Surrender up my heart, and swap it for yours.

@Shadow - mild PP, set directly after the claim thread. :)

Things were good. Things were truly, genuinely, too good to be true. Her life was beautiful: she had a grand home, a doting partner, a growing pack, the promise of pups. The wolves of Noctidardor would continue to thrive now that Shadow had established their territory and the borders were well on their way to bring marked.

Following their meeting and when the wolves all went their separate ways, Paarthurnax sought privacy with her ashen outrider. She followed his trail with her nose to the ground, ears up and eyes bright, keen not to loose track of him.

She slipped between the tall evergreen trunks, stepped carefully over exposed roots and strode into the forest with a low woof to announce her presence. Surely he could not have gotten so far ahead.

:D

Tonight, his dream had turned into reality. Noctisardor Bypass was established and everything was peaceful, at least for now. He knew that peaceful things never seem to last long, he did not doubt that some of his former packmates would want to know what he was doing now, despite the fact that he was no longer part of their pack and banished. Seriously, if any of them threatened his new pack, there would be blood and it would not be on his side.

He trotted into a forest, his mind on distant things when a familiar voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He stopped in his tracks and waited for her, the pack was formed now and it was time they became official. If she wanted to of course, he wouldn't push her to do anything she wouldn't want to do.

Lifting her crown, Paarthurnax continued deeper into the first in search of her beau. His scent was strong, suggesting that he'd passed through recently or was nearby, and she opted for the latter. When finally she skipped through a dense cluster of trees and into a small clearing, her vivid copper eyes settled on his figure.

She went to him, confidence in her stride and her tail swishing contently at her rear, and she sidled up alongside Shadow with a flirtatious brush off her flank to his. "I wish you many years of reign, my King," the slender beauty crooned, stepping forward and briefly looking back to continue their stroll. "Will you walk with me? The night is young."

"Will you walk with me? The night is young."
He nodded and fell in step beside her, brushing his flank beside hers as he dipped his muzzle to touch his nose affectionately to the crimson healer's cheek, he yearned for the closeness he had experienced with her again. His gaze swept lovingly over her before lifting his gaze to look up at the sky. Apollo had finished his daily chariot ride and now it was his sister, Diana's turn to ride her moon chariot across the sky.

And sure enough when he looked looked at the star-filled sky, the moon shone down upon them. "Look, Diana's leading the moon up into the sky." he murmured to her. He didn't know if she knew that he was actually Roman but if she didn't, she did now. He rarely told anyone about his beliefs in the roman gods or half beliefs and if he did, it meant that he truly trusted and cared for someone.

He fell into stride alongside her, leaving down to her level to deliver his usual affectionate gestures. Paarthurnax smiled fondly toward him, her heart selling with pride and affection. Her thoughts turned briefly toward Scimitar and his plea for her to return to Swiftcurrent, accompanied with the concern that Shadow would ultimately hurt her... But how could he think like that? The sterling outrider had been nothing but gentlemanly, patient and during toward her. She was concerned that maybe their relationship had progressed too quickly, but had no doubt in her heart over her choice to let him court her.

Paar shook everyone else from her mind, and focused entirely on her beloved. This night was one of celebration, not solemn pondering. When the pairs happened across a clearing with a break in the canopy, Shadow gestured above, pointing out the moon's rise. Curious, the crimson healer looked up to see the pale sphere, surrounded by dark purple and hot oranges, as night surrounded them. She assumed that Diana might be some sort of God that he followed; many of the wolves in Samarkand had followed certain beliefs, some of her family included, but she had not been swayed.

"It's beautiful," the young Frostfur said, pausing in her tracks to better observe the sunset. This was not the first that she and Shadow had shared together, and would certainly not be the last.

"It's beautiful,"
He smiled, "It is, isn't it?". The sunsets and sunrise in Noctisardor Bypass were stunning but it was dusk that was the prettiest with its bright reds, oranges and pinks against the darkening sky, dipping into the distant horizon. Nothing would ever be able to compare with that view and he was glad that he found this place. The sunsets here were even prettier than those at the Creek and that itself was a miracle.

