there was astir in the land a sudden feeling of restlessness, and as the moon moved across the face of the waters, of the land, lasher gripped the edges of his highmost perch o'ertop the plateau and tasted the air. while murkwater eyes swept the far reaches of the border, taltos' focus was honed intently upon the curvaceous form of one darkfurred healer, who moved among the trees below him.

for blue willow was the one who stirred the land, the very breath of her the wind that rustled tree-branches and shrub-leaves; who fired the pounding cadence of his heart -- and all at once he was running to meet her, sweeping down from the deerpath into the flatter land with a low growl and a possessive bristle of his hackles.

"cherie," he murmured, catching sight of her eyes, gilded as they were with moonlight, and here was the old tongue, the french he had all but forgotten. out of his throat the syllables were coloured with the tones of donnelaith, and lasher padded stiff-legged toward his mate, plume flaring high with pride as his eyes burned with intrigue.

Blue slid between the trees, keeping her eyes  trained on everything around her. The scent that wafted from her was one she had become accustomed too. She stayed far away from any males that didn't belong to her and she them. Tilting her head to listen to the silence of the night, she sniffed gently. Her thought on one male in particular. She couldn't explain the thoughts that pervaded her mind, and the instincts that crowed out almost all of her senses, but she knew it was normal now. And she felt a hunger deep within the pit of her own belly, stirring and digging deep in for a period of time.

Blue heard the growl and laid her ears back, at first not recognizing it, and quickly tucking her tail and turning her green eyed gaze towards it. The next words though stirred a soft feeling deep inside. A tone of tongue and language she had not heard in some time. Tilting her head, she sweeped her tail from it's place tucked tightly and wagged it, and her ears slid forward to catch the softly whispered stirrings of instincts and long age dances.

Blue glided forward to rub across his side, tugging gently at the ruff of his neck, and nipping gently at his hip. It had been sometime, but the female had grown confident in her age, and cycles. Hello love. She softly murmured and shifted turning to lick his muzzle.

the slide of her body alongside his own fired his senses, and he reached with a snare of lips to pluck at the fur of her flank. the fragrance that surrounded them both was heady, and lasher found himself quickly drunk upon the absinthe of her desire. "tá tú álainn," the druid whispered, struck by the sight of her, the play of the moon upon her pelt, the desire rampant in her eyes. blue willow was a genteel and conservative woman -- he rather loved the way that her cycles brought down such walls.

from the dialect of donnelaith he slipped into julien's tones -- "femme merveilleuse." he circled her and ran the length of his tongue along blue willow's shoulder. temptation writhed in him; he sorely wished to embrace her now, but imposed upon his mind the will to lengthen the moment.

The soft touch of lips to pelt and flesh, made her body shudder. A larger flare of longing rippled through her body, making her stomach tighten, and her blood heat. Through the murky haze of lust that pervaded her mind, she fought to understand the words upon his tongue. It had been sometime since the gentle language of love she heard. Curving her lips into a smile and leaning against him gently tugging at his ear and sliding her muzzle across his throat and into the fur at his shoulder. Merci She hoped it was the right word.

Blue wasn't sure what the other words were, though she had picked up some through their time together now. She turned her head glancing at him through heady green eyes. Their lowered slits watching as he circled her and she wriggled slightly in anticipation. She pawed gently at the side of shoulder, and nipped playfully at the ruff of his neck, her tail wagging in tandem with her behavior.

he meant to tease her, but the smoulder of her eyes tested his resolve. she answered in his tongue and he responded with a small growl, baring his teeth in the dim light as he swept the fur upon her nape into a cowlick with a wet kiss. his own plume rose with the dominance of the movement -- he welcomed the challenge that perhaps she would pose -- but her stance was inviting. wanting.

stepping 'round her with careful tread, lasher lay his muzzle across one hip and raised his foreleg to draw her into place, though his movements lacked the true intent of their union just yet.

Blue returned his growl with a small playful one of her own, soft and inviting. She tilted ears forward and shimmied sideways. At his touch, pushing her body back against his for a moment. She tilted her tail, brushing it across his nose, and then with a soft playful bark, she side stepped out of his embrace. In time their union would come, but she herself was feeling the need to play, and preen first. She was feeling you and in love, her bones may hate her for it in the morning, but tonight she would have fun that she needed, and wanted. She tilted her tail again, invitingly and teasingly all in one motion.

she was playful, teasing, and he followed her steps with those of his own. he feinted to her left for a kiss upon her velveteen mouth, one that he stole with a cunning smile, and tangled his forelegs in those of her own as he sauntered forward to embrace her briefly before his dance brought him lightly aside from her.

the night belonged to them, taltos and his cherie, and though blue willow was no witch, she was woman, curve to the adam's-rib beating heatedly in his chest. lasher preened the bulb of one soft ear, and whispered something to her that surely would bring a burning blush to her shy cheeks.

Blue barked quietly at his stolen kiss, a smile on her face. She giggled and whined softly when he tangled his legs with her own. She followed him quickly with her own dance as he backed up. Her tail wagged and her tongue gently lolled from her mouth.

Blue gave a breathy laugh at his words and her nose twitched while other parts of her body quickly heated. Her legs twitched and she whined softly. A gentle sheen in her eyes as she drew closer to him, pressing against his chest. She licked his face, and nipped at his neck and shoulder, gently, but also forcefully.

he adored how her caresses, usually butterfly-light and unassuming, became drunk with her need, her demands during the time of season. the touch of her teeth, though controlled, let him be pricked by sharp ends, and the brief, tiny stings, like the bites of ants, sent a spiraling and honeyed feeling into his entrails. pushing the proverbial envelope, taltos planted his stance and lunged to nip -- truly and firmly -- the side of blue willow's throat, if only to wonder how she would react.

a devil-light glinted in his eyes above the smirk that curved his lips; he waited, tense with anticipation.

Blue growled gently in play. And snapped back gently, she arched her neck and tail chuckling proudly. Her green eyes glinted at him daring him to try and take what she was offering. She dipped her head and wagged her tail again. She was having the time of her life.

She ghosted forward and slid along the length of his side, leaving kisses and nips in her wake. An aching need digging deep in the innermost parts of her self.

she was playful, demanding. insistent. lasher circled her round and round, returning her caresses, the laps of her tongue, the wave of her plume, until at last he caught her in his arms and drew her back to meet him. they moved with a singular rhythm, though taltos intended to pace himself. no need for exhaustion -- they would have many opportunities to fall sated into slumber together. tonight he quite intended to enjoy the lush curves of his wife as often as time and refraction allowed.

Blue hummed softly when flesh met flesh. The rhythm stoking the fires that already burned. A soft chuff to the enjoyment of the times. She stayed within his embrace, excited and happy to see where the night may take them. A soft call into the dark with her pleasure and she lowered her lashes, sated and pleased.

at last they parted to rest, gazing at each other with smiling eyes, before desire overtook their bodies once more and they found one another beneath the cold blanket of velveteen darkness.