The Hunter's Companions Ch. 05

"It's fine Kahora." Livinia interrupted Belcarm and gave him and angry glare. "I am happy to go on my own. Much more efficient."

"But Liv-"

"But what, Belcarm?" Livinia snapped angrily, she could hear the muffled laughter of some of their guild mates and she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"I don't think you should go on your own." He said quietly, but it was no use. Apparently their friends were very interested in the conversation and the room had gone unusually quiet.

"I can handle it." Livinia said slowly, trying to keep a reign on her anger.

"Liv, I don't think it's-"

"I said that I can handle it!" Livinia growled.

"What, you don't think I can?"

"No! That's not what I meant. It's only that..." He trailed off and looked around the room for the first time. Noticing how everyone was enjoying the unfolding spectacle he sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Kahora, is there really no other way this can be done?" Belcarm asked.

"No." Kahora said, the hint of an amused smirk playing on his face.

"I can go with Liv."

Livinia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, this was turning into a nightmare.

"You?" Belcarm snorted derisively. "Scouting through the Twilight Highlands?"

Instead of answering Kalendras shifted into bird form and then back to his normal form.

"I've got a better chance of getting through undetected than you do, what with your clanking armor and your need to check yourself out in every reflective surface..."

"Kal!" Livinia gasped, and the room erupted in laughter. Belcarm's face tinged red and Livinia shot Kalendras daggers while he smirked back at her innocently.

"Will that work Kahora?" Kalendras asked. The Tauren shaman looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, I was hoping to send you to Moonglade to sort out some stuff with the Cenarion circle... but that should be fine as long as Jorrak doesn't mind going in your place?" Kahora looked to the back of the room where an obscenely large male Tauren was wedged into an uncomfortably small chair.

"Will it pay well?" Jorrak asked, his voice deeper than Kalendras's and Kahora's.

"Enough to get you that new belt you wanted." Kahora said with a shrug.

"Right then, I'm in." Jorrak said with a wolfish grin.

"So that is sorted. I will go with Livinia. Happy now, Paladin?" Kalendras asked turning to Belcarm. Belcarm glared at him for a moment before he let out a loud puff of indignation.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll go to Scourgeholme." Belcarm said reluctantly, Livinia rolled her eyes but couldn't come to feel sorry for him. The rest of the meeting was taken up with relatively dry conversations about guild provisions and the jobs over the next week. Belcarm didn't try to touch Livinia's thighs again, instead spending the rest of the meeting with his arms crossed over his chest and a sour look on his face. Livinia's anger didn't subside either. She could take care of herself, she didn't know what was with his sudden over-protectiveness but she certainly did not like it. She could tell from the look on his face that he was severely unimpressed with the outcome of the meeting but after Kalendras had offered to accompany her on her scouting mission, Belcarm had no other arguments to call on. When the meeting ended he stood and excused himself, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before heading out of the room to 'get his supplies ready' for the following morning.

"So, you and Sharpsword, eh?" Sierra asked, nudging Liv playfully as she finished her drink.

"What?" Liv asked, turning to the female Paladin, thoroughly aware of Kalendras's scrutinizing eyes.

"About time you two hooked up. When you guys first joined the guild we were taking bets on how long it would take for you to get together... Nobody thought it would take this long!" Sierra said. Livinia bit her tongue to stop herself from saying something stupid. Again she was embarrassed to admit that she really was the last person to know that they were destined to be together.

"He has been hot for you for as long as I can remember. I bet he's good in the sack... Is he?" Sierra asked, Livinia's face turned deep red and Sierra's laughter filled the room. "Don't worry Love, I'll make sure he comes back to you in one piece." Sierra said teasingly before leaving the room.

~*~

Kalendras and Livinia went straight to her room following the meeting to sort out their packs for the next few days. They would need to travel light, and they would need to think carefully about what they brought for their mission. The less they had to carry, the less noise they would make.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you fight tomorrow." Kalendras said as he sorted out some of his potions.

"What?" Livinia asked, frowning as she tucked some dried meat into her pack. "You saw me fighting yesterday."

"Well, yes, but not properly. All you were doing was standing back and shooting a few arrows." Kalendras said. "I want to see how you go when you don't have an entire party to help out. I haven't seen you in one-on-one combat since we were young. I have missed out on a lot."

"Don't get all nostalgic on me Kal." Livinia laughed "I want your mind unsullied tomorrow when I show you just how good I am."

"Do you just?" Kalendras snorted "Are you sure you're up for it? You won't be able to hide behind your bow the whole time, you know. Would you like some pointers? Just so you don't make a fool of yourself?"

"Pointers? Off you? It is a personal policy of mine to not take pointers off people who have to transform into a feline form to fight properly." Livinia said disdainfully, elbowing Kalendras in the stomach.

"As opposed to someone who relies on a feline to help her fight all her battles?" Kalendras asked, raising a furry eyebrow at her.

"I don't rely on Borris to help me fight my battles. I am more than capable of holding my own." Livinia said, smiling at the banter between them. They had always enjoyed poking fun at each other, it was nice to be doing it again. It reminded her of her childhood and of the happy years she spent with him before he left to pursue life as a druid.

"I will classify that, Nitawa Kee, as fiction until I see the truth of it for myself." Livinia was just about to reply when a knock at the door beat her to it. Kalendras frowned and made his way over to the door in two large steps. He opened it to reveal a very surprised looking Belcarm.

