darkSpyro

"Drifting through the softest bed in the world." She murmured back, looking down at him.

"What's a bed?" Bain asked confused. He spend up his walk towords the forest.

"A sleeping place." She answered back, rather childishly. "There's pillows that envelop your head in a soft fluffy embrace, and there are blankets which are big cloaks of warmth and the mattress feels like you've fallen onto the softest patch of earth imaginable." She described quite vividly. Leanne shifted back, but she was still flying, just as a human with wings basically.

"oh... that must be nice..." bain ,uttered as he looked back down to the ground. "I've always just slept on the ground..."

"Didn't you sleep in one of the healer's cots?" She asked. After all, she could still see his wounds as they haven't fully healed to erase all marks of it. That and she had quite the keen eye.

"shh, shard, it's okay. It won't hurt you." she stopped and let him catch up, and pressed against his side gently, nuzzling his cheek. "it's only wavelets. And it's cooler down here, no?" she licked his cheek.

Kento laughed. "Maybe! I would have to put them in danger to see, and I don't plan on that." she was heading into caamp. "I'm almost back. Get me a glass of water, please?"

"I'll have one ready for you." Nearra said. "But if you don't want to test that theory, then I will. I'm not scared of them. I'll gladly mess around with their emotions for the fun of it. I mean, its not like I have anything better to do." She chuckled.

"Well...yeah, but..." He blinked and closed his mouth, deciding to just bear it for now. He sighed and smiled back. "It was just....unexpected..." Shard said, his ears drooping a bit lower than usual as he resumed his pace beside her.

"No... I left after she bandaged me." Bain muttered. He soon stopped walking and sat back down. "I'm tired..."

"thanks Nea." she said, and huffed another sigh. "... I wouldn't recomend it. Nadia is still violently unstable, even compared to how she used to be. Like Krone on steroids."

Nailoh pressed her nose to his cheek. "It's okay. Take your time to get used to it." she didnt lead him any closer, just walked on the water's edge. She'd gotten used to walking with a bum leg. Her mind started wandering.

"Krone is still a total softie at heart, regardless of how angry and aggressive he may be at the time. He has almost no temper, and it'll take some time before you drive him over the edge. Besides, as his sister, I know how to deal with him if that happens. I'm not scared of him, or any of the weresharks we have here. I could avoid this girl's wrath if I wanted to." Nearra said, quite confidently.

Leanne weaved her way through the tree above Bain until she found a nice sturdy perching spot. She sat in it. "Mmkay. Well, y'know if you stay in a Clan, you're less likely to die." She said rather lightheartedly despite the morbid subject of death.

Shard sighed. "How's your leg?" He asked, a bit suddenly. Oh boy, here we go again...

Bain chuckled, "Theres no way anyone will kill me." He looked up at her, "Staying alive is what I do. I've sustained far worse injuries than what you see me sporting right now!" he looked to the forest floor, "Besides, what do you care if I live or die?"

Kento grimaced. "I doubt it..." she muttered, then sighed. "make sure Loren is around. He's her husband. He and Abby are the only ones who can get her to calm down all the way."

"not bad, actually. I'm getting better." she said, tail wagging again.

"The only ones that you know for sure anyway. I'm sure they're not the only ones. I mean, come on, I've got experience with things like this. I've calmed my brother down before. Its easy as pie. You just gotta know how to approach them. Besides, Red will be there, and Abby may be hanging around someplace. That should be enough. And its not like the girl's gonna go on a rampage for no reason, right? I mean, Krone has to be pushed over the edge before he loses it." Nearra said. She still didn't seem at all scared of Nadia. Then again, she had never met her.

"She's a Leader, Nearra, she got there because she's deadly. And uncontrollable. Loren is the only one who is more dangerous on his own, becuase he's a Cobra." she sighed again. "If you send her on a rampage, I will not save your ass."

"Ooh, I'm so scared." Nearra said, sarcastically. "Like I'm worried. She don't even know me. Besides, I got a protective brother, and an overprotective dad. I'm beyond safe. And anyway, I just wanna have a little fun. But if you're so concerned, then I'll think of something else." She said. Then she had a lightbulb moment. "Ooh! Idea! How about you just get your friends together and play like a little game with them? Like, uh, 'what if you guys were gay, and who you'd you pick' type of game, or something like that. That's safe, right? I mean, no one would go ballistic over a harmless little game like that, right?"

