Rio paced his little office, his expression deeply pained. A
guard rushed inside and the brown haired man turned to demand, "Did
you find her?"
The young man shook his head, "No, sir."
"Where on earth is she?" Rio muttered despairingly.
Miles away in a hidden oasis of green, the girl in question
lay back on soft grass, happily looking up at the clear blue sky.
Laying nearby her a fox woman stretched out, listening to her speak
attentively as they passed a bag of wine back and forth.
With a great deal amusement in her voice Rika said to her
companion, "I bet Rio is having kittens right about now."
Renamon chuckled softly in agreement but added, "It'll be good
for him."
"He is just a bit tightly wound, isn't he?" Rika laughed.
"That is an understatement," Renamon agreed. She turned
slightly to the small pile of dried snacks sitting between them and
picked one out, munching happily on a piece of beef jerky. As she did
so, she took the opportunity to look over at Rika again.
The redheaded girl's hair blew gently in the breeze, Rika's
green eyes closed as she soaked up a bit of sun. Her posture was
relaxed, and Renamon realized that it was the first time she had seen
her so utterly relaxed. At least, while the girl was awake. Looking at
her, Renamon wondered what Rika was thinking about, and if she was
honest with herself, what she thought of her.
"Renamon?" Rika asked quietly.
"Yes?" Renamon was jerked from her thoughts by the question.
Rika's green eyes looked at her, her gaze strangely soft and warm and
so very different than the intensity she could summon in court or
dealing with difficult issues.
Rika hesitated, as if she was unsure how to begin. "I awoke in
the night," she finally said to Renamon softly, "I'm still not quite
sure why." With a gentle smile, "You were holding me, keeping me safe
in your arms."
Rika didn't sound too angry about it, Renamon noted with a
burst of relief. "I'm sorry," Renamon said softly...
"Don't be sorry," Rika smiled, laying her hand back over
Renamon's, "I haven't slept that well in years. But why?"
"You weren't sleeping well," Renamon looked over to gaze into
those green eyes and said, "I watched over you at night, and even when
you fell asleep you would toss and turn, as if haunted by your dreams.
Finally I knelt at your side, stroking your hair, and that seemed to
help. But once I left, you were troubled again."
"So you lay down beside me," Rika said.
"Yes," Renamon nodded, waiting to see Rika's reaction.
Rika squeezed Renamon's hand gently and surprised her with a
softly murmured, "Thank you." With an impish little smile she added,
"And I hope you will lay with me tonight, to guard me from bad dreams
again."
Renamon chuckled softly, "It would be an honor."
Rika looked over at the kitsune, taking in the long, sleekly
graceful form that was laying there so comfortably beside her. There
were so many different sides to her that Renamon still occasionally
managed to surprise Rika.
The face she showed to outsiders was that of the gravely
serious bodyguard, but it was in private that her humor came out.
After some of Rika's meetings Renamon would make such witty comments
about those that had attended that she couldn't help but laugh until
she cried. Kindness, compassion, intelligence, all were qualities that
Renamon possessed in abundance.
Sadly, Rika wondered how often people looked past the fox-face
to discover those qualities. She rather suspected it was not very
often.
Renamon slid to her knees, then rose up stretching. "I got a
bit sweaty carrying you here," the kitsune said to Rika quietly and
nodded over to the deep pool that had collected by the spring, "would
you mind if I wash?"
"Certainly. But isn't it cold?" Rika blinked.
Renamon shrugged slightly as she walked towards the spring,
"I've faced much worse." She slid her arm guards off first, then
unwound the leggings before hopping into the pool.
The startled cry Renamon gave made Rika grin against her will.
Obviously the water had been a bit colder than even she had been
expecting. It was quite funny watching Renamon quickly douse her body,
rinsing the dried sweat away before bounding back out of the water.
"Cold!" Renamon shuddered, shaking her furry body vigorously
to get the water off, and quite unintentionally dousing Rika.
"Ack," Rika gasped at being splattered with the cold spray.
Renamon looked mortified, "I'm sorry. I completely forgot!"
Rika just had to laugh then at the look on Renamon's face.
"It's all right," she reassured her while chuckling softly, "no harm
done." Rika made a face at how her now quite damp clothes felt and
began to pull them off.
Renamon whirled around, looking away as she heard Rika
undressing. She had escorted Rika in the baths, of course, a good
bodyguard had to be with her charge always. But somehow, this seemed
to bother her more, though Renamon wasn't certain why.
Rika smiled, leaving her pants and shirt stretched out on a
rock to dry. Clad in her bra and panties she put a hand on Renamon's
shoulder, "It's all right, everything's still covered." When Renamon
turned to Rika she quite reasonably pointed out, "You go around nude
all the time. I wouldn't have thought it would bother you."
A faint blush visible even under the fur, Renamon gestured
down to the fur covering her body and said, "I'm still covered, more
or less." Rika looked her up and down and Renamon's blush intensified
as she asked, "What?"
"I'm a bit envious of the fur," Rika admitted to her softly,
thinking of how soft it had felt against her cheek at night. She
reached out to gently stroke along Renamon's softly furred shoulder,
and the tall kitsune shuddered.
"That felt good," Renamon admitted.
Rika looked up at Renamon and for a moment was tempted to
continue stroking, but she wasn't sure how that would be received. So
with a gentle sigh she stepped back, shivering a bit as a breeze blew,
"Hope my clothes dry soon."
Renamon gently drew her over to a sunny spot. She sat down,
drawing Rika down beside her and pulled Rika close to her warm fur as
she softly said, "I'll keep you warm."
Rika could feel herself blushing, and prayed that Renamon
wouldn't notice.
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