Scuttle Scuttle [F'ur]

[Requiem]

Then I should be swimming in the leakage constantly, the male commented thoughtfully. Clearly amused by the conversation, even as his tail lashed. Yes, it is much the same thing, often as not. Grumbles, fighting, whining. I've yet to find a human who isn't the master of one of those. F'urHis tended more toward fighting or sarcastic comments, and wasn't terribly bad about it, either, but Inocenth wasn't so much focused on the truth as whatever comment was most amusing. Sabeeeer, the male sing-songed. You've such pretty pictures on your face this afternoon.

Laughter and wide-eyed surprise - F'ur wasn't sure what pleased him more. Certainly amused at the expression F'lix had given him from his seat, and then again as he stumbled forward to catch the small dish, F'ur kept up his back-pedaling for a few more paces before abruptly darting sideways at the younger man's playful lunge, quickly side-stepping with perhaps the purpose of putting the fire between them. Not that it really mattered, when all was said and done; the kitten was the swifter beast. The older bluerider could likely outrun him given F'lix wasn't allowed to touch. He could run forever, and at a speed that most couldn't maintain for more than a half-candlemark at a time. That wasn't a sprint, though, and it was easy enough to stop someone, was it not? Nevertheless, F'ur was not the type to give up simply because it was near inevitable the younger man would win their little game.

If the goal was less keep away and more satisfying his curiosity, why, there was a chance to win it yet. (For that matter, the burgeoning grin was victory enough.)

Spinning from the lunge, he deliberately thrust out a hip to see if he could cause F'lix to stumble, if even for a moment. His face screwed up in careful consideration. "Hm. Might? I think I'll take my chances," he mused dryly, afore suddenly pivoting and leaping over the flames, body arching into a dive as he tucked the pack into his chest and rolled over one shoulder to his feet, sprinting for the outcropping of rocks a short distant ahead. Two more small dishes made it into the air, casual tosses for the kitten he knew was right on his heels, to slow him down. Did F'lix juggle, he wondered?

F'ur leapt, bare feet gripping the hard rock as he bounded up, surefooted as any mountain goat. Boots had their uses, but swift climbing wasn't one of those. The older bluerider's feet were hardened enough to resist most sharp edges they might encounter here - callouses, too, had their uses - and he wended swiftly between different outcroppings, paying little attention to where he was going and making his decisions on impulse, until rock surrounded him on all sides. It was by a small standing pool that he stopped, trusting to at least a few moments of privacy. Crouching, he began ferreting through the pack with relish. Seemed the kitten had brought along things for inking. He poked through the bowls and inks, curious as to where F'lix planned to put this newest; half his body was already taken up by black sweeps and slashes that F'ur had yet to decipher.

That was when he noticed the small slip of folded paper, a sudden grin on his lips. Aha! Now this could most definitely have been in F'lix's pocket just a moment ago. He dug it out, lifting it before his nose between thumb and forefinger as he fished around in the pack for something to clean his hands with. F'ur had no desire to ruin this little treasure, after all.

[rii]

Last I bothered to look yours wasn't a female – my condolences if I was mistaken, or if he's thoroughly confused on the matter. Saboth's one eye closed against the gleam of the sun glinting off the cresting waves of the ocean. His tail stirred in the sand before flicking forward to send a blast of sand at the darker blue. The paler tucking his head around to angle the black smudges out of view. Don't get too jealous. I'm sure if you ask nicely yours wouldn't mind painting you up as well.

F'lix torqued his torso, sliding harmlessly along the rather bony intrusion to his path. Fingers of one hand clawing along the front and side of F'ur's upper thigh with just enough pressure to be known as the ex-fortian danced away – right over the small flames. F'lix made no hurry to rush after the older man, prowling languidly around the shallow pit.

"Might," He repeated while continuing the careful advance, only quickening his motions to snatch the items before they could touch the sands. The third one making him pause in his advance to make sure he caught it in the curve of one of the first two dishes. His voice raised to be heard over the growing distance. "If I have to take it back there will be no might about it."

Stacking the three small dishes, F'lix set them down in the sand before taking off after F'ur – catching up until the obstacle of rocks. F'lix leapt up on the first, merely watching the path F'ur took before picking a shorter path. His fingers caught the rough sea-torn edge of one of the rocks as he crouched for balance on one small point. Convinced, really, as small specks of blood welled up on the side of his palm, that F'ur's feet were runner hooves in disguise.

