Full Circle | Dakota

[Dakota King]

Dakota had to laugh as she raised an eyebrow at Ash. "Now, why would you be starting trouble up there unless it's more death-defying stunts?" she said with a bit of a smirk as she checked Blue Sky's saddle one more time to make sure the straps were tight enough to her liking. Once they were all checked, she looked up to see that Ash had extended a hand to her. They were all ready. They just needed to get in the saddle and they would be ready.

"Thanks," she said as she took Ash's hand up as she hoisted herself into the saddle. She settled herself into the saddle before she looked down at Ash and extended a hand out to him. "C'mon, slow poke," she said with a bit of a teasing smirk on her face.

[Ashley Bates]

“Me cause trouble? Never.” He said as he helped her into the saddle. Truthfully his mischievous streak wasn’t that long. He was serious most of the time and Dakota knew that abut as well as anyone. Still, Dakota had a way of helping even a hard nose like him loosen up. There was a time when he would have looked at that as something of a weakness but now Ash didn’t think he minded very much. At least not when it involved her.

When she got into the saddle and offered her hand to him Ash took it and hoisted himself up with a shake of his head at her silliness. "If you're that impatient who am I to keep you waiting?" He said as he settled in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to take the reigns. "I don't like to keep either of my ladies waiting." With that he clucked side mouthed at Blue Sky and out they rode into the yard.

[Dakota King]

Dakota had to laugh a bit when Ash said he would never cause trouble. And he was right, for the most part, he just liked to show off a bit in front of her, which did include the death-defying stunts. But she was in the saddle metaphorically speaking, so she had control to make sure he didn't do that. At least, not on her watch.

But he hoisted himself up onto the saddle and wrapped his arms around him. She smirked a bit. There was a time where the roles were completely reversed. She held onto the reins as she clicked her tongue and gently prodded her sides with her heels as they trotted out into the yard. She looked over her shoulder as she smirked. "You ready?" she asked before she made Blue Sky go into a gallop and soon enough, they were in the sky.

[Ashley Bates]

Ash thought to take the reigns himself but apparently Dakota had other ideas. He smirked and shook his head again. He could understand her need to take control. Riding along was all fine and good but sometimes you just needed to take the reigns. That being the case he decided to let Dakota have her fun. He was just going to enjoy the ride. Dropping one hand to grip the horn of the saddle and the other to rest reassuringly on the flat of her belly Ash leaned into her finding a comfortable spot and then they were away.

It didn't take long before they were soaring above the camp with the wind rushing around them. Ash loved being up here and this time it was made even better by the fact that Dakota was with him. "Certainly don't seem like you've lost any skill to me." He said close to her ear so that she could hear him over the wind. He gave her a gentle squeeze and settled back into the saddle to let her fly. "Enjoy yourself. You deserve it after everything we've been through. Meanwhile I'll sit here and enjoy you."

[Dakota King]

Riding came naturally her again as anything else. She had to check herself once or twice to make sure her grip on the reigns weren't too tight, but she seemed to have Blue Sky in pretty good control. She didn't seem to hate Dakota all that much at least to the point where she would try to buck her and Ash out in the middle of the sky. That would've been one awkward trip to the infirmary and would completely make things come full circle.

Dakota really didn't have a destination in mind as they flew. She was just really enjoying the experience the Ash's company, especially with his hand on her stomach. She had to laugh when Ash spoke to her. She turned her head as she smirked at him. "Being a passenger is pretty easy, as long as the driver doesn't pull any death-defying stunts like a certain someone I know likes to do."

[Ashley Bates]

He was close to her now pressing into her back and holding on to her firmly. He liked being close to her like this, liked the smell of her hair, that spicy and yet sweet cinnamon smell of her shampoo that he remembered so well from that day in the cabin, and most of all he liked holding her like her had that night that she had fallen asleep in his arms. If the stunts had initially been to get close to her then he thought they had found other ways since then to do just that.

Softly he whispered in her ear. “I can think of some other thrilling stunts I would like to try that wouldn’t be so death-defying.” Ash rested his chin on her shoulder as he watched the world go by below them and let her think about that for a moment. They were still figuring a lot of things out but they were finding them out together which was a lot better than killing themselves when they were apart. It was probably still too early in their relationship to think about too many of those 'stunts' but he would be lying if he said he didn’t want to spend more time with her in many ways. “Probably not good to try them up here I would think.”

[Dakota King]

Things were looking pretty good for Dakota at that moment. The wind was going through her hair and she had Ash pretty close to her. Not quite as close as that night in her cabin, but it was probably as close as they would get up here in the sky. But Ash seemed to have other ideas that made her chuckle a bit. And those were ideas that Dakota was comfortable with doing right now. Other ideas… well they would have to cross that bridge when they got to it. “Are you suggesting that we land soon?” she asked over her shoulder as she smirked a bit. She turned her head as she looked down towards the ground.

They were flying over the forest now and her eyes was scanning the trees to see if she could find Ash’s special place… their special place… by herself. “Shouldn’t the clearing be around here somewhere?” she asked as she looked back at Ash as she raised an eyebrow at him. “It would be a nice place to take a break for a little bit.”

[Ashley Bates]

Flying was fun but snuggling with Dakota had its own very special appeal. Ash would have been lying if he said he didn’t cherish that closeness or that didn’t enjoy those kisses. Dakota still had that same hold on him as she always had even if his expectations had been tempered a little. It was good to see that Dakota enjoyed those things as well and if there were more things to come in the future? Well if it happened it happened. Forcing things didn’t sit well with either of them.

