

"Not fully enter it, no." He replied, looking up from his food. "We'll reach the beginnings of the forest perhaps, but we won't truly be in its grips for another day or two."

"And how long do you think it will take us to cross through?" She continued.

"That depends on how clingy the forest feels like being." Falren said with a snort. "I think a week would be a good medium. But that's assuming we have a decent path to follow, if not it could be longer."

"Ah." She breathed, picking at the last of her food.

There was still quite a bit more to this leg of the journey, but she couldn't say she minded it so much. She had a goal to look forward to, and she was doing it with what she could easily consider to be very close friends, so that lightened it a deal. And she already sort of knew the areas they were heading through, so she somewhat knew what to expect. Unlike the journey to Nel'Vrak that would come; that... she wasn't sure about. She wasn't second guessing it, but it just seemed like such a long trip that she knew nothing about.

Still, she had two people with her who had both lived there and done the journey before, so hopefully it didn't prove too large a task. Velanis took the last mouthful of her food, chewing it down and looking to Falren as she waited. He wasn't far behind her, swallowing down the last of his own food.

"Well, if you two are set there's no reason to waste whatever light we have." He declared to them both. "Let's go get our things and then I'll bring my horse around."

"I think I shall." Naleen agreed; standing and making her way back upstairs.

"All set?" Falren asked her, standing after the female departed.

"Oh, yes..." She replied; joining him so they could collect their belongings from their room.

They ascended the stairs, coming to their room and stepping inside, each moving to their own respective items. Falren moved to make sure his pack was in order and she started to done her mail, glancing at him as he set the canvas wrapped case on the bed. He briefly unwrapped it, flipping the latches to look inside at the contents, as if reassuring himself it was still there.

"Have you ever used that before?" She asked him curiously, slipping her jacket on.

"No." He stated simply, closing and latching the lid.

"Why?" She continued, quirking an ear. "You know how to wield it and it seems a waste to let a weapon simply sit in a case."

"I just... never felt it was something he gave me to use." Falren replied, staring down at the wooden case. "Or that it is something I... _deserve_to use."

"What makes you think you don't deserve to use it?" She questioned with a frown.

"I just never earned the right to." He said, tying the canvas around it once more.

Velanis gave a huff, making her way over to him after she'd donned her last piece of mail.

"I think being trained by him and then having him give it to you means you earned the right to wield it, does it not?" She stated pointedly, looking down at him. "The way I understand it, you were taken in by him to eventually take his place, no? So that means you would have been handed this weapon regardless."

"Maybe..." He mumbled. "But my training with him was never finished."

She stepped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest and resting her head on top of his.

"Perhaps that is true, but it wasn't your choice." She said quietly. "What happened, happened, and I do not think your master would have given you this to keep if he did not think you worthy of it."

"Aye... perhaps you're right." Falren replied, stroking one of her now mail clad arms.

She nuzzled into his hair, bending her head down to flick her tongue over one of his ears. He twitched away from it as she did, making her chuckle in amusement.

"Still." He added. "I'm not completely adept with that type of weapon, nor was it made with a human in mind."

"You seem more... well built than most humans I've seen, so I doubt wielding it would give you issue." She mused. "If you ever wanted to, that is."

"I'm not sure." He replied. "It just... never quite felt appropriate before."

"I understand, I was just curious." She said, flicking her tongue over his neck one last time before stepping away. "...Naleen knows what's in that case."

"That... doesn't surprise me." Falren uttered, glancing over at her. "It's not exactly a secret, especially to one such as her whom knows so much already. You've been talking with her about it?"

"Well, not exactly..." She replied with a shrug, ear twitching. "She's known for awhile actually, and we haven't really talked about it that much."

"I see." He said with a smirk, hoisting his pack and tucking the case under an arm. "Well, I'm going to bring my horse around, I'll meet you two out front. Remember to wear your cloak as well."

"Mhm." She hummed with a nod, moving to buckle her sword belt on and collect the rest of her things.

Falren ducked out of the room as she did so, his footsteps on the wooden floor quickly fading. She was genuinely curious as to why he never used that weapon, but she could understand why. It had been significant to his master, and she supposed he wasn't comfortable using it. Not that she wanted to push him to use it, but it did seem a waste to let such a thing sit in a case.

