The Tribe [T-Virus and Seraph]

[Seraph]

She hadn’t graduated at the top of her class, nor had she graduated at the bottom, she was a resounding example of mediocrity. She had strived to be at the top, but when the material didn’t interest the brunette woman, she often spaced out and would fail those key concepts. So when she graduated grad school and found herself without a job, she wasn’t overly surprised. Sarah bit her bottom lip as she shifted through the mail, hoping against hope, that someone had responded to her decidedly lacking resume and understated interviews. It wasn’t that she was a bad orator or even an unfriendly person, it was more that she was a very plain person with a specific interest in a small field.

Her fingers trembled slightly as they opened the last letter she had and her jaw dropped in surprise. Her blue eyes were wide as they scanned over the neatly typed words and her lips moved to speak softly, “I…I got in?” It had been her deepest hope to join the anthropologic expedition down into the jungles of South America to study the neko peoples there, but she had never thought she would have been able to do it. She carefully put down the paper and took a deep breath before she burst into a happy round of laughter that filled her small studio apartment with bell-like chimes. She double-checked the letter and frowned a little, “We’re leaving at 8pm? That’s so soon!”

Sarah wasted no time in packing; her backpack and duffle were neatly packed and by the door within the hour and by the time dinner rolled around, she was finishing all of her emails to her friends and family telling them all the good news. The only thing that got her slightly down was the knowledge that she would be out of contact with her family for most, if not all, of the time she was gone. But the young anthropologist squared her shoulders and kept her eyes on the prize, if she could make a name for herself on this expedition she would have the pick of the tribes to study in the future. She hadn’t graduated with a specific interest in neko peoples for no reason, she had always loved cats and when she had seen the pictures of nekos in lectures…well, it was easy to say that her heart had been stolen from her right then.

She braided her hair into a thick rope down her back as she settled into more comfortable travel clothes and checked to make sure that her shoes would be able to make the trip and the hike that she imagined they would have to go through to get to the tribe. When the van finally arrived to pick her up, she was a ball of nervous energy—her outfit had been changed twice over before she settled on a pair of dark jeans and a long loose top. Sarah glanced back at her apartment complex as they drove off and watched it fade into the distance before she grinned to herself and whispered, “This will be amazing.”


Several hours, a missed plane, four separate layovers, and spilt coffee found the twenty-six year old in a different mood all together. More so, when it was found that the lead anthropologist hadn’t updated his passport in the last fifteen years and they had to leave him behind. She glanced at her two peers as they waited for their ride to pick them up from the airport; the argument had been going since Dr. Stevens had been detained and she was inclined to agree with Michael, who’s position was that they should continue on. It wasn’t as if Dr. Stevens hadn’t given them all the paperwork they needed and the accounting log, they could do this, if only Jeremy wasn’t being a stick in the mud about it.

“Why don’t we just head out tonight,” she asked curiously, trying to stop the argument from getting worse. “If we don’t find anything in three days we can come back to the airport and catch the first flight out.”

Jeremy, a short and squat man with a balding head, frowned, “No, no, that isn’t what we do. We must go to the hotel and wait there. Then we will take the next flight out.”

“And we don’t even have the proper gear to go out there,” Michael said with a slight sneer. She winced a little and sighed; maybe they didn’t have the right gear, but it was just like camping, wasn’t it? She shrugged and said, “It was just a suggestion.”

“If you think it’s such a great idea, go and do it,” one of them insisted and Sarah glanced at them curiously before she nodded.

“Fine, I’ll see you in three days then if I don’t find anything—the San Maria Hotel in the Rio district, right?” She didn’t wait for a response as she flagged down a taxi and spoke in hesitantly for a ride to the jungle at the outskirts of the city. The taxi-driver had been a little unsure at first if that had been what she meant and tried to point her out to the zoo instead, but at Sarah’s insistence, he took her to the edge of the jungle and dropped her off.

The young woman looked at the imposing wall of foliage before she shrugged and trudged into it, “I’ll find them…” Roughly thirty minutes later, she learned exactly what was meant by they didn’t have the equipment—bugs were everywhere, she needed a guide (was she really all ready lost, she thought to herself?) and the noises from the distance were beginning to frighten her a little bit. She hummed to keep herself calm as she continued onwards, in a straight line, if worst came to worst; she could turn around and follow the way she came. Or at least that was her hope.

 

[T_VIRUS]

The sun shone down onto the dense and green jungle of South Africa. There was a humid feeling to the place, the air was even warm to breath in. The sound of the jungle was simply beautiful. The sound of a waterfall echoing though the vast lands. Birds singing. Insects chirping. Animals calling out and communication. It was simply alive. There was no part of the jungle that didn't have something moving or going on.
In the middle of the jungle, there was a beautiful, breath-taking waterfall and pool. The water was so crisp and clean, the bottom of the deep pool could be seen. There were no fish or any life in this pool, just pants at the bottom. Around the pool, there were cloud grey stones, warm to touch because of the sun. At the back of the pool, was the gentle stream of water, falling down from an edge 10 meters up. Although the water was falling from a tall hight, it entered the water effortlessly and barely caused rippling in the water. There was no movement in the pool, until there was something in the water. It was alive.

Slowly surfacing, there was a young man. On a quick look, he did look like a normal human, however, he wasn't normal. It was one of the tribal Neko members. Coming out of the water, his long, black hair gracefully fell onto his back, his body was covered in black tribal tattoos. They weren't normal for the tribe, they symbolized that he was the leader of the pack. The neko's name was Alinthea Yoh. He was a very calm and conserved leader, but also aggressive and strong when he needed to be.
As he stood in the water, he moved his hands out into the water, moving back and forth, keeping him a float in the water. Moving forward, his black hair trailed behind. Moving to the edge of the pool, he placed his hands on the rocks in front of him. His hands were like humans, except his fingers were claw like, with hard and sharp nails. Pulling himself out of the water, he stood up and stretched. As he got up, a long tail whipped out of the water; it was black as well. Falling limp, it nearly touched the ground, only a few inches off the floor. His feet were like normal humans, once more, but with similar claws, but a little less sharp and possibly dangerous. His torso was covered in these leader tattoos. They were wrapped around his body, in different twists and turns, traveling all the way down to his stomach and twisting down his legs. His body was at his peek, physical condition. This shoulders were built strong and he was very intimidating. Standing naked in front of the pool, he let the sun dry his body of the excess water all over his torso.
Starting there for a few seconds, he closed his eyes and listened. His triangle ears on top of his head, twitched gently, listening to the jungle around him. His sense of hearing was impeccable. Listening to see if anything was different in sound, if something didn't make sense. He always did this, a few times a day. This was his jungle, he knew it someone was there that shouldn't be.

Standing tall, he listened as something didn't feel right. Moving to the right, he looked directly in front of him, through the gaps in the trees and plants. He couldn't see anything, but he knew something wasn't right. He walked towards one of the trees over looking the pool. He stood there for a few more seconds, before jumping onto the trunk and running up it. His claws easily gripping into the bark and pulling himself up and standing on one of the branches, he looked over the land. His black, cat like eyes scanning the jungle. He saw some movement and stood there, watching the stranger.

 

[Seraph]

Sarah desperately swatted at the horde of bugs that sought out what little bare skin she left exposed, and in her flurry of action, she tripped and landed between the thick roots of one of the trees. The young anthropologist groaned and shook her head as she ran her grimy fingers through her hair and shuddered at the feeling of sweat collecting at her fingertips. How could it be so humid and not be raining? She literally felt as if she had jumped into a pool and decided to walk around still dripping. With a sigh, she heaved herself back to her feet and surveyed the damage. She had a small cut on the back of her palm, and she wasn't sure but she could swear that one of her knees was scrapped and bleeding--or that could just be sweat dripping down her shin. Neither prospect really interested her, and frustration was starting to overwhelm her. Sarah had been under the impression this was just going to be like hiking, but it was turning out to be far more than that and there was still no sight of the neko tribe. She didn't think it was going to be easy to find them, especially so close to the edge of the jungle but still...she felt like she should have found something by now.

She glanced back the way she came and then down at the cracked screen of her wrist-watch. She tapped the screen a few times, hoping that it would start again before giving up; it hadn't worked since the first time she tripped. And without her watch, she wasn't sure what direction she was heading in, or if she was even heading in a straight line anymore. The brunette was pretty sure she was still moving towards the center of the dense jungle in a straight line, but everything looked the same and she wasn't the type to mark up trees to keep track of where she was. She dropped her backpack to the ground and settled down to clean up her small scratch and put a band-aid on it before she continued onwards. She looked up at the canopy and squinted, trying to see how much daylight was left before she had to make shelter and could barely make out a glimmer of green tinted light before she moved forward.

"Well," she spoke to herself quietly, more to keep her mind off the shrill screams of animals, or the unnatural noises the city-grown woman wasn't used to, than to really fill the quiet. "At least you might be able to meet a neko?" She wondered what their culture would be like--would it be more like a feral cats? Full of territory fights, or more like a domesticated cats life? Rather pampered and more playful? She rolled her shoulders and looked up in the trees, almost as if she felt eyes on her before she shook her head, "You're imagining things...I haven't had enough water, that's all."

She plucked at her long-sleeve shirt and muttered dismally, "And I really should have changed before you left the airport. What was I thinking?" She hesitated before she took a few more steps but the feeling of being watched didn't ease and she looked up to watch the trees, almost expecting some horribly large predator ready to bear down on her and attack her.

 

[T_VIRUS]

The neko looked down at her, his breathing was calm and gentle, as if he wasn't bothered by her presence at all. As she fell over, he did nothing, seeing what she would do. As she brushed herself off, he smiled. One of his fangs slid out of his mouth. It was pure white and looked like it could be very dangerous. As she carried, he turned his head slightly, wondering why she was wandering so deep into the jungle. She didn't look like a hunter, or someone who wanted to cause trouble, but he couldn't take any risks. He looked behind him at the pool and saw that his rag that covered his midriff was on the floor. He grunted and turned back. Remembering that he was naked, he crouched down, making himself harder to be seen in the bushy branch. Just looking at her, he knew she was tired and needed water. Humans weren't use to the heat in the jungle that the Neko's were all too familiar too. He knew she needed to soak herself in the ice cool pool behind him. This is where he would confront her. He wasn't sure if she was alone, all the noise was coming from her, so he would have to get her into a space where he couldn't be ambushed if she was an actual hunter. He had had this problem before with hunters, they try to be smart, but if they do not know the jungle, they won't be able to out-smart the nekos that live here.

Crouching still, his body didn't move. His hands held onto the branch, claws digging into the bark to stabilize himself. His legs bent and waiting, almost like he was going to pounce. His long member hung down below him, not caring it was nearly touching the bark. Alinthea blinked, his eyes watching her and her alone. He wouldn't let her out of his sight. She must have been about 20 meters away from the pool, he knew that she would be able to hear the water soon, so he decided to wait it out. If she wasn't a hunter and he confronted her in the jungle, she would be scared and maybe act rashly. He wasn't sure if she had a gun or any form of weapons, so that would be a bad idea. Analyzing all of the possible outcomes of the situation, he decided it was best to wait.
Neko's were very clever animals. People thought they were just like cats, but they weren't. They had a heightened sense of hearing and smell.

 

[Seraph]

She blew out a deep breath from her mouth as she finally settled with the feeling of being watched; so far, nothing had jumped out at her and she figured most of the animals in the jungle were either frightened by all the noise she made, or were wary of humans in general. She glanced behind her one more time and wished that she hadn't been so rash in her want to find the neko tribe. Having Jeremy or Michael with her, and their years of knowledge would have made this trip easier and perhaps they would have all ready found them by now. Hadn't they been talking about finding an outcast neko to lead them to their home? She should have thought about that before she ran off willy-nilly into the jungle.

