Witch's Marsh Relax, turn around and take my hand

@Emory

A thick fog rolled over the marsh, swirling above the water like frigid smoke. Israel peered within the translucent tendrils of white, but visibility was obviously limited. Giving up, she proceeded into the fog, the reeds rustling against her silver pelt as she moved. Soon she had reached the water's edge, finding it frozen solid.

She was not thirsty but the ice fascinated her. She sat down upon the cold earth, wrapping her long tail around herself. A shiver rolled up her spine as she lifted a paw and curiously placed it on the ice. It slipped but little, assuring her that the marsh was indeed frozen. The edges,  at the very least. The grey wolfess stood again, and this time, she stepped onto the ice with both front paws. Finding her footing, she moved forward, all four of her slender limbs resting on the slick surface. She stumbled but caught herself just in time.

A small smile broke across her pretty features. She took a confident step forward but that motion became her downfall. All control fell away from her and she slipped, sliding smoothly onto her belly with her front paws stretched ahead of her. The smile disappeared.

There was one thing Emory knew best, besides her art of conning...winter sucks. The autumn colored fae despised the barren land of white sheets and translucent ice covering all the potential life to bloom. There was nothing to do in winter besides survive, and her favorite pass time was plenty harder when no wolves were around to trick. For once you could spot the lack of a sultry smirk agaisnt her muzzle. Ugh, it was awful. It felt even worse with the lack of her second mind, Charley. The wolf's partner and crime had been absent for months now - well, more like she had been - and it was taking a rather large toll on the artist.

Staring indignantly at the winter touched world, a strange figure came into sight, seeming to glide clumsily on the frozen water. The closer she got, the easier it was to tell it was a wolf committing this strange act. The vixen paused, staring intently at the silvery figure, embarressing themself rather immensly. Her stolen smile returned, and instantly the girl adjusted her posture, her walk growing a bit more...suggestive gate. 

Soon enough she stood at the edge of the icey ground, her lustful eyes gleaming at the other with a facade of ardur. "Helloo..." A tone soft, and warm like honey, but low enough to be heard.

The first thought that came to mind was how glad she was that no one was there to see her. Israel sighed and looked around her, just to make sure. But it was then that a voice pierced through the winter fog. It spoke a rather interesting hello, a tone whose purpose she could not immediately identify, but as she glanced over her bony shoulder she beheld a gorgeous woman carrying a suggestive gait and posture.

Heat burned her face. So there was someone. And, that someone just had to be extremely attractive. Looking down at her paws, Israel tried to decide where to go from here. If she attempted to stand, she risked falling and embarrassing herself further. In the end, the silver pixie chose honesty.

"Hello," she spoke softly. "I... I don't know if I can stand." Perhaps the beauty would offer help.

A soft, but strangly slow laugh escaped the wolf's mouth, a wry smirk complimenting it. "Let me help you then, love." The vixen managed to cautiously step onto the slippery terrain, while looking as though she did it without any precaution. Her gleeming eyes didn't leave the smokey girl, and continued to flawlessly travel across the ice, though not without effort, all while mainting her salacious saunter. Finally reaching the stranger, she lowered her muzzle down to their neck and breathed for a moment by her ear. 

She pushed her snout underneath her first leg without warning and attempted to lift it somewhat, to allow her some support.

The agouti beauty moved towards her with a walk that was impossible not to watch. Swaying hips and slender legs were irresistable to the silver woman. She blinked and looked away quickly.

It was time to focus on getting up, for Israel had inadvertantly turned this into a damsel in distress situation. The pretty maw slipped underneath her foreleg and she caught her breath at the contact. She used her other leg to hoist herself up, leaning on the other woman for support. Gingerly she stood on her hindlegs and with that, she was on her feet again.

"Thank you, miss..." she spoke bashfully, climbing carefully onto the snowy bank and facing the other, a little reluctant to abandon her ice skating venture.  "My name is Israel."

Emory stepped back a few inches, but didn't leave the girl's side. She send a reassuring smile her way, shaking her head somewhat slowly. "Miss is too formal, I'm Emory." She slowly stepped with the cloudy painted fae towards the edge of the frozen ground. 

"You must be freezing!" Emory exclaimed with fake worry. She quickly pushed herself so the two were side by side. "I'll keep you warm." She insisted without much warning.

The chocolate-toned wolfess gave her name, a lovely name for a lovely woman. "My name is Israel," said Israel. Just as a shiver shocked her body, the other woman spoke of the cold and promptly, without a word of caution, sideled up alongside her. Israel's reaction was involuntary, moving quickly away from the contact as from a sudden flare of flame. She had not been touched in quite some time and the woman's forwadness startled her.

