Steals Kisses had to find somewhere to blow off some steam. Yes, it did sting her pride to have been so obviously and quickly rejected, but her frustration was more physical than emotional. She recalled there was a tributary nearby, hopefully a dip would be sufficient to cool her off.
And as distracted as she may have looked, she was still keeping a wary eye out. She hoped it was just an animal, or maybe another familiar who'd taken fancy to one of Sun-Cursed's own collection. She hoped more desperately than she would like to admit that it wasn't another kin.
Surely it wasn't that kin. How could he even find her? After all she'd done to leave as little trace of herself?
Now that the large Kimeti had been clued in to his presence, the former and his equally abnormally large eaglehound commenced a patrol of the immediate area of their den. Wayward Son was certain that if he stayed, at the rate of newly sparked hyper-vigilance that his beloved Sun-Cursed's captors were operating, he would be found. For now, he had to back off and re-evaluate his hiding spots.
Curse the tri-colored acha doe! This was all her fault! If only she had not come. If only she had not meddled once again in things that were not her business, then he would not have to be running in the shadows like this. She deserved punishment!
He finds himself being carried in the direction she walked to. He's unsure what he will do to her when he finds her, but she deserves what is coming to her.
The tributary was thankfully not too far away from the den. There was enough distance for privacy but not too much that hollering at the top of one's lungs wouldn't draw attention. Still, she'd informed Smoldering Ember of where she'd be heading and if he was truly sincere about his promise of extending protection to her, she wouldn't hesitate to call out for his help.
Even if she hoped she wouldn't have to. She was fine. Wasn't she?
When she arrived at the pool, she was more or less convinced that she would be fine. The water was inviting in the morning light and without a second thought (or glance at her surroundings), Steals Kisses jumped in with a splash.
The temperatre was a shock at first but it quickly became soothing to Kisses' senses. Drawing a deep breath, she ducked her head below the surface, trying to clear her mind of her troubles and especially of memories that came unbidden.
He gauged his chances as he tailed her. She had now walked far enough away from the large Kimeti's den and there was no one else in the immediate area that he would have time to drag her away or flee fast enough not to be seen by anyone else in case their encounter turned sour.
She's reached the pools. It didn't look like she aimed to wander further. This would be a good place to make his move. He will make her know his frustration. That or she will suffer.
As she dipped her entire head into the water, he took the opportunity to silently jump down from the mangrove canopy from which he was hidden and with uncanny speed, dash to the spot directly in front of her, his hooves barely disturbing the water as he did. Placing himself in this position, his chest would be mere inches away from where her face would be when she surfaced. He took one of his front legs and extended it to block one of hers so that he would be able to trip her up and stop her if she made any sudden moves.
Looming over her as she lifted her head, his eyes locking onto hers as he whispered, "You have been a thorn in my side for some time now Acha. Do not try to run, I am much faster than you. Screaming is likewise pointless, I will be gone before anyone can come for you. Resist and I will become... physical."
From beneath the surface, Steals Kisses barely managed to hold in a scream when she spotted movement waiting above her. It was only because she managed to distinguish the difference of the red at present from the red she recalled. It wasn't him, that was certain. Likely it was the presence she'd felt and informed Smoldering Ember of.
But why would it appear so obviously before her instead of Sun-Cursed? And why would it happen now?
Curiosity overrode her fear and eventually so did the need for air, pulling herself up with a gasp and maybe more splashing than necessary. What greeted her was another kimeti buck. He wasn't as large as Smoldering Ember, though red was still certainly within the color palette. Instead of a gentle strength in every movement, this buck exuded barely repressed power.
And if he was the one following Sun-Cursed like some sort of sneak-thief, Steals Kisses almost felt envious of the other doe. Almost.
"I prefer you call me Doe instead of Acha," she says, studying each and every line of his form and the intricacies of his markings with open admiration. "And as for running," her eyes dart up to meet his dark, intense gaze, "I don't think I'd mind if you caught me."
He was taken aback by her reaction. She was supposed to fear him. That is what the darkness had taught him. He is not like them. His very presence was supposed to put any kin into a state of shock and dread. He expected her to be like the others--devolving into a blubbering mess that would beg for his mercy.
But she didn't look at him and recoil. In fact, he felt something in her gaze that he had never felt directed at him before. Was it curiosity? Was it admiration? Was it defiance? He did not know. Yet he was intrigued.
He came a half step closer, his face mere inches away from hers now. From this close, he would smell the fear on her and feel the slightest tremble when they came. He relished the opportunity to slowly impose his power on this doe.