She shook her shirt and grimaced as it landed back against her skin with a sickening plop, before she hesitated--was that the sound of a waterfall? Her eyes brightened and a little grin broke out on her face. A waterfall meant water; probably cold water too! She glanced around and tried to discern where it was coming from before she ran off towards it. When she figured a good direction, she moved quickly and none too carefully through the foliage, until she tumbled out onto the bank of the pool. Sarah sat in front on it for a moment before she inched towards the edge of the water and tested it with her fingers to feel how cold it was and nearly moaned as the blissful chill enveloped her fingers. She looked deeply into the water, her blue eyes surveying it and she tilted her head to the side at the odd absence of any kind of fish but hoped that meant the water was clean and pest free. She considered filling up her canteen before she shook her head and stood up, dropping her backpack down. She opened it and pulled out a tanktop and a pair of lighter, studier pants to put down after her little dip in the cold water.

Sarah felt odd as she glanced around one last time before she shucked her long-sleeve t-shirt, showing off a slim figure that was the gift of a high-metabolism rather than work, and a sports bra that kept her rather large chest in place, before she unbuttoned her pants and shimmied out of them. She hesitated at the edge of the water for a moment before she jumped in to it and sunk to the bottom happily as the cold water rinsed the sweat and heat from her body. Though, in retrospect, she supposed she should have taken off her bra and underwear but, despite being utterly alone, she felt uncomfortable with the idea. Especially with the feeling she had been watched earlier--last thing she needed, was for the nekos to find her completely bare while she tried to explain she was a scientist who wanted to study their culture.

 

[T_VIRUS]

Alinthea was right. She heard the waterfall and had started to make her way to the sound of cold heaven. When she did, this allowed him to study her at a little closer range as she moved forward. Her structure, if she looked like a physical threat; she wasn't. He looked behind her and zoned out her noise to listen for anyone else that might have been following her or had been with her in a group. After listening for a few seconds and being happy that no one was with her, he watched her move through out his jungle towards the pool of icy cold water. As she moved underneath him, he didn't make a sound, even if he did, she would most likely not look up, as she seemed fixated on the water. Turning his head, his right ear twitched as he watched her. Seeing her at the pool, he decided to confront her. Before he had a change to do so, she had taken off her top and pants. She had a rather large chest. He studied her for a few seconds. He hadn't seen a near naked human female before. Still crouching, he studied her and comparing the differences between a humans body and a nekos; there weren't that many physical differences.

As she entered the pool, he growled a little. She didn't know it, but this was his pool. In the tribe, if anyone entered the pool, then it would be punishable by death. There weren't that many rules in his tribe, but he liked his personal space, which was that was this pool, and the surrounding area.

No Neko's ever came into the area with out his permission or unless it was an emergency. He would be alone to decide if she was a threat to the tribe. He was the leader and he had a responsibility to the tribe to protect them, at any cost.
A few seconds later, he stood up in the tree and jumped down. Landing on his feet and palms. Standing tall a few meters from the pool, he walked forward, seeing that she had no weapon to hand, and her backpack was out of her reach, he knew that she could do nothing if she tried. He approached her and stood just short of a meter from the pool. His naked body standing tall and casting a shadow over the pool. His arms by his side and his claws on display, he didn't say a word. He waited for her reaction.

 

[Seraph]

Sarah settled in the water easily and sat at the bottom of the pool for a moment amid the water fauna and ran her fingers through the water plants, amused by the slippery texture of the plants. She could hold her breath for a moment, when she was younger, she had been a champion breath holder and as she grew up, she got out of it, but it came in handy on occasion. Slowly the steady ache of holding her breath gripped her lungs and she pushed off the bottom of the sandy pool and surfaced, taking a deep breath of air. She kept kept her eyes closed a moment longer before she undid her hair, her back still to the shore of the pool. It felt good to let her hair out of the braid, and with the wait of the water in it, the strands straightened and floated in the water around her as she spun around to face the shore.

She heart thudded to a stop before it raced in her chest. She swam back a little before remembering herself and looking at the man, no, her eyes widened, neko in front of her! Sarah looked towards the back-pack, and bit her bottom lip, it wasn't as if she had anything in it but she would have felt a little better to have been completely clothed even if he...Oh! She thought, her eyes widening, as she finally noticed that he wasn't clothed at all. The scientist in her wondered if all the Neko went naked, as the woman in her (which she tried to squish) basked in the sculpted body at was on display. She swallowed her embarrassment and chanced a weak smile, trying not to pay attention to anything below his chest. Finally the young anthropologist averted her eyes towards her clothes on the bank and started to move closer before she thought better and spoke up. Her voice quiet and unsure, "Hello? I'm...I'm Sarah Drake, I'm an anthropologist...? I mean, I am an anthropologist and I was wondering if I could study your culture?"

She hoped he understood, or she hadn't broken some unknown protocol by speaking first, or seeing him naked...or him seeing her naked? Mentally she made note to leave this out in any autobiography she wrote on this experience.

 

[T_VIRUS]

Alinthea studied her as she came out of the water and saw him. He stood watching her, not saying a word of moving an inch of his body. He saw her look at her back pack and tensed up, as he thought she might make a dash for it. He looked at her once more, seeing that she wasn't going to make a move for it, he walked forward and hear her speak. He stopped in front of her, his naked form just above her, everything on clear show. He bent down and grabbed the piece of cloth that was before her, he mustn't have noticed it when getting into the pool, pre-occupied with the pleasure of the pool. Picking it up and wrapping it around his midriff, he looked back down at her and didn't say anything as she spoke to him.
A anthropologist? He said to himself, turning his head. His ears twitching with curiosity.
A scientist? He said to himself once more. Wondering why she was her to study him, his kind, his tribe. Something wasn't right, no one had ever tried to study them that he knew off. They lived so far into the jungle because humans were afraid of the neko race. They always attacked them and killed him. He knew family and friends that were killed before he was leader. He had protected his tribe to this very day without having anyone die on his watch.

Looking down at her, he remained calm. Alinthea was not one to start violence. He opened his mouth.
"Why does a scientist want to research us?" He said in a strong, deep voice. It growled a little in her ears. Alinthea's tail was motionless behind his body. Hanging between his legs, it rested a little off the ground. Alinthea brought his hands up to his torso, crossing his arms and waiting for her answer. His hands resting on his biceps; his claw like hands on display.