No doubt the older man knew he was coming, but F'lix continued one anyway. Half curling over F'ur and reaching out to snag the corner of the paper to keep F'ur from fully opening it. A game of keep away was fun and all, but on some level it did bother F'lix to have F'ur rooting around for the small slip of paper (noting to himself he should of used that for tinder). It had more to do with having to, no doubt, explain the what and why of the drawings.

His other arm snaked up from underneath, crossing diagonal across F'ur's chest in a light hold as the younger man moved as if to bite the neck of the prey that had been eluding him. He paused though, warm breath exhaled along the skin as F'lix half-pointed with his empty hand (Not to be confused with the firm grip he kept on the paper) at the shallow pool in front of them. "Crab."

That, or just a really funny shaped rock with two black eyed stalks watching them.

[Requiem]

Should. Would. He didn't bother to correct Saber, as there was little doubt that His was male. The cold blues - calm but not gentle in their calm - narrowed in unspoken amusement at the other dragon, however. And so generous, too, he added, sibilant as ever. The male's body lashed, throwing off the sand and sending a spray of it back at his pale...brother? A man was not separate from his dragon, and there were certain tendernesses that otherwise would not have been. For better or worse, bound...and bindings were not something Inocenth suffered silently. I should - would - hate to detract from your gift by demanding it for myself. A gracious dip of his head, even as he contemplated Saboth for a lingering moment.

Heard the approach of leather whispering on rock, the rustle of fabric, but F'ur didn't bother trying to escape this time. Enough to know what it was - even if he hadn't yet opened the paper - and he knew he wouldn't. Not without dirtying it, not without F'lix catching him whether he ran or not. There were other ways to discover its contents that worked better with a weyrmate who wasn't irritated at him. Still, he affected a soft whine as the paper was grabbed, to perhaps keep his kitten from knowing all the little twisty devilishness going on in his mind at the moment, and wriggled as the arm snared him. F'lix didn't need a firm grip with F'ur crouched as he was, though the temptation to clasp his forearm and stand was there. Teeth at his neck banished it for the space of a moment, and then he followed the line of the finger.

Yes, crab. The reason for their coming here, though not the only one, he divined, if the inks were any indication. F'ur let the paper go, turning his head to graze his teeth against the cheek beside his head. "Crab," he agreed. And with a playful little smile, he poked the bag into F'lix's side. "Your inks, kitten. Does the paper hide what you plan to tattoo?" A nip to his jaw, and he did, in fact, clamp his hand over the arm encircling him, straightening in such a way as to balance the slightly smaller man on his back. "I think the feline's catch caught him," he growled lowly, eyes again on that crab.

He worked the spear free carefully, while still keeping hold of his captive, and bent forward, into his knees, heels off the ground as the balls of his feet bore him silently over the ground. The spear lifted, poised, but the brush of toes over the still pond must have alerted the creature, because it suddenly began scuttling, pincers at the ready. And a feisty creature, too. He chuckled as it charged his feet, skittering back. "A duel, you say?" To the crab. Then, perhaps for his audience/passenger's benefit, F'ur began to mimic the crab's walk, scuttling back and forth and making little jabs at the creature with no commitment. "Have at you then." He circled the crab in that odd gait, commenting to his weyrmate, "You know, I'm not sure I can kill him. He's too much fun."

[rii]

Shall I demand it for you? I'm not opposed to sharing. Yes, annoyance all around. Maybe he could get a hold of one of those bottles of ink and dump it on the dark dragon – although it would hardly stand out against such a black hide. Saboth shifted, still keeping his head turned away as he rubbed the side of his face against his flank. Although it would not show up as lovely as it does on me. Perhaps we should get ribbons for you instead.

Paper freed, F'lix wasted little time in slipping it back into his pocket. He remained arched over his weyrmate with chest resting lightly against the back of F'ur's shoulders, figuring that if anything the older man appreciated the bodily blanket. A content droop to his eyelids in response to the affections grazing cheek and jaw. He absently accepted the small pack, shrugging it over one shoulder while the other arm remained loosely around F'ur's torso. A bare torso at that. Skin warm under his touch, hair still damp and smelling of the ocean. F'lix had never cared much for the beach until his mind had related to the scent that tended to linger on his weyrmate.

Of course, at the moment it gave him the desire to lick F'ur's neck to see if he tasted as salty as he smelled.

