✦ Want a Drink? ✦

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn would smirk slightly when she flinched a bit at his question, he was at least partly right. Something bad had happened that caused her to run away from a comfortable life, to try to run away from humanity in general it almost seemed. When she looked away from him, he noticed her hand kept moving to mess with something around one of her fingers. Grym would let out a low grumble letting Bjorn know he smelled anger, fear and sadness radiating off of her. Bjorn would grunt back quietly and give Grym’s large side a scratch. Looking back over at Mae, Bjorn would let out a low sigh. “I wasn’t trying to upset you...this life in the wild isn’t easy, even if it’s what I’m most used to... I was simply curious what would cause someone who was used to human society to want to leave all that behind...” The large man would be speaking softly, he was trying to be kind, even if his voice still had the basically permanent growl to it. Reaching out a hand, he attempted to rest it on her shoulder or back as a comforting gesture, “I’m sorry I attacked earlier.... I explained the reasoning for the misunderstanding.... I know big cats are slow to trust new individuals in their territory, and are even more nervous outside their territory, but I really don’t mean to hurt you...”  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi heard the two spoke to each other in their growling language as Bjorn mentioned that he wasn't trying to upset her. She shrugged it off. "I prefer the wilds, for my mind and soul," Maemi said honestly. It was away from humans and some of the memories at least and opened up realties to her that she didn't know was possible for her to do. He admitted being curious and Maemi gets it but she wasn't going to tell him. At all. She'll avoid it much as possible as it stands. His hand rested on her shoulder as she accepted it for few seconds before shrugging it off, not wanting to be touched. "I understand. It's like you said, you don't know how long you been sleeping and as you said you two were possibly being hunted down. You didn't hurt me. Thankfully, I'm quicker than you," Maemi wasn't a fool, she realized that he was strong, judging by the marks on the poor rock walls when they were fighting in the dark. "And we're far away from their territory. I'm thinking about having them go back home and continue to travel with you. The lions do not need the stress I am putting them through."  

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn would listen to Mae talk, sitting back down against Grym’s side when she shrugged away his hand. “Yea... though my first strike was mostly meant to just pin you to the wall... on humans I don’t necessarily strike to kill without knowing what’s going on...” he’d say gruffly, still slightly annoyed at how he ended up being bound to the wall of the cave by her technique. “The lions aren’ your partners?” He’d ask curiously when she mentioned sending them back to their territory to travel with him and Grym alone. “Grym and I have been together long as either of us can remember.... Not sure if I could ever send him away...he’s my brother...” Grym would give a friendly grunt of approval at Bjorn’s words as the big man reached over his shoulder and ran his claws through the bear’s fur. “Don’t know where I’d be at this point if I didn’t have him to back me up....” Bjorn would scratch his beard thoughtfully for a moment, then look over at Mae, “If we’re going to travel together, especially with you thinking of sending away the lions, anything you want to know about me or Grym before you’re all alone with a couple bears you found encased in steel in a cave?” He’d chuckle slightly in his growling voice, Grym giving a kind of laughing growl as well.  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi heard him as he mentioned pinning her to the wall as she scowled softly. She wasn't sure how well she would take it if he was successful. Luckily, she had her senju to help her aid so if he was successful, she would've used the tree to yank him off of her. Maemi shook her head when he asked if they were her partners. "No. But I can summon them." He went on to explain why he was a bit surprised about her idea of sending them away and it seemed that Bjorn and Grym were thick as thieves. That makes sense of his wording for brother towards the bear. Not getting the joke, "I'm not sending them away now. The weather is unkind." She pointed out at the winds howling outside of the cave. "Once again, I can take care of myself between the two of you," Maemi smirked towards him softly as she sighed and got up, dusting herself slightly. "Before I go to bed, anything else you need to know that I would be willing to tell you?" She crossed her arms, green hues watching the pair of them as she waited for a response. The sooner she sleeps, the better because it would pass the time quickly, and when she wakes, the storm should pass and she could go have fun.  

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn chuckled slightly at how literal she was being when it came to what he said about her sending the lions away. When she got up and crossed her arms with a smirk, having mentioned how she could handle herself with the two of them, Bjorn smirked as he looked her up and down a bit. “For now... I’ll have to work on getting faster...” he’d throw back with a smirk of his own. Thinking about her question of whether he had any other questions for her that she would actually answer, the large man would shrug, holding his hands up in an “I dunno” kind of gesture, “Kind of hard to say... since I’m not a mind reader... don’t know what kind of questions you’ll actually answer.... and if I was, wouldn’t need to ask anyway.” Bjorn would yawn with a low kind of roar and stretch slightly. “I guess none of us are going anywhere til at least morning with that storm out there... I’ll go ahead and set up some protection just in case...” Bjorn would walk over to the mouth of the cave and stomp the floor. A wall of black steel would shoot out of the cave floor and grow right up to the roof. Air would still be able to get in and out, but it was unlikely anything larger than a bug would be able to get around that wall. The rain and thunder could still be heard hitting the rock and metal as Bjorn walked over back to where Mae and Grym were.  