Israel realized what she had done and flicked her ears back in uncertainty. She would have loved to cuddle with the beauty,  but they had just met. No matter the temperature,  it seemed more fitting to get acquainted with one another first. 

"Are-are you from around here, Emory?" she asked a little too quickly.

The flirtatious wolf seemed to pause for a moment, she hated to think about her past, the one that held her awful mother. "Oh, no, I've traveled a rather long way..." The slightest hint of distain slipped from her tongue. She quickly realized her mind was lingering too far off course if she planned to keep this going. "But it paid off now that I get to be beside someone like you." She imitated a giggle, not offended by Israel's standoffish reaction to her pushing agaisnt her side, but that wouldn't keep her from trying again.

"Israel is such a lovely name," Emory cooed, whether she believed it or not was a mystery. "Where are you from?"

She nodded in acknowledgement of Emory's rather vague response. She would have liked to ask for more details but the female had spoken with a hint of distaste in her voice, so Israel held her tongue. 

Without missing a beat, it seemed, other continued on with her flirtatious endeavors. Israel was not the best at handling situations like these; while she did not wish to seem too eager, she didn't want to scare Emory off either. "I came from a long way, as well. Idaho, actually." Israel settled down upon her narrow haunches facing the woman. Shivering again, she now wished they were closer together after all. 

"Do you live in a pack?"

Again, Emory paused. Reliving her time in Sawtooth Ridge all in one second, before turning back to Israel and giving a false smile. "Once. I'm more a wanderer." She exclaimed, not delving into much more detail. "I don't smell any other wolves on you," it gave her thw chance to lean in, her nose touching agaisnt the others neck, before backing away. "Unless I'm mistaken?" The coffee colored fae noticed her acquantince shiver, forcing her to tilt her head to the right, not yet allowing herself to sit, but insead stand while facing her.

"Why is someone like you wandering about alone?" She asked, acting as though she was actually concerned for her safety in the winter.

She named herself a wanderer, someone who possibly did not care to stay put. Israel understood the idea, and she now explained this to her acquaintance. "I was a pack wolf once before wanderlust found me. But..." her gaze became empty, her mind far off, thinking of her sisters and her parents who were so far from her. 

"I thought I might find a pack soon. It's getting colder, and I am hungry almost all the time." her blue eyes wandered again, straying over the smooth curves and shapes of Emory's beautiful physique. "It doesn't seem as though you have that problem. You look... Very good." Her smoky tail waved behind her.

The second Israel complimented Emory, her tail flicked and her smile grew; no longer just a prop for conning. The wolfess works to hard to maintain herself, and when it's noticed is the best feeling in the world. She loved being recongnized more than anything else--beside her brother that is. 

She adjusted her posture to be somewhat more confident looking, she deemed the wolf before her no longer just a toy to play with. "You really think so?" She said hopefully, almost completely ignoring the smokey fae's first comment. Emory glanced down at her own body for a moment, admiring what she could before refocusing. "You're searching for a pack?" Thanks to Israel's kind words, she decided to help her.

Emory took the compliment well,  looking down at her carefully groomed physique as if she did not believe the grey pixie's words. Israel's jaw parted slightly, a little incredulous. With Emory's flirtatious nature she was surprised that the toffee-hued wolfess would ask for any confirmation at all. Israel wondered if she had broken past some internal barrier. Now was the first time since the beginning of their encounter that the other seemed unsure of herself, if slightly. The humility that Israel saw flattered Emory.

"Yes. You're lovely." Israel was flirted with often, but she did not had full confidence in her own looks. She loved to doll out compliments to others when appropriate ; it was an esteemable act, one that made her feel better inside.

"I have been thinking about packs. I'm not sure being a lone wolf suits me," she absently gazed across the marsh, then down at her paws, murmuring, "I will need to speak with Simatra..."

SO sorry about the delay!!

Emory tilted her head with interest, anytime someone mentioned another wolf her attention would be instantly focused on them. "Who's that?" She questioned. A lingering feeling of joy from the compliment also helped, the stormy wolfess had all the agouti vixen's regard. Israel mentioned how'd she fit in a pack, if only she could relate. She didn't wish to be at the bottom of thr barrel when thinking so highly of herself. 

It also wasn't that she couldn't cooperate, hell when her and Charley were a team they could accomplish anything, but to submit to anyone was just...unthinkable.