There was very little to enjoy about feeling lost or stagnant. A sense of weightlessness, uncontrolled and unstable. Drifting in the sea without an anchor or a map. With what little semblance of regrowth the crew had, it wasn't shocked that in the frail stability of war and peace, it was ripped away just when they thought there was something. Rivia stole herself away to the sea as she had always done when she didn't feel grounded. Visiting the obsidian sands on a moonlit night to avoid the heat that swept over Amaryllis so suddenly. She harbored great loathing for the heat. In the warmer months such as this, the siren would more likely be found after dark than anything.

The chill of the evening, paired with the crisp sea spray, was exactly what she needed for some alleviation from the temperatures. However, that wasn't all. She needed movement. Something more than sitting on the shores and watching the tide roll in and out.

She needed to run.

Rivia would leave shallow trenches where she hammered the cool, damp sand underneath her paws. Her large form jogged up the length of the shore and back the other way. If there was driftwood, she would go out of her way to leap over it. After a few laps, the dark woman slowed herself to take a breather and allow the tide to kiss her toes. The warmth of her breath creating small billows on each exhale.


[ +5 Exercise to gain strength ]

@Bhaskar

— stormbreaker

When the crisp evening took over the dry heavy air of the day the hefty male left the confines of the jungle to take a much-needed stroll. Tonight he decided to explore more of the seaside, having enjoyed the relaxation that the tranquil waves offered. The dust and grass gave way to dark sands beneath his paws as the hefty feline caught a glance of the wide sea horizon that expanded further than the eye could see. He paused in the sand, further away from the water, as his eyes followed a dark slender shade speeding down the shore, kicking up sand behind.

He was uncertain what the woman ran from or if she just did it to exercise her speed, but he was bound to find out for she came to a stop a short distance away from him. Without announcement, the bulky man moved in a listless fashion to approach @Rivia, coming to a halt a meter or two away from her. "You're fast," he complimented. "Are you exercising?" The concept was all too familiar to him. He enjoyed getting better at the physical aspect as much as the mental. Maybe he should try running too, he hasn't done that in a while.

The evening birthed company upon the shore, turning to face the inquirer and nod at to answer both his statement and question. "Aye," she answered simply, still slowly catching her breath. She was fast, sure, but she could be faster. What if she had to run again? Would she run again? It seemed the uncertainness of another raid in their future wasn't completely cast from her mind. Everything was still too fresh and she wouldn't ever have her and her family caught off-guard like that ever again.

She wanted—no, needed—, to be faster. Stronger. More prepared.

Her muscles were hot, but they pleaded for more. Rivia was ready for more. Perhaps this stranger was, too. "I could use a running partner." Her head nodded in the direction behind her, a gesture of invitation. "Come on," She turned on her heel and began a steady trot until she gradually transitioned into a steadier jog and then a run. Not a dead sprint, though. She wasn't outrunning the blackwater raiders this time.

[ +5 Exercise to gain strength ]

@Bhaskar

— stormbreaker

+5 Exercise to gain endurance (not including spars)

The older woman sported an athletic, sleek-looking body which suggested that exercising her speed was a thing she practiced often. He noticed her unkempt fur full of debris. The wild-looking female was surrounded by an aura of intensity that enamored the young adult.

Her invitation was met with a curt nod from Bhas, who knew well that she will outrun him. Not only did she weigh much less, but she had what seemed to be a body built for running long distances. On the other hand, the gargantuan body of his will only be a disadvantage. He was strong, he could exert a lot of force, but the moment he had to run or climb up a steep hill he felt his muscles give out fast.

When his new training buddy turned around to take up a jog, the hefty lion followed beside her. He took in steady breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth, and accelerated along with his more athletic partner. His heart began to race faster and faster with each meter his feet devoured, his breathing from steady sped up and he began to pant.

@Rivia

She was pleased to see that the titan obliged and took the opportunity to train with her. In younger years she was more accustomed to working alone and wasn't always a team player; preferring to do something herself to make sure it got done correctly. Though, since joining up with the crew she had steadily learned to let that weight go. While there were still many instances where she could say being alone would've been better, it hasn't been completely unbearable to give a little loyalty to someone other than herself.

After all, the crew proved countless times that having someone beside you to back you up wasn't a bad thing.

Rivia kept her breathing steady, drawing deep inhales through her nose and filling her lungs with the crisp ocean air. It drove her to push through the burn as the two ate the distance along the shore. The sand offered a challenging when it came to running on it. It was as if the ground was trying to disappear out from under her feet and she needed to run fast enough to avoid getting sucked into another quicksand pit. Fortunately, she was far more confident on coastal sands than that blasted desert.

