"Alright," Glory said, cuddling with him. "Your brother's been and gone again. I think it was all he could do not to wake you."

Léan groaned, opening his eyes again. "As soon as I get out of this cave, I'm in for it..." he complained, childishly. He frowned, before resting his head on her again.

"I agreed to act as a meat-shield, remember?" Glory reminded him. "I mean, he didn't jump on me when I left for a few minutes to talk to him, so..."

"That's right, of course he didn't...because he's waiting for me," Léan clarified, half-amused. "Trust me. As soon as I'm out of here--injured arm or not--he's going to cling to me like he needs me to live..."

"Well, you can't stay in here for ever," Glory pointed out. "You're going to have to leave sometime."

"Do I have to?" Léan asked, only half-jokingly. He wasn't looking forward to having to deal with Archie, especially when he was hindered by his hurt arm.

"He may try to drag you out himself if you wait too long," Glory said. "I think it would be better to go out on your own than wait for that."

Léan shook his head, curling up tighter. "I'm not ready to get up yet...I won't be for a while, if he's going to react the way I think he's going to react when I come out..." He seemed like he just didn't want to deal with Archie, and wouldn't if he was going to pounce him.

"I didn't think you were going to get up yet, anyways," Glory said, snuggling closer.

"Good." Léan lifted his head a bit, and fell silent. He was listening to the sounds around him, to pick out just what was in the area.

Glory laid there with him, comfortable. She didn't want to move, either, so she wasn't going to annoy him about it.

Léan laid his head back down, and continued to listen, to pass the time. When it was quiet and he was really paying attention, he had impeccable hearing...almost at the level of a hunting animal. He could just barely make out Archie squealing, quite a ways away...still freaking out about the two of them. He could hear dolphins, which were closer, out in deeper water.

Even closer, he heard a car door, and the sound of Clarissa greeting Nana. The thought made him a tad nervous, since her mother probably didn't know yet about Glory's change.

"Your mother is back," he muttered, suddenly, as a warning. She hadn't gotten much of a scolding from Azilis. But he wondered how her mother would take it.

"She is?" Glory asked. "This should be interesting, then..." She had no idea how her mother would react to Glory being changed, but really, she had no room to complain. After all, she did the same thing.

Léan was hoping that whatever it was, it didn't get physical. Otherwise, he'd have to interfere. He curled up close with her, and silently waited for the inevitable--for Clarissa to come out to the beach in search of Azilis, and see them.

Glory cuddled closer to him. She knew her mother would find them sooner or later, so she might as well keep enjoying their time together. Hopefully, her father would be able to talk Clarissa into being nice.

Léan seemed to have the same idea, for he curled up more to her and hesitantly relaxed. His ears had no intention of letting him fully relax, however, as he continued to listen. After about five or six minutes, he heard the telltale signs of the back door opening, and knew Clarissa was approaching. He closed his eyes, pretending to be at least half-asleep.

Glory cuddled close to him, trying to get him to relax a little.

"Everything will be alright," she murmured to him.

Azilis heard Clarissa arriving and waited in the shallows for her. He didn't have to wait long.

"Welcome back," he murmured when she slipped into the water, wrapping his arms around her.

"Have you seen Glory?" Clarissa asked, making herself comfortable in his arms.

"I have," he replied. Clarissa looked up at him.

"And?"

Softly, Azilis explained what was going on.

Léan was hoping that nothing too bad happened. Quietly, he managed to relax. He stayed still, where he was. He was sure that Clarissa would find them sooner or later if she wanted to.

"Now don't get upset," Azilis said when he finished explaining. He could see his mate getting angry, and he didn't want her scaring the younger couple. "I'm willing to bet she did it for the same reason you did."

"And what is that?" Clarissa asked hotly, though she didn't try to slip out of his embrace.

"Because," Azilis said, giving her a kiss, "it's obvious she's in love and didn't want something as trivial as a difference in species to seperate them, like it seperated us."

"But she's just a child!"

"Perhaps you last knew her as a child, you still see her that way," Azilis reasoned. "But I see a young woman very much like you." He paused for a moment. "You know, she didn't get upset or angry when she realized that I changed you."

"Probably because she just assumed it would happen," Clarissa retorted.

"Then why didn't you?" Azilis pointed out, referring to Glory's change. There was nothing Clarissa could say to that. He held her close. "Don't be angry with her. I saw her earlier, and she's happy." Clarissa sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, finally calming down.

"Did she put you up to this?" she asked, looking up at him with a wry grin.

"Not at all," he replied. "But you don't necessarily think clearly when you're angry, and if she's anything like you, she's the same way. I just wanted to keep you from fighting."

"Alright. Do you know where she is at the moment?"

"I don't, you'll need to look around some."

Léan was rather hoping she wouldn't find them. He didn't feel like getting up just yet--he was preparing to take the brunt of her anger, if she really did need to take it out on someone. He would wait until she found them. He shifted a bit more, moving both of them, so that he was blocking the only entrance to the cave. If she wanted to get in, she would have to go through him.

It was a protective, precautionary stance.

((You're keeping really weird hours the past couple days))

"You don't have to do that," Glory said softly when he moved in front of her. "I can go out and talk to her."

((I know. I'm sick, and my schedule's all off-balance. :( ))

"I'd rather keep it this way, until we are sure both of you will keep your tempers in check," Léan explained, gently. He didn't want a fight, and even though Clarissa had sounded calm, he wanted to wait and make sure both of them could stay calm.

"You have no faith in me," Glory teased. She didn't argue, however.

Léan chuckled, shrugging slightly. "It's simply a precaution..." he assured her, bringing his head back down to more properly cuddle with her. He fell silent, then, and waited for Clarissa's search to turn up with them.

((longer post will have to wait till I'm not typing from my phone))

Glory cuddled with him, leaning over a little to give him a kiss. She knew her mother would find them, it was only a matter of time.