"Nope," The tone alone spoke well of the cheeky grin on the younger rider's face. It had been a good guess on F'ur's part, but wrong none the less. "Decided what I wanted to ink a loooong–" The stretched vowel and surprised heightening voice marked his sudden ascent. His free arm snap forward, wrapping around the front of F'ur's shoulders for stability. A returning growl sounded in feigned irritation, any harshness of the reaction expelled by the brushed of lips across F'ur's ear - even if it bordered dangerously close to biting.

His knees bent, tucking in against F'ur's sides as the man began to.. ..F'lix's brow came down to connect with the top of F'ur's shoulder, turning his words into a muffled murmur of 'you'resuchagoof' before he laid his cheek against the same shoulder, observing the crab's bravado. His arms squeezed around F'ur's torso, out of affection (because it was hard not to secretly find the eccentricities a little endearing) or to keep from slipping off from the F'ur's awkward scuttling. Hard to tell.

"Well then what are we going to do?" F'lix's fingers curled around the spear staff, manipulating it down and forward (not enough force behind it to impale) to make a poke at the crab. One pincer snapped close over the point, and F'lix pulled back to lift the creature off the ground to dangle from the end of the spear. "You sure? Because I'm thinking he'd sit nicely over the fire like this.. unless you want to talk your new friend in giving up the others. Butter up to him. Offer to take out some of those imposing crabs on his territory."

He wiggled the spear to try and dislodge the stubborn creature.

[Requiem]

Though the voice was in his head, Inocenth's focus had narrowed to the point that the words were wholly ignored, his eyes focused full on the dragon who wasn't paying attention to him. That was always a mistake. Sinewy muscle coiled in the tight knot he'd made of himself, bunching in preparation...then, swift as a striking tunnel snake, the male uncoiled and shot forward, tail lashing behind him as his legs found the sand of the ground, churning it during that brief moment of contact as he launched his body into the air. He turned enough to run full into the other male's flankwith his shoulder, letting loose a hissing growl and snapping at his neck. And missing, of course. He was only playing, was Inocenth, and Saboth had left himself wide open.

Someone was enjoying his capture much too much, if his reaction was any indication, but F'ur was nice, for once - or simply distracted by the crab - and didn't point that out. Much as he found it fun to tease F'lix and draw forth the growls, the glares and the sarcasm. Dubbing this oddity the 'mystery of the paper', F'ur determined to solve that mystery before the night was out, one way or another. No footraces, though. The kitten was faster in a sprint, sadly. Heh. Like most of the rest of these young men still in their twenties.

There were advantages to being in your prime, though. Plenty enough. Including but not limited to being of an age where immaturity was termed 'eccentric' or 'boyish' instead of 'childish'. He didn't quite make out what F'lix had mumbled against his skin, but the nature of it came off well enough, and his arm shifted back to grasp the thigh behind him, arching his back and hopping slightly to settle his werymate more comfortably on his back. And if he pinched that thigh first, well, plausible deniability. He couldn't see the leg, after all.

Aw poor crabby. The ultimate in double-teaming. The claw currently not attached to the end of the spear was trying to cut it in twain, by the looks of it, with little darting snaps at the body of the shaft. "What does crab language sound like?" Without waiting for an answer, he chirred and clicked his tongue at the crustacean, earning something that sounded like clicks to him. He laughed and clicked back at it, the pincer waving at him and snapping opened and closed. "I think I just accidentally insulted his mother," F'ur commented to F'lix. Another barrage of clicks, and he jerked the spear about with F'lix, the creature finally letting go. He shoved his spear through the carapace, straightening. "Afraid our little buddy here won't give up his friends, kitten. The hunt continues."

He ignored the crab still squirming on the end of the spear, hopping up onto a nearby rock and stepping out over the sharp rocks sure-footedly. If it couldn't cut through the sole of a normal shoe, it wouldn't cut through his feet. "Time to seek out more crab pools. Keep your eyes peeled." A moment's pause. "That is one of the oddest phrases. Keep your eyes peeled? Makes you wonder who came up with it and how," he mused aloud, breaking off to click back furiously at the crab. It went silent for a moment, perhaps surprised. He grinned. "I think I'm getting the hang of this crabby language."

[rii]

Saboth's tail lashed across the side, the one wing tucking in close as he rolled onto his side after the impact. The sound of Inocenth's jaws snapping to a shut was closely followed by Saboth's own clamping over the empty air. One foreclaw lifted as if ready to bat away Inocenth's muzzle while the pale blue's feet pushed at the darker dragon's flank (The fleshy pads of his foot, not the claws) to keep him at bay. He hiss warningly at the older dragon, but the colorful whirl to his eyes spoke of amusement. Sorry, no ribbons then. You prefer lace instead?

