Ever searching, never finding [Finished]

[Ry]

_{Please feel free to Pm if you've reason to want in.}



Golden orbs roved around the The Bazaar, searching through the crowd, ignoring booths, stalls, kiosks, and walkways as Souris sought, accustomed now to the different realms, and slowly acclimatising to the different breeds.

She was looking for a specific Sorgaire today. Lucio should be easy to pick out among the the slate and dark blue Rangers, if she looked for the leathery, one prong wings rising smoothly from his shoulder blades. Surely, winged weasels would be few and far apart, even in the Capital City.

She spotted a lithe form in the crowd, long, slim and curved, in perfect proportions. Either a slender male or a lissome female, although she couldn't tell if the distant Card in the shadow was a Mustelid, winged or slate with dark blue markings. She sighed inaudibly, and started threading her way towards her target carefully, lest she run over, or down, anyone, as the distance narrowed between her and the shadowed form.

[Shade]

Returning to Capital City, Lucio shook his head. It had been awhile since he had been here, and had forgotten how crowded things could be here in the Bazaar.

Tucking his wings tight against his body, he tried to make himself as narrow as possible, walking through all the Cards and mumbling a constant litany of "Pardon me. I'm sorry. Oh, excuse me."

Keeping his eyes always forward, he noticed a bit of commotion as one particular Card seemed to be in quite a rush. Wondering if there was trouble, Lucio looked ahead and picked out a path that would put him near the path that the rushing Card seemed to be on. And now that he had a general idea of where he was going, he spread his wings slightly from his sides, to make himself a bit bigger so that he would have more room to maneuver, thinking all the while how much easier it would be to jump straight up and glide for just a bit. But that would not do at all. If there was one sure way to end up in a fight, he though making and impromptu landing on another Cards head would be it.

[Ry]

She started slightly, as her target slowly grew wings, slightly spread, and resolved into the Sorgaire she was hunting. "Lucio", she breathed, softly, admiring his slender, masculine form, framed by his wing ridge and the thick red cloak which swished attractively about his feet, emphasized by gold embroidery.

A direct contrast to Cauter, whose appearance grew on a Card gradually. She put the thought from her mind, allowing the merest glimmer of her appreciation show in her eyes. Just to give him something to think about. She smiled slowly, gradually letting recognition creep up to lighten her eyes, and nothing more, as she self-consciously dusted her fur off.

"Hello," she tried, dragging out the softer syllables deliberately, not quite a purr, but close. She was never quite certain how to interact with males, and that showed in the mixed invitation she issued. Not quite seduction, but not the quintessential Yarrow rebuff, either. More the opposite, and thoroughly confused males.

[Shade]

Drawing closer to the flashes of yellow, Lucio soon recognized the Yarrow mouse. Closing the final distance, he noted the flash of recognition in her eyes. Pulling up short in front of her, he nodded his head at her greeting. A confusing girl, she was. Willing to speak, and even associate with males. Even though she was of Yarrow blood.

Shaking his head slightly he returned her greeting and then continued "Is everything well, mi'lady? I noticed you rushing in the distance and thought I would try and come a bit closer to see if I might be of assistance."

As he finished he groaned inwardly at himself. No matter how these things worked out in his head, he always felt quite cheesy when he opened his mouth to speak. Why did his offers to help people almost always come out sounding like some sort of lame pickup line?

[Ry]

She smiled, amused. Lucio was always so sweet, offering gallantry to a female Yarrow. The awkward phrasing was cute. "All is well," she reassured him, smoothly,"Thank you for offering to help." She appreciated the offer, but decidedly, she could not let him get away with the impression that she was a helpless damsel that needed rescuing at the smallest sign of distress.

Her views on the ideals of the Garden might be more neutral, but there were certain points she was unwilling to compromise on.

She did, however, scamper closer to him, shifting subtly to her soft curves against his lean length, in a bold, but discreet, attempt to soften her refusal. Hopefully, he wouldn't get the wrong idea. She'd hate to have to resort to physical force, or magical ability, if he read otherwise. Feminine wile was well and good, but some males did have the tendency to read that as a come on.

