Friendship, Balance and Vicious Cycles[Kavala]

[Hatot]

Hatot’s gaze shifted back and forth between Kavala’s eyes as she looked up to him, her voice and breath carrying upward to him like a gentle breeze when she voiced her thanks to him. He saw the surge of emotion behind those eyes, ones that normally showed a sense of reserve, of guarded emotion. It was an intense change in Hatot’s eyes, and he often wondered if this what it was like for others when they saw the shift between Radris and himself. Her mood was suddenly more alluring, playful in a way, as though he were meeting another side to Kavala he had not seen yet. His body froze rigid when she told him not to move, her voice causing his heart to beat a little quicker when she began explaining why. His eyes then widened a bit more as Kavala’s hand laid along his chest, then began making their way upward caressing the contours of his face, her fingertips dancing around the strands of facial hair that lined his chin. His hands opened wide, fingers spreading apart as if he were about to reach out to her when she stepped closer, but his hands remained at his side, obeying her request not to move. He knew what was coming, yet Hatot was so inexperienced with these thing, that even he wasn’t sure how to react to them even if she hadn’t requested him to not move. He felt the subtle shakes of her body as she pressed against him, that lean, toned form sculpted from the long hours of swimming against ocean currents, and he could feel the speed at which her own hear beat, similar to his own. He felt the warmth of her breath caressing the surface of his chin as she drew closer still, his whole body tingled with a sensation he couldn’t rightly describe as it had been the first time he had really felt it. The whole of his life was spent physically training his body, training it to be a warrior. It was a race of men, warriors over the majority, and intimacies with females weren’t always a subject for teaching. Certainly, they often lavished the women in the city with endearments, but it boiled down more to a, for lack of a better term, monetary arrangement than anything else. There was no real great speech to prepare any of them for moments like these, as they weren’t always so spontaneous. Then her voice. Maybe it was the wine, or the sensation of first experiences, or possibly a combination of both, but when her voice began to echo in his ear as the warmth of her breath danced around the surface of his lips, tickling the underside of his nose, it sounded to him like a melodic ocean wave, more harmonious and soothing that the sound of the great water fall outside of the city that had so often helped him in his meditations. Then she revealed to him something they had had in common, something that made the moment a little more powerful. It was her first kiss, and she was giving it to him, and his to her. He had wondered if he should say something in return, but he hesitated in the end, thinking that he would simply fumble and trip over his own words, unable to form a coherent sentence, and end up ruining what Kavala had been building up to do. His breath then took a quick inhale as she gently pulled his head downward, his body stiff and resistant at first, but relaxing and giving way to her. His breath intermingled with her own as her lips brushed along his, a strong tingle quickly rushing upward along his back until they made the short hairs along the back of his neck stand up slightly. His hands opened and closed, wanting on an almost instinctual level to reach out and pull her in more closely, but still they remained at his side, unsure of anything. As Kavala then drew in his lower lip, tugging at it lightly, his lower legs began to shake slightly, something he had never experienced at all in his life until now. She pulled away, just for a moment, and then fully embraced his lips with her own, causing a rush within him that forced him to take a deep breath. His heart began to beat fast and strong, making it feel like his whole chest was shaking. There was no hesitation or feeling of obligation or fear that he could sense in her kiss, and so there was none in his, as his hands finally came to a gentle rest along her hips, leaning forward even more into it. As she leaned back, he could hear the joy in her laughter, and he had at that moment realized that he had yet to hear it before. The sound of it was enlightening, like almost a burden lifted from the shoulders, and he found himself smiling finding the emotion almost infectious just by her laugh alone. He looked into her eyes as she met his gaze again, seeing the dance of emotion and excitement behind him, and he realized that she would be seeing the same in his own. “I feel a rush,” Hatot replied, his voice almost hushed as he took a nervous swallow, “it’s something I’ve never experienced before, but something I don’t wish to end.” Any further words he may have had had been cut off at that moment when Kavala drew him in for another kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands then left her waist, encircling her back as he pulled her body in even closer, lifting her frame up so she would no longer have to stretch to reach him. Her hands slowly danced around his back, their touch reaching past the cloak she had made and the leather armor he had wore. The moment had driven him further than he would have expected it to, and he suddenly found himself surprised at his own actions as he slowly turned with her in his arms. He didn’t know if he would end up bringing things to a sudden halt when he did so, but one of his hands suddenly began sliding the contents along the table, clearing a space along top of it as he began laying Kavala along top.

