The forest seemed to literally breathe, humidity pouring in from every branch. The muggy weather made almost every activity unbearable, be it walking, hard labor, or simply laying down. Lethe had formulated an activity to beat the hot stuffy weather, however: fishing.
Getting to the right place proved to be difficult. They had to march through miles of bug infested, sticky, overgrown foliage. It was so hot and the air so terribly thick that Muarim had a difficult time ambling through the greens. Lethe, too, seemed slowed down by the overly tropical climate, though she was adamantly enthusiastic about their destination.
Muarim wiped his forehead with his arm. "How much farther is the river? I'm about to faint."
"What, tired? We barely went anywhere," she gasped, breathless. "Anyways, it's right ahead. Can't you smell the water?"
"I can barely smell anything. I'll take your word for it."
A mile later the thick trees cleared, and indeed, there was a wide, lazily flowing river nestled in the decline in the ground. Lethe perked up immediately, her tail moving with sudden fervor.
"I haven't been fishing in a long while. This is the perfect time, though. The river isn't quite as deep, and the fish should be abundant with all these bugs to eat." She waded into the water until it crested against her knees, her eyes eagerly scanning the river for signs of life.
"I thought you didn't like water."
"I don't like it all over me. I don't mind it when I'm fishing. Besides that, it's hard to be bothered by water on a hot day like this." She stood perfectly still, all attention fixated on watching the water. She would wait for the curious fish to swim near her, and with her lightning quick paw, swipe the poor water creature from its home. It was only a few minutes before a small, brown fish made its way unfortunately close to the hunter. In a moment it was over, and Lethe held a squirming prize in her claws.
"Ha! That didn't take long. I told you I was a great fisher." Lethe looked around, lilac eyes searching for Muarim. She didn't spot him anywhere, either along the bank or the river. Her ears flattened quizzically. She wasn't allowed to think for long though, because a sudden force knocked her from her feet and dragged her into the river.
As she exploded up from the water, seething and surprised, she saw a flash of green and instantly knew who the culprit was.
"Grrr...I'm going to kill you! You made me drop my fish!"
A grinning Muarim popped up from the water. "Good luck catching me. You might be fast in the trees, but nobody beats a tiger at swimming."
"We'll see about that, you dolt," she shot back.
He just laughed and dove under the water.
Lethe paddled with all her might, but no matter how fast she went, Muarim was yards ahead. Finally he stopped, bobbing above the water.
"Have you had enough?"
"You're just too fast for me." She crept closer to him.
"It looks like I've bested you at something."
"Yes..." She crept increasingly closer, until she was a few feet away...
With a glancing blow of her claw to the surface of the water, a huge wave of the river hit him squarely in the face. She laughed with the glee usually reserved for a youngster pulling a prank, diving into the water the opposite way.
"Well, that was cheap."
"Who ever said I played fair?" she taunted back, shaking water out of her hair with a flick of her hand.
"I'll make you play fair," he growled back as he sprang towards her, grabbing her around the waist, holding her arms behind her.
"Hey, let go of me!" she demanded in mock anger.
"I'm not letting go until you promise to play fair."
"Never!" she cried nobly. "I don't surrender to anybody."
"I guess I'll just have to hold you hostage until you crack."
She squirmed with all her might, but he held her tightly in his arms. She knew there was no way she could escape.
"Okay," she said, panting. "I surrender. I surrender. I'll play fair."
He loosened his arms, and she broke free. He made his way towards the riverbank, standing victoriously, a smile on his lips. "For once, the mighty Lethe has to bend to the will of another."
A sudden bolt of orange flew through the air and hit him smack in the chest, throwing him against the slant of the riverbank. Her slender arms pinned his chest down, limber legs straddling him, a flame of a tail flickering behind. A smug grin was on her face.
"You really shouldn't be so trusting. It could kill you."
The lightheartedness of the moment quickly faded as they realized how close they were. Lethe became suddenly aware of the strong, muscled chest her hands were pressing against. One of Muarim's hands rested on her waist, a result of the surprise of her sporadic attack. He felt the pressure of her strong legs of both sides of his body. Unlike their last close encounter, they stayed still for a moment, observing each other. They both felt slight blushes crossing their faces. Lethe soon slithered off of him, her cheek grazing his intentionally.
They both stood, looking at the quiet river.
Muarim rubbed his neck. "I suppose it's time to get to business. It'll take quite a few fish to make a meal."
Lethe nodded as she stood in the water. She tried to focus on the fishing, but her thoughts kept fleeing to other matters.
"You know, you've really loosened up."
Muarim's eyebrow rose. "Do you think so?"
"Yeah. You were so strictly serious. While we were fighting in Crimea you barely said two words to anybody. And you were always so distraught looking. But my instincts were right. Underneath all that stoicism is a lot more."
"I guess I'm more like this because I feel safe. I don't have to constantly fear getting hurt. I can spend my time just enjoying life."
Lethe reflected on what he said. Muarim was afraid of getting hurt? This giant of a tiger who could lift boulders with ease, who could kill an enemy with a single blow was afraid of being hurt by someone? It made very little sense. And yet, she knew there was a very real reason behind whatever it was that he feared.
They passed the hours of the afternoon making catches and talking about whatever topic floated in. By the end of the day, they had caught enough fish to fill themselves and then some. At dusk, they parted ways.
As Lethe drew into the home where she lived, hundreds of thoughts pulsed through her mind. Her house was very close to the palace, and in fact was a property of the palace itself. It was one of the well-crafted homes that higher officials and officers dwelled in. It was less primitive than most Gallian homes; it had many beorc-style trimmings, with a wooden door and small metal fixtures, but Lethe didn't mind because it was laguz enough inside for her, trimmed with exotic wood and rustic amenities.
As she recalled all the events of the day, her mind kept flashing back to when they were close to each other. She had felt the warmth and the soul of another creature beneath her hands, and this time it wasn't as prey. The feelings were confusing. She longed to return to the moment and feel them again. Though they were unfamiliar, they were quite pleasant. She remembered his cool yellow eyes, his smooth breaths, the sensation of his cheek brushing against her own and shivered. As she tried to go to sleep, something that normally came with ease, she thrashed about, and finally went to her window and looked out at the snowy-white moon. She rested her arms and head on the sill.
She thought back to what he had said about fear. He feared pain. He feared being hurt. He had this fear bottled up in him, and now he was slowly letting it go. She had a strong intuition that there was something very deep bothering him, something secret...something he had never let anyone see because of his fear. She felt a sudden pang of sorrow for him. Slowly, she was starting to understand why he behaved the way he did. The cruelty that was inflicted on him was different than any experience she had ever known. She had been shocked by the wretched practices of the Begnion nobles that he had explained to her; how many more acts tormented his soul? Her heart churned.
Slowly, fitfully, sleepiness overcame her, and she slumbered, a ponderous feeling heavy upon her breast.