"She wont think about that, she'll just be pissed off!" Kento huffed a sigh. "That should be okay, just make sure everyone is there. Loren, Abby, hell, I'll even come, just so long as its tomorrow." she said, and then walked into the house, and shut her phone. "I'm here!" She shouted up.

"I'm in the control room!" Nearra shouted from her room. She had a glass of water sitting on her desk for Kento. She was currently multi-tasking between typing on the computer and texting on her phone. She had just shut her brother's phone, and set it aside on the desk.

"There's a limit to what one person can do. We're social creatures. It isn't natural for weres to live alone." She hung upside down now, like a bat. "I hate death. That's why...I'll do my best to help everyone live...." She murmured.

"At adapting or healing?" He pressed the specifics. Shard's lifeless eyes seemed to stare beyond the ocean horizon.

"I guess I'm not very... normal then." Bain said grumpily. He stared at his birdy friend.

"Oh, you're normal alright." Leanne laughed. "Just lost." She said, making it seem like the simplest thing in the world.

"Lost... yes.... normal... no." Bain continued to stare.

"Mm...no. You're normal." She protested somewhat childishly. "Besides, the Shard I know could beat you in a flash!" She said rather indignantly. "He was....normal. Just....not from.....around here..." Leanne began hesitating, not really wanting to talk about him yet all the while yearning to tell someone about it. That she didn't want to keep his secret hidden any longer.

"Both, I guess. My leg doesn't hurt anymore, and I'm starting to figure out how to angle my body so it doesn't drag without the sling... Although, I'm thinking maybe it would be smart to get something prosthetic soon..." She sighed, staring at his eyes... She wished he was healing better.

Nearra took a break from the control room, picked up the glass of water, and headed downstairs to meet Kento. She figured Krone was still surfing. Her dad was probably out working or something, and her mom was currently doing the laundry.

Shard looked away. "It isn't right.......is there no way to recover your leg?" He asked, despondently and mostly to the air.

Bain held his head in his hands and started to tremble.

Leanne was lost in her own thoughts, and it took her a while to notice Bain. "Hmm? You okay?" She asked.

She smiled, dropping her stuff and taking the water. "Thanks." She muttered, downing it and then flopping down onto the couch. "Ugh... I'm so done." She said, sitting there... She fiddled with her ring. It had become a habit when she was tired and missed Krone. "When do you think Krone will be back? Is it worth it to go look for him?" She asked her sister-in-law.

Nearra just smiled and pointed to the door. Then just at that moment, Krone walked in. He was soaking wet and looked a tad grumpy. His surfboard was leaning up against the cabin outside. Nearra had noticed part of it showing in the window and knew Krone could come in at any moment.
"Hey big brother." Nearra said with a slight wave. "Did the guys mess up one of your tricks again?" She asked with a light chuckle. They had a habit of doing that when they thought Krone was showing off too much.
"...Grrr...." He simply grumbled. Krone then walked off to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water, and he didn't say a word. He didn't even seem to notice Kento sitting there, as he walked right by her without saying anything.

"....I don't want to retire. Not at my age...." He spoke softly, his head drooping down. "And I don't want the same fate for you either...." Shard bit his lip. "We're both young, full of life, with sharp minds and the recklessness of young pups....It....it shouldn't end like this!"

Kento stood, and followed him, leaning in the doorway. "Hey." She said, smiling gently. "Did it end that badly?" She asked, walking slowly over to him.

Nailoh nuzzled his cheek. "It won't, Shard. We're a team, and it won't end like this." She assured him, licking his cheek. "As you said, we're still very much young and alive. We will recover. Mostly. My leg won't return, but Abby said your eyesight would, with time. I can always get a robotic leg."