Velanis frowned to herself as she buckled her belt around her waist. What she had hoped to achieve by stating that Naleen knew what was in that case, she didn't know. Trying to push him into finding out who she was perhaps... That wasn't right of her though, to force either one of them into that confrontation. Still, she'd make sure he found out if Naleen didn't tell him eventually. She grabbed the cloak Falren had given her, throwing it around her shoulders before making sure her own pack was in order.

All in due time...

***

Falren made his way back to the main room, heading straight to the door and ducking outside into the gray. There was definitely no reason to hold off another day now that the storm had calmed to a light rain. He retraced his steps under the awning, walking across the damp ground to the stable door. It was dry at least when he stepped inside, packed dirt and some strewn hay covering the ground. All was the same inside the stable, minus one horse, its owner apparently having departed some time prior.

He went to the back of the stable, towards where his horse was, giving the creature a pat on the flank in greeting. It snorted in turn, flicking an ear at him before he set about the task of re-saddling him. A well learned task that he completed in a handful of minutes, swinging his bags back into place and securing the case snugly to it. With that he took the horse's reins in hand and lightly prompted it to follow, to which it obeyed without hassle.

He led it to, and through, the double doors of the stable, stopping only to close them once more before starting towards the inn. His companions weren't there yet, but they'd come shortly no doubt. Falren waited patiently, listening to the falling rain and taking the opportunity to retrieve his cloak and fasten it around his shoulders. He stood in relative silence, his horse beside him as they waited under the awning. The wait wasn't long at least, the sound of a latch moving drawing his attention to the door.

Velanis stepped through, clad in the dark green cloak he'd gifted to her. Behind her followed Naleen, the female having brought out her own cloak it seemed, the gray cloth enveloping her save her head. They both came over to him, his horse giving the universal greeting of snorting at them as Velanis stopped beside him. She looked out at the gray and rainy view before turning to him with a smile, waiting for him to give direction.

"Well, if there's anything you two need this will most likely be the last chance to get it for a while." He said to them both.

"I think not." Naleen replied, Vel giving him a simple shake of her head.

"Alright, then we may as well get going." He declared, lifting the hood of his cloak up over his head and stepping out into the rain.

His companions followed him, both having raised their hoods as well to keep the water off them. The ground underfoot was muddy and loose from the three days of constant rain, but without the wind to whip it about they were for the most part kept dry. Velanis and Naleen followed in their usual pattern, the three of them making their way down the sodden path out of the town and towards the road that would take them to Rain Wood.

Visibility was decent at least, being able to see a good distance down the road despite the rain. It was certainly good enough for them to be able to see the towering stone of Green Watch, the fort a rain-covered gray mass sitting vigilant. Falren almost had to feel sorry for the watchmen whom had the pleasure of manning the posts through the storm. Soon they drew near to the fort, the monolith looming over them as they trod the road.

He let his gaze linger on it as they walked by, giving it a last look before it would inevitably be behind their view. For all purposes it represented the last boundary of Man, leaving it unlikely they'd encounter any... friendly humans once they left it. Some braved the wilderness beyond, whether they sought to trade with the far reached races or perhaps out of some desire to explore.

But it didn't bother him that he would be the only human to be found out there, having grown to fit in with another race than his own, and to being on his own. Falren cast a look to Velanis beside him, most of her visage hidden in the depths of the hood. That last point wasn't quite so true now though, he supposed.

***

The end of that day soon drew near in its own rainy way, the light lowering from shades of gray to the dark tones that signified the descent into evening. The falling water had slowed to a steady sprinkle in the hours, making their sleeping arrangements a little less wet at least. They'd reached their more or less set destination, the "border" of Rain Wood. There was no clear line of course; simply the trees began to thicken the closer you got to the forest, until you were eventually in the dense growth.

For now it did at least provide them cover from the rain, the thick limbs and leaves above serving to break up the water. Falren worked on building a fire once she and Naleen had aided in gathering wood. She sat on her bedroll, placed next to his own, watching him try to put a spark to the kindling. He seemed to be having a small amount of trouble with it at first, but eventually he got the stubborn wood to light.

Falren sat down beside her once it was going enough, and she quickly pressed up next to him. She'd taken her cloak off for the time being, letting the fire slowly dry whatever dampness had worked itself into her fur. Naleen seemed to do the same, sitting across from them looking down at the fire. Falren gave them each a portion of their remaining provisions, and they quietly ate amidst the sound of droplets falling through the trees.

