Redhawk Caldera i think the universe is on my side.

Tearing herself away from Elwood's .......whipperdoodle..... LOL I kid - his side. Tearing herself away from Elwood's side was a rather difficult feat for Finley those days. Their relationship was so new and exciting that she found herself unable to get enough of him. But, they did have their own duties to attend to and with Fox's birthing immanent, it would have be just plain irresponsible for them to while all of their time away kerflomping like bunnies. So, that afternoon found Fin striding through the pine forest at the Caldera's Western inner edge, dutifully tracking down what her nose suggested was a decent sized flock of pheasants, hiding somewhere in one of the forest's many pockets of underbrush.

"Where are you, you bitches..." the beta muttered to herself as she crept along with her nose to the ground. She'd been following the trail for what seemed like hours, even though it was probably more like hour with nothing to show for it except a couple of feathers snagged on a patch of thorn bushes. She heaved a sigh and continued to meander, allowing her thoughts to wander to Elwood. A tiny smile slipped across her muzzle, her mood instantly lifted. Little did she realize that at that very moment, her most of her packmates were off somewhere being all dramatic and angsty. Funny really since only a week or so ago, Fin would've been the most dramatic and angsty of them all, and now here she was, humming softly to her giddy little self while she worked.

We don't have an active Finwood thread right now so I'm stealing this one! :D

When Finley left his side, Elwood whined plaintively. He was exaggerating, of course, but there was still a degree of truth to his complaints. They had scarcely been away from each other over the last few days, only separating long enough to perform their individual duties and socializing with other wolves. He pouted as he watched her go, and remained where he was for a while...

But after twenty minutes had passed, he got to his feet and started to follow her. He had nothing better to do at the moment! Briskly, he traced her trail through the woods as she led him westward, his tail lashing in a predatory manner. There was something exhilarating about hunting down his friend-girl, or whatever she was.

Eventually, he saw a flash of silver through the trees and knew that he had found her. She seemed to be looking for something -- her nose was to the ground -- but as he watched, she lifted her head and began to wander in a much less focused way. He grinned; she was distracted, and he would take advantage of the opportunity. Creeping up behind her as quickly and quietly as he could, he attempted to remain out of sight, concealed by a snowy bush. And then he growled loudly -- his best bear impression bursting from his chest.

How dare you! *glomps* :3

It wasn't too often that Elwood got the jump on her, but Finley was too wrapped up in her thoughts of him (ironically enough) to notice as he crept around her and positioned himself for the attack. She was just about to inspect another patch of snow and brush that looked a little roughed up when he made his move - quite the perfect moment for him, but far from it for her.

The sound that erupted from her side caused the beta to start so violently that an involuntary yelp burst from her own lips. Instinctively, her cry turned into a throaty snarl as she spun quickly, her head and tail lifted high while her lips peeled back to bare her teeth at whoever and whatever this enemy ninja was. Without a second thought or a cautionary hesitation, she charged at the bush, planting her feet as she landed just in front of it and snapped her teeth at the shards of.. grey.... she saw between the brambles... Wait, grey, really? What the crap was grey and big like this whatever it...

"Elwood??"

Elwood remained crouched in the underbrush, yellow eyes wide as he watched Finley's reaction. He managed to startle her, and he chuckled lowly as she whirled to face the source of the sound. Her initial fear was quickly replaced by a defensive anger, however, and he couldn't help but be impressed as she peeled her lips back and prepared herself to fight her unknown assailant. It was...kind of sexy, he had to admit.

But he was a little disappointed in how easily she identified him. He frowned, but did not reveal himself just yet. Instead, he growled again, as though trying to convince anyone within earshot -- himself included -- that he really was a dangerous predator. To add to the effect, he shifted his weight, making the branches rustle ominously -- or so he thought.

It was a testament to how well she knew his voice that she was able to see so quickly through his "snowy bush/bear disguise". She quirked a brow when he didn't respond, canting her head lightly as she sniffled towards the bush. She snorted when she ended up with nostrils full of the snow that had been dislodged when the beta began to shake the branches at her. She pulled back and listened to him make his most ferocious roar, trying hard to not laugh so as not to hurt his feelings.

"I really hope that's no bear in there..." she warned with a grin, "I'd hate to have to show you what it is I do to bears." Finley gave a devious squint as she peered into the tangle of branches at the flecks of gray and black that peeked through.

She threatened him, though as he peered from between the limbs and leaves, he was fairly certain that she was trying not to laugh. This almost caused him to start chuckling, and that just wouldn't do -- what kind of ferocious bear burst out laughing when confronted by a wolf? Deciding it would be too difficult to stay in character, Elwood devised a different plan.

