Totoka River fisherbalm

maybe @Noxir ?

meredith moved along the riverbank, her paws pressing softly into the damp soil. the gentle rush of water filled her ears, a constant, soothing sound that masked the quick flicks of fish beneath the surface. her pale eyes scanned the shallows, focused and unyielding.

she stepped carefully into the icy water, the chill biting at her legs but ignored in favor of her purpose. the current tugged at her fur as she stood still, waiting for the telltale glint of silver scales darting in the sunlight.

her muscles tensed, and she leaned forward, watching as a flash of movement rippled through the water. patience, she reminded herself, the river’s rhythm setting her own. she could wait—she would wait—for the perfect moment to strike.

ask and ye shall receive

Restlessness drew him from the forest on the trail of an old stag. Their caches were low and Noxir planned to rectify that soon, but his sinewy meat was not what he was after. The captain paused as it's trail continued across the river and prepared to return home when a familiar figure caught his eye. 

Padding closer confirmed his suspicions and he settled on the bank nearby, molten gaze observing carefully as the flaxen girl stood her ground in the current. This was the stillest he'd seen her, the captain amused, reclining further in the weak sun. Whether her patience would last, well, he had front row tickets to see the outcome of that.

the glint of scales beneath the surface sent her heart thrumming, and in one swift motion, she plunged forward. her jaws closed around the wriggling trout, water splashing as she yanked it free from the stream.

she stepped back onto the bank, droplets glinting on her sandy fur as she dropped the fish, triumphant. but her moment of victory was interrupted by a prickle at the nape of her neck—a sense of being watched.

her pale eyes flicked up, catching sight of the captain lounging nearby. a smirk pulled at her lips as she nudged the fish with her paw.

ye’ve caught me, cap’n, she called, her voice thick with amusement, playful and unbothered. though i reckon i caught somethin’ better.

she straightened, giving her fur a shake, droplets scattering. what brings ye lurkin’ by the banks? missed me already, ‘ave ye? the tease was light, but her grin was sharp, daring him to deny it.

His ears pricked to hear the splash of water, watching hungrily as her lithe body brought forth an unlucky trout from it's watery home. It was a fine catch, but Noxir was not one to offer praise so easily - especially for something every seawolf should be capable of.

"Not bad," he drawled, rising to his paws with a big stretch before he joined Meredith ahead. Just in time to dodge the spray of water. Noxir glanced away momentarily to shield his eyes before his attention returned to the glistening fish. She'd get a bigger catch if she were to watch her shadow, but he reserved the critique for another time.

A breathy snort as he brushed past her towards the river. "Don't flatter yerself. Be grateful I put up with ye so often, aye?" Though she was not as level-headed as Emris, he left it unsaid that he'd begun to enjoy her company. From the glittering stream, his gaze returned to her with a friendly challenge. "D'ya think I can catch somethin' bigger?"

she let out a bark of laughter, her grin as sharp as the glint of the water she’d just sprayed his way. aye, cap’n, i’ll bet on it! she shot back.

she flicked her tail, water droplets scattering in the air as she tossed him a cheeky glance. but when i win, ye owe me first pick o’ the next haul, she added, her tone full of mischief as she padded toward the river’s edge, already scanning the surface for her next catch.

let’s see if ye’ve got what it takes, cap’n, she teased, crouching low, her gaze fixed on the rippling water with a determined spark.

If there was one way to win the captain's favour, it was with a little game. There was nothing quite as exhilarating as watching an opponent with Meredith's level of sass be knocked down a peg. "An' when ye lose," a familiar sharp-toothed grin stretched his features wide, "yer gonna be catchin' me breakfast for tha' next week."

He could hardly wait to see her face once all was said and done.

Pulling away from Meredith, he slid into the water with the grace of a well-practiced fisher and positioned himself against the current. His orientation mirrored that of the trout, now back to lazily surfing the river, in a way that cast his shadow behind him away from their beady eyes. The flow would carry them this way gradually, giving Nox ample time to select a worthy target. There. Beneath the surface glinted the scales of a fish larger than the rest. Ears flicking towards the bank to ensure the girl was playing fair, he waited for the catch to come to him.

aye, cap'n, fair's fair, she murmured, her tone teasing yet nonchalant, as if breakfast duty were of no consequence to her.

she slid herself lower, paws sinking into the shallows as she readied for the hunt. the current tugged at her fur, but she remained steady, her sharp gaze locked onto the water’s surface. her tail flicked lazily behind her, betraying her confidence as she waited for her chance to strike.

ye’d best hope that fish likes ye better than me, she quipped under her breath, though her grin remained, wide and sharp. her muscles coiled as she focused, the game now as much about besting nox as it was about catching their meal. for now, she would play fair—because where was the fun in winning without a little sport?

Meredith joined him in the river, and it was now that the real competition could begin. 

He knew he must strike soon before the girl spooked the fish once more - or worse, stole his catch. "Yeah right," he retorted quietly, though his focus remained on the task at hand. "Ye'v never seen me fish before. They can't resist my dashing looks." 

