Firefly Glen These never-ending worries pulling on my sleeves

She was here to help them and did so, but she made the trip between as well, returning home to see to those there and to check in. Bridget rarely dropped the smile that graced her features, but there was a seriousness behind it that had been hard to shake the more her responsibilities mounted.

There were more than a few faces she loved counting on her to keep them grounded as best she could. She would never complain, but as she made her way back towards Brecheliant again, she paused in a nearby break with the trees. A snowflake melted on the end of her muzzle.

The sun had just settled behind the horizon and the sky was darkening quickly. She wasn’t ready to go home just yet and assume the mantle of caretaker. With a long breath out, Bridget tried to shed some of the weight, momentarily letting it slide to the back of her thoughts as snow began to fall around her. Then the medic began to chase the drifting snowflakes, jumping to snap them out of the air as the rest settled on her fur and began to paint the world in white.

I'm supposed to be catching up but I couldn't resist

Someone new among them, a medic to help with the wounded wolves Sialuk had taken in. Now that her heat was behind her, Keen found herself curious — and perhaps eager to escape the 'Spear for a bit. Sialuk was on her mind far too often these days, even for the time they spent together. Maybe a bit of space would let her breathe and sort her thoughts.
So she followed the scent outside the territory, trailing idly after the medic until a flash of gold in the gloam halted her. Keen's breath caught in her throat. Woah. No one had told her about — well, no time like the present for introductions! But the words were stuck. She could only watch and think: I am so gay.

She’d needed a release and a little fun, even if a part of her knew she shouldn’t stay too long. Bridget laughed as she jumped and missed her target, expelling a small cloud of fog from her muzzle as she landed back down in the gathering snow.

She spun around, but was startled to that at some point she’d attracted company.

Hey! No sidelines allowed. She called out with a growing smile. If you want to catch up you’re going to have to be pretty good. I’ve caught at least ten.

The woman turned and saw her, and Keen's heart threatened to jump right out of her throat and hop away screeching. She almost didn't understand that she was being invited to join in. When she did comprehend this turn of events, however —
And how many points do I get if I catch you? Her own smile lit her face, and she was proud of the delivery on that one, but even so it came out a little breathless. Keen didn't flirt, as a rule, but taking Sialuk as a lover had been a major confidence boost. So she tried it out, and hoped for the best.

Hold on, was this… was this wolf flirting with her?

Bridget had to take a moment, but then her smile grew a little more at the pure delight of it. It had been a hell of a long time since anyone had, and even longer since she’d been able to honestly return the favor. She could be friendly with about anyone she met, but flirting with guys she had no intention of getting further with always struck her as shitty. She never did it if she could help it.

This girl… she was cocky. Bridget was immediately a fan.

Oh, I’m a hell of a lot harder to catch. But you get more than points if you manage it. She winked, shifting her stance ever so slightly on the snow. She had no doubts at all that this girl could outpace her easily, but she’d still spring away and take off if it looked like Keen was up for the game. Would she take the hook?

The thing about saying fuck it and shooting your shot is that there usually isn't any plan for what happens after. Keen, to put it simply, did not expect to get this far. The blonde mentioned something about being harder to catch — more than points — shitshitshit Keen was in way over her head here.
Well, at least she outnumbered her in the leg department. Maybe she had a chance. I'm always up for a challenge, Keen said, finally fulfilling her dreams of being a Smooth Lesbian, if only for this moment. Definitely wouldn't last. The kinds of challenges Keen took on were usually limited to sorting through murky histories and patching holes in timelines. Still. She shifted her own posture and prepared to dart after the woman — but not too fast. If she could draw this out, she would.

Was she? Perfect. As soon as the stranger confirmed it Bridget was off, springing away with a laugh and kicking up snow as she took off across the glen.

She started off quick but her run was more playful than outright sprint. Keen should have overtaken her easily, but Bridget was thrilled when she seemed to hover teasingly behind instead. She glanced back and caught a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. She hadn’t gotten a good look at whoever this was yet but so far? She was absolutely along for this ride.

Bridget flicked her tail at her teasingly, then planted her hind leg and dodged sideways, altering their path to angle away from the tree line. She jumped a small, partially frozen stream, then glanced back again with a grin to see how well her pursuer kept up. She’d trip herself up immediately if she tried to take the trees at a dash but out here, sometimes it felt like her missing leg barely slowed her down. She could feel her muscles beginning to burn but wasn’t ready to slow down quite yet.

Not until her newfound friend was ready to claim the prize.

Keen relaxed when it became clear that their game was fairly low-stakes, and she did in fact have a chance at keeping up. And the view from behind was, of course, the highlight of this pursuit. A brief flash of a smile crossed her features when she caught the other woman looking back, and blue eyes met lavender for just a moment.
She almost missed their sharp turn away from the trees, not for lack of ability but for lack of paying attention. Increasingly she found herself distracted by — I mean, hot medic, hello??? But Keen caught on at the last moment and decided then that it was time to end the chase. She closed the distance between them after hopping over the stream, until she was close enough to press her nose briefly into the pretty flaxen fur at the woman's neck. Just a quick touch, full of implication but not demanding.

Tag, she was it. Bridget slowed her pace to a stop at the touch, then turned and took a few of her own playful nips at the other woman’s ruff. Normally I don’t concede but I don’t think I can call this losing, do you?

