Closed First a Read, then a Walk

[Matthew]

One day he would be able to travel. That would be the day when he decided on his craft, and also the day when he likely learned more about brushing your teeth with a root. All in all, it really would give the same effect as the paste he was used to. The root could mix with saliva and would likely create a paste of its own on the teeth. What a novel idea. Could it be done with any root, or was there a specific root? Already the student was taking a moment to glance around at the various roots, sizing them up for potential usage in daily oral care. His look didn't change when she talked a bit more about his... issue, if you could call it that. He couldn't imagine feeling with every inch of his body. The thought made his stomach churn a bit. He wasn't sure if he was actually sickened, or just scared of the idea. "Detached is a good word for it. I don't think I have had any trauma, though. One day I just changed. Something clicked in my brain and then it was different. My family is normal, my upbringing was caring. I am sure one day I will find out the reason. I like to know things." Out of everything in the world, his own logical sense of detachment was the most familiar and the most casual. It was a simple matter, and while others were surprised because of it or sometimes extremely curious about it, he was just matter-of-fact. And anyways, he had too much to focus on right now. He was fairly amazed that she was able to carry conversation so fluently while on their beast of transport, but then again she seemed completely at ease. Perhaps even more at ease than she had been while sitting in the chair back at the library. Nipping on his lower lip repeatedly, Matthew just focused on the task of keeping his body from taking over. He had to let the horse move and just let his body move naturally with the horse for now. Thankfully, she soon distracted him with a topic that was currently his passion, even if such passion was likely different than others. It was his topic of study, and she spoke intelligently of it. "Yes, I would. In theory, I would need to intimately examine their reproductive system, fluids, and how they mate. I would also need to examine who they mated with, and examine the fluids of who they mate with. I would need to find out the variables, if mating with one race gives a better chance than mating with another mate. I suppose if we use your example of horses, perhaps it is like breeding horses to find out which gives the best offspring? If possible, it'd be best to do the same with these Akalak. While the end result would be to find a cure, the paper will detail the method that one would use to go about finding this cure. I have drafted it, just a little. I will have a better draft in the future, when I can sit down, study, and combine notes. As you noted, it is a bit hard without any actual subject to study." He paused a moment, blue eyes glancing to the side. "Perhaps the paper could focus on that. A theorectical research center for finding an Akalak cure." He paused again, his head tilting, eyes going a bit distant. She had said so much in one breath that he was having trouble answering all of it. "But you are right, it could be a million different things. But that means out of that million, there is one correct answer. All you have to do is go over every single possibility. And if they wouldn't let a healer look at them... then if the problem is as bad as I have heard, then they'll eventually face extinction. I feel that it would be a better choice just to let a healer look." He didn't comment on the shovel penis idea, but not out of disregard. He was just busy turning over the concept in his head. It seemed like something of a farmer's tale. The student felt like any deposited seed would be way too deep to push out. Perhaps if the shovel was put to use immediately after the previous horse had been given a turn. He wasn't quite sure. She was glancing at him. Did he have something on his face? No, she was looking for something. He had no idea what. The horse was turning, and every turn pushed all thoughts from Matthew's head besides the singular thought of staying balanced on the steed. Then for a moment they were in the air, and the poor Konti would immediately be subjected to Matthew tensing against her and squeezing around her. While the sudden flexing of his body was perhaps nice to the touch, the arms quickly grew very tight. He soon realized his mistake though, letting out a breath of air and loosening his arms quickly. Kavala practiced her kissing on a horse. Well, no, wait. She just kissed the horse. There were multiple types of kissing. His question had been too vague. "Ah, well, since your brothers are not here, we will have to make time to practice kissing then." He wasn't trying to flirt, and the matter-of-fact tone betrayed that. At the same time though, he was wonderfully innocent and open to such things. A kiss was a kiss and nothing more. He was perhaps the perfect partner for practice, seeing as he wouldn't throw in any added complications. Okay, so. There were the cats, but the horse didn't seem bothered so Matthew shouldn't be bothered. The student nodded at this little lesson, eyes focused on the felines but ears focused on Kavala. Of course there were poisonous fish. When the water got deep and dark, Matthew was positive underwater creatures gathered. He awkwardly slid off the horse, making the graceful show of slowly sliding his body over the side of the horse and feeling around with the tips of his boots until he found ground. Once he had found solid earth he very slowly settled on it, then nodded and took the tools from Kavala. He had no idea how to use them. Wait, no, he could figure it out. Trowel to expose the root or stem, clippers to clip it. Simple enough, right? Some of these Herbalism basics he could figure out on his own, he decided. Basic of the basics. He stepped toward the cats slowly, moving gracefully and smoothly. When he was halfway there one slowly rose, stretching and yawning, and then plodding towards him. The student paused, blue stare sharpening as the feline approached. Sharp teeth. Muscled body. Predator. I'm prey. Can leap, bite, slash, tackle, as well as several additional manuevers. Much better shape than me. Much bigger than me. Find weakness. Weakness. Find weakness. Weaknessweaknessweaknessweakness. No information. No weakness. Options? Attack with trowel. Outcome? Death by angered feline. Run? Death by amused feline. The cat touched to the frozen Matthew and then quickly wrapped around him like a house cat would, actually letting out a deep-throated purr. The young student blinked, slowly lowering a hand, gently patting the coiling cat. It purred even louder, lifting a paw to push against Matthew in a sign of affection. Matthew stumbled a bit, but towards the herbs. Bending down to begin clearing dirt from his prize, which had flowers that matched the description of what they were looking for, one or two other cats came to purr and demand Matthew's attention. His voice called out, the distant calmness now slightly amusing considering the circumstances. "Not to bother you, but I could I borrow you for a moment? They keep knocking me over."

[Kavala]

If Kavala had heard Matthew’s fancy thoughts on Drykas dental care, she would have chuckled at his overly intelligent notions. But if he asked her to explain further, she could have set him straight. The Drykas were neither fancy nor advanced and in contrast to the Konti culture and the people she’d met in other cities. They were downright primitive. But the upbringing had taught Kavala she didn’t need to be wealthy to have what she needed in life. And she didn’t need a lot in life to be happy. Both were important lessons.

He spoke again of the Akalak problem, something Kavala had heard of but knew really nothing else about. Matthew talked of what-ifs and Kavala had to smile at his intelligence and his ability to dissect a problem. She didn’t comment on how unlikely it would be to get to be able to examine such things, because it was his dream and his goal and nothing she knew enough about to comment on. But she did have ideas for him.

“Maybe the healers there keep birth records and death records… something you could go through and use mathmatics to .. find some of those answers too. Especially if the records of death had cause of death, maybe you could ferret out how many died in childbirth, ages, races, etc. There’s a lot numbers can tell us. I didn’t realize it was so until I took some classes here on math to help with my medicine. First it was just to learn weights and measures, something the Drykas don’t care a lot about. Some dosages require you to understand how heavy things are and what volumes and measures are all about. It seems you could use math as a tool as well for your study work.” Kavala suggested, leaving it at that. She didn’t know the first thing about how to define such things, but it seemed to her it could be possible.