Krone stood in front of the sink, his back facing her for the moment. He sighed before taking a sip of water. He then halfway turned, glancing at her before letting his gaze drift to the floor.
"It's not that. I'm used to my surf tricks getting messed up by the guys on occasion." He muttered. "No, it was just this one jerk.... It's...... It's no big deal, really..... He's just..... Kinda, well.... An @$$..." He said under his breath. Krone wasn't really know for his swearing, and rarely ever said a cuss word out loud, maybe in his mind, but not out loud. So it couldn't be nothing if he was insulting someone like that.

"...It won't be the same." He said after pausing a while. Shard nuzzled her back. He sighed and cast his eyes downward, the waves lapping at his paws.

Kento raised an eyebrow, and walked over, hugging him. "Hey, shh. If he's an ass, then he isn't worth your time." she assured him, and leaned up to kiss him sweetly, hoping to calm him down.

Nailoh licked his cheek again. "no, it wont. But it will be as close as we can get."

"Alright....I'll try...." He murmured. Shard sighed and sat as still as a statue.

Krone then returned the kiss and placed his hands on her hips. He was starting to feel a little better now. But there was a little more to the story than he was letting on.

Kento smiled and kissed him a little deeper, hands ruubbing his shoulders gently. "you're stressed." she murmured.

Nailoh sat with him, and nuzzled his cheek, loving and gentle.

Shard put a paw on her nape and leaned closer to her, nuzzling her back. Treasure.....treasure these moments. He really couldn't imagine life without her anymore. Sure, most of the things he had were taken away in life, such as his clan, his mistress, and now his weapons. Shard wanted to make sure he didn't loose Nailoh. No...this'll be different. I swear it He thought.

Krone sighed and glanced off to the side. "I--It's nothing to worry about..." He muttered.

Nailoh whined happily, tail wagging, and tucked in against him. "I love you, Shard." She murmured.

Kento hummed in worry. "I always worry about you, Krone. Always." She murmured back, looking up at him with those big endearing eyes.

"I do too. I'll never let you go." He promised, holding her close.

"Well... You don't have to worry about this.... It was just a jerk, that's all..." He muttered. Krone was still glancing off to the side.

"... What are you hiding from me, Krone, dearest..?" she asked quietly, touching her finger to his cheek and turning him to look at her.

Nailoh nuzzled him, and stood. "come on, lets go back."

"Alright." He whispered, rising with her. The ocean breeze swept in between his fur. Shard sighed.

Krone sighed, realizing he wasn't any better at hiding things than he was at lying. "Look, he's just a jerk that's kinda been my rival my whole life. He was out traveling for awhile, and I hoped he wouldn't come back, but he just got back. He was the one that threw me off my board while I was surfing. Then he pulled he underwater before starting to taunt me. He loves to push my buttons, and he usually succeeds, too." He said. Then he sighed again and closed his eyes for a moment. "He then started saying that he wanted to be leader of the camp and that he'd take over after my dad. He doesn't plan on challenging him, though. He knows he couldn't beat my dad. But he figures it'd be easy for him to take the job after my dad retires or something. The job's been passed down in my family for generations. Either me or Nearra is supposed to be next. And that's just what he's waiting for. He's going to challenge one of us and take the title for himself. I wanted to prove him wrong, so we fought, but he ended up beating me. He's bigger and stronger than I am now." He said, growling quietly.

Kento blinked, shocked. "oh... Um, wow." she said, surprised. "well... Maybe you havent been training enough..? I mean you have been taking it slow for a while..." she made a face. She didnt know how to reply to this.

She felt her heart ache a little. "Just so you know, youre quite handsome with the wind all ruffling your fur and such." nailoh said.

Shard had to smile. If just a little. "...thanks." He whispered. "And I know, without my eyes that your more beautiful than ever." He nuzzled her cheek.

Krone widened his eyes slightly, and then looked down a bit. He hadn't really thought of that. His rival had been working hard to get stronger, whereas he hadn't really been training much. He never really cared much for fighting, and he never wanted to be leader, but he never would have wanted that jerk to have the title either. He'd sooner become leader himself than let a jerk take over. Krone then sighed and closed his eyes.
"Maybe you're right....." He muttered. "I haven't exactly been training very hard.... I don't really even like fighting..... But that guy really just pushes my buttons, and I certainly don't want him being leader........"