 

[Seraph]

She watched him, the silence making her uncomfortable as she waited for a response from him. As he moved closer, and she swallowed and tried to focus on his face as other more interesting parts of him remained in clearer view. She watched him reach down and pick up a piece of cloth before she blinked as he wrapped it around his hips and covered up. There was something in his glance that made her feel smaller than an insect and she started to shiver in the cold water, suddenly it wasn't a haven of pleasure but something that kept her trapped. She watched his ears twitched for a moment before she looked towards her clothes and wondered if she got out of the water if there would be a problem. She stood up to her full height, rather than remaining crouched and shifted uncomfortably, her hands moved for a moment as they tried to settle in a place that would cover her up but not be obvious about it.

Sarah jumped slightly as he finally spoke, and a small shiver went down her spine and she was pretty sure that it wasn't from the chill. He had a strong voice, something she always admired in men, especially when they had the presence to go with it. And he most certainly had the presence as he towered over her. Although all he did was stand there and watch her, it felt that if she made one wrong move, she would be in serious trouble. Her eyes flicked to his claws before she hesitated, "Well...we don't know much about Nekos and it...well, we should. It would be good for humans to understand Nekos, after all, you obviously have higher thought and hunting you wouldn't be allowed if there was proof you had a culture and..." She trailed off, feeling as if she said too much before she looked at her clothes, and kept her eyes on him as she tried to wade around him to them.

If she put on more clothes, she would feel more confident--even if, in anthropology she had been taught that sometimes wearing clothes similar to that of the native population, it would be easier to adapt and learn their customs. If all they wore were loin-clothes, she thought to herself, her eyes on his tail, she would have to draw the line. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly; why didn't his tail move about like a cat's did when they were waiting? Maybe it was best she came out here, she really did want to clean up the current theories of Nekos being little more than humanoid predators that were just like feral cats and more likely to attack a person than be friends.

 

[T_VIRUS]

Listening to her, he made his judgement on her. She seemed nervous and frightened a little, he could hear it in her voice and see it in her body language. As she moved to cover her self up, he saw this and turned his head slightly, looking at the bag and the clothes on it. He sighed and offered his hand to her.
"Here. I will help you. Since you aren't dressed for this talk." He said in a calm manner. Alinthea was by far, the best person to judge someone's character. From only a few seconds of talking to her and from watching her before, he knew that she was telling the truth.
As he helped her out he cleared his throat.

"We are an misunderstood race. I have humans coming though here, many times a year to try and kill us. We are a threat you them. To you." He said looking at her as she got out of the pool. His eyes fixed on her chest. It was larger than any of the Neko females he had seen in his tribe. "We have never done anything wrong. Everyone in my tribe is harmless and I don't stand for unnecessary violence. If there is, they are cast out to fend for themselves it I see fit." He said with a powerful tone. Alinthea was just as he said, he was stern, but fair. He was loved by the tribe, and he loved them like they were his family; and they were.
"Are you alone? Or will I expect others? Because if so, you need to tell them not to come, because if they stumble across my tribe, I can't guarantee their safety, as my people can get very defensive, very quickly if they are unknown or are not accompanied by an elder." He paused for a few seconds, then looked at her. "Or me." He said with a smile. She was a very beautiful human in his eyes. Her body was beautiful and sleek, it was like nothing he had seen before. He was interested by her.

Standing tall over her, 6 foot 3 inches of him, can be intimidating, but that was who he was. Any fear, he hoped, would be broken soon.
"My name is Alinthea Yoh and I am the leader of the tribe of 'Neko's' that you are searching for."

 

[Seraph]

Sarah stared at his hand for a moment before she reached up and grasped it firmly, her eyes still a little unsure of his intents and she got out of the water and let go of his hand as soon as she was on stable ground and bent down to pick up her shirt and pants as she looked pitifully at her dry underwear. The last thing she needed to do was to strip down in front of him, with a little sigh, she pulled the dry tank top over her head and tugged it into place before pulling on her pants and buttoning them. She sat down to put her shoes back on as she listened to him speak; so focused she had been on her need to dress and feel more comfortable in his presence, that she never noted the way his eyes lingered on her chest as she dressed. It wouldn't have surprised her, she had such attention before because her her large breasts which was partially the reason she wore sports bras rather than just a typical bra, at least it made her chest look slightly smaller than normal.

She glanced at him sharply as he said he was a threat to her in particular but waited for a lull before she spoke her piece, "I don't know if anyone else is coming...Jeremy and Michael were, well, Dr. Stevens had a few troubles before the trip even started and he was supposed to lead the expedition." She blinked a little at his smile, caught off guard before she gave a small one back, and shrugged, "I'm really not sure." She would have to check her satellite phone to see if she could call them and make sure that they knew to be careful if they were coming or to at least wait to see her or this Neko.

She finished trying her boots back on and stood up and tried to look him in the eyes, falling slightly short as the top of her head barely brushed Alinthea's chin. She looked at him in surprise, "The leader?" He looked so young though, she thought, and she tilted her head back to look at him, "Then you are okay with me coming in? A lot of people find it invasive...Oh! Um, what do you call yourselves? Do you have a tribe name?"

There was a soft glow in her eyes as she started to ask her questions--she was excited, and couldn't wait to actually meet the tribe and learn all about them. It was good to know that she had a year to do this before she would have to give any kind of findings to the institute that was paying for this.

 

[T_VIRUS]

As he took her hand, he felt how soft and warm her hands were. They were so gentle, he didn't expect them to be this beautiful. Looking at them as he helped her up, he noted the differences while they were hand in hand for the few seconds. His hands were claw like, but not rough, they were touch but soft at the touch. He pulled her up gently and let go of her hand, his fingertips sliding off hers, his claws no cutting her fingers, just gently tickling them. He didn't intend to do it, but that is the way he let go. As she put her clothes on, he turned his head.
"Aren't you wet?" He said with a confused look on his face. "So why are you putting on dry clothes?" He said folding his hands. His tail moved for the first time after confronting her. It slowly swayed between his legs, not really moving much, but showing that his defenses had lowered and he didn't feel like she was a threat.