Kavala liked talking to the man. He hadn’t gotten offended at anything she said so far, and their conversation was far more interesting to her than anything she’d find at home for certain. But at his comment about kissing, she flushed deeply and started to open her mouth to speak, but then said nothing. What could she say? She liked the idea so she offered him a smile and a nod, but only so he didn’t think she was close minded about it… she wasn’t. She just hadn’t had time to think about it much.

Had she known that was why he hadn’t commented on the idea that horses caught from the last stallion that bred them because of the shape of their penis’, she’d have laughed because that was so like her to do too. She got quiet when she was thinking, not working things out verbally like some did. Instead she turned them over in her mind and thought quite a bit about something before she made a decision or offered an opinion.

The fact that he didn’t make a pass at her, he didn’t flirt, didn’t take her hand or try to kiss her immediately left her reassured that it was just… investigation and study to him as well.

Kavala laughed and nodded when the cats ambushed Matthew. She could hear them a little, not thoughts, but feelings. The Konti waded into the mass of animals and gracefully took a seat, reaching her hands out and offering to stroke the creatures. They coiled around her and bathed her conscious in their feelings, pleasure at touch, pleasure at attention, pleasure at the sun and the sky and the company of each other. Kavala laid back and let them swarm her, feeling a part of them suddenly, like she could shed her skin and be a cat herself. She stroked backs, gently pulled tails, rubbed a belly here and there, and turned her head to bump one gently with her skull. She let out a half purr herself and started to speak low and slowly, her voice mimicking the sounds the felines were making.

“When I first came here I was normal, Matthew. But the longer you stay the more this place affects you. It will happen to you too. You can’t avoid it. I can feel these animals like their feelings were my own sometimes. Its still raw, new… but even Windsong’s thoughts and feelings weren’t as clear to me when we were in Endrykas as they are now. I feel like I understand them… and even know when they are hurting. Like this one… has an ache in its tail. I can feel it.. from an old break where the bones have fused.” She stroked the tail several times, her hand glowing slightly from Rak’Keli’s gift, soothing the ache. She was so at ease with the creatures, with her horse, and with the wilds. It was the people she was slightly afraid of, awkward among, and knowing nothing about.

"Have you felt any different?" She asked curiously.

Kavala’s world in the Sea of Grass had been a narrow one. She was glad to be here in Mura expanding it. And she felt safe with Matthew, who’s mind worked through sharp angles and with keen intellect, not that she understood him or kept up… but it was something that was different than the people she’d been with and raised among.

“Is that the right flower?” She called out, sitting up slightly after the cats had settled about her, still playful but less in a frenzy of new found attention. The Konti was slightly flushed, with a bit of tangled grass in her hair. It would be obvious to the casual observer now why the girl looked not exactly dirty but often unkept. She gave no thought to her appearance, her upkeep, and decidedly wasn’t afraid of getting dirty or confronting the natives. She carefully rolled to her side, propped her head up on her elbow and looked relaxed. A cat purred and jumped up on her hip, and the Konti stroked it absently with her free hand.

“We have hunting cats back home.. big things that can chase down deer and run as fast as horses… though not for as long. I miss them. I never thought I’d miss home, but I do sometimes. New places are exciting, but as much as I thought I’d fit in here, I don’t.” She said abruptly, out of the blue as if she was confessing to a higher power than herself. “Do you ever feel that way, Matthew? Estranged?” She asked, her eyes seeking his progress on digging out the plant and making the final determination.

In the distance, Windsong grazed casually. Kavala glanced at him occasionally, using the horse for more of a guard dog than transportation at the moment.

[Matthew]

"Records. That is a good idea. Thank you for mentioning that, I hadn't thought of it." He was also the type to readily admit to his shortcomings and mistakes. What better chance would there be for him to learn and improve? He made a mental note to work on both his mathmatics skills and his reading skills so that he would be able to process such records with his own intellect, if they were at all publically available. Even if they weren't, perhaps they would release a small sample for him so he at least knew a little bit more about the race than he currently did. Brilliant or not, he still needed some form of data. Medical records would be excellent. Excitement welled up, distant as it was. "Thank you very much." His gratitude spilled out again, the impact no doubt lessened by his ever-so passive tone, but still as genuine as it would be if it had the correct tone behind it. "Mathematics is actually something I was personally interesting in, as I enjoy such logical problems. I hadn't thought of relating it to my research in medicine, however. That is a good idea. Thank you." He had repeated his thanks three times now. That was probably more than enough. If he noticed the flush of her cheeks he didn't let on. For having studied seduction and flirtation in his own private time, he was still horribly clueless about certain physical clues that could represent lust or a certain level of want, or even just a certain level of embarassment at his boldness. It all completely went over his head. Sometimes that was a good thing, no doubt it would be a bad thing for his career in the future. He was aware of the weakness though and would no doubt do something to fix it. So he hoped. Sometimes he wondered if his logical thought process to the whole 'seduction' idea was a weakness as well. To him, it would be a business and a puzzle and nothing more. Did people look for something more when they purchased a whore? Would he ever be able to offer that something, or at least satisfy that desire? Intimacy, love, and all the other emotions that could come with the act of sex... was he supposed to offer those as well? To him, a kiss was a kiss. As long as he was clear with whatever partner he had, then wouldn't a kiss just be a kiss for them as well? Kavala seemed to agree and understand this. Hopefully it would be the same thing for others that he encountered in the future. He appreciated how she handled his way of thinking and readily accepted it. The Konti soon came to save him from the affectionate cats, the young student breathing a sigh of relief as most of the creatures left him and moved over to her. He was no longer afraid of them, it had now just come down to the fact that they got in the way of his work. He wasn't much of an animal person or a children person, mostly because of those reasons. They were talkative and affectionate, even when Matthew didn't return their feelings. While he scraped and cleared dirt away from the herbs though, it was easy to notice it was very different with Kavala. She seemed to be a part of their herd, touching and caressing, even making noises that seemed to resonate with them in some way. He was impressed with the skill, and part of him wanted to be able to learn it. At the same time, it also seemed like one of those skills that would require genuine passion for the art. He wasn't sure that was something that could be mimicked. He slowly worked the tool Kavala had given him around the herb, following a long and twisting trail of small brown roots. It was hard to loosen the dirt from the plant without destroying any part of it, but slow and steady won the race. Sometimes he had to reach down and tug at the dirt with his fingers, but he wasn't opposed to getting dirty. He was just opposed to staying dirty. The steady and methodical work eventually grew somewhat relaxing, the student finding it easier to focus on and keep up with Kavala's words. "Different...? No. Sometimes a bit unsettled for no reason... perhaps that has something to do with it. I work in a perfume shop to help support myself on my vacations here, and the owner there has mentioned it once or twice. I never gave it much thought, really." His eyes grew distant for a moment as he pondered over this. It hadn't been brought up all that much so he hadn't really considered it, but now... he stared into the dirt as he dug, half of his mind wandering as the other half continued to focus on Kavala. He absentmindedly nodded, managing to free one of the flowers and the associated roots to lift up and show her. Serrated leaves, some with spikes that have clusters of the tiny gold flowers. That, and the smell. He was just now noticing the smell. It smelled good, almost like dirt did after a fresh rain had passed over it. Very pure. After a few more chimes he managed to free about three or four of the herbs. He had to use his fingers a bit more to free most of the dirt from around the twisting roots, exposing most of the appearance of what he thought was the correct herb. He looked questioningly at Kavala, silently asking if she thought it would be enough. He wasn't even sure if he had done it right. He had just referenced earlier years of when his mother had asked him to harvest potatoes from their personal garden. The basic concept was the same, right? Gracefully standing and taking a moment to pat dirt from where he could, he then went over to the nearby pool of water. Inspecting it for a short tick with intense blue eyes, he then dipped his hands in the water and washed them clean. Next were the herbs, their roots rinsed to further free them of dirt. Her tool was soon rinsed as well, then dried and offered back to her as he approached. The herbs were also set nearby for her inspection, Kavala's wisdom trusted with the matter. "Hm. No. I know I am different, and I know that is usually something that will make people feel estranged. However, some part of me accepts it. It feels very natural. My thoughts are all logical, and logic dictates that it doesn't matter what other people think about how I am. It doesn't change anything. It is simply the way it is. Take yourself, for instance. You may not feel you fit in here, but I feel you do. To me, you seem a natural part of this place. A comfortable part. It is all relative." His words were careful and slow, Matthew taking his time to think about the philosophies he was spouting. Sometimes he had a habit of making things just a tad too wordy and complex. "What do you think of the herbs? Should we search for more, or would you rather adventure into some other sort of situation while we are out here? There is certainly plenty to do, I am sure. It would be the least I could do for you after you kindly provided me with transportation. If anything, there are plenty of other supplies I could learn to gather while I am here. Beeswax, for instance." He stood next to her, eyes staring down as he clasped his hands behind his back and stood in a somewhat formal pose. One of the cats rubbed against his knee, causing him to blink. He still didn't move though.