[Kavala]

Kavala completely lost herself in the moment, as everything within her reacted abruptly and powerfully. It wasn't the wine, though later she might use it as an excuse if she felt too weak to truly own her own actions. But the truth of it was that she couldn't resist what started out as a curiosity and flamed into something deeper without warning. Hatot was just too appealing to her - everything she admired about his race. When he lifted her up, supporting her, she leaned closer - holding on with her hands and legs. It felt incredibly good, incredibly intimate, to have her slim legs wrapped around him gripping his body.

When he turned and gently laid her along the pathway he cleared across the top of the table, her eyes widened and her body stiffened slightly. Kavala wanted this, wanted it badly, but she was afraid too. She didn't know if she was playing with fire and what exactly it was she released. The konti stretched out across the table as he laid her upon it, her body becoming Hatot's own private offering. His pelvis fit between her legs as her arms lightly clutched at his shoulders. She was breathing heavily, but there were no flashbacks forthcoming. The slavers had made life a nightmare, but they rarely faced her when they invaded her body. Hatot never turned away. He never tossed her up on the table and made her take her hands and knees to present herself like an animal. No... he made sure his face was clearly visible the whole time as he bent to continue kissing her, their bodies meshing together in a mimicry of an act as old as both of their races.

Kavala reached out, dropping his shoulders and wanting to free his form from the clothing he wore... and hit armor. She made a noise - partial frustration, partial surprise - and made use of her hands, trying to find an opening in the armor to touch his beautiful cobalt skin. But not being a warrior she could find no easy way, ending up uselessly tugging at it while her eyes met his, not leaving them for a moment. It was important... very important that she kept eye contact to remind herself that this was Hatot... her Hatot... and not some cold callous stranger.

"Gods, Hatot...." She said, almost whimpering, as she leaned up once more to capture his mouth. There was no fear, no panic, just a great deal of excitement.

[Hatot]

Hatot wasn’t sure what was driving, him. He wasn’t even sure what to do next, only that he wanted it all to continue. The sounds of the ocean nearby, the calls of the animals from Sanctuary, even the subtle brushes of the wind brushing through his hair, they were all silent to his ears. He only heard her at that moment, the sound of her breath and voice, the beat of heart, the sound of her hands brushing along his face and through the strands of his hair. It was all so surreal, like a dream never realized, laying dormant in the back of his mind. His lips pressing against hers, her body pressed up against his, soft in so many places that he had merely wondered about before, it made him awaken in a place he had yet to realize before, having spent so much of his time secluded away from the city streets, and he finally realized, he didn’t want to just stop with kissing. As Kavala’s hands reached out, looking to explore more than just his arms and face, he realized the obstacle that blocked her way. One of his hands pressed along the table, pushing his upper body to a hover above her as he pulled his cloak gently off his frame, still being mindful of the gift Kavala had given him. He folded it over a few times then, before his fingers slid to the base of her head, lifting her up and once more and kissing her gently while the other placed the rolled up cloak underneath her, giving her a softer place to rest her head along the hard surface of the table. His armor, however, was another matter all together. It was likely the excitement of the moment, but Hatot’s fingers fumbled awkwardly with the leather straps that kept the armor bound around his body. It was an act he had done blindly so many times, and without effort, but he found himself struggling this time all the same. Finally, with a slight gruff exhale, he simply reached between the seems, and yanked at it with all his strength, as the straps broke, freeing him from the armor as he slid it off his frame, tossing it to the floor below. Finally, Hatot’s shirt was removed, as it dangled along his hand for a moment as he leaned forward, once again kissing his lips along Kavala’s own, his bare chest now pressing fully along her own as one arm, the warmth between their bodies being felt more closely now. One of his arms still remained braced along the table, making sure that Kavala wouldn’t have to endure the whole of Hatot’s weight, imagining that it would make this a slight discomfort able for her, considering he weighed a little over three hundred pounds, given his height and build. His other hand, however, began lightly grazing along Kavala’s own skin, becoming a little more emboldened in it’s exploration of her body, no longer content with just feeling the skin along her face. His fingers eventually found the edges of her lower shirt, sliding underneath it as slight tugs began pulling it upward. “Kavala..” Hatot then uttered between kisses, in an almost requesting tone.