Looking to her running partner, the running high was getting to her, throwing her head up and letting out a quick, "Woo!" She picked up her pace some, extending her strides further and giving the behemoth a test.

Catch me if you can.

@Bhaskar

— stormbreaker

They ran and ran, throwing sand behind them as the foamy water lightly caressed its feet with a cold touch. His muscles began aching with every stride, promising defeat under his gargantuan mass in the near future. The salty air offered some relief and fuel for the difficult run. He pushed on through the light pain, keeping up with Rivia as much as possible. The endorphins sparking a cheerful call from the lioness, to which Bhas didn't respond. He was too busy trying not to fall flat on his face. That's not so bad, he mused as he managed to keep up with the dark form of his training companion.


He had never been so wrong in his life as the sleek shape of @Rivia suddenly breezed past him as if with little to no effort. His eyes widened at the realization that the pace from a few seconds ago was her slow run, purposefully utilized so he could keep up with her. Crap. He gritted his teeth as he sped up too in an attempt to catch up. Immediately his whole body cried out in protest, legs threatening to give out, lungs burning, and heart-racing like a wild horse. There was a big gap between them and with every second Bhas felt his body slowing down, but he stubbornly kept pushing on. He wasn't going to give up until she stops!

If all else in life would somehow fail, she knew she could always count on being invigorated by the sea. It coursed through her veins, filled her with a sense of purpose and motivation. Even if it swelled and crashed violently, angry waves clawing and gnashing at rocky cliffs; she would find peace. Her second wind fueled by their surroundings.

She was glad that this lion had come along when he did. Acquiring a training partner by happenstance was something Rivia didn't expect to enjoy so much so far. But it would appear that in all of her thoughts, distractions such as this were far worth it.

Rivia glanced behind her as she pulled away from @Bhaskar, maintaining her speed for a short while longer until she let off the gas and came to a trot and then stop. After she finally stopped moving, Rivia dropped her head and worked to catch her breath. The heat of her skin meeting the cool of the night birthed some steam, stepping closer to the ocean and dunking her head. The dark woman threw a paw back and tossed some water on the back of her neck, turning her attention to her company. "How ya feelin'?" she called to him between healthy pants.

— stormbreaker

Every inch of muscle plastered over his body screamed in agony, searching for immediate relief but finding none as Bhaskar commanded them to continue moving. The pain was not unfamiliar and he knew how to deal with it, but it has been so long since he trained his speed that his willpower was coming short. It felt like his heart was climbing up his throat, his ribcage expanding in pursuit of more air.

For the fleeting moment, he could spare to focus on something else, his eyes reached for @Rivia who ran before him. At first, he was disappointed to find that she kept on running onward, but then he noted her slowing down and thanked the heavens that this torture was coming to an end.

He did his best to gradually slow down just like his training partner did, but could never do it as gracefully as her. When Rivia bent to soak her fur, he took a few weary steps towards the sea and flopped on the sand, exposing himself to the mercy of the calm tide. As the cool saltwater washed over him so did relief and he took a deep breath in a desperate attempt to calm his rapid panting. How ya feelin'? "Dandy." He said sarcastically, then rolled on his side, back and dangled his feet in the air before flopping on his opposite side so that the sea water would soak his whole body.

That looked like it was a great idea. Rivia took after @Bhaskar and laid her form into the tide, letting the cold wash over her fur and envelope her like a blanket. She let out a relaxed sigh, closing her eyes and also flopping onto her side. Extending her head upward a little she looked over to her midnight company who seemed to be ever-thankful that she decided to stop.

Truth be told, she might have pushed it a little too much this evening and would likely pay for it the next morning after her muscles get the chance to recover overnight. "Thanks for joining me, I wasn't expecting to see anyone out there this late." Her voice carried among the smooth hush of the lapping foam. Her sides heaved for a few moment longer before she began to regain her resting heartrate. "Live around here?" The dark woman questioned.

— stormbreaker

While @Rivia might've pushed it a little too much, Bhaskar had outright broken the band and probably won't walk for the next week or so. Naps and sunbathing were the only things on his schedule for a long time. The water seeped into his fur and caressed his skin refreshingly. He finally felt like he could catch his breath and not feel like every inch of his body was burning in agony. For now, anyway.

Her thanks were met with a curt nod and a short breath response. "Thank you too, I needed to move my ass a bit more." His gargantuan body didn't see much cardio exercise. "Yeah. The Jungle between the two prides. Natives call it Aniadar Jungle." That's what he'd heard anyway. "What about you? You don't carry a scent." He would've noticed if she had a pride scent unless she was an expert at hiding it.

@Rivia