[Kavala]

The Konti was just having fun being out… out from under the knowing eyes of her instructors… out from behind the walls and strange structures of Mura… out from under the thumbs of her relatives. There was a freedom in wandering with the stranger on a mission to locate and claim a plant that he was interested in. Seeing the cats was a bonus. Getting a promise to have someone to practice kissing with was also a perk. She was just happy in the moment, living like something alive should, with no past to worry about and no future to fret over. For the Konti, there was just the here and now. The Drykas were notorious for living fast, hard, and taking chances because for them life was short. Alive today, gone tomorrow, they enjoyed the here and now in a way that was unlike most everyone else.

And the company wasn’t half bad either. Matthew was good to look at, even if his personality was a bit stiff and strange. He was as serious as the day was long, and though that wasn’t off-putting to the Konti, it made him seem all that more of a stranger to her. She could tell he was a long term thinker, planner, and plotter. But would he live that long? She wasn’t sure, and even as she studied him she wondered how he’d do in a fight. Matthew looked good, but he lacked the strength and hardness of a warrior that would give him, at least in her eyes, physical perfection. Now he was only a pretty clean young man. But with some training… a few hours a day with his thighs wrapped around a horse… he’d be something truly special.

And polite too. He seemed to always thank her for her suggestions, which confused her because they were just talking. But again, Matthew was a serious person, one who took his interests very personally. She wondered what he would be like if he channeled some of the energy and drive he had into his emotions as well. Her father had always told her that true knowledge came from all aspects of a person – their mind, their experiences, their feelings. In a way, it was like he was perfect in one aspect, gaining experience, and utterly broken in another way. It was too bad too. She would have enjoyed seeing him smile with pleasure at finding the plant they were seeking.

The Konti sighed, watching him root around in the dirt, carefully extracting the plant he sought to free it from the soil. She sat up, gently disengaging herself from the pride mentality the cats exhibited and stood up to stretch. She ignored the dust and dirt on her, the leaves in her hair, and only gave her rump a cursory brush to remove any grime it had accumulated.

She accepted the tool back with a thanks and then examined the plants he left her, sure they were the ones they had been looking for. She held the poor things in her hands and gave him a look that might be readable and might not be readable. It was a quick flash of almost annoyance or anger, one that was brief across her face. Then her features softened, as if inside she realized he might not know what he needed to really know, and that had in turn caused her to not be as upset as she normally would be. Ignorance did not merit anger. Blatant disrespect did. But Matthew wasn’t disrespectful of the world, of Life, but just ignorant of it she decided, having told her he was city born and raised.

She waited for him to finish speaking, listening to what he had to say, then she’d given him the next lesson that was important for him to learn. And truth be told, she was slightly honored to teach him. Growing up inside walls limited a person, and the older Kavala grew the more she understood that. She pitied, in fact, some of the people that never traveled much and when they did so only on carefully carved out roads.

And selfishly, she was glad he felt different too.

It startled her too that he claimed he was so logical, less emotional, and decided she’d ask him why later… when the time was right. It also surprised her that he thought she fit in here. Was it because of her scales and pale skin? Her heart didn’t belong on Mura, not at all, but blowing with the wind on the back of a horse. She didn’t comment about it though. She’d save that for another time… now though, there was Matthew’s first and most important herb gathering lesson to attend too.

“Before you gather another herb you need to know a few things. I think we should have Windsong teach you.” Kavala said, gently placing the herbs he’d gathered into a soft piece of cloth and handing them back to him all rolled up. She reached out, her eyes asking permission, and took his hand if he allowed her. Then she’d gently lead him over to where her horse grazed quietly, and squatted down comfortably, rump resting on her heels. She released his hand and began to quietly speak.

“Watch him eat. A horse or any other grazing animal that takes nutrition from the greens around them does so in a very specific way. Humans are the only animal that doesn’t seem to get it when they are born. All these others understand. Watch… see how he takes a sort of nibble here, and a delicate bite there and always moves? His nose is sweeping back and forth against the grass and herbs hes feeding on and doesn’t linger ever. He never takes a whole plant. Why? Tomorrow he will have to eat again. Those plants in that cloth are never going to live again. You wasted their lives. As a healer and herbalist, it is your responsibility to take from the world like the animals do so that the world can be sustained. Had you wanted them for cultivation in your own greenhouse or home, then you’d have needed to take them in their native soil, in a big clump with their roots and all. That is okay too. But if you are harvesting, Matthew, you must harvest responsibly. You’ve left nothing to grow back on that very site for others to use. If a plant has five leaves, taken only one or two, then move to the next one. If you need a stem, take a plant with a lot of stems and thin down the healthy, leaving the weak alone. Move often, taking, only a bit from each living thing until you have the harvest you need. Then you have the plants there next time you need them… and because they will be there the next time a horse or deer or rabbit does.” She said, then rose, moving back to the water where he’d washed his hands.

