• Hikage

    Hikage had no idea where he was going after he left Valon's den, thoughts of a bath had been true but he had also needed time to himself to clear his head, his feelings for his small friend were real and were not going to go away he surmised, even his practical mind understood this. he had gone home briefly using the hot springs as a gateway and remained there catching up on his duties and trying to do what was right but his mind kept straying back to Valon and their simple, fulfilling time at the den...unable to concentrate he had in the end returned and climbed back to the hot spring surface, now he soaked in them in his natural form the long white, almost bluish sheen dragon, he was snakelike in the manner of his people with needle sharp teeth and long spiraling horns at his head....this was the form he held in his world when court was underway and what was in truth, as close to a true form as he had ever, d would ever, have. time had gotten away from him, unknown to him in the span he had left valons side till when he was at the hot springs now two long days had passed

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    Valon

    Valon had woken alone in his room, and while mollified for a couple of hours by being told Hikage went for a walk and would be back, the more time that passed the higher his level of distress... to help settle him patrols were sent out, the pack wolves searching all the known trails, then the less common ones, reporting back in intervals while Nanashi tried to keep Valon in the den itself... still, he was incredibly gifted at sneaking out like he had finally done on the second day, determined to find him by himself... the thought was dangerously close to obsession, pushing out other thoughts, other needs, so that he stopped to eat only when his body refused to listen until he did, but, he couldn't settle until he got to say goodbye if Hikage was still intending to leave, he'd make that be enough, but he had to say it first... he did go to the springs, there was fresh water nearby and he was thirsty now, though he didn't expect to see a dragon in the water, so he froze, just standing there, watching with awe, it was the first time he'd seen a dragon... he looked rather wild, hair messy, a thin scratch on one cheek, shirt loose, a little dirty, and barefoot despite the snow (he never did, ever, wear shoes if he could help it)...

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    Hikage

    Hikage at the sound of approach slight though t was it had him looking up towards it...it was ..Valon? he looked terrible and instantly he felt a pang of remorse, he started out of the water towards his friend then stopped his head turning to examine hi long sinewy body...did Valon even recognize him? the way he was so still it made him think of prey...of something startled and unsure if it wants to bolt or not...he gave a soft crooning purr almost like a cats before he shifted forms so in the place of the dragon up to his knees in hot water was Hikage the same as ever tunic hanging on his shoulders...how long had he been away for Valon to end up in this state?*

    ..Valon..? ..what happened?..

    *he’d leave the water and come towards you a hand out, if you didn’t run he’d close the distance rapidly and touch the scratch on your face* .

    .you're filthy...
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    Valon

    that the dragon knew his name was frightening, at least until it shifted, then he relaxed, gradually, not sure at all he knew what to expect now, but, to see Hikage at least was very calming for him

    ... Hikage..
    he didn't want to ask or demand where he had gone for fear that it would offend and then Hikage wouldn't come back again...

    “I went hunting, but, it didn't go easily this time. I fell. he didn't seem bothered by that at all, just... you were here... “

    he couldn't hold back any more and would give in to the impulse to hug Hikage, needing the reassurance of touch for a minute, before he'd back off a step, unsure of what to do or say...

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    Hikage

    *he smiled and nodded and when he came to hug him he wrapped his arms around him, leaning into the warmth*

    …are you hurt? ….

    *when he drew back Hikage would touch his brow stroking the hair back gently to look him over *

    “I didn’t realize I was gone for so long...when was the last time... “

    * that he held you. He thought to himself but didn’t voice that instead he’d touch Valons arm and offer a small smile*

    ..I missed you...

    *he wasn’t sure what to say beyond that he felt awkward suddenly...you were behaving oddly which put him off*

    Valon...did I upset you?
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    Valon

    No, I am not hurt... and I heal fast.

    the scratch would be gone by tomorrow, and bruises, too, those he didn't even know he had those, and he was, for the most part acting and reacting normally

    ... Two days... I made Aunt Sshi get her wolves to look, but, I couldn't stay at the den and wait. I'm sorry, if that is what you wanted me to do...

    he didn't want you to think you had done something wrong, because you hadn't... neither had he, really, but, well, this clingy feeling was rather new for him, and he didn't know what to do about it that wasn't going to hurt either of us...

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    Hikage =====

    no you did fine. I didn’t realize I was gone for so long....I didn’t mean to ...my work....I was needed....

    *he tipped Valons chin up towards him*

    you’re bleeding..

    **frowning he leaned forward and parted his lips delicately licking the wound as valor had done for him so long ago carefully cleaning the droplets of blood away from the wound before drawing his head back with a smile**

    there...please...we can go back to your den and reassure your family that you and I are alright? you appear thinner..

    *he knew the way now and would reach for valons hand clasping it with his own, it felt good, the intimacy of the gesture*

    I would never leave without saying goodbye Valon...not to you
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    Valon

    he was a little startled when homage licked him, but, given how he'd cleaned his wound it shouldn't have been that surprising he would treated his own the same... it made him smile, that, and the reinforcement he hadn't been wrong in coming to find hikage, and that he wouldn’t not give him the chance to say goodbye when the time came...

    Are you hungry? I was too worried to eat, but, I had to, before, but it's been a while...

    he was rambling a little, yet, in so few words told hikage that he hadn't eaten while he was e gone, until today... it was part of what his Aunt had been explaining, since his attention was hard to earn and either too easily shaken, or too hard to shake to let other things in... at least, he'd been that way...

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    Hikage

    as long as you eat with me

    *he would listen to his rambles anything no matter how mundane or random that came from your lips, it was if nothing else extremely enlightening to hear things from another perspective after than his own**

    someday I will show you where I come from. I think you will like it

    *he couldn’t of course right now Valon was alive. He would have to be hurt or somehow in a coma to taste the spectral world..oh true there were other methods but the longer a mortal spent in the spirit realm the more attuned to it they became until they to were nothing more than a wandering spirit...still he longed to show Valon the place where he had in a sense..grown up**

    - chapter 2

    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101060533#title

    - chapter 1

    http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101055703#title