Message in a Fireball

[MadEmperor]

Thrax leaned in towards the kitsune as the last note faded. "And your squishy secret is safe with me."

Kahroan grinned, nodding. He cocked his head toward the almost-kissing pair and smirked. He whispered, "Let's not interrupt them."

[DragonSong]

River lifted a hand to stifle a chuckle and nodded. "I'm sure they'll be able to...find their own accommodations," she agreed quietly, pulling Kahroan gently toward the proprietor so they could inquire about rooms.

"I don't have any squishy secrets," Hana retorted, tails flicking and her grin firmly in place. "I'm an open book. What ya see is what ya get."

[MadEmperor]

"Care to show me everything then?" The bard gave a flirtatious wink before risking a kiss.

Kahroan eagerly followed River, and soon the happy couple disappeared upstairs for the night.

[DragonSong]

"You've already seen everything--" Hana started to point out with a laugh, but then he was kissing her, and she found she wasn't all that invested in talking anymore. She quickly reached up to slide her fingers into the ruff of fur around his jaw and pulled him closer, her other arm wrapping around his neck.

Two tables away, someone whistled, and a few people laughed good-naturedly, which jarred her enough to break away from the kiss, breathing a little heavier than normal.

"You, ah..." She bit her lip through a grin. "You wanna get out of here?"

[MadEmperor]

Thrax grinned. "You read my mind."


The next morning, the time had come for the two duos to part ways.

Kahroan and Thrax clasped forearms and gave each other a quick goodbye shake. "Try not to get into too much trouble," Kah said.

Thrax chuckled and smirked. "No promises. And good luck on your new adventure."

[DragonSong]

River and Hana hugged tightly, and when the kitsune pulled back she'd grabbed River's hands. "Promise you'll keep in touch?" She bounced lightly on her heels with a grin. "I do wanna meet these little rascals, when they're up for visitors."

"I promise," River chuckled, at which Hana nodded and released her to allow her to give Thrax a hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?" she said as she pulled back with a small smile.

Hana had moved to give Kahroan a quick hug, gripping his shoulders lightly as she pulled back. "Thanks for keeping an eye out," she said softly. "You're gonna be a great dad."

[MadEmperor]

"I'll do my best." Thrax smiled. "No evil weapons, I promise."

"And I hope those kids of yours are less trouble than I am." He smirked.

Kahroan looked away with an embarrassed chuckle. "Th--thanks." He faced Hana again and smiled. "Keep an eye on him, will you? We both know he's far more sensitive than he wants to admit."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I will." Hana smiled and nudged the bard's side with her elbow. For a while, anyway, she thought as she looked at him sidelong.

River smiled at them both, then took her mate's hand and looked up at him. "Well. Guess we should get moving. You promise you'll write?" The last was to Hana and Thrax again.

Hana nodded. "Promise."

[MadEmperor]

Thrax nodded. "Promise."

Kahroan gave them a wave as he and River stepped out of the inn. "Best of luck, you two."

"You too!" The bard turned to Hana once they were gone. "So... what now? Head back towards Adela? Or go somewhere new and exciting for a while?"

[DragonSong]

"I--"

Hana blinked. "You...want to go somewhere...together?" She said it as though the very idea was a foreign concept. "I-I mean...you want to stay with me?"

[MadEmperor]

"Why not?" Thrax was a little hurt by the assumption that they'd go their separate ways already. "I like you. You like me. And we make a good team. Seems wrong to not see how well we work without the lovebirds around."

[DragonSong]

"Well, yeah—I-I mean, no—I mean..."

She blinked, then shook her head, ears pressed back to her skull in the way they only did when she was angry, or embarrassed. "I just...people don't usually want to...hang around me. Y'know, when it's...when it's just me...

She gave him a baffled, sheepish look, and tried for a smile. "That—yeah. That sounds good." Quite without her noticing, all three of her tails had started to wag cautiously.

[MadEmperor]

He smiled encouragingly. "You went to great lengths to save me. Anyone would be lucky to have a friend like you watching their back."

Before things could get any mushier, he asked, "So. Adela, here, or somewhere new?"

[DragonSong]

"Well..." Hana considered that. Then she grinned and pulled a silver coin from the pouch at her hip. "Heads says Adela, tails says we catch the first boat to anywhere," she offered, that playful light back in her eyes.

[DragonSong]

[Continued here for Kahroan and River]

[MadEmperor]

[ And here for Hana and Thrax ]