Kyoshi's Story: Chapter Six cut version

The Cat's Meow

Contains some mild violence

~~~: dream sequence
***: lapse in time or switch of POV


While Kyoshi played with Kira, oblivious to the world around him, Nerra found her own form of enjoyment.  Her hormones ran high with her body in heat, an unforeseen side effect of the tonic she'd taken.  Nearly the entire crew of the Water Sprite were male.  Nerra made her rounds, rubbing up against many of the crew.  Unbeknownst to them, she marked them with her scent, as well as much of the ship.  Her curious behavior caught many off guard and they stumbled in their duties, a bright blush covering their features.

After some time, Shamien noticed the distracted crew.  Pinpointing the culprit, his eyes widened in surprise.  He watched for several minutes while Nerra flirted with the men on deck.

'I thought Kyoshi said she was frigid?' he thought to himself. A wide smirk crossed his face.  'Perhaps the young beauty just didn't want to share me with her companion.'

The half-orc stepped down from the quarterdeck, signaling the helmsman of his departure.  He approached the catfolk as she flirted with a young deckhand.  The boy's face was scarlet.  He saw the captain and silently plead with his eyes.  Shamien chuckled to himself and placed his large hand on Nerra's shoulder.  She turned to him, her eyes lowered seductively.  He thought he caught a purr emanating from her throat.

"Now what do you think you're doing to my poor crew?" he asked, leaning down to her and crossing his arms.

She smiled at him and took a step back, really examining him for the first time.  He stood two-and-half feet taller than her when standing straight up.  Muscles bulged across his bare torso and arms, especially when he stood with them crossed like he was now.  Scars criss-crossed his tanned skin like battle trophies and she wondered, briefly, how he'd received them.  Dark, well-groomed facial hair grew from either side of his chin, forming a "forked" beard.  The top of his head was bare with his equally dark hair starting about half-way down and pulled into a long braid that reached the middle of his back.  Long canines pushed past his bottom lip giving his sly smile somewhat of a fierce look.  His amber eyes sparkled with excitement.  

Raising an eyebrow, she very pointedly moved her eyes down his frame.  They settled a moment on his dark, tight-fitting knee breeches.  She smirked when she noticed his obvious arousal through the thin clothing.  Taking a step forward, she rubbed against him, wrapping her tail around his muscular leg.  Shamien groaned as she passed by his mid-section, pointedly stroking the object of her desire.  He glanced around, looking for either her bodyguard or Kyoshi.  With the quick search, he found Kyoshi at the other end of the ship playing with her bird and oblivious to the world around them.  Chuckling to himself, he looked back down at the vixen who was driving him wild.  She eyed him seductively.  

"How about you and I go somewhere more...private," he said, reaching down to pick her up.

"Finally," she exclaimed.  "Thought ya'd nev'r ask."

She leapt up onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, nearly engulfing her in their mass.

"Oh, we're gonna have lots of fun," he said, nibbling on her neck and turning toward his cabin.

As he left the deck, the boy who'd witnessed it all sighed heavily.

"Captain sure is lucky," he said and then returned to his neglected duties.

***

Kyoshi, suddenly remembering Nerra, turned around to look for her.  He scanned the deck but could find no sign of her.  A moment of apprehension rose within him.  She couldn't get into too much trouble, right?  He spent a few minutes searching the deck to no avail.

"She's probably just curled up sleeping somewhere," he said, unconvincingly.  Deciding she could take care of herself, he put his worries aside and leapt into the rigging, climbing to the top of the mainmast.

***

Ash was furious.  He'd been looking for Kyoshi and Nerra for twenty minutes already.  Twenty minutes!  Aboard a ship at sea!  He'd neglected to tell Kyoshi that the tonic Nerra was taking had a possible side effect.  Of course, if Kyoshi did as told, there wouldn't be a problem.  But how in the hell does someone simply disappear on a ship?  Silt, Ash's colorful lizard familiar, scurried up to the mage, excited.

"Have you found them," Ash asked the creature.  Silt turned in a circle and took off in the direction he'd come.  Ash followed, his irritation palpable.

Silt approached one of the three masts and began to ascend the polished wood.  Ash looked up, seeing Kira circle the top of the mast.  Kyoshi must be perched up there.  Ash called up through the rigging and sails, telling Kyoshi to return to the deck.  Ash knew Nerra wasn't up there.  So where was she?  He contemplated Kyoshi's punishment as the boy made his way down.