She urged him to join her, as she began to point out a few things. “See these bushes along the stream? See how tall they grow? They grow tall because things moving up and down the water, or the water itself, trims their width causing their height to grow. You can find these same berries… serviceberry I think.. along that windy ridge there. See how thick they are, though not tall? It’s because the wind sheers off their tops as it comes over the ridge, but that just causes them to get more fully. Here, lets take this plant for example.” Kavala said, moving on from her pointing out the rows of berries along the stream and ridge to an unassuming plant she wasn’t sure of standing by itself in the grass.

“Plants have magic to them. It might be chemical or it might be the soul responding. But as herbalists we can shape plants and encourage their growth in numerous ways.” Kavala said, repeating from an earlier lecture she’d had in some of her first herbalism classes in Mura.

“This is … I don’t actually know what type of plant this is.” She admitted with a chuckle, then gesture. It was a bushy green thing, almost resembling an ornamental flower, that was about twenty inches across for the whole of the bushy plant and about twenty inches tall. It was growing off by itself, but there were others of its kind scattered around the hillside. The leaves were palmate, and the flowers were round white heads that resembled tiny snowballs. Kavala ran her hands across the plant and smiled.

“Plants react to how we prune them. If you were to take off the first couple of inches of each of this plant’s stems, it would get fuller, thicker… like the serviceberry on the ridge. If you were to groom the inside of the secondary stems, it would get taller, like the serviceberry by the water. They all react like this. They grow how they think they can best manage. So when you harvest, walk… move, think of these things. Let me show you.” Kavala said, rising again, leaving the little unnamed plant and moving.

She opened a pouch and spotted more clusters of the plant he wanted. She broke off a stem here, a flower there, a leaf there… moving, never doing too much damage to one plant. She circled around repeatedly until she had her little pouch full of the stuff. Then she returned to him.

“If you want the roots, you do the same thing, but take only one root, one cluster, one bulb and leave the rest, patting the soil carefully back around where you harvested. Do you see?” She knew he did, even as she mimicked digging into the soil, exposing a bit of root, taking it and replacing the soil. City eyes were blind to things in the wilds just like wild eyes were blind to things in the city that city eyes could see readily.

Then she smiled after giving him time to process what she’d said and take the lesson to heart if he was going too.

“I know nothing of bees or where to get beeswax… I could learn though if you wanted. I’m up for just about anything and can help. I know bees sting, but I’m not afraid of them or anything. Ultimately though I want a swim and I wanted to get some of the kelp to dry down at one of the coves outside of Mura. Someone said it tasted delicious and I tried it. It was wonderful and I’d like to have my own supply. So… if we’ve anymore plants to gather up here, let us do so, then eventually or even go now to work our way down for a swim.” She said, offering her own suggestion in to the mix.

Kavala wondered if Matthew swam with clothing on or didn’t mind shucking his like most of the Konti women in Mura. Clothing seemed to be optional at the best of times and learning to adapt to that as a Drykas had been one of her hardest first lessons when she arrived. Now, she was used to it, but not so used to seeing men in all their natural glory. The thought caused her to warm slightly, her cheeks darkening with a slight flush of pink, but still… he’d suggested practicing kissing, and where better to do that than in the water.

[Matthew]

The look of annoyed anger was seen but not understood. The only reaction she managed to tug from his was the slightest furrowing of his brow, the bright blue of his eyes searching hers as he tried to understand the emotion that had danced across her gaze. His lips slightly parted as if to inquire, but then his teeth simply dug into his lower lip as he tried to figure it out for himself. Thankfully her features soon softened back to a more normal sort, something he could process. He stepped forward and gave a nod as she informed him that there was more to learn. He firmly believed that there was always more to learn. How else would someone survive the mundane cycle of everyday life if not for the new knowledge to be gained? He took the offered package of herbs with one hand and accepted her extended hand with his other, cool damp fingers briefly entwining with her own as she led him to the horse. That was right, the horse had a name. Windsong. The horse was going to be the one to teach him? This puzzled him, but he followed her directions faithfully. She knew the topic more than he did. If she said the horse was the best one to teach him a lesson, then he would obediently become a pupil of the beast. Letting her hand slip from his, he focused on the horse and let Kavala's words wash over him. Watch the beast. Watch him eat, soak it in. Nibble here, nibble there. Leaving the plants to live again? He furrowed his brow deeper than before, obviously struggling with some part of the concept. Plants could grow back, he knew that much. He had just never really actually looked into how they went about that task. Staring at the bundle of cloth in his hands and then back to her, the gears obviously turning in his mind. He rose and followed her as she guided and direction, eyes following to where her finger pointed. A mental note was made for the Serviceberry and the appearance, as well as how the wind effected them. Another mental note was made when it came to the unassuming plant and the berries, mentally writing down the idea that all the plants had magic. It was slowly starting to come together for him. Take the root and you take the whole plant, never to return. Shear off just the amount you need and it can replenish itself for later use. He hadn't thought of paying that sort of respect, but it made sense. It would allow nature to keep turning as it should and would only require a little extra work on his part. The plant that she was unfamiliar with was especially noted so he could research it later. She was providing him with gifted knowledge, and if at all possible, he would like to do the same. After she had finished her lesson he gave a slow nod, his gaze flickering as the thoughts behind them churned madly. He repeated her lesson in a simple summary, voicing it to let her know that he felt he understood. "They replace whatever is done to them. However, if too much is done, they simply die. Something like the rest of us, really." He mused it over, thoughtfully producing a rather interesting idea. He wasn't all logic, just mostly. "What about the herbs that I picked? Can they still be dried and put to proper use, at least? I do appreciate all of your teaching. Yours as well, Windsong." He held tightly to his herb package, also offering to take the pouch she had gathered herself. He turned his head to direct his thanks at Windsong, giving the beast a very serious look as he offered the words. He didn't hesitate as they moved on to the topic of beeswax. "The bees can wait for a future trip. How about we go for the swim now?" She had given him such a large amount of information in a short time and he wanted a few peaceful moments to think it over and fully absorb his new knowledge. If they tried to gather the beeswax now, it would just be that much more information to assess. "If you know a pool that you can get your kelp from, then please lead the way." Now that he was familiar with the horse, he would be much quicker to take the leap required to get onto it. That look of fear was still in his eyes and it took a bit to get himself to relax, but at least he didn't linger before. He would wait for Kavala to get on before mounting it himself, once again pressing his slim figure snugly to her. His boldness once again came to the fore, a casual sort of confidence or perhaps just a lack of sly thoughts that allowed him to move with ease. This time however, there was the smallest of differences. Instead of wrapping an arm or two around her waist, he instead placed his palms and spread fingers over the curve of each of her hips. He had noticed the slight blush this time around, and with that came the curiosity of what his private studies had gained him thus far. That, and he also wanted to compare the movement of body to his own while they were riding along.