A soft whining growl sounded – he felt that – as F'lix pulled his leg higher along F'ur's flank. His arms doubled their grip around F'ur's shoulders while his teeth finished that bite that had been tempting him a moment ago. A sharp nip of teeth that was argumentative in nature because he refused to take back the muttered comment. The half-whine probably didn't make a good crab impression, and F'lix might have clicked his tongue in reply to the question had not F'ur beat him to it.

"Not surprising," He lazily teased, boots finding the hard rock as F'ur straightened. Arms lingered along the shoulders, as did too F'lix's chin. "Sometimes I think you don't realize your own backhand compliments." He eyed the crab still clicking the pincer at them both. "Or maybe you do."

He gave his weyrmate a sly, side-long look of appraisal. The corner of his lips quirking in a smirk as he drew his arms back to his own sides. His head tilted to the side, semi-long strand of raven black hair sweeping across his forehead as he considered the impaled crab. Given F'ur's playful demeanor a moment before, it was almost sad to kill it – and a small part of F'lix wondered if his weyrmate had done it out of annoyance.

A thought he quickly banished. "Better to die strong, then."

Curiously his gaze narrowed on F'ur's back, watching him go a few steps before moving to follow. One hand cradled the pack behind him to keep it from swinging, the other half-extended for balance. F'lix swept alongside F'ur, free hand skimming across the older man's back. "Mm.. keep your eyelids peeled back so you can seeee? – And I think it's dead."

He reached forward, aiming to poke an eyestalk of the suspiciously still. As the pincer suddenly clamped vice-like around the end of his finger, F'lix face blanked. Clearly, he had thought wrong. F'lix's facial muscles twitched as he fought to kept the pain from visually registering. "I stand corrected." Voiced stiffly as his other hand came up to firmly curl around his wrist. "Get it ooofffff!"

[Requiem]

Tail whipping harmlessly behind him in a wordless threat, Inocenth feigned a snap at his jaw to draw that one leg that direction, ducking his head inside the reach of it and dragging his tongue in a teasing lick over the neck where it met the shoulder. He crooned to Saboth half-mockingly. What is this of ribbons and laces? Are you asking me how I want you to dress yourself? Musing, his tail coiled almost absentmindedly around a hind leg, tightening in a companionable way. Those frills are for the silly humans. If you wish to look pretty, you should wear the kelp and fronds. Then we can call you a river monster and scare the little meaties to our hearts' content.

Biting. Hm. Should be off-limits, truly, unless F'lix would rather them christen the stand of rocks they'd mounted, but F'ur merely growled at the close of teeth rather than giving in to impulse. Treacherous minx, his kitten. Treacherous indeed. The bluerider smiled fondly at the thought and half-stretched, feeling out his muscles without the weight of a F'lix on them, though he didn't begrudge his weyrmate that in the slightest. Anymore than he begrudged the man the continued contact, his warm presence keeping off the chill. No more biting though, please thanks, or he might just decide that this keeping control of yourself thing wasn't all it was cracked up to be, pointy rocks and speared crabs be damned.

A little smirk was given F'lix's teasing comments. If he wanted a response that would indicate whether he knew what he was saying was an insult as much as a compliment half the time, the kitten was bound to be disappointed. Besides, the man could easily guess at that one, couldn't he? "Best to catch him while he's still stubborn enough to cling and hasn't yet realized it would suit him better to scuttle off somewhere and give up the stubbornness," F'ur corrected F'lix laughingly. "Our little friends are only our friends so long as hunger isn't clawing at our bellies; if I thought he was unique to his kind, I might give him a warrior's salute, but I rather suspect they'll all prove as foolish."

Though not, it would seem, quite as foolish as his own curious kitten. F'ur had just about been ready to comment lightly on his mental image of peeling - involving a knife and how a body would like that scraping along his eyelids - when the younger man caught up to him and proceeded to poke at the crab. It was all F'ur could do to keep himself silent, the laughter wanting to bubble up as that spirited little crustacean latched onto F'lix's finger, apparently unwilling to die quietly. Still, there was no way he could keep the smile from his lips. The younger bluerider had stilled, and the blank face meant that pincer was most definitely uncomfortable. F'ur was already passing the spear beneath his armpit and stepping into and behind F'lix, the man cradled between arm and chest, when the strangled plea was uttered.

