From Dawn to Dusk

The constant roar of water made Amonsun-Ra grin as he neared Axul Falls. V’losa was nowhere to be seen, but that was to be expected of the huntress. She moved undetectable through the rainforest, and he would not be surprised if she was even invisible.

''V'losa!" Amonsun-Ra called out as he broke through the trees, coming to the moist, rocky bank of the Axul Falls pool. His citrine eyes scanned the waterfall, the cool mist from the falls gently caressing his scales.

Axul Falls was beautiful with aquamarine water pooling beneath a crystalline cascade. Vibrant plants with leaves of green and blue decorated the serene spot. The soft mud squished between his claws as he took a step from the rocky bank and into the pool itself. Immediately, he sighed with content as the cool water washed over his scales, clearing away debris.

The brilliant blue-green shades of the pool were beautiful and he was able to see to the soft, silty bottom. Small fish swam beneath the calm surface without disturbing the pool floor.

Paranoia kept his citrine gaze towards the bottom, looking for any noticeable disturbance of the soft mud. He would not put it past V’losa to try and scare him again.

After a few moments of paranoid silence, Amonsun-Ra let out an unconvinced 'hmm, ' before he looked up.

Turning his attention to the fall itself, he shook his head, not seeing anything out of the ordinary with the mossy covered stones and constant cascade. This was unsettling.

Or perhaps he was paranoid?

"Well... where is she?" Amonsun-Ra wondered aloud as he turned to look back at the trees. The leaves of nearby broad-leafed plants shook in the wind and he continued to search. Wait a second.

Amonsun-Ra turned to look back at the plants. There was no wind. Some of the rocks on the bank of the pool shifted and his citrine eyes widened with shock.

"By Noxu-!" his cry of panicked realization was cut off as an invisible force crashed into him, sending him falling back into the pool.

The water splashed and swirled around him, his back sinking into the soft, silty mud. His vision became filled with water and swirling debris as the water surged overhead as he was pushed deeper into the silt.

Instinct kicked in as he found himself under the water’s surface, his breathing coming to a dramatic slow even as his heartbeat raced in his chest. He grit his teeth as a weight pressed down against his abdomen, crushing his tail deeper into the mud. Despite the chaotic water overhead, his second eyelid allowed him to see in the pool.

The slightly murky water took on a sudden purple hue as V’losa revealed herself, the female proudly straddling his abdomen as she held him beneath the water’s surface.

Rolling his eyes, Amonsun-Ra lifted his arms only to grunt as V’losa struck forward like a viper, pinning his arms back into the silt. The water began to calm, the silt settling once more as V’losa lowered her head into the water.

The female immediately smiled, her normally dull scales sparkling like amethysts from the sunlight beaming through the pool’s surface. Her rose eyes had a slight overcast look to them from their second eyelid, but her gaze still glowed with mirth, and something far deeper. Amonsun-Ra found himself lost V’losa’s gaze to the point that the mud beneath him might as well have not existed. The Slarega felt completely weightless, anchored to this mortal realm with V’losa’s touch alone.

Sound was nonexistent beneath the surface; it was like the pair had found their own tiny bit of heaven.

Purple filled his vision as the pressure across his front became evenly distributed as V’losa leaned closer. It took a great deal of resolve not to breathe in as her muzzle grazed gently against his own.

Their gazes locked once more and V’losa’s lips curled up into a delighted grin, the slight movement releasing a tiny stream of airbubbles. Pressure lifted suddenly from one of his arms as she lifted her hand, gently dragging a claw along his eye ridge. Amonsun-Ra’s gaze locked onto her hand, following the female’s movements as she continued to trail her hand down his scales.

Soon, he felt her grip loosen on his arm and it was his turn to grin as he lunged upward, using his tail to flip the pair as V’losa jerked back with surprise. Another stream of airbubbles ascended to the surface as the calm water once again became turmoil as the pair flipped over, allowing Amonsun-Ra to pin his lithe companion into the murk.

Despite the fact she’d been outsmarted, V’losa was all smiles as she wriggled like trapped prey beneath him.

Unable to contain his own delight, and pride, Amonsun-Ra remained grinning as he lowered his head, bumping his muzzle against her forehead. The friction between their scales was only enhanced with the water around them. Taking a moment to enjoy the closeness between them, Amonsun-Ra moved his attention down, opening his jaws slightly and grazing his fangs against the fragile scales across her neck. V’losa trembled beneath him, disturbing the water around them.

Sitting up at last, Amonsun-Ra chuckled, stirring up another set of bubbles, before he pushed off of V’losa and broke the surface once more. As much as he would have enjoyed staying beneath the water with her, one of them surely would have drowned soon if they did not come back up for air.

Amonsun-Ra grunted as the light assaulted his eyes now that there was no green tinge from the water to soften the glare. Blinking a few times removed what little bit of water and debris remained around his eyes.

A soft jet of water brushed up his scales as V’losa came up to join him, the female staying quite close.

Her soft and content chuckle made him turn to look down at V’losa.

“Well, that was fun.” She commented at last, gently swaying her arms beneath the surface to clear her scales of any mud that remained. “I got you good.”

Amonsun-Ra snorted, “I turned your own tactic against you.”

“Pah!” V’losa rolled her eyes, “That doesn’t count. I already caught you.”

“Oh?” Amonsun-Ra’s arms crossed over his chest, his tail gently swaying beneath the surface. “I’ll be sure to remember that for next time.”

