Kallista watched as the fox launched himself and ended up sliding on his belly. She continued to watch as he managed to stand. She slowly followed him, not wanting to go too fast so he could keep up. She snorted as his paw slipped and he froze, and then flicked an ear as he managed to stay up. "Good, now make sure you stay up," she murmured before continuing to walk.

@Todd

Todd was getting indignant. This wasn't how new friends normally talked to him! He was soaked and chilled to the bone but through his tremors, the fox cub scowled bitterly. Paws slipping and sliding, he sat down again this time of his own accord, shaking in the bitter cold. And then he just looked at the retreating tail ahead of him, waiting smugly until they noticed he was staying behind.

@Kallista

Kallista walked a bit more before stopping, not hearing the clacking of the stone on the cold wet floor. Looking behind her, she soon realized that the fox had stopped walking, and was instead watching her smugly. She narrowed her eyes and walked up to him, her tail tip flicking. "Why'd you stop walking? Come on! Do you want to go or not?"

@Todd

Todd waited until the other had noticed her, Todd didn't move an inch as they looked back, and of course told him to get up and go again. In response to their question he shook his head vigourously, raising his head and sticking out his chin. "Staying here," he droned matter-of-factly. "'Cause you not being very nice, dun wanna travel with you, 'f you're just gonna be all mean to me."

Even the way she narrowed her eyes at him brought an odd feeling into his chest. The little fox buried his nose in his sodden tail as she walked up to him and looked up at her with hurt brown eyes.

@Kallista

Kallista let out a huff of exasperation. "Ok, fine. I'll stop being mean, not that I was really being mean in the first place. Just come on!" She watched as the fox buried his nose in his tail and look up at her with brown eyes. She flicked an ear, seeing traces of what appeared to be hurt in the eyes. She grunted before sitting down and, carefully, nudged the small fox. "Come on," she murmured, her voice more soft and caring now. "Look, I'll stop being so mean, ok? I promise. Now come on, I don't want to be here all day."

@Todd

That wasn't any better. Todd flattened his ears into his fur and narrowed his eyes, looking a little ominously, or just huffily, at the tiger as she nudged him, eyes half closed. "Can you make me warm?" asked Todd finally, after a few seconds of avoiding looking at her. "I wanna be warm..." The shivers passing over him were fairly obvious and suddenly Todd was the demanding one.

Something seemed to make a small difference, at least. The fox raised his muzzle from his sodden tail, and began to sit up, his paw sliding only slightly. He raised himself up and turned so that he was on his haunches and peered at the other quizzically. "I ain't making you be here," he reminded quietly. "You could just walk off... but that would be mean, too."

@Kallista

Kallista blinked at the fox's request to be warm. She flicked her tail, before walking a bit closer to him and pressing against him, hoping to warm him up. She wasn't really sure how to go about warming him, but she figured this ought to do something, right? She stayed there for a bit before looking over at the fox. "I don't really want to walk off. ...I don't want to be alone any more than you do," she grunted, looking away. "I'll stay here. Besides, I've already gone through all the trouble of getting you out of that pool and bringing you over here." She shuffled her paws a bit, before looking back at him. "Hey...You know, you never told me your name."

@Todd these are so short i'm sorry-

The cat looked at him with that same look, judging. Todd blew out a rush of warm air through his nose and expected them just to walk off and him to be filled with a sort of pride that he had something to grumble about later. But, she didn't! Todd blinked curiously and looked at her. And now in his chest, the little fox felt smug instead. "...Alright," he said, twitching his ears. The way she pressed herself up against him was pleasant, warm. Todd made a little noise in the back of his throat before he tried to puff out his sodden fur a little defensively; but it was too stuck to his sides. "It was mainly me!" he droned. "I stood up and things. You just walk'd off!"

Her tone had changed a lot. In everything she said. It both confused him and felt very satisfying. Todd looked closely at the cat, twitching his pointed ears. "Todd, I think. I think that's what they said."

@Kallista don't worry about it! it's actually a really nice change from my usual. xD

"Alright, I walked off. I still pulled you out of that pool though," Kallista murmured. She continued to press up against him, still unsure of what to do. After hearing the fox's name-Todd-she flicked an ear. "My name is Kallista. Though you can call me Kal, I suppose," she lightly shrugged. "Are you warm now? We should continue moving." Kallista got up, wanting to continue moving instead of just staying here. Her paws shuffled as she watched him.

@Todd

"Hrrmph. If you say so." Todd at least acknowledged that, though it seemed his grumpiness was becoming slightly forced, retained mainly out of stubbornness. And then it was gone, just like that, as Todd completely forgot about his former endeavor and suddenly was smiling again. "Oh, hullo Kallista," he droned, tilting his head quizzically.

And then she wanted to start moving again. Todd sighed quietly out through his nose, because for the first time in his life the fox cub felt like he just wanted to lie there. Kallista was warm, and that was enough to have him stay still. The still-slightly-sodden little fox watched as Kallista got up, and after a small eye roll, he began to slowly stand as well. This time was easier, perhaps because his tremors had subsided.

@Kallista