"Crabby little thing, isn't he?" F'ur couldn't resist the jab. Dirk in hand, the one still clutching the spear curled around F'lix's wrist as well and drew the arm back toward them, spear and all. His other arm passed around F'lix's far shoulder, the tip of the dirk carefully working into the juncture of the pincer and sliding up it until the claw worked loose. "Even crab hunting can be dangerous." A small cloth bag was fished from his pocket, still damp, and he unknotted it awkwardly with one hand, dropping the crab inside and tying it off. "No more temptation for a kitten," he concluded, with a wry grin before he tied it to his belt. His hand returned to F'lix's wrist. "Your finger isn't too bad off, I hope?"

[rii]

Saboth's raised forearm came down, pushing at the base of neck and skull as Inocenth licked him, seeking to pin the dark blue's head against the sand. Could have shoved him away with the use of hind legs, but he didn't. Are you going back on your word that the drawings are pretty? I didn't think I needed anything more. I seek to only to share the day's beauty with you – to give you your own style. Wasn't sure what little meaties Inocenth referred to, but it only made since that children would be scared about by a river monster. I cannot vie against your fierce presence, perhaps you should show me this likeness of a river monster and see if it can compare.

After the initial clamp the pain wasn't nearly as sharp; dismissible even. A part of F'lix wondered if he had even felt it at all, or if the genuine surprise at having the vice-like pincer close over his finger tip had brought forth the reaction. A type of response that even though it didn't hurt to stub the toe of his boot or bump his knee into an object, the occasional ow still sounded on reflex. By now the pinch was little more than an uncomfortable pressure.

Regardless, F'lix still drew in a terse hiss as the dirk loosened the claw enough for him to escape. His rubbed his thumb against the red mark – noting that no blood had been drawn. The growl to F'lix's tone and the glare he pierced onto the crab was all for his weyrmate's benefit; along with the soft, amused snort at the pun. "A shame for him his vigor will earn him a spot dangling over the fire, ending with him being dipped in hot butter."

Speaking of the fire, he best get back to tending it before the dragons ending up rolling over it, or sweeping sand into the pit. Hn. F'lix brought his hand to his lips, the smarting finger extended to plop into his mouth – only F'ur's grip around his wrist stalled him from completing the action. F'lix reversed his action, pushing against F'ur's arm to wiggle the digit at his weyrmate's face to make the inspection difficult.

"What do you think, is it broken? Now I won't be able to do that inking.." Because he assumed F'ur was interested in knowing. Or, if he hadn't been before, he might be now. F'lix had never been good about broaching certain topics. He doubled his efforts, attempting to flick F'ur's nose in the process. "So what will you do Doc, cut it off?"

[Requiem]

Inocenth writhed against him, turning his head to glare up at the pale blue through a venomously slitted eye. His hindquarters flopped down with a poof of sand cloud, and he pushed at Saboth's foreleg with one of his, anchoring a hind leg against Saboth's. Why, of course you need nothing more to look pretty, he agreed pleasantly enough, tail whipping lightly against the other dragon's hindquarters. It's because of my ferocity that you need the kelp and fronds. I could easily be a river monster without them. He slashed at the empty air with a hind leg, wicked claws catching the light and gleaming faintly green. The ferocious beast then resorted to squirming in an attempt to get out of the pin, huffing softly.

"I wonder," F'ur mused aloud. "How do they normally cook crab? Roasting, boiling, alive, dead?" Any further thought on the subject was interrupted by squirmy finger over there. Well, that more or less answered his question, didn't it? Smartass punk. The dirk twirled idly in his left hand, and then he smirked, tapping the flat of it lightly against the side of the finger. "If it offends..." Of course, there was hardly any point in the gesture now. If F'lix believed he'd cut off the digit at this point they wouldn't still be seeing each other. F'ur traced the point of the dirk down the length of his finger, along his palm, then leaned forward and suckled on it lightly, pushing his tongue against the finger. He withdrew his mouth with a sharp nip. The dirk had been withdrawn just enough that if the kitten happened to jump he wouldn't cut himself, and then F'ur slid it through his weyrmate's belt without breaking eye contact. A wicked smile curved his lips.

"The doc says you're trying to get yourself some pain meds. Naughty one. No blood, no bones out of place." He clicked his tongue lightly. "You'd best find a way to keep him from turning you in." The wrist was released, his arm sliding up and draping over F'lix's far shoulder, fingers curling in the space between buttons on his shirt as he drew F'lix with him over the rocks, eyes again searching for the elusive little crustaceans. "Telling him what you plan to ink might be a good start," he added, almost as an afterthought, eyes flicking toward F'lix's face briefly with a hint of amusement.