"Vel." Falren stated after a short time.

"Yes?" She replied curiously, glancing over at him.

"I know I've been holding you off a while now, and we are at Rain Wood..." He said, looking up at her. "So if you want to take some time and hunt in the morning, you can."

She hadn't been thinking about it recently, but his statement brought a grin to her features regardless. It definitely wasn't something she had to consider, giving him an eager nod.

"I didn't think you'd say no." He chuckled in reply. "Go early, but don't take too long alright?"

"I won't." She agreed with a smile, nuzzling into his neck.

Falren stroked one of her ears in return, before she reluctantly drew her head away. She cast a look across the fire at Naleen; the female not seeming to be paying attention to them but bearing the hints of a grin nevertheless.

"Would you like to come with me, Naleen?" She asked, quirking her head.

"Ah... not this time, I think." She replied, emerald eyes looking up to her. "But perhaps another time, yes?"

"Alright." Velanis replied, lowering her gaze back down to the fire.

She detached herself from Falren with one last nuzzle, laying herself down onto her bedroll.

"Wake me when it's my watch." She said up to him.

"Aye, I will." He nodded, petting the end of her snout.

Velanis pressed the end of her nose into his hand with a smile, flicking her tongue out to lick his wrist. She lowered her head down when he took his hand away, looking up at his silver eyes before she closed hers. She let sleep take her, looking forward to the coming morning when she would finally be able to hunt something of her own...

***

Falren watched Vel sleep for a time, always peaceful as she was, while he poked at the fire with a stray branch. He eventually allowed her privacy though, taking his gaze off her.

"So, has Vel been asking you about my clan?" He questioned Naleen, looking up at her. It didn't bother him if she had, he was just curious.

"A bit, yes." Naleen confirmed. "The youngling is always interested about knowing things, particularly about you."

"Aye, she is..." He mumbled. "What have you told her?"

"Oh, little things here and there." She replied. "I can only tell her things to the best of my knowledge though, yes?"

He gave a hum. "Has she asked about my master?"

"Some." Naleen nodded.

"What do you know of him?" He asked her, quirking a brow.

"Only a bit..." She replied slowly, green eyes flashing a split second. "Most knew of him in passing at least, no?"

"I suppose they did." Falren muttered.

"If you wish me to not discuss those things with her, I will not." The female offered.

"No, it's alright." He said with a frown. "I... should tell her more myself."

"Perhaps. She understands that your past troubles you, Falren." Naleen stated reassuringly. "But if I may ask, what is it that stops you from telling her?"

"Ah." He breathed, looking down at the fire. "It's a bit hard to explain, but... I guess I'm just worried she may think less, or differently, of me if she knew everything."

"Why would she think differently of you?" Naleen questioned, cocking her head. "She likes you very much; she took you as her life mate. I do not think she could think less of you at this point."

"I know it's probably a groundless worry." He shrugged a shoulder. "But... I still don't know what she would think about what most of that clan was truly like."

"You are not responsible for how your clan acted." The female spoke up, rather firmly he noted. "I think I am safe in saying you did not follow them, nor did your master. You shouldn't feel weighted down by their actions, or ashamed of them."

He quirked a brow at her statement, thus far never hearing her speak quite so boldly. It made him wonder why that had worked up such a response from her.

"You make it sound personal." He mused.

"It's..." Naleen let out a breath. "Just that I don't wish to see you letting the past control you."

"Why does it concern you so much?" He asked, genuinely curious as to why she was so mindful.

Her red ears dropped a fraction, expression softening. "As your... friend, I only wish to see the best for you."

He peered over the fire at her, her green eyes remaining unreadable. His friend. Yes, she was a friend, but she seemed to care as something more than a friend... A smile returned to her features, a spark in her eyes. He furrowed his brow in thought at that, the expression oddly familiar in that split second. Whatever it was, it stopped when she took her gaze away and looked upwards.

"A shame that we won't be able to see the night sky now." She mumbled.

Falren gave a grunt, glancing up as well in a futile effort to peer through the foliage above.

"You should get some sleep Naleen." He stated; she could keep her secrets for tonight.