Nuzzling her softly, he began walking forward again. "Come, I found this place sometime ago." he trotted through the forest as the sky slowly turned ink black and shadows filled the corners of the dense woodland but the sterling outrider did not stop and not long later he arrived at the entrance of a clearing surrounded by walls of sturdy rocks. A smile appeared through his now warm platinum gaze as he stepped in and sure enough, as he had predicted, the moon shone down brightly on the verdant grass and now on him, illuminating his pelt and turning it ethereal silver.

Paarthurnax followed her companion closely, never straying far from his flank, and upon their arrival to an unusual hollow in the woodland surrounded by walls of sturdy rocks, she paused at the entrance to look all around her. The bright white moon illuminated everything its light touched there, causing the slick surface of the boulders to shimmer and the dancing blades of grass to glisten. Most beautiful of all, Shadow seemed to glow and outshine their surroundings.

She settled her copper eyes on his handsome form, and made to close the distance between them. Her forehead butted against his cheek gently as she growled affectionately, and briefly rested her shoulder against his own as she lifted her head to seek his platinum gaze. Words were not something they needed right then; the appreciation and adoration in her gaze spoke volumes for how she felt.

He crooned softly at her as she rested her shoulder against his own and gazed into his silver eyes. He did not speak instead looked straight into her beautiful copper ones, love and affection dominating his gaze. Romantic crap was not something the silver outrider was good at but hopefully he did a good job this time? He didn't know and truthfully, he didn't want to know. It was up to her, he did his best and that was that.

Finally, he tore his gaze away and nosed her affectionately as he spoke "Do you like it?" he asked softly, calmness and serenity in his voice as he raised his head again to look at her. His tail running across her flank slowly and gently as he waited for her reply.

He asked if she liked it and Paarthurnax nodded enthusiastically, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. She gazed into his cool silver eyes, not caring for their difference in rank, and let her feathery tail swish cheerfully at her rear.

"I love it," the crimson beauty announced, trotting forward to better explore the little hideaway her beau had found just for them. She nosed around the grasses, figuring it would be a safe and comfortable place to be alone or to let her pups play together.

A broad smile spread over the usual stoic outrider's face as she spoke, She liked it and that was what really mattered. He didn't care if Jupiter himself hated it, as if his opinion mattered at the moment. No, it didn't. He watched with his now gentle and warm gaze as his crimson healer trotted forward and examined the hollow that he'd discovered. He still hadn't found an appropriate name for it but now, he had a faint idea of what to call it, and of course it was in his native tongue.

He trotted forward to her and swept his tail teasingly over her spine "I'm glad you like it." he spoke and for the first time, his faint accent appeared in his voice. He had managed to hide it before so nobody knew of his heritage but now, he saw no reason to hide it anymore.

A single flower, vermilion in hue, stood proudly among the verdant grass. Paarthurnax eyed it curiously, wondering what species it might be, and tenderly brushed the tip of her nose against its velvet petals.

Shadow strode forward to join her, and she flicked her cinnamon gaze briefly in his direction before she venture forth one more, eager to see more of what might be hiding in their little walled clearing. A frog hopped from a tuft of grass where the stalks stood longer than most, and Paar followed it with her gaze as it hopped across the earth to seek safety elsewhere. She imagined she'd spend a lot of time tucked away there to be with her thoughts, or to have a grand view of the wonderful night sky.

When her beau spoke, she at once recognised a slight difference to his voice. Pausing mid-stride, the lovely Frostfur blinked over a slim shoulder and directly at Shadow. She canted her head slightly, "you are sometimes a mystery to me," she said gently, though her voice was trained by uncertainty. Paarthurnax had always had a faint accent herself, adopted from her friends and family at Samarkand while growing up, and although she was careful with her story, she was not ashamed of who she was or where she came from.