He slipped away from his weyrmate, then, half-crouching and creeping forward over the rocks. The stance was more to help climbing over the uneven ground as he eyed another one of the creatures just out of reach as it made it's way over the rocks. A few more carefully chosen steps, and he plunged the spear forward swiftly, drawing it back with a crab wriggling on the spearhead. A casual toss, his hand slid down near the iron tip, and he added the first to the second. "You're the crab expert over there. How many we going to need, kit?"

[rii]

Saboth reached down, licking Inocenth snout to brow before the darker blue's wiggling and pushing freed him from the hold. I thought not. He pushed lightly against Inocenth's shoulder with his hindlegs. His own head laid upside down on the sands with the one good eyes facing the older dragon. I'll let you stay the scary one. I can be the nice safe one, so they can run from you toward me. Woe to those that don't know any better.

"Offends," Amusement mingled with the single word, mirroring in the eyes that narrowed playfully on his weyrmate when the metal slid across his skin. A cold caress, possessing no threat, yet effectively snaring F'lix's attention. A sly smile played over the younger rider's lips, his gaze tracing up from the lips trapping his finger to settled on the dark eyes regarding him. "Me, or if it offends you?"

A half-hearted snarl had teeth flashing from between parting lips in response to the nip. The expression shifting into a smirk as F'lix curved the finger around the edge of teeth with mind to pull the older man closer. Flirt. The accusation– regardless of the humor dancing in his eyes – he pinned on his weyrmate said as much. His lips curved a touch further as the pressure of F'ur's sheathing pulled at the belt; his waist in turn. F'lix's free hand passed over F'ur's, curling around the hilt to adjust the dirk into better positioning.

"Hm," He drawled thoughtfully, fingers drumming along the hilt as they began back toward the fire pit. Pointedly ignoring the fingers sneaking in a touch of skin, because even after all the time they spent together F'lix still found himself reactive to the smallest of brushes. Could almost forget the task at hand with such derailing thoughts. But, F'lix's brow arched as F'ur broke away, at least one of them wasn't distracted. Hn.

"Yooou," A sing-song quality to the word as he continued on toward the fire alone. Only glancing back at the sound of another deft kill. "Of course, how much value do you place in the words of a fellis addict trying to score."

Clicking his tongue, F'lix lifted his hand with two fingers pointed out to silently give an answer. Mused to himself they needed as much crab as they had butter. Would not put it past the older man to eat the entire small dish of it if he was hungry enough. F'lix might pick at the crab for a few bites, but he had never been a big eater. How to cook remained a question. Didn't have a pot to boil them, that was for sure. Perhaps he could just treat them like fish. F'lix stooped to pick up a piece of drift wood, a calculating glance darting to the trees in thought.

He spun on heel, blinking in the direction of F'ur. "Maybe a third in case we mess up cooking one..?" Maybe a few more wild-man, feeding us all, aren't you? Saboth tacked on every so helpfully.

[Requiem]

Ew. Saber germs. Another few seconds of thrashing won him free, and he settled for half-glaring at the other dragon, jaws partially parted before he flopped into a limp pile of panting dragon. One of his hind legs pressed into the male's belly a little but otherwise he seemed finished. For now. That sounds workable. But now there's the matter of choosing which targets to scare your way... Inocenth yawned widely. He and His had been out since early morning, and the male was winding down...did not have quite the indomitable energy of his rider. Should probably start small. Think you could manage a wherry to start?

Openly amused at having been 'hooked', so to speak, F'ur was content to continue teasing F'lix with expression and the brush of a body against another. If the kit wanted a flirt...

Not glancing back, he held up his hand, pointer finger and thumb forming an 'o'. Zero trust in the word of a fellis addict. His smirk was more felt than seen at this distance as he turned his head enough to shoot a quirky expression back at F'lix. The spear spun deftly in the fingers of his left hand - his off hand - tucking behind his arm and settling into his shoulderblade. He leapt down from the rocks. "Three," he stated definitively, giving Saboth a pointed look. "If the bottomless pits think I'm going to hunt their food for them, they're delusional." Why, we love you, too, F'urMine Inocenth stated sweetly.