[Kavala]

Kavala made the jump from the ground to the stallion’s short back with relative ease. For her it was just a bounce, hands lightly tugging on Windsong’s long black mane, and landing on the point of her pelvis, rotating a hip and sliding a leg over. She shifted forward, letting her legs snug up against the yvas and then glancing at Matthew. He came up after her, his weight causing the stallion to shift slightly until the human slid his body into Kavala’s. The buckskin stallion snorted, danced slightly, as Kavala thought about where she wanted to go. She tossed her head not unlike her horse and Matthew could feel her close her left leg on the stallion’s flank while relaxing her right leg on him. It was as if she pushed his body one way gently. The stallion responded to the cues and danced away from the closed leg, moving right. The slim hips he held on to were moving fluidly beneath his grip. The Konti wasn’t shy, but it was obvious she’d ridden so many years that her actions were unconscious. Her lower body moved with the horse as if her hips came off his spine and was attached. She moved so that his shoulder blades swung freely in front of her, not getting in the way of his action. And because the front of his thighs was against the backs of hers, Matthew could tell that Kavala gripped the stallion with her upper legs, above her knees. She didn’t seem to utilize her lower legs at all, not unless she was giving him direction with her heels.

Leaning forward slightly, Kavala urged the stallion into another cantor. The cantor gave way to a full on gallop which caused the rest of the young healer’s hair to escape her braid and brush Matthew’s face with every stride. Joy radiated through the woman’s body in front of him. She loved this feeling, this freedom, and he could feel it with every inch of his body that was pressed against hers. And the truth be told she loved the company behind her too. She felt his hands grip her hips firmly and the feeling was slightly thrilling. Her pelvis was locked against his and he was learning fast, loosening up his body, moving with the horse, and making it easy for Windsong to carry two. Most horseman or horsemen that didn’t utilize reins, leaving their horse’s head free, had trouble knowing what to do with their hands. Kavala, however, didn’t seem to have that problem. She pulled out a contraption that resembled three weighted balls and kept it in her right hand, ready to spin and throw if she spotted something that was likely to be good to eat. The bola bounced happily alongside her right leg, occasionally knocking Matthew’s knee gently.

There were no trails where they had climbed too, perhaps save some slim little deer wanderings that maneuvered in and out of the timber. The horse didn’t seem to mind though. He cut across country, heading downhill mostly, bouncing across small streams, swerving to avoid trees, and generally heading back towards the coast. For someone who wasn’t used to riding, it would seem they were flying, covering a great deal of ground in a short distance. And effortlessly as well, for the horse didn’t seem winded much though the wind and the strange territory kept his head up and his eyes wide as he explored along with the two he carried.

Soon they passed down to the lowlands and into rolling meadows of flowers. The horse slowed there, snatching big thick chunks of grass as he moved; giving himself and his riders a chance to breathe now that they’d come down off the temperate slopes.

The meadows swept gently down to the shore, fringed with white vian trees that created an almost surreal atmosphere. To Kavala it looked like something she’d picture in an old story, not something that was a real place. Soon Windsong was walking, snorting out the pollen his nose had inadvertently picked up grabbing bites of tall grass and the pale white flowers that crowned some of the flowering plants in the meadows. She had to duck along with Matthew passing by and beneath some of the trees, but before long the horse’s soft muffled footfalls fell not on rich grass but on thick white sand. He moved closer to the water until he found a nice shade tree that overshadowed part of the beach. Underneath it was a particularly thick patch of deep sand. He shook then, stomped, and glanced back over his shoulder at Kavala. The Konti laughed, receiving the message loud and clear.

“He wants us off. He’s found the best place on the whole beach to roll and he’s about to do it with or without us.” Kavala said, swinging a leg up and pausing a moment before she slid off. She glanced back at her companion, regretting that they were at their destination. The ride for her had been… exciting. She had companionship, someone to talk too, someone to teach and learn from, and a warm hard masculine body at her back that she was unused to. It was all heady stuff for the young Konti. But she was a good girl, and obedient in many regards to her strider’s wishes. She followed through with the leg swing, dropped down on lightly on her feet, and stood beside the stallion. As soon as Matthew dismounted, she’d pull the yvas and blanket free, thus letting the horse loose on the beach. He’d roll then, moving over to sniff and circle the sand much like a hound would, until he found the perfect spot and got down to business.

With Windsong thus occupied, Kavala turned to Matthew. “It’s a lagoon. I’ve never been here to swim, but I have collected things from the shore. I’ve heard the other girls say it’s called Abalone Cove because there are abalone to find here… good to eat raw or cooked and with gorgeous shells. There’s a reef further out that protects the lagoon from big waves. This should be a good place to swim. Are you up for it?” She asked.

She was, and as he answered, she was busy removing her things. Kavala squatted down on the sand, sat on her rump abruptly, and then yanked off first one riding boot then the other. She shook them out and stood them up in the sand so that the various creepy crawlies would have a very difficult time trying to crawl into her boots. Then she peeled off her tight leather pants, her slightly dirty shirt, and turned to look at the sand, totally at ease in nothing but her bare skin. Like all Drykas, she wore no underthings. Fabric was rare to the Drykas and precious, so they wore it to protect themselves not for vanity or hygiene. Standing in the sun there was nothing to hide Kavala’s form. She was slim, lithe, but muscled in the thighs, calves and upper arms. Her torso was delicate like one would expect of a Konti and without any excess flesh. The small of her back had elaborate designs tattooed on it – wind marks for those in the know – which bespoke of her bond to Windsong and an older horse before its death. On her upper leg was a Rak’keli mark, a single winged serpent twining around itself. Otherwise her skin was flawless. Like all Konti, she was without hair other than what spilled from her head down her back to cover her curved bottom. Intricate scales twined down her arms and legs glittering opalescent in the sunshine. Her breasts were not the kind found on women in brothels that made men stare. They were small, compact, and full for what they were but nothing designed to seduce and enthrall. He couldn’t grasp one without it spilling over and out of his hands, so though delicate she would never be considered boyish.

Then she stepped into the water, and it was there he could tell the strangeness of her. A Konti would have slipped in with delight, having no inhibitions about the water. But Kavala was raised on the land among a sea made up of grass not salt water. So as she splayed out her webbed hands and traced them across the surface of the water, he could see the hesitation and uncertainty in her body language. The Sea was alien to her in this time and place. And though the waters were deep azure and the sun was warm enough to reflect an identical twin of the Konti back on the water’s surface, the scene was not picturesque in Kavala’s mind. She could swim. All Konti inherently could. But that didn’t mean she was comfortable in the water. So she waded in waist deep, letting the salt water play with her long hair, and then turned to wait for Matthew so they could swim together.

