February 23, 2003
A simple inquiry on Bowstorm's part has turned into a flirtatious war of wills between him and the lovely Honeyhue. Neither side is willing to give an inch, and there's no telling where this reltionship is headed!
Part 1
"Oww! Stop, you silly pup! Watch where you put those big paws of yours!"
The buff-coloured wolf pup whined unhappily, but hopped off her elf-friend quickly and lay down at his feet.
Sighing with relief, and hoping for no bruises, Bowstorm grinned at Whitewater and scratched between her shoulder blades to let her know he still loved her. Yipping happily, the pup rolled over and presented her belly for more attention.
Absorbed in his bond-mate, the young archer didn't notice the quiet approach of his friend, Honeyhue.
'Hmm, he looks a lot happier now that he's bonded again.' The young symbol-maker noticed as she approached the pair. 'He's so wrapped up in his new pup, I bet he forgot about asking me to help him with his arrow markings.'
Deliberately clearing her throat so as not to startle the engrossed pair, Honeyhue walked up and sat down next to Bowstorm.
Smiling her best smile, she asked, "So, Bowstorm, do you remember why I'm here?"
Momentarily stunned by her smile, and silently wondering why, Bowstorm stammered, "Uh, well…I…hmmm…no, honestly, Honeyhue…I can't remember! I'm sorry, but….uh, my bonding with Whitewater was so intense, it sort of wiped out my short-term memory. Did we make plans to do something? If so, I'm terribly sorry I forgot!"
Sighing good-naturedly, Honeyhue smacked him on the shoulder and replied, "Bad boy! You owe me for this! Now, I do believe you asked me to help you with marking your arrows," and she gave him a look that clearly said, 'Well? Do you need another hint?'
Blinking suddenly as memory returned, Bowstorm replied, "Oh, yes, now I remember! I asked you if it was possible to somehow individualize each set of arrows I make, so that each archer could keep track of their own set.
"Puckernuts! That's not really what I mean! I can't quite explain it. Do you understand what I want, Honeyhue?"
Smiling again, Honeyhue nodded and replied, "Yes, I understand perfectly. Each archer should have his or her own colour-coded arrows. That's easy to do.
"Actually it's quite an ingenious idea! I wonder that no one thought of it before!"
Blushing furiously at the compliment, Bowstorm was unable to reply. 'My tongue's all twisted in knots,' he thought incredulously. 'What's wrong with me?'
Feigning ignorance of his predicament, Honeyhue went on, "Okay, as I see it, we can do this several ways. We can dye the feathers, paint the whole shaft, or just paint stripes on part of the shaft. We can even combine two or all three, for more elaborate designs. But no symbols - the shafts aren't big enough for that.
"So, what do you think? Is this what you had in mind?"
Blinking past his confusion and embarrassment, Bowstorm nodded enthusiastically. Finally finding his voice, he replied, "Honeyhue, that's perfect! What would I have done without you?" Mustering his courage, he added, "And you're right - I certainly do owe you for this!
"So, what can I do for you?"
Honeyhue placed her hands behind her back and thought for a moment as she swung back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Hmm, what indeed." She stopped and circled Bowstorm as if what she wanted might be hidden on his person, and then looked to Whitewater. "What do you think, hmmm?" she asked his bond playfully.
Whitewater yipped at Honeyhue and ran off into the woods, leaving Bowstorm behind with barely a glance. Startled, the young elf looked at Honeyhue, and then blushed furiously at the look she was giving him. He felt something inside him stir as she leaned closer.
Honeyhue leaned towards him with a sly grin on her face. "Looks like you've been left at my mercy. Poor Bowstorm. Poor, poor elf. What's with the flush, hmm?" She flirtingly teased him, touching his cheek with her finger.
Bowstorm inhaled sharply as the sensations her simple touch caused coursed through his body. He knew what she wanted, and he also knew he was now ready to give it to her. He gently grabbed her wrist and murmured, "Anticipation," and nuzzled her ink-stained palm.
"Anticipation?" Honeyhue purred up to him; then, turning away, called out, "Good - this way then! I've been slapped with a ton of chores and you're nominated to help me with them all!" she chuckled. She knew what he'd been thinking, knew what she'd been trying to make him think. She just loved playing.
Struck dumb by her sudden change in attitude, Bowstorm just sat there watching as she started walking away. Slowly, ever so slowly, unspent passion gave way to a burning rage. Toy with him, would she? Well, she forgot whom she was playing with. He was the trickster of Rushwater Holt. And Honeyhue just earned herself a nasty payback. Suppressing an evil grin, he meekly got up and followed her.
Honeyhue lead him over to a woodpile she had near the river. There looked to be a decent amount of arm sized branches. Turning on her heels in a dance like twist that moved her hips up into her shoulders and tossed her hair around her she smiled at him like a mischievous nymph. "Well hop to it forgetful! All of these need to be smoothed down and brought to the den."