[Kavala]

Kavala realized, in a small backwards part of her mind, that they weren't thinking very clearly. But she wasn't sure she wanted to analyze it, over think it, or slow it down. She was terrified if they did then it would somehow become tainted, something less than it was... something impure. And right now, with him holding her so close, touching her, kissing her, all she felt was an amazing reaction to his presence. And she felt alive in a strange way she hadn't experienced before. In the past, she hadn't been a participant in such activities. She'd been some sort of repressed observer that stood off to one side as someone manipulated her form as they willed it and left her with no choice and no need to be involved.

Here though, she was incredibly involved. Pale hands slipped into deep velvet hair and tugged, pulling Hatot's head to one side to expose his neck to her lips. She explored the thick cord of his neck with delight releasing his hair only when it was clear he would hold the position for her access and let her indulge in her fancy. Strong sleek legs curled around him while hands explored his armored body. Teeth found an earlobe and tugged, gently, teasingly as she continued to play with him. And when he pulled away to remove the offending protections, she laughed lightly at his impatience and opened her arms to him when he returned.

His skin was scarred silk under her hands as her scaled palms explored the ridges and plains of his torso's features. Warmth and his own personal scent invaded her as she trailed her hands up his now-naked spin and across the blades of his wide shoulders. Kavala appreciated his care of her form, and the way he kept most of his weight off her. But the truth was he felt delicious covering her. She felt safe, protected, cherished pinned beneath his rigid form.

When he tugged at her sleeveless tunic and whispered her name in question, she dropped her arms from his shoulders and slipped them free of him to lift them above her head knocking the rest of the goods off the table unnoticed, so he could slide the dark cotton garment easily off her torso and reveal her sleek form to his eyes. Kavala was much like other Konti. Scales traced patterns down her shoulders, out onto her arms, down the small of her back, and across her chest leaving her breasts soft but partially scaled. The center of her chest formed a v of scales that fell off her shoulders and came together as they ran down across her navel and disappeared into her belted trousers. It was a luminous track that was flanked on either side by soft skin with a healthy glow that seemed to reflect the iridescence of the scales as well. Two swirls of scales crossed her breasts curling around the auroral the right in a rightward swirl and the left in a leftward swirl.

Kavala immediately caught her arms around him again, whether out of shyness or need, and pulled him down so she could feel the full length of his warm skin against her own. The Konti's body wasn't smooth, but rather as she slipped against him once more, her scaled skin meshed roughly on his own skin, creating an exotic sensation. It was a directional sensation that changed as he moved against her, slick and slippery one way, rough and stimulating the other.
And the way she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against his warmth lead him to believe it was not an unwelcome sensation to her either.

Kavala's lips ended up next to Hatot's ear as she curled herself around him to fit herself neatly against him. He had scars her fingers found and traced even as she drew a breath and spoke. "Hatot... you are beautiful. So beautiful...." She wanted to keep on touching him, and feeling the way she felt against him. But there was more to consider. She spoke into his ear, softly, almost without breath. "But... not like this. Not on the table here... like animals. Not for our first time. Please... take me upstairs where we can take our time." She stroked his back as she said it, coming back to herself a little then, wondering why in the world she was so entirely breahtless.

[Hatot]

Hatot slid Kavala’s tunic from her frame, his fingers sliding along the scaled skin under the surface of her of that cloth as he drew it upward. When it was placed along the surface of the table, his gaze became fixated on her for a moment, not so much on the naked form of her body alone, but more on her skin. The way her scales seemed to catch the light of the moon that filtered in and reflect it’s light was something extraordinary to him. He found it beautiful, practically hypnotic, and it’s sight intoxicated him more than the wine. It was not to last, however, as Kavala’s arms raised and wrapped around his neck once more, pulling him to her once more. As her skin began rubbing along his own, he noted the feeling of it, as it slid along his body like a warm silk when his body moved down along her, then like nails scratching lightly along skin when he moved up. It was an intense sensation, that only heightened the experience, and Hatot suddenly found his hand running slightly along the surface of her breast lightly to garner the same feeling. His movements then stopped, just for a moment, as he heard her whispering into his ear, that alluring voice once again capturing him like the song heard for the first time. “My beauty pales in comparison to your own, Kavala” Hatot spoke, commenting on Kavala’s beauty, “you truly are, in so many different ways, a beauty to match the ocean waters you swim in Kavala.” He then gave a slow nod to Kavala, when she requested that their intimacy be taken to a more suitable environment. “Of course, anything you wish.” Hatot simply said as he slid his left arm under Kavala’s back, pulling her up as he slid off the table. His other hand then slid under her legs, as he picked up her, and began carrying her into Sanctuary, continuing kiss her along her neck as she uttered navigations that would lead them upstairs. His mind kept racing over the moment, astonished over the fact that he was there. He had practically been alone since the first moment Radris had shown up. Then Kavala came along. She was reserved at first, but didn’t outright avoid Hatot. Furthermore, she accepted him and Radris, and offered advice that helped him in a way that likely would have taken several more years for him to realize had he continued to be alone. He didn’t have to hide anything from her and she accepted it all. In many ways, Kavala knew Hatot and Radris better than most of his own race, and it only made the experience they shared all that more powerful.

