Scruffy’s Adventure

Written by Scruffy–hime

Edited by Luciferia

Chapter 9: Cold Shower

Several hours later, Airi awoke to find Scruffy had moved around in his sleep and was now positioned horizontal to her with his head faced down in her lap and one arm wrapped around her thigh.

Airi let out a soft laugh and quietly whispered, “Now how did you manage to do that?”

She shook Scruffy gingerly and spoke his name a few times to see if he was awake. After several attempts she realized he was out cold and wouldn’t wake any time soon.

Airi attempted to slip herself out from under him. Even the slightest movement made his grip tighten and he nudge himself closer.  Airi let out a small sigh before she decided to just lay back down and wait for him to wake up.

When she had almost fallen back to sleep, she felt something sharp digging into her thigh. Startled, she sat up and saw Scruffy nibbling on her leg in his sleep. He had not drawn blood but she knew that there was going to be deep marks left. Deciding she did not mind, she laid back down, giggling as he bit down again.

After napping for a couple more hours Airi decided that she couldn't sleep anymore and that she was starting to get hungry. She wriggled her leg out from Scruffy’s grip, trying not to wake him as he moaned in protest. Taking care to be quiet, she climbed down from the tree and landed next to the corpse of the giant beast they had pushed out earlier.

Daylight was just starting to creep above the horizon but provided little light in such a thick forest. Airi pulled the knife out of the beast's skull and walked over to the nearby stream.  She stopped to scoop up a drink before moving downstream, hoping to find a larger body of water to clean all the dirt, blood, and gore from her body and clothing.

Airi walked along following the current, using the knife to leave marks along the trees to remember the way back.  After several more minutes of walking, Airi heard the sound of rushing water. She picked up her pace and soon came upon a river.

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Deciding that the current was still slow enough for her to not be swept away, she planted the knife in a low–hanging branch and took off her clothes. Airi dipped her skirt in the cold water, swirling it around several times and then scrubbed it with her hands. Satisfied all the grime and blood was off, she hung the skirt next to the knife and bent to clean her other clothing.

The water was deep enough to come up to her waist and she yelped as the icy waters reached between her legs. Shivering, she quickly submerged herself under the water and then gasped for air when she stood again. The wind bit at her bare flesh causing chills to run down her spine, her nipples to stiffen, and goosebumps to prickle along her skin. She scrubbed the dirt and blood from her skin, hurrying so that she could flee the freezing water. Airi leaned her head forward and pulled her long hair over her shoulder, dipping it in the water again. She washed her matted hair and fur the best she could.

Barely able to feel her fingers and toes anymore, she clambered out of the stream. Airi shivered again as the cool breeze drifted by. She shook the water from herself in a feline manner and then wrung the water from her hair.

Airi grabbed her clothing and ventured back towards her and Scruffy’s hide out. She walked naked deciding that she would rather her, and her clothing, be drier before she put it back on. She treaded quietly as she neared the tree, stabbed the knife into the ground, and then placed her clothing over a low branch was privy to a small amount of sunlight.

She crept up to the hole and dug her claws into the rim, lifting herself up to peek inside. Scruffy had curled his arms and legs closer to him. Occasionally a small shiver ran through his body, giving the impression he was still cold even though it had warmed significantly. Airi lowered herself back to the ground. Then walked over to where her clothes were. She paused to stand in the small ray of sunlight before grabbing her still damp clothing and pulling them on.

After she was dressed, she realized that they would need food soon. Airi walked over to the large beast sprawled on the ground and began sniffing it trying to determine if it could taste good. Airi decided she would rather hunt something potentially easier to eat and headed off into the forest.