A couple minutes later, Kyoshi dropped to the deck, spinning a summersault and landing gracefully on his feet despite his heavy robes.  He looked up at Ash curiously.  Ash glared at him, his arms crossed disapprovingly across his chest.  Kyoshi felt a ripple of trepidation run down his spine.  He quickly went over in his head anything that would have set the mage off.  His only conclusion was that Ash had somehow learned of his and Nerra's earlier indiscretion.  But if that were so, wouldn't he also know Kyoshi's secret?

"Where is Nerra," Ash asked calmly.

Kyoshi sighed inwardly.  Such a fuss over something so trivial. She couldn't have gotten into that much trouble in the few hours he'd left her on her own. Kyoshi looked around briefly, unable to locate the catfolk.

"She was here earlier," Kyoshi said, undaunted.  "I'm sure she's curled up somewhere taking a catnap."

Ash's eyes began to glow red in his anger.  Kyoshi's trepidation returned and sweat beaded on his forehead.  He unconsciously took a defensive stance. The movement set Ash off and his body shook from his anger. He stalked forward, backing Kyoshi up against the mast, his fiery eyes boring into him.

"I told you to watch her," he said with deceptive calm.  

"She's a big girl and can take care of herself," Kyoshi said, confused by Ash's anger.

Ash swung his hand around, backhanding Kyoshi across his cheek hard enough to knock him down.  Kyoshi's long hair fell forward to hide his face and the angry tears that rimmed his eyes.  Grabbing him by his top-knot, Ash pulled Kyoshi up to his knees.  Kyoshi squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth against the pain, his hands balling into fists at his sides.  Kira, distressed by his shinyuu's plight, attacked Ash in an attempt to protect his friend, his sharp beak and talons snapping inches from the mage's face.  Without releasing Kyoshi, Ash began casting a spell.

"Kira, iie!"  Kyoshi screamed, telling the bird no.  "Ash, please don't hurt him!  He doesn't know any better."  

Kyoshi's voice broke as panic filled his throat.  Ash continued as though he hadn't heard the desperate plea.

"Yameru, Kira!"  Kyoshi tried one last time to tell his friend to stop.  Finally, Kira pulled back his attack, screeching his displeasure as he disappeared into the rigging.

Ash canceled his spell and turned angry eyes on his slave.  Kyoshi's eyes were lowered but he couldn't hide the tears that fell from them, or the tremors shaking his frame from his suppressed sobs.  Ash tossed him aside in disgust and Kyoshi collapsed to the deck.

"Wait for me in our quarters," he said menacingly.  "You'll receive your punishment after I find Nerra.  And to you, it's master.  Not Ash."

Without a word, Kyoshi got to his feet and stumbled down the stairs.  Ash looked back up into the rigging.  Would he really have killed the bird?  Even he knew how much the animal meant to Kyoshi.  He felt killing it would break the child and he had no use for a broken toy.  Still, the beast had irritated him beyond measure.  Perhaps he would need to give Kyoshi a heavy warning concerning said "companion".  He sighed and looked back around the ship.  Now, where could that little vixen be?


An hour later, he finally found her, stumbling from the captain's quarters.  Her clothes, what was left of them, hung from her precariously and a goofy grin spread across her face.  Ash pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around her, leading her off to their cabin.

"Just as I thought," he said.

They stumbled into the dimly lit room and Ash dropped Nerra onto their cot.  He looked over at Kyoshi briefly, seeing him buried in his blanket and asleep.  Ash sighed for the hundredth time that day and returned to Nerra, cleaning her up and tucking her under the covers.  Too exhausted to do much else, he joined her and soon followed her to sleep.  

Kyoshi, despite his appearance, was not asleep.  He laid in his cot with his eyes wide open, unable to quiet his violent thoughts enough to find sleep.

If Ash had killed Kira... Kyoshi thought of a thousand different scenarios, each one more gruesome than the next.  Usually, the outcome wasn't so great, Kyoshi's life ending with any attack he attempted.  But without Kira, there would be little worth living for.  Kyoshi tried to meditate but couldn't clear his mind enough to reach serenity.  Hours after Ash had fallen asleep, Kyoshi tried a different method.  He closed his eyes and began to hum, the lullaby reverberating through his body.