He shook his head and looked down. "You will need to contact them in some way. Warn them not to come. I will only have one human in my jungle at a time. I need to keep track of you. No offense, I have analyzed you and know you are not a threat to us." Alinthea said in a strong, deep voice. He wondered what she thought of him, it was the first time a human had met him. Alinthea was one of the intellectually superior Neko's in the tribe. He knew about the outside world, he had been told by the elders as they had been living in the real world outside of this jungle before they were forced to live here, through fear for family and friends life. When the elders set up the tribe, they needed a young Neko to take control and keep the tribe protected. When the tribe relocated to the jungle, Alinthea was only 3 years old with his mother and father. Living in the Jungle pretty much all of his life, he had grown to know his surroundings and to use them to his advantage. He was a great warrior and protector of his family from the age of 5. They didn't know where he had gotten this talent from, but they knew that he would grow up to be something great; their leader.

When she questioned his tribal status, he frowned. "Yes, their leader. This is my jungle. Why do you question it?" He said looking at her bag, wanted to check through it to make sure there was nothing that could cause problems between them.
As she carried on talking, he turned as she asked if she could come into his tribe. His ear twitched and his tail stopped moving.
"You can not." He said sternly. There was no question about it, no matter what he thought of her, no matter if she was on her own, he would not bring her into the camp. His motives would be questioned, they would think he was becoming soft.
"I can not allow you to enter the camp. You don't know what people would think, how they would question my motives. I am happy to answer any questions." He said. "But first, you need to sort out our problem. With a possible threat of people wandering into my tribal camp. If this happens, like I said, I can't guarantee their safety."
Alinthea stood in front of her, tall and proud.

 

[Seraph]

Sarah shrugged at his question and looked down at her tank-top as it started to stick to her body from the water; she really should have changed her underthings, but she couldn't do that with Alinthea standing right there. For him, walking around as bare as the day he was born might have been appropriate about the opposite sex but she had been raised by a rather conservative family and set of ideals. She was still slightly flushed from him just seeing her in her bra and underwear--her bathing suit would have covered more than those two articles of clothing. She ran her fingers through her hair and started to separate the tangled mess into three parts as she once again braided it back. The young woman finally settled on a response, "Just the way I was raised?..." Her eyes moved to this swaying tail and she ignored the urge to lean down and watch it move slightly. She wondered if she poked or pet his tail, if he would react like a cat and purr? Did Nekos purr? That would be a good thing to find out--there were just so many questions she had to get answered because so little was known about Nekos. And what little was known was how to kill them, and she wanted that to stop.

She remembered the first time she saw a Neko; she had been five or six, and her parents had put on the news while they went about their morning chores and then it came on. The anchorman talked about the vicious mauling that had happened, and how they figured it had been a large cat when they found their first neko. For the longest time, she couldn't get the image of the Neko out of her mind; it had been rail-thin, and looked half-mad as they showed a small clip of someone "putting it down, for it's own good." Sarah had had nightmares for years, but in the end it had only strengthened her interest in finding out more about Nekos. They couldn't be all bad; to say that would be as bad as looking at prisons and saying that all humans were bad because you looked at a bad sample population.

But as Alinthea told her that she couldn't go into his encampment, the little bubble of joy that had been welling up in her chest burst and she actually heard her breath hitch. She coughed to remove the lump there, and looked at him in confusion before she turned to pack up her bag and reorganize it--focus on something else and she would feel better. She bit her bottom lip, before she glanced up at him, still kneeling by her bag, "I can't not go into your camp...I need to so I can watch how your daily lives go, and how everything really is. There are some questions that you couldn't answer because you wouldn't think of really looking at it like that."

She knew she was getting worked up, "I didn't trek into this jungle just to be told no. I need to do this. I just...I just need to. I won't cause any problems, and I'll call Jeremy and Michael and tell them not to come--It'll just be me. Please?" Her eyes were hopeful as she looked up into his and waited for an answer; even if he said no, well, she could always follow him, or at least try to, and set up camp nearby and watch from a bush. It would be less than stellar conditions but she would still be able to create the full picture she wanted to present.

 

[T_VIRUS]

Alinthea watched her packing her bag; trying to see if there was anything interesting in the bag. Only her underwear and other items that were of no concern to him. Watching her look up at him, he frowned as she wouldn't take no for an answer. Listening to her, he sighed and scratched the back of his ear, purring slightly as he loved the feeling of it, more-so when someone else did it. He could understand her case, but rules were rules. No one except Neko's were allowed into the camp. Looked down at her, sighing and letting his hands drop to his side, looking behind her into the waterfall. Watching the water fall into the pool, the ripples so gentle, it was a nature mystery. Typically, the water would cause the pool to move more, crashing into it, it should make a louder sound, almost breaking the peace, but it didn't. It was gentle like Alinthea's personality. Looking back at her he kneeled down, his tribal cloth lifting up on his leg and revealing his member hanging down.

"Look, I would be happy to have you in the tribe. But the elders wouldn't allow it. There are rules which can't be broken. They are to protect my tribe. It doesn't matter if you have good intentions, it will just bring more people to the jungle and put us in danger." He said looking down and sighing.
"You seem like a nice person, I would love to help, but..." He looked up and looked like he was thinking. "There could be a way." He said leaving her on a cliff hanger. Not saying anything for a few seconds, he sat down and crossed his legs. The tribal cloth covering his legs, but his member could still be seen in the light. It was rather large and very much like a humans manhood.
"I am not sure if this will work, and if it doesn't, you will have to leave the jungle straight away, before you are found by the hunters. But don't worry, I will make sure you leave before that happens. But, I can talk to the elders and put forward your case. But there are some things that I will need you to promise me." He looked seriously into her eyes.
"If you do not keep these promises, then you will be in serious trouble, I won't be able to protect you then." He said putting his hands behind him, his tail whipping around and resting on his leg.
"First, if you do write this story. You can not, under any circumstance, say where our tribe is located. You can't even hint as to what part of Africa we are living in. You can understand why." He said, sighing as he wasn't sure why he was saying this. She was a human. "Secondly, you have to make sure you are the only one coming into the camp. Anyone else that isn't accepted, will be in trouble." He sighed and brought up his hand to his face, gently scratching it. Looking up at her, he shook his head.
"I don't know why I am doing this, but what I am going to do it talk to the elders. They will listen to me and they will decide. They have the last word. If they don't want you in this jungle, then you have to leave. I can't stress this enough. They can simply order for your death and it will be done." He wasn't joking.
"This is all I can do."