He prowled the sands briskly, catching sight of several cloistered together, thrown up by the waves and boiling over one another before the next wave swept them back up. The spear spun forward, his earlier playfulness absent as the shaft struck swift. Once. Twice. And then the sea had reclaimed the rest, but he had two more wiggling on the end of the spearhead. Make that four. Adding them to his small collection, he settled the shaft over bare shoulders and moved back toward the flickering fire and warmth. Would've been smart to bring more clothing, but given Ino's dive, that would've been wet, too, so there really was nothing for it. Fires were nice and warm, though. His eyes slitted as he watched F'lix just for the sake of watching him, crouched before the flames.

Letting the spear slip, he began etching something in the sand beside him, glancing back up toward the kitten on occasion before resuming. "Hey, slowpoke, how long you gonna linger over there?" F'ur called, swiping a spray of sand in his direction and causing the fire to dance a little where the grains fell. He was sadly devoid of his chest warmer. A few more strokes in the sand and he settled back on his heels to survey the work, a flicker of a smile dancing over his lips.

[rii]

Saboth settled his limbs back under him, digging his talons into the sand to feel the warmth. He didn't bother to pushed the touching leg aside, because for better or worse, he trusted Inocenth not to gut him on impulse. Not particularly because Inocenth liked him, but because it ran the risk of taking F'lix along to the coldness of between. Safe to say, F'ur would not be all that happy about it. So no, Saboth still wasn't the most trusting dragon, but he his rationalizing still held firm enough to the truth. That depends on the size of the wherry. Some of those can shriek and charge with such ferocity - I might faulter.

F'lix snorted at the gesture, looking unimpressed.. except for the smile that managed to slip it's way onto his lips in response to his weyrmate's usual brand of humor. The wave of the driftwood in F'ur's general direction to dismissed the two oh-so-amused dragons. Saboth crooned at F'ur's retreating back, So ungrateful, after all we've done for you..

Gloves were retrieved from the pack that made it's way back onto the ground next to the fire. A thicker pair, ones he had brought when he first came down from the north; a pair he no longer really needed in the constant warm weather of the jungle. F'lix rolled up his sleeves to the elbow, slipping the gloves on and arranging the sticks of the fire directly. The flattest rock he could find was brought over and pushed down into the bed of coals. F'lix shook the strands of black away from his face as he leaned forward, working the fire and red embers around the stone, letting the flames lick at the skin of his arms before the sting of heat became too much and forced him to sit back on his heels.

All he needed now was – F'lix's head turned at the voice, a gloved hand shooting up to shield himself from being pelted in the face with the flicked sand – a crab. Curling feet under him, F'lix rose up, dirk twirling out from his belt. He skirted around the indistinguishable drawing, gaze skimming it with an upraised brow. "No one said you had to stay over here." Like some guilty child. Though, a smug F'ur was guilty of something, surely..

His fingers hooked in the side of F'ur's pants and belt, drawing the fabric away – needlessly – to return the dirk to it's proper owner. A step closer and the heat that clung to him from the fire filled the space between. F'lix paid no mind to it, both hands dropping to free the bag of crab from Fur's belt. "Thanks – for getting the crab." And if his gloved hand slid along F'ur's waist, leaving behind streaks of ash, purely accidental. F'lix turned to head back to the fire, casting a glance at his dragon who rumbled with amusement.

[Requiem]

A mouse, then. If you can't handle a mouse, I disown you, Inocenth stated cheerfully, apparently more interested in the humans right now anyway. He was all too comfortable beside Saboth, truly, more than he should have been, but Inocenth had been leveling out considerably since Ekarth. Just needed an outlet for the mischievous nature that turned murderous when frustrated, apparently. His was certainly relieved.

F'ur stuck his tongue out at his weyrmate's dragon, but otherwise ignored him in favor of watching the dragon's mindmate, which was most certainly one of F'ur's favored occupations. He rose to meet F'lix, half-erasing his drawing in the process (as if the stick figure would be very discernible to the younger man, anyway.) F'ur stood still, eyes half-lidding and not following the movement of F'lix's hands. He growled audibly when the kitten stole the crabs and turned away. Not getting away from him that easily, no sir.

F'ur took a step forward and snaked an arm around the man's waist, pulling him back against him firmly and biting his neck. "Tease." As if he hadn't been doing something similar mere moments ago, while hunting the squirming beasts in that sack. His hand slipped below the waistband of F'lix's pants, splaying over his hip, and he kissed the spot he'd bitten. "You're welcome. Now go cook it, since you seem so eager to flee." Stepping back, he swatted the man on the rump playfully. Silly weyrmate trying to provoke him, tch.