He continued to hum for half an hour, peace finally settling within him.  When he reached the place where consciousness and unconsciousness coalesced, he began to dream.  The melody still thrummed from his throat, creating a soothing backdrop for the images coming to his mind.  

                    ~~~~~~~~~~(dream sequence)~~~~~~~~~~

He stood on a beach overlooking a vast ocean the same blue as his eyes.  The water that lapped at his feet glittered crystal clear in the bright sunlight and small fish danced near the surface.  The lapis lazuli sky stretched, cloudless, for as far as the eye could see.  Kyoshi closed his eyes as the gentle sea breeze wafted his long hair around him.  Feeling the refreshing coolness, he looked down at himself.  He wore garb he'd never seen before.  The clothes were obviously meant for a boy as the top was merely an brightly colored, silk vest, open at the front to reveal his pale skin beneath.  Resting low on his hips were dark capri pants that reached just below his knees, the soft fabric unfamiliar against his skin.  On his feet were open sandals that allowed the cool water to bathe his toes.  

At first, he felt scandalized.  Never before had he been so exposed.  But for some reason, here, he knew it was alright.  He turned back to the water, watching white sea birds skirt the surface and call to each other.  From somewhere in his mind, he felt a presence approach him and knew it was not a threat.

"It's very peaceful here, isn't it," a voice asked.  The angelic sound brought a longing to Kyoshi and he turned to face the speaker.

Standing nearly as tall as he, appeared a woman of exquisite beauty and grace.  She felt as familiar as she did strange and this confused him.  Her hair, partly done up in intricate  braids and jeweled combs, reached past her knees and shimmered purple-black in the bright sunlight.  Tanzanite eyes stared off into the distance, long, thick lashes shielding them from the sun.  Her flawless, pale skin resembled his in every way and as he looked closer, he realized there were many similarities between them.  Even the thick robes she wore were similar to the ones he usually donned; only hers were of a much finer material.  An intense longing to know this woman filled every pore of his being.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

"That is of no consequence," she said.  "Know that you can come here anytime and be yourself.  You are safe here and you don't have to pretend.  This will be your sanctuary for now on, Kyoshi."

"How do you know my name?" he asked, amazed.

She turned to him and placed a finger over his lips.  "One day, I will tell you your whole name and more.  For now, rest."

She began to sing a familiar melody.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~(end dream)~~~~~~~~~~

On his cot aboard the Sea Sprite, Kyoshi slipped into true sleep, silent tears streaming down his cheeks.  

***

The next day, Ash appeared to be over his anger.  He woke with a loud yawn and rolled out of his cot.  Nerra grabbed at him, grumbling at his departure.  He pat her on the head and covered her back up.  She snuggled into the blanket and, chuckling to himself, he turned toward Kyoshi's cot.  An empty bed met his gaze, Kyoshi's area already cleaned and organized.   Ash already guessed Kyoshi was awake.  He'd probably been up for hours.  Shrugging his shoulders, Ash collected his things and made his way on deck.

The sun had just barely crested the horizon, the soft rays casting deep shadows across the ship.  Kyoshi wasn't hard to find.  He stood at the front of the ship, balancing on the bowsprit  and moving gracefully through his forms.  The brisk sea breeze whipped around him, plastering his robes to his lean body.  He had his hair pulled up into a high, tight ponytail and it wrapped around his body like a long ribbon at a spring festival as he spun in circles.   His eyes were closed, savoring the feel of the wind and the smell of the sea.

Ash watched him for several minutes, mesmerized.  Not for the first time, he wondered again about Kyoshi's true identity.  How did this beautiful child end up in that corrupt monastery?  He hated having to punish Kyoshi.  But Ash had a short temper and if there was one thing that really triggered it, it was blatant disobedience.  Kyoshi, surprisingly, had never been broken and while Ash admired the fire hidden within, it also proved that he didn't completely control the young assassin.

Kyoshi sighed deeply, bent forward at the knees, and suddenly launched up into the rigging, turning a backflip to land high above the deck.  Ash, sighing from his lost pleasure, continued to the galley.  