"I... think I shall." She agreed, turning her head back down. "Wake me, yes?"

"I will." He said with a nod, the female laying herself our on her roll. "Sleep easy, Naleen."

"I will try." She said with a small grin, before promptly closing her eyes.

He was soon left in silence as she fell asleep, with only the crackling fire and the night's sounds around him. There were definitely things Naleen wasn't telling him, but for now he wouldn't try and press answers out of her. He had no idea what it may have been that she wasn't telling him, yet he felt like he already knew in some way.

He was not in a position to try and figure it out though, nor did he want to wrack his brain trying to. There was the present to focus on, and he preferred to do just that. If he was to know, or if reason arose that he needed to know, it would come in time. He relaxed as he sat, seeing to his part of the watch until the time came to wake one of his companions.

***

The time soon came when it was her turn to be woken, Naleen rousing her quietly to replace her watch. She did so without complaint, if anything she was eager to do it. Her watch was the last one of the night, and it meant that as soon as the sun started to rise she would be able to go off and hunt. She was a bit impatient for the dawn to come, simply because she was looking forward to hunting. She waited though, head resting on her knees as her ears stayed perked up, both in anticipation and in listening.

Velanis took to poking a stick at the burning coals like Falren, although that proved to be little idle amusement. At least her wait wouldn't be long, given that it would only be a few hours before the dawn would begin. After a time that dawn finally came, or at least she thought it did. She couldn't actually see the sky very well, although the trunks around her had stopped being dark shadows and lightened to something a bit more visible. It wasn't morning yet, she knew, but rather the twilight between night and day, which was the time she should hunt.

With that in mind she climbed to her feet, unbuckling her belt and laying it on her bedroll. So too did her pieces of mail soon join it, along with her neatly folded sashes until she stood in just her fur. She had always preferred to hunt without anything in the way, or any kind of weapon. Her mother had taught her to hunt that way, and that was how she still did.

Despite how eager she was though, she obviously couldn't just slip off while her two companions still slept. She crept over to Falren, nudging his shoulder gently to rouse him. He woke easily, blinking his eyes as they adjusted to the low light of the fire.

"Yes Vel?" He mumbled after a moment.

"I'm going to hunt now." She replied, pressing her snout into his neck lightly. "I didn't want to leave you both sleeping."

"Ah, I'll stay up now until you get back." He said to her, rubbing between her ears. "Be careful, alright?"

"I will." She agreed with a smile, standing. "I'll be back soon."

"Good luck." He stated to her.

"You know I don't need it." She said with a grin.

Falren chuckled, and she saw him shake his head slightly as she turned towards the trees. She walked off between the trunks, the light from the fire drawing farther away until it left her in the gloom. Her eyes could see well enough to navigate by, and she also had her sense of smell to aid her. She didn't really know the area very well, but she'd learned the last time that the game in this forest seemed plentiful. It was just a matter of finding evidence of a creatures passing and tracking it.

This was something she had the patience to do however, stalking the prey as she was. She knew that she was likely to achieve the goal, and that gave her motivation in it. Velanis slunk her way through the trees, slipping quietly through brush and fern. She relied more on smell than sight in this scenario, continuously breathing in through her nose as she crept low to the ground. Not quite low enough to be on her hands, but enough for her to be hunched over in a crouch, tail behind her acting as a counterweight.

There were numerous scents on the ground, yet none so far belonging to the animal she sought to find. It took some time to track down what she was seeking, finally finding the trail of their passing accompanied by a more fresh scent. She promptly started following it in the direction they had progressed, paying attention to the various signs left amongst the dirt and leaves. The going was slow, the path winding between the trees as she steadily followed the scent trail.

Such was the nature of it though, and she simply made sure to remember her way. She'd never gotten lost hunting, and she wouldn't allow such a foolish mistake to happen this day either. After an unnoticed amount of time had passed, with her simply focused on the hunt before her, the trail began to offer up some sign that she was close. The scent was stronger now, the signs of their passing fresher. That sparked a bit of excitement in her, giving a grin as she continued to creep forward.

The time of day did give her one advantage, as it meant that her prey would most likely be bedded down in the time she stalked it. Perhaps if she were lucky enough, they would still be in sleep as well. That would mean she would be able to just catch one unaware, making it a quick and easy task. If not she might have to chase it down, and while she did enjoy a good chase from time to time, right then she wished to end it quickly and return the food to her companions.