[Kavala]

She smiled at his words, though Kavala didn't believe them exactly. The night was falling fast and he could not see her skin in the daylight, only the shimmer of refracted light off scales. But she marveled in the way he took such care with her, first the cloak gently placed beneath her head and then the way he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her gently to him to carry her into the clinic proper itself. She wrapped herself around him, enjoying the sensation for once in her life of being taken care of, of being held closely. He never stopped kissing her the whole time either... which amazed her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to give him access to her throat. He made her shiver as he carried her, and in turn she felt like some exotic sea creature slowly coiling itself around him. His cobalt skin fascinated her, contrasting so greatly with her pale luminance. She laid her head over his shoulder, letting her long translucent hair fall down his back as he moved for both of them into the main examination room, out into the waiting room, and then quietly into her well-decorated office.

There were stairs there, and he took them easily upwards into a whole new realm. The entire main floor of the building was taken up with the pursuit of medicine. But the entire upper story was for something far different. When he stepped through the doorway and into her quarters proper, he found one big room undivided other than by furniture. It was so entirely exotic, so different than other Riverfall architecture that it might have shocked him if he actually took the time to notice.

One wall was entirely taken up with an undersea mural - coral reefs, fish, bright colorful flora. It was so skillfully done that it might have been a glass window looking directly out into the sea itself. The rest of the walls were hung with colorful bands of silk cloth that made the entire interior of the room resemble the inside of a Drykas Pavilion. There were groupings of low furniture... even a large low-slung table that had pillows around it rather than chairs. Braizers warmed the cool spring evening, lit hours earlier to warm the room and cast firelight beyond the hearth that burned against one wall. The tallest furniture were end tables that flanked a low bed that looked large enough to sleep four or five comfortably. It might have seemed out of place in Riverfall, but among the Drykas, whole families often bedded down together so it was nothing unusual in Kavala's culture. Throw rugs muffled Hatot's footsteps across the room that passed by groupings of pillows that could easily be used for a bed for visitors or just a place to visit.

He had his choice of where to set her down... the bed, the table, even one of the groupings of pillows. He could even throw open one of the glass doors cleverly fixed to a slider that lead out onto a full length balcony that overlooked the sea.

Kavala's home was comfortable, exotically welcoming, though not overly rich. It was obvious multiple people stayed here - probably the kelvic fox that had caused so much trouble and the dominant sister Hatot had yet to meet. But it definitely had an aura of casual - as if people stayed willynilly or without routine or reason. Which was fine with Kavala, since all she truly wanted was to create shelter for those she cared for.

Whatever he decided, when he finally paused, Kavala would slide down to find her own feet before him. She had a great deal inside that she was feeling, but nothing seemed to be anything that would be easy for her to voice. The konti was a caretaker, a healer, and someone who cared a great deal about the people she was with. So though she didn't remove her hands from him when she found her own feet, she did lean forward, rise on her toes and kiss him again briefly before she knelt at his feet to carefully begin to remove his boots. The Konti took her time, lingering over his things as if discovering them for the first time as she freed one foot then another, gently setting the gear aside. Then, rising, she'd carefully deal with any armor he had left on before laying her hands carefully on the buckle of his belt and then the waistband of his pants. If he allowed it, she'd slowly unfasten the first, then gently and carefully remove the second, dragging her hands along his legs and back up them again. She wanted to see him... all of him...

Her eyes despite what her hands were doing wouldn't leave his, not for an instant, though they'd have a question in them nevertheless. "Are you sure?"

