It was with mixed feelings that Sedna made her way to the carnival. She hadn’t quite been feeling herself lately, though whether it was the changed taking place after her dip in the witches pool, the two new wobbly teeth that were peeking out from under her lips or the way she felt a little taller each morning, her bones aching in protest, she couldn’t quite tell.

She looked through the crowd, spotting familiar faces and strange. She wondered if any of them would recognise her? Or if she would want them to if they did. One though, well, she knew she’d have to make the first move, there was no chance he’d recognise her otherwise. She strolled over casually, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth as she stepped alongside. Maybe she could even have some fun with this. “If it isn’ Mr Incredibly Handsome.” She wondered whether he would recognise her voice or her scent and put two and two together.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

Raijin, of course, would never miss a chance to have a little fun, and the Carnival sounded like a bundle of it. He’d been quick to make his way across the various territories to the Fern Gulley, where the flock of Magpies had instructed them that the festivities would be held with a bit of a pep in his step. When he arrived, it was better than he could have expected with elephants conducting rides and several booths laid out, being run by what seemed to be Coydogs. He couldn’t help the delighted grin that spread across his face, his nubbed tail twitching behind his large frame.

A familiar voice came from beside him and his grin got wider, golden eyes turning to look down but he was met with a dark chest. His attention turned, slack jawed, and he looked around him to make sure he wasn’t making a mistake, but the Sedna he knew to look for wasn’t anywhere in sight. Instead, a woman who was exponentially taller and looking very different stood beside him, smelling and sounding like Sedna with a delicious, heady perfume permeating her body. His brows quirked, doing one more double take before clearing his throat, ” Miss Quick Healer, is that you?” he quipped back.

"Speech"

He was quick, and her growing fangs flicked forward as she gave a little spin, “Th’ one an’ only… One an’ th’ same doesn’ really work right now does it?” Her face was somewhere between a smile and a grimace, still somewhat uncertain about where they stood with each other but, at least on her side, he the most comfortable company she could find. A safe place.

“I-uh, took a dip in the wrong spring an’ when I got out…” She shrugged as though broadly gesturing to her new look. “I still dunno if I like it.”

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

He watched as she gave a little spin, showing off her new looks and confirming her identity, all the while sending a buffet of heat into his face. His felt his skin tingle and his nether regions tighten but he ignored it, his look of shock regrowing into a bright grin. He’d liked the woman during their first encounter, she’d been spunky and could throw his sass right back at him. She was fun, and that fun could lead to some interesting times, especially at a Carnival.

She explained to him that she’d taken a dip in ‘the wrong hot spring’ and immediately he felt himself flinch a little. Hot Spring, she said? He let out a nervous chuckle, “Was uh, was that during or after our dip together?” he asked, because of course he had to. He quite liked his roguish good looks just the way they were, but she seemed nervous as well. The man reached over and bumped her chin in a gesture to keep her head up, “I think you’re quite the stunner either way. It’s different, but different isn’t always bad. Just look at me, I’ve been told I’m quite different,” Raijin offered. His cousin Hattori called him ‘special’ all the time, after all.

"Speech"

“Oh, there was nothin’ funny in that hot spring, it was after, in the swamps.” Sedna offered as a reassurance, suddenly very interested in her toes. She had been trying to ignore the ceaseless itching under her skin that usually only plagued her in the spring, but maybe the absence of the sun had thrown her body out of whack. All attempts went out the window when he bumped her chin to raise her head, and when he told her to look at him - she did. “Not bad at all,” she mused, a smirk finding its way to her face.

Was there really any point to beating around the bush when he was being so sweet?

She swung her hip to connect with his, looking back where their fur mingled together. They almost fit like puzzle pieces with her new height. “But now we almos’ look like we belong together. Maybe ma’s old gods’re droppin’ me hints.” Her eyes danced with amusement, her brow lifting in a silent question, just as happy to drop hints of her own.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

The man couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief when Sedna let him know that her change had come after their meeting, in a swamp of all places. He made a note to avoid any and all swamps possible in Boreas.

Her expression changed from its awkward one it had been previously to a smirk, telling him he wasn’t bad at all, and he grinned and offered her a wink. ”Glad to see you’re just overflowing with compliments,” he joshed back. Then, she swung her hip around to connect with his and his mouth went dry, her scent wafting over him and heat rising where their bodies touched. He’d thought Sedna was beautiful from their first meeting, both physically and mentally, and now she was throwing signs that she just might be thinking the same thing of him. Then, she dropped him a not so subtle innuendo and Raijin needed no more prodding. He wasn’t innocent by any means, something she would soon find out.

”Well, we’ll just have to test it out won’t we.” he replied, leaning over to preen the base of her ear with a pleased rumble. He’d never fucked at a carnival, but there was always a first time for everything.

"Speech"

Sedna leaned into the preening with an appreciative rumble, her eyes drifting closed for just a moment. It didn’t help to scratch the itch she was feeling, if anything it only made matters worse. At least they both seemed to be on the same page.

There were plenty of convenient little shadows between stalls and even just out beyond the pool of lights that lit up the carnival. Picking one, she stepped forward, waving her tail to catch Raijin in the face and looking back with a smirk. She tipped her head towards one of the alleyways and bounded forward.

And then everything faded to black and somewhere in the distance Barry White could be heard singing.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed