Ranuk watched as Tamlin tore the jerky into smaller pieces and left it on the ground for the kittens. The demon was pleased by Tamlin's thoughtfulness, that he would provide without being prompted but was wise enough not to attempt hand feeding the kittens himself. It took time for such a level of trust to develop but most were unaware of that, too used to the loyalty of dogs that they assumed food was enough to tame a wild animal. It spoke well of the elf that he didnt make such a mistake.<br/><br/>Tamlin then settled himself against the cavern wall, but he chose to sit near Ranuk. The den was not very spacious but there was still room enough that he could have picked a spot away from Ranuk's reach. He deliberately decided to sit close, seemingly at ease to be in an enclosed space, with a demon, without an escape route. Ranuk made careful note of that.<br/><br/>Then he smiled and freely admitted that Ranuk was a better hunter, and though it was true, he couldnt help but be flattered at the compliment, so simply spoken yet sincere.<br/><br/>Ranuk's tails flicked in pleasure and the ends brushed lightly against Tamlin's knee, soft enough to be an accident.<br/><br/>"Some," was the answer to Tamlin's question, and with his limited vocabulary he tried to describe hunting in the swamps. It was a poisonous place, from the creatures to the plants to the miasma that steamed from the murky waters to the waters themselves. Very little was actually edible, at least to those not native born.<br/><br/>The reptiles and amphibians and insectoids could eat from the wilderness, but those who couldnt relied on carefully curated fish farms or whatever vegetation they could grow in the hive. Mostly, when Ranuk hunted, it was to live capture a rare creature that he wanted for his menagerie.<br/><br/>With choppy sentences and mangled words, Ranuk told him of the careful stalking required to hunt down an an animal with such clever camouflage that it could practically disappear.<br/><br/>------<br/><br/>Ursalo's attention was on the pheasant in his hands but he could feel the heaviness of Jera's gaze upon him. Ursalo looked up to find Jera staring, the rabbits momentarily forgotten and skinning knife limp in his hand.<br/><br/>Ursalo's lips curled into knowing smile. He felt warmed through at both sides now with the fire at his back and Jera's smoldering gaze on his front.<br/><br/>Ursalo hummed, his own coy look blooming on his face as he pretended to consider Jera's offer.<br/><br/>"But if I were to wear your jacket you wouldnt be able to stare so hungrily at my naked chest," he countered, idly twirling a feather between his fingers, "and besides, we both know that if you started undressing in front of me, I would intice you to take off the rest and should that happen dinner would never get done..."<br/><br/>Ursalo's golden eyes trailed down Jera's body, remembering the shape of it under the clothes so keenly the elf might as well have been naked already. His gaze lingered at Jera's hands as he deftly skinned the rabbits, the competence there filling him with dark and delicious fantasies.<br/><br/>His eyes flicked up to Jera's face, and his smile was filthy as he said, "and I do want you fed. Otherwise you might be too exhausted to return to the castle tomorrow, and I wouldnt want to turn heads should I be forced to carry you in my arms the whole way back."