It was quick, but Bridget had never been the type to take things slow. Her heart tended to run away with her, sure, but this? This was fun, pure and exhilarating, and it had been far too long since anything had made her heart beat faster without threatening to break it.

For the first time, too, Bridget got a good look at the other wolf in the dusky light. She was small and slim, with a lovely rich brown coat, but it was the eyes that sold it. Not even the color - the look that matched her tone, the kind of girl who would challenge a stranger to a race purely for the chance to catch her attention.

Keen, for her part, was utterly smitten. There was something wild about this woman with eyes like the first bloom of spring. She'd never seen that color anywhere but in flowers and dreams. Flowers, I'll bring her flowers when they come back, she thought suddenly, losing all grasp on reason at the feeling of the medic's teeth in her fur, against her skin. The faintest gasp slipped from her. Fighting to still the slight tremble of her limbs, Keen reached out to press a questioning kiss to the side of her neck. And if it was well-received, more would follow, and with more confidence now.
In moments such as these, Keen felt most like herself. It wasn't just the contact, it was the moment, all of it. She rarely allowed herself to be anything but nervous, cynical, hesitant. But right here, right now, she wasn't any of those things. She felt alive.

im fine to vaguely timeskip or fade, however you’d prefer <3!

There was no answer for her question but Bridget didn’t mind - it had been rhetorical. The other woman was just as eager as she was, and it occurred to Bridget (with a chuckle) that they did not even exchange names. Well - that could certainly be fixed later.

There was no need for her to ask what she wanted for her “prize”. Bridget leaned into the kiss and returned it, shifting in a way that, if she relented, the other woman would find herself pressed against the snow.

She would pay close attention to not cross a boundary unheeded, but Bridget got the sense their feelings were aligned. For a little while she could forget her worries and responsibilities, tangling with brighter things in the snow instead.

Time skip is good! <3

When it was over and they had both calmed, Keen found herself still pressing close and preening golden fur with idle affection. Can I see you again? She asked without thinking, without even considering that they hadn't exchanged names yet. Instead she clarified further: Like, a date. A real date, something Keen hadn't tried in — oh, ages!
Nothing serious, of course. Just casual dating. Suuuuper casual. Her heart skipped as she looked into those dreamscape eyes again. It would be fine. She wouldn't get carried away.

The simplicity of this was perhaps the thing she missed the most. She lay next to Keen, one foreleg draped idly over her, but otherwise enjoying the attention she was being given. She opened her eyes and lifted her head when she was asked, though, considering the question with a small smile. Her paw played gently with her fur.

She was from Moonspear. It was Sialuk’s pack, and they were close enough to not be complicated right now. It might not stay that way, but why deny themselves now for the possibility of later? She thought briefly of Teya, but it was hardly even a footnote for her to tick past. She’d been wanting to move on for a while. This was the perfect chance.

I think we could manage that. What did you have in mind? She tried to keep most of the teasing out of her tone, but she knew she was putting the woman on the spot. She felt giddy; it didn’t matter how busy she was. She’d find the time somehow.

She said yes. She said yes! Had Keen possessed hands she would have fist pumped very discreetly. Instead she smiled like the infatuated fool she was and immediately thought of an answer to the question posed. Odd, how quick she could think when her heart was racing like this! Pure self-preservation, at this point; Keen was determined not to break whatever weird winning streak she was on right now.
Back at Moonspear, there's a quiet spot by a stream at the base of the mountain - we could have dinner there? Or... Or would that bore you? She almost asked, but swallowed the question and instead added somewhat apologetically, I haven't ah, planned a date in a long time. She hadn't wanted to, not until Sialuk called her to her ulaq and spoke of wives and lovers. Keen wasn't thinking about Sialuk now, though.

The answer was quick, but the qualifier came even quicker. Bridget smothered her smile in the other woman’s fur, then gave an affectionate ruffle to the fur behind her ear. When was her last date, one that actually counted? Pre-leaving home, she reckoned.

I’m a little rusty too. Starting with dinner is a good idea. It made the timing easier too, if neither of them needed to go far.

I was heading back to check on things at home, but I’ll be back this way in a couple of days. I’ll make sure you know when I’m there. She’d need to announce herself anyway, next time, since she wouldn’t have an escort to rely on.

We can probably wrap it up here? <3

So Keen wasn't the only one out of her element here. That relaxed her somewhat, and made her heart flutter too. It meant that Keen had potential to be more to Bridget than just a notch on a bedpost. At least, she hoped it did. She didn't want anything serious, not yet and maybe not ever, but she did want to keep seeing her.
Very, very much. Sounds good, She agreed, her voice warm, and she decided she would try not to say too much more. The less she spoke, the longer it would take for the blonde to find out that this encounter was kind of a fluke for Keen. My name is Keen, by the way. She added a little sheepishly.

A date and, finally, a name. A pleasure to meet you, Keen. Bridget said with a good deal of amusement (and suggestion) behind it. They’d done a little more than meet here, and god, she was cute when she was flustered.

Anyway…

Bridget’s mine. I’ll be looking forward to it. Keenly, you might say. Bridget chuckled at her own joke, aware that it might be an overused one but also betting on getting away with it. Hey now - that shit was funny.

Reluctantly she had to get back to work, so with a final look (and lingering touch) she made her way jauntily back towards the medical dens. She would definitely be looking forward to her next visit… and find herself distracted until then.