"you are sometimes a mystery to me," said Paarthurnax gently. He laughed, a soft cheerful sound that he hadn't used since he was separated from his siblings. He rolled his shoulders in a brief shrug, a light smile in his cool sterling eyes. "I'm a mystery to everyone, you just happen to know a bit more about me than others." he said, no longer bothering to hide his accent in front of her. Of course he would hide it later in front of the others, at least for now. They should probably know he was a Roman by now.

He lay down on the soft grass, the moonlight shining right at him, his fore limbs splayed out at his side as he called out his crimson healer. “Hic veni, Paar" he spoke in his native tongue softly, the words holding a gentle, soft and regal tone that he hadn't been able to achieve when he spoke English.

She did not understand what made Shadow be so secretive about his true heritage, when he'd been so open to share his background on their first meeting. He'd told her of his cold, ruthless family, the harsh way he'd been raise, the reasons behind his sharp temper. Why was it essential to hide his bloodline away? The more she thought about it, the more her amusement and surprise seemed to vanish. Truthfully, Paarthurnax couldn't even place his accent. She knew so few, that she could not place his with a name.

Paarthurnax, now confused and uncertain, maybe even a little afraid (what else was he hiding from her?), did not go to him when he spoke his native tongue and seemed to beckon her closer. Instead she stood where she was, blinking down at his relaxed frame with big doe eyes, silently requesting more information.

He sighed, turning his silver gaze away from her as she looked down at him with those big eyes. He supposed that he should probably tell her, it wasn't really bad or anything but he just didn't like speaking about it. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I just don't like talking about it. You're probably the first one I told in a year?" he shrugged, still averting his gaze from Paaarthurnax.

"I'm Roman, descended from the bloodlines of the great Angelus Mortis which means Angel of Death in latin. Latin is my native tongue. So my full name is actually Hadrian Nox 'Shadow' Angelus Mortis. Nox is just a name for me in formal occasions. The Angelus Mortis bloodline was actually one of the most famous and greatest bloodlines in Rome but my father tainted it with his brutality and useless bloodshed. He had no honor, only cowardice."

Now he turned to look at Paar, a faint smile drifting weakly over his face. "And our bloodline was supposed to be distantly related with The Big Three which are the main three gods in our beliefs. The three brothers called Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto. Jupiter is the god of lightning and king of the gods. Neptune the god of the sea and Pluto is the god of the dead and underworld.

Much to the crimson beauty's surprise, Shadow dropped yet another bombshell on her. His name was "Nox". Slicking her ears back, Paar whined softly, and looked down at the ground beneath her paws. What was she supposed to say? What did he expect her to say? Unsure, the crimson she-wolf fidgeted in her place, unwilling to seek comfort in his embrace but not yet willing to turn her tail.

He continued with his explanation, but she did not care much for it. Famous bloodlines were not what made a wolf a good one, nor did where they came from. Loyalty, honesty and trust were most important to her, and she could not help but feel that hers had been... well, somewhat betrayed. Shadow was still the same wolf, no doubt, but he'd made such an effort to hide who he was.

"This is a lot to take in," she mustered, looking up and seeking her partner's platinum gaze. "I just... I like you for you, not for where you've come from. I don't care for "famous" families, or for religion." She strode forward then, a single step, and swallowed hard. "I want us to be honest with each other. I don't understand why you weren't from the start. Did you think I might... judge you for it?"

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"I just... I like you for you, not for where you've come from. I don't care for "famous" families, or for religion." His cool sterling eyes glinted as she spoke, his mask started to slide back in place again. "I want us to be honest with each other. I don't understand why you weren't from the start. Did you think I might... judge you for it?" Now the Roman Praetor part of him wanted to snatch her by the scruff and bash her head onto the ground for her disrespect and insolence but the other side of him overruled and he sighed softly, his tail drooping.

The truth was he simply didn't like talking about it and besides his former packmates called him Shadow. The name Nox was only used when he was awarded some kind of prize for doing something that his father thought as 'honorable'. Nobody actually used the name 'Nox'.