[Matthew]

Matthew was impressed with the ease and grace that she used when getting up on the horse. Skillful application of knowledge was always something that had impressed him. The thought was quickly interrupted though, the stallion doing some sort of little jig in place. Matthew sucked in a breath of air, the student quickly reminding himself not to give in to the sudden sense of fear. He instead closed his eyes and distracted himself, finding the fear and casting it out. His legs tightened around the horse for a brief moment and then loosened, Matthew relaxing himself just as quickly as he had stiffened. This allowed him to refocus, quietly assessing every subtle movement that Kavala made. There was a lot to learn in just feeling and seeing. The pressure that she applied with her legs to steer the horse, that was an interesting observation that immediately made sense the moment Matthew noticed it. He wondered if the horse had been trained, or if it was just a natural cue for the beast to understand and respond to. Her hips were another thing that he noticed, their movements somewhat similiar to his own when he had been able to almost fully relax and let the horse transport him. She had a certain level of grace that he couldn't hope to match though, a grace that likely came from a sense of utter comfort on the horse. He wasn't even close to having that comfort, but tried to relax his stomach and let his hips mimick her own. Soon enough his hands slid down off of her hips, the student seeing if he was capable of riding without clinging to her. He didn't have a problem with holding onto her, but he felt that challenging himself was a good way to learn and grow. The moment the stallion broke into a canter though, Matthew's hands went right back to her hips. He turned his head a bit as her hair came loose, letting it brush at his cheek and jaw instead of smacking at his eyes. He spotted the bola out of the corner of his stare, briefly opening his mouth to ask and then clamping it shut as the horse suddenly bounced across a small creek. There wasn't really any time to think about anything but surviving the ride to whatever shore Kavala chose. Normally, he would be awestruck by the surroundings and trying to absorb every new thing that he could research later. For now though, the main focus of his research was riding a horse. He showed that he wasn't the most graceful sort of person a few times, but Kavala probably could have guessed as much. Twigs smacked at his face every now and then, the student too distracted to notice before it was too late. There was only really solid hit by a low hanging branch, but he managed not to get dragged off the horse and escaped with just a red nose. He would still be rubbing the aching flesh when they stopped near the beach. Kavala's words were slowly processed, and then a short blink was given in response. With or without us, the Konti had said? He was quick to remove himself, eyeballing the horse with some suspicion as he hurriedly slid off of his mounted position. He watched Kavala remove the equipment from the beast, then took a few steps back to give the horse room to do his thing. Abalone, hm? "Yes. A fair warning, I don't know how to swim very well. Just like with the horse though, I am certainly willing to practice." He undressed at the same time as her, though took a bit more time with his movements. There was something he was trying to learn when it came to undressing, which would likely sound odd to others. In his private studies of seduction, he had noticed that women had a certain way of moving when they removed their clothing. There was a way they sometimes did it when they wanted to arouse the other sex. There were slow arches, stretches, patient removing of each article of clothing. His own ritual of undress went similar to this, the young man removing both shirt and pants in a way that certainly showed off his golden skin. A stretch there, a flex here, all of it rippling and firming the lines of definition as he exposed them. As the Konti had noticed, he certainly wasn't the product of hard physical labor or training. It was the body of a swimmer, or a runner. Definitely sculpted, but not in the most masculine of fashions. It was the same way with how he had undressed. An odd mixture of feminine allure and masculine appearance. Another unique aspect of the student was revealed when he turned to look at her. He wasn't at all shy and it was very obvious. At the same time though, he wasn't rude. He was bold and forward with his stare, not trying to hide the fact that he was studying her bare body from head to toe. His calm stare swept everywhere, from her neck to her breasts, from her back to that mark on her leg. One was unfamilar, one had only recently become familar. He gazed a bit more and then glanced up at her, his voice still that odd polite tone, especially considering the circumstances. "You are very beautiful." It was a simple genuine compliment, stated as a fact. It wasn't looking to please her, wasn't there to flirt, nor was it there to flatter. He had just made an observation and then openly stated it. There was something of a reaction from his shaft as well, a natural instinct for most young men. He didn't seem to pay it any mind though, instead quietly following her into the water. The clear waters that surrounded Konti Isle made him feel quite a bit more safe than he normally did around water. He could see to the very bottom, and from what he could see there were no incredibly dangerous-looking creatures. A few thorough scans were made of the waters, but then he slowly followed her in. He was almost like her, unsure and hesistant, but certainly willing to try. He did notice how different she was from the rest of the Konti when it came to water. It made sense though, seeing as how she had been raised somewhere completely different. A short and sudden sort of squeaking noise escaped from Matthew as something pinched at his bare toe. He flailed just a tiny bit in the water, blue eyes shooting down to see what it was. Closer observation revealed some sort of underwater crab scuttling away, apparently just as shocked as he was. He cleared his throat, offering an explanation just in case Kavala asked. "It was a little crab. It startled me." He moved deeper into the water, slowly but steadily making his way forward as the crisp water crept up him. Once it had reached his waist he held his breath and ducked in, submerging himself for a moment before popping back out with a bit of a splash. Water cascaded down him, his hair soaking wet but still somehow managing to fall as if styled. Moving just a few inches from Kavala, he offered her a hand, his next request as simple and polite as almost all of his others had been. It could be discouraging, or it could be refreshing. It was really all up to Kavala. "Would you like one kiss now?"

[Kavala]

Kavala and Matthew were alike at least in two things. They were both curious about the world and about questions they had about how things fit together in it. That was a common thread that they could forge a simple enough friendship from without worry. Kavala considered herself only an average student, not at the top of her classes, nor struggling with them. But she learned better out in the world, not in a class taking notes from someone telling her about it. They were scholars, both of them, her of the world and him perhaps of his beloved books and facts. She would have never thought to look up a plant in a book. Instead she would have went out and questioned people that were healers or watched animals that were ailing… too see what they ate, to find what they knew. Matthew’s way was not Kavala’s way, but he had a great deal to teach her. That was their first common link. Secondly, neither was shy. Kavala didn’t care that he stared and took full advantage of the fact that in him doing so it gave her permission to react in kind.

Matthew had a way of moving, graceful and deliberate. It almost looked practiced. And the same grooming he exhibited in his hair and face was evident on the rest of him. Golden skin belied hours out in the sun beneath it without cloth to shelter the tender flesh. Kavala would have burned, being so exposed, but in a way she liked the contrast between them. He was dark and warm and reminded her of heat. She was pale, icy, and against his rich spiced skin hers looked porcelain. She watched him move and then wade into the water, almost as if caught staring at light refracted through a dangling gem hung for just such a diversion. She would have still been staring if he hadn’t squeaked and jumped, moving away from where he’d been wading out rapidly.

The Konti’s blue gaze dropped to the water, her own feet lifting in response – first one, then the other – looking for invaders of the toe-pinching kind. A smile played across her face then she laughed, having missed the comment of him calling her beautiful completely because she’d been too caught up in watching him. “They get bigger.” She said absently, still slightly distracted. “You are lucky it was just a little one.” Kavala said as her eyes moved from the sea floor up to where his toes burrowed in the submerged sand. They moved up his body and then down again, while she took in his maleness. She was drawn to the curve of his back and the space between his shoulder blades. She wanted to touch him there to make sure it was as smooth as it looked. He had no scales. He had no wind marks. And she could see no scars. He looked nothing like her brothers or any of the Drykas of her pavilion.

Kavala smiled.