He shook the bush once more, making as much noise as possible, then he leaped out of his hiding place. He landed deftly next to Finley and then whirled, his hackles standing tall as he glared at the offending underbrush. "Did you see that?" he snarled, gesturing wildly with his snout at the trees a short distance from them.

"The bear -- it got away," he lamented, heaving a sigh and throwing a paw across his forehead. "But I think I taught it a lesson. It won't be back here anytime soon." He smirked, casting a sidelong glance at Finley to see what she thought of his antics. All of their games lately had centered around bears, but he wouldn't ever get tired of goofing off with Finley.

Fin was not expecting the game to change, and so when Elwood burst out of the bush and whirled around at her side, she started slightly. Her ears perked as he explained quite theatrically what had happened, and suddenly Fin found herself smiling broadly with a sappy, lovey look in her eyes.

"Oh, my hero!" she crooned dramatically, "You weren't injured, were you? Here, let me check you over..." With a caring whine that sounded suspiciously like an evil cackle, she began to poke and prod at his face with her muzzle, eventually moving down his neck and shoulder until she made it to his rib cage. Once there, she changed her sniffing to nibbling and began to prod harder, her tail wagging wickedly all the while.

"I just saved your life," Elwood said triumphantly, standing tall as Finley swooned. He puffed out his chest and tilted his chin up, likely looking ridiculous but imagining that his appearance was heroic. He shook his head in response to her question -- heroes didn't get injured! It had been a close call, for sure, but he had escaped unscathed.

Finley look matters into her own hands, however, and began examining him for cuts or bruises. He couldn't protest, for even though she jabbed playfully at him with her muzzle, he still enjoyed her touch. His suspicions grew as she made her way from his face, to his shoulders, and then to his ribs.

As soon as she poked him in the side, he yelped and leaped away. "Hey!" he protested, though his face was twisted into a broad grin. It was probably no secret to her that he was ticklish; he danced away, his tail whirling behind him as he tried to avoid her.

Elwood allowed her roving touches for a little while, but as soon as she found her way to his secret ticklish parts (not so secret for Finleys!), his resolve broke as he cried out and leaped away. She met his gaze with a look of innocence, canting her head slightly. "What is it, Twig?" she barked with faux worry, "Did I find a wound? C'mere, let me inspect you!"

With a grin, she leaped towards him, aiming to continue her attack upon his side. She lifted a paw to hopefully latch around his back to keep him in place as she probed, nudging even more eagerly than before.

Elwood shook his head hard, continuing to back away from Finley. "No," he insisted. "No!" But she kept moving towards him -- she even went so far as to pounce at him. Though he tried to escape, coiling his hind legs beneath him, he didn't have time to evade her attack. She was successful in holding him down with one foreleg flung over his shoulders (he could have easily escaped, but he didn't).

She tickled him with renewed energy, her pokes purposeful and just hard enough to make him squirm and laugh. "Nooooo," he moaned, but he didn't put up much of a fight. Instead, he fell back onto his haunches, inadvertently giving her the upper hand as he chuckled and guffawed helplessly.

Finley could've spent her entire day tickling him. She so loved the sound of his laughter, and especially loved being the one to inspire it (though truth be told, she preferred making him laugh with her wit and awesome joke-telling abilities). Once he fell backwards onto his bum, she eased up slightly in spite of the fact that he was now more vulnerable than ever. Instead of continuing her tickle attack however, she mushed herself right up against him so that they were chest to chest with his forearms on either side of her her her own paws rested on his shoulders.

"I'm glad you didn't get eated by no bear," Fin crooned with a little smile. After a moment, she planted a big ol' kiss on the the very center of his crown, her tail wagging happily about.

She was generous with her affection, and he ate it up gladly. As she pressed herself against him, he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes and making a ^_^ face as she kissed him on the forehead. His tail thumped the ground rhythmically, matching his heartbeat. In that moment, he found himself wondering how things had ended up so perfectly -- but quickly shooed the thought away. He didn't want to overthink things.

"You would miss me if I was eaten by a bear," he insisted, opening his eyes and tilting his chin back to look at her smugly. He stretched his neck to give her a boop on the nose with the tip of his snout, then said, "Wouldn't you?" He wasn't fishing for an answer or anything -- noooo way.

Finley giggled gently at the nose tap, a little tingle trickling along her spine at the touch. Her tongue flicked out lightly against his snout just before she slipped her paws off of his shoulders and settled down in the snow against him, nuzzling her muzzle against his throat with a happy little growl not much unlike a purr. She rolled her eyes at his question, immediately recognizing that he was fishing for a particular response. She was quite happy and content enough to give it freely, but....

"You know that I -" she began to placate him, pausing right before giving him the words he was looking for to change her pace with an excited grin, "Oh my gosh! If you did get eaten by a bear, I'd get to go beat it up! I LOVE beating up bears!" She paused for a moment to let that sink in.

