Desert Roses

[lack_luster_soul]

Hearing his name, the southerner blushed and stroked Eladrian's hair, whispering, "Wake up, darling. I need to make you dinner..." Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to Eladrian's lips. They felt so warm and soft, a chill shuddered through Ialu at just the touch.

Sadiki perked his ears up and he watched Maya. His shoulders relaxed as adopted a submissive position. Testosterone awakening, he lowered his head but trotted forward, nuzzled into her soft flank and turning to nibble slightly at her neck. Like an excited foal, he trotted around her, nuzzling her and showing off, a fool in love.  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian's hands went up at the kiss, his mind already waking, pulling Ialu closer. "Ialu...." He mumbled through the kiss.

Maya nickered, flicking her tail about in amusement tossing her head playfully. She responded to one light n** with one of her own, dancing away when Sadiki tried to get closer, letting out soft whinny.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu laughed softly against Eladrian's lips before returning the kiss. He stroked through the elf's hair, pulling him half up into his lap, nuzzling his neck. He groaned, "Mmmm, come on, love... Get up... You don't want Amal to see some dirty southerner making love to you..." He grinned, nipping Eladrian's earlobe, "I need to make us some food and both of us should grab a bath in the beautiful spring you created for us."

Sadiki whinnied and reared up, prancing about playfully before coming back to Maya's presence, nuzzling the unicorn's neck and mane, his lips moving against her coat, no teeth involved, tail waving in affection. He moved to her side, his body pressed tight to her side as he nickered.  

[Claude Faustus]

"Mmmm a bath sounds lovely" Eladrian sat up, stretching his arms out he was still a bit tired but he was glad that they would be staying to rest up.
Together they stepped out of the tent.

Eladrian looked up surprise as Maya pranced around Sadiki, pausing to nuzzle him back and gently scratch his back with her teeth, her sides where heaving slightly.
At every kiss from the stallion the mare's skin would twitch with sensitivity, making her blood rush through the skin and a jumpy excited feeling would come over her. The young mare was quickly becoming enamored with the attention the magnificent male was giving her.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu stood at the mouth of the tent, watching. He grabbed Eladrian's wrist to stop him, watching Sadiki and Maya. His eyes lit up. It was beautiful seeing them flirt and prance about each other, acting like fools. He grinned, squeezing Eladrian's hand, "They're beautiful."

Sadiki finally pulled away, coyly cantering off, finding a tuft of grass and nibbling at it, his tail still switching with happiness, his eyes trained on Maya from afar. As enamoured as he was, he knew that any more teasing, and his instincts would have him mounting her. The mare was jumpy, he knew. He would let her have a chance to really want him as a mate. Then he would claim her when she came to him to beg.

Ialu glanced to Eladrian, "Did you see that?" A knowing smirk was on his lips.  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian felt his face flush with warmth, first with relief: his stubborn mare had at last chosen a male, then suddenly the warmth vanished. Sadiki, thought a fine animal wasn't the one he had planed to bred Maya to. His smile melted into a frown.

Maya watched Sadiki walk away, her ears pricked forward with a questioning tilt. Seh took a step towards him...

"Maya!" Eladrian called
"Oh let them play." Amal huffed form his place at eh fireside. "While you two where sleeping I made a gruel for supper." the older man stirred a pot of an unappetizing grayish...substance.

Maya neighed to Sadiki then turned to her rider gently nuzzling the young man's chest. Eladrian stroked her head and ears.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Sadiki, not understanding anything, suddenly lifted his head at Eladrian's interruption. His ears pricked forward, then laid back with irritation. He watched, then snorted, turning away to move, walking around to the far side of the spring. He waded in to his ankles, letting the water cool him as he bent his head to dip it below water.

