Beauty and The Beasts: Rain

4. Wholesome Relationship

     She made her way back to her den.  The temperature drop had chilled her slightly.  She was going to need to prepare for her shed in the coming week.  Mid-slither she froze, sensing something.  She flicked her tongue, probing the air for answers.  She sharpened her hearing as much as possible while hunching down and slowly finding cover under a bush.  Finally, she caught two familiar scents.  Letting out a sigh and a small hiss, she proceeded to her den where her visitors were waiting.

     The large, white tiger's ears twitched as he scented the air.  The smaller leopard took notice of the tiger's actions and perked up his own ears, excitement evident in his eyes.  The red snake approached making more noise than usual.  She wanted to sneak up on the leopard and startle him, but she had no chance with this tiger being here.  She sighed at the loss of challenge and hoped the stubborn tiger wouldn't rile her up today.  She was already becoming irritable and didn't trust herself to hold her temper.

     She appeared out of the bushes, long body flowing smoothly.  She sized up the two males and they did the same to her.  The tiger's gaze bore no emotion, while the leopard was practically bouncing up and down in anticipation.  There were only three beasts she cared for and two of them were in front of her.  The leopard began shifting, unable to wait any longer.  In its place, a handsome young man with a beaming smile stood, two bronze stripes adorning his face.  He approached her quickly and threw his arms around her beastly head.

     "Rain!  It's great to see you are in good shape.  How have you been?  Have you seen anything good?  Have any exciting fights?  I can't wait for you to tell me all about what I've missed," spoke the enthusiastic leopard.  The female couldn't help but grin.  This leopard must have been eating the coffee beans again.  Knowing that his overly energetic self must have given the white tiger a hard time, she wanted to chuckle.  Due to her current form, only a light hiss came out.

     Before she could shift, a large white paw pinned the poor leopard to the ground.  The tiger proceeded to shift into a handsome man with a scar that ran from his left eye to his cheek.  His well defined features were illuminated by the moons.  He stood regally, as if all the land was his to walk on.  Looking at the natural stature and stoic face of this middle-aged male, she felt irritated.  She knew he was not arrogant and had no interest in her territory.  It was simply his powerful posture and natural strength the radiated from his very being on display.

     His slight wrinkles were the only indication of his age.  Light grey eyes, holding a good deal of wisdom stared emotionlessly at her.  His body was bare of any markings, his large and sculpted muscles demanding attention.  His ivory colored skin and white hair glowed in the moonlight.  She shamelessly stared before beginning her own shift.  She knew shifting now would irritate him and as mature as she could be, she didn't feel like being so now.  The tiger's eyebrow twitched, the only betrayal of emotion, before he looked away.

     That she was able to get a reaction from him, no matter how small, made her feel victorious.  She could not come close to his strength and that exasperating truth drove her to these petty battles.  Such ways were the only time she could feel superior towards this powerful male.  He was the only beastman she demanded acknowledgement from.  There was no beastman that she respected more than the one in front of her.

     Turning her head away from the tiger, she made her way into her den knowing that the leopard spitting dirt and the tiger that made him do so would follow her.  After she entered, she faced the two males and gave them a nod, only then did they come in.  They both knew her well and respected her enough to give her face.

     Having already sized up the tiger, she turned to the caffeinated leopard.  She stared blatantly, checking his body for wounds or scars.  Her gaze stopped when she landed on his second stripe, a smile tugging at her lips.  Her eyes trailed to his mouth which hung open. He had just checked her over as she did him.

     Her grin widened knowing exactly what he was staring at.  Dark red irises met dark gold ones, pride evident in each of their expressions.  "Rain! You got a second stripe."  The leopard beastman could barely contain his excitement.  The tiger beastman that had his eyes averted due to her uncovered state, shifted his sight to her neck, before glancing away again.

     Hiding her disappointment at the lack of reaction from the tiger, she turned her attention back to the leopard.  Noticing his bright blond, curly hair now passed his shoulders, she reached up to touch it.  "You have also received you second stripe, Third.  You have worked hard," stated Rain with pride.  The leopard smiled brightly eyes shining with appreciation.  "You have also worked hard.  I am glad you are safe and healthy," said Third.

     Smiling, Rain felt warm inside.  She hadn't realized how much she missed him until he stood in front of her.  "You're hair is longer, what will you do if it continues to grow?  Cut it like your father did," questioned Rain with a smirk on her lips.  Third couldn't help but chuckle before retorting, "Funny how you seem to remember it more than I do and you were not there to see it.  No, I will not cut it, I prefer to laugh rather than be laughed at."

     Still smiling, Rain couldn't help the love swelling in her heart.  Out of all of her brothers, only this odd cub did his best to make her feel welcome.  Telling her all about the things she didn't get to see or experience.  There were times when she had felt angry and jealous having missed those times with her family, but this goofy leopard went as far as acting out every scene she had missed in the best way he could remember it.

     Even now, she could still recall the adolescent Third doing his best to act out her mother's, father's, and half siblings' roles.  Often going so far as dying his hair with fruit and dragging two rice sacks tied together with her shed skin draped over it as "Curtis."  Even when the insects swarmed his fruit stained head, he remained in character threatening the insects with a hiss and shaking his rice sacks.  It was such a ridiculous scene that she, an indignant snake, laughed until she cried.

     Trying to stifle a laugh bubbling up inside of her, she failed and let out a chuckle.  There was no one like her goofy brother and he was the only creature who has ever made her feel relaxed enough to laugh.  "And which beast was it that insisted he cut his own hair to show me what it looked like?"  Rain teased. With a small pout and cheeks dusted with pink, the leopard responded, "That was a one time thing.  It wont happen again."