To his dismay, the large trout drifted towards Meredith's side of the river. Rats. The fish wasn't wrong - Meredith was more of a looker than he - but Nox was absolutely not going to lose. Using her position behind the school to his advantage, he slipped silently towards the bank and began creeping upriver. Hopefully, she would make a mistake and chase it right into his waiting jaws.

meredith was too caught up in the way the light glinted off the captain’s fur, the smooth motion of his steps through the water, and the sharp focus etched into his expression. she was sure she could see why the fish might fall for his charm—it wasn’t entirely baseless.

then the trout drifted closer to her side.

oh, you're full of it, she shot back with a teasing grin, catching sight of the fish at last. her heart leapt, and without a second thought, she surged forward, jaws snapping at the water. the trout darted, evading her by mere inches.

damn it! she growled through the river’s spray, before seeing nox edging closer. catching his sly movement, her grin widened mischievously. oh no, you don’t! she lunged again—not at the trout this time, but at him.

their jaws clashed playfully above the water, teeth snapping with more humor than aggression. this one's mine! she barked, eyes alight with laughter. despite the battle, the fish still swam unbothered nearby, but meredith hardly cared. the game with her captain was far more exhilarating

Oblivious to her contemplations, the captain dismissed her playful response with a swish of his dark tail as his eyes traced the glitter of scales beneath the flow. 

Luckily for him, she hadn't seemed to notice his advances until it was almost too late. A crash as she struck and amidst the splashing water, the fate of the fish lay unknown to Nox - until her loud curse signalled her miss. 

Eyes flicked wildly and there it was, darting swiftly in his direction as he'd predicted. His gaze traced its movements for a split second, tail twitching in excitement before he thrust himself into the frigid waters. Only to have the breath knocked from his chest.

A cough and a splutter as he was dunked briefly beneath the flow, emerging sodden and glistening in the sun as he countered Meredith's attack with a spar of his own. "Shoulda known ye wouldn't play fair!" he growled almost childishly, jest tinged with frustration. The trout was his - he'd found it first! - yet there lay a subtlety to Meredith's jab that led Nox to believe she hadn't just been referring to the fish.

meredith burst out laughing at his spluttering, the sound bright and teasing, carrying over the gentle roar of the river. play fair? oh, please, she drawled, tossing a sly grin his way as she shook water from her coat. captain, you’re lucky i didn’t dunk you right under. her tail swayed with mischief as she lowered her head, watching him as if ready to pounce again.

besides, she added, eyes darting toward the now-escaped trout, "ou might’ve found it first, but i had it right where i wanted it. maybe i was just... distracted by all that floundering. her tone was light, but the grin tugging at her lips was downright impish.

she splashed toward him, pawing at the water like she was ready to reignite their tussle. what’s wrong, captain? can’t handle a bit of competition? she winked, feigning another swipe in his direction, though this time her laughter betrayed her lack of intent.

Her laugh echoed melodically across the river and with it resurfaced an unwelcome memory. Seger in place of Meredith, her face a twisted black mask jeering at his failure. Though it lasted mere seconds, it was enough to make him shiver coldly - though, perhaps, that was the frigid water's doing.

"Yeah? I'd like to see ye try," her voice brought him back to the present, a familiar challenge returning to his tone as he caught the subtle shift in her gaze. An idea formed in head; if she wouldn't play fair, there was no way he would either. "Distracted, eh? Think that might be yer downfall."

Lunging into the spray, he used his momentum to collide with Meredith in a ball of spidery limps and snapping teeth in an effort to unbalance her. A swift change of direction soon revealed his true intentions though, and he darted jaws outstretched towards the fish, feeling its slippery body finally within his grasp. Competition? By all accounts, she'd just lost.

meredith sputtered, water spraying from her lips as she reeled from the sudden ambush. ye slimy bastard! she yelped, laughter bubbling between gasps as she thrashed in the water. her paws churned beneath her, trying to regain footing in the slick riverbed, but nox’s weight pressed her down just enough to keep her off balance.

when she saw the glint of the fish in his grasp, she groaned dramatically, flopping onto her side in mock defeat. all right, all right! she barked, tail slapping against the water in playful protest. ye win, captain. i secede!

rolling onto her back, she gave him an exaggerated pout, eyes narrowing as her tongue flicked out in defiance. but ye better know, she added with a smirk, next time, i’m takin’ ye down. fair or not.

fade in your next?

His feint had worked. Emerging from the river with the trout still wriggling in his grip, Nox couldn't help but laugh - albeit muffled -at her dramatic defeat. A triumphant sight it was to see her belly-up for him, and yet he wondered how she'd fair in a real battle. 

The thought of her rolling over for anyone else brought with it a lick of concern, along with something darker as his gaze lingered on the soggy furs of her stomach. He shrugged off the feeling, dispatching the fish and tossing it towards the bank before his shadow cast over the girl. 

"We both know yer all bark no bite," he grinned, tail wagging amused at her playful threat, though it had been a close victory today. A gentle prod of his paw encouraged her to stand again. "C'mon, we got mouths to feed. And don't ye be forgettin' that breakfast yer owin' me. I'll be waitin'." At that, the captain turned to wade deeper into the river in search of more catch to bury for later.

ty for the thread! these 2 are always fun