[Hatot]

Hatot’s lips began to explore her neck when she offered it up to him, his lips casually brushing back and forth over the scales that lined the sides first, before light kisses were given along her jaw line and the underside of her chin. His feet barely lifted off the ground, and moved in an exploratory way as his attentions were more focused on Kavala at that point than on actually watching where he walked. This made the steps that, while seemed easy from another perspective, made the travels slow as his foot slide forward to the base of the step, before the tip of his toe slid upward along the surface before finding the next step. There wasn’t any need to rush, however, as Hatot found his time with Kavala something he wished to stretch out as long as he could. His feet finally reached the top of the stairs as Kavala’s voice guided them into her room. Hatot’s gaze traveled over the room and it’s warm, inviting feeling. The mural of the ocean offered a serenity by sight alone that Hatot seemed to find only in meditation at times. The colorful fabrics that hung like drapes in other areas offered a sense of both warmed and relaxation in a way, easy to the eyes. The grouped pillows, both along the floor along and the ones surrounding the low resting table, invited a place for one to rest and enjoy company. The balcony had a view which one could gaze out into for the better part of the day, and feel it was time well spent. Then there was the bed, that large bed that offered room enough for even Hatot’s form to stretch out across. Hatot spent so much time sleeping outside of Riverfall, laying simply along a long, flat feathered bed roll, that he often forgot what it was actually like to sleep on a bed. Much less one so large, looking as soft as it did And with such intoxicating company to share the sleep with, it made the bed itself so much more inviting. After his foot casually slid open one of the sliding glass doors to the balcony, allowing the sounds of the ocean that Kavala so loved to filter into the bedroom, Hatot stepped in front of the bed, then slowly lowered Kavala to her feet, letting them rest gently to the carpet first and allowing her to stand up out of the cradle of his arms. The balcony may have created a certain sense of excitement, but at her request that their first time be less like animals, Hatot felt that the bed itself would bring a greater sense or normalcy to it all. In the end, he wanted Kavala to fell as comfortable as possible. His heart still raced, and only seemed to sped up faster as they progressed further into their experience together. The golden hue of his eyes seemed to almost glow in the dimly lighted bedroom, with only the lingering light of the moon filtering in slightly through Kavala’s balcony windows. Still, even with the Akalak’s ability to see in the dark, he still saw Kavala perfectly. The angelic face, the toned features of her body, the passion in those azure eyes. It was a sight he wanted to be burned into his memory. He leaned down, meeting her halfway as she leaned up to kiss him once again, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. His feet lifted a little into the air as she grabbed at his boots, allowing her more ease in removing them. Finally, as her hands began to work along the straps of his lower armor, only to pause at the buckle of his belt as her eyes looked up into his with a questioning glance, Hatot simply bent forward, nearly in half to as his face covered the distance of his height. His hands cradled her face under her chin for a short moment as he kissed her along the lips once more and then rested his brow along hers. “I’ve never been sure about many things in my life Kavala,” Hatot said, still cradling her face, “but of this, I am sure. Do as your heart desires you to. It’s all I will ever ask of you.”

[Kavala]

She smiled without responding, his words washing over her soothingly. The big Akalak could tell he had reassured her though she said not a word. Somehow, it wasn't the right time for talking. Not now, not in the next few chimes or even bells. Hatot was special, very special, and she hoped in that instant that if Radris was listening in he'd allow his skin brother the pleasure he so deserved. Kavala sensed his need, his calm demeanor and his gathered controlled strength. Control was something he'd trained all his life to perfect. But somehow, in that instant, she didn't want him to have any.

Her soft kidskin boots joined his on the floor.

Webbed fingers traced the buckle of his belt and then slid the leather free. She opened it up and then carefully released the restraints on his pants. Pushing them down, following the pathway his armor had taken moments before, she laid him bare before her own eyes. She did not move for the longest time. Instead, she studied his cobalt body in all its bare vulnerability. Light fingers traced old scars and moved to run a palm across his most recent injury and the reason for his limp. She looked satisfied even as her eyes crossed his form again, alighted on his maleness, and gently touched it gently as if assuring herself it was real. Kavala had never before laid hands on a male, not like this, though she'd seen plenty of them. He was nothing like what she was prepared for. Kavala found the pale peachy organs disgusting, often dirty, and thick with a cloying scent of unwashed body. But Hatot was clean, powerful, and had the smell of leather and armor oil about him. It was as different as night and day, facing him like this.

Her memories did not haunt her. Partially, because she wouldn't let them. There was nothing here she wanted them to soil. But another part, a large part, prevented them from effecting her because in so many ways she saw Hatot as a protector and teacher... someone too strong to let something like the past influence his future.