[Jenni Deer]

His eyes gazed at her up and down as she watched him and it seemed that he wasn't too keen nor happy with her being faster. Watched him she shrugged as well, she wasn't particularly interested in knowing too much about him. All she knew that he could help her. If not, she can leave the duo and they can take care of themselves. Bjorn mentioned protection as she didn't like the idea of the entrance being closed, it was small enough for them to squeeze through so there was no need for the coverage. Maemi chewed on her cheek as she said nothing else and walked towards the lions. Used senju. it made cocoon-like branches that gave privacy for Maemi as she crawled into it. The cubs woke up for a moment at the sounds of branches and ran into the cocoon to sleep with Maemi. Her lips formed into a sad smile as she gently pets the cubs as they started to settle on her. The next few nights once they are gone, she knew it will be rough with her, she's been using them as an anchor while she slept.  

[Valbjorn]

Watching out of the corner of his eye as Mae created a sort of cocoon of branches for herself, Bjorn smiled softly to himself as he saw the little Cubs go to sleep with her. He had a slight sense that she wasn’ too thrilled with him practically sealing the cave, but he shrugged it off as he went to lay down near Grym’s big head, resting his head in his palms with his hands behind his head as he lay on his back. Lifting his head slightly to look at the fire pillar that had been their light source, he would cut off the small chakra drain that was maintaining it, watching as darkness crowded in around them. As he lay back, he and Grym would chat in low grunts and growls about what had apparently happened in the time they were hibernating, what they were going to do now that they didn’t seem to need to worry about hunting parties from Konoha. Grym grunted jokingly after Bjorn growled at him for suggesting that he should claim Mae as a mate, though he wouldn’t deny that she had caught his eye between her obvious strength and the way she was dressed. The big man would chuckle softly to himself for a moment at the thought before drifting off to sleep in the dark cave , listnening to the sound of the wind and rain from outside.

Several hours later, Bjorn would awaken and look around the dark cave. In the thin strands of light that found their way in around his wall, Bjorn could make out the lions against the wall, Grym next to him, and Mae with the Cubs in her cocoon as he quietly got to his feet. Walking lightly over to the steel wall, he would lower it slowly back into the earth. Once it was gone, he would climb out of the cave and sit on the cliff overlooking the valley below. He would use his claws to clean bits of rock and meat out of his hair and beard from the night before as he watched the sun rise, listening to the sounds of the birds around them waking up and chirping. A small smile would appear on his face as he leaned back on his palms, he may be a skilled hunter and a top predator, but he enjoyed the beauty of nature at these transitional times of day as he wondered what would happen with the new travel companion he’d met the night before.  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi noticed it got darker through the small opening she had in the cocoon as she didn't mind. She can still listen. The grunts and growls between Bjorn and Grym had her rather curious about what they were talking about, luckily, for her, she had no desire to satiate her curiosity. They became quiet and when the silence filled the cave, she started to get lulled into sleep as well from the sounds of the wind, rain, and thunder outside. In the middle of the night, Maemi woke up with a soft gasp before grasping one of the sleeping cubs and buried her face into its soft belly. Few deep breaths, she started to calm herself down. Her fingers stroke through the cub's fur and them being there helped grounded her. The cubs' smell of dirt and their soft touch. Their soft breathings. She sighed softly as she sniffled and wiped her cheek since there were wet drops going down. Rubbed her face into her arm roughly, she brought the cubs to her closure. Her eyelids closed as she does her best to push the thoughts out and slowly fall back asleep.

The cubs and lions started to stir and their body weight shifted the rocks and dirt underneath them, causing Maemi to wake up too. The cubs yawned and went over to their mother for some milk. Maemi paused and listened as she can hear the steel wall slowly going down. It wasn't loud but she was awake now. Followed by a loud snnnnnrrrtt sound from Grym, Maemi genuinely smiled for the first time in a long time. With a shake of her head, she crawled out and growled towards the lions while sitting by them. Few hisses and grumbles as long some groans, Maemi stood up from them and they started to head out of the entrance. The lions started to leave while Maemi leaned against the wall, watching them leaving the cave and headed east. Maemi sniffed and rubbed her nose, "You need a bath. Smelling like kill while trying to get close to the prey would have them run."  