“You should,” V’losa grinned as she spoke, before glancing around, “So, where’s our snack?”

“Snack?” Amonsun-Ra echoed the word, before his eyes widened as he remembered the monkey. Oh that… well… “Umm about that…”

V’losa watched him a moment, before she tilted her head. Her rose gaze studied him a moment, before she tsked, “You dropped it, didn’t you?”

“I might have…”

“Gah!” she shook her head, before playfully batting him upside the head.

“Ow!”

“This is why you are not a hunter, Xanthra!”

Amonsun-Ra hadn’t even finished rolling his eyes and V’losa disappeared beneath the surface of the water. She was visible for a moment then gone, the huntress on the prowl for aquatic delicacies.

Taking a breath, he dove back under the surface, bubbles rising from his nostrils as he swam deeper into the pool. Part of him was curious on V’losa’s tactics, the other part of him was paranoid she’d try to pull him under. Best to be prepared.

Small fish darted here and there about the bottom of the pool while a few turtles eyed him warily from their napping spots. No sign of V’losa was visible and Amonsun-Ra had to be impressed. Even underwater, the huntress was undetectable.

Spotting a snake coiled at the bottom, Amonsun-Ra regarded his lesser cousin with intrigue. How strange a life it must be without limbs.

Lost in thought, Amonsun-Ra scanned the underwater environment lazily.

Feeling a slight point of pressure on his shoulder, he turned to look behind him. The water was clear, until he felt a stream of bubbles rise against his chest.

Turning to look ahead again, Amonsun-Ra laughed beneath the surface, jetting out a burst of bubbles as V’losa swam up to meet him. She was agile in the water as she was on land, her movements fluid, yet effortless as she rose to his level.

In her jaws was a large scaleless fish while she had another two shiny scaled fish skewered on her left hand. That had taken no time at all to catch more snacks.

V’losa rocked her head side to side in the water as if to brag, before she propelled herself closer with her tail, curling her right arm around his shoulders. Taking the hint, Amonsun-Ra grabbed her waist gently and brought them both back to the surface.

Shattering the calm surface once more, Amonsun-Ra laughed as V’losa continued to hold the fish in her jaws like an eager pet.

“Good catch.”

V’losa scoffed, before turning her head, extending the gently twitching fish’s head towards him. Keeping his grip on her waist, Amonsun-Ra leaned forward, biting into the fish’s skull and pulling. The animal’s body gave way, tearing in half and allowing them both a near equal snack. Small bones were crushed beneath his teeth, the rough skin like sandpaper against his tongue before he swallowed.

“What would you do without me?” V’losa asked as she leaned back in the water, using her legs now to anchor herself to him. She lifted her left hand in the process, dangling the two scaled fish before him like a lure. “Starve no doubt.”

Amonsun-Ra chuckled, before he nodded, “Mostly likely.” He agreed, before he looked to the falls themselves.

V’losa turned to look, following his gaze. “Go sit?”

He gave a quick nod and she chuckled, before releasing him at last as she twisted in the water, before swimming beneath the green pool once more. Amonsun-Ra was quick to follow and soon they were happily perched on the slick, algae covered rocks behind the white cascade.

The water was cold to the touch, smelling fresh and clean compared to the majority of the stagnant puddles throughout the forest. Axul Falls was a beautiful place, secluded and peaceful.

It was the perfect place to waste their day in each other’s company.

Then again, he had to wonder… was this a wasted day if they enjoyed it?

Hours passed, yet Amonsun-Ra was content to stay there for all eternity.

V’losa’s weight was a welcome pleasure as the female’s claw lazily traced circles across his chest. Her eyes were half closed, her breathing gentle as the night huntress slowly gave in to sleep.

Her hand stilled at last, slowly dragging across his chest before going limp as V’losa fell asleep. Amonsun-Ra smiled briefly, stretching his neck to nuzzle her head gently, taking a moment to breathe in her scent before he settled back against the moist rocks.

Soon the sun began its descent, their damp nest becoming cool as the sun’s rays moved away from Axul Falls.

“V’losa…” he softly caressed her face with his hand, “Wake up… we still have to check out that camp.”

“Nah-umm…” V’losa shook her head, stretching her body against his before she tried to burrow her head into his chest, “Five more minutes…”

Amonsun-Ra chuckled, watching her with amusement, before he shook his head. It was getting cool and it was only going to get colder here behind the cascade. Hmm…

“Here,” he took great care to gently turn, depositing V’losa onto the rocks. “You stay here… I’ll go look.”

“Mmm’kay…” V’losa nodded, her reply absentminded like she heard him but was probably still dreaming. “Watch… for Moonscale.”

“Sun’s still up,” Amonsun-Ra assured her, “I have time.”

Sitting up, Amonsun-Ra took a moment to stretch, before rested his hand against her shoulder. Whispering a simple spell, a golden light illuminated his claws, before the light spread across V’losa’s body, keeping the female warm and comfortable in his absence. She’d be alright.

He’d probably return before she woke up.

Now, she had mentioned the foreigner camp was near the edge of the forest heading towards The Stench.

Sparing V’losa one last glance, Amonsun-Ra slipped back into the water, disappearing beneath Axul Falls. He looked up to the sun and smiled. There were still a couple hours before nightfall. He had time to investigate before the Moonscale would return to the hunt.