She smiled slightly at the thought, more to reassure him than herself, and bent to kiss the firmness of his pride with feather soft lips.

Then, she slipped out of her own pants - tossing them in the pile with Hatot's and gently stepped up on the bed. It was low to the ground and firm, so it took walking upon it easily enough. Then taking his hands in hers, she urged him to settle down upon it with her. They ended up in an unusual position, him sitting with his legs stretched out around her. And Kavala sitting - facing him - her legs over the top of his and wrapped around his torso. They were together, intimately close, with no clothing separating their bodies. She could feel the whole length of him against her torso and his limbs beneath hers just as he could feel the Konti wrapped around him.

Then Kavala looked deep into his eyes, into him, as if she really saw the real soul not the quiet struggling stranger doing battle on a daily basis with his skinbrother. And then she smiled suddenly almost feraly. It was a fierce wanton smile that conveyed her lack of fear and her willingness to loose herself in the moment. There were no more barriers between them. She'd faced all of him and found no fear there. He was his own person, the future, not a nightmare out of the past.

And it was with that expression on her face that she leaned forward and kissed him, wrapping herself back around him and drawing him in close. There was no restraint, no tenderness, as she let her ire rise and consume them both.

[Hatot]

His hand continued to caress her face as her fingers meticulously worked over the buckle of his belt. As his pants slid down, Hatot lifted one leg after the other, stepping out as Kavala tossed them aside. There was a bit to tension that filled him at that moment, staring down into Kavala’s eyes as he stood before her now, totally exposed, however the look she gave reassured him, filled him with both calm and confidence. Things had fallen silent between them, as a communication of looks and glances were now exchanged, his body almost feeling lighter as a result. So much could be said, but at the same time, nothing needed to be. His head tipped back slightly, when she finished her silent observation of his form and leaned to kiss, her lips almost feeling like a warm silk cloth along his skin. His mind traveled to places it hadn’t before, to places he only imagined Radris had thought about himself. It was different for him, exciting, as a slight nervousness rose inside him as Kavala finally removed her own pants, tossing them on top of his. Hatot’s gaze then gazed over her entire naked form, an look of wonder, almost awe appearing on his face. He felt a tingle rise along the bares of his feet and the tips of his fingers as she reached out, grasping his hand lightly. Every sense of his was on fire, but only focused on Kavala. The sounds of the ocean and the animals she sheltered downstairs seemed to fall silent as he only heard her own breaths echoing in his ears. The scent of the waters and the fragrance of natures flowers that drifted in through the window were overpowered by the subtle scent that lingered from her hair and skin. The cool breeze seemed distant at the warm touch of her hand. The taste of her lips still lingered in his mouth, replacing that evenings dinner and wine. The inviting décor of her room faded to blurred vision and shadowed silhouettes as Kavala’s form sharpened in his vision, every detail of her coming to light. It was all so surreal, and his mind and senses focused on capturing every bit of it as possible. The softness of the bed’s cushion didn’t even seem to register in Hatot’s mind as she led him onto it, setting him down. Then, as she seated himself between his legs, letting her legs linger over his thighs and wrap around his waist, his mind came to realize the total absence of restriction that once existed between them. They had started as strangers, meeting at the edge of the of the city, near the great waterfall. Casually, they eventually became teacher and student, both of them teaching each other as much as they learned. Friendship came quickly after, and they shared with one another their thoughts and feelings on various subjects, as well as stories of their past and guarded secrets. And now, they were here, close enough that they could have practically melded together. Hatot knew that any of the Akalak could have chosen her due to her status with in the city, and he thought each and every one of them fools for not doing so. However, at the same time, he felt jubilation that they hadn’t, and the fact that she had chosen Hatot only compounded that feeling. Then, as she leaned forward to kiss him again, wrapping herself around him totally, he found that her intensity had increased, become more almost aggressive. He didn’t fight it, as his strong hands began to slide along her back, his fingers tracing over every contour of her skin, sliding up the mid of her back as it ran along the bumps of her spine before sliding through the strands of her hair at the back of her head. He leaned her back, his lips running along the tip of her chin before making their way down the front of her neck. His tongue slowly slid out as the tip lightly slid along her skin, sampling the taste of her skin. His lips eventually made their way down to her breasts, exploring them as his hand eventually reached over, grasping the other one left unattended. His waist subtly began to rise and fall, lifting Kavala’s body upward as he felt an increasing pressure build. His lips once again began making their way back up to her own, taking them deeply as his hands made their way down, resting along her rear as he pulled her towards him even closer. His heart and his breath only began to quicken, as he took deep breaths as he kissed her, his instincts wanting to lay her back along the bed and taste her as deeply as possible, but a part of him realized that she would want more control over the moment, and he submitted himself to whatever direction she was willing to take in the moment.