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn would hear the grumbles and growls coming from the cave behind him, along with the low rumbling snores from his brother, as he looked back over his shoulder to see Mae with the lions. As she walked out with the pride, the big cats leaving the cave and heading off east, the big man would look up and back at her from his seat, “Morning....” he’d say calmly, before hearing her comment about his smell, which made him laugh, “I guess you have a point there.... I had been kind of thinking about finding a stream or something to rinse my hair and beard out at least... and maybe try to find some honey or berries or something to eat...maybe a fish or two if there’s any in the water.” He’d say with a slight smile as he got up. Grym would give a loud snort from within the cave before grumbling awake and lumbering over to the entrance. Bjorn would grunt to his brother before looking down to meet Mae’s green eyes with his icy blues, “Grym thinks he hears a stream maybe a mile from here down in the valley, you wanna join us? It’s a pretty good way to wake up and get energy for the day...” Bjorn would turn to look down the mountainside in the direction Grym had heard water.  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi chuckled softly, "Of course. Honey and berries." She glanced towards him before her eyes went into the cave. "Bears." She commented as she paused for a moment, "It's been a while I had something sweet. It would be nice." Another loud snort in the cave as she watched him grumbling and still waking up while made his way over to them. Maemi glanced up towards the icy blues as it suddenly hit her that it was a relief that he looked nothing like Shin. She doesn't know if she could handle anyone that does. Having nothing to carry, "Okay. Let's go." She made her way down as she started to unbraid her hair to get ready for the rinse in the stream. She also kept an eye out for any berries or buzzing of the bees for honey though she figured that Grym would probably find a tree full of honey before Bjorn and Maemi does.  

[Valbjorn]

Climbing down the side of the mountain, Bjorn would chuckle at Mae’s comment about bears and sweet stuff. “We might be large predators... but we eat whatever we can get ahold of.... and sweet stuff is good.” He’d say with a laugh.as they were able to walk normally through the trees in the valley, Grym’s nose could be heard sniffing around. He’d been hoping to catch a sniff of honey or a buzz from some bees ever since Bjorn had mentioned it. As they reached the stream, Bjorn glanced back to see Mae undoing her long braid as Grym ignored the stream for now and went wandering into the forest, grunting that he was gonna keep looking for the honey and berries. Bjorn would laugh some more before grunting back at the large bear before looking towards Mae, “Mention honey to him and that’s all he can think of.... hopefully he doesn’t eat the whole comb at once before we get some.” He’d laugh as he walked up to the edge of the stream. Without thinking, the big man would drop his pants and wade out into the cool, fresh water until he found the deepest point, which only came up to about the middle of his stomach due to his height. “Ah, nice cool water...” he’d say as he rubbed his hands together in the water, splashing it into his face and beard before dunking his head under to soak his hair.

Grym would continue wandering into the woods, following the stream when he caught a soft buzzing sound. Following it he ended up finding an old tree that appeared to be basically completely hollowed out and was buzzing with bees, likely filled with honey. “Yes! Score! I found a whole tree full of honey!” He’d roar out loud enough for Bjorn to hear back downstream. Back in the water, Bjorn would laugh before turning towards Mae, “Looks like Grym found a big stash of honey... he’s all excited” he’d say with a genuine smile and a laugh.  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi gave him a friendly smile, "I know it's just.. it didn't cross my mind. That's all." She explained the ideas of sweets. While unbraiding her hair, she noticed that Grym was going into the forest, her brows furrowed as it seemed Bjorn caught her expression and explained that Grym was obsessive with honey. "Ah." She replied to let him know that she heard him as she removed some jewelry, everything except her ring. That stayed on. Left clothes on since they needed to be rinsed too, she turned to wade into the stream and sighed as she looked away from Bjorn as he decided to drop his pants right there and then and entered into the stream. She had seen naked men and women many times, her old job made sure of that and she was adjusting to the... openness of it all. Her eyes watched the forest carefully as if she was making sure that there was nothing seemingly off. Made her way to the stream, a bit more upwards than Bjorn as she leaned back and let the waters rinse her hair naturally. She gasped and sat up quick when Grym started to roar so loud, having her think they were under attack until Bjorn laughed and explained that he found a big stash of honey. She lets out a breath of relief when it seemed like everything was okay. With a soft smile, "You can go ahead. I'll catch up."  