 

[Seraph]

Even as Alinthea looked away, Sarah kept her plaintive eyes on him hoping to break his silence and resolve with the saddest set of puppy-dog eyes she could manage. Not that she would ever admit that she was using such a tactic on him, but she was pretty damn close to crying to get her way. More often than not, a crying woman could bring any man to his knees or get her what she wanted. And right now, she really wanted to be able to go into the camp and see everything; she wanted to experience what their lives were like and then make sure everyone else understood them, so the brutal hunting and killing of Nekos would stop. When he knelt down and his "clothing" shifted to reveal his member, she averted her eyes and focused on his voice, even as her eyes kept wandering down to look. It wasn't as if she wanted to, it was more the stark surprise of Alinthea not caring that she could see, and her coming from a society that preached being covered at all times, except in private moments.

She bit her bottom lip when he insisted on the rules, though her hope grew when he stated that he would be happy with her being in the tribe. If he was okay with it, then she was half-way there! As he settled into explain his plan, she shifted to kneel more comfortably on the ground, and used her backpack as something to lean against as she leaned forward slightly to hear Alinthea speak. She nodded as he laid down the rules, and carefully filed away the new knowledge she found out about the tribe; while there was a leader, she penned silently in her head, their tribal elders held more sway and power over the tribe than he did. She waited until he finished before Sarah nodded, "Okay. I can make sure that I'm the only one coming, that's easy. And I won't write where the tribe is, I don't even think I could even if I wanted to..." She coughed slightly and looked out towards the forest, "I don't...actually know where I am anymore."

She gave a weak smile, "Thank you, Alinthea, this really means a lot to me."

Sarah wondered if he was exaggerating somewhat on how dangerous the elders were. They wouldn't kill one anthropologist with no weapons, and no idea where she was, just to keep themselves safe right? Just sending her out into the jungle right now would be enough to kill her. If she was careful, she might have been able to get back to the city, but she highly doubted that...especially with what little food she had and water. Somehow, airplane snacks probably weren't the provisions Dr. Steven's would have had, if he had been there to help. She looked at her backpack before looking at Alinthea and back again; she hesitated before she opened it and dug through it trying to find her satellite phone.

"Oh..." She exclaimed softly as she found it, and looked at Alinthea, "I'll call the rest of the people I'm with and tell them it's a no-go. They're still in the city, trying to fly back home."

 

[T_VIRUS]

He nodded and sighed as her eyes welled up with tears. Looking at her and listening to her every word, he listened for any tells, or anything that could sound like the was lying; she came up clean. Looking into her eyes, he nodded.
"Well, you need to contact them now. So I know that you have done it. And don't talk about you finding us. Make something up so they won't come." He said with a stern voice. Looking at the pool, he purred lustfully, he had come here for a long soak before returning to his tribe, now he had to sort all of this out. Scratching his head, he looked at her and nodded.
"And while you do." He said standing up and taking off his tribal cloth, releaving himself to her, he walked to the pool. "I will relax till you do. If I go and tell them your story and I don't know if you have told them or not, then it won't be good in your favor." Stepping into the pool, he let out a small purr and sat down in the water. Letting his body soak in the water, he looked behind him and turned his head a little. "What will you tell them?"

Alinthea was so open with her about his body, because it was normal for him. In the tribe, clothing wasn't an important piece of material. People didn't have to wear it, but Alinthea chose too, as people looked up to him to see how to act. He didn't mind it much, as it wasn't that restricting, but he liked being naked. A sense of freedom could be felt from it. He looked at her and thought that she might have to agree to the same thing. He had forgot to mention that.
"Ahhh, one more thing. Our tribe doesn't wear that much clothing, it is just how we are. You can wear those clothes but, if you are willing to wear our tribal clothes, then it would work in your favor better, as it shows you are willing to do anything to blend in. I don't think you would like to walk around with nothing on, so I would be able to get something to cover up certain areas." He said turning around and facing the falling water.

 

[Seraph]

She jumped slightly at the lusty sounding purr and glanced at the water in curiosity before she nodded. She was about to punch in the numbers to call the hotel that Jeremy and Michael were at just as Alinthea should up and took off the cloth that had been doing a poor job of covering himself. Her cheeks heated up slightly and she sneaked glances at him as he walked into the pool and settled into the pool. She shook her head to remove any trace of those kinds of thoughts--he was an attractive man, well, Neko, but he had all the parts that made a man and she wasn't a robot. She focused on punching in the numbers as she shrugged, "That I got lost, someone from an indigenous tribe took me to a different city, and I'm catching a plane back home."

She shifted until she landed with a soft plop on her behind and crossed her legs as she listened to the dail-tone and murmured softly, "Pick up, pick up..." With only half an ear she listened to Alinthea and didn't quite process what he was saying as she just nodded, "All right...sounds like a good idea." She nodded to herself again as Michael picked up the phone, his voice gravely and annoyed, "What?"

Sarah frowned slightly, "I just wanted to call you up and say its a bust. I got lost, and someone helped me out so I'm in an airport somewhere, paying god knows how much to get a ticket on the next plane out."

"Didn't we tell you that was how it was going to be," he said, "You should have just listened to Jeremy and me, we have done this before. Honestly, no really believes that Neko's live in tribes, it's more likely they are like--"

"--I have to go, I'm at the ticket counter," she interrupted quickly, not wanting to have to listen to another one of Micheal's rants about how he believed that Nekos were like Jaguars or Cheetahs, where interaction was limited to small family units consisting of a mother and her cubs, children? She frowned a little as she considered that--what were Neko children called? Kittens? She would have to find out. She pulled the phone from her ear and pushed the off button before she shuddered lightly, she didn't like Michael and that was saying a lot after only knowing the man for a day or so. He was condescending and egotistical. She dropped her phone back into her backpack and glanced at Alinthea, her eyes wondering over his toned back before she asked, "You were saying something a moment ago? I really didn't catch it."