As for honesty, he had been honest, he just hid that tiny fact away from her and everybody. It wasn't personal. "I'm sorry," he murmured softly. "It was true what I told you on our first meeting, I just didn't well go into the details. I'm sorry for that, I just don't like telling wolves where I'm from. I haven't told anyone since I left my natal pack, except for you. Romans aren't really known for their kindness, you know and I didn't want to get kicked out of anywhere just because of my bloodlines."

His sterling gaze sought out Paar's copper ones and he sighed. "I'm really sorry."

He was sorry, and he just "didn't like telling". Somehow that was supposed to make it okay, and her feelings of doubt and suspicion were supposed to just vanish? And they'd live happily ever after in their little segment of the world. Paarthurnax' thoughts turned to Scimitar and some of the last words he'd said alongside his plus for her to return to Swiftcurrent. Was this the beginning of her pain?

No. She wouldn't let it. Bit if she's known of her partner's contemplation to beat the crap out of her for being hurt by his sudden change of character, she'd have turned tail and ran. But Paarthurnax' heart was pure; she was all about second chances. She would not let it go so lightly, however, and she would bear it in mind should anything else... Strange, be shared with her.

"No matter where you're from," the crimson healer started, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips, "I stand by you. I would not have cared if you were Northern, or from an island, or even a different planet. I just want you, for you." She managed another step, and with a soft whine she reached her muzzle out in attempt to briefly touch her snout to the ashen Alpha's pale chin.

"I stand by you. I would not have cared if you were Northern, or from an island, or even a different planet. I just want you, for you." she whined softly and reached out her muzzle to briefly touch his cheek. He leaned into her touch for a moment, wishing for her warmth before sighing softly. "I'm sorry if you feel betrayed or hurt or anything because I didn't tell you, I never meant for it to be this way."

He turned his platinum gaze up onto the sky where the moonlight shone brightly into his eye, he blinked once before turning to look at Paar again. "Thank you." was all he said, unsure whether or not to close the distance between them. This was not turning out well at all. A small part of him wondered, that maybe she was hiding the hurt that she (perhaps) felt.

If they were going to be an official couple, Paarthurnax wanted to enter the next stage of their relationship with no barriers between them. She wanted to devote herself to the real Shadow, the one she'd allowed to court her, the one who'd made love with her, the one who tested her with absolute, unwavering love. Would his new change things? Would they make him different? Was he hiding a real personality beneath the façade of kind and gentle giant?

She wanted to love him. She'd been trying so hard to learn how, but it was times like this that she wondered if she really could. Paarthurnax reminded herself that her own parents had not paired out of love, but had learned to share the feeling mutually. There was still time for her and Shadow. Their bond was young, but strong. And although this change troubled Paarthurnax, she was willing to move on from it.

"No more secrets," the bi-coloured medic smiled wider, dipping her crown to close the remainder of the distance between them, keen to cast the tension aside in favour of resuming their celebration of the pack's birth. She crooned softly, pressing her forehead affectionately to her partner's throat.

A slow sigh escaped the silver Praetor as Paar crooned softly and rested her forehead affectionately against this throat. He dipped his head to lick her gently between the ears and rested his muzzle on top of her crown. "No more," he promised her, sincerity in his voice and if there was one thing good about him, yet nobody knew about him, it was that he always kept his word, no matter what. A brilliant smile appeared on the lips of the sterling outrider and just as he had just promised, the mask vanished.

He swept his tail across her flank lovingly as he embraced her, thanking all the gods that this moment hadn't been ruined my his stupidity at revealing everything. But he supposed that she would be even angrier if he didn't tell her at all, he knew he couldn't hide everything from her forever and he was glad that he shared it. He never realised it was such big a burden to bear.

Paarthurnax leaned into his strong form, taking comfort from his warmth and scent, then drew away from him to seek his pale eyes. "Come," the healer beckoned, making to lead him away somewhere that they could relax together, and leave their tension behind to dissipate on its own.