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn would watch as Mae removed some jewelry before getting into the stream otherwise dressed, which sort of confused him since he’d learned a long time ago that wet clothes were far from comfortable . The thought left him when she entered the water and he saw how her small scraps of clothing clung to her body to the point of almost not being there. Bjorn would subconsciously let out a low rumbling growl of approval as his eyes scanned over her while she bent back to rinse her hair in the stream. When he saw how she was looking around as if nervous, Bjorn would flick a little water her way, “Don’t be so nervous, Mae... not many things thatre awake so far would dare mess with a bear... between me and Grym, any smaller predators will stay away...” seeing her smile, he would give her a soft smile in return when she said to go ahead to where Grym was. Bjorn would give her a quizzical look, “You sure? You don’t want to miss out on the honey.... nothing beats it fresh from the hive.” If Mae didn’t stop him, Bjorn would walk calmly out of the stream to where he’d left his pants, shaking his whole body around to shake off as much water as he could, before picking the pants up off the ground and throwing them over his shoulder. Turning back towards Mae, he would call out, “Grym’s roar came from this direction, from the sound of it, just follow the stream up and you’ll find us. If anything happens, just yell and we’ll come running.” With that, the huge bear of a man would take off walking upstream, still naked, with his pants tossed over his shoulder. He would wait until he dried out to put them back on.  

[Jenni Deer]

Maemi heard his comment and her heart hurts. Shin said something similar when she was increasingly getting anxious for his well-being for going against Jashin. Don't worry. Don't be nervous. "There's... forces at work here, Bjorn. I can explain after I catch up." Maemi started as she needed time to gather her thoughts and she wanted to make sure she can talk about what's going on without going to the painful part of her memories. She has not broke down in front of anyone and she wasn't going to start now. "I'm sure. I'll be there soon. My hair is rather long and takes a bit." Maemi explained towards Bjorn as he walked out of the stream and even started to shake like a bear. Her eyebrow rose. Fate was always strange to her. She would've called him out on shaking like an animal long ago. But now? Nope. She heard him call out as he started to walk towards the direction of the roar as she nodded to show that she got the message, whether he saw her nod or not. Her fingers gently ran through her hair to detangle and remove any dirt. Thanks to the water, it was easier to braid as she tightly braids her hair with ease, having to do it so many times over the years. Gathered her jewelry, she made her way up as she placed them on her head. Maemi fingertips went over to her earlobe as she placed the piercings back on. With the little she wore, it wasn't going to take long for them to dry out thankfully. Made her way to the tree, she laughed as she saw Grym's face was completely in the tree as Bjorn seemed to have a piece on his hands, "Good thing we're close to the water." There was smoke around and she figured it would keep the angry bees out. Approached Grym, she gently nudged Grym shoulder's wanting him to move out of the way for a bit, "May I get some, Grym?" She wasn't sure if he would understand her since she doesn't growl or grunt or do any of the bearspeak.  

[Valbjorn]

Bjorn would arrive at the tree and find Grym in a cloud of bees that were trying to defend their hive. Swatting at them with his huge paws. With a loud growl, Bjorn would tell Grym to dive into the stream. Once the huge bear dove in, Bjorn would create a few small fires around the tree, filling the area with smoke as the bees all either left the hive or fell asleep inside. “Come on, Brother, we can use fire... you know this!” Bjorn would growl at Grym, rubbing his face. “Oh yea.... I forgot... you know how I get when there’s honey!” The big bear would retort, rubbing his muzzle with his giant paw to brush away bee stingers stuck in his fur. Once they knew the coast was clear, Grym would basically dive head-first into the base of the tree and start slurping down honey. “Hey! Let me get some before you drink it all!” Bjorn would grunt at his brother. When Grym just grunted at him and didn’t move, Bjorn would grab handfuls of the bear’s back and drag him out of the honeycomb before reaching in and pulling out a big chunk of honeycomb for himself. It was at this point that Mae finally caught up, Bjorn looking over to once again look over how her clothes clung to her. Even if he didn’t understand human cultural norms, it didn’t take that for him to know she was beautiful.

When she asked nicely if Grym would move so she could get some honey, Grym would grunt and growl dismissively, saying something like “Just because my brother wants to mate with you, doesn’t mean I’m gonna take orders from you...” in bear. He really was a different person, or bear, when it came to honey. Bjorn would facepalm with his non honey covered hand before growling aggressively at Grym, “Brother... get your head out of that damn tree and let her get some honeycomb... don’t make me drag you out again... or I’ll put a wall around us and the tree and you won’t get any more honey.” Grumbling quietly, Grym would back his head out of the tree, his muzzle and basically entire head covered in the stuff as he sat up licking as much of his own face as his tongue could reach. Bjorn would look at Mae with an apologetic smile, “Sorry about that... he’s stubborn and doesn’t like to share when it comes to honey... I had to physically drag him out of the tree to get some myself...” he’d say with a chuckle before taking another bite of honeycomb, chewing on the comb like gum with a content smile on his face.