 

[T_VIRUS]

As she rang the male and told her that she was at an airport, he thought the background sound would give it away; but it sounded like it didn't. As he soaked his body, he let out a sigh and a small moan of pleasure as she finished the call, as he didn't want to make any noise. Letting his body soak in the water felt so good. The cold water surrounding his member and crotch, it was such a nice feeling for him, one which he enjoyed a little too much at times. Being the leader, he could have any girl that he wanted. He was very attractive in the world of the Neko's, so he could get anyone, but because of the title, he was allowed to go thought them when ever he wanted; he didn't take the elders up on that offer. He was never one for just sleeping with a female Neko and that was it. He saw himself as a role model and he didn't want to go around making himself look like a whore. He hadn't had sex with a neko for years, ever since he became the leader; he had almost forgotten about it. He had a high sex drive however, which did cause problematic. This was the reason for this pool and this area. No one entered it because it was his alone time, this was where he got rid of his sex drive, not today though.

Turning his head as she asked him to repeat himself, he frowned. "I said, that it would be best if you wore what we wore. If you agreed to it, then you wouldn't stand out as much and the elders would see this as a sign of gratitude and to show that you are willing to fit in and you are grateful." Alinthea said sighing as his tail whipped around his crotch, resting on his inside leg and gently rubbing his thigh.
"I understand that you can't really wear nothing like most of us, because you are a human and humans wear clothes. I am sure I can find you something to cover up certain areas." He said looking back around at her.
"You said that you really wanted this story? That you came this far, so you wouldn't mind doing this." He said scratching the back of his ear.

 

[Seraph]

She blinked a few times as he repeated himself and she looked down at her clothes before she looked at the scrap of cloth he had left on the bank before looking back down at herself. She wasn't self-conscious, at least not overly so, but she doubted that she could easily feel comfortable running around without wearing a bra, and she had a suspicion that was one of the things Neko women didn't wear. Sarah tugged at the edge of her braid as she considered it; she could go naked and fit in more, but that would make her so flustered that she couldn't concentrate. Perhaps, once she grew comfortable with the tribe, she might be able to but that would take a long time, much longer than a year she thought. Her other hand rested on the ground and her fingers drummed out a little beat as she considered it before she nodded, "I...yes. I should."

Sarah agreed with him quietly; she had come a long way to study them, and to prove for once and all that they were just as civilized as humans. And if that got them off the "spot and kill" list, she would consider her job done. She glanced to his tail, curious about the instrument and if it was like another limb. She inched a little closer to him to inspect it, but withheld from touching him for the moment. She didn't want to be rude, but she wanted to know if it was as soft as a domesticated cats or more rough to protect against the elements. As his tail moved, she looked at at his back and asked, "Is it like another limb? Your tail?"

She settled at the bank and waited for his answer as she considered some things. She would have to get used to nudity very quickly, especially in the case of male nudity, if she wanted to do her job well. It was hard, she thought, to separate casual nudity from sexual nudity since that was how she had been raised. Nudity meant sex, and very little else if it was with the opposite gender. This, she decided, might just be a little bit of a harder job than she thought but she was up for the challenge. She grinned a little to herself, and was content to think of the boundless possibilities and opportunities that would emerge from this trip.

 

[T_VIRUS]

He nodded and smiled. "Well, that is good then. That will make it easier to convince them, when they see you will compel with their rules and traditions." He said as he sighed and rested his head on the stone edge; his shoulders could easily been. They were so broad and looks so strong. His collar bone could be seen as well. He thought about the possibility of the elders rejecting her for her acceptance into the tribe. It was likely, more likely than her being let in, but he would try for her. He wondered where she would stay, what she would do there, how she would fit in. He had a feeling he would have to look after her for a while, which he didn't really mind. She seemed like a nice person and she was very beautiful, her body was like nothing he had seen. He was intrigued by her, wanting to see more. He wondered if he told her things about him, she would tell him. Looking at her as she asked him the question, he looked down at his tail rubbing his thigh.

"Well, in a sense. I can completely control it and do what I want. I can grip and pick up light things, but nothing heavy." He said as his tail played with his crotch for a few seconds, then came out of the water and lay down near to her, gently swaying from side to side. It looked like it wanted to be stroked. "I can feel normally with it." He said looking back at it. He turned and looked at her, lifting up one leg so he could turn with more comfort. "Since you are finding out about me, how about I do the same. Then I can get to know you more and put your case forward to the elders better. Join me in here?" He said with a small smile. He wanted her to be comfortable and to get to know her better. "I will be here for a little bit now, so I can think of things to say and then I shall go." He said. "By the way, do all humans bath in their clothes?" He said interested.

 

[Seraph]

Sarah nodded and watched him relax into the water as she looked at the cool, crystal blue of the waters and sighed a little. It had been so nice in the water and the heat was beginning to get to her again, but she didn't feel comfortable--no, she snapped at herself mentally, she would be perfectly fine with getting into the water. The brunette closed her eyes for a moment and thought it over before her shoulders slumped a little bit; who was she kidding? She would turn seven shades of red, stutter and, knowing her luck, trip on nothing and drown. She had to admit that the last mental image did make her want to giggle a little, after all, she did overly dramatize in her metal cinema. She looked to his tail as it gently swayed in front of her and she bit her bottom lip, and looked to him before she reached over and lightly ran her fingers along the furred length of his tail. The texture was slightly different from what she was expecting but it was pleasant to the touch nonetheless; the pads of her fingers couldn't quite discern if the fur was too rough or soft, it was a middling texture and she wondered if the water had anything to do with it.

At his offer to join him in the water, she nodded, before she paused and looked down at her clothes. There was a moment of contemplation on her part before she started to pull off her shirt, shoes, and pants before she looked at Alinthea in mild surprise at his question. She shook her head, "No, we don't bathe in our clothes." She folded her shirt before she looked down at her bra, "We bathe naked...um...but, this really isn't bathing?" She placed her pants and shoes next to her tank top and stood there for a moment in her bra and underwear.She closed her eyes and considered it; it was best to get used to the idea of nudity, especially in a casual setting and Alinthea brought up a good point. She had to show them that not all humans were hunters and weird. With a deep breath she worked out of her bra and tried to ignore the way her breasts hung heavy on her chest, and how her nipples stood slightly erect from the slight change in temperatures before she quickly lost her underwear and stepped into the pool and sat down, drawing her knees to her chest. She was slightly red, before she coughed, "What would you like to know? I have lots of questions..."