She expired the little hollow and stepped carefully exposed tree roots into the dim forest, making her way in no particular direction. Paarthurnax looked briefly over a crimson shoulder to be sure her beau was following, and shot him a winning smile. "Since we're doing this open and honesty thing, I guess you'd like to know more about where I came from?"

Shadow had been patient with her in regards to... well, everything. He'd promised to wait in all senses, but Paar figured it was time he knew the finer details of her own heritage.

"Since we're doing this open and honesty thing, I guess you'd like to know more about where I came from?" He followed her, silver eyes glowing brightly in the dark as he stepped gracefully over tree roots and fallen branches. A smile graced his lips as a twinkle of amusement flashed through his eyes, although it still didn't over the glint in his eye. The glint that either meant he was a madman or a genius and always managed to freak other wolves out.

"If you want to, you don't have to share if you feel uncomfortable about sharing it." he said softly. And it was true, he didn't really care about her heritage or her bloodlines or anything. He cared about her, the Paar he was courting and nothing else truly mattered to him.

Leaning down, he attempted to nuzzle her affectionately.

As usual, Shadow could not help himself from bumping against her and showering her with affectionate gestures as they walked. Paarthurnax smiled inwardly, leading her tail against her beau's chest, before gracefully keeping out of reach before he could retaliate.

"My parents were leaders of a pack called Samarkand," she started, "although my mother was not my father's only mate. So far south, in the deserts, it's common for a Shah to gather a harem of females. They often use their daughters as gifts or trades, but my mother's daughters were special. It was planned that we would choose our own path when the time was right, but when my parents retired and moved on, my older brother inherited the crown. First on his agenda was to mend a rift with a rival pack, and I was to be presented to it's leader as a new addition to his collection of wives. " Paarthurnax swallowed then, looking up briefly to seek her beloved's frosty gaze. "So I ran away. And I haven't seen hide nor hair of any relatives since."

He listened quietly as she spoke, a faint scowl appearing over his features when she spoke of her brother presenting her to someone from a rival pack, to add to his collection of wives. He met her gaze steadily, a faint icy anger burning behind the platinum orbs. "So I ran away. And I haven't seen hide nor hair of any relatives since." He nodded, "Good, if I see any of them, I'll rip their heads apart from their body." he spoke nonchalantly. "I won't do it if you don't want me to, of course...."

His eyes curious, he looked over to Paar. "It is not uncommon for Romans to have multiple wives too, however my father only had my mother and he didn't marry anyone else. Bloody good that he didn't treat my mother like a slave." he shrugged. "In Rome, girls were often married away to rich men that they don't even know. Sometimes parents that were starving and weak sold their children as slaves so they could survive. Pretty brutal."

She noticed the sudden change in her partner's expression when she spoke of Sahrotaar's plans, and her heart swelled with appreciation. Anger burned bright within those cool sterling eyes and he spoke openly of his keenness to rid them from the world. Paarthurnax was not a violent creature, so she did not comment. And she did love her older brother even though they'd never been particularly close as youths, and despite his plans of disposing her from her home. "I understand why he wanted to do it," Paarthurnax said softly, looking ahead once more, "he was thinking of Samarkand as a whole. We'd had issues with that pack and it's leader for a long time, and a peace offering may have served in mending our sour relations. I just didn't want it to be me..."

She tried not to give it much thought, for she did not doubt that her brother would have packed up another of her sisters and sent her in Paarthurnax' placed. Esther had greatly resembled their mother in personality: bold, strong, stubborn, comprising... but Vashti had been very young and gentle. She would likely have made an obedient, timid wife. The thought of her being used whenever her mate saw fit made her feel sick to her stomach.

When Shadow mentioned that it was not uncommon for Roman males to take more than one partner, her ears shot up. She looked directly at him, copper eyes wide with wonder and concern. "Do you plan to... you know, court multiple she-wolves...?" As an Alpha she supposed it was his right, but she could not - would not - stand to share her mate with anyone else.