***

Kyoshi, hidden within the ship's sails, watched his master disappear below deck.  He'd sensed the man as soon as he'd come on deck.  Kyoshi fought hard to control his ki, his concentration shaken by the man's sudden appearance.  He knew Ash had watched him, the mage's eyes boring into him.  Deciding to end his exercise in the hopes Ash would leave him be, he launched into the rigging.  It worked, and with a sigh, Ash moved on with his business.  

Kyoshi leaned against the mainmast, his head resting on the wood as he peered up into the lightening sky.  Kira perched next to him, rubbing his tufted head against Kyoshi's arm.  He pet the bird absently, his mind a million miles away.  He could only vaguely remember his dream from the previous night but knew that it had been important.  A couple hours later, as the sun fully filled the sky, Nerra decided to finally make an appearance.

She sauntered on deck, yawning and shaking her head.  Kyoshi couldn't help but chuckle.  At least some things never changed.  Within minutes, she was bounding over to him.  'How does she automatically know where I am?'

"Kyoshi," she called, looking up into the rigging.  "I'm 'ungry.  Le's go eat."

Kyoshi shook his head, a smile gracing his lips.  "Alright, I'm coming down."

She spun in a circle, her excitement palpable.

"I don't know why you're getting so excited," He called while making his way down.  "It's just ship rations."

"I's seafood," she said.  "And I hav' na eatin' anythin' since yest'rday mornin'."

Kyoshi landed next to her with an exasperated look.  "Maybe  if you'd stayed close to me it would have saved both of us a lot of trouble."

"Whadda mean?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Nothing," he sighed, patting her on the shoulder.  "Let's go eat."

***

After breakfast, Nerra took another dose of her tonic, hoping to stave off a panic attack.  The effects only lasted a day and  made her drowsy right after taking it. Kyoshi helped her back to their room and laid her down on her cot.  At first, she gripped his shoulders, attempting to pull him down with her.  He easily dislodged her and tucked the blanket around her.

"Sleep Nerra," he whispered, kissing her brow.  "You'll feel better when you wake up."

Her eyes drifted closed and she mumbled something he couldn't hear.  Turning away, he settled on his own cot, once again pulling out his beloved book.  He'd only written a few lines when his sleepless night caught up to him.  Leaning against the bulkhead, book and quill forgotten, his eyes slipped closed and sleep pulled him under.  The scene from his dream greeted him.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~(dream sequence)~~~~~~~~~~

Everything remained as he remembered; the cool, aquamarine sea; blue, cloudless sky; warm, soft sand.  Except that this time, he was alone.  There was no beautiful woman to talk to, or anyone else for that matter.  He turned around for the first time to see what lay behind him.

Fields of prairie grass stretched far back, eventually meeting with a dense forest.  The sea breeze bowed the grass low as though it were worshipping an unseen god.  As peaceful as it was, Kyoshi felt so desolate. He could see no signs of civilization. As his eyes scanned the horizon, he began to realize that the land was not level, as he had, at first, believed.  The tall prairie grass concealed rolling hills beneath it.

Kyoshi began to walk away from the sea and through the grass, running his fingers over the tops, some of which reached his shoulders.  As he made his way through, he began to take note of a solid structure ahead of him.  He crested a hill he didn't even realize he was climbing and his eyes widened in awe.  

A large village stretched before him, nestled among the grassy dunes.  The houses were dome-shaped with grass roofs and earth-toned walls, perfectly fitting in to the surroundings. Cobblestones streets connected all the buildings to each other and a courtyard sat in the center of the village; bright, beautiful flowers encircling a fountain and crystalline water cascading over them.  Kyoshi couldn't discern the shape the fountain took, but it was of a material he'd never seen before, pearlescent in nature.

The village notwithstanding, Kyoshi's gaze locked on the people who occupied it.  More than he could count, people made their way between the buildings going about their business.  Kyoshi marveled at their beauty.  In many ways, they resembled the woman he'd met when he first arrived in this exotic place.  Their clothes, perhaps, lacked the nobility of the woman but still retained their eloquence.  Everyone he saw had black hair like himself, with either a blue or purple sheen in the bright light of the tropical sun and pale, flawless skin.  