“You don’t seem too opposed to the idea.” He said as he noticed her circling over the forest looking for such a spot, their spot. He smiled a bit to himself and then scanned the forest picking out their clearing with relative ease. He knew the forest well and he would hardly forget that place. Moving the hand that was pressed against her stomach he pointed the way for her. “Breaks are nice and I would be a poor hunter if I couldn’t point out our spot.” He put a little emphasis on the ‘our’ part liking that she did still remember it even if she couldn’t find it. “I still have some good memories there and it’s still the best place to watch the sunset with a beautiful girl. At least it is for me. I’m glad you remember it.”

[Dakota King]

Dakota's eyes scanned around the forest horizon as she tried to remember where that little clearing was. But it wasn't long before Ash pointed out the spot to her. She smirked a bit as she directed Blue Sky in that direction and started into a slow descent. She smirked a bit as she glanced over her shoulder at Ash. "Why wouldn't I remember it?" she said before turning her head to face forward. "There were some good memories made there." And Dakota hoped that there would be more made in a little bit.

But she made her descent into the clearing and it wasn't long before she made a smooth landing. "There we go," Dakota said as she let go of the reigns and turned to look at Ash. "You ready for a break then?"

[Ashley Bates]

"Memory is a funny thing." He said as they touched down in the clearing. "In my experience we remember what we want to remember and the good more often than the bad. That said, I'm glad both of us remember our time here fondly." The two of them had plenty of bad memories together as well but just as Ash had said those seemed more distant now. Much like an eraser over a white board the slate had been wiped clean but the good memories still remained.

Ash dismounted and turning back to Dakota he held his hands in that silent offer of assistance once more. She didn't need any help getting out of the saddle but he wanted to help nonetheless. "It would be a shame to waste the opportunity and I think we could all use a break." There was no reason to go back so soon. Blue Sky would enjoy the time out of the stable and Ash wanted to enjoy the time with his lady. It had been far too long since they had been here together and he wasn't going to squander the opportunity now. "Memories are good but they are a far cry from the real thing. Perhaps we can make some new ones."

[Dakota King]

"Trust me," Dakota said as she mentally cringed a bit at all the stupid things she had done towards Ash up until a few weeks ago, "This is something I want to remember. This is happier times for me." And those happier times could've lasted longer if she wasn't such an idiot at times, but she learned and she hoped that they came out of it stronger. Only time would tell, honestly. But they were at the clearing and hopefully they could make a few more good memories here.

Ash hopped off first before he offered a hand to her. Dakota smirked a bit to herself as she took his assistance and dismounted Blue Sky. As soon as she was off, the pegasus wandered away a few feet and Dakota turned back to Ash with a bit of a chuckle. "I think breaks are a good time to make some new memories," she said softly as she took another step towards Ash to close the gap between them. "A very good time."

[Ashley Bates]

With Dakota out of the saddle and standing very close to him Ash thought that now would be the perfect time to make some new memories. For far too long they had been at odds with each other. This place was something good, something familiar for both of them and it was time to make sure that they put those bad times behind them once and for all here in a place that they both remembered quite fondly.

Ash slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. In his opinion it was the best place for her to be and he planned to enjoy having her this close once again. "Lady," He said in that cool cowboy drawl that he had. "That is something that I think neither of us will object to." With that he wasted no time in leaning in closer and pressing his lips to hers in a hungry kiss that would be sure to leave neither of them wanting.

[Dakota King]

Dakota giggled a bit as Ash wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. She loosely hung her arms around his neck as she looked at him with an expectant look. She liked teasing Ash a bit and she knew there was so much he could put up with. And today, it really didn't look like that Ash was in much of a mood for teasing. That was more than fine by Dakota, especially since his lips quickly found hers as he kissed her. She kissed him back hungrily as she slightly groaned against his lips. Had they ever kissed like this? Dakota couldn't remember, but if they did, it had surely been too long. She kissed him back as she pressed up against him as one of her hands weaved through the hair on the back of his head. She wanted to make sure she got as much of Ash as she could while this was presenting itself to be a perfect moment.

[Ashley Bates]

Apparently Ash wasn’t the only one who had been waiting for this opportunity. Dakota kissed him back groaning against his lips in her urgency and he thought that he felt much the same way. Granted there wasn't much thinking going on at the moment, only him and Dakota, the sweet taste of her breath and the feel of her against him with her hands tangled in his her. Gods but she was a good kisser and he couldn’t help but want more.

Fortunately that was something that neither of them seemed to have a problem giving right now. Ash kissed her back hard letting his thoughts go and his feelings take over and as he did so his hands began to explore her curves with one of them eventually finding its way to the slope of her right breast. He rested it there and gave it a few gentle squeezes to show how much he was enjoying himself but he did eventually come up for air breathing heavily and looking hungry for more. “...We should get a little more comfortable.”

[Dakota King]

Dakota gripped his hair slightly as she pressed up against him. His lips felt good. Hades, everything felt good with Ash around. And she wanted more for the first time. And Ash must've had the same idea because his hands were wandering around her body. One of his hands found her breast and she moaned against his lips as he gave gentle squeezes.

But he pulled away after a little bit, much to Dakota’s dislike as he muttered about getting comfortable. “There should be a blanket in Blue Sky's saddle bag,” she said between ragged breaths as she looked at Ash with half-hooded eyes. But the way he was looking at her was sending chills down her spine and she liked it.