"What are you doing here?" Belcarm asked, looking at Kalendras with his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"I could ask you the same thing." Kalendras snapped angrily.

"We're just organizing some stuff for tomorrow." Livinia said quickly jumping off her bed and crossing over to the door. "What's wrong Bel?" Liv nudged Kalendras out of the way so that she could see Belcarm properly.

"I was hoping to talk to you about something." He said looking at her pointedly. "Privately." His gaze transferred to Kalendras and his voice was much harder.

"What time are you leaving in the morning?" Kalendras asked conversationally "I bet it is early."

"Before sunrise." Belcarm said stiffly.

"Same as us." Kalendras said. "Liv, we really need to get our pack sorted before we get some sleep."

Belcarm stiffened at the disguised dismissal and he looked at Livinia angrily. Livinia sighed and shook her head slightly. She turned around and grabbed her cloak from the chest by the door and put it over her shoulders.

"I'll walk you back to Blood Knight HQ." Livinia said, giving Kalendras a look that told him that no argument was welcome.

"I am going to need your help fitting all of my stuff into your pack. Don't be too long, okay?" Kalendras said.

"Fine, I'll walk you to the front door." Livinia said, stepping out of the room and slamming the door shut behind her. She and Belcarm made their way down the stairs in silence. Livinia really didn't have much to say to him, still annoyed about the way that he had behaved the night before.

"Why was Kalendras in your room?" Belcarm asked as they made their way through the crowded common room.

"He is staying on the floor below mine. It was easier for us to sort our stuff out in one place." Livinia sighed. "Why is it such a big deal?" She asked. Belcarm stopped walking and looked at her.

"He is very overbearing when it comes to you." Belcarm said, raking a hand through his long black hair.

"As are you." Livinia snapped, unable to help herself.

"Yes, but I have a reason to be." He said. Livinia was just about to tell him that Kalendras had just as much reason to be possessive as he did, but stopped herself before the words managed to escape.

"Look Bel, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." She said, cutting straight to what she thought was the heart of the problem. "But what if you got hurt? I wouldn't be around to help you. No one would even know!" Belcarm said, trying to keep the frustration from his voice but failing miserably.

"I have potions, Borris and my Hearth Stone. I am sure that I could manage. Plus, now Kalendras is coming with me you have nothing to be worried about." Livinia said dismissively. "Surely you know that I am capable of working on my own though?"

"It isn't that-"

"Then what is it?"

"Look, I- ... you know what, just forget it." Belcarm snapped, Livinia crossed her arms over her chest angrily.

"I don't want to forget it. You are too protective of me Bel. I can fight for myself. Every tiny scratch I get, you heal. As much as I enjoy travelling with you, you have to know that I am capable of working on my own." Belcarm looked as though he was about to argue further but he shook his head.

"After the meeting Master Pyreanor wanted to see me." Belcarm said. "I am to report the Dead Scar for patrols in five days. If this business at Scourgeholme takes too long then I won't be able to come back before going straight to Quel'Thalas."

"Okay..." Livinia said, watching Belcarm for some sign of the hidden meaning behind his words.

"I won't be seeing you again until a couple of days before the exhibition." He looked around the crowded room and then back at her. "Are you sure you don't have time to walk me back to my room?" He asked. Livinia bit her lip and had to stop herself from jumping at the chance to give him a proper send off.

"It's late Bel. I am tired and I still need to finish packing. I would love to go back to your room, but I really don't have the time." The sparkle in his handsome green eyes dulled slightly at her words and her stomach clenched. "Look, I wasn't going to head to Silvermoon until the day of the exhibition, but why don't you mail me as soon as you get there? I will come to the city as soon as I get your letter and we can spend a few days together. I can show you some of my old haunts."

The smile on his face told Livinia that she had struck gold. It made her happy to see him so obviously pleased with her solution. It would work for now, but she dreaded having to explain the situation to Kalendras when the time came.

"That doesn't sound too bad at all." Belcarm said. "But are you sure you can't come to my room? Perhaps if you come over when you are finished packing? I am closer to the portals anyway, so it'll mean you don't have to wake up so early."

"Don't tempt me, mister!" Livinia said, leaning forward and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "I need my sleep just a tiny bit more than I need you to keep me up all night. Plus, you wouldn't want me tired and distracted while slipping around and spying on Mor'ghor now would you?"

Using her safety as a distraction worked wonders. Belcarm shook his head and gave her a lingering kiss before leaving the Inn. Livinia turned with a sigh and made her way back up to her room. Kalendras was there, waiting for her, and he looked as though he hadn't moved an inch. It made her glad that she hadn't gone back to Belcarm's room- Kalendras's legs would have been far too sore for stealth the following day if he had insisted on standing on the spot until she returned.

Just as they finished their packing, Kalendras turned to Livinia and licked her neck softly. His hands wrapped around her waist and he pulled her body against his.

"I'm sorry that we haven't spent much time together of the past few years." He told her, nuzzling his snout into her neck affectionately. "I would like to make up for it though, if you'd let me." Livinia whimpered as he pressed his growing erection against her stomach.

"I would love to let you Kal." She said softly, "But I am afraid that the night is getting short and we have very few hours to sleep, let alone make love."

Kalendras growled as he pulled away from her, but Livinia couldn't help but be proud of herself. She had resisted him. For the first time since they had started making love, she had resisted his pull and said no. Just like she had with Belcarm. That worked well for her, it was fair, and it would also give her a bit of time to think about the strange situation she was in and how she was going to get out of it.