Campfires and Chats [FINISHED]

Once outside Kestrel let his guard down a bit, shifting the weight of the griffoness about him then setting off towards his final destination.

Kestrel didn't have a house in Stableton, even his father was in temporary room and board at the local inn-like establishment. No Kestrel had made his 'home' on the outskirts of town. A small tent, bedroll, and sleeping bag making up his belongings. Currently his saddlebags, and all of his gear was with Tihon, his father, back at the hotel.

He didn't trust the townsfolk enough to not go out and...procure some new items from him while he had been gone.

Moving silently, and slowly down the streets Kestrel let his gaze occasionally wander over towards his partner; scanning her, making sure she was still conscious enough to keep moving.

"Still with me?" He asked in his native tongue as the two moved past the local tavern. The sounds of laughter and drunken amusement pouring out of the waste weathered door.

(This thread is for Ciera and myself so as to help finish up the scene we left off at in Party of the Thentury. Shouldn't last to long will put a finsihed tag on it when its complete.)

Ciera moved, almost falling down. She grabbed Kestrel's feathers and fur, trying to hold herself in place. She smiled drunkily and almost nuzzled him again.

Ciera chirped back "Yeeahh im okaay~ Sso whrr are you livvin?" and put her head on Kestrel's shoulder.

Feeling her slipping a bit, Kestrel shifted his weight so that he was supporting more of Ciera's mass. Ignoring his minds cries of 'GET HER AWAY RIGHT NOW, SHES TOUCHING YOU!!!'

Ciera's drunken inquiry received an answer a few moments after she'd asked it. Kestrel having been a bit too busy looking down dark alleyways and scanning the area for threats as he was prone to do.

"Small campsite outside of town."

Ciera squawked happily "Wooo i luv camps! Lttss go fasster!"

She drunkily tried to squeeze and even rub herself on Kestrel, trying to make him go faster, to free shelter for night with promising results... Her drunk state proved that she cant be happier at this moment.

Kestrel resisted the urge to shake his head at the drunken antics of his ward...he did pick up the pace a bit though. Block after block passed by and soon enough Kestrel and Ciera had exited the city limits and were making their way across the rocky wasteland towards Kestrel's campsite.

It took a few minutes, considering that Kes had to guide Ciera over some rather uneven terrain, but they arrived unharmed.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll get a fire started." Kestrel said, dropping Ciera off and moving to start a fire in the small fire pit he owned.

The campsite was rather barren, the largest thing there being the tent that Kestrel called home. Its flaps were down, hiding the contents from view for now.

Ciera just relaxed on the ground. Looks like she wont be able to stand up without help too... She mumbled something and chirped some nonsence in her native language.

Kestrel cast his gaze sideways, as he worked, his talons going about the mindless task of starting a fire up and getting it going again.

Ciera was pretty much out of it already, Kes knew that much. Still a bit of decent food and a good nights rest would probably get her up and going again.

The soft glow of the fire rising, Kestrel turned back towards the blaze he had started and drug over a small grate he had made a while back. Served well enough as a grill, had for a while.

"Hungry?" Kes asked already digging through his bags. Even if the griffoness said no, Kes was going to be eating something tonight. Party food had never done its job of filling him up...to much sugar not enough body.

Ciera almost tried to stand up at the question, disorderly moving her legs.

"Helll yyeah, jjust donnt put anything sweet in therre! Ssugar, guh, how ponies eat that sh*t every day.." she growled angrily, turning to the other side, trying to scratch ground.

Kestrel nodded silently and pulled out two gecko steaks, tossing them onto the grill he'd set up. A sharp hiss announced they were starting to cook, and in no time at all the aroma of cooking meat filled the air.

Kes had to agree with Ciera on her statement. He'd never been much for sweets, much preferring the bold flavor of meat or the rich heartiness of a strong soup or stew.

The sound of earth tearing caught Kestrels attention, and his gaze flickered over towards Ciera, her talons had managed to dig a few groves into the soft loam of Kes' campsite. Huh...how bout that.

Ciera purred, scratching ground again, without any reason... She tried to stand up and stretch her body a bit, but she only fell on her side again, swearing.

Kestrel continued to watch silently, flipping his steaks to make sure they wouldn't burn. He was just about to put some tea on when Ciera dropped down onto her side again swearing.

"Relax. Keep tring to stand and all you'll get is hurt." Kes said calmly, once again using his native tongue.

Ciera, with all her stubbornes, kept trying to stand up, falling and swearing in both languages.

"GuhH! I ccan do it!! If you ccant thats your problem!" she chirped angrily at Kestrel.

Perked a brow but let Ciera continue to try standing in vain. If she wanted to keep trying, he wasn't going to stop her. He had tea to put on anyway, and dinner to cook.