[Shade]

Lucio dipped his head, running his muzzle along her soft fur, returning the show of friendship, but keeping it only that.

"Ah, good to hear it. I'd hate to hear such a lovely lady was in trouble" he replied with a wink.

Looking up he noticed a larger group of cards pushing their way through the crowd heading in their direction and fanned his left wing out and to the side of the Souris, forcing them to take a wider berth around the pair.

Looking back to the girl, he tilted his head and raised one eyebrow quizzically. "So, what brings you out to the crowded city today? Just remembered something you just could not live without? Or are you out and about on more important business today?"

As the crowd around them thinned out a bit, he stepped back a pace and folded his wings more comfortably to his sides, giving them both some space to breath.

[Ry]

Souris was pleasantly surprised when the weasel didn't try to force her to closer physical contact, although, she did enjoy the sensual touch of his muzzle upon her body. She shuddered slightly, clinging to him, as she drowned in the warmth of his touch, only surfacing to the sound of his voice. She smiled unsteadily at him, snuggling closer as he forced the approaching Cards away,

"Oh, yes. I just remembered something I could not live without", she returned, tugging gently on his wing,"I wanted a knight errant, to accompany me." She teased, reluctantly loosening her hold as he stepped back a pace. "My parfit genteel knight." She laughed, lapping up the attention he showered on her.

Although she couldn't help but wonder what he'd be like as a lover. Would he still be as considerate? Would she be able to drive him wild? She played with the idea of seducing him.

[Shade]

Lucio was surprised by the nearly intimate quality of Souris' touch. He thought for a moment to try and return a show of affection but shook himself inwardly. What was he thinking? She may be more willing to put up with males, but she was still a Yarrow. Clearing his head, he caught her words.

"A companion?" he began and felt her gentle tug on his wing. It took all of his willpower to not step closer to her. Get a-hold of yourself Lucio! he shouted to himself in his head. Don't make a fool of yourself and anger the girl, he continued.

"I would be glad to escort you Souris" he continued out loud. Standing straight he puffed his chest out as best he could and held his head high in a comic show of pseudo macho-isim. "Where are we off to then? Adventure on the high seas? Trespassing in a forbidden forest? Or perhaps a stroll through a clover field. What has your fancy today?"

[Ry]

Souris wished he'd step closer. She wanted to reach for him, wanted to wrap her soft, furred tail around him, wanted to wend...she stopped, laughing, at his antics, as he lightened the mood, eroding the intimacy to replacing the closeness with affection, but in no way reducing her curiosity.

His unassuming affection, and consideration, combined with his humor, dragged out her innermost desire to play, even as she ardently desired to tease, and flirt until he surrendered. For all her earlier lament about men misreading feminine wile, she was being decidedly contradictory. She almost wanted him to misread her, to invite her to...what? She didn't know. Or, maybe, more likely, she did.

She wanted to seduce him.

But would the acquiantance, would the friendship she had with him survive the transition? She would be drastically changing the way he related to her, if she initiated intercourse. Or took him as a lover.

(Isn't that just like the woman, to think the thing to death? XD)

[Shade]

Lucio finished his impromptu macho speech and looked at the girl. She had suddenly fallen silent, and her eyes seemed distant. Had she mistaken his joking as making fun of her? No, he did not think so. She did not seem upset. Just ...preoccupied maybe.

He tilted his head quizzically and then stepped in closer to the girl lowering his muzzle close to her face and lightly licking her cheek. It was a brash move, but hopefully she would not try to kill him for it. But a beating might be nice he thought to himself, before mentally shaking the thought from his head. He was doing it again! But the Yarrow's had a reputation for being quit firm... "Damn it Lucio, cut it out!" he berated himself again mentally.

Getting a reign on his mental run away train, he focused on Souris fully again. "You ok beautiful? You suddenly seem distracted. Is something the matter?"

Oi. It was just like him to let his mind wander when something might be wrong with one of his friends.