She slowed her pace slightly, casting her eyes around at the surroundings. She got the instinctual feeling she would find her quarry soon, and she should pay attention to the forest around her. Indeed, she could smell their scent in an area now, rather than simply on a trail. She knew that meant the spot they had taken to bedding down in was close, and she kept her eyes and ears alert for any clue as to where that spot was. She barely made a sound as she crept along, so much so in fact that after a moment she heard the sound of breathing, and then a small ruffling of leaves.

Velanis stopped on the spot, keeping her body still as she perked her ears up and looked around intently. The light was still low under the trees, but she could see clearly enough amongst the trunks. The trees were close here, thick bushes and undergrowth clinging to the ground beneath them. She lowered herself slowly down, peering around at ground level. Sure enough, her sharp eyes could make out the huddle forms of her quarry sheltering under the growth.

Her gaze quickly found one that had separated itself a bit farther from the rest of its herd, quietly stalking over to it. Her wide feet pressed into the ground softly as she advanced, careful to keep low and not rustle any of the plant growth in her passing. She soon drew near to the animal, eyes bearing a predatory intent as they remained focused on it. She was almost close enough now, with only a few more steps left...

The creature's head abruptly came up, round eyes flashing in the dark before they spotted her. She gave a growl of irritation as it struggled to jump upright, making a mess of noise that woke its nearby herd. How it had somehow sensed her she didn't know, but she wasn't about to let it slip away from her now. It finally got balanced onto its hooves, making to bound off into the trees along with the rest of its kin. She didn't allow that though, quickly leaping after the creature before it could run off.

Velanis pounced onto it from behind, the deer giving a surprised cry as her weight bore it back to the ground. It struggled against her, kicking its hooves wildly and trying to butt her with its head. She gave a growl as it nearly hit her with its stubs of antlers, finally getting a good hold on the creature. Its attempts of struggling proved useless, as she spread her jaws and brought them down around its neck. She bit down and gave a powerful twist, the deer giving one last jerk as its neck broke in her jaws.

She took her mouth away from its neck, a hint of blood on her tongue from where her teeth had sunk in. The rest of the creatures herd had dispersed, fleeing into the trees out of confusion and fear at her arrival. That was fine though, she wasn't greedy and only wanted one from this group. Her mother had taught her that lesson from the start, to never take more than you needed. A very important lesson when your clan dwelled in an area and needed to maintain their food source.

She brought her attention back to the still body of the deer, crouching down next to it so she could attend the next thing that had to be done before returning to their camp. Bringing her sharp claws to the animal, she cut them into the skin covering its belly, working on removing the undesired contents so she could leave the mess there. After a few minutes she had the carcass cleaned out, until nothing remained but the meat. The one thing she did save though was the heart, deciding it had been awhile and she liked to save the morsel on occasion.

Velanis hoisted the quarry over her shoulders, turning and retracing her path back through the trees. She was quite satisfied now, her urge to hunt sated as she tore red chunks from the organ in-hand. The activity had left her a bit dirtied, but she had passed a small stream on her way, so she figured she'd stop there to clean herself quickly before reaching their camp. Sunlight was beginning to filter through the leaves above, casting a gray hue between the trunks. The hour had apparently progressed that morning had beaten over night, and her hunt was timed well enough.

Her walk back was quicker now that she wasn't stalking, and she soon came to the stream from earlier, swallowing down the last of her snack. She deposited the deer carcass on the ground briefly, stepping into the slowly flowing water to clean herself. The stream was shallow and narrow, but it was sufficient enough for her to dunk her head down and splash the water up to wash some of the blood and dirt away. The water was cool and fresh at least, and after she'd washed she dipped her mouth into it to take a few swallows.

Clean and with her thirst quenched, she stepped out of the stream and shouldered her quarry, continuing her walk the remaining distance to her companions. It didn't take her long to reach the spot they'd stopped for the night, within a few moments emerging into the small, clear area. Falren and Naleen were both awake, sitting around the fire that had no doubt been kept going for the eventual game she would bring. There was one new addition, namely being a spit much the same as last time. Both looked up at her as she approached, giving a grin at them as she laid the carcass out next to the fire.