And when he took her hand she brought the entwined digits up, studying the contrast of golden to pale a moment. He was warm to the touch and that was distracting. So too was his scent, which was somehow augmented to her senses with him standing in the water beside her. She turned, stepped closer, and reached out to touch his face. A razor had slipped across it recently and she marveled at its smoothness. She touched him first with the pads of her fingers, then reversed her hands and slid the knuckles of her hand down his jaw line, staring at the pathway her fingers took. She ran a thumb across his lower lip, and tilted her head sideways. Her expression was focused, curious, and her lips parted slightly so she could inhale deeply. She ended the impromptu exploration by cupping his strong jaw slightly with her pointer and middle finger.

“No.” She said suddenly, and then blinked out of the place she’d gone to in her mind and looked up at him. “Don’t ask me that. I mean…” She halted her thought process and softened her features smiling up at him slightly. “I mean… you don’t have to ask. If we are going to practice, we should just practice. But with ground rules… I“ She bit off more of her own words, not wanting to be forward but wanting to know where his boundaries were. She shifted, then glanced down into the water again which told him his little crab was not far from her mind as well. Pausing again to regroup, she laughed lightly as if at her own thoughts.

Kavala stepped back slightly, hand still in his, and released his head with her other one where it had been gently cupping his jaw. “This is awkward... this talking. What I wanted to ask was if it is okay to touch you sometimes. I… like to touch things. And if touching is not okay, please tell me now… or what is not okay to touch. Kissing involves touching. I know that much. But I want it to be… spontaneous. We agreed to practice. I want you to kiss me and I have no problems with you touching me wherever and whenever you want until things change or we talk about it again. But I don’t really want to talk about it. I just want to do it… after this I mean… after this one time of ground rules.” She added, tossing her head again. Kavala reached down and took his free hand, laying it up on her hip, where her last rib was, in the space where a belt would lie. Then she took a hold of him in the same place with her hand, webbing splayed out to feel the smoothness of his skin there.

“I want to be touched too… when we are kissing that is…” The Konti said, hoping what she was doing was okay and not pushing his boundaries. She stepped closer to him, deliberately, so parts of their bodies brushed each other – their knees, their chests, and so they could share each others breath. Breath was important to Kavala who already knew Matthew kept his clean. Then she smiled slowly, awaiting his response.

[Matthew]

They got bigger? He wasn't sure if it was her intention to torment him, but his blue eyes couldn't help but to dip down and quickly scan the clear waters once more. It took a few chimes of intense study, but eventually the young man was satisfied in the definite lack of large crabs. they would be on the edge of his mind though. His attention returned to her, watching as she soaked him in. He noticed a few things here and there, and used these things to add to something of a profile he was developing. When it came to this specific art, seduction (even if seduction to be used only for a kiss), he had a certain way of doing things. Part of that method was close observation. Watching her eyes, her reactions. She was very different from how most women reacted when they saw another male that they were physically attracted to. She saw something else that delighted her, though he wasn't sure what exactly it was. The fact tht he was simply not a male that she had grown so horribly used to didn't even run across his mind. Eyes glanced to their palms as they touched. The texture of a Konti was notably different from the humans that he had held hands with in the past. In addition, her hands were slightly rough. It wasn't a bad thing. He assumed it was due to the hands-on approach she took to life, as evidenced by the slight scrapes on her pale knees. This wasn't a bad thing, of course. It was an attractive thing for a certain type of male. He continued to study as his hands absentmindedly swirled in the water, his thoughts flitting here and there until her hand touched to his chin. His eyes blinked, and then something changed behind them. Something clicked in the back of his mind and his brain started to move. It was like grinding gears and pulled levers, all of it twisting and working to push the great machine to move faster. He was slow to warm up, but everything he had observed and studied over the past seasons was starting to come back to him. Kavala might be appalled to find out how he had studied the art of passion, seduction, and other such things. Perhaps she would be impressed instead. Perhaps she would just expect no less from him at this point. It had been a science, like everything else. He had boiled down instinct into logic that he could understand. The mind and body worked in a way that could be analyzed and understood was Matthew's belief. While there were certainly a million possible ways that all of this could happen, that did mean there was a finite number. He held onto this when he studied, refusing to believe that emotion was something that would never be within his reach. He had an urge to understand everything. Interestingly enough, the female body and mind was much the same. This time, the puzzle was a kiss. What kind of kiss would be the best kiss for Kavala? His mind blurred in constant motion, thinking and planning as she softly spoke. He had an eye for detail, and sometimes it could work in his favor. Noticing her appreciation for his shaven jaw, he moved it just the tiniest of bits, helping her fingers drag along the ridge. He was gentle with the motion, not wanting to hurt her with the rough texture, just give enough of a sensation that would cause the briefest of shimmers. When her hand dropped and she stepped back a bit, he merely watched, intense stare as curious as always. It was still different, though. While before they had been either polite or curious, now they were calculating. Spontaneous? Awkward? He tilted his head, movement still behind his eyes. Then everything clicked into place, his mind calming. His body was quite alive as she moved forward, his knee slightly adjusting to brush alongside her own, a leg slipping just barely between her legs, allowing her stomach to touch lightly to the v-line of definition on one of his golden hips. He sensation was interesting, soft and slick golden flesh against the textured pale skin of the Konti. His chest was firm and flexed almost instinctively, providing a firm surface for her own chest to brush against. His breath was warm, brushing her lips, and as he leaned forward the warmth only grew as it mixed and mingled with her own. His fingers curled upon her hip, nails teasingly tugging at the flesh, providing yet another sensation to contrast with everywhere their skin was clashing. Matthew was completely aware of each and every little movement of his body, combining all of them to assault her senses in a pleasurable way. "Let me talk, then. I will teach you something about words as well. And yes, you may touch. I will touch as well. If something is out of your comfort zone, do not hesitate to tell me. Now part your lips, just the slightest bit." His tone was firm, commanding, the young man automatically taking something of a leadership role in the lesson. The warm breath touched at her cheeks as he leaned close, as long as she obeyed his first request. His eyes held hers the whole time, his approach painfully slow and patient. His lips brushed over her own, not firmly pressing but instead just barely skimming, hovering around her lower lip. He spoke then, whispering, lips moving against her own to provide yet another sensation, another tease. His body was taunting her on various levels, merely a method of slowly heightening the sensations. "Just be patient when you kiss. Enjoy it. Relish the small feelings, the brushes, the warmth, the wetness. Focus on the sensation, not the end result. Focus on the differences in sensations. Do not move your lips yet, Kavala." First was the sensation of just the lightest touch, their lips brushing as he spoke. Then came the sensation of a firmer press, lips closing around her lower lip, warmth and wetness colliding as he gave a gentle suck and pull. Then the sensation of teeth, the sharp edges lightly pushing down and tugging, letting her lip drag from his grasp. Then was another sensation, warmer and wetter, the tip of a tongue tracing her upper lip before a simple kiss was pushed upon it as well. His lesson was a patient display of the many things that the most basic of kisses could be. His hands moved as well, not at all ashamed to give her the touch she wanted. One hand still held her own, letting that link remain. The other hand had traveled over the slope of her shoulder and down the curve of her back, pushing the wet hair to the side so fingertips could trace the arch that was found in the small of her back. He was patient with this as well, dragging his touch along slowly, dipping to brush the slope where her rear began before diving back up to her lower back. The whole time his eyes watched hers, not letting her reactions escape, using them to understand and absorb how she processed his method of teaching. It was certainly informative, but in such a way that the sensuality began to quickly build.

