The Tiger Within

She stood in tiger form arching her front paws into the air before allowing her body to shift into a comfortable position. Then she shifted, her fur and hide form giving way to her smooth pale skin and long white hair streaked with bright silvers. Naked, she slid into the water rinsing herself in the cool spray. Even as she did, the shadows formed a loose wrap of cloth around her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and a similar wrap around her waist to her knees. She felt the cloth become real against her skin and smiled.

"My little rascals, where did you steal this material from?" she asked curiously looking at the little wolf shadow in the water. The wolf barked indignantly "alright alright, thank you." she conceded sliding down into the water further. She ran her fingers through her hair singing softly to the forest. Until she heard the sound by the water"s edge. Slipping behind a rock Kuera looked about a bit tense.

That tension flowed from her as she recognized the intruder. Clovis was drinking the water from the falls a bow leaned against the rock beside him, unaware she was there at first. He had happened upon her accidentally while hunting. She giggled softly and glanced at the shadows. She swam out a bit hoping to get to the other side without being noticed. However, the fates were not sympathetic as he looked up, and in that moment their eyes met.

There was a primalness in his eyes that spoke right to her soul. A hunter gazing upon his prey with such fiery pa.s.sion that Kyera"s poor heart started to thud hard in her chest. He smiled softly at her as the surprise slowly drained from his face. He was slightly embarra.s.sed that she was nearly naked but here in the forest there was something different about it.

A sense of rightness and longing as he gazed on her in the water. His eyes trailed down her neck over her bare shoulders but then back to her eyes. She looked like a sweet kitten caught in a hunter"s snare. Something about being alone here, where he was free to do as he pleased, removed his nerves.

He watched her and offered a smile "Kyera, swim here. I will help you out." he offered waving her over. Kyera spent a moment using her mind to lengthen the skirt before swimming over. A soft blush on her cheeks as she reached for his hand.

He gripped her wrist, careful to pull her forearm as he heaved her onto the land with very little effort. She was fairly surprised. For a fairy body frame, he was deceptively strong. The wicked little grin on his lips however reminded her of naughty pixies. Kyera knew her surprise must have shown on her face cause he let loose a hearty laugh.

"Don"t tell anyone or the game will be up." he teased her with a playful wink. Yet, she saw deeper into his eyes then. That jovial tone only reached so deep.

"I won"t." she chuckled back as he released her. Their bodies were fairly close from him pulling her out. The loincloth and breast wrap the only separation between her and total vulnerability, but she wasn"t afraid.

"Good. Now then… what is a little healer like you doing out here?" he asked his eyes still filled with that fire. For the first time, Kyera was pretty sure she was seeing the true soul of Clovis, not the proper doll he had been trained to be. It excited her, drew her into his eyes. A long moment pa.s.sed before she answered, taking the opportunity to step back a bit, in effort to calm her heart and take her eyes away from his pillowy lips.

"The water here, it reminds me of the river back home. I am fairly sure it comes from the same peak." Kyera explained looking off in the direction of the mountain. He laughed softly watching as she avoided his eyes.

"Do I make you uncomfortable, Lady Kyera?" he asked his voice sounding controlled and quiet now, much more normal. She gazed at him strangely for a moment.