Hotel Auberge

In response to Alli and Feru, Naoki shrug-nods in reluctant agreement.

“Better gaudy than grubby, though, as far as I’m concerned. I prefer the known, clean quantity to taking my chances with the potentially dirty or drafty.”

As Liz enters, Naoki shuts the door firmly behind her, and considers for a moment proceeding into formal introductions, but decides against it. It’s hardly the time or place, and they all already know each other’s names anyway. However, at Liz’ words, Naoki pauses for a moment and raises a quizzical eyebrow in Liz’ direction as she begins to undo the belt holding her skirt up.

“Why did you tell her that?”

Skarlet was focusing on sneaking a small piece of herself under the door, a flesh bud, the ligament looking mass creeped under the door and formed an eye along it so she could see inside. The eye widened when she saw people were undressing.

Huh? What's going on here?

The flesh bud creeps away to get somewhere hidden, still attached to Skarlet by a thin ligament. Meanwhile she was bamboozled at what she had heard. Curious, she continues to sit out in the hall listening and observing with her flesh bud.

Alli winks at Feru and sticks her tongue out, a small bit of competition at having been selected first. She grabbed Naoki's hand as it touched her thigh and guided it up further, while climbing into the bed.

Alli would prove to be a very thorough lover, with a vast knowledge of anatomy that she was able to skilfully apply thanks to her numerous experiences and training as a combat healer and nurse. She was fairly passionate but a bit methodical as well, focusing more on her partner's enjoyment than her own.

<Fade to Black>

Liz would also take off early in the morning, prior to anybody but Feru waking up. St. George had a strict morning schedule and the last thing she wanted to deal with was a cranky griffin eating some rich duke's horses. She skimmed the note but didn't move it before leaving, a faint, remniscent grin on her face as she left.

<Exit>

Blinking awake, Naoki achieves a state that could loosely be described as conscious. In recalling the events of the previous night and becoming aware of the situation around her, she smiles, content. She isn’t in any particular rush to extricate herself from the bed or the women she shares it with. It’s warm.

Feru’s apparent departure, while not wholly a surprise, certainly isn’t welcome. Naoki would have preferred that she hang around, perhaps share another meal or another night, but she supposes that Feru probably had to get along to whatever mercenary job she was referring to. For a moment, Naoki considers in hindsight that she could have offered to pay Feru however much she would have received for that job so she wouldn’t have to go, but that would be a bit strange, wouldn’t it.

In any case, Naoki is left with enough shared body heat to be satisfied, so she doesn’t worry overmuch about it, instead opting to simply lie and revel until the others get up.

With no qualms about being snuggled, Naoki folds her tail up over her hip as to get it out of the way. However, as she’s lying there silently, a realization strikes Naoki where she wasn't’ expecting it, causing her eyes to snap open and her shoulders to tense perceptibly for a moment. Intentionally, she does her best to erase this tension and seem just as content as she was before, but in such close quarters, it’s difficult to hide from Alli how she’s become somewhat aloof and is somewhat obviously thinking about something.

Yet, she offers no explanation or greeting despite the fact that she’s aware that Alli is conscious, instead simply scooting backward, a bit closer.

“No…”

As Alliandre pulls away, Naoki rolls over onto her back about as much as she can, which is most of the way. Staring up at the ceiling, the look in her eyes is devoid of anything in particular as she folds her hands idly across her midriff and continues, “No. I have things I need to do and I’m not particularly hungry anyway.”

This is a bit of lie, in that the activities of the previous night, combined with the lack of dinner have left Naoki quite hungry, but she doesn’t’ let on as such, instead rolling over and off the bed and eventually into an upright position. As she moves toward the closet with deliberately slow and careful steps, she opens her mouth as if to continue, but comes across Feru’s note, and pauses to pluck it from its place on the table and read it.

As she does, her eyebrows furrow together with apparent irritation. Apparently, this one thinks she can just casually skip her way away with no repercussions. For a moment, Naoki considers sending someone after her, to bring her back to receive some manner of punishment, but decides against it, suspecting that she’ll cross paths with the other cat woman again soon enough.

Instead, she places the note back down on the table where it was, such that Alli might read it at her leisure, and continues toward the closet. Opening the doors, she selects a bathrobe and begins to speak again as she slides into it.


“As I said, please make yourself at home in the room. I’ll send someone to you with the key and see to it that you are not left behind when we depart, I’m staying on the floor above in the suite, and some other members of my entourage are in the rooms around this one. If you need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask, but I suspect I’ll see you again soon enough.”

Having finished pulling the robe about herself, Naoki crosses the room with two long strides to stand behind Alli. Extending her left hand downward, Naoki grabs a hefty handful of derriere and squeezes playfully as she whispers her farewell into Alliandre's ear, “Until then.”

After a wink and another squeeze, Naoki opens the door and leaves the room, tail trailing behind her out the door before she pulls it shut behind her.

Skarlet slept until her Mom returned. Somewhat unhappy about her discovery.