[Kavala]

Kavala was one of those people born with the gift or curse, depending on how one looked at it, of having a very busy mind. Her thoughts often whirled around, a true indication of intelligence but not necessarily one of patience or the receptiveness to be a good student. She never remained quiet in class, and rarely withheld her thoughts or questions. But when Matthew drew her against him, artfully arranged her body before his, and let her feel his length while his hands touched and his eyes locked with hers, something changed. He fully captured her attention and immediately stopped her thought process from flooding her awareness.

For a moment she stopped thinking and began to just feel.

So when Matthew started to speak to give her she heard him. He was firm, committed, and didn’t stutter or hesitate. He took charge, giving her a soft command, which enforced the silence of her mind immediately. The Konti came from a male dominated society. When the Ankal or blood male relative in charge of her spoke she had been brought up to listen. His tone was very similar. So when he asked her too, Kavala's lips parted drawing in a breath as she institutionally followed his directions.

His knee slipped between hers, parting her thighs, and she slipped up on his leg, resting there so the most sensitive part of her femininity rubbed against his limb. Her breath caught in her throat as their torsos brushed one another, and she discovered immediately how sensitive her breasts could be when pressed against a warm hard male chest. The lesson was about kissing, but Kavala’s body was having none of it. Instead, her instinct urged her to tip her head and lick the V of his throat and nuzzle him there at his pulse point. This was all new territory for Kavala, and though she wasn't afraid, she was decidedly inclined to be in control. So she didn't bow to her body’s urges, but instead followed Matthew's lead.

Even the quietness in the Konti's mind appealed to her, having been a first for her as well.

He felt good against her, better than she would imagine. This was definitely not like one of her brothers had ever felt, though she’d been as close to them or closer before for a whole host of reasons. Since he gave her permission to touch, she did so. Kavala released her hand that was captured in his and slide her fingers up his hips and across to the small of his back. Scaled fingers left a trail up his shoulder blades, feeling the firm strong line of his spine. She traced that pathway, fascinated by it, and felt the urge to slip behind him and taste that line as well. The Konti wasn’t sure why she suddenly wanted what she wanted, but it was a powerful emotion. Matthew was irresistible for all the right reasons. He was smart, beautiful, and utterly detached. And the fresh new desire in her was a raw heady drug, hitting her in a way that stole her inhibitions away.

Kavala shivered under the new sensations, excitement growing in her narrow body. He spoke and she listened, never taking her eyes off him. The irises of her deep azure blue eyes, while staring into his, had gone so pale they looked icy. The effect against her white skin made her look almost blind as she locked gazes with him. She liked the firm tone of his voice. And she liked what he was doing to her with his hand, nails digging into her skin lightly. She rode his thigh slightly, rubbing unconsciously, her whole body shivering at the sound of his words.

And as he asked her lips parted wider invitingly.

He spoke again, and she realized she’d never be the type of person he described. Kavala wasn’t a patient young woman, and kissing perhaps wasn’t going to change that about her. He was right, of course, she realized. If done right, kissing took up all the time in the world. But she also knew she wouldn’t be that woman, the one that waited and then lingered. She knew the minute his lips brushed hers, as he told her to relish the small feelings, that she wanted to burn hotter and fiercer. She knew immediately that her kisses would be of a different sort altogether. He lightly touched her and she wanted his mouth to crush hers. He teased her with sensation and she wanted to bite back, fiercely, and claim his mouth with her own. He told her to focus on the sensation. But their were coils of pleasure in her belly that raced up and down her spine and made her toes tingle. It was distracting.

And almost tortuously would not let her move.

And that’s all she wanted to do. She wanted to wrap herself around him and drag him down into the water with her so she could coil her body around him and take more and more and more of what she just lightly tasted on the surface of his initiation kiss.

Icy blue eyes swept from watching one of his beautiful orbs to the other, trying to read more in there than she saw. Calmness, sensibility, a man devoted to his duty. She saw none of what she felt in her own body reflected in his gaze and in a way she mourned for him. Shifting closer, she almost demanded to see fire and arousal and the same need she felt in her own body as he kissed her reflected in his own eyes. But there was none. With him, he was stoic patience and firm confidence. He was analytical and determined. She recognized those own traits in herself, but not the traits she would attribute to kissing that was appropriate for the here and now.

For all that he wore the warm golden skin, he was far colder than she.

Kavala had almost dialed herself back, calming down, until he ran his tongue across her lower lip which got her all fired up again. It was gone a breath later, to be replaced by a kiss as he retreated then returned, still flirting with her mouth. Gods, she almost lost her mind in that instant.

She made a soft unconscious noise at that action. Kavala bowed her head a moment. When he’d pulled back to watch her again, the Konti gave in to the urge she’d felt initially. After all, he’d given her permission to touch. He just hadn’t specified how or when. Her head slipped sideways, dipped down, and she nuzzled the hollow of his throat disobeying his wishes on remaining still. She drank in his scent and then ran her tongue up the sensitive nerves there, following his pulse line and tasting him. The lingering scent of his breath and the brief taste he’d had of her lips wasn’t enough for her. She wanted the flavor of his skin on her tongue and got it, firmly, unquestionably. Her whole body shivered when she did so and she wrapped herself more tightly around him, sliding the apex of her thighs up his leg and then tipping her head back to laugh in delight.

It might have been unexpected, especially with her eyes full of the ice that revealed the depths of her sudden arousal. But she needed to let out the feeling, the sheer joy of the moment, and of how good this kissing with an actual man really was. And she knew too, after that first initial taste, that she wouldn’t be satisfied with just kissing. She wanted more, and wondered how opposed he’d be to that new found desire. If he wasn’t on board, she’d respect that and maybe find another. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t give it some real effort to get him to the same place. She was here, in Mura, on her own. There was no family to say no. No stern faced father who happened to also be Ankal to lecture her on her virtue and how valuable she was to her family with that intact. They’d both know it was a lie. She was third or fourth wife material at best being Konti. No one would take her based on her virtue. They’d take her on her medical skills and her looks alone. There was no need to guard something that had no value in her life to begin with.

So her hands released his shoulders and traveled down to the curve of his rear. She pulled his pelvis against hers and stroked the line of the muscle there, holding him firmly against her body so he would not mistake her laughter for anything other than what it was. She felt his core against her belly and felt his chest flatten hers. She leaned in and nipped the top line of his shoulder, halfway between its point and where his neck rose up. Then she lifted her head and spoke her mind, her own words as firm and gentle as his own had been moments ago.

“I like this… but it will never be enough. Not for me.” The teen said honestly, a light smile playing across her lips briefly. Her words were spoken in a gentle tone, but her eyes still blazed with something new for her, something she didn’t know how to name. The male in him would recognize it immediately though, and not mistake it for anything other than what it was: Need.