Ialu looked back to Eladrian, a bit confused. The elf wanted Maya to find a mate and breed so that he could be free. But now Eladrian was protective. But then Ialu remembered. While a beautiful stallion, Sadiki was still just a common horse, compared to Maya. Ialu shivered and let go of Eladrian's hand, moving to Amal's side with a chuckle, "Oh, yess... I can fix that... Hold on to it..." He began moving around the plain, picking certain plants, grabbing some food from his stores, then grabbing a large bowl of fresh water. He added the spices and herbs to the gruel, then the water, stirring it slowly. Finally he added chunks of meat and vegetables. He looked to Amal, "No offense, of course... The desert takes so much out of you. This may be our cheapest food source, but we'll get to town in a couple more days, and we have enough stores. I think all of us are starved of nutrients at this point."  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian watched Ialu going about cooking as he held Maya, on arm around her shoulders leaning slightly on her. Maya's ears where swinging this way an that, in confusion and indecisiveness. She wanted to go back to Sadiki and yet she knew that she should listen to her rider.
After a moment Eladrian let go of her and sat down beside Amal.

"No problem, Cooking isn't one of my strong points I'm afraid." Amal said, gratefully accepting a bowl of stew. "This smells so much better, thank you Ialu." With a happy smile the man began to eat ravenously.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu laughed, ladling out a big bowl for Eladrian next, "Oh, good. I'm glad. I was hoping you weren't making some traditional Eldren food or the like. It didn't even occur to me that I should probably shut up and be polite. But this is much better. Really, you had set up a pretty good basis for the stew." He handed off the bowl to Eladrian before serving himself. He glanced back up and saw Sadiki, ears pinned back as he watched Maya and Eladrian. The horse finally twitched its tail and turned away, dipping his head to let the water hit him, then spill down his neck.  

[Claude Faustus]

"Too bad we are not traveling together I would have liked you to teach me a few pointers, this is delicious." Amal said, pouring out the complements, still with at silly grin on his handsome face.
Eladrian felt a p***k of annoyance at the smile directed at Ialu.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu smiled back at Amal, almost blushing, "I'm glad you like it so much. Really, compared to how I normally cook, this is barely passable. If only we had a kitchen full of fresh ingredients. I may be a Southerner, but I could show you some magic." He winked, digging into his own stew with a clay cup of water at his side. It was good to eat something cooked. He stretched his arms over his head as he finished, "Mmmmm, I know I'm looking forward to a good bath. It feels like it's been a year since I bathed," he laughed.  

[Claude Faustus]

Amal smiles, "That reminds me, I dug out a deeper pit and lined it with some grass on the bottom. Do you want to bathe together?"
Eladrian almost choked on his stew.
Amal smirked "..all three of us, It won't be a problem, I made it big enough."
The younger man coughed slightly, " Amal.... I appreciate the offer but.."
"Oh that's right. " Amal interrupted "You haven't yet experienced a shared bath.....don't' worry, I won't touch you unless You want me to."
Eladrian felt his face grow warm.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu's ear perked up at the mention of a shared bath. He glanced between Eladrian and Amal, trying to read their unspoken feelings in the body language. He pursed his lips for a second, letting a warm blush spread through his body, "That sounds wonderful to me..." He stood up and gathered their bowls as they finished, taking them to the spring and letting them soak. He looked over his shoulder, "Just give me a few minutes, I want to unbraid my hair..."

He would let them discuss it and come to peace with this whole 'shared bath' idea. He knelt by the spring, pulling his dozens of long, tiny braids over his shoulder. He loosed them from the beads holding them, and began to slowly undo each one. Unlike most hair, his seemed to undo itself and fall into soft peaceful waves instead of a kinky mess.  

[Claude Faustus]

A few minutes later, a pair of hands began to aid in pulling out the braids. Eladrian's voice came a moment later. "Amal said to go on a head, he'll be joining us in a little awhile.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu didn't look back at Eladrian, but could feel him behind him. He smiled and blushed, leaning back ever so slightly against him. He purred, "Mmmm, good, I was hoping to have you alone for a little while. I've missed your touch." He kept working at the braids, his long black hair when loose was soft and fine, like corn silk. He finally turned and looked back at Eladrian with his big blue eyes, "Are you angry I agreed to the shared bath?"