Skin and Bones (Private Rhune)

The hatchlings were asleep, including Au, and for once Rii was able to relax. Oddly enough she was not tired though, but rather bored as she rearranged the rocks, minerals, trinkets, pottery, and bones in the alcoves of her den. Mairii was dusted off by Rii's tail then pointed to look over the nest where the child's nieces and nephews lay sleeping. Then Rii left Mairii to watch over them to take a hot bath. She needed some time to herself, and the baths would help sooth her sore muscles from the battle training Rii had begun doing with the other earthwings.

Ri didn't expect there to be a whole spring open in the far back, but luckily for her there was one. She went for it immediately ignoring the dragons that swam and relaxed in the other pools. As the streamlined she dragon slipped into the pool gracefully she immediately felt the heat of the water clawing at her stiff muscles. Rii relaxed then floating at the top of the water much like a snake or crocodile might.

Rhune has had a hard time during the training, and his muscles continued to hurt for days after it. He maybe had some strong muscles, but he hadn't fully used them since he had escaped from the human town and as such exercising ended up more difficult than he would care to admit. And he also had to use his wings a lot. His wings were almost back to a normal constitution, but the exercise had also strained them.
And that was why the green dragon had been making frequent trips to the baths.

On this evening, he was looking for an empty spring, hoping he would get lucky. Sadly all the springs seemed to be occupied. He soon noticed who was occupying the last one, and smiled. He maybe was having a hard time, but Rii's was even harder. The young dragoness had to deal with both her eggs and AuSurath, and it wasn't unusual Rhune had been asked as reinforcement. The long dragoness seemed so tired, relaxing like she was in her spring... The green dragon went closer, stopping at the edge of the spring.
"Good evening, Rii. Can I join you? All the other spring are crowded." he asked her.

Rii blinked her eyes open at the sound of another dragon's voice. However she relaxed a second later as she recognized the scent, sight, and sound of Rhune as he stood on the bank of the pool. She lifted her head a bit out of the water purring some as she did so.

I would love for you to join me, but your not going to go drowning on me again are you? Rii meant this as a joke and head no intention of offending Rhune. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as Rii swam leisurely through the water watching him like an anaconda watches a wading bird.

She waits for him to move or say something while glancing back down at the ripples her body made in the water. They reflected the most beautiful colors in the dim light. Oranges, deep crimson, and greenish blues mixed in the reflections on top of the water. The ripples broke the reflections causing a pretty rainbow effect on the surface. Rii swam like this for a moment gazing at the sight as she wiggled contentedly within the warm water.

Rhune had a chuckle as Rii invited him to join her in the pool. It was right that the first time he had gotten into those baths, he nearly drowned on Rii. But well since then Rhune had made a lot of progress, and he now understood how to swim. How things changed since then... He was merely the shadow of what he was right now at the time.
"I am not going to." he simply replied as he stepped inside the water.
Those baths was something Rhune was never getting tired of. He loved the feeling of the warm water heating his body, muscle by muscles, and his own weight being removed from his paws. The green dragon let out a sigh, his spread wings floating over the water. He went were the water was a bit deeper, so that he could sit and have his head emerging from the water. His wings were lazily floating in the water, and so were his front paws as he let his back rest against the border, exposing his belly. Rhune simply relaxed there, sometimes eyeing Rii to see what the dragoness was doing. He wasn't an unpleasant bath neighbor to have, with how calm he was.

Rii continues swimming through the water enjoying the smell of the bath salts she had added when she first entered the hot spring. Her eyes are still observing the dancing lights upon the ripples on the pools surface. She debates on what to do next.

Rhune enjoyed the silence that reigned in the baths. The other pools might be slightly noisier, but Rii and him were almost silent. Only the soft ripples of the water could be heard, along with their breathing. This was extremely relaxing, to let the warm water heat one's body in a pure silence.
The silence got interrupted as Rhune shifted position, getting back on his belly. It wasn't much, but it was enough to break this calm moment of silence.
"How are the children ? If you want more moments alone... I can care of them for you. The bath must feel good to you..." he proposed.

Rii sighs as the heat of the water invades her muscles deep down into her bones. Warm and happy, Rii was feeling a little bored with a touch of playfulness. She wanted to do something, but wasn't sure if Rhune would enjoy amusing her.

The silence ended though as the drake shifted within the water causing ripples to thicken across the surface once more. He asked about the children, and then offered to care for them more often. Rii wasn't sure why she felt relief. Normally the woman should have been concerned with her kids being around anyone else. However with Rhune it was a different story. he had learned to trust him. Besides, he was better with her kids than she was!

That's very kind of you Rhune. I would appreciate that. She answered then rolled her shoulders and hips beneath the water. That long lanky body flowing through the pool easily.

The children are asleep for now. Mairii's watching the for me. I don't think they'll wake up for a while yet. Rii then answered his question and swam closer to Rhune.

You wanna have some fun Rhune? Rii asked him as she slid closer through the water.

Rhune had a smile as Rii acknowledged his proposition to watch the children for her. After all he had started to train as a Caretaker, and it seemed like he was naturally good with children. Which wasn't much of a surprise considering his personality. And if he could help Rii relaxing...
He nodded as the long dragonness mentioned Mairii watching over the children. The green dragon vaguely wondered if it was really wise to let the children with the skull - while Rhune didn't doubted the many things the skull was supposedly doing, he was a bit doubtful in its capacity to watch over children. Doing so without any physical contact would be challenging, to say the least...
Rhune's eyes opened as Rii suggested getting some fun. This usually mean Rii was going to do something funny, and he loved funny things ! On that field he was an hatchling at heart. Maybe one of the reasons he was so good with children, since he spent his time playing with them.
"Oh yes ! I love games ! What will it be ?" he asked with a wide grin.
Yep, right now Rhune was an hatchling.

(The next posts are in a private chat to comply with the sites g rating) XD