As if he didn't do that well enough just by moving within his sight, or speaking in that low, amused half-growl. Or by breathing. F'ur's eyes narrowed.

He spun the spear idly in one hand, turning back toward the waves and listening as they crashed into the shore again and again, one hand sneaking down to rub the smear of ash away. Mostly. F'ur drifted back toward F'lix after a long moment, eyeing the cooking crabs, then drew the man's head toward his, 'accidentally' smearing some of that ash along the line of his jaw. He smiled in satisfaction as he broke the kiss. "Supper on the beach, butter, secrets and you're already flirting with me? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd planned a romantic little getaway." He nipped F'lix's ear teasingly.

[rii]

Ooh, I hope it doesn't sneak by me, Saboth voiced in mock fear, closing his single eye and settling in for a nap. He didn't find the humans as interesting. At it again, being the only disinterested comment floating across the bond. Didn't they ever get tired of that game..

It occurred to F'lix, with a twitch of a smirk on his lips, that they never set rules to the game they played so often. If they had, F'ur was definitely breaking them right at the moment. F'lix arched his chest forward; head dipping back to freely offer his neck to his lover. His hips drawing away from F'ur's, but further stretching his abdomen muscles, drawing them in tight to allow space for F'ur's hand to slip in lower if desired; though the hand that firmly gripped F'ur's wrist, first pushing the hand on then holding it in place, said otherwise. A low appreciative growl sounding with his exhale, followed with a graze of teeth along F'ur's jawline that ended with a light, brushing kiss over skin as they parted.

Eyes remained half-lidded; a sly smile firmly in place as F'lix moved toward the fire after the swat. His golden eyes staying on F'ur and brimming with inner amusement. While the reactions were true in origin – F'lix very much enjoy the attention from his weyrmate – he might be playing it up a notch with the knowledge that F'ur liked earning reactions. It was fair; in the sense that F'ur had started being unfair.

"Yes dear." F'lix knelt back by the fire, rolling back the cloth of the bag to avoid reaching in blind - just in case one of the buggers still had enough kick to snap their claws at him. Two were placed on the heated rock to slowly cook themselves by the surrounding heat and occasional lick of flame. F'lix pulled out a third crab, holding it up to prod curiously at the odd features that constituted as a mouth. His face was half way through contorting in disgust when his head naturally turned, greeted with lips.

Light, soft – oh that smug look spoke of devilish deeds. F'lix waited, and didn't have to for long, for some jab to come forth. F'lix free arm swung around, along with his body, catching F'ur around the neck and tackling him onto the sand. A leg on either side of F'ur's waist as F'lix sat up, one hand planted on F'ur's chest with the other holding the limp crab over him in mock threat of kissing the older man with it. How was that for romantic. "The butter was too much, wasn't it." He shook the crab to send it's legs clacking against it's shell in morbid dance. "I guess now that you've figured it all out, I need to let you in on my secret plan, mm?"

[Requiem]

The sound that slipped from his throat was something between a gasp and laughter, F'ur sliding into the sand with mischief still dancing in his eyes. For the moment, he lay placidly, if you could call the arm snaked up behind F'lix's shoulders placid, the spear clutched lightly in that hand and lying against F'lix's chest, crossing behind his neck. Not going anywhere. Or, at least, he only had one direction to go in. If his weyrmate was going to keep him pinned down, then F'ur would just have to pull him within range, no? For the moment, though, he kept his arm fully extended so as not to end up with a crab on his face, though he made a show of snapping at it when F'lix rattled it over his nose.

"Butter is something of a giveaway. And a fire, yes..." His voice trailed off, eyes narrowing in suspicion. Hm. Secret plan? Pulling a leg up to plant a foot on the sand, he caught F'lix's wrist, doing nothing with it apart from having a way to hold it in place should he need to. "You do seem to be trying to butter me up for something," he growled, half-teasingly. It wasn't anything that would have crossed his mind earlier, but mention of secret plans and that paper the younger man seemed determined to keep hidden suggested it.

He tugged the hand down a little for a better look at F'lix's face. "You don't have to go to all this trouble to ask me something, you know. That is what this is about, right?" Then he grinned. "Not that it isn't appreciated. I'm still curious about how these ornery little buggers taste." F'ur jiggled his weyrmate's wrist to make the legs clack on the shells again and wrinkled his nose playfully. He never, ever protested having a kitten around to spend his time with. It was almost cute, if F'lix really was trying to butter him up, but unnecessary. F'ur was pretty sure there wasn't anything he could really deny the younger man.