Elwood smiled as Finley snuggled against him, feeling cozy and content with her warmth beside him. No matter the temperature, she could light a fire within him, even if the air around them was freezing. With a happy sigh, he tilted his head to look sideways at her as she started to answer his rather rhetorical question, initially providing the very response that he had been looking for.

But then she was electrocuted by a shock of excitement, and he could feel her body tense next to him. He was alarmed at first, but then her words reached his ears: "Oh my gosh! If you did get eaten by a bear, I'd get to go beat it up! I LOVE beating up bears!" Immediately, he rolled his eyes, though a laugh accompanied the movement.

"Well, at least I know that my death would be properly avenged," he said with a chuckle. He couldn't fault her for it -- her independent and brave spirit was part of why he loved her, and though it got her into trouble more often than not, she wouldn't be the same without that wild streak.

Fin watched his reaction, loving the way that he rolled his eyes but laughed all the same and gazed at her with fondness. It was strange to be so loved for herself - for who she was, even though who she was was.. completely absurd. Hawkin had always told her she was too reckless, too careless and thoughtless. He had ridiculed her for her poor decisions and her "childish" antics. But Elwood accepted those things about her. Loved her for them, even. She wanted to let herself trust it fully, but part of her held back. Part of her thought the same things about those traits and was ever warning her that those she loved did too.

But that was far from her mind in that happy moment, and so she responded to his comment with a light nip towards his chin. "Aw, I'd avenge the crap out of you, Twig," she assured him with a doting tone, "I'd avenge you so hard, all the bears in the land would know to fear my wrath." She grinned at the thought. She still wanted to expand upon the idea little Small Pox had about becoming the leader of the bears. She could have a whole army of bears at her disposal one day...

As much as she hated to untangle herself from her friendboy, Fin gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and stepped back a few paces to give her coat a good shake. "Hey, you should totally impress me more," she said after a moment, "I was tracking some delicious pheasants or partridges or some shit. Wanna help? I promise to be overly awed by your madd hunting skills."

Elwood shook his head affectionately as Finley expanded on his suggestion of avenging his death. Any excuse to tangle with bears, eh? He made a mental note to go out in a blaze of glory, just to provide his friend-girl with something to do after he was gone. Hopefully that wouldn't be anytime soon, but he couldn't be sure when he was dating a risk-taker like Finley...

She then stood and indicated that, although he had impressed her with his pretend bear-fighting skills, she wanted him to show off more. His brows raised and slowly he stood, though he paused to stretch his hind legs behind him like a cat. With a flick of his tail, he straightened and took a step towards Finley, bowing his head and pressing his crown briefly against her shoulder.

"Lead the way, babycakes. I can kick some pheasant ass for you," he quipped with a grin.

If Finley was to die one day (which the jury is still out on, btw), she was quite determined that it would be a fantastic and awe-inspiring event. With any luck, it would involve an epic chase scene and an entire army of angry predators that she would destroy all on her own. She'd never really considered what her own death would be like, but if she had, she would definitely have chosen to go out fighting. In reality, it would likely be a quiet, well-deserved death in her sleep. After a long life of battling, she would deserve a good rest.

You know, if all goes to plan and junk.

Elwood was quick to step up to the challenge. Fin's tail swayed as he responded, a thoughtful look coming over her face. He was always so reliable, so quick stand at her side, no matter the scenario. Her eyes swept across his handsome face, pausing to soak in the warmth in his glinting eyes and the sweetness in his smile. "I love you," she said suddenly, gazing steadily at him with a tiny smile tugging at her lips.

This seems like a good place to fade, if you wanna! Time for a new thread? :)

Her unexpected proclamation was not unwelcome; Elwood didn't think he'd ever get tired of hearing those words spoken in Finley's voice. It still seemed a bit strange to think that their relationship had been so different only a few weeks ago, and that they had fallen to a dangerous low point before ascending to cloud nine. But he simply smiled and leaned into her, responding truthfully.

"I love you too," he murmured, then stepped away from her. He padded a few paces forward then looked back over his shoulder, beckoning her to take the lead. "Now, about those pheasants," he encouraged with a flick of his tail.

Sure thing! <3

Elwood's response made her feel all tingly inside, and thus she responded with a little wriggling of her body as he leaned in and she licked his chin. He moved away a moment later and brought her attention back to the hunt. Though she rather had a new activity in mind after that sweet little moment, the little ache in her belly her encouraged her to save that for later after they'd eaten. With a little skip in her step, Finley trotted forward and set off into the woods with her friendboy in tow, now more eager than ever to get some bird-eating out of the way so that she could get to doing more exciting things with him.