Trying to pretend infatuation, Bowstorm gazed at her little dancing frame and realized he still wanted her, despite his anger. And she knew it, too! Well, she wasn't the only one who could play games.
"Sure, Honeyhue, I'll do this for you. But not right now; I have to finish making those arrows for Wildstar. She's been waiting patiently for a hand of nights for them, and I need to finish them now! But," and his voice lowered to a husky whisper. "I promise I'll be back to help just a soon as I can." And, winking at her, he turned to walk back to his interrupted work.
"So," she thought out loud to herself without moving. "This is what your repayment is worth after shirking me? I'll keep that in mind for later Bowstorm!" She then turned and headed up stream. She could see he was trying to 'play' and she wasn't going to let him win so easily. So instead she turned and looked to the water. It was a nice day today, perhaps a swim...
Whistling to himself, Bowstorm returned to the spot where he'd been playing with Whitewater. Pulling the almost-finished arrows out from under the bush where he'd cached them, he set to work while his mind reviewed the past few moments. Honeyhue was going to be a handful, but then, he'd always preferred a challenge over a gift, so things weren't too bad.
'Hmm,' he thought to himself as he tied the last arrow off. 'Finally. I'll go deliver these, grab a quick swim in the river, then tackle Honeyhue's pile of sticks. I wonder how much she expects me to do to repay her for her help.'
While Bowstorm suited himself with musings and work of his own choosing, Honeyhue passed the time how she saw fit - with a swim. Stripping down to her flesh, she quickly immersed herself in the river's edge. The rush of cold sent a chill racing across her body and her skin prickled in response as she resurfaced and her long blonde hair fell against her back and neck. This was by far a better way to kill the time then sitting there like some pining mate of his, waiting for him to make good on his offer.
'Hmm, the river right by that pile of sticks she had was nice and quiet. Guess it's as good a place as any to take a dip,' Bowstorm thought to himself as he made his way to the river. As he neared the edge of the woods, he pulled off his vest and yanked his boots off. Emerging from the woods, he was just pulling open the lacings of his breeches when Honeyhue, her back to him, suddenly stood up in the water before him. His eyes widened, his breath came in short gasps, and he froze in his tracks, unable to take his eyes off her.
Honeyhue turned in her swim and noted Bowstorm standing there, breeches unlaced and gawking like a fish. She smirked slightly and put one hand on her hip as she leaned to that side slightly. "Careful, I used to hear your eyes could get stuck like that," she told him with a saucy grin.
Her voice broke through his daze, and he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Standing around like a love-struck fool would get him nowhere. And besides, she'd already spurned him once today, why invite her on for a second try?
Replaying her last comment in his mind, he smiled at her and replied innocently, "Hmm, spend the rest of my life with the image of your nice round bottom burned into my eyes...I could live with that. Oh, but I can already feel my eyes returning to normal. Too bad!" And he continued unlacing his breeches as if he couldn't care less that she was there.
Part 2
Honeyhue laughed; a musical and pleasing tone. "My, my... Well then, that was a lame retort. But if your eyes are so much better, that suits me - I would hate to call Purehaven over here to heal them on my looks alone." She winked at him.
Snorting cynically, Bowstorm replied, "Yes, it would be a shame to waste his time and talent on such a paltry thing, now, wouldn't it?"
He finished stripping down, tossed his clothing on a warm rock away from the river, then boldly walked in, passing Honeyhue by without a glance.
Honeyhue laughed at him. "Well if that's what you think, I know who I'm not furring," she teased him lightly. Feeling the cold down the back of her hair from being above the water, she laid back into the crystalline surface and submerged into it again.
"Hmmfff!" he snorted again, as he pulled a full-body stretch, rippling every muscle until he was nice and relaxed. "I thought you had already decided that, by the way you treated me at the clearing!"
Turning, he noticed she'd mostly submerged, and laid himself down next to her in the water.
Honeyhue folded her arms, laying them over her chest. "Oh please, you took that personally?" She was somewhat annoyed by that, after all it was all fun and games in her mind.
Sighing, not sure where this was all going, he replied, "Yes, I did. At the time, I thought you were serious. And if I hadn't realized how badly I still wanted you, it might have all ended right there."
He rolled over on his side and looked at her, serious and intent. "So, as the trolls say, my hand is open. What are you going to do about it, Honeyhue?"
Honeyhue blinked at him. 'Talk about serious. Mighty High Ones on a river raft; he needs to loosen up a bit! I haven't even furred him once and he's acting like this is a request to lifemate!'
She smirked and took one of his hands. "I say I take it!" She dove into the river, dragging him under the water with her. He needed a good cooling off; it didn't look right on him to be so serious!
