Day 16, Season Fall, 513 AV
If Rinya thought her exhaustion was bad, she was surprised that Jorin was capable of being alert at all. As he lost steam from the kiss as well, he couldn’t even put up a fight against her. Not that she really expected him to. He wasn’t in any shape to argue about it. But somehow he managed a smile and Rinya just smirked back. He appeared to barely be keeping it together. Rinya was about to slide from the bed when his hand caught her arm and pulled gently.
"Don't go just yet,"
Rinya blinked but didn’t resist as Jorin pulled her up next to him. Originally she wasn’t intending to stay the night and it crossed her mind at some point someone was bound to check in on him and discover her. Honestly though she didn’t want to leave him. So she slipped under the covers and rested her face against his shoulder. With Jorin finally settled, Rinya let herself drift off as well.
- - - - - - -
Rinya woke feeling drowsy. Her eyes caught sight of the window, and it looked to be just before dawn. The colors outside were grey, just before the sun touched them. Rinya suppressed a groan. It was far too early. But she woke feeling like someone was watching her. Lifting her face a little to look at Jorin, he was still sleeping peacefully. He looked younger somehow—and just as handsome. Rinya could feel the smile creeping up on her face. She was actually completely at ease being curled into his side. It would be an easy habit to form if she let herself.
But the feeling of eyes hadn’t left her yet. Glancing up over her shoulder Rinya had to practically swallow her tongue in order to keep herself from yelping. Apparently one of Jorin’s nurses had finally showed up to check on him. And judging by the aged weathered face—she was not pleased to find a girl in his bed either. Carefully, Rinya slid out from under Jorin’s arm, making sure she didn’t jostle him. But he slept on and Rinya approached the nurse at the end of his bed.
”You shouldn’t be here young lady.” The woman didn’t have to yell for Rinya to feel sheepish, the whisper sounded harsh to her ears. She had thought she would sleep a few hours and then wake and walk home. She hadn’t guessed that sleeping next to Jorin would be so… natural.
”I’m sorry. I’ll go now. Just give me a moment—please?” Rinya pleaded quietly and the nurse gave her a hard glare, but nodded and left the room. Biting her bottom lip, Rinya looked back at Jorin. After yesterday, everything still left her exhausted but incredibly happy. Tilting her head a little, Rinya slinked over to his side and as lightly as she could ran her fingers through his hair.
Before Rinya had fallen asleep, a thought had crossed her mind. At the time she had been too tired to really decide, but since she wasn’t going to be here when he woke it certainly seemed like a good idea now. Jorin had loved that blue feather she had given him even though it didn’t even come from her. By now who knew where that feather was. She had no idea if Farline actually lost it, or just continued to toy with Jorin because she could.
Pulling her dress over her head, she placed it neatly on top of his clothing before pulling his pack open wide. Closing her eyes Rinya shifted into her hawk form, ruffling her feathers slightly to settle them before she spread out her left wing. Her primary flight feathers rested in their neatly arranged row. They all were in excellent shape; she tended to them regularly to ensure it. But this was the first time Rinya was going to do this for anything other than preening… probably the only time actually.
Sighing inwardly, Rinya decided the very first feather would be easiest to fly without. Feathers missing further down would leave too much of a gap in her wingspan and make flying harder. Regardless Rinya knew this was going to hurt. Nuzzling her beak beneath her feathers, she got as close to the shaft of the feather as she could and pulled. For a moment Rinya thought the feather would break before pulling free from her skin, but it finally ripped free. Rinya barely contained the painful squeak trying to pull free from her beak and hopped around across the floor in an attempt to relieve the pain. Anyone who had been watching probably would have thought it hilarious to watch her hop and flap on the floor like she did.
She was a little surprised actually that all the shuffling of her feathers didn’t wake Jorin, but he seemed to sleep without even shifting in the slightest. As the pain started to subside, Rinya hopped over to his pack and carefully slipped the feather inside. With a little effort she even managed to close it.
Hopping up with a light push of feathers to the window sill, Rinya took one last look at Jorin sleeping. Just as the door opened to his room, Rinya slipped out his window intent for home—she was going to sleep for at least half the day, then eat everything in sight.
And then make another visit to her injured mate resting in the medical center.
Please delete your post with this thread link in the Riverfall grade request thread and, as ever, feel free to PM me with any questions or concerns.
