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Post by Xarae on May 25, 2006 17:25:02 GMT -5
A sleeping form lay sprawled next to the roaring falls, it was unimaginable that one could sleep so close to the loud pounding of water against stone, but she did it. Annika slept soundly, her spotted chest moving up and down the only indication she was a living, breathing, leaopard. The leopardess moaned softly in her world of dreams, rolling over onto her side. The rushing was insistant, and she clawed at her ears sleepily as if to ward it off.
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Post by Mini on May 25, 2006 17:33:40 GMT -5
"Why, if it isn't Annika." A form stood nearby, in a vale of shadows. He stayed just out of site in the she-leopard's dreams. His expression let nothing on, but then again, he didn't have to be careful with this one. As Rikuanu had told him, her warnings never had to come through him to the healers. They could find out on their own from the Stone. "I've missed you." Rift's tone was soothing, and he carefully used his powers to quiet the roar of the waterfall, and he stepped out of the shadows, his coat shimmering almost spectrally in the light filtering through the trees.
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Post by Xarae on May 25, 2006 17:43:10 GMT -5
"Mmmm..." She sighed, her eyes still closed. She knew this voice, she had seen him often enough. What would the others think...if they knew I had fallen from grace...only to fall into the paws of Rift... She thought, smiling idly. She was still sleeping, for if she didn't she would not be able to see her Rift. She had not seen him yet without her eyes closed, as odd enough as that sounded. "Long time no see..." Her delicate voice came out in a soft tone, a tone she used rarely. The silvery spotted leopardess smiled faintly at the ghost of a tiger-leopard.
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Post by Mini on May 25, 2006 18:03:02 GMT -5
"Too long," he agreed, stepping forward and sitting down next to Annika. He bent down and softly caressed the top of her head with his tongue, something he rarely did, ever for this she-leopard. He rarely appeared when the lynxes, tiger, and leopards of the land were awake, but Annika was special. "I won't be gone if you wake up, you know," he murmered into her ear, the stripes under his eyes making the pale emeral orbs seem darker than they really were.
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Post by Xarae on May 25, 2006 18:08:30 GMT -5
She blinked open a signle bright baby blue eye, the eye that had proven her a healer when she was a cub, but she was an unfortunate one. Her mentor, the healer before her, had died only a year after her training had begun, thrusting her into the positon most cats prepared their whole lives for at the tender age of four years. Her other yellow-gold eye opened as well, and she sat up. She was thoroughly intrigued by this new level in their meetings. They had been able to touch before, but most had only seen this tiger-leopard for barely more than a second, as he warned them of their future. She supposed she was special, maybe because she was a healer, maybe otherwise. She didn't quite care at the moment. She smiled up at Rift, for her towered above her. She was small for her age, being only about the size of a full grown wolf when others were almost the size of a large irish wolf hound. She didn't mind her small size, though it did make her feel intimidated by some, Rift being one of them. She shrank back from his shadow until she was sitting a few feet away from the larger cat, still smiling however.
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Post by Mini on May 25, 2006 18:17:56 GMT -5
"Do not worry," He said carefully, laying down. His claws, almost the size of an eagle's talon, dug into the near frozen earth beneath them, because, for reasons unknown, he was unable to retract them. Not that he would ever use them to hurt one of Rikuanu's children. He lay his head on his paws, watching Annika. "You are special, Annika, as you can..well...see, considering you can see me, yet you are not asleep."
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Post by Xarae on May 25, 2006 18:28:17 GMT -5
"No, I am not afraid." She said bravely, stepping forward toward the larger cat that was almost five times as large as she. The she-cat laid down next to him, purring faintly and laid her head on her paws. Her black tipped ears twitched faintly as she smirked up at him. "I thought that was just because I happened to be able to heal other cats and control snow and ice...oh and it might have something to do with the fact that I have nine lives and share dreams with Rikuanu." She said deviously.
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Post by Mini on May 25, 2006 18:32:10 GMT -5
Rift looked amused. "Well, that does have something to do with it. But other than that, well, you've been Rikuanu's and my favorite of this generation of healers. And not just because of the fact that, while you're young, you're still strong and later in your life, may be one of the best healers the Tundra has seen in a long time," Rift said, stopping his speech adruptly and looking away, slightly embarassed.
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Post by Xarae on May 25, 2006 18:37:15 GMT -5
Her purr turned into a soft rumbling in her chest. "Really now?" She asked, arching her eye brows. This certainly piqued her interest. She knew she wasn't a bad healer, but not an amazing one either. She was some where between the two, and she was fine with that, but, the favorite of the generation? Now that surprised her. She giggled quietly, "Heh, you're not too bad of a what-ever-you-are yourself." She said, nuding his neck.
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Post by Mini on May 25, 2006 18:42:09 GMT -5
"I'm a Teopard, a cross between a leopard and tiger," he said, licking her ear carefully. Being immortal and all, he was not used to this, but then again, he was also wary of what Rikuanu would think of this...he shivered suddenly, thinking of just what she would think. But he put the thought out of his mind, and concentrated on the she-leopard beside him.
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Post by Xarae on May 26, 2006 14:31:14 GMT -5
Gently she smiled, but almost instantly she stiffened as she thought of the same thing as him. Messengers of Rikuanu were forbidden to have mates, or even develope an affection for those on the earth. But somehow, they had seemed thrown together by fate, the shady and mysterious Rift with the blunt, outgoing, and yet somehow withdrawn Annika. "Teopard, eh?" She said softly, loosening up slightly, she even began to purr again, but the thoughts still lurked in her mind. Will she get revenge on him by...killing me? She thought worriedly, Rikuanu was known to be a vengeful goddess.
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Post by Mini on May 29, 2006 16:36:15 GMT -5
Rift grinned, "Don't ask about the name. Apparently I'm the only one in existence," he said, faking a sigh. A soft purr rose up from his chest, almost sounding exactly like the roll of thunder, only not as loud. He lowered his stiped muzzle and gently licked the she-leopard's ear, his purr growing slightly louder. He shoved all thoughts of Rikuanu's revenge to the back of his mind, focusing on the beautiful leopardess beside him.
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Post by Xarae on May 29, 2006 16:42:30 GMT -5
She smirked, "You do realize this love of ours is forbidden? But...who said we have to tell anybody." She said softly, rolling over to expose her stomach to him. "But...we have yet to call ourselves anything either, what are we? Secret lovers?" She giggled, but then grew seriously. "Or are you willing to keep me as your mate?" She whispered, her eyes clouding over. If said yes, it would be wonderful, but it would also put them in a lot of danger...but love sometimes did that, and she was willing to take the risk. "Rift...I..love you..really..really I do." She murmured, her pupils dilating and undilating as she tried to focus the thoughts cluttering her mind.
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Post by Mini on May 29, 2006 16:55:50 GMT -5
Rift pay a paw over Annika's stomach, grooming her chest. "I will take you as my mate, but I won't mention it to anybody, not even Rikuanu," he murmered, his seafoam green eyes watching her face, a gentle smile playing on his muzzle. "I love you as well," he said, nuzzling her chin, pulling her closer with his paw.
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Post by Xarae on May 29, 2006 17:03:41 GMT -5
She flung herself into the Teopard's chest, knocking him back with the element of surprise. She giggled as she had him pinned, rolling this way and that with him like they cubs. Finally they came to a stop, she was on the bottom of the pile now. "I love you..." She said wispily, licking his ear. "Always.." She murmured.
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