"I see it went well then." Falren stated to her.

"Yes." She agreed with a nod, giving a satisfying stretch after carrying the weighty animal over her shoulders.

Falren peered up at her as she did, her amber eyes catching his as he stared. She gave a toothy smile, letting him stare without complaint. She'd actually caught him taking glimpses of her form more recently, apparently giving it more attention since they'd become mates. There wasn't anything in the way this time, the majority of her form free for his eyes to see. She didn't mind letting him see either; if her body was an appealing sight to him, then she was happy for it.

She would have liked to let him stare longer, but she was aware that Naleen was close and it might seem strange for her to draw out her stretch for so long. So it was that she let her arms fall to her sides again, Falren's silver eyes meeting her own. She gave him another smile when his eyes reflected the realization that she knew, jerking his gaze away and tail flicking behind her. Velanis sat herself down next to the fire, chuckling quietly at his silly awkwardness, as if he had reason to be.

"I'll get this butchered so we can start cooking it then." Falren stated finally with a cough, moving over to the deer.

She watched him pull the knife free from his boot, kneeling down next to the carcass to start working on skinning and removing the meat. She took to helping him skewer the pieces of meat on a green, whittled branch, placing it in its holders over the fire to slowly cook. With the spit laden with the raw meat she settled back down, licking some of the stray left over juices from her claws.

Falren settled down next to her as they waited, working on wiping the blood from his hand as well. She flicked her ear at his attempts, reaching over to grab his wrists and bring his hands up to her maw, running her tongue out to clean them for him.

"Ah, thanks..." He uttered when she'd finished, taking his hands back and flexing them a bit.

She nodded over to him with a grin, leaning against his side while they waited. The sun slowly rose a bit higher in the sky, brightening the morning as Falren periodically turned the meat. When those chunks of meat had been thoroughly cooked he removed them carefully from the spit, cutting a few strips off for them before he wrapped it in the leftover cloth from their previous provisions.

"Not bad." Naleen said with a smile, swallowing a mouthful.

She gave a murmur as she swallowed; it was better tasting than the other provisions at least. Falren cut more raw meat free from the carcass, skewering it to cook as they ate. After swallowing down the last bite of meat, she stood and set about dressing back into her mail.

"I suppose it has stopped raining then." She mused, slipping her jacket onto her shoulders.

"I suppose it has..." Falren agreed, looking up at the faint sunlight filtering through the leaves as he attended his cooking.

She buckled the final piece of mail onto her tail, bending down to pick up her belt and sashes so she could replace those as well. After that she picked up her cloak, though since it didn't seem like that would be needed she tucked the folded cloth into her pack. With her mail back on, and her pack taken care of, all that was left to do was wait for the last of the meat to finish cooking. She sat with her knees up, resting her arms across them and in turn resting her jaw on those.

It at least sounded like a pleasant morning, some type of birds chirping in the distance and the trees above being rustled by a breeze. Not much of that breeze reached between the trees though, only a slight movement to rustle the plants below. Eventually Falren moved to take the darkened meat from the fire, sliding it off the skewer and into the wrapping. He then took the bundle and packed them away, a small bolster to their provisions for a time.

Knowing that spelled the end of their stop she rolled up her bedding and secured it to her pack, Naleen doing the same. The fire had become a coal in the time they waited, Falren kicking some loose dirt over them finally. He put his pack onto his shoulders and she did the same, Falren taking one last look around before he took his horses reins.

"Time to be off then." He stated to them both.

Neither of them made an argument against that, she eagerly following next to him and Naleen cradling her spear in the crook of her arm as she walked with them.

"I found a stream as well, when I was hunting." She pointed out to him as they walked.

"Did you then." He mused. "Which way?"

She pointed off in the direction with a clawed hand.

"Ah... that could work." He mumbled, altering their course slightly. "This is where things get a little harder I'm afraid, or at least more time consuming."

"I know." She replied with a flick of her ear.

This forest wasn't her most favorite of places, a bit too clingy and choking once you got into its depths. She knew it wouldn't be that long of a journey across though, it was just a matter of how tedious it was. She snorted; tedious was something she could live with she supposed. Velanis faced her eyes forwards, her companions walking with her. It wouldn't be that bad now that she had others with her, and she had her home visit to look forwards to. One step at a time...