[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Umeme allowed Muroki to pull her closer to him. "Yeah, I think they paid off," she said, smiling. But ever looking for an opportunity to tease him, she added, "but you still have a way's to go." She slowly slid off him until she lay resting by his side, with a paw still wrapped around him.

"Want to try again?" she asked, but not making any attempt to get up, "eventually?" She laughed a little and brought her head against his for a deep nuzzle.

---

Kasi chuckled nervously as he rubbed his head with one of his paws. "Well, after I found my friend's body... I didn't know what to do, so I ran to Delano and Muroki... I think that might have convinced Delano to leave the second time." He looked at Lina, shrugging. "I dunno... could it have?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki couldn't help but chuckle in triumph when Umeme said that he still had a long way to go. "Yeah right, whatever you say. I totally caught you and with a total lack of difficulty." he too laughed a little as Umeme suggested trying again while not really making any effort to get back up. "Eventually sounds just fine." he said, closing his eyes and returning her nuzzle with a smile. "Mainly because it's not now."

---

Lina thought about what Kasi said for a moment. It might have been what caused Delano to decide and work undercover, but it also might have not been. Either way, it didn't matter now. "Could be..." she said after a short silence, "But it doesn't matter now. Even if it was the cause it still wouldn't be your fault. We can't blame you for seeking help from your family." it's not like Kasi was able to think clearly during that horrible night anyway.

[DGFone]

Umeme chuckled at Muroki's reply. "Yeah, well, mister expert," she teased, "if you had nothing left to learn, you would have caught me the first time..." She also closed her eyes, and was even half debating whether or not to get up and have Muroki chase her again, but she gave in and rested her head against his. "remind me to get up an run away from you," she said, grinning, "but not right now."

---

Delano was beginning to wake up when he heard Kasi and Lina talking together. He at first tightened, fearing that he was in another nightmare, but that feat quickly turned into relief when he realized that he finally slept without waking up because of a dream.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, and saw that Lina was still next to him. He wasn't able to see Kasi, but he heard his cousin. "Kasi?" he asked weakly, "what are you... it wasn't because of you..."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki couldn't help himself from grinning smugly at her, "At least this time I caught you. Remember last time? It was absolutely and unquestionably a catastrophe." he always putting a huge emphasis on little things like he just did funny. He chuckled when she told him to remind her to again run away from him eventually. "Oh, don't worry, I'll keep that in mind." he knew more than well that he wouldn't remember, but he didn't care too much.

---

At first Lina thought that Delano was simply stirring in his sleep for whatever reason, but she smiled when he opened his eyes. She chuckled and looked at Kasi, "See? I told you." she caught sight of the gourd shell that was filled with water and picked it up with her paws, "Kasi brought you some water Delano." she said, holding it close enough for Delano to lean over and drink it or to grab it with his own paws if he wished.

[DGFone]

Umeme slowly got back up to her feet. "Let's go for a walk," she suggested. She didn't feel like running away from Muroki again, but she didn't want to just lie with him either. Next to her, Muroki also got up, and Umeme brushed her body against his as she began to walk. It was just the two of them, and she wanted to make the most out of the time they had.

---

Delano reached out with a paw and brought the gourd over to him, gratefully drinking up the water inside. He didn't remember anything ever tasting so good. Once he was done, he set the empty shell aside and smiled at his cousin. "Thanks, Kasi," he said softly. He then placed his head back down, resting it on Lina.

Kasi nodded. "No problem." He walked away, leaving Delano alone with Lina.

[TheWhistlerify]

At first Muroki thought that Umeme was about to break into a sprint and run away from him again. She didn't run though, and it looked like she really was aiming to just take a walk. "You know, spending time with you is much better now that Delano's back and I don't have to worry about him or about your sister..." while it might look like Umeme didn't plan to do anything beside walking alongside him, he was still keeping his guard up just in case she would suddenly decide to run off.

---

Lina also smiled at Kasi before he left, "Thanks Kasi." she shifted her gaze from him to Delano when he rested his head on her, reaching over and resting her own head down on his. They lay there silently for a while before Lina suddenly thought of something. "Aren't you hungry?" it has probably been a long time since Delano ate anything, and since he could barely walk he wouldn't be able to hunt for himself.

[DGFone]

Umeme smiled at Muroki. "Yeah, it is much better now," she said, "and, I don't have to worry about you having to run off to your brother." She nuzzled him, noticing how tense he felt. "Relax, Muroki," Umeme added, trying not to laugh. "I won't run off again. I want to be with you." She moved herself closer to him, enjoying the feeling of his body next to her's.

---

Delano was caught slightly of guard by Lina's question. "Wha-? Oh, uh, yeah..." he said, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Yeah, I'm rather hungry..." He reached out and grabbed Lina's paw with his own. "But I don't want you to go. I'll wait... just, please don't leave me." He didn't know if he felt ready enough to be left alone again, and he had only returned to Lina now.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki frowned a playful frown at her. "I was just being cautious you know." he said with a chuckle, relaxing a little bit and nuzzling her gently. "But I'll take your word for it." not knowing whether he could really believe her or not, he decided to just not think about it because it will not be that hard to catch her again. Still, he preferred calm walks rather than wild chases. "So are we going anywhere in particular? Or are we just going?"

---

Lina was about to say that Delano wouldn't be really left alone since he was not imprisoned in that horrible and dark cave anymore, but she decided not to say anything and silently agree. She couldn't blame him for not wanting her to leave after they weren't together for such a long time and she too preferred to remain with him, but his well being came first which was why she offered to go hunt. "Okay." she said softly and with a smile, knowing that she could simply hunt for him sometime later.

[DGFone]

Umeme grinned. "I dunno," she replied, "let's just walk together. Nowhere in particular. Just walk." She nuzzled Muroki again, purring as she did so.

Together, the two of them walked quietly for a while, side by side. "So what was it like with Delano?" She asked, "in the... wherever you were? Because he doesn't look that good." She wanted to talk more with Muroki, but she was slightly worried for Lina.

---

Delano smiled a little, grateful to see that Lina was not going to leave him. "Thanks," he muttered quietly, and placed his head next to hers. He didn't feel comfortable in telling her that he was still scared of being left alone.

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki smiled and returned Umeme's nuzzle. He liked it when she purred. "Well... Delano was always very relieved when I came but he seemed even more depressed whenever I had to leave. When I was there it wasn't too pleasant for him either... He always asked me to get him out, and why he had to wait to get out if he was innocent... Whenever I convinced him to get some sleep he always had some sort of a nightmare in which he actually killed us all..." he remembered from what Delano told him. "Eventually he began to believe that he really was guilty... But that shouldn't worry us anymore."

---

Lina would have said something else, but there wasn't anything that felt necessary to be said at the moment. Instead she nuzzled Delano's cheek as a silent 'your welcome' and then closed her eyes, her head resting in his warm mane.