Tears sprung to Kyoshi's eyes as he watched them.  'Why does this seem so familiar to me?' he thought.  His heart ached as he tried to remember things that never were.  He started to take a step down the hill toward the village when a sound froze his foot.  A familiar melody wafted up to him from the courtyard.  A young mother rested on the edge of the fountain, rocking an infant swaddled in her arms and singing softly.  Kyoshi gasped.

"You are not alone," a voice whispered.

Kyoshi looked around him but didn't see anyone nearby.  He once again moved his foot forward but before it touched the ground, he was jolted awake.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~(end dream)~~~~~~~~~~

"Kyoshi," Ash called, kicking the end of the boy's cot.

Kyoshi jumped up holding a kunai out in front of him.  Ash stared back at him, questioningly, his arms crossed over his chest.  

"Are you ill?" Ash asked.

"No," Kyoshi sighed, lowering his head and tucking his weapon back in his sleeve.  He got to his feet as his dream faded quickly from his mind and he woke fully, fighting a sudden rush of vertigo.

"Then I suppose there is another good reason why you're sleeping and not watching Nerra?"

"She's sleep-" he started, peering around his master to Nerra's empty bed. "-ing.  Well, she was sleeping.  I don't know how she managed to get by me without waking me."

Ash stepped forward and placed the back of his hand against Kyoshi's temple.  Kyoshi closed his eyes and swayed as Ash confirmed the fever.  The mage sighed and stepped back.  

"You're ill," he said.  "Stay in bed and rest.  I'll let the captain know and deal with Nerra myself."

Kyoshi nodded and collapsed on the cot.  Ash bent down and retrieved the discarded book and quill from the floor where they landed after Kyoshi jumped up.  Kyoshi took the proffered items and mumbled a thank-you.  Ash nodded and turned toward the door.  Just before walking through, he turned his head and glanced back at Kyoshi.  The assassin had turned from the door, his gaze captured out the small window where the ocean breeze wafted through.  Ash thought the child looked exhausted and a twinge of guilt pinched his heart.  He shook it off and swept from the room.

***

Nerra woke from her nap shortly after Kyoshi fell asleep.  She rolled out of bed, her body burning with desire.  Crawling over to him, she smiled slyly and started to mount his cot.  His troubled expression stopped her, however, and she took a better look at him.  How tired he must have been to not respond to her, even in his sleep.  She leaned forward, kissing his brow, and left the room to find release elsewhere.

Ash still worked in the galley and couldn't help her so she began to wander through the ship.  She had just reached the end of the sleeping cabins when the quartermaster made his way down.  Nerra remembered the captain calling him Ryson.  He was human with a muscular build and darkly-tanned skin. He kept his long golden hair in a well-groomed tail at the base of his neck, heavy bangs slipping loose and falling over his face.  The clothes he wore were high quality and well cared for.  But what caught Nerra's attention the most, were his emerald green eyes which always sparkled with merriment and his bright, beautiful smile that exposed his hidden dimples.  Nerra had witnessed the banter between him and Shamien and was instantly mesmerized.

Ryson noticed Nerra and smiled, bowing slightly and stepping aside.

"Ma'am," he said.

"No need ta be so formal," she said, sauntering up to him.  "Where ya headed?"

He cleared his throat and stood straight up.  "My quarters, to get some rest."

"Would ya like some comp'ny?"  She rubbed against his hardened chest, dragging her fingers below his waist.  He sucked in a breath and lowered his lids.

"I'd be delighted to have your company, ma'am." He held his arm out for her and led her to his cabin.

***

Ash's frustration had nearly reached its peak.  He'd been looking for Nerra for thirty minutes already.  Of course, she wouldn't simply be admiring the scenery.  Ash already knew what she was doing, just not who she was doing it with.  He had run into Shamien and explained Kyoshi's situation to him.  The captain assured him that he would send some soup to the stricken guest.  Satisfied, Ash returned to his search.

***

Nerra woke before Ryson.  She slipped out of his bed and dressed quickly.  Taking a moment, she admired his otherworldly body, just barely covered by the thin sheet.  Sighing, she kissed him and quietly left the room.  Making her way to the deck, she was met with the refreshing sea breeze.  The sun hovered above the horizon, the first stars making their presence known.  Her peace was short-lived, however, as Ash finally noticed her.  He marched over to her, irritation evident on his features.

"I understand you can't help yourself but could you at least let someone know where you're going?" he said.

She smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Alright.  Was he at least good looking?" Ash asked in an attempt to rile her.

"'Course," she said simply, not taking his bait.

He nodded and looked away.  "Look, for now on, when you have your 'urges', come to me.  Don't keep satisfying your needs with the deck hands."

"What about yur work?" she asked, amused by his discomfiture.

"Kyoshi is ill, so I'm going to be taking care of her."

Nerra looked concerned for a moment, her smile slipping from her face.

"She's fine," Ash reassured her.  "Just a slight fever.  The point is, I'll be free.  So stay close to me."

"A'right," she said.  Her stomach growled loudly, breaking the tense moment.  "Guess I worked up an app'tite."

"Come on, let's get something to eat."  He lead her to the galley while she went on a rant about her choice in mates.  Ash shook his head and tried not to listen.

***

Kyoshi knew the moment Ash left the room. The tense atmosphere lifted immediately.  He closed his eyes and allowed the cool breeze to wash his face.  He tried to recall his dream, to no avail.  A sudden call interrupted his thoughts and Kira flew in through the window, landing next to him on the bed.  

"Ohayō, nakama," he said, greeting his friend.  "I'm so confused."

Kira rubbed his head against Kyoshi's hand and cooed softly.  A few moments later, a soft knock sounded at the door.  Kyoshi called out an acknowledgement and Shamien stepped through, holding a steaming mug of soup.  Kyoshi shot up, disturbing Kira.  The bird settled back down quickly and Kyoshi began to bow.  His head swam and he collapsed back on the bed.

"Be calm, my lady," Shamien said, approaching the bed.  "I heard you were ill and brought you some soup to help you feel better.  There is an herb in it to help you sleep."

"Thank-you," Kyoshi said, taking the soup.  "You didn't have to do that.  It was never my intention to be an inconvenience to you, or the crew."

"No inconvenience.  Go ahead and drink up."

Kyoshi drank the bland soup.  The warm liquid seeped through him.  He did feel a little better and before he knew it, his eyes had closed and he drifted off to sleep.  Shamien chuckled at how quickly the sleeping agent worked.  

The child confused him.  One of his men reported that he'd seen the "bodyguard" mishandle the child the day before.  Shamien wasn't so naive as to believe Kyoshi's story when he boarded the ship but he was unsure exactly what kind of relationship existed between the three guests.  After walking into their cabin, he had a little better idea. The sleeping arrangement was obvious.  He couldn't imagine someone as beautiful as Kyoshi being a slave, however.  She had the potential to create slaves of her own.  He wouldn't mind being her slave!

He spared a glance at Kira, tucked under Kyoshi's arm and sleeping peacefully.  Kyoshi still wore his heavy robes and Shamien contemplated removing some of them so Kyoshi could get more comfortable.  As carefully as he could, he untied Kyoshi's obi, the large sash falling free off his waist.  Pulling back all but the last layer of robes, he carefully worked Kyoshi's arms through.  Kira protested the movement but settled quickly once Shamien was finished.  The captain fluffed Kyoshi's pillow and pulled the covers out from under him.  Kyoshi's final robe caught in the blankets and without the sash to hold it closed, fell open, revealing his pale, toned chest.

Shamien stood, paralyzed for a moment.  Regaining his composure, he closed the robe and laid the blanket on top.  He stood for a moment, watching the boy.  Everything made a whole lot more sense now.  The "bodyguard" was using the boy's looks to his advantage, forcing him to play a female to achieve his ends.  He reached down and ran his fingers along Kyoshi's cheek, a sudden urge to protect the child coming over him.  Shaking off the feeling, he turned and left the room.

***

Later that night, Ash and Nerra retired to their bed.  Nerra playfully jostled Ash, bringing a rare smile to his face.  Kyoshi still slept soundly and was undisturbed by their noise.  Nerra, in her restlessness, wooed Ash into making love to her, running her nails along his chest and removing his shirt.  He consented with little effort on her part, his body responding to her advances.  He guided her to the cot and laid her gently down, taking her lips in a passionate kiss.  Nerra arched her body against his and he opened to her.  The herb Kyoshi ingested, allowed him to sleep undisturbed, oblivious to Nerra and Ash's activities.  After they had satisfied their desires, they curled up together and fell asleep.