 

[T_VIRUS]

He looked up as she was taking his clothes off. "Well, no, it isn't. But you are still emerged in water. That can't be comfortable in your clothes." He said looking back into the water. He shivered a little as her finger stroked his tail. No one had done it in a long time and he had forgotten how nice the feeling of touch was against his tail. Alinthea's tail was one of the most sensitive places on his body. He use to love it when people wrapped their hands around it and stroked it gently; the feeling always made him relax. As she took off her bra, he looked up, seeing her large breasts fall out. He studied them for a few seconds and smiled, he had never seen them so big before. It was very arousing for him. He sees female breasts every day, but there was something different about hers. Maybe it was because they weren't Neko breasts; they were human breasts, of which he had never seen. As she slid off her panties, he smiled once more, licking his lips as her womanhood was shown to him. She was a stunning human being and very interesting. As she got into the water and drew her legs up to her chest, he smiled.

"You know, you don't have to hide anything here. We are the only ones because this is my private area. No one can enter here without my permission, and no one can ask my permission, because I am here." He said smiling. "You are very interesting you know." He said looking at her body the to her face. "Something I have never really seen." He then looked down and corrected himself. "I have seen, but not a humans body. It is most interesting." He looked at her and laughed. "I am sorry, I am being rude." He put his arms on the side of the rocks, resting them and spreading his chest out, letting out a sigh and listening too her.
"How about you ask me and if I think of anything, I shall ask you." He said closing his eyes and shifting slightly. He sat up to get a better rest for his arms and as he did, the tip of his member emerged from the water. He didn't have an erection, his member was just that large and the position he was sitting in, meant that he wasn't sat deep enough in the water. Alinthea didn't seem to mind.

 

[Seraph]

Sarah gave a little shrug but didn't move her legs for another moment, before she finally let them curl at her side as she let her arms go to rest on her things. It was awkward, being so naked, especially as he stared at her. But she took solace in the fact that he was probably used to open nudity and that it wouldn't affect him. It took a few more moments for her to finally get back her voice after she finally begun to get used to her nakedness and relaxed into the water. She gave a little laugh, "That's...very convenient. And it's just...reflex?" She didn't like the way she felt as if she had to explain her actions to him, and quieted down after a moment as she listened to him before she glanced up at him in surprise at his comment, "Well, thank you? I think?"

Her body was interesting? That was a new one for the books for her. She had always been called a plain-Jane back home, and to be called interesting was nice.

When Alinthea closed his eyes and relaxed against the rocks, and his member showed through the water, Sarah was less embarrassed but still surprised at how comfortable he was with nudity. Her eyes strayed to his maleness and mentally cataloged his size--he was bigger than any of the men she had seen or been with in the past. As her mind began to wander, as a mind was want to do when provided with such a nice view, she nipped it in the bud. She couldn't think sexual thoughts about his nudity, not in front of him, and especially because she was supposed to be getting used to it as something casual!

"That sounds fair," she closed her eyes as she considered what to ask first before she nodded and opened her eyes, "Do you have a written language?"

 

[T_VIRUS]

He smiled and nodded. "I guess so." He said chuckling and purring as the sunlight was gently dancing on his member, highlighting every part of it that was out of the water. He opened his eyes and looked at her, she looked at bit uncomfortable. "I imagine this isn't the normal way for you, to be naked with someone else. But just try to relax, I will help you in any way, there is no rush to go to the camp." He sighed and scratched his broad chest gently. "The elders aren't going anywhere, and if no one else is coming, then we have nothing to worry about." He said putting his arm back on the grey stone around the pool. It looked too perfect to be created by nature, but then again, nature was a beautiful and perfect thing. As he was talking, he saw her looking at his manhood and turned his head slightly smiling.
"Any reason you are looked at me down there?" He said smiling. "Is my body different from a normal human males body?" He said interested. "I can stand to let you have a better look if you wish." He said openly. "I don't mind. I am use to being naked and so are my people. So, I guess, it is an easier way to get use to it?" He said shrugging. He was a very open Neko, who was also very trusting if he thought they were decent.

Sighing and looking at her body once more, studying her skin, her legs, her eyes, her face, it was all beautiful. He smiled as he tried to stop looking. "I am sorry, about your question. our language. We do have our own written language. In your language, it would translate to be named Nekorian." He said as it rolled of his tongue. It was a difficult thing to say. Looking at her he laughed. "Don't worry if you can't pronounce it or understand it, which I doubt you will, because it is a strange language. English, is a very easy language to learn. I only know it because my parents and the elders have told me. I need to know it incase anyone comes into the camp. Working out so far isn't it." He said with a small chuckle.

 

[Seraph]

She tried to relax, she really did, but he was right, it wasn't the most natural of situations with her. She had never even shared a shower with any of her ex-lovers. The logical side of her piped up and reminded her that, at one point, most cultures did have communal baths. She frowned, and thought, but none of them had mixed gender baths, at least none of the places of repute...Her mind was at war and she had little else to do but sit there for the ride. She moved her hands to swirl her fingers through the water, watching it make little ripples before she jumped at his offer. Her cheeks turned a soft red as she swore all the blood from her limbs rushed to her face; she shook her head, "N-no. That's all right, it's..."

She floundered for a way to continue before she focused on the less embarrassing of his questions, "You're just...well, larger than most human males." It was the honest truth, and she wasn't going to lie on that. "And there is no need to get up." She looked away and one of her hands came up to play with the tendrils of hair that had fallen to frame her heart-shaped face. She glanced at him and watched him study her and she shifted slightly, "Do I look different than Neko females?" She was curious, since few of the females were ever seen by humans; there were even rumors that Nekos didn't have females, rather they were like certain species of frogs that could change shift between genders as the need arose.

"Nekor..." Sarah stumbled over the pronunciation with a frown and tried again, and again, before coming out with something that sounded passable to her ears but was probably so far off the mark that she needn't have tried. She blinked, "I think you'd be the first person I've ever heard say English is easy to learn! People always tell us that it's hard, we have too many words that sound the same but mean absolutely different things! But...most people then in your tribe speak English? What would education--do you have schools, or is it all taught by experience, and community?"