Bowstorm wasn't ready for his impromptu dunking, and almost panicked when he went under without a full supply of air. Then he realized he was only in waist-deep water and relaxed and opened his eyes. Honeyhue still had his hand, and he tugged her towards him as he admired her lissome form.
Honeyhue noticed his tug and smirked, and pulled herself inward towards him. She leaned herself up against him and gave him a wisp of a kiss, then slid underneath him and past, breaching to the surface with a musical laughter and then trying to slide away from him quickly. What was with him? Acting like he was looking for a lifemate! She was no easy catch.
Bowstorm reluctantly let her go and rose to the surface. Why was she so unwilling to show him any real affection? It's not like he wanted a lifemate - he was way too young for that! But someone to snuggle in the furs with on a cold, blustery day - now that's what he was looking for! Why was she so sure he wanted anything more from her?
Shivering suddenly in the cold breeze, he started making his way to the shore, and his clothing.
Honeyhue blinked as she watched him get out. **Awe… No more swimming for you, longtooth?**
Looking over his shoulder at her, he replied, **Sorry, but it's getting a bit too cold out here for my taste. I prefer toasty warm to icy cold any day.** He winked at her, then turned back to dress.
Honeyhue leaned up on the bank slightly with a grin. "Really… So, are you talking about the water, or me?" She chuckled at him.
"Ha! I don't think that question has a right answer! Let's just say, if you're going to tease me, I'd rather be in a warm den when you do it. That way, if you decide to leave, I won't be blue and shivering." And he winked at her again, a little more lewdly this time.
Honeyhue laid herself up against the bank of the river and grinned at him over her thin arms. "Oh what a spoil sport you are. What did you think, that I'd fur you out right?" She gave a melodious little chuckle as she shook her head to toss back a wet strip of her honey-coloured hair. "Please, I think your spoiled."
"Spoiled?" he replied, frowning at her. "Do you see any available females beating a path to my den? I don't. And while I love a good trick or two, especially on people who deserve it-" and he paused and winked at her, "I also believe that there is a time to play games, and a time to be a little more serious. We've know each other all our lives - how much more time do you need to decide whether you want me or not?"
Honeyhue frowned, still leaning on the bank itself. Her face lost some of the playful puppy-like gleam as she realized he wasn't just flirting around. He was actually interested in her in more than a standard 'word play' fashion.
"I know you well enough to sleep with you, true. But that doesn't mean I know you well enough to keep you. Do you understand what I mean?"
Blinking at her sudden change, Bowstorm simply stared at her for a moment, trying to determine if this was another of her tricks. Finally, he shook his head and replied, "Heh, you sure do know how to surprise a person, don't you? Yes, I do understand. Long-term has to be earned; even Recognition can't force that. All I want from you right now is a chance to try it and see. Is that too much to ask?"
Honeyhue watched him a moment more, then slowly pushed herself out of the water, heading towards her discarded leathers. "Here's the honest deal Bowstorm, and if you laugh at me I'll kick you," she vowed, still being very serious.
"I think I may have a thing for Lionheart. He's growing very handsome, and he's teasing, playful... I may like you, but I like him as well. So then what am I to do, hmm?"
A myriad of emotions flashed across Bowstorm's face at her declaration. Surprise, shock, anger, pain, and then, finally, despair. "Laugh?" he asked her, his voice suddenly rough with pain. "I see no humour whatsoever in what you've just said. Even though the joke is, apparently, on me. And just when I thought you'd finally give me the chance I've been asking for.
"Did you enjoy it? Leading me along, flirting, taunting, all the time knowing you'd rather be with someone barely more than a cub, who's already in a pairing? And what about Beechnut? Did you stop to think about what all this might do to her? Or is she just as unimportant to you as I am?" Bowstorm's eyes flashed in anger and pain at the elf he thought he loved.
Honeyhue blanched at his anger, what by the river's roar was with him!? Did he think suddenly he had claim to her or something?
"Enjoy it? I'm not spoken for; I have interests and curse me to the two moons themselves that I happed to have them in more then one elf! Forget that I ever entertained the thought of you, apparently you're way too swift to judge!" she spat, taking her clothes and storming past him in a rage.
'I'm too swift to judge?' he raged silently, watching as she stalked away down the nearest path. 'You obviously only heard the part you wanted to hear!'
Out loud, he yelled, "Go ahead, walk away! Or should I say, run? You are very selfish, Honeyhue. Maybe someday you'll learn to consider other's feelings as well!"
His temper swiftly cooled, he realized just what had just happened. His last chance for a good eight of eights of finding someone to share his life with was probably gone. 'What am I going to do now?' he though, as he made his way down a path angling away form the one she'd taken.