"You best be careful what you wish for, doe, you do not know what I am capable of--the things I can do to you if I really decide to take you. Now tell me, have you come all the way here simply to tell the large kimeti of my presence?!"
Rather than terror or concern for her safety, Steals Kisses instead felt a delicious thrill run up her spine. The acha craned her neck, angling it to further expose her vulnerable spot to the kimeti. And with a smirk on her face, she practically purred, "I always thought things should be fair among my admirers. Figured I'd give Big Red a heads up about competition for little old me's affections and intentions." The last word was accompanied by a pointed look in her eyes and a suggestive lick of her lips.
She knew of course that his real target was her friend, but maybe she can pretend otherwise. And have some fun while she was at it.
Rather than giving off a smell of terror, this doe dared to serve herself up to him and exude a smell....he was not familiar with. He saw a tension of muscles on her back, but not that of a tension in preparation of fleeing. It was more an involuntary movement caused by...anticipation?
Every reaction that this doe made was not what he was taught to expect. He was supposed to be horrifying--a monster among kin. Yet she dared imply that she was his quarry? She was nothing like his Sun-Cursed. She had no gentle demeanor, no demure smile, no radiant glow. She forced herself into other kin's lives and provoked... physical reactions from them for her own amusement.
He was himself being affected by her sheer proximity to him. With her angling her neck up to his mouth, as if offering herself up to him, her act of licking her lips as if savoring the possibility of being his prey--he could not help himself from licking the lower part of her neck up to her jaw, letting out a reverberating growl as he tasted her. Surely she would now recognize that he would not hesitate to devour her for her provocations.
"Your presumptuousness is surpassed only by your lack of sense of self-preservation, doe. My love is leagues beyond you. Though I could see why lesser kin would grovel at your attentions. There is a certain appeal to your brazenness. But if you wish to be my prey for tonight, I wouldn't mind taking my frustrations out on you."
At the contact of his tongue against her throat, the acha sighed in anticipation. Steals Kisses grinned up at him, her eyes darkening the same way they had when she was studying Smoldering Ember. She hoped this stalking kin would be able to back up his words, she had quite a bit of frustration to work out herself.
"Maybe I have the self-preservation of a fat fish. Or maybe I'm built a lot sturdier than I look. Or maybe," she abruptly rose out of the water, closing the distance between them to impress herself fully against him, the points of her horns not quite piercing the side of his neck. "I have a trick or two at the ready."
The grin was audible in her voice as she applied just enough pressure to threaten puncturing skin. "My little Sunny-Bunny deserves the best. Do you think you measure up?"
The audacity of this doe! Not only did she enjoy his threats, she seemed to revel in them. Now she's closed the gap between them so shamelessly that all his instincts were blaring in his head. And to complete her underestimation of him, she would imply that he was not the best for his Sun-Cursed. It was time this doe was taught a lesson in a language she understood!
In a move so quick it could barely be followed by the eye, he maneuvered around her so as to extricate himself from being a hairsbreadth away from being impaled on her horns and instead was flanking her from the side--his taller stature firmly pressed up and exerting some pressure down on her own side to make her feel his weight. Then he started to have his tail wander up her leg and further upwards while looking her right in the eyes.
"I've had enough of your teasing doe. I will show you that no one is better than me for my love. For all of your provocations, I will deal with you in the way that you prefer. I will even do you the kindness of letting you choose our venue. We will see how sturdy you truly are."
The acha shivered in anticipation, not once shying away from him be it physically or his gaze. If anything, Steals Kisses was proving her own assertive nature. Drawing from her experience, she managed maneuver the pair into situations that resulted in her establishing her prowess and dominance.
At the end of it all, she wasn't impressed but she wasn't underwhelmed either. The kimeti buck was... adequate. And she let him know.
"Not the best but not the worst. There's definite room for improvement." She smiled at him, neither pleasant nor sincere, combined with her saccarine tone, it was a backhanded complement wrapped up in condescension. "I have to give it to you, you have stamina. But all in all, it's a quite forgettable experience. No where near the quality Sunny-Bunny deserves."
As if to further press her point, Steals Kisses rose smoothly and easily, her limbs showing no hints of strain as if their encounter barely tired her out. When she left she didn't even deign to give him a glance backwards.
Steals Kisses had to find somewhere to blow off some steam. Yes, it did sting her pride to have been so obviously and quickly rejected, but her frustration was more physical than emotional. She recalled there was a tributary nearby, hopefully a dip would be sufficient to cool her off.