He took the towel that he had grabbed and quickly rubbed it through his hair, towel drying it into a tangled mess. He felt a cool, wet nose in the middle of his back and turned to see White Blaze standing behind him, regarding him curiously. "Hey –Blaze," he offered with a smile. "We’re all set for food, believe me; I had the misfortune of skinning your kills. So you don’t need to go out and hunt down any extra food, okay big guy?"

Ryo turned back to what he was doing, once again glad that he was the only one in the house at the moment, he could drip on the carpet and there was no one around to yell at him. Sage was off helping out at the dojo, Cye and Rowen both had classes, and Kento had gone to take inventory at one of many of his mother’s restaurants.

Ryo let out a light shout when he felt a rough tongue scrap across his lower back. "Ow, -Blaze, I don’t need another bath, okay, I’ve already had two."

He didn’t get very far at all. White Blaze barely had two steps before pinning down one of his many charges. All it took for the great beast was biting onto Ryo’s swim trunks and pulling him down. The large animal walked over the fallen body of the barer of wildfire and gently nudged his head up at the base of his neck before he licked the black haired boy’s neck.

Ryo tried to wiggle out of the way of the rough tongue, only to find that one very heavy paw was placed in the middle of his back. The harsh tongue scrapped along his neck, shoulders, and even a good chunk of his back, thoroughly giving him the lick bath that so many kits fought against to begin with.

What’s gotten into White Blaze? Ryo wondered between wincing as layers off flesh were being pulled away. Well, maybe not pulled away, but thoroughly scrubbed.

Ryo let out a loud yelp at one point when White Blaze’s rough tongue swabbed along the delicate skin of the back of his arms. Again, he tried to get away, but was unable to do so until the large tiger decided that he was clean enough to let go of. By that point however, a good part of Ryo’s back and shoulders were a little more on the raw side do to the sandpapery feel of the sponge that had just given on of his most thorough baths ever.

Rowen walked into the house, glad that his classes were done with for the night. Now, all he had to do was make dinner for the remaining Ronins and then study for a little bit, he had a big test on Friday to look forward to. He waved at White Blaze as he walked by, trying to decide what he wanted to do first. It had already been a long day, and he couldn’t decide if he wanted a nap, a snack, or maybe a swim.

He was barely surprised to see Ryo’s swimming trunks and towel in the bathroom as he entered to get a glass of water. What did surprise him however was the tube of cream used for dealing with rashes, gashes and scraps. I hope Ryo didn’t fall down the hill side into the lake, that would hurt, the blue haired archer thought as he put the cream away. Still, it was a small mystery that nagged at the back of his mind as he came out from the restroom.

White Blaze stood before him, blocking the entrance to the kitchen. "Look –Blaze, we both know the rules, right? I’m not allowed to feed you after you’ve gone hunting. So why don’t you just go outside if you’re hungry and get yourself something to eat." The large cat didn’t budge an inch. "All right, suite yourself, but when I’m back from getting a swim, you had better be out of the way tiger."

Rowen was startled to see White Blaze still in front of the doorway a few minutes later when he came downstairs from his, Cye’s, and Kento’s room. He too had plans for a refreshing swim, just like Ryo had earlier. This time, instead of the tiger stalking his victim from behind, he just patiently walked towards Rowen.

The slender youth started to walk backwards, feeling suddenly nervous about the way that White Blaze was approaching him. It wasn’t hard for the large animal to first pin Rowen up against a wall and then knock him over and pin him down by placing a large paw on his stomach.

The blue haired boy was almost petrified with fright until he felt the first swipe of the rough tongue against his neck. A startled shout escaped his lips, surprised to feel the skin being tugged on as he was bathed by the giant furball. I think I know why Ryo needed the scrap cream now, Rowen thought with a moan. I just wish that I hadn’t had to experience it to find out as well.

Sage looked up from his book in time to see Ryo shut the door to their room. The blonde was hardly surprised to see that his lover looked haggard. "Hey, Kitty, you alive more or less?"

"Not fully no," was the tired response. Ryo walked over and fell onto their bed face first, laying on top of the sheets without thought or care. He jumped a little when Sage placed a comforting hand on his back.

Sage put his book down and gave him a thoughtful look. "All right, what’s got you so skittery?"

Ryo pulled off his vest from work, displaying the loving red marks that were left over from being pounced on by White Blaze earlier that afternoon. "-Blaze decided that I needed a bath for some reason. I don’t get it, he’s never done that before."

"Never?" Sage asked. "Are you sure? He gave another one to Rowen earlier today. Maybe he just thought that you both needed to be taken care of."

"Yeah, but White Blaze has never been that maternal, it’s weird."

"Well," Sage began as he kissed his lover on the cheek. "You and Rowen are the youngest, maybe he just thought that you needed someone to look after you for a little." Then he chuckled, "although I do have to say that I wish it was me who gave you the bath instead."

Ryo glared playfully at him, "Just you wait, you’ll get yours, you’ll see."