Filling a pot with water, and setting it atop the grill Kestrel began boiling some water for his tea.

A quick flip of the steaks and Kes sat back once again.

Ciera finally stood up... But not for a long time. She shivered for a second, then trembled..

She slowly strafed to Kestrel and fell right beside him, still trying to walk.

She looked up at him with a drunk smirk, blinking slowly.

Stirred up by the sight of motion out of the corner of his eye, Kestrel shifted his gaze once more. Focusing on the rather obviously drunk Ciera, and giving her a once over.

The griffon could not say he liked that smirk she was wearing...or the look she was giving him.

Ciera continued with smirking. She wanted to nuzzle him, but she was too drunk to do that right. Instead she just turned on another side.

She chirped "Hheey ddo you hhave any moree vodka? It will be cool if we drink some moreee" and poked Kestrel's side.

Kestrel tensed up at the contact, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he looked over at Ciera. He did in fact have some vodka on him, not much though...and it wasn't exactly for drinking.

what he did have was tea, whiskey, and water though. Blending things right he could make one hell of a strong brew.

"Fresh out. Got Tea, Whiskey, and Water." Kes said pulling out two taking off the pot of water he'd been boiling and pulling out a few other things he'd need to make his tea. A few moments later he had put the rather rare leaves in to steep and was back to making sure the steaks were cooking right and not burning.

Almost done now.

Ciera growled dissapointed "Grr, give me vodka!.. Wwhat the hell is "Tea" anyway!"

She stood up shakily, and almost leaned on Kestrel, looking at the pot with drunk interest in her eye. "Pfft! Youre making some soup?!"

Kestrel seemed unfazed by the sudden closeness of the female. The far larger male just going about finishing up dinner like nothing was happening.

Pulling out a plate Kestrel plopped the two perfectly cooked steaks down on the dish. Another quick motion and Kestrel was pouring himself some tea.

"Not soup, Tea. Now pick a steak and eat, might sober you up some." Kes rumbled out in his native tongue, tone never wavering from its usual dead calm. A sip of tea passed his beak moments later.

He shifted a bit after that, still wrapped up in his costume from the party. The thing was getting uncomfortable on him, rubbing his feathers the wrong way.

Damn thing.

Ciera happily took steak and started to eat it greedily, splashing juices all around.
She chews and grins at Kes "Gwmh tthatts sso ffreaking ttasty"

She finished steak fast, and now was looking at the Kestrel's tea "Anndd yeeah wwhats the hell is this "Tea" were you talkiin about?"

Kestrel didn't answer at first, to busy sampling his own steak. It was delicious, as per usual. Far more filling than anything that could have been at the party.

When he finally did respond to the inquiry, it was not in the usual way. He didn't explain that it was a long founded drink that still survived the apocalypse, or that it was rather easy to make with just basic ingredients.

Instead he just offered his cup to the female and gave a grunt. "Try it, if you want."

Ciera took the cup and drunk the unknown liquid bravely. Her eye widened a bit. She never tasted anything like that before, "Tea" almost scrubbed her throat, she felt better, her wings flapped a bit.

She blinked, even sobering up a bit from the new drink "Wwhoah... Tthanks.. Tastes strangge, but good!"

Kestrel nodded silently, snapping up another bit of steak and pulling out a second cup which he soon filled with Tea. Another sip would pass his lips before he spoke again.

"It is an acquired taste."

Ciera was still too drunk. You cant help it with a cup of tea.... So she decided to do another crazy thing- play with Kestrel's feathers. She found it cute that feathers were a bit fluffy from his outfit.

She playfully started to stroke them, trying to brush them with her talons.

Kestrel was halfway through another sip of tea when he froze, pupils shrinking a bit at the new found sensation at his side. Someone, namely his guest, was touching him. Stroking his feathers playfully, as if she were a kitten with a ball of yarn. Without permission. The urge to lash out violently was nigh impossible to fight.

Luckily for Ciera, Kes managed to hold back.

Scooting away quickly Kestrel locked his gaze with the female, looking her over before he spoke. His once slightly warm tone now more frigid than a snowstorm. He'd told her before, at the party, not to touch him without asking. Seems she'd forgotten.

"Don't." He said, while part of his mind began reminding him of the other half of the equation. Kestrel had willingly brought Ciera to his camp, made her dinner, gave her drink. It was only natural, with her current inebriated state, that she may start trying to be...affectionate towards him. It wasn't like he didn't know what the touch of another felt like...he'd felt it before plenty of times. He'd just been expecting it then.

And his partners weren't drunk at the time.

Speaking up again, this time a bit softer and warmer than before, Kes added something more to the conversation.

"Your letting the alcohol lead you again."