[Kavala]

Hatot was absolutely right, whether he realized it or not and whether she'd admit it to herself. It was important for Kavala to keep control. If asked why, she couldn't have specifically said why she wanted to lead or at least face Hatot as an equal. His instincts were driving him to take the lead, but her's were more fine tuned - focused - on keeping them equal. The purpose of her being there with him was not to fulfill her obligations to Riverfall, though if he asked her to be there in her Naviak capacity, she would have readily. But instead, she was there as his friend, his companion, and more importantly as his partner. Her hands traced his back, loosing herself in his cobalt beauty as they continued to kiss and weave their bodies together. Eventually, naturally, they came together as one, facing each other, eyes locked into one anothers. Kavala had no way of knowing she was his first - for he'd never breathed a word of it to her - but something in her wanted to be holding his face in her slim scaled hands as their union happened.

And for a brief time, wrapped about one another, they followed her lead. She was hesitant, tentative, and filled with discovery. Kavala took it for a gift that Hatot held off, letting her find herself and their rhythm in her own small slow way. She carried them for a great long while in sweet gentleness that in many ways was a healing of sorts, especially for her own soul. And as the night surrounded them, blowing in a cool breeze to dry the sweat on their skin as they moved against each other, their urgency changed. Hatot's body and indeed his very nature swept her into a new place - an undiscovered region lodged somewhere between passion and privilege. It was a place he lead her too and so thoroughly emerged her in that she hardly noticed when their joining lost its sweetness and grew fierce enough to match his needs. Kavala hardly noticed when the wind on her back was replaced by the firm warmth of the bedding beneath. Nor did she mind when her body took his weight and matched his absolutely abandon move for move. At certain points they were so lost to each other that their joining was almost violent - though Kavala did not pull away or grow fearful. She matched him mood for mood and when he took over followed where he lead.

There was a freedom in sex unencumbered by commitment or purpose. And it was in the midst of the battle between their two bodies that Kavala finally lost the remainder of her fear and urged him to greater abandon both with action and voice. Sharp nails raked at his back, urging him onwards even as her teeth lent credibility to the fierceness he sensed and then released within her. Kavala had once made a point, saying that healers were always mistaken for pacifists, and yet it couldn't be further from the truth. They were warriors that fought a war for life and death every day, using sophisticated tools and powerful weapons in the form of medications and magic. In the end, she was no different than he, even if her weapons and her fights were not the same.

Kavala was every bit that warrior as she used all her training to do everything she could to make sure their night together was one he'd never forget. Pressure points that he himself had taught her were turned into points of pleasure with caresses as she explored all of them one right after another. Scales slid against skin, slick then roughly, marking his form in ways he hadn't anticipated as cobalt skin darkened with abrasion. And he could tell she loved every minute of it. The fiercer, the rougher, the more violent, the more she responded - almost as if she needed the roughness to truly become one with him and feel pleasure as he did.

And on Hatot's part he discovered she was tougher than she looked. Every time he tried to check his strength or curb his enthusiasm for fear of hurting her, she encouraged him until he released the reins on his self control. And though he knew he wouldn't have left her unmarked come morning, he himself wore an equal number of patternings from the Konti's enthusiasm.

In the end, he held her to him and rolled with her so she lay sprawled out across his chest, using it for one big pillow as they tried to reclaim their breath and ignore the fact that it was shamelessly deep into the night. Streaks of pale pink crossed the twilight sky as the stars slowly started winking out of sight. And even as she lay still - spent finally - across the dark expanse of his skin, her eyes still sought out his own golden gaze in the shadows of predawn. Kavala had lost count of how many times they'd loved one another nor how fiercely or gentle it had been... her eyes told a story as deep seated and vast as the Suvan spreading out in the distance. Her whole focus was on him.

Her azure gaze was full of another emotion, one the Akalaks rarely had turned full force upon on them. And while she'd never say it out loud, not in a hundred years, her eyes spoke volumes: Love.